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itstheendofthegoddamnworld · 6 months

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Kissed by Moonlight (Alucard x Witch! Reader) 6

A/N: God, I just replayed Måneskin The Loneliest on a 10-hour repeat while writing this. Some warning of language and hinted sexual wording, but more of the case it's just Alucard being mentally a teenager.

Summary: Teasing ensues, history is unlocked, and questions begin to be asked and answered.

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Chapter 6

“Let me help you with that.”

The vegetables from Alucard’s garden had flourished and it brought in bountiful meals for the both of you to share. The pantry had grown with a wide array of vegetables, fish and sometimes certain meats Alucard had gathered whilst hunting. It had become a routine for him to hunt and you to help when you could, and share mealtimes and cook with one another.

“Thank you.” He murmured, his fingers were in the dirt when he scooped out another carrot, gathering it into his basket whilst you helped pull another potato. Your hands would occasionally touch accidentally, mistaking one another for the root vegetable, laughing it awkwardly off.

Your days in the castle were dwindling, and you could not forget the promise Alucard had given to you. Sanctuary from the outside world would soon meet you, and you would have to find your way away from Wallachia. You didn’t want to think much of it, despite it being on your mind daily and when you went to sleep. Where would you go anyways? One that looked like you was very hard to find, especially with the rise of witches being burnt by the Catholic church.

Your spell studies came with ease the more you practised, tending to forget about sleep in the early hours of the night when Alucard came and reminded you that it was better to rest with a clear mind. But you knew it was for the best: whatever was out there, you had to be ready, no matter what.

“Spring will surely come.” You spoke after some time, gathering what was necessary and slowly making your way back inside the castle. The days had still been short, nights long and air chilled that you had to wrap closely with the necessary clothes Alucard had been nice to give you. “I look forward to the warmer weather.”

“I hope it brings new beginnings,” says Alucard, “Spring represents rebirth after all.”

You can tell he’s speaking about himself in some way, that there’s some part of him that wants to move past whatever had occurred with the twins, but you know there is something that slumbers deep within, dormant and not ready to resurface.

You also wish to tell him that your time with him is dwindling, to remind him that you will not be able to stay much longer due to your promise and that one hurts within you. No matter how rocky your beginnings were, you have grown fond of the Dhampir, and you’re worried there is something within Alucard that will be thankful to see you gone, to grow recluse once more.

“Perhaps you’ll be able to bring in new stock from nearby towns,” you suggest, but your words do not include you within them. Alucard seems quiet, though you notice that something lurks within his honey-coloured eyes. “I suppose bringing in new stock would help liven our food when we can stray away from soups.”

“Soups are very nutritious! It’s the perfect time to have them this time of year.”

“They are,” he chuckles softly, “only if you’re elderly or lacking teeth. Or both.”

You hear his playful tone, though you’re quick to tease him back, “Not something you can sink your teeth into?”

“I’m in no need to feed on blood,” he specifies, and you catch the glint of his sharp fangs when he speaks that keep you hypnotised to them. “It is not something that I need to give me constant substance.”

It makes sense why you haven’t seen him have a glass of red for dinner, more so just the regular kind or white that you both share. It does bring questions to flood your mind: if he doesn’t need blood and can eat regular food, does he still need it as if it’s a last-minute option?

Would you bite into my neck, or have you ever thought about doing so? You want to ask him, but the question remains glued in the back of your mind, forever locked there in case you offend him. You do not doubt that he would’ve ripped your throat out at your first encounter, though is it an occurring thought to him? Does he catch looking at your pulse from time to time? Does he look at your neck, hear your heartbeat and ponder the thought?

“It’s a good thing you’re only half then,” you grinned sheepishly, following into the kitchen to prep the vegetables for dinner. “Like how I am only part witch, not even one who found her true potential.”

“Half is better than nothing at all,” he adds, handing you the knife as he saunters off to the sink, grinning back at you with the smallest of smirks, “You’re still fully human and those vegetables need chopping, little witch.”

You groan which only brings both of you to laugh at the expense, “Yes, chef.”

When you find time before dinner and after chopping veg, you spend time in the library, practising to perfect the craft of astral projection. You're rather proud of yourself and don’t freak out as much as you did the first few times. You find you happen to do it more often in your sleep, floating just above your sleeping form as you float around your room. The first time you realise you can still study whilst in an astral form is game-changing: you can study at the desk, whilst not even feeling one bit exhausted from an entire night of reading.

You also find a spell that brings you to contemplate what right you should use on someone. You think you would do it to yourself one day, but the thought brings you to feel guilt more than anything else, especially if Alucard finds out. Instead, you keep it hidden under your pillow, ready one day you decide out of morbid curiosity.

When you’re not reading into the late hours of the night, you’re floating through the castle, like a ghost haunting the halls. You find the castle at night, in the depths of utter darkness are the most haunting, and you’re frightened by the darkened portraits that stare back at you as you go by.

You stick to the rooms you know, opting to float in the hallway as you contemplate if Alucard is still awake at this hour. His room is not far from you, but you always promise yourself you keep to his words and not venture in there, regardless if he’s in a state of consciousness or not.

It’s after dinner when Alucard hands you a cloak, his words gentle as he holds out a guiding hand to you. “I’d like to show you something.”

“Outside?” You say aloud, and Alucard chuckles lightly at your disbelief. “We won’t be attacked by night creatures, will we?”

“Not with me around.” He says, and you watch his longsword fling itself from one part of the castle into his holster. You’re thankful he has it to protect himself and you from whatever is out there, and also more thankful you don’t see it so often when you’re with him.

You both step out and the chill greets you and travels down your dress, making you quietly gasp, clinging to Alucard as if he’s the shield to keep you protected from all. You awkwardly step a bit further from him, but he does not say anything.

“What is out here that is of interest to you?” You ask though you would rather be indoors by the fire, rather than shivering into the night’s air.

Alucard doesn’t say anything as he leads you just beyond his garden, close to the forest but not too far that you cannot see the castle. He stops by a river, letting go of your hand as he turns back to you. “Wait here, the surprise is here.”

“Wait, where are you going?” You ask, and the fear heightens within you, like a tendril that gasps and pulls at your heart, making its way like icy death. He can’t be serious, can he? But from having known Alucard for nearly three weeks, in such a short amount of time, anything he’s said and meant, he’s been serious in doing.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” he reassures, and his golden eyes seem to be glowing in the darkness of the trees. They are the only things you can see when your eyes are failing to adjust to the darkness. “I promise it to you.”

You believe him, he’s your only protection after all, and you sit by the river when you hear his figure leave, but you cannot hear him. You’re shivering either from the cold or fear alone, and the seconds feel like minutes the more you wait.

Your fear has spiked when you’re listening closely to the noises of the outside: of the water trickling, the crickets chirping, the wind that howls and the snapping of a twig close by

You jolt up, survival instincts kick in and you feel like a deer almost caught in a trap, eyes looking everywhere and anywhere they can seen within ten feet of you.

“Alucard?” You rasp, and you hug yourself more when you hear no response.

Oh fuck.

You’re trying to listen closely, but all sounds blend as one as you debate whether running back to the castle is your safest option. If it’s a night creature, you’re dead and you don’t think running from one would be beneficial to you, knowing full well that it could outrun you.

Would Alucard be able to run to catch up with you?

Whilst you’re debating what to do, something else catches your attention, and from just across where the river bends, you see something that has emerged from the bushes. Your body freezes, and you traverse to that time in your youth when you’re staring down those eyes, fangs flashing as you run as fast as your legs can carry you.

Your breathing has hitched as you take in the figure, and realise… it’s massive.

Despite the darkness, you see that its fur is white, its legs are powerful and could easily outrun you. It’s majestic, powerful and evermore agile and dangerous than any creature you’ve encountered. Your eyes trail up from its legs, up past its huge torso and up to its head, eyes staring back at you with the same inquisitiveness you had staring back at it.

Golden eyes that had engulfed the sun.

“Easy.” You say aloud, and the wolf doesn’t do anything but stare back, watching with as much hesitation as you show in your body language. You’re certain it’s not going to attack you: just from how its ears are pinned back and it's not snarling at you as a threat.

It’s only with the minutes ticking by, that you realise, oh, God, it’s approaching.

“Whoa, erm… stay back.” You warn, but it falls on deaf ears when it crosses the small path in the river, coming as close as it can towards you. Even whilst you sit on a slope, it’s towering over you, and you can only do is stare back into its eyes, soulful, wise eyes.

It takes two and two to be put together, and then you’re saying aloud, “Alucard?”

The wolf huffs as if to respond ‘finally’, slouching next to you, his large body slumping to rest against you, sniffing your hand before resuming to rest his head on your lap. You freeze, before your hands come up to experimentally run through his fur. You gasp in surprise, giggling to yourself as you gain the Dhampir’s attention.

“You never told me how soft you were.” You ran your hands just over his snout, above his brow line and in between his ears, which earns him to snort before he relaxes more into you. Your other hand is stroking down his back and across his broad chest, cooing to tease him further.

“Aww, you’re enjoying this, aren’t you? Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?”

Alucard – if at this moment was human – huffed in a moment to stop your antics, and you could only laugh knowing you had embarrassed him with your words. It wasn’t long before the Dhampir you knew was back in front of you, glaring at you with those familiar golden eyes.

“Very funny,” his cheeks are a pink hue but he’s thankful you can’t notice within the twilight. “You enjoyed that too much.”

“You’re cute as a wolf.” You add, and you erupt into laughter as Alucard covers his face, groaning from further humiliation.

“Oh, my God.” Alucard is rasping between laughs, his eyes glossy compared to the moonlight that shines above, “I’ll never hear the end of this.”

“Nope, you will now be called ‘little wolf’.”

“Oh, god, no.”

“Ooh, or how about ‘little pup’?”

“That’s even worse,” you’re laughing with one another and the atmosphere is lively and warm despite the chill that surrounds you. It feels as if you’ve known Alucard your entire life, and it’s just you two in the universe.

“How did you know you could do that?” You ask when you can finally speak again.

“It just happened one day,” he hummed. “My father has always been a powerful man, and the gifts he carried over his lifetime he shared through to me naturally. I think that day it happened, I gave my mother quite the fright.”

“I can imagine.” You laugh sadly. “It’s still amazing that The Dracula fell in love with a human woman. Dhampirs are a rare occurrence, some not living as long as you into adulthood.”

“It amazes me too,” Alucard agreed with the words as if it had been in his mind the moment he came into the world. “I suppose I was just lucky.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here though,” you add, trying to hide the way you blush from your compliment, though it hangs in indignity by your words. “I mean—here in this moment, not you know—"

“You’re lucky my parents… copulated?” He teases.

“Oh, God, Alucard, you’re not an eighty-year-old man. You can say use a more natural term for it.” You’re next to copy him by burying your face into your hands. You can’t believe you’re having this conversation with him in the first place!

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this tongue-tied,” he eases, nudging your shoulder to look back at him. “It’s amusing.”

Your heart hammers in your chest and you shamelessly make out the shape of his lips in the twilight, the way they’re curved in a soft smile. Looking away before you’re caught, you’re certain he’s noticed but does not say anything.

He’s quick to change the subject, directing it to you this time. “Tell me more about your mother, what was her origin?”

You’re surprised, he’s never been one to ask about your origin, for you didn’t think it mattered. “Well, my mama was fairly young when she had me, I think around the age of sixteen. I didn’t know much about my father or who he was. Mama told me our people came from Cabo Branco in Africa. They were taken by the Portuguese and shipped to their land, where I assume some managed to find their way east, as far as Wallachia. My father, I assume, was fully Wallachian, though I don’t know what his relation was to my mother.”

Alucard listens attentively to your words, only asking questions when necessary. “Do you think… he kept her as his property?” He asks quietly.

“Perhaps,” you hug yourself, “she was young after all, relying on him for shelter and food, and I have no doubt he was the reason she fled with her life away from him.”

Alucard hums in thought. “You sisters… tell me about them.”

“Oh, they came from everywhere.” You seem a bit more comforted to talk about them, though you mourn them just as much as your mother. “Some were slaves, fleeing with their mothers, sisters and daughters. They established themselves in Wallachia a few centuries back, a powerful coven that had spread across Europe. But their numbers dwindled over time. Vampires and witches have never liked one another, and one day, one vampire decided he was to lead an army to dimmish their power, and their numbers. They were halved to what they were originally, further hiding themselves and isolating from the land in fears of being caught.”

Alucard’s words aren’t that smooth and soft, rather raspy and hoarse. “This vampire, was he-”

“Yes, your father, Dracula.”

“I… apologise,” he consoles, and it takes you by surprise. “I apologise on his behalf for what he did to your people. Many have suffered from my father’s hands, and yet, it feels odd to call him my father.”

“He was regardless of everything, Alucard, was your father.” You comforted, reaching to take his hand into yours. “Mourn the father he was, not the man he was known for.”

Alucard is taken aback by your words, and for a moment, you believe you will see him cry just from the softness of his eyes. “Thank you, it has taken some time to remember my father as what my mother saw him as. A scientist, a traveller, a loyal husband and father.”

The two of you sat in content for a moment, staring out at the river, listening to the calmness of the night. You could feel Alucard’s gaze fixated on you from the corner of your peripheral as if he wanted to confess something to you.

“My mother named me Adrian, for she did not like the name of Alucard used to compare me to Dracula.” He mused, squeezing your hand gently. “I’d very much like you to call me that too.”

Rouge reached your face as you nodded, knowing that you would keep your promise, despite the despair in your heart growing, knowing one day, you would never see him again.

“It’s a lovely name, Adrian.”

#alucard castlevania #adrian tepes x reader #adrian tepes #itstheendofthegoddamnworld writes #castlevania alucard x reader #reader is a witch #half black! reader #mixed race reader #part 6 #alternate universe #witch! reader #alucard x reader

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space-mermaid-writing · 1 year

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The black cat with blue eyes [Part 1]

Summary: One day Peter drags a cat into the tower he found in the dumpsters and Tony finds himself adopting it, because – honestly – he can not say no to Peter. It turns out the cat has really strange opinions on food, belly scratches and movies. What else? Oh yes, Doctor Strange is missing. But those two events are clearly not related. Clearly…

Relationship: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange

Tags: Temporary Cat!Stephen, Hurt/Comfort, life is trauma, friendship is healing, supreme family (kind of), it starts with angst and ends in fluff, a lot of fun in between, I swear this is fun

Ko-fi | Read it on AO3 | Masterlist | Word count: 7k | Part 2

Author’s note: This started - as so often - as a small idea and then it became something else. Black cats hold a special place in my heart.

This cat is strange...

The streets of New York were busy as usual. People were walking purposefully, caught up in their normal everyday lives. As far as one could speak of a normal everyday life, after half the population had been bliped and then had reappeared just as surprisingly five years later. It had been a shock for everyone.

Those who had gone missing, were now trying to fit back in. While the ones that had survived the blip in the first place were still trying to keep society going.

It wasn’t easy for anyone. People just tried to concentrate on the day at hand. One step at a time.

It was a cloudy day in spray. The sun had made itself scarce the last few days and that put a damper on everyone's mood. Especially the food vendors noticed that, when trying to attract customers around Central Park.

Like Stan, who owned a hot dog stand in the north end of the park. His numbers weren't great today either. There were only persistent joggers or dog owners in the park, none of them falling into the category of his main target customers. Hardly any teenagers after school or tourists who wanted to make their New York trip even more authentic with a hot dog (so they could brag about it back home).

To stave off boredom from the quiet day, Stan stepped up to his booth neighbor, a newspaper vendor. Both men knew each other well, having shared the space for years.

All the while, Stan didn't notice those watchful blue eyes that were observing him from the shadows, just waiting for him to leave his meat on the grill unattended for a moment.

The hunt had begun.

It was pure instinct and hunger that made the cat move. Stalking quietly, eyes locked on its target. One jump and it had a hot dog in its mouth – which should be way too hot, but miraculously it didn't bother the feline - and then fled with its prey.

But not fast enough.

"Hey!" Stan spotted the black cat and ran after it, even though the sausage was long lost. "Darn beast!"

The man stumbled (there was nothing in his way he should trip over, it was as if he had received a push from an invisible force) and the cat disappeared among the bushes.

The animal stopped only when it knew it was safe. Then it hungrily ate its meal.

It was an all black cat, once for sure sleek with beautiful long hair, now scrubby and broken-down. It picked its food out of the garbage or stole it when the opportunity was good. Like it had been now.

Life on the street was tough. There was no dignity left for those who wandered them long enough.

It was just a regular stray. There were hundreds of them in the city. Although, this one might have had an ace up its sleeve – as good magicians always did.

But that was about it.

It wasn't an easy life but a chosen one. The simple mind of an animal helped to forget. And the cat had every reason to want to forget. More than a single mind should ever endure.

The cat finished its meal.

Sometimes it thought of a stray dog it had met on the other side of the world. In another life. It had felt a connection to the other animal back then, like the fellow stray it was. Like the cat was now again. Life had come full circle.

The cat's ears pricked up as it heard a sound, a rustling in the bushes.

It was just a bird, but the cat was leaving anyway. It didn't feel safe staying at one place for too long.

_____________________________________

Peter and his friends were sitting on a bench in the park. It was the weekend and Ned's parents had sent the trio outside so the teens would get some fresh air and sunshine.

It was a crisp day and they wore their jackets as they talked about their upcoming school projects and spring break plans. And, of course, about Star Wars.

They ate the sandwiches Ned's grandmother had packed them. She always made too much, but they were so good the kids ate them all anyway. They were, after all, growing teenagers – at least that was their excuse. (And at least with Peter and his enhanced metabolism, it wasn't wrong).

Peter noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye and picked the ham off his sandwich, which he rolled up. With that, he lured the shy animal out.

"What are you doing?" MJ asked, her eyebrows raised in question as she watched him hold the ham toward the bushes and click his tongue.

"Just wait. I've seen them a couple of times. They look like they could use the food."

Ned was joining in immediately. He had never been allowed a pet, so he was over the moon when the cat eventually approached and ate the meat they threw at it.

MJ was naturally more suspicious. "I thought only baby cats had blue eyes. Most change color after the first three months.

"Maybe a gene abnormality," Ned guessed and that made the girl re-think, because it would actually be cool. Still, she kept an eye on the cat.

The feline remained cautious and while it was offered food, it evaded any attempt at petting. The message was clear: no touching.

It sat under the bench, peering out from between the teenagers' legs and politely lifting its paw to ask for more food. It devoured up every treat as if it was afraid they would be taken away from it.

Finally, the teens stood up and shouldered their backpacks. "Bye, kitty. We gotta go." They waved at him.

"Don't tell my Nana we fed her sandwiches to a cat," Ned told his friends.

MJ took one last look back. The cat was still sitting under the bench, staring after them, tail twitching. She swore those blue eyes were not normal.

_____________________________________

It was raining cats and dogs when Peter ran through the streets of Manhattan. He was late (it was his own fault, because he had dawdled to leave after school). His sneakers were not waterproof and soon even his socks were wet.

Maybe he should have texted Mister Stark and asked him if he could send a car. But Peter still had a hard time asking for anything of the man, even everything they had been through.

It was Peter’s senior year. He was about to graduate from high school and his college application was already out (He had only sent one).

He had pulled the hood over his head and was dodging passersby with umbrellas. As he did so, he was careful not to get too close to the road, because cars weren't paying attention to whether they were splashing pedestrians. Like now, when a car that passed by way too fast. Thanks to his Peter Tingle, the boy had stopped just in time and prevented the worst.

But not everyone was so lucky.

First he thought he was just imagining it, but then he heard it again: a small meowing sound. And when he turned his head to the side, he saw a drenched black cat among the garbage bags that had been placed along the road for collection day.

Peter realized that Central Park across the street and the feline had probably come here in search of food. How it had managed to cross the street alive with all the traffic was a mystery.

The cat – Peter recognized the blue eyes – looked worse than ever. The rain of the last few days had not done the stray any good. It’s fur stuck in weird ways and it looked even thinner than the last time Peter had seen it.

Peter bit his lower lip. His heart ached, but he was still late and it wasn't like he could just take a random animal home.

The passers-by started complaining to the teenager that had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. So Peter stepped to the side, towards the cat. It shook its fur and a few drops flew off it. It did little to help with the soaking wetness. The boy crouched down, put his hand out and went for a classic 'pspsps'. It got him the animal's attention and the blue eyes locked on the boy.

Whatever Peter had expected to see, it was not the resignation he saw. The feline looked so very tired, as if it had already seen far too much in its short feline life.

And didn't Peter know that look, because it sometimes stared back at him from his own reflection.

How many of its nine lives had this cat been through?

The animal approached slowly, bare paws on the asphalt, sniffing Peter's fingers in hopes of food. Unfortunately, the boy had already eaten the lunch he packed this morning.

"Mrrew." It sounded like a soft sigh when the cat realized Peter was empty handed. It was about to turn away when Peter all of a sudden swooped it up in his arms. The cat wiggled and made an alarmed cry of protest, which did not faze Peter.

He opened the zipper of his jacket and took the cat inside. There he held it tightly and continued his way to the tower in fast steps.

_____________________________________

Peter carefully wrapped the cat in a towel and rubbed him dry. The animal still looked pathetic, but by now had quietly resigned himself to his fate. Perhaps he also realized that an unknown, dry place was still better than a wet pile of garbage.

Peter left him in the towel on the couch and went into the adjoining kitchen to look for something he could feed the feline. Fortunately, the refrigerator in Stark's penthouse was always well stocked.

He had just opened the door and winced when he heard a loud string of swearing. Apparently Mr. Stark had found the cat and was not happy about it. Peter rushed back.

"What is this wretched ball of fur doing on my couch?"

"IfoundhimintheraininthedumpsterhelookedsohelplessandhehasnohomesoIbroughthimhere." Peter took a deep breath. It was impressive just how much he could say in one breath.

Tony stared at him. He was a certified genius, but it took his brain a whole moment to filter out the relevant information from this far-too-fast gibberish.

His answer turned out to be a lot shorter. "No."

Peter blinked. "Please, Mister Stark! Just for a few days. Until it stops raining," he pleaded. His lower lip began to quiver dangerously. He had far too soft a heart for a superhero and took everything highly personally.

"Why don't you take him to May?" Tony asked as an alternative suggestion.

"She's allergic to cats."

And, shit, Tony really couldn't refuse the kid anything when he looked at him with his big doe eyes like that. Initially, when he'd found out about the boy's abilities and showed up at his aunt's house, Tony had seen him as someone he could sponsor. Just keep an eye on him.

But then came Berlin, the arms dealers on the boat, and all the other incidents. As time went on, their professional mentor/student relationship shifted more and more to this science parent and kid thing they had going on. And then Peter had followed him onto the flying doughnut.

Tony would never be able to forgive himself for that. Nor would he ever forget the boy crumbling to dust in his arms. He still had nightmares about that.

Now, Peter was standing in front of him, a can of tuna in his hand, looking like Tony was about to throw the boy's first homemade AI robot on the scrap heap.

He recalled a discussion he had with his own father many decades ago. When young Tony wanted a dog and Howard was adamantly against it.

"Fine. It can stay – for now. And we will scan it for diseases.” He gave in. Even if it was just a fuck you, Howard. Tony pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to think too hard about his reasons, before he turned to the cat. "And you! I warn you only once, so listen closely: if you piss on my carpet, you'll be back on the streets faster than you can say 'meow'." The cat sniffed at his index finger, which he held out to it. But when he found no food there, he turned to Peter and the can.

"He won't," Peter assured his mentor.

"He?"

"Yes. It's kinda obvious if you look at him from behind."

"Alright, that's enough information. Actually, it's more than I wanted to hear."

The results of Friday's medical scan came back clean. So the cat was allowed to stay – for now.

_____________________________________

It was the middle of the night when Tony stumbled into his kitchen. Nightmares had jolted him out of sleep, and even though he couldn't remember exactly what horror scenario it had been this time, he didn't feel like going back to sleep anytime soon.

He turned on the coffee maker and listened to its soothing sounds when the cat jumped up on the counter and stared at him in a way that only cats could. Tony was too tired to see anything else in it.

"You hungry?...yeah, me too."

Contrary to his initial fear that the feline would annoy him, he hardly noticed his presence.

Tony grabbed a bagel and got cream cheese from the fridge. The cat stretched his neck, his blue eyes now completely fixated on the delicious smelling food. Tony placed a spoonful of cream cheese in front of him, which the animal began to lick contentedly.

The inventor took his coffee and breakfast (could it be called breakfast yet? It was only 3:14am in the morning) to his personal lab and opened the file of his latest project.

He didn't realize he wasn't alone in the room until he heard DUM-E moving around in the background and then a hissing. Outraged and with flat ears and arched back, the pet jumped onto the table, but even there he was not safe from the robot's claw.

"DUM-E behave," Tony instructed his artificial son. "Fri, keep an eye on Blue Eye. I can't have him getting hurt by something sharp."

Mostly because he could not stand the resulting drama with Peter.

Sulking, DUM-E moved to another corner of the room and silence reigned again. Tony looked back at his hologram.

But he could not concentrate. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, a sure sign that he was being watched.

He turned his head and looked into the black void the black cat had become by curling up.

Blue orbs stared back from the void.

Yeah, cats were a different kind of weird.

_____________________________________

Tony quickly discovered that his small roommate refused any kind of cat food. They had even tried the expensive one, but the feline turned up his nose when he saw this weird gibberish mass in his bowl (Tony wouldn’t want to eat that either) and demonstratively turned away.

Instead, he jumped up on the dining room table – something Tony had repeatedly forbidden him to do – and demanded to have whatever food Tony or Peter were having.

Tony had never had a pet and was only now learning that cats had an amazing amount of food they were able to eat. And the one living in his penthouse rent free apparently had a particularly culinary sense of taste. Whenever they ate take-out – and, admittedly, that was most days, because Tony didn't have the time or desire to cook – the cat appeared, meowing loudly and demanding. Whether it was pizza, burgers, sandwiches, Thai, or just fries. Once he even ate the salad.

But Tony drew the line when the cat sniffed at his mug of coffee. „No,“ he said and took the mug away.

„You won‘t like that anyway,“ he explained when he pressed the button on the coffee maker in the morning and lifted the cat off the counter.

„That‘s mine!“ he stated every time he moved his cup away from the feline in the lab.

„Don‘t you dare!“ he shouted when he spotted the cat across the room right next to a whole pot of coffee. He swore there was something wrong with this animal. The way it looked at him with that cocky smirk in his eyes was not normal.

The cat pushed the pot with one of his front paws to the edge of the table board. Tony raised his finger in warning. The cat pushed a little, not breaking eye contact. The pot broke on the floor and the cat jumped down to lick the coffee off the floor.

"I hope you choke on it," Tony growled as he set a small bowl of coffee down for the cat, the next time he fixed himself a cup.

_____________________________________

Tony had never been allowed to have a pet as a kid, and he was pretty quickly convinced that Peter had brought some fucked up result of an animal experiment into his house.

The cat hadn't even put one paw in the litter box. Instead, he sometimes disappeared into one of Tony's bathrooms. Tony followed him exactly once to see what the cat was up to. But the cat had only stared at him for so long until Tony felt like a creep and backed off.

Friday had no video access to the bathrooms – because Tony was not a creep – and so it remained forever a mystery what the cat did in there.

This creature looked like a cat, sounded like a cat and behaved like a cat (debatable! But Tony checked the internet and found a lot of people sharing weird stories about their cats) but Tony was not taking chances. He had seen talking trees and raccoons, flying hammers and spontaneously combusting people.

He crouched in front of the cat, who had flopped down on the couch and now raised his head in what Tony called the death stare, looking at him intensely.

„Blink once if you understand what I say.“

He waited for a reaction – any reaction – but those clear, blue eyes didn‘t betray a single thought. Tony moved his head slowly forward, not wanting to miss anything, until their faces were almost touching.

The cat licked Tony’s nose.

„Ugh, gross!“ Tony jumped to his feet, turning away and missing the one eyed wink.

_____________________________________

After a few days, the cat had settled in well. While in the beginning he had been hiding under and behind the furniture or watching everything from on top of the cupboards, Tony soon found him more and more often sleeping on the couch or following the man into the lab.

Peter loved the feline and whenever he was in the penthouse – Tony swore that was even more often now than before – he would scoop him up on his arms or pet him. The first few the cat had been reluctant, but he didn't stand a chance against the teenager, and eventually he'd given up to complain whenever Peter buried his fingers in the fur.

Even Tony had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that the fur was very soft. It also looked nice and shiny and healthy now, and not as scrubby as it had been in the beginning.

But whenever visitors came to the penthouse – it was admittedly not very often; only a few people had access these days – the cat disappeared. First Peter tried to coax him with food whenever Pepper or Rhodey came around, but with no luck.

"Stage fright, Blue Eye? You aren’t shy around me or Peter." Tony found the cat as soon as the doors to the elevator closed. The feline sat by the window, observing the city and fully ignoring Tony.

Fine, Tony had work to do anyway and went to his lab.

There was one person he had not yet tried to show his newest roommate. „Fri, babe, what day is it?“

„Thursday the tenth, Boss.“

One person, who hadn‘t shown up in a while and was late by over a week.

„Call Dumbledore.“

It went straight to voicemail and that was weird.

You see, after everything that happened on the flying doughnut, Thanos, that five year gap (aka Tony being angry about losing everything, including his final break up with Pepper) and then getting everyone back and defeating the mad titan – he kinda struck a friendship with the wizard doctor.

Maybe it was jump started by the fact that Strange saved Tony‘s life after he had used all the infinity stones at once. Plus he helped Tony build his new arm.

It also didn't hurt that Strange was really nice to look at. Like really nice.

Even after completion of the project ‘new arm who dis?‘ (not the best Tony came up with but he had started it as soon as Dr. Cho had cleared him off medical and he had been full of pain killers), they still met on the first Wednesday of every month to be snarky, arrogant and just being awesome together.

Strange kept an eye on Peter, whenever Tony wasn‘t around and Tony really appreciated that.

There was also a lot of flirting involved whenever the two men met, but that was just part of their charm and completely without any deeper meaning…

Tony was still in denial about his blossoming feelings for the doctor. And as long as he ignored them, they weren’t there. Even if he actually enjoyed the banter and the flirting and the way Stephen’s face lit up when… anyway!

Sure, sometimes the job came between their meetings. Tony may be retired (on paper), but Strange certainly wasn't.

He wasn't the Sorcerer Supreme anymore – due to technicalities as he always was fast to point out – but he still had a lot of duties protecting their reality.

He usually texted Tony when something came up. Maybe it was an emergency, but eight days was a pretty long emergency and Stephen had once mentioned that he didn't like to leave Earth for such a long time at a stretch.

So, Tony did the next best thing. „Friday, call Wong.“

He had kept in touch with the other sorcerer in the five year gap after the blip, albeit sporadically, because they all had more than enough to do filling in the gaps the snapped people left. It still was enough to excuse a friendly check in. Just to make sure that Stephen was okay and unharmed.

"Stark," Wong's always unamused voice greeted him a few seconds later. To this day, Tony didn't know if Wong even liked him.

"Wong," he mimicked his tone, but then got straight to the point, knowing Wong was no friend of unnecessary pleasantries. "Strange missed our awesome facial hair bros meeting last week and he doesn’t answer my phone."

There was a short pause before Wong replied. "He's not here." Did Tony imagine it or did he sound more annoyed than usual today? Maybe he was displeased to be treated as Strange‘s secretary.

„Okay, sure.“ Tony nodded to himself, starting to pace in the room. „When does he get back?“

„I don‘t know.“

Well, that wasn‘t very helpful.

„Did he leave the dimension?“ Tony asked anyway, unwilling to give up this easily.

There was a long pause as Wong actively hesitated. "I don't know," he said again, and that caught Tony's attention. He stopped walking.

„What do you mean, you don‘t know?“

"Strange disappeared a few weeks ago." That alone might have been explainable, but then Wong added, „… and he left the Cloak of Levitation behind.“

That had Tony alarmed. He had made acquaintance with the red piece of fabric that was unusually expressive for a being without an actual face. And Strange never left his weird magic castle without it.

Tony’s mind immediately jumped to various conclusions. „Any enemies that might got hold of him? Kidnapped by evil forces? Has there been a ransom demand?"

"We have no idea. It’s nothing we can trace with magic." His voice was clipped, concealing the paused anger at losing control of the issue. Wong was Strange's friend; he should have taken better care of him. The man couldn't shake the feeling that he had let him down.

"I'll try the tech way then," Tony suggested. "Nothing escapes the modern eyes of the ever-watching cameras."

"Thanks, that's appreciated."

Wong gave him the details of Strange's disappearance, the time period in which it must have happened (it was impossible to pin down exactly), and Tony promised to get back to him if he found anything.

He ran his fingers through his hair after hanging up. One of the most powerful sorcerers Earth had ever seen and someone he considered a friend was missing – that wasn't great news.

"Alright, Fri, run a face recognition search for Strange. Start in New York, then expand it world wide."

"I'm on it, Boss."

Tony propped his forearms on one of the tables and stared into space. If Strange had been gone for several weeks already, without a trace...that was very concerning. Briefly, the image of a cave in Afghanistan flickered before his eyes, but he quickly shook it off and focused on the map of the U.S. on Fridays screen and the small loading bar she liked to display for funsies.

„Where are you, Stephen Strange?“

_____________________________________

The fact that the cat rejected any kind of cat food didn‘t mean that he wasn‘t hungry. He had been starved when Peter had dragged him to the penthouse, and after overcoming his initial distrust, he began to bug anyone available for food three times a day.

"You're a menace," Tony growled angrily as the feline jumped up on the couch next to him and began meowing loudly to tell him that it was time for lunch. "A weird, precisely timed menace."

By now he was able to interpret his fluffy roommate's behavior well and knew that he wouldn't stop making noise until there was food on his plate. (Yes, the cat wanted to eat from an actual plate. Tony had never used so many dishes).

Since the cat was happy to eat whatever Tony was having, Tony had taken to simply ordering two portions at a time. Tony couldn't help but think he had been bullied into having a regular eating rhythm by a cat.

He had to admit that the company was nice. He talked to the feline as if it were a human being - he had already applied this mannerism with his AI sons and it hadn't done them any harm (except for Ultron, but there was always a black sheep in the family) – an sometimes the cat answered with a meow, so that it almost felt like a real conversation.

