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#even will stick their hands under the master's clothes to put them against her skin. and the master will just let that happen at this point
quietwingsinthesky · 2 months
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Tossing 🙉 back at u :3 (also 🤝)
How do they react to silence?
I think, from what I've seen of spaceships on good old doccy who, they are never quiet. Not just TARDISes (though Even would love that they are so. well. expressive.) space travel is just noisy in an ambient hum sort of way. A noisy ship is a good ship, a functional ship. A silent ship is bad. The only silent part of space travel is space.
And that's why Even would get so anxious if things were fully quiet around them. With their feet firmly on the ground, they'd get nervous if they couldn't hear anything. It's like a background check constantly running: Can I Hear Things Working: IF yes -> everything is fine. IF no -> we are all about to die.
How do they react to being touched by another person?
very dependent on the person! touch-starved even real and true, but touch-anxious(?) even! also very real! you must approach them like they are a spooked horse and you are the last horsegirl on the ranch who needs them to win the big horse race. treats are very helpful in this regard.
In all seriousness, it's all about trust. Once that's established, Even is. I hesitate to say cuddly. It's more like, they do not understand personal space, do not want to understand personal space, and will insinuate themself into whatever position puts them in the most contact with the person they want to touch. (And very appreciative of things that act as an extension of touch when it can't be supplied, such as getting to wear the Doctor's coat.) They warm up to Jack extremely quick because he's just Like That about casual physical touch, and they enjoy it very much. Once they've befriended Donna, they want to be holding her hand or leaning against her whenever she's nearby. Their first time round with the Doctor, they are constantly reaching for him or returning his touch, easily and happily.
And the second time round, they. aren't. They're skittish about letting him touch them, and they only allow it if they can initiate it and end it on their terms. Even then, it's never going to be an easy thing again, but it isn't unwanted. It will never be unwanted.
And then the Master is. at a certain point, and a lot of boundaries drawn, crossed, redrawn, crossed again, and then forgotten altogether on both sides, and way too much time spent in each other's pockets, it ends up that Even doesn't really register the Master touching them as another person touching them. or. maybe it'd be more accurate to say that the Master touching them doesn't feel to them like the Master touching someone else. That it's more akin to someone touching an object they own to make sure it's still there, or even scratching their own arm to make sure they can feel it. And in turn, Even has even fewer boundaries with them then they managed to develop for other people.
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aussiepoguepunk · 3 years
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Perfect Storm pt3 (JJ Maybank x reader)
Summary: heartbreak is hurting JJ in more ways than one.
Warning: angst, mention of pain, crying, JJ's lungs, smut,
Part1 part2
_____
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Why would you do that?” JJ tried to stop himself, but going on not knowing, it was killing him. In that moment JJ was more vulnerable than he had ever been in front of another living soul. He was anxious and confused, his throat burning as a consequence of the sobs that filled his sleep. Heartbreak and desperation tightening around his lungs, awaking that all too familiar pain in his chest.
 “If you rejected me, fine. If nothing happened an-and we kept-'' JJ paused, his lungs tightening. “-kept on the way we’ve always been, I-I-I wouldn’t be confused,” Tears had begun streaming down JJ’s cheeks and he didn’t care at this point. “but..but why kiss me if you were just gonna ...I-I…” JJ ran both his hands through his hair, only making it messier in doing so. “I don’t understand.” he whispered, letting himself cry again with his head in his hands. The sound of his sadness echoing quietly through the van.
Y/n felt her heart shatter. She’d made a mistake in thinking he didn’t have feelings for her.
JJ’s muscles tensed from the unexpected contact. Y/n having wrapped her arms around the boy, one around his back, the other coming under his chin.
“I’m so sorry, JJ.” She rested her head lightly on his shoulder that shook with each of the boys’ quiet cries. “I was trying to prevent anything from getting too complicated. When you said you had a thing for me I misunderstood and thought it was just in a sexual way.” She hugged him tighter. “I never meant to hurt you.”
JJ tried to stop crying but his lungs felt like they were on fire. In an attempt to cope, even though he knew it would do nothing, he clutched the fabric that covered his chest. A weak cry of pain barely leaving his mouth. 
Y/n removed her arms from around the blonde. “JJ, please stop crying” she brought her hands to his face, getting him to face her. It was then that she saw his red puffy eyes. JJ had always been a master of puppy dog eyes, so to see their beautiful blue colour stained with sadness was unbearable. He still held his chest, strands of his hair sticking out in all directions.
“It...it hurts.” JJ sobbed, beginning to move away. Y/n pulled him back to her.
“I know, sweetie. I'm so sorry. I should have talked to you about it, I was just-”
“N-No my...my lungs” he managed to correct her.
It took Y/n a second to realize what he was talking about, but once she had her only concern was him. Well, more than before. 
“Shit. Okay, do you think you can move to the back of the van? Maybe lay down.” Y/n asked, a new tone of concern and care taking over her voice. JJ only shook his head, breathing becoming more difficult as he continued to cry. 
“What-how do you usually stop the pain?” Y/n tried not to sound alarmed.
“I... c-c-calm.” JJ whimpered.
“Alright just… hey JJ...hey come on” she tried to get him to look at her again but he was beginning to panic.
There were probably a dozen other things y/n could have done but she didn’t have time to think about them all, she just went with her gut. Guiding JJ out from behind the steering wheel, she pushed his shoulders back. Y/n sat herself on one of JJ’s legs and took his face in her hands, kissing him gently. JJ froze, his breath caught in his throat, letting out a long exhale when Y/n pulled away.
“You’re okay J. I got you, alright.” she hummed. JJ looked up at her, his breathing slowly steadying as he tried to speak. “Shhh. Breathing first. Talking later.” Y/n hushed, pushing back stray hairs that had fallen on the boy's forehead.
JJ let himself lean into her touch, the fiery pain in his chest gradually dying. His fingers toyed with the hem of the sweatpants pockets to further calm his nerves and focused on Y/n as she fixed his disheveled hair, listening to her sigh quietly once she brought her attention back to him. JJ closed his eyes at the feeling of gentle hands on the back of his neck, moving his hands up from the pockets of the sweatpants to hold her sides. It was a peaceful moment, the boys breathing stabilizing as a welcoming warmth fluttered in his stomach.
After a small movement on Y/n’s behalf the warmth and anything JJ felt was feeling overshadowed, a grunt being drawn from the surfer. 
“What? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Y/n panicked, trying to move away when JJ held her sides tighter, releasing whimper that sounded desperate, and more needy.
“nothi- mmh- Nothing’s wrong, just-” He tried to speak but JJ had become painfully aware of the placement of Y/n’s knee and where it kept grazing everytime she moved while she straddled one of his legs.
“Oh, God! P-Please stop moving!” JJ pleaded, squeezing his eyes shut when Y/n’s knee brushed against his groin again.
“Am I hurting you? I-I’m sorry. I didn’t think I’d be too heavy.” With a small voice she apologised and began to push herself off of him, only to be pulled back.
“No! Fuck. You’re not too heavy, Y/n.” JJ took a quick glance between the two before letting his head fall back on the seat . “Y-Your knee just isn’t in the best place for you to keep moving around like that.” 
Her face glowed red once Y/n noticed what was happening. A tingling sensation beginning between her thighs.
“oh”
“If you could just- mgh- just give me a minute to-mmh” he stopped when she began to litter his jaw with kisses.
“I’m...here...to...help you J” she whispered against his neck.
“Let’s move to the back then” JJ gestured to the vans back seat.
A hoodie and JJ’s boxers were all that kept them apart as he pulled her to sit on his leg again, desperate kisses and needy hands bringing them closer. Gripping her hips firmly, he guided her centre to slowly rock back and forth on his thigh, cherishing the little whines she released at the contact. The pace he kept her at was torture. Fighting against JJ’s stong hold, she did anything she could to go even the slightest bit faster. 
His thigh glistened from her arousal, feeling himself grow harder while the sounds of her wetness moving against him filled his ears.
“p-ple-ease” she breathed, gripping his shoulder tightly, trying to grind down on him more.
“You want more, baby?” he teased, somehow slowing the pace even more. She nodded eagerly, biting her lip to suppress her moans.
“You can have my fingers. Do you want that, angel?” JJ slid his right hand to rest on the inside of Y/n's leg that sat between his.
“Please J” she begged, letting a needy whimper slip past her lips.
“Well since you asked so nicely...” Carefully JJ caressed her inner thigh, making his way upwards, eventually beginning to massage her. He moved his fingers up and down through her folds, spreading them apart to toy with her clit between two fingers. Y/n gasped at touch, tingles of pleasure swirling through her. But just as it had begun, it disappeared, the wonderful feeling vanishing for only a moment as JJ freed her from the hoodie that covered her naked body. He resumed his previous actions, now using his other hand to tenderly caress her breasts. 
“Move your leg over, baby” JJ instructed, removing his hands. 
"but I like it here." Y/n whined, displeased once again with the loss of touch.
JJ pulled her forward kissing her sweetly, leaning next to her ear "So do I, baby. But I'd like you grinding on my dick even more" he whispered, his sentence very near being enough to make the girl cum then and there. 
God how she wanted him, both in the purest and most scandalous way. 
Y/n shifted her body to straddle JJ, resting her hands on his stomach as he laid back against the seat. His many hours of manual labour in different jobs had most certainly played off, leaving him with an abdomen that would put famous sculptures to shame. 
Profanities fell from her mouth, rolling her hips over the surfers tightly clothed hard-on. The girl bit her lip to suppress the uncontrollable expressions of pleasure when JJ's hips bucked upwards from underneath her. 
"This is great and all babe" he panted, slowing down the pace and lifting Y/n's hips so that she would hover barely centimeters off of him. "but if we keep going, I'm gonna cum in my boxer" 
There was a moment of silence, Y/n trying to think of words to say, all sensibility blurred for pleasure. 
JJ rushed to fill the quiet "if you don't wanna go any further, tell me. I won't do anything you don't want to." He explained. 
Y/n was happy that JJ was being a gentleman about things, it was very reassuring, but right now he looked so good layed back on that seat, torso coated from perspiration as his hands gripped her thighs. She'd much prefer to skip the chivalry. 
Anticipation began to shape her thoughts, mind imagining all the ways the two of them could express their affections. She quivered feeling her wetness leek down her inner thigh, a needy whimper leaving her.
"JJ. For my sanity and yours, can we skip over the whole 'taking it slow' thing?" She pleaded, shifting under JJ's hold in desperation of any sort of friction.
Without a word the boy lifted her from his lap. The cool leather of the seat sent goosebumps rippling over her body when it came in contact with her warm skin. 
JJ stood, removing his boxers swiftly. The bulge that previously occupied his underwear had displayed his size well, his erection now free from the constricting fabric. 
The blonde kneeled between Y/n's legs, leaving a trail of kisses upwards until their eyes met once again. 
"There are so many things I wanna do to you right now." JJ sighed, moving his fingers teasing between Y/n's thighs. He was driving her crazy.
"Can you just fuck me." y/n suggested, entirely flustered. 
JJ pretend to think for a moment. "Well I suppose eating you out can wait for another time." 
Before long the van began to rock with every movement, every thrust JJ made. The sound of Y/n panting his name was as sweet as he had dreamed. 
"Sounds so beautiful, baby." He'd whisper in her ear, kissing along her jaw, every now and then groaning when her fingernails would dig into his back. All of it building, every moan and kiss leading up to their peak. 
The climax was blissful, pure serenity away from the lighting of the storm. 
JJ rested his forehead on hers, Y/n's chest heaving up and down quickly. 
"I'm really glad we could work out our differences." JJ laughed lazily. 
"oh yeah, I really think it strengthened our relationship." y/n smiled moving wet hair away from JJ's face. 
He pulled her in to rest her head on his chest. They laid there staring at the roof peaceful and content, but something seemed off with JJ. A look of concentration painted across his face, staring at the roof as thought it was presenting him with a math problem.
"You okay, J?" Y/n ask lifting her head from his chest. JJ contemplated his answer, nervous that he might mess up the moment.
"Are we- um... you and I…" he was cut off with a soft and loving kiss.
"Yeah. We are." Y/n nodded, bitting her lip.
The blanket now comfortably draped over both of them, they held each other close for the rest of the night.
_____
I feel like the ending could have been better. :/ but I still like it.
Taglist: @taylathornton @skyfallgazingstar @poguesarah @mysticalhearteagle-trin @wannabejjmaybankswhore @gia-maybank
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infernal-fire · 3 years
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TAU (1/2)
Summary: Steve Rogers traps you inside his mansion. Your only means of escape? The naïve A.I., Bucky, that is designed to kill you if you ever step out of line. 
Pairings: Dark!CEO!Steve x reader, A.I!Bucky x reader, Bucky x reader
This is part of a series of works (not interconnected). I highly suggest you read the description of the series master list to better understand the premise of this story. 
Warnings: swearing, kidnapping, mention of sedative, technical Lima syndrome, psychological abuse, violence, blood, character deaths, injuries, mention of depression, suicide & poverty
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The chair was on the brink of collapsing, yet Martha folded her arms and leaned back into it anyway. You internally grimaced, waiting for her to fall flat on her ass or give you the bad news. It had to be bad news. You had done this enough times to know that she periodically bounced her right leg only when there was bad news. These days, that was often. 
You huffed once, loud enough for her to hear, hoping to hint that you were hanging by the threads of your patience. She took the hint, finally throwing open the drawer in front of you with excessive force. Pens rolled and a notebook slid towards her amid the force. Again, another piece of furniture that was ready to give in. For someone as stingy as her, you aren’t surprised that it hasn’t been replaced - just wondering why she’s treating it like it won’t disintegrate any second now. 
Martha’s plump fingers slapped a couple of bills onto the table, her seedy eyes challenging you to pluck them from under her hand. You wrestled the bills out of from under her palm and diligently counted them, only to shake your head defeatedly. 
“That’s it?” you snarled.
“Steal better shit next time,” she replied, shrugging. 
You slowly sighed and pinched the bridge of your nose, refusing to open your eyes and face her.
“I really need the money.” 
When you open your eyes again, it’s because you hear the roll of her weathered chair. Now standing full height, the middle-aged woman shook her head softly, a hint of a smirk playing out on her lips. 
“Like I said; steal better shit.” She turned to leave before facing you again. “You could always come and work with our girls.”
She glanced through the door that was cracked open, eyes resting on the table situated in the corner of the adjacent room. Around it, a group of girls set down cards while pushing poker chips around. 
“Sell my body? I’d rather die,” you scoffed. 
“Suit yourself. Now, get out.”
“Was planning to.” You flipped her the bird, knowing that she was watching you leave.
“Real classy,” she called after you. “You gotta come back here for your next week’s dinner, you whore!”
“That’s all you,” you smiled at her before slamming the door closed on your way out. Oh, the satisfaction of pissing someone off; unparalleled. 
Placing your measly wage into a makeshift purse, you made your way back home. You hugged your frame tightly, keeping your head down and pacing through the dilapidated neighbourhood. 
Once upon a time, when you were new to the shadier areas of town, you affirmed to yourself every day that this situation was temporary. The hope for a better job, better apartment and better tomorrow kept you going for a long time. Deep down though, you knew it wasn’t temporary, and now you were being proven right every day. What was keeping you going these days? Multiple times, you delayed the contemplation of that question, knowing that if you thought about it… well, it’s better to not go there. 
You were careful to double-check the lock on your door and windows when you stepped into the cramped shower. Today, you thanked God for hot water, even though you were sure he didn’t exist. Mind empty like a brand new chalkboard, you shuffled around your one-room housing and put together something edible to appease the churning stomach.
Your ear perked up at what sounded like the creaking of the fourth floorboard from your bed. You locked the door. You were sure of it. 
Still, you peeked over the short dividing wall that hid the view of your bed from the kitchen. Nothing. You shook your head at your paranoia and turned back to get to the less-than-appetizing meal waiting for you. 
Steve jammed the needle into your neck, expecting you to fall back into his arms. Instead, your forehead hits the edge of your counter and you slump onto the floor. Your eyes shutting down and head throbbing, you reach out to feel your attacker and touch Steve with saucy fingers. He groans in annoyance as he picks up your whimpering form. 
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Thump, thump, thump.
The nightclubs you frequent were full of snobby, rich kids who didn’t know the value of wealth. You stole to survive. They could survive without their wristwatch for one night. 
Thump, thump, thump.
Music turned the speakers inside out, deafening those closest to it, but the youth are resilient to damage in any form. For you, though, it was too loud; too much. It wasn’t uncommon of you to walk away from the scene with a pounding head. 
Thump, thump, thump.
The inside of your head resembled the thumping of club speakers. Jaw slack and eyes foggy, you tried to rub your temples. But your arms wouldn’t move. 
Sitting up the best you could, you looked down at your hands to see them bound by zip ties, sitting on your lap. It was joke-worthy how your captor thought they could bind you with zip ties, of all things. He would have to do better than this. 
You tugged on the end of the tie using teeth and tightened it some more before huddling your knees up to your chest. Bringing your hands down as hard as you can against your kneecap, you awaited the snapping sound of the zip tie. Nothing came. You look at your hands again, realizing that they were still bound.
“Don’t do that,” a voice piped up from the dark corner of the room. Startled, you look to the source of the voice but no light fell in that direction. For the first time, you took in your surroundings: half of the room was divided by a set of bars. The other side had large machinery with wires running towards the jail section. As you trailed your eyes across the wires, you noticed a closed door. 
At least you knew it was possible to escape now. 
Quickly turning to the place the voice came from, you scooted backwards some more and anticipated the arrival of your captor. 
A woman crawled forward slowly with bounded legs and arms like yours. 
Seeing that it was just another prisoner, you tightened the strap of your zip tie again and tried breaking it one more time. It snapped. Rubbing your wrists where they were bound, you got straight to undoing the bind on your legs. Beside you, the girl moved closer and repeatedly begged you not to free yourself. 
“Shut up, Brit,” you mumbled, referring to her accent.
The bind on your legs gave away and you stood up and stretched. Tentatively stalking around the cell, you noticed the toilet and sink. Why would he have those amenities in here if you were tied up anyway? When you went to touch the bars separating the room, the girl cried out again. 
“Stop! Don’t!” 
You rolled your eyes and touched it anyway. Electricity surged through you and you yelped, pulling back immediately. 
“Could’ve told me it was an electric gate,” you snapped. 
“Don’t try to escape.” 
You looked at her incredulously. “And sit here like ducks, waiting for him to kill us?”
“Someone will find us!” she pleaded. 
“Look at me! Look at you! No one is looking for us. The police won’t blink twice if people like us are gone. And he knows that.” You eyed the door that was inside your cell and looked to the other one outside the bars. 
“Do you want me to remove your binds or not?”
The girl sheepishly looked down before sticking her arms out for you. 
“My name is Peggy,” she offered as she stood up. She held your arm for support when blood rushed to her head. You shot her a withering look in response and she took her hand off. 
“I don’t think we can leave. He can probably hurt us with these implants.” Peggy pulled her hair to one side and showed you the nape of her neck. A glowing red triangle shone from under her skin. 
Your eyes widened, immediately reached for the back of your head. You felt around and touched the area that stung a little when you touched it. You compulsively hissed, realizing that your implant was fresh and the skin around it had not healed yet. 
“Has he done anything to you using the implant?” you held and shook Peggy’s shoulders while you questioned. 
“No, no, but he said it collects brain data and that it was connected to my spinal column, so I shouldn’t try anything.”
“He spoke to you?”
“Once. It’s Steve Rogers, the inventor guy on the cover of all the Forbes magazines.”
“Brain data,” you silently repeated as you look to the other side of the cell again. 
“I have an idea. Rip your clothes like this,” you demonstrated.
Using the rags ripped off from both of your prisoner uniforms, the pair of you created a long rope-like contraption with a loop on the end. You stuck your hand through the gaps in the cell and tried to fling the loop to a nook in the machinery. Failing hurt, your arm accidentally brushing against the metal once or twice before the loop finally caught onto a crevice. 
“That’s the wrong part,” your fellow inmate breathed.
“Yeah, but that’ll work too.” You pulled as hard as you could and a section of the machine broke off, sparks flying from the source. It crackled and caught on fire. 
Peggy was pulling the cell door open, grunting as she tried her best. It gave way and you both looked at each other briefly before dashing out of the room. The jail room went up in flames behind you. Peggy looked over her shoulder, but you yanked her arm, signalling her to keep running. 
You flew up stairs and through doors, finally making your way into a clearing. Peggy rushed to what seemed to be the entrance door and frantically banged on it. 
“HELP!”
“That’s not gonna work!” you rushed to the door and inspected the lock. On the right side, there was a screen that displayed a handprint. 
Do not try to escape. Only Steven can leave the premises. 
“What?” you whispered. The new voice was coming from all around you, seemingly through fixtures in the ceiling and walls, but you couldn’t be sure. The situation was tense and you were scared the whole house was going to burn down.
Before you could catch her, Peggy planted her hand on the screen which scanned and turned red. Suddenly, all the lights emanated red, accompanying a booming alarm that blared through the house. 
In the distance, what you assumed was a statuesque décor piece, came to life. It reminded you of the spiders from the Maze Runner. A motorized killing machine. It stalked towards Peggy and you with pincers appearing from its side. 
Screaming, Peggy ran. So did you, but you weren’t sure if you were screaming. You couldn’t hear through the noise your friend was making on top of the deafening alarm. 
The spider machine stuck out its knife-like hands, trying to stab you. As you ran into another room, you frantically searched for an exit. Right now, your priority was to survive this thing.
You pulled open a cupboard in what appeared to be the study and instructed Peggy to climb in. The monster was coming. There wasn’t much time to hide. 
You shut the closet door and hid behind a lounging chair in the corner. 
The machine came in and scanned the room, looking for your heat signatures. It could see Peggy.
The cupboard door flung open and Peggy shrieked, crawling out of it in attempts to move out of the line of attack. She took 4 steps on her knees and looked straight into your eyes. 
“HELP ME-”
You screamed when she was dragged back towards the machine. You couldn’t save her anymore. You mobilized and ran back to the living room area, not even turning back to address blood that splattered across your back. It wasn’t in your best interest to find out how she was killed. 
“Aries!”
Frozen in fear, you look to your right to see the entrance door open. There stood your captor, staring at the machine that was now hovering over you. 
“Stop,” he muttered and set down his briefcase. 
Aries retracted its pincers, making its way back to the little pedestal it was perched on before. It powered down just as the CEO stepped into the house and glared at you.
For a split second, the doors were open, and you considered tackling past him. 
“Don’t even think about it.”
You collapsed onto the floor where you were already lying down. Getting out was going to be a lot harder than you anticipated. 
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Your hands were bound again, but this time, behind you. You were seated on a pedestal like the one Aries was on, except this one had an ugly glass décor piece that extended to the ceiling. You tugged on the bonds, hoping for some leeway, but Rogers had learned his lesson. 
You shook your head side to side, trying to get pieces of hair and blood off your face. Eventually, you had to give up, slumping into the post your arms were tied to. 
“You cost me 7 million dollars worth of tech,” Steve’s voice sounded from another room. 
“If you let me go, I swear on my life I won’t tell anyone. They won’t believe me anyway.” 
He appeared in front of you and placed both hands on either side of your thighs. 
“Things will work out for you, if you just… shut up.” 
You exhaled and turned your face to the right, hoping he’d stop invading your personal space. 
“Just… please, untie me.”
He stood back and considered your request before rounding the side of the pedestal and untying you. 
“Bucky?”
Yes, Steve.
“Activate Aries if she moves a single inch from her spot.” He eyed you at the end of his command and sauntered away to god-knows-where. 
You hoped it wouldn’t be pushing your luck to stand up and stretch, so you did. You mentally considered the various stretches you did as a child, during gymnastics. It had been years since you recalled those, so you did them to the best of your ability. It’s funny how life works. One day you were among a row of girls, learning how to do a cartwheel and before you know it, you’re in a psycho’s mansion as a lab experiment. 
About 30 feet away from this pedestal was Aries.  
Cautiously, you took a few steps away from your place. No reaction from Aries. That meant ‘Bucky’ and Aries weren’t the same thing. You could also deduce from Steve’s command, Bucky was capable of conversing.
Do not take another step forward, Subject 10. I have been told to inflict pain if you move from your position.
You took another step anyway, wondering how much you could test the limits of this A.I. 
Do not take another step forward, Subject 10. I have been told to inflict pain if you move from your position. 
You considered making a run for it but reconsidered. Aries would activate in less than 5 seconds and Steve was still in the house somewhere. You needed to play this better. Besides, you didn’t even have an exit point. 
You went back to your pedestal and sat down, drawing patterns on the ground with your feet. It would help to know the time or date. A part of you wondered if anyone was looking for you, but you yourself had answered that question long ago. No one looks for people like you or me. 
It could’ve been hours or minutes, but finally, Steve called you into a different room. You observed your environment as you stalked towards the kitchen area where the inventor was seated. 
“Sit,” he motioned at the chair that was on the other end of the table. 
As soon as you sat, tiny robots flew to your seat and placed food in front of you. It was some sort of soup with a side of bread, the only utensil he gave you being a spoon. Smart bastard. 
You wanted to hold off on the food; you really did. But you didn’t even get to eat the sandwich that you were putting together before the kidnapping. So you began devouring the meal, ignoring his pointed stare at your lack of table manners. It was only when you were halfway through the meal did you realize that the food may be drugged. Too late now.
“You killed my only other test subject and rendered her data useless.”
“I didn’t kill her.”
Steve dropped his steak knife and fork, shooting daggers into your eyes.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he began. Clasping his hands together, he leaned forward, supporting his weight on his elbows. You could tell by the way he talked that he was used to getting what he wanted. He relished in it.
“Every day, for the next two weeks, I’m going to leave for work. And every day, you’re going to complete the puzzles and tasks that Bucky tells you to do.”
“And if I don’t?”
“It won’t take me more than 10 minutes to kill you, clean up the mess and dispose of your body.”
“If you could kill me, you probably would’ve. I know you considered it,” you remarked, leaning back into your chair and folding your arms.
“Now, why would I waste a perfectly good test subject?” It was his turn to mimic your body language. 
“If you want me to do what you need me to do, I need three things,” you announced. 
“It’s funny how you think you have any leverage in this situation.”
You kept your face stoic, trying to prove that you were serious about the negotiations. If he didn’t allow you these requests, you would never escape. 
“Okay, go on,” he said, clearly amused. 
“I need clothes. Regular clothes, not prisoner uniforms. I need to shower. And I need proper food, like what you’re eating.”
“That’s quite the list.” he laughed. Abruptly, his features turned serious. “I hope you know that you don’t hold any cards against me right now, and if I allow any of those things, it’s out of the kindness of my heart.”
It was your turn to laugh. “The kindness of your heart,” you wheezed between laughs. “Sure, okay. Yeah.”
He swallowed the last piece of his meal and gestured towards the sofas. 
“Bucky will be guarding you throughout the night. Don’t think of trying anything.” 
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” you beamed at his sour expression right before leaving the table.
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Masterlist
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sehunniepotwrites · 3 years
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AS YOU WISH | J.JH | ONE
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cover by @seostudios
SYNOPSIS. He was a boy, she was a girl— can I make it any more obvious?
But actually, she was a cursed genie of two thousand years who longed to be freed of her gilded cage and he was a modern but lonely boy who hoped to free her. He just didn’t expect to fall in love with her in the process. 
GENRE. angst, slow burn, romance, genie!au, reincarnation!au, royal!au, thief!au  PAIRING. jeong jaehyun x female genie!reader MINOR CHARACTERS. mark lee, moon taeil, jeong sungchan WORD COUNT. 10.6k+
WARNINGS. stealing, mentions of cuts and wounds, blood, physical beating, derogatory name calling  
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ONE: PAST | TWO: INTERLUDE | THREE: PRESENT 
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2000 YEARS AGO, THE KINGDOM OF NEIHO
“Stop, street rat!”
Heavens, how you hated that name. You ached to yell a taunting insult back but you were afraid of the royal guards catching onto your identity by hearing the sound of your voice. 
“Grab that lousy thief!” 
The calls of the guards continued to sound throughout the pathway as you ran for your life. The heavy bag of riches slung along over your shoulder pounded against your upper back as you felt the wind in your hair. The extra weight was beginning to weigh you down but you did not falter. Your strained legs propelled you forward and you stole a quick glance behind you— the burly men with swords were gaining on you and you could not let them.
“Wait— there are two of them!”
You cursed when your partner was spotted. From the corner of your eye, you caught a flicker of his cape turning a corner. You were supposed to be the diversion. The blazing sun burned your skin through your hooded cloak but you had to keep pushing. For them.
You would do anything for them, even give your life for them, just as your mother did before you.
Apologizing as you passed, you threw down displays of fresh produce to throw the guards off. You would come back to help clean up later.
You pulled the cloak down to better conceal your face before sprinting into a hidden nook in the village center. The bolstering guards ran past your hiding spot moments later, their leader barking commands to his subordinates before they all went their separate ways. Peeking behind a wall, you watched as their backs grew smaller and smaller and let out an audible sigh. 
You made it another day. With a wide-eyed grin, you pushed yourself out of your hiding spot and walked an easy path to the outskirts of the kingdom where people were waiting for you.
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If the guards were smart enough, they would have easily found you by they searched the outskirts of the kingdom’s stone walls. There was an opening in the walls, big enough for one person to fit through. You frequented that small hole often with a large sack hauled over your back. As soon as you passed that point in your path, you tossed your cloaked disguise into a nearby bush before trekking on to your final destination.
The path was lengthy but at least you were in the shade instead of under the blazing sun. The clanking of your stolen riches kept you company as you navigated through the many trees. It wasn’t long until you reached an open area filled with a variety of people. Lousy tents made of the thinnest cloth and held up by fallen branches surrounded the field and in the center was a large fire pit. There were clotheslines, cooking supplies, and a short supply of food scattered around the makeshift camp. 
The plentiful conversations hushed when you dropped the sack at the end of the path. A shuffling of footsteps and the tinkling sound of coins clanging against each other reached your ears before another figure plopped down beside you, his body falling splat onto the soft grass. 
“I refuse to do that again,” a boyish voice groaned beside you. It came from a boy around your age, give or take a few years, with messy brown hair and the cutest set of doe eyes. His thin face and sharp jawline were lined with dirt but he was still what you considered handsome. 
“Minhyung, stop your fusing,” you scolded as you ruffled his hair. The boy whined at your actions, moving away to escape your teasing. “You say the same thing every single time we do this, however, you keep coming back to help me.” 
“They almost caught me this time around,” he told you. “I barely escaped— one guard grabbed me by the ends of my cloak and almost saw my face! I thought you were the distraction!”
“I was,” you fired back. 
“And yet, they still found me,” Minhyung reported dramatically, swinging an arm over his eyes. There was a beat of comfortable silence as the breeze came rolling in. 
“But was it worth it?” you asked with a soft voice. 
A pair of dirtied feet appeared in your vision. You and Minhyung tilted your heads up to find a small child, not even five years of age gazing at you expectantly. The child’s body was extremely malnourished and their cheeks were horribly sunken in. They looked bashful as they outstretched an arm towards Minhyung. 
He sent the child a tiny smile, his mouth curving up at the ends, as he produced a small loaf of bread from beneath his cloak. The child’s eyes sparkled in delight as they snatched the piece of food from Minhyung’s hold and eagerly bit into it. You patted the child’s head lovingly as you hand them a grip of gold coins. They shuffled back to their family who gave their thanks. 
As the other people in the open field started to line up to receive their share, Minhyung simply replied: “Yes, yes it was.”
You grinned at your fellow thief— you thought it was worth it, too.
Your gaze shifts to the high towers of Neiho’s palace peeking from behind the treetops. But sometimes, you pondered over how effortless life must have been when living like royalty— was it easy when everything was provided for you?
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Unlike what most people assumed, living the life of a royal was far from easy. 
