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#ANYWAYS I WAS ONLY GOING FOR MONTHLY ANYWAYS ITS NOT MY FAULT IF I GOT DRUGGED <33
sophiethewitch1 · 3 months
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why am i like, cartoonishly such an ao3 author. can I not have a single break. anyways once again thinking next chapter might be late, very very likely this time because there's two days left and I'm not even half way. my excuse is 1: had a medium allergic reaction where my tongue was swelling, I could barely breathe and it left me feeling very awful the next two days and 2: my mum totally accidentally gave me really strong opioids, the ones I took when I had my wisdom teeth taken out. i was so high I couldn't walk on my own <3 I'm like, fine I guess but my mind has been total brain fog all week and I'm only now pulling out of it. i wish I was making this shit up honestly my life is a clown show!!!!
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aren’t promises meant to be broken?
at 17 sirius promised to always be there for you whenever you need him. now 3 years after your break up, sirius has yet to break this promise.
tags: sirius black x f!reader,, magical nuisances,, exes to friends to lovers,, hurt and comfort,, fluff,, angst,, slytherins + pandora,, no voldy
a/n: took me an embarrassing amount of time to finish but i’m kinda soft for this fic ngl
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people never stay friends with their exes. even with the promises of being one when breaking up. most find it, understandably, too awkward to continue any sort of relationship with them.
you would have been one of those people, at least you think so. but certain circumstances have deemed this preference a futile thought.
“i can’t believe you got me here to clean your bathroom.” sirius glared, peeling off the rubber gloves off his hands and slumping down on the breakfast nook.
“someone had to do it.” you shrugged, “it wouldn’t be the first time,” you smiled, vanishing the gloves and cleaning the table too. before placing a plate in front of him filled with sausages, toast and beans.
“that’s the fucked up part! it isn’t even my first time doing this.” he groans, grabbing a fork that you immediately slapped away.
“wash your hands first, you animal.”
he whines a protest but gets up anyway, rubbing his slapped hands as he does so—pouting because he’s dramatic like that.
“aren’t you going to eat with me?” he asks, his back turned to you as he washes his hands.
you were almost going to say yes, out of habit, having done so numerous times before. but remembered belatedly, the date set up by regulus with one of his work colleagues. a proper fit to you, he said. “no, i’m meeting somebody for dinner later.”
he closes the tap, turning to you again. “dinner? with who?”
you clicked your tongue at the dripping mess he’s making on the floor. grabbing paper towels and tossing it to him to wipe it himself. “some bloke from regulus’ work.”
“regulus? another date then?”
you nodded, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the idea of talking about dates your ex’s brother set you up with.
he frowned. going back to the table and grabbing the fork to start eating the warm food. “i see,”
and that was, thankfully, the end of that.
you didn’t really want to delve into your dating life with anyone, much less your ex-boyfriend of all people—no matter how many times he cleans your bathroom. it was already morbidly pathetic, how your friends seem to think you needed help finding someone new and to move on with.
but in your defence, it is rather difficult finding someone who would be okay with your, er, arrangement with your ex.
it is all sirius’ fault, really, but what isn’t? accidentally making a magically-binding promise to you, seems just like the type of thing he would do. and he has.
ever since he made that promise at 17 when you’ve just started dating, sirius has been showing up in your life, ready to help you with anything you need. you thought of this is in a more figurative sense, but no. that was too simple.
instead, whenever you need something. maybe something as simple as scratching your back, to partaking in a monthly bathroom cleaning, sirius would just appear out of thin air into your house, or wherever you need him, and he would be required to do it else he wouldn’t be able to leave.
when you were dating, this was something you both enjoyed, sometimes even looked forward to. using it as an excuse to latch unto each other the whole day. but now, having been spilt for how many years now (3 but who’s counting?) you can imagine how this magic promise has become a nuisance in your everyday life.
you tried resisting it, of course. though the power of will and mental fortitude can only do so much when you can’t reach the top shelves of your kitchen. forget about avoiding your ex, when he can just pop in whenever, wherever, when you get so much as a paper cut. you can see how the novelty of the situation can run its course. so much so, you sort of just learn how to deal with it instead of fighting it.
you’ve learned to use this to your advantage, of course, making him do chores around the house, makes him a great house elf without the moral issues of owning one.
he was also quite reluctant, when you both broke up, but that was to be expected. he had tried moving away to france, thinking the distance might prevent him from showing up. but that only made it difficult to explain to the travel officers how he can exit the country without violating travel wizarding laws.
regardless of the reluctant acceptance of such peculiar arrangement, you still have that hope you can somehow reverse it.
this particular hope always trampled by your friends’ insistence to utilize your situation to your extreme satisfaction.
“i don’t understand why you would want to remove it, to be honest.” dorcas frowned flipping through the pages of magical vows and contracts, vol.2. “i mean if i had someone doing things for me all day long, i certainly wouldn’t complain.”
“are you joking? why would anyone want to stay bound to their ex?”
she looked over to you, tone playfully mocking, but mocking regardless. “you mean an ex who does everything you need him to?”
“well, how would you feel if lily was always around you doing stuff for you?”
“oh please, if lily was bound to me, cleaning my bathroom wouldn’t be the only thing she would be doing.”
you grimace, “spare me the details, i beg of you.”
“so you wouldn’t like it if you and sirius partook… in certain late night activities?” she hummed.
you sputter out scandalized gasps, face feeling gruesomely warm, “don’t be disgusting! i have no intentions of ever doing anything with him and i assume he share the sentiments, a-and it is appalling that you think so—!” you breathed in deep, willing your face to relax and to settle your wild heart. “i don’t need him to be anything other than a reluctant acquaintance.”
pandora laughs from the floor, “not even considering him as a friend? poor sirius.”
you huff, embarrassed and frankly a bit betrayed.
you friends have convinced themselves of sirius’ intentions to be more than what is required of him. pushing you of all people to act upon seducing him using your gods given womanly assets, as pandora had once labelled.
you abruptly stood up from the table, going over to the stove to reheat the water to make more tea. “besides, i am perfectly capable of handling things by myself, thank you very much.”
it’s dorcas who laughs this time, “what do you mean? just last week, he had to bandage your finger for you because you bit your cuticle to blood. you are entirely dependent on him at this point.”
you huff, “i am not. i am a woman capable of attending to my own needs. that was the bind’s requirements of it all, i have to let him do these things or the bond won’t ever let him leave, you know this already.” you groan, rolling your eyes. “my point still stands. i don’t need him, nor will i ever need him. i just want all of this out of my life and in the past, like it should have been.”
“doesn’t he have his own room in this house by now?”
“it’s not his room, it’s a guest room— that he frequently uses. there’s a difference.”
it was pandora munching on peanuts, wholly amused that responded next, “right,” she drawled, “and that’s why he has his clothes folded and tucked away in the closet.”
“oh piss off, the nuisance sometimes happens in the middle of the night. how could i let him go home so late? what kind of host would i be?”
“couldn’t he just go home straight after?” dorcas asks.
“is it a nuisance, still?” pandora asks.
you cross your arms, petulant, “he can, but he chooses not to. and yes, still.” you scoff, “i know you think something filthy is happening but i particularly don’t enjoy his impromptu trespasses, believe me.”
“i don’t know, you two seem to be getting along quite well.”
“me and that useless oaf? are you joking?”
pandora smiled sweetly, “hardly useless now, i hear.”
“and what did you hear?”
“takes care of you quite well, what with dinner invites with the potters and even travelling?”
you turned around, fiddling with the tea cups, hoping to hide your darkening flush. but you know it did nothing, judging by their giggles.
“travelling?” dorcas inquired, interest piqued.
you don’t see her but you can sense her teasing smile.
you have yet to share that tidbit of embarrassing info to her. mainly because you don’t know how to squeeze it in and you don’t know how to even begin.
you did go to the potters for one random dinner. the invite came after sirius had come and helped you arrange your home library. it was just a simple dinner. filled with other people, hardly anything scandalous.
the travelling together was accidental. you were off to travel with bloke #4, as graciously dubbed by sirius (someone regulus had set you up with at the time) off to a romantic getaway for the weekend to a hot spring up the mountains. only to get thirsty halfway through your trip and have sirius show up in your train compartment only in his boxers and fluffy bunny slippers.
there were no other stops in the train. anti apparition wards set up and the floo connection was severed in the hotel to promote exclusivity, sirius had to join in on the activities through his relentless insistence. he had ate and laughed obnoxiously loud - sitting dangerously close to you the entire trip. he had constantly went on a tangent, reminiscing about your past relationship ranging from random dates to the make out spots you’ve frequented together in hogwarts. safe to say that was the last time you’ve heard from bloke #4.
but you could hardly think to be upset about that. you quite… enjoyed yourself.
but you’ll be damned before you admit that to these two vultures.
taking a deep breath, “there was no dinner invites nor travelling. it was—“
“magical nuisance, yes, yes.” pandora waves off.
you roll your eyes again, grabbing the hot kettle to steep the tea. “stop trying to make things—ah! fuck, ow.” you hiss, holding your painfully warm, stinging fingers. you see the tiny boils already appearing on your skin, the piercing pain shooting through your fingers. you squeezed your hand, hoping to elevate some of the pain.
sirius made a quick move to grab your wrists to pull you to the sink. you didn’t even hear him arrive.
“what happened?” he asks, silver eyes looking at you in intense worry. softly holding your hand under the cold running water gliding down your hand. he was standing so close to you you could smell a tiny hint of his soap. you slowly start to relax.
that is before you catch dorcas’ glinting gaze and pandora’s knowing smile. both of which you vehemently ignore, as you stare at your red fingers and his much larger hand on yours.
“i burned my fingers on the kettle.”
“goodness love, you have to be more careful.”
“sorry.” you mumbled, but having no idea why you would even apologize in the first place. still, you feel the heat of your hand spread to your body.
dorcas, having stood up to help you sat back down again, “hello, sirius. right on time as always.” she called, a cetain lilt in her voice you nervously recognized.
“sirius black, what a coincidence.” pandora sing songs, no subtlety whatsoever.
oh, they are just the worst.
he regarded them both in an overly familiar smile (an ex shouldn’t give to his ex’s friends) and in a light teasing tone as he says “good evening, ladies. why do i get the feeling like you’ve been gossiping about me?”
“you might have been mentioned once or twice.” pandora shrugged.
sirius softly laughs, the sound barely heard over the sink, before he stares at your fingers again, rubbing his thumb over the sensitive skin. before looking at you with a teasing smirk to which you only roll your eyes at.
you see shuffling in your peripheral, meeting your friend’s eyes, you see them gesture to you and sirius. trying to wordlessly communicate to you with wide smiles. you imagine something akin to, see? what did we tell you? not useless right? nuisance my ass. look at you guys holding hands under the water.
as if just realizing it now, you pull your hand away from his grip in an embarrassed haste, as he slowly lets go with a small frown etched on his face.
drying his hands on the towel, as he leans down to unnecessarily whisper to you. “i’m going to get a burn salve, i’ll be quick.”
“it’s in the—“
“bathroom, yes, angel, i know. just wait for me.” he drawled, giving you a wry smile.
you stare at his retreating figure. you almost want to laugh at his serious reaction to a simple burn from a kettle. hardly calls for any salve. but you kept the comments in, for whatever reason. a fluffy, dangerous feeling erupting in your chest.
you hear dorcas whistle to get your attention, a smirk on her face, “angel?”
when the promise first happened, it was during graduation from hogwarts. absolutely gutted by the fact that your parents didn’t show. they’ve been vocal about their disappointment that you weren’t able to finish at the top of your class. but you had hoped they would still show. you were, after all, still their kid.
but there was noticeably empty seats in an area reserved for your family. so, naturally as any teenager, the next best thing you could do in the situation is cry alone in a bathroom.
though the lack of company didn’t last too long, because then your boyfriend appeared, looking to be in a middle of taking pictures if his big and goofy face is anything to go by.
he heard you, before he saw you. hearing your soft sniffles and the tiny hiccups from your mouth. at the time, you both didn’t question what had happen. why he was inside the girl’s bathroom, why is there a strange pull to follow your every whims. but he was suddenly there to comfort you, and make you smile again—who were you deny his services?
you both only managed to understand what was happening by the third time it happened. sirius suddenly appearing by your bedside, wet and covered in suds. he was in the middle of showering and you promptly freaked out, seeing large bits you weren’t ready to see yet.
but understanding why it was happening didn’t mean both of you would be prepared anytime it actually happened.
the bind didn’t pick and choose when, where, and why he would appear. there was an embarrassing moment when he showed up in the bathroom when you’ve ran out of tissue paper. also at your house during dinner when you needed salt, to which your parents justifiably freaked out at the sight of a boy, claiming to be your boyfriend.
this hasn’t changed years later.
now as you lie in your bed, feeling the scratchy feeling in your throat. you knew by the tingles in your arms. the thrumming static of your magic within you— letting you know of his arrival before you could even sit up.
there he was, your ex-boyfriend, like the days before. it was terribly late, and he was struggling to even stand straight as he yawns in the middle of your room, wearing a set of well-loved teddy bear pajamas.
“somethin’ wrong baby?” his voice deep, hoarse and low. something exciting spiking through your veins, making you more awake.
you knew, if he was more alert he wouldn’t have called you that.
you try not to think why you feel miffed by that fact.
“jus’ some water please.” you call softly from your bed.
he yawns again, rubbing his flat belly, “okay.” he breathes, walking in the darkness of your room with practiced ease.
you hear the small sounds of clanks in the kitchen, and the fridge being pulled open.
he knew you liked you water cold. he knew where your drinking glasses were. he knew where you keep the salves. he knew your apartment in the dark.
in the beginning, especially after your relationship ended, you associated this binding promise as an act of forceful requirement. at best, you see it as a favour you give to a stranger. but lately, especially in the quiet of your house, the pet names that keeps slipping out of his mouth as of late—you start to dangerously think of this as something else. as something more. as something painfully familiar.
he comes back quiet, siting on the bed near your thighs, as he hands you the cool, moist glass. his hair was tousled more than usual. there were sleeping marks on his face. he was probably already asleep before you needed him here.
you feel a little bit guilty, but you see his flushed cheeks through the soft glow of the moon outside your window, and the hooded gaze he desperately tries to keep open. you fight back a smile instead.
“is that all, baby?” his hand softly smoothing your hair at the back of your head. your room felt ridiculously warm.
“thank you.” you murmured before setting the glass on the bedside table.
he gives you one last sleepy smile, eyes closed and his hair toppling over his eyes. “okay, if that’s all—“
“are you going back?” you cut in, holding his wrist, your finger on his pulse. keeping him seated before he could even stand. before his warmth leaves your bed.
“i don’t have to..” he offers. like always, giving you the choice to draw the line.
you hesitate before you answer, letting go of his wrist, “it’s late..” and that’s all you say, and apparently that’s all he needs.
“is it alright then, if i stay the night? then i can leave in the morning?” he whispers back. his warm hand, touching your thigh over the covers. he felt so far away.
you don’t do this, not usually. but in the dark space of your room you feel more confident. more assured. braver.
you move slightly to the side, giving him space, “if you want.” conveniently forgetting the existence of the spare room. choosing to blame it on the lack of sleep.
he smiles, moving the covers. the short moment of exposure making you shiver in the cold. he notices, quickly sliding into bed with you. arms stiffly on his sides and yours crossed across your chest.
still not brave enough.
you feel him shuffle, laying on his side and facing you. his fingers just barely grazing your sides in a soft touch.
you fell asleep faster than any other night, hearing him breath near your ear.
you dream of a teary conversation from a time not so long ago, of desperate pleas not to leave you. and when you feel his arm curl around your waist. you dreaming of nothing for the rest of night.
the next morning, you woke up later than you would have, and see the too empty space next to you. the pang in your chest, grossly familiar.
it had been a month since the night he’s stayed with you. not a breath has been acknowledged about that night. choosing to ignore the lingering tension, the long stares and the awkward dispositions.
you don’t know whether to feel relieved or frustrated.
of course, your friends had noticed this - because hadn’t they been analyzing each of your move when it comes to sirius black?
dorcas eventually had to force it out of you. to which pandora squealed and teased you in delight. insistent of the blooming change in your relationship.
“blooming change?” you repeated.
“what? it’s poetic!” she argues.
“it’s dumb,” regulus calls out. “y/n isn’t the kind to return to an ex, especially not to my dumb brother, right y/n?” he looks so earnestly confident. so much so that you couldn’t even lie to agree with him. truth be told, you have no idea if you were even the type to go back, regardless if it was reggie’s dumb brother or not.
because sirius has been your first boyfriend and if this bind continues on, he might be your last. you don’t know if that’s a good thing, all things considered.
everyone has turned to you now, in varying degrees of smugness, amusement, pride and playful pity.
dorcas laughs, saving you from answering. “i don’t know reggie, seems like y/n’s getting a little swayed.”
reggie reacts for you, as if offended. “she is not! she is actively going on dates and meeting new people.”
“oh?” dorcas smirked.
barty, sitting up straighter, “doesn’t he have a room here or something?”
you say, “no,“ “yes.” pandora quips, at the same time.
you rolled your eyes, “it’s a guest room—“
“one that conveniently went unused in one random night.” evan hummed, smirking, as he blew his smoke out the window.
pandora and dorcas ooh’ed.
“it was late! he was practically dragging himself from the floor, i couldn’t let him hurt himself after i interrupted his sleep, a-and he was already there, it’d be rude not to—i don’t even know why i’m explaining myself to you!— i don’t have to explain myself, because i did nothing wrong.” your met with four amused looks and one gut wrenchingly, disappointed one.
dorcas clicked her tongue, “i don’t know why you’re even fighting it at this point.”
“what do you mean by that?”
“i mean, you clearly want to be with him still.”
you sputter, sitting straighter, indignant as you say, “what gave you that idea?”
“the longing gaze.”
“acting all shy.” barty adds.
“the late night rendezvous,” evan hums.
“giving him his own room.” pandora pointedly looked at you.
“the inability to pursue any other relationship after him.” regulus tutted.
you gasp, betrayed. “even you reggie?”
regulus rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and legs, “i am running out of eligible acquaintances to set you up with, you know.”
you don’t even know how to respond to that.
frankly you can’t. because you know they were right, and dammit if that didn’t hurt your pride just a little.
still, ridiculously hung up on an ex that didn’t even love you. a joke, really.
but you relish in the idea of sirius being near you. it sends a certain tingle down your spine just knowing he’ll arrive anytime, and be there for you. you like how he always stands so close to you even if he doesn’t have to. you like how you don’t have to tell him what he has to do before he does it. you like the pet names naturally slipping past his pretty mouth. how he’s always touching you in some way. how familiar it feels. the habits, the conversations, the feelings—how easy it all seems.
but it isn’t. you know it isn’t.
because you’ve tried and failed.
you fell for him, loved him the way you know how. leaving nothing for yourself as you give everything for him. loving him with no expectations for him to do the same. and so, he doesn’t.
he couldn’t love you back. at least not in the way you entirely feel for him.
he couldn’t look past his life and the experiences he’d endured just to reach that moment in the past. it wrecked you. you didn’t expect anything, but it still hurt when you got nothing for everything you had.
you don’t like the reminder, but you know you need it. you know how destroying it is to forget. you’ve tried being with him already and it didn’t work. you say this to them, whispered, as if ashamed.
you don’t even feel the tears sliding down your check as you say this.
dorcas’ smile dropped and pandora immediately sat down beside you.
“hey, you know it won’t be like that again.” pandora rubbing your shoulders.
“do i?” you rasped. “what’s so different about now than before? what’s to stop us from breaking up again?”
“it’s going to be different because you are different, and so is he.” dorcas said. “you were just teenagers, you barely knew yourselves back then. you weren’t ready for each other yet. he had issues to work out, and you had to grow up a little to understand that.”
you sniffled, “and you think we’re ready.”
“yes,” they all said.
dorcas reaching over and squeezing your hand, “i know you’re both ready.”
you shake your head, you don’t know if that’s true, “our forced proximity lasted longer than our actually relationship. and it’s only lasted this long because it’s just that—forced.”
pandora shook her head, dangling earrings clinking together. “that’s not true. it’s lasted this long because you wanted it to. you both wanted it to.”
evan nodded, smothering his cigarette butt and throwing it outside, “i, personally, wouldn’t want to spend any second with any of my exes, but you both didn’t even try finding any sort of solution to break the promise.”
barty gives you an awkward smile, as evan continues “if you had wanted to call it quits you would’ve found a way to end all of this the moment he had broken up with you. but you didn’t—“
“that’s because i couldn’t—“
“don’t lie,” regulus cut in, pouting, looking a bit like a petulant child. “we all know you could have found something in this ridiculously large library of yours.”
“why are you suddenly advocating for sirius and i to get back together again?”
regulus clicked his tongue, looking away. a slight flush on his cheeks. “i’m not advocating anything.” he huffs. “he’s an idiot who doesn’t deserve you. but if it’s sirius that ultimately makes you happy. then so be it.”
you swallow a lump, breathing a staggering breath, “i don’t know if he even—“
“he does.” regulus looking at you, eyes clear and sure. “he wouldn’t be so cross with me for setting you up with dates if he doesn’t.”
that same night, sirius, for once, was not summoned by you but of a call from regulus.
he already feels the natural flare of irritation, bracing himself for another round of teasing hums and provoking stories about how you’re on a date in an exclusive restaurant, with a bloke who’s ready to give you everything you need.
standing up from james’ couch, going to the kitchen to block the noise from the muggle telley, as remus called it. then accepting the call,
“i swear if you’re calling just to gloat about another conquest you’ve put her through then—“
“she needs you.” regulus slurred.
feeling an immediate spike in his heartbeat. already grabbing his jacket and hurrying to the front door to leave.
“we’re in a pub, bring your motorbike or something, she can’t apparate right now, too drunk.”
“i’ll be there in 10.” grabbing remus’ keys off a bowl in the entrance.
“oi, where the hell are you taking my car?” remus shrieked from the couch.
without looking back, “she needs me.”
peter whines from the living room, “but the game-!”
and he only slams the door close as a response.
“we’re in the east village, near a fountain.” regulus sluggishly explained before hanging up.
sirius wasn’t the best driver. in hindsight, he probably should have asked remus to drive him to you. but this was about you. he could hardly think about anything else when it comes to you. he would do anything for you, binding promise or not.
he found it particularly odd and extremely worrying, why you’re drinking on a thursday night. he knew you couldn’t handle your alcohol well, always ending up drinking too much and passing out.
considering regulus had to call him to come get you didn’t help his nerves as he drove faster than the limit allowed.
when he arrived expecting the worse, he found himself smiling at the sight of you.
you were laying your head on regulus lap as you both sat on the bench. he can hear barty and pandora trying to lift each other. dorcas and evan cheering them on.
but all he can see is you laying there. eyes closed and cheeks darkly flushed, dress splaying over your thighs. regulus smoothing your hair, lulling you to sleep. when he met his brother’s eyes. the younger black rolled his eyes and beckoned him over.
“took you long enough.” regulus grumbled, now sounding sober than when he called.
“is she okay?” sirius asks, crouching down and staring at your sleeping face for any signs of discomfort or pain.
regulus sighs, “just got a bit carried away, this one. she was… upset tonight so we let her have her fun an—“
“upset?” sirius cuts, couldn’t help the finger tracing your cheek and jaw. your nose twitching at his action. “why was she upset?”
regulus waves his hand, making vague gestures but offering no explanation. sirius frowns.
“i can take her home,” standing up, now as he calls out to the others. “does anybody else need a ride?”
all four heads, shook their heads and offered varying words of thanks. “you reggie?”
“don’t bother, i’m perfectly capable.” he tuts. “be careful of that metal beast.”
with slow movements, sirius slides his arms under your neck and the back of your thighs. making sure your dress stay tucked and you comfortably napping before lifting you up.
once lifted, your head turns to the crevice of his neck, burying your nose and breathing in deep. wrapping your own arms around his neck with practiced ease and familiarity.
his heart thrumming and slowing all the same. he likes you like this, so close to him and looking so content as you do now.
nodding his goodbyes to the others, as he walks to the car again. opening the car door proved to be a challenge what with an armful of you. but he managed to do so without jostling you too much. he didn’t want to wake you, but such actions proved to be futile as the moment you were placed in the passenger seat, you froze awake.
he tries to appease you with a gentle smile, brushing your hair behind your ear. “hi love, i’m getting you home today, is that alright?”
“siri?” you rasp, looking at him like he wasn’t real. his chest pounding as he sees your eyes glossing and shining with unshed tears. he immediately crouch down in front of you, grabbing of your hands, and peppering soft kisses on your knuckles.
“what is it, my love, why are you crying?”
“you’re here?”
he nodded, kissing your knuckles again. “i’m here.”
you said nothing, just staring at him. looking so lost and tearful. he feels a little guilty thinking you to be heart-clenchingly adorable, right now. looking so soft and precious, the urge to stay the night in the parking lot and just stare at you was strong but he knows he has to take you home, else you get sick.
he thought you were to say nothing else. so, he stood to close the door and head to the driver’s seat but you whined. tugging at his hand still in your clasp and pull him to you. tucking his head into your neck and burying your hand in his hair.
this is entering dangerous territories now, he thinks. one he very much like to continue venturing but he knows you weren’t sound of mind right now. so he refrains from touching you anymore than he has. his hands desperately clutching to the cold, hard car, substituting for your soft, pretty skin.
you whine, “don’t go.”
“‘m not going anywhere, baby. i’m just going to the seat next to you.” he mumbled, his lips agonizingly grazing your skin, he ignores the way your body shivers and the filthy thoughts that come with it. his hands gripping the car tighter.
“next to me?”
“yes, next to you.”
you eventually let him go, but not without constant coaxing.
he drives, slow and steady. avoiding potholes and uneven roads. you fell asleep again, from the slow, quiet drive and the soft, mellow music coming from the radio.
then sooner than he had liked, he parks in front of your house. he kills the engine and he whispers his calls to you. not sure whether he wants you awake to be feeling okay enough to walk or asleep so he can touch you again.
he moves when you stay quiet, doing everything he can to keep you from waking up. letting out a soft hiss each time a creak or a thump echoes in your quiet house.
when he finally, finally reaches your bedroom and lays you there, he’s quick to take off your shoes. then the realization of his next move taunts him. although, you looked very pretty with your dress, he doesn’t know if he should change your clothes into something more comfortable for you.
he knew an intense hungover when he sees one. getting up to change clothes isn’t pleasant with a raging headache. he stares at your laying figure. the thin strap of your dress slipped down, and your legs looking longer than he remembers.
he looks away before he sees anymore. it didn’t feel right, looking at you that way. especially whilst unconscious.
he open your dresser, knowing the drawer you keep your pajamas.
he sees a familiar, more faded than he remembers, shirt he always wore. the thought of you wearing his clothes makes him too happy and giddy for an adult man.
he fights his heart from beating too loudly. afraid you’ll hear. bites his lips to stop his giddy grin, and forces his eyes to focus on his search. but eventually did land on his old shirt and some long bottoms so you’d be warm.
he slid the bottoms first. careful not to touch your skin but very much feeling the heat of your thigh. he held his breath as he reached the curve of your bum. stopping and not knowing what to do next. with one arm he lifts you slightly off the bed. and with his eyes clenched tight, fast and frantic hands—holding his breath as he went to pull it up.
next was his your shirt. he had you sit up, head laying heavy on his shoulders. softly pulling back from you to slip the shirt over your head before letting you lean into him again. guiding your arms and pulling the soft tee down.
with a bated breath, he feels for the zipper at the back of your dress.
fingers touching and sliding over your back. the touch leaving a lingering static in his fingers. when he clutched the thin tiny thing, he slide it down. slowly, careful not to pinch your skin.
he hears you sigh from relief, letting himself smile, knowing he did a good job.
he lets you lay back down, properly this time, slip off your dress, cleans your face with a warm wet face towel.
he knows he should go. he knows to let you get your rest and sleep. knows he should return remus’ car. knows the lads are probably waiting for him. but there is no urge to leave. instead he stares at your clean bare face, the soft lines and pretty marks on your face just adds more to your allure.
he didn’t know how long he stared at you. it could’ve been a minute to a full hour, too busy studying your face, seeing all the new marks and the familiar ones, committing them to memory.
he was about to leave, lest he bothers you and wake you up. but you stirred.
stretching as you did so. and blearily stared at him. expectant and quiet.
your voice hoarse but genuine all the same. “it’s late..” he knew what you mean. the unspoken invitation, just like last time.
and he wants to—god he wants to.
“i can’t baby,” you were drunk, he wasn’t. it wouldn’t be fair.
“you’re leaving again?”
that did him in, slumping down on the bed. rubbing your outer thigh through your covers. “i’ll stay then, just rest.”
“but you’ll just leave me like last time.” you mumbled.
he gives you a lopsided smile, apologetic and painfully endeared all the same, “i had to, my love, i had work.”
“no,” you breathed, softly shaking your head, letting out a staggering breath like you were going to cry. “i meant the first time.” you whispered.
it was shameful the way he slowly realized what you had meant. you didn’t sound angry or bitter. or even resentful even if you had all the rights to.
he didn’t respond. letting your words stew in his mind. the quiet in the entire house emphasized by the ringing in his ears. he didn’t know what to say.
what words you were waiting for him to say. what words he can say to make it all better.
he didn’t even know you still think about that. still thinking about your relationship, and what had happened, and why it ended the way it did.
still thinking about it like him, who sometimes find it difficult to sleep thinking about you and the pain he caused you. the regret heavy in his veins like lead.
he should apologize, probably beg or grovel about the way it ended.
he was about to.
but he hears your soft breathing again. the stillness in your body, only sleep can make that he realizes he’s lost his chance.
again.
he rubbed your thighs, still. hoping to lull you into a deeper sleep. he grabbed a glass of cold water and put a statis charm so it would stay cool. he petted your hair, and caressed your cheek. it was painful, and he struggled. but he eventually left. feeling the same amount of fulfilled and disappointment altogether.
it was the next morning where sirius was beckoned again, this time not by a call from his baby brother but by the usual pull of your magic. he had expected as much, even fixed up his hair and wore fresh clean clothes and even put on perfume.
he did it whenever he could. in case you were to need him.
he even has a couple of hungover potion in his pocket just in case.
when he got summoned, popping into your familiar bedroom like the nights and mornings before. he was greeted with you still buried under the covers, eyebrows scrunched and eyes already open. you looked like you’ve been awake for some time now, but still refused to move.
you looked so tired and groggy and so soft and warm and homely and pretty.
someone with a hungover shouldn’t look as good as you did. but you are. he ignores the flutters in his stomach, tightening into a coil and puts on an easy smile.
“good morning dizzy girl.” he sing songs. plopping down on your bed, making sure to bounce you a little as he did.
you groan some more, turning away from him, holding your head.
he softly laughs. reaching over to smooth out your hair, “did you drink water?”
“hn.”
he took that as a no.
“up you go, c’mon. drink, you’ll feel better.” he grabs the glass. still filled full and cool like last night.
sliding his rough hands under your neck and the other to your back. slowly sitting you up so you can drink. you give little to no protest at all at his touch and considers this a win. his lips feeling a little wobbly as he fights a smile.
you took a small sip and then a larger gulp, sighing after finishing the whole glass.
“i also have a hangover potion and a headache one that lily made, so you know it’s good—“
“you left again.” you rasped, a small frown on your pretty face, still turned away from him.
he stops.
it suddenly dawns on him how you’ve yet to look at him, or greet him like you do when he always appears. he chalked it up to you being hungover or the highly probable headache you must have. not sulking, or possible moping over the fact that he hadn’t waited for you until morning.
he feels his heart take up larger room than normal in his chest. the loud thrumming under his veins as his magic comes to life, the burning desire of it all, the ringing in his ears, his pulse loud and the heat coming to his face.
you weren’t playing fair.
“i’m sorry,” he whispers, scooting near you. reaching out to wrap his arms around your shoulders, then lightly tugging you to him, to lean on him like you did the night before. it was through his absolute delight that you let him.
giving him the courage to continue his ministrations.
“you said you’d stay.” you softly whined, voice muffled by his neck. your hands gripping his shirt.
so unfair.
he’s fully hugging you now. he tries to fight the sigh that threatens to come out of his mouth from having you in his arms again.
he hadn’t expected for you to remember last night, what with constantly falling asleep. he should’ve prepared for it though.
“i’m sorry.” he repeats. this more graver than the last. this apology carrying more weight and more reason, when he remembers your last question.
“you always leave.” he feels something wet touch his neck. his hearts clench, the image of your tears too clear for him. “always leaving me.”
he tries to lean back to get a good look on you but once you felt him move away, you tightened your grip. now wrapping your own arms around his waist. sirius doesn’t know how to feel. suddenly wrapped in your warmness and the familiar feeling and the guilt that you’re crying over him.
again.
causing you pain, again.
“i know, i’m sorry.” he hates that it’s all he can say. hates he can’t say anything else.
so you ask, “why?”
why?
he knows what you’re asking isn’t about why he’s sorry for leaving. he knows you’re asking something else. one withheld from you from the very beginning.
why do keep calling me nicknames?
why do keep touching me?
why do i feel this way?
why can’t you stay?
why did you leave?
why didn’t you love me back?
there’s a lot of answers he’s withheld from you but he starts from the one heavy on his mind.
he suddenly wonders if you’ve been left wondering too.
if it keeps you up at night, and having no one to answer it. if it eats you up and if you regret being with him, the same way he regrets ever leaving you.
“i didn’t think that— you would want me to stay, after what i did. i didn’t dare myself to even think you could still want me— or even be around my presence at all.” he says this quiet and so close to your ear.
you let him go now, leaning against the bed post instead.
sirius instantly wishing for you to come back into his arms again, but he refrains.
“you thought i didn’t want you?”
“who would?” he laughs, albeit a bit self-deprecating but hoping you’ll take it as a joke. you only frown. “sirius, of course i would still want you. you’re the best thing that happened to me.” your eyes looked so clear then, so sure.
so sure it burns him.
“but i hurt you. i caused you pain, i’ve disappointed you again and again—“
“you didn’t disappoint me.” you grab his hands, your touch still so soft like he remembers it. “i was hurt, yes, but that wasn’t your fault. it was my own fault for giving you more than what you were comfortable with.”
he shook his head, frowning hard. “don’t do that.”
“what?”
“be understanding,” he laughs, incredulous. “taking responsibility for me being a shitty boyfriend to you for being a complete arse to you.”
“you did what you could. what with everything you went through?”
he turns away, but you grab his face with your other hand, and tilts his chin up.
“all the things you’ve had to endure? i know you try to hide your struggles with it all. but i see you. i see all the things, all the extra steps you have to take to become better than what your parents set you out for. and now look at you, making it out on your own. making new friends, no trace of the anger and bitterness they tried so hard to embed in you. i loved you for it all, and i understood why you couldn’t, even if it hurt. because that’s how people love. you love someone even if they have all the capabilities to hurt you more than anything in the world— and i have loved you for so long. and i might’ve not understood this when we were younger, but i do now. i wasn’t asking for apologies because i’ve long forgiven you for everything in the past. but i wanted to know what it is you felt. why you felt the need to hide the reasons from me.”
he lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
you let his face go. but he grabs it. incasing your hand in his.
mind sticking to one thing he feared.
loved?
has he lost his chance again?
have you deemed him unnecessary?
“you don’t—?” he sighs, stopping himself, that wasn’t important right now. especially not if you were looking at him, looking so patient.
he started slow, contemplative if he can articulate it well enough for you to understand. “i didn’t think i could ever be capable of love, or be anyone you could ever want and need. because you’re amazing. when you said you loved me for the first time, i thought i was dooming you. my family. my circumstances. i thought i was going to ruin you and i couldn’t live with the thought of doing that to you. so i thought that leaving would be for the best. i tried to leave. tried and convinced myself it was for you. that i had to let you go for you. but i couldn’t do it. selfish as it is, i couldn’t let you go.
“i even found a way to stop the bind, but thinking that my last connection with you would be gone, and you would forget about me—have a life without me there, i couldn’t. because, because i love you. i have loved you from the moment you smiled at me. it terrified me, how much i love you and how much i was willing to do anything for you. i love you more than i could ever understand and i’m sorry if i couldn’t say it that time, i’m sorry if this is a bit late, but i love being needed by you. i love being around you. i-i need you, more than you could ever need me.”
he didn’t notice the tears spilling to his cheeks before you wiped it away for him.
your eyes looking so soft.
“you love me?” you breathed.
as if it was unbelievable.
as if it wasn’t possible.
sirius hates himself a little more at the thought he might have caused some insecurity for you.
because it was ridiculous.
