#ill never recover from this second hand embarrassment

[yooniesim]

No, I wasn’t joking calling her a simblr queen. That might come out funny but she has done a lot for the community. So yes, she’s going to have people fighting for her. I’m not afraid to. I love her content and don’t want to see her criticized for nothing. You losers have nothing better to do and it’s obvious the hatred is coming from envy. Not a good look.

#asks #anonymous #ceci speaks #gif warning #ill never recover from this second hand embarrassment #are you happy now anon #you killed me

[ellieluvr420]

Friends? Never. Pt.4 (Ellie Williams x reader)

SYNOPSIS: You and Ellie had been bitter enemies for years now but before that you were best friends. You had always planned to be roommates one day but when that becomes a reality the situation isn't exactly how you both imagined it.

"I don't know. They both look nice."

"You are so useless you know that? I have shown you five outfit choices and you have said the same about every single one. I need help." You whine.

"I don't know what to tell you they all look nice on you. You look good in all of them so just pick your favourite."

"Was that actually a compliment Williams?"

"No fuck off." Ellie stands from her slouched position on the sofa subtly looking you up and down but not subtly enough you don't see it, you feel hot under her gaze, even her stony glare caused butterflies to erupt in your stomach, the feeling sickened you. You had 5 hours until you were due at your parents but the anxiety had already taken over your body. You had been wiping your palms on your pyjama shorts periodically since you woke up, your body had a constant tremble and the colour in your face had drained. Ellie had walked into you having breakfast in the kitchen and questioned if you were ill because of your appearance. You didn't understand why now? Why after two years of pretending you didn't exist did your parents want to talk to you? You just felt sick and Ellie's nonchalance over your outfit options were not helping.

"Ellie please just help me pick an outfit. I already feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Why does it fucking matter what you wear? Who are you trying to impress? Your parents? The ones that kicked you out? Are you not embarrassed by yourself?" She spat the words out without even making eye contact before strolling out of the living room up to her room. You stand frozen contemplating her words as a single tear escapes its prison fleeing down your cheek, she was right really, it's pathetic but they're your parents.

This is a normal reaction, right?

Ellie threw herself down on the bed running her hands over her face. She knew she shouldn't have said that, it was mean and cruel and you looked the most beautiful in the third outfit choice that you had picked because your smile was beaming and you were giving playful twirls to show all angles of your favourite outfit. She should've just told you how beautiful you looked and told you to wear that one but she couldn't because she felt like she was supporting you going to your parents house and she just couldn't do that to you. Granted she never saw how them kicking you out went but she was told and when she saw you going back to that house, in her mind all she could picture was you being thrown out of there by your hair and left to cry on the ground. She'd rather leave Jackson than see you forgive them for that. Ellie told herself that was the only reason she didn't want you to go, but she was lying to herself and she knew that because the thought of you moving out to move back in with them sent her into a spiral so deep she felt like she'd never recover from the dizziness. She had just got you back and not only was she blowing it because she can't get out of her own way but she might actually lose you to them a second time. She felt a familiar sting behind her eyes that she refused to let escalate so she practically ran to the bathroom for a cold shower. She had been having cold showers a lot recently, it never got easier but maybe that was why she needed it.

You hadn't spoken to Ellie again that day until just before you were leaving for your parents. You had decided to wear the third outfit you had shown Ellie as you felt the most confident in it and as you walked past her sitting on the sofa she called your name.

"What Ellie?"

"You look really nice."

"Thanks."

She went to speak again, to say she was sorry and she didn't mean anything she said, to tell you she hopes it goes well, but you were out the door before she got the chance. She sighed and tried to focus on her film once again but all she could think about was what your parents were going to say to you.

"Thanks for coming baby." Your mum smiles softly at you from her place across the table as you avoid eye contact as you had since you walked into your old home. The dinner so far had been quiet, it was obvious they had something to say but they were both holding back, it angered you more by the second until you slammed your fork down onto the table and finally made eye contact with your mother and then your father for the first time all evening.

"Why have you asked me here? You've had no issue pretending I don't exist for two years so what do you want now?" You look at them hopefully, all you were wishing for was them to say that they were sorry and they were wrong, that they accept and love you no matter what. Over the course of the day you had actually managed to convince yourself that is what they would say, so much so that you had considered what you would do if that was the case, you had already decided you would continue living with Ellie but start trying to see them regularly and build your relationship back up gradually but the hopefulness and the illusion you had created for yourself immediately shattered as your dad uttered his next words.

"We thought if we cut you off you would eventually come to your senses and end this silly little phase of yours but its become clear that we were wrong to take that approach. Your mother and I think it would be best if you move away from that girl and come live with us. We can help you darling, make you right again." As he says his last sentence he places his hand over yours and squeezes.

Your heart broke. Shattered into tiny pieces that you feared would never find their way back to each other.

You felt every nerve in your body pulsing, you could barely choke out a breath, the family home you had always loved and cherished was no longer a safe haven filled with joy and love it was the darkest place you feel you could ever find yourself in. You don't even realise you've began to cry until a droplet lands on your arm, you look down to see your dads hand still firmly planted on yours and all of a sudden it felt like the whole arm was burning. As you slap his hand away and kick your chair back so hard it topples over your parents both rise with equally dissatisfied looks on their faces, they were looking at you like you were a child throwing a temper tantrum.

"Why can't you just accept me as I am? I'm nineteen and you're still treating me like a child that doesn't know my left and rights. Why can't you just love me? Why is your love conditional?" You're screaming but the noise barely reaches your ears, your parents rebuttals are blurred by the heavy humming in your ears. Their lips were moving but no sound was coming out, you were deaf to their pleads, their reasoning, you were deaf to it all, all you could focus on was leaving and going back home to Ellie. You know you're moving because you're no longer in the dining room, you're yanking the front door open and storming out but you can't feel anything, you feel numb, there's nothing inside of you anymore, the only thing that had kept you going was the hope that one day your parents would love you again but that hope had been ripped away in a heartbeat and now all you feel is empty.

You can hear yelling, and the ground beneath you is hard but you don't remember falling to the floor, your vision is blurry, hazy from the floods of tears that still haven't slowed their plight down your cheeks, you try and focus on the sound of the yelling until it becomes coherent words.

"Ellie! Ellie! Ellie!" It's you, you're screaming, the only word your brain seems to know at the moment is Ellie so you just repeat it over and over until you see the blur of a figure running towards you.

"Hey, oh my god, what happened?" She bends down on the floor and scoops you into her arms, reflexively checking for cuts or bruises or something to signal that you're hurt, but there's nothing, nothing except for the look of despair that painted your face. "Come on talk to me, what happened?"

You couldn't find the words, there were none, your body trembled and shook with broken sobs until your throat was sore and there were no tears left to shed, Ellie's hand never stopping the gentle circles it was soothing on your back.

"My parents, they- they hate me." Your voice is quiet and broken as is Ellie's heart seeing you in this state.

"They don't hate you. They're stubborn and backwards and awful parents but they don't hate you." You chuckle dryly at her words but she remains soft-spoken and gentle with you like you're made of glass. It felt foreign, no one had ever been this way with you, you had never wanted or needed anyone to be this way with you but in this moment you could feel your heart picking up the shattered pieces trying to mend itself as she holds you. She wipes the stray few tears still dampening your cheeks before beginning to pull you up from the ground with her. "Come on, let's go sit on the couch and you can tell me what happened." She doesn't wait for your response simply starts walking with you until she plops you down on the sofa seating herself right next to you and looking defeatedly at the broken look on your face.

"I thought they wanted to make things better, try and rebuild our relationship but they just wanted me to move back in with them and away from you so they could- I don't know- convince me this is all just a phase and I'm not actually a lesbian. You should've seen it Ellie, they looked at me like I was a toddler screaming because I dropped my ice cream when I fought back, why can't they understand?"

"I don't know, Joel always said there were places around the country that were really against anyone being different, those mindsets never left people I guess. It's not your fault though and you shouldn't beg for them to be in your life when they've proved they don't deserve it."

"I just feel like such an idiot, I honestly thought they might want to try and fix our relationship and somehow this hurts more than when they kicked me out."

"You're not an idiot for hoping your parents would get over themselves and be good parents for once in their lives." She spits the words with a venom as she imagines your parents shaming you over and over again and making you feel like you were born wrong. "This isn't your fault." She places a hand on your thigh and squeezes to emphasise her words before you gently place your hand over hers and squeeze back with a small smile.

"Thank you Ellie, really, and sorry for screaming the house down."

"Don't even worry about it. You scared the shit out of me but I'll let you off this time."

"Oh how kind of you." You snarked back.

"Andddd she's back. Missed you." She smirks and winks before laughing as you roll your eyes and rise from the sofa, before she can question you, you tell her you need to have a shower and wash the day off you and she simply smiles and nods before you walk to the bathroom leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She wasn't relieved, she couldn't be because your heart had been broken again by your parents but as much as she tried to push the feeling down it kept coming back stronger, you're not moving out, she's not losing you to them again, she shouldn't be happy but she is and that only makes her feel worse so instead she tries to focus on something different, anything to take her mind off of the storm raging around her head.

"Come down here I have a surprise!" Ellie calls upstairs to you with a giddy look on her face.

You walk downstairs cautiously, half-expecting the surprise to be Ellie jumping out at you and scaring you, something she used to do a lot when you were younger but when you come face to face with her at the bottom of the stairs you know that's not it.

"Close your eyes and hold my hands."

"Errrr-"

"Just do it. Please." She pleads with you and you defiantly shut your eyes and grab onto her hands as she starts leading you to the unknown.

"Ta-daaa!" She says it monotonously which causes you to giggle until you open your eyes, your breath hitches and you freeze.

"Oh my god. Ellie, are you serious?" Your face was like that of a child in a sweet shop as you take in the campfire set up in the woods that back onto your cabin complete with a blanket on the floor in front of it, Ellie's little metal tin that you recognise from the other night and a bottle of what you hope is very strong alcohol.

"Thought it would be like old times but better now because we can drink... and smoke." She mutters sheepishly as she fidgets with her fingers while looking at the ground where her foot shuffles the dirt underneath it. Under the light of the moon you can make out the rosy hue adorning her cheeks and the sight has you smiling the giddiest, toothiest grin you had done since as long as you can remember.

"Ellie... I don't know what to say."

"Oh don't go all soft on me now. Come on sit down I'll start the fire." She led you to the blanket and pushed you down before you could protest and then begins lighting the fire like she had always done when you were younger. Before long the fire is raging and you've drank enough that you know longer feel the chill of the cool night air.

You and Ellie both don't say much throughout the night, but the silence is comforting for once, it lets you breathe and process everything that had happened as well as you could when your mind was so hazy from the joint that you had shared and the bottle that was almost empty. You're swaying to music that no one else can hear before you pause feeling Ellie's eyes on you.

As you turn to face her, she doesn't look away, holding your gaze, you could've sworn she had leant in a little but you also could've sworn the world was spinning at this point in time so you're quick to dismiss the thought. She opens her mouth as if to speak but no words come out, only a small sigh and a shake of her head as if she was trying to shake away a thought buzzing around her like a fly.

"It's getting late and you've had a long day, you ready for bed?" You look at the dying fire and back at the girl before nodding and clumsily standing and holding a hand out to her. You only realise you overestimated your ability to balance right now as you're tumbling down to the ground on top of her as you failed to actually help her up. As the shock of the sudden movement subsides you both make eye contact as your noses practically touch from the proximity of your bodies, you expect her to push you off or at least laugh but she doesn't, she just returns your gaze like if you both look away from each other the world would end. Your knuckles brush against her soft, freckled cheek almost instinctively and she nestles into your touch until you both pause, your predicament finally dawning on you. You jump back as she clears her throat and sits up. "How about I help you up this time?" She chuckles.

"Yeah I think that might be for the best." You both walk inside, Ellie walking behind you up the stairs in case you stumble again until you reach your room where you turn around to meet her pink, tired eyes.

"Thank you for everything today, I really needed that. You're a good friend." You don't think about the words you use until you see a small pang of sadness that is gone as quick as it showed on Ellie's face being replaced by a quick smile.

"You're welcome, but seriously go to bed you look like you're gonna pass out any time now."

You blow a kiss as she rolls her eyes before stepping into your room and gently closing the door behind you. Ellie makes no move to retreat to her room at first, just standing staring at the wood of your closed door, she doesn't want this feeling to end and she's terrified that if she goes to sleep it will be ripped away from her never to be seen again, it had already happened once before when your parents had forced you both apart and she never recovered so she just stood staring at your door until she could pry herself away.

Ellie hadn't fallen asleep, she had tried to but there was too much going through her head, images of you being kicked out, you at dinner tonight, the dejected look on your face this morning when she snapped at you, the first time she saw you when you were spying on her as she arrived, the dinner where you bonded over music, the campfires you had made, when you laughed so hard at one of the worst jokes she had ever told you gave yourself a nose bleed. You were an infestation in her mind and all she could do was play the memories on a loop.

"Ellie are you awake?" Her head snaps up at the sound of your slurred voice coming from the other side of her door.

"Yeah, come in."

"Hey."

"You okay?"

"Errrr... yeah- yeah I'm fine. I just, I can't sleep and the other night when you stayed with me..." You trail off too embarrassed to finish your sentence as your eyes remain planted on the savage starlight poster above her bed, you had always loved listening to her rave about the comics, but she understands what you're saying and is kind enough to throw her sheet back and tap the space next to her in her bed.

You mutter a small thanks before climbing in and laying on your back until she whispers your name prompting you to turn and face her.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier-"

"It's okay-"

"Wait, I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean anything I said, you weren't stupid for trying to see the best in your parents and I have no idea how it feels to be in your position because Joel has never given a fuck, so I'm really sorry."

"It's okay Ellie, really, I forgive you."

"Thank you." Before long you're dozing off as Ellie follows quickly also as you're both spent from the day.

You wake as the golden sun pours through the window with a small groan until you pause noticing you aren't in your room, although you had never seen it before you knew it was Ellie's from the savage starlight posters and book case full of them as well as joke books and records, even the balled up clothing on the floor told you the room was Ellie's and as you turn to your side to see her auburn hair flowing freely over her pillows your stomach drops, the last thing you remember is being around the fire and now you're waking up in Ellie's bed. You quickly check and breathe a sigh of relief that your pyjama shorts and top are on your body and not part of the multiple piles of clothes on the floor. You attempt to crawl out of bed without waking Ellie to sneak out as you fear if you face the girl now you might just combust but as your hear your name being called meekly from the bed you grimace and turn to face the now sat up Ellie that was scratching at the back of her neck.

"Heyyyy."

"Didn't think you'd be the type to sneak off without saying goodbye." She smirks as she speaks and your face drops. "I'm kidding jesus. You came and got in bed with me last night because you said you couldn't sleep, we just went to bed that's all."

"Oh... Okay, well uhhhh thanks again for last night." You fumble for the door handle and yank the door open the second you find it. "I'm gonna go to errr... my room now sooooo, bye!" You step back walking straight into the doorframe and wincing unsubtly as she fails to stifle a laugh before you practically sprint away from her eyeline.

Ellie giggles at your open display of awkwardness that you had always been so good at hiding before falling back down to try and sleep off the throbbing headache she knew you would be suffering with ten times more.

tags: @radioheadfan699 @readbydayana @emiliabby

psa: i never really include descriptions of things to do with the reader like the outfit so that everyone can imagine whatever they want the reader to be wearing but if you’d prefer I add more detail in that respect please do let me know because I’m happy to either way <3

#ellie the last of us #ellie tlou #ellie williams #tlou ellie #ellie williams the last of us #ellie x reader #ellie williams fanfic #ellie williams angst #ellie williams fluff #ellie williams imagine #ellie williams tlou #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams x you #ellie x fem reader #ellie x you

[ozzgin]

Greetings! How you doing today/tonight?

This is not a request or anything

Hopefully you're doing fine, cuz I'm not, I have a shitty cold rn and I just finished 5 tissue roll papers in just a few hours

Anyway this ain't about me, just wanted to see how you were doing since I've been a bit inactive with tumblr with the past few days

Have a great day/night :3

-🎧anon

Aww, sorry to hear that. We’re definitely entering cold/flu season. Mid-October I’ve gotten ill with some virus, no idea what it was, but I had no other symptoms other than terribly swollen sinuses. Which, in turn, pressed on my tooth nerves, so I had massive tooth pain for days. Never dealt with anything like that before and it sounds downright ridiculous, turns out it’s an actual thing. Start taking immunity supplements and avoid visibly sick people!

I know you said it’s not a request, but I couldn’t help the thought of “How would the Baki characters take care of you?” So I did write some short headcanons after all. For you and anyone else currently bedridden. :)

Baki Characters x Sick! Reader

Featuring Baki and Jack Hanma, Kaiou Retsu, Katsumi Orochi and Pickle. And a reader that’s battling a cold!

Baki Hanma

There are two stages of Baki’s involvement. Once you’re not answering his calls he will be at your front door, worried and considering ways to break in. That’s when he hears the muffled coughing and sneezing through the walls and figures it out: You’re sick. He’ll return with a bag of supplies and offer to stay at your place until you feel better. His help consists of quick Google searches, because he’s never had anyone doting on him and consequently has no idea how to care for someone in such situations.

Second and final stage is him getting sick from you. You’ll wake up in the middle of the night to see him trying to hold back his cough, at first denying his poor health until you touch his forehead and it’s burning. The bad news is that you’re both bedridden. Baki is beyond embarrassed, attempting to justify himself and explaining it has never happened before. Eventually one of his or your friends will show up and pay the occasional visit to play nurse. At least you’re not suffering alone. You’re not sure if it’s an actual saying, but you’re tempted to believe colds go away faster in good company.

Jack Hanma

You don’t want to interfere with Jack’s routine, so once you wake up with the familiar sore muscles, you decide to quietly recover from home. Jack notices your absence and while he does not want to be nonchalant and potentially impose on your personal troubles, he can’t help the curiosity. In fact, he spends the whole training time wondering why you’ve skipped your usual visits. So when you hear a knock on the door you don’t think twice about opening it. Probably your food delivery. Only when you notice Jack’s massive frame blocking any outside view, you gasp in surprise.

“Oh. You seem to be ill.” Is all he states before turning on his heels and leaving. You stand there baffled and eventually return to your warm bed. Just as you cozy up, there’s another knock and you groan, throwing the blankets off of you. This better be the hot soup you ordered. Except it’s Jack again, holding not only your delivery, but also multiple other bags with groceries peeking out. “Y-you’re back?” You mumble. “Well, can’t do much empty handed. Here’s your order, but I got some extra things to help with your cold”, he states as he invites himself in.

Kaiou Retsu

You know Retsu will be worried about you, so you try your best to mask the symptoms over the phone. “That’s a stuffed nose. Are you sick?” He immediately points out. Uh oh. You fumble with some excuses and he promptly hangs up. Have you upset him? You’re starting to feel bad. He’s never dropped out of a conversation like this before. You try to call back several times until you’re distracted by the sound of your doorbell. You’re not in the mood for visitors. You continue your attempts to reach Retsu as you approach the door and open it. “I suspected as much.” Your head snaps up hearing the familiar voice.

Before you can say anything, you’re casually lifted up and brought to your bed. As if he’s been doing it his entire life, the Kenpo master tucks you in and pulls out an apron from his bag. “I’ll check what ingredients you already have in your pantry and go buy the rest. Before that, I’ll make you a tea. Any preferences?” You open your mouth to speak, but he’s already walking away, describing the best choice of drink for the common cold. Really, the best thing you can do right now is to rest and leave everything else to him.

Katsumi Orochi

Usually, Katsumi will avoid using the spare key you’ve given him. On the other hand, he was supposed to pick you up for your regular date night and you haven’t answered his persistent knocking, so you leave him little choice. He quietly apologizes for the intrusion as he unlocks the door and tiptoes his way in. The lights are off and he’s becoming increasingly anxious, almost sprinting to your bedroom. He stops in his tracks once he sees you buried under the blankets, passed out and sweaty from an obvious cold.

Ah. Well, that makes sense. He smiles to himself and gently pats your forehead to make sure it’s nothing serious, then sneaks out of the room. You wake up hours later, groggy and sore. It suddenly occurs to you that you’ve slept through your date and jolt up, nearly collapsing in the process. You erratically search for your phone and call Katsumi to apologize. Simultaneously you hear his ringtone nearby, so you limp outside, confused. As you reach the kitchen, a pleasant smell invades your nostrils. Katsumi turns to look at you. “You’re awake! I made something to help with your cold. I’ll bring it to your bed, so you can go back and rest. We can’t skip our romantic dinner.” He chuckles after the last statement.

Pickle

Pickle has been ill at least once in his life, so he can quickly guess that your coughing and runny nose is not something that’s supposed to happen on the regular. Although, if he’s honest, he has no idea what he should do. He’d deal with his sickness by just sleeping it out, or downright ignoring it. Seeing you like this, however, fills him with an overwhelming desire to help you. He does love you, after all. Witnessing your suffering isn’t something he does with ease.

He manages to gesture the situation to Baki, who follows him back to your place and proceeds to do the first aid he’d sporadically learned over the years. A rather clumsy attempt, but it’s better than nothing. Once Pickle has observed the steps, he swiftly shoos the young boy away. All he needed was a little bit of demonstration, some brief instruction on the modern ways. Everything else will be done by him. It’s only proper that the actual care is performed by your partner. You’re a little afraid of the potential outcome to this experiment. Especially once you hear the loud rattles coming from the kitchen. Don’t worry, it’s all made with love.

*My partner has insisted that I include Yuujirou Hanma just to say that he’d tenderly piss on you. I compromised on a footnote.

