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twstjam · 10 months

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Unforeseen

HAHA it's not a Matcha fic if it isn't edited and posted at 2-3 AM amirite I don't know what this is I was just brainrotting about Malleyuu + Yuu and Sebek friendship + my take on post-NRC and this is what came out of it. I INITIALLY planned to only write the first and last parts but then my brain decided that it would be a good idea to come up with all the other shit in between and now this mess exists 👍 This also features a few theories and hcs based on Book 7 Chapter 4 lore, like how Malleus hatched and how Draconia babies are made. Summary: Sebek goes missing and with Malleus's first child with you on the way the prince is anxious about the affects of unexpected events on his family and the future.

----

There aren't many things that can scare a dragon.

But then correspondence from Sebek's party stops, and Malleus swears his blood freezes.

He's sure he wears out the floor with his pacing, blood humming with restless surges of magic and throat hot with the urge to release fire as he waits with patience that wears thinner by the hour. Silver stands in the doorway, the disapproving gaze he'd imagine on his father reflected exactly on the guard's face as he tells Malleus to go to bed.

Malleus would laugh at the irony if he didn't instead begin to worry about the emptiness he'd leave next to his spouse if he remains awake until dawn again. Well, not that you'd be entirely alone.

Your arms are encircled around a massive black egg, held close to your chest like you used to do with the monster cat curled up against it. Grim rumbles like a motorboat, the only sound that remains when Malleus enters the bedroom and all conversation is halted.

You sit up, not without keeping some part of you touching the egg in some way, eyes alight with hope. Malleus's heart sinks at the way your expression falls at the frown he wears.

Referring to you and Sebek as "close" would be an understatement. Since your first day at the castle, the both of you have practically been attached at the hip, falling back into the familiar roles of your years together as students at Night Raven College. Malleus would call it an imitation of Sebek's excessive devotion to him back in those years if it weren't more personal; the two of you are often whispering secrets or nonsense, laughing, bantering, and smiling with each other despite your roles as guard and master. It's nothing like how Malleus is guarded and he sometimes finds himself feeling the ugly curl of envy at the thought.

Malleus can't fault Sebek for keeping his distance. He knows that his role as the future king forms a boundary between them that cannot and should not be crossed, but that doesn't mean that Malleus is any less upset about it.

Sebek isn't with you now though, and neither is he with Malleus, nor Silver. Malleus remembers a time like yesterday (at least to him) when Sebek would sob upon being torn from Malleus's side, but he recalls that on the day of the guard's departure, he had been insistent. Dedicated, as always, to anything and everything that would keep his lord and friend safe. You'd hugged him goodbye and waved him off cheerily, grin wide as you shouted at him to "Don't forget the souvenirs!"

"I'm doing reconnaissance, not going on a vacation," Sebek had groaned when you'd told him the same thing prior, shooting Silver a glare when the other man had muttered under his breath, "Seven knows you need one." He had redirected it, tired and pleading at Malleus when the prince had laughed.

(Malleus tries to remember what it was like; laughing. When he had lamented this aloud, you had called him a Drama Queen, but that doesn't mean you're any less worn with worry even if you don't share his admittedly exaggerated sentiment.)

"We should just go look for 'im!" Grim grouches, disguising his own worry behind drained patience at everyone's trepidation. He's practically your other half, (and more in tune with your feelings than Malleus is, he'd begrudgingly admit.) so he's as tied to Sebek as you are.

""We"?" Malleus questions sharply at your nod of agreement.

"The longer we go without a word from him the less I think I can wait, Tsuno," you plead. Malleus looks down at you understandingly, but his eyes are sad as he places a careful hand on the egg nestled in your arms. Guilt crosses your face, but the determination remains in your eyes.

"Stay with the egg," you tell him with finality, but if anyone can fight you on this it's Malleus.

"I care for Sebek, truly." Malleus cuts you off when you open your mouth to argue that I didn't say you don't— "But I will not risk the chance of our child growing without either of us by their side."

It's something that he has a firm stance on and you know that you can't ever argue with it, even if you're not willing to give up the vision in your mind of both Silver and Sebek also being by their side when they hatch. You curl up around the egg further, resigned, even as you murmur, "What do we do, then?"

"We wait," Malleus says, apologetic as he gathers his child, the love of his life, and their cherished animal companion in his arms. He curls his tail around them protectively despite his family being in the safety of his arms and his nest. He can feel Grim vibrating with unrelenting purrs against his chest, the furry little beast squishing his face against the egg as he kneads little biscuits over its curved surface. You settle with your head against Malleus's chest, dissatisfied but resigned.

----

Malleus watches you shriek when you lay your eyes on Ace and Deuce right before you bowl them over to the floor in excitement and he knows he made the right call inviting them to the castle.

Few humans ever set foot on the castle floors, not many fae keen on just the idea of it, but Malleus is the future king and he can do whatever the Hell he wants and that includes letting your friends come over for a few days to cheer you up, traditions be damned.

With Ace and Deuce around, the castle is alive in a way it hasn't been in weeks. It's not just a product of their making but yours as well, the three of you along with Grim at your heels always up to something in the castle when you're all together. Malleus is more than happy to watch over the egg as you catch up with your friends, but that doesn't mean he's free from your attention any less.

"How much longer is it gonna take for it to hatch?" Ace says in both amazement and curiosity while Deuce tries to wrap his head around the concept of a magically conceived and hatched egg (It's not really that complicated. Malleus can't understand what might be so confusing about it.). They're both standing around the egg at a distance but still closer than anyone else you and Malleus have allowed in the unborn heir's presence.

(That is, if he doesn't count Silver and Sebek.)

"Like, half a year, or something like that." You tilt your head up at him for confirmation. "Right?"

"Indeed," Malleus crows proudly, hand smoothing over the egg's shell. Grim hops up onto Malleus's lap and rubs up against the egg, butting up into Malleus's palm when he raises it to pet him. You smile with excitement, lips pulled between your teeth as you hop in your seat across from them.

"I can't wait," you chirp, linking your arms with your friends' and bouncing them along with you. "You guys have to be there when it happens, so make sure you've got nothing going on."

"Oh, you bet," Ace laughs, eyes shining with mirroring eagerness.

"Are you kidding? Like we'd miss your kid being born! Uh.... hatched?" Deuce muses.

Malleus hums, pleased at their assent, hands cradling the egg's sides lovingly. Along with Ace and Deuce, you were also planning to invite your other old friends from NRC to witness the hatching, which Malleus had agreed to without missing a beat.

Though he hadn't even been a minute old, Malleus remembers his own hatching. He doesn't think he can ever forget it; the overbearing loneliness as he broke the shell and gazed into tearful red eyes. Despite the waves of love that had urged him to come out, the room had been so empty except for the fae that had coaxed him out of his eggshell.

Malleus doesn't wish for such an experience to ever be known to his children.

He knows the image you see in your head of your child's hatchday, can see you proudly presenting his heir to the eager eyes of your friends. He can see them all now, gathered around you with the privilege to lay eyes on the future ruler of Briar Valley before anyone else; Ace, Deuce, Jack, Epel, Ortho... and Sebek.

Malleus's fingers curl, claws lightly scraping against the shell of his child's egg.

Sebek will be there. He knows that you haven't given that up in your mind, and neither will he.

----

Malleus still remembers the day, a year or so ago, when the two of you had finally announced that an egg had been successfully conceived.

His grandmother was the first to come see it, of course. She had manifested, eyes wild and frantic, in a burst of green flames. She at least had had the decency to appear outside of his and your chambers instead of coming right in, but the moment Malleus opened the door to greet her she was brushing right past him.

It was the first time you and Malleus (and possibly anyone really) had seen Briar Queen Maleficia so emotional. You had awkwardly patted her back in an attempt to soothe her surging emotions, but it had instead gotten you pulled into a stifling hug that had you breathless. Malleus had watched with both amusement and tears in his eyes as his grandmother murmured "thank you"s to you over and over on repeat while you reached for him with your arms, silently begging for assistance.

After that, it was time to introduce the egg to the rest of his family.

Though it wasn't her egg, Maleficia had to be convinced to allow other people close to it, relenting with a pout. She remained in the room though, so when you had returned with Silver and Sebek in tow, her presence was the first thing that they registered. Sebek had gotten so caught up with stuttering formalities that he didn't even notice the egg for a full five minutes.

Everybody else in the room were already prepared for when he finally did, hands held over ears round and pointed alike as he screeched in surprise.

"An egg! You have an egg?!" he'd screamed in disbelief. You'd laughed as he grabbed you by the shoulders and shook you. "I'm not dreaming, am I?! Please tell me I'm not—!"

"You're not—!!!" you'd shouted, and the two of you had both shrieked with glee as Sebek picked you up and spun you around the air. He had chanted his congratulations while you vigorously repeated "Thank you!"s.

He had put you down awkwardly when he remembered again that Maleficia was in the room, clearing his throat and recollecting his composure while you continued to giggle. His joy was so infectious though that it even had Maleficia cracking a smile despite being in the face of some of her subjects.

"Do I not get a hug also?" Malleus had tried to be lighthearted but he couldn't help the pout on his face. Though he was reluctant and still alert to presence of the queen, Sebek had relented and given him the privilege. It wasn't anything like the hug he had given you, but it was meaningful and personal nonetheless. Silver had joined at Malleus's beckoning and the prince had held them both close, so many words of relief and gratitude going unspoken but communicated between the three of them nonetheless through one shared gesture.

Malleus had looked up at the quiet shuttering of a ghost camera and saw you show a polaroid to his grandmother with a proud grin.

"Could you perhaps make a duplicate of that for me?" she had mused.

----

Malleus is unsure if Ortho's surprise visit to the castle could be considered a pleasant one. Perhaps, if it were under different circumstances. Perhaps, if he had returned with Sebek and he wasn't practically painted with injuries.

Malleus was in the middle of his duties when he had found out. He had been discussing with the council the search itself for Sebek and his party when a member of the castle staff burst through the door and unceremoniously interrupted the meeting. They were quickly forgiven when they'd frantically informed him that Sir Zigvolt had finally returned.

Malleus had torn through the halls in a billow of black robes, legs carrying him thoughtlessly to his destination, eyes like green spotlights in the dimly-lit halls. The servants parted and made way for him wordlessly.

When he finally arrives, both you and Grim are already there, sitting by Sebek's bedside and on his lap respectively while Ortho hovers at his other side. Malleus is momentarily relieved that you'd been informed first, but then he sees the state Sebek is in and he's next to you in an instant.

Sebek's slit pupils dart to him for the briefest second before looking away with a grimace. He seems to sink further into the pillows cushioning his back at his sitting position, shame evident in his eyes and the way his lips are twisted in a way that morphs the cuts and bruises on his face.

"My liege—" he rasps, and the fire in Malleus's chest roars and pulls.

"Silence," he commands, a little too sharply and it aches how Sebek shrinks further into himself. Malleus sucks in a breath and forces himself to calm down. He sits down on the bed, holds out his hand, and speaks, softer this time, "Be still."

Sebek opens his mouth to retort but you shoot him a reprimanding look that has him going quiet again. Malleus notices how Sebek doesn't retreat from you and he feels that familiar pang of jealousy again.

Now is not the time for such trivial matters, boy. Your family is hurt. a voice chides him in his head. He holds his hand over Sebek's face, and though the halfling twitches slightly in discomfort, he closes his eyes to the warmth of Malleus's magic as his injuries begin to heal.

As Sebek relaxes, the tension easing further out of him as his pain fades away, Ortho begins to explain what had happened, how he had found Sebek, and why.

As it turns out, the treacherous group that Sebek's party was sent to observe was also being investigated by S.T.Y.X.. Sebek and his group had gotten ambsuhed and captured— At this, your hand tightens further around Sebek's much larger one. It draws Malleus's attention, and a low growl escapes him at the redness of iron burns peeking ever-so-slightly from beneath Sebek's sleeve.— and when Ortho had discovered this, he had gone in and rescued them as fast as he could. Sebek's injuries had been worse, apparently, and there was only so much Ortho could do with his built-in medical procedures in such a short amount of time.

The young humanoid seems to sag defeatedly at this, but you're quick to reassure him that "No, you did great. I mean it, Orr. Thank you."

Even Sebek had opened his eyes to shoot Ortho a reprimanding yet grateful look.

"I can confirm. I might not be here currently if it were not for your action, Ortho."

Ortho's eyes go wide at this and he scrubs at them with the heel of his palm as dribbles of liquid stain his cheeks.

"Y-You're going to activate my crying simulation again, Sebek!" he chokes out. He suddenly looks up, teary eyes meeting Malleus's, and Sebek looks like he wants to stop him from speaking but he's too late as Ortho blurts out, "I hope you are not disappointed in him, Malleus Draconia, though I don't think that you are! Regardless, you should know that Sebek was really cool, even though he was the one being rescued! He was suffering from severe iron burns and yet he stood up to the enemy captain anyway and bit his arm off when he tried to grab me! It was like he was the hero!"

An embarrassed blush spreads over Sebek's cheeks at Ortho's retelling, his flustered gaze suddenly finding interest in Grim's silky fur beneath his fingers. Despite his demeanor, his voice is as sure as ever as he says, "Well, of course I couldn't just stand there and let you be hurt after all the trouble you went through because of my blunder!"

At this statement, Malleus turns to him questioningly. "Sebek—"

"It was due to my shortcomings that we were captured, Lord Malleus," Sebek admits, shamefully and yet boldly as he looks up to finally meet his master's eyes. "It was my fault. The solution was so simple. If only I had...." Sebek's brow furrows in frustration, his fists clenching, the one holding your hand wrapping around your fingers fiercely. "If only I was—"

"Sebek," Malleus says, gently yet firmly, a mere mimicry of your reassuring tone, but it works to cut Sebek off before he begins his tangent. "That does not matter."

His hands draw downwards, brushing against yours before carefully wrapping around Sebek's wrists. Sebek inhales sharply at the sting of contact but eases again at the warmth of healing magic.

"What matters now is that everyone is safe. Is that you are safe. That you have returned to us."

He knows it's selfish. As prince, he knows it's unfair and unwise to be so forgiving of one of his guards' failures— A single wrong move could mean the downfall of the entire kingdom, after all— but Malleus finds that he doesn't care. He finds that, with Sebek back in the safety of the castle, with his family— All of his family— back in the safety of his arms, he doesn't care.

After weeks of worry and weariness and heavy thoughts of paranoia and doubt, Malleus for the first time feels a weight lift off his shoulders and it's like he can breathe again. He remembers again the feeling of relief.

Your hand that's not holding Sebek's reach for one of Malleus's. He accepts it gratefully, looking down to return your equally relieved smile, but when he meets your eyes, the expression on your face is not what he expects.

Instead of warmth, instead of anxiety flooding out of you and tears gathering in your eyes, your expression is cold and detached; eyes distant, lips pulled firmly into a thin line, and brows fighting to not draw down in what he knows would be the most fearsome glare he's ever seen in his years of living.

There aren't many things that can scare a dragon, but right now, as he watches you, the barely-restrained fury on your face and the chilling desire for damnation in your eyes, Malleus feels the fire in his chest snuff out, retreating to make way for the real beast.

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treedaddymcpuffpuff · 1 month

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Excessive Force : Tom Ludlow x Fem Nurse Reader (COLLAB W/ THE INCREDIBLE @johnwickb1tsch) - Chapter One Two Three Four Five Six Seven

TW: NSFW, bondage, uncomfy situations

The next time you see Dr. Julian, (which isn’t at the jail, because you fucking tried to go bail him out and they just looked at you like you were crazy when you kept insisting Dr. Julian Mercer had to be in there) he has a red mark around his neck, a black eye, and a bump on his temple that’s almost the size of a chicken egg.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” you hiss, rushing over to him. He takes your elbow and ducks the two of you into a supply closet. You think he just wants to have a private conversation, until he backs you into the shelves with a tonsil-inspecting, toe-curling kiss, his big hands digging into your waist. You grab fistfuls of his lab coat, you are so surprised it doesn’t even occur to you to fight him. When he finally pulls back you are breathless—and in shock.

He seems to find this adorable, reaching up to caress your face. “Now all that was worth it,” he says cheekily.

You blink up at him, stupid as a lamb. “Did he hurt you?” you demand, trying to inspect the mark around his neck.

“We reached an understanding,” Julian assures you with a dark look, taking your hands in his own.

“But—“

“Don’t worry about it, y/n. Really.” It comes out like an order, and you don’t really like it when he talks to you that way, but you guess you understand that he doesn’t want to talk about Ludlow anymore.

“Ok.”

You are so going to worry about it. You also know there’s no way in hell that he’s going to want to see you anymore.

He looks down at you with that soft expression that warms your insides. “When’s your next day off?”

You blink again. “Friday?”

“Can I make you dinner?”

“You want…to cook for me?”

“At my place. Around seven. I’ll text you the address.”

You’re still not sure if that was a request or an order, but you’re so dumbfounded that it doesn’t even occur to you to offer an opinion.

“But what about…?”

“I’m not scared of him, y/n.” The marks on his face indicate that maybe he should be, but the set of this man’s jaw indicates that maybe Ludlow has met his match.

“I’m really sorry. About all of this.”

“I already told you, it’s not your fault.” There’s a flinty note in his voice, and you can tell he just wants you to drop it. Inwardly you flinch a little, but you nod.

***

You suppose because he’s banned from being treated by you at the hospital, pulling you over in the dead of night after your shift becomes his go-to game. Maybe you should have started taking a different route home, but the highway was the fastest (and usually safest) way to go, and the thought of changing your personal day-to-day just for this asshole makes you see red. You refuse, and so you keep getting pulled over, four more times for weaker and weaker excuses. Not signaling when changing lanes. Using your phone (you weren’t). An obstruction to vision hanging from your rearview. And the cherry on top—too dim fucking blinkers?

He even has the gall to check up on you, going so far as to inspect your wrists one evening, and turning your head from side to side with an authoritative finger hooked under your chin. “What do you think you’re doing?” you demand.

“Just making sure Dr. Bitch is behaving himself.”

“That is none of your business.”

“If he hurts you I’ll make it my business.” He just says it so casually. Water is wet, the sun is hot, and Tom Ludlow will fuck up Dr. Mercer’s day if he hurts you, even with consensual rough play. No one has ever stuck their neck out for you like that, and it is not helpful, what this misplaced concern does to your insides. This guy is 300% Pure Asshole. You should not be warming to him.

Truth be told, you are nervous about your date with Julian tomorrow night. Maybe he’s being sweet and cooking for you—but it will also be on his home turf, like meeting a wolf in his den. You don’t really think Julian would hurt you. In fact, the thought seems absurd. But then again…people never cease to surprise you. You see the result of mankind’s insatiable bloodthirst every day at work.

Despite your completely misplaced feelings for Officer Tom Ludlow, the fact stands that he is absolutely harassing you, and what he did to Julian outside the coffee shop was totally unacceptable. Maybe you don’t have any money to sue the LAPD like Julian does, but you’re not totally without a voice. The next morning you find yourself going downtown to the Police Headquarters to file a complaint.

The place is bustling, filled with uniforms and plainclothes and people from every walk of life. It reminds you of the hospital in a way, and a wisp of a thought occurs to you that it’s interesting that you and Officer Ludlow engage in the two professions that truly hold together the fabric of society. Politicians like to think what they do is important, but the two of you do the real dirty work to help people survive through their day to day. There could have been something to that between you—if he wasn’t such a fucking creeper in his off hours.

You follow the signs and the directions from various people behind desks to the Complaints Department. It’s a cordoned off area enclosed by glass. With your hand on the door handle you see who is sitting there behind a cheap mdf wood desk, looking unfairly handsome in his black beat uniform.

You freeze.

How the fuck is he everywhere at once? It dawns on you that if he’s working his shift here during the day—he’s fucking with you on his own time at night. It simultaneously creeps you out and thrills you to your toes, and you know you are one sick puppy.

You know you don’t have the guts to march in there and face him, so you decide to bounce. Of course, not before he turns his head at just the right moment. It’s like this man has a radar for your very presence, and your eyes meet through the glass.

He knows exactly why you’re here, of course, and he smirks at you as though to say, ‘Tell me all about it.’

Bastard.

You turn on your heel, and pray he doesn’t follow you.

***

Later that night, you find yourself seated at the island with a glass of white wine in Dr. Mercer’s Spanish Revival style home in Santa Monica, watching him cook for you. He’s utterly edible, in a pressed light blue button down and khakis that should look dorky but somehow he just makes them look GQ worthy. He’s even worn a tie for you. He’s also wearing an apron, and it’s not so corny as to say Kiss The Cook but you did anyway first thing upon walking through the door. You’d asked if you could help with the meal, and he’d declined with a gracious smile.

Now, you’re pretty sure he parked you here so you could get a view of his tight little rear end as he works at the stove.

You take another big sip of wine. It’s really not fair in the least.

He serves up chicken piccata with fresh vegetables out on the patio, complete with candlelight. The warm night breeze is like the breath of angels, and it’s possibly the most romantic dinner anyone has ever treated you to, and it makes you almost uncomfortable inside, how nice all this is. You know he’d said that he liked you, and he didn’t want a perfect girlfriend…but you can’t help but feel like an imposter here.

There were no candlelit dinners with homemade Italian food and fine wine back in Kansas. There were bonfires in someone’s daddy’s back farm field, copious amounts of beer, and you were lucky if you didn’t get knocked up on the bench seat of someone’s rusty old pickup truck before the night was out. Yee fuckin’ haw.

“You alright?” he asks, reaching across the table to touch your hand.

You realize that you have zoned out, while he was talking, again.

“Fine,” you answer quickly, bolstering yourself with another sip of wine. You’re on your second glass now—you should probably slow down, but it’s so good. “I was just thinking…about how nice, all this is. Thank you, Julian. You’re so sweet.”

He smiles at you from across the table, a winsome and heart-squeezing curl of lips, and he’s so handsome even with the now healing black eye.

“I’m maybe sensing some anxiety stemming from Imposter Syndrome,” he says gently.

“Is that your official diagnosis, Doctor?”

You can tell he likes it when you talk this way to him, even outside of the hospital. You can see it in the sparkle of his lovely mocha-brown eyes. “Something like that.” He leans in towards you, his elbows on the little bistro-style table, pinning you with that acute stare. “I don’t know what happened to you, where you came from, y/n. Maybe you’ll trust me enough to tell me later. But I do know that it’s in the past, and it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve something nice for yourself now. Does that make sense?”

