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luvangelbreak · 2 days

Text

Regret it

christopher sturniolo x layla venita summary: layla wants a fun night with her friends but when a man won't leave her alone, her best friend is always there to help. warnings: swearing, drinking, smut, oral (fem!receiving), fingering, unprotected sex (wrap it before u tap it) word count: 6.1k a/n: y'all sue me I was feeling whore knee and I needed to write it all out. this is the longest one-shot I've ever done so i hope u like it <3

not proofread!!

For once in their life, my best friends decided to throw a party at their new house in celebration of their 21st. I have known Nick, Matt and Chris for about 6 years now and have watched their rapid growth online unfold in front of my eyes. I decided to move to LA not long after them knowing that I had nothing left for me in Massachusetts. The triplets were my family and they had been from the moment I met them.

When they told me they wanted to throw a party at the house we had only just moved into together 2 weeks prior, I instantly agreed because I wanted the opportunity to meet the rest of their friends who lived in LA. I put on my prettiest short black dress, the cutest pair of black heels I owned and my hair straightened as perfectly as my curls would allow me to. I went with dark eye makeup and red lipstick, pulling the whole look together with my dark brown hair.

They initially set the party to start at 10 pm and luckily we now lived in a neighbourhood that was spaced far enough apart that blasting music until 3 am shouldn't be an issue. 2 hours into the party, people that none of us knew started showing up and it became much bigger than any of us were anticipating but no one was planning on slowing down anytime soon. People turned the living room into a dancefloor and the kitchen was littered with empty bottles and cans of alcohol in a makeshift bar. I decided not to think about the fact we would have to clean this all up tomorrow as I poured myself another shot of tequila as well as one for Tara.

"I thought this was supposed to be a chill party!" Jake yelled over the loud music as I handed the small plastic shot glass to Tara and we both downed the tequila quickly. She took a sip of the can of Pepsi we decided to share as a chaser before I took the can and followed her actions.

"It was but this is way more fun!" I cheered once I placed the can down on the counter and suddenly, Tara was dragging me to the living room as SOS by Rihanna blasted through the house. We began swinging our hips and dancing alone, singing the lyrics loudly since the music drowned out our voices. I suddenly felt a presence behind me and I turned around to see a guy I didn't know the name of. He began moving his body with mine and I made it known that I didn't want to dance with him as I moved closer to Tara.

Unfortunately for me, Tara was now dancing with Zach who was equally as drunk as she was and they lost themselves in the music. I tried to continue dancing, making it known that I wanted to dance by myself or with my friends but this guy didn't seem to get the hint as Right Round by Flo Rida and Kesha finished playing. I got sick of having to move across the makeshift dancefloor to get away from this guy and I knew Tara was with someone she trusted so I decided to walk away. I went back to the kitchen to see Jake and Chris in the corner talking loudly to each other over the music.

I lost my balance slightly as I leaned over the bench to grab the bottle of tequila when hands wrapped themselves around my waist to steady me. I turned around to thank the person who prevented me from falling but I paused when I realised it was the guy trying to dance with me.

"Can I help you?" I asked with annoyance laced in my tone at the fact he didn't get the hint yet. I took a moment to observe him, hating the way his glassy green eyes looked down at me and his light blonde hair swooped across his forehead.

"You move pretty quick," he stated with a smirk and I furrowed my eyebrows before I rolled my eyes. I reached over the counter again, grabbing the tequila bottle and a random cup. I poured a rough shot into the red plastic solo cup before I topped it up with a can of Pepsi from the makeshift cooler we had made in a plastic tub.

"I move quick when I'm trying to get away from someone," I mumbled as I threw the Pepsi can into the trash before I took a sip of the drink.

"Don't be like that, babe," he put his hand on my lower back and I immediately pushed his arm off of me causing him to look at me with a drunken frown.

"Don't touch me and don't call me that," I huffed as I had another sip of my drink as I leaned my back against the counter.

"No need to be such a bitch about it," he moved to stand in front of me as he placed his hands on the table on either side of me and I made it known how clearly uncomfortable I was, "You don't know how to have fun? Come on, give us a smile at least sweetheart."

"Dude, how much more obvious can I make it that I don't want to be near you. Fuck off!" I burst in annoyance and his face shifted from teasing to anger. Suddenly I wasn't just annoyed and uncomfortable but I didn't feel safe being trapped between his arms. I quickly downed the rest of my drink before I threw it in the overflowing trashcan. I tried to push his left arm off of the counter but judging from the muscles along his biceps and the fact his arm barely moved he was clearly stronger than I was.

"I said don't be a bitch about it," he grumbled at me as I looked back up to his face again, unease flooding my body at the look of lust and anger mixed in his eyes, "What? You have a boyfriend or something?"

"Yeah, she does," I heard a familiar voice say and relief flooded me when Chris stood directly behind the guy, a deadpan look on his face. Finally, the guy moved his arms away from the bench and I quickly moved to stand next to Chris as the guy spun around to look at him, "There a problem here?"

"You're not her boyfriend, bro. You were standing there the whole time," the guy chuckled and Chris just smirked at him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I watched the guy just stare at us for a moment before Chris spoke again.

"She's a big girl, she can handle herself," he spoke much clearer than the guy in front of us whose words were slurred together messily and I let my body fall against Chris from the alcohol hitting me harder than expected, "Until drunk dickhead's like you pull up and harass her until I need to step in. Now do what she said and fuck off."

"You're not gonna share?" the guy asked cockily and Chris kept his composure as he swung his arm off of my shoulder, putting his arm in front of me as he pushed me behind him slightly.

"You have ten seconds to get the fuck out of my house before that pretty face gets so fucked up that you can't ever speak to another girl again," Chris spoke which such venom that I hadn't heard from him before and the guy instantly backed away once he realised how angry Chris was. Suddenly, he disappeared into the crowd of people in the living room and Chris's tense shoulders relaxed again.

"Thank you," I mumbled and Chris let out a sigh, turning around to face me as he gave me a half-hearted smile, "He freaked me out."

"How much have you drank already?" he asked, an amused smirk on his lips as he tipped my chin upwards to look into his eyes.

"I lost count," I shrugged, my movements slow and lazy. He shook his head with a smile before he swung his arm over my shoulders and he began pulling me outside. We exited the house and walked over to the firepit where the rest of our friends were.

"Where's Tara?" Nick asked from one of the white wooden chairs they placed around the fire.

"Dancing with Zach," I shrugged before Chris adjusted his arm around my shoulders to hold me closer to him protectively, "You don't have to hold me hostage. That guy left."

"He could still be here. I couldn't see if he actually left or not," Chris spoke matter-of-factly as he sipped on the bottle of beer he had in his right hand.

"What guy?" Matt slurred as he looked up at me from his place on the grass, his eyes glassy from the alcohol he had consumed. Seeing him drunk was funny to me because he was a fun but emotional drunk, "You look pretty."

"Thank you, Matt," I giggled and he scooted over to lean against my calf lazily as he closed his eyes.

"Some guy was being an asshole and wouldn't leave Layls alone," Chris rolled his eyes, his annoyance still lingering and I wrapped my arms around his torso. The blue sweater he wore slid up on his torso since he lifted his arm to take another sip of the beer so my hands were placed against the warm skin of his hip.

"Stop stressing about it Chris," I mumbled as his warmth kept me from freezing outside in my dress and he hummed in response. I looked down at Matt who was still slumped against my legs and I giggled, "Matt don't look up at me because you will see up my dress."

"I'm tired," he mumbled, completely ignoring my statement and my eyebrows threaded together in amusement. I looked up at Nick who sighed, rolling his eyes as he got up and walked over to Matt who was practically half-asleep against my legs.

"Come on. You're going to bed," Nick grumbled as he grabbed Matt's wrist to pull him to a standing position. Matt had outdone himself with the alcohol and that was clear as he almost fell as soon as Nick let go of him. As Nick rolled his eyes, he threw Matt's dead-weight body over his shoulder and trudged inside making me giggle.

Chris pulled me towards the chair that was previously where Nick had sat since it was the only chair still available, the other chairs had been taken by strangers. He unwrapped his arm from around me and sat down in the chair while, as per usual, manspreading with his black baggy jeans on.

He patted his lap before looking up at me, "You're gonna freeze. Sit down."

I sighed, placing myself on his right thigh as I crossed my legs over. I left my legs placed in between his parted thighs and he rolled his eyes before picking my legs up. He swung my legs over his other thigh before placing his right arm behind my back to prevent my back from digging into the armrest.

"Fuck it's cold out here," I shivered, the cold breeze covering my legs despite being fairly close to the fire.

"Well scoot closer and you wouldn't be cold," he mumbled before downing the rest of his beer. He placed the beer bottle on the ground beside the low chair and I moved to fall on his chest, my head resting on the back of the chair beside his, "Better?"

"Yup," I answered shortly as I wrapped my arms over my stomach. It wasn't strange for Chris and I to be this close, everyone knew he was my best friend. What was strange was when he moved his left arm to hang it over my thighs, pulling my legs closer to his torso as his right arm snaked around my waist even further, "You okay?"

"Mhm. You're like a little heater," he mumbled and I lifted my head away from the chair to look at him properly to see a smirk on his lips.

"We're sitting in front of a fire," I stated the obvious and my speech was slurred slightly from the amount of tequila I had consumed in such a short span of time.

"Yeah, but you're blocking half of it," he looked at me with raised eyebrows and I rolled my eyes.

Before I could respond, Nick returned outside and walked over to us, "Layls, your ass is almost out sitting like that."

I went to move my hand from around my stomach to pull my dress down but Chris beat me to it, using his left arm that was slung over my thighs to pull down the bottom of my dress. His cold fingers brushed against the back of my thighs, sending a jolt through my body at the sudden contact.

"Thanks," I mumbled, looking at him and he hummed in response. He kept a grip on my dress to hold it down as he let his hand rest on the back of my thigh. I ignored the fire that ignited in my stomach, knowing it was the tequila in my system making me react like this to my best friend. Nick sat down on the grass beside us to keep himself warm near the fire as he sipped on his drink lazily.

We stayed like that for a while before I noticed Tara stumbling through the backyard as if she were looking for something. Her eyes caught mine and her face lit up before she jogged towards me, her shoes now lost somewhere on the property and her feet bare on the grass.

"Come have a shot with me!" she cheered as she stopped beside us and I pursed my lips, "Chris, Nick, you too. Let's go!"

She grabbed my hand, pulling me off of Chris's lap and I heard Chris chuckle as she dragged me inside. I looked behind me to see Chris and Nick following suit as we entered the kitchen. Tara quickly poured us 4 shots before handing one to each of us.

"Link up!" she yelled over the loud music as I picked up the shot and looked at Chris. I wrapped my arm around his, our elbows connected and he winked at me before Tara screamed, "Three, two, one!"

We took the shot at the same time before untangling our arms and I saw Nick and Tara make disgusted faces as they unravelled their arms as well making me laugh.

"Don't run away from me this time. I'm gonna keep an eye on you," Chris told me sternly and I nodded in agreement, knowing he was protective over me whenever we went out.

+++

I lost track of time as we kept drinking and dancing, losing ourselves in the sea of people. Chris was always nearby, talking to different people and having various drinks but he was always in my line of sight as promised. At one point, he joined me on the makeshift dancefloor before he got dragged away by someone I didn't see the face of.

Tara and I once again got tired and decided we would sit on the couch that was shoved into the corner of the room. We flopped on them, giggling in our drunken state at the feeling of the leather against our skin.

"Thank you for inviting me!" she said happily as she sat up, adjusting her hair on her shoulders as I lay with my legs hanging over the armrest, looking at her upside down since I had to tilt my head back to look at her.

"Thanks for coming bitch!" I yelled back before we fell into a fit of giggles again. I suddenly felt a presence in front of me and I looked up to see Chris standing in front of my legs.

Without warning, he pulled me up by my wrists before he grabbed my waist and threw me over his shoulder. I squealed at the sudden movement, putting my palms on his lower back to make sure I didn't fall flat on my face if he let go of my legs.

"Chris! What are you doing?" I yelled, my voice drowned out by the music and he didn't say anything as he held down the bottom of my dress with his left hand. He began moving through the crowd of people before he carried me upstairs, "Christopher!"

He walked down the hallway, the thick walls now drowning out the sound of the music downstairs and we paused at the end of the hall. I heard something click before we stepped into a room which I quickly realised was his. He kicked the door closed, locking it quickly as I continued to try to wriggle out of his grip.

Suddenly, my back fell onto his bed with a thud and I let out a squeak from the impact. I flipped my hair out of my face before I sat up with a huff, the room spinning from how drunk I was and how quickly I had been thrown on the bed.

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking up at him to see he was staring down at me with no emotion. His eyes were glassy and his chest was heaving from carrying me across the house.

"I told you to not run away," he simply stated and I rolled my eyes, attempting to stand up again but he pushed my shoulders down again causing me to slump back onto the bed.

"I didn't run away. I went to the couch. We're in our house, Chris!" I groaned and he kept an emotionless expression as I looked up at him through my eyelashes, "I was having fun."

"I fucking hate when you don't listen to me," he grumbled as I leaned back on my palms.

"Why is it so fucking cold in your room?" I asked, the amount of tequila in my system made it so I had absolutely no filter between my brain and mouth. Chris didn't say anything, instead he slipped his sweater off and threw it onto my lap leaving him in only a white tank top, "What's this for?"

"You said it was cold. Put it on," he raised his eyebrows and his short tone made me want to argue with him. He knew I hated it when he talked to me like I was under his control and I was drunk enough to embarrass myself to prove a point.

I threw the sweater on the ground before I kicked off my heels and Chris furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at me. I stood up, grabbing the hem of my dress before I slid it over my head.

"What are you doing?" he asked, not looking anywhere but my face as he stared at me. He'd seen me in my underwear hundreds of times over the past 6 years but never in a situation like this.

"I'm not cold," I shrugged and I threw my dress on the ground before I started walking towards the door, "In fact I'm hot. I'm gonna go outside and cool off."

"Absolutely not," he grabbed my forearm and pulled me away from the door again so I stood in front of him, "Don't be an idiot just to prove a fucking point."

"Don't try to tell me what to do," I retorted as I pulled my arm away from his grip and he rolled his eyes, shaking his head in the process. His eyes finally travelled somewhere other than my face as he scanned me head to toe before he smirked.

"Planning ahead?" he asked, reaching his hand up to slide under my black bra strap before he snapped it back against my skin.

"Why do you care?" I questioned, glancing down at my underwear realising that I put on the most see-through lace bra and matching black panties. I stood there for a moment to think about the fact I was standing in Chris's room practically naked and more drunk than I wanted to be. The reality of the situation had sobered me up in a split second.

"It's cute," I heard the smirk in his voice and I looked up as I felt my face heat up, a smirk plastered on his lips as he looked at me, "Would look better off though."

I pursed my lips as I looked at him nervously, all my confidence being lost as he exuded his usual cocky energy. I was used to his flirty personality, Chris flirted with everyone and everything because he found it funny. But right now, it felt a lot more serious.

Suddenly, the flirting was real and the fire in my stomach ignited once again. I knew I wasn't in my right mind as he stepped towards me, his body mere inches from mine because I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I pulled him closer to me and he placed his hands on my hips before he whispered, "This is such a bad idea."

"Yeah, it is," I whispered back as my breathing got shallow, staring at nothing but his lips.

"We shouldn't be doing this," he said impossibly quieter but didn't move away from me, only inches his lips closer to mine.

"No we shouldn't," I answered in the same tone once again, the tension in the room weighing heavy on my chest as I felt his fingers tighten their grip on the flesh of my hips.

"Fuck," he mumbled quickly and before I could register the look behind his eyes, his lips met mine feverishly. It felt as though my brain shut down and my body had a mind of its own as I pulled him impossibly closer to me, savouring the taste of alcohol on his lips and the feeling of his hands grasping my skin.

As he slid his hands down from my waist, he gripped my ass roughly making me gasp causing him to slide his tongue past my lips. He kept sliding his hands down until he reached under my thighs.

He pulled away from my mouth briefly to mumble, "Jump."

I followed his instructions and jumped with the guidance of his hands under my thighs. I wrapped my legs around his waist before I connected my lips with his again. He spun around, sitting down on the bed and I moved my legs so I could place my knees on either side of his thighs. I straddled his waist, unravelling my arms from around his neck before I pulled them down to tug on the hem of his tank top.

He removed his hands from my thighs as I slid the tank top up and he held his arms up for me to slide the material over his head. I threw it behind me lazily before I attached my lips to his once again, our movements rapid as if this would disappear at any moment. His hands found my ass once again, squeezing it slightly making me hum in content. He pulled his lips away from mine, travelling kisses down my jaw before he reached my neck, sucking and biting at the skin. He found a spot below my ear that sent shivers throughout my whole body and I knew he noticed my body's reaction because he stayed with his lips in that spot for a moment.

I subconsciously began grinding my hips down on his now hard dick creating friction against my aching core and I let out a whine from the sensation. I felt him smirk against my neck before he helped me move my hips against him by guiding me by my ass.

"You sound so pretty for me," he rasped in my ear and I let my eyes flutter closed for a moment, focusing on nothing but the feeling of his body against mine. His right hand removed itself from my ass and travelled up my back before I felt my bra straps become loose. I realised he had managed to unclasp my bra with one hand and I quickly slid it off of my arms, throwing it to the ground.

He pulled his lips away from my neck, staring at my now exposed boobs and he looked like he was going to drool the longer he looked at me. I lifted his chin with my hand, pressing a kiss to his rosy lips which were now slightly swollen.

"It's rude to stare," I teased as I whispered against his lips and he smirked before he kissed down my neck again. Eventually, he reached my chest, biting and sucking around my boobs before he attached his mouth around my right nipple. I whined at the contact and he used his hand to knead the other, rolling my nipple between his thumb and index finger as I breathed out, "Chris."

He hummed against me as he switched to my other nipple and I threaded my hands through his soft brown curls, tugging on the hair gently. Within a second, I was suddenly on my back in the bed and Chris stood at the edge of the bed between my parted legs. He unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down his legs, kicking them off of his feet to reveal the black boxers he wore underneath. He didn't waste a second before he grabbed my thighs, pulling my ass to the edge of the bed before he knelt down on the floor and kissed the inside of my thighs. I sighed in content as I threw my hands on either side of my body, holding the sheets between my fingers in anticipation.

"Chris," I groaned, shuffling my hips around impatiently and he smirked against my thigh before he looked up at me through his eyelashes.

"What's wrong?" he teased, still pressing gentle kisses to my thighs dangerously close to my core.

"Please," I whined as I arched my back against the soft sheets.

"Please what?" he taunted me even further, now throwing my legs over his shoulders but pausing kissing the skin of my legs, "Use those words, baby."

"Just do something. Please," I whined once again and he chuckled before he hooked his fingers in the waistband of my underwear. He pulled them down my legs at a teasingly slow pace before he threw them on the floor with the clothes already littered around the room. Without warning, he moved his head between my thighs and placed a kiss on my clit making me whimper from the contact.

That was all the confirmation he needed before he began tracing circles around my clit, lapping up the wetness that was pooling between my legs since we entered his room. I threw my head back as I let out a moan, my breathing picking up the more he worked his mouth on me. I felt the vibrations of the music blasting through the house, the faint sounds of people talking and feet stumbling up and down the house but I drowned it out the moment Chris wrapped his arms around my thighs to keep me still.

My hips habitually rolled upwards and he hummed against me, the vibrations making another moan tumble from my mouth with ease. I looked down to see he was staring at my face, his eyes full of lust and need as his tongue swirled around me creating pure bliss in my body. He removed his right arm from around my thigh and he pulled his mouth away from my pussy briefly, lapping up the wetness with his fingers as I bit my lip. He looked into my eyes, studying my reaction as he carefully inserted a finger into me and I closed my eyes, letting out another moan.

He began sucking and licking my clit again as he slid his finger in and out of me at a steady pace before he added a second. My hands flew to his hair again, tugging on it roughly as my hips bucked in the air. His fingers quickened their pace and I felt my stomach tighten, getting closer to my climax quickly.

"Chris, I'm gonna-" I cut off my own sentence with a moan and before I knew it, my legs were shaking on either side of his head as my orgasm hit me like a truck. He helped me ride out my high, slowing down as I whimpered and whined lazily. He pressed a kiss to my core once again as he slid his fingers out of me.

After unravelling his other arm from around my thigh, he stood up and I looked up to see him place his fingers between his lips before pulling them out with a pop. He climbed back over me, placing a kiss on my lips as he leaned on his left elbow for balance, his other hand kneading my boob gently. I tasted myself on his tongue as I wrapped my hands around his neck to pull him closer to me.

I pushed him onto his back on the bed beside me before I sat up and straddled him once again. I put my hands on his chest, smiling down at him when I noticed the shock on his face and my hair fell in front of my face. He moved his hands up to my face, tucking my hair behind my ears before he cupped my jaw with his rough hands.

"You look so beautiful," he whispered gently and I giggled as I leaned forward, placing a kiss on his lips before I began rolling my hips against his, "If I don't fuck you now, I'm gonna cum in my fucking boxers."

"Impatient as always," I mumbled, a giggle falling out of my lips again and he pulled away to look up at me. Suddenly, the reality of the situation settled in my stomach and I breathed heavily as I whispered, "Are you sure you won't regret it?"

His eyebrows furrowed slightly before he smiled, "You're asking me now?"

"I'm serious, Chris," my tone changed from flirtatious to cautious, "Will you regret this tomorrow?"

"I never regret anything with you," his voice softened as he ran his hand through my hair, looking up at me with a gentle gaze, "This isn't about to change that."

I took a deep breath, feeling more sober than before as I dragged my hands down his bare torso. I moved to stand at the edge of the bed and Chris sat up, leaning back on his elbows. I slid my fingers into the waistband of his boxers, biting my lip as I looked up at him. He smirked at me and that was my signal to slide them down.

I teasingly dragged them down and when the black material reached his thighs, his dick sprung out. I pursed my lips to hide my smile as I slid the boxers off of his legs. I leaned down, kitten licking the tip of his dick causing him to suck in a sharp breath.

