#wade knew in his heart from the very beginning that his one was the most precious

[mischievous-thunder]

Bonus:

Things are out of control it seems!

[reidingandwriting]

Nice To Meet Ya! > w.w. & l.h.

Word Count: ~1,900

Pairings: Wade Wilson x Reader, Logan Howlett x Reader, it’s (the beginning of) a throuple over here

Warnings: Fem!reader (she pronouns used like. twice in the very end), to be expected amounts of cursing and vulgarity from Wade, lots of cursing in general tbh, maybe a little OOC Logan, still getting to learn how to write his character well (Deadpool and Wolverine gave me brain worms so I had to write this immediately after watching)

A/N: This may become a little bit of a series! I’m having so much fun writing them since I Finally watched Deadpool and Wolverine so there will be a lot of solo & duo content with these two. This part is a little Wade focused but the next part is more Logan focused 🫶🏻

Next Chapter

You never in a million years imagined this would be your life. You were raised by busy parents, and you quickly became self sufficient. Independent. When you hit your teenage years, your parents… god knows where they went, to be honest. All you knew is you had a house to yourself, you didn’t have friends anymore, and as lonely as it was, you found a bit of comfort in the solitude. You worked as a bartender at this bar not too far from your house, and you were a crowd favorite. You always brought in the biggest tips and many of the patrons were protective over you.

Your longest regular was the merc with a mouth- Deadpool. Wade, as he introduced himself once, a faint whisper. The fabric of his mask rubbing against your cheek as he whispered the name in your ear. Wade Wilson.

He was... Loud, to say the least. You didn’t think he had an off switch. He insisted he did- but you’d have to go under his suit to find it, he teased you. He never stopped talking and there was no such thing as small talk with him; if you were talking to him, he was downright vulgar, and the quite frankly gross sense of humor was entertaining. He also flirted like it was his job. Much like the rest of his vocabulary, his flirting was pure filth that would make even the most seasoned sailor blush. And god forbid any creep start talking to you.

“Hey, princess, sorry I’m late. Too busy blowing my load to the thought of you, then remembered, wait! I can come see your fine ass in person whenever I want. Wanna finish me off?” You could practically feel the smirk Wade was sending you. You gestured for him to lean in, waiting until he was leaned against the bar, chest hovering above the countertop as you leaned in.

“In your dreams, dick for brains.” Your lips brushed against where his were covered by his mask, and you smirked when you heard the sharp intake of breath. The gasp almost impossible to hear, but it made your heart flutter all the same.

“You, sweet thang? Always. Holy fucking shit, that was so hot.” You and Wade had quickly become friends, his personality meshing well with yours. After ‘baby knife’ had somehow found itself in the hand of some perv that had been borderline stalking you at work for weeks, you found a new part of his personality. His protectiveness. He was as chipper as ever, but with the manic energy of someone who could, and would, kill someone who mildly inconvenienced someone he cared for. Unhinged, barely holding onto his minimal self restraint to splatter the guy’s blood all over the wall. Wouldn’t want you to have a mess to clean up, he admitted once it was just the two of you.

He offered to walk you home once after he’d known you for a few weeks, and now it was habit. You loved the times you had with just him. He was the same old Wade, but more open about himself. More vulnerable. These walks were where you got to know Wade, and he got to know you. You had let him crash one night, not that long ago, when it was storming hard. He had already insisted on walking you home, storm be damned, and you repaid him with a home cooked meal, some trashy movie, and a night of conversation on your couch until you dozed off, your head lolling to the side and landing on his shoulder.

Hours later, you had woken up, now lying down and the comfortable weight of Wade’s hand in your hair from where your head rested on his thighs. By the time the sun rose, you were alone in your living room, the only trace Wade had been there being a sloppy drawing of the Deadpool mask and a heart he scribbled on the whiteboard of your fridge. You smiled at the doodle and left it up, it still being up there today.

You stood at your spot behind the bar a few weeks later when someone new walked into the building, and you tilted your head. Newcomers weren’t entirely unheard of, but they were pretty rare, especially on a weekday. You took in the man as he stood near the doorway; brown hair, and oh fuck, good beard. The leather jacket he wore did little to hide how muscular he was and you watched as he scanned the room. Body tense, as if looking for potential threats. Potential ways out if danger occurred. Not like anyone would mess with him, aura alone enough to scare off anyone within a ten foot radius, let alone the hard look in his eyes.

Still, he walked over to the bar and took a seat. You offered a gentle smile, watching for another second before speaking. “You seem like a whiskey fan.”

His hazel gaze shifted up to meet your eyes, and you felt as if he was staring right into your god damned soul. It was intimidating, it was hot, and you couldn’t decide whether you should look away or lean in and-

“Yeah. Whiskey’s nice.” He nodded his head towards a bottle behind you. You nodded and went to pour a glass as he spoke again. “You always try to guess orders?”

“Only the interesting ones. Or the pretty ones.” You winked before turning, smiling when you heard the slightest huff of amusement. “Haven’t seen you here before. New in town?”

“Somethin’ like that.” You turned back around, setting the glass in front of him, propping up on your elbows as he drank. “Thanks.” He looked familiar but god, you couldn’t place where you had seen him before. You made light conversation, most of the talking done by you, but you found that you didn’t mind. He listened, intently. Everything he did seemed to be intense, like it was his default. You were grateful for the slow night, getting to see a glimpse of the man behind the bulletproof walls he had clearly built around himself.

“You thirsty slut! Of course I’d find you here.” You heard Wade’s voice before you saw him, and an annoyed scowl took over the unknown man’s face.

“Thirsty slut? Thought that was your autobiography title,” you said and Wade gasped in mock offense.

“You know I don’t read! Mocking the illiterate, how dare you?” Wade hopped onto the counter, hip almost knocking the glass of whiskey over.

“I don’t get how you’re late to a place you wanted to go to.” The brunette man said, voice low and rough, and Wade waved a hand dismissively.

“So uptight, can you believe it? Need to pull the stick out of your ass, maybe put it in-“

“La la la la la, not listening,” you sang, covering your ears, and Wade turned to you.

“You traitor! I leave you alone for five minutes and Wolvie has his claws in you.” Wolvie… Holy fuck, you were trying to flirt with the Wolverine. “And, Peanut, you know I’d never be late on purpose. Except I really needed to piss, then I got distracted by this really cute dog outside and I ended up totally abandoning my favorite dog.” Wade reached out to pat him, and you watched as a sliver of claws extended from his hands. A warning that didn’t seem to deter Wade much, but he did put his hand down. “Well, might as well introduce you.” Wade told you his name was Logan, and Wade told Logan your name in return.

You and Wade continued to talk, Logan yet again preferring to listen rather than join the conversation. Wade told the story of how he met Logan, how together the two of them essentially saved the world, and how the two of them were now roommates. Begrudgingly, according to Logan, but Wade seemed thrilled about his ‘roomie’.

It was hours later when the three of you left the bar. Wade insisted on walking you home, taking your hand in his and skipping down the street with you. Logan was a few paces behind you, his presence a comforting sense behind you. Where Wade was loud, in your face, Logan seemed to be the quiet lurker type. He’d hide in the shadows, making himself known when he felt threatened. You walked up to your front door, unlocking the door and Wade helped himself inside. You rolled your eyes and turned to Logan, who lingered on your doorstep.

“If you want to come in, you’re more than welcome. At least one of you has manners,” you called towards where Wade stood in your kitchen and cackled. Logan nodded, muttering a ‘Thank you’ as he walked inside, his shoulder brushing against yours gently. You shut the door behind you and Wade opened your fridge.

“Aww, pookie, you kept my drawing!” There was a hint of an unfamiliar emotion in his voice… something, something new. You couldn’t place it, yet you smiled anyways.

“Of course I did, Wade.” Now that you were in the safety of your house, Wade’s mask had been discarded on your kitchen counter and you could see the smile on his face. “Get out of my fridge, you leech.“

“I’m starving,” Wade whined and you turned to look at Logan. He stood a little awkwardly, and you gestured to the couch, taking a seat and smiling when he followed suit. He sat on the cushion furthest from you, but you didn’t question it.

Logan couldn’t help but study you. There was an obvious familiarity between you and Wade, you matching his wit and comebacks, but you were different when you spoke to him. You were quieter, more reigned in. Strangely not out of fear, but as if you were trying to make him comfortable. You switched between Wade and Logan like it was second nature, and the more he talked to you and the more he watched you and Wade, he felt himself begin to relax just a little.

He didn’t realize how much time had passed until Wade, ever the charmer, let out a dramatic yawn, throwing his hands up in the air as he stretched. “Well, cupcake. I think it’s about time we head home. Old man is already up way past his bedtime.” Wade yelped as he jumped back, barely missing the claws that protruded from Logan’s hand, and he stuck his tongue out at him. “Grumpy grandpa.”

You stood and Logan followed suit. Wade kissed your cheek before saying goodbye and stepping outside, leaving you and Logan alone.

“I hope I’ll see you again, Logan.” Your voice was gentle, your smile even more so, and Logan nodded.

“I’ll be around. Don’t think I have much of a choice with that one.” There was a sliver of fondness mixed with the exasperation in his voice, and Logan started to walk outside. “Goodnight, bub.” Logan closed the door behind him, lingering until he heard your locks click shut. He caught up with Wade a moment later and Wade gave him the biggest shit eating grin ever.

“Is someone melting the big bad wolf’s heart?” The metallic clang followed by Wade’s pained grunt made Logan laugh, and Wade shoved his shoulder.

“Wait until she sees what an asshole you are. Then she’ll realize I’m the better half of this friendship.” The two men continued to bicker the entire way home, both of them thinking about when they’d get to see you next.

[ohtobeleah]

touch starved Logan with a physical touch reader… yeah….

Touch Starved is a good way to describe Logan in two words. I think after so many years of only ever being touched when someone was trying to inflict some sort of physical pain on him, he just decides touch isn't something he's inherently interested in. It's worth more trouble than its worth seeking.

But I can see it now. Logan would be sitting on the floor with his back against the couch. Your legs, are spread on either side of him as you sit on top of the very couch that Logan spends most of his nights on.

“Can I let you in on a secret?” You coo all the while you card your fingers through Logan's hair. Your hands tend to wander absentmindedly down his next and to his exposed shoulders from time to time.

“Huh?” Logan barely hears you speak. He's so tuned out right now. He's floating on cloud nine because he's never had a massage like this before. One that's so nonchalant. One that's so casual and unintentionally intimate when he lets out a sigh of a moan at your handiwork. “Sure, yeah—sorry, I wasn't here for a moment.” You take it as a compliment while your eyes remain trained on the TV ahead as your hands work magic into Logan's scalp, neck and shoulders.

“That first day,” You begin. “When you came into the cafe looking for Wade but he wasn't around?” Logans listening, he swears. But your touch has always been something that could captivate his every sense and have him completely under your control. He'd never craved something so natural before. Your touch. “I think that's one of my top five days, ever.” You admit.

“How so?” Is all Logans mumbled back. His voice is deep and full of gruff undertones.

“Because I'm just really grateful I got to me you is all,” You shrug. It's not that big of a deal. Whatever you and Logan were was something that wasn't defined by traditional labels. But he knew you loved him. And you knew Logan loved you back. You couldn't explain it, but that mutual understanding that you'd show up for each other when it mattered the most made your heart ache at the thought that until now, Logan never felt that level of love, compassion or understanding. “For the worst Logan, I think you go alright.”

Logan had never had someone in his corner the way he knew you were. And he feels that in every aspect of your relationship. But the thing he notices the most…is your touch. How you aren't afraid to touch him. How you value his body for more than just its mutant abilities. You see him, Logan Howlett, for the man he is and wants to be and not the weapon they designed him to be.

Your hugs ignite his skin like a solar flare. Your kisses, your lips on his, set his heartbeat into overdrive. Sixth gear overdrive. The way you cling to him when you fall asleep at night soothes his soul until he decides the couch is a safer place for him.

The way you weren't afraid to hold his hand when no one had ever done so before made Logan's head spin. His brain couldn't compute the sensation on another persons fingers intertwined with his in the way yours fit so perfectly between his. Like you weren't afraid of what you were arresting your hands on. Adamantium claws.

It wasn't until Logan met you, that he realised just how long it had been since he'd experienced the loving and gentle touch of a woman who truly loved him. And once that thought had materialised, Logan realised further that he'd never actually felt the gentle touch of a woman who loved him…because no woman had ever loved him before. Not like you.

“You’re still betting on losing dogs I see?” The corner of Logan's mouth curved up into a smile when you reach down to wrap your around around his shoulders. His heart skips a single best inside his chest when he felt your lips against his scruff-covered cheek.

“What can I say, I’m always a sucker for a stray.”

Ilya

[thedream14]

A random idea… I saw a Fic like this in another ship sooo why not…

As a multiuniversal rule, all people who turn 10 years old receive a small box, which contains a miniature version of their soulmate.

This small being is known as a Tiny. They don’t have evil in their hearts, on the contrary, they are the reflection of the most honest and deep feelings of each person.

Tinys only stay alive from the love and care they receive from their soulmate. The more love and affection a Tiny receives, the healthier and stronger they will be.

Eventually, destiny will unify the paths of each person, bringing the soulmates together.

****

In the middle of 1842, when James turned 10 years old, he received a very peculiar Tiny. A talkative man dressed in a red jumpsuit with a disfigured skin. James thought it was a bad joke from destiny. Who could love such a horrible person?

Also, the tiny was incapable of shutting his mouth at all. The tiny only made meaningless comments with a terrible humor. To top it all off, the tiny was a man, which was a forbidden kind of relationship. It was a total disaster.

However, he changed his mind after one fateful night. Upon discovering that he was a mutant, the boy now known as Logan, only received from his Tiny sweet words of support and devotion. His Tiny offered him shelter and understanding in the midst of pain and loss. This little representation of his real soulmate just encouraged him to move on and be strong.

In that moment, Logan realized that the real joke of destiny was himself, because that hopeless madman was his true love.

Only the purest love could take an animal like him, regardless of his defects and mistakes. Without complaining about the rejection and mistreatment he received at the beginning of their relationship. His beautiful Wade was his beginning and end. A loving, attentive and funny person. An admirable, loyal and brave man.

Everything Logan aspired to become.

Over the years, Logan begged his Tiny for forgiveness and promised him to never be ashamed of him. He would never make him suffer or feel abandoned. Everyday, Logan would proclaimed to his tiny his eternal love.

And so the decades passed with the promise of finding his soulmate. Logan never gave up, he just kept looking.

Logan knew he would find his Wade no matter what !!!

Although, what Wolverine didn’t know was that his soulmate, literally, was also trying to find him… but in another universe…

—-

PD: I don't know if you want me to explore Wade's perspective with his Tiny Logan. How his brain was turn off when he found his Wolverine or at least, that's what he thought... Since that Logan was different from his Tiny. He wasn’t his soulmate... Something was VERY wrong… You let me know 🫥

PD x2: English is not my first language… we fell down like Wade's pants every time Logan purred 🤣

[zazter-den]

Stained Glass Circumstances

Series: Snippet 1, Current, Ch. 1 Foul-Mouthed Frit,

Synopsis- Captain Kirishima tries to focus on duty among the dogwoods of the onsen. Easier said than done.

Warnings- Servant Dynamics, Concubine Dynamics, Suggestive Themes, Hot Spring Setting.

Tags- Less explicit prologue, No Sex, Fantasy AU, Dragon!Kirishima, GuardCapt!Kiri,KingConsort!Reader, Black Haired Reader.

Word Count- 800 Prologue II

As Captain Kirishima traversed the dimly lit hallways, he couldn't help but catch whispers and curious glances from the castle servants and guests. The news of King Bakugou's latest acquisition—the very person he now cradled in his arms—was spreading like wildfire throughout the castle grounds.

The eyes of the castle staff, those less accustomed to the extremes of the king at least, lingered on the pair as they passed. Some glanced with genuine curiosity, while others showed a mix of respect and envy towards the Captain of the Guard. Yet, Kirishima's focus remained solely on the task at hand, one he cherished: ensuring your well-being after your night with the unconventional ruler.

Leaving the confines of the castle, he stepped into the castle courtyard, embraced by the stillness of the night. Above him, the starry sky spread like a sparkling blanket, the moon illuminating his path. The sweet scent of blooming dogwoods filled the air, their delicate petals scattered across the ground like silken confetti.

In the tranquil beauty of the gardens, still groggy from the earlier encounter with King Bakugou, you stirred in Kirishima's arms. The sound of a voice, drowsy and sweet, reached his ears as you expressed your appreciation for his assistance. He chuckled, the sound a pleasant rumble you could feel, and a warm smile graced his lips.

"It's my honor." Captain Kirishima replied, his deep voice laden with a tenderness only reserved for those closest to his heart. "Rest assured, you're in good hands." Barely restrained adoration for you lighting up his scarlet eyes.

Approaching the entrance of the hot spring cavern, you marveled at the sight before them same as every night, the Captain never failed to find your awe endearing. The cave was carved from a giant geode, its walls sparkling with an array of crystals that shimmered in the moonlight. Smooth pools held healing mineral water bubbled up through the tiny cracks and fissures below, warm water surrounded by the gentle embrace of towering dogwoods within the geode walls. Their delicate blooms added a touch of softness to the surroundings, the ombre petals floating upon the water's surface.

The most captivating feature of the structure was the giant hole in the ceiling—nature's own skylight. It allowed the moon's luminous rays to stream in, casting a ethereal glow on the warm pools. The combination of moonlight and crystal created a dreamlike ambiance, enchanting anyone who set foot in the cave.

Every night the sight would take your breath away. And every night Captain Kirishima would lose his in response.

He carefully set you down at the edge of your favored pool, turning away to offer privacy as you unwrapped the crimson Captain's cloak enveloping your tired body. It was a reminder of the boundaries that existed between them—the duty that he held to both his king and his own code. A boundary that Captain Kirishima knew he was beginning to toe.

With the warmth of the onsen air embracing them, you slowly entered the healing water, the delicate dogwood petals floating on the surface shifting as you made your way further in.

Turning back to face the water, to face you, Kirishima's heart ached as much as his sore body. His mind fully aware of the consequences that awaited him if he were discovered lingering.

But still, his gaze stayed on you, captivated by the sight of you wading closer to the ethereal glow of moonlight, surrounded by the enchanting ambiance of the cave. As you settled into the middle of the healing waters, Kirishima knelt by the pool's edge. Nights like these stirred a tender and treachorous longing within his heart. Despite his position as a loyal servant to the king, his feelings for you undoubtedly went beyond mere duty.

Gently, Kirishima reached down, trailing his bruised hand along the smooth surface of the water, ancient minerals slowly began to knit the laceration from this afternoon, causing ripples to dance across the pool's surface. The reflections of the stars and dark sky above seemed to come alive in the swirling water, mirroring the turbulent emotions within the captain's own heart.

He shouldn't be this close.

Kirishima reluctantly forced himself to stand. Pivoting on the balls of his feet, facing away from the pool, a quiet sigh escaped his lips. He knew he shouldn't have developed these feelings for one of the concubines of Bakugou, the barbaric royal he swore to serve. But the heart, the soul, has a way of weaving its own tapestry, ignoring the boundaries set by duty and loyalties.

The impacts from King Bakugou's winning blow during their sparring match still rattled his body, adding an additional injury to insult this time around. Residual pain etched on his face as he began to walk away from the steamy waters, towards the cavern exit.

"Wait, Captain…!" your voice reached out to him from behind, words soft and filled with a gentle insistence. "You…should join me."

Taglist: @themythicaldisaster

Wishing nonnie and you all the sweetest of dreams ❛ ֊ ❛

Comment/tag for what you might like to see of this series!

[gracesshelves]

The Shining by Stephen King

While I have seen a few movies based on Stephen King’s novels, this is the first time I’ve ever read one of his books. It did not disappoint! Now I understand why he is so well known for his horror writing; he definitely got my heart racing. Overall, if I had to rate this book, I’d give it a four out of five. I loved how King built tension and fear through word choice and repetition as Jack slowly goes insane, but I think that when it comes to conveying information to his audience, King could get places a bit faster than he does. The main message I took away from The Shining was of the impact that generational trauma has, and how important it is to break that cycle of familial violence.