It hits way too close to home, and with a sigh you lean back in your chair, unable to meet his eyes again.

“It sounds so easy, when you put it that way.”

He tilts his head as he examines you, and you’re afraid that attentive stare misses nothing. “I could make it easy, for you,” he offers quietly. Something about that soft but oh-so-sure tone lifts every little fine hair on your body, a wave of gooseflesh erupting across your skin. You feel like a rabbit flicking its ears at the sound of danger, not quite sure which direction it’s coming from.

“What do you mean?” you dare ask.

“It’s part of the appeal of submission for some people, to hand over complete control to someone you trust, to let them make you feel good. It can be an almost…therapeutic release. I think I could do that for you.”

Your heart chooses that moment to lodge itself in your throat, and it takes an embarrassingly long few seconds for you to find your voice again. As usual when you feel wildly uncomfortable, you opt for humor. “Wow, do you subscribe this to your patients often?”

He chuckles, and it is dark and rich as bitter chocolate. “No, though maybe I should.”

You can’t help but notice you haven’t even made it through the main course, before he is bringing this up again. It must be something he really wants from you—and a part of you still finds that so hard to believe. He’d said your defiance on that patient’s discharge triggered this need in him. You wonder if there are other things about you, that has made him zero you out. It’s happened to you before. Narcissists just seem to sniff you out like they’re fucking bloodhounds.

Is Julian like that, underneath all the good looks, the pleasantness, the charm?

Does he think you’d be easy to control? Or does he want a challenge because your dumb ass is stubborn as a mule?

Does he know that if things go badly, you have no one here to offer recourse?

Unless, of course, you count Officer Tom Ludlow, but dear lord that is not the backup plan you want to rely on.

“Well…I’m still thinking about all that,” you deflect, throwing your attention into coiling pasta around your fork, trying not to appear like a complete philistine.

He has the grace not to appear disappointed, though there is a certain sharpness in his look now, and you have a feeling Dr. Mercer is not used to not getting his way, eventually.

***

Julian does let you help with the dishes, and pours you yet another glass of wine. “Digestivo,” he says with a perfect accent and a little smile to himself. He explains it’s the word for the “after dinner drink” in Italy. Apparently it’s usually a liquor, but it seems he doesn’t want you that drunk.

At least, not yet.

He asks if you want to watch a movie or listen to some music? You agree, ask him to pick something out, and excuse yourself to go to the bathroom. When you return he is stretched out on the couch, looking utterly handsome, and you find yourself just staring while his head is turned towards the massive TV.

“I know you’re there,” he finally says with a little smile, turning to look at you knowingly. Cautiously you approach, glad for some reason that the tall back of the leather couch is between you. Perhaps the soft little woodland creature that will forever live inside you senses the wolf nearby, even if it’s wearing Brooks Brothers.

“Sorry,” you say apologetically, soft-pawing further into the room. You dare to lean on the back of the couch to look down at him, not quite ready to join him on his level. He seems to understand all too well, and is completely amused by it.

“That’s ok. I can’t keep my eyes off you either. You’re so beautiful.”

You let out a long breath through your nose, never comfortable with what to say to it. You’d been assured by so many people in your early life, that you were in fact an ugly little toad worth less than nothing. Later, those that told you that you were pretty, hurt you in different ways. You wish you could just…take it at face value, and say thanks, without overanalyzing it six hundred ways from Sunday.

“You don’t think so?” He asks, looking up at you with curious eyes. Since you walked through his door tonight, you’ve felt like he’s been studying you, and you sincerely hope it’s not to find your weaknesses and exploit them but rather understand them.

It would be so nice to be understood by a man like Julian, even if he is chaining you to a wall and whipping you while doing it. The thought makes you giggle, and this seems to perplex and amuse him.

“Well?” He asks, reaching up to boldly smooth your cheekbone. “You don’t think you’re beautiful?”

You try to blame your honesty on the wine when you answer truthfully: “not really.”

Most men don’t want to hear about insecurities and flaws; they want self actualized, confident women who carry themselves in a way you’ll never be able to. It's hard to have self esteem, especially when you’ve spent the majority of your life getting told you shouldn’t have any.

“Hmm.” His thumb rests lightly on your chin, and he parts your mouth a little like he means to kiss you, although he makes no actual move to do so. “That’s another thing I could help you with.”

You're a little lost in the white capped crash of your thoughts, of the pleasant heat in his long, skilled fingers, of the endless dark in his blown black eyes. It takes you a full thirty seconds to think about the conversation, and even then you have to stupidly ask: “what?”

“Feeling beautiful, because you are.” Maybe you don’t mind the bossy, matter of fact tone as much when it’s demanding that you’re worthy and pretty.

“Are you going to kiss me again?” You ask, because you can’t stop thinking about how good his mouth feels on your face.

“Ask me nicely.” That big thumb runs a torturous line over your parted bottom lip.

“You ask me,” you challenge, giggling at your own insolence.

Oh, he loves that, when you push back. The wicked, lazy grin says it all. “How about I make you?”

You press your tummy against the soft, worn leather of his couch to lift yourself up and over, cupping his cheeks and pecking a little kiss to his silky lips. “I’d like to see you try.”

Apparently this is the absolute wrong thing—or absolute right thing—to say to this man, to make him spring up and over the couch, lithe as a panther in his pursuit of you, a feral grin in place. You are not proud, but your first instinct is to bolt, a little scream escaping your lips.

Which is stupid, of course, because he has the body of a runner and legs that are a mile long. You have no idea where you are going, down a convenient hallway. You make it three steps before this man has you grabbed up in his long arms, and he is kissing you as though he means to inhale you. He presses you into the wall, his solid weight so delicious against you, and you know there is no escape unless he decides to let you go.

Somehow, you don’t forsee that happening any time soon.

You surge up on tiptoe to meet him with a moan, your hands sliding over the trim muscles of his chest. He easily grasps both your wrists in his one, obscenely big paw, pinning them above your head.

He pulls back to assess what you think about this, his dark eyes blown wide with desire. You can barely breathe past your heart thundering in your chest, your thighs pressed tightly in a sad attempt to relieve some of the ache between them. You lips are kiss-swollen and moist with his saliva, and you lick them, tasting him. His gaze fixes on your mouth hungrily, before lifting to your eyes again.

When you give the barest nod, he leans in to kiss you again, slower this time, but no less claiming. His lips are soft, and clever, and wreak havoc with your ability to think coherently. And when he slips his lean thigh between your legs so that you might get some relief, you think you might just expire from the pent up desire threatening to burst you at your seams.

It’s not good, you know, when you can’t help but think about Detective Tom Ludlow, and how part of this aching madness in your loins is built up from his brash brand of torture, and you can’t help but imagine what it might be like to feel his rough hands pinning you to the wall like a butterfly. Maybe it’s just the wine, but these distracted thoughts are not good at all.

Julian half carries you, half guides you in a halting walk further down the hallway, opening a door and ushering you inside. It’s a bedroom, though if its his room, you can’t really tell at a glance. It’s nicely decorated, fairly normal, no chains hanging from the ceilings or racks on the walls, and the bed is soft as he presses you back into it with another bone-melting kiss.

He props himself on his elbows so he can look down at you with a mischievous warm smile that lights up your insides. “You really are beautiful,” he tells you gently, tracing your hairline at your temple.

God. If he keeps telling you like this, maybe you will start believing him.

You tug on his tie to bring him back to you, craving another of his sweet kisses. He narrows his eyes at you playfully, and you watch with fascination as he reaches up to loosen the silk noose around his neck.

“Wait.” You halt him, hand on his chest, and he stops the little show.

“What? You okay?” It doesn’t occur to you that this man is just as needy as you are until you hear the heavy pant in his voice, the gravelly scratch of desire polluting his usual smooth pitch that reminds you way too much of someone else that you’re trying not to think about—and failing miserably at.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for all of that,” you say honestly, opening up raw in exchange for the concern on his pretty, angled face.

“Being tied up?” He asks, smoothing your hair off your temple.

“No, I’ve been tied up before.” Although that’s a story for a different day, it’s not like you’re the Virgin Mary, and you don’t want to be—you don’t want him to think that you are—a prude.

“Was it…a bad experience for you?” As he asks this he strokes your hair, petting you like soothing an animal with his light touch.

You hate to say, it’s working.

“Kind of.”

“Maybe…they didn’t stop something you didn’t like when you asked them to?”

That was the understatement of the century.

You close your eyes against the sinking feeling that overcomes you, when you even slightly crack the lockbox that is your stockpile of unpleasant memories from your youth.

“No,” you answer simply, but you know he can hear it all in the roughness of your voice in that one small word.

“What if we have a safeword? If I do anything you don’t like, you say the word, and I promise you I will stop.”

You freeze like a rabbit that's been spotted by a predator, as you mull this over. You know that’s how these things are supposed to go. But once a man has you tied up and at his mercy…he can do anything he wants with you. And men can be so awful, when they feel like they have all the power in their hands.

Is this man awful? It certainly doesn’t seem so. But dear god, you have been so wrong before.

“Maybe….” You roll your eyes up to the ceiling, searching for the right words, determined, for once, not to hide your own needs in favor of someone else’s. “Maybe if you help me understand why this is something you need so much?”

You know it’s possible you’re killing the vibe with such a demand—but maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing to slow down and talk.

He blinks down at you, undoubtedly not used to being inquisitioned like this by anyone. “That’s…a big question.”

A surge of annoyance rises in you—as if dating isn’t dangerous enough for women as it is—he’s literally asking you to trust him with your life.

“Oh my god. Ok, get off.” You start to squirm beneath him, pushing at his chest. For a moment you panic, because he is big, and you know he’s not going anywhere, unless he wants to.

To his credit, and your great surpriseâ€“he actually does. He seems disappointed, and his breathing is heavy, his beautiful hair disheveled, but he’s not angry. At least, as far as you can tell. He shoves his hands in his pockets, maybe to keep them off of you.

It is hard not to stare at the sizeable bulge in his preppy khakis.

He blows a long breath out of his nostrils, closing his eyes. “I like to be in charge,” he tells you quietly, not opening his eyes, “Because when I was far too young, my stepmother groomed me to be her pretty plaything. I thought I was getting revenge on my father, because I was angry at him for divorcing my mother. But the joke was on me. I did…anything she asked, and she asked a lot. I didn’t even realize how fucked up it was, until I went away to college. When she sensed she was losing her hold on me, she actually tried to get me to drop out, then she tried to get me expelled. She was a fucking piece of work, and that’s why I am the way I am.”

When at last he works up the courage to look at you, he finds you sitting on the edge of the bed in your pretty dress like a rumpled flower, with tears in your eyes for him. “I’m so sorry, Julian…” You reach for him, even though you’re unsure he even wants to be held.

“And I like to bind my partners’ hands, because sometimes being touched during what should be the most wonderful act a man can enjoy reminds me of her, and I can’t stand it. Even…when I’m with someone who I want to touch me.” He gives you a pointed look then, and you understand, and you don’t think he’s trying to manipulate you. He’s just telling you an ugly truth.

Now, it seems you’re both agitated, and what had promised to be a lovely evening is now spiraling down into the abyss. You can’t help but feel responsible for that.

Julian shakes himself, and shakes his head. You feel him drawing away from you, even before he’s moved his feet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I promise, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Then he does start to retreat, but you reach out to him. “Julian, wait…”

He freezes in his tracks, looking up at you through the curtain of his silky hair.

“Pineapple.”

He lifts an eyebrow, genuinely confused. “Excuse me?”

“That’s my safe word.”

To be honest, you’re not entirely sure if you’re doing this because you want to, or because as usual, you sense someone needs a part of you for their own wellbeing, more than you think you do.

His mouth twists in a smile seemingly involuntarily. “I suppose that isn’t something one usually hears in the throes of passion.”

“Isn’t that the point?”

“Yes.” His look sharpens upon you then, and you feel a fresh gush of moisture between your legs, your bare toes curling. Suddenly, he seems taller, somehow, as though he’s taking up more space in the room than before. “Are you sure about this, y/n?”

Not really, but this won’t be the first time you jump in head first to something you don’t know if you can handle. “Yeah. I believe you, when you say you won’t hurt me.”

Maybe you’re not sure exactly where the whole punishment thing fits in he was talking about earlier, but you assume you’ll get to that later.

He nods, his nostrils flaring as he looks you over again. You watch as his chest rises and falls with deep breaths. And then he returns to loosening that shining blue silk tie from his neck, sliding the fine fabric between his long fingers. “I picked this color tonight because I thought it would look so pretty on you,” he admits.

“How…thoughtful?” You can’t help but tease him, even if your heart is suddenly hammering in your chest.

“Hmm. Someone always has something smart to say.” He strides across the room to you, boldly standing between your legs at the edge of the bed.

“I think you like it?” You can’t help the squeak in your voice, and it makes him smirk down at you. It’s unnervingly similar to someone else who likes to throw around an insouciant half smile, and your fingers curl in the bedspread by your thighs.

Do not think about Tom right now.

It’s too late, of course.

“Give me your hands.” There is that authoritative tone again, that makes everyone at the hospital and out in the real world stand at attention. Everyone, but Tom Ludlow, of course. Unbidden, the image of Tom’s fist making that irreverent gesture out the window enters your head—and like the idiot you are, you smile.

It causes Julian to look at you strangely, searching you out. “What’s so funny?”

You sigh, closing your eyes against that probing stare. “I don’t know,” you deflect, master of the witty riposte as always. Hoping to distract him, you offer up your wrists. “Like this?” you ask, and golly if your ploy doesn’t work.

“That’s my good girl.” A damning warmth spreads through you from his praise, and you watch with fascination as he loops your wrists with the blue silk, tying it off with a beautiful bow that does look pretty against your skin. “We’ll start with this,” he tells you. “If you really want, you can undo it with your teeth.”

Biting your lip, you nod up at him, appreciating the gesture.

“Tell me the safeword?” He asks, lifting your hands up above your head, looking absolutely feral, ready to eat you alive.

“Pineapple,” you tell him, flexing your hands above your head and pushing your tits out for him. God, it’s been forever since you’ve had anything inside you besides your own boring fingers, and you’re more than ready for him to take the straining bulge out of his pants and slip it into your perpetually aching cunt.

“Keep your hands above your head for me?” You can tell by his tone that it’s more of a demand than an ask, but at least he's trying to be sweet despite wrestling internally with some beast that wants to bind you immobile and shove a gag in your mouth.

Every hair stands on end at just the thrill of having his silky, non committed tie around your wrists, so you wonder how you’d fair in something stricter. Apparently, your vagina likes the theory of it, because she pulses insistently for some kind of attention—Jesus, any kind of attention that’s not just from you.

You and her may argue sometimes—much more now that Ludlow has kicked the imaginary door of your life down and stormed in for a raid—but you still share the same brain, and both of you agree that Julian is very fucking hot while he takes off his upper attire to reveal toned, tight, thin muscle and perfect golden skin.

“Is there, um, anything you want me to call you?” You ask, little toes curling and flexing on his comforter.

“You want to properly address me?” His teeth peek out of the wayward grin, hands slipping the belt out of his pants and filling you with Tom thoughts again.

“Yeah, I do.”

“How about Doctor? Something familiar?”

“Something tells me you’ve thought of this scenario before,” you muse, toying with the wrought iron post of his bed. You have to admit, Doctor isn’t your favorite term of endearment, but you suppose that if it makes him fuck you sooner it doesn’t really matter.

Sans pants, his cock tents and fills his briefs, and that tiny creature living inside you comes out of her burrow to remind you that she’s very, very hungry. He really is a gorgeous specimen of a man. You could probably find his mimic in a museum statue or erotic magazine with only one huge, girthy difference.

How the fuck is that monster not going to hurt you after years of only having your own little fingers for comparison?

“Jesus,” you breathe, unaware that you say it out loud at first.

He pumps his hand once or twice over the silk coated shaft, showing off that big, beautiful cock and rubbing a bead of pearly cum over the tip. “Hands above your head, y/n, and don’t make me say it a third time.”

You bite your lip hard to keep from groaning in protest and place those conniving, sneaky limbs up above you again. “Yes, Doctor.” It would sound strange to you if you had any common sense right now—if your brain wasn’t currently leaking out of your cunt.

A little piece of you—actually and worryingly it’s more than just a little piece—wants to challenge him to see exactly what he’ll do.

“Do you want me to tell you what I wanted to do to you when you disobeyed my orders?”

“Spank me?” You ask, words too bold for how you’re feeling—how your whole body is overflowing with burning, bashful blood and sinking into the cushion of his bed to hide.

He laughs, low and wicked, and shakes his head. At least you get a little needy grumble from him, although you’re not sure if that’s because he’s stroking his cock or not. “No, not spank you. I think you’d enjoy that too much.”

“Then what?” You raise your chin a little bit, and the look he pins you with reminds you of what wild horses must see in the person’s eyes that wants to ride and break and domesticate them. A little panic alarm lights up your brain, and it gets louder the more he talks.

“Instead of rubbing these tired, sore feet, I would have gotten a thin piece of finished wood and whipped them with it.”

Your toes instantly curl and tuck in defense, heels digging into the bed to shy away from his mean words. “I don’t know if I’d like that,” you admit.

“That’s the point of a punishment, little girl. You’re not supposed to like it.” Julian transforms into something scary for the first time, and you think this might be that dominant side of him coming to bat again. You don’t really like it when he’s all business no play, void of jokes and grins, snarling like a rabid jaguar.

“Julian, I don’t think I’m comfortable with that. It scares me.”

His ferocity goes limp right along with his dick, and the sight of that makes you want to scream and cry and pound your fists on the floor like a tantrum throwing child. Your vagina, who was just minutes ago getting along with you, once again wants you dead.

Dr. Jekyll sits beside you on the bed and puts a soothing, heating pad hand on your belly. “I’m sorry, are you alright? I shouldn’t have gone into that so fast. I got carried away. It’s been a while.”

Although his apology is warranted, and what he says is true about going too far, that caretaker in your blood wants nothing more than to soothe him while he has a mini existential crisis about making you feel uncomfortable. You sit up and rub his shoulders with bound hands.

“Julian, it’s okay. I get it. I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for,” he replies, combing a hand through his soft hair. “We should have discussed details before jumping in. I just”—he cups your cheek and kisses your head—“I’ve wanted you for a long time.”

The thought of having to go through a detailed discussion before having sex with your partner every time has the opposite effect of Tom Ludlow’s—fuck, here he is again—spontaneity and makes your pussy dry up.

As though he senses you’re about to take your teeth to his very nice silk tie, he turns to unbind your hands with one deft pull. You feel fine, but you can’t stop yourself from rubbing your wrists. You sit there in the quiet together for what feels like a long time, your head resting lightly on his shoulder.

“Y/n?”

“Yeah?” He takes your hand, kissing your palm. “That thing I told you? It’s not something I offer up freely to anyone. Not even my playmates.”

You nod against him. “I understand.”

“I just…wanted you to know me.”

The human need to lay yourself bare in the hopes of acceptance is something you understand all too well—and something you never do anymore, because it just always ends badly. That he wanted you that much squeezes your heart in a merciless fist, because the healer in you wants to help him, but you’re not sure you can give this man what he really needs.

“Did you…want me before I talked back to you?” Suddenly the question is burning in your brain and you have to know.

Julian smirks at that. “You’ve always talked back to me, y/n.” With that he kisses your forehead, and starts to get dressed again.

What a goddamned shame.

It’s totally not helpful, but you can’t stop yourself from thinking that if Tom had you in this position tonight, you wouldn’t be able to walk right, and not because you’d said the wrong thing and got yourself punished with a sliver of wood or whatever the fuck Julian kept in his closet.

You wouldn’t be going home feeling even emptier than when you arrived.

Maybe, you wouldn’t be going home at all.

Julian asks you to stay with him a while longer to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie—some cheap new thriller that makes you both jump and gasp. It’s sort of funny, to watch the man that was just spouting off his desire to use ancient torture methods on you get scared at a guy with a shiny knife popping out of bushes.

At one point, while you’re laying on his bare chest and inhaling the citrusy sweat of his skin and becoming increasingly warm to the idea of giving his discarded silky tie another try, you start tracing your fingers down the hard line of his stomach, flicking over the elastic of his thin sweatpants.

He stalls your movement, and looks down at you apologetically. “Not tonight, honey.”

You know he was just fiending for your bound form with his dick in his hand, so you’re not sure why he’s stopping you, but your woe-is-me brain immediately, and as usual, jumps to the conclusion that he never wanted you in the first place.

You will not be the giving tree anymore. You will not be the obsessed, lovesick girl willing to do anything just to get that same love back. You won’t—you can’t—do it again.

“It’s late,” you sigh, sitting up. You’ve long sobered from dinner, and you’re tired, and you kind of want to be alone so you can go home and cry. “Thank you for dinner.” You’re not so sure about the rest, and in the rueful curl of Julian’s lips you can tell he’s well aware how disappointing all this was. For both of you, you suppose. He kisses you goodnight at the door, and you get in your car to drive home.

#tom ludlow x reader #street kings #tom ludlow #keanuverse fic #keanuverse

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bwabys-scenarios · 9 months

Text

Fixer Upper

Part 18

Perv!Kurapika x Fem!Reader

part 17

part 19

warning: this chapter is SPICY, you have been warned!!

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(Name) rubbed her eyes as Kurapika stood up. “I’ll go grab us some breakfast. We should be arriving in York New in around 30 minutes.”

He let his suit jacket with her, (Name) not even noticing as she pulled it over her more to keep warm.

The blonde arrived a few minutes later, carrying a few juice boxes and two takeout boxes with him.

“I got you waffles, with strawberries.”

She sat up, folding his jacket and placing it next to her before giving him a sleepy smile. “Ahh, thank you Kurapika.”

He sat down with his own takeout box, (Name) blinking a bit when he opened it.

Her box was elegantly made, having a waffle in the center covered in strawberries, syrup, and whip cream. In the little side cups we’re eggs, bacon, and sausage neatly placed with a toothpick sticking out of one of the mini sausages.

This was a stark contrast to Kurapika’s box. There was a waffle, but it was soggy, covered in syrup and whip cream with peaches slapped on top of it. The sides had been haphazardly tossed in on top of his waffle.