Tony balanced two plates of sushi to the table - no algae for the cat, just rice and fish. The feline jumped on the table and waited patiently, eyes fixed on the food and tail twitching slightly. He stretched his neck, annoyed that Tony was holding the plate just out of reach. The human teased him only briefly, then finally put the plate on the table and at the same time gave him a kiss on the head. The cat looked very scandalized and puffed out his chest, not amused about the unexpected act of affection.

Tony chuckled and sat down at the table as well. It had been worth fishing a cat hair out of his mouth just for that reaction. „You‘re the strangest cat I‘ve ever met,“ Tony grinned when the cat gave him the stinky eye.

The irony was lost on him.

_____________________________________

Tony had had a long day when he landed on the platform of the tower and the nanobots retreated to the house unit on his chest. Well, it was only afternoon in New York – but not on the other side of the world in Norway where he had helped Thor and Loki with something. New Asgard was developing well. People started healing.

Tony had set up a fund and that involved a lot of paperwork and details he had to supervise. Next time he would take the jet. It might be slower, but he could get a nap on an actual bed on his way back.

"Hey Blue Eye." The cat tiptoed around his feet to greet him (and possibly trip him) but Tony was too tired to do anything more than a quick pet along his back. He only wanted to lie down in his bed, pull the covers over his head and sleep for the next three days.

Unfortunately, it was still too early to go to bed and, besides, he still had some contracts to read and approve.

Tony needed coffee.

The cat stayed at his side and seemed almost understandingly about the absent attention. Or at least he didn’t complain about it. In return the cat got his smaller bowl of coffee – together with a kiss on his head.

At first it had been funny to watch the feline's unwilling reaction to it. Now it was routine. Tony swore if cats could roll their eyes, this one would do it every day.

With coffee in one hand and a Starkpad in the other, Tony made himself comfortable on the couch. He put his house unit down on the small table on the side. He always kept it within reach; it was his safety anchor, if only to ease his mind.

It probably said a lot about him that he never let it out of his sight for more than a few minutes, but he had made his peace with it. Besides, it was better safe than sorry.

It didn't take long until the cushion dipped and the cat joined him. Blue eyes fixed on him and the Starkpad. Carefully, the animal placed a paw on Tony's torso and when nothing more than a hum came in response, the cat climbed onto Tony's chest where he lay down, his paws tucked under his fluffy body.

"No," Tony protested, "No, that's no place for you." After all, his chest was still his sore point, even after the surgery that had removed the arc reactor. Or maybe because of that.

But the cat merely started purring loudly and closed his eyes.

Tony blinked at him, baffled. Surprisingly, the cat did not feel heavy at all. On the contrary, the slight vibration of his purring felt pleasant. Like a small, warm engine.

"Fine, you can stay – for now." Tony turned his focus back to the Starkpad. Reading, he absently buried his fingers in the soft fur.

This was kinda relaxing.

Later that evening Peter came to visit later to ask about New Asgard and its princes – he had wanted to travel overseas, but wasn't allowed – he found Tony asleep on the couch. His hand was on the cat, which was still on his chest. The feline lifted his head when he heard the boy and narrowed his eyes as if to tell the boy not to be too loud.

Peter put his finger to his lips as a sign that he would be quiet. Tiptoeing, he fetched a blanket for his mentor.

(He also snatched a photo. It was too cute not to.)

_____________________________________

The other day Peter helped Tony to tweak some issues with his new arm. It was nothing serious, just a few detail problems that had only become apparent in the long-term use of the prosthesis.

Since Peter was not a medical expert and only lent an extra pair of hands – everything took so much longer with only one functioning arm – Bruce and Doctor Cho joined in a video conference. Between the number of PhDs and genius brain cells they all mustered, the work was a piece of cake.

"I'm taking the boxes out for recycling," Peter announced after they fixed it.

A lot of materials were made in the lab itself, other things Tony had delivered. But he rarely took care of the packaging, always throwing the boxes in a corner, preoccupied by the projects he needed the materials for in the first place. He grew up rich and never had to clean up after himself, but always had staff or robots for that.

Sure, he kept his workspace neat – or at least the neat ambivalent to the creative chaos, he liked to call it. But the state of everything around it was less important. So there was often a growing stack of empty boxes in at least one corner of the lab.

Peter, raised by his aunt to clean a mess before he left, stacked the boxes inside each other. As he reached for one further in the back, he heard a disgruntled meow. Apparently he had just disturbed someone's nap.

"Sorry," Peter chuckled and set the box aside to take another instead. "Mister Stark bought you that fancy cat tree and you still prefer sleeping in that box? Honestly? Mood."

In response, he heard the noise of paws on cardboard as the cat turned around and lay back down with his back to Peter. The message was clear: he didn't want to be disturbed.

Tony, meanwhile, glanced at Friday's search results for Strange, which were pretty depressing: there were none. It was already the third try – Tony had run the search again and again, always adjusting the parameters – and there wasn’t any trace of the sorcerer.

He had even hacked the cameras in the street of the Sanctum (it wasn't quite legal, not even close, but nobody was able to track his traces anyway, so yeah... ), and had Friday analyze the whole video data of the last few months. There was nothing to indicate the sudden reason for his disappearance.

Absolutely nothing.

If the sorcerer was still on Earth, Tony didn’t know where he could possibly be hiding.

_____________________________________

Tony was having a nightmare. He floated in space – the world had crumbled, all worlds had. Snippets of his loved ones popped up like visions from the past. Peter, Rhodey, Pepper, Happy; all of them in a moment of death. Their screams of agony echoed in Tony‘s head.

He tried to reach out to them but he couldn't move in the vacuum of space. His friends were too far away and he was too small in the magnitude of cosmos.

He needed his suit! He was in space and he needed his suit.

Tony tapped his chest, but there was no house unit, no arc reactor. Just an empty, black void where his lungs should be.

Did he even breathe? How could he breathe in space?

As if the thought had become reality, he suddenly got no more air. He tried to kick and scream without moving and making a sound. The feeling of suffocation brought tears to his eyes. He tried to grab something, anything, but there was nothing.

He was alone.

Suddenly he felt pressure on his chest. Not uncomfortable, more like an anchor that reassured him – like his house unit usually did. With his chest no longer an empty void, he was able to take a deep breath and slowly became aware of his surroundings as he awoke.

He heard the hum of an engine in the background, and still felt the weight on his chest.

"Friday?" he whispered into the darkness, his eyes still closed.

"It's 5:37 in the morning, Boss. Today is Monday the fifth. You're free until ten, when a call with the UN is scheduled," the familiar voice of his AI listed the facts. It helped Tony to shake off his dream, to focus on the present.

„Thanks, babe.“

He reached for his chest and his finger touched fur. Surprised, he opened his eyes and realized that the hum of the engine was actually the purr of the cat.

"Hey, Blue Eye." He smiled softly, his throat still feeling sore. "What are you doing here?"

It was the first time he was seeing the feline in his bedroom. Before today he had always slept in the living room and never even pried into Tony's personal room, as if he wanted to give him space.

Ridiculous! First off, cats had no sense of personal space. Exhibit A was on his chest.

Secondly, his bedroom had probably seen more people than his personal lab. At least in the past – not so much recently.

"He sensed your distress," Friday told him. She knew that speaking to him after a nightmare helped him. „And he refused to leave.“

„Thanks, I guess.“ Tony petted the head of the feline. „Are you gonna let me get up to make coffee for us?“ The cat didn‘t move an inch, just looked at him in concern with his bright eyes. „Fine, five more minutes.“

Tony – perfectly able to move the cat if he wanted to – remained lying and scratched the feline behind his black ears, under his jaw and along his back. The purr got louder and contentedly the cat closed his eyes, relaxed into Tony’s torso.

Half an hour later the cat finally stood up, stretched and jumped on the floor. He was meowing, announcing that it was now indeed time for breakfast.

That wasn‘t a bad idea, Tony could go for a bagel. And coffee. Always coffee.

The feline got his coffee served as usual with a kiss on his fluffy head.

_____________________________________

That day he felt better than he normally would after a horrible nightmare. Having a pet wasn't as bad as he had first thought when Peter dragged the cat in.

When Tony was a kid he had begged his father for a dog – probably like every kid did at one point. His father had refused, had said that animals were too much of a responsibility, that they were dirty and that Tony didn't have time for it. Then Tony was sent to a boarding school, and he never asked again.

Later, when his parents died and Tony took over SI, he really did not had time for a pet. Besides, he had been more interested in women and men anyway

For the next few decades, he hadn't given a second thought to getting a pet. Why should he? He had his robots to look after and Jarvis who kept him company.

But it still felt different when Tony went to bed that night and the cat jumped on his mattress. He didn't even acknowledge Tony when he flopped down next to his shoulder, as if he had always belonged there.

Tony didn't complain about the pet in his bed – something he definitely wouldn't have allowed in the past. Somehow he knew it was the cat's way to look out for him.

Ridiculous! - it was just a cat.

But Tony had seen weirder stuff. He stroked once along the back through the soft fur and slipped under the covers. „Good night, Blue Eye.“ If this was how retirement would be, he could get used to it.

Then the cat moved his tail into Tony‘s face.

_____________________________________

„So, we still have no idea where he is,“ Tony concluded his conversation with Wong. It was something that worried him a lot. Strange had been gone for several weeks, as if he had simply vanished into thin air. (He didn't, at least not magically. Wong said they would have traced that).

The other sorcerer sat in his kitchen with a cup of tea in his hand. He looked seriously concerned and that had a lot to say.

They had spoken a few times, updated each other on the case – although there was depressingly little to update.

Today Wong had walked through a portal into Tony’s kitchen. In that respect, he was worse than Strange, who at least texted him like five seconds before he showed up. It was the thought that counted.

"I should have looked out for him more. He hasn‘t been the same after the snap,“ Wong said in something that sounded like regret.

„It was hard for everyone to settle back in,“ Tony acknowledged. „The world moved on while half of the population was absent.“

The sorcerer shook his head. That wasn‘t what he meant. Sure, Stephen lost his position as Sorcerer Supreme to him and in the meantime the Sanctum had also chosen a new Master, but that was not the reason why Stephen had become distant after everyone reappeared. It wasn‘t the reason why he had been almost unstable.

Stephen had tried to hide it – of course he did. That was just how Stephen acted. Especially since he knew first hand about all the responsibilities Wong had to juggle as Sorcerer Supreme.

Wong had seen snippets of it anyway. But it had to be worse than he had assumed. He didn't know what had happened to his friend, but it couldn't be good.

„He told you about the various possible outcomes of the battle with Thanos, right?“ he asked and Tony nodded. „He didn‘t just watch over 14 million futures, he lived every single one of them. That takes a toll on any man‘s mind. It must have been worse than fighting Dormammu.“

„That was the demon he pulled into a time loop and annoyed him until he left earth?“

Wong's eyes darted up in surprise that Tony knew about that. Stephen didn‘t talk about it a lot. „That‘s one way to describe it,“ he snorted.

„So, you think he went insane in between those futures and forgot which reality is the real one?“ Tony's conclusion was, as always, precise and hit the mark. He even took it further. "And when you think about how many futures he's had to watch fail…" How many deaths of family, friends and close ones he had had to watch, over and over again.

Tony had seen such a future once and it had been borderline torture. It still haunted him sometimes, seamlessly joining the long queue of his nightmares.

„He seemed okay last time I saw him,“ Tony muttered lamely. He knew that it didn't mean anything. He had kept it secret from his friends for a long time, that he was outright dying. Back when he had the palladium in his blood.

And he remembered that he had often caught Strange staring into space, like he had simply zoned out. But sometimes he confused basic facts on who was still alive.

Tony hadn't read too much into it. Although he liked the man and enjoyed having him around (Tony was too old to call it a crush), he didn't know the doctor well enough to judge him.

"We are still waiting for some replies from other dimensions. So, there's still a chance." Wong put down his cup and rose. A clear sign that the meeting was over. He raised his hand with his portal ring. "I'll inform you if we-..." He froze as a black cat pawed around the corner of the doorway into the kitchen, stopping equally surprised.

Tony had never seen so much emotion on Wong's face. The sorcerer literally gasped before he found his voice again.

„Strange?!“

#IronStrange #Stephen Strange #Doctor Strange #cat!Stephen Strange #Tony Stark/Stephen Strange #Stephen Strange x Tony Stark #Iron Man #Wong #Peter Parker #Spider-man #SpaceMermaid #This cat is strange

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claire-starsword · 1 month

Text

The Guardiana Magic School Run -Part 18

Certainly it must be obnoxious that I keep bringing up the novel wherever I go, but consider: 1) i waited years to read that thing so i don't care; 2) translating 300+ pages for free is hella work so i get to brag; and 3) we are literally on Rudo lol i can't stop looking at everything differently now. I know this dog now. I love this dog. She's my friend.

Back to the run, we're still on the spirit of treasure hunts!

After a very fun and not at all garbage puzzle involving unclear map boundaries, we get Musashi, who is not valid for this magic user run. Yes, the guy is invisible and making words pop out of thin air, but he's NOT magical. He's just built different. You would understand if you had studied the blade like him.

We then get Lyle, who is also not for this run. Very sad. But at least they'll kindly donate their weapons to support our magic school. It's not much, but it's the thought tha-

MUSASHI WHAT THE HELL

ARE YOU MADE OF MONEY MAN

so uh, wow! that's something i'd never learn in a regular playthrough. Since it's a unique weapon it goes to the deals section for double the price. The deals section is very clogged right now so I guess we'll soon learn if new deals still pop up or if we're done with it. Not like the useless swords there were helping anyway.

On the topic of weapons, we also get a Holy Staff like I promised last time. I could promote Khris right now, giving up on an early Aura, to use this. Her attack is currently pretty ok (28), so a boost would likely put her in the 30+ with attackers like Max and Arthur. That's wild to think about. But am I going to use her like this with her squishy defense? In the chapter where Golems and Dullahans start to appear? I'm not sure. The next battle is also forest and she doesn't have great movement in that. But we'll be surrounded by spawns, so she might make a difference in wiping out some enemy in that chaos.

I'm pretty afraid of the next battle, so that's what I'm going for. At the end of the day she has four levels to go until Aura and I hate this kind of grinding very much lol

Say hello to Vicar Khris! Boy I hate the stat loss so much. And yet, upon equipping the Holy Staff, she now has the greatest attack in the party. Dog that mauls you for your sins. I'm losing it.

And we're not done with upgrades! First of all I forgot to equip the Soulbuster on Max, but don't worry, it still doesn't make him stronger than Khris.

Arthur on the other hand jumps above the Khris bar thanks to the Chrome Lance. The unpromoted Lowe and mages cannot use the Guard Staff for now, which is a bit of a loss for Lowe, but the girls on the other hand should just be blasting things with magic anyway. Tao might be our greatest weapon against the Golems.

Narsha meanwhile gets the Holy Mace, which is not only more powerful but also capable of Heal 3. Unfortunately I did forbid using weapon effects on my rules, didn't I? Uh oh. Still a nice upgrade, and I didn't have any idea on when to promote Narsha, so let's do it.

Establishing herself once more as the deuteragonist of this thing, Saint Narsha is now as strong as Max, but with a few more points in defense, which is great.

I am still afraid however, so I don't think the upgrades will end here.

I do sit atop a sizable collection of stat boosting items. That I always forget to use in casual play. I would like to not mess my challenge run doing that. The only characters were missing by now are Alef and Torasu, neither of which will need Power Wine, for example. I would also hope they won't need five whole defense potion.

But do I know how to distribute this in an smart and efficient way? Hell no. I do hate seeing Max without defense though, so one potion goes for him, taking him over 20. I do chicken out on using the rest of them though, because I don't think they'll make enough of an impact on characters that are still on the 14-17 range, especially when they don't have enough HP to survive two hits even if their defense was raised.

What I do end up with is using a couple Life Loaves on Narsha. Her defense is now on par with Max yet she has way less HP, so I'm hoping the +3 here helps.

I also end up facing this bizarreness here where the game does not update her current HP? Hoping she doesn't enter battle like this. I can't even use Medical Herbs outside of battle to fix it now.

I also decide to use the Power Wines on Max and Narsha, I'm really betting on them as the frontlines here. So congrats Max, now you're on par with dog girl. Only took a lot of effort.

I also give Anri a Quick Chicken in hopes she'll get more chance to hit the enemies before they hit her.

After all these very insecure decisions, I'm now turning my game off and on again because the Narsha thing bothers me.

:/ it does not fix it

Had to enter this screen and retreat, this is honestly some garbage code.

Anyway, let's finally get to the battle. The clear bonus is just money. Thanks to Musashi's patronage I'm not worried about that. Also no way in hell I'm rushing this battle.

I don't know why I haven't mentioned yet, but Domingo should be the star of this battle. The game even knows it, giving him some extra dialogue here. He has the best defense in the team, floating movement to ignore the forests and mountains, and magic damage against the enemies with high defense.

Arthur is currently the other tank of the team, but being a centaur he won't be moving well in this terrain.

He's at least enthusiastic enough to be the first one to move, but not like there's many threats in this start.

Also I'm just learning that Attack 3 uses 40 MP so, uh. Don't expect to ever see this thing used lol

Very unsure of what to do with Narsha as usual. I might try setting positions to catch Max, Arthur, Hanzou and herself in an Attack 2. I could boost the mages' damage instead but I'm unsure if that will be impactful enough on level 2 spells, and Tao's Blaze 2 is not in a deep need of help. Besides, MP eventually ends, while attack boosts are forever.

After a boring turn 2 we are finally ready to beat these things up. They're doing nothing to Arthur.

No point in wasting Domingo's MP with these weak enemies though. Arthur, Max and Hanzou wipe them out in a single hit each.

It takes me several turns because Khris is slow and has little movement, but I include her in the Attack plan.

In the next turn, I could use a Boost 1 on someone to finish Narsha's MP, but I feel like saving it for Aura in case I need healing.

I seem to have attracted the Artilleries' attention, but not triggered the spawns yet, which annoys me. I don't want those things to catch me off guard.

LIKE THIS YOU KNOW

EXACTLY LIKE THIS

Welcome to hell! The Master Mages have Freeze 2, which is pretty dicey to take on when there's many of them and we're gathered like this. The golems and worms should have a lot of attack, and Domingo and Arthur are my only tanks, so I can't exactly surround everyone else. At least I think the golems can't reach anyone yet since I tried to stay on the bottom, and their movement is not great. The worms should have less defense than the golems. Maybe we can defeat them before the golems arrive! Optimism!

You can already feel the centaur pain with Arthur not even being able to cover Tao here.

But he can one hit a guy in forest land effect.

Also, look! He finally fits this playthrough! Baby's first spell! Will we be using it instead of 20+ chrome lance damage? I don't think so.

Domingo also can't cover Tao, so clearly I screwed up bad. Maybe he'll distract the other worms though.

Max one hit kills a worm, but Hanzou fails tragically at this mage. He gets a level up with +4 attack to ensure it won't happen again.

I hit image limit as expected so, to be continued in a reblog, see i told you this one was more exciting than the last

#shining force #ressurection of the dark dragon #guardiana magic school run #long post

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cassandrajoybellbittner · 4 months

Text

*Warning Adult Content*

HE FEELS THE SAME - Chapter 5

Alek

I've been stuck in the peace river pack grounds for over a week now, Kaya, one of the housekeepers had suggested I ask around to find out if I could tag along on a hunting trip.

I've left the pack-house area a few times to check on the building project and each time I went there were more men, building materials and machines.

'The humans wouldn't be done anytime soon.'

A sigh left my lips as I thought about it, as humans kept expanding in words on wildlife there was less and less ground to hide in.

I remember having to move up the mountain with my pack when I was younger because humans were becoming a regular sight at the mountain's foot.

"Will you be having dinner with us?"

I stood up straight a bit taken aback by the voice of a lady speaking to me, my shoulders relaxed when I noted who she was.

She was one of the Omegas that had household duties... Kaya, Ahote's close friend.

"Yes," I answered before looking away from her to stare back into the garden in front.

I was standing at the small balcony attached to the living room upstairs, a handful of people were in the garden and some of them were in their wolf forms helping to dig holes and move logs.

Ahote was squatting beside some plants in the distance, the young wolf that usually tagged along with him was squatting beside him and holding on to Ahote's kid as the child played with the wilting wildflower in his hands.

I couldn't help noticing how the teen's eyes gleamed as Ahote spoke to him, I looked away, feeling uncomfortable.

"Len adores Ahote."

I frown, looking to my side to find the lady from before hadn't left, she smiled at me, grabbing on to the railings before looking down at the gardens as well.

"He keeps going on about asking Ahote to be with him."

The woman laughed, letting me catch a glimpse of her gap tooth.

"He's just sixteen he'll find a mate and forget everything about his crush," Kaya went on even though I didn't contribute to the conversation.

'Ah.' I thought, looking back at Ahote and Len again.

'It makes sense,' I thought as I locked eyes with Len and he immediately frowned before looking away.

If Ahote meant that much to him, a confused mate-less wolf that was attracted to Ahote would annoy him, no doubt.

"You too."

My brow went up in confusion and I turn my head to look at Kaya and she just smiled on at me, her short hair moving to the side as she cocked her head at me.

"You adore him too," she said, making me nod and look away, I finally understood what she meant.

Yes, I did like Ahote, not that I could really explain why, I just knew I did.

I immediately gravitated towards him when I walked into a room.

I liked talking to him, though timid he knew when to put his foot down.

I saw this in his interactions with other wolves, high and low ranking alike.

He has been avoiding me for a while and it was frustrating.

He had guessed Ahote was worried about his heat but that had passed a few days ago or maybe Ahote was just overwhelmed and shy.

He wasn't blind, if everyone else in the pack could tell I had my eyes set on Ahote, he could too.

"Are you still going to join the hunters for their trip later this week?" Kaya asked me, making me look away from the group in the garden.

She kept reminding me that the hunting group was taking a trip into town across later in the week.

It didn't bother me and I did want to go, I'd need some things from the town across and it was a good thing to get familiar with other wolves in the pack.

It seems like I'd be staying here for a while, weeks, months, maybe even a whole year if the humans were slow about their business in the construction site.

I nodded, watching as the lady smiled, saying something I couldn't catch under her breath before walking away, I smiled as I watched her leave before looking back at the garden when she was out of sight.

Ahote was in a whole different area of the garden now, he was squatting beside a bush and clawing at it with his gloved hands and Len helped him place plants into the holes.

I wanted to be down there as well but I don't think Ahote wanted me there at all, it wasn't wise to corner him and make him uncomfortable.

A sigh left my lips as I let go of the iron rails before stepping back and tucking my hands into the pocket of my jeans.

I looked out beyond the garden, into the middle of nowhere, I didn't have a passport or anything, I was traveling like an animal, sneaking into boats and walking for miles on end.

Even if I wanted to turn back now it wouldn't be an option, I've found something that's caught my interest.

My gaze moved back to Ahote and the rest before I looked away again and I started to wonder about his nameless mate.

I just knew he had one and said mate had rejected him although they had a child.

For the past few days, I've had a lot of questions floating around in my head.

Like why was Lupa so high ranking and Ahote so low ranking?

Why was religion so important here?

Why did Ahote's mate vanish out of nowhere?

Kia, the omega that attended to me in my room was very talkative and I didn't have to ask her anything for her to talk about information she thought I would be interested in.

She had answered my first question in one of her rambling spells, telling me that Ahote was a recessive omega, that made sense, two omega genes equaled an omega.

One omega gene and one Kappa gene in Lupa's case equaled a Kappa, no matter how much Kia rambled on about every and anything she never really dived into the details of Ahote's mate.

I knew nothing about him, I didn't know his age his rank or what he was doing with his life now that he had cut connections with the pack.

I left the balcony, retreating to my room with the questions running through my head.

Later in the evening, I was called out for dinner, the living room and kitchen were packed as usual, the same for the front porch and the picnic tables right outside.

It seemed everyone was eating in the main house today.

"Is something going on?" I asked in a low tone when Kaya handed me a plate of food, she frowned a bit, probably not hearing me before her eyes went wide and she muttered a small 'oh.'

"Ah, someone's back today," she said with a grin before walking away and leaving me to stare on at her in confusion.

When she disappeared out of sight I sighed as my shoulders sagged, I really didn't like how noisy the place was, especially since I was the odd one out, as always.

Making my way out of the kitchen and into the living room, I squinted, trying to see if I could find Ahote in the crowd, I couldn't, it was most mostly mid to high ranking wolves that occupied the area.

A frown formed on my face when I felt a little shiver run down my spine and it was then I noticed someone was staring at me, I turned, looking away immediately when I saw who it was, Ahote's brother.

I tried my best to blend in but that didn't fool him, soon I had a strong painful grip on my shoulder as words were whispered against my ear.

"Follow me." It wasn't a request, it was a demand, a command.

With some hesitance, I follow him out of the living room and out into the patio, I immediately sensed that everyone sitting outside was a hunter or watcher.

The laughter seemed to die when Lupa walked out with me, the sound of our feet on the wooden flooring resounded through the evening, competing with the sound of the crickets and croaking toads.

The air was chilly still, I could see my breath in the wind and I tried to look at anything but the other wolves, I heard footsteps in the background and soon they stopped.

"I heard you're following us into town later this week?" I heard Lupa's voice say.

I looked up, staring straight at him before I gave him a brief nod, he had his guard up like he was ready to pick a fight and it seemed like everyone sitting around the porch could tell too.

The porch was silent again and I thought that was the end of it until Lupa spoke up again.

"Do you have any hunting experience?"' Lupa asked, his tone coming off a little condensing, I found myself clenching my jaw at his attitude, he was being a little bit overbearing.

"Yes, I was the headhunter in my pack," I said, watching as the man's eyes seemed to dim.

It didn't look like he was expecting that, I was a rouge now but people could guess I was of some mid to high ranking from my stature and stench alone but often leaders weren't cast out, I hadn't been, I left on my own.

"Well then," Lupa said with a fake smile plastered on his face. he'd made a shaky blow trying to probe me and he knew it.

"What's your deal with my brother?" the question was blunt and so straight to the point that it took me off guard a bit.

"Well, what is it? Are you trying to sleep with him?"

"Lupa...."

"Leave me alone," the man groaned, dismissing the call from one of the other men, he turned his attention back to me before walking over and stopping right in front of me.

Lupa was tall but not as tall as me, I have a feeling he was just noticing this because I saw the brief expression of worry before his eyes were fueled with suspicion again.

"What do you think it is?" I asked and I seemed to only anger him more while surprising everyone else on the porch, it looked like he was going to pounce on me, but he backed away, cursing under his breath before he turned and stomped away.

He was calling out to his brother as he disappeared out of sight and that was the only thing that bothered me about the exchange, if I cared about what anyone thought, it was Ahote.

For the rest of the night, I wandered about the house feeling tense and worried, I couldn't find Ahote anywhere and a part of me pushed me to stop looking for him.

When the dining room, living room and porch cleared out I retreated to my room, trying to think about the interaction I had with Lupa.

I sighed, resting my head against the pillow on my bed as I looked up at the wall, I had no idea why I did any of that.

I sat up when I heard the door to my room open and frowned when I didn't see anyone at first but my eyes went wide when I noticed the child that wandered into my room.

Elan looked at me and I looked at him, the four-year-old looked like he was caught red-handed doing something that he shouldn't, I just had to figure out what.

"Are you looking for something?" I asked and the child's lips parted before he closed his mouth and shook his head.

I rose a brow at him, watching as he stepped behind the door he had opened to hide behind it, he didn't leave though and I wondered if he thought I'd go to sleep or vanish into thin air if he waited a little bit longer.

"Elan..." the rate of heartbeat picked up, at the sound of that voice, Ahote's voice.

The man came into view as he pulled his child against him, he was frowning, I rarely saw him upset, this was new.

He knelt down, picking the child up before standing up again, it was when he was about to leave the room that he noticed I was there, just staring at them.

I caught his gaze with mine and he looked away quickly, standing there just like his son had just a few minutes ago, so still and quiet, like if he didn't say anything I would just disappear.

"Your brother is really rude," I said, watching as the man looked over at me.

I bit down on my bottom lip, humming as I tried to compose myself, my mind was a house of madness, I haven't been this close to him in a while and it was driving me crazy.

"Well, usually it's irritating but you..." he trailed, looking away from me to the floor.

His child just watched both of us, staying quiet as his father tried to find the words to say.

"I what?" I asked, gripping on the bedsheet the covered the mattress I was sitting on.

I watched as Ahote chewed on his lip, probably trying to find the right words to say.

"You scare me," he admitted and my heart sank butt I tried to force myself to smile but I was sure I looked ridiculous.

Ahote was now running a hand through his child's hair, he was half inside and half outside the room I had been aside and was probably wondering if there was a way he could leave without seeming rude.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to," I sighed, hugging myself as I looked over at Ahote and his kid.

"I can't help it," I added, watching as he nodded at me before looking down at the wooden floorboards again.

I pushed back strands of my blond hair, watching him fidget at my door.

He still had his hair down, his face covered with his hair that he had chosen to weave some beads into today, he looked great but I probably couldn't tell him that without coming off as creepy.

"This is embarrassing," I muttered under my breath, examining my predicament, I was lusting after someone and everyone within two feet of me could tell from just observing me.

"You must have had this happen to you a lot of times. People finding you attractive, that is. I'm not excusing my behavior but just trying to explain..." I trailed off.

Ahote looked uncomfortable and a bit embarrassed, maybe I shouldn't have brought any of this up but it was too late.

"People must gawk for your attention a lot. Your Mate..."

"No, not really," Ahote said, cutting me off, his words had been firm and they seemed finaI, I could catch that he didn't want to talk about this and if I pushed any further he'd have nothing to do with me again.

"Sorry," I mumbled and the room went silent, seconds, then a minute passed and I wondered what the man was still doing at the door with his son, wasn't he desperate to leave?

He had the chance to do that now.

"I'm sorry."

I looked him straight in the eye, frowning a bit as I wondered what he was apologizing for.

"I'm sorry about my brother, I'm sorry about Elan coming here to bother you and I'm sorry for being so cold to you lately. It's just... All this is very strange and overwhelming."

I listened to him, trying to understand what he meant, I licked my lips, cocking my head to the side as I observed it.

"I'm not the only one feeling this way, am I?" I asked and he looked over at me before looking away again.

He didn't deny or confirm it but the red tint in his cheeks gave him away.

"Maybe not," he whispered, looking at me with his deep brown eyes before stepping out of my room with his child and closing the door behind them.

Immediately after they left, I lay back on my bed, looking up at the ceiling as I tried to process what had just happened.

'He feels the same way?' I asked myself, frowning as I tried to process it, did he?

Maybe mine was just more intense because it was the first time for me.

'Is it possible that this isn't one-sided, that I'm not imagining things?'

Thoughts kept swimming in my head as my chest tightened and relaxed as my wolf stirred and moved.

The dream catcher at my room's window rattled with the wind and I spent the rest of my night arguing with myself in my head about whether this was a chance I should take or not.

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kittyt-hexxed · 2 years

Text

I Can Be A Better Boyfriend (Vi x Reader Oneshot)

Final Part

Warnings: Drinking, Alcohol, Asshole Boyfriend/Ex-Boyfriend

Word Count: 15K

Note: Picture The Last Drop as a multi-floor club. There are two floors. The main floor - the one you enter on - is a large balcony that contains the bar, booths, and the VIP lounge. People on the upper floor can see down to the dancefloor as they mingle and eat. (A mixture of Lux from Lucifer and post-Silco is how it looks on the weekends. It looks like Vander’s pub during the week.)

Part 1 - I met her when I was still with my ex, but her lipstick was blood red

You let out an excited squeal as your roommates and best friends come waltzing into your room with a very short dress. Your friends had insisted on planning your next birthday so you had no idea as to where you’d be going. The dress spoke volumes about the places you might be going to as it would only be appropriate in certain company.

“Do you like it?” Ava grins as she waves the piece of fabric around.

“Of course, I do! It’s got all of my favorite things!” You laugh while nodding your head.

“Alright, get dressed, put these heels on, and sit your cute ass in that chair.” Marie hands you a matching pair of shoes in your favorite color. You inspect the heels and sigh in relief when you realize they’re only an inch tall. While you didn’t mind wearing taller heels, you’d rather not be forced to take them off when your toes start hurting. You let out a hum and strap them onto your feet before standing up and letting your robe drop to the ground. The charms on your waist chain jingle softly as you move and take the dress from Ava.

Your friends help you as you shimmy into it and lace up the sides. Once it was properly laced, they usher you to the chair and get to work on your makeup. You weren’t one to do a full face so they only did your eyes and lips, before adding striking highlights. You chatted about your week, giggling over silly things, and joking around with each other. By the time you were done, your friends dipped out to get dressed. You got up and went on the hunt for your phone remembering that you haven’t checked it all day. When you got up this morning, you had been going all over the place with your friends. You were having so much fun you hadn’t picked it up once, only glancing at your watch for the time.

“Ten missed calls?” You mutter to yourself as your phone screen lights up. You unlock it, first moving to your text messages and quickly responding to all of the ‘Happy Birthday!’ ones. Usually, people forget your birthday - you didn’t mind because you only celebrated with close friends - but, it felt nice that so many people remembered this time. Your aunt had sent you a gift you had yet to open. They don’t talk about how lonely your life can be after high school. Most friends lose contact unless you attend the same college or have them on social media. So, seeing old friends reach out to you is touching.

“Hey, we’re all ready to go!” Marie knocks on your doorway. You glance up, pausing at the sight of your two gorgeous best friends.

“Woah!” You shout in surprise, “You guys look sexy!” You approach them with a huge grin that they both return.

“Why, thank you, ma’am!” Ava gives a little bow, making you giggle.

“If you haven’t already realized…” Marie starts as she places her hand on your shoulder, “We’re taking you to The Last Drop for your birthday!” She shouts in excitement. Stunned, you stare at her.

“Give her a moment, she’s processing it.” Ava jokes, “Her little hamster is working overtime.”

You squeal excitedly making your friends laugh, “Are you kidding me?! The Last Drop?! THE Last Drop?!” You bounce from one foot to the other, suddenly too energized to keep still.

“YES!” They chorus together.

“HOW?!” You exclaim loudly. You were completely and utterly appalled. The Last Drop was Runeterra’s most exclusive nightclub! Anyone could visit during the week when it was run as a regular bar but on the weekends? On the weekends from sunset to sunrise was when the whole building was said to transform. People who had the luxury to witness both say the club looks almost completely different depending on the day. It was the hardest club to get into regularly. You needed to apply in advance if you didn’t know someone who could get you on the list. It was packed within an hour of opening and it was rare for anyone to leave until sunrise. Yet, that didn’t stop people from lining up outside the doors in hopeful anticipation.