One of the biggest strengths to me was King’s ability to turn the mundane into something terrifying. I was less afraid while reading scenes that were explicitly supernatural than I was during the scenes that simply suggested the supernatural. Out of the whole book, the moment that scared me the most was when Jack went to check room 217. Even though I knew what was in the bathtub, the language that King used was able to reignite that tension. Phrases like “sudden rattling”, “jerked convulsively”, and “leaden step” made my stomach sink with dread for Jack (King 381). One of my biggest fears is the unknown, so being able to make me afraid of something I am aware of is a tough job.  Another scene that stood out to me was when Danny faced the hose in the hallway. The way that Stephen King personifies the hose, having it stare him down as “the nozzle of the hose gleam[s]” made me fear for Danny’s safety (King 159.) I would say these two scenes combined scared me more while reading than the climax did.  

However, despite how much I enjoyed King’s ability to build tension, there were a few things I struggled with. A lot of important information gets conveyed in dialogue that seems to go on forever, and in my opinion, could have been given more succinctly. For example, Watson tells Jack about people who’ve died in the hotel and how dangerous the boiler is, which is relevant later in the book, but had King not repeated that information in prose, I would’ve forgotten everything Watson said (King 22-36). This isn’t to say that you can’t have a character who is defined by rambling speech, just that there should be a balance in order to keep your reader engaged. Related to that point, I think there were also places in the prose that I wish had gotten to the point faster. I do agree that knowing Jack’s psychology and backstory is vital, but some moments negatively impacted my reading experience (King 162-172). I also understand that this is more of a slow-building horror, but if I wasn’t reading this for a class, the pace of the first half of the book might’ve stopped me from finishing it. My copy was 683 pages, and the last 300 flew by because of the action and stakes, but the first 300-ish felt like wading through quicksand.

    Despite my issues with some of the storytelling techniques, The Shining was a very compelling novel with a message that touched me deeply. The focus on inter-generational trauma and healing is reflected in the way Jack, Wendy, and Danny interact with the supernatural. Throughout the novel, Wendy has very few interactions with the ghosts haunting The Overlook. Often, she is taking a nap or making food during these moments (King 343). I think this reflects how she has broken out of the cycle of trauma in her own family. This can be seen through the very fact that she is aware of those mistakes to begin with and worries about repeating them with her son (King 73). Unfortunately for Danny, Jack has not broken this cycle. He continuously loses his temper and physically hurts Danny multiple times (King 24, 186). This means that Danny does face these entities in the hotel. However, unlike Jack, who ultimately falls victim to the violence and anger he inherited from his father, Danny has inherited the shining from his mother, the ability to break past that trauma (King 644, 129). Because he is able to feel what others feel and hear their thoughts, he is more empathetic than Jack. In the end, only Wendy and Danny leave the hotel, the cycle of inter-generational violence, behind for a brighter future.

King, Stephen. The Shining. Pocket Books, 2001.

[mochidreambubble]

one more word and you won't survive [Day 4 chapter]

Written for OC x Canon week organised by @theocxcanonweek

Day 4 Prompt:

Cuddling / Western AU / “Take me with you!...”

Childe/Genshin OC. Dragonspine shenanigans - actually more like Sheer Cold shenanigans.

Ao3 link here.

Day 5 prompt here.

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

Ruyi normally doesn’t like equating anything to is childhood; nothing is usually truly as horrid or mentally stressful on such a personal level these days. That said, he could chalk up being lost and close to freezing on Dragonspine a pretty close second…

It was meant to be a simple request and despite his poor sense of direction, he’d normally be fine so long as he kept the Traveler and their little floating friend in sight. But amidst the snowstorm, everything all round him became a blanket of white. 

So it’s no wonder Ruyi finds himself stranded on the mountain, unsure of where he is, to begin with, and absolutely freezing as he wades through the snow. He starts to worry as daylight seemed to be fading from the skies and he could barely make anything out of it. He hates to think what it be like to try and navigate on a snowstorm on a rather steep mountain…

“Squint any further and you’d look like Teyvat’s most miserably drenched kitten.”

Ruyi would jump was he were not genuinely soaked and freezing, and bogged down by snow. Or maybe the smart reaction really was to be stunned in shocked silence mixed with an undercurrent of fear.

“I also don’t think it’s a good idea to be gaping like that you know?” The eleventh freaking Harbinger of the Fatui says, casually as if completely unbothered by the snowstorm. He reaches forward to push Ruyi’s jaw shut, a little amused.

He gets his hand slapped away for good measure, Ruyi stuttering from the cold and disbelief. “Wh-Wha- How….?! Wh-what are y-you d-d-doing here?!”

Childe shrugs. “Just hanging around. Nothing nefarious, promise!” He crosses his heart for good measure, speaking loud against the storm. “Though I guess you don’t believe me?”

“C-Course I d-d-don’t believe you!” Ruyi snaps, turning around in a huff to walk away. He tries to ignore the ache in his heart and the inner shame of having put even the amount of trust he had given the other young man initially. 

“Hey! Where are you going?”

Ruyi doesn’t even respond. He doesn’t make it very far though, a hand grabbing hold of his shoulder firmly and pulling him back.

“Wh-what now?!”

“I’m just trying to stop you from walking off the edge.”

“....Oh.”

“Look, you obviously freezing and it’s not like you can make out where to go right now,” Childe motions vaguely in the opposite direction. “I have a camp and fire set up in a small cave, so how about just coming with me for a bit?”

“W-with you?!”

“Well, it’s my mini campsite right now, after all. I’ve even got blankets and some food with me,” Childe acts as if Ruyi doesn’t seem utterly mortified, still unbothered by the frost beating down on them.

Ruyi blanches again. “You’re crazy if you think I’d go anywhere with you right now?”

Childe sighs, a degree of frustration apparent. “Look, I know I’m not someone you’d want to run into, but I’m not here to antagonise you, alright?”

“But why do you care if I walk off a cliffside or freeze up here?!”

“Consider it an act for your forgiveness. How about that?”

Ruyi does deliberate for a second, between being lost in a snowstorm and following a dangerous man to who knows where. “Fine.”

“Great,” Childe grins and grabs hold of Ruyi’s hand to drag him on a path. Ruyi wonders how he could even be so unbothered by the weather. He knew Snezhnaya was basically known for its icy weather but…

He tries not to think on it. Anything on the eleventh Harbinger shouldn’t even cross his mind. All he has to do is survive the storm and hopefully never run into him again. At least this whole ordeal would be as painless as he can make it-

 “So,” Childe chuckles once they reach the rather tight-fit space for a cave. There was indeed a fire going, as well as a sleeping bag and… “I actually only have one blanket, but we can share it.”

“What?!” Ruyi’s teeth have stopped chattering but he can still feel the chill in his bones. “Now why would I ever-”

“What, you’d rather get frostbite rather than huddle for warmth with a guy you fought just one time?”

“Y-You..! You were not j-just some guy! You-”

“Yes, yes, I’m a horrible person who nearly destroyed your home with Osial,” Childe settles down on the sleeping bag, blanket over his shoulder, raising one side of the blanket in invitation. “Now would you just get over here?”

Ruyi ends up making a reluctant show of it, both absolutely freezing and needing just any source of warmth and the nervousness of being close to Childe in close proximity. Once he’s under the blanket, his heart jumping when Childe wraps his arm over Ruyi’s shoulder along with said blanket, he tries to focus on the flickering flames and the sounds of the howling winds.

“What in the world were you doing out in the mountains all by yourself anyways?” Childe asks, breaking the unspoken promise of silence.

“I wasn’t by myself. I just got separated…”

“From everyone’s favourite Traveler and flying fairy, then?”

Ruyi finds himself turning to face Childe, eyes narrowing slightly. “What’s it to you?”

“Whoa now, I’m just asking friend.”

“Hey, since when were we ever-”

“Hey now, what’s a little bit of sparring anyways?”

“You call what you did back at the Golden House sparring?” Ruyi asks in disbelief.

There’s a grin and glint in his blue eyes. Ruyi rolls his own. “Nevermind, shouldn’t have asked.”

Maybe he was far too tired by wading through the storm, for he accepts a mug with what seemed like broth when Childe passed it over to him without much protest this time.

“...What about you?” Ruyi asks, taking a sip. “What are you doing on Dragonspine, really?”

He hears Childe hum in contemplation. “Fraid I can’t tell you. I’d have to… Silence you permanently if you knew. And I’m deeply hoping to avoid that.”

Ruyi finds himself tensing again, but Childe simply laughs. “Look, I’m taking steps to make sure I won’t, alright?”

“I don’t find the idea of dying a bloody death that humorous…”

“Having you all bloody doesn’t make me happy either you know?” There’s a sombre pause before Childe continues. “Look, I know you probably won’t believe me but I wasn’t enthusiastic on using Osial, you know?”

“But you still went through with it…”

“All that havoc, and all for naught,” The bitterness is greatly apparent. “No gnosis by my hand and I burned every bridge I made in Liyue.”

“What, you’re saying that some of the friendships you made were genuine?”

“A complete game of masks and deceit sounds awfully boring, you know?” Childe gives a small smile. “And I appreciated getting to know you, and a lot of others.”

“...You sound pretty lonely.”

Childe laughs again, but Ruyi could wince at the hollowness of it all. “Nonsense. I get to move around freely as much as I like to on all the missions I get and I get to fight a whole feast of different enemies. How alone could I be?”

There’s a new ache in his heart, but Ruyi can’t find his words. Childe doesn’t continue either. There’s nothing but the fire and storm once more.

…

When Ruyi wakes, his heart almost jumps out of his mouth. He’s warm, but how could he not be, bundled in a blanket and in the freaking arms of his impromptu companion. 

Said companion, unfortunately, gets a rude awakening as a shocking gust of Anemo to the face and strong enough to blast him out of the cave. At least the storm had halted, and it was nothing but a mountain coated in snow and stilled icy air.

“For the record, Ruyi, you were cosying up to me to- Hey, where are you going?!”

And the young man who refused to respond, flustered and now warm enough to potentially melt the snow, continues up the mountain path with the eleventh Harbinger hot on his heels.

(fin)

[disparatemind]

Part 3/?

Links to parts one and two here

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

A good many pairs of eyes turned my way at the question, and I smirked as I responded.

"I lost a bet."

"You're never gonna give it up, are you?" asked one of the more tenured patrons.

"Hope it doesn't let you down," I grinned back, relishing the groans of those who understood the reference.

Alex looked confused.

"She's given a different answer to everyone who's asked," came a gruff voice from the sofa. We turned and looked at Couch, whose face was still somber but had a small curve at one corner of his mouth. "She told me she didn't check both ways before crossing the street."

A smattering of laughter rippled across the cafe, and I smiled at the souls in front of me. "I'll be right—"

A sudden blur shot past the counter and through the door to Life, slamming it open with a loud BANG! I grimaced slightly. "I'm surprised that door hasn't broken yet."

"What was that?" Alex asked.

"Wade was called back to his body," I explained. "Most people, after their first time through the door, just pop in and out like Ashley here, but Wade is a… special case."

"That's putting it mildly," Couch said.

I busied myself with making more coffee and tea, listening to the conversations around me. It was comforting, but bittersweet; they would all go their own way at some point, and while I knew that from the very beginning, I couldn't help but become friends with the occasional soul who stayed longer than normal. My eyes darted to Couch for a moment, and I felt a brief ache in my heart. However much I might enjoy their company, and however pleasant I might make their stay, the simple fact was that they were trapped. The ones who stayed in my cafe the longest were the ones who couldn't move forward or go back, and even the fear of what might lay beyond Death's door was eventually worn away by the passage of time and replaced with a weariness that hurt to see no matter how many times it happened.

"I did warn you…" drifted a voice in my head.

I wasn't complaining, I answered the voice silently. Merely reflecting.

I'd done a lot of that during my time in the cafe. I knew there were others, but I'd never seen them myself. I had far too many customers to leave, and it would feel odd being a patron. Especially if…

My eyes flickered over to Couch again, and then to the door behind which lay the afterlife, and I thought—not for the first time—what it would be like to go through it.

You run a café on the edge of life and death. Souls who have been departed from their bodies temporarily, such as in comas or near-death experiences, can relax in your quaint cafe for as long as they need before they can either return to their bodies or begin their journey to the afterlife.

[denimbex1986]

'One of the most immediately impressive aspects of All of Us Strangers is how deftly it weaves fantasy and reality throughout its story, blurring the boundaries between them in a way that’s both accessible and emotionally resonant. The film doesn’t lose itself in trying to justify what’s real and what isn’t, nor is it confusing to wade through the complicated mindset of its protagonist, Adam (Andrew Scott). Haunted by his parents’ death over 30 years ago, Adam is stuck in a lonely rut, left examining the pieces of his life without a clear path forward.

When he finds his parents just as he remembers them in his childhood home, he uses these interactions to answer some of his burning questions. Claire Foy and Jamie Bell are phenomenal at portraying parents of a child bordering on adolescence. In their interactions with Andrew Scott, who in reality is a few years older than them, there isn’t a moment where it doesn’t feel like they’re lovingly observing or responding to their young child. The conversations the trio engage in are beautiful and desperately painful, yet somehow never feel like they’re cheaply exploiting the viewer’s emotions.

It’s also consistently fascinating to watch someone converse with people from their past, since in many ways they are communicating with the past itself, as Adam realises when he tells his mother that he is gay. As I was watching Adam discuss his sexuality with his mother, who never knew nor suspected that he was gay, I was struck by how heavy-handed and clichéd this would seem in any other film. It is perhaps because bigotry seems clichéd by nature, since it represents an instinctive, regressive attitude rooted in tradition that doesn’t foreground empathy or humanity, which this film has in spades.

In fact, when I apply this same lens to All of Us Strangers as a whole, it’s a miracle that the movie is so heart-wrenching and intimate, when so many of its scenes would feel as though they were pandering for sympathy if they were helmed by almost any other director. In this film, it genuinely feels like you’re eaves-dropping on moments from real life that define entire relationships. With little time for Adam to express all of the things he has waited for decades to say, there’s an urgency to these exchanges, as well as an unspoken understanding that they cannot last forever.

As brilliant as these moments are, the film needs at least one element to foreground Adam’s experiences in the present day, where he isn’t always looking to the past for answers. He’s able to find the chance of a way forward in life with Harry (Paul Mescal), his neighbour in their near-empty apartment building. Though their relationship begins on an awkward note (more than one, actually), it soon blossoms. Despite an age gap separating them, where they both come from two very different times, Adam and Harry share a sense of loneliness about being gay in modern Britain. As they feel increasingly locked out of their friends and families’ lives since they’re the only ones not married or raising children, both men find common ground relating their current circumstances.

One of Andrew Haigh’s keenest sensibilities is how thoroughly he centres his protagonists’ experiences throughout every moment of his films. In All of Us Strangers this effect is used to its greatest extent, since even in scenes where Adam is surrounded by other people you can feel his loneliness. Praise must also be heaped on Andrew Scott for delivering such a moving performance to make this story possible: there are many occasions when the entire emotional resonance of a scene rests on his expression.

The film made me ponder areas of life that I had never considered before, exposing the deep loneliness that has afflicted Adam and Harry. Even if they exist in a more enlightened and humane world than before, their homosexuality still pushes them towards the peripheries of society, as if they’re always left outside, looking in at other people entering new chapters of their lives. Unfortunately, they can’t do the same thing, for more than one reason.

When I first watched the movie in theaters, I didn’t connect with its ending. For one thing, reveals like the one provided in this film always feel like a cop out to me, where the work of art can’t exist within the parameters it has set up for itself, so it breaks them for something new and fresh. I also didn’t find it to be particularly original: as I was watching the final scene, I was picturing the endings of The Banshees of Inisherin and Mysterious Skin, for obvious reasons. It felt like it knew it couldn’t end its story with Adam and his parents, and sought out one last gut-punch to cynically hammer home its harrowing exploration of grief.

Even if its concepts or its final shot aren’t strikingly original, I’ve warmed up to the emotional power of the film’s ending. At first, it’s difficult to comprehend when it forces you to question everything you’ve watched up to this point. Just like in his interactions with his parents, All of Us Strangers is once again challenging us to reckon with Adam’s profound sense of loneliness. By expanding that scope somewhat to acknowledge someone else’s inner demons, it allows Adam to open his heart enough to accept new possibilities. It’s the perfect bittersweet ending for this intimate, devastating and hopeful film.'

[frogtanii]

warm.

it’s too warm, was your first waking thought as you sluggishly waded through the mound of blankets that encompassed you to get a breath of fresh air (you assumed bokuto and kuroo were the culprits for your warm and fuzzy hellhole). your eyes first fell on the television playing the credits to the second or third pirates of the caribbean movie on mute, the remote haphazardly thrown somewhere to your left as though the person who did so left in a hurry.

speaking of people, there was no one left in the room as you slowly joined the land of the living. a part of you suspected everyone had gone to bed but atsumu or akaashi would’ve woken you up if that had been the case.

belatedly, you recognized voices coming from the front door and your still sleep-addled brain lit up. oh! you thought. food must be here! untangling yourself from the blankets proved to be an exhausting feat because by the time you were done, your body was covered in a sheen of sweat underneath oikawa’s sweats and sakusa’s hoodie.

ugh, gross.

you began to make your way towards the door, the blood rushing through your head preventing you from hearing the details of conversation but knowing atsumu, he was just haggling for a lower price even though you told him repeatedly, that isn’t how pizza places work tsum.

as you drew nearer to the commotion, you started to pick up on the heavy tension in the air, leaving you extremely uncomfortable. you had no idea what the cause of it was but you did know it was making most of the boys upset, who, by the way, hadn’t noticed you creeping around just yet.

a feminine voice rang out from outside the doorway and though you were still attempting to gain your hearing, the sound sent chills down your spine. it sounded saccharine, sweet, familiar, and oh so evil.

even with a head full of cotton, you figured now wouldn’t be the best time to reveal yourself, what with the clear discomfort permeating the atmosphere, but your big fat mouth apparently had other plans.

“‘tsum, just let the poor pizza lady go,” you muttered, the beginnings of a headache making itself known at the back of your skull. you were a little too caught up with the dwarf banging at your head with a sledgehammer to notice the shock that everyone in the room turned to look at you with.

a gentle hand grasped at your forearm, whispering something into your ear before attempting to pull you back to the living room, but that same familiar voice from the door kept you planted where you stood.

“oh, the princess finally makes herself known,” meiko sneered, her face finally coming into focus, striking you with pang of fear straight through your heart. “funny, i thought i left you speechless the last time we... ‘talked’.”

“ya shut yer fuckin mouth,” atsumu lunged at her but was stopped by sakusa’s arm around his waist, successfully holding him in place. meiko just giggled, taking a step into the house, her heels clicking as she glided across the hardwood floors.

in the back of your head, you noted that meiko looked unusually beautiful, her makeup flawlessly done and her outfit complementing it perfectly, almost reminiscent of how she used to be before... well, just “before”.

you watched the boys unconsciously angle themselves as a protective wall around you, the person holding your arm (who you now realized was koushi) pulling you in tighter until your back was resting against his chest.

a part of you couldn’t help but feel a little suffocated but the other, more self preserving, bit felt irrationally safe and protected around these boys. it was nice... or it would’ve been if meiko wasn’t taking herself on a tour around the house as though she hadn’t been living there for almost the past year.

“you all can tone down on the guard dog act. i’m not here to fight,” she said as she pretended to wipe dust off the island. “you’re not?” bokuto’s skeptical voice rose up from behind you, one of his hands finding yours underneath the massive sleeves of your (sakusa’s) hoodie.

meiko shook her head with an empty smile, her perfectly painted red lips stretching unnaturally wide. “no, of course not! i’ve just come here to collect.”

the boys collectively tensed around you, akaashi whispering for kenma to go find yachi and quickly. as he slipped away, you made eye contact with sakusa who gave you an imperceptible nod that you assumed meant one thing — keep her talking.

“collect what?” you asked, your voice coming out weaker than you wanted, but you hoped she didn’t notice. she cocked her head as her eyes snapped to you as if she’d forgotten you were there, but judging by her growing smirk, you knew that wasn’t the case.

“my boys of course!” meiko clapped gleefully, clicking her way over toward kuroo to run her hand over his bicep, laughing when he jolted away from her touch. “they’ve always been mine, you know that don’t you?”

it felt like a cold bucket of water had been dropped over your head. you felt frozen again, the same feeling of dread creeping up your spine as it did when meiko attacked you. in turn, you barely noticed kenma’s return who whispered something to sakusa — an action that didn’t go unnoticed by meiko.

“what’re my boys talking about? are you plotting against me?” she pouted, scooting closer to the pair. kenma visibly paled and moved to hide himself behind sakusa’s broad shoulders. “we aren’t doing anything, meiko.”

wrong answer.