And he seemed to have no problem with it. Kurapika began eating his food, only wincing a little at the dreary sight. (Name) couldn’t help but snicker. “Kurapika, do you wanna share with me? Your plate… um…”

“I dropped it…”

His dejected tone made her giggle. “Aww, Kurapika…”

She scooted closer, taking his box and pulling out some of the sides and slices of peaches, placing it on her plate. “Here, I’ll pick some of the none soggy stuff up.”

When she was done, she moved the takeout box onto the small table in front of them, offering him his for. “Dig in!”

(Name) snatched a strawberry from the plate, the corners of her mouth twitching up when she watched him grab a wedge of the peach, the blonde glancing at her before he placed it in his mouth.

‘He’s so cute!’

(Name) cut the waffle into two half’s, giving him the bigger slice. He gave her a look, gesturing to the waffle but she shook her head. “You eat more than I do, go ahead, sweetheart.”

The pet name flustered the poor blonde, Kurapika shoving a piece of the waffle into his mouth.

“Haha, is it good?”

He nodded, strawberry syrup dripping down his chin. (Name) gasped, leaning forward and swiping up the sweet liquid with her finger.

“Ahh, that was close! That would of left a touch stain on your shirt.”

Without thinking, she stuck her finger in her mouth, licking the excess syrup off. He could only stare, face turning pink, then red.

Kurapika crossed his legs, eating quietly before excusing himself. “I’ll be right back, just have to… use the bathroom…”

He took one last look at her content face before leaving to deal with his hard on.

——————

The two exited the train together, Kurapika pulling her suitcase behind him. “Are you sure you don’t mind? I can carry it, I don’t want to be a burden to you.”

Ouch.

Kurapika hesitated for a moment, feeling his heart thump painfully against his chest. “You’re not…”

He sighed, continuing to pull it along. “I’ve got it.”

They took a cab to the hotel, Kurapika keeping a close eye on the girl. When she noticed him staring, she sent him an uneasy smile. “Is there something wrong?”

“No… why do you ask?”

She squirmed in her seat, hiding herself behind her fluffy cardigan. “Your eyes are… kind of intense right now. I just thought maybe I made you mad or something.”

He paused, hand clenching. This seemed to only further her fears, the girl quickly holding up her hands. “S-sorry! I… I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not mad at all, I promise.”

He attempted to comfort her, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder, only to see her flinch away.

“(Name)… I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I know! I… I know.”

She did know, but she also thought she knew that back when he did hurt her.

He attempted again, reaching out to gently pat her head. She allowed this, but was tense under his touch.

Leorio and Killua weren’t around to protect her right now, and although she wanted to trust him, wanted to find happiness in his touch, it didn’t come as easy as it did when she had the other two to rely on.

They would be spending a lot of time alone together, and she was nervous.

“We’re here.”

Kurapika offered his hand to help her out if the cab, heart fluttering when she took it. “Thank you.”

Again, he insisted on pulling her suitcase for her, smacking her hands away playfully when she tried to take it. “Ah ah, I got it. You’re doing me a favor, it’s the least I could do.”

She laughed this time, following behind him with a little smile on her lips. “Okay, okay.”

It’s time like these that made (Name)’s heart beat a little faster as the blonde followed behind her, stopping to rush and open any door in her path. He even reached over her to press the elevator button, smiling down at her. “I’ve got it.”

(Name) was a little perplexed on why he was acting the way he was. He hadn’t been rude to her at her home, but Kurapika hadn’t been this… sweet.

“Are you in… any pain?”

(Name) tilted her head at the question. “Pain? What do you mean?”

He wouldn’t meet her eye. “You know… because of your time of the month.”

Oh.

“Haha, is that why you’re carrying my stuff around? I’m fine, the medication I’m on helps keep the symptoms more tame.”

He nodded slowly. “I see, that’s good…”

Kurapika still continued to carry her stuff for her, even opening their hotel room door.

“Oh wow!”

(Name) squealed, running around the room and peeking out the large window. Kurapika couldn’t help but smile, watching her twirl around the fancy hotel room with soft eyes.

“Kurapika, it’s huge! Oh my gosh!”

She peeked her head into the bathroom, looking back at him with a beaming smile. “The bath and shower is huge! I can’t wait for tonight!”

She finished her tour by falling onto the bed, a laugh leaving Kurapika’s lips when she began to sink in.

“Are you alright, (Name)?”

She mumbled something into the plush bed, the blonde walking over to pull her up. “What was that?”

“This is the fanciest place I’ve ever been.”

‘God she’s adorable.’

He sat down with her on the bed, turning to look at her. “You like it?”

“Yes! It’s amazing!”

His smile faltered a little when he noticed her putting the dots together. “Oh. There’s… only one bed.”

Kurapika sighed softly, standing up. “Yes, that is the only problem. I was unable to cancel this room and reserve another within such short notice.”

“… sorry.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “… why are you apologizing?”

“…”

She fiddled with her cardigan uncomfortably, the man sighing. “Anyways, I can sleep on the floor, or-“

“Kurapika.”

She placed a hand on his arm, her touch light. “It’s alright. We can…”

(Name) gave him a smile. “We can sleep in the same bed. I mean, it’s just like the Hunter exam, right?”

Kurapika felt his heart thump against his chest at the thought of sleeping next to her again. He’d truly taken it for granted before, having such a beautiful woman cuddled into his chest, giving him kisses, touching him…

He cleared his throat. “Yes, I guess it is, since this is also a necessary situation.”

(Name)’s expression fell, her smile gone. “Ah, yeah. Necessary…”

Kurapika paused, remembering something he’d spat out in the heat of the moment to try and push her away nearly two years ago.

“And look, you did something right for once! You sure did keep me warm during the fourth phase. Looks like you are useful for something, even if all that is, is being a warm body.”

He slapped a hand to his head. ‘Stupid, she probably thinks you’re trying to use her. But…’

He glanced at the girl, who stood up to unpack her suitcase.

‘It would be nice to feel her warmth again.’

Kurapika watched as (Name) fixed her hair, humming to herself. “Kurapika, what am I getting ready for?”

The blonde leaned against the bed. “Oh, we’re just going out to get you a dress for tomorrow evening.”

(Name) froze at this, her head whipping around to look at him. “A dress… you mean clothes shopping? Kurapika…”

She gave him a wary look, turning from the vanity. He waved her off. “I already checked, they do sell your size there. Leorio… made sure I checked before taking you.”

(Name) sighed. “Ah… good…”

“Although, in my opinion every store should carry your size. It just doesn’t make sense to me why not.”

She looked up to see Kurapika cross his arms over his chest, obviously pissed off. (Name) stared at him for a moment, taking in his face before giggling. “Aww, Kurapika! Thanks for being so sweet.”

She stood from her vanity, picking up her purse instead of her backpack.

“I’m ready. We can pick out my dress, then get some lunch!”

He nodded, opening the hotel room door for her. “That sounds perfect.”

———————

Kurapika glanced down the long street ahead of them before taking (Name)’s hand. “Stay close to me.”

He didn’t say why, but from his strong grip on her arm, she didn’t question it. ‘Maybe he sensed something? I could use Gyo, but…’

“Don’t.”

It seemed Kurapika knew what she was thinking, he had a smile on his face that would look charming to most, but to someone who knew him, he looked… tense.

(Name) sent him a confused look, but decided to just follow his lead. He lead her into the first store, (Name) raising an eyebrow at him. It was a luxury dress boutique, and it didn’t seem like the type of shop (Name) would be able to shop in.

“Hello there! How may I be of service today?”

A woman stood before them, hands clasped tightly at her chest. She wore a customer service smile, it only slightly wavering at the sight of (Name).

“Hello, we’re here to find a dress for my lovely wife.” Kurapika smiled, pulling her a little closer and leaning his head against her’s affectionately.

‘Wife!?’

(Name)’s face heated up, barely holding herself back from sending an inquisitive glance Kurapika’s way. He spoke so confidently, lowering an arm to her lower back. “We have a dinner with a colleague tomorrow night, and I would love to find her something elegant, and classy.”

The woman nodded, looking (Name) up and down. “Is there a specific color you’re going for, Miss?”

(Name) glanced to Kurapika, who gestured her to speak.

“Oh, um… no, not really.”

“I see!”

She turned. “Follow me!”

(Name) looked at the floor as they walked towards the back of the store. “Here we are!”

“… what?”

Kurapika stared at the small rack, containing a handful of what Kurapika could only describe as ‘grandma dresses’.

(Name) sighed next to him and began to browse the small selection. “(Name).”

He pulled her away, frowning. “No. Miss, where are the rest of your dresses?”

“Oh, these are all the dresses we carry in her size.”

Kurapika raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t even measured her yet?”

“I don’t need to. She’s not exactly… our intended audience.”

“Kurapika, it’s fine. I’ll just-“

Kurapika huffed, pulling her towards the door. “No, it’s not fine. If they don’t have what you want, we’ll go somewhere else.”

(Name) squeaked as he grabbed her by the waist, holding her close to him as they walked down the street. “What kind of boutique speaks to its customers like that? Wasted my time…”

He grumbled a few choice words to the rude employee as they left, hand gripping her waist. She glanced down at his hand, then up to him. “Kurapika? You’re… squeezing me a bit too tight.”

The blonde was quick to retract his hand, instead deciding to hold hers. “Ah, sorry. That woman pissed me off. I hate that you get treated like that, (Name), it’s disrespectful.”

(Name) looked at the ground. “Meh, I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

He squeezed her hand lightly. (Name) smiled softly, squeezing back. “You’re a real sweetheart, Kurapika. Thank you.”

‘Don’t say that, (Name). Not after everything I’ve done to you.’

He didn’t say this though, only continuing to lead her town the street.

The next store they entered was extravagant, framed by white columns. “We’ve entered Rome.” (Name) whispered to the blonde. He held back a snicker, giving her a look.

“(Name), we’re supposed to be a classy married couple.”

“Oh, classy married couples can’t joke around?”

He scowled. “No, they can’t.”

“Hello, how may I help you?”

They both jumped at the sudden question, (Name) giving the friendly employee a polite smile. “Hi, I’m looking for a dress for a…”

“For a meeting with a colleague. Something elegant.” Kurapika finished.

The employee smiled warmly. “Ah, I see. We have a wide variety of dresses available here. Is there anything you’re looking for in particular?”

(Name) explained some of her preferences to the woman as Kurapika stared at the opposite wall.

‘Is that…’

“So, you two are a married couple, right?”

(Name) nodded a bit too quickly, face heating up at the question. Kurapika held back a laugh. “Yes, we are. Actually, we married just last week, and we’re currently on our honey moon.”

“Oh, congratulations! You two are such a cute couple!”

(Name) covered her face with her hands, Kurapika quick to pull her in closer and chuckle. “Thank you. Sorry, my wife is a little shy.”

‘My wife! Ah!’

Kurapika gently squeezed her arm, attempting to signal to her that she needed to calm down, but she was too busy trying to breathe to comprehend it.

“So, newlyweds, huh? You two must be having lots of fun all alone!”

Kurapika blinked, glancing down at his flustered friend to see if he’d heard correctly. (Name) was also looking up to him, eyes wide and face hot.

“… lots of fun.”

(Name) gasped and smacked his arm. “Kurapika Kurta!”

He laughed, cheeks a light pink. “Sorry, sorry. Again, she’s quite shy.”

“Haha, most newlyweds are. Please, come this way, and I’ll show you some of our dresses.”

As the walked through the store, (Name) became more and more nervous. She looked through a few of the dresses, sighing. “Kurapika… I can’t afford anything here. We may need to-“

“No need to worry.”

He pulled out his wallet, giving her a sly smile. “I’ll be paying.”

(Name) froze, blinking up at the blonde. “… what?”

He tugged on her arm to keep her going. “Consider it a gift for accompanying me to dinner tomorrow night.”

She shook her head rapidly. “No, no I couldn’t accept that, it’s-“

He flicked her forehead. (Name) could be incredible stubborn when it came to accepting gifts, and he’d already planned a response to her denial.

“I’m buying the dress regardless. If you don’t wear it, it’ll just go to waste.”

She grumbled at that, poking her tongue out at him.

“Here we are!”

(Name) looked to the woman, her tongue still sticking out. “Mm?”

Kurapika stared at her tongue for a moment before looking around.

“Ahh, isn’t this much better, (Name)?”

They looked upon a vast variety of dresses. Every color, length, and cut was available.

“Wow, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen so many dresses in my size.”

Kurapika smiled, placing a hand on her back. “Go ahead, sweetheart.”

(Name) knew he had to be able to feel her heart thump rapidly through her skin. ‘Ahh… I wish he’d call me that more often.’

She immediately began moving towards the clearance section, Kurapika grabbing her wrist. “(Name), I said something elegant.”

(Name) pouted at this, but allowed him to guide her towards the more expensive dresses.

The employee helped her pick a few dresses, Kurapika being shooed away when he attempted to peek at the selection. “Mr. Kurta, stay over there! It’ll be a nice surprise!”

He blinked at that. ‘Surprise?’

As (Name) pulled her dress on over her head, she thought back to Kurapika’s words. It was always hard to tell how the blonde was feeling, especially in a situation where he was acting.

At the insinuation of having sex with her, he didn’t react much, besides the lightest of pink taking over his cheeks. (Name) couldn’t help but be curious to what his thoughts where in that moment. Had he been embarrassed? Intrigued? Happy?

‘No, I know exactly what he thinks of me…’

“You disgust me.”

She felt a shiver run up her spine at the memory of his words, her arms wrapping around herself in an attempt to provide some form of comfort to her trembling body. The girl was nervous, feeling her stomach churn slightly when she thought about the way he looked at her in the moment.

(Name) had always prided herself on being able to read people, but even she was at a loss then. His eyes were cold, and being hidden behind those gray contacts didn’t help. That day she lost her Pika, the man she loved being replaced by a stranger.

Even now, when he acted kind towards her, she could only briefly forget what he’d done, and now that they were all alone, it was getting harder to ignore the elephant in the room.

Was he sorry for what he’d done?

(Name) wasn’t stupid. She knew he hadn’t apologized to her yet, but she wanted to believe that he would. He’d come back to her after all, didn’t that mean something. Surely, the Pika she knew would never use her for his own gain.

But then again, was he really the Pika she had loved all those years ago?

Did he ever even really exist?

(Name) shook her head. ‘No, no he did exist, my Pika was real. He… he couldn’t have been acting. He really did care about me…’

Even as she said this, trying to smile, there was still a lingering doubt in the back of her mind, but she wouldn’t let that stop her from holding onto hope.

She still held onto the hope that he was still in there somewhere, that one day she could hold his hand, and he’d squeeze it back, pulling her into his arm embrace and holding her like he used to.

‘I miss you, Pika…’

But none of that mattered. She could sense it, he was holding her at arms length. When this mission was over, he would leave her, possibly for forever.

And that hurt even more than any insult Kurapika could throw at her.

The employee walked back after assisting (Name) in the changing room. The girl had been quiet the entire time, seemingly lost in thought. This made the employee hum. ‘Marriage troubles?’

“So… you two been on your honeymoon long?”

Kurapika leaned against the wall raising an eyebrow in the employees direction. “No, why do you ask?”

“Well, I don’t mean to be crude, but I can tell you two haven’t…”

Kurapika stiffened slightly at the insinuation, letting out a cough. Perhaps the girl was sad that he hadn’t made a move yet?

“We’ve… only been in York New for half a day.”

He hoped that would be enough of an answer for the woman, but she continued. “Oh, I see. But you should get at it soon, don’t you want to start a family?”

Kurapika felt his head go fuzzy at her words. The image of (Name) with a cute little baby bump, giggling as he held her close came to mind.

“Aren’t you excited to be a daddy, Kurapika?”

“Yes, angel. I couldn’t be happier.”

Thoughts of being together as a family filled his head, causing his heart to swell. If there was one thing the blonde wanted more than anything else in the world, it was a family. A wife, a child, friends that would be there for him when he needed them, and vice versa.

“Yes… that would be… nice.”

“Well then… maybe I can help you get things… started.”

Kurapika followed her gaze to the wall he’d been staring at earlier.

The lingerie section.

——————

“Uh, hello?”

Kurapika’s head twisted in the direction of (Name)’s voice. He set down the pair of lacy black panties he’d been inspecting to follow her voice.

“Oh, I’m coming!”

The employee began walking towards the changing room, causing a strange feeling to settle in Kurapika’s chest. He nearly pushed the employee over trying to get to (Name) first.

“I’ve got it.” He said, sending the employee the friendliest smile he could manage. It looked more pained than friendly, but she backed off nonetheless.

“What is it, (Name)?” He stood right outside the door, listening for her response.

“Kurapika? Oh, can you get the employee? I need someone to zip me up.”

He swallowed, heart beginning to race. “She’s busy.”

“Oh… well…”

(Name) poked her head out of the door, giving him a shy smile. “You can do it, then.”

Kurapika took a moment to compose himself before walking in.

And good thing he did, because the sight of her in her new dress took his breath away.

“(Name), you…”

His mouth hung open, eyes drinking in her form. She wore a floor length, satin dress. It was midnight blue in color, a long slot going up one side to expose her soft thigh.

“Does it look okay?”

She looked back at with with those pretty (e/c) eyes, holding the fabric of the dress over her exposed chest. He gulped, quickly standing behind her and beginning to zip her up.

“You look beautiful, (Name). Absolutely stunning.”

(Name) covered her face with her hands. “You really mean that, Kurapika?”

He turned her by her shoulders to get a better look at her, his eyes softening. “Yes, yes I promise.

He expected her to giggle, for that pretty smile of hers to stretch across her face, but he only got a sigh and forced, small smile in return.

Those familiar words hung in the air, his past actions tainting them. In the past, (Name) had believed him without a doubt, and even now, she foolishly wanted to take his words as the truth.

She was like a moth to a flame, wanting to bask in his warmth before he eventually scorched her again. Kurapika realized what he said, and how he had broken his promise to her before.

“I’ll never deny you.”

Kurapika wanted to reach out, to apologize and reassure her that he truly did mean what he had said, but what did it matter anyways? He would be gone soon, and why would he waste all of the work he’d done to push her away by undoing it all with an apology? That would mean her hurt her for no reason.

And Kurapika couldn’t handle that realization, so he did nothing.

She stayed quiet, smoothing out the dress. Kurapika unzipped her so she could change. “Tell me when you’re dressed.”

And she did, a few minutes later. He walked back into her changing room, wordlessly picking up the dress and beginning to walk away.

“… Kurapika? Kurapika, what are you doing?”

“Buying this dress.”

She blinked. “But it’s the only one I’ve tried on, shouldn’t w-“

“Oh, keep trying on dresses. I’ll get you whatever you want, but I’m buying this one first.”

“Kurapika!”

She raced after him, grabbing his arm. He didn’t even pause, easily pulling her along with him. “K-Kurapika! I only need one dress for dinner! I’ll just get that one!”

He turned at that, tilting his head. “Are you sure? There were a few other dresses you wanted to try on..”

She sighed. “I’m sure. That one is perfect.”

(Name) sighed in relief when he relented.

——————

Her relief was short lived.

(Name) now sat in front of Kurapika, who held onto her leg as he slipped another shoe onto her foot.

“Hmm…”

He compared the color of the dress, sighing. “Nope, not right.”

He took off the shoe and moved on to the next pair.

“Kurapikaaa, it’s been 30 minutes. I’m tired of this.”

Kurapika patted her leg. “But Mrs. Kurta, don’t you want to find the perfect pair?”

“M-Mrs. Kurta!?”

He looked up at her through those thick blonde eyelashes, a sly smile on his lips. “Newlyweds, remember? You’ve got to get used to it, sweetheart.”

She pouted down at him. “Do you enjoy teasing me?”

“Maybe a little.”

(Name) folded her arms over her chest. “Rude.”

He settled on a pair of silver heels, (Name) tilting her head at the choice.

“Silver? I thought you were going for blue.”

“I was but…”

He imagined how exposed her shoulders and neck would be in that dress, taking a deep breath.

“I had an idea.”

——————

(Name) plopped down on their bed, butt in the air as she groaned into her pillow. “I’m exhausted. God I hate shopping.”

Kurapika tried to ignore the temptation of peeking in her direction, unpacking her dress and hanging it up in the walk in closet.

“Aren’t women supposed to like shopping?”

(Name) poked her head up at him. “Do you like football?”

“… no?”

She slumped back into the bed, mumbling something back to him he couldn’t hear. “Well, anyways, do you want to order room service?”

This seemed to interest her, the girl jumping up. “Room service?”

He laughed. “Yes, order whatever you like. I’m going to take a shower. Just get me whatever you get.”

Kurapika gathered a change of clothes, taking one last look at her before closing the bathroom door.

He couldn’t deny that sharing a room felt awfully familiar to him, in a comforting way. The nights he spent cuddled up with her during the Hunter Exam had been some of the best of his life.

Even when they couldn’t be physically next to each other, staying on call with her as he slept helped him feel safe, loved.

He wondered if she felt the same way. After all, it was her that comforted him during his nightmares, sang him lullabies and blew kisses when he was sad. Kurapika was beginning to realize that oftentimes, she was the one comforting him.

He opened his eyes, letting the warm water cascade down his pale body. Using her shampoo and soap always felt nice, and he considered switching to it when he left after this mission.

‘Only because it smells good. Not for… any other reasons…’

Even as he said that, his cock twitched when he opened up her shampoo bottle. It’s like his body knew that the smell was associated with being near her, and was reacting on its own.

‘Fuck…’

He looked down at his hard cock, frowning. ‘I’ll have to deal with this… why does this keep happening? What’s causing my body to react this way?’

As he stroked himself, he spotted her own change of clothes sitting on top of the sink. For some reason, the thought of her panties being folded under her shirt or pants made him excited.

He ended up cumming the thought of her cute panties alone. He bashfully finished his shower, cursing his mind for thinking such things. Kurapika hated how sensitive his body was now, how easily he was affected by her.

(Name) ordered their food, curling up on their bed as she waited. Kurapika’s shower didn’t take too long, the blonde stepping out around 30 minutes later. His hair was still wet, a towel hung around his shoulders.

“I hope you don’t mind me using your shampoo. I forgot mine.”

That was a lie, he’d purposefully left his shampoo at home so he could use hers without suspicion.

“I don’t mind at all! Now come here.”

Kurapika sighed softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. He sat cross legged in front of her, head leaning against his knee as she dried his soft blonde locks.

Moments like this made him miss when she would touch him so casually, kiss his cheeks and jump into his arms with ease. When she was taking care of him like this, she touched him.

