#when is a one night stand no longer a one night stand

[promptedwordsmith]

I love your headcannons so I gotta put an ask in here. As we all know, MC can act a bit childish and is quick to push touch/affection away.

It makes me think of the quote, "If you touch me without violence, you'll be the first". Would love a writing about it.

Aw thank you! I hope this is what you meant <3

Caleb

The first time Caleb touched you, you flinched.

It was barely anything—a fleeting brush of his fingers against yours as he handed you something, an innocent, meaningless gesture—but your entire body stiffened, your breath hitched, and before you even realized it, you had yanked your hand back.

The warmth of his skin lingered, and you hated it.

Caleb noticed. Of course, he did. His sharp violet eyes flickered with something unreadable, but he didn’t say anything. Not then.

But he never stopped touching you.

Not in a way that was forceful or overwhelming. Never in a way that felt like he was trying to push you past your boundaries. But it was there—the careful way his shoulder would bump into yours when you walked side by side, the way he’d place his hand on your lower back as he guided you through a crowd, the way his fingers would brush against your wrist when he passed you something.

Each time, your reaction was the same. A flinch. A step back. A refusal.

At first, he gave you space. He didn’t push, didn’t question. Caleb wasn’t the type to force someone into anything they weren’t ready for. But he wasn’t blind either. He saw the way your guard never dropped, the way your muscles tensed at even the gentlest touch.

And then, one night, he finally asked.

You were both standing outside, the city lights stretching far into the distance, stars barely visible beyond the haze. It was quiet between you, peaceful, until he broke it with a simple question.

“Why do you hate being touched?”

You froze.

Your fingers curled into fists, your heart hammering against your ribs. You wanted to ignore him, wanted to pretend you hadn’t heard, but Caleb wasn’t the kind of person who let things slide.

When you didn’t answer, he turned to face you fully, his voice steady but softer than usual. “It’s not just me, is it?” His eyes searched yours. “You don’t let anyone touch you.”

You swallowed hard.

And then you said it. The words that had been sitting on your tongue for years, unspoken, buried beneath layers of defense and survival.

“If you touch me without violence, you’ll be the first.”

The weight of those words crushed the space between you.

Caleb didn’t react right away. He didn’t wince, didn’t gasp, didn’t give you that pitying look you dreaded seeing. Instead, he just stood there, his violet gaze locked onto yours, taking in everything you weren’t saying.

You braced yourself for rejection, for discomfort, for him to leave—but he didn’t.

Instead, after a long pause, he let out a slow breath and said, “…Then I guess I’ll have to be first.”

Your stomach twisted. “Caleb—”

“I won’t push you.” His voice was firm but patient. “I won’t touch you until you let me.”

That should’ve been the end of it. It should’ve been the part where you turned away and let him go, where he accepted your boundaries and never tried again.

But the problem was Caleb never stopped caring about you.

And worse? You had let yourself care about him too.

Caleb never tried to force his way into your space, never laid a hand on you without permission. But he stayed.

He stayed through the silence, through the bad days, through the moments when you wanted to push everyone away but couldn’t bring yourself to do it with him.

He made himself a constant.

And that was dangerous.

Because the longer he stayed, the more you caught yourself wanting to reach for him.

The more you caught yourself watching his hands—the same hands that had held weapons, that had taken lives, that had commanded entire fleets—and wondering how they would feel if they touched you gently.

The more you caught yourself leaning in just a little when he stood beside you, like some part of you was trying to unlearn a lifetime of flinching.

You weren’t used to it.

You weren’t used to someone treating you like you were something precious instead of something hardened. You weren’t used to someone looking at you like you were worth waiting for.

And it scared you.

Because if you let yourself have this, if you let him in—what then?

It happened one night when you weren’t thinking.

You had both been caught in a battle, pushed to your limits, and despite everything—despite all the odds—you had both made it out alive.

Caleb was covered in cuts and bruises, exhaustion heavy in his limbs, but the moment he saw you stumble, he reached for you instinctively—just like he always did.

And this time, for the first time, you didn’t pull away.

His hands found your arms, steadying you, grounding you. You felt his warmth, his strength—and you let him hold you.

It was so small. So insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Just his hands on your arms, steady and reassuring. But to you, it felt like something shattered.

Caleb stilled, his grip light, as if he half-expected you to come to your senses and shove him away. His eyes searched yours, cautious, waiting.

But you didn’t move.

For the first time, you let yourself be touched without bracing for pain.

Without expecting violence.

Without fear.

And the look Caleb gave you in that moment—soft, careful, like he knew exactly how much this meant even if you hadn’t said a word—was enough to make something inside you break.

You swallowed hard, pulse racing.

“You’re the first.” The words slipped out before you could stop them, barely a whisper, but Caleb heard them.

He exhaled slowly, his thumb brushing the edge of your sleeve in the gentlest motion imaginable.

“Then I’ll make sure I’m never the last.”

And you believed him.

For the first time in your life, you actually believed someone.

Because Caleb had never broken a promise to you before.

And deep down, you knew he never would.

Rafayel

Rafayel had always been affectionate—too affectionate, if you were being honest. It wasn’t just the teasing smirks or the casual way he draped himself over you like a cat seeking warmth. It was the way his hands would linger, the way his gaze softened when he looked at you, the way he spoke your name like it was something precious.

But you weren’t used to it.

So, when he leaned in too close, when his fingers brushed against yours absentmindedly, when his warmth wrapped around you in unspoken promises of safety, you pushed him away. Not roughly, not cruelly, but firm enough to make the message clear.

He didn’t take offense, at least not outwardly. Rafayel always bounced back with a lopsided grin, a lazy roll of his shoulders, as if to say, Fine, I’ll wait. But there was something in his eyes—something quieter, something more knowing.

And you hated that.

Because deep down, you knew what he saw.

He saw the way you flinched, even when his touch was gentle. He saw the way your shoulders tensed whenever he got too close, the way you shrank away from affection like it was a foreign language you never learned to speak.

Most people didn’t notice. Most people assumed you were just distant, that maybe you simply weren’t the affectionate type.

Rafayel knew better.

And that made him dangerous.

It started one evening, after one of his exhibitions. The gallery had emptied out, the patrons long gone, and yet he lingered, still basking in the afterglow of another successful night. You had stayed behind too, for reasons you weren’t entirely sure of. Maybe because he had asked. Maybe because it was easier than saying no to him.

He had pulled you into the back room where his latest painting was covered with a cloth. With a dramatic flourish, he yanked it away, revealing the canvas beneath.

It was you.

Not a perfect replica, not a stiff, lifeless portrait. It was you in motion, caught mid-laugh, the golden glow of light flickering behind you as if you were something divine.

It took your breath away.

You swallowed hard, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. “You painted this?”

“No, it painted itself.” Rafayel smirked, stepping closer. “Of course I painted it.”

You didn’t have words. You didn’t know how to process something so raw, so intimate. It was one thing for someone to look at you, but it was another thing entirely for someone to see you. And Rafayel had always seen you.

That was the problem.

“I—” The words stuck to your throat. You weren’t good at this. At accepting things. At being loved without conditions, without expectations.

And then, just like always, Rafayel reached for you.

His fingers, long and paint-stained, brushed against your wrist—light, hesitant, careful. No force, no demand, just warmth.

And just like always, you flinched.

You stepped back so fast you almost knocked over the easel. “Don’t.” The word escaped before you could stop it, sharp and unsteady.

Rafayel’s hand froze midair before he slowly pulled it back. His expression didn’t falter, but there was something—something—in his eyes. He tilted his head, studying you with that same knowing look that had always unsettled you.

“Why?” His voice was soft. Not teasing. Not mocking. Just curious.

Your throat tightened. You wanted to tell him to drop it. You wanted him to go back to making jokes, to fill the silence with something light, something meaningless.

But he didn’t.

Because Rafayel never let things go.

You swallowed. “Because… if you touch me without violence, you’ll be the first.”

The words hung between you, heavy and raw.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Rafayel exhaled, slow and careful, as if he were afraid of shattering you. “Oh.”

He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t apologize, didn’t pity you. He just stood there, watching you with those piercing blue-pink eyes of his, like he was unraveling all the pieces of you you’d kept hidden for so long.

It made you want to run.

And maybe he saw that too, because he took a step back. Gave you space.

“Okay,” he said simply.

You blinked. “Okay?”

He nodded. “I won’t touch you. Not unless you want me to.”

The simplicity of it made something inside you ache.

You nodded, not trusting your voice.

For the first time in your life, someone didn’t demand. Someone didn’t take.

Someone just waited.

Days passed, and true to his word, Rafayel never touched you. He still leaned into your space, still gave you that infuriatingly charming grin, but his hands never reached for you again. Not once.

And you hated that you noticed.

You noticed the absence of his touch. You noticed the way his fingers twitched when he was excited, the way his hands curled into fists like he had to remind himself not to reach for you. You noticed how much you wanted him to.

It was terrifying.

It was exhilarating.

And one night, when he was sitting beside you, lazily sketching something while you both watched the waves crash against the shore, you made the first move.

It was small. Barely anything.

Just your pinky brushing against his.

But Rafayel noticed.

His breath hitched, and his gaze flickered to you, cautious, questioning.

You didn’t pull away.

Neither did he.

For a long moment, neither of you moved. The air between you felt electric, buzzing with something unspoken, something fragile.

Then Rafayel, ever patient, ever waiting, turned his hand palm-up beneath yours.

An invitation.

Not a demand.

You hesitated, your heart pounding, before slowly—so slowly—you let your fingers slip into his.

Warmth. Solid, steady warmth.

No violence.

No pain.

Just him.

Rafayel said nothing, didn’t make a big deal of it. He just held your hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like he had been waiting lifetimes for it.

And maybe, just maybe, you had been waiting too.

Sylus

The first time Sylus touched you, you flinched.

It was subtle—just a stiffening of your shoulders, a flicker of tension in your stance. But for someone as dangerously observant as Sylus, it was enough. His fingers had barely brushed your wrist—light, almost teasing—as he leaned in to whisper something low in your ear.

And yet, you recoiled.

He didn’t comment on it then, only let a smirk curl at the corner of his lips as if he hadn’t noticed.

But he had.

Of course, he had.

Sylus never missed anything.

Sylus was nothing if not patient.

He had seen resistance before. He had encountered people who feared him, people who worshipped him, people who wanted something from him. But you?

You were different.

You didn’t fear him—you feared being touched.

And that… was fascinating.

So, he tested it.

Little things, at first. A hand at the small of your back as he guided you through a door. A knuckle brushing over your cheek under the excuse of tucking away a stray strand of hair. A moment where he let his fingers graze yours when he passed you something.

Every time, your body tensed—just slightly—but you didn’t pull away.

Not right away.

You always let it happen for a heartbeat longer than necessary, as if waiting for something.

And that was when he knew.

You weren’t just unused to affection.

You were waiting for it to turn into something else.

Something harsher. Something cruel.

Something violent.

And that realization—that truth about you—made his blood burn with something he couldn’t quite name.

The night it finally broke, Sylus hadn’t meant to push too far.

It had been a long evening, tension thrumming beneath the surface between you both like an electric current. You had been irritatingly stubborn during negotiations, as always, challenging him, testing him, making him bite back a smirk as you stood your ground.

But the moment that lingered with him was after, when the night had settled and you had found yourself alone in his office.

He approached you like he always did—without hesitation.

This time, he touched your face, his thumb grazing over your cheek in a slow, deliberate motion. It wasn’t just teasing.

It wasn’t just a test.

It was real.

And you panicked.

You slapped his hand away, hard. The sound cracked through the air, sharp and startling, but Sylus didn’t react. He barely blinked, only watching as you took a step back, breath uneven, eyes wild.

His fingers flexed once before he let them drop to his side.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, quietly—

"If you touch me without violence, you’ll be the first."

It wasn’t said with anger. It wasn’t a warning or a threat.

It was just… the truth.

And Sylus, for once in his life, didn’t have a response.

Something Unspoken

After that, he changed tactics.

He didn’t stop touching you entirely—no, never that. But he let you decide.

He let you approach him.

He gave you space but stayed close enough that you could always reach him if you wanted to.

And, for a while, you didn’t.

But then—

One night, after an exhausting mission, you sat beside him, close enough that your shoulder brushed against his. You didn’t move away.

Another time, when exhaustion weighed on you, you let him take your wrist to check your pulse, your fingers trembling slightly—but not from fear.

And then, the night that changed everything—

You let him touch your face again.

This time, when his hand cradled your cheek, you leaned into it.

Not much. Just a fraction. Just enough that he could feel the shift.

Just enough for him to know.

And that was all the permission he needed.

Slowly, deliberately, his thumb traced the curve of your jaw, his voice low when he finally spoke:

"I would never hurt you."

Your breath hitched.

He felt it.

He didn’t ask why it was so hard for you to believe him. He didn’t ask who had left you expecting pain from every touch, from every lingering moment.

He only let his hand remain where it was, grounding, steady—yours, if you wanted it.

And finally, you did.

You didn’t say anything that night. You didn’t have to.

But after that, something changed.

Sylus, perceptive as always, noticed immediately.

The way your body no longer tensed at his presence. The way you lingered just a little closer when you stood beside him. The way your fingers, hesitant at first, brushed against the sleeve of his coat as if testing a boundary you weren’t sure you were allowed to cross.

And the way, eventually, you did.

It happened late one evening, when the city outside was silent, the only sounds in the room the distant hum of a record player spinning on low and the soft shuffle of papers on his desk.

You had been sitting across from him, absentmindedly twirling a pen between your fingers when, out of nowhere—you reached for him.

Your hand, small but steady, settled against his.

No hesitation. No flinching. No fear.

Sylus, always composed, almost stopped breathing.

You didn’t say anything, and neither did he.

But his fingers curled over yours, slow, deliberate—a silent promise.

A promise that, for the first time in your life, someone’s touch wouldn’t bring pain.

And that was enough.

For now.

Xavier

The first time Xavier reached for you, you flinched.

It was instinct, sharp and immediate. His fingers had barely brushed your sleeve before you jerked away, stepping out of reach so fast you nearly tripped over your own feet. His hand hung in the air for a moment before he slowly lowered it, tilting his head as if trying to decipher something unsaid.

You weren’t looking at him, though. You were staring at your own hands, fingers curled into fists at your sides, knuckles tight. Get it together.

"You okay?" His voice was light, easy, like he hadn’t just watched you recoil from his touch as if it burned.

You forced yourself to nod. "Yeah. Just—" You hesitated, then exhaled sharply. "You shouldn’t do that."

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"

You lifted your chin, meeting his gaze with something colder than you really felt. "Touch me."

His eyes flickered with something unreadable before his expression shifted back to something more familiar—a smirk, teasing but careful. "Alright," he said, as if it didn’t matter. "No touching."

Except it did matter. Because Xavier wasn’t someone who kept his hands to himself—not in an intrusive way, but in a way that made him feel real. He was the kind of person who nudged you with his elbow when he made a joke, who ruffled your hair just to annoy you, who tugged at your sleeve when he wanted your attention.

But he listened.

For the next few weeks, he was careful. He kept his distance, kept his hands in his pockets, kept a respectable space between the two of you even when it was just the two of you on a mission, walking side by side.

And for some reason, it made your chest ache.

You wanted him close.

You just didn’t know how to let him be.

It wasn’t that you didn’t like him. If anything, that was the problem.

Xavier had wormed his way into your life in a way no one else had before. He was constant—too constant, maybe. There was no hesitation in the way he cared, no moment of doubt in his affection. He liked you, so he showed it. He wanted to be around you, so he was. There was no second-guessing, no caution.

You didn’t know what to do with that.

Because affection had always come with conditions. Because touches had always been accompanied by something sharp—by expectation, by control, by violence.

So the idea of Xavier touching you with nothing but warmth?

It scared you more than any fight ever had.

"You ever gonna tell me why?"

You blinked up from where you sat at the edge of a rooftop, staring out at the cityscape below. Xavier was standing a few feet away, arms crossed, gaze unreadable.

"Why what?"

"Why you don’t like me touching you." His voice wasn’t accusing, wasn’t pushing—it was just curious.

You swallowed. "I just don’t."

Xavier hummed, as if considering that. "You sure about that?"

You tensed. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged, stepping forward—not close, but closer. "I’ve seen the way you look at me sometimes."

Your heart skipped. "I don’t—"

"You do," he interrupted, voice softer now. "Like you want me to reach for you, but you don’t know if you should let me."

You exhaled sharply. "It’s not that simple."

"Then explain it to me."

Your fingers curled against the fabric of your sleeves, gripping tightly. You should have expected this—Xavier wasn’t the type to let things go so easily. He was patient, sure, but he wasn’t blind. He noticed things, noticed you.

And now, he was waiting.

You stared at your hands. "If you touch me without violence," you murmured, voice barely above a whisper, "you’ll be the first."

Silence.

For a moment, you thought he might not have heard you. But then, after a long pause, Xavier let out a quiet breath.

"That’s a damn shame," he said. His voice was soft, but not pitying. "Because you deserve better than that."

You didn’t look at him. "Maybe."

"You do," he said, firmer this time. "And I want to prove it to you."

Your breath hitched. "Xavier—"

"I won’t touch you until you want me to," he promised. "But when you do?" His gaze was steady, unwavering. "I’ll make sure you never have to doubt it."

It took time.

Xavier kept his promise. He didn’t touch you—not even accidentally. He was careful, patient in a way that made your chest ache. But he never pulled away emotionally. He was still there, still unwavering, still him.

And slowly, slowly, you started to realize something.

You wanted to close that distance.

You wanted him.

It started small—lingering closer when you walked together, sitting next to him instead of across the room, letting your shoulders brush just slightly before pulling away. And Xavier noticed. He always did.

But he didn’t push.

He let you take your time, let you move at your own pace.

Until one night, after a mission, when you were exhausted and sore and tired of your own fear, you turned to him and—hesitantly, carefully—reached for his hand.

His fingers twitched in surprise, but he didn’t hesitate. He let you take his hand in yours, let you squeeze it lightly before letting go just as quickly.

You expected him to say something—maybe tease you, maybe push for more. But he didn’t. He just smiled, warm and real.

"Was that so bad?" he asked, amusement lacing his tone.

You huffed, rolling your eyes. "Shut up."

Xavier chuckled, but there was something softer in his gaze. "Alright. No teasing. Not today, anyway."

You nudged him lightly with your elbow. "I hate you."

He grinned. "You love me."

You paused.

Then, quietly, you admitted, "Yeah."

Xavier stilled. His smile faltered—just for a second—before it softened into something genuine. Something real.

"Good," he murmured.

And for the first time, when he reached for you, you didn’t pull away.

Zayne

Zayne had always been patient. It was in his nature, woven into the fabric of his being just as much as his steady hands and level-headed presence. As a surgeon, patience was a necessity—an unwavering calm in the face of pressure, a stillness when chaos reigned.

But this was different.

This was you.

You, with your guarded eyes and the walls you built around yourself so high that even he, with all his skill, couldn’t navigate them easily. He had known from the start that you were different—not because you were difficult, not because you weren’t capable of love, but because the world had been cruel to you in ways it hadn’t been to him.

And still, he wanted you.

It started slow. The quiet companionship, the moments where neither of you needed to speak but simply existed together. A shared cup of tea in the morning. The warmth of his coat draped over your shoulders on a cold night. He never pushed, never asked for more than you could give, and yet…

Even he had limits to his patience.

Zayne had always been affectionate. Not in a way that was overwhelming, nor in grand declarations. No, his love was in the small things—in the way his fingers would brush against yours when passing you something, in the way his voice would soften when speaking your name, in the way he would lean in, close enough that you could feel his warmth but never quite touching.

And so, when he reached for you one evening—just a simple touch, the lightest brush of his fingertips against your wrist—he hadn’t expected you to recoil the way you did.

You flinched, your entire body going rigid, as if his touch had burned you.

Zayne froze. His hazel-green eyes flickered with something unreadable before he slowly withdrew his hand, watching you carefully. He wasn’t offended, nor was he hurt, but there was something in his expression that made your stomach twist.

“Don’t,” you whispered, your voice quieter than you intended.

His brows furrowed slightly. “I—”

“If you touch me without violence, you’ll be the first.”

The words tumbled out before you could stop them, raw and sharp. The room felt heavier in their wake, like the air had been sucked from it.

Zayne didn’t speak for a moment. He simply looked at you, studying you in that careful way he always did—like he was dissecting a puzzle, trying to understand without breaking it further.

You hated the silence. Hated the way it stretched between you like an open wound.

Then, finally, he exhaled softly.

“I see.”

And just like that, he shifted back, putting a comfortable distance between you. Not out of rejection, not out of frustration, but because he understood. He always understood.

You expected him to ask. To pry. To demand to know what had led you to this—why you had flinched, why you had spoken those words with such bitterness. But he didn’t.

He simply nodded, accepting it as fact, and changed the subject.

It should have been a relief.

It wasn’t.

Because Zayne, for all his patience and for all his understanding, was not one to simply forget.

Days passed. Then weeks.

Zayne hadn’t touched you since.

Not in the way he used to. No fleeting brushes of his fingertips, no teasing nudges, no quiet, lingering moments where his warmth bled into yours. It was as if he had drawn a line in the sand and refused to cross it.

You told yourself it was for the best.

So why did it feel so much worse?

You had never needed touch. Never craved it, never longed for it. But now, in the absence of it, you felt its loss like a phantom pain. You missed it.

You missed him.

And so, when you found yourself standing outside his apartment one evening, your fingers curled into fists at your sides, you knew you had to do something.

The door opened before you could even knock.

Zayne blinked at you, surprised but not displeased. He stepped aside, wordlessly inviting you in.

You hesitated.

And then, taking a deep breath, you walked past him, into the familiar warmth of his home.

He didn’t ask why you were there.

He simply poured you tea, as he always did, and waited.

You stared at the cup in your hands, fingers tightening around the ceramic.

“I don’t…” You hesitated. “I don’t want you to stop.”

Zayne tilted his head slightly, watching you with quiet patience. “Stop what?”

You swallowed. “Touching me.”

For the first time in a long while, he seemed genuinely surprised. Not in a dramatic way—Zayne was never dramatic—but in the way his fingers stilled against his cup, in the way his gaze softened ever so slightly.

“I thought that’s what you wanted,” he said, his voice as steady as ever.

“I did.” Your throat felt tight. “I do. But I also… I don’t know.” You exhaled sharply. “I just… don’t want you to stop trying.”

Something in his expression shifted.

He set his cup down carefully before looking at you with an intensity that made your stomach twist. Not with judgment, not with pity—just understanding.

“I never stopped,” he murmured.

Your breath hitched.

“I just adjusted,” he continued. “To what you needed.”

And you realized, with startling clarity, that he had been touching you. Just not in the way you had expected.

It was in the way he always made you tea, the way he listened so intently, the way he never pushed, never pried, but always made sure you knew he was there.

He had been touching you in the only way you would allow.

And now? Now, you wanted more.

Tentatively, hesitantly, you reached out.

Your fingers brushed against the back of his hand, and you felt him still beneath your touch.

It was light. Barely there. But it was enough.

Zayne didn’t move. Didn’t push for more.

He simply let you choose.

And, for the first time in your life, you did.

You let yourself be touched—gently, without violence, without fear.

Zayne, patient as ever, simply held still and let you set the pace.

And maybe, just maybe, for the first time in a long time, you weren’t afraid.

[wiinterz]

: •̩̩͙ ໋ TAKE A DIP IN MY LAKE ˖ Sevika.

firefighter!sevika x goth fem!reader

genre(s) - one-shot, lesbian erotica, moms!best friend, older x younger

description - you’ve known sevika since forever, of course having feelings for her but you swear it’s gone. that is until you come back from college for the summer and realize this woman has gotten hotter and your feelings are just as worse than last time.

warnings - making out, profanity, groping, nipple/breast play, spitting, dom!sevika, face sitting, pussy eating, praise kink, sevika is forty-one while reader is twenty-one, sevika wearing a dog tag, smoking weed, fingering, pet names (pretty girl, good girl, baby), overstimulation, dacryphilia, dirty talk(?). 18+ only, minors & men dni.

word count - 5.1k

tay's letter 💌 - i realize i could’ve made this into a drabble. i was also planning on dropping a subby!sevika smut i had in the drafts for the longest but…um well that shit ain’t done. p.s. i might make this into a series, lemme know.

rules | arcane masterlist.

Stockings stick to your legs, your body heat grows hotter the longer you sit outside. Even your panasonic headphones started to create sweat around your ears, causing you to wipe it off at times. The sun blazed onto the concrete, drying the rain that once was there from last night, it seemed as if you were stuck in the hottest desert as punishment when in actuality, the real punishment was watching your friend’s younger brother play in the parking lot and making sure he doesn’t run into incoming cars.

Matthew and his three other friends had busied themselves with writing on the concrete, the chalk now in a bucket, hands dusty and mixed with sweat as they ran around on your mother’s lawn playing basketball. Shouting at each other to pass the ball, as some other kids in the neighborhood rode on bicycles.

You, keeping yourself grounded by listening to music on your old ipod you found the other day while cleaning your room. Shocked that it even still works, you figured it would’ve stopped by how many years it’s been.

Yet, the old thing is still kicking, unlike your easy bake oven you also found deep in your closet. Leaning your hands backward, your right leg crossed over your left as your head tilts back, enjoying what was peaceful. You needed this, especially now that you busied yourself with taking care of your friend’s brother while she worked. Your eyes closed, thoughts allowing the music to take you on a journey.

In your mind, you thought back to her and last night’s dinner. The way the metal ring on her right middle finger fiddled as she spoke to your mom about work. Lips glossed with grease from the baked chicken, tongue licking it off with a beat as she continued to speak. Fuck, you needed her.

And you hated that, hated how even though you promised yourself what you’re feeling is months of not being touched by someone when in reality you knew it’s because you’re desperately needy for her. You thought back to her voice, humming to yourself as you heard it.

Blinking a few times, your brows furrow as you look back to Matthew who is now standing in front of you. You pull your right earphone off, “what?” Confused etched on your face, “My sister’s here.” He mutters, and you look toward a black car, windows down, seeing your friend. You sigh and stand, following him to the car and helping him get in the passenger seat. “Look at you, hot stuff, how was this one?” She asks, her eyes locked on yours and you shrug. “He and his friends were good like always,” which places a smile on her face.

“They better been,” she stretches her arms, “anyway, I’ll catch up with you later, love you.” She finishes and you nod, waving at all four of them once she drives off. You sigh, turning around and walking back into the house, turning the ac on, you sit in the recliner chair, turning the volume up to your ipod and thinking back to Sevika.

It was dumb how much you missed a woman you saw not even twenty-four hours ago. It was dumb how you missed discreetly staring at her and hoping she would catch you, maybe she did but you weren’t one to be delusional.

But then again, delusion is what keeps the heart happy.

You continue to think back to Sevika’s voice, almost treating it like an audio, almost. You were tempted to say fuck it and pull your skirt and stockings down, touching your wet cunt. Biting on your bottom lip and sighing heavily, you shake your head. You weren’t in your own place, anyone could walk in the house, and this was during the time your mom would be getting home from work anyway.

You grip the chair’s handle, breathing through your nose as your mind starts to think about Sevika's sweet tongue rolling around your c-

Again, interrupted by something, your eyes widen and you groan dramatically. Pulling your earphones off and standing, tossing it on the chair, you walk up to the door.

Opening it, the words that were about to leave your lips cut off as you stare at your dream. Hair stuck on her forehead, her lips formed in a smirk and her black t-shirt had been a bit messy with oil. Her left short sleeve pushed up showing more of her muscles while her dog tag had been showing. She had on grey sweatpants, clearly coming off shift and tired.

“You’re gonna let me in or stare, pretty girl?” Her voice rasp yet smooth like butter, even though you knew it was a rhetorical question, it still felt as though it was just a statement.

And you obliged, opening the door for her and letting her pass through. “Mom’s not here yet.” You exhale, getting a whiff of her, patches of smoky sandalwood and chocolate pomegranate, her scent.

Looking around the house, Sevika’s eyes land on your figure. “Not every time I visit, I’m searching for her.” The steps she takes to you are slow but intentional. “Maybe, what I’m looking for is right in front of me.” Sevika purposefully whispers now that she stands in front of you.

Her body was so close you could almost feel it, and you wanted to. You blink a couple of times, your chest rising faster. “Talk to me, wanna know how your week has been.” She crosses her arms, flexing her biceps and you look. You could moan right there for her, you would do whatever she wanted you to do.

You gulp and look back at her eyes, those sweet grey with specs of blue in them. She tilts her head to the right, waiting.

You clear your throat and rest your hands in front of you. “Well, my week hasn’t been so extravagant. I’m just taking care of my friend's brother, that’s really about it.” You shrug and Sevika nods, humming, “Sounds hectic,” she grumbles and you shake your head. “Actually it’s pretty peaceful, he’s very relaxed and respectful plus I see him as my own little brother so it’s easy.” Sevika nods again, keeping her arms crossed.

Your eyes look down at it again, wishing she could tighten the grip just a bit. “So, what are you doing here?” You ask her, a sigh escaping her lips as you clasp your hands together.

“Work was a bit exhausting today, needed to see if I could get my mind off it.” She replies, turning around and you can see her back muscles even through her shirt. Walking to the living room, you follow behind. “Well-” Cutting you off, Sevika turns to you, a raised brow and her hands resting on her hips.

“This might come off a bit bold, but do you still smoke?” She questions, biting her bottom lip while she thinks. You nod, a bit shocked that she’s asking.

“I think all I have at the moment is a gram, if not it’s just roaches.” You explain to her and she nods, “That’s fine, I don’t care, just need something in my system.” You nod, watching her sit down on the couch. Figuring that’s your cue, you run upstairs into your room, going through your draw and finding your weed. Picking up your rollers lighter and bowl, you breathe out heavily as you reach your door.

“I’m really smoking with this woman, what the fuck is my life.” You whisper yell to yourself before heading back downstairs.

Reaching the first step, there you could see Sevika’s head resting back, eyes closed. Bracing yourself, you walk over, seeing her legs stretched out while her hands rest on them. You take the small bowl and place it down on the counter. Sevika leans back up, stretching her right hand out on the couch as she watches attentively.

Your ass is in her view, her eyes look up and down at you, taking in your beauty. Biting down her lip, you turn, blinking a couple of times and clearing your throat. “I’m done rolling yours.” You inform and she looks back at you, her smirk widening. “Thank you, pretty girl, such a good worker for me.” She rasps, making you shiver at her tone.

You nod, “just doing as much as I can.” You reply, mentally cringing at yourself and you look back at what you’re doing, rolling your blunt. “You’ve smoked blunts before?” You ask for clarification and she hums, “used to smoke these like crazy back in college, but that was way before I had gotten a serious job and had to look serious for the part.” She lets out, a groan escaping her lips, turning you all mush. You finish rolling yours, picking up your lighter, and sitting beside her, keeping space between you two. Flickering the lighter on, you place it against your blunt and then press it against Sevika’s.

It’s quiet in the house for the moment, you two taking your initial inhale, and enjoying it. Sevika coughs a little and you smile a little, a giggle escaping your lips which makes her smile at you. “What’s so funny?” She questions, eyeing you and you shrug. “Clearly it’s been a min since you picked up one.” You nod at the blunt and she looks down at it in her fingers.

“Yeah,” she then looks at you. “But I’m still a pro.” She whispers.

The tingles you felt from last night come right back, her eyes glinted something you couldn’t pick up. She pulls the blunt back to her lips, and you watch, doing just the same.

It’s quiet between you two, busy favoring the blunt. You and Sevika needed this, she needed it to cut the edge from work and you needed it to cut the edge of your mind. As minutes passed and the clock ticked from the grandfather clock, you turned to look at her.

Sevika watched you as you took another drag, the smoke curling through the air like a wispy serpent in the night.

Her gaze fixed on your lips, attaching itself to the blunt, how you round your lips into an ‘o’. She wondered how that look around her strap, how your eyes would look when she thrusts it down your throat. Would your eyes swell up or would you surprise her and take it like a pro?

Then, her eyes flicker to your thighs, her fingers tighten into a fists, the sight of your ripped stockings covering something so delicious. She bet your pretty lips were pressed up with your underwear and stockings. Then she thought about what type of underwear you had on. If it were a thong or not, either way, she wanted to pull them down by her teeth and watch your clit grow from teasing it for too long.

She fidgeted with her fingers, unable to tear her eyes away from you. There was a tension in the air now, a palpable energy that crackled between you like an electrical current.

Sevika’s heart was racing out of her chest now,  the sound almost drowning out the tick noises of the clock. She exhales, catching your attention. Shaking her head, your brows furrow.

“What’s wrong?” You ask softly, your eyes looking up and down at her, her sweatpants pulled down a little showing her boxers. “Nothing, pretty girl, just keep easing your mind.” She lets out, and you gulp. “You know I got a name, right?” You question, not like you wanted her to stop calling you pretty girl anyway.

Your sentence earns a smirk from her and she nods. “That right, pretty girl?” She pushes herself up a little to get closer to you and her scent mixed with the weed makes you feel delirious.

You nod, “Y-yeah.” You clear your throat and nod again and Sevika hums. “I know you gotta name, baby, and it’s one of the most prettiest things I’ve ever heard. But, I just can’t help myself.” She whispers, and your eyes dart down to her shirt. Her nipples get hard through it, which makes your breathing become a struggle.

And she knew.

“What’s wrong, baby?” She gets closer, whispering those words in your ears and placing her hand on your forehead, making you heat up.

“Nothing,” you stutter out and she chuckles, “nothing?” She hums, “Can’t be nothing when you’re becoming my little stuttering mess.” And that turns you on even more, you swear she’s doing this to test you.

You clear your throat and look at her, your sweet doe eyes looking right at the older woman. “Guess it’s not me that needs attention.” She whispers, her voice rasping but still so smooth. “Yeah, you need my attention?” She questions and you nod hesitantly.

Sevika smirks, “How can I help you, baby, what do you need me to focus on?” She mutters and you hold back a whimper.

The palm of her hand goes down to your neck, “right here?” Then brushes against your breasts, to your stomach, and starts to rub you. “Or right here? Which one, baby.” Sevika mumbles, her eyes staring directly at you.

Blinking, you doing a quick breathing exercise and take the bait. “Right here.” You whisper, pulling her hand back up to your breast, and you catch that glint in her eyes again. She nods and hums, smoking the rest of the blunt. “Fuck.” She whispers, and starts to hum, “Right there?” And you nod. “Hum, seems like something is covering it, baby.” She reminds you of your bra and you pout, “Yeah.” You stutter.

“Mind if I take it off you?” She asks innocently, yet you knew it was far from that. And you nod, Sevika smiles, taking the time to hitch your shirt up. Slowly, revealing your body, she clicks her tongue. “You’re so beautiful,” she whispered to herself and you can’t help but feel weak in the knees all over again.

You knew this was wrong, hell she knew it too but who to say she had any shame?

She looks back at you and nods, and you nod back. Taking deep breaths as you feel her metallic fingers brush up against your stomach, making you flinch. She watches with widened eyes, admiring your every movement. Her fingers then find your bra strap, hooking it and pulling it down to let it fall. She looks at you once again, and you let out a sigh.

“Can you kiss me?” You ask desperately and she laughs, “Thought you’d never ask, sweetheart.” Sevika gets to move closer to you, her fleshed thumb rubbing your bottom lip and smudging your lipstick even more.

The air felt thick and heavy with tension. Sevika’s thumb lingered on your skin for a moment longer than necessary, as if she couldn't bear to remove her touch just yet. Her fingers traced the line of your jaw, the softest of touches, but laden with meaning.

Your heads move slowly, inching closer to one another. Her eyes never left yours, your breathing was ragged, and small gasps erupting. She was so close now, closer than you ever imagined.

Sevika’s eyes darted to your lips, watching as they parted slightly to release a bit of smoke. She ached to kiss you, to feel the softness of your skin against hers, to taste that damn lipstick. But she held back, her restraint hanging on by a thread.

With a shuddering exhale, she closed the distance between you, her lips finally touching yours in a kiss that was both fierce and tender.

Sevika’s hand cupped the back of your head, pulling you closer as she deepened the kiss.  Tasting like smoke, an intoxicating flavor that made your head spin. Her body pressed against yours, solid and warm, as she angled her face to kiss you harder, her tongue darting out to taste the sweetness of your mouth, tasting the cigarette and your lipstick.

Your right hand moved to Sevika’s head, making her groan softly in the kiss and pushing her body forward against yours. Her hand slid down to your waist, fingers gripping into your skin as she pulled you even closer. The kiss was hungry, she was hungry, frenzied, like a woman who’d been left astray from food for over a year.

Her body was pressed flush against yours now, the heat between you almost unbearable. She knew she should stop, knew that this could lead to nothing but trouble, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her hand moved across your body, her touch exploring every curve and contour as if she were sculpting a goddess.

Sevika’s teeth nipped at your lower lip, her lips then moving to your neck, trailing kisses along the sensitive skin. She wanted to mark you, to claim you, to make sure you couldn't forget this moment, forget her. Her body was pressed even closer to yours now, the hard ridge of her arousal unmistakable against your hip. Sevika’s hand snaked down your body, pulling you on her lap, her lips still against your neck, breath ragged and uneven.

She was lost in a sea of desire, her mind consumed with thoughts of you, of what she wanted to do, what she needed to do to satisfy the hunger that gnawed at her.

You felt breathless in the kiss, almost unable to keep up but you do, you whimper as she pulls your closer, smacking your ass. You feel the smirk against your lips, you could tell she wanted to laugh, not at you but because it itched a bit of her thoughts.

You pull away, lips now swollen and messed up lipstick. Sevika looks at you, her gaze dark and intense, her lips also swollen and stained with the remnant of your lipstick. Her chest is heaving, breaths coming in ragged gasps. She looks wrecked, debauched, and utterly captivating.

Her hand reaches up, thumb wiping away the smeared lipstick from your chin, the action gentle but undeniably possessive.

“Tell me to stop and I will.” She whispers and you stare at her, you didn’t want her to stop, no, you needed her to continue. She placed these thoughts in your head and she would be the one to bring them to life.

She took your silence as an answer and pulled your bra down, immediately attaching her lips around your left nipple, attacking your breast. All you could do is moan loudly for her, her tongue swirling around your nipple, feeling it become hard in her mouth while she sucks. This is what she dreams of, to feel and taste you, to put you in a place of no return.

Your pussy pulsated with your panties so close to being pushed into it. You wanted to feel something, your nipples were extremely sensitive naturally and her sucking didn’t make it any better. You continued to moan, playing in her hair as she continued to stare up at you. Sevika pulls her mouth away, spitting against it and watching it drip down to your stomach.

Coming to the next one, she does the same steps, sucking until you’re a moaning mess, grinding against her lap for friction. “ ‘Vika…” you whine and she giggles, spitting once again on your nipple, her thumb rubbing and twisting it gently. “Fuck, that’s my good girl.” She whispers, earning a breathy moan from you.

Sevika pulls your chin down, forcing you to look at her, for one moment she continues to stare, clicking her tongue before kissing you again. Picking up your shirt from the couch, she places one firm grip around your waist and stands, letting you wrap your legs around her tight for support. With one hand, and lips still kissing yours, she walks you upstairs to your room.

Slamming the door close with her foot, you pause and lock the door. You giggle as she kisses your neck, letting out whimpers. “Fuck, Sevika.” You whimper and she hums, tossing the shirt down on your carpet. Sevika puts you down gently on the edge of the bed, letting you watch her.

She steps back for a moment, her eyes taking in the sight of you, lying on the bed. She pulls her shirt off, her movements slow and deliberate as if she's putting on a show just for you. "You're so damn gorgeous," she lets out, her gaze never leaving your face.

You shiver and look away, looking up at your bed frame, feeling like you couldn’t handle her.

Sevika notices your reaction and a smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth. "Don't look away," she mutters, her voice is soft yet commanding. "Look at me." She squats down untying her shoelaces, and kicking them off she stands straightly, continuing to look at you. Her fingers move to her sweatpants, pulling them down and exposing more and more of her toned physique, the scars from work on her chest and arms adding a more rugged appearance.

She gets closer and rests her hands on the side of your skirt, “May I?” She questions and you nod, “Yes.” You let out and she smirks, pulling your skirt and stockings down. She hums and licks her lips, seeing you in your pretty black undies.

Your legs bang repeatedly against the bed and she looks down, seeing your shoes still on. Being a sweetheart, Sevika takes your shoes on, keeping the socks on, figuring that’s what you’d like or feel comfortable with.

Her eyes bore into yours, searching for any hint of hesitation, but all she saw in your gaze was the same need that she felt growing inside her. "Say the word, and I'll stop," she says, her voice gruff but sincere. "But until then, I'm gonna show you exactly how much I want you." She gets closer leaning on top of you, and her hand slides down your side, tracing along the curves of your body. Sevika’s touch is both tender and possessive, her fingers grazing over your skin as if she’s learning every inch of you. "You're so goddamn addictive," she whispers, her voice raspy with desire. "I can't seem to get enough of you."

You feel breathless once again, and again once her lips attach to yours. She was between your legs, not putting all her weight on you as you both kissed, your right leg pushed up on the bed while your left foot stayed on the ground. Her lips continue to lock with yours, soft smacking filling the room.

Her lips move down to your neck, sucking on it as she earns moans from you, slowly her lips move to your stomach taking the chance to chaste kiss you. You whimper and whine, keeping your fingers in her hair. “More please.” You beg for her and she smirks, “I know baby, I know.” Sevika mutters and kisses your pelvis, looking up at you, a brow raises, “You want more, pretty girl?” She whispers and you nod. “How much more, baby, hm?” She talks sensually, her voice like caramel and it makes you weep.

I breathe, “W-wanna feel your lips on mine.” You let out, feeling a bit embarrassed and she smirks, “Gotta be more detailed baby, cause when you say lips I’m thinking of the ones I just kissed and the ones I haven’t gotten the chance to.” She sighs, leaning her chin on her palm and you sigh heavily.

“Ones you haven’t kissed,” Sevika’s smirk turns into a smile and she hums, “Good girl.”

Taking the hem of your underwear by her teeth, she pulls them down to your ankles, yanking them off and tossing them somewhere in your room. “Pussy so wet and I haven’t had my taken.” She lets out, really to herself and your eyes widen.

Sevika blows on your pussy first, wanting to tease and watch you break slowly. Then, her index finger runs against your slit, up and down, not pushing in yet. You breathe shakily, feeling your legs also shake with you a little.

“Such a pretty pussy, fuck I should’ve done this sooner.” She lets out, her eyes still stuck on your pussy, Sevika looks at you for one more chance to see if you would want to back out of this now, and still nothing. Her head dips down, tongue flattening, and starts to lick up slowly. You feel her breathing against your pussy, making you shake a little and shiver, moans escape from your lips, unable to control yourself.

You tilt your head back, back arching a little as she continues to suck. She’s doing this for your comfort first because she knew once you were, she would do this for her.

Sevika drags her nose down your slit, letting it slowly get wet by your throbbing clit. Pushing her head back up a little, her tongue drags making you twist and moan. “S’okay baby, I got you.” She whispers against your wet cunt, and she smirks, admiring how beautiful your pussy is.

“Prettiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.” She sighs, her thumb starts to brush over your clit gently, watching you jolt. “Please, Sevika.” You whine and she hums, “Shushhh pretty girl, I got you.” She reminds and all you can do is nod.

She was so gentle with you, it almost made you cry.

And you can only gasp when she pushes her middle finger in your glaring cunt, not giving you a chance to catch yourself when she inserts her index. Sliding in and out of your cunt, she curls it just enough to make you moan loudly. Your jolt forward for a second, toes curling.

