#it should be so lovely and soothing to gif but they always come out wrong 😭

[victoria-grimesss]

locked on target

masterlist

->Pairing: Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley x Fem!Reader

->Words: 4.7k

->Warning: MDNI! unprotected sex, rough sex, fingering, mask stays partially on, dirty talk.

->Summary: Working alongside the 141 for a year now, you’ve grown closer to the infamous ghost. Confiding in Soap about your crush, confession is the only way to rid yourself of the gnawing infatuation. 

->A/N: Despite all my writing being about König, ghost is my all time favorite baby girl, writing for him always intimidated me but I’ll give it my best shot, hope he’s not too OOC.

It’s been a full year on the 141 and you couldn't be happier, well not happy at the moment since you’re ankle deep in sludge. This mission is going as well as any other despite the evac being miles away through humid weather and wet ground. 

“Good thing I packed extra socks.” You muttered, readjusting your gun and pack and unsticking your boot from a deep pocket of mud.

“Oh come on lass it could be worse right? We could be treading through anaconda infested waters huh? Lighten up.” Soap is next to you. He's having an easier time removing his boots from the muck. 

Price is in the front with Gaz next to him talking about the evac and rations, you admire their relationship. Price has slowly morphed into some kind of a father figure to you as you assume he did for Gaz too or at least a mentor. Gaz and Soap are like brothers to you, you bicker like such. You pick on Soap when he gets too drunk to form correct sentences and starts singing songs from his childhood, and you get Gaz too when he laughs so hard you have to remind him to breathe. Like a dynamic triangle the three of you.

Then there’s Ghost.

He stands at the back of the group behind you and Soap, no evident trouble for him when it comes to the mud. He’s sturdy and observant, keeping a close eye on the treeline and behind the group. He's a great soldier and you admire his skills… and him. Ever since you met him you’ve had your eyes trained. 

I mean who wouldn’t.

From his expressive eyes which sometimes you feel look through you, to his broad shoulders where he holds the world on top of them, his strong arms that deal with enemies swifty, to…his… lower extremities that you certainly have only thought of once or twice. Maybe more. 

You should be ashamed of your feelings, and you lock them down deep the only time they have slipped past your lips is when too much alcohol loosens them. 

—

You confessed one night to soap, the rest were asleep and your insomnia was kicking your ass so you went to the parking lot where soap was nursing a bottle on the hood of his car, and you sat down and shared it.

“Something on your mind bonnie?” He hands the bottle to you, concern brewing in him.

“I don’t know, it’s just, Ghost.”

He laughs.

“Yea, I know about him, but what about him?” 

You take a couple large gulps of the amber liquid, it burns its way down and soothes your aching wanting heart, burying the hopeless romantic in you. Tears brew in your eyes and you always forget you either become a laughing drunk or a sappy drunk, seems the latter had won tonight.

“Aye- lass, what's wrong.” His hand is placed on your shoulder offering a comforting touch.

You sob and laugh at the same time, looking up at Soap.

“I think I’m in love with him.” You say quietly through a stream of tears that make their way into your mouth, making a weird cocktail of salty liquor.

“Oh bonnie…” Soap rubs your back, his voice is soft.

“I just, everything about him Johnny! I can’t get him out of my head, and he probably doesn't even look at me that way, he could get any girl he wanted!” You sob.

“Woah there calm down, gonna throw yourself into a spell talking like this. Look. LT cares about ya, truly. He thinks you’re a valued member of the team and I’ve caught him starin’ a few times so don’t be daft now ya hear. You’re a pretty girl and LT would be lucky to have ya.”

You sniff, wiping the tears and snot with a sleeve.

“Really? You think so?”

“Cross my heart and hope ta die. You’ll be alright.”

—

“It’s in my shoes.” You deadpan.

You hear Gaz laugh and Price looks back, checking on the team.

“Don’t worry Y/N, just imagine it’s a mud bath! Your skin will be smooth and shiny before you know it!” Soap laughs at Gaz’s antics, it’s nice when you can all joke around and relax. The hard part is over and now it’s simple evac.

“Right… how soothing.” Your eyes roll and you look back to check on Ghost, your eyes meet and a flash of electric lightning shoots to your heart, it feels good. 

He gives a quick nod and you return to your trudging. You wait till after the mission to pass any other signals, he’s too focused to register any flirting right now. Or that's the advice Soap gave you after that night.

“Right. Keep close by, chopper is land down in 5, need to evac quickly to avoid any unwanted looks.” Price alerts to the rest of the team once you’ve covered ground and are nearing sweet release. Your back and knees ache just at the thought of sitting. You nurse the last of your water and keep walking, you tip your bottle back along with your head to get the remaining drops and you trip over a protruding root.

Other foot trying to catch yourself a hand catches on your upper arm, righting you up.

“Alright there?” Ghost’s dark eyes are steady on you, maybe a bit amused, or maybe his eye paint is creasing.

“Yea, sorry just tryna finish off the bottle, didn't see that there.”

“Careful next time yea?” He releases your arm and waits for you to start walking again to pick up behind you.

“Yea, for sure LT.”

You feel his hand on your arm even after he released you and you want to untie the knot that Ghost has tied there and you know you’re royally fucked.

You’re all on the chopper and your legs just about give out, you always love the euphoric feeling of sitting down after a mission like this, the lactic acid in your muscles making them burn like no other. You sit across from Ghost and he visibly relaxes once the chopped takes off, the breeze from the open doors cooling everyone immensely.

“Good work everyone, I know evac was shit but you all hustled and we got the intel we needed. I think we all deserve a good ol drink when we get back right?” 

Price brings a smile to everyone's face, as tired as the lot of us are. You glance over at Ghost and his eyes look away from you, looking over his gear.

Your heart pains for some kind of acknowledgment that he feels the same, it’s like trying to hold the same fistful of sand no matter how hard you try it seeps through your fingers, you want him so badly you’d tape your fist shut if that meant keeping the sand in.

—

Back to base, ‘same day different shit’ you heard Ghost say one time. You often hold on to everything he says, hoarding each little piece he feeds you and storing it away somewhere special. Like you’re hoarding food for the winter, as if the winter is him falling in love with a woman that isn't you, when that happens you’ll open your little box of his sayings and advice and eat them slowly, savor them until all that’s left to drink is the tears you drown yourself in as consolation. 

A pity party is what you throw yourself that night, showering and getting a once over by the medic then making your way back to your room, Price wants to get everyone together tomorrow night for a drink, wouldn't hurt you think. You sit on the edge of your bed, the silence is deafening after a mission, tinnitus ringing your ears. The bed is cold, you want someone to warm it, you want Ghost to warm it.

The nightmares come to you quickly that night, visions of your team, your friends being ripped apart by bullets as you try to fire back into mist. You hold Ghost’s hand as he fades and you wake up coated in cold sweat and adrenaline.

3:18 a.m.

You toss and turn for a minute before huffing and leaving the bed, you need air. Adorned in sweatpants and a shirt you got on recruitment day you leave your room the sound of your door is loud and you wince as it closes. You go to the parking lot once more, maybe there will be more stars out tonight. 

The air is crisp and cool, you round the corner of the building where a bench sits, a lone figure is sitting and smoking there, you can tell it’s him by his silhouette. He’s broad and his legs spread wide as he sits alone.

“This seat taken?” You ask, scared if you talk too loud he’ll leave.

“All yours” No inflection is evident in his tone.

Silence sits between you two and you take a harsh breath to break it. It makes you uncomfortable. 

“Trouble sleeping?” His voice is deep and low.

“The usual, nightmares again. You?” 

“Not tired, too soon after the mission to sleep.”

“I understand.” 

You watch him carefully as he brings the cigarette to his lips and inhales, you inhale with him. You imagine him inhaling your perfume as his lips touch your neck. You stare, unabashedly, like you’re not scared if he catches you.

He adjusts where he sits, hips rolling to get more comfortable.

“Bloody bench feels like it’s made of spikes.” He mutters, quietly.

You breathe out a laugh as he exhales the smoke.

His eyes look to the side at you and then forward again.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” 

“Like you want something from me.”

“What if I do?” 

Your heart is racing now, faster than it had on any given mission.

He stands, throwing the cigarette to the ground and crushing it with his boot, he slips his mask down again and his eyes are locked on you.

“I’d say you’d better fuckin’ find it elsewhere, we both know I can’t give you what you want.”

“What do I want Simon?” 

His lips grow sealed when you say his name.

“Things I’m incapable of providing, best leave it at that. Night sergeant.”

His tone meant business, you know better than to chase after him. You sit on the bench, staring at the cigarette on the ground. It’s beaten and crushed like you feel right now.

You wonder if you can still taste his lips on it.

The walk of shame back to your room is humiliating, you pass some others that can’t sleep, nightmares aren't anything special around here and you wish you could pluck the worries from their heads.

Sleep is easy after that, maybe your body wants to make you forget the encounter with him but even so you dream of him. He’s an inescapable phantom.

—

“Aye there she is!!” Soap hollers from across the pub, it’s a quaint place, quiet enough to not be annoying but lively enough to not feel desolate.

A large corner booth is what they occupy and you wave as you make your way over, A few empty glasses scatter the table already you arrived ‘fashionably late’.

“Hey bonnie I gotta take a leak you can have my seat yea?” He nudges Ghost so he can be let out of the booth, Ghost stands towering over you. Soap shuffles over to the bathroom and Ghost  lets you slide into the booth before he follows, trapped between the wall and him. You’d rather be under him…

You greet them all and Gaz slides you a tall glass of something mind numbing, Ghost has his mask down but he’s nearly finished with his glass same with the rest of them.

“You got some catching up to do, miss fashionably late.” Gaz shoots a smile and you clink your glasses together.

Soap meanders back and pulls a chair to sit at the end of the table, you all squabble over what a better drink is and down rounds after rounds. The conversation somehow gravitates to relationships at some point and Soap is going on and on about this woman he met at the pub down the street.

“Oh she’s a real sweetheart, thinking about asking her out later this week when I get the balls to do it.”

You smile at the way Soap talks about her, you’d love to be admired like that, treasured.

“I think you should go for it Johnny! You're a nice guy, I can go in there and talk you up if you want, say you fought off ten men to save my life.”

He laughs, nearly tipping off his chair, 

“You’re a real wingman Y/N, if you can secure a date by all means.”

You smile and the air is joyous, little is heard from Ghost but you know he likes seeing the team happy, he sips his drink and observes, smiles hidden by his mask.

“Have you had any luck on the dating scene Y/N?” 

Gaz questions, eyebrows rising.

“Yea bonnie, never hear a peep out of you when we talk about lovey dovey shit.”

You shrug, taking strong sips of your drink.

“I went on a date a while back, he got me flowers, a real nice guy. Found out he was sleeping with my friend behind my back around the fourth date. Don’t really want to try anymore, end of story.”

You can feel Ghost’s eyes burning into you as you finish the sentence. His gaze is addicting and you feel sweaty locked in his stare.

“Well he’s a proper twat for messing it up with you then yea?” 

Price offers a tip of his head, sympathy in his eyes.

“Ah it’s alright, I’ll just wait for my prince charming to come sweep me off my feet.” You bat your lashes dramatically and fake a swoon, soothing the old memory with jokes. It turns the tide of the table ambiance to a lighter one.

“I need to piss.” Ghost says quickly, you scoot out of the seat and Ghost hurries off to where Johnny has gone to earlier.

“What’s up his arse?” Gaz says confused.

Price downs the last of his drink and slams it back onto the table.

“What do you all say to a game of pool?”

“I’ll watch, cheer ya’ll on.” You still nurse your drink and you start to buzz, worries slipping away like papers, but one it left, weighted down with a large paperweight.

“I’ll be right there, gonna finish this drink off.” Soap says, sloshing the leftover liquid that's in his glass.

“Very well, see you momentarily.”

Soap watched the two walk off, leaving the two of you left alone.

He turns back quickly, you get secondhand whiplash.

“Ghost has had his eyes on you the whole night please tell me you told him and he confesses his secret love for you!” Soaps eyes are huge and he’s pleading for the right answer.

“Not exactly.” He delfates.

“What the fuck do you mean ‘not exactly’?”

“I told him that I kinda wanted him and he said he wouldn't be able to give me what I want.”

“That's bollocks and you know it! He’s always watching you, never seen him doing that for any other lass. Now is the time, he’s all alone. Go on and chat him up, I’ll tell the boys you’ve gone home sick alright.” 

Soap winks and leaves before you can utter another word. You even your breathing and gulp down the rest of the liquid courage before strolling over to the bathroom hallway. It does not take guys that long to pee weird he's not around.

You walk outside, feeling deja vu from last night the breeze hits the same way.

“You should go inside, it’s cold out.” Ghost is standing leaned up against the brick wall next to the door.

“I was looking for you actually.”

He stands up straighter, shoulders held further.

“Lads looking? Not really in the mood to lose another game. Last time was enough.”

You laugh, the alcohol making it easier to relax around him. You're tipsy enough to have fake confidence for the time being but sober enough to make deductions wisely.

“No Simon, I’m looking. For you.”

“And I told you to stop, you don’t know what you’re thinking. You’re a nice girl yea? Find a nice young guy that can take you on dates and buy you flowers-

“I don’t want anyone else Simon. I want you because I’m in love with you!”

It seems like the whole world went silent after you said that. You’re steaming and don’t move your eyes away from him.

“Y/N.”

“I’m tired of pretending. I just had to tell you I couldn't hold it in any longer it was making me sick. I don’t care about fancy stuff, you should know that by now. I just want to be next to you.”

He approaches you, your neck craning to maintain contact.

“Y/N, I’m proper fucked up you know that? You’re too kind, too perfect to be ruined by a man like me.”

You sniff, the cold getting to you.

“I think you’re wonderful Simon really. You look out for everyone and make sure everyone is alright before looking after yourself. Let me please show you you’re worth loving in return.”

Your heart spills to him, spewing it’s contents violently.

“I’m not joking, I'm not ‘prince charming’ like you referenced earlier.”

“Even better.” You smile.

“Fuck it.”

Before you know it, he lifted the small portion of his mask to kiss you and you erupt, wrapping your arms securely around his neck as though you’ll fall if you don’t. His hands hover over your waist and you grab them and push them down onto your body and he pulls you close. He kisses you like it’s the last time, he makes up for all the times he should have, all the time he desperately wanted to.

He’s watched from afar for so long, your laugh creates sparks in his heart, seeing you make it back from another mission safely spurs him on. He would lay down his life for you and you don’t even know it.

He pulled back, mouth in the crook of your neck.

“Your place is nearby right?” You ask, rubbing his neck and down his back.

“Yea, yea it is.”

He leads you back, back to his den where he’ll draw you in with those eyes and that voice, calloused hands exposed from his gloves that will trace over your skin. The walk is in silence but you both are buzzing, the team won’t miss you, probably happy this chasing game is over with so peace can be established once more. He takes your hand as he leads you up the steps to his apartment, you grope his arm and he shoots you a sultry side-eye.

“Have I ever told you I love your arms?”

“You did just now love.”

Love, love, love. You want him to keep saying it.

He leads you in you’re caged in by his arms on the inside of the door. He looks you over head to toe.

“You look fuckin lovely tonight you know that? All I’ve been thinking about is tearing this top off of you and stripping you down.”

You shiver and bring your hands to run carefully from his abdomen up to his chest.

“You think of ripping my clothes off frequently?”

“Very.”

Stunned by his words and your head swimming he places his hands on your waist and lowers his head to your ear.

“Now if you’d allow me, I’d like to fuck you now.”

Hypnotized you speak.

“Yes please.”

His home is lowly lit and sparsely decorated, you assume he’s not here often or for long.

The bedroom is simple, a bed, two side tables, two lamps, and a dresser. An adjacent bathroom you can’t see.

“You have a nice place.”

“Well now I know you’re lying.”

You stand at the edge of the bed and he stands before you and his hands are on you again pushing you onto the bed you are surrounded by the smell of him, the deep umber and woodsy scent. 

“You know how many times I’ve pictured you in my bed?”

He’s inching your pants down your hips agonizingly slow as he speaks.

“How many times I fucked myself picturing you instead?”

“Ghost.”

“Nah none of that here, you’re gonna say my real name from now on and you’re gonna scream it alright?”

“Fuck Simon.”

“Yea. Just. Like. That.” Your pants are off and his hands move from your ankles up to your knees and caress to your inner thighs. His fingers skate your pantyline and your eyes are locked on his hand and he doesn't stop. His hands move over your hips and grip your waist before moving right below your breasts, he checks you with his eyes and you plead silently.

He cups you fully with both hands and you roll your head savoring his feelings.

“So fucking good love fuck.”

He strips you of your shirt and bra and you’re left exposed on his bed. He stands back to stare down upon you and you feel like a spread of food sitting on a stark white table ready to be consumed and ogled. He strips himself of his leather jacket leaving his quite form fitting black tee on.

You adjust under his gaze, his mask hides any expression but his eyes say so much. Raking over your body heavily and his chest rising and falling fast as though he had run a marathon.

“Simon.”

“Yea?”

“Do something.”

“Like what?” His voice is lighter now.

“Anything Simon!”

He laughs and places a knee in between your legs, spreading them wide to accommodate his other leg and hips.

“There we go, fuck all spread out underneath me.”

His hand is placed on your breast and rolls your nipples in his fingers, it moves down never leaving your skin until he reaches your core it’s hot and wet and he collects it on his fingers and when he finally touches you it’s like you’ve reached Valhalla. 

He slips a finger inside and it faces no resistance, you form around him and he slips in another starting a smooth rhythm.

“So tight, you think you’ll be able to take me huh love?” 

He’s pumping in you and you can hear how wet he’s made you, his eyes darting from his fingers to your face, thrown into pleasure.

He brings you to your peak so quickly you’re stunned and you grip his arm as you clench around him, his name being pulled from you like a mantra.

 You regain your mind and look at him as he slips from you and his fingers make their way under his mask, his eyes on your as he licks them clean tasting you on him.

“Sweetest fucking thing I ever tasted.”

He’s unbuckling his belt next, unzips his pants and pulls himself free. He's thick as all hell and a thick vein runs down the underside. It looks heavy and you pocket an idea for next time.

You're staring for a long time and his two fingers that just did unspeakable things to you tip your chin to look at him.

“Think you can handle it?”

“I can take it, just hurry up.”

“You’re always so impatient you know that.”

He places the tip at your entrance collecting your wetness to help with the initial push.

The stretch is delicious and you grip his arm and shoulder gasping at the feeling of being full of him.

“Fuck. Fuck you’re so fucking tight, squeezing me so fucking good.”

His one arm is braced at the side of your head, forearm spattered with tattoos burning your peripheral vision. The other holds himself, leading himself into you.

He’s seated fully inside and you feel split down the middle in the best way. Burning fire deep within you and you moan for him to move, creating the friction you need.

He starts moving and you both moan, he tips his head forward to watch where he enters you repeatedly.

“So good, fuck so big Simon.”

“You take it so well, love.”

His hand that once gripped himself holds your hip and moves himself like the ocean, fluid and rhythmic.

“Always dreamt about fucking you, you spread out of my bed while I fuck my cock deep into you.”

You throw your head back and he leans back, the warm air that was between you two leaving for the cold air of the room bringing your nipples to hard peaks which his eyes gravitate to.

“Alright c’mon love.”

He takes your ankles and your legs are on his shoulders. He thrusts that much deeper and hits the right spot to make you see spots.

“You like that, fuck I can see how deep I’m going in you.” 

His hand finds your and puts it on your lower stomach and pushes down so you can feel the way he thrusts within you and how deep he reaches, you clench around him.

“Yea you like that.” He's cocky like this, dominant and all controlling. You’re putty in his hand.

“Simon I’m close don't stop please, fuck please.”

He lifts his mask up over his lips and kisses your ankle, biting your calf when he growls and that's all you need to be pushed over the edge.

“Fuck, yea cum on my cock good fucking girl.”

He fucks you through it and leans down to be face to face again. Your legs draped over his shoulders and he hits the right spot with each thrust now, he’s battering you into the mattress and his growling with each thrust muttering about how good you feel and how nicely you wrap about him.

You claw at his chest through his shirt sobbing and babbling and moaning.

“Can’t even form a proper sentence, so drunk on my cock yea? You gonna be a good girl and cum again for me?”

The graphic noises from where the two of you are joining echos through the room and you hope his neighbors aren't home.

“Yes, yes Simon please please please.”

The bed is an orchestra of noises and he shoots a hand up to the headboard, his knuckles gone white from gripping it so hard. Your abdomen is tight, so tight and your so fucking close you just want to cum at the same time as him.

“Fuck fuck fuck, so tight and wet where do you want me to cum, fucking tell me.”

“Inside me, inside me it’s safe.”

Not a beat after that leaves your mouth he’s seating himself so deep within you, you feel him throbbing deep within you and your vision goes blurry, ears gone fuzzy as you both are thrown into the abyss at the same time. 

You hear a crack from above you but you pay no mind as your neck deep in pure white hot bliss.

“Fuckin hell love, really. Fuck.” He's panting, you’re panting.

You stroke his chest lovingly as he kisses your ankle as he slowly lowers your legs from his shoulders. He lowers his mask once more.

You glace up to where his hand still grips the headboard and a deep crack is ingrained in the wood.

You laugh.

“Jesus Simon, you fucked me so hard you broke your bed.” 

He removes his hand observing the wood and shrugging.

“Well worth it I’d say, I’ll invest in a sturdier one.”

“Are you saying you’ll invite me to your place more often?”

“Your place works too.”

You both banter as you both clean up, you shower and he washes the sheets and hangs around the kitchen, letting you some time to refresh.

You come out of the bathroom smelling like him, drowned in one of his shirts and he's leaned up against his kitchen island gazing blindly at the random rugby channel he turned on.

He slides you a beer and you take it gratefully, bumping your glasses together.

“I mean it Y/N, I’m not the kind of man you might be thinking.”

“No Simon, you’re exactly the man I’m looking for, you’re stuck with me now.”

There's a beat of silence before Simon speaks up again.

“I should probably thank Johnny for tonight right?”

“Yea, he pretty much told me to quit my bitching and confront you.”

He sips his beer, 

“Well, for once I can say thank fuck for Soap and his matchmaking skills.”

You laugh and stare at him in adoration, this is the start of something wonderful.

---

Tag list: @theredviolets

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[rose-pearls]

Could I request something for Clarisse? Where she get's with reader and her father ends up telling her she's weak in her dream. The next day she trains until she passes out and reader finds her and nurses her back to health. Then just some good ol hurt and comfort! Thanks!!

Hi! Thank you for your request, here it is!! I hope you like it! Ares is an asshole here but I am thinking of making a story where he is a good father! My requests are open! If you would like to join a taglist just send me a message!

Main Masterlist: @avada-kedavra-bitch-187, @nyx2021, @thestarspangledcaptain, @kmc1989 (open)

Percy Jackson Masterlist: @niktwazny303 (open)

Clarisse La Rue Masterlist: @abbersreads, @peanutbelley (open)

It had been a hard week; the red team had lost at capture the flag and everything seemed to be getting on her nerves. The only good thing had been you, trying to sooth her and calm her down when it all became too much. She should’ve known that sooner or later a nightmare would come back.

It wasn’t as if she didn’t have any, every demigod has nightmares, but she hadn’t had one about her father ever since she had gotten with you. It was as if you had managed to heal that part of her with showing her how much you loved her. That night you had to help one of your younger half-siblings so you couldn’t come and sleep at the Ares cabin, but she had told you that it was fine, that she would survive a night without you. How wrong she was.

The forest had been quiet in her dream, no one there, but just as she was walking further ahead, she heard a twig snap. She turned around, expecting to find a monster of some sort but she only came face to face with her father. Deep down she could admit to herself that seeing him was even worse than any kind of monster she could have seen.

“Father?”, she whispers, as if she wanted to make sure that it was him. The sneer on his face makes her realize that it is him and she can’t help but make herself small under his harsh stare.

“What are you doing with that girl?”, the words are unkind, as they have always been, she doesn’t remember a conversation were his voice was soft.

“What do you mean?”, she can’t help but ask, wondering what he means.

“Don’t play stupid with me little girl,” the tone makes it clear that the conversation won’t be a pleasant one.

“Sorry, sir,” she says and Ares nods slowly before coming closer to her, making her curl herself more.

“The Demeter girl, that you have been spending all your time with,” he says after a moment, a clear disgust in his voice when he speaks about you and for a moment, she thinks of defending you, but she knows that the consequences would be harsh.

“We are just spending time together father,” she says, trying not to reveal too much of your relationship, she doesn’t want him to be able to take it away from her.

“You should put an end to it, it just weakens you,” she has to swallow down the urge to tell him you are so much more than just ‘it’, but she manages.

“It won’t, I promise you,” she says but Ares lets out a cold laugh at her words.

“Really? Then how come you lost at Capture the Flag and your idiot of a brother managed to beat you at single combat?”, Ares says, coming closer to her with a dark look in his eyes. She knows she hadn’t been as focused as before but she didn’t think her father was watching her so much. She didn’t know if she should be happy that he had been watching her and giving her attention or feeling sick at the fact that he was watching her every move to catch her making a mistake.

“Don’t make me regret announcing that you are my favorite. I don’t want a weak daughter to represent me. Is that clear?”, the words are harsh, just like they had always been, and she can only nod in response.

“Yes father,” she says, and he nods at her answer.

“Good, better prove that to me,” he tells her before he disappears from her dream, and she wakes up in cold sweat. 

Her shirt is clinging to her back from the sweat that had formed during the nightmare, and it takes her a moment to come back to reality. Her breathing is ragged, and she tries to calm herself down but the words of her father ring through her head.

‘Weak’

She couldn’t let him believe that she was weak, she needed to show him that she could be better than her brother and that she deserved to be his favorite. She just needed to train as hard as she could and then she could beat her brother and the blue team at Capture the Flag. Maybe then her father would be proud of her.

No one notices her leaving, she manages to change into her sport gear before going to the training ground. There is no one and she lets out a sigh of relief as she takes her spear in her hands before turning to look at the dummy with determination. 

She doesn’t know how long she stands there, hitting the dummy as if it had hurt her personally, maybe imagining her dad as the dummy made her even more aggressive. It made the other campers avoid the training ground, thinking that it was better to leave Clarisse alone when she was in a bad mood. 

“Clarisse?”, she hears you say, and she realizes that the sun has come up now, the rays of sunshine beating down her back as she turns to look at you. You look worried, a frown between your eyebrows as you look at her.

“Are you alright?”, you ask her, your tone careful, as if you don’t want to scare her with the question but she just nods.

“I am, I just need to train a bit more,” she says, and she is ready to turn back to the dummy before your voice breaks the silence.

“Don’t you want to eat some lunch?”, the question surprises her, not the fact that you are asking her to eat lunch but the fact that it is already lunch. She still had so much to do to be perfect and she couldn’t lose any time.

“I’m alright, I’m not really hungry but go without me,” she tells you and although you still looked worried you simply nod before coming closer to her.

“Fine, but do I get a kiss before I go?”, she can’t refuse you that, she has never been able to and as she brings you into a kiss, she enjoys the few seconds of you being close to her. As she pulls back, she sees you pouting as she doesn’t deepen the kiss, but she just smiles and pats your ass.

“I’ll see you later princess,” she says, and you let out a defeated sigh before nodding and leaving her to her training.

The rest of the afternoon is spent training but as the sun starts to fade into a sunset, she starts to feel dizzy. She tells herself it’s the lack of water but as she tries to take a step towards her water bottle, she suddenly feels her head turning. Before she knows it, she hears you screaming her name, and everything turns black.

--

There is something cold against her forehead and she tries to get away from it, but a voice shushes her, trying to calm her down.

Her eyes flutter open, and she sees you sitting on the bed next to her, your eyes are bloodshot but there is a relieved smile on your lips.

“Hey, you. How are you feeling?”, you ask softly as you brush a curl away from her forehead.

“Tired, and I have a huge headache,” she whispers, and you nod slowly.

“What happened?”, she asks after a few seconds and a sigh leaves your lips.

“I went to find you to get you to come eat something but before I could reach you, you had fallen on the ground,” your hand is trembling as you brush her curls, and she can see the wetness in your eyes.

“You scared me so much Clarisse,” you whisper, and she feels like someone has punched her, she tries to get up to reassure you that she is alright but as her head begins to feel even heavier you push her down again.

“You need to rest, two days and eat and drink enough,” there is that stern tone in your voice that you usually only use for your younger siblings, and she can only lay back and listen to you.

“Yes ma’am,” she says, trying to lift up the mood but you shake your head.

“Why did you push yourself that hard? You never do that,” she swallows hard at the question, as much as she didn’t want to say it, she knew you wouldn’t let it go.

“I saw my father in a dream, and he told me I needed to do better and stop being weak,” she says, so softly that she isn’t sure if you heard her but as you shake your head in disbelief, she knows you did.

“That asshole, I really want to beat him up right now,” she can’t help but be surprised at the words and the anger in them. You were never one to be angry, always trying to see the positive side and calming her down.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea princess, he is the God of war after all,” she says but she still looks at you in adoration, the way you look ready to get out of there and fight her father makes her weirdly emotional.

“Well, a twelve-year-old Percy beat him so why couldn’t I do it?”, you say with a smirk and Clarisse can’t help but snort at your words.

“I’ll have to teach you a few things before that,” she says, and you nod in agreement.

“But first, resting,” you whisper, and she can only nod in agreement, enjoying the familiar silence between the both of you.

“You aren’t weak Clarisse; you know that right? You are one of the strongest fighters here and if your father can’t see that then he is the biggest idiot on earth. Never let anyone tell you that you aren’t strong enough, you are perfect as you are,” a tear rolls down her cheek at your words and you brush it away with a sad smile, love and adoration shining through your eyes. 

“If you ever doubt yourself or you just need someone to talk to you, you can always come to me. I will always be your biggest supporter,” Clarisse can’t reach your lips but as she squeezes your hand you seem to understand what she wants and you kiss her softly, as if she was something precious.

“I love you,” she whispers, and your smile widens at her words.

“I love you too, so much,” Clarisse can only kiss you again, trying to tell you everything she feels through the kiss.

She doesn’t know that you have already asked a now thirteen-year-old Percy to have your back next time you see Ares, to teach the God of War a lesson. And that the boy had happily agreed, already ready to go to Mount Olympus and fight him right there and then with Annabeth by his side. She didn’t realize just yet how many people cared for her, but with time she would.

#percy jackson x reader #clarisse la rue x reader #clarisse x you #clarisse pjo #clarrise la rue #clarisse la rue #clarisse x reader #clarisse la rue x fem reader #clarisse la rue x you #clarisse la rue x y/n #clarisse la rue fluff

[suguru-getos]

Genshin Impact characters and how they comfort you (F!Reader):

A/N: It's been a while lovelies :P since yours truly touched Genshin Impact. In all honesty, the game remains to be my comfort game & the characters give me so much joy. Here's me, word-vomiting about them blorbos. ;)

Characters included: Neuvillette, Wriothesley, Alhaitham, Ayato

Neuvillette:

The only reason he hasn't cried (yet) is because he is thinking hard on what to do when you're blue. Would probably suggest that you and him go together for a walk! Hey! Don't judge him - a walk fixes everything. Besides, someone who hasn't had a romantic interest in centuries really needs to learn a thing or two. He doesn't mind writing an official application about his absence and walking along the streets of Fontaine with you. He knows the Melusine village brings you a lot of comfort so it's also his go-to place whenever he's feeling down. He tried making you taste different kinds of waters - yep, didn't end well for the Hydro Dragon Sovereign. However, lessons are to be learnt and he learnt them well! Now, he has realized that mostly, your sadness can be satiated with something delectable to soothe your tongue. He started with soup, well? Naturally.. though that didn't end well either. He now has realized what he might like, you might/might not. So, he takes the more aware turn & takes you to places you like, or sometimes doesn't do anything. Happily wraps his arms around you, kisses your forehead and doesn't say anything. Silence and hugs? Best! He's noticed you like that far better.

Ayato:

The Yashiro Commissioner is a cocky fellow, and sometimes a tad too overconfident. He thinks he knows you inside out; that's not something he refers from you though. He thinks it's because no one can ever love you more than Kamisato Ayato. (He is kinda right? Though what's worse is he is mostly correct about the things that you need.) Like - he knows when that period begins, and when the mood swings absolutely obliterate you; he knows some Fontainian chocolate, or Mousse will come to the rescue. Some dangos might also help. The Kamisato Estate staff is trained to not fall pale to your needs. You & him both know that with all the travel opportunities you accompany Ayato in, you do have taste-buds which would be bored with Inazuman food alone. Whenever there is something bothering you personally, Ayato would ask you to vent it out. He firmly believes in annoying you with persistent cooing and crooning of, "Hey Princess, what's got that pretty face so long?" / "Oh come now, don't tell me you would hide things from your husband? I feel judged already. Do I not deserve to know?" You do end up telling him everything - and while Ayato is surprisingly good at giving advices… you always like how he asks first, if you want him to listen, or give his opinions.

Alhaitham:

The Scribe of Sumeru's Akademiya who is also your boyfriend - usually takes the overly analytical route, rationalizing everything. So you often don't tell him about the things that bother you. Since he is so observant and keen however, you can never really slide something that's got you down under the rug either. "You are behaving differently." Alhaitham commented, "Usually when you come home, from outside… you freshen up." He comments at the lack thereof, watching you squirm under his gaze. Of course, whenever you feel down your mind and body send you in a slump. "Oh- yeah, I'll get to that." You quickly comment, though you're cut off by his tender hold on your wrist. "Course you can, something wrong?" Now he knows the 'Female Anatomy', as he likes to call it. Often going out of his way to explain your hormonal cycle, what you should do when you are in your leutal, menstrual, ovulation phases etc. You don't have to say much in certain times as such. Though he acts like nothing's the matter when you do vent about let's say - something at work/Akademiya; there have been instances where he would pay personal visits to some people for pissing his girl off. Duality? Yep.