Maybe that’s the reason he sought her out after his shower. It would be easy to dry his own hair to appease her, but he didn’t. He purposely didn’t dry his hair so he would. It was an attempt to feel that familiar warmth he did when they were together during the Hunter exam, when things were simpler.

When he hadn’t hurt her yet.

“There, all done.”

She scooted off the bed, throwing the towel into the hamper. “Room service sure is taking their sweet time.”

The two sat on opposite sides of the bed, sneaking glances at each other. Through the window, they could see the sun was setting, meaning they’d have to go to bed soon.

“Room service!”

‘Oh thank god.’

(Name) jumped up and scurried towards the door, sighing in relief. “Thanks!”

The two ate together in silence. Once (Name) finished, she stretched. “I’ll go ahead and take my shower then. What are our plans for tomorrow?”

Kurapika set his laptop aside, thinking for a moment before speaking. “Besides dinner at 5 pm, nothing.”

(Name) nodded, shrugging off her cardigan and folding it. She placed it on her suitcase, Kurapika watching her.

“I see, then that means we can sleep in!”

Kurapika tilted his head. “Sleep in? I thought you might want to sight see.”

“Nah, I lived her for a few months, I’ve seen plenty. The train ride was more comfortable than usual, but it’s not the same as sleeping in a bed. I need to catch up on some missed sleep.”

The blonde continued typing on his laptop, humming softly. “Hmm, I guess that makes sense. I can’t guarantee that I’ll sleep in as well, but you can do as you wish with your free time.”

(Name) threw her pajamas onto her shoulder. “Besides, I don’t want to strain myself right now, considering…”

She held a hand over her abdomen, wincing.

“Ah, that’s true, I’d prefer you take it easy.”

Kurapika spared her a worried glance, the girl not catching it. She was already opening the bathroom door.

“Can you put my phone on charge for me? Thanks!”

She closed the door before he could answer. He glanced over to her side of the bed, seeing her phone lying on her pillow.

He picked it up, the weight of it being in his hand foreign. She had a strawberry themed phone case, and when he turned it on, his heart couldn’t stop racing.

Her lock screen was a picture of the five of them right after they saved Killua from the Zoldyck Estate. (Name) and Kurapika were so close, both in the picture and in general back then. Their cheek were pressed against each other, big smiles on their faces.

He melted at the sight, eyes softening. ‘God, she’s so cute.’

His smile faded when a message from who he assumed was Leorio popped up.

Oreo: rate these pussies (image attached)

Kurapika blinked, face turning red with embarrassment and anger. ‘What the hell is he talking about?’

Kurapika had to know what the picture was. He didn’t know her passcode, but assumed it was the same thing she used for everything.

He typed in her birthday, and if he wasn’t pissed off he would have laughed at how easy it was, her phone unlocking.

He clicked on Leorio’s contact, ready to tear him a new one.

Image attachment:

Kurapika stared at the images for a moment, feeling just a little silly for his previous rage. ‘He meant that as in… cats. Still…’

Kurapika shut her phone off, leaning over to put it on charge. ‘Why do I care if he’s sending her things like that anyways? Their relationship is none of my…’

He attempted to push away the familiar nasty feeling bubbling up in his chest. ‘…’

Kurapika shook his head. The laptop opened, Kurapika beginning to type away yet again.

‘Hmm…’

The blonde had done thorough research on both the restaurant they were visiting, and the informant they’d be meeting.

He was a flesh collector, popular in the community for his vast collection and strange morals.

‘Victor Hummin.’

The man refused to collect anything from any parties that had not consented to the sale of their own body parts. Kurapika found this strange, and didn’t know how to think about it.

Ok one hand, he was collecting the flesh of human beings, something Kurapika viewed as immoral. On the other hand… he only procured items from people who sold them willingly from their own bodies.

“Ugh, I’m tired.”

The sound of the bathroom door opening and closing echoes through the room, along with (Name)’s voice. Kurapika looked up from his laptop to see her standing by the bathroom, towel on her head.

She wore an oversized tshirt and…

Kurapika felt his blood rush to his face when he realized that her legs were completely bare. “(N-Name)?”

His face was completely red, hurriedly pulling their comforter over his lap to hide the growing bulge in his pants.

“Hmm? Do you need something Kurapika?”

She stretched lightly, a yawn leaving her lips.

‘Oh.’

A pair of black shorts peeked out of the bottom of her pink tshirt. Kurapika relaxed slightly, though his hard on was still raging.

He felt just a tad disappointed, letting out a huff.

‘Wait…’

Kurapika held a hand over his forehead, face red as he remembered the second phase of the exam. Leorio had the same reaction he was having now when (Name)’s skirt flew up then.

‘Oh no, I’m thinking like Leorio. This isn’t good…’

(Name) crawled into bed, lying on her tummy as she scrolled on her phone. She had her headphones on, kicking her feet as she watched some video.

He glanced from the fuzzy socks on her feet, to the towel on her head, then to her face. Her eyes blinked sleepily, the hand keeping her head up nearly slipping.

“(Name)?”

With her headphones on, she must not have been able to hear him. Kurapika reached out to tap her shoulder, the girl glancing to look at him before pulling her headphones to the side. “Yes?”

Kurapika placed his laptop on the table next to him, giving her a smile. “Staring at that phone in the dark will hurt your eyes. Let’s get some rest, hmm?”

(Name) rubbed her eyes. “Yeah… okay.”

She seemed to send someone a text before she set her phone on the nightstand, lifting up the comforter and snuggling underneath it.

It was quiet for a few minutes, the two feet of space separating the two blank. Kurapika was trying to keep himself calm. His body was heating up, and he was attempting to push the thought of her sleeping next to him out of his head.

‘She’s just sleeping next to you. Your body didn’t react like this during the Hunter exam, what makes this any different?’

“Kurapika?”

The blonde let out a shaky breath when he felt the space next to him dip under (Name)’s weight. She was closer now, maybe only a foot apart.

“Yes?”

He was turned away from her, hoping the darkness could hide his red face, but knowing it would do nothing to hide the sound of his racing heart.

“Do you remember when we used to sleep together during the Hunter Exam?”

A moment passed by before he answered. “… yes. I do.”

She was quiet, tracing shapes into the sheet. “Do you think… just for tonight… we can pretend everything is okay, and you can hold me like you used to?”

His breath hitched. ‘Hold… her…’

When he didn’t answer, he felt her scoot away, her voice coming out shaky.

“Sorry, you don’t have to, it’s f-“

She stopped when Kurapika turned around, wordlessly pulling her closer. He pressed his body against hers, holding her in his arms.

She quieted down, eyes fluttering closed as her body relaxed.

“Like this?”

He looked down at her, taking in her content face. She nodded, eyes opening up to look into his. “Yes, just like that.”

Kurapika leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. Her warmth seeped into his skin, making him almost whimper at how good it felt to be so close to her again.

Her hand reached up to cup his cheek, the blonde leaning into her touch. “I missed you, Kurapika. Even…”

She was quiet, shaking her head. “Never mind. Let’s get some sleep.”

He placed his hand over hers, pressing her hand into his cheek further. “… goodnight, (Name).”

“Goodnight, Kurapika.”

They both wanted to say something, but neither did. One a coward, one too kind.

Kurapika watched as she drifted off, taking in her features. Her soft lips, long lashes, chubby cheeks, all things he committed to memory.

His hand slipped from her back to her soft hips, gripping the fat around them gently. ‘So soft…’

(Name) was the epitome of softness, from her body, to her voice, to her personality, the first word that came to mind when thinking about her was ‘soft’.

Kurapika, on the other hand, was rough. Calloused hands, harsh personality, sour mood, everything indicated to him being rough around the edges. It made sense that someone as soft and kind as her would be hurt when she veered to close to him.

Though, he couldn’t complain about their close proximity now, especially when his body yearned to be closer to her, merge with hers.

Be inside her.

He groaned quietly, feeling himself grow hard again. The smell of her, fresh out of the show was tantalizing, almost unbearable. She was right there, smiling in her sleep as he held her close, and it’s like his body couldn’t help but react with excitement to the feeling of her warm breath against his neck.

Kurapika swallowed, eyes half lidded as he dipped his hand into his boxers, keeping the other one on her hip.

“Hahh…”

He covered his mouth, face red with embarrassment. ‘Did I just…’

He bit his lip to keep himself quiet as he stroked his cock, his imagination going wild.

He imagined (Name) waking up, glancing down at his bulge then back up to him with those pretty (e/c) eyes.

“Aww, Pika… do you need some help, there? Let me take care of you…”

He watched as she slipped her hand into his pants, pulling out his cock and stroking it slowly. “My Pika… does that feel good?”

“Hnn, yes angel, that feels amazing!”

She picked up the pace, leaning forward to press kisses into his sensitive neck. “Wanna cum inside of me, Pika? Fill my tummy up?”

Kurapika covered his mouth as he came, eyes squeezing shut. It took him a moment to come down from his high, and when he did, he realized what had happened.

He lifted the blanket up slowly, cock hardening again at the sight.

Kurapika had cum all over her thighs, feeling his dick twitch in his hand at the sight. He couldn’t help but feel… disappointed, like something about the sight wasn’t right.

He remembered what the (Name) in his mind had said to get him to cum so fast.

“Wanna cum inside of me, Pika? Fill my tummy up?”

Just those words alone were enough to get him pumping his cock again, soft pants leaving his mouth as he stared at (Name)’s sleeping face.

‘S-so pretty… fuck…’

Kurapika grabbed a fistful of her thigh, pulling her a little closer until the tip of his cock nearly kissed her legs. ‘Cant… get any closer…’

He wanted to kiss her, to push her panties to the side and slip into her warm cunt. Kurapika was always so, so cold, and she was so warm. Agonizingly so.

Kurapika watched her face, eyes gone red with lust as he leaned closer. As he came again, he leaned his forehead against hers, allowing himself that small physical contact.

“(N-Name)…” he whimpered out. “Hahh… hahh…”

More than anything he wanted her to wake up and touch him, kiss him, tell him how much she wanted him.

But she didn’t, and the blonde pulled up his pants, staring down at his cum dripping down her legs. He was ashamed of himself for cumming on her like that, but it was hard not to when she was holding onto him so tight.

He leaned to grab a tissue from his nightstand, gently wiping off her thighs before tossing it into the trash.

That feeling was washing over him again, the urge to pull her closer and cuddle. He’d felt this after he orgasmed the night they watched the Barbie movie, and it was even stronger now that they were lying next to each other.

Kurapika pulled her even closer, now able to press his body against hers entirely without his bulge getting in the way. He pressed a lingering kiss into her forehead, eyes getting heavy.

‘Goodnight, angel.’

———————

Kurapika was acting different the next morning. Before she’d woken up, he’d ordered room service for the two. When (Name) did finally wake up, it was to his starling red eyes looking into hers, taking in every detail of her face.

“Mmm… Kurapika?”

He blinked, cheeks pink when he realized she caught him staring. “Good morning, (Name).”

If only she knew he’d been staring at her sleeping face gif the better half of an hour, occasionally cupping her cheek to gently tilt her head in different directions.

She yawned, attempting to stretch and sit up when she realized he was still holding onto her. (Name)’s eyes flitted to the hands griping her hips, her face heating up.

Something… something was poking into her tummy, but the blonde seemed unaware of that. Could it be his arm? His…

“Kurapika, you’re-“

He pulled his hands away quickly, as he’d been holding onto something hot. Kurapika said nothing as she scooted out of bed, eyes following her swaying hips.

“Be right back…”

She closed the bathroom door behind her, and the blonde felt something uneasy settle into his chest.

The space next to him was empty, and he wasn’t sure why that made him… nervous. The warmth she’d left behind was fading away, and try as he might, Kurapika couldn’t keep it there.

He scooted into her spot, cuddling into her pillow. It smelled like her, a soft strawberry scent with hints of vanilla and coconut.

‘(Name)…’

He hugged her pillow, smiling against the soft fabric. His morning wood prodded against the mattress, the blonde whining.

‘Fuck…’

He glanced back at the bathroom door. He could hear the sink running, so he assumed she was doing her morning routine. Usually, it took (Name) around 10 minutes to brush her teeth, wash her face, and moisturize. That meant he had just enough time to take care of his problem.

While his face was buried in her pillow, he reached down into his pants. Kurapika gasped when his hand made contact with his sensitive cock, slowly pumping along his length as he nuzzled against (Name)’s pillow.

Over time, his imagination shifted from just seeing her panties for the first time, to her jerking him off, and then to now…

“Hahh, P-Pika!”

She gasped when his tongue lapped at her cunt, fingers pushing their way in. “Yes, angel?”

She looked down at him with teary eyes, holding onto his hair. His cock twitched in his hand this image.

“Feels so good, Pika… make me feel so good!”

He groaned into her pillow, cheeks turning pink. ‘Gonna…’

Kurapika gasped as he came, thankfully he’d thought to grab a tissue before hand.

It seemed he came just in time too, because the sound of the sink turning off had the blonde scurrying to his side of the bed.

“Kurapika, I’m done!”

‘Kurapika…’

In his imagination, (Name) still called him Pika. Kurapika knew it was his own fault she didn’t use that name anymore, but it still hurt sometimes.

He didn’t hate it, not in the slightest. He couldn’t hate anything (Name) gave him, not the nickname, not anything else. Kurapika would even love any scars, bruises, or marks she left on his pale skin.

And if he thought about that anymore, he’d get hard again. “Alright. I ordered room service for breakfast, should be here soon.”

She grinned, plopping down next to him. “Really? Thanks Kurapika!”

Her thighs was touching his, the smell of mint and her moisturizer making him sigh. “I’ll be right back.”

He climbed out of bed, putting on the slippers (Name) brought for him and walking to the bathroom to get his morning started.

——————

Kurapika glanced at the clock. It was around 2 pm, and (Name) was still in her pajamas, cuddled up in bed.

Despite having nothing to do today, Kurapika had dressed in one of his suits, and sat at the desk nearby typing away at his laptop.

The blonde stole glances at her, his tired eyes lingering on her relaxed face. ‘Must be nice, to be able to relax like that.’

He didn’t feel jealous, though, well maybe a little, but mostly felt… happy. This was how it was supposed to be. (Name), relaxed and happy as she snacked on some chips and FaceTimed Killua, and Kurapika diligently working to further his goals.

“Hey, where’s the twink?”

(Name) bit her lip stop her from laughing. “Killua, you’re not supposed to say that word, it’s an adult word.”

“But he is one! Just look at him!”

Kurapika frowned in his seat. ‘What does that even mean? Oh, I can google it.’

He switched to another tab and typed the word into google, waiting a moment for it to load.

“…”

(Name) jumped when her phone was ripped from her hand, Kurapika holding it to his face. “Killua you little-“

“Whoops, gotta go, talk to ya later (Name)!”

Kurapika huffed, handing (Name) her phone back. “Sorry, Kurapika. He teases everyone.”

The blonde plopped down onto the bed, lying down right beside her. “Really? It seems I’m the victim of all his teasing these days.”

(Name) gave him a sympathetic look.

‘But… I guess I do deserve it, considering…’

Kurapika sighed, sitting back up. “We should be getting ready soon. Dinner starts at 5 pm sharp, and it’s a fifteen minute drive there.”

She grumbled, burying her face in her pillow. Kurapika wanted to laugh, to lay his head against her back and cuddle with her for the rest of the time they had before dinner.

But he didn’t. The blonde stood up, shaking her shoulder gently. “Come on, (Name). You’ve been in bed all day, it’s time to get up.”

She looked up at him, sticking her tongue out before burying her face back into the pillow.

‘Did she just..?’

Kurapika blinked at the girl, tilting his head. ‘She did. She actually did.’

“(Name)… you have so many things to do. You have to get dressed, do your makeup…”

“Don’t wanna!”

She pulled the comforter over her head, Kurapika having to keep a straight face even when she wiggled around like a little caterpillar.

“Alright, you asked for it.”

Kurapika threw the blanket off and grabbed her by the hips, pulling her into a sitting position before picking her up.

“H-hey!”

Kurapika didn’t budge as her legs kicked, only patting her thigh. He sat her in front of the vanity, patting her head before smiling. “There. If I have to carry you from place to place, I will. You’re a spoiled wife, aren’t you?”

(Name)’s face heated up, looking down at her lap. Hearing him call her his wife, having him treat her so gently made her feel… strange. Maybe it was her being hormonal because of her period, but she felt a familiar heat in between her legs.

“Kurapika…”

She pouted at him as he walked back towards the closet, pulling out her dress and his suit.

“Yes, Mrs. Kurta?”

Kurapika felt a little bad, getting her all embarrassed like that, but in his mind it was necessary. They needed to practice being a married couple… and maybe he enjoyed pretending they were together.

Maybe he enjoyed it a bit too much.

“… hmph. Never mind.”

She began to apply her makeup, picking up brushes and what seemed like little sponges. It was fascinating really, the blonde having to tear his eyes away so he could get ready himself.

—————

“Kurapika, could you zip me up please?”

The blonde nodded, turning around as he fiddled with his tie. ‘Stupid thing, I can never get this right…’

When he looked up from his chest, his eyes went wide.

Standing before him was (Name), but he’d never seen her look like this before. The dress hugged her figure, the sight of her (s/c) plush thigh poking through the slit making his heart skip a beat.

As he zipped her up, he got a good look at her face.

Elegant was the first word that came to mind, exactly what Kurapika had requested. Her makeup was perfect, (Name) looking up at him through her thick lashes. “Do I look alright?”

The blonde cleared his throat, standing up straight. “You look more than alright, you look… beautiful.”

He knelt down to place her shoes on her feet, internally gushing at the way her dress fell around her thigh as she lifted her leg up.

“It’s a little long… I’m afraid I’ll step on the bottom of my dress.”

She stared down at him, tilting her head slightly.

“… I’ll carry you around if I need to.”

“Kurapika!”

He laughed, putting on her other shoe before standing up. “I still don’t understand why you chose silver shoes. Nothing from my outfit matches that.”

“Well…”

Kurapika opened his hand, revealing a small silver necklace. “Kurapika, you didn’t-“

“Use Gyo.”

(Name) furrowed her eyebrows, but did as told. “It’s… made of nen.”

Kurapika gestures for her to turn around. (Name) turned, lifting up her hair. He placed the necklace around her, fingers brushing against her neck. Kurapika paused when she shivered, noticing that reaction down for later.

“There.”

He had her turn once again, eyes drinking her in.

Now her neck wasn’t bare, a necklace made from HIS nen claiming it. The sight of her bare neck and shoulders the day before when he bought her that dress had Kurapika’s heart thumping against his chest like crazy.

With lust, and the nasty emotion that seemed to plague him when it came to her.

Possessiveness.

“It’s for your protection. If you move too far away, the chain will disappear, alerting me that you’ve moved out of the range of my nen.”

This was the lie he made up to justify this action to her, and himself. “And… I think it matches your shoes perfectly.”

He stared at her with half lidded eyes, hands on her shoulders as he looked her up and down. “Hmm… it seems you’re almost ready.”

“Almost?”

Kurapika held up a paper bag. “We have to put out wigs on!”

(Name) stared at him for what felt like an eternity, the blonde shrinking into himself a little.

“… couldn’t you have told me we were wearing wigs BEFORE I finished doing my hair?”

“… I forgot, sorry.”

(Name) pulled on her wig, grumbling to herself as Kurapika did the same. “… I am sorry. I didn’t even think about it.”

She sighed, glancing at him, and immediately laughed.

He looked like the epitome of a wet cat, twiddling his thumbs after putting on the same wig he’d worn in York New back then.

“Oh, my sweet husband, it’s okay~” she cooed, pinching his cheek. He frowned at her, cheeks a light pink.

“You’re teasing me.”

“Only a little. Come on, let’s go.”

Kurapika followed behind her, grabbing her purse before he opened the door. “After you, sweetheart.”

She felt her face heat up, but was quick to retort. “Thank you, my love~”

Kurapika stared at the girl as she continued walking, cheeks red. ‘Her love? Maybe I was once, but…’

His eyes softened, a wave of regret washing over him as he let her take the lead.

‘Surely, she can’t love me anymore. Not… not in the way she did before.’

—————

Kurapika opened (Name)’s door, helping her out. “This is where we’re meeting him. From this point on, I am your husband, and you are my wife. Make sure you remember.”

He stopped her, adjusting her wig. It was a different color and length than her natural hair, the girl huffing. “Of course. You drilled our love story into my head to the point I can recite it by heart.”

He gave her a smile. “Perfect. Now…”

He looped his arm with hers, leading her towards the restaurant. “Let’s go, don’t want to keep our acquaintance waiting.”

They entered the restaurant, (Name) holding back a gasp. It was extravagant, lit up by candlelight. Several couples were already waiting inside, chatting amongst each other.

‘Act natural. Just do what the others are doing.’

(Name) observed one of the couples. The man sat down, pulling his lover into his lap due to the lack of seating. His lover giggled, kissing his cheek as they continued their conversation.

Kurapika had also seen this, glancing down at his companion for her reaction. She was frowning.

‘Ah, so I shouldn’t do that.’

(Name) took the lead, pulling him towards two seats that had just opened up. “Come on, honey, you know how these heels fire me out.”

(Name) sat down, crossing one leg over the other, revealing her bare thigh. Kurapika was quick to drop the ground, pulling dress so it draped over her bare leg.

“Careful, dear, save that for later, when I have you all to myself.”

(Name)’s face heated up, the blonde leaning forward a bit. “Don’t want to catch any unwanted attention.”

He sat next to her, keeping a hand on her thigh. (Name) assumed this was to keep up the act, but Kurapika knew the truth.

He’d seen one of the men eyeing (Name) and had to make sure they knew she was taken. ‘Just… just to keep up the act. It would be suspicious if someone flirted with my supposed wife.’

But as his heart thumped away in his chest, eyes red behind his contacts, his heart knew this was a lie. He wanted others to know that she was his.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kurta?”

A waiter stood at the podium a few feet away. “That’s us.”

Kurapika stood, offering his hand to help her up. As the waiter lead them away, Kurapika sent a glare at the man that had been staring at her moments before.

“Kurapika Kurta, it’s great to meet you!”

The blonde blinked as he was pulled into a hug, a strong hand clapping him over the back. (Name) watched this, having to hold a gloved hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.

The man that hugged him was tall and beefy, with short finger hair and a thick, wiry beard to match. He seemed uncomfortable in his nice tux, tugging at the collar slightly as he turned to greet (Name).