“We applied to be on the list two years ago for your birthday when we realized it was on a weekend! We got our confirmation last week, and kept it a secret from you.” Ava winks.

“You guys are the BEST!” You throw your arms around them, giving them a tight squeeze. Usually, your birthday plans are quieter, maybe a trip to the beach, going out for a nice meal, or having a movie marathon in cute onesies. Your favorite party so far was Jade’s Marvel marathon where everyone cosplayed as one of the characters. You nearly peed yourself from laughing so hard while Jade - dressed as Thor - kept trying to whack Marie with the foam hammer.

“Is it going to be just us?” You question as you draw back. Marie shakes her head.

“Aaron is coming along with Jade.” She smiles at you. You blink and raise an eyebrow, “Jade, I understand… but why is my boyfriend coming?”

“He was invited before you two started dating. It would be an asshole move of us to uninvite him because you’re together now.” Ava points out. You nod in agreement before Marie claps her hands.

“It is now… 6:40 pm, so we need to head out, ladies. Grab your bags, emergency condoms, and leave your modesty behind!” Marie announces, “We are going to The Last Drop!” You snort, trying to contain your laughter as Ava gives her a disbelieving look.

“We’re not hooking up with anyone on her birthday, Marie.” Ava playfully pushes her.

“I meant for Y/n!” Marie whines.

“I’m not ditching you two for sex!” You scoff, “I’m ditching you for the margaritas!”

“HEY!” They gasp, making you laugh.

“You know what, I don’t blame you.” Marie grins, “I’d leave myself for a Dirty Shirley Temple.”

The car ride to the club was filled with high emotions and laughter. You had your own pre-party party in the car, singing loudly to your favorite songs, and building anticipation for the night to come. You glance at your phone as you pull into the parking lot.

“Aaron says they’re in the fifth row.” You tell Ava and she turns down the row. You see Jade waving her arms, standing in an empty parking spot with a wide grin on her face. Your boyfriend is leaning against the trunk of his car with a bored stare. The moment the car is stopped, you hop out of the car and race to Jade.

“Jade!” You say happily, kissing her cheek in greeting before melting into a hug.

“Y/n!” Jade giggles and returns the kiss, hugging you tightly, “Happy birthday, cutes! You look beautiful!” She twirls you. The dress you’re wearing shines in the light along with your choker’s charm as it swings side to side.

“Thank you! You look beautiful too, Dee!” You compliment her. Jade places her hand on her chest and gives you a cheeky smile, “Well, if you insist.” You laugh and step away so the others can greet her too. You walk over to your boyfriend who gives you a lazy smile.

“Hey, baby!” You chirp and kiss his cheek before resting your arms on his shoulders.

“Hey, babe. You look pretty.” Aaron says casually, making you frown slightly.

“Everything-?” You get cut off.

“-Let’s go!” Jade cheers and grabs your arm. You stumble slightly, quickly catching yourself and giggling at your friend’s antics. You head up to the entrance, feeling the nervousness bubbling in your stomach. ‘What if we don’t get in? What if they say our passes are fake? What if only half of us get in?’ You bite the inside of your lip in worry. You can see a line out front of people hoping to get in. Two large, bulky men stand at either side of the doors, at least over six feet tall. Scanning the passes between them is a woman with short black hair.

You take out your phone, pulling up your pass as you approach her. You hear the murmured complaints from the people waiting off to the side, disappointed that they wouldn’t be going in.

“Good evening.” The woman greets you.

“Good evening. Here’s my pass.” You turn the phone towards her. Her eyes scan the screen for what feels like forever, before lifting the scanner. It lets out a soft beep, flashing green, and her eyes brighten up, “Oh! Happy birthday!” She smiles at you. Her hand dips into her pocket and she pulls out a stamp. She motions to your hand and you hold it out.

“You get a free drink on us! Just show it to the server or bartender when you first order.” With that, she scans everyone else’s things and the doors are opened. You practically speed walk into the building, stopping when your eyes land on the hostess. She gives you a cheery smile as some of her powder blue hair falls in front of her face.

“Hi there, my name is Jinx! I’m the hostess for tonight. Can I see your pass, so we can get you seated?” She motions to your phone. You blink before blushing and showing it to her. ‘I am so out of my element right now.’ You feel your awkwardness taking over.

“We’re one group.” You motion to everyone besides you.

“Great! You’re seated in B1! Ooohhh, Happy Birthday!” Jinx squeals. You laugh and thank her as she escorts your group through the doors and to your booth. You notice that she has long braids that are only a few inches off of the ground. ‘Wow, I wonder how long it takes for her to wash it.’ Your jaw drops when you finally get to see the club. ‘Holy shit! This place is GORGEOUS!’ Your eyes zip around, taking in all of the designs such as the neon lights and even the way the balcony is designed. You’re still in shock as you’re seated and Jinx explains that your server will be showing up soon before leaving.

“Holy shit!” Jade squeals from across you, “Do you see this place?!”

“I know, right?! I’ve read so much about this place that it’s surreal to be here!” Marie gushes. You note that she and Ava are sitting across from your boyfriend, while you and Jade are seated on the inside of the U-shaped couch. You listen to your friends discuss what drinks they want to order while you gaze around.

The music wasn’t as loud as you thought it would be. It was at a pleasant level that let you hold a normal-volume conversation. The floor that you were on was the main floor of the club. It held the bar, booths that curiously have curtains, and a VIP lounge. It was a large balcony that overlooks the floor below it, which is the dance floor.

“What are you going to drink, babe?” You lean over to your boyfriend. He glances at you from his phone with a shrug, “A beer most likely. I’m not feeling anything fancy.” Aaron says before gazing back down at his phone. You frown but look at Jade who had tapped your arm.

“What’s up?” You smile at her.

“Do you know what you’re going to get? Your first drink is free, birthday girl!” Jade teases you.

“I’ll stick to my trusty margarita before trying any custom mixes.” You say as you flip through the drink menu. There are a few drinks that interest you, but starting your night off right involves a margarita.

“That’s so laaaaame!” Marie sticks her tongue out at you.

“Oh, shush Marie! Not all of us want to get wasted.” You pout.

“I can have a couple of drinks, but since I’m driving us home in the morning, I’ll have to stop soon.” Ava sighs, “Next time, Marie is the driver.”

Your server shows up to take your drink orders and, like everyone else, wishes you a happy birthday. You chat with your friends as you wait for your drinks to arrive. You try to converse with Aaron but his words are short and not involved, so you give up. It hurt your feelings a bit, but you shrugged it off thinking he was waiting for your drinks. It took a bit of time for him to warm up when you went out as a group. So, it wasn’t unusual for him.

Your server came back quickly, handing out your drinks and disappearing just as fast. The arrival of your drinks made it set in that this is really happening. You’re sitting in The Last Drop with the people you’re closest to on your birthday. ‘I can’t wait for this night to start!’

“To the birthday girl!” Ava grins and raises her glass.

“To the birthday girl!” The others chime and you all take a drink from your glasses. You hum happily and immediately go in for another sip. You feel Aaron grab your hand and you shoot him a smile. The night takes off from there. You all have a few more rounds of drinks before ordering some food and water. You planned to be out all night and wanted to pace yourselves. Aaron continued to be checked out of the conversation, but he had started getting handsy with you. It started with a hand on your knee that slowly inched its way up to your thigh. It annoyed you, so you kept on removing it.

Aaron’s attitude was starting to bug you. He was normally very animated and interactive during conversations with his friends, but he rarely looked up from his damn phone. You tried to push it from your mind but the fingers digging into your thigh wouldn’t let you. It was starting to distract you from the conversation with your friends. You passively remove his hand again and nearly sigh in relief when he doesn’t put it back.

“Didn’t Marie cry because she couldn’t get down from the tree?” You furrow your brow in confusion. You had missed part of the conversation but caught the end of it.

“No! I cried because I got stung by a wasp while I was up there!” Marie defends herself.

“No, no. I’m positive it was because you couldn’t get down.” Jade shakes her head. You tense as Aaron’s hand rests on your thigh once again and you brush it off. Your annoyance with him has risen higher than you can tolerate. You weren’t in the mood to be messing around like this when you want to enjoy your time with everyone.

“I had to climb up there and help you down.” You point out.

“I got stung by a wasp!” Marie whines, “Every time I moved my leg, it hurt really bad. I was too scared to climb down alone because I didn’t want to fall!”

“That’s how we found out you’re allergic to them!” Ava gasps, “Now that you say it, I remember that!”

“Yes! Exactly!” Marie exclaims and throws her arms around her, “That’s how we found out. My leg got so swollen I had to go to the walk-in clinic to get it checked out.”

Aaron’s hand finds its way back to your thigh, this time moving higher up, and you’ve had enough. You snatch his wrist, squeezing it tightly and practically fling it at him. Fed up, you stand up and announce that you’re going to the bathroom. Aaron gives you an annoyed look while cradling his wrist that you don’t acknowledge. Ava tags along and the two of you walk to the bathroom in silence. Like the rest of the place, the restroom was as nice as the club. There were sparkly quartz countertops, white tiles, and the whole place smelled like cleaning supplies. Ava slips into one of the stalls as you stand in front of the sink. On the wall was a cleaning schedule with various times and a small checkbox next to it. The most recent time being checked off is 10 pm and you look at your watch to verify that it was indeed past ten. ‘How long have I been dealing with Aaron’s handiness?’ You sigh in irritation.

“So, are we going to talk about why you looked so miserable sitting next to your man?” You hear Ava say before you hear the sound of the toilet flushing. You mess with your hair, letting out another sigh as she walks out of the stall. Ava gives you a sympathetic smile in the mirror as she stops next to you to wash her hands.

“He’s been off all night, V. Aaron has been on his phone for hours!” You vent to your friend, “Then, he’s been trying to feel me up for who knows how long. No matter how many times I moved his hand, he put it back. I had enough and needed to get out of there.” You close your eyes in frustration. Ava puts her arms around you in a silent show of support.

“Sweets, don’t let him ruin your night.” Ava smiles at you, “You’re having your birthday celebration at the hottest nightclub in the country! Tits up!” She playfully lifts your boobs.

“Thanks, Ava.” You laugh and wipe away a tear that managed to escape.

“Anytime!” She winks, “Let’s head back, hm?” Ava grins and the two of you exit the restroom. You accidentally bump into someone as you step out.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” You apologize, whirling around to see who you bumped into.

“All good.” You hear someone respond. The only thing you catch is a brief smile and flash of pink before the door closes. You blink as you process what happened. You shake your head and continue back to your seat. You pass by a handful of other club-goers on your way to the booth, thankfully not running into any of them. As you get closer, you notice that Aaron is the only one there.

“Hey, where did the girls go?” You question him as his eyes land on you. You catch a glimpse of a game on his phone before he places it down.

“They went dancing.” Aaron shrugs.

“Do you want to go join them?” Ava questions you.

“Definitely!” You grin before glancing at your boyfriend, “You coming with us?”

“No, I’m all good here. You two go ahead and enjoy yourselves.” He waves you off. You give him a fake smile before whirling around and marching away. Ava grabs your hand and you briefly pause to gaze over the balcony to find your friends in the crowd. It was darker down there than up here, but you managed to find them before starting down the stairs. The music became louder the closer you got to the bottom. The bass reverberates through your body as flashing strobe lights illuminate your outfit, and you push through the crowd to your friends. When they see you, they cheer and yank both of you into the group without another word. You laugh and dance with them, getting lost in the moment with your girls. Being on the dance floor was a whole new experience than the balcony. It was as if the rest of the club didn’t exist and it was just you and your friends. The only lights were the strobes and any glow-in-the-dark items people had on them. It was easy to dance your heart out, singing at the top of your lungs with all of the others. You didn’t mind if someone bumped into you, because you were having too much fun to care. Eventually, you decided that you needed to rest and it seemed like your friends agreed.

“LET’S GET SOME SHOTS!” Jade screams over the music. You enthusiastically nod and the four of you squeeze your way to the stairs. Marie grabs your hand as you head up the steps to the balcony. You let out a giggle as she places her foot down too hard and stumbles. She was the clumsiest of your group and it showed she’s starting to feel her drinks. Your little group goes straight to the bar, surprised to see that half of the seats are empty. You hop onto one of the stools as your eyes glide over the list of shots.

“What can I get for you, ladies?” The bartender stops in front of you.

“I’ll take a vodka shot, please.” You smile at him. He nods and looks at your friends.

“Three tequila shots, please.” Marie grins, “Can we also get five shots of shimmer sent over to our booth?” She questions. You raise an eyebrow at the request. ‘I don’t remember seeing shimmer on the list. Is that a secret item?’ You open your mouth to say something before an oddly familiar voice speaks up.

“Put their shots on my tab, Thieram.” A smooth voice sounds from your right. The bartender freezes in his tracks, looking like a deer in headlights. You raise an eyebrow at the strange reaction, turning to the voice and your breath catches in your throat. Leaning up against the bar is a very attractive woman. The first thing you notice is her pink hair, followed closely by her piercings and red leather jacket. ‘Damn… Damn.’ Your words die in your throat as her eyes find yours. Silvery-blue eyes.

“Yes, ma’am.” The bartender - Thieram - says to the woman after scanning your pass, “Happy Birthday, miss.” He nods to you before going to pour your shots.

“Uh… Thank you for that.” You clear your throat, “You didn’t have to.”

“But!” Jade cuts in, “It’s highly appreciated!”

“No worries.” The woman lets out a chuckle that makes you stare a bit, “Shots of shimmer are expensive. You’ll rack up your tab with those alone.”

“How expen-!” Marie’s hand covers your mouth.

“Don’t worry about the cost, Y/n! It’s your birthday, just relaaax.” Marie giggles, making you nervous. ‘The only time she does this is when the cost is too high. Even if it is my birthday, I don’t want them spending too much.’

“Here are your shots.” Thieram places them on the counter. He hands the woman a piece of paper that she shoves into her pocket, “Your order will be brought to your booth shortly.”

“Thank you!” Your group choruses. You knock back your shot. The vodka burns as it goes down your throat but it’s a comforting warmth. You sigh happily, letting your eyes fall shut as you revel in the feeling for a few seconds.

“Happy birthday, by the way.” The woman smiles at you. You blush lightly, hoping that the low light would hide it. ‘God, Y/n, you’re taken. Stop blushing. Your boyfriend is waiting for you back at your seat.’

“Thanks.” You place your shot glass down with a sudden shyness. She was just being polite but that made you feel a little fuzzy. ‘Or, maybe that’s just the alcohol.’

“Alright, let’s go back to our booth.” Ava grins, “You’re welcome to come along. You did pay for our shots.” She says.

“Yeah! Come on!” Jade grins and motions to her.

“Ah, only if it’s okay with the birthday girl here. I wouldn’t want to ruin her night.” The woman cracks a friendly, lopsided smile. ‘Cuuuute!’ You squeal to yourself.

“That’s fine with me.” You smile at her and tilt your head, “By the way, what’s your name?”

“My name is Vi. Yours?” Vi asks.

“I’m sure you’ve already heard but my name is Y/n.” You smile at her. Your friends introduce themselves as well.

“Nice to meet you all.” Vi grins. With those words, you make the short trip back to your booth. You idly think that she must be over six feet tall. Now that she isn't leaning, you can see that she’s taller than you. You’re excited to tell Aaron about the new shots you’ll be trying out. When your eyes land on the booth, you find that Aaron is gone. You freeze, staring at the place he should be sitting.

“Where’s Aaron?” Jade questions as you all slide back into the booth. You sit back in your usual spots with the newcomer taking your boyfriend’s seat.

“Ah…” You glance at Ava who shrugs, “Let me check my phone.” You mumble and pull it out. You don’t see any messages or missed calls from him, so you send him a text.

“I don’t have any notifications from him, so I sent him a text. He’s probably in the bathroom-” Your phone pings once, twice, and it’s the third time when you open your messages. You stare blankly at your phone as you read what’s there. You’re silent for too long, prompting Jade to take your phone from your hand. You blink and look up as Jade curses and turns your phone off. Jade frowns and crosses her arms, “What an utter fucking asshole.”

“What happened?” Ava leans forward with a confused look on her face.

“He left.” You say monotonously.

“He left?!” Marie exclaims, startled at your words.

“What did the text say?” Ava demands.

“He said ‘I went home. I got bored and didn’t want to be there anymore. Goodnight, have fun, babe.’ Like a complete douchebag!” Jade hisses. Tears gather in your eyes and you fight to keep them in. ‘What the hell? Why would he leave like that? He didn’t even leave a text for me to see.’

“Ugh, I’m going to beat his ass later.” Marie huffs.

“Excuse me but what the fuck?” Vi snaps, “Your boyfriend ditches you on your birthday? That’s so shitty.” Her nose crinkles slightly with the angry expression on her face. You’re touched by the fact that a woman you just met is upset for you. ‘A hot woman too. A very hot woman.’ You shake your head slightly to clear your thoughts.

“Did I do something wrong?” You whimper, “He was out of it all night.” A few tears escape and slip down your cheeks. This hurt. It was supposed to be a fun night and now it wasn’t.

“No, sweetie, no!” Jade pulls you into a tight hug.

“Aaron is being an asshole.” Marie huffs, “You did nothing wrong. Don’t you dare shed any more tears over him.” Vi hands you a napkin with a gentle look in her eyes, “Hey, there’s no crying in the club, cutie pie. It’s the rules.” She winks at you, making you laugh. You dab at your eyes as your server from earlier appears at the end of the table with a tray of purple shots. You take a deep breath and push the bad feelings away. ‘This is my birthday. I’m at the top club in the country. I'm having fun tonight. No crying over an asshole.’ You encourage yourself.

“Well, since Aaron fucked off…” You grab the fifth shot and place it in front of Vi, “You get the last one.” You smirk at her. Vi’s eyebrows go up as her eyes sparkle in amusement.

“Oh? Lucky me, then. A beautiful girl giving me alcohol.” Vi gives you a teasing smile. Once again, you find yourself blushing and trying to pretend that you aren’t. You can tell that your friends notice from the cheeky grins they’re giving you.

“I’m concerned for my health.” Jade announces, “What the hell is this shot and why does it look toxic?” You take a careful look at the shot and silently agree. It’s neon purple, practically glowing under the lights, and looks like something you’d see in a mad scientist's lair.

“It’s not toxic.” Vi chuckles, “Shimmer is a custom drink made for The Last Drop. It’s the only place you can get it, but it’s on the secret menu. It’s as close as you can get to a party drug without the addiction. It’s a pick-me-up that energizes you and gives you a high for two hours. The high is actually the drink helping your body clear the alcohol from your system. A-listers love taking it a few hours before they leave so they don’t get wasted.”

“That’s why it’s only served as a shot.” Marie grins, “It’s limited.”

“You know a lot about it.” You raise an eyebrow at Vi. She gives you a secretive smile.

“Damn, let’s give it a go then, girls!” Ava cheers.

You all grab your shots, clinking your glasses in the middle, “Bottoms up!” Jade shouts.

“To the hottie next to you, Y/n!” Marie giggles right before you shoot the drink. You make a noise in the back of your throat as you swallow it. Partly because of what Marie said, but mainly because the liquid was cold. It feels like when you accidentally swallow an ice cube you’ve been sucking on. When it hits your stomach, a shiver goes through you rapidly chased by an intense wave of heat. You feel like you’ve been dunked into an ice water bath. Too cold, yet too hot and you’re instantly wide awake.

“Holy shit…” You breathe out as you blink your eyes. Your body practically vibrates as the low energy you felt earlier vanishes.

“Fuck!” Jade coughs in surprise, placing her glass down a little too hard.

“Ah!” Ava yelps, shaking her head.

“Woah! This is so cool!” Marie squeals and bounces in her seat. It’s then you notice that your friend’s eyes are pink. Your eyes go wide as you stare at them. Slowly, they notice the change in eye colors, too. You’re all staring at each other in surprise when Vi’s chuckle snaps you out of it.

“I should have warned you about the eye change, but your reactions are priceless.” Vi grins at you guys, playing with her shot glass and you find yourself mourning the loss of her blue eyes. Yet, the bright pink brings an edge to her that you didn’t expect.

“Well, I definitely want to go dance now!” Ava laughs, “I’m going to enjoy this buzz while it lasts. Would anyone like to join me?” She stands up and the other girls get up with her. You glance at the woman next to you before shaking your head.

“I’d like to get to know our guest for a bit, so you girls go on ahead.” You wave them off. Your responses are a bunch of giggles and secretive smiles. Jade throws you a wink that has you flushing and flicking her off. Your friend laughs, tugging the curtains shut, and chases after the other two. You turn towards Vi, getting comfortable on the couch, and give her a smile.

“So what made you place our drinks on your tab?” You raise an eyebrow.

“Oooh, straight for the hard-hitting questions.” Vi teases you and you roll your eyes with an amused smile.

“I’m serious! Why did you?” You press her.

“I was on my way out and spotted a very cute girl at the bar.” Vi shrugs, “So I thought, why not? I’ll buy a cute girl a drink before I go.” She makes eye contact with you.

“Who’s the cute girl?” You lean in with interest. ‘It could be any of my friends. They’re all stunning women.’ Vi’s eyes glow in amusement as she gives all of her attention to you.

“I’m talking to her.” Vi smirks. You blink before letting out a small squeak as a heavy blush rises to your face. You drop your head into your hands in an attempt to hide it, but you know she’s already seen it.

“You’re serious?!” You exclaim, raising your head to look at her.

“Positive, birthday girl.” Vi chuckles. Butterflies erupt in your chest as her eyes meet yours once more. ‘Great, the super hot girl thinks I’m cute! ME! Oh, the girls will be so jealous.’

“I-I’m flattered.” You stutter out, blushing so hard that your cheeks are starting to hurt.

“Ah, it’s too bad you’re taken though. Obviously, a beautiful girl like you is going to be taken.” Vi sighs with exaggerated disappointment.

“Please.” You scoff, “My boyfriend left me at a club because he was bored. He’s not doing himself any favors.” You idly realize that Jade had left with your phone.

“Hm.” Vi hums, running her fingers through her hair, “He’s not. I mean- He’s stupid for leaving you alone… That’s dangerous.” This woman was drawing you into her. You want to know how her hair would feel in your hands. If it was as soft as it looked. ‘Boyfriend, Y/n. Boyfriend.’

“Dangerous?” You say with a teasing tone. Vi leans closer to you, the smell of her cologne wafting to your nose as she does. Your eyes flicker to her lips, noting the scar, before meeting her eyes again. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen plump lips like that before.’

“Dangerous.” She says silkily, her eyes holding you captive, “Leaving such an enchanting woman like you where anyone she fancies could take her home.” Vi tsks.

“What makes you think I’d go home with just anyone?” You play with the empty shot glass to distract your mind. The tingling feeling from the shimmer makes it difficult to decipher if it was you or the drink. ‘It could be both…’

“I’m just saying that I would have never left you alone… if you were my girl.” Vi tilts her head, a coy smile on her face.

“Oh?” You pause at her words. You weren’t expecting her to say that. The butterflies in your chest flutter harder. “If I was your girl?” You purr, removing your hand from the glass and placing it on the couch between you. You’re leaning in closer, wanting to smell more of her cologne but also subconsciously wanting to be the center of her attention.

“I could be a better boyfriend than him.” She gives you a confident smirk, the words rolling off her tongue smoothly, “I could do the shit that he never did for you, princess.” That makes you feel hotter than you already were. ‘I know that feeling is definitely me and not the drink. Holy shit, Vi has me hooked. I can’t help but be completely into her. Aaahhh, this is so not okay! But she’s so fucking hot!’

“You don’t know what he did for me before tonight.” You shrug, trying to act nonchalantly, “He could have been a perfect boyfriend.” You didn’t want Vi to know she was getting to you. This… conversation felt like a secret competition between the two of you, and damn did you want to be the winner.

“Mmm, but by the way you’re flirting with me, I can tell he doesn’t satisfy you.” Vi’s fingertips are now playing with yours, “So desperate for my attention. He doesn’t treat you the way you want to be treated… You’re welcome to tell me otherwise, of course.” She got you. You knew you shouldn’t be flirting like this, but you couldn’t help it. It felt so satisfying to be given someone’s attention without asking for it. And, Vi is giving you a chance to back out of it. The decision is all yours.

“I…” You lick your lips, carefully weighing your words, “You’re right. He doesn’t satisfy me. He doesn’t fulfill my needs.”

“Then, why are you still with him, sweetheart? A woman like you shouldn’t be pushing her own needs aside for a man like that.” Vi’s other hand lifts your chin, “You shouldn’t lower yourself for someone who is beneath you.” She whispers. Your breath hitches as her’s fans across your lips.

“I guess I haven’t found someone who’s on my level. I’m a bit hard to reach, darling.” You bite your lip, gleefully watching as her eyes dart down to it, “I’m looking for a gentleman.”

“I could be such a gentleman.” Vi whispers lowly. The urge to lean in and kiss her is overwhelming. Her lips are right there, glistening with red lipstick, and tempting you for a taste. You need to get out of this situation before you do something you surely won’t regret. Even though what Aaron pulled was shitty, you were still dating him.

“Then, why don’t you join me for a dance or two?” You pull away from her, internally sighing in relief at the distance, “I think we’ve kept the girls waiting long enough.” You catch a flicker of disappointment in her eyes before she smirks at you. You’re starting to really love that confident look on her face. It fits her perfectly.

“I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.” Vi grins and stands up with you. She opens the curtains, breaking the illusion of being alone, and steps aside for you.

“I’ll just have to find out then.” You grin back, starting towards the staircase. Finding your friends was more of a challenge this time. It seems as though everyone in the club is on the dancefloor now that it’s past midnight. The bass feels a lot stronger as it rattles your very bones. You grin enthusiastically at Vi who returns it. The two of you end up dancing together for a while before you run into your friends and party as a group. You’re thoroughly impressed by Vi’s dance moves. You can tell that it’s definitely not her first time. She was right when she warned you about dancing with her. Watching her body move was electrifying and feeling it move was even better. You ended up dancing on each other, and at one point her hands were gripping your waist. Her lips found your neck, prompting her to leave hot, open-mouthed kisses in the spur of the moment. You couldn’t help but melt in her arms and press your body closer to hers. From the way her grip on you tightened, you knew she was into it.

When the shimmer faded, you all took a brief water break before heading back down. As a group, you jump around, feeding off of each other’s energy, and have the time of your lives. Your voice gives out from how much singing you do, but it doesn’t stop you from mouthing the lyrics. In between songs, the DJ announces that there’s an hour left until closing and you’re shocked. You didn’t think that it was this late or early. Your group calls it quits, heading to your booth with a more sluggish energy than before.

“I’m so tired. I can’t wait to get home and crash in bed.” Marie groans, making sure that she has everything. You walk over to the exit, pausing to scan your passes one last time.

“Can I crash at your place?” Jade pouts, “I don’t want to go back to the apartment with Mr.Grumps.”

“You’re more than welcome to.” Ava pats her shoulder while tucking her phone away.

“Do you need a ride home, Vi?” You question her.

“No need to worry about me, sweetheart. I can get home safely.” Vi gives you an amused smile.

“Oh, okay… Well, can I get your number before we go?” You shyly ask. Vi grins, extending her hand out and you give her your phone. After a minute, she hands it back to you with a soft smile, “Feel free to share my number with the girls. You’re all really chill.” She says. The tension between the two of you was getting to you.

“Thanks! You are, too.” Ava smiles, “We have to get going now, but it was nice meeting you. Thank you for the drinks, too.”

“No problem.” Vi shrugs.

“Viiiiiiiiiii! Mylo is being an asshole again!” You hear someone yell.

“That would be my sister.” Vi chuckles, “Drive safe, guys. Let me know when you’re back at your place, yeah?” You nod, wave goodbye, and turn to exit the club with your friends. Yet, something doesn’t sit right with you about this situation. ‘Am I really going to leave like this?’ You freeze. ‘Fuck, what am I doing?! Just go for it!’ You curse under your breath before whirling around to see Vi still standing there. She gives you a cute, curious look as you lock eyes. With a deep breath, you march up to her, fist her jacket in your hands and yank her into a deep kiss.

Vi’s hands are immediately on your waist, pulling you closer to her. The kiss is messy, heated, and not gentle at all. She tugs your bottom lip and you part your lips for her. The muffled moan that comes from you while your tongues dance around each other snaps you out of it. With a heavy blush, you break the kiss. Vi looks pleasantly surprised as you wink at her and walk away without a word. Your friends grin at you but don’t say anything as you leave. The sun hasn’t even risen over the horizon when you step outside. A small, soft smile stays on your face as you think about what just happened. The walk to the car is peaceful as is the drive home. With no one on the streets, you cruised through the lights without a problem.

You had never been happier to see your house. You practically threw the door open, dropping everything on the entrance table and ripping your heels off. You sigh in relief feeling the cold tile beneath your feet and glance at your friends.

“Goodnight!” You announce, making a b-line to your room, “Don't forget to shower!” You remind them. As much as you all want to go straight to sleep, you were sweaty, smelling of alcohol, and feeling gross. You don’t hesitate to jump into the shower before flopping down onto your bed. You let out a tired sigh, your bed feeling heavenly after such a long night. Too tired to put on your pajamas, you crawl under the covers and pick up your phone. You toy with what you want to say for a moment: ‘Hey, we got home safe. Thank you for the fun night, and once again, thank you for the drinks! I am now going to sleep the day away. I hope you got home safely! <3’ You stare at the screen hoping to catch a peek of those three little dots. ‘What am I doing? I need to go to bed. Bed!’ You scold yourself, placing it down on the nightstand and turning over. Not even a few seconds after turning over, you hear your phone vibrate. You whip around so fast that you almost knock your phone off of the table. ‘Great to hear it, birthday girl! I got home safely, so don’t you worry your pretty little head. Now, get some beauty sleep. We can’t have you not looking beautiful. That’d be a crime~’ You let out a tired giggle, putting your phone down and curling up in bed. Your boyfriend may have ruined part of your night, but his leaving turned out to be the best part. Your eyes fall shut while you think about the pink-haired hottie from The Last Drop. It didn’t even cross your mind to text Aaron.

The sound of giggling is the first thing you hear when you wake up. Your interest in knowing what’s going on wins over your tired mind and you crack your eyes open. Your friends are all sitting on your bed, cups of coffee in their hands, and chatting quietly. Ava makes eye contact with you and gives you a bright smile. You give her a tired one and slowly sit up before leaning against your headboard.

“Look who’s up.” Jade grins at you.

“Did I miss the memo that we had a meeting?” You yawn, stretching. Ava passes your robe to you, and you slip it on before moving closer to the girls. Marie hands you your mug and you happily take a sip. The taste of the chai latte wakes you up enough so you acknowledge the slight headache you have. You wince, taking another sip of your drink and Jade hands you painkillers. ‘Oh, I love my friends so much.’

“We’ve been up for a few minutes and knew you would be waking up soon.” Marie shrugs. You swallow the pills, chasing them with more of your drink, and shake your head.

“What time is it?” You sigh, looking around for your phone.

“Sometime around 1 pm.” Ava says, “Which is perfect because we’re meeting up with the group at 5 pm.”

You let out a groan, “Why are we going to Allie’s place again?”

“We always meet up at Allie’s every two weeks to make sure everyone is caught up with their coursework.” Marie says slowly, “Remember? We’ve been doing this for two years, Y/n.”

“Can’t we skip today?” You whine, “Can we just sleep in and be lazy?” You finish your latte and place the cup down, picking up your phone in the process.

“No, because we have a final next week that’s 40% of our grade.” Jade sighs, “I hate organic chemistry.”

“Speaking of chemistry!” Marie wiggles her eyebrows at you, “Let’s talk about that kiss with Vi this morning!” Your friends giggle as you let out an embarrassed groan.

“I know, I know, I’m in a relationship. I shouldn’t have done it.” You grumble, “She was just… so attractive.”

“Oh, no, honey. Screw Aaron after the shit he pulled last night.” Ava scoffs, “That kiss between you and Vi was hot to watch. And don’t think we didn’t notice you two all over each other on the dance floor.” The others make sounds of agreement as you blush.

“Honestly…” Jade hesitates, “Aaron isn’t the right person for you. You haven’t been yourself since you started dating him. You’re more subdued.”

“I…” You sigh heavily and mess with your hair, “He doesn’t really treat me the way I want him to. He gets annoyed when I don’t do the things he wants to do. So, I kinda just stopped doing my usual things.”

“Y/n, you shouldn’t be with someone who does that to you. Your basic needs should be met. You should feel valued by your partner.” Marie frowns.

“I didn’t think it was a big deal. Then, Vi said something about it last night that made me question it. She… made me feel wanted, and I guess that’s why I kissed her.”

“I say you should break up with Aaron, and go for that hottie with the thick ass.” Ava grins, “She’s clearly interested in you.” Your phone vibrates and you pick it up but nearly drop it after reading the text.

“Who is it?” Jade questions.

“‘I think I’m gonna steal you from him. A girl like you deserves a gentleman.’” You read out loud before looking at them, “That’s from Vi.” You say, flustered. The girls squeal excitedly and start fantasizing about how your relationship with Vi would go. You try to dissuade your friends from the topic but they’re set on it. They were talking about you like you weren’t even there.

“Who do you think would be the top?”

“Y/n, obviously!”

“What?! No! Y/n is such a submissive when she’s with women. Don’t you remember Izzy?”

“Oh my god! I forgot about Izzy!”

“Ugh, I hated Izzy. She was ssooo annoying in psychology! She kept trying to teach the professor! He was a retired psychologist!”

“I think Vi would be good for her. She needs a strong partner. She can be such a brat.” You flush and loudly clear your throat. Your friends look at you as you sigh in exasperation, “Hello. Hi, the person you’re talking about is sitting right here, ya know?” You motion to yourself.

“You’re right! Y/n, tell us about what happened in the booth.” Jade wiggles her eyebrows.

“We just talked for a bit guys, nothing happened in the booth!” You pout.

“I wouldn’t say that.” Ava giggles, “Whatever happened there led to the lipstick marks on your neck.”

“And then you gave her a steamy goodbye kiss!” Marie gasps dramatically.

“So something clearly happened!” They all exclaim together and you let out a groan. This was going to be a very long day.

Part 2 - What are the chances?

The week and a half after your birthday was filled with nothing but stress. As a junior in college, it was important that you had everything sorted out before your senior year. Professors pushing you to get grades to help you into grad school, unnecessarily long papers, and studying to pass your exams. The fun, carefree night you had with your friends was sorely missed.