Wriothesley:

'His' Grace; is extremely kind to everyone, and fair. You being his significant other, get your own perks from time to time. For example: He is always available for tea for his little one. He is always available to listen to you whenever. He considers it fortunate enough that you are willing to live in the Fortress of Meropide with him - he knows it's the harshest decision especially from someone who hasn't done any crime whatsoever. There are days when even someone like Wriothesley (who seldom goes out) makes sure that he visits the world up above with you. Might take you to the Opera, might take you to those fabulous boutiques, anything and everything fashion the second he notices your eyes glim. Nope, none of that is tolerated here. The prisoners have started calling you 'Her Grace'; while you do not prefer it, Wriothesley does not mind, he is fine with you being treated like someone treasured. That would ensure that people around you would tend to you also, when you're down. Damn does this man love body massages, giving them to you and watching your shoulders slump. He needs to be so careful with you though. Can’t be too rough else his little baby would break… <3

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #alhaitham #ayato kamisato #neuvillette #wriothesley #neuvillette fluff #wriothesley fluff #ayato fluff #alhaitham fluff #neuvillette x reader #wriothesley x reader #alhaitham x reader #ayato x reader #genshin comfort #genshin impact comfort #ayato comfort #neuvillette comfort #wriothesley comfort #alhaitham comfort #alhaitham hcs #neuvillette hcs #ayato hcs #wriothesley hcs

[woso-dreamzzz]

Treat You Better

Laia Codina x Reader

Summary: Laia thinks you're in a relationship with your best friend

"Don't do it," You warn Katie, nudging her with your foot.

"Huh?"

You jerk your chin over to Kyra. "Whatever you're going to do to her, don't."

"You're such a mum."

"One of us has to be."

You roll your eyes. You and Katie came from the same place, practically neighbours with each other. She and her sisters used to take you out to play with them when you were younger even though you were a few years Katie's junior.

Somewhere along the way, you ended up as the responsible one between the two of you.

"Er...What-What was she going to do?"

You're in the meeting room, waiting for Jonas to come in and start. Somehow, you've wedged yourself between Laia and Gio with Katie in front of you.

It's Laia that spoke and you have to steady your heart when you turn to look at her. There's something about Laia that always drew you in, continuing to circle her whenever you could. You called it a crush. Katie called it puppy love.

Either way, you're more than happy to reply to her.

"I don't know," You confess," But better to nip it in the bid early, huh? Who knows what Katie could do?"

You speak with such fondness that it throws Laia for a bit. She's only just joined Arsenal, still within her first two weeks and hasn't quite grasped the dynamics between everyone.

You're firmly entrenched in the thick of it. You float easily between players like Steph and Leah before turning to wiggle yourself into conversations with Jen and Lia.

But, one thing that Laia has picked up, is how close you and Katie are. She's not exactly sure what kind of relationship you have with your national teammate where you let her openly flirt with Caitlin in front of you.

It's strange and a little grating.

Laia knows deep down that she would definitely be a better girlfriend to you than Katie was. She knows that she would treat you way better than Katie ever would.

But, you just don't seem to understand that.

You stick your feet into the back of Katie's chair again when she makes another aborted move towards Kyra. Your shoes are off, tucked under your chair so you fold your legs under you when you retract your feet after Katie turns around to glare at you - something that you return with your tongue out.

You have a cute relationship with her, Laia surmises as her blood turns hot when Katie tilts her head to the side to lean against Caitlin's shoulder.

It's completely brazen to do in front of you, let alone in public.

Laia even sees you roll your eyes at the action and she can't stop herself from reaching out to hold your hand, just to offer a bit of support.

You jump at the sudden contact before meeting her eyes with a smile, readjusting your grip so you can lace your fingers together.

The action soothes Laia for a moment and she stares ahead of her with a silly smile on her face as Jonas finally begins the meeting.

But the happy mood she's in diminishes as she watches how Katie becomes more and more touchy with Caitlin the longer the meeting takes.

It starts off small, with little nudges and quiet inside jokes. It escalates to whispering in the ear, Katie's lips nudging the shell of Caitlin's ears in a clearly intimate action. Then it comes to Katie kissing Caitlin's neck when most people aren't watching.

But Laia sees it and she knows you see it too.

Her anger bubbles on your behalf and, when the meeting is over, she pulls you out by your joined hands.

You seem more than happy to go with her, willing to be pulled into a different, empty meeting room.

Laia releases your hand, pacing back and forth for a moment like she's trying to collect her thoughts.

"Laia?" You ask," Is something wrong?"

"I-You..." She shakes her head before trying again," Katie does not deserve you. If she cannot respect a relationship then she should not be in it."

"Laia, I don't understand."

Laia takes a step toward you, looking half-bold and half-scared-shitless. "Katie is going to cheat on you, with Caitlin, if she has not already. It is obvious and someone should tell you." Her hand reaches up as if she's going to touch your face before it's lowered again. "She does not deserve you and you do not deserve to be trapped in that relationship just because she's your national captain."

For a moment, you're still confused but then it all begins to make sense.

You laugh.

"I am not joking!"

"Laia." You step forward until you're chest to chest with her. "Katie...Katie is my captain, yes. We are close, yes. But...But I'm not dating her."

"You're not?"

"No." You shake your head. Boldly, you move to rest a hand on Laia's hip. "She's practically my sister. She used to knock on my door and ask if I was allowed out to play. Besides, I've got my eye on someone else."

"Oh..." There's silence for a moment before Laia finally seems to notice the way you're holding her. Her cheeks go a bit red. "Oh."

"Oh," You tease.

"Me?"

"You haven't noticed? Too busy staring at Katie?"

"I...Er..."

"Do you want to, maybe, go out with me for dinner? Or we could go somewhere? If you're not too angry at Katie then I'd love to take you to a place that she swears by."

"I'd like that."

#woso x reader #laia codina x reader #laia codina #woso community #woso imagine #woso fanfics #woso

[rafesfavgirl]

treat you better — j. maybank

❝ tell me, why are we wasting time on all your wasted crying when you should be with me instead? i know i can treat you better ❞

pairing: best friend!jj x cheater!reader

context: once again, you went through your boyfriend's phone and found things you didn't wanna find. but for some reason, you can't seem to build up the courage to finally end things with him (he was your first love, after all). so, you turn to your best friend, jj, for advice and comfort.

words: 1.4k+

warnings: reader's in a toxic relationship, mild cheating (physical & emotional, but i don't condone it!!), a little angst, fluff

you sat at the edge of the pier at the chateau, your eyes focused on the way the moon reflected off the marsh. you had just snuck out of your boyfriend's house after he fell asleep and you looked through his phone.

adriana. kelly. paige. maya. lauryn. the number of girls' names you found in his insta dms and messages went on and on.

why did you put up with this? i mean, sure, he was your first… everything, but was he really worth it?

"y/n?" you hear a familiar voice call out your name and turn your head to find jj walking down the dock to join you. "what are you doing out here?"

"just needed some time to think," you said, looking back out towards the marsh.

jj lets out a sigh, already having an inkling of what must be bothering you, and takes a seat beside you. "let me guess… liam again?"

"i just don't understand why it can't just be me," you shrug, a thousand things running through your head. most of the time, liam told you the girls were just his "friends". but deep down, you always wondered whether or not he took it any further with any of them. and that thought, alone, made you sick to your stomach.

"i mean, am i doing something wrong?" you turn your head to look jj, only to find that he was already looking at you, a certain kind of sadness filling his baby blues. he hated that you even thought you were the one in the wrong.

"it's not you, y/n. whatever he's doing, it's on him," he tells you. "stop putting up with it."

"but i love him, j," you admit, your voice cracking a little. you knew that you shouldn't. he was a scum bag. nothing but a cheater. but he was also the guy who made you feel like the most special girl in the world. the one you'd completely laid yourself bare to. "what am i suppose to do about that?"

the defeated look in your eyes broke his heart. but instead of listing off different ways you could deal with liam, jj decides to be a friend, and opens his arms up to you, "come here."

for the first time all night, you let yourself break, and immediately fall into his arms.

"i just don't get it," you sobbed into jj's chest, as he ran a hand through your hair and rested his head on top of yours,

in an attempt to soothe you. "i've done everything, j." you continued. "everything he needs from me, i do. everything he wants me to be, i try to be. so why can't he just let the other girls go? why can't i just be the one?"

hearing you cry about this guy was not only breaking jj's heart, but also making his blood boil. liam didn't deserve you, he knew that much.

after a few minutes in silence of jj just running his hands through your hair and pepperring soft kisses on your head, you finally pull away from him, looking like a complete mess.

there were now black stains under your eyes from crying some of your mascara off, and pieces of your hair stuck to your tear-stained cheeks, as you sniffled.

"i'm sorry," you said, attempting to rub off the mascara stains also leftover on jj's shirt. "your shirt's all stained with tears and mascara now."

"i don't give a shit about my shirt, y/n," he tells you, bringing a hand up to tuck your messy hair behind your ear. "are you okay?"

you sighed, the tears threatening to well up in your eyes again. ugh. after hearing yourself going on about the way you've felt about liam treating you, you were beginning to wonder whether or not it was really love you were feeling for him or not.

but if it wasn't love, why did you still feel like crying?

"i don't even know anymore," you say honestly, shaking your head and running your fingers through your hair. "i mean, how do you even go about loving someone who's hurt you so much?"

"you don't," jj tells you.

"you don't think i love him?" i asked. i wasn't sure why i was asking jj, but i also knew that he knew me better than anyone. maybe even better than liam. so if there was anyone who could tell whether or not i was in love… it'd be him, right?

"i can't tell you how you feel, y/n," he says.

"i'm not asking you to," i reply. "i just wanna know what you think."

he sighs, and shifts his eyes between yours. he knew exactly what he wanted to say, but he wasn't sure it was his place to do so—more so, he wasn't sure you'd like his take.

"promise you won't get mad?"

you chuckle, feeling uneasy now. "why would i get mad?"

"i think you're scared," he says, causing you to furrow your brows.

you scoff, thinking he sounds ridiculous. "scared? why would i be scared?"

"because he's your first," he shrugs. "i mean, he was your first, right?"

"so? what does that have to do with anything?" you ask, knowing damn well the information was relevant.

"i know you, y/n," he says, locking his eyes with mine. "you're a hopeless romantic who has your head buried in those romance books all the time because that's what you want. you want your first to be the one. and you're a perfectionist. you can't stand the idea of putting your all into one person only for them to not be worth it… so all this time… that's what you've tried to do."

you stay quiet. jj was actually making sense.

"i'm not saying you didn't love him," he continues. "i think you really did, but the love you felt before isn't what you're feeling now. i think it's just indifference. you don't want to believe that you've actually lost feelings for someone you've fought so hard for, so you try to convince yourself those feelings are still there. because that way… at least you won't be the bad guy."

your mouth had fallen agape, as you realized that jj was right. "wow."

"but you're not the bad guy anyway," he assures you, placing a hand on top of yours. "you've done all you can. what he does isn't your fault. your only fault would be staying."

"but what if he's fucked me up so bad that i've become unlovable?" you ask, voicing your real fear. truth was, you weren't always the best girlfriend. since liam made you feel so insecure about his feelings towards you all the time, it made you act out in ways you never thought you would. you'd call him incessantly when he wouldn't answer. you'd demand he cut certain girls off. ask for his location at all times. he saw the absolute worst of you. and yet, he stayed. what if no one else did?

"is that really what you think?" jj asks.

"i wasn't always the perfect girlfriend, j," i admit, glancing down and fiddling with his fingers on top of mine. "i was insecure all the time. i constantly-"

"because he made you feel that way," jj cuts you off, and picks your head up with his hands to make you look at him. "don't you get it, y/n? whatever you did, it was because of him. anyone made to feel insecure would act out. that's not your fault. you're just…" his eyes shift between yours. "human."

"but what if-"

"but nothing," he shook his head. "you are the absolute perfect version of yourself, y/n. and liam's an idiot for not realizing that. it doesn't get better than you."

without even thinking and being overwhelmed by the sweetness of jj's words, you lean in to kiss him.

he doesn't even hesitate to kiss you back, his hands on your face immediately tangling into your hair. 

your hands make their way to back of his head, the kiss deepening as they do.

your tongues dance together in perfect harmony, until you abruptly pull away.

"wait, wait, wait," you say, and he looks at you, a mix of confusion and sadness at the lost of touch present on his face. "this feels wrong."

he glances down, "oh."

"no, not like that. i mean-" you take a deep breath to get your words together, while jj just looks at you. "the kiss was great. amazing, even. it's just… i'm still technically liam's girlfriend."

his eyes light up at the compliment about the kiss, before he chuckles, "shit."

reblogs and comments are deeply appreciated <33

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[heeliopheelia]

"this is not your fault" (jake x reader)

genre: angst, fluff word count: 0.8k requested by nonnie ♡

warnings: crying, mentions of an argument

You check the clock for the nth time this night. 3:32 am. With your throat tight, you turn on your side, somehow unable to find a comfortable enough position on your couch. The guilt has been eating you from the inside for the past two hours.

You're well aware that you're the one who was in the wrong for the whole time. It took you three hours to let go of your pride and stubbornness and finally acknowledge that. All the yelling and mean words you spat on your boyfriend keep running over your mind like a broken record and you have to cover your face with your hands to try and somehow block these thoughts out for even couple minutes.

There are no excuses for your behavior, you know that. No bad day at work, no matter how frustrating, should ever make you snap like that and take all of the increasing tension out on your boyfriend. Jake has always been nothing but patient with you, calmly enduring your mood swings and every tiniest outbursts of yours. Which is why you feel such resentment towards yourself for hurting him this much.

You're facing the backrest of the couch, eyes squeezed tightly as you try to force the tears to stay unshed, so you get really caught off guard when you feel a fluffy blanket draping over your body.

"You're gonna catch a cold, silly," he mumbles quietly, thinking you're asleep.

He carefully tucks the blanket around your shivering body and your heart swells in its size at his kindness. The second that you hear him shuffling away from you, you swing your legs to the side and sit up on the couch, trapping his waist in between your arms.

"Don't go," you let out a whimper, letting all of the tears flow down your cheeks.

And he listens to you. Jake doesn't move an inch, hating to see you suffering so much. He's already used to dealing with your pride, and although he can't say you didn't hurt him today, he hates witnessing you breaking down even more. He can clearly hear the shortness of your breath as you sob quietly, fingers clenching tightly on his tank top.

You stay like that for couple minutes - you clinging onto him with all of your might, face buried in his stomach as his fingers gently comb through your hair. After another moment, he finally loosens your grip on his middle and crouches down in front of you, letting you snuggle into his neck instead.

His lips press to the crown of your head lovingly, hands holding you closely to his chest as your tears soak through his clothing.

"I'm sorry," you mumble incoherently, sniffling between your words. Your breathing comes out sharp and stuttered but Jake's hand still stroking your hair slowly starts to soothe you. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, this is not your fault alone," he says, leaning his chin on your shoulder before placing a kiss on your neck. "I could've been more understanding too."

"No, this one's entirely on me," you manage to say as you clench your hands on the back of his tank top. "And I'm really sorry, Jake. Please forgive me. I'm never gonna let my frustrations out on you, I promise."

With a sigh, he pulls away and cups your face in between his slim fingers. Your tear-stained cheeks glisten in the dark room and Jake wipes them away with the back of his hand, leaning in to kiss your brow bone warmly.

"I forgave you the second I left the room. I came to check up on you cause you haven't come back to bed, love. If I knew you were here wide awake for all this time, I would've come and get you sooner instead of letting you cry in here all by yourself."

"It's what I deserved, Jake. How do you even still put up with me after all this time?" You ask, reaching your hand out to stroke his cheek softly. "You're so sweet. Way too good for me."

"Don't say that," he scolds you gently before leaning in and pressing your lips together. His kisses are slow and so full of love that you find yourself on the verge of breaking down again. You can feel his fingers swiping underneath your eyes, getting rid of all the tears that have managed to escape your eyes again. "No more crying, okay? Wanna go to bed now? We should probably get some sleep."

You nod your head, letting him wrap his arms around you and lift you up. He pulls you closely to his chest and pecks your head, muttering a quiet love you in your hair.

As all of the previous guilt and self-loathing slowly starts fading away, you catch yourself falling asleep the second your bodies hit the soft bed, safely tucked in Jake's arms.

permanent taglist: @bambisgirl @arizejkt19 @luvmura @milisabunny @cathy-1997 @venividibitchin

#carly's 1k event ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა #1k event: requests ✎ #jake sim x reader #jake imagines #enhypen imagines #enhypen x reader

[gretagerwigsmuse]

i don’t know, blame the air force?

summary: in which lieutenant commander bradshaw feels his girlfriend’s wrath after she gets her year end bonus and uncle sam takes a pretty penny out of it

a/n: listen….this is very self indulgent and that’s all i’m going to say. i literally wrote it this afternoon after…well i got fucked by the government in the form of taxes on my bonus. also yeah she’s kind of a brat in this one, but i think it’s a little deserved. rated t for language and suggestive comments 1.2k

It wasn’t often that you beat Bradley home from work, but sometimes on Fridays you would sneak out of the office at lunch and work the rest of the day from home. It typically put you in a good mood and gave you the opportunity to run a quick load of laundry or get started on an - admittedly - rudimentary dinner. Sometimes you’d even go for a dip in your building’s skyline pool.

But that afternoon, you were seething. Properly seething. And no amount of stress cleaning or tanning was going to make you feel any better. Maybe you just needed Bradley to fuck you six ways to Sunday later? Surely the serotonin from a couple orgasms could soothe this particular anger brewing inside of you.

As per every October, you had gotten your year end bonus with your paycheck earlier that day, which always inspired equal amounts of giddiness and angst within you.

The giddiness, of course, because who doesn’t love extra money? It was like found money twice a year. Sure, you worked extra hard for it, many late nights at the office, client site visits, and presentations over the last four years could attest to that. You were up in the air over whether you should add it to your brokerage account or splurge on something? Because again - you worked for it.

But then there was the angst.

The angst because you inevitably lost half of it to taxes. And this angst appeared like clockwork, twice a year, every year, for the last six years you’d been working at PwC. You knew this - it was inevitable.

Except, earlier that morning, you’d been at your desk reading the WSJ with your coffee and had seen a headline. A stupid, annoying headline that had made you purse your lips, realization dawning as you rushed to check your pay stub on workday.

Pentagon Refocuses Spending on Weapons to Deter China

As you read further, you saw that as part of the FY24 budget, the Pentagon was increasing the $30.6B defense budget a further 12% with a focus on missiles, rockets, and - yes - airplanes, specifically for the Air Force.

Uncle Sam was taking 35% of taxes out of your bonus for that? Fuck that.

So, when Bradley came by your apartment later that afternoon, freshly showered after a quick trip to the gym after work, you were steaming. And though it was not Bradley’s fault - not in the slightest - seeing him in that stupid(ly tight), grey, US Navy t-shirt only further contributed to your sour mood.

“Hey!” he called out, letting himself in with his key. You turned your head towards him and hummed, letting out a gruff hi. He toed off his sneakers and left them by the door before coming over to where you were laying on the couch, doom scrolling through Instagram, and pressed a quick kiss to your lips.

He frowned at your tepid response and you felt like a absolute bitch for a moment. “Hey, hey. What’s wrong?”

You briefly glanced at Bradley and then went back to staring - glaring - at your phone. “I’m just in a mood - tired.”

You could see him doing the mental math, trying to figure out if you were on your period, but that wasn’t until next week. “S’okay. We can just hang out and have an early -”

“- Crash any planes today?” the words slipped out before you could think better of it. Before he could even respond, you cut Bradley off. “What’s it matter anyway? They’ll just buy you new ones? Fuck the kids, I mean, they don’t need to eat school lunch? And the Postal Service can cut off Saturday delivery? Hmmmm maybe we should cut Social Security even more? Our infrastructure doesn’t need to be fixed, let’s just let our bridges and roads crumble! Fucking taxes bullshit.”

“Uhhh...”

You got up in a huff and started pacing, getting more and more worked up. “It’s not that I mind paying taxes - well, that’s not totally true. But like? Actually put them towards something that’s going to help people? Not just stupid rockets and missiles and fucking -”

“- Did you get your tax refund or something?”

Bradley was standing next to you, trying to put his hands on your shoulders in what would have been a calming motion had you not been acting completely crazy over eleven thousand dollars.

“It’s October?” you snapped.

“I don’t know?” Bradley shrugged his shoulders, getting a little worked up himself. “Rich people are weird? And your dad seems like he’d know how - nevermind.” You rolled your eyes. “What happened?”

Your shoulders sagged. Fuck, this wasn’t Bradley’s fault. It was that piece of shit House Majority Leader’s, who was so far up Lockheed Martin’s ass he could see -

“I got my year end bonus check today…” you grumbled.

Like you figured, a huge smile lit up Bradley’s face. “That’s amazing - or not?” he backtracked.

“I lost like 35% of it to taxes.”

“Ahhh.”

“And I saw this article in the Journal this morning about the new Pentagon budget and how they’re purchasing these new planes for the Air Force and it just - it’s dumb but it made me mad because I just wish my taxes went to the things that will actually benefit the average American?”

Bradley tucked your hair behind your ear and clucked your chin. “That’s a lot to put on your shoulders, kid…”

“Do you think I’m acting like a brat?” You knew you were, you were just curious if Bradley would say the same thing.

He made a face. “Well,” the word dragged out, “maybe a little…” You hung your head and leaned against his chest. “But it’s kind of valid, I’d be pretty pissed losing all that out to the Air Force, too. But the Navy’s different. They don’t just put anyone in the cockpit -”

“- Oh, really?” You peered up at him. “And how many planes have you crashed, Bradley?”

He pursed his lips. “Like on purpose or -”

You threw your hands up and groaned, eventually making your way over to your bar cart. “- Like on purpose he says! Bradley!”

There wasn’t any ice in the ice bucket, but you didn’t care. You needed something. Anything to take the edge off. You were too annoyed, too fussy - too bratty.

As you poured yourself - and Bradley - a drink, he came up behind you and wrapped his arms tightly around your waist.

“Sweetheart,” he cooed in your ear, “I promise you, I have only crashed three planes on purpose.”

Oh how you wanted to laugh. You leaned back against Bradley’s chest, fully ensconced in the smell of his soap and aftershave. “Hmmm, that’s $195M down the drain. Could’ve fed a lot of kids in Kern County with that money, repaved a lot of roads, too…”

He grabbed the drink you had poured for yourself and took a sip, hissing at the burn of the tequila. “I don’t know about the kids, but I can make it up to you.”

The glass was placed back on the bar cart with a clink and Bradley placed his right hand on your hip, while the left slipped underneath the waistband of your skirt and eventually your underwear. Your whole body sagged against him and you hated how keen you were for this - for him. Apparently you really had just needed to get fucked.

“Such a pretty girl…even if you are a bit of a brat sometimes,” he finished, nipping at your ear. “Hey, kid?” You hummed. “You know if I was an astronaut I would cost the US government even more money, you still sure you want me to go down that route?”

“Shut up and fuck me, rocketman.”

“Can do, hell I’ll even buy you dinner.”

-----------

this was so random so i hope people actually like it??? idk if no one does i never wrote it??

small taglist: @howdysebby (happy early birthday!) @sometimesanalice (thanks for the eyes alexa!) @notroosterbradshaw @ofstoriesandstardust @bradshawsbitch @rae-gar-targaryen @jupitercomet @sunderlust @softspiderling @seasonsbloom @heartsofminds @cloudycluster

#bradley and smart aleck #bradley bradshaw x reader

[look-at-the-soul]

Endless love

(Modern) Tommy Shelby x reader

✨ I wrote this for @justrainandcoffee Alfieversary! My dearest Flor who knew fanfiction and Peaky Blinders would cross our paths! Thank you for always being so kind and generous-and talented!-, becoming mutuals here for a short time and somehow it feels as if we knew each other in person. Cheers to many, many more Alfieversaries!

Summary: Y/N is “forced” to leave her husband and baby for the weekend, so join Tommy to sort parenthood by himself for a couple of days. How will he deal with everything? Including a fussy baby.

Word count: 2.5K

A/N: we know I try to make moodboards right? 🤭

“Okay, erm so there’s milk storage enough.” Y/N mumbled, taking one more look around the bedroom. “Emma’s nappies are in the first drawer, keep her bunny close to-“

“Her face, I know.” Tommy produced a small chuckle, trying hard not to roll his eyes as he had already heard his wife’s instructions for almost a week. “Love, just leave that there, take a deep breath and have a margarita for me, we’ll be fine.”

Looking down at his six-month old he found her big beautiful eyes staring at him.

Y/N blinked nervously, this was the first trip away from Emma, it’s was a natural thing to be nervous.

“I can’t drink a margarita, remember?” She pointed at her breasts for a clearer message. Although she really wanted one.

This was actually her first real going out in a long time, somehow her life had been turned upside down full of baby trips to the doctor’s appointments, quick trips to get the groceries, restless nights of feedings. Thats why when Tommy insisted she should make the trip with Rose and the girls, she thought it would be a good idea to have a little time to herself.

But suddenly, her phone started ringing and loads of messages arrived simultaneously.

“Are you su-“

Tommy cut his wife’s words. “Yes, now go before Rose comes up to take you.”

Y/N gave Tommy a worried look, she couldn’t help it.

“Say goodbye to mama,” he waved Emma’s little hand. “Buh-bye mam!” He imitated a childish voice.

Y/N felt her heart clenching inside her chest when she kissed her daughter’s chubby cheeks.

“If you need anything just call and I’ll be back.” She rushed to say before kissing Tommy’s lips. Stepping out of their home, she blew them a kiss.

Tommy finally felt confident enough to release the air he had been holding. He was beyond nervous for not having his wife around whilst taking care of their baby, he was actually panicking to do anything wrong.

As Tommy closed the door he saw Emma’s lip quiver and a second later, she let out a big cry.

“Oh no, no darling don’t cry.” Tommy tried to soothe her. Small legs kicking with such force that made him think of a small tornado. “It’s alright, mama will be back in a couple of days…” he mumbled tried to get his daughter to settle.

His phone started buzzing in his pocket, he tried to rock Emma, but her cries became louder. Pressing the green button so fast that he didn’t look at the name on the screen.

“‘Lo?”

“Is Emma alright? I heard her crying.”

Tommy gasped. “Yes, of course, it’s the television… there’s a baby crying.” He lied.

He noticed Y/N’s hesitation so he rushed to assure her everything was fine and encouraged her to have a great time with her friends. Then, Tommy searched the channel with calm music Y/N used to rock Emma to sleep, in an attempt to settle his baby.

“How can a little thing like you cry so loud?” Tommy sighed defeated. He was one step from giving up. “I don’t know how your mama does it.”

He had tried everything, absolutely everything. And nothing seemed to work.

Was his baby sick? Hurting?

“What is it baby girl?” He wiped away the tears from her eyes, long lashes wet, chubby cheeks red from the intensity of her cries.

A sudden flashback appeared on his mind and with long strides, he walked into their bedroom hoping to find Emma’s bunny in its place. It had been a birth gift by Rose, and his daughter didn’t seem to like anything else.

“Look… here’s your bunny.” He tried tickling her cheeks. “And let’s take Mummy’s blanket alright?”

Tommy felt on the brick of desperation, was he really a useless father? One who couldn’t make his daughter stop crying?

His heart was aching.

Tommy wondered how would they survive for the entire weekend without Y/N. He started seriously doubting his parental skills in that moment.

Wrapping his baby in Y/N’s blanket seemed to bring some comfort for his baby. Groaning he covered his face with one of the thin cloths they used to go outside, it was small piece that only covered his features partially but then he heard a small giggle and a raspberry from Emma.

Startled, he removed the sheet from his face and looked down at what was making her giggle.

“You liked your silly daddy?” He asked mimicking a ridiculous voice.

He tried the trick once more.

And to his surprise, Emma giggled again, there was a bit of droll on her chin, big blue eyes sparkling just for him.

“You like Mr. Napkin?!” He asked in disbelief. “Yes you do!”

Getting up, he got a larger napkin from the kitchen and after covering his face again, but he added his glasses.

“Mr. Napkin needs help to see.” He repeated what it seemed like the best acting performance ever. “Oh! I see a beautiful happy little girl.” He turned to face his baby laying in one of his arms.

Emma laughed uncontrollably and kicked her legs happily.

“You know what? Mr. Napkin needs a smoke.” He announced, producing a cigarette from its case. But once he added it to his performance, he noticed a small pout. “Oh no, no… that’s a bad habit, don’t do it.”

Once he got his little girl to settle again, he sighed relieved when he saw the big yawn she offered.

“Mr. Napkin would like a nap too.”

But before he could close his eyes, his phone started ringing and the sound woke his daughter up.

“Shit. Alfie what do you want?”

“Just making sure you’re in one piece still… heard the Misus are having the time of their lives.” Alfie announced.

“I know you’re miserable when Rose is away, but I’m busy here mate.”

“That’s exactly why I was calling, to offer some child support.”

Tommy snorted. “Alfie the last thing I want is you taking care of my daughter.”

Alfie didn’t took that personally, he knew as a matter of fact that he had the opposite effect in Tommy’s daughter. “When will you finally admit your daughter likes me?”

“She likes pulling at you beard and your dog.”

“Look we both know you’re going to make the girls come back earlier from their trip and the least thing I need is having Rosie mad at me at your fault, so meet me and Cyril at the beach.”

“That sounds like an awful idea.”

“See ya.”

The actual plan worked like wonders, Emma was thrilled to spend time with Cyril, because being honest, he got all protective over Emma, and despite his size he acted like a cotton ball, bringing her sticks. But Tommy wasn’t going to admit that out loud.

Of course Alfie teased him endlessly for acting over protective towards the baby just because he made sure his daughter wouldn’t suffer damage from the sun. Or any kind of damage for that matter.

“What are cha gonna do when your little pumpkin starts messing around with boys and-“

Tommy gave him a death stare.

“Wha? You can’t keep her locked mate…” Alfie pointed out as the girl grabbed some sand in her small fist.

“That’s not going to happen.” Tommy answered with a clenched jaw.

Just the mere thought of it, made his insides twist.

And to Alfie, to have the chance to tease Tommy it was like the cherry on top, it was something he wasn’t going to let it pass.

By the time they went back to their apartment, Emma was sound asleep in the back seat.

After changing his baby girl into a pajama set, Tommy walked around the place to set the alarm and taking the remote, he turned off the lights.

To his surprise, he got a message from his wife.

Missing you both like crazy! xx

We missed you too, Emma was thrilled to take a little trip to the beach xx - he replied.

Almost immediately, his phone started ringing and the photo of his wife holding their baby appeared on the screen.

“I know I said I wasn’t going to disturb you, but…” her sweet voice made him smile.

“‘S alright, I was just getting ready to sleep.”

“But it’s still early.” Y/N pointed out turning around to look the hour.

“I am exhausted.” He dragged the words.

Turning the call into video, Y/N noticed the bags under his eyes. The dim light cascading over his cheekbones.

“Looks like someone’s having the time of her life.” He complimented.

“We had a massage and I ordered a virgin cocktail.”

Tommy shook his head. “No booze? What’s the fun in that?”

“Stop temping me.” Y/N pouted. “I’ll let you’ve some rest, tomorrow it’s going to be a long day.”

Tommy yawned and wished his wife a good night.

****

A babbling sound make him open his eyes asTommy tried to fix his blurred vision.

Groaning, he got up. “Morning, sunshine.” He kissed the top of her head as he pulled her against his chest and went back to bed.

Instinctively, Emma started nibbling his nipple.

“Oh sweetie, you won’t find anything there.” Tommy explained with a chuckle.

But Emma wasn’t in the mood and a round of loud cries started right away.

“I get it, the milk provider is moving right away, give me a sec.” He got up and carried his baby towards the kitchen, to prepare the bottle for her. A few minutes later, Emma was sucking happily.

“Such a drama queen eh?” He stared at her soft features. Wondering what life had in store for her. “What do you wanna do today? We can go to the park, or the pub bet your uncles would love to see you.” He proposed as his baby was focused on her milk. That way he could get some help because everyone in his family adored his daughter.

Despite his wealth, Y/N refused hiring a nanny. She was adamant to be in charge of everything related to their daughter. And being completely honest with himself, he was grateful for being able to spend quality time with his first born, Y/N deserved all the credit for that, she helped him feel comfortable by giving his daughter a warm bath and helping as much as he could, being a present father.

She had already threatened him to include a hairstyle masterclass so he could learn to do braids and pigtails.

After a quick bath for him and another one for his daughter. He felt proud of managing to put an asthetic outfit for Emma, he actually went safe with clear colors God forbid that one time he changed her into a set that didn’t match, Y/N scolded and teased him endlessly. As Tommy was looking in one of the drawers for a clean sheet so he could place his baby on the floor, he found a small box where Y/N kept a bunch of things she said that were useless but you might need some day. The thought made him chuckle, but a sharp movement opened the lid and its content fell to the floor.

That’s when he saw something that caught his attention.

A playful smile spread on his lips and he rushed to the living room to set everything.

It took him a while to carry on with his idea, but once he was finished, he stood there proudly to admire his creation, the smile on his daughter’s face told him he did a good job. Oh, the things he’d do for that little Miss Sunshine. She had him wrapped around her little finger.

Snapping a photo, he pressed a few buttons to send it to his wife.

“What is that?!” Y/N asked raising her voice, excitement was evident.

Tommy’s chest expanded proudly as he looked at his mini-me in awe. “She’s being giggling nonstop.”

“This is the best idea ever!” Y/N sounded surprised, so he was still able to be one step ahead.

“Cheapest trick to keep her busy.” Tommy added, sending the photo to the Shelby’s chat group.

“I can’t wait to go back home.” He knew being away wasn’t easy for her, specially because she was so attached to Emma.

“The day will fly by and you’ll be back before you know it.” He tried to cheer her up. His eyes darting back to his daughter, still amazed by the balloons.

“Look at you, I leave you for a couple of days and you win the award parent of the year.”

“That’s what you get for abandoning us.” He joked.

“Hey!” Tommy heard Rose’s voice in the background. “Only emergencies! Is Tommy missing an arm?” He heard some weird noise and then she spoke clearly. “I hope you’re taking good care of Emma.”

“Of course.” He wasn’t sure if he should be more scared of his wife or Rose.

“Good, then were stealing your wife for another day and we’re already planning the next trip.” She warned, and this time around, it was Y/N turn in the background saying that she didn’t want to be away from her daughter again.