“Ahh, this must be the wife you mentioned. I’m Victor Hummin.”

He held her hand in his, kissing the back of it. “I’m (Name) Kurta, it’s nice to meet you.”

She gave him a pretty smile, Victor elbowing the blonde. “Ahh, I see the praise you gave her is all true. She truly is a beauty.”

(Name) glanced to the blonde, who was avoiding eye contact. “Oh, Kurapika…”

She playfully hit his arm, the blonde blushing. Victor smiled at this, sitting back down. “Ahh, newlyweds. Remember when we were like that, muffin?”

(Name) and Kurapika glanced to his left, seeing a woman sitting down next to him. She had tan skin, and dark brown hair that went way past her shoulders. Honestly, she was gorgeous, with an hourglass figure and pretty face.

“Sit, sit, I already ordered some drinks to get us started.”

‘Drinks?’

(Name) glanced at Kurapika, who spoke up. “Ah, thank you, but my wife doesn’t drink.”

He held her hand with his affectionately, kissing the back of it. “She’s-“

“It’s alright, Kurapika. I should be fine, just for tonight.”

His smile became a little more forced at her words, sighing. “Well, if that’s what you want…”

He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “If I’m being honest, I’m a little nervous, so it should help mellow me out a bit. I’ve never been on a double date before…”

Kurapika’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, I see what she’s doing. Any awkward behavior can now be blamed on her nerves or the alcohol. (Name)…’

“Ah, that makes sense. Don’t worry, this is our first double date as well, haha.”

(Name) had seamlessly explained away any awkwardness while also making herself seem more relatable, causing the two to lower their guard. ‘She’s… really good.’

Kurapika let her hand go, leaning back in his chair. “So, let’s get to business…”

Victor held his hand up. “Ah, ah, ah, not until we have our drinks. It’s…”

He sighed, his wife leaning closer to pat his back to comfort him. “It’s a lot.”

Kurapika, ever impatient was about to demand he speak, but (Name) spoke up just in time. “Thank you, Mr. Hummins, I can see that it bothers you to think about it. To know you’re here to help up warms my heart.”

(Name) gave him a sympathetic smile, placing a gloved hand on Kurapika’s back. “More than anything, I want my dear husband to find peace, so I appreciate anything you’re willing to tell us.”

Kurapika felt his heart melt. Even if this was all acting, he couldn’t help but feel so loved in the moment. He leaned his head against hers, kissing her cheek. “Thank you, love. I couldn’t ask for a better wife.”

(Name) turned to look at him, face hot. “K-Kurapika…”

There faces were so close, noses almost touching. Before he could lean forward to close the gap, they heard Victor clear his throat.

“Ehem. Our drinks are here.”

The two pulled away from each other, looking in opposite directions as they were served their drinks.

‘Did… did he almost kiss me?’

‘DID I ALMOST KISS HER!?’

Kurapika attempted to calm himself down, downing his drink as (Name) sipped on hers. The couple across from them glanced at each other before laughing.

“Ahh, it’s your honeymoon, right? I remember our honeymoon. I could barely keep my hands off of you.”

“Ohh, stop it Vic, you’ll embarrass them.”

And embarrass them it did, (Name) also downing her drink.

“Now… please, let’s talk business.”

A light pink had taken over Kurapika’s cheeks. (Name) assumed it was from the alcohol, not from his mind running wild with thoughts of kissing her, holding her close…

‘Maybe… maybe it would make it more believable if we-‘

“Ah, yes. I’ll tell you everything I know so far.”

Victor suddenly looked very taking a small sip from his drink. “As you know, I’m a flesh collector.”

(Name) barely prevented herself from reacting with disgust to the man’s words. ‘Kurapika didn’t tell me that part…’

“But I take my morals very seriously. I only take flesh from those who have consented to having it taken from them. I pay them handsomely too, of course.”

He let out a hearty laugh, Kurapika gripping (Name)’s hand tightly as he did. She could see a hint of red in his grey contacts, quickly pulling him a little closer.

“I see, how kind of you.” (Name) said, giving him a strained smile.

“Yes, and that’s the reason why I’m here today. When I heard about the scarlet eyes of the Kurta being sold, I was honestly excited at first. Most collectors have heard of their beauty, their color being one of the seven most beautiful in the world.”

(Name) nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

“When I found out how the eyes were obtained…”

He clenched his fist. “I was sick. Just a month ago, I was invited to another flesh collectors home. We like to brag about our collections to each other, as most collectors do.”

Victor sighed, eyes staring into his drink, the ice melting. He took a swig before continuing. “The eyes… they were so small, there was no way they came from an adult.”

Kurapika’s grip on (Name)’s hand increased to the point it was painful, but she didn’t mind. “That’s awful.”

“Indeed. I attempted to reason with my old friend, but he would hear none of it. He had several different pairs, I think three or four. All of them… all of them were the same, small size.”

His wife patted his back gently. “When he realized what he saw, Victor was inconsolable. Immediately, he made contact with the Hunter Association to get in contact with Melody.”

“Melody?”

They nodded. “Yes, she’s a music hunter, and your friend. Although most of the underground know of your existence, little know more than your name and the fact that you have the scarlet eyes. Thankfully, I’m good friends with the Nostrades.”

‘Ah, of course he is.’ Kurapika thought, thumb brushing over (Name)’s hand. The girl glanced at him, leaning against his shoulder.

“She made sure I was being genuine, and got me in contact with you. Now…”

Victor sipped on his drink again, the nearly fully melted ice clinking against the glass. “I will tell you half of the information on him now…

He finished his drink, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Half after you give me what we agreed upon.”

Kurapika nodded, letting out a sigh. “I understand. Go ahead, then.”

Victor folded his hands. “The man’s name is Dracule Midnight, professional flesh collector. He lives in Padokea, with his wife and two children.”

Kurapika let out a shaky breath. (Name)’s eyebrows furrowed, her hand gently rubbing Kurapika’s arm. “He has a family? How can someone that has the ability to care for others collect the eyes of children? Does he even understand what they had to do to reach that color?”

She wanted to scream, to tell the man off, but Kurapika calmed her with a gentle touch. “Shh… thank you, is that all the information you’re willing to give?”

“For now. For more, you’ll need to fulfill your end of the deal. Don’t get me wrong through, if you decide you don’t want to, you can leave right now and go about your night. But I can tell you things that are more than worth the price. Names, the address of his mansion, his schedule… his nen ability.”

(Name) glanced at Kurapika, seeing his face deep in thought.

“What… what is the price?”

Victor glanced to his wife, who seemed tired. “He didn’t tell you?”

The man sighed. “I believe in getting consent from the people I collect from. And because the Kurta clan has been wiped off the planet, there’s only one person left who… CAN consent.”

(Name) took a moment to process that, eyes widening with the realization of what he was implying. “Kurapika, no… no you wouldn’t…”

“That’s none of your business. I will hold my end of the deal.”

Victor nodded. “I’d like to see them. To make sure.”

Kurapika took a deep breath, (Name) begging him with her eyes for him to stop as he pulled his contacts out.

“Ahh, beautiful.”

She stood suddenly, pulling him up by the sleeve.

“Excuse me, sir, but I need to talk to my stupid husband before he makes a mistake that will piss his wife off.”

Kurapika was pulled towards the bathroom, Victor watching them go with a sigh. “That’s what he gets for hiding something from his wife. Right, muffin?”

Victor nudged his wife, but received no reaction.

“… muffin?”

——————

“Kurapika i can’t believe you! Your eyes, seriously?”

“To be fair, it’s just one.”

“Oh, my bad, it’s only one of the two eyes you have, that’s totally better! Look at how relieved I am now!”

“… you don’t look relieved.”

(Name) threw her hands up in the air. “Oh my god. Why are you so calm? I don’t understand. He wants your eye, Kurapika. Doesn’t that upset you?”

He leaned against the wall. “I told you I’m willing to do anything to complete my mission. Losing one eye is nothing compared to what I will gain.”

She frowned. “One eye, as if that’s all he wants. You know they’ll have to put you under anesthetics to remove it, who knows if they’ll stop at just one! Are you willing to risk your vision over information?”

He sighed, rubbing his temple. “He was cleared by Melody, (Name). If he had any bad intentions, she wouldn’t have connected him to me.”

(Name) looked down, holding onto her dress. “But…”

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at the ceiling. He expertly swiped at the corner of her eye, unable to look at her. “… don’t cry, you’ll mess up your makeup.”

(Name) looked down, sniffling as she held back het tears. The blonde sighed, summoning his chains. “… I won’t lie and say I won’t take the deal. I intend to.”

(Name)’s lip quivered, but Kurapika continued. “But…”

He summoned his dowsing chain. “I’ll use my dowsing chain, and if he’s intending to take both of my eyes, we’ll leave.”

She nodded slowly, allowing Kurapika to lead her out of the bathroom.

‘I hope he’s attempting to trick him…’

The arrived back at their table. “I’ve made my decision, but befo-“

Kurapika didn’t even get the chance to finish his sentence, Victor screaming out. “She’s not breathing!”

As if a flip switched, (Name) moves to his wife’s side, crouching down to place a finger on her neck. “… no pulse.”

“No… no…”

She pulled out her phone and began calling an ambulance when the man began to choke.

“Mr. Hummins? Are you-“

She gasped, seeing his body shake. Immediately assuming he may be choking on something, she attempted the Heimlich maneuver.

“Shit, it’s not working!”

In a panic, (Name) pulled off her glove and placed her hand on his skin. Kurapika watched, unable to do anything as (Name) activated her nen.

“Sir, can y-“

She gasped when he gurgled up fluid, pulling her hand away.

Kurapika’s eyes widened. “That’s the result of poisoning!”

‘But how is the question…’

They hadn’t eaten anything yet, so it must have been the drinks. ‘But we both drank ours quickly and are showing no symptoms… unless…’

He glanced between their glasses. “So that’s it! The ice!”

Their ice was still floating at the bottom of their cup, revealing a slight milky color as they melted. “The poison was in the ice, but why..?”

He immediately swiveled his head around, catching the man who’d been looking at them earlier staring in their direction.

‘Shit, SHIT!’

Kurapika grabbed (Name)’s hand and ran, hearing someone shout to run after them as they exited.

There were two thoughts on his mind. The first being to find a place to hide, the second…

‘I have to protect her. At any cost.’

They rounded a corner, the sound of pounding footsteps getting closer. He turned his head in every directions, spotting a dark alleyway to his left.

Kurapika pulled her in, shielding her body with his own. “They came this way! Make sure to check every nook and cranny!”

‘Fuck! They’re going to catch us!’

Kurapika looked down at (Name) eyes scanning her face. She looked scared, holding onto his shirt as she watched the opening of the alleyway.

“…”

He ripped his wig off before grabbing hers and throwing it into the dark. “H-hey, what are y-“

“Do you trust me?”

She paused, eyes darting from him to the alleyway before she answered. “… yes.”

Her hesitation didn’t go unnoticed, but the blonde didn’t have the time to care about that now. He took a deep breath before placing a hand on her cheek and leaning forward.

(Name)’s eyes went wide when his lips pressed into hers. His eyes stayed open briefly to look out of the alleyway before they squeezed shut.

Several things went through Kurapika’s mind when his lips touched hers, none of them holy. She was stiff, pushing him away slightly, but it seemed the more she pushed the further he leaned in.

After a moment, he pulled back, pressing his forehead against hers. “Relax, just act natural.”

His pretty scarlet eyes glanced to the opening of the alleyway before pressing his lips into hers once again. Realization flickered in her (e/c) eyes before she sighed into the kiss. ‘Act natural. Well…’

She pulled him closer by the front of his jacket, surprising the blonde. He’d been hesitant to further the kiss before, but it seemed she was ready.

His eyes fluttered close as he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of her lips on his, pining her to the wall. She gasped slightly, Kurapika taking this chance to slip his tongue past her lips.

“Mmph..!”

She whimpered into his mouth, causing the blonde to push further, his hand wandering down her body to grab hold of her thigh. She gasped when he lifted it to wrap around his waist, so close that his body fully pressed against hers. His hand slipped under the slit in her dress, pulling her in closer as she tangled hands in his hair.

“Are they in that alley?”

“Nah, just some horny lesbians.”

Even as the footsteps retreated away, Kurapika continued to deepen the kiss, their tongues dancing. His hand moved from her thigh, up her back to reach for her zipper.

“Ah, I think they’re gone.”

(Name) panted, hands pushing him back a little, only for him to lower his head to her neck. “K-Kurapika!”

“Can’t… can’t be sure. Not wearing… my contacts…”

He placed a kiss on the spot he’d brushed against earlier that day. She gasped, gripping his shoulders. “Shh, relax. Keep an eye on the entrance.”

He inhaled her scent before he lapped at her skin, causing the girl to yelp. His lips made contact, gently nibbling on her neck.

“Hahh, Kurapika!”

He gripped her thighs, the bulge in his pants pressing into her, too obvious to ignore. (Name) did her job to her best ability, barely able to focus when he was ravaging her neck. When he legs buckled, he lifted her up, holding her up against the wall as his lips moved from her neck back to her lips.

“Mmph!”

The way he was kissing her made her head spin. He seemed desperate, holding onto her like if he didn’t, she’d disappear.

His hips pressed further into hers, causing him to moan into her mouth.

After a few more seconds, he pulled back, a line of saliva connecting their tongues. He stared at her with half lidded scarlet eyes, tongue only inches from her own.

He continued to stare, before blinking slowly. ‘Oh. Oh…’

His face was red, hair a little messy from her hands tugging at it. Name) wasn’t doing much better, her lipstick smeared, eyes blurry from how hot and bothered she was.

“…”

He lowered her to the ground, making sure she could stand before he peeked out of the alleyway.

“… it’s clear.”

Kurapika grabbed her hand and began walking away. For a moment, the air was quiet. Neither of the two spoke, both still too flustered to think.

“… I’m sorry.”

Kurapika was the first to speak, staring ahead of them.

“It’s just, we needed to hide our faces, and my contact were off, and-“

“Kurapika, it’s fine, I understand. I know you wouldn’t do that without reason.”

He sighed, sending her a smile over his shoulder. “Thank you for being so understanding. I promise this won’t happen again.”

(Name) nodded, hand going to her neck. The spots his lips touched were still warm, and she could taste his drink on her tongue.

‘He was… poking into me again.’

She twiddled her thumbs. ‘It… it could have been his knee… and even if it was… something else, it’s natural for a man’s body to react that way to stimulation. I…’

“You disgust me.”

‘… he’s a good actor, that’s all. He… he doesn’t think of me that way…’

Kurapika’s words all those years ago rang through her head, squashing any wishful thinking she may have had. But still, (Name) couldn’t help the way her body trembled at the memory of his tongue in her mouth, his hand on her thigh.

‘He’s acting so calm, like nothing happened. Of course…’

Kurapika was facing away from her, and for good reason. His face was red, the tent in his pants grown almost painful from how horny he was.

He’d pressed right into her pussy, the residual feeling of her warmth making him nearly whimper as he led her towards their hotel.

‘I nearly… I nearly unzipped her dress.’

Kurapika bit his lip as he glanced back again, spotting the spots on her neck he nibbled and sucked on. ‘God… she looks so pretty right now. All I want to do is-‘

“Ah, finally.”

(Name) let go of his hand, leaning down to take off her heels as they entered the hotel. Kurapika blinked.

“Wait, you’ll get your feet all dirty.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Meh, it’s worth it. My feet are k-“

She yelped when he picked her up bridal style, holding her in his arms gently. “Of your feet were hurting, you should have told me.”

(Name) didn’t answer, much too tired to argue, she just leaned her head against his chest as he carried her to their room.

He set her on the bed, handing her makeup wipes and pulling her suitcase over. “I’ll change in the bathroom, so you can change here. Don’t worry, I’ll hang your dress up for you after.”

——————

When Kurapika finished changing and jerking off in the bathroom, he smiled softly at the sight of (Name) curled up in bed.

His smile faded when he spotted tears running down her cheeks, the blonde rushing forward. “(Name)? (Name) what’s wrong? If it’s about earlier, I-“

She shook her head, swiping at her tears. “No, no it’s not that. I…”

She sniffled, Kurapika climbing into bed to lie next to her. “That man… when I used my nen, all I did was speed up his death. If I didn’t, maybe someone would have been able to save him…”

Kurapika grabbed her hands, shaking his head. “No, no, don’t blame yourself (Name). The poison used to kill him can’t be cured. You didn’t speed up his death, you stopped his suffering. And…”

He thought back to Victor’s face, in complete anguish when he realized his lover had died right in front of them.

“… I think he would have preferred dying with his wife.”

Kurapika sighed. “Can you really be so attached to a person that you would die without them?”

It was quiet, eerily so. When Kurapika looked down at (Name), she had a faraway look in her (e/c) eyes.

He didn’t understand why, but he wanted to comfort her in that moment, to hold her close.

So despite his better judgment, he scooted closer, pulling her into his arms once again.

“Kurap-“

He shushed her. “Shh, just sleep, (Name). We have a long day tomorrow.”

Too exhausted to question him, (Name) nodded, nuzzling against his chest. “Goodnight, Kurapika…”

“… goodnight, (Name).”

187 notes · View notes

seospicybin · 10 months

Text

MAKE A WISH.

Changbin x reader. (s,f)

A chapter of Pied Piper.

Synopsis: It's his first serious relationship but Changbin fears that he likes you more than you like him. (8,1k words)

Author's note: Happy birthday to my Leo king, the Seo fine, Seo hot, Seo Changbin!

Changbin knows that his time as a university student is about to end soon.

Tonight, he wanted to soak himself once again in the experience of being one by attending a party and this would probably be the last one he had before the stressful time of university life.

The house is crowded with people, a few of them greeted him as he makes his way to grab a drink. It's not hard to navigate through a party like this, the waterhole is always located in the kitchen.

He mixes various alcohol into his cup when a girl approaches him, "Hi, I haven't seen you in a minute!" She says, with a hand on his shoulder.

Changbin only needs to see her once to know she's one he had a flirt with but he remembers she was dating someone at that time.

"Hey, yeah, nice to see you!" He nicely replies.

She eyes the drink he's making, "can you make that two?"

"Sure!" He answers, he planned on going to make a double for himself though.

He makes the drinks as fast as he can and hands her a cup, "Here you go!"

She holds his hand instead of wrapping her hand around the cup, forcing Changbin to hand it right to her hand.

"Do you want to—"

"I'm going back to my friends," Changbin cuts her off and brings his drink with him.

If that girl talked to the old Changbin, he wouldn't pass the chance on talking to a girl, probably taking her to his room to get some privacy and taking things further from there.

He's a changed man now. He's dating a girl and has been dating her for almost a year now. In conclusion, Changbin's time as a campus' heartbreaker is over.

He makes his way back to the living room where all of his friends are gathered. They're shouting at his return with whistles and excessive cheers.

"There goes our retired player!" One of them says.

Confused, Changbin thinks he missed a few things or two while he grabbed his drink.

He ignores him and sits on the sofa, taking the joystick from his friend, "Is it my turn to play?"

He plays a round of video games while the others are talking about this guy who is the new campus' heartbreaker. Funny that he used to try so hard to sustain this image and now he just doesn't care at all.

"So who's this new player?"

"Some guy from film major."

"I still think Bin is the most attractive," his friend teases, going for a kiss at him.

Changbin immediately pushes him away and continues playing video games.

Another one of his friends joined the circle and eggs into the conversation, "Are we talking about the new pretty boy?"

"No, I told you Bin is prettier!" The other friend insists, aggressively supporting him by patting his muscular arms with both hands.

He shrugs him off, "Get lost!"

"I just came back from the film screening thing and I thought it was I saw with your girlfriend," his friend says while munching on a bag of chips.

That makes his ears perked up at the mention of you and a film screening, you said you're going to that thing since you helped them with the posters.

"What do you mean?" He snaps at him, giving the joystick away to the friend sitting next to him.

"I thought the guy she was with is you but he's prettier so..." he continues laughing instead of explaining the details.

"What do you mean by seeing her with someone else?" Changbin gets a little impatient so he grabs the bag of chips so he can properly answer his question. He's not offended by their comments on his look, he's more concerned about you being seen with someone else.

"Whoa, chill!" He says with both hands up in defeat.

"I saw them leaving the screening together so..."

The thought of you going home with someone that is not him makes his blood boils and he wastes no time to grab his car key.

He couldn't drive faster and skipped taking the elevator, climbing the stairs instead to get to your floor. By the time he's standing by the door of your apartment, he's panting and his neck is covered in a sheen of sweat.

He's way past knocking, he's banging on your door, losing senses the longer the door is left unanswered.

Not long after, he hears you faintly complaining from behind the door.

"...coming! Oh, God!"

The second he hears the door clicks and unlocked, Changbin comes barging inside without greeting you first.

"What is it? A sudden inspection?" You joke while locking the door behind you.

Yet Changbin keeps walking further inside and going into every room, searching for something.

You trudge back to your room and sit on the edge of the bed, watching him go into the bathroom.

"Where is he?" He asks as he returns to your room.

"Where is who?" You innocently ask back.

He stands in front of you with his arms crossed in front of him, all serious with a crease formed between his eyebrows.

"I don't know," he slightly shrugs.

"Perhaps, some guy you picked up from the film screening thing," he answers with anger woven under those words.

You lowly chuckle and lean back on the bed, "you mean Lee?"

He doesn't get why you are so calm on admitting that some guy drove you home. Instead of answering you, he shrugs again.

"He left," you simply answer.

Again, he's not seeing any sense of guilt in you and it infuriates him.

"He only gave me a lift home. Nothing else," you assure him.

However, your answer is not quite put him at ease.

You scoot forward on the bed to reach for him, pulling him close by hooking your fingers on the belt loops of his jeans, "Can you relax?"

He uncrosses his arms, then takes your hands in his, "Why didn't you call if you need a ride home?"

You look up at him and softly smile, "You said you want to hang out with your friends so why should I bother you?"

"What's the point of me being your boyfriend if you can't even call me to give you a ride home?" He argues.

You look away and let his hands go, climbing onto the bed and making space next to you for him on the small bed.

"Get in here!"

Usually, Changbin would easily soften around you but not tonight.

Seeing that he decides not to obey you, you heavily sigh and look at him, "I'm having like... excruciating period cramp right now and that's why I asked Lee to give me a ride home so I can take an Advil or two then get some rest. When I was about to sleep, my boyfriend came, banging on the door, and barged inside, thinking that I hide some guy in here."