“i love you.” and like a broken record, he repeats it. again and again and again. much firmer than the last.
and you smile, so big and beautiful. and your eyes shining and so pretty. it was like the sun was shining so much brighter that day. like the clouds were opening up in the sky and bathing you in a golden glow.
he repeats it again, because he’s spent so many years holding himself back. and if your reaction is the same every time he says it then he’ll say it everyday. with every sentence, with every greeting, with every meal you cook for him. with every night he picks you up from a pub absolutely sloshed. with every irritating conversation he has with his baby brother. with every teasing quips from the lads. with every secret smile you give him. every time he touches you, every time he looks at you. because gods, don’t you look absolutely magnificent and unbelievable right now.
“i love you,” he repeats.
“i love you too.” you laugh. like your smile was getting too wide and too happy that you had to laugh.
and his heart soars. couldn’t stop himself even if he tried, as he leans in and captures your lips like he’s done so many times before.
thinking himself a proper idiot if he ever thought he could ever live without touching your lips ever again.
he touches your face like he did the night before. he grabs your waist like he always does. and he tilts your heads like a time before. he tastes a salty thing as your tears slides near his lips and he relishes in its taste.
he feels the warmth spreading to his entire face and body. feels the humming of his magic intertwining with yours. your soft mouth moving against him. and the stretch of your lips, smiling into the kiss.
he pulls away even if he didn’t want to.
“i love you,” he says again, and you smile at him so sweetly.
he repeats it because of your pretty smile.
and again. because he can.
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blood-bound · 9 months
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fuck it discord rant with no context (feel free to ask for context) about my last session
AAAAAAAAa
ok little context: mark and cassidy driving home from mission where the anarch party they were investigating got raided by camarilla so they have to take the long way home. also, mark juts got a text from sampson that they need to talk. otherwise good luck making sense of this if u havent heard mark rants before.
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Mark learned: -Cassidy turned in 1853 california -loves older western movies, NOT spaghetti westerns except once upon a time in th west -loves detective novels; steven king -has larger goals that he doesnt want to say due to mark's sire having a short leash on him lol -guessed mark was about 5 years dead, mark told him it was less than a year. cassidy was pretty surprised lol -cassidy asked marks goals and what he wanted. mark talked abt goals of stability, and knowing whats going on in the city. talked around it but basically said he also wanted someone he felt he could actually talk to T_T This is what inspired lighter covnersation abtmovies and books -cassidy invited him to WATCH A MOVIE W HIM AT THE CINEMA LOVE WINS (NOT A DATE FOR SURE UNLESS?) -
Now its time to talk to sampson on the next night
due to something julius did mark has to shelter some anarchs in the sewers on his territory. he made it clear the SEWERS only. theyve been moving in.
anyway marks goes to the bar. theres some sketchy ppl outside .oh god. anarchs not listening to directions? THATS CRAZY. Anyway the bar is closed early. it has blinds. many locks. sampson lets mark in and is like. dude. wtf are these people around. ive been seeing htem around and we figured out they were vampires and you said htis place would be safe?? i cant keep doing this???
he's like i know its not all always your fault or things happen in spite of you but what am i supposed to do? i cant live like this again? what am i supposed to do?? And marks just like look anarchs have been moving in city wide ill deal with this and . sampson presses and hes like deal with them how. and marks like IDK kick them out? kill th- and sampsons like YES KILL THEM you killed that one random person cant you kill kindred on your territory?
like OOF that 1 ONE murder lives in his head dsakjfsfdkjds
he's crying, also, ends up saying 'after all this i dont want to talk to you again, i know you bring me stuff to keep me alive' and then be breaks down MORE like REALLY sobbing
so mark gives him a little time to compose himself. then gets all cold and is basically like. so be it. ill still have to see you monthly, but we can try to limit it. but then sampsons like. "I dont know. I just. dont know what to do. i cant sleep with these guys out there all the time" and mark is like "do you want me to deal with them right now?" and smaspons like "yes" so. mark leaves to deal with them!
he grabs piece of shit tony who is supposed to be helping manage this territory. tony says the guys claimed he invited him there, so mark has to explain how they are allowed in the sewers but no where else. and that he wants the three in front of the plaza dealt with Tonight. they work out a deal. tony drives around collecting ghouls and plays this song.
the ghouls are wearing ski masks and have various weapons. he assigns them an order. and turns up the music and they start FUCKING those guys up. first guy modified his glock to be semi automatic? one gets downed immedaitely. 3 other ghouls approach with melee weapons. one gets killed sadly but all the kindred who were loitering by the bar get torpored in short order. Tony is pissed and yells at a corpse about whose gonna pay to replace his ghoul? Ooffff. but yeah mission done. tony says to mark to get out of his car.
He does so. returns to bar. SESSIONEND
SESSION END!
THEY WERE ABOUT TO GET TO TALK! im sure they are shook by the Incredible Violence outside but whatever
DSLKFJDSLFSD
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lizzieblabbers · 1 year
Text
hello world
today’s march 2, and why do i have this weird habit of writing my monthly check ups every second of the following month?
anyway, february had been a real pain in the ass
today, i mean tonight's the third, and it took me three business days to recover from the second month of the year, the supposedly love month
love? which part of that did i experience love?
i had tons of schoolworks because, you know, in my uni, the last two months of every semester is usually the busiest and probably the most crucial period as it is usally deemed as the "finals szn" and therefore all of our instructors think that it's okay to just dump tasks for each subject all at once likE ok fine
anyway, february ended really bad for me (at least, for me. i hope it didn't for others) because i got a really low (based on my standards) on a major and me being me, im not used to getting marks that low that i took it to heart and bawled my eyes out
but hey i guess its okay because i'm still alive, i'm not the only one in class who got that mark, and i can always try harder next semester
in line with this, though, i had realizations
i know where i am lacking, and that i need to fix it next semester if i want to graduate college with a decent transcript, enough to land me a job that would nurture me as a person and would help me provide for my family
enough of the future--another thing i realized is that i need to stop being so fucking kind because hello??? people are using me and i am too blind to hold them accountable because they are "my friends" and that i don't want to be seen as a villain or some sort of evil person who does not have any ounce of empathy towards others
i just can't help but blame the version of myself who stayed up late and woke up early to fix somebody else's script and prioritized their unfinished tasks over mine for the sake of "overall effect"
fuck overall image. what makes you think that it's okay for you to just say sorry everytime you're unable to do your responsibility to the group (minsan nga walang sorry lol) and then voila everything's okay?
i understand where you're coming from, but don't you think it's your fault for taking on another responsibility, so you are actually responsible for balancing that whilst not being a burden to others? asking for help is okay, but it involves "asking" which you don't do.
it's my fault, and i learned the hard way
ANYHOO ENOUGH OF THESE RANTS
february also gave me a good news--i ranked 9th among the whole population of seniors two years ago. and albeit late, it still gave me hope that maybe, im not dumb. maybe im just too kind
honestly i can consider february as some sort of awakening--i was naive, and people aren't always true to what they say. so this march, ill try my best to be a better version of myself
aside from emotional cleansing, i'm also trying to go back to taking care of myself (building a routine, waking my muscles up, following my skincare routine diligently) so i guess march would be a month of regeneration
wow big word
ok so i think that sums it up, i just wished to have someone to talk to about all these, you know. it would really help me
ANYWAY
BYE TUMBLR SEE YOU
((will maybe write more here, I KNOW I SAID IT A LOT OF TIMES BUT I THINK NOW ITS TRUE, because im trying not to share too much because wala, bagong buhay hehe))
BYEEEEE
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sugar-petals · 4 years
Text
boyfriend bot (m)
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↳ Not made of flesh nor blood. But made to treat you right. 
↳ PAIRING ⇁ baekyhun x reader
↳ STATS ⇁ one shot | sci-fi + domestic au
↳ WORDS ⇁ 29k
↳ WARNINGS ⇁ slow burn, the yearning™, eventual smut, light angst, making out, fingering, blowjobs, vaginal penetration, baekhyun can expand his dick what about it, cock warming, messy sex, artificial semen, giving orders + name-calling (bbh receiving), cum play, throatpies, wet panties all the way, masturbation, switching & dom!reader undertones but more vanilla > kink, french kissing, baek is a gentleman, cuddles
↳ ♡ Caro’s Note ✏︎ mmh i love seeing reader get her life turned upside down. features ten chapters. please indulge. ✍️
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Chapter 1: The Capsule
God, the sting is back. Your left foot starts hurting like absolute hell. Out of all possible moments and places.
The vaguely polite smile on your face drops to a stifled expression, but Mr. Kim — on top of being just as oblivious as you expected a man of his job to be — is too preoccupied to notice.
„Our faculty is quite large,“ he says, gazing over the diagrams on his tablet pc. „We require a lot of spare room to test the robots.“
You exhale. Trying to focus on the diagrams, whatever they might mean. It’s mostly obscure, floating animations in green and yellow. Actually — very much unlike the faculty itself which is white, stark, and sterile. And yes. Too large for its own fucking good.
Just keep on walking, you tell yourself, you’ll be there soon. You’ll see Baekhyun in just a minute, okay.
Besides Mr. Kim, whoever works here has got to be a raging part-time athlete. Crossing all the plain white corridors feels like jogging right through a football field.
If you walk down any more of those, you’ll actually be out of breath. On top of limping like a stork in a puddle of half-dry mud. All accompanied by the squeaking of Mr. Kim’s obnoxious white crocs that seem to mock you with every step.
You spend too much time inside.
But who these days trains for a marathon like this.
Another deep exhale. Focus, focus, focus. You try to keep the conversation smooth.
„That’s reasonable. How long does it take to run such a test?“
„Really depends on the model,“ Mr. Kim hums, now diverting his eyes from his device to meet yours. „Prototypes take three, even four years to manufacture, trial, and refine. It is rocket science.“
Your foot is kind enough not to send another spike of pain through your legs so your face looks neutral at best.
„Four years. Quite a long time.“
Around just as long as you’ve been the single pringle of the neighborhood if you count up the months. Now that’s funny. You still feel pathetic showing up here, either way.
But since you already paid and walked what feels like three miles, there’s no going back.
Mr. Kim stuffs the tablet into his pocket now, then interlaces his fingers, making him reminiscent of some kind of ancient Roman oratory figure with his long white lab coat on.
„It is. The models that you can customize do several test runs over the course of two weeks, on the other hand.“
„Wow, that’s actually pretty fast, then.“
You’re genuinely surprised. That the faculty is professional to a fault, however, isn’t shocking. The reviews of their products are nothing but positive. Five stars are plastered all over the edgy customer feedback section on the company website. Accordingly, your purchase is worth more than five saved monthly salaries which torments you more than your damn foot.
Mr. Kim cocks his head a little.
„Technically, yes,“ he says. „However, every custom bot has once been a prototype. All the important safety tests have been conducted.“
You raise your brows. If you did the math correctly, it’s 3 to 4 years development stage plus two weeks of customizing and tests. That makes sense.
You’re surprised your brain can register as much. Now that it’s been ten minutes of walking or even a bit longer, who knows the time works differently in this bitch of a building, the corridor is giving your Achilles’ heel a hard time again with another endlessly long passage.
Doors upon doors, one more mysteriously labeled than the other, pop up right and left. ‚CASTS AND SCULPTURE‘ says one entrance. ‚LINGUISTIC DEVELOPMENT‘ another. From another corner, a whirring noise keeps on disrupting the silence of the hallway.  
What else can you do but try to slow down the pace without it being too discernable. It’ll pass in no time, you tell yourself, don’t be a bother. You won’t have some breakdown in here and ask for a glass of water or whatever. It’s already embarrassing enough to do all of this.
If you act up, they might consider you unsuitable to take the bot home. There are no opportunities to sit down anyway. Mr. Kim is far too awkward to talk about anything else but technical details. They probably don’t even have cardboard cups and mineral water in here, at least not in the radius of the sensitive equipments.
It really is a rocket science place.
Figures, this is a place for robots, not humans. The receptionist of the faculty himself had been a bot already. Sleek, poised, and polite. Interestingly, with a slight resemblance to Mr. Kim.
You chew on your bottom lip to distract yourself, walk on. Trying to come up with questions seems to be the best way to distract yourself at this point.
„Do… you also quiz the robots for conversation like that?“
It sounds like an outlandish thing to say to such a high-ranking scientist, but with the pain in your leg, it’s all too easy to forget about tone. The corridor becomes longer with every step and the neon lights above don’t help. Maybe you only hallucinate all of this. Mr. Kim sounds as factual and courteous as ever.
„Of course. We simulate every possible life situation you can think of. He can play sports with you, talk about modern art, cook Spaghetti, iron clothes, send you a text message, point out star constellations.“
„Really?“
Your heart beats even faster than it already does. Not that you’d ever need your robot to do push-ups or teach you cross-training. But Mr. Kim very much sounds like he’s confident the android will keep all its lofty claims. It’s a promise that raises your mood a lot more than you thought. All the details on the website you’ve read about three times already, but hearing them confirmed is still exciting.
„Even if a client customizes a model,“ he pulls out the device from his pocket again, then points to several other red graphs on the tablet. „The base programming allows for a variety of actions already.“
None of the data he shows you instantly rings a bell. It looks far too advanced. But it’s a no-brainer to you, someone like Mr. Kim lives in a bubble of bot speak.
As far as you understand it, what he means is that all robots have long been ‚finished‘. Customizing only adds a few features. A final, very personalized touch.
„Um— And my bot is able to learn, right?“
„That is one of the most important features,“ Mr. Kim fiercely nods his head. So that struck a chord. „Baekhyun is a leisure model, but you’ll notice that he asks a lot of questions.“
„What type of questions?“
„Well… Think of it as if a child with a rational mind gets to know the world. Very rapidly rather than naively. And, he constantly updates what your preferences are.“
„Right.“
The prospect of finally meeting him lets the pain in your leg fade off at least a little.
Baekhyun.
Only eight letters in an online form until this very moment. But soon, someone very real before your eyes. It’s an overwhelming thought, but your impatience is stronger than that. Now you really want to see him.
The corridor, thankfully, ends in a few feet anyways. Your knees are getting wobbly by the minute.
„Is he able to reach conclusions on his own?“ you ask, hands stuffed into the side pockets of your black jeans. Your pulse is still increasing. Mr. Kim’s friendly face becomes even friendlier with the smile that now stretches wide across.
„Conclusions— I would describe him as logical, but with a strong ethical twist. He’s a leisure model, after all.“
That sounds like a fancy way of saying ‚yes‘. Or, in a way, a hook to assure a new client that it was money well spent and not wasted on some hoax.
It’s not like you don’t trust the countless ‚I got a leisure bot and this is how we live’ client videos you saw online.
Even the most amateur vloggers seemed to be wildly in love with their models. Kissing and hugging them all over the place, playing games together and whatnot.
„You know, I had the honor of overseeing his tests last week,“ Mr. Kim continues. „Baekhyun’s sense of wit is so astounding, even our chief robotics officer was surprised. And he works in the department since 1995. That’s almost 40 years of experience here.“
You have to smile to yourself now, too. In the ‚select personality’ section on the customization website, your particular wish was to make Baekhyun sharp. Maybe this could turn out as interesting as you pictured it would be.
„We took a little longer with it. But I believe Baekhyun is among one of the best customizations this month,“ Mr. Kim now stops and draws out a key card. „Especially— in terms of how you helped us design his looks and theme. Most client requests we get want some kind of he-man. They only spend twenty minutes customizing their bot on the website, if not less.“
Mr. Kim pulls a frustrated face recalling that. In the meantime, you try to keep your legs straight as good as possible. It’s probably been a few years since you’ve been legitimately nervous like that and it catches you off guard. This is like a final exam. After a brief attempt to fix your hair, you shove your hands into your pockets a little deeper.
„Hm, I see?“
It must have been getting vastly boring in the lab judging by how he talks himself into a frenzy about the project. Although well, if he wouldn’t, you’d be a little worried. This is the type of job where you have to geek out. Mr. Kim seems to be the right kind of guy in his profession, you can’t deny that.
You take a deep breath now — hoping they didn’t go too far with their experiments once they got the rare opportunity to do so.
Mr. Kim pushes his brunette hair back. You can tell he’s getting a little tense himself. He disables the tablet PC using a sleek button on its side and clamps the device under his left armpit.
„You spent almost four hours selecting all the extended details,“ he says. „That helps us a lot. Baekhyun quickly developed into our favorite project to work on. He’s a very self-aware and attentive android.“
You nod, absent-minded already. What matters is that you finally reached the end of the fucking corridor. And just how high your level of adrenaline has been rising. It feels like a gyro drop at full throttle.
You murmur a small thank you and watch Mr. Kim swipe his card through the chunky white, bleeping doorknob. A green light appears from above the door and it scoots open.
„Over there,“ he brings his left hand forward, ushering you inside.
In the middle of the dome-like room before you is a platform sporting an adjustable mechanical frame. Chrome, light aluminum, something of that kind. A terribly odd construction, but almost mundane for a faculty of this caliber. Everything smells painstakingly sterile.
There are similar set-ups you’ve seen in the hospital you got your appendix removed in last spring. Whether that’s a good sign or not you can’t tell over the buzzing inside of your head. This shit has you way too clamped up in the stomach.
You try to focus on observing as good as you can. Back to the here and now.
The frame holds a shiny grey capsule reminiscent of a cocoon. Mr. Kim steps forth toward the pod and swipes across its surface with a gentle right hand. That triggers a series of mechanisms at the back of the capsule, causing it to gain opacity.
Within seconds, a quirky silhouette with elegant limbs appears inside the cocoon. Your hands tremble even more. This is the moment you downed three large fucking cups of coffee for this morning after two winding hours of sleep.
„There he is,“ Mr. Kim announces, audibly proud.
Once the capsule is fully transparent, it is turned upright by the frame shifting about— and dissolves. The cocoon is gone.
The man that now stands before you slowly comes to life as if waking up from a fifty-year-long slumber.
Chapter 2: Enamel
What you first notice is his hair: Whiter than pearls, almost platinum. It’s long enough so see a slight bend in it. Whether it is actual hair or some kind of artificial fiber seems quite impossible to tell. It’s all matte, gently moving. Underneath its softly parted bangs open—
Baekhyun’s eyes. You can’t help but get tunnel vision and an awkwardly stiff posture. Even if they still look sleepy, there is so much movement in them already. They are perfectly droopy and teddy-like, turning toward you with a shapely, slightly long button nose in between. Either iris is deep and dark to the point of no pupil being immediately recognizable. There is something very intentional in his gaze that makes you hold your breath.
At a second glance, it appears as if a thin layer of beige eyeshadow was smudged right around both lash lines, drawing even more attention to the little gleam in the eyes themselves. All around the lab, the faculty’s scientists have placed huge round neon light spheres as lamps, one emitting a light more uncomfortable than the other. But in Baekhyun’s eyes, they appear like distant planets.
Seconds pass. You stare. Then, a voice light and airy knocks you out of your frozen state.
„I am very glad to be with you now,“ Baekhyun’s lips begin to move. You audibly breathe in even harder.
They are small, rosy, angular at the cupid’s bow— revealing a subtle smile with beaming teeth and red gums above. And even though they are bright, none of his teeth appear remotely the same, even, nor too symmetrical.
Imperfect like nature, they look just like yours or anyone else’s. You wouldn’t have guessed, not in a million years, that they are made of ‚steadfast, durable acrylic‘ as it said on the website. His smile looks— so real.
„Very nice to meet you, Baekhyun,“ is the only thing you manage to blurt out, extending your hand. Your brain is running on emergency autopilot.
In this moment, it feels like you are more robotic than the robot before you.
The gentle squeeze of Baekhyun’s gently forthcoming hand feels warming. Where you expected cold metal, a smooth heat spreads in your palm. Besides a small whirring sound that seems to emanate from his shoulder joints and wrist, the way he shakes your hand is fluid, malleable to how your own arm angles towards him. Almost — intuitive?
„I’m sorry if I smell like oil and metal. That will fade,“ chirps Baekhyun, lighthearted and boyish, letting go of your hand. It took you a solid eight seconds to initiate a withdrawal. The shame of feeling so desperate drives a pulsing heat into your face. Guinness world record for longest human-android handshake here we come.
Mr. Kim can’t help but laugh behind you, then ends up mumbling into his non-existent beard.
„Exceptional… truly exceptional. Our language specialists have outdone themselves. Even the voice modulation.“
Whatever that exactly means, you nod along anyway. And you almost thought Mr. Kim was laughing at you.
You rebuke yourself for getting way too defensive. It’s not that your synapses would bother dealing with complicated information like this right now to begin with.
„His voice is— It’s just how I pictured it. It’s so beautiful.“
It doesn’t sound recorded or like some random car navigation system’s speaker at all. It’s almost as if he was being perfectly synchronized by somebody standing right behind him. Only a minimal distortion at the end of his sentences gives away how his words are being generated, processed, pieced together. Other than that, his light and animated tone sounds authentic to a surprising extreme. For some reason, it’s almost as if he’s singing. He speaks surprisingly fast, too.
„You have to compliment yourself,“ Baekhyun steps forward a little, and the capsule frame behind him removes itself from the room’s center platform with a zooming noise. „My voice is designed after your imagination.“
„That’s, that’s nothing. Mr. Kim did all of the important work,“ you negate, way, way too fast, and you bite your lip for almost interrupting him.
„Baekhyun is correct,“ Mr. Kim retorts, now appearing on your left with a clipboard in his hand. He must have fetched it while you were busy being a marble statue. „He’s proof of what fantasy can achieve.“
He smiles, then begins to tick boxes on the board, using a shiny, bold black pen from his lab coat’s chest pocket. Baekhyun smiles a marvelous smile right along.
He is truly hypnotizing to your eye. The more you can take in his entirety, the more overwhelming it is, and there’s no way you can get enough of it.
His skin in particular catches your attention. It is embued with a light bronze sheen. His neck, his arms, his face: All different ways of sunkissed, but still appearing as a consistent whole.
Upon a closer look, you even see a few moles and the finest hairs— on his underarms, the chin, the linings of the cheeks. The steep jaw, too. You remember a detail on the website saying that he can actually get goosebumps, so going by that the little golden fuzz is able to move.
You’ve never seen skin like that in your whole life, and yet, it feels natural. The evenness is not the same anywhere. In some spots, there are subtle blue streaks and elongated bumps, as if there were veins. His neck and hands sport the most prominent bits. Around his wrist and elbow area, you can clearly see bone structure denting through. It’s like real skin on a skeleton. His collar bones are acutely visible, as are his knuckles and cheekbones.
„Baekhyun’s haptics are perfected to a single pore,“ a scribbling Mr. Kim picks up on your lasting, travelling gaze. „Elastic, but sturdy, and still extremely soft. You can touch him like any other person. The skin mimics the same properties except that it hardly ages. It is also heated to body temperature.“
Now you know where your money went into. And why Baekhyun’s hands felt so astoundingly real. You wonder how it would feel if he would—
„Quite alright,“ you gawk, chasing away a gazillion of incoming thoughts. All while feeling what seems like an entire waterfall of sweat trickle down your lower spine. You grant yourself the annual award for the most inept conversationalist nation-wide. „Does that need any maintenance?“
„Principally… he is a self-maintaining system,“ Mr. Kim finishes up with his paperwork. „Even small damages he can repair without you having to bring him here. He can log into our databank and get updates if necessary, though that rarely occurs with leisure models. All very discreetly, of course. The, well, the only thing Baekhyun needs from you is regular interaction. As I said: Learning is vital to him. Absolutely vital. You can talk to him like with anybody else.“
„That I can uh provide! I mean sure!“
You exhale. Slacken. Try to keep your feet parallel to each other. If interaction is the only thing needed to keep Baekhyun on his toes, your toolbox can gladly stay in the basement. Lord knows you’d be a lackluster bot mechanic. Casts, sculpture, linguistics and whatnot, on top of any screws to tighten.
„It’s a pleasure,“ a very smoldering Baekhyun straightens his body, and along with it his crisp white outfit. Which you… already like a lot.
It’s tailored rather snugly to his slim frame. You believe it’s got to be synthetics he’s wearing, a thick kind of fabric. As if you didn’t sweat already, the top is sleeveless. Even if he appears quite slender, Baekhyun’s upper arms are nevertheless muscular. The way he straightened up only emphasizes how toned he is.
„And I’m sorry I made you nervous,“ Baekhyun continues, softy gazing over your face. „Seeing someone with enamel eyes is not the most common thing.“
Now your posture becomes equally as upright. The marble statue is back.
„Enamel?“
As if you forgot whatever the hell language is. Mr. Kim must think you’re a complete fool. And Baekhyun, anyways. You already realize how well he can read situations. And— well, your very face. It’s been one of your top requirements in the customization form, after all. It comes back to bite you.
„We normally use plain glass. For the ocular apparatus, I mean,“ Mr. Kim puts away his clipboard, seemingly content. „But since Baekhyun’s eyes are so dark, engineer Park suggested a coat of enamel to emphasize shine. It adds to the visual. Otherwise, his eyes would swallow all light if you will.“
That’s why the lamp reflections are the way they are in Baekhyun’s eyes. It really is a kind of shiny effect. Not even Tulo, the new palm-sized puppy of your friend Hwasa, has such a vivid expression.
In a following moment of sobriety, you let Mr. Kim’s words repeat in your head. Ocular apparatus. It feels so weird to talk about Baekhyun’s face this way. But it helps to remind you once again. He is man-made. For you. Convincingly well.
„Do you like it?“ Baekhyun promptly asks. „It is the department’s goal to make them look as real as possible.“
„I… I can’t complain. It’s incredible. Really incredible.“
If not absolutely staggering. Your whole body feels tingly.
Baekhyun shifts close to you by the millimeter the more you gape right at him. In the meantime, Mr. Kim stuffs his pen back into the lab coat with an understanding hum.
You have no idea what Baekhyun will do now.
Chapter 3: He Treats You So Right
„So, you agree to matching up with client 2B6?“ Mr. Kim asks Baekhyun.
„I do, sir,“ comes a faithful answer right away. Baekhyun’s cheeks become fuller in a beaming smile.
„Are you satisfied with the result and would like to take Baekhyun home?“ Mr. Kim now turns to you.
„Y—yes, I… I want to.“
You don’t even dare to blink. It feels like you’ve grown roots to the ground.
Is this a marriage ceremony? Is the kiss next? Are you supposed to strip on the spot to seal the deal?
But Mr. Kim is stoic.
„I see you are ready to go then. Baekhyun can explain most of his features by himself, anyways. Better than me, even.“
In fact, he sounds more hurried and neutral now. There’s work waiting for him, you can tell. And he sure as hell had his fair share of impatient clients.
You clench up hoping that you looking at Baekhyun like that isn’t that kind of—
Neediness?
You wish you could deny it. But you’ve made the purchase, you limped all the way here. It’s already obvious, it has to be. There’s no way they don’t pick up on it. It’s what drives Mr. Kim’s business almost endlessly, anyways. In this very moment, ten, maybe twenty, even thirty other bots are presented to clients in rooms scattered all over the faculty.
You have to pull yourself together. It’s not like you’re the only one. You center back to Mr. Kim.
„He can?“
„Yes. Any autonomous bot should be able to explain themselves, it’s what I believe in.“
Now that sounded like conviction indeed.
But you wonder why Mr. Kim still bothered going on tangents, then. But yet again, whatever was on the clipboard was a test run he had to monitor or something like that.
The way he asked Baekhyun if he wanted to match up with you must have been part of that. Baekhyun had agreed so fast and warmly, in such a genuine way of speaking.
Even now, his eyes look so inviting and full of reassurance. Without a single word.
Maybe he likes you. If he can feel something like that.
Or thinks of you as a… rational option. Why would Mr. Kim ask about ‚allowance‘ — or whatever it was — in such a manner, anyways? Wouldn’t it mean that Baekhyun did have a sense of affection? Trust, even? Maybe it was just a formality. A contract, or you were just reading too much into it. But it already stuck with you.
Mr. Kim monotonously continues. Maybe he notices how preoccupied you are. Or, after all, it’s a sentence he must’ve said a thousand times.
„If any other question arises, you know how to contact us.“
„Okay, great. I, I don’t know how to thank you.“
„Your contentment, that is the biggest reward,“ Baekhyun finally enters the conversation again. With a very, very big smile.
His eyes unequivocally ask for permission to touch you, and you grant it nodding. Whatever he wants to do— if Baekhyun is trusting towards you, now it’s your turn.
Baekhyun softly places his left hand on your upper arm, pointing toward the longer end of the lab room with the other.
„We’ll take the elevator over there. You can relax your foot a little. I hope we haven’t caused an inconvenience to you. We’re taking it slow on our way.“
Mr. Kim looks just as taken aback as you, if not more.
„Her foot?“
Baekhyun gazes back at the two of you as if you just asked him whether water is wet.
„It’s blatantly obvious by the way she stands, Mr. Kim. Recovering strained Achilles heel.“
The air is laden with gasoline, the cement blocks all around sleek and cold. Slowly approaching your silver little car in the cramped underground garage’s second story, Baekhyun first seems to scan the vehicle, then turns his head to you – seamlessly. You already anticipate him commenting on whatever scratch or rusty spot first caught his eye.
But instead, he looks courteous as ever.
„I can act as your chauffeur if you desire. Today’s traffic is very busy. I’m a smooth operator.“
You can’t help but laugh a little and picture Mr. Kim feeding a Sade playlist into Baekhyun’s system. Or who knows, any robot likely has instant access to Youtube with their hypermodern internet minds.
„Sounds convenient.“
You head towards the passenger seat after passing him the keys, with Baekhyun aptly entering the car from the other side. How his knees bend, how he slides right onto the seat. With such an oddly fluid way of doing it. It doesn’t escape your glance how easily he settles down and fastens his belt right away.
The scientists have really tested for everything.
Robots are legally permitted to drive since only five years and few are advanced enough to do so.
His side profile looks smooth from where you sit. The chin pointed and sharp, the nose straight, slightly long, and dainty. Baekhyun grips the steering wheel quite expertly with his left hand. He turns the key with the other.
„Your convenience is the most important to me. And I like driving vehicles,“ the engine starts. „It’s birds of a feather.“
You fasten your own seat belt, but rather as a reflex than by deliberation. You really have to stop yourself from consistently looking at him with what must be the most puzzled you’ve been yet.
„Oh, you mean, you get on well with other machines?“
„Your car has similar gears to mine, I can’t help it. Family.“
The engine revs up a bit, then quickly develops into a sonorous purr. Whenever you drive — your car strangely never sounds like that. On your way to the faculty, the engine rather resembled a gone-wild Spanish bull stomping and grunting around in heat.
Now that you think about it — Baekhyun spent over three years in the faculty complex. Who knows with what kinds of other machines he has communicated with. Comparing yourself is arguably unfair.
„Maybe grease is thicker than water,“ you say, cramped up fingers intertwining. You don’t know where your wit has been until now. At least you can try.
Baekhyun looks quite amused, actually.
„And yet, water runs much deeper,“ he says, turning the wheel.
The car already exits the garage’s wide neon-lined gate. Baekhyun enables the A/C with swift fingers. They’re strikingly pretty. Thin, long, and elven-like. His nails are perfectly almond-shaped and look peachy.
Once more— you have to snap yourself out of another way too detailed thought. The way he touched your arm left an impression.
You feverishly search for a conversation topic, all while trying to let your eyes wander around the street.
„Is there something like… bots missing the faculty?“ you ask, swiping a few strands of hair off your right cheek. The A/C is messing with your hair a little. Baekhyun has turned it up enough for you to feel sufficiently cooled down, however. „I mean, after such a long time there.“
„By the way you customized me, I already know your home is much cozier.“
You’re trying to catch up with what he said for a solid five seconds. By the time you understand, it dawns on you how ‚he is logical‘ very much extends to some kind of predictive conclusions. That hold to be… very true.
„Ah— I, I guess? So you didn’t like it there?“
„I was built for you, that’s where I belong,“ Baekhyun says, surprisingly firm in tone. „Mr. Kim said he’s not surprised I grew bored of the environment but couldn’t figure out how to find something to do.“
„Oh… I can imagine, the faculty very much looks that way.“
You’re perplexed — because Baekhyun shakes his head.
„It’s not the place,“ he says, and you can hear his voice becoming more serious. „It was you who was missing. That I felt that way was a natural thing. I apologize if this is too early to say so frankly.“
The car takes a suave right turn, entering the bustling main street. Cabs everywhere. Confusing flashes from traffic lights and tall glass windows at every corner. Alongside many of Brooklyn’s most crisp-looking skyscrapers, a few giant advertisement boards pass by. Two of them display the familiar, ever-looming logo.
>>> AndroTech Leisure Bots Inc <<<
  Moscow | New York | Seoul
Beneath it, a corresponding slogan in red print.
He treats you so right.
You try to gather your words. But they spill, and you can’t really look at him.
„No— I mean. It’s important we’re… you know, compatible. Isn’t that, that’s the entire deal behind all of this? That we like each other. It would be silly to do anything else. Especially when this is all so… deliberately done. You don’t have to say sorry, Baekhyun.“
Your friends would probably cringe at you saying this out loud. The majority of them think you’re an oddball spending not just the money, but so many days being nervous about meeting ‚some robot’.
Busy forever customizing ‚just a piece of talking plastic and metal’. Even Hwasa was skeptical. Hyuna said it’s kind of weird to buy someone, something like that as she emphasized. But with Baekhyun next to you, the words just come out.
It feels like you’re talking to— a person.
„Thank you. I haven’t heard any other client talk about a product like that. Nobody is obliged to do this.“
„That’s sad. And I don’t think you’re just a product.“
„You really bothered a lot with me. I promise to show my gratitude.“
Baekhyun lends you an arm to limp down the small garden pathway without putting too much weight on your foot. The door to your ugly duckling of a yellow row house has always been notoriously moody, but today, it creaks particularly loud.
Baekhyun begins to inspect it, briefly caressing your back along the way even if he seems quite preoccupied with the problem. You can hardly think straight and get lost in the touch —
Until it happens.
Your grumpy old neighbor, Mr. Lee from the opposing lawn, is not fully seen behind the large bush that separates his terrace from yours, but almost definitely heard with a loud huff of disapproval.
„Eh!“
He’s observed you arrive. Or rather, heard. Probably sitting in his rusty beach chair, smoking, wearing one of his old pastel golf shirts. You can practically feel the scorch of his falcon eyes burning a hole into Baekhyun’s chest at a distance of several dozen feet.
Chapter 4: Pink Clouds
Right through like a laser cannon. It’s not like it’s particularly cold, not in this area anyways, it’s a warm spring this year. But you do shiver for a second.
„Goes on my list to fix right after the scratch on the hood,“ Baekhyun remarks in the meantime, giving the hinges a quick glance before quickly closing the door.
Mr. Lee he doesn’t even notice.
You decide to play it cool and not rub it into Baekhyun’s face. He didn’t even turn his head after Lee’s single-word, but very telling hmph tirade.
Maybe it would weigh too heavy on his mind to get an odd glance by someone else right away at his new home. Or maybe you’re projecting. But you never know how he’d take it. He has to feel welcomed by you in the first place, you think, not some bigoted grandpa who knows nothing. Mr. Lee is such a boomer.
You’re glad Baekhyun is unfazed. And, maybe even oblivious?
„I quite like the door like this, actually,“ you say.
You let your hands graze over the old door patina, then lay down your house keys on the nearby window sill. Next Monday, you’ll visit the keysmith to create a duplicate. Everything about arriving together in your home feels unusual. Surreal, almost.
„Removed fixing the door from list,“ Baekhyun nods, taking his white shoes off. „Perfection is perspective.“
You imagine him actually keeping a painstaking file on this. Somewhere on a mile-long server at AndroTech. Now you know why the faculty is so large.
„It probably sounds charming when someone comes home to the other. I mean, when it creaks. I have to get used to that.“
You feel the embarrassment on your face saying that.
You try to see the rational point to distract from your blush. Getting a heart attack from him suddenly standing in your room sounds like something to squarely avoid. Just a day ago, you would have interpreted a second pair of footsteps on this very entrance floor as a very upfront burglar.
„That is a very good reason not to repair it.“
Baekhyun smiles, doing a 360° to marvel at the entrance area in its entirety. As if it wasn’t a terribly small room at all. There isn’t much to see except a pot plant and a copy of Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe print series, but he still makes big eyes regardless. Maybe this is heaven’s gate to someone who had to look at the faculty lights and way-too-large rooms for so long.
You should probably upload a video of this entire moment on your social media, but gripping the phone in your pocket feels odd. There’s no time to think about it twice anyways because Baekhyun comes to pick you up bridal style. That your heart skips more than a beat is in plain view, it has you gasping out.
