#i can see from my ko-fi feed nobody is even looking at it anymore so like

[the-kipsabian]

very tired of pushing the ko-fi post constantly but idk what else to do :)

#i can see from my ko-fi feed nobody is even looking at it anymore so like #idk what do people want from me. i try offering art and i get nothing i try not offering anything theres even less im #like. im willing to throw out some more art if ppl really wanna buy it i guess. tho idk i would probably charge more #considering how long doing anything bigger takes. but like #im literally out of ideas before i try listing some items for sale but.. i dont know #maybe i should take the hint and cancel this whole thing #but also thats like. people have put so much into this for me and i just feel like ive wasted everyones time and money about all of this #i dont know. im just so sad about this and i cant do anything about it and i know this isnt helping but #yeah. i'll shut up now. i have things to do i guess #night is an absolute mess on main

[tiaragqueen]

Paroxysm

✂ Pairing: Yandere! Shinazugawa Sanemi x Maid! Reader

✂ Word Count: 1,6k+

✂ Trigger Warning: Implied possessive behavior, death, violence, blood, injuries, yandere theme

[Edited]

***

I like his hairstyle and clothes, and I’d like it even more if he’s given a moment of happiness.

If you like my writing, please support me on ko-fi!

“If life's standing still and your soul's confused, and you cannot find what road to choose. If you make mistakes, you can't let me down. I will still believe.” - At Your Side [The Corrs]

The war had long ended, and yet, the toll it left was still felt until today.

Being the daughter of the housekeeper who had been residing at Ubuyashiki estate since her early adulthood, you were already familiar with the existence of demon slayers and their stringent training, including the pillars themselves. Though, your knowledge of the latter was superficial at best. You only learned bits of their backgrounds, motives in joining the Corps – which, to your relief, were all noble unlike some slayers who only entered for the money – and combat styles. Your interaction was limited to some of the friendlier ones, such as Kyōjurō, Shinobu, Kanroji and, to some extent, Uzui.

Of course, you weren’t, by any means, despised the quieter ones. You occasionally had a lighthearted talk with Himejima and once shared a peaceful moment with Tokitō, whose death rattled you greatly for its macabre circumstances.

And yet, for some unknown reason, you ended up with Sanemi instead.

Perhaps, it was the pity that compelled you to work for him. After all, he had lost his remaining brother in the cataclysm of war against Muzan and his subordinates. Indeed, Sanemi might be the least amiable pillar, but he wasn’t a horrible person to be around. As long as you were mindful of his mood and not caused an unnecessary ruckus, Sanemi would treat you civilly.

Besides, he never really lashed out to you, anyway. Even when he was still in the Corps, and you happened to slip before his eyes, he would silently help you whilst muttering something about your clumsiness.

Overall, he was as aloof as he could be around females, and you delighted in that ‘mellow’ side of his.

Peeking through the doorway, you spied Sanemi in his usual spot on the porch and smiled slightly. It was relieving to see him become one with nature instead of wringing every last drop of stamina through incessant training. You slipped out and quietly kneeled beside him, respectful of the appropriate distance to avoid disturbing his restless equilibrium.

“Good afternoon, Shinazugawa-sama. Do you need something?” you asked cordially.

Sanemi merely stared forward as though he refused to acknowledge your presence, but you knew better. After the war, he had grown more sullen and distant to the point of ignoring the people around him, almost echoing Giyū himself. An inexplicable pang pervaded your body at the abject sight, and how it wouldn’t likely to change anytime soon.

It was a good thing you had experiences of housekeeping, otherwise, you might’ve incited his infamous ire with your callowness.

You shifted a little on your spot, dismissing his silence for rejection or dismissal. “Would you like a cup of tea? Or ohagi?” you pressed.

“… What’s your intention?”

Cocking your head, you hummed questioningly.

Sanemi slowly turned his head towards you, pale eyes attempting to discern your true motives.

“People don’t find me nice at all, and yet, you chose to work for me instead,” he explained, squinting slightly. Ah, so he did realize. “Are you pitying me?”

When you offered no response, he scoffed knowingly.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I can’t take care of myself? Why do you think I chose a small house for me?” he huffed. “I don’t need help from anyone.”

“But you accepted me.” you murmured.

Sanemi snapped his head in your direction. “What the hell was that?!” he growled.

You flinched. “I... I just want you to know that I understand your feelings.”

“You fucking know nothing!”

Cold fear throbbed your heart and rendered you motionless. Sanemi gradually recomposed and withdrew from the abrupt proximity of his face with yours, instead opting to direct his ferocious glare to the fence again.

Looking down to your lap, you slowly exhaled the anxiety.

“My father… He was killed, too. He was on the way to home after chopping some woods when he met a demon in the forest. I was a baby at that time, and we were very poor. It wasn’t until my mother met Ubuyashiki-sama did she finally have a stable job to feed us both.”

The recollection softened your gaze as you traced patterns on the floorboard.

“You’re right, Shinazugawa-sama. I know almost nothing about you aside from the general stuff, and I’ll never know the depth of your feelings. I don’t even know other pillars very well, and we often chat. But the grief, the sadness you’re feeling… I felt it too, and I still do sometimes.”

You took a deep breath and blinked away the tears that leaked through your lashes.

“Regardless of your opinion, Shinazugawa-sama, I’ll continue to support you. I can’t fight, and I don’t know how to wield a sword properly, but I hope my assistance can be of any comfort for you. We don’t even have to converse if that’s what you want. Just treat me like you usually do and I promise I won’t disturb your affairs.”

Sanemi was quiet through your story and retained a similar state when you bowed to him.

“I shall buy some red beans in the market. Please, excuse me.”

The market was animated as always. Children frolicked around while their mothers were preoccupied with bargaining and buying necessities. After fulfilling the task at hand, you decided to replenish your energy by strolling and observing the village. The advantages of working for Sanemi was the relative ease in maintaining the house than Ubuyashiki estate, and Sanemi himself wasn’t at all bothered to find you resting after completing your duty.

Some extra time for yourself was always a blessing, and you were glad to know that you’d picked the right choice.

“Why you look at that; a fair maiden walking alone in the forest.”

You blinked out of your trance and spotted a group of rugged men intercepted the beaten path. Assessing the looming danger, you mentally cursed yourself for getting distracted and warily retreated.

The tallest man, who you presumed to be the leader, hummed mockingly. “Where are you going, dear? The sun’s about to set, you know? The demons will come soon, so why don’t you join us? We’re on the way home.”

“I know that.” you snapped, keeping a cagey eye in case one of them decide to strike first. “And no, thank you for the offer. My master’s waiting for me, so I need to go now.”

A whiff of body odor clogged your nose as he began to advance, deliberately cornering you against a tree. “Aw… Surely they won’t mind me if I borrow you for a sec, right?” he cooed, clasping your chin in his rough fingers.

“… Like hell, I will.”

The neck that moved his revolting face closer to yours suddenly broke. Sanemi landed a few meters from you, his back facing the man who collapsed right before your very eyes. The sword you’d seen him holding and polishing regularly despite not being a slayer anymore trembled with barely restrained passion, the tip glinting under the fading sun.

He raised his head and smirked diabolically. “So, which one of your fuckers wants to move first?” he challenged.

When nobody dared to step forward upon sensing the egregious bloodlust practically radiating from his form, he grinned.

“No one? Well, that’s just too easy.”

His abrupt disappearance sparked dread within everyone’s chests, yours included. Your eyes frantically darted from one tree to another, hoping to catch a glance. Where was he? Was he leaving you? No, no, that was impossible. Why did he even bother to kill their leader if he would just leave you later? Besides, as bad as his attitude could be, Sanemi wasn’t the type to leave things half-assed.

So, where was he–?

A faint breeze hit the man furthest away from you. Your jaw slacked when Sanemi manifested behind him and swiftly sliced his head clean. The next person wasn’t able to react fast enough before Sanemi dropped to one knee and killed him. Granted, he was comparably leaner than the rest of his ‘companions’, but the sight of your master effortlessly slit his abdomen was just… appalling.

How hideous would it be if he were to face demons? You couldn’t even grasp the extent of his raw strength.

Sanemi rose to his feet in a single twirl and stabbed another man on the heart whilst kicking the last one unconscious. The deplorable man crumpled once Sanemi yanked the sword from his chest, and you would’ve joined him too had the tree wasn’t there to support you.

For a split second, you were glad that the leader tried to corner you earlier.

Under the setting sun, Sanemi merely stood among the bodies, chest heaving and sword bloody. You gazed at his back, reluctant to speak yet felt an uncontrollable need to state the obvious.

“You killed them.”

Gripping your kimono, you continued. “Y-you do know that they’re humans, right? Not demons…”

His silence skyrocketed your nerves. Finally, after a minute that dragged on for eternity, he opened his mouth.

“Anyone who hurts us is demons in my eyes.”

You withdrew against the bark as though it would hide you from his vacant yet penetrating look.

“Do you understand? Some humans aren’t all that different than demons. There's no point in pitying them.”

Sanemi sheathed his sword and nonchalantly walked past you, ignoring your stunned silence. “Wipe that pathetic look off of your face and let’s go home,” he demanded.

“B-but what about–?”

“The demons will eat them. Now, hurry up if you don't want to be their next meal.”

With a heavy heart, you averted your gaze from the massacre before you and nodded obediently.

“Yes, Shinazugawa-sama.”

Above, the moon gradually erased any trace of light from the view.

#anime yandere au #yandere anime au #anime yandere #yandere anime #yandere oneshot #yandere scenario #yandere imagine #yandere kimetsu no yaiba #yandere kny #Yandere sanemi #Yandere sanemi shinazugawa #Yandere sanemi x reader #Yandere sanemi shinazugawa x reader #Yandere Shinazugawa Sanemi x reader #Yandere Shinazugawa sanemi

[sexedforbiguys]

Internalized homophobia and biphobia: what are they? – Sex Ed for Bi Guys

Published August 27, 2020.

This is the SFW/censored version of this post. You can view the uncensored version on a sexually-explicit blog here on Pillowfort.

Content warning: examples of internalized homophobia and biphobia, homophobic slurs.