#baki #baki the grappler #baki hanma #baki headcanons #baki x reader #pickle baki #pickle x reader #jack hanma #jack hanma x reader #kaiou retsu x reader #kaiou retsu #katsumi orochi x reader #orochi katsumi #katsumi orochi

[thelilfae]

a loooong gt scenario cus I was thinkin bout it!

ok so the sick and nursing back to health trope is hands down my FAVORITEEEE I EAT IT UP EVERY TIMEEE 💗💗💗 I just neeeeed to talk about it

especially when it's a tiny with their crush!! the tiny already feeling woozy under normal circumstances by just being around their crush, heart beating, face flushed,, and then suddenly- you catch a cold; now adding the feeling of being weak and helpess around the person you admire [which sends you into a flurry of embarrassment] AND becoming a little delirous that it almost feels like a dream. falling ill so suddenly because your small size makes you more seceptable to tempature and airborne illness, such that you stumble as you cough and shiver, nearly toppling over, but they catch you right in time. now requiring care and physical nuturing immediately. and you are whisked away, scooped into their arms, their gigantic fingers wrapped around you. you can feel each enormous booming footstep in your soul, and you hear their heart beating loudly as they run faster to get you inside

they tuck you in a soft bed and speak to you softly, the softness still being a loud whisper that travels your while body which makes you tingle, so you pull up your blanket up to your eyes to quickly hide your embarrassment. they don't leave your bedside for long, always checking up on you, bringing you cold towels and warm soup; lifting your head to help you eat and lowering you back down so gently that you can feel the softness of their fingertip as it presses into your neck- your heartbeat now beating twice as fast from both the fever and there face being so close to yours, the stomach pain now twice as much as you get butterflies if they so much as graze there finger across your forehead to check your temperature.

then the drowsiness that comes after the initial symptoms, your exhausted from the fluttering feelings, weak limbs, and constant coughing that the flustered feeling is now turning into a lulling fever dream~ you feel safe now, you grab there finger unknowingly as you drift to sleep, and saying nonsensical things in your sleep and making little noises throughout the night, and maybe cough occasionally

and they are absolutely smitten. They almost can't contain themselves; struggling to keep quiet and let them rest and recover, worrying about every little sound or movement. just want to hold you close and never let you go. seeing you so helpess and dependent is somehow so cute- thinking how they always want to be there for you in times like this, to cherish you and nurture them for every second of every day and make evey bit of you feel loved, even when your whole body aches

and I uhh.. whoops I got carried away bgfdjvgnd can you tell its my favorite!? I will take every excuse to put my ocs in this scenario it's just toooo cuuute OH and this also works with a like major injury, like -the hurt trope- in general its my bread and butter 🥺

#g/t #giant/tiny #gt #giant tiny #sfw gt #sfw g/t #g/t related #gianttiny #g/t community #g/t writing #g/t scenario

[thekinkyleopard]

A Fever You Can’t

Sweat Out

A Remi x Levi Sick Fic

⚠️Content Warning⚠️

Sick fic, Contagion, Fluff, Caretaking

Description: Remi and Levi are both under the weather. They spend the day miserably tangled up in their bed, a mixture of sweating bodies and wheezing breaths.

Based off this Prompt:

Author’s Notes: Geezie told me she's been salivating over this prompt for our boys so I am here to please! Cover art and Remi are the makings of @aller-geez

It was a day like any other, yet it wasn't. Something stirred in the air, and more importantly within the sinuses of Remi and Levi on this bright and early morning. What was it you might wonder?

Remi the first to peep his still heavily lidded eyes open, glowing emeralds quickly turning pale as the sun glared through their blinds. "Fuck..." he groaned from a sore throat. Oh no. He knew that feeling, it never escaped him and now that he was aware of it, his head started to feel hotter, and his body ached. He was sick.

Levi, still in a daze, shifted in his bed and rubbed his eyes. The words "Fuck..." escaped Remi's mouth in a low, raspy tone that sent a shiver down Levi's spine. He knew what it meant when Remi uttered that curse first thing in the morning. He was sick, but thats not the worst part, because the second conciousness began to find the small leopard, he too realized he was feeling like a pile of hot garbage. Levi sniffled lightly, peeping his icy blues open to peer at his mate, the two made eye contact. Neither of them saying a word but realizing at the same moment, they were both sick. What the hell were they going to do?

Levi couldnt afford to take the time off of work. There was always the option to complete his responsibility from home, but he knew between him being sick and Remi being sick it was almost impossible to ask that of either of them. The blue eyed man sighed and shook his throbbing head regardless. "I have to work..." he spoke with a softened, raspy tone, his throat clearly just as sore as Remi's own affliction.

Levi dragged himself out of bed, his body heavy with fatigue. He stumbled towards the bathroom, every step feeling like a Herculean effort. As he splashed cold water on his face, and braced himself against the counter, he stared at his pale reflection in the mirror. Dark circles had formed under his eyes, evidence of the sleepless night and impending illness.

Remi, who had managed to sit up in bed, watched Levi with concern etched on his face, rubbing his arm across his already leaking nostrils. "Are you sure you should go to work?" he rasped, voice strained from his own illness. "You look terrible."

Levi let out a weak chuckle, wincing at the pain it caused in his chest. "Thanks for the compliment," he muttered playfully trying his best to keep a positive outlook. "But we can't both stay home. We can't afford it right now...besides, I'll still be here in bed just...using my laptop, sNdFf...." he snuffled, grabbing a handful of toilet paper before blowing his nose into the respectively crumpled up wad.

Remi nodded reluctantly, understanding their financial situation all too well. "Alright....fine...I'll call out...and...h-h.." it started, his body froze and his hands balled into tightened fists. He was going to sneeze, and he couldn't fight it off as the strained itch became persistent inside him.

He tried to cover his mouth and nose with his hands, but it was too late. "hhh'ISCHiH! H'ut--sschhiew!! t'SChiew!" A loud and forceful series of sneezes erupted from Remi's body, echoing through the small bedroom. Levi winced, the sound took him by surprise and only seemed to make the pounding in his head worse with how abrupt the other was.

Remi's eyes watered as he recovered from the sneeze, feeling a mix of relief and embarrassment, he reached over to the side table and snagged a tissue from the box. "Sorry...snDff..." he croaked while wiping his nose and face clear of any residual mess and also hoping to alleviate some of the congestion. He groaned gently, his voice even more hoarse than before.

Levi sighed, understanding that keeping their illnesses contained was going to be an uphill battle. "It's okay, I dont think either of us expected that," he replied sympathetically, still trying to smile through the whole ordeal. Levi crossed the space of the room to place a gentle palm on the side of Remi's heated cheek. "I'll go get our stash of meds and supplies...make us some tea and we can cuddle while I get some emails taken care of, sound good?" the leopard asked the other, who more or less looked as if he was completely spaced out from reality in the first place.

Remi nodded weakly, grateful for Levi's comforting touch. The idea of tea and cuddling sounded like heaven to him in his current state of misery. He watched as Levi shuffled out of the room, his footsteps heavy and slow. Remi sank back against the pillows, feeling the weight of fatigue settle over him like a suffocating blanket. His body trembled with chills, even though he was bundled up in blankets.

While Levi made his way down the hall, the floor felt unsteady beneath him, his hands reached out for the walls to hold himself upright, as he finally made it to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. He opened it and sighed in relief at the sight of their well-stocked supply of cold and flu medication. With how often they fell under the weather, it was imperative Levi kept the house full of the necessities. Grabbing a few boxes, along with some tissues and a thermometer, Levi carefully carried everything back to the bedroom.

He set up a makeshift sick bay on the nightstand, placing the medication, tissues, and thermometer within easy reach. Then, he walked over to the kitchen to prepare two cups of some chamomile and ginger tea. His head throbbed, and his back ached but he refused to let it defeat him as he finished pouring the two glasses with a deep inhale and exhale to power through.

Levi shuffled back into the bedroom, carrying two steaming mugs of tea. The fragrant aroma filled the air, bringing a sense of comfort to the room. He carefully set one mug down on Remi's nightstand, then settled himself back into bed beside his sick mate.

Remi gratefully reached for the mug and took a small sip, reveling in the soothing warmth that spread through his body. The spicy ginger and calming chamomile seemed to offer some respite from their symptoms. Levi did the same, taking a moment to appreciate the healing properties of the tea before speaking.

"I'm glad we have each other," Levi murmured, his voice still strained but filled with genuine affection. He set his cup gently on his own side table and shoveled his laptop out from under the bed, before finishing his thought."Even though we're both sick, at least we can take care of each other." He looked over at the larger, smiling sweetly, his reddened nose twitched and the wolf couldn't dismiss how cute he thought Levi looked like this. Messy hair, reddened nostrils and cheeks, sleepy eyes.

Remi nodded weakly, feeling a surge of emotion well up within him. Despite their illnesses, he was overwhelmed by a deep sense of gratitude for their relationship. They had faced countless challenges together, and this was just another hurdle they would overcome side by side.

Levi opened his laptop and began to tackle his work obligations while propped up comfortably thanks to a few fluffed pillows. Responding to emails and organizing his tasks for the day. Despite feeling under the weather, he pushed through, determined to fulfill his professional responsibilities. Remi glanced over at Levi, admiration shining in his tired eyes. He marveled at how dedicated and hardworking his mate was, even when sick.

But as Remi continued to gaze at Levi, a sudden familiar prickle crept up his nose like TV static upon flesh. He instinctively pressed a finger against it, hoping to suppress the monster that threatened to burst forth. His nostrils flared, the bridge of his nose scrunched and his eyes watered as he fought against the inevitable.

Levi, sensing Remi's struggle, paused in his work and turned his attention towards him. His concerned gaze met Remi's glossy eyes, and without a moment's hesitation, he reached out to gently place a hand on Remi's arm.

"Are you alright?" Levi asked softly, worry evident in his voice.

Remi tried to speak, but all that escaped was a muffled and strained sound of "Gyahh~?" as he continued to battle against his own illness. His face contorted, eyebrows furrowed, and he clenched his teeth together, desperately trying to hold it back.

Levi's grip tightened on Remi's arm, offering both reassurance and support.

"Let it out, love," the leopard gently encouraged, his voice sweet and comforting. "It's okay. Just let it happen." reassuring the wolf with a loving rub of his hand.

Remi nodded, his breathing shallow and rapid as he surrendered to the sneeze that had been building within him. He closed his eyes tightly, his body tensing in anticipation. And then, with a forceful burst of air, he sneezed.

"Hi-h..Hiiii'IITTSSSSHUU!! HI'DTSCHIEW! hdt'iSHH!" The sneezes echoed through the room, even louder than the last time. It was as if a cannon had gone off, shaking Remi to his core. He slumped back against the pillows, feeling both exhausted and relieved all at once. He loudly slurped through his nose, desperate to try and save himself the mess of it all dripping out.

Levi reached for a tissue and handed it to Remi, who gratefully accepted it. As Remi wiped his nose, he couldn't help but chuckle weakly. "Tangz baby," he mumbles weakly as he tries to clear himself up. Levi can only shake his head before leaning over to kiss the large man upon his shoulder.

"Sure thing, snDfF," trying clear himself of his own horrible afflictions. Levi's head throbbed, and as they both took a moment to take a round of medications, the cat could feel his own storm brewing carefully around the corner. His eyes narrowed as he watched the screen carefully, trying to focus his attentions on his work and not his own impending doom. Remi slid back under the covers and pushed himself against Levi's body, head resting under the other's arm, snuggled into his side. This was comforting for them both, as the leopard found his strength and center focus again.

However, the smaller was a fool to think he could outsmart a virus. What he was pushing back was only boiling to come back stronger. Levi's determination wavered as he felt a tickle in his throat, a subtle warning sign of what was to come. He cleared his throat, hoping to suppress the mounting pressure, but it only seemed to worsen. Panic rose within him; he couldn't falter, he had to stay strong. For Remi.

He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to hold it back, but it was no use. "--Hah'ESHHh'uh!!"the leopard sneezed forcefully, his arm flinging upward to catch the mess into the crook of his elbow, startling Remi from his half-dozing state. The wolf looked up at Levi with concern, realizing that his mate was now succumbing to the same illness that had plagued him.

"I'b so sorry I god you sigg," Remi mutters behind his frown stained lips. "I did'd know ...." his head falls against Levi's shoulder, the weight of this virus taking his ability to even muster the strength to look at his mate.

"It's okay, Rems, you seem to be suffering the worst of it," Levi replied, his voice hoarse and strained. He gently rubbed Remi's back, trying to provide some comfort amidst their mutual ailments. "Besides, we'll get through this together. We always do." there was that positive outlook that the wolf loved so deeply, wishing he too could be so thoughtful.

Remi let out a weak chuckle, but it was quickly followed by a fit of coughs that wracked his entire body. Levi held him tighter, feeling a mixture of concern and helplessness wash over him. Both of them were now trapped in the clutches of this relentless illness, with no escape but to endure. "Tch, my poor baby," Levi clicked through his teeth.

As the day wore on and the sun was starting to set, their symptoms only seemed to worsen. Levi's headache intensified, making it difficult for him to focus on anything besides the throbbing pain in his temples as he stared blankly ahead at his laptop screen, really only having gotten through a few emails. It was like he couldnt get his fingers to move fast enough across the keys. They were tight, and sore.

Remi's coughing became more frequent and violent, leaving him gasping for air after each paroxysm.

They huddled together for warmth, seeking solace in each other's presence as they rode out the storm of their sickness. Their makeshift sick bay getting low in stock as they continued to take meds on the hour every few hours. It was an atrocity. Levi slammed his laptop shut and shoveled it under the bed. "I cant look at a screen anymore, my head might actually implode...." he groaned bringing a hand up to massage and rub at his temples.

Remi, even in his weakened state, mustered a small smile. "Maybe it's a sign," he rasped, his voice hoarse from coughing. "A sign that we need to take a break, rest, and heal,"

Levi sighed heavily, the pain behind his eyes making it difficult to think clearly, but Remi's words struck a chord within him. Maybe he needed to stop pushing himself so hard and prioritize their well-being over work obligations.

"You're right," Levi conceded, his voice barely above a whisper. He reached for Remi's hand and squeezed it gently. "Let's forget about work for now. We'll focus on getting better together."

They settled back against the pillows, their bodies pressed close for comfort. The room was enveloped in silence as they allowed themselves to drift into a comfortable stillness, the sound of their labored breathing filling the air. Remi's arms protectively encasing the thin male, nuzzling his face into the side of his clammy neck. Levi's breath hitched, his arms grew goosebumps and he tried to push away the thoughts that raced through his mind when he felt the man's lips at his flesh.

His eyelids fluttered closed, surrendering to the gentle touch of lips against his neck. It was a simple gesture, one that spoke volumes of love and vulnerability. "I love you...." Levi whispered into the now darkness of their shared bedroom. His headache faded into the background as he focused on the softness of Remi's lips, the wolf now indulging himself in a series of them across the space he inhabited, light pecks followed by one sensual lick. The cat's heart beating in sync with every gentle kiss. In that moment, they forgot about their illness, their worries, and the world outside their sick bay.

Remi's fingertips brushed delicately against Levi's cheek, savoring the softness of his flesh there. Levi's breath hitched as he felt the other's warm breath against his ear, whispering words of affection and adoration that sent shivers down his spine. "I love you, Kitten," Their lips met in a hungry kiss, a mingling of souls that consumed them both, momentarily eclipsing the pain and discomfort they were battling. It was a few moments of getting lost within one another that Remi couldn't even register what was building behind him like a locked door.

Yet, as secure as he thought he was, it was nothing more than an illusion, the deeper Remi fell into his lover's lips, the stronger the sneezes brewing behind it, got.

He tried to fight back the sudden onslaught of symptoms, clenching his jaw and scrunching his nose as he desperately held on to the embrace. But it was in vain. A sudden convulsion rocked his frame. "-H'DttISHH!"The sneeze came roaring out of him, removing himself from the kiss just in time to release an explosive burst of air and particles that sprayed across Levi's neck with a force that made them both freeze.

Levi stayed eerily still for a moment, his body tensing at the unexpected sensation. But instead of recoiling in disgust, he surprised himself by finding the whole thing oddly sensual. Shivering even. The warm wetness on his skin sent a tingle down his spine. "B-Bless you, baby," he blushed, clearing his own scratchy throat with a strangled cough.

"Shit...I'm sorry 'bout that kitten..." Remi reached over for a tissue from behind him before stretching his body back to be close to his mate again. Wiping his nose clear from any ick, he looked back up at the other bracing himself for a disappointed partner, but to his surprise, Levi was smiling. A slight blush still staining his cheeks. "It's okay," he said softly, reaching out to caress Remi's cheek with his fingertips. "Actually, it felt...kind of good," He couldn't believe he was admitting it, but there was a strange intimacy in that moment, a raw vulnerability that they had never experienced before.

Remi smirked, a cocky glint in his paled eyes. "Oh, really?" he replied playfully sucking on the back of his lip piercings. "Well, I guess I'll have to sneeze on you more often then," He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously, earning a playful swat from the cat.

Levi chuckled, the sound a mix of love and amusement. "As tempting as that sounds," he said, a playful tone in his voice, "I think we should focus on getting better first." booping the tip of his lover's nose with his frailed index finger.

Remi sighed dramatically, feigning disappointment. "Fine," he said with mock reluctanc, sticking his tongue out and sinking back into the blankets.

Levi couldn't help but roll his cerulean eyes back with amusement at his stubborn mate, as nice as some naked wrestling sounded, the leopard was just far too weakened to be bothered.

They settled into the bed, their bodies molded together with an ease that only years of intimacy could bring. Remi's arm snaked around Levi's waist, pulling him impossibly closer. Their legs intertwined, their feet tangling together as if they were a jigsaw puzzle. The warmth radiating from their entwined bodies created a cozy cocoon in the cold room.

Levi sighed contentedly, his head resting against Remi's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was a lullaby of love and comfort that washed over him, pushing away the concerns and fears that had plagued their minds earlier in the day. Despite the illness that had taken up residence within them, they found a great comfort in each other's arms.

As they lay there, the soft glow of moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting a dreamlike ambiance in the room. Shadows danced on the walls, their silhouettes merging and separating like a gentle ballet. The air was still as they each fell into the land of dreams, hoping to feel some relief by time morning came.

The End

Author's Notes: Sorry my fics have been so short recently you guys, I just try to write as much as my brain will allow me to! I hope you guy's like Geez's request ;u; These two are stupid cute I love them so much.

#oc #fic writer #OC fic #RemixLevi #SickFic #caretaking #snzblr #snz kink #snz #snzfucker #sneeze #snz fet #snzkink #sneezefucker #sneeze kink #snzario

[yril-writes]

— NEVER AGAIN

synopsis ; they say promises are meant to be broken, maybe they are right. But this glimpse of hope inside you says it's okay to push through, and who knew that trusting your gut would just put everything into flames and turn to ashes the next day.

scenario ; reincarnation?! Wherein Sukuna choose the life of being a yakuza?! And you choose a normal one, to be able to live peacefully but there comes a time that you have to move into the city one day.

type ; drabble

include/s ; ryoumen sukuna

pairing/s ; yakuza character x fl! reader

genre ; angst and a mountain full of sad corn

Promises are meant to be broken, is what they say. But that is not what you wanted to believe. Some may say you are naive which is true, but you see the world like it is something that's pure and full of opportunities without even having thoughts about what's bad about it. Now that you are moving in the city, you didn't even bat an eye about the decisions you are making, you only thought that this was a great idea for your flower shop business nothing more nothing less. The reason why you were on your way into the city is because your grandmother felt ill and there is no one able to look after the shop while your grandmother is in the hospital, so you the lovely granddaughter offered a helping hand, and immediately went there.

"City! Here I come!" dragging your suitcase and carrying a bag behind your bag you made your way to the train station. The trip wasn't all that hassle or anything, in fact it was fast. Since it was in the bullet train. Upon arriving at your destination, the breeze immediately filled your nostrils, you thought that the air in the city is completely different back home, of course it is. The moment when you set your foot out of the train it felt different, everything is different how they wore their clothes and even lifestyle here looks different, and here you are a bumpkin girl from the outskirts of nowhere. Seconds later you received a phone call it was your grandfather, immediately answering you were greeted with cries of worries and you quickly reassured them it didn't take too long for your aunt to come and get you from the station.

She immediately directed you towards the flower shop and toured you around, the second floor of the shop looked like a normal mini house and your aunt told you that you can stay there until your grandmother recovers. Going upstairs the room took you by surprise because it was perfect and cozy, unpacking your things and you hear the bell of the shop down stairs chime. Running down the stairs you immediately greeted the customer who came in without having a look at them first. "You're not the old lady who owns this shop." with a low deep voice, you were stunned to see a tall figure in front of you, wearing white fitted polo enough to see every curve and muscle this guys had to offer and a black slightly fitted slacks and a pair of black shoes to pair the outfit up. "My grandmother is in the hospital and I was asked to run this place starting today! So Mr. Hot Man, I MEAN! Mr. Scary Hot Man! What can I get you?" slamming both of your hands on the counter top, and giving yourself a little kick on the other leg you had, you feel your ears and the back of your neck turning red from embarrassment.

(Oh! Please kill me now!!!) you were dying inside while holding up a grin in front of the scary looking guy. "I'd like to have some white roses turned to a bouquet and a nice presentation would be nice." he said in a low tone and sat in the waiting area beside the counter area where you were standing, staring at nothing. You were completely frozen, taken back from the request and demand of the man. (SIR! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO! AT LEAST GIVE ME A BREAK! A simple one might be good for me but a bouquet?...this guy...) screaming internally you wished to be swallowed whole by the floors you were stepping on. The man didn't move an inch from his seat, not even paying attention to what you were doing in the counter, those eyes of him seemed somewhat sad and empty you thought. "So, Sir, these flowers...I bet you are giving them to someone who's special to you...!" he stood as if frozen into place, he only looked at you and shrugged, "I bought these because I wanted to let go of that person.

This is a farewell gift." he shrugs and gives a sad grin, though his eyes look as if it was going to burst any seconds now. "It was nice to see you again, I hope that we never crossed paths ever again." he utters those words under his breath with you not hearing those words clearly. After he buys and pays for the bouquet he leaves, like the breeze this summer, it comes and goes as it pleases.

a/n ; I think I'll be having angst stuff to put out for today lmao, enjoy the sad corn.

taglist ; @sammushy @jasugoi @ryuuudesuwa @gcj-doesart

content/s ; part one | part two

#jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen fanfic #jujutsu sukuna #ryoumen sukuna #sukuna x reader #sukuna #jjk drabbles #jjk imagines #jjk x reader #jjk x y/n #jjk angst #jujutsu kaisen angst #angst prompt #writers on tumblr #fiction #imagines #my writing #writing #writing prompt #character x reader #sukuna x you #sukuna angst #yril

[floral-force]

The Cure - one shot

Din Djarin x Sick!Reader

summary: after you fall ill, the mandalorian is there to take care of you.

warnings: none, I got covid and wanted some self-indulgent sickfic, so here we are...enjoy <3

word count: 1.7k+

read on ao3 | masterlist

It started with just a few sniffles after a quick trip to Pagodon. It had only been a few days of hunting a bail jumper—nothing you or Mando couldn’t handle. You had figured it was just some residual chills from the icy planet and its bone-chilling climate, but when the sniffles persisted, your copilot demanded answers about your condition.

“It’s really nothing,” you said, sniffing and engaging auto-nav controls on the Crest. 

“If it was nothing, you’d be better by now,” the Mandalorian said. His helmet was focused on you, analyzing your every move.

“Everybody is different, Mando.” You rose from your seat, quickly moving to the ladder that led from the cockpit to the cargo hold. “You just have to trust me.”