“oh, we both know that isn’t the case kiyoomi. i’m not a fucking idiot.” meiko’s voice filled with venom before moving even closer still. you felt your heart beating rapidly in your chest, your hand gripping bokuto’s even tighter.

what if she brought some kind of weapon to the house? what if she hurt you? what if she hurt them?

before you could think, you were standing in front of the group, the boys calling out your name as meiko’s face lit up. “so the precious little princess wants to take a stand! let me have it then, huh? let me see what all the craze is about!”

despite the fear thudding in your chest, you stood tall, glaring at her with your head held high. “the boys are not yours, meiko,” you declared, her mouth instantly opening in protest but you refused to let her speak.

“they aren’t possessions or objects you can own and treat like shit. they are people, real living, breathing people and they aren’t mine either. they have full reign to do what they want, when they want, to make their own choices and decisions. and you know what? they didn’t choose you or me. they chose themselves and their happiness over any bullshit you or i could try and sell them. so please, for the love of god, get your shit together, put it in a box and take it to fucking therapy.”

by the end of your impromptu speech, your chest was heaving but you felt good. really good. adrenaline was rushing through your veins and you felt powerful. out the corner of your eye, you noticed osamu and daichi standing at the bottom of the stairs with something akin to awe on their faces.

yeah bitches. take it all in.

unfortunately, while you were basking in the feeling of badassery, you completely missed meiko’s eyes lighting up with pure, unadulterated,

rage.

you faintly heard someone call your name before you were taken to the ground by meiko leaping at you like an animal. the two of you scrambled about on the hardwood, her hands yanking at your clothes and leaving scratches on your skin but you were sure as hell giving her a run for her money.

you finally managed to get on top of her, pinning her arms to the ground but that wasn’t before you gained a hard elbow to the side and a bruise to your face. meiko thrashed and shook in your hold but you were not wavering, trying to keep her entirely still for...

well, for what exactly?

almost as though they were on cue, you heard the sound of police sirens wailing in the distance, growing louder as they drew closer to the house. underneath you, meiko’s eyes widened before she began fighting even harder than she’d done before, her erratic movements making it much more difficult to keep your hold on her.

luckily, you had extremely muscular men at your disposal, one of which (osamu — even though he was a dick, he was still incredibly muscular dick) held down meiko’s arms as the lapd stormed the building.

the police officers easily retracted meiko from your arms and cuffed her, taking her to the back of the cop car, despite her loud and insistent threats on you and everyone you love.

very disney villain-esque.

a kind looking officer helped you to your feet and walked you out to the porch where he began to ask you and the boys a few questions. you answered them honestly and you were genuinely proud of how well you were handling the whole situation when—

“bubs, you’re shaking.” sure enough, when you looked down at your hands, you were twitching uncontrollably, the reality of the events that just occurred finally sinking in.

you were just attacked. again.

you and your friends were threatened.

meiko was sitting in the back of a fucking cop car.

“what the fuck,” you whispered, eyes staring unblinking at your palms. the same officer mentioned something about shock, prompting all the boys to gather around you; atsumu pulled you in between him and sakusa, wrapping his arm around your shoulders, kenma and bokuto took hold of your quivering hands, sugawara and oikawa sat off to the side watching you with blatant concern, and kuroo and akaashi spoke to the officer in hushed tones.

the man nodded and shook their hands before shooting you a pitying smile and heading back to the car where meiko was waiting.

“it’s over angel, ‘s over,” atsumu muttered into your hair, pressing kisses to your forehead in between each phrase. you leaned into his touch but you refused to take your eyes off meiko who was watching the whole scene from the backseat, her eyes wide with anger, hurt, and confusion.

you didn’t bother dwelling on it, instead focusing on evening out your breathing and looking at the car drive over the horizon. you heard yachi’s soft voice calling everyone inside, atsumu lifting you up to your feet and walking with you, never once taking his hands off of you.

still, his words echoed in your head, even as yachi spoke of the end of the hyper house, even as the boys brought you to your room, and even as they all automatically cuddled around you in an attempt to get you to sleep.

it’s over. it’s all finally over.

you couldn’t keep the grin off your face if you tried.

℗ poker face

it’s over

series masterlist

(●’◡’●)ﾉ

an - OK THE TITLE IS MISLEADING THE STORY IS NOT OVER YET SKENSM (there are 2 more official story chapters before all the endings :3) also m not the biggest fan of this chapter?? so i’d love to hear what y’all think <33 don’t forget to feed me!!

taglist - if your name is in bold, i cannot tag you

@boosyboo9206 • @geektastic84 • @elianetsantana • @trashy-simp • @infinitebells • @6mattsun9 • @suhkusa • @katsulovee • @kotarosbabygirl • @fucktheworlddude • @insomniacwreck • @calumsfringe • @saltylettuce • @chai-blu • @al3x1ss • @hawksyoongi • @jooleuuh • @loubells • @kissungjae • @liberhoe • @tetsurocore • @animeoverdosee • @duhsies • @saiKishaircLip • @afire24 • @premiyagi • @kit-kat428 • @doctorspencereid • @daphnxy • @kyomihann • @maer-333 • @sinoflust19 • @peteunderoos • @peachiikichu • @iidanotlida • @yongboxerrr • @kac-chowsballs • @tanakaslastbraincell • @memorableminds • @risjime • @starry-magicshop • @sugavwara • @smuttyanimeslut • @kiwibirbs-library • @haijkk • @airybnb • @crybabygumi • @iwaisa • @decaffinatedtealover • @notameera • @kawaii-angelanne • @rintarovibes • @urlocalsimp • @keiarma • @shrimpypenis

the rest of the tags will be in the replies!!

[boyfriendsmalec]

Bad Buddy, post Episode 10

Pran was only alive because of Pat.

Literally.

It was only in high school that Pran discovered his birth was due to the long-standing rivalry between his and Pat’s family. His parents hadn’t been in a good position financially at the time, but when the next-door neighbors began getting gifts from the neighborhood, celebrating Pat’s mom’s pregnancy, well Pran’s mother couldn’t have that.

Pran’s mother stopped her birth control that very same day. And Pran was born exactly nine months later, born just three months shy of Pat.

“Born to be together” was never a more accurate statement. Pran’s fate before he was born was tied to Pat, having been conceived to be his rival. Though destiny seemed to have different plans in mind from them from the beginning.

Pran may have been born to be Pat’s enemy, to be his competitor and rival in all things, but the only thing they’d won in the end was each others’ hearts.

Pran let out a shaky exhale, the day’s events still settling over him. Both Pat and Pran’s parents discovering their relationship and the subsequent fallout. Pran hadn’t been able to cope, all his worst fears rising to the surface. He couldn’t take it anymore.

So Pat had asked him to run away. And Pran had accepted it without hesitation.

The rest of the evening was a flurry of movement. Pran had felt like he was in a dream. After he’d finally calmed down enough, Pat had taken his hand and they went to Pran’s dorm room and they packed their bags.

Worried about their parents tracking them down, they decided it was safest to withdraw money from both their bank accounts. Enough to last them weeks, if not months if they budgeted themselves carefully enough.

Then they decided to take a bus, since Pat’s license plates could easily give away their location.

Pat’s hand in his was the only thing keeping Pran grounded at this point. Pat’s touch, steadying, reassuring, reminding him that he wasn’t alone. That he’d never be alone again.

Once settled on the bus, Pran crowded into Pat’s space, resting his head in the hollow of Pat’s shoulder. Pat’s fingers came up to gently caress his hair, and he felt soft kisses being pressed along his forehead, his temple, the crown of his head.

“Pat,” Pran whispered, voice hoarse. His throat felt scratchy and sore, and his tongue felt heavy and leaded. “I’m so tired.”

“I know,” Pat’s free hand returned to his, squeezing his hand, thumb swiping over his knuckles. “I know, baby. Why don’t you try to sleep a little?”

Pran managed a stiff nod, closing his eyes, nuzzling further into Pat.

“I love you,” Pran whispered into the slope of Pat’s neck. Pat shifted and Pran opened his eyes, sleepy and unfocused as he looked at Pat.

“I love you too, Pran,” Pat said, and there was something off in his expression. Something pained, that made Pran’s heart ache. “Don’t worry, okay? Just get some rest.”

“You’ll be my pillow?” Pran asked, tucking his head back into Pat’s shoulder.

“I’ll be whatever you want me to be,” Pat said. And Pran knew he meant it.

Will you be my forever then? Pran wanted to say. But his head felt so heavy, and he couldn’t get the words to form on his tongue. So instead Pran let his eyes sleep closed as sleep overtook him.

~

Pran ended up sleeping most of the way to their destination. A tiny, sleepy beach town that Pat had found when looking for a good hiding spot. It was quaint, scenic, and perfect.

Despite getting several hours sleep, Pran still felt sluggish, his head pounding and his eyes dry and aching.

He felt like he was still wading in his dreamland as he walked into the brightly lit lobby of the hotel they’d be staying at. There was only one room available. The honeymoon suite. Because of course it was.

They got themselves situated in the room, both too tired to take off their clothes, Pran collapsing on the bed and Pat laying his head on Pran’s stomach. Pran could hear the sound of the waves rolling outside even with the windows closed. The distant call of seabirds. The sounds calmed him. He was far from the bright lights of the city, the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Far from their parents.

Here nobody could touch them.

“Do you think they’re looking for us?” Pran asked, hand resting on Pat’s chest. He could hear the steady beat of Pat’s heart. It soothed him, making Pran further melt into the bed.

“Can we not talk about it?” Pat asked. Pran gnawed on his bottom lip, his hand coming down to card through Pat’s hair. “Let’s just enjoy each other. I want to just love you without interruption.”

“Pat.”

Dutifully, Pat looked up at him. Pran knew he could ask Pat to do anything and he would do it. It was terrifying how much Pat trusted him. And equally terrifying to realize he would do anything that Pat asked him to do either. He hadn’t even questioned running away with Pat. He’d just accepted it.

“Will you kiss me?” Pran asked.

“Always,” Pat moved, slowly, carefully, until he was above Pran, his weight pressing into him. Grounding him and stabilizing him. And then Pat’s lips were on his and Pran felt like he could finally breathe again. Pat’s lips were warm and gentle, not pushing, just a soft press of the lips. Pran gripped onto the back of Pat’s neck, pulling him in deeper and Pat let himself fall.

And then Pran tasted salt and he realized he was crying again. And when he pulled back he could see Pat was halfway there too. His eyes were brimmed with tears but he smiled when Pran pulled back to look at him.

“You don’t have to be strong for me,” Pran told him, gently stroking the skin under Pat’s eye. Pat leaned into his touch, before turning his head to press a kiss on Pran’s wrist. Pran’s heart leapt into his throat.

“But I want to take care of you,” Pat said, eyes glistening. “I need to.”

Pran remembered how even in Pat’s hospital bed how he insisted on trying to feed him. Even a bullet wound wouldn’t stop Pat from caring for him.

“I want to take care of you too,” Pran said. “Just tell me how.”

“Just being here with me is enough,” Pat said, eyes softening. “You don’t have to do anything, Pran.”

“But, I do,” Pran insisted.

“Then hold me,” Pat said, falling to Pran’s side, his arms drawing him close. “And let me hold you. And never let go.”

“Okay.” Pran could do that. He ran his hands along Pat’s arms, curling around his biceps before his hands finally came to rest on Pat’s upper back. His fingers bunched up the fabric of Pat’s shirt, trying to bring him in closer.

“I meant it in a figurative sense, you know,” Pat mumbled against Pran’s cheek. “Eventually I’ll have to get up to pee.”

Pran wrinkled his nose and for the first time that night he let out a laugh. It was small, and brief, and startled, but it made Pat smile. Even just a little bit.

“Pat?”

Pat hummed, not shifting from his position. “Never let me go either.”

“Never,” Pat promised, pressing a kiss to Pran’s temple once more, before he returned to nuzzling his nose deeper into Pran’s hair. It was only then Pran realized Pat was smelling him.

As much as Pran made fun of Pat for liking how he smelled, Pran always felt nothing but joy when Pat told him how good he smelled, or how Pat would press his nose deep against his neck, inhaling deeply. He knew his scent grounded Pat, like Pat’s words grounded him.

Still Pran couldn’t help but say, “Do I really smell that good?”

“Yes,” Pat breathed out, his fingers playing with the edge of Pran’s shirt. “You smell like home.”

Pran’s breath stilled for a moment and he shifted, grabbing Pat’s hands, and guiding them up his shirt. Pat had never touched his chest before, not without a layer between. He didn’t want anymore layers. He didn’t want anymore barriers separating them.

“Can we take our shirts off?” Pran asked and Pat pulled back to stare at him, eyes wide. “Not– Not like that. I just want to feel close to you. If that’s okay?”

Pat smiled at him this time. And it was a real, genuine Pat smile. The pain from his face vanished for that moment. And then Pat was taking off his shirt before Pran could even blink, and Pat was raising his hands to Pran’s shirt, hands stilling, eyes centering on him.

“Can I take it off for you?”

Pran nodded, swallowing as Pat shoved his over-shirt off, before tenderly taking the edge of Pran’s shirt, and bringing it over his head. Pat’s eyes centered on his exposed chest and his fingers brushed against his collarbone.

“You can touch me,” Pran told him. “Just… not below the waist. Not tonight.”

Pran wanted to be intimate with Pat. He’d wanted it for so long. But he didn’t want it tonight when they were so exhausted. Not when Pran’s face still stung from his mother’s slap, and his shoulder sore from Pat’s dad shoving him to the ground. Not when Pran could still see the dried tear tracks on Pat’s cheeks.

He wanted their first time to be filled with joy. Not sadness.

Pat nodded, and his palm swept down Pran’s chest, and Pran’s eyes couldn’t help fall closed, overwhelmed by the sensation of Pat’s thumb sweeping over his nipples, fingernails dragging down his stomach and falling to his waist.

“Can I?” Pran’s eyes opened, and he gestured toward Pat’s chest.

“You can always touch me, Pran,” Pat said, taking Pran’s hand and bringing it to his chest. He could feel Pat’s heartbeat again. And then Pat mirrored him, pressing his own hand against the left side of Pran’s chest. Over his heart.

“My heart is yours,” Pat said, and it really was cheesy but it was said so genuine and open that Pran partly wanted to laugh and partly wanted to cry.

“Mine has always been yours,” Pran said, and he never felt more vulnerable than in that moment. “I’ve liked you since we were kids, Pat.”

He doesn���t even know why he said it, but he didn’t want to conceal any truths from Pat. Not anymore.

“I liked you ever since you snuck into my room to bring me back my watch. I thought I just wanted us to be friends. But then I realized quickly I wanted more. I wanted you to hold my hand. And when I was older I wanted you to kiss me. I saw you date girl after girl in high school and everytime I felt like that was my sign to move on. To find someone else. But I never wanted anyone else.” The words fell from Pran’s lips, and he could see Pat’s eyes growing wide. But Pran couldn’t stop now.

“You’re my first kiss,” Pran said. He had never told Pat that, though he’s sure Pat may have suspected it. “You’re my first love. My first, well, everything. And I don’t want anyone else. I just want it to be you.”

“Oh Pran,” Pat breathed out, and he wrapped his arms around Pran, dragging him into another hug, and Pran had to bite his tongue to keep from crying again. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize.”

“You don’t have to be sorry–”

“But I am,” Pat pulled back, resting their foreheads together. “Pran, being with you… it’s been, well, everything I ever dreamed of. You may not have been my first kiss, but you’re the first kiss that meant something. And you may not be the first person I liked but you’re the first one I’ve loved. And I don’t want to be with anyone either. You’re it for me.”

“Pat–” Pran cut himself off, feeling overwhelmed again, his eyes stinging with tears once more. But the reason for his tears this time was different. He wanted to cry because of all the love he felt bubbling up inside him. Because he felt overwhelmed by Pat and his love and their love and everything it meant to him.

“If it was us against the world, I’d choose you everytime,” Pat said, the back of his fingers stroking Pran’s cheek.

“When I’m with you, I feel free,” Pran told him, eyes shining.

They almost sounded like wedding vows.

“Will you be with me forever?” Pat asked. And there was something so fragile in his expression. So vulnerable. He was laying it all out for Pran to see. All cards on the table. Heart on his sleeve. No barriers guarding him.

“Yes,” Pran whispered. A promise. A pledge.

Pat took Pran’s hand in his, kissing his ring finger, and Pran pictured a ring settled there. Someday there would be.

Little did he know it would be much sooner than he thought.

[abugwritesstuff]

Under the Moonlight - Dia Akedia

okay i am posting my dia smut fic now because what the hell, why not. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ posted this to ao3 as well since i just made my account there.

NSFW!

Okay so in my defense, I’ve never written a smut before but I wanted to try and since I’ve just finished playing through Dia’s route, now seemed like the time :P 

This is written as though the mischief ending didn’t go the way that it did lmao so don’t hold that against me. 

Contains spoilers at the beginning.

——

As a regular occurrence, Dia’s disappearances would have me searching his room, the forest, and eventually his particular favorite flowered meadow for him, though these days my searches were not generally to gather him for class. And this was no exception. 

After Dia’s public declaration as Tristite prince and once his heart had begun to heal from the ordeal with his supposed mother, we had begun our relationship in an official capacity, a development that surprised absolutely no one at all. Since then, we’d been nearly glued at the hip within the academy grounds. His avoidance of others hadn’t entirely abated but I was a very special exception. A good portion of the day his hand was in my hand, in my pocket, on the small of my back, around my shoulder, wrapped around my waist, or reaching around to twirl tendrils of my hair around his fingers, the latter of which we’d been lightly scolded for (“Use your hands for note-taking, Master Akedia!”). So when evenings rolled around and I headed to the refectory for dinner, he’d take his leave and disappear from my side for the first time since that morning when we met outside his door in dorm Nivalis. It was an odd, empty feeling. I found that even when he wasn’t there, I was so used to the feeling of his hands that I swore I could feel the ghost sensation of his hand moving up and down my waist, from ribs down to my hips and back up again. 

Giving an awkward, see-through excuse, I parted with the gang in the refectory- Sherry’s grin told me she knew exactly why I was leaving early and that she’d grill me about it later- and beelined for the edges of the academy stone walls, toward the gap that led out into the forest paths. Assuming he hadn’t retired early, which he rarely did, and assuming he wasn’t searching for special mushrooms, which was certainly possible, I knew he’d be in the usual place. I traced him here so frequently that most times he reacted as though I’d kept him waiting. But tonight was a comfortably warm night. There was no hurry to rush there and get back. And I had a good feeling.

The moon hung lazily above, a faint glow tricking down through the gaps in the tree line above. At my sides, bright dots of light illuminated sections of the underbrush as I walked along. On another night, the dark would have motivated me to walk at a steady clip. But tonight, it embraced me with an intoxicating warmth. 

The thin path petered out entirely and I waded through the grass to the edge of the lake-like expanse of flowers. Down below, Dia stood in the exact middle of it, hood down with his pink hair bathed in moonlight and hands facing palm up as though he were trying to absorb the glow of it as he sang. A happy song, I noted, with no shortage of relief. 

I made my decline down the hill and his head whipped around. He outstretched his arms and smiled. “I was waiting for you, lovesong. You took longer than usual.”

Melting into his arms and burying my face into the crook of his neck, I nodded. “Mmmph…” I mumbled into the fabric of his cloak. “…Wasn’t so scared of the dark tonight.” 

There it was- the familiar and comforting feeling of his hands on me again. I melted a bit further. I hadn’t fully realized how much his presence and his heat on my body relaxed me and how much tension I’d accumulated without him beside me. His arms were locked firmly around me and his hands moved up and down my back in firm, smooth movements. 

“Is that why you’re always here so soon? Fear of the dark?”

“Don’t tease me,” I warned. I could hear the tone of his voice. I could all but see the mischievous quirk in his smile.

“You like it when I tease you. I’m only doing what you like.”

“…Can’t deny that…” 

He chuckled and buried his face into my hair, nuzzling me like a cat until it began to tickle and I laughed. “H-hey! Stop that! Dia!”

His hands moved up around my back and pulled me in closer as his face dipped down to my neck. I leaned away, giggling as the sensation of his breath sent gooseflesh rippling up my spine. Taking advantage of my surprise, he planted a firm kiss on the soft skin there and sucked, causing me to gasp involuntarily and jump back. Until then, we’d not done anything quite that… forward. Unfortunately, my reaction wasn’t anticipated and my step back pulled us off balance. 