I’ve been wanting to write about our mental health for some time, and internalized homophobia and biphobia are a good starting point. Homophobia is negative attitudes and stereotypes towards people with same-sex attractions, same-sex romantic relationships, and sex stuff people of the same gender do: think of the ickiness some people feel seeing two guys kiss. On top of this, we also have to deal with bullshit that gay guys don’t face. Biphobia is similar to homophobia, but towards people who are attracted to multiple genders. It’s the old: “we’re just on our way to gay town”; “I’d never date a bi guy”; “you have to choose”; etc. Homophobia and biphobia become internalized when we start to believe what we’ve been hearing our whole lives, when the fear of people’s reactions takes root, and when self-doubt and self-hate rear their ugly heads.

Internalized homophobia and what it feels like

Internalized homophobia makes you wish you were straight. It can lead to denial. It makes you feel you don’t deserve the same things “normal” people get because of your desire or love for men. It can sound like that:

You wish you were “normal”, and you even started hating yourself. When the other guys started accusing Rob of looking at their d**ks in the showers, you called him a f*g – because you were looking at their d**ks too.

Things are better now, but you were walking downtown and you saw two guys kiss. It was so weird, even though you’ve been dreaming of kissing your best friend. You hooked up with a guy from Grindr, but you were clear: no kissing, no hugging, just sex. But the moment you blew your load, you wanted out. Your skin crawled as you walked home, and you felt hollow.

Now, the sex is good, but that’s all you want from guys – there’s no way you’d fall in love with one. Your profile says masc-for-masc; you’re not like those over-the-top, flamboyant guys. You wish they’d tone it down, they give everyone the wrong impression. Seriously, what’s the idea of making your entire life about being gay, with the rainbows and the parades? It’s making everyone uncomfortable.

Internalized biphobia and what it feels like

Internalized biphobia is even more insidious. It starts by feeding on the ignorance those around you have been cultivating about being bisexual, pansexual or polysexual.

All you know is gay or straight. Sure, you think of other guys, but fucking girls feels amazing! You couldn’t possibly be gay; you just wish you had this guy’s body.

Or you’ve always been into other guys, you can’t be having feelings for that woman you just met. Anyway, everyone says you have to choose, maybe it’s just a phase. Maybe watching the right kind of porn will help you “choose”.

And once you think you know the truth about yourself, it tells you that maybe you’re wrong, or that it’s not such an important part of you.

Just settle with your new wife and you don’t have to bother about liking guys anymore. Or just say you’re gay so you don’t get the weird comments from your gay friends. You’ve always preferred guys after all, and you don’t want to deal with what they would think of you if you got a girlfriend. For all you know, maybe you’re just faking being attracted to women.

Or you’ve always seen yourself with a wife and kids and a family; even if you have these sexual desires for guys, your sexuality is nobody’s business but your own. Anyhow, your wife would be right to be angry if you told her you’re bi: that’s not what she signed up for, and it’s normal she’d worry about you being gay if she saw your porn.

You talked, and it’s kinda okay? You’ve been thinking of coming out, but you’re not really into labels, and people all get the wrong ideas when they hear a guy’s bisexual. Yet you end up being one of the 12% of bi men who come out to most of the important people in their lives; you’re finally done with that shit. But lately, you haven’t really been thinking about women, just guys… Are you gay after all? Oh, that girl who walked by is hot; you’re good.

This cool gay guy and you have been flirting – you think? – but what if he thinks you aren’t gay enough, or that there’s something he could never give you? Hey, he’s bi too! Wait, what if he leaves you for a woman someday? You’re not too sure about that.

Now it’s been years, and you love being bi! But that pansexual friend you had in college just got married, she was probably straight after all… That singer just came out as bisexual, but you bet he’ll say he’s gay in a couple of years; all the celebrities end up doing that, it’s so disappointing. And being bi is trendy with young people today. You wish you had another friend who’s bi, but they’re all gay or straight. Oh wow, your friend that you’ve known for years just said he’s not just into women! You had no idea, how come he didn’t say something sooner? He’s known for a long time that you’re bi after all.

It’s not all of that for everyone

I hope you’re not thinking or feeling all of what I just wrote. For many of us, internalized homophobia and biphobia are subtle, and only a few of these thoughts poison us, especially when we’ve worked towards accepting ourselves. Also, some of these beliefs can be there for reasons other than internalized oppressions. For example, many people have valid reasons to not want to label themselves: maybe the words feel too limiting. Or some people are private and feel that aspects of a sexuality they haven’t touched in a long time, or only when they watch porn and masturbate, belongs to them.

But internalized homophobia and biphobia hide in our blind spots and in our subconscious – it’s their thing, that’s what they do. So do some introspection. What are ways you think the internalized oppressions are still impacting you? Healing starts with developing an awareness that these exist within you. Still, although many of us have overcome our internalized homophobia, I have yet to meet a bi, pan or polysexual person who doesn’t occasionally struggle with internalized biphobia – so it’s probably in there somewhere.

My next article will talk about overcoming internalized homophobia and biphobia, but I don’t want to leave you hanging after stirring that shit up. This article and this video offer helpful suggestions, like reading books with bi characters or learning not to second-guess your feelings. Another important way of taking care of yourself is to connect with other people like you. If you haven’t already, check out r/BisexualMen on Reddit and maybe join our Discord chat server. You might discover how much of a weight is off your shoulders when you talk about your sexuality with other bi, pan and polysexual guys like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

***

Tip me or become a monthly supporter on Ko-fi if this post has helped you and you can afford it! I am going to university full-time to become a better educator. Supporting Sex Ed for Bi Guys means I have time to work on the series and continue helping people online, instead of working a part-time job while I'm in school. Support the series if you think bisexual, pansexual, and polysexual men deserve support and quality sex ed!

Check out all Sex Ed for Bi Guys posts here, including articles such as “Am I bi?”, Dating men, women, and nonbinary folks, and Butt sex 101.

All images are borrowed from the internet and are in the post because I like them. If you are the copyright owner or a person in the image, contact me: I’ll gladly credit you, or remove the image at your request.

#sex ed for bi guys #internalized biphobia #internalized homophobia #mental health #bi men #bisexual #bisexuality #polysexual #pansexual #queer #sex education

[alphawave-writes]

Prophets and Messengers final chapter: Beyond Touch

Synopsis: Now immortal, Sigma and Harold share a tender moment as they plan the next stage of their lives together.

Read it here on or AO3. You guys can also find me on twitter @alphawave13.

If you like my writing, please do support me by buying me a ko-fi, becoming a patron on Patreon or requesting a fanfic commission from me. Especially with COVID, any little bit helps me out a lot.

-

Sigma awoke in a cart of all things, travelling along an abandoned road. There was patches of green amidst the drab yellow sand, the sun setting over the horizon. What looked to be a winding river of crystal blue rolled over the flatlands. He glanced down and noticed that his clothes had been changed, replaced with something more similar to what the Oasis locals wore. His hands were bandaged and bruised, the golden jewelry of the priests now adorning his fingers but otherwise he was fine. A donkey was pulling the cart slowly, led forward by a man in familiar clothes.

Sigma shifted, catching the man's attention. They turned around and smiled warmly. Sigma could not see their face clearly, but he didn't need to. From the warmth that enveloped his core at the sight of this man, he already knew exactly who it was.

"Welcome back, Siebren," Harold said softly.

Sigma sat up slowly, only to smack his elbow into something. There were a lot of jars in the cart he was in, as well as a few boxes with rattling coins, as well as some baggae filled with extra clothes. They all clinked around within the cart, making their contents known to anyone who dared be near them. "How did we not get attacked by bandits?" Sigma's eyes wandered the horizon. "Where are we?"

"I pulled a few favours from your guards to sneak us out, and I paid them for their trouble. As for where we are, well…I'm not so sure about that." Harold glanced at the sunset. "We're heading East though. Away from Oasis."

"So this is it then. No turning back," Sigma said. He felt for the spirits' presence and was relieved to find that they had settled down somewhat, their strength renewed. Sigma focused his power and was surprised to feel the presence of something else inside of him. A new well of energy, vast and limitless and brilliant and destructive like the sun. He'd felt this energy before, every time his skin ever made contact with Harold.

He turned to Harold, eyes wide and mouth agape. Harold let go of the reins to the donkey and reached out for Sigma's hand. Their energies swirled around each other before combining together. It was one and the same. This power was one and the same.

"You're immortal now," Harold said. "Just like me."

"Immortal?" Sigma whispered.

"That was the only way I could save you. I saw your lifestream, and it was broken to pieces. If I didn't do it, then you'd be dead. I couldn't save you either way, I had to, I…" Harold took a shuddery breath in and out. "I'm sorry. I panicked, and I didn't want to let you go, and now you're cursed like me."

Sigma stared deeply into Harold's eyes. They appeared almost golden in the dying sunlight. "You didn't want to let me go?"

"I didn't say I love you because it was the heat of the moment," Harold chuckled bashfully. "Or perhaps you didn't understand me then. Would it make more sense if I said ik hou van jou?"

Sigma's cheeks went crimson. "Y-you didn't…"

"I never did tell you I used to live in the Lowlands myself for a bit." Sigma could hear Harold's smirk even if he couldn't see it all that well. "I might have picked up the local language during my stay."

Sigma turned his head away. "So ever since the night of the full moon, you…"

"I know you love me, Siebren. For a long while now," Harold said. "And if we're being honest, I've probably loved you for even longer than that."

Sigma went silent for a few moments, taking in the sunset, the slight breeze, the soft bushes and the flowing river and the skittering animals. He must have passed through this place at least once. He didn't just stumble into Oasis with no memory, he was guided there by maps and equations, back when he was still blessed with the sense of sight. But did his younger self, with crystal clear vision and a sharp mind, truly see this sprawling, beautiful landscape? Did he appreciate the chaotic beauty of nature? Did he see the magic in life? Of course he didn't. The grass was greener on the other side. Only when he lost his vision could he truly see the world for its tragic beauty.

The cart was still steadily moving, the donkey not slowing one bit. Sigma’s eyesight was still horrendous, but he saw the teared edges of Harold's clothes, the purple knuckles and scratched red arms, and the lethargy in Harold's movements. It must not have been an easy feat to sneak out of Oasis. Talon had its clutches on the city, and they would not rest until they had the ultimate power of limitless life. Harold would have fought, but the idea of Harold fighting his battles was not a pleasant one. He wanted to protect, not be that had to be protected. But then again he could not see this coming. He suspected not even the spirits did.