You barely heard him grumble in response as you descended, stumbling a bit upon hopping off the rung a meter off the floor. Come to think of it, your coordination the past couple days had been off, and motor tasks that you normally completed without a second thought had suddenly required more cognitive effort than they had before. Even flying the Crest was an unusual challenge—you were leaning more on Mando for affirmation and guidance, and you were less sure of the maneuvers you executed. Maybe you really were sick, or maybe the bucket head was just making you paranoid.

After recovering from your unsteady landing, you walked to the right and through a mess of rags and fabric that divided your makeshift rack from the rest of the cargo hold. You rolled your eyes at the thought of him muttering a snarky “I told you so” if you admitted that you were suspicious about being sicker than you originally believed. You couldn’t afford to give him the satisfaction, you thought as you gathered your sleeping clothes from your makeshift shelving unit next to your cot. One of the drawers got jammed and you cursed as you attempted to shove it back into place, eventually growing frustrated and giving up, storming out and into the ‘fresher to wash up before taking your rack break. Looking in the mirror, your eyes did look a little more bloodshot than normal, but again, you brushed it off, quickly freshening up and heading back to your rack, quickly falling asleep.

You woke to the sound of your name being called urgently, and all you had the energy to do was open your eyes and mumble a “Yes?” and sit up on your elbows.

“Are you alright?”

It was the Mandalorian—was something wrong? His tone worried you, but your brain was too foggy to register anything beyond that. 

“I’m fine,” you mumbled. “Is it my turn?”

“Your turn? What do you—Never mind,” he sighed. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” you said, laying back down and rubbing your eyes. Your head felt heavy, and your bones felt like lead; fatigue was waging war on your body, a harbinger of something far worse. 

“You look like shit.”

You scoffed. “Thanks, metal man.”

The Mandalorian knelt at your side, his chest entirely too close to your head, his helmet focused on you. It made your heart race and heat rush to your face, and you were suddenly embarrassed about your current state. You watched him gently set one of his gloves on the floor and then press the back of his bare hand to your forehead. The touch felt gentle, almost intimate; it was something you never would have imagined he could be capable of executing. It lit a fire in your chest and soothed you for some reason, but it was over as quick as it had happened.

“You’re burning up,” he said, resting his hand on your shoulder. 

“Really? I feel cold.”

He sighed and gently tugged your cot’s blankets up to your neck, and it took all your strength to remain composed and not comment on your companion’s sudden gentleness. 

“I think you have more than just a cold,” he said. “But I think I could have told you that yesterday.”

“Ha, ha.” You laughed dryly, rolling your eyes. “I haven’t even been that sick.”

“You think I haven’t noticed the little changes?” He sounded shy, but you couldn’t be sure in your current state. “You’re always around me, I notice when you have a change in demeanor or behavior.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you have a liking towards me, Mandalorian.” You smirked, feeling a quick burst of energy spring forward. 

Hearing him admit to watching you, caring for you, even if you didn’t notice it, made your heart sing. You did the same for him, and not just because you were copilots—you had developed feelings for him over the past few months. His broodiness, incredible skills, and surprising honesty drew you in, and you had learned through conversation how interesting he was as a person beyond his impressive Guild rates. The Mandalorian was a man of devotion, honor, and few words, and whenever he spoke to you, whether it be about the Crest, a hunt, or his life, your heart sang and you had to fight a smile from creeping across your face. It would be entirely unprofessional for you to admit that you had been watching him, too. 

His lack of response to your comment told you that you had been accurate in your assumption, which was both a relief and a shock. It was a little too much for your foggy head to comprehend, though, so all you could do was smile up at him. You didn’t know if you were dreaming when you reached out and placed a shaking hand on his helmet, and you certainly didn’t know if his gentle lean into your hand was a mirage as well. 

When you opened your eyes again, you saw a pile of beskar slumped against your shelves, facing you. The Mandalorian was keeping watch over you, and when he noticed you shift and stretch, he rose and then sat at the end of your cot. 

“You fell asleep again.”

“Really?” You scrunched your eyes closed, tensing and relaxing your muscles from your toes to your fingers. 

“Your body obviously needs the rest,” he said, and you felt him gingerly place a hand on your leg. “I think you should rest until you’re well again. Luckily, we’re in hyperspace right now, so you have some time.”

The weight of his hand caused your eyes to snap open and take in the sight of the deadly Mandalorian. He was nervously perched on the edge of your cot, his bare hand on your leg, visor trained on you. His body language gave away his desire to do more for you; his shoulders were relaxed and forced open to angle his chest toward you, his legs spread and head tilted in concern. You wanted—no, ached—for him to do more, and you didn’t want to fight that feeling. If he rejected you, you’d blame it on your sickness and the mental fogginess it gave you.

“How much longer are we going to be in hyperspace for?”

“Longer than normal, maybe twice the time it usually takes us.” He paused, turning his body toward you. “Why?”

“C-Could you rest with me?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. 

You felt like a child under his gaze, your blankets pulled up to your chin and your eyes wide as you waited for his response. The Mandalorian withdrew his hand from your leg and stood, placing his hands on his hips.

Then, he sighed and shrugged. “Fuck it.” He murmured under his breath, bending down to detach one of his beskar tassets off his thigh. “I don’t see why not.”

You were so prepared for rejection that you hadn’t considered his agreement. Due to this, you stuttered a word of thanks and watched him strip off his beskar piece by piece. He was incredibly neat about it; everything was placed gently in a pile at the foot of your cot and although you couldn’t see how he placed every piece, you could tell it was deliberate and exact. You expected nothing less from this methodical hunter, and it brought a nervous heat to your face and neck as you considered how intimate it was to see him literally strip away his defenses. Knowing it was all for you made it even sweeter, and it made you question how platonic your relationship truly was.

Finally, he was down to his flight suit and helmet, staring down at you where he stood. Without him asking, you shifted yourself to the right of the cot, making room at your right side for him to lay. Understanding your movement, he walked to that side and cleared his throat.

“If I dim the lights, you have to promise not to open your eyes.”

You smiled and rolled onto your left side, closing your eyes. “Of course. I’ll even turn around.”

You heard him chuckle and then the hiss of his helmet as he took it off. There was a click and a hum, and you barely noticed the environment in front of your closed eyes grow darker. Then, the cot shifted with the addition of the Mandalorian, and you jumped when you felt his arm slowly wrap around you, his hand running down your arm and resting atop yours. You were trapped in his warm embrace, and it immediately made your heart race.

“Is this okay?”

You nodded vigorously. “This is perfect, Mando.” You exhaled deeply, nestling into his chest. “I could fall asleep right now.”

“That’s the idea,” he said, and you clung onto every syllable.

His warm voice hit your ears and sunk into your bones like honey, intoxicating you with intimacy and sweetness. You didn’t think that this deadly man was capable of such softness and domesticity, but here it was for you to experience and hold in your memory forever. Though your heart was racing, you were more relaxed than you had been in a long time, and you were positive that this alone would be a prime ingredient in the recipe that would cure your sickness.

He squeezed you, holding you tight against his warm body. It eased the occasional chill that ran through your bones, and you relaxed in his embrace even more. He planted a gentle kiss on the back of your head, and you smiled, hoping he could tell from your gentle hum of contentment that the gesture didn’t go unappreciated. 

“I’ve got you, sweet one,” he whispered, kissing you again. “I’ll make sure you get well soon.”

taglist: @andiesturgss @theamuz @jellybeanstacey0519 @elinedjarin @maddiedrmr @kaqua @tortor-mcgee

#din x y/n #din djarin x you #mando x reader #din djarin fic #mandalorian x reader #mandalorian x y/n #din djarin x reader #din djarin x y/n #my fic #star wars #the mandalorian fic #sick fic #Din Djarin sickfic #sick!reader

[perfectpaperbluebirds]

Sicktember #15

Prompt: Sick in an Inconvenient Place

Fandom/OCs: Navy Man OCs (Michael Ingram)

Words: 1330

Sicknario inspo: Standing, groaning, clutching head from this post and "that's quite the fever" from this post.

Author’s comments/background: Poor Michael. I feel like I pick on him a lot, giving him awful illnesses and putting him in embarrassing situations only for him to pass out all the time. But he's just so gentle and whumpable lol. One of these days I'll give him a partner. Maybe. Read his first story here. 

~~~***~~~

He had always dreamed of visiting the tropics, and at last his dream was coming true. The year was 1910, and the United States Navy had called select officers to convene and inspect their newest base in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, and Captain Michael Ingram was one among them. It seemed too good to be true. Yet when the ship had docked, he had been welcomed with open arms. His senses were boggled by the beauty surrounding him on the tiny, mystical island. It seemed he had left earth entirely and somehow landed in heaven. 

The days leading up to them making port had not been kind to the naval captain, however, and a nasty virus they had picked up somewhere was ravaging his crew. The ship's med bay was overrun with men complaining of "brain splitting" headaches, light sensitivity, vertigo, and a raging fever that had them either pouring sweat or shaking with chills by turns. The scariest part of the illness, though, was its sudden onset. A man could be fine and dandy at lunch and bedridden by supper, and there seemed to be few to no warning symptoms until the headache hit at full force. 

Everyone that has contracted it had recovered thus far, though there were a few close calls, but convalescence was unusually slow, leaving the men weak and exhausted for weeks, hardly able to do even half duty. Worry was gnawing at the captain, and he hoped some days in the tropical air would help clear his ship of whatever invisible, unwanted cargo it was carrying. 

The first day was the tour and inspection of the base which went as expected, though it did leave Captain Ingram wishing for a permanent posting here. A strategy and debriefing meeting was planned for the second day. That morning, too, went as usual. If the captain was a bit weaker, more sleepy, more achy during the meetings, he never noticed it, as he would tell the medical people later. It seemed at first to be a normal day at port. 

By the mid-morning, though, he began to feel something amiss. It seemed as if a lead weight was settling over his body and he had the overwhelming urge to lie down and sleep, which of course was impossible, since the meeting was planned for all day. Then a strange sensation started behind his eyes, a tightness and weakness, blossoming into a dandy of a headache in no time that left him squinting at the daylight. Soon he was nauseous and shaky, since any movement left him spinny-headed, and the light had him feeling almost blinded. A cold sweat that had nothing to do with the temperature began to work its way down his collar, and that's when he knew he was in trouble.

Yet all of this he kept to himself. What else could he do? Excuse himself from a meeting he was already attending, after reporting to his superiors that he was in good health only hours before? Unthinkable. So he sat, trying not to move his head, and speaking as little as possible, doing his best to keep his shaking to a minimum. 

Nothing stays hidden forever, though, and his undoing came when the men adjourned for the midday meal. Michael, eager to find a cold, dark room in which to pass the hour, stood too quickly, and a wave of pain flooded every inch of his head and cascaded down his spine. He gripped the back of the chair for dear life, or else he would have toppled over, but his free hand flew to clutch his head as a guttural groan escaped against his will. He felt hands on his back and arms and heard voices saying something, but his vision had all but grayed out and it was all he could do to cling to consciousness. 

There were too many people around him, too many people talking, and Michael only wanted a breath of air and silence. His mumbled protests seemed to be going unheard, and he thought he likely wasn't coherent. He desperately needed to get away, so he made a serious miscalculation: he let go of the chair, his lifeline, and tried to take a few steps. He had a split second to process his vision going from gray to black as his knees buckled beneath him out of nowhere before he knew no more.

~~~

He woke in a hospital bed in Pearl Harbor's medical ward to the feel of his face being sponged with a cold cloth. Yet consciousness returned to him sluggishly, so at first the sensation was detached from anything else. He made an involuntary noise, though, which elicited a response:

"Nice to have you back with us, sailor," said a woman's voice. 

This was a turn of events he had not expected, so he forced his eyes open, though it took great effort. 

A white cap with a red cross, blue eyes, red hair framing a pretty face. This was all he could take in before his eyes fell shut as he groaned again. 

"That's quite the fever you have. You've got all the officers in an uproar. You certainly know how to get attention, don't you?" said the nurse conversationally as she continued to sponge him off. 

In his near-delirious state he had trouble following what she was saying, but he thought he caught the gist of it, though he could think of nothing to say in response.

She seemed not to notice or mind his silence, and continued her side of the conversation easily. "And I can't think of a more inconvenient place to get sick. I'm sure you were enjoying your visit to the island. No one wants to see the inside of a sick bay, but especially not at a new port. Still, there are worse places to convalesce I suppose." 

As she spoke, he was checking in with the rest of his senses: A cool breeze danced across his skin, carrying tantalizing, delicious floral and fruity scents for which he had no name. Forcing his lids open again, he tried to look past the nurse, taking in gauzy curtains fluttering beside open windows filled with sunlight. If one focused on the window, it would be easy to forget that one was in a sick bay. 

At length a cup of water was pressed to his lips, and he drank it down eagerly. 

"Thank you," he said. His voice felt rusty. He wondered how long he'd been unconscious.

"My pleasure." The nurse pulled the cloth away at last as Michael felt himself starting to shiver. "I'm Helen, by the way."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Michael," he mumbled, belatedly realizing she would already know his name and everything about him, probably including what he looked like naked, since he had gathered that he was dressed in a hospital gown. 

She also pretended this was a normal meeting, though. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. You're not going anywhere for a while, not until we get that fever down, so I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other. But I'll take good care of you, never fear."

She winked broadly, and he couldn't help but smile. She had managed to make him feel at ease already, a task few medical personnel ever accomplished. She was good at her job… or else this fever was making him crazier than he realized. 

Conversation was proving to be difficult, though, and once more he was at a loss for what to say. He spoke the first words that came to mind after a sluggish pause:

"I look forward to getting to know you better, Helen." His eyes were already getting heavy with exhaustion, but he heard her laugh softly. 

"Get some rest, Michael. I'll be here when you wake."

After that, he knew no more.

#sicktember 2023 #skt 2023 #prompt 15 #navy man ocs

[notknickers]

how avatars would react to that: the buried

the stocky, imposing man you approached turns towards you very slowly, almost uninterested, if not for the hazel eyes that fix on you. he is slow to react in other ways and when he goes back to downing the thick, inky concoction that cakes his glass even when he's done drinking, you're almost glad he did not do any more than that, mentally chastising yourself for the silly words that left your mouth before you could stop them. you turn to leave, still recovering from embarrassment when a thick, heavy hand grasps your shoulder, freezing you in place. yout turn your head, almost fearful, hands already raised in pre-emptive apolgy, when the unthreatening expression of the man puts you at ease, somehow. "come", the low, raspy voice states with that ease of one who knows he will be obeyed without question. and when he releases you and starts walking away, you decide to go along. you think you decided that, at least: he's stopped grabbing and his back isto you; you coud leave if you wanted, you reassure yourself. and yet, it's almost like the man exuded such a gravitational pull, that you could nought but follow. you distractedly sweep a dirt stain from your jacket's shoulder and comply. you are led to an area of the pub that you do not recognise. too busy glancing around, you stumble into the man's back, who has stopped to wait for you by the threshold of a square archway leading down a set of stairs. you would apologise for your clumsiness, but you are still recovering from the impact, rubbing your cheek as if it just collided against a slab of granite. "after you", his voice booms, raspy and low as when he first spoke, and you peer over his shoulders. he doesn't move until you finally take the first step, feeling the stone under the rubber of your shoe. it doesn't take too many paces for the the hard steps to turn to packed dirt, then softer mud.

you curse under your breath when you think of the state of your shoes and jeans, but keep walking, conscious of the solid presence behind you that occludes the narrowing tunnel that seems to never end. finally, the two of you breach into a chamber of sorts, where you can see three people, sat there in wait. the consolation doesn't last long, when you adjust to the dim torchlight and get a better look of the area. at the centre of the dug-out room, a round table. around it, the people you noticed. they sit... or so you thought. certainly they are not standing, but it is not on chairs they rest: it is on shaped piles of dirt that cover each of them at different heights, one pile almost suffocating one of the three; the only freely-moving parts of their bodies they share, their hands. you turn, more to question what you are seeing, than to leave, as you should have done back when you were still in the common area of the pub, but the squat, powerful-looking man does not budge, covering the small, round, entrance with his large frame. knowing you would be no match for one such as he, you go to occupy the only seat left vacant, sure it will collapse under you and engulf you. to your surprise, it holds your weight well, you realise, as haggard, dirt-and-sweat-streaked faces stare at you. you have a better view of the woman almost completely covered by the dirt pile she sits on, but refuse to let yourself look too intently. you can already hear her cough rhythmically every few seconds. sand and phlegm propelled by each pained lungful exuded land on the table in front of you, further staining it. you frown, too disgusted to try to hide it. finally, the man takes his seat and starts handing out cards. poker, apparently. you are not exactly a stranger to underground games. or to the debts you promised you would not allow yourself to fall into. again. you are still in recovery from your gambling addiction, but how were you supposed to know you would end sat around a table so soon, again? the image of your group therapy fellows judging you at your being there goes through your mind. yet, when you feel the shiny, smooth cards under your fingers, dread, shame and thrill commingle and all you can think is what the harm in another game could be. it's not as if you were new to this. or as if you could freely leave, at this point. your rivals pick up their cards and at least, now, you understand why their hands are still free...

#tma #the magnus archives #tma fic #the buried #thegaynessarchives

[rgraves1]

Vulcan by Pompeo Batani (1708-1787). Source: Greeklegendsandmyths.com

Hephaestus’ Nature and Deeds

HEPHAESTUS, the Smith-god, was so weakly at birth that his disgusted mother, Hera, dropped him from the height of Olympus, to rid herself of the embarrassment that his pitiful appearance caused her. He survived this misadventure, however, without bodily damage, because he fell into the sea, where Thetis and Eurynome were at hand to rescue him. These gentle goddesses kept him with them in an underwater grotto, where he set up his first smithy and rewarded their kindness by making them all sorts of ornamental and useful objects. (Hephaestus’ Nature and Deeds, The Greek Myths by Robert Graves, pp 86-88)

The beauty of Thetis’ jewellery attracted the admiration of Hera, who, once she realised the brooch was the work of her lost son, Hephaestus, brought him back to Olympus and set him up in a magnificent smithy, with twenty bellows working day and night, producing magnificent works for both gods and men. Hephaestus and Hera became fully reconciled, so much so that he criticised his father Zeus for punishing Hera following her unsuccessful attempt to overthrow her husband. This earned Hephaestus the ire of the King of Heaven, who cast the Smith-god from Olympus a second time.

This time Hephaestus landed badly, on the rocky surface of the island of Lemnos, breaking both his legs. Although rescued by the islanders and nursed back to health, Hephaestus never fully recovered and was lame in both legs from that point onward. Zeus eventually forgave him and he resumed his place at his immortal smithy, but remained bitter and ill tempered owing to his deformity. His skill however was matchless, including the construction of both a workforce of mechanical women for his smithy, and the unbreakable net which caught his faithless wife Aphrodite in the arms of her lover Ares.

Graves also reminds us that the later seat of Hephaestus’ worship, Lemnos, is a volcanic island, and its periodic jets of fire will have been assumed to have been emanating from the god’s giant forges.

#greek mythology #robert graves #hephaistos

[dourpeep]

I'm officially diagnosing myself as 🔪 anon rn

eugh i almost never write anything spicy so forgive me if this sucks, but oh god do i have scaramouche brainrot to share so let me ramble for a hot second-

no matter how much control roommate scara may think he has, he is not the top here. re: blurting out "im horny" i can just imagine his stupid face after his bratty response if you were to just throw your leg over his lap, grab his chin and when youre less than an inch from his dumb lips, saying "nah, ill just deal with it myself" and getting off him. leave him to suffer and just go deal with yourself in your room.

Trying on skimpy clothing or sometimes outright lingerie and asking his opinion, and when he tries to insult you just point at his pants and how obviously his body says otherwise. occasionally coming up behind him when he's sitting on the couch and when he looks up at you he just gets a facefull of skin barely covered in lace- then teasing him over his flushed face.

on one of the few times he's being a decent roommate and cooking, grab his arm with a spoon in hand and push it quickly to touch his neck. and when he bitches because "that was totally on purpose!" quickly grabbing his jaw and pushing it up to lick and bite at the sauce you placed, bringing your free hand up to push at the small of his back. only letting go after a sharp bite brings a whimper out of the throat your mouth is on. "tastes nice, looking forward to that" you say as you take all hands off at once and walk out the kitchen, leaving him flushed once more and his sauce nearly burning.

after weeks of blueballing and teasing this man to hell and back, you're up to your usual antics and he thinks he's finally about to get some then oh no! looks like you gotta head out, cant miss this appointment. he'll be fine to deal with it on his own, right? After the door closes behind you he's left once more to take care of the problem in his pants all alone. At least, thats what he thinks- you forgot your wallet in the apartment :( you gotta head back up where he lays in your bed taking care of the problem you made.

oh his face when you flop onto the bed where he has one hand on his dick and the other arm resting over his eyes? priceless. how can you not laugh a little when in his shock he momentarily looks embarrassed and maybe even the littlest bit ashamed to be caught.

He may recover quickly, but you have more than enough time to bring him back to the position you were in on the couch just a few weeks ago. sitting on his lap with his chin in your hand except now your other hand is free to grab at his own :) his own hand is covered in pre and some of his own spit, better not let this go to waste- just interlace your fingers with his as you pin his hand to the bed- now you have your own lube of which you can grab his cock with! :)

take your hand of his chin and snake it behind his head to grab at the base of his hair, "you're so dirty..." you can mumble against the skin of his neck where you will soon remake the bruise from the kitchen incident. your lubricated hand can pull at his dick so smoothly, taking your hand and polishing the tip until he cries and you pull your hand all the way down to the base. his hands are free but he doesnt dare to grab at you no matter how much he wants to, his pride suppressed by the occasional dirty words you let out and your body hunched over his.

it only takes so long before he's stopped trying to suppress his noises and he eventually ends up announcing his approaching orgasm, fisting the sheets with his dirty hand and arching his body up to close the gap between you two. but has he really done enough to deserve it? sit up straight and push down on his chest, returning his back to the bed. grasp the base of his cock almost hard enough to hurt and look him in the eye now that his head is no longer being pulled back. "You want to cum? Then beg."

oh how precious a sight this is, if you thought the face he made when you startled him was great, then you sure are in for a treat to be able to see him now. pale milky skin is now flushed red across his face and bruised purple around his neck. mouth open and breathing unevenly with lips coated in his own drool. eyes open wide and eyebrows pushed up as his cloudy gaze tries to focus on your own and- are those even tear tracks along the sides of his face?