"Fuck don't do that," he groaned making me giggle and I stood up, straddling his waist again. He leaned back on the bed as I carefully lined his tip with my entrance.

I slowly slid down, letting out a rough moan that drowned out his own before I reached the base of his dick. He knew I'd only ever had sex with one person but what he didn't know is he was much bigger than him. I placed my head on his chest as I let out a heavy breath, adjusting to his size before I began moving my hips up carefully. He let out a groan as I started moving and I sat back up, placing my hands on his chest as I let out a whine. He moved his hands to my ass, helping guide me over his length as I moved slowly. I hung my head with my jaw slack as I let out pants of pleasure.

"Fuck," I heard him groan as the grip on my ass tightened, "You're so fucking tight, baby."

The rasp in his voice and the pleasure that undertoned it gave me more confidence. I decided to move faster and he let out another moan as I picked up the pace. His hips began lifting into mine and I let out a whimper from the impact.

Suddenly, I was flipped onto my back and he was towering over me again. He placed my ankles over his shoulders before he pushed his way back into me and moans tumbled from my mouth at the new position.

My words were incoherent but the one clear thing was his name coming out as a moan. I looked up at him to see he was staring down at where our bodies met before he looked at my face, his eyebrows threaded in pleasure as his mouth hung open. His right hand reached up, placing itself at the base of my throat and I was thankful for all of the awkward conversations we had about our sex lives because he knew exactly what I liked. He tightened his grip on my neck and I let out a strained moan, my eyes fluttering closed.

"You look so fucking pretty, baby," he huffed, keeping a steady pace as his hips met mine continually, "Been wanting to see you fucked out like this for so long."

I let my eyes open again and he leaned down, pressing my knees to my shoulders as he let his hand unwrap from my throat. He gently kissed my lips, a stark contrast from him pounding into me and I moaned into his mouth. He placed his hands on the back of my knees, realising this new position would send me over the edge.

"Hold your legs for me, princess," he demanded and it felt like I was a dog in training because I immediately did as I was told. He placed his right hand on my lower stomach, using his thumb to rub circles on my clit and another moan ripped through my throat.

"Chris," I gasped as my eyes rolled to the back of my head, "I'm gonna cum. Please."

"Let go, baby," he spoke lowly and my body registered his words faster than my brain because as soon as his sentence finished, my orgasm flowed through my body. I gripped the sheets on either side of me as my body shook and I contracted around his dick, his pace began to get sloppy telling me he was close.

"Baby," I moaned as he drilled into me, taking his thumb off of my clit to not overstimulate me too much.

"I'm gonna-" his words were cut off by a raspy moan and he pulled out of me. I let my legs fall on either side of him before I sat up quickly, grabbing his dick as I pumped him in my hand quickly. I stuck my tongue out, looking up at him with doe eyes and he made eye contact with me.

The muscles on his stomach contracted as he tilted his head back, letting out a loud moan as he reached his climax. The warm liquid fell on my tongue and around my face as I stroked his through his high, smiling to myself as I watched his body shake slightly from overstimulation. I let go of his dick as he looked down at me, a dopey smile on his lips. I swallowed the cum that had fallen on my tongue before I smiled up at him.

"Hang on," he said quickly, reaching towards his bedside table to pick up his phone. He held the phone in front of my face as I smiled up at the camera, the flash turning on quickly before he locked his phone and threw it on the bed, "Never want to forget what you look like after I fucked you brainless."

"Can I get some tissues now?" I asked, giggling since my head was still in the clouds and alcohol in my system made me feel even better. He chuckled, grabbing the box of tissues that were on his bedside table before he picked a few out, grabbing my chin before he gently wiped my face clean. He threw the tissues into the trash before he looked down at me again.

"You okay?" he questioned, his voice gentle as he pushed my hair away from my face and I hummed in response, "You wanna go back to the party?"

"Can we just stay here?" I asked and he nodded, walking over to his drawers. He pulled out two clean pairs of boxers before crouching down in front of me, sliding one of the pairs up my legs. I lifted my hips to let him pull them up to my waist and once they were securely on, he slid the other pair on himself. He jumped in the bed and I crawled over to him, laying myself next to him as I placed my head on his chest.

He pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arms around me and the heat from his body kept me warm in the cold room. He slid the covers up, covering our bodies before he kissed the top of my head.

"I'll tell you what," he spoke and I looked up at him tiredly, "I definitely don't regret it."

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pyreo · 3 days

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I'm comparing the Dungeon Meshi manga to episodes I just watched and now I gotta capital-p Post about this one episode (spoilers past Episode 12)

So this part is an emotional side-step from the central throughline so far - Laios and Marcille got Falin back successfully and reunited, and they got that payoff from the very beginning where they thought it would be impossible. But Chilchuck is very much a part of these layers of development, so after that dragon finally dies, we stop for a second - Laios and Marcille are recovering, Falin has disappeared again - how does Chilchuck feel at that point?

It's the perfect stage to insert that because he didn't really share in that sense of victory in the same way as Laios and Marcille recovering someone extremely close to them. And that's on purpose because he keeps everyone at arms' length. As soon as that arc hits its end and Falin is recovered, there's at last space to ask - why is Chilchuck even here.

He's asking himself that through the chapter. Now that they've lost the person they intended to save, he regrets agreeing to come.

And starts shouldering responsibility for everything ending up this way. We saw that when he got stuck in the mimic room before - he refuses to let himself ask for help, or he'll try to take burdens alone to lessen relying on others. The original Touden Party was six people, and when Laios insisted on going back underground they were two, and he knew they would die, and figured maybe, maybe if they were one more, with his skillset, maybe they'd have a chance. He couldn't let them walk back down just to die.

And he's going back to that mindset - their lives are on me. He thinks he could have prevented this if he'd chosen differently. Essentially, the walk alongside the orc woman is him working through a guilt spiral.

He sees a second chance to correct that mistake of joining the party. He wants them out now, before they die. The orc asks him how they defeated a dragon and, in explaining it, he reminds himself of all the risky, ridiculous things they had to do, and he isn't satisfied with just getting lucky. Laios got his foot bitten off, on purpose! This proves to him that if they go any further they will not survive. And he hints at this dissatisfaction a couple chapters later, wishing his teammates prioritised things other than winning at all costs...

Like, obviously. The point of this chapter is Chilchuck pretending to be a self-serving coward. To the point where others react with disdain, even disgust, towards him because he wants to lie to Marcille and Laios to ensure they turn back. He's desperate to get out of a hopeless situation by any means necessary, and will destroy his standing in the group in a blink if it means nobody else dies. He has to go on a stupid mental health walk for his stupid mental health and talk through his little bout of panic and doubt.

'You called me a coward so don't be surprised when I act accordingly'

He needs someone very blunt to tell him 'dude you're not being a coward for wanting your friends to get out of hell alive. you're a coward for making excuses instead of honestly telling them your concern is genuine' and he BSODs about it. He needs to rant and externalise that frustration over their recklessness at a third party. He needs to scream that they are idiots because he's the only one for which the ends don't justify the means and he can't keep losing his mind over everyone's safety. Down to a point, the orc praises their ability to survive the explosion from the dragon's fuel sac, and it only justifies Chilchuck - Falin didn't even know she could cast the spell that stopped them all being killed, and they cannot continue getting lucky like this.

Anyway. The reason I stopped to think about it was this part-

Where he recovers Laios's monster-infused sword. The thing that made their situation in the dragon fight go from bad to worse, that he swore at Laios for in every language he knew. The most angry we'd seen him. And now he calmly picks it up and praises it for being the only one of them smart enough to make a run for it.

He's projecting, obviously. He's internalising the label of 'coward' and changing himself to fit it. And, look at him, he's so tired of this. It's evidence of his sheer exhaustion that his anger immediately disappears and he actually gives it a compliment. Him and Laios's sword, the group cowards, the only one who agrees with him.

Then, because he had a walk before getting into the argument, he's organised his feelings and drops all the walls and pretense and just says it.

There's a rule of writing where you contrast your high energy sequences with parts that are slow and mundane, to make the difference more apparent. I think that's why I like this bit so much. The fight against the dragon is long, and the emotional stakes are enormous. Right after that we have the bath scene with Falin and Marcille, and Laios ruffling Falin's hair, and this part that pauses everything to explore the stuff that Chilchuck finally needs to say. And it's wrapped in this neat little solemn journey to pick up their supplies and remember how it felt when all five of them had a meal around a real dinner table at last.

And because he doesn't resort to individualistic trickery, because he explains his point as a duty of care rather than pitting himself against the others, he gets backed up. Senshi agrees that they don't have the supplies to continue, and the orc lady mentions her brethren will return later and can give them support, all of which together breaks down Laios's singleminded devotion to his cause.

Personally I think the manga's better suited to comic timing, but in the anime you can get fleshed out little moments, like Laios's face journey as he realises the other three are making a good case for their survival.

This was my favourite part so far, and I like how both Chilchuck-centric episodes have separated him from the others. Because he won't reveal anything he's thinking otherwise. lmao

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #dungeon meshi spoilers #long post #yeah im sorry dungeon meshi good i'm posting through it

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thatdammchickennugget · 2 days

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Damsel In Distress

pairing - remus lupin x fem!reader

summary - your run takes an unexpected turn when you attempt to rescue a motionless figure in the lake, only to find out that he is not only not in need of your help, but also really handsome

warnings - fluff, teasing, mention of drowning, muggle!reader

wordcount - 3.1k

a/n - this is inspired by a reddit story I found

As you jog along the familiar path beside the lake, the crisp autumn air fills your lungs with each breath. The rhythmic pounding of your feet against the earth is the only sound, aside from the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. Lost in your thoughts, you round a bend, and your eyes catch sight of something odd out of the corner of your vision.

There, in the water of the lake, floats a figure, motionless and eerily still, the only movement the light bobbing of the small waves. Your heart lurches in your chest as you come to a sudden halt, your eyes widening in shock. Without a second thought, you sprint towards the water's edge, adrenaline coursing through your veins.

You realize the figure is a man, lying on his back with his arms floating limply by his side. You couldn’t make out much more, his face being turned away from you. Bending over the wooden fence running between the forest path and the edge of the shore, you cup your already shaking hands around your mouth to yell, already fearing the worst.

"Hey! Are you alright?" you call out, panic edging your voice as there is no response, no movement. With a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, you realize you have to act fast. You swiftly strip down to your underwear, discarding your clothes in a messy pile on the grassy bank and throwing your shoes somewhere behind you.

Without hesitation, you hop over the fence, take those last couple steps down to the shore and plunge into the cool water. Your limbs churn through the water, propelling you towards the motionless figure. You curse yourself for swimming so slow, upset at your body for straining under the effort as you rushed to reach the figure.

But as you draw closer, taking a moment to look up instead of focusing on pushing forward, you see him. He's not drowning. In fact, he's treading water effortlessly now, watching you with a perplexed expression.

"Um, are you... okay?" you pant as you slowly come to a halt, waves lapping at your face as you kick your feet hard to stay afloat, feeling the awkwardness of the situation settling over you like a heavy blanket.

“Yes,” he says in a deadpan voice, nodding in response to your question, his expression unreadable as he watches you with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. You feel a rush of embarrassment wash over you, realizing the absurdity of your impromptu rescue attempt.

Quickly turning to leave, you hope to escape the awkwardness of the situation, only to freeze as you spot three more heads bobbing in the water nearby. Your heart leaps into your throat as you realize you're not alone. Panic sets in, and you scramble to come up with an explanation for your impulsive actions.

The boys exchange knowing glances, their amusement evident in the twinkle of their eyes as they watch your flustered reaction. The one closest to you, his dark hair a wild mess from the water and his glasses speckled with drops of water, grins mischievously, while another one with his long hair pulled back into a messy bun shoots you a wink that sends a shiver down your spine. The mousy looking one furthest from you, quieter but no less amused, chuckles softly to himself.

"Uh, what are you guys up to?" you blurt out, your cheeks burning as you desperately try to make sense of the situation.

"Training," Spectacles answers with a smirk, his tone teasing as he watches your reaction, exchanging a look with his friends.

You furrow your brow in confusion, trying to piece together the puzzle of their presence in the lake. "Are you lifeguards or something?" you inquire, feeling a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. That was probably it. They were lifeguards running thrills and you just ruined one of them.

Manbun lets out a bark of laughter, his grin widening at your assumption. "Something like that," he replies cryptically.

You nod slowly, though the pieces still don't quite fit together in your mind. "Right, well, sorry for the interruption," you mumble awkwardly.

But before you can make your escape, you catch sight of movement in the water. The man you thought needed saving is swimming towards you, effortlessly gliding through the water with practiced ease.

As he reaches your side, you can't help but staring at the sight of him, sleek and confident in the water while you struggle to keep your head above the surface. You catch glimpses of faded scars littering the skin of his chest and neck, but your gaze momentarily fixes on the more prominent one on his face, starting at his left brow and running all the way across his nose and to the curve of his jaw.

"Need a hand getting back?" he offers with a playful smirk, extending his arm towards you.

You shake your head, determined not to make this anymore awkward than it already is. They are already more than amused by you, no need to make yourself look even more pathetic. "No, I'm good," you reply, forcing a smile despite the churning flutter in your stomach.

But he doesn't seem to take the hint, continuing to move beside you as you swim back towards the shore. You become acutely aware of how hard you're breathing, your lack of swimming skills making each stroke feel like a herculean effort. Still, holding your head up high as you made your retreat, you tried to stifle your heavy pants. Suddenly, the urge to stop and just let yourself sink to the bottom of the lake to drown yourself rung out in your mind.

To your horror, a small giggle escaped you, the absurdity of the situation finally settling in. In a last attempt to seem unbothered by what had transpired, you joke, “You are lucky you weren’t actually dying because it would have taken everything I have to drag your sorry ass this far.”

"Are you sure you don’t need any help?" he laughs, his voice light and teasing as he matches your pace effortlessly. "I could always tow you back, you know."

You grit your teeth, refusing to let him see just how much you're struggling. "I'll manage," you reply through clenched teeth, pushing through the water with all the determination you can muster up.

He chuckles softly, clearly enjoying your discomfort as he continues to swim beside you. "Suit yourself," he remarks, speeding up to overtake you, still keeping an eye on you over his shoulder.

And as you finally reach the safety of solid ground, gasping for breath and dripping wet, he is already standing on the grassy edge, offering you a hand with a playful grin.

"Quite the adventure, huh?" he quips, his eyes dancing with amusement as he helps you out of the water. You try to ignore the way his eyes rake down your body, feeling insecure in your dropping wet sports bra and snoopy themed panties.

You can't help but roll your eyes at his comment, though the corners of your mouth twitch with the beginnings of a smile. "Something like that," you reply, unable to deny the thrill of adrenaline that still lingers in the air.

As you hastily gather your clothes, the weight of embarrassment still heavy on your shoulders, you muster up the courage to turn towards the group of boys, the other three now treading water not far from the shore. Their amused smirks and twinkling eyes only intensify the churning in your stomach, but find yourself trying to make amends anyhow.

"Um, hey," you begin, your voice wavering slightly as you address them. "I just wanted to say... I'm really sorry for interrupting. I, uh, didn't mean to cause any trouble."

The man with the scar offers you a reassuring smile, his expression surprisingly understanding. "Hey, no worries," he replies, his tone gentle. "No harm done.”

You nod, grateful for his understanding, but you still feel the need to make it up to them somehow. "Well, how about this," you blurt out, the words tumbling from your mouth before you can stop them. "I'll treat you guys to a drink at the pub tonight. My way of saying sorry for ruining... whatever that was."

The boys exchange surprised glances, their lips twitching with suppressed smiles. You resist the urge to slap your forehead. What are you thinking, inviting these men out after making yourself an utter fool in front of them. To your horror, they seem to consider your offer seriously.

Manbun nods, grinning up at the one with the scar, who was making it hard to keep the colour from your face as he stood beside you, his tones chest in clear view. "Sounds like a plan," he agrees, his grin widening. "We'll hold you to that."

"Great," you reply, trying to maintain a semblance of composure even as your voice comes out slightly higher pitched than you intended. "So, The Oak & Ale tonight?"

They all nod in unison. "Sounds good," Spectacles confirms, his smirk widening. "We'll see you there."

With a final wave, you turn to leave, eager to put as much distance between yourself and this embarrassing encounter as possible. But as you jog back home, the weight of your impulsive invitation hangs heavy on your mind. What have you gotten yourself into?

ੈ♡˳

Later at The Oak & Ale, you find yourself nursing a drink at the bar, nervously glancing around as you wait for the group of boys to arrive. You brought along your friend, who can't contain her excitement about meeting the "hot guy" you attempted to rescue.

She nudges you playfully. "So, spill the details! Was he as dreamy up close as he was in the lake?"

You roll your eyes, trying to play it cool. "Oh, please. It was all a misunderstanding. He probably thinks I'm a complete idiot."

She laughs, not buying it for a second. "Come on, don't be so hard on yourself. You were just trying to help. He probably thought you were adorable. One day this will be the perfect story to tell when your children ask you ‘mommy, how did you meet dad?’”

You groan, burying your face in your hands. "Please, you read way too many romance books. Trust me, the impression I made won’t have anyone falling in love with me. I'm just hoping to get through this evening without any more embarrassment."

But before you can dwell on it any further, the door to the pub swings open, and in walks the group of boys. Your heart skips a beat as you catch sight of the man with the scar, now thankfully fully clothed as he trails behind his friends towards the bar.

Your friend nudges you excitedly. "Is that him? Wow, you weren't kidding. He is totally hot."

You shoot her a glare. "Keep it down, will you? I'm already mortified enough as it is."

The first one to reach you is Spectacles, tall and handsome with messy black hair and a mischievous grin. He extends his hand towards you.

"Hey there," he says, his voice smooth and confident. "Sorry again, about earlier. We didn't mean to startle you. I’m James by the way."

You take his hand awkwardly. "Uh, no problem," you stammer, trying to compose yourself as you tell him your own name and introduce your friend. "Nice to meet you, James."

He flashes you a charming smile before gesturing to his friends. "These are my mates. That's Sirius," he says, indicating the one with the wild, dark hair who's already scanning the room with a playful smirk. "Peter," he continues, nodding towards the quieter guy standing beside Sirius.

Finally mentioning to the man who had been occupying your thoughts all day, he continued, “And your damsel in distress over there is Remus.”

Remus shoots James a playful glare before turning to you with an apologetic smile. "Ignore him, he’s been hassling me about it all day and has trouble realizing how unfunny he is.”

You shake your head with a cautious smile. "No worries. It’s nice to meet you all."

As the conversation continues, you find yourself able to relax a little in their company, their easy banter putting you at ease. When it's time to order drinks, you make good on your promise and treat them to a round, earning grateful smiles and a chorus of thanks.

As the night wears on, Sirius eventually asks your friend to dance, and James and Peter follow suit, leaving you and Remus alone at the bar. You exchange a shy smile, both of you still feeling a bit awkward after your earlier encounter.

"Sorry again about earlier," Remus says, his voice soft. "I hope we didn't ruin your day or anything."

You shake your head, offering him a reassuring smile. "Not at all. It was definitely an interesting start to the day, but I'm just glad everything turned out okay."

Remus nods, his expression grateful. "Well, thanks for being so understanding. And for the drinks, of course."

As you take a sip of your drink, you glance over at him, taking in the soft brown curls falling into his eyes and the way the soft lighting of the pub brought out the warmth in his eyes, feeling a flutter of nervousness in your stomach. "It was the least I could do," you reply, trying to keep your tone casual. "Besides, it's not every day I get to attempt and rescue a mysterious stranger from the lake."

Remus chuckles softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "That's one way to put it. Though I have to admit, you definitely made quite the impression."

You feel a blush creeping up your cheeks at his comment, but you try to play it off with a laugh. "Yeah, well, I tend to make a scene wherever I go."

He smiles, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary. "I don't mind a bit of excitement now and then."

The warmth of his smile sends a shiver down your spine, and you find yourself drawn to him in a way you hadn't expected. Emboldened by the alcohol and the comfortable atmosphere, you lean in a little closer, lowering your voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Between you and me," you say, a playful glint in your eye, "I think you would have enjoyed being rescued by me."

Remus's smile widens, shifting a little closer to you as well. "Maybe just a little."

You share a quiet laugh, the tension between you easing with each passing moment. It's a relief to find that Remus is just as easy to talk to as he is to look at, and you find yourself enjoying his company more than you expected.

As the night continues, you fall into a comfortable rhythm of conversation, discussing everything from your favorite books to your most embarrassing childhood memories. With each passing moment, you find yourself growing more and more fond of Remus, his easygoing nature and quick wit making it impossible not to smile in his presence.

"So, what's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?" he asks, his voice low and teasing as he leans in ever closer.

You tilt your head, a mischievous glint in your eye as you match his playful tone. "Well, attempting to rescue a 'drowning' man in my underwear definitely ranks up there," you reply with a smirk.

Remus chuckles softly, the sound like music to your ears. "I have to admit, it was quite the sight," he says, his gaze lingering on you with a mixture of amusement and something else you can't quite identify.

You feel the heat crawling up your neck but you refuse to look away, holding his gaze with a newfound confidence. "And what about you?" you ask, eager to keep the conversation going. "What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?"

Remus leans back against the bar, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he considers your question. "Well, going to school with these blokes meant getting in new kinds of trouble every day," he says, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "One time we managed to convince the whole school to dress up as our headmaster for the day.”

You can't help but laugh at the mental image. "That sounds like quite the adventure," you giggle, impressed by Remus's mischievous streak.

He nods, a fond smile playing on his lips. "It definitely made for an interesting day, that's for sure. And even though we ended up with a month’s worth of detention, it’s moments like those that I'll always remember."

Your hand itches to meet his where it is resting on the table only inches from yours, the warmth of his smile infectious. "I know what you mean," you say softly. "It's the unexpected moments that always seem to stick with you."

Remus's gaze softens, his eyes locking with yours in a way that sends a thrill of anticipation racing through your veins. "Exactly," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I have a feeling tonight might just be one of those moments."