You laid out all the facts right to his face that he got speechless, feeling bad for every second that passed in silence after you stopped talking.

You let out another big sigh and angrily brush your hair to the back, "Now, he's trying to pick a fight with me instead of getting on the bed like I told him to and giving me back rubs to make me feel better."

Changbin certainly picks the worst time to pick a fight with you if he chooses to continue but what he said earlier are coming back to him. What's the point of being your boyfriend when he can't comfort you?

He takes off his shoes without his feet then climbs onto the bed, tucking into the space next to you on the bed that is too small for two people.

"Now that's my good boy!" You say with a smile as you snug into him, putting his hand on the arch of your back.

Changbin puts his arm around you and rests his other hand on your back, "you want back rubs?" He softly asks, in contrast to the loud and stern voice he used earlier.

You nod as you place his hand lower on the arch of your back, "there."

He slips his hand under your tanktop to start giving you slow, back rubs with his big, warm hand, "like that?"

You nod and put your hand across his chest, nuzzling your head further into his neck.

A short fuse, that's what you've said about him once and Changbin admits that he easily loses himself to his temper. Thankfully, he got you, you know how to defuse him before he gets to explode and obliterate everything around him.

Now he sees how the two are compatible with each other, you're the water that could tame his wildfire.

"I'm sorry," he mutters.

"For what?" You ask without looking at him.

"For being a jealous boyfriend," he answers without a beat. It's not his first time and surely not will be his last, you get used to this situation at this point.

"An overly jealous boyfriend," you correct.

"Yeah, that," he agrees with a low chuckle and plants his mouth on the top of your head.

You tilt your head and hold his jaw to briefly peck his lips, "Why are you so jealous, mmh?" You ask after with a gentle swipe of your thumb over his lips.

This question has come up more than a dozen times during the year-long relationship and he can list the reasons why.

Firstly, because it's you and he can't find anyone else like you, someone who can tolerate him and all of his shortcomings.

Secondly, because this is his first serious relationship. Changbin used to jump from one girl to another without any sort of attachment but now, he's committed to one girl and he hopes you are just as committed.

Thirdly, it's not much about jealousy. Yes, he's a jealous person but lately, Changbin feels like his love is not being reciprocated well. He worries about you a lot, he clings to you more, he cares for your well-being more than he cares for himself and he's not being presumptuous, his friends often said the same thing, that Changbin seems to be the one who loves you more than you do to him.

He's been keeping that to himself because maybe he's overthinking it but maybe after what happened earlier, you'll get it why.

"Do you still like me?"

You let out a chuckle, "all of a sudden?"

He lowly groans at you, "Just answer it!"

"Of course, yes."

"Yes, what?"

"I like you," you mutter without looking at him.

"Do it right!" He fusses and forces you to look at him.

You lift your head and properly look him in the eyes as you say again, "I like you so much," you emphasize the words to convince him.

He holds the back of your neck and stares back into your eyes, "how much?"

You stifle a laugh and place your hand on his neck, "are you suddenly doubting my feelings for you?"

There's no use in lying when you can see right through him and he looks away, ashamed of himself.

"I mean..." he stops rubbing your back, "you never even cared where I am or what I'm doing."

You turn his head toward you and raise an eyebrow at him, "Yeah...?"

"Have you ever gotten jealous at all?"

"Jealous of you?"

"Yes."

"Doing what exactly?"

Changbin doesn't want to sound so full of himself but you force him to explain himself, "Just because I'm dating you, doesn't mean that the girls would stop coming at me."

You lean in close at him, "Which means...?"

He licks his lips in annoyance, "At any day, a girl can come and snags me from you."

You snort and chuckle into his neck, making Changbin more annoyed than before.

"Are you sure you would be laughing when you see me with another girl?" He asks with a frustrated sigh.

You kiss his neck and laugh again, "You want me to keep you on a leash is that what you're saying?"

He laughs because that sounds like what he's truly asking you to do, "yeah, I'd like that than nothing at all," he half-heartedly says.

You close your eyes and put your leg over his, rubbing your foot against his shin, he likes it whenever you do that.

"I already put you on a leash, Bin," you say.

Now he gets confused. What leash? Because all these times, you've been letting him run free and do whatever he pleases.

"But it's invisible," you add.

You open your eyes and chuckle looking at his confounded expression, "It's called trust."

Overlapping his body with yours, you put half of your body over his and plant your chin on his chest, "I trust you that your head won't turn to any girls."

That makes him feel like an idiot for not doing the same thing to you, he guesses it's his insecurities and that now he's no longer the campus' heartbreaker, he doesn't have anything to sustain his ego.

"I'm always worried that your head will turn," he meekly says.

You hover over his face and peck his lips, "that's because you don't trust me."

"I trust you," he hastily replies.

"It's the men whose heads turned at you that I don't trust," he says in defense of his remark.

You look into his eyes without saying anything and he believes you have something to say to him but chooses not to tell him, you shake your head and rest your head on his chest again.

"Come on, say it!" He dares you by nudging you with his shoulder.

You take a breath and look up at him, "that sounds like you need constant validation."

When you put it like that, then yes, that's what he asks of you, a constant validation that you indeed like him and Changbin doesn't care if that makes him sound pathetic.

"You don't want to do that for me?"

You laugh because you thought that he was joking but when he doesn't laugh along, your laughter fades.

"You want me to tell you how much I like you... what? Like every hour every day?" You ask with eyes widened in disbelief.

Changbin chuckles because it makes him seem like he's asking a lot from you, "you don't have to tell me," he's starting to run out of words to explain what he wanted from you.

"It's the way you treat me. I want you to treat me like how much you like me," he blurts out.

You process his words for a moment and Changbin instantly regretted the way he harshly delivered his answer, even to himself.

Slipping your hand into his hair, you softly smile at him and ask, "Is that what you want?"

It scares him how you calmly handle the situation and it makes him feel bad for being such a demanding boyfriend.

"Yes," he replies.

"Okay," you simply answer.

You are always so calm and composed like a still water, at times, he's afraid to even dip his fingers and makes ripples.

"Okay," he meekly says back.

Flashing him another smile, you lower your mouth on his and kiss him, slowly yet deeply. He would never get tired of the taste of your lips, it's like honey, pure and divinely sweet.

"Can you please rub my back again, baby?" You nicely ask after.

Those magic words are enough to put him under a spell, as of this moment, he'll do anything you ask of him. What can he say? He's a fool for you.

One thing is Changbin needs to know how much of a fool are you for him.

From the past relationships you had before Changbin, you learned that men don't like to be smothered with attention.

You get used to letting them freely run around the place as long as you knew they'll be back to you. They're grown men, after all, you're not obligated to take care of them 24/7.

However, Changbin is a whole different case. He mistook your complete trust as ignorance, when in fact, you care for him, you miss him when he's not around and with his past as a player, it's hard not to worry that he'll hop back on his old, bad habits.

That's not his fault and it's entirely yours for not showing it through actions or maybe you're just bad at it.

You do like Changbin, you like him very much that you think it's not just 'like' anymore.

Just like this morning, you get panicked not finding him sleeping next to you. You force yourself to open your eyes even though they're still heavy with sleep, you grope around the bedside table for your phone and call him.

Changbin doesn't pick up so you hang up and try again, it's very unusual for him to leave without telling you. The fear that he might be still angry from last night starts to creep in.

After a while, you hear the faint sound of his phone ring tone getting louder and then someone unlocks the front door.

Changbin comes into the room not long after with both hands full, "can't answer the phone," he concisely explains.

You sit up on the bed and scoot to the side, clearing a space for him to sit.

"What did you buy for breakfast?" You're eyeing the brown paper bag in his hand.

He takes a seat next to you and excitedly shows you what's inside, the smell of something freshly baked wafting around the place.

It's a big cookie from the bakery across the street, he surely knows that you like it very much that he woke up early to get it for you.

You gasp as you get ahold of it, "and it's still warm."

Taking a bite of the cookie, you chew with a smile on your face as the sweetness fills your mouth and lifts your mood in an instant.

You break a piece and feed it to him which he eagerly eats. He hands you your usual iced coffee but you take the one in his other hand, "Can I have the hot one?"

"Sure," he simply answers, "but I already have a few sips."

"Even better," you say and do not hesitate to take a small sip of the hot coffee.

Both of you take turns taking a bite of the cookie even though there's another piece inside the bag. He gladly eats from your hand while sipping his coffee and put it away after.

"Feeling better now?" He asks, putting an arm around your shoulder.

You nod and shove the last of the cookie into your mouth, washing it down with a big gulp of coffee. You look down and gently dust the crumbs on your tanktop, catching Changbin looking at your clothed mounds.

"Glorious aren't they?"

It's as if you snapped him out of his daze, "Huh?"

"Period boobs," you take his hand and make him feel your breast through your white tank top.

Changbin accidentally nudges your other breast and makes you wince in pain.

"Oh? Why?" He asks in horror.

"They're so tender, very sensitive," you share and move his hand to slowly rub it around your clothed nipple, showing him to touch you.

You let his hand go and let him touch you however he wants, you rest your head on his shoulder, looking down at his body with your hand touching his toned body against his black t-shirt.

You've never been that big on muscles but seeing his body with all those muscles contracting whenever he does certain things, oh... it's enough to make you salivate.

You glide your hand up to wrap it around his neck and tilt his head so you can kiss him. Didn't mean to get things on but you find yourself kissing him so hard with you desperately bringing his face closer and closer to deepen the kiss.

Changbin is only answering to your need when he wraps his arms around you and pulls your body close. However, the condition you are in wouldn't let this happen.

Reluctantly, you pull away from the kiss.

"Ugh!" You groan in frustration.

He pecks your lips and holds your face close with his fingers under your chin, "what?"

"I'm so horny right now," you bluntly admit with a pout, "but we can't do anything about it."

He glides his hand down the curve of your body and squeezes the flesh on your waist, "why not?"

You giggle as he glides his hand lower to your ass and kneads on it, "It's like a murder scene down there, you don't want—" You stop yourself from continuing.

You kiss him again in the hope to suppress the urge to rip his clothes off, it's a wrong decision but too late to stop doing it. What do you have to lose but a little sanity as he kisses you down the pillow?

You push him away and giggle as you dodge away from him going for another kiss.

"Oh, man!" You groan again, even more frustrated than before.

"You have to go, mmh?"

He checks the time on his phone and nods, "I have class in an hour."

You pout at him, fisting the front of his shirt in your hand, "Well, I have nothing to stop you from going."

There's the disappointment drawn on his face, you don't have to be a genius to know that he wants you to make him stay, beg if you have to.

You pull him close by the front of his shirt and hastily kiss him, "I'll let you go," you say between kisses, "after a few more of these."

No matter how much he wanted to, he has to go with time passed and he has not much left to get ready for class, "I'll see you later, mmh?"

You place a long peck on his lips and smile, "Okay. See you later, Changbin's lips," you playfully say.

You peck him again and gently squeeze his biceps, "and Changbin's muscles," you add.

It's only 8 in the morning, but you know your day is already made as his infectious laughs are filling the room that you can't help but laugh along with him.

"Thank you for breakfast," you mutter before forgetting to tell him your gratitude.

Changbin presses another kiss on your lips before leaving the door. You continue eating the cookie on your bed and continue working on your plan for his birthday next week, texting some of his friends to help you with a few things.

There's so much to do but thankfully, now you know what to gift Changbin on his birthday.

"I have to finish the painting today."

Changbin wouldn't bother you if it wasn't his birthday today. These past few days, you've been so distant, always busy painting or doing other art projects you take part in.

"But it's my—"

"I know," you cut him off.

"I'll finish this and be there as soon as possible," you explain without any hint of regret in your voice.

No apologies, no birthday wishes whatsoever, you don't even try to make excuses.

It seems like his birthday doesn't mean anything to you but another day where Changbin has to ask for your affection. He hears his friends calling for him and telling him to come hurry since they've been waiting in his car.

"Don't make your friends wait, Bin," you tell him.

He sighs in defeat, knowing that he can't keep forcing you to do what he wants. You are your own person and there's nothing he can do about it but... accept the fact that maybe he likes you more than you like him.

He swallows air as if he has just taken a big pill of truth.

"Okay," he simply answers.

"Have fun, okay?"

"Yeah."

His friends don't talk much during the drive to the bowling alley knowing that Changbin is not in a fine mood despite most people usually are when it's their birthday.

"Just because it's your birthday, doesn't mean we'll let you win," his friend tries to light up the mood.

The joke turns sour with a glare shot at the backseat through the rearview mirror.

It's not working to elicit his competitiveness when it comes to his favorite sport, bowling.

As they enter the alley, it's weirdly empty that Changbin thought they entered the wrong place. It's quiet and dim with a dull, blue light lighting the room.

"Is this right? Why—"

His friends push him further inside before he can continue speaking and in a second, neon lights are flooding the room, blinding him in the process.

Changbin has to squint to see a group of people coming at him with a birthday cake and candles lit on top. He doesn't recognize it at first until he can see close enough, the person carrying the cake is you.

"Happy birthday!"

A wide grin plastered on your face, knowing that you've successfully fooled him into thinking that you missed his birthday.

He gets so overjoyed that you're indeed remembered and here to celebrate his birthday together, not to mention, got all of his friends involved in it too.

"My hands are getting tired," you whine, holding out the cake closer to him so he can hurry and blow the candles.

Instead of focusing on the cake, he's looking at you with the glow of candles cast upon your face.

"Don't forget to make a wish!" You remind him.

Once he closes his eyes, everything becomes clear to him, his wishes and what he needs to do to make it come true.

He opens his eyes to see you still looking at him with a smile on your face.

"Come on! The candles are melting!" You grumble.

He hurriedly blows all the candles off and gets the cake away from you to hand it to someone else.

You throw your arms around him, let him whisk you, and give you a spin as you squeal in excitement.

"Happy birthday!" You wish him again with a long kiss.

"You got me good!" He says as you wipe your lipstick off his lips.

"Well, it's a surprise!" You answer with a triumphant smile.

The celebration continues with a few rounds of bowling where you refuse to go against him, and insist on being in one team with him.

It's you and him against a group of his friends, you both lead with a few points. It's Changbin's turn to bowl, you kiss him good luck.

"Let's win this!" You mutter.

He confidently smirks, "It's a win already!"

This is his game, this is what he's good at and it's his birthday, he doesn't need to look to know it's you cheering for him.

He can feel the victory within his reach and he knows he'll become it, he confidently throws, earning doubles.

You come running and jump at him, lucky that Changbin is quick and strong enough to catch you, holding your body against him.

"We won!" You squeal before lowering your lips on him.

There's excitement but Changbin feels another thing too, it makes his heart beat faster and heavy, and he feels the need to let something off his chest.

As you pull away from the kiss, he decides that it's time.

"I love you," Changbin blurts out.

You giggle in response, probably thinking he said those words out of sheer excitement of winning the bowling game.

"I love you too," you say back with a long peck on his lips.

Here he thought that saying them is hard but he didn't know that getting those three words said back to him would be this easy.

But then why this doesn't feel like a victory at all?

The party was a huge success.

You're sitting on the passenger's side with a heart so full even though you're not the one having a birthday today. It's also possible that it's because of something else.

Although, it's weird that he stayed quiet the whole ride to your place. You don't want to ruin this just because something is gnawing inside you.

There are plenty of things to do for the rest of the night. Pushing the button to your floor on the panel of the elevator, you corner him to the side and put your arms around his neck, clinging to him just like he wanted you to.

"Did you like it?"

He rests a hand on the arch of your back, "what?"

You lean in closer, leaning an inch of space between your lips and his.

"The birthday party I threw for you?"

He slyly smiles as he glides his hand lower to the curve of your ass, slightly hoists you against him, then kisses you so deep that you almost lose your footing.

You laugh against his lips, "So? How was the birthday party?"

He pecks your lips before answering, "I like it," he shortly answers.

Not the kind of response you expected but again, you don't want to ruin such a good night. You lean in close to his ear and seductively whisper, "You're so hot."

"You've only realized it now?" He asks that signature half-smirk of his.

You grab at the collar of his shirt, "Want you to throw like that bowling ball," you playfully share.

You both burst into laughter in unison and not realizing that the elevator door slides open and a couple of people enter the shared space.

It's your luck that it only forces you to corner him more, pushes you to get closer to him. Mischievous, you whisper into his ear again, "Can't wait to rip your clothes off."

Seeing his uneasy eyes glancing around, afraid people might hear what you said to him makes you want to tease him more.

With your body shielding your hand gliding down the front of his body, you silently stroke his crotch while looking at him through your lashes.

You stand on your tiptoe and purr into his ear, "I want you, baby."

His Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he looks down at you, "we're almost here," he lowly says, taking your hand away from him to hold hands with him.

Changbin steers your body out of the elevator the second it chimes open, wrapping his arms tight around you.

"You bad girl!" He mutters into your ear as he pushes you up the door of your apartment, kissing you so hard to stop you from laughing out of satisfaction.

"It's your fault for being so hot," you playfully respond.

The plan was you're showing him his birthday present first but with this much desire due to the lack of sexual interactions for these past few days makes you crave each other that there's no need for words when your bodies know what they want.

Your hands freely roam around his body, touching and feeling all of his muscles against his shirt, smooth and firm under your touch.

His hand slips under the hem of your dress to knead on your ass with your leg resting on his knee, an arm holding the nape of your neck as he kisses you hard.

"Gosh! I want you so much," you sigh against his lips.

Lowering your hand from the opening of his shirt to the waistband of his jeans.

"Can I?" You ask with a sultry voice.

Usually, you would go for what you want and you bet he knows it too. Tonight is an exception, you want him to make you work a little for it so you can show him how far you'll go for him.

It seems to be a surprise for him too that you ask for his permission. He shot a smirk at you and asks, "Do you want it?"

You eagerly nod, "Yes."

"Yes, what?" He raises an eyebrow at you.

"Yes, please?" You correct your former answer.

You slip your hand under the waistband but stop yourself from going further, setting the limits yourself.

"I want it, Bin," you sigh with a hint of desperation in your voice.

He squeezes your thigh as he presses a haste kiss on your lips, "how much do you want it?"

You keep gazing into his eyes with his face merely inches away from yours, "very much."

"Yeah?" He puts your hand inside his jeans and lets you wrap your hand around his hardening length.

"I can show you much I want it," you tell him with your thumb circles the tip of his cock.

You press a kiss on his neck then drag your mouth close to his ear, "with my mouth."

Changbin likes being the one giving than receiving, tonight, you want him to be on the receiving end. He never asks for it but you know how much he likes it when you get down on your knees with your mouth open for him.

You sit with your legs folded under you close to the end of the bed where Changbin is sitting with his legs open. You take your time working open his jeans, building the already heavy tension in the room.

There's no better way to show how much you want him than by offering yourself to please him, or in this case, your mouth.

You take his hand and let it glide around your face, neck, and chest. You draw it close to your mouth to take his index finger in your mouth, giving him a taste of what's coming for him.

"Is this your new trick?"

"New and improved," you answer with a sly grin.

Before you start, you unbutton his shirt and part it open to reveal his muscular upper body, you raise your body to kiss him and from there, continue the kisses down his body.

You kiss his magnificent pecs and down his abs.

Slowly wrapping your hand around his cock, you lower your mouth to take him little by little. The last time you took all of him, you found yourself gagging non-stop that it's embarrassing to even remember it.

You remind yourself to take it slowly, taking him as much as you can and using your hand to compensate for the rest you can't take.

How to give a good blow job? First, you have to enjoy giving it and that's what Changbin is seeing. You tangle his hand in your hair to let him tug at it and maintain eye contact with him.

"Taking me so well," he coos with a tender caress on your cheek.

You manage to put on a smile with your mouth full of him.

"Is this how much you want me?" He asks with his hand resting on the top of your head.

You respond by heartily taking him more, sucking him harder, and delightfully humming as you enjoy pleasing him. His head is thrown back as a raw groan spilled out of his mouth and his hand tugs at your hair, a little too hard but that only tells you that you've been doing things right.

Although your mouth is getting tired and sloppy, you refuse to stop when you know he's close to his release.

As if he hears your mind, he tugs harder at your hair and repeatedly mutters, "So close, baby, so close."

You keep going, closing your eyes while reminding yourself to breathe. You put your hand away and take him as much as you can, knowing that he's close.

A while later, you feel his warm bodily fluid filling your mouth, shooting the back of your throat so that you almost choke.

Slowly, you pull him out of your mouth and open your mouth wide, sticking out your tongue to show him the white of his seed inside.

You stare into his eyes before swallowing it all down and putting on your brightest smile for him after.

"How did I do?" You softly ask him, resting your head on his thick thigh.

Changbin crashes his mouth against yours, taking whatever is left in your mouth to taste himself on you. His tongue slithers in to deepen the kiss and by the time he lets go, you gasp for air.

He lets you rest your head on his thigh and that way, he can endearingly brush your hair to the side as he finally, "So good!"

There's something different about you tonight.

Changbin meant it in the best way. You're so needy, so clingy, always asking his permission for everything when you would just do anything you want because whatever it is, he would like it.

Probably it's the talk you both had a few days ago that caused this change and he did want this but he also wants you to feel free to do as you please.

Nothing good ever came out of force and Changbin realized that he can't force you to do things you don't want, things that go against your nature.

So what if he likes you more than you like him? Changbin should feel lucky that he finds you, someone who can tolerate his nature of short-temper and stubbornness, who can accept his past and patiently handle him in both good and bad times, on top of all that, you reciprocate his feelings in your own way.

"Bin? Baby?" You softly call.

It snaps him out of his head as his eyes land on the sight of your naked body laying on the bed. That soft skin invites him to touch you all over while that smile calls for his lips to kiss.

"How do you want me, baby?" You ask, crawling on the bed and sitting facing him.

There are so many things crossed his head the second that question was asked, he can't settle on one.

You slowly lower your body on the back, lying on your back, and put your hands around your head.

"Like this?"

Changbin stands at the end of the bed, still unable to choose one out of the many options.

Then you turn over on the bed, getting on all fours and exposing your rear to him.

"Or like this?"

He's at a loss of words as you look over your shoulder with your hair curtained the frame of your beautiful face, smiling at him while moving your body back and forth on the bed, enticing him with the sight of your wet cunt.

Changbin settles with the simplest option which is to be with you, it doesn't matter whether he gets that physical satisfaction or not, he wants to be with you, wholeheartedly.