Jeong Yuno, the Crown Prince of Neiho, had a sudden urge to bang his head against the library wall. He refrained from doing so, the action being far from princely. He looked up from his pile of parchment paper with glazed over eyes, the ink from his quill drying from the lack of writing. There were rows of untouched books lined up at his desk and none of them were of his interest. They skirted on the topics of Neiho’s history and politics; although it was something he was already versed in, he hated the subject unlike his younger brother, Chansung, who excelled and loved it. 
Yuno longed to touch the atlas that was stationed on his tutor’s desk. He wanted to study it, chart a course to another far off land, and mark it with ink as he visited place to place. But instead of traveling, the crown prince drowned  in his studies while his tutor looked down upon his distracted self.
“Prince Yuno, have you heard a single word that has left my lips or is your head still up in the clouds?” Moon Taeil, the kingdom’s main historian and tutor, scolded. His wooden stick struck the surface of Yuno’s desk and the shocked boy jumped. From his own desk, Chansung snickered behind his thin hand. 
“My apologies,” the crown prince bowed his head, his ears turning crimson from being caught by the snippy tutor. 
“Well, since I have gained you back from the skies, might you list Neiho’s past rulers and achievements in order?” 
Yuno bit back a loud groan. He was in desperate need of a sweet escape. His gaze floated out the window and onto the blooming marketplace below. It seemed like the liveliness was calling his name.
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One of the things you loved about your mother was her storytelling. You heard stories of all kinds of love while growing up on the fly. She painted clear pictures of people falling at first sight, of hate turning to overflowing affection, and so much more. Your mother sold you tales of star-crossed lovers that found their happy endings before she passed; her fables of love sounded nothing more than poppycock and folly. 
That is, until it occurred to the unsuspecting you. 
It was a usual day for you in the city— hood up, cloak flowing in the wind with a sack beating your back as you were on the run from the royal guards stationed in the marketplace. You weaved in between the townsfolk, your nimble body easily pushing through nooks and crannies when you bumped into something— or rather, someone strong.
“Oof!”
“Oh!” 
The large sack you carried added some extra weight, leading you to topple over the stranger that ran into your smaller build. The stranger was about to mumble a quick apology before you heard the bellowing of the persistent guards.
You cursed. There was no room for hesitation when you were caught in a tight spot such as this. With staggering breaths and a pounding chest, you grabbed the man’s hand and navigated through endless alleyways and store fronts. You mastered the art of escaping at a young age while he had trouble keeping up with your speed.
And so, your first adventure with the man you would soon learn to love began.
Your hurried steps brought you to an unattended rooftop. You put one foot on the ledge and leaned your body over to glance at the commotion in the market. Down below, the guards were scrambling through the bustling crowds in a failed attempt to find you. Watching them struggle on their search sent you into a laughing fit that your then mysterious companion echoed. 
With a heaving chest and rushing heart, you finally looked up at him for the first time and saw the most beautiful man you had ever laid your eyes on. Despite only seeing him from his place on the balcony or painted portraits before, you immediately knew who he was: The Crown Prince of Neiho. He had deep chocolate eyes and jet-black hair that highlighted his sweat stained skin. His cheeks and ears were flushed with a rosy red as he gasped for air. He was dressed in a horrible excuse for a disguise; the high-end material he wore and golden shoes were purposefully stained. It was as if the prince wanted to be found. 
You quickly retracted your dirtied hand from his soft one and immediately dropped to your knees. “My sincerest apologies for placing my soiled hands on yours, Your Highness. I ask for your forgiveness,” you said with a bowed head, your disheveled hair covering your embarrassed face.
Yuno let out a hearty laugh, one that was deep but still sounded like the lightest bells in your ear. “Please, none of that,” he said, helping you to your feet. 
“If anything, you helped me escape from those wretched guards,” he sent you an angelic smile and you swore the heavens were smiling down on you at that moment. “I should thank you.” 
He placed a gentle hand on your shoulder as you felt your face flush with an unfamiliar heat. 
“May I know the name of my savior?” Yuno questioned teasingly, his eyes looking deep into yours. 
“Perhaps another time, Your Highness,” you said quite cheekily before running back into the crowd.
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The second time you met Prince Yuno, you were both on the run once again. In a way similar to what you had done in the past, his hand slipped so fluidly into yours before you sprinted through the town square. You  knocked a fruit cart down as a diversion and the guards struggled making their way through the mess. Through your hooded cloak that flowed in the breeze, you turned over your shoulder to chuckle at how helpless the so-called protectors looked.
“We must stop meeting like this, Highness,” you breathed out as you kept up with his speed.
“Why? I quite enjoy meeting like this,” he threw back at you with a sheepish grin. There was a glimmer of adventure in his eyes and you chuckled. 
The hood of your cape fell back, revealing your face for a quick moment before you tugged it back up. It was too late, though, for he had seen your face. Having only heard your voice before, Yuno’s steps faltered at the sight of you. Taking charge at that moment, you overtook him and jerked him into an unpaved path.
You took him over and under until you found a safe haven on top of a building— your makeshift home. Ratty cotton sheets were tied to poles for shade and a pile of pillows was bunched together to make a bed. Random trinkets were scattered along the rooftop along with a scarce supply of food and sacks of stolen treasures leaning against a wall. You wordlessly made yourself comfortable, pouring yourself two cups of water from a jug and handed one to the stranger in your space. He took it graciously and gulped it down, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he did so.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank you, my dear savior,” Yuno spoke to you for the second time that day.
“It was nothing, Your Highness,” you responded, waving him off as you sat at his feet. 
“I feel like this was fate or destiny calling,” Yuno suggested out of the blue.
“This?”
“Us, meeting again,” he answered smoothly, his voice as melodic as a mother’s lullaby. 
“I suppose it is.”
“Seeing as destiny brought us together, might I know your name?” 
Despite being of a higher status, he didn’t seem as selfish as you thought he would be—Yuno seemed kind and trustworthy. You let down your walls and stuttered out your name. The dark orbs that you got lost in flashed with recognition and you wondered if you made a wrong move by revealing your identity. 
“You!” he shouted, his voice booming loudly. “Yes, I have heard many things about you.”
You glared at him with panicked eyes and you rushed to cover his soft lips. “Are you insane, Highness? Speak like that and they will surely find us here!”
“My apologies,” he replied, tugging at his earlobe in embarrassment. “My excitement got the best of me.”
You snorted at his answer, “Excitement?” you probed. “What is there to be excited about?”
“It is not everyday you meet the infamous thief that steals from the rich to give back to the poor,” Yuno grinned with dimples sinking into his soft cheeks.
He was not wrong; you did steal for a living to help the less fortunate. Unlike many others your age, you were able-bodied and felt the mighty need to provide for others who needed extra support. This had been the fifth time the guards had almost caught you but it didn’t matter. As long as the children on the street did not starve, you would risk your life over and over again. 
Your mother, compassionate and altruistic as one could ever be, had done so in the past and you were determined to carry her legacy. You wanted to make her proud. 
“Are you going to arrest me then?” you challenged with a brow. You took a large step back, ready to be on the run if the situation called for it. “If that is your intention, Your Highness, it is in my best interest to leave you.” 
“Oh, no! If anything, I agree with your actions,” he relayed, arms shooting out to keep you in his reach. The Prince’s touch pierced your skin with comforting warmth and you shudder at the odd sensation. 
“The Royal Advisor, Rowena, insists on high taxes and taking from the poor while feeding the rich,” he started to explain, taking a seat on the dusty steps. 
You hummed, recalling the many times you had laid your eyes on the advisor— she held her head high and wore a permanent, almost sinister smirk on her gorgeous face. Her eyes were as red as blood and hair as black as night. She was beyond intimidating, more so than the Royal Family and their guards. 
“What she is doing to the people out here, it isn’t right,” Yuno added on. “They are suffering and I feel as if it is my duty to stop her.” 
“I feel as if it is mine as well,” you replied.
“I tried to tell the King of how Rowena’s suggestions have been affecting the community outside the palace walls but it is as if she has him under a spell. He hears not a thing I say,” he explained exasperatedly.
He let out a defeated sigh as you crouched next to him. You let him speak, seeing how distressed he was by the whole situation. “He only listens to her and my younger brother, Chansung; he is the smarter sibling. I am nothing but a pretty face that represents the kingdom,” the prince chuckled darkly. 
“Highness—” you tried to intervene, not enjoying how he was belittling himself. He stopped you before you could even begin with a mere glance. 
“It is not I who deserves the throne, it is Chansung. I can barely do a thing when my mind is elsewhere. How can I rule when my mind is not focused on the needs of my people?”
You place a tentative hand on his knee to ground him before his thoughts send him spiraling.
“I apologize,” the runaway prince blurted suddenly. “I do not know you and here I am, spilling out my innermost thoughts. You must think I am a fool.”
“No, it’s quite alright. I imagine you have no one to discuss this with within the palace,” you comforted him with a kind smile. You encouraged Yuno to continue, hands urging him on. “But if your mind is not here, then…”
Yuno shot you an empty grin, the upturns of his lips not meeting his reddening ears. “I have been trapped inside the palace since birth. Raised inside these walls all my life. I am safe and sound with a set future here and yet…” his voice trailed off, looking at the overview of the kingdom. His stare then gravitated beyond the kingdom walls. 
“And yet?”
“I want to go beyond our borders. I know there is more the world has to offer. I have read about it in books but I want to experience it in person, write it down, and bring back what I have learned to better Neiho.” There was a sense of longing in his voice and you could almost relate to his yearning. 
You took a seat next to him, your knees touching his. Your body turned towards him, torso leaning forward to give the prince your undivided attention. “What have you read about so far, Your Highness?”
“Please call me Yuno,” he said gently, clutching onto your hand. You tried to tug it away, flustered from the sudden contact, and he only tightened his clasp. 
“Yes, Your Highness,” you replied, “I mean, Y-Yuno.” 
The instant his name left your lips, he sent you the most dazzling smile, his pearly white teeth perfectly framed by the pink of his lips and the curve of his dimples. Whiskers appeared around his closed eyes and his nose scrunched up in the most adorable way and you found yourself falling down the rabbit hole one called love.
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Ever since that fated day, you arranged countless meetings in random nooks and crannies of the marketplace. Yuno taught you the many things he had learned from his readings while you showed him places he had never been before. He brought you books and taught you how to read. You taught him how to fend for himself in the forest. 
You often found yourselves weaving through crowds as the guards attempted to follow your trails. Laughter bubbled through the prince’s chest as you tugged him along with intertwined fingers. Your heart leaped huge lengths across your chest every time he glanced your way through his fluttering eyelashes and you wondered if he felt the same.
Your days with Yuno always ended on that same rooftop, overlooking the beautiful sight that was Neiho, and you adored every second of it.
One night, you blurted out, “Do you ever wonder what life would be like if things were different?” Yuno glanced up at you from your lap, head tilting with curiosity. Your fingers were tangled in his soft, clean hair as his hand played with the ends of yours. 
“Do you?” he countered. The point of your elbow dug into his toned stomach and he winced.
“I asked first,” you said and he laughed at your argument.
“And I am the Crown Prince,” he threw back and you pouted at his response.
 You were quiet for a moment, gathering your thoughts together before answering your own question. “Yes.”
“And what do you wonder about?”
“There are times I wish for a life where I am comfortable, where I’m not breaking my back for someone else’s sake.” Feeling a bit vulnerable, you drew your hands away from his head and wrapped them around your waist— it was your first time to reveal this hidden thought of yours.
“It’s not that I want to stop helping them,” you explained tentatively, “I just wonder what it would be like to start living just for me, without the weight of the world on my shoulders.”
Yuno only hummed in reply. You shook your head, snapping yourself out of the daze you were in. “Your turn to answer,” you pushed the heavy question onto him.
“I suppose so, yes,” he mused simply. “I would like to be a traveling scholar, see the world through my own eyes. I often wonder about a life of travel, you know this.”
You did know this—Yuno told you this many times. 
“There’s another thing I wonder about, though,” he slipped in.
“And what is that?” 
“I often wonder what life would be like if I had you by my side.” 
You coughed at his sweet words, not at all expecting to hear a statement like that. He reached up to pat your back as you choked on air, giggling at your antics. Your breathing returned to normal and his fingers found their way to yours. With entwined fingers and hearts, he called your name endearingly as his head rested against your lap. You returned his earnest stare under the light of the moon with the same intensity, “Yes, my prince?”
He rolled his eyes at your response. 
Yuno, hidden in a ripped cloak, brought your hand against his plump lips and looked into your eyes as he kissed your knuckles. “I arose from bed this morning with a sudden realization.” 
“Have you come to the conclusion that Chansung is the better looking royal?” you poked. He gave you a look of betrayal and you giggled at his furrowed brows and flared nostrils.
“It was nothing but a joke, dear,” you laughed, running your fingers through his thick locks of hair. He huffed loudly, turning away from your playful gaze. 
“My attempt to confess my love and she makes a fool out of me,” he mumbled under his breath but you could not catch his words. 
“You would make a great jester,” Yuno added with another roll of his gorgeous eyes. 
“I don’t think I would enjoy being the laughing stock of nobility,” you answered, poking at his soft cheek. He swatted your hand away in annoyance but your fingers were persistent. You continued to sink your finger into the skin of his cheek until he caught it and nibbled on your fingertip. Yelping, you drew back your hand and narrowed your gaze at the prince. 
It was his turn to laugh at your reaction, blessing your ears with the sweetest melody. “My darling, you would never be a laughing stock to me.”
Although your finger throbbed, you were happy to see the playful side of the prince— he often had a stoic expression when addressing the people of Neiho from the palace balconies. The sight of his bright smile was enough to light the whole kingdom tenfold. 
“What would I be then?” you asked mockingly.
Yuno shifted to face you, his ethereal features glowing in the starlight and captivating you in ways you could not explain. There was a fluttering feeling in your stomach and an intense pounding in your chest as Yuno gave you the simplest answer, “The love of my life.”
His words sent your heart soaring to the highest of places.
In that moment, it mattered not who you were and where you were because you were the love of his life just as he was yours.
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Arriving at the clearing deep in the forest, you released the bag of stolen goods from your hold. Panting out breaths, you did your best to steady your heartbeat. The racing palpitations of heart felt different somehow, maybe because for once, they were not caused by the adrenaline of running away but by the highs of being deeply in love.
A gorgeous smile broke out on your face and you hadn’t a care if you looked like a crazy loon. 
“Where have you been?” A familiar voice blasted from above you. Looking up, you saw Minhyung seated on a tree branch. He leaped down, landing directly on his feet with a playful smirk. 
You coughed the grin right off your face. “I had to take a little detour is all.”
“A detour?” Minhyung questioned.
“Yes, a detour.”
Your friend circled you, throwing an arm around your shoulders. “Quite unusual for your detours to last until sundown,” he teased, “and you look like you’re walking on air.” 
You tried to bite back your grin and you failed. You could never hide anything from Minhyung, he had seen you through it all. He was your brother after all— not by blood but nevertheless, he was family. 
“I met the Crown Prince,” you muttered under your breath.
“Do speak up, you know how I hate when you mumble,” Minhyung teased, using the words you often fired at him.
“I said, Minhyung, I met the Crown Prince,” you repeated with a louder voice.
You watched as Minhyung’s eyes widened like saucers and how they gleamed with intrigue as he squeezed you closer to him. “You met Prince Yuno?!” he gasped. “How— why? What?”
“Keep it down, will you please?” Clamping a dirtied hand over his mouth, you tried to shut him up. He simply licked your palm to which you smacked him across the head.
“Well, this isn’t our first time meeting. We’ve met many a time before,” you started off, going down your short history with the prince. Minhyung listened attentively— his admiration for the Royal Family, much like many of the other Neiho citizens, ran deep. 
“How is he in real life?” 
“Nothing short of wonderful,” you sighed, head turning back to face the city. You wondered how he was doing, if he made it back through the palace gates without any trouble from the guards he was escaping from. “He is like the brightest star I have ever seen, so beautiful and radiant but still so far out of my reach.”
Remembering the sound of his laughter and the look in his eyes, another soft smile appeared on your face. It was a smile Minhyung had never seen on your features. You appeared as if you were the star you just described, shining brightly for one person and one person alone. The light in your eyes was almost too blinding, he wanted to look away but Minhyung couldn’t. 
It had been so long since he had seen you this happy— the last time you smiled so cheerfully was with your mother so many years ago. You adopted a harsher look throughout the years that Minhyung was beyond ecstatic to see that happiness still existed within you. 
“Is that so?”
“Yes,” you answered gently. “He told me to call him Yuno.”
“And did you?”
“Of course, Minhyung,” you said with a chuckle, “it would be wrong to not obey royalty.”
“Yes, you’re quite right,” Minhyung hummed back.
“He is filled with kindness and loyalty to the kingdom, which is admirable.” 
“But?” 
Thinking back to the conversation you had with the prince, your eyebrows stitched together when recalling his dreams. “His heart aches for adventure and knowledge, things he cannot find here if he is to be King.”
Minhyung searched your face for a glimpse into your head. “Isn’t that what you’re looking for, too?”
Looking your best friend and fellow thief straight in the eyes, you were posed with a thought that hadn’t even crossed your scattered mind. “I suppose it is.”
Minhyung laughed as you came to the realization. The two of you sat in silence as you breathed everything in. 
“The Prince isn’t that far from your reach then,” Minhyung posed with a childlike grin. “He is much closer than you think.”
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The first time Yuno kissed you was underneath the setting sun. Hidden behind the stone walls of the palace, he pressed you into a dark corner where no one could catch sight of your unlikely pairing.
It was a long day for the both of you— you had snuck into the houses of nobles, stealing their smallest treasures to sell in order to feed the hungry while he shadowed his father during his audiences with the people of Neiho. Your secret rendezvous started with exchanging stories about your eventful day with shared laughter and the sweetest of touches. Yuno’s smooth hands ghosted against your dry ones several times, each touch sending tingles down your spine. 
His arms caged you in between his strong body and the hard stone wall as his face hovered in front of your own. Your breath hitched as his intense stare shifted from your eyes to your parted lips. It was the dead of winter but you had never felt hotter under his fiery gaze.
“May I kiss you?” you found yourself asking as his plump bottom lip grazed against your own. You were shocked by your own bravery and you knew he was, too. Your heart pounded loudly like a beating drum and you swore the prince could hear it as well. 
“Do as you wish,” the prince replied almost breathlessly, captivated by the way your eyes kept flickering to the lack of space in between your bodies.
“But is that what you wish for, Yuno?” you countered with a sultry tone. He gulped loudly at how confident you were and nodded almost too eagerly, lips barely brushing against your dry ones. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
“Then, your wish is my command,” you smile before closing the distance between. A light press of your lips onto his was all it took to send your world spinning round. Yuno deepened it by leaning his body against your smaller build, a hand tilting your jaw up in a different angle. 
He held you so gently, making you feel as if you were royalty. Hands in his hair and his arms around your waist, his kiss made it seem like you had chased the blowing winds and touched the pastel sky. His love rose you to the heavens above and you soared with a rush of freedom you had never felt before.
You kissed as the sky cast a golden glow upon your bodies, too lost in each other to realize you were the focus of someone’s envious gaze.
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While you flirted with the life of crime, Yuno made his way through the hallowed hallways of Neiho’s palace. His heavy steps echoed throughout the empty path but he couldn't even hear a thing— his mind was littered with scattered thoughts. He marched his way to his younger brother’s quarters, determined that would be the day he would reveal his heart to his kin. The crown prince groaned in frustration, decorated hands messing with his jet-black hair as he tried to piece what to say. 
How did one even start this conversation? Yuno never had a conversation as deep as this with his sibling before. The only person he poured his heart to was you. 
Does he start with not waiting to take the throne or with his dream of travel? Should he begin with his skepticism over Advisor Rowena and the poor conditions of their people? 
Yuno stopped in place— Rowena. He cringed at the thought of her. He heard the rumors swirling around the circle of nobility. The servants in the palace could never keep their mouth shut at the whispers. There were tales of the King making the advisor his betrothed for the sake of a flourishing kingdom. 
He couldn’t fathom how his father came to this as a viable option for the betterment of Neiho.
Yuno thought traveled back to you and what you stood for: how your gigantic heart only thought of others. He recalled how your body was drenched with wounds and scars and yet, you still kept going for the people that had everything to lose. He wanted to find ways to make your life easier but he knew he couldn’t find them inside Neiho’s borders. He had to leave in order to find that solution. 
Yuno had no idea how long he contemplated in front of Chansung’s room before the door burst open. Yuno let out a shocked yell as his brother cocked an eyebrow at his older sibling. 
“Brother, how long were you going to stand outside my door before simply coming in?” Chansung leaned against the wall as Yuno placed his hand over his rapid heart. He tried to catch his breath much to his brother’s amusement, but he was a bundle of nerves.
“Chansung,” he exhaled, still clutching his chest, “how did you know I was here?”
“It is impossible to not hear your stomps and groans through the wall,” the younger prince poked. “I imagine the townsfolk down below could hear your pacing.”
“Of course,” the older prince said with a roll of his eyes. His younger brother wordlessly invited him in by opening the door to his chambers wider and he breezed through, taking a seat on Chansung’s plush mattress. Chansung closed the door behind him to find his usually composed sibling with his head in his hands. A symphony of defeated sighs left Yuno’s lips and Chansung set a comforting hand on his brother’s back.
“What ails you, dear brother?” The younger implored.
“Chansung.”
“Yes, brother?”
“Have you ever felt like there was something more out there in the world, just waiting for you?” 
Chansung paused at Yuno’s question, retreating his hand from his brother’s body. A silence surrounded the room as the younger sat next to his sibling. 
“I suppose I haven’t,” Chansung answered with a hum. He turned to face his brother, finding the crown prince’s face contorted with furrowed brows and sucked in cheeks. “I knew that my place was always here in the castle and I have always taken that role seriously.” 
This was true. Chansung always buried himself in his studies, gathering enough knowledge to to soon overtake the place of Yuno’s future advisor. He studied religiously to not let his people down, just as his Father and Rowena currently were.
The older nodded silently, the black strands of his hair shifting to hide his eyes as he did so. He tugged on his earlobe, a habit he picked up when he was deep in thought or stressed beyond belief. Chansung caught sight of Yuno’s tell-tale and his lips pursed on trying to figure out as to why his brother was stressed.
“See, Chansung, that’s the difference between us,” Yuno broke the deafening silence. 
“What is?”
“You are the one who deserves the throne, not I.”
“Brother!” Chansung shouted in defiance. “Why would you say that? You would make a great king!” He pushed with such force. Yuno smiled, his brother always had seen the best in him.
“Chansung, one cannot deny the truth,” the crown prince smiled at his sibling. The upturns of his plump lip showed the prince’s fondness for his brother and a twinge of regret for not being the royal people expected him to be. 
“I have known what people have expected me to be and I have tried my best to live up to those expectations but...” Yuno began. He stood up and walked towards the open balcony, Chansung following in his wake. The elder leaned against the railings, hands resting on the cold stone as his sibling chose to press his back against it.
Townsfolk caught a glimpse of them from down below and enthusiastically yelled for the royal duo’s attention. The younger greeted them with matched excitement, bringing his hand up for a wave while the elder just nodded at them with a forlorn expression taking over his handsome face. He stared at the crowd a little longer than he should have, his mind wandering to the thief that stole his heart. His deep chocolate eyes traced the busy streets and alleyways, through the ways of the marketplace and the housing area until he could no longer see the outlines of the path.
“But you feel as if you belong down there,” Chansung finished for him with a hint of understanding. 
“Yes,” Yuno breathed out.
“Brother, you have always had a knack for escaping,” Chansung joked lightheartedly to ease his brother’s troubled heart. It was not everyday a royal revealed he wanted to be one of the people after all. 
A hearty, deep rumbling laugh escaped the crown prince’s lips. “I suppose I was not as discreet as I could have been,” he said with the shake of his head, “I was too busy running away from the guards to leave quietly.”
“I suppose not,” the younger chuckled along, the sounds of their laughter drifting with the winds.
“But Yuno,” Chansung’s voice called, “will you be alright?” His voice grew faint towards the end of the question and Yuno caught what his sibling was implying. Would the crown prince be alright after leaving a life of comfort?
“Yes,” Yuno smiled, his eyes shining in a way the second in line had never seen before, “for I will be happy.”
“Will you really be happy?” Chansung asked softly, his voice choking at the thought of his brother leaving him behind. He shook the sadness away and grinned widely at his sibling.
“You are leaving your favorite person behind after all,” he teased, barely dodging a playful punch to the chest. Yuno slung his arm over Chansung’s broad shoulder, bringing a hand to ruffle the other’s neatly styled hair.
“When have I ever called you that?” 
“Come, Yuno,” the younger man said with a proud smile, “we have much to discuss before we bring this to Father.” 
Yuno laughed once more, his heart bursting with an infinite amount of joy. He was one step closer to being free. 
Nothing could take away his happiness, or so he thought. Neither brother realized the person lurking in the shadows, hanging onto every word with disdain.
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“He wants to abdicate the throne for a measly street rat? How could this be?” Rowena asked herself as she stormed into her secret hideaway within the palace walls after hearing the conversation between the siblings. The fabric of her robe flowed behind her and the mighty jeweled staff pounded against the floor as she rushed her way down steep steps. 
“All these years of scheming my way to the top will be wasted if he leaves with that peasant,” she spat harshly. Passing by the mirror hanging on her wall, Rowena paused in place to admire her looks. Running a hand through her shining black locks and stroking the sharp line of her jaw, she wondered what you had that she didn’t.
She had the looks, the intelligence, and the kingdom in the palm of her magic hand while you merely survived by committing to a life of crime. Why wasn’t the prince in love with her?
“Yuno and the position of queen was to be mine,” the advisor hissed, hazel eyes darkening with envy with each word she spoke. “I have not wasted my energy spelling the king only to settle for the second born.” 
Her reflection disappeared from her view, a bundle of smoke and clouds hiding her away before dispersing into a sweet image of you and the prince together. 
A terrifying shriek left her lips at the new reflection. Picking up the closest item within her reach, she hurled it into the mirror projecting that horrifyingly romantic image. The crack of the glass echoed in throughout the room and it fueled her bubbling ambition.
As her grip tightened against the length of her staff, she felt a new plan hatching in her head and dark magic coursing through her veins. “Prince Yuno and Neiho will be mine, make no mistake about that.”
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You thought your love was too good to be true and he tried to convince you otherwise— you were a mere village thief and he was the Crown Prince. You came from practically nothing while he was of royal blood and yet, your fragile heart couldn’t help but fall for the lost man behind the crown and jewels. Your relationship was against the fates and the aligned stars but the prince had the strongest urge to rewrite them just to keep you by his side.
 “I have scheduled a private audience with the King tomorrow.” 
“And what will you discuss with him, love?” You stroked his fringe away from his forehead before cupping his cheek in your gentle hold. 
He nestled into your palm, sighing at your warmth. “Renouncing the throne,” Yuno announced casually.
“I beg your pardon?!” You almost screamed into the night.
The prince ignores your little outburst, continuing his explanation. “The life of a royal is not the life I wish to live. I want to live a life of travel and adventure.” He sat up to clutch your hands in his. “I want to live a life with you, if you will have me.”
“With me?” You managed to mutter. “Out of all people, why with me?”
“Because I’m in love with you. Any day with you would be an adventure.”
“But I don’t have anything— no riches, just rags,” you swallowed the lump in your throat. He took you in, dirt smeared face and ripped clothing, and still looked at you like you held the world in your hands. Yuno saw the stars, the sky, the whole entire universe in your eyes. He didn’t need anything else— he just needed you. 
“I love you more than anything else in this world but all I have to offer you is everything in me. I’m not sure if that is enough,” you bit your lip, teething gnawing down on your sensitive skin out of nervousness. He was the boy who had everything and he was willing to give everything up for a life with you. 
Yuno brought your injured knuckles to his lips. He kissed them gently, holding your gaze with a soft one of his own. “My love, that is more than enough. You are more than enough.”
“But what about the villagers? What will happen to them if I were to leave?” You sputtered out, worrying about others rather than yourself. 
He smiled at your selflessness. “I have already discussed this with Chansung. He is aware of the village’s situation and is willing to make changes to better their livelihood.”
“I can’t leave them behind,” you pulled your hands away. “They need me.” 
“He is willing to work with your partner, Minhyung, to reach out to our people. No man left behind,” he replied with a smile. “We thought of all the options.” 
You wanted to go with him but they were all you knew. Protecting the villagers and providing them with hope was always your number one priority— you had never thought of anything else. Would your mother be disappointed in you if you left them all behind or would she be happy to know that you have found a potential shot of happiness?  
“Please, just think about it, my darling.”
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“And Minhyung, he asked me to think about it!” You shrieked while running through the trees, a sack of gold hitting the small of your back. You looked behind you to see your younger partner-in-crime giving you the smuggest smile.
“Well, are you thinking about it?” He questioned, curiosity burning in his doe eyes. He wiggled his brows to tease you and you wanted to slap him with your heavy sack.
“What is there to think about? I’m not leaving you behind.” 
“Why is that?” Your friend pushed.
“Because you need me, they need me.”
“Do we really need you or is it you that needs us?”
You frowned at him, not understanding his words. “What do you mean by that, Min?”
He laughed, nose coiling up cutely as he did so. “You have been stealing all your life, it’s all you know how to do. It’s familiar.”
“I do not see where you’re going with this.”
“You love him and you want to go with him but you’re scared.”
“Of what?”
“The unknown.” Minhyung gestured to all the riches you’ve stolen gathered by your feet. “This is all you’ve known but wouldn’t it be nice to do something more?” 
“But this is all you’ve known too, Min,” you countered defensively. 
“True, but by working with Prince Chansung, I can broaden my horizons.” There was this proud glint in his eye. “I can help more people. And you—”
“And me?”
“— you can finally be free to see what’s out there just like you’ve always dreamed of doing with nothing holding you back.” 
Your friend grabbed hold of your hand, his larger one clasping over your own. Minhyung’s grip tightened around your palm to reassure you. “You can be selfish for once, to think only of yourself, and it will be perfectly fine.”
“Min, I want to be selfish but I’m frightened of everything— life beyond the walls and forest. What if everything out there is not what I think it is? What if I’m not prepared to leave this familiarity?”
Minhyung whispered your name as you began to spiral down a road he could not follow. 
“And being in love with a prince for that matter! Love could be fleeting. Any given day after I leave with him, Yuno may not want me. He could turn his back on me and leave me to die. He has options, Min. I, for one, am not that lucky.”
Your friend squeezed firmly on your shoulder before reaching down to take hold of your hands. He crossed your arms over your chest and placed each hand on a shoulder, leading your fingers to tap against your skin. Minhyung encouraged you to follow along as he began to guide you through deep, calming breaths. 
As your heart rate and thoughts began to settle, you wondered when Minhyung grew up to be the strong boy who stood beside you. 
“Life is frightening. We know that more than anyone, flying by the seat of our pants,” Minhyung said with a chuckle of his own. “It’s alright to be scared of the unknown but it should not stop you from living your life the way you wish to live it.”
As you took another breath, you nodded to acknowledge his words. 
“Do you want to live a life with the Crown Prince?”
“More than anything in this world,” was your firm reply. 
Minhyung grinned at you, “Then that should be enough. Your love will be enough.”
Tugging him into a hug, you tucked your head into the crook of his neck. The act of affection was a “thank you” you cannot express with words. You only hoped your friend would understand the meaning behind the gesture. Luckily, with years of experience being your partner-in-crime, the young Minhyung was able to between the lines.
“Will you be alright?”
“Of course,” he said, placing a faint kiss against the crown of your head. “You’ve taught me everything I need to know.”
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Minhyung, the younger and more energetic one of your thieving duo, ran ahead of you into the clearing to make the first drop of goods. You laughed at his excitable demeanor— you knew he would be the person you would miss most once you hightrailed out of the kingdom. He was the only family you had left but there he was, happy that you were finally setting yourself free.