You feel your heart skip a beat at his words, a rush of excitement coursing through you at the thought of where this newfound connection might lead. "I think you might be right," you agree, unable to hide the smile spreading across your face.

Before you know it, the pub is starting to empty out, the last few patrons stumbling out the door with drunken laughter. You glance at Remus with a hint of reluctance.

"I guess it's time to call it a night," you say, trying to hide the disappointment in your voice.

Remus nods, his expression mirroring your own. "Yeah, I suppose so. But hey, maybe we could do this again sometime? Without the impromptu lake rescue, hopefully."

A smile tugs at the corners of your lips as you nod. "I'd like that. Just let me know when you're free."

As you exchange numbers and make plans to meet up again, you can't help but feel a sense of excitement for what the future might hold. Who knew that a chance encounter by the lake could lead to something so unexpected? But as you say your goodbyes and head out into the cool night air, arm in arm with your friend as you gush about the night you had, you can't shake the feeling that this might be the beginning of something truly special.

Remus Taglist - @urmomsgirlfriend1 @remussbitch @nighttimewrites @starsval @whoknowsbut @gayforyelena @whoreforfictionalmen18 @darkacademicvibes @marauderswhxre @ravenclawprincess33 @helpimhopelesslyinlove @Yhiiil @themarauderswife7 @bath1lda @vcosette @rinalouu @agent-tempest @s0urw00lf @pinkestfloyd @l0v3do11 @unstablereader @wolfstar-marvelsfan @captainstanksblog @pinktreee @andrew-and-flower @slutforfictionalcharacterss @iamgayforyourmom1501 @cas-planet @poppysrin @camille-1019 @slytherinambitious @notyaslol @yourenogoodforme

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lunargrapejuice · 1 day

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LUNAAAAA ily 🤭 anyway i've read a bunch of your fics and i never thought i would like sephiroth until i read what you write so pls pls pls if you can write smth smutty and sweet of seph it would kill me (p.s. preferably after him and reader have their first baby and they've been so pent up after almost 2 years of not being able to do it)

hi babes!! ily too!🥰🩷 im so glad i could help bring you over to loving sephiroth heheh🤭 i did take this idea but i did change it a bit and then kinda ran away with it? i still hope you like it! thank you so much for reading and requesting something!

the sweetest of dark dreams

sephiroth x fem!reader | 6.3k + words

warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI, porn with plot, un named daughter, hurt/comfort, post ffvii story, violence and drugging (not by seph), he's not pre-nibelheim sane but not crazy seph either?, possessiveness, explicit sexual content, mating press, cream pie, implied multiple rounds, i think that it but please let me know i missed anything!

synopsis: the first thing you saw upon opening your eyes is sephiroth with your daughter smiling at his side and tugging at his sleeve but you’d be lying if you said you hadn’t considered that maybe you never woke up in the first place and you’re still dreaming. is it a nightmare or a sweet dream? you wonder again and again as two days pass, questioning if any of this is even real because how could it possibly be real when your husband who should be dead is suddenly.. here, alive and breathing and making your daughter smile. you don’t know what to believe but all of this feels so unbelievably real it’s hard to tell your brain and your heart otherwise and he doesn't wait long to show you just how real this is.

you’ve yet to decide if this is a dream or a nightmare or which you would even want it to be if you knew.

it started off as a nightmare. no it was so much more than that when you lost sephiroth after the nibelheim mission and somehow even worse than that when you found out you were pregnant. pregnant and utterly alone. on the run from shinra, desperate to ensure your baby would never be known by them, would never have to come close to one of their labs or needles.

then your daughter was born. a mix of you and your soulmate and beyond perfect. the rays of light in her eyes, his eyes, helping guide you through the darkness that had clouded the path in front of you for those first nine months without him and thus nightmare began to turn into a bittersweet dream.

the sweetness of it was easier to take in the more she grew, with each successful day that you’re both free of shinra, but a day never passed that you didn’t think of sephiroth or feel the permanent ache in your chest that had been present since you were parted. and you were never blind to the threats that still lingered. the truth that your daughter shares sephiroths jenova cells and if shinra ever found her.. well you would be sure they never got to her so you would not have to find out and she would never have to know any of the pain her father was put through.

it's what sephiroth would have wanted too.

nearly six years of you and her, safe and sound, six years of giggles and smiles and you doing everything you can to protect her, a dream you live out for both you and your beloved and when you heard of the explosion of shinra, what sephiroth had done, you had hoped maybe the running could finally be over, but it only took one moment for it to turn into a horror you didn’t dare dream of, that you could hardly take and have relived every night since in your dreams.

“mommy?”

“yes baby?” you replied as calmly as you could and prayed that your daughter couldn’t feel the rapidness of your heart beat under her hands that cling around your neck but you couldn't suppress it no matter how hard you tried.

“is something wrong?”

she’s always been more aware than you know how to handle at times but how could you lie when at this moment everything seemed wrong, so very fucking wrong, like everything you did to try to keep her safe wasn’t enough and never would have been. you remembered crying about how you couldn’t do this without sephiroth during her birth and maybe you were right all along..

you heard he died along with many others that fateful day but there was no mistaking hojo when you spotted him in the city you visited for supplies near the place you had called home for the last half year and the devilish expression on his face when your eyes met let you know he had not mistaken you either.

that sickening smile had only grown when his gaze came to the small child holding your hand, her silver hair so similar to her fathers if her slitted pupils weren’t enough to give her away to him. though you honestly don’t know how much of a look he got of her because so quick you had your daughter in your arms and slipped back into the crowd that frequents this market street.

you didn’t look back but you felt him and others following you.

“whatever happens, just don’t let go of me, okay?” you asked of your daughter, hugging her closer to your body. you had dropped your groceries somewhere on the side of the road to help lighten the load and get you moving faster as she wordlessly buried herself into your chest, holding on like her life depended on it.

she held on just as tightly when she was ripped from your hold by a man dressed in a shinra infantry uniform only minutes outside of the city. like they had been waiting for you, they cornered you against an abandoned building and before you realized it, hojo was behind you and you felt the prick of a thick needle sinking into your side.

there were a dozen others that surrounded you, some pulling your weakening body away from your daughter as others tried to make her let go of you. you’ve never felt so helpless, so scared and even though you know it’s only a dream this time around, the emotions flood back like they had then.

“what did you do to me?!” you screamed at hojo in your fight to reach for her but no matter how much you tried to move you couldn’t get your body to do anything and the place where hojo had injected you burned like the heat of it was draining every ounce of your strength and consciousness.

you hardly heard his answer over the cries of your daughter and the adrenaline pumping through your veins with no way to release after whatever the hell hojo put inside of you. you screamed, unable to hold it back when your mouth felt like it's the only thing that could move or do anything at all. it made your lungs burn with dry heat, you thought they may even burst with how it rages inside of your chest but you could only hope in the explosion it would take hojo and these ass holes with you.

by some miracle it ignited your muscles and you tugged at the hands that held onto you, your strength surprising them and their hold slipped, allowing you a moment to tumble away towards your daughter, reaching out for her with bruised arms just as gunshots echo all around you.

a gust of wind, like the beat of a giant wing, swirled around you, sending hojos lackeys flying in every direction but you and your daughter remained steady, not a hair flying in the wind. before your hands can connect with her she’s being lifted into the air by gloved hands and when you follow them to the person picking her up, feeling your body succumbing to the serum hojo injected you with, you see sephiroth holding her on his hip, reaching down for you with his other arm, a dark black wing surrounding you like a shield before the entire world faded away.

you awake with the same jolt you had once the serum had run its course, body jolting and gasping for air but unlike then, you’re quick to realize where you are and that things are okay. a weird, uneasy definition of the word but your daughter is safe and hojo is dead and that is enough for you. at least that’s what you keep telling yourself.

it had to be enough because right now nothing else aside from those two things make any sense to you and even the latter you’re only taking at the word of the familiar stranger currently asleep with your daughter in his arms on the plush chair in her bedroom.

it’s only been a few days since you woke up after being asleep for two weeks thanks to hojos concoction and the first thing you saw upon opening your eyes was sephiroth with your daughter smiling at his side and tugging at his sleeve but you’d be lying if you said you hadn’t considered that maybe you never woke up in the first place and you’re still dreaming. is it a nightmare or a sweet dream? you wonder again and again as two days pass, questioning if any of this is even real.

how could it possibly be real when your husband who should be dead is suddenly.. here, alive and breathing and making your daughter smile and claiming hojo is no longer a threat because he personally saw to it and you’ll all be safe now. he’ll be sure of it. you honestly don’t know what to believe but all of this feels so unbelievably real it’s hard to tell your brain and your heart otherwise and regardless of whether it is or not, you need to continue to protect your daughter. so even in this foggy state between reality and a fucked up beautiful dream, you do what you’ve always done to keep her safe.

she may be a heavy sleeper but sephiroth never has been himself and you doubt that’s change in the years you’ve been apart so when you sneak out of the house, you hold your boots against your chest as you tiptoe out of the front door and hold your breath with every step until you’re on the edge of the small garden you keep, sitting on the wood plank of the garden box and lace up your boots before making your way back towards the city.

two weeks you’d been asleep. two weeks of not earning any gil and you don’t even know how sephiroth has paid for or gotten the food currently in your pantry. it’s just another worry on your shoulders that makes it hard to breath or think straight but it’s one you can do something about at least. you’d have made better care taking plans for your daughter in your absence had you not been asleep all this time and the fights you planned to join in the undercity for gil being only tonight until next month. you couldn’t wait that long and having joined them before, you know you’ll be fine. thank the goddess there were no lingering effects of the serum as far as you could tell.

that doesn’t stop how sickly on edge you feel the entire walk, like hojo or sephiroth might pop up from the shadows, like you’ve done a terrible thing by leaving your daughter with a man you aren’t sure is real. a stranger, you had called him earlier but you’re just as much of a stranger to him now too. so long without him, your only focus being keeping your daughter alive and safe at any cost and despite your heart with a wound that not even time could heal. you’re not the same person and if he really is the man you once called your husband, the same one who had tried to destroy the planet, he isn’t the same either.

he had been gentle with your daughter over the past two days of you carefully watching his every move though. she had hardly wanted to be away from him since you’ve awoken and he had seen to her care during the time you were drugged to sleep without as much as a scratch on her little body. she trusted him and though you aren’t sure that you did, you didn’t think he’d hurt her and you’d do your best to get back before either of them noticed you were gone.

your dream replays in your mind as you walk past the place where sephiroth had reappeared before you, right when you needed him. in the moonlight you’d never guess it was the place of a slaughter or the return of someone you never thought you’d see again. it looks almost peaceful in your slowed steps taking in the blades of grass that flatten under your footsteps but it does anything but bring you calmness.

on the brink of losing it, your mind running a million miles an hour with how to wake up from this dream, how to discern what’s real and what isn’t, you’re thankful the undercity is filled with more life than the actual city is thanks to more than just the townsfolk being here to watch the fights happening in an arena that sits in the center of it all. no one pays you any mind and the endless chatter along with the announcers echoing in the background nearly drowns out your anxious thoughts.

you’d need to figure them out at some point. you know you can’t avoid it forever but it would have to wait for tonight, until you could control just one thing and be sure there was enough gil for whatever your family might need in the coming weeks, until you could feel something that was undoubtedly real to knock you out of this sorry state if for no other reason but your daughter.

like always, you would need to push through for her even when you’re breaking in ways you don’t know where to begin to cover up or fix. then again, maybe you’re just unfixable to begin with.

having made your way through most of the crowd, you’re nearly at the carved out side entrance of the arena to look over the fight lists and sign up for one’s you know you’ll be able to win against other people and monsters but like he had been waiting for you to arrive, you see sephiroth leaning against the wall with his arms folded and his head down, silver locks covering most of his face just a curtain of starlight. he no longer wears his normal armor but there's no denying it’s him. in the busyness no one seems to notice him either but he’s all you can see.

in a blink, his attention is on you, as if he felt your presence, and you’re frozen in the street, unsure what it is that’s gluing your feet to the ground. fear? guilt? worry? you can’t begin to describe the feeling properly but it's like black tendrils root you in place and make your heart beat uncontrollably, uncomfortably.

unfolding his arms, he takes long strides towards you, his eyes never leaving yours, the expression on his face completely unreadable and as composed as ever. every conscious part of your body tells you to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction, all the while your heart whispers that he would never hurt you. run towards him. you push the urge down, remind yourself he isn’t your sephiroth, and when the nerves in your feet finally get the message and move, it’s away from him that they choose. he’s so close to you by then though and you know you only get away because he’s letting you.

you can’t get out the ‘excuse me’s and ‘i’m sorry’s that sit on the tip of your tongue as you hurry away from the arena and back towards the entrance you came from, accidentally knocking into patrons without looking back. you don’t even know why you’re running when you know there was no getting away from him. even if he’s letting you go now, he was faster. stronger. dangerous. and worst of all and more likely than anything else, maybe you’ll realize he’s just some twisted joke conjured by your subconscious or shinra in order to get whatever they want from you.

it’s just outside the dimly lit entrance to the undercity that sephiroth has had enough of chasing after you and before you can stop in your tracks, he’s standing in front of you, the lights of the undercity reflecting back on his handsome features, and he’s quickly changing your direction and backing you into metal wall of the normally closed off entrance with his steps only inches from yours. it’s only the two of you around with the arena growing louder, telling you the event is about to begin.

he doesn’t touch you, there’s not a place your bodies connect, no where you’ve dared to reach for in the two days you’ve been awake but you can feel the warmth of him at this distance, smell his familiar leather and flora scent, and it wraps around you like a blanket you had nearly forgotten the touch of but you hesitate to melt into its comfort. his strong arms cage you in, not letting you escape his intense gaze and towering height, and on bated breath you wait for him to make the first move, to say something, anything because for two days you’ve hardly had any words between you but it seems he was not going to let that continue any longer.

“what are you doing here?” he asks and you feel your heart skip a beat at the sound of his voice that wavers with what you swear is worry.

but it couldn’t have been, you tell yourself. he’s not real. this isn’t real. wake up - wake up!

“it looks to me like you already know,” your words are like venom on your own tongue. you hate the taste but you can’t stop it with the overwhelming feelings currently consuming you, that you don’t know where to begin to process. before he can say anything you continue, finally finding the strength to move and using it to shove him away from you with your hands planted firmly on his chest. it’s the first time you’ve touched him since waking up and you’re almost surprised that he feels solid. it steals the poison behind your words, makes you falter and they’re only defeated now. “you don’t get to judge my choices. i do what i have to for her. i always have and i always will.”

free from his caging, you don’t try to go back to the undercity. you know he wouldn’t let you and gods dammit your daughter is alone right now - your feet start to head back towards home at a quick pace, not waiting up for him or looking back to see if he is following you.

“that’s not the issue here,” his voice is close when he speaks again, as though he’s right on your heels.

you stop in your tracks, turning on the balls of your feet to meet his gaze. goddess how is he even before you..

“not the issue?” you can’t help but laugh. it feels horrible though, bitter and heavy and brings tears to your eyes. “then tell me, what exactly is the problem because i can think of so many bigger issues than earning gil to keep my daughter safe!” so quickly you’ve lost your cool, every word you speak brings you closer and closer to bursting into tears.

“you’ve done so much for her,” he says and despite the flinch of the words you used to claim your daughter without him, there’s a soft adoration in his tone that makes you think this really must be some kind of mirage meant to torture you further, to break you, and it’s working. he takes a step closer to you, reaching for you with his gloveless hand but his touch never connects. “but putting yourself in danger is no way of protecting her.”

your tears begin to shed without your permission, letting go with them the floodgates of your emotions. this was too much to take, too much to process when you don’t know what to believe or do when years of longing pain crashes to the surface in a suffocating wave. “what would you even know about it when you’ve been goddess knows where - what - trying to destory the fucking planet - while ive been in agony without you?! trying to get through every day-”

you take a step away from him, thankful there seems to be no one else around you to hear your loss of control, to see the way you run your hands over your face and hair and take in breaths that only seem to fuel the heat inside you that is cracking you with ever added degree.

“did you even come back for me after nibelheim? did you know i was pregnant or about our daughter?!” you’re sobbing uncontrollably, unsure if he can understand your words but you couldn’t stop them just as much as you couldn’t control your weeping eyes. you can’t meet his either when you continue, “i - i don’t even know if you’re real sephiroth! the only thing i know that's real is her and even if this, right now, is some kind of messed up dream hojo’s put me in, i have to take care of her in the chance it’s not and if it is then- then i have to wake up so i can save her. i have to do something! - anything - i -”

the touch of his hands on your face, cradling your jaw with gentle strength, stops you in your tracks before you can fully succumb to fear and grief and every little emotion firing off inside of you, before you drown in your own tears.

sephiroth says your name and though you can’t tell if it’s helping or making your tears worse, you don’t fight him. “you don’t think i’m real?” he asks, his voice deep and eerily tranquil but before you can protest or reply, his lips are on yours, pressing together in a deep, claiming kiss. one of his hands carding into your hair while the other grabs your trembling hands and brings them up to his chest.

you can feel his steady heartbeat under your palms, taste him on your lips with each kiss you return that’s coated in your tears and the way he handles you feels like a distant memory. you want to melt into it, let yourself be weak and handled by him like you had years ago but you can’t bring yourself to give in. it’s not real and it hurts that much worse because of it.

with unreserved strength, he presses you against him with a hand now at your back, splayed across you in a possessive grip, keeping you completely flush against his larger body, your feet nearly off the ground in your reach for him. you gasp against his lips at the sudden contact and when he takes in a deep breath, he affirms you as though he had read your mind, “this is real,” you feel the pressure of his forehead on yours and hiccup in your sobbing at the contact. “and you will never be without me again.”

“sephiroth..” you hold onto the shirt he wears, the fabric bunching in your fists as if he might disappear in the wind if you did not hold onto him. in this state you don’t know if you can believe him but so badly do you want it to be true and you think maybe for a moment you can give in, let yourself believe it for the sake of your heart that’s filled with a hope you worry might break you like you never before if it turns out to not be true.

you couldn’t bear to lose him again. even if neither of you are the same as before, there is no doubt in your mind that he is a part of your soul and heart just as you are a part of his. that you will always be tied to one another in a bond you can’t explain in words but that you’re certain transcends lifetimes and universes.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

the front door to the house creaks open slowly and for the first time since you gave in, you break from sephiroths lips, trying to catch your breath in quiet gasps thanks to the tears still flowing from your eyes. he’s carried you the entire way home, with your legs wrapped around his thin waist and his ever present strength helping him support you with minimal effort. he isn’t keen on letting you go now that you’re home either.

the house is quiet and in his walk to your bedroom at the end of the hallway, you both peek into your daughter's room to see her sleeping peacefully where sephiroth had tucked her in before following after you. you reach down and shut the door and in his next step, he captures your lips once more in a kiss that makes you light headed and dizzy.

he’s quick to press you against your bedroom door as the click of the lock fills the room and is quickly replaced by your whimpers. aside from when you slept here for those two long weeks, unmoving but with your heart still beating, he hasn’t stepped foot back in your room despite the fact it was torture to be so close and yet so far from you. he had wanted to devour you from the moment you first woke up and looked at him with those eyes that were so closed off but still so full of the love that changed him, that made him realize there was something he could not live without.

he wasn’t well without you by his side either and regardless of whether you believed him or not, he hadn’t known of your daughter but when he found out, all he had done was search for you until he heard the planet vibrate with your scream that shook his soul and brought him to you, never to be parted again.

“have you remained only mine angel?” he asks low against your lips, with an urgency that tells you he needs you to tell him. he gives you the chance, lifting up further up on his waist and stepping away from the door, latching his lips on the base of your neck, nibbling and sucking on your supple skin.

you’re quick to nod, your words following after he has you on the bed and is on top of you, not letting an inch between your bodies. “only ever yours,” you promise and you mean it whole heartily. there could never be anyone but him in your bed or in your heart.

“only mine,” he echoes, the words vibrating through his chest and then his teeth are sinking deeper into your flesh. you hold back a cry, feeling your body break out in goosebumps as you writhe underneath his broad frame, trying to keep quiet. he shifts and presses his hard, clothed cock over your sex, rolling his hips with a soothing lick over the marks of his teeth on your flesh. “all mine.”

the way he strips you of your clothes is such a stark contrast to how he handles your body. the fabric is carelessly ripped and torn in a ravenous fashion, the fibers easily giving way to his strength but when his fingers touch your skin that lay beneath, they’re acutely aware to your fragility compared to what had become of his own body and maps out every change in your own since sephiroth last saw you like this.

he remains completely clothed above you, his pupils the thinnest of slits underneath thick dark lashes that grow heavier with aching hunger the longer he stares at you. a piercing gaze that makes your entire body tremble and burn with heat. a predator gaze. the eyes of your other half that you only saw in your dreams for so long. but your dreams had never been this real. your heart had not beat like this in six years, not even your endless tears could begin to replicate the feelings coursing through you right now and you couldn’t control a single one of them but you didn’t need to when you surrender all of yourself to him.

the pressure of his body against yours once more grounds you, the warmth of his breath and lips on the skin below your ear, his hand that travels down your inner thigh towards where you want him the most making you whimper in a plea for more. at this point you aren’t sure you’ll be able to stop crying but your tears are slower now, your hands tugging at his clothes for purchase or to get them off of him or some mix of them both.

“i’ll show you how real i am darling,” he whispers against you, placing a kiss to the space below the lobe of your ear right as you feel his fingers on your cunt, slowly parting your folds from your entrance to your clit, groaning at the soft and wet feeling of you. “be a good girl for me.”

in all the time you’ve been apart you’ve never forgotten the feeling of him but have never been able to mimic it with your own hands and could not even dream of it with another, let alone follow through with it just to sate your needs. there’s nothing compared to the way he knows your body better than yourself, the intense adoration he shows it and how easily he finds the perfect pressure against your clit that has you clenching around nothing, arching into his chest, and soaking his fingers.

and when he finally sinks two of his digits into you, you have to bite your bottom lip to keep from screaming out. it feels so good, so right, so real. his body lifts from yours, spreading his legs and yours thighs on top of his follow, giving him the perfect view of your glistening cunt.