“Ah~” you gasp, becoming a babbling mess right before her, and that gets you a smirk from her.

“Your pussy is so tight, baby, gotta prep her first, mmh?” She cooes, spitting against your clit which takes you to the edge. Your eyes roll back as you feel her start to lick your clit, her fingers sliding in and out of you. “Breathe.” She reminds you, her breath airy against your cunt, making it tighten around her fingers.

“Fuck, fuuuck,” you whine, your toes still curling up, Sevika was nose deep and the tip of her nose pushed up against your clit repeatedly, making you feel even more sensitive. “Shit, please Sevika, I’m so sensitive!” You let out but she ignores you. You try and close your legs around her face, only to get a spit against your clit, rubbing down your folds, Sevika’s metallic hand pushes your left thigh open, sucking your folds and pushing her tongue in and out of you.

“Taste so fucking good, baby.” She grumbles, despite making you a babbling mess for her, you nod, forcing your eyes to stay open.

You moan louder, feeling her tongue move up and down against your clit while her fingers continued to push in and out, becoming soaked fast. You continued to gasp, squirming for her but tried your best to be a good girl and keep your legs open, and she knew you were struggling.

Sevika pulls away, staring at you, “You okay with another idea?” and you nod quickly, she chuckles and exhales. Sevika stands, moving on the bed now, moving to your pillow, she lays her head down on it, looking at you. “Come ‘ere.” She rasps out and you listen without question, you crawl to her, now in between her legs. You look down at her, her fingers rubbing your cheek.

“If you’re up for it, I want you to sit on my face.” She explains, your eyes widen, blinking a couple of times and she waits for your answer. “Y-you want me to?” You ask gently and she nods, “I do.” Sevika says seriously, she wasn’t smirking anymore, not even a small smile. She wanted this, as long as you did too.

You breathe in and out, nodding, Sevika lets out a sigh of relief and gets herself situated for you. You turn your body around, your back facing her as you hover over her stomach. “I’ve never, sat on anyone’s face before,” Sevika smirks at the confession and hums, her hands moving to your waist and helping you up to her mouth. “Glad to be the first.” She whispers you lean forward a bit, keeping your hands on the bed to keep you steady.

“I can go slow,” she mutters and you nod, “please.” You whine.

Her thumb runs down your cunt her breath lightly brushing against your folds that were dying to be kissed, hovering against it, your cunt twitches in need. Sevika licks your pussy lightly, allowing you to get used to it first. Once you do, you lean more into her mouth, finally feeling the warmth of her tongue instantly licking between your folds. “Oh, fuck,” you moan out loudly.

Pushing her tongue flat, your sensitive folds, you tasted so delicious and it only left her craving for more, needing more. Grey eyes stare up at you, watching you bounce lightly on her mouth, as moans escape.

“Be a good girl and fuck my face, baby.” She groans, her hands holding your waist as you continue to bounce against her mouth, moaning each time you feel her tongue. You stop bouncing for a moment, enjoying the feeling of her tongue licking up and down and pushing through your folds.

You start to rock yourself against her mouth, using her as a toy for your own sake. Her tongue continues to suck your slit, seeing how swollen it’s gotten, Sevika spits against it, twirling the tip of her tongue against it, making you moan and hold grip the bedsheets.

“Engh~ f-fuck, ‘Vika,” you whine, feeling yourself going weak by the second. Your pussy pulsating repeatedly as she continues to suck the air out of you. Suddenly feeling thick fingers, you moan as Sevika starts to rub your clit while sucking your pussy. You start to feel a heavy yet fulfilling sensation in the pit of your stomach, your lips turning into a pout, and you become whiny in seconds. Tears in your eyes as you continue to let her fuck your cunt, you tug on the bedsheets tighter, moaning even louder when you feel her nose brush up against your cheeks. Her tongue is lapping against your flaps and fingers at your entrance. You’re now stuck, becoming a babbling mess for her.

Tears start to fall from your eyes as you hear the sounds of her sucking against your pussy, not stopping to take a break or even breathe for a second. Sevika’s lips continue to smack against your pussy, fingers rubbing against your clit, making you overstimulated till you couldn’t think or see straight.

“I'm gonna cum, ‘Vika! Can’t hold it!” You squeal, feeling your cunt getting wetter and wetter, you were at this point you were squirting all over her mouth.

“That right, pretty lady?” Sevika whispers, your cunt being kissed by her pursed lips as a tease. Your eyes start to roll back a bit, nodding when you feel her sucking even more, her tip pushing and out of your g-spot repeatedly. The tip of her tongue working hard and making sure you feel everything. She watches you clench around nothing, you feel the buildup in the pit of your stomach starting, one that begins much before a storm breaks.

“If only you could see how pretty this pussy is.” She spats against it, watching her saliva mixed with your pre-cum drip onto her lips. “Prettiest cunt I truly ever seen.” She mutters and you gasp a whine for her.

You start to feel as if butterflies decided to make a place in your insides. “That’s it, baby, that’s it, such a good girl, you’re almost there.” She reminds you, keeping you positioned against her lips. You continue to cry, your tears falling to your breasts, as you bounce against her mouth, wanting nothing but to cum all over her. You could feel your pussy feeling gummy, you could feel your pussy wanting its release.

Your moans are a melody for her, ones she would never get tired of hearing.

“That’s it, baby. Oh, you’re such a good girl for me, you’re my good girl, baby.” She moans out, and you feel your tummy tighten up right then. Your cunt tightens and soon, pouring out with your cum, she’s drinking you like water, happily keeping you spread out on her with her fingers now pushing your ass open.

She’s practically grinning at the sight of your pussy finally reaching climax.

Your cunt, tired and extremely swollen continues to let more cum out for her, and she continues to suck. You pant heavily, and she follows, her breath becoming heavy but her mind still focused on you.

After you were fully done, you sighed heavily, sweat all over your face now. Before you can speak, your door knocks and your eyes widen, “Mom?!” You shout, Sevika stopping her movements underneath. “Yeah, hey, just letting you know I came back from work.” She says and walks away, going back downstairs.

A sigh escapes your lips and you pull off Sevika, turning to see her, your eyes widen at the mess you left. “Oh…wow.” You muttered and she laughed quietly, “You did amazing, baby.” She informs and you smile, coming closer to her. “Is there a way I can thank you?” You say seductively and she hums.

“There are ways.” She mutters, you grab a tissue from your bedside table and she cleans her face. “Like what?” You question as you watch her, and she smirks.

“Think you can moan quietly?” She asks with a smirk and you smile, letting out a giggle.

me shoving my dildo in her cause i will get her pregnant.

[elenauaurs]

TWISTED WONDERLAND OC

Except it's not a new one and I basically made a redesign for Blade and... Changed everything about him

(more under the cut)

"A cursed boy who always carries a strange sword, he seems to take life lightly."

INFO

Name: Caliburn

Grade: Sophomore

Age: 17

Height: 183 cm

Dominant hand: Right

Homeland: Briar Valley (?)

Club: Mountain lovers club

Best subject: Physical Education, Flying, Swimming

Least favorite subject: History of magic

Hobbies: Dancing

Pet peeves: Feeling trapped

Favorite food: Omelet

Least favorite food: Honey.

PERSONALITY

Talent: Swordmanship

A gentleman by nature, charming and extremely lively – although in a more passive way.

Caliburn carries a lot of energy with him, being quite restless and a born explorer. Sociable and popular, Caliburn seems to be open-minded and doesn't care much about “status” or rules, in addition to often acting as a “mediator” and standing by others.

Despite aiming for the good of the people around him, Caliburn is quick to define his limits and is very strict with them, as well as not letting go of the idea of using light manipulation or blackmail to get what he wants.

However, in general, he prefers to be more virtuous, firmly maintaining his ideals and not being afraid to defend them, appearing to be a very courageous individual.

It's also worth mentioning, even though it's a considerably rarer event, when triggered Caliburn can become extremely impulsive and even violent without wanting it, hence why he always tries to remain calm and in control of his own feelings.

In short, Caliburn is a warm person, who genuinely seeks to keep himself and the people around him positive. However, instead of being completely selfless, Caliburn also cares about his own happiness and limits, and can show irritable and impulsive tendencies if disrespected (normally these impulses are controlled).

FACTS

Caliburn is twisted from Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty

Most of his harmful impulses come from his curse, which connects him to the sword. Currently, the curse is under control because of treatments.

One of the Knights who protect Malleus in NRC, although he never shared a past with him. He was appointed to this role on the recommendation of his father, accepting this responsibility in search of a challenge.

Funnily enough, let's just say that his relationship with Malleus is somewhat turbulent.

Due to his curse, Caliburn needs to stay close to the sword. Thus being allowed to carry it around campus.

Caliburn is amnesiac, he remembers almost nothing about his life before the age of 14 and that includes his biological family. Even so, he doesn't seem to actively try to seek answers, preferring to move on.

Caliburn loves horses.

Caliburn is a very energetic person, constantly finding himself trying to expend energy in some way. In addition to his natural dislike of small or cramped spaces, Caliburn frequently leaves the campus without permission. (He's crowley biggest opp/j)

Dancing is one of his biggest joys!

He shares a room with Silver.

APPEARANCE

Caliburn cares about maintaining a good appearance, even being a bit vain.

His hair is mostly light brown, with some blonde highlights in certain parts, tied with a small red ribbon. His eyes are the same colour of an aurora.

His diasomnia uniform is a little different from the others, using the much larger coat as a cape, held to his clothes by silver thread. Around his neck he wears a purple ribbon and a golden necklace with a sword pendant. The shoulders of his shirt are puffed.

His hat is longer than usual, with a feather on one side. The lower part of his outfit is like the others, except for the presence of purple fabrics at his waist that resemble a tailcoat.

Bonus drawing made by my pookie @lumdays

@cyanide-latte @oya-oya-okay @theleechyskrunkly @thehollowwriter @distant-velleity @boopshoops @br3adtoasty @casp1an-sea @heyhellohihowareyou @tixdixl @sillyslipperybananapeel @cheerleaderman @revolllutionary @nyx-of-night @lumdays @skriblee-ksk @nemisisnemi @althea-and-alcestris @miyanaranagikenmal-intp @the-necromancer-wife

[kiame-sama]

Humans Are Extinct (Yandere!TWST x Fem!Reader) Monster AU pt 33

(Rook is one of the few to actually swear himself as a Knight in service of the Human and he wears this title like a badge of honor. Rook doesn't need the actual armor part of his ensemble, but he likes the way they look on him and he appreciates the consistent theming of the Queendom garb. The Knight of Roses is actually a style in the Queendom reserved for royal guards. Most royal guards in the past were tasked with protecting the royal Humans and the royal family, so it is more tradition in the Queendom to dress the current day Human's guards in this armor.)

Warnings: yandere, yandere behavior, multiple yanderes, violently protective yanderes, poaching attempt, unnamed character injury, Queendom Citizens, speciest behavior, mention of weapons, mention of clothing of various kinds, dancing, Harpy, Alicorn, Dragon, Merfolk, Drider, Hellcat, Selkie,

