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estapa-edwards · 22 days

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GROWN UP - F. NAZAR

paring: Frank Nazar x fem! reader

word count: 4.4k

requested? yes - hughes brothers realizing how much they little sister has truly grown up, and she’s dating frank and goes to michigan

warnings: use of y/n.

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Growing up in a household filled with the clatter of sticks, the thud of skates, and the camaraderie that only a shared passion can bring, my siblings and I were bound by more than just blood. Hockey wasn't just a sport to us—it was a way of life.

I have three incredible siblings: Quinn, Jack, and my twin brother, Luke. Together, we formed an unbreakable bond on and off the ice, honing our skills and nurturing our dreams of playing hockey at the highest level.

Growing up, our days were a blur of school, homework, and endless hours at the rink. Our parents were our biggest supporters, shuttling us to practices and games, cheering from the stands, and instilling in us the values of hard work, determination, and teamwork. Our house was always filled with the sounds of skates being sharpened, sticks being taped, and the excited chatter of four siblings eager to hit the ice.

Quinn, the eldest, was our fearless leader. With his natural talent and unwavering dedication, he set the bar high for the rest of us. Jack, the second oldest, was the comedian of the family, always keeping us laughing with his quick wit and infectious energy. Then there was Luke, my twin brother, my partner in crime, and my best friend.

From the moment we laced up our skates for the first time, hockey was our shared passion. We spent countless hours practicing together, pushing each other to be better, faster, stronger. Our backyard was our own personal training ground, where we would spend hours shooting pucks, practicing our passes, and perfecting our slapshots.

Our competitiveness spilled over into everything we did, from who could finish their homework the fastest to who could eat the most pancakes at breakfast. But no matter how intense our rivalries became, we always had each other's backs. We were a team, in hockey and in life, and nothing could ever break the bond we shared.

As we grew older, our dreams of playing hockey at the highest level became more and more attainable. We played on travel teams, competed in tournaments across the country, and caught the attention of scouts and coaches alike. Our hard work was paying off, and it seemed like our dreams were finally within reach.

When it came time to choose a university, Luke and I knew we wanted to continue our hockey journey together. We both had our sights set on the University of Michigan, a school with a rich hockey tradition and a reputation for developing top-tier talent. We were thrilled when we received our acceptance letters and even more excited at the prospect of playing for the Wolverines.

Our time at Michigan was everything we had hoped for and more. We were living our dream, playing the sport we loved at the collegiate level, and representing the maize and blue with pride. The competition was fierce, the games were intense, and the camaraderie among our teammates was unlike anything we had ever experienced.

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It was during our freshman year at Michigan that I met Frank Nazar, a talented forward on the men's hockey team. Frank was charismatic, charming, and incredibly passionate about the game.

Frank was known for his speed, skill, and knack for finding the back of the net. I first noticed him during one of the team's practices at the Yost Ice Arena. His effortless skating and powerful shot caught my attention, and I couldn't help but admire his talent from afar.

As fate would have it, our paths crossed one evening at a local ice rink. I was there practicing alone, working on my stickhandling and shooting, when Frank walked in. He had booked the ice for a private session, and when he saw me on the ice, he approached me with a friendly smile.

"Hey, you're Y/N Hughes, right? You and your brother are making quite an impression here," he said, extending his hand.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied with a smile. "You're Frank, right? Nice to meet you."

We struck up a conversation, bonding over our shared experiences as collegiate athletes and the challenges of juggling academics with athletics. Despite being from different teams, we found common ground and quickly developed a friendship.

One afternoon, we met up at the local ice rink for a private practice session. The rink was empty, the ice pristine and inviting. We laced up our skates and stepped onto the ice, each of us carrying a stick and a puck.

"Ready to hit the ice?" Frank asked, grinning as he twirled his stick.

"Absolutely," I replied, feeling the familiar excitement build. "Let's do some drills."

We started with some passing drills, moving the puck back and forth between us with precision and speed. Frank's passes were sharp and accurate, and I found myself challenged to keep up with his pace.

"Nice pass!" Frank exclaimed as I managed to catch one of his harder passes.

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself," I joked, feeling a sense of camaraderie and competition between us.

After the passing drills, we moved on to shooting practice. Frank set up in goal, and I took turns taking shots, aiming for the corners of the net. He was a formidable goalie, diving and stretching to block my shots, but I managed to sneak a few past him.

"Nice shot!" Frank said, nodding in approval as one of my shots sailed into the top corner of the net.

"Thanks, you're a tough goalie to beat," I replied, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

We continued to push each other, practicing our skating, stickhandling, and shooting skills. Frank was a skilled and supportive practice partner, offering tips and encouragement to help me improve my game.

As the afternoon wore on, we took a break and sat on the bench, catching our breath and chatting about hockey, school, and life in general.

"I've really enjoyed practicing with you," Frank said, looking at me with a smile. "It's been great getting to know you off the ice too."

"I feel the same way," I replied, feeling a warm sense of connection and gratitude. "You've been a great friend and practice partner."

Frank looked at me, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "So, what do you say we make this practice a little more interesting?" he suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh?" I asked, intrigued. "I'm listening."

"How about a little one-on-one competition? Loser buys coffee?" Frank proposed, a flirty grin spreading across his face.

"Challenge accepted," I replied, grinning back at him. "Prepare to lose, Nazar."

"Alright, Hughes, you ready to lose?" Frank teased as we lined up for the face-off.

"Don't get too cocky, Nazar," I shot back, smirking.

The puck dropped, and we both lunged forward, jockeying for control. Frank managed to gain possession and took off down the ice, weaving through imaginary defenders with ease.

"Show off," I called out as I chased after him, determined not to let him get too far ahead.

Frank made a sharp turn towards the net and took a shot, but I managed to block it just in time. I quickly regained control of the puck and raced back down the ice, dodging Frank's attempts to steal it from me.

"Nice try," I said, grinning as I maneuvered around him and headed towards the net.

I took a shot, aiming for the top corner of the net, but Frank made an impressive save, deflecting the puck with his stick.

"Wow, nice save," I said, impressed but not deterred.

Frank grinned. "You're not getting past me that easily."

The battle continued, each of us pushing ourselves to the limit in pursuit of victory. We exchanged shots and saves, each of us refusing to back down.

During one particularly intense moment, I managed to steal the puck from Frank and took off towards the net. Just as I was about to take my shot, Frank caught up to me and managed to knock the puck away at the last second.

"Almost had you," I said, panting slightly as we skated back to center ice.

Frank laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement and admiration. "You're getting better every day, Hughes."

We continued to challenge each other, pushing ourselves to do our best while enjoying the friendly competition and flirty banter. The atmosphere on the ice was electric, filled with excitement, laughter, and the thrill of the game.

After what felt like hours of intense competition, Frank finally managed to score the winning goal, narrowly beating me with a well-placed shot.

"Looks like I win," he said, grinning triumphantly as we skated back to the bench.

"Congratulations," I replied, trying to hide my disappointment. "I guess I owe you coffee."

Frank chuckled. "I'll hold you to that."

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After our intense practice session, Frank and I headed to a nearby coffee shop to grab some much-needed refreshments. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air.

We found a quiet corner to sit, and I went to order our drinks. When I returned to the table with our coffees, Frank was already there, looking relaxed and content.

"Got you a caramel macchiato," I said, setting his coffee in front of him.

"Thanks, you remembered," Frank replied, taking a sip and smiling appreciatively. "You know me well."

I sat down across from him and took a sip of my own coffee, enjoying the warmth and the rich, creamy flavor. We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, both of us catching our breath and enjoying the calm after our intense workout.

"So, was it worth it?" I asked, breaking the silence with a playful grin. "Losing that one-on-one competition and owing me coffee?"

Frank laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I have to admit, it was a pretty good game. And the coffee's not bad either."

We continued to chat and laugh, exchanging stories about hockey, school, and our lives outside of the rink. The conversation flowed easily between us, and I found myself enjoying Frank's company more and more.

As we talked, I couldn't help but notice how easy it was to be myself around Frank. He was kind, funny, and down-to-earth, and I felt a genuine connection with him that I hadn't felt with anyone else in a long time.

"So, Y/N," Frank said, leaning forward slightly with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Do you think we'll ever get a chance to play against each other on the ice?"

I smiled, intrigued by the idea. "Who knows? It would definitely be interesting to see how we stack up against each other in a real game."

Frank grinned. "I look forward to the challenge."

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As our friendship continued to grow, Frank and I made it a point to support each other by attending each other's games whenever our schedules allowed. It became a fun and flirty tradition between us, cheering each other on from the stands and exchanging playful banter and compliments.

After the game, I would wait for Frank outside the locker room to congratulate him on his performance.

"You were on fire out there," I would say, flashing him a flirty smile. "I knew you were going to score that last goal."

Frank would grin, clearly pleased by my praise. "Thanks, Y/N. Having you in the stands cheering for me definitely gave me that extra boost."

Unbeknownst to us, Luke had been watching from a distance, a proud smile on his face as he observed the camaraderie between his twin sister and his teammate.

"Look at you two," Luke would say, joining us with a teasing grin. "You'd think you were on a date, not at a hockey game."

Frank chuckled, giving Luke a friendly nudge. "Hey, a little support from the stands goes a long way."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my own smile. "Well, it looks like it worked. You played great tonight, Frank."

Luke looked at us, his eyes twinkling with pride. "I'm glad you two are getting along so well. It's nice to see my sister happy and enjoying herself."

I smiled at Luke, touched by his supportive words. "Thanks, Luke. Frank's been a great friend and practice partner."

Frank nodded in agreement. "And Y/N's been an amazing friend and teammate. I couldn't ask for a better practice partner or cheerleader."

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One evening after a particularly intense practice, Frank approached me with an invitation from the boys' team.

"Hey, Y/N," Frank said, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "A few of the guys from the team are getting together at our place tonight for a movie night. Would you like to join us?"

I hesitated for a moment, but Frank's friendly smile reassured me. "Sure, that sounds like fun."

When I arrived at Frank's house, I was greeted warmly by the team. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and I immediately felt at ease. Frank led me to the living room, where the others had already started setting up for the movie.

As the evening progressed, I found myself sitting next to Frank on the couch, our shoulders brushing against each other as we settled in to watch the movie. The rest of the team had scattered around the room, engrossed in the film and munching on popcorn.

As the movie played on, I felt Frank's arm casually drape around my shoulder. I looked up at him, and he gave me a gentle smile, his eyes meeting mine with a hint of warmth and affection.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that we weren't the only ones being watched. Luke, Luca, Mark, Rutger, Ethan, and Dylan were all stealing glances at us from across the room, their expressions a mix of amusement and curiosity.

I couldn't help but smile to myself, feeling a little self-conscious but also flattered by their playful scrutiny. I looked over at Luke, who gave me a knowing nod and a thumbs-up, clearly approving of my newfound friendship with Frank.

Luca winked at me, while Mark and Rutger exchanged amused glances. Ethan and Dylan just grinned, clearly entertained by the unfolding scene.

Despite the playful teasing from the rest of the team, Frank and I remained focused on each other, enjoying the comfort and closeness of our shared moment. We continued to watch the movie, our hands finding each other's as we cuddled on the couch.

As the credits rolled and the movie came to an end, Frank squeezed my hand gently and looked down at me with a soft smile.

"Thanks for coming tonight, Y/N," he said, his voice filled with warmth and sincerity. "I had a great time."

I smiled back at him, feeling a warm sense of connection and gratitude. "Me too, Frank. It was a fun night."

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As the play-offs approached, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. The stakes were high, and I was eager to share the experience with Frank. I knew he was a big hockey fan, and I wanted him to be there to support me and my brothers as we competed in the most important games of the season.

"Hey, Frank," I said one day after practice, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in my stomach. "My brothers have a big play-off game coming up, and I was wondering if you'd like to come and watch with me?"

Frank's eyes lit up at the invitation, but I could see a hint of nervousness in his expression. "I'd love to come, Y/N," he replied, his voice tinged with excitement and apprehension. "But are you sure your brothers will be okay with it? I mean, I've heard a lot about them, and they seem pretty protective."

I laughed, understanding Frank's concern. "Don't worry, they're not that bad," I reassured him, though I couldn't help but smile at the thought of my older brothers' protective tendencies. "They'll love you, I promise."

On the day of the game, Frank and I arrived at the arena early to find seats and soak in the atmosphere. The excitement in the air was palpable, and I couldn't wait for the game to begin.

As the players took to the ice for warm-ups, I spotted Quinn and Jack on the ice, their focus and determination evident in every move they made. I felt a swell of pride watching them, knowing how hard they had worked to get to this point.

As the game got underway, Frank and I settled into our seats, cheering loudly for my brothers and their respective teams. The atmosphere in the arena was electric, with fans on the edge of their seats as the game unfolded.

During intermissions, Frank and I chatted and laughed, enjoying each other's company and the thrill of the game. Despite his initial nervousness, Frank seemed to be having a great time, and I could see him getting more and more into the game as it progressed.

As the final minutes of the game ticked away, the tension in the arena reached a fever pitch. The game was tied, and every shot and save was met with cheers and groans from the crowd.

In the end, Quinn's team managed to score the winning goal, securing their spot in the next round of the play-offs. The arena erupted in cheers, and I jumped to my feet, cheering and clapping as I celebrated my brother's victory.

After the game, I led Frank to the locker room to meet Quinn and Jack. I could see the nerves return to Frank's face as we approached, but I gave him a reassuring smile, confident that my brothers would like him.

"Quinn, Jack, this is Frank," I said, introducing them with a proud smile. "Frank, these are my brothers, Quinn and Jack."

Quinn and Jack greeted Frank warmly, their expressions friendly and welcoming. I could see Frank visibly relax as they shook hands and exchanged greetings.

"Nice to meet you, Frank," Quinn said, his voice friendly as he clapped Frank on the shoulder. "Y/N's told us a lot about you."

Jack nodded in agreement, giving Frank a friendly smile. "Yeah, it's great to finally meet you. Thanks for coming to the game."

Frank smiled back, visibly relieved and grateful for their warm welcome. "It was my pleasure," he replied, his voice steady despite his earlier nerves. "You both played an amazing game."

As we left the arena, Frank and I walked hand in hand, both of us buzzing with excitement and relief. The evening had been a success, and I couldn't have been happier.

"See, I told you they'd like you," I said, grinning up at Frank as we made our way to the car.

Frank chuckled, squeezing my hand affectionately. "Yeah, they're not so bad," he admitted, his eyes meeting mine with a warm and genuine smile.

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Although Frank and I hadn't officially put a label on our relationship, our actions spoke louder than words. We acted like a couple in every sense of the word, sharing a bond that was deep and genuine. Our interactions were filled with affection, playfulness, and a mutual understanding that made our connection undeniable.

One of the most noticeable aspects of our relationship was our frequent displays of affection. We kissed all the time, whether it was a quick peck on the lips, a lingering kiss that spoke volumes about our feelings for each other, or a playful smooch that left us both laughing and smiling.

Whether we were at the rink, out for coffee, or simply spending time together at home, our kisses were a natural and spontaneous expression of our affection for each other. It was a way for us to connect, to show our love and appreciation, and to remind each other of the special bond we shared.

Our interactions were also filled with a playful and flirty banter that kept our relationship fun and exciting. We teased each other, exchanged playful remarks, and shared inside jokes that only we understood. This playful dynamic added a lighthearted and joyful element to our relationship, making our time together even more enjoyable.

Despite the casual and relaxed nature of our relationship, there was a deep and genuine connection between us that went beyond mere friendship. We supported each other, celebrated each other's successes, and were there for each other during the tough times. Our relationship was built on mutual respect, trust, and understanding, making it clear to everyone around us that we were more than just friends.

Despite the playful and sometimes cheeky remarks from our teammates about how Frank and I acted around each other, we never let it bother us. Hockey locker rooms are known for their banter and chirping, and our teammates were no different when it came to teasing us about our close relationship.

"Hey Y/N, did you bring your boyfriend to practice again?" one of the guys would say with a smirk, earning a round of chuckles from the team.

Frank and I would just exchange a knowing glance and shrug it off with a laugh. We didn't feel the need to justify our relationship to anyone. We knew the strength of our connection, and that was all that mattered to us.

During practice, our competitiveness would sometimes spill over into playful one-on-one battles, much to the amusement of our teammates.

"Watch out, Frank, Y/N's going to school you!" Luke would shout from the sidelines, as Frank and I faced off against each other during a drill.

We'd exchange playful banter and flirty remarks as we battled it out on the ice, pushing each other to do our best while embracing the friendly competition between us.

After practice, the chirping would continue as we headed to the locker room to change.

"Y/N, is that a new cologne I smell, or is that just Frank?" one of the guys would tease, eliciting a chorus of laughter from the team.

Frank and I would just roll our eyes and laugh it off, not letting the playful teasing affect our relationship or the way we felt about each other.

Our ability to laugh at ourselves and not take the chirping too seriously was a testament to the strength and confidence we had in our relationship. We didn't feel the need to conform to anyone else's expectations or standards. We were comfortable being ourselves, both on and off the ice, and that was all that mattered to us.

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After weeks of growing closer and spending more and more time together, Frank and I found ourselves at our favorite coffee spot near the university campus. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the conversation flowed easily between us, just like it always did.

As we sat across from each other, sipping our coffees and chatting about everything from hockey to our future plans, I could sense a shift in the air. There was a new tension, a palpable sense of something more between us, and I could tell that Frank was feeling it too.

Finally, after a moment of silence, Frank took a deep breath and looked me directly in the eyes, his expression serious but warm.

"Y/N, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of nervousness.

I looked at him, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for him to continue.

"Would you like to go out with me? Like, on a real date?" he asked, his eyes searching mine for a response.

A smile spread across my face as I felt a wave of happiness and relief wash over me. I had been hoping he would ask, but hearing the words out loud made it all the more real.

"I would love to, Frank," I replied, my voice filled with genuine excitement and happiness. "I've been waiting for you to ask."

Frank's face lit up with a bright smile, and I could see the relief and happiness in his eyes as he reached across the table to take my hand.

"Really? That's great, Y/N," he said, his voice filled with warmth and affection. "I've been wanting to ask you for a while now, but I was nervous about how you would react."

I laughed, squeezing his hand affectionately. "Well, you didn't have anything to worry about. I've been hoping you would ask."

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A few years down the line, our relationship had flourished and grown stronger with each passing day. Frank had been drafted to the Chicago Blackhawks, and I was playing for a PWHL team, pursuing our dreams while supporting each other every step of the way.

As our love and commitment to each other deepened, Frank knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. He decided it was time to take the next big step and ask for my hand in marriage.

One weekend, Frank made plans to visit my family to seek their blessing. He was understandably nervous, knowing how close-knit and protective my family was. Luke, Quinn, and Jack had watched me grow up, and they had seen firsthand the love and bond that had developed between Frank and me.

Arriving at my family's home, Frank was greeted warmly by my parents and siblings. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, but the tension was palpable as Frank prepared to ask the most important question of his life.

After dinner, Frank took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest as he turned to my parents.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, I love Y/N more than anything in this world, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her," he began, his voice filled with sincerity and emotion. "I'm here today to ask for your blessing to marry her."

My parents exchanged a glance, their eyes softening as they looked at Frank, recognizing the love and devotion in his eyes.