„No more walking needed today. It’s leisure time!“
He lifts you far above his hip level with ease. Now you know why you wanted his arms to be big and strong. „Alright like this?“
„Wow, okay—!“
His voice is almost like a jingle, but the following squeal is strangely and completely him when he prances down the center hallway of your home. Being carried within your own four walls has knocked you off your feet indeed.
„Let me get you a blanket,“ Baekhyun props you down on your tiny mint green 80s style sofa just two minutes later. In the meantime, he has promised to make you pancakes for dinner. „You were shivering when we arrived.“
The sun has set, leaving the roof window dark above you. Instead, you’ve switched on the little blue, red, white and green lantern fairy lights dangling off the ceiling. Slipping under the sheets together is strange and oddly comforting at once. To have someone else lifting the duvet up at the same time as you. To come together underneath it.
It’s as Mr. Kim said. He is warm. And there’s a heartbeat, faint but constant, locked in his chest. You can hear it quite clearly once you opt for shifting closer to him. Whether you should be perplexed of amazed you’re unsure of. For his part, Baekhyun seems to bother getting cozy more than once by wiggling around. He finds the right position facing you laying on his side.
„You have a nice bed,“ he says, peeking at you. „Do you want to cuddle?“
He looks cute like that.
And why not.
His hair looks even more touchable in the soft light of the tiny lamps.
„Sure,“ you say, but it doesn’t sound like the most natural thing in the world. Your racing heart makes your voice more fragile than you want it to be.
„Like this? Is it alright for your foot?“
Both of you scoot together. You bury your head at his chest.
„Don’t take care of me too much, Baekhyun,“ you murmur into the fabric of his top. You can get used to having your face buried there. He doesn’t smell like grease at all. „My foot is okay as long as I don’t go berserk.“
Today’s sprint through the faculty had been the most Olympic thing you did in twelve months time, but that’s about it.
„Oh! I am sorry. Mr. Kim programmed me to anticipate and be of service as much as I can. Sometimes I go overboard.“
„I can deal with that,“ you nuzzle yourself into his chest even more. „Mr. Kim also made you a quick learner.“
„Yes, feedback is very important.“
„Mh, yeah.“
„I wanted to ask something related, actually.“
„Go ahead.“
You can’t help but clench your legs together. Bite your lip.
„You were clearly distressed when we arrived,“ his voice becomes serious. „I wasn’t sure whether it was because of me or something else.“
You feel your chest tighten.
Oh.
„Something else. It was something else. It’s not you, Baekhyun.“
„I figured. You were trying to distract from something so I wouldn’t be concerned.“
„It’s hard to hide bullshit from you,“ resurfaces your voice from his chest when you draw your head back from it.
„A bot doesn’t bother with issues, he solves them.“
He sounds confident.
„I don’t know if you can deal with this case.“
„You won’t know. You haven’t told me, after all.“
You sigh.
„It’s… someone who doesn’t like bots very much.“
„Who is it? Is there someone bothering you because of me?“
„Mister Lee. He lives next to us.“
„I see. What happened with him?“
Baekhyun’s response actually sounds far more composed than you thought. His tone is quite soothing.
„He was giving us strange looks when we arrived. Not the meh kind. The aggressive kind. You should stay away from him.“
Lord knows Mr. Kim did not build you some kind of war machine to fend off a raging boomer armed with a hark, golf club, and probably a bucket of water to shortcut Baekhyun.
„It must be a bad experience with another model. That’s what usually happened in such a case. He doesn’t know me personally, after all.“
„Maybe. It is not your fault, either way.“
„There are many people who are afraid of androids for many reasons,“ Baekhyun shrugs. „Jealousy, conspiracies, feelings of not being enough. Some of them even become clients and mistreat their bots, Mr. Kim has told me about a few cases.“
You’re taken aback.
„Why would they?“
„It’s the ultimate control or revenge experience. It’s a legal grey area.“
A silence follows. You don’t want to imagine these things but can’t help but do.
„Then I’m surprised Mr. Lee doesn’t own a bot himself. His… hatred is very strong for your kind.“
„I’ll research in our data banks about this. Maybe he had.“
„You think something went wrong?“
„It can happen.“
„Just… don’t get yourself involved with him up close. He’s creepy. Even if you know about cases like this.“
Baekhyun cocks his head into a smile.
„You’re protective of me. I appreciate that.“
And yet again— He caught you. Whether there is anything Baekhyun doesn’t see right through is reduced to a rhetorical question at this point. Sugarcoating wasn’t relevant on your website form in the first place.
„I’m… sure you look out for yourself. Just didn’t want you to feel unwanted the second we arrive.“
You avoid his eyes. Again.
„It wasn’t necessary, but that makes me feel even more welcome, you know,“ Baekhyun faithfully invites you to snuggle back up against him by leaning forward. „Few owners shield their products from harm. Other than for reasons of us being expensive investments.“
„I dunno. Aren’t most bots sentient?“
„To a degree. They’re built to resemble humans as much as possible.“
„Then— I think, emotional harm is just as shitty as some gears getting torn off or something. If there is consciousness in you. You think for yourselves after all.“
You state it with conviction. Mr. Lee doesn’t seem to realize anything of that.
„I do perceive it. But my brain makes it so that I draw neutral conclusions often. Maybe it’s because my purpose is to be of convenience. No owner needs a dwelling Shakespeare robot defunct in a day-long crisis because he self-indulges. Although I am able to recite all his plays.“
Neutral conclusions. You don’t think you fully understood that yet. Was it— Just like how Baekhyun reacted to Mr. Lee’s taunting? He wasn’t enraged nor happy. He didn’t register it at all.
„Is that… why bots stay with abusive owners?“
You try to utter this carefully, and most of it gladly turns out muffled. Still, Baekhyun acutely understands. You can tell by just how fast he answers.
„The bot will rebuild or reprogram oneself in case of damage. But walking back to Mr. Kim a model would never do. Feeling traumatized or targeted is foreign to us. We could be bored at most,“ Baekhyun shrugs again, and you remember how he experienced the faculty. Boredom. „But that’s only because our processors suggest we need new input and learn.“
Now it makes sense. You give a sharp nod.
„A robot doesn’t become a victim,“ Baekhyun continues. „He becomes trash in a worst-case scenario. A waste of material and innovation. And even then, he won’t feel sad. If he does look sad, it’s to accommodate the feelings of someone who feels sorry for him. And for showing an appropriate situational cue. It’s picked up solely from language we acquired, and our courtesy protocol. Not something like hormone receptors. If we are destroyed for fun by an owner, that’s the emotional baggage of nobody. Mr. Kim perhaps, but he will just build another bot. While we— well. It’s not a concern to us, naturally. We will protect ourselves only to preserve what the client purchased.“
„So… That’s where humans and androids are different.“
„It’s the last gap in science. That we really feel something below the surface. Maybe it’s a blessing, maybe it’s not. Sometimes I wish I could learn it.“
„I think you could experience a feeling like that. You’re self-aware. And Mr. Kim is probably building this whole hormone thing as we speak.“
„It’s quite a thought experiment. On the one hand, I was created to make rational decisions. On the other, I wish I had the presence to live through self-generated, volatile emotions.“
„Isn’t yearning for feeling not feeling already?“
„It is of academic interest. That I want to evolve and experience myself is a wish programmed into to me by Mr. Kim. Because it was a wish by you.“
„Right.“
On the website, you had specified to make Baekhyun self-developing.
„Maybe I will feel something one day.“
„I am convinced it could happen.“
„Until now, I can only mirror someone else’s feelings. With words and the strings that move my face to make expressions.“
„I think I know why many people are jealous of robots. They don’t have the burden of this chemical cocktail inside of them. The irony is… robots want to have that cocktail while humans want to get rid of it.“
Baekhyun picking up on your every mood and approaching you so eagerly with his observations of it is no longer a mystery. He tried to assimilate the sentiments as much as possible. To grow, evolve, whatever the objective might be called.
„The grass is always greener on the other side as they say. Maybe that’s why we do this exchange.“
„That’s like people with curly hair wanting straight hair and the other way around. Never content with that they have and valuing the opposite.“
„Are you not happy with your own cocktail yourself? You sound like you do.“
„It’s… a lot of responsibility to have this. And a hassle anyway.“
Baekhyun chuckles. It must have been an equation in his mind.
„Humans don’t like feeling something negative. It’s interesting how strong their survival instincts are. Bots don’t have this.“
„Yeah. We crave happiness.“
„I will probably never know what that is like. I was created for fulfilling someone else’s.“
To have someone made to make your survival easier. And to make you happy. It’s not something you can yet grasp. You feel obliged to be grateful.
„I wish you could feel it.“
„Your wish is my command, I have to thank you.“
„Maybe this human cocktail is good for at least something. Inspiring someone who can’t have it.“
„From an outsider’s perspective, it is quite something, actually.“
„So— It mends your ‚boredom‘ when you make us happy? And that makes you ‚happy‘?“
Baekhyun nods.
„That’s how it is. Maybe happiness for a bot translates to their brain and physical form getting fed information. We don’t feel how we enjoy this process, but we see how our system thrives when that information comes in. And that registers as a task fulfilled. Which is the best state of a robot to be in.“
„Is it that helping you learn about things makes you something… close to happy?“
That Mr. Kim stressed so much that Baekhyun needs interaction for input doesn’t seem so overstated anymore.
„Yes. But it’s not ‚about things‘.“
„Oh?“
„It’s helping me learn things about you.“
His voice is serious. Your legs feel kind of wobbly at that.
„The regular conversation thing, right.“
„It’s the only requirement from you. It might not seem like a lot, but to me, it’s important. I depend on new things coming my way.“
„Do other clients get that request to talk a lot with their bots, too?“
„Most need only a minimal amount of input. I’m one of the few leisure models who was customized with an emphasis on intellect.“
„Made you a bit of a contradiction I guess.“
„Mr. Kim said that it’s what makes me one of his favorite projects. It’s because of your ideas and that you cared to make me special. I am important to you in some way.“
The word strikes a chord.
Special.
Maybe Baekhyun is. And you bolstered yourself up by making him so to escape the lonely single pringle void. Equipping him with intricate characteristics to give him and yourself a kind of—legitimacy?
Then again, you haven’t interacted with other leisure models other than watching overedited videos of them. Each of those bots could be equally complex. Knowing of Mr. Kim’s genius that sneaks into everything a bot does, the benefit of the doubt still rules.
„Lots of learn talk, then. Anything specific to make it, I mean, quality input?“
Who knows, you think, he might want to learn foreign languages.
„There is a way of making it particularly effective,“ Baekhyun says.
„Remind me often, then. What is it?“
You anticipate some grand revelation. But Baekhyun doesn’t look like it.
„It’s when you touch me. When we, we touch each other. I was built with this in mind. Kinetic learning is what I process best.“
„Touch…—“
„If this is okay for you?“
Almost instantly— You flush. And nod.
„Your skin is unbelievable.“
„It has memory, actually. In particular places it’s very pronounced. Do you want to try it?“
„Yes.“
Baekhyun eases out of your cuddling position first, then loosens the velcro of his top, making space for his bare chest.
What you see shortens your breath.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
His eyes invite you to lay your hand between his collar bones, actually, just a little bit lower. He is entirely comfortable, even leaning forward into the touch.
Judging by how he opens his top even more, your hand has permission to trace down to his solar plexus. So warm and soft, and still: Firm, as if he worked out every day last week.
„What is meant by memory, actually?“ you can’t keep yourself from asking, even with your attention almost fully centered on how his chest arches under your fingers as if he was breathing.
And again, the heartbeat. Your fingertips delight in its strong pulse.
„The more you enjoy something, the more often I can give you the opportunity.“
„That’s how it works, then…“
„Since you like stroking my chest,“ Baekhyun looks down on your hand. „If you allow, you won’t see me with this top on lying next to you often.“
You suck in air. Wow.
„You don’t beat around the bush, Baekhyun.“
„There is no reason not to if I want to please you as much as possible.“
„I would like it. If you prefer that?“
Now, he seems surprised.
„Nobody has asked me this before.“
„Really?“
„My principle is this. If you prefer it, I do.“
„You don’t have your own preferences with these kinds of things?“
„I can come up with ideas. Things for us to try when we touch. But I won’t be partial. It’s all your part.“
„That’s a lot of responsibility for me,“ you puff out. Baekhyun shakes his head right away.
„Someone who customized every last detail of me is a very decisive person. And don’t feel burdened,“ he says. „I already know you like to take everything step by step. When I carried you, I felt it. You don’t have to worry. Just feel my heart.“
Maybe he knows you better than you do.
„Okay.“
Using his right hand, he reaches towards his chest. Baekhyun’s hand ends up cupping yours. Minutes pass. You survey his heartbeat. Sometimes, it switches pace. After almost twenty minutes pass and your lids start to flutter, Baekhyun switches off the lights and whispers goodnight.
Bright Saturday noon daylight. Bustling flocks of people. Weekend joys, lots of pocket money spent. You can smell fries, candied fruits, popcorn, and cigarette smoke all around.
„Normally, I’m a stay-at-home android,“ Baekhyun says, close beside you. „I didn’t know this could be so entertaining.“
Together with you, he watches a bearded Italian man at a stall. Expertly, the man swirls feathery light cotton candy threads back and forth with a thin stick. It smells amazing. Slowly but surely, letting thin layers of floss gather.
„I just try to go by Mr. Kim’s advice and introduce something new,“ you laugh, meanwhile handing the Italian’s assistant two coins for your candy floss.
„I never knew something like an edible pink cloud could be made.“
Baekhyun ogles the Italian as if he were a magician, prompting stifled laughter in the queue of the stall.
„I’m actually surprised,“ you pick up the wooden stick, then take your first bite. „That it’s not something you were already programmed with knowing.“
Side by side, you stroll off the stall, letting the other queuing customers step to the counter now.
„The faculty is like it’s own universe,“ Baekhyun shrugs. „The scientists don’t think about pink clouds there. I’m only a reflection of what they can imagine a prototype to be like.“
You get what he means. In such a sterile environment, you don’t think about sweets.
„Guess I’ll take you out of town more often,“ you pull apart the candy floss a little. Then, you hand Baekhyun a piece of it. You know he’s practically dying to touch it by the way his fingers twitch. Unsurprisingly, he immediately begins to poke into it.
„I like the funfair a lot,“ he nods. Meanwhile, you begin to stroll, passing other stalls every so often. „There are so many people. And this feels almost as soft as your hair.“
„Really? It surely isn’t.“
„Scientifically and physically speaking—“
„Okay, okay, I believe you.“
„I wish I could eat pink clouds myself.“
„The taste is like, well caramel, if you know what that is?“
„Caramel is a mixture of sugar, salt, cream, and butter,“ Baekhyun’s voice snaps into what you think is some kind of memory mode. „Henri Le Roux was the first chocolatier to sell it in 1980, though it is said to be an originally Arabic treat. Traditionally, it is served in small blocks that have about the same color as honey.“
„Yes exactly, and it’s really sweet.“
„What does sweet taste like?“
„Oh… I don’t even know how you could describe that. It’s kind of addictive? Very light… pleasant. Maybe, just how you believe a pink cloud tastes like.“
„If it’s pleasant, it’s a good thing,“ Baekhyun offers you the piece of floss that you gave him. „Maybe we should visit the stall again after we saw the carousel.“
„I’ll get cavities, Baek, and the portion is huge!“
„Oh— I’m sorry,“ he retreats his hand again, keeping the piece to himself. „I’ve never felt how it’s like to have a stomach.“
„You’re both lucky and not so lucky, then. You can’t eat candy but you can’t get stomach aches either.“
Baekhyun doesn’t quite look like he agrees, but keeps on gently kneading the cotton piece in his hands. Almost like a stress ball, but you can tell he gauges its characteristics.
A bot must hardly ever feel stress. Unless you do have him play tennis, or whatever else Mr. Kim would suggest Baekhyun to do for the sheer academic fun of it. But again — You remember saying that Baekhyun knows your home is cozy. Maybe he likes doing relaxed things and going out this way.
„Where humans have a stomach,“ he says, patting his belly, „I have an engine. It can be defect if I’m reckless.“
„That’s fair enough!“ you laugh, then point at the white and yellow carousel that begins to shift into sight behind the stalls. „I sure as hell won’t make you ride this one.“
„It’s so large!“
The big eyes he made at the cotton candy are nothing compared to how Baekhyun looks at the carousel.
„It always spins for ten minutes or so. You’ll see in a few seconds. I got vertigo last time I went on there with my brother. Watching is way nicer.“
„I wouldn’t recommend you get in there either, your foot isn’t fully healed yet.“
„Oh, you don’t need your feet for that.“
„Really?“
„You’re pretty much lifted in the air. Look,“ you point at the passengers finding their place. After a lanky guy has controlled all of the security belts, the seats rise, and then stars to spin around at a slow pace. Baekhyun seems like he’s just discovered the formula for beaming someone through space.
„Mr. Park told me there are things like this. And I’ve seen pictures of it. But I didn’t think it’d be like that. They’re flying!“
„M-hm.“
At this point, you are sure Baekhyun has an interest in physics. You decide to linger close to him, observing the seats fly past overhead. People cheer. Baekhyun smiles.
After a while, he turns his head to you. He sees that you’re spaced out. He turns his eyes back to the seats. It’s only after the carousel slows down that he turns to you again.
„Is there something that has preoccupied you?“
„Pardon?“
„You looked like you were wondering about something. Is it the faculty?“
You couldn’t hide the most trivial secret even if you wanted to. At least you won’t have a divorce from your robot husband at 47 because of a skeleton in the closet.
„I… was thinking about a moment before we said goodbye there,“ you say, chucking the wooden stick of the cotton candy into a nearby trash can.
„I knew you still had a question. But you didn’t want to ask in front of Mr. Kim, right?“
Any other person saying this would sound like a smug accuser, but Baekhyun speaks as if he was talking about the weather. There is no guile in him.
„Maybe. I don’t know. I was just wondering what this whole matching up thing was about.“
„Ah, that’s what it was.“
„It was confusing to me. I tried to explain it to myself somehow,“ you shrug. „Didn’t want to make it awkward.“
Looking at Baekhyun, he very well has that explanation up his sleeve. Maybe you should have asked earlier.
„AndroTech believes that robots can make up their minds to go with the client or not.“
„They do?“
„Perhaps not based on reasons that a human would think about to make a decision. But nevertheless, it’s their free will. If he says no, a new bot will be presented to the customer a week later.“
You’re genuinely surprised — and have a thousand questions already.
„I didn’t know that. I always thought that once the money is paid, it’s a set deal.“
Now you’re racking your brain why no such thing was stated on the website. You bet it’s a terms-of-service rule in font size 5.
„Mr. Kim says we should trust our judgment,“ Baekhyun continues. „It’s meant to protect us without being patronizing, I think. We can decide. At least at the beginning. I don’t know if bots like me have left their owners.“
„Maybe it’s a warning for clients who think they can do anything just because they paid.“
„I think so,“ Baekhyun says. „It’s also expensive for the faculty if something with the insurance happens. Or complicated repairs, that kind of thing.“
You’re cocking up a brow.
„That doesn’t have a lot to do with your free will, though.“
„It has to be mutually beneficial. Bots get to choose, Mr. Kim’s projects increase in security by doing that. Companies work by deals. Maybe it’s not a bad thing. I’m thankful I could decide. And I’m thankful they made me.“
Baekhyun’s statement couldn’t sound any more genuine to you, and you believe that he really is.
„You get to see pink clouds,“ you point back to the direction of the Italian stall.
„That, and— I get to see you.“
Baekhyun looks you straight in the eye now. It’s like in the lab room all over again.
You can’t get out anything other than an awkward stuttering noise.
„I, yes.“
„You have to know. I’m only built to learn about things like pink clouds because it pleases you.“
„Are you sure?“ you tilt your head, regaining your full voice tone again. „You wanted to taste the candy, too.“
Baekhyun takes a bit longer to answer now. He seems to ponder.
„That’s true,“ he eventually concludes. „Maybe I’m more selfish than I thought.“
Baekhyun’s head sinks. The eye contact breaks.
You haven’t seen him look sad before, or at least don’t remember it. Even if the funfair is in bright daylight, his eyes look as if they dim down.
„Hey. It’s not wrong wanting a taste,“ you reach forward to cup his chin. „You’re a leisure bot. You have to analyze these things, don’t you? Or, if you could, just enjoy them for yourself, you know.“
„I never thought of it this way.“
„That Mr. Kim gave you the opportunity to decide,“ you linger in your touch, „means that you’re not just here for me. You can experience things from your perspective.“
„I was doubtful it could be true.“
„But it is, Baekhyun.“
„I still can’t try pink clouds…“
„You still can. Just your way, you see. Skin memory.“
You take a moment to muster all your guts and lean in close, then kiss Baekhyun on the lips. They are subtly warm and pliable. Small, but plush. They gently pucker, as if they returned the kiss.
You never thought it could feel so authentic. Even what feels like accelerated breath ghosts over your skin. Baekhyun seems to notice your astonishment, opening his lips just a little. Maybe just to snap you out of paralysis and prove that what you feel is nowhere near the full extent of how he can move.
Or maybe— it is an invitation.
Eventually, you convince your mind that this is not just an illusion. The feeling on your lips is very real.
Unlike moments ago, you don’t hesitate. You let your tongue dip forward just enough to separate his lips by millimeters. They promptly ease around you. Baekhyun’s teeth are considerably small, and it figures, it all fits the petite frame. However, they don’t scratch your tongue one bit, you glide right across them instead. His bottom lip feels plump and works so easily as a cushion.
He’s already relaxed his jaw. You don’t even notice that he hardly tastes like anything. All you are concerned with is lapping the taste of cotton candy into him, and going by how his lips tighten, Baekhyun has understood how to take it in.
A sudden heat permeates you. Along with it comes a lewd idea, flickering before your inner eye. The imagination of Baekhyun sucking on your clit like that makes your tongue pull back to its original position. As if you had to breathe in. He notices. He’ll do something about it. It’s not just the low pressure in his mouth now that you retreated. Baekhyun wants more cotton candy. His dark eyes are begging.
What slips out to briefly nip at your top lip… his tongue. The back of your head surprisingly registers a steady touch by now — it is Baekhyun’s right hand gently cupping the surface your hair. His touch is so nuanced, you don’t feel his fingers, only how your own hair cushions back against your head. By the time his tongue retreats, your lips tingle with warmth.
Now you want more.
All he dared was a little nip, but you are curious of feeling his tongue to explore more. Baekhyun hardly has to riddle what it means that your hand sneaks up to his jaw from underneath and guides his chin toward you.
His lashes shake and eventually cast down when he releases himself into you. Baekhyun’s tongue surrenders quickly between your lips and accepts your tongue, swirling slow and deliberate as if you would coat him with liquid sugar.
Your hand doesn’t feel like leaving its position. Baekhyun’s jaw is narrow and not at all difficult to hold between your fingertips. You let him pulse and lick into you softly. Taste all the sweetness. His bottom lip is all wet and soft against yours. Slow and moaning. You sure do hear him gasp and whine at the back of his throat.
That it’s all just your saliva and his voice is all but a speaker feels so surreal. With Baekhyun’s tongue in your mouth, very aptly moving, it’s all nothing but a kiss with a robot. It feels so hard to part and stop, to catch a breath.
What must have been twenty seconds looking like a semi-chaste, bordering provocative kiss from a certain distance really got your blood circulating. Baekhyun’s eyes have become yearning.
„If that’s what it tastes like…“
„We have a lot to do when we get home.“
Chapter 5: Are You The Machine?
Being times more the social butterfly, Hwasa told you to buy a convertible sofa when you moved in — very much unknowing of Baekhyun joining your household three years later.
The number of birthday parties and overnight guests you actually found the couch useful for you can count on two hands. Six days ago, you were already pondering to give it away. Who knew you would’ve regretted that big time. You promise to write Hwasa a thank you text for being sensible later.
Despite looking small in its usual state, the couch always proves to be much larger than your actual bed in its extended form, and is much firmer to rest on. A little dull with its mint color, but that you can squarely ignore. It doesn’t creak, smells pretty neutral, and is situated in the precise middle of the living room where soft lighting emanates from three corners of the area at once without it being too obnoxious to the eye.
For a guest, sleeping on it would mean a tough night and tense back. But for Baekhyun, it’s a perfectly steady surface to recline on. He’s been stripping off his top true to his promise from last night, neatly folding it afterwards. He lays it aside just as gently as he leans back, being the first one on the sofa.
„Okay, are you ready?“
His tone is relaxing.
„Yes.“
But you don’t let that fool you, climbing on the sofa yourself now. Baekhyun’s eyes rest on you more observant than ever. Calmly, not remotely rude, but still taking in every clue. You realize that it’s what he’s been made for. It’s his hour. So he’s not going to ignore one little detail true to his nature.
You feel naked even if you’re still clothed even if it’s not Baekhyun’s intent. The way you had no chance in hiding your foot injury, you are now all too aware that he sees your nervous breath going deep.
Whenever you’re vulnerable, you opt for the fast lane. Today is no different. Knowing your favorite safe spot, you head for his chest. Baekhyun’s arms accept you knowingly. You’re snug against him in seconds. And kiss his neck, again and again, until you look up to catch another breath.
„Is, is that good?“
You hate saying that but you still did. Making big eyes at him as if it was the first thing you’ve ever done with a man.
Baekhyun visibly notes your haste and struggle for words just so that something is said. He’s deliberate in taking a moment before his answers.
„Can I ask you something?“ he eventually says, with a silvery overlay in his voice swinging along his words.  
„No problem?“ you cock your head. The request is coming soon. You wonder what’s been on his mind. Maybe he doesn’t like neck kisses. You find yourself holding your breath both out of suspense and not to sound like you’re running out of it. It’s like the faculty all over again. Baekhyun smoothes his right palm into the nape of your neck.
„If I could do all the work…“
„Oh—“
„I think we’d be in the spots we’re comfortable in. Please don’t misunderstand.“
„No no, I get it.“
„You don’t have to overextend yourself for me,“ he continues, in a low tone.
„Sorry, Baekhyun,“ you cast down your eyes. „I’m acting all stupid again.“
„I’m not saying that. What I mean is— I can show you how my body works the best when we try it this way. I want to find out every way to make you satisfied. I’m afraid I’m not suitable the other way around no matter how I twist it. Please don’t be sad because of this. Just tell me what to do. Anything. The best way to please me is still to please yourself. You don’t have to worry about me not getting an experience out of it. It’s just happening in my way that might not be visible to you.“
Baekhyun ends with a serious look.
You remember the phrase of Mr. Kim.
The, well, the only thing Baekhyun needs from you is regular interaction. As I said: Learning is vital to him. Absolutely vital.
Once more, you have to remind yourself. What keeps Baekhyun running is nowhere near the same thing as what makes you do what you do.
You turn a bit red realizing it’s not 50 rapid-fire kisses that he needs. Except to know that you like doing that maybe. But other than that, what Mr. Kim said between the lines is that Baekhyun will stagnate or even degenerate if you don’t talk to him the right way. Not about him, but about yourself.
„You… want the essentials to learn. You prefer when I speak and command.“
He gives a clean nod. You got the point.
„I will do everything else. When I say I want to act— This is not me trying to control you or something like that. I just think it’s good to start out this way. I want the weight off those two,“ he points at your shoulders. „You feel a lot of pressure that you have to do something. Me allowing you draining your energy feels counterproductive to me. I’m not saying you’d be bad at pleasing. I merely can’t help it. Fulfilling your wishes, if you will.“
„I’ve never done this before. I try to instruct you as good as I can. Sometimes I forget what you were made for.“
Maybe that learning process involves not just him figuring you out. It dawns on you that your responsibility for Baekhyun is nothing you can underestimate.
„You think of me as a person you can please. I appreciate this. But I want you refreshed and not exhausted like that. And I apologize if I’m very insisting or stopping you. Or if you feel very watched or transparent because I try to understand you. I just have to say this so we work out well from the start.“
Baekhyun’s eyes drop to your chest quite unequivocally. Of course, he’s seen you getting all worked up.
„I, I get that. I get what you mean. I think I’ve tried to bite off more than I can chew,“ you clamp up your hands. „That was too fast. I’m still running on my old bad habits.“
It strikes you in your gut that you’re the one acting like you’re automatic.
Dull, unreflected. Merely reactive if anything.  Do you realize,  you think,  how fucked up that is. Baekhyun has been behaving more human that you do. Are you the machine?
„I’m not… used to someone watching out for me this way. If I’m not saying what I want… all you can do is take every clue you get.“
Admitting that might make you feel tighter in the lungs, but at least it was honest. Maybe that’s part of responsibility, too. You’re starting to get why interrupted you. There’s a roadblock that needs to get taken down. And that block is inside of you.
Baekhyun very well knows you’re not ready nor really craving to bounce up and down on him for half an hour without getting a cramp or looking mighty weird. Not with that foot injury in the first place.
„I won’t need a clue if I already know I can do something for you. That brings me fun. You can be selfish. Be as selfish as you want to until it’s second nature. I know you have good intent. I can help you learn this. But I take the bulk of things. You don’t have to be ambitious with me.“
Baekhyun’s voice really does make you feel like you don’t have to worry about it. Until it’s second nature, then. Being so new to this really makes you scattered in your thoughts.
„I’ll remember this. I, I think I have something that I want you to try with me.“
Your hands unclamp. At least a little.
„All ears,“ he smiles. You push a strand of hair behind your ear. And another one.
„Is it weird if we try something experimental first?“
Starting out slow and uneventful or taking a dare. You went through either scenario in your head already. Either case, you’d overwhelm yourself or make the first time awkward. At least you hope this one works out.
„You gave me over 280 customizations. We can do something different for almost every day of the year. I think anyone would be curious.“
Talk about being too ambitious. You already saw what kind of stir that caused in the faculty.
„Mr. Kim must have thought I’m crazy.“
„He overworked himself. But he said it was entertaining to construct. Almost everything you came up with is now inside here,“ Baekhyun points at himself.
„Still can’t believe it.“
„And I won’t complain about having more options either. It helps me to cater to you much better. Just ask away.“
Very well. You gather yourself already.
It’s not like you’ve been thinking about a certain thing all the way home from the funfair. You try to make it come out cohesive and confident, but all you can do is mumble. Baekhyun’s face so up close makes your words unstable.
„So, uh. It said on the website you have this special mechanism and… you know what I wrote below that in the questionnaire. I was, I was just giving it a try and, you don’t have to do this if that doesn’t work out or something. It was just an idea. I don’t know.“
Somewhere beyond that word spill, you can still see how Baekhyun already looks like he knows exactly what you mean.
„The  Special Request .“
You swallow hard. That sounds like a brow-raising term that probably the entire faculty departments passed around back and forth in their memos and emails. You feel like hiding for 50 years. Maybe you should resort to digging a hole in your garden and disappear from civilization in an underground cave system. Planting beetroots and carrots shouldn’t be too difficult down there, even in this day and age.  
„The… special request. I mean, this is something that I don’t have to do anything for, technically? Not with my foot, right? But I hope this is not too special or something like that.“
Unlike yours, Baekhyun’s face is completely relaxed.
„I’d be glad to test this out with you,“ he says. „And I have to be frank. Mr. Kim said this might have been the best idea you could have given a robot scientist to work on, you know.“
Now that comes as a surprise that makes you exhale pretty sharply. He can’t lie about this, can he?
Again, you feel the blood shoot up to your face. You couldn’t be any more flustered. Maybe this actually wasn’t a too bad idea.
But still. Out of all things, you really asked him to do  this .
Just about the most perverted thing you could think of at the moment.
Special Request. What a mad thing to do. And now you’re here and he said yes. It’s bizarre. You feel the urge to jolt.
„…I’ll be getting a towel.“
But there’s a loving hand rested on your shoulder as you do.
„Y/N. There might be someone else who’s supposed to do that,“ Baekhyun holds you back from jumping up and rolling off the bed entirely. „Your politeness is quite incredible to me, I must say.“
And you did the same mistake again.
You grit your teeth, snap back into Mr. Kim’s advice. Instruct, instruct, instruct. It feels like you have to rewire your brain from scratch.
„Please— bring me a towel, Baekhyun,“ you rephrase, pause in your movement, and take a deep breath. Giving commands like that wasn’t anything like you’ve done with your previous boyfriend. You never dared. You thought it would bother him.
But Baekhyun is headed down the hallway in almost a split second. He returns with not one, but two towels. And— A hair tie.
He hands it to you with a little smile. Baekhyun didn’t miss you swipe your hair out of your face multiple times.
Concentrated in his work, he gets busy stacking one towel at the end of the bed and splaying out the other across the sheets. Waiting, you sit at the edge and watch. His movements are economical and fast. Once the bigger towel of the two is neatly lined up as a square, he stops to look at you.
Okay , you think to yourself.  Next thing you want, next thing… He’s not here to chit chat nor are you. Don’t be silly and ask why he’s looking at you like that. You can’t just ask for towels and it’s done with the whole instruction thing. He doesn’t mind if you say this with more directness. Bots can’t read minds. It’s not like he’s working on autopilot like some other pleasure models do. It won’t sound weird, it’s what he needs. Say something, say something. Keep it crisp now.
„Come pick me up. Settle me on this.“
That’s more like it.
„All as you wish.“
Baekhyun scoops you up from the edge of the bed without any seeming effort. When you first arrived at your house, you already felt just how easily his arms were carrying you. Who’s to blame? In the online questionnaire, you requested nothing less than that.
Given what he’s made of and how he’s powered, his muscle capacity can’t fade. It’s crafted for endurance. You find yourself transfixed on his biceps gulping. That he’s topless and you can feel his heartbeat doesn’t help.
„Is there something wrong with my arms?“ he stops on the spot.
Baekhyun took only the blink of an eye to notice. You might as well blurt out your entire uncensored thoughts whenever they come up. Maybe you’re wrong about the mind-reading thing. Again.
„I was just wondering… You can’t really tire, right.“
He seems to have anticipated the question. Meanwhile, the shakiness in your voice is hard to conceal.
„Every model,“ he retorts, „is instructed to take that into consideration. We’re not getting together with a fellow bot who works the way we do. Mr. Kim told us many times that we have to mind the difference.“
„So this is part of the testing?“
„Yes. Underestimating it is a bad idea. Not because we want to insult a human or anything. It’s just a mechanical thing to mind. We’re just built this way. By virtue of the material if you will.“
„Yeah. You’re really strong…“
As of yet, Baekhyun’s posture holding you is still the very same. He grips you from underneath your upper back and knees without crouching or wavering. His body’s balance is absolute nuts. Every other guy would’ve shifted your weight or his feet somehow. And Baekhyun isn’t even reaching 5’10 or looks particularly buff from a distance. At the carousel, he even looked as if he was a kid.
„There’s no reason to worry,“ he immediately shakes his head. „I’ll be very careful. I know that I have to harness my strength. I’m not going to do things roughly unless you really want it.“
Now that you think about it. He could probably pulverize you with one thrust. Rest in peace, uterus.
„So, you can adapt to me, right?“
On the inside, you already beat yourself up for questioning Baekhyun like that. He’s your creation. Mr. Kim perfected him. He doesn’t have flawed human intentions or ulterior motives. Comparing him to guys who didn’t have your best interest in mind is an unfair thing. All of his body is regulated and under meticulous control. The way he kissed you at the funfair was done with impeccable measure. Everything down to the millimeter. There is no reason to mistrust him.
„If there’s anything I’m programmed to do, it’s that,“ he says through a smile, causing his cheeks to become adorably full. Up close like that, again you notice how small his face is.
„That’s, that’s true,“ you soothe yourself, and make effort to hold onto him. Although you probably wouldn’t fall off by accident even if you randomly flailed around.
„You don’t have to be afraid. I couldn’t hurt you even if I get a bug.“
„Heard about it,“ you say, recalling one of the first videos you watched about pleasure models online.
„I would shut down and Androtech gets an emergency video call that goes straight to your phone.“
Nothing less than that has also been the first bullet point in the online document you received after sending Mr. Kim your questionnaire. You signed the paper only a week ago.
„Okay. Yeah, there are many precautions. Even if your system runs on an error, nothing’s gonna happen.“
„You got it. I’ll do everything slowly, okay.“
Slowly bending forward, he plants you in the center of the sofa with the spread towel well distributed all underneath. You could roll to the side, it’d still cover the area well enough. With you on your back and feet propped up, Baekhyun joins you kneeling on his heels at a certain distance. Seeing him this way makes him look cute. It’s hard to believe that someone sitting so chastely on your sheets could probably elbow any bypassing truck into a street ditch.
You have to gather yourself again. Deep breaths from the belly. The nervousness is back stronger than ever.
Hey. This is what you got him for,  you say to yourself.