“Have a fabulous day, I gotta change a stinky nappy.”

Ending the call, he decided to order some food, the last thing on his mind at the moment was to prepare something. At least he got a great deal by keeping his daughter busy with the balloons and that granted him a few minutes to stand outside in the balcony to smoke a cigarette while keeping an eye on his baby.

And the rest of his day went just like that between naps, babbling and the little sounds his daughter made. Later he’d pick a book to read to her.

****

Sunday finally arrived and after driving for a couple of hours, the girls left her by the apartment lobby first, so she made the trip to her floor quietly and since she didn’t tell Tommy what time they were coming back, she took the chance to surprise him.

He didn’t know, but she had been watching him in the baby monitor app on her phone. As a matter of fact her heart felt full last night when she realized her baby wouldn’t settle and after a couple of minutes, she saw Tommy getting up from the bed and climbing the crib -big enough to fit him-, to sleep with his baby.

She knew he was the best father their daughter could have.

And another proof was that moment while he was feeding Emma and he started singing a Romani song and ever so gently he explained their baby he came from gypsies and she too, had gypsy blood running in her veins. Y/N wanted to bottle the two of them along with those moments that made her confirm her deep love for that man.

But Y/N was the surprised one when she stepped into her apartment and found Tommy sleeping on the couch with Emma lying on his chest fast asleep, his arm wrapped around her back protectively. Her small hand closed in a tight fist over her bunny’s ear.

The image was instantly tattooed in her heart as a lifetime memory.

And she knew, her heart was full and that this was an endless love.

Master list

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this, remember your feedback is always the way to a writer’s heart ♥️✨

Oh! I almost forgot.. Mr Napkin inspiration 👇🏻👇🏻

Tag list: @lyarr24 @runnning-outof-time @cillmequick @datewithgianni @cloudofdisney @onlydeadcells @gretelshelby @garrison-girl-08 @lespendy @fastfan @stevie75 @prettylittlehoneyeyesxoxo @esposadomd @forbidden-forest-witch @ange-thoughts @moral-terpitude @elenavampire21 @forgottenpeakywriter @thenattitude @winchestergirl22 @zablife @elk96 @blondie-22 @imichelle-l-rigby @allie131313 @already-broken144 @peakyscillian @babaohhhriley @shelbydelrey @shaddixlife @sloanexx @sydneyyyya @adaydreamaway08 @pono-pura-vida @kmc1989 @thomashelbyswife @darleneslane @lauren-raines-x @everythingelseisextra @mariaelizabeth21-blog1 @lau219 @red-riding-wood

#That’s what Cill said #tommy shelby x reader #modern tommy shelby imagine #modern tommy shelby #tommy shelby x y/n #thomas shelby imagine #peaky blinders imagine #modern peaky blinders #modern alfie solomons #Alfie Solomons x rose

[starcrossedxwriter]

Wicked Fantasies Part 8 (MBJ x OC)

A/N: This gif has nothing to do with anything other than I thought it was hot as fuck... and baby boy gets a little... rough and ruthless this chapter (in a good way LOL) Enjoy!

***

Michael’s hand lazily grazed the length of Raven’s spine as they laid in bed, limbs tangled and sheets disheveled from their wild night together. It was their first night back since their trip and jet lag spurred Michael to finally introduced ropes into their play and fuck, Raven had been in heaven. Of course, now her body was sore and aching from hanging from his set up and the only plans she had the next day were to sleep. But it was worth every ache and pain she felt and she would gladly sign up for it over and over and over again. 

“You ever think about marriage… kids?” Michael asked, knowing the question was random but it had been on his mind since before it was appropriate to envision that life with her. And with whatever Tasha had planned barreling down on him, something in him yearned to know that she saw a future with him, that she wanted a future with him. 

“Yea. I mean I didn’t think it would happen for me. I think about marriage a lot. Kids are… tough,” she muttered, her nails grazing against his skin, so lightly it made him feel almost ticklish. 

“You’re afraid of not being there for them?” 

Raven shifted uncomfortably on his chest. She rested her head against his heart, the soft thumps of his heartbeat soothing to the anxiety coursing through her. She had thought about all of these things with Michael but it was still impossible to believe she truly deserved them, that he truly wanted them with her. And she hated how easily he saw through her, saw her deepest fears and insecurities as if she had just spelled them out for him. 

“Yea, I guess… I wouldn't wish my life on any kid and there’s a lot of all this we have no control over. How much time… when yours is up. It’s always been hard to think about the future though… plan for it. I’ve just always felt like I was being chased and assumed that one day it would catch up to me? This is the first time in my life I don’t feel that… since I met you. So now I suppose I should think about the future.” She paused. “I think I’d like it… not sure how good I’d be at it. Being a mother. Your mom is the closest example I have of a good one. But the chance to build my own family? One with all the things I never had, all the things a child deserves? Yea, it would be nice.” 

“What do you think about building that family… with me?”

Raven perked up, shocked to hear those words come out of his mouth. She did not know why but she had not considered the conversation taking this turn for some reason. The idea of him wanting to marry her was about as foolish as wishing diamonds to cascade from the sky like rain. It just was not realistic. 

“In my wildest fantasies. But…” her voice trailed off.

“What?” 

“I love you… adore you. But I guess there’s still a piece of me that doesn’t believe this is real. That believes you’ll wake up one day and remember that I was the girl you paid to have sex with you. You know… can’t turn a whore into a housewife. And you wouldn’t be wrong, I’m not exactly wifey material. And hell, I’m probably the last person you should want raising your kids. Not a role model, nothing to aspire to. My life is a mess.” 

Michael knew a few months would not undo years of self deprecation but it felt like a physical wound to hear her count herself out like this. How could she not see how perfect she was? How amazing she was? 

“You shouldn’t talk about yourself like that, baby. And should give yourself more credit. You are one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, you’re a survivor, hardworking, gentle, nurturing. That’s everything I want in a wife… and a mother for my children. You’re so much more than whatever your dad or idiot sister convinced you were. You’re everythin’.” 

“You don’t mean that,” she whispered, turning away her head to face the opposite wall. She could not let herself believe that. They had not been together long and Raven was still waiting for the honeymoon phase to end and the other shoe to drop. She knew he would walk up one day and realize he could not build anything real with her. He would hurt her and disappoint her just like every other person in her life. She desperately desired to be wrong but she also refused to let herself have too much hope. Because of all the things and people she survived in her life, Michael was the one thing she knew had the power to actually destroy her. 

He pulled her deeper into his chest and kissed her forehead tenderly. “Aint ever told you shit I didn’t mean, baby girl. And I get why you don’t believe it or trust it. But I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you. I’m here for the long haul, we’re gonna build that life together, I promise.” 

Her response felt lodged in her throat, too painful to release into the space. She tried to get them out but saying them out loud would make them too real. So she just pressed her lips into his chest before turning over and closing her eyes. She knew she did not need to say anything for Michael to know how she felt. He always knew. 

As he watched her attempt to sleep, Michael thought about his meeting the next day with Alex. He had spent his entire trip and tonight so wrapped up in his girl that he almost forgot Tasha was threatening to destroy their bubble. He had to figure out what to do because he saw that future with Raven as clear as day and no one and nothing would stand in his way. 

***

“I can’t believe you,” Alex muttered to herself as she paced around her office. “You know… one day, I would just love it if you summoned me or came down here with good news. You saved a fuckin’ family of puppies from a would-be murderer, helped an old lady cross the road, saved someone from a burning building… solved fuckin’ world hunger and told someone. But nooooooooo. It’s never that. It’s always some problem because you literally can’t keep your fuckin’ dick to yourself. Have you ever heard of masturbation?? O-Or a fuckin’ fleshlight??” 

Michael groaned as she ranted about his recklessness and foolishness.

“So you gon’ keep yellin’ at me or tell me how to fix this?” 

Alex scoffed. “Fixing the fact that you got involved with, not one, but TWO prostitutes, proceeded to fall in love with one of them like this is some nigga’s version of Pretty Woman, causing the other prostitute to get so jealous, she is extorting you for money is so far above my pay grade, it isn’t even funny.” 

“The amount I pay you?? Ain’t shit above your pay grade,” Michael muttered under his breath. “Look, I don’t know why you’re mad at me! I’m the victim here. Blackmail is a crime!” 

Alex could not keep the shrill laughter that bubbled to her lips from spilling over. “Oh fuck off. ‘I’m the victim,’” she mimicked with a vicious glare. “You're not the victim. You’re the fuckin’ unserious superstar idiot I’ve saddled my entire career to. But you sure as fuck aren’t the victim. The only victim here will be Raven. And me when I die prematurely from dealing with your bullshit. But mainly Raven when this girl tells the entire world she made her living getting paid for sex. They’ll rip her to shreds. You wouldn’t understand it because you’re a man and your privilege insulates you. You’ll be a punchline on late night tv for a few weeks and move on but she won’t come back from this. The world won’t let her come back from it.” 

“Didn’t come for a feminism 101 lecture, Alex. I know this fucks her over more than me. How do we fix it??” 

Alex threw her hands up in the air. “Fuck if I know? This is why I don’t like PR relationships, Michael. It always falls apart eventually, secrets don’t last in our world. To be honest, if it’s gonna come out anyway, I'd just admit the truth about how you met before Tasha could. You could own the narrative that way at least. But Raven isn’t going to agree to that, no woman in her shoes would.”

“So aside from giving her more money, how can I stop this?” 

“Wait more money? You already gave her some?” 

Michael shrugged. “Yea like $10k. Why?” 

Alex shook her head. “Well she’s not gonna stop at $10k. Honestly, that’s light work for how much I would’ve demanded. Now we’re dealin’ with a fucking stupid extortionist too.” She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Eventually, it won’t be money she wants, Mike. She wants you and if you don’t want her, then I don’t know how to fix this.” she paused. “What did Raven say about all this?” 

Michael grimaced. “I… haven’t told her.” 

Alex’s eyes grew wide. “Annndd that’s why you schlepped your stupid ass all the way down here instead of having me come to you. You can’t keep this from her. It’s her name and reputation that’ll get dragged to hell and back if Tamara or whatever this fuckin girl’s name is, decides to skip her happy criminal ass to Page 6. You have to tell her, Michael, and let her know that you’re still in contact with this woman. I can sell water to fish in the goddamn ocean, I can spin anything out there. But I won’t be able to mend your relationship if she gets upset that you lied. Tell her and get ahead of this.” 

“I need a plan first. Raven is the strongest person I know, don’t get me wrong. But she’s been through too much shit for me to dump a problem I created on her doorstep. No one… no one in her life protects her. Protects her feelings and body and…” he ran his hand over his face. “I tried countless times since we got back but she’s finally happy, Alex. Finally has some peace. Is it that wrong for me to just pay Tasha and keep it movin’? Raven never even needs to know.” 

“It’s not wrong… the instinct isn’t wrong but it’s not right either when that peace is fiction. It’s not real, Michael. She deserves to know something that affects her life as much, frankly more than yours. Your reputation will recover, it always does. I’m not sure hers will. And maybe she would… make a different choice about your relationship if she knew that.” 

“You want her to leave me?” 

Alex raised her hands in surrender at his sharp tone. “No. I don’t want her to leave you. I actually really like her, certainly more than the other idiot instagram girls you paraded around here as your girlfriends. She did what I thought nothing could… she turned you into a serious person. But… maybe you two do need a break until this Tasha person is willing to let you go. She might decide that protecting her name, her peace… her ability to move through life without a modern scarlet A on her chest is more important than whatever feelings, however strong, she has for you. And you… your directorial debut is out in March. We’re about to start a press run in a month. Award season starts next Sunday, for which you are a highly anticipated nominee. Any scandal detracts from the biggest moment of your career. Look, I’m not telling you to do anything. But I am saying, it’s the only path I see that doesn’t destroy you both. And if you love her as much as you say you do, you’d take the short term hit to save her. Or at least present it as an option.”  

Michael heard everything she said and in his heart, he knew she was right. But what she was asking? His heart and soul would not allow him to do it.

“I can’t lose her, Alex. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I won’t lose her. I know Tash… she’s all bark, no bite. I give her some attention and throw some cash her way and this’ll all blow over.” 

Alex sized him up for a few moments before shrugging. “Well I hope for Raven’s sake, and mine, you know what you’re doing.” 

“I know what I’m doin’, Alex. I promise.” Michael knocked his knuckles against her desk before standing up to leave. 

“Are you really that good at sex?” she mused, glancing at him up and down as if she was trying to imagine it for herself. “I just can’t imagine anyone, especially a man, is good enough in bed to warrant all this.” 

“I know it ain’t your cup of tea,” he offered with a wink. “But what can I say? I’m blessed with hella talents.” 

Alex rolled her eyes. “Alright, well get your hella talented ass outta my office.” However, before he left, she called out. “Oh! The Golden Globes… need to know if you’re taking Raven so they can finalize the sitting chart.” 

Michael rolled his eyes. His least favorite part about his job: award season. An unbearable time of year made worse by the fact that he was nominated at every single one save the Tonys this year. He did not have the energy or desire to sit for hours on end, starving and be forced to smile and wave and pretend to be happy if he lost. But he knew the unbearable practice would be made a bit more bearable if Raven was by his side while he did it. 

“Shit. All this shit goin’ on since New Years, forgot to ask her. Tell them she’s goin’. I just gotta get them to pull her a dress and shit. Thanks for the reminder.” 

And with that, he started to walk out. As he reached his car, he pulled out his phone and texted Tasha to meet him at the St. Regis tomorrow night at 10. He was going to end this as soon as possible. 

***

Michael paced the length of his hotel room, wearing a hole in the carpet as he went. 

“This is a bad idea,” he mumbled to himself a couple of times. But this was the least of about 100 bad ideas in his mind and it was the only bad idea that protected his girlfriend’s peace. He knew Alex was right and it was wrong but he was determined to keep Raven as far from this situation as possible. 

However, even he had to admit to himself that his reasoning was not just to protect her peace. He also did not want to admit that he had still had conversations with Tasha before they were official, that he had made promises to her and then broke them. Raven was one of the few people on this planet who saw him as a good person and he refused to ruin that image. Protecting Raven and, selfishly, how she looked at him was all that mattered to him. What people said about him in the media and on Twitter did not. 

A soft knock on his door jolted him out of his thoughts and his limbs to move. He felt uncomfortable even meeting Tasha here but she had demanded their first meeting be in person. So here he was. 

When he opened the door, Tasha leaned against the door frame with a triumphant smirk painted on her face. A year ago, he would have pulled her inside and tore her clothes off with lightning speed. But today? He had never been less attracted to someone in his life, less enthused to see someone.

“Hey baby.” 

Her arms snaked around his broad shoulders as she leaned in for a kiss. A kiss that Michael artfully and skillfully dodged. He twisted out of her embrace and pulled her into his hotel room, sparing a quick glance down the long hotel hallway to ensure no prying eyes lurked before slamming the door shut.

“You don’t seem happy to see me, baby.” 

Michael could hear the teasing in her voice, could tell she enjoyed whatever power trip she currently had over him. 

“Why would I be happy to see someone blackmailin’ and threatenin’ me?” he mumbled just loud enough for her to hear him. 

“Forcing you to follow through with the promises you made to me is hardly blackmail.” She sat down on the edge of the expansive bed and leaned back slightly on her hands. 

Michael had hoped to keep this “meeting” as brief as possible. He did not want to be in a room with her for any longer than he needed to. He walked over to the bed and grabbed two envelopes he had sat on the bedside table. He tossed the thicker one, filled with cash, at her before walking across the room and leaning on the desk to watch her. 

“Another $10k at your request. Now, tell me a number.”

“A number for what?” she asked innocently. 

“A number big enough to get you to sign this,” he tossed another envelope at her. “Standard NDA and an agreement not to contact me or Raven again.” 

Tasha let out a low humorless chuckle. “All this… for that basic nobody. You never did a fraction of this shit for me…” she mused as she unfolded the papers and read them silently. 

Michael scoffed. “I did everything we agreed to. Flew you out, bought you more shit than I could count. The only thing Raven got that you didn’t was my heart and I’m not apologizin’ for that. What we had was business, Tash. And our business needs to end now. So what’s the number?” 

Tasha stared at him for a few minutes before discarding them on the bed. “Fine. I’ll deal. $50k and one more night. The two of us. And I’ll sign them. That’s the price.” 

“Not happenin’, name a number.” 

Tasha merely shrugged. “Nope. You want me out of your life? That’s the price. Both things.” 

“Why? Let’s cut the bullshit, Tash. You don’t love me, you don’t want me. You want my money. So name a higher number.” 

“You’re absolutely right. I don’t love you… I’m not Raven, an idiot who falls for the first client I get. I love your money and the comfort it provides. But one thing I don’t like is disrespect. You dropped me out in the cold with no warning like two years of fucking you meant nothing. Like I meant nothing. So yea, maybe months ago, it would’ve just been about the money. But now, it’s about so much more than that.” 

“So what? You blackmail me into fuckin’ you one more time and it proves what?” 

Tasha laughed. “Doesn’t prove anything except that you ain’t shit, which I already knew. I don’t need proof of anything. See you and Raven were built on a lie and honestly, watching the two of you fall the fuck apart will bring me far more joy than a couple extra bucks. Fuck me and the guilt will eat that good boy you bury deep inside alive. Eventually, you’ll crack and Raven’ll find out. Or I dunno, maybe I’ll tell her. Either way, I could smell the insecurities on that girl from a mile away. She’ll never forgive you and your relationship falls apart. Don’t fuck me and I tell the world you did anyway and that she was a prostitute. And then your relationship definitely falls apart when her life gets ruined. Either way, I get cash, you end up alone and Raven learns what so many girls before also learned the hard way: don’t fuck with what’s mine. I was thinking of calling TMZ the week of the Oscars? That’ll sure spice up the biggest week of your career. Or maybe right before the Creed III premiere… any preference?” At his silence, she merely shrugged. “Well, just let me know. Feel free to keep booking this room for us until you decide. I always liked this view.” 

As Michael watched her, he quickly realized how he wholly underestimated her in every possible way. This was not a woman who was willing to let him go. Ever. And both of his “choices” were specifically designed to hurt Raven. There was no scenario where she came out of it unscathed. And it was really all his fault. Had he simply cut Tasha off at the onset or been smarter about how he handled her, they would not be in this mess. 

Michael stood and walked toward the door. 

“I’ll call you to book our time next week. Maybe you’ll change your mind. Or maybe I’ll change my mind and call TMZ before then,” she called after him as Michael slammed the door behind them. 

As he stood in the barren hotel hallway, he resisted the urge to punch a hole in the wall before his security whisked him away to the service elevator to take him outside to his car. He was thankful Alex had been willing to book the hotel under her name and credit card. He would not have considered it originally but after that conversation, he would not have put it past Tasha to add the hotel receipt to her arsenal of blackmail. 

He slammed the door of his jeep with such force even Allen jumped slightly at the sound. 

“My bad,” he mumbled as he slouched back into his seat. He could not remember the last time something had frustrated him to this degree. He was fucked. They were fucked. Tasha had him by the balls and he knew there was no move that would get him out of this mess without throwing Raven under the bus. 

He refused to cheat on Raven. Not just because he knew it would just give Tasha another thing to hold over him but because that was simply not him. He played the role of the bad boy, terrible guy but the one line he had never crossed with a girlfriend in his life was to cheat on her. He knew that pain intimately and he vowed to never inflict it on someone else. He had never even been tempted to cheat. And Raven would certainly not be the woman he broke that vow on. 

And because he knew he would never sleep with Tasha or any woman who was not Raven again, there was no end to this in sight. He would just have to sit and wait for her to lob a grenade and blow up his girlfriend’s life. And that made him feel like more of a failure than any flopped movie or failed deal ever had. He was supposed to be the one person in her life that protected her and he had failed her, just like everyone else. 

“Bad night, Mr. Jordan?” Allen called from the front seat. 

“Somethin’ like that.” He sighed. “Fucked up and not sure it’s fixable.” 

Allen glanced back in the rearview mirror and nodded. “Is it not fixable or do you just not like the consequences of fixing it?” 

Michael bowed his head. He adored Allen but lately, he hated him and his meddling, correct but unsolicited advice. However, he would never say that to him.

“Mixture of both. Really just no way to fix it that doesn’t hurt someone I love.”

“Raven?” 

“That transparent, huh?” 

Allen smiled to himself. “You always were, sir. If all the answers hurt her, then you have to decide which path causes the least harm to her. And then you just hope she forgives you when it’s over. That’s all you can do. Or you find another path that doesn’t.” 

Michael’s head thudded against his seat’s headrest. He knew Allen was right, just as Alex had been. There was no fixing this situation, no silver bullet that would solve all of their problems and save Raven’s reputation in the process. All roads led to the same destination: the world finding out he and Raven lied. But there was one path that bypassed Tasha, put more of the media focus on him and his terrible decisions, and allowed him to control the when, where, and how of it all. And it did not hurt that this particular path would also allow him to hold Tasha accountable for all her shit in the process. 

“Thanks, Allen.” 

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and found Alex’s number. It was late but she was, thankfully, just as much of a night owl as he was. 

“Finish your date with your favorite extortionist?” Alex joked as she picked up the phone. He could hear her munching on something as she spoke, likely popcorn. 

“You always got jokes. Listen… I think you were right earlier. Let’s control the narrative.” 

He could hear her shifting around as if she were sitting up at his words. “Ok, I’m intrigued. Raven? You gonna ask her what she thinks?” 

He shook his head. “Nah. If we do it right, she never needs to know.”

***

It was after midnight by the time Michael arrived back home. However, he and Alex had worked out a foolproof plan during the drive. A plan they felt would allow Michael to take the biggest hit while Raven’s name would be a mere footnote by any reporter who doesn’t want to be accused of misogyny. It did all hinge on Tasha dragging out her games for longer than a week. But Michael had a feeling she would. She clearly enjoyed watching him squirm. They’d get past the Golden Globes and then he would seek help from someone whose only motivation in this world was money, someone who - for the right price - would do exactly what he asked.  

He said a quick goodnight to Allen before running up the stairs to his master bedroom. He was surprised to find Raven curled up on his side of the bed, her face buried in his pillow. Her preferred sleeping position was literally on top of him and he knew, when he wasn’t home, this was the best she could get. 

He laughed lightly at her kindle which was half hanging out of her hand, the young woman clearly having fallen asleep reading. She had not even put her scarf on the giant pineapple of curls on her head or taken off her reading glasses, which told him she had tried her hardest to stay awake till he got home. He watched her, like a creep admittedly, for several minutes before he moved. 

He had never felt love like this a day in his life. He had always accepted that he would never find it, never find someone who could and would love him unconditionally. But she did, she loved him even though he was not sure he deserved it. And everytime she looked at him, touched him, curled into his side to sleep, he felt the depths of it in his very being. Their love was pure and he refused to let anyone taint it. 

He moved as quietly as possible to the bed and took the kindle out of her hand and slid her glasses off. Thankfully, she slept like a rock. However, she only stirred as he tried to gently tie her scarf around her edges to protect her hair. She stretched and let out a deep but insanely cute yawn as she blinked a few times. 

“H-Hey babe. S-sorry, I tried to wait for you.” 

Michael leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “Don’t apologize. I didn’t mean to wake you. Just knew you’d be pissed if you woke up with no scarf on.” 

She chuckled. “You’re right about that. H-How was your dinner meeting?” 

“Fine,” he waved his hand dismissively. He hated that he had lied to her but it was the only excuse he could think of that did not bring more questions. Raven was generally inquisitive but she tended to understand the often secret nature of some roles and Hollywood meetings so she did not often pry for information he did not offer up. “Might have a role for me but shit is still in flux. We’ll probably need to meet again to iron out some details.” 

She nodded as she forced herself into a seated position. “I’ll never understand you Hollywood types. Who wants to have a dinner meeting at 10 pm?” 

“Logistics are easier for later dinners. It’s a whole thing.” He rolled his shoulders a bit, the tension of the day making his entire body ache. 

“You ok? You seem so tense, baby.” 

He studied her for a moment, taking in the genuine care on her face. So few people looked at him like that, like a human with needs and feelings. They just saw him as a product to sell or an ATM to get their needs met. But not Raven, never Raven. Even when he was quite literally paying her to be there. She saw him for him. And in that moment, he realized how close he was to losing that, how at risk this precious peace they both had found was. And that terrified him. Losing her terrified him. And he knew that whatever path he chose, that was the risk. And that filled him with such an overwhelming sense of dread. 

He rarely felt overwhelmed by his own feelings. But right then, he felt like he could not even think straight enough to answer that simple question. And he knew that simple question was his out, his chance to tell her the truth about what tension he was feeling and why.  

So instead of speaking, he used his impeccable strength to pull her into his lap. Her fingers played in the coarse hair of his beard as he stared at her, concern filling her eyes as she took in the solemn and stressed look in his.  

“Hey… baby… what’s wrong?” 

“N-Nothin’. Nothin’,” he lied, his courage deflating like a popped balloon. As soon as the words left his mouth, his lips crashed into hers, stealing her breath right out of her mouth. He could not talk, could not have a conversation. He just needed to feel her, all of her. 

He could not bring himself to do it, to ask her for her permission to do what he knew had to be done. All roads led to the same destination and this was the only one he could see that left them with the least amount of bruises. He did not have the heart to tell her that the only path forward for them was to destroy her reputation now or have Tasha do it later. He did not have the heart to tell her he failed her, that he could not protect her from this. 

Raven could feel everything in that kiss, his own stress and tension and pain. She wondered if more had gone on tonight at his meeting than he was willing to let on. Typically, Michael was the emotional rock, holding her up and giving her space to fall apart. But tonight, she was reminded that sometimes the strong ones need that too. 

She broke off their kiss to catch her breath before whispering, “Take what you need.” 

Michael rested his forehead against hers. “You sure?” 

“Consider me your stress ball,” she joked with a half smile. “Do your worst. I trust you.”

Trust you don’t deserve, a cold voice inside hurled at him. 

Michael said nothing as he flipped Raven over onto her stomach. There was no love or sweetness in the way he handled her as he arranged her lethargic limbs in the position he desired, ass high and face pressed into his comforter. He did not give her any warning as he sheathed himself inside her with one thrust, Raven squealing at the sudden and rough intrusion. 

“Fuckkkkkkkk,” she moaned as he bottomed out inside her. She did not understand how his size and girth still managed to leave her breathless. 

“You always this wet for me, baby?” 

“Y-Yes,” she whimpered as he gave her a brief moment to adjust to him. 

“Yes what?” he demanded with a sharp and painful slap against her plump ass. “Yes daddy,” she amended quickly. She could already tell she would be bruised and sore by the time he was done with her. But she could not hope to care. Whatever he needed, she would gladly give. 

They rarely did quickies, Michael enjoyed the warm up far too much to skip it. But tonight, he needed the adrenaline of rough, uninhibited fucking. He needed to hear her screams, the slaps of his hips against her ass. Needed to feel the soft skin of her hips beneath his hand as he rammed into her. He needed to let go of the stress of the last 48 hours with the woman he loved, let go of the feelings of objective failure he felt. He needed to get lost in her. 

Raven was in pure bliss as Michael fucked her at a pace and intensity she had rarely seen from him. She could not even keep up with him to match his thrusts into her. All she could do was lay there and scream out as he took her. 

“Shit, shit. J-just like that,” she moaned as his hands dug into her skin. Her fingers curled around the softness of his comforter as she used it to muffle the screams of her orgasm.  

“Fuck, this pussy feels so good gripping my dick, baby. That’s right, cum for daddy.” 

Her body instinctively shied away from the overwhelming feelings of pleasure and pain he provided, causing his grip to only grow tighter so she could not escape him, as if she would disappear right before his eyes if he loosened his grip on her at all. 

“The fuck you runnin’ for?? You said do my worst right? So take this dick!” His voice was commanding as he spanked her, the sound reverberating around his bedroom. 

“I-It’s too m-much,” she moaned out as she felt another orgasm start to build. 

“You can take it. I know you can. Be a good girl for me.” 

Hearing the words “good girl” on his lips were almost enough to make her orgasm right then on the spot. 

Her upper body collapsed as another orgasm hit her like a train of endless ecstasy. Only Michael’s brute strength held her up as he chased his own release. Her body felt like putty in his hands, completely pliant and under his control. 

“You gonna cum again for me, baby?” he demanded. 

Raven felt as if he was fucking her into another dimension, was she even on Earth anymore? She could barely form thoughts let alone words to answer his questions. And as the silence stretched on and only her moans and squeals punctuated the sound of his thrusts, Michael knew she needed an incentive to remember the rules. 

He wrapped his fist in her hair, which had unceremoniously fallen out of her scarf and pulled her up so her back was flush against his body. He wrapped his hand around her throat and squeezed lightly, loving how Raven’s eyes rolled back into her head and a long moan escaped her. He noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks and almost wondered if he was pushing her too far. 

“Need me to stop?” he asked quietly, not slowing down his pace or movement as he asked. 

Despite how overwhelmed and exhausted she felt, Raven could not comprehend the idea of him stopping. She had offered him this and she wanted it too. “D-don’t stop… p-please don’t stop.” 

“Ok then. When daddy asks you somethin’, you fuckin’ answer!” 

He let her body fall forward before he started spanking her with every ounce of strength he had. The pain radiated through her entire body but it was a delicious hurt, one she wished she could have all the time. Michael’s spankings were one of her favorite parts of their sex life. But now she knew that he was holding back some of his strength on her account. And she did not want that ever again. If this was him totally uninhibited and unrestrained, she would be his stress ball every day of the week.

She shook her head as tears slowly trekked down her face. “I-I c-can’t…” 

Whether that was to convey that she could not speak or couldn’t come again, Michael did not know nor did not care. Until he heard a safeword cross her lips, he would drain them both of everything they collectively had. 

“Yea, you can. Cause daddy demands it.” 

His fingers found their way to her clit and roughly circled it, Raven’s entire body tensing as she reached her peak for the third time. He thanked the good lord he had had the forethought to soundproof his bedroom when he built this house years ago. That way he nor his parents had to be scarred for life. But even he wondered if her screams of pleasure would test the limits of that particular design feature. 

However, they were the perfect symphony that pushed him right over the edge. He increased his pace, as if that were possible, hammering into her before he pressed her hips tightly against his form as he came inside her with a loud moan of his own. He collapsed next to her prone form for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. 

He ran his hand through her hair, the young woman letting out a soft, appreciative whimper that acknowledged his touch and gentleness but let him know she was utterly spent.

He pushed himself out of bed and started a bath, adding some epsom salt to the water in hopes that would soothe whatever aches he caused. He returned to his bed and rubbed her back to get her attention. 

“Bath,” he whispered, before he scooped her up into his arms as if she were a small child. He carried her into the bathroom and quickly redid her hair and scarf before settling her into the tub.

A moan slipped past her lips as the hot water surrounded her limbs. Michael positioned himself behind her, his arm pressed into her breasts to keep her flush to his chest.  

“Was I too rough?” 

Her heart warmed at the question. She would not have offered her body to him if she had not wanted rough but she appreciated that he still cared enough about her to check in, during and after. 

“No, I love it when you get lost in it. But you’re sure you’re ok?” 

“Yea… think the stress of the awards and the press tour next month are just getting to me. I’m good, babe.” A cop out but it was all he could offer. 

Though it was difficult to get her limbs to move properly, she shifted so she could turn around and look at him. She chewed on her lip for a moment before saying, “You’d tell me if… something was wrong, right? Like you’re always there for me and my problems, listening and fixing. A-and well… I know I can’t like fix whatever it is or anything or probably even understand it. But I hope you know you can trust me with stuff. I just d-don’t want you to think you can’t… if you ever need to o-or - ” 

Michael leaned forward and captured her lips, silencing the sweet ramblings his girl was known for. 

“Yea I know, baby.”

He felt her entire body sort of deflate with relief before she settled back against his chest. 

“Good. I’m glad.” 

They sat in silence as Michael’s hands slowly and methodically massaged her body, starting at her shoulders and working their way down at a deliciously slow but tantalizing pace. He took his time, kneading each of her muscles until the ache she felt subsided. His hands were massaging her thighs, which was doing more to work her up than calm her down, when Michael 

“Be my date on Sunday.” He kissed her on the neck. 

“Sunday? What’s on Sunday?” she asked, not even opening her eyes as she enjoyed the work of the Lord Almighty he was doing on her thighs. 

“The Globes.” 

Raven immediately pushed off of his chest in shock. An award show? Those glittery and glamorous programs she had watched as a kid? 

What’s my fucking life right now?? She asked herself as it hit her, for the first time, that things like this would be a regular occurrence now that she and Michael were serious. This was the big leagues and she was going to be standing right beside him. 

“The Globes… as in THE Golden Globes?? You’re kidding right?” 

He laughed at the look of utter shock on her face. “Yes, those Globes. And nah, why would I joke about that shit? I want the sexiest woman in the world on my arm when I win.” 

Michael did not want to be ruled by fear of when Tasha would lob her grenade at them, if she even had the chance. They deserved to just have a fun and extravagant night out together. This would be the biggest night of his career and if their names were going to be thrown into a scandal either way, he could at least enjoy a night out with Raven before it does. 

Raven shook her head, though her heart and childish brain screamed at her for doing so. Why was she pushing back? Every fiber of her being just wanted her to yell “YES, YES, YES!” 

“B-But what about your parents?? Maybe you should take one of them o-or your siblings? I mean I’d love to go. Like seriously THE Golden Globes with like every entertainer I adore and love? But this is such a big moment in your career. Don’t you want to spend it with… I dunno, the people who’ve been there for the ride? I just got here,” she chuckled. “Don’t ask me out of some obligation. If there’s someone else you’d prefer, I won’t be offended. I didn’t expect an invite to all these anyway, you know? Figured you take family or your friends or someone more important to you… What if you look back and regret not taking one of them? You should -” 

“Babe!” he cut her off, his palm cradling her cheek to keep her gaze on him.. “You said all that in one breath. Breathe for me, baby girl.” Raven appreciated that he could always see when she was spiraling and stop it. She forced air into her lungs before nodding for him to speak. “My family’s been to hella award shows, they’ve seen as many of them as a single person could ever want to. But even if they hadn’t, you’re the most important person to me right now. So I want to look out if I win and see you there. You are the most important person in my life.” 