"We've watched Y/N and Frank's relationship grow and flourish over the years," my mother said, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "It's clear to us how much you love and care for each other, and we couldn't be happier for you both."

My father nodded in agreement, placing a supportive hand on Frank's shoulder.

"You have our blessing, Frank," he said, his voice steady and firm. "We've always known that you would be a good match for Y/N, and we're confident that you will take care of her and cherish her for the rest of your lives together."

Tears of happiness welled up in Frank's eyes as he thanked my parents, feeling a sense of relief and joy wash over him.

#frank nazar #frank nazar x reader #hockey #umich hockey

114 notes · View notes

taurusdaylight · 3 months

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our rendezvous

summary. being lost in the horizon sounds scary, but not when you're hand in hand with your lover.

pairing. boyfriend! jaehyun x implied fem! reader

genre. established relationship! au, fluff

word count. 4,021

warnings/tags. as far as i know, nothing :) it's only a little angsty because of uncertainty about the future, but nothing too intense! very very fluffy,,,, maybe a lil pda (oh?)

a/n. ur resident valentine is back! i'm so sorry for going off the grid, my life has been a blur over the past few months… i did nothing and everything. anyway, this is inspired by none other than horizon (soty!) and i was very lucky to have had the opportunity to visit florence, where the horizon mv was filmed, so i knew i had to write this! after finishing it, i realised it's rather similar to my first fic but what can i say, i love jaehyun travel! aus, plus, jaehyun and forever just go together. <3 hope the new year is treating everyone kindly, and as always, have fun reading~

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Navigating life after graduation was akin to walking through a maze, struggling to find a way out. Growing up, you always thought that everyone’s life had already been nicely written out since there were only two things that truly mattered: school and work. The adults always preached about how good academic records would land you a great job. All your life, you never failed to achieve and maintain stellar grades so you never doubted that you would get a job. Yet, as the day of your graduation approached, you started to worry that you might not end up finding a job. Or at least, one that was to your liking.

The thought of working for the rest of your life sounded… boring. Perhaps an oversimplification, but you always made sure to put a hundred percent into your studies, so you felt like you never really had the chance to live your life the way you wanted to. You weren’t a party animal per se, but you wouldn’t hesitate to skip a night out with your friends if you had an important deadline to meet. It was always academics over everything else. Apart from meeting expectations that others had on you, the fear of failure haunted you too. More often than not, the urge of wanting to disappear creeped into your mind. It didn’t seem like a bad idea, running away to some random part of the world where no one knew you. Once you’ve spent enough time there, you could easily travel to another city and explore till your heart’s content. That was the dream. Unfortunately, this particular dream of yours never came true.

That was, until now.

Treading the path of adulthood was admittedly scary, you could slip and fall at any given moment and not know how to pick yourself up. But, you weren’t on your own.

Jeong Jaehyun, your boyfriend of two years, shared the same sentiment. Sure, he was ambitious and had his goals set out. Like you, however, working himself to death wasn’t one of the things on his list. Jaehyun believed that it was important to strike a balance, to not throw yourself into something so deep that you would get lost in it. Working may be important but it would never hurt to have a little fun whenever time called for it.

You first met Jaehyun in Introduction to Film Studies. Both second-year students, you and Jaehyun clicked extremely well with each other as you bonded over your shared love for films. What started as study sessions to help each other with assignments eventually progressed to warm, cosy movie date nights that also involved cuddling under a fluffy blanket on Jaehyun’s couch.

While there have been minor arguments over those two years, you and Jaehyun always made sure to communicate. After all, a couple is supposed to fight the problem, not each other. The both of you understood that. These disagreements never bothered you that much because you believed that they were part and parcel of every relationship. Instead, you wondered more about how lucky you are to have found someone like Jaehyun. As you liked to put it, Jaehyun was your twin flame. He spoke to your soul in a way that no one else could.

Instead of taking the conventional route of starting a full-time job after graduating, you and Jaehyun booked one-way tickets to Rome the week after your final exams. How long the both of you were going to stay there for, that was a question for another time. The plan was to have no plan, going wherever your feet took you. Both of your parents weren’t exactly agreeable about this idea, nagging about how irresponsible and irrational it was. But what could they do? It’s not as if they could physically stop two grown adults from going. Eventually, they were able to come to terms with it and simply asked the both of you to stay safe.

It’s been about three weeks or so since you two arrived in Rome. Tranquil mornings without a blaring alarm was something that you could really get used to. The icing on the cake would be waking up to the sight of Jaehyun sleeping peacefully next to you, an arm securely draped around your waist. His lips would slightly jut out, you would sometimes sneak a kiss or two because he simply looked too adorable to resist.

A day out together would look something like sitting by an artwork in a museum, coming up with various interpretations or hopping from café to café to try out different desserts (which were often, gelato), you couldn’t count with your fingers the number of times the staff had to chase the both of you out because they were closing. Time is said to fly past when you’re having fun, but even more so when you’re spending it with the love of your life. At least, that’s what you think.

The both of you woke up earlier than usual today because you’d turned in early the previous night, probably exhausted from all the walking. The sun wasn’t up yet, which meant that there were limited stores that were operating during this time too. It felt like a waste to sleep in and laze around in the apartment, so came the impulse decision of buying last-minute train tickets to Florence.

“C’mon baby,” Jaehyun half-shouted, his gaze flickering between you and the platform located at the other end of the station.

Hands intertwined, you and Jaehyun were sprinting as fast as your legs could carry you in order to catch your train that leaves in approximately two minutes. Or rather, you were doing everything in your power to match Jaehyun’s speed because why was he running like he was competing in the Olympics? So much for wanting an athletic boyfriend.

You were almost out of breath from running, you didn’t even have the energy to give Jaehyun a verbal answer. Instead, you tried to speed up like he told you to. After what felt like a hundred miles, the both of you finally reached the platform, boarded the train, and settled down into your allocated seats.

“Oh my goodness. We are never doing that again,” you said, panting.

Jaehyun shot you a wide grin. “Now that’s what I call an intense leg day.”

You were rendered speechless. Here you were, thinking that he was going to agree with you. But you also remembered that Jaehyun was a gym rat first, your boyfriend second. Jaehyun goes a little over the top with exercising, you could tell that much just by looking at his physique. Though, you wouldn’t say that it was exactly a bad thing. In fact, what a sight for sore eyes he was…

Before you had a chance to respond, Jaehyun used his other hand to push your head towards his shoulder. “Go to sleep, doll. Don’t want you feeling cranky in the middle of the day because you didn’t get to take your daily nap. I’ll wake you up when we’re reaching.”

Despite not being able to see him, you could hear the smile in Jaehyun’s voice, which caused you to grin too. Perhaps it was Jaehyun’s shoulder that made you comfy, but you could feel the sleepiness slowly start to envelop you, so you snuggled even closer to him.

“Good night, Jay,” you said before falling into slumber.

–

The train ride took faster than expected, probably because you were asleep throughout the journey. Upon alighting, you and Jaehyun walked aimlessly along Via Faenza. You stopped in your tracks when you caught the pleasant aroma of coffee beans coming from a café, it was so inviting that the both of you had no choice but to enter.

Save for the long line of people in office-wear queuing to get their morning coffee fix, there was no one else occupying the seats in the café. Wanting to be away from the crowd, you and Jaehyun made your way to the corner booth seat situated all the way inside after getting your order. You sat next to each other, with Jaehyun's arm wrapped around your waist. Your torso was slightly exposed because of the cropped top that you wore, and Jaehyun’s fingertips easily found purchase on your skin. Soft traces all over, which oddly enough, made you feel tingly and warm simultaneously.

“Jaehyun,” you called out.

He turned to look at you. “Hmm?”

“Do you regret being here with me? Don’t you feel like you’re wasting your life away?”

Jaehyun halted his movements, but he did not loosen his grip on your waist. His answer was written all over his face, from his creased eyebrows to his frowning lips.

“Of course not, baby. Did I do or say something to make you think that way? I’m sorry if I did,” he said sincerely.

“No, you didn’t do or say anything of that sort!” you quickly clarified. “I think I’m just worried about the future, you know? Once all of this is over…”

A small smile played on Jaehyun’s lips as he removed his arm from your waist. He cupped your face in his hand, sighing. “I wish you could see yourself the way I saw you, because then you’d have nothing to worry about at all. You’re going to do great things, ____. I’m sure of that. But for now, just let loose and enjoy yourself, okay? You deserve to have a break.”

Jaehyun’s words could bring you to tears. He radiated so much positivity that it naturally rubbed off onto you, especially with the amount of time that you spend with each other. However, there were still moments of weakness, like now, where you’d inevitably think about how things could possibly go wrong. Before you could spiral into a whirlpool of negative thoughts, however, Jaehyun would pull you right out of it by telling you exactly what you need to hear in order to help get you through these times.

“Thank you,” you whispered, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on Jaehyun’s cheek.

Jaehyun made a sound, as if to signal that he was pondering. He pointed at his cheek and tapped on it with his index finger several times. “One more?”

You couldn’t help but giggle at his request, but who were you to deny him? Since you were feeling generous and grateful to your boyfriend, you quickly moved closer to give him two more kisses. One on his cheek, and the other on his lips. The best part was seeing the Cheshire cat smile appear on his face after he’d received his well-deserved kisses.

For the rest of the time at the café, you and Jaehyun were people-watching through the glass window while sipping on coffee and feeding each other small spoonfuls of pastries. At some point, random passer-bys became a part of a guessing game that started out of nowhere. Dating or siblings? What would their coffee order be if they came in here? The both of you had a lot of fun making up stories to back up your answer, boisterous laughter sounding through the place.

Afterwards, you and Jaehyun continued wandering through the streets now that more stores have opened. An apparel store selling headwear caught Jaehyun’s eye, and he spent about twenty minutes or so looking through the bucket hats. Taking one in his hand, he tried it on and started making silly faces at you while dancing.

“Stop it, you’re embarrassing me.” You reached a hand out in an attempt to remove the hat from Jaehyun’s head, but he swiftly avoided you.

He held on tightly to the hat. “I think this was made for me. I’m definitely getting it.”

The hat didn’t look bad on him, but it was still… questionable. A helpless sigh escaped your lips when you knew that nothing you say would change his mind. “Okay… as long as you’re happy.”

Fortunately, Jaehyun didn’t have thoughts of wearing the hat there and then. Because if not, you would think twice about walking next to him.

The next few stores mostly sold vintage items and souvenirs. You and Jaehyun ended up getting matching gnomes that had the initials of your first names carved into it. While checking out at the counter, the cashier made a comment about how cute the two of you look together and that the gnomes were such fitting choices, so much so that they looked like mini versions of you two. With shy smiles, the both of you thanked her before exiting the store. You also noticed the tinge of red on Jaehyun’s ears, but kept quiet about it since you were most likely a blushing mess yourself.

Then, it was time for lunch.

You and Jaehyun had previously crafted a mini bucket list, and one of the things on the list was to try the various types of pasta while you were in Italy, so that’s what the both of you had for lunch. It appeared that all the shopping must have taken up a great deal of your energy because the both of you still had an appetite for dessert afterwards, or, rather, gelato was considered a staple so there was no way that dessert could be skipped.

Although it was sunny, the summer heat wasn’t unbearable so you two were at the outdoor seating area of the gelato café. Within the vicinity of the café, there was a group of children playing catch with one another. After finishing the gelato, Jaehyun dragged you along to them.

“Ciao! I’m Jay,” he introduced with a friendly smile.

You introduced yourself to them too and stood behind Jaehyun, hiding slightly. You didn’t have anything against children, but you still considered them to be strangers, and you always had a hard time talking to strangers due to your reserved nature. You barely had any experience with children too so this was still foreign to you.

On the flipside, Jaehyun adores children. You could see it in the way his eyes would light up whenever he interacted with him. Not to mention, he was great with children (an understatement, if you had to be truthful). Seeing Jaehyun with children always made your heart swell, in a good or bad way, you weren’t sure… The only thing you were certain of was that you definitely wanted to have his children.

While you were spacing out, Jaehyun was quick to ask and memorise the names of the children. He played around with them for a bit and made sure to include you as well, the game of catch was never so fun before. However, it wasn’t long before you got tired, so you opted to sit at one corner to watch them. You whipped out your phone to capture this moment, giggling at how precious Jaehyun looked. Happiness looked great on Jaehyun, and you hoped that it would stay on him for a long, long time.

All of them grew tired after a few rounds too, putting an end to the game. While they were busy running around, you discreetly returned back to the café and told the cashier that you would be paying for the children to get gelato. You also grabbed a bottle of water and gave it to Jaehyun, who was perspiring profusely; indeed, an intense leg day it was for him.

Through body language and very poorly spoken Italian, you tried to tell the children that they could go pick out the flavours that they wanted at the café. You were far too preoccupied with communicating that to them, the endearing look that Jaehyun had on his face went unnoticed by you. Thankfully, the cashier was there to bridge the language barrier and they managed to get their gelato without any hiccups. Before leaving, each of the children gave you and Jaehyun a hi-five, a word of thanks echoing after one another.

Having spent almost the entire day in that area, you and Jaehyun decided to explore another part of the city before catching your train back to Rome. Long before this trip, you happened to stumble upon a website about the top spots that offered a picturesque view of the city. One of which was a twenty minute bus ride away from where you and Jaehyun were currently at.

When the bus arrived, you and Jaehyun entered by the back door and sat down. You were busy admiring the old architecture of the buildings outside until you felt Jaehyun’s hand touching the side of your face. You realised that he was trying to put one side of his wired earpiece in your ear, which caused you to turn and face him, and you saw that he already had the other side of the earpiece in. Jaehyun was smiling so widely that his dimples were showing. You brought a hand up to poke it, feeling a sense of victory because you were one of the very few people in the world whom he allowed to touch his dimples.

Shyly, you took Jaehyun’s hand and interlocked your fingers together. No words were exchanged between the both of you, but there was a mutual feeling that this exact moment perfectly encapsulated the love you and Jaehyun have for each other. Tender, somewhat otherworldly in a way where everything, like the chatter of the other passengers on the bus, seemed to fade out in the background.

As Can’t Take My Eyes Off You started playing through the earphones, you took it as an opportunity to mouth to Jaehyun, “I love you.”

Jaehyun’s dimples became more prominent at your sudden declaration. He made sure not to break eye contact with you before he mouthed back, “I love you.”

–

“Look!” you exclaimed, pointing toward the replica statue of David. It was the first thing that you saw after alighting from the bus.

Jaehyun turned his head to look at what you were pointing at. “Wow, it’s stunning."

The both of you hurriedly walked over to take some photos, which ended up in you and Jaehyun bursting into fits of laughter because he was imitating the statue and posing in the same way. It definitely earned you a few stares from the other visitors, but you and Jaehyun were too busy laughing to even notice that you two were getting judged.

After snapping a few more photos, you and Jaehyun went to the other side of the square where you could see an overview of the city. It was breathtaking, to say the least, the both of you concurrently marvelled in awe at how it looked like a scene straight out of a movie. You could even spot the street that you two were at earlier in the day, as well as many other famous landmarks. Not to forget, the surrounding trees and mountains made it feel more complete, it was a perfect getaway from the bustling city for some peace and quiet.

The both of you were standing at the top of the stairs, and you saw that there was a walking trail below. Due to time constraints, however, it seemed more logical to sit and admire the view, since neither of you knew how long the walking trail was and where it led to. Besides, it was a perfect spot to catch the sunset before you had to leave for the train station, so you two sat on one of the steps near the top where you had an unobstructed view of the city.

Like before, you and Jaehyun were listening to music together while holding hands. Other than humming along to the song, Jaehyun would also sing some of the lyrics to you, especially if it was a sweet or cheesy line.

“Can’t believe I get to be here with you.” Even after some time had passed, you were still greatly impressed by the scenic view, in disbelief about how you could share this moment with your lover. The bright orange hues of the sun added more colour to the backdrop, it felt surreal watching it slowly go down.

“Me too,” Jaehyun replied almost immediately. “It feels like a dream…”

“If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up from it,” you said while shifting closer to Jaehyun’s side. “Like, ever.”

“I want to stay here with you forever.” Your voice came out as a whisper, because deep down, a part of you was afraid that this happiness would be taken away from you abruptly.

Yet again, Jaehyun made one of those sounds to indicate that he was thinking, which made you gasp in response.

“You don’t want to be with me?” you questioned, a look of betrayal on your face.

“No, silly,” Jaehyun chuckled. “Of course I want to be with you.”

Jaehyun let out a deep breath, as though he had to brace himself for what he was going to say next. “The thought of eternity feels scary. But if I know that you’ll be there with me, then… there’s nothing to be scared of. I think, for me… forever is where you are, wherever that may be.”

Silence ensued, music playing through the shared earphones being the only source of sound. Jaehyun gulped awkwardly when he noticed that your gaze was fixed on him, but you weren’t saying anything. “Did that come out wrong? I don’t even know what I’m saying sometimes. But I guess I was trying to say that–”

You cut Jaehyun off with a kiss. He smiled against your lips, causing you to do the same. Jaehyun’s hand travelled to the small of your back to pull you in before he tilted his head to the side for better access, going straight for your upper lip to return the kiss. It was slow, delicate, and everything you could ever ask for. You sighed when you felt Jaehyun’s hand running over your skin; he knew exactly what he was doing. Every kiss that you shared with Jaehyun never fell short of being exhilarating, which was one of the great things about love… or Jaehyun. Perhaps, both.

He was the first to pull away, staring intently at you with a cheeky smile on his face. Jaehyun leaned in closer until he could bury his head into the crook of your neck, leaving another kiss on your collarbone. You wrapped your arms around his frame, hugging him as tightly as possible. You and Jaehyun stayed like this for a while until you heard a lady yelp from a distance away, her loud voice grabbing your attention.

As you looked up to find out what the commotion was about, tears immediately filled your eyes and you had to do everything that you could to hold them back.

The said lady was standing by the railing, both hands covering her mouth. In front of her was a man, down on one knee, holding out a box with a diamond ring. You tapped Jaehyun’s shoulder so that he’d sit back up, and he turned to see what you were looking at. All of the other visitors were also invested, as everyone patiently for the lady's answer.

Everything happened so quickly. The lady nodding and getting pulled into a hug by her fiancé, the crowd erupting in cheers and applause–a truly sweet moment to witness. Without thinking much, you blurted out, “that’s going to be us.”

Jaehyun diverted his attention back to you, shaking his head. Seemingly biting back a smile as his lips formed a thin line, Jaehyun jerked his head to motion at something behind you. “That’s us.”

You were about to protest, pop another question that was something along the lines of whether or not he was planning to marry you. However, you remained quiet and decided to take a look at what he was referring to first.

Well, it looks like the urge to complain has completely disappeared. How could it not? Rather than dissatisfaction, your heart leapt with joy when your eyes landed on a couple standing hand in hand at the other end of the steps from where you and Jaehyun sat; they were having their pre-wedding photoshoot.