“‘s real,” you don’t mean for the words to be spoken out loud despite the fact they echo over and over again in your mind and you say them so quietly he might not have heard you had he not been so keenly aware of every inch of you.

his other hand comes up to your face, the pads of his thumb soothing below your bottom lip in a gentle caress that coaxes your jaw to slacken and hear the your sweet noises as he thrusts his fingers in and out of your tight hole, curling them when they’re buried knuckles deep inside of you.

“i’m real,” he confirms, running his thumb along your bottom lip.

your hands hold onto his muscular arms, your nails leaving crescent shapes in his skin with every lewd squelch from between your legs each time he pulls his fingers away and pushes back into you with skilled movements until you’re coming so quick, so hard, around his fingers. he massages that perfect spot inside of you that has you seeing stars behind your closed eyes, his thumb pressing against you clit in time with his movements and your orgasm rocks your body, adding to your tears that he begins wipes with his hand on your face as he watches you break around him, feeling himself growing impossibly harder behind the confines of his pants at how beautiful you are.

his chest is full of the anguish and relief of all these years without you, what he thought he had lost that only drove him to further madness but that was here before him now, that he would never be let out of his grasp again.

a whimper escapes your lips when he leaves you so very empty with the withdrawal of his fingers but you can’t bear to take your hands off of him. you need to feel more of him, all of him, and don’t stop your pitiful movements that pull at his clothes, shaking and needy. you can’t hold onto him tight enough but it doesn’t bother him, he doesn’t make you stop, and his much steadier hands help you take off all of his clothes, revealing every last bit of porcelain skin that you thought you would never see or touch again and the silken strands of hair that tickle your skin nearly everywhere your hands roam.

settling between your legs, he helps you stroke his cock in languid movements, his larger hand enveloping your own, mako filled eyes entirely focused on you, slitted pupils blown wide taking in the sweet divine bliss on the beautiful features of your face, the delicate curve of your breasts with every deep breath you try to take, the sticky slickness of your pussy that makes his hands on you tremble in held back strength and makes his mouth water.

“spread your legs for me,” he instructs, his free hand supporting your leg helping you move as he wishes. “spread them wider,” his voice falls deeper, your legs shake but not from the stretch. you do as he says and you let go of his big cock to reach your hands up around his neck to bring him down to your lips. his hair falls around you like streaks of moonlight, bringing you back to the place you always belonged and the softness of his lips on yours, the pressure of his leaking tip at your entrance, all reminding you how real this is. “just like that sweet girl.”

the thickness of him stretches you in a lovely ache that you only want more of and he takes it slow sinking into your tight walls until he’s buried to the hilt, all while kissing so passionately to muffle your shared moans, to feel and claim all of you that he could. his strong grip keeps you still, at the mercy of his movements. even when his hands travel from your hips to your legs while he begins to pull out of you just to sink back in with a powerful thrust, they have you at sephiroths will and you easily give it to him.

grabbing onto the fat of your thighs, relishing in the feeling of you in his hands once more, so pliant and desperate, he pushes your legs to your chest, spreading them wide, and sets a deep and brutal pace when he gives into everything he’s feeling that's only amplified by taking you like this.

at this angle he’s so deep, fucking you into the matress, and with how unchecked his power is, you don’t doubt you’ll have bruises where his hands hold you open for him but you want the proof that he’s yours again. that you won’t wake up to and he’ll be gone. you hold onto him with just as much fervor, your grip moves from his arms and bury in the thickness of his hair, tugging at the roots with every time you feel so full of him, so close to your release again already, and it only seems to spur him on more.

the bed posts move along the ground in time with his thrusts and when it’s somehow still not enough of you, his chest meets yours, his arms barely holding the majority of his weight over you that has you folded in half, whimpering underneath him with every jolt of his hips inside of you, the slap of his heavy balls against your ass joining your quieted cries of his name and his heavy breaths, his sweet praises.

“you’re taking me so well - ngh, fuck,” you clench around him, greedily sucking him back in when he’s pulling away from you. “my good girl.”

“‘m so close,” the words are breathless, barely there when they escape past your lips and the heat of them soaks into his own that can’t stop kissing you, delving his tongue into your mouth and tasting you again and again.

“i know,” his voice is octaves deeper, sensual in a way that only brings you that much closer. “don’t hold back. cum for me angel,” it feels like a gentle command, even with all the desperation and love behind his words. “need to feel you cum on my cock.”

“ah! s - seph-!” you can’t get out his name before the pressure between your legs bursts like it never has before and when you feel him throbbing inside of you, painting your walls with his seed, it only adds to the ethereal heat that washes over you and leaves you trembling in the drugging, hypnotizing atmosphere of him still hard inside of you, the feel of his body against you, the numbing tingle of your legs as he helps them unfold and settle comfortable around his hips.

he doesn’t stop there. your heart skips far too many beats at the loss of his chest on yours, not knowing where you began and he ended and your hands that try to pull him back to you are too weak to do anything but follow the way he moves you but he soothed you with his lithe fingers caressing your skin as they help you move onto your stomach.

you mewl at the sensation of his cock moving inside of you while he shifts you into this new position. the sticky mess between your legs drips onto the sheets below you but makes it easy to sheathe himself fully inside you with a gentle and small pull of your hips upwards.

most others would be terrified to be in such a vulnerable position with sephiroth but you’re nothing if not pliant and perfect when he plants his hands beside you, leaning down to kiss your neck as he bucks his hips into your sensitive pussy and whispers against your skin before sinking his teeth into your tender flesh again.

“i’m not done with you yet.”

bonus!!!

in the morning you wake up alone but the noise that erupted from somewhere else in the house and caused you to stir eases your heart before your mess of thoughts begins to come back to you. your daughter's giggles and though quiet compared to her own unrestrained shriek of laughter, you could still make out the deep chuckle of sephiroth.

slipping out of bed, you move slowly thanks to the ache in your muscles and between your legs, your steps a bit wobbly with each one you take to dress in something more decent and walk to the door. the more you move, the steadier you become and by the time you make it to the living area, stopping in your tracks to watch your beloved peel an orange for your daughter who talks to him animatedly, it’s a pleasurable hum throughout your body with every movement reminding you of the words he told you last night.

there’s still a lot to consider. a lot of questions to be answered. a lot of healing to be done. maybe you’ll never be back to normal or you'll be stronger than ever. you don’t have any answers, not for yourself or from him but for this morning, you can let yourself hope this will be the start of the dreams you shared with sephiroth since his days in soldier, whatever version of a normal life might be left for your little family.

main masterlist

comments & reblogs would be so greatly appreciated!<3 thank you for reading ♡

#final fantasy vii #sephiroth #sephiroth x reader #final fantasy vii x reader #final fantasy x reader #final fantasy 7 #ff7 #ffvii #ff7 x reader #final fantasy 7 x reader

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opal-owl-flight · 3 days

Text

Making up for lost time.

3 always believed in 4. They even hoped shed exceed them, and not make the same mistakes they did.

Maybe if they trained her enough, she wouldnt be broken like they are.

More deets below the cut, regarding 3 and their current status with inknemia...

Ive given them angst abt their contribution to 4's state. And abt their anxieties on being a perfect enough ageng so they never fail, so the (fragile) world, their way of life, is always safe

However.

After OE, 3 was able to continue going on patrols and missions, but something is definitely off.

Their body was still young and fresh enough to keep going despite acquiring inknemia (it basically gives them more limited mobility/power due to reduced ink capacity/density). And with 4 there, she can cover for their weaknesses brought by disability.

Even then, they felt it. That creeping feeling that this wont last.

Their ink tank was running low way more frequently. Restoring ink is slower. Splatting enemies takes longer.

4 was starting to run on ahead. A rising star, if she kept her pace, and they slowed down more.

Everything they knew. Turfing, ranked, agent duties.

Their fragile world was breaking. But only theirs. And they cant do anything to stop it from tipping into that point.

As if thats not enough, 4 left for college. And all those duties they shared fell back to them alone.

8 was also around, but she was with Off the Hook more. Shes technically not an agent...

until she became one officially, its all 3. All that work on a breaking body that cant do what it used to anymore.

They felt despair at each action they cant do as long, or anymore. Their actions became much more precise and decided to adjust. Their shots, their specials, their bombs -- only used when needed, ending fights as quickly as they start.

Still able, for a while. Still a legend, for a while. But they know. They know.

And when the news came that Cuttlefish was retiring --

They knew it was time. 1 and 2 are taking them off the field.

Its become too risky for them now. Hell, they even had to retire from turfing. (what a coincidence that the wiiu servers just died.)

Its a hidden turmoil they bury under work. Under the training sessions theyre allowed to do. Its the omly action theyre allowed these days, save for the occasional/rare mission/task that only they can do (that defuzzifier in splat3)

They miss being able to do what they were able to before.

Oh, 4 thinks shes a useless agent?

what about 3, who cant be that anymore?

At least, not as much as they used to be.

Both of them, theyve grown old, exhausted from the turmoils of life. Of events beyond their control.

The reason they pushed 4 so hard was...well, besides to keep her safe, its...I guess, subconciously, so that shed be their protege. To do what they cant anymore. To protect the fragile world.

Forgetting that 4 is not them, that 4 has different skills and limitations. They didnt want her to push herself so hard bc they did that and fell to Tartar. Inadvertedly...

They pushed her hard enough that she wanted to give herself up to Order, a similar entity to Tartar.

Just. God. Ow.

3 actually being the one who can help 4 the most this whole time

3 who wanted her to be safe. And now wanting her to exceed them.

Want to see her become better.

Meanwhile theyre sobbing inside abt how their body is imprisoning them, almost. An unspoken, subconcious struggle, which expresses itself in their strict discipline. Whats usually on the surface is their perfectionism and their worry for everyone else. This entire struggle with their body is bc it means they cant protect everyone else like they used to. It tears em up.

They are still FAST and can deliver killing blows still. But its in bursts, never as consistent as 4

One of these days... maybe she finds out during her break...

What 3s going through, inside.

3 had to replace themself for Splat3. 8 wasnt around, 4 was in college...Thank god Cuttlefish found someone....

Neo3. He NAMED this agent. Three.

That was their name...its gone now (I mean they def have a name outside the number, just havent thought of one)

I. Think thats it. These notes are kind of unedited so WOWPKSKS. its all over the place

#splatoon #splatoon fanart #agent 4 #agent 3 #captain 3 #opal owl’s nest

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cod-dump · 1 day

Note

Hello, Mike! Sad question incoming!

In the au where Nikolai is Soap’s bio dad, how would he react to his death?

First post mentioning Nik being Soap’s bio dad

———

Regret

———

He didn’t go with them when they went to spread his ashes in Scotland. He gave Price a part of them then took the rest, no one saying a word about him not being there.

Nik took them there, flew them out and told them about Soap’s favorite trail that they would go on when he was a kid. It was sad he couldn’t really name any current, something that would haunt him. Nik would have regret not doing more with his son outside of work. He should’ve been there more, tried to reach out sooner even though he believed his boy wanted nothing to do with him.

He will forever be haunted by that regret, that anger with himself for not doing more. But he couldn’t imagine the pain his mother was dealing with. Nik chose to be the one to tell her, even though it had been years since they last spoken in person. He felt so numb during it all as he went to her house — The house that Soap would grow up in without Nik being a part of it.

He knocked after a deep breath. Nik had to steel himself, ready for the onslaught of emotion that was to come from his ex-wife and the mother of his child. The look on her face when she opened the door and saw him was first shock, then anger, then confusion.

“Nikolai?”

“Linda.”

The crack in his voice made fear take over her features, every muscle visibly tensing as she gripped the door frame.

“What happened?”

Nik’s voice failed him for a moment, knowing what he was about to say will break them both. He hadn’t said it yet, out loud, of what happened to Soap, to their Johnny. He had heard it plenty of times before, almost immediately after it happened. He’s screamed, cried, raged — Every emotion he has felt. And now he’s settled at silent regret, and once he says it out loud, it’ll start all over again.

“Johnny’s dead.”

It came out blunter than what he intended but there is no gentle way to tell a mother her son is dead.

Linda stared at him without a change in her expression for five seconds before she started shaking her head.

“No… No-“

He couldn’t look at her, he felt a crushing weight shake him as he watched Linda’s world come crashing down under it. She clung to the door frame, chanting ‘no’ as tears began to stream down her face.

As expected, she turned to anger.

“You’re lying!”

“Linda-“

“He’s not- Why would you say that?! Do you hate me that much? To cause me that pain?!”

Nik said nothing more, he knew his voice would give out if he tried. He just listened to her yell, deny their son’s death, and cry. It was devastating watching the woman who he once loved, the woman who he had a child with, break. Her rage would melt away to pure devastation, and she would look him in the eyes and scream.

Then the door would slam, and Nik would be standing there alone. He didn’t even make it off the porch, failing onto the steps with a great heaviness before he broke. He didn’t scream like he did the first time, didn’t feel the intense overwhelming feeling of it all. He just cried, feeling like a true failure. A father who failed his child.

A child without parents has a name: Orphan. What is a parent who lost their child called? For Nik, no single word could ever describe what he was feeling, the hole in his heart that will never be fixed. There was no word for that. No word that truly showed that pain, no word that when spoken someone would understand it.

He would sit there, truly broken. And the door would open behind him, and Nik would tense as a hand lightly touches his shoulder. He turned his head to see Linda, drained of life. Her hand remained on his shoulder.

“I… please come inside.”

And he did.

Linda asked about what happened and they cried together. They were the same in that moment, they had both lost something irreplaceable. Johnny was gone and neither would ever be the same. He had expected her to bring up his career, repeat that old argument that he negatively influenced Soap and made him idolize the military and war. But she didn’t. She didn’t need to, Nik had thought it moments after he was sat down and told what happened.

That regret was a complex emotion. He didn’t just regret not being there for his son, he regretted him being the one putting him there. Johnny was so smart, Linda and Nik wanted him to go to college and get an engineering degree. Pursue that persistent fascination of the stars and space he had since he was a toddler. But Johnny didn’t do that, he wanted to be just like his dad.

Nik would forever have that hang over him, and Linda knew that.

Under Linda’s request they cremated him. Nik had made no objections, neither wanted to have a funeral. That is not how they wanted to remember their boy, cold and dead before them. She gave 141 some of his ashes, the rest was for her and Nik.

And as Price, Ghost, and Gaz made their way up that trail to those cliffs, Linda and Nik went elsewhere.

“He loved it here… told me he missed coming here with you.”

The house that Nik had owned when he still had split custody over Johnny was a place he had a hard time being. He never sold it or abandoned it. He maintained it but never lived there. He couldn’t, especially not now. That place was for him and his son. It was not a home without him.

The woods behind the house was Johnny’s playground, Nik would’ve bought him an entire forest to make him happy. But the fifteen acre patch of woodland was just enough for Johnny. The stream behind the house was one of his favorite places to go. He would try to catch fish or any small critter and bring them back to the house. It still flowed gently, even after all these years. The birds sang, the breeze was welcoming. It felt unfitting for the occasion.

“I remember that model boat I got him. Took us a couple weeks to build it and seal it… just so he could watch it flow down the stream.”

Linda sniffled before she reached into her bag and pulled out the small wooden vessel. It was more cardboard than wood, biodegradable. And it held what was left of Johnny.

“I was so mad when he came home for the school year with his new church pants torn…” Linda smiled sadly, looking at the tiny boat.

“I told him to change but he didn’t listen,” Nik spoke, smiling softly at the memory.

“He was a stubborn boy, nothing you could’ve done.”

Nik swallowed hard, looking away from the stream and into the trees.

“Nothing we could’ve done to change his mind,” Linda said softly.

Another breeze would sweep through the trees, birds singing another chorus of their wordless song and the stream would continue to flow and laugh. The world would continue spinning, no matter what.

Linda kneeled by the stream and Nik would follow. She would stare down at the boat before she placed it in the water. And the stream would take it. They watched it go down the stream, and for a moment Nik could see a boy racing alongside it, dirty pants and wild hair.

The stream would take him everywhere, just like the ocean and breeze will. He was always so free. And now he forever will be.

———

Is this canon to this au? Nah but it’s good writing practice. Little projection at the end

MWIII didn’t happen :)

#angst #call of duty #modern warfare #cod mwiii #modern warfare iii #cod nikolai #john soap mactavish #ask #thanks for the ask <3 #drabble #ficlet #nik is soap’s dad

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glorystark · 2 days

Text

Empty eyes | Dean Winchester x Reader

Summary: Dean doesn't take Charlie's death too well and because of the Mark of Cain affecting him, he tells you things that will regret.

Warnings: moc!Dean Winchester, Dean being a dick, minor mentions of injury, swearing, ANGST, major character's death

Pairing: Dean Winchester × reader

Featuring: Sam Winchester

Word count: 2,3k

We watched in agony as Charlie's body, wrapped around a white sheet, burned in the flames. This should never have happened to her kind soul. She died so we could save Dean. I couldn't help but feel guilty; my heart ached because I lost a friend, again. I knew Sam felt the same. We both asked Charlie for help with the Book of the Damned, and we both lied to Dean about the book being destroyed. Now it was too late to make things right. Memories flashed through my eyes, making me tear up. I remembered when she helped us with the Dick situation, or when I taught her some hunter-kind-of-tricks. How happy she was and wouldn't stop thanking me. She didn't deserve this, anyone but her.

“Charlie,” Sam started, grabbing my and probably Dean's attention. “We are gonna miss you. You're the best.” He stopped when his voice cracked, and now I was sure he felt far worse than me because looking back, he suggested not telling Dean about the Book of the Damned not being destroyed, which I didn't agree with at first. But seeing Dean, my Dean, slowly fade away right in front of my eyes changed my opinion. Maybe it was selfish, me and Sam both were. But we couldn't let Dean become something he fears, a Monster. We couldn't lose another person, another family member, but we didn't realize who we were putting in danger on this path.

“We love you, Charlie, and I'm so sorry,” I said, blinking through tears.

“Shut up,” Dean said coldly, making Sam and me look at him. “You got her killed. You don't get to apologize.” He continued.

“Dean-“ Sam started, but Dean cut him off.

“You too, you two are the reason she is dead,” he said, not taking his eyes off the flames.

“We were trying to help you,” I said, still looking at him.

“I didn't need help,” he said bitterly. "I told you to leave it alone.”

“What were we supposed to do, just watch you die?” Sam asked, not letting me be the only one receiving the cold tone from his older brother.

“The mark isn't gonna kill me.”

“Maybe not, but when it's done with you, you won't be you anymore,” I stated. “Dean, you're all we got. So of course we were gonna fight for you because that's what we do,” I said softly.

“Yeah, she's right, we had a shot-“ Sam was cut off again by Dean.

“Yeah, you had a shot. Charlie is dead.” He finally turned his head to look at me and his brother, who was standing next to me. His dark emerald eyes bore into mine, and I couldn't recognize them. Never have I ever seen him look at me with those eyes. Because no matter how much crap we went through, he always made sure I was fine, and his eyes held nothing but sweetness and, on most occasions, worry. “Nice shot.”

“Are you even listening to me? You think I'm ever gonna forgive myself for that?!” I snapped, not being able to keep my voice down anymore. He is grieving, but so am I. If I could, I would trade places with her.

“You know what I think,” he started, still with the same voice tone. “I think it should be you up there and not her.”

I felt my heart break for the hundredth time today. I parted my lips, not taking my teary eyes off him, which clearly showed how hurt I was. Sam let out a small gasp and widened his eyes after he heard Dean's words, clearly not expecting his brother to go that far.

I knew he blamed me, probably even more than Sam. But knowing that he wanted me dead hurt more than any physical torture I've experienced.

Sam called his name, still shocked after what he heard, but his brother just walked away, breaking my heart more and more.

—————

It has been a week since I lost Charlie, since I lost my Dean. He has been searching for the Stynes ever since but has been having a bit of trouble finding their location. So meanwhile, he went on a few solo hunts. He hasn't said a word to me and to Sam, just a few like ‘buy some beers’ ‘did you find anything about the Stynes’.

He found another hunt for today and was packing his bag in his own room. We both haven't stepped in our shared room ever since the accident, which meant we weren't even sleeping on the same bed. I'm done with being ignored, so I knocked on his door and opened it without waiting for any response. He didn't even turn around, probably knowing it was me.

“Dean,” I called his name, not even knowing what I wanna talk about, but getting him to look at me was the first step. “Dean,” I called, this time louder, and when he still didn't turn around, I walked towards him and grabbed his arm. “Alright, I'm done. When will you finally stop ignoring me?!”

He looked at my hand, which was grabbing his arm, and slowly turned around, finally looking at my face. “I'm not ignoring you, I just don't want to talk to you or be near you,” he said bitterly, pulling his arm away and reaching for his door.

“Dean, you know you're not the only one who lost someone, okay? And believe me, I know it's my fault she's gone, and I'll never forgive myself for that. But, god, you're practically killing me. I miss you,” I said desperately, waiting for something in his eyes to change, waiting for him to embrace me in his strong arms, but... Nothing. His eyes didn't even hold hatred anymore, just emptiness.

“I don't know what you expect me to say, ‘I'm sorry you were so stupid’ ‘I'm sorry you got another person killed off’ ‘I'm sorry you're so fucking useless’ Huh?! Is that what you want me to say? You want me to feel sorry for you?!” he yelled, showing the anger and darkness in his eyes while he harshly slammed me to the wall, making me whimper slightly. His words cut deep into my skin, but I tried my best to ignore them, knowing this Dean wasn't really my Dean.

“I want you to understand, I want you to know that I'm sorry. I want you to tell me that we're gonna go through this like we always do,” I said softly, looking deeply into his eyes, trying to crack him.

He let out a dark chuckle and grasped my shoulders, lowering his head to be on the same height level with me. “You want me to tell you that we're gonna go through this? Well, baby, in that way, I'd be a big liar.”

“Dean, me and Sam, we are so close to saving you. Please, just don't let the mark control you,” I begged, feeling small under his touch.

“I don't want nor need you two saving me, and believe me, at this very moment, I'm trying to not let the mark control me, so don't provoke me,” he whispered against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"I thought you trusted me.”