“You’re sure?” 

“Wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t, promise.” 

“Then yes. I’d love to.” She turned fully and straddled his hips, kissing him deeply. Her hips instinctively grinded against him, a smile gracing her features as she felt his cock start to grow hard beneath him. She did not care that he fucked her into near oblivion a mere 10 minutes ago. Just him offering to take her to the biggest award show of his career to date filled her with such joy and happiness. And now, she had no interest in going to sleep. Now? She just needed more. More of him and his love, attention, and care. 

“Not too sore, baby girl?” he asked as he pulled one of her nipples in between his lips and sucked gently before biting the swell of her breast, Raven’s head falling back with a small cry. 

“Never… I need you,” she whispered in his ear as she sucked on the soft skin of his neck. “Please.” 

“Get up here and ride daddy’s dick.” 

Raven did not need to be told twice as she positioned herself over him and slid down. 

“Enjoy it cause then it’s my turn again.” He winked at her with the most wicked glint in his eyes that let Raven know she would not sleep for hours. 

***

“So how does it feel? Mr. Golden Globe winner??” Raven asked for the 100th time as she and Michael walked back into the condo. The condo was really only used now when they were at events super late. And staying out until 3 am meant neither of them were all too interested in making the trek back to his home. 

Michael chuckled, “The same way it felt 10 minutes ago, Rae.” 

She gave herself a playful facepalm. “I’m sorry, I’m being annoying. I’m just so excited for you! I mean tonight was amazing and magical and you were amazing and everyone was literally singing your praises. And I’m just…” she turned and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. “I’m really proud of you. No one deserves this moment more.” 

“Thank you. It was even better with you by my side.” 

Raven let out a childlike squeal as Michael picked her up in his arms, her after party dress bunched up in his hands. However, before she could tell him to be careful of the fabric, he merely smirked. “It’ll be on the floor in a minute. Don’t worry bout that shit.” 

She merely rolled her eyes as he playfully tossed her onto his bed and launched himself on top of her. She let out a loud oof as his weight pushed her deeper into the bed and laughed. 

She moaned as he kissed her before she had to stop him for a brief moment. As much as she loved being glammed up by his team, she could not deny that the full glam and fake lashes they put on her were not as comfortable almost 10 hours later. 

“Let me hang up the dress and wash my face before you ravish me? These lashes are killing me and it’s gonna take me a few minutes to peel these spanx off.” 

He seemed wholly uninterested in letting her do any of those things until the phone in his pants started to ring. He knew only one person who dared to call him this late. The disgruntled huff he pushed out made her cackle but he rolled off of her, allowing her to get up. 

“Fine, I’ll allow it. But only cause Alex would only call this late if it was important.” 

As he answered the phone, she disappeared into the guest room where all of her clothes were stored. She made quick work of stripping down to her panties and ensuring her dress was stowed properly in its garment bag. It had been a delicate yet gorgeous gown and she had not trusted Michael not to accidentally destroy it in his quest to get it off her. She knew he could afford to pay for it but she did not even want to know how much a Valentino dress would set him back.  

She joyfully ripped the fake lashes on her eyes off before washing her face several times to get off all the makeup she had on. She looked stunning, as she always did when his glam team got a hold of her. But she also would rather do this tedious task now than in a few hours when Michael was done with her. 

She thought about slipping into some lingerie as she pulled off her nipple covers. But she figured it would take more time than necessary to put any of it on and Michael would likely just rip it off her within seconds. So she made her way back to his room nearly naked with just her thong on. 

However, when she returned, Michael’s mood was far more subdued than when she left. She raised an eyebrow as she straddled his hips, his hands barely touching her hips, a departure from his usual grip on her. 

“Everything ok?” 

“That was Alex. We… got a problem.” 

“Ok?” 

He rubbed her lower back as he spoke as if that would calm her for whatever was about to come out of his mouth. “She got a call from TMZ that they have a source… that told them about us. How we met and… that we lied to everyone about it. And they are gonna run it sometime tomorrow.” 

Raven scratched her forehead, the joy she felt moments ago dissipating almost immediately. 

This can’t be happening… 

 “W-what?? B-But… N-No, no. She’s… I-is she sure?” 

“Baby, calm down. It’s gonna be ok. Apparently, the angle he took was favorable to you? It doesn’t shame you or anything. It’s just honest about the circumstances of how we met.” 

Raven felt as if her whole world had just come falling down around her as she leapt off his lap. “It’s favorable to me?? That’s a super small comfort w-when you just told me that the entire world is about to find out I was a prostitute, Michael! C-Cause no one’s gonna care that you were date number like 3 in a series of failed dates o-or that you were the first guy to even pay me for sex. They’re just gonna care that I did it. This reporter doesn’t need to shame me when the whole fucking world will.” She paced up and down beside his bed as she tried to will her panic to subside. “I-Is there anyway to stop it?? W-why is this even happening?? I mean it’s been months. Who would even care enough to c-come out and say something now??” 

Michael stood and grabbed her by the arm, he pulled her into his embrace but he knew it would do little to soothe her. “It could’ve been anyone? Employee at the hotel, someone who works for Helen. Alex is trying to find out who and more about the story so we can figure out what to do. And this person probably realized that now, with award season and Creed, would be the most profitable time to release shit about me. I’m sorry, Rae. I should’ve seen this comin’. It’s my fault.” 

The clear guilt in his voice cut through the haze of panic she felt and caused her to stop thinking about herself for a moment. 

Fuck, how selfish are you? A story like this could potentially ruin his career and all she could think about was how it affected her. Michael could lose work and deals and prestige because of a story like this. What did she have to lose? A family that already hated her and she had  cut off? A reputation that, at least in the industry she was once in, was already tarnished? 

“No, d-don’t apologize. I'm sorry. I’m over here freaking out and you’re the one with an actual career to lose. I just… I guess when it didn’t come out initially, I assumed it wouldn’t? A-and I just… freaked out. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t make it all about me.” 

“It’s cool. And ok to be upset. I’m used to shit like this… you aren’t. Good thing is, shit like this stays in the news for a few days and then it passes. Alex and I’ll work on a plan tomorrow once it’s out and fix this shit. I promise.” 

All Raven could make herself do was nod as she let her forehead fall onto his bare chest, a sudden wave of exhaustion hitting her. Even with Michael, there was always something. There was no true peace in her life, or least, none that lasted long enough for her to enjoy it. 

An uncomfortable tightness grew in her chest as she realized what was barreling toward them both. And for the first time in a long time, Michael’s arms did not bring her the comfort she needed. In fact, they only added to her stress. She wanted to be with him but she also knew that her presence would be a distraction. He had to figure out the best response for his career without feeling the need to cater to her emotions and she wanted to break down and cry and scream without being worried he would feel guilty. 

Which meant she could not be there with him when this story broke. She needed space and alone time to process this. 

“Do you think Allen could take me home?” she whispered. “I n-need to be alone.” 

“Rae, stay. We should talk about this.” 

She could see the panic bloom in his eyes and it made her adjust her statement. “I’m not m-mad at you, baby.  You don’t have control over who talks to the media and when. I know you would stop it if you could. I just… knowing it’s coming out is a lot to process and I need to do that alone in my own space. And you need to be focused on your career, not me and my feelings. I’ll check in with you tomorrow but I d-don’t want to talk tonight. I just want to be alone.” 

Michael pressed his lips to her forehead before walking over to his dresser and pulling out a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt that she had stored there. He helped her get dressed before calling Allen to come back to take her home. He knew she was not upset with him but he could not help but feel disheartened at how she retreated into herself. He could see all the emotions she felt painted on her face and that made him want to demand she stay so he could help her through it. 

But he knew that was not fair. If she said she needed space, he had to respect that. The reason she was feeling this way was his fault anyway.

“You’re sure you’re gonna be ok? I can come with you?” He tried one last time when Allen texted that he was downstairs. 

“Positive. Just need a couple hours to myself to get my head around everything. I’ll come to the house tomorrow evening after it's out and we can talk. Just give me a few hours, please.” 

He nodded, silently acquiescing to her wishes, despite every piece of him wanting to protest. 

Raven offered him a peck on the lips before heading down in the elevator, desperate to scream or yell or throw something across the room. She supposed she always knew there was a chance it could come out. After all, there were a handful of people that knew the truth. But she had just lulled herself into believing it wouldn’t, that their peace would be safe. 

Her head felt like it was spinning when she finally laid down an hour later in her own bed. She had only taken the time to switch into one of Michael’s sweatshirts that she had commandeered from his house so she could curl up in his scent. She wrapped herself tightly in her blanket and let out a shuddering and shaky breath. 

He’s gonna leave you. A voice finally said the fear that gripped her since he told her the news. She had not wanted to admit it but she knew it was coming. He was going to leave her. 

How could he possibly stay? Why would he want to stay? His entire team would demand he cut ties with her. There was no other option. She knew it and he likely knew it too. His safest bet was likely to paint her as a woman who manipulated him or a gold digger after his money. She spent enough time on social media to know what the media and everyday people would say about her. They’d call her a slut and a whore, never mind that she was only doing what she had to do to survive. That would not matter to them. And then the dogpilling would begin. Some internet detective would find out she was also a stripper and this would give her sister the perfect chance to shame her like she always wanted to. 

‘There are always other options than selling yourself’ they’d say. They’d question his manhood for even wanting to be with her in the first place. And it would not matter that prostitution was the oldest profession in civilization or that Michael was her first real customer. Her doing it with him would be enough for them to brand her with every terrible name women avoid being labeled. 

She hastily wiped away the few tears that fell as she stared at her ceiling. These would be her last few moments of peace in her life and she realized that tonight was likely her last night with Michael. She felt her heart break at the idea. However, she would walk away, she realized. If that was what it took to save him and his career and this moment in his life, she would walk away from him. It would cut her deeper than any wound but she would do it for him if he asked. 

And now, every second felt like a countdown to that moment. When she would arrive at his house tomorrow afternoon and be greeted with the cold slap of rejection. She would just have to prepare herself. 

She reached into her nightstand and pulled out a bottle of old sleeping pills she used to use when she first lost her writing contract. She had struggled so much that her doctor prescribed them. It had been almost a year since she needed them but tonight was an exception. She just wanted to fall into the deep, dreamless sleep they provided so she would not have to sit awake and think about how everything in this world was designed to destroy her. She popped one in her mouth and snuggled up with her pillow while her tears fell, the protective blanket of sleep covering her within minutes. 

Tag List: @readinghere2023 @blackerthings @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @physicxal @purplehairgawdess @miyuhpapayuh @rueruesclues @geemamii @certifiedlesbianbaddie @pipsqueak-98 @nyifly22 @destinio1 @twocentaur @gopaperless @musicisme333 @roguekiki @majesticbrownjawn @taurusqueen83 @mysteryuz @miamormilan @itsknor-thedeep @naj-ay444 @mads-grace4 @nayaesworld @kholdkill @msniaimani @nccu-rnc @apenasumlug4r

***

A/N: Welp... Michael's keeping secrets, Tasha is smarter (kinda, maybe?) than Michael thought and poor Raven's completely in the dark. Drop a comment and let me know who you think this "source" is and how you think these two are going to react to the article! And so exciting - chapter 9 is like 1/3 done lol so it'll be out in the next two weeks. Would be sooner but I'm on vacation next week. Thanks for reading, commenting, liking... all the things! :)

#black writers #michael b jordan #michael b jordan x oc #mbjordanedit #black panther #michael b jordan x reader #michael b jordan fanfic #creed 3 #adonis creed #creed iii

[klausysworld]

hiii, hope you’re doing well :D

Would you be down to write a piece where Klaus is married to a human doctor or nurse and every time he comes back after a fight and is wounded, reader patches him up. And Klaus is like u know I heal. And she’s like shut up and sit. Klaus smirks and obeys as he secretly loves getting tended to by wifey.

Healing Hands

I worried for Klaus daily and nightly. Whether he was immortal or not, pain is pain.

Watching him stumble through the front door bloodied and bruised always made my heart drop. He was careless with himself, if they didn't have the white-oak stake then he didn't worry. He often reminded me that he wouldn't die even if they tore his heart out or burnt him alive.

To be honest that didn't help my fears at all.

I would always look after him after he was injured. Whether it was a couple scrapes here and there or if it was something much, much worse.

For instance, today was simply awful.

Klaus had been missing for nearly three full days when Elijah and Rebekah came in through the door, holding him up. I rushed down the stairs and helped him back up them. Once we got him onto his bed I got my bag out which was essentially a very big first aid kit with a couple extra items, like my surgical string and curved suture needles.

I looked up to find Klaus looked back at me with a small smile on his blood stained lips.

"I'm okay" he whispered raspily.

"No...you're not" I told him and he sighed softly as I opened his blood soaked shirt to expose the very slowly healing stab wounds that carved deep into his abdomen and chest.

"I just need some blood, I'll heal in seconds" he mumbled

"Then I'll put you on a blood drip" I remarked while gently running antiseptic wipes over his wounds, trying not to let his wincing bother me.

"Love-"

"Just be quiet Nik" I whispered "Just let me help"

"okay" he murmured softly, giving in rather quickly which was more and more common recently. I gave a small smile back to him before continuing to carefully stitch him up where he should need it.

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

(switch to 3rd person)

He kept still, his eyes closing as he felt her healing hands caress him better.

Klaus would never admit how much he secretly enjoyed her tending to him. It always reminded him of how much she loved him. No matter what was wrong, she was right there with bandages and wipes to help sooth his hurt.

Usually it was accompanied by a warm bath afterwards, her bare body against his while she traced the places where wounds once were. She would proceed to kiss each spot and then, at last, his lips. Then he would thank her quietly to which she would simply dismiss and once more tell him to be quiet so she could 'treat' him in another way.

By the time they're out of the water, they're probably dirtier than when they got in but neither one of them could care once they were curled up together again.

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

(Back to 1st)

I had my head on his chest, tilted back to gaze up at him. My fingertips danced patterns across his broad chest while his brushes against my scalp.

The room was dark, the curtains closed and door locked. A comfortable silence had been around us for a good while now, our love for one-another always lingered in the air and both our eyes seemed to grow tired as we looked deep into each other.

His rough yet quiet voice broke the quiet but I didn't mind.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long" he whispered and I smiled softly.

"It wasn't you fault...I'm sorry I wasn't much use in finding you" I always felt a little helpless when it came to saving people. Being a human my skills weren't ever helpful. I tried of course but I would never be as strong or intelligent as those who have lived for centuries.

"I never want you to spend restless nights looking for me. You must know by now that I will always come back to you alive, and you will always be here waiting I hope." His hand stroked the skin of my face making my lashes flutter as I nodded

"I'll always be here, I'll always look after you" I promised. I feel his forehead press to mine, the soft curls of top his head which have grown a little long tickle my face gently.

"And I you sweetheart" he smiled and so did I

"I love you Niklaus" I whispered quietly, kissing his cheek gently

"I love you more, my little nurse"

(Sorry this is so short)

#the originals #the vampire diaries #klaus mikaelson #klaus mikaelson x reader #klaus mikealson fanfiction #klaus mikaelson one shot #klaus mikaleson imagine #rebekah mikaelson #the vampire diares imagine #niklaus imagines #nurse!reader #soft!klaus mikaelson #tvd klaus #elijah mikaelson #klaus m #klaus mikaelson x y/n #kol mikaelson #niklaus mikaelson #klaus michaelson #tvd universe #hope mikaelson #klaus mikaelson headcanon #klaus mikaelson fluff #klaus mikaelson yandere #klaus mikealson smut #klaus mikaelson x yn #klaus mikealson x reader #tvdu fluff #tvd fluff #fluffy klaus

[dizscreams]

Could do a tara carpenter x fem reader

Tara keeps unknowingly friend-zoning r. R can’t take it anymore

*she feels her heart breaking every time tara is flirting with chad despite it being playful and them not having feeling for each other. R is being petty toward them and it makes tara wonder why her “friend” is mad about.*

She decide to move on and go on a date with someone *she is tired of trying and failing at giving hints to tara that she likes her* tara notice her on date with a person and gets a weird feeling even though she doesn’t know why she feeling like this since she assume r has feeling for chad

Mindy helps/spells it out to her very oblivious friends that r loves her *which make tara have a “oh s**t” moment* and have Mindy be her wingwoman to get the girl

Idk why I feel like tara has a naive side to her and I just see her not noticing that r has been giving hints and she doesn’t get until Mindy just blurts it out and she just like “oh? Oh. OH!😳”

I wanna ruin our friendship PT. 1 — Tara Carpenter ★

part two here!

PAIRING: Tara Carpenter x Fem!reader

SUMMARY: Tara can’t get a hint fr, reader gets hurt and Tara gets hurt, this fic is long I’m so sorry. BUT ITS FLUFF DONT WORRY And I suggest looking at the request I’m too lazy to rewrite a really summary

A/N: i love this idea sm 🤭

You sat across from Tara while she sat next to Chad. They were flirting again like they always were and you glared at Mindy and Anika from where you sat for giving you the confidence to come tonight.

The whole group had planned a dinner at a nice restaurant, and Danny was paying. The reason you hadn’t wanted to go was because you’ve had this enormous crush on your best friend, Tara, for ages now, but she never seemed to reciprocate your feelings. Her and Chad were always flirting when you guys were hanging out.

You had tried flirting with Tara like your friends told you but Tara just brushed you off! She was always friend zoning you, maybe you should get the hint. They like each other, right? They’ve got to. But then why was Tara always flirting with you when you guys were alone? It didn’t make any sense but you pushed your thoughts away and messed with the food in front of you as you listened to Tara and Chad’s conversation.

“You’re pretty cute, you know that?”

“Yeah? You think so?”

“Mhm”

That mixed with the laugh Tara let out, you wanted to puke. It wasn’t fair. Sometimes you thought Tara liked you but when Chad was there it was a different story, you just didn’t understand it. But you knew it was making you upset. Flirty comment after flirty comment you felt the grip on your fork get stronger.

How could she not know you liked her? You tried “putting yourself out there” like Mindy said, you tried giving her hints but nothing worked.

“Hey y/n, you okay?”

Snapping you out of your thoughts was Tara’s voice and that’s when you felt her hand on yours, trying to soothe you. “Yeah, I’m perfect,” you said giving her a sarcastic smile to which she furrowed her eyebrows at.

“What’s wrong? You don’t normally act like this.”

You scoff and what you wanted to say was, “Yeah sorry I’m not in the best mood when I’m seeing my crush and my best friends brother flirt with each other right in front of me” but you didn’t of course.

So you settled with, “I’m just not hungry, I guess.”

She wasn’t satisfied with that answer though.

“Cmon let’s talk outside.”

Before you could come up with an excuse Tara had made it to your side of the table and grabbed your hand, pulling you outside.

The cool air hit your face and Tara wasted no time in interrogating you. “What’s gotten into you?” She asked sounding concerned. “Nothing has gotten into me, I’m just tired. It’s been a long day,” you lied, “Why don’t you just go back to Chad?”

Tara was even more confused now. Why was one of her best friends upset with her? “Did I do something?” she asked. You shook your head, “No, I’m just gonna go home.”

You walked away, leaving Tara puzzled and a little hurt. She didn’t understand but you didn’t blame her, you didn’t understand yourself either. why were you pushing her away? why wont you just tell her? why are you so frustrated? Your thoughts raced as you walked back to your shared dorm you had with Mindy and Anika that luckily wasn’t too far of a walk and immediately jump on your bed. You begin to cry into your pillow as you thought of Tara and all the times you’ve tried flirting with her.

You two have always been close so physical touch wasn’t uncommon. You’d always hold hands or when you would have a movie night she’d lay on your shoulder and you’d have your arms around her. In high school when you guys had sleepovers you used to cuddle. One time when the group was hanging out for the night you two were alone and you almost kissed her, but Chad walked in.

You always compliment her, calling her cute or gorgeous. Pet names weren’t uncommon either, sometimes she’d greet you like, “y/n my love, you made it!”

The tears kept coming but you sat up and hugged your pillow and weakly attempted to wipe them away. Maybe it was time to move on, she was clearly interested in Chad more than you. It would hurt trying to move on, you feel like you’ve liked her forever, maybe you even loved her. But if the feelings weren’t reciprocated there was no point in trying anymore.

You looked at your phone and answered some texts from Anika before falling asleep.

It’s been a few days since the dinner and you’ve been avoiding Tara. You honestly didn’t really notice until Mindy told you Tara was worried about you. However, you didn’t want to worry about her right now since you were getting ready for a date. You picked a simple outfit, a cute black shirt with some lace on it and jeans that fit you good. This was going to get your mind off of everything.

You had met your date at a cute little restaurant and you were enjoying yourself. The person was kind and funny but you felt off at the same time. They were sweet sure but there was something missing. You knew you wanted Tara to be the one you were one a date with, but you couldn’t help how things turned out. This was supposed to be good for you, so you pushed your true feelings down.

Tara was out with Quinn walking down the streets of New York. Tara always preferred the city when it was dark, the lights were much prettier. “Hey can we go in here real quick? I just wanna grab a coffee then we can head home,” Quinn said pointing to a cutely lit restaurant with roses out front. Tara nodded, “Sure, I’ll get one too.”

They went inside and took in their surroundings, it was quite a pretty place. Tara figured it was new since she hadn’t seen it before. Tara told Quinn her order and headed to a little bar by a window while Quinn went in line. Tara looked at all the couples passing by the window and she started fantasizing about being in a cutesy romantic relationship like that.

She was about to put her headphones on until she heard something, or someone. She heard you, she heard your laugh and she quickly turned around only to have her heart slightly break at the sight. She saw you with someone else, on a date clearly. They were attractive and you looked happy. You looked beautiful too, you always did. She wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much but it did. It hurt, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away.

Quinn managed to get Tara out of her gaze by tapping her on the shoulder, “Tara, you there?”

She quipped her head to the red head, “Huh? Yeah, I’m fine,” she gave a sad smile and Quinn tilted her head unconvinced. “What were you looking at?” Quinn asks, concerned for her friend. “Uh, Y/n’s here. It just caught me off guard you know? Lets go,” Tara jumped out of her seat and walked out the door and Quinn quickly followed her but not before getting a good look at you and your date.

When they got to their apartment Mindy, Anika, Ethan, and Chad were already there along with Sam and Danny. Tara had given them a small wave when she walked in but immediately went to her room and shut the door. “What’s up with her?” Sam was the first to ask. Quinn sighed, “She saw y/n on a date at a cafe we went to. She’s pretty upset about it and I’m not sure why. I thought she liked Chad,” she said shrugging.

Chad had a confused expression and muttered a ‘What? Me?’ And Mindy rolled her eyes, “She doesn’t like Chad! God, nobody around here can catch a hint, I’ll talk to her,” she said and got up from her seat with Anika, while Anika let out a small snicker.

Mindy softly knocked on the door, “T? You in there?” She heard nothing but a muffled ‘Yeah!’ on the other side of the door allowing her to open it. “Quinn told me,” Mindy said sitting down on the mattress while Tara sat up groaning, “I don’t get it. I kinda thought she liked Chad-“

“Chad!” Mindy yelled at the girl, “What do you mean Chad?! What is it with everyone and Chad today?!”

“Well, at dinner the other night she was upset and she said something about me going back to Chad or something,” Tara mumbled.

Now it was Mindy’s turn to groan, “Tara, oh my god! She likes you, you big idiot! She’s like in love with you and she’s been sending all these signals and she’s been calling me nonstop about how you don’t get any of them! You’re always flirting with Chad!” Mindy rambled and Tara’s jaw was on the floor. You liked her? No, you loved her?! Since when? She’s liked you for so long and you thought she liked Chad? She can’t blame you cause she thought you liked Chad.

Tara looked at Mindy wide eyed and processed everything that was just said to her. “Wait y/n thought I liked Chad? I flirt with him as a joke.”

Mindy sighed, “Well tell y/n that. Do you like her back?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then tell her!” Mindy said standing and Tara shot up from her seat on the bed and grabbed her phone. She shooed Mindy out of her room and called you and prayed you’d answer. Lucky for her, you did, cause you missed her more then she knew. “Hello? Y/n? I’m coming to your dorm right now can you meet me there, it’s important.”

IM SORRY IT FEELS SO MEAN NOT ADDING THE CONFESSION BUT THIS SEEMED SO LONG I DIDNT THINK ANYONE WOULD WANT TO READ THAT MUCH 😭😭😭

#not proofread #at all #dizzy writes?! 😵‍💫 #scream 6 #tara carpenter #tara carpenter x reader #ethan landry #mindy meeks #mindy meeks martin #chad meeks #chad meeks martin #quinn bailey #sam carpenter #anika kayoko #samantha carpenter

[weirdmorefics]

How Are Hands Attractive? (crowleyxreader)

Pronouns-She/Her

Word Count- 1,078

Summary- Reader is a witch and close friends with Aziraphale and works at the bookshop restoring books. Aziraphale asks Y/n for romantic advice for Nina and Maggie which leads to interesting covo about Crowley hands.

The day was stormy there was hardly anybody out on the street because of the terrible thunder and lightning. I was peacefully sipping her cold coffee and restoring an old spellbook that Aziraphale found. The sound of the rain was very soothing and I did not have to worry about Jim short for Gabriel bothering me because Aziraphale told him bookstores are closed on Wednesdays. Aziraphale on the other hand kept interrupting my work so he could get my opinion on most romantic situations for Nina and Maggie.

"Y/n what do you think is the most romantic thing?" Aziraphale asks.

" I don't know. Hmmm maybe leaving me alone so I can finish restoring this book in peace," I respond.

"Seriously, Y/n the book can wait! This matter is of life and death! You are sort of human so you should know more about these things than I." He says looking me very seriously in the eyes.

I sigh and very gently move the book to the side. I take a deep breath " I have personally always found hands very attractive-"

Aziraphale interrupted "How can hands be attractive? They are just helpful tools. Books always say it's the eyes that are the windows to the soul."

"Don't get me wrong eyes are pretty as well but I have always enjoyed hands they help us create they help us hold on to each other. Why did you even ask me anyway if you're just going to think I am wrong. Also, I think we both know I lack any experience or knowledge on romance." I respond annoyed.

Aziraphale smiles at Y/n, "I guess I was just curious." Then his eyes light up like something just clicked in his mind. I think if he was a cartoon a light bulb would have appeared above his head.

"Y/n!" He gasps and I give him an inquisitive look. "You are always staring at Crowley's hands so does that mean!!!"

I quickly crossed my arms across my chest denying the accusation profusely.

Crowley enters the bookshop closing a soaked umbrella, "Who is always staring at my hands."

Y/n's heart nearly pounds out of her chest and she nearly knocks over her coffee.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed-" I quickly cut Aziraphale off

I come out from behind the desk I was working at and take the umbrella from Crowley, "Don't tell me that you were outside in this weather with an umbrella you could have got struck by lightning."

Crowley lifts his glasses down to look ME in the eyes "Are you serious? A demon struck by lightning would do nothing compared to the heat of Hell."

"How should I know I've never been to Hell," I whine.

Crowley kisses the top of my head and says "And you never will."

Aziraphale smiles a plotting a smile that scares me for what he is planning. He cups his chin with both hands and tilts his head "Crowley what do you find most romantic? Y/n has been telling me what she finds most romantic to help Nina and Maggie. I can see she has quite the type. I think we might even know the guy."

Crowley's face seems to turn sour at Aziraphale probably at the notion of discussing romance so I try to assure him it is unneeded to chime in. "Please ignore him he has been like this all day. He has not let me get a single thing done today."

Instead, he completely ignores me and walks up to Aziraphale, "So what does this man that Y/n fancies have for qualities that make her swoon."

"No, I can't say that would be betraying her trust," Aziraphale puts a hand on his chest and makes a big show of it like he didn't just start this whole mess.

"Come on Angel we are all friends here! Right Y/n? What can you tell the Angel that you can't tell me," he pouts.

"You bring up a great point, Crowley! Y/n can certainly tell you about the man she fancies I don't see a reason she could not! Let me start off I know she loves this man's hands she is always staring at them it is so obvious." Aziraphael smiles brightly and if my glare back could kill he would be dead.

Crowley circles me like prey as if my answer could cure him from hunger. "I've never noticed our little sorceress staring at hands that's very impolite to stare you know."

He calls me a nickname he uses for me frequently as he knows it annoys me. "You know what's impolite to spill others secrets Aziraphale" I glare.

Aziraphale straightens his bowtie, "You never said it was a secret if you had I would not have said a peep. I am very good at secrets you know"

"The thing is I just don't understand why there is anything to hide from your good old pals!" Crowley interrupts. "Unless this guy is someone unworthy of our sorceress's heart. Then in that case Aziraphale would have a duty to tell me."

"Do not be concerned this man I have known longer than anyone. No one could compete with him he is very kind." He quickly assures Crowley.

Crowley started to look like that time when Aziraphale took Gabriel under his protection, "So he is an angel... those are the only beings you have known for the longest. I swear to Hell if it's Gabriel he is not kind Aziraphael you have no idea what he said to me when I was you! I can not believe you let him stay here! He is worse than any demon!"

I quickly put my hand on Crowley's shoulder, "It is not Gabriel I would never do that to you."

Crowley's eyes softened as he looked into your eyes but only for a second before they turned into confusion, "What other angel do you even know on a personal level!"

I saw no choice but to come clean, "It's you! You idiot!"

I took a deep breath to prepare myself for the heartbreak because I am no celestial being who will be around forever. I am just a witch I am really not that different from an ordinary human. But the heartbreak never came instead he held my face and kissed me deeply.

I was stunned speechless and he smirked "So you think my hands are romantic you say."

Bonus-

Aziraphael- Now both of you thank me! I also accept books as thank-yous Y/n has a list of the books of that I am on the hunt for! I also made photocopies of the list so you can carry the list with you at all times as a reminder.

Y/n- Shut up, Angel!

Crowley- Thank you, Angel

#crowley x reader #crowley x y/n #crowley good omens #good omens fic #good omens fanfiction #good omens imagine #good omens drabble #aziraphale x reader #aziraphale imagine #fanfic blog #good omens crowley

[cutielando]

Can I have oneshots for Theodore nott and reader when he finds out that their daughter is constantly bullied at school?

PROTECTIVE

my masterlist

Pairing: Theodore Nott x Wife!Reader x Daughter

School can be tough. That was a given. Especially if you end up being a Slytherin.

Theodore knew that better than anyone. Being a Slytherin himself, also being friends with the infamous Draco Malfoy always attracted some unwanted attention.

Most of the other students knew not to mess with him, but there was still the occasional bully who didn't give a shit and picked on him anyhow.

Because of that, he never wanted his kids to experience the kind of pain he went through when he was younger. He did everything in his power to make sure your children were safe and happy at school.

Oh, how wrong he was.

He didn't notice the signs early on, but you did.

Y/D/N was more distant than usual, spending an awful lot of her time in her room when she was home for the holidays and summer break, her letters always failed to mention any of her school friends and the atmosphere there, she was sadder and lost the spark that she always used to have in her eyes.

Thinking it could be something serious, you decided to talk to your husband about it.

"Tesoro?' you asked him one night as you entered your shared bedroom and saw his under the covers, reading a new book he had purchased the previous day.

"Yes, amore?" he put the book aside as you sat next to him, giving you his full attention.

"Can we talk about something?" you were nervous, you didn't even know how to approach this subject with Theo.

"Of course we can, amore. What's bothering you?" he took your hand in his, drawing soothing circles on the back of your palm.

"I'm worried about Y/D/N" you confessed.

His eyebrows were scrunched, not understanding where you were coming from.

"Why? Did something happen?"

"I don't know. She's just...different. She hasn't been herself in a while, she's always in her room, she barely eats or talks to us, her letters seem downright robotic and she's just not the same girl we know her as anymore. I'm worried something might be happening over at the school" you explained.

You felt Theo's hand that was holding yours tense up, stopping the movements.

You looked up and saw that his jaw was clenched, he was fuming and looking at a fixated point on the wall of your bedroom.

"Do you think someone might be making fun of her? Bullying her?" his voice was low and tense, making you sigh and shrug your shoulders.

"I don't know, but I think maybe we should talk to her. You should talk to her, you know she'll open up to you a lot faster than me" Theo nodded at that, numerous thoughts running through his mind.

Y/D/N had always been a daddy's girl ever since she was little and you were okay with that. Your younger son was a mama's boy, so it evened the scales a little bit.

You knew that Y/D/N would open up to your husband and you hoped that the problem wasn't as bad as you felt it was.

"I'll talk to her"

Come the next day at breakfast, Theo turned to your daughter as soon as you and your son left the kitchen to go to the living room.

"Y/D/N, love, I wanted to talk to you about something" he started and put his hand over hers.

"What is it?" she was avoiding eye contact with her father, which happened very rarely when they would talk.

Theo put a hand under her chin, slowly lifting up her face so she could look at him.

Her eyes had lost their sparkle, now void of any emotion and tired.

"What is bothering you, vita mia?" Theo asked, brushing his finger over her cheek.

You didn't mean to eavesdrop, wanting to let the pair talk in private. You instead focused all of your attention on your son, who was more than content to have his beloved mother's attention on him.

"Nothing, dad" Y/D/N tried to shrug Theo off, but he was having none of that.

"Stella, don't push me away. Your mother and I are very worried about you. You haven't been yourself for a while and it's concerning us. What is wrong, vita mia?"

Just one look into her father's eyes and she was sobbing, letting herself fall into his arms and clinging to him.

Your heart broke when you heard your little girl sob, taking everything in you not to run in there and scoop her up in your arms to reassure her that everything would be okay.

"I hate them, dad" Y/D/N whispered once her sobs had calmed down a little.

"Who do you hate, stella?" he was trying to keep his anger in check, his blood boiling at the thought of anyone hurting his princess.

"Everyone at school. They all make fun of me for being a Slytherin and they bully me because their parents hate you and now they say they're supposed to hate me too. I'm just so tired of always being the one getting hurt over there" the young girl finally confessed, her words breaking Theo's heart.

He pulled away from the hug, instead opting to take her face in his hands.