#jaehyun imagines #jaehyun scenarios #jaehyun fluff #jaehyun x reader #nct imagines #nct scenarios #nct fluff #nct #nct 127 #nct jaehyun #jaehyun #horizon

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tiniedemon · 1 year

Text

— ♡

hometown

poly kenny mccormick & kyle broflovski

— ♡

being stan’s twin had its perks, very occasionally. as his younger sibling, you got the protection of him. as shelly’s, you were bullied relentlessly. it didn’t help that your father, randy, was a loose cannon. not to mention the neglectful nature of your mother, sharon, who cared more about your siblings than about you.

as the (minutes younger) baby of the family, you were spoiled with material items, but never love. a new laptop every year, every gaming console as soon as it came out, every new game preordered. it just wasn’t the same as the bond your mother shared with your siblings, her true babies.

stan was your closest family member, which was a bit sad considering you had three others. many a night you spent in his room, the two of you venting about your shared distaste for your father. it truly felt like having a true friend for the first time in your life. you’d always struggled with making those in south park, a town full of angry kids, and having a built in best friend made things a lot easier.

you’d grown up playing with and hanging out with stan’s friends, especially kyle and kenny. the four of you shared a disdain for the other member of your friend group, eric. he was a pompous prick with little to no regard for anyone else’s feelings. his self-centered asshole mentality had carried into his teenage years, and into adulthood. he’d been disowned by your brother’s friends once they’d hit junior year of high school, which was a major relief for you.

you mulled over all of these things within the confines of your room, eyes on the ceiling, repeated sighs leaving your lips. your thoughts lingered on kenny and kyle, your only two friends in this world and, sadly, your crushes.

it was hard being friends with them in a way. they were dating, a long brewing relationship that developed over the course of sixteen years before they’d finally decided to get together. you were incredibly saddened by it, but it wasn’t like you couldn’t see them ever again.

they frequently joined in on yours and stan’s outings, but it was absolute torture for you. kenny was consistent in his pda with his boyfriend, and despite how much kyle protested it, he always wore a smile and gave in. you longed every day to be on the receiving end of kenny’s incessant kissing and hand holding, and kyle’s charming smiles and poetic flirting.

you’d been in this loop of self destruction for months. it was taking a toll on your mental health. you were tired constantly from nights spent staring at your ceiling, overthinking the entire situation about your two best friends.

you sighed, dragging yourself from your bed, and padded off to stan’s room. he was also still awake, phone screen lighting his face as he laid on his side. he looked up at you, scooted to the side, and tapped the empty space next to him. you crawled into bed with your brother, pulling the blankets to your chin as you shivered.

“you always keep your room so fucking cold,” you grumbled, holding your hand over your nose to trap the heat in. he sighed and rolled his eyes, sitting up to grab an extra blanket from the end of his bed and tossing it to you.

“and you complain too much. shut the fuck up,” he sighed, then laid back down and faced you. you adjusted the blanket over your body, then finally looked back at him with a huff.

“i don’t know what to do about kenny and kyle,” you admitted, a blush on your cheeks and a frown on your lips. stan raised his eyebrow, a sign for you to continue speaking. “i want to be with them, both of them, which i know is sort of shitty of me. i just love them, y’know? and it’s hard because they’re both so focused on each other that they don’t pay me any mind at all. am i shitty for this?”

“not at all,” stan responded, readjusting your head to lay on his arm instead of his mattress. “you don’t choose who you love. you just so happened to get fucked with having feelings for two people instead of one. that’s not your fault.”

you sighed, using one of your hands to adjust the stray hairs defying the part of his hair. he smiled at you, patting your cheek.

“i’m just not sure what exactly i’m supposed to do. i can’t just go for people in a relationship, y’know? i’d be so shitty for that. i just don’t know what to do.”

stan was silent for a moment, his eyes untrained and staring at the space behind your head. you worried your lip between your teeth as you waited to a response, pulling the blankets further up your body.

“i say you start flirting back,” he spoke finally. “they were flirting with you for ages before they got into a relationship with each other. maybe you could try flirting with them for a change?”

you froze, eyes growing big. they’d been flirting with you? you hadn’t noticed. now you felt like a huge idiot. stan wouldn’t lie about something like that. you really were so oblivious that you hadn’t noticed they were flirting with you.

“we’re all hanging out tomorrow. you should join us, maybe throw some hints their way. if it doesn’t work out, that’s completely fine, too. just know you don’t need them to be happy, okay? you’ve always got me, for life.”

—

you took stan’s advice, and boy did you regret it. it was mid winter in the colorado mountains, and you were freezing your ass off. you were clad in a thick jacket and one of stan’s fleece hats, and even that wasn’t enough to block out the frigid winds as the two of you waited for the couple to show.

“i hate you for this,” you grumbled, both your hands in the pockets of your brother’s jacket. he rolled his eyes and flicked your forehead, then adjusted the hat on your head to better cover your ears.

“it’s not my fault you get cold easily. stop complaining,” he muttered. you could hear kenny and kyle’s voices approaching, your eyes darting around to spot them. they approached behind your brother, hand in hand, smiles on their faces as they bickered playfully. you looked at your brother with wide eyes, panicking internally.

“i don’t think i can do this,” you whispered, stan offering a half smile as he rubbed your arms for friction heat.

“you’ve got this, y/n,” he whispered in response. you nodded hesitantly, shooting the approaching couple a glance over stan’s shoulder.

“i’ve got this,” you murmured to yourself as reassurance. you took a deep breath, opened your mouth, and shouted, “nice face, broflovski!”

the couple halted in their steps, and your heart dropped into your feet. you could visualize it laying between your feet, along with the bricks you’d just shat on the pavement.

then kenny’s face pulled into a crooked grin, and kyle smirked a tad as he tugged kenny towards you, kenny dragging his feet as they crossed the distance between the two groups.

“nice ass, marsh," kenny spoke as the couple finally approached. your face turned red, only amplified as kyle grabbed a handful of your brother's ass. stan's face matched yours as he swatted kyle's hand away, a scowl on his face.

"i fully agree, ken. stan's got some cake on him," kyle chuckled out, shooting a wink towards you. kenny scoffed and tossed an arm over his boyfriend's shoulder, smirking at you.

"i was talking about y/n here, but now that i'm looking at it, i think you might be right, ky," kenny drawled, landing a smack on your brother's ass.

"i wish the two of you would stop grabbing my ass," stan grumbled. you chuckled as you linked arms with your brother, gesturing to the coffee shop the three of you were stood before.

"can we please go in?" you begged, bending your knees and forcing a shiver for emphasis. "i really need a hot mocha before my entire body turns into a lump of frostbite."

"y/n, i love you, but you are literally the single most dramatic bitch i know," stan grumbled, but complied with your request. you shot a grin over your shoulder to the couple behind you as the four of you entered tweak bros. coffee, the duo offering equally large smiles of their own.

the coffee date was relatively uneventful otherwise. kyle would occasionally wink at you, and kenny had grabbed your hand over the table a handful of times, but it was otherwise sort of boring. stan had, unfortunately, spilled an iced americano in his lap, and the hangout had been wrapped up two hours after it had started.

"alright, guys. i've gotta get butterfingers here home before i start bullying him for shitting his pants through his dick. i'll see you guys later," you sighed as the four of you once again stood outside the coffee shop. kyle cast a glance to kenny, who pulled you into a tight hug for a few moments.

"kenny and i aren't doing anything later. how about the two of you come over for movie night tonight?" kyle asked, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. you glanced at your brother, who was already shaking his head while he struggled to cover the brown stan on his crotch with his jacket. your heart sunk along with the corners of your lips, your hands finding their way into your jacket pockets.

"probably not tonight. stan's got a pretty big conference call later," you uttered in response, shifting your weight between your legs. stan look at you with confusion written all over his face, nudging you towards the couple in front of you with his elbow.

"so you go without me, dumbass. i have a call, not you. go have fun with tweedle bitch and tweedle cunt," he responded. you flushed, a frown on your face as you pulled your brother to the side. you could hear kyle and kenny grumbling about their nicknames from a few feet away.

"i'm not going to their apartment by myself, dumbfuck," you hissed in a whisper, eyes narrowed. "what if i have to, like, shit or something? that would be embarrassing as fuck."

"how is that embarrassing?" stan deadpanned, his face blank as he stared at your nervous, fidgeting form.

"i could clog their toilet and then have to fish out my own shit with my hands. or i could not make it to the toilet and accidentally spray shit on their walls. anything could fucking happen, stan" you whisper yelled. stan rolled his eyes and bent down, hoisting you up into his arms and turning around, your disgruntled form held bridal style in his arms. he passed you off to a surprised kenny, who struggled to hold you for a second before gaining his footing and his purchase on you.

"take this stupid bitch home with you or i'm going to beat her ass the second she steps foot in our apartment," your brother deadpanned, then turned on his heel and walked towards your shared home.

"you're just going to leave me, stanley!" you shouted, stan flipping you the bird over his shoulder.

"sure am, bitch! don't care where you go, just don't come home until my call is over!" he called back to you. you huffed, rolling your eyes. then you made eye contact with kenny, then kyle, and your face turned red as you sulked.

"you can set me down, kenny," you muttered, a squeak passing through your lips as he turned and began walking towards kyle's car. "seriously, kenny, you can set me down."

"i don't think he's going to," kyle mused as he unlocked his car with his key fob. you glanced at him with a shy smile, and then up at kenny with the same smile. the blonde grinned at you as he placed you in a sitting position on the hood of the suv, patting your thighs with both hands as you settled.

"thanks, ken. i can't believe stan just left me like that. what if you guys decided to traffic me or something? he wouldn't have his twin there to keep him awake at night. instead he'd get to sleep at a decent time and i just can't let that happen," you rambled as kyle and kenny worked together to tidy up the clutter in their back seat.

"y/n, honey, you've known us since diapers. i highly doubt we'd traffic you," kyle hummed as he came to stand between your legs. you flushed, crossing your arms over your chest as you avoided his gaze. you were shivering so violently your teeth were chattering, your jacket once again doing almost nothing to shield you from the cold winter air.

"i'm just saying the chances are never zero. my dad could and would traffic me if he could get free crack as payment and i came directly from his ballsack. if you wanted to, you would," you protested, rubbing your arms with your bare hands in an attempt to bring some warmth back to your body. kyle took notice, his calculating green eyes missing nothing, and slowly removed his gloves as you spoke. they dropped into your lap, his hands capturing yours and sliding them over your shaking fingers.

"sweetheart, i'm sure we could score the best crack for you, but it just won't happen," kenny mused, approaching on your side and leaning against the door of the suv as he looked at you with a humored smile. "i think kyle would be absolutely devastated if i traded you for crack instead of stephen king's full collection."

you guffawed, looking between kyle and kenny, mouth dropped open and eyes wide. kenny was obviously holding back laughter while kyle glared at him, annoyance clearly displayed on his sharp features.

"kenny, if you don't shut the fuck up, i will cut your mullet off in your sleep," kyle spat. you scoffed and held up your hands, feigning offence. you were holding back laughter as well, a small chuckle escaping your lips.

"i can't believe this. i'm calling the fucking tooth fairy. next time you lose a tooth in a bar fight, you can count on the tooth fairy leaving a pile of shit under your pillow instead of a dollar," you threatened kenny, sliding your way off the hood of the suv. kyle burst out into laughter alongside kenny, the blonde following behind you to open the car door for you. you relished in the remnants of the heat in the vehicle, clasping your hands in your lap to keep them warm. kenny stood between your legs, taking kyle's spot, and you rolled your eyes with a humored grin.

"i'm sorry, sugar," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to your forehead. you were left a blushing, stuttering mess as he crept away and shut your door behind him. kyle shot you a smug look from the driver seat, taking in the flustered expression on your face.

"i think you broke her," the ginger uttered to the blonde as he slid into the passenger seat. kenny shrugged, winking a blue eye at you from the front seats.

you were incapacitated.

—

long story short, kyle was a great driver, and kenny was a horrible passenger princess. kyle was very calm for the entire forty-five-minute drive back to their house, his driving smooth and road rage minimal. meanwhile, kenny was going absolutely feral in the passenger seat. he played the absolute most random songs, some lame techno beats with little to no words, and hung his head out the window almost the entire drive.

you were incredibly thankful to see the couple's apartment building appear in the distance, entirely overwhelmed by kenny's chaotic passenger activities. by the time the three of you had made it to their home, kenny's hair was tousled and frizzy from the cool wind whipping through it. kyle simple smiled at his lover and pulled him into a soft kiss. your heart clenched at the sight, jealousy burning in your stomach.

"oh, sorry, y/n. you want one too?" kenny inquired with a cocky grin. your face burned as you pulled the best disgusted expression you could, eyes jumping between his and the back of his seat.

"fix your face first. you look like you got hit by the ugly train," you grumbled, watching his smile grow through your repetitive glances towards his face.

"you know you love my face, marsh," he cooed. kyle exited the vehicle amidst your banter with kenny and you were quick to follow, jogging to catch up. kenny caught you by the wrist, scooping you up in his grasp, and carried you the rest of the way to the door. you yelped, eyes big and face red, body jumping with each bound to the house's entrance.

"kenny, i do wish you'd stop frightening our guest," kyle called, amusement clear in his voice. over kenny's shoulder, you could see him bending to pick up the hat kenny had knocked off your head in his hasty actions.

"nice ass, broflovski!" you called over his shoulder, a mischievous smile on your face. he jumped and turned to look at you, face red and grinning.

"nice rack sweetheart," kenny whispered in your ear, once again reminding you of the position you were stuck in, pressing a kiss to the side of your head. you were rendered speechless for the second time that day, brain short-circuiting as kenny carried you into their home. kyle closed the door behind the three of you, tossing your hat on the back of the couch. you were quick to follow, kenny hovering you over the back and dropping you haphazardly on top of the cushions. his body fell over the side, his body toppling on top of yours, head burying itself in the cushions next to your head.

"kenny! you give me such a fucking migraine. please get off y/n! she's fucking fragile!" kyle scolded, swatting at the back of kenny's head with a scowl. you giggled, albeit a bit nervously, gazing up at kyle around kenny's mop of blonde hair. kyle was red in the face, averting his eyes from yours, circling the sofa to take his seat next to your feet. with both hands, he lifted both yours and kenny's legs, scooting over and laying them in his lap.

"hey pretty thing," kenny cooed as he finally lifted his head from the suffocation of the couch. his grin was dopey as he gazed at you, eyes droopy and hair messily covering half of his face. "come here often?"

"please stop seducing our guest," kyle deadpanned, swatting at kenny's foot. kenny hissed and threw his legs off the side of the couch, letting half his body slide onto the floor, his head buried in your torso. you sat up, gingerly pushing kenny's head off you, pulling your legs from kyle's lap in favor of pulling them to your chest. he looked away from the television long enough to pointedly glance at you, then turned his attention back to it and used the hand that wasn't controlling the remote to pull them back onto his lap. you blushed, only increased by kenny scooting his way between you and kyle, your legs now crossing both their laps. kyle used his free hand to pry your shoes from your feet, eyes still glued to the screen.

"y/n, what kind of movie do you wanna watch?" kyle inquired, turning his head to look at you over his lover. you shrugged, arms around your torso, blush on your face.

"i don't really know. i’m not really one for movies lately. i’m too busy watching shameless,” you admitted sheepishly. kenny’s head perked up and turned to you, a grin on his face.

“what season?” he asked eagerly. you made quick work of finding your phone, hands shaking as you opened netflix and checked your progress.

“season six, episode three,” you responded. kenny turned to kyle, who opened netflix and selected the correct season and episode of shameless. he paused it as soon as it loaded, making eye contact with kenny. you were squirming. they seemed to be making conversation telepathically, eyes locked on each other, silence piercing your ears.

"which one of us are you in love with?" kyle finally asked, voice soft as he leaned forward to stare into your soul. your squirming intensified, kenny rubbing your calve reassuringly as he gazed at you. you felt like a deer caught in headlights, heart pumping in your ears, hands shaking in your lap, face pale, eyes wide.

"we're not asking out of a place of spite, love," kenny reassured. you could hardly hear him over the sound of your own pulse, your mouth going dry as tears flooded your eyes. you'd never felt so anxious before in your life. this was everything you wanted, laid out in front of you, and you were terrified.

"i-" was all you managed to get out, unable to speak around the lump in your throat and the cotton in your mouth.

"sweetheart," kyle sighed, leaning far forward to reach his arm over kenny and grasp on of your hands. kenny did the rest of the work, tugging you into a side hug as you panicked. you weren't sure exactly what your issue was. you wanted them to be interested in you. you wanted their attention. you wanted this. why the hell were you having a panic attack over something you'd been praying for since puberty?

eventually, after a handful of minutes, you were able to calm down enough to hear the murmured reassurane of the couple holding you. you could pull your head back and you could look at them, an embarrassed smile on your face as you whispered your apology.

"why should you be sorry, love? we caught you off guard," kenny hushed. kyle nodded along in agreement, a soft smile on his face as his fingertips caressed your cheek.

"you don't have to apologize for anything, sweetheart. we genuinely didn't think you'd react like that. that's completely our fault," he whispered, ginger curls falling into his face. you ran your fingertips over his forehead to adjust them, then let them trail down the side of his face. he flushed under your touch, cheeks turning a rosy pink under a small smattering of sun exposure freckles.

"if we're being honest, we've had feelings for you for quite some time, probably a decade. we were trying to figure out if you were interested in one of both of us," kenny admitted. you blushed, eyes jumping between kenny's red face and kyle's. for a second, you wondered if you were in a dream. you discreetly pinched your leg, wincing as your heart raced. it definitely wasn't a dream.

"both," you whispered. you were still incredibly nervous to admit your feelings, but with the confession on kenny's part, you felt a bit more confident in your feelings. kenny was the first to embrace you, your face buried in his boney chest, kyle's lanky arms wrapping around the both of you.

"we don't have to immediately figure shit out," kyle murmured after a few moments of your silent embrace. you nodded slowly, unraveling your fingers from the back of kenny's shirt.

"i'd rather watch shameless right now, if i'm being honest," you murmured, a sheepish smile on your face. "my mind has been fucked way too much for one day." kyle chuckled along, pressing play on the tv. kenny started unzipping your outdoor coat with a small grin.

"i mean, we could always fuck you in other ways," he joked with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. you guffawed, face turning red as kyle whacked his chest.

"kenny, please, shut the actual fuck up!" he exclaimed, face equally as red as yours. kenny burst into laughter as he continued helping you out of your coat, draping it on the back of the sofa.

"sorry, sorry," he chortled. you settled into the couch, a small smile on your face as you focused your attention on the dysfunctional screen family.

—

taglist @hand-writxen @quackyfae @n0tangeliccc @triphovia @vanillawh0re @scrawny-simp @oldcabinets @mags138 @zeroquiverx

#south park x reader #kyle broflovski x reader #kenny mccormick x reader

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builtbybrokenbells · 2 months

Text

LEX TALIONIS | ORSUS

orsus — a beginning, commencement, an undertaking, attempt

Masterlist | Taglist

listen while reading: it will come back - hozier

Pairing: Jake Kiszka x f!reader, Josh Kiszka x f!reader

Word Count: 24k (😘)

Warnings: SMUT 18+, unprotected sex, semi-public sex, hookups, one night stands, fingering (f!receiving) oral (f!receiving), impact play, cum play, sir kink, dom/sub, bratty sub, praise, degradation, name calling, touch of spit play, lots and lots of dirty talk, mentions of free use kink, choking, biting, orgasm denial, multiple orgasms, the briefest mention of oral (m!receiving), manipulation/manipulative phrases, gaslighting, toxic themes, an unbearable amount of flirting, talking bad about men, superiority complexes, mentions of toxic/bad past relationships/bad experiences with men, a conniving evil reader, mentions of cheating/infidelity/home wrecking, mentions of addictions/substance abuse, mentions of death/dying, drinking, swearing, sorry if i miss any!