Why’d you be a chicken? Baekhyun is just as sweet as you wanted him to be. Strip and get your orgasms. That’s what he’s here for. Not hurling you to outer space or whatever. It’s rude if you pretend anything else and have him wait. You spent too much time customizing the living hell out of the website and Mr. Kim’s team worked too hard on this for you to ruin it like a scaredy-cat. This is what you wanted. Literally, exactly what you were imagining. Now do him the favor to fulfill that, and do yourself the favor. You’re more of a prick if you deprive him of things he can do for you than if you are selfish for once. This is taking way too long. It’s ridiculous. You can make this so simple.
You have to admit that the sudden inner voice came up at the right time for a pep talk. You make sure to put the right weight into your voice.
„Please take off my clothes.“
Chapter 6: Candy Apples
You exhale, mentally flip through the safeword instructions that the faculty website provided at the top of the questionnaire. Stop for stop, pausefor pause, more for more. Straightforward business. They know they’re dealing with nervous clients.
Once Baekhyun is done peeling your jeans off, he nonchalantly tosses them off the sofa knowing very well you made a strange face at him for folding his own clothes. You have to laugh and almost forget that you’re almost entirely naked in front of him for a moment.
Your voice would probably come out too squeaky and trembling at this point. So you take the liberty of reaching for Baekhyun’s wrist. It’s surprisingly small with your fingers loosely wrapped around it. His pretty fingers couldn’t be any more enticing. You questioningly shoot a glance up at him.
„Yes. Guide me,“ he whispers, and it sounds as intimate as it did last night under the fairy lights. „That’s perfect.“
As good as you can, you at least try to get more comfortable on your back. You don’t dare to laxly spread your legs yet, but manage to bring his hand close enough between them. Your voice comes out in staccato, but it’s still more stable than you thought.
„Your thumb… And your index… Please rub me.“
Baekhyun lowers his hand on your core in a soft pace.
„Okay. Very slowly,“ he says. „I’m starting now. And always say stop if you want me to. You know the safeword system, right?“
You nod.
„It said you’ll also give me clues for tapping.“
At least when the situation requires it.
„I’ll be sending Mr. Kim a message that I’m in good hands just like he thought,“ a very content Baekhyun smiles gently at you.
His touch is quite feathery at first, not lingering for too long as to see how you react. Baekhyun’s hands are sweet and slender on you, nor are his palms very wide. They both alternate on and fit well with the very spot they caress in tender intervals. You can be lucky your underwear is still on. His touch would probably shock you if it was skin-to-skin right away.
How long his fingers really are you start to feel when he drags his index finger down from your pubes, across your clit, between your labia, dusting just briefly over your clothed entrance. Your jaw feels like it’s sewn shut. The noises you want to make are too overwhelming. Baekhyun keeps on repeating his strokes until he changes to using both hands at once. Again, being very dainty how they trace the area, but not missing a single inch.
„Shit… You can use more pressure. But don’t do it for too long, Baek.“
Baekhyun doesn’t waste much time. The rubs of his thumb push down on your clit quite a little more. With the fabric of your panties between his finger and you, the friction turns into a languid heat and a slowly oozing wetness getting trapped in the spot. Only his other hand is necessary to feel yourself beginning to soak.
„That’s beautiful,“ is the only comment from him that you can hear through your upcoming moans, now finally let out.
How damp you are is accompanied by Baekhyun’s either thumb dipping into the little hill your clit makes through the white cotton, probably becoming semi-transparent with every new caress. You could go crazy.
„Do what, whatever. Use your entire hand. I mean hands. Use both. Use all your fingers.“
Your moans are thrilled. And as desperate as you’ve been trying to hide. But he only seems spurred by it. That relief helps you loosen up at least a little more.
„I’ll try something, okay. Say how you like it.“
As if the tension on your clit is not enough, Baekhyun has the compelling idea to switch from his thumbs to using both index and middle finger to prod between your labia as if they were headed to penetrate you.
They push against your entrance carefully enough not to tear the cotton, but as proper as having the juicy, wet bit of skin around the opening feel his two fingertips going for their aim with a steadfast precision. They come in just below your urethra, almost sliding past underneath it, all over the fabric, right onto your hole. He knows exactly where to position them, and keeps his fingers locked and circling in the spot.
„Fuck. You’re too good at this. Push it.“
„Once or more?“
„Do it more. Do it as if you were fucking me.“
The hem of your panties gets pulled down briefly with every tug that results from Baekhyun dipping his two fingers forward. By not even half an inch, but you can feel it. The fabric dents inward where he stiffens his fingers and lets them sink into your pussy shallow, as much as the cotton allows.
In the meantime, the upper part of his left hand is preoccupied flat against your clit, making it swell up by giving a rhythmic pulse with a surprising consistency. You grit your teeth. His expression is as concentrated and adoring as always.
You realize that obviously — Baekhyun doesn’t have a dominant hand. Why would he. Left, right, they’re both able to do the exact same thing with the exact same agility and intensity. Or completely different things without influencing each other.
With the many possible scenarios popping up in your mind by knowing that, your legs open by themselves. Baekhyun keeps on patting your clit, but going much slower to drag out the arousal. He’s taking off some pressure, but softly continues.
Meanwhile, his right hand, still pointed right at your core, pokes through your panties swift enough to deepen their reach. Your pussy is all sticky against the cotton, with the blotch of the fabric getting large enough to seep down toward your ass. Before, the wetness had been thin and trickling, but now grows much more viscous and lubricating.
The resulting slick noises are making you feel more turned on than embarrassed. Baekhyun has somehow managed to make it sound more sexy than you thought it could be.
His eager, lowered brows moving along in the smallest arches with every dip only contribute to your legs drifting further apart. Although he is still kneeling as before, he’s hunching forward now. His eyes are stuck on you like magnets. Baekhyun is mesmerized. Either of your inner thighs can feel his breath. Your left thigh even gets a little tickle by his hair strands, right where you are sensitive.
„Baekhyun, ah shit—!”
It’s so hard to hold it together. With an erratic buck out of nowhere, your hips skew Baekhyun’s aim to the upward right. His fingers end up pressing right into your outer labia with the same momentum he just used on your entrance.
You gasp out. Before he can even apologize, you secure his hand right in the spot with your own.
How fast your reflex was rips Baekhyun’s eyes from your pussy and gives you a spike in adrenaline. His surprised face makes you strangely horny.
„No no, go on,“ you bring his fingers right into place. „Squeeze my lips. Please make them really swollen. I want them as red as the candy apples you saw at the fair. Make them so you’ll want to have a big juicy bite.“
„Oh, you can bet.“
The usually so light and sweet smile that Baekhyun carries so often becomes a lot darker, sexier now. His eyes are like two pieces of coal from underneath his bangs. There’s no doubt in his tone. He will execute everything you say to the last drop.
You can already tell what you got yourself into. Ambition is something that you can leave to him. You gave him enough food to chew and devour. Suddenly, Baekhyun’s pussy crazy face is something you want to provoke even more.
„Show me how much you love them. Don’t hold back.“
„I won’t.“
„Make it really filthy for me. Do it like worship.“
„Time for some lip service.“
Baekhyun’s left hand wanders down from your clit. Together with his right hand, it digs into the fabric of your panties to get hold of your labia. One between his thumb and index each, he gives a juicy squeeze to test them, gathering them up in their full fleshiness.
They’re too wet for Baekhyun to have enough grip on them if he just pinches them from either side. He has to use three fingers at once and even succeeds in pulling them forward just enough to have your clit enclosed behind them.
The crotch area of your panties is not wide enough to cover your lips like that. With Baekhyun massaging their inner edge with both of his thumbs, you soon have to deal with the soaked fabric no longer veiling the entire area. The craving in your voice almost takes you aback.
„Shove it to the middle, now. Let me feel your hands. Skin to skin. Do it.“
Baekhyun instantly complies. He centers and lines your panties across your clit that gets a bulky, rubbing coverage that way, all while exposing your bare lips on either side. The fabric stretches across your pussy almost like a thong. The unspoken wow on Baekhyun’s lips does not escape your attention. Nor does the way his tongue darts out. The way he brings his hands on your labia makes your body jerk and wind, twisting the towel underneath your back. His face is so much closer, both the warmth of his breath and the heat of the friction of his fingers makes your arousal pool into even more wetness.
„We’ll change this up,“ you say, catching Baekhyun fully alert.
„Tell me.“
You’re sweating. The idea that comes up in your mind is so many times dirtier than what you first thought while he was kissing you at the carousel — that you have to gather your breath several times.
„Tug here,“ you bring Baekhyun’s left hand to the front part of your underwear. „Pull it upwards. And press my lips together with one hand.“
Bringing up your panties this way leaves the middle line of fabric thinner, as well as tight and squeezing around your clit and labia minora. It slides between your ass cheeks and pulls against both of your holes at the same time.
That way, Baekhyun has an easier time squeezing the outer lips together quite firmly. They’ve become pink and red like ripe strawberries. Your pulse is racing like crazy.
How Baekhyun presses them with his fingers curling forward, your clit becomes even more closed in. Both the tightened up fabric digging into its sides as well as from the front, and the grip of Baekhyun’s right hand on your entire pussy leaves it attacked from all angles. The squeeze is strong and far too delicious.
„Fuck, so lewd, fuck!“
The arousal is like a luscious burn spreading. But it doesn’t sting or rub your clit enough to give it relief. You’re left in limbo, with your pussy lips growing plumper in Baekhyun’s never-tired, busy fingers. You want him to eat and slurp you up whole and stuff his mouth full, and have him trail his cotton candy tongue all over your big clit, but know very well that you’d come in seconds and probably pass out. Your legs twitch far too much already.
„Pause. I’m, I’m not gonna let you eat it for now. For now, Baekhyun. But you know how it would be like.“
Baekhyun stops. He very well knows.
„Your lips, they—“
You wish you had his cock between them and you know he knows, too.
„Need a good filling,“ you whisper to him. „A big one. Big and glazing and oozing.“
Pouring out as much as possible. You can picture it so well. Baekhyun hums right along.
„Yes, Y/N.“
„I can’t wait for much longer. You have something for me?“
„I have.“
Baekhyun’s fingers loosen carefully now. Slow, as not to give you the accidental push over the edge now that the pressure on your clit subsides and it becomes sensitive, easy to set off. Eventually, he is able to let go completely without triggering your orgasm. It leaves you throbbing and even hornier than before.
„Do you want to, or should I?“ he points toward the hem of his pants. You both end up smirking a little to yourselves. You know it’s your favorite part.
„Won’t be taking chances with this one,“ you breathe out, then scoot forward from your recline to hook your fingers at his abdomen. Time to inspect. It’s a welcome break to let your clit off the hook a bit. He’s even warmer than his wrists there.
You only realize that there’s no reason for him to wear boxers underneath when you’re already halfway nearing the spot that seems too bulged out for your own good. Way too bulged out. Shoving Baekhyun’s pants down to his knees entirely, you get to see that Mr. Kim’s engineers really did overwork themselves.
Just as you requested, this part of him has been left deliberately hybrid — the skin showing an actual silver-blue sheen from underneath. Inside, you see copper and titanium-plated ligaments and movable layers that intertwine like fish scales. Outside, a highly elastic blend of silicone and texture-giving material. It’s matte and a bit opaque, but still akin to actual veins being visible in how it’s sculpted.
Baekhyun’s subtle curve looks remarkably elegant. Almost mathematical. You could put his dick next to the Fibonacci Spiral and it would be uncanny.
Now with his trousers removed, you see how easily everything rises and expands even more. The layers inside his cock glide alongside each other seamlessly without the startling noise you expected them to make. Their sound is absolutely minimal.
„That’s the dick I wanted.“
„All for you, Miss. Try it out.“
Chapter 7: Custom Shapes
You can’t resist the urge to touch him, trace a finger across the right side. How easy to the eye the material appears is evenly matched by how soft and smooth his entire length is, peaking in a subtly formed tip with cascading angles. Neither too broad nor bulbous, nor with a protruding edge, promising an easy insertion and smooth thrusts. There’s a deliberate bit of foreskin adhering to it, closing the transition between tip and shaft in a harmonious way. You love his cock. But one thing you want to kick yourself for.
You’ve entirely overestimated yourself in terms of how many inches you want him to get like an idiot. Not to mention the girth.
It’s almost as big as your whole fist. He’s going to absolutely destroy you. You feel your hands starting to shake. The adrenaline drops into a panic.
„It’s too big, Baekhyun. I’m scared.“
„Y/N…“
„I’m really not used to this. It’s going to hurt me.“
Even before you finish speaking, he immediately shakes his head.
„No, no, I’m sorry if it comes across as that. I can make it squeeze more easily if you want. I can do that.“
„Can you?“
„That’s what the plates inside are for. You can try it out. Press it if you want.“
Calming yourself feels hard to do right now. But you follow his suggestion, giving the middle part a proper squeeze. First hesitant, but then, more firmly.
Kinetic memory, you remind yourself.
And he didn’t lie. Everything becomes a lot more malleable than you thought.
The little scale parts visibly rearrange. Where you apply pressure, and it’s still not much at this point, the girth recedes, and slowly bulges back out after you retreat your fingers again.
„So… okay. Okay. It does feel different. That’s working. But it’s still really huge…“
Baekhyun comes to assuage you with his voice now.
„I’m not going to rip you apart, okay. It also doesn’t expand back once I’m inside you.
„It doesn’t?“
„I can make it adapt to how you want it to be.“
The plating does look like it allows for a lot of flexibility. And decent elasticity for that matter. You soothe yourself by squeezing him again, watching the diameter contract inside your palm.
„That’s, that’s good news. And I thought I’d get impaled.“
„It has a metal core but it doesn’t necessarily stay the same,“ Baekhyun continues. „If you want to take it into your mouth, I can do that as well and make it smaller.“
„It’s what I’ve been thinking. I’d get lockjaw otherwise. You have one fat monster.“
Whatever you were thinking when you gave him almost an underarm worth of length on the website, something got the best of you — despite things being so predictable and his customization being entirely up to you.
„I hope I didn’t scare you too much.“
Baekhyun himself reaches down now to squeeze his cock next to your own hand until the copper layers contract. The firmer he does it, the more it adapts. It’s like he said. Maybe you can actually fit this. A big lump that’s been coiling up in your stomach slowly dissolves with that thought.
You also notice that Baekhyun is completely still even if you’re practically in a death grasp around his dick. Anybody else would be squealing and writhing. You again realize. He feels absolutely nothing.
It is all meant just for you.
You have to get that fact into your head. It’s all crafted for your enjoyment. Of course it’s not going to be some immovable way-too-large-dildo attached him. For the amount of money you paid, anyways. You could swear a third of your budget was used to give Baekhyun a high tech wonder wand.
„The good thing,“ he says, „about being made instead of born is that it can be three in one. I know why men easily envy pleasure models who are built in such a way.“
Wait a second. You perk up. What does that mean.
„Three in one… sizes?“
„Exactly,“ Baekhyun begins to recount. „Mister Park phrased it like this. A big girth to look at, medium size for penetration, and a shorter version for oral. Especially if you are concerned. You have a strong gag reflex.“
It’s hard to believe your ears right now.
„How—How did you—“
„While I was making breakfast. I looked into the freezer to see if we have pizza for lunch. And I saw your box with mixed brands of popsicles.“
„Oh…“
That box.
„The smaller ones are almost all gone.“
He must’ve looked at the back of the box where the types of ice cream are all listed.
„Yeah. The mini cones and such.“
And the sandwiches with three types of ice cream inside. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry. Your favorites. But why would that even matter? You look at Baekhyun completely incredulous. What on earth was he getting at?
„But the elongated ones,“ he draws an approximate image into the air with his index, „that you have to squeeze out of a tube are untouched. It’s the type of ice cream that you have to wait to melt to rise up from the paper wrap. And when they do and you squeeze, it can shoot up suddenly. That can be uncomfortable to eat for some people. If you have a sensitive throat, you’ll avoid it.“
You feel caught for something you didn’t even commit. How could he make such an accurate conclusion based on what you didn’t eat? You already saw at the funfair how easily he could look up information about food on the spot. Maybe that’s exactly what he did. But still, he connected two seemingly unrelated things without breaking a sweat. He’s really learning fast.
„I’m dating Sherlock Holmes.“
The colorful breakfast fruit plate Baekhyun served up was too delicious to notice that he’d already inspected and organized every inch of your kitchen. Not to mention he was wearing one of your cute aprons with little dancing piglets and sheep on them which distracted you until the toast got cold.
„I’m not going to ignore the hints if they’re right in front of my eyes. Avoiding your discomfort is my first priority.“
You go figure.
„So… you can make it even more perky, then?“
„Not to an extreme degree. But molded to the width of your jaw and teeth,“ Baekhyun points at your chin. „So it will slide in and out very easily.“
„Oh, alright?“
You raise your brows. So it can actually change its shape even more than how he just showed you. You’re starting to like this.
„It’s not going to be painful or make you choke unless you push for it. But when I decrease the length, that shouldn’t happen anyway.“
It really does seem practical. Three in one. The perky version for oral. Why not, the best of all worlds. It’s an advantage of technology, as weird as it sounds.
You mentally send blessings to whoever in the testing department had the guts to brief the colleagues that the big girth version is more eye candy rather than recommended for use. You’d probably clamp up or scream the roof down if he fucked you like that. Let alone do deepthroat.
„Does this mean… you can make it an imprint that fits my mouth? Can I see it?“
He’s really making you curious. You’ve indicated a vague idea of something like that in the questionnaire, but never assumed that the engineers would bother making it into something complex. Up until now, you have to urge yourself to not underestimate how easily inspired they must have been. Somebody really went off.
„I can give you a short demonstration if you help me a little,“ Baekhyun reaches for the towel at the end of the bed, drying off his hands with gentle rubbing motions.
„Okay, just tell me.“
„All you have to do is take it in very slowly. And consistently. It will shape itself that way. I’ll have to give you a few pointers. Can I do that, you want to try this?“
„Sounds good.“
„You can always pinch here if you don’t want to anymore,“ Baekhyun indicates a spot at his right thigh that is just within reach.
„I got it. Just pinch,“ you repeat for yourself, and settle to get comfortable, push your hair out of your face.
At first, positioning yourself is a little difficult because you have to bend forward from your own seated position to reach his crotch, but you end up figuring it out without having to put strain on your foot.
Little by little, you guide in Baekhyun’s tip.
It immediately begins to waver and bend inside your mouth. Meanwhile, judging by the little nestling and a soft tug at the back of your head, Baekhyun has used the hair tie to pull your hair into a ponytail.
While you had immediately laid the tie aside after he returned from the bathroom and forgot about what it was supposed to do out of nervousness, he kept an eye on it.
Baekhyun is that motherfucker, you say to yourself. Let’s do this.
Given that the keyword seemed to be consistency, you remind yourself to keep going stably, keeping your lips loose around him. As if you were eating an ice cube, you avoid using your teeth like hell. You must look ridiculous opening up this wide.
„Don’t worry about scraping me once or twice, the silicone is sturdy,“ Baekhyun says, letting his right hand glide under your jaw. „Prop your chin on my palm. I show you how wide you have to open to make it comfortable.“
Whatever sturdiness there is supposed to be, all you feel is the slightly velvety surface of his cock’s underside lathering against your tongue. You would have thought it takes some lube to make it glide, but it’s not as painfully dry as you thought. Neutral it does taste, but it’s not a desert dry material.
With Baekhyun’s hand under your jaw, you get a better sense of opening up soon. He’s really touching you very gently.
„You feel how it re-forms itself, right. Is it okay like this?
„N—hm.“
„Keep sliding it in for just a little more. You’re doing great.“
Doing so is really surprisingly easy. Where you thought his dick would bump against, there’s basically nothing happening at all.
„Excuse me when I say that. You have a perfectly shaped mouth cave,“ Baekhyun smiles. „But I already know from kissing you.“
What must have sounded like the creepiest compliment in any other situation actually makes you hum and smile a little. You begin to understand just how seriously he seeks to map out your body. Nobody has ever truly bothered to do that.
In the meantime, you notice your nose approaching a dead stop at his loins and your lower lip pressing against what must be the most supple balls of all time. You’re sure that he didn’t make those shrink.
„They’re as big as they were before,“ Baekhyun confirms, vigilant eye he is. „The rest is already close to fully imprinted by now. I just need you to move your head back and forth a little. That helps me gauge how you angle it and what your lips tend to do. Add a bit of variation if you want.“
Doing just that proves to be more fun than you thought. You bop your head a little slower, a little faster. Shallow, then all the way to have your forehead meet his abdomen. It really is… easy?
His size has decreased significantly. You didn’t gag at all so far. Baekhyun doesn’t feel as if he’s just stuck there and ramming in. That you’ve already taken his entire length in so early makes you feel really accomplished, too.
While you move your head, you can feel his dick change a little on your tongue. You even let it slide in sidewards to poke into your cheek, then pull out to kiss the tip of his dick, making Baekhyun smile even more brightly.
„I see you’re good at this. And I really love your lips. They’re pretty.“
You inspect the very slicked up shaft before you with great interest. Without really going at it fully, you already really salivated a lot on it. But even more notable is the unusual shape it’s changed into. It’s assumed a downward curve and has dents where your tongue and teeth were located a second ago. The tip is also much more streamlined. It could probably reach down your throat a little more without having you coughing all over the place.
„The imprint is done, right? That looks really impressive.“
„As good as finished. I save that in my memory data. It can reform at any time you wish it to.“
So that’s part of kinetic learning, too, then — custom dick shapes.
„Mh, interesting. Thanks for doing this, Baek.“
You straighten from your former position and smile at him.
„I might use a similar shape if you ask me to do anal. Just slightly larger. I think I can fit into you very well overall.“
As if he couldn’t be any more adorable, he puts his thumb up with the most innocent face.
„Oh man. I’m so glad I got you, Baek.“
He’s very well read that your questionnaire had a clear preference when it comes to butt stuff.
„Thank you very much. If you want to do this often and get a little practice, I can even help you slide it down your esophagus a little more. I promise you won’t gag or get narrow.“
You don’t doubt it’s possible anymore. Who knows what other freaky templates he can bend into.
„This dick really is magic,“ you lick off some excess saliva from your lips.
„All it is is being designed so you can do whatever you want with it. Everything to your liking.“
You scratch your head.
„And I thought I’d get into trouble doing this.“
Lord knows every blowjob so far has landed you in making a scene or teary eyes. Especially if you tried to shove it down even if you couldn’t reach balls deep. Silly ambition again. And you thought you’d quit this all together.
„Just because you have a limit to depth,“ Baekhyun wipes a little thread of spit from your chin, „doesn’t mean you have to do away with your oral fixation. I really saw you having fun trying different techniques. And it looked like it was very pleasant stimulation for your tongue and saliva flow. If you want do this, you can always ask.“
You get a little flustered at him saying that. Not that he’s wrong. In any sense at all, actually.
„I think you’ll have to get ready to be in my throat a lot during the mornings. With my favorite cherry lube.“
Oh god. That is going to be… very slobbery and heated.
Nothing screams more ‚already am, come get your face fucked at 4:15AM I don’t care‘ than Baekhyun’s eyes right now.
„If you want something tasty before breakfast I’ll have no problems preparing that also.“
He does an invisible hat tip. So serving up fruit is not exclusive to the kitchen then. You find yourself getting euphoric.
„And… we will get to anal some time,“ you mumble under your breath. „Put some prep stuff on our online grocery list.“
„Yes, Ma’am. Just noted. I hope I can thrill you.“
As if you were getting into your car for the first time all over again, Baekhyun dons his best butler voice and you’re starting to fancy it.
„With that wonder boy you have in your pants, I’m thinking I met my match, you know.“
The type you wanna say I do to in a special ceremony separately.
„Precisely how it should be.“
„And, Baekhyun… With the special request idea. I don’t know how to say it. I want to extend this a little to oral as well. Maybe even today.“
„Will get back to it in about an hour.“
So he’s already calculated the route, then.
One hour sounds like a challenge to you, but at this point: You might as well trust what he’s got on his mind. He estimates you better than you do yourself anyway. You’re glad you didn’t move to penetration right away to begin with. Your pussy had enough time to calm down a bit. The swelling is still very much there, however. And your panties are nothing short of a mess. They’re basically sopping.
„As for going on now… I probably don’t have to tell you how wet I am,“ you take a deliberate look down your thighs.
„If you want to know my exact train of thought. I’ve already planned when I’ll wash your ruined underwear. 3:30PM.“
You have to giggle. The mere thought of that image. And he’s really taken over the household like a whirlwind.
It’s time you get to your part of the equation again. Mr. Kim’s imperative returns to you. Your turn to give Baekhyun some more input. With a dick like that, you can think of more instructions than you could list in one go. You build yourself up and place your hand just where you cupped his chin during your kiss on the fair.
„Then I plan you take them off — at now PM.“
You can almost hear a series of programmes running behind Baekhyun’s flickering eyes. Who knows what he is analyzing in his head again. Eventually, he flashes his cute little smile again and ushers you.
„Here?“ He questioningly points back to the center of the sofa where you started out, and you lie down right there.
Funny how much you sidetracked and moved around in the meantime.
Not thinking about transitioning into another position has made it much more effortless and nowhere near as awkward as you thought it would be.
And in hindsight, you were easily swayed into an unexpected intermezzo. Guess you love sucking his dick already. Which is just how Baekhyun offered it to you. All yours. Big and fat and bendy and perfect, morphing itself in whatever makes you hot. You want to shout it from the rooftops, right at all the Mister Lees of the world.
But upon second thought? Better not tell especially your nosy friends from work how hooked you are before they ask for more details.
Hwasa means well, but she would end up telling your damn boss by accident or something. Or Taemin, he would gossip about it on his twitter without name-dropping you, but everybody would know regardless. Meanwhile, Xiumin would make a vlog about „How To Perfectly Clean Your Flat“ and mention it in passing. Chen’s wife would watch it and tell Chen and Kai. Kai would absolutely tell Hyuna and Lisa. And Hyuna would absolutely tell Lay, and Lay would tell Kai, and by that time, the president would probably know.
Treasuring this all for yourself seems like the better thing to do. You want to protect Baekhyun even if he’s the last person on the block who probably needs it. Maybe it’s also a sense of protecting yourself. Maybe some of your friends wouldn’t be averse to getting a leisure bot themselves, but the rest of them still prized even their toxic partners as better than someone like Baekhyun, even if his kind had been part of the society for long enough.
You take note of making impromptu experiments like that for the future regardless.
By now, Baekhyun undresses you fully. Steady hands, steady eyes. Giving your legs a lusciously slow caress that gives you goosebumps. Pulling down your panties with a lot of deliberation, and giving you a good view of his cock. It’s shaping itself back and grows a little again, adding in girth and becoming less streamlined. It curves upward now, revealing a very plump and tight set of balls underneath. You’ve briefly felt them, but didn’t have the chance for a closer look. Now that you think about it, they’re even bigger than before. How it happened, you don’t know.
They seem to be pulsing and turning something white and silver metallic on the inside now. Making them appear… even larger. Two generous scoops of light pink seaside parlor ice cream. Discernable as a pair, but still perfectly one like a pillow. Not sagging very far down even if they seem to move around quite easily. They can probably slap and cushion against your clit if you go for doggy style with decent speed. The noises would be so nasty, you’d have to record it. You curse your foot for not permitting that anytime soon.
So— that thought will leave you high and dry for some time, then.
Makes that damn Achilles’ Heel getting his ever-loving shit together an even sweeter feat to look forward to, actually. So Baekhyun can really drive it home. You get kind of heated at that image in your mind. He is great at giving it to you from behind, you just know it. Now, everything he does well. But this one in particular. You get all sweaty with that idea again.
Baekhyun is still all the way preoccupied with pulling your panties past the knees, upbeat and kind in his expression. And calm, endlessly calm. Every movement, it’s all in perfect ease. You look like a jittery mess compared to him on your back right now.
„Shit, man,“ you bite down your lips after a desperate sigh. This couldn’t be any more tantalizing.
Chapter 8: The Bigger Picture
„Should I stop?“ his hands linger at your ankles, panties almost stripped off your legs. You can already feel the relief of not drowning in yourself anymore.
„No, I,“ you shift around on your back. How the hell do you explain this. „I wish I could stay calm like that, I’m not gonna lie to you. Sorry if I’m one of those bot envy people.“
No use in beating around the bush. He’d read it out of you anyways.
„And I wish I could shake as beautifully as you, you see.“
A comforting eye smile rises underneath his bangs. It gets a hold on you in a way that’s inexplicable.
Don’t you remember him with the cotton candy taste, you think. If anything, the envy is mutual. You’re pretty slow.
He’s trying his best to understand you.
You might want to start reciprocating that. Baekhyun can’t feel human happiness. But he can feel like he’s fulfilling his task. So help him with that, for God’s sake. Your part of the equation isn’t done after paying some money and taking him home or whatever. Being with a bot is more than that. He doesn’t have the needs of a human, but there are conditions that have to be met regardless.
„Point taken, Baekhyun.“
His cheesiness is cute. No use in not trying to tremble either, then. You can’t be him and he can’t be you. Might as well embrace yourself so he can work with it.
Baekhyun finishes the swipe of his movement and settles more closely, sitting on his heels just as before. You’re starting to think that it’s his signature posture.
„And I don’t mind if you envy me,“ he says, offering his hands for you to hold.
„You don’t?“
„There’s cold envy and there’s warm envy. It’s all about how much you like the person. You don’t hate me, right.“
„No, how would I? I really— like you.“
You close either hand around his.
„Then it’s warm envy,“ Baekhyun nods.
„I think… I understand.“
„And you need to know that I adore you also.“
A little squeeze of his hands accompanies his words. You’re caught off guard. All you can think of as a reply is a nod, unable to meet his eyes. You’re at a loss of words entirely. Here you go again.
Maybe the time has come that machines have a better grasp on emotions than humans. They have to teach it back to them.
You try to hide your embarrassment by a little stutter, but he’s already lowering his head down to you, again facing you close by. Close enough for you to see the light golden fuzz of his skin that actually almost seems silver under the artificial lighting of the room.
„So if you want me to do anything for you. Just do the same thing as before. You’ve done it well.“
„I don’t think so,“ you chew at your bottom lip, very well convinced that all you did was being a mess. Baekhyun must be seriously frustrated with this amount of all-too-human chaos.
„There are clients that take at least four to five trials to instruct their leisure models properly. You’ve already managed at first try, you see.“
Your jaw legitimately drops. Probably even lower than when you saw Baekhyun step out of the capsule.
„Five attempts?“
„Some send their bots back because they can’t get themselves to do it at all,“ he affirms. „But either way, those are likely the clients who’d rather apply to purchase automatic models in the first place.“
Automatic models.
You remember. Now you count one and one together — Mr. Kim talked about these bots. You never even realized. The ones seemingly everybody was ordering which drove the whole faculty staff into an endless scientific boredom.  
„Most client requests we get want some kind of he-man. They only spend twenty minutes customizing their bot on the website, if not less. Our engineers rarely get to equip a bot with so much pizzazz.“
In fact, these are the bots of a cheaper price range that run on the exact same automatism over and over for the lack of not having any other programming or sentience.
You don’t have to look no further than imagining that they work like a generic sex toy. They’re just in humanoid shape. A fruit plate for breakfast they can’t serve. They don’t have any interest in cotton candy either. The client can only switch them on for intercourse and enjoy maybe two or three default positions at best before their bot goes back to sleep again. They don’t talk freely, they don’t think, they don’t ask questions. They do their job, but they’re not…
Boyfriends.
You suddenly don’t regret spending forever at the PC to fill in forms and paying a lot more money to the faculty anymore.
„What? That’s insane. I never knew.“
How lucky you are to have Baekhyun is an overwhelming thought. If you’re entirely honest with yourself— it even gives you something that feels like butterflies. It’s strange.
„We non-automatic models can only do what we’re supposed to when we get asked.“
„Yeah.“
„Even most things a client requested in the past can’t be done again without a second permission. You have to instruct us in every new situation.“
„Yes, Mr. Kim really emphasized that.“
You feel better knowing that you have read between the lines correctly. Mr. Kim said a lot of things that sounded very complex and removed from daily life, but he managed to convey the most important thing about Baekhyun.
„I have always heard from Mr. Park that many female clients who give their bot back aren’t even the type of person who has troubles speaking their wishes. They don’t have any wishes at all. I think they’ve given up on themselves.“
He looks so downtrodden saying that. The image in your mind looks just as depressing. You want to curl yourself up.
„Wow. Wow, that… sounds scary.“
„Already by law, we can’t dictate them what we want as a replacement for their lacking preferences. Even if that is what they’re expecting. And then, they blame it on us if we stay passive during sex. It’s an unfair game.“
You can already picture how many cases like that must’ve happened.
Mr. Kim was absolutely right to let non-automatic bots decide over who they want to match with or not.
For way other reasons you had naïvely assumed. To be fair, you are still a beginner with this and AndroTech’s terms of service page was a jargon novel in font size 4, bearable as a skim at best.
„So it would even break the law,“ you find yourself even more startled. „To engage in acts that were not… requested on the spot?“
„Yes. But it’s not all clear-cut. Some bots are enabled and do try hard to read their client’s true wishes out of them, and they take the lead to get things started. Especially when a client is extremely nervous on the first day.“
„Oh…“
„You’ve seen me do it with you. How to touch you, whether I can drive and cook for you, how we relax before sleeping. You saw that I was forward with you to take the pressure off. I even picked you up without asking.“
„Yeah, I saw. I understand it now.“
Pretty much from the very first moment. Baekhyun probably knew you didn’t want to walk the corridors to the faculty exit the moment he looked at you. And he did take the lead, and asked about your every reaction hoping he anticipated exactly the right thing you didn’t dare voice.
„Which can be uncomfortable, but the client very clearly has something in mind and they end up saying it. But you can’t use coercion or skip that they say it.“
You give a small „M-hm“ in response and feel the guilt rush over your face.
„That shyness or shameful feeling at the start we can deal with. But in other cases, a person only wants the bot to tell them what to do. Which we’re not allowed to,“ Baekhyun’s voice shifts to a much graver tone. „We are the ones who adapt to the client. We don’t have a motivation to give orders, either.“
„Motivation?“
This keeps on getting more and more puzzling.
„If you can’t feel something, you can’t desire something. Take me— I don’t know what a sense of satisfaction is. And our base programming is to be of service. Even if we did something random that we saw fit just to give a command. It’d be illegal.“
At first, you wonder why the rule would not apply to the automatic he-man bots, but it was actually making sense. The client had decided on their limited programming. Switching them on was giving permission itself, and they could be turned off at any moment.
Meanwhile, a bot like Baekhyun had variation to his actions and was constantly running on AndroTech’s special power generator, lord knows what it did to run all day. Now, if any of his actions were against your will, or he did something without being asked: He would be taken away from you.
If he gave you a decisive order completely unprompted: His programming would be permanently deactivated almost on the spot, even. Bots trying to guess what their clients had on their mind were walking a tightrope.
„This is a much more serious thing than I thought.“
You puff out. Baekhyun gives a wholehearted nod.
„You can tell we have to be careful to find clients who know what they want.“
„I never thought of it that way. But yeah. I can see how the faculty gets into trouble otherwise.“
„Yes. It’s a huge problem.“
And you were as silly as assuming that bot abuse was the biggest issue in the industry. Turns out clients who want their leisure models to break the law are the real skeleton in the closet.
It’s starting to become a bigger picture to you. The repercussions are so much more expensive and damaging for the company image. A bot that an angry client kicked around was only a nuisance if repair was concerned. The whole thing was kind of bizarre.
„I’ll be very careful,“ you assure. „To fulfill my side of the contract.“
„Y/N. You are the last person who’d concern me. I have been sure from the start that you are the ideal person to be with. It’s why I agreed so fast to Mr. Kim’s question whether I want to match up or not. Most bots will ask Mr. Kim to postpone that question so they can gauge their client in a testing period.“
„They… do?“
„Yes.“
„But I already made a mistake,“ you say, remembering how you started out today. „I don’t think I’m ideal or something like that.“
Baekhyun’s following blink is more than knowing.
„That you question yourself tells me you’re a good client. Bad clients don’t self-reflect.“
Maybe you’ve done at least that right.
„I see?“
„You might become reserved or berate yourself sometimes. But that you wrote down 280 specifics for Mr. Kim tells me everything. Once the nervousness dissolves, you do the right thing already and I see your nature. You wish for a lot of things. That makes you ideal to me. I can take care of this one thing at a time.“
He plants a brief, but passionate kiss on the back of your left hand. The cheesy motherfucker got you again.
„Baekhyun, I…“
„That gives me a lot to work with. I hope you look forward to all this. We’ll spend many great nights.“
His charming little smile and dark eyes are as encouraging as ever. Thinking about the many options of 280 makes you giddy already.