“Well, that trust was destroyed when you got someone who was like a sister to me killed. Have you ever noticed how many innocent people died because you were being too stupid?” he said harshly.

"We all have made mistakes, Dean," I said, as I thought about the hunts where innocent people died, and I couldn't save them. I didn't want Dean to know how much his words were affecting me, but, god, I felt like a crumpled paper.

“Seems like that's the only thing you ever do,” he smirked, letting his eyes fall on the floor again before looking up at my eyes again. “Tell me, how does it feel knowing you don't mean anything to anybody and you're just a burden in our lives? How does it feel knowing nobody loves you?”

That's it. That was the punch line to make me break into tears.

“Y-you love me, you said that before.”

“You know I lie to get laid,” he said, smirking, proud of his response.

My heart was racing more and more, and I felt nauseous.

“Dean, please-“

“You're nothing, do you hear me? Nothing!” he grabbed my cheeks harshly. “Your existence doesn't matter. You.don't.matter.” he said, spitting the words out before letting me go. He took his bag and walked out of the room, not even glancing at me. I slid down the wall as I started sobbing silently.

Then I heard a buzz from my phone.

New message from Sammy:

“Y/N, Dean just said he found a hunt, probably three to four werewolves, and he told me to go with him. I was really surprised but didn't question him. I think he's getting better. I'll also talk to him on the road. Next time, he'll definitely ask you too, just like old times. Don't stay up and don't worry; we got this :) love you.”

He asked Sam to go, but not me. If he hadn't told me that he hated me a few minutes ago, I'd think he was worried. But if it was really 3 or 4 werewolves, there's nothing to be worried about. He just wants to stay away from me. He told me I was a burden to them; he'll probably throw me out of the bunker soon.

Dark thoughts ran through my mind, and suddenly a rush of anxiety ran through me. What if there were more than a few werewolves? What if they get hurt? What if Dean hates me even more?

I checked Sam's message again and saw that he sent me the address of where the werewolves' location is and where the hunt would probably take place. I quickly rushed to my room, grabbed my car keys, and went to drive to the location.

—————

I was hiding behind some of the trees in the forest, watching as each of the boys fought one werewolf, two already dead ones on the floor.

Everything seemed good so far; I mean, their guns were on the floor, but they were fighting each werewolf single handed and there was no need for me to make my presence known. The boys were winning as always. And that's when I realized they don't really need me in their life. I knew the words that came out of Dean's mouth tonight weren't really Dean's, my Dean. But he was somehow right; before I became the hunter I am today, I made many mistakes. Some were small, and some led to people getting hurt or even killed. I also put their lives in danger multiple times because I was being reckless. Finding the demons that killed my parents blinded my vision. I was ready to get back to the bunker when I saw both of the werewolves giving up until I noticed something.

A werewolf close to Sam's back, and it seemed like none of the brothers noticed him. I searched for my gun but remembered I forgot it in the backseat of my car. I cursed under my breath and did the only thing possible right now to save Sam. I couldn't let Dean lose another person, especially his brother, who I knew meant the world to him. I couldn't put him through something like that again when there's a chance to save the younger Winchester.

So I ran towards Sam, trying my best to not slip because of the woods on the floor. The Werewolf was close, and nobody noticed him. I'm not the only stupid one after all. The boys turned their heads to me for a slight second, surprised at my presence, but didn't stop fighting the other werewolves.

Until I pushed Sam away from the werewolf he was fighting onto the floor. He seemed confused at first, until he saw it. I assumed Dean did too but couldn't be too sure since he was behind me. I let out an agonizing scream when the werewolf grazed his claws into my stomach and the other one, which Sam was fighting before, grazed his claws into my back before my lifeless body fell on the floor. Dean didn't hesitate more seconds before getting his gun from the floor and shooting all the werewolves.

I was bleeding like a waterfall from my body and my mouth. But the good thing is-

I didn't feel any pain, or anything in that matter…

Dean Winchester’s Pov:

No no no.

This can't be happening.

It's all a nightmare, just another stupid nightmare.

I heard Sam's crying voice telling the love of my life, his best friend, to wake up, holding her torn apart body in his arms, asking her why she pushed him away. But there was no answer.

It's a nightmare happening in real life.

Her beautiful y/e/c are open but so empty, unrecognizable.

I stood over her body, not being able to move from my spot.

There is so much blood everywhere.

Her blood.

This is hell.

No, I’ve been to hell and it's worse than hell.

I started tearing up more and more, reality hitting me more every second.

I let out an angry scream and fell on my knees when I remembered my last words to her.

“You're nothing, do you hear me? Nothing! Your existence doesn't matter. You.don't.matter.”

She wasn't nothing, she was my everything.

She mattered, she was the reason I kept going, now she's gone and it's all my fault.

All my fault.

All of the words I said came back to me, making my chest hurt.

As I knelt beside her lifeless body, surrounded by the aftermath of our shattered world, I whisper into the silent abyss, "I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so sorry."

And deep down I felt the Mark laughing…

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tiredfox64 · 2 days

Note

Can you write about the reader being close friends with Smoke for a long time and both secretly have feelings for each other but could admit it to each other out of fear until one day the reader came back from a mission injured and Smoke freaks out, confesses his love for the reader?

Don’t Go, Please

Prior notes: Oh Tomas, how you make my heart ache. You know what else makes my heart ache, this damn speech!

Pairing: Tomas x Gn reader

Warnings ‼️: This is possibly angst with a happy ending

Born as a hunter, raised to be a Lin Kuei assassin, built the Shirai Ryu with Kuai Liang, yet can’t confess his feelings.

You’re no better.

It’s so painful obvious to everyone that you and Tomas like each other. You two spend so much time together whether that be training, eating, or just hanging out.

To Tomas, he saw you as a great fighter and a good person overall. He never felt scared to talk to you about anything even if it involved his past. He even cried in front of you once when he talked to you about Bi-Han betrayal. He was scared at first since he thought you would find him weak for crying. But he was pleasantly surprised when you held him tight to you and soothed him. Thank goodness you two were alone in your room. Ever since then that’s when he knew he truly was in love with you. He just never said it out loud.

And for you, you knew you liked him the moment he spoke. At first he seemed so scary to you with his big muscles, that mask, and those piercing eyes. But when you heard his voice your heart melted and you realized there’s nothing to be afraid of. On the outside he may look intimidating but you realize how sweet and considerate he is. Your conversations would last for hours. You would be so lost in them you wouldn’t realize that you stopped training.

He’s a good man, a good man!

But confessing your love seems like a hard task. The risk is too high. You’re afraid of getting hurt. You can heal from physical wounds but emotional wounds can take a long time. You can’t afford to have a weakened emotional state and neither can Tomas. So you both force yourself to be happy with what you guys have. A close bond, a friendship.

Now get yourself ready, you have a new mission to get accomplish. Put your best gear on and be prepared. Slow down for a sec, Tomas would like to say something to you.

“You better be careful out there.” He warned.

“You’ve been saying that for so long yet I always come back.” You replied with a big smile.

“I mean without a kunai stuck in your leg or a big rash on your arm from poison ivy.”

“That was one time!”

“Yes, but it happened a month ago.” We all make mistakes.

“Ah whatever. Look, I have to get going. I promise I will return in one piece.”

Before you walked away you felt Tomas grab your hand. You looked back at him with a look of surprise. Even he seemed surprised he did that. There was just one more thing to say to you.

“Promise me that you will come back to me.” Tomas said softly.

“I will, Tomas.”

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

Even the best make mistakes.

You and some of the other Shirai Ryu members were ambushed by Lin Kuei assassins. It was double the size of your group. Yet you fought victoriously.

You did your best to protect yourself and the others. At some point, however, you stopped protecting yourself. You protected everyone and made the remaining Lin Kuei assassins flee. But at what cost.

You were down for the count too early in this mission. Pushing forward would only result in further injuries. Your group helped you up and brought you back to the Shirai Ryu temple.

Tomas was the first to see your group return and his heart dropped. Seeing your limp body being carried back was already a bad sign to him. Paying little mind to what he was doing before he ran up to take you into his arms. What a horrific sight it was.

There were so many slashes on your arms and legs. It ripped your sleeves and pants to shreds and soaked them in your blood. He could already see bruises forming on your body which gave him the idea of how hard you were beat. There was already one coming in on your cheek. A cheek he always dreamed of kissing being stained with a nasty red surrounded by purple. It angered him to see someone else he loved get hurt but what could he do now. All he can do is bring you to the infirmary and hope they can patch you up.

Everyone was hustling to get you fixed up and see what they could do for you. Tomas placed you on a bed and let the others take care of you. Yet he couldn’t leave no rip his eyes away from your body. He couldn’t even tell if you were breathing there was little motion in your chest. Kuai Liang had to drag him away as he couldn’t stand to see his brother sad.

The next few hours were rough.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

When Tomas was finally let back in he was somewhat relieved. You looked much better than when he last saw you. There were bandages wrapped around your arms and legs. Seems like no bones were broken which is great. He still can’t get over how they hurt you. He can get over the bruise on your face but when it came to the reason it was even there he can’t.

He pulled up a chair and placed it next to the bed so he could be close. His hand went up to remove any loose hair that was around your face. He knows that can be annoying to you.

Tomas sighed before taking your hand and just holding it. His thumb rubbed over your palm like he was trying to comfort you.

“I understand why you did what you did. You were protecting others as you always did. It’s who you are. Do you even realize how much you’ve scared me? If I lost you too, I don’t know what I’d do.”

He lifts your hand to press it against the side of his face. The thought of you actually holding his face and looking at him with love always brought warmth to his heart. He felt as is started to race as his emotions screamed to be let out. And then a tear dripped onto your hand.

“Do you even realize how much I love you? How I want to hold you and never let you get hurt again. It’s too painful to think about and even worse to witness.”

Tomas started to cry a little harder. The thought was too painful and brought back memories of the past. He can’t lose you. Never.

“I never met someone who I loved this much. I don’t want to find someone else to love, I just want you. I love you. I’ve loved you for so long and I don’t know if I’ll ever be strong enough to tell you. I don’t want us to get hurt over this.” He said before he felt something.

Your thumb rubbed his face gently. Your thumb moved slightly so it could wipe away his tears. Yup, you were awake. And you’ve been awake since he first entered. You were still a bit woozy from the incident you didn’t want to open your eyes. When Tomas touched your hand you immediately knew it was him.

When he started to confess you wondered if this was all a drug-induced dream. That maybe the medics gave you something to help with the pain and it made you imagine things. That’s not how it works over here and his touch felt too real. Your heart flutter when you heard him say the words ‘I love you’. It’s like you always imagined. You felt it was right to now do something since he started to cry hard. Your beautiful eyes were open and looking at him.

“It’s okay, Tomas. I’m fine. I told you I would come back. I always do.” You responded weakly.

“You’re awake! Ah, but how long were you awake and how much did you hear?” He questioned.

“All of it. I thought it was best to stop you now to show that it’s okay. No need to cause anymore pain. And yes, I heard all of it.”

Tomas didn’t know how to feel. It felt good to get that off his chest but he was scared of your reaction. You seemed calm but that could be because you’re exhausted.

“The thing is…I love you too. I have for a long time now.” Your eyes shifted away awkwardly as if you were the one who confessed first.

This was fantastic news for Tomas. His pale skin showed a hint of pink in his cheeks. The person he loves the most loves him too. He was still a little embarrassed that he was caught confessing to you but it all worked out in the end. He went in to hug you lightly, not wanting to hurt your already injured body.

“You have no idea how happy you just made me.”

“I think I actually do. There was always a little sparkle in your eyes when you got happy.”

That only made his cheeks turn from a light pink to a pinkish red. Your hands went up to hold his face, not caring about if it hurt or not to move. You just wanted to look at him and of course kiss him. You brought him close and gave him a gentle kiss. If only you could have seen his eyes it was like fireworks went off in there. He felt like the luckiest man in the world. You pulled back to look at him again before saying something.

“You wouldn’t mind staying here with me, right?”

“Why would I ever mind being with you.” He said lovingly.

He did just that. Tomas stayed with you for hours where you two talked. It almost made you forget you were injured. He brought so much comfort to you. Things died down at some point and the exhaustion of the day’s events hit you both.

Eventually, Kuai Liang came around to try to find Tomas. He knew he was probably in the infirmary with you. When he looked inside he saw Tomas resting his head on the bed with your hand rested on top of it. It looked like you were petting him before you two knocked out. It was an adorable sight and Kuai Liang felt like there was no reason to disturb you two. He silently closed the door and walked off.

You know what they say, love always finds a way. It found its way towards you two, didn’t it.

After notes: So it’s Mavado and Phen-228 who are bringing in the karma for me. Weird combo but they both serve cunt (don’t ask me about Phen or else I’ll laugh). So yeah I wanted to push this out because I’m a people pleaser which means I’m still not done with a lot of my work. But now that I have this out I can focus a little better…hopefully. To the person who requested I hope you are satisfied and if not you can make me watch the boiled one phenomenon at night.

#mortal kombat #mk1 #mortal kombat 1 #mortal kombat1 #mortal kombat x reader #mortal kombat x you #mk x reader #mk x you #mk fanfic #smoke x reader #smoke mk #mk smoke #tomas x you #tomas vrbada x you #tomas vrbada x reader #tomas x reader #tomas vrbada smoke #tomas vrbada #angst with a happy ending

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punkpandapatrixk · 21 hours

Text

❤️‍🩹Finding Love ☆ Timeless Tarot Guidance

Elements/Signs in this reading are calibrated to all aenergetic placements. Feel free to read as many Elements/Signs as you feel called to at this point in your spiritual evolution♡

☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

You want to see how a nation falls? First, make sure every family unit is fucked. The foundation of the beginning of a ruined society is a dysfunctional family unit. A household that is lacking warmth and affection is a breeding house for psychopaths…or sure-victims of them. How is this not obvious to everybody? Well, in our case, I guess the Boomerangs just didn’t care…enough?

An entire generation of selfish psychopaths preoccupied with order and rules, obsessed with the idea of a ‘perfect image’ even at the cost of the authenticity of their children’s Souls. Tell me if they ain’t breeding new generations of psychopaths? But…who fucked the Boomerangs in the first place? And who had fucked the generation that fucked the Boomerangs? 考えきれない。There’s no end to thinking about it. But!

Not all hope is lost. For we have us—OURSELVES! You, who are reading this, who are blessed with this peculiarly RARE thing in the world: self-awareness. That you’re curious about the roots of your sorrow; that you’re trying to be better; that you’re willing to face your own demons so you grow in character, all because you care enough not to perpetuate the cycle.

There is Hope is us. In people like you and I. For this spiritual work alone, you are going to be blessed with the utmost beautiful Love, first, by finding it inside of yourself~

☆♪°・. aenergetic companion PAC ☆♪°・.

[PAG Masterlist] [Patreon] [Paid Readings]

☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

Finding Love for 🐞Fire Signs - Silver Alchemist (Ramon Llull)

5 of Cups, Queen of Wands, XIX The Sun

You know, Fire Signs are passionate. So passionate they often get way too invested in whatever matters to them. That’s why when betrayal or any other kind of a fallout happens, they find it so difficult to calm down, let alone move on from. I want you to know this isn’t a failure of your character or anything like it, not necessarily, no. You care. And that’s a wonderful thing. And it genuinely, usually, takes A LOT to finally get a Fire Sign to stop caring.

That’s the one thing about you: PASSION. Within the context of this reading, could it be that you’ve been putting your passion on the wrong things, the wrong people? Because you’re not a quitter, right? Maybe you’ve had this tendency of wanting to make sure things work out; after all, you’ve invested so much into this thing, project, people, whatever. Not quitting on the wrong things will only drain you of high-vibrational, positive spiritual aenergy left in you, babe. Then…frustrations and sadness are just going to drain you of more physical energy.

Low energy also makes people irritable, unmotivated and non-optimistic, right? Let not the harshness of your connections with people dim your natural brightness. What’s really important to figure out now is how you can shift your focus on being passionate about things, places, work, and people that truly, truly, bring joy and sunshine into your Life~

'Daughter. Spend your life Loving. Not seeking Love. Ocean need not seek water.' – Dr Jaiya John

Oracle Guidance for Fire Signs🔻❤️

🐏Aries – Priestess of Fortune

🦁Leo – Priestess of Integrity

🎠Sagittarius – Priestess of Opulence

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☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

Finding Love for 🐍Earth Signs - Silver Magus (Merlin)

XV The Devil Rx, 7 of Cups Rx, VI The Lovers Rx

I tend to think that Earth and Water Signs are the TRUE psychopaths of the zodiac LMAO Underdeveloped Taurus, Virgo and Caps are so incredibly selfish and self-centred that they make human interactions such a misery business. And due to the nature of their Earthy-ness—meaning they can be quite hard to shake—Earth Signs can be quite bigoted about certain viewpoints they hold. Within the context of this reading, Earth Signs literally make a hell out of their very own existence through their inability to connect human-to-human with other…humans.

Or is it really an inability? Is it not simply a refusal? An Earth Sign must ponder this upon itself. Maybe you’ve been in refusal to be more empathetic because it is paramount to be empirical in any situation? Perhaps you’re the type of person that values objectivity above all forms of subjectivity? But the Human experience is subjective. Approaching all types of human connection with an eye of business or with the mind of an objective researcher will only hinder your capacity for real empathy.

The Human experience is an empathetic experience. People feel things and sometimes those feelings are heavy and burdensome and they get the better of us—that’s just the reality of being alive XD If you could give yourself the grace of a more subjective point of view when viewing yourself and the many experiences you go through, then maybe it will be that much easier to notice how other people also base their decisions for forming connections through a very subjective lens—and you will see that being this way creates a more true bond between people.

Does all this sound too subversive for logical Earth Signs? XD

The Problem With Being Too Logical in Love by The School of Life

Oracle Guidance for Earth Signs🔻💚

🐂Taurus – Priestess of Luck

🧘🏻‍♀️Virgo – Priestess of Magick

🐐Capricorn – Priestess of Clarity

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Finding Love for ⛲Air Signs - Red Alchemist (John Dee)

XVII The Star, Ace of Cups, 3 of Cups Rx

The Star is associated with Aquarius, right? Whoa, the epitome of Human intelligence :D Air Signs are intelligent and very interested in people—in human relations and understanding what makes people tick. That’s why Air Signs make the best friends and confidants…as long as they don’t run their mouths hahah Now that is a matter of character. What kind of person are you in your friend group(s)? Do you play different characters in different groups? Sounds like a lot of fun XD

Air Signs do tend to have (or belong to) different groups of people depending on function. It’s very interesting. Air Signs can be the glue that connects different groups of people who, without Air Sign, would never have come into contact with one another. Gemini is the fun-loving funny member of a group. Libra is a charming diplomat who’s considerate towards everybody. Aquarius is the pioneering CEO who gets everybody working towards a goal. Ideally, well-developed Air Signs would be these things :D

You should really value this unique intelligence of yours that has the power to eradicate all crazy unreasonable differences in the world, you know. You of all people, I’m very certain, have this keen ability to get to the roots of everybody’s mental problems. After all, you are mental. Air Signs usually don’t get a lot of credits for being empathetic or whatever and that’s true for the most part. But what you do have is this INTEREST in people, and that’s good enough for starters XD It makes you a good person, you know.

Literally, you’re the type that can make friends with just about anybody. You are polite and charming—and those with Venus here are often very beautiful, too!

Oracle Guidance for Air Signs🔻💙

👯Gemini – Priestess of Healing

⚖️Libra – Priestess of Ritual

🏺Aquarius – Priestess of Abundance

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Finding Love for 🐝Water Signs - Green Astronomer (Nicolaus Copernicus)

VII The Chariot, 3 of Swords, Queen of Cups Rx

Hey, what is your Truth? What experiences and emotions have shaped the being that you are today? Do you know for sure? Have you analysed all the feelings you’ve ever struggled with, as well as those that make you realise, Life truly is worthwhile? It’s those moments you’re reminded of what’s good about your Life that you feel gratitude, isn’t it so? Alongside nostalgia and the desire to return to a much simpler time. Time when feelings were a lot easier to process, perhaps. But Life, and this world, needs to keep going on as per Universal Mandate.

What’s left in the past can still be regenerated in the future and it can get even better, too—now that you’ve grown up. Now that you’ve healed a little, or a lot. Heartbreaks with Water Signs always heal when we return to the pool of our authenticity, located deep in the core of our being. Therein lies the tears and the beauty that make you such a deeply compelling character to converse with. If Humans aren’t ready to listen to your truths, write about them; turn emotions into songs or poetry or painting; what have you. Water needs to flow somewhere. Nourishing a lot of life from there.

Water Signs, are Love. Nurturer of Life and nourisher of Human emotions. You should really appreciate the poetry of your sheer existence. So, don’t let this world convince you that there’s something wrong with you because you’re sensitive enough to care about a lot. That’s your strength. It just needs to be directed and redirected to the right things/occasions/people and places. Be generous with your Love and compassion, but take no shit from those who can’t learn to be grateful for a Love as rare and precious as yours~ Know your worth, babe. You’re worth a gazillion dimes.

Oracle Guidance for Water Signs🔻💛

🦀Cancer – Priestess of Enchantment

🦂Scorpio – Priestess of Patience

🎏Pisces – Priestess of Prosperity

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☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

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inkdrinkerworld · 1 day

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Remus and autistic!reader who’s dissociated and needs some sensory input so he has all sorts of fidget toys for them and one of those projector lights that have nice bright colors along with some fuzzy blankets and all sorts of cuddles and whatever else you might be able to come up with! Sorry if it’s oddly specific, but that sort of situation brings me so much comfort and I’d love to see your take on it 🥺

I googled some common symptoms and added in what happens when a family member of mine does it. I hope you like it <3

“Dove, do you want me to cut up some fruit for you?” Remus is in the kitchen while you lay on the sofa with your book held in front of you but you can’t focus on anything.

Your eyes are unfocused, your breathing is slow and long and you’re not sure what’s wrong or what’s triggered the dissociation, but that’s what you’re doing.