Here it is, I hope you enjoy my loves 🤍 (lightly edited)

According to Wikipedia, brotherhood is an ethical relationship between people, which is based on love and solidarity. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it is the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group or all people. To the core, brotherhood is family, whether blood or not. A brother is someone you would give your life for at the drop of a dime, someone who you would protect with your life and avenge with a fervor. You can be siblings, cut from the same cloth and raised side by side, yet never once feel such things. You can meet a person on the sidewalk amidst the city chaos and feel for them in a moment, what you could not feel for someone else in a lifetime. Brotherhood is not a right, but a privilege, and one so sacred that not many are truly deserving of the title.

For Joshua and Jacob, brotherhood began in the womb, and carried on well into their adult lives. In this particular instance, deserving was not nearly a good enough descriptor for the men in question.

Two souls destined to be infinitely intertwined and lucky enough to be born as twins. For the pair, loyalty was without question and love was always abundant. Since their first minute on earth, they knew that the world would always seem less cruel when there was someone to depend on walking beside you every step of the way. In their younger years, they were akin in so many ways that it was hard to comprehend by times, and as the years passed, it only further proved the two were identical in more ways than just physical. Morals, attitudes and interests were shared, as well as dreams and desires. Even in their differences, they were determined to support each others dreams as if it were their very own aspirations.

The love the two had for each other was hard to comprehend, especially if you had never felt something so strongly before, and sometimes, it was easy to feel jealousy at the sight of the two together. It appeared as though they were the only two people in the world, and the only person the other cared about. Although their bond was strong, they had room in their hearts for more than just each other. Despite their differences, and the fact that they understood each other best, they both loved fiercely and deeply, and that love extended far beyond themselves. They loved their siblings, their parents, and their friends. They loved the bugs burrowing in the soil in the front yard, and the birds that flew overhead. They loved the trees and the rivers, the flowers and even the pesky weeds that grew at an unprecedented rate.

Love, by times, seemed like the only thing the two boys knew how to do. As they grew, so did their hearts, and that was one thing that never seemed to flee them.

When they lost their childlike nature, turning into awkward pre-teens with gangly limbs and cracking voices, the differences began to emerge. Jake, who loved to pick away at his father’s old guitar, seemed to take the side of reservation. He watched often, yet only spoke sometimes (unless of course, he cornered you with a topic that he had a staggering amount of passion for). He fell in love with the six stringed instrument, and all of the girls in his grade in high school. He was shy, but he was always lending an ear to anyone in need. Often quick with a joke and developing an awful habit for flirting, he seemed to make everyone fall in love with him without ever needing to try. His mystery aided his charm, and cemented his memory in people's minds.

Josh, who did not care who you were or where you came from, would talk your ear off about anything and everything that came to mind. His smile was always bright, and his heart was written on his sleeve. He took to the theater, and sang along to whatever song Jake had learned to play that week. He was a socialite who loved company, and seemed to bring out the extrovert in Jake when the two spent enough time in close proximity. He too, made people fall in love but for much different reasons than his brother. He was kind, generous, and extravagant. People fell because it was hard to keep your eyes off of him.

The sun and the moon respectively, making the whole world fall to their feet without ever realizing it.

As they grew into young adults, their personalities seemed to stick, only ever growing more intense as the days went on. Although the two seemed to have grown into different people, if you cared to look close enough, the similarities were not hard to find. In their faces, of course, it was not hard to tell that they were twin brothers, but it was more than that. In the warm brown of their irises, when they looked at you for too long, the same feeling would wash over you; like comfort on a cold day, or sleep to the exhausted. Their charm, unruly yet soft and subtle, would sneak up on you and sink its claws deep into your skin before you would even notice. In their touch, the same searing sensation and intoxicating feeling. The two were more alike than what showed on the surface, and you could easily find it if you had enough dedication to discovery.

More than anything else, their bond steadily grew stronger as they grew older. Brotherhood to them was not a title, nor was it a given. It was a lifestyle, and something they chose to do every minute of every day. Caring, loving, and understanding each other was of great importance to them, and it certainly was not easy work. They could have succumbed to sibling rivalry, quarrels that carried over into adulthood and bred resentment, but it was not something that they wanted for themselves. Their relationship was of utmost importance, and they made sure that anyone who stepped foot into their lives understood the requirement of loving both of them just the same.

They would always be each other’s biggest supporters, cheering them on in every aspect of life. They would be best friends, there to share every moment of happiness and suffer through every failure. They would be the ones to dish out the hard truths, and the harshest advice when needed. They were anchors, keeping each other grounded when life began to spin out of control. It was important for them to maintain the strength of their relationship, especially when living such a crazy and difficult lifestyle. Traveling the world and playing music was a dream come true, but it was even more so to them because they could share it with the people they cared about most, but it was strenuous and tiresome. It was easy to get buried under the stress and neglect their own health and wellbeing. It was easy for relationships to fail and for people to forget about them while they were gone for months at a time, which was exactly why family was so important to them. Without each other, they would crack and crumble under the pressure of the world.

A love like such only comes once in a lifetime, and the two felt incredibly lucky to be able to have it from the moment that they were born, until the very last breath. Even after death, they knew that their love would carry on, and they would search for each other in every lifetime to come. A bond so strong was not something to take for granted, and not something that you would ever want to let go of.

On the other hand, there are some people in the world who simply can not comprehend what it’s like to feel such a bond, nor can they comprehend how to care for someone more, or even equally to how they feel about themselves. You can call it narcissistic, but in some cases, it’s rarely ever that intense. It boils down to the fact of routine, and in some instances, people spend years without ever meeting anyone who could make them feel so strongly. Decades spent on their lonesome, having to stand up for themselves and watch over their own shoulder with nobody else to help carry the burden. Countless days of loneliness, constantly attempting to find new ways to cope and distract. Never anyone to share the success with, and no shoulder to cry on when times get tough. After a while, the idea of letting someone else experience such things alongside you becomes more of a fear than it is a comfort.

These people, as we have all have met, are known best as sharks or snakes; always awaiting the chance to steal an opportunity for themselves, and forever willing to throw someone else under the bus to achieve it. They are crude, unapologetic, and arrogant creatures who are often perceived as the enemy. In most instances, they are, and it is important to know that although sad, the reasoning behind their actions does not excuse their behavior. They are usually aware of their own actions, and most of the time, have little care for the people they hurt in the process. After all, how can you care about another when you’ve spent an entire lifetime only ever concerned about yourself?

You, a lovely woman on the surface, yet a nightmare just below, was a prime example of such evil.

You had spent an entire lifetime trying to find someone who made your heart beat faster. You longed to find someone who could turn your world upside down, or even someone who would promise to stick by your side during the hardest of times. Quickly, you understood that most people were willing to promise, but never follow through. In your younger years, you had your heart broken and your earth shattered by men and female friends who did not truly care about you as a person. For some time, you continued on the search despite the aching of your own chest, dedicated to knowing someone completely and wholly. After a while, you began to realize that the likelihood of finding such a person was near zero.

So, once you moved to a new city and started over, you decided that life could only begin again if every part of you was reinvented. At first, it was difficult to train your brain to think differently than it always had, but in truth, it did not take too long before you had learned the art of simply not caring. You realized that your heart had been your downfall the whole time; the relentless pining, the constant searching, and the endless begging for someone to love you. Other people had never been your issue, because you should have known better than to put your trust in anyone other than yourself. By closing yourself off and leaving dependency behind, you had managed to find happiness after all, and it did not come in the form of a man with a bouquet of flowers in his hand and sweet nothings stuck in his teeth.

Instead of being the victim of heartbreak, you had turned yourself into a heartbreaker. It was a cruel world that was only survivable if you were crueler, so you did what you had to do. The first few times were trial and error; you took people on dates and brought them back to your apartment for nothing further than mediocre sex. In the morning, you pushed them out the door with a smile, and answered a few texts here and there until you found the courage to cut them off. Every so often, you caved and fell back into your old habits, feeling guilty for being so harsh. You’d let them come back for another night of unfulfillment and only then would you find the courage to hit the block button.

Eventually, it became easier, and much more fun. You learned to seek out the men who you knew would be good in bed, rather than the ones who claimed to be good in bed. The quiet ones, talking sweetly and sometimes even nervously seemed to be the ones with the most breathtaking performances. You were nicer than you wanted to be, but after a while, even that seemed to flee you, too. You became witty, smart-mouthed and bold, testing your limits with every interaction. Your sharp tongue and your fiery eyes made people fall to your feet, and you began to understand that playing nice had never got you what you wanted. Now, sex was the only thing that caught your attention, and good sex was the only thing that could keep your attention. Rarely did you ever find yourself looking for a second date or a lasting relationship, and the longer you continued on your warpath, the more you felt like you were losing your humanity.

Men at bars appeared less as people, and more like conquests. It quickly turned into a game for you, and remorse was an emotion you no longer knew how to feel. Occasionally, you would make bets with your only acquaintances you’d made since moving to the city, just to see how fast you could get someone in your bed (or better, the bathroom). It was fun for you, but every man you left behind seemed dazed and confused, wondering if the moment was real or only a figment of their imagination. They only had a first name, never a last and definitely no phone number to call. You cashed out your earnings on cheap tequila shots and moved on to the next bar before they could catch up to you.

To some, it was a sad lifestyle to live, yet you never seemed to see the issue. You were so angry and bitter about the poor treatment you had received in the past that it blinded you enough to ignore the damage you caused. Then again, it was uncertain that if you did know how much turmoil you had caused, if you would even feel bad about it at all. You’d taken a liking to your newest personality, one in which you always got what you want and did not back down until you had it, and one in which your needs were always met first. After twenty some odd years of being on the receiving end of pain, you didn’t mind dishing it out every now and again.

After all, not every person who fell victim to your charm was upset with the lack of a second date. Most were quite content with a simple hookup, and you were certain that plenty were even in search of that alone. The ones that did get their feelings hurt were most likely over it in the morning, and the girlfriends of your conquests should have realized how terrible their boyfriends were long before you were ever involved in the equation. Not your man, not your problem, as you liked to believe.

Whatever could be used as an excuse for your abhorrent actions was made into one of your many personal mantras.

And so it was a Saturday night, the summer heat sweltering outside the Nashville bar and pooling inside every time the door was opened. The music was loud, the bass pounding in your ear drums and rattling your bones. The spot was busy, but no more than it usually was, and you were lined up at the counter with your aforementioned acquaintances while you waited to be served. Although, acquaintance was a strong term for the people you regularly spent time with, as they were no more than strangers who you drank with at the bar every now and again. The only reason you could stand to be around each other was because you adorned the same poisonous outlook, and your feelings could not be hurt when you were already prepared for the worst.

“Look, there’s one for you, Olivia.” You pointed across the room to a tall man hovering by the dance floor. He had a beer gripped tightly in his hand as he overlooked the crowd, hoping to find a potential suitor.

“Why don’t you want him?” She asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked in the direction you were pointing to.

“We just got here. I have to keep my options open, and he’s not my type.” You chuckled, neglecting any form of eye contact with her. You played the same trick on her every time you went out, and she hadn’t seemed to catch on to it yet. Her fragile ego made it easy to convince her to take the average looking ones so you could save the best for yourself. “Besides, he’s your type, isn’t he? Tall, blonde…” you trailed off, refusing to mention his mediocre looks and his apparent lack of brains.

“Yeah, I guess he is.” She nodded, flashing you a smile. “Thanks!”

There were two types of women who loved the lifestyle you had chosen for yourself; those who had too much self confidence, and those who had been stripped of it and were in desperate search of it.

“Anytime.” You forced a smile, trying to keep up the facade that it was out of the kindness of your heart. You turned back towards the bartender, staring him down in hopes he would reach you faster. He was busy serving a plethora of drinks to a group of young girls who you doubted were of legal drinking age. When he finished up, he caught your eye and you gave him a smile, doing everything you could to convince him to serve you next. Luckily, it seemed to draw him in, and within seconds he was walking your way.

“What can I get you, darlin’?” He asked, his southern accent hanging thick in the air as he took his time looking you up and down. He was young, but still seemed a bit older than you. He had a cute smile, and a seemingly muscular build. Attractive, but definitely not what you were in search of. You leaned forward over the bar top slightly, ensuring he could get a good look down the front of your low cut dress, hoping the sight would persuade him to give you the first drink on the house.

It didn’t work all of the time, but definitely enough for you to try your luck.

“Double vodka cranberry, please.” You gave a soft smile, batting your eyelashes a time or two to add some extra sweetness. “And a shot of tequila, too.” He took a long look over your face, taking in the sultry stare and the subtle gloss on your lips. The small upturn of the corners of your mouth led him to believe that you were up to no good, but the mischief sparkling in your eyes intrigued him beyond belief. Paired with the soft skin exposed on your neck and chest, illuminated even under the dim bar light, he was enamoured enough to trip over himself to please you.

“Anything else?” He asked, looking up to meet your eyes.

“No, I think that’s fine for now.” You assured him. Without any further comment, he turned towards the wall of alcohol to grab the bottle of vodka. You drummed your fingers against the tabletop as you watched him mix your drink, biting back a smirk as you watched him overpour the shots ever so slightly. When he turned around, you pretended to search through your purse to grab your card. As your fingers closed around the thin plastic, he held his hand out to stop you.

“First one’s on me.” He smiled.

“Are you sure?” You questioned half-heartedly, trying to feign some air of surprise.

“Positive.” He assured you, sliding them your way.

“Thanks, honey.” You flashed a smile, sliding the shot glass and salt shaker towards you. You licked the back of your hand, shaking a few grains of salt on to it before grabbing the tequila. As you raised the shot glass to your lips, you licked the salt off your skin and threw your head back, swallowing down the liquid. Before the taste could overwhelm you, you placed the lime wedge between your lips and sucked the juice from it. You placed the glass back down on the table, sending the bartender a subtle wink upon realizing he was watching the whole ordeal. Without another word, you grabbed your mixed drink and took a sip from it, washing the harsh tequila from your tongue.

As you turned around, you intended to step away from the bar and make your way towards the small stage, where there looked to be a band preparing their instruments for a soundcheck. Before you could, your eyes landed upon something much more intriguing than the amateur music group hoping to make their big break. There was a man, not very tall, yet appeared to be the most attention grabbing thing in the entire room, and inexplicably charismatic without even knowing it. He was not looking in your direction, but you wished he was, and upon catching sight of his soft and inviting features, you knew you would make it a point to make him notice you before the night was through. The dumb blonde nursing his third beer and already bordering intoxication was not your type, nor was the overly flirty bartender, but whoever was standing amidst the chaos of the crowd, whiskey glass tucked neatly in his hand and brown hair flowing gracefully off his shoulder, definitely was.

He was in blue jeans that appeared to be very worn. The knees and thighs had turned near white with how thin the denim had grown. The fabric hung from his figure slightly, cuffed at his ankles to show off the expensive looking brown boots he was wearing. On his upper half was a black button up, only tucked into his jeans on one side while the other hung down loosely over his hip. The top two buttons were undone, showing a flash of tanned skin from his chest. It made your mouth water, and it made you curious to see the rest of him. His face, when you finally had the opportunity to see the whole picture, seemed to take your breath away. His smile held a playful joy that was almost infectious, and his eyes were warm and only ever seemed to draw you in further.

You decided at that moment, it was imperative that you take the opportunity that was presented to you.

You were never one to jump first, but this time, you couldn’t seem to resist the temptation. Usually, you loved drawing them into you, to enchant them enough to make them approach you. You thought it was entertaining to watch them stutter over their words as they tried to persuade you of their intent. This time, you knew that this was a game where time was of essence, and if you did not jump at the chance, someone else would definitely beat you to it. You weren’t sure about his game, or if he was one with undying loyalty to a woman who did not want to be with him that night. You were unsure if he was already stuck in a game of flirtation with another woman at the bar, or if maybe, you were not his type at all. No matter, you still believed it to be your best bet to try, because leaving without a piece of him was not something you were willing to do, or at least do happily.

You drew in a long breath, swiping your tongue over your front teeth to ensure there was no lipstick smudged on them. Then, you ran a finger through your curled hair, arranging it neatly to frame your face. You took a sip of your drink, surveying the area to determine what the best move would be. He was next to a taller man with curly hair and a big nose, who was without a doubt, just as attractive. You decided that if you could not have your first choice, he would do it for you just the same.

A break in conversation allowed for you to make your move; the nameless boy turned away from his company for a moment, and then the taller boy seemed to abandon him in search of a booth on the other side of the bar. Before you could think up a line to deliver as you approached him, he took a step in your direction. Your stomach fluttered nervously and your heart sped as he continued moving towards the bar. You weren’t ready, but you weren’t willing to let it stop you from getting what you wanted. Instead, you turned towards the bar again and changed your course of action. You prayed that he would do exactly as you expected and come to stand beside you, because only then would you be able to make the first move.

After a few seconds of uncertainty, you had to bite back a smile when you felt a body present itself next to you. Immediately, before you even turned your head, you were hit with an intoxicating scent. Woody and deep, almost as if amber was delicately laced between the notes of sandalwood. Even with the heaviness, there seemed to be something light, almost like a citrus or a flowery smell. As if in an instant, your switch was flipped and you were ready to play. Slowly, you turned your head to the side and casted a careful glance at him. He had an empty glass in his hand, the ice melting due to the warmth of his palm surrounding it. Now that he was next to you, you could see the subtle gold of a hoop earring settled on his lobe, and a chain dangling loosely over his collarbones. There was a bracelet around his wrist and a ring sat on his middle finger. Suddenly you were overwhelmed by the idea of his fingers closed around your neck instead of the cup, and your stomach twisted into a knot.

The bartender seemed to be completely immersed in something, failing to notice his new customer. You smiled to yourself, wondering if you could use it to your advantage. The man had yet to notice your interest, and you were happy to keep it that way for a moment. The same bartender who had served you moments before passed by, not even giving the boy a second thought. He seemed to shift uncomfortably on his feet as he raised a hand to call him over, almost as if he was nervous to be rude. The bartender looked up for a moment, but continued on doing his previous task.

‘Perfect,’ you thought, sipping from your drink. The situation seemed to be resolving itself as the man beside you lowered his arm in defeat, tapping his fingers against the wood grain as he patiently waited his turn. You observed him as he did so, pitying him only slightly for his lack of confidence. You began to wonder if he was timid in all areas of his life, and if he was, how easy it would be to break him free from that chain. When the bartender took a step in your direction, intending to move past you to the customers at the other end of the line, you raised a hand to him and gave a sickly sweet smile. His eyes gave a sparkle as they landed upon your face, and his attention was quickly focused on nothing other than you. He cut towards you, ready to take your order again.

“Another shot?” He asked, already half-turned to grab the tequila bottle. You have a chuckle, shaking your head at him.

“My friend wanted to order, actually.” You said, nodding your head towards the boy beside you. “But I’ll take a shot too, once he gets his drink.”

“Oh, sure thing.” He said, averting his gaze to the person next to you instead. You felt a pair of eyes burning into you, but you did not want to look yet. Instead of addressing your notion of friendship, he cleared his throat and smiled at the man across the counter. He waited a moment before he spoke, wondering if you might have anything else to say. Eventually, he began to order and you listened intently to hear the sound.