Sigma floated up and out of the cart, moving side by side with Harold. He turned to Harold and nodded his head sharply. Harold let out a quiet sigh as he rested his head on Sigma's shoulder. In turn, Sigma wrapped his arm around Harold's waist and floated him up, letting both their feet hover just above the ground. A small comfort, but it might be enough.

"So what do we do now? Now that we're immortal, I mean," Sigma said.

"I don't know," Harold admitted. "You?"

"I'm…I'm not sure. I don't know what is out there anymore. There are humans and animals, but also other beings in a realm just beyond our reach." He reached his hand out to the sky. "They're watching us, even now. Waiting to make their move, for good or evil or none of the above. Now that I've been uprooted from my home, I might never know who or what they are. My greatest experiment might never be solved."

"Again, I'm sorry," Harold frowned.

"Don't be," Sigma said, letting his face soften. "You saved my life."

Harold rubbed the back of his head bashfully, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips. "I didn't give you the elixir just because I've got feelings for you. I've seen the way you pour yourself into research, the joy it brings you, the structure it provides. Given the gift of infinite life, you'd make great things, I'm sure of it." Harold's smile faded. "If I'm lucky, I might be able to tag along for the ride. Make my mark on the world—a good one, that is. So far all I've done is bring disaster to everybody around me."

"You don’t bring disaster," Sigma said.

"Then what about this situation? We won't be able to know peace. We each have our own ghosts chasing us. We can't die naturally, but that doesn't mean we can't be killed. Soon as our enemies find this out, they will not rest." Quieter, Harold said, "I don't want you to fight my battles, Siebren. Just as I'm sure you don't want me to fight yours."

Sigma turned his head away, frowning deeply. That was the big thing still. They may both be immortal, but they may not necessarily be immortal together. Even bound together like this, they could still drift apart. Their demons were still chasing them, and they'll follow them both to the ends of the Earth, possibly for all eternity.

"You saved my life," Sigma repeated slowly.

"You said that already," Harold remarked.

"Because you saved my life more than once," Sigma replied. "I've done horrible things, Harold. Unspeakable monstrosities commanded upon me by both Talon and the spirits. They feed on my weakness, both of them, like leeches to the jugular artery, and I barely escaped with my life. I could've squatted at any abandoned building, but I chose the temple because it was far away from everybody. Nobody would judge me for the monster I was. Nobody would ever be harmed by me. When rumours of the Oracle emerged, I had enough money to hire some guards, but most obey me because they fear what I can do. You were the only one to see me as a man."

"Siebren," Harold whispered.

"I don't know what you see in me, I don’t. You see me as something capable of so much good, even though I’m not. You believe that I am special, and that I am worth loving." Siebren frowned. "Maybe if I hear it enough, I’ll believe it myself. Even without any evidence.”

Harold smiled softly. “This is what I mean.”

Sigma tilted his head. “About what?”

“About loving you for all eternity.” The strings reappeared between their chests, and Harold plucked one gently. A wave of warmth caressed Sigma from the inside out. “You really are my soul mate.”

Sigma felt for one of the strings and stroked it. Heat collected near his lips. From the way Harold's eyelids fluttered, the same occurred on his lips. “And you are mine,” he said.

“Is that a promise?” Harold whispered, eagerness and trepidation and hesitation staining his voice.

Sigma smiled shyly. “Only if you will let me.”

Harold giggled, his hand rising up to hide his gorgeous smile and his crimson cheeks. “I’m holding you onto that promise. I don’t wanna let you go that quick.”

Sigma gently guided Harold's hand away from his face, pulling it down so they could entwine their fingers together. “I think you’ll find I’m very hard to get rid of once I’m attached to someone.”

“Good,” Harold squeezed back. “So am I.”

They took turns walking the donkey and the cart, conserving their strength for a journey of untold length. A small town was just in the distance, with light and food and drink, and most important of all, an inn they could shelter in. As they entered the inn, Sigma noted the scent of cooked meats and the clink of jugs of warm beer. The local drunks were lounging in a corner while a couple of men smoked from an Argilah. Between the two of them, they had plenty of coins, not that it would do much for them once they passed the border. They might as well be frivolous tonight. This might possibly be their last night in relative comfort, at least for a while.

They ordered the best food and drank the local beer, chatting freely about anything and everything that came to their mind in a quiet corner of the inn. It only seemed right that Sigma opened up about everything. It was the least he could do, to repay for all the times Harold had opened his mind up for Sigma's probing. The very first thing that they both learned was that Sigma was a lightweight and Harold evidently was not. Sigma cradled his first and only beer, not even a quarter empty, while Harold had already finished half of his second. For every story that Harold weaved with his words, Sigma did his best to reciprocate with a story of his own. When Harold talked about his studies, so too did Sigma. When Harold spoke about his travels, Sigma recounted the perilous journey he took to get to Oasis from the Lowlands, and his inability to pick up the local accent. When Harold said he first fell in love with Sigma less than a week after meeting him, Sigma shyly admitted that he loved him since the incident at the springs, but only acknowledged it after that moment they shared under the full moon.

They laughed and smiled, their worries and fears gone for this fragile moment of peace they shared together. Maybe the beer had intoxicated him and clouded his mind, or maybe he was drunk off Harold’s presence, but Sigma felt bold as he conspired ways to touch Harold. A hand on a shoulder. A thumb to wipe away the beer foam from plump, kissable lips. A teasing little nudge with his foot to Harold’s knee.

Harold chuckled coyly as Sigma's toes rested on his leg. “Bit forward, aren’t you?”

Sigma smirked as he pulled his toes up, trailing over Harold’s inner thigh. “By my calculations, if I stimulate this erogenous zone for approximately two minutes more, our trajectory will be towards the newest bedroom.”

Harold spluttered with a laugh. “OK, first of all, that’s a horrible pick-up line.”

“I am assuming there’s a ‘second of all’,” Sigma raised his eyebrows

“Second of all,” Harold grabbed Sigma’s foot under the table, massaging the sole lightly, “you are a jerk and you’ve severely underestimated how much I want to be alone with you.”

“We were alone on the cart for hours today. Unless you're worried the donkey was going to blab to its friends,” Sigma smirked.

Harold slapped him lightly on the arm. “Get a room already.”

“Alright, alright,” Sigma laughed.

The process of getting a room was rather simple. They paid the money for a single room and were given a sign to hang, a number that matched the number of their door. The bed was decent, and the view outside their room wasn't spectacular, but it was theirs for this brief night, and that was all they needed. They dropped their belongings carelessly on the floor and then collapsed onto the bed side by side. For a few minutes Sigma stared at the empty ceiling, trying and failing to glimpse into the future. The spirits were displeased with him, but even if they weren't, they couldn't see what his future held anyway. He was unbound from time, an array of infinite possibilities at his fingertips, extending far beyond like branches from a tree. And his tree would continue to grow for as long as he still lived.

He could ponder more on this question, but for once he didn’t want to think. He found Harold’s hand beside him and squeezed. Not a moment later, Harold shifted so he was lying on top of Sigma, placing a small kiss to his lips. This simple kiss escalated to something more as their mouths slid open and their tongues darted out, tasting the cooked meats from each other's mouths. Sigma gave, and Harold took, letting himself get washed away from this simple, worldly pleasure as Harold stole his breath away. By the time they finally separated, only minutes had passed, and yet it felt like an eternity. What Sigma wouldn't give to spend an eternity touching and kissing Harold.

Sigma ran his thumb over Harold's bruised lips, staring up at the most beautiful man in the world. A smile peeked out, and then Harold parted his lips slightly and took Sigma's thumb in, sucking lightly.

“Harold…” Sigma whispered.

The thumb slid out from Harold's mouth with a pop. “How far do you want to take this tonight? I’m up for anything and everything, if you’ll let me. We could sleep, we could kiss until morning light, or…” he leaned forward and kissed Sigma's neck, “we could do something more daring.”

“We'll do it all,” Sigma laughed. "One step at a time."

“Then what do you want to do first?” Harold asked.

“Kiss me,” Sigma sighed. "Please."

Harold grinned. “My pleasure.”

He took Sigma’s face in his hands, cradling his jaw tenderly before kissing him with unspeakable passion. First with their lips, and then with their tongues, swirling and exploring, drawing out as many groans and sighs as possible. Sigma leaned forward and slid his lips to Harold's jaw, then the shell of his ear, then the soft junction between Harold's neck and shoulder. He bit lightly until the skin was tinted pink, and Harold gasped lewdly. Sigma took mental notes of the places he kissed that drew the most vocal reaction from Harold, certain in the fact that he will need to use this in the very near future. Whatever the future held, he was going to make sure this was not their last time together in bed.

Sigma moved to take the belt off Harold’s robes, pausing for a sign that this was not wanted or that he was moving too fast. But Harold sighed happily, lifting his arms up high. With Sigma’s strong hands, he delicately pulled the robes off and away, exposing Harold’s naked body.

His lips trailed Harold’s collarbone reverently, sucking on the soft flesh lightly. “You’re so handsome,” Sigma hummed.

“You can’t see me,” Harold pointed out.

“Doesn’t that make it more special? That a blind man like me knows you’re handsome?”

Harold giggled bashfully. “Perhaps.” His fingers found the edge of Sigma’s own robes and pulled them up and over his head. Sigma gasped lightly, making Harold giggle again. “But I’m not the only gorgeous one here. I’ve got you, don’t I? And I get to have you all for myself.”

Harold’s lithe fingers felt his soft pecs, his toned stomach, traveling lower at a snail pace. Heat blossomed from his touch, making Sigma’s breathing quicken. Harold leaned forward for another greedy kiss with his greedy tongue while his hand brushed over the thick bush of hair near his groin, trailing down to the base of his throbbing cock. Sigma was quick to surrender as the now-familiar wave of love and lust overwhelmed his senses, moaning to the ceiling.

Harold let his other hand hover in the air as the strings between their bodies re-emerged. He began to tug on them lightly but Sigma enclosed his hand around Harold’s wrist, dispelling the spell.

“Siebren?” He whispered.

“No magic,” he said, just as quiet. “No spirits, no magic, and no strings of fate. Just you and me.”

Harold nodded slowly, and then he leaned backward for a second to take his glasses off. When he couldn’t find a place to deposit them, he slid them into Sigma’s face, earning a quiet chuckle from his lips. The glasses, as Sigma suspected, did nothing to help his eyesight. Sigma wrinkled his nose, the glasses tilting with his movement, earning another laugh.

