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miupow · 9 months

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‧₊˚✩彡 𝘿𝙐𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 PT 2 | 𝙝.𝙠𝙠ೀ

╰⪼ taehyun gives great advice; go out for drinks.

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pairing. hueningkai x fem!reader rating. NSFW, MDNI! words. ~3.1k warnings. jealous!kai, mentions of alcohol/drinking, hard dom!kai, sub!reader, tyun acts as a wingman lol, gags, blindfolds, bondage mention, dry humping, dirty talk, degradation, name calling (whore, slut), jake from enhpyen cameo!! possible dubcon

"Are you a slut?" Hueningkai hisses, big hand palming your bare ass-- you whimper around your gag, tug at the restraints that bind your arms behind your back. "Is that what you are? All you can think about is getting cock, huh?"

Tears were starting to soak the silk of your blindfold, sticking wet and cold to your skin-- you had never felt this raw and desperate in your life. "No!" you try to say, but it comes out a muffled whine.

Huening leans in close, hot breath caressing your ear, fabric of his shirt ghosting your back; his grip on your asscheek tightens, fingers digging into the flesh. "I'm sorry baby, didn't hear you. What was that?"

"I'm not a slut!" you try again, shaking your head wildly, slurred words incomprehensible-- drool ran down your chin and neck, dripped onto the bedsheets beneath you, and moving your mouth to speak only made more spill out. You felt disgusting, pathetic, humliated beyond belief... and your wet cunt ached.

"No?" Kai coos, the palm gripping your ass trailing down between your thighs. His fingertips brushed softly against your fluttering folds-- the first real touch to your neglected pussy. You sob around the gag. It was nowhere near enough. "Then why are you so wet right now? I've barely touched you and you're soaked. You want me to fuck you that bad, huh baby?"

And you wake up before you can answer.

That was the third time that week you had woken up with a mess between your legs-- ever since the Incident at Taehyun's apartment you've been unable to get a proper night's rest. It was irritating, embarrasing, and confusing in the worst possible way; you didn't even like Hueningkai that way.

At least, you thought you didn't, but now you weren't so sure.

Because while they first started off as simple wet dreams, something you could blame your subconscious for (or your very stagnant sex life), they quickly seeped their way into your awake, sociable life, and it was very deeply affecting your ability to function.

You were late to work twice, failed a test because you were too busy daydreaming to study, and hounded constantly with deeply inappropriate thoughts about a boy you could have sworn was a virign. Your unruly mind kept rewinding back to your friends' words, talk about handcuffs and punishments and girls running away screaming-- your sweet, giggly friend apparently ran some secret double life as some sort of sex demon, and you had no idea. Not a clue.

You needed to know more.

"This is about Huening, isn't it." Taehyun states plainly when he answers your call. For a split second, you wished he was less reliable about picking up the phone.

"I haven't even said anything," you whine, a little petulant even to your own ears. Taehyun had always been able to read you like a book, read everyone like a book, and it never failed to piss you off and embarrass you.

"You never call me unless it's about your problems."

Oh. Well. You suppose that's true. He was just such a great listener.

"He's not a problem, I'm just-- is he in the room with you right now?"

You can hear Taehyun's eyeroll reverberate through his sigh. "He's at class. If you're calling to apologize, I can leave a message."

You scoff. "Apologize for what?! I didn't do anything!"

"I think you hurt his feelings. He hasn't left his room all week except to go to his classes." Taehyun sounded more amused than anything else. "You should at least tell him you're sorry for emasculating him."

"Emasculating him?!" And this was why you didn't go to Taehyun when it came to problems involving his own friends. "He's the one being a big baby about it! How was I supposed to know you guys weren't joking? Why didn't you tell me anything?"

"Tell you what, that Kai's a freak? We thought you knew. Plus, it's not like it's even that big of a deal. You're both just being weird about it."

"I'm not being weird about it!" You retort. "I'm just, like-- how long have you known?"

Taehyun was quiet for a very long, uncomfortable moment. "Y/N, if you're about to quiz me on my roommate's sex life, I will hang up on you."

"I'm not, I'm not!" You're glad you're curled up in bed and not out in public; you'd hate anyone to see you this flustered just over the phone. "I'm just confused on how it was apparently 'so obvious' and I completely missed it."

"That's because he'd been trying to hide it from you. He's just been doing a shit job-- thought you figured it out anyway."

You blink. "He's... what? Why?"

Taehyun makes a noise like he's sucking at his teeth, staticky over the phone. You briefly wonder if he's actually going to hang up on you. "I promised Kai I wouldn't tell you this."

"Tell me what?!" You press with a hiss, grasping your phone harder in your hand-- you were getting really sick and tired of everyone beating around the bush with you, like you hadn't already learned more about Kai in the last few days than you had in the last few years. "Tyun, if it involves me, I think I deserve to know."

Taehyun hesitates for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh, deep and weighted like some veteran soldier. You want to laugh, really, but you're too on edge to do much more than hang onto every word Taehyun says. "Kai's gonna kill me for this."

"I don't care. Spill."

"He's... interested in you. Has been since he met you, I think. He was playing up that annoying good boy act 'cos he didn't want to 'scare you away.'"

You let out a breath like it had been knocked out of you with a fist, head spinning wildly. Kai was always so sweet and polite, got you gifts, made sure you always felt appreciated and included... but he had never given you the impression that he was into you. He was just like that with everyone.

But now that you thought about it...

Those smiles he seemed to save just for you, adorable and ecstatic like you had completed some insurmountable task for him instead of just getting him a candy bar or a glass of water, the gentlest 'thank you so much'es that made your tummy flip in the best way. Pretty brown eyes wide and sparkling every time he looked at you-- he would always furiously turn away like he didn't want you to catch him staring.

You caught him staring quite a lot. You always assumed you must have had something on your face.

Sweet Hyuka who told you you looked pretty even when you knew you didn't, stepping into his and Taehyun's apartment in pajamas because Yeonjun hadn't told you it was movie night until he was getting ready to leave. Hyuka who would give up his seat so you could sit on the couch. Hyuka who was always the first to stand up for you if one of the other boys made a snide joke in your expense. Hyuka who hugged you first before he addressed anyone else. Hyuka who would sometimes only come out of his room if he was told that you were there. You always thought that Hyuka was a great friend.

Suddenly, the other night made a lot more sense. Just as suddenly, you also felt very, very guilty.

"Oh." You whisper into the phone, because it had hit you that you hadn't said anything for quite some time.

"Yeah, 'oh.' Now he thinks you think he's a gross pervert." Taehyun snickers. He's enjoying your plight far too much.

"I don't think that." you retort softly, a little sad.

"You should tell him that, not me."

"How am I supposed to tell him anything if he won't pick up the phone?!"

Taehyun's quiet again, like he's thinking. "Listen, Yeonjun's taking us out for drinks Friday to celebrate Kai passing his midterms. I think he's trying to cheer him up. Ask him to come with; you can talk to Kai then."

"...Would Kai even want me there?" You ask.

"Probably not, to be honest. Doesn't matter though, he's not the one paying, he can go cry about it. Plus, I think hyung was gonna bring you anyway-- he thinks this entire thing is hilarious."

You hesitate for a moment. Not only foes this have bad idea written all over it, you also don't have anything to wear. "Promise you'll get me out of there if things get nasty?"

"How would things get nasty?" Taehyun laughs. "The most Kai would do is whine that he wants to go home."

You should have stayed home.

Taehyun was right-- when you brought up the club to Yeonjun, he had enthusiastically mentioned that he was, in fact, going to ask you to come with, and that he was very happy to hear you agree to go. Maybe that should have been your warning.

Huening hadn't so much as looked to you the entire night. You spotted him immediately when you had stepped into the building, platinum blond hair and an oversized grey hoodie tucked awkwardly into a corner booth, big frame shrunk in on itself like he was trying to come off as small as he possibly could. You felt bad for him, really, watching him stare surly into the same drink he had been nursing the entire night-- Kai hates clubs, yet the other boys kept insisting on celebrating with drinks and dancing instead of something Kai would actually enjoy, like a movie. You're fairly sure Kai was already aware that the night wasn't really about him and his test scores.

On top of the awkward atmosphere, you feel naked in this dress. You borrowed it from a friend, since you had nothing nice to wear— it was cute, but backless and low cut, and not to mention about two sizes too small. You were afraid to take large breaths, lest your breasts fall out of the top entirely.

You think you caught Huening staring from the booth as you sat at the bar with Yeonjun, but it might just have been wishful thinking.

“Just go up and talk to him,” Yeonjun suggests between swigs of his beer. He keeps looking over his shoulder at the dancefloor like he’s hunting for something— most likely a girl to take home with him.

“And what, grovel for his forgiveness? He looks like he wants to kill me.” you grumble around your own glass, half-hoping the liquor would at least spark some confidence. You felt the opposite of confident, in your stupid tight dress, scared of approaching a boy that professed his undying love for Molang on the daily.

“Maybe he just wants to fuck you. You look hot.” Yeonjun snickers, glancing quickly over at Kai's booth— from the annoying grin on his face, you can only assume Huening is looking your way. “Go over there and tell him you’ll suck his dick if he’ll forgive you.”

"You're gross."

“You love me.” Yeonjun sneaks another look at the dancefloor; it seems he’s locked in on a target. “Gotta bounce. Yell if you need me to come and save you.”

“I don’t want your saving,” you retort snidely as he slid his way through the crowd.

You didn’t have any time to relish in your solitude, barely able to even take another sad sip of your cocktail— an unfamiliar body fills Yeonjun’s empty barstool in what felt like an instant, big mouth grinning like he’d been waiting for a while.

You suppose the eyes that you had felt on you hadn’t been Kai’s after all. Yeonjun's grins could be decieving.

He orders a beer from the bartender, pretty yet odd accent slurring his words— you weren’t sure where it was from, but you sure did like it. “And another of whatever she’s drinking.” he adds, shooting a grin your way.

“Oh no, I’m alright—” you attempt to shut him down, but your voice wavers. He waves you off with a sweet laugh.

“It’s on me, baby. You look like you need it.”

You laugh nervously. You weren’t sure if that was supposed to be a diss or not, even including the petname. “Oh, do I?”

“You look stressed. Something got you down?”

You’re not sure how to respond to that. You’re not sure how to respond to any of this, really. Flirting wasn’t really your forte. “Just a little.”

The bartender puts down both of your drinks at once— your handsome new friend pushes yours your way, and you take it gratefully. This isn’t exactly how you wanted your night to go, but this man was hot, free drinks were free drinks, and maybe going home with someone new was a better outcome for your night than moping around alone and having to listen to your roommate get his dick wet. “Did some asshole abandon you over here? You’re far too pretty to be sitting here all sad and alone.” Your stranger croons, eyes heavy as they rake down your body, take in your dress. You squirm under his gaze. “My name’s Jake. What’s yours?”

“Y/N.” You don’t bother addressing his earlier comment; the idea of talking about your boy problems to this very handsome boy made your skin crawl. “I like your accent, where are you from?”

“Brisbane.” Jake gave you another pretty, blinding grin. He had a very big mouth with very white teeth.

“…Pardon?”

“Australia.” Jake laughs. “I’m an Aussie. I was born here though.”

“Oh, I see! Are you here just to visit or do you live here? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking, of course—“

“No worries, pretty girl.” He needed to stop with the petnames before you climbed him like a tree. “I live here for right now. Do you want another one of those?”

“Hm?” You looked down at your glass. You hadn’t even noticed that it was empty, just mindlessly holding it up against your lips while you latched on to every word Jake said. “Oh! Um. I’m okay, thank you!”

Jake seems displeased with your answer. You wonder briefly if he was just trying to get you drunk. It was working. “You sure? You’re still lookin’ a little sad there, baby.”

"I'm--"

“She said she’s fine.”

A big hand grabs your arm without much warning, making you squeak out loud— you whip your head back fast, ready to fight, but quickly freeze at the sight of Huening towering over you with a dark but unreadable expression. His grip was bordering on painful.

“Excuse me?” Jake retorts, face screwed up in irritation and clearly unwilling to back down from a challenge. “You know this guy?”

Unfortunately, you did. “Kai—“ you start, but quickly clam up; Kai shoots you a look you’ve never seen from him before, dark and feral. It twists hot in your belly just as much as it scares you.

“She’s done. We’re leaving.” Kai hisses dangerously near your ear, loud enough for Jake to hear. You’re too shocked to respond.

“Hey, what the hell’s your problem, man?” Jake’s griping, but it’s not doing much good— Kai tugs you up out of your seat and drags you by the wrist through the crowds and out of the back door of the club. You want to fight him, yell and kick and scream, but all you can manage is to stare incredulously at the back of his head. He hardly gave you the leeway to grab your purse. Or pay your tab.

“Kai, what the—“ He pushes you hard against the brick wall of the club, presses himself flush against your back— you can feel the stiff bulge of his hard cock against your ass, his hot breath fan across your neck in jagged, heavy breaths.

“You think this is fucking funny, Y/N?” he snarls, deep and nasty. His hands press yours against the brick, keeping you still against both him and the wall. “Are you trying to piss me off? Show up dressed like a slut, whore yourself out right in front of me?”

You can only get yourself to let out a strangled squeak, all too distracted by the swell of Kai’s cock, the heat of his body against yours. Was this really happening?

“C’mon, say something.” Kai goads, rolling his hips. it takes everything in you not to moan. “Why are you being such a whore, Y/N?”

“You’re hard…” You whimper.

“I’m hard?” Kai echoes, sneers meanly. “Fuck yes I’m hard. I’m hard ‘cos you look so fucking sexy in this dress, I love your body; God, did you wear this for me?”