The upward curve of your lips dropped when you heard his voice yell out for help. Heart racing, you let go of your sack, legs running faster than ever before to come to your best friend’s aid.
Once you caught a glimpse of him, your heart dropped to the floor, right by your soiled and tattered coverings you called shoes.
Minhyung was fighting against the hold of the strong guards that always chased your tail. His hands were handcuffed in chains and tears were running down his sunken cheeks as one guard repeatedly abused his small frame. You screeched at the vulgar sight unfolding before you— your little brother was being beaten to a pulp.
Three rough strikes to the stomach was all you could witness before you went flying towards him, hands outstretched to catch him as his body fell to the floor. You never reached him, another pair of guards preventing you from doing so. They immediately cuffed you and pulled your struggling frame towards them. Your shouts and frantic cries for the injured Minhyung were hushed when a restricting feeling took over your vocal chords.
Opening your mouth, you tried your best to make a sound but you found yourself mute. 
A horrifyingly disturbing laugh came from behind the trees and you scuffled to find the source through your tears. The tall and sleek figure, dressed far too nice to be caught in these parts, approached you with the most evil smirk. Her back was straightened, chest puffed out, and head held high with pride as she used the tip of her staff to lift your head.
“So you are the one who caught the crown prince’s eye,” the figure said, her voice as piercing as her glare. “The little thief.”
“You,” came your choked reply as she released the spell she casted on you.
“Oh, so you know of me?” she laughed haughtily. “Say my name then, child.”
Refusing to do what she said, you turned your head to look at the unconscious Minhyung who was slumped across the grass. 
“I said,” she hissed, using her hand to force your gaze back at her. “Say my name.” 
“Rowena,” you growled. “What do you want from me? I have nothing you want.” Her sharp nails dug into your skin and you winced at the pain. The royal advisor clearly did not appreciate your snark. 
“That is where you are wrong, my sweet child,” Rowena almost purred back. “You possess the thing I long for most.”
You scoffed at her answer. “And what would that be, witch?”
“Be careful with your words, street rat. I can end your friend’s life in an instant if you fail to hold your tongue,” a nail scratched your cheek, leaving you with a new cut. A thin stream of blood flowed down your face, dripping onto your tattered clothes as Rowena watched amusingly. “You are in possession of Prince Yuno’s heart when it was destined to be mine.”
You fought the urge to laugh, “You are doing this out of jealousy?”
“Hold your tongue, riff raff. You forget who is in control here, I can easily command my men to strike another blow on your poor fri—”
“No!” you yelled, cutting Rowena off, suddenly desperate to get on her good side. “Don’t hurt Minhyung; he has nothing to do with the situation!”
Minhyung weakly called your name and you ignored his cries. 
“But he is a thief and it is a great crime to steal in this kingdom,” Rowena drawled on teasingly, like a cat playing with a hopeless mouse.
“No, please,” you begged. “You mustn’t hurt him.”
“Then you must do something for me in return, peasant,” Rowena laughed at how easily she had you wrapped around her finger. You appeared to be strong, but your overly selfless heart was weak. 
“I will do anything you ask me to if you leave Minhyung alone,” you petitioned. You couldn’t let anything happen to Minhyung— he was the only family you had left. “He’s a brother to me.”
Minhyung’s head shot up at his new title while he gasped for air. Locking eyes with him, you smiled painfully. He was always at your side, protecting you when he could. Now, it was your time to protect him.
“I will let the boy live if you come with me without a fight,” Rowena schemed, grin growing wider by the second. She had you in the palm of her hands. “He is of no importance to me.”
“He is of the utmost importance to me,” you said, the familial love seeping through your veins. Though physically far apart from him, you hoped he could feel the love you had for him. Minhyung violently shook his head, as if to tell you not to go. He refused to let you sacrifice yourself to let him live, you had done enough for him as is.
“I will go with you, Rowena. Just allow me a moment to say my goodbyes.”
The guards holding you and Minhyung back looked at their commander for an order. With a roll of her eyes and a wave of her hand, you and your friend were freed of your confinement. You quickly shuffled to your feet and Minhyung fell into your arms as you sunk to the ground. 
“Oh my stars, Min,” you sniffled as you took him in. Sandwiching his fallen face in between your hands, you stroked his cheeks and pushed back the strands of hair that stuck to his sweaty forehead. “Please tell me you’re alright.”
“I’ll be alright if you stay here with me,” Minhyung replied with tears welling up in his soft brown eyes. Minhyung was always the crier between the two of you. He cried more at your mother’s death than you did but this time, you let your tears cascade down your cheeks, knowing this was the last time you would see your best friend. 
“You know I can’t do that. I can’t let anything happen to you, you have gotten yourself hurt because of me,” You gather enough strength in your shaking hands to squeeze his cheeks, something you always did to cheer him up. “I refuse to be the cause of your pain.”
“And I refuse to let you go,” Minhyung raised his hands to hold onto yours.
“I have made my choice,” you whispered harshly, “and that is to keep you and the others safe.”
You take a moment to hug the younger boy in your arms, trying to commit the feeling of Minhyung in your memory. Flashes of your best friend growing up by your side ran through your mind as your fingers stroked through his hair. Pressing a lingering kiss to the top of his head, you shut your eyes and bit back a sob. “Do me one favor? Find your happiness, wherever it may be and never let it go, alright?”
When you released him from your hold, Minhyung whined at the loss of warmth. 
“You’re my brother, Minhyung. I love you,” were your last words to your thieving partner before you turned away from him and his heart wrenching sobs and willingly stepped into your doom.
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It wasn’t supposed to end like this. 
What started off as secret meetings and stolen kisses in alleyways was ending with you chained to the floor of the palace’s throne room while your lover watched helplessly from the side. He screamed your name and struggled against the hold of his guards but you shook his head to silence him.
Stop, you begged in your head, make it stop. 
The King and Prince Chansung did nothing to help you or their kin, only staring blankly at the chaotic scene unfolding in front of them. They had no choice; they were bewitched to be at the sorceress’ beck and call, just like the many guards that protected the kingdom. If only Prince Yuno had realized it sooner. 
“Why are you doing this?” Yuno yelled, his deep voice booming throughout the large room. His harsh glare, a look you had never seen on him, was focused on the lady seated on his father’s rightful throne. 
“Why?” Rowena echoed. “My darling prince, I did this because of you and your wish to renounce the throne for her.” Her extreme distaste for you was apparent as she hissed the last word. 
She left her seat, leisurely sauntering over to Yuno with a smile as if it was a casual meeting when the situation was far from it. Rowena squatted down to reach his level and Yuno hastily turned his head to the side, refusing to meet her eyes. His jaw tightened and his teeth grinded against each other as she forced him to look her directly in the eye. “Marry me and crown me as your Queen. Only then will I let her go.”
Instead of answering the witch with words, he chose to spit in her face instead. “Never, you hag. You are not worthy of ruling Neiho, nor will you ever be.” Yuno’s voice was ruthless and unwavering, just as a prince’s should be. Even in a moment like this, your heart swelled with pride at his bravery.
“Long live King Chansung,” he jeered, which only set Rowena off. “He is the next, rightful ruler of the kingdom.”
“If this is how you want to play, so be it, Prince,” Rowena laughed in his face. The sound of her cackles made shivers run down your spine and cold sweat broke out in a number of places. You were scared of what was to come. 
Using her staff to help her back up to a standing position, Rowena made her way towards you with a menacing stare. The curve of her lips grew wider as you flinched back in fear. You heard the clanking of metal chains as Yuno wrestled against the guard’s hold. “Don’t you dare do anything to her!”
“And what will you do, Yuno?” she threw back. “There is nothing you can do to help her now.”
Only a few steps from you, she points the end of her staff in your direction. A gleaming emerald jewel taunted you as you sucked in a breath. “You, peasant, have always given selflessly without expecting anything in return so selfless you will remain,” she started to say, a gust of wind bursted out the end of the jewel. It first surrounded her figure, then you, before spreading throughout the room. 
A golden lamp appeared out of thin air, floating in front of your face before you felt the spark of dark magic course within you. It released you from your physical binds only to leave you immobile. A pair of gold cuffs materialized on your wrists and tugged you closer to the lamp. 
“No longer will you be able to act selfishly for you are bound to this lamp and to these chains until a master wishes you free,” she explained. The taunting laughter that would soon haunt your memories echoed in your ears as ideas for a curse were thrown into the wind. “It will be at least two thousand years until you have the chance of seeing your precious prince again, that is, if Prince Yuno finds you first.” 
“What? No!” Yuno howled across the room as you were slowly consumed by a dark cloud. Calls of your name were heard but you could not respond as Rowena began to chant,
“Golden lamp of antique old, Bind her body, mind, and soul. May she obey her master’s whim, Turn her future dark and grim. Freedom comes with just one wish Unless it is a true love’s kiss.”
The smoke spread throughout the room, leaving the surroundings in a haze. As the evil enchantress concentrated on the curse, the hold on the others in the room fell through. The king and Chansung snapped out of their daze only to watch the horrific separation begin to take place. 
“Brother, what is the meaning of this?!” Chansung shouted to get his sibling’s attention, bringing an arm to shield his eyes from the powerful gusts. His father gripped at his youngest’s sleeve as the gale turned into a hurricane with you in the middle. 
Yuno failed to hear his brother’s questions, eyes zoned in on you as your freedom was slowly stripped away from you. The sight of you crushingly accepting your fate tugged on his heartstrings. This wasn’t the ending he wanted for you. This was far from it. 
"Remember me! You must remember me," he yelled over the commotion. You watched him struggle over the smoke as you cry out for him. 
"How could I ever forget you?" you reassured him with a broken smile. You felt the tail end of your body being pulled inside your new cage and tried to fight the unbreakable force. 
Yuno screamed your name once more. You locked eyes across the room, his dark orbs spinning with love and desperation. You wondered if your wet irises looked the same as his. 
"I will find you! I will search until the ends of the earth until you are by my side again.”
You wanted to laugh at his hopeful optimism— how did love get you into this situation? 
As much as you wanted to believe Yuno would find you, the situation was bleak. 
Rowena’s body rumbled with a laughter so sinister, so piercing that you flinched at the sound as her dark magic ran through your veins. “I would like to see you try, my prince, but until then, you and the throne belong to me,” she sneered. 
Ignoring the enchantress’ claims, his eyes continued to search for your disappearing figure. “I will come back to you, I promise!” Yuno’s deep voice rang into your ears. 
“I hope you will,” you whispered a defeated reply back. 
“If not in this life, then I will find you in the next! Mark my words!”
“Yuno…”
“In any version of reality, my darling, I will find you and I will choose you every single time. Do you hear me?” 
You nodded vigorously as you choked back your sobs. 
Just as the last bits of your being slipped through the spout of the lamp, Yuno broke free from the guards’ hold and rushed to your side. You reached out a hand and his fingertips grazed yours. 
“Don’t forget me,” he mumbled through choked up sobs. His shaking hands grabbed at the dreaded lamp, clutching it to his broad chest like it was the most precious thing on earth.
The sight of him so desperate before you was reminiscent of the star-crossed lovers you heard about during your younger years, the ones that ended in the worst of tragedies. You pondered  if this was your own personal tragedy, if this particular scene would haunt you for the rest of your cursed life. 
You exchanged one last glance. One last touch. 
Your hand clutched his cheek like it was made of the most fragile glass and the pad of your thumb stroked his soft skin. Yuno leaned into your touch, wanting to soak in his last moment with you. A spark flickered the place of contact, a sizzle of bright dust oozing from your fingers— your first dose of magic and you couldn’t even use it to keep him by your side. A glittering tear fell from your cheek and landed on his skin. 
It was then you muttered your last words to the man who claimed your heart before being completely tugged into your golden cage, “As you wish.” 
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author’s note. hello, my darling readers! i know many of you have been waiting for this release for the longest time. this is the first of three (or four) parts. this part has been done for quite some time now; i’m just struggling to get the rest of it out.
but i thought it was too good of a story to just sit there in my google docs. i had this need to finally put part of it out into the world so here we are! i’ve been writing this since october and i would like to thank the many people who have helped me with the plot so far: kira, my chaotic gc, allex, and joyce!! ily all!! <3 this is for you!!!
part two is finished and i’m in the process of editing it! will it be out soon? who knows?
taglist. @rindomo @yshbaewenjun @hannie-dul-set @itsapapisongo @babyyynatty @notnctu @w0nni3wrld @yuta1forme @lucyinthesunshinee
i lost my original copy of the taglist so i’m sorry if i missed people! (especially since it’s been so long!) please let me know if you would like to be added to the list for future parts!
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© sehunniepotwrites, 2020-2021
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knivesareout · 3 years
Text
My Best Decision
Pairing: Javier Peña x AFAB!Reader
Word Count: 3.5k
Warnings: Smut (18!!!+), Oral sex (fem receiving), Unprotected sex, Filth, Possible typos and bad usage of commas.
A/N: I have a whole ass universe to these two tucked away somewhere in my mind and this scene felt like it needed to be written so here we are. I haven’t written anything substantial in years so pls be nice to me, thanks. You can also read it on AO3 here. Big thanks to @dirty-holy-things​ for being a general gem of a friend and proofreading this for me. Hope y’all enjoy!!!
Summary: Time to yourselves is something hard to come by for you and Javi. When his dad offers to take your little one for the night, you have a few things in mind on what you can fill the quiet with.
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Texas was a different kind of hot, you quickly came to realize. Colombia had been sticky and humid, the feeling of your clothes sticking to your skin the absolute worst. Texas came with a dry heat compared to Colombia and it was a change that was welcome in your book.
It’d been about two years now in Laredo and it always made you wonder when you’d stop comparing the two places. It’s not like you lived in Colombia all that long, anyway; just the time it took to complete your Master’s Degree and a few months after, staying behind with Javier until his assignment with the DEA was over. Javi had warned you of all the different things moving to Texas entailed when the decision had been made, even offering up a few other options- like Miami, where Steve had tried to entice the two of you to join him and Connie and their kids. But, Texas had felt right for some reason. Being close to Javier’s father and having that sense of family was something you craved and so, Laredo became home.
Once you had your first child, it just cemented that moving to Texas had been the right decision. Javi had been a mess in the delivery room, pacing constantly and offering to get you anything every 10 seconds. It would’ve been funnier if you weren’t in pain and almost screaming at him to fuck off. Your daughter was born screaming and crying into the world, Javi’s tears unstoppable as he cut the cord and passed her over to you, the gentle grip on her so tender and careful. 
The sight of Chucho crying when he’d met your little girl at the hospital, whispering to her how spoiled she was going to be by her abuelo, was something you’d never forget and with Javi rolling his eyes behind his father’s back, you knew he was going to be just as bad as his father, if not worse, and he was. Tiny little Emilia Anaís Peña had the two men wrapped around her finger the second she yawned, her fists popping out of the blanket she was wrapped in, in search of a finger to hold on to. 
Now, at just six months, your little girl was a handful and that was putting it lightly. She was crawling everywhere and yanking on anything she could get her hands on, and that included yours and Javi’s hair. A moment of peace was hard to come by, her cries loud and piercing if no one was paying attention to her. Javier was always the first one to give into her pleas, placating her wails with quiet songs sung under his breath and a soothing hand across her back. She was a daddy’s girl and you couldn’t even find it in you to be upset about it, the sight always putting an instant smile on your face. 
It was crazy to think there was a time where you believed something like this wasn’t possible- the family, the house together, and anything really beyond a late night hook-up with Javier. Yet, here you were, and Emilia was the perfect blend of you two as you caught her dark eyes slowly drifting close on Javier’s shoulder. 
“Javi?” You ask, shuffling the bills that cluttered your kitchen table into a neat pile and setting them aside to go through after dinner.
“Yeah baby?” He slowly turns to glance at you, his hand spanning across your daughter’s back as he holds her to his chest. You could already see the drool mark on his salmon colored shirt and smile softly to yourself. It was still early, and any sleep she got was a blessing. 3am wake up calls were getting tiring and Javi was taking the brunt of them, letting you sleep.
“I was thinking,” you start, walking towards him to brush a fallen strand of hair across Emilia’s forehead as she breathes in slowly. “Maybe Chucho could take Emilia tonight? He called earlier and mentioned I sounded tired, asked if we needed a break. I thought it would be nice to have a night to ourselves. Maybe actually catch up on sleep, watch a movie.”
You would’ve been offended at Javier’s father calling you out, a quiet chuckle escaping you when he brought it up, but you knew he was right. Sleep was a myth at this point and it was only made worse now as Emilia was slowly starting to get her teeth in. You told him you’d let him know what Javier thought by lunch time, giving him a quiet thank you before you’d hung up. 
The look on Javi’s face was one you knew well. It was his thinking face. Brows furrowed in thought, lips pursed. He was silently going over the pros and cons of being away from your daughter for the first time, his lips pursed. “It’s gonna have to happen at some point, right? I guess that’s fine,” he finally acquiesces, hiking Emilia higher up on his chest while she snoozes. “Call my dad and let him know we’ll be over in an hour. I’ve got a few things I need to finish up.” With a kiss to your forehead, he turns out of the kitchen and whispers quietly to Emilia that her ‘daddy was going to miss her so much’.
You nod mostly to yourself as he leaves, watching as he heads through the house to no doubt hole himself up in the office with Emilia on his chest while he read over papers he needed to grade. There wasn’t a task he did day-to-day where he didn’t try to have Emilia with him. He’d take her to class with him if you didn’t physically remove her from his side in the mornings. Watching Javier hand her over to Chucho would be interesting and you smirk as you walk back to the kitchen to call your father-in-law, a little pep to your step as you thought about all the things you could do in the next 24 hours.
__
The handoff had been hilarious, your giggles quiet behind your hand as you watched your daughter reach for her grandfather with a giant smile on her face and paying no mind to Javi’s scowl. Emilia was just as smitten with her abuelo as she was with her father and she wasn’t nearly as torn up about the goodbye as Javier was. She’d giggled and waved bye with the help of Chucho as you’d left and it almost looked like Javier wanted to cry. He’d huffed once you were back in his truck and remained quiet on the short drive back to your house, your hand reaching for his in a comforting squeeze. 
The house seemed strange, feeling almost empty, without Emilia’s presence despite her toys being scattered throughout the living room. Some part of you felt guilty at your excitement to finally have a night without your daughter but, it was needed and you’d be damned if you didn’t try to make the most of it. Locking the door behind you once Javier was sitting on the couch, you kicked your shoes off and sat down to curl yourself into his side, his arm wrapping around you tight.
“Are you gonna mope around until we pick her up tomorrow?” You tease him, reaching up to tilt Javier’s gaze towards your own.
A slow smile breaks across his features and he shakes his head, looking guilty. “No. I’m sorry,” he sighs, taking your hand from his chin to lace your fingers together. “It’s just weird and I know it’s something that we’ll have to do but I just. Miss her.” 
“I know, Javi,” you nod, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Why don’t we take a nap and then I’ll make us lunch and we can just bask in the quietness for a little bit, hm?”
“Yeah, that sounds,” he yawns, making you chuckle. “Good. Yeah, a nap sounds good.”
As you push yourself up off the couch and stretch, Javi’s calloused fingers reach out and brush across the bare skin of your hip, your t-shirt raising with the stretch of your arms and the feeling of his hands on you sends a slight shiver up your spine. It’d been far too long since the two of you managed to be intimate, your mind blanking on the last time it wasn’t just hurried hands and covered mouths to muffle the moans and grunts from seeking a quick release before running off towards Emilia’s cries.
It’s like Javi’s tiredness is suddenly forgotten, the bareness of your skin a reminder that he hasn’t touched you in so long. A smirk slides across his lips while his hand travels further up your shirt, squeezing along your side until his fingers skim across the underside of your left breast and this thumb seeks out the hardened peak of your nipple to pull between his nimble fingers. 
“Javi,” his name is quiet on your lips and you’re not sure if he even heard it until you feel his hand engulf the entirety of your breast and he squeezes and kneads the sensitive flesh in answer.
“Please.”
In a flash, Javier is pulling you down onto his lap where he still sits on the couch and you’re almost winded at the move as you sit on his strong thighs to steady yourself.
You hate that you want to stop this and move it to the bedroom where his back won’t hurt as bad, where you both can spread out and enjoy each other because the spontaneity of it all is sexy and a call back to your time in Colombia where you and Javi couldn’t get enough of each other. 
When you don’t automatically start grinding down onto his lap, Javi glances up at you curiously, “What’s wrong, baby?
“Take me to bed?”
He gets it then with a quick nod and you know he’s thinking the same things you are and pulls you close to his chest as he moves off the couch and slides you back down to the ground. Taking your hand in his, he guides the two of you down the hallway towards your bedroom. It’s almost comical, the eagerness of your steps, and he presses you against the wall just next to the door of the room once you’re inside. 
“Can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner when you suggested dropping off Emilia at my dad’s,” he breathes against your ear, hands falling to your hips and squeezing them tight. 
You laugh against his ear, his mouth moving across your neck and his lips trailing across your collarbone to sponge heavy kisses on any bare skin he can find. “Kinda figured it was an unspoken thing. I’ll be more blunt next time,” you grin, running a hand through his dark hair and tugging him away from your neck to lock your gaze with his. “Fuck me, Javi. I’ve missed your cock, baby. Please.” 
His eyebrows raise in surprise at your bluntness but he wastes no time, pulling you away from the wall to back you up against the foot of your bed where you fall back, your hands reaching back to catch your fall. Biting your lip as you watch Javi’s chest heave, the tight pink shirt stretched across his chest, your legs instantly pressing together in search of some relief. Even just looking at him has you wet between your thighs and the movement isn’t lost on him. 
Javier is quick to undress, his clothes haphazardly tossed to the side, leaving him in only his boxers where his cock is straining against the seam in the middle. Seeing his clear arousal causes another wave of wetness to pool between your legs and you crook a finger, hoping to entice him to come closer. Kneeling on the bed, he brings you up with him to lay against the pillows and trails a finger down your thin t-shirt to where your leggings sit on your stomach, tracing along the waistband. 
“Tell me what you want, hermosa,” Javi asks you quietly, nose nudging against your cheek while his fingers dip just slightly under the fabric. 
Normally you weren’t so bold, but with how pent up you were there was no hesitation to your voice when you spoke up, turning to look him in the eye. “I want your mouth on my pussy, Javi. Then I want you to fuck me so hard I can’t walk the next day.” His fingers still against your skin, the side of his mouth quirking up and he sat up suddenly, yanking down your shorts along with your underwear to leave you bare from the waist below. 
“So wet for me already, hm?” Javier spreads your legs wider, putting you on display for him and your body is shameless in the way it opens itself for his greedy eyes. Your hands slide up your tummy and under your shirt to grasp at your breasts, tugging on your nipples while you watch him watch you. 
Rough hands smooth up your thighs as Javi moves to settle himself between your legs. Your eyes follow his movements, watching as he licks his lips once he pulls your pussy lips apart and sighs softly to himself. “Most beautiful pussy I’ve ever seen,” he makes sure to tell you before flicking your clit with his tongue. 
Javi is relentless in the way he eats you out, mouth sloppy and slick after just a moment and when he looks up at you from his place between your thighs, you can see how debauched he already is. You blink quickly as Javi spits on your pussy, bringing a finger up to rub the wetness against your clit and you cry out. Your hands move from your chest to grip the comforter below you and you pant his name like a prayer once his two of his fingers slowly slide inside of you. 
“It’s been so long, baby. Gonna have to stretch you out a bit before I slide my cock in you.” Javi’s voice is rough, scratchy and you bare down against his fingers once he starts a slow rhythm of fucking you. “You always take me so well though. Like your pussy was made for me.” 
“Want your cock, Javi. Please,” you plead in reply, your left hand releasing the comforter from your grip and sliding it through his hair and tugging softly to get his attention, hoping he would look up and see the desperation on your face. 
Javier pays you no mind. His fingers start fucking you in earnest, a third slipping in next to the other two thick digits and you can slowly feel your orgasm building. A slow simmer through your body, like a current that was waiting to crash. Your whines fill the room, along with the wet sound of his fingers fucking you. Once his thumb starts rubbing your clit in time with the thrust of his fingers, you feel like you’re about to tip over the edge. 
“Come on baby, can feel you squeezing my fingers so fucking tight. Come on my fingers. Come.”
At the sound of his voice, something snaps inside of you and you cry out his name as wave after wave of pleasure wracks through your body. Your body pulses around his fingers, back taut as you ride his hand. 
Javier’s voice is soft as he coaxes you through your release, “Such a good girl. So good for me, aren’t you?” Peppering kisses across your thighs and up your tummy, he slowly slides his fingers out of you and into his mouth to lick them clean.
The sight is obscene as you watch him, your body still pulsing from your release. A smug grin is painted across Javier’s face and you bring a hand through the damp hair on his forehead and push it out of his eyes. “God that was good,” you laugh, scratching at his scalp. 
“Thanks for the glowing review, querida.” Javier kisses his way up your stomach, tugging at your shirt that had been bunched up under your arms to finally rid you of the last bit of material that was blocking your body from his.
You can taste yourself on his lips when they finally meet, his tongue sweeping across your bottom lip before kissing you slowly. The kiss is languid and soft, your hands grasping at Javier’s back to pull his chest to your own. Your hands wander down to his hips, tugging at the band of his boxers with a frustrated groan when you can’t manage to pull them down all the way and you move away from his lips, “Javi, take them off. Fuck, please. I need to feel you.”
Javier pulls away just enough to tug down his boxers and kick them off before he’s descending back on to you, his cock hard and wet at the tip smearing across your thigh. Your hips move around as you try and line him up, a whine slipping past your lips, desperate. It’d been too long since you’d been able to fully appreciate the heavy weight of him inside you and you were needy, body wanton and open for him.
“Baby, calm down. I’ve got you. Shhh,” he quiets you, a quick kiss to your lips. 
Your eyes widen as you feel the tip of his cock running through the slit of your soaked pussy, the head catching on your clit and you cry out as he continues to tease you. The feeling is torture and you dig your nails into his back, a silent plea that you need more. Javier seems to get the message and presses into your cunt, the thickness of him splitting you open in the best way. He’s wide and long, the perfect fit and once he’s bottomed out you feel pure euphoria at the pleasure it brings you. 
“Shit you feel so good, squeezing me so tight,” Javier  grunts, his hips slowly starting a rhythm as he fucks into you. The slapping of skin fills the room, his cock slick with your arousal.
No one had ever felt as good as Javi did and he knew it, the smug bastard. You nod quickly, agreeing with him as you were at his mercy. “So good, Javi. So good. Harder, please.”
He’s quick to comply, his hips fucking into yours at a brutal pace. His hands pull your thighs up at an angle that makes your vision blurry, calves thrown around his shoulders and he’s relentless as he thrusts into you. You watch him lick at the pad of his thumb, the digit finding your wet clit quickly and he rubs in time with his thrusts. 
A moan catches in your throat as your climax nears, head dug into the pillow beneath your head, legs going rigid against him and you tighten around his cock as you cum, Javi’s filthy words muttered low. “God you feel so fucking good around me, squeezing me like this. Cum for me baby, fuck fuck fuck-,” and he finds his own release just behind your own, spilling hot and wet inside your cunt. 
Your body feels boneless, the tips of your fingers numb as you drag them across Javi’s back as he breathes slow and hot against your neck trying to catch his breath. Feeling starts to return to your limbs, and you card your fingers through the sweaty curls at the back of Javi’s head. “You still got it there Agent Peña,” you tease, tugging the short hairs up to get him to look at you.
The look on his face is pure annoyance and you give him your biggest shit-eating grin as he shakes his head and slowly pulls out of you with a groan before sliding next to you and tugging you into his side. “You’re lucky I love you,” Javier grumbles, arm wrapped around you and fingertips trailing along your upper arm in a soothing motion.
“I love you too,” you sigh against this chest, tucked underneath his chin. “How many more rounds do you think we can get in before we have to pick up Emilia tomorrow?”
Javi pauses before he answers and hums to himself, knowing he’s genuinely thinking about it putting a smile on your face. “Gonna shoot for 5 but, I’m an old man now so who knows huh?” He digs his fingers into your side, tickling you. 
“Shut up and go to sleep, Javi. I’m tired.” You pat at his chest blindly as you yawn, kissing his chest once you’re more settled under the blankets.
He grumbles quietly to himself but is out like a light a few beats later, snoring softly in your ear, filling the silence of the unusually quiet house. Your hands trace carefully along his chest, mind already filling with other things you two can get up to before you pick up your daughter, wondering if you still had your toys stashed away somewhere.
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r0zyp0zy0zy · 3 years
Text
✿H.S.- Beach trip★
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Master list
Warnings: Very suggestive, plot is a little confusing?
Words: 1800+
Pairing: Hanta Sero x FEM!reader
Summary: Sero is the only one available to hold up your towel while you change
This has been in the drafts for a HOT MINUTE. Enjoy~~
===SUGGESTIVE UNDER THE CUT===
Field trips with class 1A were always... eventful in one way or another. From the multiple League of Villans attacks, to someone losing a hair pin. It was like a fun game of Spin the Wheel, except it wasn't fun.
A trip to the beach was innocent enough, and everyone was enjoying their time in the warm sun. You breathed in the salty air and sighed happily. You were one of the only people out of the water, savoring your popsicle before you changed and jumped in the cool waves.
"Want me to take that for you?" Sero grunted, nodding at your stained popsicle stick. His head was outlined by the sun, and his mullet was slicked to his neck from the water.
"If you wouldn't mind," you smiled, handing him the slightly sticky stick.
"Of course," he replied, jogging over to the nearest garbage can.
You looked around the beach before slipping off your shirt, carefully folding it into your bag so sand wouldn't get in the crevices. You pulled off your shorts, placing them in your bag the same way you did with your shirt. The sunscreen was cool against your warm skin as you carefully rubbed it all in.
"Ugh," you groaned, trying to reach your back, but obviously failing. Your back was going to pay later if you didn't protect it...
"Uh, need a little help?" Sero gulped, hand rubbing the side of his arm.
"Please," you giggled, "first the popsicle stick and now this... I appreciate it."
"It's not a problem!" Sero replied, reaching forward and grabbing the sunscreen tube, "w-we don't want your back to burn up."
His hands smoothly rubbed the cream into your back, taking care to get under the straps, (being cautious to not undo the bow that kept your suit together). Sero swallowed thickly at the thought of your top falling off, completely exposed to him. He shook his head slightly, no, don't be like Mineta. Don't be a perv.
"All done," he pat your shoulder and rubbed his greasy hands on his chest.
"Thanks again," you smiled, "I'm just gonna get the rest of my body and then join you all in the water."
Sero gave a friendly nod, and trotted off to the shore. His hands still tingled from rubbing your back, and he smiled as he splashed into the water.
You appeared a few minutes later, with your h/c hair up/down (your swimming hairstyle), and skin shining beautifully from the sunscreen. Sero had to avert his eyes to keep from staring at your, ehm, assets.
"Hey y/n-chan!" Mina waved, "that swimsuit looks so cute on you~"
"Thanks," you replied nervously, rubbing the back of your neck. "I was a bit unsure of it at first."
Sero glanced over to Kaminari, who was wiggling his eyebrows at him suggestively, 'make a move' he mouthed. Sero stiffly shook his head, and waded further into the salty water. He didn't have the guts to confess his feelings, and he was pretty shit at flirting.
"Oh C'mon, Sero! Don't you wanna play chicken with us?" Kirishima teased, smirking at Hanta. Mina was already atop his shoulders, gripping his hair as if they were reigns. She waved encouragingly, not wanting to pass up an opportunity to tease Hanta about his crush.
"Uh maybe later, I was just gonna swim around," Sero grinned nervously, pointing his thumb behind him.
"Just don't go too far, Sero-kun!" Iida instructed, fixing his cap and goggles, "incase of an emergency."
