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kiara-carrera · 3 years

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“actually i’m…i’m really not okay.” + Leah for the comfort starters?

convinced you can somehow read my mind across the internet because you're always picking the best prompts for them like this allowed me to write a hc that's been living in my head since may anyways. i also wanna fight myself bc this is like 3 fucking thousand words and its super fucking sad idk why i did this to myself.

content warning for parental abuse and a mention of alcoholism.

In the middle of the night, something brushed against her face.

She was asleep on her side, some of her hair falling into her eyes, but it was swept aside, the feeling tickling her skin and it caused her to stir briefly. But her eyes stayed shut and she merely burrowed deeper into her pillow.

Leah had never been much of a light sleeper, but the feeling of her bed dipping next to her seemed to rouse her enough.

It took her a moment to settle into waking, eyes fluttering and lips smacking together tiredly to combat the dryness of her mouth. A tiny yawn escaped her, her eyes doing their best to adjust to the darkness of her room, the only source of light being the sparse moonlight that trickled in through her window.

It was enough to make out the shape beside her.

Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of them sitting on her bed, arm pulling back towards itself. It felt like something out of a horror movie or perhaps the evening news with the headline of a teenager being stolen from their bedroom. Fear gripped at her with icy hands, eyes widening at the realization that someone was in her room with her.

Lips parted, she was a mere second away for screaming out for her father and brother before a shred of moonlight at just the right second highlighted the unruly blond hair of the intruder.

Pushing up on one shaky hand, she asked, “JJ?”

Leah’s sleep addled voice cut through the silence, a harsh and hurried whisper into the dark. If it truly was JJ sitting on her bed, the volume would need to be kept near silent — she wouldn’t put it past Jack Thompson to treat JJ like an actual intruder.

The voice that replied was unmistakably that of her boyfriend’s, a little tired and a little sheepish. “Hey baby.”

Relief flooded her body and she allowed herself to slump back down into her pillow, a quiet groan escaping her lips. “Jesus fucking Christ, JJ, I thought you were a serial killer. What the hell?”

She couldn’t really see the expression on his face, but she saw him look down at his hands. “Wanted to see you.”

“You wanted to see me at —” She paused, turning to squint at the alarm clock beside her bed, neon numbers vibrant in the dark. “Two am? How the hell did you even get in?”

“Window.” He jutted a thumb behind him in its direction as if to make his point. In an attempt at lighthearted conversation, he jokingly added, “You know, you should really lock that thing.”

Leah pulled a face, disbelief coating her features. Sleep was still mulling in her brain and she couldn’t for the life of her make sense of this situation. It wasn’t the first time JJ had ever snuck into her room. Even before they were dating, he’d mastered slipping in through her window often enough that he even knew which floorboards would creak loudly under his boots.

But the difference between then and now was that this was the first time he’d done it without warning. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d come unannounced like this. It had to have been months ago, when he’d shown up after —

Fuck.

Leah pushed herself back up on her elbow, a sense of unease washing over her as she squinted at her boyfriend in the dark. The last time he’d shown up unannounced in the middle of the night, it hadn’t been for a midnight make out session or because he’d randomly wanted to spend the night — he’d had a bruised cheek and a busted lip, compliments of his father.

He’d dripped blood on her floor by accident and she’d nearly woken up her brother while getting the first aid kit from the bathroom. She’d gotten a mini one from the dollar store the next day to keep in her dresser just in case.

Except, she didn’t want there to be a just in case. Didn’t want there to be a next time. She’d cleaned JJ up from multiple fights in her time as his best friend and now girlfriend, but nothing left her with a pit in her stomach like cleaning him up after his dad was through with him.

“You didn’t come here from the Chateau, did you?”

It was phrased as a question, but it was more of a statement. JJ shifted awkwardly in his spot beside her. Even if she could make out his expression in the dark, he wouldn’t look at her anyways.

“Lee ...” He trailed off, almost as if he wanted to ask her to drop it.

But he knew her and he knew she wouldn’t. “J, did you go back to your place tonight?”

A small noise of discontent escaped him, but he nodded his head.

“Got into it with my dad,” he finally admitted, letting out a chuckle. It was meant to play off the situation, but there wasn’t a single trace of humor in the bitter sound.

Despite how tired she felt, eyelids heavy enough to drag her back under, that single sentence seemed to wake her up just enough. She squinted at him in the dark, heart thumping a little quicker in her chest as she blindly reached for the lamp on her bedside table.

It switched on, bathing the room in a soft glow as Leah pushed herself up into a sitting position. She blinked a few times, letting the now lit room to come in to focus, a hand reaching up to try and rub the rest of the sleep from her eyes.

Her gaze eventually landed on her boyfriend, looking uncomfortable as ever under her gaze. His hat was in his lap, hands wrung into it, while his hair looked like he’d raked his fingers through it anxiously a number of times on the way over. And his eyes, normally cheery and mischievous, looked almost hollow, a glossy sheen to the redness that surrounded the blue of his irises.

He looked ... broken and Leah’s heart stuttered a bit at the dejected expression he wore.

She’d never considered herself violent or capable of truly hurting anyone, but it was moments like these where she swore she could put Luke Maybank six feet under if she put her mind to it.

Unless he drunk himself to death first.

JJ watched on quietly as she let her eyes trail across his face intently, no doubt scanning for new scrapes or bruises or split lips. A twinge of guilt flickered in his eyes, one that Leah ignored. She didn’t care if he felt like he was burdening her or that he felt bad knowing she was expecting him to be dripping blood on her floor like he had one too many times before.

She didn’t care about that, because all she wanted was to make sure he was okay.

Leah hated when he went home. She knew that JJ was too proud to spend every night at the Chateau and knew he thought he could handle himself on the off chance that he ran into his dad. Rarely, though, did that seem to be the case.

“It wasn’t like that,” JJ supplied, noticing the way her eyes strayed to his shirt, more than likely wondering if there were bruises littering the skin it covered. “He was too drunk to start anything physical. Probably would’ve tripped over himself before he got two feet.”

Leah nodded, though his admission didn’t do much to quell her nerves. She didn’t know much about Luke Maybank to start with, but something told her his words were probably as painful as his hits.

After a moment, once she decided that his face looked the way it had when she’d seen him yesterday, save for the frown and his bloodshot eyes, some of the tension in her shoulders relaxed. Not all of it, though, because her mind had already started jumping to the next possible idea of what exactly had happened in the Maybank home earlier that night.

“Do you ... do you wanna talk about it?” she asked gently, tucking her legs under her.

Getting JJ to open up was ... tricky. Leah had been around him long enough that she could clock his bad moods at the drop of a hat, could read most emotions swirling in his eyes like second nature.

Noticing something was wrong, that something was eating away at him, was easy. Getting him to verbalize it and let her in fully was the hard part. Even around the Pogues, around Leah, JJ held a certain level of walls up. Thoughts and secrets and the level of abuse at the hand of his father that he kept guarded for one reason or another. There were things that they knew, things that they found out on accident or because he’d hit his breaking point, but Leah wouldn’t be surprised if there was a whole slew of things she didn’t know.

Her heart clenched painfully at the thought, but it didn’t surprise her when JJ waved off her question.

“Nah, it's not a big deal,” JJ replied easily, brushing it off as he adjusted his position on her bed.

He forced another smile on his lips as he regarded her. It was one that almost looked genuine. Almost. It might have fooled someone who didn’t know him well into thinking that he was fine, someone who wouldn’t pick up on the way he was fidgeting with his rings or how he seemed incapable of looking her in the eye for more than a brief moment before glancing away. But Leah wasn’t just someone and she could pick up on his unease just as easily as she was taking her breaths.

Because Leah knew when JJ wasn’t okay. She always knew.

Treading lightly, like she was dealing with a deer who might spook, she said, “Well, it must have been if you came all this way here.”

Annoyance wrinkled his expression. Tossing his hat to the side, he asked, “Can’t a guy just stop by to see his girlfriend?”

“JJ, it’s two in the morning,” she told him seriously.

His frown deepened. She could see his jaw clench and he nodded his head a few times. “Yeah, okay, you know what, this was fucking stupid. I’ll just leave then if you’re gonna keep looking at me like that.”

She knew the that in question was the pity he was probably reading across her face. But the problem was that she didn’t pity him, she was worried for him, but JJ never seemed to know the difference between the two.

The sight of him getting up and turning to head back towards her window had Leah lurching forward, hand circling around his wrist. “Hey, hey,” she whispered, giving his arm a tug. “No, J, don’t leave, please, c’mon.”

At her pleading tone, he halted, a sigh escaping him. It took another moment before he was sitting back down, a frown still etched on his face.

Leah’s hand slipped from his wrist and she longed to twine their fingers together but she didn’t in favor of scooting a little closer to him on her bed. She tilted her head a bit, trying her best to get eye contact with him.

He finally sighed and looked up at her, another sigh slipping past his lips. “Lee ...”

“Look, I’m not trying to push it, okay?” She bit her lip, thinking over her next words carefully. She didn’t know how many times she could successfully talk him out of leaving tonight. “I just ... I get worried. If you really don’t wanna talk, we don’t have to. We can just go to sleep and leave it, but I need you to know that I will listen if you wanna talk. You came all this way here and it’s so late and I know —”

“I just wanted to see you,” he repeated, cutting her off. There was no edge to his voice. Instead it was softer, a tone that suggested there was more to it. Unconvincingly, he added, “I’m fine, Lee.”

A shaky breath left Leah’s lips, tears beginning to sting at the back of her eyes. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Her words sat in the air for a few moments. Or maybe it was minutes. JJ was watching her intensely and Leah could almost see the legions of thoughts bouncing around his head at her statement. His eyes were glassier than ever, tears brimming along the edges. He chewed on his lip anxiously and Leah could do nothing but wait for him to make the next move.

When he did, she was certain her heart broke.

“Actually I’m ...” JJ’s voice was thick with emotion and his breath hitched in his throat as his bravado began cracking under her thoughtful gaze. He couldn’t meet her eyes again when he choked out, “I’m really not okay.”

The first tear betrayed him, dripping down his cheek and disappearing somewhere on his shirt.

“Oh, JJ,” Leah whispered, her soft voice, laced with unmeasurable concern, nailing the coffin shut.

Within seconds, tears began streaming down his face as the dam finally broke.

Leah was quick to shuffle across her bed, the last bits of sleepiness washing off her like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. Her arms were curling around him tightly, pulling him into her as the first sob racked through his body. His face was pressed into her neck, the collar of her shirt dampening with his tears.

He was mumbling into her, words muffled by her skin and her shirt, fragmented by the sobs that snuck through. She could only make out pieces, the words hate it and hate him and sorry repeating more times than she could count.

“I’ve got you,” she mumbled into his hair, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I’ve got you.”

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her even closer, impossibly close, like he didn’t think she’d stay with him.

But there was nowhere else she’d ever dream of being, not when he was like this.

This wasn’t the first time Leah had seen JJ cry. While he always tried to hold up a devil may care attitude, the wild Pogue image, the view of a kid from the Cut with no worries besides keggers and weed, there were times where he’d hit his breaking point in the past. She’d seen it before, seen the facade shatter like glass against the floor. There was only so long he could go on being strong, feelings bottled up inside him like a ticking time bomb, before he’d burst.

Another sob wracked through him, a quiet and painful noise buried into her neck.

“I just want it to stop,” he told her between hurried gulps of air. “I’m so fucking sick of it.”

Leah’s eyes squeezed shut and she ran a comforting hand through his hair. She told him, “I know, J, I know,” because what else was there for her to say? What else was there for her to do in moments like these?

Anger burned in Leah’s chest, a sudden hot feeling, akin to a pot left to boil over on the stove. It was seeping into her veins as she listened to his cries,

Anger at the world, because it took people like JJ and put them through hell. He was sixteen. Sixteen fucking years old and this was the shit that he had to deal with. This was his reality. It was two in the goddamn morning and instead of being asleep in his own bed, safe and loved by his own fucking father, he was here in pieces because of him.

Anger at his father, for being such a useless sack of shit. Who did this to their child? Who could look at a kid like JJ and do nothing but tear them down until they started believing the lies being fed to them? Leah hated him, she’d decided that long ago. Hated him more than she’d ever hated anyone in her life and the feeling of JJ shuddering under her hands only seemed to make it run deeper.

And then there was the anger at herself, because she knew there wasn’t enough that she could do. She could patch up his wounds and hold him tight, could let him cry in her arms until he had nothing left to give, and it would never be enough. She couldn’t fix the world for him and there weren’t enough words in the world to describe how important he was, how special, how loved. His father’s words would always exist somewhere in the back of his mind and she wasn’t sure she knew how to combat them with ones of her own.

It pained her to think he’d believe any of it. To think he was worthless or going nowhere or a waste of space. She wasn’t sure exactly what Luke had said to him tonight, could only guess, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt, with every fiber of her goddamn being that they were lies.

Leah knew JJ. She knew every reason that she loved him was because he was unapologetically him. He could be brash and impulsive and crude and he didn’t always say or do the right thing. But she also knew that when it came down to it, he was loyal and brave and selfless and better than anyone on this goddamn island. He deserved the goddamn world. He deserved a mansion on the Eight with a koi pond and a ridiculous marble statue or Yucatán and lobsters and surfing all day and whatever else he wanted and it was because he was better than the world gave him credit for.

Tears of her own were pooling in her eyes, steadily dripping down her face as she rested her chin against the top of his head. She knew in that moment that this, being here with him right now, letting him deal with this pain in whatever way he needed to, was all she could offer him. She knew it didn’t come close to what he needed, but she’d hold him as long as he wanted.

As he clutched at her like a lifeline, Leah held him a little bit tighter.

#asks #comfort prompts #mayson #will i ever let them have a fun happy time??#claryxjackson

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bunny-hoodlum · 4 years

Text

Don't Leave Her(e)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20434955/chapters/48480602

Sasuke follows an Otsutsuki into a world very much like our own.

It lead him farther than he’s ever gone.

A new dimension opened up to him.

He would like to get used to this by now, but no. His Space-Time dojutsu still left him winded.

He stepped out of the side of a building into a narrow alley, the abyssal portal closing behind him.

An assortment of unknown sounds bombarded his senses, so loud they seemed in competition.

Chugging, whirring, whooshing. Blaring horns not unlike the those on the freight ships back home. There were beeps that stuttered and others that dragged on.

Amongst the din was a constant shuffling like a herd in the distance. There too played music with instruments he’d never heard before.

It was rather… chirpy.

A noisy creak alerted him. A door a few feet to Sasuke’s left opened outwards and a man in a white apron and white hat stepped out, trash bag in hand.

But…

Sasuke hadn’t sensed him.

The man took no notice of Sasuke as he headed for the dumpster. Soon as he tossed the bag in and headed for the door, he halted to a stop.

The cook scrutinized him for a good minute.

“Ain’t never seen anyone wear a cape so casually, ‘cept the cosplayers on the bridge. You lost?”

Sasuke shook his head. “Just passing through.”

The cook craned his head back, looking down his nose. “Uh-huh. From where?”

Sasuke looked to his right, taking note that the alley lead to a brick wall. The building ahead appeared to be five storeys tall, its fire escape evidently unused.

Having no answer, Sasuke strode for the exit.

“Wait. Wait now, hold-” The cook grasped at Sasuke’s left arm, only to come up empty. “-up?” His grip slackened enough for Sasuke to slip through.

Leaving the alleyway had been like emerging from a tunnel of ignorance.

The world opened up to him, blinding at first, then overwhelming with the sheer activity of life all around him.

Thousands of people filled these streets. Phones to their heads and bags in their arms. Vehicles he’d never dreamed before sped along what seemed like a concrete river. Monitors which hung off of the faces of sky-reaching buildings flashed obnoxiously with gleaming faces and polished products.

A monstrous scream accompanied by an enormous shadow swept overhead, spiking his heart rate.

A giant bird?

No. It had a long, conical body with a tail like a shark and blades for wings. It was evidently metal, shining white as it hummed fiercely towards its descent.

An old anecdote from Naruto’s teen years came to mind, the only one where he rode upon a giant flying island turtle. But he doubted Naruto could help him understand this UFO any better, even if he was here.

Upon closer inspection, Sasuke noticed something: It had a bright red emblem on its tail.

A red leaf.

_____

The trail was gone.

Sasuke cursed his luck.

Perhaps they had merely passed through this realm.

But now Sasuke was stranded until his chakra replenished enough for another crossing. At this point, he was more inclined to return home than follow a cold trail.

Sasuke tugged at the collar of his cape, sweat slicking down his skin. The gesture brought more attention to himself, based on the passive stares he was receiving.

Just like back in his world, it was the height of summer.

He was missing the summer solstice festival. He couldn’t promise to go with them. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t like to.

Sakura said she’d send him pictures. She already showed him the yukata Sarada would be wearing. He wouldn’t be able to see the pictures until he got back, though.

The season was the same, but somehow it was much more stifling than he was used to.

Actually, it was a lot more of many things he was used to.

For starters, the roads back in his world are never this crowded. He feels like a minnow swimming against a current of impatient salmon, ready to be tossed out.

How is it that there are this many people existing in a single mile radius, and yet they have no perceivable life force?

He just couldn’t get his head around it.

_____

Sasuke needs to get his bearings.

He needs to prevent the Otsutsuki from feeding off any more God Trees.

What if there was one here?

It was worth to check.

Finding relief away from the crowds, Sasuke stepped into a wide side street. Square stone seats and benches lined the center, offset by a series of shrubs encased in stone boxes.

Shops lined either side, and overhead were diamond-shaped awnings that spanned the entire arcade.

As Sasuke strode past an eatery of sorts, cool mist struck his eyes and mouth.

He jumped back slightly, ignoring the looks from the customers seated in the patio dining area. From the awning of the restaurant was a system of black devices attached by a black wire. From the mouth of these devices spewed a constant production of mist that shrouded much of the patio from the summer heat.

Sasuke reminded himself to move on. And to stop getting surprised by the little things.

He was only bound to run into more.

____

This was the first time he’s seen Sarada since she was born.

She was two now.

Sakura held their toddler, her expression warm and a little exasperated as Sarada grabbed onto his forefinger.

Quite the grip.

Sarada began nomming on his finger.

Oh. That’s what she wanted it for.

“She’s been teething,” Sakura said. “I’ve tried frozen mochi, a homemade anesthetic gel, my parents stopped by with a kokeshi, all with limited success…”

Sasuke smiled at his adorable daughter. The hard bumps of her budding front teeth not unlike a dog’s play-bites, and he felt strangely proud of her. Proud of her health, her growth.

“I’m sorry to leave you with everything, Sakura.”

Deep down, he’d love to trade places with his wife, to experience the same joys and stresses as her.

She waved him off. “We’ve already discussed this. You’re fighting for peace of mind. Someday Sarada-chan will understand.”

Sasuke’s jaw shifted.

Because on his worst days, he hardly understood himself at all.

_____

It’s when Sasuke finally takes a moment to purchase food at a nearby grill stand that he realizes his currency is unrecognizable.

Figures.

He’s concerned he’ll have to make multiple trips back to this world. In which case, he better make the most of his time gathering intelligence.

His phone doesn’t work.

Of course. Why would it?

He has access to Konoha’s main databank; what Shiho and her ever expanding department of coders call 'the Intranet’. But here, nothing.

He thinks his technology may not be up to date, let alone remotely compatible. Another thing to look into, for sure.

Sasuke folds the phone closed and rests his mouth against the flat of his fingers.

His hard stare into the distance gains focus as he registers something. There on the television screen appears to be a familiar face.

But that had to be a mistake.

Sasuke got up from the stone bench and approached the store window displaying various TVs.

One had a drama, not unlike the new form of scripted entertainment cropping up in his world. Another showed a man at a desk and two other men were seated off to the side. There was a martial arts tourney held in an octogonal ring there, horses racing along a dirt oblong on this screen, and six people in brightly colored jumpsuits struggling up a flight of white stairs over on this screen. Why they kept falling down and getting back up, he didn’t understand.