(If you have trouble imagining songs for the ending scene, this is the song I imagine this one is playing:

~~~~~~~~

You were out with your guards once again to take in the sights and maybe even look for random souvenirs to bring back to Night Raven. If you were going to be visiting almost every country and countless cities within the countries, you may as well get random knickknacks to keep. Though you had no money of your own when you fell into this world, Crowley was sure to shove Thaumarks into your arms before you departed.

Apparently, during his extensive conversations about what you would be doing in the Queendom, he mentioned the many funds and grants NRC had been given. Most of those grants were from larger countries that wanted to financially support you and support Night Raven for as long as you called the campus home. As the reason for the grants coming in, no doubt Crowley decided that you deserved a fair portion of the Thaumarks.

Now you were visiting the many different stalls in the market side of the city, anything you bought quickly being carried by the men that guarded you. Ortho and Rook were continuing their usual scanning of the rooftops as you marveled over the craftsmanship of the trinkets before you.

Riddle had been in a noticeably better mood even around Alistair despite the tragedy of the day prior. If anything, he seemed saddened but not dragged down by the events as if he had been freed of the obligation. It certainly made him brighten up even more when you told him Papa Hades agreed to pay for his schooling so he was no longer tied to that cruel Unicorn woman.

It was while you were examining a rather lovely sun-catcher that a sudden warmth wrapped around you, darkening your vision. You were about to question Malleus as to why he had moved to shield you when a particularly loud eruption of screams sounded out.

"It was the Lion! I saw the Lion did it! Get that beast away from the Human!"

You saw several people seemed to be antagonizing Leona who was actually standing close by with his Knobkerrie drawn. Not far from Leona was what looked to be a Pigeon man laying face down in the gutter with arrows of a different make strewn about him. Rook was quick to step between Leona and the hounding onlookers with his bow raised.

"Non! Roi du Lion was not the one who took out the archer. I saw him take aim at Mademoiselle Trickster, he is not to blame."

"So you, some Drider from outside the Queendom, think I didn't see what I saw with my own two eyes? How dare you!"

Ortho stepped in next, his screens enlarging as a quick video played back over. The video was of Rook quickly drawing his bow and firing at the pigeon man. The man in question was clearly aiming towards your group with his own notched arrow before he was pieced through the shoulder by Rook's golden and red arrow.

"You are wrong! Video doesn't lie! Leona didn't do anything wrong, stop being speciest towards him! Even if he had shot the assassin, he would have been doing it to protect (Y/n)! He is within his legal rights to protect her!"

The onlookers- who had been up in arms- now looked somewhat sheepish at the clear evidence to the contrary of any wrong doing. They glanced at one another before the most outspoken of them- a woman with multi-colored fins on the side of her face crossed her arms.

"Well, he could have done it!"

That sentence set an anger burning in your heart as you pulled out of Malleus' protective embrace, turning on your heel to face the woman who looked so smug. It was as if she were saying he was guilty of association and therefore deserved punishment of some kind. No way were you going to stand for anyone treating Leona as lesser.

"How dare you?"

"W-well, I-"

"How dare you make such false and baseless accusations against my chosen guards!? What, because he is a Nemean Lion you think you are allowed to show cruelty to him? You think you can claim such a horrendous lie and be believed, even with evidence to the contrary? How dare you speak so loudly and so incorrectly about someone else like that? Shame on you! Shane on your whole family for your backwards way of thinking! A Lion he may be, but his hands are cleaner than your own as you are so keen to sling lies at someone who is not in the wrong. For shame!"

"I- but I thought he-"

"You thought wrong! He is a guest in your city- a Prince- and you deem it appropriate to lie about him because of your own fragile view of reality? How quick you are to assign blame when you should be ashamed of yourself for jumping to the conclusion he was out of line!"

The woman was now shrinking in on herself, despite being much taller than you and dwarfing you in height. Though you were small and weaker compared to the towering giants around you, you could still bare your teeth. Naturally, those around her- who had been on her side- turned on her like a pack of dogs and began snapping their own disappointment and disgust at her actions.

"Don't all of you jump in like you are innocent in this matter! You all blamed him too and were on her side until I started shaming her. Shame on all of you as well! Have you no honor, no pride? Is this the decorum I can expect from the citizens of the Queendom of Roses? You all are the citizens, the blood of this Queendom, I would expect you all to uphold the best qualities of the Queendom, not the worst!"

The group had shied back from your admonishment, none of them willing to look you in the eye. It was around this time the Pigeon man was coming back around, raising his bow with an arrow notched as it pointed directly at you. He was fast, but Floyd was faster.

The bow snapped under the grip of the Eel Merman who sneered with bared fangs at the pigeon. It was clear most hadn't expected him to try again, especially with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, so they were quick to detain him. Even those you scolded were feverish to stop the Pigeon man as if they were vying for your approval.

It seems even those met in passing were impacted by your aura. Why did something like this always have to happen? The more important thought was when Idia planned to get back to you about a weapon to protect yourself. Though, it wouldn't protect you from someone shooting arrows from the rooftops.

You had suggested many ideas to Idia and he promised to have something soon. For now you had to rely on those who protected you and proclaimed themselves to be your knights. It was mildly concerning to you how little you were concerned with this attempt, as it was not supposed to be so common place.

"We should return to the castle, Mon Trickster. One attempt surely means there will be another. Roi du Selkie is to be arriving today as well, seeing as the execution is slated for tomorrow. Something tells me we should not encourage anything more today."

"If you say so, Rook."

You allowed the Drider to pick you up, thankful Grim was back at the Palace of Roses with Alistair. He had asked the Alicorn for a few of his colorful feathers and the Alicorn offered the Kit most of his collection, which was a beautiful assortment of prismatic feathers. The kit agreed to stay and choose his favorite feathers of the grouping and Alistair promised to keep an eye on the kit.

At least Grim being at the castle kept him from having to endure the assassination attempt. Thankfully this Pigeon Harpy man was not as skilled a marksman as Rook and the superior hunter won. The soft fur of the Drider beneath you was a comfort as Leona fell into step with the Drider you sat on the back of.

"Why do you care so much about how they treat me, Mousey? It's nothing new to me."

"Because, you're a good guy, Leona. A genuinely good guy, and I appreciate the hell you have gone through for me. I don't care how they stare at me, but to blame you as if you deserve poor treatment for being a Nemean Lion? Hell no. I'm not letting that happen."

Leona smiled slightly, a warm expression as he gazed at you affectionately. He was used to everyone outside of Sunset Savana treating him disdainfully but it still warmed his heart to know you saw more than his species. Maybe Falena was right in believing you could help end the hate towards his Kingdom.

"You're too good to us, Mousey. Never change."

"I thought only RSA was the do-gooders of Sage island?"

"Don't even joke about switching over to that school. I look best in black, not their white uniforms."

You chuckled softly noticing that Leona indicated he would switch schools to stay near you if you went to RSA instead. Slowly, you rest your head against Rook's shoulder, feeling protected by the lovely Drider as he walked back to the Palace. He ensured to wrap his cape over you to shield you from the onlookers just in case.

The guards of the Palace were quick to receive your group as you all were looked over for any potential injuries. Word had no doubt gotten back to them about what had happened and what had been done to the perpetrator of the crime. It was while everyone was being checked that a loud and familiar voice cut in.

"Puppy!"

A wave of relief washed over you as a familiar black and white coated Selkie with a worried expression stormed into the room. You were quick to run straight into his arms as the Selkie wrapped them around you, letting you burrow your face into his fur as he sighed in relief. He gently pet your hair as you rest your head on his shoulder and accepted the parental affection.

"My poor puppy, being attacked and hunted by the scum of the world. I'm here now and I'll keep you safe. I also brought some gifts for you."

You pulled back to see the bag he had set down, the Selkie picking it up to hand it to you with a warm smile. His hand gently rest on your head as he moved his hand in a petting motion to soothe you. Despite everything, you did feel relief at seeing the paternal Selkie that seemed to care for you with his entire heart. He was a good fatherly figure, if nothing else.

Digging through the bag you realized there was a blanket with instructions handwritten. Apparently, this was to be your heated blanket and Idia decided to gift you with it early. He must have sent it with Divus after word got back to NRC of the events in the marketplace.

Beneath the blanket was a fine leather box no longer than your phone. Attached was a note.

'Hey, Hellkitty, made that knife you wanted. It doesn't run on magic the way other things do, but it will absolutely get the job done. It uses DNA recognition software I coded, so there are only three it won't hurt; You, Grim, and Papa Hades. Goes without saying this thing is dangerous, so use it sparingly! By the way, you can change the color of the blade with the adjuster on the side if you want to.

-Gloomurai'

Inside was a handle that seemed to have grooves to fit your hand comfortably. It sat well in your hand and hummed under your touch as if waking up in your palm. Slowly it formed a bright blade that glowed in your hand and sparked with energy. It enraptured you quite a bit as it harmlessly passed over your skin and shined against your flesh. Divus seemed less than pleased to see you were now armed, but he also seemed to understand you needed to be able to protect yourself.

"Careful, pup. I'll teach you how to wield that if you need, but we can't be too hasty with something so dangerous."

You nodded, relaxing your grip as the blade faded from the handle in your palm, returning to a dormant state. It made you feel a little better with it, but now you had to check in on Grim. Though you trusted Alistair to not harm the Hellcat, that didn't mean they couldn't get up to trouble while out of sight.

"Welcome back, (Y/n)!"

The Alicorn happily trotted forward, a pleasantly pleased feline sitting on the equine back of the prince. Attached to his bow over his collar were three bright feathers that shined with rainbows of their own and you recognized them as Alistair's. Sitting in the arms of the Alicorn seemed to be a pile of his feathers which he proudly held up to you as he trotted up.

"I heard what happened, are you okay?"

"As okay as I can be, but Rook is a good watchman."

"Well, Grimmy and I sorted through all of my feathers so he could find some he liked and we got an idea! Since you both like my feathers so much, I decided to make you a cloak using them! I don't have much use for them, so I figure you may as well have them!"

He held up the cloak in his arms, showing you the beautiful arrangement of feathers that made it look like a crystalline waterfall. Though it really didn't match with the outfits you had been gifted by the Queendom, it was still a lovely piece. You allowed the Alicorn to place the cloak around your shoulders and it felt much lighter than you had expected it to.

"Thank you, Alistair, it's beautiful."

"Well, I didn't want to sound too proud of my own feathers, but I am glad to hear you like them. They should help you out too, in the event anything happens."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Pegasus feathers- and Alicorn by extension- have certain characteristics to them that you don't find in a lot of species. For instance, if you fall off of something while wearing that cloak, you won't fall as fast due to the air magic properties of the feathers. Plus they are great at temperature regulation and impact absorption. Again, I don't really need them since I grow them, but they should help you."

You smiled at this, reaching out to gently pet the Alicorn's hair. He seemed somewhat surprised by the affectionate gesture, but leaned into your touch happily. Lilia did say petting was a good way to show affection and appreciation. Unbeknownst to you, several of your guards glared jealously at the Alicorn.

Grim was not bothered by their displeasure and instead was happy to leap into your arms, purring in elation. The kit seemed quite pleased with the feathers he added to his bow, likely having picked them himself.

"Clouds is so much fun, Mama!"

"I'm glad you had a fun time playing with Alistair today."

"I did, but Clouds said someone attacked you. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Rook is a good shot and an even better lookout, so I wasn't in any danger."

"I like Spooder!"

"I know you do, dear. I like him too."

The kit continued to ramble off about his day and you patiently listened to the excitable kit expound and chatter about how much he enjoyed. Though the day was only half over, he still had to tell you everything that happened because he adored you. Around you, your many guards waited for their own moment to be in the blessed spotlight of your attention. Perhaps they should try befriending Grim to earn your favor.

~•§•~

The evening was setting down and you stood out on the balcony of your room. It gave a lovely view of the Queendom and you couldn't help but admire the beauty of it all. Part of you was sad that the stars were somewhat blocked out by the lights of the bustling city and you longed for a moment beneath the stars.

Resting in your hands was the floating skull bot that Kalim had enchanted, a few songs playing in your head as the skull was dormant. Most of the songs were- oddly enough- slow trailing waltzes that would be best suited for a slow dance. Something about the Palace of Roses and the city lights had your mind focused elsewhere even with the execution looming overhead. The next day was going to be a bloody event indeed, with that kind and boyish Alicorn acting as the official headsman for the execution.

"Enjoying the evening?"

The smooth voice of Malleus drew your gaze over your shoulder as the Dragon approached. His outfit much like the others yet pursuing a certain air of regality that paired well with his ethereal beauty. He was a nocturnal creature of the night and it certainly was shaping up to be an auspicious evening.

"As well as I can."

"Are you worried for what tomorrow may bring?"

"Of course I am."

The Dragon leaned next to you against the railing and looked out at the gentle glowing lights of the city before him. Malleus had been a good ally to you and a very useful friend despite how clearly he was impacted by your aura. If you were going to have everyone you've ever met become obsessed with you, you would at least need to keep strong allies at hand.

"What troubles you? I will always be an ear to listen, should you need to lay your worries upon someone."

"I'm worried about everything. From outside poachers trying their luck, to an Overblot taking place during the height of the event. It seems like- no matter what I do- I am constantly in danger of some kind or put on some pedestal and expected to be some paragon of kindness. I can't always be the voice of reason among madness."

"It does seem like anything that can go wrong, will go wrong more days than not. You are a species others would kill to keep, and one many of us would kill to protect. I do wish this place were safer for you, especially given how much this country previously cared for the Humans among them. If it is of any comfort, we won't allow anything to happen to you."

You sighed, nodding and conceding to his words as you tried to keep your mind from running off with anxious stress. Naturally, you were well aware of your fragility compared to other species, but you hoped with your new weapon that you would be able to protect yourself from others. It was still nice to know that Malleus intended to keep you as safe as possible.

"It's just so hard to keep my mind off of it all, you know?"

Malleus stood in silence for a moment before he picked up the skull from your hands, setting it on the banister and turning towards you. You turned to face him as he caught your other hand, kissing the back gently as he guided you to place your first hand on his shoulder. He slowly began to sway with you as if in a small dance.

The enchanted skull seemed to sense the change in mood and began to softly play a slow rolling song similar to what had been on your mind before Malleus showed. He seemed to take the music in stride and began slowly leading you around the balcony to the gentle tune that turned rich and soulful. Something about the way his eyes gleamed in the dark seemed to enchant you as you allowed the Dragon to lead you slowly through the dance.

It became harder to focus on anything else excepting Malleus as your concern for the next day fell to the wayside. He was at least a very pleasant distraction from what was to come.

Each slow movement had you melting further into the Dragon's embrace as you trusted him to move you to the music. It was nice to forget about things for a while and slowly dance into unawareness with the powerful mage.

He even began to slowly try and hum with the tune of the song, as if he were enjoying the moment of time spent with just the two of you dancing beneath the moonlight. Slowly your eyes began to close as your head rest against his chest, listening to the Dragon hum and croon while he led you through the sweet dance. You didn't know exactly when you began to nod off in the Dragon's arms, but he was quick to bring you to your bed when you stopped dancing.

The last thing that occurred to your brain was the sensation of your clothes being magically changed to an outfit meant for sleep before you succumbed to the gentle embrace of sleep.

Outside of your sugar spun dreams of dancing to gentle music, the Dragon purred adoringly. His clawed hand gently dragging over the skin of your cheek as he smiled in response to your peaceful expression.

"May your dreams be pleasant, and your rest deep, my precious (Y/n). My most beautiful jewel..."

[ariahmichelle]

Fake It Till You Feel it - Part 1

Rafe Cameron x Reader Series

Series Masterlist Here

Summary- You see your ex with a new girl wrapped around him after he told you “wasn’t ready for a relationship” after you had slowly started to fall for him. The betrayal stings. Rafe Cameron is dealing with his own issue—Amelia, a girl who refuses to take the hint that he’s not interested. One night you impulsively pretend to be Rafe’s girlfriend to get her to back off. To your surprise, it works. You also notice Alex looking pissed. This starts to become an unspoken routine between you when either Alex or Amelia are around. Simple right? However, longer this goes on, the more the lines blur between what’s real and what’s not.

••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••

Part 1- The Beginning of a Game

The party at Topper’s house was in full swing. The air was thick with the scent of salt, sweat, and the faint smokiness of a bonfire burning somewhere in the distance. Music pulsed through the backyard, blending with the sound of drunken laughter and the occasional splash from someone jumping into the pool. It was one of those nights that felt endless, where the heat of the summer clung to your skin and time blurred between drinks and conversations.

And yet, despite the crowd, despite the energy, you felt frozen in place.

Your stomach twisted as your eyes locked onto the scene in front of you. Alex. With someone new.

He sat on the outdoor couch, drink in hand, his head tipped back in laughter at something the girl beside him had said. She was pretty—of course she was. Long sun-kissed legs, a perfectly put-together outfit that screamed effortless, and a confidence that made it obvious she had no doubts about where she stood with him. Unlike you. Unlike the way you had felt when you were with him—always wondering if you were reading too much into things, if his sweet words meant something more, if the way he looked at you held the same depth as the way you looked at him.

Turns out, it hadn’t.

Because when you’d finally worked up the courage to ask where you stood, to ask if he wanted more, Alex had fed you the same tired line you’d heard before: I’m not ready for a relationship.

And yet, here he was. Looking very ready.

Your grip tightened around the plastic cup in your hand, the cheap liquor inside suddenly making your stomach churn. It wasn’t that you wanted him back—you didn’t. But seeing him move on so easily, so carelessly, like what you had meant nothing… it stung. Worse than you wanted to admit.

You tore your gaze away, exhaling sharply, forcing yourself to shake it off. You wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten to you. You were better than that.

“You look like you’re about two seconds away from throwing that drink at someone’s head.”

The familiar voice pulled you from your thoughts, and you turned to find Rafe Cameron standing beside you, his usual cocky smirk in place. He was nursing a beer, looking effortlessly relaxed in a white button-down left undone just enough to hint at a tan and toned chest. His hair was slightly tousled, like he’d run his fingers through it one too many times, and his blue eyes flickered with amusement as he studied you.

You rolled your eyes, attempting to play it off. “Just enjoying the party.”

“Yeah?” Rafe took a sip of his beer, raising an eyebrow. “Because you look like you’re mentally plotting someone’s downfall.”

You scoffed. “If I was, you’d be the first to know.”

“Good to know,” he mused, tilting his head as he followed your previous line of sight. It didn’t take him long to spot Alex, and when he did, something in his expression shifted—just a flicker of understanding before the smirk returned. “Ah. Got it.”

You crossed your arms, defensive. “There’s nothing to get.”

“Sure.” Rafe dragged the word out, clearly not buying it.

You huffed, looking away. The last thing you wanted was to talk about Alex with Rafe Cameron, of all people. You and Rafe had always been… something between friends and playful antagonists. He was cocky, irritating, and had a habit of pushing your buttons just to see how far he could go. But he was also fun. Easy to talk to when he wanted to be. And right now, his presence was a distraction you desperately needed.

But before you could steer the conversation elsewhere, an all-too-familiar voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard.

“Raaaafe!”

You didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was.

Amelia.

The girl had been attached to Rafe like a leech ever since they’d hooked up at a party months ago. And despite Rafe making it clear he wasn’t interested in anything more, Amelia refused to take the hint. She always found a way to be near him, touching his arm, laughing too loudly at his jokes, batting her lashes in a way that might have been charming if it weren’t so painfully desperate.

Sure enough, when you glanced over, Amelia was already making her way toward Rafe, her blonde curls bouncing, her expression expectant.

Rafe let out a quiet groan, running a hand over his face. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

You smirked. “Looks like she found you.”

“She always does.” He glanced at you then, something calculating flashing in his gaze. And just like that, an idea struck. A terrible, impulsive, reckless idea.

“Want some help?” you asked casually, swirling the liquid in your cup.

Rafe gave you a wary look. “Help how?”

You turned toward him fully, standing just a little closer. Close enough that if someone were looking—if Amelia were looking—it would seem like something was going on between you two.

“Play along,” you murmured just as Amelia reached you both.

You didn’t give him time to question it. Instead, you turned to face him, resting a hand on his chest like it was second nature. “Ye babe,” you said, voice just loud enough for Amelia to hear. “I definitely think we should go on that trip.”

Rafe blinked, caught off guard for only a second before he caught on. A slow smirk spread across his lips. “Sure baby,” he drawled, slipping an arm around your waist. “Just you and me.”

You barely had time to process the way his hand rested against the small of your back before Amelia’s face twisted into shock. “Wait… you two are—?”

“Together?” Rafe finished, pulling you even closer. “Yeah. Thought you knew.”

You bit back a grin as Amelia’s eyes darted between the two of you, disbelief and irritation warring in her expression. It was almost too easy.

“Oh,” she said after a moment, clearly struggling to process. “I just… I didn’t realize. You never said anything.”

Rafe shrugged. “Didn’t think I needed to.”

You leaned into him slightly, playing with the fabric of his shirt. “We’ve been keeping things low-key,” you added smoothly. “But, you know, kind of hard now that everyone’s starting to notice.”

Amelia looked like she had just bitten into something sour. “Right. Well… I guess that makes sense.”

“Yeah,” Rafe said, sounding almost bored now. “Anyway, we were kind of in the middle of something, so…”

Amelia hesitated, looking like she wanted to argue, but for once, she seemed to realize there was no point. With a forced smile, she nodded. “Of course. I’ll… see you later.”

The second she walked away, you exhaled, stepping back slightly. “Well. That was fun.”

Rafe chuckled, dropping his arm from your waist but not moving far. “Not bad, princess. You almost had me convinced.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t deny the small thrill running through you. Maybe it was just the game of it, the ease in which you’d both fallen into the act. Or maybe it was the way you had caught sight of Alex from across the party—his jaw clenched, his eyes burning into the back of Rafe’s head.

Interesting.

“Maybe we should keep this up,” you mused, glancing at Rafe. “You get Amelia off your back, and… well, let’s just say Alex didn’t look too happy just now.”

Rafe tilted his head, considering. Then, slowly, he grinned.

“Let the games begin, then.”

——————————

Let me know what you think! Are you ready for part 2?

[xobunni0]

𝒷𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝒶𝒷𝓎

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐱 𝐟!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

➵ ℳ𝓔𝓝𝓤

- day 4 💌, wc- 2k

it didn’t happen all at once. falling for Shadow was like watching a candle burn, a slow realization that crept into your heart before you could do anything to stop it

at first it was enough just to be by his side. you were his friend one of the few he actually let in. and that had meant something. it still did. the long talks during quiet nights, the way he’d listen when no one else did, the rare smiles that softened his otherwise hardened expression

but at some point, just being friends stopped feeling like enough

maybe it was the way your heart quickened whenever he was near, or how his deep voice sent warmth in your chest. maybe it was the way his rare smiles lingered in your mind far longer than they should..

because how could you not fall for him?

Shadow wasn’t easy to understand, but you’d learned to understand him in your own way. he didn’t always say how he felt, but his actions spoke for him like the way he never let anyone else close the way he let you.

and that night, standing beside him beneath the stars it hit you all at once.

maybe it was only natural. maybe, deep down he also felt it too.

over time, the line of friendship became blurred.

it wasn’t a single moment that changed things, but a series of them the way his gaze softened when he thought you weren’t looking. the way he never quite pulled away when your shoulder brushed his.

at first, you told yourself you were imagining it. Shadow wasn’t the type to dwell on emotions. he was direct, rational. he saw the world for how it was or wasn’t and yet somehow you existed in the space in between.

you were certain

Shadow felt the same way about you.

it wasn’t just a hope or a foolish dream. it was in the way he looked at you, the way he spoke to you, the way he stayed. Shadow wasn’t someone who entertained relationships. he kept his circle small, walls high, but somehow you had slipped through the cracks. and he had let you.

you saw it in the way he noticed when something was wrong even when you hadn’t said a word. the way he said your name not just as a friend, but as something more.

but for all the certainty in your heart, Shadow hadn’t said the words. not yet

doubt creeping in when you least expected it.

it didn’t matter how many moments you’d shared with Shadow, how many times you caught him looking at you like you were something important. he had never said the words. never confirmed what you so desperately wanted to believe

and that was the problem wasn’t it?

Shadow had always been unreadable. his emotions were locked away, he wasn’t like other people he didn’t express things the way they did. and maybe… maybe you had been wrong. maybe you had been imagining all of it.

because at the end of the day, he had never said he felt anything for you

what if he only saw you as a friend?

the thought hit you harder than you wanted to admit, settling in your chest

you tried to push it away, to remind yourself of all the little moments that had convinced you otherwise but doubt had a way of twisting things, making you question everything.

maybe the way he looked at you was just how he looked at everyone he trusted. maybe his rare moments of gentleness weren’t what you thought they were. maybe you had misread everything.

after all

Shadow wasn’t the easiest person to keep close he often disappeared without a word sometimes, and didn’t always explain himself. you were used to that. you had learned to understand him in ways most people couldn’t.

but this was different.

lately, he had been avoiding you.

not in an obvious dramatic way Shadow wasn’t like that. no, it was subtle. something so small that if you hadn’t known him so well, you might not have noticed.

but you did

you noticed the way he always seemed to find a reason to leave before you could talk. the way his eyes, when they met yours now flickered away like he was afraid of something

and that hurt more than you wanted to admit.

had you done something wrong? had you misread everything between you?

you had told yourself over and over that you would be strong, that you wouldn’t let this consume you. that if Shadow wanted to push you away you wouldn’t chase after him. you wouldn’t let it hurt.

but that was a lie.

because it did hurt. it hurt more than you could stand

and now, sitting alone in the quiet of your room, the weight of it all came crashing down.

you buried your face in your hands as the first sob escaped once it started, you couldn’t stop. tears hot against your skin your chest tightening

why?

why had he suddenly started avoiding you? what had you done?

everything had been fine hadn’t it? the way he stayed close, the way he looked at you like you mattered it had all felt so real.

but then without warning he had shut you out.

no explanations. no words. just distance.

and it was driving you crazy.

your mind kept replaying every interaction, every conversation, searching for something anything that might explain it. had you said something wrong? had you only imagined that he cared at all?

the thought sent another wave of tears down your cheeks.

you weren’t naive. you knew Shadow wasn’t easy to read that he carried things he never spoke about. but this? this was different. this felt personal.

and the worst part?

you missed him.

even now, even after everything, all you wanted was to hear his voice to have him look at you like he used to, to prove that you hadn’t just been fooling yourself.

but he wasn’t here.

and you didn’t know if he ever would be again.

a broken sob escaped your lips, and you curled in on yourself, arms wrapping around yourself

“…What did I do wrong?”

Shadow never did anything without thinking it through. but now, standing just outside your door his heart raced in a way he couldn’t quite understand.

he had never been good at this. never been good at letting someone close at showing them too much.

but now, with everything between you and him, with the distance he had made between you, he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe just maybe you weren’t just a friend to him anymore.

and the thought terrified him.

he hadn’t meant to push you away. that had never been the plan. but what was the plan really? he had no idea how to be anything more than what he was. the thought of being vulnerable of letting someone in scared him more than anything else.

but as he stood there on the verge of knocking, something told him that maybe… maybe it was time to try. to take that risk no matter how much it made him nervous.

he knocked once. twice.

when you opened the door, tears stained the apples of your cheeks, you blinked in surprise. you had been expecting anyone but him. “Shadow?”

he stood there for a moment unsure of how to start. his eyes briefly flickered to the ground avoiding your gaze

“…We need to talk.” his voice was softer than usual

your brow furrowed and for a moment, you could see the worry flicker in his eyes something you rarely saw. “About what?”

he took a breath, trying to steady his nerves. “About us.”

your heart skipped a beat, and you didn’t know why.

you stepped back to let him in but he hesitated still standing in the doorway. something in him seemed torn, like he was battling himself over whatever he was about to say.

“I’ve been… thinking.” he paused, running a hand through his quills in frustration. “And I know I haven’t been clear with you. I haven’t been good at… this.”

his words made your chest tighten but you stayed silent waiting for him to continue.

Shadow shifted his weight from one foot to the other clearly uncomfortable. it was strange to see him like this

“I’ve never—” He cut himself off taking a breath, “I’ve never asked anyone this before. I don’t know how to do it. I don’t know how to… how to say it.”

a knot formed in your stomach, and you frowned slightly unsure of where this conversation was going.

“Shadow…” you started, but he shook his head his gaze finally meeting yours.

“I…” he started, his voice a little rougher now “…I’ve been thinking about you. A lot.”

you blinked, surprised Shadow rarely talked about his feelings, let alone let them spill out so easily. his gaze dropped briefly, like he was gathering his thoughts but then he met your eyes again.

“It’s like I can’t stop” he continued, voice quieter now almost uncertain. “I’m always thinking about what you’re doing how you’re doing… what it would be like to be near you. to just—” his words faltered for a moment like he was hesitant to put this into words. his hands gripping the edges of his gloves “I wonder what it would be like to hold you. to have you close, to…”

his breath caught, his words trailing off and he seemed to struggle with how to explain it.

“Shadow…” you whispered, unsure if you should speak or just let him continue.

he took a small step forward, closing the distance between you, “I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never been so… sure of someone. I don’t know what it would be like, to have you with me, to hold you and… just have you be mine. to be close in a way that no one else can be. I keep imagining it wondering what it would feel like.”

Shadow, who had always been so careful so guarded, was speaking to you like this? it was like everything he had kept hidden inside, every thought, every feeling was finally rushing out.

“I don’t know how to explain it” he admitted, his gaze never leaving yours. “But I can’t stop thinking about it. About you.”

you didn’t know what to say at first, but you felt it too the desire to be close to him in a way you only allowed yourself to imagine until now.

you could see that he was no longer holding himself back. he was letting you in

“I never thought I’d let anyone this close” he murmured, his voice almost a breath. “But… you’re different.”

before you could say anything, he reached out carefully almost hesitantly, his hand took yours in his, his thumb brushing over your hand

“I never imagined how much I would want this. Want you.” he admitted

“Would you… would you be my girlfriend?”

the words were quiet

for a long moment, neither of you moved. you stared at him, unsure if you were dreaming or if this was real.

Shadow, the person who rarely let anyone in the one who always kept a wall up, was asking you to be his.

he looked so out of place, so vulnerable standing there waiting for your response as if your answer could make or break him.

and in that moment, you realized that he was just as afraid as you were

the reality of the moment hadn’t fully hit. then with a slow smile you nodded.

“I’d like that.”

relief washed over him, and for the first time in a long while, you saw him truly relax. his shoulders dropped his expression softened and he took a small step closer.

“Really?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

you smiled a little wider nodding again. “Really.”

day 5 💌 on tuesday !

𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 ⏦ﾟᢉ𐭩 - 𓊆ྀི𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𓊇ྀི

[gottencents]

Causal Pt.3 - Yu Jimin

part one | part two

pairing. mean girl!karina x star soccer player!reader

synopsis. at Changryeo University, Yu Jimin or just Karina is the ultimate “mean rich girl” — popular, wealthy, and always seeking ways to stay on top. After setting her sights on Sunghoon, the charming soccer captain, Karina shifts her focus to Y/N, an up-and-coming soccer star with an unexpected breakout season. Unlike the polished Sunghoon, Y/N is more of an outsider who got by on talent but doesn’t fit the typical college elite mold. Realizing that Y/N is the only one who doesn’t care about the social hierarchy, Karina proposes a deal: they’ll fake date so Karina can boost her popularity, while Y/N gets protection from relentless attention. Reluctantly, Y/N agrees, and the two navigate a world of social manipulation, only to find that their fake relationship might lead to something more real than either expected.

The transition from pretending to be Karina Yu’s girlfriend to actually being her girlfriend was… surprisingly seamless.

At least, on the surface.

Y/N had already grown used to Karina draping herself over her in public, the stolen sips of her drinks, the way Karina would slip her hand into Y/N’s like it was second nature. The world still watched them with fascination, whispering about how the fake couple had somehow become real, but the difference was that now—when Karina pulled her closer in crowded hallways or leaned in just a little too much when whispering in her ear—Y/N no longer had to remind herself not to flinch.

Because this was real now.

Or at least, it was supposed to be.

Y/N was still trying to wrap her head around it.

There was no grand confession, no cinematic moment where they looked at each other and decided this is it. Instead, one night, after an exhausting practice, Y/N had found Karina waiting outside the locker room, arms crossed and an unimpressed look on her face.

“You’re avoiding me,” Karina had said, skipping past any pleasantries.

Y/N had blinked at her, still toweling off sweat. “I just had practice?”

Karina had huffed. “You know what I mean.”

And Y/N had known.

She knew that ever since the gala, ever since Karina had let slip that she liked being around Y/N—not just for the act, not for the attention, but for real—something had shifted. And Y/N hadn’t known what to do with that shift, so she’d done what she always did: kept moving, kept distracting herself, kept running.

But Karina had cornered her that night, standing her ground with a determined look in her eyes.

“I like you,” she had said, like it wasn’t the scariest thing to admit. “And I think you like me too.”

Y/N had swallowed. “Karina—”

“No,” Karina had interrupted, stepping closer. “Don’t overthink it. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just… be mine.”

And Y/N, for once, had let herself stop running.

She had let Karina take her hand, let her pull her into something softer, something neither of them had planned for but both of them had somehow ended up in anyway.

Now, weeks later, Y/N was still adjusting to the weight of belonging to Karina Yu.

“You’re staring.”

Y/N snapped out of her thoughts to find Karina watching her, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips.

They were in Karina’s dorm, curled up on her bed. Karina was scrolling through her phone, Y/N was pretending to study, but in reality, she had spent the last five minutes just… looking at her.

“I wasn’t staring,” Y/N lied, flipping a page in her textbook.

Karina hummed. “You were.”

Y/N sighed, shutting her book. “Okay, maybe I was.”

Karina grinned, setting her phone aside. “Admit it, you’re obsessed with me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “I just… I don’t know. You’re kind of nice to look at.”

Karina blinked, her usual teasing demeanor faltering for a split second. Then, quieter, “Oh.”

It was rare for Karina to be caught off guard. Y/N found herself holding her breath, watching as Karina tilted her head slightly, studying her in return.

Then, with a self-satisfied smirk, Karina leaned in, barely closing the space between them. “You know,” she murmured, her voice low, “if you wanted to kiss me, you could just do it.”

Y/N’s heart stuttered. “Who said anything about kissing?”

Karina chuckled. “You always think about kissing me.”

“Wow. Cocky much?”

Karina simply raised an eyebrow.

Y/N exhaled, feeling warmth creep up her neck. “Okay. Maybe I do.”

Karina’s smirk softened into something more genuine. “Then stop thinking so hard.”

Y/N didn’t. She just leaned in.

And for the first time, kissing Karina didn’t feel like a game or a performance. It just felt like them.

Falling into a relationship with Karina Yu wasn’t like flipping a switch. It wasn’t instant. It wasn’t easy.

It was something Y/N had to learn.

Because Karina wasn’t just the confident, untouchable queen of Changryeo University that everyone saw. She was sharp, yes—always teasing, always in control—but she was also infuriatingly particular. She had routines, quirks, and a certain way of doing things that Y/N hadn’t noticed before.

And now, being her girlfriend, Y/N was seeing all of them up close.

Y/N learned quickly that Karina was not a morning person.

Despite the effortless way she carried herself, Karina hated waking up early. She had an alarm set for 8:00 a.m. that she never obeyed. Y/N, who had early morning practice most days, would sometimes return to Karina’s dorm only to find her still buried under her blankets at 10 a.m., hair messy, refusing to acknowledge the existence of the outside world.

One morning, after practice, Y/N nudged her shoulder. “Karina, wake up.”

A groggy groan. “No.”

Y/N sighed, leaning over. “You have class in an hour.”

“I’ll get up in five minutes.”

“You said that twenty minutes ago.”

Another groan. Karina reached up blindly, wrapping her arms around Y/N’s waist, and dragged her down onto the bed.

Y/N yelped. “What the—Karina—”

“Stay,” Karina mumbled into her shoulder, voice still thick with sleep.

Y/N blinked, body stiff for a moment before relaxing. “…You’re impossible.”

Karina hummed, the smallest smile playing at her lips. “And yet, here you are.”

And just like that, Y/N lost the battle.

Being Karina Yu’s girlfriend in public meant attention.

Y/N thought she had gotten used to it, but she was wrong.

Because Karina had no problem with public displays of affection. If anything, she enjoyed it. The subtle way she’d link their fingers when they walked together, the way she’d tuck Y/N’s hair behind her ear in the middle of a conversation, the casual way she’d sling an arm around Y/N’s shoulders in the cafeteria like it was second nature.

Y/N, who wasn’t as accustomed to being openly affectionate, had to adjust.

One afternoon, they were standing outside a lecture hall when Karina suddenly leaned in, whispering, “Your collar’s messed up.”

Y/N barely had time to react before Karina’s hands were on her, smoothing out the fabric of her shirt.

Y/N felt warmth crawl up her neck. “I can fix my own collar, you know.”

Karina smirked. “But then I wouldn’t have an excuse to touch you.”

“Karina,” Y/N hissed, feeling the stares of passing students.

“What?” Karina said innocently, though her hand lingered against Y/N’s collarbone for a second too long before finally stepping back.

Y/N let out a breath. “You like doing this to me.”

Karina’s eyes glimmered with mischief. “Maybe.”

Y/N shook her head. “Unbelievable.”

But she didn’t push Karina away.

And Karina knew that.

Nights were different.

If Karina was difficult in the mornings and affectionate in public, then at night, when the world was quiet, she was something else entirely.

That was when Y/N got to see the Karina that no one else did.

The Karina who curled up against her while they watched a movie, tracing lazy circles against Y/N’s wrist with her fingers. The Karina who sometimes got lost in thought, staring at her phone like she was carrying the weight of something she couldn’t put into words.

The Karina who, despite all her confidence, had walls that Y/N was still learning how to climb.

One night, as they lay side by side on Karina’s bed, Y/N broke the comfortable silence.

“You’re quiet tonight.”

Karina glanced at her, then back at the ceiling. “Just thinking.”

Y/N turned onto her side. “About what?”

Karina hesitated. Then, softer, “About how weird this is.”

Y/N frowned. “What do you mean?”

Karina shifted, finally meeting Y/N’s eyes. “Us. This. I wasn’t supposed to—” She stopped, exhaling. “I didn’t plan for this.”

Y/N felt something tighten in her chest. “Are you saying you regret it?”

Karina’s eyes widened slightly. “No. Not at all.”

Y/N searched her face. “Then what are you saying?”

Karina sighed, rolling onto her side so they were fully facing each other. “I’m saying… I don’t know how to do this. I know how to flirt, how to play the game, how to keep people at a distance.” A pause. “I don’t know how to be with someone. Not really.”

Y/N swallowed. “Then we figure it out together.”

Karina blinked.

Y/N reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. “We don’t have to be perfect. We just have to be us.”

Karina exhaled, her grip tightening slightly.

“…Okay.”

And in the dim light of the dorm, with only the quiet between them, Y/N realized that falling in love with Karina Yu wasn’t going to be some grand, dramatic event.

It was going to be a thousand small moments.

And Y/N wanted to be there for all of them.

Y/N had always been good at adapting.

On the field, it was second nature—adjusting to a last-minute change in formation, reading an opponent’s movements before they even made a play. She thrived in the unpredictability of the game.

But dating Karina Yu? That was an entirely different kind of challenge.

Karina was unpredictable in a way that made Y/N’s head spin. One moment, she was teasing, effortlessly confident, making Y/N flustered in the middle of the cafeteria. The next, she was closed off, keeping her thoughts to herself, like she wasn’t sure how much she was willing to share.

Y/N wasn’t sure how to navigate that yet. But she wanted to.

Because the more time she spent with Karina, the more she realized—beneath the confidence, the charm, the perfectly put-together image—Karina wasn’t as untouchable as she made herself seem.

And Y/N wanted to be the one who saw her. Not the Karina Yu that everyone else admired from afar, but the one who had walls and hesitations and insecurities, just like everyone else.

She just had to figure out how to get through to her.

It started with coffee.

Karina had developed a habit of waiting for Y/N after her morning practices, often showing up with an iced americano in hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Did you eat yet?” Karina asked one morning as she handed over the drink.

Y/N took it, raising an eyebrow. “Are you trying to parent me now?”

Karina smirked. “I prefer the term girlfriend duties.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the small smile tugging at her lips. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“I know.” Karina gave her a pointed look. “But I want to.”

That part still caught Y/N off guard sometimes.

How effortlessly Karina fit herself into Y/N’s daily life. How she made herself present in the smallest ways—stealing Y/N’s hoodie when it got too cold, adjusting Y/N’s backpack strap as they walked together, sending a simple Good luck text before every game.

It wasn’t loud or dramatic. But it was intentional.

And Y/N was starting to realize that when Karina cared about someone, she didn’t do it halfway.

They sat in a corner of the café, the warm scent of coffee filling the air, as Y/N absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. Karina, on the other hand, was focused on stirring her drink, expression unusually thoughtful.

Y/N noticed immediately. “What’s up?”

Karina hummed, still looking at her coffee. “I was just thinking.”

Y/N waited, but Karina didn’t continue.

That was another thing she was learning—Karina wasn’t the type to spill her thoughts easily. If she hesitated, it usually meant she wasn’t sure if she should say something.

So instead of pressing, Y/N nudged her foot under the table. “Thinking about what?”

Karina finally glanced up, her lips twitching in amusement at Y/N’s persistence. “How you handle attention so well.”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

Karina leaned back, crossing her arms. “Ever since we made this official, people have been watching us more. Talking more.” She tilted her head. “It doesn’t seem to bother you.”

Y/N thought about it for a moment. “I guess I’m used to it? Soccer games get pretty intense sometimes, and there’s always a crowd.” She shrugged. “It’s just noise to me now.”

Karina nodded slowly. “That makes sense.”

Something about the way she said it made Y/N pause.

She studied Karina for a second before asking, “It does bother you, though.”

Karina exhaled, her fingers tapping against her cup. “It’s not the attention itself. I’ve had that my whole life.”

Y/N listened quietly.

Karina hesitated, then continued, “It’s just… different now. Because it’s about us.” She frowned slightly. “People aren’t just talking about me anymore. They’re talking about you, too. About us together.”

Y/N considered that. “And you don’t like it?”

“I don’t like that people think they know us,” Karina admitted. “That they think they understand what this is—what we are—when they don’t.”

Y/N felt something warm in her chest at that.

Because Karina wasn’t just talking about herself anymore. She was talking about them.

Y/N reached across the table, fingers brushing against Karina’s hand. “You know it doesn’t matter what they think, right?”

Karina’s gaze flickered to their hands before settling on Y/N’s face. “…I know.”

It was quiet, but it sounded like she was still trying to convince herself.

Y/N squeezed her hand once before letting go. “If it ever gets to be too much, tell me, okay?”

Karina’s lips parted slightly, almost like she hadn’t expected that.

“…Okay.”

And just like that, something between them shifted.

Y/N was starting to lose track of the number of nights Karina spent in her dorm.

It always happened naturally.

Karina would come over to “hang out,” which usually turned into her stealing Y/N’s bed while Y/N sat at her desk, finishing up assignments. Then, at some point, Karina would claim she was too tired to move and would just conveniently end up staying the night.

“Do you just not like your own bed?” Y/N asked one night, raising an eyebrow as Karina stretched out across her sheets like she owned them.

Karina smirked. “I like this bed.”

Y/N shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And yet, you let me stay,” Karina teased, rolling onto her side to look at her.

Y/N sighed, glancing at the time. “You’re impossible to kick out.”

Karina hummed in amusement but didn’t deny it.

They settled into a comfortable silence, the soft glow of Y/N’s desk lamp casting a warm light over the room.

Y/N, sitting cross-legged on the floor, stretched her arms above her head. “You’re stealing all my blankets again.”

Karina peeked over the edge of the bed. “Do you want me to share?”

Y/N narrowed her eyes. “Do you actually mean that, or are you just going to wrap yourself in them tighter if I try?”

Karina grinned. “What do you think?”

Y/N groaned. “I should just sleep on the floor.”

Karina patted the empty space beside her. “Or, you could just come up here.”

Y/N hesitated.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t shared a bed before. But this was different. They were together now. And something about that made Y/N’s heartbeat pick up in a way she wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet.

But Karina just watched her, patient, waiting.

Finally, Y/N sighed and climbed in. “If you hog the blankets, I’m kicking you out,” she muttered.

Karina chuckled, adjusting the covers so Y/N had enough. “Noted.”

And as they lay there, close but not quite touching, Y/N realized something.

Maybe figuring out this whole relationship thing wasn’t about getting it perfect all at once.

Maybe it was about moments like this.

The quiet in-between.

The warmth of knowing that, no matter how complicated things got, they were figuring it out together.

Y/N wasn’t a morning person. At all.

So, when she walked into the campus café at 7:30 AM, groggy from practice and barely awake, the last thing she expected was to see Karina already sitting at their usual table, scrolling through her phone like she hadn’t just woken up fifteen minutes ago.

“You’re too awake for this time of day,” Y/N muttered, dropping into the seat across from her.

Karina smirked, sliding a cup of coffee toward her. “You’re just too grumpy.”

Y/N took the coffee without question, sipping it and sighing as the warmth spread through her chest. “This is the only reason I tolerate you.”

“I’ll take it,” Karina said, unbothered.

They fell into an easy silence, Karina focused on her phone while Y/N tried to force herself to function.

Then, Karina’s voice broke through the quiet. “I have a dinner thing next month.”

Y/N cracked an eye open. “Dinner thing?”

“My parents,” Karina clarified, tapping her nails against her cup. “They want to meet you.”

Y/N blinked, suddenly much more awake. “Wait. Like—actually meet me?”

Karina nodded, watching her carefully. “I said yes.”

Y/N stared at her, processing. She and Karina had only been officially together for a little while, and they were still figuring things out. Meeting Karina’s parents felt… big.

“I—” Y/N hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

Karina arched a brow. “Why?”

Y/N sighed. “Because you know how I am with people. And you know how people usually react to me. What if they don’t like me?”

Karina didn’t answer right away. Instead, she set her phone down and leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “What if they do?”

Y/N let out a breath, shaking her head. “That’s not—”

Karina reached over, flicking her forehead lightly. “Stop overthinking.”

Y/N scowled, rubbing the spot. “I’m not—”

“You are,” Karina interrupted, smirking. “Look, I’m not saying you have to go. But if you do, I’ll be there. You don’t have to impress anyone, just be yourself.”

Y/N exhaled. It was easier said than done.

But Karina was looking at her like she already had her answer.

“…I’ll think about it,” Y/N finally said.

Karina smiled, satisfied. “Good.”

And just like that, the conversation shifted.

Later that week, they found themselves in the library. Y/N was buried in her textbook, half-listening as Karina absentmindedly scrolled through her laptop beside her.

“I don’t know why you even pretend to study with me,” Y/N muttered, highlighting a sentence.

Karina hummed. “Because you’re cute when you’re focused.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but felt her ears heat up. “That’s not productive.”

Karina turned her laptop screen toward her. “Fine. Want to help me pick an outfit for dinner?”

Y/N glanced at the endless tabs of designer dresses and suits. “You’re stressing about this more than I am.”

“I like to be prepared,” Karina said, as if that explained everything.

Y/N smirked. “And here I thought you just wanted to impress me.”

Karina’s lips twitched. “Do I need to impress you?”

Y/N shrugged, leaning back in her chair. “Wouldn’t hurt.”

Karina held her gaze for a moment before she closed her laptop and leaned forward, her voice lower. “Then tell me, Y/N. What would impress you?”

Y/N swallowed, caught off guard by the sudden shift in energy. It was moments like these—when Karina’s usual teasing softened just enough to make Y/N wonder if there was something deeper beneath it—that made her heart race.

“…Just be yourself,” Y/N said, repeating Karina’s own words back to her.

Karina blinked before a slow smile spread across her lips. “You’re getting better at this.”

Y/N shrugged, pretending to focus on her textbook again. “I learn from the best.”

Karina chuckled, and even though they went back to studying, the air between them felt warmer than before.

For all of Karina’s confidence, she wasn’t particularly good at waiting.

She had never needed to be. People bent around her, shaped themselves to fit her world. She dictated the pace of things—social circles, conversations, relationships. She decided how close people could get and when they had to step back.

But Y/N didn’t work that way.

She wasn’t something Karina could push and expect to move. She had her own rhythm, one that Karina had to learn to match.

So, she waited.

Not always patiently, but she tried.

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

Y/N’s voice broke through Karina’s thoughts. They were walking through campus together, Y/N balancing her bag over one shoulder while Karina strolled beside her with her hands in her pockets.

“Like what?” Karina asked, tilting her head.

“Like you’re waiting for me to do something.”

Karina smirked. “Maybe I am.”

Y/N shot her a wary glance. “What, exactly?”

Karina didn’t answer right away. Instead, she reached for Y/N’s arm, stopping her just outside the entrance to their next class.

“You’re still thinking about the dinner with my parents next month,” she said, watching Y/N carefully.

Y/N hesitated, shifting her weight. “I said I’d go.”

“That’s not the same as wanting to,” Karina pointed out.

Y/N exhaled through her nose, looking away. “It’s just… meeting parents is a big deal, you know? And you—” She glanced at Karina, then shook her head. “You have a certain image to maintain.”