Most of Class 1A was at the summer house awaiting dinner— excluding you. See, you were in a predicament of sorts. You had forgotten an extra pair of underwear, to Y'know, change into after you've gotten all wet. And on top of that, you weren't allowed to go inside the summer house if you were wet.. GREAT. There weren't any change rooms on the beach (for some reason??), and you weren't willing to change out in the open. Shit.
The only other people on the beach were Mineta, Kaminari, Bakugo, Ojiro, and Sero. So, no girls to hold up a towel or two for you. You bit your lip as you thought this situation through. Maybe Sero could help you— you trusted him the most out of the five (plus he's your crush, so that's a bonus).
"Uh, Sero-kun?" You called out, grabbing Hanta's attention.
"Yeah?" He jogged up to you, his chest still shimmery and damp from the water.
"Can you please hold up a towel for me?" You asked nervously, holding one out.
"Um sure," he replied, holding it up. "Why?"
"Oh, there just isn't a change room and we're not allowed in if we're all wet," you explained, "um, just make sure the others can't see me."
"O-ok," Sero stuttered, looking away and back at the other guys. The big umbrella was blocking the backside of you, so he only had to worry about the front. He glanced back at you and gulped as you untied your bikini top. He snapped his head away before you could catch him snooping.
"Shit, uh d'you mind untying my top?" You asked, squeezing your eyes shut. "Mina double knotted it."
"S-sure," Hanta muttered as you turned around and took the towel from him. His hands were shaking, but he managed to undo the strings, and held up the piece of fabric again.
He nearly screamed when your top slid off, your bare back exposed to him. You were still turned, slipping off your bottoms, and a lump formed in Hanta's throat. Holy fuck. This was actually happening. He watched you slide your shorts on, and he internally keeled at the sight of your ass squeezing into your clothes. You weren't wearing anything under those shorts, Hanta realized, his eyes glued to your ass. Were you going to dinner like that?
You bent over to pick up a shirt, and Sero felt his dick throb. Fuckfuckfuck, no, he didn't want to get hard right now. His swim trunks had plenty of baggage to accentuate his erection, and he forced himself to peel his eyes away from your body in an attempt to go soft again.
He was just as bad as Mineta, Sero thought guiltily, trying to think of math or something to get his mind off of your beautiful body. The gods, apparently, felt like testing him today. In a fluid motion you slipped on your f/c tank top, and Sero admired your pebbled nipples once you turned around.
You watched Sero for a moment as he stared at your chest, oblivious to the fact that you could see him. His eyes trailed up to your face and they widened, his face flushing up.
"Uh," he choked out, looking to the side, "s-sorry."
"It's alright," you shrugged, wringing out your swimsuit. "Since it's you, it's not that big of a deal."
Hanta was still in a daze of embarrassment, and dropped the towel so it landed at his feet. Seeing you get on your knees in front of him to pick it up and fold it made his mouth dry, and his face got hotter.
"Thanks for holding up the towel for me," you looked up at Sero innocently.
He felt the silky fabric of his swim trunks brush pleasantly against the head of his hard cock, reminding him that you could very much see his erection. His dick twitched in anticipation, waiting for you to do something. Hanta's Adam's apple bobbed as he dryly swallowed his nerves, and his breath hitched when you moved to put the towel in your beach bag.
You stood up, grazing Sero's cock with your hand as you did so. You stood so close to him that he could smell your chapstick. His eyes locked with yours in a trance, the rest of his body still paralyzed. You leaned in impossibly closer and your lips hovered over his. Your hand cupped Hanta's bulge gently, and he couldn't take the suspense anymore. He leaned a millimeter closer with a whimper, and locked lips with you. Your other hand held his cheek, and his own found their way around your waist.
The way his lips feverishly pressed against yours was saccharine, your heart pounding against your ribs with alarming intensity. Sero could feel it no doubt, as his was beating just as hard. He sneakily snaked his tongue across your lower lip in an attempt to kiss you even deeper. You obliged his request, and sucked on his tongue. Hanta let out a surprised moan and he pulled you closer so his undoubting erection was pressed firmly against your palm. His hips rolled forwards again, and he finally pulled away to gasp for breath.
"Holy... fuck," Sero heaved, eyes locked with yours, and still holding you close. His pupils were blown wide and he nuzzled his cheek against your hand.
"Yeah..." you sighed, smiling at him softly. You looked into his eyes and admired the little details, getting lost in the pools of his stare. Your mouth opened to speak again, but you heard running footsteps and whipped your head towards the noise.
"Y-y/n!" Mineta wailed as he propelled his little legs towards you. "Sero! I can't believe you!!"
Hanta, still flushed in the face and also rock hard, awkwardly used you as a sort of shield so he wouldn't be exposed to his classmates. He could see Kaminari running after Mineta, arms reaching out; and for a horrified moment Sero thought he was about to grope your chest. Instead, Kaminari gripped Mineta by his pants, (giving him a wedgie lol), and yanked him up.
"Leave them be! Sero has been eye-fucking her for ages now, don't go ruining his chance to get laid!" Denki scolded the little cretin of a boy. "Sorry, we'll be going now," Kaminari dragged Mineta, who was kicking and screaming, into the summer house.
"Uh- sorry about them..." Sero blushed, embarrassed.
"Eye-fucking me?" You teased, leaning back into his embrace. He pressed his face into the crook of your neck and mumbled incoherently, "sorry, Sero-chan~ you'll have to speak up."
"Well... it's more like I've had a crush on you since our first year. So.. kind of, yeah." Hanta bashfully admitted.
"Hmm, well it's a good thing I have a crush on you too," you grinned, "maybe we should pack up and get back inside for dinner..."
"Er, yeah. But I'll probably miss out a bit on supper," Sero replied as he folded the umbrella closed. You gave him a knowing smirk, and you dug out your sunglasses from your bag.
"Well hopefully we can continue where we left off later tonight," you could feel his grin from behind you, and you couldn't help but copy. This was going to be a very interesting evening.
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silentprincess17 · 3 years
Text
The Perils of Swimming
This fic is a collab between me and the wonderfully talented artist @neivaloz on tumblr! Check out her awesome artwork that accompanies this fic! I love how we inspired each other and I look forward to more!
Summary: Link agrees to go swimming with Zelda when she gets her body back. He does not think this through, because there is one major problem: he can't swim.
Read on AO3 here!
Now that the sea in Aboda Village was directly in front of him, with Zelda no longer a ghost and made of flesh and skin, her promise of taking him out to swim actually a reality and not a passing comment at Papuchia Village, Link was beginning to regret the rashness with which he had said yes.
He hadn’t expected her to actually take it seriously. In the throes of the whirlwind adventure, he hadn’t anticipated she would actively remember, let alone take it to heart- it was now... four months since they had reclaimed the Ocean Realm? Which means it was roughly two months since they defeated Malladus. Towards the end, time seemed to fuse together, and life boiled down to essentially overcoming whatever barrier was in their way at the time. First it was restoring the tracks, then obtaining the Compass, followed by the Bow of Light and finally entering the Dark Realm to fight Malladus with the Lokomo Sword strapped to his back. By the time they reached the Compass, Link had more or less lost all notion of time, as Zelda and he grew progressively more panicked with each setback and it became an increasingly hectic race to save her body…
Link had chosen to stick with his engineering, primarily. He still felt he was more of a rookie soldier who only knew how to perform vague attacks that just so happened to work out in his favour, and without Zelda’s help as a Phantom he most certainly would have failed from the get-go. With that in mind, he chose to continue with what he had trained for up until now: to pilot the trains with mechanical engineering as his mainstay. Still, he didn’t want to completely lose what sword skills he had developed, so he regularly stopped at Hyrule Castle to train with Captain Russel and his guards. (The latter was really just an excuse to see Zelda before. Or afterwards. Most of the time it was both.)
And yesterday, Friday night, was one of those times he had gone to training, visiting Zelda before he supposedly went home for the weekend.
What he hadn’t expected was for her to insist on coming with him back to Aboda Village. He would never refuse her anything, and he assumed she might have wanted to meet Alfonso, or Niko, or really just visit his hometown, and he had agreed, staying at the castle that night. Zelda had long since given him a room close to hers, as a “more convenient place to stay” seeing how central the castle was to the rest of Hyrule.
Taking all that together, it was a surprise when she dragged him across to the small beach, where the sun sparkled against the deep blue sea, unclasped her belt that had the small sash attached to it, and pulled her dress off.
He gaped, before hurriedly turning away, “Zel! What are you doing?!”
“Taking my dress off silly, I’ve got my swimsuit underneath! We’re going swimming! I’ve finally, finally, caught up with the paperwork that accumulated whilst we were on our journey, and I finished my lessons in advance this week, for this reason! I know it’s not Papuchia, but there’s always a next time!”
What? Swimming? NEXT TIME?!
Nope, he had to ignore that for now. There was the issue of surviving the first-time round.
Because the idiot that he was, he couldn’t swim!
He lived in what was basically a seaside town, and yet, he couldn’t even paddle in the water, let alone swim.
He would drown as soon as the water reached higher than his neck!
“Link? It’s not too late, is it? I know it’s a little bit later than what I originally intended for when asking you, but there was just so much reordering to do in the Kingdom. Plus, you remember the whole scribing thing we had to undertake; it all took up so much more time than I expected. And then the weather was just awful this past week whenever I had some free time...”
Oh yes, he remembered the scribing. That whole incident had happened a week after their return to the castle, where Link had stayed behind both to physically recover himself from exhaustion and his wounds, and simultaneously help Zelda adjust to the land of the living.
On the first day, she had walked into so many doors and walls he thought she might have concussed herself, she regularly forgot she had to eat, and she didn’t have any fear of heights, despite the fact that falling with a body had pretty serious consequences. Consequently, Link felt honour bound to try to help her to remember she was, in fact, Hylian, and as such susceptible to many perils that she seemed to have forgotten over the course of the long months she spent as a spirit. Plus, she was very cute, and he blushed every time he felt her grip his hand excitedly, or drag his arm towards a bookshelf, or give him impromptu hugs for helping her.
Niko had cornered them after a week, wondering where Link had gotten too. When he found the two of them nibbling on sweet buns from Castle Town, a book on maps wedged firmly on their thighs, Link’s arm resting on the panel just above her shoulders; Niko had pulled a right fit. He had fussed over Link before declaring he would now create a tapestry to commemorate the newest iteration of legendary events. And that had taken the better part of two weeks to complete, and was now referred to as the “scribing” by Zelda and him.
“Link! Are you going to change your clothes or not? That’s the second reason why I didn’t drag you to Papuchia, because I forgot to tell you to pack your trunks.” She paused, “You do have trunks, right?”
No, no he didn’t. He’d just sacrifice an old pair of cargo pants he had. It would be fine. Probably. He made a vague motion towards his house, before deciding to put the Hero’s cap on. It would hopefully hold some of his hair back, and it would bring him luck on this death quest he was about to embark on.
Why?
Why did he put himself through this?
He sighed. He knew the answer.
This was all because he couldn’t say no to her.
He shuffled back into his home, Niko popping up whilst he half-heartedly opened his wardrobe and shuffled around some more. Spirits. He didn’t want to go back out. He didn’t want to admit to Zelda he didn’t know how to swim. Worse still, he didn’t want her to think badly of him for living by a seaside town, and yet, never having learnt such an essential skill.
Niko hobbled across on his cane to Link, peering around the wardrobe door.
“What’s with the long face? I thought you’d be excited, bringing the Princess over. Yes boy, I know she’s here, everyone heard the two of you enter town. It’s a small place, Link.”
He fished out an old, half-faded blue pair of shorts. “Zelda wants to go swimming, Niko.”
Niko’s eyes widened, “What? But you-”
Link slammed the wardrobe door shut with perhaps more force than necessary. “I know.”
Niko hesitated, before he placed a gnarled hand on Link’s shoulder. “I have a question for you Link… Do you know of any of Princess Zelda’s weaknesses?”
Well, that one was easy. “She’s absolutely terrified of mice. She will literally jump into my arms, or onto my back, to escape them.” He chuckled, “Even as a giant Phantom, three times my height, she couldn’t come near one.” He hesitated, thinking back to their recent conversations on her balcony under the stars, “She’s also scared of not doing well... but I guess this is a fear we all have…”
“That’s your answer then, Link.”
Huh? Why would knowing what Zelda was scared of make any difference?
“I can see you are still confused. Let me make it clearer. Did you judge the Princess for having those failings? Did you at any point think less of her?”
He vehemently shook his head, before stopping midway as it finally sunk in.
Oh.
Niko simply tapped his cane against the floor twice, before ambling off. “I’ll make some fried chicken for you both. One always gets hungry after swimming in the sea.”
Link scrambled into his shorts, and then ran out, just as Zelda walked up to meet him. “You were gone for an awfully long time, Link. I don’t want to imagine how disorganised your wardrobe is-”
The words bubbled out, “Zelda I don’t know how to swim.”
“-at least you’ve got some… are those even trunks? Well-”
“Zelda.” He grabbed her hand, shaking her arm a little, “Zelda!”
“What?”
“I don’t know how to swim.”
She stared, stupefied. “Why didn’t you say? I would have brought my floats!”
It was his turn to gape. “Floats?”
She waved her hands in the air. “You know those things you use to keep you upright in the water.” A frown grew on her face, “Wait, does everyone here not know how to swim? That’s quite dangerous! We’ll have to change that.”
She shook her head, gently clasped his hand, pulling him along, “But that’s for later. I’ll teach you today, Link, if you want?”
He nodded, and she smiled.
“Let’s start off with paddling first, and then progress to basic kicks!”
Time flew by again, as he started off gently peddling his feet in the water, arms spread out wide, head just about jutting above the water line as he hovered, suspended in the sea, for the first time. Once he’d mastered just holding his weight in the water they proceeded onto kicks. That involved first thrashing his legs whilst gripping onto the ridge of land to hold himself in place. Then he advanced to doing one leg at a time like a proper swimming pattern. Zelda wrapped her arms around his middle, and he had a go at moving both arms and legs in synchrony.
He was surprised she could carry him, “Link, I do exercise you know. I’m not just a fluffy Princess. Being a Phantom was quite the experience.”
She heaved him higher, and he spluttered in the water, thrashing his arms a bit at the unexpected heave, “I liked being strong, and being able to help you. So, I’m going to do the best I can with my current body too. You never know, it might prove useful on our next adventure!”
He could only smile. He thanked the Spirits for giving him the chance to meet Zelda. For going on their convoluted journey. For having her as his best friend.
Soon enough, she gently let go of him, and moved to interlock her fingers with his hands as she guided him through the waves, his legs doing the measured, purposeful kicks they had practised.
He was so focussed, he hadn’t at all noticed Alfonso on the shore, until he called out to them, probably wondering what Link was even doing in the water. Zelda told Link to keep on kicking his legs as she slowly walked backwards, screamed back that he was okay and that he was learning to swim. Both of them cringed as they heard Alfonso guffaw loudly and watched as he shook his head, walking off towards the station.
“Well, we’re nearly there, Link!” She loosened her grip on his left hand, moving to clasp his wrist instead, “I’m barely holding onto you! You’re doing it! You’re swimming!”
And he gave her the biggest smile he could, as she slowly let go, wading backwards, and he swam by himself towards her, for the very first time.
Suddenly, the idea of doing this again was no longer so horrifying.
What was there to worry about when he had Zelda, his partner, his best friend, by his side?
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sukiglycerin · 4 years
Text
13 minutes || katsuki bakugou.
* pairing: pro-hero (therefore aged up)!katsuki bakugou x fem manager!reader
* genre: pro-hero!au, smut, this is the longest warning section i’ve ever written, mainly pwp, fluff at the end :>
* words: 2,266 of all this fiLTH
* warnings: AGED UP KATSUKI, ugh tumblr deleted my super long tags so now i must redo them, this is very long & filthy, whew let's go, dom!katsuki, sub!reader, semi-public sex, exhibitionism, slight voyeurism, office sex, reader is bent over the desk ofc, master/sir kink, a little pet play (he calls reader pet/kitten), dirty talk, degradation, fingering, breast/nipple play, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, orgasm denial (how contradicting), cunnilingus (f receiving), cum eating (both ends), talks of safeword/colour system but no actual usage, penetrative sex, unprotected sex (pls use protection irl!!), creampie, reader is kinda masochistic, pussy slapping, crying sex (no angst here tho), hair-pulling (m receiving if it matters), implied subspace, aftercare !! the best part !!
* a/n: so tumblr messed up sO much while i tried to post this, so i hope you like this! ty @toishi for sticking with me and all of my ramblings while writing this! (and ofc @dylanxmin for her lovely support!!) this is a VERY spicy thing, and almost had actual plot before i cut it out. if you like this, i may do a fluffier pt 2!! enjoy!
being a pro-hero's manager has its perks. the pay's good, the coworkers are pleasant, and travelling is pretty fun. to you, the best part is that you get to see your boyfriend of three years every day.
you've been dating pro-hero ground zero secretly, and you happen to be his manager. honestly, the latter came first in chronological order, but that doesn't matter anyway.
you first encountered ground zero (or as he was called back then, katsuki bakugou) during your time in the business course at ua. he bumped into you quite ungracefully, cursed at you, pushed past you, then let a startled but apologetic kirishima to apologize. it was fate, in kirishima's words. 
such fate led you to manage ground zero five years ago, after slowly climbing your way up from managing smaller heroes to finally reaching the popular ones. bakugou had been the only popular hero with a manager opening; you learned why soon after being hired.
the spiky haired hero had a short fuse and a tendency to cuss. he was picky, indecent, and often reckless with his public image; the calmest you'd ever seen him was when he blew up villains and screaming "die."
however, things change - things change a lot. five years later, you're here: katsuki mumbling sweet things into the crook of your neck as his hands tease the waistband of your pencil skirt.
"katsuki, we can't- you have a meeting in fift- hng-!"
his lips find yours quickly, effectively quieting you down. you're sitting on katsuki's desk - a polished cherry wood thing that took too many weeks to find - as he towers above you, pinning you to your spot.
katsuki pauses, and pulls back, licking his lips. "sounds like a you problem."
"we really can't, this meeting is really important-" bakugou's fingers nimbly find their way under your skirt, deadly close to your panties. he really isn’t paying attention to you.
"and i'm the star of the show, the number one pro-hero-" if he hears you mutter 'that's midoriya,' he ignores you and continues, "-aren't i the most important one here?" his fingers rub your clothed clit, smirking at your audible gasp.
"k-katsuki, no-" you know he can feel the wet patch growing on your panties; from the way his determined eyes lock on yours, you know he won't be finished until you are too.
"how long do we have now, love?”
"thirteen minutes, but-"
"you're going to cum for me three times in the thirteen minutes we have."
it's not a question; it's a fact. you are going to cum three times in the next fifteen minutes.
“once on my fingers,” he puts a finger up, “once on my tongue,” another finger, “and once on my cock. the only thing you have to worry your pretty head about-“ he leans in close to your ear, voice dropping a couple octaves, “-is keeping quiet enough.”
his fingers push your panties to the side with ease and play teasingly with your wet folds. he circles your clit with his middle finger slowly, dragging out each languid movement with a smirk on his face. you flush at the lewd, wet noises he elicits from your pussy. you know that his fingers are coated in your arousal.
you look down in embarrassment, gripping the edge of the desk, and stare at the cotton material of your pencil skirt.
"slut." the word is spat from katsuki's mouth. his hand holds your chin; his touch barely ghosts your skin, but the command still exudes dominance. he tips his hand up, so you're looking into his intense eyes.
"look at me, slut." the word is emphasized by the plunging of three fingers in your wet core. you whine, unprepared by the sudden intrusion. your legs move uncomfortably against the fabric of your skirt, which restricts you from spreading open your legs wider. you want to clamp down on katsuki's hand, but you know that that won't end well.
"patience, kitten." either by intuition or his own frustration, he speaks up gruffly. "all in due time." his thumb starts to knead your aching bud as he thrusts in and out, knuckle deep in your pussy. glancing at the clock, he grows impatient, quickly attempting to unbutton your blouse before ripping off the rest entirely. you'd normally protest - you liked that blouse - but you find yourself falling short of words at the pressure on your pussy. katsuki goes at a more rigorous pace, thrusting fast and deep while his free hand snakes itself under your bra to play with your nipple. the added stimulation has you keening to his touch, suddenly aware of his every touch. he pulls your bra cup down, freeing your breast and bending down to to encapsulate the hardened bud in his mouth. his tongue circles your areola and flicks your nipple; meanwhile, his pace on your pussy hasn't relented. 
soon, you feel the telltale feelings of pleasure bubbling through your body.  you tense against him, gasping out his name and clawing at his back. your knees buckle as your climax washes over you, making your body go limp in his hand. bakugou lets go of your nipple with a popping noise, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. his other hand pulls out, and he outstretches three cum-soaked fingers to you, an unspoken code for "suck." you open your mouth obediently, sucking your salty juices off his slim digits. 
"fuck," he cusses, eyes blown out wide in lust. "so fuckin' obedient for me, hm? such a fuckin' whore for your master."
you let go of the fingers in your mouth and nod. 
his non-wet fingers grip the bottom of your skirt. "off. now." 
"yes, master." you feel his eyes pierce you, watching you unzip your skirt and panties and let them pool around your legs. he holds you steady as you step out of the garments and toss them to the side. 
"sit up." he taps the desk lightly.
"it'll get w-w-" 
"did i stutter?"
"n-no, master."
he hums while you acquaint your bottom with the cold, hard wood of his desk.
"colour system, love?" his voice gets soft and he breaks the hard persona. his eyes are gentle, searching yours for any speck nervousness or hesitancy.
"green for 'i'm good, keep going,' yellow for 'slow down,' and red for 'stop.'"
"and if you can't speak?"
"three taps for red, two for yellow."
"what's your colour right now?"
"green, master."
his face hardens at the title. "always a good pet for me, aren't you?"
you nod. "yessir."
he spares another glance at the clock on the wall. "you're going to be a fucking good slut for master in the next 7 minutes, understand?"
"y-yessir."
"what was that, pet?"
"yessir."
"better be. spread." his fingers gesture to your legs.
he kneels before you, your drenched core spread out and on display for him at eye-level.
"so wet," he marvels, making your face heat up. like this, you're completely exposed to him; your breasts free from your bra, nipples hard against the cool air, and your pussy glistening under the light of his office.
he licks a long stripe up your folds, testing the waters. by now, the original intensity of your previous orgasm had worn off; despite this, when his tongue met your clit, you found yourself reaching for his hair, gripping it tightly. he groans into your pussy, poking his appendage through your folds and administrating kitten licks up and down your inner lips to slurp up whatever juices were left. the teasing doesn't last for long, however. he starts to suck harshly on your clit, making you buck into his face in overstimulation and surprise. you cry out at his unceasing ministrations, tugging on his hair and your toes curling. the overstimulation is too much; pain mixed with white hot pleasure blinds you. the lips closed against your clit go hard; you're not even sure how katsuki can breathe going at such a pace. the pain starts to blend into pure pleasure. you throw your arm over your mouth in attempt to stifle your noises, eyes shut tight. you feel tears line your eyes as you cum again, katsuki's tongue pressed flat against your pussy. the pleasure is five times more intense now; you cry out, sure anyone standing outside heard, and clutch katsuki's hair as you recover from your orgasm. your pussy convulses violently, and you pant in a similar manner.
"k-katsuki- master- i-" you breathe hard.
"one more for me, okay?" he rasps into your ear. "i know you can take it, kitten. so good for me..." his chin and lips shine with your essence.
you nod, spreading your sore legs further apart.
"colour?" he checks, hands starting to reach for his belt.
"green."
he nods and unbuckles, pulling his pants and boxers down to reveal his cock. katsuki leans in, hot breath fanning against you as he peppers kisses on your clavicle.
"you're gonna be a good cocksleeve for master, yeah? gonna be all fuckin' tight and wet for me?"
you whimper a shaky "yes," the head of his cock nudging your folds.
he eases his full length into you, the stretch always being something you always need to get used to. katsuki's not particularly girthy, but for what he lacks in girth he makes up in sheer length. he pushes in gently; it's clear on his face he wants nothing more than to ravage you, but he understands your needs.
"f-fuck," you gasps as he bottoms out. 
"ring ring ring," the tone of katsuki's phone rings through the room.
you lean over the desk, reading the caller id.
"it's horikoshi corp?" you say to katsuki.
"pick it up." there's a mischievous gleam in his eyes, but there's no time to dwell on it before you pick up the call.
"is this the office of ground zero?" a male voice asks through the line.
"yessir-" katsuki starts moving inside you, to which you bite your lip. "h-how can i help you?"
"this is regarding the meeting scheduled for today?"
"y-yes?" you gasp, flinging a hand over your mouth as bakugou starts thrusting into your core roughly.
"i'm terribly sorry to say this, but it appears that our boss has come down with food poisoning from lunch."
"don't- don't worry about it-" your knuckles are white gripping the edge of the desk, and you're slightly bent over it.
katsuki continues to hammer into you, speed increasing quickly.
"could we reschedule to friday, at 1:30pm?"
your mind skims through katsuki's friday schedule. "u-um... y-yes-! that can be arranged..." you're not sure if he can hear the wet slapping noises coming from your end of the line - but the thought of him knowing your dirty deeds with katsuki made you even wetter.
"alright, thank you!" the man sounds relieved. "goodbye."
"bye!" you half slam the phone down on the receiver, chest heaving.
"it's your lucky day, huh, kitten?" katsuki purrs smoothly. 
you nod, pressing yourself onto his desk so you're bent over it for him.
"such a fucking slut," you can hear the pride in his voice. "you like that, yeah? i can feel you clenching all around me. you're my fuckin' cockslut, right?"
your head bobs rapidly up and down. "yes, master- i'm-" you feel the familiar heat start to bubble in the pit of your stomach.
"don't you dare fucking cum yet," he growls in your ear, punctuating his words with a sharp thrust.
he presses you even harder into the desk, your breasts pushed up against the cold wood. 
"k-katsuki...!”
"my little pain slut, isn't that right?" 
"y-yes-! f-fuck, master-" 
he slaps your clit, making a loud, wet sound resound through the room.
it almost sends you over the edge. almost.
"don't- cum-" katsuki grunts in between thrusts.
you're so close it almost hurts. the pleasure overwhelms you; you shut your eyes tight to distract yourself, but you can only hear the sound of katsuki's heavy breaths and his cock slamming into you.
"katsuki- master- please, i can't-" tears start to form in the corners of your eyes. the pleasure is just too much, beating into you incessantly.
"you can, and you will," he orders, voice firm.
"k-ka- ka-" you blubber, tears dropping from your cheeks. you know you won't be able to hold it much longer; your pussy aches in need of release. "pl- pl, ka-"
"cum." it was the only word you needed to find yourself toppling off the edge, euphoria rippling over you violently.  tears stream down your cheeks, cum gushing from your heat. you're as limp as a doll in katsuki's arms, slumped against his desk. your pussy throbs, contracting violently - somewhere amidst your orgasm, katsuki had finished as well. your cheeks are wet, blouse thrown somewhere on the ground. your breathing is shaky as katsuki picks you up, stroking your hair delicately.
"hey, honey," he kisses your forehead softly.
you mumble incoherently, eyes drooping shut.
"you did so well for me... i didn't hurt you, did i?"
"no, 'suki.... 's good.... i liked it a lot..." you nuzzle into him, his body warmth comforting. katsuki smells of vanilla and caramel, a sweet combination that feels undeniably like home. 
you don't remember many of the next events well; everything blurs into a haze. you feel him gently thumbing your tears away, slipping your skirt and panties on and buttoning up one of his extra dress shirts on you.
the last thing you hear is a gentle "i love you," and before you know it, you're drifting asleep.
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tamagochiie · 3 years
Text
a line without a hook | part three.
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part three. “merely tolerable, really.”
chapter synopsis. Had you known freedom tasted like this, you wouldn’t have bothered to form an attachment with Mr. Ackerman. Was there really a point in what you were doing? 
word count. 7.5k
tags. swearing, angst, tones of misogyny
notes. This is a very late post, and I apologize for that, but I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. As for the upcoming chapter for this week, there may been another delay. I’ve been swamped with a lot of assignments and its my finals week, so I hope you all understand :/ 
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back to master list
<< part two. | part four. >>
Your mother always told you gossip to women is like honey to a swarm of flies: you can catch more of them depending how sweet the scandal is. But she never thought to tell you what it'd be like if you were the honey, that the women would stick to you, drinking the life out of every little thing you do and unpack it together with their girl friends over afternoon tea and biscuits.
Your name, along with Mr. Ackerman's, had travelled from one tongue to the other in the last four days.
Each story are more intricately fabricated than the last. You heard all sorts of things, too many thing to keep track of — something about Mr. Ackerman's family background and more so yours, but you didn't want to pay heed over something that didn't come directly from the man himself.
And just the other day, while you commuted to town to deliver Reiner's forgotten lunch, you overhead a group of women whispering that you were already singing with the church bells.
You had shuddered at the thought and assumed it was something your mother must've cooked up given how she easily melted at Mr. Ackerman's feet when he came to visit a few days ago.
You and Mr. Ackerman were both aware that his visit, and all the kind and loving words he had said before you and your family, were merely for show. And that it was for purpose of sweeping your house clean of all trespassers and violators of your freedom.
But nonetheless, even with a letter that came to heed you of his visit, you were still left utterly speechless.
Mr. Ackerman had strolled into your cozy home, he hadn't been swathed in his usual drab choice of clothing, but settled with more pleasing fashion that didn't say,"I'm pessimistic and moody, and I've got a reputation for killing for sport".
He had been bathed in shades of blue, but still leaned on the darker side of the color spectrum. It had been a good change save for his signature cravat, and it led you to wonder just how many he owned.
You came to the conclusion he owned quite enough to be stitched together and make a thick and long blanket to last through the winter.
However, what had left you gobsmacked and rapidly blinking in succession was not Mr. Ackerman's slight change of style, but the little smirk across his lips while he spoke to your mother. His tone hadn't been clipped and did not drip in annoyance, but was a twinge softer — completely out of pocket for a man with a reputation for being dark and brooding.
Sasha, on the other hand, had been easily tickled in pure curiosity by Mr. Ackerman, poking and prodding him with peculiar and rather personal questions. You had expected he'd yell at her, seeing he'd be the kind of person to do that.
But he didn't snap. It was obvious his patience had been wearing thing, so he kept his replies quick and short just like his temper.
Pieck never spoke a word, but had instead observed the exchange as she sat on the couch, sandwiched between Connie and Jean while your mother had done her best to entertain Mr. Ackerman in small talk even though the man reeks of disdain for it.
Though Mr. Ackerman had successfully wooed your mother, and probably the rest of your sisters and Connie, Reiner was anything but.
Your brother protectively glued himself to your side, glaring down at Mr. Ackerman with a vexed look plastered across his scruffy face. Unfortunately, Reiner's attempt to be intimidating had fallen short and made you not only you, but Mr. Ackerman, suppress a stifling laugh.
Regardless of your brother's wishes, Mr. Ackerman's visit had been deemed fruitful. Your mother's eyes as well as her heart completely set on Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Ackerman alone.
To which both requests you firmly nodded and smiled at.
But your smile had been quick to fade.
You agreed to this little sham because you admired your freedom, but ever since Mr. Ackerman's visit, despite no men coming to bother you from the early hours of the morning till the late afternoon, you find yourself anything but free.
Your mother, the seventh circle of your personal hell, has taken it upon herself to berate you—tells you to make more of an effort on your appearance. She'll comment on how you sit, how you speak or how you eat, and every other thing you do.
You may have been liberated by the lusting grips of men, your mother's iron clad hold on even the thought of you being a few steps away from marriage is much tighter, and much more stubborn than you ever imagined.
So you spend your days hidden in your room, away from your mother and the rest of the world.
Sometimes you'll read or stare out the window, and when you do decide to step out of your little bubble, you'll be sure to check if the coast is clear from any possibly ambushes from your mother.