„I do. And… I really want to see how the Special Request feels like.“
Your legs are like squirming jelly at this point. Very much unlike Baekhyun who’s stable and resting — in promise of great stamina.
„I’m ready if you are. I’m sorry if my talking delayed this. But I think some last few questions had to get out of the way. As for the request: There’s not much I need to prepare for it.“
Chapter 9: You Look Really Beautiful
„We’ll be starting with… you know. Lower medium size?“
You shift in the sheets, stuttering that out like a pre-schooler, but who the hell cares at this point. It’s not like you didn’t invent all of this.
„All as you want it,“ says Baekhyun with just the right touch of yielding in his tone. How he makes this sound so impeccably polite is a mystery.
„This is really easy to insert,“ he continues, giving a light caress against your cheek. You don’t miss just how much it is meant to be an encouraging touch. Your face feels tingly.
„Okay, let’s give it a shot, then.“
While Baekhyun reshapes the plates, you recline with your knees pulled toward your torso, making sure to place your wonky foot in an unobtrusive way. So far, it’s only complained while you were climbing around trying to find a position to suck Baekhyun off. Sweet baby Jesus. If your heel would ruin your first time, you’d curse your clumsiness forever and sign up at AndroTech to get your legs android-ized if that were even possible.
You’d probably make a good cyborg now that you think about it. With your new steel-inforced feet and knee caps, you’d be one robot step closer to blowing and riding Baekhyun to infinity until his dick needs repair, which you… already plan to do anyways.
„Can you stimulate me like before, please. Just by using your cock now. I’m so horny for it.“
„Of course.“
Baekhyun glides the tip up and down your outer and inner labia alternatingly, then lets it rub all over your clit. Which happens so smoothly. You’re more than wet. He’s drenched you so hard.
Shit.
It doesn’t take many prods until your arousal returns at its fullest, and Baekhyun strikes a complimenting tone in the middle of letting the underside of his shaft tap against the swelling rose bud.
„Your pussy is really pretty. It’s like pink clouds to me.“
He makes a little innocent face. He’s too adorable. Still, you swallow. So it’s time to bring the funfair to this sofa, then, is it.
„I really— want you to stretch it nicely,“ you grab hold of his cock. „So that the filling can seep in really far. I want a lot of it. And after you filled me, you make me cum.“
„I will, Y/N. I prepared a lot for you,“ he nods. „And it’s enriched with pheromones.“
Pheromones.
So the faculty did find ways to flavor things. Realizing that, you already feel twice as horny as before.
„Shit, it’s gonna smell so good. Put it in, put it in… I want to know how it feels.“
You fumble with his tip at your entrance, and Baekhyun lifts his hips accordingly. It slides in for an inch, giving your entrance an idea of the diameter so far.
While you first squeezed his dick in your hand, the surface felt very matte. Now, with Baekhyun carefully securing his cock between the soft embrace of your lips, it makes for a great sensation of grip and stretch paired with how wet you are. His medium girth is really not bad at all even if it’s downsized. In fact, it’s pushing at your entrance in the juiciest way. With no panties in between anymore. You realize that it’s really about to go down.
„Baekhyun, oh god. Oh god. It’s good. Put your hands around my waist.“
He swiftly does, no second wasted. His fingers, his palms, his wrists— are so soft. You notice that his right hand sits significantly lower than the left one, pretty much on the hip bone. You already want to ask him to move it upwards that you realize he’s seen the scar from your appendix surgery and avoided putting his hand on it.
„Do you want me to slide in more along the way?“
„Yes, more.“
You can tell that Baekhyun knows the exact angle to glide into you. With his hands suavely placed on you now, he adjusts your pelvis without needing leverage. The sheer given shape of his palms has your body melt into the right posture. Eventually, his cock tip makes its way down your walls, bulging them apart. Baekhyun’s length gliding into you has you feel the entirety of his shaft pushing in with a proper thickness. A perfect languid strain, making your pussy feel amazingly filled and bursting with veiny, girthy cock.
„Fuck. Please use your fingers, Baekhyun,“ you gasp out, feel your lungs contract. „And kiss me all over.“
He keeps on sliding in. Leaves little kisses on your nose and sweat-glazed collar bones, breasts, neck. His plush little lips make pecking noises that sound all the way dirtier when he turns them into desperate moans. Baekhyun sure knows how to push your buttons. You’re about to go nuts entirely.
One hand leaving your waist, he adds a consistent stroke at your clit until he surprises you with slowly hitting balls deep.
Already?
„I’m in. How does it feel?“
It really is good to insert.
The heat from your clit mixes with the satisfaction of Baekhyun now being fully curved inside you. He was so much easier to take than you were afraid of.
„It’s amazing to me.“
A squeeze from your muscles comfortably locks Baekhyun, who gently lowers his posture above you, in the spot. Just enough for you to let your fingertips ghost over the center of his abs. His body is so warm, almost heated.
Then, you reach for his face and kiss him deeply. His tongue immediately picks up your pacing, swirls around yours in an intricate dance. The passion overflows. You want so much more.
„Start thrusting. Stimulate me.“
Accompanied with a faster flick of his fingers on your clit, Baekhyun lets his cock pulse in and out of you without removing much of its length. The inward tug at your walls pushes your womb along with it. Baekhyun’s width is just right in spreading your pussy apart, and how he gets you off brings more slickness to each thrust. You feel yourself getting really swollen up and bubbling wet, even more than before.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
„Make it grow a little,“ you push the words past your tense jaw. „And then give me the first special request.“
Again, he doesn’t hesitate. The sudden growth spurt takes a bit off the speed out of Baekhyun’s plunge, but soon increases again. It’s because his cock has started to leak inside, pouring more and more lubrication around itself.
„Is that good?“
His thrusts make the velvety liquid surface at the base of his cock. Very slowly, but surely. He’s fucking it out of you so well. Almost instantly, the smell is intoxicating. A hefty concoction of vanilla, fruit, and something very sharp and musky layered over it. A very masculine and upbeat spice that is like an electric current. The liquid keeps oozing from your entrance with every thrust, bringing more of the scent to live.
„Fuck. Please more. That’s so good. Hold me when I buck up, Baekhyun!“
The special request is nothing but a liquid mechanism that lets Baekhyun pump you full of milky white pre-cum. Whenever you want, mid-fuck at full speed, or as a quick filling without much prep. With a big load or just a little portion as lube, anything goes. Baekhyun has to refill the material with special cartilages every now and then, but it’s compressed like the foam of a whipped cream bottle. Just a lot more fluid. And way, way too loaded with artificial pheromones for your brain to handle. Your pussy explodes with oozing pre-cum and the tension of pleasure alike. You really can’t handle it. Still dizzy from the kiss, your tongue is all loose and erratic anyway.
„Not, ah—! To ask for something I can’t handle for the twentieth time or something! Fucking shit!“
You take a deep breath. Even a fast look between your thighs has you clenching. Everything is so creamy. And sticky. And milky. All with his cock buried right in the soaking middle of it. Baekhyun really gave you a full-on A class preview for the special request.
„Ask away. Even if it’s unrealistic. I make things feasible. That’s my job if anything,“ he looks more friendly than ever at you. Mr. Kim couldn’t sport a smile any better. Jesus Christ, he’s patient with you.
„I think I got some greed but, uh.“
„No worries. I can work with that. Greedy girls are the best girls.“
„Can you just, cockwarm me and give me another load. With the— bigger… version. If that doesn’t get me to the ER. I just want to try it for a minute or two even if it’s too big. You probably know if I’m built to do that better than me though.“
By the knowing look he gives you, Baekhyun indeed does.
„That works, I already calculated that. You’re stretched enough. If we don’t do it for long and I’m not moving, you’ll just feel really stuffed and full.“
„Exactly what I’m wanting,“ you blurt, and your eyes grow all the more impatient.
„Okay. I’ll be holding your legs up a little more for that if it’s alright. Just keep your ankle very relaxed.“
„M-hm!“
By doing that, you realize he changes how you angle yourself at him. You mentally prepare yourself, and already feel him expand inside. That pushes even more of the scented fluid out of your pussy, spreading over his cock. The smell of vanilla and grapefruit, whatever it is, becomes even stronger. Everything pools and drips from his expanding shaft in sticky threads that you want all over you, and in his mouth, his face, everywhere. Your poor pussy is nothing but a lake at this point.
„I’m gonna burst with this inside of me.“
And he really is monstrously big in his full form.
„Almost there. Does it feel okay?“
It grows and grows. Becomes veinier and all slick, bathed in scent and your own pussy creaming it up.
„Shit… that thing is like a spear! Fuck! Keep it, keep it up—!“
He keeps on growing. The stretch of your walls is driving you wild. You can’t even put a proper grip on him with your muscles at this point. All there is — a bulging sensation of your pussy getting filled out all around. It does make you feel tensed up. Even if the surface of his cock feels only a bit elastic, the diameter is too wide at this point.
„It’s a bit uncomfortable if you focus too much there with your muscles,“ Baekhyun says. „Look at my hands.“
Baekhyun circles into your clit with his index. It mixes relief into the stretch. And more pulsing excitement. Just a light caress wouldn’t do it at this point. He knows he has to rub a little faster.
„You’re all… stuck there,“ is all you can moan. He’s grown sufficiently to let your sensitive entrance feel like it’s going to burn up in flames. In its normal state, there’s no way he would get past it in his large size. You don’t even know just how far up he is inside you. If he’d thrust now, your guts would be as ruined as your panties. The flaring sensation of him spreading all inside you is all that you can think of. You’re starting to think you must’ve developed a cock addiction because of those pheromones, the thought of him not being inside of you all day like this sounds terrible.
Now that he’s entirely erect and stiffened, you can tell his dick has exactly the inner metallic strength you thought it had. He’s pretty heavy inside you. You get a buzzing in your head and accidentally shift your hips a little. The feeling that follows makes you gasp.
„That, that’s hitting something. Oh my god. It’s pressing me. Oh my god. What is that, Baekhyun!“
„Your cervix.“
„That’s deep in. Holy shit.“
„It’s really big and puffy. My sensors are liking it.“
So that’s where he is, then. Buried right there. Hitting the spot.
“Hold it there, Baekhyun. It feels so unusual! Please press it a little more.“
Baekhyun shifts his hips himself, causing you to feel the same bump again. It makes your body jerk and takes you by surprise once more.
„I think it likes kissing my tip the way you do with your lips.“
Either you’re imagining things, or Baekhyun actually sounds a bit accomplished.
„What! Does it react?“
„It’s getting increased blood flow and expands around me. If you want, I can rest a little deeper with my tip at the hole in the middle.“
The idea is so filthy knowing he could shoot you up with more pre-cum any second. All of it would spritz deep inside of you, almost the deepest way possible. You picture Baekhyun mixing up a huge load for you, only to pump it all the way through his immense length.
„Please, please do that, please. Push against it.“
„I’ll have to be really careful.“
„Come on, Baekhyun,“ you firmly grip at his hips to pull them down. „Beat my pussy up. It’s deep enough. Give me the whole length.“
That this means going balls deep entirely is making your legs do funny things.
Baekhyun, squeezing in the last inch, finally makes you feel like he’s splitting you apart. From your legs up to your neck, you can feel the strain. Your pussy can barely take it. It doesn’t know whether to fall apart or to tense up. That Baekhyun’s cock tip ever so slowly pushes, then penetrates into your cervix and stays there, neither opening it fully nor just resting loosely against it, sends you all sorts of arousing signals.
„You’re stretching so well. See how amazing your labia look now.“
The sensation of Baekhyun has distracted you entirely from just about anything else. A quick glance tells you it does just look like that. Your muscles are too pushed apart to grasp his dick, but your pussy lips do that job for you. They’re finally getting their right stretch. Plush, and wet, and wide apart, they hug Baekhyun as if trying to pull him in. It’s as if they’re sucking and gargling his cock and spilling saliva everywhere. They’ve grown amazingly plump and red. Two cock-hungry, endlessly greedy girls just for Baekhyun.
„How do you feel? Describe it to me.“
„I’m feeling so, I can’t, fucking crazy! It’s prodding a spot that’s really far up. Oh God. It’s so big. You… fuck… oh— You—!“
„You can call me any dirty names you want,“ Baekhyun lowers his voice. It sounds so naughty and provoking when he does that. „You know that I’m down to be a huge whore.“
The plain sneering delight in his eyes is so intense that your pussy starts to pulsate. That lewd and yearning Baekhyun hiding underneath the cute smexy smile has ambushed you again.
„Give me that slutty look on your face and stroke my belly. Show it. Moan. If you wanna be a whore, do it properly.“
„It’s really bulging out here, Y/N…“
He whimpers, traces his palm across your abdomen, quick to find the spot. It does form a bit of a bump. Even from your position, it’s quite visible.
„Yeah… Look, you did this.“
„Your pussy is so perfect on the inside, too. Really pink and juicy.“
That his tip is currently making cockwarming love to your cervix you can very well feel. The two of them are already headed to be on a familiar basis with each other. You want Baekhyun to smash and jizz it every fucking night.
„If you have some more cum, now’s the moment, Baek. Pound it.“
„One second,“ he jerks at the base, briefly having his right hand leave your waist. You grip at the nape of his neck to pull his face down. You lock lips, and they are so mesmerizing while Baekhyun makes sure to find a nice angle.
With a loud moan into his mouth, you can feel him stuffing your pussy with a shot of rich fluid. The accompanying thrust is strong, steep, and throbbing. It makes you want to mount Baekhyun and fiercely bounce on his dick until cumming all over it, way until collapsing. His cock reaches far enough through the opening of your cervix to fill your womb with its creamy load. The liquid drips against the upper area until it spreads out and leaks down into your vagina. A lake of his semen now pools back and forth inside your spongy uterus, Baekhyun’s cock stirring it with its light pulses and movements. He’s not thrusting, but making sure to keep his dick swaying and prodding just enough to ease your tensions.
„Another load,“ you part from his lips, craving. „Really make it to the brim. Move it once. Push it in… So good, Baekhyun…“
„Okay,“ he hums, and kisses you again, this time making gentle contact with your lips. „I’ll make it really warm and thick.“
„God, yes…“
„Here, are you ready?“
„Fill me.“
Baekhyun’s fat cock delivers a juicy stab, fucking the meaty, veiny width under the tip right into your cervix. Hard and quick, making your toes shiver. The blow pounds and heavily stretches it apart under your deep guttural moans. He’s really deepening his cock almost to the max, and you can feel how stiff and girthy he’s made it become. 
The first pre-cum load allows for a perfect glide already. The plunge is so good. Your cervix now faithfully grips at his shaft, fully lubricated and anticipating, swelling up, greedily throbbing around him so fast. It pulls his cock in the way you want to deepthroat Baekhyun. You repeat and repeat his name.
Finally, a second spurt comes to seep right into you like a waterfall. Baekhyun floods your pussy entirely without holding back. A gushing injection of white streaks and pearls comes to permeate you so deliciously that your heart skips a beat. The spill is much less fluid this time, but runny just like freshly whipped coconut cream, fanning out into little melted clouds. He’s shot what you imagine as more than the amount of a small glass of water into you. You are creamed up to the last millimeter. If he was fertile, you’d be pregnant with a cute little Baek baby in two seconds, and give birth only three minutes later.
„I love it!“
Your pussy walls loosen around him. Even if it means saying goodbye to your filling, now you wanna see how his semen looks like.
„Rest your hand there while you’re pulling out,“ you guide your had toward your abdomen. „You’re gonna tell me the difference.“
With Baekhyun slowly drawing out his cock and letting the vacuum suck the fluid downward, you become giddy. Your cervix refuses to close and instead stays pulsing open, letting all that he filled you with drip out. It’s a pal size puddle. Baekhyun’s dick looks so gigantic and coated now that he pulled out. You can’t believe all of that was inside of you.
„I really hate to leave you feeling empty,“ he says, and massages your belly very attentively.
„I wish your cum could stay inside all day. It’s so warm. I really miss your cock, too. Shit, Baekhyun.“
After some waiting time, his last bits of semen makes its way down. Your pussy gapes enough to let it squeeze out. It’s so thick and white, completely opaque. How good it smells you only register when you’re already hanging at Baekhyun’s lips again. The scent drives you to kiss him again and again, having your hands all over his body, praising him with your moans. He yields into your wild hug and the making out continues until your creampie no longer flows out. Half of your pussy is full of sticky semen still, warming you from the inside. Between your heavy breaths, you realize that Baekhyun’s laser gaze on you have even more craving than before.
„And this is not even the main event,“ he rasps into your ear. „We’re still headed towards the most important thing.“
You shake. His dark eyes set on you like a panther’s. He’s readier than ever. This goddamn robot stamina. Now he wants to fuck you up entirely.
„Make me cum… really hard, Baekhyun.“
„I’ll have you moaning and arching. Tell me what to do.“
„Remember I talked about some Special Request mixed with oral?“
„Very clearly,“ he nods, helping you get up from your back. „I got you.“
„Leave it at big as it is now. Not the full growth but almost there. Really give me a lot of cum, okay. Empty yourself into my throat. You can also fuck my mouth but keep it shallow. You can hold my head later on.“
„All as you like. Here,“ Baekhyun helps you guide the shaft between your expectant lips.
You suck at the tip, but your mouth doesn’t get very far down. The difference to Baekhyun’s smaller, adapted version is extreme to see, to touch, and taste. While you gobble the far end, a generous spurt of cum shoots into your throat already. It pools on your tongue before you swallow three times.
It tastes mild and sweet.
Maybe you’ve been eating too much cotton candy as of recently, but it does bear some resemblance to it. You shake the girth from one side of your mouth to the other, signalling Baekhyun to fill you again. More cum begins to appear, then burst at the roof of your mouth, and you don’t manage to hold in all of it. Thank God the towel is thick enough.
All the jizz expands on your tongue and you swallow faster, with Baekhyun leaking more of his cock milk. You decide to have some fun thrusting your head forward and have the whole thing explode against his loins and your lower face. With Baekhyun’s dick plunging into you deeper, the remaining cum flows past your lips and lands between either of your legs on the towel.
No wonder his balls do their pulsating thing. He has to keep up mixing and pumping everything out. His cock is now so perfectly slippery that you can glide your tongue around it in fast circles. The faster you go, the more his foreskin retracts, revealing the beautiful sturdy glans that provides you with another milky shot against the back of your throat. The mixture is smooth, allowing for an easy big swallow. For some reason, it’s almost like almond milk conditioner diluted with a bit of water.
Baekhyun adding little thrusts to each leaking makes you moan like a pervert. You suck and lick up every incoming bit of fluid properly until gulping it down. At this point, your entire stomach is a sea of white cream. Your mouth feels like it’s drowning in baby lotion, but without the obnoxious taste. Even now, you’re still not tired of bopping your head and blowing bubbles with the amounts of his sperm that gather around the middle of his cock. The more you get into the rhythm of moving your head, the more heated and loud you get.
Puckering your lips adds the right pressure, and you keep your jaw as wide a Baekhyun showed you earlier. The slicking, slurping and glucking noise of the suction is music to your ears. Him spilling out more liquid helps you glaze his length with warm icing now, and your speed is surprisingly high in doing so. You end up sinking your fingertips into Baekhyun’s shapely ass cheeks and hold onto his body like that while blowing him. You feel they are toned and soft at the same time, even more heavenly when you use your entire palms to hold them.
„Great, you’re doing great,“ Baekhyun wipes off a blotch of cum from his belly and lathers his cock up with it, careful not to disturb your mouth at work. „Do whatever comes to your mind.“
As if that praise was not enough, another rewarding fountain fizzes into your mouth. The vacuum from your tight lips resounds almost like a kissing noise. With another moan upcoming, you blurt out the majority of Baekhyun’s load. This time, his legs are the victim of your slobber, getting their first contact with his cum in dripping white stripes. It looks so hot. Looking at his ruined thighs with your saliva and milk on them makes your pussy throb several times.
In the meantime, your lips are left perfectly coated and big, clinging to the veiny surface slightly below Baekhyun’s tip. Especially your lower lip has gotten much plumper and picks up every relief on his dick. You love the sound of him thrusting in his shaft that is met with a little lake of cum at the farther end of your tongue. The more elegantly he helps you plunge in the tip, the better it stirs the fluid and leaves a nice caress at the top of your mouth and the inner corners of your lips. The taste is breathtaking. After swallowing for the seventh time now, you pop his dick from your mouth and distribute the remaining cum on your cheeks and temples by sliding his length all over your skin.
„That feels so good,“ you pat his cock all over your cheekbones, your forehead and the bridge of your nose. You even glide the tip of his cock against your browbone, tracing its lining and have a few little droplets of Baekhyun’s delicious milk dance stuck in your lashes. The fluid leaves your face feel cooled and soft. The matte silicone surface of his length is perfect enough to slowly glide under the guidance of your hand, massaging your face gently and slick.
And then, you get an idea.
„Hold your cock up for me. Maybe make it curve up a little,“ you instruct, take a few breaths to cool down. When Baekhyun is ready, you slide your right hand between your legs and head your mouth for his balls at the same time.
They really are like scoops of ice cream. Enough milk has distributed over them to make your attention of kisses, licks, feathery light bites and sucking very easy. Everything glides, and you love how they vibrate ever so slightly.
„Tell me I will feel this against my clit as often as possible, Baekhyun.“
„Every day if you want. I can make them buzz a little more than that as well. That goes for my cock, too.“
„What— Really! Please do it! And please, more cum…“
And they do. It must be the weirdest thing your lips and the tip of your nose have felt, ever. A million dancing ants start their party on your skin. Alternating between left and right, you give your mouth a proper ice cream feeding. Baekhyun’s cock vibrates along and produces another waterfall of sperm.
While you let the buzzing ripen up your lips with even more swelling, drops upon drops of cum add from above where Baekhyun holds his cock in an almost vertical position. Since its curve bends toward his stomach, that’s where more of his cum lands. You love to observe the milk trickle over the little veins of his loins, his lightly toned abs, and the perfect V shape of his pelvis. With every drop, you rub your clit to new heights and feel it become spongy. You’re so sensitive and wet that it’s harder to get your finger to the right spot, so you end up using three fingers at once.
Baekhyun glazing himself with all that luscious cum makes you want to lick him up whole. On the other hand, his oozing cock spills so much fluid that you don’t want any of it go to waste.
With the flicks of your index finger speeding up between your legs, you ask Baekhyun to stuff and thrust his cock back onto your tongue and provide you with a final wave of cum for good. He dusts over your lashes to remove the spray they took before, then diligently brings his palms around the back of your head. Baekhyun is so utterly careful and sensual in his expression that you have to groan and feel your pussy twitch. His pretty fingers fit so perfectly around the area under your high ponytail. Having his wrists ghost over your temples makes you want to come on the spot. Now that your head is softly locked safe, Baekhyun asks if he can start, earning the most eager nod.
„I won’t make you gag, I promise,“ he gives his fingers a final arrangement, laying flat on your hair.
You feel like you’re about to implode and already drive your head forward. Aided by the slip of your mouth, he pulls you onto his cock, driving in a bit more length. About a third of his cock gets in, and you feel only a slight bit of tension. Your lips close around him, but remain flexible, still. Your hand between your legs rubs faster. And faster. Your clit is begging for a second rush. By the time, your jaw has become perfectly loose and receptive, ready to take a pounding. You moan in frustration from all the suspense, and finally he begins fucking his monster dick into your skull. 
The girth stretches your lips and leaves your mouth completely stunned. Baekhyun properly angles himself into your head and showers you with complimenting little wows, then continues the speed and screwing until half of his dick pumps into your mouth. It’s pushing in and stimulates your lips with every thrust. The buzz is amazing. 
Your throat is perfectly accepting of Baekhyun’s tip. The vibrating stimulation at your tonsils sends excitement through your entire body. His cock is amazingly big, hot, and jittery. When he drills it into you with a little ‚your mouth… so soft… like cotton candy…’ under his breath, you can’t take it anymore.
When your rubs escalate and your pussy begins to contract, he blows up your mouth with an avalanche of extra sticky and flavorful cream. Unlike when he was pumping out the cum against his belly, his cock now powerfully empties in one go and overwhelms your tongue with taste. 
The portion is so huge and almost foamy. Now you’re filled double. Your leaking pussy, stuffed with his bubbling semen, and your mouth, rich with the potent vanilla taste. Your clit thumps hard with a series of twitches, about ten, eleven, twelve times, with another strong rub from your middle finger pushing it over the edge.
The load of cum bursting into your mouth is so large that your cheeks slowly bulge out a bit. Baekhyun holds his cock in place to help you keep it centered. A look at his hands alone is enough to fasten your rubs and make you feel your climax peak. Your eyes get large from the extremity of pleasure surging from your clit, having your body rock, making you yelp out and spill Baekhyun’s semen back over the pulsing curve of his dick. It’s so messy, but you don’t care.
He takes the opportunity to thrust back into your mouth in sync with the twitches of your pussy, blasting your way too impatient esophagus with more sputtering threads of hot milk. Your clit throbs even harder when you hear the wet noises your throat makes. Every thrust has you blowing out cum with stifled, slobbery gargling. Baekhyun penetrates you so well and won’t waste a milliliter of cum. It’s so thick and so good, and distributes so nicely every time he fucks it into your throat a little further. The vibration of his cock makes your tongue so swollen against the underside of his shaft and even more sensitive to how his cum feels.
Liquid satin, gliding so well down into your stomach that you wish he could penetrate, too. You slurp and gobble the last shots of cum, and enjoy Baekhyun’s thrusts feeding you his fully sperm-decorated cock. With your saliva flowing into the mix, the load gets perfectly blended and has you produce the nastiest sounds around the meaty base of his dick. You want to lap it all up, slather it all over you, bathe in it. He drenches your mouth completely. You swallow and swallow until he knows you’re feeling full and stops the flow.
You still try to suck the leftover liquid out of him until only drops remain on your tongue. A final swallow, and you lock eyes with Baekhyun who’s gently smiling and cupping your head.
„B—woah,“ you gush out, slipping your lips off his dick. You look down on your body and Baekhyun’s, finding your skins coated all sticky as if a pot of joghurt spilled all over your chests and legs.
The special request indeed leaves nothing left to be desired.
„Really incredible,“ Baekhyun says.
„Warm…,“ you lick your lips, and shake, move your tongue about to loosen it up. „And so much— Fuck!“
„Not a drop left. I’ll probably need half an hour to gather an amount like that again.“
„I want this all the time. This, this is so much fun.“
„Yes. You were really enjoying yourself. You look really beautiful.“
Probably really messy and funny with your drying lips and tousled ponytail. You have to chuckle.
„Brace yourself, Baekhyun. I hope you have enough hair ties prepared.“
Oh, it’s gonna be a ride.
After you settle your breath, Baekhyun goes about cleaning your face and neck, and bits of your chest. He has to get a third towel from the bathroom to get the job done, including rubbing himself down. As ruined as he looks, AndroTech has to send him into the fucking robo deep cleaning room or something if you keep this up.
Eventually, Baekhyun helps you up the same way he put you down on the sheets two hours ago. You coo to him, and he carries you to the bedroom softly humming. You feel a strange serenity. Protection. Baekhyun looks so sweet and calm. A warm feeling spreads across your abdomen, and you listen to your blood rush in your ears. He really got you going,. He offers a glass of water that you accept and nip at while he sorts his and your clothes, dumping all the towels into the laundry basket and switching off the living room lights afterwards.
Alongside carrying a paddle hair brush, he returns with your favorite strawberry bubblegum chapstick. He must have picked it up next to the washing machine in the bathroom. You keep a little shell-shaped metal bowl next to the basin where all your cosmetics are scattered in. How he knows that it’s your go-to lip product will remain another mystery, although you are sure he has a page-long analysis on it. 
After asking for your permission, Baekhyun applies it for you and makes sure to kiss you not once, but twice. He loosens the tie out of your hair and goes about brushing it, smoothing it. Lying down in your bed for the afterglow with the fairy lights on gets even better when Baekhyun offers his chest to lean against for dozing off.
Chapter 10: Pulling Out The Carrots
You wake up to the smell of waffles and cocoa coming from the kitchen. You sit up in bed. Feeling more gloriously fucked out than fucked up, actually. The floor, even if it’s still the exact same as before, feels different when you set your either foot on the ground. It’s not only your heel feeling at least a little better. It’s also the fact that it’s the ground of an apartment with two people in it.
Bothering to put on socks, you find that your closet has a new stack of clothes where Baekhyun normally sorts in his white vest. So Mr. Kim sent a new batch of attire for him as promised in the email you received last night. Seven sets of midnight blue, carnelian, and more white cuts of similar fabrics and varying shapes. Your closet looks strangely complemented with his clothes in it. Not to mention much tidier since he folded each and every piece.
Before you waddle to the bathroom, you check your phone and see an avalanche of shy emojis from Hwasa in your notifications. You did manage to send a little comment on the sofa before you went to bed.
„Guess whose car is fixed,“ Baekhyun sets a plate on the table. The whole kitchen sizzles and looks as if a restaurant chef just let a huge cloud of steam loose from his souffle in the oven. There’s juice, there’s blueberries, there’s syrup on the table. His smile is even brighter than it was yesterday.
„You gem!“
Falling around his neck makes Baekhyun laugh. You cling in the hug and pepper his forehead with kisses until the waffle machine bleeps.
„Dig in, princess,“ he stacks up three waffles on the plate, golden brown and drizzled with syrup.
„Sit down with me when the last one is done,“ you fork the top waffle, separating it into five hearts each. Crispy outside, vanilla-colored and juicy on the inside. Back in the day when he was still active, Gordon Ramsey couldn’t have done it any better. Baekhyun nods, now busy with a large blue bowl. He’s kept his smile and hums a little. The kitchen radio is playing in the background.
„And something else,“ he swipes the wooden spoon through the bowl. You realize what’s inside. He steps toward the table to masterfully place a generous amount of whipped cream on your stack of waffles.
„What was it?“
„I talked to Mister Lee.“
„You what?!“
With a clattering noise, your fork drops right back onto the plate. If the sweet scent in the kitchen didn’t fully wake you, then this definitely did.
„I first checked the databank as I said,“ Baekhyun puts down the bowl on the table and takes a seat opposite to you. „There was no record of him interacting with androids anywhere. He didn’t own one, nor did anyone else in his social environment or the area around here. Except you of course.“
„A—alright, and?“
Judging by Baekhyun’s picture-perfect appearance that doesn’t seem to sport a single scratch, at least Mr. Lee didn’t get out his golfing equipment then.
„I went over and met him on the porch while he was having his coffee. I introduced myself and asked about his garden.“
„His garden?“
„Mister Lee has taken up quite a bit of work with his vegetables,“ Baekhyun pours some orange juice from a jug into the chunky little glass in front of your plate. „He was busy with carrots yesterday.“
„What— What does that have to do with…?“
„He was huffing out loud because he couldn’t pull out a particularly large one.“
„That’s what I heard when we arrived?“
„Precisely you did.“ As if your jaw couldn’t hang any lower, now you’re also flooded with embarrassment.
„He was squatting right behind the large bush that blocks the view,“ Baekhyun continues. He said he didn’t even hear us arrive because he had headphones on.“
„Jesus, really?“
„I was already wondering why I didn’t notice any danger when we arrived at the house. You only heard the noise and made a conclusion. But actually, Mister Lee was in his own world.“
„Oh…“
„I helped him plug out the remaining carrots just half an hour ago. It was really easy. He gave me a few potatoes from his garden, too. I’ll make you fries for lunch today.“
„You really hear what you want to hear,“ you say to yourself out loud and start chugging the orange juice. Maybe moving into the underground tunnel system you’re planning to build for yourself to disappear from the face of this earth is still a very good idea.
„And don’t worry. I didn’t tell Mister Lee about your reaction. He doesn’t know about the misunderstanding. I just said I heard him shout in his garden and he readily explained what he was working on.“
„That was very sensible, Baekhyun. So I was accusing him for nothing, then.“
You bury your face in your palms. Goddammit.
„Mister Lee is as harmless and unbiased against bots as this waffle,“ Baekhyun points squarely at your plate.
„And I thought this would end up in a fistfight.“
„The funny thing is. Mister Lee said he used to be a boxer back in the 1980s and had muscles like I do. He was really amused how fast I was pulling out the carrots.“
„B-Boxer? Was he trying to intimidate you?“
Maybe you need to muster your rusty karate skills again. Who knows what Mister Lee was really up to. You didn’t know much about his family, but you’re sure a more detailed Internet search would reveal that his grandfather was indeed called Bruce.
„No worries,“ Baekhyun picks up the jar again, re-filling your juice. „He called me a dapper young gentleman and offered we could come over to have carrot cake at 4 PM. He says the house is a little empty since his grandkids moved to San Francisco. Mrs Lee is also looking forward to congratulate us. If you’re free after work?“
„They… invited us?!“
„In the most friendly way possible. And their potatoes are really huge. That’s going to be a lot of fries.“
Looks like Baekhyun has found your neighbors to be much more trustable than your paranoid robot gf brain. Before you can really deliberate whether to say yes or no, your intuition does the work for you and makes your strained jaw blab the words.
„I’m free, sure I—“
The doorbell rings twice, ripping you right out of your thought flow.
Baekhyun swiftly gets up. You already expect Hyuna or Chen with the latest gossip in town about your universally heard late-night moaning noises.
Setting up what feels like another Guinness world record, you stress-eat two waffles at once before readying yourself to get up, too. Another loss of face right around the corner but at least you have something in your stomach and Baekhyun’s beautifully cooked meal isn’t getting cold which would be the ultimate heresy.
To your relief, however, Baekhyun returns with—
A post box.
„Delivery for my princess,“ he chirps from the kitchen entrance. „Wow, it’s really heavy, too!“
„God, I’m a mess,“ you shake your head at yourself.
„Pardon?“
„Nothing, I just said it’s actually for the prince, you know.“
Your castle might be an outdated yellow house, but it has a creaking palace door and splendid clothing parlor. And pancakes for dinner. And the prince has a really big dick, so.
„For— me?“
„Yes, yes. If Mr. Kim can send you something nice, I can do that, too.“
There goes another portion of your salary but fuck it. You act as if you were puffing yourself up a little, with flared nostrils and a dandy eyebrow wiggle. A laughing Baekhyun uses his mere nails to loosen the tape from the packaging in one smooth go, and also doesn’t seem to extend any efforts prying it open. You’ve never seen anyone open a box this elegantly.
„That’s the kind of rivalry between creators I didn’t expect,“ he says. „I hope you’ll like the new clothes, by the way.“
You’re starting to get the hang of this whole bots-and-boredom thing. Keeping Baekhyun on his toes is paradoxically both less and more of a big deal than you thought but you’re working it out.
A note of calling your declared friendly rival Mr. Kim to ask him for a few more pointers is what you decidedly jot down on your own mental to-do list. He explicitly said that Baekhyun can very well explain himself, but getting some more insider knowledge to ambush Baekhyun with surprises doesn’t hurt. And whatever this kinetic learning thing is, you certainly need some more ideas from the source, too.
„You can model them after we return from eating cake.“
„Nothing I’ll love more,“ Baekhyun removes some of the crumpled up paper cushioning inside. Since the box is fairly big, it takes a bit until the content becomes apparent to him. Once he realizes what it is, Baekhyun’s eyes light up and he starts jumping up and down through the kitchen.
„It’s a pink clouds machine!“
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NOTE: oof, that’s a big ole fic :D i hope you liked it. talk to me about baek 😭❤️ 
© submissive-bangtan 2017-2020. all rights reserved. reposts prohibited. portrayals are fictional and for entertainment purposes only.
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lilcoffeecup · 3 years
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Family Lost,Family Found
This is my entry for the fluff/angst Maribat April. This is the angst piece to @i-love-being-weird‘s fluff piece. Its not very long, I hope you enjoy it and if you have a chance go check out the fluff piece (it’s really good) :) @maribat-angst-fluff-april
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Life on the streets had always been hard for Jason, not knowing when his next meal would be or if he would have to endure another beatdown when he wouldn’t pay the ‘monthly tax’ to the two-bit criminal working for Black Mask. He hadn’t expected to have this weird feeling in his chest that made him want to protect her from all the bad things in life. In Crime Alley it was survival of the fittest and if you wanted to survive you were only supposed to look after yourself, only yourself. Somehow though, there she was, shivering in the rain and looking as thin as a twig which would break if simply touched.  
“Hey, its raining out, you should go back home, it’s not safe to be out here”
“I-I don’t ha-have a-a home or any wh-where to g-go”
“Well come on then, I know a place” “Wh-where?” “A lil’ up ahead, you’re shaking like a leaf so hurry up”
Upon reaching the building, Jason could see that the little girl was still shaking, it made sense though since unlike him who was only a little bit wet, she was soaked to the bone.