He climbs onto the bed and crawls over your body, carefully, settling his body on top of you.

"Of course, you choose to take me from behind like you always do," you lowly giggle as you look at him.

"A man of principle," you mutter before letting him kiss you.

He kisses you deep with one arm propped against the bed to prevent him from putting all of his weight on you. From there, he makes a long trail of kisses down your body.

You let out a soft moan for every kiss he planted, on your neck, shoulder, down your spine, on the back of your thighs. You start to fist the sheet as he uses his mouth to dive into your wetness, making you even more drenched than before.

"Want you so much, baby," you mutter as he stacks his body on top of you again.

Changbin is more than eager to make that happen for you. Putting his hands on each side of your waist, he slowly pushes his cock inside you from behind as you quietly whimper in both pain and pleasure.

"Do I feel good, baby?" You ask as he lowers himself on you again.

His arms make two pillars on each side of you and gently kisses you before answering, "Always."

You're about to say something when he lowers his mouth on you again.

"You feel good inside me too, baby," you tell him.

He starts thrusting into you, slow yet intensely deep. He curves an arm around your neck to angle your head, tilting it upward so he can place a long peck on your lips.

You moan against his mouth as he steadily pulsates his hips into you at a steady pace.

"So deep inside me, baby."

He looks at your blissful face with your eyes closed, humming in pleasure.

"Mmh... so good!" You murmur again as you pull him for a kiss.

The sexual chemistry you have for each other is unparalleled but this, being one with you, connecting and bonding, is nothing like he ever felt before.

It's like a newfound pleasure that he knows he'll rarely get in life, it's special.

You turn your head to look him in the eyes, "You're going to cum for me, right, Bin baby?"

He grabs your chin and slightly parts your mouth open before kissing it.

"I'm going to make you cum first before doing that," he says with a smirk.

"Hot and a gentleman too. What are the odds?" you say with a seductive smile.

Changbin picks up the pace and launches himself deeper into you. The skin-slapping sounds grow louder in the room. You can't contain your moans anymore, you let them spill out of your mouth as your hands claw at the sheet under you.

He looks at your face basked in unadulterated pleasure with your eyes locked in a gaze with his and a soft smile that doesn't waver even for a second.

"I'm so close, baby," you tell him.

He hastily kisses your lips, leaving them wet when he pulls away.

"You can let go," he mutters with another haste kiss.

You turn your head to the side, clutching at it as you're getting closer to your high. He can feel it from the way you keep clenching around him, sucking him deeper into you that he can sense his release is coming closer as well.

You plant your mouth on his big arm to muffle your moan as waves of pleasure wash over you, whining as Changbin keeps riding past your high.

Using his forearm as a pillow to rest your head on, your body slouching on the bed while you're relishing your high.

"Cum for me, baby," you tell him, in case he's wondering if he's allowed to continue or not.

Your hand finds his on the bed and clasped it together as he thrusts you at a restless pace, drowning himself in the way your walls flutter, tightly wrapped around him.

"Please, baby, please?"

As if he needs you to plead to make him cum when you always know how to make him aroused with your seductive words and lewd noises you make.

"Please, cum inside me," you whine with eyes screwed shut, jutting your ass for him to provide him more depth.

He groans as his cock buries to the hilt inside you and it only takes him a few more thrusts to finally cum.

He collapses on top of you, spooning your body with his big arms wrapped around your neck. He tilts your head to kiss you, your face, and the nape of your neck.

"I love you," he silently mutters under his breath and hurriedly kisses you, pouring all of his heart out through the kiss.

Changbin doesn't care if you don't say it back.

He loves you and that's all you needed to know.

The sound of you scrambling off the bed can be hard.

The sounds of you running out of the bedroom is even harder to miss. He opens his eyes to find you returning and grinning as you notice he's awake.

"Where are you going?" He asks while rubbing the sleep of his eyes.

You come back to bed and crawl over to him, "I was thinking of waking you up with your birthday present."

That gets him intrigued but confused him as well because he counted the birthday party you threw for him as a present already.

And for the sex, Changbin counted it as a heavenly sent.

"You have a birthday present for me?" He asks.

You sit on his lap and lean your back against his chest, "yes, but it's so heavy to take it here," you share.

He raises an eyebrow, forming a puzzled look on his face.

"It's a bowling ball," you tell him with a wide grin.

Changbin presses a kiss on your cheek, "Thank you, baby!"

You turn your head and put his arms around you, "you don't sound excited," you pout.

He rests his head on the crook of your neck, catching the scent of yours and his mixed together in the fabric of the shirt you're wearing.

"Because I'm more excited about being a loving boyfriend to you," he answers.

You coo as you softly scratch his bedhead, "look at you! A heartbreaker turned a committed boyfriend," you say with an impressed smile.

Changbin captures your lips in a closed-mouth kiss considering that he's just woken up.

You tighten the arms around you and put your hands on top, "and I'm going to be a super caring and clingy girlfriend," you jokingly say.

"That's what you want, right baby?"

He jerks his head away to glare at you and purses his lips, "That's not what I meant. I—"

"Oh? You changed your mind again?" You hastily conclude even though he hasn't finished talking yet.

He tickles your sides, making you jolt on his lap, laughing. Once you calm down, he continues speaking with a rather soft tone.

"I was wrong to say that you didn't treat me right and I'm sorry," he sincerely delivers his apology.

You smile at him and nod, "Apology accepted."

He leans in to kiss you and not letting you break the kiss with his hand steadily angles your head his way.

"What was that?" You ask out of the blue.

Changbin immediately thinks that he did something wrong or bad. With a panicked voice, he tries to calmly ask, "What is what?"

"Last night."

So that means the sex? The one where he thinks it's heavenly sent?

His first thought always goes to his performance.

"Was it bad?" He slightly stutters.

You softly kiss his hand "No, it's oh... so good," you answer with a dreamy sigh.

That, he agrees. He can let out a breath of relief at that.

"But..." you add and his heart stops, afraid that it's going to be the worse part of it all.

You look at him and say, "It was so sweet."

Changbin smiles at your words, that means he's successfully delivered his profound feelings for you. He places a long, lingering kiss and his heart quakes inside his chest.

The more he trusts his feelings, the less afraid he is to say it.

"I love you."

You put your hand in his soft curls, "what did I do to deserve hearing those words twice in less than 24 hours?"

Here he thought that you didn't catch the first one or more like, he feared that you take it as a joke. It takes him aback that you did take them as they are, a confession deep from within him, from the bottom of his heart.

"It's supposed to be your birthday but why you're the one giving me a special present, mmh?" You ask while softly scratching his head with your fingers.

You rest your head on his shoulder and softly kiss his cheek, "I love you, Bin."

It's like a dream to hear you say those words back to him that he takes quite a long time to convince himself that he's alive and awake.

"I want to be with you as long as..." you stop yourself from continuing and decide to leave it for the future to finish the sentence for you.

You gently nuzzle your nose in his neck and decide to end it with those three words again, saying them in utmost sincerity and steadfast conviction.

"I love you."

Hearing that still feels like a dream, but the way his heart shrank whenever he hears it is prove that this is real. That somehow makes him feel like you love him more than he loves you.

Good thing that Changbin is a competitive person.

He shakes his head in disagreement and confidently remarks, "No, I love you more."

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bloodynereid · 4 months

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PLEASE do something with rooster and gn neutral reader where it’s set after the big mission and everyone has stayed together at top gun and rooster and reader got together and now they’re like the most insufferable duo ever?? like not only do they hardcore flirt EVERYWHERE but also they play pranks on everyone they can possibly find?? like they will find a way to do the MOST elaborate pranks on everyone INCLUDING their superiors?? i just think it would be HILARIOUS!! - 🧚🏻

House of Cards

pairing: bradley 'rooster' bradshaw x gn! reader

tw: kissing, swearing, anxiety, jokes, mentions of buzzing the tower, drinking alcohol, mentions of marriage

description: you and bradley were a match made in heaven but a nightmare to everyone else.

a/n: hiii🧚🏻anon <3 i hope this is what you envisioned! it was super fun to write and im definitely in my bradley era. there's also a few little easter eggs thrown in there. i hope you enjoy and excuse some of the shitty writing in a few parts, i only read through this twice.

ahfhsufgeg he's so fine

The aftermath of the suicide mission was spent in multiple bars (mainly the Hard Deck) and getting drunk beyond belief. That led to a variety of messy pool games, slurred singing and some potentially regretful decisions.

One of those decisions was you kissing Rooster right after you beat his ass at pool. The rush of adrenaline and tequila gave you the confidence you had been lacking since you met him during his first round at Top Gun.

Surprisingly that decision was not one you regretted the morning after. Or the week after… or the month after. Rooster had kissed you back with a fire that had you stumbling around near drunk on his lips alone for the days afterward.

The Navy had decided to make a special detachment after the success of the mission so you were all stationed at Top Gun for the foreseeable future. They also managed to promote Maverick (not without a whole lot of persuading) so he was now overseeing the detachment.

“This is nice.” You muttered as your eyes blearily opened. The sun was shining through the curtains and a heavy arm was settled over your arm.

“Hmm too early.” Rooster mumbled from his spot next to you.

“Rooster, we have the barbeque today… you said we were telling Mav today.”

“Oh shit, right.” He groaned out before cuddling back into you. You hated having to leave this little cocoon of warmth but you really had to get going.

“Baby…”

“Yes, yup, getting up now.”

It took another twenty minutes before you finally got out of bed and started to make coffee and toast. The sound of running water greeted your ears as you got ready for the day and drank your coffee while scrolling through your phone.

“Thanks for breakfast.” Bradley said as he wrapped his arms around your shoulders and gave you a quick peck.

“No problem, love. Ready to go?”

“Yup.”

The blue bronco sped through the streets of San Diego. The sun warmed up your skin and a smile was painted on your face as you chatted with Rooster. Today was going to be good.

“We’re here.” Bradley announced as he parked in front of Penny’s house. A few familiar cars were also parked outside, it seemed like you were the last to arrive.

“I told you we were going to be late.” You chidded as you lightly slapped his shoulder.

“Yeah yeah.” Bradley said with a smile on his face before pulling you into him and kissing you in an effort to distract you.

“Oh god, why did you two ever get together?” The familiar voice of Hangman cut the moment short, making the both of you roll your eyes.

“Hello there Bagman, I was hoping you fell off a cliff on the way here.”

“Well hello there Royal aren’t you as cheery as ever.”

“Fuck off, Bagman.” Rooster said from next to you.

“Gladly, I do not need to watch your excessive PDA.”

“I’m surprised you even know what the word excessive means.” You called as he walked towards the house, Jake only sent you the bird without looking back.

“Where was I?” Bradley muttered as he cradled your face and was about to kiss you again when you laughed.

“Bradley, darling, even if I would love to keep doing this, we really have to go in.”

“Alright, but we’re finishing this later.”

You carried the six pack of beer that Bradley insisted on bringing and made your way over to where the smoke from the barbeque was emanating from. Bradley finished locking up the car and threw his arm over your shoulders.

“You ready?” You nodded in answer to his question and suddenly the smell of hamburgers permeated your senses.

“Royal, Rooster! I’m so glad you could make it. Make yourselves at home.” Penny said with a bright smile as she welcomed the two of you.

“Thanks for inviting us, Penny. We brought beer!” You said as you passed her the six pack.

“With the rate they’re drinking it, it would be a miracle if I have any alcohol left in this house.” You laughed and Penny gave you both a smile before disappearing into the house to drop off the beer.

“You want to go find Mav?”

“Yeah, do you want to come?”

“No, you go. I’ll go talk to Bob, I started that show he recommended.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, go talk to Mav, Bradley. Call me over when you’re ready.” Bradley smiled and gave you a grateful look before walking over to the grill. You let out a deep breath and felt a surge of nervousness course through your body. Meeting the parents was never something you particularly enjoyed, even if you had already met Mav a billion times, you never met him in the capacity of being a partner.

“Hey Bob.”

“Royal. How are you?” Bob asked as he passed you a beer from one of the tables.

“Good, nervous.”

“Finally telling Mav?”

“Yeah, is it that noticeable?”

“Not really.”

“You really are a stealth pilot, Bob.” Bob rolled his eyes as he took a swig of beer and knocked his shoulder against yours. That was when you noticed Bradley waving at you from next to Mav. You nodded and said bye to Bob before weaving your way through your squad to greet him.

“Hey Mav, Rooster.” You said, greeting them.

“So what are your intentions with Bradley, Royal?” Mav said with raised eyebrows and an intense look in his eyes that had your brain screeching to a halt.

“Uhh.” A few seconds later, Mav’s face contorted and he started laughing hysterically.

“God your face! Don’t worry about it, kid. I’m pretty sure I should be interrogating Bradley here about his intentions with you.”

“Hey!” Bradley yelled, making you and Mav chuckle.

You were sitting in the sweltering briefing room next to Bradley. Cyclone was standing at the front of the room talking about the new assignment and giving the training parameters but your mind was elsewhere.

Bradley kept rubbing circles on your exposed forearm and it was driving you insane. You kept nudging his knee with yours but that only seemed to urge him to keep going.

“Royal, is there a problem?” Your eyes flew up to meet Cyclone’s and a feeling of dread seemed to seep out of your pores.

“No, sir.”

“Well then if you wouldn’t mind keeping your flirting to a minimum, it would be greatly appreciated.”

Snickers filled the room and you turned to look at Bradley with a menacing look in your eyes. You lightly punched his arm and settled back into your chair.

“Sorry.” Bradley whispered, not sounding sorry at all.

“Oh shut up.”

It was a routine practice flight, Mav had randomly pulled names and paired people up so they could make their way through the planned course.

You and Rooster had made it through in record time and were now loudly celebrating over the coms.

“Fuck yeah!”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Rooster asked as you circled back around.

“Oh definitely.” You shared a laugh before you flew over to the control tower. You caught a glimpse of Mav and Cyclone in the window before flying behind Rooster as the two of you buzzed the tower.

“Royal! Rooster!” The admonishing voice of Cyclone bled through the coms.

“God I really was a little shit when I was younger.” Maverick said through the coms as he let out an exasperated sigh.

You and Rooster just laughed and circled around a few times before landing, ready to be thoroughly lectured by Cyclone.

The squad had planned a trip after the newest mission… to Vegas. The entire trip there was incredibly chaotic because (*cough* Hangman *cough*) was scared of flying, even if he was literally a pilot.

When you all finally landed in Vegas it took another hour before everyone had found their bags and got into respective ubers. The hotel that Phoenix had booked was perfect, it had a huge bar as well as an extensive casino.

Sometime after drinking at least five martinis and a few shots you and Rooster disappeared from the group. Something no one noticed until the next morning. You spent the night cuddled up in your hotel room watching tv and coming up with the perfect plan.

The next morning the squad disgruntledly made their way to the breakfast bar, very hungover and missing several of its members.

“Uh guys, where are Royal and Rooster?” Bob murmured once everyone (minus the couple) had sat at one of the tables.

“I haven’t seen them since last night.”

“You don’t think…” Phoenix looked up from her plate that was stacked with pancakes and looked at Bob with a panicked look on her face.

“Someone call them.”

Before anyone could do that a simultaneous ping came from everyone’s phones. 2 new messages were displayed on the group chat.

Royal: When in Vegas…

*image attached*

The couple had ventured out into town around dawn and got a picture of one of the many Elvis churches that littered the streets. You weren’t actually getting married but the reactions of each of the Daggers and Mav was fucking priceless.

And who knows getting married was definitely in the cards for both of you.

<333

#bradley bradshaw #maria's random stuff #bradley bradshaw x reader #rooster top gun #rooster x reader #rooster bradshaw #rooster x you #top gun maverick #bradley rooster bradshaw #tgm #top gun #top gun fanfic #top gun fanfiction #top gun imagine #top gun x reader #bradley x reader #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun maverick x reader

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tswaney17 · 5 months

Text

I Do Bad Things with You - Part 43

It's aliveeeeeee!!! 🙌 I can't even begin to describe how off my game I've been trying to write. I've had the entirety of IDBTWY written for months, but I honestly hated my writing, and editing was such a chore. I'm still not completely in love, but we need to push past so we can finally close this beast. I am slowly working through my creative drought, and hope to have some consistent content coming soon!

Also, credit to @123moiaussi for the "superseed" comment. 😉

My fanfic account: @tswaney17fics

My ao3 account: tswaney17

Please let me know what you think about this update. I love getting your feedback. Constructive criticism is always welcome. 💕

Catch up here.

Credit to @featherymalignancy for Cassian’s nickname, Cash. 😘

Trigger warnings: violence, sexual assault , language, NSFW

Word Count: 6,187

Elain was sitting in the waiting room of the OBGYN office, knee bouncing nervously. This was her first-trimester check-up and she just wanted to make sure that everything was okay. Her nausea had been pretty awful over the last few weeks and she had grown excessively tired—to the point that she had to talk with Thesan about reducing her surgical procedures so she could keep a clear head.

She hated having to do that, not wanting to disappoint her boss just after she reached her attending level earlier that year. But Thesan took it in stride, helping to arrange her schedule to fit what she was comfortable doing and ensuring she had time to take proper meal breaks and rest when she needed it. He rearranged schedules and let her take on leading the resident interns full-time, allowing her to take some of the stress off by guiding them through procedures and running the ER.

He had come into her hospital room after she collapsed to check on her, and she knew she couldn’t keep it from him after what had happened in the operating room. Her boss had been ecstatic, congratulating them both.

It had been about a month since they found out they were pregnant, and she was now sitting at around seven and a half weeks along. She and Azriel decided to keep the news to themselves until she reached week twelve, just to play it safe, and Elain wished she could say they had been successful in their endeavors. But, her boss knew, and Viviane knew. The Moonbeam twins found out two weeks ago when she and Fenrys had exited the elevator of their building and Connall’s breakfast sandwich sent her hurdling for the nearest trashcan. Fen had been quick to slide her hair back, holding it above her head as she heaved. Stepping off the elevator a few minutes later, a startled and confused Azriel took in the sight of Connall and then heard her retching. He instantly was at her side, taking her hair from Fenrys, and running his hand down her back.

“What is in that sandwich,” he demanded.

Blind-sighted, Con rambled out ingredients. “Bacon, cheese, spinach, and egg.”

Elain gagged at the word egg, her stomach violently rolling from the name. “Get rid of it,” she moaned, still leaning into the disgusting garbage.

The dark-haired twin had swallowed the remains of his meal in three large bites.

It took effort to push herself off the trash bin, falling into the comforting embrace of Az’s strong arms that he wrapped around her.

He cupped the side of her face, tucking her under his chin, and let her thumb swoop over the apple of her cheek, the touch gentle and soothing. “Do you want your tea,” he murmured, lips pressing into her hair.

Unable to voice it answer, she dipped her chin.

Fenrys was already on the ground before them, pulling her coffee mug from her bag that she dropped and handing it to Azriel.

Her husband brought the mug up to her lips and allowed her to sip, the peppermint hitting her stomach and calming the raging sea. His hazel eyes glanced at her, a question simmering in them, and read the answer she didn’t even need to speak. “Elain’s pregnant,” he told the twins. “It’s still very early and we’re trying to keep it close to the chest for now, but please don’t bring eggs anywhere near her.”

Her body shuddered at that damn word again, but she managed to gain enough strength to pull herself from Azriel’s arms as she faced the Moonbeam brothers. “Sorry about that,” she said and felt her husband tense as she apologized for being sick. He’d been wildly adamant that she not apologize for the nausea, the cravings, or anything else she needed of him or anyone else. Not after having a meltdown because he went and got her something she asked for, only to start craving something else when he was out and feeling utterly ridiculous about it.

Connall seemed to snap from his shock first. “Congratulations to you both. And I apologize for the sandwich. I won’t bring anything around that has—”

“Please don’t say the word or I might hurl again,” she interrupted, fingertips touching her mouth like she’d hold it back. Fuck, even just the name of it sent her body quaking from the queasiness.

Fen chuckled. “Noted. Is there anything else that sets you off we should be made aware of?”

She shook her head no. “Nothing else that I know of yet.”

He nodded, a charming smile spreading his lips. “Let us know if anything changes. And congratulations on the pregnancy. I’m so happy for you both.”

And she could see it, the joy radiating on both of their faces. It made her heart swell with love for the two men who would likely become Uncle Fen and Uncle Con to their child.

The door opening caught her attention, pulling her from her reverie, and she met the gaze of the nurse who’d come to collect her. Elain glanced back at the elevator, waiting for her husband to show up. He was running late—something that was so very unlike him, which only added to her anxiety. She returned her attention to the nurse. “Can you give him another couple of minutes?”

It wasn’t the first time she asked to delay her appointment and knew it couldn’t continue much longer.

The nurse—Maria as her name badge read—gave her a sad smile. “We really can’t delay much longer. There are a few appointments behind you.”

“Just a couple of minutes,” Elain practically begged.

Maria hedged, shuffling from foot to foot, uncomfortable by the request, but was saved from having to deny her by the elevator door sliding open and Azriel rushing out.

He was at her side instantly, taking her arm to help her stand as if she couldn’t do it herself. Elain had to remind him on occasion that she was not yet showing and could still move about the house without his assistance. “I’m so sorry I’m late. There was an accident downtown and I got caught right in the middle of traffic. I’ll leave a half hour earlier next time.” He leaned down to brush his lips to her cheek.

His presence immediately calmed her and she leaned into his touch.

Azriel, always in tune with her feelings, didn’t miss how she settled into him as they followed the nurse back, his arm slinking around her waist so he could touch his mouth to her ear. “Are you all right?” he asked her. Nothing ever got by him.

She nodded but knew he hadn’t bought it. Still, he let it slide, caressing her arm in a soothing gesture. The nurse took all her vitals and then handed her a gown to change into before the doctor arrived. Az helped her slip it on, tying the strings together for her before assisting her onto the table.

“You’re nervous,” he commented now that they were alone.

Elain blew out a breath. “A bit.”

He swept his thumb over her cheek. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know to be honest. Just want to make sure everything is growing healthy in there,” she said, patting her still-flat stomach. “No surprises.”

Az chuckled, kissing her temple. “I have no doubts that we have a healthy baby, love. Try not to fret.” His words seemed to calm her as she relaxed back onto the table.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of her doctor and she took a moment to introduce herself to her husband, shaking his hand.

“Okay, let’s get started. Elain, if you wouldn’t mind putting your feet into the stirrups.”