Though the only time you really do go out is to check the mail to see if Mr. Ackerman has written to you — he has not — or spend some time with your great love, your horse, Maria.
But for the most part, you plant yourself on the couch right up against window sill with your back slumped on the wall and legs sprawled out. You stare outside, not really looking at anything in particular.
Maybe the chickens.
You heavily sigh, fogging up the class as you gaze idly, twirling the ends of your hair. You grow jealous of the chickens and the roosters because at least they have their freedom. Their simple minds and their simple lives; the lay eggs and crow at dawn.
Damn chickens, you seethe in thought.
There's a faint knocking on your bedroom door that cease your internal tanget. You turn your head as the door creaks open, revealing your sister, Sasha, poking her head out between the gap. A friendly smile adorns her pink lips as she holds a plate of food in her hands.
"Can I come in?" She asks, already stepping inside. "I brought you food. You've been cooped up in here for too long, I thought you might be hungry."
You chuckle and motion her to come in.
Sasha moves briskly and steps inside before shutting the door behind her. She tiptoes across the room and over to you. She lightly taps your foot to make room and you swing it off the couch.
She places the tray between the two of you. A few loaves of bread, some grapes, and other fresh fruit that you assume she's stolen from the batch Reiner's supposed to sell.
She swipes the loaf of bread, breaking it in half and hands you the bigger piece before chewing her's down.
"You alright?" She asks, her words muffled by the bread. "Mamma's gotten under your skin, hasn't she?"
You bob your head, humming in response as you eat the bread bit by bit, taking your time.
Sasha follows your line of sight, checking to see what you've been so keenly staring at. Only to find that it's just a bunch of chickens running around.
"I'm overwhelmed," You confess breathily. You pull your legs up to your chest and rest your chin onto your knees. "I don't like the feeling one bit."
"Is it because of Mr. Ackerman?" Sasha looks at you with concern outlining the softness of her face. You don't really reply, just lulling your head in thought. "You surprise me, you know."
"I do?"
Sasha hums delightfully as she takes her last bite of her bread before moving onto the grapes.
"For someone who admires her freedom and never spared an interest in even the thought of forming an attachment, you latched onto Mr. Ackerman rather quickly." Sasha had always been mistaken for an idiot at a surface level, but she's a lot more perceptive than people give her credit for — than you give her credit for. And for once, you hated it. "One could even say that it's a bit...odd. But you've always been off, so maybe it isn't so out of the blue."
"Oh, how you read me so well," You say, sarcasm oozing from your words. You take a quick bite of bread.
"What's he like?"
You shrug your shoulders, pouting in thought. "I've only ever met him thrice," You point out, laughing at the curiosity avidly pooling from her eyes. "There's not much I can judge. If anything, I think you'd know more than me since you've pummeled the poor man with one too many questions."
Sasha takes the tray of food and scooches closer to you before putting it on her lap.
"But that's different! You've gotten first hand experience. Is he really like all the rumors?" She asks, a little too keenly. "Is he really as mean as they say? Because when he visited the house, he seemed too stiff for comfort."
You snort and are quick to cover your mouth to keep the bread from spilling from your lips.
"Mm, well, Mr. Ackerman is man of few words and very few expression, but he seems...genuine?" You don't mean for it to come out sounding like a question, but the more you speak, the more you're hit with the realization you know absolutely no idea who the man is.
All you're really left with is his hatred for attention, and your mutual need for peace. Everything else you try to think of comes up short.
Mr. Ackerman hasn't written a letter to you since his visit. It's not like he said he was going to, but a very small and naive part of you thought he would.
Sasha continues to rain down on you with more questions, but it isn't as persistent as you'd expect her to be. Its either her line of concentration snaps too quickly for you to formulate a response, or she's just too excited to hear more.
You answer what you can until you can no longer think. Eventually you're too tired to talk about you and the subject of the conversation shifts to Sasha.
"Hey, Sasha," You carefully speak between chews, minding the grape in your mouth. Sasha's eyes, still colored in hunger as she takes another loaf of bread, darts to look at you. "What about you, though?"
"Hmm?"
"You and..." You shift in your seat and lean in. "You and Nicolo - are you two really - Oh! My God, are you alright?"
Sasha nearly chokes on her bread. Clenching her fist, she beats her chest to help soothe the burn in her throat, coughing for air.
"Sasha!"
"I-I'm fine!" She finally says, swallowing thickly. "Sorry, yes, I'm fine."
"Do you need water?" Sasha shakes her head as she rests her hand on your shoulder to keep you still in case you choose to leave. You move even closer to rub her back to ease her, but once she does, a smirk plays across your lips and chuckle stumbles from your lips. "So, I guess it's true. You and Nicolo really are —"
"Shut up!" Sasha interjects, her head snapping up to look at you with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "Please! I've had enough of mamma pestering me about this— ever since Pieck decided to tattle on me! If you're going to being just as annoying as her than—"
"I won't be!" You argue, your tone playful and lilting. "I'm only asking, and you're taking forever to say anything!"
"Well, fine! Alright." Sasha sharply huffs in defeat as she tosses her bread onto the tray and sets it back onto the couch. "Yes, okay, I suppose I might have feelings for Nicolo, but I don't know. I can't tell."
"You can't tell...?"
Sasha lets out another breath as she slumps against the wall. Her head tilts up to look at the cracked ceiling before looking back down to you, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she picks the right words to convey how she feels. She nervously twiddles her thumbs while doing so.
"How do you even know when you like someone?"
You blink at Sasha, taken aback by her question while she looks at you eagerly.
You realize, after a few breaths, you don't have a definite answer because unlike Pieck, you've never really experienced the feeling yourself. You always lived vicariously through fictional characters you read in novels, and Mrs. Bloom's sweet story of how she met her husband.
But other than that, you come up short—you can't tell at all.
"I think I'm the wrong one to ask." You confess, causing Sasha to look at you quizzically as confusion stirs in her mind. "I haven't really found the answer myself, I'm sorry."
Sasha sighs dejectedly.
"It's best to ask Pieck, isn't it?"
"As me what?" Pieck's voice, delicate and laced in curiosity, has your heads turn to the bedroom door.
It seems you were both too deep into your conversation to hear her knocking.
Pieck stands by the door, her olive green dress flows in the gentle window coming from the opened window, her hair into the usual messy, low ponytail that falls down her shoulders; her eyes heavy-laden with sleepiness.
Your eyes trail down to her hand, finding a pile of letters tightly held in it.
"Pieck, what's that?" You ask, dismissing her question with a question.
"Now hold on," Pieck hides the letters behind her back, pressing herself against the door to create even more distance—as if the wide expanse of the room wasn't enough. "What's the question?"
Sasha rolls her eyes. "It's silly."
"Well, if it's from you, I'm sure it is."
Sasha grumbles at Pieck's sarcastic retort, and you watch as your two sisters begin to bicker.
"If you're going to be an ass, I won't tell you." Sasha crosses her arms and twists her body away from Pieck and towards the window, her eyes falling to the clucking hens.
Peick nimbly trots across the floor and over to Sasha's side, crashing into her and quickly wrapping her arms around her shoulders, nosing through Sasha's hair bunched up in a high pony as she rests her chin onto her shoulder.
"Go away!" Sasha growls, her face contorts a sour expression as her attempts to shove Pieck off fails.
"Oh, c'moooon," Pieck coos, peppering kisses over her little sister's cheek, "won't you tell me? I hate being left out, especially when it's the two of you."
Sasha grunts as she tries to pry away from Pieck, but only to be caught in sloppy kisses on the cheek and the temple of her forehead. Though Sasha visibly shows disgust, even you can see that she loves being showered in affection from Pieck.
Pieck, being the eldest and holding the most responsibility, had always held you both with great love and adoration.
"Alright!" Sasha yells in surrender, tangled in the arms of her sister and somehow in a headlock as Pieck sits behind her. "I'll tell you, I'll tell you! Let me go and give me room, please."
Sasha elbows Pieck away from her, giving her enough space to breathe, and you snatch the tray off the couch and onto your lap to keep it from falling.
And as Sasha begins to explain her little dilemma, Pieck comfortably sits herself behind her, propping her chin back onto her shoulder and winding her arm around her waist as she listens intently. Pieck's gentleness doesn't go unnoticed by Sasha, and you watch as she sinks in the hug.
Pieck clicks her tongue, her eyes look at you as she falls into a thought, not deep enough to overthink and get carried away as she finds the answer.
"Hmmm, love and likeness can be complicated, but only if you let it be." You tilt your head at Pieck as she continues on her train of thought. "But you can tell if you like someone if you enjoy being with them and find their company pleasant. Do you find Nicolo's company pleasant?"
Sasha mindlessly hums in thought as her head lulls back on Pieck's shoulder.
"I do, actually." Sasha admits without hesitation. "I think..." She takes a beat to suck her teeth as she continues to think about it a little more, "I like the food he makes and that he, well, never seems to be bothered by me..."
"He's always so kind—like his eyes. His smile's nice, too, I suppose. Whenever he speaks, whether it's about food or well, other things, I can't help but listen."
There it is, the shimmer of affection in her light brown eyes and the oh-so-subtle smile across her lips. You almost miss it, but the world stills around you as you're caught in her bubble.
Pieck gives you a knowing look, smiling playfully.
Without saying a word or even slipping a sound, you and Pieck come to the agreement that Sasha'll have to come to her own realization that he loves him. The question is when she'll arrive at it.
Sasha brushes it off, not wanting to muddle herself any longer. She plucks the letters from Pieck's grasp and eagerly swifts through the pile while humming thoughtfully, completely ignoring Pieck's groan of disdain.
It's the usual; a couple of people from your father's family, inquiring when you're to sell the estate, one from your distant aunt from your mother's side that never bothers to actually visit, but diligently sends letters whether it be rain or shine, and one for —
"You've got a letter!" Sasha chirps, snapping her head up to look at you before shoving it into your hands. "It's from Mr. Ackerman! He's finally written to you!"
You throw your legs over the edge of the couch, sitting upright and fixing your hair as if Mr. Ackerman's just right there, watching you as you open his letter with shaky breaths and nimble fingers.
You quickly but carefully open his letter, scanning through his words and your eyes bulge out of it's sockets.
"What's it say?" Pieck inquires, excitement dripping from her lips as she scooches closer to try and peak at the letter. "Will he be visiting again?"
You shake your head.
"Well, don't be shy!" Sasha whines, "What is it?"
You open and close your mouth, blinking frantically as your shock still rides through your body. "Mr. Ackerman would like me to visit him at his estate next Tuesday."
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When your mother heard news of your presence being requested by Mr. Ackerman, she took it upon herself to teach everything you needed to know about being "prim and proper". She stole your remaining days of peace and prepped you as best as she could.
When it came time for you to leave, she was adamant that you opt to take horseback instead of taking the carriage. All, especially your brother Reiner, were completely against it when they noticed the storm clouds reeling in. But your mother was deeply rooted in her stance, firm like a tree that not even the wind of your brother's disdain could change her mind.
So there you stand, having been caught in the rain, dripping from head to toe as the Smith estate towers over you, as if it's ready to swallow you whole in one go. You have to crane your neck back in a particularly painful angle to get a good look of the entire building, and you’re sure you’re only seeing the very tip of the iceberg.
Your mother warned you it would be much larger than you were used to - you just never imagined it to look like something out of a book.
Shivering and tightly wrapping your coat over you to trap any warmth you might have left with one hand, you swiftly knock on the door with the other. A shuddering breath escapes you when the door creaks open, revealing a servant to greet you in.
“Ah, Miss,” The servant’s eyes widen in fright, flinching back.  His gulp is audible even with the thundering behind you. He scans you from head to toe, and he doesn’t bother to mask his sneering at your drenched frame and all the mud collected at the hem of your skirt. “You must be Miss Blouse, yes?” You greeted him with a sneeze, and briefly apologized. “Come quickly before you catch a cold.”
But your second and most aggressive sneeze yet tells him you might already have one.
“He’s been expecting you,” Is all the servant says before guiding you down that hall.
You rub your eyes, wiping your hairs sticking to your face as you take in the sight before you. The air in the estate is chilly and deadly quiet - enough to hear the sound of your clothes dripping with water and to catch the servant clicking his tongue at you.
You hold your breath; you didn’t think the estate could get any bigger, but it does. The hallway is vast and seemingly endless; portraits of many different men and women - all who you assume were probably family members of Mr. Smith because of the signature blonde hair and blue eyes - canvas over the great walls.
Giddiness tickles down from your chest and into your stomach as you trail behind the servant, your arms swaying to the side with a little skip in your step. You try your best to catch a peak at every room and hall you pass by, but everything moves in blur.
You can’t tell if you’re tired from your travels or if it's the pace you’re walking in. You take deep breaths, trying to pull yourself together as the servant ushers you into the drawing room.
“Mr. Ackerman will be here shortly,” is all he leaves you with, not bothering to spare another breath.
You’re surrounded by more paintings and books, but a particular painting catches your eye. It’s a portrait of a woman relaxed on a chair; she looks nothing like the ones outside.  She has soft features and kind eyes, her lips supple and plump with an endearing smile. Her dark hair flows down to her shoulders, framing her face.
You squint your eyes, inching towards it with your hands clasped behind your back to avoid reaching out to touch it. The longer you stare, you find a weird sense of familiarity in her. But you just can’t -
“You’re wet.” You snap your head towards the gravelly voice to find Levi standing by the door with his brows pulled down in horror. “You’ve tracked in so much rain water, I thought a dog had stalked in.”
“Oh, I’m quite fine - achoo! Thank you for asking - achoo!” Your feeble attempt to shoot down his sarcastic remark is embarrassingly interrupted by your persistent sneezing. You wipe your nose with the back of your glove, earning a look of disgust from Mr. Ackerman. “Excuse me, I got caught in the rain.”
“I couldn’t tell,” He clips with a tight lip. “You could catch a cold -”
“Achoo!”
“It seems you already have…” Mr. Ackerman groans, and you find yourself picking at your fingers in embarrassment, your head lowered to the floor. “Follow me, I’ll give you something to change out of.”
Mr. Ackerman wastes a single breath, nor does he allow you to. But instead, with the utmost jaded expression on his face, he turns on his heels and leaves the room, expecting you to follow. You have to admit, with a fuzzy feeling buzzing in your head and the sudden sensitivity to the ache in your bones, it takes you a moment to pick up what he says and follow suit.
Has it always been this chilly?
A tremble in your damp coat, exhaling tremulously as you trot down the hall behind Mr. Ackerman. Your struggle for warmth doesn’t fall on dear ears, but it does motivate him to pick up the pace, up the winding steps and into another hallway.
Your shoes continue to click against the marble, passing by paintings and statues; for a moment you mistaken yourself to be wandering around a museum and not someone else’s home. But your head is spinning and you can’t appreciate the art even if you wanted you - you can’t even glance at a painting without wanting to vomit.
Mr. Ackerman comes to a jagged halt, causing you to nearly stumble against him. He glares at you over his shoulder.
“Sorry,” You mutter before stumbling a few steps back to give him space.
“Wait in there,” He instructs dryly, “and I’ll get someone to help you in a bit.”
“Oh, I - I don’t understand -”
“You have a cold,” He points out, “and I don’t think you’ll appreciate it if it were me helping you change out of your clothes.”
Your cheeks flush and your heart paces quickly in your chest; embarrassment overwhelms you and you wish the ground would swallow you up. He’s too direct and it makes your knees a little wobbly along with the rest of your body - you’ve turned into jello.
“Just wait in there and there’ll be a maid to bring you clothes. I’ll meet you again once you’re done.”
“Oh, uh, thank you.” You whisper, your eyes finally snap from the floor and meet Mr. Ackerman’s same old arid visage, but there’s a tenuous, unfamiliar gleam in his eyes you can’t seem to read.
He sternly nods, but just before trodding off you call after him, “Mr. Ackerman?” Your voice hushed and trembly.
“Yes, Miss Blouse?” He watches you expectantly, his head faintly tilting to the side. “Is there something else?”
Ironically, despite Mr. Ackerman coldness and indifference, you can feel that he cares - his warmth. And you can’t help but feel dangerously eager, a little selfish even, for wanting more. You can’t help but want to push further, but you’re reminded of the rumors and prefer not to push your luck.
“Thank you,” You say with a smile, a genuine one that catches him off guard, but not that you can tell with your glossy eyes.  “Thank you fo - achoo! I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Ackerman.”
There’s a very, very subtle blush that spreads across his cheeks that reaches the tips of his ears, and maybe if it wasn’t for the odd lightly in the hallway, you would’ve caught it. But once again, Mr. Ackerman thanks his lucky stars and gulps, “Don’t mind it too much,” and spins on his heels before striding down the hallway.
You watch till his footsteps fade and his slender frame disappears as he turns the corner before finally looking at the door beside you. You stare at the door knob, your hand fidgeting over it before finally taking it in your hand and opening the door.
You gasp in awe, your eyes going round - the room can eat your house in a single bite. Even the bed that sits at the center, headboard pushed up against the wall, is bigger than the one your share with Pieck. Maybe bigger than the bed your mother and father shared.
You step inside, pushing the door shut behind you before twirling and taking in all the green and gold in the room. You’ve never seen so much gold - you’ve never seen gold in general, but here you are completely surrounded by it.
The strident knocking on the door causes you to still, staggering over your feet to find a familiar face greeting you with a cheerful smile, balancing a folded pile of clothes in their hand.
“Hange!” You squeak in shock, nearly losing your balance.
“Miss Blouse,” They playfully salute to you before entering in completely. “I saw you come in earlier and Levi said you’d be in here, so I thought to help. Though he did oppose, I'm not one to follow orders anyway.”
They cleverly wink at you, stretching their arm out to hand you the clothes and you meekly take it.
“How are you feeling?” They ask, taking a seat on the bed, “You can change over there, behind the partition,” They point to the other side of the room where it stands beside the window, and you quickly shuffling behind it.
You finally peel off your clothes, finally being freed by way your damp clothes and the way it clung to your body. You sigh heavily, tremulously.
“So, how are you feeling?” Hange’s voice echoes in the room from where they sit. They lean back on the heel of their palms, lulling their head bad carelessly as they wait for your response. “Levi said you might have a cold, and luckily for you, I’m a doctor.”
You hum in response, your focus directed on changing your clothes as quickly as possible.
“I’m, uh, I think I’m okay,” There’s a tingling in your skin and an unbearable ache in your bones. Your whole body feels sensitive; you’re not sure if you feel chilly or too warm. But you don’t want to be a burden, especially since you’re already borrowing someone else's clothes.
Whose are these anyway? You can’t imagine these are Hange’s, it’s way too small.
“He said you were sneezing!” They say, their voice slightly raising. “That you were sneezing a lot.”
“Probably just allergies!” You try and laugh it off, hoping Hange doesn’t press any further. But much to your displeasure, Hange isn’t one to simply let things go.
But the moment you step out from the partition, tying your hair up to keep from staining the dress, Hange strides over to you, placing her wrist onto your forehead and hums.
“You’re sick.”
“I’m fine.” You press.
“You’re a liar.”
“I'm not!” The whine that escapes your dried lips, takes enough energy from you to have your vision grow spotty and have your knees give in. Hange loops their arm around your waist and you slump onto their chest for support. “Right, maybe I am a liar,” You admit breathily, your eyes fluttering shut. “I’m really sorry, this is extremely impolite and my mother would kill me if she found me like this.”
“Never mind what your mother says,” They sigh before helping you over to the bed, “nothing good will come of thinking about what your mother says,”
You laugh softly, finding irony in their words.
The cushions are warm and comforting, pulling you into ease as you’re swayed by your need for rest. You try to combat it by blinking away, but drowsiness overtakes you like an unrelenting storm and you fall perilous to it the second your head sinks into the pillows.
You're greeted by a sharp, persistent ache in your head and a stubborn throb in your bones. You moan in discomfort and writhe beneath the cotton bed sheets.
You feel something cold dripping down your head, but before you can reach to check, you feel a wet cloth being placed on your forehead. You crack your eyes open and draw a bitter breath to find Mr. Ackerman towering over you. His brows pulled into a deep line of focus and his eyes colored in determination as if its taking all his verve to adjust the way the towel sits on your head.
He looks down at you and his expression softens.
It softens?
"You're awake," Mr. Ackerman notes. Maybe its the sickness, and that you're probably imagining it, but does Mr. Ackerman's tone sound a lot gentler? Its almost as if he's concerned for your well-being — almost as if he's worried and relieved you're finally awake. But his face remains unreadable, devoid of emotion. "You've been asleep for quite some time, but your temperature seemed persistent. Hange said as long as the rag is frequently changed then you should be better. How are you feeling?"
Does that mean he's been changing the rag? He said it should 'changed frequently' —
You arch your back when the ache in your bones come back stronger than ever. You whine in pain and drown back into the mattress.
"I don't feel too well," You croak, swallowing dryly.
"Do you need water?"
You can only nod.
Mr. Ackerman swiftly reaches for the glass of water that sits on the bedside table. You try and sit up , your bones feel like chalk as it grates against each other. You try to take it from him, but he raises his free hand to stop you. “Let me,” is all he says to you before bringing it up to your lips.
Baffled, you still drink it.
Your thoughts are still too foggy to draft a single thought. But all you is know your heart’s drumming in your chest and your breath is hitched in your throat for an entirely different reason that’s far from your cold.
You sigh in relief after a few gulps, muttering a ‘thank you’.
“Mr. Ackerman, you said that I’ve been asleep for quite some time,” You recount, looking at him puzzled, “How long have I been asleep?”
“Two days.” He replies flatly, as if he's not bothered by it at all.
“Excuse me?”
Mr. Ackerman hums as he falls back into his chair grabbing the book beside him before opening it up to the page he left off.
“You needn’t worry,” He eases without looking up to meet your eyes, as unbothered by the worry screaming in your eyes. “I’ve already written a letter to your mother the moment you fell asleep and informed her of your current state.”
“And what did she say of it?”
“She deeply apologizes for overstaying your welcome, but is pleased to know you’re in good hands.” Mr. Ackerman turns to the next page before he crosses his legs. His eyes flicker up to look at you to find irritation seeping out of your through eyes narrowed at an empty space on the floor, chewing on the inside of your cheek “I assured her that **you are in good hands, Miss Blouse.”
“I’m sorry,” You apologize again for the umpteenth time as you stressfully run your fingers through your hair. “My mother must’ve planned this in hopes that I may grow closer to you.”
Mr. Ackerman cocks his brow at you, “Are you blaming your mother for your cold? Shouldn’t you be blaming the weather, or that you rode on horseback on a rainy day?”
"I cannot blame my mother for my cold or the weather, but I can blame her for scheming along with it." You sigh, leaning your head back onto the pillow, "My mother is an opportunist, so she must've seen the rain clouds as her 'moment to grasp'. She was adamant that I take horseback and not that carriage. My mother is many things, but most importantly, she's a scheming woman."
Much to your surprise, Mr. Ackerman smirks at your words. He smirks.
He licks his thumb before turning the page of his book, his eyes ghosting over the words without much intention to actually read.
"What are you doing?" You ask, twisting to face him, your hand tucking beneath the side of your face.
"I'm reading." He isn't.
"Here?"
"Would you rather I not keep you company?" His grey eyes blink away from the page and up at you. "Isn't this the whole point of your visit, to get o know each other?"
"W—Well, yes, but I didn't think you'd take our proposition quite literally." You voice falls soft at the end of your sentence and you feel yourself shrink in embarrassment.
"How else are we to make them believe we've formed an attachment?"
"Oh, well—"
"Is my company a bother?"
You shake your head. "Is mine?"
Mr. Ackerman chuckles and if it weren't for the whirling of your brain, you would've caught it. "Merely tolerable, really. You best get some rest, Miss. Blouse."
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When you awaken again, it’s a little later in the afternoon and the sun is harshly bleeding through the glass window and casting over your face.
The first thing you notice is not the freshly changed rag resting over your forehead, but the empty chair that Mr. Ackerman sat himself earlier. You pout and you feel a little disappointed.
Disappointed?
What?
You prop yourself up on your elbows, drawing a sigh of relief. The smell of fresh sheets permeate your lungs and your tilt your head back before tilting it back up again.
Through your hooded gaze, your eyes scan through the room. You finally appreciate just how beautifully decorated it is. Shades of complimentary greens canvas the room and soft golds accent the room here and there. It’s ingrained in the walls and on the doors, and coloring the the bed posts, too.
With nimble fingers, you peel the covers off and a wave of cool air washes over your body.The floor is just as cold when your feet meet the carpet. You shuffle around the room, nosing through things but never really touching anything. You're too scared you might accidentally break something.
But the thirst of your curiosity has yet to be quenched, so you find yourself straying out the room, trotting down the hall and twirling around the space gleefully.
The estate is something written in the books. If it wasn't for the dreary, unsettling air hanging over you as thick as fog, the feeling would be magical.
Too busy to play make believe in your head, you find yourself too far off the path. Everything looks the same, and you eyes widen in panic.
Think, think, think, you chant inwardly, twisting your head around for something familiar.
Panic rises from your chest and lodges into your throat, and the last thing you need is to fall onto Mr. Ackerman's bad side.
But before your knees can shake in such unnerving trepidation, faint whispers echoing down the hall and towards you pull you from your thoughts. The voice are so faint and low, you nearly mistaken it to be elves.
You listen intently and follow the source, passing through a few more paintings and doors to lead you to a fragment of light bouncing off the wall and onto a door left ajar. You come to an immediate standstill when you recognize the voice — it's Mr. Ackerman.
Every inch of you tells you to turn around and walk away, but you aren't your mother's daughter for nothing. So the greater part of you belonging to her tugs you close, stealing a peak through the little gap as you hold your breath.
"When did you hear of this?" Mr. Ackerman's voice is gravelly, laced in annoyance. You hear him sharply huff followed by the sound of a hand slamming against the table, causing you to jolt in place. "How long have you known?"
"Not long," The unfamiliar, gruff voice says, and Levi grumbles. "Be thankful I'm telling you now and not waiting any longer. How could I with all your dallying? Since when have you taken any interest in marriage?"
"I haven't." He clips, tone dry. "The point is —"
"The point is, he's back and the last thing you need to do is wasting your time in courting a woman. Honestly, Levi, since when have you been so reckless?"
"Erwin," Mr. Ackerman grits, "my personal affairs have nothing to do with you. Who I choose to spend my time with has nothing to do with you."
"It has everything to do with me!" Mr. Smith seethes, yelling in a whispers. "If you cannot do your job, then how can I trust you? Do you not remember the reason why we're here?"
"I'm not an idiot."
"It seems that you are," Your eyes widen at Mr. Smith's counter, "she's slept here for two days, and you for two days, you've watched over her instead of doing what I've instructed you to do."
"She was sick." Mr. Ackerman argues flatly.
"Hange is a doctor for a reason."
"And I don't trust them for a reason."
You can only assume it's Mr. Smith who sighs dejectedly and clicking his tongue agitation. It only further piques your interest, and you wish it doesn't. But you can't help it, hearing that Mr. Ackerman stayed by your side while you rested made your cheeks burn and you can't help but grin to yourself, completely overjoyed.
You mentally kick yourself for being so much like your mother.
"You cannot hold that burden with you forever." Mr. Smith sighs.
"Whatever," Is the weak counter Mr. Ackerman spits back. "I'll take care of it tonight — the one of Governor Pixy's."
"Be sure to make yourself like an artificial night when you do." Mr. Smith commands, his voice smooth and stern. "You mustn't be caught."
"When have I ever been?"
You quickly leave, sprinting down the hall the moment you hear a chair grating against the floor.
Your heart drums in your chest and you breath tremulously. You heard something you shouldn't have even if it was only in incoherent pieces. Truly, it could be anything, but with the rumors circulating around him, it shouldn't be so surprising.
So why is it?
You find yourself in a more familiar part of the estate and you breathe out in relief.
You’re about to head back into your room when you stumble past a room, catching a glance of a grand piano standing tall from the corner of your eye. You retract your steps and turn your head to get a better look, your lips falling into an 'o' when you do.
She's beautiful, you think.
It’s an alluring, glossy ebony piano — one Sasha finds herself drooling over to play on whenever she sees one. She'll hate you so much when you tell her about it.
Against your better judgement, with all the bells warily ringing for you not to, you walk over to the piano, your hand shadowing over the wood. You take a seat before the keyboard just to take a good look at her. You have no intention to play her, really. Even if you wanted to, you couldn't for the life of you.
Your eyes flicker to the fall board of the piano and find a name engraved in gold.
"Petra," you whisper. "It's very nice to meet you. You're very beautiful, aren't you?"
"What the hell are you doing?" You shoot up from the chair and snap your head up to find Mr. Ackerman fuming at you. His eyes dark with rage and his jaw screwed shut, gritting at you. "I asked you a question."
"I— I didn't touch anything." You peep. You feel incredibly small underneath his scrutinizing gaze. You wish the ground would swallow you up right then and there. "I, I really didn't—"
"Get the fuck away from her." Mr. Ackerman speaks lowly, his voice quietly trembling, but you can't hear it. 
Even if you hadn’t done anything wrong, you feel as if you’ve been caught red handed. Fear buzzes in your head and fogs up any line of thought. 
"I'm sorry?"
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE PIANO!" He bellows, his eyes as fiery as his anger, causing you to stumble back and nearly trip up on your feet. "Who the fuck do you think you are, wandering into places you have no business? Is this what you shitty farm people are like? You get a chance to walk into a place thrice the size of your home and they think they could just parade around?!"
"I—I didn't mean to —"
"You and your family are fucking disgusting."
There are many things you're willing to put up with. You don't mind if someone were to come after you and call you out, but coming after your family is completely different. So your kindness and the very last bit of your patience snaps like a twig.
"I would imagine you're the disgusting one." Your voice is still small, but you’re building up to your confidence, peeling your eyes away from the patterned carpet to stare daggers right back at Mr. Ackerman who stills completely.
"Excuse me?"
"I'll admit I've overstepped and I deeply apologize for that," You begin, your voice no longer wavering in fear, "but how dare you? My family’s been nothing but kind to you."
"I think you've mistaken that I fucking care."
"I've heard many things about you, too many, for that matter. Yet I never labelled as anything as derogatory as what you've called me." You draw out a sharp breath, closing your eyes for a moment to steady you heart before continuing, "I think its disgusting, I think,  that such a man as yourself, who've I've heard has been through hell and back, would think so lowly of people that's no different than him."
You never dared to listen to the rumors or any of the gossip. Even when your mother would try to entertain any of it, you’d stop listening or leave the room if you could. But if Mr. Ackerman was willing to aim for such a low blow, you couldn't think of a reason why you shouldn't do the same.
"I think you’re 'fucking disgusting' for forgetting where you came from."
Mr. Ackerman clenches his jaw and balls his fits tight til his knuckles paint white. He's ready to fire bullets into your self-esteem, but before Mr. Ackerman can even utter a syllable, a servant appears behind him, clearing his throat to cut of the momentum.
"Apologies for the intrusion," The servant says, his tone monotonous and dry, "but it Miss Blouse's brother is here to collect her."
You widen your eyes at the servant, and your expression softens. 
“Reiner’s here?” You voice is small again. 
“Yes, Miss.”
"Perfect." Mr. Ackerman huffs, his whole body still tense. "Get the fuck out."
You snap your gaze back to Mr. Ackerman, sneering, "Gladly."