“Double shot of Woodford, please.” He said, his tone low and gravelly. You could not ignore the rush of emotion that flooded you from the simple sound alone. “And I’ll get hers, too.” Now, you couldn’t resist the temptation to look at him. You shifted in place, turning towards him ever so slightly and catching his eye. Now that he was looking straight at you, his gaze heavy and his face close, you knew you had made the right choice. He was the only person in the whole bar that would be able to affect you with something as simple as a shared glance.

“Woodford?” You asked, your lip turning up into a smirk. “Expensive taste.”

“I can say the same about you.” He said, watching the bartender reach for a bottle of Don Julio. You gave a slight shrug, brushing off the comment. “Friends, eh?” He asked, addressing your earlier comment.

“Just figured you might want a drink.” You said, elusive to the real reason you’d called the bartender over. “Didn’t seem like he was very eager to serve you.”

“‘Preciate it, sweetheart.” He said, grabbing his drink from the counter as it was served. He swirled the ice around the glass for a moment, pondering his next words. “If we’re friends, I s’pose it would be nice to know your name.”

“Are you asking ‘cause you want to know, or ‘cause you feel like you have to?” You asked, raising an eyebrow as a shot was placed in front of you. Seconds later, a lime wedge and salt shaker was placed next to it. You looked over at him, noticing that he was still watching you. You’d caught his attention, and in the exact way you had been hoping to.

“I wouldn’t’ve asked if I didn’t care.” He said, taking a sip of the amber liquid in his cup. “I’ve never been the type to entertain people I’m not interested in.” He had a drawl to his words that you couldn’t quite wrap your head around. It didn’t sound like a southern accent, but then again, neither did your own. Perhaps both of you had come to Nashville to find a new life.

“So you’re interested?” You smirked, turning your head fully towards him now. He didn’t respond, instead taking another sip. “Y/n.” You said, smiling at his strong attitude. You liked it, and you appreciated the forward response. It made your job so much easier. “You?”

“Jake.” He said, seemingly pleased with your words. “And to answer your question, yes.” He grinned, setting his glass back down on the table. You took the opportunity to think over your next move while taking the shot he’d so kindly bought for you. You placed the empty shot glass back on the counter, sucking the juice from the lime as the burn traveled from your chest to the pit of your stomach.

“Jake,” You pondered the name, imagining nothing good as it infiltrated your mind. You imagined how it would sound, laced delicately around your tongue with his head between your legs. You wondered how it would hang in the air, heavy amidst the desire that would surround you two. “I like it.” You deducted, understanding that all of the aforementioned things would come to life before the night was through.

“I’m glad.” He let out a small laugh, looking over your face for a moment. There was a twinkle in his eye that you couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t mischievous, but almost seemed to be devious, like he was thinking and planning the exact same things you were. “Are you here with anyone tonight?”

“That depends.” You said, taking a sip from your straw, washing down the bitter lime and lingering tequila. “What kind of company are you wondering about?” You looked over at him, noticing his eyes still lingering over you. He gave you a small smirk, understanding that elusiveness was a part of your charm. He didn’t seem bothered by your indirect response, and if anything, he found it intriguing.

“The kind that takes you home with them at the end of the night.” His counter for your mystique was to be blunt, which did catch you off guard. For someone who seemed timid at a distance, he was awfully forward now that you were speaking. It made you wonder if you misjudged, or if he was hiding that part of him particularly well. You decided that if he was hiding it, it was for a reason, and one that you were rather eager to know about.

“No,” You shook your head. You debated elaborating, but decided to bite your tongue instead.

“Are you looking for someone to take you home, sweetheart?” He asked, pressing further as you watched him. “Is that why you were trying to get my attention?” You tried to keep a straight face as you pieced together his words. At face value, you took it as a general inquiry about the bartender, but you knew people better than to take anything at face value. He meant something deeper, but you didn’t want to mention it. You had faith in your ability to get him to cave, first.

“Wouldn’t say I was looking for your attention, honey. Seems as though it just happened.” You lied through your teeth, letting the accusation roll off your shoulders with ease. One of your biggest flaws was always responding to things as if it were an attack, and your defense was up; you wanted him, but not enough to bend to his will. You’d learned a long time ago that desperation was not a good look for you, and you much preferred it on someone else’s face.

“No?” He questioned, calling your bluff. “So you’re telling me you weren’t watching me earlier?” A prickle of indignation was felt in your spine as he spoke and you felt the need to correct him, even if he was right.

“Sneaky.” You muttered, your eyes flickering to his hand still wrapped around the glass. You couldn’t give up now, because that would leave him with the upper hand. Arguing seemed to be what he was hoping for, just so he could put you in your place, so you did the opposite; you admitted to the fact, but only to regain control of the situation. “You caught me.” You shrugged your shoulders, giving him an innocent smile. “So, what now?”

“Nothing,” he chuckled. “Just wanted to hear you say it.” You rolled your eyes at him, but it was playful. Something about him was less bothersome; if anyone else were to be playing the same cards, you would have walked away, but he had an odd sort of charm about him. Plus, his face certainly didn’t hurt the case. “That didn’t answer my first question, though.” He said, his gaze growing slightly stronger. “Are you looking for someone to take you home?”

“Is that an offer, or just your curiosity getting the best of you again?” He gave another low chuckle at your reluctance to answer.

“Both.” His answer was curt, but you appreciated it. “If you’re interested, of course.” Normally, you would have made him chase you a bit, or work a little harder than what he’d already done. Other times, you would have jumped his bones so fast that he wouldn’t know what hit him, just to leave him alone to ponder all that happened in the short time. Right now, you did not feel like doing either of those things. He had piqued your interest in the best possible way, and for once, you felt like talking, even if it was going to lead to the same old outcome.

In another universe, maybe you even would have bent your rules for him and pursued something more.

But, of course, fantasizing about an alternative universe is only ever harmful in the long run, especially if you aren’t willing to put in the work to alter the universe you’re already stuck in.

And you, a secret romantic buried deep under the surface who covered their own heartbreak by becoming a player, had never once considered putting in the work to change.

After all, why would you ever want to change when playing dirty was so much fun?

“I’ve never been the type of person to entertain someone I’m not interested in.” You smirked, throwing back the last of your drink as you let him digest his own words that you’d thrown so powerfully back in his face. As much as it seemed like a lie, it was not; you would never entertain a man you did not want to be with. You only cared for leading them on enough to get what you wanted, then pretending they did not exist.

“Happy to see we’re on the same page, then.” He chuckled, seeming like he wanted to move closer to you, but he held himself back.

“Where are you from, Jake?” You asked, taking the step for him and scooting a little closer. It was not enough to touch him, but there was a notable difference in space between you now.

“Michigan.” He smiled, showing appreciation for your efforts to be closer. “And you?”

“Atlanta.” You responded, flagging the bartender over for another drink. “You’re a long way from home.” You noted, watching as the worker took your used glass and turned to mix you another. “What made you decide to live here?”

“Work.” He replied, sipping away at his own beverage. Now that you were closer, the smell of his cologne seemed to be suffocating you, but it was with great pleasure to succumb to such an end.

“Must be a good job if you were willing to move so far.” He gave a small smile, nodding his head after a moment.

“You can say that.” The look in his eyes made you believe it was no ordinary office job, nor a regular paycheck that motivated him.

“Was it a job, or was it a dream?” You pressed further, studying his expression.

“Both, I suppose.” He replied, curious about how easily you picked up on it. “I’m in a band.” You could not deny your interest in the topic, nor your personal infatuation with musicians in general. You should have guessed, but somehow it was so much sweeter coming from his mouth. Everything seemed to be sweeter when he was the one saying it. “What are you here for?”

“To start over.” You shrugged. “New place, new people… new everything.”

“What were you trying to get away from?” The question struck a sore spot, but you tried not to let it show. You liked to view your move as something brave, rather than a cowardly act. When he worded it as such, it made it seem like you were running out of fear rather than confidence.

“I wouldn’t say I was running from anything. More or less just looking for something more.” You explained.

“Have you found it yet?” The question was a loaded one, and you weren’t sure if you had the answer he was looking for. The conversation seemed to run deeper than anything you were intending, yet you didn’t seem to mind. Usually when at the bar, especially with a man, the conversation revolved around sexual desires and painful flirting. This one was different, and it seemed like he wanted to see into your soul before ever taking your clothes off. You hated to admit it, but you didn’t mind it.

You hadn’t found what you were looking for when you moved to the city, but you had definitely convinced yourself otherwise. When you made the big move, you were young and naive. You had been desperately in love with the idea of love despite never knowing what it actually felt like. As you decorated a new apartment with memorabilia of a different lifetime, you fantasized about replacing it with love letters and pictures of a man you had yet to meet. You went to bed nightly with a melancholy hanging over the room and a longing for a life you were never destined to live. That was what you had been in search of, and instead, you had given up. You filled the void with sex and money, drinking away the bitter taste of your own failure and falling into bed with people who did not matter. It was a sad exchange, and no real replacement for the fulfillment you once craved, yet you had been doing it for so long now that it was the only thing you knew how to do.

Although it was nice for someone to pick your brain for once, and it was thrilling to finally be faced with stimulating conversation, you were a creature of habit. It was too risky to give too much of yourself away, even if you liked all you had seen from Jake. You weren’t sure what he was looking for, but you were too selfish to let him go. You needed the notch in your belt, even if you were sacrificing his heart in the process. You needed to regain control of the conversation, to hold the power in your hands once more, and you knew you wouldn’t have to work very hard for it. As you conjured the best response to his question, you almost felt a shred of guilt about using him for your own personal gain. You decided that out of all of them, his heart would be the hardest to break.

“Not yet, but I’m sure I will, someday.” You whispered, knowing that what you had been searching for was long out of reach for you. You had sinned so much that a simple lifestyle of love would never be in the cards for you. You had made your bed, and it was time to lie in it.

“Maybe I can help with that.” He said, his voice dropping ever so slightly. He was curious about you, and how after only minutes of knowing you, he could not imagine a world in which you did not exist. You drew him in so easily that he could not question whether it was a good idea or not. He found you inexplicably easy to need.

“Maybe so, rockstar.” You smiled up at him, knowing he could not. He could help with plenty of other things, but never that.

“Am I keeping you from anyone?” He asked, looking around the crowded bar for a moment, realizing he may have been taking you away from friends. You let out a chuckle, shaking your head.

“No, am I?”

“Definitely not.” He promised. “I’m here with my brothers. I see them enough—they can wait.”

“Don’t be like that, now.” You laughed. “You can find me later, when they’re drunk enough that they don’t notice you’re missing.” Even if you tried to make yourself seem heartless, it didn’t feel right cutting in on his family time. Humanity was something you didn’t often feel, but he seemed to pull on strings of your heart you no longer believed to exist. “I promise I’ll stick around.”

“No way,” he laughed, brushing you off. “I’d much rather get to know you, sweetheart. Plus, it saves me a headache from bickering with them all night.”

“Alright, if you’re sure.” Hesitation was still present in your voice, but if he was certain about it, you couldn’t find anything to complain about. Part of your hesitation stemmed from the fact that you did not want your night to be cut short by any distractions. The bar bathroom did not seem fitting for all you wanted to do with him, and if it took letting him go for a while to have him until the sun came up in the sky, you were okay with it.

“If you’re that worried, why don’t you come over and drink with us?” He offered, mistaking your reluctance as something selfless. Then again, he could not be upset if he were to discover your true intent, for his own was just as selfish. He feared that if he left you on your lonesome, someone else would catch your eye and he would lose his chance. Besides, inviting you to drink with the group wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever had. In fact, he thought it might be quite enjoyable.

“Taking me to meet the family already?” You teased. “I must be special.” His lips upturned slightly, drawing your attention to the mustache that decorated his upper lip. It made his already beautiful face all the more remarkable.

“You certainly are, angel.” He affirmed your statement, seemingly gravitating towards you the longer he held your gaze. “You did catch my attention, after all.” Before you knew it, his face was inches away from your own. He looked down at you over his nose, his eyelashes casting a slight shadow over his reddened cheeks, burning from the alcohol he was drinking. The smell of his cologne mixed with the whiskey on his breath was turning you into a mess, insanity calling your name the longer you stayed in the position.

“Takes a lot to do that, eh?” You asked, you voice barely heard over the sound of your hearts beating in time.

“Some would say so.” He smiled, warmer and less flirtatious than the ones before. He knew he had you how he wanted you, and he felt as though he could let go of the act for a moment. The tip of his nose was brushing against your own, making the temptation almost too much to resist. You wondered if he would strike first, or if you would have to take the risk yourself. He was a flirt, and seemingly just as big of one as you were, but you weren’t sure how deep his confidence truly lied. He’d known you for all but a half a drink, yet your claws seemed to strike deep. He was trapped, and he could run, but would always look back over his shoulder to ensure you were following.

“Have I caught your attention enough for you to kiss me?” You asked, your tone quiet but your words impactful. His hand reached out for your hip, his fingers settling gently over the silky material of your dress. The touch felt good, but it was not nearly enough. Above all, it perpetuated a vicious cycle, for you knew that a touch so addictive would not be something you could walk away from.

Perhaps Jake Kiszka was not the one trapped, and for once, you had backed yourself into a corner at the hands of his irresistible sin.

You knew better than to seek someone with the same deadly power, but you could not manage to keep yourself away. He’d kept it so well hidden that you failed to realize his power until the very minute his skin met your own.

He leaned forward, the gap closing between you as his lips landed on your own. The violence was disguised with sweetness, and wrapped up in a bow of desire. The faint taste of the whiskey he was drinking was dancing on your tongue, drawing you in alongside the warmth of his body. You raised your hand to his cheek, cupping it in your palm as his hand guided you into him. You had never experienced a feeling so overwhelming, and the sensation of his tongue gliding over your lower lip, begging to push any boundaries, was so powerful it nearly shattered your psyche. In an instant, you forgot about your plan to take him home and instead were plagued with an imminent need for him. You worried that you might not be able to make it to the bathroom with his hand so powerfully holding you in place. In that moment, you needed Jake more than you had ever needed anything in your entire life.

As he pulled away, you fought the urge to pull him right back in. He did not move too far away, almost as if he was waiting for you to do exactly that. “Is that the answer you were looking for?” It was the exact answer you were hoping for, and the two of you felt no need to go any further with formalities. You knew what you wanted, and waiting seemed pointless. Before the night was through, he would have you, and whether then be in a bed or the bathroom, he was not sure.

“A simple yes or no would have done the same.” You teased, running your thumb tentatively over the soft skin of his cheek. He seemed to lean into the touch, making your hesitation disappear.

“Right,” he chuckled, still a bit dazed from the intensity of the moment. “I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

“No,” you shook your head. “No need for that.” He couldn’t help but laugh at your response, leaning in and placing a shorter, sweeter kiss on your lips.

“Something to get you through meeting my brothers,” he explained, as if he needed an excuse to kiss you at all.

“Is that so?” You grinned. “They’re that bad?”

“No, not bad, just a lot.” He corrected, his hand still lingering on your hip. “Was hoping that if I kissed you, it would give you a reason to stick around.”

“I’m sure it’ll be quite alright. No need to stress yourself out, honey.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” He sighed, wishing that he never brought up the idea at all. He would much rather stay at the bar, alone with you to do anything you wanted. With that, he pulled back from you and grabbed his drink from the counter. You did the same, watching him as he stepped away. Suddenly, a flood of fear ran through you and reached out, grabbing his arm before he could go any further. He gave you a confused expression, wondering what was wrong as you stepped towards him. You raised your hand to his face, letting your thumb swipe away some smudged lipstick decorating his lower lip.

“Don’t think pink is your color.” You giggled, releasing your hold on him.

“You sure?” He questioned. “I’m think I can pull it off.”

“Uh-huh,” you nodded, grabbing your drink from the counter. “Whatever you say, rockstar.” You said, waiting for him to lead the way.

“What, you really don’t think so?” He asked, extending his arm out to you. You joined him at his side, watching as he surveyed the room in an attempt to locate the booth his brothers were sat in. After a moment, he seemed to brighten up as his eyes landed on a booth with three people sat inside.

“Who knows, you could surprise me.” You replied, finding yourself looking in the same direction his eyes were pointing. As you did, it felt like you’d received a harsh blow to the stomach, nearly doubling over in shock as your gaze fixated on the booth. You knew it to be the right one because the curly headed boy from earlier was sitting at the edge of one bench, laughing at something the boy beside him had said. Across from him, though, was a side profile that was so stunning it nearly stole the air from your lungs. In an attempt to make sense of it, you looked over at Jake, recognizing the similarities instantly.

You were stuck wondering if it was a joke, or a perfectly wrapped present placed at your feet by the universe itself. The evil that normally ran through your veins seemed to increase tenfold as you understood that the door had opened for you to have access to not just a gorgeous, outlandishly charming man, but a set of (outstandingly beautiful) twins.

As Jake looked back at you, you covered your expression of joy in an instant, understanding that if you were going to pull it off, you needed to be as thorough and precise about your actions as possible. You did not want to pull one just to fumble the other, nor did you want to lose both of them in the process. Before you spoke, you chose your words incredibly carefully.

“I’m nervous,” you forced a small smile, trying your best to appear anxious as you spoke.

“What are you nervous about, angel?” He asked, stepping closer to you and seemingly falling straight into the trap.

“What if they don’t like me?” You offered, glancing over to the booth and back to him.

“Not possible, sweetheart. They’re quite easy to get along with. I’m sure they’ll love you.” He said, landing a gentle hand on your arm to reassure you.

“I want to go home with you tonight, Jake, but could we… keep it between ourselves? Just for now, at least.” You knew the words were incriminating, but you always had a plan in mind. If he responded the way you predicted, it would be easy enough from there.

“What, like it’s a bad thing?” He raised an eyebrow, trying to comprehend what your intent was.

“No, honey.” You shook your head, giving a small laugh. “Not that I usually kiss and tell anyway, but I’d rather them see me as a person, not just the girl their brother is trying to fuck. It changes the way you see people, sometimes.” You explained, looking carefully over his expression as you spoke. You tried to keep your words sweet, hoping it might sway him to see it your way, even if your way was not how you were presenting it. “Does that make sense?”

“It does, angel.” He nodded, giving you a smile. “We can do that, if it makes you feel more comfortable.”

“It does,” you let out a sigh, fake but clearly convincing. “Thank you.”

“You’ve got nothing to thank me for, sweetheart.” He said, moving his hand to the curve of you back as he guided you through the crowd. “At least not yet, anyway.” He said the second part much quieter, as if he was already ahead of the game of secrecy. You wondered if maybe he enjoyed it, or the idea of having you in private got him off even further. There was much left undiscovered about Jake, and you were excited to see more. More than anything, you were happy that the first phase of your plan had come to fruition so easily.

You allowed him to lead you towards the group of unnamed boys, only a small nervous stutter in your heart. This was something you feared might be beyond your capabilities, yet you could not ignore the urge to try. When a player is faced with a challenge, backing down is not an option, and when it came to the game, nobody was more committed than you were. The minute your eyes landed on the previously unmentioned twin brother, your heart was set upon the desire for both, and you had grown so selfish over the years that you had yet to feel a shred of remorse about it. You knew that caution was needed, and every moment needed to be carefully calculated. It was a daunting task that would make a weaker woman shy away, but you were confident in your own abilities. Try as you might, you could not turn down such an opportunity.