Karina rolled her eyes. “You think I care about that?”

“You care about a lot of things you pretend not to.”

That made Karina pause. She blinked, caught off guard by how easily Y/N had read her.

“…Maybe,” Karina admitted after a moment.

Y/N looked at her then, and Karina recognized the expression—the careful calculation, the way she was holding back just enough to protect herself.

Karina sighed, letting go of Y/N’s arm. “You don’t have to prove anything, you know.”

Y/N looked at her for a long moment before nodding. “I know.”

Then, without another word, she walked into class.

Karina watched her go, the space between them feeling heavier than usual.

They were getting used to each other in new ways.

Y/N still needed her space sometimes. Karina had learned to recognize the signs—when Y/N tensed at too much attention, when she hesitated before answering a question, when she stayed quiet longer than usual.

Karina, for her part, still enjoyed pushing just enough to get a reaction. It was how she operated, how she kept people on their toes. But with Y/N, she had to be more careful, more deliberate.

Like now.

They were sitting on the couch in Karina’s dorm, Y/N flipping through her notes while Karina scrolled through her phone. It was one of those rare, quiet moments where nothing needed to be said.

And then Karina, because she could never resist, nudged Y/N’s leg with her foot.

Y/N barely looked up. “What.”

Karina smirked. “You’ve been here for almost an hour, and you haven’t kissed me yet.”

Y/N let out a slow breath, not even bothering to hide her exasperation. “I was supposed to?”

“Yes,” Karina said matter-of-factly. “That’s how this works.”

Y/N sighed, setting her notes down. “You’re impossible.”

Karina simply raised a brow.

And then, much to Karina’s surprise, Y/N leaned in, pressing a brief, warm kiss to the corner of her mouth before pulling back.

Karina blinked. “That was—”

“Now shut up so I can focus,” Y/N muttered, picking up her notes again.

Karina sat there, momentarily stunned, before a slow grin spread across her face.

Maybe waiting wasn’t so bad after all.

For all the ways they were learning to be together, there were still habits neither of them had figured out how to break.

Y/N wasn’t used to letting people in too easily. She was comfortable with the closeness that came from the soccer team—teammates slinging arms over her shoulders, shoving her around in celebration—but outside of that, personal space was something she guarded carefully.

Karina, on the other hand, was the opposite. She existed in other people’s spaces like she belonged there. She had no problem invading Y/N’s, touching her casually and often, making it feel like the most natural thing in the world.

But there were things Karina kept to herself, too. Things Y/N was only starting to notice.

“Stay over.”

It wasn’t really a request. Karina had said it casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Like it was already decided.

Y/N, however, hesitated. “I have practice in the morning.”

Karina, lying on her bed in an oversized hoodie, gave her a look. “So?”

Y/N shifted her weight. “So, I’ll have to wake up early.”

Karina rolled her eyes. “You wake up early anyway.”

“Yeah, but—” Y/N sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I don’t usually stay over at people’s places.”

Karina sat up slightly, resting her weight on her elbows. “You stayed over last week.”

“That was different,” Y/N muttered.

Karina tilted her head. “How?”

Y/N didn’t answer right away. The truth was, she had been exhausted that night—mentally, physically. It had been easy to fall asleep in Karina’s room when she was already drained. But doing it intentionally, knowing Karina wanted her to… that felt different.

Karina, watching her carefully, smirked. “Are you nervous?”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

Karina sat up fully, scooting to the edge of the bed. “You are.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but Karina was already reaching for her wrist, tugging her closer until she stood between Karina’s legs.

“You know,” Karina said, her fingers brushing lightly against the hem of Y/N’s hoodie, “most girlfriends would love to stay the night.”

Y/N exhaled slowly. “You’re assuming I’m like most girlfriends.”

Karina hummed, resting her chin against Y/N’s stomach as she peered up at her. “No. You’re different.”

Y/N felt her face heat up but said nothing.

After a moment, Karina sighed dramatically and let go. “Fine. I won’t force you to stay.”

Y/N let out a quiet breath of relief. “Thank you.”

Karina flopped back onto her bed, stretching her arms over her head. “But I’ll make you eventually.”

Y/N shook her head, grabbing her bag. “Yeah, yeah.”

But as she walked out of the dorm, she wondered if Karina was right.

Maybe she would stay.

Eventually.

Y/N didn’t make a habit of hanging around campus when she didn’t have to. She was either on the field, at her dorm, or occasionally studying in the library when the team got too rowdy.

Karina, however, seemed to exist everywhere at once.

Y/N wasn’t sure how it happened, but their schedules had started overlapping more and more. Karina had a habit of showing up at Y/N’s practice with an iced coffee, sitting on the bleachers like she had nothing better to do.

“Don’t you have classes?” Y/N had asked once, jogging over to her during a water break.

Karina had simply smirked. “I make time for important things.”

Y/N had scoffed, but she hadn’t told Karina to leave.

Still, there were moments where Y/N felt the weight of it all—the sudden attention, the way people watched them, how her world had shifted ever since Karina had walked into it.

She still wasn’t used to people asking about her personal life. She wasn’t used to waking up to texts from someone who wasn’t her teammates.

And she definitely wasn’t used to the way Karina could throw her off balance so easily.

It was nearing midnight when Karina called.

Y/N had been half-asleep, her body sore from practice, but she picked up anyway.

“Why are you awake?” she mumbled.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Karina said. “So, entertain me.”

Y/N sighed. “That’s not how this works.”

“It is now.”

Y/N rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. “You’re impossible.”

Karina laughed softly, but then there was a pause.

“I meant it, you know,” Karina said after a moment.

Y/N blinked. “Meant what?”

“When I said I liked being around you.”

Y/N didn’t answer right away. She wasn’t sure how to.

Karina rarely said things like that without a teasing edge. But right now, in the quiet of the night, she sounded… sincere.

“…I know,” Y/N finally said.

Karina hummed. “Good.”

Neither of them hung up.

Y/N could hear Karina shifting in bed, the faint rustle of sheets. It was oddly comforting, knowing Karina was there, even if they weren’t speaking.

Eventually, Karina’s voice came through, quieter this time. “You don’t have to figure everything out right away.”

Y/N exhaled. “I know.”

Another pause.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

“…Goodnight, Karina.”

And when Y/N finally fell asleep, she dreamed of someone pulling her closer, fingers brushing against hers, warmth lingering even after she woke.

For all the time they spent together, there were still moments when Y/N felt the space between them.

It wasn’t that things were bad—if anything, their relationship was moving forward, just at a pace neither of them fully understood. They spent time together, texted at odd hours, and somehow, Karina had managed to make herself a fixture in Y/N’s routine without her even noticing.

But there were still parts of themselves they didn’t know how to share yet.

Karina, for all her confidence and control, still disappeared sometimes. She was used to keeping things on her terms, deciding when and how people got access to her. Y/N had learned not to question it.

And Y/N—well, she wasn’t exactly great at talking about feelings.

So, they hovered somewhere between comfort and uncertainty, both of them waiting to see who would push first.

Y/N had barely gotten three steps into the cafeteria before she spotted Karina sitting at their usual table, scrolling through her phone.

She hesitated. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to sit with Karina, but something about seeing her outside their usual late-night conversations or practice visits made it feel different. More real.

Karina must have sensed her pause because she looked up, catching Y/N’s eye before smirking. “You’re thinking too hard again.”

Y/N sighed, running a hand through her hair as she approached. “I just woke up. Let me have a moment.”

Karina rested her chin on her hand, watching her. “Rough night?”

Y/N dropped her tray onto the table with a small thud. “Practice ran late.”

Karina hummed, eyes flickering over Y/N’s face. “Did you eat?”

Y/N frowned. “What?”

“Last night,” Karina said. “You were exhausted. Did you eat after practice?”

Y/N hesitated, which was answer enough.

Karina clicked her tongue, pushing a plate toward her. “Here.”

Y/N blinked at the plate—toast, scrambled eggs, and some fruit—before looking back at Karina. “Did you—?”

Karina smirked. “I figured you’d forget.”

Y/N wasn’t sure what to say to that. She wasn’t used to people noticing things like that.

So, instead of making a big deal out of it, she just muttered, “Thanks,” and started eating.

Karina watched her for a moment before returning to her phone, a small, satisfied smile playing at her lips.

Later that evening, they found themselves in Y/N’s dorm, the TV playing some random movie in the background while Karina scrolled through her phone and Y/N stretched out on her bed.

It was comfortable, easy in a way that should have felt strange but didn’t.

“You’re quiet today,” Karina said suddenly, not looking up.

Y/N, lying on her stomach, propped herself up on her elbows. “I don’t talk just to fill space.”

Karina smirked. “I know. But usually, you at least complain about something.”

Y/N huffed. “You want me to complain?”

“I want you to talk to me.”

Y/N frowned, shifting onto her side. “I do talk to you.”

Karina finally put her phone down, resting her head against her hand as she looked at Y/N. “Yeah, but not about real things.”

Y/N felt herself tense slightly.

It wasn’t like she was trying to hide anything. She just… wasn’t used to talking about herself unless it was necessary.

Karina must have noticed the hesitation because she leaned in slightly, voice softer now. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. But I want to know you, Y/N. Not just the parts you show everyone else.”

Y/N exhaled slowly, staring at the ceiling. “…I’m not good at this.”

Karina’s gaze didn’t waver. “I know.”

Silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Eventually, Karina shifted closer, close enough that their shoulders brushed.

“You don’t have to figure it all out at once,” she murmured.

Y/N turned her head, meeting Karina’s gaze.

There was something in her expression—something patient, understanding, but also quietly stubborn. Like she wasn’t going anywhere.

And for the first time, Y/N thought that maybe, just maybe, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Y/N wasn’t blind to effort—not when it came to Karina.

She noticed the way Karina adjusted her schedule just to match hers, how she made a point to show up for things that weren’t remotely interesting to her, like standing around in the cold after Y/N’s practice just to hand her a water bottle. She noticed how Karina paid attention, even in the smallest ways—reminding her of due dates she had barely glanced at, fixing the collar of her jersey without saying a word, making it look so effortless, like she was built to be the kind of person who always knew what to do.

And Y/N?

She wasn’t sure if she was putting in the same effort. Or if she even knew how.

It wasn’t that she didn’t care—because she did, maybe more than she wanted to admit. It was just that Karina made things seem so easy, and Y/N wasn’t used to… trying like this. Not in relationships. Not in ways that required thinking about someone else constantly, not in ways that meant adjusting her habits to make room for another person.

But she figured if Karina was willing to do so much for them, then the least she could do was try.

The only problem was that she had no idea where to start.

Y/N had been paying attention. She knew Karina had a habit of drinking coffee at the same time every day—one in the morning before class and another in the afternoon when the exhaustion started creeping in. She never complained about it, never acted tired, but Y/N saw the way her fingers tapped idly against the desk, the way she zoned out when she thought no one was looking.

So, on impulse, Y/N decided to bring her coffee. It wasn’t a big deal—just something small to say she was thinking about her.

What she hadn’t accounted for was that she had no clue what Karina actually drank.

Standing in line at the campus café, she stared at the menu like it would magically give her an answer. Karina seemed like the type to like something smooth, maybe sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. Definitely not black coffee—that didn’t match her at all.

By the time she got to the counter, she hesitated before blurting out, “A vanilla oat milk latte.”

It felt like the safest option.

She found Karina in their usual lecture hall, already seated, scrolling through her phone. Y/N slid into the seat next to her and placed the cup on the desk without a word.

Karina glanced at it, then at Y/N, a knowing smirk forming on her lips. She picked up the cup, examining it like it was some kind of rare artifact.

“You didn’t have to do this,” she said, but there was something amused in her voice.

Y/N shrugged, playing it off. “It’s whatever.”

Karina took a sip, then raised an eyebrow. “Vanilla oat milk latte?”

Y/N tensed. “Is that not what you drink?”

Karina tilted her head, expression unreadable for a second, before she smiled. “No, it’s exactly what I drink.”

Y/N exhaled, relieved. Karina just laughed under her breath before turning her attention back to the front of the lecture hall, sipping the coffee like she was savoring it more than usual.

Y/N wasn’t great at words. She wasn’t the type to come up with things to say that made people feel special, and she wasn’t naturally affectionate. But she was good at paying attention.

So, when she saw that Karina’s phone charger was barely holding itself together, she bought her a new one. When Karina left her laptop charger behind in the library, Y/N plugged it in before she even realized it was low.

She never pointed it out, never made a big deal about it. Maybe Karina didn’t even notice.

But Y/N liked the idea that even if she wasn’t sure how to say things properly, she could still show them.

The two of them sat in Y/N’s dorm, Karina curled up on the bed with a book while Y/N absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. It was a comfortable silence, not awkward, but Y/N could feel something lingering beneath it.

Karina had never asked her to change. She had never demanded anything from her. But she had given so much—of her time, her patience, her effort.

And Y/N had never really acknowledged it.

Setting her phone down, she exhaled. “I appreciate you.”

Karina looked up from her book, eyes flicking to Y/N with mild amusement. “Oh?”

Y/N cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably. “I mean, you do a lot. For us. And I just—I don’t know. I don’t say things like this, but I wanted to.”

Karina’s smirk softened into something quieter. She closed her book, setting it aside before leaning in just slightly. “I know.”

Y/N frowned. “You do?”

Karina nodded, watching her closely. “You think I haven’t noticed?”

Y/N wasn’t sure what to say to that. She had spent so much time worrying about whether she was doing enough, whether Karina felt like she was the only one making an effort. But now, sitting here, seeing the way Karina looked at her—not with expectation, but with quiet understanding—she realized that maybe trying, even in small ways, was enough.

Karina reached out, her fingers brushing against Y/N’s wrist before gently lacing them together. Her touch was light, like she was waiting to see if Y/N would pull away.

But Y/N didn’t.

“You don’t have to figure everything out right away,” Karina murmured. “I like you as you are.”

Y/N swallowed, looking down at their hands, then back at Karina.

“Yeah,” she admitted, her voice quieter. “You too.”

Karina’s lips quirked up just slightly before she gave Y/N’s fingers a small squeeze.

“Good.”

And somehow, in that moment, the space between them felt just a little smaller.

The days that followed felt like the space between them was slowly getting smaller. It wasn’t anything drastic—there were no big, bold gestures, no fireworks—but it was enough. Enough for Y/N to realize that she didn’t need to rush into figuring out everything with Karina. Not everything had to be perfect, and she didn’t have to have all the answers.

It was the little things. The glances shared when they were in class, the way their hands brushed when they sat side by side in the library, the moments where Karina would give her a small smile that seemed to say, “I get you.” There was no pressure to be anyone other than who they were—no grand declarations or expectations. It felt natural. Real.

But there were still moments where Y/N felt a little lost.

Karina was effortlessly confident, always certain of herself, always the one who knew exactly what to say, what to do. Y/N, on the other hand, was still learning—still figuring out how to be in a relationship without feeling like she had to play catch-up.

It was late one night when she found herself lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Karina was sitting on the edge of the bed, her phone in hand as she scrolled through something, her hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders. There was a comfort in the silence, but also a lingering tension. Y/N wasn’t sure what it was, but it was there.

Karina must’ve felt it too, because after a moment, she put her phone down and turned toward her.

“You okay?” Karina asked, her voice softer than usual.

Y/N blinked, momentarily startled by the question. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t realized how quiet the room had gotten. She nodded, but Karina’s eyes weren’t fooled.

“I’m fine,” Y/N said, not quite meeting Karina’s gaze. “Just thinking.”

Karina didn’t press further, though Y/N could feel the weight of her attention. She knew Karina could tell when something was off. It was one of those things about her—Karina was perceptive, always noticing things that no one else did.

“Wanna talk about it?” Karina asked after a pause.

Y/N hesitated, unsure if she even had the words to explain what was on her mind. “I don’t know,” she said finally. “I think I’m just… trying to figure out how to be this person you need me to be. You know?”

Karina’s expression softened, and she moved to sit next to Y/N, her presence close but not overbearing. “You don’t have to be anyone other than who you are,” she said quietly. “I like you the way you are.”

Y/N glanced at her, meeting her gaze for the first time that night. “But I don’t want to disappoint you,” she admitted.

Karina reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair behind Y/N’s ear. “You’re not going to disappoint me.”

The simple touch was enough to calm the nervous flutter in Y/N’s chest. There was something about Karina—something that made Y/N feel like she could breathe, even when she felt uncertain.

“I’m just…” Y/N started again, unsure how to put it into words. “I don’t want to be the one who’s always just… waiting for you to make things happen. I want to show up for you too.”

Karina smiled softly. “You do,” she said, her voice warm and reassuring. “You’re showing up right now.”

Y/N didn’t know if she could find the right words to explain how much that meant to her. All she could do was reach out and take Karina’s hand, intertwining their fingers, feeling the warmth of her touch. It wasn’t some grand gesture, but in that moment, it felt like the most important thing.

“Thanks,” Y/N said quietly.

Karina didn’t respond right away. Instead, she gave her hand a gentle squeeze, her eyes soft but knowing. There was no need to say anything else. They understood each other in a way that didn’t require words.

And as they sat there in the quiet, Y/N realized that sometimes, just being with someone—being present—was enough. It didn’t have to be perfect, it didn’t have to be fast. It could just be them, figuring things out together, one small step at a time.

That was the kind of love she could learn to trust.

The next day, Y/N found herself outside of the library, waiting for Karina, as usual. The sun was starting to set, casting a soft glow over the campus, and Y/N leaned against the brick wall, tapping her foot idly as she checked her phone.

She didn’t notice Karina approaching until she was right beside her.

“Hey,” Karina greeted her casually, her voice easy and smooth as always.

Y/N looked up, offering a small smile. “Hey.”

“I was thinking,” Karina started, her tone a little more thoughtful than usual. “We haven’t had much time just to hang out. Like, just the two of us, no distractions, no obligations.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “What are you proposing, then?”

Karina shrugged, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “I was thinking about grabbing dinner. No fancy places. Just something simple. You know, like a date.”

Y/N felt her heart skip a beat. She wasn’t used to the idea of dates, of planning out things like that—especially not with someone like Karina, who had always seemed like she was in control of everything.

But there was something about Karina’s offer that felt easy. Natural.

“Okay,” Y/N said with a small nod. “I think I can do that.”

Karina’s smile softened, her eyes gleaming with something unspoken.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. And right then, that was enough.

As they walked side by side, talking about nothing and everything all at once, Y/N realized that this—this quiet, slow pace of getting to know each other—was exactly what she needed. It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t flashy, but it was something that felt like it could last.

And for the first time in a long time, Y/N wasn’t worried about what came next. She was just happy to be right there, with Karina by her side.

The evening had arrived much sooner than Y/N expected, and as she stood in front of her mirror, adjusting her outfit for what she told herself would just be another casual dinner, she couldn’t shake the sense that something felt different. Karina had been hinting at this dinner for days now, and although Y/N had convinced herself it was just another one of Karina’s spontaneous plans, she had the nagging feeling it meant more than that.

The plan had started simple enough: Karina suggested they grab dinner after their classes. Nothing fancy, just something to take a break from the hectic rhythm of university life. But somehow, the dinner turned into something Y/N had come to see as a rare and special opportunity—an opportunity to understand more of what was between them, and to figure out how they worked together in this growing, awkwardly comfortable relationship.

Y/N finished adjusting her shirt and reached for her phone to check the time. 7:15 PM. Karina was supposed to be here in 15 minutes, and yet Y/N found herself with a familiar anxiety, even though the night had started off as nothing out of the ordinary. She paced around her room, trying to keep her nerves in check.

When the knock came at her door, Y/N didn’t expect the slight jolt of excitement that went through her. She straightened herself out, trying not to look too eager as she swung the door open.

Standing in front of her was Karina, as effortlessly stunning as always. Her outfit was casual but looked effortlessly put together, and her hair framed her face with an air of soft carelessness. She smiled when she saw Y/N, a small, knowing smirk playing at the edges of her lips.

“Ready?” Karina asked, her voice light and teasing.

Y/N nodded, trying to hide the flustered feeling rising in her chest. “Yeah. You’re on time.”

“Of course,” Karina replied, stepping inside. “I wouldn’t dare be late for our dinner.”

Y/N felt her heart skip a beat. There was something in the way she said “our,” something casual but intimate, as if they had been doing this for years.

The night air was cool as they made their way to the restaurant. Karina kept the conversation light, asking about classes, joking about professors, and making Y/N laugh in that effortless way she always seemed to manage. Y/N couldn’t help but notice how comfortable they were, and yet, a part of her still felt like she was walking on eggshells.

When they arrived, the restaurant was warm and inviting, with soft lighting and the kind of ambiance that felt both private and casual. It wasn’t too fancy, but it wasn’t just any place either. Karina had picked this spot carefully, and Y/N appreciated the effort. They were led to a cozy corner booth by the window, where the world outside seemed distant and irrelevant.

As they sat down, Y/N caught herself stealing glances at Karina. There was something different in the air tonight—a kind of tenderness that Y/N wasn’t entirely used to.

“So, what’s this really about?” Y/N finally asked, the question slipping out before she could stop herself.

Karina raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her seat. “What do you mean?”

Y/N shrugged. “You’ve been acting kind of… different lately. Not in a bad way,” she quickly added, “Just, I don’t know. Thought maybe there was something else going on.”

Karina’s lips curled into a slight smile, her eyes glinting with something Y/N couldn’t quite place. “I guess I’ve been thinking a lot. About us. About what we’re doing here.” She paused, taking a breath as though deciding how to continue. “I want you to know that I’m putting effort into this. Into us. And I don’t want you to think I’m taking it lightly.”

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in Karina’s voice. She wasn’t used to hearing her speak this way—so open, so vulnerable. It was like a different side of Karina was showing, one that Y/N hadn’t really seen before.

“I don’t think you’re taking it lightly,” Y/N replied quietly, her gaze softening. “I just… I guess I don’t always know how to keep up.”

Karina tilted her head, her expression softening. “I get it,” she said, her voice gentle. “I know I’m not easy to keep up with. But I don’t need you to be anything you’re not. I just want to be with you, however we figure this out.”

Y/N looked down at her menu, trying to focus on something other than the fluttering sensation in her chest. She felt conflicted—there was a part of her that wanted to lean into this, to let herself be swept up in the idea of what could be. But another part of her—one she had buried for so long—was cautious. Protective. She was used to handling things on her own, to keeping people at arm’s length.

“I’m trying, you know?” Y/N said, her voice quieter now. “It’s just… I’ve never really done this. Let anyone in like this.”

Karina reached across the table, her fingers brushing Y/N’s lightly. The gesture was small, almost casual, but it carried an understanding that made Y/N look up.

“You don’t have to do anything alone anymore,” Karina said softly. “You don’t have to figure everything out right away. I’m here.”

Y/N felt the weight of her words, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of relief. There was something comforting about knowing Karina wasn’t asking for perfection, wasn’t asking for all of her—just the pieces Y/N was willing to share.

The waiter arrived to take their orders, and for a while, they settled into a more familiar rhythm—conversation flowing easily as they ordered their food and shared small moments of laughter. The tension from earlier had melted away, replaced by an easy, comfortable silence that felt more like understanding than anything else.

As the night went on, Y/N found herself enjoying this side of Karina, the softer side that she had always tried to keep hidden behind her confident exterior. She hadn’t expected Karina to be so… patient. So real.

By the time dessert arrived, the two of them had relaxed into a comfortable silence again, occasionally exchanging glances and small smiles. They didn’t need to say much to communicate. It was the kind of unspoken understanding that spoke louder than any words could.

As the evening came to a close, Karina stood and offered her hand to Y/N, her usual playful smirk back in place. “Ready to go?” she asked, her tone teasing but with a hint of something warmer beneath it.

Y/N smiled, taking her hand without hesitation. “Yeah, I think I’m ready.”

The night wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be. In this moment, it felt enough. The quiet understanding between them was more than enough. And for the first time in a long time, Y/N realized she didn’t have to figure everything out. Not right now. Not tonight.

And with that, as they walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, Y/N felt like they were both figuring it out together.

The weeks continued to pass in a blur of routines and moments that felt, in hindsight, far more significant than they initially appeared. Y/N’s relationship with Karina had begun to take shape in a way that felt natural, though it was far from perfect. There were still times where Y/N would retreat into her old habits, times when the walls she had built around herself would rise up without warning. But Karina always seemed to understand, always patient, always giving her the space to breathe, to find her footing.

That Saturday, Karina invited Y/N to join her at a nearby park. It wasn’t a fancy dinner or anything extravagant—just a simple walk through the paths lined with trees. Y/N didn’t know what it was about the invitation that made it feel different. It wasn’t something big, but there was something comforting about it. A sense of quiet intimacy that felt more real than any of their previous dates.

Y/N arrived a little early, walking up to the park’s entrance and taking in the peaceful atmosphere. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, casting a soft golden glow over the park, the air crisp but not too cold. She found a bench under a large tree and sat down, checking her phone for messages, but mostly just killing time. There was something about the stillness of the park that calmed her, a place where her thoughts could settle in the quiet.

Karina appeared a few minutes later, her familiar figure walking down the path with her usual confident stride. When she spotted Y/N, her face lit up, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“You’re early,” Karina remarked, stopping in front of the bench.

“Guess I was excited to get out of the house,” Y/N replied, her voice light, though there was a quietness in it too. The words felt like a little bit of honesty slipping through.

Karina raised an eyebrow. “You? Excited? That’s a first.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but the smile that tugged at her lips made her words feel lighter than they usually did. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get used to it.”

Karina sat down next to her, close enough that their arms brushed. There was no immediate rush to speak, no tension in the air. They both settled into the quiet together, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind filling the space between them. It was moments like this, small and simple, that made Y/N feel like she could just… be.

“What’s on your mind?” Karina asked, her voice low, but not intrusive. It was the same gentle curiosity she always held, as if she truly wanted to know.

Y/N hesitated for a moment. She hadn’t realized how often she had been avoiding her own thoughts lately, or how much she had been holding back in this relationship. But Karina’s presence made it harder to ignore the things that weighed on her, and tonight, it felt like she could at least start to voice them.

“I guess… I’ve been thinking a lot about us,” Y/N admitted, glancing over at Karina. “And how we’re doing. How I’m doing.”

Karina didn’t say anything at first, just nodded as if giving Y/N the space to continue, her expression calm and unreadable.

Y/N swallowed, gathering her thoughts. “I’m… not used to this. Not used to having this, you know?” She gestured between them, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Having someone to be with. Someone who actually wants to be with me.”

Karina’s gaze softened. She shifted closer, leaning slightly in Y/N’s direction. “You’re not alone, you know? Not anymore.”

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat at the quiet sincerity in Karina’s voice. Her first instinct was to push it away, to doubt the words. But somehow, hearing them from Karina felt different. For the first time, she let herself consider that maybe she didn’t have to keep everything locked away.

“I don’t know how to do this,” Y/N confessed quietly, her fingers curling around the fabric of her jacket as if grounding herself in the moment. “I don’t know how to just… be with someone, without trying to protect myself or run when things get too close. I don’t know how to trust like this.”

Karina was quiet for a moment, as if processing Y/N’s words, and then, without a word, reached out and placed her hand gently over Y/N’s. The simple act of it felt grounding in a way nothing else had. There was no rush, no urgency in Karina’s touch—just a quiet reassurance that she was there, present, in a way that made everything seem a little easier.

“You don’t have to have it all figured out,” Karina said, her voice soft. “You just have to be willing to try. And I’m not going anywhere.”

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat at her words. She had heard similar things before, but the way Karina said it felt like a promise—a quiet, unspoken bond forming between them. It wasn’t about perfection. It wasn’t about having it all together. It was just about being there for each other, one step at a time.

The silence that followed was comfortable, filled with unspoken understanding. Karina’s hand stayed on top of Y/N’s, warm and steady. Y/N didn’t pull away. She didn’t feel the need to. For once, the walls around her didn’t feel like a necessity. Maybe they were still there, buried just beneath the surface, but Karina’s presence made them feel less… important.

“You make it sound easy,” Y/N muttered, the corner of her mouth tugging up into a soft smile.

Karina chuckled, her thumb lightly brushing across the back of Y/N’s hand. “I know it’s not easy. But we’re figuring it out, right? One step at a time.”

Y/N nodded, the words sinking in. Maybe it wouldn’t be perfect. Maybe they wouldn’t have all the answers immediately. But they were willing to keep trying. Together.

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the park, Y/N felt a quiet peace settle over her. For the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel so afraid of what might come next. Because in this moment, with Karina by her side, everything seemed like it was heading in the right direction. One small step at a time.

And for once, that was enough.

It was a pace Y/N could get used to—slow, yet meaningful. They would meet between classes, grab lunch when they could, and spend time together in a way that didn’t feel forced. But still, there was the underlying question of what came next. What would it mean to actually be together? To make this work beyond just late-night talks and stolen moments?

The answer seemed to come when Karina casually mentioned one evening, “My parents are coming to visit this weekend.”

Y/N blinked, unsure if she’d heard correctly. “Wait, what already ?”

Karina shrugged as she sat down next to Y/N on the couch, her usual playful smile softened with something more serious. “ They’re curious. And you’re important to me, so… I figured it’s about time you meet them.”

Y/N was quiet for a moment, her mind racing. Meeting Karina’s parents was a big step, one that felt like it came out of nowhere. They’d only been dating for a two months, and although they’d spent plenty of time getting to know each other, Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling that meeting Karina’s parents was something… monumental.

“I don’t know,” Y/N said, her voice uncertain. “What if they think I’m not good enough for you?”

Karina’s expression softened, and she placed a hand on Y/N’s. “Don’t overthink it, Y/N. They’re not like that. Trust me. My parents just want to meet the person I’m serious about.”

Y/N hesitated, still unsure. Meeting parents wasn’t something she’d done often, and she wasn’t exactly the most polished person in these kinds of situations. But at the same time, she wanted to show Karina that she was committed, that she was ready to take steps forward, even if it felt intimidating.

“I’ll do my best,” Y/N said finally, her voice firming up as she gave Karina a small, uncertain smile.

Karina grinned, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Y/N’s cheek. “That’s all I’m asking for. You’ll do great.”

The weekend arrived faster than Y/N expected, and with it came the anticipation of meeting Karina’s parents. She spent the morning pacing around her apartment, overthinking every possible detail. What would she wear? What if she said something wrong? Would they like her?

Finally, after much internal debate, Y/N settled on a simple but elegant outfit—nothing too fancy, but enough to feel like she was putting in some effort. Her phone buzzed just as she was about to head out the door. It was Karina.

“Hey, I’ll pick you up in 10 minutes. Don’t be nervous. Just be yourself. I’m sure they’ll love you.”

Y/N smiled at the message, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness flood through her. She quickly grabbed her jacket and keys, trying to calm the flutter in her chest. She couldn’t help but feel like this was a bigger deal than she wanted to admit.

When Karina arrived, she greeted Y/N with that same warm smile she always wore, her energy lifting the tension in the room as soon as she stepped through the door. “You look great,” Karina said with a grin, her eyes scanning Y/N up and down before meeting her gaze.

Y/N chuckled, rolling her eyes. “You look amazing as usual, but thanks.”

Karina’s lips curled into a small smile. “Ready for this?”

Y/N took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Karina’s parents lived in a spacious house on the outskirts of town, one that looked more like something out of a magazine than a family home. The drive was short, and soon enough, they were pulling up to the house. The large windows glowed warmly in the late afternoon sunlight, and the entire place seemed to radiate a sense of calm and stability.

As they stepped out of the car, Y/N could feel her heart racing again, her nerves bubbling up to the surface despite her attempts to calm herself. Karina must have noticed because she slid her hand into Y/N’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, remember what I said. Just be you. That’s all I want.”

Y/N nodded, squeezing Karina’s hand back. “I’ll try. But no promises.”

Karina laughed, her voice soft. “I’m not asking for perfection, Y/N. Just you.”

Together, they walked up to the front door, and Karina knocked three times before stepping back, a slight smile playing on her lips. The door opened almost immediately, revealing Karina’s mother, a tall, graceful woman who looked like she belonged in a high-end fashion magazine. Her face softened when she saw Karina, and she quickly embraced her daughter in a warm hug.

“You made it,” she said, pulling away with a smile before her gaze flickered to Y/N. “And this must be Y/N.”

Y/N felt her throat tighten. She was smiling, but she could feel the heat rise in her cheeks. Karina’s mom was beautiful, confident, and elegant—everything Y/N felt she was not.

Y/N held out her hand, doing her best to appear calm. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

Karina’s mom looked at her hand for a second before smiling warmly, taking it in her own. “The pleasure’s mine, dear. Karina has told us so much about you.”

Y/N glanced at Karina, who was standing just behind her, her eyes soft as she watched the interaction. “I hope it was all good things,” Y/N said, trying to make light of her nerves.

“Oh, of course,” Karina’s mom replied with a slight chuckle. “Now, come in. Your father’s just finishing up with dinner. We’ll all have a nice meal together.”

Y/N smiled nervously as she stepped into the house, looking around at the pristine décor, the warmth of the home contrasting with the more formal, almost corporate feel she had expected. It was the kind of house that made her feel small, almost out of place, but Karina was there with her—her presence grounding, her hand still firmly holding onto Y/N’s as they moved into the spacious dining room.

Karina’s father, a tall, imposing man with salt-and-pepper hair, stood when they entered the room. His demeanor was calm but sharp, his eyes assessing as they both greeted him. The tension in the air was almost tangible, but Karina’s smile never wavered, and Y/N found herself drawn into that warmth, into that safe space Karina had created around her.

“Y/N, right?” Karina’s father asked, his voice deep but not unkind. He extended his hand to shake hers, his grip firm but not threatening.

“That’s me,” Y/N said, smiling as best as she could, her nerves still bubbling just below the surface.

“Well, I’m glad to finally meet you. Karina has spoken highly of you. It’s rare that she talks about someone like this.”

Y/N glanced at Karina, who was looking at her with a slight, knowing smile. It felt reassuring, hearing that Karina had mentioned her in such a positive light. Still, meeting her parents was a whole new level of pressure, and Y/N couldn’t help but feel the weight of it.

Dinner was an awkward affair at first. There were polite smiles, small talk, and the usual questions about school, what Y/N was studying, and how she was adjusting to university life. But with each passing moment, Y/N found herself relaxing a little more. Karina’s mom was warm, easy to talk to, and her dad, despite his intimidating appearance, seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. Slowly, the nerves began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of comfort.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. And as the evening wore on, Y/N found herself laughing at stories Karina’s parents shared, getting drawn into the natural rhythm of their conversations. Karina’s dad cracked jokes about her childhood, and her mom added in her own observations, teasing Karina in ways that made Y/N smile—realizing just how much of who Karina was had been shaped by this family.

By the end of the evening, as they stood to leave, Karina’s mom pulled Y/N aside, a soft smile on her face. “Thank you for coming. You were lovely. And Karina—well, she’s never been so happy. That’s all I ever want for her.”

Y/N’s chest warmed at the words. “I’m glad. And thank you for having me.”

Karina’s mom gave her a wink as they walked out the door. “Anytime, Y/N. Don’t be a stranger.”

As Y/N stepped back into the cool night air, Karina’s hand slipped into hers once more, the two of them walking side by side toward the car.

“You did great,” Karina said, her voice low and warm.

Y/N smiled, feeling like she had just survived a test she hadn’t known she was taking. “Thanks. Your parents are nice.”

“They liked you,” Karina said with a smile. “And that’s what matters.”

Y/N looked over at Karina, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, and for the first time, it didn’t feel like they were two separate worlds colliding. It felt like they were finally beginning to carve out a space for themselves—one where they didn’t have to question their place.

And maybe that was the most comforting feeling of all.

[nakylvr]

teasing megan about how she doesn't have a mean bone in her body and that there's no way she can be dominant with reader until ur both alone then she shows how rough she can be how she is not a pillow princess (her words and this is her first time being dominant and has no idea what's she's doing but something takes over her)

dom!megan truthers rise ✊ happy birthday to my queen

7TH SENSE

warnings/tags: language, nsfw content, dom!megan, sub!reader, fingering (r receiving), orgasm denial, begging

minors dni

teasing your girlfriend was fun. mainly about how she didn't have a single mean bone in her body even if she tried to be mean, or that she could never even get near being the dominant one when it came to being alone. but, today you pushed your luck a little too far.

you two were at a friend's party, and maybe it was the environment that had started up your teasing towards megan, and maybe it was why she responded the way she did. the longer the night went on, the more you continued to tease her. you were never mean about it, but it was enough to tick her off slowly but surely. eventually, after one last comment, she snapped.

"megan, what are you-" you try to say as you get dragged by your girlfriend throughout the house, but the look she shoots at you has you quickly shutting up. she pulls you into an empty bathroom, closing and shutting the door, pressing your back up against the sink. "megan-" you try again, but before you can get anything else out of your mouth, megan kisses you with such force you can't help the little noise that comes from you at the action.

megan grabs you by your thighs, lifting you up onto the counter and standing between your legs, your back almost pressing against the mirror at her pushing against you. she bites down on your lip, a quiet gasp coming from you which she takes advantage of to slide her tongue inside your mouth. your hands grasp her shirt, bundling the material in your hands as her tongue explores your mouth. her hands rest on your thighs, one of them slowly getting closer to the waistband of your shorts. her hand dips into your shorts, her fingers feeling the wet spot on your panties and pushing the material to the side. she quickly finds your clit and slowly starts rubbing circles as you finally part from the kiss to let out a quiet moan. within a few seconds, she pushes a finger in you, with a look on her face that has you getting wetter than you already were.

"f-fuck!" you gasp as she starts a rough, fast, pace of thrusting her finger in you. "megan, s-slow down,"

"oh, shut up," megan replies in a low tone. "you're the one who was just trying to irritate the shit out of me, don't try to say you weren't," she says as she pushes a second finger in. "i'm not a fucking pillow princess," she grumbles in an angry voice. "you just had to go on the whole goddamn night."

"i-i didn't–" you're cut off by a loud moan escaping your lips when she slips a second finger inside you. your hand grabs her wrist tightly, your nails digging into her skin as she thrusts her fingers in and out of you at a pace you could barely keep up with. to say you were surprised would be an understatement, considering you had rarely seen this side of her before. it had happened once, but that was a while ago, and it was for barely a minute, so honestly you didn't think it would happen again. "fuck...please, please don't stop."

"didn't what?" megan taunts. "didn't try to piss me off? look at you now, you're begging me to fuck you." she curls her fingers experimentally, a smile forming on her face at the whine you let out, making her do it again. "you like that? huh? answer me."

"yes!" you nod quickly, your eyes squeezing shut at her gaze on you falling apart because of her. "i love it, i love it so much– oh my god!–" you gasp, your hips moving trying to meet her fingers thrusts, feeling the knot in your stomach tightening.

"you're so tight around my fingers, baby." she leans closer to you, starting to suck and bite on your exposed neck, leaving dark marks that will bruise and remain for the next few days. "are you close? you wanna cum, baby?"

"please! yes, yes, please!" you cry out, not even caring about the possibility that anyone could hear you from outside the door. "please, i'm so close! please let me cum, please, i promise i'll be good, please."

leaving another bite on your neck, megan feels your walls clench around her fingers, and she knows you're close. pulling away from your neck, she grabs your cheeks with her free hand to make you look at her, stopping her fingers movements which make you whine at the feeling. she slowly removes them from you, causing your eyes to open when she holds them near your mouth.

"baby, please don't leave me like this," you whine, hoping it'll convince her. it doesn't faze her, her fingers covered in your slick still in front of your mouth waiting for you to suck on. with a whimper, you open your mouth letting her push her fingers in, sucking them clean.

when she thinks it's enough, megan pulls her fingers out of your mouth, looking at you with a small smirk. "you're gonna have to wait until we get home if you want to cum after what you pulled, that's if you're lucky. understand?" she tells you.

"yes," you whimper with a nod.

"good," she smiles at you, pushing your panties back to their normal position and fixing your skirt. "let's go back."

[lovelylittlegrim]

This Give and Take

Steddie | Pre-Season 3 | letterman jacket | alt meeting | 2k words

Part 1

December 9th, 1984

It’s just starting to snow, heavy white flakes drifting down and catching in Eddie’s tangled curls, in his lashes. He sniffles hard, face numb with the cold. He tries to warm his hands by blowing into them, rubbing the moist warmth into his fingers before stuffing them back into the chilled pockets of his jacket.

He’s not dressed for this kind of weather, not dressed for December at all except the heavy boots and the layered jacket and vest combo. It does little to keep the cold from seeping into his skin. He hadn’t been prepared to be stranded in the middle of the night, somewhere between Hawkins and bumfuck nowhere. He’s dressed for the gay bar he just left In Indy, dressed for the press of hot bodies against his own as lights strobe overhead as liquor soaked breath ghosts along his neck.

“Christ.” His teeth chatter around the word, making it longer and warped.

He’s going to freeze to death out here all because he’s gay. Jeff is going to talk so much shit to Eddie’s headstone when they plop him in the ground after finding his body in the thawed out spring. Eddie will never know a moment of peace.

He stops walking, glancing behind him to peer through the thicker flurries beginning to rain down and wonders if it’s better to just turn back to the van. He thought he could make it to the trailer on foot, but the ground is slippery now and the snow is falling thicker than before.

He curses loudly, voice lost to the wind as he hunches down and tries to preserve warmth. He tucks his face into the collar of his thin shirt and breathes hotly. Just a minute, he thinks. He’ll take just a minute to warm up and then he’ll walk. Maybe even run if it gets him back into town quicker.

He can’t stay here huddled on the side of the road. He’s not that stupid. He knows he’ll freeze to death. So, gathering what little energy he has, he forces himself to stand back up and stomp through the growing trenches of snow.

It’s another thirty minutes of barely walking when he sees the flare of yellow cresting atop the hill he’s trying to make his way up. He squints through frozen lashes, heart pounding with hope at the sight of headlights coming towards him. He staggers off the side of the road, moving more into the street and waving a stiff arm wildly.

The car passes him and Eddie deflates. He gets it. Weird guy in all black on the side of the road at what can only be three in the morning… he’s not sure he would stop for them either. He could be a murderer. He is not. Obviously. But, to the driver, he could be. So, as much as he really hates it, he gets it too.

“Fuck,” he he croaks, stomps his feet to warm them up, they’ve gone terrifyingly numb, and just to stomp them because fuck, he might actually cry.

It’s barely a minute or two when yellow light drenches him again, this time from behind. Eddie swivels around, nearly slipping in the slush. The car came back, it had turned around for Eddie. It creeps up beside him on the other side of the road and Eddie contemplates freezing or being murdered because what kind of psycho would turn around for him of all people.

The driver's window rolls down, slow and squeaky, and Eddie’s surprised to see the face on the other side is a familiar one.

“Munson?” Steve Harrington is staring at him with furrowed brows from the dark recesses of his car.

“Harrington,” Eddie says back cautiously. He’s ready to beg for a ride, to promise a lifetime supply of weed and silence at lunch time if he has to just for a ride into town.

Harrington twists around in his seat, looking through the back window and then out the windshield, searching for something, before his gaze fixes onto Eddie again. “Dude, what the hell are you doing out here?”

“Just out for a late night stroll,” he stutters around a sharp burst of wind. “You know how it is.”

“It’s snowing.”

“Yeah, I did notice that,” Eddie nods. He clears his throat and gestures towards where he’d left his van. “My van broke down a few miles back, thought I could make it to town on foot but, uh, snow.”

“Shit,” Harrington says, voice edging into sympathetic.

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees.

Silence lapses between them, Harrington staring at him and Eddie staring back wondering how to ask for something he’s pretty sure Harrington won’t give him. They’re not exactly friends. They’re not anything to each other except two people who attend the same shitty highschool. Eddie’s surprised Harrington even knows his name, if he’s being honest. It’s not like anyone calls him by it, usually they stick to the moniker of ‘freak’. Or other, F words they’re oh so clever to use.

It’s not long, barely even a minute before Harrington says, “are you going to get in the car or did you really want to finish your stroll?”

“I,” Eddie blinks, “wait, seriously, you’re gonna give me a ride?”

“I’m not going to let you freeze to death on the side of the road, man.” Harrington frowns at him, brows pulling low. “Why do you think I stopped?”

“Because you didn’t know it was me?” Eddie clicks his tongue. “And really, Harrington, picking up hitchhikers is dangerous man, you shouldn’t be stopping for strangers. What if I was a murderer or something?”

The frown falls away, replaced with a snort of amusement. “I’m glad it is you and not a stranger — and I’m not really all that worried about murderers when it’s this cold outside.”

“You should be, this could be a murderer's favorite weather.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

“No, I'm obviously freezing my balls off out here.”

“Obviously.” There’s a small smile pulling at his mouth now. “So are you ever going to get in the car or do you have people to murder on your stroll?”

Eddie shakes his head, too cold to really laugh as he rounds the car and finally climbs inside. He does his best to stamp the snow from his shoes so he doesn’t ruin the interior of the expensive car. Beside him, Harrington rolls up his window and cranks the heat up higher, but Eddie is still shivering.

“How long were you walking?”

“Dunno,” Eddie mumbles, “an hour, maybe?”

He hadn’t exactly been looking at the time when his van died.

Harrington him and reaches into the backseat, his arm fumbles around for a moment, before he seems to grab whatever he’s looking for and yank it into the front seat with them. A swaddle of fabric falls onto Eddie lap and the colors alone clue him into the fact that this is Steve Harrington's letterman jacket.

“You can use that,” Harrington says like it’s the most normal thing on the planet and then he’s shifting out of park and into drive.

Eddie does use the jacket, pulling it around his trembling body desperate to be warm again.

“Thanks,” he chatters when he realizes he hasn’t said anything in a while. It’s not a long drive into town, but with the weather it's slow and cautious. The guy has to be going just over thirty.

“Don’t mention it,” Harrington says easily. Like it really is just that simple. Like the king of Hawkins high giving the freak a ride home is normal and not bat shit insane.

Speaking of…

“What are you even doing all the way out here so late?”

Harrington hadn’t been coming from Indy, he'd been coming from town and in Eddie’s experience, there’s literally nothing open this late except a few sketchy gas stations.

Harrington drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “I couldn’t sleep, went for a drive.”

“It’s snowing,” Eddie points out in the same incredulous tone Harrington had used earlier.

Big brown eyes glance over at him, amused. “I did notice,” he tells Eddie.

And, what is happening, Eddie wonders. Are they bantering? That’s weird, right?

Harrington shrugs then. “It also wasn’t snowing when I left the house.”

“How long have you been driving around?”

“I don’t know, an hour, maybe two.”

“Well, shit, I’m glad you couldn’t sleep man, otherwise I would seriously be screwed.” Eddie doesn’t let himself think about what could have happened.

He can’t believe he’s literally been saved by Steve Harrington of all people.

No one is going to believe him. Not that Eddie is going to tell anyone. Except maybe Jeff. For reasons.

“Yeah,” Harrington agrees.

Eddie holds his fingers close to the heat, they ache as they slowly regain feeling. The car is quiet with the lapse in conversation, the only sound the windshield wipers going full force.

“You can play something, if you want.” Harrington gestures to the radio. “There’s tapes in the glove box—I don’t think you’re going to like any of them, but…”

It’s better than the silence.

Eddie wiggles his fingers a few times, pumping blood back through them enough to get them to clumsily work. He pulls out several cassets and snorts when he sees the artists.

Harrington glances over. “I said you weren’t going to like them.”

Eddie holds one up, head shaking even as he decides to pop it into the player. “Should have known you would be into tears for fears.”

“They’re a good band.”

“They’re okay.”

“Just because they’re not always screaming—“

“It’s not about the screaming—“

“Sure.”

Eddie twists the volume, not high enough to cut off conversation but just enough to hear it over the blizzard happening around them. He does actually like tears for fears. He likes the lyrics. He’s not going to tell Steve Harrington that though.

“What were you doing out so late,” Harrington asks after the first song ends and the next one begins.

“Was coming back from Indy.”

“This late?”

“Yeah well things really didn’t go as planned.”

Harrington snorts a quiet laugh. “Yeah, I see that.” He drums along lightly to the beat. “Were you at a bar?”

Eddie's heart leaps up to his throat before he realizes Harrington isn’t asking about a gay bar. Why would he be? He’s just asking about a bar. A regular hole in the wall bar.

“Yeah, the drinks are better.”

“Expensive,” Harrington mumbles.

Eddie’s hums his agreement.

It’s a long drive to the trailer park, but surprisingly not awkward. They keep up conversation throughout the hour's drive. Mostly it’s Eddie making fun of Harrington's music and Harrington defending himself and his choices. It’s surprisingly easy.

Eddie doesn’t think about directions a single time until they’re pulling into the trailer park and edging up to Eddie’s trailer. Eddie stares at his home with relief and surprise.

“You know where I live?”

“I’ve been here a few times,” Harrington says, “with, uh, Tommy and carol.”

Ah.

He’s been a tagalong to Hagan’s drug deals.