You exchanged a few more texts with Vi but the two of you were too busy to meet up. Most of it was just silly little teasing between you and Vi. One of you would say something about your day and it would dissolve into playful banter. You couldn’t lie to yourself about the flirty nature of your texts. It was too easy for Vi to unknowingly coax you into flirting. You knew it was something you shouldn’t be doing, but you couldn’t help it. Sometimes you had to turn your phone off so you could focus on studying instead of reaching for it. You’d turn your phone on later to see missed texts or calls from Aaron and feel bad about it. You hadn’t really talked to him since your birthday. There were the obligatory “good morning” and “goodnight” messages and texts asking questions for class but nothing else. Nothing romantic or cute. Those kinds of conversations never really happened unless you pushed for them.

It was a bit jarring seeing the difference between your texts with your boyfriend versus Vi. If anyone looked at your phone, they would think that you were actually dating Vi and not Aaron. What happened that night stuck with you and invaded your mind when you lost concentration. The heady scent of Vi’s cologne, the teasing tone of her voice, and the ghost of her lips on your neck. Every time you started to think about the kiss, you busied yourself again.

You couldn’t shake the fact that Vi was right about your boyfriend. Aaron didn’t fulfill your needs. He wasn’t a bad boyfriend, but he didn’t meet the expectations you had in a partner. You wanted to be cherished, to feel like you were on their mind even when you weren’t, and to be shown affection. You were an affectionate person. Not just with partners but with your closest friends as well. You didn’t want to have to fish for compliments or beg for quality time. You wanted to be wanted, and Aaron wasn’t meeting that. Because of finals, you weren’t able to break up with him. You hated doing that over text and, besides, you didn’t think he’d take you seriously if you did.

Your friends were all highly supportive over the impending breakup. None of them believed that you should stay in a relationship if it wasn’t meeting your needs. They didn’t care that he was in the friend group or that it might make things awkward. They cared about your happiness and you couldn’t have asked for better friends.

You launch your heavy-ass backpack across the room, watching as it slams onto the floor, and slides until it stops against the wall. You let out a relieved sigh and fling yourself down onto the couch. It was like going to campus drained the energy and life out of you. You were always happy to be home after class, especially after finals. You hear the girls dropping their keys and bags down as well. They take their seats on the couch and you all enjoy the silence.

“Why did I choose to go to college?!” Marie whines, “I can’t feel my fingers!”

“It’s not too late to become a stripper.” Jade points out, “It’s never too late.”

“We won’t know our grades for another week, but finals are officially OVER!” Ava cheers and you all join in.

“Yeeesss, now I can sleep in without dreaming about math equations.” Allie sighs in relief.

“That reminds me of the time I dreamt about forgetting my speech during presentations and my professor failed me.” You grumble.

“The English minor forgetting her speech?” Allie gasps dramatically, “Say it ain’t so!”

“That’s like Allie not remembering the Pythagorean theorem!” Marie joins in.

“PLEASE no more talking about anything school-related!” Ava shouts, “We’re done for the next three months!”

“Yes ma’am!” You chorus and fall back into silence. You let your thoughts drift as you pick up your phone. A smile instantly graces your face when you see a text from Vi - ‘You would think professors know that if they all assigned four-page papers as finals it would be too much. I never thought I’d be begging for a multiple-choice test!’ You snort and silently agree with her. ‘Awwe, poor baby! You must be very unlucky! I only had one final paper.’ You grin knowing what her response to that will be and rejoin the conversation.

“Oh! So, since everyone has been working so hard, I have a treat for all of us!” Allie grins excitedly.

“Is it ice cream? I’m craving a rocky road with extra fudge.” Ava jokes. The rest of you giggle while Allie rolls her eyes.

“No, but we can get ice cream if you guys want to.” Allie shrugs, “I only got us VIP passes this weekend for The Last Drop.” It was dead silent in the room as those words set in. Loud screams of excitement and disbelief fill the air as everyone jumps out of their seats. The next half an hour is filled with rapid questioning and high energy. Apparently, Allie knew someone who had connections to the place. It was a way of paying her back after she helped them out. You were all shocked but didn’t question it. Allie was the kind of girl to help people without expecting anything in return. The fact that someone had given her such a huge repayment meant a lot to her. You could see the tears in her eyes as she explained everything. She managed to score five VIP tickets and everything was covered.

“I see that smile on your face, Y/n.” Marie’s voice makes you jump and hurriedly shut off your phone screen.

“W-What smile?” You laugh nervously, trying hard to get rid of the smile on your face.

“You’re doing a shit job of hiding it.” Jade laughs, “It’s okay, we know who put it there.” A confused look crosses Allie’s face as she processes what Jade said.

“Why are you calling Y/n out for smiling?” Allie questions and makes everyone pause. You blink and then facepalm. ‘We didn’t tell Allie about the weekend.’

“Oh shit, you don’t know yet!” Ava gasps.

“Know what?” Allie leans closer in interest.

“Aaron left the club out of nowhere Saturday night. He didn’t even say a word to any of us.” Jade scoffs, “But, we met a cute woman at the bar who paid for our drinks.”

“She seemed really interested in Y/n, and we left them to flirt after a while.” Marie snickers.

“We weren’t-!” You’re silenced by Jade placing her hand over your mouth.

“They were with each other all night. Alas, it was time to go, but Y/n couldn’t leave her forbidden lover behind without a goodbye kiss!” Ava dramatizes like she’s reading Shakespeare, “She storms up to her forbidden lover and captures her lips with hers before leaving with a wistful sigh.” She swoons. The others giggle at her display as you shake your head in annoyance. Jade removes her hand and you flick her.

“Wait, wait, wait! You kissed someone after Aaron left you?” Allie gasps, “Aren’t you still together?”

“I’m breaking up with him.” You say carefully, “Let’s just say I’ve realized my worth.”

“Cause V-!” You lunge across Jade and slap your hand over Marie’s mouth.

“Shut up!” You whine as you blush.

“You should do it soon. Since the semester is over you won’t see him as often. Now would be the best time.” Allie points out.

“I know, I’m just… I’m nervous.” You sigh and run a hand through your hair, “I have no issue doing this, but that doesn’t make it any less daunting. I don’t know what his reaction will be.”

“We know, but you’ll feel so much better after you do it.” Ava smiles, “Then you can pursue other people without pretending like you’re not into them.”

“I’m not into her!” You huff and cross your arms.

“Stop lyyyying!” Jade pats your head.

“We’ve only known each other for two weeks! Besides, she’s not into me like that.” You protest.

“All I’m hearing are excuses.” Allie giggles.

“Okay, then read the message she sent you.” Marie narrows her eyes. You sigh heavily and pull up your messages. You blush seeing the most recent one, and your eyes flick up to your friends. They all give you insistent stares and you sigh again.

“… You know what I just realized? Y-Your lips are the s-sweetest I’ve ever had the p-pleasure of k-kissing.” You blush, stuttering as you read it out loud. Wide, lecherous grins slowly appear on your friends’ faces.

“S-shut up!” You shout at them, making them laugh.

“When you break up with Aaron, do it somewhere semi-public so he can’t lash out or anything. If you want, one of us can go with you.” Jade hugs you.

“No, no. I can do this myself but stay on standby. I might need someone to bail me out.” You joke.

“When are you meeting up?” Allie questions.

“In… an hour, actually. I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. Tomorrow is Friday and I’m trying to sleep aaall day since there are no classes for me.” You grin.

“Ugh, I have one last meeting with the Head of the Engineering Department to go over my options.” Allie sighs, “I can enjoy my weekend after that.”

“Yes! Paaaarrttyyyy!” Marie cheers. After that, everyone relaxed and broke out the controllers. The house was filled with shouting and banter as you rotated playing Brawlhalla. Not too long after it started, you announced your departure and the girls waved you out.

Nervous butterflies swarm your stomach as you sit in the chair opposite of Aaron. You called him and asked to meet up at the smoothie place your group frequented. He got there before you since it was an eight-minute drive from his place. It was only a three minute drive from your place but you chose to walk there instead. You needed the time to plan out how to do this, and you’d be there too fast if you had driven. You took some more time to think and ordered your regular drink before sitting with him. Aaron puts his phone down and fixes you with a searching stare. His smoothie was barely touched which you found weird. You watch as his lips part as he gets ready to speak and you greedily drink from your cup. Your anxiety was through the roof and you needed something to keep you occupied. You were so tempted to jump ahead of him but you had to be patient. You can’t just spring it on him out of nowhere!

“We haven’t talked much these past few weeks, and I’m sorry about that. I just… didn’t know how to do this.” Aaron sighs and shuffles in his seat, “I’m breaking up with you, Y/n.” You inhale sharply in bewilderment and choke on your smoothie. You cough, hitting your chest as your windpipe burns. ‘Wait, wait, wait! Did I just hear that correctly?!’

“Breaking-!” You cough some more, “Breaking up with me?!” Your voice comes out raspy and hoarse, but the shock is evident.

“Yeah. You’re a great girl and all, but you’re not my type. You’re always hanging out with your friends and never put any effort into our dates. Who the hell likes the beach? Anyway, I can’t take it anymore. So, I’m breaking up with you.” Aaron scoffs. You blink and the blink again. You were absolutely dumbfounded. ‘Low effort? He didn’t have to agree to the date location if he didn’t like it! And, always hanging out with my friends? They’re my roommates! I always make date plans in advance, too. I make time for-!’ You take a deep breath. You were starting to get angry and it wasn’t worth it. He was doing what you had planned anyway. So what, if he was being an asshole about it? All you have to do is make sure it ends here and you’re free to go.

“I understand. Honestly, I was thinking about-” You force yourself to say, but he cuts you off.

“The only time you talked to me today was before we came here. When do you ever have time for us? College, work, friends, family. When do I fit into that?” He continues to ramble on and on. You were hearing things about yourself that made no sense. It was like he was talking about himself but saying it was you instead. You grit your teeth as your anger rises. Your grip on your smoothie was tighter than you’d like to admit to yourself. You were lucky they used metal cups instead of plastic or styrofoam because the cup would be broken by now.

“I think this is a good choice for our relationship if I’m not meeting your needs.” You say loudly causing him to shut up, “No hard feelings, Aaron.” You stand up and give him a smile before walking off. Things didn’t go the way you planned but it ended in the way you hoped. Your relationship with Aaron was no more. ‘Oh, I am definitely going to enjoy myself this weekend.’ You smirk to yourself thinking about the new dress in your closet that was a birthday gift from your aunt.

The VIP section was everything you imagined it to be. Your group got there early and were enthusiastically shown to your seats by Jinx. You all got a complimentary drink and relaxed on the couches. There are at least a dozen influential people lounging in the area and that’s making your heart race. The most notable ones are Ekko from True Damage and the pro-wrestler Sevika. You thought you might pass out when she threw a wink your way while she played poker with her friends. Your friends were all overwhelmed but slowly they started to settle in. Well, everyone except Allie, who was looking around anxiously.

“Allie, calm down.” You pat her shoulder, “You look like you’re about to jump out of your seat.”

“Sorry, I’m looking for the person who gave me the VIP tickets.” Allie sighs, “She’s a classmate of mine, so I really want to thank her. I let her know we’re here, and she said she’ll come to greet us.”

“Okay, but until then, relax!” Jade pokes her. Allie gives her a smile before rejoining the conversation. You were a little distracted and only chipped in here and there. It has been exactly two weeks since you met Vi here. That woman has hardly left your mind and now you’re single. There’s an actual chance for you to get with her! ‘That’s if she wants to be with me. I mean, from her texts, it seems like she does… but that could be because I’m taken. Was taken. Some people like people they can’t have, and then lose interest. Oh hell, would she lose interest if she found out I’m single?’

“Oh! There she is!” Allie’s voice jolts you from your thoughts, “Hey, Vi!”

You snap your head to Allie before you follow her gaze to the VIP entrance. Your breath catches in your throat as you see Vi close the gate behind her. She looks up and your eyes meet. You see the surprised look on her face that is quickly replaced by a pleased smirk.

“Hey, Allie! Who’re your friends?” Vi says cheekily.

“Girls, this Vi, she’s one of my classmates and the person who gave me the tickets!” Allie chirps happily. All of the others are staring at Allie with slack jaws before you start cracking up. The absurdity of the situation made this night even better. ‘I can’t believe Vi attends our college, much less is classmates with Allie and we’ve never heard about her!’

“Allie! Oh my god!” You laugh, “We met Vi on my birthday night! She paid for our shots!”

“It’s a small world, isn’t it, birthday girl?” Vi grins at you and makes you blush.

“Oh, this is perfect!” Marie squeals, “Vi, you have to sit with us again! Especially now that we know you’re friends with Allie!”

“Yeah, there’s a free seat next to Y/n.” Ava smirks and you blink. You glance at the seat next to you and realize that it is empty. ‘How did Ava move without me realizing it?!’

“Sure, I don’t mind. I’m not working tonight, so I can hang out.” Vi says and walks over to you. Your heart is pounding as she sits next to you, and you realize that there’s not a lot of space between you two.

“So, you go to Piltover-Zaun University?” You eagerly ask her. Her eyes flicker down your body before casually meeting yours, “I do. I’m in my junior year, well, senior year now. I’m an Engineering major.” She responds.

“Oddly enough, I do see you as an Engineer.” Jade muses.

“Do you have a specific focus?” Marie chimes in, “You know, cause Allie is doing Aerospace.”

“Regular old Mechanical Engineering.” Vi chuckles, “I’m there due to a Boxing scholarship.”

“No way! A boxing scholarship?!” You all gasp.

“Vi is wickedly good at it!” Allie laughs, “I’ve seen her matches and I wouldn’t want to be on the opposite side of those fists for real!”

“Her father trained her well.” A sultry voice says from behind you, and you turn to see Sevika and Ekko walking over!?

“Aaahhh, don’t give my old man too much props, Sevika! I trained on my own a lot!” Vi playfully huffs. ‘Oh my god, what is happening?! What is happening?!’ You internally freak out as they take a seat with you guys.

“I hope you don’t mind us dropping in.” Ekko says politely, making you blink, “We haven’t seen Vi in a while with our busy schedules.”

“U-Um… Y-You’re Ekko from True Damage!” Ava squeaks, a little star-struck. Ekko blinks before laughing heartily. You shake your head to clear your mind as Vi and Sevika join in.

“Right, I forgot this isn’t normal to do anymore. I’m famous now.” Ekko chuckles, “Yeah, I’m in True Damage. Sev over there is the pro-wrestler you’ve most likely seen on social media. I was childhood friends with Vi and Sevika was friends with her pops.”

“Your old man still gets on my god damn nerves, kid. Could you tell him to stop calling me every week!” Sevika grumbles while trying to keep a small smile off of her face.

“I could try, but that might make him call you more.” Vi shrugs, “By the way, that’s my friend Allie from college, and these are her friends.” You all wave and introduce yourselves. It’s a bit awkward at first but soon conversation is flowing and everyone is laughing together. Vi’s friends shared stories about her when she was younger and talked about themselves. It was unbelievable to be talking to A-listers like you were long-time friends with them!

Over time, you found yourself slowly curling up against Vi. Her arm wound its way around your waist and your head rested against her shoulder. She was wearing the same jacket from last time, and you were wondering what she was hiding under it. ‘A boxer. She must have insane muscles then. All of the boxers I’ve seen pictures of, do. Could a jacket hide muscles? Wait, what am I thinking?! Of course, they can! She’s not the Hulk, dummy!’

“Let’s take a picture!” Marie gasps, “No one will believe us if we don’t!”

“As long as we have your permission to post them, of course.” Allie smiles shyly.

“I’m down! You guys are chill, and any friend of Vi’s is a friend of mine.” Ekko grins.

“I don’t mind.” Sevika shrugs, “I get pictures taken of me every day. Just make sure to tag me in it when you post it.”

“Duh!” You all say and laugh. Ekko has one of his friends take a picture of your little group. Vi pulls you closer to her as they do, and you blush. The picture gets sent and everyone takes a second to add each other’s numbers to their phones.

“Well, I’m heading to the dance floor!” Ekko grins, “I’m three drinks in and ready to party!” There are cheers from the group and soon almost the whole VIP section is heading to the dance floor. Vi’s grip on you tightened and she showed no signs of moving so you decided to stay. That didn’t go unnoticed by your friends, who giggled and threw you winks.

“I’m pleasantly surprised you’re here again.” Vi chuckles.

“You? I’m surprised!” You laugh, “I didn’t know you’re Allie’s friend or that you have connections here!”

“My pops owns the place with our uncle. I don’t bring it up because some girls are only into me because of it.” Vi sighs, “I grew up here so it’s nothing special to me.”

“So… wait. Do you live here?” You ask slowly, remembering what she said to you a few weeks ago. Vi winks at you which makes butterflies erupt in your stomach.

“Yup! The back section of the lot that people don’t see is our house. The club sits on the edge of the property. If you travel into the woods far enough, you’ll run into the gate that divides the property. ” Vi explains.

“Wow.” You breathe out in awe, “Also, that’s so dumb! I can’t believe girls would use you to get into here! If anything, you’re way more attention-grabbing than this place. You’re hot as hell!” You huff.

“Mm, you’re hot too, birthday girl.” Vi leans in close to you, “So, tell me about your week. Did you make it through finals?”

“Barely!” You groan, “Then, I got broken up with right after.” That makes Vi sit up straight and give you a bewildered look. You look at her in confusion, “What?”

“You got broken up with? That asshole dumped you?” Vi questions in bewilderment.

“Oh, yeah.” You sigh and let out a weak chuckle, “I asked to meet up and was going to break up with him… but he beat me to it. He basically said that I didn't meet his needs and was a horrible girlfriend.” You shrug.

“Wait, wait. Pause.” Vi stares at you for a moment, “…You’re telling me that he broke up with you for the reasons you were going to break up with him?”

“Yes!” You laugh, “It’s alright though, because I’ve had someone else on my mind lately.”

“Oh really?” Vi raises an eyebrow, “Who?” You smirk and lean in until your lips are only inches apart.

“You.” You whisper, and that’s all it takes for her to close the gap and kiss you. She guides you onto her lap and you deepen the kiss. You make out for a bit before pulling away. ‘I’ve been thinking about that kiss for days now.’ You smile at her.

“…We’re going dancing.” Vi announces and stands up from the couch with you in her arms.

“What?!” You yelp as you stumble to your feet. You’re in disbelief at the fact that she picked you up so easily.

“You’re going to have a fun night and forget about that jerk. I’ll pay for all of your drinks.” Vi grins. You blink before bursting into giggles. Feeling emboldened, you step forward and lace your fingers with hers.

“Don’t worry, cherry top.” You kiss her cheek and start pulling her towards the exit, “I already have, thanks to you.”

“You should go on a date with me.” Vi suggests.

“How about tomorrow?” You slyly grin at her.

“Wow!” Vi whistles, “You move fast!”

“Only when they’re assholes. They’re not worth crying over or wasting my time. Besides, it’s one date. I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend.”

“You‘re not?!” Vi playfully gasps in shock. You laugh and shove her.

“Get out of here.” You roll your eyes while giggling.

“Only if you’re coming with me.” Vi winks.

The whole night, you held hands and heavily flirted with one another. You and Vi were all over each other. You kissed each other until you were breathless between dancing and singing. Your friends were vocal about how long they waited for you to confess, and that it was “about time” you did. Vi kept the drinks coming before your group knocked back some shimmer and got lost in the buzz. You had bluntly asked Vi if she was only into you for sex and she laughed. She happily divulged that she was interested in being your girlfriend, so sex wasn’t on the table yet. She wanted to take things slow with you and you didn’t protest. You found it refreshing after your ex-boyfriend. You didn’t want to jump into a new relationship, although you might’ve done that for Vi.

After the night at the club, you ended up going to one of Vi’s boxing matches. You planned on a date, but when you heard she had a match this month, you begged to go. Vi thought it was adorable so she agreed. So, that’s how you ended up meeting her father. You were introduced to none other than ex-pro-boxer, Vander Warwick. Vi’s dad. He was taller in person and you knew where Vi got her height from. The man was incredibly sweet and gave you a play-by-play of Vi’s match. When it was time to part ways, he said that you were a great fit for his daughter and that he hoped you stuck around.

10 Months Later

“Vi!” You squeal and laugh as your girlfriend picks you up, “Put me down!” She laughs and spins around with you in her arms before she kisses you. It was your last morning in Demacia and you went to visit the waterfalls. You saved it for last since the water is always freezing cold.

“I can’t help it that I love picking you up!” Vi grins as she puts you down. Your feet touch the cold water and a shiver goes up your spine.

“You’ve done that way too much these past two weeks.” You giggle. You carefully step onto the stone pathway and walk back to the shoreline. Vi shrugs with an amused smile on her face.

“It’s nice to be on vacation with you. Just the two of us with no annoying siblings or friends.”

“It is, and it’s, unfortunately, coming to an end.” You sigh and turn to her.

“Excuse me, miss?” A voice sounds and you glance behind you. A woman with a camera in her hands approaches you. She has a bright smile on her face that makes you smile.

“Hello! How can I help you?” You ask politely.

“I hope you don’t mind but I’m the park’s photographer, and I noticed you and your girlfriend having fun. I took some pictures of you and wanted to know if you’d like them. Free of charge, of course! You two looked so happy together that I couldn’t help myself.” She smiles abashedly.

“Oh!” You gasp and share a glance with Vi.

“We’d love them. Thank you for the offer.” Vi smiles at her, “Could we see them?”

“Yes, here.” The woman shows you two all of the pictures she took. You were amazed by how beautiful the two of you looked in front of the waterfall. There were pictures of you dancing in the river, playing around, and even a few of you kissing.

“These are beautiful. Thank you so much!” You say as she sends the pictures to your phone.

“We’ll have some great pictures of our trip.” Vi nudges you.

“It’s not a problem, really. I’m glad you two enjoyed the park.” She waves, “I hope to see you another time! Bye!” The woman leaves.

You and Vi look at each other before bursting out laughing. At this point, it was getting ridiculous! This was the fourth photographer in two weeks who took pictures of you.

“I think we should start charging them.” You joke as you head back up to the top of the waterfall.

“Don’t worry, they’ll probably ask to be our wedding photographers!” Vi jokes back.

The car pulls up to the curb and you wave at the driver. Vi’s uncle hooked you two up with a driver while you were in the city. You tried to decline it, but Silco would not budge. So, you had a chauffeur the whole trip and it drove you and Vi up the wall. The guy was nice and was actually a security guard on Silco’s payroll. You told Vi that the next trip you go on, you weren’t telling her uncle until afterwards.

The trip to the airport was quick and your aunt met you there to say goodbye. She was teary-eyed as she gave you hugs and told you to bring Vi back for another visit. You exasperatedly told her that it was up to Vi, but your girlfriend promised she’d come back.

“Why did Allie insist on a party?” You grumble as you moodily walk into the building. You were tired from your flight back into the city. The party coincided with the day you returned. All you had time for was lunch and a shower before heading over. Vi had last-minute business come up as you landed, so she rushed to the Upper Ring. She promised to meet you at the party, so you begrudgingly agreed.

You follow the sounds of the music into the party hall. Your eyes widen at the large number of people you see. There has to be around fifty people in the hall and you let out a small groan. You take a deep breath and saunter into the room. ‘I hope my skirt doesn’t show anything. I couldn’t find my shorts to wear under it.’

“Y/n!” You hear Jade call you.

“Jade, thank the gods it’s you!” You sigh in relief as you meet your friend at the refreshment table.

“How was Demacia?” Jade questions as she hands you a drink.

“Same as usual. My aunt and cousins were happy to see me. They grilled me about Aaron when they saw me show up with Vi.” You snort, “All I told them was that I was bringing my partner.”

“Yikes, they didn’t know you broke up?” Jade winces.

“I didn’t have the time to tell them. I’ve been so busy with recording-”

“-Y/n?” Aaron’s voice sounds from behind you. You freeze as Jade’s eyes widen and you both share a panicked look. You turn around and internally curse seeing your ex-boyfriend standing there.

“Aaron.” You nod.

“How’ve you been? It’s been what… eleven months since I last saw you?” He asks as he approaches you.

“Yeah. I haven’t seen you since the end of our junior year. We have different classes and I haven’t seen you at Allie’s so…” You trail off and glance at Jade who shrugs. ‘Help me.’ You mouth to her before you hear her name get called. Jade gives you an empathetic smile before vanishing into the crowd.

“You look nice, though. That outfit suits you. Did you do something with your hair?” Aaron clears his throat. You blink and raise an eyebrow at him. You had, in fact, done something to your hair. It was dyed pastel pink and blue due to your recent business.

“Thank… you?” You say slowly in confusion, “I dyed my hair for this business thing. They said I could wear a wig but I thought it would be fun to do. It’s my new style.” You shrug. ‘Is… Is my ex hitting on me?’ You take a sip of your drink hoping that’s the end of the conversation.

“Nice. So, what have you been up to lately?” Aaron grabs a drink that's right next to you and you take a step back. You check your phone for any notifications and tuck it back into your jacket pocket in disappointment.

“I was visiting family in Demacia during spring break.” You shrug as you impatiently scan the crowd. You wanted anyone familiar to stand out so you have an excuse to leave.

“Demacia? I didn’t know you had family there.” Aaron raises an eyebrow. A girl cuts her way through the crowd and makes her way over to you two.

“Babe!” She calls out and rushes to Aaron. She hugs him and gives him a kiss on the cheek with a huge smile, “Sorry I’m late, traffic was horrible. Who’s this?” She gives you a curious glance. ‘Oh shit, was he flirting with me while he has a girlfriend?! Or… is he trying to rub that into my face?’

“I’m an old friend of Aaron’s.”

“She’s my ex-girlfriend.”

You two speak at once. You blink as you process what he said. ‘Yeah, he’s definitely trying to rub it in my face.’ You sigh internally. ‘That’s sad, honestly. Is he still into me then?’

“Oh. Well, um… Hi?” The girl stutters, “When did you date Aaron?”

“Hi.” You awkwardly laugh, “I um…” You anxiously glance at him and back to her. You tug the jacket closer to you for comfort. ‘Fuck, fuck! How do I answer that?! Ugh! Fuck you, Aaron!’

“A while ago.” You shrug.

“Aimee and I have been together for two weeks. We went to The Last Drop for our first date. She had a friend who got us on the list.” Aaron gloats.

“It was nothing really. I’m lucky that I knew someone who knew someone.”Aimee shrugs, “Have you been there before?”

“Actually, I-”

“-Y/n’s not much of a partier so she hasn’t been there, yet. I don’t think she cares about it much.” You blink. ‘He did not just talk over me. What the hell is he on? I’ve gone there multiple times in the last ten months.’ Annoyance spikes through you as you try to refrain from glaring at him. ‘He’s more of an asshole than I previously thought.’

“You’re Y/n?” Aimee raises an eyebrow.

“Yeeaahhh…?” You raise yours back. ‘What does that have to do with anything? Has he been talking shit about me behind my back?’

“Oh, well, it’s a really nice club! I’m hoping to go back there sometime soon for my birthday.” Aimee grins, “Aaron wants to go with me, so it’ll be just the two of us.” She smiles at him. Aaron smiles at her and gives her a kiss on the forehead. ‘Huh, hopefully, he doesn’t leave you as he did to me.’

“Hey, gorgeous.” You hear the silky voice of your girlfriend. Your annoyance is instantly replaced by happiness as you let out a soft squeal. You spin in the direction of her voice and practically throw yourself into her arms.

“Vi!” You gasp and hug her tightly. You feel her chuckle and hug you back. You can’t help the warm feeling that flows through you. ‘Her hugs always make me feel so safe.’ Even though you’ve been apart for a few hours, you really missed her. That vacation spoiled you, and this conversation made you desperately need her.

“Hey, pretty girl.” Vi grins at you, “You really missed me that much?”

“Of course I did!” You scoff, “I stole your favorite jacket for a reason.” You motion to the red leather jacket currently wrapped around your frame. It smelled of her cologne.

“I know.” Vi laughs, “I was looking for it earlier when I was at the studio. I can’t believe you snuck it out of my bag without me noticing.” She shakes her head with an amused smile.

“Um… Excuse me?” You hear Aimee's question. Vi glances past you, making you turn around to the other couple. Aaron looks shocked and pissed at the same time. His girlfriend looks a little put out that the conversation was interrupted.

“Y/n, who’s this?” Aaron asks. You can see the annoyance on his face. ’He doesn’t like the fact that someone interrupted his gloating, huh?’ Vi slings her arm around your shoulder, pulling you against her and it’s then you realize her arms are showing. Her muscles flex slightly with the position her arm is in, unintentionally showing how ripped she is.

“I’m Vi.” Vi says casually, “This pretty little thing’s girlfriend.” She squeezes you, making you giggle. You can tell that what Vi said makes Aaron even more upset. ‘How do I explain the situation to her? Whisper it to her?’ You bite your lip in thought. Vi’s hand rises and her thumb gently guides your bottom lip from between your teeth. You blush. ‘She’s already figured out my habits.’

“Wait... Girlfriend? I heard from Aaron’s friends that you weren’t into girls.” Aimee tilts her head, “How long have you two been dating?” Vi glances at you when Aimee says his name. She raises an eyebrow at you, subtly motioning to him and you nod. Vi rolls her eyes and you relax in her arms. You love that she was quick to pick up on situations like this.

“Hmm, officially, we’ve been together for nine months. Although, I caught this cutie’s attention ten months ago.” Vi smirks, “Some dumbass left her alone on her birthday at The Last Drop.” You cover your mouth to stop the surprised grin from showing. Vi unknowingly counteracted what Aaron said about you earlier. You didn’t expect Vi to be so forward in this situation, but you’re loving it. Aaron clenches his jaw at her words.

“Wait, so you have been to The Last Drop?” Aimee furrows her brow in confusion as she glances at Aaron. You look your ex dead in the eyes.

“More than once.” You smile innocently, “I was trying to tell you, but I didn’t get the chance. Forgive me, I’m tired after my flight home.”

“You’ve been there?” Vi asks.

“She has, and - get this, babe - she went with Aaron.” You nudge her playfully.

“Oh that’s nice, I’ve brought Y/n there quite a few times since we started dating.” Vi grins mischievously.

“Wow! So, you must really have a solid connection to be able to get in that often.” Aimee brightens up. You giggle to yourself as Vi nudges you.

“Something like that.” Vi smiles secretively.

“Y/n! Vi!” Allie squeals as she materializes from the crowd. You grin and give your best friend a hug.

“Hey, Allie!” You chirp.

“How was Demacia?! Ekko sent us pictures from the set! I’m so jealous!” Allie gushes.

“Set? You said you were visiting family.” Aaron says sourly. Allie winks at you. ‘She did that on purpose.’

“Y/n went to see her family, but she was also shooting a music video.” Vi says proudly, “She’s the new fourth member of True Damage.”

“We met Ekko at The Last Drop last summer. He heard Y/n singing and asked for a sample song. The next thing we knew, she was signing a contract to join!” Allie cheers, “This is supposed to be her debut song!”

“Allie!” You hiss, feeling flustered. You wanted to keep quiet about it until the video came out.

“Come on, babe!” Vi says teasingly, “Don’t be modest! It’s a big deal!”

“Yeah, like you getting cast to be in a new Netflix series, Vi!” Allie stokes the flames, “And that you’ve become the youngest pro-boxer in history! That’s huge, Vi! Don’t sell yourself short either!” She playfully smacks Vi’s arm. Your girlfriend chuckles as Aaron’s jaw drops. This escape took a detour and you couldn’t help but love it. You didn’t intend for this to happen but your ex’s reactions are priceless!

“Oh my Gods, wait! You’re Violet Warwick?! I thought you looked familiar! I saw an article mentioning the new series. It’s called Arcane, right? You’re co-starring with actress Caitlyn Kiramman and Ekko from True Damage!” Aimee gushes. The laugh you were desperately trying to keep back breaks through your lips.

“Yeah, I actually just got back from a last-minute check-in with her.” Vi shrugs nonchalantly, “Anyway, I came over here to grab my girl before greeting Allie. I didn’t intend for that information to be brought up.”

“Wait, I know that tone of voice… You’re leaving?” Allie pouts.

“We are. Y/n and I are exhausted from our flight and I just got back from Piltover. I’ve got to get her home and in bed so she can rest.” Vi kisses your temple. You smile at her, catching Aaron’s red face in the corner of your eye.

“I wanted to hang out, but I really am too tired. I’m sorry, Allie.” You give her a hug, “We can make plans another time!”

“Obviously!” Allie laughs, “I’ll see you two for the next study session. Get some rest, and let me know if Ekko’s looking for any features.” She winks and walks away. ‘I’m so texting her about this later.’ You shake your head fondly.

“It was so great meeting you!” Aimee smiles at Vi. It’s then that you realize she’s giving your girlfriend the heart eyes. You kiss Vi’s cheek who gives you a knowing smile.

“You too.” Vi nods at her before looking at Aaron who was still clenching his jaw. You idly wonder how his jaw can manage that.

“Thanks for breaking up with Y/n. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have taken this acting position!” Vi says good-naturedly, “Anyway, it’s nice to finally meet the man who left his girlfriend at the bar. She’s a keeper for me.” Vi winks before leading you away.

“You did not just do that!” You hiss at her in surprise.

“He was the one trying to be an asshole to my girl. Besides, she should know the kind of man she’s with.” Vi shrugs.

“It’s because of you that I was able to notice that.” You chuckle fondly.

“What can I say, I’m a great girlfriend.” Vi teases you.

“I thought you wanted to be my boyfriend?” You joke. Vi laughs and shakes her head, “And you say my jokes are corny!” She snickers.

“Shut up.” You pout and cross your arms. Vi really is the best partner you could have asked for.

#vi x reader #song fic #boyfriend by dove cameron #Spotify #vi arcane

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husbandohunter · 3 years

Note

A Furry Predicament, but reversed (Reader turns into a cat)? Pretty please with a sweet lil cherry on top? (I recently stumbled across your blog and may I just say that I absolutely adore your works??) Thank youu and take care~~

A Furrier Predicatment [Genshin x Cat!Reader]

♤♡◇♧☆

Synopsis: It's your turn to be a cat after this incident.

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Xiao, Albedo, Zhongli, Childe, Venti

(A/n): Ah you did OwO that's very sweet of you. It's alot of fun to write, especially when your imagination is stunted and you just gotta spit out something silly.