You can feel yourself out of your body a little and it scares you but you don’t know how to stop it.

You can barely hear, you feel like someone’s stuffed cotton in your ears and they’ve dulled the receptors on your skin cos you can’t feel anything.

“Dove?” Remus leaves the kitchen and stands by the archway to the living room. He can see it a little, having trained himself to look for all your typical signs of dissociation.

“Alright, baby.” He murmurs, toddling around the living room and bedroom to set it up just like you like.

Remus lays some of your toggles on the coffee table, he lets your favourite fluffy blanket-one with little hearts on it- at your feet, and turning on your projector to display aura colours you like on the wall.

“I know you’re feeling weird and out of it a little, but I promise you’re okay, dove.” Remus kisses your forehead and lifts you gently, rubbing your back as he waits it out.

It’s all he can do, or all he finds himself able to do because he’s still scared he can only make it worse. So he lets the dissociation take its course until you blink it away and the cotton falls from your ears.

All the sounds of your home creep back into your ears, and you feel the pressure of his hand on your back.

“Hey, precious girl,” he coos, kissing the crown of your head repeatedly as you move closer to him. “Here,” he hands you one of your toggle toys, watching your fingers twist and pull at it. “How do you feel?”

“Better,” you whisper. “More like myself.” Remus nods, sitting with you till you feel like you can be alone for two minutes.

“I’ll be right back.” He comes back into the living room with two mugs of tea, yours is a chamomile lavender honey blend and his is just regular black with a little milk and sugar.

Remus also has a plate balanced on his forearm that’s loaded up with grapes, blackberries and a bit of watermelon.

“Thanks Remus,” you take a sip of your tea and allow your shoulders to drop. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

He shakes his head, admittedly he was a tiny bit worried, but not scared. He thinks you’ve both created a solid little routine to help them along. “You didn’t dove, how’re your ears feeling?”

“Fine, not like they’re plugged up,” you snatch a grape from the plate. “These are crunchy.” You say happily and Remus nods.

“We can just sit here like this for a while,” he says, kissing your shoulder as he sets the plate in your lap and holding your mug. The lights on the wall cast a glow all over your face, and Remus can’t help himself but get lost in looking at you while you eat, happy to see you perking up a little as you do.

#remuslupin #remus lupin #remus lupin one shot #remus lupin fanfiction #remus lupin imagine #remus lupin drabble #remus lupin fanfic #remus lupin fluff #remus lupin blurb #remus lupin fic #remus lupin x black reader #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin x you #remus lupin x yn #remus lupin x y/n #tism🤝

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ryeriy · 2 days

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dancing queen | carlos sainz

-> summary: having the time of your life's dancing at your sister's wedding with an oddly familiar face

-> pairings: carlos sainz x fem!reader

-> a/n: this is my first official piece of my mamma mia series and I'm really excited! Thank you guys for all of your support and enjoy! The italics are the song lyrics!

mamma mia series

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It was a long night of drinking, dancing, singing, and more. Well, at least for most of the people at Elle and Micheal's wedding. Elle's sister, y/n, seemed to be one of the only people to not be recklessly drinking and partying. Elle noticed y/n sitting down at chair looking alone and bored. "You alright sis?"

"I'm fine," she looked up at Elle smiling softly.

"Sis, it's my wedding day and you look miserable!" Elle exclaims and practically forces her off her feet. "I'll ask the DJ to play some ABBA!" Y/n was never much of a big party person but since it was her sister's wedding, she decided to.

"Fine, only because you're my sister..." y/n sighed and Elle smiled. Elle dragged her sister up to the DJ booth requesting 'Dancing Queen by ABBA' and dragged her back out to the dance floor.

"Micheal knows the perfect person you can dance with just wait here!" Elle enthusiastically says and goes over to her newlywed husband, Micheal to go grab the guy. Y/n let out a sigh as she saw her sister and her brother-in-law grab a guy.

Elle comes back with a face. A face that looks oddly familiar. "Oh my god!" Y/n said looking shocked at the guy in front of her. It was no other than Carlos Sainz.

It wasn't a shock that he was a famous driver, it was the fact he was my ex-boyfriend.

"Y/n?"

"Carlos?"

"You two know each other?" Elle asked as she seemed happy I knew him already.

"You could say that..." Carlos said as he looked at him. Y/n couldn't tell if he was happy, sad, angry, or feeling any emotions at all.

"I'll leave you two to it then!" Elle smiled and patted her sister on the back then walked away smiling.

Carlos and y/n were never public with anyone. They only dated for two months but that was the best two months of both of their lives. Both Carlos and Y/n decided to call it off due to their work being chaotic. Y/n didn't want to travel all the time for his races and Carlos was gone all the time to visit her. Even though the pair weren't together long, it felt like they knew each other for years.

Friday nights and the lights are low

"So, do you want to...dance?" Carlos asked as he looked around the room and noticed the lights were dimmed as the music started to play.

"You know I was never a dancer." I looked at him and my lips slightly moved my lips into a smile.

He playfully swayed back and forth and snapped while smiling at her. "Come on, this is your favorite part!" Carlos exclaimed as his smile widened. Y/n couldn't help but smile too as she heard the chorus come up. Her too started to sway a bit with him. "Ready for it?" He asked her.

You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen, dancing queen

By the end end of the song, they were both dancing and singing along to the song. Elle and Micheal were looking from afar and noticed how much fun Carlos and Y/n were having.

"Digging the dancing!" Carlos and Y/n both were singing as they laughed and danced with each other. Her hands were around his neck and his on her waist. Both of their eyes look at each others like how they used to when they used to date.

That song reminded y/n of all the times she and Carlos danced together to that song at parties, in the kitchen, sang it in the car, and now danced at a wedding. It was their song. Not everyone could say that a song in their relationship was Dancing Queen by ABBA but that's what made it better. It was unique.

"Oh my, that was fun..." y/n looked up at Carlos' dark brown eyes and got lost in his gaze.

"You know, I missed you," he spoke, "I never wanted to let you go...do you think we could make it work if we tried?"

"You'd really want to?"

"Of course I would! You're always in my head! When I wake up, when I'm driving, when I'm looking at my text messages, before I sleep! It all leads back to you!" He said as he looked at her smiling.

Having the time of your life

Y/n sighed as she looked up at Carlos again. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to try, right?" Without any hesitation, Carlos leaned in to kiss her. The song was fading in the background as they shared this moment with each other.

"I'm so glad I found you again..." He admitted.

"Me too," she smiled at him.

#ryeriy #f1 #f1 x reader #carlos sainz x reader #carlos sainz #f1 fanfic #mamma mia

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liveontelevision · 6 hours

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Hi! I wasnt exactly sure if you’re taking request but i was hoping for something with Lucifer and a babysitter reader. Maybe they baby sat Charlie, and they just have a lot of tension. And then maybe them reuniting after him and lilith have split and it all goes down 👀

Love your slowburny Lucifer fics 🙏🙏

!!!

First off, thank you! I'm really glad you enjoy my stuff! I've been struggling with writing recently, so your request was perfectly timed lol

Also Yes! I'm always taking requests!

Plus, it's such a good request.. so good, I had way too many ideas for how it could go. So - this is a 2 parter >:) Suffer

CW: No smut yet, just suggestive fluff for now

Suffer | Lucifer x Reader

It really was a happy day in Hell when the royals introduced an heir to the throne. A darling daughter, who was the first of her kind; A hellborn baby, birthed by a sinner and an archangel. No one really knew what to expect or what kind of powers she held. But they had to be immense. She had to be some kind of beast, based on her genes alone. In theory.

One look at her, all swaddled up in her mother's arms, Lucifer fell in love all over again. Sure, he was ecstatic to hear that he was having a child, but he didn't realize how much of an effect she’d have on him. She was an absolute angel. Mostly. Great powers must be controlled, and that isn't exactly something an infant can comprehend. It was innocent at first, with little fireworks coming from fingertips, toys being lost in portals, and horns and tails emerging during temper tantrums. Nothing a good nanny couldn't fix.

That’s what Lillith’s mindset was, at least. It was a heated debate between the married couple, with Lucifer arguing a child needs to be loved and adored by their parents. He was willing to put in the time, why wasn't she? Of course, Lilith was a busy demon, with the whole empowering demonkind with her voice and songs thing, but too busy to handle her own baby?

“She’s gonna be an adult before we know it. Can’t you spend a few decades seeing her grow up..?” Lillith delicately takes her cutlery to her mouth, picking at the dinner she shared with her husband, who was seated on the other end of their lengthy table.

“Unlike you, my love, I have duties to attend to. Someone has to keep things running smoothly, to keep every demon’s hopes as high as they can be. You remember what it was like falling, being all alone and left in an unfamiliar world? I wouldn't want anyone else to feel that way. Would you?” He hated to agree, but did so anyway. She always knew what to say to make him feel guilty. Either way, she was right. He really didn't do much nowadays. He worked in his shop more, his newborn daughter becoming a great source of inspiration, but Lillith handled most of the publicity. Which, in Hell, is one of the only purposes for royalty. Lucifer didn't need to create life anymore, Hellborn creations were multiplying just fine. Probably a little too much, actually. He had all the free time in the world to shower his daughter with affection.

“ I mean..! I guess not, but they're filthy little demons, and this is your daughter! You want to leave her in the hands of some stranger? It’s just.. not right..! She needs a mother, Lily!” He was clearly passionate about this. Slamming his fists on the table, he sent ripples through the poured wine in front of Lillith’s plate.

“Lucifer. You’re causing a scene.” He hated when she said that, too. And again, he shrunk back in his seat, keeping his mouth shut. They had been drifting apart for a while, the distance not doing them any favors. He had no interest in interacting with demonkind and was fully comfortable with letting Lillith take that on, so they became more distant as she tended to Hell’s growing population.

When she rose from her seat, he finally perked up, hoping to meet her eyes. She was already halfway out of the room. “I’ll do all the work, darling, not to worry. I’ll make sure any candidate is thoroughly interviewed and trained, I promise.” Her voice was reassuring, even with the heartless subject matter. Leaving Lucifer alone in the room with some imps that usually stand along the walls, he spotted her almost untouched plate. pushing away from the table, he nearly knocked his heavy, ornamented chair onto the ground and left through another exit.

—

“Oh, Charlie.. Your mother loves you very much.” He swung the bundled-up baby in his arms, reveling in the sound of her giggles. Pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, he placed her carefully in her golden crib. Standing over her, he leaned onto the railing, watching her large red eyes flutter shut. “And.. I will shelter and adore you, sweetheart. I love you, more than anything.” He wiped a little tear that began to well up in his eye when he spoke and struggled to finally pull himself away. Protecting himself from his intrusive thoughts, he held his arms across his chest and turned to leave her nursery.

“Aww, that was so sweet..” The figure leaning in the doorframe caused him to let out a startled yelp. “Who the Hell.. You have to leave, whoever you are.” He became immediately defensive, holding his hand away from the crib in some form of protection, but he still spoke in a hushed voice. If you were just an imp he wouldn't be as worked up, but you were a sinner. A sinner who suddenly appeared in his daughter’s room. “O-oh! Um, sorry, I thought the queen would’ve.. I’m your new nanny..?” You let out a nervous chuckle, shrugging your tensed shoulders. And now? You’re admitting you're the very demon who’ll be raising his daughter alongside him. He dropped his arms, letting out a scoff, clearly unenthused. Looking you up and down, he stood there staring daggers. After a moment of awkward silence, you held out your hand to shake his, but he didn’t respond to it.

“What are your qualifications? Where did you come from? What makes you think you’re worthy of laying hands on my daughter? The princess of Hell?” He circled you, in an attempt to intimidate you, despite his small stature. “Well, um... When I was alive, I was the oldest kid at the foster house I grew up in. It wasn’t the best facility, so I basically raised most of the girls there.. I’ve seen it all, I guarantee.” You tried to lighten the mood with a quick smile, but it didint do much. “And Lillith approves of you?” You nodded, gripping the hem of your skirt nervously. “Hm. I am not as easily swayed as my wife. She’s my daughter, too. You’ll have to do better than - “ An ear-piercing wale comes from behind him. The commotion must've woken Charlie up. “Oh! No no nono..” His demonic presence faded to reveal what he really was. A father. He scooped her up and cooed, hushing her and swaying her slowly. It did nothing to help. That’s when another fact clicked in your mind; he wasn’t just a father, he was a new father. He lets out a nervous groan, wiping tears away from her heated cheeks.

“Your majesty..?” You slowly approached him, both of you still on edge. “May I?” He was clearly still debating the idea, but another loud wail had him hesitantly passing the swaddled child to your arms. He had such a light hold on her, you noticed his hands trembling when he finally released her into your grasp. You held her close, her front against your chest as you hummed in a low tone a little tune. You picked up a little trick, the vibrations from your chest helped calm her down. The action of swaying the baby and engrossing yourself in the little song running through your head actually calmed the both of you. You still spoke softly, in a low tone, “Thank you, sir. For trusting me with her, i mean. I’ll be here for anything you need. Anything she needs.” You sent him a warm smile. He simply nodded his head slowly, still witnessing the miracle that is someone with experience caring for a child. Maybe this could work out.. What could go wrong?

—

“I’m gonna getcha!” A high-pitched giggle filled the corridors of the manor, Lucifer rounds the corner to follow after his surprisingly speedy toddler. He was mostly having fun with this little game of tag but was also mildly concerned by her growing distance. “Gotcha!” A pair of arms swooped down from around another corner, scooping Charlie up as she let out a playful yelp. You held her in a tight hug, before adjusting your position to hold her up comfortably. Lucifer panted, smiling at the sight of you and his daughter, despite him being out of breath. “G-good catch.. Hoof..!” He stretches his arms upwards, then places them on the small of his back. “Aren’t you the most powerful being in Hell? Why are you acting like a middle-aged dad with a broken back?” you laughed through your words, the sound making Charlie laugh along. He stood up straight and crossed his arms over his chest, a pout on his face. “Uh, It’s for fun? Ever heard of playing pretend?” You bit your lip to prevent yourself from mocking him anymore. “Don’t laugh!” You shook your head, then watched him open his arms out to you. Or, to Charlie, actually, but you stepped back instead of handing her over. “Oh, I forgot to remind you, you actually have to head to the Heaven Embassy in a bit, so I’m gonna put Charlie down for her nap instead.” He dropped his arms and grimaced. “Right..”

This mid-day nap was a sort of tradition for Lucifer and his daughter. It was one of the few moments that Lucifer looked forward to these days. You knew that. As much as you enjoyed your job, it came with the unfortunate privilege of seeing Lucifer in his slumps. You rarely saw Lillith, actually, but that made sense. You were only here for Charlie while Lillith couldnt be. When you did spot her iin passing, you’d hand Charlie over and let the two of them have a sweet interaction, usually a quick hug and peck on the forehead, but that was usually it. You’d always notice Charlie clinging onto your shoulder and looking back in her mother’s direction whenever she handed her daughter back to you. It always crushed your heart to hear her go silent after those moments.

“Actually, I was wondering if you’d want to help get her ready for the gala tonight? You should be back in time and it won't take long. Lilith only wants her to make a quick appearance, so it shouldn't be too much work.. Good bonding moment, too!” His eyes sparkled at your invitation and he was quick to accept it. “Thank you, dear. I’ll find you after that meeting.” As he goes to walk past you, he places a hand on your back. He does this often, but as the years went on, it shifted from your shoulder to your shoulderblade, and now he delicately places his hand on your lower back whenever he can. It made you anxious at first.. Was anxious the right word? Either way, you didn't stop him.

He leaned in to place a kiss on Charlie’s forehead, becoming increasingly close to your own face. It wasn't a quick motion. He pressed a dramatic kiss onto her head, letting out a mwah! sound as he pulled back. But before he did, he looked up to you with half-lidded eyes. The eye contact seemed to last forever. And you ever wanted it to stop. A small hand came up and patted Lucifer’s cheek, a childish giggle breaking the moment between you two. What were you thinking? He’s your employer, he’s a king. He’s kind, and sweet, and tries really hard to be a good dad. Nope! Stop it.

“Right! Meeting! Heaven! Gonna.. Yup, I’ll see you.. Uh..” You finished off his words, “ - tonight?”

“Exactly! You got it! Bye, Darling!” He waved his hand off and walked off in a random direction that you were pretty sure didn't lead to where he was supposed to go. “I-I was talking to Charlie, by the way!” You heard from around the corner. You couldn’t stop your laughter with that one. “I know.” You said it softly, not letting him hear the slight disappointment in your voice.

The Gala wasn't a new event, Lillith held them often. Lucifer made his appearance with Charlie, then usually would make up some excuse to get out of the room. Gathering the leaders of each ring of Hell and some of the more powerful overlords, and demons, it was still a big deal. You dressed up Charlie often, since she would throw a temper tantrum when any of the stylists would try to get her ready. You didn't mind, you actually enjoyed prettying her up. You stalled for as long as you could, before beginning to dress her. You wanted to wait for Lucifer, but you assumed he got caught up in some kingly duties. It wasn’t that big of a deal. Don’t be upset. Stop missing him.

“Sorry - Sorry! I'm here!” The blonde demon rounds the corner, hopping on his one foot to balance himself before stopping firmly in Charlie's room. He was wearing an incredibly elegant suit. A dark purple sash cinches His waist, which was only visible because his jacket was hung over his shoulder. His shirt was speckled in gold, matching his hair when under certain light. “Had to convince them I could finish getting ready on my own! Damn stylists, can't catch a break with them.” He let out an awkward laugh, followed by a hoot. He sees Charlie, in her dark purple dress, with small poofed out sleeves, made of a transparent tool. “Charchar! Look at you, kiddo!” He scooped her up and held her close while he swung around. “You're beautiful, sweetheart.” He knew she wouldn't understand that until she was older, but never stopped him from praising her.

He pressed his forehead against hers, laughing along with her. You hated to break the tender moment, but you cleared your throat, bringing the attention back to you. “She's just about ready, just got her hair left.” He placed her back in the chair as you went for a brush. Working through her hair piece by piece, Lucifer suddenly stopped you. “Um.. can I try?” You nodded eagerly, handing the brush over. He swiped slowly, ebing startled by the crunch of a knot, he froze and pulled it away. “It’s okay, you won't hurt her - “ You didn't need to help him this way. Honestly, if anyone were to come in and witness this you could be fired. Still keeping that in mind, you place your hand over his, and guide the brush indirectly, to carefully work through her hair.

After far too long, you pulled your hand away and went to grab some other accessories. His brain was completely fried by the interaction, if this were some looney cartoon, smoke would be puffing out his ears. You weren't as calm as you were coming off as either. Why did you do that? You’d face a fate worse than a second death if anyone saw that. After letting your face cool down, you turned back and bumped Lucifer over with your hip, to take his spot directly behind Charlie. Placing your hands on her shoulders and kneeling down a bit you smile at her reflection. “What do we think, hun? Ponytail? Pigtails? Buns?”

“Braids!” You look at her with a questioning hum. “Pleease!” Braids it is. You start to section off her hair and quickly wrap one clean braid down her back. It only took you a few minutes to do it, leaving bystander Lucifer to sit in awe. He did that a lot. Whenever you’d do something with Charlie that came as second nature to you, he would watch intently. After you noticed his gaze, you began showing him how to do whatever task you had on hand. He needed those moments with her, you knew that. “Wanna give it a shot?” He jumps, as if you had just caught him doing something he shouldn't be doing. “A-Are you sure? It looks kind of complicated, I don't want to ruin her hair if - “ You interrupted his nervous rambling by calling out his title. “I’ll show you, just come watch.” He nodded, almost too quickly, and rushed to stand near you. Very near you. He stood close enough to let your shoulders touch whenever you would lift your arm a certain way. You unfurled the braid you had already done, making Lucifer let out a little sound of disappointment, that you’d ruined your hard work just for him. After attempting to explain it, he manages to struggle his way through a messy braid. He saw you holding in some kind of laugh and sent you daggers. “No - no! It’s good! Especially for your first time, it’s holding up pretty well! Here - “ You pulled the braid back out, then restarted it, letting him pick it up at an easier place. You took his wrists every so often, to turn his hand in the proper direction before letting him go on.

The focus between the two of you suddenly became intense. He stuck out his tongue a bit, too engrossed in his styling to notice. You stood behind him, your hands pressed on his back, while you stood on your tip toes to observe what he was doing from over his shoulder. Pointing out little pieces of hair that were falling out, you would reach out your pointer finger to gesture towards it, only bringing you a bit closer together.

“Is.. Is that it?” He stepped back slowly, giving you the chance to back away with him. You swung around and examined the braid that he had probably spent too much time on, with an overly dramatic hum. Tapping your chin and squinting your eyes, you researched the braid as if it were some puzzle to solve. “It looks great, Lucifer.” Looking towards him, you were expecting an overly confident grin at the acknowledged accomplishment but instead, was met with a wide-eyed bundle of nerves.

“Sir! I-It looks good, Sir! Well - I’ll let you finish getting ready and take Charlie to -” Reaching out your hands to pick Charlie up, Lucifer stops you by grabbing your arm. “It’s okay! I mean, that’s.. That’s my name! Makes sense for you to call me that, considering its my name, so - “ He lets you go and starts fiddling with the clasps on his sleeves. “It’s okay.. for you to do that..” You smile to yourself, going back to tidying up Charlie’s get-up, doing little things like putting on her darling little shoes and tying a ribbon at the end of her hair.

Lucifer then stood in front of the mirror, brushing off his shirt and slipping on his jacket. It was a dazzling plum-colored suit coat, with golden clasps across his torso, and a golden shoulder plate, that allowed a sheer cape to drape down his left side. He was absolutely stunning. You did your best to avert your eyes, staring at him felt like staring at the sun. You only turned in his direction when he cleared his throat to get your attention. “Sorry.. dear, but uh… If you’re done with Charlie, I just - I’m struggling a little bit here..” You watched him attempt to adjust his lopsided tie, finally drooping his head with a sigh of defeat. “Wow, I thought you wore one of those every day, what’s the problem?” The teasing always helped lighten the mood, you placed your hand on your hip as you leaned your weight onto the vanity. He glared at you again, letting out a huff before mumbling under his breath. “It’s a clip on..”