“Oh, careful- woah!” He attempted to pull me back up and to my feet, but overcorrected and the two of us went sprawling forward rather than back, thudding into the moss-laden field below. Or, at least, he went thudding into the moss-laden field below, and I landed on him, straddled across his lap, still held within his grip.

“Are you alright, Dia?!” I cried, pulling myself out of his arms, which had gone rather loose suddenly. I sat upright and felt his body twitch beneath me. It was at this moment that I caught a look at his face- where before his expression had been slightly obscured by the shadow of a passing cloud, the moonlight hit his features and I could see the way his jewel-like green eyes were frozen open in an expression that I didn’t quite recognize. His mouth hung slightly agape as though unable to form words, and a flush of red had begun to creep across his cheeks. 

“Dia?”

“I-I’m, I, uh…” he stammered. “F-fine.”

“I should get off you, I must be heavy, I’m so sorry,” I said, moving to get up. I figured he must be slightly dazed by the fall and felt the creeping heat of embarrassment crawl up the back of my neck. He kisses me once on my neck and I get so overwhelmed by it that I fall on top of him? I knew it’d been awhile since anyone had done that to me but I’d hardly thought I was so out-of-practice that I’d topple him over.

But as soon as I lifted one leg up to stand, Dia’s familiar hands found their way very quickly to my thighs and then to my hips, forcing me back down to sit across his waist. I looked back down to see that his blush had deepened and he was looking away. 

“...You’re not heavy. You don’t have to get up.”

I blinked down at him, momentarily bewildered. “But I…” It was then that I felt beneath me a twitch, the sensation of something hardening against my inner thigh, pressing up against the layers of clothing fabric. My breath caught in my throat and I gaped down at him.

Dia finally turned his eyes to mine again. The look in his eyes was not unrecognizable anymore, though I’d never seen this expression on him before. It was utterly captivating. Many things about him, from the moment we’d met, had captivated and drawn me in, but this was new. I felt my heartbeat quicken and my breath caught in my throat as he brought his hands back down from my hips, to my thighs to slide beneath my skirts and squeeze the bare flesh there.

“I want you, lovesong.” With this declaration, he seemed to catch himself and became gradually more flustered. “I-I… Y-you don’t have to get up, unless you wa-hmmmppfff!!”

I crashed down on him like a wave, catching his lips with mine and leaning forward to rock against the firmness beneath me. He let out another whimper of shock before those hands of his gripped my thighs again and he bucked up against me, rubbing that tantalizing hardness against the back of my thighs and butt, before crushing me to his chest and rolling us over so that he had me pinned beneath him. 

I reached up to brush back the curtain of his hair that had fallen around us. “I want you too,” I breathed, and it was then his turn to bring his lips to mine with the same fervor. All the flustered energy and bashfulness of moments ago was gone, replaced with a hunger that came through in every kiss. We’d kissed plenty of times before at this point, but they’d mostly been slow, soft, light kisses, plenty of pecks in hallways and sleepy makeout sessions before falling asleep in his dark bedroom. There had been a part of me hoping that those moments would evolve into something passionate and desperate, but they hadn’t. We’d pull back with pink faces and smile at each other- though with each time, it had felt more and more obvious to me that there was a building sense of anticipation, as though there was a rising tide gathering beneath us of words unsaid, feelings unexplored.

That dam had evidently burst. I was breathless. He was relentless. One elbow propped him up over me and another moved from cupping my jaw to sliding down the nape of my neck and ever lower, his fingertips brushing over the exposed skin of my collarbones and the top of my breasts before finding purchase on my upper thigh. I threw that leg up around his waist and pulled him in closer, and he moaned against my mouth. 

“A-ah… MC…”

At this sound I brought my other leg around his waist as well, earning another muffled sound of pleasure as he sunk further between my legs. “You’re very warm,” he panted. He broke from our kiss to stare down at me. His eyes glittered and his chest heaved, just as out of breath as I was. He opened his mouth to speak again, but then shook his head, evidently thinking better of it and instead reached down to the top button of my blouse. He gave me a questioning look, to which I nodded, and he then pulled the long line of buttons down all at once. 

It was a warm evening, but the sudden exposure to the air had new goosebumps pricking my skin and my nipples hardening against the padding of my bra, a development Dia watched with a hazy look before dipping down to kiss along the tops of my breasts. I gasped, and I felt his lips turn up into a smile. He licked, kissed, and lightly nibbled further down until he was pulling back the cup in order to take my nipple between his lips. I threw my head back and buried my fingers in his hair as he sucked and rolled it around with his tongue.

He laughed. “Have you been waiting for me to do something like this? You seem to be enjoying yourself an awful lot.”

“I’ve been waiting?” I panted, incredulous. “What about you, then?” I bucked my hips up against his and rubbed back and forth, a motion that sent a shudder up his back. 

“Ahhh… I suppose I’ve been wanting this too…” he murmured. “So no need to hold back any then, right?” He then pulled down the shoulders of my shirt, off of my arms and out from the waistband of my skirts to toss aside into the flowers. His hands slid behind my back and he pulled me up against him as he attempted to unhook the clasps of my bra.

“This is… awfully difficult. How do you get this contraption on and off everyday?”

“Here, let me do it.” I sat up further and reached behind to unsnap the clasps, the bra then sliding off my shoulders and into my lap unceremoniously.

Dia went silent, his eyes going wide. For a moment, neither of us said anything and the only sound was our breath and the slight rustle of the wind through the trees. Finally, I cleared my throat and he jumped slightly and blinked. 

He cleared his throat a bit. “Right. You’re just… you’re beautiful, lovesong. Truly.” The earnest look on his face both made me blush and laugh.

“So are you.”

He reached for the hem of my skirt and I caught his hand. “Wait.” I scooted forward and undid the belt holding together his cloak and loosened the ruffled cravat around his neck. The fabric fell and I laid my hand on his newly exposed chest, to which he shuddered. He held his hand over mine for a moment before picking it up and kissing the back of it. His kisses then trailed up my arm to my neck, where he sucked again like he had before we’d toppled into the wildflowers. 

I gasped and arched against him and we fell back against the grass. He sat up for a moment to yank off his shirt and corset-like bit around his waist before bringing his attention down to my chest again. He palmed one in one hand, squeezing and brushing his thumb over the pert nipple, while sucking on the other and occasionally trailing kisses over my ribs and my sides. 

“You make quite the noises. If I’d only known what you sounded like I would’ve done this much earlier.” His hands slid up the back of my thighs to cup my ass and his lips moved from one side to the other and then up between my breasts. He looked up at me through his eyelashes and smirked.

I opened my mouth to respond but then gasped as he yanked my skirt down all the way past my ankles and tossed it aside with the other discarded clothing, which lay strewn around us in the patch of grass we’d been rolling in. He took another moment to pause and look at me. His gaze raked down my figure with a look of hunger and awe. My body was nearly entirely bare now with only my underwear to cover me, a fact that hit me as I watched him stop and stare there. Before he could pull them off as well, I sat up and tugged at his pants, pouting slightly. 

“Undress.” 

My request came across a bit more like a command, and he blinked at me, blushing furiously. But he acquiesced and stood, pulling them down until we were both equally as undressed. In the middle of the forest, notably- a fact that hit me for a moment. I shook it away quickly and before I could lose the nerve, I gripped his hips and looked up at him. I traced one thumb in, rubbing along his inner thigh in a way that made him shudder and made the sizable dick hidden beneath that last remaining fabric twitch against it.

“What are youuuuu- ahhhh…?”

I kissed softly along the outline of it, ever so slowly. From the base to the tip, I planted hot, breathy, open-mouthed kisses along his length, before taking him in my hand and stroking over his underwear. He gasped above me, almost trembling. For once, no teasing, no smirks, just open and unadulterated desire, bordering on a look of desperation. I considered for a moment being the one to tease him- he had plenty of noises of his own, after all, but the expression on his face convinced me otherwise. I hooked my fingers under the waistband and pulled them down. I immediately took him into my mouth and ran my tongue along his length as I bobbed my head. 

Dia groaned and his hands tangled into my hair as I moved. I glanced up at him once and our eyes met. His pupils were blown wide, almost crowding out that vibrant emerald green. His grip on my hair momentarily tightened and he quivered slightly, shutting his eyes and letting out a gasp of air. I let him fall out of my mouth before taking a long lick from base to tip and stared up at him again. His head was tilted back, his hair trailing behind him. He blinked down at me again, watching himself plunge in between my lips. 

“C-Creator…” he breathed out and closed his eyes again. His knees wobbled slightly and I grabbed his hips and butt to pull him closer, taking his length deep into my throat. He let out a cry and grabbed at my hair harder. “Oooohhh… S…S’good… ahh… fuck.” 

God, his voice. His fucking voice. I’d known the power of his singing, but this was something else. I clenched my thighs, noting the slickness gathering between my legs. Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes momentarily as I pulled my head back before I could choke myself, and continued to bob my head, pausing here and there to stop and kiss along his dick or lick slowly along it. 

Dia’s body began to tense and his chest heaved. “Oh… MC… I-I shouldn’t… wait…” He reached down to cup my face and stepped back, pulling from between my lips with a small pop. He gasped for breath as he stood, staring down at me. He wiped my mouth with one hand as he gathered his composure and I waited, debating whether or not I should reach for him again and try to continue. He was close, very close, but holding back. 

“I want to see you,” he finally said, and got back down beside me on the grass. He pushed on my shoulders lightly and I fell back easily- then felt him both pull my hips closer by my underwear and then roll them off entirely. Once again, he stared down, drinking me in like he was trying to memorize every moon-light drenched inch of bare skin beneath him. Perhaps in another life, with another person, these looks would have made me feel nervous or insecure, but here, with him? I wanted him to know me. I wanted him to see everything there was about me. I let my legs fall open and he let out a sigh bordering on a whimper. 

After a moment I saw that familiar teasing smirk return and his eyes glittered as he brought two of his fingers down to touch my pussy, swirling his fingers in the wetness pooled at my entrance and starting to gingerly stroke up and down. “You want me this much, lovesong?” he teased, but he watched my face carefully as he moved. “Tell me, what do you want me to do?”

He stroked over my clit and I moaned a bit, something that made him blink with recognition. “There, huh? More of that then? Show me more.” He repeated that same movement again and smiled gleefully as I jerked my hips up to meet his hand. He continued this for a while before reaching his free hand to play with one of my nipples and leaning forward to kiss along my neck. My back arched and I whimpered as well. 

“Dia…” I moaned. I wrapped my arms around him in an attempt to bring him down closer but he resisted this and smirked down at me. 

“Say that again.”

“What?”

“Say my name like that again.”

I flushed. I hadn’t realized I’d said his name at all and now felt a bit embarrassed. Since when was I the type to moan someone’s name? I hadn’t done that any time before. “W-well, I can’t just all of the sudden do it, it just has to happen on its own.” I stammered. I could feel myself turning red, something Dia noted with pleasure and I noted with dread.

He slowed his motions between my thighs to a snail’s pace. I bucked my hips up against him, frustrated by the teasing and desperate for him to continue. “D-Dia!” I muttered, indignant, but he just laughed and held my hips down with his other hand.

“Not like that. The other way.” He brought his lips down and kissed along the shell of my ear. “Please?”

I threw my head back as I felt his breath hot against my neck. I could barely think straight with him so close, with his voice so close to my ear that the sound of it seemed to run along my spine. “M-make me, then.” I turned my head so that I caught his gaze. “Make me moan your name if you want to hear it so bad.”

He blinked a bit in surprise but then grinned a cheshire grin. “Very well then. There is something I should like to try. You rather inspired me earlier.” He released my hips and removed his hand from between my legs. The sudden lack of pressure and warmth irritated me only momentarily, as he then threw my legs over his shoulders and ducked down. 

“Mmmph! Ahh!” 

He laughed mid-stroke of his tongue, then doubled down. It was my turn, then, to grip his hair in my hands as he licked up and down, over my clit and between my slick folds. He sucked lightly, a sensation that caused me to gasp and clench my thighs around his head. His movements then became slightly more frantic and with more pressure, as if I’d triggered some kind of instinct. He gripped my hips and reached back to squeeze my ass, moaning a bit against me as he continued. I ground my hips up against his face, my chest heaving and my fingers tangling deeper into his hair. “G-god, Dia…! I-I’m…!”

He sighed against me triumphantly. His voice was muffled, but I heard him mumble a quiet “yes, like that,” just before my orgasm hit and I let it carry me away.

His lips remained on me until my legs fell open again, limp and exhausted. In a haze of endorphins and infatuation, I watched him sit up, push back his messy hair, and wipe his wet mouth with the back of his hand. He smiled down at me, looking rather triumphant. “I made you say it again. I quite like the way you sound. Your voice is…” He glanced away briefly and swallowed before meeting my eyes again. “Was that good, then?”

I nodded wordlessly and held open my arms. “Come back,” I murmured. Without him close I felt cold, and besides- we hadn’t done what I most wanted- needed -to do. And he hadn’t finished earlier, something that bothered me now as I lay on the grass, body humming with satisfaction. 

He lowered himself down to me and I caught his waist with my legs again, pulling him in until his dick rubbed into my folds. He gasped a bit and stared down at me before rocking back and forth slightly. “Are you sure?” he asked quietly, almost reverently.

I nodded and held his face in my hands. “Please, Dia…”

“MC…”

He aligned his hips with mine and placed his tip gingerly at my entrance, moving back and forth ever so slightly, going just a tad deeper each time. “If I do something you don’t like, tell me, will you?” he breathed out. His eyebrows knit and he looked down, watching himself slowly enter until he was fully within me. We stared at each other for a moment, unmoving. 

He was bigger than I’d expected someone of his stature to be. I let out one long, shaky breath as I adjusted and he brushed some stray tendrils of hair from my face. He leaned down and kissed me then, and I wrapped my arms around his back. His breathing against me was labored and I swore I could nearly feel his heartbeat through his skin. “I’m alright,” I whispered. “Go ahead.”

His movements at first were slow and unsure, with a careful glance trained on my face as he pulled mostly-out and then thrusted back in. Seeing that I was truly alright, he picked up the pace until we had a steady rhythm rocking against each other. I watched his face and the expressions flickering over it and brought my hand up to his cheek. He leaned into my palm for just a moment and then buried his face into the crook of my neck and sighed. “You feel so good,” he whispered, almost unintelligibly. 

He kissed along my neck as he moved inside me, grazing his teeth along the mark his first kiss had left before. I sucked a breath in and closed my eyes and watching this reaction, Dia’s movements became more and more forceful: his thrusts became quicker and harder and with a renewed passion he began to suck and bite the sensitive skin along my neck. I could tell he’d be leaving a mark, though I didn’t care at the moment, I figured I’d better leave my own mark behind as well. I clung to him tighter and drug my nails down his back, to which he moaned. Both our breathing grew increasingly labored- the air between us was hot and sticky with the warmth of our bodies moving and the heat of our breath. I found myself almost dizzy with pleasure and I stared up at him. “I… love… you…” I choked out between his thrusts.

A shiver ran through him. “O-oh, MC,” he gasped, bucking against me harder and pressing us both harder into the grass. “I-I… love you… too… ahh…” He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in as close as he could. Both of us were rapidly approaching the precipice of our climax and wanting to fall off together, I began to move with him, grinding up against him while still clinging to his back. Mine arrived just moments earlier and I gasped, letting my head fall back as he finally snapped the last few threads keeping him from his.

“Ohhhhhh MC, mmmpphhh! Ahhh!” He jerked forward a few last, urgent times and I felt his warmth pool inside me as he came. I blinked back to reality and watched his face as he rode out the rest of his orgasm. His chest heaved above me as he attempted to regain his breath. He blinked the fog out of his eyes and then pulled out slowly before thudding down into the grass beside me.

We laid there for a while, bathed in moonlight and breathing the slowly cooling nighttime air in deep gulps. Dia pulled me into his arms and held me securely against him, resting his chin on the top of my head and rubbing his hands along the smooth skin of my back. I nestled in and the two of us laid there in silence for a time longer. I shivered and Dia reached for his discarded cloak and tossed it over both of us. An overwhelming sense of exhaustion came over me, and though I knew it was a bad idea I briefly considered spending the rest of the evening out here. I hung in the middle space between consciousness and sleep for a good few minutes before I felt Dia stir beside me and press a kiss to my temple. 

“We ought to return to the dorms,” he murmured. I nodded and he pulled me up with him to stand. One last time his eyes raked over my naked form. As he turned away to pick up his clothing, I caught the faintest hint of a blush.

…

“So, how was your nighttime date with Master Dia?”

Stopping mid-chew, I looked across the breakfast-time refectory table at Sherry, who for a princess had something quite like a shit-eating grin on her face. I felt my cheeks heat up and I shrugged, pretending at nonchalance. “Oh, y’know. It was nice.”

Sherry giggled. “Oh, is that all?” she teased. She brought a single finger to tap the side of her neck. “That seems better than just nice, no?”

I slapped a hand over the mark Dia had left behind and stuck my tongue out at her. “Shhhh…! It’s nothing! I’ll tell you later!” I whispered at her, to which she laughed and I noticed Rio had grown gradually more confused beside her.

“Tell Sherry what? You’ve been injured? Did you get bit by a bug when you were out last night, MC?” Rio asked, looking befuddled and concerned. He leaned over the table, attempting to look closer at my neck. 

I shook my head, exasperated and reached over to pat Rio’s shoulder reassuringly. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

At that moment, I felt a hand slide into my pocket to grip my hip. I looked over to the source of that familiar warmth to see Dia who was sporting a matching mark on his neck, just barely hidden by his hair. He slid into the seat close beside me and nodded to the others at the table.

“Nothing to worry about is right,” he said, nodding at Rio. Sherry blinked, and then burst into a fit of giggles at our expense.

I sighed and bumped my shoulder against Dia’s. His familiar warmth seeped into me, and in that moment, all was right.

[deathbyjoong]

ATEEZ Honeymoon HCs

Summary: I wrote a few thousand words on what I thought a honeymoon would be like with each member of ATEEZ. I hope you all enjoy ✨

Many many thanks to @bfyunho​ for beta-ing and generally being my favorite person 💕

Warnings: fluff and smut. 18+ ONLY!

Seonghwa

Y’all already KNOW that a honeymoon with Seonghwa is just gonna be two weeks of him exercising his duality

Constant love-making? Absolutely. But also! Lots of interesting things to do and many opportunities to make memories

Where’s he gonna do that? A large resort suite all to yourselves in Mediterranean ItalyIt’s warm, sensual, fun, perfect--everything you ever wanted

Days spent wandering the town, swimming, finding museums and restaurants

Seonghwa insists on taking selfies at every single location--he wants to know every single one of these moments long after his memory has failed him

Sunbathing on a private sailboat on the Amalfi Coast, soaking in the vitamin D 

The ship’s captain finds a beautiful, unoccupied spot in a shallow cove, and drops anchor

He then heads into the cabin of the boat to give you and your husband some privacy

Seonghwa sits on a lounge chair behind you, rubbing sunscreen on your shoulders

He’s letting his hands move just as slowly and sensually across your skin as he wants, taking his time in listening to your breath hitch in your throat

Eventually ducking his head down to press his lips to a spot on your neck he hasn’t covered yet, while his thumbs still rub circles on your shoulders

Giving all his attention to that one area, biting lightly then sucking the skin to soothe it

You lean your head back, giving him all the access he could want, and a soft sigh escapes your parted lips

His hair tickles your shoulder, but Seonghwa doesn’t linger long before he’s turning you to face him so he can kiss you properly

He’s got the ties of your swimsuit undone in seconds, and you throw your legs over Seonghwa’s hips as soon as it’s off

You grind yourself on him, abusing his swim shorts in your pursuit of a little friction

Hwa grips you by the waist, firmly but not enough to hurt. Just enough to get you close--enough to help you rise and fall on him

Something occurs to you, and you break the kiss to breathlessly murmur in his ear

“You need sunscreen, too. You’re gonna burn.”

Hwa chuckles, dangerously low, flashing his teeth as he reaches down with one hand and picks up the bottle he’d set on the deck

“My wife is so considerate,” he coos, handing it to you

You take it, rolling your eyes. But Seonghwa’s arms tighten around you once more, and you’re brought close to the tent in his shorts again

“Will you put some on me too, then?” He looks up at you with puppy dog eyes that are completely betrayed by his pupils, blown wide

You squeeze some of the lotion into your hands and let the bottle fall down as you spread it over his shoulders

You’re consumed by his kiss again, gripping his shoulders, arms, neck, wherever you can reach

His skin rubs slick against yours because of the sunscreen, and all you can taste is the salt on Seonghwa’s lips as he does away with his shorts and finally pushes into you

It doesn’t take more than ten minutes of soft moans, grinding, and his mouth against your neck for you to come, head thrown back and facing the sun

Your husband isn’t long after, burying his face in the crook of your shoulder as he loses himself in you

When you’ve come down from your high, Seonghwa stands slowly and pulls you with him

“Let’s go swimming.”