But he imagined Naruto wanting to give it a try.

Ignoring these distractions, the one thing that really pulled at his gaze was the news coverage.

PM Sarutobi Extends Visit to Kumo no Kuni

That was him.

That was really him.

Liver spots and all.

Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He looked so different out of the robes and hat. The dark gray suit was tailored to fit, emphasizing his diminutive stature. He wasn’t that old yet, but he was getting there, and he would likely only continue to shrink.

Just when Sasuke’s imperfect reasoning had begun to toy with the possibility of reincarnation, Hiruzen was shown seated at a conference desk beside none other than A himself.

And the old hard-ass still had both arms.

Sasuke rubbed at forehead, shutting his eyes as he tried to process everything.

His forehead rubbing soon upgraded to firmly knocking against his skull.

No. He didn’t understand it all.

_____

He pressed his mouth to his wife’s small, round shoulder, earning a low, drawn-out moan.

A sharp wail disrupted this evening of stolen kisses and Sakura pulled away, suppressing her groan.

“Let me soothe her. It may be nightmares again.” She said, getting up.

Again, huh? Sasuke wondered what a three year old had to be afraid of.

His hand was on her shoulder in no time. He dipped in for a quick peck. “Get yourself ready for me. I’ll be back in a minute.”

His wife’s blush stirred the want more as she nodded obediently and reclined into bed.

Slipping out into the hallway, he made it to Sarada’s room.

She was standing and clutching at the rails of her crib. Her hiccups were frequent, almost violent and her sobs frantic.

She spotted him in the doorway, and it was like an instant switch. “Papa.” She chirped matter-of-factly.

He always wondered if it had been Sakura’s idea to teach her 'papa’ over anything else.

His father had always been 'Chichi-ue’ to him.

But Sasuke had demurred from taking the mantle of clan head. He had far too much to do. He had been the final Uchiha, the last true heir and he ran their name into the ground with his so-called 'wilding’ as Kakashi-sensei liked to tease. He needed to clean the slate. He needed to earn back his place.

Sasuke lifted Sarada up, inspecting her face for any trace of fear or sadness.

“Papa.” She reached for him, arms waving. She was perfectly fine now. He did say he would only need a minute.

As soon as Sasuke put her down, the pained screams started again. And in a panic, he scooped her up again.

Her big black eyes stared at him expectantly.

What was he supposed to do during this part?

_____

There was a curious amount of disquiet in a world so peaceful that Sasuke had to wonder what prevented it from falling apart at all.

Jashinist Slain after Tokonoha Commissioner General Indicates Group’s hand in The Nines Incident

“… There’s a lot of misconceptions going around about what we worship and the nature of our rituals. But it’s all purely symbolic. We invite people to see for their own eyes that we are not dangerous…”

Sasuke heavily doubted there were any misconceptions.

Former PM Senju Hashirama’s Legacy Brought Into Question

Sasuke wasn’t ready to go down that rabbit hole again.

Uzushio-Hi no Kuni Relations Worsen as the Fifth Anniversary of the Nines Incident Draws Near

“… They refuse to release the full list of the victims names. My daughter was nine months pregnant at the time. I just want to take her home. I just want to bury my daughter…”

Sasuke had the vaguest dread as to what this 'Nines Incident’ meant in this world.

But if there was no monster here like Kurama, then to what scale had been this destruction?

Momochi Zabuza Evades Arrest for Botched Attempt Against LDP’s Oppositional Leader

Apparently some things never change.

Whatever the current climate of unrest seemed to be, he sense no threat of war.

Perhaps this world was too big to suffer as a whole.

Some people may get scratched off, but that’s all it is: A scratch.

Had the massacre never happened and his grandparents passed away of old age, he likely wouldn’t have been able to muster a misty eye. He barely knew them enough at the time to be fond of them.

Sasuke’s world is vast, but the lines between territory and loyalties are clear.

A single domino can topple an entire nation.

Was a single domino enough for this world to fall too?

_____

Night had fallen and the streets had emptied.

The alleys and roadsides took up bedraggled, bearded men resting on their cardboard beds.

But then Sasuke came upon a man in a nice suit, face down in the street. He wasn’t injured, Sasuke soon found. Just black-out drunk.

Sasuke shifted him upright and leaned him against a nearby wooden bench. Sasuke paused to observe his breathing.

It was going to take some getting used to, not being able to sense life in the way that was so innate to him.

A place like this would be absolute hell for Karin.

Sasuke had noticed the CCTVs for some time.

It was better he didn’t perform any strange acrobatics for the time being.

_____

Sasuke toyed with the idea of creating an assumed identity.

He didn’t know how long it would take him to be sure this world wasn’t cultivating a God Tree. He wouldn’t be able to stay anonymous for long.

He would need to adapt to this world’s level of technology, as well. Seeing the wires pulled away from the sides of buildings, suspended instead upon metal spires that looked tadpole tails, he knew there was a difference in the logic of their engineering. If it wasn’t simply ahead of theirs, it was surely done out of necessity and perhaps tradition.

Back home, the wires were visible, running alongside buildings, homes and roofs like arteries.

Shinobi, who often travelled above the ground, had no fear of snagging their ankles or neck. The design, therefore, was their tradition, their necessity.

One final thing he became aware of the sheer amount of individual businesses packed in a single mile radius. Cafes, clothing stores, electronics, furniture, groceries, these things seemed to have fused at the hip, forcing new businesses to build atop them like bricks.

Perhaps commerce was the blood of society in this world.

Perhaps this was what the so-called End of History was to look like.

When all wars are settled, there is nothing else to do but play with money.

_____

An unassuming stone staircase caught his attention, for it lead three flights down into a darkened, verdant park.

The walking path wove like a snake between the trees.

Black metal trash cans stood along the trail here and there. Green dispensers carried rolls of black bags. They sported a sign, showing a stick figure stooping over behind a dog.

Huh. He wondered what that Inuzuka boy would think of this.

Sasuke took a seat on a lone wooden bench. He craned his head back to rest.

But when he closed his eyes, he became unsettled.

Even if he relied on his ears, or that subconscious instinct that told him when he was being watched (an ability he decided that had to be vestigial from being an indirect descendant of Kaguya), his senses still sought out the flickering warmth of chakra.

Closing his eyes felt like he was sinking into a place he could never wake up from.

_____

Something scurried in the distance. Through the bushes. Too big to be a squirrel or stray mutt.

Sasuke lurched upright and there peeking out from behind a tree was a little girl.

She had straight, dark hair in a cropped princess cut style. Her skin was white, her eyes blue, and she couldn’t be older than four or five.

Unsure what to do, Sasuke waved at her.

And she waved back.

Sasuke reached into his vest pocket, digging out four pieces of hard candy in paper wrappers.

Sarada snuck them in when he wasn’t looking.

Black tea flavor. Sakura said they were her favorite.

Sasuke leaned forward, elbow propped on his knee and he held the candy out towards.

In the back of his mind, this gesture felt a little shady to him. If some strange man happened to offer his daughter her favorite candy, he would be inclined to reveal the hilt of his sword.

The little girl stepped out from behind the tree.

She took one little step. Hesitated. Then another little step. She repeated this pattern, when halfway her eyes brightened and she ran up to him.

She reached for the candy, her hand hovering short of grabbing one while her big eyes implored him for his approval.

“They’re for you, from my daughter. She told me sweets should be shared amongst friends.” A total fabrication, but how else was she going to trust him?

The little girl plucked a single candy from his palm and fished it out of its paper wrapper, then popped it in her mouth.

She then grabbed another one and held it out towards him.

Oh yeah. He did say sweets should be shared amongst friends.

Pocketing the other two pieces, he accepted the candy from her. He gazed at it reluctantly. He’s had these in his pocket for over a week. A gift from Sarada, perhaps even a bribe in her mind to get him to stay. For him, they were precious keepsakes.

Well, it wasn’t like he was never going to see her again.

Sasuke worked the candy from its wrapper with his thumb, popped it into his mouth and let the flavor meld onto his saliva. It was pleasant and smooth, not too sweet at all. An unassuming treat.

The little girl’s face began to scrunch and droop, as if she were working on a cough drop instead.

“Don’t like it?”

She shrugged. Through a mouthful of darkened saliva, she said. “Not sweet enough.”

“Hn. What’s your name?” Sasuke began to cautiously eye the toddler. Her lavender pants were soaked with muddied water from the knees down. Her white shoes were caked in mud as well. Her elbows were scuffed, giving him the impression that she must have fallen. Her skin and her hair were otherwise clean, showing that she was not like those downtrodden men from earlier.

It must be that she was only gone recently enough that her family wasn’t looking for her yet. But that would change soon if he didn’t act.

She looked at him funny for asking. “Hinata.”

In this world full of coincidences, time seemed to slow to a halt.

And in the brief seconds when her eyes would close, a round, timid face from his childhood replaced hers with perfect sameness.

“How old are you?”

She thrusted four fingers towards him.

He hoped this wasn’t somehow her.

“Is your birthday soon?”

She shook her head. “Too hot. Us'lly snow comes out to celebrate with me.”

No. This was just a coincidence. She couldn’t possibly be who he thought she was.

She scooted towards him, hands clutching the edges of his cape. He stiffened, hoping she wouldn’t see the scabbard angled against his back.

“Aniki, you taking me back to daddy now?”

Sasuke clasped his hand over hers and nodded.

_____

Sasuke stood in the hallway, holding Sarada against him as Sakura slipped her shoes on in the genkan.

“I’m not going to be gone long, but you sure you’re going to be okay with her?”

“She’s sleeping.” What was there to worry about?

Sakura brushed her bangs aside, looking torn between leaving him or staying.

They were short on groceries. Sakura’s director duties at the children’s clinic had cut into the little free time she had, and his appearance today had been spontaneous to say the least.

“Okay.” She finally said. “I’m leaving now.”

“Take care.”

This was all he could do really.

Sakura knew what they needed, what they usually stocked up on when he wasn’t around. She most likely felt compelled to pick up extra things now that he was here. And with his self-imposed penance, he wasn’t going to be much help carrying all of that back from the marketplace had he gone instead.

This was all that he could do.

_____

Hinata’s resting against him just like Sarada was that day. She seems to have taken to him quite easily.

It’s calming, going for a walk like this. He thinks of doing with this Sarada some day, before she got too big of course, with Sakura’s hand curled around his bicep.

Their village was beautiful, and there’s so much to try and explore. He keeps hearing about it. It’s Naruto’s pride and joy to share how it was evolving, expanding. Rokudaime must be proud, too. He tries to say he’s just a holdover Hokage until Naruto is ready, but no one was going to let Kakashi talk himself down like that.

Every day something new sprouted up to the point that an official newsletter had begun to circulate through the village. Naruto told him the first time he, Hinata and Boruto had waited in the longest line ever for the new bakery that had debuted right across Dango-ya.

Sasuke understood right away: Competition is good for growth.

The city lights greeted them as he drew closer to the shops he had ventured passed during his first hours. Their windows were darkened however, and he believed it was well past business hours.

But in a place this developed, he was banking on one thing: Finding a convenience store.

Konoha was beginning to have shops like these.

Naruto wrote him once, (back at a time when neither of them were quite accustomed to their phones just yet), and he had gone on and on about the selection of instant ramen he had discovered on their shelves.

He sounded just like his twelve-year-old self. As excitable and single-minded as ever.

Hinata started to squirm against his shoulder. She was getting antsy.

“You hungry?” He asked.

“Mmhm.”

She hadn’t been able to tell him much about her home or where it was, but taking her sullied state into account, he felt he could narrow it down. This place was like a paved island. His search would have to begin outside of its limits.

“How come you weren’t scared of me?”

She shrugs. “I have a lotta big brothers. You look like them.”

Interesting. Sasuke tried to picture Hiashi with a whole brood of boys. In that picture, Neji stormed in, fending off anyone who would dare replace him as her most beloved brother.

Sasuke had heard from Naruto how the reformed branch member had become so fiercely protective of his younger cousin. To think the key to Neji’s freedom from hate had been one withheld letter penned to him by his father. Why it had been revealed so late, Sasuke failed to understand. But for all the pain Sasuke had caused, he kind of envied Neji for being able to make it back home so easily.

“So what do you mean I look like them?”

Bright white lights beamed out of a squat building, their white and blue sign shining just as brightly.

“They wear dark clothes, their hair is dark, the faces they make are dark.”

“They scowl at you?”

They crossed the parking out and entered inside. A synthetic bell tone welcomed them.

“Not at me. I seen them look mean at someone else’s brothers.”

“Hn.”

They began to peruse the shelves. Sasuke considered finding something that Sarada would enjoy.

Royal Milk Tea Biscuits? Matcha Chews?

Hinata pointed at a row of packaged cinnamon rolls, and Sasuke frowned.

He picked it up in a hurry and the moment the cashier stepped outside the back door, Sasuke slipped out the front.

Just a pile of coincidences, he reminded himself.

_____

There was a booth up ahead, lonely and a little out of place.

A man in uniform idled inside on a chair, his legs pointed out towards the street. His clothes were shades of blue, dark pants and dark vest, pale dress shirt and a dark, brimmed hat with a golden emblem on the center.

Hinata stirred and pointed towards the man. “He knows my daddy!”

Sasuke slowed, wary of catching the man’s suspicion. “Does he?”

Hinata nodded vigorously. “They’re in my house all the time.”

What the hell does that mean?

The closer Sasuke neared, the more his gut told him what kind of person this was: Law Enforcement.

“Aniki, he can help us.”

“Yeah, I know…”

It would be the quickest, most sane thing to do. But it wasn’t in the cards right now.

They’d want ID, a home address…

“Sorry Hinata-chan, but we can’t trust him.”

She peered up at him for a beat before settling back down. “Okay. My daddy says that, too.”

Sasuke kept his head down, forcing himself to make it past detection.

Naruto had come to him one day on behalf of Rokudaime. They wanted to reinvigorate the police force, build it up to its former glory. Sandaime had long relied on ANBU to keep the order, and Godaime after him, but that was no longer viable.

Because the police force was no longer being placed upon a single clan, they were working on the interviewing process, as well as reviewing the previous standard of regulations. A copy of the citizen registry, alongside an old compilation of past arrest records found in his father’s preserved study had given him significant insight for updating those regulations.

The last thing Sasuke needed was to get detained. Kamui wasn’t even an option, not unless the situation were truly dire.

“Where’s your daughter?” Hinata asked out of the blue.

“She’s at home.”

“And what are you doing here?”

“I’m working.”

“Oh.”

_____

In his attempts to have more presence in Sarada’s life, this too has been occurring just as frequently.

The first time he heads for the genkan, his sandals are missing.

He finds them in the storage room.

The next time they’re missing, Sakura screeches.

They’re in the toilet.

The next time they’re in the trash, soaked in melon juice and forcibly hidden beneath discarded egg shells, bok choy stalks, and styrofoam meat trays.

Sakura gets mad.

He doesn’t.

Sarada stops hiding his shoes.

So when he slips them on, a tiny crawling sensation lances up his spine. He stares down at the mess. He’s just pushed pudding everywhere, and it’s oozing between his bare toes.

When Sakura holds up Sarada towards him with an expectant glare, he pokes his wife’s forehead then Sarada’s, and takes his leave.

He didn’t know that was the wrong thing to do until the most recent incident.

His shoes are missing again.

They find Sarada in the backyard. She’s shoving large rocks down the high-tops of his right sandal. She’s thought this through. They’re too large to slide out of the cutouts on their own.

“SARADA!” Sakura scolds, marching towards their daughter.

Sarada whirls around on them in a panic. She grabs the left sandal, which has not been stuffed with rocks, and chucks it across the backyard with a bitter shout.

Sasuke grasps his wife’s wrist before she reaches their daughter, and it was the wrong thing to do.

“Are you going to do something this time?!” She wrenches her wrist free. His lack of response, his obvious lack of awareness earns his wife’s full ire. “Stop trying to be her friend. You are her father.”

“She’s little.”

“She’s being a brat. And you know why this keeps happening?!” Sakura grips his hand and hard. “Every time you’re here, you undermine me. She thinks its okay because you act the same no matter what she does. Is that fair? Is it fair that I have to be the bad guy all the time?”

His chest constricts. Any rebuttals he had were void as soon as he felt them on his tongue.

It startled him, the feeling that layers of happy illusions were peeling down all around him.

Sakura’s changed. Motherhood’s changed her. Of course it would. Of course she would know these things that he doesn’t know anything about. Of course.

But they became a mother and father at the same time. He thought… He thought that was it. Like he’d just been moved into a new squad with a higher promotion.

“I’m sorry-”

“Sasuke, I know. You’re always sorry. I know.”

Yeah. He was sorry his wife was still married to a teenager. He was sorry that he’s been disrupting the space she’s created for their daughter to grow in. Sorry he has nothing to contribute.

“Sasuke.” She urged. But she wasn’t giving up on him. She was trying to put him on the right path.

But he was still scared.

He didn’t want to be the bad guy, either.

“What should I do?”

Her grip softened. “Just be firm with her. She knows better than to disrespect someone else’ property.”

“Does she?”

“Yes. She plays with Choji’s girl. I’ve talked with you about this.”

“Yeah.” He doesn’t remember this at all.

'Firm’ she says. Right, his mother had been firm with him before. His father, instead, withheld praised Sasuke knew he deserved. They loved him, he knows. He isn’t mad. But when he recalls how he felt back then, he had doubts towards them. He felt like he wasn’t good enough for his father, that he was a needy nuisance towards his brother, that mom didn’t need to rely on him nearly as much as she did on Itachi’s successes.

In a single instance, he could cause his daughter as much pain as those moments had for him.

And he would carry that knowledge with him forever.

Sasuke stepped off the engawa and approached his little girl. He crouched down before her, holding her gaze like he was staring down ten thousand poison-tipped senbon.

“Sarada-chan, no matter what you do, you can’t stop me from leaving.” Straight facts. A three-foot tall four year couldn’t stop a shinobi of his caliber.

But that wasn’t what Sarada wanted to hear.

And that’s not how she heard it at all.

Her eyes widened, trembling. They were glassy with tears.

He moved forward to course correct, to hug her, to love her, but she stomped off for the discarded sandal.

Picking it up, she gives a running start and throws it even farther away, right into Sakura’s rose bushes.

Sarada ran off.

“SARADA! Sasuke, hold on, I’ll get her! Sarada!” Sakura sprinted off their property. It didn’t take long for her to scoop up their screaming toddler.

He watched his wife in a daze as she scolded Sarada so expertly, and in that moment he thinks that his and Naruto’s childhood roles have truly reversed.

No longer was Sasuke a natural at whatever he set out to do.

He was the useless one.

_____

“Are we going to walk there?”

Sasuke’s brows furrowed. “Is it too far?” Walking is the only way I get around. He wasn’t sure how Kamui would work on a powerless human, either.

“Yuh-huh. I was home with mommy. Then I was on a plane with mommy. Now I’m here… without mommy.”

Sasuke was about to ask what was a plane, until the last part.

“I thought we were looking for your dad.”

“Yes. Look only for dad.”

“But what about your mom? You were with her last, you shouldn’t run away.” He recalled the last time he saw Sarada bolting out the backyard. He wondered if he was causing not just resentment towards him, but towards Sakura as well. She didn’t deserve what was happening to her. He really hoped Sarada would understand some day.

A little fist came down on his shoulder and she began to kick. “She did it first! I want my daddy!” She flopped face-first against his shoulder, her frustration palpable.

“Okay, okay.” Sasuke awkwardly bounced her in his arm, something he happened to recall Sakura doing back when Sarada was much smaller.

“You don’t know where we are.” Hinata said.

“No.”

“I don’t know where we are.” She said.

“It’s okay. We’ll figure this out.”

“Nobody knows where we are.”

Sasuke bit down his tongue.

If he wasn’t careful, that part may not be true for very long.