=======================

[Diluc]

Any beloved pet owned by Master Diluc would be under the most high quality and meticulous treatement. Mostly for cats since they tend to be calm while elegant...to some extent. If they were dogs then he'll ensure that they also serve as a partner for sniffing out trouble such as a certain bard who'd might've sneaked into the wine cellars. But you weren't either, so to say, you were both a beloved AND a cat.

As he picks you up gently into his arms, Diluc would be a little baffled on what to do next. He has no idea how to care for delicate creatures as he never had one (other than a pet tortoise but that's different) in which he needed to look for help. But who? The staff? Certainly not, no one can find out that his partner turned into a pet (imagine all the scandals he'll be in). Jean? Anything but the knights of Favonius. And most certainly not his brother.

So Diluc ends up figuring everything out by himself (old habits die hard). All the sweets and regular meals you craved were no long in your menu, you were forced to have a proper cat diet because he believed it was healthier. Half of the time he has no idea what he's doing, since you were a cat and all you could do was "meow" (which Diluc forgets. He tries to have a mundane conversation until you stare at him with feline eyes. That was when he remembered).

"What would you like for tonight's dinner, my love?"

"Meow." He has alot to learn.

Though Master Diluc often gets very tired and he attempts to take a quick nap before killing himself over the next set of duties. That is, until you could help it. Being a cat has it's furry and comfy advantages. So you leapt up to the bed as quietly as possible and onto the side of your lover, circling a few times to see if he was really asleep. When he was you snuggled close to keep him warm, hoping it would lull him into a rest even deeper. He slept like a baby.

~xx~

[Kaeya]

If the Cavalry Capatain were to own a pet, they would either be charmed by him or snaring their teeth because of his unreadable and suspicious aura. Animal instincts are quite powerful. But your case wasn't the latter, thankfully and he could feel himself growing fond of this new found relationship. Almost. What should he do with you now that you're a cat, Kaeya wonders.

Belly rubs and a lot of them. He absolutely adores the way your cute little nose scrunches up while he runs his fingers on the center of your tummy (though he knows when to stop, Kaeya is rather gentle with you nowadays). You found that he absolutely adores the shape of your nose, would pick you up and boop yours with his own somehow knows how to be his flirty self despite your unusual form.

There was this one incident where you saw something shiny flashing over the wall. Slowly you followed it as the bright dot moved futher and further away, evetually gaining speed. Little did you know it was Kaeya who was watching you swipe your little paws up and down against the wall while he was just cleaning his sword. How could he help it? You were often so headstrong and independent, now you were just an adorable little kitten that loves to play with yarn and shiny things. It backfired him though, now there were a bunch of scratchmarks marring the surfaces (which he had to pay for repairs).

Takes you out to Windrise so that you could get some fresh air (also for you to find somewhere else to shed your fur other than his humble abode). Kaeya sits back under a tree while you either chase a butterfly or start slapping against the dandelions (only sneeze when they fly into your face). He wasn't sure if you were aware of what you were doing right now, if you were then he'll have lots of things to talk about once you turn back into human. If not, then at least he had the opportunity to witness such a soft side coming from you.

~xx~

[Xiao]

If any animal were to go close towards the adeptus, they would run away. Xiao isn't very good at interacting with others, pets included, usually they would run into the alleyway or hide around the legs of their owners while he glaringly, blankly stares at them (Even though he wouldn't admit it, Xiao thinks to himself, how soft is cat fur?) Now he gets to touch your cat form and turns out that fur is very ticklish yet pleasant against his skin.

Would be the most awkward conversationalist, the poor yaksha was already terrible with his words (often coming out harsh so he prefers to either keep away or say nothing at all) and even with you sometimes, now it was almost impossible to communicate. Xiao is not very good at reading a cat's body language. When you want him to hold you again, you'd walk in circles. He assumes you were hungry and leaps out the window to go fetch some fish...for the nth time there was a pile of raw salmon stacking upon the floor. Xiao thinks that maybe salmon species weren't to your liking, hence he does out to find another one.

As he plays his flute, you'd magically doze off on his lap. (There was one thing that you both can communicate with at last). Slowly but surely, he comes to learn the different gestures you make for certain situations. You often rub yourself upon his leg which he had heard to be a cat's way of claiming their territory. That was when Xiao picks you up, FINALLY. Though the real reason why it took him this long was because he was hesitant to hold you. He never really held a pet so naturally he has no idea how to hold a cat. Ends up cradling you in his arms because it seemed to be a safer option <3

"I never thought I'd be able to hold you like this," Xiao softly says to your lazy form, observing the way your ears perked up at the sound of his voice, "But I...forget it. We can stay like this for the time being, if you'd like. If not, that's fine too."

You stay.

~xx~

[Albedo]

The only pets Albedo had were for his alchemic experiments (plus they were put in cages too). Fact be told, he would make a terrible pet owner with the lifestyle he has now. The alchemist would be so absorbent into his work that he'll most likely forget that he has someone to feed and by the time he realized it, they would have already starved to death. After hearing glass bottles crashing to the floor, Albedo bursts into the rooms as the smoke fills it completely, finding a cat lost between it. The cat was you. He knows because he made the potions.

Sometimes he'd a little too scientific for his own good. Albedo assumed that when you turned into a cat, you've gone into cat mode and ends up treating you as such. "No, don't go near any bodies of water. You wouldn't like it." He almost forgets that you were once human which is very much like him if you had to be honest. Though when he does find out that you still carried human traits, Albedo must find ways to adapt things to your liking.

He makes your food himself. He's not a cook but he sure is good at everything he does, even if it's something he never did before. This goes for other areas too such as the size of your bed, if you need a little couch to stay on or maybe some tools to play around. (The only time when he is a good pet owner). In his sketchbook he'd have a bunch of blueprints and contraptions of what to make next. There's something enjoyable when spoiling you, those little reactions when you're pleased, like the twitch of your whiskers or the lift of your tail. Albedo finds is very cute.

On top of all that, he could also make you a potion to turn you back into normal. It seemed that it was the last thing he thought of on the list. Albedo was too occupied with treating you like a cat that it all flew over his head until now. Time flies when you're having fun.

~xx~

[Zhongli]

Unlike Albedo, anyone who has Zhongli as a pet owner would be considered to be a very lucky animal. He radiates a calm and serene aura that gives the perfect environment to have infinite nap times. People look at this man and wonder why his pet never gives him any trouble, especially when cats were considered to be both fiesty and needy. But they just didn't know that the cat was you (not like it would make a difference, any animal would know that Zhongli was no ordinary man).

How on earth does he know what you're saying? Maybe it's because he was once an archon. You could meow and he knows exactly what you would like to snack on. You could tilt your head, he takes it that you were curious on what he was currently doing (which was exactly what you were wondering), you can say nothing at all yet as if he could read your mind, Zhongli comes over to pet you with his gloved hands.

"How can I tell? Indeed it is because you're my lover, of course. Throughout this time we spent together, I've come to learn the way you speak through your eyes. They seem to hold true no matter what form you take. It's rather comforting."

Though there were many moments where you sneak up behind Zhongli. His hair, his ponytail- so long. Must play with. As you jump up and down with his thin strand swings side to side, it'll take a few seconds for him to decipher what your were doing. The minute he turns around he catches you with his hands midair and laughs heartfully. Cats were very endearing creatures.

~xx~

[Childe]

Back home in Snezhnaya, Childe would probably have owned a dog or two. They were mostly meant for hunting purposes, big and large furry creatures with thick skin suitable to endure the harsh cold. He has dogs because cats hate him for some strange reason. They either hiss or snootly turn their backs on him, one time he picked one up as a kid but his face bleeding after the cat scratched him with their paws. But of course you wouldn't do that to him. You would never~ he was your cutie pie anyways.

He was an obnoxious hugger, not gentle at all. Childe forgets his strength as a human man and when he squeezes you tightly against his chest, you'd spike out on all ends because by the archons, you're suffocating. But it was your fault for feeling so comfy and warm! Similar to Kaeya, they're both obnoxious but Childe deemed himself to be even worse. He'd rub his face against yours, commenting on how sensitive it sways. Tonia once told him that she wanted a pet cat instead, maybe he should also bring you back to his homeland now.

Yes he would love to play with you. Bring in the cat toys...or not. This was the eleventh Fatui Harbinger, what were you thinking? Normal cat activities? Not here. He's gonna teach you how to hunt like how he taught his dogs to hunt in Snezhnaya. You gave him the most deadpanned and dissapointed look with your large feline glare. Not only was he disliked by cats but he certainly was not good with them.

Though he can take it down a notch sometimes and just indulge in relaxing activities. When there was nothing else for him to do or when he was just tired after a productive day, he'd sit by the kitchen and you on top of the table. While you yawned and leaned down for a nap, Childe plays with the small of your paws to the soft edge of your nails. If he taps your nose, your whiskers twitch. Your ears are nice, maybe he should get you a headband version once you turned back to human.

You immediately wake up when he touches your tail.

~xx~

[Venti]

Achoo!

You sometimes wonder how is it that the anemo archon was able to live through 2000 years without getting beaten up by a cat. If andrius was a large cougar than a wolf, maybe he wouldn't be an archon now. Which is why you are to stay miles far far away from him unless you want the whole of Mondstadt to be blown away by the wind.

Wears a mask (as if this were the covid19 pandemic), although it doesn't take away all his problems, at least it'll minimize it. Venti always has a box of tissues ready but you can tell by the puffiness of his eyes that he's been sneezing alot. He really tries his hardest to pitch in every once in a while when Albedo was working on a cure for you to go back to normal. Though acts as if he was quarantined by staying all the way at the other side of the room.

"Ahahaha don't mind me. It's your local bard of Mondstadt dropping by to see how things are going. I wanna make sure how long it will take for you to make the potion? Just curious!"

No hugs, cuddles or anything involving close proximity. This makes Venti very pouty and impatient. Albedo finds it very hard to concentrate with all the sniffling and sneezing that he had no choice but to kick him out. It didn't help that the location was Dragonspine, now he was sneezing even more.

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taeyongdoyoung · 3 years

Photo

summary: all your life you’d been taught that vampires were the supreme evil. but when you fail your first assignment as a vampire hunter, you soon realize your parents had been lying to you. maybe the real monsters were humans all along...

pairing: vampire!yuta x human!reader x werewolf!taeyong

genre: fantasy, angst, smut, fluff (if you squint)

warnings: blood mentions, vampire compelling, stalking, attempted murder (?), biting, vervain poisoning, kidnapping, chaining, suicidal thoughts, manipulative parents, torture threats, swearing, death threats, pee mentions (i’m sorry, i wanted to make it funny?), pet names (sweetheart, babygirl, princess, kitten, etc.), undressing, feeding, terrible puns, yutae feminist kings, yuta pervert, lock picking, kissing, subby yong, handjob, face-sitting, eating out, unprotected sex, choking, kabedon, cheating, guilt, slut-shaming (?), homoerotic undertones, polyamory

author’s note: this story takes place in the same universe as my nominyn fic best friend. if you feel like reading it, i’d be very happy and grateful ❤️ if not, all you need to know is that taeyong, the owner of lee’s club, is also jeno’s cousin and they’re both werewolves. and yuta is the vampire who turned jaemin. taeyong and yuta are roommates and friends 💜 as for y/n, this is a different reader than the one in best friend (obviously, but i’m still clarifying just in case lol). anyways, i hope you all enjoy this 💙

word count: 8.2k

Chain! Reaction The chain spreads Chain! Reaction The chain connects From here on, the world is connecting...

“I can’t believe you’d be so irresponsible as to turn my cousin’s best friend into a vampire!” Taeyong scolded his roommate Yuta one night.

“How was I supposed to know Na Jaemin is Lee Jeno’s bestie?” Yuta groaned.

“They’re regulars in my club, how did you not know?” Taeyong sighed, completely exasperated by the vampire’s reckless behaviour.

“In my defense, all humans look the same to me. That’s like...asking a lion to tell the difference between an antelope and a gazelle. They’re all prey to me,” Yuta shrugged.

“You’re disgusting,” Taeyong rolled his eyes. “Remind me again why I agreed to have you as a roommate?”

“Because your previous roommate never cleaned up after himself and you hate it when things get messy. And I’m an extremely considerate vampire who doesn’t leave any traces of blood.”

“Unbelievable,” Taeyong shook his head. “You should be more careful from now on. Turning people I know without their consent can end badly.”

“I’ll try to be more cautious. And if Jaemin comes by again, I’ll give him some helpful tips about his new life as a vampire.”

“I appreciate it,” Taeyong nodded. “But I still have a bad feeling about this.”

“Everything will be fine. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?”

The answer was: a lot. For a while, things were fine. Yuta was going on his usual hunting sprees. Picking random drunken victims from the club, having enough blood to keep him satisfied but without killing them, and then compelling them to forget about the experience. Taeyong, being the more responsible out of the two, kept scolding his roommate to be more careful. But Yuta never listened. And one night, he was caught in the act by vampires’ worst enemy. No, it wasn’t werewolves like the stereotypes said. But something far more dangerous.

A couple of nights later, Yuta and Taeyong were walking home beneath the moonlight. It was a little too quiet. Suddenly, Taeyong, with his werewolf super smell, sensed something wrong.

“Someone’s following us,” he whispered to Yuta. “Should we run?”

“Run?” Yuta scoffed. “We’re a vampire and a werewolf. Whoever’s following us should be afraid of us.”

“Don’t turn around,” Taeyong warned but in vain. Yuta reacted without thinking and used his vampire super speed to run not away from the danger but towards it. When Taeyong noticed it was just a human girl, he panicked a little. Was Yuta seriously going to kill her simply for following them? Seconds later, he realized she was not just any ordinary girl. She was a vampire hunter, holding an wooden stake in her hand. She was trained to murder vampires. Before Taeyong could react and warn Yuta, his roommate’s fangs were already on her neck. “Yuta, don’t!”

But it was too late. As soon as the hunter’s blood was in his system, Yuta weakly swayed to the side.

“V-vervain,” Yuta whispered, collapsing onto the ground. Taeyong, who was usually the rational one, didn’t think this time, he simply reacted. Transforming into his wolf form, he jumped into the air, snarling at the girl. Wooden stakes did not pose any danger to werewolves, so he was unafraid when he bit her hand, causing her to drop the weapon. It was beyond obvious she was inexperienced in the art of hunting monsters. Despite being prepared by having injected vervain in her blood, she was no match for a werewolf.

“He’s not d-dead, I s-swear,” the girl stammered helplessly, anticipating Taeyong’s attack. “Just unconscious.”

Taeyong growled, contemplating what the best thing to do was. If he killed the girl, more hunters would come after them to avenge her. If he let her go - same result.

“I don’t want to do this,” she confessed, tearing up. “And neither do you.”

In that moment, Taeyong made a decision. One that he would probably regret but one he couldn’t stop himself from making. Roaring at her, the hunter girl fainted in fear, visibly unprepared for an actual encounter with monsters.

And Taeyong made the decision not to kill her.

You woke up feeling utterly exhausted. And the first thing you noticed was that your hands were chained to an unfamiliar bed. Your legs were free, but that didn’t matter much, because your wrists hurt so badly you could barely move. You put two and two together, recalling the events of last night. Your parents who’d been vampire hunters their whole lives, had sent you on your first assignment. You were supposed to find a vampire and kill him. Easy. Only not so much. Despite being trained for this for ten years, you kept hearing rumours that not all vampires were murderers. And as much as you tried to locate one that you were certain killed innocents, you couldn’t succeed. So, when you spotted a vampire (whose name was Yuta but you didn’t know that yet) drinking the blood of a random woman you had been so close to intervening in your wish to save her life, but then you saw him letting her go, compelling her to forget about this...You instinctively knew he wasn’t a murderer. And yet, if you didn’t want to disappoint your parents, you had to go through with this. But as expected, you failed. And now you were stuck here, far away from your home.

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” the werewolf from last night pointed out, walking into the room.

“Why?” you asked dumbly.

“Why what?” he tilted his head in confusion.

“Why am I awake? Why didn’t you kill me?” you wanted to know.

“You sound like someone who wants to be killed,” he observed.

“I’d rather die than...” than go back home and face the disappointment in your strict parents’ eyes, you thought. But didn’t dare say it out loud in front of the werewolf. You couldn’t afford to be that vulnerable. You had already shown enough weakness...with your inability to get rid of the vampire.

“This was your first assignment, wasn’t it?” the werewolf guessed correctly.

“How did you find out?” you murmured.

“It’s obvious. I mean, you hesitated. Trained hunters usually kill vampires before it comes to drinking blood stained with vervain. You couldn’t even lift your wooden stake. You were just holding it.”

“I didn’t hesitate,” you lied. “I was just too slow.”

“Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart. If it helps you sleep better at night.”

He could see right through you. It was so frustrating. But you figured lying to him was useless. If he didn’t kill you, your superiors would definitely do so for failing to complete your mission. So, you might as well spend your last days being honest.

“Is the vampire alive?” you asked.

“As alive as vampires can be,” the werewolf chuckled. “And his name is Yuta. Not that you care.”

“And what is yours?” the words had left your mouth before your brain could order your lips shut. As if it mattered. As if it would make a difference.

“It’s Taeyong. But I don’t imagine you’d be willing to share yours without some good old-fashioned torturing.”

Honestly? You were already a disappointment to your people. You didn’t feel like being tortured into giving away your name. Everything seemed insignificant.

“I’m Y/N,” you admitted. “And like I said. I’d rather die than return home.”

“And why is that?” Taeyong inquired curiously.

“I hate being judged for my lack of hunting skills. I hate feeling like a failure, like a fucking outcast. But what I hate more than anything is that I have the gnawing suspicion my family has been lying to me. They kept telling me vampires never leave their victims to walk away alive. I’ve been trying to find a vampire who actually murders humans for weeks. It would feel wrong to kill someone who isn’t a killer. And just when I thought I was successful because Yuta looked so bloodthirsty and savage, he let that drunk woman go. But my parents kept pestering me, saying I’m taking too long with my first assignment. And I couldn’t imagine having to face their disappointment so I followed Yuta. But you were with him. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. And...the mere fact you still haven’t killed me is making me question everything my family ever taught me.”

Taeyong nodded thoughtfully, visibly intrigued by your story.

“I would love to finish this conversation, but I promised to help my cousin out with something today,” he explained. “Of course, as much as I feel for you, I can’t afford letting you go after that stunt you pulled last night. I can’t risk more hunters coming after Yuta and I. So, you’ll have to forgive me if I leave you here for the time being.”

“No, wait!” you opened your mouth to argue but Taeyong had already left the room. Damnit. You had no idea when he would return...What if you had to use the toilet? You realized your current chained position made it impossible for you to do any movements. Was he just going to leave you here? Were you going to starve to death? Despite your previous claims, you realized you didn’t actively want to die. At least, not like this. It was embarrassing. You would rather lose your life fighting than in such a pathetic way - chained to a freaking bed with no immediate access to water or any other basic need for that matter.

Hours later, when you were beginning to lose your mind, terrified by the unknown and how long it would be until your next sip of water or your next meal, you had an unexpected visitor. For a second, you were hopeful that Taeyong had returned, already feeling a bit encouraged by your previous conversation with the werewolf. But soon enough, your hopes were crushed when your eyes spotted the vampire Yuta walking into the room. Your body involuntarily reacted with terror, your toes curling in fear and your restrained fists clenching in vain.

“Are you scared?” he grinned, mocking you. “Good. You should be.”

You didn’t dare speak, feeling far more intimidated by the cold vampire than the friendly werewolf.

“Give me one valid reason why I shouldn’t suck you dry right now,” Yuta threatened.

“My blood still has vervain in it,” you explained cautiously. “It will take at least 48 hours for my system to be clear of it. You barely recovered from the first bite, are you sure you want to take your chances a second time?”

He chuckled.

“You’re smart, I’ll give you that. But you forget very one important fact. My fangs are not the only thing capable of killing a weakly human such as yourself. I could easily slit your throat with a kitchen knife. Or drown you in the bathtub. Or maybe you’d prefer rat poison? Whatever the choice of weapon, my point is...I can kill you. So, why shouldn’t I?”

Yet again, despite your previous bravado and useless protests that you’d rather die than go back to your family, you still wanted to live. You were too young to die.

“Yes, you can,” you acquiesced. “But you won’t. If you wanted to, you would have done so already. Which means that Taeyong told you not to, didn’t he? And you value his opinion. Even if it goes against your personal views. I’m right, aren’t I?”

Yuta nodded, impressed by your deductive skills. Even though you were obviously shit at combat, your brain made you a useful asset to the hunting business.

“You’re right. But you’re also hungry, thirsty and chained to a bed. And Taeyong, responsible as he is, forgot about that. After his meeting with his cousin, he’ll go to work at his club. He usually comes back at 1 am. It’s currently...hm, lunch time. You think you can last that long?”

You probably could. But you didn’t want to.

“Or...you could try to rely on me. Oh, who am I kidding? Your hunter pride would probably make that impossible.”

Fuck your hunter pride, you thought. You wanted water. And if you were lucky, maybe a snack. Now. And you also needed to pee really badly you were barely holding it in. You couldn’t physically imagine staining the sheets in front of the vampire. That would be far too mortifying.

Yuta was about to walk out of the room when you finally opened your mouth again.

“Please, don’t leave,” you begged him. “Tell me what I have to do for a sip of water and I will.”

“Aw, aren’t you a pliant little one?” he cooed, poking fun at you.

If your parents could see you now, they would probably disown you for being the most pathetic failed attempt of a hunter in the universe. But honestly, you didn’t care. They had lied to you. Both the werewolf and the vampire had spared your life. Which made them so much more different from the monsters your family had described to you.

“How about we play a game? For every question of mine you answer truthfully, I’ll grant you one wish. And don’t even bother to lie. I can literally hear the blood coursing through your veins and I’ll know if you try to deceive me.”

It sounded easy enough to achieve. You couldn’t imagine what the vampire could possibly want to know. But you were so desperate for release that you were willing to be the most honest person ever.

“Agreed,” you responded rightaway.

“Very well, then. Why did you hesitate? Last night you had a wooden stake in your hand but you didn’t even lift it up,” Yuta pointed out. “You could have easily used it to put an end to my seemingly immortal existence. But you didn’t. Instead, you let me drink from you, temporarily weakening me with vervain. Why?”

“Like I already told Taeyong earlier today,” you started explaining the same old story but in a different way. “I couldn’t bring myself to complete my first assignment as a hunter, because I realized my parents had been lying to me for years. A couple of nights ago I saw you drinking blood from a woman but you didn’t kill her. You compelled her to forget and let her go. My family had told me all vampires were heartless murderers. But they were wrong, weren’t they?”

“I’ll let you draw your own conclusions, little one,” Yuta smirked mysteriously, even though you were already about 51% positive he wasn’t going to kill you. The other 49% of doubts you blamed partially on your upbringing and internalized distrust of vampires but mostly on his savage grin. “You answered with the truth and I’m a vampire of my word. What is your first wish?”

“This is too embarrassing,” you confessed. “But I really need to use the toilet.”

“Oh. Well, I have some bad news for you, babygirl. Taeyong took the key to your chains with him. Even if I wanted to release you, that would be impossible.”

“What, so not even your vampire super strength can take these off?” you exclaimed in disappointment. You couldn’t hold it in much longer...

“It can,” Yuta replied. “But it would also break your wrists. And as angry as I am for last night’s events, it would be a shame to tear you apart without getting to know each other first, don’t you think?”

You shuddered, somewhat terrified of his cruel words.

“Lucky for you, I have an idea,” he said, significantly pointing towards the bed.

“You’re insane!” you shouted. “I’m not going to pee in front of you and then drown in my own...God, why are we even discussing this?”

“I can avert my eyes if it’ll make you feel more comfortable. And change the sheets after you’re done. Aren’t I a generous bloodsucker?” Yuta smirked.

Fuck it. You were going to burst...

“Turn around. Please?” you mumbled shyly.

“As you wish,” he did as you asked. And you could no longer contain it. A couple of seconds later, you awkwardly informed Yuta that you were finished doing your...business. When he faced you again, you quickly closed your eyes, feeling utterly humiliated. You could hear the sound of Yuta changing the sheets but didn’t dare open your eyes. Not until you felt his hands on your hips.

“What are you d-doing?” you squeaked.

“Taking your jeans off. Unless you want to sit here like this, soaking wet.”

Fucking hell...You hated how his words affected you.

“Fine. Just get it over with,” you gave him permission, even though he was obviously the one in power here. And you were the one left completely defenseless and still chained to a bed.

There was something incredibly intimate about him undressing your lower half and letting you wear a pair of dry, clean pants (you didn’t want to think about whether they were his or Taeyong’s).

“All set,” Yuta announced and for the briefest of moments it was easy to forget you were a hunter and he was a vampire. Touched by his gesture, you murmured a quick thank you. And then, it was back to square one.

“My second question for you is...what would you do if we let you go? Would you try to kill me? Or Taeyong?”

You shook your head, surprising yourself with the unexpected truth.

“I can’t kill you,” you replied. “Not that it would be impossible to find the means. But my personal morals are in contradiction with everything I’ve been trained to do. My observations have led me to believe you’re not a murderer, therefore, I can’t bring myself to kill you. Or Taeyong. Everything I stand for goes against my family’s orders.”

“That doesn’t answer my first question, kitten. What would you do?”

“I can’t go back to my people,” you admitted. “They would ostracize me, probably even execute me for being such a failure. So, I don’t know what to do. If you don’t kill me, my superiors sure will. Does that answer your question?”

Yuta seemed extremely shocked by how cruel hunters could be. Made you question everything, reality itself...Maybe the real monsters were humans, after all.

“I believe it does. And your second wish?”

“Can you please let me have some water?” you asked.

“Of course,” he agreed rightaway and quickly brought you a glass full of water. Grateful, you let him lift your chin up, slightly tilting your head backwards, as he poured water into your mouth. When your thirst was quenched and the glass empty, you blinked at him, incredibly moved by the simple act of him giving you something to drink.

“Why are you so nice to me?” you mumbled.

“It’s not your turn to ask questions, little one,” Yuta scoffed. “But I’m feeling strangely generous today, so I’ll answer anyway. Same reason why you didn’t kill me.”

What was that supposed to mean? Was Yuta nice to you because...he didn’t believe you were a murderer? Could it be that simple?

“Regardless,” he continued. “We’ve already established you’re not interested in going back to your people should we choose to let you go. And I’m not interested in killing you. For now. That leaves me with one last question. Not what you would do, you made yourself abundantly clear you had no idea. But where would you go? Would you be willing to stay here? With us?”

“Why would you want me to stay here?” you asked in shock. “Would I not be a nuisance to you?”

“It would certainly make my life much easier if I had access to fresh human blood whenever I pleased. After your system is clear of the damn vervain, of course.”

“You want me to be your bloodmobile?” you exclaimed.

“Well, when you put it like that, the idea sounds much less appealing.”

“Dear Lord,” you laughed, unbelievably amused by the absurdity of this conversation.

“Just answer the question.”

“Ah, right. Um...it was like you said, you’re not interested in killing me. And I gotta admit, being your bloodmobile is far more preferable than being executed by other hunters for being a flop. So, yeah. I think I would stay. Does that make me crazy? Maybe so. But do I care? Not really. At least I’d be alive,” you kept ranting mindlessly until Yuta finally chose to interrupt you.

“And your third wish?”

“Can I have something to eat?” you asked.

“Sure thing. I’ll give you a bite. Pun-intended.”

You couldn’t resist the urge to chuckle, overwhelmed by the vampire’s sense of humour. A bit later, Yuta was back from the kitchen, carrying a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich, some beef meat and a banana.

“But m-my h-hands...” you stammered, dumbly pointing out the current predicament which promised your inability to hold the food.

“Relax, kitten, I’ll feed you,” Yuta rolled his eyes. And so he did, gently feeding you. Silence reigned in the room while you ate. Finally, as the plate was cleared of its contents, you were the first to speak again.

“I’m starting to think there is some conspiracy theory. If the hunters knew what kindness vampires were capable of, all their children would have gladly escaped the hunter life a long time ago.”

“Oh, babygirl, not all vampires are like me,” Yuta hissed in your ear.

By the time Taeyong returned home, it was too late and you had already fallen asleep. Which meant you could not hear the discussions he was having with Yuta. And you could not feel what was happening to those chains. Despite your initial unawareness, you were quick to spot the difference in the morning. Your hands were free, you realized with amazement. Any other hunter would have jumped at their newfound freedom, would have been quick to attack the supernatural creatures from behind and escape. But you were more of a feeble newborn kitten than a hunter. So, you simply walked towards the door. Not intending to run away. But to explore. Finding Taeyong on the couch, you greeted him nervously and gathered enough courage to sit down next to him. His first words shocked you out of your senses.

“I’m really sorry, darling,” he whispered. When you stared at him in confusion, he added. “About yesterday. I shouldn’t have left with the key still in my pocket. Yuta told me how you...”

“Okay, that’s enough!” you chirped. “Please don’t make me re-live the embarrassment.”

Taeyong made a zipping movement towards his mouth jokingly, signifying that he wouldn’t bring up the subject again.

“I never asked you how you had these chains just lying around. Kinda suspicious, no?”

He shook his head.

“In my first months as a werewolf, it was difficult to control my strength during a full moon. I used to wake up to my apartment being completely thrashed. I’m talking...broken furniture, torn clothes and other unspeakable consequences of my lycanthropy. So, I used to chain myself during my first full moons to prevent myself from misbehaving. I haven’t needed them for a while, as you can probably tell from our initial encounter. But in relation to a vampire hunter, they came in handy. Pun-intended.”

You rolled your eyes. You could tell why Taeyong and Yuta were friends.

“So, what made you change your mind? I mean, why did you remove them from me?” you wanted to know.

“The second Yuta told me about yesterday’s...unmentionable event, I knew it couldn’t happen again. You’re a lady, after all. I apologize for any discomfort I have caused you. It’s just that...I care about Yuta and yesterday morning, he was still too weak from the vervain to defend himself. I couldn’t take any chances.”

“I understand,” you nodded. “And I’m glad now you know I have no intention of killing either of you.”

“That doesn’t mean I trust you,” Taeyong clarified.

“Of course not. But you’re willing to tolerate my existence and that’s good enough for me.”

“Not just tolerate it. I can do better. You don’t have to answer any questions of mine in exchange for water or food. I shouldn’t have left you alone with that little devil.”

“Hey!” Yuta, who’d just walked into the room, complained loudly.

“Weren’t you asleep?” you asked.

“Vampires don’t sleep. What do they teach you in the hunter academy?” Taeyong joked.

“Yeah, I don’t sleep,” Yuta confirmed with a wink. “I just turn off the lights and then cover my eyes. I’ll leave the rest of it to your imagination.”

You didn’t know what to make of it and honestly, you were too afraid to ask.

“As I was saying,” Taeyong interrupted with a sigh. “Let me know whenever you’re hungry and I’ll cook you something. Yuta told me you weren’t all that eager to return to your family, so...just consider yourself our new roommate.”

“But...I don’t have money to pay rent,” you explained foolishly.

“That will be unnecessary. You agreeing not to kill us and provide Yuta with a snack is payment enough. Okay, that sounded wrong,” Taeyong mumbled nervously. “Not that you’re a snack. I mean, you are but in a different sense. Oh, nevermind.”

You blinked at him, feeling uncharacteristically flustered by his words.

“But Taeyong, we only have two beds!” Yuta pointed out, visibly complaining.

“Yuta, you literally don’t sleep,” Taeyong sighed. “You just said so yourself. Take the fucking couch and stop being a baby about it.”

You couldn’t help but grin in amusement. Even if vampires didn’t sleep, they still enjoyed whining and having a place to lie down for whatever reason required no lights and covering their eyes...

“Are you serious about this?” you felt inclined to ask. “I don’t mean to cause you any trouble. You could easily get rid of me by...you know, killing me.”

“Out of the question,” Yuta and Taeyong cried out at the exact same time.

As time went by, you found yourself feeling more and more comfortable in their company. Not only that but you also felt safer around Yuta and Taeyong than you did when you were with your own family. Maybe it was because of the fact that there were no expectations of you. Other than the occasional giving some of your blood to the vampire and helping the werewolf with the cooking, your new roommates were unlike your parents in the sense that they weren’t constantly on your ass. You weren’t just the “hunter daughter” who was supposed to kill innocent vampires and maintain the family legacy, make the whole hunter world proud...You were just you. And that seemed to be enough.

One night, a month after you’d first met them, Yuta had said he would go out for drinks with a fellow vampire Jaemin to teach the younger boy some basics. You were surprised to find out that Taeyong didn’t join his friend and instead, chose to stay in. Locking himself in his room...Was it because there was a full moon? But Taeyong had told you he had learned to control his wolf side a long time ago. Was he mad at you? You wandered around the kitchen. You’d cleaned the dishes as promised and you’d even done the laundry. Why was he avoiding you? Usually, when you stayed alone with Taeyong in the apartment, the werewolf would opt for watching a movie with you or playing games together. But locking himself was beyond suspicious. You had to get to the bottom of it...

Knocking the door to his room was pointless, because there was no response. You sighed to yourself and even though you knew it was wrong, you were too curious to ignore this. So, you removed a hairpin from your head and used it to pick the lock. Once you entered Taeyong’s room, you immediately spotted him, crouched pitifully in the corner.

“Taeyong, are you okay?” you asked in concern, walking towards him.

“Stay away from me, Y/N,” he warned you harshly.

However, you couldn’t. Feeling drawn to him, almost as if by an invisible chain, you approached him further.

“Talk to me, please. If there’s anything I can do to help...”

“Your scent. I can’t stand it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you inquired.

“The full moon is affecting me. Before you arrived, I had mastered my self-control. But things are different now.”

“I’m not sure I’m following,” you whispered in confusion.

“If you don’t walk away right now, I might do something I’ll regret.”

“Like what, kill me?” you joked. Unsuccessfully.

“Worse,” Taeyong hissed.

“I’m not afraid of you, Taeyong,” you explained, taking another step towards him. “You let me stay here even though I posed a danger to your friend. You treated me kindly. For the first time in my life, you respected my wishes not to murder anyone and accepted me for who I am. You took me in when I had nowhere to go. So, if there’s a way I could help you, I will.”

Taeyong wasted no more time and kissed you, barely restraining himself from doing more. You were too shocked to move, but when the initial surprise wore off, you started kissing him back just as eagerly, wrapping your arms around his neck. When his lips left yours, he groaned:

“You should go. I can’t hold back.”