You’d been telling yourself you didn’t, but you did. You absolutely did. “Uh huh…”

“Dressed up all pretty for me yet you’re letting other men call you baby? Sounds like you just want me to punish you. Is that what you want? For me to punish you?” Kai’s hands let go of yours to grab at your hips, guiding you to buck up harder against him. “You know, I thought you couldn’t take it. Thought you wouldn’t be able to handle me. But now I think you deserve to be put in your place, don’t you?”

“Kai…” You croak weakly, keen high in your throat when Kai grinds hard right against your clothed slit, nestles his head in your neck to mouth hotly at your skin.

“Fuck you’re wet, I can feel it. Say it. say you want me to ruin you.”

He’s right; your pussy’s dripping. You’ve never felt this needy before in your life, and Kai hasn’t even touched you. You can’t help but be a little afraid for when he does.

Your mind flashes back to your dreams, vivid scenes of being underneath Huening as he tore you apart completely, made you feel raw and alive in ways you didn’t think you ever could. You craved to feel even just a fraction of what you did in your dreams, finally make them a reality.

You needed him.

“Ruin me, Kai, please.” you beg, and you meant it.

"Good girl, fuck." Huening curses hot under his breath, pulls himself away from you— you whine out at the loss, and Huening gives your ass a surprise slap in retaliation. You bite your lip to keep from shrieking. “Fuck, okay, we’re doing this. 7’oclock Monday, okay? My place; Taehyun won’t be home. We’ll have time to talk it out before. Don’t be late.”

And with that, Kai once again stalks away, heads back inside the club with his hands in his pockets and head held high like he wasn’t just grinding against you moments before. You’re plastered against the wall, dress ridden up your ass, sweaty and hot and so wet it’s starting to drip down your thighs.

You’re not sure if you’re going to be able to make it to Monday.

#txt hard hours #txt x reader #txt hard thoughts #txt smut #txt ff #txt fanfic #hueningkai smut #hueningkai hard thoughts #hueningkai hard hours #hueningkai x reader

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amywritesthings · 10 months

Text

boston holiday. / a joel holiday ficlet

pairing: joel miller x f!reader ( the last of us ) word count: 1.5k summary: You're decorating for the holidays in your Boston Quarantine Zone apartment. A begrudging Joel Miller gets involved. tags: domestic fluff, pre-tlou, explicit language, holiday decorating in the apocalypse, set 6 months after 'seeing you / seeing me' credit: dividers by @saradika

welcome to the third day of the twelve days of amymas 2023 !!!

“The hell’re you doing, girl?”

Only two people have the key to your place.

One of them is Tess Servopoulos.

Giving Tess a spare key was necessary — or so she's claimed, since according to her, she can't trust you to stay out of trouble for longer than twenty minutes.

(She isn't wrong.)

However, you’d love to argue that somehow you have become the saint in this duo.

Ever since that week at Miller's place, every deal has gone smoother than running water. For the last couple of months, you've been clean. Unseen. Invisible.

Tess, on the other hand, has always been a bad influence.

The older woman opens her mouth, starts a Boston-wide battle, and boom — sleepover for two at your place.

(After saving your ass, you'll hide her away from wandering eyes without question. Curfew punishments be damned.)

The other person that has the key to your place, well —

The other is the salt-and-pepper man watching you in mild horror as you teeter on the arm of your dilapidated couch.

(You just haven't seen him yet.)

Joel Miller has been known for his subtlety, his silence, but not around you.

Not when he holds the key to your place; a recent development.

He tends to simply show up when he wants.

You don't mind that — usually.

But his bark scares the shit out of you in the middle of stretching high, your bare toes barely touching the arm of your couch.

The hell're you doing, girl?

Hoping to tack this starting string of garland to the ceiling suddenly becomes you fighting for your life.

"Ah—!"

The surprise intrusion causes you to falter, ankle losing its balance.

You wobble once, violently twice, before falling backwards.

Joel wastes no time — he slams the front door shut, not bothering to lock it behind him, and rushes to the couch.

Like some fucked up apocalyptic fairy tale, he catches you well before you hit the ground.

Joel Miller, the reluctant hero.

For a moment you stay suspended here: feet barely touching the ground, the older man’s arms wrapped around your torso.

Joel's weather-worn face twists in a concerned scowl.

All you can do is cheekily smile.

“Hey, Miller.”

“Don’t fucking hey me,” he snaps. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“To be fair, I thought I could reach it.” He stares, so you supply: "The ceiling. I thought I could reach the ceiling."

“You’ve got the tallest goddamn ceilings in the Boston Q-Z,” Joel argues in return, setting you down to properly stand. You hold onto the sleeves of his flannel shirt until you get your footing. “Ain’t no way in hell you were reaching anything.”

He lets go of you to stare at the ceiling like he's ready to pick a fight with it, before dropping his chin.

The man stops moving when he picks up the fallen string of fake green vines strewn across your scratched hardwood floor.

The question is silent: what the hell is this?

You cross your arms over your chest, wishing you had a better excuse.

A funny one that doesn't make you look so childish, especially in front of Joel Miller.

Still, you're a bad liar around him, so you choose to stare at the garland instead of him when you confess.

“I was trying to get the holiday spirit going.”

When you blink up to Joel, your suspicions of confusion are correct: he stares back like you’ve sprouted a second head and become a clicker in the flesh.

A beat passes.

Then another.

“The what now?”

You playfully roll your eyes and walk away towards your radio. Hovering over it, your fingertips reach to toy with the dials until white static takes over the apartment silence.

That radio is the only reliable device in your endless collection of junk, though it's had to go through some repairs this year.

Thanks to Joel it still works, though he won't let you thank him.

(Not verbally, anyway. There are always loopholes in the middle of the night.)

“Every year I do this,” you explain, turning each dial with care until the local radio station comes over the airwaves.

"You... decorate."

Clearly he's unimpressed.

"Yeah," you reply. "Between leaving the Q-Z and scavenging the nearby neighborhoods, I find junk all the time. Snowman trinkets and elf knick-knacks and other stupid shit no one ever touches because it's all useless. I keep all of them in a box until the holidays. My collection's actually grown exponentially over the years.”

Two boxes full, actually.

Forgotten treasures of other families, now kept sacred on your mantle.

“Sounds like a waste of time,” Joel scoffs.

“It is,” you agree once you find the right channel before standing at full height with a tiny smile, "but that time makes me happy, so I’m happy to waste it. What else am I supposed to do between jobs?”

He considers those words, if just for a moment.

Joel scrunches his nose and eyes in a way that says he's debating on being mean.

You don't expect him to get it.

He's been through shit, but so has everyone in this quarantine zone.

(So have you.)

The Eagles croon in the background — not exactly holiday cheer, but any vinyl or CDs of the greats like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra singing holiday songs are probably nonexistent from the decay of time.

Besides, you can’t imagine many others are trying to keep the holidays afloat in the quarantine zone. Some families, sure, but not many.

Too much heartbreak. Too much loss.

But you've had enough sadness, so you try to bring a little light to your humble abode.

"Don't worry about it, Joel," you add after an uncomfortable amount of silence passes. "I know it's stupid. There's a fresh bottle of stored whiskey in the—"

All words die on your tongue when some kind of winter miracle happens:

Rather than tossing the garland string to the side, Joel turns on the heel of his boot and away from you.

"Joel?"

He carefully slips off his shoes, revealing worn-white socks, and steps on your couch cushion.

With care, he reaches for the ceiling.

A strip of his bare lower back reveals itself in his stretch.

“What are you... doing?” you inquire, stepping around your couch to face him.

He doesn't look down, determined to stare at the white canvas of your ceiling.

Searching.

Your line of sight is in direct contact with the dark happy trail poking from his shirt, causing your face to burn.

“What’s it look like I’m doing?” he retorts.

“You said it was a waste of time.”

“You dying because you wanna try and stick some stupid tree shit up on your ceiling is more of a waste of time. You got tape or something?”

“Seriously?”

He peers down at you.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?" he retorts. "Get the damn tape.”

You have to try not to smile too wide when you step away, rummaging through your box of supplies.

Truthfully nothing in this box is worth keeping — none of it will save your life in the apocalypse — but your mental sanity thanks you for it every year.

After finding a roll that’s still sticky, you return to the couch and hold it up for him.

Joel grunts in gratitude, focusing his efforts solely on the line of green above him.

He manages to press the start of the decoration in place, holding the bottom of it to you.

“You want big loops or little?”

“What’ll stick better, Miller?”

He gives you a warning look. “Joel.”

A smile spreads like wildfire against your lips.

“...what’ll stick better, Joel?”

That seems to satisfy him.

“Hell if I know,” he grumbles, “just tell me what you prefer and I’ll do it.”

Something stirs in your lower belly as he speaks.

Joel didn’t have to do this.

He didn’t have to do any of it.

You were perfectly fine with keeping your need for holiday cheer to yourself, but he’s stepped in without so much as a fuss.

He’s had a hard life. Tess has alluded to the fact that he was once a father before.

You can only imagine how much he hates this, but he’s still trying.

For you.

It’s not a favor you will easily forget.

Your fading candles burn out in the background as the two of you go through every part of your assorted holiday decorations, popping open a bottle of smuggled whiskey to keep yourselves dehydrated.

You direct. Joel places.

After some time you both get too tipsy to put the finishing touches.

(Too busy slow dancing in the middle of your living room to the ballads of Patsy Cline.)

Making jokes.

Enjoying warmth.

Choosing life.

It’s the first night Joel Miller ever sleeps at your place.

You both stay in bed long after the sun rises.

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fluff #tlou fanfiction #tlou fanfic #tlou fic #tlou fluff #the last of us fic #joel miller fic #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us fanfic #holiday fanfic #holiday one shot #holiday fluff #twelve days of amymas #amywritesthings #fic: boston holiday

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egg-emperor · 8 months

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do you think Eggman actually wants to kill/torture sonic? The sonic channel says in eggmans bio that he doesn’t hate sonic deep down in his heart, does Eggman have morals??

That's what the Sonic Channel bio says with Google translate, which is the most unreliable form of translation and in this case very inaccurate for Eggman's character. I rely more on DeepL but it's having trouble with this, it just says "deep down he hates him" lol

But in more reliable translation it doesn't seem to state that he doesn't actually hate him, which I think is an important distinction to make. Here's an example of a human translation of that part, which is always better than a machine one:

"Tender" doesn't feel like a fitting word at all though. This is the absolute closest you've ever got to him being somewhat... affectionate?... towards Sonic in a genuine way in the games, I suppose:

I mean, he's saying he finds him admirable. And it's funny because this is as he's attempting to blow him up to kill him and really thinks he's succeeded this time. I guess you can say that's kind of affectionate in his own twisted way by declaring it in his send-off, that works lol

Now in his Origins bio, they're very clearly referring to this same aspect in that bio but with a huge rephrasing that feels muuuch more fitting than "tender":

You can tell because it's beat for beat with the whole "he wants to defeat Sonic, but deep down-" phrasing

In this case, kinship clearly refers to the feeling of "a sharing of characteristics/other similarities." (Not the other way in being related in a familial sense, no way in hell lol) This is a massive improvement, absolutely PERFECT phrasing Imo.

This makes a lot more sense because it has game evidence. I look at what's in the games to support any outside word. If there isn't any, I don't accept it, canon is what's in the source media/text, any word outside has to be at least heavily supported by/align with it.

This scene specifically has him explain his feelings on Sonic in his own words perfectly. You're not gonna get it from a better place than the horse's mouth. It also shows where I feel the "kinship" is:

It reaffirms that he absolutely does hate him and makes sure to specifically heavily emphasize it. You can hear it in his voice and it's not just in his words, he shows it in his actions, his dislike and threats aren't empty as he tries to outright hurt and kill Sonic all the time.

But it also shines more light on the way that he can also have respect for him, similarly to the way that he called him his admirable adversary in SA2. He can acknowledge that he has talent and admirable tenacity without liking him.

These are closest to "tender" they've gotten with him towards Sonic in canon if we're going to try assign anything to that at all. But again, I feel the rephrasing of it being him feeling a kinship is a lot more accurate with all things considered.

It fits perfectly because Eggman is exactly the same. He also has raw talent with his genius IQ and his creations and plans and tenacity to keep trying and never give up on his goals.

They've always been like two sides of the same coin, drastic opposites of traits in some aspects but also very similar in others, such as tenacity and skill level. This is what makes them perfect narrative foils to each other.

It shows they're a match in battle. Proves he's smart too in recognizing it, if he wasn't he wouldn't stand a chance against Sonic but instead he puts up the greatest fight of all villains and the one that still lives to fight again and again.

I talked a bit more about how even the way that they're opposites in themes yet can have an interesting overlap into almost similarities in the way they go about it at the same time in this post, which I feel is also worth mentioning.

Sage recognizes and praises Eggman's tenacity in the next cutscene they're together after he specifically mentions and praises Sonic for his, so she notices similarity between them too:

So to sum up my stance- the idea of it being "tenderness" on Eggman's part feels inaccurate too, unless you're saying it's like, the closest he can get in his own twisted way then sure lol. But it certainly isn't in the way that fits the genuine definition with the ways he's actually shown to feel and think about him.

I feel the words kinship and respect are the most accurate descriptors by definition though. He does indeed feel those towards him but he absolutely hates his guts at the same time. And that's what makes that Frontiers scene so good for summing it up so perfectly. I think it really is that simple at its core.

And he absolutely does hate him and makes it very clear constantly in the games, as recently as Frontiers, so it hasn't changed at all over time either. He's been very violent and shown eagerness and attempt various kinds of graphic injury and death to Sonic and often attempts to act on those threats.