She took out the ultrasound wand, spreading lube on the tip, and Elain couldn’t help but smile at her husband’s confused face.

“All right, my dear. You should feel a little pressure,” her doctor said.

“I’m sorry, but I thought she was getting an ultrasound. What is that?” Azriel questioned.

Elain snorted lightly. “Az, it’s a transvaginal ultrasound. It goes inside, not on my belly.”

His eyes widened. “Well, the three baby books I’ve read didn’t discuss the differences in ultrasound types.”

Doctor Chen raised her brows. “You’ve read three baby books already?”

He shrugged. “I just like to be prepared.”

“You’re going to be a great father.”

The comment seemed to startle her husband. “Just because I’ve read a few books?”

Chen’s lips turned up at the corner. “Mr. Archeron-Knight, I can barely get most fathers to read one, let alone three. And before she’s even through the first trimester. Believe me when I say that I can tell who’s going to be well-adjusted to handling fatherhood.” Giving him a wink, she slipped the wand inside, making Elain’s grip on Azriel’s hand tighten slightly.

“All right, here we are,” Doctor Chen said, clicking a few buttons on the keyboard to bring up the monitor. A pitter-patter sound filled the air as she located the baby’s heartbeat.

Tears sprung into her eyes as that beautiful, perfect, innocent noise washed over her and she glanced up at her husband to see him sharing the same look as her. He leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips, the special moment between them growing with the touch of his mouth against hers.

“And here is your baby,” Chen announced, pointing to a little blip on the screen.

Elain’s dark gaze stared at that spot on the screen, feeling like her heart was about to burst with happiness. But when her eyes slid to her doctor, seeing the furrow in her brow, that joy dropped like a rock in her stomach.

Her doctor let out a small noise of contemplation, enough to catch Azriel’s attention. “What is it?” he asked, voice laced with demand and worry.

A few clicks on her keyboard had the screen adjusting, zooming out just slightly. She repositioned the wand inside of her, making her body tense. “Well, I think we should discuss multiple births. Because that right there,” she said, pointing to another blip on the screen, “is a second fetus.” She clicked a button again and two very distinct heartbeats surrounded them. Chen turned to look at them with a smile. “You’re having twins.”

If Elain thought her heart was racing before, it was absolutely pounding now, the sound rushing in her ears. Because there was just no way, no way, right? Twins? Twins! Her head swiveled to look up at her husband. “You and your fucking superseed!” she snarled.

“Elain!” Azriel chastised, looking torn between being guilty of impregnating her with two kids and amused about her foul language in front of the doctor. Mostly the latter.

Chen just laughed. “I’ve told many expecting parents they’re having twins over the years, but that was, by far, the best reaction I’ve ever seen.”

She had the decency to at least look embarrassed as she apologized to her doctor for her outburst, but she just waved her off.

After snapping a few pictures, she pulled the wand out, cleaned her up, and set the printed sonogram photos on the counter for them. “Everything looks good, Elain. You’re growing at an optimum level. I’ll go ahead and prescribe you some anti-nausea medicine that you can take in the morning and before bed for as long as you need it. Unless there are any concerns, you’re free to get dressed. The nurse at the front will schedule you for your next appointment.”

The door clicked shut softly behind her as she left and Elain felt the silence between her and Azriel like a weight on her chest.

He helped her sit up, but before she could slide off the table, he stepped in front of her, finger hooking under her chin to force her gaze to his. “Hey,” he said softly like he was afraid anything louder might startle her. “El, love, I know this is scary, but we can do this.”

“Twins, Azriel. Two kids. As in one whole being more than we even were planning for.”

His mouth quirked up at her zealous explanation. “I’m well aware of how twins work, baby.”

She glared at him for the comment.

But he ignored it, leaning down to capture her mouth in a sweet kiss. “Twins mean two beautiful children of our own. Twins mean twice the amount of love we will have. Twice the amount of joy they will be bringing into our lives. If there is anyone who can take on the challenge of having twins, it’s us. Don’t ever doubt that.”

His words settled inside of her, soothing the jagged worries of her heart into something perfectly beautiful. His confidence, his strength…it was exactly what she needed at that moment and he knew it.

Elain let out a heavy breath. “You’re changing all the diapers.”

He barked out a laugh, folding her into his arms. “I’m okay with that.”

~~~

They decided to wait until she reached the fifteen-week mark before they told their family the news. Azriel was ready to burst at week nine, but she managed to hold him off until now with just a little bit of persuasion.

A surprise to both of them was when Elain didn’t have her head in the toilet, she was horny as fuck. Azriel was running hard to keep up with her impressive sex drive. And that was saying something.

He reached out and took her hand across the center console, thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Are you nervous?” he asked, bringing the back of her palm to his lips.

She glanced at him, a soft smile pulling at her mouth. “No. I’m excited. I want to tell everyone about them.” Her hand rubbed over her swollen belly. Swollen was probably the best way to describe her appearance. Truthfully, she looked like she indulged in a very large, carb-based meal of pasta and was extremely bloated from it. Which, to be fair, with Azriel’s amazing skills in the kitchen, it was a fair assessment.

Elain opened her purse and slipped out the sonogram she had a few days before. The one that told them what they were having. Her eyes welled up with tears as her fingers stroked the black-and-white image. She was so blissfully happy. “I’m glad that they’re healthy. That was all I cared about.”

Az kissed the backside of her palm again. “Me too. And I’m happy they’ll be close to Sutton’s age so they can grow up together.”

“Do you think Feyre and Rhys will start thinking about having kids?” she asked, curious if he thought their other siblings might be feeling a touch of the baby fever.

He shrugged. “If they weren’t talking about it before, I’d say they will be now. Rhys has been wanting kids since practically in high school. He always wanted to be a father; better than his, though he wasn’t anything compared to mine.” The words hung between them for a minute before he asked her, “Do you have concerns about me becoming my father?” His voice dropped to a near whisper. Almost as if he were afraid of her answer.

Elain looked at him in shock. “Azriel, gods no. I know exactly the kind of father you’ll be, and it will not even remotely look like what you were given.”

His lips quirked up at the corner. “Yeah? And what kind of a father do you think I’ll be?”

She twisted in her seat to face him better. “You’re going to be the most devoted father because you’re already the most devoted husband. You’ll dote on those kids until they never have a wish or dream unfulfilled. You will love them fiercely—I mean, you already do and they’re still in my stomach,” she giggled lightly, rubbing her belly. “They are going to be the most spoiled children.”

At that, he laughed. “I can’t say you’re wrong. I don’t think I will be able to say ‘no’ to them at all.”

“Azriel, you can’t even tell me no,” she deadpanned.

“It’s just not in my vocabulary when it comes to you.”

Elain shook her head, eyes rolling as she twisted back in her seat to face forward again. She could see the restaurant down the street where they were meeting their siblings for lunch to tell them the news. “Well, I’m not going to take on the mean parent role just because you can’t say no.” She fiddled with her purse, sliding the image back inside. “We may need to find an alternative—” Screeching tires caught her attention and then she screamed, “Azriel! Watch out!”

The car lurched, sending her head sideways to slam against the side window. The last thing she heard was shattering glass as another car collided with them before everything went dark.

~~~~~

Azriel’s eyes blinked open, ears ringing loud enough to make him wince. His body ached across his chest and waist from the seat belt and as he shifted himself, he could tell nothing was seriously injured. Thankfully. He looked over at his wife, fear locking his heart in a deadly force. “Elain,” he murmured, voice hoarse.

Her head lay against the back of the seat, lulled to the side. She had a gash on her forehead, blood dribbling down her temple, and most of her right arm was scratched up from the shattered glass.

He tried to unbuckle his belt, but the damn thing was stuck. Pulling the knife Ruhn had gotten him from his pocket, he cut the fabric, releasing him, then reached over and did the same to Elain’s belt. A scarred hand slid to her cheek, cupping it gently, and then moved down to her throat, searching for his worst nightmare.

The relief he felt when her heartbeat pattered against his fingertips was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. “Elain,” he tried again, moving his palm back to her face. “Elain, sweetheart, open your eyes for me.” His tone took on a desperate sound as he willed her to wake.

Movement caught his eye, the sound of tires crunching on glass flooded him and he looked out the window to see the car that hit them, pulling back and fleeing. “Motherfucker,” he cursed, realizing that this was an intended accident. He had managed to jerk the wheel so Elain didn’t take the brunt of the impact, but it still slammed into the back door, shattering all the windows on her side.

A burning rage built in his gut, one that could not—would not—be stifled without blood. Whoever ordered this hit…

They were as good as dead.

Azriel refocused on his wife, fingers sweeping over her skin. He shoved that wrath building inside of him down until it was a flickering ember, something for him to let rage once he knew she was okay. “Elain, come on. Open your eyes for me.” He gently tapped her cheek, trying to get her to look at him. “Please, love. I need you to open your eyes. Elain.”

A groan passed through her lips, sending tears of relief cascading over his cheeks as her eyelids began fluttering.

“El, baby,” he cried, swooping his thumb across her smooth skin. He collected the soft sounds coming from her parted lips like precious gems, thanking every god for each one.

“Az.” Her voice cracked on his name. “What happened?” she asked, still coming into consciousness.

He shuffled closer, leaning over the center console to kiss her temple with a gentleness he reserved only for her. “We were in an accident, love. I need you to stay still until help gets here.” He felt her pulse kick up under his palm.

Elain’s breathing turned short. “Azriel…” her voice shook in fear. “Az, the babies.”

His heart wrenched, hoping and praying that everything was all right. After all that they had been through, he didn’t think he could handle the world taking something else away from her. From them. But despite his fear, he remained calm, knowing she needed to as well. “Everything is going to be okay,” he promised. “I hear the sirens, love. Help is almost here.”

The words didn’t seem to abate her as she continued to shake. “Please,” she cried, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes and dribbling down her cheeks. “Check if I’m bleeding.”

Azriel knew she needed to know—would not breathe steadily until she did. He placed his hand on the inside of her thigh, sliding up until he reached her panties. Feeling her for any sort of wetness. Any stickiness that would confirm to him there was blood.

She was dry.

There weren’t words to describe how thankful he felt for that confirmation. “No blood,” he told her, pulling his hand out from underneath her dress to show her his clean fingers.

Elain released a sob, her tense body relaxing slightly.

He shushed her, kissing her temple again. “You’re okay,” he murmured, wanting to do everything in his power to reassure her. “Everything is going to be okay.”

Two firetrucks pulling up snagged his attention, as he continued to stroke her cheek soothingly.

“Sir, are you both okay?” one of the responders asked as he approached his side of the car.

He glanced at the man. “We’re conscious but she needs to be looked at.”

The guy rapped his knuckles on the top of the car. “We’ll get you out in a second—”

“Her first,” he told him in a tone that brooked no room for argument.

Another firefighter moved towards his wife’s window. “Ma’am, can you tell me your name?” she asked.

“Elain,” his wife answered.

“Are you in any pain?”

“My head hurts a bit.” Those doe eyes looked at the other woman. “I’m pregnant.”

She turned her head and yelled, “Get me the jaws!” Looking back at Elain, she reached in and wrapped a C-collar around her neck. “How far along are you?”

“Fifteen weeks.”

A nod. “All right, Elain. We’ll have you out in a jiffy and get you over to the hospital to have your baby checked out.”

Neither of them bothered to correct her on the number of babies. It wasn’t relevant, only that they needed to get her out. Once the door was opened, they began moving her onto a backboard. Azriel wrenched the driver’s side open, wanting to get to her as quickly as possible.

“Sir! You need to be checked by the paramedic,” somebody called out but he ignored them, rounding the vehicle to where Elain was being placed on a stretcher. Just before he reached her, another voice called his name—one he couldn’t ignore. He turned, finding Cassian running over to him, flashing a badge to one of the firefighters to get past him. Rhys, Feyre, and Nesta stood just beyond the scene at their cars, all watching his wife being checked out.

“What the hell happened?” Cassian demanded, eyes flitting over to where Elain was being hauled towards an ambulance.

“Hit and run. Fucker took off after T-boning us,” he snarled, tone murderous. They would not get away with this. Not with his pregnant wife in the car with him. Az glanced up and saw the street cameras, angled just right to have caught the entire accident. “Cash, get me the film from that camera,” he indicated with a nod of his head before swiveling on his feet and prowling toward his wife.

Cassian kept stride with him, took in the responders on the scene, and lowered his voice to not be overheard. “Az, the police will investigate. Just let them do their job.”

Azriel whirled on his brother. “You either get me that tape, Cassian, or I’ll get it my way. Either option, I will find out who did this to her.” There was no arguing when he stepped into this role. This wasn’t a brother asking for a favor. This was the head of the Velaris Mob Boss demanding it.

His voice turned deadly, taking on the dangerous threat he used to get what he wanted.

When it looked like his brother was about to argue, the female firefighter shouted, “Victim is fifteen weeks pregnant. She needs to be checked out by a doctor.”

Elain called Az’s name and he turned, striding towards her but not before he caught how Cassian’s face paled. Or the shocked looks from their siblings. Well, that’s one way to find out, he thought to himself as he reached his wife’s side and took her hand.

She clutched his fingers, her face still scrunched with worry. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, placing a kiss on her forehead before they loaded her into the back of the ambulance. Az climbed in after, sitting down on the bench and gripping her hand once more. He glanced back out the door and found Cassian standing there.

“I’ll get you that tape,” he said quietly; fierce determination blazed in his hazel eyes to help his brother wreak havoc over the person who went after his pregnant wife. Only Cassian could understand the fear of something like this, having already gone through a pregnancy with Nesta. Without another word, he shut the doors to the ambulance.

Elain looked up at him, his name falling from her lips. He brushed a thumb over her forehead. “Everything is going to be fine, love. Just try to relax.” It was empty words, they knew that. Knew neither of them would settle until they heard both of those heartbeats on a monitor.

He just hoped he was holding it together enough for her until they could confirm she was still pregnant.

And may God have mercy on the fucker who caused this, if she wasn’t.

~~~

They ushered Elain into a private room, hooking her up to a fetal monitor. The doctor moved quickly, shoving her dress up to reveal her bare stomach while a nurse covered her hips with a blanket.

She flinched slightly when the cold gel was applied to her skin and Azriel brought her fingers to his lips, kissing her across the backside of her knuckles.

It was like the world held its breath as they searched for those two heartbeats.

“Baby number one looks good,” the doctor said, clicking a button and sending the hummingbird’s wing pattern of a heartbeat into the room.

Elain squeezed his hand, a soft sound passing between her lips in relief.

The wand moved on her belly, searching for their other little one. “And, there they are. Hiding behind their sibling.”

When the second heartbeat reached their ears, Elain twisted, sobbing into Az’s chest with utter joy. He wasn’t very far behind her, letting tears of relief slip from his eyes as he cradled her against his torso. His hand rubbed her shoulder, lips pressing to the crown of her head, offering comfort to her through his presence and touch.

The doctor cleaned her off, smiling at the two of them. “Everything looks good on the monitor,” she started after giving them a moment. “We’ll keep you here for another hour or so just to be safe before we discharge you. If you have any bleeding in the next few days, come in right away.”

Elain seemed unable to answer, so he did it for her. “We will, thank you, doctor.”

“There also appears to be a group of people waiting for you guys in the lobby. Would you like me to send them in or give them a message?”

He crouched, putting himself at her eye level, wanting Elain to make the decision. Az cupped her cheek, thumb brushing away the tears under her eyes. “Love, do you want to see the family now?” he asked, voice low.

She sniffed, eyes still flooded with silver. The subtle shake of her head told him she wasn’t quite ready for the company yet.

Azriel rose, perching himself on the edge of her bed, and tucked her back into his chest. “Can you tell them that we’re okay, and I’ll come to get them when we’re ready for visitors?”

“Of course. Page the nurse if you need anything.” Without another word, she slipped from the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Elain fisted his shirt, taking in his cedar and mist scent deep into her lungs. He gave her whatever time she needed, letting her get herself together. “I was so scared,” she whispered, burying her face further into his embrace.

Azriel was grateful that she seemed to find comfort in him, in his touch, his scent. He held her tighter against him, murmuring, “Me too.”

She held onto him for a few more precious moments before pulling back to look up at his face. “I didn’t see the other car when they pulled me out.” Her brows furrowed as she tried to put the pieces together. “Were we in a hit and run?”

“Yes,” he said, brushing his thumb back and forth over her cheek.

Her eyes flicked between his. “Do you think we were targeted?”

He wouldn’t lie to her—refused to, but also didn’t want her to be even more frightened than she already was. “I do.” Az saw that kid look directly at him, his eyes widening in understanding that he was, in fact, not dead, before taking off from the scene. He didn’t recognize him, but if he had to place a bet, he’d say it was one of Frankie’s lower levels who crossed to Elias’s side.

Az didn’t think either of his brothers would call a hit like that. Middle of the day, busy street. It wasn’t their style. But Elias was careless, greedy, and a poor decision-maker. He sighed, brushing his lips to her forehead. “The kid looked me dead in the eye before leaving. He was scared that I was still alive.”

“How old do you think he was?” Elain asked.

“I’d say we have at least a decade on him. Seventeen, maybe eighteen.”

“So, just a kid then.”

He cocked his head to the side. “You say that like it’s excusable.”

She shook her head. “I’m not excusing what he did, but we both know how young kids are trapped into joining those gangs. Through manipulation and fear. There’s a reason you won’t allow anyone that young to be brought in, Az, and you know it. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to question if it was his idea or he was put up to it.”

His lips quirked up as she spoke like a true Mob queen. “If you had to guess who would put him up to it—”

“Elias, no doubt. We both know he’s been itching to strike at us since he showed up at the hospital. And you said he was trying to recruit kids from Frankie. Perhaps he offered this kid a way out from under Illyrian rule.”

“There is only one way out from Frankie’s Mob,” he told her, letting the words hang heavily between them.

Elain let out a deep breath. “I know. Either way, he’s dead. Elias is likely to kill him for failing, or Frankie and Nick will for attempting to leave.”

It floored him to just how similar her train of thought was to his. She observed and listened and picked up on every single thread laid down. Understood all of the connections and bloodshed as if she’d been a part of it her whole life. He couldn’t say that the revelation was thrilling, but it also made his chest ache. Az never wanted her to be so in tune with his world. Didn’t want her to have to think about the worst-case scenarios and determine ways around them. But here she was, doing just that and not shying away from it.

To think he couldn’t love her any more than he already did.

“I have to agree with your assessment. Elias will not get away with this; with what he’s done to you.”

She didn’t balk at the threat in his tone, simply took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Despite what he’s done, is going after him the best idea? Things could escalate.”

“We can’t let this go without repercussions, love. Others will hear about this and wait to see how I respond. If it’s not a show of force, they’ll think I’ve gone lax and more will come. I need to be aggressive with my actions.”

It looked like she wanted to argue some more, but decided against it, bringing his hand up to her mouth to kiss his scars. “Do you want to go get the others now? I’m ready to see them.”

He smiled down at her, cupping her cheek one more time. “I’ll be right back.” Az pressed his lips to her forehead before he slipped from the room, knowing that that conversation was far from over. But he’d let it go for now. She had been through enough today without him pushing her on it. But this was one thing he would not, could not budge on. Not if he didn’t want to keep her safe. Especially now with their growing family.

Azriel wasn’t even to the edge of the lobby when Nesta shot out of her chair.

“Is she all right?” his sister asked, face drawn with worry.

His eyes glanced to Cassian behind her, cradling a sleeping Sutton in his large arm, Feyre and Rhys next to him. “She’s fine,” he told them, sensing their relief. “They want to keep her here another hour or so, just to be safe, but you guys are welcome to come back with me if you’d like.”

“Does she want company?” Feyre asked, edging to her eldest sister’s side. “We don’t want to intrude—”

“She asked for you all. No intrusion,” Az interrupted her.

Cassian swallowed, his eyes looking down at the small thing in the crook of his elbow. “You know we all heard the firefighter…is the baby okay?”

He had a feeling one of them would ask, but he wanted to make sure Elain was present for it. So, he said instead, “Everyone is fine. We can talk more in her room.” Turning on his heel, he headed back toward Elain’s private room, knowing they’d follow him closely.

Opening the door, he caught Elain looking intently out the window, seemingly oblivious to the world around her. “Love,” he called out to her, making her snap out of her reverie and turn to face him. “Our siblings are here.”

Her smile lit up his entire chest, despite the current circumstances. Gods, she was radiant when she smiled at him like that.

He held the door open, letting their family shuffle in. Nesta and Feyre made a beeline right to either side of her, gripping her in a firm hug.

“Are you all right?” Nesta asked again, cupping her cheeks in her palms.

Elain laughed slightly. “Yes, I’m fine.” Her eyes landed on his at the foot of her bed and he nodded at her, answering her silent question. One small hand swept down over the slight swell of her belly. “We’re all fine,” she added, a bit more shyly.

“I can’t believe you two are pregnant already,” Rhys stated, resting a palm on her lower leg.

Az laughed. “Strong swimmers,” he boasted.

“Asshole,” Cassian muttered. It wasn’t a secret that he and Nesta had struggled a bit to get pregnant. His wife was, apparently, just incredibly fertile.

Elain just shook her head, eyes rolling at the exchange.

“How far along are you?” Feyre asked, interrupting what she knew was going to be another ridiculous argument.

“Fifteen weeks. Or just over,” she answered.

Nesta blinked in surprise. “Do you know what you’re having?”

Her lips quirked up in the corner as she eyed him. “A boy.”

Their family erupted into congratulatory shouts for them both, grabbing them into hugs. Az waited until they quieted down before announcing, “And a girl.”

All four heads swiveled to him.

Silence descended upon their family for a few tense moments before Rhys finally demanded, “Explain!”

“We’re having a boy and a girl.”

He could see the lightbulbs going off above their heads. It was rather humorous to watch them connect the dots.

“You’re having twins?” Cassian breathed, eyes wide as saucers.

Elain chuckled at their expense. “Yes, my husband infested me with his superseed for two babies.”

Azriel barked out a laugh. “You’re one to talk miss fertile as fuck.”

Their family erupted into a fit of hysterics at the exchange and that brought the largest smile to his face. Elain caught his grin, offering him one of her own. Fuck, he loved her so damn much and he couldn’t wait to have his two little ones welcomed into such a loving family.

He still had to handle Elias, still needed to confirm who else was involved in the hit on them, but he pushed that aside and focused on this moment with his pregnant wife and their siblings. Az would get his revenge…just not today.

~~~~~

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