“Here, blueberry” Jason hands Marinette a blanket, “warm up, this place doesn’t have heating, so these blankets are all we got” gesturing to the pile of worn-out blankets which had definitely seen better days.  For the first time in a long time both Marinette and Jason feel asleep knowing that they were not alone.
Over the next few weeks, Jason and Marinette, who Jason had taken to calling pixie, became inseparable, things were somewhat good, running errands for some thugs got Jason money for food and he didn’t feel lonely ever since pixie came into his life. Jason should have known that it wouldn’t last, money was dwindling as fast as it was coming and the time for the monthly payment was coming up. He hadn’t realized how hard it would be when it wasn’t only him that he had to look out for, but also pixie, his little sister not by blood but by love.
Over the next few days Marinette could see that something had been bothering Jason, but every time she asked, he said nothing and tried to change the subject.
“Jay-Jay, what’s wrong, you seem so much more on edge for the past few days?” “Hmm, oh its nothing pixie, I scored this somewhat fresh loaf of bread today, here” Jason said, giving the loaf to Marinette and only ripping off a tiny piece. Marinette heard the rumble of Jason’s stomach and looked at him questionably, he had been getting thinner and she couldn’t help but think that it was her fault. Ripping off a big chunk of the loaf, she handed it to Jason, “Jay-Jay you need to eat, don’t think I haven’t noticed you giving me most of the food, you need it more than me” “No pix, I already ate, I brought this for you” “Bu- “. Jason cut Marinette off, “No buts pixie, you need to eat or you’re going to be a twig forever!” “Hey! I’m not a twig” “Then eat pixie” Marinette huffed then mumbled out a “fine”.
Marinette had been meaning to do something for Jason for a while now and she found her opportunity when she came upon a fruit stall, the owner was busy talking to someone, so she quickly swiped an apple. While walking away she beamed, “Jason’s gonna love it!” she thought. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the two men looking at her with knowing eyes.
“Hey! Isn’t that the kid whose been hanging around with the Todd brat these days?” “Yeah, I’ve word on the street is that she’s his sister or somethin’” The taller man, Mark, smirks, “well, well, well, guess we found the Todd brat’s weakness now”. The other man, Bill, smirks as well “collection time is coming up soon anyways, why not send a lil’ reminder”
2 blocks away from her and Jason’s hideout, Marinette was sure to hide her loot so that no prying eyes would see anything, this was for Jason and no one else. All of a sudden, she heard a holler behind her and spun around, immediately on edge.
“Hey kid! you’re with that Todd brat aren’t cha, his sister?” They didn’t wait for a response, just barreled into her, knocking her to the ground. “See, ya brother usually ends up comin’ up late on payments so we thought a lil’ incentive would nice, saves us the hassle of having to track the brat down and him a beating, ya know”  
Before she could get up and run, she felt the wind get knocked out of her by a kick to her stomach, then her ribs, she curled into herself as tight as she could, but they kept on kicking her. She hadn’t even realized when they had stopped and left, she hurt all over and farther ahead was a mushed apple with a section bitten off suggesting that someone had taken a bite then crushed it with their shoe.
Crying, bleeding, and defeated, Marinette limped back to the abandoned building she and Jason had huddled up in. As soon as she got in, she was faced by a worried Jason. “Pixie!! Where were you, I came back and you weren’t here, I was so worried something had happe- “Jason cut himself off. “Pixie, what happened to you? Where did all these bruises come from, just give me the name and I swear they won’t ever touch you again”
“I don’t know their names, but they said something about beating me up as incentive for them not having to track you down for payments and for you to avoid a beating”, Jason felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He had been worried about this month’s payment date was creeping closer and closer and how he didn’t have enough, again. He had heard that the tires business had been doing well in the Black Shack, the place where most stolen things were fenced. He would have to make sure to try and score some, and cash in a few favours to try and scrounge up the money. Batman usually stuck to the city and here, in Crime Alley, there was no Batman that was gonna swoop in and save him or pixie if he wasn’t able to pay up in time.
Jason spent almost all of the next day trying to scope out any potential places he could hit and while he was able to get some loot, it wasn’t enough. It was already after dusk and the night had set in, and he knew he better get back soon since the later at night, the more dangerous it is. Just 1 or 2 buildings before his destination, he saw it, the bat-mobile, basking under the moonlight like a gift from above, and just by looking at it he could tell that they were custom. This would easily be able to cover the rest of the payment and he could get that plushie pixie had been staring at the other day.
He first made sure that no one was nearby, it wouldn’t do for someone to try and claim his prize before he could. Confirming an all clear, or as clear as it could be for the time of night, he got to work on the tires. He was almost done taking out the 3rd tire when he heard someone around him and whipped around so fast, he was sure he would feel it in his neck later. He couldn’t see the person but definitely felt someone’s eyes on him.
“Whoever you are, beat it, I found this first so it’s mine, go find your own!”.  The response startled him, as the person came out of the shadows, “This is my car, so I don’t think I’ll beat it”, it was the Batman, and Jason felt as if those white lenses were piercing into his very being. “Ho-Holy shit, you’re the Batman!” “Yes, yes, I am, now could you put the tires back on my car?” “I-I can’t, I need the money, not all of us can afford to live lavishly like you, judging by your custom tires” “Why do you need the money, kid?” “None of your business” Jason sneered, he was getting sick of this, he had hidden the other tires well so he could come back for them tomorrow, he needed to get out of here ASAP. “Where do you think you’re going kid?” Batman asked just as Jason was about to turn and make a run for it, Jason didn’t bother to give him a response just made a mad dash for it.
He didn’t get far when Batman caught up to him, “Kid, I need you to put my tires back on” ‘this isn’t worth it’ Jason thought and decided that he would put the tires back then get back to pixie straight after. As soon as Jason had finished putting back all the tires, he was just about to get the hell out of there when he heard Batman “Get in kid” and knew that he couldn’t leave pixie all alone.
“No, I’m not going with you, you sicko! I already fixed your tires, what else do you want from me!” He struggled “The streets aren’t a safe place for kids, you’re coming with me” “No, let me go! I can’t leave her alone! You don’t understand! Let go!!” “Who her? Is there someone living with you?” Jason mentally hit himself, ‘how could he expose pixie! No, he couldn’t tell him about her!’. “No-one” Jason said as he was huddled into the bat mobile.
It was a few weeks until Jason was able to get out of the Manor and back to Crime Alley to check on pixie. When he reached the abandoned building, there was no pixie in sight, and almost nothing that would tell that anyone had lived there. Finding out through the grapevine, it turned out that pixie had been sold to a tourist couple in the façade of an adoption to pay off the debt that had built up in Jason’s absence. He had failed to protect her, failed to keep her away from all the bad things and now because of Jason’s mistakes, she was paying the price. He swore that he would find her and that when he did, he would never let her go, ever.
It had been years since that fateful night, Jason missed and thought of his little sister every day, he had given up hope on finding her after the first 2 years. Lost in thought, he didn’t realize bumping into a petite black-haired girl carrying a coffee walking out of a café that he and pixie would go to on special days if the had enough money. “Sorry mister, didn’t see you there, would you happen to know where the Wayne Enterprises building is?” “Don’t apologize, it was my fault too, lost in thought, I was just heading there myself, I can show you”. “Thank you so much!”
Jason couldn’t help but be reminded of his little pixie when looking at this girl, he felt his chest tighten up at the thought. “Hey mister, are you okay? you seem to have spaced out a bit” the girl asked. “No, I’m fine, you just remind me of someone who I miss a lot” “Funny enough, you remind me of someone I used to know and cherish a lot when I used to live here”.
“You used to live here?” Jason asked, he would definitely not have been able to tell had she not pointed it out. “Yeah, but it was a long time ago, I used to live in Crime Alley with my brother but got separated and haven’t seen him since” the girl said with a sad and pained face.
“We’re here!” Jason said as they reached the building, “Thanks for all the help mister!” said the girl and was about to walk away when Jason’s had realized that they had never introduced themselves, “Hey! What’s your name?”. The girl turned around and smiled “Sorry, I totally forgot to introduce myself, Hi, I’m Marinette” Marinette stuck out her hand, Jason shook it and said “Hey, I’m Jason”. Both thought ‘that’s her/his name! It can’t be thoug-‘ they didn’t have time to finish their though before a teenager about the age of Marinette with a coffee cup in hand and a younger child came into view.
What the younger said, shook Marinette to her core, not going unnoticed by the rest, “Todd! Finally, you show up Father and Drake have been waiting for you!”. “Marinette? What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost”, Jason looked concerningly at Marinette, “You-you’re na-name is Jason Todd?” “Yeah…why?” Jason was getting worried now but felt as if the word has stopped when he heard what Marinette said next.
Her voice cracking, Marinette spoke so quietly, almost as if whispering “Jay-Jay? Is that you?” Jason almost broke into sobs right in the lobby of W.E., could this really be happening? “Pixie, that you?”. Marinette immediately threw herself into Jason’s chest, and nodded “Ye-yeah it’s me, oh my God, jay-jay I thought I would never be able to see you again, are you really here, tell me this isn’t another dream because I don’t ever want to wake up if it is”. Jason started rubbing soothing circles on her back while shedding his own tears, “Shhh, it’s okay Pixie, it’s me, I’m really here, this is real and I thought I would never see you again either” “God pix, I’m so, so, sorry I left you all alone, I looked for you everywhere but never found you”. “Please don’t leave me again” Marinette sobbed, “I don’t want to lose you again”. Jason felt even more tears pooling and dripping from his eyes, “Never pixie, I will never leave you, ever.” 
Jason tightly hugged Marinette, “I missed you Jay-Jay” “I missed you too Pixie,  I missed you too”. 
~fin.
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hogwartsmarvelmommy · 3 years
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Fallout of the Century 🌑💔
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Part 1. 🥜
Word-count: 4.5K
Warnings- This is very angsty, Mentions of cheating, falling apart, and overall depression. 
Masterlist
Summery: Your wold has practically fallen apart when you walk in on something you weren't supposed to see. Causing you and your soon to be husband Harry Holland to call of your engagement. Months pass and you are just trying to put the pieces back together. Will you ever be able to sort your life out?
My head came up from under the surface, breaking the water around me. I let out a gasp as I rubbed the water from my face. There was a banging at the bathroom door before it swung open with force. He swung the curtain open, exposing my naked body. He had seen me this way before, so the sight didn't even make him bat an eyelash. 
“Seriously peanut? I was out there for like three minutes calling you.” His tone was harsh and firm, this was not the first time this had happened. Ever since the break up I just wasn't the same anymore, and the only one who saw the bad was Harrison. 
“Sorry,” I muttered , slipping back below the surface of the water. Harrison’s hands reached in and grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up.
“We are not doing this again peanut,” he groaned as he pulled me to my feet, soaking himself in the process. 
“Harrison, I'm fine,” I tried to convince him, but he knew otherwise. 
“I know tonight will be hard, and I know you'll want to bail, and I know that you will hate it, but I'll be right here, and so will Tuwaine. We have to try and put this behind us,” He pulled the towel around my shoulders and helped me out of the tub. He walked me to my bedroom and stood in the doorway until I had a pair of leggings and a hoodie on. “You sure you want to wear that one?” he asked. I looked down, noticing I had grabbed Harry's pink hoodie, because I was in such a haze. I felt tears rush to my eyes as I pulled it off and grabbed one of my own. We walked down to the living room and sat on the armchairs, waiting. My hair was still wet, and Harrison’s shirt was damp from helping me out of the bath, but I was sure no one would notice. Or care. 
First to arrive was Tuwaine, he walked over giving me a hug and kissing my forehead before finding his usual spot on the couch. Next it was Sam, then Tom, and then finally. Harry. 
He didn't look good, not like himself, he looked sad and hollow, but i tried to ignore it. Six months ago there would have been one more person with us, but six months ago seemed like a lifetime away.
Harry walked past me, without even so much as a glance, which was no different than I had expected. 
Harrison pulled out the board game and arranged it on the table in front of us. I looked up and caught Harry's glance, he instantly looked away. I sighed and went to get up but was stopped by Harrison’s voice. 
“OK, this is going to go differently tonight. No name calling. No snide comments. No outbursts. None. and if anyone does, their buy-in is instantly up for grabs and you forfeit.” Everyone shook their heads at the new rules Harrison had put in place. It sucked to think Harry and I were the reason for it, but that's the way life works sometimes. 
Our monthly monopoly games had become nothing more than awkward, so when Harrison had brought it up last week at dinner I was instantly ready to find anything else to do, But he insisted I be there. 
So here I am, sitting across from the love of my life, broken and damaged and completely regretting agreeing to this. 
“You're on my property Y/N, pay up.” Harry said coldly to me. I grabbed the five dollars I owed him and handed it over. I felt bad for our friends, the tension between us was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. No one knew what had happened between us, but they all knew it had to have been bad. 
“Where has Olivia been?” Tuwaine asked, not knowing where the girl had disappeared to. Truth be told no one knew, because I had told her if she ever showed her face or talked to any of them again I would do a lot worse to her than she did to me. I took a deep breath trying to keep my cool. 
“I'm sorry Harrison, I just can't do this tonight,” I told him as I got up and stormed out of the living room. All I could think about was that night, the memories flashing through my mind. 
“Harry baby, I'm home,” I yelled as I walked into our small apartment. I had been out of town on a business trip, but somehow made it home earlier than i expected. I had set my keys on the table and noticed a key chain that I recognized, but was not my fiance’s. I remember the tightening in my stomach as I walked down the hall and saw discarded clothing all the way to our bedroom. And when I opened the door, I was shocked to see the man I was set to marry in less than four months and my best friend laying naked and asleep in my bed.
There was a knock on my door and it opened slowly. I looked up expecting Hazza but instead saw the man I once would do anything for. “Can I come in?” He asked quietly. I nodded my head and scooted over on the bed giving him a spot to sit. 
“They make you come up?” I asked him. 
“No, they actually told me not to.” He said. “You still haven't told them?” He asked me softly.
“I have no reason to ruin the way everyone sees you, Harry,” I told him coldly. He nodded and I could see him chewing the inside of his cheek, a bad habit he had when he was stressed. “Stop doing that, you're going to put a hole in your cheek,” I told him. He laughed at that although it was a dry laugh. 
“You know you're not the only one hurting Y/N,” He said boldly. I wasn't one to freak out, hell i was the calmest person i knew, but he had a way of just getting under my skin.
“No you're right Harry, I'm not. You must be devastated that you cheated on my with my best friend, you must be crushed that you wasted five years of your life just to throw it away over some dumb slut who was always out for your dick, You must be wrecked, not having to explain to all your family and friends that your wedding is canceled, and not having anything to tell them because your too loving of a person to ruin your ex’s reputation,” i took a deep breath trying to keep my cool, seemed to be a trend tonight. 
“Well, you didn't exactly make the five years easy Y/N. I'm sorry I slept with Olivia, yes. But I'm pretty sure our relationship ended way before that,” I looked at Harry dumbfounded, our relationship had been perfect, never once was there any problems, until the week leading up to the fall out. 
“Because I got a good job and was traveling more?” I demanded. He nodded his head and it took everything inside me not to punch him in the jaw. “Get out Harry,” I told him, annoyed with his presence in my room. “And take that stupid hoodie with you,”
He stood up standing at the edge of the bed and looked down at the pink hoodie, before looking back at me. I thought for a moment I saw the boy I had fallen In love with all those years ago shine through, but his face quickly contorted back to what he had become. "That one always looked better on you, keep it," he said as he walked out the door. 
I wanted to scream and shout. I wanted to cry. 
I wanted to feel anything.
But I just felt numb. 
I walked around the apartment grabbing all the discarded clothes and Olivia's keys before walking back to my bedroom and throwing them on them sleeping in MY bed. “Forgot to clean up after yourselves” I shouted slamming the door closed. I heard rummaging around and Olivia shrieked. 
“Oh my god what did we do?” 
Harry came rushing out of our bedroom and found me standing in the kitchen. “Baby, i don't know what happened,” He was panicking. Maybe they had gotten drunk, maybe it was a spur of the moment thing, but no excuse would make up for it. 
“I'm going to Harrison's, I'll be here to get my stuff in a few days,” Was all I told him that night. I walked out the door, my head held high and kept my composure until Harrison opened his door. I collapsed in his arms, every emotion flooding my body, I couldn't speak, or move. 
I rolled out of bed and looked at my alarm clock. 2am. I was sure the boys would probably still be down there playing the game. I needed to go and get a glass of water, so I walked downstairs and to the kitchen. Just as I thought they were all still huddled around the coffee table, empty beer bottles all around them. 
“Peanut!” Tom exclaimed as soon as his eyes saw me, “I thought you went to bed,” He was drunk, and I was sure he wasn't the only one.
“Need water,” I told him, giving him a weak smile. 
“She sleeps with like five bottles next to the bed,” Harry laughed. I rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen. I could hear some of the conversation from the kitchen but nothing sparked my interest until I heard Harry say. “Well if i would not have slept with Olivia then nothing would be fucked up, so its my fault anyway,” all the noise subsided. 
I stepped out of the kitchen with my water in hand and looked at Harry who was sitting with his face in his hands, and everyone else was staring at him, with their jaws on the floor. 
“Is that why you guys broke up?” Tom asked. He wasn't asking me, he needed to hear from his brother. I had kept all of the bad to myself, not wanting anyone to look at Harry like a monster. Cause i knew he wasn't one. 
Harry didn't move his hands from his face, “I fucked it all up,” He groaned. I felt a twinge of guilt rush over me and I went to go comfort him despite how much he had hurt me, but Sam stood up as soon as he saw me take a step, shaking his head. I nodded and scurried off to my room, soon after I heard my door open, and Harrison walked in, flipping my light switch on. “You didn't tell me.” He said.
“Didn't want you to see him differently,” I told him quietly.
“With Olivia?” He asked as he walked over to my bed. 
“Yeah,” I scoffed. “I'm not innocent in this though, so please don't feel sorry for me,” I told him. 
“How are you not innocent?” He asked me. 
I thought about whether or not I wanted to tell Harrison, would he think as low of me as Harry now did? “Before me and Harry got together. One night we were all out at a pub, and me and Tom snuck off and, had sex. The next day he told us he blacked out and didn't remember anything, so I never brought that night up. Me and Harry started dating like a month after that, but I kept that secret. Until I threw it in his face to hurt him.” I sighed. I didn't want to look at Harrison, I was scared he would look at me like a monster. 
“That was before you together though, it's not the same nut,” He said, surprising me. 
“Maybe not, but it was still shitty of me,” I told him.  He shrugged his shoulders and then we started to hear yelling downstairs. Harrison got up and left to go see what was going on.
About an hour passed and the yelling had stopped and so had any noise. I assumed everyone had gone to bed or left. My door opened quietly and then shut. There was a shuffling as someone climbed into bed next to me. I rolled over and before my eyes even made out who it was, the smell hit me. So familiar yet so distant. 
“Harry,” I whispered, looking at the ginger boy whose eyes were puffy and nose was red, surly from crying.
“I know,” He whispered. “I just, can I please, just tonight?” he asked. I wanted to be strong and tell him to get out of my room. I wanted to push him off my bed. I wanted to hate him. Truth be told, I missed him. Sleeping in his arms, his curly hair tickling my face as he snuggles into my neck, the sweet kisses he would litter my body with. 
“Just tonight,” I told him firmly. A smile spread across his lips and he pulled my body into his, holding me close, instantly falling back into a routine we both knew so well. 
“Hey miss,” A voice called from behind me. I turned to see Harry running after me. 
“Harry?” I asked recognizing him from a few nights we had bumped into each other at clubs and parties. 
“Oh you remembered?” He asked surprised. 
“I mean a face like that is pretty hard to forget,” I chuckled. 
“I was wondering if I could take you out? On a date?” He was nervous to ask me. 
“Yeah, id- Id like that a lot,” I told him, a smile spread across his face as we exchanged numbers.
I didn't know then how much I would love him. Also how much I would hate him. 
I opened my eyes and looked down to see the familiar arms still around me holding me tight. He was drunk last night so i hadn't been mad about him crashing in my bed, but i wasn't sure i wanted to lay here cuddling him. “Harry,” I said as I wriggled my body trying to get out of his firm grip. 
“Five more minutes,” He groaned. 
“Harry,” I said a bit more forcefully, making his arms loosen their grip so I could get up. “I have to get ready for work, and you should probably go,” I was practically whispering. 
“Peanut,” He started, but then shook his head. “You're right, I should go,” he pushed himself up and then stood up from the bed. He looked at me for a minute standing at the end of my bed with my arms crossed, I was sure I looked pathetic. He stepped forward, coming dangerously close to me. He reached out letting his fingers brush across my cheek. I felt the tears rush to my eyes, but held them back. “Will we ever be able to fix this?” He asked quietly. I bit my bottom lip, hard, trying to figure out how to respond. 
“Is there anything worth fixing anymore?” I asked him. Looking up and seeing the hurt in his eyes. 
“I think a life with you is worth fixing,” He muttered. “I'm sorry,” He said before he walked out of my room. 
 I threw myself onto my bed and groaned. My life honestly sucked. I got out of bed and got ready for work. I walked down to the kitchen to see Harrison drinking a cup of tea. “Hazza,” I smiled. 
“I don't like it,” he said softly. I turned to him as I poured my coffee. 
“Don't like what?” I asked. 
“Him trying to weasel his way in. you deserve more than him, and he knows it,” i was caught off guard by his sudden anger towards Harry. 
“Harrison, I-” I was quickly cut off as he stepped forward, grabbing my face and pushing his lips into mine. I was going to push him away, but I found myself kissing him back. He broke his lips away from mine and left the kitchen without so much as a word. Leaving me standing there, dumbfounded and confused. 
I grabbed my keys and left the house. Maybe work would be less confusing than my morning. 
“Try it,” Harry pushed the sushi in my face. 
“Harry, it has raw fish,” I complained, pushing it back. 
“Babe just take a tiny bite, you might just like it,” He told me. I rolled my eyes and took the smallest bite, chewing for a minute and then spitting it in the napkin. 
“Awful, just like I thought,” I told him.he laughed as he pushed the sushi to the side and leaned forward, kissing me. 
“I love you,” He whispered for the first time. 
“You do?” I asked. He nodded his head and kissed me once more. “I love you, Harry,” I told him. 
Work flew by, faster than I would have hoped. My day had come to an end and I was sitting in my car, debating on what to do, when my phone started to ring. 
“Hello?” 
“Hey, it's me,” id recognize that voice anywhere. 
“What do you want Olivia?” I asked. 
“Can we just talk? I miss you.” 
“I don't want to talk to you, and i don’t miss you,” i hung up the call without letting her respond. I just wanted to crawl into a whole and die. 
I drove home, and parked in my spot. I wasn't sure I wanted to go in. Harrison had kissed me this morning. Which in and of itself was weird, but add on top of that that I had spent the night with Harry. I threw my head back hitting the headrest, I let out a loud groan as I grabbed my phone and dialed a number I had dialed too many times to count. 
“Are you OK?” His voice was full of concern and worry, I hadn't called him in months. 
“I'm so lost, Harry,” I said quietly.
“Like you need me to come and find you? Or metaphorically?” He asked me, i could sense the smirk through the phone.
“Metaphorically, I guess.” I told him.
“I can come to you if you want,” He sounded hopeful and eager. 
“No.” I just wanted to talk to you,” I muttered. Why had I called him anyway? Did I enjoy torturing myself? “Do you remember the first time you told me you loved me?” 
“The sushi date? Of course I do nut,” He said quietly. 
“I was sure that that was forever. That day, I knew it was you, and it always would be. Looking back, we were so happy. So why did you do it?” I had never given him a chance to explain what had happened that night, every time he would try I would storm off or yell. I think deep down I didn't want to know the truth, but if I was going to figure out what I was doing I needed to know all the facts. 
I heard him sigh through the other side of the phone. “I missed you, probably too much. She had come over for some reason, and I had been drinking, I don't even remember it. I just remember waking up, to you throwing clothes and shoes at us, and then seeing your face. I… I didn't know it was possible to physically feel your heart shatter, but that night I did. I felt my whole world slip out from under me,” He sounded sincere.
“I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Tom. That wasn't a fair secret to keep, I should have told you as soon as I knew he was your brother,” I said. 
“It was none of my business, It happened before we even knew each other,” he said. 
“I love you Harry. I do. But i don’t what to do,” I whispered. 
“I love you, I'll keep fighting for you, for us. This can't be how we end, ours was the epic one, the love story for the ages,” he said.
“And it was the fallout of the century,” I whispered as I hung up. 
I walked into the house, not sure what to expect. Harrison was standing in the kitchen cooking something and Tuwaine was on the couch watching TV. “Smells good,” I told Harrison as I walked over to beside him. 
“It's your favorite,” He said, giving me a big smile. 
“What's the occasion?” I asked. He looked at me with a goofy grin and his crystal blue eyes.
“Just thought you could use a little pick me up,” He leaned over kissing my forehead, which was not out of the ordinary. 
“I definitely do need it,” I said as I went to the couch, throwing myself down next to Tuwaine. 
“Work?” He asked me. 
“It was fast, so not bad” I smiled at him. 
“And are you OK? I mean last night was kind of a lot for all of us,” He muttered. 
“I will be, in time. I just need to figure out what I need and want,” he looked over his shoulder to Harrison who was distracted with his cooking. 
“I don't know if you know this or not, but he's in love with you, and I know Harry still is too. Things are probably going to get really complicated,” He warned me.
“I don't even know what to do. Harry crushed me, like soul shattering pain, but I still love him. And Hazza, i mean i love him so much, but I've never considered him as anything other than a friend,” i told Tuwaine. 
“Well, you never had to consider Hazza as anything else, cause you had Harry, and now you don't. So you can make the choice for yourself. Maybe Harrison is who you were meant to be with, and Harry was just keeping you close until Harrison was ready,” he whispered, shrugging his shoulders. I laughed at that.
“Damn,” Harrison said from the kitchen. We both looked back to see him staring at us. 
“What?” I asked him.
“I missed the sound of your laugh,” He said, making my cheeks go red. Maybe Tuwaine was right.
We ate dinner and talked and laughed about our days, before turning in for the night. Tuwaine’s room was on the opposite side of the house than mine and Harrison’s, so Harrison walked me to my bedroom door. 
“I'm sorry about this morning, that may have been out of line,” he ran his hand through his wavy blonde hair. 
“You don't need to apologize to me,” I told him, grabbing his hand. “I just don't know if I'm ready to move on, or not,” I whispered. 
“Well, when you decide you are, you know where i'll be,” He leaned in, pushing his lips softly against mine before walking across the hall to his room. As if my life wasn't already confusing.
“Harry!” I groaned as we hiked up the tall hill. 
“Just a bit farther, baby, I promise the view will be worth it,” He told me. We reached the top of the hill just as the sun was setting over the horizon. It was a breathtaking view. I turned to Harry, or where he should have been, but he wasn't there. I turned around to see him down on one knee in front of me holding a little white box. 
“I know this is cheesy, but I'm a little cheesy. I've known for so long that you were my forever, my happily ever after. I can't imagine my life without you in it, and I don't want to. Y/N Y/L/N, will you marry me?” He flipped the box open revealing a white band ring with a black and blue stone, something I had always said I wanted.
“Oh my god Harry, yes i'll marry you. A million times yes!” I exclaimed , pulling him to his feet and jumping into his arms. 
How did we go from that to now?
I was sitting on my bed, going through pictures when my phone vibrated. I looked down and it was a text from Harry. 
‘You think I could swing by for a minute?’ 
I knew I should tell him no, but I was curious as to what he wanted at this hour. 
‘Sure’ I texted him back. I heard the front door open almost as soon as the text was delivered, and then my door opened and he stepped into my room, shutting the door behind him. 
“You came before texting?” I asked him. 
“I forgot to, until I pulled in,” He sighed. “What are you doing?” He asked me. 
“Going through all these pictures. I want to frame a few, just don't know which ones,” I told him. He walked over grabbing one of the photos that I had in a pile, it was from when he proposed, a stranger had taken it for us. The picture itself was blurry but it was still my favorite. 
“That one was always my favorite,” He said, setting it back down. I nodded in agreement.
“So what brings you over?” I asked quietly. 
“Um, Olivia called me.” He said. My eyes shot up, my brows were furrowed and I could feel the anger rising inside of me. “She said you won't talk to her, and she just wants to apologize or something,” he sighed. “I didn't answer her, that's just what she said on my voicemail,” 
“Well i’m not going to call her, i don’t need her stupid apology,” I said blankly. “It sucks knowing my best friend came over to my house and took advantage of my intoxicated fiance. like I could maybe forgive you, in time. But I want to kill her, with every fiber of my being, I want to hurt her.” I took a deep breath, and looked at the pictures in my hands. 
“Yeah,” was all he said. 
“Maybe we should try dating,” I told him quietly. 
“Each other?” He asked me. 
“No, I mean other people. We should probably put ourselves back out there, and who knows maybe we will hate it and come back together. But it's been six months, we have to start moving on,” I sighed. 
He stood there looking at me, his eyes full of hurt and confusion, and I felt bad, but I knew that this was something we both needed. “Yeah we probably should do the dating thing, i'm not sure where I'd even look, but yeah,” He said. I rolled my eyes and laughed. 
“There is that girl at the coffee shop, she used to eye fuck you,” i told him. 
“The barista? Shelby?” I nodded, recalling how irritated I used to get when her eyes were all over him. “Maybe I'll ask for her number, or something,” He laughed. “And you?” 
“Hmm?”
“Where will you look?” he asked. 
“For dating? Oh I don't know.” I said, which was a blatant lie. 
“Okay, well I should go,” he smiled before leaving my room and then the house.
 I moved the pictures that were scattered across my bed to my dresser, and laid in my bed. I regretted telling Harry we should date other people, I think seeing him with someone would crush me even worse. I knew it was for the best though, we needed to give ourselves this, the chance to move on, to be happy, without each other. We had spent so long together that I had forgotten how to do the dating thing. 
“I found my dress,” I teased as I climbed onto Harry's lap. “It accentuates all the best parts of my body,” I leaned in letting my lips brush his earlobe before whispering “Your favorite parts,” 
He grabbed my ass squeezing it hard. 
“Can't wait to see you in it baby, I'm sure I'll be blown away,” he smiled sweetly. 
I leaned in to let our lips devour each other, until we needed more. 
And he never saw the dress, and he probably never would.
Part 2 🥜
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stellaryusdb · 3 years
Text
I Do Love You
— a JiSolB FanFic by stellaryusdb; spin-off to Let Me Love You
Seo Jiho’s POV
"Prosecutor Seo, good evening!" Said a known prosecutor that remains unknown to me. I forced a smile while shaking his hand. I wonder what it'd look like.
I am so tired of this. I am currently in a party and surrounded by big names in the field - lawyers, prosecutors, judges. There are also corrupt politicians whom I've questioned in the court, as well as egotistic businessmen I sent to jail but ended up abusing their power to get out of it. It makes me sick that I was invited to this party. I should be at home, preparing for my case for next week's hearing. I blame Bokgi for dragging me into this hellhole. 
It's suffocating. It felt as if I had to swallow a big lump in my throat as I interacted with the people in here. Not until my eyes darted onto someone whom I know, and I am sure as heck feels the same way.
Kang Sol, my archenemy. It’s been years. A lot has changed since we celebrated the results of our bar exam. More specifically, when my other enemy, Joonhwi-hyung, confessed to her on the school grounds. I watched as we drifted apart.
I remember how I trembled in fear when he was nearby, enjoying the cheers in our circle. I remember how panic consumed my all. I remember feeling the cold air lingering on my face, heat travelling through different parts of my body. I remember how my shoulders went down in fatigue. I remember how I was defeated, even without fighting a single battle in this war. So I ran away.
I fell in love and I have been loving this archenemy of mine since forever. Well, I just realized it in law school. Back then, I always tell her how much I despise her but joke's on me because it's always been the other way around. Now, someone's in love with her. I've always thought that I am not worthy so I took a step back and gave in for my other enemy-turned-pal in law school.
I remember seeking comfort from Sol A-noona's reaction as we both watched them from afar. She forced a smile I could not return. I just... can't. And ever since then, I started to distance myself from the squad. I ran away even if I had no one to go to. I rarely attend our monthly catch-ups, always making up excuses. I also prohibited myself from getting too close to Sol B. I kept reminding myself, "Joonhwi-hyung likes her, I can’t…” In the end, I suffered the repercussions of longing for her.
I was hurt but then it's also my fault. I did not shoot my shot. I had three years to do it but didn't. Damn it, it's still so frustrating!
But now she's here, elegantly marching her way into the hall. Her hair slightly curled at its tips, reaching a bit beyond shoulder's length, like the one she's had in middle school. Eyes as mesmerizing as the stars in the sky. I hoped she looked at mine, praying that we'd form constellations. She's also wearing a white dress that perfectly matches her skin tone. Tied are its straps as they clung onto her shoulders. She's gorgeous, as always. It was as if the angels had given up their kind to bless the world with her beauty.
Was she looking for someone? I was kind of hoping that it'd be me but...
She halted when she caught my stare. Those piercing eyes that I was used to sent shivers down my spine. 
Heck, I am nervous! What do I do? I'm trying to avert her gaze because I might give into it. Should I confess? No. Hyung. Should I—
"Jiho." She called out my name. I was so distracted in trying to look busy that I didn't notice she's already in front of me.
I swallowed all my fears and anxieties before looking her in the eyes as I fixed my glasses.
"Sol."
She's looking at me and I cannot breathe properly. Years later, I just found myself gawking at the person who's captured my heart. My legs felt like jelly as we exchange gazes.
Static noise filled the room, then the speaker announced, "Greetings, everyone! As it is already midnight, I am inviting you all here, in the main hall, to dance waltz with the person on your 12 o'clock..." What a good timing!
I tried to excuse myself, "I'll just go there," then sprinting my way out, turning my back on her. I needed a sign.
"Jiho." Was that my cue?
My feet had its own mind because the next thing I know is that I am coming back to where I was a while ago, and where she is at the moment. Should I ask her to dance with me? Will it be too awkward? I wanted to but I just don't know how to do it. Everything's just so unexpected.
I exhaled a surrendering sigh because of what I am about to do. Ok. Here goes nothing.
"Do you know how to dance?" Stupid question.
"No," She replied.
Oh.
"But I'll go with you." I was stunned. I had to gulp once again.
Shaking and hesitating, I asked for her hand which she immediately gave and the next thing I know is that she's pulling me, leading me towards the dance floor. I guess this night has a lot more to unfold.
We are in the middle of the hall, just below the chandelier. People around us are swaying their bodies as if they really are enjoying this. Hypocrites.
I was caught off guard when she moved closer to me. And now our faces are only inches apart. She's also an inch taller than me as she's wearing heels. I hope they don't hurt her feet for too long.
Her eyes fell on the floor. Is she maybe waiting for me to initiate our dance? Whatever, I'll do it anyway. I am already here and I am not wasting this opportunity.
I took her hand that was on the side of her thigh while I maintained my eye in contact with hers, asking for permission. Now I got her attention. I was rewarded by a small smile that our squad rarely sees. I put it on my shoulder, followed by the other one. She was just watching me as I brave myself in doing whatever this is. After that, she held my hands at the same time and put them on her waist. Then, she rested hers on my shoulders.
My heart is racing, louder than the ballad that surrounds the hall. Does she hear it? She'll never know anyway.
Her lips start to form a smile as she looks into my eyes, then avoids them, then goes back to them. She looked over our feet. It's adorable, it's like she's about to blurt out a joke but...oh. I bet she's making fun of our height difference. I scoffed at the thought. She just never lets me live. But I don't mind at all.
She looked at me with eyes full of malice and said, “You should see the view from up here." No way. 
"That hurt." I said while raising my eyebrow at her. 
Her face fell into a frown. "I was just teasing you." Well, so do I. 
My smirk has turned into a grin. And when I realized it, I faked a cough. What is this feeling in my stomach?
Our bodies emerge into "dancing". Our footsteps complement each other as we watch them. This is very foreign to me. I hope she doesn't mind.
This moment was the least of what I expected in this very hour. I have pictured myself sitting in a corner, alone at the table, watching the people around me as I keep a keen eye to those I might be facing in court. My plan has been ironed out: I'll just stay for the food and leave after an hour or so. This party is pathetic anyway. But then she showed up and now she's here, in my arms.
In my arms. That felt like cloud nine. I just want her here, with me. But then, I started to doubt and question everything that's happening. My hands are on her waist, hers now around my neck, and everyone else is blurred in the background. It's just us. But what is this?