“You done?” Sigma smiled.

“Any more requests before I not-so-magically find the lubricant, oh great Oracle?” Harold said in an exaggerated voice.

“Actually, there is…one thing,” Sigma glanced away. It was just a thought but…no, it might not work. It’s been too long. Why ruin what might be their last comfortable night like this with such an experiment?

“Hmm?”

“I was wondering if I could, um, be on the receiving end tonight.” He cleared his throat loudly. "Only if you'd want to, that is."

“O-oh. I guess that explains why you didn’t eat much dinner.” Harold frowned microscopically. “That takes something out of the books.”

“What is it?”

Harold opened his mouth, paused, then headed out of bed to a small trunk. Within it he got what appeared to be the jar of lube and something else that Sigma couldn’t describe. It looked long and thin and pale as the snow. What it was, however, Sigma could not tell.

By the time he returned to bed, Harold’s blush seemed to have multiplied. In his hands were the jar and the mysterious object. Noticing Sigma's curious gaze, he held the object close so Sigma could see.

Sigma's cheeks crimsoned. “R-rope, Harold?”

“Look, I understand if you don’t want to get tied up. I was going to ask if you could tie me up or something, but if you want to bottom for once, I understand this might be too much. We can do it some other time."

Before Harold might say more, Sigma cupped Harold’s face, interrupting him. “Harold, whatever you want to do, I’ll do it. I love you.” Softer, he added, “I trust you.”

“G-good,” Harold breathed. Despite his nervousness, there was no denying the excitement in his voice. He took his glasses off Sigma's face and slid them to the edge of the bed. “R-right. Well. I best get you prepared, shouldn't I? Sit up and turn around.”

Sigma did as Harold instructed. His wrists were pulled behind his back, the rope gliding over his skin. A well of fear and anticipation filled his chest. He’d never done this. Not the rope, not the bottoming, not running away to start a new life, not immortality. They were scary but they were also new, and they were luxuries he couldn’t afford to waste. If he shied away from scary, new things, he'd never be here in Harold's arms, with infinite power and life in his bloodstream. And after all, wasn't that the purpose of experimentation, to learn from these scary, new things? He could accept it easily enough if he just thought about it as an experiment.

Harold’s deft touch assuaged some of his fears, working steadily as he guided the rope over his arms and wrist. His fingers would often pause to rake down Sigma’s backside or reach lower to squeeze his ass, making Sigma shiver in delight. When Harold was done, he gently guided Sigma down onto the bed, his chest flat on the mattress and his ass held high. Sigma glanced over his shoulder to find Harold staring at the body, seemingly in a trance.

Sigma smiled shyly. "Earth to Harold."

"S-sorry, it's just...wow." Harold chuckled nervously. "I can't believe my luck that I have you like this. Can't believe I have you for all eternity."

"I'm not going to wait all eternity," Sigma said. "Could you please get on with it?"

"You're so impatient," Harold teased as he opened the jar and spread the glistening lube over his fingers. He leaned forward and pressed the tip of a finger into Sigma slowly. In an instant a cold shock zapped both Sigma's mind and body, making him shiver again. When Sigma recovered slightly, Harold began to slide his finger in and out, coating Sigma's ass with the slippery, wet lube.

"Harold…" Sigma gasped.

"I'll be slow," Harold said, voice laced with lust. "I want you to feel good."

"D-don't just say things like that," Sigma blushed. "You don't need to be slow for me. I can handle it." Maybe, he added but didn't say.

Harold chuckled lightly as he pressed a second finger in, pumping at a slightly faster pace. Sigma tugged at his restraints, his eyelids fluttering. This tight wetness was such a new but wonderful sensation and it was making him dizzy in ecstasy. Harold's magic was coursing through his touch, shooting up into Sigma's brain. Sigma was sure this magical bond between him was making him far more sensitive than he should be, and yet he didn't want to stop. He wanted more, more. As long as it was Harold he'd always want more.

A third finger went in, pumping a little bit faster. Harold's fingers curled up inside Sigma, and he swore he could see the stars as those fingers brushed against his prostate. Harold's other hand trailed down his back, round his hips to enclose around Sigma's leaking cock. A shameful moan dripped from his lips as Sigma rolled his hips against the palm of Harold's hand, his desperation growing. It felt like he would tear apart if he wasn't given what he craved, if he wasn't filled, if he wasn't stroked. He knew Harold felt this desperation, but he never imagined it would be this intense. Now, right now, he needed to be defiled now.

Sigma glanced over his shoulder, his entire body tinted rouge. "Harold, please."

"Already? But I haven't even got the fourth finger in." Harold said in an amused tone.

"Harold," Sigma said in a more commanding voice.

"Alright, alright," Harold giggled lightly as he took another coating of lube and slowly stroked his cock, slicking it. Sigma could feel Harold shift forward, his wet cock rocking against the cleft of his ass. He inhaled deeply as Harold's love flooded his mind, spiking in waves with every roll of his tantalising hips. He rolled his hips back to the same rhythm as Harold's hips, hoping to coax Harold to hurry up, to give him what he craved.

Harold's hands gripped onto his hips tightly, steadying him. Sigma's balled fists shook against his restraints in anticipation. Harold drew his cock back, letting the tip kiss against Sigma’s entrance.

"Ready?" Harold asked softly.

"Yes, please," Sigma whimpered. "Please. I want you now. I need you."

Harold sharply inhaled, dug his fingers into the soft flesh of Sigma’s ass, and then slowly pushed his cock in.

Sigma bit on his lip to stifle his moan, but it didn't work, a soft "ah!" escaping his lips. It felt so glorious and wet and warm. Harold filled him up so perfectly, sliding in and out of him languidly but fluidly, slow but powerful, as if Harold already knew exactly how he wanted to be fucked. Harold was moaning too, whispering soft little things that made Sigma’s skin prickle with need and desire. From their shared minds, Sigma could feel Harold’s magic stroke the corners with the same speed and rhythm as his hips, as if Sigma was being pleasured both physically and mentally.

Sigma could barely handle it. Being pleasured in two different ways simultaneously, everything felt much more intense. Everything felt so much better. “Mmm, Harold…”

"You're handling it so good. And it's your first time too." His hot breath tickled Sigma's ear. "Maybe you can handle a little bit more." Harold snapped his hips, driving his cock harder into Sigma. He groaned lewdly, knowing all too well he was completely and utterly at Harold's mercy.

He wanted to ask how Harold knew this was his first time when suddenly Harold shifted the angle of his cock, making him moan deeply. Harold's magic had seeped into his mind, making his brain spark and flicker with the light of a thousand fireworks. Sigma's fists shook, trying and failing to break free from the restraints.

"Ah ah ah," Harold teased, not slowing his brutal pace down a single bit. "Not yet, Siebren. Not yet."

"Harold, please, ahhh." Without his sense of sight, his other senses were already heightened, but with the additional loss of his sense of touch, it felt like his remaining senses were working on overdrive. The scent of Harold's sweat was driving him wild. The sight of his cock gushing down onto the bed was undeniably arousing. The sound of Harold's strangled moans of pleasure as his hips crashed into Sigma's ass was the most beautiful chorus. His body was so sensitive to every little touch. If Harold just hit his prostate a bit more, if he just angled his cock at the perfect spot, Sigma might unravel completely.

"You're doing so well. You can take it so well," Harold whispered. "You let me know if it's too much."

"It's not enough, I need more. I want more. Please."

Sigma heard Harold chuckle lightly as he slid his cock out. Before Sigma could react, Harold's hands gripped tightly onto his waist, turning him around and sitting him on his lap. It took a second for Sigma to figure out what had happened. He rocked his hips slowly, sliding his ass against Harold's cock.

Harold placed a tender kiss to the lobe of Sigma's ear. "Is this good enough for you, Siebren?" He whispered.

Sigma leaned forward and kissed Harold eagerly as he felt Harold line himself up. He opened his eyes for a second and stared into the dark void that was Harold's eyes, waiting for the light, the signal, the go ahead. Harold's eyes shimmered for a second as he let out a quiet, pleading sigh. Sigma smiled softly as he descended, filling himself with Harold's cock once more. Harold wrapped his arms around Sigma's chest, moaning.

"Gosh, Siebren, yes. Yes, yes."

Sigma slid up and down at a brutal pace, giving the both of them little to no build-up. Not that either of them wanted or needed it. Harold's mind was screaming for more, and Sigma was sure his mind was screaming the same thing. He adjusted himself, angling his body until he felt the head of Harold's cock hit his prostate. It felt incredible, addictive, amazing. He had to hit it again and again and again, milking that indescribable pleasure for all it was worth. Just a bit more. He was so close, so madly close.

He angled his descent badly and Harold's cock slipped out of his ass. They groaned loudly.

"Siebren," Harold warned.

"S-sorry. I've never done this before," Sigma blushed.

"I know, but you don't need to rush it," Harold smiled softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Sigma let out a quiet chuckle as he descended slowly until his ass was touching Harold's thighs. He bit down lightly on his lip, suppressing a moan. "We are not going anywhere."

Harold grinned brightly as his fingers traced the rope bindings. With a sharp tug, the rope came loose and Sigma's hands came free.

“H-Harold?”

“Bondage doesn’t suit you. I know you want to touch me.” Harold pressed a chaste kiss to Sigma’s cheek. “Let me be at your mercy this time.”

With his arms free he could do whatever he liked. Push Harold down and take him from the top, touch him in all his sensitive places until he came, torture him with his caresses. He could do almost anything and Harold would eagerly go along with Sigma's whims, but Sigma had a different plan in mind. He let his hands settle on either side of Harold's jaw, cupping it as though he was holding the world in his hands. In a sense, he was. Harold was his world, and he would always find his way to him. He closed his eyes, imagining Harold and all the things he had done for Sigma. There were almost too many to count. Harold had been so good to him since the very beginning.

Tears began to bead at Harold's eyes, which he hastily wiped away. "Y-you know I can read your thoughts, right?"

"I know," Sigma hummed. He kissed Harold on the lips, on the cheek. His hips slowly began to move again, almost lethargically, sensually, just enough to keep them on the edge.

Harold huffed. "You really are a jerk." But he was smiling while he said it, gripping Sigma's shoulders tightly when their hips pressed together. His thoughts were all focused on Sigma, and his love and adoration for him. From his intellect to his wisdom to his weird little jokes, Harold transmitted it all back to Sigma.