"please... please let me" he hardly hesitates, look how good a boy he becomes after just a little bit of play. of course thats not enough though, is it? his heart skips a bit when you remove your hand pushing on his chest, then pounds harder than ever before as you reach around his bruised neck and squeeze into the sides of it. the pulse you can feel is so rapid and the blood rushing through him is so warm, it'd be a shame to not push this a second longer

"You can do better then that." you croon, giving a single pump to his member in hand to emphasize the point. his legs squirm at the feeling and he squeezes his eyes shut, dropping the tears that were being held back. "I- I want to cum, please, please, please let me-" his voice momentarily cuts as you squeeze both hands for a moment, the pressure on his neck and cock bringing him so close but just not being enough for the final bit. "-please! please, please, I'll be good for you i promise! please let me cum!" His pretty voice strains against your hand pushing on bruised skin. the sound of fabric rustling with his squirming legs and arms fills the air alongside his labored breaths and whimpers. red faced, crying, wiggling, begging... a perfect obedient boy just for you, how precious.

you cant help but let a little laugh escape, thinking about all the bravado he held over the last weeks being stripped away by one hand job. you hunch down once more, only now giving him the privilege of touching his lips to yours, as you finally let your hand go once more. pushing it up against his stomach and twisting your hand around the head, his cock finally gets to release and make a mess all over him as he cries into your mouth.

as you remove your hands and sit straight up, you can see just how small and pathetic a man he is. he brings a thin pale arm up once more to cover his tear stained face. he's trying to gain control of his breath once more but by the occasional shudder he gives with every exhale, he isn't quite over it yet. bruises litter all around his neck and most of his upper body still shines pink from his blush and sweat. if you didn't know about the mouth this man had, you would dare call him perfect.

it takes one tissue to clean off your messy hand and one more to clean up the mess on his stomach. though the spot he grabbed your bed sheet with his dirty hand will need a bit more effort to clean. ah! and you still have an appointment to make!

"Clean up here and maybe you can have some more later." you say when he meets your eye for the first time after he finished. you feel a bit too hot to keep on the jacket you wore over your shirt and so you throw it over him- let him wear it if he wants, it's only another way to show how in control you are here.

You grab your wallet, and close the door to your room on the way out. let the brat handle himself. if he wants gentle aftercare and loving touches, he'll have to earn it.

The fact that I nearly slipped-

I...thank you like I can't even begin???

I was just scrolling through the scara x reader stuff on here and ao3, realizing that I've quite literally read it all...so this is perfect timing.

But...my god...I'm so down bad. The imagery? The descriptions? The tension?? *Chef's Kiss* Fantastic job, my dear knife anon. Reading this just reminded me of how much I want to wreck Scaramouche just as much as I'd want him to wreck me like it's not even funny-

You know it'd be on his mind til the end of time the moment that your lips leave his and he's left listening to the sound of your retreating steps.

And imagine how good he'd be just to earn another kiss? I can already see the way his eyes glisten and the way his lips would part in anticipation when you lean in closer...

Only to pull away and tell him that he hasn't been good enough yet.

Anon--anon this is a whole ass f e a s t

-having him as a sub would be so goddamn satisfying--to see the stubbornness melt while he begs you to touch him.

#anon asks #jfc sub!scaramouche hits different like ugh #sub!scaramouche #brat!scaramouche #...now I have an idea because that golden band around his neck? Yeah #hoooooo boy #okay okay time to actually tag this #🔪 anon #scaramouche #scaramouche x reader #roommate scaramouche #roommate au #college au #modern au #brainrot #scaramouche brainrot #genshin impact scaramouche #genshin impact brainrot #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact modern au #genshin impact #I'm trying to write soft albedo and now all I want to do is write more bratty subby scaramouche idhfaoiehfa

[jordanstrophe]

I know you don't do much hero and villain stuff, but may I please have something about Villain kidnapping Hero's sidekick, who has been mistreated by hero for years because it 'makes them stronger'? Feel free to ignore if this isn't your forte.

The hero/villain thing is growing on me, help  (also @heathenwhump has a series like this if you want to check them out)

CW: Hero/villain, kidnapped sidekick, drugged unconscious, syringe, gagged, abusive hero, manhandling 

"Get up!" Hero shouted, their voice booming off the walls. 

"I c-can't!" Whumpee pleaded, earning a harsh kick to the stomach as they yelped. "Come on, Whumpee! You have to do better than this!"

"Hero please! I just ngh-need rest, you haven't-t given me a break at all!" Whumpee begged. Hero kicked their shoulder to push them onto their back, tilting their chin up with the toe of their boot. "You think Villain is going to let you rest when you're out there? This is for your own good, Whumpee. You know this, so don't argue with me!" Hero hissed.

Whumpee's arms defeatedly fell slack at their sides. "Then I don't think I can do this anymore..." They whimpered. Hero's eyes widened for a split second before narrowing. "You get five minutes." They said, taking their foot off as they left. 

Whumpee sniffled, embarrassed as they wiped away a tear. The lights were cut as they gasped, forcing themselves to sit up as they found themselves in the dark. "Hero?" They called, worried that this was another stupid test.

They cried out when a gag was shoved into their mouth from behind, the cloth used to jerk them back until they were pinned against someone's chest. "Mmph!?'' They whimpered, their hands fighting the gag.

"sshh, don't scream." A voice whispered, a needle pricking their neck as they let out a gasping breath. Their body became numb as their knees gave away, slowly sinking to the floor in the arms of their attacker. "That's it, just close your eyes..."

.....

Whumpee jolted awake, finding themselves in a soft bed. A holding room no doubt, but what was more strange is when the thin blanket slid from their chest, they found bandages covering their every wound. "Wha-?" They muttered, studying the gentle bandages around their hand. 

"Why did you let them do that to you?" A voice spoke. Villain stood at the doorway with their arms crossed, their face set and unreadable.

"You! Why did you- gah!-" Whumpee cringed, regretting jumping to their feet as they crumbled to their knees. They heard Villain sigh as they helped them back up on the bed. "Did you... Help me?" Whumpee asked, almost accusative.

"Well, that wasn't really the plan... But after I brought you here it was pretty clear something was off." Villain sat next to them, straightening a bandage. "You haven't answered my question." They mumbled.

Whumpee sighed as they collapsed their head into the pillow. "Because they're the Hero. How could I question them? Besides... It was just training gone wrong"

"Training? This isn't training, kiddo. It's abuse. In fact, some of the worst abuse I have ever seen to the point I've changed my mind about torturing you."

"WHAT."

"So instead, I’m keeping you here until you recover. Then, we’ll talk about what happens next, okay?” Villain asked. 

Whumpee’s lip quivered, knowing they were just a prisoner helpless to argue, so they just turned their head away and nodded. “Good. I’ll come check on you later with some dinner.”   Villain hesitated at the doorway. 

“And one more thing. I think you can do better than them... Now get some rest.” They quickly shut the door behind them before they could argue. 

Whumpee let out an exhausted exhale as they curled up against the pillow, biting their lip as questions swam in their head.

Hero never once told them to rest. 

Tag list: @grizzlie70  @alien-octopus @lave-whump @amethysts-sideblog  @whump-it-like-its-hot  @thingsthatgowhumpinthenight @yet-another-heathen @princessofonward @whatwhumpcomments  @ill-eat-you-if-you-cross-me @mascmasochist @hamiltonwhumpdump  @shokuhoemisaki @as-a-matter-of-whump @whumpasaurus101 @lonesome--hunter

#hero villain whump #kidnapped whumpee #tw drugging #drugged whumpee #gagged whumpee #whump #whumpee #whumper turned caretaker #hurt comfort #abused whumpee #abusive caretaker #Abusive hero #tw abuse #kidnapped by villain #tw syringe #abused sidekick

[atlabeth]

fever - sokka x reader

this has been sitting in my drafts half finished for 3 weeks so i thot it was prime time i actually finished it

this is kinda based off the song w dua lipa and angele so you can listen to that if you want

summary: sokka's convinced there's a mystery illness keeping you from focusing, but somehow he's completely oblivious that the only 'sick' you are is lovesick, and he's the reason you can't focus.

a/n: i have never written a sickfic. but this is like. a fake sick fic. its an idiots in love fic. i mean this is coming from mr "is he taller than me? is he better looking?" himself so. it makes sense. as usual, this is not proofread bc im a lazy mf

also im sorry for being vague with the calc but i was NOT about to do math during summer who do you think i am? ??

wc: 1.7k

warning(s): mentions of being sick and 🤢calculus 🤮 but otherwise tooth rotting fluff

-

How could the smartest man you knew be so, so incredibly stupid?

You thought that you were being obvious, so obviously that you were sure he knew. It was embarrassing how obvious you were.

You had met Sokka in your calculus class at the start of the new semester after you ended up sitting next to each other, and it wasn’t a stretch to say that you were immediately smitten. With eyes like the ocean and a face that had to have been crafted by the gods, you were almost too distracted to respond when he asked you for a pencil. But when he winked at you after giving his thanks, it only solidified what you had already suspected: you had known this man for all of five minutes, and you already had a crush on him.

Little did you know, it was going to turn into the most infuriating crush you had ever experienced.

You and Sokka became fast friends even though calculus was the only class you had together. Unfortunately, it was also something that you completely sucked at. Bad news, it was required for your major. Good news, Sokka was some sort of genius and offered to tutor you — Wednesdays in the library turned into a weekly occasion, and served as an opening for your calculus skills, your feelings for Sokka, and your exasperation to all grow stronger.

You normally weren’t someone to beat around the bush. If you started to like someone, you told them and dealt with whatever happened after, but something about Sokka just kept you from spilling your feelings outright. You knew that if he didn’t feel the same way, your relationship likely wouldn’t change, but there was still that tiny voice that said it’s better to stay like this in case things do go wrong — and this was the first time you listened to that voice. You simply valued your friendship too much.

But that didn’t mean you were going to be completely quiet about it — you hoped that if you did enough, he would be able to realize you liked him and do the whole process for you. A bit of a dim hope, but crushes make people do stupid things.

Things like bringing an extra coffee to every session, laughing at all his jokes (even the bad ones), sitting a little closer to him than usual, not dropping out of this wretched class so you could spend time together (it might’ve been required, but you still counted it). He didn’t make a point to object to anything, so you knew you weren’t making him uncomfortable — but you had concluded after nearly a whole semester of working and studying together that he was the most oblivious person in all of Ba Sing Se. He could teach you all kinds of formulas, but had no idea that you liked him. Grand.

Today was arguably the most important session out of any of them, seeing as your next class was the final, so it was only fitting that Sokka unknowingly made himself more interesting than any material you could’ve been working with. His arms were going to be the death of both you and your calc grade. You swore that the heat rushing to your cheeks was actually emanating off of you.

“Hey, Y/N!” Sokka grinned as he saw you and raised a hand in greeting, a sentiment you would’ve returned had it not been for the coffee cups in your hands. You settled for mirroring his grin and settled down in the seat across from him. You slid his coffee cup over, set your own down, then shrugged your bag off all before taking a seat.

“You ready to study ‘till your eyes bleed?” he asked, prompting a nervous laugh from you.

“You jest, but my eyes might actually start bleeding depending on how long we go,” you sighed. “There’s a reason I got an extra shot of espresso today.”

“Come on — by now you should know that you have nothing to worry about! I am the best teacher there is, and you got me all to yourself.”

Your eyes widened momentarily and you coughed, purposefully averting your gaze to give yourself some time to recover. Okay, he was going to make it really hard to focus today. “Let’s just get into it.”

He nodded and flipped open his notebook, beginning to talk as he rifled through his bag for a few extra things. “Okay, we’re just gonna start with going over the basics, then we’ll work our way up. There’s a couple practice problems on that page, so you can go ahead and answer those as a warmup.

You slid the notebook over in front of you and after approximately five seconds of looking at the first problem, found yourself studying Sokka rather than the material. Who could blame you? In the battle of cute tutor boy versus calculus, he was going to win every time.

He turned around and you immediately averted your eyes once again, trying to appear extremely involved, but you found that your mind was empty on anything to do with math. “Hey, uh— how do you do this first one? I’m totally blanking here.”

“We use limits in everything — this is actually something you’re really good at!” He studied you intensely and frowned. “Are you okay? Like, you’re not sick or anything, are you? You seem kinda out of it.”

You choked out a laugh and shook your head. “No, no — I’m fine. I guess I’m just a little tired.” As if to demonstrate your lie, you took a sip from your coffee and cringed internally. Love had turned you into an idiot.

He seemed to buy it as he nodded and picked up the pencil, scribbling a couple of notes as he explained the first problem to you. “Does that make sense?” You nodded and he handed the pencil back to you. “Okay — the other ones follow the same kind of process. It should be easy enough.”

You managed to get a little further in the second problem, but your lovestruck mind would not stop focusing back on Sokka every time you tried to do, well, anything. Curse him and his perfect arms, and eyes, and hairstyle, and everything.

You shook your head and set the pencil down once more, letting loose a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” Yes, you did. “I just can’t focus at all.” Because of you. You picked up your cup once more and took a sip, hoping it would do something to get you back into the math state of mind.

Sokka frowned once more as he put the back of his hand against your forehead. “God, you’re hot.” You nearly choked on your coffee as your eyes practically bulged out of their sockets — he had to know what he was doing by now — how could he not? “Like, you’re completely burning up. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, I swear— I just…” you set your cup down on the table and heaved a sigh that was a touch more exasperated than necessary. “Are you telling me you seriously haven’t noticed? Like, not a single thing this whole year?”

“I’ve noticed a lot of things this year,” he chuckled. “It’s kind of our whole job, so you’re gonna have to be a lot more specific.”

You finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Sokka, I’m not— I’m not sick! Haven’t you noticed that I’m only ever flustered, or running into things, or forgetting info, or— or just a complete idiot when I’m around you? I like you, like, a lot, and I have for an embarrassingly long time! The reason I can’t focus is because I am hopelessly attracted to you in every single way.”

His brows creased for a moment and you clamped your mouth shut, worried that you had just ruined everything. It was only after a pause that felt like a century that he finally responded, the hint of a smirk on his lips.

“Well, why didn’t you just say something?”

You stared at him, eyes wide and lips slightly parted in pure surprise before the annoyance set in. You set your jaw as your brows furrowed and you hit him lightly on the side of his arm with the back of your palm. “You can’t be serious! You— you’ve gotta be messing with me by now. I really can’t believe that you can be that smart but this oblivious!”

He finally let the grin play across his lips in full force and he shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean, I don’t know how you don’t expect me to mess with you when you scrunch up your face all cute like that every time you get mad. Besides, I started liking you after that fifth class; I offered to help you out so I could spend more time with you! I didn’t realize you felt the same way. I kinda just enjoyed the free coffee and getting to look at you all the time.”

“I can’t believe you!” you cried as you hit his other arm. “You’re telling me that I had to deal with this- this mental turmoil about whether you liked me back, while you were just enjoying the free eye candy and coffee the whole time?”

“You have nothing to worry about! I enjoyed the company far more than the coffee,” he joked, a certain twinkle in his eye. “But, you are probably out a couple twenties after all of that. So, what do you say about this Saturday, the cafe by the shoe store? My treat.”

“Damn right it’s your treat,” you shot back, though you couldn’t stop the smile forming on your face. “You owe me a lot — you have to make up for those coffees and all the emotional distress you caused.”

“Oh, I think I’ll have plenty of time to make up for lost time. After all, we do have a lot of coffee dates to get through.” And when he winked at you just like that first day, you remembered just how impossible it was to be angry at Sokka. “But first, we kinda have to get through this study date. The final’s still happening tomorrow.”

You responded with a raised brow. “This is a study date?”

Sokka shrugged and grinned. “They’ve all been study dates. You just didn’t know it.”

-

idiots in love idiots in love idiots In LOVe

perm tag list: @dv0412 @siriuslyslyslytherin @maruchan77

atla: @marianne1806

#sokka x reader #sokka x you #sokka x y/n #sokka fic #atla #avatar #avatar the last airbender #avatar the last airbender fic #avatar x reader #reader insert #sadie writes

[realcube]

speaking 💗 uwu 💗 to the haikyuu!! boys pt 2

part 1

characters: suna, matsukawa, kyōtani, tendō & akaashi

tw// illness, swearing, sexual references, cwinge   

Rintarō Suna

bitch- he was shocked

he was feeling sick so you were taking care of him while he lay on the couch looking like the cutest lil’ potato you’ve ever seen

so while you were handing him the soup you made him, you said something along the lines of ‘here’s some wuv-filled soup for my poor honey~’ in the uwu voice

that was the best he felt all day lol

like honestly, you expected him to cringe which is kinda why you did it but he was all for it lmao

‘wait- please do that again, (y/n).’ suna groaned, slowly taking the soup from your hands 

you snickered, gently stirring the spoon to cool it down slightly, ‘no. now drink up.’

you picked up the spoon to jab it at his mouth since he was clearly too lazy to drink it himself, but his lips didn’t part no matter how desperately you poked 

he shook his head, keeping his lips together 

you rolled your eyes, dropping the spoon back into the bowl, ‘stop being a baby and drink the soup!’

suna continued to shake his head, ‘not until you do the voice again.’ he said, his voice hoarse and low.

‘bitch.’ you muttered while rubbing your temples, you were way too tired to deal with his clownery today 

‘please, (y/n).’

‘why are you so needy all of a sudden?’ you pouted, trying to think of something to say in the voice that wasn’t too embarrassing

‘i don’t know.’

‘uwu eat your fuckin’ soup, bi--’ you couldn’t even finish your sentence before wheezing at how silly it was to say something like that in ✨the voice✨ 

suna chuckled, immediately pulling his arm out from underneath the blanket to slurp up your delicious soup

the bowl parted from his lips as he let out a refreshed, ‘ah’ then dropped his gaze to meet yours, ‘you’re so cute.’

Issei Matsukawa

he would look you dead in the eye and smirk 

‘what’s wrong with your voice?’

WAIT BUT DON’T TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY BC HE JUST SAID THAT COZ HE PREFERS YOUR NATURAL VOICE LIKE PLEASE DON’T CHANGE IT YOU SOUND SO DIVINE 

‘nothing~’ you hummed, still holding your voice at a higher pitch

matsukawa quirked a brow, wondering if he was missing something

the thought occurred to him that maybe this a prank of some sort and you were waiting for him to give an interesting reaction

well, i mean, he’d hate to disappoint so-

he leaned forward to place a kiss on your cheek and wrap you in hug

‘what are you tryin’ to be all cute for, angel?’  he muttered against the sensitive skin of your neck 

a light blush dusted across your cheeks so you buried your face into the crook of his neck to hide it, ‘i don’t know.’ you replied in an awkward mix of your natural voice and the uwu voice

matsukawa snickered, rubbing up and down your spine with the large palm of his hand, ‘so you’re not gonna tell me, huh?’ he asked, playfully flicking your spine, resulting in a slightly whimper escaping your lips

‘is this a prank?’ he inquired further, holding a tight grip on your waist so you were unable to pull away - not that you wanted to anyway.

‘kinda.’ you snickered at how surprisingly quick he caught on

‘i fucking knew it.’ he chuckled, pushing you away from him to pressed a rough kiss against you lips, ‘but keep your real voice, angel. not to sound like a simp but it’s one the sweetest things i’ve ever heard.’

‘simp.’

‘shut up.’ he smiled and lightly flicked your back once more 

Kentarō Kyōtani 

he thought it was a sex thing-

you were just showing him your new-found talent while he was blushing furiously and just like ‘shut up, (y/n)! we’re in public! 😡😳’

and you just kinda shuffled awkwardly ‘what does that have to do with anything?’

‘you can’t just do stuff like that in front of everyone!’

he’d probably pull you onto his lap and cover your mouth with his hand to silence you

in his mind, the uwu voice = calling your s/o ‘daddy’ or ‘mommy’

like- just a bit too taboo to do in public-

you were so confused

‘kyōtani, get you’re filthy, dry hand off my mouth right now’

he wasn’t exactly sure what you said considering that his hand served the purpose of muffling your speech but he did hear that you called him by his full surname opposed to just ‘kyō’, ‘baby’  or ‘babe’ hence, you were probably angry 

‘i’m going to move my hand but i swear to god if you do that fucking voice again.’ he growled into your ear, that alone probably should’ve made you feel threatened but knowing kyōtani, he’s all bark and no bite; well, at least when it comes to you 

he slowly removed his hand from your mouth and you just shot him the deadliest glare 

he’s never going to recover from that one tbh- your eyes alone just scarred him for life 

without a word, you grabbed your bag from under your desk to search through it for a moment until you pulled out a small bottle of lotion

‘give me your hands.’

‘no.’ kyōtani rolled his eyes; he didn’t like the idea of putting lotion on his hands bc it’d made his hands slippery and if his hands were lubricated how was he supposed to GRIP?

‘i wasn’t a question.’ you scoffed, grabbing his hand and squeezing a dollop of lotion onto it, ‘have you ever moisturized in your life? your hands are so ashy.’

‘right, okay.’ kyōtani murmured, not even bothering to answer your silly question

‘ashy hands~’ you absentmindedly cooed in the uwu voice while spreading the lotion evenly across his palm

after realising what you hand just said, you immediately shifted your gaze onto kyōtani to see if he was livid >:)

but actually, he was painted a deep shade of red with his head turned away from you 

‘you’re going to hell.’ he hissed, not daring to meet your gaze just in case his face erupted in a blush once more

‘i’ll see you there~’

Satori Tendō

he’d look you dead in the eye and try to copy you lmao

like what else was he supposed to do? lmao

plus, he was sure of the fact he could do it better than you ✋

‘uwu-’ he choked on his own spit as that hellish sound left his mouth

‘TENDŌ!!’ you wheezed, covering your mouth to prevent an ungodly noise escaping, ‘sir, your vocal cords-’

‘wait do it again, do it again!’ he encouraged, clasping his hands together to plead

you snickered before raising the pitch of your voice once more, along with throwing up a little peace sign, ‘you’re such a swut!’

now it was tendō’s turn to wheeze

after a while, he was finally able to compose himself and attempt to imitate ✨ the voice ✨

‘you’re a whore!~’

you gasped, slapping a hand over your mouth, ‘WAIT, SATORI THAT WAS SO GOOD!’

tendō quirked a brow, shuffling in closer to you, taking your hand in his and placing a kiss upon the tips of each of your fingers absentmindedly, ‘really?’