“I always stayed in the car,” he explains further but Eddie already gleaned that much. He’s surprised Harrington knows which trailer is his though, they do all kind of look alike.

“Right.”

Steve turns the volume lower, like he needs something to do with his hands.

Eddie shoves open the door, cursing when a burst of sharp cold air washes over them. He clambers out, leaves the door open a crack to say thanks again.

Harrington nods, mouth parting like he’s going to say something, his dark eyes flicking over Eddie but then he just nods. “You’re welcome, man.”

“Uh, drive safe.” Eddie shuts the door and waves before hurriedly bounding up the few steps and tumbling inside the trailer.

It’s not until he hears the low purr of Harrington's car fade away and he’s kicked off his soaked socks that he realizes he’s still wearing the letterman. It smells like expensive cologne and hairspray.

“Shit.”

How the hell is he supposed to give this back?

This was only supposed to be one part but now I have a second part AND two alternate endings for it in the works.ugh

[sorryimananti-romantic]

The Leaders | Chapter IV

"this is the underworld that no one escapes from."

masterlist

ot8!ateez x f!reader, mafia au

chapter warnings: drinking, illegal businesses, mentions of violence, war/military and weapons, almost car accident, maknaes are finally introduced! wholesome interactions with the maknaes, hongjoong is the unintentional tease, yunho is the intentional tease, yeosang is the oblivious tease.

chapter wc: 12k

chapter synopsis: you accompany hongjoong to the station and meet inspector gong in regards to a drug case. you plant baits and grab lunch at the bar with hongjoong. hongjoong convinces you to become his secretary with words of affirmation. you finally go to meet the rest of the crescents at the warehouse but a sudden attack makes you wonder if you’re worth all the trouble you’ll bring the crescents, though yunho is there to make you feel better.

prev chapter recap: yunho verifies with kihyun that secretary park is not the man for their new deal. hongjoong notices how secretary park is not surprised to hear that they are aware of his dealings with foreigners– with strictland. he makes the connection and realises that you are the illegitimate daughter of secretary park. no longer having to hide your identity, you candidly discuss with yunho about the strictland nuclear base and who might be involved if it’s presumably inactive status is a lie. you start to handle the illegal side of the business as well and one night, save yunho from an attack which ends up shifting your relationship with him. he overwhelms and confuses you with his casual manner and you go find solace in yeosang’s office (and arms).

With Jihoon away on business at the Sector 1 port, accompanying Seonghwa to oversee the illegal departure of Black Shadow to Mist Island, the midday slot was packed with just you and Eunha to take care of the reports and to deal with the aftermath of the police’s initial investigation after receiving a false tip about drug dealing. You confirmed that the Crescents were not involved but the damage has been done. Apparently, some inspectors had always been on the Crescent’s tail, ready to catch them in the act, waiting for a chance to see the Crescent’s slip. While it was frustrating to hear that the police weren’t doing their job properly, your annoyance only magnified when you learned that they were demanding that one of the Crescents visit the station to clear things up. 

Since Yunho was occupied at the port with Seonghwa, making sure the illegal shipment left Eden waters safe and unnoticed, that left Hongjoong in the office and San and Yeosang at the bar. Hongjoong decided that he needed to set the record straight with the police and decided to use this opportunity to shift their attention elsewhere. With a clear plan in his head, he exited his room and spotted you working alongside Eunha. 

And when your gaze connected with his, you found him already pointing his finger in your direction.

“You. You’re coming with me.”

You frowned in confusion, pointing at yourself and he nodded in confirmation, ordering ‘downstairs in 2 minutes!’, before disappearing down the stairs, leaving you to process the command on your own.

“Just go– I’ll take care of this,” Eunha assured you and you took a deep breath, grabbed your net gloves and coat, and made your way downstairs. The boss was already at the door waiting with his umbrella– it was raining quite heavily outside. You picked your own from the stand by the doorway, hurriedly getting inside his car that was already at the front of the office– the latest Bentley model befitting the boss of the Crescent Company. Taeyong, Hongjoong’s bodyguard, was driving and he greeted the two of you. 

“We’re going to the station, by the way,” Hongjoong told you when you got comfortable and you appreciated that he gave you a heads-up. “There’s still someone on our case and I have to talk to a certain inspector anyway. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.”

“Right. Are you sure you have to go personally?” You asked. “I mean… if it’s not necessary someone else could go in your stead?”

“Inspector Gong only seems to listen to me,” Hongjoong scoffed, looking outside at the pattering rain. There seemed to be an old connection with the inspector, but then again, the Crescents probably knew every single person who lived at least in Sector 1. Your brows quirked at the familiar name. Where had you heard it? 

“I’m thinking I might point him towards General Wi,” Hongjoong continued, this time locking eyes with you. “If he starts investigating in that direction, it should eventually lead him to Secretary Park.”

“It’s quite easy to silence someone though– especially a cop. Their loyalty lies with money,” you reminded him. “I’ve seen officers give in to as little as 60 krodus.”

You had personally witnessed your brother Sunghoon bribe an officer who caught him smoking some drugs in a deserted alley. That was when you started to keep tabs on your brother, hoping to find his weakness. Instead, you found him handing that little amount with a  pat to the officer. You tried to justify it– perhaps, the officer needed to buy a good meal for his children, but your respect for officers significantly declined afterwards.

“Not all of them,” Hongjoong smirked. “Inspector Gong’s morals seem to be his downfall.”

“Sounds like someone I know,” you shifted your focus to Hongjoong. “For the leader of a criminal organisation, you’re quite a man of morals yourself.”

Hongjoong considered that, his brow arching as he hummed in response. “What exactly did an Edenary citizen think Ateez was?”

“Not so organised, for starters,” you admitted and he shook his head in amusement. “More like a street gang?”

“We were once a street gang,” Hongjoong confirmed. “Just like Kihyun’s gang. You’re very familiar with them– was it a surprise that we operate like them?”

“Well, I never got to hear much about their street gang period before they became a respectable organisation,” you replied. “I’ve always just known them to be owners of MX Pharmaceuticals. Crescent, however…”

“Let’s hear what’s on your mind,” Hongjoong urged you to continue when he noticed that you were restraining yourself from saying more. “Come on, I’ve been called worse than ‘a man with morals’.”

“Just never expected you to have some really strict ones, that’s all I’m saying,” you raised your hands in surrender. “It’s kind of admirable. And you’re also really misunderstood.”

“Or maybe you’ve only seen the good parts yet. Ever wonder about that?” 

Well, you thought. That was one way to put it. You dared a look at the boss who was fiddling with his pocket watch– a golden little thing with an hourglass etched on its cover. He caught you staring at it and smiled. 

“Do you want to know who gave me this watch?” Hongjoong asked and you blinked in surprise at the question– you both had rarely ever talked outside of work so this was new. You nodded in answer, genuinely wanting to hear the story behind this watch because it seemed to be a part of his personality.

“I was a part of Major General Wi’s squad during the war,” he said and a surprised ‘oh’ erupted from your mouth as your brain tried to connect the dots. “During the war, I had to let go of a lot of things to think like a true strategist. I had to consider every option and not let sentiments waver me. A lot of decisions that I made during that time cost us lives. I may have been honoured in the end because every decision I made was for the ‘greater good’, but if I was a man of morals, Luna, I would have done things a bit differently.”

For a few moments, you let the familiar pitter-patter of the rain fill the silence of the car following Hongjoong’s admission. You recalled what Kihyun had said about Ateez. Children of war. They had to let their innocence go when they got drafted due to the ‘over-17’ law that ensured all capable individuals over the age of 17 served in the war. They were only teenagers when they went to the war, to fight for their land, but when they returned…

“Is that why you keep your watch with you?” You finally asked. “To remind yourself that you’re not all that moral?”

“Kind of,” Hongjoong shrugged nonchalantly.

“I think it could also be a reminder that you are aware of the fact that you made those decisions. Do they keep you up at night?”

“Often,” he admitted with a slow but sure nod. There was no shame in admitting that the horrors of war kept you up at night when everyone had experienced the same. 

“That’s a good sign,” you told him. “Because some of the elites who controlled the tides of war at the backend, who are the real reason Eden lost so many lives… they sleep like babies at night. They carry no remorse or guilt. And my moral compass says that those kinds of humans are no different than animals.”

The boss nodded slowly. He knew that it was true but hearing those words from you somehow left a warm, tingling sensation through his chest. 

You noticed how he zoned out and let him be until you spotted the station. “We’re here,” you gently said, bringing him out of his trance. He nodded, dropping the watch back inside his pocket and Taeyong stopped the car, opening the door for Hongjoong. It wasn’t raining as hard now, just a light shower so you both didn’t bother to open the umbrella, though Hongjoong took his inside, hand covering the gold eagle hilt.

You stayed right by his side as you navigated through the musky smelling corridors of the station. It looked like everyone recognised Hongjoong. They either stepped aside and merged with the shadows, essentially clearing the path for him, or scrambled forward to greet him over-enthusiastically. You pursed your lips in amusement– it was clear what sort of relationship he had with each officer. 

One of the officers saluted military-style and Hongjoong saluted back. He led you to what you assumed was Inspector Gong’s office and you seated yourselves on the chairs in the small, haphazard room.

“The Inspector will be here shortly. Would you like a drink in the meanwhile, Colonel? Coffee or tea?”

“I’m good, thank you,” Hongjoong said and you shook your head in answer as well. He waited until the officer left before saying, “Their coffee has to be the most stale beverage I’ve ever had the misfortune of trying.”

You half-smiled. “Can’t expect much from a station that looks like this,” you pointed at the peeling paint on the walls and the rough furniture in the room, if you could look past the initial shock of all the disorganization of the reports, boxes and documents. “Was that someone you knew from the military?”

“No,” Hongjoong said. “But he probably recognises me.”

“And the people who recognised you but scurried away like rats?”

“They recognise me better,” Hongjoong smirked and you smiled in resignation. 

A few moments later, a middle-aged man with a pile of folders managed to get inside the room without help and set the pile on the desk with a thud, grunting in exhaustion. He ran a hand through his wavy dark hair and muttered something about how it had been awfully busy lately before brushing his simple, creased clothes and straightening.

“I see you made it here.” He cast a wary glance at Hongjoong.  

“Better than you coming at mine and poking at everything, trying to find a snark,” Hongjoong mocked and you would have found it amusing had you not been staring at the inspector, finding him oddly familiar. He scanned you slowly and his brows wrinkled.

“I’m sorry, have we met before?”

“I don’t think so?” You weren’t sure.

“She’s my new secretary,” Hongjoong said, glancing at you for a second before turning his attention to the inspector. “Now… what’s this new mess your cops have involved us in?”

“Oh, the drug dealing,” Inspector Gong finally took a seat. “You don’t have to worry about it too much. I found another lead just now so you’re off the hook.”

Hongjoong grunted in annoyance. “Should’ve sent a message then.”

“Well, it’s nice to see you were so eager to clear your name for once,” Inspector Gong said curtly. “We don’t want it to affect your new deal, after all.”

“Whatever might you be talking about?” Hongjoong feigned ignorance but the way the two were smiling at each other, you were sure the communication didn’t need words.

“Who knows? Anyways, I heard you have something interesting for me, which is new. Let’s hear it.”

“Maybe I just came here so I could see you,” the boss teased and Inspector Gong’s smile fell– he was beginning to get tired now. You stifled a smile at your boss’ antics. “Alright, I’ll tell you. You might want to send your leads regarding the drug case to the Edenary Station. And while you’re at it, you might want to take a look at what Park Pharmaceuticals have been up to lately.”

“Park Pharmaceuticals? Park Byung Eun, isn’t that the President's secretary?”

“That’s right,” Hongjoong confirmed. “I heard the drug that you found recently is something new. It’s not uncommon to look into every pharmaceutical company, isn’t that so? Our company, MX, we’re only distributors for now, so you should be looking into companies that actually manufacture.”

“I’m sure someone acquainted with the president won’t have his people using drugs illegally,” Inspector Gong said. “Or he might not be aware that it’s happening. It’s a big company and he can’t have everything under control.”

“Maybe you just need to focus on the source of the drug rather than look for consumers or distributors,” you quipped. Inspector Gong looked at you with curiosity.

“And what’s your name, Miss?”

“Jeon y/n,” you said. “Also, while you investigate… maybe check if some of Assemblyman General Wi’s men have been consuming those drugs. I’m not saying he’s at fault, but like you said earlier, they are a big gang in Edenary and it’s not uncommon for gang members to deal drugs. Right?” You looked at Hongjoong who was stifling a smile. He nodded subtly in your direction.

Inspector Gong watched you two with interest. “Okay. If you insist. Though you might be trying to throw me off the scent.”

“I never said you didn’t have to keep looking into us,” Hongjoong raised his hands in surrender. “But maybe… broaden your horizons a bit.”

With that, Hongjoong got up and you followed. As soon as you both settled in the car, Hongjoong snickered at you. You raised a brow in question.

“Good job there. I can see why the boys have taken a liking to you.”

You couldn’t keep your cheeks from flushing at the remark. You shrugged in answer. “Has he always been stationed here?”

“He was demoted from the Edenary Station a few years ago, actually,” Hongjoong said. “Do you recognise him?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t recall,” you admitted and he nodded. “Do you think he will find something out of this wild goose chase?”

“Definitely. All he needs is a whiff– he’s a hound,” Hongjoong shook his head. “Once he gets a scent of something, he won’t let go until he’s satisfied.”

“Sounds like a person you should keep close,” you commented and Hongjoong agreed. 

“Your shift is over, right? Did you have lunch yet?” Hongjoong asked and you shook your head no. “I’m going to the bar– I have a few things to discuss with Yeosang and San. You can stay and have lunch with us, if you would like.”

Have lunch with the boss? 

“If you’re going to be our new secretary,” Hongjoong teased– a little joke Seonghwa had a habit of making that you should be Hongjoong’s personal secretary, “You should get used to travelling around with me.”

“You can’t seriously be considering that,” you gave him a wan smile. Hongjoong only grinned in answer, taking that as a yes.

The ride to the bar had you sorting out everything you had learned today. Hongjoong’s connection with Assemblyman General Wi was interesting, especially considering that Hongjoong served under him during the war. Inspector Gong’s familiar face and the fact that he was an Edenary citizen was also something you couldn’t simply dismiss.

Before you knew it, the short trip was over and you were outside the bar. Now that the sky was clearing, Hongjoong clicked a button on his umbrella to extract a cane from it before getting out of the car. You had seen the cane on him sometimes, a beautiful black thing with a golden eagle hilt. You were half sure it was also some sort of a weapon.

Upon entering, the employees greeted their boss and lit up at the sight of you, their old coworker. You greeted them back with equal enthusiasm, taking their jokes and teasing jabs because you with the boss!? Hongjoong went straight to Yeosang’s office and you followed behind him, shutting the door while the men shared a brief hug.

Yeosang was surprised to see you two together. “How come?” 

“Thought I’d take our little bookkeeper around and show her how things work around here,” Hongjoong said, taking off his coat and hanging it on the stand. You did the same, feeling a bit awkward due to Hongjoong’s presence– it had always been you and Yeosang, or San. 

And well… after your little moment with Yeosang that drunken night, it was your first time seeing him. Now in a deep brown sweater with the sleeves rolled to bare his muscular forearms, his expectant gaze as he looked at you, tendrils of brown hair falling over his face– it wasn’t helping you at all.

Yes. You definitely needed a break.

Yeosang nodded at you in acknowledgement, failing to contain his smile– he was bad at hiding his emotions and Hongjoong just knew that he was pleased to see you here. You took a seat next to Hongjoong in front of the desk.

“So, Luna,” Yeosang started. “How has it been so far? Want to come back to your previous post?”

“Sounds tempting because your boss thinks I can handle more workload,” you pointed at Hongjoong with your thumb and he shook his head.

“Ay, don’t be like that now. I’m keeping her, Yeosang. She knows what she’s doing and I like that.”

You accepted your fate with a dejected sigh and the two shared a laugh. The boys recollected the events since the last time they met while they waited for San to arrive. You noticed how they shared even the trivial things–

“I ate lunch at BB Trippin’ yesterday. You have to try their ramen– I swear I haven’t had such a ramen in ages.”

“Seonghwa and I lost a bet to Yunho and we now owe him 5 krodus. That lucky bastard always wins.”

With the waiter’s call indicating San’s arrival, you shifted to Room no. 1 where San was making sure there was enough food and drinks and at the sight of his boss, he lit up, coming forward to hug him briefly. 

And then he saw you and lit up even more, making you laugh a bit. You settled down on the very chair you had sat when Seonghwa had passed his judgement on you– only a few weeks had passed since then but a lot had changed. San’s presence, however, still comforted you just as much as it did before.

As did Yeosang’s, but… it held a weird note today.

While you ate lunch and caught up with each other, Yeosang, who was sitting next to you, nudged you with his elbow and you glared at him, the warning in it melting when you saw the apples of his cheek become more prominent as he tried to stifle a smile. “So… how have you been?”

“I’m right in front of you, Yeosang,” you said as casually as you could. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Missed me?”

“Hmm… not really, no,” you responded, putting a spoonful of rice in your mouth as he smirked. “I’ve been far too busy to think of you.”

“So you do think about me,” he teased.

“It would be unnatural to not think of you,” you feigned normalcy again but Yeosang wasn’t having any of it.

“Say, when do I get the tipsy Luna back? I don’t think I’m a fan of the sober Luna…”

“Tipsy Luna is on leave,” you said. “You can forget her.”

“You don’t mean that, do you?” Yeosang’s voice was low this time and you looked at him, finding caution and hurt– was it hurt? In his eyes.

“Of course not,” you frowned. “Did you miss me that much?”

He relaxed. “I thought I made a mistake.”

“Oh,” you paused, making sure Hongjoong and San weren’t listening. Oh. 

He thought he did something wrong and you were avoiding him.

“Yeosang, I–”

“Isn’t that right, Luna?” Hongjoong called your name, grabbing your attention and you passed Yeosang a look that you hoped conveyed ‘we’ll talk later’ before you turned your attention to the boss.

“I was just saying how it was a good idea to take you along at the station,” Hongjoong repeated, glancing between you and Yeosang. “Inspector Gong seems to have taken the bait.”

“Ah, yes,” you nodded, straightening. “I think we might have to make sure he catches some of General Wi’s men with the drugs that are under investigation. And we might have to somehow create a link between those drugs and the drugs registered under Park Pharmaceuticals. After that, the boat will float itself.”

“I’ll have Wooyoung take care of that,” San said. “He knows a lot of street druggies. They’re on his beck and call.”

The man in charge of the manufacturing side of the business along with the youngest of the Crescents– Mingi and Jongho. Yeosang and San often talked about Wooyoung. He was Yeosang’s friend from before they went to the war. While you hadn’t had a chance for personal interactions with the younger ones, they often came at the bar as a group. They knew who you were, called you Luna just like everyone else and would strike up some work-related conversation with you if they weren’t teasing or flirting with you, which seemed to be second-nature to them.

“Does Wooyoung’s street druggies network extend to Edenary?” You asked, an idea nagging at you– an old memory you couldn’t let go of. 

San hummed in thought. “Probably?”

“What are you thinking?” Yeosang narrowed his eyes and you looked at Hongjoong who was anticipating your answer.

“Park Sunghoon, my brother, was an addict. My father went through hell and back to get him to stop, but chances are he’s still addicted but just learned to look, well, normal.”

Hongjoong looked at Yeosang triumphantly. “There’s a reason I’m keeping her close.”

Yeosang looked a little proud to hear that and he asked you, “Do you know which drugs exactly was he consuming? Or some details?”

“It was a street dealer, that’s all I caught,” you told him. “Bad company, apparently. Last time I saw him, he appeared more polished than before, but I recognise the look in his eyes when he’s high.”

They didn’t miss your sombre tone, neither did they miss the sudden fiddling of your fingers. However, they decided not to comment on it– for now. It was Hongjoong who cleared his throat. “It’s ironic that the heir to Park Pharmaceuticals is a drug addict himself. I’ll get someone to look into it. Inspector Gong would have a field day once he learns about this.”

You passed a weak smile, willing yourself to not recall your brother’s bad behaviour whenever he was high. Sure, he was your half-brother, but he wanted nothing to do with you. Sometimes you wondered if he was the one who pegged your father to change your surname and wipe you off the family registers. It wouldn’t be a surprise if that was the case.

You all finished your lunch, planning a bit more on how to lead Inspector Gong to Sunghoon before you decided to leave first. You told Yeosang you would grab your coat from his office and leave but he decided to see you off– for obvious reasons.

Once inside his office, you found him watching you with folded arms. You wore your black coat over your clothes, huffing at him.

“Did I do or say something wrong that night?” Yeosang asked.

“No. Why would you think that?” 

“You look like you’re avoiding me.”

“I’m not,” your gaze softened. “I’m just… I don’t know, Yeosang. I’m confused, if you can’t tell. I don’t know what I’m looking for, and the fact that you’re worried about what I think about you isn’t helping.”

Yeosang licked his lips, trying to come up with a response to that. He was perhaps as confused as you. Had you both inevitably blurred the lines of who you were? While you worked together, you would dismiss such interactions, but now that you stopped working here, who exactly were you to Yeosang? What was your relationship? You had been boss and employee all this time. Friends, perhaps, but never called it so. And now…

You stepped forward, placing your hand on his bare folded arms for assurance. You wished you had placed it on his heart instead. “You’re still who you are to me and more.”

“Who am I to you?” Yeosang asked, a faint smile on his lips.

“Hmm… favourite boss?” You grinned. “Friend?”

Yeosang nodded. “That’s it?”

“More?” You raised a brow. “I mean… what exactly did you do that would warrant more?”

“Is that a challenge, Luna?” He was smirking now and your heart did a little flip-flop at the way the timbre of his voice shifted.

“Maybe… pretty boy,” you flicked his chest, unable to resist and with a giggle, sneaked past him outside, saying a goodbye before you disappeared, because you were positive that you were worse when sober.

You did look back once, finding Yeosang laughing wholeheartedly at your passing figure and you ingrained the sight in the deepest crevice of your heart.

Kim Hongjoong may be a man of few words, but god, was he a man capable of making decisions on the spot and taking swift action. It was no wonder that he was the man who had built his empire of this scale in such a short period of time. All it took was one meeting about the discrepancies in the import cost of the metal in the Utopian trade, and Hongjoong immediately decided to cut down on the amount of metal, using his connections to cover the shortage of metal with local suppliers and saving a couple thousand krodus in the process. 

Apparently, there were other gangs that dealt with weapons production and supplied arms illegally around Eden. The Crescents were better off striking a deal with another gang who possessed the metal alloy they required, or something similar in nature to that metal. Hongjoong acknowledged your efforts for dealing with the matter smoothly.

That led to Seonghwa starting to include you in their meetings now, ‘preparing you’ for personal secretary work. You considered asking him if it was just an excuse to get information out of you (and who knows? maybe dispose of you later) but you figured it was a joke. They couldn’t be serious (right?) and you were doing a fine job as a bookkeeper anyway, providing your input since you were from Edenary and you knew a lot of people– and their weaknesses. They thought it was impressive that Secretary Park had rarely ever involved you in his business yet you had built your own connections and learnt so much about the way Eden operated.

Since there were rumours going around that Secretary Park had been ‘rejected by a mafia gang’, it caught the attention of some investors who were willing to collaborate on a drug launch. Though you still had little to no idea about the drug specifically, the Crescents heard your opinion on the willing parties and you expressed your lack of trust in most of the politicians. That left a few businessmen and you supposed they could do with one of them– someone who was willing to fund properly. The Crescents would just have to make a promising offer.

That left finding out more about Secretary Park’s foreign dealings. You had suggested sending an anonymous tip to General Wi about Secretary Park’s possible connection to Strictland and Yunho got the job done a few days ago. As intended, General Wi traced the tip back to the Crescents and sent a message that he would like to have a meeting with the boss.

“He’s going to be curious about the source,” Hongjoong had a faint smirk on his lips as if calculating all the possibilities of how the world could shift from here. You shifted uncomfortably on the chair in front of him. Hongjoong was watching you with interest. “Do you think we should bring you along to the meeting?”

“General Wi likes to play a diplomat. He would tell my father that I was here once he finds out my connection with him, and then–”

“And then what?” Hongjoong challenged, resting his chin on his hand, elbow propped on his desk. With his other hand, he turned the hourglass, watching the sand trickle down slowly. “It’s only a matter of time that your father finds out that you’ve been talking. Chances are, he is already aware of your new post and will be trying to silence you soon. You should be making your stance clear too, Luna.”

“That would be a declaration of war to him,” you said.

“Have you not been told that you are under the protection of the Crescents from now on?” Hongjoong raised a brow in question. You nodded. “Then I don’t see the problem. Being under our protection entails that we will make sure you remain safe and unharmed.”

“You may have been a gang in the past, Mr. Kim,” you said in a low voice. “But my father also has various gangs at his disposal. Mr. Jeong almost got killed that night.”

“Oh, you’re underestimating him if you think it’s that easy to kill him,” Hongjoong scoffed. “He’s avoided death far too many times to be simply called lucky now.”

You shrugged– that might be true but that did not help you feel any better.

“We are part of the underworld and always will be, y/n, no matter how posh we try to appear,” Hongjoong began. “We are the leaders of the underworld– the underworld that no one escapes from. Secretary Park has always operated from above and he does not know how we play. He may try to get to us with his little gangs or whatever, but he is a man of light.”

“And you are a man of the shadows,” you completed for him. He nodded. “If I join you at the meeting, Major General Wi will think that I am someone of importance– he might even recognise me.”

“Well, aren’t you?” He asked almost nonchalantly. You sighed– they sure had been taking you around everywhere and getting you more acquainted with the business, but was your role in the Crescents this important now? 

“I meant to remain in the shadows, Mr. Kim. It was never my intention to step in the light for the world to see.”

“You said you wanted a better life,” Hongjoong locked eyes with you. “A way to avenge the life that was stolen from you because you were too helpless and could do nothing except be pushed wherever your father wanted.”

“Not only that,” you admitted. “My conscience does not allow me to know that my father may be doing something immoral and detrimental to this nation and do nothing about it. I have wasted far too many opportunities because I feared the consequences.”

“And now?” 

“Now you’re telling me not to be afraid,” you rested your back on the chair in resignation. “Now you’re telling me to involve myself with you.”

“And what’s so bad about that?” Hongjoong’s smile revealed that he might be hiding something. You knew that– they were dangerous. It was better for you to be with them than to stand against them, but could you follow their journey without looking back? Could you swear loyalty to them?

“It was never your intention to step out in the light and fight for yourself, or for Eden, or for your conscience, but y/n… maybe you were meant to rule from the light and the shadows both.”

You looked at Hongjoong in surprise. He watched you with a certain fondness– his little bookkeeper, he still called you. You could understand why Jaemin and even some others referred to him as ‘the Captain’– he cared and accounted for each one of them. These men… they heard you. They did everything they had to to protect themselves and their family. And now…

Now Kim Hongjoong said that you were a part of their group, and he would have you rule from the light and back you from the shadows if you wished to. 

“I’m just a bookkeeper though, aren’t I?” you said but couldn’t stop your lips from curling into a smile.

“Maybe I’ll start calling you my little secretary from now on. How does that sound?” 

“Oh, no,” you shook your head. “The workload.”

Hongjoong burst out laughing and you looked down to hide your smile– he had such a carefree, almost childish laugh. You thought about his remark and figured that it must have been Seonghwa’s doing. You knew that Seonghwa was planning something and he had hinted this quite often but to actually be Mr. Kim’s secretary? Was he pulling your leg or was he serious?

“I’m serious,” he confirmed as if he saw right through you. “I need one especially now that I’m going to be stepping into the light too. I’ve operated from the shadows for long enough. Who better to have by my side than someone who knows how the underworld of the elites operate?”

“I’m not sure if I’m the right person,” you said. “I’m from Edenary, yes, and I do know how things work there, but I’ve never been much involved.”

“But so far… you’ve not betrayed our trust once, and that is something I value a lot, Luna. You prevented a disaster when you ran away with the content of Yeosang’s locker that night. You stopped a deal that would have ended very badly for us. And you put yourself in danger to save Yunho– I don’t know who else I would want by my side if not you.”

“That is a high compliment,” you took a deep breath, overwhelmed by his proposition. 

“You’re still willing to do so much more,” Hongjoong said, outstretching his hand on the table and you were confused for a moment before you realised that he was waiting for you. You frowned– while Seonghwa had always been casual with his affection, much like a boss with a pat to the shoulder that he often gave to everyone else too, and Yunho had been, well, purposely making you jumpy you were sure, the boss had never done much. Every action of his was motivated by something.

And this might be his attempt at persuasion.

Hongjoong raised a brow as if to ask if you were going to keep making him wait and you rolled your eyes before hesitantly placing your hand in his palm. Hongjoong noticed the pause and almost smirked. His hand was cold but comforting when it held yours. 

“You’re still willing to do so much more for Eden,” Hongjoong repeated. “I’m doing all I can for Eden too. We share the same goal, Luna. Don’t ever think that it is a shame that you couldn’t do anything about it earlier– you did everything in your power. You can leave it to me now. All you have to do is stay by our side.”

You must have looked half-convinced because he continued.

“I’m not saying you have to be the secretary yet– I would like you to fully know what it is that we do, and I would like the rest of the boys to meet you and hear their opinion too. I may be the boss but their word is equally as important as mine.”

“A captain, then?” You offered and he grinned. 

“Yeosang did well choosing you,” Hongjoong said and your heart fluttered at the mention of him– the actions of that drunken night were keeping you awake in your sober ones. “San speaks highly of you. Yunho, well… I think his intentions are clear. And Seonghwa is the one who convinced me to look at you.”

You raised your brow at his wording– sometimes, the way they spoke with so much implication behind their words made you wonder just what was going on inside their heads. Especially Hongjoong– he knew what he was talking about but he always concealed his intentions carefully. 

And you were going to make him more direct with his words. With a caress to his fingers, you locked eyes with him. 

“Well… you’re looking at me now, Captain. Do you like what you see?”

For once, he was caught in surprise, his brow raising involuntarily and you grinned inwardly.  There was nothing more satisfying than having the leader of this establishment speechless. The person you thought was a scary, stuck-up individual with his even scarier military rankings, turned out to be just a man with big dreams for his people and his land.

Hongjoong raised your joined hands in answer. You bowed your head mockingly. 

What a turn of events.

When Seonghwa said that he would like you to accompany him to the warehouse so you could meet the rest of the Crescents officially as a potential secretary to Kim Hongjoong and, well, a ‘crucial unit’ of the Crescents, you didn’t think he would actually let you take a peek at the illegal– or the underworld side of the business.

It was just another dusky day in Sector 1, a bit livelier inside the office than usual during the midday slot. Johnny dropped by and while he waited for Yunho, he struck up a conversation with the three of you– more like recount the events of the night you were attacked at the bar and tell Eunha and Jihoon all about how you had looked like a lost mouse while running away with the content of Yeosang’s locker. He went as far to tell them how you looked even worse when you came out of the meeting room. If it weren’t for Yunho interrupting him, Johnny might have done a reenactment.

You were about to sign off for the day after lunch with Eunha and Jihoon when Seonghwa called you in his office and told you about his plans for the day. You agreed to accompany him to the warehouse, having no other prior engagements until your night shift. With Seonghwa’s bodyguard and assistant Yuta, the three of you took his Ford to the outskirts of Sector 1 near the Sector 8 border. It was only a few miles from the Sector 1 Port so the ride took about forty minutes.

It was surprising how comfortable Seonghwa made that ride for you. He talked about his family and told you that he had two siblings and that his family had moved to Utopia before the war began. His father was already a war veteran and an influential person so he had little to no trouble leaving to protect his family– however, since Seonghwa was of age, he had no choice but to get drafted. You asked him if he missed his family and visited them often but he told you it had been quite a while since he saw them and would like to pay a visit soon, once things settle down here a bit.

Somehow, you found yourself telling him about the time you spent in Wonderland, something you hadn’t really talked about ever since you came back. While the woman you looked after– Madame Cha, wasn’t your aunt by blood, she was someone really wise and with a lot of knowledge to share. You often wondered if your father was aware that Madame Cha would make sure that you learnt everything needed to survive in this sick world as an independent woman. She taught you various practical skills, kept you busy and kept your mind away from home. Perhaps, that was the purpose all along, but even if it was, you were still grateful to her.

Seonghwa asked you more about Wonderland, mentioning that he always wanted to visit the country. Wonder City, the capital, was known for its ruins. It was a place rich with history and the people had done a lot to preserve it. The lavender fields which were symbolic of Wonder City only added to its beauty. It had truly been a healing sight for eyes and you told him that you missed the evening walks through those fields the most. 

The scenery shifted from cityscape to factories while you chatted, Yuta joining occasionally– apparently, he was one of the oldest employees and had served in Seonghwa’s unit so the two had almost always been together. You liked that most of the employees were more like ‘friends’ than acquaintances. Johnny was quite the example of just how casual they were with each other. While Yuta was a bit more reserved than Johnny, he was still a very charming man.

One of the factories towards the end of the expressway to Sector 8 was what the Crescents addressed as ‘the warehouse’. It belonged to Pledis Manufacturers where the Crescents were major shareholders and business partners. As the car came to a stop near the building, you heard the sounds of laughter reverberating from the inside accompanied by the harsh sound of machines and metal clanging. There were tables and chairs lining the margins and a few men could be seen eating what you presumed was their lunch. At the sight of your car, they got up and gathered around, making way to you and Seonghwa laughed to himself, shaking his head.

“Easy, boys. We’ve got a guest.”

“Oh, what a sight for sore eyes,” a man of medium stature wearing a casual denim outfit placed his hand over his chest as he bowed dramatically, making you a bit shocked though laughter erupted from your mouth. “I’m Boo Seungkwan, Manager of Pledis Manufacturers, at your service.”

“Pleasure,” you bowed back mockingly, noticing the others dressed just as casually. 

“That’s Seokmin,” he introduced the tall guy with a contagious smile, and then pointed to another handsome man. “That’s Jun. We’re all managers here.”

The three exchanged looks filled with caution but Seonghwa nodded to let them know it was alright. “They play a vital role in the production part of the business.”

“Lovely,” you said, following Seonghwa inside and waving back at the three men who were almost jumping up and down while they waved at you. You laughed again, falling in step with Seonghwa. “Do they not get to go home often?”

“Oh, them?” Seonghwa scoffed. “They go home every weekend, but that’s normal behaviour from them.”

You smiled but it changed into a wince when you got hit with a wave of heat and the smell of metal and sweat filled your nostrils upon entering the warehouse, the dim lights making it a bit hard to focus. When your eyes finally adjusted, you gasped at the setup– it was truly something. The centre was an open, double-heighted space with the heaviest machines and Seonghwa told you that the main factory was situated at the very back which was connected to this section by a gate. The upper story seemed to be rooms and offices that were lined along the perimeter. 

The workers greeted Seonghwa casually– there was no rushing, no scrambling and no awkwardness. Just comfortable acknowledgement of each other’s presence. You did get stares which wasn’t unexpected and you thought that it was because there weren’t any women here, but you spotted one in a causal fit working on operating one of the machines. Seonghwa told you that she was one of the best engineers they had– Umji. 

You greeted a few more people including the CEO of Pledis– Choi Seungcheol. He was in the office just about to leave, dropping by for a visit and was glad to have caught Seonghwa. While the two talked, you settled down and a familiar face entered the office room.

“Oh– Luna!” 

You smiled at the enthusiasm with which Jung Wooyoung greeted you.

“Mr. Jung,” you shook hands with him. “How have you been?”

“Ay, just call me Wooyoung,” he waved a hand in dismissal. “I’m not used to people calling me Mr. Jung.”

“That’s what I’ve always called you though…”

“And I always tell you to just call me Wooyoung,” he winked, adjusting his black tank top and slumping down on a chair. “So. How are you finding our workplace?”

“Pretty impressive,” you nodded. “What exactly do you do here?”

“Supervise and make sure we have enough stock,” he said. “Mingi is basically the guard dog and Jongho… he likes to play boss.”

“Oh,” you stifled a smile. “Interesting.”

Wooyoung smiled knowingly and Seungcheol said his farewell, leaving the three of you in the office. Seonghwa smiled at you. “We’ll wait for Mingi and Jongho and then you can get to know more about the business in detail.”

“You’ll have to do a lot,” you shrugged. “I’m not very well-versed in machines and the like.”

Wooyoung and Seonghwa shared a look and you caught that, the dots starting to connect. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be showing me something else entirely.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you might be well-versed in that,” Wooyoung grinned. “At least more than these boring old machine parts.”

You looked at Seonghwa who nodded in confirmation. “Are you sure?”

“I am, which is why I brought you here,” he straightened the navy blue coat of his suit. “After all… you should know these things as Hongjoong’s personal secretary.”

“Ooh, so it is happening,” Wooyoung was grinning shamelessly now. “I just knew they would like you when you made that deal that saved you your life. Not that Seonghwa was going to kill you anyway, right?”

“I don’t quite believe that,” you said. It was true, and Seonghwa only smiled in answer, giving away nothing. “But I think you might have liked me way back, Wooyoung. When you shouted at the bar for the whole world to know–”

“Oh, I’m still sorry for that,” Wooyoung laughed, making you share the sentiment. 

It was a funny story– Wooyoung had been drunk and yapping, if you were to put it simply, about losing to the boys in a game of cards two times in a row. While passing a message to Yeosang, you secretly gave Wooyoung a tip, having observed the game and finding their weak spots. Wooyoung won the next game and while pompously boasting about how he had turned the tide of the game, he craned his neck out of the window to shout ‘Luna, I could kiss you right now!’ making half the bar groan at the confession while the other laughed and moved on. You were surprised for a few moments but when Eunbi told you that this was typical Wooyoung, you shrugged the nervousness off. 

“But my offer still stands,” Wooyoung winked at you. If it had been anyone else, you would have become a mess. But since Wooyoung was… well, Wooyoung, you rolled your eyes in response and the conversation shifted to recent updates.

It wasn’t long after when the line rang and Wooyoung led you to the backside of the factory, playing the role of a tour guide, to everyone’s amusement. He explained how everything was a perfect cover for their weapons business– the material they used for both the machines and the weapons was more or less the same and in case of an inspection, they simply switched the display and transported the half-made weapons to trucks. The vehicles would sneak the weapons away into the thick forest that was not far from here. It was a perfect cover and since Pledis was an old, renowned manufacturing company, there were little to no inspections. 

Sure, the police suspected that the Crescents may be dealing weapons but they would never suspect that they actually made their own weapons now.

Song Mingi and Choi Jongho lit up at the sight of the underboss, sharing fistbumps and hugs. You greeted them and they asked how you were doing, offering you a drink and scolding Wooyoung when they found out he hadn’t offered you anything yet. You assured them that you were okay but the conversation took an amusing turn as they pointed fingers at each other. 

Mingi was surprised to learn that you knew your guns– Madame Cha, who was a collector of guns and the like, had shared her knowledge of guns with you a lot in passing and you had been able to retain some. The gun that you carried in your purse, a ruger revolver, had also been a gift from her. It was interesting to learn just what role the Crescents played in the making of these guns and an hour passed by with you simply talking about the mechanism with the boys.

Jongho noticed just how much fun you were having chatting with Yerin, one of the lead designers of the guns, and when you caught them waiting for you, you got flustered. You promised Yerin that you would visit again and have a more in-depth conversation with her and joined the Crescents afterwards. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh, no, it’s all good,” Jongho said. “I’m happy to see that you’re having a good time.”

You smiled and checked the time– there was still about two hours until your shift would begin. Jongho cleared his throat, catching your attention and asked, “Would you like to test some weapons before you go back?”

Your eyes widened with excitement at the offer and soon, you were in a car with Jongho driving and Seonghwa in the front seat. Wooyoung, who was sitting next to you in the backseat, explained that they often went to test the guns in a specific part of the forest and since it was hunting grounds anyway, the sounds went unnoticed– and it wasn’t like there were a lot of residents here. 

If the police or someone else did notice, they could buy their silence. You shot him a dirty look but you both knew that it was far too easy to buy silence in Eden, especially after the war.

There was also something bothering you ever since you learned about the weapons project, and that was… who exactly were they delivering the weapons to? Were they really the right people to mingle with? What exactly was right and wrong anymore?

You reckoned you could simply ask at this point. Since they intended to involve you in the business, you could ask such things, right? You turned to Wooyoung, about to ask but you caught an incoming speedy truck through the window and a scream got stuck in your throat. You flailed your arm, trying to catch their attention but it looked like Jongho noticed at the same time that you finally managed to yell ‘watch out!’.

Jongho swerved the car to the side just enough to avoid getting yourselves into a horrible car crash but still couldn’t prevent a light bump and you braced yourself as your body rocked to the side violently. Before you could react, you heard the shatter of glass and you screamed this time, Wooyoung grabbing you by the back of your neck and making you crouch down as the fragments of the glass window rained over you.

You looked at Wooyoung in panic who also let his defence down just for a moment as he made sure that you were okay. You nodded and just like that, his gaze turned steel as he raised his head to inspect just who was trying to kill you guys.

“I’m driving– provide cover!” Jongho pressed the pedal with all his might, steering away from the minitruck that was hell bent on crushing you. Wooyoung loaded his gun and started shooting, Seonghwa doing the same from the front but mostly to protect Jongho. You put your hands over your ears for a moment as you tried to make sense of what was happening–

You were under attack. You had almost died.

You scrambled in your purse for the gun, taking it out and loading it. Wooyoung spared you a glance, tsk-ing in disapproval. “We’ve got it, Luna. Just stay down.”

“I’d rather take my chances,” you muttered, but also obeyed him. You stayed crouching down, focusing more on having Wooyoung’s back. Your shot wasn’t bad but Wooyoung was moving a lot so you couldn’t risk shooting in case you hurt him instead. However, when Wooyoung ran out of bullets, you passed him your gun which he gladly took. Meanwhile, you reloaded his gun with the bullets in the inside pocket of his jacket. You noticed the shards of glass buried in his skin but it was too chaotic to comment on that at the moment.

“Recognise them?” Jongho asked before he took a sharp turn to the right, the road getting bumpier now that you were further on the track in the forest.

“Nah,” Wooyoung sniffed, a sharp frown on his face as he took a breather having shot down the tyres of the minitruck and halting it. “Need help, hyung?”

“I’m good,” Seonghwa said, groaning when the car started to leave. He ordered Jongho to turn the car around so they could catch them and you silently prayed that no one gets hurt. Now that you were gathering your wits, you realised how much the air had changed.

They had become the men you used to watch from afar and were a bit afraid of. Ruthless, calculating and powerful.

Jongho stopped the car near the abandoned truck and you all watched the other car disappear into the forest– they had been at a disadvantage or perhaps, they had underestimated you. Whatever the case was, all that mattered to the Crescents was the reason they attacked you.

Jongho and Seonghwa looked back to make sure you were okay. While you were very surprised, you were okay for the most part if you could ignore the erratic heartbeat. While the younger two checked the perimeter, Seonghwa got out of the car and opened the door for you to help you out. 

“You must have been shocked,” he said, caressing your gloved hand and frowning at the cut on your cheek, unable to stop himself and tracing it gently.

“I– I’m fine,” you gulped at his actions. “Uh, we should check the car. Does this happen often?”

“Not really,” he ran his hand through his messy long hair in frustration. “Someone’s really got a grudge against us lately.”

You raised a brow as if to say that that wasn’t new and he chuckled a bit, letting go of your hand and going towards the truck. You followed him, making note of the number plate– it was a registered Sector 1 vehicle. The two of you got inside the front seats of the truck, rummaging through the stuff when a certain something caught your eye.

An emblem of a cube within a cube. It might have gone unnoticed by the rest but you could recognise the unofficial emblem of Park Pharmaceuticals anywhere– it was only used personally by your father and you had seen it on some of his old employees’ uniforms and stationery as well. 

Seonghwa noticed you staring at the emblem printed on a card and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Your father must have learned that you had joined hands with the Crescents– or at least that you were now someone important to them. He must be suspecting that you were sharing information that you shouldn’t have told a soul. Was this supposed to be a warning, or did he really intend to kill you this time?

And he almost hurt the Crescents too. Wooyoung could have been shot. Seonghwa or Jongho could have gotten seriously injured. Just how low was this man going to stoop?

“Luna,” Seonghwa’s voice sounded again. “Do you recognise this emblem? You need to tell us if you do so we do not point at the wrong people.”

“This was my father’s doing,” you sighed in defeat. “This emblem is something he uses privately within his inner circle and gangs. I’m so sorry, Mr. Park. I should have known.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said, taking the emblem from you and examining it. 

“But it is,” you got out of the truck, going towards the car, your chest tightening with every step because your father almost killed them just because you were acquainted with them. They almost died because of you. And he must have also been the one behind Yunho’s attack– Yunho almost got shot because of you too–

“Luna,” Seonghwa grabbed you by the wrist and shook his head. “Do not blame yourself for something your father did. He intended to kill you.”

“But he almost killed you guys because of me!” You said through gritted teeth, shutting your eyes and willing yourself to calm down. You looked at your side to see Wooyoung and Jongho watching. “I should not have involved myself like this.”

Wooyoung tsk-ed, searching inside his car and taking out a bottle of water. He motioned for you to sit by the tree and you did, thanking him and drinking a few gulps. Jongho sat down beside you, trying to pick a tiny shard of glass that was buried in his wrist.

“I’ve heard about your father,” Jongho said. “Secretary Park Byung Eun. He’s after you, isn’t he? Just because he’s afraid that you’ll spill all his dirty little secrets?”

“Well… yeah, that’s the gist of it,” you took a deep breath. “He must be mad that his own daughter is after him. What parent would kill their child just to silence them?”

You watched Seonghwa and Wooyoung clean the mess of a car, Wooyoung stealing glances at you occasionally. Seonghwa was mostly noting down the details of the truck, saying something about how he needed to find out just which gang your father had employed for this job. 

“Some parents don’t need a reason to want to get rid of their child,” Jongho said, looking at you. “They just do it because they’re selfish like that.”

You frowned. Was he talking from personal experience?

“I’m actually an illegitimate child too,” Jongho shared with a smile and your mouth curved like an o in surprise. “My mother is from Eden and my father from Halaland. She gave birth here, which is why I’m considered an Eden citizen, but I spent my early childhood in Halaland. Quite a combination, right?”

He was right. People from Halaland had always been treated with wariness and after the war, it just got worse. They faced discrimination. To be an illegitimate child who was half Hala…

“I guess we do have something in common then,” you shrugged, Jongho laughing at your joke.

“The reason I’m telling you this, Luna, is because the fact that I am both of these has never hindered my path,” he said and you turned your attention to him. “Hongjoong and the others, they never discriminated. We were all children of war and we bonded with each other because we have more in common-like values and morals. Not family background or useless things like that. And you… just because you’re unwanted does not mean you have to bend under your father’s will.”

“I have not,” you shook your head. “I am resisting. I’m just trying to be careful, because this is what happens when I slip.”

“This did not happen because you were careless,” he assured you. “This happened because he is scared of you, Luna. Don’t you realise? He’s scared he will be exposed because you know that he has joined hands with Strictland. He’s scared that you will uncover the truth and expose him. If he gets exposed, he will lose everything and so will the people he has associated with. Are you gonna let him stomp over you, or are you going to try to be one step ahead?”

You clasped your hands in thought– he wasn’t wrong. You had just been too cowardly to see it. 

“Jongho’s right,” Wooyoung joined you, Seonghwa watching with a smile. “Show them what you’re made of, Luna. Accept the secretary position with your whole heart and use us to take your revenge on him– after all, we share the same goals.”

“Where did that come from,” you laughed, finally feeling calmer when Wooyoung grinned back. “What is it to you if I become his secretary?”

“My precious Luna,” he teased, grinning cheekily. “You really think we’re asking you to be the secretary here? You’re already one right now.”

“Wooyoung,” Seonghwa warned but Wooyoung waved a hand.

“I mean,” he said, “Being Hongjoong’s personal secretary, or assistant, or whatever you call it… it will just be a term. What we’re really asking you is to become a part of our inner circle. We’re asking you to walk with us, plan with us, help us so we can help you. It’s more like being a partner, isn’t it?”

“That’s… a lot,” you laughed nervously, overwhelmed by his proposition. 

“But we need you,” he said matter-of-factly. “And so do you. Neither of us can do this without each other.”

He was right. They could get more information on whatever Secretary Park was doing, but you still had so much more that you were keeping from them. To be a part of their inner circle, be a part of Ateez was what they were asking from you. Being Hongjoong’s personal secretary would just be the job you would officially do but really–

You walked with them. Dined with them. Planned with them, even now. No one else did it like you were doing. You were already a part of them, whether you liked it or not.

Not that you were complaining. They had treated you with more respect and given you more authority than you’d ever gotten in your life. You were seen and you were heard here. It was overwhelming but if you looked past that…

It was kind of heartwarming. 

“We’re here to protect each other,” Seonghwa said, having noticed your features shift from nervousness to acceptance. “And that means that we will protect you, and you will protect us. It doesn't matter who you are or what your background is. Our goals are the same.”

“For Eden,” you said, looking at them. “Are we really doing this for Eden? Will it really benefit our homeland?”