You spend the rest of the afternoon wading in the shallow waters of the cove, soaking in the sun and kicking up the white sand with your toes

When the sun starts to slide down the sky, setting everything aglow with orange and gold, Seonghwa stands behind you and holds his lips to the back of your head

His arms are around you, and your joined form sways gently with the waves until the sun falls away completely

When you get back to the resort, you both shower off and Seonghwa presents you with a beautiful dress to wear to dinner

He wines and dines you every single night, even making an effort to learn some Italian to more easily place your orders and interact with locals

And each night, he lifts his glass and toasts, “To you, Mrs. Park.”

Hongjoong

It took exactly zero convincing for you to get Hongjoong to agree to Paris

He loved the idea right away, because it’s a city known for its art and fashion

You reserve a penthouse room in the heart of Paris, with floor to ceiling windows and sheer white curtains

The two of you arrive in Paris decked out in the most impeccable airport fashion, ready to paint the city red

Unfortunately, the jet lag hits you both a little harder than expected

So you spend the rest of the first day sleeping and eating in bed, to the backdrop of sultry French soul music playing over the radio

The next morning, you wake up just as the sun is beginning to peek over the rooftops

It sends gold rays through the blue light of the morning

You slept with the windows cracked, and the soft breeze blows through the curtains

He’s sleeping next to you, and you curl up against him, perfectly content to get a few more minutes of sleep

His t-shirt smells like him--like home-- and you smile to yourself

But something less wholesome is going on his head

Hongjoong’s eyebrows tilt and his lips part as he whimpers in his sleep

It’s an expression you recognize, although he’s only ever made it while he’s very much awake

Usually as you take him, nails grazing down his stomach, watching his head fall back against the pillows

You have to wonder if that’s what he’s dreaming about, but you’re not about to sit by and let the dream version of you have all the fun

Throwing a leg over his hips, you rest your hands on Joong’s chest and slowly kiss his neck

He moans softly, eyes opening as he wakes

His hands find your hips, pulling you against the growing hardness in his sweatpants, and there’s a sheepish smirk on his face

“Sounded like a good dream,” you whisper against his lips

Hongjoong smiles in the dim light, his eyes flicking to your mouth

“It was,” he replies

His hand is creeping up your back, fingers purposely snagging on your t-shirt

“But nothing compared to this, and nothing compared to you,” he says, and kisses you firmly

You’re not usually one for morning sex, but this lazy love is exquisite in its own way

It’s all slow touches and kisses that are soft but not lacking in passion

Hongjoong shifts to be on top of you and your noses bump, causing both of you to giggle a bit

Joong hides his face in your neck, but takes the opportunity to place a few kisses there

The pair of you take your time in climbing the mountain, but you reach the peak at the same time, hands clasped and legs tangled

You tilt your head a little to watch his face as he comes because the sight of him, and the sounds he’s making, are nothing short of gorgeous

Following an equally slow comedown, you shower off together and clamber back into bed for another couple hours of sleep

When you’re both a bit more rested, you set out on foot to explore the city

Munching on croissants with Hongjoong at an outdoor cafe, and sipping espressos before setting off again

You stop at a small flower stand, and Joong buys you a handful of roses

As you walk on, he has his hands in his pockets, and you loop your arm through his

The content smile playing on his lips gives you a high, and you bask in the moment

The following day, you drive to the Musee du Louvre, and stay until closing time

Joong looks at the art, and you look at him, admiring your own masterpiece

You’re thankful you ended up here because it gives you a perfect, constant view of his profile, from his starry eyes to the tip of his nose to his lovely mouth

He catches you staring at him, and blushes while trying to suppress a smile

You do another day trip to the palace and gardens at Versailles, holding hands as you stroll through the ornate, golden halls and endless paths adorned by flowers

And, of course, it’s not a trip to Paris, or a trip with Hongjoong, if there isn’t shopping for clothes at some point

You pick outfits out for each other in the city’s best boutiques de vetements, from sleek luxury retailers to some of the more underrated shops in the art district

The two of you end up having to buy another suitcase for all the clothes you bring back, but this turn of events is shocking to no one

It’s the most fun you could have on a vacation, and your only consolation for having to go home at the end of the week is getting to start the best adventure of all

Being married to your best friend

Yunho

You’ve always wanted to visit Austria

What better occasion than your honeymoon to spend a week in Salzburg?

It’s all wonderful-- the music, scenery, history, and dancing!

It’s a series of beautiful moments from the very start of your trip

You and Yunho watch Harry Potter together on the plane there, sharing earbuds and mouthing the spells together

At one point, Yunho moves the armrest so the two of you can comfortably hold hands

You doze off together, heads resting against each other, and are only awoken by the captain announcing that you’ve landed

You were worried about jet lag, but your Energizer bunny husband has an abundance of contagious excitement

You drop your bags at the hotel, change clothes, and immediately set off on your first adventure

It’s a sunny, breezy day and the sweet aroma of flowers on balconies is everywhere

You’re strolling hand in hand down a cobblestone road in the historic district of the town when you and Yunho hear the music at the same time

You’re drawn like magnets to the sound of a small band playing on the sidewalk

Yunho pulls you in for a dance, just like you knew he would, one grasping yours and the other pulling you close by the waist

As he swings you in circles, you think to yourself, this is why you married him

His carefree nature, spontaneity, and the joy his spirit radiates

And the laughter in your ears that’s just as much music as the instruments being played on the corner of the street

Though you don’t know the steps, and you’re pretty sure Yunho is making them up on the spot, you never once stumble over each other

He ends the dance by twirling you around, tickled pink at how much fun you’re both having

Next, you find a little outdoor cafe, and insist on feeding him yourself

Yunho is blushing and acting like he thinks it’s ridiculous, but when you finally give up, he picks up the fork and hands it back to you with a sheepish smile

You giggle and scoop up a piece of the chocolate cake you’re sharing, watching his cheeks turn pink as he accepts it

By the time the cake is finished, you’ve got a bit of chocolate icing on the corner of your mouth

Instead of just pointing it out to you, Yunho becomes Yunhoe

There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes as he reaches across the little table and swipes his thumb across your lip

You thought he was just being cute, until he brings his hand back to his mouth and sucks the icing off his thumb

As you watch with a smirk, Yunho gives you a look that makes it clear he’s doing the math in his head of how quickly you can get back to the hotel room

He throws a handful of Euros on the table (more than the bill would’ve been) and grabs your hand

Twenty minutes later, you stumble backwards out of the elevator, arms thrown around Yunho’s shoulders

His mouth is hot over yours, and you have to laugh at yourself for not even making it one day before jumping each other

But hey-- what are honeymoons for, right?

He breaks your kiss only to swipe the key card at the room door, but his lips are right back on yours as soon as he can

Yunho picks you up, wrapping your legs around his waist, and blindly pushes the door open behind you

You’re not sure whose idea it was, or if either of you even thought about it, but you end up bent over the balcony railing, your lower half shielded from pedestrians below only by flower boxes

Yunho’s got one hand around your waist, and the other hand braced on the railing

He’s groaning softly between kisses against the side of your neck, thrusting into you from behind

At one point his hand drifts from your waist to press into your clit, causing your head to fall back against his shoulder

Yunho puts a hand over your mouth to stifle the moans that you can’t keep in

You come shortly after with a muffled cry into his palm, and Yunho bites into your shoulder as gently as he can to muffle his own noise when he comes a moment later

You take a few moments to come down before Yunho walks you inside to clean off

You collapse onto the bed together for a much-needed nap, dozing off peacefully in your favorite place in the world-- your husband’s arms

Yeosang

You had to reason with Yeosang just a little to get him to agree to go to Greece for your honeymoon

But once he realized why you picked it out of all places, he came around

It offers food, sunshine, fresh air, and many adventures in a place made for exploring

Getting excited on the plane ride in, giggling with each other and looking out the window at the islands like a couple of excited kids

You go searching for the best views in Santorini, climbing through the endless maze of steps between white and blue buildings

So many selfies--Yeosang smiling shyly with his cheek pressed to the side of your head

After a while, he really starts to relax and have fun, and his smiles in your pictures get wider and wider

One day is devoted entirely to walking through the market in town, buying random food items just because they smell good and holding them out for the other to try

At one point Yeosang slips away while you’re not paying attention

Trying not to panic, you look around, feeling like a child who’s lost their mom at a supermarket

Just as you’re starting to lose your breath, Yeosang catches you by the waist

You knew it was him just by his touch, but you still look to his face for the reassurance that he’s there

There’s a glint in his eye that implies he’s amused by your concern at losing him, but he tells you it’s okay, and shows you where he went:

A bright bouquet of flowers no doubt native to the island is bursting from his hands in marvelous yellows, pinks, and whites

You recognize Asphodels, but the rest are beautiful, nameless mysteries

They almost get crushed between your bodies as you throw your arms around Sangie and kiss him in full public view

No one seems to mind it though-- it appears as though love is in the air on this day, carried by the light sea breeze and lit by the sun

Yeosang smiles into the kiss before reminding you to be careful of your flowers

You take them from him with a grin, but when you’re on your way home, the smile turns into a pout

“Sang?” “Yeah?” “My feet hurt.”

Yeosang fakes a dramatic sigh, but it’s not another second before he’s crouching in front of you, holding his arms out behind him

You gleefully climb on, and Yeosang carries you the rest of the short walk to your AirBnB

He’ll never say it out loud, but his favorite thing in the world is feeling your arms around his shoulders

Just like on your wedding day, just like now, just like he wants every day for the rest of his life

Another day, the two of you are hiking through some of the more rural parts of Santorini, and happen upon a beautiful wild olive grove near a cliff face

You come back the next morning with a blanket and some snacks, and spend the entire day in the shade

Admiring him as you sit by the seaside, because he looks so stunning among the greens and blues and yellows

Again--SO. MANY. SELFIES

It’s not your fault he looks that good

Maybe he looks a little too good

Maybe you make a mess of your picnic blanket after grabbing your husband and pulling him on top of you

Once Yeosang looks around and ascertains that there’s absolutely no one around, he’s all game

His hands are bunching the skirt up around your hips, his mouth greedy and searching your neck for any spot that’ll make you whimper when he sucks into it

Your spot in paradise turns into rapture as his fingers meet your core, massaging you until you start to dig your nails into his shoulder

You’ve got one hand on his bicep and the other in his hair when he takes you in one smooth motion, finding his rhythm like he never dropped it in the first place

You come apart beneath him, and beneath the softly rustling leaves of the olive trees

The two of you fall asleep shortly after, completely relaxed in each other’s arms

Holding hands on your walks through the town at night, underneath the twinkle lights

You’ve married your best friend, and this is the best beginning to your lives together that you could ever imagine

Happiness settles around you like a light blanket, and you hope it stays forever

San

Don’t ask me why, but a glass igloo hotel in Iceland seems perfect

It’s cozy but not too small, and it’s the picture of quiet luxury

The glass walls and ceiling give you a beautiful view of the wide Icelandic sky, which is clear as crystal after a fresh snowfall

There’s a fireplace against one wall, with a fuzzy rug in front of it and many, many pillows

You spend the first evening snuggled up there with San, sipping hot chocolate and talking about every random thing you can think of

He keeps finding reasons to say “my wife”, getting all giggly every time he does

After you fall asleep, another storm rolls through, dropping an extra foot of powdery snow all around you

You and San are oblivious, however, because you’re both fast asleep under several layers of blankets

Safe and warm in your little nest, you nuzzle your face into San’s neck, and he tightens his arms around you in his sleep

Because being with you, and keeping you close, comes as naturally to him as breathing

When you wake up, you see the wonderland outside and it’s not even a discussion-- you and Sannie are outside as fast as you can put on your clothes

You play in the snow together, and his adorable laugh echoes around you every time he beans you with a snowball

Chasing each other around like little kids, giggling and kicking up the snow

San catches you by the waist and spins you around, making sure to never drop you

You wrestle around a bit but eventually end up making snow angels together

When you stand up to admire your outlines in the snow, San pulls you close and presses his face into your hair

Putting an arm around his waist, you brush some of the snow off his jacket

He catches your hand, and holds it to his chest, where you can feel his heart pounding

“Never forget that this beats for you, okay?”

You almost cry, but opt to pull San to you and press kisses all over his face instead

He just giggles and accepts every single peck on his quickly-heating cheeks

Later that day, you make your way to the hot springs nearby, running as fast as you can to the water’s edge after dropping your coats

It’s a rush to the senses, slipping into the hot spring and away from the frigid air

San is behind you, gripping your hand tightly

You find a ledge that’s been carved into the rock underwater, and make yourselves comfortable on it

San leans back, eyes closed, and you can see the puffs of his breath coming slower and slower as he fully relaxes

You lean back against his arm, enjoying the feeling of his skin and the soft water pooling around you

You end up throwing your legs over his thighs and curling into his side

His arm goes around your shoulders, and you feel every bit of worry leave your body

You’re heavy with relaxation, but you feel lighter than ever

That evening, you’re watching a movie and sipping spiked hot chocolate when a flash of green lights up the igloo

Gasping, you stand up to stare skywards, mouth open

San turns off the movie and moves next to you, taking your hand and squeezing it lightly

You watch the Northern Lights in silence as they ripple across the sky in vivid purples, blues, and greens

A few minutes into the show, you glance over at San to see his eyes glittering with all the colors

He looks so beautiful, holding entire galaxies, and he doesn’t even realize it

When the lights begin to fade down, you reach over and pull San to you

He knew what you wanted from the first millisecond of touch

He responds in kind, tugging you as close to him as he can and making quick work of both your shirts

Chests pressed together and breathing ragged, you let yourselves fall back onto the rug

Arms and legs tangle as you make love beneath the glass ceiling, and the auroras begin to flicker again, making everything that much more beautiful

Falling asleep in each others’ arms, not only for the warmth, but because you love him more than anything in the world

Mingi

Madagascar!

It’s a lesser known honeymoon destination, with fewer people than some of the more popular spots in Europe or the Caribbean

You have your own bungalow on the beach, with room service twice a day and spa services as well

Getting massages and face masks with Mingi? Yes. Doing so in matching fluffy white robes? Double yes.

Going on a safari adventure to see the lemurs!

You and Mingi pile into the backseat of an open-air Jeep and a driver takes you around one of the wildlife refuges

You two have the time of your lives looking at all the animals, grabbing each other and pointing when you see a new one

He’s smiling so big the entire time, and his happiness is contagious

You both sleep in late every day just because you can--no alarms, just birds twittering and sunlight filtering through the blinds

Waking up in each other’s arms, nestled under a layer of soft blankets

All you have to do is open your eyes, and Mingi is right there, sleeping soundly with the corners of his mouth turned up

His hair is tousled and he looks so peaceful

That is, until you try to get up to make breakfast, and he refuses to let you get out of bed

He doesn’t even wake up; just throws one arm around you and hugs you tight, humming in his sleep with a little pout on his lips

You can’t help but smile, and relent to his cute charm

An hour or so later, when both of you wake up, Mingi kisses you all over your face

It’s the best way to say “good morning” in his opinion, and you’re pretty sure he’s right

Another day, you do a guided hike through Amber Mountain National Park

There are even more lemurs, and many other animals

The air is so clean you can’t even believe it, and peace seeps into you with each step further into the lush, green wilderness

You stop to swim in an emerald pool at the foot of a small waterfall, and your guide steps away to give you a moment of privacy

You get close to Mingi, resting your hands on his shoulders and pressing your forehead to his

The water flows softly around you, but Mingi is your rock--steadfast and comfortable to you always

He kisses you sweetly, and you feel any tension he might have had leaving his body with each deep inhale

Your favorite moment from the trip, however, has to be your journey to the Avenue of the Baobabs

The Baobab trees have long been a legendary symbol of the African wilds, but seeing them up close in reality is its own level of breathtaking

Nothing could have prepared you for just how massive the Baobabs are, towering above the horizon as you approach in your tour Jeep

You’re dropped off at the beginning of the path that winds through hundreds of the giant trees, and told to meet back there in a couple of hours

Mingi pulls you down the trail excitedly, telling you that if he had to be a tree, he would be one of these

You snap your favorite photo ever that afternoon

It’s a picture of Mingi, grinning widely, hugging a Baobab (or trying to, since that particular tree had a diameter of about fifteen feet)

He looks so happy, almost childlike, and the joy just radiates off of him

That picture gets framed the second you return from your trip, and it’s also the lockscreen on your phone

Although your days are spent visiting every destination on the island, your evenings are a much-needed quiet time to recharge

You and Mingi snuggle up for a movie some nights, and other nights you drink on the porch and listen to the sounds of the jungle

Sometimes you get distracted from the movie or the scenery, and kiss Mingi a whole bunch instead

He’s more than willing to pull you close, and even carry you off, when you whisper something sinful in his ear

But no matter what you get up to, his love and sweetness are in every touch

Whether you’re out and about, or enjoying a quiet moment to yourselves, his arm is around you always, and you never have to ask twice for extra kisses

Wooyoung

A beach resort in Turks and Caicos seems like the perfect place to go with Wooyoung

Hear me out-- it’s got music and tourists that are just as loud as he is

Crystal clear, bright blue waters greet you as the two of you hitch a ride from the airport

All the windows in the cab are down, because it’s sunny and just the right kind of warm

Salty sea air fills your lungs and the wind breezes through your hair

You’re given complementary rum punch when you check in, and it’s the perfect start to your trip

You and Wooyoung drop your bags off at the room and immediately change into your swimsuits

The resort backs right up to the beach, so you run out in your sandals, hand in hand as you make a beeline toward the water

The sand is hot beneath your feet, but you don’t even notice because you’re so excited and the water! is so! blue!

You crash into the surf seconds later, the warm water swirling around your legs

You wade through the water until you’re chest deep, then kick up your feet and float on your back

There are no breakers, nor boats allowed, in the calm waters of the bay, so you float in the soft blue for a little bit, content to just let the tide wash you back to shore in whatever timeline it sees fit

You reach out at the line between sea and sky, meeting the skin of Wooyoung’s arm

He’s still standing, staring in wonder at the paradise around you, but he takes your hand without thinking

He’s your anchor, letting you float without drifting away

You spend the next several hours going back and forth between the sea and the sand, finding beach chairs to lounge on while you lay in the sun

As the sun starts to fall in the sky, you decide to head back to the room to shower off and get dressed for a fancy dinner

You’re minding your business, rinsing the shampoo out of your hair, when the bathroom door opens and Wooyoung pokes his face inside

“Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all. It’ll save water,” you respond, smiling

Woo sheds his swimshorts and joins you, slipping in as fast as he can to keep the steam inside the glass door of the shower

You massage shampoo into his hair, enjoying his little hums of appreciation

He rinses it out while you wash your body, and you stand behind him as he washes off too

His back is to you and you openly stare at the water running down his back

You feel heavy, relaxed, from spending all day in the sun, but there’s one thing that could make this afternoon even better

Once all the soap is off of him, you step forward and kiss the spot between his shoulder blades

Never a stranger to your unspoken wishes, Wooyoung leans his head back as you kiss your way up to his shoulder

When you can’t reach any more, he turns and kisses you, hard

He’s got one hand snaked around your waist and the other holding your face to his

Your arms are around his shoulders in a heartbeat, and he backs you against the tile

It’s cold, but the warm water is still running between your bodies, giving you shivers

Wooyoung breaks the kiss only to kneel in front of you, throwing your leg over his shoulder

He brings you to the edge with his mouth, then stands again, keeping your leg hitched over his hip

When he fucks you, you’re worried that people are going to see the scratches on his shoulders the next day at the beach

But eventually, you can’t be bothered to think about it, and you lose yourself in his touch instead

You come apart shortly after, chests heaving and skin pressed to wet skin

A little while later, you’re toasting one another over dinner

The restaurant offers many amazing local delicacies, and Wooyoung insists on hand-feeding you at least half of them throughout your trip

There’s live music every night at the resort’s restaurant & bar, and Wooyoung doesn’t think twice about pulling you with him to the dancefloor

You’re not overly confident in your dancing skills, but Woo pulls you close and shows you some simple steps as other couples join around you

After a couple of songs, you’re able to get into the groove of the funky music that the island loves so much

Wooyoung’s smile is all you need to know you’re moving the right way, and you dance to a few more songs before going back to the bar counter for more fruity drinks

The two of you continue to get tipsy, then walk to the beach and make out in the sand like a couple of teenagers

You’re both giggling between kisses, digging your toes into the sand, and existing purely in the moment

Everything is sweet, from the taste of pineapple on his tongue to the heady aroma of plumeria blooms in the trees

Every day is a beach day in this place. You’ve never had this much fun, splashing and playing in the water, laughing nonstop

One afternoon, Wooyoung is passed out on a beach chair under an umbrella, lulled to sleep by the day’s warmth and the sounds of the ocean

After taking a picture of him to giggle at later, you get an idea

The air is fragrant with the sweet smell of the thousands of flowering bushes that are planted throughout the resort’s grounds

Nobody would miss a few of those flowers, would they? If you were to, say, pluck some and decorate your husband with them?