Jake loosened his grip on you as you drew near the end of your seclusion. As he approached the chatter-filled group, they turned to look at him. Their eyes didn’t take long to land on you, but once they did, they didn’t seem to want to leave. You were hyper aware of the skimpy dress hanging over your body, tasteful enough not to potray you as a slut, yet bold enough to catch ample amounts of attention. It did not come as a surprise when all of their gazes were not pointed at your face, but rather the peek of cleavage from the black material covering your chest, and soon after, the smooth and enticing skin of your legs.

“Found some extra company, Jacob?” If it was even possible, the curly headed boy who looked so similar to Jake was even more beautiful up close.

Much like his brother, the beauty seemed to sneak up on you, drawing you in from far away and stealing your life away without a second thought the minute you were within reach.

“Hope you don’t mind if I crash the party.” You gave him a sweet smile, hiding the hunger in your eyes so you did not scare him away.

“Not at all,” he said, sliding further into the booth to make room for the two of you. You sat first, allowing Jake to take the spot at the end of the table.

“She was here all by herself, figured she could use some friends.” Jake smirked, casting a sideways glance at you.

“Friends are plentiful, here.” The boy with long curly hair said, giving you a smile. “I’m Danny.”

“And I’m Sam, Jake’s brother.” The boy beside him cut in in as if he was afraid he’d be forgotten.

“Nice to meet you guys. I’m y/n.” You extended the sentiment, looking both of them over.

“And I’m Josh, also Jake’s brother.” The boy beside you spoke now, catching your attention and forcing you to look in his direction once again. His brown eyes were warmer than Jake’s, perhaps a tad bit friendlier. His hair was shaved down on the sides, and his cheeks were tinged with a blush from the alcohol he was drinking.

“A twin, perhaps?” You asked, hoping you were guessing correctly.

“How’d you know?” He raised an eyebrow, but did not seem surprised at the statement. He was intrigued by you, and his face did not hide the fact very well. The attraction was mutual, and you could read him like a book, much different than his brother. You held a cloud of desire around your head, and no man was privy to the reason why. It affected them all the same, and it was the reason why you were stuck in the situation you were in, now. Upon first glance, his twin brother felt all of the same things.

“Lucky guess.” You chuckled, taking in all of him that was up for offer. His clothes were a bit basic, yet seemed to suit him well. The long sleeved white sweater he was wearing appeared soft, and the cologne that radiated from him was mouth-watering. It was light, fresh smelling, like sage and cedar wood. Underneath that you could smell notes of long burnt out incense sticks that seemed to cling to the fibers of his clothing. He had on beige khakis, and even if his style was not exactly eye-catching, he pulled it off well. It was clean, concise, and did not draw attention away from his face that was seemingly crafted by gods.

“Takes one to know one?” He guessed, curious about your precise analysis of the two. You chuckled, shaking your head.

“No, just a good observer is all.” You replied. “Only child, actually.”

“Ah,” he hummed, his heavy-lidded eyes gazing curiously over your face. He was intrigued just as well as you were, which seemed to make your job so much easier. “Explains a lot, then. Nobody to keep you company, so you had to occupy yourself with watching everyone else.”

“I suppose you could put it that way.” You laughed, already beginning to notice the clear difference between the two. Josh was much more outgoing than his counterpart, with a goofy smile and booming voice. He seemed to say whatever was on his mind, whenever he wanted to. You weren’t sure if the liquor had any impact on that fact, or if he was like that all of the time. You were curious to know, and you knew that in due time, you would have all of the answers you wanted. “I think people are interesting.”

“That they are.” He agreed, sipping from a beer bottle in hand. “Am I interesting?” He was definitely drunk, but you did not mind; if anything, it seemed to rid you of the uncomfortable getting to know him phase.

“Incredibly.” You laughed, the sound filling the immediate air around you all and catching all of the attention. You were not afraid to admit to your own beauty, and how easy it was for you to catch attention. When you had a smile on your lips and a laugh stuck between your teeth, the genuine warmth pulled people in even further.

“I don’t know if I like how fast you answered that.” He said, furrowing his eyebrows with another grin lighting up his whole face.

“If it’s the truth, I don’t think it really matters if you like it or not.” You explained, keeping your tone light to match his. You tuned out of your conversation for a moment, just for long enough to gauge how Jake was taking to the two of you talking. Within seconds, you realized he was not even listening; he was stuck in a lighthearted argument with his brother across the table about something that seemed (to you, at least) incredibly unimportant. Once you were certain you were in the clear, you focused your attention on Josh again. Even after only a few seconds of looking elsewhere, his beauty seemed to smack you in the face with a newfound intensity, as if it was angry with you for not paying attention.

“Why are you here all alone, anyway?” Josh questioned, fidgeting with the corner of a napkin sat in front of him on the table.

“I figured spending a night at the bar would be better than sitting at home all alone.” You shrugged, knowing that you were only giving him half truths. Sitting there and flirting with him was the reason you came out alone, even if you did not know he would be the main subject of your focus beforehand. Well, one of them at least.

“And you were just lucky enough to run into a group as fun as us.” He added, making sure to motion towards the whole table as he spoke. He seemed as if he was big on talking with his hands, and it was a trait you thought was quite cute.

“Luck is a good word for it.” You agreed, deciding now that he’d invited you in, you could begin to seek out the weak spots of his strong personality. For a moment, you did not speak again. You took the time to study him in his entirety, but played it off as if you were invested in the bullshit argument still going down beside you.

His eyes were shining with amusement at his brother's butting heads, and his smile never faltered. You wondered if he was genuinely just happy all of the time, or if the breathtaking smile was a constant mask he’d learned how to perfect. He drummed his fingers against the tabletop with one hand as his other fidgeted with something else. It bounced between the aforementioned napkin and the waning edge of the beer bottle label. His foot tapped against the ground as well, every so often switching to a full on leg bounce. You had yet to confirm if it was anxiety making him jitter so badly, or if it was a surplus of energy. Either way, it seemed like he could get up at that very moment and run laps around the building.

There were silver earrings placed in different spots on his ear, yet the chains that dangled around his neck were gold. It was a contradiction to the way Jake wore his, with gold in his lobe and silver decoration on his chest. You thought it was interesting enough, but nothing worthwhile enough for you to remember. He hummed along to the songs the band was playing every now and again, showing his appreciation of music through minute actions. You wondered if Josh was also in the band that Jake had previously told you about. The song switched, and there was a twitch in Josh’s eye as his lips upturned ever so slightly. He liked the song, and you could capitalize off it. This specific bar had a liking for old music, and luckily for you, your father refused to listen to any song that came out after ‘95. It was your forte, and seemingly his too. You wished you could thank the (mostly) cover band for picking such a great song to play.

“Fairport Convention.” You sighed, smiling as you stirred your ice around your drink. As you said it, Josh seemed to perk up. His head turned towards you, his eyes shining with admiration for your music knowledge. Once you knew his attention was yours, you spoke again. “I love this song.”

“You… uh, yeah. Me too.” He grinned. If he thought you were attractive before that second, it seemed to grow even stronger. His whole body shifted as he turned in your direction, and his tongue darted out and over his bottom lip. “This is definitely one of my favorite bands of all time.”

“That’s a bold statement.” You said, looking over at him as you sipped your drink.

“And I mean it.” He assured you. “I didn’t know I was in the company of someone with such fantastic taste.” Like venom, your next words came smoothly and deadly.

“There’s lots you don’t know, but I’m sure you could find out if you’re ever interested.” Your voice dropped as you spoke, as if the words shared between you were sacred. In a sense, they were; there was no chance in hell you would ever say it loud enough for Jake to hear. Your eyes flickered to meet his, holding his gaze with a soft intensity that made him squirm in his seat. His breath caught in his throat for a moment, trying to piece together your true intentions. His demeanor shifted in an instant, and in a way you very much needed to see more of.

“Is that so?” He pried further, treading lightly and keeping his voice as hushed as your own. As he said it, you felt Jake’s hand snake to your thigh underneath the table, so stealthily that you would not have even noticed the movement if not for his burning touch lingering just below the hem of your dress. “I’m not sure if I understand what you mean, mama.” The pet name rolled off his tongue, coated in a slight husk that raised goosebumps across your skin. You wondered if you should feel dirty for flirting with Josh while Jake’s hand lingered so tentatively on your leg, but you seemed to miss the boat when it came to remorse in its entirety.

“I think you understand exactly what I mean, honey.” You chuckled, giving a soft smile. His eyes darkened at your words, as if the statement had opened up a whole new world for him. You had given him permission to think such things about you, and he was grateful for it, almost like he’d been fighting the urge to see you as such since he first laid eyes on you.

“Mhm,” he hummed to himself, his head cocking to the side slightly as he tried to figure you out. “How could I say no to an offer like that?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t.” You admitted, holding his gaze to cement your position on the matter. With that, Jake was calling your name and bringing you into conversation with the rest of them. You looked over Josh for a moment longer, then turned to look at his brother. You would have been fearful of Jake seeing Josh’s dumbfounded face if not for the fact he was fully immersed in you. As soon as he caught sight of your face again, he seemed just as enthralled in you as he was when you were talking by the bar.

Time passed and drinks were had, laughs were plentiful and the flirting was unbearable, although kept expertly under wraps. Bouncing between the two seemed like a daunting task you feared you would not be able to do, yet the longer you did it, the easier it became. As the time passed, you even seemed to enjoy it. Danny and Sam seemed incredibly drunk, and due to their innate inability to be observant, your work had become quite simple. Jake had gone to the bar and grabbed everyone another round of drinks, and you had noticed that he switched to drinking beer as the night dwindled on. Your best guess was that he did not want to be too drunk to entertain you, and you had to appreciate his effort.

“Do you have any plans after this, mama?” Josh asked, leaning in almost too close for comfort. Although, it would be very comfortable if not for the crowd onlooking the two of you.

“Looking to learn more already?” You teased, casting a look at him through the corner of your eye.

“Is it such a crime?” He challenged, wishing you would turn to face him once more.

“Not a crime, but not a good night for me. I have to work in the morning.” The lie slipped off your tongue as smooth as silk, no hesitation present in your answer. If only he knew the truth, he may not be so willing to give in to you. “Raincheck?” You asked, turning your head towards him a little more.

“You name the time and place, and I’ll be there.” He promised. Your forearms were resting against each other on the table, incriminating the two of you even further. Josh seemed to be leaning in to you, and if you were a little more drunk, you would have reciprocated the action. Before he could get too close, though, you felt Jake’s fingers tighten against your thigh, but it was not in the soft teasing manner as it was before. It pulled you out of the bubble that surrounded you and Josh, causing a flood of fear to run through you as you looked over at him.

The look in his eye was sinister, yet not threatening. You weren’t sure how he pulled it off, but you had no better way to describe it. His grip on you remained the same, and for a moment, he did not speak. His jaw was hard set, the muscles in his cheeks tense as he looked over your face. “I’m going to grab another drink. Care to join?” He asked, his voice soft and nothing like the flame in his eye. Although his tone was misleading, and you knew that his question was not as it appeared; he had no intent on going back to the bar without you.

“Sure,” you nodded, giving him a smile. You wanted to maintain your composure as much as you could, because if you faltered even slightly, he would see you exactly as you were. He stood, not making any further moves as you joined him. Discreetly, you gave Josh’s knee a squeeze to reassure him after leaving him hanging before you stood yourself.

Jake began walking without looking back to see if you were following; he did not need to, for he felt the cloud of euphoria surrounding him that was only sourced from your company. When he reached the bar, he leaned against a vacant area with room enough for two. He faced inwards, looking at all of the whiskey bottles on the wall and wondering if he would need something stronger to cope with your venomous personality. You took the spot beside him, wondering if he would speak, or if you would have to come up with something on your own. It was so much easier when he did the talking for you.

His lip was curled slightly, as if he had a sour taste on his tongue. You noticed his shoulders heaving with every breath, but he did not appear outwardly furious. Maybe he was holding it all under the surface and waiting for the right moment to explode. For a second, you believed that you had ruined your chances with the beautiful man before you. You wondered what he was thinking, or how much he heard or saw of you and Josh. His silence was painstaking, and you could not deny the nervous flutter in your stomach or the clammy palms.

Then, he turned to look at you, his eyes catching yours in a tell-all reunion. If he was angry, it had dissipated in a second and it was now replaced with the same carnal desire that plagued him before you ever joined his brothers at the booth. You had your pretty face to thank, and the budding feelings that were already blossoming in his heart. He felt for you more than a one night stand should, and even if he knew you were evil to the core, he couldn’t stop himself from feeling such a way. The cycle continued, and he had already branded himself a fool for you.

“What game are you trying to play, sweetheart?” He asked, looking down at you with a raised eyebrow.

“Depends… what’s your favorite?” You smirked up at him, giving a bat of your eyelashes to cement the flirtation in your tone. He gave a low chuckle, neglecting a response, instead raising his beer bottle to his lips and tilting his head back. As he drank down the liquid, your eyes drifted towards the exposed columns of his neck, his Adam's apple bobbing with each long gulp.

You couldn’t help but think how foolish he was to expose his very lifeline to you, and although you were not a being of mythical nature and blood was not exactly your thing, you were certain that your lips, or better, your tongue settled gently atop the skin of his jugular would send him straight to his knees. You were tempted to test it out, just to see if your assumptions were correct. You could lean forward and try, but you knew it was best to wait; he would run himself in circles for a few moments before he inevitably landed himself in that exact position.

As he pulled the bottle away from his mouth, the glisten of alcohol making the plush skin of his lips glisten under the dim bar light, his eyes drifted back down towards your face before his head dropped into its earlier position. He was silent for a moment, as if he was trying to understand you better, and then he spoke softly, leaning down so you could hear him over the boom of the stereo system.

“I don’t like games at all, angel.” The sultry tone sent a shiver down your spine, but you did not let it phase you any further than that. Before he could pull away, you turned your head inwards, just enough so that your nose would brush against his. At the sudden touch, he did not shy away like you expected. If anything, he seemed to lean further into you without any hesitation. At that moment, you understood that you were not playing with an amateur; any lesser man would shy away from your strong nature. If you had to admit, him being open to the advance made your desire to play him grow even stronger. “I saw you talking to Josh. Do you think you’re being sly? Playing hard to get?” He asked, the sheer power behind his soft tone making your knees weak and your stomach twist in a knot. “Or are you trying to make me jealous?” If only he knew how extensive your evil truly was, he would never have spoken at all and instead turn away to run. His accusations were nowhere near the atrocities you were intending to commit. “What, you have nothing to say, now? Finally have you cornered?”

“Just don’t think you’d like what I have to say, is all.” You said, placing your empty cup down on the bar top without breaking the position. His eyes were boring into your own, as if he was trying to make you submit to him. In truth, you found his confidence comedic. Of course, you’d give him what he wanted, but he’d be doing you more of a favor than you were doing him. It wouldn’t take him very long to put down the dominant facade and comprehend that he was not the one with the power. “Some things are better left unsaid, Jacob.”

A flame was dancing dangerously behind his pupil, letting you know that there was much more to his character if you looked behind the mask he constantly had on. It intrigued you, making you wonder what would happen if you continued to nurse it with gasoline. Perhaps the explosion would be quite enjoyable, even for days after the disaster. Russian roulette was a game that often seemed tempting, and playing it with Jake made it all the more enticing.

The lights were low, making it incredibly difficult to place the emotion in his eye. Even then, it didn’t matter; all men were the same, and he was already caught on your hook. He was irritated, annoyed at your evasion and what seemed to be a tiresome game of cat and mouse, but it was not enough for him to lack interest in you. The scent of whiskey on your breath, casted warmly over his lips was drawing him in further, making him wonder if he could still taste it on your tongue if he acted fast enough. He thought he had the upper hand, that he was the one who was charming you, but he could not seem to see that he was playing the exact way you wanted him to. He was blissfully unaware, and you were ready for the kill. “If it means that much to you, Jacob, I’m sure the bathroom is free. Maybe a quick stop might convince you of where my loyalty lies.” The corners of your lips twitched upwards into a small, wicked smile. “Josh was never offered an invitation like that, was he?”

You reached out, running a delicate hand over his bicep that was covered with the thin material of his button-up. He flexed in response of the feeling, the touch running through him and clouding his judgement. You leaned forward, captivating him further. It was your time to strike, and you were moving with full force. He was too weak to resist, even if he knew he should. You did not need to deny the flirting accusations, because he had seen it with his own eyes. Doing so would drive him further way, but you could capitalize off the fact that he did not know the true motives of your conversation with Josh. For now, you could let him believe it was to make him jealous, because it worked in your favour.

In that moment, he realized the full extent of your wicked nature. He wanted to walk away, to leave you to wallow in the loss after he caught you flirting with his brother, but something about the burn of your touch and the calming effect of your gaze made the desire flee him. He knew you had no intentions of anything further than sex, and now that your mask had melted away, he could even understand that you didn’t even have care for him as a person. Getting off was the only thing that mattered, and that much was clear, but not even that seemed to turn him away. With every touch and lingering stare, every ounce of kindness (even if it was rare) and each one of your sweet smiles gave him a breath of hope that maybe he had misjudged the situation and you were actually telling the truth.

The vicious cycle had already begun, and he was a fool for thinking he could escape. He couldn’t resist your temptation, and he could not refute his desire to have you, too. As long as you continued to feed him, he would come crawling back, even if it would kill him. He could not assume the worst of you, especially because he’d only known you for a short time, so he relaxed under your touch and gave in to the feeling. He wanted to change your mind, to be the one to keep you for longer than a day, and he was willing to do whatever he could to persuade you to give him the chance.

Little did you know, by offering him the invitation, you were walking straight into your own demise. Although he did not know it yet, he would not be the one to steal your heart, but he would be the one to put an end to your venomous ways.

“How kind of you.” He shot back, but the refrain from earlier seemed to disappear. “Your generosity is staggering, sweetheart.”

“Is that you saying no?” You took it upon yourself to move closer to him, nearly pressing yourself into his body in hopes that it would sway his thoughts. He turned his head down towards you, casting a far away glance from over his nose, as if he was already thinking of all the things the two of you could get up to behind a locked door.

“Don’t put words in my mouth.” His voice was quiet, but his tone was strong. His hand reached for your hip, the pull of your aura too strong. He couldn’t help himself.

“Why don’t you go wait in the bathroom, and I’ll go and collect my things. I’ll tell them I’m headed home so they won’t even suspect a thing.” You said, giving a soft smile as his eyes watched your face. “Then, I can show you just how generous I really am.”

“How do I know you’re not playing another one of your little games?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. You rolled your eyes, heaving a little sigh as you did so. You could not lie and say that abandoning him just to mess with him had not crossed your mind, but you needed him far too much to walk away without anything. So, instead of making a fuss, you reached up and let your fingers settle over the clasp back of your diamond earring. You slipped it off and extended your hand towards him. He looked to the shiny rock, then back at your face, unsure of what you were doing.

“Take it, so you know I’ll come back.” You motioned your hand further towards him, insisting on the fact. Slowly, he reached out and grabbed it from you. He slipped it in his pocket, nodding in appreciation for your lack of fight.