“Don’t hold back,” you begged him and went back to kissing him. Soon enough, he spoke again:

“I have to tell you something. You’ll probably be disappointed, though. I know the general expectation is that werewolves are super dominant and stuff but...I’m not like that. I want you to take care of me.”

“Why would I be disappointed?” you cooed gently. “I think you’re perfect just the way you are. And I’d love to take care of you.”

“Yeah?” Taeyong chuckled in disbelief.

You nodded and boldly pushed him so that he would sit at the edge of his bed. Climbing into his lap, you ran your fingers through hair and started grinding your hips so that you’d stimulate him. When your motions got unbearable for him, he asked you for more. And who were you to deny him? Sliding your hand into his pants, you skillfully circled it around his length, stroking it faster so that he’d reach release.

“Fuck, you smell so good,” he whined after cumming. “Can’t get enough of you.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” you promised foolishly and kissed his forehead.

“Please, I need you,” Taeyong spoke passionately.

“Patience, my dear boy,” you reassured him and started taking off your black dress slowly. When you were left entirely naked, it hit you how wet you were already. Just for him...

“Let me taste you, sweetheart,” he begged and you already knew what he meant. “Sit on my face.”

You did as he wished and allowed him to drink in your juices thirstily. You were holding yourself slightly upright. But soon enough, your knees began shaking. Terrified you’d accidentally fall and stop his airflow, you managed to remove yourself from his lips.

“Nooo,” Taeyong cried out at the loss. “You were so sweet. My sweet girl.”

You caressed his cheeks fondly and moved the lower of your body on the bed so that the heat between your legs was now centimetres away from his cock.

“We could no longer be just roommates after this. Are you sure about it?” you felt inclined to ask.

Taeyond nodded.

“Are you?” he needed to know. Instead of giving him a verbal response, you slid yourself onto him excitedly, smirking. “Shit.”

“Does it feel good for you?” you inquired.

“Hm, I don’t know. Why don’t you start moving and we’ll find out?” Taeyong teased.

“Noted,” you laughed and began bouncing around his cock. It didn’t take long for either of you to come. That thing he’d said about your scent, it also referred to you. You couldn’t physically stay away from him, feeling chained in the best possible way. His body’s reaction to you further enhanced your confidence. When you were both too exhausted for another high, you cuddled Taeyong softly, wrapping a blanket around the two of you.

“I don’t want to weird you out but...I think you’re my mate,” he confessed. “And I’m not just saying it because of the mind-blowing sex we just had. I think...I’ve known it ever since I saw you following us that night. If it was anyone else, I would have probably killed them for threatening Yuta’s life. But when I looked at you, I just couldn’t bring myself to hurt you. So, I did the only thing I could think of...kidnapping you and tying you up. Which, in retrospect, was a little possessive and questionable of me. But if it means getting to have you so close to me, I don’t regret it. Does this make sense?”

“It makes perfect sense, Yongie,” you replied. “I’m not an expert in what this means for me, for us. But what I know for sure is that even after you removed those chains, I didn’t want to escape like any other hunter would have done. I just felt so attached to you already...like I belong here. And if that is the case, then, I’m honoured to be your mate.”

When Yuta returned home at sunrise, you and Taeyong decided it would only be right to inform him about your changed dynamic. After all, Yuta was still your roommate and he deserved to know the truth in order to avoid any potential awkwardness. However, you weren’t certain how exactly to tell him. You weren’t actually dating because you hadn’t gone out on a proper date yet. As for the mating business, it sounded way too serious to disclose in front of Yuta this early on in your relationship. Instead of spending hours wondering how exactly to phrase this, you simply blurted out:

“Taeyong and I slept together.”

Yuta furrowed his eyebrows.

“Good for you? What do you want me to say, congratulations?” he scoffed sarcastically. “You both know very well vampires can’t sleep so wayyy to rub salt into the wound.”

“Well, technically, we didn’t do much sleeping,” Taeyong clarified with a wink. “If you catch my drift.”

“Ew, I get it. Enough of that already,” Yuta hissed angrily.

“Did your date with Jaemin not go well? Why are you acting so prickly?” Taeyong nudged his friend’s shoulder playfully. However, Yuta quickly pulled away as if the mere touch was an offense.

“First of all, it wasn’t a date, I was just giving the poor kid some helpful tips. Second of all, I’m not prickly,” Yuta rolled his eyes. “I simply do not give a damn about your sex life.”

“I thought you’d be happy for us,” you mumbled, sorrow clouding your features.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Yuta shrugged carelessly and went back to his own room, now that you and Taeyong were sharing his bedroom.

The two of you exchanged a brief look of confusion. And as it often turns out, your joy was short-lived.

The next couple of days were the definition of uncomfortable. Whenever your paths crossed with Yuta, he ignored you. And judging from Taeyong’s words, he treated him the same way. You and Taeyong didn’t dare say a word to further upset Yuta. So you basically walked on your tippy toes around him. In the bedroom, you were as quiet as possible, because you feared Yuta would make fun of your shared pleasure and you didn’t want to hear another sneerful remark. However, there were no such comments on his behalf. Just silence. It no longer felt as if you were friends with the vampire. And honestly, it was breaking your heart. He didn’t even want to drink blood from you anymore. Which any sane person would have been happy about, but for some reason, made you feel dejected and rejected.

One night, when Taeyong was working late at his club and Yuta had miraculously stayed in, you decided you could no longer take the cold treatment. Without bothering to knock, you simply entered Yuta’s room in a huff and confronted him directly.

“That’s it!” you said. “You either tell me what’s going on right now or you better find new roommates because I’m done putting up with this bullshit.”

Yuta got up from his chair and in the matter of seconds, he had managed to get closer to you, one hand on your throat, another leaning above your head, with your back pressed against the wall.

“You’re the outsider here, babygirl. You really think you can give me an ultimatum? That’s pathetic...”

Your heart was threatening to burst out of your chest, feeling extremely intimidated by the vampire’s behaviour. But you couldn’t afford to be weak. You might not be a proper hunter but you still believed yourself to be strong enough to hold your ground. Grabbing his hand tightly and forcing him to loosen his grip on your throat, you stated:

“What’s pathetic is you ignoring your friends for no reason. Maybe if you just talked to us, you would stop being so irritable all the time.”

“No reason, you say?” Yuta tsked. “There is plenty of reason but if I told you, you’d wish you’d killed me the very first night we met.”

You shook your head adamantly.

“I wouldn’t,” you insisted. “You’re not a bad guy, Yuta, no matter how hard you try to push us away. You’re so much more-”

Then, without giving you the chance to finish your sentence, he kissed you savagely, taking your breath away. You knew this was wrong, in the mere act of kissing him back, you were betraying Taeyong’s trust. But you couldn’t stop yourself from doing so anyway. Feeling the oh-so-familiar invisible chain reaction, binding you to these two, you found it impossible to suppress your primal urges.

“Yes, I am,” Yuta hissed, after breaking the kiss. “A good guy wouldn’t kiss his best friend’s mate.” Fuck. He knew. “A good guy wouldn’t catch feelings for her. And even if he did, a good guy would never act on them like I just did.”

You disagreed with him.

“Then, I’m just as bad as you.”

Yuta frowned, awaiting a further explanation.

“I kissed you back,” you elaborated, still shaken up by what you’ve done. “God, this will break Taeyong’s heart.”

“I pressed you against the wall, you couldn’t have fought me off and you’re blaming yourself?” Yuta chuckled in amusement. “You’re seriously too kind for your own good.”

“Kind?” you cackled histerically. “I almost killed you even though you were innocent and you call this kind? Do you have any self-preservation instincts?”

“I would gladly die by your hand,” he whispered seductively.

“If this is your method of foreplay, you really need to work on it,” you joked.

“This can’t go further,” Yuta cut you off. “It was a mistake.”

“Do you regret kissing me?”

“I don’t regret a thing. But we can’t...if Taeyong finds out...”

“Are you scared of him?” you couldn’t resist asking.

“I’m scared for him,” he clarified. “He can never know.”

“I don’t want to lie to him,” you replied. “And besides, even if we do try to keep it a secret, he’ll smell your scent all over me.”

“So?” Yuta shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “We can just say I drank from you again.”

“We’re not lying to him, Yuta,” you insisted. “My decision is final.”

“It will devastate him,” he sighed.

“It was a one time thing,” you tried to convince yourself rather than him. “He may forgive us.”

“Nah, he won’t,” Yuta laughed sadly and kissed you again. And you found yourself kissing him back. Again. Until the kisses turned into touches and the touches turned into losing yourselves in each other’s arms and the losing yourselves turned into doing something so irrevocable. Something so wrong but why on earth did it feel so right?

Upon returning home a little after 2 am, Taeyong was so exhausted from working all night long that the first thing he did was to snuggle in the bed he was sharing with you. Usually, your scent brought him so much comfort that he fell asleep very quickly. But this night was different. As he cuddled closer into your sleeping figure, he couldn’t help but notice something was wrong. You didn’t smell like yourself. You smelled like Yuta. Taeyong’s initial reaction was that Yuta was finally done moping around like a sad lion and had probably drunk blood from you. But (and there was a big but coming...) it wasn’t just your neck that smelled like him. It was your whole body. Your hands, your lips and the heat between your legs...It was so frustrating that Taeyong couldn’t take it anymore. Getting up from the bed, he shook you awake. He needed to know if he was just being delusional or if his suspicions were correct. Even though every cell in his body was telling him the truth. It was too obvious to ignore.

“Taeyong...” you murmured sleepily. Upon seeing his angry expression, you put two and two together and added: “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to say it,” Taeyong responded, looking absolutely crestfallen. “I already know.”

You nodded, feeling a tremendous wave of guilt washing over you.

“I will understand if you want to break up. Or if you want me to move out...”

“Where will you go?” he sighed, still feeling responsible. Despite the very apparent fact you had cheated on him with his best friend.

You shrugged.

“I don’t know,” you whimpered, tears already falling down your cheeks. “I’ll probably go back to my people. Face their judgment for being a total failure. After all, I deserve-”

“No,” Taeyong cut you off. “It’s not like you killed a person, Y/N. You don’t deserve to die. Of course you can stay here.”

“Maybe I don’t deserve to die but I certainly don’t deserve you,” you cried out pitifully.

Instead of contradicting your words, he further proved you right with his next statement.

“If you and Yuta really like each other, I’ll back off. Even if it breaks my heart to see my mate and my best friend-”

You shook your head.

“That’s the thing. I do like him a lot. But I like you just as much. I don’t want you to back off. I know it’s a lot to ask, considering how badly I just fucked up, but...”

“Do you want me to fight Yuta for you?” Taeyong scoffed. “Because if I do, only one of us will walk out alive. And I don’t want to lose either of you. You two went behind my back and I still care for you so much. That must make me an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot for having a heart,” you wrapped your hands around his waist, refusing to let go. “And I would never ask you to fight your best friend. In fact, I wanted to ask you the exact opposite.”

“What are you saying?”

“I feel too attached to you both. This cannot be the end. I know I don’t deserve either of you. But I need you so badly. I can’t function without you, Taeyong. And the same goes for Yuta. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Taeyong blinked for a couple of seconds, making you feel a bit worried he was about to reject you. Until he finally spoke again and you released a breath you had no idea you’d been holding for so long.

“I thought I was the only one,” he murmured in wonder.

“Huh?”

“I know this probably sounds insane but...I think I have two mates.”

“I don’t mean to sound presumptuous but...do you mean Yuta and I?” you whispered.

“No, I mean completely random people I’ve never met before,” Taeyong joked. “Of course I meant you and Yuta.”

You blushed shyly, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear.

“And I already know how you feel about both of us, so we just need to see what Yuta thinks about all this,” Taeyong mused out loud.

“I suppose there’s only one way to find out,” you grinned, jumping out of the bed.

“It’s a good thing we wouldn’t be waking him up. You know, with the whole vampires don’t sleep business,” Taeyong giggled.

Once you two barged into Yuta’s room (without knocking, of course), he seemed pretty flustered that he was being visited in the middle of the night. Not that he was doing anything he shouldn’t have been doing. Definitely not.

“What do you want?” he said through gritted teeth.

Taeyong, however, despite his earlier proposition, wanted to scold his friend a little for sleeping with his mate.

“What do I want?” he barked, feigning anger and annoyance. “I can’t believe Y/N would cheat on me with someone so rude and irresponsible.”

You immediately knew what Taeyong was getting at so you decided to play along.

“I’m so sorry, Taeyong,” you cried out, a little too dramatically. Not that you weren’t sorry and feeling guilty. You totally were. But now that you knew how Taeyong felt about both you and Yuta, you figured maybe this whole thing wasn’t such a bad idea after all. ”Please, forgive me, I swear it’ll never happen again.”

“Oh shit. So, you know,” Yuta sighed.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Taeyong hissed, grabbing Yuta by the collar of his shirt. His acting was a little too good. You wondered if you had really hurt him that badly, or if he was secretly happy. “Your scent was all over her, you asshole.”

“Taeyong, stop, no one has to die,” you pleaded, weakly attempting to pull him away from Yuta. You knew this was all an act and still...it felt so...real. Taeyong pushed you away, freeing his arm from your pathetic grasp. You stumbled backwards, a bit shaken up.

“Look, you can do whatever you want to me, but leave her out of this, okay?” Yuta spoke gently. “I was the one who pushed her against a wall and kissed her first. The poor human was probably scared I’d drain all her blood if she didn’t do as I pleased.”

You couldn’t believe Yuta was willing to take the fall for you...You felt so undeserving and ungrateful.

“You pushed her against a wall?” Taeyong inquired, gripping harder on Yuta’s shirt. On the outside, he still appeared mad. But on the inside, he couldn’t help but wonder what it’d feel like if Yuta did that to him.

“That’s not the point!” you intervened. “I’m just as responsible for my actions. Taeyong, please, just let go of him.”

“Aww, my little slut doesn’t want the bloodsucker to get hurt?” Taeyong cooed mockingly. “What? One cock isn’t enough to satisfy the princess’s needs? Is that it?”

“You know it’s not like that,” you cried out pitifully. This was no longer acting, your heart told you instinctively. He was really upset. But he was also okay with it. It was difficult to understand. “I care about both of you a lot. It’s not about sex at all. I want to make you both happy, I need you to be with me and I desperately wish for you both to be safe. Please, Taeyong, please. You have to believe me.”

Taeyong immediately dropped his hand off Yuta and turned around, pulling you into his arms. He stroked your hair softly, making you feel comfortable and cared for.

“It’s okay, princess, I believe you. And I forgive you. Both of you.”

“Can you now tell Yuta what you told me earlier?” you asked hopefully.

“Alright, I believe I’ve tortured him long enough,” Taeyong chuckled fondly.

“Huh?” Yuta seemed like the most confused little lion in the universe. “What did I miss?”

“I wanted to ask you a question, actually,” Taeyong replied calmly.

“Hold up. So, you don’t want to kill me?!”

“I mean...not more than I usually do,” the werewolf joked.

“That’s fair. But continue,” the vampire shrugged.

“You already know how Y/N feels about both of us. And I already know you’re attracted to her. But I wanted to ask you how do you feel about me?” Taeyong inquired.

“You’re my best friend, Taeyong. Clearly, I hate your guts,” Yuta responded wittily, obviously meaning the exact opposite.

“Friendship aside, how do you feel about me...man to man?”

“Don’t you know already?” Yuta looked away, refusing to meet Taeyong’s dark gaze. The vampire wasn’t really good at talking openly about his feelings.

“Humour me.”

“I hate your guts,” he repeated stubbornly. “I hate how you’re so responsible. I hate how you’re scolding me for the littlest things. I hate how you always mean well even when you’re acting angry. I hate your stupid face and your pretty hands. But what I hate most is that I don’t hate you at all.”

Taeyong shook his head in disbelief and crashed his lips into Yuta’s. Honestly, it was the cutest sight you’d ever witnessed and you involuntarily let out a quiet squeal.

“I can’t believe you pulled a Ten Things I Hate About You to confess,” Taeyong chuckled after eventually breaking the kiss.

“I can’t believe it took me sleeping with your mate to figure it out,” Yuta replied.

“Yeah, about that...I can’t believe I might have more than one mate.”

“Wait, what? Me?” Yuta laughed in disbelief.

“Yes, you, silly,” Taeyong confirmed with a smile.

“And what I can’t believe is what wonderful things come out of attempted murder,” you chimed in helpfully. “Pun-intended. Because of the come out part.”

“Oh no, we’re rubbing off on her,” Taeyong sighed.

“Group hug!” you interrupted him and attacked them with cuddles. A lot of them, actually.

“Ewww,” Yuta complained. “Are all humans so clingy?”

“You get used to it,” Taeyong winked.

By the morning, Taeyong realized Yuta’s scent was not only all over you. It was all over Taeyong himself, as well. And he didn’t mind. In fact, he wouldn’t have it any other way...

To be continued...

#nct #yuta #taeyong #yuta x reader #taeyong x reader #nct angst #nct smut #yuta angst #taeyong smut #yutae #yutae fic #nct x reader #yutae x reader #writing

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robininthelabyrinth · 3 years

Text

Beautifully Spent

aka Five Times Lan Qiren Left The Lan Sect Behind

- Chapter 2 -

A/N: As a note, each of these chapters is a separate story with a different point of divergence from canon timeline.

When Lan Wangji was six years old, and Lan Xichen nine, their mother died, breaking their hearts. Even Lan Qiren, who had never liked He Kexin and might have even hated her for having ruined all his dreams of travel, felt her absence keenly – he kept thinking of her at odd times, a matter of irrepressible habit. I should tell her about this next week, he would think as he watched his nephews accomplish something, or, upon receiving an offer to go night-hunting, We can’t go because we wouldn’t be able to make it back in time for the monthly visit, and then he’d abruptly remember she was dead and there would be no more monthly visits.

One time, sitting and watching Lan Wangji carefully practice his calligraphy during the time that would normally have been their monthly visit, he even found himself inexplicably wiping tears out of his eyes. It had been a struggle, but they’d finally gotten Lan Wangji to stop going to her door, ignoring snow and chill to wait there as if simply willing it would allow the door to open again, but he remained overly quiet, even quieter than he’d been before, the loss hurting him deeply, and seeing him hurt had hurt Lan Qiren. He tried to be subtle about it, to hide his abrupt display of emotionality, but before he knew it, Lan Wangji had come over to stand by his side, his little hands holding his own, earnestly mumbling, “Don’t cry, shufu, it’ll be all right” in an echo of what Lan Qiren had been trying so ineffectually to say to him.

“Yes,” he said, wiping harder, and ultimately giving up entirely and letting the tears stream down his cheeks, hiding his face entirely behind one of his sleeves. Lan Xichen found them at some point and curled up into Lan Qiren’s other side, tears starting to slowly seep down his own face; trying to hold back their strange shared grief was like trying to stop the tide. “It will be all right, eventually. I promise.”

He had made that promise too soon, it seemed: less than a week later, one of the elders remarked that it was time for Lan Xichen to take up some of the duties of running a sect.

“What?” Lan Qiren asked, blinking. “You’re joking. He’s nine.”

“He’s the future sect leader,” the elder said, and his gaze was cold. “Never forget, Teacher Lan, that although you fill the role now, you are only a custodian in his name.”

“That’s not the point I was making,” Lan Qiren said, frustrated; he had never been very good with words or with people. “Of course he will inherit the position, given time. But he is not even old enough for his own sword, and years away from night-hunting – why would you burden him with sect business? He’s far too young.”

“He is at exactly the right age to begin. How else can we ensure that he will not fall into the failings of his father or the crimes of his mother?”

“He is a child,” Lan Qiren stressed, wondering what he was missing. “We can only teach him to the best of our abilities, and hope that he does well with it; there’s nothing else that can be done.”

The elder shook his head. “We cannot take the risk of another generation of disaster. He must be trained, and trained now, trained well. If we do not take action, it may be too late, and he will be ruined.”

As you were, he didn’t say, but Lan Qiren felt keenly the burn of humiliation. He had never lived up to their expectations the way his brother had, and then his brother had gone and failed them all, too.

“What exactly are you thinking?” he asked, trying to dismiss the feeling of foreboding in his belly. An introduction to the burdens Lan Xichen would eventually face would not be so far amiss – a shichen a week of helping to transcribe simple letters, perhaps, or running errands, the sort of thing a boy could do and not be bored; that wouldn’t be too bad.

That wasn’t what they had in mind at all.

They wanted Lan Xichen to start tackling political problems at once, forcing him to make real decisions, deal with paperwork, and then also three times the usual lessons in sword and music, all the skills he would need to have. And all this, of course, on top of his regular lessons –

“We can assist, of course,” one of the elders said to the others, ignoring Lan Qiren’s aghast expression entirely. “But the sooner he grows accustomed to the work, the sooner he can step up –”

“You’ll crush him!” Lan Qiren exclaimed, interrupting, and he never interrupted the elders. “He’s a child, and a child who just lost his mother at that – how can you even suggest this? He would have no time to study in depth rather than shallowly, no time to think, to become his own person –”

“We will polish him into a perfect jade,” an elder said. “Him, and the younger one, too. What more do they need than to be of service to the sect?”

It wasn’t that Lan Qiren disagreed that service to their sect was the highest good, or that scholarly and martial pursuits were of the highest caliber, far more important than aimless play. He was a teacher, a strict one, and the sect rules accorded with his understanding: Learning comes first. But at the same time, there was learning and then there was learning – he was a teacher who cared for his students’ well-being, too. He knew that the approach proposed would not polish Lan Xichen into a jade but mold him instead, brutally pruning away any part of him that did not accord with the elders’ wishes.

It was just what they’d done to Lan Qiren the moment he became acting sect leader, after all.

They’d loaded him up with responsibilities until he’d nearly worked himself sick, refused to grant him the slightest freedom to travel even in a small and supervised manner, and they’d tried to force him to recant even those few things he did enjoy – composing music, teaching children. If he hadn’t already been as old as he was when it started, he wouldn’t have had the strength of will or determination to preserve even those few little things of his own…

“He should move into the hanshi soon,” another elder agreed. “If we expect him to take on the responsibilities of an adult, he should be treated as one.”

“Agreed. The sooner he disengages from messing around with his peers, the better. They will only distract him from what he needs to do.”

“I do not agree with this,” Lan Qiren said. “I am his guardian and his teacher. I do not agree.”

“I’m disappointed in you, Qiren,” one of the elders said, and Lan Qiren felt an automatic wash of shame, instinctive and ingrained after all these years. “You took the sect leader position with the knowledge that it would not truly be yours, and now you wish to preserve your personal power longer?”

I never wanted the position, which offers only power in exchange for its brutal demands! I still don’t want it! But to put it onto a child, any child, much less my own nephew who I love – how could I agree to that?

“You must not be selfish, as your brother was,” another elder scolded him, and normally Lan Qiren would be the first to agree. Being like his brother was his worst fear, and one he would do anything to avoid – but at the moment, the reminder felt wrong, as if they were using it as a tool to manipulate him rather than expressing what they really thought. “Do not cling to power and authority, after all. You cannot and must not steal what belongs to your nephews, Qiren. Never forget your place.”

Lan Qiren stared at him mutely. His place?

He had never been selfish. He had sacrificed everything – he had been filial and loyal, obedient to his elders, and they had taken everything from him, just as they planned to do to the two children that had been entrusted to his care. The only difference was that Lan Qiren had been allowed to live freely for a little while, and even that freedom was only because the elders had utterly ignored him in favor of his more talented brother, who had been protected by the love of his powerful father; for his nephews, who were all but orphaned and left only in his inferior care, there was no such defense.

This time, it was clear that the elders meant to rectify the situation – this time, they wouldn’t even leave Lan Wangji his childhood, let alone Lan Xichen.

They would hollow them out and leave them as little more than puppets, blindly obeying the rules without having the time to contemplate their meaning. They would squeeze out every moment of every day, turning each endless shichen into a joyless burden, transforming the rules into little more than a yoke to chain them – his nephews wouldn’t be Lan, who chose willingly to obey because they loved the rules and loved their sect and wanted to give everything for it. They would be little better than slaves.

Perhaps, Lan Qiren thought suddenly, it was not his selfishness that the elders were constantly seeking to correct. Perhaps it was their own.

He tried, first and foremost, to argue with them, but they did not listen to him. They had never listened to him, not from the first moment he had yielded to their wishes over his own desires and allowed himself to be trapped in the Cloud Recesses as the new sect leader. No – it was even older than that, from even before then, from as far back as when he had been small and helpless and crying out for help in his own way, not even knowing what was happening to him and why…

They had always turned their faces away.

Lan Qiren had tried his best to please them, and had failed. He’d thought the blame lay with him, but now he wasn’t so sure – now he thought that it didn’t matter what he did, that he never would.

Lan Qiren’s nephews were the ones who were small and helpless now, and unlike the elders that should have watched over him, he would not turn away.

The plan he hatched was ruthless in the extreme, but there was nothing else he could think of in his desperation. The Lan sect had always been very secretive, in its own way, keeping outsiders from knowing their personal business; although everyone within the sect knew that it was the elders who held all the real power, even if they disdained the work of it and left much of that for Lan Qiren to accomplish, from the outside it appeared as though Lan Qiren were sect leader, invested with all the powers of one.

To be a sect leader, in their day and age, was to be a tyrant.

No need to look at Wen Ruohan, the chief example of this trend, a man who made his sect kneel and touch their heads to the floor upon hearing that he was coming. It was enough to look instead at the Jiang sect, whose sect leader Jiang Fengmian whiled away his days waiting for his old lover to write, ignoring his wife despite her maternal family’s power and influence within his territory. Look at the Jin sect, where Jin Guangshan bedded every prostitute and poor young lady within range, surrounded by a cloud of rumors regarding whether he’d bothered to get all of them to consent – rumors there might be, but no one dared to make any trouble for him over it without actual proof. Look at Lao Nie, whose sect, elders and all, sighed and shook their heads over his excessive fondness for dangerous people, but could take no action to stop him.

Look at Lan Qiren’s father, who had spoiled one child into madness and neglected the other into near despair, and had trained his whole sect to accept it as a given. Lan Qiren was working to repair that damage, to lead by example, but it was a hard upward struggle – rot might start at the head, and healing, too, but the healing was harder than the rotting.

A sect leader, in short, was a tyrant.

And as far as the world was concerned, Lan Qiren was the sect leader.

Lan Qiren bided his time until the next discussion conference. It hurt him to wait, seeing poor Lan Xichen get stretched thin under his new duties and constantly reminded to keep a serene smile on his face throughout, seeing poor Lan Wangji so stressed at his brother’s misery and his own amplified lessons that he'd started biting people again, but he knew it was necessary. A discussion conference meant outsiders, and outsiders meant not losing face; it was the one time that Lan Qiren was actually treated as a sect leader by all around him, the one time no one would gainsay anything he said, even if they would later tear strips off of him in private.

It was his only chance.

"I have an announcement," he said mildly, presiding over the large gathering that marked the conclusion of the discussion conference. His Lan sect was the host of this conference, and he was accordingly seated at the head of the room, equal with the other Great Sects but given additional deference in view of the location - it was easy for his voice to carry, despite his quiet tone, and all the sects turned towards him to listen. They were probably expecting something anodyne, some additional prize or information about the weather to keep in mind as they departed. "I have decided that my Lan sect's ties to the rest of the cultivation world have grown stale, seeing each other as we do only at these times and the common people only on night hunts. As a result, in my authority as Sect Leader Lan, I intend to make a journey throughout the various sects, taking along my nephews to introduce them to your families. In my absence, the Cloud Recesses will be managed by my cousin, Lan Yueheng -"

Talk exploded in the whole audience, furious and loud, all but his own Lan sect which was calm and stone-faced as always, though of course that was only their pride and concern for face overwhelming their shock. Poor Lan Yueheng was the exception, of course, his jaw dropping open like a weight dropped from a great height until his neighbors noticed and elbowed him in the side to make him stop - Lan Qiren mentally apologized for not having warned his cousin up front. He hadn't dared to risk it.

" - and accordingly I will be leaving alongside the rest of you at the conclusion of this conference," he concluded, for once relieved that his voice never varied far from a monotone; he sounded cool and calm and in control, and like he hadn't noticed the way his sect elders were trying to strangle him with their gaze even as the maintained decorum. "Our first destination is the Nie sect's Unclean Realm, with Lao Nie as our host."

Lan Qiren hadn't warned Lao Nie, either, but he knew him well, and to his relief hadn't misjudged him - the other man didn't spare so much as a moment to blink in surprise, instead grinning broadly at the other sect leaders.

"You bet you are," he laughed, his voice booming and loud. "And don't think I'll let you leave so quickly, Qiren - not until your nephews are best friends with my sons, and not until you've had a chance to work your magic on my sect's younger generation and turn them from little beasts into proper gentlemen!"

Lan Qiren barely resisted rolling his eyes - he still didn't know who it was that had come up with the nonsense about him being able to turn the most hopeless waste into a gentleman, but it was rank exaggeration. But to his surprise, the first person to respond was the head of one of the more distant small sects, Baling Ouyang, a young man with an excitable temperament; he leapt up to his feet and exclaimed, "Will he really? Sect Leader Lan, I insist you visit my Ouyang sect next, if you haven't made firm plans - I scarcely recognized my little hellion nephews after a season in your care, all grown up, careful in thought and action, compassionate and upright...and no more pranks!"

Another exaggeration. The Ouyang twins had been troublesome only at the start, until Lan Qiren realized that what they longed for most was recognition as separate beings rather than a collective whole; as soon as he'd treated them with respect, and showed them how to act in return, they'd taken to his lessons like a desert to water.

"Sect Leader Lan's skill in teaching is very well known," Sect Leader Yao said, always first to speak after his friend from the Ouyang sect. "You'll really come to our sects to do it, rather than our children to the Cloud Recesses? And you won't charge, of course...?"

"Naturally no," Lan Qiren said, a little puzzled by their enthusiasm. Was it so expensive to send children to the Cloud Recesses? He’d never charged for his lessons, although he supposed there was the cost of travel and maintenance to the standard preferred by students, and of course guest gifts were customary, although he never made any demands. "I would be your guest, and enjoying your hospitality – room and board would be more than sufficient…"

"In that case, you should come to Pingyang next -"

"No, Yueyang!" someone else called, and before Lan Qiren knew exactly what was happening, the sect leaders were arguing over who he should visit first. The most enthusiastic were the ones whose children he had taught already, but the others were quick to catch up, loathe to miss out on what they perceived to be a good deal - even Wen Ruohan, never one to lose out to others when it came to something perceived of as desirable, extended an offer with a smug, snake-like smile.

Lan Qiren provisionally accepted all the offers with a growing sense of relief: with such public acceptance, the Lan sect would lose more face by refusing to let him go than in allowing his unorthodox action. It was just as he has hoped, and more successful than he'd dared to dream; the other sects had fixated on his teaching skills and in doing so had ignored the strangeness of a sect leader taking his heirs and all but running away from home.

That relief carried him through to the end of the meeting, when everyone divided up to pack up their things, and Lan Qiren returned to the inner parts of his sect to do the same.

"What are you thinking?" one of the elders demanded the second they were alone. "Have you gone mad?"

"Did you see the reception of my idea?" Lan Qiren replied, hiding the giddiness of relief under a facade of calm. "The sect will benefit greatly from the connections we will make."

"That's no answer!"

Lan Qiren was a filial child; even if they were wrong, he would not tell the elders so to their faces. Instead he only bowed deeply and said, "What's done is done. I need to get ready, and quickly; it would be embarrassing if we weren't prepared."

Of course, he'd already packed everything he thought he'd need, determined to take Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji with him no matter what - it was only luck that his plan had worked as well as it had, allowing him to pretend to some move of subtle strategic genius rather than a retreat out of desperation. Still, he needed to go through the motions.

"Fine," another elder spat out, although their demeanor made it clear that it wasn't fine at all. "But did you have to announce that the provisional leader was Lan Yueheng? He's completely unfit!"

By which they meant that he wouldn't listen to them - that he was brash and lacked tact, said what he thought and cared for nothing but his experiments, his wife, and his children. Out of all of Lan Qiren’s cousins, he was the most thick-faced, shameless to the extreme, essentially immune to criticism or guilt.

That was, of course, exactly why Lan Qiren had picked him.

"He's good at math and accounting, and at arranging provisioning," Lan Qiren said, picking the more acceptable reason. "That's the key responsibility left over, isn't it? Everything else, I can do through correspondence."

The reassurance that Lan Qiren would still be doing his duty to the sect - would still be accountable to them - helped settle some ruffled feathers. It wouldn't be pleasant to try to do the work of sect leader from abroad, Lan Qiren knew; it would mean a lot of sleepless nights slaving away by candlelight, with no support from any aides, bearing all the weight himself. No doubt the elders knew it too, and figured that he'd soon enough lose interest in what he heard them calling, in hushed voices where they thought he could not hear, his "little show of rebellion".

Lan Qiren didn't care. The sooner they left, the better the chances that the elders would continue to be deceived into thinking that Lan Qiren was doing all this for his own sake - some last stab at achieving his long forgotten dreams, doomed to inevitable disappointment - instead of what it really was, which was freedom for his nephews. They couldn't be assigned work or classes from a distance; their education would be wholly in Lan Qiren’s hands.

He'd take a thousand sleepless nights of overwork if it meant they got to be children a little longer.

"Are we really going to the Unclean Realm?" Lan Wangji lisped, looking even more rosy-cheeked and excited than usual. "Will – will Nie-gongzi will be there?"

"Yes, Mingjue-xiong will be there," Lan Xichen said, and grinned at Lan Qiren over his brother’s head. He looked more carefree than he had in...possibly years, and Lan Qiren briefly regretted how long it had taken him to do this. "Since you like him so much."

Lan Wangji turned bright red at once.

"Both of the Nie boys will be there," Lan Qiren said. "The younger one is closer to your age, Wangji. You can get to know him as well."

Lan Qiren went next to the library pavilion, looking for books on their sect rules - he might not trust his sect elders, but he loved his sect, loved their rules and traditions, and he wanted his nephews to love it, too. He wanted them to see the Cloud Recesses as a refuge, as a haven - not a burden.

He would give his nephews the freedom he'd longed for, and when they were older...when they were older, more resilient, more sure of who they were, he would bring them back and he would ensure that they obtained their rightful inheritance. In full, not in part - Lan Xichen would be a real sect leader, not a puppet for the elders, taught only to be pleasant and yielding and to perform well with his cultivation, swordsmanship and music only for the purpose of impressing outsiders. Lan Wangji would be his brother’s right hand, would love and respect him and be loved and respected in turn.