You slip away from the chairs and your sleeping Woo to gather a few blooms from the nearest row of landscaping, returning with sweet-smelling handfuls of them

You giggle to yourself, putting the flowers all around Wooyoung’s head like a little halo of yellows, whites, and pinks

He doesn’t even notice them until he wakes up, gets back in the water, and sees a bunch of petals in the surf around him

You laugh and take photos of all of it

Being on a catamaran at sunset, sitting side by side with your head on his shoulder

The sky is painted in vivid oranges and reds, and Woo’s hand rests on your thigh, his breathing slow and even next to you

The wind is a bit cool on your wet skin, but the sun still delivers warmth, and you inhale the smell of saltwater on Wooyoung’s skin

He turns his face slightly to kiss the top of your head, and you smile knowing that his love for you comes without him even having to think about it

As the boat smoothly cuts through the water, you feel completely at peace

You’re exactly where you’re meant to be, and it’s hard to think about your life turning out any other way than this moment, with this man

Jongho

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Incredible local food, soccer matches, constant music, breathtaking city scenery--it’s a neotropical dream

First of all, Jongho is amazing to travel with

Being the eldest of his family, he’s well-prepared with a bag full of snacks, meds, toiletries, headphones, and neck pillows for both of you

He looks so cute on the flight, snuggled up in his complimentary blanket and neck pillow

He’s pouting in his sleep and you take several photos just because

When you get to the hotel room, he bravely offers to carry your luggage up the stairs for you

But he makes you wait at the bottom of the stairs so that he can come back and scoop you into his arms

Because he insists on carrying you bridal-style at every opportunity, starting with your arrival to the room

It’s a suite on the second floor, with its own balcony overlooking the main walkway below

You can look out over shops and restaurants and bars, all the nightlife in one place

You change out of your airport clothes, then venture out to grab some drinks and go shopping-- the boys had bullied Jongho into promising that he’d bring back gifts

The two of you are buzzing by the time night falls, but your feet are sore from walking and you’re exhausted from the flight

So you grab some food to-go from one of the restaurants and take it back to the room

You chow through dinner with the balcony doors open, allowing the music and chatter of the streets to carry in on the soft, warm breeze

Going into food comas immediately after eating, you and Jongho pass out on top of the covers, facing each other with hands clasped in the middle

You wake up to brilliant sunlight and Jongho’s arm thrown over you

He’s your life-size teddy bear, and you snuggle closer to him for warmth and comfort

When you both get up and around, you surprise Jongho with tickets to this year’s Superclasico-- only the biggest soccer match in Buenos Aires!

Jongho tries to play it cool, but you can tell he’s absolutely giddy at getting to attend a sports game while he’s here

He loves soccer, after all, and he can’t stop smiling the entire way to the stadium

He practically drags you by the hand to your seats, which are so close to the field that you can hear the footballers yelling to each other

Jongho doesn’t sit down a single time during the game, shouting excitedly in Korean even though he doesn’t know anything about these teams or who to root for

He’s just glad to be there, and it’s an absolutely fantastic match

On your short walk home, he’s got so much energy from being amped up by the game that he stops you on the sidewalk and tells you to get on his back

You blush profusely, but who are you to say no? Besides, you love seeing him be this carefree

The two of you stick out like a sore thumb in the streets of Argentina since you’re giggling like crazy and he’s singing to you in a language that definitely isn’t local

You indulge in some amazing street food before going back to the hotel and getting ready for the evening

He got tickets to a theater show, and it gives you an opportunity to get all dressed up

Your husband looks so handsome in his casual suit, and when you walk out in your dress, he’s holding roses

The show is wonderful, and you’re both part of the standing ovation it receives

You throw off your shoes when you get home, but there’s so much excitement outside that the night is hardly over

Standing on your balcony, listening to singing in the streets and bars below, with Jongho’s arms around you from behind

This man clearly did his research before coming here, because he actually knows some of the songs in Spanish and you bet your ass he serenades you as musicians pass by below

There are fireworks some nights for no apparent reason other than that the city exists to be a technicolor celebration of life

There is no better place to start this marriage, and no better person to be married to

[jjungkooksthighs]

Claws of Carnality | jjk (3)

 Pairing: alpha jungkook x omega reader

Genre: smut, fluff and angst, abo/werewolf, fantasy 

Rating: 18+ / nsfw

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: alpha!jungkook, possessive!jungkook, omega!reader, mentions of breeding/ruts/heats, mentions of a mark, slick and pre-ejaculatory production, scenting 

Summary: Denial is a crude adversary in how it battles your want to accept the alpha that has no shadings of doubt that you are, in fact, his mate. He intends to clear things up for you using the one surefire thing that will, however, prove him to truly be yours and you are utterly helpless in denying him.

A/N: So, here we are with part three already. Goodness, I can’t even believe how much attention this has gotten so far. Please keep it up, you guys! It really feeds my creative juices and encourages me when you guys let me know what you think of the stories I put out! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this next part. Things are gradually going to begin to heat up from here on out and I can’t wait to see how you all react! 

Part 1  Part 2  Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8 Part 9

You try to swim through the flurry of thoughts, the floundering disbelief heavy as you wade through it in spite of the amused alpha that watches you with interest as a myriad of expressions pull at your features. It’s difficult to keep yourself afloat amidst the frenzy of emotions that cascade over you and your alpha notices this in the way that you fidget where you stand in the intensity with which he regards you, your hand clutching at your skirt as you inhale through your mouth to attempt to replace the air that eludes you.

 One side of his lips curl upward in the effect he’s already had on you that only deepens in your silent refusal to acknowledge the final piece of the puzzle that would complete the missing segment of conviction still lost to you.

 Unlike you, Jungkook has not an inkling of doubt that you are, without question, his mate. He just hadn’t known up until a few moments ago that you are to become something so much deeper than that to him that will extend into his very being, for even he’d had no idea that you are destined to be his soulmate in which there hasn’t been a pair of wolves like that for many thousands of years.

 It all made sense to him in how his eyes had found themselves magnetized to the opposite pole that was you,  the constant holder of his attention whenever he’d had the privilege to watch you frolic gleefully with your omegean friends outside your den whenever he passed by through the cover of the trees after a successful hunt, his own scent masked by the carcasses of his prey.

 He’d never been able to explain the inexplicable pull toward you that had grasped him unrelentingly until he’d managed to catch sight or smell of you to, nor had it made sense to him why he’d wanted to express himself to you so much so that he’d danced in effort to satisfy the need to bask in the warmth of your intrigued gaze.

 Nothing has ever quite compared to the way that his blood races when you so much as glance at him now that he thinks on it and gods, he longs for you to welcome him now as eagerly as you had in the supposed safety of dreams. Even now the inebriating scent of you coils around him insistently as it begs for him to come closer to the source of his desires he’s yearned for years.

 It’s not as easy for you to accept this, though, no matter how much you want to. Gods, do you want to.

 In light of the bright, flashing signs that your wolf begs for you to heed, there’s a very critical and very crucial element that would immediately clear away the lingering shadow of denial that this creature before you who looks to have been crafted by the gods is meant to be yours. Despite your purebred omegean blood that distinguishes you as the most desirable of candidates for alphas and betas alike in the rarity of such a pedigree amongst your dynamic, Jeon Jungkook could have any bitch in the pack he wished. There were many others who you believed looked better and gave back to the clan more than the likes of you.

  And in the self-consciousness that shackles you, you had not breathed through your nose ever since he’d brought himself near to you.

 You know that the moment that you do, there will be no question that he is truly the alpha from your dreams who boldly claims to be your mate, for the intoxicating scent of him that had incensed itself within you was deliciously unforgettable in the way it had had the power to have you glistening with slick upon a single whiff. Because of that, there is a reason that you are actively choosing not to use your olfactory sense around him.

 Only within the old tales written in the aged tomes of the compound’s archives which are guarded by the elders has there been recollections of the legendary lupi antiquis, who were the progenitors of the werewolf race. These creatures were incarnations of nature manifested into the bodies of wolves that were guided by the moon’s phases in the celestial body’s wish to bring life to the earth in the decay of other mythical creatures who had grown sad and lifeless without a companion in the rarity of which they’d roamed.

 To ensure the strongest and most virile of the moon’s creations found a partner that would belong and be designed solely for them, it was said that the celestial body preselected the companion that would remain loyal to them through the entirety of their life by choosing for them a soulmate.

 The word has always been held close your heart in the romantic radiance of it, for it had been said that a bond unlike any other in the lupine world burgeoned inside two destined mates of the moon’s selection among the abilities that allow such a pair to share thoughts and feelings with one another telepathically across insurmountable distances in addition to each wolf becoming stronger where the alpha would gain physical strength while the omega would be granted bolstered mental fortitude.

 Beyond that, the wolf’s kiss could cure their mate of any ailment or injury in the profound love that the very essences of each kindred spirit were vested with as they longed ardently to remain together forever and always.

 As time had passed, the word had begun to become diluted in the diminished occurrences with which it happened as more and more werewolves began to populate and once pure bloodlines became soured by excessive mating between different partners in the uncontrollable ruts and heats that drove them to couple with any wolf in the vicinity under the influence purely of instinct to breed and be bred.

 Many lives had been lost during the violent, territorial battles over both alphas and omegas for a partner that often ended in death to one or both participants, the lessons of the past yielding guidance to the future generation in the written accounts left behind so that the fledgling pups that came after would not suffer as the earlier wolves had.

 It is why your pack has such defined rules now upon the presentation or period of peak maturity for omegas in particular because they have always been the desired mates of alphas.

 It is also how the entire compound knows when the last happening of two soulmates was, which had been a couple thousand years ago when the moon had aligned with the rest of the planetary bodies in the meticulously structured history courses that all maturing wolves are mandated to take and in the stories that are told by the elders over annual bonfires celebrating the bonding between two wolves.

 Perhaps it is all of these reasons that have every wolf in your pack still able to discern and recognize the defined series of circumstances that present themselves between two lupine creatures fated to be each other’s soulmate.

 The first is the gift of sight, which allows each lupine creature to see the eyes of their mate. The second is the gift of olfaction, which is the amalgamation of scents naturally produced from the scent gland of each wolf that have the ability to draw the undivided attention of their destined other so temptingly that it causes sudden production of either slick for omegas and pre-ejaculative fluid for alphas. In addition, this one is powerful enough that it acts an effluvious vice that impulses each lupine creature in how desirously their mate can waft into and draw out their counterpart’s instincts.     

 Each are granted only after the moon lights a path for them both to meet, but that hadn’t happened for you, had it? After all, it’s not like the stream of dreams every night after the last eclipse could have-

 Your eyes widen bigger than the largest star as your cheeks color themselves redder than a ruby in mortification as the links join together and that has the alpha relishing in the adorable sight of you as he croons, “There it is, pretty. I knew you would come around soon enough,” he fixes his sight on the edge of a reddened petal he’d caused to fall over your skin in your supposed fantasy that peeks out from under the edge of your silken choker that he wishes he could tear off of you and add more of his marks to as he continues, “Did you think I would allow my mate to suffer with how desperately you whined and how loudly you howled for me?”

 You fumble for words in the embarrassment that soaks you as you try to speak past a mouth that is dryer than the desert while you shake your head like you’re in a daze and you might as well be in how incapable you are of rationalizing at this point.

 “This can’t be… it can’t be possible.” You whisper quietly as if thinking aloud and Jungkook finds that he appreciates the sound of you, that he is pleased in how you’ve finally chosen to use that cute voice of yours and let him into your thoughts.  

 The alpha coos, “Oh, my pretty omega, but it can,” he takes one calculated step closer, “Come on, little omega, smell me.  Do not think that I have not caught on to the fact that you haven’t used your nose in your efforts to deny this, to deny me.” His honeyed voice slathers itself over you, as you melt under its thickness, “You asked your alpha to come find you and I have, pretty. Now, it’s time for you to do the same. Scent me and see that I am the one the moon has promised you to, that I am the alpha you belong to.”

 He delivers his words to you in the form of a command as he takes another step toward you only to have your heart beat faster against your ribcage, your wolf lowering its head in submission as you try to make yourself smaller under his searing, prompting gaze and the longer that you dangerously surrender yourself to those golden irises that are still speckled with the silver that mirrors your own, your resistance cracks and folds gradually under his increasingly prominent pressure. It can only be compacted and compressed so much until nothing remains and, unable to disobey his directive, you swallow a thick lump of nervousness down your throat before clearing it as he looks on expectantly.

 His avid attention sears into you doggedly and, under its power, your omega blood boils in need to heed him and, purely driven by your body’s desideratum to yield to him without the input of any cognizant thought, your hand finds itself slowly and tentatively lifting toward the exposed neck that he has bared torturously against the obscenely opened shirt.  The fluttery wings of anticipation flap animatedly within you as the alpha watches with intrigue, allowing you to slowly near him.

 Your fingers do not stall as they ghost over the notch between his collarbones as you dare to allow yourself to touch the skin that tries to reach for you in the waves of heat that roll off of him and when you turn your hand so that the soft underside of your wrist just barely manages to rub against his sensitive scent gland that all but strains and pulses against you, your breath hitches as a deep rumble of a growl tumbles from his throat in response.

 It is not a sound born of aggression, but of satisfaction that has your omega preening under its euphoniously low trill and when his fingers close around your forearm to possessively drag your radiocarpal joint back and forth over the intimate area that secretes pheromones wantonly for you, your wolf sings at his hot touch, at the way that his fingers curl deliciously over your delicate skin.

 The whole time, his irises flash tellingly in gratification that has you helplessly falling for the way he looks at you like you’re the only thing that exists, the only thing that matters as he greedily drinks in the way your mouth has parted dazedly while he coats himself in your own essence that is produced richly from the glands in your wrist.

 The scent glands of the neck were far stronger, far more potent, but right now, he will take from you what you decide to give. There will be time for more later, he is sure.

 Your delicious scent is quick to consume him, the sound that drips from his lips deepening in pitch as your aroma drapes itself over him in its entirety before sinking into his very pores until he’s momentarily drunk off you, his pupils enlarging until there is only you.

 “Gods,” he utters, “you smell like sin, pretty. You’re like a fucking aphrodisiac in how you tempt me.” Somewhere in his pants, his cock twitches to life at the mere scent of you as your carnal essence awakens something far too primal within him.

 “J-Jungkook,” you whimper, your wolf baying in delight at his admission and wantful actions.

 In response to him, your own irises dilate as your heart pangs wildly against your chest, breath a hard companion to come by in his overbearingly alluring presence that seeks your own in the warmth of his skin that reaches longingly for you.

 You can’t begin to rationalize how long he slides your wrist sinfully against him as he makes a point of trailing your radiocarpal joint over the vast expanse of muscles that line his neck as they all but jump at your touch as the sound that tumbles from his lips darkens impossibly more only to draw out a whine from you. Minutes or hours could have passed since this started, but you have no care in the world because of how caught you are under his simmering stare.

 Once he’s secure in the knowledge that succulent scent of you has smeared him to the point of no return, that’s when he pulls your hand back until he holds it under your nostrils while his mouth waters at the delectable waft of you through his own that sets his very blood on fire.

 His fingers sink wonderfully into your skin and it is positively unholy in how his heat permeates you until you’re filled gloriously with it he orders, “Go on now, my pretty omega.  Breathe me in until every last doubt is torn from you and all you can think about is me,” his breath is hot against your cheek as he inches impossibly closer in the need to be impossibly closer to you as you shakily exhale while he finishes, “Drink me in until this little body of yours is sated in the sweet recognition of the alpha that owns it.”   

 His words settle viscously over you and in the command of the alpha that you are helpless to resist with your omegean blood, you do. You did not want to fight this, did not want to fight him. It went against your baser instincts and nature to do so. It was all just your self-consciousness that had bound you back and away from him, but under his attention that does not waver in the imposing neediness of it that glints with a savage saturation dripping from his very being, you can’t withstand it. So, you obey.

 The change is immediate.

 Upon the first whiff of him that drizzles up through your nostrils to trickle fluidly like that of a delicious philter through you, your every cell is flooded with stimulation that is guided by the heady essence that is decidedly and uniquely him. He tastes of newly dewed grasses that are accented by an earthly underlayer and somehow it is all bolstered by the overwhelmingly delicious amalgamation of blooming gardenia, black vanilla and freshly matured pear.

 A sudden deposit of slick finds itself between your folds that glisten to life and it earns a sharp growl from him as he brings one lip between his teeth.

 He reeks of pungently dangerous desire that beckons your very being and your eyes roll to the back of your head at in its insistent invitation as he fills you with his quintessence and soon your body can no longer bear your weight in the way that his strong incense curls around you to have your limbs grow weak under its inexorable consummation of you.

 Your weakly whisper, “Alpha…my alpha,” the concession quick to run through your veins as you yield to him.

 Your legs begin to tremble precariously with each breath you take in effort to collect as much of him as you can, the familiar smell exactly alike to that of the one belonging to the wolf from your dreams as understanding and recognition saturate your being.

 “Omega,” Jungkook breathes, satisfaction washing over him as he watches your body react so affectedly to him.

 And when your body is no longer able to bear your weight in how quickly the alpha has drawn away their strength through his own power, he is there.

 At the same time that your head falls back and your sense of equilibrium leaves you through numbed legs, one of his large hands finds its place along your nape while one muscled arm wraps around your back to pull you against the built planes of an aureate chest as he croons, “My beautiful omega. You’ve acknowledged me at long last. Such a good girl for me, you are,” he angles his head low so that his heated breath once more billows against you, “I’m going to take you with me to the forest now, pretty. Once we’re there, you’re going to watch me shift so that I can hunt just for you. When I return,” his pink tongue darts outward to wet his lips as his gaze surges with hunger, “I expect my mate to be waiting for me before I let every wolf in this fucking compound know that you’re mine when I claim you at the ceremony tonight.”

 Your breath stutters at that and when his arms dip to collect you like his bride as he tucks you against the muscled chest that you subconsciously lean into you in the safety that pours from him that your wolf relishes in. Through it all, you can only barely utter, “As you wish, alpha.”

 As he holds you close, you nuzzle your alpha and there’s a high-pitched, satisfied purr that easily cascades through your throat in the warmth and security that his able body offers. You care not how far your song of satisfaction is carried in the winds that swell against you only to roll tauntingly over all the alphas in the distance that Jungkook is in charge of as the pack alpha’s son who is meant to one day lead the compound.

All that matters is that you’ve found your alpha and that he, in turn, has found you.

 High in the sky, the moon hides behind the awakening sun as golden rays begin to filter searchingly through the thick underbrush of the forest lining the horizon as far as the eye can see.

[loversdelusion]

softer

deacon st. john x reader

part two of two

previous

"You're going to ask Iron Mike to give you the damn directions over the summit?" you eyed Deek curiously, a brow raised "This the same Iron Mike that specifically told you to fuck off and that he'd kill you if you ever showed your face at Lost Lake again?" Deacon sighed, rolling his eyes "I knew you'd say that exact sentence but baby, listen to me" Deacon stood in front of you, taking both your hands in larger ones.

Deacon looked at you with hope in his eyes "This is the best shot for us, getting away from all this will do us both some good" you hesitated, not yet wanting to agree with him having to go confront Mike himself to help you both over the pass.

"Fine.." you sighed, Deacon smiled softly, placing a kiss on your forehead "Just stay here, I'll be ba-" Deacon halted in his tracks as your hand wrapped around his wrist "I'll ask, probably have a better shot than you" you said, pulling Deacon back against his bike.