“You must have some doubts about what we do. Rightfully so,” Seonghwa nodded, offering you his hand and you grabbed it, getting up. “You can ask me anything, Luna. On our way back– it’s getting dark, and we really must get going now.”

You went back to the warehouse first to switch cars. You were worried Mingi would be angry but he was surprisingly only glad that you all made it back in one piece. They offered to patch you up but you told them you really did not want to be late for your shift which made them laugh. It was only a scratch so you could take care of it in the office. The trio let you go with a can of beer for the way back ‘to calm your nerves’. You gladly accepted.

Seonghwa told you that it was okay to ask– apparently, Yuta was one of the insiders too. So candidly, you asked him why exactly did they need to manufacture their own weapons. 

You learned that Eden had actually suffered in the war more than you imagined with a lot of soldiers having gone missing, suspected of defecting or worse. A lot of the existing weapons channels had also either shut down or stopped business for unknown reasons. The underworld dealing came to a halt for some time after the war and while the treaty between Halaland and Eden ensured that there wouldn’t be a war in the foreseeable future, if Halaland learned that Eden was basically defenceless, they might start something again.

Seonghwa also told you that Eden’s military could not be trusted because their sole purpose seemed to be power and politics, referring to the clashes ex-President Son had with the military when they enforced the ‘over-17’ law. Hence, a few old gangs like MX and others resumed the weapons dealing and even collaborated with gangs from Wonderland and Utopia.

You told Seonghwa that you had qualms about their drug project too but he promised that they would tell you the details soon. You understood and a few minutes later, you reached the Crescent office. You still had some time to spare so you freshened up before going upstairs.

You were arranging your things at the desk and just taking a breather when the door to Yunho’s office opened. Seonghwa appeared to be leaving. Yunho followed behind and they exchanged a few words before Seonghwa disappeared downstairs and Yunho turned his attention to you.

You had to admit it, you missed him a little. He hadn’t been in the office a lot recently, probably busy with other things, but he appeared as sophisticated as ever in his black button down shirt and cream slacks. He smiled at you faintly, slowly walking towards you and shaking his head.

“You need to do something about that,” he pointed at your cheek. You had taken a look at it in the mirror earlier in the bathroom– the blood had crusted so you let it be. You didn’t have any band-aids in your purse and decided to start keeping some.

“Good evening to you too. It’s only a scratch,” you said and Yunho shook his head.

“Come to my room,” he said, not waiting to hear a response and you huffed, surrendering and following him. He was rummaging through his drawers and found the little first-aid box, bringing it towards the couch and beckoning you to sit.

“A simple bandage would do,” you started but he raised a finger in warning and that shut you up pretty quick. He settled down next to you and took out a bottle of disinfectant and a cotton pad, soaking it in and then turning towards you. You extended your hand so he could pass you the pad but he ignored that, leaning in to do the job himself. You reflexively shut your eyes as his hand neared your face and he didn’t miss that.

Your heart rate picked up and you willed your eyes to open, finding him watching you with curiosity. He cleaned the scratch, his brows furrowing in concentration and then he discarded the pad, taking out a box of salve. This time, he picked some on his index finger and you pursed your lips to keep a comment from popping out of your mouth. 

With the pad of his thumb, he turned your face sideways so he could properly see the scratch and then he started applying the salve. You took a deep breath, the air thick with tension. He decided to break the silence.

“Are you okay? You must have been shocked,” he said.

“Yeah, I was,” you admitted. “But I recovered pretty quick this time.”

“Ah, did you?” A smirk made its way on his lips as he finished applying the ointment, now opening the bandaid. You just knew he was thinking about that night when you freaked out when he was going to be attacked and kept him close so he wouldn’t risk his life trying to find answers.

“Yes. I owe that to Wooyoung and Jongho,” you huffed. “They are good with words.”

“Was I not?” He asked, referring to that night.  

“They also let me use my gun,” you half-lied but when he gave you the look, you rolled your eyes. “Okay, technically, I only loaded it for Wooyoung. He’s the one who used it.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they wouldn’t let you get your hands dirty,” he chuckled, carefully applying the band-aid over the scar. 

“Maybe I’ll need to,” you shrugged and he looked at you. “I should learn how to use the gun properly if I’m keeping it. I mean, I do know how to use it but I lack practice.”

“But you shouldn’t actually use it,” he reprimanded but you shook your head.

“I need to learn to protect myself… and protect you.”

He looked at you in surprise and you continued. “All of you. If you claim to have my back, I should return the favour. I should be able to protect myself, not be a burden to you guys, and protect you all in return.”

“Luna… you really don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Yunho assured you calmly. “And you’re not a burden to us. Don’t ever think that.”

“I can’t just sit back and watch you guys risk your life trying to protect me from someone who’s after me!” You started. “You can try to convince me that it’s not my fault that you almost got shot that night or the boys almost got hurt today, but I know it’s my fault.”

“Luna–”

“Yes, it’s not exactly my fault,” you rambled on. “It’s my father’s. But the fact is that he is after me and if to get to me he needs to wipe out all of you, he will, just so he can continue with his awful dealings that I’m sure will cost Eden something–”

“Y/n,” Yunho scooted forward, taking both your hands in his and intertwining them, making you stop mid-sentence. He took a deep breath, watching how your small hands fit in his and when you looked at your joined hands, your heart melted at the way his fingers gently caressed yours. “Are you done now?”

You didn’t respond and he tried not to comment on how you always shut up when you were in close proximity with him or, well, whenever he was touching you. He took a deep breath. 

“You’re ours now,” he locked eyes with you, his tone almost containing a hint of warning in them that made your heart sink a little. “You’re a Crescent now, a part of our team, and that means that you will protect us in any way that you can, and we will return the favour. The information that you provide us with… that is our protection, and that is enough. If you wish to learn defence or offence, sure. I won’t stop you. But it should only be to protect yourself, okay?”

You pursed your lips but he was being adamant, squeezing your hands a little. “We would have gotten in trouble with Secretary Park one day anyway. Eventually, our secret drug project was going to lead us to him and it could have taken an even more dangerous turn. But what happened today… that is enough. He’s crossing a line. I will send him a message, and I will make it clear that you are under our protection and we will not tolerate any more misbehaviour from him. Is that okay?”

“He will consider it a call for war,” you warned him. “He will not stop.”

“So be it,” Yunho smiled almost sadistically. “We are children of war, all of us, aren’t we? The personal battles too. We are survivors, you and I. He won’t know what’s coming for him.”

You nodded in answer, looking down. You weren’t sure you were ever going to get used to someone treating you not just as an equal but offering you their power and so much more. But Yunho… he always knew just what was going on in your head. He drew back one of his hands from your hold only to draw it towards your face, lifting your chin up so you would look at him.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

It must have been an order because his gaze compelled you to spill. 

“It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that you’re all doing this… willingly. For me.”

Yunho smiled, shaking his head. “For you, and for us. Get used to this treatment, princess.”

With an affectionate tap to your cheek, he drew back and started packing the kit. You sat there, baffled at what he just said and also, taking the loss of his touch to your heart. When he looked at you, your hand seemed to be outstretched as if you aimed to rest it on his back. You drew it away but he caught that, raising a brow.

“Princess? Really?” you asked, making him laugh.

“I can do worse too,” he offered and you shook your head, about to leave but he grabbed your wrist and pulled you towards him, a surprised yelp escaping your mouth when you found his face way too close to yours, his eyes searching yours for answers that you didn’t possess yet. You felt the urge to draw his ruffled hair away from his forehead. His gaze flickered to your lips and god, he was going to be the death of you.

“No thanks,” you scoffed in answer but then he purposely raised your hand slowly, shifting his hold so he could kiss your knuckles softly, all the while maintaining eye contact with you. Your own lips parted in surprise at his actions– he was crossing the line, but–

What line? The question hung in the air as he waited for you to challenge him, to respond to him.

What line, really.

“Is this a challenge?” You dared to ask.

“If you make it to be,” he responded, eagerly waiting for you to make the next move.

And oh, he did not realise that you would never back down from a challenge. You licked your lips, leaning forward and smiling in satisfaction when he started tilting his face, expecting the obvious. You drew closer until you were inches away and when his eyes fluttered shut, you made your move.

You blew lightly at the tip of his nose, earning a shocked sound from him and with an almost childish giggle erupting from your mouth, you backed away and started to go towards the door, looking back to find him flustered but amused. You saluted mockingly, making him laugh before you shut the door.

Oh. You were done for.

next chapter

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[marksbear2]

Hiiii, bear!!! If you're still taking requests, could a request a homelander x male!reader fic where homelander is sort of a little desperate for readers approval because hw hasn't gotten a lot of positive attention in his life? And if it's still open, could I be '🪼 anon', please?

Homelander x male reader

Hiii and yes you may my friend. This has to be like a world record for me to be writing and posting a request in the same day.

Beneath the Cape

The first time you met Homelander, you hadn’t expected much.

Not because he wasn’t impressive—he was. Towering, broad-shouldered, the very image of America’s strongest hero. But you knew his reputation, the whispers beneath the carefully crafted PR. Dangerous. Unstable. Capable of wiping out a city if the mood struck him.

And yet, when you spoke to him, you saw something else. Something beneath the mask.

It had been a brief encounter. A charity event, one of those nauseatingly polished affairs where Vought paraded their golden boy around like a prize horse. You’d been there as part of your company’s sponsorship, nothing special. Just another name on a list.

But then he walked by, and you—unlike everyone else—didn’t grovel. Didn’t flinch. You just… smiled. A simple thing, a polite acknowledgment, nothing more.

And for a second, just a second, Homelander froze.

Then his expression shifted, something unreadable flickering across his face. He gave you a nod, an almost hesitant one, before moving on.

You thought nothing of it.

He, however, couldn’t stop thinking about it. Homelander started noticing you more after that.

It wasn’t immediate, but it was persistent. Every time he passed through a room, his gaze would linger on you a little longer. At first, it was just curiosity. Why hadn’t you looked at him the way everyone else did? With fear. With worship.

Instead, you were… normal. You treated him like a person, not a god.

And for the first time in his life, that felt more intoxicating than any amount of adoration. So he sought you out. First, by coincidence. Then, with more intention. He made excuses to be near you, dropping by your office under the pretense of business, stopping to chat when he saw you at events. He wanted—needed—to know why you were different.

And every time you spoke to him, it was like a breath of fresh air. No false praise. No trembling admiration. Just simple, casual conversation. You didn’t hesitate to crack a joke, to roll your eyes at corporate nonsense, to treat him like—well, like a regular guy.

He couldn’t get enough of it.

Of you.

At first, you chalked up his frequent appearances to coincidence. But then it became too frequent. Too deliberate.

Homelander always seemed to be around. Finding excuses to talk. Standing just a little too close. And then there were the looks. The way he watched you—not with the cold, calculated gaze he gave most people, but something softer. Almost needy.

It was subtle at first, the way his eyes followed you, the way his expression shifted when you laughed at something he said. But then there were the moments when he lingered after conversations, as if reluctant to leave.

And one night, after another one of those tedious events, you finally called him out on it.

“Alright,” you said, arms crossed as you leaned against the balcony railing. “What’s your deal?”

Homelander blinked, tilting his head. “My deal?”

“You keep showing up around me. Hanging around like a lost puppy.” You raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you have better things to do?”

There it was again—that flicker of something behind his eyes.

“Would you rather I leave?” His voice was casual, but you caught the undercurrent beneath it. The uncertainty. The smallest, quietest thread of insecurity, woven into the carefully controlled mask.

You exhaled. “I didn’t say that.”

His expression shifted, something relieved, something satisfied. “Good,” he murmured, stepping closer. Close enough that you could smell the faint scent of his cologne, something crisp and clean beneath the fabric of his suit.

And then he smiled, not the perfect, PR-ready grin he always wore for the cameras, but something real.

Something just for you.

From then on, it was impossible to ignore.

Homelander wanted your attention. Craved it. And he wasn’t subtle about it.

He’d show up at your office unannounced, making himself comfortable in your chair like he belonged there. He’d hover during conversations, subtly guiding them back to himself, clearly wanting to hear what you thought of him.

And, God help you, he was charming when he wanted to be. Infuriatingly so.

“You like me, don’t you?” he mused one evening, seated across from you in your apartment—because, yes, he had started showing up there too, somehow always knowing when you were home.

You scoffed. “What kind of question is that?”

“A simple one.” He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “You’re nice to me.”

You frowned. “And?”

“No one’s ever nice to me.”

Something in his voice made you pause.

It was an admission, plain and simple, but there was something raw beneath it. Something vulnerable.

He covered it quickly, pasting on a smirk. “Well, not without wanting something in return.”

You sighed. “Maybe I’m just nice.”

He studied you for a long moment. Then, quietly, “Maybe that’s why I like you.”

Your stomach twisted.

Not out of fear. Not out of discomfort. But something deeper.

Something dangerous.

Because the way he looked at you—the way he wanted you—wasn’t just some passing fascination.

It was need.

And you weren’t sure you could ignore it much longer.

---

It escalated from there.

Not in the way you expected. He didn’t push. Didn’t demand.

He just… stayed.

In your life. In your space. Always there, always watching, always waiting for whatever little scraps of attention you’d give him. And God, when you did?

It was like he came alive.

A simple touch—your hand brushing his arm—made his breath hitch. A kind word had him lingering on it for days.

You realized, then, just how little warmth he’d ever been given.

And how much he wanted it from you.

One night, after a long conversation over drinks, he sighed, tilting his head toward you. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

“How much I need this.” His voice was softer than usual. “How much I need you.”

Your chest tightened.

And when he leaned in, when his lips hovered just a breath away from yours, you realized something.

You needed him too.

THE END

[ssa-danhotchner]

Ghostin | Aaron Hotchner

summary: after Foyet, Aaron retreats into his grief, pushing reader away despite their unwavering love

cw: fem reader, BAU reader, angst, mention of Haley's death, mention of Aaron being stabbed, grief, relationship breakdown

wc: 1.6k

note: english isn't my first language!

Their relationship began quietly, built on small moments over time. It wasn’t love at first sight, but rather a slow connection formed between late nights at the BAU, working together on cases, and trading small smiles. You’d been colleagues before, but as time passed, there was a subtle shift. He admired your calmness and intelligence, and you saw a depth in him that most people didn’t.

It was in the little things: the way he’d offer you coffee when you were too tired to ask, or the small gestures of care when he’d notice you needed something. You started sharing dinners at quiet places, and those dinners turned into evenings where you’d linger in each other’s company, the space between you no longer just professional.

It was simple, but it was real.

When you kissed him for the first time, it was everything and nothing at once. It was electric, but not in the way of passionate, rushed moments. No, it was a slow realization that everything before had led to this. That kiss was just the beginning of a journey, the start of a love that felt like it could withstand anything. The way he cupped your face, the way you both melted into the kiss as if the world outside didn’t matter—it was all-consuming. When he pulled away, his breath shallow, his face flushed with something unspoken, you knew. He knew, too. This was it.

Aaron was never the kind of man to offer grand declarations of love. He wasn’t the type for sweeping gestures or unnecessary words. But he showed it in every touch, in every moment he chose to stand by you. And you? You showed him with patience, understanding, and unwavering support. It was a partnership, and it was beautiful.

For a while, nothing else seemed to matter. The job, the chaos, the violence—it all faded away when you were together. It was a love that made him feel like he wasn’t alone. A love that made him believe that maybe, just maybe, he could be happy again.

But the world has a way of changing everything, doesn’t it?

And then came him.

George Foyet tore into Aaron’s life like a storm, leaving devastation in his wake. You sat in the hospital by his bedside after the stabbing, your fingers wrapped around his bruised hand, whispering reassurances as he drifted in and out of consciousness. You were there when he woke up, gasping in pain, eyes unfocused until they landed on you.

You kissed his temple and murmured, “You’re safe.”

He nodded weakly, but you could tell—he didn’t believe it.

The worst part wasn’t the pain from his wounds—it was what came after.

When Haley and Jack were placed in witness protection, you saw the shift in him. The guilt, the helplessness. He would wake up at night, sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. You would reach for him, pressing your hand against his back, feeling the tension beneath his skin.

“I should be with them,” he whispered one night.

You swallowed the lump in your throat. “You’re doing everything you can, Aaron.”

He shook his head. “It���s not enough.”

You wanted to tell him he was enough. That he deserved happiness, too. But how could you, when you saw the way his eyes darkened with grief? When you heard the cracks in his voice every time he spoke of his son?

Still, you stayed. You loved him through it all, even when his heart wasn’t fully yours anymore.

“I don’t want to keep you waiting, but I do just what I have to do.”

Then Foyet killed Haley.

And whatever part of Aaron you still had—was gone.

You were there when he crumbled, when his entire world collapsed under the weight of grief. You held him as he broke, as his sobs wrecked through him in the middle of the night, as he whispered Haley’s name over and over again like a prayer.

But then, slowly, he started pushing you away.

First, it was the late nights at the office. Then, the missed calls. The distance in his touch, the way his lips barely lingered when he kissed you goodbye.

And then, one night, he said it.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

The words hang in the air, so heavy, they feel like a physical blow. Your heart stutters in your chest, and for a moment, you can’t breathe. You blink at him, as if you didn’t hear him correctly, hoping the words were a mistake, a slip of the tongue, something to be fixed with a conversation.

But his eyes… his eyes are a distant storm, glazed over with grief that’s not entirely yours to touch. There’s no warmth in them now, no flicker of the man you knew. Just cold, an emptiness that swallows everything in its path.

“Aaron…” Your voice trembles, soft and barely there. You take a hesitant step toward him, a desperate attempt to bridge the gap that feels miles wide. “What are you saying?”

He takes a step back, his posture stiff and guarded. The air between you thickens, charged with the weight of everything unsaid. He closes his eyes for a moment, running a hand through his hair in frustration, then exhales sharply. When he opens them again, you see something break in him—a fracture deep enough that it feels like you’re witnessing his soul crack.

“I can’t… I can’t be the man you need me to be,” he says, his voice low, like each word is a struggle to get out. “I’m not… I’m not whole. I’m not enough for you.”

You don’t understand. You can’t. Your mind races, desperately trying to piece together the fragments of his words, but all you hear is the finality in them.

“No, Aaron,” you whisper, your voice shaking. “You’re enough. You’ve always been enough.”

His gaze flickers, but he doesn’t meet your eyes. It’s like he’s afraid to. It’s like he’s already made up his mind, and there’s no way you can change it.

“You don’t understand,” he murmurs, the words edged with something darker, something you can’t touch. “I’m haunted… by her. By all of it.”

Your heart stings at the mention of Haley. Of course, you know he’s haunted by her, by what happened to her, but there’s something so much deeper, something in his tone that makes it clear this is about more than just his grief. It’s like the love you had, the one you shared so many months and years building, has been eaten away by the remnants of his past.

“Aaron, please… Please don’t shut me out,” you say, your voice breaking. “I’m here. I’ve always been here.”

He glances at you then, and for a brief moment, you catch a glimpse of the man you fell in love with—strong, devoted, vulnerable in ways only you could see. But just as quickly, that flicker vanishes, hidden behind a wall he’s built so high you can’t reach it.

“I’m not the same man you fell in love with,” he says, his words cutting through you like glass. “I’m… broken. And I’ll never be whole again.”

“No.” You take another step toward him, reaching out, but his eyes harden, and he steps back once more, as if your touch burns him. “Please don’t do this, Aaron. You don’t have to go through this alone. You don’t have to push me away.”

He shakes his head, a bitter smile curving his lips—not one of humor, but one of sadness. “I’m not pushing you away,” he says softly, but the words don’t match his actions. “I’m letting you go. Because you deserve more than the shattered man I am. You deserve someone who can be fully there for you. Someone who can love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

The sting in your chest feels like it’s spreading, like your heart is fracturing into pieces, too. You want to scream at him, to beg him to see you, to understand that you’re willing to take all of him—the broken pieces, the ghosts, the pain. But you can’t. You know, deep down, that this isn’t just about you. This is about him, about the war inside him that you’ll never be able to fight for him.

“I love you,” you say, barely above a whisper, but your words crack with all the emotion you’ve been holding in. You want to scream it, shout it, let him know that you would do anything to stay by his side, to help him heal. But all that comes out is a sob, a broken plea. “I love you so much, Aaron. Don’t do this.”

He closes his eyes, his jaw clenched tight, fighting against whatever pain it is that he’s carrying. You can see the tears threatening to spill, but he doesn’t let them fall. Instead, he takes a deep breath and turns away from you.

“I can’t keep pretending. Not when every time I look at you, I see… her. Not when every time I close my eyes, I hear her voice.” His voice cracks as the words spill out, a raw vulnerability in them that makes your heart ache for him in ways you didn’t think were possible. “You deserve someone who’s whole. Someone who can love you without being broken. I’m not that man anymore.”

And just like that, he’s gone.

He steps toward the door, his back to you, and for a moment, you just stand there—frozen, as if if you move, it’ll be the end of everything. You feel as if you’re about to fall into an abyss that you can’t climb out of.

“Aaron… please,” you whisper, but he doesn’t turn around.

The door shuts behind him with a finality that echoes through your chest. And you’re left standing there, completely empty, as if your world was just torn apart.

You don’t even realice that you’re crying until you feel the tears burning your cheeks, hot and desperate. But no matter how hard you try, you can’t reach him. He’s gone, leaving you to pick up the pieces of a heart he once held, but now has abandoned.

The man you loved is no longer the man standing in front of you. And you can’t help but wonder if he ever really was.

---

[super-ion]

The Engineer

Part 4

(Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3)

I don't know where the pilot is taking me at first.

I am realizing that my life has just been an endless circuit of routine: Quarters. Gym. Cafeteria. Maintenance bay. Cafeteria. Quarters. Repeat. Everything outside of that has become an abstraction to me.

I can't even remember the last time I made my way up to the level. Everything here is shiny and pristine, scrubbed spotless twice a day on the off chance that some senator or general might visit. It's all clean lines, camouflaged access panels, trim little admin offices.

I very nearly have to stop and stare at a potted plant, when was the last time I saw one, verdant and alive?

But the pilot is moving with single minded purpose and I am forced to hurry to catch up.

I imagine her dragging me into the commandant’s office. I imagine her presenting me in formal complaint, the guilt of my sins, my intimacy with her machine, written plainly across my face.

She comes to a stop so suddenly that I almost collide with her. It is not the commandant’s office that we have arrived at.

The gilded signage on the door simply reads: OBSERVATION

She glances at me, briefly hesitating. In this entire encounter, it is the first moment of uncertainty that she has shown.

She swipes her wrist over the access panel, the door whispers open and I understand the hesitation and uncertainty.

Observation delivers exactly what it promises. The far side of the dimly lit room is dominated by floor-to-ceiling plex that overlooks the expanse of the maintenance bay.

My breath catches at the sight of Her.

Morrigan is resting in Her docking harness, Her heat sinks fully spread like the wings of an angel, armor plating unfolded to expose superstructure beneath, countless docking umbilicals arrayed almost organically to connect to the facility's systems.

It has been so long since I've actually seen Her, all of Her at once, that I've forgotten the scale of it all. My entire world has been the cockpit and the docking vestibule and now I can barely comprehend how small the team of techs are next to Her as they scurry along like ants.

Some tension leaves the pilot's shoulders and she strides towards the plex wall. She gazes upon the machine with adoration, the most emotion I have ever seen on her face. I start to imagine that I understand why she brought me here.

I step tentatively into the room. The door shuts behind me and the dim space is suddenly intimate.

Alone with the Pilot, her framed by the vista of Morrigan, the space feels almost holy. A shrine. A Goddess and Her human avatar.

I imagine Morrigan watching us. Maybe She can. Her visual sensors are specially designed to pick out details at a distance. Perhaps the Pilot told Morrigan exactly where and when we would be her.

Almost in answer to my thoughts, Her exposed core pulses, a blue-white flicker of light, and the Pilot places a hand tenderly on the plex.

My stomach lurches. It is no longer me alone with the Pilot in this room. It is all three of us. It is me alone with them. The suffocating sense of being an interloper returns in full force.

“I read all your reports,” the Pilot says without turning, without breaking her gaze from Morrigan. “It's like fucking Christmas for her. She just can't wait to show me what you found in your analysis.”

I stand awkwardly, unsure how to respond, or if I should respond at all.

“It's so fucking hard sometimes,” she continues, “they pull you out and you can't even tell who you are. You leave something behind and you take something with you.”

She turns abruptly, fixing me with the intensity of her gaze.

“What were you doing three nights ago?”

I had been expecting the question, dreading it, but the abruptness of it catches me off guard and fresh panic licks down my spine.

I open my mouth, but I can't bring myself to say anything.

She takes a step towards me. I step back instinctively. My back meets the wall.

“I already know,” she says, her tone unreadable. “I want to hear you say it. Your own words.”

I swallow. My eyes dart back to Morrigan. She is watching us. I know it. I know it from the now blazing light in Her core.

“I…”

I swallow again.

“I had a nightmare,” I admit. “I went to Morrigan.”

She takes another step forward. She's taller than me and I have to tilt my head back just slightly to meet her eyes.

“Why?”

“I didn't… I didn't want to be alone. I didn't know who else to go to. I... I wanted to be with her.”

Another step. She's close now, close enough to touch.

“Whose nightmares?”

Fuck.

“Yours,” I admit. “...and mine.”

“You think a lot about neural bleed.”

It isn't a question. I don't think it's a question. I nod in acknowledgement regardless.

“You think about how the patterns of thought and identity leave marks. Imprints. You're in her head, so you're in mine. The three of us, we're just this fucking tangle, aren't we?”

Fuck. What does she want from me?

I don't know if she expects me to answer that, but there's another moment of uncertainty from her.

“She wanted me to talk to you,” she says. “Or I wanted her to want me to talk to you. I don't even know. I don't fucking know who wants what any more.”

She looks… vexed now. That intense gaze of hers has taken on a slightly different gleam.

My heart is hammering in my chest and my breathing has become ever so slightly ragged.

Neural bleed. Two halves to a whole.

She is Morrigan. The human half. The physical half.

She lifts her hand and I stand motionless as she reaches out to touch my face. Her fingertips meet my cheek and she blinks, almost surprised to discover that I am real.

She takes a breath and the uncertainty is gone, leaving naked desire in its wake.

She shifts her hand, palm sliding along my cheek to the back of my neck, her fingers tangling in my hair. The feel of her skin against mine is enough to make me gasp.

“Tell me to stop and I will,” she tells me in a low whisper.

“Please don't stop,” I beg in reply.

[hellodarling1357]

More Than A Moment: Part 1 - Cassian x Reader (AU!)

What? A post? A whole new fic? After months of broken promises (rip me)?

I sporadically got the inspo to write today and this idea just flowed on out and all but wrote itself!

Is this a stand alone? A multi-part (I hope so)?

Who knows!

Either way, I hope you enjoy 🥰

Summary: After a drunken night between friends, just friends, nothing more, Y/N and Cassian’s lives end up changing forever. But maybe not in the way they had originally expected.

Word Count: 1.5k

“Cassian!” You shout through the door, one fist pounding on the wooden frame as the other, hidden away in your coat pocket, held tightly to what had felt like a lifeline since you had raced to the store just over an hour ago.

“Cassian! I swear to god if you don’t open the door right now…” You took a step back as your fist met the air, the words dying in your throat as a girl with sleep mussed hair, wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt that you knew belonged to Cassian, stared back at you with a look of distaste.

“What?” The girl asked, stifling a yawn as her eyes blatantly looked you up and down, a smirk spreading across her lips as she took in your frazzled appearance. “We’re a little busy here, so…”

You blinked at her before pushing past and making your way inside the small apartment, ignoring the girl’s protest as you beelined for Cassian’s room, stopping momentarily as the door opened before you could reach it.

“Y/N. Hey,” the man in question was straightening out a tight black t-shirt, having clearly put on the closest items of clothing he could reach. “I didn’t expect to see you today, especially not at 8 am on a Sunday morning…”

“We need to talk.”

“Okay, alright. Could this not have waited until a more reasonable time?”

“Cass, please…”

Clearly picking up on the slight plea in your voice, he nodded, a slight furrow to his brow as he studied you a moment longer before turning to the girl who remained bristling by the front door.

“Hey,” he started, beckoning the girl towards him, you cringed as you took a seat on the couch, not wanting to be a part of the scene that was about to unfold. “So last night was fun, yeah? But I think there’s a few things I need to deal with here so we should probably wrap this up for now?”

“Oh? So you want me to leave?” You rolled your eyes as she clung to him, battering her lashes in hopes of changing his mind as he led her back into his room to help her collect her things, not missing the daggers she sent your way when Cassian’s back was turned.

“It’s not that I want you to leave… But I’ll call you. Soon, alright?”

“You better.”

Barely managing to conceal your scoff you busied yourself with your phone as she pulled him down into a lingering kiss.

“Alright, well get home safe and thanks again for last night…” Cassian trailed off and your attention flickered over in disbelief as he clearly tried to scramble for the poor girl’s name.

“Rebecca. My name’s Rebecca.” Her icy tone was a stark contrast as she moved out of his grasp.

“Of course, I know your name. How could I forget? I was just deciding whether I wanted to start calling you babe or baby.”

You didn’t attempt to hide the disgust at your friend as he shot the girl a charming smile that had her swooning as she said her goodbyes - all iciness melting into a flirtatiously shy smile as she stared up at him from under heavy lashes.

“You really can be a pig sometimes, you do realise that?” You said without looking up from your phone once Cassian had shut the door behind the girl.

“What?” He asked, voice laced in indignation as he slumped onto the couch beside you.

“Oh I dunno, do I call you babe or baby? Of course I remember your name, random-girl-I’ll-never-actually-call.” You lowered your voice into a mockery of his own before being met with a pillow to your face as Cassian got up and headed towards the bathroom.

“Hey, I just got rid of a perfectly nice girl for you. No need for the disrespect. What’s so important anyway? You know I love to see you and all that, but usually not at this time.” He leant against the bathroom door, toothbrush sticking out of his mouth as he stared at you waiting for an answer.

Right.

You had almost forgotten that you were here for a reason other than witnessing one of your closest friends be a complete dick to a girl he’d spent the previous night with.

“Oh… Um yeah it’s all good. Get dressed or whatever then we can chat.”

Cassian stared at you for a moment longer before shrugging and returning to the bathroom. You slumped back as soon as you were out of sight, squashing the pillow Cassian had previously whacked you with against your face as your thoughts raced through your head. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

By the time Cassian was ready, you had had enough time to work yourself into a somewhat frantic state as you paced back and forth, trying to figure out how to even bring up the reason why you had almost knocked down his door on a seemingly normal Sunday.

“Jesus, what’s up with you this morning?” Your head whipped around to face Cassian, freezing mid-pace to stare at him like a deer in headlights. When the only reply you could muster was the very unsubtle opening and closing of your mouth, Cassian let out a sigh as he reached for his shoes. “Well, seeing that you appear to have a whole heap of pent up energy, we’re walking to the cafe down the street. Your shout for waking me up and prematurely ending what was sure to be a very satisfying Sunday morning.”

You scrunched your nose but nodded all the same as you silently headed towards the door, missing the concerned look on Cassian’s face as his eyes trailed your retreating figure before he jumped up to follow you out.

——

The ten minute walk was silent except for the slight crunch of autumn leaves under foot as the pair of you narrowly avoided the early risers who were jogging past along the footpath and manoeuvred around the copious stream of families with young children enjoying the crisp morning air; your heart rate soared as you tried to control your breathing

Cassian managed to score a secluded table tucked away by the window, thanking the waiter for the menus and water as you stared past him in a daze, your mind reeled of how to approach telling him what had happened, what had resulted from…

A large hand waving in front of your face had you blinking in surprise.

“Y/N?”

“Yep. Hi.”

Cassian gave you another quizzical look but was halted from saying anything else as the waiter returned, asking about coffee and food orders.

“Just a long black for me, thanks.”

You could hear your heartbeat and wouldn’t be surprised if everyone around you could as well.

“Y/N?” Cassian gave you a soft kick under the table, pulling your attention to the waiter who was looking at you expectantly.

“Oh, um… Just a latte. Thank you,” Shit. Could you even have coffee now? “Wait. I mean, no. Just a tea. Peppermint, please. If you have it. Sorry.” Your voice trailed after the waiter as he nodded and walked off with a shake of his head. So far, this was not going well.

“Alright, what has gotten into you?” The immediate retort of ‘um you?’ was held back by a bite of your tongue. “You better not be here confessing your love for me. I mean we spoke about this, right? It was just a one off, drunken night between two friends who both happen to be very attractive.”

Some of the tension left your shoulders as you offered a small smile in appreciation of Cassian’s attempt to lighten the mood.

“You’re not actually in love with me are you?” You rolled your eyes at the slight panic in his expression, deciding not to take it as an insult. “I mean, I love you, but, you know, as a friend. Because we’re friends. We’re all friends; me, you, Rhys, Az, Feyre, Mor…”

“Cassian,” you let the smile grow a bit as he prattled on. “I’m not in love with you.”

“Oh, thank god. No offence.” He offered you a guilty looking smile which softened as he nodded in encouragement for you to continue.

“But I did want to talk about that night…” You trailed off, trying to gauge Cassian’s response as he quirked his head to the side and furrowed his brows in confusion. Well, here it goes. Taking in a deep breath, you reached into your pocked and placed the pregnancy test on the table.

“Cass, I’m pregnant.”

----------

I have so many ideas for this and how I want to continue it but would love to hear your thoughts!!

[shadamyheadcanons]

@shadowsfascination showed me this post from the Writing-prompt-s blog:

“Some say that an invisible red string is tied around the fingers of soulmates meant to be together forever. As it turns out, you can see these red strings, and have therefore created a highly successful matchmaking business.”

It gave me two brief ideas. The first one is a little more angsty and strictly involves Amy, while the second is fluffy and Shadamy-centric. They both have happy endings, though.

Angsty version:

Amy learns very early on about her gift, as it’s rare but not unheard of. She’s precocious about it; when she’s five, she’s prone to doing things like seeing happy couples with unconnected strings and bluntly saying, “You’re bad for each other.” Naturally, Amy’s mother is mortified by this behavior and urges her to stop doing it.

At first, this seems like a normal reaction...until one night at dinner when Amy asks, “Mom, Dad, why aren’t your strings attached? Mom is attached to the mailman instead.”

That’s how the truth comes out that her mom is cheating on her dad, which leads to their divorce. Amy blames herself, and her parents don’t do a very good job of convincing her otherwise. The resentment’s there, and she can tell. From then on, she resolves never to share her gift–her curse–with anyone for fear of ruining something else.

This continues until she hears two good friends of hers talking. One is trying to defend her clearly abusive partner, saying he’s “not always like that,” he’s “usually very sweet,” etc. And Amy just can’t hold it in any longer. She blurts out that they’re not meant to be together. The one she belongs with is the best friend who brought her in, the man who’s holding her as she’s speaking. Everyone’s silent for a moment, and Amy immediately regrets it...until six months later, when the two are dating and thank her for stepping in.

Amy embraces her gift at last and uses it to help others, becoming a matchmaker and relationship therapist. However, she spends just as much time “matchbreaking,” carefully working to break up couples who are bad for each other. She learns that sometimes, the best way to spread love is by ending ties that pull in the wrong direction, like pruning a plant of old leaves to allow new ones to thrive. It’s hard sometimes, but there’s no one who’s better at it.

Her mother never makes amends, but her father apologizes profusely for how he treated her when she was younger and introduces her to her new stepmom, thanking her for giving him the opportunity to meet her.

--

Now, the happier option:

Amy can see the strings tying people to their soulmates. Aside from aromantics like Sonic, who have little knots/bows on their fingers to show they’re complete on their own, everyone has a string...except for Amy herself. Hurt but determined, she decides to start a matchmaking business to spread love around the world in her own way, even if she can’t be a part of it.

Then, she meets Shadow, the only other person she’s met without a string. He brushes off her concern, as he doesn’t put stock in the concept and has reluctantly resigned himself to being a “dead end,” but Amy insists on trying to match him up with his soulmate all the same, as she feels everyone who wants a soulmate must have one. She finds it’s not so easy without the cheat sheet she’s had all her life. While getting to know Shadow and considering all the wonderful things he could offer as a partner, she can’t help but fall for him herself. Likewise, Shadow sees all the care and effort she’s put into bringing him happiness and fulfillment, the passion and devotion no one else could ever match. He doesn’t stand a chance, either. Amy takes the plunge and gets together with him even without that divine confirmation.

The truth of the matter, one that Shadow suspects, is that someone with the gift simply can’t see their own string, but Amy doesn’t need that validation to know she belongs with him.

[grifffins]

🚬 Say Yes 🚬

Avis Amberg x fem!reader

tags: power play, submission, smut, p!rn with a little plot, overstimulation, vag!nal f!ngering, mommy k!nk

summary: Everyone at ace studios knows better than to cross Avis Amberg, but when she invited you to one of her parties, you should’ve known it wasn’t just for drinks. It was always going to end like this.

wc: ~ 23k

a/n: I’ve had this one sitting in my drafts for a while, but I was so critically scared to post it. 😭 Big shoutout to @ahsfan05 for reading it first and reassuring me that it wasn’t complete insanity, love you forever. 💕

also on ao3

taglist: @ahsfan05, @emilynissangtr

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The office is quiet, save for the steady scratching of your pen against the script in front of you, the distant hum of typewriters had long stopped clacking away in another room. The usual buzz of Ace Studios has long since faded, leaving only the occasional echo of footsteps down the hall and the soft rustle of paper.

You should have gone home hours ago. The overhead lamp casts long shadows across your desk, illuminating the chaotic sprawl of coffee stained pages, discarded cigarette butts, and rejected ideas. Your eyes are heavy, your mind clouded, but still, you push forward. Hollywood isn’t for the faint of heart, and you’ve clawed your way this far, another night alone in the office is just the price of making it.

And then, something shifts.

You notice it before you hear it, the air itself seems to change, thickening like smoke curling through the room. The faintest trace of perfume hits you first. It's decadent, expensive, and undeniably feminine, notes of something dark and sweet, like bourbon and crushed velvet. It’s not a scent that belongs in an office like this. It belongs draped over fur coats in a crowded ballroom, whispered between red lips at a dimly lit bar.

You glance up, your pen stilling in your hand.

She’s standing in the doorway. Avis Amberg.

It takes you a second longer than it should to react, because seeing her in person, really seeing her, is different from the fleeting glimpses around the lot or the black and white glamour of her photographs. She’s... stunning. Imposing. Dripping in the kind of effortless elegance that makes time itself slow down around her.

The tailored silhouette of her dress hugs her frame in all the right places, cascading down her body like a second skin. Auburn curls frame her face, pinned back to reveal the elegant curve of her neck, and those lips, deep crimson, precise, almost too perfect to be real. Her eyes, sharp, dark, and laced with a knowing amusement, lock onto yours, and suddenly, you’re hyper aware of everything.

She’s never looked your way before, never given you the time of day. No exchange of pleasantries, no nods in passing. And yet here she is, staring at you like she’s known you forever, like she’s been watching from the shadows. You can’t help but wonder what brought her here, of all places, looking at me sitting here under the unforgiving glare of an office lamp, drowning in rewrites and a half empty coffee cup. But then she steps inside, and every doubt you have about yourself evaporates under the weight of her attention.

"You’re the only one left," she says smoothly, voice low and velvety, the kind of tone that suggests she’s amused by something only she understands. She takes a slow step forward, her heels clicking against the polished floorboards. 

You sit up straighter, suddenly aware of the mess of scripts and the cold coffee at your elbow. "I lost track of time," you admit, a little sheepishly.

Avis hums, unhurried. "Time," she repeats, like she’s turning the word over in her mind, as if it’s a concept she finds faintly ridiculous. "Seems to be a common affliction in this place."

Your heart races. What is she talking about? You’ve never spoken to her before. You keep to yourself, stay out of the way. So why is she looking at you like she’s known you forever?

She doesn’t move toward you, not exactly, but there’s a shift in the air, a subtle rearranging of power. You feel it immediately.

She casts a glance over your desk, fingers just brushing the edge of the nearest script. "Hard worker, aren’t you?" It’s not really a question. More of an assessment.

You shrug. "I like to keep busy."

"Mm. That’s what they say about women like us, isn’t it? Hardworking. Dedicated." She exhales sharply through her nose, something like amusement flickering across her features. "And yet, somehow, it’s never enough to get anyone in the room where it actually matters."

You swallow, unsure how to respond. Unsure if you should.

Avis doesn’t seem to mind. If anything, she looks faintly entertained by your silence. She reaches into her cigarette case, tapping one against her palm before lighting it with the same ease she does everything else.

Your mouth goes dry. Her presence is suffocating, every word she speaks making you question everything you thought you knew about yourself.

She exhales a plume of smoke, her gaze never leaving yours. 

The silence stretches, thick and heavy, until she finally breaks it with her next words, almost too casually. "I’m hosting a party tonight," she says, taking another slow drag from her cigarette. "Something... exclusive. And I think you should come."

You blink, unsure if you’ve heard her right. "Me?"

Her laugh is soft, almost affectionate, like she finds your confusion charming. "Yes, you." She leans in just enough to make your heart skip a beat. "You’ve been noticed," she adds, voice low, and the words hit you like a confession you weren’t prepared for. "Unless you'd rather stay here... with your scripts."

Wait, what?

You’ve never been on her radar, never been someone she would even give a second glance. But here she is, telling you she’s noticed you, you, out of all the people in this place. And now, she’s inviting you to a party?

You’re not sure whether to say yes or run in the other direction. But something tells you she wouldn’t be here, saying these things, if she didn’t already know exactly what she wanted. And maybe... just maybe... you're exactly what she's been looking for.

You should say no. You should.

But instead, you find yourself nodding. "What time?"

Avis smiles, slow and satisfied, like she’s just won a game you didn’t know you were playing. She exhales another cloud of smoke before flicking the cigarette into the ashtray on your desk, embers smouldering against paper.

"Midnight," she says, and the way she says it feels like a promise.  "Don’t be late."

And then she’s gone.

The door clicks shut behind her, and the room feels colder somehow, emptier, despite the lingering scent of her perfume hanging in the air like a whispered promise. You stare at the cigarette she left behind, the soft curl of smoke rising lazily into the dim light, and wonder if you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life.

Midnight.

The word echoes in your head, looping over and over, settling deep into your bones. Midnight feels like a turning point, a knife edge you’re about to step over. Your grip tightens on your pen, but the ink barely stains the paper now. Your mind is elsewhere, stuck on the way she looked at you, on the invitation that shouldn’t have come your way at all.

Avis Amberg doesn’t waste her time on nobodies. That’s the rule. And yet...

You lean back in your chair, exhaling slowly, trying to steady yourself. Everyone at the studio talks about Avis with a mix of reverence and hushed scandal. Her parties are legendary, whispered about in the corridors and over coffee breaks, the kind of gatherings that people pretend they weren’t dying to be invited to. But the guest list is always the same, actors, producers, politicians, men with too much power and too little restraint.

And boys. Always the boys. The boys from the gas station.

They’re part of the whispered stories, part of the intrigue surrounding her. You’d heard the rumours, the late night tales of her indulgences, of the young, eager things who came and went, bought and paid for, eager to please the formidable Mrs. Amberg.

They bragged, of course. Loose lipped in dim lit bars, cigarette smoke curling from their mouths as they talked about her like she was some urban legend made flesh. How she liked them a certain way. How she preferred to keep things simple, clean, no strings, no questions. How they were nothing but a momentary amusement before she discarded them like an empty pack of cigarettes.

You weren’t an actor, or a politician, or some eager boy who had the privilege of being used and forgotten. So what did she want?

You weren’t naive enough to think you were special. But the question lingered, curling in the back of your mind.

Because if you weren’t a transaction, if you weren’t some pretty thing bought for a night’s pleasure…

Then what the hell did Avis Amberg want with you?

You glance at the clock, half past eleven.

You should go home, forget all about it. You should stay in your lane, keep your head down, and do what you came to Hollywood to do. But instead, you find yourself standing, smoothing down your clothes, and staring at your reflection in the dusty office window. The face that stares back at you looks unsure, hesitant, but beneath it, there’s something else, a flicker of curiosity.

Curiosity will be your undoing.

Before you can talk yourself out of it, you grab your coat and head for the door, your heart hammering in your chest.

The address Avis had murmured, soft and teasing against your ear, leads you to an estate that looks like something ripped straight from a film reel. The driveway alone is longer than the entire block you live on, lined with towering palm trees that sway lazily in the evening breeze. The house itself is all sharp lines and grand columns, the glow from the windows spilling onto the manicured lawns like golden honey. Expensive cars are parked in neat rows, and you recognise a few faces slipping inside, faces from the silver screen, the kind of people you’d usually only see in black and white.

You pause at the entrance, nerves twisting in your gut. What the hell are you doing here?

And then, before you can rethink everything, she’s there.

Avis.

She’s standing just inside the entrance, champagne flute in hand, dark eyes sweeping over the gathered guests with that same quiet authority she carried in your office. Her dress tonight is different, satin, liquid gold against her skin, clinging in all the right places. The cut of the neckline is designed to ruin men, and perhaps even you.

For a moment, you consider slipping away before she notices. But Avis catches your eye like she’s been waiting for you all along, her lips curving into that same slow, knowing smile.

You swallow hard and step inside.

She meets you halfway, her gaze flickering over your attire, amusement dancing behind her eyes. “I must admit,” she murmurs, tilting her head, “I half expected you to come up with some excuse.”

“I thought about it,” you admit, trying to keep your voice steady. “But I figured you’d just hunt me down tomorrow if I didn’t show.”

Avis chuckles, the sound low and rich, like the champagne she swirls in her glass. “Smart.” She leans in just slightly, her perfume wrapping around you again, and your knees feel weaker than you’d like to admit. “You don’t belong here,” she says, her voice smooth, knowing.

Your pulse spikes, but you keep your expression neutral. “You invited me?”

Her lips curl at the edges, a slow, measured smirk. “I did.”

The weight of it lingers between you, pressing against your ribs. She doesn’t elaborate. Doesn’t explain. Just watches you with that unreadable glint in her eye, as if daring you to ask.

“Because I’m not rich?” you say finally, testing the waters.

Her gaze flickers, just for a moment. “Because you’re not like them.”

It’s not a compliment. It’s not an insult, either. It’s something else, something that sinks into your skin, unsettling in a way you can’t quite place.

She takes another sip of champagne, her eyes never leaving yours. “That’s why you’re here.”

And you have no idea if she means tonight, at this party, or something else entirely.

The implication lingers between you, heavy and undeniable.

Before you can say anything, someone calls her name from across the room, a producer, one of the old ones with a face like a bulldog and an ego to match. Avis’s expression doesn’t change, but there’s a flicker of irritation in the way she sighs, like she’s already bored with the night.

“Enjoy yourself,” she murmurs, brushing a hand lightly down your arm as she steps away. “We’ll talk later.”

And just like that, she’s gone, melting into the crowd with the same effortless grace she always carries.

You exhale sharply, feeling the lingering heat of her touch burning through the fabric of your sleeve.

You should leave.

You should definitely leave.

Instead, you find yourself taking a drink from a passing tray, watching Avis from across the room as she smiles and charms her way through the sea of important people, and you wonder, just for a moment, if you’ve just stepped into something you can’t escape from.

The party swallows you whole.

You blend into the crowd, clinging to the edges of the room with your drink in hand, letting the sound of laughter and clinking glasses wash over you. The air is thick with cigarette smoke and the heady scent of expensive perfume, mingling with the distant sound of a jazz record spinning somewhere beyond the grand staircase. The guests move like silk through the lavish space, slipping between conversations with practiced ease, actors, directors, studio executives, and socialites draped in jewels and whispered secrets.

This is a world you’ve only ever seen from a distance, through the crack of an office door or in fleeting glimpses on set. You shouldn’t be here. But Avis invited you, and here you are, trapped between the pull of curiosity and the gnawing fear that you’re completely out of your depth.

You steal a glance across the room and find her almost immediately. Avis stands at the centre of it all, holding court with an air of casual authority, cigarette poised elegantly between her fingers as she listens to some executive drone on about box office numbers. She doesn’t even look bored, she’s perfected the art of appearing interested, a slight tilt of her head, a slow blink, the barest ghost of a smile curling at the edge of her lips.

And yet, even surrounded by a sea of admirers, she still notices you.

Her dark eyes flicker in your direction, and for a heartbeat, it’s like the entire room fades away. The corner of her mouth lifts in a small, private smile,  one that feels like it’s meant for you and no one else.

Your breath catches in your throat. You take a sip of your drink, hoping the burn will steady you, but all it does is make your head feel lighter, more off balance. You’re not used to being looked at like that, like you’re something interesting, something worth pursuing.

Especially not by Avis Amberg.

The night moves in a blur of faces and conversations you can barely follow. You speak to a few people, some actors whose names you vaguely recognise, a screenwriter who complains about the studio system with too much wine in his hand,  but your thoughts keep drifting back to her.