"Y/D/N, listen to me. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is allowed to make you feel bad or think any less about yourself. You are perfect, mi stella. You hung my moon and stars from the day you were born and both your mother and I know that you're destined for great things and a bright future. Never listen to what anyone else has to say about you when you know the truth about yourself. Do you understand?" the girl nodded, giving her father a small smile.

"I love you, dad" she said before kissing his cheek, hugging his body once again.

"I love you more, vita mia"

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[sluttyten]

You In My Arms

Chapter 11: Always, Yours (Finale)

full masterlist || haechan masterlist || YIMA chapter index

summary: some things are hard to find the words for, and endings are always the worst. but this isn’t an ending, not really, not for Haechan. He used to be the background character in the love stories of other people, but now it’s definitely his turn to write his own happy ending.

length: 25,579 words

tags: friends to lovers, general perversion, smut, public sex, exhibitionism, voyeurism, blowjobs, etc.

previous chapter || Completed YIMA index

Haechan knew by the third date that he was going to marry her. 

He thought he probably would before then, but by the third date, he accepted it as a fact. 

He was in love like he’d never been before. 

“What have you done to me?” He asks her while they’re tangled together in bed on Valentine’s Day after a very nice, romantic date. “Did you slip me a love spell or something?”

She laughs. 

It was a love spell, for sure, he decides. That’s how he fell so hard and fast, so completely. It couldn’t possibly be his own incompetence and blindness over the years finally being lifted. 

Part of him expects the intensity of his feelings for her to fade as the months pass by, as they pass through that phase where the relationship is so new and everything is just fresh and exciting. 

But the feelings don’t dim even slightly, even once they do start to exit that honeymoon phase. Yeah, they argue sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that Haechan loves her any less? It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t still almost constantly think about her and want her, want to be by her or talking to her. 

And then, in May, she has to go abroad for work, and for those first few days, Haechan feels her absence like he’s had his heart scooped from his chest. He hates the lonely, hollow feeling. 

They talk as much as they can, and Haechan doesn’t even mind waking up early if it means he can talk to her for a bit before his day starts and hers ends. She’s a million miles away in London, and he’s teetering on the brink of falling back asleep as she talks, her voice so soothing. 

He’s only halfway awake when he hears her joke that she should take Haechan’s upcoming birthday week off of work so she doesn’t have to see anymore of Johnny who is also on this trip with her. Haechan mumbles out words of encouragement, telling her to do it, to take the time off with him. 

As soon as Haechan, in his drowsy state, hears her agree to take the week of his birthday off, as soon as she’s trying to suggest making plans together to get out of the city, he suddenly remembers his mom had asked him if he was going to come home for his birthday. So he hears his girlfriend’s question, he remembers his mom, and the two things combine in his mind, and Haechan panics a little.

He hasn’t told his mom about her. And he hasn’t told his girlfriend that he’s considered going home for his birthday. And when he combines those two things, all he can think of is that if he tells his girlfriend about seeing his family for his birthday, what if she asks if she can come along? Or what if she expects him to invite her? He hasn’t told his family about her! And he knows that is wrong, that he should’ve said something to them months ago about him being in a relationship, especially since he’s met her family and he’s in love with her (so hopelessly, head over heels in love) and he’s planning a future with her, and all of this just weighs down Haechan’s belly, thoughts roaring around in his head.

“Hyuck?” Her voice is so quiet from all those miles and miles away in London.

He makes up some terrible excuse and ends the call quickly. 

Shit. What is he gonna do?

For the next week, he goes back and forth again and again on what he should do here. Obviously, he should probably just tell his mom. He talks to her at least once a week on average, if not more, and over the course of that week they have three separate phone calls in which she asks him again if he’s coming to visit, and he could sit it then, could tell her, “ Yeah, I’m coming to visit, and I’m bringing my girlfriend with me to introduce her to all of you,” but does he say any of that? No. Why?

“Chicken!” Renjun laughs. “Lee Donghyuck, you’re usually not such a coward!”

They’re together at the gym. Haechan feels half-embarrassed as the two of them “work out” side-by-side with Renjun’s boyfriend who is actually doing a rather intense workout and whose muscles are next-level. Haechan can’t stop sneaking peeks over at the sweat that dampens Jaehyun’s shoulders and back.

“I’m not going to tell her,” Renjun is saying as Haechan again takes notice of the way that Jaehyun is grunting softly while he lifts weights just feet away. Haechan’s mind short circuits a little, thinking back to the videos he’s seen of Renjun and Jaehyun together. It takes great strength of mind to pull his attention back to Renjun, who doesn’t seem to have noticed, or at least doesn’t mind, how distracted Haechan is by Jaehyun.

Renjun says, “But you’re being such a chicken, dumbass. Just tell your mom you’ve got a girlfriend! Tell your girlfriend to come with you to meet them. What are you scared of, huh? It’s not like you’re coming out to them or anything. That shit can be scary. You’re just taking your wonderful girlfriend home to meet your family. What’s there to freak out about?”

Haechan whines a little, and he sits down pathetically on the dirty gym floor. “You don’t get it. We’ve been together for, like, five months now. Her parents have known about us for two months, and all this time I’ve been silent. Five months and I’ve kept her a secret from my mom. My mom is gonna be pissed because I used to tell her everything.”

Renjun just rolls his eyes. “Your mom is so sweet, I don’t think she’ll be pissed at you. Your girlfriend though….” Renjun shakes his head, looks over at Jaehyun, and then sighs, “If you keep it all a secret, she’s gonna be so upset.”

“I know.” Haechan is aware that she’ll probably be angry. And he knows it’s stupid, all so stupid. But he just has this mental block when it comes to this, and he doesn’t know why, really. It’s silly.

Haechan startles a little when Jaehyun speaks up. “Listening to this is just…” He laughs, and shakes his head. “You and her have both been totally open about your kinky sexual histories, but you’re scared to tell your family about her? You’re scared to invite her to meet them?”

Jaehyun walks closer, reaching out to steal the water bottle that Renjun was just drinking from. Haechan feels like he’s intruding when he notices the way Renjun is looking at his boyfriend: a deep need shimmering there in his eyes.

“Just tell them,” Jaehyun says after a moment. “Trust me, being very clear about where the relationship stands is important. If you don’t say anything, if you keep putting off introducing her to them, what if she thinks you’re not serious about her?” He’s staring at Renjun as he speaks, their gazes locked, and now Haechan definitely feels like he’s intruding on a moment.

Haechan’s girlfriend comes home from London the next day. He could have told her then, when she excitedly threw herself into the car and dragged him in for an excited kiss. He could’ve said something in the car, just thrown out the casual invitation to come meet his family.

But he didn’t.

And for the next few days he really, really struggles to overcome that mental block.

It doesn’t help that his mom is messaging him too, inquiring about his plans, and when he does finally agree that he’ll come to Jeju for his birthday, she has a million more questions about what he wants to eat and where he wants to go, what he wants to do with his time while he’s visiting home. It’s a lot. Plus, on top of his unnecessary and self-inflicted pressure in his personal life, his professional life is jam-packed full of stress too. Multiple projects and meetings and just so much work that he barely even sees his girlfriend those first few days, and it’s not until Thursday when his final project for the week is complete, that Haechan feels like he can even take a deep breath.

He leaves the boardroom and collapses at his desk, heaving out a sigh.

A few desks away, Jungwoo looks over at him, offering an easy smile.

And beyond Jungwoo is the door to her office. She’s sitting at her desk, on the phone while she’s clicking around on her computer. He watches her lips move, the annoyed tick of her eyebrow as whatever she hears over the phone meets her disapproval. Haechan watches her for a few long moments until her gaze lifts from the computer and sweeps over to his. She pauses for a split second and then smiles, and Haechan feels a little bit more relaxed right then.

She looks away, but he doesn’t.

He’s thinking. Thinking about how it’s Thursday and he’s taken Friday off, and then he’s free for the next week. His birthday is on Tuesday. And he has her. He’s so lucky to have her and he needs to tell her the truth. He needs to tell her that even though she has this coming week off too, he’s going out of town to see his family.

He hates how distant he’s been all week, the way he’s been busy with work and with avoiding telling her anything. He hates that he canceled on her when she wanted to go look at an apartment for them a couple days ago. He knows that she’d been annoyed by that, but Haechan had high hopes that he could make up for it.

He’s had his eyes on a better apartment than the one she’d wanted to go look at.

The one he wants is at the top of their price range, but it will be worth it. It is the kind of apartment that Haechan can see as more of a home. It’s a  two-bedroom, so there is room for a future to grow.

Haechan saw the listing online a few weeks ago, saw the photos and the location, and his mind began spinning, his imagination filling in the details of what he couldn’t already see. He was picturing cooking breakfasts and dinners with her in that kitchen. Envisioning relaxing baths and sensual showers, mornings waking up beside her in that bedroom that had plenty of windows to let in the sunlight. He was imagining dancing around the living room with her, wine-drunk and laughing, pulling her in for a messy kiss in front of the sofa. He could see himself proposing, slipping a ring on her finger and bringing her home to that apartment to celebrate. Haechan had visions of her cradling a baby in front of the big living room window that overlooked the city; visions of holding chubby hands while tiny feet stood atop his own for their first assisted steps, of chasing a toddling kid around the apartment with delighted laughter ringing in his ears. He could just imagine Christmas mornings and birthdays and game nights and movie nights and so many happy holidays with both of their families crammed in that apartment.

Haechan had it all planned out.

His future.

His future with her.

But hours later on that Thursday, Haechan feels his entire planned out future with her come crashing down around him.

She was an enchantress, seducing him right there on the sofa in his and YangYang’s apartment, and he was usually pretty jealous about sharing her, but he didn’t even care when YangYang walked in on them, when YangYang pretended like he wasn’t the one watching Haechan have sex (for a change). That part of the evening was good, even if his phone kept buzzing with messages from his mom throughout it all.

But then, afterwards, in that blissful afterglow as he’s cuddling her, she pulls the truth from him at last.

He admits the horrible truth: he hasn’t told his family about her.

She sits there, staring at him with angry tears beading in her eyes, her voice growing louder as she grows more upset, and his stupid fucking mental block just still won’t let him get the words out, won’t open up to let him tell her his (admittedly shitty, he realizes) excuses as to why he hasn’t told his family about her. But he’s trying. He’s trying to tell her, but the words that do manage to escape his mental block are coming out wrong, and YangYang emerges from his room at the sound of raised voices to intervene, and Haechan is at a loss.

She disappears to his bedroom, and Haechan assumes that she’s just in there to cool off, to calm herself down before she’ll come back out here, and they can talk about it again.

But when she reappears, she’s dressed in her own clothes instead of his shirt, and she keeps walking, heading right for the door of the apartment.

That’s when he really feels it, when he really knows that he fucked up, and he feels all the fractures in his bright future of them together in that apartment that feels more like a home.

“Where are you going?” He asks, trying to keep his voice from sounding as broken as he feels.

“I’m fucking leaving,” she spits back, blowing right by where he’s still sitting on the sofa talking to YangYang.

She can’t go. He’s always hated to watch her leave, but especially now when she’s this angry. He wants to talk to her, to actually get his words out.

All he manages is her name.

She pauses, her hand on the door handle.

“Stay,” he tries to say, but the word won’t come. It’s stuck in the back of his throat as he stares at her back, as he watches her head tilt slightly in the way he’s noticed it does when she’s really annoyed. She waits a few seconds, waits for Haechan to fail to find his voice, and then she throws the door open and vanishes through it.

Fuck. 

He doesn’t think he sleeps at all that night. 

He doesn’t know how many times he gets up and starts to pull on clothes and look for his shoes to go over to her place and talk to her. But each time he talks himself out of doing it. 

She was really angry when she left, so he doubts that she wants to see him or even hear from him right now. He does check her location (bless the app that lets them see where each other is at) to make sure that she at least made it home. And honestly, he periodically watches that little blue dot sit there at her apartment throughout the night. 

Haechan misses her. There aren’t many nights that they’ve spent apart since they started dating. He misses having her beside him, misses the warmth of her body but the cold press of her toes against his calf. He misses the smell of her shampoo when she rolls closer to him in her sleep. He misses her soft sighs and the sleepy mumbles she makes throughout the night. He misses just having her there, and he hates knowing that she’s sleeping in her own bed, angry with him. He hates sleeping alone. 

Eventually he must’ve dozed off for a little bit because when he opens his eyes again, it’s daylight. 

He has a plan. It developed sometime between three and four o’clock this morning, so it could’ve been a horrible plan, but even now in the light of morning Haechan thinks it could work. 

First step: call his mom. 

“Good morning, son,” his mom answers the call with a yawn. “Are you on your way already?”

“Not yet.” He’s still sitting in bed actually, still not dressed, still working up the courage to just get over the mental block. He says, “I’m catching a bus south in a couple hours. Listen, Mom….”

But that’s it. His voice stops. He pauses, and his mom is his favorite because she doesn’t rush him to say it, she waits and he can hear the sound of birds in the background and the breeze on her end of the phone call. She was probably out taking a morning walk or drinking her coffee out in front of the house or maybe shaking out the rugs as she prepares the house for him to come home. 

Finally, after a few long seconds, Haechan asks, “Do you think we have room for one extra person this weekend?”

“Of course!” She says with no hesitation. “Who’re you bringing?”

Haechan has brought friends home before. Mark, Jeno, Renjun, the most. Chenle was his mom’s favorite, though, so he knows she’s hoping he’s the one Haechan is bringing to visit. 

Haechan just clears his throat, shifts around in his bed. 

“Donghyuck?”

He takes a deep breath, and Haechan’s pulse picks up a nervous beat. “Not any of the guys. A girl. My girlfriend. I’d like to bring her home this weekend.”

There’s a flood of questions, of course, plus a huge weight lifted off of Haechan’s chest. Immediately, his mom just accepts it, and Haechan realizes he’s been a fool to be so stressed over this. She sounds delighted and just excited for Haechan, asking him everything about his girlfriend — what’s her name, what does she do, how long they’ve been together. She does, in fact, gasp and tell him he’s ridiculous for not having told her about his girlfriend when he admits that they’ve been together for five (almost six) months. 

A call from Ten at work is what gets Haechan to end the call with his mom eventually. He switches over to Ten’s call. 

“Yeah?”

“Dude, did you do it?” Ten asks, excitement in his voice. 

Haechan sits up in bed, running his fingers through his hair in an effort to tame the tussled mess. He needs to get up and get ready. “Did I do what?”

Ten makes a soft sigh of annoyance. “Propose, duh. You’re off today, off all next week. Your girlfriend called out today and also has all of next week off. Yuta thinks that you must’ve proposed last night, and you two were so busy celebrating last night that she called out sick this morning.” Ten laughs, and Haechan can hear Yuta’s voice in the background too. 

His stomach clenches. “No, I didn’t propose. Where did you two get that idea?”

She called out sick? Is she sick? Is she okay?

“Because you’re so lovestruck, both of you, that it’s only a matter of time, isn’t it?” Ten says. 

Haechan hears something from Ten’s end of the call, a small sound of distress, and then Yuta’s voice is the one on the call, demanding, “Don’t tell me you’re not planning to propose to her?”

“I don’t see how it’s any of your business.” Haechan isn’t going to give his proposal plans to the two biggest gossips in the Moon Corporation. When he proposes (because it’s only a matter of time, like Ten said), he doesn’t necessarily want her to hear about it ahead of time from their coworkers. 

Yuta snorts. 

“Is she really not at work today?” Haechan’s stomach gives an odd loopy feeling as he asks that. “She called in sick?”

“Yeah, first thing this morning. Didn’t you know?” A pause, and then Yuta gasps, “You two didn’t split up, did you?”

Ten’s distressed voice butts in, “Excuse me? They what?”

Oh, God. These two are going to start rumors. 

“No,” Haechan emphasizes, “We did not split up. I’m hanging up. Bye.”

Hopefully they don’t spread their false rumors around work, Haechan thinks. But now that he knows that she’s not at work, it makes step two of his plan a little easier. 

Second step: apologize to his girlfriend. 

He finishes packing his bag for the trip home pretty quickly after ending the call with his mom. 

As he moves around the apartment, gathering his clothes from the clean basket of laundry he’d left sitting in the living room, his toiletries from the bathroom, a few gifts he’s picked up for his family members since the last time he’s seen them, Haechan notices YangYang is awake too. It’s early for his roommate to be up, and especially early for YangYang to be out of his bedroom, but YangYang is sitting in their kitchen talking on the phone with someone in a low voice.

Haechan can’t miss the way YangYang is watching him closely, and he wonders what his roommate’s problem is. 

He leaves about twenty minutes later, his packed bag slung over his shoulder as he heads over to her place. 

He texts her when he’s halfway there, realizing that she might not appreciate it if he drops in unannounced.

When she hasn’t answered by the time he arrives at her apartment door, when she doesn’t answer his knock at the door, he texts again. He calls. And when both of those still go unanswered, he begins to panic a little bit. 

Is she okay? Is she actually sick? Is she ignoring him? Does she really just not want to see him or hear from him? Did he seriously fuck up and ruin a good thing by not telling his family about her? Was their fight last night the last one? He just needs it to not be the end, needs to talk to her and apologize. 

For several more minutes, Haechan continues to knock on the door and call her, growing more desperate as the minutes pass by. 

And then he hears it. A faint click. 

The door opens a few inches, just a wide enough gap for him to see her standing there. She’s dressed in just a hastily wrapped towel, her hair still dripping, and her skin covered with water droplets. 

Haechan, in that instant, forgets all of his worries. She is fresh from the shower and he can smell her shampoo again, and for the first time in about twelve hours, he feels himself relax a bit. He wants to push the door the rest of the way open, to hold her close and breathe her in. He wants to taste her skin and her lips and every part of her, to apologize and beg for her forgiveness. 

But she only cracked the door open enough for them to talk, just wide enough for him to see a few inches of her. It’s maddening, really. His need for her, his need to be forgiven by her, is overwhelming and drives him down to his knees to beg her forgiveness. 

And maybe, as he sinks down, he remembers Yuta and Ten’s questions about him proposing, and maybe Haechan drops down on one knee first. He just wants to see her reaction — the wide-eyed look of surprise when she thinks for a brief moment that he might be proposing. 

Instead he begs her forgiveness with a simply put, “Will you please forgive me, baby? My angel?” And then he adds on the big request, his genuine question, “Forgive me, and come with me this weekend. Come meet my family.”

“You’re a dick!” She whines adorably, but a smile is dancing at the corners of her lips, her eyes are focused only on him as she opens the door wider at last. 

“What?” Haechan laughs, “Did you think I was going to ask you something else?”

She rolls her eyes, but he can tell by the way she’s fighting down a smile and the way that she leaves her apartment door open for him as she walks away, that she’s forgiving him. But he needs to hear it in words, needs to hear her invite him in. 

“What’s your answer?”

“Just come inside!” She laughs. 

He can’t even begin to describe how light and relieved he feels now. Both of the heavy weights that have been settled on him for too long now have lifted. He’s got her forgiveness, he’s told his mom about her, he’s taking her to meet his family. 

As he follows her inside to her bedroom, all he wants is to lead her into distraction. He wants to tug that towel off of her and slide into bed with her, to take his time tasting every inch of her. But he knows he can’t. If he wants to make it home to visit his family any time today, they need to leave soon. 

Haechan puts aside those desires. 

Undeniably, as they leave her apartment, his relief begins to give way to nerves. 

In several hours he’ll  finally be introducing her to his family. This isn’t anything he’s ever done before with any of his past partners. 

Bringing them home. 

Of course, he’s never felt this way about anyone but her. 

“Relax,” she says as they board the bus that is taking them south to catch the ferry to Jeju. “I don’t get what you are so nervous for. They’re your family!”

She places her hand on his thigh, and Haechan immediately covers her hand with his, lacing their fingers together where her warm hand rests against his bare skin above his knee. “I’m nervous because I’ve never introduced them to any of my previous partners. They’ve just met my friends.”

She smiles and leans over, tipping her head against his shoulder. Haechan’s heart races, his fingers tightening against hers. “I’m excited,” she tells him quietly. “I want to meet them. You’ve talked about them all enough over the years I’ve known you, it’s certainly about time. But I’m excited too that this is the first, like, weekend away we’re taking together.”

“We’ve been on tons of trips together before.” Haechan looks down at her just in time to see her roll her eyes. “What?”

“I mean, our first weekend away as a couple.” 

Oh.

“I know it’s not like a proper weekend away as a couple. We’re going to visit your family, not take a romantic trip together.” She presses her cheek against the round curve of Haechan’s shoulder. “But I’m still excited.”

He should take her on a real weekend trip. One that can be as romantic and sexy as she’d like. 

They both take naps while the bus carries them south. Her head bobs on his shoulder, his cheek pillowed against the top of her head. Haechan has the distinct feeling that neither of them slept too well the night before, aware that they’d been fighting, and both of them less comfortable in bed without the presence of each other. 

So they sleep, wrapped up together, and Haechan never wants to let her go again.  

Haechan’s worst fears (he’s dramatic) are confirmed the moment that his mom opens the door to greet them. 

Her smile is wide — a mirror of his own smile, honestly — as she drinks in every last detail of Haechan’s sleepy and damp girlfriend. 

The evening is gloomy, a light rain drizzling over them as they make their way to his childhood home, and his girlfriend isn’t even fully awake after the nap she’d also taken on the ferry ride over. 

Haechan watches his mom’s face. Her eyes go slightly wide as she looks at his girlfriend, as everything clicks in her mind — the name he’d mentioned earlier this morning finally registering in his mom’s mind as the name he’s been mentioning for years — and then her gaze slides to her son, her eyes alight as she says, “Well, it certainly took the two of you long enough to get here! And I don’t just mean today! This is your friend, isn’t she? The one from school?”

Haechan feels his face heat up as he pulls ahead of his girlfriend, hurrying forward to embrace his mother and hopefully get her to stop talking before she reveals something embarrassing. They at least need to make it in the door before she does that. 

Behind him, he hears his girlfriend laughing, and in his ear his mom laughs as well. 

It turns out that his tight hug doesn’t cut off his mom’s words. “He used to show us pictures of all of your friends, tell us stories all about you! He talked about you all—“

“That’s enough, Mom.” Haechan cuts her off. 

“Oh, come on, Donghyuck.” She smiles warmly at him as she pulls back from his hug. “Come inside. Come in, dear,” she says kindly, waving Haechan’s girlfriend forward. “I’m so excited to meet you! Donghyuck has never brought someone home to meet us before! We were starting to wonder if he was embarrassed by us or just unlucky in love.”

He knew that his mom would make a big deal out of this, tease him about it. 

“It’s my birthday, Mom,” he whines, stepping over the threshold. “Be nice to me.”

She lifts a hand to pat his head, smoothing his hair down gently. “Yes, son, of course,” she says placatingly, but he doesn’t miss the wink and smile she sends over his shoulder to his girlfriend. “No embarrassing stories at all.”

That promise lasts at least for a little while, but of course it’s impossible to keep. Maybe it doesn’t happen immediately, but try as he might to keep his family from sharing weird and embarrassing stories about him, they manage to tell her some anyway over the next few days. Over dinner and breakfast, during excursions around the island or to the beach, his mom and siblings share stories, some of which include times that he’d talked all about her long before this relationship began. Even when his mom gets around to interrogating her about her past and her present and hopes for the future, they manage to embarrass Haechan. 

Especially on Monday night, hours before his birthday actually begins. 

Haechan is minding his own business, helping clean up the mess from their meal, but he can hear his mom and his girlfriend talking in the next room. 

Unsurprisingly, his family likes her. He truly had nothing to worry about there. They get along even better than he could have hoped for, which is almost too well if he really thinks about it. His mom and his siblings laugh and joke around with her just as they do with Haechan, and his sister is already calling her “unnie” so affectionately, and his mom kept offering to take photos of them together when they all went down to the beach earlier that day. 

Haechan had finally acquiesced after his girlfriend curled her fingers around his wrist, tugging him towards her as she smiled. The wind was blowing through her loose hair, and the sun was shining from her cheeks, and she met his eyes as she said, “Come on, Donghyuck-ah, take a picture with me for your mom.” 

They’d stood in front of the sea, their bare toes buried in sand. Haechan put his arm around her waist as she tucked herself against his side. In the split second before his mom snapped the photo of them, he felt the woman at his side twist to face him, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek, her hand pressing against his other cheek to keep him from pulling away in surprise. 

His mom laughed, and Haechan watched the happy expression on his mom’s face as she squinted down at the picture in her phone. Her smile filled her face. “Cute, you two! Very cute. But let’s just get a normal one now!”

Haechan had suffered through a miniature photoshoot, dramatically sighing and complaining the whole time, but inside he was thoroughly enjoying it. Already, he’d been thinking about asking his mom to send him all the photos, thinking about which ones he was going to post on Instagram in his photo dump of this weekend. 

Even once their impromptu photo session was over, Haechan didn’t let go of her. He’d clung to her at the beach, unwilling to let her too far mostly because he’d noticed the gazes of several strangers straying towards her. 

“Jealous, baby?” She’d teased him when she noticed the reason for his extra-clinginess. And then she’d placed a gentle hand on his cheek as she tipped in on her toes to kiss him softly. “You know I’m not going anywhere, right? You’re stuck with me.”

Now, as he stands in the kitchen of his childhood home washing the dishes, Haechan is still thinking about that moment. He’s reliving the feel of the warm sunlight and the sea breeze on his skin. The softness of her palm and fingers against his cheek, the whisper of her lips on his, her sweet voice making that statement that sounded like a promise. 

He wants it to be a promise. 

And in the next room, it seems like his mom is thinking the same thing. He can hear their conversation as he scrubs out a pot. 

“Donghyuck says the two of you are moving into an apartment together?” His mom says, “When is that happening?”

“We’re still looking, but we’ll hopefully have one by the time our leases are up. So by about the end of this month,” is her answer, but what he doesn’t necessarily expect to hear is his girlfriend saying, “You all should definitely come visit! We’re looking for a two-bedroom, so there’ll be room. My family are already planning to come help me move my stuff over to the new place, but honestly I think it’s an excuse for my mom to fawn over Haechan a little more. She adores him probably more than she does me.”

“Does she want him as a son-in-law as much as I want you as a daughter-in-law?”

Haechan drops the pot he’s scrubbing. Did his mom really just say that?

His girlfriend laughs. “She’s mentioned it a few times. The first day they met him, my mom brought up babies.”

The sounds coming from the other room increase, laughter and excited noises. He knows his mom would love a little grandbaby to dote on, she likes babies and always has liked their little chubby cheeks and contagious bubbling laughter. She’s been talking for years about future grandchildren, though she’s always followed that up with a bit of advice to marry the girl first before the babies. 

Haechan hasn’t even mentioned yet to his mom that he thinks this is the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with, but judging by what she’s just said and the excited sounds from the other room, he’s sure that she’ll support him. Hell, she might even push him to do it as soon as he mentions it. 

He focuses on washing the rest of the dishes, and he loses track of the conversation in the next room.

All he knows is that when he emerges from the kitchen some time later, his fingertips are pruned and the front of his shirt is wet from where he accidentally slopped water down his front. Still, his girlfriend happily scoots aside to make a little room for him on the sofa, and he sinks down beside her so close that they’re pressed together from thigh to shoulder. 

She slides her hand over his thigh, letting it rest just above his knee. 

She’s deep in conversation with his family. It seems they’re debating the plot of some drama they all watch. Haechan has come in in the middle of it, so he keeps quiet, just watching her face as she talks and listens, the way her eyes light up right before she speaks up to make a point, her fingers curl in against his leg. 

She’s beautiful, sexy when she gets into it like this. He loves when her eyes blaze with determination to make a point. A lot of their little fights usually end with sex because he just finds the heat inside her so attractive. 

Just like right now. 

She’s busy arguing with one of his younger brothers, and Haechan is fighting down a boner. 

Her hand on his leg isn’t helping matters as she keeps gripping and rubbing his thigh. 

Haechan can only take so much of it before he feels like he’s at risk of doing something dangerous like moaning if she drags her nails along his inner thigh one more time. 

Carefully, he brushes her hand off his leg, and he stands up. “I’m gonna go shower,” he offers as an excuse for his escape. 

Barely anyone acknowledges it, but as Haechan turns to leave the room, he looks back over at her, momentarily catching her eye. The corner of her mouth ticks up into a little smile, something blossoming in her eyes, but then she looks away. Haechan leaves, wondering if she’d been touching him like that on purpose. 

Less than ten minutes later, Haechan is standing in the shower, when he hears the door of the bathroom open. He pops his head out of the shower to see who’s entered the room, and there she is. 

“Come here,” she demands. “Right now.”

There’s plenty of heat in her voice, but not the angry sort. 

As Haechan steps out of the shower, leaving the water running behind him, he watches her sink quickly to her knees in front of him. Clearly, she has one intention.

“Did you do that on purpose out there?” He asks, “Did you get me hard on purpose, angel?”

She looks up at him through her eyelashes. “What? I was just rubbing your thigh.” She tries to play it innocent, but she’s literally on her knees for him, and Haechan is no fool. She smiles up at him, and if anything that makes him even harder, knowing she was playing games with him. And even now, she keeps her tone innocent as she lets filthy words spill from her lips, asking, “Do you want me to suck your cock, Haechan? Wanna cum in my mouth?”

Does she even really have to ask? Of course he wants that. 

She leans in and starts licking water droplets from his skin while her hand wraps around his needy cock, Haechan is so grateful. He sighs, pressing his damp fingers through her hair.

“Gotta be quick,” she murmurs against his hip. “They think I’m just taking a bathroom break.”

Haechan hums, pressing his fingers encouragingly against her scalp, urging her mouth away from his hip to his cock. 

And she goes where he guides her, like the good girl she is. 

She gives him quick, sloppy head, swallowing around his cock until his tip hits the back of her throat with each bob of her head. The sounds of the shower running behind him help drown out the sounds they’re making — her soft gags and moans around him, his sighs and quiet curses as she sucks him off until his knees are going weak, his toes curl against the bathmat on the floor. 

It’s over faster than Haechan would like to admit. She has him cumming too quickly, but it’s knee-wobblingly good as she draws back until just her lips are tight around his tip, swallowing down each pulse of his cum across her tongue. His fingers grip tightly to sections of her hair, fucking it up completely. 

He sinks to his knees in front of her, smoothing his hands over her hair in an attempt to fix his mess, and then Haechan crushes his mouth against hers. 

He can taste himself on her tongue, the bitter tang, but he doesn’t care. He could happily kneel here and kiss her until the water runs cold in the shower, but before they get anywhere close to that point, she pushes against his chest with a groan. 

“I need to go back.” Her actions are contrary to her words as she dips forward to kiss him again. Haechan smiles, knowing that all it would take is him asking and she would just join him in the shower. She pushes herself away again, saying, “I don’t want your family knowing we’re in here having sex. Not when I’m just getting them to know and like me.”

Haechan can’t help the snort of a laugh that escapes him. “Baby, they’re gonna love you no matter what. Your family loves me and they walked in on us.”

She wrinkles her nose and stands up, drawing farther and farther away from him. “It’s different. But I hope you know you owe me now for what I just did.”

Haechan’s tongue darts out to wet his lips. “Later, angel. I promise.”

She turns and slips away from the room. He gets back in the shower, and now without the distraction of his erection, he passes through the motions much quicker. 

But while he’s in there he can’t help thinking about how she’s still so nervous about his family liking her. They clearly like her. There was really never any chance of them not liking her, which he’d realized as soon as he brought her up to his mom on the phone. 

He’d had his worries before then, obviously. It was part of the reason why he’d not mentioned her to his family. But after their fight the other night, after she left and he sat there talking to YangYang, his roommate helped him see light on the matter. 

Hours after she stormed out of the apartment, during one of the times Haechan had halfway convinced himself to go apologize, YangYang stopped Haechan in their living room, and asked him where he was going. That had given Haechan pause, and he’d sat down beside YangYang on the sofa and started actually talking with him.

“What if they don’t like her?” He’d finally admitted aloud to YangYang.

“You’re a fucking dumbass,” was YangYang’s point-blank reply. “Why wouldn’t they like her? And even if they don’t like her, you do. She’s your girlfriend, Haechan. Just last week, you were moaning about how much you love her and can’t wait to move in with her.”

Still, the thought of that makes Haechan smile. He’s excited to move in with her, to have no reason anymore to spend a night away from her, to get to wake up to her every day. He doesn’t care that when he says stuff like that to YangYang, to Renjun, to his other friends they tease him for being that way because, yeah, he’s in love with his girlfriend; he’s not going to pretend he doesn’t like her, like he doesn’t spend every waking moment wishing he was with her. 

So like YangYang said, it shouldn’t matter if his family doesn’t like her. But lucky for Haechan, they do like her. Unlucky for Haechan, now he’s definitely worried that they like her so much that while he’s standing up there finishing his shower, they’re all downstairs regaling her with stories about him that would embarrass the ever living shit out of him.

He hurries to dress again in something comfy, and he returns to the living room with his family and his girlfriend, immediately settling beside her. 

For hours they sit there, talking, playing games, and snacking with his family. Midnight approaches, and with it is Haechan’s birthday. 

He’s trying not to watch the clock, trying to not count down the seconds like he’s a kid again. He remembers birthdays in his childhood when he’d lain in bed, wide awake at midnight with excitement pulsing through his veins. Years as he grew older, hanging out with friends at midnight, celebrating as the clock turned over. 

Specifically he remembers a few years ago, the months between his first and second year of university. 

It was summertime, a brutal summer with exhausting heat that just leached the energy out of everyone. But all of his friends had come together that night to go out to a fancy rooftop bar. As midnight ticked nearer, as Mark and then Jeno and then Renjun and then strangers bought him drinks after drinks, Haechan felt himself growing happier and more excited for what his birthday tomorrow would bring and he felt lighter, light enough that he could just float off into the starry summer night. 

“Happy Birthday, Donghyuck!” said a voice from right behind him. 

He felt a hand clasp onto his, and he turned to look and found one of his newest friends standing there. He’d known of her since his first day of orientation, but it was really only within the last couple months of the second semester that he’d started to really, actually get to know her. And tonight she’s here to celebrate his birthday, and she’s holding his hand and looking at him with starry eyes that seem to mirror the night sky, and she just called him by the name his mother gave him. 

“You know we’re friends now,” Haechan told her, “You can call me Haechan. My friends call me Haechan. Donghyuck just sounds so….”