‘yeah’ you nodded rapidly, not even bothering to hide the blush that was spreading across your cheeks at his random kisses 

‘i love you, baby~’ you hummed, pursing your lips in hoped he’d pick up on what your were asking for

‘i love you way more~’ he cooed, leaning in and connecting his lips with yours

honestly, y’all probably never use the voice again after that 

(other than when you play a prank on ushijima :P)

but it’s a fond memory lol

Keiji Akaashi

you did it as a prank but akaashi thought it was for his attention lol

he was just sitting at his desk, ‘studying’ hard (by ‘studying’, i mean he was blankly staring at his notes while thinking about you) while you were sitting on his bed, taking a well-earned break

then you saw a girl on your fyp try the prank out on her bf and ofc you had to try lmao

i mean, it was harmless :)) unlike some of the other pranks floating around

the only thing that could possibly get hurt during this prank was your pride

so you immediately tried it out

‘angel~’ you cooed, trying your best to keep the voice on and stifle a snicker as you watched him visibly perk up upon hearing you, ‘are you hungwy? do you want me to make you some snacks?’

akaashi turned around his chair to look at you and shoot you a sweet smile

HIS SMILE OEIHNFEVBEI pls it’s so holy 🥺🙏

anyway, he replied in his equally as angelic, mellow voice, ‘i’m fine, love. thank you though, you’re so sweet.’

you nodded in response, thinking that you weren’t going to get much of a reaction out him so you were about to go back to scrolling until he inquired further

‘by the way, what’s with the voice?- don’t get me wrong, it’s cute; i’m just curious.’

you let out a sigh, a smile gracing your lips as you figured that you’d end the prank here- you were too impatient to continue lol

‘it was just for a little prank thing.’

an understanding ‘ah’ fell from akaashi’s lips before he got up from his desk and slowly slinked towards you, cupping your face in his soft hands, caressing your cheek gently with his thumb as his lips teasingly hovered over your own

‘well, i’d be lying if i said i’m not fond of it.’ he hummed, his gaze fixated on your eyes for the most part but every few seconds it’d drop to send brief, longing looks at your lips 

he stole a quick kiss before backing away slightly, his hand staying glued to your cheek for as long as possible 

‘i’ll go fetch us some snacks- i’m suddenly craving popcorn.’

he left you in his room alone, blinking rapidly while trying to process what just happened

you just unlocked suave! akaashi

#matsukawa hcs #suna rintaro x reader #kyotani x reader #tendou x y/n #akaashi headcanons #akaashi x reader #haikyuu x gn!reader #haikyuu x gender neutral reader #suna x y/n #suna x reader #suna x you #akaashi fluff #tendou x reader #tendou imagine #kyotani fluff #matsukawa fluff #matsukawa x y/n #matsukawa x you #matsukawa x reader #kyotani x y/n #kyotani x you #suna scenarios #tendou scenario #matsukawa scenarios

[alicanta77]

Finale: Glitter and Gold

Pairing: princess!y/n x prince!Chenle

Themes: royalty au, fluff, angst

Warnings: arranged marriage, violence, war, character death, injury, descriptions of injury and blood

Words: 11.5k

Inspiration: BTS - Blood, Sweat and Tears - orchestral cover

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Finale

tag list: @hiqhkey @jaeshatshop @lebrookestore @honei-n @cheonsa1004 @haechans-sunflower @crispy-chan @rvse-hvvck @chezzontop​ 

——————————————————————————

Note: This is it! The final chapter of Royal Blooded! I want to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has read and supported this story. The first chapter of this story was published before I had 100 followers on here, and now, as we celebrate the finale, we have over 1500. I have grown so much throughout the 9 months of my life that I spent creating this world, and every word of support, every message, every ask about it means so much to me. I’m a little emotional that it’s ending because of how long I spent on it and how much I put into it, but I am so excited to look forwards at everything that’s coming next. Thank you for the love on this, and enjoy the finale!

Felix xox

——————————————————————————

~ 6 months later ~

You held your head high as you walked towards the throne room. You had your main servant walking behind you and two guards escorting you on either side. Your shoes made small tapping noises on the stone floor with every step you took and your clothes and hair gently flowed in time to the repetitive movement. Your lady in waiting was smoothing out your dress as you moved, trying to make everything look perfect. You paused as she quickly adjusted one final piece of hair before giving you a loving smile and hug and wishing you well.

Your chest felt tight with nerves and you took a deep breath. Your dress was beautiful, the most expensive one you owned and you were made up to look more beautiful than you think you ever had before. Your mother had bought this dress for you and, as soon as you had seen it your jaw had dropped, the scarlet red colour complimented your skin tone perfectly and the gold details that swirled around to form the shape of dragons were captivating.

You knew that a dress like this would only be wearable on a day like today, the most important day of your life.

You approached the grand doors, nodding at the two knights guarding the entrance with a smile, both of whom bowed back before moving their spears and opening the grand doors for you.

The throne room appeared in all its glory. The metal chandelier hung from the ceiling, dangling above the engraved stone floors that were currently stood on by the entire court. The court and knights of your kingdom were all in neat rows on the left of the room, framed by the sculpted columns that ran up the walls, engraved with detailed patterns. On the right side of the great hall stood another court entirely. One which you had met once and had recently had the pleasure of getting to know better. Their red and gold emblems were proudly on display on their cloaks, letting everyone who saw them know that they were the court of the royal kingdom of Shanghai.

You remembered doing this over a year and a half ago, only then you had been meeting Chenle for the first time. If someone had told you just how much he would come to mean to you in such a short amount of time, you would never have believed them. You had thought it would take you years to fall for the boy you were arranged to marry, but life is funny like that. You look back now and you don’t see him as the boy you were arranged to love, but rather the boy you were destined to.

However, even with all this going on around you, you couldn’t take your eyes off the boy waiting for you at the end of the hall. He too was dressed in his finest clothes, the dark green and silver colours of your kingdom decorating his outfit. As you walked down the hall, dressed in the representative colours of Shanghai, his face split into the largest smile you had ever seen.

His eyes never left your face as you moved closer to him with every step, in fact, it took all of Chenle’s self restraint not to run towards you right there and then. You finally reached the front and Chenle offered a hand to help you up the few steps.

You accepted, your hands slotting together as if they were jigsaw pieces. You lifted your dress with your left hand, making sure not to step on it and accidentally rip it or, god forbid, face plant. You would never recover from the embarrassment if that happened.

Luckily you made it up the three stairs without any problems, but now you faced the challenge of speaking. You knew Chenle was going to speak first so you had time to mentally prepare yourself, but deep down you felt an overwhelming sense of serenity. You knew that you would be fine. You had been taking public speaking classes since you were young and you’d addressed more people than this in one go before. Just as with the stairs, you knew that nothing would happen, but your mind went to the worst case scenario. You just wanted this day to be perfect, after all, you were only doing it once.

You and Chenle tore your eyes away from each other as you turned your attention to the front, where your childhood tutor, now a well respected member of the court and keeper of the archives, was about to speak.

“We are gathered here today for the wedding and coronation of Prince Chenle and Princess y/n.”

~ flashback ~

“Will you marry me?”

The words left Chenle’s lips and it was as if they kick started your brain into action. You threw yourself at him, his arms catching you as the two of you hit the ground in a heap.

“Yes.” You cried repeatedly. “Yes, with all my heart.”

Chenle rolled the two of you over so that you were lying on top of him, the laughter that was emitting from the two of you radiated pure happiness. You sat up, kneeling next to Chenle as he gently grabbed your hand.

He held you so softly, his thumb gently caressing the back of your palm as he slipped the diamond onto your finger. A second passed in which the two of you stared at the jewel, the symbol of a silent promise to love each other until the end of time.

You looked up at him, eyes shining and his hands came up to cup your face. He pulled you in and you kissed him with everything you had.

You’d lost count of the amount of time you’d kissed Chenle, but this was different. This held so much more to it. It was as if it was a kiss that made all the other kisses on the planet seem pathetic. Love exploded between the two of you, your love, the kind of love that would last a lifetime.

You both pulled away, the need to breath breaking the captivating spell that Chenle had cast on you with that kiss. He leant down, resting his forehead on yours as you both closed your eyes and enjoyed being so close to the one you adored.

“I love you so much.” He whispered, afraid that if his words were any louder they would shatter the perfect moment.

“I love you more.” You whispered back, grinning as you heard Chenle chuckle quietly.

He pulled his forehead off yours only to replace it with his lips for a soft kiss.

“That’s not possible.”

~ flashback ends ~

The great hall was decorated with banners of both your kingdom and Shanghai. Ever since the engagement announcement, the castle had been in full on planning mode, preparing everything for this day to be perfect. There had been banquets, feasts and balls thrown in your honour, with gifts from kingdoms far and wide coming to the two of you in congratulations.

Word had been sent to Chenle’s family in Shanghai and they had announced that they would be coming to visit for the wedding. You had never felt happier than when you saw the smile on Chenle’s face when he was told he was going to see his family. His parents and three older brothers, Kun, Sicheng and Renjun, were all leaving Shanghai to attend, and they were planning on staying with you for a couple of days either side of the monumental event.

However, the good news about Chenle’s family came with bad news about yours. Your mother was frail, ill and barely eating anymore. She spent her days drowning herself in work so she didn’t have to focus on the cold empty space in her bed beside her. For the past 6 months she had worked diligently and done everything she could, but one night she came into your bedroom and quietly asked to speak to you and Chenle.

She told you that she didn’t think she could do it anymore, she didn’t think she could rule the kingdom. She explained that she had only managed to take on all the duties because she had had her husband, your father, by her side. But he wasn’t here anymore, and she couldn’t go on with the burden, it was simply too much for her to bear.

After a long and heavy conversation, your mother announced the next morning that she would soon be stepping down from ruling, and allowing you and Chenle to ascend to the thrones. She addressed her people, admitting to them that she was unfit to govern them and that she felt it was unfair to keep herself on the throne and deny them a better pair of rulers. She then proceeded to inform them that the wedding would be combined with the coronation so that you would be married and crowned on the same day.

You would be lying if you said that this hadn’t had an effect on you. You were already feeling the stress of your title, and you had been working closely with a group of advisors and your mother to introduce you to the world of being Queen. But, still, you were terrified. What if you weren’t a good ruler? What if you made a bad choice for your people? What if this affects your relationship with Chenle? You wouldn’t even get a chance to get used to being married before the role of King and Queen would be thrust upon you. But you forced yourself to ignore the growing voice in your head that filled your being with doubt. You had been preparing for this day your entire life, and now that it was here, you refused to let down those people who had helped you along the way. You would do your best, and make them proud.

So here you were. Standing next to the man you loved, about to promise your everything to him forever. Even though you had been filled to the brim with nerves before entering, as soon as you had locked eyes with Chenle, all of that had melted away. You knew that, as long as you had him by your side, the two of you could handle anything.

While the wedding was only attended to by family and members of the court, the celebrations ran throughout the entire kingdom, with all your people overjoyed at the beautiful ceremony.

You listened as the officiant went through the traditional wedding procedure, both you and Chenle replying with the rehearsed statements. His hand never left yours and you couldn’t express how relieved you were that it didn’t. The physical reassurance that he was there grounded you.

You turned to face each other, holding your joined hands out for the gold ribbon to be wrapped around them. The officiant continued to speak, his words about unity and strength reminding you of your father’s speech when Chenle first arrived with his family. So many things about this day were taking you back to the beginning, and the similarities were making you miss your father more than anything.

You felt a small squeeze on your hand and looked into Chenle’s soft brown eyes. He gave you a nod, one so minute that it would be unnoticeable to anyone who wasn’t you. You repeated the move to him, another reassurance that the two of you were there for each other, no matter what.

The officiant moved on to the vows, Chenle going first before you followed, saying the words you had recently memorised. Due to you both being royals, you couldn’t write personal vows and you had to stick to the scripture, but that didn’t mean that you didn’t mean every word. You meant it with your whole body when you promised to stand by him for as long as you lived, to look after him as best you could, and to support and love him no matter what. And from the look in your soon to be husband’s face, he meant every word he said too.

“Chenle, do you take y/n as your wife?”

“I do.” He spoke, sincerity strong in his voice and you didn’t bother to fight the smile that grew across your face at his certain words. The only thing you didn’t know, was that Chenle had never been so sure of anything in his life. 

“Y/n, do you take Chenle as your husband?”

“I do.” You repeated Chenle’s answer, your voice just as steady and sure as his had been, your mindset reflecting that as well.

You were still scared out of your mind at what was going to happen after today, but the thought of having Chenle by your side for the rest of your life, that didn’t scare you at all. No, that thought was the most comforting thing on the planet.

And that thought was just about to become your reality.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Chenle wasted absolutely no time, moving forwards before the officiant had even finished speaking, gently grabbing your face and pulling you in for a kiss. You smiled into the kiss, your hands coming up to rest on his waist.

The kiss wasn’t long, the awareness that your families and courts were watching you not quite having left your mind. But it held everything, the past years that you had known each other, your entire journey together into who you were now was told in the few seconds that Chenle’s lips pressed against yours. The clapping and cheers brought the two of you fully back to reality as you pulled back. You leaned back in for an even shorter kiss, officially sealing the eternal bond between the two of you.

“I love you.” You whispered, Chenle chuckling.

“That was my line.” You opened your eyes to look at him and he smiled down at you. “But I love you too.”

You both pulled away, as the claps gradually died down and the ceremony began to progress. The two of you barely had time to register the giant step you had just taken before you were being instructed to kneel in front of the thrones and the crowns were held above your head.

You were sure that it had taken longer than you realised, but you were so wrapped up in the feeling of loving Chenle, and how much he loved you, that it felt as though not even thirty seconds had passed.

And yet, here you were, repeating yet another set of responses that you had been taught, promising to protect and fairly govern the people, vowing to follow the example set by those who ruled before you and do whatever you can to live according to the traditions and customs of your kingdom.

As the final vows left both your lips, you felt the gold crown land on your head, the heaviness of the metal it was made out of, and the title it represent, weighing you down already.

“I crown you King Chenle. I crown you Queen y/n.”

With those words, you pulled your legs underneath you and stood, turning around to face the people of your courts. Chenle reached for your hand once again, this time you interlinked your fingers, intertwining your hands as a physical sign of the link between your kingdoms.

The throne room erupted in cheers and clapping once again, this time to an almost deafening volume. You and Chenle began to walk back down the middle, waving and smiling at those closest to you as you passed. You walked all the way out of the throne room and straight onto the balcony, ready to greet your people as their official rulers.

---

You stood just outside the balcony together waiting for the words that would signal the two of you to step outside. You hadn’t spoken to anyone yet, just waiting for you final duties of the day so that you could celebrate with your friends and families.

“Did you feel as though that went really quickly?” Chenle asked out of nowhere, making you jump slightly at the sudden noise before your eyes widened in agreement.

“It did! Leading up to the ceremony felt like an eternity, but then as soon as the ceremony began, it went in a flash. I’m not sure I was even there for half of it.” You muttered the last part, but Chenle’s sharp hearing caught your words none the less and he chuckled whilst muttering out a softer reply.

“Me neither. It kind of feels as though it hasn’t happened yet.”

“Exactly.” You didn’t realise how nervous you had still been until the realisation that you were both feeling the same way. You both fell into silence, it was comfortable but it still felt as though there was a lot that the two of you were leaving unsaid.

“You know-” Chenle paused his words to swallow his nerves, he hadn’t been this nervous around since the two of you met. “I’m starting to remember why I was so nervous for this marriage when I met you.”

You looked at him, the short distance between you suddenly feeling like a million miles.

“Me too.” You admitted softly. “It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other, there’s still a pressure for this marriage to be successful and for our kingdom to flourish.”

Chenle whispered a quiet “Yeah”, showing you that he was feeling exactly the same way.

“Chenle?” His eyes shot up from his feet to yours and you could see the nerves bubbling in them. He was chewing on the inside of his cheek and you took a step forward to grab on of the hands that he had behind his back. “Listen to me, I thought you weren’t nervous at all. Honestly, I thought I was the only one freaking out.”

“Trust me you weren’t.” Chenle said dryly, moving slightly so that he was facing you full on.

“I know that now, but I didn’t when I really needed to.”

“What are you saying?” Chenle asked, his brows creasing with worry at your soft words. He knew you only spoke with this tone of voice when you had something important to say to him.

“I’m saying we need to communicate. We need to tell each other the truth, talk about how we feel, both the good things, and the bad. We’re in this together, and that means we don’t need to be perfect for each other. We just need to be there.”

Chenle nodded, a small smile finally making it’s way onto his face as he pulled you closer by the hand that was already in his. His arms came to wrap around your shoulders and you fell into his arms for a hug. You felt his scent overcome you and drown your senses and you let out a deep sigh, feeling some of your worries and concerns leaving you with it.

“You’re right. I know you are and I promise to tell you when I’m stressing out of my mind or nervous to the point where my knees are shaking, especially if I can’t tell anyone else. We’re married now so that means you’re stuck with me no matter what.” Chenle looked down at you, grinning that signature grin of his that you fell in love with until a look of shock suddenly shot across his face. “Holy shit, we’re married!”

You stared at him in confusion.

“What did you think the wedding ceremony meant?” You asked him as Chenle waved you off.

“No, no, I mean, I knew we were married but I guess it’s starting to sink in that we’re really married. Like I get to have you by my side forever...” Chenle trailed off, his eyes never leaving your face.

You leaned up to him, pressing your lips together softly, before pulling back slightly and whispering:

“Well you better get used to it, because it’s you and me for the rest of time now.”

A trumpet riff interrupted your moment, signalling that your time was almost upon you. You and Chenle got into position just as the doors in front of you opened and you prepared to greet your people.

You walked out into the sunlight, the sound of cheers and shouts overwhelming you as you waved to the citizens you had just promised to govern. Chenle’s hand found you once more, holding onto it tightly and pulling you slightly closer as he waved with his free hand. His grip remained tight, and you squeezed it reassuringly leaning in so that only he could hear before saying “I got you” and he seemed to relax. His grip loosened slightly and his smile faded into a genuine expression of joy and awe and you grinned, knowing that you loved him more than anything else on this planet.

The announcer lifted his hand, calling for momentary silence as he uttered the words that were followed by the largest cheer and celebration of them all.

“May I present, for the first time, the King and Queen of Ivairis!”

---

You laughed as Chenle twirled you around in time to the music, before pulling you back in and dipping you gently. You’d lost track of how long the celebrations had been going on for, but the music and lights had hypnotised you into staying longer and longer to enjoy the night. 

You’d had the pleasure of meeting Chenle’s brothers as well. Kun was first in line for the throne, he was also married and honestly was the epitome of a perfect heir. Sicheng was second in line for the throne and, before you had met you had been slightly intimidated by him. After meeting him, however you had learnt he was one of the nicest people and so easy to get along with. Family was everything to him, and he spent most of his time working with new recruits for the Shanghai army.

Renjun was closest in age to Chenle, with only a year and a half separating them, and it was clear that they were closest to each other. Chenle had previously confided in you that, since he had three brothers, he hadn’t had much attention from his parents when he was young, and it was Renjun who was there for him. It was Renjun who had essentially shown him how to learn to grow up. Their casual bickering provided you with huge amounts of entertainment, but it was clear that they cherished each other dearly, and Renjun was so proud of everything Chenle had accomplished here.

The most bittersweet moment however, came when Chenle’s father approached you and asked to dance. He had the same kind smile on his face that he always wore and you easily agreed. He led you out onto the dance floor, just as he did the day Chenle first arrived at Ivairis.

“You two have come a long way since the last time we met.” King Zhong commented, a twinkle in his eyes that made you smile.

“You gave me some good advice.” You admitted to him. “When you came here, and we danced you told me: don’t rush this. And that was the best piece of advice anyone has ever given me. I feel like I married my best friend.”

King Zhong smiled down at you, blinking twice as he tried to figure out the best way to say his next words.

“Y/n-” You looked up at him as he paused, before swallowing and continuing. “I know how much you must have wanted your father to be here, he was such a brilliant man and I’m so sorry he couldn’t be with us today.”

“Me too.” You whispered, just loud enough to be heard over the music and people chatting in the background.

“I know that no one else will say this to you, so I will.” You looked up once again, to see him looking down at you with an expression that reminded you so much of your own father that it brought tears to your eyes. “I’m proud of you.”

You felt even more tears gather rapidly in your eyes at that, and you blinked repeatedly to keep them at bay. Chenle’s father’s hands came up to rest on your shoulders and hugged you. You hugged him back, feeling the fatherly warmth from his hug calm you down slightly.

“Thank you.” You said as he pulled back and smiled at you. He nodded at you, patting you on the head gently before the two of you continued to dance. You couldn’t quite describe the comfort that his words had brought you. Deep down you knew your father would be proud of you and all you had accomplished, you just wish he had been here to see it happen.

The song that was playing came to a stop, and you stepped away to clap for the musicians. You and Chenle’s father smiled at each other, before you excused yourself to the sides, needing a short break. You stood quietly and just observed the scene in front of you. There were countless members of the courts of Shanghai and Ivairis dancing together, you saw Chenle’s parents dancing in the middle as well, Renjun was speaking to Jisung by the side, saying something that caused Jisung to stare at the older boy with his eyes wide in amazement. Over on the other side of the hall were Taeyong, Jaehyun, Sicheng and Kun, all immersed in deep conversation and you could see both Jaemin and Jeno heading over to join the conversation. In fact you could see everyone except for-

“Hi love.” You felt a soft kiss on your cheek as you turned to your left and saw how Chenle had snuck up on you without you noticing.

“Hi.” You replied, smiling up at him.

“I was thinking, do you remember the celebration when we came back from the battle against Odin’s kingdom?” You nodded at his words and he carried on. “Well, what would you say about going back into the town again? Not just us though, opening the doors to the palace and courtyard and bringing the musicians outside so that the court and citizens can all celebrate as one?”

“Chenle...” You breathed. “I think that’s an amazing idea.”

His face split into a wide grin at your words and you both immediately moved to put his plan into action. You split up to find different guards who were on the doors, and explain to them what you would like to do. They seemed slightly hesitant, as this had never been done before, but they couldn’t disagree with their new King and Queen so they did exactly as you asked. You walked back into the hall, finding Chenle there waiting for you and the door remained open after you had arrived. 

You slipped your hand into Chenle’s and he squeezed it gently, while signalling the musicians to stop playing. An air of confusion came over the room as every single pair of eyes came to rest on the two of you.

“Whenever we have a celebration, it seems to be split in two, with a chosen few celebrating in the castle, and the rest down in the town. The Queen and I would like to change this.”

“Indeed.” You took over from Chenle, your voice strong as you addressed the courts. “The whole emphasis of this marriage and alliance is on unity, and so, as we stand united in two different kingdoms, we will also stand united with all our people. We would like to invite you to join us as we go into the lower town for the rest of the night.”

There were a few murmurs amongst the crowd, but most people nodded and smiled in agreement, understanding your point on unity. You gestured for the musicians to come first, allowing them to be set up amongst the others playing in the lower towns before the rest of you began to move. You and Chenle were amongst the last people to leave, with only Jisung behind you.