Each time you catch a glimpse of Avis, you feel that same slow pull, like gravity bending toward her effortlessly. She moves through the party like she owns it, because she does. A touch here, a glance there, laughter slipping from her lips like it was meant to be bottled and sold.

And then, just when you think she’s forgotten about you entirely, you feel it.

A touch at your back.

Soft. Barely there.

But unmistakable.

You turn sharply, and there she is, Avis, closer than you expected, her presence overwhelming in the low light. Up close, she’s even more devastating. The curve of her lips, the way the gold chain at her throat catches the light, the cool amusement flickering in her dark eyes.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asks, and the way she says it, low, intimate, sends a shiver down your spine.

You nod, because you can’t trust yourself to speak without giving too much away.

Avis hums in approval, her fingers grazing your wrist for a fraction of a second too long before she pulls away. "Good. I’d hate to think I invited you for nothing."

Your pulse is racing. "I—"

She cuts you off with a smirk. "Come with me."

And just like that, she’s walking away, expecting you to follow. And, of course, you do.

Avis leads you through the crowd with effortless ease, past laughing guests and glittering chandeliers, until you find yourself in a quieter corner of the house, a secluded alcove with plush seating and dim lighting, far removed from the noise of the party.

She settles onto one of the velvet sofas, crossing her legs with a languid grace that makes it impossible to look away. She gestures for you to sit, and you do, feeling the heat of her gaze on you the entire time.

Avis studies you for a long moment, idly swirling her drink. "You're not easy to read."

You blink, caught off guard. "I-what do you mean?"

She leans in slightly, her gaze sharp, searching. "Most people telegraph their intentions. You can see them coming a mile away." Her lips curl, amused. "But you... you're harder to pin down."

Her fingertip glides along the rim of her glass, slow and deliberate. "It's interesting."

Your heart is hammering now, loud enough that you’re sure she can hear it.

"I—I’m not sure what to say to that," you admit, swallowing hard.

Avis smirks. "Say yes."

You blink. "To what?"

She leans back, her gaze heavy, unreadable. "To whatever comes next."

And with that, the room tilts just slightly, because you realise, this isn’t just flirtation. This is something far more dangerous. And you? You’re standing right on the edge.

You should hesitate. You should think this through. But none of that happens.

Instead, the word tumbles out of your mouth before you can stop it.

“Yes.”

Avis’s lips curve into something slow and indulgent, as though she expected nothing less. She doesn’t react with surprise, doesn’t blink, just watches you with that same quiet amusement, letting the weight of your answer settle between you.

A part of you wonders if you should have played it cooler, if you should have pretended to be unfazed by the invitation hanging in the air. But you’re not cool. You’re not unfazed. Because Avis Amberg is beautiful in the way that makes the air thick and your skin too warm under the weight of her gaze.

And because... well, she’s Avis Amberg.

Your brain still hasn’t caught up to the reality of it, the fact that she’s not just teasing, that the woman with a reputation for leaving a trail of starry eyed boys in her wake is standing before you, interested. And you? You’re very much not a boy.

Avis shifts slightly, leaning back into the plush sofa with a grace that should be illegal. She takes a slow sip from her drink, her dark eyes still locked on yours over the rim of her glass. “Good,” she murmurs after a beat, as though your answer had been inevitable.

Your pulse thrums in your throat, and you try not to fidget beneath the weight of her gaze. “You—” you start, then stop yourself, unsure if you even have the right to ask the question circling in your head.

Avis notices, of course she does. “Something on your mind, darling?” she asks, her voice dripping with lazy amusement, like she’s enjoying this far too much.

You swallow hard, your fingers tightening around your glass. “I just... I didn’t realise you were...”

Her dark brows arch ever so slightly, the ghost of a smirk playing at her lips. “Interested in women?”

You feel your face heat. “I mean—”

She laughs, low and rich, tilting her head as she studies you. “Is that really so surprising?”

Your throat tightens. “Well... yes.”

Avis hums thoughtfully, swirling the amber liquid in her glass before setting it down with a soft clink. She leans forward then, elbows resting on her knees, and the sudden closeness makes your heart stutter in your chest.

“You know what I think?” she muses, her voice dropping to something softer, something dangerously intimate.

You shake your head, swallowing against the lump forming in your throat.

"I think," she continues, idly tracing the rim of her glass with a single finger, "that people see what they want to see. A woman like me, in a place like this.." She pauses, her lips curving in something unreadable. "It's easier for them to believe certain stories."

You know exactly which ones she means, the whispers that slip through studio corridors, tales of pretty boys and late nights, carefully crafted illusions that keep everyone at ease.

"It keeps them comfortable," she murmurs.

The air between you is suffocatingly thick, and your fingers tremble slightly against the cool glass in your hand. You try to speak, to come up with something clever, something that doesn’t make you sound completely out of your depth, but Avis beats you to it.

“Do I make you nervous?” she asks, and you can tell she already knows the answer.

You open your mouth to deny it, but the words get caught somewhere along the way.

Avis laughs again, softer this time, like she’s found something about you particularly delightful. “That’s alright,” she murmurs, sitting back against the sofa once more, watching you like a cat watching a mouse. “I have that effect on people.”

You take a slow, steadying breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “And what exactly happens now?”

Avis watches you for a long moment, like she’s deciding just how much to give away. Then, with a slow, languid stretch, she rises to her feet. The satin of her dress shimmers under the dim light, and you have to fight the urge to stare.

“That depends on you,” she says simply, extending a hand towards you.

You stare at it for a beat too long before finally placing your hand in hers. Her fingers are warm, steady, and the simple contact sends a shiver down your spine. She pulls you up with effortless grace, guiding you through the winding hallways of her estate like she’s done it a hundred times before.

Your heart hammers against your ribs, your mind racing with possibilities.

Because you said yes. And now, there’s no turning back.

The room she leads you to is quieter, a stark contrast to the thumping noise of the party below. It’s dimly lit, the soft glow of candlelight flickering against the dark walls. The atmosphere is intimate, velvet furnishings scattered around the space, heavy curtains drawn tight against the world outside. The faint scent of her perfume clings to the air, making everything feel a little too close, a little too personal.

Your eyes fall to the bed in the centre of the room, its heavy, ornate frame adding to the feeling that you’ve just entered a private world, one that’s far removed from the chaos of the party. The plush, dark bedding invites you in, its soft folds promising comfort, or something else entirely.

You can’t help but wonder if she’s planned this moment.

Avis closes the door behind you with a soft click, and suddenly the world outside feels very far away. She watches you for a moment, gauging your reaction, her eyes sharp and calculating.

“Are you alright?” she asks, a hint of genuine curiosity threading through her voice.

You nod, your throat too dry to form words.

Avis steps closer, her fingers tracing lightly down the length of your arm before settling at your wrist. “You don’t have to be nervous, darling.”

“I’m not nervous,” you say quickly, but it’s a lie, and she knows it.

Her lips curve in that infuriating way of hers. “Of course you’re not.”

You swallow, trying to ground yourself, but it’s difficult when she’s this close, when her scent is wrapping around you like a blanket, when her touch is light but deliberate, drawing small circles against your skin.

“I’m not like them,” you whisper, more to yourself than to her.

Avis tilts her head, her gaze flickering over your face. “I know.”

And somehow, that makes it worse.

The muffled thrum of the party downstairs is a distant pulse beneath your feet, a steady reminder that the world outside this room still exists. Voices rise and fall beneath the music, laughter spilling through the cracks in the floorboards. It’s grounding in a way, tethering you to reality just enough to remind you that this, whatever this is, is happening under the noses of everyone down there.

You glance toward the closed door, then back at Avis. “Aren’t you worried we’ll get caught?”

She watches you, her lips curving in that slow, knowing way. “Should I be?”

You exhale, shifting slightly under the weight of her gaze. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

Avis steps closer, deliberate but unhurried, her fingertips ghosting over your wrist. “They only see what they want to see, darling.” Her voice is a warm hum against your skin. “And no one looks too closely when they think they already know the story.”

Your stomach twists at the implication.

She tilts her head, eyes gleaming in the candlelight. “Are you afraid someone will come looking for you?”

You shake your head, but the thought lingers. You should be more cautious. You should be thinking about the people downstairs, about the fact that this is reckless, that someone could knock on that door at any moment.

But you don’t move.

Avis watches your hesitation with quiet satisfaction, her hand trailing up to cup your cheek, her thumb grazing just beneath your jaw. “Tell me something,” she murmurs, her voice low, coaxing. “Have you thought about this?”

Your breath catches. “I… I don’t know.”

Her smile deepens, just enough to make your pulse stutter. “I think you have.”

And the worst part? She’s right.

You can’t deny it. Not when she’s looking at you like that.

You exhale shakily, leaning into her touch without thinking, and Avis watches you with quiet satisfaction, like she’s just confirmed something she already knew.

And then, finally, she kisses you.

It’s slow at first, teasing, like she’s savouring the moment, the taste of your hesitation. Her lips are soft but insistent, and when you don’t pull away, when you can’t pull away, her hand tightens slightly in your hair, drawing you closer.

You’re not sure how long it lasts, only that when she finally pulls back, you’re breathless and aching, and Avis looks entirely too pleased with herself.

“There,” she whispers against your lips. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

You laugh, a little breathless. “No.”

Avis’s fingers trail down your arm, slow and deliberate. “Good,” she murmurs. “Because I’m not done with you yet.”

And somehow, you know you don’t want her to be.

Your heart is still racing, your lips tingling with the ghost of her touch. Avis watches you with a quiet intensity, her dark eyes drinking you in as if she’s committing every inch of your reaction to memory. It’s unnerving, the way she looks at you, like she’s already won, like she knew exactly how this would play out the moment she stepped into your office.

And maybe she did.

“You’re quiet,” she murmurs, fingers still ghosting down your arm, light and teasing, never quite settling.

You swallow hard, attempting to regain some semblance of control. “I’m just... processing.”

Avis smirks, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear in a gesture that feels far too intimate for how little you know each other. “Take your time, darling,” she says, voice dripping in amusement. “I do love watching you think.”

You let out a shaky breath, your gaze darting around the room in a desperate attempt to ground yourself. The space is luxurious, a rich blend of velvet and gold, the kind of room that reeks of indulgence. It’s intimate without being stifling, the lighting low, the air heavy with the scent of her perfume.

“You really do live like a queen, don’t you?” you say, your voice steadier than you expected.

Avis hums, stepping back slightly, giving you a moment to breath, or perhaps just enjoying the view. “Darling, I don’t just live like one. I am one.” She tilts her head, considering you. “And queens always get what they want.”

Your stomach flips. “And what exactly do you want?”

Avis doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she picks up the cigarette she’d left resting in a nearby ashtray, bringing it to her lips with practiced ease. She inhales slowly, her gaze never leaving yours, and when she exhales, the smoke curls lazily between you, thick and intoxicating.

“I think,” she finally says, tapping ash onto the crystal tray, “I want to know more about you.”

The statement takes you by surprise. You expected something else, something bolder, something teasing, but this? This feels... dangerous.

You shift under her gaze. “There’s not much to know.”

Avis chuckles, low and knowing. “Oh, I doubt that.” She steps closer again, her free hand tracing idle patterns along the neckline of your dress. “You intrigue me. I don’t take that lightly.”

Your throat tightens. “I... I’m not one of your boys.”

Avis’s eyes darken, and the hand at your collarbone stills. For a moment, you worry you’ve crossed a line, but then her lips quirk in amusement. “No,” she murmurs, her voice softer now, almost reverent. “You’re not.”

And there it is again, that unspoken acknowledgement hanging between you, thick and weighty. You’ve spent so long hearing whispers about Avis’s conquests, about the way she collected men like trophies, discarding them once their shine wore off. But here she is, standing before you, something more than idle curiosity flickering in her gaze.

It’s enough to make your head spin.

“Why me?” you ask before you can stop yourself.

Avis tilts her head, a smile playing on her lips as she studies you. “Why not?”

You open your mouth to argue, but she presses a single finger to your lips, silencing you effortlessly. “Don’t overthink it,” she whispers, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Just enjoy it.”

And then she kisses you again.

This time, it’s different. There’s no teasing, no hesitation, just the press of her lips against yours, confident and demanding. Her hand tangles in your hair, pulling you in closer, and all you can do is let yourself be drawn into the heat of her, the taste of expensive champagne lingering on her tongue.

You melt into it, your hands finding purchase against the smooth silk of her dress, and Avis hums in approval, pressing you back against the velvet cushions with effortless ease.

You let her take the lead, let her pull you deeper into her world of whispered secrets and stolen moments. You don’t think about tomorrow, about the studio, about what people might say.

Right now, there’s only the feel of her lips against your skin, the soft sighs that escape between kisses, the way she holds you like she’s always known exactly how this would play out.

And perhaps she did.

Avis’s lips are soft but insistent, pressing against yours with a hunger that catches you off guard. There's no prelude now, no teasing dance, just the slow, deliberate weight of her body against yours, the heat of her hands mapping out the lines of your waist, the curve of your hips.

The room tilts around you, the distant hum of the party beyond the heavy door fading into nothing but the sound of your own breathing, shallow and quick. Avis’s perfume wraps around you like a second skin, cloying and decadent, making it hard to think, hard to do anything but feel.

She pushes you back gently, the velvet of the bed soft beneath you, and her gaze, dark and smouldering, holds you in place far more effectively than any touch could. Her fingers trace a slow path down the side of your neck, featherlight, before she leans in again, her lips trailing lower, pressing against the pulse hammering beneath your skin.

A soft sound escapes you before you can stop it, and you feel her smile against your throat, wicked and knowing. "Mm," she hums, the sound vibrating through you. "I do love when they make noise."

Your fingers clutch at her waist, the silk of her dress slipping beneath your hands like water, and she takes it as an invitation, pressing closer, her body a perfect fit against yours, warm and demanding. She’s all confidence, all control, and it makes your head spin in the best possible way.

Her mouth finds yours again, hungrier this time, and you don’t hesitate to match her. Your hands roam, fingers tracing the exposed skin of her back, sliding beneath the fabric where it dips low, feeling the tension in her muscles as she moves against you. Avis sighs into your mouth, a soft, indulgent sound, and the way she reacts to your touch sends a thrill down your spine.

She’s intoxicating, more than the champagne, more than the cigarette smoke that lingers in the air. The way she moves, the way she takes what she wants with such ease, it’s almost unfair.

Her nails drag lightly down your arm, and then her hands are at your waist, pulling you up, closer, until your legs are tangled together and there’s nowhere else to go. The heat of her mouth, the deliberate press of her thigh between yours, it’s overwhelming.

Your breath comes faster, and she notices, of course she does. "Easy, darling," she murmurs against your lips, her voice a lazy drawl, full of amusement. "We've got all night."

You whimper at the promise in her words, your body arching instinctively into her touch. Avis chuckles, trailing kisses down your collarbone, her fingers slipping beneath the edge of your dress, dragging the fabric down with deliberate slowness.

You shiver beneath her, your body taut with anticipation, heat pooling low in your stomach. Avis pulls back just enough to look at you, her dark eyes heavy lidded, her lips glistening.

"Tell me you want this," she says, and for once, there’s no teasing in her tone.

Your breath catches, the words sticking in your throat. There’s something about the way she’s looking at you, like she’s giving you the space to decide, to step back if you want to.

But you don’t.

You nod, breathless. “Yes.”

Avis tilts her head slightly, her fingers skimming your jaw, her nails scraping just lightly enough to make you shudder. Her lips curve, not quite a smirk, not quite a smile.

“Yes what?” Your brows furrow for half a second, confusion flickering across your face before she leans in again, her breath warm against your skin. “Yes, mama,” she clarifies.

The words send a shock through you, a heat that curls deep in your spine, leaving you dizzy.

Your lips part, your breath shaky. You swallow hard, your fingers gripping onto the sheets, grounding yourself.

“Yes, mama,” you whisper. Your voice comes out softer than you intend, breathless, but it does exactly what you knew it would. Avis stills for just a moment, lips hovering at the base of your throat, and then you feel it, her slow, pleased exhale, warm against your skin. A shiver rolls down your spine at the way she hums, low and satisfied, like she’s just found something worth savouring.

Avis hums in satisfaction, her fingers trailing lower, her touch both soothing and possessive. “That’s my girl.” She murmurs, and the praise sends heat pooling low in your belly.

Her smile is all satisfaction, and then she's on you again, lips and hands and silk soft touches that unravel you piece by piece.

You let her take everything. And she does.

Avis’s hands are everywhere at once, trailing slow, deliberate patterns along your sides, your waist, the delicate line of your collarbone. Each touch feels intentional, practiced, like she’s taking her time learning every inch of you. Her fingers slip beneath the fabric of your dress, pushing it higher inch by inch, her nails grazing your skin just enough to leave you gasping.

You clutch at her, trying to ground yourself, but she’s relentless, her mouth finding yours again, deeper this time, hungrier. She tastes like champagne and something sweeter, something distinctly her, and you melt into it without thinking, letting her take whatever she wants.

Her thigh presses between yours, firm and unyielding, and you gasp into her mouth at the sudden pressure. Avis pulls back just enough to watch you, her dark eyes glittering with amusement. "Sensitive, aren’t we?"

You can’t find your voice, only manage a sharp intake of breath as her fingers drag slowly up your bare thigh, teasing and unhurried.

She chuckles, her lips brushing the shell of your ear. "I like that."

The words send a fresh wave of heat through you, and you can feel the smug curve of her smile as she continues her slow, torturous exploration. Her hands push the straps of your dress down your shoulders, the silk pooling at your waist, exposing more of you to the cool air and the warm press of her lips against your skin.

She kisses a path down your neck, lingering just above your racing pulse before moving lower, her mouth tracing the swell of your chest with maddening patience. Every brush of her lips, every teasing flick of her tongue leaves you trembling beneath her touch.

"Avis..." you whisper, unsure if it’s a plea or a warning.

She pulls back slightly, looking down at you with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Patience, darling," she murmurs, dragging her thumb over your lower lip, watching as you part your lips instinctively for her. "We’re just getting started."

Your head falls back against the plush velvet, your body arching into her touch despite your better judgment. Avis takes her time, mapping out every inch of you with meticulous care, her touch alternating between feather light caresses and firm, possessive strokes that leave you aching for more.

Her thigh presses harder between yours, and your hips move without thinking, chasing the friction she offers. Avis hums in approval, her hand slipping beneath the last barrier of fabric, teasing at the edge of where you need her most.

"So eager," she murmurs, her lips ghosting over your flushed skin. "I love it."

You whimper, your fingers digging into her arms, trying to pull her closer, needing more. Avis obliges, pressing her body fully against yours, her mouth claiming yours again with a hunger that leaves no room for doubt.

You’re lost in her, completely, utterly lost. The world outside this room, the party, the whispers... none of it matters anymore.

There’s only the heat of her body, the press of her lips, and the slow, torturous way she’s taking you apart piece by piece.

And God, you don’t want it to stop.You gently pull away and stand up, helping her to her feet. You’re still warm from her touch, your body slightly unsteady as you both rise, but you can’t ignore the desire to move things forward.  You kiss her neck, soft and slow, careful not to leave a trace, no marks. Just you, your lips pressed against the warm skin beneath her jaw, savouring the way she sighs, the way her fingers tighten in your hair.

Avis tilts her head ever so slightly, granting you silent permission, but there’s control in it, a reminder that she’s letting you have this, for now. You kiss lower, your mouth trailing to the delicate curve where her neck meets her shoulder, feeling the way she shivers under your touch.

"You’re being good," she murmurs, her voice a lazy drawl laced with something darker, more indulgent. 

Her praise sends a shiver down your spine, desire pooling low in your belly, but it’s not enough. Those boys at the gas station, she paid for their time, their attention. But you? You want her. Not for what she can offer, not for the allure of power or wealth, but for her, the way she looks at you like she’s measuring your worth, the way she commands a room without saying a word, the way her lips taste of champagne and control.

Your hands find the silk belt of her dress, and you hesitate, your fingers trembling slightly against the fabric. Avis notices, of course she does, and she chuckles, low and knowing, tilting your chin up with a single, perfectly manicured finger.

Her eyes darken, approval flickering across her features, and she steps back just enough to give you space to move. Your hands move slowly, reverently, slipping the silk from her shoulders, watching with wide eyes as the fabric pools at her feet, revealing the intricate corset beneath, black lace and boning hugging her curves, accentuating everything in a way that has your knees feeling weak.

You can’t help the way your breath catches, your gaze drinking her in like she’s something untouchable, something holy.

Avis smirks, reading every thought flashing across your face, and steps closer, tipping your chin up once more. "On your knees, darling," she purrs, and your body obeys before your mind can catch up.

You sink down onto the plush rug beneath you, your hands trembling as they trail along the curve of her thighs, over the delicate lace garters holding up her stockings. You kiss along the tops of them, your lips brushing the soft skin just above the lace, and you feel Avis’s breath hitch, just for a second.

"Good girl," she murmurs, her fingers threading through your hair, tugging lightly, just enough to make you look up at her. The hunger in her gaze nearly undoes you. "But I think you can do better than that."

Your lips part, your breath warm against her skin, and you kiss higher, your mouth mapping a path up the curve of her inner thigh, your hands smoothing over the soft lace and silk as you go.

Avis hums in approval, her grip in your hair tightening slightly. "That’s it," she murmurs, her voice heavy with satisfaction. "I do enjoy watching you like this."

You burn under her praise, your desire only growing as she tilts her head back slightly, exhaling a slow, indulgent sigh. Every soft gasp, every pleased hum she lets out fuels you, makes you want to prove that you’re different, that you’re not just another passing amusement to be forgotten by morning.

Your hands glide up, fingertips teasing against the edges of her corset, and you press a kiss just above the swell of her hip, the faintest taste of her moisturiser lingering on your tongue. It’s intoxicating, overwhelming, and you can’t get enough.

Avis chuckles softly, her lips curling in amusement. "You’re raring to go, aren’t you?," she observes, and you feel the delicious weight of her power pressing down on you, making you ache for more.

You kiss higher, tracing the delicate line of lace with your lips, your hands trailing slowly along her hips, mapping her out like you have all the time in the world. And for tonight, you do.

Avis pulls you back suddenly, her hands firm against your shoulders, in one fluid movement she bends down her lips crash against yours, and this time, it’s all consuming, teeth, tongue, and a desperation that leaves you dizzy.

"Let’s see if you can keep up, darling," she whispers against your lips, and you know with absolute certainty, you're about to give her the time of her life.

Avis watches you from beneath heavy lidded eyes, a satisfied smirk playing at the edges of her lips as she feels the way your breath trembles against her skin. Her fingers slide through your hair, a gentle yet possessive touch, and the weight of it sends a thrill down your spine.

You lower your head again, pressing your lips to the inside of her thigh, letting your tongue flicker over the delicate lace garter before trailing higher, slowly, reverently. The anticipation coils between you, thick and heady, and Avis hums in approval, her grip tightening just enough to ground you, to remind you exactly who’s in control here.

Your hands skim up the curve of her hips, tracing the silk of her corset as your lips follow suit, lingering along the delicate curve just above the boning, tasting the faint salt of her skin mixed with the lingering traces of expensive perfume. She sighs above you, a soft, indulgent sound that makes your stomach tighten with need.

“Such a lovely little thing,” Avis murmurs, her voice thick with amusement and something darker, richer. Her nails scrape lightly against your scalp, urging you on. “Let’s see what that mouth of yours can really do.”

Your lips part around a shaky breath, your hands finding the clasp of her garter belt, undoing it with practiced ease. Avis chuckles softly, clearly pleased, and steps back just enough to give you room, watching with that ever present, wicked glint in her eye as you guide the sheer fabric down her thighs, pressing kisses to every new inch of exposed skin.

You trail your fingers up the inside of her thighs, featherlight touches meant to tease, and Avis lets out the softest sigh, her hips shifting ever so slightly in response. You press your mouth to her again, lower this time, your tongue flicking out, tasting her heat through the last barrier of silk and lace.

Avis lets out a soft, breathy moan, her fingers tugging your hair just enough to make you gasp against her. “Patience,” she purrs, though the slight hitch in her breath betrays her own. “I do like them eager, but I like them obedient even more.”

You drag your tongue over her slowly, teasing, and she groans, low and throaty, her hips shifting in response. Encouraged, you press a little harder, your fingers slipping beneath the lace to finally touch her properly, feeling how warm and wet she is, how ready.

Avis’s grip tightens, her breath catching in her throat, and when you flick your tongue against her in just the right way, she curses softly under her breath. “Oh, darling.”

Slowly, deliberately, you slip the fabric down her legs, tossing it aside, your breath catching as your hands now have complete access to her. And you dive back in.

Your fingers work in tandem with your mouth, teasing and stroking with deliberate precision, finding the rhythm that makes her tremble under your touch. Avis’s composure slips, just a little, and the sound she makes, low and desperate, is enough to send a rush of heat straight to your core.

You revel in it, in the way her breath stutters, in the way her thighs tense around you. Every moan, every whispered curse fuels you, makes you bolder, hungrier. You take your time, savouring the way she responds to you, the way her hips roll against your mouth, her fingers threading tighter through your hair.

Avis’s voice is a breathless murmur above you, her dominance never wavering even as she begins to lose herself in the pleasure you’re giving her. “Just like that... yes, that’s it,” she breathes, her head tipping back as her body shudders beneath you.

Your fingers work deeper, curling just right, and you feel it, the sharp tension in her muscles, the way her breathing grows ragged, her moans louder, more insistent. You keep your pace steady, relentless, pushing her higher and higher until she gasps your name, her body arching into you as she comes undone.

Avis rides it out with a grace that’s entirely hers, her fingers tightening in your hair before finally releasing, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. You pull back slowly, pressing a final kiss to the inside of her thigh, your lips damp, your hands still lingering against her skin.

For a long moment, Avis says nothing, only watches you with dark, hooded eyes, her lips parted, her body still humming from the aftershocks. Then, with a languid stretch, she reaches down and cups your chin, tilting your face up to meet hers.

Her smirk is slow, indulgent, and utterly satisfied. "Well," she murmurs, voice husky and warm. "I think you just might be my favourite after all."

Your heart pounds at the praise, at the way she’s looking at you like she’s already decided to keep you. You let out a breathless laugh, wiping the corner of your mouth with the back of your hand.

“I aim to please,” you whisper, and Avis grins, pulling you to your feet with surprising ease. She presses her lips to yours again, slower this time, tasting herself on your tongue, and it’s intoxicating in a way that makes your knees weak all over again.

“Careful, darling,” she murmurs against your lips. “I just might not let you leave.”

And you? You’re not sure you’d want to.

“You look divine,” she murmurs, her fingers tracing the curve of your hip, slipping beneath the last remnants of fabric still clinging to your body. “But I think you’d look better without these.”

You swallow hard as she steps closer, her lips ghosting over your jaw, her hands working with deliberate precision to strip away the barriers between you. The sensation of silk sliding down your skin sends a fresh wave of anticipation coursing through you, and you can’t stop the soft sigh that escapes your lips.

Avis smirks against your ear, her breath warm and teasing. “I do love when they fall apart so easily,” she whispers, and the words make your knees threaten to give out all over again.

She steps back, just enough to take in the sight of you, bare, trembling, utterly at her mercy. Her eyes darken, and you feel the weight of her desire pressing down on you like a tangible force.

"On the bed," she says, and there’s no question in it, no room for hesitation.

Your legs move on their own, carrying you to the lavish bed. You sink onto it, your breathing shallow, your body aching with anticipation. Avis follows at her own pace, leisurely and in control, watching you with a predator’s gaze.

And there she stands, corset clad and exquisite, looking at you like she’s about to devour you whole.

She crawls onto the bed with a grace that has your breath catching, her knees settling on either side of your hips as she pins you beneath her, the weight of her a delicious pressure you never knew you needed until now. Her fingers dance lightly over your skin, teasing, tracing, making you arch into her touch.

"You’ve been so good," she purrs, dragging her nails lightly down your stomach, making you shudder. "But now it’s my turn."

Her mouth follows the path of her hands, warm and wet against your skin, leaving a trail of kisses and bites that never quite mark, but still make your breath catch with every scrape of her teeth. She revels in the way your body responds to her, the way you tremble beneath every calculated touch.

"Tell me what you want," she murmurs against your collarbone, her tongue flickering out to taste the salt of your skin. "I want to hear you say it."

Your fingers clutch at the sheets, your voice barely a whisper. "I want you."

Avis chuckles, low and dangerous, her lips ghosting lower, leaving you breathless. "You already have me," she murmurs, pressing a kiss just above your navel before moving lower still. "But I do love hearing you beg."

Your body arches instinctively as she drags her tongue along your skin, teasing, tasting, taking her time. Every touch, every flicker of her fingers and lips is deliberate, calculated to drive you to the very edge without ever letting you fall.

She makes you wait. Makes you feel every second of it.

And when she finally gives you what you’ve been aching for, you cry out, your hands tangling in her hair as she works you open with devastating precision. Avis hums against you, a satisfied sound that vibrates through your core, and it’s almost too much, too perfect.

"You taste divine," she murmurs between slow, torturous strokes, her voice thick with satisfaction.

You gasp, your body arching into her, desperate for more, for everything. Avis’s hands grip your thighs, holding you down with an authority that leaves no room for argument, no room for escape. She builds you up slowly, surprisingly expertly, her mouth and fingers working in perfect tandem, leaving you a trembling mess beneath her.

You moan her name, breathless and raw, and it only seems to spur her on, her tongue flicking against you in just the right way, her fingers curling inside you with unerring precision. You can feel the pressure building, the heat pooling low in your belly, and you know you’re close, so close you can taste it.

"Come for me, darling," she purrs against your skin, and it’s not a request.

Your body obeys, pleasure crashing over you in waves, your cries muffled against the silk pillows as you fall apart beneath her. Avis doesn’t stop, not right away, drawing out every last tremor, every last shudder, until you’re gasping for air, your entire body trembling in the aftermath.

She pulls back slowly, watching you with satisfaction as she presses a kiss to the inside of your thigh, her fingers still trailing idly across your skin.

"You’re exquisite," she murmurs, pressing another kiss to your hip, then your stomach, and finally your lips. "I should have done this sooner."

You laugh breathlessly, your fingers tracing the delicate line of her corset, your body still humming with the aftershocks of her touch.

"I’d say you’ve made up for lost time," you murmur, and Avis grins, her dark eyes gleaming with something wicked.

"Oh, darling," she purrs, dragging her nails lightly down your spine. "We’re just getting started."

The air between you is thick and heavy, saturated with the scent of her perfume and the lingering traces of what just happened. Your body still hums with the aftermath, a lazy warmth spreading through your limbs as you lay back against the silk sheets, trying to catch your breath.

Avis, ever composed, leans back against the headboard, her fingers idly tracing circles along your bare shoulder. There's something smug in the way she looks at you, satisfied, yes, but also contemplative, as if she's already planning the next time she'll have you beneath her.

“I’d like to see you again,” she says, her voice softer now, but no less commanding.

You glance up at her, surprised by the directness, though you know you shouldn’t be. This is Avis Amberg, she doesn’t waste time with uncertainty.

A slow smile tugs at the corner of your lips. “I think I’d like that too.”

Avis hums, clearly pleased. She reaches for the cigarette case on the nightstand, flicking it open with one graceful motion. “Good,” she says, lighting it effortlessly and exhaling a slow stream of smoke. “I don't do... complications.”

You sit up slightly, running a hand through your hair as you watch her through half lidded eyes. “Just sex, then?”

She smirks, tapping ash into the crystal tray beside her. “Precisely. No strings, no expectations.” Her eyes flick to yours, sharp and assessing. “Do you think you can handle that?”

You bite your lip, considering. The truth is, you’ve never been very good at keeping emotions out of things, but for Avis... you'd be willing to try.

“As long as you can,” you counter, raising a brow.

Avis laughs, low and rich, smoke curling between you. “Darling, I invented it.”

There’s something almost thrilling about how simple it is. No promises, no messy emotions, just this. The pull of desire, the satisfaction of knowing you can have her, even if it’s only in these stolen moments.

You nod, reaching for your dress on the floor. “Alright. Just sex.”

She watches you as you slip the silk back over your shoulders, her gaze lingering with that same lazy interest that makes your skin prickle. “Smart girl,” she murmurs, taking another slow drag of her cigarette. “We’ll make it work.”

You smile, slipping your heels back on, feeling the weight of her gaze as you smooth your dress down. Avis, always effortless, stands with a languid grace, putting her dress back on with a practised flick of her wrists.

For a moment, you consider kissing her again, just to see if she’d let you. But instead, you settle for watching her from across the room as she checks herself in the ornate mirror, smoothing a hand down her hair before turning back to you.

“Come,” she says, gesturing toward the door with an air of authority that makes you want to obey without question. “Let’s not keep the party waiting.”

You nod, following her out of the room and down the dimly lit hallway, the distant hum of conversation growing louder with each step. The moment you step back into the party, it’s like slipping on a mask, Avis is back to being the cool, untouchable queen of Ace Studios, and you? You’re just another guest.

No one suspects a thing.

She disappears into the crowd with effortless ease, her smirk lingering in your mind long after she’s gone.

You grab a drink from a passing tray, your heart still racing as you weave through the guests, stealing one last glance at her across the room.

Avis meets your gaze briefly, her lips curling in a small, knowing smile before she turns away, already engaged in another conversation.

And just like that, you know you’ll be seeing her again.

You leave the party a little dazed, a little breathless, and very much aware that you’ve just stepped into something dangerous.

And you can’t wait for more.

The weekend passes in a blur, each hour melting into the next, your thoughts tangled up in traces of Avis that refuse to leave you. You swear you can still smell her perfume on your skin, even after long showers and restless nights. It lingers in the folds of your clothes, in your sheets, in the quiet moments when you’re alone and your mind drifts back to the way she felt beneath your hands, the way she tasted, the way she owned you.

And the worst part? You don’t want it to fade.

You spend Saturday lost in the haze of it, replaying every moment, every touch, every whispered command. You find yourself reaching for the telephone more times than you care to admit, your thumb hovering over the number she slipped into your pocket before you left her party.

Call when you want more.

The words echo in your head, taunting, teasing. You consider it. You want to. But something about Avis, her confidence, her control, makes you hesitate. She’d know, just from the way you said hello, how badly you wanted her again. And you weren’t sure you were ready to give her that much power over you.

So instead, you distract yourself with work, throwing yourself into your scripts, hoping to drown out the lingering traces of her. But it doesn’t work. It never does.

By Sunday night, you’re no closer to clearing your head than you were when you first walked out of that house. Something dangerously close to longing, won’t let you sleep.

Monday morning comes too soon.

You drag yourself into the studio lot, the bright California sun doing little to chase away the cloud hanging over your thoughts. Everything feels too loud, too sharp, the chatter of passing secretaries, the clatter of typewriters, the distant hum of conversations about budgets and deadlines. It all blends together into a dull buzz beneath the only thought looping in your mind: when will I see her again?

You barely make it to your desk before the news hits.

“Did you hear?” someone whispers nearby, their voice a conspiratorial hush that instantly grabs your attention.

“Hear what?” another voice asks, papers shuffling hastily.

You glance up, already feeling the knot forming in your stomach.

"Mr. Amberg," the first voice says, hushed and grave. "Heart attack. Late last night."

The words hit you like a slap, knocking the air from your lungs. Your pen slips from your fingers, rolling across the desk as the world around you tilts slightly.

No.

No, no, no.

“Is he…?” The second voice falters, hesitant.

“He’s alive,” the first says quickly, leaning in. “But it’s bad. The doctors aren’t optimistic. They say it could be any day now.”

You sit frozen, your heartbeat thudding in your ears as the conversation fades into a murmur. The weight of it settles on your chest, heavy and suffocating.

Avis.

Your mind races, images flashing through your thoughts, the way she looked at you that night, the way she touched you with such confidence, such certainty. Avis Amberg doesn’t lose. She doesn’t falter, doesn’t break. But this… this could change everything.

You grip the edge of your desk, your knuckles whitening as you stare blankly at the pile of scripts in front of you, the words blurring together into meaningless ink.

Your stomach twists at the thought of her sitting in that grand house, surrounded by marble and silk and emptiness, her husband’s fate hanging in the balance. What would she do? How would she react? Would she cry? Would she rage? Or would she sit there, still and composed, like she always does, sipping her champagne while the world around her crumbles?

You exhale sharply, running a hand through your hair. You shouldn’t care. You told yourself this was just sex, that it was supposed to be simple. No strings, no expectations.

But it doesn’t feel simple now.

Your fingers itch toward your pocket, toward the number still folded neatly inside. You told yourself you wouldn’t call. Not yet. Not so soon.

But now?

Now, you’re not so sure.

The news spreads like wildfire. By noon, everyone in the studio lot is whispering about it, behind closed doors, in the corners of the commissary, in hurried phone calls to reporters who are already sniffing around for a story. Ace Studios in limbo. A king without his throne.

And sitting at the top of it all now, with her perfectly manicured hands wrapped tightly around the reins?

Avis Amberg.

It shouldn’t be surprising, not really. Even with her husband alive and well, it was an open secret that Avis had been the true power behind the scenes for years. She knew which deals to cut, which strings to pull, which rumours to spread to keep Ace Studios on top. But now, with him lying in a hospital bed, weak and vulnerable, she wasn't just whispering in his ear anymore, she was the studio.

"Mrs. Amberg will be assuming full control for the time being," one of the producers announces in a meeting that afternoon, his voice carefully neutral, his expression tight. "We expect business as usual."

There’s a collective murmur of disbelief around the table. No one dares to voice their doubts outright, but you can see it in their eyes, concern, uncertainty, maybe even a little fear. Avis was ruthless on the social scene, yes, but business?

Everyone’s waiting to see if she’ll sink or swim.

You sit in the corner, watching as the conversation unfolds, barely able to focus on the shifting power dynamics around you. Your thoughts are stuck in a loop, playing over the last time you saw her, her lips on your skin, her voice in your ear, the way she commanded you with nothing more than a look.

And now? Now she’s commanding an entire empire.

The meeting drones on, voices blending into a low hum of speculation and nervous chatter. Someone suggests pausing production on a few major pictures until things settle, but the idea is quickly shot down.

“Mrs. Amberg made it clear, everything moves forward.”

Of course she did.

Avis never let anything stall. Not a film, not an affair, and certainly not the impending death of her husband.

Your chest tightens at the thought, an unfamiliar pang of something dangerously close to concern curling in your gut.

You shouldn’t care.

It was just sex.

And yet, before you can stop yourself, your hand slips into your pocket, fingers brushing against the folded slip of paper that holds her number.

You haven’t called her yet. You told yourself you wouldn’t. You’d wait for her to make the first move, let her be the one to decide if this was worth continuing.

But now, the circumstances have changed.

Later that evening, the studio lot is quieter than usual. The frantic energy of the day has settled into a low murmur, the kind of hush that always follows bad news. You find yourself wandering the empty corridors, drawn toward the executive offices where you know she’ll be.

The door to Mr. Amberg’s office—no, her office now, is closed, but the light is on, spilling a soft glow into the hallway.

You hesitate, fingers hovering just above the polished wood.

And then, before you can decide against it, you knock.

A beat of silence. Then—

"Come in."

Her voice is steady, composed, but there's a sharpness to it, an edge of something you can’t quite place. You step inside, closing the door behind you, and there she is, seated behind the massive oak desk that once belonged to her husband, looking every inch the queen of Hollywood.

She’s shed the usual silk and lace tonight. Instead, she wears a perfectly tailored suit, dark and sleek, the crisp lines of it hugging her body in a way that feels almost too powerful. Her hair is pinned back, not a strand out of place, and her red lips stand out starkly against the dim lighting of the office.

She doesn’t look surprised to see you.

"You’re working late," you say, your voice softer than you intended.

Avis leans back in the chair, swirling the amber liquid in her glass before lifting it to her lips. She takes a slow sip, her eyes never leaving yours. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

You hesitate, unsure of what to say. 

"I heard about... everything."

Her lips curl in a wry smile. "Of course you did. Everyone has." She gestures to the drink in her hand. "Are you here to offer your condolences?"

You step closer, leaning against the edge of the desk, trying to ignore the way your pulse quickens at her proximity. "I just wanted to check on you."

Avis arches a perfectly shaped brow, as if the very idea of someone checking on her is amusing. "That’s sweet," she murmurs, tilting her head slightly. "But unnecessary."

You search her expression, looking for some sign of what’s going on behind that composed facade, but she’s as unreadable as ever. "How are you handling it?"

She exhales softly, setting her glass down with a quiet clink. "Handling it?" she repeats, her fingers toying idly with the rim. "I don’t have the luxury of falling apart, darling. The studio doesn’t run on sentiment."

You nod, feeling foolish for asking. Of course she’s handling it. Avis Amberg doesn’t fall apart.

She studies you for a long moment, then reaches out, tracing a slow line down your wrist with the tip of her finger. "Tell me," she muses, voice soft but laced with something darker, something knowing, "is that why you came? To see if I’d crack?"

You shake your head, swallowing against the sudden dryness in your throat. "No," you say honestly. "I just... I wanted to see you again."

Avis’s smile sharpens, and for the first time tonight, you see a flicker of something familiar in her eyes, something that reminds you of that night, of the way she looked at you when she had you beneath her.

"Mm," she hums, tapping a manicured nail against the desk. "And here I thought we had an agreement."

"We do," you say quickly, shifting under her gaze. "Just sex. No complications."

Her lips curve. "Good. Then let’s not make this anything more than what it is." She stands slowly, stepping around the desk, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. She stops in front of you, close enough that you can smell the faint traces of her perfume, still intoxicating, still completely her.

"You want me?" she asks, voice low and inviting.

You nod, unable to form words.

"Then take me," she whispers, pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth, lingering just enough to leave you aching. "But understand this, darling, I'm not the type to fall apart. And I don’t need saving."

You exhale shakily, nodding. "I wouldn’t dream of it."

Avis smiles, stepping back and smoothing down the lapels of her suit. "Good." She gestures to the door. "Now, go home and get some rest. You’ll need it."

You hesitate for a moment, wanting to say something more, but instead, you nod and head for the door.

As you step back into the hallway, the weight of her presence still clinging to your skin, you realize something with absolute certainty.

This thing between you and Avis?

It’s only just beginning.

The days that follow are a whirlwind, endless scripts, whispered speculation in the hallways, and the looming presence of her. Avis Amberg may have always been the force behind the throne, but now? Now she is the throne, and everyone knows it.

She’s in meetings from dawn until dusk, reshuffling entire productions with the flick of her wrist, cutting budgets, signing off on new talent, and making it very clear that Ace Studios will not be slowing down, not for her husband’s illness, and certainly not for anyone who doubts her.

You try to focus on your work, to keep your head down, but it’s impossible. Every conversation, every hushed voice in the studio commissary inevitably circles back to her. And worse than that? You can still feel her.

Even now, late in the evening, as you sit at your desk trying to get through a script rewrite, the ghost of her perfume lingers in your mind. It’s driving you insane, the memory of her touch, the weight of her against you, the taste of her lips.

You're halfway through a cigarette, staring blankly at the typewriter in front of you, when the phone on your desk rings. You jump slightly, the sudden noise breaking through your thoughts.

You hesitate for just a moment before picking up, pressing the heavy receiver to your ear.

"You’ve been busy," her voice purrs through the line, rich and unmistakable. The sound of it sends a shiver down your spine.

You swallow hard, sitting up straighter. "I—uh, I’ve been working."

"Mmm," Avis hums, unimpressed. "Too busy to pay me a visit?"

You bite your lip, your fingers curling around the cord of the phone. "I didn’t think you'd have time for... this."

Avis laughs softly, low and indulgent, and you can practically picture the smirk tugging at her lips. "I always have time for you, darling." There's a pause, and then, with that same commanding ease, she says, "Come to my office."

You glance at the clock, late enough that most people have already gone home, but not too late to raise suspicion.

"I—"

"Now," she interrupts, her tone leaving no room for argument.

And just like that, the line goes dead, leaving you gripping the receiver with a heart pounding far too fast for your liking.

Your footsteps echo down the deserted hallway leading to the executive offices, the dim lighting casting long shadows against the polished floors. The studio feels different at night, hushed, eerie, as if all the glamour has been stripped away, leaving only the bones of the empire Avis now rules.

You hesitate outside her door for just a moment before taking a deep breath and pushing it open.

Avis is seated behind her husband’s—her—desk, a crystal glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other. The glow of her desk lamp casts sharp angles across her features, highlighting the perfect curve of her lips and the sharp glint in her eyes. She looks utterly unbothered, completely at ease, as if she isn’t carrying the weight of an entire studio on her shoulders.

And yet, when she sees you, something flickers in her expression, something dark and satisfied.

“Close the door, darling,” she says smoothly, taking a slow sip of her drink. “I don’t bite.”

Not unless you ask her to.

You do as she says, the heavy door clicking shut behind you, sealing you both inside the dimly lit office.

Avis leans back in her chair, crossing her legs with a slow, deliberate movement that has your mouth going dry. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

You swallow, shifting under her gaze. “I—no, I’ve just been busy.”

"Busy," she repeats, as if tasting the word and finding it amusing. She sets her drink down, standing with a grace that should be impossible in those heels, stepping around the desk with the same lazy confidence that always leaves you breathless.

She stops just inches away, her perfume wrapping around you, and tilts your chin up with one perfectly manicured finger. “I don’t like being ignored.”

You exhale shakily. “I wasn’t ignoring you.”

Avis hums, clearly unconvinced. “No?” Her thumb drags lightly over your lower lip, teasing. “Then why did I have to call you?”

You don’t have an answer for that, not one that won’t sound pathetic. Instead, you lean into her touch, and Avis’s smile curves in satisfaction.

“That’s better,” she murmurs, pressing her lips to the corner of your mouth, the same ghost of a kiss she’d given you that night at the party. “I do enjoy your obedience.”

Your breath hitches as her hands skim down your arms, slow and deliberate. “We agreed,” you murmur, more for yourself than for her. “Just sex. No complications.”

Avis pulls back just enough to look at you, her dark eyes glinting with something wicked. “Oh, darling,” she purrs, fingers curling around your waist, “I never said anything about keeping it simple.”

And just like that, your knees go weak.

You’ve been waiting for this, aching for it. It’s been days, but it might as well have been years for how much you've thought about her, how much you've wanted her.

And now, here she is. Avis Amberg, standing before you, wrapped up in her skirt suit and a confidence that could bring nations to their knees.

You take your time. You have to. You don't want to rush this, don't want to squander a single second of having her in your hands again.

Your fingers find the buttons of her jacket, slow and deliberate, sliding each one through its hole with care that borders on reverence. Avis watches you, her dark eyes half lidded, heavy with amusement and something deeper, something simmering just beneath the surface.

“I do love a girl who knows exactly what she wants,” she murmurs, the rich velvet of her voice sending a shiver down your spine.

You don’t answer. Instead, you slide the jacket from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor in a whisper of fabric. The silk blouse beneath clings to her in all the right places, and you trace your fingers along the line of buttons, feeling the heat of her body seeping through the delicate material.

Your lips follow where your hands lead, brushing soft kisses along her collarbone, letting the warmth of her skin settle on your tongue. She smells like jasmine and whiskey, an intoxicating combination that fills your senses and leaves you dizzy.

Avis hums softly, her fingers tangling in your hair, guiding your mouth lower.

"You've been thinking about me," she whispers, and you don't bother denying it.

"Every second," you murmur against her skin, letting your teeth graze lightly over the delicate curve of her neck.

A quiet, breathy whimper escapes her lips, and the sound is enough to drive you wild. Your hands move of their own accord, sliding down her sides, feeling the gentle rise and fall of her chest beneath your touch.

The blouse is next. You unfasten the buttons one by one, excruciatingly slow, dragging your fingertips along the exposed skin as you go. Avis sighs, her body arching ever so slightly into your touch, and you revel in the power you hold, just for now, just in this moment.

When the last button slips free, you push the fabric aside, revealing smooth, bare skin beneath, the faintest hint of lace peeking through. Your breath catches at the sight of her, exquisite, effortless, everything you imagined and more.

Your lips trail lower, pressing open mouthed kisses across the swell of her chest, teasing, lingering. She tastes like desire, like something forbidden and indulgent, and you can't get enough.

Avis tilts her head back, her fingers still tight in your hair, guiding you where she wants you, and you follow eagerly, your mouth tracing the curve of her collarbone, the dip between her breasts.

The sound she makes when your tongue flicks out to taste the delicate hollow of her throat, is nothing short of sinful. A soft, helpless whimper, slipping past her lips and breaking the heavy silence that fills the office.

You smirk against her skin. “You like that?”

Avis’s laugh is breathless, tinged with the slightest edge of impatience. “Shut up and keep going.”

You grin, obliging without hesitation, your hands sliding behind her back to unhook the intricate laces of her corset. The corset falls away easily, and you pull back for just a moment, just to look.