She laughed. “I like your name. Donghyuck. Donghyuck-ah. I like it.” She smiled softly, then said, “Haechan, too. It’s a bright name. A happy name. Happy birthday!” 

Cries of “Happy Birthday!” sounded from all around them. But she was still holding onto Haechan’s hand, and she murmured his name again, just a quiet “Haechan,” before she suddenly threw her arms around him, dragging him into a hug. 

It was a tight hug and warm, and Haechan felt every inch of her pressed against him. He slung an arm around her waist to return the embrace, and he couldn’t help, in that moment, letting the alcohol in his veins mix with the warm press of a soft body against him to feed his imagination. 

Maybe he should have known then.

She’d left him a moment after their hug, disappearing off to drink with Mark, and Haechan had ended the night with some random girl. And the same thing had happened the year after that and the one after that; as long as they’d been friends, she’s always been one of the first to wish him a Happy Birthday. 

This year is no different. 

At 11:59 PM, she twists around from where she’s reclining against his chest. 

“Happy Birthday, Donghyuck,” she wishes him, and then presses a kiss to his cheek. 

The clock strikes midnight, and around him his family wishes him a Happy Birthday as well, which means a lot to him, but not as much as the sound of her voice in his ear, the feel of her lips against his cheek even as he starts smiling at his family, the weight of her hand against his chest over his heart and her body resting back between his legs. 

He wraps his arms around her, refusing to let her up – not that she’s planning to go anywhere. 

A while later when his younger brother can no longer suppress his yawns, they all start to drift away towards their beds. 

Haechan happily and excitedly leads his girlfriend back to his childhood bedroom. In the years since he moved away for school, his bedroom has been taken over by one of his younger siblings, but for this weekend it’s Haechan’s again. The twin bed he spent years sleeping in is his again, and all weekend it has been a tight fit for both him and his girlfriend to sleep in, but tonight he’s glad about that. He wants to be as close to her as possible. 

She giggles (and his heart leaps in his chest) when Haechan shuts and locks the bedroom door, when he leads her by the hand over to the bed. He sits down heavily on the edge of it, guiding her to stand between his knees. 

“What are you doing?” She asks, her voice light, a smile gracing her lips. 

“Claiming my present. Paying you back for earlier.” Haechan slips his fingers into the waistband of the shorts she’s wearing. 

She pushes her fingers into his hair, combing his hair back off his forehead as he looks up at her. She asks, “Right now? Your whole family is here, just outside these walls. And it’s so quiet.”

Haechan grins. “You just have to be quiet. I know you can do it, angel.” Nevermind that he can hear water running in the bathroom, he can hear someone shifting in the bed next door. These walls are thin, but he knows that his girlfriend can be quiet if she puts her mind to it; there’s a reason she’s only been caught once — and it wasn’t due to her making noise. 

“Okay?” He checks with her, looking up into her eyes even as he starts to slide her shorts down her hips an inch. “Can I pay you back, baby?”

She swallows nervously and then nods. 

Haechan slides her shorts down until they drop to pool around her ankles. And then he moves to her shirt, fingers moving upwards beneath the fabric, over her belly, pushing her top up as he goes. 

She pouts, a vision of frustration when she reaches down to grab the hem of her shirt, and she drags it over her head instead of waiting. 

“Beautiful.” Haechan leans in, pressing his mouth against the curve of her hip, nipping slightly. Her answering sigh encourages him, and he kisses to the edge of her panties, leaving kisses all along the edge as he works his way towards the front and center, just beneath her belly button. 

Her fingers twist slightly in his hair. “Go on,” she sighs, tugging a little. 

Haechan smiles. He can almost smell her, can just imagine the taste of her on his tongue. Just the other night, before their fight, she’d ridden his face on the sofa and he’d been in heaven like that. Right now he almost wants to do it again, to fall backwards on his childhood bed and have an angel sit on his face. 

But he doesn’t do that. He knows she wants him to touch her, to kiss and lick and taste her. He waits. He teases, kissing her abdomen, drawing his nose from the edge of her panties, up to her navel and higher until he’s sitting up straight with his face at her chest. Now her fingers drag at his hair, a very quiet sound of desperation breathes past her lips. 

“It’s your birthday,” she tells him, “Don’t you just want to do it? Why are you taking your time?” 

Haechan smiles as he slides a hand up her back. “I’m savoring my present. Savoring you. I love the way you react to me, baby.” 

She presses closer to him when his fingers rising up her back reach the band of her bra, and Haechan quickly unfastens it. She sighs, and whether it’s due to the anticipation of him touching her tits or whether it’s the relief of being freed from her bra, he doesn’t know or care. She slides her arms out of the straps, lets her bra join her shirt and shorts on the floor, and then she drops her head back with a sigh as Haechan starts attending to her chest. 

He remembers the first time he really noticed her boobs: the night in the hot tub. He’d glanced over while they were all talking and laughing, and he’d happened to look down and seen the way that the string lights above the hot tub were reflecting on the water. Specifically the water that was lapping against her breasts where they rose out of the water. And he could see the thin fabric that had grown semi transparent beneath the water’s surface. And later that night when they’d shared a bed, he’d stared at them too, imagining how soft and nice they must be to touch. 

And in the present, as he palms one breast while he worships the other with his lips and his tongue, Haechan wishes (not for the first time) that he’d made a move that night. He missed out on so much time that he could’ve been with her like this just because he’d been too dumb and blind to notice what was right in front of him. 

Haechan drops his free hand down between her legs, and she shudders with another sweet sigh when he touches her over her panties, sliding a finger over the fabric, passing her clit so he can feel how wet she is, where she’s got a damp spot soaking through her panties. 

He thinks again about how much he enjoyed her sitting on his face the other night, and he really wants that to happen again, to feel her suffocate him against her pussy, smother him between her thighs. But he shouldn’t tonight. This bed is old and it squeaks and he’s sure that her riding his face is going to make a racket that will attract the attention of his family. 

Haechan slides off the edge of the bed to kneel on the floor, and he kisses down from her chest to her belly to the edge of her panties. 

She sighs his name, barely above a whisper, when his lips move over the front of her panties. Her fingers tighten, yanking at his hair, when Haechan licks over her clit through the panties while his fingers stroke slowly against the growing damp spot. 

He doesn’t remove her panties. He doesn’t even pull them to the side yet, but just licks and kisses and touches her over them. 

He waits until her fingernails drag over his scalp, her hands tugging at his hair to get him closer, her thighs twitching and a desperate hiss of his name—

Haechan drags her panties aside, his tongue meeting her clit. She rolls her hips against the heat of his mouth, and Haechan eagerly dives in deeper, wanting to feast on her, to devour the sweet taste of her pussy. Of course, he wishes more than anything to hear her moaning his name while he does it, but in the present circumstances, it would be better if she didn’t. 

She shudders and trembles against him with every drag of his tongue, and it gives Haechan such a headrush to have her like this, falling apart just with a few flicks of his tongue. 

“Hyuck,” she whispers, pressing her fingers into his hair, pushing slightly. “I’m gonna cum. Stop.”

Reluctantly, Haechan sinks back on his heels. He can feel her dampness on his lips and chin as he looks up at her. He can smell her arousal clinging to him and also so close at hand as she shifts on her feet. He just watches as she reaches down to push her panties off, letting them slide down her legs until she can step out of them, flicking them over to join the rest of her discarded clothes. 

Almost involuntarily, Haechan leans in, drawn towards the tantalizing taste between her legs. 

She jabs a finger against his forehead, stopping him. 

Haechan whines before he can catch himself. 

 “I don’t want to stop. The whole point is getting you there, returning the favor.” He pushes forward against her hand on his forehead until she removes it. He nuzzles against her bare thigh, leaving kisses up and down her left thigh. 

“No,” she whispers, “Fuck me. I want you inside me.”

Haechan doesn’t need telling twice. 

He curls his hands around the backs of her thighs, sliding his palms down over the softness of thigh and calves. “Sit down, then, baby,” he tells her gently. 

She lowers herself from standing above him to sitting in his lap. Her arms drape over his shoulders, her bare tits press against his chest, and she kisses him while she knots her fingers through his hair again. 

Haechan is hard again, because of course he is. Having his gorgeous girlfriend sitting in his lap is more than enough to do this to him, but also having just been devouring her pussy got him so hard that his cock is just aching in his shorts. 

He shivers a little when her fingertips brush over his belly, and he makes a little involuntary sound when she starts lifting his shirt. She pulls the shirt up, just breaking their gentle kiss long enough to drag it up over his head and drop it aside. 

Now when she presses herself closer to him, he can feel the press of her tits against his skin. He can feel the softness and warmth of her breasts, the peaks of her nipples. 

She sighs when Haechan slides a hand along her spine, when he shifts beneath her, and Haechan ever-so-carefully tips her backwards. He presses her back to the floor of the bedroom, and he covers her with his body, making sure there’s not an inch of untouched space between them. 

“Come on,” she whines so softly, tugging at his hair. 

Haechan feels the hair-tug right down to his cock, which gives a twitch in his shorts. 

“Need you, Haechan,” she whispers, “I need to feel you.”

As much as he enjoys hearing her beg and whine for his cock, Haechan slides a hand down between their bodies without further preamble. He shoves his shorts down, making a small sound in the back of his throat in relief as his cock springs free, and he gets a hand on himself. 

Something about doing this here on the floor of his childhood bedroom feels so right. He can’t explain it, but it’s a feeling of completeness and rightness, like he’s come full circle from when he was younger, lying in bed as he stared up at the ceiling and dreamed of someday being in love, to now when he’s rolling his hips forward against the love of his life. 

Because that’s what she is. No doubt. 

The absolute love of his entire life. 

He doesn’t even take the shorts fully off, just shoves them down around his thighs. She doesn’t care, she’s too busy panting against his lips as he drags his tip between her legs, feeling her wetness kissing his cock. All it takes is his thumb pressing against his length to direct himself towards her entrance, and then he rolls his hips forward and sinks inside her at last. 

It takes a great deal more effort to keep quiet after that. 

The house around them has fallen mostly silent, but blessedly one of his younger brothers is still awake and is playing video games or a movie in his bedroom, and the sound emanating from there is enough to mask some of the sounds they’re creating right here – their bodies are tangled together on the floor, knotted together with high energy and the inability to make too much noise. 

Her fingernails drag along Haechan’s shoulders and spine, digging in at the small of his back in a way that makes his toes curl, makes him grind his hips forward to be even deeper inside her warm, tight pussy. She’s rolling her hips too, aiming to get his cock to hit in just the right spot, and her breath is just against his lips, an imitation of a kiss. 

He wishes he could fully let go, could move right now and make the sounds right now that he wants to. He wants to treat her as well as she deserves. He wants to bend her into positions that he knows she likes better than just missionary, and he wants to talk to her because he knows that his voice gets her off faster. He wishes they were in the bed instead of the hard floor, although he knows the mattress is squeaky and will announce to the whole house immediately what they’re doing in here. 

He does the most that he can in present circumstances. 

Haechan fits a hand between them, his fingers find her clit. 

She lets out an audible squeak. 

She freezes but Haechan just grins, kissing her quickly before he lifts himself up a bit, putting a little space between her chest and his so he can look down at her spread out beneath him. He wants to see her as he rolls his hips and grinds his cock just right against that particular spot inside her. He wants to see the way that she bites her bottom lip to keep quiet when he plays with her clit. 

One of her hands drifts to her chest, cupping her breast and pinching her nipple between her fingers. Her other hand moves to Haechan’s hip, sliding around to grip his ass. 

The bite of her nails into his skin makes him hiss, makes his hips snap forward hard enough that she slides a couple inches against the floor. A second later he feels her heels against the backs of his thighs as she curls her legs around him to hold him closer.

He draws his thumb in tight circles on her clit, watching the way she squirms, the way her eyelids flutter shut, the way that her pussy eagerly swallows up his cock each time he rolls his hips forward. She’s so wet around him, and he can feel her getting closer, can feel the racing throb of her around his length. Her body is beginning to tense up in anticipation of her climax, and Haechan can feel his own quickly approaching as he watches. 

“Haechan,” she whimpers, and at this point he doesn’t care if it’s loud enough for anyone else to hear. He doesn’t care if they hear the sound that escapes her next — a mixture between a sigh and a whine and a cry. 

All he knows is the sweet release as he follows her over the edge, as he presses himself down over her again, as he captures her lips with his own. 

They drown in each other for a handful of moments, lost in the sensations of their bodies still moving together, taking from each other. 

Haechan is the one that breaks first. She bites his bottom lip and tugs and he forces himself to pull away from her. 

She lies there beneath him on the floor, chest heaving, a smile on her lips that is both pleased and full of challenge. “What?” She asks, her voice so quiet again now. “Where are you going?”

“You’re gonna be the death of me, angel.” Haechan rakes his fingers through his hair. “Keep it up and I won’t be able to stop myself, and we’ll do some serious damage to this bedroom and my relationship with my family.”

Still, she smiles up at him, reaching for his hand even as he pulls out of her and moves like he’s going to stand up. She tries to reel him in again, and Haechan knows it would be so damn easy to give in and lose himself inside her again. He always wants her, and when she’s laid out so invitingly like this, it makes it more difficult to say no. 

“Baby,” he sighs, taking her hand and tugging.

She sits up, still smiling as Haechan leans in to peck her on the lips. “Baby,” she sighs back at him, “Should we just go to sleep then?”

He nods. “Tomorrow we’ll go home. And at the end of the month, you’re all mine. No more roommates to intrude, and then we can just take all the time we want with each other. Any time you want me, angel, you’ll just be able to jump me.”

That makes her laugh, and that sound causes his heart to leap in his chest. 

She grabs his abandoned shirt from the floor, pulls it on and climbs to her feet. Haechan just pulls his shorts back up. He watches as she tiptoes from the bedroom to the bathroom down the hall. 

He’s half asleep already by the time she comes creeping back into the bedroom, quietly pressing the door shut behind her, sliding silently into the tight twin bed to squeeze herself against him. Haechan just opens his arms to let her snuggle in against his chest. The two of them fit tightly together by necessity (the too small bed) and just because they want to (Haechan wants her suffocatingly close, honestly). 

Her lips brush against his chest, her hair tickles his chin, and Haechan just breathes her in, feeling himself relaxing into the bed until sleep sinks over him. 

“You two are gross,” Mark groans from across the room. 

It’s the end of June, and as Haechan is finally moving in with his girlfriend to their new apartment, their friends have come to visit and help with the move. 

To be fair, the “gross” thing that Mark just walked in on is only Haechan hugging his girlfriend. She has her cheek against his shoulder, her arms around his waist, and Haechan’s arms squeeze tight around her shoulders while he rests his head against the top of hers. They’re just taking a pause, a well-deserved moment to drink in their present and their future in the quiet of their new apartment. 

Haechan’s dream apartment. The one he’s envisioned his future with her in. He was lucky that she’d fallen in love with it too upon their first viewing of it, lucky that they got it right away and were able to move in so quickly. 

And now they’ll finally have a place for just them. A quiet sanctuary. 

Well, it was quiet. 

But now Chenle, Xiaojun, and Jeno fill the doorway behind Mark, all of them talking. Then YangYang’s voice cuts through the clamor, saying, “If you think that’s gross, you haven’t spent enough time around them. I’m glad they’ve got their own place now, they’re always going at it like rabbits. I’m tired of hearing it and walking in on it.”

Haechan catches YangYang’s eye, and the younger at least has the decency to look a little embarrassed. 

And then Renjun appears, carrying a heavy box between him and Jaehyun. “Let’s just hope they can keep their hands to themselves when we all go on our trip.”

Jaehyun snickers, glancing over at Haechan’s girlfriend. He tightens his arms around her, feeling a jealous flare as she smirks back at Renjun and his boyfriend. 

“No promises,” Haechan says. “Our last trip everyone was fucking. So I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes the same in Bali.” He looks around the room at everyone – the couples of Renjun and Jaehyun, and Jeno and Jaemin most particularly – and then says, “At least it’s a bigger place and there are less of us this time, so we all get our own rooms.”

Though he has a feeling that that’s going to matter about as much as it did last time. People were still fucking around on their last trip outside of the bedrooms – in that outdoor shower, in the pool, in the kitchen. 

Renjun just laughs and drapes an arm on his boyfriend’s shoulder, leaning against Jaehyun. “The rooms aren’t soundproof, though, Haechan, so you’ll at least have to try to keep the volume down.”

Luckily, his girlfriend takes care of responding by flipping Renjun her middle finger. 

Everyone laughs and gets back to moving boxes and furniture up from the moving truck parked on the street below, but Haechan can’t stop thinking about the jokes from their friends. Their trip is coming up in just a couple weeks, and Haechan is almost certain that he’s not going to be able to keep his hands to himself. As a matter of fact, he’s got certain plans already that make him think that it’s not just going to be him struggling to keep his hands to himself.

He’s still thinking about the trip and his specific plans for it hours later after most of their friends have left, and still when her parents show up with pizza for dinner and also to help with unpacking some of their boxes. 

Haechan is glad to see them. Of course he is. They still have a lot of furniture to put together and boxes to organize, which is why Renjun, Jaehyun, and YangYang are still there, helping Haechan build a TV stand he bought from IKEA. It’s nice to have help, but with the way he’s been distracted for the past few hours, he also desperately wishes that he was alone with her already. 

While her mom helps her with unpacking some of the boxes, her dad comes over to help with the furniture assembly. That would be fine, like Haechan gets along well with her dad on the several occasions they’ve met, but Renjun and YangYang keep making jokes and blunt comments still that Haechan is terrified her dad is going to take the wrong way. 

Specifically jokes about the Indonesia trip and the sort of rules that they should put in place.

Eventually, Haechan sends them on a mission to pick up a few things from the nearest convenience store. Anything to get rid of them for a little bit. 

Haechan can hear his girlfriend and her mom talking quietly in the bedroom. They’ve got music playing over a Bluetooth speaker that mostly drowns out their conversation, and Haechan finds himself glancing towards the doorway. 

She’s laughing with her mom, saying something he can’t quite make out, and she’s holding an ugly sweater up in front of herself. 

Haechan has a vague memory involving that sweater. 

A few years ago while they were in school, an ugly sweater party they’d thrown at the rental house. He remembers that there’d been a gift exchange since it was right before the holiday break, there’d been mistletoe and Christmas lights. All of their friends wore hideous sweaters that ranged from itchy and horribly patterned to obnoxiously festive. They’d decorated cookies with frosting and sprinkles. They’d drunk spiced wine and spiked eggnog. Someone had started Christmas carol karaoke late in the night when pretty much everyone was completely wasted. 

Haechan remembers her wearing that sweater. He remembers that it had been very, very late when he walked onto the front porch, needing a breath of fresh air and a brief break from Xiaojun and Chenle’s karaoke singing. He’d found her sitting on the front step, wearing only the sweater and a pair of hole-y jeans. She’d been sitting there, staring up at the sky as fluffy flakes of snow were drifting lazily towards the ground where there was already a light dusting. The lampposts along the street gave off a pale, silvery ambience, and the whole city seemed so quiet right then except for the house right behind them. 

She’d been shivering when he sat down beside her. 

“You should be wearing a coat, you’re gonna catch a cold.” Haechan wasn’t wearing a coat either, but that didn’t matter so much to him. 

“It’s pretty out here,” is all she said. 

The wind blew a little, sending a couple little fluffs of snow to settle in her hair, and a few loose strands of her hair fluttered against her cheeks. She closed her eyes and tipped her face up. 

Haechan was probably drunk right then. A little more drunk than he’d thought because he was sitting here beside her, and he completely forgot about the girl he’d brought to the party who was sitting inside wearing a holly wreath as a crown and drinking everyone in there under the table. 

He watched her, shivering in her sweater as she enjoyed the wintry chill. She was pretty, so pretty. All haloed with snow and silvery light. She was an angel, a perfect angel, and his heart beat a little faster when she snuck a glance at him. He was staring, but she didn’t seem to mind too much. He figured if she called him out on it, he could tell her he was drunk, but really he just couldn’t bring himself to look away from her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, to protect her from the cold. He wasn’t sure where that urge came from, but here it was. 

Of course, that night was years before he realized his true feelings. 

But sitting here right now in the living room of their new apartment, watching her laugh with her mom over the ugly sweater, Haechan wonders if she remembers that night. He really had been such a fool to take so long to realize he was in love with her. He should’ve known it that night, but he’d blamed his feelings on the alcohol, he’d pushed them away. 

While they’re alone — her and her mom distracted in the other room, his friends gone temporarily — Haechan talks to her dad. The music from the speaker keeps playing loudly, and Haechan notices her looking out into the living room, checking on him and her dad, but he knows she can’t hear what they’re talking about. 

It’s hours later when her parents are the last to leave. Hugs, handshakes, her dad nodding a goodbye to Haechan at the door. 

The door has barely swung shut behind them before she’s right there, sliding her arms around Haechan’s waist, pressing her chest against his back. Her lips brush his neck. 

“We’re alone,” she sighs. “At last.”

The mattress in the bedroom is brand new, and they break it in that night.

Haechan is enthusiastic as he devours her, kissing her tenderly, taking her apart on his fingers and his tongue before he finally takes anything for himself. He can’t get enough of her, and she can’t satiate her need for him either. 

Thankfully their apartment is a corner apartment, their bedroom right there on the outer edge, so they’re likely not disturbing their neighbors. Except maybe the people living above and below them. But they make no efforts to be quiet. 

It’s quite a while later when she groans and knots her fingers in Haechan’s hair, dragging his mouth away from where he’s sucking a mark against her collarbones. 

“What has gotten into you tonight?” She’s smiling as she says it. “Aren’t you tired yet?”

Maybe he should find an insult in that, but they have gone more rounds than normal, not to mention they spent all day moving heavy furniture and boxes up several floors, so maybe she’s just genuinely amazed that Haechan is still seeking more. 

“I just love you,” Haechan murmurs, lowering his head again. “And we’ve got this place. Our home. I’m just excited and in love. Can you blame me?” He turns his head to the side, and he brushes his lips against her wrist. He can feel her pulse pounding beneath his lips. She sighs. 

Haechan kisses from her wrist to the crease of her elbow. He can smell her perfume underlying the scent of them together. He trails kisses along the rest of her arm to her shoulder, from her shoulder to her neck, her neck to her jaw. 

She swears softly when he deviates to suck lightly at one of her earlobes, nipping lightly with his teeth. He smiles, loving the way she always reacts when he does that, the way that he can feel her tighten around him where he’s still buried inside her. 

He kisses the high point of her cheekbone, kisses her eyelids and her nose, leaves a lingering kiss to her forehead, and he can feel her breath against his throat. Her hands clench against his sides. 

“Haechan,” she breathes out his name. 

He draws his lips back from her forehead. He kisses her nose again, and then he withdraws a few inches to look down at her. 

Her eyes are still closed. Her lips are turned up, seeking, hopefully, begging to be kissed. 

Haechan leans in, still watching her, watching the way her mouth twitches, the way that her lips part with another small sigh. 

He kisses her. 

Not the hungry, devouring kisses of earlier. This one is slow and sweet. She hums, pleased. 

They tangle together one more time tonight. Bodies moving in tandem, slowly, savoring each other, embracing and enjoying the feel of each other everywhere inside and out. 

“Say it,” Haechan murmurs as he teeters on the brink of another orgasm. “Say it, angel.”

He knows she knows what he’s asking for, and she gives it willingly, openly, spilling the words sweetly from her lips pressed against his. 

“Yours. Always yours.” 

Haechan unravels, taking her words as a promise. 

Although he’s fully aware of all the jokes and teasing and fake rules their friends have put into place leading up to this trip, Haechan doesn’t take any of them seriously. 

It’s July now, the heat of summer is devastating, but as bad as it is at home, Haechan knows it’s going to be even worse when they get to Indonesia. He’s already sweating as he and his girlfriend unload from the taxi they took to the airport, baking in the heat, his sunglasses slide down his nose due to sweating. 

Blessedly, the interior of the airport is a lot cooler. By the time they’ve made it through security and have found their gate, Haechan feels a lot better. 

Xiaojun and his girlfriend, YangYang and his flavor of the month, and Jeno and Jaemin are already waiting at the gate. 

Haechan can’t help thinking, as they approach their friends, that they all put a lot of joking rules in place considering it’s only couples coming on this trip. Haechan won’t be surprised if not a single one of the sex rules gets followed this week. They all made it work during their trip to Thailand. 

While Haechan is settling into the seat beside Jeno, his girlfriend excuses herself to the restroom. 

They’ve still got about an hour and a half until their flight is meant to board, but Renjun and Mark, who were the ones who put the most planning into this trip, had told all of them to be here two hours early. Of course, Haechan doesn’t fail to notice that neither one of them is there yet. 

Before she returns from the restroom, Renjun and Jaehyun arrive, looking far fancier than the rest of their friends. Both of them look like they could walk a runway or something, and Haechan can’t deny that it’s not a good look, but it’s overkill since they’re all headed to the tropics. Haechan, Jeno, and Jaemin are dressed in sweatpants and tshirts. 

Haechan leaves his seat behind to go talk with the new arrivals, checking with Renjun about what some of the details of the group itinerary are since he’s the one that booked the villa, some of the dinners, and most of their rentals that had to be booked in advance. Renjun assures him that everything has been booked and scheduled properly in the itinerary that he sent to their group chat. 

Haechan returns to his seat beside Jeno and pulls out his phone to check the itinerary – the plans for dinners and for sightseeing, for excursions at the beach, and more. 

Eventually, she comes back, sliding quietly into the seat beside Haechan. She brought back drinks from Starbucks, passing him one and saving the other for herself. He notices the way she keeps shifting around nervously, crossing and uncrossing her legs, bouncing her feet. He reaches over and lays a hand on her knee. 

“What’s gotten into you?” He murmurs. “You’ve never been a nervous flier before.”

She nods, then leans closer, resting her chin on his shoulder to whisper in his ear. “I want to try something.”

Immediately heat blooms inside Haechan, a rush of heat centered in his lower belly. “Oh?”

“I’m wearing a vibrator,” she hisses the word so quietly that Haechan almost misses it. “And you’re going to control it.”

Dear God, his vision pulses black for a second, his head spins. She’s truly going to be the death of him, he thinks, as his heart races. 

“The rules….” He starts to say, glancing over at where Xiaojun is dozing with his head on his girlfriend’s shoulder, where YangYang is giggling with his girl at something on her phone. 

“As if anyone is going to follow them,” she whispers, “And besides, we have a long wait before we board the plane, a long flight after that. I don’t want to be bored, Haechan.”

There have been a rare few times since they began this relationship that Haechan wonders if he’s bitten off more than he can chew with her and her exhibitionism. 

“Can you really do it here?” He asks. He doesn’t even understand how she snuck a vibrator through the airport security. He’s not going to ask either. “Can you really keep it subtle enough?”

She smiles and pecks him on the cheek. “The app is on your phone, I downloaded it for you yesterday. You’re the one in control. You know what I can take.”

She’s giving him all the power right now? He tries hard to not let that rush immediately go to his head. 

She shifts again in a way that Haechan suddenly realizes is excitement over this situation she’s created for herself. 

“You’re a pervert,” Haechan accuses her softly, adoringly. She smiles sweetly. 

He’s grateful for the fact that he’s got a privacy screen protector on his phone. No one can see the app on his screen as he pulls it up with the help of her whispered instructions, it’s invisible unless they’re standing directly behind him and peering over his shoulder. They might be able to see the delight on his face as he realizes that she’s already gone through all the necessary steps, and all Haechan has to do is control her now. 

He could push her quickly right up to the edge, watch her fight to contain herself. 

Or he could just start her out slow, get her so wet that she’s going to ruin her panties. If she’s even wearing them. He wonders how much she’s really planned this. 

Haechan just starts out the vibration low and constant. She reaches over to hold his hand, and he can feel her pulse thrumming in her wrist where it presses against his. 

He toys with her for the time before they board their flight. He holds conversations with their friends while he messes around on his phone, and each time he jacks up the intensity of her vibrator using his phone, he feels her clutch his hand a little bit tighter. But she’s a good girl, and she doesn’t make a sound. 

Haechan has fun with it, pulsing it rapidly so that her fingernails dig into his skin as she fights to keep control of herself, but then other times hr has it so low and constant that she’s able to catch her breath, able to join in on conversation and look almost as if she’s not hiding this dirty secret in plain sight. 

Best of all is that no one notices. All of their friends are too distracted with each other to take any notice when she slips a little bit every now and then, her face showing a hint of the pleasure she’s feeling. 

When their flight is called to board, Haechan lowers the vibrations to almost nothing, but even then, he notices her legs are a tiny bit wobbly as she gets to her feet, as she clutches at his arm while they walk together to line up with their friends to board. He smiles at her, kisses her forehead, and murmurs, “Should I let you have it, baby? Do you deserve to be rewarded? Or should I make you wait til we get to the house?”

Her fingernails dig into his arm sharply. “I don’t think I can wait.”

“We’ll see.”

On the plane, she’s got a window seat, Haechan takes the middle seat, and the third seat in their row is left open for a stranger.  As soon as she’s settled with her personal item tucked beneath the seat in front of her, her seat belt latched across her lap, Haechan places his hand on her bare thigh. She wore shorts for their day of travel, loose athletic shorts that it’s easy for him to slide his fingers inside of. 

Not that he does that right now. 

Well, he stretches his pinky finger out and traces it along the edge of her shorts, which is enough to make her shiver. She turns her head to look out the plane window at the tarmac, and she presses her mouth into her palm. 

The flight fills in around them. Renjun and Jaehyun are in the row behind them with a sweet old lady who strikes up a conversation with the pair of them. Haechan waits to see who is going to fill in the seat beside him. 

But when the doors of the flight close, the seat remains empty. 

Perfect. 

He waits until they’re properly airborne, until the plane is filled with the dull murmur of conversations, the sharper sound of a baby crying a few rows ahead of them, and it’s then that he ramps the vibrator’s setting all the way up. 

She hisses and clutches at his arm, somehow both squirmy and rigid in her seat. Her eyes are closed, but she still has her head turned towards the window. 

It’s almost a seven hour flight from Seoul to Bali, Indonesia, and Haechan doesn’t intend to torture her with the vibrator for the entire seven hours. That might be a bit too much edging, honestly, but he thinks he can do it for a while, playing with her until she’s desperate for it. 

He rests his free hand on her thigh still, the other is preoccupied with his phone — his thumb sliding up and down to adjust the speed and intensity of his girlfriend’s vibrator. The thumb on his other hand strokes her thigh in a matching pattern. Goosebumps rise on her skin, and she squeezes her thighs together. 

She just wore a thin top today since the heat is going to be so thick once they arrive in Indonesia, and right now Haechan can see her nipples poking against the front of her shirt. She crosses her legs, trapping his hand there in the warmth between her thighs, and he’s sorely tempted to just throw caution to the wind and slide his fingers inside her shorts. Fuck the vibrator, he wants to finger her right here until she’s squirting around his fingers and he has to ask a flight attendant for some napkins. 

“Fuck off,” she whispers when he murmurs his thoughts into her ear. 

Haechan kisses her cheek, slides his fingers a little higher, and he draws his pinky finger along the center seam of her shorts. 

She shivers. 

Haechan grins, and again he whispers to her, asking, “Are you even wearing panties, angel? I swear I can already feel how wet you are.”

“I’m not,” she admits, and her voice gives an odd flutter when he draws his pinky finger in a circle over her clit. “I thought it would be easier if I wasn’t, so I stowed them in my purse when I went to the bathroom. I was hoping that after you got tired of toying with me, you’ll fuck me in the tiny airplane bathroom.”

God, Haechan is so in love with her. 

“I might take you in there,” he says. “Once I’ve had enough of this.” And then he drives the settings high again, watching the way her eyes flutter shut, the way her thighs clench around his hand, and she bites her bottom lip. He slowly lowers the setting until she relaxes again. 

Back and forth, again and again, wilderness with sudden sharp bursts of pleasure, sometimes he drops all the way to the lowest setting. And the whole time, Haechan is touching her — over her shorts, her thighs, holding her hand while she leans over with her head on his shoulder and her teeth scraping his bicep while she tries to keep quiet. 

Haechan is enchanted, endeared by her. 

Her teeth dig into his skin through his shirt as he lets the vibrator pass in a smooth rhythm between two different settings. Her fingernails draw marks into his forearm, and a small whimper manages to escape her as he lets her orgasm at last overtake her. 

She doesn’t say a word as she revels in the feeling, as he keeps his thumb on the screen of his phone, dropping her down to the lowest level and just letting it buzz to elongate her pleasure. She tucks her head into the crook of his neck, and Haechan can feel her breath damp against his skin as she shudders through a second weaker orgasm. 

“I love you,” she mumbles, “Give me, like, five minutes and you can drag me off to that tiny bathroom.”

Haechan laughs. He turns off the vibrator, and slides his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants. “We don’t have to. We still have hours left of this flight, baby. And a whole flight back home at the end of the week.”

She sighs a little, but she settles in against him, relaxing. Soon her breaths grow slow and steady, and Haechan realizes that she’s fallen asleep. 

The rest of the flight is quiet, uneventful, and even when she wakes from her nap a little while later, Haechan insists that they stay in their seats. 

“We don’t want to exert all of our energy now, do we?” He stretches his arms above his head and peeks back over his shoulder to see Renjun and Jaehyun, the latter asleep with his head on Renjun’s shoulder. “I have plans for us, angel. Lots of plans, and some are even ones that our friends definitely won’t approve of.”

Already they’ve made several plans as a group — paddle boarding to this lake just a short distance inland, parasailing, snorkeling, exploring historical structures, etc. — and Haechan has adapted some of his plans to account for those things. 

That answer seems good enough for her. 

The luxury villa is exactly as it was promised on the booking website. A gorgeous pool area with an abundance of lounge chairs and umbrellas, an outdoor jacuzzi, a covered patio with a fire pit and L-shaped sofa, a grilling area and outdoor bar. There are 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a state of the art kitchen, a small gym. The living room is equipped with large sofas, a massive TV with a sound system, and a pool table, air hockey table, dart board, foosball table, and a ping pong table. There’s wifi and TV, air conditioning, gorgeous views; the villa has everything they could want. 