He has taken great delight in Sonic seemingly meeting his demise twice, so it doesn't get any more blatant than that:

He has also been very unenthused and expressed disappointment when he survives his attempts to kill him multiple times:

Lol

And no, Eggman doesn't have any known good morals that ever limit him from doing anything bad and harmful in the games. His only limit is what results in the world he wants to rule being completely destroyed so he can no longer rule it, also the only reason he teams up to save the world, besides to save himself too of course.

Case in point- Eggman saying that he doesn't want to destroy the planet completely:

Yet also showing little care for the state of it when the damage is done, as long as there's still enough for him to conquer:

Sums it up because this is within the same game too, though there are many examples of this throughout the series. Where he'll cause mass amounts of destruction to get what he wants but if another bad guy threatens to completely destroy it to the point it ceases to exist so he can't rule it and of course puts him in danger, he'll team up to stop it.

He also tries to kill Sonic and co all the time, even characters as young as 8 and 6 and has no hesitation or remorse. Sage also hasn't changed this at all, as Dream Team is canon and takes place after Frontiers.

So if he doesn't have good moral standards that stop him from targeting actual children then yeah, makes sense for him to not have them anywhere else either. You can't really stoop any lower.

Which is why I think the concept of him torturing Sonic in Forces makes a lot of sense too. There's never been anything to say he wouldn't. Certainly not any moral limits. I can imagine he'd jump at the chance to torture Sonic in at least some way when he gets his hands on him for that long.

Eggman's character when broken down to its essentials are very simple. Hating Sonic is one of them. But his feelings and actions in how he actually goes about them are a lot more complex and complicated. In the way he's still able to recognize his ability and give him credit where it's due and have respect for him from a formidable adversary standpoint.

The man's got a point

Simple when it comes to his core traits, personality, and motives. Can be much more complex and complicated in his feelings and actions. That's what gives him such compelling depth to me. He's super interesting to analyze and it's so much more fun and eye opening when viewing his character with this nuance. He's not to be oversimplified or overcomplicated.

I like Eggman's dynamic with Sonic because it's not simplistic in the "he hates him so much he can't recognize and respect any of his abilities/skills" nor "he can recognize and respect any of his abilities/skills, so that means he doesn't really hate him". It's more complex and nuanced than that and I like it.

It shows he's smart when he can recognize and respect Sonic's skills so he can stand a chance against him. It also benefits him by proving his intelligence and strength in being able to continue to challenge him after all this time, so it's a way for him to take pride in it too.

If he denied them, it would also make himself look weak for being able to defeat him but he's far from it. If Sonic wasn't as strong and skilled as he is, Eggman would easily be able to take over the world. He proved it in Forces, if it wasn't for Sonic it would've been a permanent victory.

Having a powerful enemy proves he's a powerful threat. Having what it takes to take on a guy who's been able to kill beings of god-like power says a lot about his own too, so acknowledging it benefits himself in multiple ways and that's always an important factor when it comes to him lol

The Sonic Channel commentary at the end of this Sonic and Eggman cover story describes Eggman's feelings on Sonic and their roles in each other's lives perfectly (excerpt from the "what really entertains him" section):

I also like how it notes that Eggman can enjoy the thrill of the battles as he is seen having as great of a time with it as often as he can be fueled by rage during them. Just like Sonic can too, another of their similarities there 💜

#asks #dr eggman #eggman #dr robotnik #dr. eggman #my post #analysis #sonic frontiers #sne #eggman is evil

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optimisticstudentangel · 1 year

Text

Not so suddenly in love

Note: this is like a character study of Solomon, plus a fic. Hints of a slow burn from Solomon's side.

Solomon looks like a friendly and reliable person, but still he is not. Yes, he will help someone who is in trouble, maybe even sometimes initiate a conversation with this person or demon, but at one point he can simply disappear from the lives of these people without uttering a word. Solomon can allow a similar attitude to his old friends, let alone new acquaintances.

When you first met, Solomon was interested in you as a guinea pig. He was absolutely sure that you would not cause him great emotions, so Solomon occasionally found out some information about you. He was more intent on learning about the demon brothers than about somw ordinary human. But as time went on, he started to learn a lot about you on unintentially. The demon brothers themselves told about you, about how kind and strong you are. They were always praising you, all the conversations always ended up discussing you. Solomon didn't put the topic in the right direction for him, he let the demons talk about you. Little by little, he himself became interested in what was so special about you, and he began to ask Asmo and others to tell more about you.

After he learned enough about you from other's mouth, Solomon decided to act on his own. He was curious to find out who you are. To do this, he offered you help in mastering the educational material. Innocent enough, isn't it? And you were glad of his help, after all, you are the only human in hell, of course you want to have a strong friendly relationship with him. Solomon knows that difficulties bring people closer together, so he wasn't worried that you would refuse his "bait". He was slowly becoming a part of your life.

"Devildom is a very dangerous place, I suppose you know that well yourself?" - he was talking while he was wrapping up your wounds, which appeared due to the fact that you were in the field of view of hungry Bill. "I was lucky that I decided to make a visit to you at this time. I wouldn't want Beelzebub to devour you," he continued. "It's okay," you replied. Despite the pain tearing through your whole body, you tried to stay positive. Pulling a smile, you thanked Solomon. "You know, I think we should stick together," Solomon suddenly suggested. "Even though you have pacts with the seven lords of hell, I think the help of one more person would not hurt. Still, despite your newly acquired ties with demons, it won't hurt you to have a human friend who will understand your problems," he finally finished.

That day was well remembered for both of you, because it was the birth of your future close relationship with him.

He hammered into his memory the smile that followed his proposal. It was so sincere and bright, as if the sun decided to descend into hell and illuminate this cursed place. It seemed to him that his heart contracted at that moment.

Solomon, like a scientist, studied you and your every reaction in detail. He could invite you to take a walk in a dangerous place, give you an unusual potion, try to scare you. Not everyone will tolerate such an attitude towards themselves, but you still forgave him. You were throwing off his strange behavior, on the unusual nature of Solomon, it must be his character. And besides, his jokes didn't go too far, fortunately they weren't fatal.

In Solomon's defense, he did all this to get to know you better. A miracle happened for him, he was like a little kid who was hungry to learn more about you. It had been many millennia since he had last felt something like this. Therefore, he seized every opportunity to reveal all of you, to taste every slice of you. Can you blame him for that? And he really liked what he was learning about you. He was damn glad that he would find out about your features himself, without anyone's help, without asking the demon brothers to tell the latest news about you.

In return, he also gave you a dip in his depth. He let you slowly enter his soul, which no one entered for a long time. Solomon wanted you to be able to feel all of him, to reveal the veil of secrecy that he protects from those who so much want to know the weaknesses of this immortal man. He's not afraid to trust you and he doesn't give a damn if he regrets it later. You're more than a close friend to him. More than a potential couple. You're his soul mate.

#i like to imagine that despite his prideness he fell really hard for mc #yeah mc fell first but solomon fell harder #and he would also not believe it till the end insert clown emoji #obey me #obey me side characters #obey me scenarios #obey me solomon #obey me fanfic #solomon x reader #solomon x you #solomon x mc #solomon obey me

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myg-butterfly · 1 year

Text

Goodnight (Love)

Jimin x Reader – Spy!Au

Hurt/Comfort, Angst/Fluff, Enemies(?)/Lovers(?), Non-Idol Au, One-Shot

Part 2

Summary: You and Jimin hold an unwavering grudge against each other, but for what reason? Or, when you and Jimin get partnered for a case together, emotions arise, and so do the stakes. Pride and vulnerability are an explosive pair; will you both set each other off into flames?

Warnings (Buckle up folks because there's a lot): THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES OF HARASSMENT AND IMPLICATIONS OF S/A!!! DO NOT READ IF THOSE TOPICS ARE TOO HARSH FOR YOU!!! Angst, panic attacks, anxiety, descriptions of violence (like a single fight), sexual assault (no non-con sex happens i swear), misogyny if you squint, Jimin is an asshole at times, trauma, trauma flashbacks, horrible communication tbh, implied abuse, implied s/a

Disclaimers: I am in no way, shape, or form trying to romanticize these sensitive topics, I simply want to show that comfort can be found after said situations. Please do not leave any comments about glamorizing any of the topic.

A/N: Hello hi author here! I haven't thoroughly proof read this oopsies but we'll get there when we get there. There's a lot of time-skips in this btw, and I also just made shit up because I don't really have any clue as to what spies or agents do or whatever (lol)

Taglist: @screamertannie

main masterlist

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

"This mission is risky, as it's heavily reliant on precision and strategy, so we'll have to be very careful with who we send."

"I have the perfect pair in mind."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

"You're fucking kidding me."

Jimin stares in disbelief at his bosses, Seokjin and Namjoon, not knowing why they thought it would be a good idea to partner you together.

"I don't care whatever personal vendetta y'all have against each other, you both are the most reliable option we have. So put your willy-nillies aside and get your head in the game."

Namjoon shoots Jin a disapproving glare at his choice of words.

"Please never say willy-nilly again."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

You never thought it was possible for so much tension to fit inside a singular car, yet you and Jimin seemed to be breaking that record currently:

"Listen, I want to get this done as soon as possible, so please just listen to me and do what I tell you and I can finally stay away from your annoying ass."

"As long as you listen to me as well, it'll be a smooth sail."

"And why do I have to listen to you?"

"We listen to each other, it's called teamwork; hence the fact that we're a team, and we work tog-"

"I know what teamwork is – I'm not stupid. But I specialize in retrieving information, so I think we both know who has sufficient knowledge to lead this case."

"One of the requirements to be recruited is being able to safely retrieve information, so technically even though I'm not centered in the encryption department, we still have the same level of expertise in the field of-"

"Do you ever shut the fuck up?"

"I do."

"Great well do that now."

"If it means you stop running your mouth as well then I will."

It isn't that Jimin hates you specifically, he just hates how stoic you are all of the time. No matter what case you had to take on, what was going on around you, your cold demeanor never faltered — and that pissed Jimin off.

I mean, who were you to be so stand-offish to all of your colleagues? Did you think you were better than everyone else? Is that why you never spoke up unless you were giving your 2 cents on the approach the organization should take on the case given. And it pissed him off even more how you were always right, how Namjoon and Jin always agreed with whatever you had to say.

Jimin didn't hate you specifically, but he hated your face and how nice it was to look at and your annoyingly smart brain and your voice that was so soothing to listen to.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

"Jimin, I'm telling you, having me go undercover isn't safe or efficient. The man who has the information we need is kno-"

"Are you admitting that you don't have the guts to complete this mission? What happened to commitment?"

Strategizing with Jimin felt like being a court trial where anything and everything you said would be used against you.

"I am committed. That's why I'm telling you that this isn't a good strategy."

"And why not? We've used it countless times before and it's worked, what's different now? All those men are the same, just play them to your will. Is that really so hard for you to do?"

"It's not good because it's not safe. Chances are that not only will I walk out of there severely injured, but you will too. And what happens then?"

"All I'm hearing is that you're too scared to do it. If that's the case, then why don't you just go home? I can even go ahead and call Jin hyung and tell him that you chickened out-"

"I am not chickening out."

"Then just trust my plan, princess. It's never failed me, and it's not going to start now."

"....... Fine. But don't call me that."

"No can do, princess."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

As you walk into the large fancy venue where the event was being held, the urge to run and hide became much more prominent.

You doubt that he remembers you, you were small when it happened, and now you'd grown.

That should bring some form of comfort, but it doesn't.

Because even if he doesn't recognize you, you would never be able to forget those months.

What he did changed you as a person forever, and for the worse as well.

You walk tentatively, saying hello to people you come across, until you find who you're looking for.

Upon seeing his face, it felt like a kick had just impacted your gut, like if you were dumped into a freezing lake with nothing on. Your mouth dried and the room began to spin, and you almost ran away, almost cowered back to safety, but you were stopped by-

"Dumbass, he's right there all by himself. Approach him, quick."

Hesitantly you started your way towards him.

"Jimin, turn my earpiece's mic sensitivity up."

"Why?"

"Please, I need you to be able to catch anything."

"Fine."

Seeing he was grabbing a glass of wine by himself, you took the opportunity to slide in next to him.

"Excuse me, sir? Do you happen to know what kind of wine this might be?"

"Cherry wine, madam. Would you like to try one?"

"Yes, please. Thank you."

"It's no problem. If you don't mind me asking, is someone accompanying you tonight?"

"Oh, no. I'm here by myself. I got invited by mutual friends."

"Ah, I see. So then, you wouldn't mind joining me tonight? I have a table right over there if you'd like to sit."

"I'd love to join you. Please, lead the way."

After some brief moments of small talk, Jimin gives you the okay to start trying to pull information out of him.

"This venue is so lovely, I wish I could see all of it in full." You started prying. "Well, actually, one of my closest partners runs the venue, if you'd like I could ask him if it's okay for me to give you a tour?"

"Would you really?"

"Of course, anything for such a delightful woman as yourself."

"Oh, you're too kind."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

The tour was going well as good as your given position allowed. You managed to ask about almost each room, giving Jimin any helpful information through your earpiece.

That was until you got to the third floor.

You were trying as hard as you could to push through being in his presence, when you'd been going up the stairs you stumbled for a second, and his hand reached out to "stabilize" you. You managed to regain your balance, still his wrinkled hand remained on the small of your back, a little lower than appropriate, and that was all it took to push you to the edge.

"Um, excuse me, do you mind if we pause for a short while so I can use the restroom?"

"That's totally okay. Do you want me to lead you to the one on this floor?"