Maybe, Lan Qiren thought to himself, amused, they would even find some compatible child on their way and one day return to bring them home as a dao companion.

He couldn't wait to find out.

#mdzs #lan qiren #lan xichen #lan wangji #sect leader nie #my fic #my fics #beautifully spent

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starlessea · 3 years

Text

𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 - Part 1

A/N This is part 1/2 of a collab with the amazing @whitexwingedxdoves! The first part is in Daryl’s POV, and the second will be in the reader’s. Part 2 is here.

Summary: Daryl Dixon was a good hunter, but there were still some things that he struggled to find. Such as the patience to deal with you.

You wore a rabbit’s foot keyring, but Daryl thought you were the furthest thing from lucky. After all, you ended up stuck with him, too.

Words: 3974

Daryl never really expected Judith to take an interest in hunting; she was far too sweet.

But then again, so were you - and Daryl had never met anyone who could make a better twitch-up snare. Though, he preferred using bow traps, himself, when he had the arrows to spare for them.

Takes more skill, he’d argue, and watch you shake your head vehemently at him - as though you couldn’t disagree more.

You hadn’t changed since then; you were just as stubborn, if not worse. But Daryl definitely had, even if he didn’t want to admit it. You had changed him. He wasn’t the same man who’d first stumbled through the gates of Alexandria all those years back, scowling at your traps which got in his way and stole his game; nor was he the same person who insisted on butting heads with you until he got a migraine.

Daryl Dixon had grown since then.

And that was probably the reason why he was stuck crawling through the forest on all fours, teaching Judith Grimes how to set a twitch-up snare (and not a bow trap).

“Now what?” she asked him, adjusting that sheriff’s hat which was still a little too big for her.

Daryl could remember the first time he’d placed it on her head, and tipped it up to get a glimpse of her gummy smile. She’d been so small back then; she still was.

He held out his rope in front of him, weaving it slowly so that she could follow the steps. It felt natural to Daryl’s hands, like he’d done it a thousand times over. He probably had, but he could remember a time where he’d been the student - and you were his teacher.

“Make the ears an’ weave the end through ‘em,” he instructed.

Just like a rabbit, you’d told him, and laughed.

He felt his lips twitch a little, but Daryl bit back his smile. Instead, he watched as Judith made a mistake - and he let her. That was the best way to learn, after all.

The young girl pulled a face at the tangled rope in her fists, wondering where she’d gone wrong. Then, she looked up at her uncle Daryl for the answers.

“It doesn’t look right,” she noted, showing it to him.

It didn’t. It definitely looked more like a dog with stubby ears than a rabbit.

Daryl shook his head gently, confirming her suspicions. “Give it here,” he mumbled, and carefully took the half-formed knot into his lap.

Judith shuffled over to get a closer look, and Daryl took his time in showing her how to correct it. He remembered when his father and brother would try and ‘teach’ him something new - which usually involved berating him until he was too anxious to ever mess it up again.

He hoped he was a better teacher than that.

“Ya folded it wrong,” he explained, pointing to that part of the fraying rope. He unwove it, and tucked it back into the right place. “See, ya fold the loop over itself to make the ears.”

Judith watched intently, holding her breath as she tried to memorise the steps. Then, Daryl undid the rope, and she let out a yell in protest. But Daryl just shrugged, and smiled a little to himself. She’d need to figure it out on her own if she was going to learn - as much as he wished he’d always be there to help her.

Daryl handed the rope back, and watched as she fumbled with it again; but this time, she didn’t make the same mistake.

“Who taught you how to do this?” she asked, eyes still trained in her lap as she spoke.

Daryl was silent for a few seconds, as if debating whether to tell her. He could already picture the triumphant look on your face.

He sighed. “This knot? Your aunt did.”

His words came out muffled, but Judith was still able to decipher them. In response, she smiled a smile that looked much too familiar - reminding him of another Grimes kid when he was up to no good.

“I thought you knew how to hunt before that,” she chirped, purposefully not meeting Daryl’s eyes as he narrowed them at her.

Damn girl’s gettin’ cheeky, he thought.

And this time, he didn’t pull her up on her mistake. Maybe she deserved to do the knot over once more.

“Mhm. I did,” Daryl answered naturally, as though her teasing tone didn’t bother him in the slightest. “Jus’ hunted in a different way is all.”

Judith looked up at him, and cocked her head to the side.

Yeah, he thought, she’s growin’ up jus’ like Carl.

“Which way’s better?” she asked curiously, as though forgetting the messy knot in her lap.

Daryl sat back on his hands, feeling his palms meet the damp leaves of the thick, forest overgrowth. That question had been the one that started it all. The sky was beginning to darken, and he knew that he should be getting back home soon. You always did give him one hell of an ear-full whenever he was late.

He smiled at the girl, before nodding in the direction of the abandoned knot - prompting her to try again.

“Depends on who ya ask.”

Daryl let loose his arrow and listened to it whirr through the air, and strike that possum straight down from its tree. Carol grimaced as he collected it, picking the animal up by its tail and slinging it over his shoulder as they walked. He would have made some remark back at her - but he just didn’t have the energy.

None of them did, really.

That’s why he’d shot the possum. He still wasn’t convinced by the promised land that Aaron had tried to sell to them - a place called Alexandria - so at least they’d have something to eat if it fell through.

It usually always did.

Every time Daryl felt like he had a solid footing on the ground beneath him, it somehow always managed to find a way to cave. First there was the farm, then the prison, and finally Terminas. These days, he just couldn’t catch a break.

But he could catch possum, he thought, and trudged on along the road.

The gates to Alexandria reminded him of the prison - those wire lattice fences and the metal bars that stretched up to the sky. It was like a damn cage, but Daryl had somehow gotten used to living in those.

What he could never get used to was the sight of those faces, looking down on him as though he was something they’d stepped in whilst navigating the side-walk. He was familiar with those looks by now - he’d gotten plenty of them back in Georgia even before the world had ended - but they never failed to make him feel a certain shame he didn’t like to admit to.

This time, though, he may have deserved them.

It took him a while to realise that their eyes weren’t actually on him, but rather lingering on that dead possum - still hanging by its tail. Then a woman stepped forward, with an air about her that made Daryl think that she was the leader. Although, it definitely wasn’t the same air he felt when he was around Rick.

“We’ll need to interview you, so that we can assign you all jobs,” she said warmly.

And Daryl laughed a bitter laugh he didn’t realise he’d been holding back - but once he let it out, he felt much better. From the moment he’d stepped foot into Alexandria, Daryl Dixon already had a job.

It was to try and keep the rest of these idiots alive.

Deanna’s office was stuffy; with too many dusty books and not enough fresh air, it nearly made Daryl forget how to breathe. He’d almost knocked that camera straight from its tripod, too - until Rick shot him a warning look against it.

“He’s a hunter and a damn good one,” the man quickly interjected, his hands falling into place on his hips.

Daryl lifted his chin with pride at the sheriff’s words. Hunting was the one thing he could confidently offer to the group; it was second nature to him. He could also tell that Deanna held Rick in high regard, so to hear him praise Daryl like that only proved his worth.

But she remained skeptical. “I can see that, but we already have one of those.”

The woman was assertive, that’s for sure.

She crossed her arms at her chest and examined the limp possum that swung proudly from Daryl’s shoulder. Though, she didn’t seem to share that same enthusiasm for his skill. Daryl shuffled on his feet, and repositioned the possum on his shoulder as if trying to shake off her judgemental looks.

“Just the one?” Carol piped up, from the doorway.

She had a good point; only one hunter for the whole of Alexandria?

It didn’t seem to add up quite right in Daryl’s head - and from the look on his face, it didn’t convince Rick, either.

“We’ve never needed more than that.” Deanna replied curtly, her lips pursing into a tight line. Daryl couldn’t help but scowl at the pride in her voice.

Bullshit, he thought.

“Well if you ask me, you’d be making a mistake not giving him that title,” Rick cautioned, but again his words seemed to be lost on the woman standing before them.

Deanna shook her head. “No, that’s not all he has to offer,” she said quietly.

Daryl felt a chill wrack up his spine as she stared right through him - as if trying to figure him out.

“I’ll find a job for you, but in the meantime feel free to join our hunter,” she continued, decisively.

Daryl tried his best not to scowl. Perhaps he would do just that, and show Alexandria what they were missing without having him hunt for them.

Maybe he’d even bring back a feast.

The interviews took up a hefty while, but Daryl promised Rick he would accompany him on a perimeter check whilst it was still light out - before the rest of the group settled down for the night. Even with those tall fences, he wanted to make sure there were no cracks - inside or out - for walkers to slip through.

The interior of Alexandria seemed secure, but beyond those sturdy gates was a world they hadn’t accounted for. Daryl toed each steel beam with his boot, as Rick started to dispatch the undead stragglers that lingered a little too close.

A regular culling, he called it.

They’d tried to implement that at the prison, too, but their defences had been only a tenth as sturdy as Alexandria’s. So, Daryl helped the officer, aiming his crossbow at the walkers nearby - even the ones that were caught on car doors, trapped.

He even went out of his way to follow the footsteps he came across, left so blatantly that they disturbed the mud and leaves - allowing him to track them clear as day. Rick accompanied him, knife in hand and pistol still holstered on his belt.

Then, a twig snapped.

“Son of a-” the officer cursed, and Daryl whipped his head back.

There was rope caught around his boot, and it only tightened the more he tried to twitch his foot free.

“The hell is that?” Rick cursed, looking over at him for an answer.

Tha’s a damn snare, Daryl realised, and pulled out his pocket knife to cut the other man loose.

He narrowed his eyes; it was constructed well. The knots were tight and the trigger reacted as it should have. But it still wasn’t as efficient as the types of traps Daryl used.

“Damn twitch-up, nothin’ but trouble,” he replied, crouching down to free Rick’s boot, “don’t catch nothin’.”

But a voice retorted just as quick.

“Caught your friend just fine!”

Daryl flinched, and dropped the knife in favour of the crossbow slung over his back. He hadn’t even heard her. He trained his weapon on the woman, but soon lowered it at the sight of her - unarmed.

“Would appreciate if you removed your dumb foot from my trap,” she yelled, pointing to Rick’s combat boot - still floundering in the rope like a fish on a line.

Daryl sighed. So this was Alexandria’s hunter.

She carried a big leather satchel, and had a string of woven rope circled over her shoulder. Daryl also noticed the charm hanging from her bag - a tattered rabbit’s foot. It was appropriate, that’s for sure. But he wondered how she’d even been able to catch one with such temperamental traps.

Daryl bent down near the twitch-up again. He knew how to disable it, but Rick had already damaged some parts with his heavy steps as he struggled to get it loose. So, he just glanced back at the woman over his shoulder, and made a show of cutting through the rope with his pocket blade.

“Ain’t worth the hassle,” he muttered, once he was done.

He could tell from her face that she wasn’t impressed. She stalked over to him and shot them both a look so fierce that Daryl thought her eyes might roll back into her head.

“And who the hell are you?” she asked - but it was more of a demand.

Daryl had heard enough of that tone today. He was already sick of the false authority Alexandria had exuded over them. So, he ignored her question.

He pointed at the ruined trap, instead. “If officer clumsy over ‘ere broke yer trap in two seconds, then walkers could spring it in one,” Daryl remarked.

The woman scoffed, crouching down to retrieve the rope.

“Maybe that’s the point,” she snapped back, “keeps them away from the fences.”

You’re lying, Daryl thought. It seemed like everyone around here had too much damn pride.

“Nah it aint,” he argued, shaking his head. “Tha’s what them car doors were for.”

He’d noticed it earlier - the way the vehicles were all parked along the perimeter of Alexandria, doors wide open and windows down to bait the walkers and snag them there. They weren’t perfect, though, since a few had still slipped through.

The woman went silent, and Daryl felt a small smile tug at his lips as he watched for her reaction.

“Yer tryna catch rabbits with these,” he concluded.

He’d expected her to admit defeat - maybe even ask for his help since it was clear he knew what he was talking about.

But, she didn’t.

The hunter shook her head straight back at him, and flipped open that worn leather satchel - pulling out a rabbit by its foot.

“Not just trying,” she corrected, with a smirk much more full than the one Daryl had dared to wear.

Rick let out a sound under his breath, but he still heard it. Daryl scowled in return. There were still plenty of traps better than that old-fashion twitch-up.

“Ya coulda caught more with-” he started, but she cut him off.

“Just who’d you think you are, again?”

This took Daryl aback, and he was stunned into silence. Already, he couldn’t stand the arrogance of these people. His jaw clenched, and Rick seemed to pick up on the unsettling quietness. So, the man cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“This is Daryl,” he announced, clapping his hand down onto his shoulder. “Best hunter I know.”

The woman wordlessly stuffed the rabbit back into her bag, leaving its ears to flop out over the side. Then, she looked between him and the officer, with an expression that got completely under Daryl’s skin.

“Well then I guess you only know one,” she laughed.

Daryl couldn’t quite remember how the rest of the story went. Over time, the details became as hazed in his mind as the sight of freshly fallen snow - obscuring any tracks he might try to follow. The only thing he could briefly recall was the different animals they had hunted during their time at Alexandria.

Yes, he could remember it now.

After that first rabbit, there had been a fox - caught right in the dead of winter.

“Should have guessed you were a bowman!”

Daryl sighed and stopped in his tracks. For someone so bothersome, that woman was remarkably quiet.

He picked up the red fox, which looked more of a gingerish colour against the snow, and twisted his arrow until it became dislodged from its side. A few blood spatters trickled out onto the ground, landing in perfect circles - like red wax seals against white paper.

“Gets the job done quick and easy,” Daryl grumbled, slinging the fox over his shoulder by its bushy tail.

The woman watched him, leant up against a tree with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Oh now you’re starting to sound like my dad!” she laughed, and padded along after Daryl as he turned to leave.

Recently, the two hunters would sometimes run into each other like this - and Daryl had started to expect the company.

“Ya ol’ man teach you those god awful traps?” he rasped, his voice coming out as puffs of smoke in the cool air.

The woman jabbed him in his side, and Daryl scowled.

“No, actually that was my uncle,” she corrected, looking down at her feet as they made imprints in the snow.

Daryl glanced over at the woman, and narrowed his eyes. He just couldn’t figure her out yet.

“Ya whole damn family hunters?” he questioned, and she laughed again.

For someone so stuck up, her laugh was shy. - as though she were scared of it.

She nodded. “Some girls got Barbies for Christmas. I got a boning knife.”

And some kids got nothin’, Daryl thought.

They walked together back to Alexandria, mostly in silence - save from the crunching of their boots as they stepped heavily through the snow. Daryl kept catching that rabbit foot charm in his peripheral, swinging from the woman’s satchel as she stepped. He also noticed just how red her nose had gotten, and how it occasionally twitched from the cold.

“What ya doin’ out ‘ere?” Daryl eventually asked. “Too cold for rabbits,” he remarked.

They reached the gates, and the woman stopped as she waited for the guard to open them.

“Was tracking a fox,” she replied, eyes settling on the reddish fur bunched up between Daryl’s fingers. “But it looks like you beat me to it.”

After that, once the snow thawed and spring had come around, the next hunt had been for a deer - and Daryl was called upon to help her carry it back.

Thought they only needed one hunter, Daryl cursed, as he readjusted the deer’s hooves in his grip.

He could have easily carried the animal himself, but she was stubborn and insisted she share the weight. He watched as she struggled to hold the back end of the deer, propping it up every so often to relieve the strain on her arms - that damn rabbit’s foot flailing about from her satchel.

“Why the rabbit’s foot?” Daryl finally spoke, breaking the silence between her exaggerated grunts.

“It’s lucky” she managed to huff, before admitting defeat and letting her end drop to the floor.

Daryl took that as his cue to pick the deer up himself, and sling it around the back of his neck. He couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth twitch into a smirk at her disappointed stance - but he knew better than to say anything.

“Didn’t you keep the brush?”

Daryl cocked his brow at her question, taking slow steps back towards Alexandria.

“You know the fox’s tail?” she finally cleared up, matching his speed.

“Why? They lucky too?” he quipped back.

He didn’t intend for it to sound so sarcastic.

“I don’t think so,” she sighed, “but they’re pretty!” A small giggle passed her lips, which only made Daryl roll his eyes

This was Alexandria’s big scary hunter.

“Could swap it out for that damn rag you take everywhere,” she teased, nodding her head towards his back pocket.

Daryl watched the way her lips pressed together in a thin line, as if holding back the urge to let out yet another laugh. He scoffed.

Rags were practical; rabbit’s feet and fox’s tails were not.

During the rest of the trip back home, she would go on to tell him the story of how she’d caught that particular rabbit’s foot; it was a story he had since misplaced - but he still remembered the way her eyes lit up as she told it.

Looking back, that deer had been the last thing they’d caught - in Alexandria, at least. Though, Daryl could remember what they had been hunting for when it happened.

Damn rabbits.

The grass was thick and overgrown. Neither of them had explored the area yet - a little ways out from Alexandria. She’d told Daryl about it the night before, claiming to have stumbled upon it in the daytime. The woman swore that she could barely take a step without tripping over one of the dozens of burrows she’d found there.

Daryl wasn’t quite convinced, but he followed her nonetheless.

“You can’t be serious!” she exclaimed, looking over at Daryl much too expressively. “Fox meat? Over rabbit?”

It’s too early for this, Daryl thought, catching sight of her lopsided grin.

“Tastes better,” he mumbled back, navigating through the long foxtail grass and thickets that were up to his waist.

The woman looked over her shoulder and shook her head at him. Daryl reminded her to keep on walking, or let him lead if all she was going to do was trip him up.

She ignored him. “No! Foxes taste like pennies,” she argued, waving her hands around like she had a point to prove. “You know, that weird metallic-”

The woman stopped, and cocked her head at him.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she remarked, and Daryl felt as though he couldn’t even keep up with the conversation.

“I ain’t even lookin’ at ya,” he bit back - frustrated.

Daryl could barely recall how the hunter had gone from being so reserved back when they had first met, to whatever the hell was standing before him now.

Bark worse than ‘er bite, tha’s for damn sure.

She ran on ahead, and Daryl followed her tracks in the long grass until they reached that deserted area - so quiet that it almost unsettled him. There wasn’t even a breeze; it was as though the world was completely still.

Unnaturally so.

“See!” the hunter exclaimed, triumphantly. “I told you, it’s completely untouched.”

She had that same, smug look on her face as she did when he first met her - entirely proud of herself. But for once, it didn’t bother Daryl in the slightest.

He shook his head, but it was more out of habit than anything else. “Won’t be for long,” he chided, “best keep quiet or yer gonna scare ‘way the game.”

The woman laughed at him, less timidly than how she used to.

“I know how-” she started, but Daryl never did find out what she was going to say.

A loud metallic sound rang through the open air, and the hunter disappeared from his sight, as though sucked into the ground beneath her. In a matter of seconds, she’d gone from laughing so carefree to becoming lost in the tall grass - leaving Daryl behind to only listen to her scream.

Daryl knew that sound; he couldn’t mistake the clang of those metal jaws as they clamped shut.

Feedback is always welcomed; I love hearing what you all think - so feel free to comment, send in an ask, or just message me if you want to chat!

Bear trap, he realised, and ran through the foxtails to find her.

Also, if you enjoy my writing, you might want to buy me a coffee or commission me - tips are always appreciated. Thank you for reading!

A/N I really hope you enjoyed reading this. It is one of my favourites so far. And it has truly been a joy working with @whitexwingedxdoves. Make sure you stay tuned for part 2!

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sub-danny · 3 years

Note

Hello, it’s @i-am-dead-inside-666

I have a drabbles request- Ehehehe

Imaging spitroasting sub!Niki with you and James Hunt (James in the mouth you taking him from behind)

"Looks like I finally get to shut this mouth up" James exclaims, slapping the side of Niki's face with his cock while Niki glared daggers into him. "Yes but you miss out on this lovely ass" you remind him, squeezing his cheeks.

🤤😏🥵

The Winner's Prize

Word count: 2.3k

Pairing: Dom!James Hunt x Sub!Niki Lauda x Dom!Reader

Warnings: Smut, F!Reader, Spit-roasting, pegging, oral sex m receiving and giving, cocky Niki, threesome, dub-con, referral to the reader as madam

A/N: Guess whose back, back again. Yup here I am after ages away, I'm sorry to leave all of you horny bunch without sub!danny content for a while but I needed to take a break. Nevertheless, I plan on writing again semi-regular, when I get the chance and I still have a ton of requests (18 as of current) to make my way through on this account so watch out for more content to come!

Niki had been getting on your nerves every day for at least a week now. It was all the little things that he knew you hated, yet insisted on doing them, anyway. Things such as taking the whole of the bed duvet away from you, leaving you in the cold. Leaving the lights on in all the rooms in your house, forgetting to put the toilet seat down, being sassy and sarcastic to you every time you brought them up to him. It had made you so irate to the point where you needed to blow off some steam, or really blow off steam on him and that came ahead to the day of the race.

Niki had won first place, just narrowly beating James to the position, and due to it, he was acting extra cocky. Flashing his trophy around, smirking at James, saying he was the better driver out of the two of them. Not only that, but lots of girls were fawning over him due to it, and he wasn’t exactly pushing them away.

You were waiting at the side of a garage when he appeared and stamped up to him, glaring at the other women who surrounded him. You gripped the back of his racing suit as a warning and flashed the girls a fake smile.

“Well, thank you for keeping my husband occupied, but for now I need to speak to him in private,”

You could tell the girls weren’t happy at this, but you didn’t give them a moment to complain as you pulled your husband away and into an empty garage, closing the door behind you. What you weren’t aware of, however, was James Hunt nearby, who had watched how you had grasped Niki, and with his curiosity spiked, he headed to the garage the two of you had disappeared into.

“Y/l,” Niki complained as you pulled him along to the back of the garage, “I was just having fun, it wasn’t anything serious.”

You reached an empty table before you and shoved Niki against it, his back hitting the edge of it and making him grimace. “You have been purposely trying to get on my nerves every week, and you are very well aware of that fact,”

You could see the way his lips twitched up for the slightest second, but he tried to keep it hidden, tilting his head curiously. “I’ve done no such thing,” he tried to argue. “Now come on, love, you should celebrate me, maybe give me a quickie, huh,” he said, his eyes narrowingly cheekily as he waved the trophy he had won before you.

You snatch the trophy out of his hand and toss it to the floor. Niki’s eyebrows furrowed, and he opened his lips to complain, but you speak over him, making him shut up.

“Well, congratulations, you’ve been a right dick because of it, so I think a punishment is just deserving,” you tell him, letting go of his suit to reach into the handbag you had hung on your shoulder, and Niki’s eyes widened as he saw how you pulled out a strap on.

“Now, are you going to be a good boy and take your punishment?”

Niki swallowed, his cheeks blushing as he looked at you.

“Well, I-I-”

“Niki,” you warn in a stern voice.

“... Yes, Madam,”

“Do you want help with your punishment?” a voice echoed from behind you, making you quickly snap around to see James appear, his arms crossed as he smirked at Niki. Instantly Niki’s eyes burned with rage as he snarled, “James,”

James simply chuckled at Niki’s hostility and continued to step forward, raising his hand to grasp Niki’s chin and force him to look James in the eyes.

“You have always been quite cute when angry,”

“Fuck off,”

“Mmm and such a dirty mouth, all the things I could do with that,”

“Jealous because I won?” Niki bragged, trying to shake off James’s hand from his chin.

“A fluke, you know I’ll always be the better racer,”

“In your dreams,”

You glanced between the two of them curiously. You could see how angry Niki was with James, simply touching him, but the energy and tension between them was enough to make you flustered and that you didn’t want to give up.

“I would love some help. Niki, will you let James help with your punishment?”

Niki turned to look at you, shock written all over his face, to the point where he was at a loss for words. Annoyed by his silence, James moves his hand from Niki’s chin to his neck, squeezing it lightly but enough to make Niki’s face go red.

“She asked you a question; it is polite to answer,”

Niki glares between the two of you before letting his eyes finally rest on yours again, seeing your excitement at the prospect

“Fine,”

He barely got to finish his word before he was flipped over and pushed onto the table by James,l his ass hanging off one side and his head falling off the other side. He let out a huff of surprise by the sudden change and brought his hands to prop himself up on the table. Still, James, who had moved to the other side of the table facing Niki, picked up his hands and, using a piece of wire he had found on the floor, tied Niki’s hands tightly together, so they were stuck under his chest as he laid on the table.

“There isn’t that better,” he says, patting Niki’s cheek, who death glares at him.

“No, it isn’t,” Niki growls, unable to help himself but doesn’t say anymore as he suddenly gasps as he feels your hands reach for his race suit and with ease rip it open, exposing his back and ass to the cold air of the garage. You ran your hand down his back, along his spine, making him arch it at the contact, and then gave that sensitive ass of his a squeeze, delighting in the shudder from his body. You have always loved having Niki in this position, doggy style, before you. The man always said how much of a sensitive ass he had, and he was right. You loved to look down on it and on all the moles that littered his back as you slammed into him repeatedly.

You reached back into your handbag after slipping the strap on over your clothes and reached for a bottle of lube that you had stored for occasions like this. You poured some over two of your fingers and then dripped some on Niki’s asshole, watching the way his body jolted in surprise.

Slowly you took your two fingers and pressed it up against his ass, and thanks to the lube, it took little pushing before the tips of them slipped into his warm ass, making Niki groan at the sudden intrusion.

“Scheiße,” he moaned as he felt the fingers slip in further, slowly pushing him open. He closed his eyes to focus on it when you pressed your fingers against that spot. It made him cry, and his whole body jolt from the surge of pleasure sent straight to his cock that hung off the edge of the table, quickly hardening.

He only opened his eyes when he felt something hit his cheek. As soon as he did, he tried to pull himself away, seeing James’s hardening cock hanging before him, the sweaty smell being rancid.

“Looks like I finally get to shut this mouth up," James exclaims, slapping the side of Niki's face with his cock while Niki glared daggers at him. “Yes, but you miss out on this lovely ass," you remind him, squeezing Niki’s cheeks and pushing your fingers further into him, making him quiver.

“Open up,” James demanded to Niki, and for a moment, Niki wanted to retort back, to spit at James, to do something, feeling disgusted that Jame’s cock was before him, but you then removed your fingers.

“If you don’t want to, I guess I can leave you lying here, ass empty cock hard with nothing to satisfy you,”

Panic surged through Niki, feeling his ass throb from suddenly being abandoned, and the thought of being left there unable to satisfy him was enough for him to open his mouth for James begrudgingly. James didn’t even hesitate to push his cock into Niki’s mouth, instantly making him gag. The warm wetness of Niki’s mouth satisfied James immensely, who wrapped his hand in Niki’s curls, using that to push Niki’s mouth down on his cock as he watched you bring your now lubed up strap on to Niki’s ass.

“Isn’t that better, unable to make any remarks,” James says, delighting in seeing the way Niki’s lips stretched around his cock, hearing Niki chock when he pushed himself even further down Niki’s throat. Slowly, he set a pace of thrusting Niki on his cock, delighting in all the noises that came from the fact that Niki had an overbite.

Niki could feel the way James rammed against the back of his throat, and it made him groan around the cock, but when he felt the large strap on press against his asshole, the breath got caught in his throat, and he accidentally sucked on James cock as he gasped which in turn made James moan from the feeling.

Though you couldn’t hear it, he moaned as he felt the strap on push into his ass, stretching him open and filling him. You had grasped his hips to keep his lower body still as it hung there, and with that, you slowly pushed in till Niki had taken all of your strap on in his ass. You loved watching the way his rim stretched open for you, eagerly taking everything you had to give to him though it made Niki shudder. You waited a bit to let him get used to it, then pulled out slightly just to slam back down on Niki, pushing him forward onto James’s cock.

“Fuck, do that again. That felt good,” James groaned, his fighters pulling at Niki’s hair, which was now drenched in sweat. You did just that, delivering sharp thrusts into Niki, pushing his body forward on the table so that his face was pressed into James’s crotch with every movement. You and James spit-roasted Niki, moving within him simultaneously, leaving him no chance to try and recover from either feeling of being filled.

Spit from his mouth leaked out the side of his lips as James rutted into him. He tried to swallow, but that just made his throat constrict around James, edging James to push into his throat further. James brought his spare hand down to Niki’s throat and laughed as he felt his cock through it. He squeezed it lightly, watching the way Niki’s body spasmed.

“What a slut, slobbering all over my dick. Your throat feels so good. I can’t believe I haven’t fucked it before. Fuck, I can feel myself through your throat, bet you haven’t sucked cock as good as mine before,”

Niki glared up at James, wanting to punch the man in, but all he could do was moan around his cock as you slammed into his prostate.

You angled your hips to hit that spot as often as possible as one of your hands let go of his hip to reach down and grasp his cock, pumping the sensitive thing. Niki’s body instantly jolted, pushing his hips back and sucking in your strap on more as pleasure surrounded him. His chest heaving as he breathed through his nose, his legs twitching from the sensation and his tied hands thrashing on the table as he felt his climax grow nearer.

You and James continued to spit roast Niki, overwhelming him with pleasure at both ends till he was a sobbing mess, crying out around James’s cock as he reached his tipping point. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he came hard, his ass clutching your strap on tightly as his cum shot over your hand and the floor as his legs shook. His throat tightened around James’s cock as he came, earning a moan from James as he was close. As Niki recovered from his orgasm, James picked up his speed in his throat, making Niki gag around his cock as he sought after his own pleasure. After a few more harsh thrusts, he pulled Niki’s face into his crotch as he came down Niki’s throat, making him chock on his cum.

He wouldn’t let go of Niki until he had swallowed all of it. “Get a taste of victory,” James had said. When he finally did, Niki let out a series of coughs, his entire face bright red as he tried to recover from choking.

You lazily thrust into Niki a few more times, watching the way his body moved and the little rat-like squeaks he gave out from overstimulation till you finally pulled out of his ass, watching how the rim throbbed.

“Thank you for letting me help with Niki’s punishment. If you ever need another helping hand, please call me up,” James says as he pushes his cock back into his suit.

“Oh, I will. Niki seems to really enjoy you,” you say, smirking as you glance at who was still glaring at James as he breathed raggedly.

“It’s good for him to see his place beneath me finally,” James says, glancing one last time at Niki before leaving.

You slowly made your way over to Niki, running your fingers through his hair and forcing his head up to look at you as he panted.

“I hope you learnt your lesson today, boy,”

He nodded, swallowing before speaking, “Yes, madam, I did.”

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nessinborderland · 3 years

Text

Be Mine (01)

Pairing: Niragi x Reader

Genre: Smut, Angst, Fluff, Omegaverse

Word Count: 4.6k

Summary: You were able to stay unbounded throughout your life. You didn't want an Alpha; you didn't need one. You would rather die than to give yourself to some random male. But the man that saved your life thinks differently.

Warnings: Alpha/Omega, Dubious Consent, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Finger fucking, Rough Sex, Rough Kissing, Unprotected Sex, Creampie, Breeding, Pregnancy Kink, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

AO3 Link Masterlist

You can't do it anymore.

You collapse on the ground as you turn a corner, legs giving up on you. Whatever breath you have left leaves your lungs as you hit the floor with a hard 'thud'.

You can hear them behind you, running and howling like a pack of wolves on a hunt.

You happen to be the prey.

You had been careful until now; walking mostly at night, making sure no one was around when you went scavenging for food, keeping distance from others during games, masking your natural scent with all sorts of perfumes. Just avoiding people altogether.

You had no idea how you got there, but you knew that, as an unclaimed Omega, you would be more at risk than anyone else. Alphas were rare, but if one happened to find you, you couldn’t imagine it ending well for you. Even Betas were a risk, as most could also distinguish you from a regular Beta.

And here you are, proving yourself right. Running from him.

You had been careless. You were tired, always on edge, always hiding. So you ate your portion of stale cornflakes after another sleepless night and headed out from your hiding spot. Completely forgetting about masking your scent.

Your visa was almost over. You needed to find a new game. And so you did.

You are regretting that now.

A loud laugh from not that far behind you gives you the encouragement you need to stand up and run. Just run. If he catches you, you're done for. If he catches you, you're his.

You can smell him. That strong, masculine, unrecognizable Alpha scent. His is so strong that it almost overwhelmed you when it first hit your nostrils, back at the game.

Six of Spades. That was the game you had gotten yourself into; kill the predator or be killed by the predator. In a zoo.

How fitting, you had thought to yourself as you climbed a tree to escape an actual wolf. You had seen at least four different species of predators. All animals that you were completely unprepared to defend yourself against, never mind killing. Your hunting knife could only do so much. Fortunately for you, wolves couldn't climb trees.

But tigers could.

You had felt the big cat's eyes on you before you could even see him. All you had managed to do was let out a gasp and close your eyes as the huge orange beast pounced in your direction.

Gunshots. A heavy body falling to the ground. A wolf whimpering; that might have been you.

And then it hit you; that overwhelming, strong, musky scent.

You had opened your eyes and, no more than twenty meters from you stood a tall man, dressed in black. Eyes locked on you. You felt a shiver run down your back, and the hairs on the back of your neck rose; you weren't sure if in fear or something else.

The tiger was dead. The wolf had run away. But there was a new predator. And he was looking straight at you.

An Alpha.

You had no doubt about it. Betas didn’t smell anything like that, but Alphas...Alphas were made to lure you in. To let you know who they were. Alphas and Omegas were biologically connected. It was almost impossible to fight the urge to possess and be possessed.

And you no doubt had the same effect on him.

You noticed when he took some steps towards you and then stopped. You saw how his eyes had sparkled, his body language shifting to that of a predator. You hadn’t dared to move, waiting for his next move. You doubted he was going to shoot you, but the man did have a gun. Before the stranger could give another step, a lion had appeared right behind him, taking his focus from you and allowing you to escape.

That’s how you got into the position you are in right now; running from the man with the sniper rifle. You had managed to keep yourself hidden until the end of the game, but he had somehow found your scent and was tracking you down, together with his crew.

You stop again, taking labored breaths as you hide yourself the best you can in an alley. If life taught you anything about Alphas, is that they don’t give up until they get what they want. You would know; you managed to be unclaimed through all these years out of sheer spite for your biology, and determination. And a lot of pepper spray.

You try to think of a plan, a way to get them to lose track, but you can’t think of anything. If he got your scent, he will find you eventually. That doesn’t mean that you will just get on all fours and wait for him to take you. If it depends on you he can hunt you till he’s dead. You won’t be some Alpha’s bitch.