The thought of hyung just appeared in my mind again. 
I remember it very clearly during that night. When she took the flowers from Joonhwi-hyung, her eyes shot up to mine which I instantaneously averted. She can't see me. She should not. I didn’t want her to see me shatter. We were each others' anchors and I must not sink further. I do love her but I am not sure if she feels the same. And I am too afraid to ask. Now that hyung has made the move, what is left of me to do is to just go. To let go.
We were swaying when I started to keep my eyes from landing at hers. I feel uneasy but at the same time, I want to stay. I want to be with her. I want to make this night last.
But still, I shouldn't be the one in his place. I am just so...terrified. I don't know. I... I have to stop this before it gets out of hand.
She halted our waltz, perhaps feeling the sudden change in my atmosphere. When I tried to meet her eyes with mine, they were screaming a hint of betrayal, or was I just seeing things? 
She excused herself. I ruined it.
I sat on my seat to contemplate on what just happened. I feel the need to follow her and explain why my mood changed. But then, she'll know what I truly feel for her. And I promised myself that I will bury that secret with me to the ground. I can't. Joonhwi-hyung...
But is it so wrong to confess right now? I am not even asking for her to reciprocate it. It's just that I have to let it go so that I can finally move on with my life. I cannot stay in this unrequited zone forever. I have a life too. Will it be so selfish?
I just found myself following her trail, rushing my way out to go to where she was. When I got there, I paused for a while to catch my breath. She was looking over the city, scattered are the flashing lights before her eyes. She turned around to see me, with a glass of champagne in one hand. It was as if she was waiting for too long.
The familiar cold wind started to linger on my face again as I jogged to get close to her. Her arms are resting on the railing and when I arrived a few meters away from her, she looked away to go back to what she was doing before I came.
I just looked at her. Just a few more minutes, I beg.
I also leaned onto the railing as the steel touches my skin. I looked over the city lights in Seoul. Cold, busy, intimidating, lonely. It’s like I can relate to it, like it’s foreshadowing a fleeting feeling before I let go and set myself free. I needed to breathe before I let off everything I've kept for years.
"I returned the flowers to Joonhwi-oppa." She broke the deafening silence.
My brows furrowed at her words.
Then she looked at me and said, "It's not my favorite," before drinking the champagne until its very last drop. She put it on the table when it was already empty.
A flashback came to mind when we stopped by a florist's place. She was accompanying me as I bought flowers for my late father. I saw her staring at the lilacs that are beautifully arranged on the shelf.
"Do you want one?" I asked.
I saw how her eyes panicked before saying, "What? No." Then, she hurriedly went outside.
She's not into sunflowers. I could have told Joonhwi-hyung that but let me be selfish for a while. Let me have this little secret with her.
And right now, she's staring at me as I wait for my words to arrive. I was just completely left in awe. I do not know... I— I cannot understand.
"You did not see it because you left right when you saw me inside his car," she continued, then paused for a while. "I returned it from there. I did not want him to feel embarrassed in front of our friends."
I do not know if I am just seeing things but I noticed that waters started to form in her eyes. And when they aligned with mine, it was as if we were forming reflections. What is this? Sol...
"I was about to go to yours because I thought that I had a place there. You brought me here with you, but suddenly, you were so eager to leave. I had no choice but to ride a cab to get to your apartment, hoping that I'd find you there and that you'd keep your promise to go to my house. We were going to prepare for my case the following day just as what we had talked about."
I remember all those, too, how I hurriedly started my car and rushed my way out of that disheartening situation. I was drowning in my own pain that I forgot to look after her.
The waters in her eyes came rushing like a waterfall but her face remained stoic and heartless. It was as if the heavens had fallen upon me. I want to close our distance, to hold her if I were given a chance.
"We were going to pull an all-nighter which I have been looking forward to. When I arrived at your place, you weren't there. I tried to call you but you shut your doors on me. And it's been years, Jiho." She put emphasis on the last sentence while gritting her teeth which really, really tugged my heart, making me realize how much of a fool I was.
I took a few steps closer to her. I want her to feel my proximity, of how sorry I am. I just want to shelter her all my life.
"Why do you keep on running away?" she paused to take a deep breath before asking, "Do you hate me that much?" Now she started to sob. I can't. I— it's too much. A pang in my chest has been surging in all of me. I can't...
"Because Jiho, it's you. I know you despise me with all of you. But for me, it's always been you. I wanted you to take the flowers from Joonhwi-oppa and tell it to his face that it should have been lilacs. I wanted you to drag me out of the school grounds as I am willing to follow wherever you may go. I want you to study with me, to counter all my arguments, to let me help you with all your cases, and to bring comfort in my life just by the means of your proximity. But you were gone for so long..." The weight of her gaze has had me looking for the strength that is left in me.
Her expression starts to soften as she continues, "Now, just in case...If ever...if ever you're done hiding," she paused as her lips started to quiver. Tell me, I beg.
"If you're through with running away please tell me, if ever...if ever you feel the same way. At least I'll know where I stand and I won't be blindingly looking for your clues anymore."
The sounds of her sniffing have been etched in the atmosphere. The waters in her eyes just would not stop from falling. I want to go near her, wipe them away and shower her with reassurance that I never got to tell her. She's crying but she's still as beautiful as ever. And I want everything about her. I want to cross our gaps but will she let me do so?
She heavily sighed before looking back at the cities beneath us while wiping her tears away.
I hope it's not too late to redeem myself.
"Sol," I called her. My voice is trembling in fear. The only force that I am holding onto at this moment is the fact that she has these feelings for me. Heck, she feels something for me! Heavens, I have been waiting for this.
But then I hurt her. I betrayed her. I left her, when in fact, there is an unsaid vow to the both of us that we will be each other's constant. And I took it for granted.
"I'm sorry," I moved an inch closer to her to get her attention.
"I'm so sorry..." I felt a tear landing on my face. 
She shook her head as if she wanted to tell me how disappointed she was at me. So am I. So am I. And I hated myself for being a coward all this time.
I crossed another inch closer and asked, "Can I hold you?"
She looked at me, pearls still lounging in her eyes.
"I've been patiently waiting for you, Jiho."
First, I held her by the waist before pulling her onto my chest while she rested her chin on my shoulder. Good thing that our heads are side by side and she couldn't see me bawl my eyes out as my waters start to race on my face. I'm safe and sound now.
Finally.
"I'm sorry, Sol. I am so sorry." I cupped her face and started to catch the tears that wouldn't stop falling. Her eyes are red and pained. Her lips form a pout. Gods! I love this woman.
She did the same thing to me. It's the littlest things that she does that put me to my place, to constantly look out for her. Then eventually, falling for her.
I wrapped my arms around her waist to pull her closer. Then, I leaned my forehead against hers and closed my eyes. I felt that our noses touched. I took a peek at her eyes and caught that she was also peeking at mine. I smiled again. I closed my eyes, thankful for all the sinners and saints for this moment. So at peace. So contented.
After some time, I leaned away from her forehead which earned me a questioning look on her face.
I cupped her face again before saying, "I do feel the same way. I love you, Sol."
She started sobbing, but this time, I know she's glad at what she's heard. She's crying and suppressing a smile all at once. And she looked gorgeous while doing it.
"No more running away please." 
I gave her a reassuring nod before uttering, "No more."
We fell into the comfort of each other's presence without the words that bound us together and we had settled on that borderline. But at this very moment, everything just made more sense. The collateral damage we'd done in the past cannot be undone, but at least we can move forward. And I know that I can heal from it, with her by my side.
She, too, cupped my face and wiped the waters off of it, her eyes full of stars.
"We've lost years, Jiho." She realized.
"And we have a lifetime to make up for them." I replied.
She stopped what she was doing and blinked her eyes a little. "Did you just ask for my hand in marriage?"
"What? No." I teasingly copied her remark.
She tried glaring at me but I had a glimpse of a ghost of smile on her lips. I was trying not to smile too but she's just so adorable.
"Not yet. We are just starting." She used her voice that she applies whenever she counters my argument.
I playfully nodded. "Whenever you're ready."
Her eyes widened as her cheeks started to heat up. She buried her face on my neck as her arms were wrapped around my shoulder. I feel like a teenager going through puberty with everything that she's making me feel at the moment.
She faced me to say, "Jiho, this is the part where you kiss me," before allowing her eyes to drop at my lips. When she realized what she just said, her eyes started to wander.
I blinked at what she just declared. Well, I wanted to... but how? This is my first time doing this.
My throat went dry and I immediately licked my lips as I looked at hers. I inched my face closer to hers, still clueless of what I am doing, before pressing my lips onto hers and parting away from it real fast. Did I do it right?
Right after that, she stole a peck from my lips, copying what I’d done. I blinked and I felt heat rushing up my face. Again, I tried to brave myself and copied what she just did. I stole a kiss, then came another. I can do that, too! When I leaned in again, she caught my head to stop me from teasing her and to lock my lips with hers.
It was thorough and passionate. It was oasis after hundreds of years of push and pull. It was victorious, because at last, she's here with me, underneath the countless constellations in the sky. We were able to fathom our stars and satellites.
Her hand is on my hair as my arms are snaked around her waist. We were pulling our bodies together as if the spaces won't ever be enough. I titled my head to get a better access to her lips.
When I started to feel that the temperature had been shooting up, I let go of her lips while I caught my breath. She, then again, mirrors my movements.
I watched her licked her lips as they turned red. In awe at her gestures, I put my tongue to the side of my mouth to stop myself from grinning. This elating sensation drives me crazy just as what she does to me.
From her waist, my hand went onto hers, interlocking it with mine. I looked her in the eye to say, “Let’s get out of here.”
This time, I’m running away with her.
She grinned while never losing eye contact with me. 
This time, I led us into our venture as we walked out from everybody and everything else.
She pulled my hand which made me glance at her direction. “I love you too, Jiho.”
Slowly, my lips curve into a smile. She, on the other hand, tries to conceal hers but her lips just betrayed her. She doesn’t have to hide. My arms are always open to her. 
I watched our hands clasped together as they suspended themselves in the air, between our sides. I glanced at her and she immediately did the same to me. I renewed the grip of my hands onto hers. Close enough to embrace, but far enough to breathe. Gone are the cold nights, at last. 
As we walk, we’ve had a mini debate as to whose house we will crash into. But then a brilliant idea popped up, as if I found a loophole to a corrupt politician’s not-so-solid alibi. I just couldn’t contain this euphoria. I think I’m going to explode. 
I turned to her. “Let’s get the lilacs I owe you.”
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thelargefrye · 4 years
Text
INTRODUCTION
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SUMMARY : how your relationship came to be
PAIRING : poly!ateez x reader
WORD COUNT : 2.1k
WARNINGS. falling down the stairs + injuries + mentions of a hospital
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being an idol was hard. all the years of endless hard work and then the amount of stress that is put on you. it’s even harder when your company decided to “spice things up” and try something different for their new group.
which is how you came to be in a male dominated group as the ninth and only female member. granted at the time the group was being formed, you were the only female trainee and it wasn’t like the company totally didn’t know what to do with you. that’s a lie, they had no idea what to do with you. so that’s more or less a quick and possible bad explanation on how you ended up in the ateez lineup.
training with the guys was fine. you got closer to some members more than others. it was a lot of figuring out how to make you feel welcomed after they had already had a year+ to get to know each other and figure the other out.
it was fine.
san was the first member to really welcome you into the group and made to sure to include you in on everything. at the time, you used to see him being nice as a friendly gesture, but now... you realize he only did it because he had a crush on you.
“you did?” you remember asking him one night as you laid in your bed together. the two of you were remembering your trainee days when san confessed about his crush.
“you were practicing your dance for the monthly evaluation and i was just so... fascinated by how you moved,” he explained causing a blush to form on both your cheeks. 
you wonder what would have happened to your relationship if you had noticed his feelings sooner. when you were trainees and even after debut, your feelings were ultimately occupied by the leader of your group. of course hongjoong was so blinded by his love for music and the eldest member, that he didn’t even think twice about you most times on his own accord. 
it was pathetic how you all acted around each other really. one member in love with two others and then one of those two might have returned the feelings while also liking a different member. it was just one big emotional mess.
sometimes you wonder what set off the chain of events that finally caused you all to become lovers. 
“i think after you confessed to hongjoong-hyung that’s when everything started,” san said that same night. 
that was honestly a whole train wreck and a story for maybe another time, but just know that hongjoong thought you were messing with him. so you ended up playing it off as a joke until you got to the dorm were you cried for an hour in the shower and then proceeded to lock yourself in your room for the rest of the night.
“i felt terrible that night. hearing you crying on the other side of you door and not being able to help you,” he spoke and by this time you were holding hands. you gave his hand a comforting squeeze. “i’m not going to lie, i was shocked when it was wooyoung would volunteered to go talk to you.”
you let out a laugh, “yeah i was too. woo was really helpful that night, i think it really helped our personal relationship.”
and it was true, when you joined the team, everyone seemed rather welcoming of you. all but wooyoung seemed to enjoy having you around. the male would often ignore you or would bump into you and then blame you for being clumsy. it hurt, you’re not gonna lie, but you pushed on and did your best to ignore his rudeness.
when you two ended up talking, you found out he was only jealous of how close you and san had gotten and that he felt like you were slowly also taking yeosang away from him. “wooyoung, i would never try to take san or yeosang away from you. i love all three of you dearly and would never want to come between you and the others. i’m sorry i made you feel that way, it was never my intention.”
“i realize now that maybe it me just being insecure of myself. i shouldn’t have been so mean to you.” you remember holding your hand out to him suddenly. he looked so confused and just stared at your hand before looking at your glassy, red eyes. he then took it after a few moments.
“i’m y/n, its nice to meet you,” you said softly as you shook wooyoung’s hand. “i hope we can be friends!” 
“i’m wooyoung. i hope so too.”
after that you two started to become close and it was like all the rude and mean things he did to you were put behind you both. you also began putting your feelings for hongjoong behind you and instead you began to grow feelings for san and wooyoung.
“when did these feelings happened?”
“i think... around our first comeback and when we were doing our first world tour. i began spending more time with you both and you both made me feel safe and loved. at the time i thought something was wrong with me for liking two people. i think mingi might have found me crying about it one day and talked to me about my feelings.”
mingi was probably the only person you could have deep life talks with, without the thought of him judging you for them. he never once looked at you like you were a possible weirdo or even a whore as might consider for what you told him.
“there’s nothing wrong with loving more than one person.” that night he ended up confessing about his own feelings towards not only yunho but you. “see you’re not a weirdo because i love two people too. you and yunho mean a lot to me, and i would do anything to keep you both happy.
you honestly don’t know how it happened, but all you remember is him leaning over to kiss you. the kiss didn’t last long because of wooyoung suddenly coming into your shared hotel room. at first you weren’t sure if wooyoung had seen you two kiss, but you could tell by the slight flash of hurt that he did. 
before you could say anything, wooyoung quickly left the room, door slamming behind him. you were thought about going after him before deciding against it. “i’m sorry.” you turn to mingi and smile at him letting him know he didn’t do anything.
this went on for a few months, you and the other member dealing with your feelings that seemed to be growing for each other. but then none of you knowing how the other felt. it was during the wave/illusion comeback when things started really happening. you began making friends with female idols and hanging out with them.
“hey, y/n do you think you can give my number to seonghwa?” you remember soojin asking you, and yes we are talking about i-dle’s soojin. you hesitated at first knowing that your leader was still in love with seonghwa, but you took the piece of paper with her number on it to not be rude.
“oppa, what do you think about soojin from i-dle?” it was the next day during practice when you asked. you weren’t looking at seonghwa directly, keeping your eyes trained on the reflections in front of you. you of course spotted hongjoong carefully listening in.
“she’s cute,” is all he said.
“she wanted me to give you her number,” you explain and seonghwa looks at you with a tilt of his head. “do you,” you quickly glance at hongjoong, “want it?”
“sure. it’d be nice to get to know her,” he says with a simple smile. you can’t help but catch the look of panic and hurt flash through hongjoong’s features before he turns away to do something else.
after that, seonghwa would text soojin almost every chance he got. after a few weeks, seonghwa told you guys he would going on a date with soojin. 
“i felt hongjoong’s heart break and i knew it was my fault,” you admit to san.
“you were just being a good friend to soojin.”
“but i knew it would have hurt hongjoong-oppa if soojin-unnie and seonghwa-oppa had hit it off like they did. deep down i think i did it because i wanted hongjoong to know how it felt to have his heart ripped apart and then i realized how selfish i was.”
“is that why you threw yourself down the stairs? to stop seonghwa from going on his date?” your silence confirmed what he said was true and san couldn’t help but laugh. “that was probably the most stupidest thing i had ever seen you do. you scared all of us half to death,” he confessed.
throwing yourself do the stairs at the dorm, probably was and still is the most stupidest and dangerous thing you had ever done. honestly, it was a last minute decision to try and maybe secretly make up for hurting hongjoong. you made it seem like an accident, that you were running down the stairs in your slippers. something seonghwa may have told you not to do in fear of you slipping and falling. it worked though, seonghwa cancelled his date in order to take you to the hospital.
“i’m sorry,” you told seonghwa on the way back from the hospital.
“for what baby? it was an accident, you got hurt and i have to take care of my members,” he says, an arm wrapping around your shoulders to bring you closer.
“but i ruined your date with unnie.”
“i wasn’t that interested in her anyway,” he confesses and you look at him with confusion. “there’s... someone or someones else that i’m more interested in.”
“who?” seonghwa didn’t bother answering with words. instead he used his free hand to cup the side of your face before kissing you. 
“w-wait,” you gasp pulling away, eyes wide in shock as you look at seonghwa. your left speechless, what the actual hell? seonghwa was the last person on earth you thought could possible like you. “i-i-i don’t... i don’t understand.”
“i think all nine of us are rather confused about our feelings for one another.” you can’t help but agree to his words and how true they were. looking into your eyes you quietly ask, “will you kiss me again?” you don’t know what came over you in the car ride home. the two of you kissed the whole rest of the ride, lips swollen and red by the time you reach the dorms. you felt slightly embarrassed that you and seonghwa made out in the backseat while your manager drove you home.
he bided the two of you goodbye before leaving, the three of you never spoke of it again, which was honestly fine by you. once back in the dorm, san was the first one two greet you and ask how you were.
“i think we all need to have a talk about what’s been happening with us these last few months,” seonghwa says, the remaining eight of you knew what he was talking about and soon enough you were all sitting in the living room confessing how you felt.
“so what now?” jongho asked from his spot on the floor.
“well,” yeosang began and everyone looked towards him, “i did some research a few weeks ago and found out there are relationships with more than two people. polyamory is what the internet called it, and i think we should all give it a shot. its obvious that we all really care for one another, and i think we can make it work.” he finishes and yunho is the first one to agree.
“i think we should give it a shot like yeosang said!” you swear just his smile alone could reassure you of anything.
“honestly, i couldn’t imagine my life now without being with you all. you bring me so much happiness and love,” you confess, turning to look at san.
“me too,” he says before leaning over to kiss you. both of you occupied with kissing don’t realize yunho had entered the room. a pout forms on his face before he walks over and jumps on the bed, landing on top of you both. you and san groan as yunho begins smothering you both with kisses. 
“hey are you three having fun without us?” wooyoung whines as him and jongho walk by and eventually joined on the way too small bed. eventually the remaining four members joined you guys, and now you and san are being dog piled on top of. 
but you wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Yuliy Morrow - Auction
Okay I finally finished this chapter, I don’t know why it took so long, sorry.
Wordcount: 2.2k
Taglist (let me know if you want to be removed or added): @king-ivory @shigar4kifuck3r @whumphours @whumpzone
Cw: Drugging, human trafficking, non-consensual touching/manhandling, little bit of violence. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything.
Yuliy groaned as he started to regain consciousness, a pounding headache warning him early that it was probably best to go right back to sleep. He’d been getting ready to do just that, when he remembered the events that led to his hurt head -kidnapped-they-took-me-away-they-drugged-me- in the first place. He shot up, only to yelp in pain as his forehead connected with something metal. The headache only got worse, and he felt nausea building in his stomach, though he didn’t know if it were a result of the pain or whatever it was they drugged him with.
Swallowing back the bile Yuliy opened his eyes, catching the sight of a metal lid over top of him, and the metal bars surrounding his sides. He was in a cage, and a rather small one at that. Sitting up—this time being much more successful— he realized that he’d have to stay hunched over or curled in the fetal position to be able to fit inside the small prison. Where was he? Why had he been taken? He tried to remember the words the broad kidnapper had spoken over the phone, but everything was a blurry haze. He couldn’t even remember the faces of his assaulters. 
He vaguely remembered the weeping woman, who in retrospect he shouldn’t have approached at all. Hindsight 20/20, Yuliy. Just as he began searching for a weak point in the cage, a door somewhere slammed open, and the lights to the room he was in flicked on. He flinched from the sudden noise and the flooding of the fluorescent lights, hating what they did to his head. He didn’t have the time to lament long before he was taking in as much as he could of his surroundings, what little he could see anyway. Because of the short height of the cage and the lid overtop, Yuliy could only see the bottom half of the room, if that. Still, he did his best to commit it to memory, not knowing whether or not it’d come in handy later on.
“Alright newbie, you’re a bit of a latecomer, so you’re the last one being sold out of this batch.” Wait, what? Yuliy was certain that he’d heard the words wrong, that his headache was making him imagine things. Sold? Him? Why? How?
His tongue sat heavy in his mouth, but he was eventually able to pry it open enough to speak. “Why… why am I here?” He asked, his voice sounding weak and hoarse, his throat dry and feeling like he’d swallowed sandpaper. How long had he been out? The man chuckled, and Yuliy could only see the man’s knees and below, and he doubted he’d see the other’s face for the time he was here. 
“Aren’t you a dumb one,” the man snickered, kicking Yuliy’s cage lightly and causing him to flinch as it rocked. “I’ve just told you, have I not? You’re being sold to the highest bidder. With any luck, we’ll never meet again.” The man’s voice sounded so flippant, and Yuliy opened his mouth to yell at him. “And I suggest you don’t speak anymore, unless you want someone to have to come in and gag you,” he threatened. Yuliy decided to ignore him on the off chance that they were close enough to civilization that he’d be heard by someone outside. 
“N-no! You can’t keep me here! People will— people are looking for me, right now probably! Just, just let me go!” He shouted, hating the fear in his voice and the way his words caught several times. The man outright laughed, having to take several moments to regain his composure, and Yuliy felt more of that budding fear begin worming its way up his chest.
“You think we didn’t do a little research on you before we grabbed you? You’re Yuliy Morrow, nineteen years old and no remaining family. You live in a rundown apartment in the shadier part of your town. The perfect catch.” Yuliy’s jaw fell slack as the man recited the facts about him, hating how quickly his odds were beginning to fall. “Sad to say this kid, but no one’s gonna look for you.” No, that wasn’t true, was it? Certainly his boss would look for him when he missed work on Monday, right? Maybe his professors would think he’d just dropped out, but perhaps his landlord would check in when he didn’t receive his monthly rent? 
Would the trail be cold by the time someone realized he was missing? 
Yuliy felt the nausea creeping up once more, and this time, he wasn’t able to swallow it down, and his back hunched from the force of the first retch. By the second, burning stomach acid wormed its way up his throat. By the third, the mouthfuls fell onto his clothes and the floor of the cage. By the fourth, the smell of it hit the air, causing him to cringe in repulsion and try not to retch again. He was unsuccessful, and by the time he was finished, he was gasping for air, his chest burning from the effort. 
“Gross kid, I mean we were gonna clean you up anyway, but you didn’t need to go and make our jobs any harder.” Yuliy wanted to curse at the man, to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, and that if they hadn’t kidnapped him in the first place none of this would be happening. The words got caught in his throat though, what with him still heaving for breath an all. 
Suddenly, the lid to the cage was pried back, and how hadn’t Yuliy noticed the extra pairs of feet in the room? The vomiting probably had something to do with it. Before he was able to take in anymore than that, Yuliy’s head was wrenched back so hard that he could feel several strands of his hair loosen. A blindfold was then yanked over his eyes -it's-dark-I-can’t-see-what-are-they-going-to-do-to-me- and tied so tightly he groaned from the pain. His world went dark and he wasn’t able to balance properly, though he didn’t know if it was because of the general sluggishness he was feeling or because he wasn’t able to see. 
It didn’t matter to the strangers though, as they simply dragged him somewhere for several minutes. Without being able to see anything, Yuliy tried to rely on his other instincts, but he wasn’t practiced in doing so, and really was only able to hear shoes slapping against tile. What did they plan on doing to him? “Please… please just let me go,” he whispered, knowing that his chances were slim but still wanting to try anyway. Even having a one percent chance of getting out of his situation was better than none. Predictably, he hadn’t been answered at all, and he whimpered softly as the hopelessness of his situation continued to crash down on him. 
When they finally came to a stop, Yuliy could hardly tell up from down, much less how long they’d been walking or what type of room he was in. He was let go of by one of the bodyguards, but the other grabbed his wrists painfully and cuffed them. Yuliy tried to pull them back to his chest as a layer of protection between him and the invisible man, but a loud clanking sound and thud stopped him. “W-what?” He mumbled, trying to wrap his hands around the object in which his hands were tied to. It felt like a simple metal pole, rather thin but sturdy, as evidenced by it not moving a single inch no matter how hard Yuliy tugged on it. 
He only stopped his tugging when he felt hands pulling at his clothes, and then the unmistakable sounding of cutting fabric. He panicked, trying to jerk away but only managing a couple of inches because of the handcuffs. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, kicking out blindly but never being able to connect to anything. Without successfully being able to fend off the attacker, Yuliy’s shirt was eventually cut off. Despite his shouting and protests, his jeans were eventually cut off too. He could feel tears forming behind the blindfold because of the invasion -They’re-touching-me-stop-I-don’t-want-you-to-why-are-you-doing-this- and he yelped as the cold air hit his skin, causing the fine hairs on his body to raise. 
A gag was suddenly shoved inside his mouth, tied behind his head before he could comprehend much more than what it was. Belatedly he realized that it must’ve been a piece of cloth cut from his clothing. Someone then fisted the hem of his boxers -please-please-don’t-why-can’t-you-just-leave-them- before cutting them off in one smooth motion and in the sudden onslaught of panic and his hyperventilating, Yuliy didn’t realize he’d fallen to the ground, curling in on himself to protect the barest parts of him. The man didn’t care though, and Yuliy heard the turning of a faucet before he was sprayed with a powerful stream of water that was sure to leave bruises.
They hosed him down like he was nothing more than an object, and when they’d finally finished, Yuliy was shaking and sobbing quietly. Something soft was then thrown at him, hitting him in the chest before falling on top of his legs. He’d flinched, having not known what it was before, but now he was simply confused. 
“Put it on.” It wasn’t the same man from before speaking, and Yuliy burned in shame and embarrassment at how many people were seeing him so vulnerable, so -naked-they-took-all-my-clothes-and-hosed-me-down-they-all-saw-me-they-still-see-me-naked-they’re-looking-at-me- bare. It took several long minutes— filled with his quiet sniffling and blind fumblings— to find out that it was a pair of boxers they’d thrown at him. He quickly pulled them on, uncomfortable at how well they fit, like they’d known his size beforehand. Still, he wasn’t going to just not wear them. Any covering was better than none.
He was hauled to his feet, and his hands were uncuffed and re-cuffed behind his back. Though he tried to resist, even digging his feet into the concrete, he was still dragged along to another room. Little noises involuntarily bubbled up his throat, but with the gag most of them were almost completely muffled. 
Despite being blindfolded, the route they were going down seemed familiar in its length and the amount of turns. Yuliy knew that they were probably throwing him into the same room as earlier for convenience sake. He knew he was right when he was forced into the -too-small-I-can’t-move- cage as before, the metal cold and wet, like they’d hosed it down as they did him. “They show his pictures and information to the crowd yet?” One guard asked another, and Yuliy listened as intently as he could. They were showing people his pictures? What pictures? Had they taken them while he’d been unconscious? 
“Yeah, boss said they already started bidding and everything. Say he might be the highest sell tonight.”
“Thank fuck, I’m trying to get home.” Yeah me too, Yuliy thought, but he couldn’t say anything with the gag. With his hands tied behind him, he couldn’t really shift to get comfortable, and his shoulder dug painfully into the hard metal where he lay. Less than before, but still noticeable was the drug that must’ve still been in Yuliy’s system. Either that, or the blindfold was really messing with his perception of time, as it seemed to by quickly after that— which was the opposite of what he wanted. 
Eventually enough, the same door as before slammed open, and Yuliy flinched from the noise. “Alright get him prepped for our dear client here.” It was the man from earlier, the one who’d made the initial threat of gagging him. He hadn’t even realized the man had left. Was he the boss the guards were talking about? 
The man’s words then dawned on him as he was violently pulled out of the cage, his arm feeling as though it were going to be pulled out of its socket. He screamed and kicked, shouting the words “no”, “stop”, and “please”, most of it muffled and garbled, but the meaning was clear all the same. With his struggling, he managed to get a few hits on the two guards trying to wrestle him down, and then there was a strange limbo where he was suddenly weightless and floating, before gravity came back and he was slammed against the concrete floor, his head cracking painfully on top of it. Oh, that was gonna concuss. 
His blindfold slipped up a bit just as he felt the needle pierce his neck with an awful feeling of deja vu. When he glanced over, he saw two men standing by the door, although he didn’t know who was the boss and who was the customer. Which one held his life in their hands? “Alright Bram, he should be out long enough for you to get him home. If you’d like a refund, be sure to contact us within a week, or else it will be void.” The man named Bram didn’t look like he’d heard the other at all though, his eyes never moving from Yuliy.
Bram leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, looking like he owned the place instead of just being a customer. He smirked before he began speaking, eyes boring into Yuliy’s, “Silly pet, you weren’t supposed to see my face yet.”
Oh. 
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bitterlikesweets · 3 years
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Love Bites Ch 19
This is the nineteenth chapter of a modern/vampire AU ereri fanfic. You can also read it on Ao3. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Special | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19
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It would be a stretch to say that Eren and his older brother ever got along well. Zeke hated him. He had since the day they met.
"Met." Because Eren didn't know Zeke existed until he was ten years old.
When Eren was a little kid, he didn't know anything. His parents were the epitome of being in love. Every time they were together, his father would shower his mother in kind words and affection. He always made her smile. He would even bring her gifts every time he came back from his monthly family reunions.
His dad never got Eren anything, but that was okay. As long as he got stuff for Eren’s mom. As long as his parents loved each other, Eren didn’t mind. That was enough. Because it made his mom smile. And Eren’s mom loved Eren no matter what. Eren loved her no matter what, too.
She loved Eren more than usual during his dad’s family reunions.
When Eren asked his father why he never brought Eren and his mother along, Grisha Jaeger just said it wasn't time yet.
They never really explained to Eren how it all happened. Why things with Grisha's first family didn't work out. Zeke just showed up one day, Grisha's hand on his shoulder as they stood in the doorway.
"Eren, this is your older brother. His mom's very busy, so he'll be staying with us over the weekend."
It took Eren awhile to wrap his head around it. How was it possible for Zeke to be Eren's brother but have a different mom? Why was Zeke not living with them?
Why did they look so different?
Eren's mom was very patient. She explained about falling in love. About falling out of it. And how sometimes people are left behind when that happens. She told Eren he could still believe in love. That sometimes it ends, but a new one could start in its place.
"I might not be his first love," his mother said, "but I am his favorite."
His favorite? Eren believed that for a little bit. But he always wondered why his dad kept going back to visit his first love if that was really the case. It wasn't to visit Zeke. Sometimes their dad would still go to see Zeke's mom, even if Zeke was staying with them, babysitting Eren.
"If it wasn't for you," Zeke always used to say, "he would still be with us. He would be my dad, not yours."
Why? Why was it Eren's fault?
When did his parents start arguing in the middle of the night?
Zeke started getting nicer to Eren eventually. When Eren was thirteen and Zeke was sixteen, Zeke started to be almost kind. Saying that it wasn't Eren's fault after all. They just needed time, and everything would work itself out.
Turns out, everything "working out" meant Grisha going back to his first love. Which meant Carla Jaeger was not his favorite, after all.
It made more sense to Eren that love just didn't exist. Romantic love was stupid and fake and wasn't real.
His mom finally agreed with him when Grisha moved out.
When Eren was fifteen, he saw his brother for the last time. He dropped Eren off at his house after school and told Eren he wasn't going to come back anymore. That Zeke no longer had to pretend they were really family.
Eren and his mother got the news a few months later. Somebody broke into the Jaeger household—the other Jaeger household—and now everyone in that other family was dead. The police told them it was a burglary.
That's what they said about Eren's mom too, in the official reports. A burglary; a mother dead, and a son injured, but otherwise fine.
Eren should've realized it then. A burglary with nothing stolen. A report he'd already heard once before. He should've recognized the similarities.
But he didn't connect the dots because things were different then, with his dad. When it happened to Eren and his mother, it wrecked him. It still wrecks him now. It didn't feel real at all. And now he misses her so, so much.
When Eren was fifteen, finding out that his father and older brother were gone for good, he doesn't remember feeling wrecked or sad or missing them.
He doesn't remember feeling anything at all.
Seven years later, knowing who killed them, Eren feels…
Eren feels exactly the same.
Maybe he's been a little monstrous since way back then.
~ ~ ~
Eren wakes up to moonlight, rain, and the smell of smoke. He blinks up at the unfamiliar gray ceiling, unconsciously fiddling with the fleece blanket loosely draped over his body. He's too big for it; it's pulled up to his chest and his ankles stick out the bottom. It's strange though; he remembers dropping onto the couch with nothing but his sweater as a makeshift blanket. The curtains too. He swears that he closed those last night, and hey—Eren can hear rain, so why is everything so dry outside?
Eren sits up slowly, his eyes scanning the room with narrowed eyes. There are a few more things different from how Eren remembers them. The wooden knives and stakes he remembers putting in front of Levi’s small closet are nowhere to be seen, and there’s a light on in the kitchen. The rain sounds seem to be coming from there too.
When Eren gets up to investigate, he finds Levi sitting at the kitchen counter, a mug in his hands as he stares blankly down at his steaming drink. There’s a candle in front of him, and a little speaker by the wall at the edge of the counter.
Eren knocks on the wall, and Levi looks up, his gray eyes brighter than before, a bit more alert.
“Good night,” Eren says with a nod.
The corners of Levi’s quirk up for a moment.
“Good night,” Levi says, moving his mug up to his lips.
“It looks like I turned you nocturnal,” Eren says, pulling up one of the tall chairs beside Levi’s.
The smell of smoke seems to be coming from the gray candle in front of Levi—its label says “Fireside”—and when a single tap of Levi’s finger against the speaker causes the rain to stop, all of Eren’s questions are answered.
...All of his more trivial questions, anyway.
“I should make a midnight shift at the Kitchen just for you as revenge,” Levi says.
“Hmm…” Eren drops his chin into his hand, stroking an imaginary beard with his fingers. “Doesn’t sound like too bad of a deal, honestly. How much do you pay?”
Levi scoffs instead of answering, and Eren smiles, moving his chair closer so that he can bump shoulders with Levi. Levi leans against him in response.
“Thanks,” Levi says quietly. “For yesterday.”
Eren’s smile softens, and he presses his face into Levi’s shoulder.
“Anytime.”
“I…” Levi clears his throat. “I was pretty out of it. If I had known that you—”
Levi clears his throat again.
“You didn’t have to sleep on the couch,” Levi says, his ears getting a pink tint. “If I had known you were staying over, I’d have told you so.”
Eren’s face burns. He’s immensely grateful that his head is tucked against the fabric of Levi’s shirt and out of sight.
“O-oh. I, uh—Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind, f-for next time.”
“Yeah,” Levi mumbles. He’s leaning more heavily onto Eren, though his head is turned away. “Good.”
And then things are quiet for a moment. Eren absentmindedly shifts his face from Levi’s shoulder to Levi’s neck, a deep sort of relaxation pooling in his chest and shoulders when he does. Something about it sets him at ease, even despite the slight throb in his fangs that comes from his close proximity to Levi’s veins.
Though his bite scars do start to itch a bit. Again.
“Eren,” Levi says.
“Hmm?”
“I’ve been… thinking about some of things you said yesterday.”
An image of his blond brother’s face flashes through Eren’s mind, and he stiffens. One of Levi’s hands immediately finds its way to Eren’s back, resting hesitantly there.
“We don’t have to talk about it though,” Levi says. “If you’re burnt out.”
“No,” Eren says quickly, raising his head out of the crook of Levi’s neck and pulling away slightly. “No, that’s, uh… We can talk about it.”