"Oh, no. Thank you, I'll use the one from the previous floor. You can wait for me here. I won't be long."

Running down the stairs quickly, your head began to spin with fear.

All of the haunting memories you'd managed to drown out in the deepest parts of your brain resurfaced within a flash, and suddenly its like if you were back where you were less than two years ago.

Rough hands around your waist, liquor scented breath hitting your face, the cold air biting your exposed skin – you remembered it so vividly that you could almost feel it happening to you.

You could feel the harsh tone of voice, taunting you, painting you with shame.

'You should be thankful for all that I do for you. I'm the only person that can stand you after all.'

"Why the hell are you going to the bathroom? Don't stall, you idiot. We need to get this done."

"Right. Yeah. Right."

You stood up and walked towards the door, but you couldn't bring yourself to twist the doorknob. The thought of having to continue with him had your breathing quickening, and your vision shaking, it was all too much at once.

All Jimin could hear was your shallow breathing, and strangely, he found himself growing worried.

"Y/N? What's going on?"

"I can't- I can't do it-"

"What do you mean?"

"I- I need to get out of here."

"Y/N, what's wrong?"

"I can't be here, please Jimin."

Jimin burrowed his eyebrows in confusion, not understanding what caused you to get so worked up. He was even more confused when he felt himself progressively getting more concerned for your well-being.

"Where are you right now?"

“Um, a bathroom in floor 2."

"And you told the guy to stay in the third floor, right?"

"Yeah." You hear Jimin sigh, and you know he's upset with you, but your brain can't fully process that right now.

"I can't believe you're actually pussying out of this right now."

"Jimin, please."

The crack in your voice left an uncomfortable buzz in his chest, and Jimin found himself caving in.

"Okay, fine. I'll find a distraction for him so you can leave while he's busy. Only because we stil have tomorrow to do this and we've made progress."

"Thank you-"

"Don't, we still have to get this shit done tomorrow."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

You thought you'd be relieved as you finally got the chance to run out of the building, but guilt was heavy on your chest. The sound of Jimin's frustrated voice made you uneasy; you've never really been on his good side, but hearing him sound so disappointed in you drilled a hole into your pride.

He watches you as you open the car door and clumsily jump in, and Jimin can't stop his frown from deepening further when he sees your usually sparkly eyes tainted a light color of red, one that matches your nose and cheeks. You take his expression as one of disapproval, and you shrink in your seat, hoping that it'll swallow you whole. You were triggered as it is, an angry Jimin would not help you whatsoever.

Obviously, the only thing he could come up with was to scold you, because what else was he supposed to do? Wipe away your tears gently and destroy anything that would cause those tears to resurface? Yeah, of course not. Not that he wouldn't be willing to if you asked him, but he'll try to convince himself it's only because he's a good person. No ulterior motive.

"This better be a one time thing, eh? No one wants to work with someone unreliable, and leaving was one hell of a liability."

"I know."

"Then why did you do it?"

The words got stuck in your throat; you couldn't tell him that this guy had abused you for years on end of your adolesence. You refused to let anyone see that side of you.

"It wasn't safe, and it wasn't worth risking it."

"I didn't see any threats in the security cameras, and everything in your earpiece sounded fine. What was unsafe?"A tentative moment of silence passes before:

"Him."

You spoke so softly that you thought Jimin hadn't heard you, until you heard a sigh from him.

"We work with dangerous people all the time, there's no difference here, princess."

The name had clear condecendicy laced within it, and it made the sting in your eyes return quickly; it reminded you of him, and now the memories were fresh. You turned your face out the window, hoping that Jimin didn't catch sight of them.

But he did, and great. What else is he supposed do? to destroy himself then? Being harsh is supposed to be what keeps you from getting hurt by him, so why is that no matter what he does, the outcome is always rough?

The rest of the car ride was silent, the emptyness of nightfall very clear amongst the dark.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

"Will you stop moving so goddamn much? Some of us are trying to sleep here."

"Why are you referring to yourself with plurality? The only ones here are you and I, and your comment is directed at me so-"

"It's too late for your smartass."

"Well, it's currently 1 in the morning, so technically-"

"Less talking more sleeping."

"Okay."

You'd stopped moving, and Jimin was about to completely pass out, when the shuffling started again.

"Y/N I swear to god-" he groaned, annoyed that you interrupted his sleep again.

But when he looked over, you were sitting up on your bed, a pained expression covering your face.

Jimin sighed and sat up as well, mumbling under his breath about how 'it's always something with you'. Still he asked:

"What happened now?"

You hesitated to answer before responding.

"Did you do it on purpose?"

"Do what?"

"Send me in there, knowing who he is?”

"I genuinely don't have a clue of what you're talking about."

"I knew you hated me but I really didn't think you would go to such lengths."

"Stop speaking in riddles and just say whatever it is you want to say."

"Do you really not know about him?"

"Stop acting like you know better than I do just because you know about some rando that I've never heard of."

"I'm not trying to act like I know better, because I do know better. I know who we're up against, and I know that Seokjin and Namjoon would agree that sending me in there by myself is a shit decision."

"Why would they give us the case then if it's so dangerous, huh? Maybe you're just too much of a scaredy-cat to handle this case. Why don't you go and whine to our bosses that the task is 'too hard' if you're so set on them agreeing with you?"

Jimin's words felt like a stab straight through your heart, and all you could do was bleed out in silence.

"If I were them, I'd be real disappointed if someone I handpicked for a job as prestigious as this one called me and told me they didn't wanna do it because it's too hard."

The mention of disappointing your bosses made your stomach twist with anxiety. Just when you'd begun to learn to protect yourself, you're suddenly getting berated for it?

"Do you want me to complete this task or not?"

"Of course I fucking do. That's why I'm telling you that you need to suck it up."

"Degradation isn't going to motivate me, so you can stop trying to make me feel like shit. Are you happy? Because it sure is working."

"See? This is what I mean. For someone who acts so stoic all the time you sure are goddamn sensitive."

"Jimin, please. Drop it. I get it. You win."

"Stop whin- wait, what?"

You blinked at Jimin, before sighing and laying back down, shuffling around and throwing a blanket over your head.

For some reason, this made his heart twist in an uncomfortable way.

Jimin took a deep breath and told himself that it definitely wasn't because he felt like crying at seeing your defeated expression, he was just shocked that you didn't continue arguing with him.

Yeah. That's what it is. Totally what it is.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

Day 2 of the event begins, and your fear is drowned out enough to tolerate it by your desperation to get this over with.

"Okay, he's in there. Go. No chickening out this time, okay?"

"Yes. Whatever."

"Good."

You find him standing by the small bar they have across the venue, and you muster up any remaining strength inside yourself as you begin to approach the man who haunts your every move.

"What kind of wine are you honoring tonight?" You use the same conversation starter as last time, and the guy jumps; you caught him off-guard.

"Oh, my dear, it's you. I am so glad we meet again." His smirk grew, and if you didn't know any better, you would think that it's one of excitement rather than perversion.

"So am I."

"I was afraid you'd pulled a classic Cinderella on me after that first night, I thought I wouldn't see you again."

"Oh, I apologize for leaving so abruptly. Something I ate gave me a stomach bug, and I decided it'd be best to go rest before it could get worse. I'm just thankful it cleared up before the event ended."

"I am deeply grateful as well, I don't think I could've bared to not see you again. Say, why don't we actually complete our tour around the venue tonight."

"That would be lovely."

You had always hated how snobby rich people spoke, as if everything was fancy and business. The formalities and outdated vocabulary made you irrationally angry, and you weren't sure how much longer you were going to withstand this entire thing.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

Thankfully, you lasted a pretty good while. Everything seemed to be going as planned; you asked questions, he blabbered on and on about whatever you asked, he got more comfortable and started spilling more and more, and Jimin got more information.

“This floor is my favorite.” He says once you finish taking the flight of stairs you were just on.

“Oh, really? May I ask why?”

“My personal room is up here, it's supposed to be a guest room but since I spend my days here frequently, it's practically become my bedroom.”

“That sounds very comfortable. The people who own this place seem to show genuine hospitality.”

“They indeed do. And I was thinking, maybe I could follow in their steps, and extend that hospitality to you?”

“What does this said hospitality consist of?” You were skeptical, the glint in his eyes was evidently one that was ready to strike knives into your chest.

“Reconnection. Mending broken bonds. Making up for all our time lost.”

Your heart began beating rapid and panicked, afraid of what implications come with his statement. He seems to notice your expression fall, as he starts to laugh and even doubles over. Once he composes himself, he immediately makes his way towards you, the change in demeanor too quick to even respond.

"You really thought I wouldn't recognize you doll? Hmm?" He circles around you slowly.

It feels like you've fallen through a sink hole into the midst of hell hearing his words, it's suffocating, so much so that you're sure you won't make it out in one piece this time around.

"To be fair, you have changed a lot. You look much more mature, womanhood has treated you well." It takes everything in you to not break as he grabs your chin between his fingers, Jimin's voice playing on repeat in your head - 'no chickening out this time'.

You swallow and take a second to compose yourself, before speaking again.

"May we please continue our tour?"

"No need to hide from me, little one. I'd always told you, you'd come running back to me one day; and here you are. No need to be embarrassed about it, I'm more than happy to have you again."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

Jimin's blood runs cold when he hears what the man is saying; did you know him before? What history could you possibly have with this man?

"I'm n- not hiding. I just simply wish to continue looking around."

"Oh, trust me, dear. We'll have plenty of time to look around. But first, don't you wanna go somewhere private? So we can, reconnect?"

A shiver runs down your spine out of pure fear, and you're not sure if you can back down this time.

"Um, I don't know. I don't want to be gone for too long."

"No one will notice dear." He leans in closer to your face. "I know you want this just as much as I do."

His suggestive tone has you feeling sick to your stomach, and you pray to whoever sits above that Jimin realizes what's happening and comes to help you. You aren't sure what you had ever done to turn the universe against you, but you knew your prayers weren't heard when Jimin responds through your earpiece.

"Go. If you're worried about anything getting out of hand, I have this planned out. Just go."

You didn't know what plan Jimin had up his sleeve, but his annoyed expression on your face were imprinted in your mind, his words from the previous night still heavy: ‘If I were them, I'd be real disappointed if someone I handpicked for a job as prestigious as this one called me and told me they didn't wanna do it because it's too hard.’

"Okay, take me with you."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

He leads you to up another set of stairs, and into different hallways, before stopping in front of two big doors. You watch as he takes a key out of the inside pocket in his coat, and he opens the door, letting you step inside first and following after you. The room was spacious and slightly dark, the only light entering through the window from the lights outside.

"Ask him what part of the building you guys are in."

"This room is beautiful, what part of the building are we in?"

“It is quite luxurious, huh? This is the fifth floor. Main hallway, 3rd door. If you ever want to pay a visit, you're more than welcome to stop by.”

Jimin quickly jots down the room, and you hope he's satisfied, because you're shaken with fear at this man’s words. He locks the door from the inside, and proceeds to move toward you.

"He has a key, right?"

"Ah, yes." Pause. "I'll keep that in mind."

He smiles at you and grabs your wrist, walking towards the large bed in the middle of the room.

"Okay, get his key. Do whatever it takes, just get your hands on it."

He sits on the bed and grabs you by the hips, pulling you down with him.

"I can't believe I have you all for myself again. Even if its just tonight." You feel his fingers in your hair; the thought of shaving your head crosses your mind. If it means getting rid of any trace of him, you'd do it.

"Your features may be a little more grown, but you're still that innocent little sweetheart that I've always known."

His face seems so close; your body falls cold with fear.

"Tell me, how much have you missed me, sweetheart?"

He gets scoots even closer and cups your cheeks, running a thumb over your lips. He gets even closer, and all you can do is swallow and curse Jimin, because why isn't he doing anything to help you?

"I thought you would've learned to use your words by now." He chuckles, you wait for a hand across your cheek.

"Stupid little girl. Aren't you glad I'm so forgiving?"

He leans closer again, your foreheads touching at this point.

"I'll let you show me with your actions. Come on, show me."

Your breath hitches in dread, but he takes this a good sign. He kisses you and you do your best to "kiss" him back without actually doing any kissing. You tug on his coat, hoping he gets the message to take it off, and thankfully – you're not sure this is the right word – he does. As he shrugs it off, he keeps kissing you, and you take the chance to grab it from the inside, and flip it around so the key falls into your lap. You quickly put the key in your dress pockets and you toss the coat across the room in attempt to mask it as a move of interest.

He notices that his coat is gone, and it prompts him to begin trying to remove your corset. You realize that this is your chance to communicate with Jimin, though you're not sure if he can hear you if the silence from his side is anything to go by, while also prompting the man to get off of you.

"I've got it."

"You got the key?" So Jimin can hear you. You don't know if what fills your gut is relief or anger.

"Let me do it." He grips your hands and puts them aside, continuing to undo it himself.

"Yeah." You respond to Jimin. Pause. "I've got it, its fine. It'll be faster this way."

"Okay, we'll get him distracted now." Once again, you're torn between relief and anger.

"Don't you wanna take it slow? Enjoy our sweet time together?" His lips on your neck, and his hands getting lower and lower. You start to cry. Thankfully, he doesn't notice, because the intercom system im the building blares: "The auction is about to begin, 5 to auction." Hearing this, you take your chance to push him away, trying to get yourself back together.

"We should go, we wouldn't want to miss this." You move to get up, but he locks you within his arms.

"It's okay, you're the one thing I want."

"People will notice that we're missing."

"They won't. And if they do, let them. I'm more than glad to show you off."

He keeps on untying your corset, and panic starts to flow more prominently through your body as you realize that he isn't going to let this go easily.