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tag list. @castellandiangelo @astronomyturtle @regalillegal @oshuncheyenne @drapetomaniaac @whalerus @hinaamaya @ggsmashgg @kyosugi92 @daikushiji @acker-baby @lundabean @moonxochu @melodiamore @unlikelyfestivalshepherdhuman @osmosly @halparkebitch @leashaoki @bonkybabe @myeg1993 @chikenbitches @subtlepjiminie @mangobee
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princess-of-riviaa · 3 years
Text
Dark Minx: Showing the Asset
Pairing: Hydra Agent!Steve Rogers x OFC (Larisa Antonov), Winter Soldier x OFC (Larisa Antonov) (mentioned)
Summary: Steve Rogers was the first successful super soldier that Hydra had created. He had also been Larisa’s first student. He excelled in every category, proving to be the most skilled super soldier on both the field and in the bedroom. James was the only one who could compare to Hydra’s Golden Boy, the only one who proved to be a better shot when it came to sharpshooting. It made sense, then, that Steve would be the one to show James how to properly fuck a woman into submission.
Warning(s): exhibitionism, voyeurism, dominant!Steve Rogers, dark!Steve Rogers, (kind of) cuckolding, dirty talk, degradation, teasing, oral (F receiving; M receiving); mention of overstimulation, pain kink, primal kink, angst ending
Word Count: 3.5k
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James stared at Larisa with the same kind of dark desire he’d had for her since last week, when she finally showed him a glimpse of the pleasure he��d been missing out on for decades now. She ignored the way her body burned under his heated gaze. Looking into the emotions he stirred up inside of her would only lead to a mess that she couldn’t afford to deal with, not while they were both under Hydra’s command.
But her body only continued to burn hotter as he fully stepped into her chamber and took in her outfit: a red lingerie piece that fell nicely against her pale skin. The stockings were a bit much in her opinion, but the Hydra Agent who had handed her the clothes hadn’t stopped to ask for her expert advice on the outfit.
James’s eyes lingered on her breasts, and the hungry look in them… She squeezed her thighs together, ignoring the desire now pooling between her legs at just that look he gave her. When they finally fucked, when she was finally able to show him how to truly please a woman, it would be the hottest thing she’d ever experienced. Larisa knew that without a doubt. But there were different plans for today, so she threw that fantasy to the side and cleared her throat.
“Today you’re going to learn how to be unforgettable in bed,” Larisa told James, forcing her voice to remain steady. “You’ll learn the perfect ways to please a partner, whether they be man or woman or something in between. Fuck your target like this, and they’ll be putty in your hands after.”
His hungry gaze didn’t waver, his pupils only dilating further. James took a step towards her at the same moment her chamber door opened again, and the other man walked in. With a frown on his face and his shoulders tensing in a defense position, James turned to find who was at the door.
Steve Rogers was the first successful super soldier that Hydra had created. He had also been Larisa’s first student. He excelled in every category, proving to be the most skilled super soldier on both the field and in the bedroom. James was the only one who could compare to Hydra’s Golden Boy, the only one who proved to be a better shot when it came to sharpshooting. It made sense, then, that Steve would be the one to show James how to properly fuck a woman into submission.
The two soldiers exchanged a glance, giving each other a look too full of emotion that Larisa couldn’t place it. She looked away, feeling like she was intruding on a private conversation.
“Looks like you’re finally gonna learn how to properly fuck,” was all Steve said to James before he turned to Larisa and closed the distance between them.
He brought a hand to her throat and squeezed. Though it was gentle, the look in his eyes told her that he could turn rough in half a second. It was thrilling enough that she found herself smiling as he forced her to look up at him. His gaze was dark, dominant, demanding. She had taught him that look, showed him how to use it to his advantage. And he had mastered it well enough to make Larisa gulp as she realized how badly she wanted to be fucked by him.
“Nice to see you again, Dark Minx,” Steve growled, using the formal nickname Hydra had given her when she’d first proved her usefulness in the bedroom.
And then he was spinning her around and pulling her back flush against his chest. His right hand stayed wrapped around her throat as his other hand explored the valley between her breasts, touching her like she belonged solely to him. She fixed her gaze on James, and suddenly she was imagining it was him touching her like this, owning her body.
Steve ripped a shaky gasp of pleasure from Larisa when he palmed her heat over her panties. He bit her ear when he found that she was already wet, her arousal already soaking through her lingerie.
“Women like Larisa may act tough,” Steve said to James, “but in the bedroom, what they crave most is to be dominated. Larisa’s already dripping for me, and I’ve barely touched her. All it takes is for me to show my control over her body and she’s mine.”
Steve continued to rub her over her panties. It wasn’t long before Larisa’s body moved on its own, her hips bucking up to meet every movement of his skilled fingers.
Her eyes fluttered as her pleasure grew, but she managed to keep her gaze on James. His lips parted as he took in the erotic sight before him. Larisa didn’t miss the way his hands clenched at his sides, as if it was taking every ounce of self-control for him to not reach out and touch her. His eyes moved up and down her body, desperate to take it all in. When he finally looked up at her face to meet her gaze, she threw her head back onto Steve’s shoulder and began to grind against the other man. The look in her eyes told James just how badly she wished it could be him she was grinding against.
And then she was on the bed on her stomach. Steve was rough and quick as he moved her legs how he wanted them until she was on all fours for him, her ass sticking up in the air and her glistening folds spread for both men to see.
“She’s already soaked for me,” Steve told James. Larisa could feel both of the men’s lustful stares on her and it made the fire inside of her burn even hotter. “Which means she’s desperate. Exactly how you want your target to be. You want them begging you to give them release, and then they’ll give you exactly what you ask of them, no matter how classified the information is. If done the right way, pleasure can become the best form of torture.”
And then his mouth was on her, kissing and sucking and biting along the insides of her thighs. Her pussy clenched around nothing, desperate for him to fill her up. She couldn’t fight the urge as she ground her ass back against him, and though she knew it was coming, she still gasped when Steve brought a hand down on her ass, marking her skin a bright red.
Steve pulled away from her long enough to tell James, “It’s important to know your partners kinks, and when to implement them. Larisa, for example, has a pain kink. She loves it when you bite her and mark her skin. And she’ll practically beg for you to spank her. It’s fucking sinful.” The dark chuckle he gave revealed his approval of her dirty kink.
“Steve loves giving it as much as I love taking it,” Larisa breathed, her voice steady despite her racing heartbeat. “Don’t let the title of ‘Golden Boy’ throw you off. He’s a sadist through and—”
She didn’t have the chance to finish her sentence before Steve ripped her panties in half. Then his mouth was on her core, licking from her hole to the top of her clit. A surprised gasp fell from her. But before her pleasure could rise too much, he pulled away, as if he’d never touched her at all. Larisa whined, already needy and desperate.
“Teasing your partner through delayed gratification is one of the quickest ways to make them desperate,” Steve explained. “They’ll do whatever you want if it means giving them what they so desperately need.”
James cleared his throat before speaking up. “What about… doing the opposite? Giving too much?”
Larisa shivered, her thoughts going down dark places at that question.
Steve merely turned to James with a raised eyebrow, his interest piqued. “You mean overstimulation?” He shrugged. “It can work just as well, but that’s not my preferred method.”
“You prefer to not give her enough?” James wondered.
When Steve turned back to Larisa, he was smirking in a way that made her nervous. “I prefer her on her knees.”
And then his hand was in her hair, and he was yanking her to the floor, forcing her to her knees and shoving his cock in her face. She rubbed her nose across his clothed erection before quickly going to remove his pants. His cock sprung free, leaking precum as it bounced in front of her. She’d seen his manhood before, but that didn’t make it any less impressive. At eight inches, Larisa struggled to fit all of it in her mouth, though Steve loved forcing it all in anyways. The red tip shined with precum. She licked her lips at the sight as she remembered the salty taste of Steve’s cum, different from any other man’s due to the serum pumping through his veins.
“You know what to do,” was all the direction Steve gave as he stared down at her with an expectant look.
She didn’t waste a second to put him in her mouth, her hand instantly wrapping around the base. She worked her mouth and hand in tandem, twisting and slurping until Steve’s cock was soaked with spit and precum.
“Fuck,” Steve growled under his breath after a minute. He wrapped his hand in her hair before starting to fuck her throat, taking matters into his own hands.
Larisa hollowed out her cheeks, letting him use her mouth how he liked. Her eyes watered as she looked up at him. Steve held her gaze as he fucked her mouth, his breathing growing quicker and louder. He ignored the way she coughed and choked around his length, only stopping when his cock began to spasm with an oncoming orgasm. Reluctantly, he pulled his dripping cock out of her mouth.
Larisa moved to the bed as Steve said to James, “It’s important you don’t let yourself cum before you’ve fucked them. If you do, the whole job is over. Not only does it show that you can’t control your own pleasure—and therefore you don’t have control over theirs, either—but the whole point is to fuck them. That’s what everything is leading up to. Once you’ve been inside of them, they’re yours. You can’t turn an innocent woman into your dumb little slut if you don’t fuck them like one.”
Larisa moved onto her back and spread her legs. The bedsheets were cool against her burning skin, and she was suddenly reminded of the sharp spanking Steve had given her just minutes ago. Judging by the way her skin still burned, she knew it was going to leave a mark. She wasn’t surprised by that. Steve had an inherent primal kink, which she had helped him discover, and he had a habit of marking every one of his lovers—whether it be with his hands, his lips, or his teeth. He had once given Larisa a necklace of hickies that basically screamed “Property of Steve Rogers.” She had enjoyed being marked, enjoyed the thought of someone being possessive over her.
But she wanted James’s mark on her now.
That thought occupied her thoughts as Steve moved to the bed, resting on his knees as he stroked his cock. At some point he had undressed himself, but Larisa had been too caught up in thoughts of James to notice the unveiling of the soldier’s glorious body. Steve ran the tip of his cock along her folds, though, and suddenly she was back in the present, remembering how badly she needed to be fucked. But Steve didn’t enter her, didn’t do anything other than tease her as he ran his cock between her folds.
She looked up at him to find him already staring down at her, his blue eyes dark and dangerous. “Tell me what you want.” His voice was quiet, soft, but it sent a shiver of want through her anyways. “Beg for it. You’re such a pretty little slut when you tell me how badly you need me to fuck you.”
“Please, Steve!” she complied, her desire overpowering her dignity. “I need you inside of me, need you to fuck me until I’m coming around you. I want to milk your cock—”
He shut her up with a spank to her pussy that made her legs shake and ripped a gasp from her.
“Speak up,” he growled. “I want the entire Hydra base to know how desperate I’ve made my little cockslut.”
Her gaze drifted to James in the corner as she started to beg. And then suddenly she wasn’t begging for Steve, but for James. For the man she couldn’t have. Not yet.
“I want you to make me scream so loud I lose my voice,” she said. “Please, let me feel you when I’m walking around tomorrow. I want you to fuck me that deep. Please, please, please!” She screamed the last part, knowing her volume directly correlated with how hard Steve would fuck her.
The breath was ripped from her lungs when he entered her, shoving all the way in with one sharp thrust. Her whimper drew a growl from him.
“Fuck, you’re so fucking tight.” Steve moaned and allowed himself a moment to bask in the pleasure now overwhelming his body. He squeezed his eyes shut as he let his senses overpower him, keeping him locked in place. His cock twitched inside of her but otherwise didn’t move.
Larisa brought her hands to Steve’s chest. She paused for a moment, letting herself soak in the sight of Steve like this—vulnerable with want and desire. It wasn’t something she saw often anymore. It brought her back to the days when he had been her student, long before he’d mastered the bedroom. Back when he was still soft and gentle and almost sweet. Before sex had become a weapon to him.
She shook her head, forcing herself back to the present. And then she dragged her nails down his chest hard enough to draw blood. That awoke the feral beast in him, and suddenly he was fucking her so fast she couldn’t breathe. The room filled with the sounds of rough breathing, moans, and skin slapping skin. Larisa threw her head back in pleasure, a gasp trapped in the back of her throat that she only released when Steve began to rub her clit with a rough, calloused finger. Fuck, she was going to cum.
Steve’s movements changed. They became sloppy. He was on the verge of orgasm, too. He rubbed her clit faster, desperate to push her over the edge first. This was a game he wasn’t going to lose.
Larisa opened her eyes for just a second, just long enough to glance over at James. To notice the way he couldn’t take his eyes off of her writhing body. To notice the bulge that he now palmed over his pants. That was what threw Larisa over the edge—seeing James’s arousal, imagining him inside of her, fucking her like this. She came so hard she saw stars.
Steve fucked her through her orgasm, pushing past his own desire to ensure she found a complete release. And then he pulled out of her, jerking his cock off until he was coating her stomach with his seed, even getting a little bit on her breasts.
“Fuck.” Steve released a heady breath, suddenly looking exhausted. Larisa recalled how he always used to fall asleep in her bed right after their lessons, and she’d never had the heart to kick him out right away, always letting him get in a good thirty minutes before shaking him awake and telling him he had to go.
But now he forced himself to his feet. He dressed quickly as he asked James, “Any questions?”
James swallowed, looking between Steve and Larisa. There was something in The Asset’s eyes that Larisa couldn’t place. But finally he turned to Steve and shook his head. “No, I got everything.”
Steve nodded at him, gave Larisa a wink, and was gone.
Larisa forced energy back into her limbs and rose into a sitting position. James swallowed as he looked back at her, and it was only then that she realized she was completely naked, save for the red stockings. He eyed her body with lust-filled eyes. She’d had countless people look at her like that—like she was no more than fresh meat, and they hungry animals—and she had long ago gotten used to it. But when James looked at her like that… She found herself swallowing, too, her face burning as she blushed.
“What are you thinking right now?” She had to ask the question for training purposes, but her voice shook in an unprofessional way as she anticipated his answer.
James hesitated, focusing his gaze on the floor.
“You don’t have to hold back with me, James,” she reminded him. “Whatever you say stays in this room.”
He looked back at her, a flurry of emotions trapped in those blue eyes. They were beautiful, she realized. A mix of grey and blue that reminded her of the sky just before a heavy storm. “I’m thinking…” He took a deep breath as he stepped towards her until only a few inches remained between them. “I’m thinking that next time, I want to be the one to fuck you.”
Her breath caught in the back of her throat. She forced herself to look away, knowing she would do something dangerous if she didn’t. It was a long time later when she finally managed to say, “That will happen. Eventually. I have to ensure you can do it right before they send you out to the field again.”
Out to the field—where he would fuck other women. Because that was his job. And her job was to train him for that, so he could satisfy each and every person he brought into his bed, because it could be a lot. She was his trainer, nothing more. That’s all she could be. All she should be. For both of their sakes.
“That’s not what I meant,” James said, but he didn’t elaborate. Instead, Larisa watched as he strode over to the desk, where a cloth and a bucket of water was waiting. James dipped the cloth in the water before ringing it out. Steve had forgotten to clean himself up before leaving, so the water was still fresh as James brought the cloth over to her.
She reached out for it, trying to take it from his hands.
He pulled away. “Let me.”
So she did. James was gentle as he dragged the warm cloth down her body—the opposite of everything Steve had been today. She swallowed as he wiped off the cum on her breasts. The room grew warmer as James’s movements slowed, not-so-discretely basking in the feeling of her breasts through the cloth. It wasn’t any easier to breathe when he moved onto her stomach. She froze, forcing herself not to move as he kneeled in front of her to get a better position for cleaning her off.
It was sweet. Generous. Nothing she thought The Asset was capable of. It made her burn in more ways than one.
A small whimper pushed past her lips as he spread her legs and wiped off the inside of her thighs. She had to squeeze her eyes shut to keep from looking at him, to keep from begging her to kiss her, to take her right here and now, screw the consequences. And when he dragged the cloth between her folds, she thought she was going to combust. She had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from begging him to touch her.
Yeah, James had learned his lesson for today. Larisa was already desperate for him, and he wasn’t even touching her sensually.
She didn’t hear him move, wasn’t aware of it until she heard his voice at her ear, low and husky. “Does that feel good, Larisa?”
She whimpered.
“Can I… touch you?” he asked, sounding as turned on as she felt. “Without the cloth?”
Yes. Please yes, the voice in her mind begged. But she fought it back. “That isn’t today’s lesson.”
“Maybe we can go off book,” he suggested.
Fuck, she wanted that. But she also wanted him safe. Whole. And the exact opposite would happen if anyone found out they were getting any sort of personal pleasure out of these lessons.
So she rose to her feet, jutted her chin out, and looked him out the eye as she said, “That wouldn’t be appropriate. We have rules to follow. I think you should go, James.”
Hurt flashed in his eyes, but he blinked it away before she could be sure it was really there.
And then he was gone.
...
Tag Squad:
@thereisa8ella @geralt-of-baevia @the-soot-sprite @bitchyikes @captainsy-cookiemonster
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Not Too Late
doing this thing | day 20 - hypothermia
I guess I’m just really into post-mountain reunion fics this week. I wish I had more time for this (I know I keep saying that, but I have like 10k worth of plot for this one).
Jaskier huddles in on himself, trying to remember what Geralt had taught him about keeping warm. All he can think of is Geralt's face and it only makes him more miserable, so he gives up on the attempt altogether. He's still so cold.
As a last resort, he pulls himself toward the edge of the cliff with the desperate hope that some of his own body heat might bounce back at him. It doesn't work and Jaskier is left shivering under his thin blanket, wishing he hadn't been quite so stubborn after they had parted ways on the mountain. If he had gone after Geralt like he wanted to, like he almost did dozens of times, he might not be here, on the brink of death frozen and alone.
He wonders vaguely what Geralt is up to these days, whether or not he'll miss Jaskier when he finds out about his death, wonders if he'll hear about it. He's probably off somewhere with Yen - nothing can ever keep them apart for long. He hopes he's happy. Geralt is the last thing he thinks about before he shuts his eyes against the world.
Geralt is hesitant as he enters the city, acutely aware of his surroundings, ears pricked to any sign of danger. He's fully aware that most of the people here probably hate him, but the offer for the contract had been too good to pass up. Things haven't been great lately - or maybe that's just him - but he hasn't been taking as many jobs as he should and the winter will be setting in soon, he needs provisions before he heads north.
He heads to the mayor's house because the notice was unsigned, but he's quickly turned away, sent in the direction of the academy. It feels like a trap and he's not enthusiastic about walking right into it. But he knows he was awful to Jaskier, knows that if this is a trap, he probably deserves whatever he has coming. He's not at all expecting what he gets.
The professor he's been sent to is a young woman close to Jaskier's age and she smiles at him when she sees him, but he can smell the nervousness on her.
"Master Witcher," she says, "I wasn't expecting you to be quite so prompt."
"Monsters don't just wait around to be killed," he says and she gives him an odd look. He's used to odd looks, especially when he mentions killing things, but this one is new. It's less nervous, more sheepish.
"Ah, well, about that. Actually, sir, there is no monster. It's just you see, our Jaskier's gone off somewhere and no one's seen him for days. It's getting cold and he never goes off without telling someone." Geralt stares blankly at her, waiting for her to get to the point and hoping it isn't what he thinks it is.
"You see," she continues, "we've all heard the stories about how you never turn down a man in need and how you're the best tracker there is and, well, who better to go and find Jaskier than his best friend?"
Ah, fuck.
But he's only been gone a couple of days. Surely, that isn't unusual? And if he's gone on purpose, surely the last person he wants to see coming to collect him is Geralt? How could he want anything to do with him after the things he said? Even Yen is still upset with him and he didn't blame her for everything wrong with his life.
Apparently, he's taking too long to respond because the professor shifts in place and looks up at him hopefully. And because Geralt is a hopeless fool, he agrees. Jaskier could be in trouble after all and Geralt will not be the source of any more hurt for him.
"Do you need something of his?" she asks and Geralt barely resists rolling his eyes.
"I'm not a dog." And besides, there's nothing in the world that could make him forget a scent when it's absence has been haunting him for months.
He sets out immediately, asking around for any information on where he would have gone and all of Jaskier's peers seem delighted to see him. He doesn't understand. It's confusing and overwhelming and Geralt is happier when he leaves the city gates and heads out into the wilderness. He keeps to the riverbank; a heavy snow fell only a few nights back so looking for tracks is useless, but Jaskier knows to keep to the edge of the Pontar. That's how they find one another every spring.
The thought eats away at him. This coming spring will be the first for years that he hasn't met up with Jaskier and it's an uncomfortable feeling not knowing what Jaskier will get up to, where he'll be. Whether or not he'll be safe.
It's hours before Geralt finds any sign of his missing bard and he's worked himself into a panic in the meantime. What if Jaskier's been taken? What if he's run off and gotten himself kidnapped - or worse? He can't keep his mind from reeling and when he finds signs of a failed campfire off toward the treeline, he stumbles in his rush to reach it.
It shows nothing, but there is a trail leading away from it, deep footprints made more shallow by the newly fallen snow. Geralt follows the path to a large, rotting stump and at its base- fuck.
Jaskier is huddled in on himself, his skin a haunting bluish-grey and Geralt drops to his knees in the snow. He tugs him close instinctively only now able to hear the sluggish thud of his heartbeat and a little of the fear eases away. He's still alive, at least, but Geralt needs to get him warm - and fast. He bundles Jaskier into his arms, relieved to find his limbs still moveable, and carries him to the first place he can find shelter.
Oxenfurt is much too far to travel with him like this, but Geralt is familiar enough with the area that he finds a shelf of rock without much trouble. He's loathe to leave Jaskier even for a second, but he needs to get a fire lit and there is little he can do with the few sticks lying around. He tucks him up against the back of the shelter, wrapping him in his cloak. For a second, Geralt pauses, pressing his forehead to Jaskier's and breathing a silent apology before tearing himself away.
It's hard to find usable wood under the snow, but he manages and clears a space in the snow to build a fire. It's rough, but igni will get anything lit, so he doesn't mind. Once it's burning, he turns back to Jaskier, cupping his face in one hand.
"Jask," he says, "are you with me?" There's no response and Geralt takes a steadying breath, his thumb rubbing absently over Jaskier's cheekbone. "Okay," he says to himself and gets to work.
The first thing he has to do is get Jaskier out of his clothes and while he knows it's necessary, it still feels like an intrusion. But his clothes are soaked from the snow and sitting in them will only make things worse. He gets Jaskier undressed and turns to lean against the wall himself, hauling Jaskier into his lap. Getting out of his own shirt is much more difficult, being unwilling to let Jaskier go for a moment, but it's necessary; skin to skin contact is the easiest way to warm someone.
He wraps both blankets around them and he holds Jaskier close, tucking his head under his chin and shutting his eyes. He focuses on every inch of the body pressed against his own, rubs his arms, breathes against his neck.
"Please," he whispers, "come back to me."
Geralt has no recollection of drifting off, but he wakes with a start to something - someone - moving against him. There's a pained grumble and Geralt's arms instinctively hold him tighter as Jaskier shifts slowly in his lap. He presses his nose into Geralt's chest, humming quietly before stopping abruptly and twist himself to look up at Geralt.
"You know," he starts and his voice comes out raw and rough. Geralt hates the sound of it. "If you wanted me naked in your lap, all you had to do was ask."
He's bleary and still looks half-alive, still too cold and pale for Geralt's comfort, but he's okay. Geralt could cry with relief. Instinctively, he hauls Jaskier closer, bundles him up against his chest and buries his face in his neck. It's another hour or so before either of them moves and then it's only for Jaskier to pull his cold fingers from Geralt's chest.
"Put them back," Geralt mumbles and Jaskier pulls back to look at him - as much as Geralt will allow.
"You always get mad when I touch you with my cold fingers," he mumbles. Geralt brings his own hand up, slipping his fingers between Jaskier's and lifts his hand. Without thinking, he presses a soft kiss to his palm, lingering longer than he should as he mumbles,
"I never will again, I promise.
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passivenovember · 3 years
Text
mama said to smile while I still have teeth : PART TWO
(part one)
(or) Billy gets his wisdom teeth removed and Steve understands things will not grow back in the spaces we leave for them.
--
Billy hops down from the passenger side like it’s written in a script or something. Part B of his master plan, logical in the journey of what happens next.
He swings the car door open and charges through wet grass. Neon green blades stick to the heel of his boot, lopsided smile drawn forward to inspect the ferns nestled on either side of a welcome mat that says Bless this Mess. 
It’s as if he’s been here before. 
As if he belongs.
Steve watches Billy collapse on the porch swing, arms and legs folded under him like a house of cards toppled over in the wind. He must not realize that it’s functional, or something, because Billy sits bolt upright and uses the toe of his boot to get the swing moving, once he does.
Really moving, like. Banging against the bay window his mother leaves clear for her azaleas, moving. 
Billy hollers. Makes grabby hands, like, “Push me!”
“You’re gonna get sea sick.” Steve chuckles, watching Billy shrug and take it for a ride. 
Billy brings the swing to a sudden halt, when. “How come you’re all the way down there?” he asks. 
Catching on. 
Steve watches him struggle to get his feet up on the swing. Feels his heart shudder in fondness, when Billy grins up at him triumphantly. 
“Didn’t know there were other options.” Steve says.
“There aren’t. Come here.” Billy gestures to the porch when Steve’s legs decide to fizzle out. “It’s a carnival ride. You got one on your porch, at your house, and--”
Steve claims of the second cushion when Billy removes the thumb from his mouth long enough to spell it out for him. “Cuddles.” He says.
Simple.
And his eyes are so blue. Bright. Steve doesn’t have a choice because, really, they’ve swapped sides with the rope. 
Up and left this dimension all together when the flea got squashed by the acrobat deciding that they could skip the apologies and get to the good part.
Steve realizes that he wants this. 
Billy. Scooting impossibly closer and humming the bridge to Mama Mia. “You smell good, Stever.” Billy says around the pad of his thumb. Dripping more blood down the front of his hoodie, and. Trying to get his face in Steve’s neck. 
Which should be gross, but. 
Steve just clears a path. Makes room for the warm nose that sniffs a trail up and around one ear. “You said I smelled like ass,” He accuses, sounding shaky. Star struck. 
Billy’s breath feels like fairy wings. “Wrong. I said you smell like sweet grass and have a sweet ass, didn’t you pay attention to my context clues?”
“Um.” There’s something warm on Steve’s throat. Going wet in the middle, parting and sucking and--
He pulls away. 
Billy smiles at him. tries to get in Steve’s lap but the bench moves with him and when the bench moves with him, Steve’s got a brick wall glued to his side. 
Shivering. Cold, or afraid. Nervous.
“You tired?”
Billy shakes his head. With his whole body. “Wanna hang out.”
“You can sleep for a little bit. I’ll still be there, when you--”
Billy grunts. Refuses, so. Steve rubs the side of Billy’s shoulder, instead. Fabric and muscle and heat living somewhere beneath his fingertips. “You don’t wanna go in?” 
“Nope.” Billy somehow works his way under Steve’s arm. 
Feels right, striking oil in the heartland.
--
It starts raining again. Somewhere along the way, it starts getting cold and Billy shivers, peering up at Steve like he made it happen. 
Like the heavens split open and bleeding at his command.
Steve chuckles, pushing off the swing and laughing harder when Billy squawks like an angry rooster. 
“Where are we going?” He demands.
“Inside.”
Billy seems to hate that, like. Instantly. 
“Don’t make me carry you, Hargrove.” 
“Oh, look who’s got Popeye arms all of a sudden.” Billy leans back on the porch swing, thighs spread like. He has no idea how fucking--
It doesn’t matter.
“You need to eat.”
“My stitches haven’t fallen out.”
“Yeah, and they won’t. Not for days.” Steve leans against one of the porch posts, trying not to crack a smile when Billy’s thumb finds his mouth again. “Unless you’re planning to eat your hand, we gotta get some mac and cheese--”
Billy’s off the swing before Steve realizes what’s happened. He wanders in between the ferns in their bright orange pots. Jamming a thumb at the number above the doorbell, like, “This door?”
And. “Yeah?”
“This is the one with the cheese?”
“And the mac too.” Steve winks at him, watching a warm blush spread across a sea of freckles. He cocks his head, like, “What’s up?”
“Maybe we can do inside.” Billy says harshly. “For a minute. To kiss the noodles, or something--”
“Kiss the?”
“Open the door.” Billy suggests. “Now.”
So Steve does, biting down on a smile when Billy clomps through the foyer, tracking dirt and grass and pieces of Steve’s heart across imported marble.
“This is so huge.” Billy says softly. His eyes go bright all of a sudden and he’s right in Steve’s face. “You probably have so many pillows here. And chairs. And blankets, too, like. The big ones--”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s build a fort, Stever.” Billy says desperately. He bounces a little, managing to knock more mud onto the floor beneath him. “Let’s build a house. For me and you, and the noodles if they wanna stay the night.”
Steve grins, untangling Billy’s fingers from his hair. “Yeah, I guess we could do that.”
“Really?”
“Sure.” Steve points to the ground. “Boots off first, though.”
Billy jerks away. “No.”
“Stop being a little shit for like, three seconds--”
“Stop being party pooper. For like. Your entire adulthood.” Billy shoots back, collapsing onto the staircase and holding his foot in one hand anyway. 
Steve holds his breath. 
Billy stares at the boot, and his foot inside the boot, like maybe the connection between them is lost. 
Steve feels like an asshole for finding it adorable, but. Billy looks up at him through his eyelashes. 
“I think I’m still high.” He theorizes.
“Yup.” Steve tugs his own shoes off, placing them on the rack by the door.
“I don’t think I can untangle the knots.” Billy says miserably. He tries, though, scowling like the laces have done it on purpose.
Steve watches him struggle, and laughs at the struggle, before holding out his hands. “Give me your foot.”
Billy stares at him. “Really?”
“Our only other option is to wait around until you figure it out, and who knows how long that’ll take.” Steve says, waiting for Billy to shoot back with something venomous. 
He doesn’t. 
He coos, instead. Like a little baby bird, pointing his toes in the air with a giggle. “I’m Cinderella and you’re the prince,” Billy declares, laughing harder when Steve drops to his knees and gets the boot off in one go. “Prince Charming, Prince--”
“You’re just saying that because I have amazing hair and you have little blonde princess curls.”
“Hey.” Billy deadpans, holding out his second foot. “It grows out of my hair like that.”
“Head.” Steve chuckles.
Billy’s mouth falls open in a silent O, brows drawn in confusion. 
Steve puts both muddy boots on the rack next to his own, smiling down at Billy’s puzzled face. “Your hair grows out of your head like that.”
“It does?” Billy asks in wonder. “I like it. Do you like it?”
And. “Yeah. It’s cute.” Steve says, holding out his hand. “Come on. Lunch time.”
Billy lets Steve pull him up, swaying a little bit at their proximity. 
He doesn’t pull away, and.
This close his eyes aren’t just blue, they’re green. And yellow. And brown, like a kaleidoscope. 
“Am I a cute person, Stever?” Billy asks softly.
“The cutest.” Steve says. Without thinking, but.
It doesn’t seem to matter. Because Billy’s high as a fucking kite, wiggling his hips and saying, “I think you’re cuter than me. Softer. Like an opil painting, or maybe a box of raspberry macaroons.”
Steve chuckles, not even trying to pull away when Billy’s fingers try to force their way into his mouth. “When have you had macaroons?”
“I haven’t,” Billy admits easily. “But I always thought that maybe you tasted like one.” 
Steve opens his mouth to say something, but. Billy’s gone after that. Running his fingers along the wall and disappearing around the corner. 
“C’mon, Stever! I want cheese flavored kisses.”
And Steve.
Doesn’t think Billy will remember this. 
--
They order pizza instead. Steve knows that Billy’s gotta be careful with his incision marks. Not go to heavy on the fat and grease less than three hours after his surgery, but. 
Steve tries to hold blue eyes even as they slip through his fingers. Pools and rivers disappearing beneath the Earth.
He’s starting to think that maybe. 
All it would take is bat of those stupid eyelash and Steve would throw every responsible thought out the window. 
Billy says, “You got a laundry machine?” After the pizza performs its vanishing act. 
And Steve says, “Yeah, why?” 
Two seconds before Billy is stripping down naked. 
“Woah, woah, hey--”
“There’s Kool-Aid on my hoodie.” Billy says from behind a wall of fabric. “I can’t walk around with red juice on my clothes, people will know I’m a vampire then.”
“You’re a vampire?” Steve tries to look away from Billy’s stomach. 