You let out a breath you had been holding in, partially from keeping in your laughter, but mostly from the nerves. With the combination of you wearing house slippers, and him wearing his particularly taller pair of boots, he managed to look down at you when you approached him. You should've made it a quick motion, you’ve tied bowties dozens of times, so it definitely wasn't a new task for you. But instead, you took your time. You carefully traced your hands up to his neck, tugging on both ends to pull it as far forward as it could go. You stopped to straighten the collar of his shirt, then delicately knotted the tie with ease. Your breath became heavier when you rested your hands on the finally tied bow, feeling his heart pounding against the side of your palm. After he caught you in your act, he stepped back, the image of his wife suddenly popping into his head. “Ahha.. Well, um - Thank you. I’ll take Charlie, it’s about that time anyway!”

"R-Right.." you suddenly felt guilty for your actions, worrying that you overstepped some lines. He didn't seem upset or uncomfortable, he was just silent. As he lifted Charlie from her chair, the vision of the two of them left you breathless. A beautiful pair, with porcelain skin contrasting against a palette of muted purples, and the biggest, brightest eyes. Charlie's braid hung loosely down her back, same golden strands accented in the light off the room. You almost wanted to be in the moment with them.

"Hey, so.. if you think you have time, you're welcome to go down to the ballroom for a drink or.. something... if you want." He really had to consider if that was a good idea. The thought was sitting on his mind while he enjoyed the view of your focused expression on his tie. He watched your eyes light up at the notion, his heart swelling with.. with something. "Oh! I mean - The queen talks about it like it's this big important fancy thing, but.. if you think it'll be okay.. I'll - um - " She thought for a moment, looking around the room. "I don't exactly have anything to wear.. I'll join next time, if the invites still open?" You smiled, but it was strained. And he could tell. "No problem! I'll have her find something for you, then you can slip in whenever you want. No pressure!"

With a wave of his hand, a little imp girl came from a portal he had conjured up. Peeking inside, you saw a vast collection of gowns. The imp took your hand and dragged you in silently. You stumbled, then stammered something out, something that should've been a thank you, or a show of appreciation, but you were too stunned by the situation. He waved, then Charlie waved, then the two were out of the room.

The picture of them together ran through your mind. Not just them in matching outfits, but whenever he would press his forehead against hers, or he would show off his horns when Charlie was prodding at her own. Or when they really seemed like a family. Lillith was never in those pictures. Fuck, don't be jealous. You're getting paid far too much money to feel anything like that. Plus, you're being treated to an elegant evening gown without even asking. You don't get to be jealous.

Luckily, the imp rolled out a rack of dresses, it was stuffed to the brim, but was still a more manageable collection compared to the entire room. You sifted through them, and each one that twisted your face, she took off the hanger and set aside. After narrowing it down, you were stuck on two dresses; a sultry red dress, with an incredibly high slit and a stretched velvet material that hugged you in all the right places. Definitely a head turner. Even if this gala had a V.I.P list, maybe some handsome individual could help you distract yourself.

But the other option was a glistening lavender color, the neckline went across your shoulders, turning to gloves that tapered at your knuckles. A sheer corset held your curves in place, and it was paired with pearl accessories, to go with your sleek white heels. Both were gorgeous of course, but turning your hips and taking in how you looked in that lavender gown.. you could see yourself fitting quite nicely into your mental picture of Lucifer and Charlie. You would never admit that's why you picked it. You were prettied up, your hair pulled to one side with pearl clips scattered within the strands, and a little touch of makeup that you really didnt want, but was convinced without a word by the stylist. You looked like royalty. And that made you feel good in so many ways.

—

Lucifer said you could "sneak in", and you thought it best to take that literally. Waving and greeting all the workers in the kitchen that you knew, you finally slipped through the door where the caterers traveled from. You went straight for the bar, not because you needed a drink - well, I'm sure that's part of it - but because you had no idea what to do. What, were you supposed to walk straight up to Lucifer? Or Lillith? The idea of seeing Lillith suddenly made your stomach churn. You realized that you actually got there in time to see the introductions for most of the more esteemed guests. They went through the sins, who were larger than life, then a flared announcement for the Morningstar family was belted out.

Lucifer stood with a devilish grin, looking handsome as always. Lillith was still stunning, her gown trailing behind her.. but it was black. It wasn’t purple, or plum, or lilac, it was just black. It may not have looked like a contrast to everyone, but it upset you for some reason. Charlie stood between them, looking incredibly calmed considering the intensity of the moment. Lillith was holding her small hand, but the difference in height made her strain to keep their fingers intertwined. You cringed watching her stand on the tip of her toes to keep contact with her own mother.

Quietly, as to not interupt the announcements, you beckoned the bartender to bring you a drink. You sat and sipped, your back arched as you leaned your weight onto your elbows. What were you doing here? Was this all worth it? To have your little Cinderella transformation?

"Hello, darling.. and who might you be?" A sultry voice came from behind, causing you to swivle in the chair to face where it came from. It wasn't Lucifer, which left you mildly disapointed, but you definitely weren't upset at the curvy woman standing in front of you, wearing a dress that left nothing to the imagination. The swishing demonic tail wasn't something you hated either. A real fox.

"Oh, a friend invited me, I didnt want to cramp his style, so here I am." As you spoke, the bartender brings a tall flute of champagne over to the gorgeous demon in front of you. She glides to sit in the seat next to you. "Hm - well, I'd hate to see you all alone tonight, mind if I keep you company, love?" She slid her fingers up your arm and you have no idea how you managed to keep your cool. "Not at all~" maybe it was the confidence of your new appearance, but you had no issue with spending the night with this stranger.

All of a sudden, Charlie was plopped into your seated lap, causing you to look up towards an intimidating Lucifer. Examining the sudden shift in mood, you were relieved to see Lillith talking to some demons on the other side of the room. "Glad you could make it! Charlie here - reeaally missed you, thought I should say hi." He smile was forced, you noticed a slight twitch in his eye. "Ah, I see you've met my nanny! Quite a beauty, wouldn't you agree?" Lucifer came incredibly close to you, leaning in and placing his hand on your back. The only issue was the low cut of the dress, allowing you to feel his warm hands on your skin. You hoped he didn't feel the shiver run up your spine.

Taking a hold of Charlie as she climbed up your lap to hug your neck, you let out a natural laugh, feeling like yourself for the first time tonight. Looking back to your conquest, who was definitely about to ask you to "get out of here", you see a face of absolute disgust. Oh, right. You're just a sinner to these higher ups. And a working class one at that. Nanny wasn't the most flattering occupation apparently. She made a terrible excuse to get out of the conversation and walked away a little faster than she should've.

"Sir! I have no problem watching Charlie tonight, but - I was about to -" your face flushed as you tried to explain how you were just trying to get laid tonight. “Get a drink, right? Make sure you stick to the non-alchoomic stuff, hun, sounds like Charlie gets to stay up late tonight!" With a hefty pat on your back, Lucifer stepped away to talk to another random demon. What the fuck? Lucifer had beckoned the bartender over again, and when you looked back to the counter, you see a sad looking soda water. With a sigh, you guzzle the drink just to wet your dried throat.

As much a you loved Charlie, there was no better chick repellant. And even for the brave souls who decided to approach you and still show interest, Lucifer would suddenly appear, keeping his hand just above your tailbone as he mentioned your hard work as his employee. Maybe it was the word nanny, or the intimidating presence of the king of Hell, but he had to be doing this on purpose. You kind of hoped he was doing this on purpose.. After one too many fleeting suitors, you worked your magic and calmed Charlie until she fell asleep in your arms. You hummed a little tune again, the method was something she became accustomed to after you started taking care of her.

"My my~ what a sweetheart." A broad shouldered demon approached you, his lower voice ringing throughout your chest. "Isn't she? She's exhuasted, I should really get her to bed." You never took your eyes off of Charlie, making it easy for him to slip a hand around your waist." Ah, you’re her caretaker, hm? Well.. what do you have going on after you get her to bed?" His hand trails down to your hips, starting to trace a circle with his thumb. You swung away, a look of disgust on your face." Probably going to bed. By myself." You hissed. You never had a problem handling those kind of advances, and you'd do anything to keep Charlie safe, so you kept your distance. "You don't have to do that, baby~ why don't you show me around the Morningstar manor?" He closed the distance, and as you go to step back, your back hits the bar. "N-No thanks, I'm.. not..." You would have gotten nervous in the moment, if you didnt see a blonde headed angel approaching with horns threatening to burst out.

"Stay away from her." A small puff of flames came from Lucifer's snarl as he reprimanded the thug. He scoffed and stepped away as if nothing had happened. Probably the smartest thing for him to do at this point. Lucifer's suddenly glowing red eyes returned to their normal hue once he turned his attention to you. You froze in place. It felt like you were in trouble too. "You're okay?" He spoke blankly, you couldn't tell what emotion he was trying to convey, let alone how he actually feels. You nodded, keeping a hand on the back of Charlie's head." Get her to bed." With a dramatic turn, his transparent cape flew behind him and he returned to Lillith's side. He placed his hand on the small of her back.

You wanted to cry. To scream and drink until you can't think of anything. Charlie was your main priority, though. You took her to her nursery as soon as you could. Carefully changing her into her pajamas, a cute little onesie with ducks printed all over, then placed the drowsy toddler into her bed. "Oh Charlie.. You are so lucky to be so loved." You spoke geniunely, no matter your feelings, the amount of love Charlie is given and how much she gives in return was always so unbelievable to you. She was made of pure joy. Brushing some hair away from her face, you stepped back, taking your time on returning to your room.

"That is so sweet." You shot your head up, unpleasantly surprised by Lucifer's sorry face. "She's in bed, what do you need from me?" You spoke softly, as to not wake her. "You look beautiful. I just.. didn't get a chance to say that earlier, is all." Your face twisted in digust. "You know, you weren't the only one who thought that tonight. That was the first time I've been hit on in months. Couldn't you let me just enjoy the night..?" You were becoming increasingly frustrated, and it was translating clearly through your words. He flinched at your aggression, suddenly becoming defensive.

"That filfthy demon was feeling you up..! What else did you want me to do?" He started to match your energy, quietly responding in an aggitated state." Not him, the rest! I was about to leave with that lady at the bar, and I'm sure others would've enjoyed my company if I wasn't getting handed a toddler every second." You'd regret that one later, referring to Charlie as just a toddler. "That's your job, dear. Remember why you're here." He puffed out his chest, becoming increasingly close to your figure. You shrunk away, your eyes widened at his words.

"Oh- Oh, no, I didn't mean to - wait, I wasn't - " He stammered, his intimidating stature immediatly dropping as he say your eyes start to glaze over with tears, which only flowed down your cheeks after batting your made-up lashes. "Nonono! Please don't cry I - um.. " his eyes darted around the room, before reaching his arms out and reeling you in to a tightening embrace. Your chin sat on his shoulder, the shock momentarily keeping the water works at bay.

"I got nervous, okay..? I didn't want anything.. bad... to happen. I didn't want to lose you in there." Those words shouldn't tug at your heart strings at much as they did, but that and the low rumble of his voice just slightly hitting your ear made it impossible.

"I-I can handle myself.." You sniffled, your breath becoming heavier as you felt his hands start to explore your back. He rested one hand on the small of your back, sending a familiar warmth to your chest. But then, his fingers traced upwards, holding onto your shoulders for a moment, before lightly clawing down your bare back. He traced over a certain spot that tickled you the wrong way, causing you to force out a little yelp. You both stopped for a moment, the only thing you could hear was the uneven pants coming from your mouths. He pulled away for a moment, keeping his hands on your shoulders. Then eyeing you up and down, he ran his grasp across the length of your arms. "I known you can.. you're wonderful." He somehow spoke as if he was completely unaffected by the intimacy he was just showing you. Your breath only picked up more, instantly regretting what you were about to do.

With a small leap, you pulled him in by his collar and messily met his lips. It couldn't be a quick peck, that's too confusing. You wanted this to last forever. He kept his lips sealed shut at first, but that didn't last long. With a shakey breath against your lips, he pulled you in by your waist suddenly, bringing you as close to him as he could. The motion took the air out of your lungs, forcing you release a vocal sigh. He only held you tighter after that. Your arms trailed up and around his shoulders, combing through the hairs at the nape of his neck. He broke for a moment, his kisses traveling down your lips to your jawline, then down to your neck.

Flicking your hair back, he latched an incredibly wet kiss on the softness of your neck. Lucifer took the invitation of your strapless dress to fully cover you in kisses, occasionally running his tongue up the length of your neck. A panting mess, you pulled him back up by his chin, finally getting a good look at his face. He was falling apart at the seems. He looked desperate to get back to working on your neck, like he hadnt been intimate with anyone in years. You needed his lips against yours again. Holding his jaw, you pressed a kiss on his lips, then squeezed your thumb amd index finger to open his lower jaw and push your tongue into his mouth. He let out a nervous moan, before quickly catching up to you.

This wasn’t right. This part wasn't in your mental picture of a perfect family. And you knew why. Your thoughts were silenced, feeling his mouth trail back down to your collarbone. He thumbed at the top of your long glove, beginning to pull it down. God, never let this moment end.

But you forgot. You're in Hell.

With a frantic patting on his shoulder, you quickly attempted to get his attention. When Lucifer met your eyes again, they had gone wide, and he finally noticed you shaking. "Hey, hey! What is it? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes." He froze. He slowly turned his head to the door. Lillith.

—

"Darling, please, I'm sorry, you know you're the only one for me - it was a long night, mistakes were made, let's just move on, hm..?" He was begging for this moment to be over, as Lillith moved past him and approached you. You had to crane your neck to look at her, your entire body trembling. You had mascara running down your eyes, and your lipstick had smeared in all directions. Lillith lifted your head up even further, wiping some smudged lipstick from the corner of your mouth. "Lily..?" Lucifer let out softly. She let out a soft sigh. She didn't seem to be angry, which seemed to make you more nervous than if she was. "D-Don’t.. don't hurt her..." It's like he was scared to stick up for you. That, and the fact that he just called this past interaction a mistake, weighed heavily on your heart. "You think that little of me, my love? I would never. It was a mistake, after all, just as you said." She spoke so calmly but knew exactly what to say to make you cower in fear. You let out a pathetic whimper, "P-Please... I'm s-sorry, Your Highness..." She smiled and tightened her grip on your jaw for a moment before letting you go. You didn't realize she was actually lifting you up slightly until you were dropped down. “So.. we can talk and figure this out, right? Lily?" She kept her eyes off of the anxious mess that Lucifer was becoming." Of course, love. We'll talk in the morning. Oh, and obviously - " She turned towards you just before leaving the room.

"You're fired.”

—

Anyway, there is absolutely a part 2 for this don't worry and I'll get to it.. eventually.

!Taglist!

( @vififofum @thornwolfy235 @tinywolfiegirl @chipper-chip @bat-boness @misfitgirlwrites @nayomi247 @lonelynmisunderstood )

#There's a reference in here someone please get it #hazbin hotel #hazbin #lucifer hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel fandom #lucifer hazbin #lucifer morningstar #lucifer magne #hazbin hotel smut #lucifer fluff #lucifer morningstar x you #lucifer x reader #lucifer x reader smut #hazbin hotel lucifer #hazbin lucifer #lucifer smut #lucifer x you

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Text

𝕽𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖊𝖗 𝖞𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘.

Ch 11: I know what it is to live entirely for and with what I love best on earth

A sequel to Whither is thy beloved gone? (AO3)

After the events of ‘Whither is thy beloved gone?’ Lord Astarion Ancuńin and his consort wife navigate their relationship anew. The ghosts of the past - his, hers, and theirs - threaten to unravel everything they’ve worked for.

Preparations for the wedding begin.

Professionally edited by @editing-by-night

Read on AO3.

Masterlist

Art commissioned from the amazing @dafna-winchester

Astarion peered down at his hand, eyeing the ring now wrapped around his ring finger. A simple gold band, not too thick - lovely, if a little too plain, he mused. Beside him Ban admired her own ring, just as simple, much to his displeasure.

He’d allowed her to select the rings, allowed her pretty much free rein over organizing the wedding, content with watching her fulfill her dreams of being wed to him.

Married. Such an odd notion, especially for him. Over two centuries old and he’d never considered it would happen for him, especially after he’d turned. He’d dismissed it as a youthful dream, stolen away by his undeath. He’d never thought he’d find the person he was meant for, and even when he’d been confident it was her, there had been so many things that had threatened it.

He remembered the first hundred or so bodies he’d lain with. He’d dreaded feeling that certainty and devotion when he’d bedded them, terrified of finding his thiramin in a victim he would have no hope of saving. What would he have done if his heart had stirred for someone who was doomed by simply having met him? The loss would have likely driven him to madness; elves often went insane, many ended their lives, when they lost their thiramin. He had no illusions that Cazador would have allowed him a second death had that happened to him. He couldn’t imagine what he would have become.

But then the years had stretched on, endless and dreary, and none of them ever stirred him. He’d thought no one ever would. His heart had lain still, silent save for the slow, undead beats, and he’d resigned himself to an eternity of loneliness. Of being less than whole.

She had brought that dream back, though. She’d awakened his heart, made it long for more. And then she’d restored it. His heart, now beating, living. Hers.

He looked back down at the ring, feeling the cool metal with his fingers. Whatever style it would be, he knew he’d find it perfect. However…

“You could at least add a rock or two, Ban.” He looked over at her. “Rubies, to match my eyes. Diamonds, to match my skin…”

He gave her a gentle nudge and Ban playfully bumped her shoulder against his. He smirked, stepping behind her as if to admire the display from over her shoulder. His hands slowly slid down her back to grip her ass, squeezing through the thin fabric of her dress. He noted the lack of underwear, pleasantly surprised.

“It seems like there’s less… material here than usual,” he purred into her ear. She shivered as his hands traced the curve of her ass.

“I figured you’d want easier access if you chose to end our little game early.”

“Tempting, but that won’t work.” He pressed against her back, hands reaching over her, as if he were merely admiring the ring on her finger. He lifted her hand up so that it shone in the light; as he did, he surreptitiously ground his hips against her ass, cock nestling in the cleft.

She jerked hard, gasping in surprise, then pressed back against him. He allowed it for several deliciously torturous seconds, allowed himself this small moment of intense desire as he closed his eyes and imagined bending her over the stall, vendors be damned, the wares clattering to the ground as he spread her legs, sliding his cock deep inside her…

He forced his eyes open, drawing away, chuckling at the bereft whine that came out of her.

“Later? When we’re alone?” Ban pleaded, making no effort to hide the desperation in her voice. He gave her a small shake of the head.

“I’ve never wanted anything more, my love, but sadly I must decline. You won’t get out of it that easily; you ought to know that by now.” He nipped her neck playfully, enjoying her quiet groan, then nodded at the ring on her hand. “Better get back to ring shopping, love. Were I you I’d reconsider the choice of design. Vanity aside… stones would add a little more luxury to it.”

“If I got rocks, it would be woefully inconvenient. It would snag on things, and were we to get into a scrap, it would easily get damaged. Another thing to worry about.”

He thought about this for a moment.

“Engravings would not catch on clothing nor weapons,” he suggested. She’d chosen the rings from a selection the jeweler had presented them with, and she had picked these. He hadn’t complained, especially when she said she’d want them to match, but a tad more opulence never hurt.

She turned to the jeweler to discuss alterations. Astarion watched her, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

The past few tendays had been a bustle of activity, the wedding planning having taken precedence over everything else. Tailors, florists, caterers, jewelers - the list had been almost endless, the palace almost never empty. Nights were the only quiet moments, even more so now that they were playing their game. Abstaining from sex wasn’t easy for either of them, but they’d been having fun with it, and the lack meant their nights were spent wrapped in each other’s arms, discussing anything and everything. He found he loved it, even when the conversation went to heavier topics, as it had the other night.

“Astarion,” she murmured, nuzzling against his neck. He gave a small hmm? in response, opening his eyes. He’d been drifting off, thoughts of tomorrow’s meeting with the florist and the frankly overwhelming choices of floral arrangements looming annoyingly large in his mind.

She traced a path downwards with her lips, ending at the hollow of his throat. “I still don’t know what to do with Adrien. I don’t think we’ll be able to convince my parents to reveal anything, much less help me see him.”

Ah. He’d been turning the idea over in his mind, considering possible methods to prise the information from Roderich.

“Would Adrien be amenable to meeting you in secret?”

She scoffed, her breath tickling his skin. “He would never dare defy them to such a degree. He’d… he’d tell me to ask them, or have the meeting with them present. I’m not even certain where he is, or how I can establish contact with him. He… he might even hate me for leaving, which I guess I deserve.”

“Hate you for leaving?” he asked, incredulous. “And since when has it become your problem that your sibling cannot stand up for himself?”

Ban pressed her head against the swell of his chest. He’d wrapped a comforting hand over her head, pressing her closer to his heart. “I was the older sister. I could… should have done more.”

“Did he ever stand up for you?”

She fell silent, merely shaking her head.

He sighed. “You’re not required to save everyone. You never were,” he added, irritation creeping into his voice. An old grievance - not that he minded her saving him and their companions, of course - but the fact that she always somehow thought it her responsibility to help out, even when it risked herself, irked him.

“Oh, I know,” she shrugged. “But it should be what I want to do. Or at least what a better person would want to do.”

He blinked, surprised. “I never mentioned it being something you should be doing, Ban. I merely assumed you, with your bleeding heart back then-”

She laughed, and he found himself even more confused, brow furrowing. He looked down at her as she peered from where she’d snuggled against his chest; to his shock she seemed mildly amused.

“Bleeding heart?” She shook her head. “Far from it, Astarion. Too far, even.”

“Then what of the tieflings? The gnomes? You had us save each and every one of them - a tiresome task, which I’m sure I’ve mentioned to you.” The confusion gave way to incredulity. “Are you saying you never really… cared?”

She splayed a hand over the dip in his chest, silent. He noticed she looked away, as if considering something; he felt her mind touch his and let her in.