"I really think we should go back. What if we miss something important?"

"Shhhh. Let this happen."

Another announcement blares through the intercom, but he doesn't even flinch this time.

"Auction is now beginning."

"Let's stop. I don't want to miss it."

He doesn't stop.

Doesn't even do a double take.

"If you want something from the auction, I'll get it for you. I'll even pay double the price. But I'm not letting anything take this away from me. I've been waiting to feel you for years. I'm not letting you go now."

You're on the border of cracking as he gets lower on the strings of your corset, not sure if you're gonna be able to get out of this unharmed. He moves to suck on your neck, and that's when you break.

"I don't, I don't want to."

"You're just nervous. I know you want this."

You shake your head, your whole body is visibly trembling now.

"I don't want to."

"Be good and stop talking."

He finally gets to the last string when his phone rings behind him.

He ignores it.

You pry him on.

"Are you not gonna take that?"

"Nothing is going to interrupt this."

"What if it's important?"

"What did I say? Be quiet. Why is it that now you're all chatter, but when I asked you earlier, not even a peep? It's like you want me to punish you."

A sob escapes you; where the fuck is Jimin?

He takes your corset off, leaving you almost bare.

"Such a pretty little thing."

All you can think is that 'This is it. This is it. What did I do to have to go through this again? Why is it tha-"

"I'm on my way up. I'll be there in a moment. I'm sorry I didn't come earlier. I'm coming."

You let out another sob at this.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

Jimin feels like his heart flew out from his chest because of how hard it was pounding.

He's desperate to get you out of there, and Jimin didn't know what to do.

His original plan to get the man distracted by random interruptions wasn't working, and he knew going up there on his own was risky, but listening to your situation made him sick.

He knew one of the guys on his usual team, Yeonjun, was monitoring the assignment, as they always have someone on standby in chances of emergency.

With his mind made up, he lets him know that he's gonna go in, but he isn't too fond of the idea.

"No, Yeonjun. You don't get it. I have to go up. He's- he's hurting her."

"You'll get caught. Especially if you and Y/N leave together."

"I have to go."

"Jimin-"

"Sorry, I have to get to her."

The line disconnects.

He was coming now.

Getting to you was the only thing that mattered in that moment.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

You can't bare to watch as the man takes his own shirt off, and you feel like you could throw up at any moment.

"I'm on the fifth floor. Toss the key under the door if you can."

At this, your only string of thought consisted of 'Jimin's here' 'Toss the key' 'Jimin's here' 'Toss the key'

You quickly reach into your pockets and let the key drop by your feet, and you kick it so it's by the door. An eternity of seconds pass by, your brain simply chanting 'Jimin, Jimin, Jimin'

Everything happens so quickly that you don't even have time to process what's happening before Jimin tackles the old man. He punches and pounds, and all you can do is watch in horror as both men begin to swing at each other. You have no clue what to do, but thankfully, Jimin manages to catch him off-guard and injects him with a tranquilizer.

It's strong enough to paralyze him on the ground, but simultaneously doesn't knock him unconscious.

You run to put your shirt on and rush to look for the flash drive that's meant to have all the information you're looking for. Despite your frantic state, you miraculously find it in a drawer, relieved and ready to show Jimin.

But when you turn around, he's still on top of the man, beating him like a crazed man.

"You. Fucking. Bastard. How. Dare. You. Touch. Her. I will fucking kill you." He says in between punches.

He kicks, stomps, punches, even pulls out his blade, and he doesn't stop until he feels you tug from behind him, hearing your attempts to hold back sobs from escaping you.

Even as you're trembling, you hold up the small flash drive in your hand.

Jimin stares in shock for a few seconds, confused as to how you still went to look for the files even with the state you're in.

He looks back at the man on the floor, bloodied and now unconscious.

You wouldn't be surprised if Jimin beat him to death.

A pause of silence engulfs both of you, before he interrupts it.

"Let's go. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Let's go. We'll talk later. Come on."

You moved to step towards the door, but you were filled with such panic that your legs were giving out on you.

He stepped towards you, but you recoiled.

He knew that this reaction was to be expected, but it still felt like a flame was burning his chest seeing you jump away from him, looking absolutely terrified.

You stumbled and wobbled, but you were insistent on walking on your own.

Jimin respected your boundaries, but when you almost tumbled down the stairs, he couldn't take it anymore.

“Do you want me to carry you back to the car? It'll get us out of here quicker, you're gonna hurt yourself .”

He saw your facial expressions change multiple times in that short moment before you stepped toward him and let him lift you off the ground. You were tense, any touch making your head spin but feeling how securely Jimin is holding you, you can't help but loosen up a tiny bit.

Feeling you shake in his grasp, it hit Jimin like a bag of bricks; you had been one of his victims. That's why you told him that it wasn't safe for you.

How could he have missed this?

You'd been brought back to hell after finally escaping it, and it was Jimin himself that dropped you right back into the gates of it. Maybe if he had listened to you when you said it wasn't a good idea, maybe you wouldn't be shutting down right in front of his own eyes, wouldn't be shaking uncontrollably, wouldn't be face to face with a monster you were to never see again.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

In the car, you can't stop clawing at yourself in the passenger seat, unsure of how to get rid of all the anger and anxiety in you.

Jimin kept peeking from your eyes and back to the road, and for some reason, this made you angry; not in a scream and throw things way, but in a sob angry tears with harsh breaths until you pass out way.

“What did it cost you to listen to me? Your pride? Is your pride worth the touch of that monstrosity?"

"I'm sorry."

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

You get to the hotel and rip the dress off of you, wiping your lips and scrubbing your hands furiously, you pull your hair in desperation.

Everything feels so wrong and overbearing, it feels like its the end of the world.

Jimin feels like his world is crumbling at the same time that you are.

He goes to make you some tea, anything that will make you feel even the tiniest bit better. Seeing you in so much distress left only 2 things swirling around his head.

The first one being: He would, in fact, do anything to take back everything he's said, and to protect you from any harm that may come your way.

The second: He is so emotionally constipated.

Instead of letting himself understand and acknowledge what he feels for you, he put up a big fucking barrier, and now he’s responsible for your breaking point. Maybe if he could've been honest with himself, maybe if he had been gentler with you–

Well, there's no point in dwelling over it now, so instead he approaches you and removes your hands from your head to stop you from pulling your hair.

"Y/N? You're gonna hurt yourself."

"I don't care." You try to pull your hands away, but Jimin clasps them against his own.

"I made you some tea, it's in the nightstand by your bed. Go drink it while I put on a bath for you. And grab clothes once you're done."

You weren't sure what it was, anger? Gratefulness? Appreciation? Resentment? But something was coursing through your veins, and it all was clearly directed at Jimin. Feeling frustrated and confused, you broke down into sobs once more.

"We don't have to do anything, but I think getting washed up will help you feel better. Whatever you wanna do. Just, please don't cry, I don't like it when you cry.”

You look up and find Jimin crouching in front of you; his stare so soft that you think he might actually care. You can't help it – you launch yourself towards Jimin, neither of you are sure if it's an attempt at a hug or at knocking him down.

He wraps his arms around you and you begin to hit at his chest, your frustration and hurt showing themselves.

"Why didn't you listen to me?! I didn't want to tell you! You should've just listened to me! Then I wouldn't be hurt! It hurts, Jimin. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts."

You repeat that phrase over and over again until your breakdown begins to falter into hiccups, energy gone, and you melt into Jimin's embrace. The room is suddenly still, the only existing thing being you and Jimin on the floor, crying out hurt and apologies.

When he clutches so hard onto your shirt that his knuckles turn white, you know that he didn't mean to do it on purpose, that he's genuinely sorry for how things went down. And when you hug him back and shuffle closer to him, he knows you're willing to forgive him, you don't blame him for the decisions he made.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

Things feel fuzzy after that. Not necessarily in a bad way, there's just too much delicacy in the air for you to process things properly.

The cup of tea is warm in your hands as you wait for Jimin to finish filling up the bathtub.

After some quiet moments, he walks out of the bathroom and throws an apologetic smile your way.

"You're all set. I'll be out here, shout if you need anything."

"Okay."

You do think initially that a bath will help you relax, maybe get rid of some of the squeezing tension in your muscles, but it becomes clear that your mind won't be able to handle something as simple as undressing and getting into the tub.

Marks brokenly painted across your skin catching your stare, you needed to be forced out of it.

Even as you slowly climbed into the tub and sat down, the only thing running through your head was the image of your scarred form.

You cry out Jimin's name.

"Is everything okay?"

You beg the words to leave your tongue.

"Stay. Please."

Your voice is small and tired, and his heart jumps in a mix of adoration and pain, because you are ever so lovely, but you're hurt, and you're hurt because of him and his pride.

"Okay. I'll stay."

He takes a seat on the closed toilet, and you stare at him for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to ask for the support you need.

"I- can y- my hair."

Finally, it comes out strangled, but it comes.

"What about your hair?"

Jimin moves closer when you fuss a little at his question, splashing the water while doing so.

You rake your hands through your hair aggressively, and he thinks he understands what you're trying to say.

"Do you want me to help you wash it?"

Your face visibly softens – similarly to Jimin's heart – and you let out a little sound of confirmation.

"Okay, are you sure you're comfortable with that?"

"Mhm."

"Okay, pass me the bottle."

The warm water is soothing on your scalp and you feel yourself relaxing as soon as the shampoo touches your head.

“Sorry if I pull your hair.”

When you feel Jimin’s fingers raking across your hair, you start to cry again.

The way he gently rubs your hair makes you overwhelmed with a warm feeling that fills your chest at being handled so tenderly for the first time in so long.

"Love, why are you crying?"

If Jimin was already panicked at your tears, he’s utterly mortified now that the term of affection slipped out accidentally.

Thankfully, it seems like you're too caught up in enjoying the feeling to notice what he just called you.

“Thank you.”

His hand movements stopped for a second to think about his next words before resuming with a sigh.

"Don't thank me. I fucked up so bad. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I should've just listened to you. I'm so sorry."

Jimin's voice cracked, and it looked like he was going to start crying too.

Once he was done, he went to grab a towel, and you stopped him by putting a hand on top of his.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it."

"I'm still really sorry. You shouldn't have gone through any of that."

You simply hummed as a response, and you both knew that it meant forgiveness.

The moment felt so soft, soft in the way you were looking at each other, soft like the butterflies in your stomach, it was all just really, really soft.

∘⁺✧◞₊⋅✱

That didn't last too long though, because sleep has never come easy to you, and the events of this day only worsened it.

Every time you closed your eyes, his sickening face would appear in front of you. You could almost feel the way he gripped onto your skin, bruising it.

You could feel yourself falling into a panic spiral again, and your brain's first instinct for whatever reason was 'where's Jimin?’

You sat up and saw him fast asleep on his bed, and you grew hesitant.

What if he gets mad that you woke him up? What if he laughs at you? He's gonna tell you to toughen up.

But then you think back to how he's acted ever since he went to get you.

That wasn't just temporary, right? Was it just pity? Was he only nice to relieve himself of any guilt?

Your overthinking mixed with your already panicked state, and you once again felt like things were crumbling all around you.

You showed Jimin your weakest parts, he can surely use that against you. He probably thinks you're even more pathetic now. He's gonna tell everyon-

"Y/N? What's going on?"

You were so deep in your thoughts that you didn't realize how loud your sobs had gotten, nor that they'd woken Jimin up.

You looked up in horror as you realized that he was sitting on your bed, watching you cry.

The concerned look in his eyes only made you cry harder. You wanted to fall into his comfort, wanted to believe that he genuinely cared about you, but at the same time you were convinced that he was just pretending.

"Don't act like you care."

“Huh?”

"I know you're only being nice to me out of pity, you can drop the act now."

Your words came out broken and between sobs. After you finished your sentence your breathing quickened again.

Jimin felt his heart being shredded into pieces as he saw your state. Did you really think that he hated you?

He could deal with that later, right now his main priority was getting your breathing regulated.

"Come here, we're gonna breathe together, okay? Can you do that for me?"

You were hesitant to approach him, but the offer of closeness was too inviting for you to turn down.

Jimin waited until you were seated directly in front of him before continuing.

"Hands on your belly. Now breathe in, and out."

It took a while before you were breathing again, but now Jimin could tackle the second issue at hand.

“What can I do to help you?”

Jimin sees the distrust on your face at his words and his chest squeezes sadly.

"I'm not doing this to get rid of guilt or anything like that, if that's what's running through your head."

“How do I- know that you're not just saying that to say it?"

Oh what Jimin wouldn't do to hand you the world.

"If I genuinely didn't care I wouldn't be here right now. You'd know if I was lying."

You think to yourself before giving into his offer with a small nod. Jimin smiles at your response.

“Do you need a distraction? Comfort? Water?”

“I think– I think comfort.”

"Okay. Do you want cuddles?"

Your brain short circuited, and Jimin took your silence as discomfort, so he rambled on.

"When I was younger, if I was ever scared of something, my mom would cuddle me and it always made me feel better. If you're not comfortable that's fine, I just think it would help."

You took a second to digest what Jimin had just asked you, never in a million years imagining you'd hear him asking you that, before nodding your head.

"Okay then, come here." Jimin laid down facing you and opened his arms expectantly, so you scooted closer to him and let him embrace you.

There's an inexplicable safety you felt surrounding him that had you melting into his hold. For the second time that day, his fingers gently played with your hair and you felt your walls come down a little further, warmth encasing both of you.

"You're so warm."

"Fuck do you think I am, a reptile? Of course l'm warm."

You scoffed at Jimin’s words, but stayed snuggled into him nonetheless.