The smooth planes of skin, soft just above a layer of muscle. He puts a hand over his eyes for good measure. Safe keeping when Billy gets the hoodie off in one go and he’s standing there. 
Shirtless.
In the middle of the room like some kind of wet dream Steve never even realized he had. 
Billy grins, curls sticking out in every direction. “They’d think it.”
And Steve’s brain is, fucking. 
Offline. Distracted. He blinks, tearing his eyes way from Billy’s chest long enough to go, “Think what?”
“That I’m a vampire.”
And Steve thinks he couldn’t be. Too tan. Too--
Alive. Steve shrugs. “I don’t think it.”
“That’s because you don’t think.” Billy tosses the hoodie onto floor. He points at Steve, like, “Can I wear your sweater?”
And Steve looks down at himself. “This one?”
“Yeah.” Billy says. “Smells like you.”
And Steve doesn’t even have to think about it. Doesn’t even consider what it might mean, pulling the fabric over his head and handing it to an asshole who examines his Kate Bush tee shirt and says, “That one too.”
Like he’s trying to make Steve catch on fire.
Steve shakes his head. “What will I wear if you take all my clothes?”
Billy shrugs, like, “Not my problem.”
And he’s uncovering truths with those eyes. Getting a little too close to the root of it, the revelation, so. 
Steve gives Billy the shirt too. 
And tries not to think about the four seconds that they’re both shirtless. Standing in a room together, just. looking. Charting unmarked skin, eyes glazing silver springs on bronze soil. 
Billy puts the tee shirt on, and the sweater over the top of that, until It’s just Steve. 
Half naked in the living room.
“I’ll go grab another shirt, and then, um.” It feels like the walls are burning down. Steve’s thoughts fall like bullet points. “We should go outside,” He says. “Wanna go sit on the swing?”
Billy frowns. “’S cold outside.” 
“Yeah, but.” Steve picks the hoodie off the ground. “I’ll keep you warm.”
--
Billy’s fingers don’t leave his skin. Don’t soothe, when they light trails of smoke over his collarbone. 
Steve leans into the touch anyway. 
Gives into the pull, anyway, when Billy grabs his cheek and brings their eyes together, looking every bit like he’s got something to say. 
Something important.
“What?” Steve asks. Wanting to touch. Wanting to--
“You know my mom threw a plate at my old man,” Billy says, eyes resting on a scar they both know is there. Hidden, like gold beneath caverns of rock. “The day she left, she. Threw my Mickie Mouse at him.”
“Your plate?”
“It was a bowl.” 
“I’m sure he deserved it.” Steve says easily. “I’m sure it was the only way to win.”
“There aren’t any winners with stuff like that.” Billy says gently. His eyes are watery again. Steve’s getting suspicious of it, like maybe that’s just how the world comes together for Billy. With water and sphere’s of blue. 
God hovering over the surface of the deep. 
Billy sighs, thumb twitching against his leg. “Neil would’ve killed her.”
And Steve hates Neil.
Knows more than be probably should. Pays attention, takes notes.
“That just means she’s resourceful, right?” Steve whispers. “Using the stuff around her to fight fair.”
“Wasn’t fair.” Billy whispers, finally looking away. Eyes studying the rain as it drips from the trees above. 
“Clean, then.” Steve shifts, rocking the porch swing as he sits criss-cross with his knees pressed against Billy’s thigh. “Even fight. Clean break.”
He wonders how he can get those eyes on him again. 
How he can be taken apart. 
“No such thing.” 
Steve doesn’t get it. “What do you mean?”
“All breaks sever the bone.”
And Steve thinks. Maybe. “Are you high?” He squints at Billy’s face, trying to see if it’s written on his forehead. 
Billy smirks. “I think so.”
“Still high.” Steve says, wanting to lift his fingers. Prod at swollen cheeks. He doesn’t, when Billy’s eyes start welling up again. “Don’t cry.” Steve suggests, sliding closer. “Don’t cry, Billy--”
“I’m sorry about--”
“I know.”
“That night. It was. I never should’ve--”
“She’s your sister.” Steve says fiercely. Because. “We were trying to protect you.” And he was. At the root of it all, deep in the center of himself. Steve turns outward again, feet planted on the ground. “We didn’t want you to get roped into our shit. With the monsters, you were.”
Billy’s staring at him. 
Watching. Steve can feel it, so. He closes his own eyes, just to even the score. To make it easier when his lips say, “You’re too beautiful to have your life cracked open like that.”
Billy doesn’t speak until he does, voice flickering like candle light behind a window covered in frost. “Life was already laying in pieces on the rug.”
And there are fingers in Steve’s hair. Brushing tears from his cheeks. Billy grabs him by the throat with more care, more. 
Love.
Than Steve ever thought he would get in this life. Billy moves him until they’re right in each other’s space. Breathing the same air, no longer running races to escape one another. 
It feels right. 
Billy smiles at him. “Thank you.”
And Steve doesn’t know what for. Doesn’t care what for, but there’s a finger on his mouth, parting his lips. Billy’s eyes burn a hole in his tongue. Clear a path through muscle and bone, until Steve is pulled forward. 
Into an embrace. 
Into a trilogy of kisses; on the corner of his eye. On the bridge of his nose. On the bow of his lip that turns biting. And bruising.
Billy asks if he can lay on Steve’s chest, because. 
“I’ve always wanted to do that.” He says shyly. Billy kisses him once more and  and Steve.
Goes down easy.
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willowbleedsonpaper · 4 years
Text
Tears Of Guilt
Sirius Black x Sister!Reader (Adopted), Regulus Black x Sister!Reader
W.C. : 2490
Warnings: This is pure angst, character death.
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“Sit.” ordered Walburga, her voice snapping at you when you took more than a second to get to the chair next to Regulus. You could hear the clicking of her heels on the wooden floor behind you and if you focused enough, you could hear her thoughts, the words boiling inside her head as she abruptly stopped next to you “Where is he?” she said sharply, her eyes burning holes at the top of your head as you stared blankly at the wall across from the table. 
“I don’t know.” you muttered, voice dead as you kept your gaze on one specific spot, avoiding her eyes at all cost.
She scoffed lowly, her pacing behind you resuming once again “Don’t lie to me, Y/N.” she threatened “His belongings are gone, his room is empty. Where. did. he. go?”  she asked, leaning her body between you and Regulus as she turned her face to you, her hand carefully caressing your cheeks before she gripped your chin and forced your face to look at her “Stop protecting Sirius or it will be worse for you my child.” she said, staring directly into your eyes as she let go of your face, red marks in both your cheeks from her tight hold.
You swallowed hard, returning your face to the portrait you used as an anchor. “I haven’t seen him in weeks, let alone talked to him.” you told her, feeling the warmth of Regulus’ hand taking hold of yours under the table, a reassuring squeeze coming from him as you kept a dead gaze in your face.
“You’re lucky your mother was a dear friend of mine.” she hissed, standing in the middle of both chairs, just inches away from your hold onto Regulus hand “If it was up to me I wouldn’t have put up with you all this years.” Tears started burning in your eyes, the rapid blinking keeping them at bay as you tighten your grip in Regulus hand. 
Of course you knew where Sirius was. Until a month ago he spoke to you like you were best friends, and in a sense you were. The sister he never wanted but ended up loving more than he knew he could love someone. But not enough to take her and his brother with him, to stick together like they had promised one another. He had made his choice and now it was your turn.
“I can only assume he is with one of his friends.” you spoke after what felt like an eternity in silence, Regulus taking a hesitant glance at you and the tear that rolled down your cheek. “Probably at the Potter’s.” you mumbled, missing the grin spreading over your guardian's face as she dismissed the both of you.
“Why did you do that?” Regulus said, barely keeping his own emotions at bay as he carefully closed the door of your room. 
You sat down on your bed, patting the space next to you for him to take “It’s just you and me now.” you told him, lifting your face with unshed tears in your eyes “Sirius made his choice and now we have to do the same.” you told him.
“Mom’s going to kill him.” he told you, taking a shaky breath as soon as the words left his mouth.
You only nodded, taking him into your arms as you rubbed his back enough to ease his breathing “He killed us when he left.” you murmured in his ear “Always remember to fight fire with fire, Regulus. It’s the only way you’ll survive.”
********************************************************************
It was your last year at Hogwarts. One month and you would be thrust into the life of a full time Death Eater, the mar in your left forearm marking you for eternity to a path you couldn’t escape. And neither could Regulus. 
“You were always more clever than I was.” you told him, watching as he filled page after page of parchment with information, not even giving it a second thought as he knew exactly the words he needed to plasm the knowledge in the paper.
He shook his head, dipping the quill in the pot of ink as he continued his assignment, the small smile in his face going unnoticed by everyone but you “It’s nothing.” he said “You taught me well.”
Just as you were about to answer the quiet atmosphere in the common room was disrupted. Your feet instantly bringing you up as the laughs died down as they saw you standing in the middle of the room “What are you doing here, Sirius?” you asked sharply, his grin widening as he elbowed his friends.
They all laughed loudly, your eyes falling to the flasks in their hands as you slowly but surely pulled your wand from your sleeve, Regulus walking to your side in the same stance. 
“You sound just like mom.” Sirius said, the words dragged by his tongue as they all erupted in laughter once more. “Finally turned into her? Are you ready to step into your role as the new matriarch of the ancient family Black?” he mocked, saluting you as he stood straight, James and Peter imitating him as your grip tightened around your wand.
“What do you want?” you asked through gritted teeth, your arm shaking with rage as you raised your wand at them. 
Remus was the only one who seemed to sober up instantly, his face falling as he reached for his giggling friends “Let’s go.” he murmured, all of them turning to you at the look in his friend’s face.
You weren’t the only one with your wand up now, Regulus stepping in front of you with a firm hand raised. The look in his eyes cold as he walked towards his brother “You think it is funny?” he asked him “You managed to escape and now we’re the enemy?” he spat the words, the Marauders now ready to duel.
“It appears we all have chosen our sides.” James said, eyes trailing down to Regulus arm, his sleeves rolled up leaving his mark out in the open.
“Stay out of it, Potter!” Regulus’ hissed, not once moving his eyes from Sirius. “Your sister asked you a question. Or have you forgotten that too, Sirius?” 
“No death eater is family of mine.” Sirius grumbled under his breath, his words cutting deep into your heart as you reached for Regulus, but it was  little too late.
The air buzzed with energy as Regulus shot spell after spell, Sirius and James barely keeping up with him as they blocked his attacks. You watched frozen in place, only snapping out of your trance when Remus tried to intervene with Peter at his side. Flashes of light left the tips of your wands, the possibility of someone finding you slim as it was the Slytherin room in the middle of the night. Only the Marauders being stupid enough to go there at such an hour.
It was only when Regulus stumbled back that your concentration broke,  a spell hitting you on the chest as you feel back. Your face shot up in rage, reaching for your wand on the carpet as you pointed directly at James “Stupefy!” you shouted, hitting him as his body flew across the room, leaving you a clear path to Sirius.
Your movements were messy, the spells rolling off your tongue naturally as you cornered him against the wall, the tip of your wand against his throat when the only sound that could be heard was your heavy breathing. 
Sirius did nothing as he waited for the spell to come out of your lips, his eyes boring deeply into your wild ones as he held his breath.
“If I see you, any of you,” you yelled, motioning your head around the room “anywhere near Regulus, I won’t be so forgiving. Do you understand?” you asked.
Lowering your wand he ran straight towards James, supporting his body against yours as they made their way out of the Slytherin common room. Not once glancing back, not another word spoken as his footsteps died in the silence of the night.
“He really hates us, doesn’t he?” Regulus asked you, straightening his clothes as he rolled his sleeves down. 
“I told you before.” you said, reaching for his arm “This is not who we are, but how we survive.” you took his right hand into your left one, just like the day you both received your dark mark. Together, hand in hand.
You walked inside the room where many of the close followers of the dark lord waited for you two. Dressed in your best clothing, your mother announced your arrival with a grin in her face. 
Regulus had a stoic face, not an emotion breaking to the surface as he held your hand. You on the other hand were putting up a show , a proud smirk on your face as you lifted both your arms in the air, the dark marks fresh in your young skin as your new family clapped and cheered in rejoice. Two pureblood children turned to man and woman to the dark lord’s will. 
No one would ever dared doubt the both of you now.
********************************************************************
It had been years of enduring and obeying the dark lord’s commands, but your work had paid off greatly. Regulus had found his weakness and was in the path of saving the wizarding world.
You couldn’t have been prouder of him, offering himself to do the job as you played your part as his alibi. You were on your way to becoming legends. 
The sound of light footsteps caught your attention as you paced in the kitchen, your mother gone for the day as you “dealt” with the house. You rushed to the hall, stumbling on the furniture there as a smile was drawn on your face “Regulus?” you called, as you turned both sides “Reg?!” you called again, eyes falling lower to the floor. “Kreacher, where is Regulus?” you asked, your heart beating faster as you felt your breath get caught in your throat as he shook his head. You left out a sob, falling to your knees as you clutched your stomach.
Loud sobs and cries left your mouth as you looked up to the elf “Where is my brother?” you asked in a whisper, the tears falling freely down your cheeks.
“Kreacher did everything he could.” he told you slowly “Master Regulus is dead, Mistress.”
“No, no…” you said in between sobs, resting your back against the wall as you choked in between sobs “NO, HE’S NOT DEAD!” you screamed, hitting the floor with your fists until blood stained the wood.  Your cries echoing through the empty house until they could no longer be heard.
********************************************************************
You had begged Kreacher to take you back to the place he last saw Regulus, with no luck. His loyalty to your brother more than his fear of you. That’s how you found yourself all alone, standing over an empty grave with no one but the hope that he was listening to you.
“It should have been me.” you murmured, holding your umbrella close to you as the rain became heavier “Why did I let you go on your own?” you sobbed, using the end of your sleeve to clean your tears.
It had been a month since Kreacher arrived all alone that day, one month since you had taken your belongings and left the house you had grown to call home, leaving it empty for Walburga to find. You had become the one thing you never wanted to be, the one person you promised you would never forgive. The person walking up to you with his own tears.
“Y/N.” he called, making your entire body tense before you slowly turned his way.
“Leave.” you spat, storming his way as he stumbled back at your response “Get out of my sight.” you glared daggers at him, roaming your eyes all over his body.
“He was my brother too.” he told you shakily, looking over your shoulder at the newest grave in the place.
“So now we’re family again.” you said with a sardonic look in your face “He still had the mark in his arm, so do I.” you pulled your sleeve up, thrusting your arm in his face as he closed his eyes shut. Your arm dropping like dead weight at your side, never bothering to cover it again.
“I had to get out of there.” he tried to explain “You don’t know what it was like for me.”
“You think we lived a fairy tale? The perfect life?” you asked in disbelief.
“It was easier for you.”
“Merlin, Sirius. We had to become Death Eaters, I had to take care of Regulus, He had to kill!” you shouted, pointing angrily at the grave as you looked for his eyes.
“But of course, I’m sure being a Gryffindor was a torture, running to the Potter’s and living the dream, forgetting you even had a family.” 
“It wasn’t like that and you know it!” he snapped, his eyes turning to you as tears threatened to spill at any moment.
“Oh no!” you said with a breathless laugh, shaking your head as you poked his chest “You don’t get to cry for him.” 
“He is more my brother than he is yours.” he said bitterly, the pain crossing your face making him regret his words instantly, but it was too late for that.
“Then where were you the past four years, Sirius?!” you screamed “Why did you leave when I told you I had a plan to get us all out of that nightmare? Huh?” you asked in tears, seeing him frozen in place and just as you had imagined all this time: without an answer.
“I thought…” he stuttered, a rare sight in him as you stood there expectant of his answer, only for his words to die down.
“You didn’t think, Sirius.” you told him with a sigh “And if you did you only thought of yourself, as usual.” you said bitterly “We could have left that place together, but you had to be your selfish self and ruin everything for Regulus. I could have left,” you said placing a hand in your chest “But I stayed for him. And you left for yourself.”
“I’m sorry.” he mumbled after a long minute of silence, a tear dropping from his lashes on his cheek. 
You walked to stand beside him, leaning to his side “I want you to drown in tears of guilt.” you whispered in his ear, glancing slowly to his face. You met his eyes before your gaze fell on the tear resting against his skin. “I want you to choke on your own tears as you realize you have no right to be here.” you said, brushing your thumb over the tear rolling down his face “You don’t get to cry, Sirius.”
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azazelsconfessional · 3 years
Text
((Azazel's abilities(and some combat abilities for the other Missionaries as they continue to be side characters when this event ends)
Azazel is ridiculously powerful. He's easily the most powerful member of the Missionaries, after Nyarlathotep.
Shame about the chains that keep his power and true form locked away.
Rule of Revelation (Sacred Artifact: Bible "Eyes of the Fallen")
Azazel's Bible is always on his person. He does NOT put it down and does not give it to people except those he trusts. He's willing at times to show its contents to people but he won't let most anyone hold it.
If you do get a hold of it it will stop working/won't show you anything. It will just become a book with glowing symbols on/in it or a regular Bible with an eye on the front.
Eyes of the Fallen allows Azazel to view and proccess anything the pages see, including outside of Missionaries territory.
In order to use Eyes of the Fallen, Azazel needs to expose his chains, causing him to remove his cassock.
Azazel can move the pages wherever he pleases. They're magical so there's some resistance in them, however they are paper and thus easily destroyed or removed or displaced.
Large eyes made of light will appear in the sky over large areas he's searching.
Within Missionaries Territory Azazel can see anything without the aid of his Artifact.
Azazel can see anything there is to be seen and a bit more. Though he can't see "how" someone came to be who/what they are, he can see their current form and see them for what they really are(MC has 24+ souls and he can see and identify them all; Nomad is a human modified into a tiger and he can see his human soul; Shino is a Shadow/ghost/etc and he can see that he's no longer really alive/his original form; when Raphael made them all see zombies and the Fisher King he was able to confirm they weren't real zombies but the memories of a past occurrence; etc)
He can both see and hear things, however the other senses don't work.
There are little to no combat capabilities to Eyes of the Fallen.
Healing capabilities slightly described below.
Magic & Game Unit Skills
Azazel is insanely powerful to the point that his Summopedia page described him as being the most powerful of the Missionaries. However his chains prevent him from accessing his true form or power.
Azazel is able to use bursts of Aether(equivalent Light, Holy, etc) magic despite being a Fallen Angel.
They're not super strong, but they do have a decent range. He can use them more or less infinitely due to his huge power reserve that's otherwise restricted to him.
He's able to heal himself and others. In-game limits this to using Eyes of The Fallen/his Charge Skill and only to allies in his immediate vicinity, so I'll consider this healing happening through use of the pages of his Artifact over wounds.
Applies the effect 'Blessing' to his allies around himself(heals over time temporarily.)
Can remove a debuff of people he hits; weaken(defense) of people he hits; temporarily prevent use of skills of those he hits; heal allies after damaging opponents
Taking damage can strengthen allies(increase their charge points, which isn't really a concern in terms of writing since they can use their powers more or less instantly)
Misc
Azazel has wings he can magically produce/retract. He can use them to fly.
Azazel's pain tolerance is obscenely high. He responds to pain as though it's pleasure.
Azazel cannot be killed. Killing him will change him into his true form.
Breaking his chains(accessible only to beings with powers on level with a Supreme God/King of Gods; Archangel Raphael; and entities with Rules that can cut through/break/open things absolutely(MC's Rule of Rending, primarily) and a few others) will also change him into his true form and return to him his powers.
Eyes of the Fallen and some other things can make his tail turn from a goat tail into a snake tail. His scales are slightly keeled and more keeled when agitated/fighting, making them spiky like a spiny bush viper
Exists but is inaccessible--a spear with the Rule of Corruption inherit in his true body. Cannot access it unless chains are 'loosened' by an Archangel or are cut enough maybe????? I haven't decided how this headcanon works since he can't use it anyway
Under the cut a small rundown on side characters' powers
Arsalan:
Artifact is a shamshir that can spray an infinite amount of sacred oil
Oil is fired at a speed that can knock one off their feet or knock weapons out of one's hand
Oil is obviously slippery and heavy enough to prevent use of wings as well; holding things and maintaining footing is very difficult
Allies are adept at fighting through/with his oil and thus are uninhibited except if their wings get too oily
Always covered in oil himself, hard to hold on to
Oil has healing properties(Unction), hurts enemies after they've been hit by Arsalan(Unction Weakness)
Oil is flammable, Zabaniyya controls his flames and uses the oil to spread Hellfire if need be(see: Zabaniyya)
Sword is strong against demons in particular; sacred oil is all over his body and makes him strong against/resistant to demons as well
Rarely uses sword as weapon, sticks to oil and physical combat unless given permission by Jacob or in a desperate situation that requires it
Physically and mentally extremely strong and resilient, uninhibited by his own oils even when manhandling enemies via wrestling
Sword allows him to resist oil and temptation as well
Teeth and claws are very sharp
Incredible leader, almost all of Aoyama Guild will obey him without question
Maria
Artifact is thorns that can move pain to and from others and herself(including painful memories)
Thorns are able to grow just about anywhere, including inside, and cover spaces
Applies Stigma to herself and those she hits or is hit by(applies damage over time and reduces defense)
Heals self and allies, especially by transferring damage from them to enemies through thorns
Temporarily disable skills
Leader of the Aoyama Guild, obeyed by most of the current members
Gabriel
Rule/Sacred Artifact(undisclosed? May be a microphone?/magical girl wand?) allows her to drive others to madness through the power of moonlight. Dubiously part of her Rule is her ability to make others fall for/obey her simply by commanding them
Likely also has a sword Artifact, rarely uses it, similar circumstances as Arsalan
The latter usually is used to make people stop attacking(Charm)
Very support-based, strengthening, healing, and motivating self and allies through song and magic
Has wings, can fly quickly
Maddened people are probably controllable by her, or at least they adore her and will probably listen and attack allies that threaten her?
Zabaniyya
Role of the Torturer; Rule of Hellfire; Sacred Artifact is a fiery spear, however he doesn't use it, similar circumstances to Arsalan
Fights using martial arts, mastering the 'Fiery Spear Hand' in which he channels his weapon through his hands
Can also fight from a distance using fire, but rarely does
Inflicts internal and external burns through his Artifact. Rule of Hellfire under the Role of the Torturer causes eternal pain.
Internally burning all the time, high pain tolerance, considers pain a penance and doesn't shy away from it very much; probably essentially immune to fire? Basically a firey tank. V high defense.
Applies Stigma and deals additional damage to those afflicted with Stigma and Burn; also applies Stigma to those who hit him
Can harm others from a distance using a chain of cross-shaped flames if they're afflicted with Stigma; chains are probably homing?
Heals allies apparently???
Rule of Hellfire purges people of sin and evil through flames, thus likely more effective against demons
Can ignite flames of passion/love, although he refuses to do this
Has wings, can fly, rarely uses them
Will not fight unless ordered by appropriate parties or the enemy has broken divine law
Kimun/Wen Kamui
Rule allows him to strip others (of their growth). Artifact is the 'Mankiller Sword' which he uses on himself as Kimun and others as Wen.
Mankiller Sword, if it's able to strip someone of their clothing, fur, hair, or flesh, is able to spawn a copy of the person's past self for them to fight--losing the fight against themself will cause them to lose their growth. If they win, the copy disappears.
Can spawn multiple copies if he cuts them multiple times
Can duplicate himself this way as well
Copies(of himself or enemies) might not cooperate with him although they mostly obey, depends on the person and their traumas/what they're struggling to grow or move on from/etc
Temporarily can't attack after doing this????/after using his Charge Skill
Can copy enemy buffs
Able to heal self and allies
Very high defense and pain tolerance due to his role/rule causing him to strip himself of his own skin/pelt/fur to give it to others
Hurts you even if he misses.
Unable to be frozen
Can apply freeze(lowers defense, damage over time) if he misses
Jacob
Sacred Artifact is a Pillar allowing him to remember all previous loops; connected to the Tree of Life in Eden; cannot be killed
Sacred Artifact is the Archangel Uriel's whirling sword of flame. Doesn't use it in flame form most of the time, only uses it to enhance his punches and kicks and movements; it also guides him around due to his blindness; also able to restore people's memories from previous loops(including people he doesn't know and he "can reach even those who have never appeared in this Tokyo with his Rule") and makes a pillar of holy light that leads to the Tree of Life in Eden, making him more effective against either angels or the undead(hard to tell because it was used against undead angels, possibly both)
Blind, thus unaffected by anything that requires sight
Leader of the Aoyama Guild, although a lot of people aren't aware of it due to his absence, thus obeyed by most of its members(if not all of them because the Admins obey him)
Can multihit/punch very fast. He's no Captain Falcon but his fists are Dangerous.
Relies mostly on sound for navigation but can also be guided by his Artifact. Can probably blind others with the massive pillar of light from it.
Cannot be forced to move backwards. Can pull people in a certain range towards him/get in people's personal space easily to fight since he fights with his fists
Weakens enemies, applies Blessing(healing over time) to himself
Artifact heals him, removes ALL debuffs, and makes him highly resistent to damage temporarily
Artifact also provides him a shield that keeps him from being exposed to life-threatening conditions(Korpokkur's blizzard is how we learned about this--also keeps him warm and guides him to people and things he should meet)
Takes less damage from other close range fighters using their bare hands/fists(and any enhancements like knuckles, claws, etc--basically if you're a Blow unit/hit in a singular space in front of you he takes less damage from you)
Can use his Artifact as a sword but generally refuses to. It's a big, spinning sword of flame and would apply burn but he avoids using it because he hates weapons
NPC Angels
Primarily attack in a group. Always guarding the Church and its activities and almost always accompany its admins. The church is rarely unattended.
Fight with spears which can be thrown. Some level of magic?
Apply stigma to hit enemies. Deal more damage to Stigmafied enemies.
Can heal surrounding allies.
Nyarlathotep
You just die. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Text
Humans are Space Orcs, “Martial Arts.”
Had this lined up for today based on two requested ideas given to me by readers. I hope you like it and have a great day!
“I think you’re really going to like this.”
“So I assume it involves beating the ever-loving shit out of someone.” 
Adam grinned, “Exactly.”
Sunny cheered and Krill sighed, “Why do you two always insist on having the most violent pastimes.”
“I promise today is ALSO educational. Now stop being a stick in the mud. I am sure you will find use for yourself today.”
Krill sighed but allowed them to continue on. The Admiral was wearing a duffel bag over one shoulder, and the tennis shoes he was wearing, alone with the shots suggested that he intended to participate in some sort of physical activity. The same shades of blue light flickered over his prosthetic leg and those that licked over hers, and even from here, he could hear the soft whirring of the machine.
Sunny craned her neck at the city around them trying to figure out where they were being taken, and neither of them figured it out until the admiral cut right and shouldered open the door to a large building. 
Stepping inside they were greeted with a waft of warm, humid air. The ground under their feet was squishy, made of some sort of synthetic material, and all around the room humans in various stages of physical activity dominated the landscape.
The predominant sound was that of flesh impacting padded bags as humans -- both bare knuckled -- and wearing padded gloves punched and kicked and violently strove to beat the ever loving shit out of inanimate hanging objects. Krill wanted in surprise and -- what would have been horror if he wasn’t so used to being appalled-- as two humans sparred together in a ring lined with three large ropes.
They were padded, with gloves and face masks and helmets of some sort, but that gave them free reign to punch and kick each other silly, until one of the humans grabbed the other by the arm and flipped backwards throwing them both to the ground with a violent thud.
Across the room, humans wearing strange white uniforms tied with colorful belts moved in synchronization to the call of a master. He'd punch and then kick and then block venting air by way of shouts.
Sunny turned in a tight circle, her eyes wide as they fell on another padded platform, this time in an octagonal shape, and bounded by a chain link energy cage.
Inside two women were roused to blood, fighting with nothing but barely padded gloves and the clothes on their back.
One of the women managed to throw the other to the ground and for a second they were a mass of tangled limbs before she had her arms around the other’s neck squeezing tight. Krill stepped forward but a sharp tap on the arm of one woman to the other caused the winner to let go, and the fighters to return to their feet, one rubbing her soar neck..
“What is this place?” Sunny asked, in absolute awe
Adam grinned, “This, my fine friend is what humans call a dojo. Not exactly sure where the word comes from per say, but I am pretty sure it originated in asia more than two thousand years ago and basically means a location where people train in the art of hand to hand combat. 
Sunny turned her head again eyes wide as another two men grappled each other to the floor hands gripping onto each other’s uniforms tugging and pulling and trying to swipe with their feet.
“It all looks so… different.”
Adam nodded, “That's because it is. There are hundreds of different fighting systems developed by humanity over the years, sort of like how you have different spear stances in your culture fire versus water, accept these ones work on different principals.
He motioned to the square ring, “Boxing for instance focuses a lot of its attention on punches specifically. Historically the rules required that you couldn't use elbows knees or kicks, and your punches had to land above the belt, or at least that’s what I remember. He turned to point at the other side of the room where the men and women in white were still busy in their forms. Stuff like Karate Kung Fu and others are sort of more about forms and techniques. I would say that that sort of fighting is more of a philosophy or a way of life than anything, and very ancient.”
He then turned to look at the two men still wrestling on the floor, “Then there is Jiu Jitsu, a form of combat that relies on submission and grappling. USe the weakness of an enemies body against them, use their weight, use the weakness of their wrists and elbows and knees and neck. Jiu Jitsu is likely to always end up on the ground. It is similar to wrestling, though wrestling requires than you pin the other person’s shoulders to the ground.
Krill turned to look at Sunny’s face and would have rolled his eyes at the giddy expression she had if it weren't for his inability to actually roll his eyes.
“Why are there so many types?’
Adam paused tapping his chin, “Well, humanity has always been working to find a system that works best. In many cases it started with a philosophy of some kind. IN certain cases it was poise, or focus or any number of things. Monks dedicated their entire lives to the mastery and perfection of a single art of combat. In a way it was almost like meditation that could be used in times of need. Some martial arts required steal or quick movement which spawned stuff like Ninjitsu and still live son in spots like parkour despite it not being a combat sport.”
He lend them further into the room, “A lot of them spawned out of the fact that humans just love to fight, we love to see who is physically better. It made it’s way to the olympics, and then into popular culture. Wrestling, while a great athletic endeavor was just as much a theater production as it was anything else and requires an understanding between two parties to put on the most dramatic show possible.”
He walked over a few feet pausing before the octagon, “Then someone had the idea of what would happen if you put the different martial arts up against each other in a contest of who is better hence Mixed Martial Arts fought in an octagon just like this. At first practitioners of one discipline were pitted against each other to see who was better.” He rested his hand against one of the braces, “In the end it ended up weeding out a lot of the older forms of martial arts which were more a form of art than actual fighting. Philosophy wasn’t exactly helpful in the octagon, and many of the flashier forms, while they looked cool in practice turned out to be impractical in the ring.
He dropped his bag to the floor, reaching in to take out a pair of gloves, “The idea became that the more brutal straight to the point contact sports were most superior.”
Sunny crossed her arms, “So what is it, which martial art is more superior?”
Adam grinned, “That’s the catch… all of them are.”
“What do you mean.”
“All of them are assuming you put them together. Fighters that were well versed in multiple styles of fighting were the most victorious.” he fell into a standard human fighting posture feet shoulder width one foot before the other hands up and loose before his face neck down, “If you can punch like a boxer, Kick like a Muay Thai fighter, grapple like a Jiu Jitsu master and put all of it together, you may have more than a chance of winning.” he patted the side of the cage, “The general consensus is that the best kind of fighting is one that doesnt just take focus from one discipline, it is someone who can take the best things from all the disciplines and put them together all at once.”
Sunny looked on rather hungrily at the ring.
“Let’s do it.”
He grinned back, “I thought you might be interested.
Krill just shook his head and backed away, leave it to the drev and the human to find one of the most dangerous pastimes in the world. Who would have thought that philosophy could span a better way to kick the shit out of someone.