#naruto fanfiction #sasuke uchiha #sarada #sakura haruno #sasusaku #hinata hyuga #Hinata Hyuuga #boruto era #modern au #worldhopping #multiverse #twoshot

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softforcal · 5 years

Text

Wild One : Prince!Luke

Summary: Prince AU in a reality where it’s modern but there are lots royal families ruling over small kingdoms. Luke is a flamboyant Prince with a reputation for being wild and a dick to everyone he meets. you’re a Princess and your families want you and Prince Luke to pretend to be in a relationship to make his reputation better with his impending coronation. this is practically princess diaries 2 fam. (Harry Styles makes a cameo because im a slut)

Warnings: okay so there are 4 or 5 steamy scenes. they’re each different but this is smut so: choking, spanking, dom Luke, a tad breeding kink, that sort of thing. slow burn, angst.

Word count: 14.5k

Note: this is a personal attack on @glitterprincelu. also, every link in this fic is for the same video because i am a hoe for it.

Here’s a taste so you know what you’re getting into:

Luke forced a similar smile, “you’re right sweetheart, i might be, but i’m sure you’ve heard other things, havent you?” his eyes bore into yours and you fidgeted in your seat slightly, “yes darling you know exactly what i’m talking about.” his voice lowered to something near a growl, “well let me make things clear for you. i’m a sex god. i fuck who i want, when i want, and the girls are grateful to have even a moment of my attention. they beg for it. my room had to be sound proofed so my name wouldn't ring through the hallways every night. the girls who i haven’t fucked, would give anything to have a chance at me and the one’s who have? well they would kill to have me again because the rumours are true baby, i’m that good.” your smile faltered slightly and Luke’s widened, “so if you’re going to talk about what you’ve heard of me, don’t cherry pick darling, you’ll be sorry if you do.”

-----------------------

It was two in the afternoon by the time Luke entered the palace, waltzing past the security as he dropped his large fur jacket on the ground, taking off his sunglasses and throwing them, there were always more where that came from.

“Luke!” His mother called as he began walking up the stairs to his room, “I need to talk to you.”

Luke stopped and let out a loud groan, “can’t it wait till later?”

The look his mother gave him said no as he sighed and followed her into the large living room area, flopping his long body onto a couch so he could kick off his gold boots and rub at his eyes, hands coming back speckled in sparkles.

splayed across the coffee table were tabloids. “this one’s new.” Luke grinned, picking up a magazine that showed him leaving the club with his arms around two models, a birthday hat on his head and his shirt missing, “they believed me when i said it was my birthday.”

“i’m sure that’s not true.” His mother sighed, eyes going down to the magazine covers as a look of distaste flashed across her face, “you’ve made quite a spectacle of yourself this month Luke.”

“been having fun.” he shrugged, tossing the magazine down as he studied the other covers.

The one from the month before when his buddy, ‘Prince Daddy Ashton’ as all the ladies call him, bought a yacht and proceeded to throw a week long rager on board. someone had leaked a picture of Luke wearing a captain’s hat and spraying two bottles of champagne all over a crowd of girls in bikinis.

then, of course, there was the cover that showed him in his beautiful golden crown and red cape getting a blowjob. that one had taught Luke that open windows were not a good idea when he had ladies over, it had also significantly tightened the on-ground security measures. it had been quite the scandal and no matter how many times Luke insisted that it was a one time thing and the girl had suggested it, people didn’t believe him.

Not that he cared at all. Luke was confident in himself and his life style. Being young, beautiful, filthy rich and royal had its perks.

“Do i need to worry about a new cover tomorrow? i’m sure your escapade last night was less than discrete.” his mother sighed.

Luke shrugged, “it was pretty tame.” he rubbed at his eyes again, more glitter transferring to his hand.

“your neck says otherwise my love.”

Luke laughed, “shit, forgot about that.” a small sound of movement drew his blue eyes to the door as a maid walked in, “you, whiskey, neat.” he said, snapping his fingers.

“he’ll have coffee.” his mother interjected, smiling nicely at the maid who scurried away.

Luke groaned loudly, “what do you want with me mother.” he only ever called her mother when he was hung over, which had been happening more and more frequently as of late, “i’m tired.”

“Your father is stepping down at the end of the year.” she stated.

“pfff.” Luke rolled his eyes, “as if.”

“I’m not joking Luke.”

“well what does this have to do with me, i’m sure Ben is ecstatic, he’ll finally be king-”

“Ben won’t be king, he did not score highest on the aptitude test.” Luke’s mother sighed.

the Aptitude Test. Luke hated it. some dumb test to see if a royal would be fit to rule. Every royal was forced to take the test at age eighteen. in families like Luke’s with multiple children under a King and Queen, whichever child scored highest would become ruler upon the parent’s retirement. upon initial retirement request by the king or queen, the test scores of the children would be revealed to the royal family to allow coronation preparation.

“well, then Jack-” Luke began, eye brows furrowing in confusion.

“you scored the highest.” Luke’s mother interrupted.

Luke laughed, “that’s impossible. I can’t be king-”

“you will be king.” His mother stated.

Never in the history of the aptitude test had a child who scored highest not become ruler. the aptitude test was law, the most important royal law.

But Luke had lived his entire life knowing he would never be king.

It was like all the air had been knocked out of his lungs as Luke doubled over, feet planting firmly on the ground as he ran his fingers through his hair, “fuck.”

“i wish this wasn’t the case, it’s less than ideal.” his mother began, “but we have to adapt. we have a few months to change your image so when the coronation is finally announced and it is revealed that you will be king, people won’t be as opposed to it.”

Luke began searching his pockets for his flask and he let out a sigh of relief when he found it, opening it to put it to his lips before his mother grabbed it and pulled it away, “for starters, no more drinking.”

“you’ve got to be fucking me.”

“no more swearing.”

“but-”

“no more but’s, Luke.” she said, reaching over and lifting the summoning bell she rang it twice and a group of people came with stacks of folders.

Luke recognized the Public Relations team, they’d tried to micromanage him when he turned the legal drinking age but had given up long ago.

“what the fuc-”

“Luke.”

“what the heck is going on?” Luke corrected himself with a groan as someone handed him the folders.

“we think it’s best if you’re seen with a steady woman. someone proper who can keep you on a tight leash.” his mother explained, “in these folders are details on all of the Princesses who would be suitable-”

“thought you were a Queen not a pimp.”

“Luke.” his mother said sternly.

“i can’t say pimp now?” Luke asked, opening one of the folders.

His mother stood, “just, look through the folders Luke. we need a decision by tonight.”

----

Luke groaned as he rolled around in his silk sheets, grabbing at the plush fur blanket before sitting up and feeling around for his phone. He messaged the kitchen staff, telling them what he wanted for dinner to be delivered to his room.

his eyes went to the stack of folders splayed out on the foot of his bed and he groaned, opening one. he recognized the first Princess, even met her once or twice but she was always looking down at him. he threw her folder on the ground, grabbing the next one.

the folders described basic information, likes, dislikes, that sort of thing. if they seemed okay, Luke would look the Princess up on instagram and scroll through their posts.

his dinner arrived and he ate it while looking through the rest of the folders. the last one he picked up said your name on it. he’d heard of you before and when he opened your folder he knew why, you were beautiful. he’d heard of you from a few of his buddies. Ashton was always trying to flirt with you and even Cal and Michael agreed that you were super cool but none of them had managed to woo you.

it was a no brainer for Luke in that moment. he threw on a long red silk robe and pulled his hair back into a messy bun, grabbing your folder and leaving his room.

Luke’s first stop was the kitchen where he grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a glass, then he went off to find his mother. she was in her office, as usual.

her eyes went to his hands, the chipped red nail polish and the long, once pianist fingers, holding the glass of whiskey. but if there was anything Luke’s mother knew, it was when to pick her battles and this was not one worth picking.

he tossed the folder onto her desk and took a seat across from her, taking a sip of his drink and grinning at the burn that seared through his throat.

his mother opened the folder and looked up at Luke, “good choice.” she said, “i’ll contact her family and see if we can make this work.”

---

It had been a long week for Luke. His mother had enforced a house arrest on Luke, especially after he made headlines yet again with a picture of a girl straddling him in the club and sucking on his neck.

the PR team had extensively briefed him on all the rules of the ‘relationship’. what he could do and not do.

he was allowed one shot, no more than one, per two hours with a maximum of five shots a day spread out over ten hours if absolutely necessary.

one beer equals one shot, same restrictions applied.

no drugs. except cigarettes but only in specially designated areas on palace grounds where no one could get a picture, and only two per day.

the two of you would go on two public dates in the first week, three on the second, with a steady rate of two to four public appearances each week.

“what about sex?” Luke had asked.

“if you must, invite girls to the palace but there will be absolutely no interaction with any woman but Y/N in public. and any girl you bring over has to sign a confidentiality agreement upon entering the palace, through the back gate.”

“brilliant, so you’re cock blocking me too.”

“just get them to sign the confidentiality form.” the PR head said, sliding Luke a folder full of official looking documents, each with their own area for a different signature.

“Y/N will be staying at the five star hotel down the street for the entirety of the relationship. prior to each date you will be given information on the restaurants or outings you two will be doing, as well as an itinerary. body guards will accompany you everywhere you go and they are instructed to keep you away from all the before mentioned vices that you are accustomed to.”

“and one final thing Prince Luke, we have assigned you a stylist-”

“i can dress myself.” Luke stated.

“Prince Luke-”

“i said, i can freaking dress myself, thank you very much.” and with that, he left the room to go get ready for his ‘date.’

---

Luke’s black boot tapped against the white marble floor as he fidgeted with the legacy ring on his thumb before running a hand through his wild tangle of golden curls. dressed in black suit pants and a black silk button up, Luke didn’t feel entirely out of place with the five star restaurant he was sitting in.

okay, maybe the choker was an extra, unnecessary touch, but if his mother was able to draw the line at glitter highlighter on the first date, then he’d be damned if he showed up without something to stand out with.

the sound of heels on marble drew his attention up as you entered the restaurant, a waiter showing you over to the table.

you looked ravishing. dressed in a beautiful silky dress that hugged all the right curves, Luke’s eyes immediately began undressing you. he stood abruptly, his awkwardly long legs almost knocking over the table as he muttered “fuck” but composed himself so he could open his arms for a hug.

you grinned brilliantly as you tucked into his arms, fitting perfectly.

Luke allowed himself to relish in the feeling for a moment before pulling away and motioning for you to sit down.

he sat across from you, “if i didn’t know better, i would think you’re actually happy to be here.” he stated.

you smiled, “all for the pictures darling.”

“so i’m Luke.”

“Y/N. you signed the contract?”

“yeah. you?”

“yup.”

“what are you getting out of this?” he asked, lifting up a menu, eyes scanning over it.

“well, i can only assume that because of your need for a public imagine cleansing, it’s likely that when your father retires, which im guessing is soon... it seems like you won the aptitude test.” you answered, not looking up at him as you scanned the menu.

you had the whole thing figured out and Luke laughed, “you’re smart. your folder didn’t say you were smart.”

you let out a beautiful laugh that rang through the restaurant, drawing eyes as people admired the two beautiful royals at dinner. “bet there’s a lot of things my folder didn’t say.”

“good point.” Luke snapped his fingers which drew your attention as a waiter scurried over, “we’ll have your best bottle of wine.” he stated.

“very good sir, anything else?”

“the wine will be fine for now.” you answered before Luke could say anything else.

as the waiter scurried away Luke grinned sheepishly, “wine is something civilized people drink right?”

“oh definitely.” you said sarcastically, “your folder left out the part about you snapping your fingers to get people’s attention.”

“someone made a folder about me?” Luke burst out laughing, “what else did it say?”

“nothing good.” you answered, “now, if we’re going to be seen together, you can’t snap your fingers to get what you want anymore. i won’t have it.”

Luke’s eyes narrowed at you. one date in and you were already making rules. rules on top of the rules he already had. and Luke did not like it. not one bit. “fine. if you don’t want me to snap my fingers then you have to wave down the help.”

“wow, you really are the pompous, arrogant, mama’s boy everyone says you are.” your words cut like knives but the beautiful smile remained fixed on your face.

you could feel your heart pounding in your chest as your eyes flickered over the gorgeous blondes face, you opened your mouth to say something when the waiter came back with the wine.

he showed you the bottle and poured you each a modest class before setting the bottle in the middle of the table, “have you two decided on dinner?”

Luke ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, specifying a bunch of different alterations on it before the waiter turned to you and accepted your order as well.

meanwhile, Luke swirled his wine around before drinking the entire thing, setting his glass down and filling it again.

as the waiter left, you sighed, “i thought your contract specified your alcohol intake.”

“mentioned beer and shots but not wine.” he answered. great, so the whole ‘wine is what civilized people drink’ was fake.

He swirled his wine around and you watched him, thinking about the way your heart was still beating in your chest like you’d just run a marathon.

He was right. You had heard about him. You’d heard about the orgies and the threesomes, his extravagant sexual antics that always somehow ended up in the news. you’d heard about the models and the movie stars, the songs written about him.

One of the songs was a bop about ‘the golden haired diva’ and it had been obvious who it was about, especially when the artist won an award for it and thanked the Prince, who had been sitting in the audience with his arms around two different pop singers and just grinned when the camera panned to him.

he was the world’s favourite rich, bad boy.

and sitting there in that restaurant you saw the allure. part of you wanted to do something, anything, that would get him to speak to you in that low voice again. part of you wanted to see what would happen if you asked him to join you at your hotel later. but the part of you that grew up a Princess knew how to keep composure as you set your hands in front of you, interlocking your fingers.

“we should think of something to talk about.” you suggested, “after all, we have to be together for a few months.”

“tell me some secrets.” he suggested, sipping his wine.

“like what?” you laughed.

“dirty secrets.” he grinned at you over the rim of his glass, “a girl who looks like you can’t be as prim and proper as you seem, something tells me you’re into some dirty shit, aren't you babe?.”

you sighed, maintaining your smile, “wasn’t ‘no swearing’ on your contract?”

“didn’t answer the question darling.”

you reached out and grabbed your wine, taking a sip to hopefully loosen up a bit, “this is good,” you noted, setting it down, you rested your face on your hand, looking at the beautiful boy in front of you.

this was one of those moments. you could either choose to let loose and break the ice, answer all his dirty questions, or you could put up a wall and make life more difficult for both of you.

“why don’t you tell me what you think I like?” you suggested, cocking your head at him with a grin.

he studied your red lips. the way they matched your beautiful red dress. hell, even your nails matched. you were an absolute vision. and there was this big expanse of space between the two of you: the table.

Luke had never had to hold himself back before. girls were always throwing themselves at him, never keeping themselves at a distance. you were unattainable and part of it made him want you like nothing he’d ever wanted in his life. his eyes trailed down to your collarbones and the way the dress accentuated your cleavage, moving slightly up and down with each breath.

he set down his wine and leaned forward, voice dipping low again, “tell me when i’m getting close, Princess. you like a guy who can rough you up a little, someone not afraid to take charge, when you’re in the frisky mood, a little bit of choking, nothing too extreme, but i think that’s just because you’ve never met the right guy who could introduce you to the darker side of sex, the fun side.”

“and you’re that guy?”

Luke leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out so one of his feet brushed yours under the table, he shrugged, “i am, but something tells me you don’t have the guts to fully let loose and i’m not down to share control so unless you’re one hundred percent ready to submit completely, it’s not worth my time.”

what a fucking dick. he’s gorgeous, but wow.

“oh yeah? well how about i analyze you and we’ll see how much you like it?” you asked, “you like control because you have a constant need to prove yourself. you grew up the youngest of three children and you never thought you’d be good enough so you made sure you could be the best at things that are important to other people, so... sex. but you don’t want anyone to question you ever. you only go for girls who are submissive because they won’t talk back and hurt your fragile ego.”

Luke rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest but you continued.

“you’re a mama’s boy and everything has been handed to you your entire life. girls throw themselves and are easy because you’re cute and have money so you’ve never had to actually work for anything, which means, any girl who isn’t ‘one hundred percent ready to submit completely’ is probably effort and you don’t know what effort even is which scares the shit out of you. because you don’t think you’d actually be able to get a girl not already falling head over heals for you.” you grinned as he narrowed his eyes at you, “aw, was that too close to home for you baby?”

he was eerily still for a few moments before he downed his glass of wine and stood, “i’ll be back.” he stated, turning and heading off in the direction of the bathroom.

you had been harsh. but he had suggested you weren’t worth his time. And you had been warned that he was an asshole with no experience with female royals, no strong women to contend against him.

the waiter returned with your food and you realized Luke had been gone a while. you sighed, motioning the waiter over, “Hello, i’m so sorry, my friend was feeling a little sick, I’m just going to go check on him, I’ll be right back.”

“of course Princess Y/N.” the waiter smiled, “the bathroom is this way.”

he led you to the mens room and you thanked him before opening the door and peering in. it was a posh, five star restaurant, which meant that they had a full on couch and fireplace in the bathroom.

Luke was sitting on the couch with his phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. “your food came out.” you stated, drawing his attention from his phone.

“men’s room darling, you can’t be in here.” He said absentmindedly.

“we can get the food to go but we need to be seen leaving together.” you explained.

he stood up abruptly and approached you as you stepped back and bumped into the closed door, you realized how tall he was. towering over you, even while you were in heals. his shoulders broad and the first few buttons of his black silk shirt undone, exposing the tiniest bit of chest hair that worked to make him more manly in an almost animalistic way. a choker wrapped around his neck that drew attention his chiseled jaw, just slightly covered in golden stubble.

he stepped closer and you bit at your lip, wondering what he would do. he leaned in, and you held your breath, “you’re blocking the door.” he said, his breath brushing over your skin and causing goose bumps to appear as he stepped back and allowed you to move out of his way.

He opened the door and grabbed your hand, lacing his fingers with yours as he pulled you out of the bathroom. everyone in the restaurant watched the two of you head back to your seats and you sighed, this was not a good start to his public image.

Luke even pulled out your chair for you as you sat down before going back to his own. You both ate in silence and the waiter cleared your plates, “would you like a dessert menu tonight?”

“Yes.” Luke answered.

“thank you.” you said, eying Luke as the waiter left.

“dessert?” you asked.

“it will look good on camera if we share a dessert.” he stated.

even you couldn’t argue with that. The waiter brought back the menu and Luke handed it to you, “choose whatever you want.”

you sighed loudly as you looked at the menu, choosing something then handing the menu back to the waiter who left again.

your eyes went to Luke’s hands, fingers playing with the stem of his glass. “you should have a professional do your nails sometime. they won’t chip as easily.”

“i like it when they chip. it’s edgy. goes with my look.”

he just sat there and stared at you and you met his gaze, refusing to back down or apologize. you both stayed like that until the dessert was placed between the two of you.

Luke picked up a spoon, taking a small piece and holding it out to you, “wanna taste?”

you forced a smile, leaning across the table (something that you were fully aware gave him a beautiful view of your cleavage that was practically popping out of your dress) your lips closed around the spoon as you accepted him feeding you.

he watched your pretty lips on the spoon and he felt his already tight pants getting tighter as he grinned and pulled the spoon away.

Luke took a scoop for himself and put the spoon in his own mouth, sucking everything off while staring directly at you. there was something so oddly erotic about it.

you felt your skin flush as you looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes anymore.

you reached for your spoon but Luke grabbed it before you could, he made a tutting sound at you, “not a chance Princess.”

“seriously?” you asked, “you’re going to hand feed me this entire thing?”

“uh huh.”

Luke knew it wasn't a good idea. he knew you were already driving him wild. he knew that if he continued down this path... well, blue balls were not on Luke’s list of top favourite things. but he could see the way it was affecting you too, and he’d be damned if he gave up on the satisfaction of that.

-----

Luke leaned down and kissed the first girl as the second one finished signing the consent form. as she set down the pen, Luke turned to the second one, kissing her as well before ushering them out the door to where a guard would escort them off the property, he gave girl number one a final pat on the bum and a cheeky grin, ignoring his PR assistant’s disgusted face.

that’s when his phone rang. Luke padded down the marble hallway, answering the call, “sup?”