You hear footsteps getting louder, together with the voices of the people pursuing you. You can smell him, getting closer and closer. You have to act fast. You spot a ladder on the side of a building and try to get it down, climbing on top of some trashcans for easier access. He won’t be able to track you as easily if you go up. The ladder is rusty and doesn’t budge, even when you desperately pull it with everything you got. With a last angry pull, the ladder finally releases, and you start climbing as fast as your tired legs allow you.

“Gotcha!” exclaims an excited male voice as you feel a hand grab your calf. Your heart almost stops. “Niragi, over here!”

You glance down at the man grabbing you before kicking him right in the face with your free foot. The man falls back, holding his now bleeding nose in his hands, and you take that moment to continue climbing. You want the most distance from that Niragi guy as you can.

You don’t look back even when you feel someone climbing after you. You have to keep going. It's only four stories high. You’re almost at the top.

A loud gunshot. Pain sparks in your leg and you scream, almost releasing your grip on the ladder.

“You fucking idiot, who told you to shoot her?!” a voice growls, followed by another gunshot. “I want her alive and unharmed! Whoever touches her dies!”

You dare to glance down, and you see the body of the man you had kicked just moments prior, now with a bullet hole in his forehead. Then you lock eyes with him; your predator.

He's looking at you with fire in his eyes; like he wants to eat you alive. Your body feels his glare more than your mind ever could, and a warm sensation pools at your center. You can't look away.

He can smell it; of course he can. You're now much closer than at the zoo, and you can see his face clearly. How pretty he is. How his nostrils flare and his eyes go dark; scenting you. You’re glad that at least you’re not in heat; it would have been game over for you before the game even started.

"You know I'm gonna get you, right?" he says with a malicious grin, voice low. "I'm gonna catch you, and I'm gonna make you mine."

His words bring you back to reality, and you take the last steps up into the roof, ignoring the laugh of the man below you.

"Run little wolf, run!"

You pull yourself up and run as fast as you can. You're pretty sure the bullet only grazed the skin, so you ignore the pain in your leg as you jump to the next building. You are lucky houses here are all so close to each other. You keep running, not daring to look back.

You can hear him running behind you, catching up to you, and your eyes start tearing up. Your lungs feel like fire and your legs are cramping; you can't go on for much longer. You prepare to jump when a hand grabs you by the wrist. His touch feels like electricity against your skin. You both gasp and his grip soften. The sensation is so surprisingly new that you lose your balance and trip, falling. For a second, you wonder if this is how you die; falling from a building while in that hellish place.

The next you’re wondering how can someone smell so unbelievably good.

He smells like spices; it’s delicious. You are pressed firmly against his chest, his arms around your waist. You’re sniffing his shirt before you can control yourself. Never in your life had an Alpha’s scent been so strong and so alluring. You want to lick him; to feel his skin against your lips and his taste on your tongue. You feel his face on your hair like he’s burning your scent in his memory. You let out a needy whimper when one of his hands slid up your body to grab a boob, squeezing the soft globe in his large palm. His hands feel so good on you. Warm and big and pleasurable

“I said I was going to catch you, little wolf,” he whispers in your ear, hot breath making a chill go down your body. His tongue licks a long strip of your neck and you let out a moan. He chuckles. “Now you’re mine.”

No.

Those words make you gasp like you have been burned, and you push him away from you. You belong to no one. And it will stay that way; you rather be dead than be bonded to some random man.

“D-Don’t touch me,” you say, a slight tremble in your voice. “Stay away from me.”

His eyes darken and you gulp, looking around. You’re trapped; no way you’re able to run more. But you can fight; you have your hunting knife, while he seems to have let go of the sniper he was carrying earlier. You still have a chance.

“Now, why the fuck would I do that?” he asks with a lopsided smirk. “I can smell how much you want me. How much you need an Alpha to fill you up and mark you.” he gives a step in your direction; waiting.

Waiting for you to fight back.

You wouldn’t want to disappoint. You reach for the knife strapped to your hip, but...it’s not there. You freeze, eyes wide.

“Looking for this?” he chuckles in your direction, your knife in hand. He’s taunting you; playing games. You take a deep breath and lock eyes with him. How did you not feel him steal your weapon? You can feel your anger building up. You’re tired, you’re hungry...you’re furious.

“Give it back!” you command, fists closed, “And I don’t want anything to do with you so fuck off!”

The smile on his face falls, substituted by a scowl. You can feel the anger radiating from him. That only makes you angrier; he has no right in feeling that way. You’re the one about to be taken against your will. You jump and try to grab the knife, but he’s faster than you, trapping you against his chest.

His skin touching yours makes a wave of heat spread through your core once again, but this time you ignore it as best as you can. You feel him press himself against your backside; hard and warm. Your mind fogs and you release the grip you have on his forearm.

Maybe you could...just for a moment. Your wolf mind keeps screaming at you to accept what you were born to do; be a baby-making factory to some random man with high testosterone levels and ego issues.

The back of your head hits his face with a loud crack; you hope that was his nose breaking. You crouch to grab your knife, now on the floor, but he’s on top of you before you can even touch the handle. You both fall on the hard roof, struggling to get a hold of the damn knife first.

“Stop!” he has you pinned down on the cement, one hand holding your wrists down. You’re trapped; now without a chance of escaping. His other hand has your knife, now pressed to your throat. His eyes burn like coals and half of his face is covered in blood. You feel a little pride at the sight, even if the blood has stopped falling due to his Alpha healing. He presses the blade against your skin. “What the fuck are you trying to do?” there’s a hint of confusion in his question. “Do you know who I am?”

“Don’t care, didn’t ask.” You reply, struggling against his grip. The blade on your neck nibs your skin and you stop. “Do it. Kill me.” You know he will never hurt you to that degree. He was biologically programmed to protect you; he has to be fighting every instinct in his body to even be able to hold that knife against your neck. You notice how his hands are slightly trembling. “I dare you. Slit my throat; it’s the only way I’m leaving this roof with you.”

His eyes go wide for a second before he lets out a sudden laugh. He buries his face against your neck, and you feel the sticky blood get on your skin. You don’t dare to move or take more than a shallow breath; you’re too scared of losing control of yourself again. He continues laughing against your neck, and you have to control the urge to moan at the proximity.

“I knew you would be fun when you just kept running, but this-?” he presses himself against you, firm and warm. You shudder; you can feel your control slipping away. “Refusing me even when I’m this close? Touching you?” his tongue is on your pulse. “Kissing you?”

“Please stop-”

“-Biting you?” his teeth graze the skin where your shoulder meets your neck. You cry out, instinctively pushing against him, neck at his disposal. The marking spot; if he bites you there while knotting in you, you’re bonded. Your wolf is screaming at you to let go and let him take you. You need him. You want him.

The wolf is out.

Your legs are around his waist before you can control yourself. Your whole body feels like it’s on fire, and you can feel the wetness growing in between your legs. You grind your core against his crotch, groaning in displeasure at the lack of skin contact. His lips take yours in a rough kiss, his tongue pushing against yours as he kisses you senseless. He lets go of your wrists to handle your body, one hand on your breast as the other slithers down to your shorts.

You whine when his fingers finally manage to reach your throbbing cunt. He smiles in the kiss as he starts playing with your clit. You moan and your hands fly to his hair, pulling on the soft strands; you want more of him. He bites your lip and you pull his face further against yours. He chuckles when his fingers enter you without warning, swallowing your cries with a kiss. You move your hips against his hand, wishing it was his cock instead.

Alpha, Alpha, Alpha.

“More,” you whine against his lips. “Please- Alpha, please.”

He doesn’t answer. His hand leaves your pussy with a wet sound, and you cry at the void he left with only his fingers. He doesn’t break the kiss as he gets rid of your shorts, throwing them somewhere. Your panties soon follow, and you moan when the cold air hits your swollen clit. His fingers go back to your pussy, now playing with the slickness that sticks to your thighs, spreading it up and down your slit. His lips move to your neck, where he sucks the skin right above your pulse. You whine and he chuckles, teeth nibbling your skin.

The hand on your pussy rises, fingers glistening with your slick. His eyes glint when he sticks his tongue out, licking his fingers clean of you. You gasp at the sight. He moans like it’s the best thing he has ever tasted.

“Fuck, you’re so sweet,” he says, lust-filled gaze locked on you. “So beautiful.” You blush at the praise, wanting more. You want whatever he has to offer you. His fingers go back to fucking your wet entrance, and you feel your eyes filling with tears; you want more, more, more.

“Alpha, I need you-”

“Now this is more like an Omega,” you can hear his belt as he fumbles with his pants. You open your legs wider; hoping. “All wet and ready for me to take.”

You scream when he slides inside you, thick cock replacing long fingers. The feeling is unlike anything you have ever felt before. The Betas you fucked during your exasperating heats can’t compare. Nothing can. You feel so full. So deliciously filled to the brim. You never felt pleasure like this.

You moan as he roughly thrusts into you, moving your hips in time with his shoves. His cock touches all the right spots, and he feels even deeper every time he penetrates you. You can feel the pain as the cement floor grazes against your back and bottom, but that doesn’t matter; you have something more important to focus on right now.

“You feel so fucking good,” he grunts against your mouth. You clench around him at the praise and he moans, eyes rolling back. “Fuck, do that again- oh shit yes! Good girl. So good, all ready to be filled to the brim with my cum.”

“Yes, yes, I- I want you.”

“Say my name, Omega,” his tongue starts licking your neck. “Niragi,” he gives a particularly hard thrust, and you yelp. “Say it!”

“Ni-Niragi!” You feel the name on your tongue. You’ll say that name until your throat turns raw. “Niragi, fuck me harder,�� you beg. “Knot in me- please, please.” He does as you say, his thrusts becoming harder and faster. You arch your back as his cock abuses your g-spot with every shove. You see stars behind your eyelids; if you knew how this felt earlier, you would’ve let him take you right there at the zoo where he saved you.

Niragi, Niragi, Niragi. Alpha, Alpha, Alpha.

“It’s such a shame you’re not in heat,” he grunts with a hard slap to your ass. You shudder and slid your hand in between your bodies, wanting to touch more of his skin. “I would love to knot and mark you right here.” He practically rips your t-shirt in a rush to take it off, exposing your hard nipples to the cold air. He buries his head in between your breasts, latching onto a nipple like a starved man.” Fill you up till I was sure you’re pregnant with my pups,” he continues with a lick to your nipple. You moan and clench around him again. “Make sure that everyone knows who your Alpha is, who you belong to. And I will. This is a promise”

Yes, yes, yes. You want that. All of it. All of him.

You can feel your orgasm growing, pulling at your core like it’s about to explode. He feels it too, and the hand previously pinching your nipple goes to press on your clit, taking you closer to the edge. You can feel how close he is too, thrusts getting sporadic and breath getting heavier. You stare at his face, actually looking at him; his eyes are closed and his mouth is open in a moan. You notice the glint of the piercing on his tongue, as you do the ones on his face. You take in the detail of his pretty nose, the shape of his eyes, his plush lips. Half of his face is still dirty with blood. He’s beautiful.

You feel a weird emotion go through you; something your rational brain knows is strictly biological, not real. But the wolf one is howling in happiness, absolutely delighted. You pull his face to yours and kiss him hard, wondering if he feels the same. Part of you is scared he does; the other is terrified he doesn’t.

“Come for me, Omega,” he moans against your lips. “I want to feel you come around my cock.”

Your orgasm hits you like a truck. You lay there as it flows over you in waves, legs shaking and mouth open in a silent scream of euphoria. It’s like fireworks inside you, consuming you. You wonder if you lost your consciousness when you feel him come inside you, filling you with his cum. You had never let anyone come in you before. But, as the warm sensation spreads inside you, you realize you love it. You want more. You feel like you will die if he doesn’t do it again.

Most of his weight is on top of you as you both regain your breath. He’s still inside, and part of you doesn’t want him to ever leave. But your wolf had what she wanted, so you’re able to regain full control of your mind again, fog dissipating to be replaced by shame and anger. How could you have been so weak? Now it would be almost impossible for you to escape; you weren’t bonded ('yet', your wolf happily adds) but now you had a connection. If bonding was like a marriage, what you had done definitely counted as engagement.

He feels when your body tenses up, raising his head from your chest. He looks at you through half-lidded eyes, waiting for your next move.

“Was it that bad?” he asks after a moment. With a sigh, he kisses your breast before raising himself on his hands, one on each side of your head. He looks you straight in the eye for a beat, before sliding off of you with a hiss. You moan at the loss, especially when he stands up; you feel so cold without his warm body on you.

You don’t answer; he doesn’t look like he expects you to. Sitting up, you wince as you feel every pain your body has been ignoring until now. Part of your back and backside are covered in scratches from the cement floor; your cunt burns like it’s on fire, but now for a completely different reason, and your chest and neck are covered in fresh hickeys and small bites. Part of you feels like dying of shame, while the other is overwhelmed with joy by finally being marked by an Alpha. An uncomfortable feeling sits in the pit of your stomach.

You look around for your clothes, being surprised by your Alpha, no, Niragi, extending them in your direction. You take them with a mumbled 'thanks', doing your best not to wince as you get dressed. You feel his eyes on you, so you pretend he’s not there. You gather the courage to finally stand up, and his hands are supporting you before you can make a move.

His skin on yours feels again like a spark of electricity; only that now is familiar and, dare you say, wanted. You keep your eyes down as you stand up on wobbly legs, trying to ignore everything about him. But you can’t; not really. His scent is on your skin and hair; his cum is inside you and on your inner thighs. Even his blood is on your skin.

After a moment of hesitation, you pick your knife from the floor; he doesn’t stop you. You feel like crying; this wasn’t how things were supposed to go. You’re just trying to do your best to survive while being completely alone. And now this.

A sob erupts from you with such strength that you feel him jump next to you. You hide your face in your hands as you sob uncontrollably, tears streaming down your face. Your mind is a mess, everything hurts and you’re so, so tired. You miss home, you miss your family, you miss your bed. You need a nap.

“Oh fuck, did I hurt you?” you hear the slight panic in his voice as he gets closer. “Tell me, what did I do?”

You shake your head and take several steps back; you need as much distance from him as possible. You turn to leave, a still defiant part of you daring him to stop you. As you expect, he’s on you before you can take more than a couple of steps.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” his tone is angry and confused. “You’re coming with me.”

“N-no.” you manage to say, sobbing. “I’m not go-going with you anywhere.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” he grabs your hands, forcing them down so he can stare into your eyes. “You’re mine down, don’t you feel it in you?”

“We- we are not bonded,” you remind him. Remind yourself, “I- I can still leave.”

His eyes wide in an incredulous expression, like your words are the stupidest, most ludicrous thing he has ever heard. “Are you out of your mind?” he asks in a raised tone, “Do you actually think I’m gonna let you go?

“We don’t know each other!” you scream in his face. “I never- I never wanted this to happen,” your last words are barely audible as you keep crying. “We’re just two strangers forced together by something beyond our control.”

You whimper when you feel him hesitantly touch your shoulder, before pulling you against his chest. You mumble a 'no' in-between crying gasps and lightly struggle against his grip; you have to get away from him. He ignores you, one arm going around your waist while the other awkwardly pats your head. You finally give up when you feel his lips on your temple, whispering something you can’t quite understand. Whatever he’s doing, it calms you down.

You stay in his arms for some time. You hate how much you enjoy it; how safe he makes you feel. He killed one of his own, for goodness sake. You know nothing about him.

“Let me tell you something,” he says against your forehead. “I am not...a good person. I’ve done a lot of bad shit, and I will keep doing so. But if you come with me, I promise I will keep you safe.”

“I-.”

“Be mine,” he says. It sounds like a command until he adds a 'please', almost as an afterthought. “I don’t understand why you keep fighting, but I know you want me, even if part of you doesn’t know it yet.”

You let out a loud sigh; you’re tired of fighting with yourself. You review your options; go willingly or go by force. If you know one thing is that he won’t let you go. Quite possibly never. If you’re honest with yourself, a part of you doesn’t want him to. You don’t even know which one of you is talking; the human or the beast? Does it even make a difference?

You don’t think it does. Not anymore.

You raise your head to lock eyes with him. You can see hope in his gaze, but you also see determination and desire. You’re his now. And he’s yours.

“Okay,” you finally say. His eyes spark with something akin to satisfaction. “I’ll go with you. But I have some rules.”

He smirks, teeth spotted with blood, and you wonder for a moment if you made the right choice. “Sure,” he says. As long as you’re mine.”

Next Chapter

#alice in borderland #niragi suguru #niragi x reader #alice in borderland fanfic #also on ao3

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mxvladdy · 3 years

Text

Lost Affections: Part 3

Ayyyyoooo. Here is the last part to @marymaryroo's request!

On to the next one :)

Magic is a beautiful and powerful thing. It permeates the Devildom like an eternal fog. For the residents, it is as common as breathing. From the strongest of their kind down to the lowest inhabitants, it is integral to their culture and daily life. Mistakes and accidents happen daily with young and old alike learning or experimenting. Magical rebounds and mishaps mean very little to them, especially the brothers. From the Celestial Realms down, they have seen it all.

Sometimes they forget that to you, magic can be a volatile and dangerous.

Beelzebub

Beel would never call himself accident-prone. He didn’t trip and stumble like Belphie when sleep deprived. He most certainly wasn’t as bad as Mammon when he was without his glasses or contacts. No, he would never say he was that bad. While not clumsy he knew he could be careless, especially when food was in the picture. He didn’t think twice about eating random things. It did hurt anyone, not physically. Sure, Luke and Satan got a little put out when he swiped something, but it didn’t hurt them.

He just forgets sometimes that you are different. You and he go together so well he forgets that you aren’t a demon. You don’t have the steel stomach or fast recovery time that he has. You make up for it. When you go out to eat you always research the place ahead of time. Does the place have non-enchanted food? Human grade options? If not, you make sure that Beel has his fill before taking him somewhere more appropriate for your stomach. Neither of you thinks about residual contaminants.

His life with you unravels with kisses. It is a slow, inconspicuous death. It builds over time with each brush of his lips to yours. Neither of you notices the taste of magic clinging to his mouth or tongue, neither of you thinks of the implications of all the weird potions and food he samples.

It starts small, you forget simple things about him. When his club activities ended, or what his favorite post-game drink was. He brushes it off, it’s trivial really. You are busy and these things can happen to the best of them. He keeps brushing off the nagging worry until he can’t.

It comes to a head one night at the door to your room. “Beel?” You yawn, pulling your robes closer around you. “What’s up?” You glance down at the box of snacks and pillows in his hands. “Did I miss something?”

“It’s date night.”

Your brows shoot up, facing heating. “What.” You sputter. Beel frowns, placing the box at his feet. With slow movements, he places his hand on your forehead. You were a little warm.

“Mmmmm.” His hearts flutter with nerves. Was his little human sick? He ignores the way you stiffen when he touches you. “Do you need a doctor?” He asks bending down to look you in the eye. He catches a whiff of something when you exhale. It is faint but clings to your breath, it’s sickly sweet and sharp to his nostrils. “You need a doctor.”

Without a second thought, he grabs your arm and drags you out of your room. His food forgotten in the hallway with your protests buzzing in his ears. “Beel...Beel!” You stumble after him. He ignores you each step he takes determined and picks up speed. Before you know it you are sitting next to Gluttony in Purgatory waiting for Solomon, beyond confused and anxious.

You fidget on the couch, peeking glances at the troubled look on the red-heads face. This wasn’t like him. He was a man of few words, sure, but this was new. Beel left you to your devices mostly, a few polite conversations here and there, but you two never hung out a lot. You zone out when he starts talking to Solomon. You were still half asleep from Beel waking you up. You had been sleeping so soundly beforehand. “Are you alright?” You jerk awake unaware that you started dozing again. Solomon crouches in front of you.

“I think so?” You had no idea what this was about. “I’m just tired.” The mage says nothing to you, instead turning to glance at Beel. He jerks his head to the door, a clear signal for the old demon to wait outside.

With one last pitiful glance, Beelzebub leaves the two humans to converse. “Now then.” Solomon rounds his piercing eyes back to you. “Tell me how's your stay in the Devildom?”

You tell him confused but willing to play along with his odd request, the sooner you wrap this up the sooner you can go back to bed. An odd feeling of missing something begins to grow as you tell him. Soon you began to fumble, the harder you try to recount something the harder it was to collect. You still were convinced anything was seriously wrong but the growing look of concern on Solomon’s face was making you think otherwise. “So,” You finish rubbing your knees with sweaty palms. “I’m I dying or something?”

He laughs dismissing the notion with a wave of a well-manicured hand. “No, no your soul is still firmly in place.” He rubs his chin. “But you have lost your memory, only when it comes to Beelzebub though. It is very peculiar. Have you ingested anything weird of late? Done any experiments with Satan?” You shake your head. To the best of your knowledge, you have been really careful with your food intake while down here. Devildom foods were delicious but had potential side effects for you and Solomon.

Solomon nods. He figured that. “Could I draw some blood? It sounds to me like you might have trace contamination of some kind. Diavolo and I discussed that this might happen but I wish to double-check.” Well, that’s worrisome, you nod and begin to roll up your sleeve. Solomon bustles collecting a few vials and a mouth swab for extra measure.

“Thank you.” He smiles looking at the samples with scientific glee. “I will let you know what I find. Until then, I guess just go about your regular day. Unless you feel ill, in that case, come to me immediately.” With that, he leaves you depositing you back with Beel.

The walk back to the House was more subdued, both of you were confused as to what to do next. “So,” You flounder. “We were-are an item?”

He shrugs looking down at you. “Yes. We’d hang out in your room on Saturdays, and get brunch on Sundays... do you still want to?”

You shrug feeling awkward. You felt nothing but platonic friendship to the large demon, though Solomon did fill you in on what you apparently have forgotten. “If you want to? I’m up now, and too nervous to sleep.” Beel grunts clenching his fists at his side.

“No,” He shakes his head. “You should rest, even if you can’t sleep. This is overwhelming. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow?” You feel bad. He sounds so hopeful when he asks, like a good night’s sleep was all you needed to fix whatever this was.

You reach for his big hand and squeeze it. “Sure, Beelzebub. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He lets you go watching you head back into the house. Running on instinct he turns and heads into the dense forest surrounding the house. He needed to hunt for a bit.

That’s how his twin finds him, gorging himself on the fauna of the forest. Belphie’s socked feet pad loudly over the dried grass and scattered bones of the once lush lowlands. “You know Lucifer is going to be pissed. It takes forever for the wildlife to come back after one of your benders.” He tosses his oversized pillow onto the dead grass and lays down. Belphie doses for a moment, the sound of his brother’s many mouths and whistling of wings a white noise to him. Up until an obnoxious locus landed on his nose.

“Beel.” He flicks the bug off his face, shooting the swarm coating his brother’s skin a sour look. “What’s going on?”

Forgot. Me. One of his mouths rattles out, flecks of meat and vegetation falling from between crooked and jagged teeth. Another opens near his rib cage to speak. They. Don’t. Love. Me.

“I’ll kill them.” Already Belphie is back on his feet. He feels for his brother and his plight, but the thought that you betrayed him after you promised to never hurt Beel took precedence. The storm of bugs goes quiet, all the millions of eyes now turn to him. They jerk and twitch in unison before converging back on the mass of leathery gaunt skin of his brother. His human form takes shape slowly, shiny wings and many mandibled skulls melding together to create his flesh.

Beel grabs Belphie’s shoulders. His claws dig into the soft fabric of his nightshirt. “It’s not their fault.”

“Then who?” Beel chuckles weakly at his brother’s blood lust. He couldn’t deny that he felt it too, but he had no idea where to channel this anger.

So he ate. It calmed him a little. If he could get into the village and eat there...no. The last time he siphoned the emotions from the populous at large Lucifer got mad. The whole of the Devildom had to shut down for a good week to recover. He rubs his stomach a feeling of agitation growing in the pits of them. “Don’t know. Solomon is taking a look at it.” Belphie snorts a sneer growing on his lips. “He is helping, Belphie.”

“Sure-right. That boy meddles in all shorts of shit he shouldn’t. Careful he doesn’t try to bargain with your skin for this.” He eyes where your mark rests on his brother. It would be a perfect lure to entrap his twin in a pact.

Hmm.

No, none of this would do. Belphegor would rather die than let some human-like Solomon meddle anymore in his family’s affairs, and as far as he was concerned the moment you started seeing Beel you were as another sibling. “Come on. Let’s get you back to the house. I’ll bring dinner up to our room.”

After settling Beel under the covers of his massive bed Belphie went on the hunt for more food in the kitchen. He stops by your bedroom door picking up the box of goodies still left in front of it. He piles more things into the box when he reaches the kitchen. Swiping up snacks at random Belphie piles the box sky high. His hand stops over a few of your favorite human snacks. Should he? Honestly, it was a blind shot in the dark if it would comfort his brother or not. After a bit more debate Belphie puts the chocolates back, a different idea already turning in his head.

Back in their shared room, he listens to his brother run down the last week between huge bits of sweets. As he recounts every little thing that has gone down they both began to notice just how strange you have been. Both twins sit in the aftermath of Beel’s words, a wasteland of wrapper and silence stretching between them. “Think it will come back?” The twins lock eyes, Beel’s large and unsure but simmering with foolish hope.

“Possibly.” Belphie grits out, breaking their eye contact. He could never lie to his brother, at least not to his face. “Get some rest. I’m sure someone will have a plan in motion by tomorrow.” He’ll set his plans in motion tonight.

Lying in wait some hours later Belphie listens through the walls of the massive house for your quick little human heartbeat in your bedroom. He matches his shallow breaths with yours feeling yourself slip into slumber and his realm. Once you are completely under he drifts off himself.

He enters your dreams and scowls unused to stumbling inside of a dreamscape. Your dreams are muddled and clotted with stick webs of confusion and hazy memories. Odd bits and pieces of images drip around the edges of your mind. This place was a disgusting mess. With a deep sigh, Belphie begins trudging through the quagmire.

He peers around making note of the black holes in your mind like canvas ripped from their frames. Rotten magic assaults him from all sides. Stopping in front of a particularly deep gash in your mind he rolls up his oversized sleeves finding what he was looking for. He knew this memory was in it, just on the outskirts of the scene playing out. He could knit this rip back together easily, after that it should give him some clarity on the others he couldn’t place.

This was going to take a lot of energy. No one would notice if he stole some energy to get things started. Belphie smiles to himself already tapping into Lucifer's dreamscape, taking a bit more than he needed. You deserve only the best after all.

__________________

“Morning everyone.” You chirp plopping down in your chair. The brothers reply with groggy acknowledgments, completely unlike themselves. You look around at the bunch. “Are you all ok?” The group grunts collectively yawning or rubbing their weary eyes.

“Tough night.” Lucifer looks up from his newspaper. He was half-dead in his chair, a cup of coffee shaking in his hands. Asmo sits beside him looking on the verge of tears as he gently pokes his swollen cheeks and eyelids. The only two that seem to even be remotely coherent were the twins. The youngest of the two sleeping oblivious to the turmoil of his siblings while his brother stares at your every move. “Good morning Beel.” You nod feeling awkward in this shared space.

“Morning.” He smiles at you, a few crumbs clinging to the corner of his mouth. Something ticks in the back of your mind at his look. A foggy image comes to mind. It feels like a dream, but so real at the same time. It makes you nauseous, a weird sense of dejavu fighting its way to the forefront. “You ok?” He puts a hand on your shoulder.

You blink noticing the room at large turning their gaze to you. You nod, reaching across from him for some leftover food. The moment a bowl of cereal was in your hands Asmo swept you up in a conversation about his “fading” looks. You don’t think of Beel and your predicament for the rest of the day, not until Solomon invites you over to his hall for tea.

“You were poisoned.” He states simply over his sorry excuse of scones. You pause in the middle of trying to break a piece off on the table.

“I’m sorry?”

“Nothing to apologize for, unless you did it intentionally.” He laughs. “It appears to be through slow ingestion over a long period of time. The levels in your blood are staggering but not lethal. It looks like the magic took root in the temporal lobe-much like a tumor, really quite fascinating- and has been eating away at the memories of the person, or in this case, a demon that poisoned you.” Beel had been poisoning you? Solomon waves his hand at your look of concern. “I am quite positive that it was not intentional. Mind you he does find the most wondrous things to shovel down his gullet. The fact that it mixed perfectly into a potion instead of a lethal toxic is sheer dumb luck on your end.” You breathe a sigh of relief finally tossing the baked good away as a bad job. Well that's...something. At least you’d be alive to stumble around your apparent “forgotten boyfriend”.

“Any chance of fixing this?”

Solomon shrugs. “Possibly? I need more time to figure out exactly what components are involved in your test results. Then making a tonic to undo all the magic is another thing entirely.”He discusses a few other options with you for a few hours, going over in great detail the ins and outs of potion-making. Soon the windows of the sunroom grew dark, the glow of the lamps outside growing brighter so you could see the pathway back to the house.

“I better head back.” You stretch looking out into the pitch outside. Hmmm, if you remember correctly Levi should be off of work by now. He said to call when he was done to come to pick you up. As if on cue a sharp knock on the door disrupts you. Instead of a shock of blue hair, you are greeted with orange. “Oh-hey Beel.”

“Hey.” The corner of his mouth twitches in a facsimile of a friendly smile. “Ready to go?” He picks up your forgotten school bag and takes your sweater from the coat rack. With a well-practiced motion, he slings the bag over his shoulder and holds your sweater open for you. He obviously did this a lot before…

You stare back wide-eyed at Solomon who only smirks, nodding at you to hurry up.

Out the door and into the chilly night you sneak a peek at Beelzebub walking quietly beside you. He catches your look and raises a brow. “Sorry.” You feel your cheeks heat a little under his thoughtful gaze.

“About?”

“All of this.” You wave at yourself. “Please don’t feel obligated to hang out with me. Until we can get this settled. I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

Beel grunts, stopping in his tracks by a low garden wall. “I was hurt-am still hurting.” He admits. “But this isn’t your fault, so what good does it do to blame you for it? Even if you don’t remember me as your partner, you still remember me as a friend...right?” A warm smile spreads across his face when you nod. “Then I’m ok with this. I haven’t lost you completely and even if you don’t ever feel the same way about me anymore, I think I will be ok.”

“I- thank you Beel. That means a lot.”

“Of course.” He hums. “Let’s head back. I think Asmo left some food out.”

You dream of Beel again, a weird amalgamation of scenes all tossed together in a great pile with you in the middle of it. You could do nothing but watch like a film as they rush by you in a blur. Some scenes didn’t line up right, bouncing around like a scratched vinyl, but it still made sense in a way only a dream could. You play out each dream like an actor, the script coming to you naturally with each little venette. You sit outside his locker room, a basket of food and drink in your lap, your heart fluttering in your chest. You and Beel were watching his brothers on the beach, his broad hands rubbing sunscreen into your skin. Beel walking you back to your room after a long night in the library holding your hand in his strong, sure grip. Saturday afternoons spent hopping from one cafe to the next sampling the sweets and drinks to both of your heart's content.

It grips your heart but slips away with the rise of the young morning moon.

When morning comes the night is nothing more than a few smudges in your mindscape. Yet, a light, sweet feeling stays with you. You found yourself smiling more around the redhead and gravitating to him during the day. He accepts you back with a friendly hug and a friendly ear.

He treats you no differently than you remember. It’s nice. Even if a part of your yearns to see how he treated you when you were more than friends.

You begin to get excited for when your head hits your pillow. The dreams become clearer and clearer each night. Some new pieces show up and fall into place as the weeks progress. You start seeing bits of your dreams in the day too. After-images of you hand in hand with him walking down the other side of the street. The taste of something sweet on your tongue or a familiar scent in your nose.

After one particularly vivid dream, you wake determined not to let the contents of this dream slip through your fingers. This time you dreamt of the kitchen, dirty bowls, and units scattered about the cluttered counters. You had been baking something, and failing miserably.

Sneaking down to the kitchens you pull out all the things you could remember. For some reason, this dream lit a fire in you, like it was the last piece of the puzzle to getting it all back. You don’t think, instead, you just let your body take control. You baked a cake.

Well, it was supposed to be a cake. The center was too spongy and collapsed inward while the sides were dark and cracked. The icing was badly blended and melting from the still-warm pastry. It was almost exactly like the one from your dream.

You stare at it waiting for some great revelation, but nothing comes. Great. Now what?

“I smell food.”

“Gods!” You jerk smacking your knee on your bar stool. Beel’s deep voice scaring you half to death. “Should put a bell on you.” You grin. Beel peeks his head through the door brows furrowed.

“This is familiar.” He walks in pulling up another chair to sit next to you.

“Ye?” You look back at him.

“Yes. This was our first kiss.” You drop your icing spoon. “You wanted to surprise me before a big game.” He put a finger through the thick black and purple icing and pops it in his mouth. “Ah- You forgot the bane extract...I had thought that perhaps you remembered.” The hope in his voice stung your chest.

Oh. You look down at the mess you made, whatever feelings of satisfaction are lost. “I thought I was forgetting something, but my dreams are all blurry.”

“Dreams?” Beel pauses reaching for a slice. “You dreamt of this?”

“Yes. Been dreaming about you a lot of late.” You flush. “Little things that are starting to build a bigger picture. I just had this dream of a cake and the urge to make one...so- here we are.” You wave your hand out over the messy kitchen. Sighing plopping your chin down on your palm. “Guess I can sleep on it a bit more huh?” You shoot him a quick wink and sad smile.

“Or just ask Belphie.” He shrugs, taking another large slice of the disaster. “Sounds like he’s been meddling.” That realization hits you like a ton of bricks. Damn, you could have slapped yourself. “I’m sure he meant well, but he shouldn’t force you if you don’t want to. I could tell him to stop.”

What! No! You shake your head. “No. I-I don’t mind it. Solomon has yet to figure anything out, and whatever your brother is doing seems to be helping a little.” Beelzebub said nothing to that and just continued to eat while you started the dishes.

“Do you want to end tonight like we did before?” He asks sometime later, half of the dishes now drip drying in the rack. His long arms box you in on either side holding on to the lip of the sink. His head dips low, his chin resting on the top of your head. Deep down you knew that you could leave at any time. His grip was loose and easily breakable, considerate as ever to your comforts.

You turn to face him, a soft look crosses his face. “And how did it end?” He grins moving closer. You would have to thank Belphie for his interference. Just, perhaps later. You doubted he would want to be in your dreams tonight.

#obey me fan fic #obey me beel x mc #obey me beelzebub #fan fic requests #obey me fandom #obey me

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