Sigma chuckled bashfully as he pressed another long kiss to Harold's open mouth. He imagined all the wonderful things about Harold—his beautiful voice, his constant optimism, and open mind— and watched as Harold’s face broke out into a breathtaking smile.

"I love you, Siebren," Harold said quietly.

"I love you too, Harold. Till the end of time,” Sigma whispered.

Harold kissed Sigma's lips softly. "Till the end of time."

The heat of their orgasm ebbed and flowed as Sigma slowly rode Harold. When it did came, it trickled up their bodies, less an explosion and more of a wave flooding over them. They kissed through this indescribable bliss, and when they were spent, they kissed some more, collapsing back into the bed in each other's arms. They did not speak, just let their slowing thoughts do the speaking for them, telling their life stories and their greatest triumphs and greatest fears for them. What their thoughts couldn't speak, their wandering fingers did, breathing new life into their every touch, expressing countless untold stories.

With a wave of his hands, Sigma summoned two cloths to wipe them both clean. Harold initially relaxed into it, until Sigma plucked the invisible strings between their obdies. Harold let out a surprised gasp as he felt something warm and wet and invisible enter his hole.

He looked down at Sigma, his expression quickly turning lustful. “I thought you said no magic tonight.”

“That was when I thought I only had the energy for one time.” Sigma tugged at the strings, making the invisible lubed-up finger press deeper into Harold. “I might have the energy reserve for at least one more go.”

Harold grinned mischievously. “At least?”

“I paid good money for this room, and I plan to maximize my usage of it.” He reversed their positions, pressing Harold back into the covers. He smiled indulgently. “I hypothesise that I can get you hard again without even touching you.”

“That’s some hypothesis,” Harold breathed. “Do you have the evidence to back up that theory?”

Sigma smirked. "I've got just the experiment in mind."

That night, Sigma fucked Harold himself, becoming one in both mind and body. By the end of it they were sweaty, sticky, and very much dehydrated, and absolutely and hopelessly in love with each other. When they both finally fell asleep in their arms, there was nothing they didn't know about the other. They slept peacefully that night, the marks on their palms glowing, perfectly content just to have each other, for now until eternity. They will find each other. That, they promised one another.

—

In the morning, they ate the breakfast the inn provided. They were downstairs, dressed in more unassuming clothes. Despite Sigma's best efforts, he couldn't stop grinning. It was a honeymoon phase of sorts, because they had already pledged to stay with each other for as long as time would let them, but that was all they had figured out in terms of their plans. Where they go from here, what they do, it was all up in the air. Anything and everything was possible. They had almost nothing to hold them back.

"We could head to the Safavid Empire in the West," Sigma suggested. "Ardabil is not unlike Oasis. Considering all the different dignitaries that visit there, we would not look out of place."

But Harold shook his head. "What business would we have in Ardabil? The Dutch East India Company own all the major trade routes so there's not too much business there. They're also not too keen on foreigners at the moment, especially English speaking foreigners."

"I know languages other than English and Dutch."

"So do I, but English seems to be the one we're best able to communicate in. I wouldn't take my chances," Harold said. "Why not Georgia instead?"

"Not Georgia. I'm not wanted in those lands."

"Why would they not want you there?" Harold asked.

"The Tobelsteins wielded far more power than I expected," Sigma frowned. "They messed with the fabric between reality and the spirit world far too much and I objected. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up floating into the heavens for their hubris like I did when I was a young, stupid fool."

"Don't put yourself down, Siebren. You shouldn't be ashamed of your powers.” Harold sighed. “So not Georgia then. Somewhere else. But where?"

As they began to rack their heads for ideas, two men stumbled through the entrance and plopped themselves down near the bar. One was tall and thin, with odd machinery on their right arm and leg. The other was fat and menacing, a mask hiding away their features. Their skin was pale as snow. They were definitely not from this land. The thin man ordered a beer, while the fat man ordered water.

If their appearance was hard to ignore, the thin man's outbursts were impossible.

"Can't believe th' Overwatch Guild is a thing. Always thought it was some legend going round those parts. Here, Roadie. You hear about it?" The man said in accented, but fluent English. It was definitely his first language.

"I was there with you," the man known as Roadie huffed.

"I mean, I know I'm supposed to be the comic relief, but how is a bloke to believe that an enchanted gorilla's its new leader? And don't get me started with the automaton, mate. In our lovely lil' collisseum we had a glorious champion, and then it just buggers off to the middle of nowhere, Gibraltar?"

"The queen wants us to get 'em back," Roadie gruffly replied.

"Assuming some mage's piloting it, and not like…I dunno, a hamster. That'd be a real kick , wouldn't it? A hamster rolling a ball automaton? But what kinda hamster would have that much smarts and magic? Not any that I know."

The man known as Roadie turned his head toward Harold and Sigma. Even behind his mask, they could feel his deathly glare. "Junkrat, shut up."

"Hey, don't interrupt me, I—oh." Roadie forced Junkrat to turn his head.

The two strangers stared at Sigma and Harold for several seconds, as if gauging them. Then, after a minute of uncomfortable silence, Junkrat rolled his eyes and nursed his beer.

"Don't bother, Roadie. They're just wizards." The man known as Junkrat spat out the word like it was poison.

"Least they don't have golems."

Sigma could've picked a fight, or perhaps even correct the two men on their technically incorrect use of the word 'wizard', but he didn't. Instead, he stared at Harold. They shared the same knowing look in their eyes, their faces lighting up. A path had been unveiled to them, glorious and brilliant and full of potential. It was almost as if it was fate guiding them along.

"Winston?" Sigma asked, and Harold nodded eagerly.

“And Hammond.” The descriptions matched. There were no other super-intelligent gorillas and hamsters that they knew of. It had to be them. Winston and Hammond had to be alive, and members of this Overwatch guild.

“You’re aware of what the Overwatch guild is?” Sigma asked, even though he knew Harold would know by now. They shared all their memories, their feelings, and their knowledge. They had nothing left to hide anymore.

“A ragtag bunch of adventurers bent on saving the world, one magical disaster at a time.” Harold stuck out his hand. “What do you say, Siebren? Ever wanted to join a guild?"

"I've joined enough guilds in my day, thank you very much." Sigma's lips curled up into a grin as he took Harold's hand. "Although I must say, I'm awfully curious as to how you've enchanted a gorilla and a hamster with the gift of intelligence. You know I’m up for another experiment.”

Harold grinned. "An adventure, you and me.”

"Oi, I heard that. You two!" The man known as Junkrat suddenly stood up, his expression becoming dangerous very quickly. He muttered something to Roadie, who took out an enchanted hook.

"But first, maybe we should get out of here?" Harold smiled nervously.

"We should probably do that," Sigma said.

With the wave of his hand, Sigma summoned the barrier as they raced out of the inn and ran toward the sunrise together, a world of untold possibility and struggle and wonder all ahead of them, just beyond their fingertips.

#Sigrold #Sigma #Siebren de Kuiper #Harold Winston #End of an era and end of an AU #I had fun writing this #Who knows I might explore another AU or another smutty situation in the near future #Until then if you guys could support me it'd really help me out #Times have been tough for a lot of people myself included #If you like these fics I'd appreciate any and all support financial or otherwise

[avengerscompound]

The Unicorn - Chapter 3

The Unicorn:  A Pepperony Fanfic PREVIOUS

Series Masterlist

Buy me a coffee with Ko-fi Word Count: 1931

Pairing:  Tony Stark x F!Reader x Pepper Potts

Warnings:  Sex talk

Synopsis:  After the night they spent with you, Pepper wonders if she really had much of a chance to explore thing the way she wanted to.

A/N:  Re-uploading from @emilyevanston

Chapter 3

“I feel a little guilty,”  Pepper said as she poured herself some coffee from the French Press Tony had set on the table.  She and Tony had slept late.  There was something to be said about a sex coma, and you had certainly put them both into one hell of a sex coma last night.  Tony had already been considering going to ask you for tips on how to get Pepper off like that.  Not that he didn’t know what he was doing.  No one had ever complained and he and Pepper had their things they enjoyed, but that - that was something else.

Tony looked up at her from the tablet in his hand.  She had her own.  Sleeping in meant working over breakfast even if they were taking their sweet ass time getting going.  “What was that, dear?”

“We never got her off.  That’s not exactly good manners.”  Pepper joked.

Tony chuckled and shook his head.  “Certainly that’s not how I was raised.”

Pepper furrowed her brow and drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair as she stared down at her tablet.   Tony watched her closely.  Her normally long nails had been cut short and while she was looking at her tablet her eyes stayed still, boring a hole in the one spot.  The nails seemed significant.  Last night had been about her experimenting and she had really not been an active participant while you’d gotten her off.  She wanted a round two, where she got to be the dominant woman she was.

“Go on say it.”  Tony said.  “I know you want to.”

Pepper took a sip of coffee like she was trying to work up the nerve.  She opened her mouth, closed it again and took a bite of her avocado toast.  Tony laughed and shook his head taking a long drink of his coffee.

“Tony…”  Pepper whined.  “This isn’t easy for me.”

“I’m just not used to seeing you like this,”  Tony said grinning.  “It’s cute.  You're cute.  Now come on.  Say what’s on your mind.”

“It’s not cute, Tony!”  Pepper groaned.  She let out a huff, blowing the stray strands of her red hair from her brow.  “Do you think she would?”

“Do I think she would what?”  Tony teased, loving the way Pepper was squirming.

“Do you think she’d come back again if we asked?”  Pepper said, the words tumbling out of her mouth as quickly as she could form them.

Tony raised his eyebrows in mock shock making a spluttering startled sound.  “What?  I never!  I thought I was enough for you, Pepper!  How dare you?”  He teased.

Pepper rolled her eyes.  “You’re ridiculous you know?”

Tony smirked and grazed his teeth over his bottom lip.  “You love me.”

“You’re lucky I do.”  She said.

Tony smiled at her and patted her thigh.  “I know.”  He said, earnestly.  “I don’t know.  She took off so fast.  Maybe receiving is just not her thing.  Maybe she’ll be worried about it getting found out.  I can ask.  You’re sure though?  I know you.  This exploring your sexuality thing is great and all but you aren’t the one-night stand type.”