“have you seen the magazines?”

“no Ash, i just woke up.” Luke said, yawning loudly and putting his phone on speaker so he could hear better.

“you’re all over the cover.” Ashton stated, “you and Y/N. I didn’t know the two of you were seeing each other.”

Luke stopped walking, turning to look at his PR assistant who was following him like a puppy. in that moment, Luke could honestly not remember whether or not he was allowed to tell his friends.

the PR Assistant began to shake his head but Luke said: “yeah. i went out with Y/N yesterday.”

“and you fed her dessert.” Ashton interjected, “please tell me she put out for you.”

Luke’s gaze went to his assistant who was shaking his head vigorously, “uhhh... no?”

“you don’t sound too certain bro, how drunk were you?” Ashton laughed.

“uhhh....” Luke focused on reading his assistants lips but sighed, “wasn’t drunk. it was just a date.”

“there’s a picture of you leaving the bathroom together, i gotta be honest, i never pegged Y/N for a public sex kind of girl.”

“she’s not.” Luke answered immediately and his assistant let out a sigh of relief, at least he got that response correct, “Look, Ash, it’s not a big deal.”

“well when are you bringing her out for boys night?”

Luke opened his mouth when his assistant started vigorously shaking his head and making an ‘X’ sign with his arms and Luke sighed, remembering the ‘no partying’ part of the contract, “there’s a lot going on right now.” he said as his assistant typed out something for him to read, Luke’s eyes scanned the words as he read them out loud “and i’m trying to focus on this new relationship, so I might not see you for a while.” Luke rolled his eyes at his assistant.

“pfff, lame, are you bringing her to the gala next month?”

Luke’s assistant nodded, “uh, yes.”

“cool, see you there mate. great job.” the line went dead.

“Prince Luke, the nature of this relationship being PR can only be known to those signing a contract but due to the nature of Prince Ashton’s place in society i find it unadvisable to tell him or anyone else of his stature due to the fact that a breach of contract lawsuit will mean nothing to another royal family if they choose to expose the relationship as PR to ruin your reputation.”

“it’s too early for so many big words.” Luke groaned, “i’m going back to sleep.”

“you have a date with Princess L/N in an hour.” his assistant called.

“of course i do, better wash the smell of pussy from my breath eh?” he grinned at his assistant who scowled, “something tells me Y/N would hate that.”

____

The dates continued two to four times a week as contractually stated. Mostly at five star restaurants or with the two of you going for walks in public places, flanked by body guards.

after your brutal analysis of him, Luke stayed away from sexual topics. opting to hold his tongue as best he could.

You brought up political topics and part of Luke assumed that perhaps you had been told to do so, to get him ready to converse with other educated people about such topics.

Between you, the PR briefings and the royal briefings Luke found himself with not much time on his hands. He missed partying. He missed drinking until he was numb. but most importantly, he missed the girls.

or, parts of him did. but after the first two weeks of girls signing a consent form, the idea of it had left a sour taste in his mouth.

especially when the girls brought you up in conversation. Delphi, one of his favourite usual shags had been curled against his chest in a post sex daze when she asked “does Princess Y/N know about this?”

his heart had lurched at the sound of her name and his jaw had set as he stood, putting on his robe and going to grab himself a shot before leaning against one of the bed posts, “get dressed.” he’d commanded.

“Luke, i’m sorry if-”

“Prince Luke.” he reminded her, “and I don’t want to hear it. you already signed the consent form last time you were here and you know your way out.”

he’d gone onto the terrace without another word, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

he didn’t know why it upset him so much.

maybe it was because he’d never really had a girlfriend before, fake or otherwise. it had been two weeks and he’d spent a lot of his time with you. whether he considered you a friend or not, part of him cared about you in a way he’d never really experienced.

it made his grip on the terrace railing tighten as his jaw clenched. you had power over him. and he didn’t like it one bit.

------

Luke tried not to pay much attention to the feeling of your small hand wrapped around his arm while the two of you looked at fabric. he was bored out of his mind, yes he liked fashion but usually his tailors would just send him a bunch of clothes every month and he’d wear what he felt like.

but there he was, shopping with you. he didn’t get why you didn’t just do the same thing he did... but the smile on your face as you ran a hand through the fabrics, looking at everything, he guessed you just enjoyed shopping.

you pulled out a dress, removing your hand from his arm which suddenly felt cold from lack of contact, “what do you think?” you asked, showing it to him.

“it’s nice.” he stated.

“you’ve said that about the past four.” you sighed, handing the dress to the worker that hurried over to add it to your change room.

“they were all fine, gotta see what they look on your hot little bod.” he smirked.

you rolled your eyes, walking over to the change room with him trailing behind you. he leaned against the wall while you entered the changing room. his foot tapped while he waited as he began fiddling with his rings.

the door opened and he looked up, eyes eating up every inch of your body. the dress was stunning. it looked like it had been made for you.

“i need help with the zipper.” you said, turning to show him your exposed back as your hands held up the dress in the front.

he almost stumbled as he approached, flexing his fingers as they went down to the bottom of the zipper. he began to zip it up but your hair was in the way.

his fingers brushed against your skin lightly as he pushed the hair over your shoulder, his hot breath on the new exposed skin. he zipped up the dress and took his hands away, eyes looking up to meet yours through the mirror in front of you.

his heart leaped in his chest, having not realized you’d been watching him.

the tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife, his eyes devouring you through the mirror.

“what do you think of the colour?” you asked, fingers skimming over the green material.

“looks-” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat, “looks good.”

“i’m going to wear this gala next week, with a few alterations. is that okay?”

“sure.”

his eyes looked down and you knew he was checking out your ass so you immediately turned around, misjudging how close the tall blonde was standing next to you. your chest bumped against his and you took a hesitant step back, wobbling on your heals as his hands immediately went to your waist to steady you.

you looked up at him and he opened his mouth but you cut him off, “stop.”

“stop what?” he asked.

eye brows furrowing slightly and you marvelled at how beautiful he was. a slight brush of glitter across one of his cheekbones, those crystal blue eyes, and one rogue strand of curly golden hair.

it would have been the easiest thing in the world to close the distance and just kiss him. your breath caught in your throat and you licked at your lips, considering it for a moment.

his eyes looked down at your lips and it snapped you from your daze as you realized you weren’t the only one considering it.

you had to forcibly step back, pulling away from his hands, “just... unzip me please.” you said, turning around again and looking down, “and no funny business.”

“wouldn’t fucking dream of it.” he grumbled after an exasperated breath, zipping your dress down with one hand then turning and leaving the change room and closing the door behind him.

---

the week passed and you spent each date trying to ignore him the best you could. but he made it very difficult. you touched him only when necessary, when the photographers were around. you kept the conversations short, brief, and about non-sex related topics, which was not easy, but anytime the conversation started going that way you would redirect it.

Luke waited outside your hotel in the limo that would take you to the ball. the limo door opened and you got in across from him, eyes scanning over his outfit as the driver closed the door behind you.

“you got a shirt to match my dress.” you breathed, noticing the beautiful silky green fabric that fit perfectly over his shoulders.

“oh. yeah.” he said, looking down at himself, “that’s a thing people do right?”

“yeah. it is.” you found yourself smiling. really smiling at him.

and he noticed. because you smiled different when you were actually happy. he had thought your fake smile was gorgeous but looking at you in that moment he realized he hadn’t seen anything truly gorgeous until that moment.

“you look good.” you continued, “but... i think you’re missing one thing.”

“and what’s that darling?” he asked.

you opened your purse, pulling out a makeup palette and a brush, “a little bit of glitter. i figured your mom would not allow it but... it looks good on you, so i thought i’d bring highlighter in case you wanted some.”

Luke’s eyes searched your face, the way you were appearing so shy. the way you’d actually listened when he’d groaned about the sanctions on his wardrobe the week before.

“sure.” he said, moving slightly so you could come sit next to him.

you took the smallest amount of glitter and brushed it across his cheek, eyes focused on your work while he stared into yours, appreciating the colour.

his eyes moved to your lips. he often found himself staring at them. how soft and plump they looked.

if you were anyone else, he would pull you on top of him and have his way with you. he thought about the sounds you’d make as he slipped your panties to the side and teased-

“done.” you said, pulling away and going back to your seat across from him, “there, now you look perfect.”

Luke opened his mouth but the limo door opened, you’d arrived at the ball.

---

you’d been attached to his hip all night. his hand on the small of your back as you greeted all your peers. you kept his drinking to a minimum and oddly enough, he hadn’t minded.

you answered all of the hard questioned and smoothly navigated your way through all sorts of tough discussions on politics, deflecting any negative questions about Luke’s ‘social life.’

Luke found himself watching you effortlessly converse with other royals, how graceful you seemed. but he was getting sort of bored. “Darling, i’m going to grab a drink, want anything?” he asked.

you looked up at him, “maybe a glass of wine.”

“okay.”

you watched him leave before turning back to the people you were talking too but a new group of people were approaching you. you recognized the gang, three of Luke’s friends. among the Royal Bunnies (the girls who made it their mission in life to sleep with royals) this group was called the Pussy Parade.

Calum Hood, Michael Clifford and Ashton Irwin.

“Princess Y/N,” Ashton said, holding out a hand, “pleasure to see you again.”

“where’d Luke run off to?” Calum asked.

“yeah, i wouldn’t leave you alone for a minute if i were him.” Michael piped in.

“matching outfits, quite a statement though.” Ashton pointed out.

you laughed at their eagerness, “nice to see you all again.” you’d met them all once or twice at different royal events but never really talked to any of them.

Luke watched from where he was leaning on the bar, jaw clenching as he tapped his ring clad fingers against the table, “can you hurry?” he snapped at the bar tender, throwing a bill on the counter in the hopes it would light a flame under the mans ass.

his eyes went back to you, surrounded by sharks. his sharks, but sharks none the less.

he hated the way they were all looking you up and down. looking at you like a piece of meat. looking at you like... like he did.

his teeth gritted, “also a shot.” he ordered, throwing another bill on the table.

the shot was placed in front of him and he downed it before grabbing the wine glasses and walking over to where you were standing. “here you go darling.” he said, handing you one.

his free hand immediately went to the small of your back again and you took a sip, eyes widening, “this is the wine from our first date.” you grinned up at him, “you remembered.”

he smiled down at you, a genuine smile that made all of his friends jaws drop, “of course i remembered.”

four sets of eyes widen at this statement. “you can’t even remember my birthday!” Ashton gasped.

Luke rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his wine and shrugging, “you always remind me the week before.”

“he’s got you there bud.” Calum grinned.

“so... how did you two meet?” Michael interrupted.

now was the hard part. Luke wasn’t a fan of lying to his friends but he knew he had to sell this relationship, his hand slipped from the small of your back to your waist, pulling you closer, “i saw her around, thought she was cute, slid into those DM’s, the usual.”

“very romantic.” Calum teased.

you turned your body in towards Luke, tucking your own arm around his waist. in this position, your bodies fit so perfectly and that fact was not lost on you as you stared down his friends, “it was a nice first date.” you insisted.

“yeah, looked like it.” Michael scoffed, “we saw the bathroom pictures.”

you opened your mouth but Luke spoke first, “piss off Michael.”

his strong language drew the attention of the people surrounding your group. “woah, didn’t mean any offence.” Michael said, raising his hands in defence, “just looked like a good time is all i’m saying.”

“this is my girlfriend, watch it.” Luke said, voice lowered as he looked down at Michael. you were once again reminded how big Luke was. his friends were all six foot, at least, but he was still taller. and he was intimidating.

and... he’d called you his girlfriend. which... you were, it even said that ‘girlfriend’ was the preferable term to use when he talked about you, but hearing him actually say it was different. it had been a month and he hadn’t once called you his girlfriend.

“Luke, i think we should take a breather.” you suggested, rubbing your hand up and down his back in an effort to sooth him.

Luke looked down at you then at his friends, slamming the wine and handing the glass to Calum who took it without asking questions as Luke pulled away from you, grabbing your hand and leading you through the crowd outside to one of the terraces.

it was just you and Luke, the air providing a slight but comfortable chill, not yet warm enough to signify the impending summer, but a welcome relief from the temperature inside. “are you okay?” you asked as he let go of your hand and went to lean against the railing, looking out at the city.

you’d been dating a month and part of you would call him a friend but it’s not like the two of you were close and yet something made you approach the tall boy. you began to rub at his tense shoulders, hoping to ease some of the stress.

“they think you’re just a fuck.” he stated, knuckles turning white as he gripped the rail.

“it doesn’t matter what your friends think.” you stated, “in a few months this will be over and you can go back to being leader of the Pussy Party and they won’t even remember this whole thing.”

he remained silent but you felt his muscles tense underneath your hand.

you sighed, “do you want to leave?”

“no.”

“do you want to be alone?”

“no.”

“Luke, can you look at me?”

he remained still for a moment before turning his body to look down at you.

“do you want my wine?” you asked.

he laughed slightly, taking it from your hand and downing it just like the wine he’d drank earlier. before you could tell him to slow down on the alcohol he simply tossed the glass off the terrace, grabbing your face between his hands as he pressed his lips to yours.

he tasted like wine but it intoxicated you as you melted into the kiss, hands going up to wrap around his shoulders. his tongue teased your bottom lip and one of his hands moved to the small of your back, pulling you closer.

your fingers tangled in his hair, something you hadn’t consciously realized you’d wanted to ever do. the curls were soft and you pulled on them slightly, earning a soft groan that you ate up like you were starving. you’d thought his low voice was sexy but those moans were next level.

his teeth sunk into your bottom lip and now it was your turn to moan. the small sound made his heart jump as he let out a breathy “fuck.” his hand moving from your face to your neck where the cold of the rings pressed against your skin. you grabbed at his wrist, not stopping him,

but you pulled away, collecting your breath as you looked down, his heavy panting on your forehead as he struggled to steady his own breathing.

you focused on his green silk shirt. the way he always knew just the perfect amount of buttons to leave open, you wondered what his chest would look like fully exposed and on show for you. your fingers played with the fabric just above his belt, teasing the sensitive skin just above the band. he swore again and you pressed your face into his shirt as his arms wrapped around your body, pulling you against his chest.

his skin was warm and he smelt like expensive cologne.

you both just stood there for a few moments, the sound of your facing heart drowning out the noise of the city bellow. you could feel his own pulse fluttering in his chest.

“shit.” a voice made you pull away from Luke as you both turned to see Calum standing at the doorway to the terrace, “I uhhh... didn’t mean to interrupt, just needed a smoke.” he waved the cigarette as proof.

“it’s fine.” you smiled, fixing your dress and hair, “i should go inside-”

“i’m going to stay out here.” Luke stated, voice deadpan.

you didn’t look at Luke, afraid what you would see in his eyes if you did, so you brushed past Calum and went inside. Calum watched you go before stepping further onto the terrace, lighting his cigarette and taking a large puff, “wasn’t sure if it was real or not.” he breathed, the smoke disappearing into the air as he handed Luke the cigarette.

Luke brought it to his lips, taking a long drag, “if whats real?”

“you and Y/N.” Calum answered, “i mean she’s cute but we both know you don’t do commitment.”

Luke couldn't argue with that. he couldn’t think much about anything as he stood there next to Calum, sharing the cigarette.

maybe it was because you were a challenge. yeah, that had to be it. it had to be. he wasn’t used to not getting what he wanted. yeah. that was it.

he’d just have to fuck you. then he’d be fine. that was a good plan.

Calum finished the cigarette and threw it off the terrace then they both went back inside. you were at the bar with Ashton and Michael and once again Luke felt a surge of anger flow through his body.

his hand went to the small of your back, “i think i’m ready to leave darling.”

you nodded, telling the boys it was nice to see them again before you allowed Luke to lead you to the elevator. he leaned against the wall and you were both silent until you reached the first floor. you stayed silent the entire limo ride, until it stopped in front of your hotel. and then you were gone and Luke remained numb because it was easier than acknowledging the feelings and the thoughts.

----

it had been four days since the gala and Luke hadn’t seen you. things kept popping up in your schedule which was understandable. but he needed to see you.

he was already dressed when his PR assistant knocked on his door, “Y/N canceled.”

“like fuck she did.” Luke muttered, pushing past the assistant.

it was a short walk to your hotel and Luke realized he didn’t have a plan on what to do once he got there. but Luke had always been lucky and he showed up as you were leaving. “you canceled our plans to go do something else?” he asked, voice making you stop just outside your limo.

“i have something to do-” you began.

“cool, i’ll come with.” he said, brushing past you as he got into the limo. you sighed and followed, “are you mad?” he asked.

you were taken aback by his question. part of you had assumed he wouldn’t want to talk about the gala. you guessed he’d be one of those guys who avoided confrontation and refused to communicate. but there he was, blue eyes on yours.

“i’m not mad.” you assured him, “just busy, as i said, are you mad?”

“no.” he said, looking down and fiddling with his rings.

“do you want to talk about it?” you asked.

“not really.”

there was the Prince you knew. you stayed silent the remainder of the limo ride until you arrived at the house, Luke looked around as you exited the limo, “where are we?”

“my cousins baby turned one year old today, i forgot about it if i’m being honest, a year goes by so fast.” you explained as the limo handed you the big pink present from the trunk of the limo.

“we’re at a babies birthday?” Luke asked.

“yeah, you like children right?” you grinned, walking past him towards the house.

there were children everywhere.

Luke stayed glued to your side, letting you do most of the talking like he had at the Gala. but he also introduced himself to the guests which is when he realized, ‘im meeting her cousin. and her aunt. and her uncle.’

he’d never met a girls family before.

you hadn’t asked him to come.

another realization that made his chest ache. what would he have done if you had? he probably would have bailed.

but there was that genuine smile again. the one he was already starting to adore. you were next to your cousin, holding the baby in your arms.

she tugged at your hair and you beamed down at the baby.

Luke found himself getting jealous of the baby who had all of your attention and all of your smiles.

and his chest continued to hurt but he didn’t know why.

your cousins husband approached, leaning next to Luke, “are you two thinking about kids?’ he asked.

Luke choked on his water, sputtering and coughing while your cousins husband patted him on the back until he could breath again, “um, we haven’t been dating long.” he answered.

“oh, sorry, i didn’t realize, i just assumed because well, you’re here and Y/N has never brought a guy to a family event like this. not that guys havent offered to come, we all know they have, but Y/N can be kind of private.”

Luke’s eyes went back to you holding the baby and he winced. now he was thinking about having a baby with you?!

this had been a wild month for Luke, even by his standards. he was confused, and tired and maybe he had a brain tumour or something because if someone had told him two months earlier that he’d be fake dating a girl who is actually super chill and has a beautiful smile and is considering having babies with her he would have said they were fucking crazy. and yet there he was.

you made a particularly cute face at the baby and all the tension Luke had been holding in his shoulders released as he smiled, “babies wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.” he muttered. and it was true.

he set down his water and approached you and your cousin, “um... do you mind if i hold her?” he asked.

your cousin smiled, “of course!”

you eyed Luke but slowly handed over the baby and he looked down at her with a grin. the baby reached up, wrapping a hand in one of his golden curls and tugging but Luke allowed her to do so.

he even laughed, an angelic sound that warmed your heart as you watched him. you’d never seen him so vulnerable. no walls up. no sassy or sexual remarks. just a beautiful boy holding an adorable baby.

your heart swelled in your chest and your eyes widened with realization that you probably had baby fever so you couldn’t be trusting yourself, but at the same time he looked so soft.

the baby grabbed at his finger, his chipping black nail polish contrasting the tiny baby hands.