God, you love her breasts.

Full and soft, perfect in every way, they fit into your hands like they were made to be there. You run your thumbs across her nipples, watching with satisfaction as they harden under your touch. Avis shivers, her lips parting in a quiet gasp, and it’s the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard.

You dip your head, pressing kisses to the swell of one breast, then the other, your tongue tracing delicate patterns across her skin. Every touch, every flicker of your tongue draws a new reaction, soft sighs, quiet moans, the way her body presses into yours, demanding more without words.

Her legs part instinctively, wrapping around your waist, and the warmth of her so close, so eager, has you biting back a groan of your own.

You lift her, effortlessly, guiding her onto the desk, and she lets you, settling against the polished wood with a grace that makes your head spin.

Leaning over her, your hands slide up her thighs, inching the hem of her skirt higher, exposing smooth skin and silk stockings that cling to her legs in a way that leaves you breathless.

"God, Avis," you murmur against her skin, kissing down her sternum, lingering between the valley of her breasts.

She hums, pleased, her fingers curling under your chin, lifting your face until your eyes meet hers. There's something dangerous in the way she looks at you, something possessive, something that says she knows exactly how much you want her.

And she loves it.

Her nails trail down your jaw, her voice a sultry whisper. “Keep going.”

You don’t need to be told twice.

Your tongue flicks over one nipple, drawing it into your mouth with a slow, deliberate pull, and Avis’s head falls back with a sharp intake of breath. Her fingers tangle in your hair again, tugging, urging you on, and you indulge her, lavishing attention on her breasts with lips and tongue, alternating between teasing and torturous.

She’s unraveling beneath you, slowly but surely, and the power of it is intoxicating. The way her body arches, the soft sounds that escape her lips, the subtle, needy roll of her hips against yours.

Your hands move lower, tracing the lace edge of her garter belt, your fingers slipping beneath it to feel the smooth heat of her skin.

"You’re so beautiful," you murmur, your voice reverent, breathless.

Avis chuckles, though it’s weaker this time, more affected. "You’re getting better at saying the right things."

You press a kiss just above her heart, your hands squeezing her thighs. "I mean it."

For a fleeting moment, something raw, something vulnerable flashes in her eyes, it’s gone just as quickly as it appeared. She exhales sharply, her head tilting back, exposing the graceful curve of her throat to you once more. “Then show me.”

And you do.

With every kiss, every touch, every whispered sigh that fills the office, you show her exactly how much you've been wanting this, wanting her.

But you're not finished with her yet.

Not even close.

You stand back for a moment, eyes tracing the curve of her body, the way the fabric of her skirt clings to her hips. Slowly, deliberately, you reach for the waistband, fingers brushing against her soft skin as you peel the fabric away, the garter slipping easily from her legs. You take your time, removing each piece of clothing as if savouring the moment, letting the air linger between each move.

Once she's fully undressed from the waist down, you step closer, your hands resting on her thighs, feeling the heat radiate from her.

You bend forward, your lips press against the delicate skin of her inner thighs. Avis’s breath hitches, a soft, anticipatory sigh escaping her lips as your fingers trail teasing patterns along the smooth expanse of her legs.

But this isn’t enough, not for you, not for her. You want her spread out for you, laid bare, fully open and vulnerable beneath your touch.

You straighten, grasping her thighs with deliberate care, and bend her legs, placing them wide apart on the polished wood of the desk. The way she lets you, the way she offers herself up so willingly, makes your pulse race.

Avis Amberg, naked and sprawled out before you, the soft light from the desk lamp casting long shadows across her body, highlighting every tempting curve, every inch of her skin. Her chest rises and falls in shallow, eager breaths, her lips parted, dark eyes watching you with that same commanding heat, even when she’s the one surrendering.

You take your time, your fingers gliding up the inside of her thighs, before finally, finally leaning in and pressing your lips to the sensitive skin there.

Soft kisses first, then teasing flicks of your tongue, inching closer. Avis moans, a frustrated little sound, and you smile against her thigh.

"Darling," she breathes, her voice heavy with warning and desire, her nails grazing through your hair with just enough force to make your scalp tingle. "Don't test my patience."

But you do. You love to.

You hum against her skin, ignoring the implied threat and dragging your mouth higher, slower, letting your tongue trace along the soft, sensitive crease of her thigh before pulling away again.

Her breath comes quicker now, her body tensing beneath your touch, hips shifting restlessly against the desk. You can feel her frustration mounting, the way she needs more, but you aren’t done playing yet.

"You're so eager," you murmur, echoing words she’s said to you before, your lips ghosting over the heat radiating from her core. "I think I like you like this."

Avis groans, a low, desperate sound that shoots straight to your core, and before she can protest, before she can take control, you finally give her what she wants.

Your tongue flicks out, teasing over her centre, tasting her with a slow, deliberate stroke that has her thighs trembling against your shoulders. You press deeper, your hands gripping her thighs tightly as you work her with your mouth, slow and unrelenting.

Avis gasps sharply, her fingers twisting in your hair as your tongue swirls around her clit, soft and teasing at first, before you build the pressure, working her up with careful precision. You drag your fingers down, slipping them inside her, feeling the way she clenches around you, already so desperate and wanting.

"Yes," she moans, her head falling back, her back arching beautifully off the desk. "Just like that."

You love the way she unravels under you, the way her breath comes in shallow gasps, the way her body moves with each calculated flick of your tongue. You curl your fingers just right, stroking that perfect spot inside her, and she lets out a cry that’s music to your ears.

"You taste so good," you murmur against her, the vibrations making her shudder beneath you.

Avis's grip on you tightens, her hips lifting, desperate for more, and you give it to her, your tongue circling, flicking, teasing until she's writhing on the desk, her polished control slipping away with every breathless moan.

You push her higher and higher, your tongue working in tandem with your fingers, relentless and focused, knowing exactly what she needs.

And then, finally, you give the finishing touch, one precise insistent suck on her swollen clit  sends her over the edge.

She cries out, loud and unrestrained, her body convulsing beneath you as waves of pleasure crash through her. Her thighs clamp around your head, trembling, and you don’t stop, not until you’ve pulled every last shudder, every last moan from her lips.

Her body goes lax against the desk, her chest heaving, her hand still tangled in your hair as she slowly, slowly comes back down to earth.

You lift your head, your chin glistening, a smug smile tugging at your lips as you press a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh. "Worth the wait?"

Avis lets out a breathless laugh, her head rolling to the side as she gazes down at you with dark, satisfied eyes. 

You grin, dragging your tongue across your lips, tasting her once more. The weight of her release still lingers between you both, the heat of her skin against yours, the scent of sex and sweat thick in the air. Avis remains sprawled against the desk for a moment longer, her chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm as she regains her breath. But then, with the fluid grace that only she possesses, she shifts, sitting up, her dark eyes locked onto you with something wicked simmering beneath their depths.

You expect her to say something teasing, something smug, but she doesn't. Instead, she stands, and steps toward you with a deliberate slowness that makes your pulse skitter.

“Lose the clothes,” she says simply, her voice low and commanding, leaving no room for hesitation.

Your hands tremble slightly as you reach for the buttons of your blouse, the anticipation thick between you. You’re painfully aware of her gaze, the way she watches every movement with a quiet, predatory hunger. The silk slides from your shoulders, pooling onto the floor, followed quickly by your skirt.

You stand before her in nothing but your slip, feeling entirely exposed beneath her calculating stare.

Avis’s lips curl into a slow, satisfied smile. “Beautiful,” she murmurs, stepping closer, her fingers skimming lightly over your shoulder before pressing firmly down your arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

Without another word, she switches your positions in a blink, you against the desk now, your back hitting the polished wood with a dull thud, and she stands between your legs, crowding into your space.

Her touch is different this time.

Softer. More deliberate.

She works you slowly, with a care that surprises you, tracing gentle circles over your thighs, her lips pressing featherlight kisses along the curve of your neck. The tenderness is unexpected, and it nearly undoes you right then and there.

You let out a shaky breath, your fingers gripping the edge of the desk, but it's not enough. You're too desperate, too wound up from waiting, from wanting her for days.

“Avis,” you whisper, arching into her touch, your voice trembling with need. “Please.”

She hums in amusement, her lips brushing against the shell of your ear. “So impatient,” she muses, dragging her nails lightly down your stomach, making you shudder beneath her. She pauses, her fingers lingering just above where you ache for her touch, then slowly, deliberately, drags them lower. Her fingertips trace teasingly, checking, gauging just how ready you are, before finally pressing lightly, testing the heat and wetness of your skin.

Your head falls back against the desk, frustration pooling low in your belly. "I've waited too long," you murmur, your voice breaking. "Please, Avis, I need—"

Avis clicks her tongue, leaning back slightly to study you, her dark eyes flickering with something dangerously close to pity. “Poor thing,” And before you can process it, she grips your thighs firmly, spreading you wider, pinning you beneath her gaze.

Your breath catches, anticipation burning, your body aching for what comes next.

"Since you asked so nicely," Avis murmurs, her voice a velvet promise.

And then—oh.

She plunges her fingers into you without warning, deep and unrelenting, and you cry out, your back arching off the desk as the sudden, ruthless pace leaves you breathless.

Avis holds you there, one hand splayed against your stomach, keeping you down as her fingers work you with precision, dragging in and out, curling in ways that have you trembling. The desk creaks beneath you, your body reacting to every thrust, every relentless push that leaves you gasping for air.

Your fingers curl against the wood, gripping onto anything to ground yourself, but it’s impossible when she’s touching you like this, taking you like this.

She leans over you, her breath warm against your throat, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “Look at you,” she murmurs, her fingers never slowing, never relenting. “So desperate for me.”

You whimper, your hips grinding down against her hand, chasing the pleasure that’s building too quickly, too intensely.

Avis’s lips trail down your collarbone, lower, teeth grazing over the swell of your breast, and it sends a fresh wave of heat coursing through you.

She knows exactly what she’s doing, exactly how to unravel you.

"More," you gasp, and Avis chuckles, the sound rich and indulgent.

"Greedy little thing," she murmurs, and then, oh God, her thumb circles your clit, slow and deliberate, teasing you with featherlight touches that have you on the edge in an instant.

You're close, so close, the pressure coiling tight in your core, every nerve in your body alive and burning under her touch.

"Please," you beg, your voice wrecked, barely a whisper. "Please, Avis."

She doesn’t warn you. Doesn’t slow down. One final stroke, just right, just perfect, and suddenly, you’re gone, completely, helplessly undone.

Pleasure crashes through you in a violent, consuming wave, tearing a full on scream from your lips as your body shudders beneath her touch, your release pulsing through you in relentless, shattering waves.

Avis doesn’t stop, not yet.

She works you through it, drawing out every last tremor, every last ragged moan, until you’re boneless against the desk, trembling and spent.

Finally, she withdraws, her hands smoothing over your shaking thighs in a rare moment of gentleness, and you let out a shaky breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure.

Avis stands back, watching you with that familiar smirk, her fingers tracing lazy circles over the inside of your thigh. “You look rather stunning like this,” she muses. “Utterly wrecked.”

You can’t even muster a response, too lost in the lingering aftershocks of what she’s done to you.

Avis chuckles, stepping away, leaving you sprawled across the desk as she reaches for her cigarette case, lighting one with a practiced flick. She takes a slow drag, exhaling smoke with a satisfied hum.

The weight of what just happened hangs heavy in the air, thick with the scent of sweat, sex, and the ever present jasmine of Avis’s perfume. For a moment, neither of you speak. The only sounds are your ragged breathing and the faint hum of the city outside the office window.

Avis sits down back against the desk, still bare, the glow of her desk lamp casting golden light over her skin. She watches you with a lazy satisfaction, the ghost of a smirk playing at the corner of her lips.

Your body is still humming, your legs unsteady as you push yourself upright, brushing a hand over your flushed face. You glance down at your clothes, crumpled and scattered across the floor, a stark contrast to the usually pristine office.

Avis lifts a perfectly arched brow. “You’re not going to just stand there all night, are you?” Her voice is low, indulgent, and full of amusement.

You swallow, bending down to gather your clothes, your fingers trembling slightly. “I—no,” you murmur, trying to collect yourself, but Avis’s eyes never leave you, making it nearly impossible to focus.

She picks up her discarded blouse from the desk chair, shaking it out with effortless grace before slipping it back on, the silky fabric sliding over her skin like water. You watch, entranced, as she buttons it slowly, each movement precise, deliberate, a performance in its own right.

Your blouse feels less refined in comparison, your hands fumbling with the buttons as you attempt to regain some semblance of composure. You can feel her gaze on you, heavy and assessing, and it makes your skin prickle with awareness.

Avis steps closer, reaching out to adjust the collar of your blouse with an infuriating gentleness, smoothing down the fabric before letting her fingers linger at the hollow of your throat. “You should wear red more often,” she murmurs, her nails dragging lightly across your skin. “It suits you.”

Your breath hitches, and you catch her smirk before she turns away, reaching for her skirt with the same ease that makes you ache. She slides it up her legs, fastening it at her waist with an elegance that seems effortless, but you know better. Everything about Avis is calculated, deliberate. Even now, as she straightens the hem and fixes her hair, she radiates an untouchable confidence that leaves you breathless.

You glance down at your skirt, wrinkled and hastily discarded, and hasten to pull it back on, smoothing it over your hips. You can still feel the ghost of her touch there, the way her hands had gripped you, how her nails had left their invisible marks.

Avis watches your struggle with a knowing look, running a hand through her dark hair, tousling it just enough to look artfully disheveled. “Darling, you look like you’ve been ravished,” she muses, tapping a cigarette from her silver case and lighting it with a flick of her lighter. “Which, of course, you have.”

You glare at her, heat rising to your cheeks. “You’re not exactly subtle yourself.”

Avis exhales a slow curl of smoke, tilting her head as she surveys her reflection in the mirror behind the desk. “Oh, I never need to be,” she says smugly, adjusting her lipstick with the tip of her finger. “People expect a certain... glow from me.”

You roll your eyes, slipping your heels back on and attempting to smooth out the wrinkles in your skirt, but it's hopeless. You sigh in frustration, running a hand through your hair, trying to make yourself presentable enough to step back out into the world without everyone knowing exactly what you’ve been up to.

Avis watches you struggle, clearly entertained. “Here,” she says, reaching for the comb tucked neatly in the drawer of her desk. She steps close, too close, and begins combing through your hair with careful, deft strokes, the intimacy of it making your heart stutter.

“You don’t have to—”

“Hush,” she murmurs, her fingers brushing against your scalp. “Let me enjoy the fruits of my labor.”

You let out a soft laugh, closing your eyes for a moment as she fixes your hair, her touch lingering longer than necessary. The moment feels... odd. Softer than you expected.

When she finishes, she steps back with a satisfied smile, pressing the comb into your hand. “There. Good as new.”

You glance at yourself in the mirror, taking in the slightly flushed cheeks and the telltale glint in your eyes that no amount of fixing can hide.

Avis smirks, as if she can read your thoughts. “Not too obvious,” she teases, exhaling another cloud of smoke. “Just enough to keep people guessing.”

You roll your eyes but can’t help the small smile tugging at your lips.

As you both finish dressing, the atmosphere shifts slightly. The tension is still there, of course, it is, but something about the way she buttons her cufflinks, the way she watches you from the corner of her eye, feels different.

Like you’re standing on the edge of something, something far more dangerous than just sex in her office.

Avis finishes first, adjusting the cuffs of her blouse with a satisfied hum before stepping toward the door. “I’ll see you around,” she says smoothly, her fingers grazing the back of your hand as she passes.

You nod, swallowing past the lump in your throat. “Yeah.”

But just before she leaves, she turns back, her gaze locking onto yours. “Oh, and darling?”

You blink. “Yeah?”

Avis smirks, exhaling one last cloud of smoke before crushing the cigarette in the ashtray. “Try not to think about me too much tonight.”

And with that, she’s gone, leaving you standing in her office, your pulse still racing, your thoughts a tangled mess of anticipation and something dangerously close to longing.

You stare at the closed door for a long moment, your fingers trailing absently over the edge of the desk, the same spot where she had unraveled you moments ago.

With a deep breath, you gather the last of your things and head out into the cool night air, the taste of her still lingering on your lips, her voice echoing in your head.

The cool night air hits you the moment you step out of the office building, a stark contrast to the warmth still simmering beneath your skin. The lot is quiet now, the earlier bustle of actors, directors, and executives reduced to a few lingering stragglers, crew members packing up, secretaries rushing home, and the faint hum of distant conversations fading into the night.

You walk briskly, the echo of your heels tapping against the pavement the only sound that fills the space around you. It’s too quiet, too still, and your mind is racing, filled with fragmented flashes of what had just happened in that office, of Avis.

Your legs feel weak beneath you, the ache between your thighs a delicious reminder of her, of how thoroughly she had taken you apart. You should feel satisfied, sated, but instead, there's a gnawing hunger in the pit of your stomach that refuses to subside.

The weight of what you’ve done, what you are doing, starts to settle in as you slip into the waiting cab. You give the driver your address in a voice that’s quieter than usual, staring out of the window as the city passes by in blurred streaks of neon and headlights.

You should feel guilty. You should feel something other than the intoxicating thrill that’s still coursing through you.

But all you can think about is her.

Her voice. Her touch. The way she had looked at you when you begged.

God.

You rest your head against the window, exhaling shakily.

By the time you arrive at your apartment, the city feels quieter, lonelier. You slip out of your heels the moment you step inside, tossing your coat over the back of the sofa and heading straight to your bedroom.

Your reflection catches your eye in the mirror as you pass, and you pause.

You look different.

The smudged lipstick, the tousled hair, the faint flush still lingering across your chest. Avis’s touch is all over you, in ways that won’t wash off so easily.

You bring your fingers to your lips, tracing the outline of them, remembering the way she had kissed you, slow and consuming, like she had all the time in the world.

A frustrated sigh escapes you, and you turn away from the mirror, stripping out of your clothes as you head to the bathroom. The hot water does little to wash away the weight of tonight, but you let it scald your skin anyway, standing beneath the spray with your hands pressed against the tiles, your head bowed.

You can still feel her fingers on you. Still hear the way she had whispered your name.

No amount of water can rinse that away.

The studio was silent, save for the faint hum of distant lights and the quiet ticking of a clock somewhere in the background. You stepped into the dimly lit hallway leading to Avis’s office, your movements deliberate, quiet. The polished wood beneath your feet reflected the faint glow of the overhead lamps, and the cool air carried the faint scent of old paper and cigarettes.

It had been a week. A week since you’d last seen her properly. A week since you’d touched her, since the memory of her moans and trembling hands had been etched into your mind. You’d given her space, time to deal with the relentless demands of running Ace Studios and weathering the constant scrutiny over the new film. But your patience had worn thin.

This wasn’t anger. It wasn’t dominance. It was concern.

You couldn’t keep watching her run herself ragged, pushing through endless days and sleepless nights without pause.

The door was unlocked, just as you expected. You didn’t knock.

The door creaked open, and there she was, she stood with her back to you, one hand braced on the edge of the desk, the other holding a cigarette. Her head was slightly bowed, her posture tense as she stared at the scattered papers in front of her. The soft glow of her desk lamp cast a warm light over her, highlighting the curve of her waist, the arch of her neck. 

You shut the door behind you. Locking it. “You’ve made it a habit to work late shifts, I see.” Your voice cut through the stillness, low and husky, carrying the weight of your frustration and worry. 

Avis turned sharply, her dark eyes meeting yours as soon as she registered your voice. She didn’t speak at first, didn’t even move, she simply stared at you, her usual sharpness dimmed by exhaustion. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people, darling,” she said smoothly, though there was an edge to her voice, worn, tired.

Your gaze dropped, sweeping over her slowly. She looked as perfect as ever, her blouse crisp, her skirt hugging her hips, but you could see the faint redness in her eyes, the tired lines she couldn’t quite hide.

You took a few measured steps closer, inhaling deeply as her scent reached you. Jasmine, smoke, and the faintest trace of whiskey clung to her skin. It enticed you in ways you couldn’t explain, and it angered you for reasons you could.

She said nothing, but the way her eyes darted to your lips and back again told you everything.

You licked your lips, staring down at her, and you saw the exact moment she realised. Her breath hitched, her hands flexing slightly at her sides as she turned abruptly, moving to unfasten her skirt, but you weren’t about to let her take control.

You were faster.

You stepped behind her in an instant, grabbing her hands and pinning them firmly against the desk. She gasped sharply, her body tensing under your touch, but she didn’t resist.

Her breathing was shallow, uneven, and for a moment, she froze, as though caught between instinct and surrender.

Slowly, deliberately, you leaned in, your chest pressing against her back, your breath hot against her neck. She shivered, her hands twitching beneath yours, and you felt the faint tremor running through her body.

You guided her hands to the edge of the desk, pressing them down firmly. “Don’t move,” you murmured, your voice rough, and she obeyed without question.

Her body quivered as you spun her around, her back hitting the desk. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, her dark eyes wide and unguarded as she watched you.

You didn’t waste any time.

Dropping to your knees, you let your hands trail up her thighs, lifting the hem of her skirt inch by inch. Her breathing grew heavier, her chest rising and falling as you worked the fabric higher, exposing the delicate lace of her panties. 

Your lips pressed against the inside of her knee, trailing slow, deliberate kisses up her thigh. When you reached her centre, your teeth grazed the waistband of her panties, hooking the lace between them. 

Avis gasped, her hands flying to grip the desk, her knuckles turning white at the force of her hold. You didn’t stop, dragging the fabric down with your index and your teeth, the sensation sending a shiver through her body.

Her thighs were trembling now, her breathing ragged as your lips trailed higher. When your tongue finally flicked against her, she let out a loud, broken gasp.

You didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath.

Your mouth moved with relentless precision, your tongue stroking her with a rough, unyielding rhythm. You sucked hard, pulling another sharp cry from her lips, your fingers digging into her thighs to keep her steady. You wanted to eat her out until she was on the verge of tears, you only wanted to hear her tonight.

Avis’s moans filled the room, desperate and breathy, her hips bucking against your mouth. You matched her movements, your tongue and lips working her with an intensity that left her trembling.

But it wasn’t enough.

Sliding one hand between her legs, you pushed two fingers inside her without warning, curling them just right. She nearly screamed, her back arching as her body jerked against you, her cries turning into frantic whimpers.

Her hands were clawing at the desk now, her nails scraping against the wood as she tried, and failed, to steady herself. Her thighs clamped around your head, her body tightening with every rough thrust of your fingers and every flick of your tongue against her clit.

You could feel her breaking, feel the tension building in her body as you pushed her higher and higher.

“Let go,” you growled against her, your voice muffled, and with one final stroke of your tongue, she shattered.

Avis came with a loud, breathless scream, her entire body convulsing as her release tore through her. Her hands slipped from the desk, clutching desperately at your shoulders as her legs shook violently.

You didn’t stop, your tongue and fingers dragging out every last tremor, every last broken cry, she slumped forward, her body going slack.

There was no escape for her.

Even as her body trembled and sagged against you, her orgasm still echoing through her shudders and sharp breaths, you didn’t stop. The cruel, relentless motions of your tongue against her soaked cunt continued, driving her higher even as she tried to catch her breath.

She gasped, her voice breaking on a moan, her thighs shaking violently around you. Every flick of your tongue dragged more out of her, and you took all of it, every drop, every tremble, every desperate whimper. You tasted all of her, drank her in, her juices coating your lips and chin as you worked her with merciless precision.

“Fucking h-hell—” she stuttered, her voice raw, barely above a gasp.

“There you go, mama—there you go—” you murmured against her, the vibrations of your voice making her shudder anew.

Before she could come down fully, you shifted, lowering yourself until your back was flat against the floor, pulling her with you. Her thighs quivered as you guided her atop your face, her hips hovering just above you for a moment before she realised, too late, exactly what you intended.

Her body shivered as the weight of her fully pressed against you, your mouth immediately resuming its feast. You felt her hesitation, the fleeting tension in her muscles as she realised she was sitting completely on your face.

And then the sound of your tongue sliding against her centre ripped a loud, broken moan from her throat, and the hesitation was gone.

Her hands flew to your hair, gripping it tightly as she moved instinctively, grinding herself down against you. Her moans spilled out uncontrollably, each one louder, messier than the last, her hips rocking over your face with a desperate, uneven rhythm.

You held her steady, your hands gripping her hips firmly, guiding her movements as your tongue delved deeper, flicking and stroking her most sensitive spots. Every motion was chaotic, unsteady, her hips jerking erratically as she chased her high, but her need was raw, overpowering.

Her breath hitched with every additional flick of your tongue, her cries growing higher, sharper. She pushed herself down harder, her thighs trembling violently against your cheeks as she rode your face, the pressure and heat overwhelming.

“Don’t stop,” she gasped, her voice ragged, trembling with the edge of her need. “Don’t you fucking—ah—stop—”

Her nails dug into your scalp, her grip desperate as she pushed herself down even harder, grinding herself against your mouth with abandon. You didn’t stop, didn’t slow, your tongue and lips working her relentlessly until she was falling apart again.

Her hips stuttered, her entire body tensing as a guttural cry tore from her lips. She came a second time, her release crashing over her in waves as she cussed, her words a broken, incoherent mix of gasps and moans.

You didn’t relent, letting her ride out every second, her body shaking uncontrollably as her orgasm spilled over you, smearing your face with her wetness. Her hips rocked against you, her movements erratic and desperate as she milked every last tremor, her cries echoing off the walls of the office.

When she finally slumped forward, her body going limp against you, her hands trembling as they slipped from your shoulders to the floor. Her chest heaved with ragged breaths, her thighs quivering as she tried, and failed, to regain control of herself.

Your hands gently stroked her thighs, your lips brushing against her overstimulated centre in one last teasing kiss before you finally pulled back, your face glistening with her arousal.

For a moment, the room was silent save for her shaky breaths and the faint hum of the desk lamp. You could feel her body trembling above you, her weight pressing into you as she let herself collapse fully, her hair falling in wild waves around her flushed face.

“Fucking hell,” she murmured breathlessly, her voice barely audible.

You smirked, pressing your lips to her thigh once more, your voice low and teasing as you murmured, “There you go, Avis.”

She didn’t respond, her only reply a shaky exhale as she slowly slid off you, her body still trembling from the aftershocks.

You guided her off of you slowly, your hands steady as you helped her find her balance, not that she had much left. Her body barely shifted before she collapsed beside you, her back pressing against the desk as her legs sprawled out. Her chest still heaved, her dark eyes hazy and unfocused as she tried to catch her breath, the weight of what just happened settling between you.

You rose to your feet, your movements unhurried, and for a long moment, neither of you spoke.

The air was thick with the scent of her, warm and heady, mingling with the faint trace of jasmine still clinging to her skin. The sound of her soft, shaky breaths filled the room, the silence between you stretching, charged but comfortable.

You gave her a moment, watching as she leaned back against the desk, her hands braced on either side of her. Her hair was a mess, her cheeks flushed with colour, her lips swollen from the cries you’d pulled from her.

Your eyes lingered on her for a beat longer before you stepped away, crossing the room in search of something. She watched you silently, her gaze heavy, following every movement.

You returned a moment later, a pack of cigarettes in your hand.

Avis’s eyes flicked to it immediately, a flicker of intrigue crossing her expression as you pulled one out, lighting it with a practiced motion. The sharp scent of smoke filled the room as you placed it between your fingers, taking a slow drag.

She stared at you, absorbed, her lips parting slightly.

“I want one,” she murmured, her voice hoarse, soft.

You glanced at her, raising an eyebrow as you stepped closer, the cigarette still balanced between your fingers. She looked up at you, something curious and expectant in her gaze.

Without a word, you took another drag, the smoke curling lazily from your lips as you crouched down in front of her. Avis stiffened slightly, her dark eyes watching you carefully as you reached for her, your fingers brushing against the side of her neck.

Her breath hitched as your hand slid to the back of her neck, gripping it firmly but not roughly, tilting her head back to meet your gaze. Her lips parted instinctively, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

You leaned in, bringing your face closer to hers until your mouths were almost touching. Slowly, deliberately, you exhaled, the smoke curling from your lips into hers.

Her mouth opened wider, her lungs pulling in the smoke immediately, her body reacting to the act with a soft gasp. She exhaled seconds later, the smoke spilling from her lips, the motion too sensual, too intimate for something so simple.

You didn’t say anything, your fingers still gripping her neck as you watched her, your gaze heavy.

“Again,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly but filled with need.

You didn’t hesitate.

Bringing the cigarette to your lips, you took another long drag, the smoke burning hot in your lungs before you leaned in again. This time, your lips pressed against hers as you exhaled, the smoke pouring into her mouth as you kissed her deeply.

She moaned softly against you, her fingers reaching out to clutch at your arms, pulling you closer as she inhaled the mix of smoke, nicotine, and something distinctly you. Her lips parted wider, allowing you to deepen the kiss, her body leaning into yours as though she couldn’t get close enough.

When you finally pulled back, she exhaled slowly, her breath shaky, the smoke curling from her lips like a whispered secret.

The act was simple and yet it felt much too sensual for someone in that kind of situation.

Her gaze locked onto yours, her lips still parted, her body still trembling slightly. For a moment, neither of you moved, the air between you thick with tension, with heat.

Without a word, you leaned in again, your lips brushing against hers, softer this time, your tongue flicking against the seam of her mouth. Letting her taste herself on your tongue. 

Avis sighed into the kiss, her body relaxing against you, her hands sliding up to rest lightly on your shoulders. Her lips were warm, soft, pliant beneath yours, and you couldn’t help but deepen the kiss, pulling her closer.

When you finally broke apart, her eyes were half lidded, her lips swollen and glistening.

She exhaled another breath of smoke, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You’re dangerous,” she murmured, her voice low and raspy.

You chuckled softly, brushing your thumb over her cheek as you leaned back slightly. “And you’re trouble.”

Avis’s smirk widened slightly, her fingers trailing down your arms before she leaned back against the desk, her gaze still fixed on you.

The tension between you lingered, crackling like the ember of the cigarette still burning between your fingers.

You rose slowly, helping her up, your hands trailing up her sides, gripping her waist as you steadied her. Her hair was now a mess, falling out of her updo around her face, and her dark eyes were glassy, her lips parted as she struggled to catch her breath.

You reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face, your thumb grazing her cheek. She leaned into your touch, her fingers curling lightly around your wrist, her breathing still uneven.

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The air was thick with the scent of her, the sound of her soft, shaky breaths the only thing breaking the silence.

“You’re going to take care of yourself now,” you said finally, your voice low but steady.

Her eyes flickered, something unspoken passing between you, and she nodded, her fingers tightening briefly around your wrist.

There was no escape for her.

The news breaks early in the morning, spreading through the studio lot like wildfire. Mr. Amberg is dead. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, he had been clinging to life for weeks, his heart attack leaving him more a ghost than a man in that hospital bed. But even so, hearing it out loud feels like a sudden shift in the ground beneath your feet.

It’s different now.

Avis isn’t just acting as the head of Ace Studios anymore. She is the head. No more signatures under his name, no more whispers behind closed doors about how she’s “really the one in charge.” Now it’s official. No more pretense. No more illusion. Avis Amberg reigns alone.

And yet, the lot feels like it’s holding its breath. Conversations hush when you walk past, the tension crackling through the corridors like static electricity. People mill around in little clusters, murmuring in low voices about what happens next, as if they don’t already know the answer.

You sit at your desk, staring blankly at the script in front of you, but none of the words make sense. Your thoughts are tangled, circling around the same thing over and over again. Has she eaten? Is she sleeping? Is she okay?

It’s a ridiculous thing to wonder about someone like Avis. She’s always been composed, always untouchable, always three steps ahead of everyone in the room. But grief... grief is different. Even for her.

You haven’t seen her all day, and it gnaws at you. Normally, she’s a constant presence—gliding through the halls with that razor sharp confidence, her heels echoing against the marble floors, her voice cutting through the air like silk wrapped steel. Today? Nothing.

You tap your fingers against the desk, restless. Maybe she’s home. Maybe she’s locked away in her office, chain smoking in the dark, refusing to let anyone see the cracks.

You shouldn’t care this much. You shouldn’t.

But the memory of her pressed against the desk, breathless and bare beneath you, lingers too heavily in your mind. The way she had looked at you in the aftermath, soft, unguarded, something flickering beneath the surface that you couldn’t quite place.

With a sigh, you push away from your desk, grabbing your coat and stepping outside. The evening air is cool, the distant hum of traffic a reminder that the world keeps moving, even when everything else feels frozen in place.

You find yourself in one of the darkened soundstages, cigarette in hand, watching the distant glow of the city skyline through the high windows.

You don’t hear her footsteps, but you know she’s there the moment the air shifts.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” Avis’s voice cuts through the silence, and you turn, exhaling smoke through your nose.

She stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed over her chest. The usual perfection of her appearance is slightly undone tonight, her lipstick slightly smudged, her hair not as tightly pinned. And yet, she still looks like she could rule the world with a glance.

You flick ash to the ground, studying her carefully. “I could say the same to you.”

Avis smirks, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I suppose you heard.”

You nod slowly. “It’s all anyone’s talking about.”

She steps inside, heels clicking softly against the concrete floor, and for once, there’s no bravado in her posture, just exhaustion. “It doesn’t feel real yet,” she murmurs, almost to herself.

You watch her, uncertain of what to say. You’re used to her being the one in control, the one who never falters. Seeing her like this, stripped down to something raw and human, sends a strange ache through your chest.

“I’m sorry,” you offer softly, and it feels inadequate, but she nods anyway, her gaze distant.

Avis takes the cigarette from your fingers without asking, bringing it to her lips and taking a long, slow drag. The silence between you is heavy but not uncomfortable. She stares off into the dark corners of the soundstage, where the remnants of old sets stand like abandoned relics of another time.

“He was a bastard,” she says eventually, exhaling smoke into the air. “And now I own his legacy.”

There’s no sadness in her tone, just a quiet sort of acceptance, but you catch the way her jaw tightens, the way her fingers tremble ever so slightly when she hands the cigarette back to you.

You take it, letting the weight of her words settle between you.

“I know it’s not the same,” you say after a moment, “but... you don’t have to do this alone.”

Avis’s lips twitch, but there’s no amusement there. “Don’t I?” she muses, looking at you with something unreadable in her eyes. “Tell me, darling, who else is going to step in and run this place?”

You have no answer for that. She’s right. It’s always been her.

Still, you reach out, hesitating for just a moment before resting a hand gently on her arm. The silk of her blouse is cool beneath your fingertips, but you can feel the warmth of her skin underneath, the tension thrumming through her body like a live wire.

For once, she doesn’t pull away.

“I’m serious,” you murmur. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Avis lets out a slow breath, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling, as if weighing your words. “It’s a nice thought,” she says eventually, her voice quieter now. “But you and I both know I don’t have that luxury.”

You don’t argue, because she’s right. Avis doesn’t get to grieve. Avis doesn’t get to break down. The world won’t allow it. And yet, standing here in the quiet, with your hand still resting lightly on her arm, you can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t always have to hold it all alone.

She reaches up, covering your hand with hers briefly, her touch surprisingly gentle. Then, just as quickly, she pulls away, straightening, slipping back into the version of herself that the world expects.

“I should go,” she says, smoothing down the front of her blouse as if to erase any sign of vulnerability. “Long day ahead tomorrow.”

You nod, watching as she steps toward the door, her movements calculated once again. But before she leaves, she pauses, glancing back over her shoulder.

“Thank you,” she says softly, and it catches you off guard, the sincerity in it, the quiet weight.

You nod, offering her a small smile. “Anytime.”

And then she’s gone, disappearing into the night, leaving you standing alone in the empty soundstage with the ghost of her touch lingering on your skin and the knowledge that this, whatever this is between you, is far from over.

The days that follow feel different, heavier. The air at the studio is thick with tension, not the usual stress of productions running over schedule or actors throwing tantrums, but something quieter, something weightier. There’s an unspoken awareness now, a collective understanding that Avis Amberg is no longer just playing the role of the head of Ace Studios. She is the studio, and with that, the weight of expectation has doubled.

She moves through the halls with that same effortless grace, her posture never slipping, her voice always poised and commanding. But you see it, the way her fingers grip her cigarette a little too tightly, the slight tremor in her hands when she thinks no one’s looking.

She’s always been good at playing the part, but now it’s not a performance. It’s survival.

You watch her from a distance, feeling that familiar ache creep back into your chest. You want to reach out, to offer more than fleeting touches and whispered reassurances, but Avis is a fortress, and you’ve learned that pushing too hard only makes the walls rise higher.

Instead, you wait.

It’s late when you finally see her again—really see her.

You’re working late in your office, drowning in revisions and cigarette smoke, when a familiar knock echoes through the quiet.

Avis doesn’t wait for an invitation. She never does.

She steps inside, closing the door behind her with a quiet click, and for the first time in days, you see past the carefully curated mask she’s been wearing. Her shoulders sag just slightly, her usual immaculate hair slightly out of place, and there’s a tiredness in her eyes that no amount of powder can conceal.

She doesn’t speak right away. Instead, she crosses the room, picking up the drink you left on your desk, swirling the amber liquid before taking a slow sip. She hums in approval, setting it back down with a quiet clink before finally looking at you.

“Come to my house,” she says, and it’s not a question.

You blink, caught off guard. “Now?”

Avis arches a brow, as if the idea of you refusing is ridiculous. “Unless you have somewhere better to be?”

You shake your head. “No, I—of course.”

Her lips curve into something that isn’t quite a smile but isn’t far from it either. “Good. I could use some company.”

There’s something in her voice, something beneath the nonchalance that tugs at you, but you don’t push. Not yet.

You grab your coat, flicking off the desk lamp as you follow her out into the dimly lit corridors of the studio, the silence between you comfortable but charged with something unspoken.

Avis’s estate feels different at night.

You’ve been here before, at the party where it all started, where you first saw her without the carefully constructed distance she usually kept around herself. But now, the grand halls feel quieter, more intimate. There’s no music, no laughter echoing through the rooms, just the soft shuffle of your feet against the polished floors.

She leads you into the study, the one room in the house that feels the most like her. Heavy bookshelves line the walls, filled with novels and ledgers alike, and a crystal decanter sits on a tray by the leather armchairs.

Avis shrugs off her coat, draping it over the back of a chair before pouring two glasses of whiskey, handing you one without a word.

You take it, watching as she sinks into the chair opposite you, kicking off her heels and tucking one leg beneath her. She looks... tired. But beautiful, as always.

For a while, neither of you speak. You sip your drinks, letting the silence stretch, until finally, Avis sighs, rolling the glass between her fingers.

“It’s done now,” she says, more to herself than to you. “No more waiting, no more pretending.”

You nod slowly, watching her carefully. “How does it feel?”

Avis smirks, but it’s a pale imitation of her usual self. “Like I’ve inherited a kingdom of sand.” She takes another sip, her gaze fixed on the amber liquid. “Everyone’s waiting to see if I’ll crumble under it.”

You lean forward, resting your elbows on your knees. “You won’t.”

Her eyes flick up to meet yours, and for a moment, the cool façade slips. There’s something raw beneath it, something uncertain. “No,” she agrees softly, “I won’t.”

It’s strange, this quiet honesty between you. You’re used to the push and pull, the teasing, the control she so easily wields over everyone around her—including you. But tonight, she’s letting you see more, letting you glimpse the cracks she works so hard to hide.

You reach out, covering her hand with yours, and she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she stares at your fingers, tracing them lightly with her own before sighing, her eyes drifting closed for a brief moment.

“I don’t do this,” she murmurs.

“Do what?”

“This.” She gestures vaguely between you, the ghost of a smile on her lips. “Let people... linger.”

You squeeze her hand gently. “I’m not most people.”

She exhales a soft laugh, shaking her head. “No. You’re not.”

The weight of that acknowledgment sits between you, heavy and full of meaning neither of you are quite ready to say out loud.

Instead, you sit there, hands intertwined, sharing the quiet and the whiskey, and it’s enough.

For now.

The whiskey sits warm in your stomach, but it does nothing to dull the awareness you have of her. Avis, sitting across from you, looking smaller in the dim light of her study. The usual armor she wears, the poise, the sharp tongued wit, the unwavering confidence, feels thinner tonight, like a veil just barely holding her together.

Your hand still rests over hers, your fingers tracing absent patterns against her skin. She hasn’t pulled away, and that alone feels like a victory, like a secret she's letting you in on, just for tonight.

She swirls the whiskey in her glass, watching the amber liquid with a distant gaze. “I keep waiting,” she murmurs, more to herself than to you. “For it to feel different. For it to feel... real.”

You study her, the faintest flicker of vulnerability creeping into her expression. “What doesn’t feel real?”

She lets out a quiet, breathy laugh, shaking her head. “All of it.” Her fingers tighten slightly around yours, grounding herself. “The power, the control. The fact that it’s mine now, no strings attached.” A pause, then: “That he’s really gone.”

There it is. The thing neither of you have said out loud.

You watch her carefully, choosing your words. “You didn’t love him.”

It’s not a question, and Avis doesn’t treat it like one. She lifts the glass to her lips, taking a slow sip before meeting your gaze, her dark eyes unreadable. “I did at the beginning. But towards the end? No,” she admits finally. “Not in the way a wife should.”

You nod, expecting the answer, but it doesn’t make it any less heavy. “But it’s still a loss.”

Avis hums in agreement, leaning back in her chair, her free hand tracing along the edge of the armrest. “A loss of what, though? I haven’t quite figured that out yet.”

You can’t help but watch the way her lips purse slightly, as if she’s debating how much more to give you. It’s rare, this side of her, unguarded, unsure. It makes something deep in your chest ache.

“You’ve got a hell of a lot more than most people ever will,” you say softly, offering the faintest hint of a smile. “But it’s okay to admit that it’s not enough.”

Avis regards you for a moment, something flickering behind her eyes—something that looks dangerously close to gratitude. Then, she smirks, and just like that, the Avis you know so well slides back into place. “Oh, darling,” she drawls, taking another slow sip of her drink. “I’d never admit that out loud.”

You grin, shaking your head. “Of course not.”

She watches you carefully, the smirk lingering, but there's something softer beneath it now. “You’re quite good at this,” she murmurs.

You raise an eyebrow. “At what?”

Avis gestures between you, lazy and indulgent. “Sitting there. Listening. Not asking for anything.”

You chuckle softly. “Maybe I like listening to you.”

“Dangerous habit,” she muses, swirling the whiskey in her glass again. “I might keep you around.”

Your stomach twists at that, a quiet thrill curling beneath your ribs, but you keep your expression carefully neutral. “I might not mind.”

The air between you shifts, the easy banter settling into something heavier, something charged. You watch as she stands, moving to pour another drink, but instead of returning to her chair, she stops behind yours, her fingers ghosting lightly over your shoulder.

Her touch is different now, less teasing, more deliberate. She lingers, her nails tracing the line of your collarbone, her voice softer when she finally speaks.

“You’re dangerous too, you know,” she murmurs, and you feel the heat of her breath against your skin. “Caring. It’s a weakness.”

You tilt your head slightly, looking up at her. “Or a strength.”

Avis smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Not in my world.”

For a moment, neither of you move, the weight of her hand on your shoulder feeling heavier than it should. Then, just as quickly, she steps away, retreating back to the bar cart and refilling her glass with a smooth, practiced motion.

The absence of her touch leaves you cold.

You clear your throat, breaking the tension. “So, what now?”

Avis glances at you over the rim of her glass, considering the question. “Now,” she says, her voice returning to its usual crispness, “I go back to work. I run the empire. And you... you keep being my delightful distraction.”

It’s meant to be teasing, but there’s an edge to it, an unspoken understanding that distraction is far from an accurate description of whatever this is between you.

You smirk, leaning back in your chair. “I think you’re more distracted than you care to admit.”

Avis narrows her eyes at you, but there's no real bite behind it. “Careful, darling. I could have you fired.”

You grin, unbothered. “But you won’t.”

She exhales sharply, shaking her head, but there’s something fond in the way she looks at you, something almost... soft. And for a moment, you wonder if you’ve managed to slip past her carefully placed defenses in a way no one else has.

The thought is dangerous.

Avis finishes her drink and sets the glass down with a quiet clink. “It’s late,” she says, stretching lazily. “I should get some sleep before I start running this circus again tomorrow.”

You nod, rising to your feet, but you hesitate for just a second too long. Avis notices, of course she does, and instead of ushering you out, she reaches for your tie, fingers curling around the fabric.

“You could stay,” she says, and it’s not an invitation. It’s a statement. A fact.

Your heart stutters in your chest, but you manage to keep your voice steady. “Is that what you want?”

Avis tilts her head, studying you carefully, and then, finally, she answers. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

It’s not a declaration of love. It’s not even an admission of need. But it’s honest, and it’s enough.

You nod, stepping closer, your hands settling at her waist. “Then I’ll stay.”

Her lips brush yours, soft and slow, nothing like the urgency of before. It’s different now, something gentler, something real.

And as she leads you upstairs, the weight of what this means settles deep in your chest.

You might not have the words for it yet, but this—this—is something worth staying for.

The morning sun spills through the curtains, painting the bedroom in soft, golden hues. The world outside is already awake, cars hum in the distance, the faint murmur of the city filtering through the open window, but in here, everything feels suspended in time. Warm. Quiet. Intimate.

You lie still, staring at the ceiling, listening to the rhythmic sound of Avis’s breathing beside you. It’s different from last time, no hurried goodbyes, no slipping out before dawn. No illusion that this was just another late night indulgence.

Avis stirs, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she shifts against you. Her hair is tousled, curling over her shoulders in lazy waves, and her face, free from its usual layers of artifice, looks softer in the morning light.

You can’t help but watch her, letting yourself linger in this moment, this rare stillness. A part of you wonders if she’s ever let anyone see her like this, unguarded, vulnerable in the soft embrace of morning.

Eventually, she opens her eyes, blinking slowly before her gaze lands on you. For a moment, neither of you speak. She simply looks at you, as if assessing whether she should let the morning ruin whatever delicate balance was achieved last night.

“You stayed,” she murmurs, voice rough with sleep but still carrying that effortless authority she never quite loses.

You offer a small smile. “You asked me to.”

Avis hums, rolling onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as if considering that fact. “I suppose I did.”

You prop yourself up on one elbow, watching her carefully. “Do you regret it?”

She turns her head to look at you, and for once, there’s no teasing glint in her eyes, no mask of indifference. “No.” The answer is simple, quiet, but it holds a weight that makes your chest tighten.

Neither of you say anything for a while after that. She eventually reaches for the cigarette case on the nightstand, lighting one and taking a slow, deliberate drag before offering it to you. You take it, letting the smoke curl lazily between you, the shared silence speaking louder than words ever could.

After a moment, she exhales softly, tapping ash into the crystal tray. “You should go before the vultures start circling.”

You nod, even though you don’t move. “You don’t want anyone knowing?”

Avis smirks, though there’s something tired beneath it. “I don’t care what they know. I just don’t feel like hearing their opinions.”

You grin, passing the cigarette back to her. “I think they already have plenty.”

She lets out a quiet laugh, her free hand resting lightly on her stomach. “They always do.” Her gaze flickers back to you, more serious now. “But this... stays ours.”

You nod, understanding. Whatever this is, it exists in the quiet spaces between the chaos of her world. It doesn’t need a name, and it doesn’t need to be anything more than what it is.

Still, you find yourself reaching for her, brushing a strand of hair from her face, letting your fingers linger against her cheek. She doesn’t pull away.

“Are you okay?” you ask softly, and for once, you’re not referring to the studio, to her power, to her control.

Avis closes her eyes for a moment, leaning into your touch before opening them again. “I will be.” It’s the closest thing to honesty she’s ever given you.

You nod, pressing a soft kiss to her temple before finally pulling away, swinging your legs over the side of the bed. The air feels cooler without her warmth beside you, but you don’t linger on it.

As you get dressed, Avis watches from the bed, cigarette balanced between her fingers, her expression unreadable.

When you slip on your coat and turn to face her, she tilts her head, a thoughtful look crossing her features. “You know,” she muses, “you’re awfully good at not asking questions.”

You smile. “Maybe I already know the answers.”

Avis smirks, but it’s softer this time. “I do like that about you.”

You linger at the door, hesitating for just a second too long. But before you can say anything, Avis speaks, her voice quieter now.

“Come back tonight.”

It’s not a plea, not even a request. But there’s something in her tone that makes your chest tighten.

You nod, your voice steady. “I will.”

And with that, you step out into the cool morning air, leaving behind the warmth of her bed and the quiet understanding that, while nothing has been said out loud, everything has changed.