,Deacon sighed as he waited for you to come out from lodge, hopefully with Mike in tow, his eyes perked up at the sound of your laughter, he chuckled breathlessly as you walked out of the lodge with Mike right behind you, in a cheerful mood than earlier.

The mood was tense yet again as Mike approached Deacon, you almost felt the need to chew on your fingernails "This sweetheart has somehow convinced me to drive you both over the pass" Mike gestured to you, you smiled softly "If it gets you out of here, I'm all for it, don't get me wrong" his face was void of anything positive. "There's a way over the summit and unfortunately you are the only one who knows" Deacon grumbled, Mike nodded "Get ready then because when we leave, you ain't coming back" Mike's gaze hardened into Deacon's equally steely stare.

-

The drive up the pass was cold, the winds nipped at your exposed hands and cheeks, you and Deacon rode on your own bikes - not having the heart to leave it behind with Boozer "You okay?" Deacon's voice called through the walkie talkie, you flexed your hands on the handles "I- it's fucking cold.." Your voice shook as you replied "We're almost there, okay? It's only cold on the summit" you nodded, steeling your nerves.

-

Hope filled you as you finally made it to the top, Deacon came to a stop, you rose a brow, still shivering from the winds that randomly whipped through you "What's up?" You asked, seeing his head turned towards what was on the other side - your eyes widened. Scorched lands stretched as far as you could see, there was no tree in sight or patch of green grass "What the fuck..?" You muttered under your breath, Deacon continued on, making the way down seemed a whole lot easier than driving up.

-

You came through a small gorge, you could hear screams and shouts ahead, a cabin came into view, along with two Militia looking men and - a huge fucking infected grizzly bear, Deacon grunted as he slammed on his brakes, you coming to a slow stop "Stay here, don't come out until that thing is dead" he stated, not bothering to look back at you, your gaze hardened "You sure you can do this alone?" You asked wearily, eyes darting between him and the crazed bear, Deacon let out a heavy exhale "I got this".

-

Just as Deacon said he would, the bear fell and the two Militia men climbed down from the roof of the cabin, you were leaning on your bike, elbows resting on the gas tank and your chin in your hands as you watched the whole ordeal, you listened as the two men thanked Deacon endlessly, watching their interactions with him carefully "(Y/n)!" He shouted, the two men looked confused for a second until you drove into view.

"(Y/n), this is Russell and Mullins" he gestured to the two men, you nodded at them "Corporal Russell was about to take us to their camp" he looked back at the man named Russell who merely nodded "Of course, c'mon" he said, mounting his own bike "Mullins, you stay here! Guard the pass" Mullins protested but did so anyway.

On the way to Russell and Mullins' camp, Russell tells you about life in the camp - a military camp, explaining how things are done, who's in charge, what they do there.

-

He lead you and Deacon to a gate, towering defense walls on either side "Talk to Captain Kouri, he'll get you both set up, he should be over in the corner there" Russell gestured to the far left of the camp, he left you after that, you and Deacon dismounted your bikes, leaving them beside each other. "Are you sure about this?" You asked, Deacon looked at you "New beginning, remember?" He smiled softly at you, eyes darting around you both before he pressed a quick kiss to your forehead "Love you, sweetheart" he muttered lowly, you sighed softly and followed after him.

"Captain Kouri..?" Deacon asked the man sitting on a bench, the man's brows rose and he stood "At your service" Kouri shook Deacon's hand, a shining glint flashed in your vision, you looked down to see a very familiar ring on Kouri's hand, the same ring that Deacon gave Sarah on their last night together, Deacon noticed it too. Deacon tensed, the action unnoticed by Kouri, he pursed his lips and swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, you subtly jabbed Deacon's side, he shook his head, sighing softly. "Deacon, Deacon St. John, and this, this is (Y/n) (L/n)" Deacon gestured to you. You nodded as Kouri shook your own hand, he eyed you down, seeming to size you up before turning back to Deacon "You're the man that saved two of our own?" Kouri asked, Deacon nodded "Well, your help was very much appreciated".

-

Captain Kouri showed you around the Diamond Lake outpost, introducing the two of you to the vendors they had, the medbay, the sleeping quarters, cafeteria, you stared at the group of soldiers, training - well, moreso getting orders and insults barked at them by their leader, it seemed a little on the dreary side but if it's what kept them up and running, it works. "I was in the 10th Mountain" you could hear Deacon and Captain Kouri still talking behind you "And her?" You heard the Captain ask "She's a biologist, started out as a nurse" Kouri hummed "A person with military experience and another who could potentially save the world and help save lives while she's at it? We might as well have struck gold".

"We have two scientists already, both working on the same thing, but only one actual doctor, we might have to divide her time equally, we'll see what the commander has to say at the recruitment ceremony" you and Deacon shared a confused look.

-

You, Deacon and some hipster named Wade Taylor were chosen to work in the main camp, the other woman who was with you three was put in the work camp, she had a loud mouth anyway. You were weirdly given the rank of Lieutenant for your bachelor's degree in biology, you had a feeling it was mostly just so Colonel Garret could keep you under a more guarded watch and order, Deacon was given the rank of Corporal for his military expertise.

-

Garret gave you and Deacon a tour of Wizard Island, even taking you through what they called the Ark which was a large cave system in the mountain "Lieutenant" Garret stated, your spine went rigid "Yes, sir" you replied "Considering you'll be one of our scientists, I think it's important that you meet your colleagues". You brought your hand to your forehead in a salute "Of course, sir" you said, mentally cringing at the way you were acting - your military experience was slim, the only experience you've had was your father, didn't really teach you much though, besides discipline when you needed it most "You too, Corporal" Garret eyed Deacon beside you "Yes, sir".

Garret brought you to two tents that were directly beside each other, he stood at the door to the one on the right, he pushed it open "Lieutenant Weaver" Garret barked, a man stood to attention, saluting the Colonel "Sir" Garret stood rigidly, beside the table in the middle of the tent. "This is you and the Witch's newest addition, Lieutenant (L/n), and this is Corporal St. John" you saluted again, Deacon doing the same, your gaze was on the man's dingy lab coat "James Weaver, Lieutenant Weaver" he introduced himself to you. "Deacon St. John" Deacon stated, his posture set in stone "(Y/n) (L/n), Lieutenant (L/n)" he chucked as you repeated his words back to him, your tone world's lighter than Deacon's "Are you taking them to meet the Witch?" Your brow arched slightly "Yes, follow me" Garret stalked out of the tent, walking to the door of the left one.

"This is the tent of the Wizard Island Witch" you were confused at the name "She's a botanist and research scientist" your eyebrows furrowed briefly "I can see where the Witch title comes from" the Colonel's lips twitched upwards, he pushed the door open. Your ears filled with the sound of a woman scolding a grunt for not knowing how to read, you couldn't see her from where you stood outside, your eyes glanced to Deacon's, his stare already on you, you could feel his hand softly brushing against the back of yours, you wanted to hold his hand but Colonel Garret made it clear that romantic relationships were not tolerated.

When the grunt moved out of the way, the Witch had her back turned, you could see blonde hair tied into a tight, neat bun underneath a green cap, she had a black tank top on and camo green cargo pants tucked into black boots, something about the way she carried herself seemed so goddamn familiar, but you couldn't put your finger on why that seemed, your eyes couldn't pull away from the back of her head.

"Lieutenant" Garret called, you blinked, pulling yourself out of your trance, and glancing at Deacon, who seemed to be in the same problem as you, you tapped his hand with your pinky, his gaze darted down to you, his pinky softly wrapping around yours "Yes, sir" she finally replied, attention still mostly on whatever she was doing beforehand "I have some people here who I want you to meet" you could see that she was visibly annoyed, but she sighed and turned around anyway, and your world seemed to come crashing to an abrupt halt.

Your eyes widened and your palms started to sweat, your whole spine went rigid as you took in the sight of Sarah - who was very much alive after all, your mouth was dry and your slightly agape, you could feel the shock in Deacon too, just from holding his pinky with yours "Lieutenant Whittaker, meet Lieutenant (L/n) and Corporal St. John" Garret held his arm out to you, you unconsciously stepped forward, your hand slipping away from Deacon's, her blue gaze locked on yours as you blocked her view of Deacon.

You could tell by the look on her face that she recognized you too, the look of shock not unnoticed, she shook her head slightly "Yes, the new scientist" she spoke, her voice wavering as she held out her hand, your body seemed to be on autopilot as you shook it "Yeah, I uh- I was a biology major before this" the words left your dry lips without thinking, she nodded "We- we definitely can use that brain of yours" she smiled, nervously.

You stepped aside, her stare immediately darted back to Deacon "Corporal" Garret snapped Deacon out of his stupor, he took a few steps forward, his eyes nervously looking at you as he questioned everything, you couldn't comfort him - not now at least, but now you questioned if you could ever after this.

"Corporal Deacon St. John" he said simply, you could see that Sarah was still stunned but trying desperately to calm down, Garret could feel how tense it was as he cleared his throat "Corporal St. John" Deacon hesitantly saluted. "You will be catering to our scientists, whatever they need, you go out and get" your eyes lowered to the ground, you could barely feel yourself, everything felt suppressed, you could feel tears welling in your eyes, you cleared your throat "Colonel, sir" you said quickly, all eyes were on you. "May I step outside? It's just- spaces with this many people, have me on edge" the Colonel seemed to dwell on your request "Yes, don't go too far though" you nodded and practically bolted out of the tent, the cool air did nothing to quell the attack coming on, your feet carried you to the small garden that was outside Sarah's tent, you dropped to the ground at the back of it.

Your fists clenched tightly, your knuckles turning white, your whole body shook in tremors, your breathing was coming out shakily, you closed your eyes as tears slowly fell down your face. You sighed shakily as your head hit the small wall that fenced in the soil, your gaze on the clear, dull sky, you could barely feel anything "(Y/n)?" You barely heard Deacon calling out for you, or his presence beside you now. "(Y/n), baby look at me" his voice was calm, his hands gently grasping your chin, bringing your gaze back down to him, his heart clenched, painfully as he took in your pained expression - you were heartbroken, plain and simple, but why?.

He held your face in his hands, his expression mirroring yours as realization set in on what was wrong, I mean what couldn't be wrong right now, not exactly wrong but still, tears still fell down your beautiful face and he wished he could erase all your doubts. "Hey, baby" his voice still held the same soft tone, your hands gently grasped at his wrists "I-..I'm scared" you spoke, your voice was so small and fragile, Deacon's heart could've shattered right there but he held strong "Scared of what, honey?" He asked, softly wiping your tears away.

"Losing you.." Deacon sighed softly, tears threatening to fall "Who said anything about losing me?" You swallowed down the pained lump in your throat "You have Sarah back again..I don't see why you would need me" your voice held steady this time, Deacon shook his head. "(Y/n), I made a promise to you back at Lost Lake, do you remember that?" Your eyes slowly closed as you recalled the day in the grove, where Deacon confessed to you "I promised you that I was yours always from that moment on, and you know that I don't break promises" you opened your eyes, his gaze catching yours. "Sweetheart, I'm yours, not even Sarah can take that away from you" his hands grasped yours, his thumbs rubbing slow circles on the back of your hands and over your knuckles "I'm sorry.." You said, your voice barely above a whisper, he sighed breathlessly "It's okay, baby" his whispered, laying two firm kisses to the back of your hand.

"They took all my rings but this will have to do for now" your brows furrowed, clearly confused at what he was doing, you watched as he pulled a string of red thread out of his pocket, he sat down in front of you, nimble fingers going to work on the thread, you wondered what he was doing. He was tying the string around on itself, creating a small braid, he chuckled softly, grabbing your wrist and gently pulling your hand to him "A temporary fix until the real thing" he muttered, tying the braided thread around your ring finger, your heart seemed to skip several beats at what you realized was happening.

"(Y/n), you are the light of my life, you have kept me going when all seemed..when all seemed hopeless, you were there for me through everything after Farewell" you eyed the fabric band that was tied around your finger "Honey, you are my reason for everything.." You could feel more tears welling in your eyes "Will you..will you marry me?" The question left Deacon's lips under his breath, but you heard him perfectly.

"If it means being yours for the rest of our days, how could I say no?" Deacon smiled widely at that, pulling you up to him, his arms wrapping around you in a firm embrace, he sighed breathlessly into the crook of your neck. You could feel his lips curl into a smile against your skin, his hold tightened around you for a second "Hearing you finally say that, its just-..it just-" Deacon stuttered, you smiled softly "I love you, Deacon St. John".

[biggest-stupidhead]

Bad Timing (Levi x Reader) Part 5

Summary: How do you tell your friends that you’re falling for your big brother’s best friend? 

Work Count: 6.3K 

You were angry. Of course Levi had to go and stir the pot right before the holiday season. The time of year when he spent the most of his hours at your home. Even though he spent most of his time at your house throughout the whole year, this amount of time typically doubled through the months of October through December. The remaining weeks in October were the worst. You both expertly avoided one another, Petra and Levi continued to see each other exclusively. This turned out to be bittersweet for you, the pros were that Levi was busy trying to please Petra to spend too much time at your house. But also it stung to see him with her, even though you had no right to feel jealous.

The two weeks after your kiss, you spent holed up in your room, your phone set on do not disturb. After binging Gossip Girls and all of the classic Disney movies, you finally decided that instead of focusing on romance, you would devote yourself to school. Thankfully you weren't the only person that favored school over social gatherings, you found yourself spending countless hours in the school's musty library with Armin. He was so easy to get along with, down to earth, kind, and most importantly, he was too shy to ask you about anything too personal. Today was one of those days, it was nearing the end of November, the trees had shed their leaves, bearing the naked bark. And the weather was constantly changing. Some days it would snow, others it would pour rain, but that was just the midwest for you. Glancing up from the textbook that had held your attention for the past two hours, your were pleased to see a flurry of fat snowflakes spiraling downwards. The window had frost creeping up from the corners, thank God, maybe the weather would finally settle and allow the snow to stick for once. You could feel Armin staring at you, his eyes piercing the back of your skull. a feeling you had become familiar with. Turning back to face him, he averted his eyes, a comforting pink creeping onto his cheeks with the embarrassment of being caught.

"It's really coming down huh?" you tried to initiate some light small talk.

"Yeah! Hopefully it will stick." Armin responded, a nervous chuckle slipping past his lips as he returned his attention back to his homework. You hummed, glancing back down at the yellowing pages of the old history textbook, a frown marring your features.

"What's wrong? Need some help?" Armin asked, standing up from his seat and coming to stand behind you.

"Oh, well I guess I'm just confused about this law." you pulled the response from your ass. Of course you understood Roe v. Wade, you just didn't want to tell Armin that you were ready to leave. He always made this face that reminded you of a puppy that just got drop kicked.

"Roe v. Wade huh? I can help you with that no problem!" his baby blue eyes lit up, he pulled the nearest chair up to the table, the legs loudly scratching against the rickety library floors.

"Great, thanks!" you tried to sound excited, and you tried even harder to focus on Armin's summary of Roe v. Wade.

"Easy right?" Armin chirped, his finger hovering over the paragraph that explained the law.

"You're right, I think that I just need a break. My brain feels fried." you moaned, folding your arms across the desk and burying your head in your arms.

"Likewise." Armin agreed, dragging his chair closer to yours not very subtly.

"Want to go grab a coffee?" you asked, barely lifting your head to glance at him.

"Sure." he beamed, his innocent face completely lighting up. Your library had a small coffee shop nestled in the back, the cafe was run by students who had free periods. Granted the coffee wasn't the best, but it still did the job. You thanked the girl behind the counter as she passed you your steaming cup of dark liquid. Armin was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as he waited for his order, you busied yourself with mixing in sugar and some creamer. Finally the barista gave Armin his latte and the two of you meandered back to your corner. You slowly began packing your things, hoping that Armin would get the hint and you would be able to escape the stuffy library. Armin noticed, you closed the book with a sigh and began stuffing pens and other writing utensils into your small pencil case.

"Ready to call it a day?" Armin asked his lips hovering over the steaming hot coffee.

"Yeah, I told Hange that I would be ready to leave by the time she finished with Science Olympiad." you sighed, gathering the assortment of books that you had pulled from the shelves getting up to return them to their rightful places.

"Oh gotcha, same time Thursday?" He asked hopefully, his light blue eyes meeting yours. You clicked your tongue and grimaced, shooting him an apologetic look.

"Ah I would but my mom has Thursday off so I was going to have dinner with her." you explained, watching Armin get that kicked puppy look, that look always had a way of making your heart hurt.

"Aw well have fun!" he waved you off, the sad look on his face replaced with a small forced smile.

"Thanks Armin, I'll see you in Chem tomorrow." you smiled sweetly at him as you turned to leave.

"Bye!" he waved goodbye to you as you pulled the large door open and slipped out. Sparing a glance at your watch you sighed, Hange should be done in the next 5 minutes. But knowing her she would take another 20 minutes to wrap up her Science Olympiad meeting. So you leisurely strolled down the empty stone corridor, your eyes trained on the large windows that lined the hallway and overlooked the courtyard. The library was on the second floor, which gave you a perfect view of the school grounds. The snow seemed to be falling faster now, the flakes were beginning to stick to the blades of grass, giving the lawn a patchy appearance. Hopefully Hange had remembered her snow scraper, surely the car would have a coating of frost on the windows by now. It would not be the first time that the two of you had to scrape ice from her windows using your credit cards or your school ids.

You turned your attention back to the stony corridor, you had almost reached the stairs. You began your descent, a hand loosely gliding down the cold stone banister. Your mind drifted to thoughts of what Erwin's plans were for this evening, did he plan to eat dinner with you? Or would he run off with Hange as he had been doing for the past week or so? You had noticed that the pair had been spending more time alone as of late, and you couldn't blame them. Erwin was already committed to Notre Dame, a prestigious school known for football and extraordinary academics. Hange had recently been accepted into Princeton, one of the eight ivy league schools, and she was ecstatic. This however means that they will attending schools in different states. You knew that they planned to continue dating despite the distance, personally you were a tad skeptical of long distance relationships, but you knew that they were both mature enough to continue seeing each other.

You paused on the landing between floors, the sound of laughter was echoing off the stoney walls.

"That was a dirty move Kirstein!" you recognized Eren's agitated voice, which was closely followed by the hearty laughter of Conny and Marco.

"Pay closer attention next time Jeager." Jean teased, a smile spread across your lips at the sound of your friends. Their presence motivated you to jog down the remaining stairs and turn the corner. Just at you poked your head around the corner your eyes landed on the group of boys walking towards you.

"Oi (Y/n)! Where's Armin?" Eren called out to you first and you waved.

"Still in the library." you jabbed your thumb back towards the stairs behind you.

"Classic." Conny sniggered as he adjusted his duffle bag on his shoulder. You pursed your lips as you took in their uniforms. They wore soccer jerseys and shorts, a matching set of forest green, the school crest, a pair of wings one blue and one white, rested above their left breast over their hearts.

"Indoor soccer?" you asked, nodding towards the ball tucked under Marco's arm. The boy nodded and tossed you the ball.

"Season just started." he stated proudly, you easily caught the ball and smiled at him. Marco was your age, but you didn't usually spend time with him outside of school. The two of you had grown close the year prior when you had been in the same gym class, but since then you hadn't spoken very much.

"How exciting." you murmured as you gripped the ball in your hands. The boys nodded and you tossed the ball back to Marco.

"What are you doing here so late?" Jean asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Studying for the Government test with Armin." you shrugged, tucking your hands in your pockets. Things had been tense in your friend group since you and Jean had began casually seeing one another. The two of you had gone out on a handful of dates over the past month, all of them enjoyable. But you knew you didn't want a full blown relationship, something you still needed to tell Jean.

"Ah gotcha. So will you be coming to Sasha's friendsgiving party this weekend?" Jean inquired, his eyes shined with a glint of hope.

"Oh, I almost forgot about that! Yeah I'll be there." you smiled, a rush of excitement running through you when you remembered the invitation you had received earlier this week.

"What are you bringing?" Conny butted in, licking his lips. You hummed thoughtfully, what would you bring?

"Maybe macaroni and cheese? Or a pie?" You thought aloud as you lifted a hand to cup your chin. Conny groaned and grabbed your shoulder.

"Pie, please for the love of God bring your pie." he begged, his hand squeezing your shoulder. You giggled at this eagerness, and nodded. Pies were easy enough to bake, and if that's what people wanted then you would be more than happy to deliver.

"Thank you thank you thank you-" Conny shook you as he thanked you profusely, Eren snarled and tugged the two of you apart, while Marco and Jean laughed.