“okay, i’ll give her back now.” he said, moving to hand the baby back to your cousin but the baby began to cry and Luke immediately began cooing, “oh no Sweetheart it’s okay, it’s okay baby,” as he rocked her back and forth.

she settled immediately and your cousin laughed, “looks like you’re a natural Luke.”

a blush crept over his skin and you watched in shock as he grinned at your cousin, “you think?”

this couldn’t be real. this couldn’t be the guy known for raunchy sex parties and having a different woman every night. it couldn’t be.

but it was.

he cooed the baby for a while until she fell asleep before he could give her back to her mama. by the time the baby was back in her mama’s arms you had been internally freaking out for thirty minutes about the absolute cuteness of the whole thing and how confused you were.

you grabbed his hand and took him to the bathroom, closing the door and locking it behind you, “what’s going on?” he asked.

“we kissed.” you stated, “and i’m really confused about it.”

“me too.” he said, looking at you very seriously.

you almost laughed, “okay good i’m not the only one. so... what do you want from me?” you asked.

“what do you mean?”

“i mean, we are on this contract for the next few months and if something goes wrong and we hate each other-”

“wouldn’t happen.”

“it could happen-”

“no.”

“and what makes you sure?”

“i couldn’t hate you.” he says, crossing his arms and leaning back against the sink counter.

“well i could hate you.” you pointed out, “if we make this thing real and you cheat-”

“if we made this real i wouldn’t cheat.”

“just like that.” you asked in shock.

“yeah.”

you looked up at him, considering it, but you groaned, “fuck!” you began pacing in front of him, “being around babies always makes me too soft! i can’t think clearly!” Luke watched you pace and he had to admit he knew the feeling.

“then don’t.” he said, hands grabbing your waist and stopping you from pacing as he leaned down and his lips met yours. you were so distracted by kissing him back, fingers going into his hair, that you hadn’t noticed he’d moved you until he lifted you and set you on the sink counter.

standing between your legs he pulled your body flush against his, his lips moving from your lips to your neck as he sucked on the sensitive skin just below your ear.

you let out a moan and Luke grinned against your skin, “open your mouth.” he stated.

you followed his request as two of his fingers slipped into your mouth, he continued sucking on your neck while you began to suck on his fingers. one of the fingers in your mouth had his legacy ring and your tongue slipped around the cold metal, swirling and sucking it up and over Luke’s knuckle before pushing it down again.

“fuck, where’d a Princess like you learn how to use your mouth like that?” he groaned into your ear, slipping his fingers from your mouth.

his hands went to your hips as he pressed against you, you could feel him through his pants and you grinned, “can’t tell you all of my secrets can I?” you teased.

he grinned, pressing his lips against yours again. “fuck, you’re so hot.” he breathed.

“hmm, you like this?” you asked, reaching between the two of you to grab his dick through his pants as you bit down on his lip.

Luke’s fingers dug into your hips, “Fuck yeah.” he breathed.

“what do you want to do to me?” you asked, rubbing him harder as his head lolled back and his eyes closed.

“pump a fucking baby into you.” he stated.

you stopped your motions and his eyes snapped open, “fuck, I uh, i can explain-”

there was a loud knocking on the door, “almost done in there?!”

you pushed Luke away from you, fixing your clothes and hopping off the counter, “just a second!” you called, looking in the mirror to see if you looked okay. you turned to Luke, “we will talk about this later.” you stated before you unlocked the door and went out, Luke following a few seconds later.

“hey, i really gotta get out of here.” Luke stated, “being around all these children is messing with my head.”

“okay, that’s fine, i’ll see you in two days for our Sunday date-”

“come by for dinner.” he stated, “at the palace. i mean, i can’t cook for shit but i have a world class chef-”

“i’ll be there.”

“okay.” he smiled. you turned to go but he grabbed your arm, pulling you into a soft kiss. when he pulled away he smiled, “i’ll see you tonight.”

as soon as he was in the limo Luke swore, punching at the seat. had he seriously just asked you to be ‘exclusive’? had he seriously just promised not to cheat on you?

he began to naw at his lip, it all fairness, he hadn’t slept with another girl in a couple of weeks. the thought of even sleeping with someone else made him feel dirty and Luke had been in plenty dirty situations in his life, many of them self created.

and you were coming over for dinner at his place. he swore again. you hadn’t said yes or no to the whole dating thing and Luke had a few hours to sort himself out.

he rubbed at his temples, still considering that perhaps he just needed to fuck you and then the feelings would go away. well, he’d give that a try and see where it took him.

----

you expected a servant to open the door so when Luke opened it, standing there in that green shirt, you were a bit taken aback. he still looked amazing in it as he pulled you in for a hug. “so this is the palace.” he said, opening the door wider for you to come in.

you’d started the contract around a month ago but all the dates were high profile for publicity so you’d never actually seen where he lived.

he showed you the main rooms and the tour ended in his large bedroom. bedroom wouldn’t even be the word most people would use to describe it. it was practically a studio apartment minus the kitchen.

there was a small dinner table set up with silver platters covering the food. “so how was the rest of the birthday?” Luke asked as you both sat down.

“fine. i left after you did. babies always give me baby fever.” you admitted.

Luke laughed, “me too. that was sort of wild.”

“yeah, i would have never guessed you’d like children.”

“why? because im a quote: pompous, mamas boy?” he teased.

“you forgot arrogant.”

“right, how could i ever forget arrogant?” he rolled his eyes at you.

“so what was the whole ‘pump a baby into you’ thing?” you asked.

“uhh... i don’t know.” he answered, “why, did you like it? would you be down for that?”

you laughed awkwardly, “Luke, these are the kind of questions you ask a real girlfriend.”

“don’t friends talk about this sort of thing?” he asked, “i mean, haven’t you talked to your girlfriends about this?”

“yeah but i mean... are we even friends?”

“earlier today i said you could be my girlfriend if you wanted so yeah, i’d consider us friends. also, you never really gave me an answer on that and it sort of hurts a guys feelings you know.”

“i am your girlfriend.”

Luke rolled his eyes, “you know what i mean.”

you sighed, “i just don’t want things to get messy-”

“oh, you don’t like messy?” he asked.

“not really.” you answered.

all of the sudden he was on his feet, pushing the entire table to the ground while you let out a yelp of shock, jumping to your feet as the table and the food landed on the floor, “Lu-” you began to say but his lips were on yours.

as you relaxed he pulled away, bending down and grabbing you, tossing you onto his shoulder, “oh my god you’re such a Neanderthal!” you screamed, wiggling around in his grip.

then you were falling, landing on plush fur, Luke grabbed your feet and dragged you to the edge of the bed, getting on top of you as his lips attached to yours. he ground his body down against you and you groaned, legs wrapping around his waist.

your fingers tangled into his curls before they moved to the buttons of his shirt, “fuck, this is such a nice shirt.” you groaned.

“knew you’d love it.” he grinned, helping you pull it off his body.

he went back in to kiss you but you stopped him and he pulled away, looking down at you with an odd look, “is this too fast?” he asked, shocked that those words were leaving his lips.

“no, i just want to appreciate you.” you said, fingers tracing his broad chest, “you’ve been teasing me with those button downs exposing just the right amount of chest all month.”

he grinned down at you, running a hand through his messy curls, “you almost done looking Princess?”

“five more seconds.” you smiled up at him.

he laughed but humoured you, waiting for you to finish looking at him, “okay, my turn.” you said, tearing off your shirt and bra as his lips attached to your chest.

his kisses went down your body and he worked on getting your jeans off until they joined the clothes on the ground. his hands went to your hips as his fingers slipped under the waist band of your panties, “are you okay with this?” he asked.

“i thought you were some big sex god, you going to devour me or what?” you laughed, running your fingers through your hair as you laughed.

“i am a sex god, but i like you and i want to make sure you want this as much as i do.” he grinned.

you looked down as he toyed with the last thing between him and you.

“i want this.” you stated.

“hmmm, you don’t sound like you want this darling.” he said, removing his hands.

“no, wait, Luke, please.” you whined, “please.”

his hands returned to your hips, fingers drawing circles on the sensitive skin, “you sure baby?”

“yeah, i’m sure.”

“you’ve never begged a day in your life, have you sweetheart?” he laughed, looking up at you.

this fuck.

but there was truth in it. maybe you’d misjudged him on your first date. “Luke, i’m sorry if i’ve been a bitch, i’m sorry if i judged you at first and thought you were some sex crazed asshole, i’m sorry-”

there was a tearing sound as he ripped your panties in two and you stopped talking, looking down at him in shock. you were about to say something when he buried his face between your thighs. your fingers tingled in his curls and you moaned at the feeling of his tongue working absolute magic.

“oh my god.” you moaned.

“i prefer Sire.” he said, flashing you the cockiest grin you’d ever seen.

“i am not calling you sire.” you groaned as his lips attached to you once more.

one of his hands moved from your hip and up to your face and you opened your mouth, accepting the two digits past your lips as you sucked on them. the silver ring in your mouth was driving you wild.

“suck it off babe.” he instructed.

you did as he asked, pulling the ring off as he slipped his fingers from your mouth, the ring caught between your teeth. you took it from your mouth and slipped it onto one of your own fingers.

his fingers that had been in your mouth curled into you and you moaned loudly, pulling at Luke’s hair as he laughed, “you like that kitten?”

“fuck, yes Luke.”

his fingers stopped, “yes what?”

“yes sir.”

“close but not what i’m looking for babe.” his fingers moved slightly and you moaned.

“yes sire, i love it.”

he grinned, lips attaching to your clit as he pumped his fingers at an unbelievably fast pace, sending your spiralling over the edge as you grabbed the fur blanket, letting out the most sinful noises you’d ever heard in your life as he worked you through your orgasm.

as you came down from your high Luke pulled back, standing up and putting his two fingers in his mouth, “fuck, you even taste pretty babe.”

“please just fuck me.” you begged, unable to say much else as he pushed down his pants and got on top of you, “wait, condoms.”

“you sure you want condoms?”

“Luke!” you laughed, pushing at his chest.

he sighed and moved to his bedside table, pulling out a condom and rolling it on, “you’re no fun.”

your legs wrapped around his waist again as he teased your entrance before pushing in fully. you both groaned at the feeling, his lips attacking yours again as he began to pound into you.

“fuck princess you’re so tight.” he groaned, one of his hands wrapping around your throat as you let out a loud moan, your hands going to grab his wrist, keeping his hand pressed against your skin.

he usually didn’t do missionary. it was too personal. but this just felt right. there was something about it that he couldn’t explain. his lips found yours and you moaned into his mouth.

“if you keep making sounds like that i’m not going to last too long baby.” he groaned, lips going to your neck.

“me neither.” you said, grabbing his ear lobe between your teeth.

his grip on your throat tightened and you moaned louder, the sounds driving him insane and throwing him over the edge. his quickened pace made you cum as well and you both gripped onto each other like your lives depended on it.

he slowed down and you both breathed heavily as he stayed inside of you for a moment, kissing you sweetly on the lips before pulling out and discarding the condom before falling back onto the bed with you and pulling you to his chest.

“wow.” you breathed.

he laughed, “yeah.”

you both stayed there, enjoying each others warmth as you came down from the post sex high. “you ruined the food.” you stated finally.

he laughed, “i’ll order pizza.”

“woah, since when does Prince Luke eat pizza like some commoner?” you giggled.

he grinned, “you’re right, i should get the chef to make lobster-”

“i’m joking Luke. Pizza sounds great.” you curled up in the blankets and by the time the pizza arrived at the door you were asleep. Luke looked at you, curled up in the middle of the bed like such a Princess. that was his spot. this was the reason he never let girls sleep over.

part of him wanted to tell you to hit the road, after all, your hotel was a five minute walk away. but something stopped him and he let out a sigh of exasperation as he found a smoke and went onto the terrace, closing the door as to not wake you.

he’d been standing in this very spot a few weeks earlier, angry about the entire situation. angry about your power over him. and yet, here he was again, letting you sleep on his bed in his spot.

the sex had been... like nothing he’d ever had before. which was odd, because Luke had thought he’d tried just about everything in the book. but not that. not with someone he actually cared for.

he took a long drag of his cigarette and blew out the smoke. he’d assumed this whole fake dating thing would last a few months and he could go back to partying, not giving the whole thing much thought.

but in a few months... he’d be king.

he realized, he’d never be able to go back.

the thought terrified him.

----

Luke buried his face in his pillow, reaching out instinctively but he only grasped air. his eyes opened and he realized he was alone. part of him wondered if it had been a dream but the torn panties and table mess he’d made the night before were still littered on the ground.

and you weren’t there.

it hurt in an odd way. he’d expected you to be there, even half asleep, you’d been his first thought, his first goal of the day.

he groaned and pulled out his phone.

----

Ashton sat in a floaty, Cal with his feet in the water and Michael in the shade as Luke paced back and forth. “when we started dating I didn’t expect to fall in love with her.” Luke explained, “is that even what this is?”

he looked at his friends who all laughed, “don’t look at me mate.” Cal grinned, “you know i think love is fake.”

“Ash?” Luke asked, turning to the eldest.

Ashton shrugged as he sipped his cocktail, “you’ve only been dating a month bud, seems fast to me.”

“also you’ve never had a relationship,” Michael pointed out, “so maybe you’re just in a honey moon phase.”

Luke flailed himself onto a floaty, running his fingers through his hair “this is such a mess!”

“when are you seeing her next?” Cal asked.

“i have no idea! last night wasn’t supposed to happen, the contract-”

“contract?!” Michael interrupted.

“fuck.” Luke cursed himself.

Ashton set down his drink, “you have a lot of explaining to do Hemmings.”

------

You had spent the past two days locked in your room, your phone off as you tried to sort out what had happened. it had been two days since you left before Luke could wake up. two days since he’d literally fucked his way into your heart.

you’d hoped the whole thing had been baby fever but that would have worn off by now and you were starting to worry that something more serious was at play.

could you really like Luke Hemmings? of all the possible princes you could fall for, and you had to fall for the playboy asshole who snapped his fingers at waiters?!

you had no idea what he was feeling about it either because you hadn’t talked to him. he’d suggested being your real boyfriend at the party but its not like that conversation ever got fully explored so who even knew? not you, that’s for sure.

taking a deep breath you turned on your phone, ignoring everything and calling a friend. you’d be damned if you let this whole thing get to your head.

your friend answered on the first ring “Y/N i’ve been trying to get a hold of you for ages! you think your Prince can give you up for the night so you can come party?”

you laughed at the term ‘your prince’ and sighed, “you know what, yeah, i’ll come out.”

-----

Luke’s knee bobbed up and down and his friends stared at him, “it’s bullshit that she doesn’t have a no partying section in her contract and I can’t believe she’d go out and not even answer my texts first.” Luke groaned.

“well she’s not technically your girlfriend-” Michael pointed out but Ashton punched his shoulder lightly.

“she’s probably just freaked out. like you are.” Ashton said, smiling warmly at his friend.

“and you can confront her yourself.” Cal pointed out as the limo pulled up in front of the club.

Luke took a deep breath, running a hand through his unruly curls, “how do i look?”

“you’re a fucking panty dropper mate. don’t worry.” Ashton said before the door opened and they all climbed out.

flashes started immediately and a few people screamed “Pussy Party!” which made Michael grin and scream “Pussy Party!” with the crowd as they were escorted through the VIP door.

Luke looked around the club. he’d missed the flashing lights and the feel of bass in his chest. as soon as they entered girls began approaching. Ashton grabbed two blondes right away and Michael likewise broke off from the pack with two girls.

Cal is the only one who stayed, hand on Luke’s shoulder as they both looked around. “there.” Cal said, pointing towards the bar.

the last time Luke had seen you, you’d been sprawled out on his bed, your naked body only slightly covered by his fur blanket.

and there you were, in yet another stunning dress, a drink in your hand as you talked to a few people. Luke immediately recognized one of them by his dark curly hair and cheeky grin.

Luke’s fists clenched at his sides and he took a step forward but Cal grabbed his arm, “you can’t just go in there guns blazing mate.”

“like fuck i can’t.” Luke said, pulling away from Cal and barreling towards you. a few girls tried to get in his way but he pushed past them.

Prince Harry saw Luke’s approach and smiled “hey Luke!” he grinned.

you froze as you felt Luke come to stand directly next to you, his hand going to the small of your back, “Harry.” he greeted before turning to you. you looked up at him hesitantly, “long time no see, babe.”

“yeah, um... haven’t been feeling well.” you answered.

“your phone’s been off.” Luke stated.

you sighed at his possessiveness, “how did you know i’d be here Luke?”

“the paps saw you come in.” he answered, “people were wondering why i wasn’t with you so my mentions blew up.”

“come to think of it, why didn’t you two arrive together?” Harry interjected, leaning on the bar and looking at the two of you with furrowed brows, “you’d be daft to leave a stunner like Y/N alone.”

Luke’s jaw feathered and you noticed immediately, recognizing his anger radiating off of him like it had at the Gala, and on that night you’d been talking to a friend of his, not a rival. this was not going to end well for anyone.

you felt the pull of your contractual duty as you set down your drink and wrapped your arms around Luke’s waist, leaning against his side before smiling sweetly at Harry, “i’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse my boyfriend, he can get jealous sometimes.”

Luke kept his mouth shut as he glared down at Harry.

one of your hands pressed against his chest and you looked up at him, and finally he looked down at you. he could feel the anger still coursing through his veins.

you were his.

his arm went over your shoulders, “excuse us.” he said to Harry, voice a growl as he began leading you through the crowd.

“where are we going?” you asked.

he didn’t answer as he pushed you in front of him and into one of the lavish, VIP club bathrooms, closing the door and locking it.

the last time you’d been in a bathroom he had been a soft boy but standing in front of you now was a very angry, sexy, man.

his shoulders heaved as he looked down at you, taking a step forward as you stepped back until your back hit the wall. his hand came to rest next to your head as he leaned down to be eye level with you.

“you like seeing me jealous?” he asked, voice searing into you, “you like flirting with other men while you’re dating me?”

“i wasn't-” you began but then you realized, “this whole thing is PR-”

“not to me.” he growled, pressing his lips against yours.

you wanted to be mad but the whole situation was making your heart race. you were friends with Harry, nothing more. you hadn’t meant to make Luke jealous but you had to admit, jealous Luke was a panty dropper.

your fingers went up into his curls as he bent down lifting you up and wrapping your legs around your waist as he pressed you back against the wall. your fingers danced over his shoulders as he bit down at your bottom lip.

having your legs wrapped around his waist had pushed your dress up and you could feel him through the thin fabric of your panties as you groaned into his mouth.

“Luke.” you whimpered as his mouth moved to your neck, teeth grazing your skin. he sucked on the area for a few moments, fingers digging into your thighs as he held you up.

he finally pulled away from your neck and moved to set you down on the sink counter, his hands going to his belt as he undid it. your fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, finally getting the button down open so your fingers could roam his chest, exploring the ridges of his abdomen and the beautiful V-line disappearing into his pants.

when his belt was undone he stopped, kissing you again as he reached between your bodies and once again tore your panties in half to get them off of you, “you have to stop doing that.” you laughed against his lips.

“i’ll buy you new ones.” he promised, nipping at your lower lip as your arms encircled his shoulders. his hand reached into his back pocket and he pulled out a condom.

you expected him to fuck you like that but he pulled you down off the sink, forcing you to turn so your back was to him as his hand pushed you down over the sink, ass in the air. his eyes met yours through the mirror as he lined himself up with your entrance, hands steadying on your hips in a grip that you knew would leave marks.

he slammed into you and you moaned, moving to press your cheek against the counter but a hand wrapped in your hair, pulling your head up, “watch me while i fuck you.” he growled, eyes still on yours through the mirror.

“you’re mine.” he stated as he continued to pound into you mercilessly, “say it.”

his grip tightened on your hair, “I’m yours.” you repeated.

he let go of your hair, a hand coming down to smack your bum, “Louder.”

“I’m yours Luke.” you whined, moaning as he hit a new spot inside of you.

this answer seemed to satisfy him as his head tipped down to look at where he was entering you, both hands returning to your hips as he continued to pound in and out.

“up.” he instructed.

you pushed yourself up a bit and his hand came around the front of your body to wrap around your throat, pulling you up flush against his chest but being taller than you wasn’t making the angle that easy. he swore under his breath, pulling out of you and easily man handling you to be sitting on the counter again as he easily slide back into you.

his lips captured yours as your legs went around his waist and one of his hands cupped your face. “mine.” he hissed against your lips.