“It won’t be a one night stand if it happens again, now will it?”  Pepper said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

Tony pursed his lips and scratched his head.  He didn’t want to say that that’s what he was worried about.  The thing was, as much as he trusted her, jealousy was still one of the little vices he struggled with.  Not because of her at all, just in the back of his mind, there was a niggling little voice, usually sounding exactly like his father, that told him he wasn’t enough.  No one would ever love him.  Not really.  Any affection that people had for him actually was meant to be directed at someone else and eventually, he’d be left alone.

The other problem was jealousy was one of Pepper’s demons too.  For Pepper, the jealousy came from experience.  It had been something she’d grown over time thanks to the feelings she had developed for him while she was his assistant.  With the tasks he’d had her perform… who could blame her for getting a twinge of insecurity if he flirted a little too long with another woman?  It was something he’d been mindful of.  He tended to have a default state of flirtation.  Women.  Men.  It didn’t really matter.  He liked that little shy smile they had when he did it.  For Pepper, he tried not to feed it.  He made sure she knew he was there with her.  If he saw that tinge of green he backed off and focused on Pepper.

Actually continuing to bring the same person back to sleep with them again?  It was a risk.  How many times do you need to sleep with someone before the thought that it’s also going on behind your back?  Would Pepper begin to think that anytime he had a brainstorming session with you, you and he were fucking?  What noise would Pepper have to make before he started thinking that she’d realize he wasn’t the one for her?

The deciding factor was that it was you.  If it had been anyone else, he would have just said straight up, he thought it was a bad idea.  You really were like nobody else though.  The fact you didn’t want to be tied down was a huge factor.  That helped with his little side of jealousy.  He knew you wouldn’t feed any kind of potential romance with Pepper, even if logically he knew she wouldn’t either.  Pepper was the marrying type, he had proof in the band of titanium around his finger.  You were not.  The bigger one was, you weren’t the kind of person who hurt people.  Your promiscuity was about having fun.  You had proven that.  You weren’t in it to notch your bedpost.  You weren’t seeking out targets.  Inviting you back, you might say no, but if you did, that would be for the best.

“I’ll ask her, but she might say no,”  Tony said, rubbing his thumb in small circles on her thigh.  “She might be just a one-night stand person.”

Pepper nodded.  “I know.  I just… if we’re going to explore this.  I want to explore it.”

Tony wasn’t sure when would be an appropriate time to ask this time.  How many time in a row can you ask an employee to have sex with you and your wife before you’re considered sexually harassing them?

The answer was one.  He knew that.  Not that that was his intention.  It was a very murky area to be wading in and the absolute last thing he wanted was for you to feel uncomfortable working here anymore.

He approached you in your lab.  You were working on nanites and hunched over an electron microscope.  He cleared his throat and you turned around and grinned up at him.

“Hey, boss, what’s up?”  You said.

“Oh god, don’t call me boss.”  He said, taking his glasses off and wiping them.

You furrowed your brow and then laughed.  “It’s not so hard.  You have to get your fingers in deep and push them up.  You know where the clitoris is right?”  You said.

Tony held up both his hands.  “Woah hang on.  Not that.  I mean, yes, I do want to learn that but … Shit.”

You cocked an eyebrow at him.  “Then what is it?”

“She cut her fingernails,”  Tony said lamely.

“Shit,”  You said leaning back on the bench.  “Normally when it’s a married woman experimenting they just want to kiss and touch your boobs, you know?”

“I mean, not from experience,”  Tony said.

Tony watched on as you worried your lip.  “So it’s like this,”  You said looking back up at him.  “I really, really like threesomes.  Especially the kind where it’s two girls and a guy.”

“I’m partial to those ones too.”  Tony joked, taking a seat on one of the stools.

“See, most guys seem to think that a ‘two girls and a guy’ one is all about them.  You get the right people though and it’s fun for everyone.  That’s easier out in the wild.  Go to the party, find some random people, or your friends, go to town on each other.  Everyone goes home happy.”

“Our experiences are very different to each other, but please go on,”  Tony said.

“With a couple, you tend to have this hierarchy of expectations.  When I get asked my first expectation, and most commonly what happens is the dude just wants a threesome and has talked his wife or girlfriend into it.  I always so no when I expect that’s the case.”  You explain.

“How much do people ask you for a threesome?”  Tony said with a whistle.

“Tony,”  You scoffed.  “Look at me.”

He laughed and shook his head.  “Right.  Continue.”

“After that it’s she wants to experiment.  I’ll say yes to people who want to explore their sexuality.  I like giving that to people.  Still, in the guys head, he often thinks that’s about him.  I test that by focusing on her.  Let me tell you, a lot of dudes hate that.  Usually, when she means experiment though she means, kissing, boob touching and I go down on her.  The guy always… always fucks me from behind.”

Tony wasn’t sure where you were going with this.  He furrowed his brow and tilted his head.  “Did I do the threesome wrong?”

You laughed and touched his arm.  “No.  No.  You did it so right.  That was all about Pepper.  You were giving her a gift.  I never once doubted for one second that the two of you weren’t totally into each other and that that was about her exploring something with someone she loved and trusted at her side.  That’s why you got that little bonus at the end.”

Tony hummed.  “I did like that.”

“They always do.”  You said with a nod of your head.

“I’m not sure what you’re actually trying to tell me though,”  Tony said.

“I’m saying that the fact you did that, and you noticed that your wife cut her fingernails because he wanted to finger me is, really some bizarro level of romantic I’m totally down for.”  You said.

“Oh, good.  Wasn’t sure there for a second.”  Tony said.

“We’re getting into dangerous territory though, you know that right?”  You said.  “You’re both my boss on top of the whole normal jealousy and potential feelings catching.  I don’t wanna hurt you, but more I really don’t want my life ruined because of this.”

“You want to have us draw up some legal stuff?  Job protection?  An NDA?”  Tony offered.

You chewed on the end of your nail.  “Yeah.  Might be good.  Something that covers all three of us.  The job stuff should be that my work is taken for its own merit.  Not that I’m guaranteed a job here.”

“Of course.  You know, I absolutely do not want to lose you from this.  You’re probably the best engineer I’ve ever seen.  No, wait. Second best.”  He said.

“Right.  After you…”  You said with a laugh.

“Oh no.  Not me.  Shuri.”  He said quickly.

“The Princess of Wakanda.  Okay, I’ll take that.”  You said.  “Alright, you do that.  Does Saturday sound good?”

Tony nodded.  “Yeah, we have nothing on.  You want dinner maybe?”

“Yeah, I think I would like to get to know you both better.”  You said, turning back to your work.  “Besides, I’d like to see how billionaires eat.”

// NEXT

#tony stark #pepper potts #iron man #tony stark x reader #pepper potts x reader #tony stark x pepper potts #iron man fanfic #pepperony #pepperony x reader #tony stark x pepper potts x reader #fanfic #fanfiction #smut #fluff #angst #polyamory #the unicorn

[petite-neko]

Chapter Characters: Law, Bepo, Shachi, Penguin (Sugar, Corazon) Pairing: (eventual) LawLu Rating: M Warnings: Vampire AU, (Mostly) canon compliant, Angst, Survivor Guilt, Blood, (Kinda) drug use/addiction, dependency, child grooming, child abuse, abusive relationship, major character death, bullying (Other warnings may be added) A/N:  Well. I am taking some liberties here, seeing as Law's novel was recently translated. I did tweak the chapter a bit here and there. (Law meets the trio a bit later on than he does in canon, as he doesn't quite go through the same life xD) Also, I included one part of my own head canon into here, and I didn't wanna change it in accordance to the new canon. I kinda had it already integrated into my fic so :x I'd have to do a few too many minor tweaks.Again: Much thanks to Oturai for bearing through my loopy typing/writing. (I'm doped up on painkillers, and will prolly be for another week. Fucked up my shoulder)

.xxx. > Time/scene skip

.+++. > PoV change

(Wanna buy me a ko-fi? Link in blog description!)

Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6

She was no longer hungry.

She was no longer in a frenzy.

She was no longer driven by instinct.

And yet, Law still found himself avoiding Sugar. Sure, he knew. He knew all of that. He knew it would be fine now. That Sugar wouldn’t attack him. That he had no further reason to maintain a distance.

But, whenever he looked at her, all he could see was a vampire.

The vampires whispered amongst the humans in terror: Ravenous, hungry, heartless, inhumane.

Eyes solely focused on him in hunger, desperation and need. His own confusion, at first, but then that cold, creeping comprehension as her face contorted. As she hissed and growled at him. The way she had lost all control; been driven to her most basic functions. As her teeth began to extend, and the shock. The disbelief. The way that time seemed to slow down. The way Corazon’s voice echoed in his head: “We don’t turn children.” And then that realisation fully sinking in. Just as her teeth might into his flesh. And his own desperation. The adrenaline coursing through him, strengthening him. He couldn’t let her win. Couldn’t let her press forward. His hands - they were the only things keeping her from feeding on him. He could feel her breath on his face - mere inches away. Close. She was too close.

Food. That was all he was to her. A meal to sustain her into the next day. He was not another person. Not a living, breathing being. No. He was food, and she was hungry.

And even then, even as Corazon had separated her from him, she was hanging there, by her ankle, flailing and hissing and trying to escape his grasp to get to her meal.

In those moments, she had lost all humanity. Blinded by her need to feed.

And Law just could not forget that.

It was a harsh wakeup call. It only reminded him of the environment he was in. That Doflamingo, that Corazon, that - probably - many of his crewmates were vampires. That he was human.

He had dismissed that. Dismissed the danger he was actually in. Forgotten just what they were and just what they ate.

They went about it so... civilly. The blood they consumed was integrated into food, into wines and juices. It was never obvious. Disguised to hide their identities. Never did they openly consume directly from a human. Teeth hidden and withdrawn. They acted as, and appeared to be, humans.

Of course, Law knew differently, but that knowledge never truly sank in. Not until... Sugar.

Perhaps some of it, too, did stem from the similarities. Of just why he knew.

For he, too, consumed blood on a regular basis. His very survival was dependant on it. He craved and needed it, just as they did. Except, for different reasons, and for a different kind of blood.

Normally I never let my vassals become... hungry.

Sure, it wasn’t hunger that drove him, but the similarities were almost startling. That he was, all but in name, just like a vampire. That he, too, was being provided for by Doflamingo. Just from a different... source.