He was grinning at the two of you like the Cheshire cat, shaking his head slightly as he chuckled.

“What is it?” Chenle asked his friend, rolling his eyes jokingly.

“Only the two of you would do something like this. In your first few hours as King and Queen, you break up an age-old tradition because of the separation and divide it causes. Only you would realise that and take the step to do something about it.” Jisung shrugged, brushing off his own words as if they were meaningless, but you knew he knew how much they meant to Chenle and yourself. If your marriage was supposed to bring unity, you had to make sure that you were making sure that it did. “Come on then, let’s go dance!”

He stepped in between the two of you, throwing his arms over each of your shoulders as the three of you burst out into laughter and headed into the lower town together, ready to dance the night away.

---

Both you and Chenle relied heavily on advisors during your first months of ruling. You mother stepped down and completely away from royal duties and, even though you felt as though you needed her guidance at times, you couldn’t ask her for help. She barely remembered who you were anymore, much less how to rule a kingdom. You visited her everyday, as did Chenle, and each time hurt more than the last. Watching the clouds pass over your mother’s mind as she struggles to place the face of the child who she cared for and loved all her life, was an indescribable pain.

She always remembered you eventually, something that you counted yourself very lucky for. You remember sitting by her bed, holding her hand as you spoke to her late one evening, telling her about a successful conclusion that you had come to during a council meeting that day.

“You’re doing so well my dear.” She spoke, her voice gravelly as if her throat was constantly dry.

“I’m trying.” You replied, forcing a smile on your face so that she wouldn’t see how tired you were. “I’ll make you proud.”

Your mother tightened her grip on your hand, encouraging you to look her in the eyes as she spoke again. 

“You already have.”

She passed away that night.

You were almost relieved that her suffering was over, but her loss hit both you and Chenle very hard. She had become a second mother to him, and you knew how much he loved her. The night you both lost her, you stayed together, hugging each other and crying, just allowing yourselves to be vulnerable before you had to put on another strong appearance for your people when you appeared for the funeral.

Her funeral was identical to your fathers. She was laid, in her best clothes, softly in a long boat, decorated with flowers and pushed down along the river. You held Chenle’s shaking hand in your own as you both whispered your goodbyes into the lanterns and let them fly off into the sky. Allowing your mother to finally be reunited with the man she loved.

You walked back into your shared room, breathing out a heavy sigh as the doors closed behind you and you could finally drop the act you’d been holding all day. Sitting in those meetings, talking with different noblemen of the court about petty details, you had never felt more alone.

You were struggling to come to terms with the fact that you held the entire responsibility of this kingdom on your shoulders, and you didn’t have your parents to show you how to do it anymore. You rested your back against your door, and allowed your knees to give out and for you to sink to the floor.

Once you softly hit the ground you just sat there. You didn’t cry, you didn’t speak, you didn’t move. You just sat there, listening to the sounds of the kingdom around you. You shut your eyes, allowing yourself to get lost in your mind as time passed you by.

A knock on your door forced you to open your eyes and pull yourself back into reality. You stood up and quickly opened your door, finding one of your main advisors there with the paperwork for tomorrow’s sessions. You thanked him, accepting the documents and closed the door once more.

You stepped further into your room, placing the papers down on the desk you had before turning around, planning to lie down on your bed, but your gaze was caught by a figure standing on your balcony.

He had his back to you and was leaning over, but you knew without needing to see his face that it was Chenle. From the way that he was hunched over the balcony to the way he rolled his scarred shoulder every so often to keep the injured muscle moving, you knew he was deep in thought. You debated whether you should go out to see him, wondering if it was best to just leave him thinking, and eventually you turned away, deciding to leave him to his thoughts.

You pulled off your shoes, removed your jewellery and combed through your hair with your fingers. You looked at the small pile of jewellery on your dresser,  before reaching down slowly and picking up the silver ring that bared the royal seal of Ivairis. Your bottom lip began to tremble as your mind was flooded with memories of your parents and your childhood. From your mother gently tying up your hair in the mornings, to your father bringing you along to meetings and you hiding behind his legs.

You dropped the ring, your head falling into your hands as you finally let the tears fall. Your breath shortened as you quietly sobbed into your hands, hiccuping as you tried to catch your breath. You needed to see Chenle. You stood up, whirling around to run out to the balcony, but instead you were greeted with him standing in front of you. He had come back inside, and you had been so lost in your sadness that you hadn’t realised. 

The two of you stood there, staring at each other, both having red eyes and countless tear tracks down your faces. Chenle said nothing, and instead just opened his arms and you ran into them, the force of your bodies colliding making him take a step back to steady the two of you, but it didn’t matter.

You completely broke down, sobbing into his shoulder as Chenle tried to console you. He gently stroked your head with one hand, the other resting comfortably on your waist as he whispered soft words of comfort into your ear. It didn’t seem to be helping as your crying wasn’t stopping at all.

Chenle’s voice broke more as he tried to talk and all it took was you tightening your grip on him for him to give up on trying to hold it together. He buried his face into your shoulder and let the grief overcome him, crying for the people who took him in and gave him a home.

You both held onto each other for dear life, as if the other would slip through your fingers if you let go for a second. It took a while for you to calm down, feeling as though you only stopped crying because you ran out of tears. You brought your hand up to the back of Chenle’s head, running your fingers through his hair and placing a feather light kiss to his temple.

Even after the two of you calmed down, the sadness was still there, drowning your every thought.

“I’m not ready to be Queen.” You admitted, your voice so quiet, as if you were scared for the words to come out. “I thought I’d have more time, I thought I’d be able to get used to the idea of doing it by myself but I’m not. I’m not ready for any of this, I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I’m not ready either.” Chenle croaked back, his voice sore from the amount of crying he had done already that night. “My parents may still be alive, but they aren’t here, they aren’t close and I can’t contact them easily enough to ask for help when I need it. I just feel... isolated.” Chenle voice broke once again as he pushed his head further into your shoulder.

“Me too. I’ve never felt this alone.” You whispered, not trusting your voice to speak any louder.

This time Chenle didn’t reply, instead just silently nodding as he held you close. You both understood that you didn’t need advice, or a solution. At least, not yet, right now, all you needed, was to tell the other how you felt. Finally saying the words, admitting the overwhelming emotions that had been weighing you down for the past few months, had already made you feel lighter. 

He pulled his head out from your shoulder to rest his forehead on yours. You breathed out, leaning into him as he kept his comforting grip on you. Your eyes were closed, as your mind focused on the one fact that Chenle was standing right there with you, and he understood how you felt.

“I’m sorry.” His quiet whisper making you open your eyes in confusion.

“What for?” You asked and Chenle sighed, as if he was preparing to get something off his chest.

“For not telling you. We made a deal on our wedding day to always be honest with each other about how we were feeling, and I didn’t tell you, and now we’re both here breaking down...”

“Chenle... I’m sorry too. You weren’t the only one keeping things to yourself.” You swallowed, before finally pulling your forehead off his and losing at him straight on. “We aren’t used to this. And I don’t just mean being King and Queen, I mean all of it. We aren’t used to being married, we aren’t used to be sole rulers, we aren’t used to being alone. We had just got married when we then got crowned what felt like five minutes after.”

“We need to figure out who we are as a King and Queen, and who we are as husband and wife. And they don’t necessarily need to be the same people.” You nodded at Chenle’s words before adding onto them with your own.

“There’s so much pressure on this, and I think a lot of that is coming from us. We need to take a step back from being this groundbreaking alliance, and just be us. Chenle and y/n, just two people in love, not the King and Queen of Ivairis whose wedding united lands for generations to come. We don’t need to be our titles, we just need to be-”

“Us.” Chenle finished and you nodded. “And we need to mean it this time. We can’t just say that we’re going to be honest and open with each other and then keep things to ourselves. We’re a team. It’s you and me y/n, and nothing is going to change that.��

You leaned up, closing the small distance between the two of you and pressing your lips to his. He kissed you back, sighing into it slightly before you both pulled away. The kiss was short, but it was enough. It was a promise.

You weren’t just these young kids in love anymore, trying to figure out the best way to spend time with their crush. You were grown adults, married, ruling a kingdom, but no matter how far you went, or how much you grew, you knew that Chenle would always be by your side. You knew that now better than ever.

And for the first time in a long while, neither of you felt alone.

---

You and Chenle kept to your promise, coming to talk to each other, to trust the other to be vulnerable with the smallest of details. Whether it was a certain knight in training being a bit arrogant, or a trade deal you were unsure was worth you signing off on, you shared it with each other. Your close bond as husband and wife translated into your royal duties and you found yourselves settling into a good rhythm as King and Queen. 

But nothing good lasts forever.

You and Chenle stayed late after a particularly gruelling council session. The repairs to the outlying villages were almost complete, and the bandit attacks had decreased to them being almost non-existent. A few more supplies were being organised to be sent down, and Chenle was still keen on the idea of training some of the people in the outlying villagers so that, if a bandit attack does happen, they can defend themselves. However, a couple of council members were arguing that it would be a waste of resources to train them, which resulted in a lengthy discussion that lasted for much longer than planned.

With both you and Chenle in agreement however, there was not much that the council men could do against it once the decision had been made. They would send some knights down to the outlying villages to train the few they could, and then that knowledge would be passed down from generation to generation, with knights arriving every once in a while to help out and make sure the correct technique was being practiced.

You quickly instructed a messenger to deliver this note the following morning, thinking that nobody needs to be disturbed this late. The two of you were looking over the plans, deciding on the knights who would go when the doors to the great hall burst open and a scout of yours came running in.

“Mark, what’s wrong?” Chenle asked worriedly, noticing the look of panic on the older boy’s face.

“Fayre’s kingdom, your majesty. They heard of the Queen’s mother passing and that the two of you ascended to the throne and they think you’ll be weak. They’re planning to attack Ivairis with the full force of their army.” Mark relayed the bad news, breathing heavily as he tried to recover from his rush to the palace.

“Oh god.” You breathed, your hand coming to your face in shock. This was not good. Fayre was one of the strongest and bloodthirsty kings around, and if he wanted Ivairis, chances were he wouldn’t stop until he had it.

You and Chenle shared one look and knew that you had to act fast. Chenle called for the guards to bring in his closest knights, two scouts and a messenger, while you whirled on Mark to ask him more questions.

“When did their army leave?” 

“Three days ago, I rushed to get back here to warn you before them.”

“Thank you Mark, you may have saved us by doing that. If they left three days ago, they still have at least two before they reach us here, meaning we could send our army out to meet them somewhere we choose.” You thought out loud, Mark rapidly nodding his head next to you.

Chenle reappeared out of nowhere, you not even having noticed he’d left in your state of panic. His arms held a bunch of rolled up papers that depicted the maps of the surrounding lands.

“I’m way ahead of you.” He said, placing them all on the round table in front of you as you rolled them out and moved them into position.

You were lining up details to get a larger picture when the people Chenle had summoned began to arrive. Jisung came first, the head of the royal guard was always ready to be called for his job, with both Jeno and Taeyong close behind. The two scouts, Yangyang and Shotaro came next, with Jaemin close behind and Jaehyun and the other messenger Xiaojun arrived last.

You didn’t both to tell them to take a seat or to greet them, the stakes were simply too high. Instead you just told them the news straight away, not wasting time by sugarcoating it or easing into it at all.

“Fayre is planning to attack Ivairis.”

You heard a chorus of worried inhales of breath, signalling the panic that the rest of the group were feeling. You nodded at Mark, allowing him to explain the rest of the details.

“They left their kingdom three days ago and were travelling south, aiming to take this route here to avoid getting spotted by the Ivairis patrol. As far as I’m aware, this plan wasn’t changed, meaning that, as long as nothing disrupts their route, they should reach Ivairis by sunset in two days time and will likely attack the following morning.”

“Our best shot is heading out to meet them somewhere, like we did with Odin’s kingdom.” Jisung spoke first, the rest nodding in agreement. “I would place my bets on somewhere like here.” He reached forwards and circled a certain spot on the map. “It’s not sheltered, so there’s no chance for a surprise attack. While that limits our chances of coming up with one ourselves, Fayre destroys his enemies by drawing them in and then having a second plan up his sleeve.”

“Jisung’s right.” Taeyong said, all eyes flicking towards him as he spoke. “We can’t try to outsmart him by using his own tactics against him, that’s how people get killed. We need to force him into a situation where he has to fight us on our terms, that’s our best shot.”

“Xiaojun-” Chenle called out, the boy’s head shooting up at his king’s voice. “I need you to send word to Shanghai, tell them of the severity of the situation and that we need reinforcements as soon as possible.” Xiaojun nodded, quickly making a note of the battle location before disappearing.

You turned to the other two scouts.

“Yangyang, Shotaro, you need to scout the army. Get us a rough idea of numbers and see if there’s any weak spots. There won’t be enough time for you to report back to us here so you’ll need to tell the army when they arrive at the battle location, understand?” Both of the boys nodded at your words, before heading back out of the door to go do as you asked.

“What about me?” Mark asked, but you shook your head.

“You’ve done enough Mark.” You said, not allowing him to put himself in danger again.

“But they trust me, I could find out more insider information, I-”

“No, Mark.” Chenle cut him off. “Y/n’s right, you’ve done more than enough. Without you we would never stand a chance, that’s for sure. Plus as soon as we meet them they will know that we had a man on the inside, and it won’t take long for them to figure out it’s you. We can’t put you in that danger.”

Mark nodded, understanding your decision before you both thanked him again and allowed him to go for the night.

“What about us?” Jaehyun asked and Chenle turned to look at the remaining knights, his face grave.

“Be ready to prepare the troops in the morning. We’re going to war.”

---

One night. That was all it took for your world to be thrown upside down. In one night you had gone from council meetings and rebuilding the outlying villages to sending the man you loved off to war. You were standing in your joint room, watching as he finished getting dressed just as the first rays of light were appearing through the window. You walked towards him, silently taking the necklace out of his hands and fastening it yourself.

He turned around to face you but you didn’t take your gaze off the jewellery he was wearing. He wore it everyday, a simple necklace with two seals on it. One being the royal seal of Shanghai and the other being the royal seal of Ivairis. The symbol of his two nations. Chenle noticed you avoiding his gaze and brought his hands to your face, gently cupping your jaw and guiding you to look at him.

He leant in, placing a kiss on your forehead and your hand gripped at the fabric around his waist.

“If things aren’t going well-”

“Stop.” You said, not wanting to hear about what would happen if they lost this war. If they lost, Chenle would be dead, and you didn’t want to think about the possibility of that happening.

“Listen.” Chenle commanded softly. “If things aren’t going well, I’ll send a Shanghai messenger back here. You need to get as many of our people as you can, and take them with you to Shanghai. I made sure Xiaojun mentioned in the message the possibility of that happening and I know they would look after you. They reassured us we always have a home there, and I know that would apply to you if I don’t come back from this.” Your hands tightened their grip around his shirt at his words. “If anything happens to me... I need to know that you’ll be safe.”

You nodded silently and Chenle breathed a sigh of relief at your agreement, moving his hands from your face to around your shoulders to hug you close as you did the same around his waist. You buried your face in his chest, breathing in as much of him as you could before you had to let him go.

You walked with him through the castle, your hand held tightly in his as you both approached the main doors. You knew that beyond those doors stood your entire army, waiting for their king to lead them into battle. You suddenly stopped moving, causing Chenle to turn back in confusion.

You stared at him for a second, trying to find the right words to say before just throwing your arms around his neck and hugging him as tightly as you could. Chenle caught you, wrapping his own arms around your waist and squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to make this fleeting moment last forever.

“Come back to me.” You whispered.

“I promise.”

---

It had been a month.

An entire month and the only sign you’d had that they were still alive were the two letters from the Shanghai reinforcements sending word to you that they had arrived at the battlefield to help. The knowledge that they had extra men fighting with them was reassuring, but not hearing a single word from Chenle, not knowing if he was even alive, for a whole month was tearing you apart.

The entire kingdom had been in a state of fear. The outlying villages had been told to be prepared to move into the citadel in case the battle was lost so that they could barricade themselves in and be protected. Every citizen had their nerves on fire for the past month as they all waited for any kind of news.

You had been in the weekly review of the tax collection when the sound of horses hooves caught your attention. The entire table froze, knowing that, one way or another, the battle was over. The doors to the great hall burst open and Mark appeared, nodding at you, a relieved expression on his face.

“It’s them.”

You dropped the paper in your hand, standing up and running out of the hall. You ran down the corridors, Mark by your side and you didn’t stop for anything. Various other members of the court and servants in the castle joined you as they all were eager to welcome the knights home, but all you cared about was finding Chenle.

You burst out of the front doors just in time to see the last of the knights trickle back in. Your jaw dropped, nothing could have prepared you for the sight in front of you.

Out of all the knights who went to battle, only around a fifth of them made it back. Your eyes did a desperate scan of the faces of the live men. You saw Taeyong, who had his left arm in a makeshift sling, Jaehyun and Jaemin were carrying an unresponsive Jeno between them, the large red stain on Jeno’s shirt giving away that he was seriously injured, and Jisung was standing further down the steps in front of you.

You couldn’t see Chenle anywhere.

Jisung took a few steps towards you, limping heavily, and you rushed down to him, throwing your arms around him in a hug.

He caught you with a grunt and you tried to apologise but the words got stuck in your throat. You were shaking slightly in his hold but Jisung still hugged you tightly, relieved to be back home.

“We won.” He whispered, and you nodded slowly at his words before pulling back.

“At what cost?” You asked, too scared to directly voice the question that was plaguing your mind.

Did Chenle survive?

“He’s alive. The last I saw him, he was alive.” Jisung answered your unasked question, a small ounce of relief flooding your system, but it didn’t nothing to calm the furious fear at the fact that nobody knew where he was.

You took a couple of steps back to find all the knights looking at you for your words. You found that you didn’t even know what to say to them, how could you comfort someone who has been through the ordeal they have?

You cleared your throat before addressing the men in front of you.

“Our brave knights. There are no words to describe how thankful we are to you for everything you have done for us. You bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Today, we will have our traditional victory procession, and I would like to add a moment at the end, for anyone to address anything they would wish to. And to speak to or about anyone they may have lost. Please go to the court physician and your people in Ivairis are eternally indebted to you.” Your voice broke slightly at the end and the knights all nodded at you in appreciation.

They each headed inside one by one, only Jisung, Jaehyun, Jaemin and Jeno remained. A few members of the medical team rushed out, taking Jeno’s limp body from Jaehyun and Jaemin and carrying him inside, shouting out various treatments. Jaehyun squeezed your shoulder as he went inside, the exhaustion clear on his face. Jaemin stepped up but paused for a minute and turned to face you.

“Thank you, for adding that opportunity at the end. We lost a lot of men out there and I know people will want to address it.”

With that he headed inside, leaving just you and Jisung standing there looking at each other. Jisung opened his mouth to speak but you got there first.

“Go to the court physician Jisung. Please get yourself checked out and your wounds treated first.”

He closed his mouth, nodding at you before moving past you and entering the castle. You turned you gaze on the now empty courtyard, the men having cleared out and the horses having been retrieved. You took a few shaky breaths, waiting a few extra seconds, staring wistfully at the gate, praying that by some miracle Chenle would come riding through. But he didn’t. So you shut your eyes, took a deep breath, and turned back into the castle, the doors closing behind you.

---

The victory procession was bittersweet. The knights were acknowledged for their hard work and struggles, and nobody tried to deny that this had been a heart wrenching battle. The celebrations were half hearted however, the entire kingdom feeling the loss of so many knights and the king that they were all missing. The toasts at the end brought tears to your eyes as the knight took it in turns to remember their fallen friends.

And through it all, anyone could tell that the entire kingdom was terrified that their king wouldn’t come back. The king who every citizen had grown to love and admire. The king who set an example for all future kings, who acted as a king should, the king who you were lucky enough to call your husband, your love.

You removed your final piece of jewellery, staring at yourself in the mirror as you tried to figure out the whirlpool of emotions in your head. The knock at your bedroom door made your head snap towards it as you called out for whoever it was to enter. Jisung’s head poked around the door, and you couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed.

You had known Jisung almost your entire life, and you had never seen him look this broken. He took a couple of steps into your room before looking questioningly at your bed, asking silently for permission. You gestured for him to sit, moving over to join him yourself.

“I think I should tell you what I know.”

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak quite yet.

“It was the final day. We knew it was coming to an end, we could all feel it. It’s hard to describe but there’s a difference in the air. On the final night, the king names someone he wants to be in charge of the army in case...” Jisung swallowed as he continued trying to get the words out. “In case he’s killed. Chenle chose me. The next morning, just before we went out, Chenle told me to do whatever I could to get this back to you.”

It was only then that you noticed Jisung had been holding something ever since he stepped foot into your room. He lifted up the object and you recognised it immediately. He placed it gently in your hands, watching as you turned it over in your fingers.

It was Chenle’s necklace.

“I didn’t see him after that.” Jisung’s voice brought you to tear your eyes away from the necklace in your lap and look back up at him. “I lost sight of him in battle. I know it sounds like he didn’t make it but- we scoured every inch of the battlefield after we won, there was no sign of Chenle among the bodies, nor was he taken captive by Fayre either because we searched their base. Aspen was missing too. Chenle is out there, alive and trying to make his way back here to you. And he will, he has to.”

You let your eyes flicker back down to Chenle’s necklace for a second before looking back up at Jisung.

“Thank you.” You whispered. “It’s been a long day, you should get some sleep.”

Jisung nodded, standing quickly and heading back out the same door he entered through. You didn’t from move your position, instead sitting in the same spot for the next few hours, turning the seals over and over in your fingers, wondering if Chenle would ever find his way back.

---

You were sat in the throne room, having just finished a meeting with the keeper of the archives to document the battle. Labelling Chenle as missing was something you had hoped you would never have to do, but there you were, drawing your signature on that very slip of paper. You really understood your mother’s words now when she said that she only felt as though she could rule when she had the person she loved by her side.

Because you didn’t just feel alone without Chenle, you felt completely and utterly lost.

A guard appears, telling you that there is a messenger for you, and you gesture for them to be let in. Yangyang strolls through the door, and you can’t help the small smile that appears on your face at sight of his much larger, contagious one.

“I have good news!” He announced, making you raise your eyebrows. “News of the victory travelled fast around kingdoms both close by and far away, and any thoughts off attacking Ivairis have been wiped off the map. Between the strength of our army and the alliance with Shanghai, the kingdom is almost invincible.”

You let out a breath of disbelief, smiling lightly at the boy in front of you as the news settled. Ivairis was safe. You asked Yangyang to spread the news around the kingdom, allow everyone to revel in the announcement and he gladly agreed before running out of the room so fast he left the door open.