“Luke i’m gonna-” you began but he cut you off with a kiss.

“me too.”

his other hand gripped your thigh as his pounding got faster, lips on yours as you both reached your highs, letting out sinful moaning and whimpering sounds as he stilled inside of you.

you both breathed heavily, foreheads touching as he stayed there for a few moments.

he pulled out of you and discarded the condom and your ruined panties, fixing his pants then lifting you off the counter and setting you down. he pulled your dress down, running a hand through your messy hair to fix it as he looked you over, not quite sure what to say to you, his gaze lingered on your neck where you knew there was a hickie forming.

“I... uh...” he struggled.

you looked up at the Prince, the guy who always knew what to say and yet here he was, tongue tied. “that was amazing.” you said, hoping it would help him find the right words and ease whatever conflicted emotions he was obviously feeling.

he laughed, removing his hand from where it had been cupping your face to do his buttons, “i knew it from the first day i met you, you’d like the kinky stuff.”

“Luke!” you laughed at the return of his cockiness as he did up his shirt, moving to smack his chest but his hand caught yours and he pulled you to his front, looking down at you with a grin.

“don’t play dumb kitten. we both know you’re a dirty girl.” his words made you let out a breath as you wondered if a round two was a possibility but knocking at the door interrupted your thoughts. someone was always interrupting you two.

Luke put his arm over your shoulders as the two of you exited the bathroom. “do you want to stay for a bit?’ you asked.

“not really.” he answered, looking down at you and laughing at the shock in your face, “i usually used to go clubbing for women but that’s not a good reason anymore.” he explained, leaning down to press his lips to yours.

you beamed up at your boyfriend. the two of you left the club, he shielded you from the paparazzi waiting outside as he held open the limo door for you before getting in himself, sitting next to you with his hand on your thigh.

“so we’re actually dating.” you stated.

he laughed, “yeah, who would have fucking thought?”

you pushed at him and he wrapped his arms around you, “either this is real or this is the worst case of baby fever ever.”

----

two months later it was announced that Luke Hemmings would be the next king. people were okay with it. everyone remembered the way Luke had been just months earlier but since he met you, everyone had seen the change.

it was something in his eyes. an emotion that no one had ever seen there before.

it was the way he always had to be touching you, or protecting you from cameras.

it was just the way he was with you.

preparations were made for his coronation. his parents set up to move to a palace in the country they’d always planned on going to after retirement. Luke was in meetings most days but he always arrived back at the palace to find you, adorned in a new set of lingerie he had bought for you. he had entered a new chapter of his life and it was obvious to everyone around.

he no longer snapped his fingers at servants and everyone who worked on the grounds noted the change.

the coronation was a big deal and Luke was worried about the whole situation but throughout the ceremony, if he ever felt lost or scared, his eyes would just find yours as you’d offer an encouraging smile.

when the festivities had ended and everyone went home, you and Luke finally had the palace to yourselves. he’d sent all the servants home to celebrate. the only sound in the entire palace was the sound of you laughing as Luke chased you around the long hallways, ready to ‘christen’ every room with your love.

it was wild, as you ran through the palace, chased by the boy you loved, to think that he was king.

you ran to the bedroom and expected him to chase you. when you jumped into the bed and turned to find he wasn’t there, you furrowed your eye brows, sitting up. “Luke!?” you called.

he entered the room a short while later, “sorry, i was um... just grabbing something.” he said, holding whatever it was behind his back.

“do you have a present for me?” you teased as he took a few steps into the room.

he grinned sheepishly and your heart fluttered, wondering what it could possibly be. “so we’ve been dating for four months-”

“if you include the PR month.” you pointed out.

he rolled his eyes, “fine, we’ve been dating for three months. and...” his adams apple bobbed as he swallowed, then he got on a knee, “i’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.” he pulled out a small velvet box that he had been hiding behind his back, opening it to reveal a ring, “i’m sure about this. Princess Y/N, will you take me, a cocky, arrogant mama’s boy, to be your husband?”

you laughed at his inclusion of ‘arrogant’ because he always seemed to forget it, but not this time. looking down at the beautiful boy in front of you, your heart felt like it was soaring out of your chest as you nodded, feeling your eyes begin to swell.

“yes.” you said.

his face lit up as he removed the ring, taking your hand softly and slipping it onto your finger.

then he was on top of you, body pressing you into the bed as your arms wrapped around his shoulders and his lips pressed against yours. you were both smiling so much that it was hard to kiss so you pushed at him, rolling so you could be on top.

you laced your fingers with his, marvelling at the ring on your finger as you looked down at him. “how did i ever get so lucky?” you asked.

“well i was given a bunch of folders-” he began but stopped as you laughed and pushed at his chest, “you know i’m a king right. you can’t push me around anymore.”

“oh yeah?” you asked as he rolled his way on top of you again, lips finding yours.

“yeah.” he said, rubbing his nose against yours slightly to make you laugh.

you smiled at each other, not a care in the world. “I love you Luke Hemmings.”

“i love you too Princess.

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fractured-junkdrawer-blog · 4 years

Text

TMG Lyric Starters

For all your Tiny Meat Gang starter needs! I love this group and I love their music. Plus, they’re funny dudes so here we go.

Broke Bitch

Now hold up, bro, what the fuck you say?

Just 'cause I'm the funny guy does not mean that I'm callin' back

Man, I tell that broke bitch if you wanna get in tune, better change your whole pitch

She can't fuck with me, so she just fuck my friends

I can't get pulled over on the road 'cause I got contraband

They say, "Cody, grow up, " I say, "Bitch, I'm goin' Peter Pan!"

Ain't nothin' ‘bout it predisposed but the shit we make got legs and take off like a runny nose

Y'all don't even know my race

We know you're micro-soft, boy, we call you Billy Gates

I'm gainin' weight, we cookin' as of late

Got no taste for bein' broke so we ain't takin' any breaks

Call me Thor 'cause she want my fuckin' hammer, Loki

Walk Man

We eating good, I'm a fat man

You ain't fuckin' with it you can take a walk man

You don't wanna push my buttons, take a walk

I put her face on my wood like a totem pole

Boy, you only bussing down with a fucking bus pass

Fingers all over my quarter pounder and she lovin' that

Uh, hi, babe, we just made a song and I'm rapping about other girls and I was just wondering if...

Stole your bitch, was a breeze, she a super-fan

She a ho, 'cause she's fucking with my farmers tan

Run your mouth, boy, you can take a hike

Gloves off bitch, I'm feeling impolite

I got this chick and she like to cook me dinner, might bust down her ring finger

Hey, babe, so, uh, I'm making a song right now and I am rapping about other girls, but I ended it by saying I was gonna propose to you. Is that cool?

Club Poor

Nah, I'm not paying ten to go in there

I'ma wait 'til the bouncer take his five and I'mma go through the back

And I'm not taking my hat off

Fuck this club

Uh, hol' up, hol' up, what's that?

I'm not shelling out, I gotta pay rent

You looking at me like your boy ain't got wealth but I'm a baller, baby, everywhere else

Sorry baby, but that shit kinda pricey

I'm not paying 20 for a shot

Now, I know that sound cheap but that's how I stay icy

Fuck you mean I can't wear shorts?

Now you going through my pockets like the airport

I got a ten spot, I ain't paying more

I can see it's all dudes on the dance floor

Where you get off with that cover price?

Let me get inside and find my fucking wife

Hey, why you push me that hard?

Man, I shoulda gone to the dive bar

No Flex

Man I got tens of dollars in my pocket right now

I don't mean to flex but I've been having sex like once a week at least or two, if my girl ain't stressed

I don't mean to brag but my bandwidth is flat

I got the Hulu plus bitch, streaming with no ads

I get my haircut twice a month that's my routine

I'm speaking Spanish to the valet

My nine to five keep me tied down like I'm possessed

I could buy out h and m

No interest on the lease I'm controlling what I spend

Body count up in the double digits

I'm back 50 weeks, liking pics you wish you could

You can call me two faced with the way I'm tossing coin

If the waitress treat me right I'm tipping 21 percent

#rp meme #rp ask meme #roleplay meme #askbox meme #inbox meme

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jinxthequeergirl · 5 years

Text

Match maker

Steve Harrington x hopper! Reader

Summary: you take Steve with you to see a friend of your dads and get some information he's asked for, while there things take a turn.