He was holding a greatsword, effortlessly hefting its weight in both hands. Before him a tiefling spoke, begging for help. He could feel his lungs exhale in a sigh, a surge of irritation in his mind. He opened his mouth.

“Astarion! We need to help them. Can you come with me?”

He saw himself, clad in that drow’s armor, striding closer. “Must we?” His other self stood lackadaisically, hands on hips.

He felt fond amusement, bordering on giddy joy, and intense affection. His eyes couldn’t even seem to lock onto his other self, heart racing and cheeks flushing as he attempted to do so. His back straightened up and he spoke, eyes pointedly fixed at a spot above the other Astarion’s hair.

“They need help. So,” his hand rose, letting go of the massive sword long enough to beckon. The hand came into his view.

Her hand. Her memories. He’d known, of course, but it was still rather novel watching his past self glower as he approached her. It was far more amusing to feel her silly crush, a warmness seeping through her at his mere presence.

But beyond that, the feeling she wanted him to notice was there: an irritation with the tieflings, tamped down by a begrudging reminder that helping them would be the right thing to do.

The vision shifted, and he was her yet again, a man covered in soot before her. She felt the man’s ring in her pocket, tempted, for a split second, to walk away with it. They did need the gold, and for a fleeting moment she considered giving it to Astarion, then stopped herself. He’d consider it a stupid gesture.

She saw Astarion burst in through the broken doors beside her, scowling at the smoke; the color of the feelings immediately changed, turning into pleasant excitement and glee at having him near.

“Darling,” his past self drawled, “let’s just go. This place won’t do our clothes any favors.”

She sighed and made a decision, hand slipping into her pocket, fishing out the ring for the man. He saw his old self sigh.

Another memory, this one of Oskar Fevras. She’d convinced the Zhent to let him go, but…

He could feel her debating whether to give the man some coin. Her thoughts flitted from an outright no to a perhaps; she then turned to him.

“The pouch, please,” she said, all confident and unfazed when his past self inevitably grumbled, but inwardly hanging onto every word and move he made.

Again, the feeling was there, the annoyance at Oskar for bothering them, the urge to just let him leave penniless - it wasn’t my concern, she thought - and then a reluctant voice in her head told her to do better.

He finally pulled away from her mind, opening his eyes to see her still peering up at him. She averted her eyes the moment they met.

“Not… good,” she stated. “Never was, like I said.”

She had indeed said so before, but he hadn’t really believed her then. He huffed out a laugh, masking the sheer relief settling into him. Not good, indeed. How long had he tormented himself with the idea that he’d ruined her, that she’d corrupted herself by allowing his ascension? Not that he hadn’t, he mused - seven thousand dead was quite a few degrees worse than anything they’d ever done before or since - but the confirmation that she was no saint, not an angel whose wings he’d torn off and dragged to hell with him was a relief. He ruffled her hair again, a little rougher this time, amused by her snort of annoyance for messing it up.

“You’ve mentioned that, yes.” He clenched his jaw. “At the time I thought you meant the events of the rite.”

She bit her lip. He could almost taste the way she began to turn away, her expression closing off. But it lasted for mere seconds. Instead she exhaled heavily.

“No. I meant… always. Being good, or moral, I suppose, is work, work I constantly have to remind myself to do. I don’t want to be what they raised me to be, as natural as it feels.” Her eyes finally met his. “I want to be more, and…” she shrugged, “I’ve failed. Especially when it mattered most.”

“If you mean helping me at the rite…” he began, fingers stilling on the path they had been taking on her head.

“No. I mean with you. After.” She sat up, biting her lip. “You made mistakes. I made more. It just didn’t fix anything.” He watched her fingers twist and tangle as she continued. “When I first saw you, I saw that you were like me, that… being better isn’t in your nature, either.” She was interrupted by his rather humorless laugh.

“You could say that, yes.”

Despite the seriousness of the conversation she felt a small smile ghost her lips. “I saw that… that you were like me. But you were also in so much pain. So much suffering in so beautiful a man, in so precious a soul.” She watched his eyes widen and squeezed his hand. “I saw you at night, saw how you sought solace in my arms when nightmares haunted you. Saw how you kept everyone else at arm’s length, even if at first I thought you actually were attracted to me.”

Astarion pressed his lips to the top of her head then, placing a short, intense kiss as an apology. She squeezed his bicep, sending a thought through. It’s alright.

“I forgave you that a long time ago. Probably would have forgiven you the second you did it. I can’t blame you, after all. I’m no great beauty.” She waved her hand dismissively. “I just saw all that sorrow, saw that you needed kindness. Needed care.” With every word she traced his cheekbone, then moved to his jawline.

“I wanted to be your rock, then. To protect you, to be where you could hide. Even if…” she swallowed, “even if I could not let you in. Not enough.”

He huffed, a sharp exhale of breath, and she looked up in surprise. Part of him wanted to assuage her concerns about her physical beauty, but he decided to tackle the more pertinent issues first. “I did not need a cave to shelter in, Ban. I needed a home.” She opened her mouth to apologize, but he continued. “Be that as it may, I was… not aware of it, at the time. What I needed and what I wanted were two entirely distinct things.”

“I’m sorry.”

His arms tightened around her. “Forgiven, as you know all too well. As for… what you really are, Ban. Why refuse me a glimpse of that? You knew we were alike; you had to have known I’d have wholeheartedly accepted you as you have done for me.”

“Thought I could be better. Thought… you needn’t carry that burden. That you deserved someone whole and good, someone you could give your suffering to, without worrying about theirs. Someone strong.” He watched her avert her eyes, hiding by skating kisses across the plane of his chest. He appreciated the honesty, particularly because it wasn’t the easiest thing for her.

“Ban,” Astarion admonished. It was a soft, gentle murmur, but one that told her in no uncertain terms that he wanted her full attention. He waited until she looked at him to continue. “I’d have loved to know all of you. Perhaps I would have pretended to be slightly miffed,” he joked, “to have to share your burdens, but I would have been secretly honored. Inside.”

“Deep inside,” Ban teased, poking his chest. He nodded, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Astarion’s hand resumed stroking her hair. “So. Is this drive to do the right thing the reason why you’re so keen on saving your brother from your parents?”

“Possibly. I’m not sure; it’s an urge - to at the very least know how he’s doing. And the way my parents were acting… there’s definitely something hidden there. Something rotten.”

Astarion mulled this over, silent for several moments. “We could yet pry the information from Roderich, I think. A simple yet precise application of coin, some strings tugged on and favors called…”

“I’m listening,” Ban said, her curiosity obviously piqued.

“Focus your attentions on our wedding, love,” he assured her. “Let me handle this. All you need to worry about that day is being the beautiful,” he tugged her up so that they were eye to eye, “wonderful bride that you are.”

He noticed that she shook her head almost imperceptibly. “Would you indulge me, love? Never say you’re not attractive. I won’t stand for it. Is that understood?” There was a firmness in that last question, one reminiscent of the Ascendant.

“We should admit I’m not-”

“Conventionally attractive? As if convention or the opinion of the masses ever mattered to anyone, least of all me.” He tilted her chin to face him and kissed her deeply, roughly, sucking on her bottom lip. He let his hips buck, let her feel his cock press against her belly as he gripped the back of her head to deepen the kiss. She whimpered, and he groaned in response, throaty and deep, holding nothing back.

“See?” he breathed, pulling away from the kiss. “I do think you were made to ruin me, and as much as that was a silly line at the time… I mean it.” She laughed, and he savored the sound, pecking her cheek. “Besides, the Vampire Ascendant could not have had bad taste when he chose his consort, couldn’t he?” he teased.

“Fine,” she acquiesced. “I’ll agree that at least you find me cute.”

“Far more than that, darling, but I think we can settle on cute for now. I can show you how enthralling I find you after our…” he drifted a hand down, skating over her hips, “little game…” he pressed the heel of his palm over her mound, allowing her to grind him briefly, “...is over.”

“Scrolls, flowers, or some other design?” Ban asked, holding out the sample rings to him.

“Scrolls,” he answered, returning his focus to her.

She relayed his preference to the jeweler, turning to him once it was settled.

“You do seem to like scrollwork, considering the new mirror.” Yet another mirror, this one purchased from the master of the mirror-makers’ guild.

“It has a measure of sophistication, I suppose, one Roderich’s monstrosity rather… lacks.” He tilted his head to watch her, delighted to see her snort at his remark. It wasn’t that Roderich’s creation was horrible, he figured - but he did find it perhaps a touch ostentatious. He recalled Roderich calling the design dated and realized belatedly that the man had been right.

“It’s a lot prettier,” Ban agreed. “You’ll look wonderful reflected in it, once your suit arrives.”

His eyes crinkled in amusement. “Darling, I don’t need a mirror to know that.”

“I know,” she chuckled. “It’s still nice though, for you to be able to see yourself.”

Astarion froze for a moment, unsure what to say. Of course. “You’ll look lovely too, I’m quite certain. You already manage to enchant me every single day - no doubt you’ll be positively captivating in your dress.”

“Sure. I’ll have you show me, come the day.” She paused. “Perhaps I’ll ask Gale for a simulacrum. You could stand next to it and I could see how we both look in our finery.” She waved a hand at him, seemingly wanting to leave the conversation at that; the expression on her face, however, wasn’t hidden at all. Melancholy.

“You miss it, don’t you,” he murmured.

“I… do.” She shrugged. “But it’s not too big an issue. You can always show me what I look like, whether it be by linking minds or through your flattery.”

“Is that what I am now? Your poor husband, relegated to being a seeing glass?” He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, mimicking woefulness.

Ban laughed. “You act like looking at me is such a hard task.”

“Oh, but it is. Grueling, in fact,” he leaned in, a hand pulling her flush to his side, “it’s extremely difficult, to look at you and not touch you,” he whispered, lips hovering a hairsbreadth away from hers, “to speak words of praise and not put my mouth on you, on every inch of you, taste you.”

He chuckled, pulling away the moment she tried to go for a kiss. “I wouldn’t consider the truth to be mere flattery, my love.”

She playfully swatted at him, then squeezed his hand, a small gesture of gratefulness and understanding.

The thought, however, dwelled on his mind. It wasn’t as if he’d ever forgotten - all the commissioned art was for her to be able to see herself in some manner. He knew it wasn’t the same, but that had been the only way he’d thought of.

But the desire to give her some more permanent way to see herself, and Gale’s name, had tangled in his mind, eventually becoming the nebulous beginnings of an idea.

He followed her as she walked towards another stall, wrapping an arm around her waist. He searched for a topic to discuss, something to cheer her up.

“We’ve been invited to a party, a tenday after our wedding. The guildmaster Meiros’ daughter is to celebrate her twenty-first birthday.”

She considered this. “Meiros. You purchased the new mirror from him, yes?”

“Indeed I did. He used some newfangled method for it - apparently Barcus Wroot’s mining operation has proven more fruitful than we expected.”

“That was a good idea, suggesting Barcus go back and claim the Grymforge. Unfortunate that we didn’t introduce him to Meiros ourselves, but then again, we weren’t aiming to rub shoulders with mirror-makers then.” She inspected a silk scarf, looking thoughtful. “I was doing everything in my power to avoid approaching anything related to mirrors.”

“It makes little difference - I mentioned being well-acquainted with the gnome to Meiros. If he had his wits about him he picked up what I was alluding to.”

He groaned. “As for the party… I do so loathe that we have to go - it’s pointless mingling amongst whoever else his daughter’s invited, and I highly doubt hobnobbing with a gaggle of vapid young women is going to do us any good.”

“It’s the father you want, anyway,” Ban commented, her hands running over a selection of tanned hides, considering them for shoes for Astarion. She held one up, handing it to him to inspect. Astarion took it from her with deliberate slowness, allowing his fingers to drag across the back of her hand, pairing the caress with a dark, hungry look that made her shiver.

“Will you ever tell me what the plan is, regarding that?”

A smirk crossed his features. “As I previously mentioned, love, I will handle it while you concern yourself with the wedding planning. Don’t you trust me?” He selected the sample hide from the center of the set, a smooth calfskin.

“I do,” she answered without hesitation, “I’m merely curious.” She shot the hide he’d selected a suspicious glance. “That will scratch easily, you know. Especially in white.”

He grumbled and looked through the other samples, reconsidering. Purchasing the mirror was only the first step; a little more would be required for his plan.

“You’ll need a gift,” Ban said from beside him.

She tapped another sample. “Rothe-hide. Much tougher.”

“For the lucky debutante, you mean,” Astarion nodded.

He fingered the hide Ban pointed at, finding the texture thick but a little rough. “I can hardly imagine talking to one, let alone figuring out something one would want.”

She frowned. “A book, a satchel… a portrait. There are options.”

“Gifts,” he sighed. “Even now I can see the endless parade of them arriving at our doorstep, and I haven’t the foggiest what to do with them.”

“You say thank you, and you put them in storage.” She watched him finally settle for the rothe-hide.

“Some of them are rather useful. Halsin’s previous gift, for instance, was enlightening.”

“And in storage,” Ban reminded. She took a moment to admire the swell of his ass as he was turned away, engaged in conversation with the tanner. She moved in close, grabbing a handful before he could even notice.

Astarion yelped, then rounded on her. “Bad girl. Very, very naughty.” He set the hide sample down, slowly crowding her against the side of the stall in his sensual, predatory way. But she knew exactly what move he’d attempt and as he closed in she slipped away, laughing.

“Getting slow, old man.” She dodged yet another attempt to grab her wrist.

He stared at her for a moment, mouth agape. “Old. Old?” He clutched his chest. “You wound me so, my love.” He ambled up to her, watching her smirk widen as she held her ground. He leaned down, breath tickling her face. She could smell traces of the blood he’d had for breakfast on it. “You’ll have to take that back the moment our little game ends.”

“Oh?” She raised her eyebrows. “I highly doubt that.” Astarion knew it was a lie - the way she shifted her hips, pressing her legs together, was more than enough indication. The smile grew wider.

“Then allow me to continue teasing you,” he whispered. “Let me keep tantalizing you. If these attempts are futile, then you will have won, and I shall stop. If you lose…” he kissed her lips for a fraction of a second, “then I shall redouble my efforts and make sure you can’t think of anything else other than your dear, old, husband.”

She stifled a giggle. “You can try, Astarion. We’ll see by tonight.” She changed the topic in an attempt to hide how flustered she was, though it was futile - he could still see the faint flush on her cheeks. “I’m sure we’ll find some use for every present, whether it be collecting dust or something actually useful.”

She was lying in bed when Astarion walked into the bedroom, a triumphant grin on his face. He was carrying a small, wooden box, rather dusty and vaguely familiar.

“Don’t bring that to bed, Astarion,” she warned. He paused, raised an eyebrow at her, and headed towards her anyways. She stood, quickly heading to the chaise.

“Really? We could have the sheets replaced. This,” he tapped the chaise as he sat, “is not so easily cleaned.”

She snorted. “Smartass.” She sat down, legs crossed, and he took the spot opposite her, box still in hand. She eyed it, trying to remember what it was.

“A gift? Or something else?”

He beamed at her, fingers unlatching the lock and lifting the lid.

Letters. From when I was in Waterdeep. She swallowed. “Where did you find this?”

He waved a hand dismissively. “I stumbled into one of our storage rooms the other day and had a quick rummage.”

She eyed him carefully. “Part of… whatever plans you have for my father?”

“Perhaps.” He pushed the box towards her, eyes glinting with excitement.

“Astarion…” she hesitated, looking at the papers within. Did they really want to bring this up, that painful time apart? “Does this not…” she trailed off. Hurt you?

He sensed her question and the smile fell, replaced by a somber, if earnest, expression. He picked up some of the letters. “It should. I recall writing them, knowing it was a meager gesture, but they were the only way I could reach you then.” He bit his lip, considering his words as he unfolded one.

“You kept them. All of them.” He looked at her, eyes wide. “You arranged them according to when they arrived, saved them all in this box, and…” he smiled again, eyes crinkling, “you drafted answers on the backs.”

“I… did,” she nodded, picking one from the pile and turning it over. There it was, in her own neat, if rather childlike, handwriting. Big, circular letters that spelled out her feelings. That she did miss him, missed him so much it hurt, so much she could barely sleep. That she wanted him back, if only he’d try harder, meet her halfway. She sighed.

Astarion watched her every move. His hand gripped her knee. “You never told me any of this. Never… let me know you were miserable too, that you longed for me just as much as I did you.”

“I know. I’m sorry… you know why. I couldn’t, back then. Refused to show you anything resembling weakness.”

He nodded, taking the letter from her and reverently placed it back in the box. He closed it and put it down on the floor. The moment he straightened up she spread her arms, beckoning him to her. He tilted his head, a grin settling over his features when he realized what she was asking for. He obliged, settling into her embrace as she reclined, his head pillowed against her breasts, one of his legs slung over one of hers.

He took a small breath. “There is a silver lining to seeing those letters, I suppose.” She guessed that was why he seemed happy about finding them. She waited for him to continue.

“They tell me you cared. Even in the depths of our despair you yearned for me as well. Your heart reached for me, as mine reached for you,” he murmured into her skin. “You simply could not allow yourself to tell me. You were… hiding, just as I was.”

Her fingers tightened where they had settled in his curls, kneading the back of his head in a massage. He exhaled, breath hot against her skin. “Again, Astarion, I really am sor-”

A hand reached up, palm covering her mouth. He shook his head at her. “Enough. I choose to take what I unearthed as something… positive. Don’t ruin it.” He leaned up and his thigh pushed up against her mound, delightfully arousing in its simplicity. She swallowed heavily.

“You were hiding… and that is fine,” he whispered, leaning forwards to aim his words into her ear. “So was I. But that was then,” he ground his hips, rubbing his cock against her leg, pushing his thigh more firmly against her rapidly-dampening core. “And this is now.”

He didn’t remove his hand from her mouth, and when she tried to speak again he shushed her. “No more words from those pretty lips, my love. I don't want to hear you beg to touch me, because I have no intention of allowing it. There is no need to waste your breath.”

Astarion was merely tormenting them both, she assumed. He moaned as he rubbed himself on her thigh, smirking when her eyes widened at the sound.

He had been teasing her constantly all month. Light, deft touches, his fingertips ghosting over sensitive spots, speaking a little too close to her ear, sometimes breathy, sometimes growling. She’d loved it, even as her body had begged to be touched and taken each time.

He'd also gotten into the annoying habit of grinding into her ass when they spooned before bed. He’d do it once, twice, sometimes several times, then pull away, smirking all the while. He especially liked it when he managed to elicit a needy moan from her, and try as she might to keep them in - not wanting to give him the satisfaction - she almost always failed.

Oh, she knew he was suffering as well. She could feel the insistent, likely painful, throb of his cock every time he pressed against her, the heat of him even more than usual - almost fiery. She imagined that were she to wrap her hand around him, she'd merely have to stroke once and he’d come undone. One quick pass, one swipe of her thumb on his slit, or perhaps one lick against the underside of his cockhead, and-

“Ban.” He gasped her name against the shell of her ear. She blinked.

“Are you with me?” Astarion’s face changed from seductive to concerned. He lifted his hand from her mouth, easing his body off of hers. She paused, realizing this could be an opportunity to give him a little taste of his own medicine. Bracing herself, she grabbed his waist and twisted, aiming to pin him under her. She saw his eyes widen in surprise, and knew she had won.

…but not quite. She had him under her, but his hand was firmly around her neck.

Astarion laughed, tickled by her attempt. “Good try.”

“Had I twisted the other way,” Ban nodded towards the fireplace in front of them, “I could have rolled us off the chaise and onto the carpet, grabbed the poker, and staked you.” She simpered. “I win.”

“And I could have broken your neck whilst you were debating on which way to roll,” he countered, hand squeezing for a fraction of a second. “Strong as you are, my dear,” the fingers on her neck danced, tapping against her skin in a pattern only he knew, “dexterous hands are far likelier to succeed.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he swallowed her words with a fierce kiss. She fought the urge to grind against the thigh between her legs, failing miserably. The hand on her neck somehow managed to convey aggression and tenderness at the same time - something in the way his fingertips stroked her neck with such exquisite gentleness while his palm remained firm and controlled her movement - and she loved it. His breath was hot against her skin, his body deliciously warm beneath her. It was all she could do not to beg for more.

He parted from the kiss to let out a shuddery breath. “Gods,” he moaned in a whisper, “wouldn’t it be exquisite to have me inside you?” His hand roamed down her back to her ass, pressing down so she sat on his cock. “If I was sheathed inside you, my love… losing myself in you…” he purred, his hips rolling to accentuate his words. “Fingers dancing where you need them most... Lips… crying out for you.” He finished his little spiel with the smuggest of grins, knowing he had her - she was hopelessly wet and needy.

Ban exhaled, squeezing her eyes shut, then shifted off him. “You win,” she said meekly. “I cannot contest any of that.”

Astarion smirked, sitting up. She caught a quick glimpse of his cock straining against his pants before he crossed his legs; that made her smile. “At least I’m not the only one.”

He rolled his eyes at her. “As frustrating as it is, I promise you. It will be worth it.”

“I know.” Her eyes softened. “I know it’s important to you, and that’s all I need to make it worth suffering for.”

He snorted. “It’s hardly suffering-” he cut off as she rolled her eyes, holding his hands up. “Alright. It is torture. Still, a little exercise in patience never hurt anyone. Besides, it was your idea to make it the whole month, rather than merely a tenday.” She sat on the floor in front of the chaise; he leaned over to kiss the top of her head.

“I do thank you for indulging me, however. It means more than you know. Little remains of who I was before my life was taken from me. I am glad to have some small part of it returned to me, even if it is for something as admittedly silly as this.”

"I wouldn't say silly." She mused, her voice thoughtful. "It's part of your heritage, and my heart does not mind it in the slightest, even if other parts of me do." She smiled, leaning her head back against the plush cushion. Her eyes shut, and she felt his fingers ruffle her hair.

There were more plans to make, and their lives would inevitably be even busier as the wedding approached, so for now she savored the silence, indulging in the quiet companionship.

She felt him touch her mind as he laid on the chaise, his hand still on her head.

It was in these little moments, these little snippets of eternity - where she felt most at home.

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