As soon as YangYang pulls up to the villa in their rental car, there is a mad scramble to get inside and claim the best bedrooms. Each couple gets their own bedroom, their own bathroom. 

There is a main house and then two separate buildings, each one housing two bedrooms, although the main house holds the kitchen, the living room, and the gym. 

Xiaojun and his girlfriend claim one of the rooms in the main house on the basis that Xiaojun is going to be the one using the kitchen the most. Jeno and Jaemin take the second bedroom for the same reason — they’ll be using the kitchen and the gym often. 

YangYang and his girl, plus Mark and his girlfriend share one of the standalone houses, leaving Jaehyun, Renjun, Haechan, and his girlfriend in the other. 

“Don’t forget,” Renjun warns as the four of them step into their shared building. “Just keep the volume down.”

“Maybe we’ll be extra loud just to spite you,” she says quickly in reply.

Renjun opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, Haechan tugs on his girlfriend’s arm to draw her towards the stairs that lead up to their bedroom on the second floor. 

THe bedroom is just as beautiful as the rest of the villa. A wooden floor with soft rugs, a queen sized bed with a netted canopy that can be drawn back or cover the bed. There’s a nice bathroom with a waterfall shower. There’s a balcony that overlooks the beautiful forest view behind the villa as well as a nice view on the other side of the room of the pool area below. 

She slides up behind Haechan while he’s looking down at the pool. She hugs him from behind, her arms around his waist, her cheek against his shoulder. “We still have a few hours before we’re all leaving for dinner,” she says, “Do you want to shower with me? I’ll make good on that promise from earlier.”

Haechan watches Jeno reappear from the main house, taking a running leap before he plunges fully into the pool with a massive splash. Jaemin is close behind him, then Mark joins in too.

Later they’re all driving back into the little tourist town on the beach. They’re going to grab dinner and drinks at a restaurant that has great reviews. That’s hours from now. Plenty of time for him to enjoy his girlfriend the way that she deserves.

“You go in first,” Haechan tells her.

She wanders off, and he takes a few moments to draw the gauzy curtains over the windows looking down to the pool. He doesn’t want to share her with all of them, not now.

She’s already standing bare beneath the spray of the waterfall shower. The shower floor is made up of a few large tiles while the rest is filled in with pebbles. There’s a window overhead and another one that overlooks the forest.

Haechan strips and joins her. He pulls her against him, cradling her face in his hands, and he kisses her like he’s been deprived of her touch for weeks, as if it wasn’t just last night that he pinned her to the couch while they fought over the last bite of the last eggroll from their takeout dinner, and when she stuffed it into her mouth, he’d let her finish chewing it while he looked at her in shock, and then he’d kissed her. She’d teased him afterwards that it was gross that he wanted to kiss her just to get a taste of the eggroll, so he’d kissed her again and kept kissing her for quite a while.

But he can’t help how much he loves her.

He can’t help how often he wishes he was just like this with her: skin-to-skin with nothing in between, tasting her kiss, hearing her soft sounds of pleasure as he slides a hand down between her legs again.

He can’t help the way that his carnal desires take over, his need to be inside her driving him to press her up against that window looking out to the forest. He fits his cock inside her from behind, his hands on her hips as he fills her up again and again. He presses his fingertips between her lips to keep her mouth busy, and she sucks on his fingers like they’re his cock. 

Haechan cums, pulling out just in time to get her lower back, but that’s not enough for her. She only just barely spares a moment to shut off the water before she’s got her hands on his chest, propelling him backwards out of the shower, out of the bathroom, onto the bed. She sits right back on his cock, riding him with her hands on his thighs to steady herself. 

Her hair drips down her back and onto his skin, little cold drops that tickle as they roll across his skin. She looks like a siren, fresh from the sea with her skin and hair so wet, her body rolling on top of him, her head tipped back as she moans for him, sighing his name. Her breasts bounce distractingly on her chest, and Haechan is mesmerized, watching her use his cock to draw her own pleasure, her nipples are pulled into tight peaks, and he can’t help himself when he sits up and latches on to one of them.

She shudders, arching into the heat of his mouth. 

Haechan reaches around her, grabbing her ass, and he squeezes it. She rolls her hips a little faster, but it’s still not enough for him.

He wants to be deeper.

She gasps when he suddenly moves, turning them over so her back is on the bed and he’s above her. 

She’s not being quiet, and he’s not sure if that’s because of what she said to Renjun before they came up here, or if she’s just genuinely enjoying herself that much that she’s being so noisy. Either way, Haechan doesn’t really want to piss off their friends on their first night of the trip, so he leans in and kisses her to get her to quiet down a little.

It works a little bit, but once Haechan really starts moving, snapping his hips forward roughly to get as deep inside her as he can, her cries grow in volume again, even muffled by his mouth on hers. Haechan can tell that she’s getting close, and with each time that she clenches around him, each of her whining moans, he feels himself growing closer too. The knot in his belly draws tighter, and he loves the feeling of being so deep inside her, he really doesn’t want to pull out just to cum on her belly or thighs again. He wants to relish the feeling of his orgasm inside her.

“Can I cum inside?” He gasps the words out against her lips as he feels himself teetering on the brink.

She hesitates for a fraction of a second, but then she nods. “Yes. Inside me. Please, Haechan.”

She so rarely has let him cum inside her, and hasn’t let him do it in what feels like ages, so the feeling of it right now is overwhelming. And the way that she hits her peak at the same moment, just makes it all that much better.

Haechan does her the courtesy of at least pulling out and repositioning her, then he sinks down between her legs. She basically wraps her legs around his head as he cleans her up with his tongue and eats her out.

By the time they descend from their bedroom almost an hour later (after he brings her to orgasm twice more on his tongue and fingers, after they shower off again and get ready for their group dinner), Haechan’s lips feel a little bruised and he feels drunk off the taste of her, but he has a happy girlfriend at his side. 

Haechan wakes the next morning on a deflating pool float that’s halfway submerged on the steps into the pool. He doesn’t really remember how he got there, just that they’d all been drinking a lot of strong stuff at the bar, and then when they got back to the villa there was more drinking. 

He’s not the only one left out by the pool. Mark is asleep on two of the lounge chairs that have been pushed together. Xiaojun’s girlfriend is stretched out on the sofa by the firepit, a bluetooth speaker a few feet away from her still playing music.

Haechan, in his attempt to climb off the pool float, ends up tipping himself into the water, and the shock of the cool water closing over him is enough to fully wake him the rest of the way up, sobering him in an instant.

“Fuck! Shit! Damn it!” He curses as his head breaks the surface. Not that anyone hears him. Both Mark and Xiaojun’s girlfriend are still deep asleep as Haechan sloshes up the steps, splattering the concrete with his footsteps and soaking wet clothes. All the lights are off in the villas, and it’s then that Haechan realizes it’s still very early and it was probably only the deflating of his float letting in the cool water that woke him.

The sun isn’t all the way up yet, just coloring the clouds a pale orange color, and there is a surprising slight chill to the morning air. A short breeze prickles Haechan’s skin as he walks towards his building. 

The door to Renjun and Jaehyun’s bedroom is cracked open, and he can just barely catch a glimpse of their tangled bodies on top of the bedsheets. He climbs the stairs up to his bedroom quietly.

Haechan feels an odd sense of deja vu upon attempting to quietly open the bedroom door. A night so long ago when he cautiously opened a bedroom door, worried about waking the girl in his bed then. That night, he’d startled her awake. Or at least, he’d assumed he’d woken her, it was only all those months later when she finally confessed to him that she had not been asleep but had actually just finished touching herself.

This morning, she doesn’t even stir as he opens the door.

She’s diagonal on the bed, her head on Haechan’s pillow while her body crosses the rest of the mattress. She’s only wearing panties, all the sheets have been kicked to the end of the bed, and as Haechan notices the scattered hickeys on her thighs, a vague memory from last night returns: stumbling up the stairs with her, losing their balance and giggling as they sat down on the stairs, as Haechan untied the wrap dress that she’d worn out to dinner, as he parted her thighs and knelt there on the stairs to eat her out. 

Someone had come in downstairs while they were there on the stairs. Whether it was Renjun or Jaehyun, Haechan didn’t know, but he did finish her off on his tongue, and he’d still been leaving his mark on her thighs when the sound of a door opening downstairs sounded again. And that time they’d been caught, called out by Jaehyun. 

Haechan vaguely recalls laughing as he’d risen to his feet and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. He remembers stumbling back down the stairs and throwing his arm around Jaehyun’s shoulders, asking him not to tell everyone that they’d been breaking the rules against having sex in public spaces of the house. He remembers in blurry bursts, dragging Jaehyun back out to the pool, pouring both of them a few shots, and then the rest of the night vanished.

Haechan doesn’t want to bother her, so he walks quietly across the room to the bathroom. His head is throbbing, so as he waits for the shower to reach a good temperature, he digs through his bag for something to help his headache. By the time he’s finished showering and brushing his teeth, he does feel a bit better, though there’s still a dull pressure behind his eyes.

Coffee is the perfect mend for that, and Haechan brews a cup with a small Keurig that’s sitting on the desk in the bedroom. 

He’s sitting out on the balcony of the bedroom, air-drying all his bits and enjoying the fresh coffee and the quiet sunrise, when the door of the balcony slides open again.

“There you are,” his girlfriend says. “You never came up to bed.”

She’s still only wearing her panties. All the rest of her is bare and exposed in the morning light. He can see the hickeys better now when the sunrise brushes against her thighs.

“I think I tried to drink away Jaehyun’s memory of finding us.” Haechan opens his arms, and she sinks down in his lap, taking the mug of coffee from him as she leans her back against his chest. “But I feel better now than I did earlier.”

She hums into the mug, keeping it cradled in her hands. 

For a few moments, they’re both quiet, enjoying the peaceful sunrise, the mist rising from the forest into the golden sky. 

“I like it here,” she shares, “Like, of all the places we’ve been, I think I like it here the best.”

“We’ve been here not even a full day, and for half of the time we’ve been drunk,” Haechan reminds her. “But I agree. It’s nice here like this.”

There aren’t many nice vacations he’s been on where he can sit on a second floor balcony and enjoy an unobstructed view of nature. Not to mention, he’s not ever been on a vacation where he can sit completely naked on the balcony without fear of someone being able to see him. Especially not with his gorgeous mostly-naked girlfriend sitting in his lap.

She leans forward and sits the coffee mug on the ground beside their feet. “Maybe we can come back here. In the future.”

Haechan smiles, an undeniable smile. He loves when she talks like this. Any time that she talks about the future and includes him within that.

“We can do that,” he promises. “For vacations in the future.”

Again, she leans back against him, her head tipped back on his shoulder. She sighs, “What are we doing today? Was today the day that they wanted to go parasailing? And didn’t you say that you’ve got some plans too for this trip?”

“Mm,” Haechan agrees. “I do have plans. Very different from the ones our friends have been making.”

He wonders if she can feel the way that his heart has begun to race.

“Can you tell me your plans?” She starts to sit up and twist around to face him, but Haechan just wraps his arms snug around her hips, pulling her back so her ass rests right above his dick. She laughs, “What are you doing?”

“You want to know my plans?” Haechan asks. “These are my plans. Just you and me, fucking like bunnies in a tropical location. Last time we went on a trip like this I was still stupid and blind, and I didn’t really get to appreciate you as much as I should have. This time, I don’t want to make the same mistake. I want to enjoy my time with you, angel.”

She makes a satisfied sound. “Last time… meaning when you watched all of our friends fuck around the entire trip?”

Haechan nods, tucking his head so he can start kissing her neck. 

“What about the rules? You were so worried about them yesterday.” Her voice is beginning to wane as Haechan softly kisses her neck, as one of his hands slips down to stroke along the band of her panties. 

Haechan grunts a small sound of denial. “Not worried anymore.”

Haechan knows that he’s beyond lucky to have her. For numerous, endless reasons, but one of the most important reasons is that she is just as insatiable as he is. Despite her having had, like, several orgasms within the last approximately twelve hours, when Haechan’s fingers dive beneath her panties, she whimpers like she needs it.

She squirms in his lap, against his swelling erection, panting and whining while Haechan kisses her throat and draws light circles on her clit with his fingers. His other hand, he lifts to her chest, palming at her tits.

This doesn’t really feel like it’s breaking any of the rules. They’re not really in a public space right now since no one can see them on this balcony. There’s no one to accidentally spot them as she gets his cock trapped between his belly and her ass, as she grinds on him until Haechan is cumming, his cum streaking down her ass as she keeps moving, as he strokes her clit with his fingers until she cums too, her pussy so wet and warm against his dick that Haechan almost pins her against the balcony’s edge to feel her around him.

But he doesn’t. 

They move on. She showers away the feel of last night while Haechan just quickly wipes himself down. They dress and head back to the main house for breakfast provided by Xiaojun and Jaemin. 

Everyone goes sightseeing that day. Most of them are recovering from last night’s hangovers, but plenty of water, electrolytes, and some really decent sunglasses help for the most part. Dinner that night is an extravagant affair put on by Xiaojun, Jaemin, Haechan, Mark’s girlfriend, and featuring bartending by YangYang.

Quickly, Haechan realizes that when his friends made the list of silly rules, they meant for it to apply just to Haechan and his girlfriend. None of them are following their own rules, and of course, most of them have had direct experiences with Haechan’s voyeurism and/or his girlfriend’s exhibitionist tastes, so that’s why they’d laid down those rules.

But on the third night while he’s lounging in the pool while his girlfriend is over drinking by the firepit with Renjun, Jaehyun, and Mark, Haechan looks up at the main house, and catches a glimpse through the windows of the second floor of Xiaojun and his girlfriend fucking against the window. She’s blindfolded with Xiaojun’s hand possibly around her throat while he takes her from behind, her tits are pressed to the window.

It says a great deal about how being in this relationship has changed Haechan that, instead of staying and watching them, he turns away from the window. He plunges through the water until he reaches the edge of the pool closest to the fire pit, and he pulls himself out of the water.

He doesn’t want to watch Xiaojun and his girlfriend. He doesn’t care to watch them. Instead, his mind has immediately taken the scenario and flipped it around in his imagination so he’s the one up there, fucking his own girlfriend against the window, whispering in her ear that their friends are down in the pool and can see her being a perfect whore for him.

And the next morning, bright and early, Haechan and her leave their bedroom to go take a walk around the neighborhood of the villa. It’s a nice, quiet walk. They hold hands and enjoy the sunrise, and Haechan tells her about his self-discovery from the night before; how he’s not so sure that he’s into voyeurism anymore, how he feels that being in this relationship with her has reformed him from his perverted ways.

“Well, most of them,” he laughs, “I think I just adapted my form of perversion into yours. I still want to fuck you in public places. I want you all to myself, but I don’t think I care if people can see.”

That makes her laugh too. “I think we must’ve rubbed off on each other, then, because honestly, I still very much am into exhibitionism, but I also want to watch other people. Specifically, on this trip. Like, I thought for sure everyone would be breaking the rules. You’ve seen almost all of our friends on this trip having sex, and I feel like I’m at a disadvantage.”

Haechan has shown her before all of the videos he had in his phone – the one of Jeno and Jaemin, the stolen clips from Renjun’s phone – but she wants some of her own memories of watching. He can understand that.

As luck would have it, it’s still early when they return to the villa. The main house is silent, the pool is empty, but when they reach their building, when they step through the front door, the first thing they’re greeted with is the sight of the ground floor bedroom’s door wide open. Renjun’s bare back, pale in the light coming through the windows, stands out in contrast to the dark headboard of the bed. He’s riding Jaehyun, breathy moans pouring from both of them, not even trying to be quiet, which either means they were hoping to be caught, or they really thought that Haechan and his girlfriend were going to be gone for longer.

She’s giddy about finally catching someone, and she lingers in the doorway, watching their two friends in a way that brings to life a tendril of lust in his belly. She’s a pervert.

Haechan sits on the stairs, watching her peer around the doorway, her lips parted as eyes follow Renjun riding his boyfriend. He looks at her and he sees two images of her overlaid. He sees the angelic perception he had of her for so long, and he sees her the way he sees her now. Two very different perceptions, but exactly the same woman.

She giggles about it for a while once he takes her hand and drags her upstairs to their bedroom. Even through the floor, they can hear some of the boyfriends downstairs moaning.

“What’s so funny?” Haechan asks.

“I never got to see them together,” she explains, still smiling, “Jaehyun saw or heard every time that Renjun and I were together except the very first time during the movie. You showed me those videos you stole, but that’s not the same. It’s only fair that I got to watch them. Also, Jaehyun is a damn hypocrite. He used to make fun of me when I didn’t want to put in the work, but he was just letting Renjun do all the work down there.”

Haechan nods. “Did you like it, though? Did you like watching, angel?”

She shrugs. “I’m not going to go out of my way to look for it, but, yeah, if they’re gonna have sex right there in plain view, I’ll watch.” 

It must be something in the air, or perhaps it's the aphrodisiacal wine and foods that they’ve been eating, or maybe they all just snap and are filled with a flood of horniness, but that day everyone seems to be in a mood. It’s not like there’s a massive orgy or anything like that, although Haechan probably wouldn’t mind too much if that broke out right in front of him, but after spotting Xiaojun and his girlfriend the previous night, after witnessing Renjun and Jaehyun that morning, Haechan sees Mark getting a little too handsy while he helps his girlfriend apply sunscreen before they all head out for the day. 

They all go paddleboarding together. And Haechan’s girlfriend points out to him the way that YangYang and his girl are canoodling on the paddleboard that they’re sharing. YangYang is pressed up against her back, his arms around her as he helps her paddle, both of them whispering and laughing, and Haechan sees YangYang’s hands begin to wander. Haechan makes sure to show his girlfriend when he notices the way that YangYang’s board begins to lag behind where everyone else is paddling, when his girl is suddenly on her hands and knees.

“Look,” Haechan murmurs to his girlfriend. “There’s another fun little glimpse for you. So much for not having sex in public spaces. Wasn’t it him that came up with that rule?”

But YangYang is definitely fucking his girl doggy style on the paddle board. 

And maybe a little while later, when all of their friends are distracted, Haechan does the same with his girlfriend, fucking her from behind, her pretty ass bouncing with each thrust, the paddleboard wobbling so unsteadily. He knows that someone has to have spotted them, but for once no one calls them out, nor does anyone say anything when Haechan holds his girlfriend on his lap later as they’re driving back to the villa.

No one says anything as they all spend the rest of that day in the pool at their villa, sunbathing and playing around, Haechan unable to keep his hands off of her. To be fair, most of the couples can’t keep their hands to themselves, but when some of their friends are disappearing inside or curling up on the lounge chairs beneath umbrellas, Haechan and his girlfriend are stretched out on the sofa on the covered patio.

He’s been tickling her, her giggles echoing out from the patio, his fingers tugging at strings tying her bikini in place, his lips tracing her tanlines, tasting the saltwater from the sea earlier.

Right now, they’re not even trying to hide it. 

Her bikini falls away, leaving her bare but for the dappled sunlight that stripes over her skin through the latticed ceiling above them. 

“What if they see?” She asks, but she makes no attempt to cover herself up. She actually stretches her arms above her head, exposing herself a little bit more. 

“When has that ever stopped you before?” Haechan replies. “What happened to the girl that let some stranger eat her out in a library? The one that fucked Renjun in her car on campus, who fingered herself in the office?”

She lifts her chin, a daring gleam in her eyes. “She’s still right here. But she’s also aware of her boyfriend’s jealousies, his dislike of actually sharing her with anyone else.”

“They can look,” he says with a shrug, “But they can’t touch.”

He slides a hand from her hip to her chest, all along the curve of her body. She makes a soft, pleased sound. 

“And besides, angel,” Haechan says, “Anyone who sees us together knows that you’re mine. All mine. So let them watch me lay claim to you, let them see the way that you call yourself mine.”

Haechan sinks down, brushing his lips over her throat, down her sternum to her heart. He kisses her there, letting the heat of his mouth linger while his hands slip down to her thighs, pulling them up around his waist. 

“You’re so cocky, Haechan,” she accuses, “You make it sound like your dick is so good that I just beg you for more and more, that I can’t get enough.”

Haechan snorts, laughing even as he presses against her. “But you do, don’t you, baby? You can’t get enough of me, just as I can’t get enough of you. I don’t care who sees us, just as long as they can see how much we mean to each other.”

She lifts her arms from above her head up to drape them around his shoulders. “Are you gonna talk romance to me when we’re about to have sex out here? Gonna wax poetic about how much you love me, Hyuck? You should be begging me again to cum inside me, to mark me up. You should call me names. But don’t get sweet and soft when we’re having sex in public.” 

“I’ll do what I want, pretty whore. I’ll give you something so everyone knows you’re mine,” Haechan growls, and with that, he thrusts himself into her. 

He doesn’t take it easy. Doesn’t go soft or slow on her. 

Haechan takes what he wants, and she keeps moaning, a low chant of “yes yes yes” as her tots bounce with each of Haechan’s deep thrusts, her hands grasping above her head again for anything to grab onto. She bites her bottom lip, trying to at least keep her volume a little low so it doesn’t carry across the pool to where Renjun and Jaehyun are curled together on a large square lounger. 

He reaches for her chin, his thumb dragging beneath her bottom lip. “What are you being so quiet for, huh? Don’t you want all of them to know what we’re doing? Let them know who’s making you feel good, baby?” 

She does moan a little louder, her mouth falls open, and just the sound of her raised moans, her hisses of, “Fuck, harder, baby,” and “God, more! More, Haechan, more, more!” drives Haechan on. 

Each snap forward of his hips makes her tits jiggle, brings another guttural sound of pleasure from her pretty lips. 

“Ah, yes!” She whimpers when Haechan slides his hands down under her ass, lifting her and switching up the angle just enough that he’s hitting that spot inside her now with each thrust, and it’s only a moment later that she’s cumming around him. Haechan brings one of his hands around to her clit, the other up to her throat just to close his hand around it briefly, lightly. 

She writhes with ecstasy, her body arching, still working her hips to get the most out of his cock and the contact with his fingers.

Haechan doesn’t let up. He’s still fucking into his gorgeous girlfriend, still stimulating her clit, though he does remove his hand from her throat as soon as she taps at his arm. Then he moves to her tits, beautiful and perfect in the sunlight. 

She grows tighter around him when he pinches one of her nipples, and he swears he feels a gush of wetness when he tugs on the same nipple. She’s so reactive to him, grinding herself on his cock with a loud moan that Haechan is certain must carry across the pool, and she arches into the hand on her chest, her hands grip tight to a throw pillow over her head. 

He folds himself over her, his lips closing over her unattended nipple, flicking his tongue over the sensitive peak. She shudders again beneath him, waves of pleasure tearing through her as her pussy pulses around his cock. 

Haechan pulls out of her, pulling completely away more suddenly than he’s sure either of them would really like. 

She’s lying there, panting, damp with sweat and his saliva on her one breast. Her nipples both look swollen from his stimulation. She sits up, reaching for him, not done with him yet. And he’s nowhere near done with her either. 

“Up, baby,” Haechan commands, grabbing one of her hands and pulling. 

She stands up quickly on legs that shake a little, and Haechan quickly fills her place, his back on this outdoor sofa. 

Haechan watches her for a moment, watches how she glances around the pool area now that she’s standing. He notices the way that her gaze pauses in a few spots, landing on their friends. Haechan looks too, and all he can see from here is Renjun and Jaehyun still apparently napping. 

He tugs at her hand. “Come on. Come sit on me, baby. Need you to ride me.”

She straddles him, leaning down over him and bracing one hand on his chest as she sinks down on his cock tantalizingly slow. Haechan has to fight the urge to just thrust up into her invitingly warm and wet entrance as she just hovers above him. 

She smirks down at him, her fingernails dragging lightly over his chest. “My turn to be in charge?” She teases, “You gonna submit to me now, baby?”

Haechan snorts. Rarely in their relationship has he given her the reins, let her take control, but if that’s what she wants right now, sure. She can play at being in charge for now. 

He nods. 

“Good boy,” she hums. And then she finally drops her hips, and Haechan lets out an involuntary moan as her tight pussy swallows his length up. Her hand on his chest drifts over to one side, thumbing over his nipple in a way that sends a jolt down to his cock. 

She looks so pleased with herself there on top of him as she settles down with his cock buried all the way inside her. She looks so satisfied as she can take it how she wants it, teasingly slow as she lifts herself up and then back down, as she grinds down on him, as she plays with her clit in the same slow circles as she draws around one of Haechan’s nipples. 

She rides him like that, and Haechan is just in awe of her. 

She cums again like that, squirting a bit on his belly, making quite a mess, honestly, but Haechan likes it.

He slides his fingers through the wet mess, and he presses his fingers through his own lips, sucking the taste of her off. 

She digs her nails into his chest again, and she slumps over him. “Fuck, I’m tired.”

“Not yet, baby,” he pulls his fingers out of his mouth to reach around and pat her ass. “I’m not finished yet. Why don’t you turn around? I want to watch you, and why don’t you watch our friends, see if any of them are looking.”

Because surely some of them have noticed. They’ve been making enough noise that Haechan would be shocked if no one had noticed.

“Can you keep going, baby?” He asks. Because if she’s too tired to be on top, too tired to keep going, he’ll figure it out.

“I got this, thanks,” she says with a smile, patting Haechan on the chest. 

She climbs off of him, standing there bare in the dazzling sunlight for a moment as she turns around, and then she sits over Haechan him again, her back to him. 

She laughs, and that is an unexpected sound in the moment as she’s sinking down on his cock, but she turns her head to take a peek at him over her shoulder, and she says, “Jaehyun and Renjun are looking.”

“Keep going. Let them watch, if that’s what you want, angel.” But it’s what Haechan wants too, so when she starts moving, Haechan is glad. The thought of being watched is working for him, a lot more of a turn on than Haechan had thought it really would be. To know that they’re being watched, that other people (who he knows hold no foul intentions towards them) can see her feeling so good while she rides him.

It only makes matters worse (or better, depending on the angle), that she’s keeping up a narration while she fucks herself on Haechan’s cock, telling him all about what she sees across the pool.

She tells him about how Jaehyun is curled around Renjun from behind, both of them are watching her, and Jaehyun is whispering to Renjun. Renjun’s tiny shorts are riding up and exposing his thighs, Jaehyun has his hand down the front of them. She keeps going, and the combination of voyeurism and exhibitionism is too much for him.

He drags her off his cock, drags her back up his torso until she’s hovering above his face and he presses at her thighs and hips to get her to sit down. This is something he’s been thinking about since the first time she did it – when she rode his face on the sofa in his apartment with YangYang – and he’s been wanting to have it happen again. This seems like the perfect moment, and she seems to agree, judging by the sounds she starts making as soon as Haechan dives in hungrily. 

She doesn’t forget about him. She reaches down and jerks Haechan off with both hands. That, combined with the awareness they’re being watched and the exhilaration of her sitting on his face, carry Haechan at last over the edge, and he cums across his belly.

Haechan just lies there, and she does all the rest, riding his face like he’s just a toy for her to hump. She lowers herself over him, and Haechan nearly nuts again as he feels her licking across his belly, licking at the tip of his cock, cleaning his cum off of his skin. He gets back into it, eating her out until she’s trembling on top of him, cumming again, and this time she pulls away, rolling off of him.

“Now, I’m done,” she pants, leaning in to kiss Haechan once. He wants to hold her there, to kiss her until her lips are glossy too with her wetness like he knows his are. But he lets her withdraw. He watches as she reaches for an abandoned towel on a nearby cushion, and she wraps it around herself.

When he sits up a second later, Haechan looks across the pool, over to the square lounger where Jaehyun and Renjun are. 

But it’s empty.

Haechan frowns, and beside him, his girlfriend laughs. “They weren’t really watching. I made it up. Actually, as far as I can see, none of them are out here anymore.”

“Think we scared them off?” Haechan reaches down for his swim trunks, pulling them back up. 

“Mm, maybe.” She picks up her bikini, wadding the small pieces of fabric up in her hands. “I’m going to shower. You can come too, but just know that there’s not going to be any funny business. I need a good snack and a nap now.”

Haechan doesn’t really feel like moving. This could be just as good of a nap spot right here in the warm sunlight.

“Come on!” She reaches down, tugging at one of his hands. “If you don’t come take a nap with me, what am I gonna do? I’m gonna have to get in your bag and steal one of your shirts. You know I sleep best when I’m with you.”

That gets him moving, trailing along behind her. “No need to go digging for one of my shirts. I’m right here. Perfectly good for napping with.”

Truly, Haechan wonders, how did he get to be so lucky? 

The next night, they’re all seated on the outdoor sofa or in lounge chairs that they’ve drawn up around the firepit. There’s beer and some traditional Indonesian alcohol that some of the guys bought when they were in town earlier. They have three more nights and two full days left in their trip, and Haechan can feel the clock counting down.

Someone brought up in conversation their friends that didn’t come along on this trip – the younger ones, some of which are still in school; Chenle, who is just too busy running his shop to take a week off; and Shotaro and his girlfriend, who are pretty much living together in Japan, and never want to make the trip to come see all of their old friends.

“Oh, shit, that reminds me,” YangYang says then, “Did you see what they posted yesterday on Instagram? Shotaro finally proposed!”

Tucked into his side, Haechan’s girlfriend laughs.

“What?” He looks down at her. 

She shakes her head as if she’s not going to speak, but then she says, “Remember when you had a crush on her? When you threw your tantrum on our first big camping trip as a group?”

Haechan feels his face grow a bit warm as the others all turn to look at them upon hearing her words. “It wasn’t a crush.”

“But it was a tantrum,” Renjun says. 

Haechan draws his arm around her shoulders a little tighter. “I got over it quickly, though. There were no hard feelings after that night. I’m happy for them. Our innocent Shotaro needed someone to show him the ropes of romance, and she was always protective of him.”

“And much like someone else, it took her a long time to realize her feelings for him,” comes the quiet comment from Haechan’s side again. He looks down at his girlfriend. She smiles.

“YangYang, let me see the post!” Mark’s girlfriend demands, clambering over Mark’s lap to reach for YangYang’s phone. “I wanna see the ring!” 

Xiaojun shifts in his seat, glancing at his girlfriend before he looks back around the firepit at all of them. “He’s the first one of us to take that step. When do you think they’re going to get married?”

“Who do you think is gonna be next?” Jeno asks, sweeping a look around at each of the couples gathered here on this trip. “Jaem and I have been together the longest, but…”

“I’m not marrying you,” Jaemin groans from across the fire. “We don’t need to go through all that trouble. And even if we do get married, none of you are invited. Just us two, a quiet little ceremony, and then we’re gonna fuck off on a month-long honeymoon.” 

“If not us, then who?” Jeno asks, still gazing over at Jaemin. The way that they look at each other from across the fire is nauseatingly cute. 

Haechan thinks he might puke.

“After us, you two have been together the longest, right?” Jeno asks Mark and his girlfriend.

“Actually,” Renjun clears his throat, “It’s us.”

Jaehyun doesn’t say a word, just watching Renjun as he says, “It’s been complicated, but we’ve been together since, what, my third year of university? When I started the internship.” 

Jaehyun nods silently, then says, “But we couldn’t make it official in case the company found out. You’d have been let go from the internship, I’d have been at risk of firing or demotion. It was definitely… complicated.” His eyes flick over in Haechan and his girlfriend’s direction, and Haechan again draws his arm a little tighter around his girlfriend.

“But we’re waiting to get engaged, anyway,” Renjun says definitively. “Jaehyun is taking me on a trip to Santorini next year that he promised me years ago, and if he doesn’t propose on that trip, I’m breaking up with him.”

Jaehyun wrinkles his nose, looping his arm around Renjun’s chest, and he drags him to lie back against him. “Damn, I was hoping you were going to be the one proposing. I remember you being the one promising me a trip to Greece.”

The conversations all around them turn to the length of their relationships, dream proposals, talks of Shotaro’s future wedding. Conversations drift and twist away, winding down different paths of topic, but Haechan isn’t paying any attention to that. He’s still stuck on thoughts of his own future. 

He’s so deep in thought, that he doesn’t realize everyone else has left the fire until his girlfriend pokes his cheek with her finger. “Donghyuck?”

“Hmm?” He feels like he’s coming out of a daze. He blinks against the glow of the fire still burning in the firepit, and he looks down at her.

Her eyes are big, starry as the night around them when she says, “Do you remember a few months back? You saw a suit in a shop window and asked me about, like, the future? Marriage, kids, a family?”

She’d been quiet all through the discussion of proposals, and now Haechan finds his stomach tying itself in nervous knots. 

“I don’t think…” She pauses, and again, Haechan’s heart is thundering in his chest.

What if she tells him that she doesn’t actually want any of that? Haechan wants all of that so much that he can’t imagine his future without a marriage, kids, a family. 

She leans in, resting her head on his chest. “I don’t think I was very clear back then about what I want. Mostly because, you know, you’re never really sure of what you want until it’s right there in front of you. Which, I’m sure you definitely get that, like, it took you forever to realize that I was right here, in love with you. But, um, you were asking your questions very hypothetically back then, and I’ve done a lot of thinking since then about what I want.”

Haechan doesn’t like this type of conversation. It has a lump in his throat, a weight in his chest that has nothing to do with her head leaning on him. It has everything to do with the look he’d seen in her eyes on that day months ago. That had been before everything. Before she met his family, before their fight, before he realized that being apart from her left him feeling hollow. He’d seen the look in her eyes that day when he was standing there talking about wanting to get married and wanting to be a dad, and all he’d seen when he looked into her eyes was fear and uncertainty. 

She’d answered his questions that day in a way that left him feeling like he stood on unstable ground, like everything might just crumble away. He’d told her, in an effort to erase that scared look in her eyes, to reassure her, that he was just putting the thought out there, trying to gauge her reaction.

But then there was the morning after their fight, when he went to apologize and mimed a proposal when he sank to one knee. She’d looked panicked then.

What if she genuinely didn’t want a wedding?

“Haechan?”

Her voice sounds a long way off, and it’s not until she places one hand on his chest, the other lightly brushing his cheek, that Haechan realizes he’s holding his breath.

“Donghyuck, relax.” She strokes his cheek tenderly. “Relax, I’m trying to tell you that I do want that. Relax, okay?” She laughs at the way that Haechan lets out a relieved breath. 