Warning:swearing

~~~~~~~

"You could've changed before this." you said pushing yourself off the car. "You didn't exactly give me time now did you?" you rolled your eyes and tossed the car keys to him as he pulled his sailor hat off.

"Let's go Harrington it's a long way from here to Illinoise." you slid across the hood of the car and hopped into the passenger side.

"So what are we driving three hours to Illinoisie for?" he started the car and pulled right out of the star court parking lot and headed to your destination.

"Dad said he needs something from this guy...Murray something."

He glanced over to you confused quickly catching a glimps of you with your stupid pair of red heart shaped sunglasses, he had won for you at the homecoming festival, that was the first time he was without Nancy and the first time you decided to actually try and become friends with him. That day went well considering you where now best friends.

Your hand out the window riding the breeze, your head leaned back against the seat and legs kicked up on the dash. "What?" you questioned him pushing your sunglasses down a bit. "What?" he reapeted. "You keep glancing over."

"Nothing...nothing I'm just suprised your dad actually has friends." You laughed hitting his arm lightly and sitting up.

"Your and idiot harrington."

"Ah but only a dumbass you have an idiot drive them three fucking hours to meet some guy."

"Ooh you got me!" You said sarcastically finally shoving a cassett tape, you had johnathan make for you a while back, into the speakers and turning it up up In hearing the first song. "C'mon seriously?"

You grinned and did a little dance in your seat only stopping to sing along loudly. "I WANT TO BREAK FREE! I WANT TO BREAK FREEEE!"

He rolled his eyes and did his best to ignore what was happening beside him.

"I WANT TO BREAK FREE FROM YOUR LIES YOUR SO SELF SATISFIED!"

You poked his arm with each word you sang earning a grin from him as he swatted you away and turned it down.

"Oh come on you love this song!"

"YOU love this song!" he corrected.

"We love this song." you said turning it up. He only smiled and allowed you to sing along. As the first hour went by he noticed a lot of the songs that played where song you both loved and off ten bonded over, and after the first hour you stopped to grab food sitting on the hood of the car outside the kfc talking and watching the Sun slowly set before hopping back into the car.

In hour two you had played a series of road trip games before taking a nap currled up in the seat and in his jacket. By hour three you where wide awake shinning a flashlight down at the map in you lap, reading out loud the directions your father had scribbled across the it.

You finally pulled up through a rusty old fence and looked at the building ahead. "This the place?" you checked the paper with the adress and information you needed to get on it. "Yea...this is it." you clicked the flash light of the same time Steve stoped the car and the headlights blinked out. You both leaned forward looking out the window.

You looked at each other before looking back out. "Any chance this was a set up and your dad is trying to kill us?"

You snorted. "Possable." You looked at him. "Ready?"

He shrugged and followed you out of the car to the front door. You ringed the buzzer and waited, shoving your hands in the pockets of Steve's jacket you had thrown on after your nap.

"How are you? What do you want?" you both jumped at the voice but quickly responded. "Uhh...my...my Dad Jim hopper sent me?...He needs you help with some stuff on this list..."

"Who's with you?"

"Uh my friend Steve."

"Look at the camera." Steve looked at what he assumed was the cameta and you looked up at the actual camera. "The camera duffus!" you poked Steve with your elbow and he quickly followed your gaze.

Everything went scilent for a moment.

"What happened? Should we go or?..." just as Steve said that the door swung open starttaling you causing you to instinctively grab Steve's arm.

You both came face to face with your fathers friend. Steve leaned down to you, still wrapped around his arm. "See now it makes sense!" you giggled lightly letting go. "Uh murray Bauman?"

"Yes! Now come inside! Don't just stand there!" you stepped inside first followed by Steve. "Wow..." you muttered once you where inside. The place was a mess But a lot bigger than what you thought.

Murray stopped in front of both of you getting a good look. "You look a lot like your father I must say, what does he need?"

"Oh right everything...everything on this list..." you pulled the paper from Steve's coat pocket and handed it to him.

He scanned it while both you and steve stood there anxiously. "Mhm alright I'll have everything by morning!"

"What?...mor...morning?"

"Yes! It'll give me time to get everything plus I highly doubt your father would want you driving so late, sit both of you!"

You both did so and he sat across from you. "The hell with that!"

Murray smiled. "You have his temper to. You made a series of noises in disbelief before scowling and shutting up. Steve chuckled lightly beside you and slapped his arm.

"Can I offer you two anything to drink? Something to lighten the mood? Relax yourselfs after a long afternoon on the road. "Just whatever." you shrugged.

He got up and headed to the kitchen. "So tell me what's the deal with you two? How long have you been together- No don't tell me let me guess." you and steve shared a wide eyes look before turning around on the sofa to face him.

"We...we aren't...she's not my...she's Just..."

"Friends!" you blurted out finishing Steve's thought. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Murray rolled his eyes. "This again? Ugh what is it with teenagers denying there felling for eachother. He came back handing you both a glass.

"I'm sorry hang on, a lot to unpack right here. One we do not have felling for each other so jot that down. He's my best friend what would make you think that?, two How often are teenagers visiting you to the point you can even say "this again?"

Murray leaned in and stared at the both of you. "Let me see...What would make me think that....Well for starters that jacket isn't your's far to big but to small to be your dads so obviously it belongs to the only other person with you, second off all you jump to him for safety-"

You open your mouth to protest but he stops you. "Yea I saw that...the little hits and playfull pushing you two share anything just to be able to touch eachother, c'mon..." Murray stopped and snapped his fingers at steve waiting for a name.

"Steve...it's Steve." he said.

"Right Steve, you like her, she's funny, cool, likes what you like has been there for you. Y/n you like steve...of course you do! Look at him!" you looked at him and quickly turned away feeling your face go hot instantly.

"See Now you can't even look at each other." you took a large gulp of your drink instantly wincing after swallowing. "Vodka?" Murray shrugged and did the same.

"Too answer your other question. Two kids where here a year or so ago Nancy and johnathan..."

"Nancy wheeler?...and johnathan byers?" Steve asked glancing over to you catching sight of you quickly taking his jacket off and leaving it in a heap on the couch.

"Yea something like that, Why?"

"Nancy used to date Steve...and...and johnathan is a friend." Murray looked shocked. "So your STEVE Steve...well now it makes even more sense..."

"What does?" you scoffed still refusing to look at Steve. So instead you looked at your shoes, or your hands. Anything was more intresting than the boy next to you. Steve frowned noticing it.

"Well, y/n before Nancy and steve broke up who was your best friend?"

"Johnathan byers." you responded quickly. "And how did you fell about Steve then?"

You though for a moment really thought. Not that you knew why it was so hard for you to say it, he knew how you felt. Still you felt like you where hurting him or something.

"I...I hated him..." you said slowly and softly."

"Right excellent! Steve go! How did you feel about y/n?"

"I mean..." he stopped looking at you, unlike you he had never explained how he felt about you before breaking up. And just as he thought about it you sat up realising this.

You looked at him now intruged. "Yea Harrington...how DID you feel about me?"

Steve's eyes darted between you and Murray nervously. "I...well...I didn't really know you exsisted?...and then I...I did...and..." he trailed off looking at the slight sadness in your face.

"Don't know what I expected from the hair himself." You sneered turning back to Murray. "What's your point in all this?"

"My point my blind fellows is that I've figured out your stories!" he said leaning back. "Now correct me if I'm wrong but, You hate Steve for many obvious reasons maybe he did something to you or johnathan...I Don't know nor do I care...anyways at some point johnathan stops hanging out with you and leaves you for Nancy same with Steve. Neither of you understand why and in some act to get answers you two end up stuck together, while together y/n here sees why perhaps Steve Harrington isn't such a bad guy, and your heart swells a little at just the thought of giving him a chance. Finllay in an act of pitty and sorrow you give him that chance and Steve's heart jumps! Because "wow this girl! How could I have been so blind!" and the more time you spend with each other, you start picking up on little thing each one does and slowly start falling in love but keep telling yourselves "no this is just what good real friendship feels like!" now did I miss any thing?"

You and steve both sat back staring at him with a blank expression. You brought your glass up to your mouth and downed whatever was left in it.

"That's what I thought. There is a bed in that room, along with some extra clothes, at the end of the hall and this couch pulls out. Its up to you how you sleep, good night!"

You both sat there in uncomfortable scilents as he left the room. "I..." Steve cleared this throat and turned to you. "I can..can take the couch. You've had a long day..."

You nodded. "Sure...sure...I Just need..to call my dad..." you quickly got up and shuffled down the hall to the phone. Steve let out a frustrated groan and threw his head back.

"Hey dad...no, yea we made it fine...listen he said he won't have everything till morning...so me and steve will...what?...dad no! Steve has the pull out sofa!...yea ok love you.." you hung up with a sigh and turned to see Steve at the end of the hall.

"Listen we aren't gonna let this guy get to us right? I mean who knows us better than us!" you smiled. "Right."

"And we know we Don't have feelings for eachother!"

"Yea!"

"So why are we freaked out by this?"

"I Don't know." you chuckled leaning against the wall. "Good...ok So we forget about this whole thing, sleep and go home!"

"Ok...sounds Good...night Harrington." You turned to open the door but stopped.

"We don't have feeling for each other right?" you asked seeing him still standing there. "I...uh...no?..." he said more as a question. "I mean he was right when he said I think your Pratt,smart and funny....cool..." you smiled and stepped towards him.

"Shit, why are we pretending?God why an I pretending? The only reason I hated you was because, yea you where an ass and after we became friend's I really did think thoese feeling where gone but obvi- "

"Yea, sure, whatever." he said inturuping you and then kissing you. You kissed back with just as much passion, wrapping your arms around his neck. "Maybe I Don't have to sleep on that sofa..." you laughed leaning up to kiss him again. "No funny bussnies Harrington." You said finally pushing the door open. "No I promise." he said grinning and scooping you up in his arms. You yelped as he did so but laughed eminently after.

"Rise and shine love birds!" you winced at the light murray and turned on and burried yourself into Steve's chest. "Five more minutes, dad..." You mumbled as Steve sighed and moved his arm to wrap around you.

"Mhm nope get up I was kind enough to make breakfast, now hurry it's getting cold!" you groaned throwing his arm of of you and climbing out of bed.

After breakfast murray presnted you with a large stack of everything you dad had asked for. "Thank you so much!" you said after climbing into the car. "Not a problem tell jim I say hello!"

You smiled and waved as Steve drove off heading home for Hawkins. "Maybe when we get home I can take you to a movie tonight?"

You smiled. "Well we already kissed so I think it's safe to skip the formality of a first date."

"C'mon I'm just trying to be a gentlemen!"

You laughed. "I'll be outside of scoops at seven OK?"

#stranger things x reader #steve harrington x reader

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ansgar-martinsson · 4 years

Text

Fair Winds and a Following Sky - Part 12

Nowhere Oklahoma, One and One Half Years Ago

It was a dry winter, or so he’d been told. Dry, he supposed, meant mild; as the weather was more like autumn or spring in his estimation, than a true winter. He’d never spent a winter in the Southern United States before, but he knew that the winter there paled in comparison to the dark, Swedish winters he was accustomed to.

Which was why he never once complained about working in the barn, why he never once balked at mucking out the stables or feeding the horses, or even putting the great beasts through their daily winter paces. There wasn’t much he could have done construction wise around the ranch. Most of it - the barn, the porch decking, the siding, the garage door - was done, anyway.

His work there was essentially complete. And yet, for numerous reasons, he stayed.

It was six in the evening, an hour after sunset. The sky was a grayish haze yet - the day was over, but it was not quite night. He, as he was every night for the past few months, was in the stable. It was warm there, heated by the hay and the horses; and he enjoyed the sounds of the breeze through the corridor, the whisper of the straw, and the whickering of horses.

He had just finished brushing Condor’s Flight, one of Anna’s prized racehorses, when he heard tires in the driveway followed by the slam of a single car door. It didn’t sound at all like Anna’s Chevy. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was the distinct sound of a newer model BMW, which, from his knowledge of the local trucks, SUVs, and beaters with heaters, was quite odd.

He dipped his hands into a trough of warm water, wiped them with the towel that hung from the tack post, pushed the man door open and stepped onto the edge of the pathway. In the beam of a pair of bluish headlights, he saw the shape of a woman - shorter, stockier, thickly dressed - definitely not Anna.

The woman called out. “Boy! Come here.” She gestured wildly in the air with one hand, beckoning him to her as she took quick, shuffling steps toward him. In spite of her demands, he remained in place, his hands on his hips. “I said, come here boy.”

“I’m sorry, madam,” he replied, “I tend not to answer to ‘boy.”

“Ooh,” she sang, “a proud one, huh? Well,” she stepped forward, pulled off one of her gloves and held her hand out to him. “Let me try this again, hm? I’m Bessie Travidge. Folks call me ‘Mama.’ Supposing you can too, call me Mama.”

He sighed behind a tight-lipped smile. “A pleasure, Mrs. Travidge,” he shook her hand, his grip tight and firm. “I’m Alan Easterberg.”

“You’re the help,” she perked. “I know all about you, boy.”

He curled his lip and sneered. “Madam....”

“Sorry, sorry,” she held her hands up. “Don’t mean to insult y’all.”

He grinned, showing his teeth in an irritated rictus. “How may I help you, Mrs. Travidge?”

“Oh, do call me Mama, will y’all?”

“How may I help you... Mama?” he repeated, the name dripping like venom from his lips. “Anna isn’t home right now. She’ll be returning shortly if you’d like to wait inside.”

“Oh no,” her eyes widened. “I ain’t here to see Fair Sky.”

He cocked his head. “Then why are you here?”

“To talk to you, for sure.”

He blinked. “Me? What could you possibly want with me?”

She peered at him, then, her aspect morphing from one of blithe friendliness to a hard, stern facade. “I’m here to talk to you about your leavin’ this place. Quick like.”

“I assure you I have no intention of leaving, not yet at least,” he replied cooly.

“Don’t matter your intention, boy....”

“Don’t call me boy....”

“Mm hmm,” she guffawed sardonically. “Don’t matter much your intention, sir,” she emphasized. “You’re leaving and quick like.”

“I assume, madam, that there is an ‘or else’ hanging at the end of that.”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

He widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest - mainly in an attempt to show dominance, but truthfully in an attempt to hide the damnable shaking of his hands. He pulled the brim of his hat down over his eyes, also a show of strength mixed with the desire to conceal the fear swimming in the blue. “And that ‘or else’ is?”

“Or else I tell them where you are.”

“Tell them where I am,” he repeated slowly, as if trying to decipher the ramblings of a maddened child. “Tell whom?”

She chuckled, lifted one hand, and with the other, she ticked off her fingers. “Well, the police for starters, then the CIA, FBI, Interpol, and some fellas from the Swedish Secret Service what came round to my office last week.”

His heart was a caged lion. It pulsed and strained and pounded against his chest. His mind went cold and he seemed to have lost his stomach altogether. Yet, he fought hard not to show any of his discomfiture. Fought to keep his mask firmly in place, but time and emotional trauma and lack of practice made it fragile, paper thin, full of deep fissures. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said clearly. “There’s no reason any of those people would be looking for me.”

“Because you’re just a carpenter, ain’t that right?”

“That is correct,” he averred. “I think you must have me confused with someone else.”

“Does the name Rufus Valentine ring any bells with you?”

Crack.

He swallowed hard, struggling to keep his jaw from clenching, his eyes from watering. “No,” he lied.

“How about Isak Pettersen?”

Crack.

He blinked. “No.”

“Ansgar Martinsson?”

Jesus Christ, he thought. She knows. She fucking knows.

“I’m afraid I have no idea who that is.”

“Well,” she smiled, serpent-like. She paced in front of him, back and forth over the short width of the gravel walkway. “He is a very important fella, he is. The CEO of some big international company, got his sticky fingers in projects in just about every country on this planet.”

“What does that have to ---”

“Quiet now, boy,” she barked. “Just hush yourself for a spell and listen to me.”

His nose flared and his eyes hardened, but he stayed, he listened. There was nowhere for him to go, regardless. “Go on.”

“Turns out,” she continued, “he up and disappeared ‘bout a year or so ago. Left New York City one morning, and ain’t been heard of since. Folks have been looking up and down for him, and nothin.’ They want him back, you see. Guess he’s, how’d they say it? He’s vital to ongoing government operations or something like that. What’s more he’s wanted for assault, they say. Somethin’ about tearing up some bar in Pennsylvania and threatening this Valentine fella with a gun. Should I go on?”

He remained silent.

“See, and they’re gettin’ real close to finding him, they say. He was good, real talented at slippin’ away, at hiding. Didn’t leave much of a trail. But the FBI, they’re dang good at what they do too.”

Shatter.

“Apparently they are,” he said. He knew full well that to say as such constituted an uncontrovertable admission. He sighed and fluttered his eyes with deep-seated annoyance. “So, what do you want?”

“Told y’all. I want you gone,” she demanded. “Pack up your shit, get in that rust bucket Bronco of yours and high tail it out of here. And don’t come back.”

“Why don’t you just turn me in? Just tell them who I am and where I am?”

“’Cause I don’t want no trouble.”

He cocked his head, squinting. “For Anna?”

“No, for my family. I don’t give a rat’s ass about that injun bitch,” she spat. “I don’t want the Travidge name dragged through whatever mud you’ve been wallowing in. If they ask me, I’ll deny ever knowing what I know or ever seeing y’all. I’ll deny we had this conversation, but you gotta skedaddle. Now.”

He nodded slowly, understanding. “What if I refuse?”

“My boys are out by the car,” she indicated with a lift of her chin. “Brian’s been itchin’ to have at y’all again after the beatin’ you gave him this summer. He ain’t drunk now, and that’s all I’ll say about that.”

“And if I don’t leave, how will you turn me in without, as you say, dragging your family through the mud?”

“The FBI loves an anonymous tip, don’t it?” She tapped the side of her nose and winked. “Easy as pie.”

He licked his lips. “I see. What about Anna?”

“What about her?”

He closed his eyes in thought. The last thing he wanted was for this woman... this Mama... to know that he and Anna had been intimate, that they’d forged some semblance of a relationship, that maybe, just maybe, he was falling for her. “Nothing,” he clipped, shaking his head. “Nothing at all.”

“So I guess you’ve got a choice don’t y’all? You can either leave, disappear again, and get home to Sweden on your own terms -- when you want, how you want -- or you can go by force, in custody, and under the watchful eye of the press. Your choice, Bucko.”

And later that night, he made his choice. And because of that choice he loathed himself even more, if that were possible. Like Faye, he packed his bag, tossed it in the back of his car, and left. Left in the night. Left without discussion. Left without saying goodbye. He vanished from Anna’s home, her bed, and her life.

But unlike Faye, at least he’d left a note.

He wondered, as he turned his Bronco toward the Eastbound Highway 40 on-ramp, whether Faye had hurt as much, or had cried as hard as he did when she left him.

#fair winds and a following sky

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porkchop-ao3 · 5 years

Text

Hogtied: John Marston x Reader

Taking a break from posting A Thrill I’ve Never Known to bring you this; some John Marston x female reader smut!

Reader brings John back into line in a hotel room in Valentine with the use of her trusty lasso. Contains; rope play, mild dom/sub dynamics, face sitting, oral sex, cream pie-ing and just a hint of fluff. Juuuust a hint. Of course, we’re conveniently ignoring the existence of Abigail purely for the sake of smut, haha :P

I hope you enjoy! x

All it took was a few words from Arthur to make my evening's plans fall into place.

"You better watch she don't hogtie you next, Marston." He'd said, when John had teased me about my fumble with the bounty strapped to the back of my horse. He'd almost gotten away from us and I'd had to chase after the guy with my lasso swinging in order to get him back.

"Implying she ain't done that already,” John bit back, his tone far too suggestive for his meaning to be in any way ambiguous.

"Christ, John, I don't wanna know what you pair get up to in your spare time. Not that the rest of us at the camp don't already have half an inkling," Arthur muttered in response. "Speaking of, I'd like to remind you that my bed ain't two steps away from your tent."

"Lighten up, will you?" John laughed, shaking his head, falling back a little to ride side by side with me. I shot him a glare, warning him to keep his mouth shut about our private affairs. He simply smirked at me, and with that, I made up my mind.

The three of us had been out bounty hunting and were just heading into Valentine to collect our reward. Doing so went off without a hitch and our initial plan was to head back into camp once we were done. When we left the sheriff's office, however, I spoke up.

"Actually, Arthur, I'd like to borrow John for a little while. He owes me a whiskey, and since we're here," I trailed off, grabbing John by the back of his coat to halt him before he mounted his horse.

Arthur glanced between the two of us for a moment before shaking his head in amusement. "Sure. Just so I know not to send out the cavalry, you planning on coming back tonight?"

John looked over his shoulder at me.

"Probably not," I said. So much for trying to be discreet. John seemed to perk up, wearing a brazen smile at what was implied.

"Alright then, see you two tomorrow," Arthur said, mounting his horse and leaving us to it. John turned and looked at me expectantly, and I pushed his shoulder to get him moving towards the hotel. He snickered quietly to himself.

"You're pushing your luck, Marston," I said through bared teeth.

"You're so easy, I barely did a damn thing," he argued mischievously.

"I'm easy?"

"Shit, not like that! Easy to wind up, I meant," he explained and I tutted.

"Whatever. I wish you wouldn't say stuff like that in front of the others."

"The hogtie thing? What? It's true," he shrugged, not seeing my point.

"Don't mean they ought to know about it," I shook my head.

"Baby, I'm sure they already do."

"Huh, probably. Considering you're such a loudmouth, can't get you to shut up even with a gag in your mouth," I gave him a sideways glance and he leaned close to me, the dirty smile on his face looking strange with the puppy dog eyes. He had a way of pulling off those kinds of expressions.

"Yeah but you love it," he whispered. I rolled my eyes as we entered the hotel. John didn't think twice before approaching the desk and paying for the room himself, he must've been eager.

We went up to our room and I immediately shut the door behind us and drew all the curtains, darkening the room before John lit the lamps. He stood there like a loyal puppy as he watched me take off my satchel and put it down on the dresser, my holster soon joining it. I removed my boots then shimmied out of my skirt and blouse, letting them drop to the floor leaving me in my chemise and drawers, John was still fully clothed.

"You haven't got the hint, yet?" I inquired, cocking a brow playfully.

"Was waiting for instruction, ma'am," he replied, his tone quiet and salacious, just a little bit sarcastic.

"Well then, take off all your killin' gear, for starters," I gestured to his guns. "Your jacket and boots, too, cowboy."

With a breathy laugh he did as he was told, leaning the repeater strapped to his back up against the wall and dropping his gun belt to the floor next to it. He hopped on one foot as he tried to remove his boots.

"Well ain't you an irresistible hunk of a man," I drawled sarcastically, smirking at his performance. He finally got his boots off, letting them clatter on the floor before shrugging off his duster and tossing it on the chair behind him. He held his arms out as if to present himself to me.

"And all yours, too," he said. I licked my lips and admired him in his black button up shirt and worn pants, all hugging his lean, tall body just so.

I crossed the room, reaching for him, letting my hand slide up his chest and around to the back of his neck. I pulled him down to my level for a kiss, tilting my head and moving my mouth against his, the kiss gradually becoming more intense as he brushed his hat off of his head before wrapping his arms around me. John moaned against my mouth, his hands grabbing at the fabric of my chemise and pulling it up enough to slide his hands underneath to stroke the skin of my back. He pulled me tight against his chest, his breath quickening as he lost himself in our kiss.

I pulled away first, dodging his lips as he attempted to chase me and carry on. A quiet whine escaped his throat and I stepped away a little, playfully grabbing his suspenders and pulling them out so they snapped back against his chest with a quiet clap. I turned away, going to my satchel and opening it up. John didn't miss a beat, coming up behind me and placing his hands on my hips, nestling his face into my hair so he could kiss the back of my neck and breathe me in. His hips rolled forwards once, brushing against my ass and letting me know that he was getting hard. He was always so quick to rile up.

Resting his chin on my shoulder, he watched me retrieve my rope and made a pleased little hum of a sound, turning his head so his lips were against my neck as he spoke.

"You gonna tie me up, babygirl?" He whispered. I turned around in his arms and slipped the ring of rope over my shoulder so I could pull down his suspenders, leaving them to hang from his pants.

I kept my eyes on his as I unbuttoned his shirt, untucking it from his pants and removing it to reveal his union suit underneath. It clung to his body so tightly and I couldn't resist feeling him up, letting my hands explore the expanse of his chest and slide down his arms, squeezing the muscle there.

"Sounded like you liked the idea," I said, thinking back to what he'd said to Arthur. Of course he liked it, I knew it for a fact, we'd brought rope into the bedroom (or tent) on many occasions.

"Damn right I do," his voice was even more raspy when he was turned on and it made me hot between my legs.

I trapped my bottom lip between my teeth as I unbuttoned his union suit all the way down to his pants, which I unbuttoned too so I could slip my hand inside and palm his cock. He sucked in a sharp breath, hips canting forwards and mouth hanging gormlessly open. I wrapped my hand around him and freed it from his clothes, stroking slowly. John's head tilted back and he let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a moan. With his neck exposed I leaned in and kissed him there a number of times, right up the center of his throat.

I kept my hand on his cock as I turned us around, backing over to the bed, leading him with his erection. The backs of my knees hit the bed and I dropped down onto it, John eagerly climbing on top of me, kissing me nothing short of aggressively as I continued to pump his cock. Groaning into my mouth and rocking his hips, he reminded me once again just how needy and easy he was in the bedroom. I let go of him, grabbing his hips and rolling us over so I was straddling him. His pants had fallen down his legs and I felt him kicking them off onto the floor behind me, leaving him just in his fully unbuttoned, white union suit with his cock jutting out.