You chuckled slightly at the sight of him, but the smile on your face faded quickly as the thought of Chenle travelled through your head. Another two weeks had passed but he was still missing. Nobody had heard a word from or about him since the final day in battle, and the fear that you were never going to see him again had become your natural state of mind.

You looked out of the window on your left, staring down at the rose buses and stone bench that sat there. You felt all the memories rush through your head of the times you and Chenle had sat on that very bench. You still remembered walking past it in the first few days of Chenle arriving, when you had given him a tour around the grounds. Though he would deny it within an inch of his life, Chenle had a soft spot for flowers and loved nothing more than spending a day surrounded with flowers of all different kinds.

You sighed out once more, closing your eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

“You promised you’d come back to me...” You spoke to the empty room, your voice wavering heavily.

You rested your head on the glass, lost in your own mind when a voice cut through. Your eyes shot open and you whirled around to be greeted with the person you thought you would never see again, the person you loved more than anything else in this world, more than life itself.

“Have I ever broken my promises?”

Chenle.

The world stopped when you saw him. You didn’t blink, didn’t move, didn’t even breathe, terrified that if you did, the image of him would disappear and you would be left with the reality that didn’t have him in it.

He took a step forward, standing in front of you and reaching up to tuck a stay piece of hair behind your ear. You lifted a shaky hand to his face, pressing your palm against his cheek and taking in the fact that he was stood in front of you.

“Chenle...” You whispered, trying to convince yourself that this was real life.

He nodded at your words, tears filling his eyes at the sight of you after so long. When it sunk in it hit you like a ton of bricks. You threw your arms around him and broke down, sobbing into his shoulder.

“Oh my god, Chenle. You made it back.” You cried, holding him tighter that you ever had before.

“Of course I did, I could never leave you like that.” He whispered, his quiet voice a stark contrast to your broken one.

His arms were securely around your waist, capturing you next to his being. You could feel that he was smaller, having lost weight when he was lost and trying to get back. He had dirt in his hair, and various bruises and other minor injuries that you could see, but he was here. He was here, in your arms, alive.

You pulled back, bringing one hand to rest on his cheek as you pressed your foreheads together.

“I love you so much.” You breathed, the tears still steadily falling down your cheeks.

“I love you more.” He replied, relaxing in the knowledge that he was home. He was standing in your arms, surrounded by his kingdom.

Chenle was home.

---

~ 10 years later ~

“So we are in agreement?” You asked the court, looking around the round table and seeing all the other heads of the men and women present nodding at your words. “Well in that case, we can call it a day here. Thank you for your input.”

You stood, smiling at the people in front of you as they all left the room.

“Ten years and council meetings are still as dull as the first one.” You muttered to yourself.

“I hear that.” A voice replied, making your eyes shoot up. You found yourself looking at your husband, who was leaning against the door with a cheeky grin on his face. “But if we want to set a good example, we should probably pretend they are.”

You shook your head, chuckling to yourself at his words. The sound of light footsteps running down the hall caused you and Chenle to send each other a knowing look.

The doors to the great hall opened once more and in ran two little children.

“Daddy, look I won!” You son yelled happily, grabbing Chenle’s hand and pointing towards the doorway where a panting Jisung stood, leaning on the door frame for support.

“Really Jisung? Two children under the age of 6 can outrun you?” Chenle asked, his eyebrows raised judgmentally.

“Look.” Jisung spat, pointing a finger accusingly at the two of you. “If the two of you hadn’t had twins with Chenle’s bluntness and y/n determination, I would be fine. But these two are like the mixture of you two, it’s terrifying.”

“Well, Jisung I hate to break it to you, but that is how children work. They tend to be a mixture of their parents.” You replied dryly, reaching down to hug your daughter as she held on to your leg, catching her breath.

“You know... we made a deal that we would have three.” Chenle reminded you, wiggling his eyebrows at you as you burst out into laughter at Jisung’s disgusted expression.

“Okay, that’s my cue to leave. Just remember, there are young children here.”

Jisung gestured to the twins that were standing close to you, before saying a quick goodbye, which your twins shouted back even louder, as he headed off to the next training session.

“Is everything sorted?” Chenle asked you, trying to stop your son from attempting to sit on the documents on the table.

“Yes, everything was agreed upon today. Starting from tomorrow, we are in an official peace treaty with all the surrounding lands. There are plans to share combat tactics, and resources if any kingdom needs it. We’re about to enter a new era.” You told him, the smile on your face growing at your words.

“That’s amazing, I’m so proud of you.” He breathed, his voice lowering for the last part as he grabbed your hand.

You intertwined your fingers with his. “I’m proud of us. We did this together.”

Chenle smiled at you, the signature smile of his that always took you back to the shy boy who you toured around the rose garden. You reach out with your other hand, your daughter grabbing it as Chenle took a hold of your son and together you walked out to stand on the battlements. Neither of your children were tall enough to see over the stone walls, so you both picked them up, allowing them to sit and see the view.

“One day, you’ll be the ones to rule this kingdom.” Chenle told them, watching as their eyes lit up in amazement. “And you’ll do it with a very special someone by your side.”

You smiled out at the view, the roofs of houses, the market stalls, the training grounds... you could see your entire kingdom from up here. Your entire home.

“Tell us the story again of how you and Mummy met?” Your daughter asked, looking up at her father with wide eyes.

Chenle began the tale, pointing out to the view as he did. He had got in the habit of telling them this story to put them to sleep, and since then they had asked for it constantly, the way he changed certain words to make it sound like a fairytale had made it their favourite.

He told the story of a magical land that became his home and the evil kings and dragons that he and Uncle Jisung had fought to protect it, all while his fairy queen, which was you, stood bravely behind the walls sheltering and looking after the people.

You listened to his calming voice tell the legendary tale and couldn’t stop the smile that spread across your face as you watched your family. You thought about how your life had turned out, all the ups and downs and challenges that you had faced, but you never faced them alone. Chenle was right there with you, ready to tackle any problem that the two of you may encounter. You turned your gaze out to your kingdom, the wealthy and prosperous civilisation that the two of you had grown together, yet it only meant everything it did because of the man you shared it with.

You remembered your conversation with Chenle before he proposed, the two of you talking about the life you could possibly have if you weren’t royals. You discussed all the things you would change, and how it would be different. But, standing here now, looking over your kingdom, with your family by your side, you knew one thing for certain.

You wouldn’t change a thing.

#nct-writers #dreamwritersnet #neoculturecafe #nct renjun #nct series #nct dream #nct dream series #chenle #zhong chenle angst #chenle imagines #zhong chenle imagines #chenle fluff #zhong chenle fluff #nct dream fluff #nct fluff #nct imagines #nct dream imagines #nct x reader #nct dream x reader #chenle x reader #zhong chenle x reader #chenle series #zhong chenle series

[contemplativepancakes]

number one wiener eater

written for the @lambertbigbang, with art by the amazing @geralt-of-riviass here! Make sure to check it out :D (also a ginormous thanks to @hoomhum for betaing and helping me work out the extremely complicated logistics of bathroom stall sex). Read on ao3 here!

When Lambert loses the hot dog eating contest that he’s won for the past three years in a row, there’s nothing he would love more than to find who beat him and punch them in the face. Unfortunately, he was too busy throwing up to know who the winner was.

All he knows is that he’s kind of maybe in love with the guy who held his hair while he puked. (8k, explicit, lambden, cw: vomiting, semi public sex)

Lambert’s gonna puke. He keeps stuffing the buns in his mouth, but they’re like glue, and his jaw refuses to work. He swallows, but nothing goes down. He takes a desperate gulp of water and sputters on it. Jerking his head up to glance at the countdown clock, he silently curses as he sees he has seconds left. He shoves what he can into his already full mouth, raising his hands up as the judge shouts for them to stop.

He takes a second to glance down the long line of other competitive eaters, but a wave of nausea hits him, and he looks at the ground, determined on keeping everything down. He keeps chewing and working to swallow as the judge takes away the plate to weigh it. Another comes down the aisle casting a critical eye at their tables, making sure that not too much food went onto the ground or table instead of their mouths.

It’s blazing outside today, and sweat coats Lambert’s face. Acid burns up his throat, but he chokes it back. He’s not a lightweight.

Lambert’s won this contest the past three years in a row, and he’s pretty sure he has this one in the bag. It’s no Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest, and he’s no Joey Chestnut, but he’s at least good, and the prize money is decent enough. He’s had his eye on an inflatable jacuzzi—for the women, Geralt. And the men—and he’s excited to make his maybe ill-advised purchase.

He waits for them to announce the winner, bouncing his foot on the ground to give himself something to focus on besides the rising wave of whatever’s churning in his gut.

When the judges stand up on their small podium, a hush falls over the small crowd gathered. Lambert directs his attention to them, but a bright burst of nausea hits him and sends sweat dripping down his back, and he doesn’t manage to hear anything after that.

He pukes.

“Oh jeez, are you okay?” a voice comes from somewhere on his left.

“Fine,” Lambert grunts, wiping his mouth and grimacing at the burning taste left in his mouth. Definitely more pleasant as the hot dogs were going down than up.

“Are you sure? You seem shaky.”

“I’m fine,” Lambert grumbles, and finally looks up at the guy, who puts his hands up in surrender.

“Just checking.”

He starts to heave again, and he reaches for the pail thoughtfully provided for them by the contest sponsors.

“Yep, you sure seem fine!” the other man chirps.

Lambert retches one more time, and the man hands him a napkin. Lambert takes it suspiciously, wondering if this is a reporter or something. He’s not sure why someone would want to deal with this.

The man hands him a bottle of water next, and Lambert purses his lips as he twists the top off. He squints at him. “Who are you?” he finally asks.

“Oh, sorry. I’m Aiden.”

All that does is give Lambert a name, not answer his question, but he doesn’t comment further, just offers his own name in a grunt.

“Oh, I know who you are.”

“You a fan?”

“You could say that,” Aiden says with a grin, and Lambert rolls his eyes.

“They didn’t tell me competitive eating gets you groupies.”

Aiden gives him a full throated laugh at that, and Lambert curses himself when he catches himself thinking that it sounds kind of nice. Those are exactly the kind of thoughts he doesn’t want to be having. Especially not for some weirdo that stopped to what, hold his hair while he puked? Who does that? If he’s not careful, he’s going to end up in an ice bath one kidney short.

Lambert wipes his mouth with the back of his hand again, surreptitiously checking his breath. It’s not peaches and cream, that’s for sure.

Lambert sets the pail down and faces Aiden, trying to flat out dislike him at how white his teeth are, how perfectly coiffed his dark curly hair is even in this heat, but he fails as Aiden continues to be nothing but nice to him, making small talk as Lambert tries to pull himself together.

After Lambert’s fully sat up instead of half way hunched over, expecting another vomiting wave to hit him, Aiden straightens up, too. “Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around, then, huh?”

Lambert’s confused for a second, because he’s never seen Aiden before, but he decides he’s going to take this as a good sign. Or maybe a bad sign for the fate of his kidneys, whatever the case may be.

“I would hope so,” Lambert settles on, deciding that sounds like a good mix of hopeful and not at all like he’s desperate for a little human contact.

Aiden gives him a little half wave that has no right to be as adorable as it is when a grown man does it, and Lambert frowns and tamps down the feelings rising in his gut. No, he’s not going to call them butterflies. He’s not a twelve year old; he doesn’t get crushes, and he certainly doesn’t get butterflies in his stomach.

Lambert eventually manages to get up and walks away from the contest, sadly bereft of the prize money. He missed the announcement of the winner while he was busy throwing up, but he caught the disappointed looks some of the spectators were casting him, so he knows it isn’t him. He doesn’t even want to know who it was. He’ll just dwell endlessly. His stomach is still roiling as he clambers into his car, but at this point, he’s not sure why.

It’s what he ate, he’s sure.

-

Lambert slams his kitchen cupboard door shut. “I don’t want to talk about it, Geralt,” he mutters.

Geralt always wants to hash every detail of his competitions, and while normally Lambert is happy to indulge him, he just doesn’t want to talk about this one, okay?

It has everything to do with him losing and absolutely nothing to do with Aiden. Nothing at all.

“Okay, fine,” Geralt says, raising his hands and backing up. “No need to get so grouchy about it.”

Lambert scowls. “I’m not grouchy.”

“Right. Prove it.”

“Fine.” Lambert crosses his arms.

Geralt grins. “Return my library book for me? It’s due today, and there’s no way I’m making it over to that side of town today, I’m slammed.”

“Yeah? You’re so slammed you had time to come here and harass me?”

Geralt reaches forward to ruffle Lambert’s hair, and Lambert knocks his hand away. ��Not harassment. Just brotherly concern. Have you seen the wikipedia page for competitive eating? And you expect me not to worry?” Geralt scoffs.

Lambert rolls his eyes. “Stop being so over protective, mom.”

“Deal. If you return my book.”

Lambert rolls his eyes, but he takes the book. He looks down at the title, then back up at Geralt, raising his eyebrows. “Really? Twilight?”

“I didn’t even think you knew how to read, Lamb,” Geralt deflects.

Lambert huffs. “I don’t know if I want to embarrass myself by returning this, but whatever. If anyone asks, it’s my sister’s book. You owe me.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m the one in the lead on favors.”

“I doubt it.”

Lambert makes a show of taking the book between his pinched thumb and forefinger, Geralt rolling his eyes all the while. “I know, I know. You hear vampire, and you can’t help yourself,” Lambert says.

Geralt shrugs before clapping his hands on his thighs. “All right, I better get going. I have to pick Ciri up from school.”

“And you couldn’t have gone after to the library with her?”

“She has martial arts.”

Lambert sighs. He can help Geralt out this once, he supposes.

Geralt leaves and Lambert eyes the book setting on his coffee table. He guesses he might as well go now, and he can poke around and see if there’s anything that catches his eye. He hasn’t been to the library in nearly a year, but it might be a nice change of pace.

Lambert clambers to his feet, stopping to grab his wallet and keys before walking out to his car.

He hits every red light between his apartment and the library, and his good mood has nearly evaporated by the time he gets there. That changes when he walks in the door and sees who’s sitting at the front desk. “Aiden?” he doesn’t squeak.

Aiden looks up from where he’s typing furiously at a computer, and his face breaks out into a wide grin that makes Lambert’s stomach flip. “Lambert!”

Lambert looks down at the book he’s carrying and immediately hides it behind his back. Aiden quirks an eyebrow at him. “Got a return?”

“Yes, well, I mean, no—”

Aiden stretches out a hand, and Lambert resigns himself to his fate. He gives Aiden the book. Aiden barely glances at the cover, just gives Lambert a small smile and scans the barcode.

“I’m returning that for my brother,” Lambert can’t stop himself from saying.

Aiden glances back up at him. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Aiden nods once. “Likely story.”

Lambert splutters and then stops when he sees the shit eating grin Aiden’s giving him.

“Hey, all reading is good reading,” Aiden says. “I’m not going to rag on you.”

“It’s my brother’s,” Lambert mumbles again, but he shakes his head in defeat.

“Let me know if you need help finding anything.”

Lambert would normally rather die before asking for help, but he thinks it might be okay if it's Aiden he’s asking for it from. He wouldn’t have offered if he was busy or something, right?

The organ harvesting alarms start going off in Lambert’s brain again, but he dismisses them. Someone so nice surely isn’t going to cut anything out of him. And even if he does, Lambert would bet Aiden would give the good drugs, so he wouldn’t even feel it. He seems nice like that.

Yeah, that’d be okay.

Lambert moves farther into the library, going between the stacks where no one can see him. He’s not sure what books he should get to try and recover the remaining shreds of his dignity.

He whips out his phone and searches long classic books. He scrolls down the page a little frantically until he lands on War and Peace. He’s heard of that before. He’s pretty sure it’s a well regarded book. What if Aiden thinks he’s a pretentious dick? Okay, maybe he is, a little, but he doesn’t want to give him that impression right off the bat. Lambert’s already ruined his first, and second impression, he doesn’t want to mess up the third.

Lambert makes his way down the aisles, squinting as he looks for the Ts. He pulls out the book with a flourish after he finally finds it, weighing its impressive heft in his hand. He cracks it open and finds it to be suitably dense. He makes his way back up to the circulation desk, where Aiden’s scanning in returns from their self service slot.

Why didn’t Lambert just use that? He could slap himself. Well, he guesses he wouldn’t have seen Aiden if he did that, so at risk of sounding like a creepy stalker, he’s glad he came in.

Lambert thunks the book down on the counter. Aiden looks at it, then up to Lambert, a grin spreading across his face. “Just a bit of light reading for you then?”

Heat rises to Lambert’s cheeks, not sure if he’s being mocked or not. He shrugs. “It’s been on my list.”

Aiden holds a hand out, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

“Uh…”

“I need your library card,” Aiden says patiently.

“Right. Um, let’s see here.”

Lambert hasn’t been to the library since the last time he came with Ciri to pick out movies they were going to watch while she stayed with him, and he pulls out his wallet. He holds it open to thumb through it, wondering why the fuck he feels the need to carry so many gift cards around that he’s never going to use. Foil crinkles as he goes through everything, and he resolutely does not make eye contact with Aiden.

It’s no use, though. “You’re not supposed to carry those around in your wallet, you know,” he says conversationally. “Wears holes in them.”

There’s a quip on Lambert’s tongue about using them often enough that he doesn’t have to worry about that, but he bites it back. He’s not a creep who would say that at someone’s job.

After another painful ten seconds, Lambert gives up on finding the card. He thinks he remembers them giving him a miniature one for it, too, so he looks on his key chain instead, filled as it is with at least twenty different discount cards and various baubles Ciri’s made for him.

“I can tell you’re a fine connoisseur of our goods,” Aiden comments.

“Shut up,” Lambert grouses, finally finding the little card and setting the whole thing down for Aiden.

Aiden scans it, keys and cards jingling against each other, and frowns. “It’s expired,” he says apologetically.

Lambert wishes the floor would open up and swallow him whole, especially as Aiden fingers the rooster on it that Eskel gave him after he came out. He should get around to cleaning off his keyring.

“I guess I know you really were returning that book for your brother?” Aiden offers.

Despite himself, Lambert smiles. “I guess you do.” Lambert swallows. “So what do I have to do to renew it? I think I might have to start coming here more often.”

Aiden gives him a tiny grin, and they get the card renewed, then the book checked out. “I’ll be expecting a report on how it was when you return it,” Aiden says of War and Peace, tucking the receipt into the book.

Lambert’s not sure if he had been entirely convinced he was actually going to read it, but he finds himself saying, “You bet.”

Aiden flashes him a smile that Lambert would best describe as feral, and as he walks out to his car, Lambert wonders what exactly he’s gotten himself into.

-

Later that night finds Geralt back on Lambert’s couch. “I thought you were so busy,” Lambert complains.

“Well, Ciri’s at her martial arts class now and your apartment was close. What do you have to eat?”

Lambert rolls his eyes and resists the urge to shove Geralt’s feet off his coffee table. “Nothing for you.”

Geralt gets up to survey the refrigerator.

“If you put a finger on my burrito, I’ll end you,” Lambert threatens.

Lambert can practically hear Geralt rolling his eyes as he heaves a heavy sigh. “Do not drink out of the jug either.”

Geralt groans again. “Like you don’t?”

“Well, I’m the one who buys it. All you do is come over and eat my food like you don’t have any of your own.”

Geralt comes back to the couch after some muttering and putting something in the microwave. Lambert resists the urge to strangle him. When Geralt comes back, it’s with chinese takeout that’s been in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. Lambert doesn’t say anything.

He watches with a raised eyebrow as Geralt slurps down the noodles, mildly impressed at his stomach of steel. He’s always thought Geralt would be a good competitive eater.

When Geralt finally puts the chop sticks down and comes back up for air, he brightens and reaches into his pocket. “Here, I saved this for you.”

Geralt hands a folded up newspaper clipping to him, and Lambert scowls upon seeing the picture of the hot dog eating contest sign. He crumples it up and tosses it at Geralt’s head.

Geralt’s hand automatically comes up and bats it away, making it fall to the floor. “Jeez, I try to do one nice thing…”

“Don’t act like being nice was your motivation.”

Geralt gives him a cheshire cat grin. “You’re too easy to rile up, you know that?”

“Yeah, thanks a lot for that, shit lips. By the way, you’re welcome for taking back your book. I nearly got laughed out of the library.”

Geralt smirks at him. Fortunately for Geralt, there’s nothing for Lambert to throw at him again within arms reach.

“I see you even got a book. That’s some heavy reading,” Geralt says, a look of mock seriousness pasted on his face.

“Shut up.”

“That’d take you at least three years to read.”

“Shut up,” Lambert says again, putting his hands over his ears.

“Almost seems like you got that just to impress someone; I’ve never known you to have an interest in the classics before.”

Lambert looks at the book sitting on the coffee table and considers just braining Geralt with it. Surely a jury would be understanding that sometimes you just have to hit your stupid as fuck brother upside the head with a three pound book.

Not guilty, for sure.

Lambert snaps out of his daydream to look pointedly at the clock. “Exactly how long is Ciri’s class?”

Geralt checks his watch. “Shit, I gotta go.”

Lambert grouses as Geralt puts on his jacket and leaves his bowl on the table for Lambert. “I’m not a maid!” he shouts after Geralt’s retreating back.

Geralt flips him off and then blows him a kiss, leaving Lambert to wonder if he’s just broken a record for the world’s longest eye roll.

Lambert looks back to the book. He guesses he has nothing better to do…

-

Lambert makes it through the book much more quickly than he anticipated; once he gets past the dry as fuck language, it’s actually kind of interesting.

He’s excited but also dreading going back to the library. This time he should probably be better prepared when he goes in, so he doesn’t have to frantically flick through his phone hidden in the middle of the stacks trying to find something to check out that’s not going to make him look like an idiot.

He searches for something interesting sounding, but maybe something that’s not going to make Aiden laugh at him this time. Well, maybe he can make him laugh in a good way instead of making fun of him, Lambert muses as he scrolls through book titles.

And so, the next time when he goes to the library, he surprises a laugh out of Aiden when he slams A Treatise of Cocks and Hens onto the counter to check out.

“You into animal husbandry now?” Aiden snickers.

“I’ve been considering some laying hens,” Lambert says in mock seriousness. “Why, you got any advice?”

“Ah. Eggs, nature’s perfect food,” he says sagely. “I am sure that is the only reason why you’ve chosen this particular book.”

“Yep.”

Aiden grins. “Huh. Very interesting. Well, I’ll be expecting a report back. By the way, how was War and Peace?”

“Surprisingly not terrible.”

Aiden drums his fingers on the counter, scrutinizing him. “Huh.”

“What do you mean, ‘huh?’”