And he does feel relieved. That odd weight in his chest, the sick feeling in his belly, and the knot in his throat all fade away. 

“You want me to ask you to marry me?” He closes his eyes. “Because I’ve really been hoping since that day that I was just imagining the way you seemed reluctant.”

“No,” she draws her thumb along his bottom lip. “I was never reluctant about wanting to be with you. Honestly, I think about marrying you all the time. Even in ridiculous moments, I’ll look at you and think ‘This guy. This is the one.’ I’ve always wanted you. That was never the question.”

The happiness sweeping through Haechan dampens slightly as he realizes what she isn’t saying. While she wasn’t reluctant that day about Haechan’s thoughts on marriage, there was something she’d been hesitant about. 

Kids. Children. Babies.

One of the big things that Haechan wants in life: to be a parent.

“You don’t want kids.” Haechan says it, not as a question but as a statement.

She looks at him straight on. “I didn’t say that.”

“But you don’t, do you?” Haechan can hear his voice shake, and he hopes that she doesn’t notice.

She closes her eyes. “I know that it’s important to you. You like kids. You want to be a dad, to raise a kid in a loving household with a whole family, full of love.”

“You don’t?” Haechan can feel that lump, that nausea, that heavy weight in his chest again. 

Her eyes flash open. “I want you, Lee Donghyuck. Always. Everything else can wait.” She moves her hands from his face and chest, reaching for his hands to wrap them tightly, pressing his hands between her palms. 

Haechan shakes his head. “It can’t wait, though. I’m not saying it’s a deal breaker if you don’t want kids, because it’s not. I love you, and I –” He has to take a moment to compose himself, to take a deep breath and search for the right words before he starts again, saying, “I just think that what I want and what you want might not align on this particular thing. So, if kids aren’t something that you want, if you don’t want to be a parent, it would be better for me to know that now than in five, ten years when I’m still holding onto the hope of something that you’ve let go of a long time ago.”

He loves her. 

He wants to marry her.

If she doesn’t want kids, that’s not going to change the fact that he wants forever with her. He’s not going to force that on her. But he would like to know now so he can stop imagining sweet little babies with his chubby cheeks and her eyes.

“I don’t know!” Her voice breaks on a quiet cry. “I don’t know what I want, Haechan.”

And there are tears glistening in her eyelashes, capturing the firelight within the tiny globes. She squeezes his hands, and Haechan squeezes back.

“Talk to me,” he says, “Just talk to me.”

So she does.

He doesn’t know where it all comes from, but she presses her face to his chest, and she just starts talking. She talks and he listens, and it goes on for a while, maybe hours, but still he listens while the love of his life tells him her reasons for her uncertainty, while she tells him that it’s not the idea of being a parent that she finds offputting, but the idea of motherhood in the traditional sense – the sense of sharing your body with another life, which is both magical and terrifying to her; the complications and horrors she’s heard about pregnancy and birth; the way that sometimes it doesn’t feel right to her to bring a new life into this world when there is already so much fucked up shit happening in the world, so many children without families, families that can’t afford to take care of their children.

Haechan listens to it all, and he takes it all in. 

And he gets it.

He gets it as much as he feels like any man that hasn’t had to experience the traumas of being born a woman might understand the situation. He’s never had to think about things from the perspective that she presented him tonight. The Othering of her body through pregnancy and childbirth, the changes that she would have to deal with mentally and physically, all of the things that maybe wouldn’t directly affect him if she were to have children with him, but they might affect her for years or the rest of her life.

He gets it.

Haechan holds her as the fire dies, as her tears dry on his shirt, as the night grows deeper around them. 

The clock is counting down to the end of their trip. Another day and another night have passed, and Haechan doesn’t want to go home. He doesn’t want this to end. He wants to spend forever in paradise. 

Because that is what this is. Paradise. 

It’s perfect here, just like he knew it would be.

Tonight, he just can’t sleep.

He lies awake in bed beside his girlfriend, tossing and turning while she sleeps peacefully. And he watches a clock on the bedside table count down the moments until the break of dawn. And when he can’t take it any longer he reaches over and shakes her shoulder.

“Hm?” She turns her head towards him, but he knows she’s not really awake, so he whispers her name, gently touching her shoulder again. This time her eyes flutter open, and she mumbles, “What?”

“Wake up.” Haechan keeps his voice soft. 

“No,” she whines, trying to hide her face back in her pillow. 

“Come on,” Haechan wheedles, “Just wake up for me, baby.”

Again, she whines, then asks, “What? Why?”

“I can’t sleep,” Haechan admits truthfully. “Why don’t we steal the rental car, drive to the beach, and catch the sunrise over the ocean?”

She sighs, and he can tell that she’s actually awake now. “Or we could just stay in bed and sleep until a decent hour.”

“You’re the one that told me you want to take a romantic trip with me,” Haechan says, “And when I try to be romantic, you just want to stay in bed.” She sighs into the pillow again, but it sounds like a more agreeable sigh than the first one, so Haechan tells her, “If we leave now, we can make it in time.”

“Fine.” She pushes herself up. “But it better be the best sunrise ever to make it worth getting up this early.”

Haechan agrees.

She disappears to the bathroom, and Haechan gets ready quickly, getting dressed and makes sure that he’s got everything he needs in his crossbody bag he’s been bringing almost everywhere with him on this trip – sunglasses, a mask, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, chapstick, extra hair ties for her. He stole the keys to the rental car from YangYang last night, and those are tucked safely in the bag too.

“Ready?” He asks, when she emerges from the bathroom.

She insists on changing out of her pajamas, so Haechan patiently waits on the edge of the bed, watching her put on a bikini (“If we’re going to the beach anyway, we might as well get in the water, right?”) and a hoodie (“I just feel like there might be a little bit of a chill, especially by the water.”) and a pair of leggings. He watches as she starts braiding her hair into two tight french braids, and his patience is growing thinner. 

Already, he swears that the sky is getting lighter outside.

Finally, she’s ready, and Haechan takes her hand and walks quickly out of their bedroom.

They’re halfway down the stairs when a shadow emerges from the bedroom on the ground floor. Renjun.

“Oh, what are you two doing up?” Renjun asks in a whisper, glancing back over his shoulder into his bedroom.

“Haechan wants to go watch the sunrise,” his girlfriend answers as she steps around Haechan where he’s stopped on the steps. “He woke me up because he couldn’t sleep.”

Renjun looks up at Haechan. “I can’t sleep either. Mind if I come too?”

Haechan would usually say no, that he wants this to just be him and his girlfriend for the romantic experience that he sold it to her as. But Haechan says yes.

The three of them sneak quietly into the main house, steal a few snacks and drinks for breakfast on-the-go, and then they’re out the front door, into the rental car, and driving away.

Renjun babbles in the backseat, and Haechan lets Renjun fill the silence. His girlfriend dozes off in the passenger seat with Haechan holding her hand as he navigates the dark roads to the beach half an hour away. Eventually, Haechan tunes Renjun out, and all he’s aware of is the feel of the steering wheel in his hand, his girlfriend’s hand in the other, and the sky growing lighter by gradual degrees.

They reach the beach half an hour later, and the sky is still a deep blue with just a slight edge of lighter color on the horizon. They haven’t missed it.

Together, the three of them take a brief hike from the lot where they leave the car, down through dirt paths. The sounds of insects and small creatures waking surround them, not to mention the rush of the ocean so nearby, the sound of which makes Haechan want to walk faster, but his girlfriend and Renjun are both treating this as a leisurely stroll through nature.

After about an eternal five minute long walk, the path opens up around them, and Haechan’s sandals fill with sand, a sea breeze and a large wave crashing against the shore spray them all with a fine mist of salt. 

Perfect.

The sky is just fading from deep blue to a burnt orange with a thin line of gold right above the distant dark horizon. 

“Damn, this is romantic,” Renjun says as they all walk a little closer to the edge of the sea. “Act like I’m not even here.”

Haechan is all too happy to let that happen. 

Beside him, she clings onto his hand, clutching at his arm and tucking herself in close to him. Her cheek rests against his shoulder, and Haechan is reminded very suddenly of the night he realized he was in love with her. A cool night before they ever started dating, as he walked her to the bus stop, as she clung to his arm, and he fell in love. 

Clouds drift slowly in the sky, and as the sun rises closer to the horizon, the colors begin to change, the deep orange and golden yellow turn red and pink, purple and sweet orange like the inside of a nectarine. The clouds are lined in gold and pearly pink. And the sea reflects those colors, cut through with the likes of the waves, the frothy crescents of gold as the top curve of the sun finally breaks above the sea. 

“This is worth it,” she whispers against Haechan’s shoulder. “Definitely worth waking up early for.”

He smiles and presses a kiss to the top of her head. 

And then finally there is the sun, spiking molten gold through the sky, rays arcing between the clouds, mixing the colors into brighter and better shades. It’s only a matter of minutes before the beauty of the sunrise will fade into just a pretty blue morning. 

Haechan’s heart catches in his throat. 

Behind them, Renjun speaks, and really for a few moments, Haechan had forgotten their best friend was there too. Renjun says, “This is insanely pretty. I should take a picture.”

“Oh,” she says softly beside him, and he feels her untangling herself from his arm, drawing away. “I want a picture too.”

She steps away, pulling her phone from her hoodie pocket, aiming it out at the sea, and Haechan watches the light of the sunrise on her face — all pinks and golds and oranges. 

Haechan reaches into his crossbody bag, and he glances back at Renjun, his phone aimed towards the sea and the glamorous sunrise. 

And Haechan does something he’s been thinking about for a long time. 

He says his girlfriend’s name as he feels his heart pounding like it’s about to race right out of his chest and into the sea, like it’s on fire and needs the sea to put it out, as Haechan sinks down on one knee and pulls out the tiny ring box he’d stowed in the bag earlier that morning while she was in the bathroom, the one he’s been hiding in his suitcase all week, the one that he bought the day after they moved in together, first thing the next morning after he asked her dad for his blessing in the living room of their new apartment while she was in the next room. 

Haechan sinks into the sand on one knee, and he holds up the ring box, the ring inside of it glimmering in  the sunrise as his perfect, beautiful, angel of a girlfriend turns at the sound of her name. 

For a moment, she looks confused, and then it registers. 

His pose. The ring. The look in his eyes and the hopeful smile on his face. 

And Haechan speaks, though he has to force the words out around his heart in his throat. 

“I used to think that loving someone as much as I love you was impossible. But every day I love you more than the day before. I love you, and I want to spend forever loving you, my angel. Will you marry me?”

Haechan expects an answer. Either a yes or a no. It’s not too much to expect right? A verbal confirmation or denial to the marriage he’s just proposed to his girlfriend, the love of his life.

Slowly, her hands come up to cover her mouth, the sunrise haloes her with gold, and she looks more like an angel now than ever before, and Haechan thinks he might pass out if she keeps him waiting any longer.

He opens his mouth, saying just, “If you d—”

It’s lucky the ground is such soft sand because she tackles him into it, and it’s just pure luck that Haechan’s fingers close on the box, snapping the lid of it shut so when it slips out of his hand, he doesn’t lose the ring in the sand. Not that he’s truly thinking about that in the moment. He’s far too preoccupied with the armful of his girlfriend as she kisses him, as she murmurs “yes yes yes” between kisses, her hands in his hair, grains of salt and sand and strands of hair between their lips, and Haechan doesn’t care about anything else more than the heat of her against him, and her promises of “yes, I’ll marry you” repeated again and again. 

Eventually, after a long, long time, they remember Renjun. 

He’s not standing anywhere near them, but has drifted down along the beach, minding his own business and ignoring the happy, entangled couple in the sand. The sun has risen high enough now that it’s fully cleared the horizon, and the magic of the sunrise feels like it’s settled into their bones instead. 

Haechan doesn’t want to let go of her, doesn’t want to get up. 

He feels light and good. Gone is the anxious weight he’s kept buried all week, the one that resurfaced the other night when their friends mentioned engagements while he had an engagement ring hidden in his bedroom fifty feet away, the feeling that had been plaguing him all night, the countdown towards this moment right here. 

It wasn’t an impromptu sunrise beach trip. He’d planned it ahead with Renjun, the only one of their friends on this trip he’d entrusted with this. That’s why Renjun had set an alarm to be awake early, to come along with them, to act as a photographer or videographer to this moment. 

God, he’s so grateful he did it. Even more grateful that she said yes. 

“You know, the other night, I panicked a bit when I thought you were going to tell me you didn’t ever want to get married.” Haechan admits when they sit up, though he’s still holding her in his lap. “I was panicking about what to do with the ring if you didn’t want it.”

She places a hand on his cheek and draws him in for another kiss. A brief one because she then pauses, frozen as she asks, “Where is the ring?”

Haechan searches the sand around them, and quickly, he locates the smooth shine of it among the sand as Renjun drifts back towards them. 

“So you’re saying yes, right?” Haechan checks with her as he frees the ring from its soft little cushion. “You’ll marry me?”

“Yes,” she repeats, and he can hear emotion bubbling in her voice. A glimmer in her eye shows that tears may be building as well. “Yes, I’m saying yes, I’ll marry you.”

Haechan kisses her as he slides the ring onto her finger. 

“I love you,” he promises her, “Always. I’ll be always yours.”

THE END.

previous chapter || Completed YIMA index

a/n: The end!! This has been a long, long work in progress, and the fact that it's finally over is gonna be hard on all of us, I'm sure. I've had a lot of fun with writing this fic, even if there were some scenes that I had initially planned on that never made it into the final cut. This fic has truly been a Haechan love story, about a boy falling in love with the girl that's been there in front of him this whole time. I've been thinking of this fic all along, since the pretty early stages of it, as "She fell first, but he fell harder," because once Haechan realizes his feelings, it's over for him; she's it for him, and he knows that very early on in their relationship. But he's had plans for a long time regarding his future with her, and he has almost always been in her dream plans for her future. So they get a happy ending! A happily ever after!!

Like I already said, I had a lot of fun writing this, posting this, and hearing from all of you wonderful readers! Thank you so much for reading and coming along on this slowburn of a journey with me, Haechan, and Y/N!

#haechan #haechan smut #haechan fics #nct smut #nct dream smut #nct fics #nct #nct dream #nct dream fics #nct 127 #nct 127 fics #yima #nct 2023 #lee haechan

[sanjisblackasswife]

“ℝ𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕋𝕠𝕪”

Sanji 𝚡 𝙵𝚎𝚖! 𝚁𝚎a𝚍𝚎𝚛

Bad Summary: Sanji finds out about your little secret.

CW: Google “Rose Toy” if you don’t know what it look like, Use of RT, Teasing, Sanji is an extreme pervert, Oral, just sex, Pet name, Twt Link Mentioned

Black Fem Reader in Mind

Way more turned on than he should be.

He was rummaging through your stuff only because you asked him to grab you a tee shirt to wear when you get out the shower and digging too deep he found the cute little toy.

“Oh!”

Sanji and you never had sex yet in being together. He always was too afraid to go any further in case you feel uncomfortable so he always sat and waited like a good boy until you were ready.

But this.

This was different.

He never thought you masturbated let alone owned toys, you were his sweet and bubbily girlfriend, but to know you have such a dirty little secret made him palm his pants.

He held the toy, admiring its shape and color, and immediately thought of you using it.

Sanji watches porn so he knew what it was, and he looks back at your bed.

“She…probably does it right there.” He thought seeing your side of the bed, legs spread, panting and moaning like a little slut from the stimulation.

He began to rub against his growing erection. It was wrong, he knows, but dammit you seemed hotter in his eyes.

All the times he wasn’t with you, were you in here playing with yourself? All those times you excused yourself early from dinner or a heated makeout session in the kitchen?

It all started to come together for Sanji and honestly he started to get riled up at the thought.

Too much so he began to fall into his own dirty world in his head rubbing himself, and that’s where you caught him.

“I-I-I—-I’m so sorry! I didn’t—Y/N—“

You were as embarrassed as he was, covering your face was the only thing you could do, seeing your toy in his hand and the other holding up his pants you really wished you could just disappear right now.

Sanji sighed seeing you shut down, he felt like shit going through your personal belongings like that. He knew better than to be so nosey.

Quickly placing down the toy he ran to you and tried to comfort by holding you against his chest, “This is so awkward, Ji.” You mumbled against him.

“It-It’s not!” He pulled you away to cup your warm damp cheeks, “It’s not I just…I shouldn’t have peaked. I didnt know you had this, but Y/N it’s okay! it is! It’s normal—totally….normal..”

His eyes got dark staring into yours, the pretty blue grey orbs turning into a darker hue almost made you jump, his nose trickled, stopping and pooling a little at his cupids bow, you roll your eyes, clearly this was another one of his love drunken spells

but you were so wrong.

“San—-“

Though he didn’t press his face against yours to kiss, you most definitely felt the need of how much he wanted to rip off your towel from your finger tips.

But instead he grabbed your hand. helping you guide it down your body and the moment it slid off Sanji bent down to travel his lips to your nipples.

“J-Ji! We shouldn’t—“

“It’s okay! It’s okay!” His hands cups your cheeks to soothe you, “Just let me make you feel good…with..”

He turned briefly to grab your toy, your eyes narrowing down at it, it looked so much smaller in his hands.

“With this.” Sanji’s voice was softer, he perked up at his naughty idea, and you nibbling your lip gave away how much you liked it causing him to smile at you.

You look away, shyly nodding and allow your pervy little boyfriend to giggle and hug you in delight before laying you on your back, “M’ganna feel so good for you, mama.”

He knew you melted that that small little nickname, the way it casually rolls off his tongue in his rasped voice always got you right where he wanted.

You opened your legs for him, watching his clothes shed off his skin as his eyes didn’t tear from your cunt, just begging to be touched, kissed, licked and, of course; toyed with.

“O-oh!” Feeling the sudden vibration and pulses of your toy, playing with your clit and aginst your hole, Sanji takes a moment to look down at you, your eyes shut, nipping at your lip as your hands were balling up fists of the sheets. “San—“

Sanji cut you off by latching his lips on yours, he adjusted your body sideways ontop of him, his soft small lips against your own while you felt the buzz of your vibrator on you. Sanji couldn’t take it anymore, rotating the vibrator on your pussy in circles for extra stimulation you felt yourself get already close to cumming. Way closer than you could when you played with it by yourself.

“Mmmmm fuck m’ganna cum.” You moaned jnto his mouth, you felt your face warm at your dirty words, you never was the type to speak in such a way with him.

Sanji groaned back, his erection growing painful rubbing against you from below.

“That’s it..” He mumbled against your lips, his nicotine breath mixed with a juice he sipped on earlier had you wiggle your tongue to collide with his, “That’s it baby feel good and cum for me..”

Your hips moved in the same motion as his hand, the swirl of the toy plus the vibrations you felt against your sensitive little clit made your claw at sanji’s bare chiseled chest, you felt yourself already approaching a quick orgasm.

Sanji on the other hand felt himself slowly cum with your, your slurry moans of his name, the quick glances of your breast jiggling every time a jolt of pleasure hit your body with your toy hit under your clit, and your whines of being close to cumming all had his mind frazzled.

Damn, if he wasn’t in his right mind he would have picked you up, threw you on the bed and took you from behind.

Sanji turned the rose off, using his own fingers to ride out your high, he hooked his fingers inside your gushing wet slit and moved it up and down causing you to squirt all over his palm and forearm.

“You’re so fucking sexy..” Sanji groaned into your neck, softly pinching and toying with your clit a little. He loved playing with your pussy so much. “All better?”

You felt your cunt pulsating, still soso sensitive to touch your push his hand away, your blonde boyfriend chuckles. “Wan’more…”

“Oh…like…sex?”

You nod, it was only right to let him finally take what was long over due to him, he was so sweet and understanding about your little secret you kiss his lower lip.

“Take me however you want.”

Seeing the lust in your eyes he grinned down at you, placing you flat on tour back on the bed he wasted no time suckling your nipples, giving them firm nibbles, but soft licks.

He hooked your right leg on his hip, ready to allign himself inside you you give him a kiss, it somehow relieved any stress you felt in your tummy you didn’t know you had.

In one swift movement Sanji bottomed out inside you, causing the kiss to break.

“Thank….you…” You whispered, eyes shut calmly feeling his body snap against yours, he always felt so much bigger than you imagined, Sanji wraps his arm around your body and his other hand reaches to hold yours, burying his face in your neck he says

“I love you, y/n…”

You grin, damn…you wished he would have caught you sooner.

No worries, he made up for lost time that night making you cum again, and again, and again, and again.

You nearly ended up throwing the toy away, but alas Sanji kept it for himself as a keepsake. For the time he had finally made love to you.

#one piece #TimikosSanji #black reader #one piece headcanons #one piece x female reader #sanji #one piece smut #sanjionepiece #one piece x black!reader #sanji imagine #sanji x black reader #sanji x reader #x female reader #female reader #black foot sanji #one piece scenario #sanji smut

[eviesaurusrex]

ꜱɪᴄᴋɴᴇꜱꜱ ꜱᴛʀɪᴋᴇꜱ | ʜ. ꜱᴛʏʟᴇꜱ

GIFs not mine!

Harry Styles x Actress!Reader

summary: Harry is down with the flu and had to cancel his remaining L.A. shows. Seeking comfort and reassurance that this was the right call, he FaceTimes his girlfriend YN, who is filming her recent movie on the opposite side of the country, and decides to surprise her sick and hard-working boyfriend.

word count: 2.7k

warnings: Harry being insecure and anxious about his decision, feeling bad about said decision, sick!Harry, but overall fluffy fluffness!

author’s note: I’m so sorry for our hard working man (and all the fans who had tickets), but glad that he prioritizes his health even though it sucks. But his health is more important, people. Please keep that in mind. And yes, I just had to write this. Deal with it <3

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He didn’t need to wait long for her to accept the FaceTime call—probably already anticipating it after she surely had read the headline of him canceling his remaining L.A. shows. It instantly soothed him as her pretty face appeared on his phone’s screen, though it would be even better if she were right next to him. Harry would never be shy about admitting that he loved when YN took care of him. She just knew the tricks and quirks to make him feel better within hours.

“Hey, pretty woman,” he greeted her with his scratchy voice, sniffling a bit and wrapping himself tighter in the lavender robe he had stolen from YN’s designated spot in their bathroom. She smiled softly at him, but the singer could see the worry lines deepening at the picture of his sick self. “Hey, love,” she returned and cooed silently. “How is my man doing?” Harry could see her moving around before she plopped down onto the comfy couch he missed every time they weren’t in their New Yorker home.

He shrugged. “Feel like shit,” he mumbled and sighed deeply before it tickled a violent cough out of him. Her brows were even more furrowed after he had calmed himself again. “Oh, love… What did the doctor say?” Harry shrugged again, feeling more miserably about his canceled shows and fans than about himself and that nasty virus. “The flu. Not the other nasty virus sneaking around in the open. So, you don’t have to worry yourself to death, darlin’.” YN cocked a brow now, looking at him expectantly. “I thought we knew each other after three years into this relationship, H,” she chastised him jokingly with a chuckle. “Y’know I’m always worrying myself to death when it comes to you, sweets.”

And it was the truth. Even if Harry wasn’t sick, YN worried for him—when he flew, when he went on stage, when he went out with friends and didn’t text if he needed a ride back home, and returned in the depths of night to demand drunken cuddles. However, the latter was such a rare thing he did that it almost didn’t count. And she worried the most when she wasn’t there to comfort and take care of him because she was across the country or the globe. It hurt somewhere deep down in her heart seeing him like that, seeing him suffering alone, without a helping hand to ensure he would get better in no time.

“Did you have some soup, love? Should I order something and let it bring to you?” She already sat straighter just to do exactly this, but Harry already shook his head slowly. “Jeff brought me some earlier. Left it at the door, rang, and bolted like a thief on the run.” He chuckled lowly before coughing again, worrying YN even more. But she chuckled alongside him to keep their conversation as light as usual. “At least someone who takes care of you. Got ya’self a good pot of tea?” Again, the singer nodded, grabbing the sunflower-yellow mug from its designated spot next to the propped-up phone and taking a huge sip. “Even put honey in’nit, but it doesn’t taste even closely as good as yours, darlin’,” Harry admitted and furrowed his brows. “Did I do something wrong? Used the wrong honey? Wrong tea?”

YN’s heart broke once more at the sound of his helpless tone and his sad puppy eyes, feeling the urge to leave everything behind and fly across the country. She already eyed the calendar on the coffee table in front of her. “Did you use the one in the drawer? Right to the stove?” Harry nodded, a sad expression deepening on his face. “Yeah,” he mumbled, crushed. YN cooed again, trying to soothe his mind. “Maybe you let the tea steep too long, lovie. Give it another try later, yeah?”

He nodded again, letting his hand rake through his soft, now messy curls, and the woman knew that he wanted to ask something, that something was on his mind, continuing to bug him. “What’s wrong, H?” YN sat up again and leaned forward, smartphone in her hand and forearms resting on her knees. Harry threw her a look she knew all too well—she saw it numerous times on his face and hers as well. Self-doubt. Easy as that. “Do you think it was a good idea to cancel the shows?” She already wanted to open her mouth to tell him exactly this, but he continued. “It’s the first time in my entire career, and I feel like I let down my fans, of whom many traveled to L.A. just to see me. I can’t imagine the costs for that—well, I can, numbers-wise—but the… the emotional cost, the excitement, some of them probably took off at work and… and… I just feel like I failed them, YNN.”

Her heart ached even more, and YN had to try to suppress the tears trying to invade her eyes. He was always so hard-working, always trying to meet his fans’ expectations and wishes, consistently delivering—not only in his singing but also in his starting acting career. She was always in wonder and astonishment when witnessing the dedication of her boyfriend, but at some point, his body had to cave.

“Listen to me, my love,” she began and staring at her man’s face through the screen. “It was the only thing you could do, the only responsible decision there was. Not only for you and your health but also the health of Mitch, and Sarah, and Jeff, and all the others involved, not to mention the health of your fans. For many of them, you’re a role model, someone they look up to, and now they see that it’s a responsible move to say, ‘Okay, I’m sick, I’m gonna stay home’ because many people already forgot this essential key even though we went through a pandemic and still living in one. And I don’t wanna start to talk about the good you do for your body right now. I’m actually impressed on how long you two pushed through with all that stress and constant traveling.”

YN had only waited for that moment to occur—but had desperately wished for it to happen when she was back with him on tour or at home, not when she was in the midst of wrapping up a new project.

Harry grew very silent during her rambling, watching her closely, a small smile appearing on his handsome face. “How long have you waited to hold that speech, love?” Now it was YN’s turn to shrug. “Maybe a few months?” Harry started to grin at her bashful smile and blushing cheeks, still not believing his luck of having found her in that small bookshop back in London, where she had fervently tried to get a hold of a Jane Austen novel.

His grin morphed into a tender, loving smile, only reserved for her eyes to witness—and maybe some cameras when they walked the carpet together or were seen on their many dates. Harry just loved to spoil his woman, and if it were time with him she demanded she would get exactly that.

“Thank you,” he whispered, and YN smiled back, resting her chin in her palm. “Anytime, H.” She checked the clock and hummed softly. “Get some rest, sweets, yeah? Check the bathroom cupboard with the towels underneath. There could still be some unopened stuff for your cough. If not, text me, and I’ll let something get to you.” Harry smiled wider and took a sip of tea before watching her intently. “How did I deserve you?” YN grinned at him, cocking her head to one side. “Asking myself the same question, love. But seriously, get some rest. And when I say rest, I mean the full blow of bedtime comfort and something on Netflix or Prime.” The singer saluted playfully. “Yes, ma’am,” he grinned before turning a tad serious again. “Will probably watch one of yours, so I at least can pretend you’re here. Miss you, darlin’.”

The tears tried to spill over again, so YN took a deep breath before answering, not trusting her voice entirely. “Miss you too, Harry. So, so much. But I’m faster back than you think, ‘promise. I love you. So, so, so much. Sleep tight later.” Both softly waved at one another. “Not as much as I love you, sweetheart. Have a good shoot later.” With a soft Thanks and See you later’s, they ended the call, and YN plopped back onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling in the lonely, quiet apartment. She knew it was rash and born out of desperation, but she just had to do it.

So, she unlocked her phone again, grinning at the goofy wallpaper Harry and she had taken in front of the Statue of Liberty two years ago and scrolled through her contacts. “Hey, Jenn. I need a massive favor,” she spoke up after her manager had accepted her call.

;

Harry groaned at the feeling of his sore body after waking up from his restless and unsatisfying slumber, and the first thing he did was cough into the crook of his drenched hoodie. He groaned again after he finally could take a fresh breath of air into his constricting lungs and fought his slow way out of bed to shower and change into something not wet.

With half-closed eyes, he walked into the adjacent bathroom, turned on the shower to let it warm up, and shed his clothes and let them pile on the stone floor. He could take care of that later… Or when he felt better, whenever that might be.

He stood rather long under the hot water drizzling down on him like summer rain before Harry could push himself to leave the cozily warm glass cabin and wrap himself in a fluffy towel. Suddenly, a smell wafted into his nose that was clocked before the hot shower, and the scent let him stop in his tracks. It was her perfume—he could name it in a sea of scents if he had to. Blinking, the singer tried to scan the bathroom for the source; maybe he had accidentally sprayed it last night when he searched for the soap dispenser after not turning on the light? Slowly shaking his head, he dried himself and his hair shortly before changing into a new pair of sweatpants, fluffy socks, and a fresh hoodie. Taking out the cough syrup YN had mentioned two days ago, he took the needed dosage and left the bathroom to go downstairs to prepare a fresh batch of tea and maybe something to eat, though he really didn’t feel like it. But he knew what YN would do if she were here.

Harry yawned while slouching down the stairs but stopped at the end of the steps at the sound of used cutlery and boiling water. With growing confusion, the man rounded the corners and was faced with an angel in his kitchen—one of his Pleasing hoodies adorning her body with a pair of sports tights underneath. She hummed along to the tune of the song playing in the background—The Yawning Grave by Lord Huron, her favorite band—while she prepared the can he had used every day since getting sick and had something boiling on the stove. He felt joy rising in him, but the confusion was still very prominent.

Maybe he hallucinated because the fever was too high?

“Is this real, or is this only in my head?” He asked into the room, scaring her in the process of questioning, and with a low shriek and a slight jump, YN turned to him, a hand pressed over her heart. “Stop scaring the living daylight outta me!” She laughed softly as Harry came rushing over to her, grabby hands outstretched and getting a hold of her waist. Pulling her incredibly close to his chest, the man sighed as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her signature scent, which always brought him comfort, and tightening his hold on her. “Whatyadoinhere,” he mumbled, almost inaudible and incomprehensible against her soft skin, his eyes closed, his body finally relaxing.

Her fingers inside his hair tickled a satisfied moan out of him and pushed him to wrap his arms even tighter around YN, not wanting to let her go ever again. Her fingernails scratched gently along his scalp, just the way he liked, and he could feel her soft lips peppering kisses over the reachable part of his head. “I wanted to come home next week anyway, so we pushed a bit through the last couple of scenes, and Jenn got me the first available flight. Couldn’t let you be on your own. My heart almost broke when I saw you slouching around during that FaceTime, feeling miserable enough not to deal with taking care of yourself. So, that’s my job from now on again, ‘kay?” More gentle kisses followed her words, and Harry had never felt this loved and cherished. “A goddess and godsend,” he mumbled again against her skin and let her pull his face up so she could face him and see how he held up so far.

YN’s palm laid softly against his forehead—the contact alone almost made him swoon on the spot after so many weeks and months without her—and he watched her expressions, memorizing every single muscle movement all over again. “At least your fever is not too high. The world will look much better after a bowl of fresh soup and a fresh batch of tea.” She smiled up at him before pulling him at his neck down to her, pushing herself on her tiptoes, and softly kissing his warm cheeks one after the other. The tip of his nose was the last part accepting the tender peck of her lips.

She turned again to stir in the boiling pot, and Harry followed her like a puppy, wrapping his arms around her body again and pressing his face against her shoulder. “You won’t let go anytime soon, aren’t ya?” YN smiled a smile full of contentment as she added the noodles to the chicken broth and removed the tea bags from the pot to add the perfect amount of honey. He only shook his head but watched her doings with eagle eyes, furrowing his brows as she prepped him a mug and let him take it. “It’s just how I made it,” he murmured and taking a sip, closing his eyes, and humming softly. Just how he loved it. “Maybe it tasted different because I have a special ingredient, H,” YN chuckled and prepped two bowls of hot soup for them to enjoy as a late breakfast and an early lunch. “Tell me, please. Don’t wanna feel so helpless anymore if you’re not here, and I need your tea,” he pleaded with her, and the gorgeous woman turned in his arm, cupping his cheeks with both hands. “It’s cheesy but super easy.” Her smile made him almost feel healthy again. “I put an ounce of love into it. It’s what my grandma always told me. Everything tastes better when a loved one makes it for you.”

Almost on the verge of crying, Harry put his mug to the side and cupped her cheek, his other arm still tightly wrapped around her middle. “I don’t deserve you, my darling love,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to her forehead, not wanting to risk infecting her as well. YN continued to comb through his hair and rolled her eyes. “How often do I need to tell you that you, Harry Edward Styles, deserve the freaking fucking world?” He shrugged gently before nodding in the direction of the living room. “Cuddle with me, and I may be convinced of it this time,” he smiled, and with one last look, YN covered their soups and took the pot of tea with her. Harry already threw himself onto the couch, waiting impatiently for her to claim her spot, but first, she covered him with their favorite fluffy blanket. She made sure that he was perfectly covered before finally crawling underneath it as well and pressing her body against his.

“Come here, love,” she whispered invitingly, and Harry let his head heavily rest on her chest, his ear over her soothing heartbeat. He closed his eyes tiredly as she started to stroke through his hair again, scratching his scalp and neck, rubbing over his back. YN began to talk in a mumbling voice about everything and anything until she felt him slip back into slumber he definitely needed the most.

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This got cheesier than anticipated, but this was born entirely from my need for self-indulgence, so we will live with it. Hope y’all enjoyed it! <3 As usual: comments, reblogs, and likes are much appreciated

taglist: @onecrazydirectioner @nyctophilic0vitnir

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