And certainly, yes, Law knew that eventually he could escape the confines if he so desired. (Of course, dismissing the fact that his body quite literally would not survive without the support.) But there was that thirst within him. One that could only be satisfied by the blood of a pure-blooded vampire. One that he had tasted once upon a time. Tasted and acted upon.

Law knew exactly what it was, but at the same time, there was nothing he could do about it. He was addicted. Addicted to the strength it gave him. That rush of adrenaline and euphoria. The life it gave him - both literally and metaphorically. And those physical dependencies were only exemplified by just how literally he needed it; by the mental addiction of life. That he knew, all too well, just what would happen to him if he stopped.

Thus, it had driven him, just as it had driven Sugar. It'd driven him to wield a knife and find any means necessary to draw the blood that he needed to survive.

Perhaps, if he had known how benevolent Corazon really was, he would have been a bit more... civil about the situation. But, he hadn’t, and so he wasn’t.

...he wondered just how Corazon could stand him after that. After seeing him in that state. Needy and desperate. Violent. Acting in the only way that he knew how.

But, Corazon had.

Maybe one day he, too, could face Sugar again.

.xxx.

It seemed that they would be docked here for a few more days. A lengthy supply run, because their future would soon be unpredictable. So, Law decided that he would explore some more of the island. He hadn’t really had an opportunity the last time he was out, after all; he’d been too angry at Doflamingo to enjoy it.

And yes - yes - it definitely was a way to avoid Sugar.

“You should be ashamed of yourself!”

As Law wandered about, he could hear some voices off in the distance. Part of him said that he should ignore it. This wasn’t his business and he came out here to relax, not to get involved with the civilians.

Now, there was the sound of flesh hitting flesh.

Oh, great, Law thought, somebody’s getting a beating.

He should just ignore it.

“You can’t even follow simple orders, can you?”

“You’re supposed to do as we tell you!”

Law tried to ignore it, but their voices were so loud. They hit too close to home. They were turning his stomach. They were only making him think of his possible fate. All that it would take for Doflamingo to...

He can make me do anything. Anything!

This wasn’t what he came out here for, dammit! He wanted to forget about that. Forget about vampires and blackmail, and the fact that he had no fucking choice in the matter anymore, and that...

But some fucking idiots thought that here and now was a perfect fucking time and place to bully somebody else!

...maybe he should get himself involved. Beat those fuckers up for ruining his day. And then he could get some peace and quiet and-

“You white monster!”

Oh. Oh. Those bastards were definitely getting it now. Not only did they fucking remind him of his current predicaments, but his past ones as well? The past he didn’t want to remember: The hatred. The shunning. The pain. The war.

Law rolled up his sleeves, marching over towards where the sounds were coming from.

The scene he had walked into was not one he would have expected: There were two boys about his age, beating up a... polar bear?

What the fuck?

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please stop...”

...wait a minute, was the bear talking?

“You’re so useless!”

They obviously hadn’t noticed him yet, continuing to kick the bear.

“Yeah,” the other boy pathetically agreed. “A freak, too!”

Pathetic the sight may be, Law still felt his brow twitching in irritation. Talking bear or not, nobody deserved to be treated like that. To be kicked when you were down, to be insulted all the while.

Law stepped forward. “Oh, really?” He said, drawing their attention. “I do think that I would reserve those names for the two of you.” He wore a smug expression on his face. “I mean, who the fuck beats up a polar bear?”

“Excuse me?”

“You know, wait. I’ve changed my mind. Useless and freak certainly are fitting words, but I do believe pathetic is more apt.” And Law continued to grin at them. “Ganging up on a poor little polar cub, using uneven numbers to gain an advantage. What? Too afraid to take him on one-on-one? Are you guys that weak?”

Law knew that he was just goading them on, but that was his intent. And it was working. Their anger shifted over to him. Such a shame, though. These poor boys had no idea of the mistake they were making. He did doubt these boys were vampires after all, and injectors were such a rarity.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“Yeah!”

Again, so pathetic, so predictable... Law could only roll his eyes at that. They were too easy. If he so desired, Law knew just how to play them.

But, simply because it would take no effort, and more importantly because of just how he knew to play them, he refrained. He would rather do things his own way, after all...

“Your worst nightmare.”

Those words were all it took for the boys to abandon their current victim and charge at him.

And of course, just like their psyches, they, too, were too easy. But Law anticipated it. Perhaps if he had been a regular human, the boys mighthave posed a challenge at best, but empowered by pureblood as he was? Hardly.

And, as the boys were licking their newfound wounds, Law flopped himself down onto a snow pile.

“What is your fucking problem, anyway?”

He looked over at the polar bear, who had stupidly stuck around. Why didn’t he run away when he had a chance? Oh well, not his problem.

“He’s just a fucking bear. Who the fuck cares if he can talk or not? I mean, there’s weirder shit out there. More dangerous shit.”

“Oh yeah?” A head snapped up. “What do you even know, kid?”

“Yeah, I mean, he obviously isn’t from around here!”

“And,” it seemed they were taking turns talking, “ya know what they say about foreigners...”

Law focused back on the two humans. “Actually, no,” he said, watching them cautiously, “no I don’t. And then, he let his lips curl once more. “Doindulge this foreigner just what your people say about us. I am mightily curious about your predispositions.”

Shock was the expression that greeted him.

“Hah?!”

“I’m a pirate,” Law explained briefly. It was obvious that they did not expect to find another child who was from elsewhere. “My crew stopped here for supplies.”

More shock, but there was another look there. They were starting to feel uneasy around him. A child foreigner was unusual, but they understood immediately what a pirate meant.

Law only let that smug expression grow. “Or,” he continued and cracked his knuckles, “I could beat it out of you.”

And unease rapidly turned into nervousness and fear.

“A-Ah!” It was enough to get them talking. “Th-They say to never trust ‘em!” He was fidgeting, but did not stop. “You never know who they are, or what they want, or what they carry...”

At the last note, Law felt himself tensing. He was feeling echoes of his past once more. And it was starting to make a lot of sense now...

“Ye-yeah!” the other boy continued, maybe even more nervous at Law’s obvious anger, “I mean - didn’t you hear about the country that got struck with a contagious disease? How the people there were trying to flee from it, carrying the disease with them? Trying to infect othercountries?”

Oh. Yeah. Yeah, it was definitely making a lot of sense now. Of course the rulers of the neighbouring countries would spread that rumour. Spread the fear of outsiders to justify their actions. It was making Law sick.

“So they-”

He hardened his gaze on the boys - and perhaps it wasn’t fair to them to face his anger. They, too, were victims of it in a sense, blinded by lies and rumours that were repeated so often they seemingly became the truth. That countries of people were exposed to this.

“They exterminated them.”

His voice, too, was hard. Angry. Full of rage that still had yet to be tamed.

“Slaughtered them. Lining children up against churches, and shooting them down one by one. But not before making them complacent with promises of hope and freedom. Burning hospitals down with patients still alive within them, laying on cots in pain. Hauling their corpses out, beyond the borders to run tests on them and study them... Oh, yes. I know all about Flevance. I was there, after all.”

And, if only to drive that nail in deeper, Law pulled up his sleeves to show the marks littering his arms.

Fear - that was all that was in those boys’ eyes now.

But then, Law scoffed, scoffed and laughed.

“Oh, do relax. If Amber Lead was as contagious as they said it was, wouldn’t you be hearing about outbreaks all over the place? It was just a lieplanted in your heads so they could justify slaughtering an entire country. The same could be said about the strangers you are so afraid of. We are people, too, just like anybody else. And I’m pretty sure this bear is the same. Right, bear?”

A squawk left the otherwise quiet animal.

“Yeah, you,” Law turned towards him and smiled, “you got a name?”

“I - uhh - Bepo.” And Bepo looked nervous. A little scared, too.

But Law only continued to smile. He even sniggered slightly before he flopped against the snow pile once more. “See?” He said as he looked up at the sky and the snow falling from it. “He’s got a name.”

He could feel gazes upon him, but Law didn’t care and he ignored it.

“And you? You boys got a name? Mine’s Law.”

“Uhh…” There was a moment of awkward pausing. “I’m uh, Shachi. And he’s Penguin, Peng for short.”

Law felt himself burst out in laughter now.

“You’re named after animals, and you beat up a talking one? You guys are the strange ones, not us ‘foreigners.’”

Nervous laughter was the response.

Perhaps it wasn't the most desired response, but it was a start.

#lawlu #trafalgar law #monkey d. luffy #one piece #petiteneko:story #tlaw #onepiece #luffy #corazon #bepo #shachi #penguin #fanfic:clandestine

[fairyscribbles]

Love at First Bite - Meetings (Kyungsoo, Pt. 1) [CHRONICLES OF THE WOLF SERIES]

Guess which handsome wolf just came to town! :3 Enjoy, sweets ♥

If you like it, support it on ko-fi! ♥

-

You tucked the final covered dish into the third of the large baskets with a proud sigh. Finally, everything was ready. Three big baskets full of food to feed a pack of hungry... werewolves.

You shuddered at the idea as you washed off your hands. 'And their mates,' your brain tacked on.

Including an old friend. The one who called on you to do this in the first place. When Haneul first approached you - late at night, knocking on your door with her protective mate standing behind her with his hood pulled over his eyes - it was difficult not to refuse it for your own self-preservation.

Though the capital was a bit more... open, there was a considerable danger to them being out and about in town that late. So you had to usher her into your home along with her tense mate, away from where the town's guards - as lazy as some of them were - could easily question them and even snatch them up for imprisonment. Then she explained her situation.

You loved Haneul. She was a beautiful, caring person. And while you didn't want to believe the old rumors about her being a wolf-lover... the golden-eyed man who was guarding her silently was kind of irrefutable proof.

And despite your own reservations about helping and being branded one yourself, you couldn't let them starve. It went completely against your own principles. But you weren't quite at the stage to brave the forest to deliver it to their home, so you made Haneul a deal. If they came and picked it up, you would prepare it for them.

You shuffled around to set all the baskets on the table along with a couple of bags full of other foodstuffs. Maybe it would hold them over for a little longer while you thought of how this could work...

The knock at your door made you jump. Out of a touch of fear that it was going to be the guards just magically knowing you were doing something like this. You weren't even sure anymore if it was illegal, considering the existence of werewolves was pretty much unheard of in towns anymore after the big exposure. You knew they went into hiding in the forests, but you weren't gutsy enough to go and find out.