I licked my lips as I looked down at him, slipping the rope from my shoulder and gripping it between both hands as I considered what I wanted to do with him. With a sultry little smile, John offered his hands up to me, holding his wrists together; he was all too enthusiastic and I tutted playfully.

"You're a dirty boy, Marston," I said.

"It's all your doin', baby," he told me. I scoffed and cocked a brow.

"Naw, you were like this long before me, I'm just good at accommodating you," I excused, and he dropped his hands to my thighs where he stroked upwards, fingers just dipping underneath the leg holes in my underthings. "I don't want you being able to touch me, today."

John moaned before speaking. "You know how I love touching you."

"Mm, but keeping what you want from you makes you so fun to play with," I said, tilting my head at him. I shifted forwards, covering his cock with my body and rubbing up against it.

John hissed, hands tightening around my thighs. I pried them off of me one by one, pinning them to his sides; he kept them there when I patted his shoulder, urging him to sit up. He let loose a whine that sounded like he didn't know whether to be turned on or frustrated when I started wrapping the rope around him.

"How's this for you?" I asked, my tone light and reassuring.

"It's good," he told me, his breathing laboured. "You can go tighter than that.”

"You sure?"

John nodded and I crossed each end of the rope over, pulling them tighter so it pinned his arms at his side just below his elbows, the rope wrapping around his entire body. I tied it off, keeping my eyes on his as I did. He looked at me in a way that made me feel like I was the only thing in the world that mattered to him; I don't know how he managed that but it propelled me forward to kiss him.

"You know what to say if you wanna stop, okay?" I said against his lips and John hummed in affirmation. "Good boy," I added, feeling his cock twitch between my legs.

I pushed him to lay flat with his shoulder, and he laid there panting, eyes set firmly on mine the entire time. John barely looked away from me when we did this sort of thing, like his eyes were incapable of moving elsewhere as soon as his control was lessened and he was placing his trust in me.

I slid back down his thighs, peppering kisses down his chest slowly. I paused at his nipple, rounding my tongue around it a couple of times before doing the same to the other. I noticed he was craning his neck to keep looking at me and so I paused to grab a pillow and nestle it under his head so he wouldn't hurt himself, then I continued my journey down his body. My kisses followed the patch of hair below his navel, down, and I smirked as I felt his abdomen flex as I got closer to his cock. He moaned quietly before I even touched it, fidgeting his hips on the bed.

"I sincerely hope you've bathed, recently," I said after a long pause, my mouth hovering over his cock and making his breath pick up.

"This morning, actually," he said, far too proud of himself. Before we started whatever this was, I knew that he had a bad habit of forgetting about personal hygiene. I made sure to remind him, now, for my own sake more than his.

Satisfied with his answer, I dipped my head and tilted it, letting my lips ghost over his shaft ever so lightly. John shuddered and hummed in response, it turned into a grunt when my tongue poked out and I dragged it down to his balls where I teased them lightly.

"Fuck, baby, you treat me right," he uttered breathily, and I rewarded his flattery with an upward sweep of my tongue, kissing the head of his cock. I took him into my mouth after that, pumping my lips up and down his length slowly, not giving him the punishing pace I knew he enjoyed.

Despite taking things more slowly, John still seemed to enjoy my ministrations and mewled softly each time my lips or tongue brushed his most sensitive spots, his wrists flexing as if to reach for me despite being bound to his sides. I loved doing this to him, making him squirm and pant and slowly become desperate underneath my touches. He was very easy to work up, and I knew what to do to help him along. I moved one hand from where it was resting on his thigh and reached between my own legs, slipping it inside my drawers. John's eyes didn't miss the movement and he bit down on his lip, groaning.

I sucked him a little quicker, bobbing my head and bringing my spare hand up to give his balls some attention as I worked. Meanwhile, my other hand pleasured myself, slipping between my folds and feeling the wetness already there from merely having this position over John, from hearing his sounds and tasting the slick that was beginning to leak from the tip of his cock. John always produced a lot of precum, it turned me on more than I let him know. I pulled off of him and used my hand on him for a moment to watch a bead of the stuff rise and slowly roll down his shaft, cursing under my breath.

"Take your chemise off, baby, let me see your body," he sighed, and I sat up, making sure he got a good look at my hand moving in my underwear for a moment before I removed it so I could pull my chemise over my head. John groaned when my breasts were exposed to him, and I took them into my own hands, fondling them for his enjoyment.

"You like to torture yourself, huh? You wanna look even though you can't touch," I teased. He let out a low chuckle and fidgeted.

"It's better than not looking," he said, his eyes rolling up and down my body greedily before they settled on my underwear. "How 'bout you take those off, too, then you can come up here and let me taste you."

"John," I breathed, my arousal heightening at the suggestion. I didn't hesitate before complying; I never usually took orders from him when he was the one tied up, but I'd make an exception for such a good idea.

After removing my underwear I crawled up his body, noting the way he panted and flushed right down to his chest as he became more and more aroused. He encouraged me with breathy little whispers as I moved to straddle his head, pleading with me. Slipping my fingers through his hair and holding on, I carefully lowered my hips over him; he eagerly closed the distance, his tongue dragging between my folds. He let loose a delicious sound of indulgence, tasting me and closing his lips around my most sensitive spot, sucking and flicking his tongue over me. I gasped and rolled my hips, getting lost in the pleasure as he so eagerly supplied it.

"That mouth can do wonders when you put your mind to it," I panted, feeling his chuckle vibrate against my pussy and shuddering. I swore and cooed his name, leaning back so I could reach a hand behind me to his cock. I gave him slow tugs, loving the way it seemed to encourage him; using his tongue to circle my clit quickly, making me pant and writhe.

His dark eyes peeked up from under my body, watching me carefully and enjoying the view. I could tell he was giving me his all, trying to make me cum; I considered letting him, but with his cock in my hand so slick with precum, all I could think about was how good he'd feel inside me. I let go of his cock and lifted my hips, hearing his sound of confusion as I bent over, running my fingers through his hair and peering down at him.

"You want me to ride you, cowboy?" I purred, and he turned his head to kiss the inside of my thigh as he let out a low, rumbling sound. I knew he'd be exploring my body with his hands if he could; without them he was making the most of his mouth.

"I want you to do whatever you want to me," he rasped, his tone filthy. I smirked at him, then backed up until I was sitting atop his hips.

I didn't waste any time, taking his cock in my hand and lowering onto it; marvelling in his reaction. He sucked air in between his teeth sharply and his brow creased, his back arching and arms tugging at the rope around him. I leaned my hands on his chest as I stayed still, feeling his chest expand quickly with heavy breaths, I gave him a moment to collect himself but his hips soon started shifting. He brought his knees up to press his feet into the mattress, giving him the leverage to thrust against me. I laughed at his lack of restraint and didn't try to stop him, moving to meet his thrusts because they felt far too good for me to not let him carry on.

He sighed loudly with every exhale, his voice raising as I picked up my pace, which he soon matched. I let my hands roam his body, feeling every flex of every muscle in his torso, feeling the strength in his arms though they were restricted, suddenly struck with the urge to have them around me.

With our pace so unbridled, so quick and raw, I was approaching my completion in mere minutes. I moaned freely, not worrying about the strangers who might be listening through the walls as I leaned forward, tilting my pelvis so my clit rubbed against him. I laid against his chest, folding my arms around the back of the pillow his head was resting upon so we were nose to nose.

"Cum inside me, would you like that?" I whispered to him, my lips brushing against his. He practically whimpered, his hips stuttering. He nodded his head. "What if I untied you? Let you hold me?"

John groaned and nodded again. "Please," he huffed, and I kissed him before sitting up enough to reach the knot of rope at his chest. I untied it, tugging the rope loose enough that he could slip his arms out; he immediately wrapped them around my waist and pulled me back down, flush against his chest.

He became even more vocal with his hands free to explore my body; they stroked up and down my spine, down to my ass, squeezing and using his grip to guide me against him faster. The position and his absence of shyness when it came to manhandling had me climbing to the edge of my climax and I gasped, tangling my fingers in John's hair.

"I'm gonna cum, you ready, baby?" He growled into my ear, gripping me with almost bruising force.

"Inside me," I repeated, turning my head to speak against the side of his face, pressing a kiss to his scars there. John grunted, cursing. The very idea of him finishing inside me, filling me up and making me his in such away made my pleasure peak, making my heart thrum and my vision fuzz as I climaxed with him buried inside me.

"Ahh, fuck! I love you, I love–” his gravelly words were cut off with a cry of pleasure and I felt his cock twitching, spilling inside me just like I'd asked. John's hips slowed, pressing up against me and rocking only subtly so he was as deep as possible when he finished, and he stayed there as he rode it out, puffing air against my shoulder with his moans.

We came down together, John's hips collapsing back down against the mattress, my body going lax along with his. We remained connected only for a short while before I shifted my hips to release us, feeling the flood of wetness between my legs that brought me harshly back down to earth. John and I were playing with fire; but caught up in the moment, it was difficult to remember that.

I pressed a number of kisses to his cheek again, feeling the different texture of his scars against my lips, that part of him I knew he felt a little self conscious about so I made sure to reassure him in the ways I knew how. Non-verbal, with lots of kisses. I lavished his face and his neck with my affections a while longer before sitting up, helping him to fully remove the rope from around him, giving his arms a little rub down.

"You okay?" I whispered, noticing his quietness as he just watched the way I moved with a small smile on his face. He nodded his head, stroking his hands over my thighs and taking a deep, loud breath.

"I'm sorry for what I said," he told me. It took me a moment to realise what he was talking about, but I shook my head and laughed.

"The rope thing, to Arthur? Don't worry, I wasn't actually that mad," I reassured him and he gave an awkward laugh, shaking his head and looking down at my torso to avoid my eyes. "What then?" I frowned.

"Lost myself a little, there. At the end," he murmured, and I was utterly confused. "I said I love you," he clarified after a moment. My brows shot up and immediately felt strange. I had heard him say it, but it had sounded so natural that I didn't even think about it, despite it being the first time he'd ever said it.

"Don't apologise," I told him. "Unless you didn't mean it at all."

"It's not that I didn't mean it. I just don't know if you want to hear that, at least not yet," he admitted. I cupped his face in my hands and let out a quiet breath, smiling at him.

"So you do mean it?" I questioned. John didn't answer, but his silence and the look in his eyes spoke volumes. "I'm more than a little fond of you, too," I told him sweetly, simpering.

He gave a breathy laugh, and we grinned at each other like fools. After a moment, I cleared my throat and climbed off of him.

"Let's get cleaned up, then we can head to the saloon. I weren't joking about you owing me a whiskey,” I said. John sat up and stretched, groaning as he did.

"Yes, ma'am."

#rdr2 #red dead redemption 2 #fanfiction #John Marston #john marston x reader #john marston x female reader #rdr2 fanfic #reader insert

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nowitsdarkfic · 5 years

Text

chapter thirteen (the city of roses)

“Sing a lie, ghost of the night Give yourself to me The road is long and winding still And these bonds will stay to fray But another day.” -Opeth, “I Feel the Dark” 🌹🌺🌙🖤

October 15, 1988. Oswego, New York.

I’ve completely forgotten that Lars is laying with his back to me there in bed, so when I wake up the next morning, I feel something hitting me right in the back. For a second, I think it’s Vera trying to get my attention because of the Man in Black looming about inside of the house but then I feel something wiggle against me. Something small and minute, like toes. I crack open my eyes to behold the sight of bluish gray morning light filtering through the blinds covering my bedroom window. I feel it again and I roll my head over on the surface of my pillow.

The sound of him snoring catches my ear. I glance back to my nightstand and the clock next to the copy of Tropic of Capricorn.

He never told me what time we would leave for Portland, but I figure it would be nice if we left sooner rather than later, given Maya’s condition and everything.

“Hey--” my voice breaks upon speaking.

“Hrm?”

“Wake up.” I shuffle my legs together and pat him in the back of the head with my ankles. He groans and stirs, but his whole face is covered with the blankets down by my feet.

“Wake up. Do you think maybe we could get to Portland early enough?”

“Maybe,” his voice croaks from sleep. “What time is it?”

“Eight fifteen.”

“Then it’s a quarter past five there right now, man. We can wait a while, maybe half an hour or something like that. Besides, it’s Saturday. Olivia works every other weekend and Ashley likes to sleep in on days like this with school and everything.”

“Oh. Oh, right, right, right, time zones and all that. And besides you’re the one taking me there.”

“Right, and--I couldn’t hardly sleep, either, you kept smacking me in the back of the head with your--fucking calves. You can get up if you like, but I want to lay here for another five minutes or something like that.”

And I still have hardly anything to eat for myself. But I get up anyways because I don’t want to kick him in the head anymore. I peel the blankets off of me and sit upright with my legs pulled up towards my chest. I then climb over him onto the cold carpet. Once I’m up, I push the covers back over him so he’ll keep the warmth within him.

When I leave the room, I feel a curtain of sheer cold fall upon my head and shoulders. The hair on my arms stands on end. God, don’t let it be the Man in Black again.

I glance to my right to make out the wispy but darkened silhouette of a man, hunched over from his progressed age. His head takes the shape of a balded one and lined with drooping skin: he has on a black trilby hat and a heavy mahogany coat with his wings on his sleeves. His hollow sunken eyes stare back at me from the nothing that he’s emerging from, but he’s not nearly as chilling as the Man in the Black.

“Hey, Mr. Lang,” I greet the old man.

“Hello, son,” he says in a squeaky, high pitched voice. “Care for an apple?” He reaches into his coat pocket for a big ripe red apple as big as mine and Lars’ fists combined.

“Oh, please. I’m starving.”

“Here.” He takes two steps towards me, each one a light drift like the fog over Lake Ontario over the cold carpet, and hands me the apple.

“It’s clean, so go on and have a bite.”

I take a rather large bite. Such bliss! It’s sweet and full of water

“I heard what happened last night with you and the boy in there.”

“Oh, with Lars and the Man in Black?” I repeat with my mouth full.

“Mm-hmm. You know, you should be more wary about those malevolent ghosts, especially when you have guests over.”

“I’m aware, Mr. Lang,” I assure him. “It’s just... you know, sometimes I forget. This is a really good apple, by the way. Thank you for this.”

“I spoke to the young lady who was here earlier.”

“Maya?” I cover my mouth full with the palm of my hand.

“Her. She’s very wise, much like how you are. She was willing to converse with me like she would a live man. Very intelligent, too. Wise, intelligent, and in touch with herself, but not like how you are.”

“How so?”

“Well, for starters, she’s not as frightened of Mrs. Snow as you are.”

“Well, that’s because Mrs. Snow always wants to smack me up side the head and then punch me right in the family jewels for touching myself.”

“But she seemed a little more easygoing with her and the fact she can be rather frightening. It was interesting to watch her interact with Mrs. Snow like she would with a live woman.”

I pause for a moment, right as I’m about to take another bite of apple.

“Really?”

“Yes, she—seemed pretty comfortable towards her and the fact she can in fact be in a snit sometimes. The blond gentleman in all black, too.”

“The Man in Black?” I’m stunned by that.

“Yes. And that was like watching a little girl come closer to an untamed wild beast.”

I gaze on at Mr. Lang with intent as he drifts in and out of the morning light surrounding us. Now I’m more curious about Maya than before and I feel more apt to wake up Lars and go to Portland.

“The man said something to her, but I couldn’t exactly tell what he was saying to her.”

“What was the tone in his voice?” I press on before taking another bite.

“I don’t really know, son. But she is without a doubt an interesting character you brought home with you.”

“Brought home?’ She’s not my girlfriend. she’s a girl I found laying in a gutter the other night and the other alternative was leaving her there to freeze or drown.”

“Trip the darkness with her, son. Figure her out, because I can only leave with so much. I left with the noose around my neck and nothing more. All I can give is the values of flesh.” I take some more bites of that apple, all the way around and down to the core. He eyes me intently before the corners of his mouth curl up into a thoughtful smile.

“I had a sense that you would enjoy that apple.”

“Oh yeah. It was like perfect, and I feel a lot better, too.” I pat my stomach with my free hand. “Thank you, Mr. Lang.”

“Take care of yourself, son. Take care of yourself the way I never could. You are raw, untouched beauty if I ever saw it among the living.”

And without another word, he bows his head and vanishes into wisps of vapor and then into nothing. I hurry into the kitchen to rid of the apple core, and double back to my room to change my clothes and wake up Lars. I don’t know how cold it’s gonna be in Oregon but I’m putting on my sleeveless David Bowie shirt underneath my black velvet vest and underneath my leather jacket.

Once I have my jeans on and my Chucks laced up, I give my hair a toss back and then lunge for my bed. I set a hand on Lars’ hip covered with the blanket and I shake him back and forth.

“Hey, hey—wake up.”

“Hm?”

“Wake up. We gotta go.”

“Where?”

“Portland.”

“Five more minutes.”

“No. Fuck that. Get up.”

“Five more minutes!”

“No—get the hell out of my bed.” I push back the covers to find him laying face down.

“Get out of my fucking bed—” I demand him.

“No,” he argues. I slide my arms underneath him and lift with my knees and my hips. Holy shit, he’s heavy!

“Get out—of—my fucking—bed!” I grunt out as I lift him out of my bed. He sticks out his legs but I have the upper hand. I lay him down on the carpet and lunge back to the bed to fix the covers.

“What the fock, man?” I turn around right as he scrambles back to me.

“No.” I hold out my arm to bar him from laying down again. “Get dressed, we’re going to Portland.”

“Wait, we’re going to Portland now?”

“Yes. We have to go.”

“Dude, it’s still probably like five in the morning there.”

“So? That doesn’t mean we can’t get a head start on the whole shebang.”

He blinks several times and rubs his eyes, and right then I let go of him. He lets out a low whistle as he runs his fingers through his hair and wipes his hands together.

“Okay, fine, give me a minute.”

“Alright.” I pass him and return to the hallway to wash my hands because I think he drooled on me. I can hear him cursing to himself across the hall even over the trickle of cold water out of the faucet. I dry off with the hand towel and head into the front room to lock the door; I return right back as he’s buttoning up his velvet vest and tugging on his overcoat.

“Okay,” he says, wiping his hands together again. He holds onto the arrowhead around his neck at the base and does the same waving motions as he did that night in Black Orchid with it. A thin lacy veil appears right before me out of the thin air.

Just as before, I crawl in head first and suck in my stomach. I reach out into the darkness and drag myself to the other end of the tunnel. I stumble out onto my side this time, onto a patch of grass.

The air is clear and crisp, about how it is back in upstate, but there’s something else. I have no idea what time it is and I can feel we’ve made our way over to the other side of the country even if it felt like I just crawled against a sheet of darkness upon my stomach only a few inches. I smell the salt and feel the rush of the cool breeze from the ocean against the back of my head. I roll over onto my back to find there even within the violet morning light, Lars laying on his back there in the grass next to me with his eyes closed.

“Hey--” I shake him again.

“Hm--”

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” he replies, his voice breaking. He reaches up to rub his eyes when he winces in pain.

“What happened?” I hoist myself up on my elbows.

“I think something bit me,” he answers again, clutching his right hand and stroking the inside with the pad of his thumb. I glance about the patch of grass we landed upon.

“Where are we?”

“My house. One of them, anyways.”

I sit upright to better peer behind me at the cute little pale brick house with a stark black roof and a Christmas cactus on the front porch.

“My wife’s not home so we can go inside,” he continues as I stand to my feet. I reach down to help him up and then we amble up the little walkway to the front step. He takes out a small ring of keys from the interior of his coat; I watch unlock the front door and we’re met with a cramped front den and a small looking kitchen tacked onto the other side of the room.

“I’ll call them,” he says once I shut the door behind us.

“So where’s this box of books you were telling us about?” I ask him, taking off my jacket and draping it over my forearm.

“Next to the silly putty sofa there. Like I said, we have to sign a release form because the whole thing is technically evidence.” He strides into the kitchen for the phone on the wall. I watch him dial a number on the keypad and then I take a seat there on the plush looking couch up against the wall. I lay my jacket on the arm: meanwhile, the couch cushions feel like they’re swallowing me whole. It’s like reclining on a couple of marshmallows: my knees rise up and I know I’m almost laying flat on my back.

I hear Lars saying something but I can’t hardly hear him because the damn couch cushions are covering up my ears. I’m sinking back into it. I’m not even doing anything and yet it’s tugging me back. I trying to fight back but it keeps holding me down, much like a wad of silly putty.

“Okay, buh-bye--” is the last thing I hear Lars say on the phone in the next room. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice him running towards me. But I don’t see what’s next.

Instead, I feel him grip onto my wrists and yank me out of the cushions. It makes a sucking noise as I’m pulled out and thrown onto him: he falls back onto the shag carpet, and I land on his chest. But I scramble up onto my feet before he can say anything. I run my fingers through my hair and let out a low whistle.

“Shit, I really gotta do something about that damned thing,” he mutters under his breath.

“What the hell was that?” I demand from him.

“Silly putty couch. When I first got it back home in Denmark, it was like the best thing to sleep on ever. Made by the same scientists who craft some hydrogen drones you’ll see back in New York City and up in Seattle soon enough. Thing is after a while it gets incredibly sensitive to different shapes and weights with time. I might have thirty pounds on you, but you’re taller than me. So it doesn’t like anyone taller than five foot six.”

He eyes me with a slight little smirk on his face.

“Okay, so,” he starts again, rising his hands before him, “on a scale of one to pissed, how frustrated would you feel if I told you what’s up?”

“Not... very?” Really, it’s the least of my problems now that a couch almost sucked me inside of itself.

“Ashley and Olivia should be here soon,” he tells me.

“Okay. How soon is soon, though?”

“Seattle is about an hour and a half away, and they live in a neighborhood called Queen Anne. Hopefully there’s not a lot of traffic. I have to make a couple more calls, including one to my wife. This is also my house.”

“What should I do?”

He hesitates for a moment, and then he sits up, and stands to his feet, and he reaches forward to stroke either side of my face.

“Relax,” he tells me in a near breathy voice. “Go take a walk. We’re in downtown Portland after all. There are a few bars and coffee houses right down the block from here and people here aren’t nearly as judge-y as they can be in the real remote parts of upstate New York where you’re from. So here--” He reaches into his interior coat pocket for his black leather wallet and opens it up, thus revealing a big fat stack of cash money. He takes out several of the bills and hands them to me. I gape at the sheer amount he just handed to me.

“Jesus, Lars, I can’t take all of this,” I wince at the very sight of it.

“Nonsense. I make a fair amount, Joey. Don’t worry about it.” He closes his wallet and stuffs it back into his coat pocket.

“Really, take it. Get yourself something nice, my friend. Treat yourself. A cup of coffee for your sleepy head and a bite of scone for your rumbling belly. It’s not Seattle but I assure you that you are in a very lovely place to be.”

I glance down at the money again. I don’t know how I feel about it. He sets a hand on my shoulder.

“You’re in the City of Roses, my indigenous friend,” he says aloud. “Go and smell the reddest of roses you can find down by the rose gardens--we’re about three blocks from there.”

I let out a low sigh because I figure he means well, so I pocket the money.

“Alright, I’ll be back.” I pick my jacket off of the putty couch and slip it back on before I head out to the chilly morning. The sky is still that rich purple color but I can tell the city will come alive soon enough, that is if it hasn’t already. I have no clue where I’m headed but I’ll follow this sidewalk where it takes me. He said there’s a rose garden near here, but I don’t where exactly this place could be as I’m walking towards an intersection. I peer both ways before crossing.

The light from the rising sun on my right paints the sky into a more royal blue color over my head: I drop my gaze to the large scraggly oak trees lining the block, most of them having lost their leaves at this point; but I can make out some large rain clouds to the north of here. Maybe I’ll get experience my first true Pacific Northwest rain soon enough?

I overhear two ladies on the other side of the street talking about pie and a place called Lake Oswego. Both of those things pique my interest as I come across a tiny little brick cafe called Junior’s. I duck through the front door and take a seat at the counter near the cash register. I run my fingers through my hair when the young, chubby waitress walks up to me from around the corner to my right.

“’Morning, doll. What can I get for ya?”

“A stack of pancakes and a cup of coffee, please.”

“What would you like on your pancakes? Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, Marion berries?”

“Marion berries?” Never heard of them.

“Yeah.” She pauses, gazing at me with a thoughtful look upon her face. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Upstate New York.”

“Wow. That’s a ways out. So how do you like Oregon?”

“I just got here. So I know there’s... you know, tons to experience around here.” I show her a shy little smile and she gives me a light little chuckle.

“Tons indeed. I’ll get that up for you.”

“Sure thing, uh—” I notice the bronze name tag above her breast pocket. “—Nancy. Also, is it true there’s a Lake Oswego near here?”

“There is! I don’t know much about it, though. I’m actually from Seattle but I’m working here because there’s not much up north.”

“Man, that blows.”

“Eh, I have to do what I have to do, between starting school again this week and supporting myself and my boyfriend. He’s in a band but who knows what’s going to happen there.”

“I hear that. I used to be in a band and then I got kicked out.”

“Aw, I’m real sorry to hear that! What instruments do you play?”

“I was the lead singer but I’m also a drummer.”

She gasps at that as she pours me a cup of coffee.

“He’s the lead singer, too! And he drums, too.”

“I should meet this guy,” I suggest to her. She sets down the mug in front of me and then leans upon the counter.

“Where’re you staying?” she asks me.

“I’m staying with a friend at the moment. Right up the block.”

“I get off work at noon. Stand out on the sidewalk and I’ll come meet up with you. Now, onto those pancakes with Marion berries...”

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