"Are you uncomfortable?" You asked him.

"No. I'll let you in on a little secret of mine. I love cuddles. But only from specific people. But don't tell anyone.”

A soft giggle leaves your lips at his words, and Jimin decides that it's now his new favorite sound.

You pull back so you and Jimin are eye to eye; you want to speak but words are hard to convey.

“What's on your mind?” He's attentive, eyes searching yours for any hurt or worry.

“Do you cuddle with all your mission partners?” You try to lighten the mood and he laughs, so you assume it worked.

“No, only with the ones I like.”

His voice is soft when he says this, and it makes you melt a bit more.

“I really did think you hated me at one point.”

“I never did, I'm just very emotionally constipated. In all honesty I really do admire you, but I forced myself to see you as competition to avoid any of the weird emotional shit. Looks like it didn't work.” He finishes his sentence with a bitter chuckle; shame evident in his voice.

“I mean, I wasn't really all that nice to you either.” You try to easy his guilt.

“I wish we would've gotten off on the right foot.”

“Me too. But what's done is done.”

“I'm really sorry for not listening to you. I thought you were saying all of those things just to mess with me, but now I realize how stupid my logic sounds. Hearing what was happening over your microphone had me sick to my stomach. I can't even imagine how it must've felt for you.”

“It felt like my world was ending, honestly.” Your voice is quiet, but not enough to conceal how it cracks while tears pool in your eyes again.

“I never thought I would see him again. I'm still so scared, Jimin.” You begin to hiccup sobs, and he wastes no time in pulling you closer.

“It's okay. He's never coming near you again. I promise. You're safe, okay?” Jimin's voice was soft, feeling the way his chest vibrates against your head that's now tucked under it only helped calm you further.

You both remain like this until you've completely stopped crying and relaxed in his arms. Everything around you felt warm and tender, lulling you into deep sleep.

The last thing your brain manages to process is a soft kiss on your forehead, and words that sound a lot like:

“Goodnight, love.”

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icryaboutit · 7 months

Text

Common Sense!Yuu

SUMMARY: How CS!Yuu got into Twisted Wonderland..., Now they meet a creature in Ramshackle, they taught that it was normal, they blame Crowley for his incompetence, the appearance of a friendly "Dorm member", CS!Yuu is clueless but we love him, Pronouns rights bitches, I do not know how to write female characters... TAGS: CS!Yuu and their common sense, WORD COUNT: 586 words

"Hoo~! That was an experience..."

Yuu mumbled in exhaustion, a few moments ago, he was walking back home when he woke up in some sort of coffin, and the next thing he knew he was dubbed as a janitor out of all things.

"I thought I'd gotten used to weird shit happening in my life... But this... *Sigh*"

A tired sigh escaped his mouth as he plopped himself on the sofa. The fire-breathing cat Grim was already asleep in the only decent room. While Yuu is still having war flashbacks of the recent events that just transpired.

*Creak* *Clack*

Yuu heard the sound of the woods creaking from one of the nearby rooms and couldn't help but perk up.

"You guys..?"

Yuu called out, he thought that the ghosts may be playing another prank on them like they did before, and Yuu was not optimistic of having to face another pranking from the three ghosts.

"Crowley had already given me an official residence in this dorm, so ya' better not be trying to scare me away with those pranks of yours!"

Yuu exclaimed, yet he received no reply, as the continuous creaking of the wooden floors resounded in the dorm. So with a huff of irritation, Yuu had decided to talk to the ghosts himself.

Heading towards the source of the noise, Yuu was about to berate the ghosts before he stopped to look at the real perpetrator of the creaking noises.

A tall figure with four sets of horns stood near the barricaded windows, as its spiky tail swished side to side. Its skin was unlike that of the ghost's whiteness, but instead, it held a dark color of something...Yuu can't really discern from the shallow lighting.

"Oh~? A little mortal seemed to have stumbled upon my abode... How interesting~."

The creature's voice was rough as it was eerie, yet it seemed to have not fazed Yuu at all.

"Are you another resident of this dorm?"

Yuu asked in a polite tone, seeing that it was not the ghosts that were causing all the creaking noise.

"Yes...I suppose you can call me a resident along with the others~"

At the answer from the creature, Yuu couldn't help but sigh in frustration and disappointment.

"*Sigh* That crow bastard really isn't reliable is he? Forgetting to tell me that ghosts are living here then proceeds to forget to inform me of the other residents..."

Yuu mumbled to himself, unaware of the glint of amusement that danced within the eyes of the supposed dorm member.

"Well, the Headmage, Crowley, had always been so... hmm, how do I put this... Incompetent."

Yuu huffed in agreement, remembering the meeting from earlier.

"Yeah, can't believe someone like that is managing a school. I'm surprised it's still standing."

"Fufu~ I can't agree more~! How about I introduce you to the others, since your new here hmm?"

The dorm member suggested as they reached their hand towards Yuu, he only looked at the hand with exhaustion, yet Yuu also looked thankful at the dorm member.

"Yes, that would be nice."

Grabbing the dorm member's hand, Yuu remembered something that he had forgotten to ask.

"Oh right, can I ask for your name? I didn't get the chance to ask earlier."

The dorm member smiled at Yuu's politeness, before the dorm member opened their mouth, greeting Yuu with sharp pointed teeth.

"Duncan. My name is Duncan Orpheus."

Yuu beamed at this.

"My name is Yuu! Yuu Farrell! A pleasure to make your acquaintance Orpheus-san!"

Omake:

CS!Yuu: Right! What pronouns do you use Orpheus-san?

Duncan: Pronouns..?

CS!Yuu: Yes! Like... Are you a he/him??

Duncan: A yes, I am a... he/him... yes.

CS!Yuu: So I can call you Orpheus-kun right? I also go by he/him too!

#twst yuu #yuu au #disney twst #twst wonderland #CS!Yuu #The start of the adventures of CS!Yuu #CS!Yuu meeting a “Dorm member”#Well yes #Duncan is technically a dorm member...#We get pronouns right here😤😤

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astromechs · 1 year

Note

If you’re still accepting prompts from that list: Jyn/Cassian - 16 ~~

just barely under 500 words so this is still a mini-fic, because i said so from this list (still accepting)!

There comes a point, late into a night when neither of them are sleeping, that there's nothing to talk about. Anything practical, then, has long since been exhausted, and putting anything to words that's actually keeping them awake is definitely off the table, so for hours at a time, the only option that's left is listening to the hums of the life support systems or to each other's breathing. The latter, often, is a reassurance for Jyn; she's still convinced that Cassian will disappear the second she closes her eyes, and having present, tangible reminders that he's actually still here, his warmth next to her, the reliable rise and fall of his chest.

But when a night is particularly bad, like this one, even that doesn't do much to keep things from feeling so heavy.

No one has spoken for hours. There's nothing to debrief when a mission is over, no plan to finalize when there isn't a next one, and no desire to touch any wounds — fresh or old. And she's restless; she'd kicked the sheets off of her a while ago, and her fingers have spent so much time idly tugging on what's still in her reach that she's nearly taken a thread out of them.

Eventually, she gives that up, too. Casts out, into the silence, just to change something, "I can do an impression of you."

She doesn't have to see his face to know that he's lifting at least one skeptical brow in her direction. "Is that so?"

It's rude, honestly.

Pressing her lips together in a hum, she doesn't directly answer his question, instead offering, after a beat: "I'd have to be standing for you to get the full effect, but —" She shifts in his arms, turning to face him fully (which is actually a feat, considering they're two people crammed into a bunk made for one). "It looks something like this."

An elbow knocks against the metal of the wall — which makes her wince, just for a second — but she won't allow that to stop her, not now that she's committed to this. Both hands go to her hips (her other elbow knocking against him as they do), and she makes an exaggerated show of creasing her brows and setting her jaw into her best imitation of how he might frown at some document she can barely get two sentences into before her mind wanders.

In the low light, Jyn can see enough to know that her effort has been rewarded; Cassian's eyes have crinkled in that way she always finds herself fascinated by, and there's unmistakeable fondness in his voice when he tells her, "You look ridiculous."

A smile, slow and soft, tugs on her own mouth. "Imagine how you look."

What he exhales isn't quite a laugh, and neither is what leaves her in return, but in this moment, it's enough to make things seem just a little bit easier.

#rebelcaptain #jyn erso #cassian andor #asks #anonymous #* mini fic meme #this is sooo dumb but i'm 2.5 days into a migraine and it was nice to imagine something soft with my otp ghfjdks

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xiaosonlybeloved · 1 year

Note

Hello there! I hope it isn't too late to request something for your Anthologies event? If it isn't, then I'd like to request: Scaramouche/Wanderer + prompt 16 & 4 (perhaps, the reader dies to their mortality and he tries to find a way to reverse it? Whether he actually manages or not, I'll leave it to you) + fern bookmark + rainy scent. Please don't feel pressured and take your time, thank you!

I just think Wanderer's character has a lot of potential for angst and I really like your writing :) Congrats on 100, by the way!

Unfulfilled Promises~

Librarian's note:- I AM SO SORRY. THIS IS SO LATE I KNOW I just had a lot of stuff going on so I didn't get the time to write properly. ofc it isnt late. this event is prob gonna be open for a long time, hehe. Absolutely. Scara has so much potential for angst.

Book info:- Books- -> 4- I'll always love you, in life or in death. -> 16- But you promised...

Starring- Fatui!Scaramouche Bookmark:- gn!reader, rainy scent- angst, hurt no comfort

Book length- 1.2k words

warning- major character death, tagging @supernova25 because scaramouchie <3 enjoy

event masterlist

Why?

Why did you keep doing it?

Why did you keep pursuing him?

Why did you find a way to make him feel like his heart was beating?

And at the end, why did you leave him again, like everyone else?

******

The Fatui Harbingers. Most feared across Tevyat, loyal puppets of the Tsaritsa, people who have dedicated their entire life to their God. Well, all except for one.

Scaramouche was only in it for the Electro Archon’s gnosis. That was the sole reason he joined the Fatui. He wanted the Gnosis, no, he needed it. Scaramouche, who had shut off his inner, real self from the rest of the world, Scaramouche, who had serious anger issues, Scaramouche, who believed he was the boss. Any sane person would take one look at him and run in the opposite direction if they could. His own subordinates were terrified of him.

‘So were you not sane then?’ he often wondered. Why did you look at him with that gentle understanding etched on your face? Why did you not run away the moment you saw him? Why did you continue to stick by his side?

You were Scaramouche’s personal secretary, his assistant. Young, but you had climbed up the ladder pretty quickly. You were reliable, didn’t seem fazed by his anger or outbursts, that’s why he’d picked you. You were the one who had been assigned to help him out in any way whatsoever to achieve his mission- obtain the electro archon’s gnosis.

So why did you manage to find a way to break open the walls that he had built around his nonexistent heart? Why did you confess to him softly that one moonlit, snowy night, after you had helped him calm down from a nightmare?

“I love you, Scaramouche.” You had said with a smile. He remembered it vividly. He remembered the feeling he had felt. As if… something inside him was picking up its pace, beating. He remembered how the words had come out of his mouth naturally, his returned love. He remembered the soft kiss you’d placed on his cheek. He remembered it all much too well for his own liking.

He remembered the promise you had made him. That you’d never leave him alone. That you would love him forever.

He remembered how, when in Inazuma helping him out on what would turn out to be his last mission in the Fatui, you’d fallen victim to the Tatarigami. He remembered how you got sicker day by day. How you always told him to complete his mission, to put his life’s goals before you. He remembered the desperation he felt. The desperation to save you. He had fallen too deep, too deep into your love, and he couldn’t get out.

He had never wanted to lose you. He had never wanted to acknowledge the fact that you are a mortal. He had never wanted to acknowledge the fact that someday, you too, would die, like any other mortal.

He was despairing in his anguish. You kept getting weaker, day by day. He insisted that you rest, try to recover, but you still followed him, making sure that his timetables were made, his activities planned to some extent, his subordinates kept in line. You kept doing your duty till you were rendered immobile, and he hated it.

He hated the sight of you growing paler and weaker. He had found you a nice but abandoned home on the beach, and he hated leaving you alone in it. He always came back as fast as possible. He always made sure to tell you how much closer he was getting to the gnosis.

He was planning to use the Gnosis to heal you. Maybe even reverse your mortality. Because he didn’t want to see you go, didn’t want to see you leave him. Call it selfish; he didn’t care.

One particular fated evening, he had stayed by your bedside the entire day, gripping your weak hands, making you anything that made you feel better. Yes, this was the famed Scaramouche, distraught over a weak, ill and dying mortal.

You hadn’t been like this. You were always strong and healthy, he’d never seen you sick in all the years he’d been with you. And that’s why, in his delusions, he still believed that he could save you. That he could bring you back to that joyful, strong self of yours.

It was that particular evening that he’d been summoned to the Delusions factory outlet on account of the Traveler’s furious rampage. He was completely unwilling to leave you, but you weakly, softly persuaded him that this was important, this was the chance he’d been waiting for. He had no choice but to go.

*******

He stared at the small, glowing, purple object in his hands.

This was it. This was what he had waited for his entire life. The Electro Gnosis.

He had finally obtained it.

He could finally return to you and use it to heal you.

But alas….

*******

When he returned to their small home, it was dead silent. Not a single bird chirped or hummed. Even the wind seemed to have died down. The air hung heavy.

Something thumping furiously and nervously inside him, he ran into the house, straight to your bedside. And he was terribly alarmed by how much worse your condition looked.

You had trouble keeping your eyes open. When they finally focused on him running towards you, the Gnosis clutched in his hand, a small smile made its way onto your face. “You did it. I’m so proud of you.” You whispered.