"Knock it off baldy." he hissed as he tossed Conny back. You chuckled and waved your hands dismissively.

"I'd better go, Hange should be done soon." you sighed, your eyes straying to the nearest window, you gasped. The snow was coming down in thick swirls, the sun had dipped below the horizon, making it difficult to see much through the snow.

"Oh wow, that's a lot of snow!" Marco exclaimed as he turned to follow your gaze. Jean let out a low whistle, Conny squealed excitedly.

"Yeah I better get going." you called over your shoulder as you made a break for the west wing, which was where the senior parking lot was located. The halls were dark, you only crossed paths with one janitor who didn't even glance up at you. You paused at the door at the end of the hallway and squinted out into the blizzard. The parking lot was dark, a clear indicator that Hange had not arrived to warm up the car before you.

"Ah there you are, perfect timing!" Hange's booming voice startled you as it echoed through the empty hall.

"Oh Hange, thank God, please tell me you have your scraper." you fretted, Hange grimaced, giving you an apologetic smile.

"Yeah about that..." she muttered, her hand rubbing the back of her neck. You groaned and reached into your backpack for your wallet. You fished out your drivers license and your credit card and turned back to the snowy parking lot.

"Better get started then." you grumbled, Hange laughed anxiously and moved to open the door for the both of you.

"Right."

___

You flexed your raw fingers by the vents as they blasted hot air into the cabin of the car. Hange was rubbing her hands together furiously and blowing hot air on her own frigid fingers.

"For the love of God, just keep the scraper in the car year round." you moaned as you slid your id back into your wallet.

"Might be a good idea actually." Hange stuttered between the chattering of her teeth. You huffed, tucking your hands underneath your thighs in an attempt to regain the feeling in your hands. Hange shifted the gear to drive and slowly pulled the car out of the parking lot, the wipers squeaking against the glass as they swiped the relentless snow off of the windshield.

"So, what do you want for dinner kiddo?" she gushed, her coppery eyes glinting mischievously.

"I dunno, something hot." you jabbed back, shifting on your hands.

"Whole gangs going to be there!" Hange prodded, clearly attempting to get a reaction from you.

"Great, who's cooking?" you taunted, shooting her a smile to show that you meant well.

"Oh well I guess Nanaba could." Hange mused, pleased with your good natured jabs.

"Great I'm starving." you leaned back and closed your eyes. Hange chuckled and turned her eyes back to the dark road ahead.

The drive took longer than usual due to the heavy snowfall. The roads were slick with the fresh snow, which stuck stubbornly to the road due to the lack of traffic on the country roads. But you made it to your house without a hitch. Erwin's minivan was already covered in a layer of snow, and Levi's BMW was untouched, Mike and Nanaba had not yet arrived. Hange parked and the two of you quickly gathered your belongings and walked briskly to the front door. You kicked your feet on the mat before entering, the foyer already a bit wet due to snow being tracked in on shoes. You peeled off your shoes with Hange and carried your things upstairs, Hange following close behind. Hange slipped into Erwin's room while you dropped your bag in your own room. You hadn't seen your brother or his short friend yet which was odd, they usually hung out in the kitchen. You met Hange back in the hall, her glasses, which had fogged up when you had entered the house were perched atop of her auburn hair.

"Where are they?" you asked bluntly as you watched her scrub the spectacles with the hem of her sweater.

"Beats me, let's go make some soup or something." Hange shrugged, holding her glasses up to the light to inspect the lenses. So you jogged down the stairs and began pawing through the pantry through the abundance of canned goods. You frowned at the cream of mushroom soup and set it back into the pile before refocusing.

"Heyyy now we're talking!" Hange crooned, you turned to see her pulling out a frozen pizza from the depths of your freezer. You scoffed before turning back to the pantry, a frown settling on your features.

"How about tomato soup and grilled cheese?" you offered as you pulled out two cans of tomato soup and a loaf of bread. Hange shrugged and tossed the pizza back into the freezer, she then opened the fridge and pulled out an assortment of cheese. The two of you fell into your effortless rhythm Hange stirred the soup while you began to cook the sandwiches. Finally the front door banged open, Levi's combat boots squeaking as he walked into the house, he haphazardly kicked off the shoes and stalked into the kitchen and straight into the living room. You raised your eyebrows in surprise as you watched him walk through the house, his arms full with kindling. Erwin followed closely behind, his arms also full of firewood. So that's where the pair had been. Hange fawned over them, greeting Erwin by dusting off bits of bark from his coat before turning to pat Levi's head. Levi swatted her sticky hands off of his head and glared at her menacingly.

"Hands off four eyes." Levi hissed, he ducked expertly underneath her arm and fled to the kitchen where you were flipping a grilled cheese. Erwin and Hange began the chore of lighting the fire while you took on the task of cooking as per usual. Levi frowned at the sight of the damp foyer and turned on his heel to grab the mop. You smiled at the sight of him mopping the floor despite the fact that people were still on their way and it would only end up messy again. Sure enough, just as Levi tossed the dirty water out of the front door and tucked the mop back in the closet, Mike and Nanaba strutted in, arms full of assorted baked goods and board games.

"Hey everybody! Hope we didn't miss anything!" Nanaba trilled as she tracked more snow into the front room. Levi heaved a sigh as he turned to grab the mop, you chuckled and took the container of cookies from her arms so she could take off her jacket. Mike nodded at you as he strolled into the living room where Hange and Erwin were still fumbling to light the fire wood.

"No, we actually only just got home about thirty minutes ago." you assured the blonde as she joined you in the kitchen. She smiled as she watched Mike kneel down to join Erwin and Hange as they blew on the small embers.

"What games did you guys bring?" you attempted to make small talk as you turned back to the task at hand.

"Oh the usuals, Sequence, Candy Land, Clue, etcetera." she waved a hand dismissively as she turned to stir the soup.

"Sounds fun!" you exclaimed as you tossed another sandwich on the plate. Nanaba hummed in response as she smiled stupidly into the soup. You pursed your lips and cocked your head as you studied her.

"Not to be that person but...Have you picked a school yet?" you asked with a small chuckle. She nodded,

"Yeah actually, just picked two days ago!" she beamed, turning to face you once more.

"Wow really?"

"Yeah! I'm going to attend Michigan State University with Mike!" she gushed as she set the spoon off to the side with a clang.

"That's great! Michigan is beautiful, and that's an awesome school." you matched her excitement and dumped the final sandwich on the plate and switched the stove off.

"Thanks! We're super excited." her words were so sweet and filled with love it made you feel sick. You nodded and turned to grab plates and bowls for everyone. Nanaba and Mike had only started dating about a month prior, in fact they had admitted their affections to one another back in October at your house. In a way you envied their effortless relationship, despite only dating for a month they made a great pair.  You served yourself and moved to sit at the island in the kitchen. A cheer from the living room told you that the trio had finally ignited the fire, shortly after they piled into the kitchen and began to dish food onto their plates. Levi once again stuffed the mop and bucket back into the closet and feverishly washed his hands before serving himself. As he reached for a grilled cheese the sleeve of his hoodie scrunched up, revealing a new tattoo on his left wrist. Your jaw dropped momentarily, the sight of the fresh ink shocking you. In fact it was so fresh that the skin around the ink was still red and a bit swollen, glistening with the salve. He rounded the island and dropped into the stool to your left, and your eyes went straight to his wrist.

"Fresh ink?" you asked, propping your chin on the heel of your hand as you watched him bring the spoon to his mouth.  

"Yeah." he replied, not bothering to elaborate.

"Can I see?" you pressed, Levi shot you a glare as he bit into his sandwich but still lifted his hand for you to pull his sleeve up. You gingerly tugged his sleeve up and a tiny 'awe' escaped your lips. The drawing was extremely minimalistic, the delicate black ink contrasting beautifully with his pale skin tone. It was a small tea cup, with a chip in its rim. Levi scoffed and tugged his arm back.

"That's a good one Levi." you gushed as you turned back to your own meal.

"Thanks." he grumbled as he looked everywhere but your face.

"Where do you get them done?" you asked before taking a huge bite of your sandwich.

"WitchHammer." he grunted, his patience growing thin. All of these questions reminded him of a particular brunette. You hummed in response as you entertained the idea of getting a tattoo for your 16th birthday that was coming up in the next couple of months. You already had an appointment at the shop to get your forward helix pierced on your left ear. The others were getting rowdy on the other side of the island, too engrossed in their conversation to notice the side conversation Levi and you were engaging in.

"Did it hurt?" you quizzed feeling a bit playful. You had missed Levi's bluntness and his shitty sense of humor.

"I would be lying if I said no." he retorted, his sharp eyes catching yours for the first time in weeks. You chuckled and nodded as you chewed your food.

"You think that I would look good with a couple tattoos?" you giggled, smiling broadly at the raven haired boy. He clicked his tongue and turned to take you in, his eyes raking over your form. Finally his eyes settled on your hands, his brows pinched together in thought as he stared.

"Personally...I like minimalistic designs, you could probably pull off some finger tats or hand tats." he mused, you glanced at your hands, interesting. You held your hands up to the light to get a better look and began to think of some small designs that you might be interested in.

"Tattoos are a big commitment, don't just get some stupid shit." Levi lectured as he lifted his cup of tea to his lips, you frowned he was one to talk.

"I know." you decided that tonight wasn't the time to argue with him, especially since this was the first time spending time together in weeks. He nodded but kept a skeptical eye on you as you folded your hands onto your lap and turned to listen to the other conversation. You frowned when you realized they were just talking about prom, awkward. So you decided to clean up, the exhaustion of the long day seemed to hit you like a truck and all you could think about was your bed and all of the work that was due on Sunday. You washed up quickly and waved weakly before trudging up the stairs, thankfully the others didn't seem to care that you were calling it a night early. You changed into a pair of flannel pjs and an old ACDC shirt that had seen better days. You sank into your old desk chair and flicked on the small lamp, you rummaged through your back pack and pulled out your laptop and a notebook. Sparing a glance at the small alarm clock you groaned, it was already well past nine o'clock.

You decided to pick up from where you had left off with your Government notes. Your handwriting started off neat, the ink gliding flawlessly across the lined paper. But by the time you had finished the notes and moved on to your chemistry homework, your handwriting had become rocky at best. You frowned at the smudged ink, the green hue bleeding into the once white paper. With a sigh you reached for your white out and continued to write out the reaction. Once you were finished with Chem, you turned your attention to your research paper for English. As you typed you could feel your eyelids drooping, the words seemed to blur and bend across the computer screen. Closing your eyes for a moment wouldn't hurt would it? A defeated sigh breezed past your lips as you folded your arms across the desk and rested your forehead against your arms to block out the blinding light of your lamp. You yawned and rubbed your eyes in an attempt to wake yourself up, though this seemed to be unsuccessful. As you slipped into sleep, you recalled the last time you had fallen asleep at your desk and how fucked up your back felt the following week. But your exhaustion won and your head slumped against your desk, any pain you felt would be a problem for future you.

Meanwhile, downstairs the upperclassman were well into their third bottle of wine and their fifth round of Candy Land. Erwin flicked the spinner and moved his piece accordingly, Levi sat back and sipped the dry red wine, Mike had his hand thrown over Nanaba's shoulders casually. Hange was leaning her head heavily against Erwin's shoulder and Levi swore he had never felt like such a loser in his whole life. If you were down here at least he wouldn't be the only person down here that was single. Hange howled as Erwin pushed his piece past hers, always the sore looser. Nanaba giggled drunkenly as she choked on her glass of wine. Levi rolled his eyes, his friends were past tipsy now, but not quite drunk, and this was usually when Levi would leave. He hated dealing with drunk people, they were messy and loud, the mere thought of any of them vomiting made him cringe. He waited until the spinner came around to him before he excused himself.

"Count me out." he held up his hand to deny the spinner as Mike tried to hand it to him.

"Awe come on Levi! We can't let Erwin win for the fifth time in a row!" Mike begged as Levi stood up and picked up his glass of wine.

"No." Levi denied, his voice growing colder. The group collectively called for him to stay, their voices a bit unsteady due to the alcohol. Levi shrugged them off and carefully stepped over Hange, she snagged his ankle and held him in a vice grip.

"No, don't go Levi! Finish this game please!" she whimpered as she pressed her face into his calf. His nose wrinkled in disgust at the sudden contact, Erwin chuckled and pulled Hange back and pressed a kiss to her temple. Yeah it was definitely time for him to go to bed, besides he needed to put some vaseline on his fresh ink. He slid into the upstairs bathroom, the sound of his friends laughing fading into the background. Tugging up his sleeve his hissed at the feeling of the raw skin coming in contact with the cold air. He pawed through the drawers, pausing at the sight of your feminine hygiene products. He usually used the downstairs restroom since the guest room was in the basement. He slammed the drawer shut and moved onto the next one, a relieved sigh escaping his lips at the sight of the familiar jar of vaseline. He swiped the jelly onto his tiny tea cup tattoo and rolled his sleeve back down, the soothing jelly immediately calming the irritated skin.

On his way out of the bathroom he noticed the small sliver of light that shined through your cracked door. He glanced down at his wrist watch and frowned, it was one thirty in the morning, you had supposedly gone to bed hours ago. He glanced down the stairs, from the bathroom he could see the open floor layout of the living room, where all of his friends were still gathered. He steeled himself and padded up to your door, he lifted his hand and rapped the backs of his knuckles against the surface. He frowned when there was no response, he gently pushed the door open and tentatively stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the only light emitting from the small lamp on your desk. His eyes softened at the sight of you slumped onto your desk, but quickly hardened at the sight of drool dripping from the corner of your mouth. He sat his wine glass down as quietly as he could on your nightstand and raked his eyes around your cluttered room in search for a blanket. He spotted a quilt neatly folded on your window seat, he unfolded the blanket and draped it over your shoulders. Just as the blanket was settling on your shoulders and he was pulling his hands back, the door flew open. He jumped, spinning around only to be met with the sight of an unsteady Hange. The brunette's eyes widened at the sight of Levi's hand on the back of your seat.

"What..." her eyes narrowed and she pointed between the two of you.

"Is this?" she finished as she stepped into the room, her body swaying unsteadily. Good question, what was he doing in here?

"I came to shut off her light." Levi lied through his teeth, the truth was that he had wanted to spend more time in your presence.

"Lies." Hange hissed as she pointed accusingly at him.

"Tch, believe what you want four eyes." Levi grunted as he stalked across the room, meaning to make a quick get away before she drew too much attention to this fishy situation.

"Hey don't-" she lunged in an attempt to keep Levi from escaping, spilling her glass of wine onto the white carpet and onto Levi's crisp white hoodie. She caught herself on Levi, a drunk giggle bubbling past her lips as she clung to him. Levi staggered under her weight, his back hitting your wall with a dull thud. You grunted, slowly lifting your head from the desk you turned around to see Levi seething under Hange's weight as she pressed against him. Your eyes widened at the sight, Levi was trying to grab the glass from her hand to prevent further spillage, you were so distracted by the rare sight of Levi and Hange in such close proximity that you didn't notice the quilt falling off your shoulders. You blinked dumbly at the two of them as they grappled for the wine glass, Levi ultimately winning due to Hange's drunken state.

"Levi was peeping on you while you slept." Hange blurted, Levi slammed his hand over her mouth and snarled. You weren't surprised when Levis pulled his hand back with a small gasp, you could just make out the sheen of what you assumed was Hange's drool over his palm. The brunette cackled and staggered away from him and out of the room.

"I'm going to tell Erwin." she sang as she stumbled through the hall with her hand on the wall to guide her.

"Hange don't, it's okay really." you called after her, but your words fell on deaf ears as she rounded the stairs and disappeared.

"Damn it." Levi hissed, his eyes trained on the stain on the ground, he pulled the sweat shirt off of his skin, the alcohol sticking to his skin. You cleared your throat awkwardly as Levi pulled the sweatshirt off. You glanced at the stairs, no sign of Hange and Erwin yet, you could hear the sound of the group stumbling around the kitchen. Hopefully Hange had forgotten and favored grabbing another drink over causing trouble, so you stood up and crossed your room to quietly shut the door. Levi had his head against the wall, his eyes closed expecting an onslaught of accusations. Instead he was surprised to see you digging through your closet, pulling out one of your larger sweatshirts you tossed it to him. He caught the garment and eyed is suspiciously before tugging it over his head.

"Thanks." he mumbled, you waved him off and crossed your room to sit down on your bed.

"What's up?" you questioned, it was certainly out of character for him to be in your room. Levi shrugged and slowly crossed the room to drop down onto your bed next to you.

"Your light was on and I came in to shut it off." Levi replied nonchalantly, his eyes dull as he watched you slip under your covers. A chill ran up your spine, your room always got cold in the winter due to the large windows. After a moment of awkward silence you patted the space beside you, Levi quirked a brow at you but when you smiled at him he slid closer to you. He settled against the headboard with a sigh, you looked up at him, taking in the sharp lines of his jaw and the way his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed. He turned and raised a brow skeptically at you, you giggled and turned to slip deeper under your covers. He scoffed but turned to face you, propping himself up on his elbow. From this close proximity you could smell the wine on his breath, you noticed that his  pupils were dilated, and his cheeks flushed.

"Thanks...I guess." you muttered as you watched him reach into his pockets and pull out his juul and take a hit. You frowned as he turned his head away from you to exhale, he sighed contentedly and turned to face you once more.

"You're going to get me in trouble." you scoffed as he attempted to offer you the juul.

"You only live once." he smirked as he dangled the device in your face. You gently pushed his hand away from your face, he shrugged and took another drag.

"Are you sleeping over?" you questioned, he simply nodded and pocketed his juul.

"It's like three in the morning." he scoffed rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, I guess..." you trailed off, the house had grown quiet, hopefully Hange had been dragged to bed by Erwin and had long forgotten about snitching on Levi. You weren't sure what Levi was still doing in your bed, you knew that he wouldn't force himself on you, but still he had never spend this much time alone with you since the time you had kissed. Just as you were about to ask him why he was still in your room, you heard the sound of the front door opening and then quickly closing. Your mother was home, you shoved Levi's shoulder and motioned for him to get out of your bed, a surge of panic rushing through you. Your mom would kill you if she saw Levi in your bed this late. Levi grunted and rolled off the bed, landing heavily on the ground with a thud. You winced and pointed at the door, Levi opened his mouth to say something but ultimately turned and stalked towards the door. When he opened the door, he was met with the tired face of your mother. Her eyes widened at the unexpected sight of Levi.

"Oh, Levi.." she managed to keep her voice even as she took in his appearance, his hair a bit mussed, cheeks pink and wearing your clothes.

"It's not what it looks like mom!" you scrambled out of bed and pushed Levi away from the doorway so that you could address your mother.

"Really..." she narrowed her eyes skeptically as her eyes roamed over your pajamas and messy hair. You grimaced but nodded, she glared at you and heaved a heavy sigh, turning her attention to Levi.

"So your uncle told me that you wouldn't be coming to Christmas this year?" she swiftly changed the subject. Levi blinked, shocked that she had chosen to ignore the suspicious state she had found the two of you in.

"Y-Yeah that's true, I finally saved enough to visit my old friends in France for the holidays." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Is that so?" she hummed, leaning against the door frame and tugging her light jacket closer to her body. Levi nodded and spared you a glance, you looked surprised, but not upset.

"Well that sounds amazing, you'll have to send us a postcard." she mused, Levi nodded and shifted awkwardly.

"Yes ma'm." he responded, your mother nodded pleased with his response.

"How long will you be gone for?" she probed.

"Until January 8th." Levi answered.

"That's a long time." you quipped, Levi glanced at you and nodded.

"How exciting." your mother's response was genuine, she stepped aside allowing him to pass.

"Yeah." he muttered as he slid past and made his way towards the stairs. Once he was out of sight your mother turned to you, her usually soft features pinching into a scowl.

"Explain." she snapped, pointing a finger at the sizable wine stain.

"Hange spilled it, I'll clean it in the morning." you sighed as you eyed the large purple spot.

"Alright, just make sure that it gets cleaned." your mother leaned forward and kissed your forehead. You smiled at her, it was unusual that you got to see her after her shift.

"How was work?" you asked as you eyed her scrubs, noting a mystery stain on her shirt.

"Messy." she sighed as she followed your gaze.

"Did you save lots of lives?" you giggled.

"Of course." your mother jabbed.

"Get some sleep (Y/n)." she hummed, her hand burying into your messy hair to ruffle it affectionately.

"Goodnight mom." you called after her as she descended the staircase, she waved her hand and you slowly shut the door.