“Don’t be too long, sweetheart. I don’t like being kept waiting.” He spoke, looking down at you once more before taking a step back. His cockiness was infuriating, yet looked good on him. Instead of arguing, you winked at him before he turned to walk away. Once he was swallowed by the crowd, you turned to the bar and grabbed a napkin from the stack sitting nearby. Quickly, you called the bartender over to ask him if you could borrow a pen. Luckily, he was quick to retrieve you one, and you scribbled a message down on the paper.

You walked back towards the booth you were sitting in moments before, making sure Jake was nowhere in sight. When you reached the group again, Sam and Danny were chattering amongst themselves while Josh seemed to be awaiting your arrival. You shot him a smile, sliding in beside him for just a second to tie up any loose ends and to let Josh know that the invitation was still very much alive. “Hey,” you breathed, talking only loud enough for him to hear.

“Was wondering where you were.” He replied, his stare intense as he silently begged you to move closer.

“I know, I’m sorry.” You said, giving a sympathetic smile. “Jake wasn’t feeling well so he went to the bathroom. Probably because he was mixing beer and whiskey.” You paused, rolling your eyes for dramatic effect. “He wanted me to tell you guys not to wait up for him. I wish I could stay longer, but I have to work in the morning.” You put all of your heart into the fake tale to make it believable, and Josh was just drunk enough to take your word for it.

“You’re leaving already?” There was a hint of disappointment in his eye, but when you reached out under the table and landed a gentle hand on his thigh, he seemed to perk up.

“I wish I could stay,” you said, finding his hand so you could slip the napkin into his palm. He grabbed it from you, keeping it as discreet as he could. “Thank you for being so sweet and letting me drink with you guys, though.”

“Anytime, mama.” He said, noticing your fingers still lingering on him. There was a twitch in his jaw as his teeth clenched together. If he could have it his way, he’d have you right then and there.

“I’ll see you again sometime?” You asked, a fake look of hope in your eye.

“Definitely.” He nodded. “You have a way home? Do you want me to walk with you?” He offered, partially concerned with your safety, but more concerned with getting you alone.

“I live just around the corner, so no need for that.” You assured him, imploring him to remember the note clutched tightly in his hand. “I’ll see you later, Josh.” You gave him a lingering stare as you grabbed your purse and backed out of the booth. He nodded in response, watching your hips as you walked off into the crowd. When you were out of eyesight, he looked down at the napkin, scrawled with your number and a message for him.

Call me so we can arrange that raincheck. Keep it between us, though—a secret is all the more fun ;)

You walked towards the bathroom with a fervor, pushing through the crowd with little regard for anyone or anything. It had been an extremely long night of flirting with little reward thus far. Knowing that Jake was waiting for you, feeling the same way that you were, was enough to make you want to tear the building down in order to get to him. When you rounded the corner to the one single bathroom that the building had (which in your opinion was a poor judgment on the owners part), you noticed nobody pooling around the door to wait their turn. It came as a surprise, especially considering how crowded the establishment was, but you certainly could not find a complaint about it.

Before you went inside, you reached into your purse. First, you popped a mint in your mouth, settling it under your tongue as you reapplied your deodorant and lipgloss. You ran your hand through your hair and took a deep breath, settling your thoughts before you joined Jake. The whole night has been a whirlwind, and you were shocked that you made it this far. You reached out, your fingers clasping around the handle and turning it, only to find that it was locked. You let out a huff of irritation, raising your fist to knock on the solid wood door. You hit against it with little force, sending a pattern of thuds echoing into the other side. You thought that if you did it like so, he would recognize that it was you.

You waited for a moment, and received nothing in return. Frustrated, you knocked again, a little louder this time. When he did not answer, you tapped your foot against the ground while anxiety invaded your mind. You worried that maybe you had crossed a line, pushed him a little too far and he’d changed his mind. Worse than that, you feared he decided to give you a taste of your own medicine and lead you on only to leave you with nothing. Just as you were ready to knock again, the knob twisted and the door slowly opened, revealing Jake’s smirking face illuminated by the fluttering fluorescent bulb.

“Asshole,” you muttered, unpleasant about his actions.

“Impatient, much?” He raised an eyebrow, opening the door to let you in. You pushed past him, watching him close the door and lock it before turning to face you.

“Not impatient,” you shook your head. “Just wondering why you were keeping me waiting.”

“That is impatience, sweetheart.” He chuckled, stepping towards you. “Just like you not being able to wait until we got home.”

“So what?” You shrugged, a smile tugging at your lips. You were becoming less annoyed the closer he got, and now that he was within arms reach, you had almost forgotten about the minor inconvenience entirely. “Maybe you should take it as a compliment.” You offered, reaching out and settling your hand on his bicep. You pulled him further towards you and his hand shot to your hip as if it were a natural reaction.

“Who says I don’t?” He challenged, his lips just inches away from your own. He was teasing you without even doing a thing, imploring you to make the decision you both had been waiting so long for. “You’ve got a habit of jumping to conclusions.”

“Whatever,” you rolled your eyes, the smile still eating away at your lips. “You’ve got an awful way of showing it.” You had been with plenty of people, many in this exact situation, yet it had never come so easily as it did with him. There was something compelling about Jake, and it made you want to banter with him and challenge his every move. It wasn’t malice, but it was fun, and you knew you would have a very hard time letting go of it when the night was through. Something told you that Jake was not the type of person you should let go of.

Perhaps that feeling was meant to be felt in a romantic context, yet you were still greedy enough to keep him on your hook for your own selfish desires.

“Maybe I’ll have to show it in some other way, then.” He theorized, bringing his hand to rest on your jaw. You did not have to respond in order for him to feel your enthusiasm. He leaned down, wasting no more time as he pressed his lips to yours. The seclusion of the bathroom had been a blessing in disguise; as his lips moved against your own, you could feel his guard being let down. Whether that was because of privacy, or because you finally had the opportunity to leech the life from him, you did not know.

What you did know was that because the two of you were alone, everything felt all the more fantastic. His hand felt like it was burning to the touch, melting into your skin and bringing the two of you together as one. The taste of alcohol on his tongue was even more delicious, because this time you knew it was laced with sin. His chest pressed against yours was intoxicating because you could feel the beating of his heart in time with yours. The smell of his cologne was not clouded by perfumes and aftershaves of people walking by, and his ragged breathing was not covered by the boom of music. In here, you had access to him in whatever way you pleased without interference from any external force. In here, you had the opportunity to take him for your own.

His lips trailed from your own, brushing over the firey skin of your cheeks and eventually, down to your neck. The graze of his teeth against your pulse-point was was driving you to insanity, and the feeling of his tongue running over your sweet spots was the nail in the coffin. For a brief moment, you feared that with him, your power was obsolete. Every touch was electric, and every second seemed antagonizingly slow. You were at his disposal now, and you wondered if he would be kind to you despite all of the bad karma headed in your direction.

As he continued to work his way down to your collarbone, you knew that that was no way he could be your bad karma, because no punishment should feel so good.

He backed you into the countertop, the backs of your thighs slamming against the cool tile and sending a shiver down your spine. Before you could recover, and without ever moving his lips from you, he planted his hands firmly on your waist and lifted you onto the counter. He was moving so quickly that you barely had time to process the submissive role he’d forced you into. His hand wandered up your body, settling on the thin material of your dress just above your breasts. The feeling of his warm hands on your cold skin made your breath catch in your throat, and when he pulled the material down, you felt a whine escape your lips.

“Needy little thing,” he muttered, his voice raspy with lust as his eyes grazed over your now bare chest. He’d become a whole new person in an instant, and shyness or reserve completely fleeing him. You wanted to know this side of him, more than you ever wanted to know the other side of him. There was something bordering animalistic in his approach, and his eyes darkened with the intensity of his need for you. “You want me, sweetheart?” He asked, lightly running his thumb over your hardened nipple.

For once, completely submitting to a man seemed like the right thing to do. You felt in your heart that if you were good to him, he would be fantastic to you.

“So bad, Jake.” You breathed, looking over his face as you spoke. You noticed a slight scowl on his lips that had not been there earlier, and a shed of malice in his eyes. Perhaps Jake was the type to become the worst version of himself when his clothes were off, and you were not shy in admitting that it only turned you on further. You wondered if maybe he was not looking for you to call him by his name; so far, he’d exuded his adoration for dominance, so perhaps he was searching for a title that fit the character. You thought that if you’d made it this far without fucking up, the least you could do was try your luck. “I need you, sir.”

His pupils engulfed his irises as he listened to your words and the corners of his lips upturned into a smirk. He was painfully hard, the newest term of endearment sending him into a craze as he bunched the bottom of your dress in his fists. You raised your ass off the counter, allowing him to push the fabric to your navel. As you sat back down, his hands caught your hips and pulled you closer to the edge of the counter. The two of you were perfectly in tune, now. He was fucked up for needing you to refer to him in such a way to get off, and you were just as fucked up for knowing exactly what to say without him telling you.

He hooked his fingers through the side of your panties, pulling them down with your help. “You need me?” He asked, his eyes settling on your cunt, finally getting a taste of what he’d been waiting for all along. “You flirt so much that you just can’t wait another second to be touched? Is that it?” He pressed further, his eyes only flickering to your face once to catch a glimpse of your expression.

“Yes, sir.” You nodded, aching at the thought of him being the one to touch you. Your desperation had grown so quick and so strong that it was nearly painful, and you had to fight the urge to reach between your legs and do the job for him. As much as you enjoyed his antics, you knew you would enjoy sex with him even more.

“So what was it?” He asked, letting his rough fingertips graze the soft skin of your thighs. The touch sent goosebumps prickling over your skin. “Or who was it might be the better question.”

“W-what?” You stuttered, only half listening to his tirade.

“Don’t play dumb, angel.” He scolded, his fiery gaze flicking upwards and holding your stare this time. Before he spoke again, he placed one hand on your knee, roughly pushing it to the side to give him access to you. “Who turned you into such a mess? Was it me, or was it my brother?” Jake knew as soon as the words left his lips, it hit a nerve within you. You had expected him to drop the subject and forget about it as soon as he got you naked, that he would feel superior for being the one to have you in such a way. Clearly, you had misjudged him, and Jake was the type to hold a grudge. That, or he didn’t really care all that much and just loved to torture you.

“You, sir.” You promised, making sure to add a breathiness to your tone that would send him spiraling. It worked, but not to the extent you had hoped. His hand drifted to the inside of your thigh, dangerously close to your core yet far enough away to make it excruciatingly hard for you to sit through.

‘Maybe he’s a sadist,’ you thought. Then, a worse idea washed over you; if he was a sadist, you would gladly be the masochist. At that moment, the tables turned. The boy before you had made you into a mess, spinning your entire world on its axis and changing your trajectory. For once, you had no concern for your own pleasure, and felt that you could only accept such kindness if it were to please him.

In short, he’d turned you soft.

Jake knew that this conversation was making you squirm, but he did not know the reason why. You did not feel guilt for flirting with Josh; you were overcome with emotion at the idea of living to be a source of pleasure for Jake. You were so keen on the idea of using others for your own personal gain, yet as he stared at you from between your legs, waiting for his next moment to strike, you knew that you would give up the whole world just to be of use to him, in any way he deemed necessary.

Sexually, of course.

Romance was never an option laid out on the table, nor would it ever be.

“You sure about that, sweetheart?” He asked, his upper lip curling as he brought his hand to your cunt. You let out a gasp, your fingers tightening around the edge of the countertop as his thumb brushed over your clit. It was featherlight, a minimal touch that should not have produced such a strong effect on you, yet everything seemed grand when Jake was the one doing it.

For a split second, you felt regret at the idea of trying to get Josh into your bed, too. You need not be so greedy when someone so fantastic was willing to fulfill all of your needs. Then, the moment passed and your wicked nature returned to you. You were excited at the prospect of having Josh in the same way, because you had little doubt that he would treat you just as good.

“Did you want him in here with you, playing with your pretty little pussy?” The vulgarity wrapped delicately around his tongue, like it was the sweetest word he’d ever spoken. You felt yourself clench around nothing, your heart beating hard enough to burst through your ribcage. “You want him to touch you, instead?”

“No, sir.” You whined, feeling the muscles in your thighs twitch as he added pressure to his thumb. You were only partially lying, because you knew that if he stopped, you would break down, crumbling to the ground and turning to dust from the loss of his precious company. You did not want Josh to touch you instead, you just wanted him to do it too. “I just want you, baby.” You pleaded, hoping he could read between the lines and see that you wanted more.

Jake knew you were lying; he knew that you were not a lustful woman who caught the attention of men at the bar; you were a foul, wicked entity that was rotten to the core. He could see it in your eyes, the lack of remorse and shame. There was no room for any other emotion in you other than desire, but he felt lucky to be on the receiving end of such things. If he was smart, he would have turned and walked out the door. He should have left you there to wallow in your own stupidity and arrogance, and maybe then you would have learned not to make such a mistake. Every time he felt like he had the willpower to do so, you caught his eye, or another whiny moan pushed past your pink, glossed lips, and he knew he would stay between your legs until he heaved his last dying breath. Leaving you was not an option, yet staying would kill him.

Either way, he knew that death was most feasible, and he would rather die hearing his name stuck in your throat than alone and clinging to the memory.

“Then let me hear how fucking bad you want it.” He ordered, his words resembling a growl as he leaned forward and let a trail of spit fall from his lips to his fingers. Not long after, he pushed his middle and index finger inside of you. Your back arched at the feeling, your hips lifting off the counter to meet the curl of his fingers inside of you. You let out a string of curses, a groan tearing through your chest as a wave of pleasure washed over you. You had no idea what he was depriving you of until you felt it, and now you feared you could not live without it.

“Oh, fuck.” You gasped, noticing the steady pace of his fingers be joined by his thumb on your clit.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Let me hear it.” He encouraged, nearly driven to madness at the knowledge he was the one making you sing such precious sounds. You leaned back, your head resting on the scratched mirror as you portrayed yourself in an even more pornographic manner. Your tits were spilling from the top of your dress and your knuckles were white from gripping the countertop so tightly. Your eyebrows were furrowed, your lips parted as he worked his way up to familiarity with your body. Although he wasn’t certain he would see you again after the night was through, he wanted to ensure that if he did, he knew you well enough to pick up where you left off tonight. Plus, he hoped that if he did a good enough job, you would invite him back for more.

His need to be needed by you was debilitating, but he couldn’t help himself. He felt like something else entirely when he was around you, like pleasing you was the only thing in the world that mattered.

You would think that by now he would know better, especially after seeing the evil you were capable of when it came to his brother, but it did not matter to him. He wanted to be with you so badly that he chose to blind himself on your behalf. He’d tricked himself to believe you were genuine, and he had enough faith in his own ability that he believed he could make you forget about your attraction to Josh. When the night was through, he was confident that his brother would not even be a passing thought in your mind.

His own naïveté would inevitably be the end of him, but he was too stubborn to admit the truth.

He was a force to be reckoned with, but you were an otherworldly force that not only him, but the world itself had never encountered, and likely never would again.

“Feels so fucking good, sir.” You gasped, squeezing your eyes shut as another forceful pull of pleasure twisted your stomach. His eyes were settled on your cunt, watching his fingers drive you to the brink of insanity. The sight was doing just the same to him—with every pump of his fingers, his cock throbbed in anticipation for what he would experience in due time.

“See, sweetheart? You do know how to do something worthwhile with your mouth after all.” He muttered, talking down to you all while blessing you with the most generous gift. He was still seething that Josh had a taste of the sweetness you had to offer, even if he was the lucky one to have you so intimately. Instead of depriving you both of the pleasure, he figured he could get the best of both worlds. He might have felt remorse if not for you enjoying his harsh words so much.

Another moan escaped you. It was louder than you anticipated, engulfing the silence that once existed in the air. The sound was so vulgar that it clung to the poorly decorated walls, seeping into the foundation and making home. You would never be able to walk into the place again without being reminded of the memory indefinitely. Jake's company far outweighed the value of any other, and his legacy would live on in the building forever. Even as sharp insults slid off his tongue and in your direction, you felt like it was a blessing to be the one to receive it.

Your muscles tensed as his fingers curled, brushing against the sweet spot he’d so easily found. He seemed to know you so well despite barely knowing you at all, and it was comforting just as much as it was confusing. You wanted to give in to him, to let your iron guard down for a moment to let him and see you as you truly were rather than what you tried to be, but you couldn’t. You could not trust a man that seemed so eager to please you, and one who did it so well. For a moment, you believed that he was the master of deception, and you had taken him for a fool when in reality, it was only you who could be branded as such. You wondered if you had been so sure of yourself that you believed he was falling for your lies, when in fact, you were playing into his game.

Whoevers game it was did not matter in the end, as no matter which way it went, the two of you were being played by each other in entirely different ways. He was trying to con the player into taking a chance on him, and you were trying to con the lover into submission so you could fuck his brother. It was a losing battle for the both of you, but try was the only thing you knew how to do.

“Are you going to cum for me, Angel?” He asked, his voice barely sounding over your desperation.

“Y-yes sir,” you gasped, the intensity of the pleasure making you want to force your legs shut just to get a moment of rest. You were certain that you were being louder than the music playing outside the door, but neither of you cared.

“You going to let everyone know how good I’m making you feel?” He asked, his eyes flickering towards the door for a moment, then back to you.

“God, yes.” You muttered, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down your forehead. The bathroom was unbearably warm as is, and with the added warmth of what he was doing to you, it was nearly suffocating. Your whole body felt like it was on fire. Your heartbeat was deafening as it rang through your eardrums and the pit of your stomach felt like it was encased in flames. You were so close, and you needed it so bad. You were so strung out on pleasure that you could not formulate any further words. Instead, you did exactly as he said, muttering curses mixed with pornographic sounds that would ensure anyone lingering by the door would quickly make an exit.

Then, your vision began to blur as the orgasm threatened you further. The euphoria was coursing through your veins, throbbing under your skin and begging to take your life. With every movement he was pushing you closer to the edge, and he was drinking in every second of the moment. He watched as you expression twisted into pleasure, how your chest would rise and fall with every breath, how the muscles of your legs twitched every time he brought his thumb back over your clit. You were enchanting and he found it impossible not to watch.

You could feel yourself descending into something stronger than anything you’d ever felt. The whole world felt like it was spinning and your body felt light. It was within your grasp, and you were delirious enough to think that if you reached out, you could wrap your fingers around the billowing clouds of euphoria and draw them closer, to drown yourself in it. You moved your hips down on his hand, needing that little bit extra to get you there, and he had no issue giving it to you. It was overwhelming in the best possible way, and you felt the need to stave off the urge just to make it last a little bit longer. Not long after that, you realized how ridiculous the idea was and began to give in to the temptation. It felt like it was consuming you, your skin white hot with desire and no sign of letting up.

And then it was gone.

Your eyes shot open, a fire dancing in your pupils as you looked down at him. He had drawn his hand away completely, a small smirk toying across his lips as he turned his gaze towards you. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” You asked, clearly upset with no intent to hide it. The pleasure was still making your skin tingle, but it was dissipating faster with every second that passed until eventually, it turned into an empty sense of longing settled deep in the pit of your stomach. In any other circumstance, he would have chastised you for speaking so harshly, but he was enjoying your desperation and frustration too much to ask you to stop.