Kril Turned his head to look around the room and was surprised at all the thighs he saw. He may not have agreed with the martial arts necessarily, but there was something to be said about the variety, and the sort of human that came out of it. The men and women he could see practicing were, without a doubt some of the fittest humans he had ever laid eyes on, and he spent his time with a crew that wasn’t likely to shirt their physical health.
Men and women alike glistened with lean muscle sharp and prominent against their sweat glazed skin. Hands punched bags over and over and over again. In certain cases he watched as men and women kicked wooden poles repeatedly ramming their shins against the unforgiving surface their faces barely showing any hint of pain,
The feats of acrobatics which they managed, and the way they utilized their center of gravity was astonishing. He saw a five foot woman throw a two hundred pound man over her head simply by throwing herself to her back and kicking the other man over.
While weight and size seemed to matter to some degree there were a few humans here who didn’t seem to care.
Sunny and Adam were on the other side of the room Adam explaining the idea of kinetic linking to sunny, how by moving your body, you could force the power from your feet, all the way up through your legs hips and back and into a single punch making it more powerful.
Krill could see, on a physiological standpoint where that was true.
He even watched for a few sessions as Sunny and Adam went a few rounds Adam winning a surprising amount of times for someone who was so small, but often using the techniques that Krill was seeing around the room.
It was only after they had taken a break and were gearing up to go again that Krill noticed another human walk onto the floor. He was an older human, the pigment having faded from his hair long ago, bleaching him silver. Despite that, the man had the body of someone half his age, lean and sinuous, veins crawling up his arms like the vines of a tree.
Adam was just pulling on his gloves when the man stepped up.
“Excuse me, son.”
Adam lifted his head standing when the man approached, “Can I help you.”
The man set down his bag. Based on his voice, the man was clearly an older gentlemen though Krill had trouble guessing. Either way he had the opinion that this guy probably should take it easier than this palace suggested.
“I hate to ask, but My sparring partner is sick today, and I was wondering if you might consider a round or two. You look spry enough.”
Adam blinked in surprise but then shrugged, “Yeah sure I guess.” The way his ione eye traveled over the man suggested he was having the same thoughts as krill. He seemed like he was a bit too old to be doing something like this. Krill worried that he could potential break or tear something , but no one said a word as the man set down his bag and took a few minutes to stretch.
Krill was a bit more than surprised at the flexibility of the old man who managed a full split in both directions after warming up.
Adam seemed a little less sure of himself upon seeing that.
He definitely could not do that.
The old guy’s face was lined with delicate wrinkles through the skin, the body becoming less taught with age, but when the two of them hopped up into the ring, the older man seemed just as energetic as Adam, which seemed surprising.
No matter though, as old as he was, he would probably tire pretty easily.
“What do you say, no crotch shots and no eye gouging.” Adam announced and the old man agreed as they moved into position.
Krill and Sunny came to the side of the cage to watch as the two men squared off.
Adam kept his hands a bit relaxed, still guarded but not too concerned.
The older man didn’t keeping tight and low as they circled for a bit.
“You’ll want to keep up your guard, son.” The man chided, and adam smiled but pulled his hands in tighter.
Krill tapped his fingers.
Sunny smirked as if she knew something he didn’t
They exchanged a few blows, Adam going eas and the old guy, well being old and slow as Krill had expected. Adam’s guard began to drop again, and then all of a sudden out of absolutely nowhere there was a sharp blur of motion and a loud THWACK. 
Adam hit the ground hard dazed and confused as the old man stood over him.
Sunny ohhhhed in absolute glee.
Krill hissed in pain.
Adam had just been round kicked to the head.
“I told you to keep your guard up.” The old man said, reaching down a hand to help Adam to his feet, “probably also a good idea not to underestimate senior citizens.”
Adam rubbed his head, “Ok, ok I deserved that. Let's go another round.”
“You sure, you got your memory jogged kind of hard there.”
Adam shook himself and squared back up, his guard tight this time, “bring it on grandpa.”
The old man smiled and fell back into his stance. This time Adam was not smoking, and his expression was hard as he stared at the old man. Adam came forward with a jab which the man blocked and they exchanged a few punches catching each other only grazing blows as they hit. 
Adam got a kick to the upper leg,, the old man took a body shot that should have downed him, but by the staggering way Adam moved to the side suggested he had kicked something as hard as a brick wall.
The old man moved forward and the two of them were suddenly head to head, hands gripping shoulders, fingers digging into shirts, before any of them knew what happened Adam was thrown to the ground his wrist held tightly in the other man’s hands,
He tried to get up but the old man leaped down after him throwing his legs over Adams chest and positioning his elbow over his hips.
He arched his back subtly which had Adam tapping one of his legs frantically.
He let go and the two disengaged.
Sunny cheered.
Adam rubbed his elbow, “Armbar?”
The old man smiled, “I’m old boy, not an invalid.”
Adam raised an eyebrow, “I can see that. How about another round.”
With a teasing smile the old human winked a grey eye, “Only if you want to get beat again.”
Adam snorted, “yeah not so sure about that.” he squared up, “Besides, today’s early bird special is on a knuckle sandwich.”
The old man wiggled his head mockingly, “Oh a wise guy eh.”
Once Upon a time Krill would have assumed they were being aggressive in their words, but the cadence and the smiles on their faces assured him that, despite their actions, this was a friendly fight.
And how strange it was to see someone like the old man holding up so well against someone less than twice his age. By all rights Adam should have beaten him easily, but this old human despite his looks was more than what he appeared. Krill was going to have to do some more research on human aging processes, for there was something he felt he was missing.
The two had squared up again, dancing around in a circle as they came in repeatedly for attacks. Adam tried to get the upper hand with a sudden flurry of blows but the old man weathered it using precision to his advantage with precis body shots that had Adam packing off huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf.
At some point Adam did something neither of them had ever see, grabbing the man under his arms and turning, flipping the man over the fulcrum of his hips and sending him flowing into the ground. Adam jumped after trying to claim full mount but the old man somehow flipped him to the side and reversed it catching Adam around the back of the neck with a forearm.
The flat of his forearm went across Adam’s throat, his legs wrapped around his middle, and his opposite hand grabbed onto his wrist. As he squeezed, he also elongated his body..
Krill stepped forward hand out afraid the man was going to pop his cervical spine apart until Adam tapped falling to the ground with a grunt.
“Ok ok, ONE more time.” Adam said wobbling to his feet
The old man followed after grinning, “Whatever you say.”
This last fight went much like the one before it. An exchange up top and a sudden move onto the ground, though this time the man trapped adam using his legs, thighs constricting around the side of his neck.
Adam was still breathing just fine, until his body slumped to the side.
Krill leaped forward in shock and confusion thinking that the man had somehow injured his neck, killed him. But almost as soon as the man let go Adam twitched and then sat up looking groggy.
“What the.”
“You were supposed to tap before passing out.”
Adam rubbed his head, “Was that a triangle choke… didn’t even feel like I was choking.”
Krill stormed forward, “What happened! Adam are you alright. Do I need to call the police.”
Adam waved him off, “It was a blood choke krill, he temporarily cut off blood supply to my brain, no big deal.”
“No big deal!” Krill shreakied, “How is it having blood in your brain NOT a big deal.’
Sunny cheered with glee behind Krill’s protests leaping up into the ring and towards the old man, “Can you teach me.”
The old man seemed surprised, but agreed and glanced oer at Adam, “Someone needs some extra lessons anyway.”
Adam snorted and rolled his eyes but otherwise took it with good humor.
Krill sat fuming in the corner.
Humans, frigging humans always finding ways to hurt themselves. Crushing each other’s windpipes and cutting off carotid arteries, and bending joints that weren't supposed to be bent, and all for what because it was FUN to look STRONGER. He couldn't believe this.
Stupid 
Stupid humans.
He was going to have to tell someone. He was going to have to rant.
He was…..
Probably going to write an academic paper, though he was going to be angry while doing it. 
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dizzydancingdreamer · 3 years
Text
Persephone's Symphony | Night One | Persephone
Hey lovelies, here's the next part. It's a little longer-- I got carried which, if you know me and my work, tends to happen frequently. I do hope you all enjoy and thank you so much to everyone who has sent me kind words and thoughts and ahhhh thank you!! I am forever grateful. Now, without further adieu...
Synopsis: In which he is the bad one— the dangerous one, the clunky one, the one who only knows how to break things— and she is the good one— the fragile one, the soft one, the one who knows how to put things back together— and he has to keep her alive long enough for anyone else— anyone who can do more than kill— to save her like she deserves to be saved— to save her from him. There are no pomegranates, no three headed dogs, and no requirement to stay— that is, if they don’t count an assassin on the loose out for her neck. In that case, three days in a safe house doesn’t feel like a long time— just long enough for Persephone and Hades to remember why opposites attract.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader (third person)
Warnings: meh some angst, some talk of death-- the normal for this series
Word count: 5.2k (omg)
Previous | Next
Master List
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The rest of the day goes smoothly. Well, as smoothly as a day can go when there’s someone out there trying to kill you. Maybe smooth is the wrong word. For dinner she pops a frozen pizza in the oven— she’s already used up her quota for homestyle cooking on the grilled cheese and, besides, Bucky doesn’t seem to mind. If he does then he doesn’t say anything about it, at least. He pounds back five slices— she really doubts he hates it that much. She eats three. Had it just been her she would have eaten one— maybe. She doesn’t have the energy these days to eat more than that. It’s a paradox, one that has her going to bed tired and waking up exhausted most days.
Something is different with him though. She wants to eat more because it means that she gets to sit a little longer at the creaky wooden table and pretend to be normal. She never thought feeling normal would mean eating cheap pizza with her bodyguard in a safe house but, well, they say normal is relative, right? Usually she eats in the dark, under the glow of whatever movie she deems fit to fill the silence that night. Sitting across from him makes her feel like she has some semblance of her old life back. Like she has a life at all— even if he’s being paid to sit there and listen to her prattle on about nothing.
After dinner is a little more awkward. She spends the next two hours milling about, pretending to read this book of dogs she had found earlier on the coffee table. She had always wanted a dog when she was younger, one of those huge great danes, charcoal black and big enough to snuggle with. The kind that would keep her safe and follow her everywhere she goes. There’s one just like she had always imagined on page one hundred and nine. Sleek and beautiful and huge. That’s probably why she keeps going back to the book.
All she really does is look at the pictures, not that she would tell him that. She can see him glancing at her every so often and she would like to keep her guise of being smart up for as long as possible. She wasn’t lying when she told him that she was the top of her class— she was, and valedictorian too. She is smart. Well, smart when it comes to technology at least. The rest is debatable. Her mother used to tell her that she’s book smart— that if she were kidnapped and dropped off in the middle of nowhere she would be screwed.
If only her mother could see her now— could see that she’s holding up.
You know, if holding up means wanting to scream and cry and throw this stupid Big Book of Dogs against the wall because she can’t scream and cry. She’s holding up on the outside— that’s what matters. If everyday is as bearable as this one then she’ll be able to do all three before she knows it. She’ll be able to sit in the dark, spoon in one hand, Chunky Monkey in the other, and throw whatever the fuck she wants at the wall. For now, though, she just has to look at the pictures of the great dane and swallow her screams like they’re ice cream.
Eventually she stands, shifting on her feet, trying not to cringe when the boards squeak under her. It doesn’t make his head turn and look at her— how can it when his stare has been burning into her since before she stood up? She doesn’t really know what to say— it’s nine-thirty and she could sit there for another two hours— two or three or seven, what’s the difference?— but there’s no point in pushing the inevitable. Eventually she is going to have to get ready for bed and then, by default, actually go to bed.
How is that going to work?
A picture of her laying next to him pops into her mind, one where her limbs are curled tight against her chest, her legs ramrod straight, afraid to even do so much as breathe. Not out of fear that he’d hurt her or anything like that, though. Out of fear that she’d embarrass herself is more accurate. That she would wake up— if she even slept at all— with her body sprawled on top of his like the protagonists in one of her cheesy, unrealistic rom-coms. This isn’t a movie— she doesn’t want it to be. If this is her life’s movie then she wants to have a word with the director. She wants out. This isn’t the script she agreed to.
She doesn’t know what to say so she doesn’t say anything, only gathers her bag from where she stashed it next to the couch. A threadbare messenger bag big enough for a few pairs of leggings, her older brother’s Dodgers t-shirt, and some toiletries. She slings it over her shoulder, acutely aware of the fact that his gaze never leaves her, watching as she straightens and turns, meeting his icy blue eyes without so much as a hint of shame forming in them. Why should he be ashamed? It’s his job— he’s being paid to stare. That’s what she tells herself. It doesn’t make her feel any less exposed— any less seen.
For a moment she just looks at him— like really, truly looks at him. Sure, she’s been with him for roughly twelve hours now. Theoretically she’s had plenty of time to look at him. And of course she has— there’s no way she could have avoided it even if she wanted to. She has looked at him just not like this. Not the details. The facts. That’s what this is— a fact finding mission. Yeah, that sounds right— that’s what she’ll say if he asks, at least.
She takes in his face first, craning her neck slightly to do so. Slightly means far enough that your head touches your shoulders now. She ticks things off in her head as goes— bronzed skin, strong jaw, straight nose. She finds it hard to believe that his nose has never been broken. She drops lower— pink lips, the bottom one fuller. She doesn’t linger there despite the ache that grows in her throat. When was the last time she kissed a man? Too long ago.
She continues on her mission before she has time to stop and think about what it means to stare at her bodyguard’s lips and think about kissing. Absolutely nothing good, that’s what. She tries to distract herself with his broad shoulders and the way his henley stretches at the seams, scrounging for any and every ounce of space. For a moment it works. She starts thinking about the kind of regime one would have to undergo in order to get to his size, then about where he has to buy his clothes, before finally landing on what it would feel like to slip her arms into his shirt and to be totally engulfed—
Nope— she flicks her eyes even further down, skimming over something that, though she’s been looking at it for the better half of all day, she still can’t wrap her head around. His hand. His metal hand. She can feel his stare turn to lead on her forehead— feel him waiting for her to ask.
She’s not going to.
Not because she doesn’t want to know the story. Of course she wants to know! Her whole life is— or at least was— technology. She wants to know why he needs it, who made it, what it’s made of, if it’s connected to his nervous system, if it’s— the idea is there. She’s curious— she’s a scientist. Just like it’s his job to keep her alive, it’s her job to be enthralled by innovation.
That doesn’t mean she’s going to ask though. She likes him too much to do that. He’s nice enough to her and he doesn’t treat her like the little orphan girl that everyone else does. He doesn’t tiptoe around her— not that he could. He’s too big for that. He just doesn’t treat her like a freak, so she won’t treat him like an experiment.
And, of course, he’s a human being not a machine. That’s probably more important. She likes him and he’s a human. Priorities or whatever.
She meets his gaze again, watching him watch her, her face setting on fire. “Bedtime?”
What the fuck is wrong with you, y/n?
He presses his lips together, holding her stare for a beat before shrugging his shoulders, giving the henley a run for its money. “Bedtime.”
She turns at that, scampering up the stairs, listening to the thumping of his boots against the hardwood. It’s not a race but it’s also not not a race— she wants to get to the bathroom before he can so she can lock the door. She needs five minutes. That’s it. Just five minutes. Maybe it is a race.
“Hey— shit— wait!” She doesn’t, she only pumps her legs harder, almost slipping as she bolts into the bathroom, slamming the door and clicking the lock shut.
He really thought she wasn’t going to try that, huh? She learned her lesson this afternoon— the man takes his job very seriously.
The knob jiggles and she sticks her tongue out at it, finally in a space where she can let her bones relax. For the first time all day it feels like her skin isn’t on fire. It’s weird— she almost misses it. The door handle jiggles harder. Almost.
Five minutes, that’s all she needs.
His voice cuts through the door and she almost groans out loud. “You know I’m supposed to—”
“I know—” she starts pulling things out of her bag, hastily dropping what she doesn’t need and gathering what she does onto the vinyl countertop, very much aware of the ticking clock— “but the window in here isn’t even big enough for me to crawl out of so I think I can brush my teeth, yeah?”
She can practically feel the stress rolling off him, seeping under the crack between the door and the tiled floor. Half of her feels guilty but the other half couldn’t care less— she’s a grown ass woman and she will use the toilet without help.
She hears him let out a loud sigh and practically jumps in excitement— she won. “Fine— you get ten minutes, got it? Ten minutes and then I break this door down.”
“Aye-aye, captain.” Thank gods he can’t see her right now or she would most definitely melt through the ground.
“You’re down to seven now.”
She shakes her head at her reflection, scrunching her nose and rolling her eyes at herself— “That’s fair.”
She hurries to slather some toothpaste on her brush, plopping it into her mouth as she shimmies out of her daytime leggings and into her nighttime ones. A fashion icon. She somehow also manages to take her dad’s hoodie off, avoiding the toothbrush and replacing the tank top underneath with a fresh one from her bag. Take that, Barnes.
She scrubs at her teeth, simultaneously digging through her pile of things for the deodorant she knows is in there. She finds it after a moment, rinsing her mouth and running the bar one too many times over her armpits— there’s absolutely no way she’s about to go into that bedroom with even the slight possibility of smelling bad. Especially when she still doesn’t know the sleeping arrangements.
She swipes her things back into her bag, shoving them in roughly, not noticing the hairbrush teetering precariously on the edge of the counter. It’s like it’s taunting her, just waiting to get her in trouble. That’s exactly what it does, too— just as her eyes meet the sinister blue plastic it’s too late, the brush already hurtling off the edge and crashing against the floor. Of course it has to hit the tiles head on and miss the hoodie by an inch. Time freezes for a moment when she hears the clang— well, there go the last three minutes of solitude.
She scrambles back just as the door slams open, fully expecting it but not any less startled, the area where the lock would be splintering into a million tiny pieces of wood— of dust— he pulverized the door! Her heart pounds furiously as Bucky surges forward, his jean clad legs pressing against her exposed shoulder, his body rigid as he does a full circle of the tiny bathroom, yanking back the shower curtain as if an assassin would really think that is the best hiding place. God she’s so fucking mortified.
He doesn’t move away from her when he finally looks down, his dark eyebrows drawn into a tight line, chest heaving so hard she wonders if the material is going to split right down the middle. His leg against her is hot, even through the material. Almost as hot as her face— face, neck, shoulders, toes.
“What happened?”
She meekly holds up the blue plastic brush, squeezing her eyes shut. “He just snuck up on me Bucky— I thought I was a goner.”
She cracks an eye open to his clenched jaw, his still heaving chest now much lower— closer. He takes the brush from her hand, setting it on the counter before offering his own hand— the flesh hand— out to her. She takes it, letting him effortlessly pull her body from the ground without so much as even a grunt. Before she knows it she’s eye level with the buttons on his shirt, leaning all the way back in order to meet his simmering crystal eyes.
“We’re not doing that again.” We’re. As in both of them— a team.
She tries to keep from trembling at his deep voice. It doesn’t work. He notices— of course he notices— and takes a step back. She doesn’t have the heart— or the gall— to tell him that she’s not shaking because she’s afraid of him.
“It was a hairbrush.” She sighs, curling her arms around her chest, suddenly feeling more exposed than ever under the surprisingly bright fluorescents.
Of course now, when she’s standing in a flimsy tank top, is the one time the lights aren’t dimmed.
He doesn’t back down, seething his words between his teeth. “This time— this time it was a hairbrush.”
She shakes her head, dropping her eyes and bending to scoop up her hoodie— she doesn’t want to see him angry at her. It makes her feel guilty; like her her chest is caving in on itself. She doesn’t need that on top of everything else.
“Fine, whatever.” She grabs her bag, brushing by him.
She knows that she’s being childish. She isn’t an idiot, contrary to what her mind likes to tell her. She’s just exhausted. Exhausted of having to always look over her shoulder, exhausted of wondering who’s going to die next— if she’s going to die next, exhausted of having to actively try to stay alive. She’s just exhausted in general. She doesn’t want to die but, gods, if she isn’t so damn tired of having to think about it. Aren’t you supposed to just live? Not think about living?
She pushes open the door to the bedroom, dumping her bag next to the cedar chest at the end of the bed, refusing to turn around when she hears his footsteps— much quieter than she’s yet to hear them— enter behind her. She crosses her arms again, digging her fingers into the flesh hard enough to give herself something to focus on other than how much she wants to rip every strand of hair from her head. Her eyes wander over the olive duvet, noting how the color makes the black iron frame pop in contrast. Maybe she should change up her bedroom back home.
She bites her lip— she’s stalling. It’s a queen sized bed, more than big enough for both of them. Maybe she should offer it to him. There’s barely any room on the floor to sprawl out, only a small space either next to the dresser beside the bed or in front of the chest. Either way he would probably have to lay as stiff as possible to avoid bumping his limbs. The right thing to do would be to offer it to him— to take the floor.
She listens as he takes a step, the air behind her shifting, and she tenses. “Look, I think we should talk—”
“Do you want the bed?” She tries to keep her tone balanced— to keep from hurling the words at him like daggers. Or like hair brushes.
“I’m serious, I’m sor—”
She whirls around, her hair flying around her face, features schooled but tone edging closer towards being unhinged— she just needs to sleep. “Do you want the bed?”
She doesn’t meet his eyes— she’s tired of that game, it's time to start a new one. This one’s called how long can y/n stare at the buttons on his henley until before she sets them on fire out of sheer willpower. His chest deflates, his hands twitching at his sides before curling and slipping behind his back. He’s looking at her— of course he is. It’s all he does. It’s his job.
“You take it.” He says it so quietly she barely hears it, his tone the picture of resignation. It doesn’t make her feel good— she didn’t think it would though.
His stare never leaves her. She’s still not looking at him but she can tell. It makes her skin burn from her ears all the way down to her chest, her skin prickling like she's being prodded by a thousand mini suns. She feels like she’s in the desert and she forgot to put sunscreen on. Is this what flowers feel like? Does the sun beat down so relentlessly on them that they feel like they’re being set on fire? As relentlessly as he watches her?
It’s his job, it’s his job, it’s his job.
“Okay.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She lays in bed for three hours, eyes wide open and body pin straight. The room is pitch black, spare a hint of light pouring in from under the door. It shines a stripe onto the olive duvet, one that she just barely flicks her wrist back and forth through. Not enough to ruffle the loud blanket— which for the record crinkles louder than a chip bag when she moves even an inch underneath it— but enough to watch the light dance over her skin and keep her from going completely mad. She feels like a cat chasing a laser— entirely moronic but strangely entertained. Alas, all good things must come to an end.
By the time the fourth hour rolls around she is beyond restless. The strip of light got old a half hour ago— which, granted, kept her entertained for far longer than she would be willing to admit but still. Now she wants to move. She needs to move. If she were home she would still be awake. The digital clock beside the bed flashes one-thirty, scarlet red and glaring at her. It’s not even close to the ungodly hour in which she usually crawls into her bed, pulling the blanket over her head and praying for the sun to magically disappear. Not even close.
She can practically hear Lindsy Lohan calling her name— it’s Wednesday, y/n. On Wednesdays we wear pink. Yeah, she knows Lindsy! Unfortunately the big man on the floor doesn’t know that. Usually her Wednesday's aren’t so blocked— is it even Wednesday? It doesn’t matter. She just wants to watch Mean Girls now— with or without the Chunky Monkey.
She waits another ten minutes, mulling the idea over as the anticipation steadily grows in her stomach, churning her organs into soup over the idea of having to tiptoe past her sleeping bodyguard. She holds her breath a few times, making sure his breathing is even and calm. Making sure that he’s asleep. Each time his breaths are the same, gentle, even hiss of air. In, out, pause. In, out, pause. Over and over and over again. For a moment she debates staying and just listening to him breathe for the rest of the night. But no— that’s creepy and she’s sure that she can be in and out without him waking up in the hour and thirty-seven minutes it takes to watch the movie.
Yes she counted and every minute is worth the risk— she’s doing it!
She takes a deep breath, sliding as silently as she can under the covers. Each movement feels magnified— like someone is holding a microphone to her limbs. She just prays that the microphone isn’t connected to his ears. What are the odds that he’s a heavy sleeper? Nevermind, she doesn’t want to know.
After what feels like an eternity of inching her way to the edge of the bed her foot finally shoots over the edge, greeting the chilly air and sending a jolt racing up her spine. She’s really doing it. She slips the other out next, rising onto her elbows and holding the position. She can’t see her legs— hell, she can’t see her hand two feet in front of her face— but she can feel the space depleting as she slips off the mattress. Biting back a hiss as her toes brace against the hardwood, she just barely stops herself from hopping up and down. If she were home she would amp up the theatrics, maybe throw in a squeal for good measure— forget technology, being a drama queen is her true calling.
Just not when there’s a man who she needs to stay asleep laying a few feet away from her.
She shuffles blindly forward, trying to remember where she saw him lay down before she turned off the lamp. That was four hours ago though and she’s starting to think that all that time playing with the crack of light has fried her brain. She thinks he’s near the chest but she can’t be sure.
She could swear—she could drop the loudest f-bomb this planet has ever known. She would, too, if she knew it wouldn’t wake him up. All she wants to do is watch some petty, pretty girls fight over a mediocre brunette. Is that really too much to ask for?
No— the answer is no. So she does what any self respecting woman would do in that situation and she wings it. She guesses. That’s respectable, right? Right. She takes each step with care, searching for any warm spots that might give her a hint as to where he is, all the while chasing after that little crack of light like it’s heaven. Because that’s what it is— a haven from having to lay alone with her thoughts all night.
As was to be expected sooner rather than later, her toes brush against a rather hot patch of wood and she freezes. He’s here— somewhere— she just has no idea where here is. She squints, searching for even a hint of the man. When she comes away with nothing, the scream— the one that’s never quite gone, always just simmering in the back of her throat— surges. She has to swallow— swallow, gag, same thing— in order to keep from foiling her own plan.
She brushes her foot forward. Slowly. Painfully, excruciatingly slowly. When her toes brush against the folds of a blanket she gasps. It slips out before she can stop it and she plasters a hand over her mouth as soon as it happens, praying that it isn’t too late— that there’s still a chance she can make it.
She hears Bucky shift on the ground, holding her breath, her toes a mere foot away from the soldier. She counts in her head— one, two, three, oh fuck is he moving, four— before taking another step. Repeating the process, it takes four rounds of this little tip toe game until her hands finally land against the door frame, searching through the darkness until her fingers curl around the knob. Mean Girls here she comes.
“Where ya’ going?” Bucky’s voice cuts through the night easily, rich and deep and cruel.
There isn’t even a hint of sleep in his tone— he was awake the entire time. Her face flushes, her neck searing hot. She can almost hear her skin crackling where the straps of her tank top touch her. She should have known he wouldn’t be a deep sleeper— or sleeping at all, apparently. Damnit.
“I, ah, was just going to the bathroom?” Really? The bathroom?
She has never been so thankful for the dark than she is in this moment, if only because he can’t see the way she rolls her eyes at her own stupidity and scrunches her entire face up. She can’t scream— that idea’s already been scrapped— so it’s the next best thing. That doesn’t stop her throat from bubbling though, the frustration knocking on her windpipe like the friendly neighbour back for even more sugar.
“You’re a terrible liar, you know that?” She swears for a moment she can hear a hint of laughter in his voice, just enough to make the accusation bearable.
She whirls around, hands glued to her hips and trying not to slam her foot down like an insolent toddler. Something hot flares up in her chest— something which she hasn’t felt in ages. Anger. It makes her want to smack him. She wouldn’t, of course, but she wants to— she wants to wipe the smirk out of his words. She wants to more than she’s wanted to do anything in a very long time.
“What do you want me to say then, hmm?”
She can just make out the way Bucky pushes himself up, his shadowy figure now taking up more space. Taking up space in general— of course now she can see him. If she were closer to him she is sure his head would sit above her belly button, right under her brea— stop that, y/n!
“How ‘bout the truth?” God she can still hear that insufferable smirk.
“That was the truth.”
“It wasn’t.”
His breath comes in hot puffs against her stomach— he’s closer than she thought. She doesn’t realize her tank top has ridden up until his face is inches away from her exposed skin. She tries not to shudder as she yanks the material back down her abdomen. Traitorous body!
She wants to rip her hair out— again. “Yes, it was—”
He’s standing now, pushing his way towards her in the dark until she can feel the heat rolling off his body, face to face with a hulking chest. “Just tell me what you want so we can do it, alright?”
There it is again— we.
She can’t breathe. This seems to be becoming a trend— her not being able to breathe when he’s around her. This time it’s her fault though. She squishes her eyes closed, taking a moment to pull in some much needed air. It does little to help her— it smells like nutmeg and cinnamon. She has no idea how he manages to smell like a bakery— or how she hasn’t noticed until now, when she needs more than anything to pull away from the warmth and not fall deeper into it. Unprofessional, y/n— you’re supposed to be the grieving daughter.
She takes another moment, ignoring how he shifts on his feet, clearly becoming impatient, before finally whispering— “I wanted to watch a movie.”
A pause— a long one— before a soft ‘okay’.
For a moment she thinks she hears him wrong— no way the giant soldier is down for movie night with her. Shouldn’t he be telling her to go back to bed? Telling her that it isn’t in his job description to babysit her— to keep her entertained? Surely he doesn’t actually want to watch a movie.
“You don’t have to—”
“Actually, I do.” Oh yeah. He has to follow her wherever she goes. She almost forgot that she might die.
Die for what— wanting to watch a god damn movie?
“Forget it— it was stupid.”
She goes to brush past him, tucking her shoulders up and into her neck, trying to put some space between them as she tucks tail and slips back towards the bed. Talk about a busted ego.
A hand curls around her forearm, halting her retreat. “Let’s watch a movie— can’t sleep anyway.”
She swallows thickly. If she were to turn her cheek a few inches she is sure it would brush against his shoulder.
“Are you sure?”
“‘Course I am.”
She nods— she knows he can’t see her but she doesn’t trust her voice— and that’s how she ends up watching Mean Girls with a man large enough to rip her in half with his bare hands. A few times she glances over at him, searching through the glow of the TV to the other side of the supple leather couch where his gaze remains locked on the screen. She’s even sure she hears a few breathy laughs— like he’s trying not to laugh but he can’t help it.
The big bad bodyguard likes chick flicks.
About halfway through something unexpected happens— her eyelids begin to heavy. It’s stange, the clock on the wall reads only slightly past two in the morning. She never sleeps before six. Regardless, though, she curls her legs into her body, tucking them under the hoodie she had replaced before leaving the room. Her head slopes against the arm of the couch, eyes fluttering a few times before dropping shut. She’s not going to sleep, obviously— just resting her eyes.
She feels something heavy pool on her lap and the faintest wisps of fingers— some warm and some cold— adjusting the new weight. It brushes against her shin— a blanket. He put a blanket on her. She pulls it closer, dragging it over her cheek, trying her best to stave off the sleep tugging at her limbs. Maybe a conversation will help. There are a few things she’s been meaning to tell him.
“I didn’t mind it.” She whispers it but she’s sure he can hear her over the all but muted TV.
The couch cushions shift, sinking for a moment before stilling. She can picture him facing her now, his head tilted, blue eyes serious. Always on alert, always ready to defend.
“What?” He even sounds defensive— like he’s waiting for her to drop a bomb on him.
Silly man, can’t you see that she can barely even force the last word out of her mouth with how tired she is?
“Doll. I—” she yawns, pulling her limbs closer to her, tucking a hand under her head— “I didn’t mind it.”
He doesn’t say anything right away. If it were daytime she’s sure she would have cared but for now she’s okay not feeling any of the prescribed embarrassment.
“Oh.”
She doesn’t say anything else, only snuggles deeper into the arm of the couch. It must be the exhaustion talking— that’s what she’ll tell herself tomorrow anyway when she’s forced to confront this conversation again. For now she just gives in, letting herself fall into the darkness without fear for what feels like the first time in months.
_________________
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