“A man can’t say ‘huh’ without being ruthlessly interrogated now? What is this country coming to?”

Lambert shakes his head at the dramatics and finally remembers to hand over his library card. Aiden scans it, then his book, a small smile still playing at the corner of his mouth. The receipt prints, and Lambert holds out his hand for it, but Aiden takes it and scribbles something down before tucking it in the book.

“Just...personalized service for our valued members,” he says with a wink.

“I’m not paying for anything; I don’t think you need to try that hard.”

“Are you complaining?”

Lambert shakes his head hastily. “Definitely not.”

Aiden slides the book across the counter to him. “Come back soon,” he says with a cheeky wave.

Lambert barely resists the urge to stick his tongue out at him, and where did that come from, but he manages to make it out of the library without making a total ass of himself. When he gets out to his car, he slides behind the wheel and takes the receipt out of the bag.

On it is a number, one Lambert hopes like fuck is Aiden’s and not just some cruel joke, and the words, Text me what you learned from this book. I want to learn all about it (;

Lambert traces his fingers over the word cock on the cover.

He can’t believe that actually worked.

-

When he tells Geralt the news, Geralt howls with laughter.

Predictably, Geralt is eating his food again, and is being absolutely no help in assisting Lambert with choosing the clothes he should wear on his date. He had somehow worked up the nerve to text Aiden, and after a week of sending waffling texts back and forth, they’re going to a bar together. Shit, Lambert hasn’t been on a date in forever.

“Calm down,” Geralt says around a mouthful of pasta from Lambert’s bed, watching his eyes dart back and forth around his closet. “Wear a button down,” he advises. “That’s respectable.”

“Not like I’m trying too hard?”

Geralt hums. “Maybe.”

Lambert scowls at him. “Why are you even here if you’re not going to help?”

Geralt points a fork to his bowl. “Dude, you made bolognese. Where else am I going to be?”

“Don’t you have a kid or something you need to watch?” Lambert asks, but it’s without heat.

“She’s with Yen tonight. I wanted a front row seat to this shit show, and they’re going to an opera or something. I don’t ask questions.”

“Wow, thank you for your enthusiastic support.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you care this much before,” Geralt observes.

“Yeah, well, he’s nice. I’ve never dated someone who’s nice before.”

“I can only hope he rubs off on you.”

Lambert nods. “We can only hope.”

Geralt throws a pillow at him. “Don’t be a pervert.”

“Hey! You’re the one who said it, not me.”

Geralt sets the bowl down, balancing precariously on Lambert’s bed and claps his hands over his ears. “I do not want to think about you doing any of that. You’re going to be 12 to me forever.”

“Geralt, you are six years older than me.”

“And?”

Lambert shakes his head as he pulls out a polo before discarding it.

Why the hell does he even have that? He wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a fucking polo.

In the end, Lambert settles on nothing too out of the norm from his typical style. He doesn’t want Aiden to get the wrong idea, and he’s sure Aiden won’t hesitate in making fun of him if he tries too hard. He wets his comb and runs it through his hair, but it’s really too short to stick up in odd angles, which is exactly the way he likes it.

He shoos Geralt out of his apartment as he leaves. “I can’t leave you unsupervised to poke through my things,” he says, and Geralt doesn’t even argue with him about it, which is highly concerning because that means it’s true.

Lambert’s heart is jackrabbiting against his chest as he walks out to his car. He gives Geralt a gruff goodbye before ducking into his car, plugging his phone into the radio and cranking the volume up. He tries to focus on the lyrics instead of the pounding in his chest that he can feel pulsating in his wrists. He scrolls through his songs until he finds something by Minor Threat so he can turn it up and drown out the rest of his thoughts.

He’s meeting Aiden at the bar, because Geralt told him it was weird to pick someone up on the first date, and that Aiden was an Independent Man, whatever that meant. He probably shouldn’t listen to Geralt.

He beats his fingers in rapid bursts on his steering wheel in time with the music until he gets there, and then he checks his phone to see it’s way too early to go in yet. God, he’s messing this up already. He scrolls through his social media feeds while he waits until his phone buzzes with an incoming picture. He clicks over to it, to see—himself, hunched over behind the steering wheel of his car. It’s taken through a window, and it’s sort of definitely mega creepy.

Aiden: you coming in, or do you just plan on sitting out there all night?

Lambert checks the time again and verifies that no, he’s still 20 minutes early. A small smile crawls across his face.

He gets out and walks into the bar, looking around. Aiden waves to him, and he’s sitting at a booth, not even at the bar.

“Wow. Classy.” Lambert comments as he slides in next to him.

Shit, should he have sat across from him? Aiden apparently doesn’t mind by the way he immediately presses against Lambert.

“Can’t believe I got you out of your academic setting,” Aiden smirks. “How goes the chicken husbandry?”

“I’m considering building a coop,” Lambert says on reflex.

“I can’t even tell if you’re joking.”

Lambert grins. “Only mostly. Don’t you think that would be cute, or whatever?”

“What, you in a frilly apron collecting eggs? Yeah, I could get behind that.”

Lambert’s face gets hot almost instantly. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I think it should be.” Aiden quirks an eyebrow at him in challenge, one which Lambert immediately cops out of.

“What do you want to drink?”

Lambert stands up with Aiden’s order and goes to the bar to get it, wondering what Geralt’s opinion on how the bill should be split is.

When he comes back, Aiden’s checking his phone, but he quickly sets it down when Lambert slips in beside him again.

“Just letting my friend know I’m not dead,” he says brightly. “I sent her the picture of you, and that’s already shady enough to be perfect for America’s Most Wanted, so I’d keep that in mind.”

Lambert snorts. “Noted,” he says, passing over the beer.

Aiden takes a gulp, and Lambert’s gaze doesn’t linger on how Aiden’s lips wrap around the bottle, not one bit.

Aiden sets the bottle down on the table with a clunk, liquid making its way dangerously close to the top, but none splashes out.

“So tell me about yourself, besides the fact that you eat too many hot dogs, read long books in the hopes of impressing librarians, and are blue printing a chicken coop.”

Lambert drums his fingers on the table and shrugs. “I’m not that interesting. And who said I was trying to impress you?”

Aiden shrugs and takes another drink of his beer, setting it back down and swiping a finger through the condensation. “Aren’t you?”

Lambert stands up abruptly. “Come on, pool table’s empty.”

“I think you’re going to have to show me how to handle my stick.”

Lambert groans and shoves at him. “That was so bad. That was terrible. I’m not rewarding you for that.”

Aiden grins at him, and they play pool, with Aiden exaggerating his cue handling the entire time. If Lambert has to watch him run his hands down its length one more time…

“What exactly are you angling for, here, hmm?” Lambert asks, sidling up next to him and nudging him out of the way so he can take aim for the cue ball.

Aiden shrugs. “Whatever you’re willing to give me.” He crosses his arms and leans back against the wall. “I’m easy.”

Lambert squeezes his eyes shut for a second at the mental image that provides before gulping. “I, uh, haven’t really been with anyone in a while. Might be a little rusty.”

Aiden crowds behind him and wraps his arms around Lambert’s waist. “Just like riding a bike,” he says into his ear.

Lambert leans down and hits the cue ball, knocking the black eight into the middle pocket. “Well, shit.” They both know he did it on purpose.

Aiden takes Lambert’s hand for a second, and Lambert has to make a conscious effort not to short circuit. “Meet me in the bathroom,” he murmurs before turning away, leaving Lambert to fidget uncomfortably. He knocks all the balls into the pockets and hangs up their cues, dithering a little to try not to make this too obvious. Jesus, he feels like he’s 22 again, only this time he’s doing it with someone he actually likes and not just to get a reaction out of his dad when he found out.

Lambert sets his hands on the pool table and takes a deep breath before heading to the bathroom. He walks in, noting that no, this isn’t a single stall, and anyone could walk on them. His heart beats a little faster.

Aiden’s at the sink washing his hands, and Lambert walks up behind him, mouthing at his neck and wrapping his arms around him.

“Took you long enough,” Aiden says, leaning back into him. “Come on.” Aiden tugs him into a stall and slides the lock shut behind them.

It’s a tight squeeze, two grown men in one tiny stall, and to be honest, it’s a little disgusting. Lambert leans past Aiden to close the toilet seat so he doesn’t have to look at the piss stains.

“Oh, I’m sorry, does that offend your delicate sensibilities?”

“A little bit, yeah.”

Aiden’s grin drops for a second. “You want to do this, right?”

Lambert tugs Aiden against him sharply and kisses him hard before pulling back. “Oh, yeah. Enthusiastically. Have you looked in a mirror lately?”

Lambert yanks Aiden’s shirt out of his pants, putting his hands on Aiden’s torso, enjoying the soft flesh and moving his way up until he can brush his thumb over Aiden’s nipple. Aiden leans back in to kiss him again, shoving his hands down Lambert’s pants where he’s growing steadily harder.

Aiden strokes him inside his underwear, and Lambert forgot how fucking good this feels. He still has one ear on the door, waiting for someone else to come inside the restroom. He’s not sure what they’re going to do if that happens, so he supposes he better move this along.

Lambert leans his head back against the stall door as Aiden jerks him to full hardness, their kiss turning into something uncoordinated and sloppy.

“Feel good?” Aiden murmurs.

“Fuck, yeah,” Lambert says, and his eyes get wide as Aiden drops to his knees.

Aiden pulls him out of his pants, finally unbuttoning them and relieving some of the pressure. Lambert winces as he looks down at the mystery stains on the floor, but Aiden’s unaffected. Lambert bites down on his lip as he looks down at Aiden, leaning forward to take him into his mouth.

“Wait,” he says, and his voice sounds far away. He fumbles for his wallet, thumbing through it to find the condom from the other day.

Aiden laughs and quirks an eyebrow at him.

“It’s a new one,” Lambert says defensively.

Aiden takes it from and tears it open, rolling it down Lambert’s length. “Good?” he asks, and Lambert eagerly nods.

Warm heat envelopes him, and he instinctively threads a hand through Aiden’s hair. Aiden seems to like that, and he starts doing something to the sensitive spot just under Lambert’s head that has him panting after a minute.

The door to the bathroom creaks open then, and Lambert tugs on Aiden’s hair urgently, but Aiden doesn’t let up, if anything, just increases whatever he’s doing down there until Lambert can barely see straight, let alone keep his noises to himself.

There’s the sound of someone unzipping themselves, and Lambert looks down at Aiden incredulously. Does this person really not notice them? Judging by the intensity of the stream they let out, Lambert’s guessing not.

Aiden brings his hand up to stroke the part of Lambert’s cock not in his mouth and keeps up the steady rhythm of his mouth. It feels incredible, tight wet heat around his cock, and Lambert’s concerned his lip is going to bleed if he keeps biting it this hard. A whine starts emanating from him as Aiden increases his speed.

The urinal finally flushes, and Aiden determinedly licks at the underside of Lambert’s cock, making him gasp. Lambert gives a little yank on his hair; he knows Aiden did that on purpose. Aiden looks up at him as innocently as he can with a mouth full of cock.

It’s obscene.

The person doesn’t even wash their hands before they leave, but Lambert can’t find it in him to bemoan their lack of hygiene, he’s just glad for some semblance of privacy again as he lets out a broken moan.

Aiden keeps it up, bobbing back and forth and twisting his hands around Lambert’s cock until he gasps, coming as his legs nearly give out from underneath him. “Fuck,” he says vehemently, panting as he tries to catch his beath. “Mild mannered librarian by day... But you’re sure something else at night, huh?” Lambert tugs a hand through Aiden’s coarse curls, delighting in the way they’re so pullable and soft.

Aiden hums and pulls off, Lambert’s eyes catching on the trail of saliva that follows Aiden’s lips, still connected to Lambert’s cock. “I don’t know about mild mannered.”

Aiden pulls off the condom and knots it, tucking it back into its original foil and putting it on top of the toilet paper dispenser before Lambert fists a hand in the collar of Aiden’s shirt and pulls him to his feet, kissing him messily and reveling in the taste of Aiden’s mouth. He reaches down between them, surprised to find Aiden still fully hard. He maneuvers Aiden around until his back is to the stall door instead of Lambert. Lambert squeezes him before getting to his knees himself, clumsy and unpracticed.

It’s been too long.

Lambert’s knees hit the hard floor, the cold tiles leaching warmth from his legs, even through his jeans. He finds himself not even caring about the ever present ammonia stench and the piss stains everywhere he looks. He unbuttons Aiden’s pants and unzips them, trying not to roll his eyes at the fact that he wore slacks to a bar. How difficult does he think Lambert is to impress, exactly, because Lambert would be the first to tell you it’s not that hard.

Speaking of things that are hard...Lambert jerks his fist along Aiden’s cock a few times, before pulling out another condom and putting it on him, moving forward to take the head into his mouth.

“Jesus, how many of those do you carry around?” Aiden asks, a little breathless.

Lambert pulls off for a moment. “I used to be a boy scout.”

“Liar,” Aiden hisses, but then his head is thudding back against the stall door as Lambert does a particularly clever twist of his fist. He keeps it moving along Aiden’s cock as he gets the head sloppy with spit, paying special attention to the sensitive spot on the underside.

Aiden twitches under his ministrations, and Lambert looks up at him, satisfied as he sees Aiden’s head is still leaned back against the stall door, his eyes squeezed shut.

Lambert hums as he takes more into his mouth, bobbing his head back and forth as he moves his hand farther back to play with Aiden’s balls. He rolls them gently in his hands, running his thumb over the soft skin.

When he looks back up at Aiden, he’s staring at Lambert with undisguised want and he’s visibly restraining himself from being louder. Lambert’s just glad that no one else has come into the bathroom. There’s no question about what’s happening here, not with the slick sounds they’re making.

Lambert starts to suck on Aiden’s cock, then, and a quiet swear comes out of Aiden and his hands fly down, scrambling for purchase in Lambert’s hair, but it’s too short for him to do anything but comb at it uselessly. He ends up with one of his hands on the back of Lambert’s head, just resting there, his fingertips coming down occasionally to brush at Lambert’s neck.

Part of Lambert rebels at the tenderness, but another part of him revels in it, and he keeps the steady motion up until Aiden’s hips are starting to jerk minutely.

Lambert presses a hand against him, holding his hips in place against the stall while he tongues the vein on the underside of Aiden’s cock. He comes after what seems like both a small eternity and no time at all, a moan punching out of him.

Aiden brushes his thumb over the corner of Lambert’s mouth and brings it back up to suck it into his own, Lambert tracking the movement with the corner of his eye. Lambert buttons up his pants and attempts to straighten his shirt, but it might be a lost cause with how many wrinkles are in it from how Aiden had rucked it up. Lambert pulls the condom off and wraps it in toilet paper, setting it on top of the one from earlier.

Lambert cracks the stall door open to throw the condoms into the trash, wincing when he misses.

“That was literally three feet away, dude.”

Lambert scowls at him as he gingerly picks it up and places it in the bin. “Don’t call me dude after I just sucked your cock.”

Lambert shuts the stall door again, waiting for Aiden to be a little bit more presentable.

Aiden tugs his shirt down and smoothes his hand over it, and Lambert tucks him back into his pants and buttons up his pants for him. “Thanks, babe,” he says with a shit eating grin.

Aiden pats Lambert’s hand fondly, and it gives Lambert a warm feeling even as he rolls his eyes. Lambert unlocks the door, and they stumble out together. Aiden leans against him, still very much in Lambert’s personal space and with his hair a mess. “So. You want to do this again sometime?”

All Lambert can do is nod.

-

“Sometime” happens quite frequently over the next several months. After...years of not being in a relationship, and certainly not having regular sex, Lambert’s not complaing.

He brings Aiden lunch at the library occasionally, since he has to work weekends, and Aiden ends up at Lambert’s cooking meals for him more than once in a while. Geralt appreciates the variety, at any rate.

When Geralt met Aiden for the first time, Geralt did a double take, and Lambert still doesn’t know what that’s about, and he doesn’t think he wants to know, either. If Geralt has ever slept with Aiden, he...doesn’t know what he’ll do. Scream, at the very least.

They’re at Aiden’s tonight, and Lambert’s digging through his refrigerator. “Why the fuck do you have all this lettuce? You’d think you were the professional eater,” he gripes as he shoves no less than six heads of the lettuce out of the way to get to the milk.

Aiden snorts behind him. “You’d think, huh?”

Lambert’s distracted from the discovery by Aiden’s arms wrapping around his waist. Lambert turns around in the hold to put his arms around Aiden’s neck and tug him even closer. Aiden grinds his hips against him, but Lambert pushes him back a little. “We haven’t even eaten supper yet,” he chides.

Aiden sighs, a long, put upon thing. “I’m going to die of blue balls.”

“I think you’ll be just fine.”

“What’s next? You say you have a headache?” Aiden puts a hand over his forehead dramatically.

“No, I’ll just tell you to fuck off if I’m not interested. Don’t worry.”

Aiden leans in to bite at Lambert’s ear lobe, and Lambert shoves his face away. “Fuck off.”

“Aw, Lamb,” Aiden wheedles.

“Food, then sex. God, you’re insatiable.”

“Thank you.” Aiden looks entirely too pleased with himself, and Lambert rolls his eyes.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t, you love me,” Aiden says in a sing song voice.

Lambert groans, burying his face in his hands. “I never should have told you that.”

Aiden sobers for a moment. “I’m so glad you did. I love you, too.”

“Stop being such a sap and help me make supper.”

Aiden rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay, I get it; you’re allergic to feelings. I see how it is. You tell a man something once after the best blow job of your life and then just expect him to forget about it.”

“It was really nice,” Lambert admits.

“That would be because I am the number one wiener eater,” he says proudly.

Lambert shoves him. “Don’t be disgusting.”

Aiden just grins at him unabashedly, pulling the chef’s knife out of their drawer and brandishing it a little too familiarly for Lambert’s comfort. Lambert rolls his eyes. “Here, chop these for me.”

Aiden sets to work and within an hour, they have a comforting meal pulled together. Lambert portions the pasta out onto plates, and they make quick work of it, both of them having tiny portions. Lambert is mainly on semi solids and liquids in preparation for his next contest, and Aiden, he guesses, is being supportive. When they’re done, Aiden looks at his watch and stands up, yawning. “I’m going to have to take a rain check, if you’ll survive.”

Lambert rolls his eyes at him. “I think I’ll live. It was your idea, anyway.”

Aiden makes a face at him, but pulls him into a kiss anyway. “I have a few last minute prep things to do for tomorrow.”

“Like what? Do you need help?” Lambert asks, frowning, wondering if Aiden is making a celebratory cake for him, or something. That might be jumping the gun a bit.

“Hey, I can’t give away all of my secrets, can I?”

“I suppose not,” Lambert says, squinting at him.

“All right, well, I’ll see you then. We can ride together, okay?”

Lambert nods his assent as Aiden practically shoos him out the door. It’s still light outside, and this is possibly the first time he’s left Aiden’s apartment while the evening light has shined on him the whole time he’s known Aiden. He squints into the sun as he clambers into his car.

Well, whatever. He has stuff he should be doing, anyway. Eyes on the prize, he coaches himself as he pops in a few sticks of gum. He’s got this. He’s so, totally got this, and nothing is going to distract him from winning.

-

The next day finds Lambert frowning at his phone, as Aiden tells him something, speaking way too quickly. “Sorry, I know I said I would ride with you but Gunther is out sick and I’m going to have to work up until, like, the very last minute before the contest…”

“Well, you don’t have to come,” Lambert says, concerned that maybe expecting Aiden to attend is asking too much, especially when his work is short staffed.

Aiden just laughs. “I bet you’d just love that, huh?”

Lambert is a little puzzled on why Aiden would say that, and he’s trying to think of a reply when someone shouts something in the background of the call. “Hey, I have to go. Love you, bye!”

There’s the beep of a disconnected call, and Lambert brings the phone down from his ear to stare at it. That was… a little bizarre. Well, whatever. He can’t have anything distracting him now. There’s no way he’s going to lose two contests in a row, not after he had to wait months for the next one to come around.

Lambert drives to the contest, pointedly not noting how empty his passenger seat is without Aiden in it. He looks forward to spending time with him, so to have it cancelled always leaves him feeling melancholy.

He clenches his jaw and turns up the radio, his fingers tapping a frantic rhythm on the wheel.

By the time he arrives, anxiety is coiling in his gut and he’s already sweating. He sits in his car for a moment, blasting the air conditioning. If he loses again, is he officially a has been? He takes a deep breath as he gets out, walking up to the judges and turning in his paperwork.

He turns to look for Aiden in the crowd, but he doesn’t see him, so he must not be here yet. Lambert sighs as he searches the table lined with hot dogs for an empty seat, stopping when he sees—Aiden?

Lambert stares at Aiden with a slack jaw. “You’re—you—competing? What?”

“Lamb, what are you talking about? Are you okay? You don’t look so good.” Aiden pushes his chair back and hurries over to him, bringing a hand up to put on Lambert’s forehead, but Lambert swats him away.

“When did you sign up?” Lambert finally gets out.

Aiden squints. “Right after the last one? For real, are you alright?”

“The last one?” Lambert echoes.

“Yes. The last one. The one that I won?”

Lambert’s mouth flaps.

“That you won?” he practically screeches. He’s feeling a little dizzy.

“Did you get hit on the head?” Aiden asks, looking around nervously like he’s trying to find someone to ask for help. “Who do you think won that last contest, Lamb?”

Lambert sputters. “I don’t know; I was a little preoccupied!”

“Did you not look it up after? Oh my god, I thought you knew,” Aiden says in horror.

Lambert wants to cry, honestly. “It was you?”

“I felt bad when you were throwing up! You were puking and you didn’t even win! Sue me for being nice!”

Realization dawns on Lambert that this is why Geralt could barely contain his laughter after meeting Aiden. He did try to give him that newspaper clipping, after all. Surely it had a picture of the winner in it.

“Why did you think I was even there in the first place?” Aiden finally asks.

Lambert lets that settle over him for a moment. He still feels a little sick, but inexplicably he feels better, now that Aiden is in this with him. He pauses for a second of it. Now that he’s aware Aiden is in this with him. “Well, no one is allowed to beat me but you.”

“Deal. Hey, what did I tell you?”

Lambert groans. Aiden tells him lots of things, and his brain is not exactly cooperating with him at the moment. “I don’t know.”

Aiden nudges him with his elbow and gives him a meaningful raise of his eyebrow. “No, I think you do. Go on, don’t be afraid to admit it.”

What it must be pops into his head, and Lambert heaves a long suffering sigh, and he hopes it's one he’s going to be continuing to give for quite a while. “You’re the number one wiener eater.”

Aiden beams.

#the witcher #lambert #aiden #lambden #modern au #humor #contemplative writing