You were proud of him, he realised.

“The moon is beautiful tonight, Scaramouche. Take care of yourself for me.” You had trouble speaking.

“Wait, don’t say stuff like that. I can heal you now. We’re almost there. Just hang on for a bit…” Scaramouche had said frantically. Now that he had the gnosis, he had no idea how to use it.

“I’ll always love you, Scara, in life or in death.” You said softly.

Your eyes fluttered close.

*****

His devastated, anguished scream, laced with pure sorrow and disbelief, tore through the cottage, through the still midnight air.

No matter what he tried, you never moved again.

The Gnosis clattered to the ground, the feared Sixth of the Fatui Harbingers falling to his knees.

You, too, had left him. This was inevitable. But you left early, much too early. There was so much he had still planned to do with you. But you’d just left him, just like that.

He stared at your unmoving form, at the worthless object lying on the floor.

He felt so hollow.

His life’s mission, its purpose was over. And yet again, he had failed to protect the one he loved.

Tears trickled down his face in a steady flow as he held your hands, which were losing their comforting warmth. “But… you promised, [Y/N].” He whispered, distraught. “You promised….”

I'm so sorry for being late! Requests r still open

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calehenituse-brainrot · 2 years

Text

Practice

Cale Henituse | Kim Rok Soo x Transported!Reader

You and Cale finally talk about what happened, but only after you suggested an outrageous plan.

For the first few times he had met you, Alver had thought of you as someone reliable and capable. You were always berating Cale more openly than others and whenever Cale was being dense, you'd share a look with him and the others as if you were all suffering together because of how dumb that man was. But then as he got to know you, he found out that while you were always the one berating Cale, you were also the only one Cale trusted to share his self-sacrificial plans with and always encouraged Cale's crazy plans with such a solid trust that it made Alberu curious on how deeply your relationship was with the man.

But more importantly, he knew just how unhinged you can be, and he knows that this isn't the most unhinged he will see you be.

"You're telling me—" he started slow, rubbing his temple, "—that you want to go there under a disguise?"

You rolled your eyes, mildly annoyed at his exasperated tone. You've told him this twice, can't he keep up?

After overhearing the conversation of the men in the street, you and Alver hurried to return to the palace. Along the way of returning, you proposed the idea of sneaking into the supposed gambling house and suggested that Alver could probably find a drug ring if this issue turns out to be bigger than they all expected.

"That's dangerous," he told you with a frown and his response had you frowning in disapproval.

"As if you and Cale don't do it every time it's convenient for you!" You retorted, listing the number of fake identities that Cale has and the alias Alver had chosen everywhere he wants to go undetected. Bob, you recalled the ridiculous name, knowing how many faces you can put on that name alone.

"Yes, but it's different this time," Alver tried to reason with you, knowing how stubborn you are. He grasped your hand, forcing you to look at his stern blue eyes. "A woman disguising herself to sneak into a gambling house is a different story. I know I don't have to elaborate any further for you to understand how vulnerable you would be if we go with your plan."

"But Count Theo--"

"Exposing his misdeeds isn't worth your safety," he cuts you off. You stared at him for a moment and Alver lets go of your hand, his own coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I don't understand why you're being so insistent on this despite knowing how dangerous it is. I know that you have a bone to pick with him but you have never been the type to mix that personal aspect of your life into a professional setting."

"Then what do you propose?" You asked him, ignoring his comment regarding your professionality. "We need to get rid of him."

Alver stared at you for some time, racking his brain to give you an answer. To be truthful, he had thought of disguises as well to find out more about Count Theo, but he couldn't exactly have you go down there alone, especially not when you have a personal grudge against Count Theo. Worse things come to worse, you'd be found out and your name dragged through the mud for being present in a brothel and gambling grounds.

"Are you ready to woman up and talk to Cale yet?"

"I miss [Name]."

Cale's gaze moved from the ceilings to Ohn who sat beside him on the bed, the tip of her silver fluffy tail twitching in intrigue as she studied Cale's jaded brown eyes. It has been quite a long time since you stepped back into the duchy and it's been rather upsetting to see that Cale has been spending more time laying on his bed instead of sitting around and reading a book or enjoying a few snacks, one of the many things everyone knows he forced himself to do in the afternoon because he's always expecting a visit from you.

When Cale kept his mouth shut, Ohn took it as a sign that Cale himself does not know what to say to her in regard to her words. It's been a few days of others pointing out how ever since you left, the estate seemed to be too peaceful. You weren't running around the halls to head to your office or the library in a hurry, your voice no longer greeting even the servants during their breaks. Some of them are pondering whether or not you remember to rest and eat your lunch because everyone knows that you treated lunch as a reward for finishing your tasks.

"I heard from Grandpa that she was here."

The tip of Ohn's tail began flicking when Cale's eyes widened slightly, his voice barely a murmur when he asked; "She was?"

"Mhm." Ohn circled the spot she was on before sitting down, resembling a loaf of bread with her paws and tails hidden underneath her fluffy fur. Cale stuck his hand out, caressing her right behind her ear, smiling slightly when Ohn began to purr in delight. It didn't take long for her to lay on the bed, stomach showing while Cale gives her head rubs. "Grandpa said she came by just to have some snacks, though she didn't look very well."

Cale frowned in thought as he continued petting Ohn. He expected you to be quite worn out with all the new workload but he didn't expect you to make time to come over despite that, and to only have some snacks? Also, why didn't Ron report your return to him?

'Something doesn't feel right.'

Just as he began to come up with a few scenarios of what could be happening, his bedroom door slammed open and was followed by the shrill voice of a certain Black Dragon. "Human! Human!"

Cale sat up, seeing Raon so happily flying to him with the mana communication device in his paws, Hong hot on his trail with a big smile. "It's [Name]! She's calling!"

Ohn sat up, tail swishing left to the right despite her calm face. They all shuffled closer to Cale when Raon dropped the communication device to his lap, turning on the call.

Instead of your face, Alver's face appeared, his noble smile on his face as it was the default expression on his face. Cale couldn't help but frown when he saw the blond man instead of you, his displeasure visible and so was his kids'. Alver's smile faltered and he looked at them all with a raised eyebrow, "Am I that bad to look at?"

"Of course not," Cale replied, his face staying the same. "It's an honor to be facing His Highness--"

"Alright, enough."

Alver leaned back in your chair, staring at Cale and the kids' displeased expressions, thinking about how they must've been so excited to see you again only to see him. He decided to use your communication device instead of his just to mess with Cale and he knew that you knew about it because you didn't put up a fight when he suggested it. You were across the room, folding your cloak along with the one he had borrowed, storing it back in the wardrobe.

"You don't seem to be in your study nor your room," Cale pointed out, noticing the different window sill and wallpaper behind Alver.

"He's with me."

Cale felt his breathing almost stop at hearing your voice. He watched you begin to move into the frame, standing behind the chair Alver was sitting on. How long has it been since he heard your voice? How long has it been since he saw you? Perhaps too long because he found himself drinking the image of you as if you were the most interesting thing he ever found and must be remembered and revered for centuries.

Your face looked lethargic and formal wear was a bit ruffled, but the slight backlight from the window behind you made you look holy as if there was a glowing halo around your head, the light shining through your [h/c] strands. Cale never thought of himself to be much of a poet nor was he a romantic person and he hated how his thoughts were filled with the words he would have cringed at when he was younger, but oh, how can you look so wry and beautiful at the same time?

That kind of beauty is unfair, he thinks, because it's the kind that one could be ungrateful to have seen at the moment and if they were lucky, they would become old and think back to your face, and perhaps it would be enough for someone to be youthfully felt just by thinking of your eyes and the tired smile on your face. And thankfully for Cale, he was not the type to start appreciating things once they have been lost.

Cale's eyes softened once he saw you and he let himself smile. "How are you, [Name]?"

You looked a bit stunned for a moment, not expecting Cale to immediately address you so softly. The gentle way he spoke of your name sent tremors to your hands, your knees weak, and you had to force yourself to not give him a full-blown smile, because how can you not be happy to know he was still there, waiting for you?

"I've been well," you managed to reply to him and for a moment, you believed that you are well now that you'd seen him. "And the kids?"

"We miss you!" Raon yelled through the device. "Come home, [Name]!"

You subtly tapped Alver's back, urging him to please take charge of the conversation. As horrible as you could be, you could never be able to lie to children.

Alver cleared his throat. "Right. Cale, we require your assistance."

"But if you can't, that's fine," you piped in, holding your hands up and giving him an anxious smile. "Seriously, no pressure."

"[Name], stop it," Alver berated you. "I'm not sending you out there alone."

Cale straightens up upon hearing Alver's words. "What is this about?"

"We plan to have [Name] go under a disguise to find out more about a possible brothel and gambling ring," Alver answered, seeing Cale's expression turning into disbelief. "There is a possibility that a few nobles of the empire are running it and it was originally her plan, not mine."

'Snitch,' you thought, hand coming up to pinch Alver by his waist. Alver flinched and tried to scootch away, giving you a dirty look, one to which you replied with your own.

"That's--"

"I know it's dangerous, you don't have to tell me," you say before Cale could continue. "Please, this is something I have to do, so tell me whether or not you'll help me. I don't have much time."

Cale stared at your face, trying to find out what you meant by not having much time. He tries to look at your eyes as deeply as the communication device allows him to but just by the way the corner of your lips are slightly turned down and eyebrows scrunched, he was able to see that you were pleading. And how could he turn away from you?

"I'll help." He sighed, leaning back on his pillows. "What are you planning?"

Your lips curled into a smirk, excited to finally have things go your way. You glanced at the children for a quick moment, hoping Cale could understand that you don't want the kids to hear about your plan. "Come over and I'll tell you. Bring Choi Han with you."

Cale arrived at the Palace as quickly as he could, bringing along Choi Han with him as per your request. They both headed to Alver's study, Choi Han knocking thrice before opening the door once they heard Alver's invitation to be inside his study. They found Alver by his desk with you standing by his side, showing him a few sheets of paper. Alver picked one up and grinned with a single eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Are you sure this is not a lengthy plan for you to just get a dress?" Alver's question can be heard as they stepped closer to his desk.

You grinned, looking at the paper he was holding. "You think I'd be brave enough to wear this type of thing to a formal event in this stuck-up place?"

Alver shrugged nonchalantly as he stared at the paper. "You'd look good. Scandalous, but good."

"Scandalous?" Choi Han repeated, mildly curious about what you and Alver were discussing. Alver set the paper down to look at Choi Hand and Cale properly meanwhile you gathered it with the others, hiding them from their view when you hold it close to your chest.

"Now that you're both here, [Name] could explain her plans in detail," Alver said, gesturing to you with his hand. "Take a seat."

You watched Cale turn to you, his brown eyes studying you as he sat on the couch of Alver's study. His gaze followed you as you sat across them, folding the papers in your hands and tucking them inside the pocket of your coat. You smiled at him, "Hey."

"Have you eaten yet?" Cale asked, noticing that you had lost some weight. It wasn't too clear on the communication device but in real life, he could see the way your sleeves hung on your limbs instead of like in the past where your clothes looked snug on you.

"I ate a little bit before coming out earlier," you answered him. "Too excited to share my plans."

"I heard it's about a gambling ring," Choi Han joins in the conversation, standing behind the couch Cale was sitting on. "And sneaking in?"

"Yes. Alver and I were out earlier today together and stumbled upon a couple of men in the slums that mention Count Theo giving them money and preparing girls," you explained, not noticing that Cale had looked over to Alver at the mention that you had both went out together, an eyebrow raised as a silent question and Alver only shrugged, hoping Cale understands that it was nothing.

"It seemed to be a usual case of a noble playing with women and money laundering," Cale stated slowly, turning to look at you. "What's special about this one?"

You shrugged. "I have grudges."

"That's not very healthy," Alver commented.

"I'll heal in hell," you retorted with a grin. "Count Theo has been under my surveillance ever since I started working here. At first, it was only because he was a sexist jerk, but then I started noticing how most of the locations in his project proposals are within the same area so I had been suspicious that something fishy must have going on in that specific area. After getting a clue that he's probably money laundering and visiting brothels, there's a very huge chance that he is also involved in drugs. His Highness' people are already digging for anything that could be of help and to see what kind of connection he has with that particular area he's always been interested in."

Cale cradled his chin and began to think. While the whole issue seemed to be based on your grudge towards the noble, Cale wasn't the type to refuse a plan just because it was petty. He would accept it because it's petty. "You're planning to go down into the place by yourself. What do you hope to accomplish?"

"The plan is to completely go into disguise and find the place Count Theo will be spending his time in," you began. "I would have to make sure the people that are in charge there are to be completely distracted while His Highness' people, Choi Han included, sneak into the establishment and find anything that could immediately incarcerate them."

Cale tilted his head. "How will you be doing that? Distracting them?"

You gave Cale a sly grin, shrugging nonchalantly. "I have my ways."

Cale suppressed the urge to smile at your confidence. He loves it so much when you're brimming with confidence to the point it's dripping, forcing everyone in the room to acknowledge it. Cale thinks you might have not realized the amount of power you could have in your hand had you been so constantly like this, confident and blunt with that grin on your face. Cale let out a defeated sigh, "Okay. What's my role in your plan?"

Alver let out a snort and both Cale and Choi Han turned to him with raised eyebrows, confused about why he suddenly laughed. Alver covered his mouth and used the other hand to wave them off, "N-no, listen to her plan."

Cale turned to look at you again, seeing that your face is now red and you were looking down at the floor with both hands gripping at your dress on your lap.