Creeping up on your door, you murmured, "Who is it?"

"Hello..? Miss ___? We're Haneul's friends."

Your muscles immediately tensed with worry. Haneul explained she wouldn't be the one picking the food up, but knowing that didn't make it any easier on your panicked heart. It wasn't a big deal. Let them in to collect the food, then usher them out as politely and quickly as possible.

With that thought, you undid the sliding lock mechanism on your door, then flipped the doorknob unlocked as well. It took a deep breath before you were able to gather the courage to crack the door open.

The first sight that met your eyes was a kind female face, pale and soft and smiling so kindly. "Hi. ___-sshi?"

Her words were very controlled, her syllables well pronounced, which suggested she may not have been from the area. Her hood was already pulled off her face, but she dropped it even further to her shoulders. "Yijie..." a male voice whispered, making your stomach turn from nervousness.

"No, Xing," she whispered back, her tone reprimanding. "I would want to see faces if strangers were picking up food from me."

You couldn't resist asking. "Who else is with you?"

She turned back to you with another gentle smile. "I'm sorry. I'm Yijie. My mate is here. Yixing. And another of our family, Kyungsoo."

She gestured behind her, but you couldn't see. Still, something about the woman struck you as safe.

And you opened the door wider to take a look at the men standing outside the door.

One of them, it had to be Yixing, was standing very close to Yijie, close enough to reach out and touch her side for assurance that she was within arm's reach and in any case of emergency would be able to snatch her away.

The one behind the couple took your breath away. Dressed in monk's attire, his whole face was hooded away from you, making you bow your head in respect. Monks are the most revered warriors in the whole country, guided by god's hand. They seldom go into battle, but when they fight, they always win.

"One of your...kind is a monk?" You hissed in surprise, controlling yourself before you were able to say the word "werewolf". Yijie shook her head, looking back at the lone figure fleetingly.

"No, it's just Kyungsoo. Would you mind if..." she suddenly stopped, her lower lip pouted in thought, brows furrowed as she tried to remember something.

"Come in? It isn't good to be out in the open."

Yixing finished for his mate with a small, bashful smile. Yijie cast him an apologizing glance, to which he just kisses the top of her head in comfort. You stayed frozen in your spot.

You knew that it wasn't good to stay out in the open, but you also weren't quite sure if it was a perfect idea to let two wolves and their mate into her house.

You took a reluctant step back, trying hard to tamp down your nervousness. It was the reassuring hand that reached for yours that made you feel better as they all piled in. The monk impersonator - Kyungsoo - slid the door shut behind him, and your fingers tightened around the soft hand in yours.

"It's ok, ___," Yijie said with a smile. "We leave out of your way after we grab the food, alright?"

You nodded, rearranging the wording in your head. She definitely wasn't from here. "I-it's in the kitchen... I put together three baskets and a bag of some ingredients you might be able to use."

"Wow. That's more than enough, ___-sshi," Yixing said in amazement.

He and Kyungsoo headed to the kitchen, and you followed with Yijie closely in tow. Kyungsoo had pulled the hood off, and you felt yourself gulping when he looked over at you with a small smile. Yixing was good looking, yes, but.......

You shook your head, pointing at them. "Will it be okay?"

"Are you kidding this is amazing," Yijie said.

"There's so much. And it smells so good..." Kyungsoo whispered, and the voice that sounded in your kitchen was melodic, sweet. It was confusing.

You expected a gruff growl coming from the hooded impostor, not a voice that could belong to angels. Your cheeks darkened at the praise and you bowed your head to tear your sight away from the attractive male.

"T-thank you, Kyungsoo-sshi..." you muttered under your breath, trying your best to keep your heartbeat calm. But how could you when this strange feeling was coming over you every time you caught sight of the man?

Yijie smiled. "Then... we should get out of the way? Leave you to your peace."

It was so unnerving. About a minute ago, you wanted nothing else but that. But now, you were a little reluctant to let it end just like that.

"Kyungsoo-yah..." Yixing whispered.

"I... know, hyung..."

You raised your head. "How long will this last you?"

"With how many men are in the house, tonight," Yijie laughed.

"Then what?" you couldn't help but ask. Would they just go back to swiping food?

The three of them exchanged looks. "We'll manage."

"I can make more in a few days."

Your offer surprised even you. The fear was dissipating only to be replaced with a sense of protectiveness. They couldn't just starve.

"Really?" It was Kyungsoo that asked, and you found yourself hesitating before meeting his eye. Only to blush at the look of pure surprise on his handsome features.

Wow, what a time for your hormones to act up.

"S-sure. I wouldn't want you all to go without food. I'm not sure how much I can put together, but I have friends that have bakeries, even a creamery, and they love me at the market."

"___... I thought Haneul said..."

Yixing shook his head at his mate. "Yijie, no..." he whispered in a language you didn't understand. "We'd be grateful, ___."

They headed out, each man with something in hand. Kyungsoo's hood was back over his head, but even as they all headed out the door, you were able to see the small smile on his face. "I'll see you again soon, ___-sshi."

Your heart thudded. "O-okay..."

You went with them, to escort them from your house, and you watched them disappear in the crowd, only Kyungsoo's robe shining in the mass of people. You sighed, closing the door with shaky hands.

What did just happen? Those people weren't the horrible beasts the town told you about. For god's sakes, all three of them were the most harmless looking people you've seen in your life, and apart from their eyes, they looked nothing like the menacing beasts you heard about.

And they certainly didn't act anything like the horror stories you'd heard of. No violent snarling, aggressive approaches, threatening flashes of red eyes.

And that man... Kyungsoo.

You had to resist the dreamy sigh that bubbled up. Instead, you shuffled to the kitchen. You had to decide on the food to send them for next time.

You were successful in pressing back that dreamy sigh but you weren't able to control your mind, asking you questions about Kyungsoo's food prefference. Would it be prejudice to think they all enjoy meat? Maybe chicken will be good for them?

It didn't matter, because they wouldn't be back for quite some time. It will be wiser to wait for them to contact you.

-

Days passed and your hope was slowly fading. The first day, you were sure you'll see Haneul scurrying down the road, the shawl wrapped around her neck for protection (she mentioned she had a cold, did she?) But nothing came. Not even after the second day and so you gave up with the thought that they found a better link to the capital.

With a lifeless pace, you stode to the door at the heavy knocking. It must've been the guards wanting something. Nobody else bangs so aggressively as they did.

"K-kyungsoo?"

His smile was small, pressed. His hood was still pulled over but it was bright enough outside to reveal his expression.

"A-are you alright?"

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to come in. There are a lot of guards out and about today."

"Oh. Of course!" You stepped aside, ushering him in. As soon as the door was closed and locked, he shed the heavy cloak with a relieved sigh.

"Thank you."

"I-It's alright." What's wrong with you. You never stutter. You mused in your head as you reached for Kyungsoo's cloak, offering to put it on the rack. What you didn't expect was that the cloak would be so long, and you managed to step on it and lose your footing.

Oh man, this is going to be a hard fall.

You closed your eyes, body tensing for the impact... that never came. Instead, there were strong hands on your hips, urging you straight on your own two feet before taking the cloak from your hands. "Alright... here we go..."

You realized belatedly, as Kyungsoo stabilized you, that he was extremely close, one of his hands still perched on your hip. "Are you okay?"

You nodded, looking up at him with a slight blush on your cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I am so clumsy I am a threat to humanity." You laughed, trying to ease the heavy atmoshpere, but you didn't want to move away from Kyungsoo's touch. You were so close, you could smell his entrancing smell, his lips close enough to just stand on the tips of your toes and press yours against his...

"It's okay." He gave you such a bright smile, as he unfortunately stepped away

"Where can I hang this?"

You pointed to the rack where your own cloak hung from. "There would be fine."

He did as you said with that same smile, but when he turned to you, it was with a sigh. "I'm sorry for showing up unannounced."

"That's okay..." you said, surprised. "I was expecting someone to come..."

"I just thought you would come with backup." You explained with a smile that Kyungsoo reciprocated.

"They were all busy with the preparations, and I honestly just had to get out of that house. Do you mind me being here?"

He roamed quietly, observing his surroundings. "Your house is very nice..."

"Ah... Thank you. It's small, but it's home..."

He smiled at you, and your eyes were drawn to the way his heart shaped lips curled. "I completely understand. You should see our home now."

You smiled a bit startled at his sudden announcement, not quite sure what you should make of it.

"Haneul misses you quite a bit, you know." Kyungsoo told you with a knowing look.

"I would love to, but...it's in the middle of the woods and..." you couldn't tell him of your fear of the forest, because it sounded so freaking childish.

"I can't go alone." You finished lamely, which had Kyungsoo smiling.

"And you won't be alone."

He raised his hand almost cheerfully. "I do quite well as a guard."

"Ah, n-no. I don't think..."

"You're not..." His steps forward made you gulp. He was still smiling as you took an involuntary step back. "...afraid, are you?"

You couldn't even deny it. But Kyungsoo held his hand out as an official offer, apparently ignoring your discomfort. "I can take you. Then you could see our situation for yourself."

"B-but why?" You didn't see any point in it really. "I can help you from here. I don't need... evidence."

He chuckled.

"It was only an invitation, ___. I see you live by yourself and I guess I thought you could get lonely. All the brothers are asking about you." Kyungsoo sat down, watching your surprised face gaping at him.

"B-but why?"

"They would like to know about the woman who cooks better than me."

Your head tilted, not sure which part surprised you most. That his brothers were curious about you, of all people; that such a handsome man knew how to cook as well; or that you were apparently better.

"Oh... You cook?" That was the first question that slipped out, and you blushed madly.

He nodded. "I cook for the family. With Yixing hyung sometimes..."

Your nod was dazed. "I... I'm glad that they enjoyed the food."

Kyungsoo laughed, shaking his head.

"That's an understatement of the year. They basically fought for it. I've never seen more quarrels in the house about your food, and that's why I was sent out on a mission."

"What kind of mission?" You asked, leading him to the living room and sitting down on the couch, urging him to do the same.

"To invite you over for dinner to meet the rest of the family."

#kyungsoo #kyungsoo story #d.o #d.o story #exo #exo story #exo werewolf story #exo werewolf au #werewolf au #werewolf story #series: Chronicles of the Wolf