Should Eren tell him? He really doesn’t want to tell him. It’s probably hard enough on Levi with that family as strangers with no other connection to him. If he finds out that that man was Eren’s dad—that the Feral King is Eren’s brother—
“Alright,” Levi says, though he sends a confused frown Eren’s way. “Just tell me if it’s too much.”
“I will.”
It’s not like it changes much for Eren either way anyway. They’ve been dead for seven years already—he thought they all were anyway—and he was never angry at that anonymous killer. His mom was devastated, and that made him sad, but…
Shit, it’s fucked up that he didn’t care, isn’t it? He was fifteen, and on TV, people were always telling their parents to go die, so, at the time, he thought it was just one of those “hormonal teenager things” that every adult in his life was always going on about. It wasn’t like he was relieved or happy when they died! He was just… indifferent.
...Maybe he should’ve taken his mom’s offer when she told him she’d take him to see a therapist if he needed one.
“That thing you said,” Levi says, though Eren’s only half-listening, “about people changing. About how not everyone does. I think that… helped a lot. For a while, I didn’t think I…”
Eren tries to redirect his brain. It’s far too late to be over analyzing his teenage brain. He thought his dad and his brother were dicks, and he never knew Zeke’s mom, so he didn’t give a fuck when they died. Is that awful? Probably. But that’s not the thing Eren’s worried about right now.
Should he tell Levi? Now that he’s thinking about it, it might be worse to keep it from Levi. If they go and try to kill those vampires who turned Eren, they’ll probably run into Zeke. Zeke will probably recognize Eren, and springing that whole “yeah, this asshole is my brother” thing onto Levi in the middle of a life or death situation is a terrible fucking idea. So, Eren definitely has to tell him. Should he tell him right now? How is he even going to explain—
“...Eren.”
Eren blinks, green eyes wide as he looks over at Levi. Levi just sighs, setting his mug down on the counter.
“I told you we didn’t need to talk about it.”
“No, no,” Eren says quickly. “That’s my bad. I don’t mind talking about it. I just… Have a lot in my head right now.”
Levi’s expression softens a little, and he reaches up to rest his hand against Eren’s cheek, the tips of his fingers settling in his long brown hair.
“We’re a fucking mess,” Levi says.
Eren can’t hold back a laugh, covering Levi’s hand with his own.
“Good thing you like cleaning,” Eren teases, and Levi rolls his eyes.
A pale thumb gently sweeps back and forth across Eren’s cheek, and Eren leans into the touch, his mind clearing a bit. His thoughts are no longer quite so fast, so frantic. It’s a bit easier not to focus on them with Levi there as a physical distraction, pulling Eren out of his own head a bit.
“What’s in there?” Levi said, shifting his hand to knock his knuckles against the side of Eren’s head. “I’ll help clean it up.”
Eren’s smile wavers, his gaze lowering.
“It might make your own head messy again.”
“That’s fine.”
Eren takes a deep breath.
“Furlan… Yesterday, when I called him, he told me the name of the Feral King.”
Levi nods.
“Zeke.”
“Zeke Jaeger,” Eren says.
Levi frowns slightly but nods again.
“I’ve… never told you my full name,” Eren says. “It’s Eren Jaeger.”
Levi’s eyes grow wide, his hand falling away from Eren’s face, but Eren hurries to grab hold of that pale hand before it can fully retreat.
“Eren—”
“Just wait,” Eren says. “Please. Let me explain.”
Levi scowls, but he keeps his lips pressed shut, even as his hand fidgets in Eren’s grasp.
“He’s my brother,” Eren says. “My older brother.”
“But I—” Levi clutches his head with his free hand. “Your… your mother—”
“No,” Eren says quickly, leaning towards Levi. “No, Levi. Not my mom. Zeke’s my half brother. We only share a dad. My mom was killed by ferals, just like I’ve always said.”
“You—” Levi shakes his head. “You talked with Furlan—You’ve known this since yesterday—why are you still here?”
“Levi, that doesn’t change anything for me—”
“Why the fuck not?” Levi snaps, yanking his hand out of Eren’s grip. “Eren, I—I killed your family!”
“Levi, no—”
Eren tries to reach for Levi’s hands again, but Levi abruptly moves them out of reach, his chest heaving.
“Don’t.”
Levi tries to wipe off his hands, his black eyebrows pulled downward into a deep scowl. Eren clenches his hands into fists, struggling to get air into his lungs.
Levi’s angry—not at him. Eren has to fix this. Levi’s hands—where are the paper towels? If he turns away, will Levi run? Does Levi even want his help? He wants to touch Levi. Levi doesn’t want that. He needs to finish explaining. He doesn’t want to go into detail about that time. Zeke, his dad—they’re haunting him like unruly fucking ghosts. He didn’t want to make Levi spiral again—He feels fucking sick, like his stomach is boiling—
“I don’t get you,” Levi snaps. “Why—knowing what I did—did to you—why are you still here?”
“Because I love you—”
“Why? Why are you siding with me over them?”
“Because they never fucking did!” Eren exclaims. “Always—it was always only my mom, just my mom—my dad never—Zeke never—”
Eren’s eyes are burning. His throat aches. He hates this. He doesn’t want to yell at Levi. He’s not yelling because of Levi. It’s because of his fucking dad, because of Zeke, because of those bastards that he was finally able to not think about after all these years—
“Why would I choose them over you?” Eren’s hands are clenched into tight fists. He feels a sharp pain in his palms and ignores it. “They never loved me. You do.”
Eren looks over at Levi, who’s staring at him, practically frozen.
“...Don’t you?”
Levi’s mouth opens and closes without words for a moment before he manages two words in a quiet, hoarse voice.
“I do.”
Eren’s eyes are still burning, aching. When his eyesight blurs, he wipes at his wet eyes. Pale hands are retreating from him when his sight is clear again—Levi reached out to him but is already pulling back. Frustration burns in the pit of Eren’s chest, and he’s reaching out before he can think better of it.
“For fuck’s—I don’t care, Levi, just get it on me,” Eren snaps, grasping Levi’s hands and covering them with his own. “It’s not like it’s going to fuck me up even more—I’m already—”
Eren goes stiff when he catches a glimpse of Levi’s face. It’s flat, masked, emotionless. Whatever anger that was in him cools immediately, and Eren quickly releases Levi’s hands, internally cursing himself for his insensitive, stupid mistake. Has he learned nothing from everything that happened yesterday? This is it. He’s fucked up absolutely everything—
“You…”
Levi’s eyes are on Eren’s hands.
“You don’t make any sense,” Levi says.
“I… I’m sorry.”
“You really… don’t care?”
Eren winces, his gaze dropping to his lap.
“That’s not what I—it was a bad choice of words—”
“It doesn’t change how you feel about me?” Levi asks, his voice a little louder, more insistent.
“N-no,” Eren says. “It doesn’t.”
“Even though it’s your brother.”
“My brother’s a murderer.”
“So am I,” Levi says, shifting his gaze from Eren’s hands to Eren’s eyes.
“Yeah, and I will be too, soon,” Eren says. “But I love you and my brother runs a murder cult that lead to the death of my mom.”
Levi stays silent, and Eren bites his lip.
“...Does it change things for you?” Eren asks. “The fact that I’m not bothered by it?”
“No,” Levi says immediately. “I just… don’t… It’s hard to believe. For me.”
“That I don’t care about my brother?”
“That you love me,” Levi says. “Because when I did that, I… I still don’t… Trust myself.”
Eren’s shoulders lower slightly, his expression softening.
“Do you want me to prove it?”
Levi frowns.
“...Can you?”
Eren holds out his hand. Levi just continues frowning at him.
“What do you see?” Eren asks. “When you have to clean your hands off like that?”
Levi’s mouth opens and shuts once before he answers.
“Blood.”
Eren's breath stutters a bit. He'd been wondering about that...
Slowly, he reaches out to grab Levi’s hand again, pulling it closer until Levi has to lean forward. Eren keeps pulling until Levi’s hand is flat against his chest, right over where his dead heart lies beneath the surface.
“Levi,” Eren says, smiling slightly in spite of everything, “I’m a vampire.”
He slowly raises Levi’s hand higher, pressing his lips against Levi’s knuckles.
“It’ll take more than a little blood to scare me away.”
“That…”
Levi lets out a deep sigh, getting out of his seat.
“That’s the cheesiest fucking shit you could’ve said.”
Eren’s face grows hot at the unexpected insult, and he drops Levi’s hand, unable to make anything more than incoherent noises of offense in his current headspace. By the time Levi has stepped closer, all Eren can manage is—
“Wha—I’m out here trying to prove my love to you, and that’s what you—”
Eren is interrupted by Levi dropping his entire body onto Eren, and Eren wraps his arms around the man’s back to stop them both from falling off of the chair.
“Levi?”
“Sorry,” Levi says. “It’s… habit.”
“You need to work on that,” Eren grumbles, burying his face into Levi’s neck again, the action immediately setting himself at ease. “One of these days I’m seriously going to get offended.”
Levi nods, still leaning heavily on Eren and showing no sign of trying to hold up his own weight.
“I hope…” Levi says quietly. “...Nothing’s able to scare you away.”
Eren smiles, holding Levi tighter.
“Nothing will,” Eren says. “I promise.”
Not the blood on Levi's hands, not Eren's dad, not the Feral King. Nothing's going to scare Eren away. He's certain of that now.
Levi sighs, and Eren’s fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt.
“What about you?”
“Hm?”
“Is anything going to scare you away?”
Levi scoffs, pulling back just enough to look Eren in the eye.
“You’re going to wish something could.”
Eren grins, leaning in to press his lips against Levi’s.
“No, Levi, I don’t think I will.”
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tenacityreturns · 3 years
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"well, shit." from whoever you want
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plot: aomine and kagami get caught in the rain and return to kagami’s place for refuge. naturally, a change of clothes is in order and who better for aomine to steal from than kagami?  word count:  1911, your honour. too many, your honour
the first few raindrops didn’t bother them. it would have to be torrential before it would stop kagami from playing against aomine, but after less than a minute, it was. aomine had the ball and had been racing towards his net when it started pouring. he came to a halt gracefully: a perfect stand-still from a sprint, with the ball in one hand like it had never been moving. if kagami had seen it, he would’ve been impressed.
“well, shit,” aomine muttered while he still had air in his lungs.
kagami wasn’t so graceful. despite the coarse tarmac below his feet. he ended up skidding right into his opponent. neither fell, but it was pretty embarrassing all the same to collide together like this! kagami held onto aomine’s arm to stop himself from falling, and was quickly shaken off.
“get the hell of me!” aomine protested, turning to face the redhead.
“like i wanna touch you!”
“you grabbed me, didn’t you? now the ball’s all the way over there and since it’s your fault, you can go get it.”
“what?! that’s some stupid shit you just said, you dropped it!”
“quit fighting with me, idiot,” aomine droned. he didn’t stick around for the reply and made his way to the exit. there was no shelter around here, and both were already half-soaked, so the one-on-one was definitely postponed.
“what about my ball?” kagami was too pissed off to care about the weather! he pointed at the darkening basketball as it came to a stop behind the net post, but it was no use as aomine wasn’t watching.
“like hell i want anything to do with your balls, bakagami.”
( that little half-joke went straight over kagami’s head. ) looking between retreating teenager, and dormant ball, it was becoming clear that it really would stay there until kagami went to go and get it. the cool rain started melting his anger. actually, he didn’t mind getting the ball. in principle, he was offended that aomine didn’t just... get the fucking ball? but this wasn’t any effort. plus, he realised with a growing grin on his face, it gave him a chance at some payback for the embarrassing outburst. ( somehow, he was more embarrassed about aomine being mad he’d been bumped into, than actually pressing flush against each other for half a second. if kagami’s eyes had been open, he would have seen something very different in aomine’s eyes than the anger he was currently so focused on. )
so kagami jogged over carefully, and scooped up the basketball. he walked wide of the entrance, where aomine was now arriving, to offer the best angle for a sneak attack.
“hey, dickhead!” the redhead yelled, giving just enough warning that he would no longer feel responsible for any damage caused if the basketball he’d just thrown was to meet its mark on aomine’s stupid fucking head!
sure enough, aomine turned and reacted in just enough time to deflect it. ha! kagami could see the grimace of irritation from here! good. but within moments, it neutralised and he turned, throwing the basketball over his shoulder. aomine had been aiming, he must have been, because it practically fell into kagami’s hands as he got closer. stupid bastard, that was too cool...
he didn’t know where they’d go after this. maybe they’d go their separate ways, or maybe--- aomine would turn down the street that lead away from maji’s, away from the train station, away from the shops, and towards kagami’s apartment. the redhead jogged to catch up and then kept pace. he was about to ask where the hell aomine thought he was rushing off to, but actually, he didn’t mind if they went back to his. who knew how long this storm would last and, annoying as aomine could be sometimes, it wasn’t torture hanging out with him.
on they walked in silence. kagami passed the ball between his hands in quiet reflection, aomine hunched his shoulders and hugged himself against the onslaught. the guy looked so cold! kagami didn’t even have a jacket on and he was chilly at worst. what a baby. occasionally, kagami would catch aomine looking at him out of the corner of his eye but neither said anything. the rain would probably have drowned them out anyway.
“well?” aomine said suddenly as they finally got to the front of kagami’s building.
“what?” the redhead pushed inside, slippery hands nearly losing grip of the glass door before aomine could get inside. he stared at his still silent opponent. “well what?”
“aren’t you gonna invite me to your’s?”
hopelessly confused, kagami gestured widely around them. “we’re here? what are you talking about?”
“oh,” this idiot... why was he looking around himself like he’d only just realised? “i guess i’ll come up, if you insist.”
“insist? what the hell, are you an idiot?” kagami grumbled, rather than yelled, because the old lady who lived nearby was in the lobby and she always scolded him if he and his friends were too loud. who the hell did she think she was?! oh well, it couldn’t be helped. just as it sounded like he couldn’t avoid aomine coming over.
they dripped their way into the elevator. the air conditioning made kagami’s skin raise in goosebumps, or was it the weight of the situation settling in his mind? no more basketball today, and he’d have to change clothes. how miserable! he’d just been warming up, too! at 4 - 2, he had every chance of catching up and actually beating him! when his frowning eyes lifted from the floor to see if his companion was as miserable as he was, aomine looked quickly away. his face betrayed no particular expression. damn it, he was so hard to read!
droplets of water trailed behind them as they left the elevator and made their way to kagami’s apartment. he unlocked the door and immediately slipped his shoes off, not that that would stop the spread of water. his first port of call was to grab two massive bath towels from the cupboard. one he draped over his head, and the other he took back into the hallway where-----------
AOMINE WAS SHIRTLESS? EXCUSE ME?!!!
kagami’s garbled words got stuck in his throat, resulting in a half-yell, half-gah! a GYAHHH??? if you will. aomine’s slender figure stretched upwards as he pulled his clothes over his head, giving kagami a moment to ogle. not ogle, ogle-- like, look respectfully. oh boy, you know? just-- boys. the next second, aomine was staring at him with a frown on his face.
“oi,” he shifted his weight onto one hip, “are you just gonna stand there and let me freeze to death?”
red-faced and no longer cold, kagami threw the towel over and briskly stalked over to turn the thermostat up. his eyes betrayed him by stealing a glance as aomine pulled the towel around his shoulders. it’s just! ugh! looking dangerously close to saying something unfunny, aomine was interrupted by kagami opening his mouth without a plan. ANYTHING, please, god, just say anything so aomine wouldn’t!
“i’ll--- hang your clothes up. give them here. you’re just gonna make my whole floor soaked like that!”
“you can lend me something to wear while i wait for them to dry.”
“can?” that was just enough to get annoyed over as a distraction, thank god. “are you gonna ask like a normal person?”
“ah... probably not.”
“seriously annoying,” kagami gritted his teeth, but aomine was easier to forgive with his eyes closed. as he rubbed the towel into his hair, eyelids shut, his bored expression looked a lot closer to serene.
kagami took the balled up clothes, dripping as they were, and tried not to think about it too much. with his own towel pulled tight around his shoulders, he brought the bundle into the bathroom. separated from one another, the t-shirt and hoodie were unceremoniously hung over the shower rail to dry. ha! they were very graciously allowed to dry in kagami’s bathroom, actually! the nerve of that guy to------
“forgot these,” aomine said suddenly from behind, and even more surprising was the pair of shorts flying through the air! shorts! kagami didn’t dare turn around! they found their spot on the rail beside his other clothes, but what the fuck was aomine doing just walking around his house naked now?!
“hey,” kagami was still frozen there in the bathroom, and spoke far too dramatically for the moment. “if all your clothes are here, what are you wearing now?”
aomine made a sound very close to a laugh, then plodded away. he didn’t even say anything! so now what? he’d gone in the direction of the living room, so was he not even going to get any clothes?! what was it about people just taking their clothes off at his house!?!?!?! huffing and completely embarrassed, he launched into the hallway again.
“oi!” kagami started, but stopped his demands when he saw that his stupid guest was wearing clothes. of course he was wearing clothes. why wouldn’t he be? aomine walked away in kagami’s clothes, like they were his own. the poor host let out a relieved sigh before tending to his own wardrobe change.
once inside his bedroom, with the door shut, he started pulling off his wet clothes. his wardrobe was open, he noticed. the shelf where he kept his sweatpants had been rummaged through, and he was missing his grey hoodie from the top of the pile. ah, it was kind of cool that aomine was wearing his clothes, come to think of it. even if it was a little annoying that the guy just invited himself to do so. actually, it was really annoying.
aomine continued to be extra annoying and weird that night. when kagami returned wearing new clothes, cosy if slightly grumpy, aomine was already lounging on the sofa with basketball monthly in his hands. make yourself at home, kagami said sarcastically, to which aomine replied that he had already, no need to say it. then when kagami had been gracious enough to make them some ramen soup for dinner, aomine admitted that it wasn’t torture to eat it! what the fuck? just compliment food normally, you weirdo!
when aomine left after the rain had stopped, still wearing kagami’s clothes and with his own in a bag, he said something else. though in the same vein of a backhanded compliment, aomine said:
“wasn’t so bad hanging out and not playing basketball.”
“yeah, obviously,” kagami replied, “it’s better if rivals get along, or else they wouldn’t meet up for one-on-ones as much. right?”
“we get along...” aomine repeated thoughtfully, tucking his chin into kagami’s hoodie. that was... really cute... shut up!
“get outta here, aomine.”
“tch,” he snorted, leaving the doorway without turning back. “see ya later, idiot.”
aomine’s irritating flair was a good distraction for how bubbly he made kagami feel, at least. it was so much easier to shut the door and roll his eyes, than shut it and think about how, in hindsight, aomine hadn’t been that annoying. he’d just been awkward, right? he hadn’t known how to ask to come over, he’d wanted to wear kagami’s clothes, he’d stayed for dinner, stayed until well after dinner, and said that he’d had a nice time! but no, these realisations were lost on kagami because aomine daiki was an annoying shithead whom kagami had a massive crush on.
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eat0crow · 4 years
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Jasonette Prompt! Mari and Jason first meeting but it’s after a bunch of thugs tried to jump her (she beat them uppp). anyways they’re both in civilian form and she’s validly untrusting and he calms her down.
Bullies count as thugs, right?
116%
Partly by accident, mostly by self-preservation, Jason figures out that, in order to get everyone to stop looking at him like the poor-orphan-charity-case Bruce Wayne had taken in, he needs to instead get them to write him off entirely.
It’s a genius plan. Gotham Academy is nothing if not judgemental. All he has to do is wear his uniform loose, his tie undone, tell everyone exactly how little he thinks of their petty power plays, and get into a screaming match with his xenophobic history teacher about how people working minimum wage, “Absolutely should be making a living wage. Screw you, you bootlicking capitalist fuck!” within the first month of school. Honestly, he’s surprised he lasted that long.
So maybe he’s a little out of line, it’s not like he’s wrong. And it’s all worth it just to see the look on Bruce’s face when he walks into the principal's office. The man’s eyebrows are practically up to his hairline by the time he hears that Jason, in the face of his teacher's warning, had the audacity to ask, “What are you going to do? Expel me? unfucking likely.”
“It’s not like I’m actually going to be expelled,” Jason says. “Half the school’s annual budget comes from the money you donate. If I’m expelled I’ll have to go somewhere else. You’re not going to invest in a school I’m not attending and they’re not going to those funds.”
With unmasked glee, Jason watches the growing horror spread over his principles face-he’s a smart brown-nosing man after all. He knows exactly what kind of trap he’s walking into. It doesn’t matter that Jason’s history teacher is glaring the man down, looking like he's’ just bitten a lemon. Nope, Jason is not going to be expelled.
“Jason,” Bruce, simply sighs, looking far more put out than he has any right to be.
They settle for him being suspended for the rest of the week with detentions taking place after school on Mondays and Wednesdays for the next two months.
As all interesting gossip tends to, the rumor makes its way through the school before the day is even over-rich kids have way too much time on their hands-by the time Jason comes back the following Monday everyone seems to have decided that he’s a troublemaker unhinged just enough to be dangerous.
It marks the end of people trying to suck up to him, they all seem to have collectively decided that if they mind their own business and leave him out of it, he’ll do the same.
The thing about Jason Todd- fourteen-year-old high school freshman- is that he’s really bad at minding his own business. Like Dick’s Discowling suit levels of bad at it. He's a Robin, after all, you couldn’t be a Robin if you were actually able to keep your nose out of where it shouldn't be. It's practically a rule.
Never once has Jason ever had any fondness for bullies, it doesn’t matter if they were school kids or criminals or one percenters-looking at you Jeff Bezos, looking at you. He’s seen enough of them growing up in the Narrows, and maybe, it’s because his dad, the utter asshole, had been a bully. Maybe he just spends too much time fighting against people who think they can get away with pushing their weight around. It doesn’t matter.
Jason Todd could not bring himself to turn a blind eye, which is why by the beginning of his second semester he’s gained the title of actual-punk-you-know-the-kind-who-fight-the-man with his biweekly detentions being upgraded to triweekly and extended indefinitely. The number of fights he’s gotten into in the last couple of months has easily erased whatever Golden Boy standing Dick had established. Jason is confident that the only reason he’s yet to be kicked out is the fact that Bruce had almost doubled his donations.
So really, when he hears raised voices and the distinct sound of someone being thrown against a wall just as he’s leaving detention for the third time this week, he has to investigate.
Disgust is the first thing Jason can register when he turns the corner because there’s a ring of five students- two girls, three guys- all crowded around the new girl from France. Jason’s pretty sure he shares a class or two with her, maybe. She's easy to miss, small as all hell and stick thin.
This, this isn’t a fair fight. Or a fight she even has a chance of winning. Jason has a bad feeling about this.
But-
But Jason takes a closer look. Her back is pressed against the side of the building, yes. Her bag has been thrown to the ground and she’s shaking but that stance, it definitely doesn’t belong to someone who doesn’t know how to defend themselves. Sure these idiots have her backed into a corner, one point them, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground, her back is straight. She’s not going to run, at least, not before she throws a punch and, judging from the way she’s holding herself, a good one too.
Jason doesn’t really know how to approach this. This girl looks like a deer caught in headlights who will spook the second she hears a loud sound. Getting a teacher would be the most sensible thing to do. It would also require leaving, Jason isn’t confident enough in the situation to do that.
He’s almost talked himself into it, sure it might be a little off-brand for him but this seems slightly out of his depth, when Idiot Number Three, the smirking brunette addition, makes a move toward Marinette-Jason only just remembers her name-and Marinette lashes out.
Dead silence overtakes the yard as the girl goes down, her body crumpling to the ground like a wet paper towel. Marinette’s fist is still curled, her arm still outstretched. She looks like she can’t believe what she just did. Everyone stands frozen for one disbelieving moment before one of the guy's snarls, lunging to grab Marinette’s jacket.
If she was a deer in headlights before, Jason isn’t quite sure what to call her now. She looks like she’s on the cusp of a panic attack, frantically babbling a mishmash of jumbled up words. Jason sees what she’s going to do a second before the bully does, but by then it’s too late.
Marinette, with way more force than someone her size should have, brings her knee up and kicks her would-be attacker in the balls. Jason does not want to feel sympathy pains. He doesn’t, but still, if the way Idiot Number Five falls to his knees is any indication...well.
Idiots Numbered One, Two and Four run off without much fanfare taking their downed Idiot Number Three with them. Jason has a distinct impression they’re going to snitch and Marinette, who was only defending herself and is in no way capable of explaining her side of the story right now, is going to be in a hell of a lot of trouble.
Nope, not on Jason’s watch. He makes his way over. Closing the distance in three precise non-threatening strides. “So I’m thinking, this isn’t exactly what you had planned,” he says lightly.
“Fuck you, Todd.” Eloquent as ever Idiot Number Five.
“No thanks. You seem like you’re having enough fun clutching your balls for the both of us,” he says cooly, crouching down just enough to make eye contact. “Between you and me, I would run if I were you. Before she decides to come and knock your teeth in.”
“Like she would,” the bully scoffs.
“We both know she could and you know I would let her. Hell, I would help her if it kept your mouth fucking shut.” Jason cracks his knuckles, casually pressing his elbow further into the prick's collar bone. “Fuck, I kinda want to do it too. You really piss me off.”
At least he has the good sense to take Jason seriously. Jason can’t help the satisfaction that comes from watching him get to his feet and limp off. Some things really are poetic. Serves the bastard right, even if he promises that, “I’ll get you back for this, Todd.”
Jason snorts, as if he’d worry about what some schoolyard bully was going to do. Have you seen half the lunatics he fights on a monthly basis? “You good?”
“I-no!” Marinette cries, sinking to her knees in shock. “I am so going to be expelled. God, I’m going to be deported. I’ve only been in Gotham for a month! One whole month and already I’ve
messed this up. Momma is never going to let me out of the house. That’s if they don’t send me to jail. Oh, they’re going to send me to jail, aren't they? I can’t go to jail, orange is a terrible color!”
That's ... a lot to unpack. Jason feels something flutter in his chest. He has the strongest desire to comfort her. So, he does the only thing he can think of, he reaches out, wraps his arms around her waist, and promptly gets punched in the face. Hard.
He staggers back, clutching his eye, Jason barely registers Marinette’s steady stream of. “I’m sorry, so sorry I didn’t mean to hit you.”
Self-consciously Jason shrugs, he’s had far worse. The only thing in danger is his ego. “It was my fault. You were literally being threatened a minute ago, I shouldn’t have touched you. Sorry about that.”
“I’m panicking a bit,” Marinette says, pulling at the end of one of her pigtails. “I’m not usually...I just-I don’t want to be expelled.”
“You're not going to be expelled, Hermione,” Jason says dryly. “Yeah, those bastards are going to snitch but you were just defending yourself. They got what they deserved.”
“Do you think anyone’s going to believe that?”
Jason takes a moment to look Marinette over. There is so much earnest hope on her face that Jason...he feels really bad but... “Of course not. You kicked Pattrick Thomson in the balls, his dad’s on the school board. There is no fucking way any one of these teachers is going to believe that he actually got what was coming to him. No matter how much of a prick he is.”
“I’m doomed,” Marinette cries.
“You’re not doomed.” Jason catches Marinette’s look of pure utter disbelief and continues, “You’re not going to be expelled because you’re not the one who is going to be taking the fall for this.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly,” Jason says scooting down to sit next to Marinette. He makes sure to leave a good foot between them. One black eye is enough, thank you. “Unlike you, I won’t get expelled, trust me this isn’t anywhere close to my first fight. If they could have axed me, they would have like a month in. The good news is that this is the one corner of the school security cameras can’t see. So as long as we make our story sound believable, no one is going to question it.”
“I’m pretty sure they’re all going to find it sketchy when no one can agree on who threw the punch.”
“See you would think that but, no offense, you’re a literal wafer cookie. A strong breeze could blow you over. No one is going to believe you took down those idiots. Not when it’s so much easier to blame the one who’s admitting it.”
“I did take them down,” Marinette says, narrowing her eyes.
“And it was badass, but for this to work, we need to milk as many of their sexist assumptions as possible. So,” Jason starts, pressing his hand a little further against his eye, there’s a bit of blood slipping onto his fingers. Marinette got him good. “This is what we’re going to say. We’re going to keep it simple. Tell them that those guys were picking on you and I came over to see what was happening. Things got heated, Thomson punched me in the eye and I bumped into what’s-her-face. You were panicking and didn’t really pay attention until you saw me knee him in the balls. Short, sweet, and believable.”
“What are we going to say when they ask about why everyone is blaming me and not you?”
“Well, why were they bothering you in the first place.” Jason shrugs reaching out to grab some of the stray papers that had fallen from Marinette’s bag. “Just use that. Trust me, Thomson’s going to jump at the chance to save face. Once he changes his story the rest will follow.”
Marinette grimaces. “It feels wrong.”
“Please,” Jason snorts. “They’re rich, they’re cheating at life. They’d get away with murder if they dropped their wallets. You could tell them all exactly what happened word for word and the teachers would still only hear their side of the story.”
“That’s awful.”
“That’s Gotham.”
Marinette falters, as if she wants to dispute the inherent corruption of this city. She stares at Jason, who would probably be blushing if it wasn’t for the excruciating pain coming from his right eye.
“You’re sure.” Marinette bites her lip, nervously picking at her nails. “You’re absolute, one hundred and twelve percent sure you won’t be expelled.”
“I’m one hundred and sixteen percent sure,” Jason says and then Marinette smiles.
It’s a nice smile, Jason doesn’t think he’s ever experienced the full force of someone's relief before.
“Thank you.” Sincerity is dripping off every word, so much so it almost aches. “I-you’re really nice Jason.”
Marinette knows his name. That’s-not necessarily surprising given the act that yeah they do share classes, probably. It’s just this is the first time they’ve talked.
“It’s cool,” Jason says leaning further back into the wall. He can hear people coming, it won’t be long before they have teachers to deal with. Jason might as well get comfortable. “You’re Marinette, right? I think we have English….Math..something together.”
Marinette nods, scooting closer to him. “Yeah, I’m Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I sit three rows over in Math and two seats up in English.”
“It’s nice to meet you Marinette. Officially.” Jason takes the hand off of his eye and holds it out to her. “Jason Todd.”
Slowly, Marinette’s smile slowly morphs into a look of pure horror. “You’re eye!”
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mortuarybees · 4 years
Text
hello pls enjoy archival assistants ? fluff ? anyway
“How is it,” Sasha says, her chair squeaking as she makes her third swivel, “that so many trans people work here?”
“What do you mean?” Martin squints at her over his phone, which he is playing Minecraft mobile on instead of following up on the third obviously fake lead Jon has assigned him today. 
“Well, all three of us,” she says, and nods towards the closed (and never open) Head Archivist’s door, “and Jon. Gertrude before and I heard she had trans assistants too. Percy, Aichoo, Lucy, and Alex in Artefact Storage. And those are just the people I know.”
Martin frowns. “Yeah, and there’s a few in the library too.”
“Maybe it’s a confirmation bias thing,” Tim suggests. His feet are up on his desk and he has a file open on his face. “You know. We’re trans so we notice all the trans people.”
“Yeah, but there’s still a lot,” Sasha insists. “I didn’t have any trans coworkers where I worked before this. That I know of, anyway.”
“I mean, who’s cis here?” Martin asks. It’s a fair question, he thinks. Even his supervisor in the library who wasn’t out when he was first hired came out as non-binary a few years later. And that is kinda weird, isn’t it?
“Rosie,” Tim says, after a moment.
“Yeah, but Rosie’s gay,” Sasha says. “Revised question, I guess, is there anyone here who’s cis and straight.”
They all think about it for a while.
“Elias seems homophobic,” Tim says after a while. “He asked me in the elevator once if I had any big plans for the weekend and I said I was going out with Angus from HR, and he said he hoped I had fun with my friend.”
“Doesn’t Angus still think it was just a friendly drink to this day?” Sasha asks innocently. 
“Not the point,” he says, groaning.
“I don’t think Elias is straight,” Martin says. “I think he’s just...old.”
“He can’t be older than his forties,” Sasha says. “And anyway, he’s not, he’s got a husband.”
“Elias is married?” Tim says, finally taking the folder from his face to gawk at Sasha.
“Well, he was, I think he’s divorced now,” she says, and Martin makes a sympathetic noise. 
“No, probably best for the poor sod,” Tim says. “Can you imagine being married to Elias? I bet he looks at his Google Calendar to get off.”
“Nope,” Martin says, immediately returning his attention to Minecraft. “Not part of this conversation anymore. At all.”
“We’re seekers of the truth here, no matter how unsettling,” Tim says solemnly.
Sasha, at least, is laughing, and tosses a crumpled post-it note at him. “You’re terrible. And probably right.”
“What kind of guy was Elias married to, anyway?” Tim asks, crossing his arms. “A stockbroker in a four-thousand pound suit?”
Sasha leans forward conspiratorially, waving for both of them to do the same despite the fact Tim’s desk is several feet away and Martin is across the room. Tim obliges eagerly, and Martin with a great deal of reservation, because it feels a little--well, it’s rude, isn’t it? Gossiping about their boss? 
(As if he didn’t frantically send a blurry photo of Jon at Waterstones in birkenstocks, high-waisted cargo pants, and what looked like a hand-made band t-shirt to their Snapchat group just a couple of weeks ago. Which he still feels guilty about, but come on, when you’ve only ever seen someone in tweed even at the monthly Institute pub social, it’s a shock.)
He’s weak for gossip, it’s not his fault.
“He was married to a sailor,” Sasha says, and Tim starts to cackle.
“You’re lying,” he says. “A sailor?”
“I’m not! With the hat and everything!” she insists. “I met him at the Institute holiday party. He got really, really drunk and dedicated a karaoke cover of All By Myself to Elias. He’s one of the Lukases, the family that funds the Institute, so I guess he’s loaded.”
“Oh my God,” Tim says, and as soon as his laughter begins to subside, it picks up again. “If he funds the Institute, does that make Elias his sugar baby?”
“I think technically that would make all of us his sugar babies,” Sasha says, and Martin leans back in his chair, sinking down.
“And here I thought we were all just qualified professionals,” he says. Well. Depending on what one meant by qualified.
“Hey, sugar babying is hard,” Tim says. “It’s a real job, it takes work and skill.”
“Were you,” Sasha says, gravely, “were you a sugar baby, Tim?”
“First of all, I think we just established we all are,” he says, “and second of all, no, but I considered it very seriously during my uni days.”
“You should’ve given it a go then,” Sasha says. “You could’ve made a killing before your youth was gone.”
“And now I’m trapped here, in the lowest rung of sugar babying,” he sighs. “Just one of several hundred. Unnamed, unnoticed.”
“It’s sad,” Sasha says, with great sympathy.
“It’s alright,” he says, sniffing. “At least that explains all the trans people. Maybe Lukas is a chaser.”
“Or maybe it’s all an elaborate front,” Sasha muses. “Lukas and Elias are gay. Maybe they’re funneling donor money into queer pockets.”
“Just because Elias is gay doesn’t mean he’s not a homophobe,” Tim says. “Definitely doesn’t mean he’s not a transphobe. I don’t think he’d plot to enrich his fellow gays. I think my theory is more sound.”
“When Jon gets done recording and hears this, please make it clear I wasn’t part of this conversation,” Martin says.
“Will do,” Tim says. “‘Just so you know, Boss, Martin wasn’t talking about our job at all, he was playing Minecraft on his phone with his computer screen tilted perfectly so you couldn’t see him when you opened your door.’”
“I--I am not,” Martin scowls, sitting up straighter. “I’m--it’s research. I’m doing research.”
“Class traitor,” Sasha says, and shakes her head at Tim.
“It’s what he asked me to do!”
Jon’s door clicks open, and Martin leaps to look busy, fingers flying over the keyboard typing nonsense into a Word document, ignoring Tim’s stifled laughter.
“Just so you all know,” Jon says, and Martin peaks over his computer monitor to look at him, his back rod-straight and shoulders squared off in his handsome blazer that’s just a little too large for his small frame, and God if that never fails to make his heart squeeze. It plummets a moment later as he continues, “I finished recording half an hour ago.”
“Ah,” Tim says, cutting a look at Martin, “Did you happen to be...listening--”
“Yes,” Jon says, and for some reason gives Martin a withering look. “If you play computer games while you are supposed to be working again, Martin, I will make a note for your performance review.”
“But I wasn’t--” his stare somehow hardens, and Martin swallows, nodding miserably.
“Excellent,” he says, and turns back to his office. “And I believe the Institute’s diversity of employees can be owed to its non-discrimination policy. Not Peter Lukas’ preferences.” With that, he shuts the door, and Martin’s forehead thumps onto his desk just as Sasha and Tim begin cackling.
(martin mincraft hc owed to this the best art of all)
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