"[Name]?" Cale called. "What am I supposed to do?"

"It's not what you're supposed to do, but what I'm supposed to do," you corrected him, face still red and avoiding looking at him. "I can distract them if I'm alone but--"

"[Name], stop killing me and just say it," Alver calls you out, trying to suppress his laughter. You hissed at him and then glanced up at Cale, face red. Cale felt his own face warming up at your gaze and nearly drop dead at the words you utter to him next.

"I'll be going as your woman."

Cale blinked owlishly. "What...?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll both do a splendid job," Choi Han commented, the misunderstandings he had kept to himself after all these years allowing him to be blind towards the situation and atmosphere. You glared at the black-haired male with a scandalized look, "What do you mean?"

Surprised at your heated reply, Choi Han stuttered, "I-I mean, I believe you both can do it!"

Cale let the sound of you and Choi Han arguing drown as he thought about the plan. The fact that they will all be visiting a pub of some sort or perhaps even a fancy underground brothel meant they couldn't be just entering the place and not have someone by their side during their whole stay there. They needed a companion to go with this plan and your plan to go in as an escort isn't too bad... is it?

"If you don't feel comfortable with it, I can go alone," you told Cale, seeing that he looked a bit disturbed after you revealed your plan.

"Absolutely not," Alver boomed, voice stern and leaving no room for any arguments. "I will not be allowing [Name] to go down there alone. I will assign someone to be with her if Cale cannot do it."

What are the things that escorts must do so that they can look convincing? Cale thinks of the things you must do, like hanging onto every word your partner says, arms tangled together wherever you go, and the way you would have to be so close all the time, perhaps bodies pressed against each other even. Cale isn't the type of man to take advantage of a woman, especially not the woman he wished could be his, but thinking about you doing those things to someone else made him feel...

"Would you prefer it to be me?"

Cale didn't think he'd say those words out loud so clearly. Your gaze sweeps over his face, seeing a myriad of emotions flash across his handsome face when he realized you were analyzing him. You gulped, thinking of your words carefully considering the awkward situation between you and Cale. You closed your eyes, sighing, 'Fuck it.'

"I..." You felt your heart squeeze in your chest as you look at him with a mellow smile. "I don't think there's a world where I will not prefer it to be you."

Cale forced himself to gulp, wetting his mouth a little bit because it had gone dry the moment he heard your words. Cale doesn't like assuming things, but is he allowed to at least hope?

"Then it's decided!" Alver clapped his hand, attracting everyone's attention back to him as he grinned. His blue eyes met Cale, glimmering with joy seeing Cale's slightly red face.

"Cale and [Name] will be in a disguise and sneak into the establishment. You are both to distract the people there and create a safe environment for my people to get what we needed."

It wasn't long until Alver received the report regarding Count Theo and several other nobles who seemed to frequent a common commoner's area near the slums. These reports came back with proof of connection between them and several brothel homes and gambling rings that has close ties with several drug dealers, though not enough to prove their transactions. It seemed most of them gathered together in a pub near the slums while concealing their identities by wearing masks and covering any identifiable features.

"The plan will start tomorrow night," Alver declared to the three of you. "Miss [Name] will have to return to the duchy for today as discreetly as possible. I'll be sending over the things you'll all need tomorrow morning."

Your return to the duchy was welcomed with open arms and cheerful smiles. You could guess why both the Duke and Duchess gave you a worried look when you greeted them but you decided to not think much of it when Cale stopped walking beside you to ask, "Will you join me for my evening tea?"

You wanted to laugh at how formal he sounded. "Okay."

You walked beside him towards his room, seeing Ron already standing in front of his room with a benign smile. Upon seeing you, Ron bowed his head and greeted you, "It's been a while since we've had you back in the duchy. Welcome back, Miss [Name]."

You kept your smile despite how clear the man was recalling your last visit here. "It's good to be back."

"Ron, prepare us some tea and snacks," Cale told the butler as the older man opened the bedroom door, showing the two children and Black Dragon that are sitting on the couch together.

Upon seeing you with Cale, they stood up with large smiles on their faces and ran to you, Raon greeting Cale first while Ohn and Hong came to you, Hong hugging your waist while Ohn looked up at you with gleaming eyes. You hugged the red-headed child back, using one hand to ruffle Ohn's silver hair. "Oh, I missed you guys so mu-ch!"

"You were away for a long time," Hong grumbled against your dress. "Why did you take so long?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," you cooed, rubbing his back. "There was so much to do and I couldn't go home until they were all finished."

Again, it was better for you to say it like this than to lie to their faces when Cale is right in front of you. You look up at the man himself, seeing him cradling Raon close to his chest while staring at you. You chewed the inside of your cheek and gave a tight hug once again to Hong, "Why don't you all go play while Cale and I talk?"

"Okay," Ohn answered obediently. She pulled on Hong's arm gently from you and suggested going to the kitchen to look for Beacrox's cookies. Just the mention of Beacrox's name was enough for Hong to let you go.

"Go ahead and say hi to [Name] before leaving," Cale murmured to Raon before letting the dragon go and fly towards you. You immediately opened your arms, embracing the dragon and feeling his scales scratch at your skin lightly, his body was oddly cool and felt refreshing to touch. "It's nice to see you again, Raon."

"Don't leave again, [Name]," Raon grumbled and you felt your heart skip a beat. You hugged the Dragon and let your cheek flush against the Dragon's scaly head.

It did not escape Cale that you didn't say anything in response.

Once the kids have left and Ron have provided tea and snacks, you and Cale were left alone in his bedroom. You sat across from him, staring at the refreshments as you rack your mind to find the words to start the conversation because you can see clearly that Cale himself doesn't know what to say.

"I don't know how to start," he admitted first, breaking the silence between you two. "This is... my first time dealing with these types of things."

You gathered your courage to look at him, seeing that Cale was already staring at you, pale cheeks dusted pink and eyes hazy. Your heart started drumming against your chest and you could feel your own cheeks heating up at the memory of what happened. You couldn't get the memory of pulling him down to you and pressing your lips against his, the way your lips molded perfectly together as if it was created for each other, as if that was your duty of living, to keep loving one another.

"I'm sorry for running away and not talking it out," you began, your eyes averting down to look at Cale's hands that are situated on his lap. You don't think you can look at Cale for too long and be expected to form coherent thoughts and hold up a verbal conversation.

"I took advantage of you," Cale said and you jolted out of shock, nearly standing up from the couch.

"What--? No!" Your voice nearly faltered. "No, no. No, you did not take advantage of me. I was a bit tipsy, yes, but I also wanted to do that and I enjoyed it so no, you--you weren't the only one who wanted it--you didn't take advantage of me. I swear, I felt like I was the one who took advantage of you because I shared some pity story and I was afraid you kissed me because I was so pathetic that -- wait, hold on, I think I'm rambling."

You took a deep breath after that word vomit, wondering for a second whether or not Cale was able to properly digest your words and understand them because you had been explaining everything too quickly. You fiddled with your fingers, cursing for the habit of overexplaining things when you could have just stopped two sentences in.

"[Name]."

Fuck, you hated how your name rolls from his mouth so good. His voice alone was enough to make your whole body tingle, but the tone he held as he spoke made your heart melt to the point it was hard to breathe.

"I... I wouldn't kiss someone because I pity them," he told you. "And no, I didn't pity you that day. I just feel disappointed in myself for not noticing your feelings."

You chewed on the inside of your cheek. "About me missing my family or about my feelings towards you?"

Cale's cheeks flushed red a bit. "Both."

Your lips are pursed into a straight line, nodding. "Good to know."

There was a pregnant pause between the two of you -- Cale staring at you and you staring at the refreshments on the table as if it was the most interesting thing in the world you've ever seen. You ponder about what to say to diminish this tense, awkward situation, but all you could think was how now your relationship with Cale would never be the same. You can no longer enter his room and sit on his bed so casually, you could no longer stare at him and not think about the way his cold lips molded with yours and the soft strands of his hair when you play with them. Fuck, you're in trouble.

"I really, really, like you, Cale."

You missed the way Cale's mouth had opened, most likely wanting to speak first before you stole that chance. Your hand ran up to the back of your neck, rubbing a spot there as you continue speaking. "I don't exactly know your stance when it comes to these types of situations and relationships so I don't know whether or not you'd want to be committed. However, I do know that you're dedicated to the life of a rich slacker and I've made it a personal goal to see you achieve that, so I want to see that before anything else. Plus, with so many questions surrounding my appearance in this world, I don't want to take any chances of... investing too much of my heart in you only to leave you afterward. I don't want to risk the heartache and you don't deserve that."

Cale could understand your reasoning and most of all, he grieved over the thought that you had made his goal your own. He wanted to berate you for it, but at times like these, he knows it would only be like talking to a wall. His chest swelled with a feeling he had been getting familiar with these last few weeks as he thinks about the possibility that you might want to be with him after all those things you mentioned had been settled.

"I have the same feelings for you, [Name]."

Your heart skipped a beat and you looked up at Cale with wide eyes. The man smiled slightly, "Now you're looking at me."

"W-what? Cale—" You began to stutter over your words, cheeks reddening like a teenager sick in love and it intensified when Cale's brown eyes are glazed with mirth.

"Calm down," he replied. "I already thought about and I'm certain that I have feelings for you, too. I respect your choice to not be committed, but please know that with me telling you my feelings, I'm handing you a part of myself, so please treat it with great care."

His face when he spoke of those words made you feel like your chest is about to combust and flowers will burst out from your ribcage. You nodded, hand on your chest to calm your racing heart. "I'd never hurt you."

You never thought of Cale being someone so straightforward regarding these things because he was always the type to just carry on and be subtle as long as possible, so your head was spinning from this new Cale you never expected to exist and the feelings that are brewing in your chest.

A knock on the door startled you from the sweet moment and Ron's husky voice calls from the door, "Miss [Name], His Highness has sent you his recommended designer."

"Fashion designer?" Cale questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, right! That's quick," you commented, standing up from the couch. "I asked His Highness to have a dress made for me to go undercover with. Make it feel more real, you know?"

Cale nodded, following you to the door. "I see. It seemed you're set on going all out for your first undercover operation."

You turned to look at him when you both stopped in front of his door. "I have to. I have to look good while working with Bob."

Cale gave you a questioning look before realizing it was the moniker he always used whenever he goes undercover. You giggled, having caught his expression as he processed your joke.

"You'll have to be very familiar with me during this whole thing," Cale began. "We'd even have to..."

The word 'kiss' is at the tip of his tongue but Cale wasn't brave enough to say it when you're so close to him. "Are you comfortable with that?"

"I trust you," you answered him simply. "I think the fact that I chose you as my partner says enough, setting aside my feelings for you, of course. You'd have to get used to kissing me, are you okay with that?"

Cale casts a glance at your lips and thought about how irresistible they are. Would he be able to get used to kissing you? Probably not. A single kiss from you managed to haunt him for weeks! Imagine multiple. He'd probably carry the thought into his grave and it wouldn't be such a horrible death, would it? To die remembering your lips and the tender emotions you managed to impart just by brushing your lips together.

"D-do you want to test it out?"

Your suggestion caused Cale's cheeks and the tips of his ears to flare up red. "That's not a wise thing to do..."

"It's just for us to get used to--" You told him, scrambling for your thoughts on why the everliving fuck would you suggest that to a man who had confessed to you? "You don't have to do it."

Cale chewed on his bottom lip as he ponder about it. 'It's just for the undercover... We can test it out, to make sure it's authentic in front of others. Right? Right. For the mission.'

"Well... I suppose we do have to get used to it..."

You faced Cale properly with burning cheeks and reminding yourself it's only so you can get the job done as real as possible and it's not because your stomach had been crowding with butterflies when you saw Cale glancing at your lips. Cale's cold hands came up to your face, hovering over your cheek for a second before he cradled your face. He leaned down to you as you push your body flush against him, hand placed on his chest and feeling the drumming of his heart underneath your palm.

"Fuck," you heard him murmur before he leaned his forehead against yours, the quick pace of his heartbeat and the rush of his blood throughout his whole body too much to handle. He could feel every curve of you against him and it was almost like he was going to enter a state of an anxiety attack.

You looked up at him through your lashes, seeing his flushed face and eyes full of tenderness and some sort of pain, as if he couldn't force himself any longer to be strong. You stood on your toes and crashed your lips together, wrapping your arms around his neck and your eyes fluttering close. Cale stayed still for a moment to process what just happened before he closed his eyes, returning your kiss with so much heat and fervor.

You let out a sigh when Cale's hand slowly went from your cheek to neck, stroking it so lovingly and sending tingles down your body as his fingers began to sneak under your collar, his cold touch against your hot body made the kiss so much more exciting. You open your mouth and teasingly licked at his lip, Cale flinching at the new sensation and opening his mouth with a quiet whimper. You thrust your tongue into his mouth, twirling your tongue with his and feeling Cale shudder underneath your touch.

You grabbed his hand that was on your neck and lead it to your hips, sliding it until his hand was placed right on top of your derriere. You can feel his fingers twitching, hesitant to touch you.

"Miss [Name]?"

You pulled back slowly, a string of saliva connecting both of your tongues. You opened your eyes to look at Cale, seeing his flushed-out face and the way he fluttered his watery eyes open. He looked at you with awe and something so indescribably tender that you melted in his chest.

"How was that?" You asked, voice low and soft as you wiped his lip with your thumb.

Cale stared at you with a look of faux displeasure and leaned his forehead to your shoulder. "I don't think I can ever get used to that."

#cale henituse x reader #cale henituse #trash of the count's family #lout of count's family #tcf cale #tcf choi han #tcf alberu #raon miru

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