“I’m not that kind, sweetheart.” He reminded you, knowing that denying you an orgasm was a complex decision with many reasons as to why. He did not think you were deserving of one so soon, even if he craved to see you turn to a mess before him. More than that, he did not what you to cum from something as frivolous as his hands. “You really think you deserve it?”

No, you did not think you deserved it, but god did you want it. In your mind, want was equal to, if not more important than anything else.

“Jake, please.” You breathed, your cheeks stained red from embarrassment more than pleasure, now. Not often did you feel that you should beg for a man, yet for some reason, he made you feel as though you would die without him. There was some otherworldly power that he bestowed upon you after a single touch, and you were hooked on him for life. He was more powerful than any substance and more desirable than any other man. “I’ve been so good for you, baby. Please let me cum.” While you spoke, his mind seemed completely elsewhere.

As you begged, he paid no mind to your neediness and instead raised his index finger to his mouth, slowly slipping the digit between his lips and settling it on his tongue. He inhaled deeply as the taste of your arousal overwhelmed him, letting out a low groan that rattled his chest. Although it was muffled by his finger in his mouth, you heard it loud and clear. If it were possible, the simple action made you even more desperate for him, and you thought you might die if he made you wait any longer. When he withdrew his finger, a slight popping noise echoed through the air around the two you. When he looked up at you, his pupils had completely consumed his irises, blackened with lust for you.

“Taste so sweet, angel.” He muttered, his gaze flickering back to your cunt. “You have been good for me, haven’t you?” He smiled, but it was not the beautiful one you’d grown so accustomed to. This time, it was evil, and it shook you to the core.

“So good, sir.” You agreed, nodding your head slightly. You looked down at him with innocent eyes and a little smile, hoping that he would see reason. “Please let me cum, sir. I’ve been so good.” You said it again, with more conviction in your eyes in hopes of winning the battle. He let his fingers trail up your thigh, the light touch tickling your skin and sending another rush of arousal straight to your cunt.

“You sound so fucking pretty when beg for me.” He spoke lowly, but with plenty of power within his words. With that, his hands settled on your hips and he pulled you even closer to the edge of the counter. He drink to his knees before you, eyes focused intently on your cunt. He leaned forward, his mouth connecting with you without any further conversation, reveling the real reason why he’d gotten on his knees.

He flattened his tongue against you, slowly running it through your folds, getting another taste of the arousal that he was responsible for. He hummed against you, showing his appreciation for you and the opportunity to have you like such. You let out a shaky sigh, still leaning your head against the mirror to support yourself as he worked at you. He took it slow at first, wanting to savour every moment of the experience as he feared he may never get the chance again. You loosened your iron grip on the countertop, reaching down and tangling your fingers in the long locks of brown hair. It felt good around your fingers, just as soft and silky as you imagined it would be.

When he seemed satisfied with the teasing he was doing, he let his tongue settle over your clit, moving it slowly across the sensitive bundle of nerves. Your breath hitched in your throat as a rush of pleasure flooded through you, reminding you of all he was capable of doing, even with the most miniscule of actions. He used one hand to guide your leg over his shoulder, running his fingers back up until he could grip your hip again. He repeated the action with the other leg, and once he felt you were secure, he pulled you down even further on him. When you grew comfortable with the changes, he brought his fingers back to you and wasted no time in resuming his earlier pace.

“Fuck, Jake.” You hissed, the feeling consuming your entire body once again. He’d pushed you so close to the edge that it wasn’t hard to get you back, and after only a few seconds of steady movement, you could feel the pressure begin to rise again. In response, he curled his fingers upwards again as he pumped them into you, unable to forget the reaction that it prompted from you. You felt yourself clench around him, drawing his hand in further and deeper, intending to keep him there forever.

He took in a sharp breath, loving the way your body responded to his efforts. He thought you were the most enchanting thing he’d ever laid eyes on, and he would happily die between your legs with his name knotted around your tongue. You were so caught up in bliss that you began to believe this was the best it would ever get; no man before Jake had ever made you feel so good, even if they tried ten times harder. Jake was what you had been looking for every night since moving to the city, and if you had been smart, you would have recognized that and took the leap of faith. You were too far gone, spiraling down your self-made rabbit hole, neglecting the idea that he could be more than just good sex in a dingy bar bathroom.

The truth was that you knew all of those things, and worse than that, you could feel it when you were with him, but you were too far gone to ever be able to introduce love to your cold heart. You wanted to love, to be loved, but you no longer had the capacity for such things. The fleeting feeling of an orgasm was powerful, and even if it did not leave you fulfilled for very long, it was preferable to the pain of heartbreak. He made you feel more than you ever had before, but that was what made you want to run. A man met at the bar with sly words and a pretty smile was never good news, and when you took note of the rest of his charming attributes, you knew he was even worse than bad. Jake had the ability to make you see him for more than sex, but he also had the ability to hurt you worse than anyone else.

Drawn by the first touch and stuck there after the second, he was the most devilish of all men; the difference between you and the razor sharp thorns that grew from your skin was that he did not have intent to use his for harm, but you were always looking for a reason to injure. You recognized his deadly beauty because you held the same one in your heart, and you had taken him as someone just like you, neglecting to consider that he was far from it. You did not have enough time or care to make an attempt to see differently, so you continued on with your same old treachery with intent to destroy anything good before it could ever happen.

With expert precision, he kept his fingers in time with his tongue. He could feel how close you were without you having to say a word. The rapid breathing and racing heartbeat, the blushed cheeks and the forehead gleaming with sweat, the eyes squeezed shut and your thighs tightening around his head. It was so powerful that he almost felt the same desperation in his heart, fearing that if he did not get you there you would succumb to the sickness of need. He wanted to talk you through it, to use words of praise instead of the cruel sentiments he had been giving you before. He wanted to be the only thing on your mind, to invade every thought and fibre of your being so you did not even have the opportunity to think of anything else. His work was driven by greed, and he was not ashamed to admit that he would do whatever he could to keep you coming back for more.

The thought of you flirting with his brother had long left his mind, replaced with filthy thoughts of all he could do to you. He knew that Josh did not have the same luxury, and he would be walking home alone without you, while he would spend the entire night entangling you within his soul. He was the only one of the two who was blessed with the privilege of having you, and he would wear the badge with honour until his very last minute on earth.

Once again, his overconfident attitude and foolish naïveté would seal his grave forevermore.

A particularly sharp moan forced him to break out of his thoughts, returning his focus back to you as he continued to push you closer to the edge. “Oh god, Jake.” You cried, feeling the threat of an orgasm creeping up on you once more. It was much stronger and more intense than the last, and your whole body felt ablaze with pleasure. Your heart felt like it would explode out of your chest, and your lungs would deflate. Your head was buzzing with anticipation, and your entire body was tense.

You wondered if it was possible to survive the fall after allowing him to carry you to such heights.

You did not have enough time to worry about death as the knot in your belly snapped under the pressure, unravelling as the feeling took over your entire body. Your thighs squeezed against his skull, locking him there indefinitely as your fingers grasped at the strands of his hair. If not for the counter beneath you and his hand holding you in place, you thought you might descend to hell from the sinful indulgence. You had never felt anything quite like it, as if your soul was being consumed by the irate pleasure that knew not when to stop. Your back arched off the counter, the feeling of his tongue still moving sent you into another wave of euphoria. His fingers inside of you were moving with a fervour, lingering around the sweet spot he’s taken to. It was so much that it was almost nothing at all; so powerful that it was the only thing you knew.

When you came down, you were delirious from the depths of the new world he’d introduced you to. You wondered if you would ever find something that could make you feel that way again, or if you would spend an entire lifetime chasing after a high that only existed when you were with him. Debate on the topic was non-essential, because when he rose from his knees and unbuckled his belt, it did not matter. In fact, nothing in the world mattered except for him.

Recovery was not a conscious choice, because he gave you no other option. Before you were even of sound mind, he’d freed himself from his boxers and resumed his position between your legs, only standing this time. Your orgasm was still glistening on his chin, and he wore it like a trophy as he casted a downward glance at you. Even in the lowlight, every one of his features still appeared so beautifully, as if all of the gods had a helping hand in the creation of him. “Was that what you wanted, angel?” He asked, his voice husky as he watched you with a whole new type of hunger in his eyes. “That’s what you waited all night for?”

“Y-yes, sir.” You stuttered, still gulping for air. Normally, you would feel strange being in such a state in front of anyone, especially when they were as calm as he was, but it did not bother you now. You were perfectly content being at his disposal, ready to give him anything and everything his heart desired.

“Are you ready for more, or you can’t take it?” He asked, reaching down and running a thumb over your burning cheek. Your eyes fluttered closed at the touch, a human reaction to a sweet gesture.

“I can take it, sir.” You promised, your eyes flickering away from his stare and down to his cock. Your mouth watered at the sight, fantasizing momentarily about what it would be like to taste him. You wanted him in every way possible, and any shame about the need was long gone the minute he began to touch you. Your focus was torn away from the beautiful imaginative world you’d thrown yourself into when he spit on his hand, stroking himself for a moment before stepping closer to you.

“You think you can keep being good for me?” He asked, running the tip of his cock through the wetness that remained on your cunt.

“Yes, sir.” You said, confident in your ability to take whatever he had to offer. He rested himself against your entrance, pushing his hips forward only slightly so just his tip rested inside of you.

“That’s my girl,” he said, the possessive claim settling deep in your spine and weighing you down like cement. It felt so good to be called his, even if you did not really want to be. His lips turned upwards into a smile, misleading you only slightly. Then, without warning, he brought one hand to the back of your head. The sudden movement did nothing but confuse you, but when he used his hand resting on your hip to pull you towards him, it appeared there was a method to his madness. Your back landed against the countertop with a loud thud, sending a tingle of pain radiating through your spine, but he used his hand to cushion your head as you fell, ensuring it would not slam against the counter as well.

The mix of pain from the fall and the pleasure from him finally being inside of you was conflicting, but addicting nonetheless. Your hips were off the counter completely now, and once he knew you were well and recovered from the shock, he moved his hand from your head. He loved the accessibility of the new position, and he was eager to begin. With both hands holding your hips steady, he felt comfortable enough to begin moving at a steady pace, but steady did not mean gentle, and your toes were already curling from the sensation as you locked your legs around him.

“Fuck!” You yelped, feeling the tip of his cock slam into the same spot his fingers had been tormenting just moments before. You were more sensitive than ever due to the earth shattering orgasm he’d just given you, and the feeling of him inside you was overwhelming.

“I thought you said you could take it, sweetheart?” He taunted, delivering another sharp thrust to the same area. Your legs quivered from the sensation and your throat was raw from the moans flowing steadily through it. You could not respond, the pleasurable pain was so intense that it was impossible to focus on anything else. He wondered for a moment if he was giving you more than you could handle, but the thought quickly vanished when he felt your legs tighten around him and pull him closer. It was enough of an answer for him, but you pulled yourself together enough to fight back.

“Don’t give yourself too much credit, honey.” You smirked. “You call this fucking?” His eyes blazed red in an instant, as if your words turned him into an entirely different entity. Your desire to fight never fled, and his antagonism was just enough to bring it back out.

“You’re gonna be a little brat after I was so nice to you?” He said, drilling his hips into you even more harshly. The feeling seemed to take your breath away, but you tried your best to stand your ground. “Or do you want me to treat you like a whore?” He raised an eyebrow, somehow unphased by the speed in which his hips were moving. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Fuck, yes.” You whined, arching your back against the countertop to meet the thrust of his hips. You knew you could not handle any more, but you needed it all the same. Everything about him was conflicting and it only ever made you want more.

“You like being a little slut for me, don’t you?” He pressed further, letting his hands wander down your legs.

“I love it, sir.” You corrected, feeling his fingers tighten around your ankles as he pulled your legs apart, keeping his touch gentle as he tortured you with his hips. He brought your legs up, straightening them before pushing them upwards and into your chest. He leaned forward, locking you into position and slipped an arm underneath you to support your weight.

“Show me how much you love it, sweetheart.” He ordered, his expression stern as he continued to fuck into you. His movements were causing your knees to push back into your chest, constricting you in the most intoxicating way. “I want you to cum again, on my cock this time.” The vulgarity of his words made your walls tighten around him, making the sensation even more intense. “Can you do that for me?”

“I can,” you whimpered, feeling the pressure rising again. He was pushing you to the limit just so he could watch you as he drove you to insanity. Every movement was amplified by a million with the new position, and that wasn’t even considering how your skin was still tingling with the ghost of your previous orgasm. If his intent was to send you mad, he was doing a damn good job.

“How’s this for fucking?” He growled, looking down at your face. You were so strung out on pleasure that you could barely keep your eyes open, but that was exactly what he was hoping for. “Is this good enough for you, angel?” The pet name was laced with distaste now, showing his anger for your snide comment. You realized as you caught his eye that there was a whole other side of Jake you had yet to discover, and one night would not be enough for you to know him as much as you would like. You had no idea how a man so ethereal could turn so animalistic in an instant, and it only confused you further when you realized you liked that side of him more, because only you could see it.

You were desperate for him to slow down; the climax was barreling towards you at the speed of light, and you could not keep up with it. At the same time, you knew that if he stopped, you would be on your knees in an instant to beg him for more. The very thing you needed to survive would ultimately be the thing that killed you, and your relationship with the man between your legs had been vile from the very beginning. It started on lies and deceit, and carried on after betrayal and mistrust. Nothing good could ever grow from something so rotten, yet the two of you joined together in a pivotal moment of your lives; you would never be the same again, and neither would he. Despite the evil that forced the two of you together, you knew you would not change it for the world.

You were broken from your thoughts when a sharp sting flashed across your cheek. He was expecting an answer, and he was not willing to go without one, so he did what he could to regain your attention. Your eyes shot open, focusing in on the face glaring down at you. His hand had moved back to hold your hip, as if he’d never struck you at all. It took you a moment to clue in to what he had done, because you were too busy trying to sear the sight of his face into your memory for the rest of time. His hair was sticking to his skin, his shirt hanging off his body as the buttons came undone from the constant movements. He was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen, and you were lucky to have him, even if you did feel regret for using him in such a way.

“Fucking answer me.” He hissed, wondering if he would need to slap you again to pry the words from your lips. Under your foundation, the skin had already began blotching with redness at the forceful contact, but you didn’t seem to care. If anything, you wondered what you could do to get him to do it again. “Is this good enough for you, or do you still need more?”

“It’s good, sir. It’s so fucking good.” You rushed the words out, knowing that if you did not answer, his next punishment might not be so enjoyable.

“That’s what I thought, sweetheart.” His chest was heaving, trying to keep up with his rapid pace. You could feel his movements getting sloppy, but he would not give up until he got one more orgasm out of you.

Your hips began to ache from the position they were in, so you made an attempt to straighten one of your legs out to wrap it around him again. He noticed your struggle, moving back slightly to allow you to do as you needed. Once your legs are locked in place around his waist once more, he held one hand to your hip to keep you steady and snaked his other hand up your body, settling his fingers around your neck. Your stomach fluttered at the new position, excited for him to continue on with his work.

“I need you to cum for me, angel.” He said, carefully settling his fingers over your pulse points, looking over your face for a shred of discomfort. When he found none, it seemed to send him into a whole new frenzy. The knowledge that you would let him do as he pleased with you was driving him to insanity, and he began to regret not bringing you to the bathroom sooner. You were a mess, your dress bunched up around your ribs now, and your tits still free from the top of it. Your mascara was running down your cheeks and your hair was a mess, but he thought you were just as stunning as you were when he first laid eyes on you. “Can you do that for me, baby?”

“Yes, sir.” You choked out, feeling his fingers tightening around your neck. Your eyes closed as you willed yourself to give in to the feeling. The need for a release was unbearable, and your stomach was ablaze with the threat of another climax. As his fingers continued to tighten around your jugular, your head began to spin from the lack of blood flow. The pleasure already coursing through your veins seemed to increase tenfold, and there was no more holding back.

The orgasm tore through you with an intensity that made your whole body tremble. The world felt like it was crashing down around you and your lungs ached for a breath of air. You tried to speak his name, but even that failed you. Your legs trembled around him, exhausted from being held in such a position for so long. You wanted to close your eyes, to give in to the feeling and let it take over. You feared you might die from it, and it was such a peaceful feeling that you felt no need to fight it.

As your body relaxed about the counter, he released his hold on your neck. The sudden rush of air seemed to force you back into reality, and your head slowly stopped spinning. You felt Jake’s hips stutter as he uttered a few curses under his breath. You opened your eyes in just enough time to watch him pull out of you, quickly stepping towards you as he stroked himself a few times. You quickly jumped to action, reaching down and knocking his hand out of the way. It took him by surprise, but when your hand wrapped around him and continued with his previous movements, his head fell back in bliss. It was fast enough that it did not make him lose the momentum, and he was grateful for you taking the control. His eyes squeezed shut as he let out a low groan, spilling his release on to your stomach. You let out a ragged breath, looking down at the mess he’d made, his cock still throbbing in your hand as you worked himself through the last few seconds of his own orgasm.

A shiver ran down his spine as you withdrew your hand. He straightened up, heaving a heavy sigh as he looked down at you, soaking up the last few seconds of having you like that. You gave him a small smile in return, another shred of evil making its way into your brain. You slowly brought your hand to your stomach, making sure to maintain the eye contact. Meticulously, you brought your finger to the cum he’d decorated your stomach with, still warm and inviting. You saw his eyes shift down towards your hand, watching as you ran your finger through it, delicate and soft. When you felt as though he had a good enough of an idea for what you were about to do, you brought your finger to your mouth, parting your lips slightly as you pushed your finger to your tongue. You ran it across the pad of your forefinger, letting out a soft moan as you let your eyes flutter closed.

A soft sound emitted from his throat, close to a whine but a little too deep to be classified as such. You had pushed him over the edge, and if he could have gotten away with it, he would have fucked you again right then and there. Instead, he reached for the paper towel dispenser, ripping off a few sheets and cleaning off your stomach as best he could, despite wishing he could witness you do it all over again. He tossed the used paper in the trash after wiping himself off, then pulled his pants back up.

“Get up,” he said, buckling his belt and adjusting himself to conceal the hard-on that was reluctant to go away.

“What?”

“You can’t listen?” He snapped. “Get the fuck up.” He repeated, clearly still feeding off the sexual energy lingering in the air.

“W-why?” You stuttered, almost expecting him to return to normal after you finished. The brash nature of his voice took you by surprise, but you certainly didn’t mind.

“Because I’m going to take you home, and I’m going to fuck you again.” He explained, stepping forward and landing a soft hand on your thigh. “And again… and probably again after that, until you can’t fucking walk and the only thing you know how to say is my name.” A flood of arousal rushed through you, making your heart beat faster once again. Usually, you would laugh at such a claim, but you knew he was not bluffing in the slightest. With that, he leaned down and grabbed your thong from the ground, looking it over as he held it in his palm. You figured he would give it to you, so you extended your arm out to grab it, but he sent you a sly look through the corner of his eye. Instead of passing them to you, he slipped it in his pocket as a trophy for his night’s endeavour and turned to face you. “What are you waiting for, sweetheart?”

‘Nothing’ was the only proper answer, so you scrambled to your feet to straighten yourself out, already excited for the rest of the night. As you cleaned your makeup in the mirror, you glanced at him over your shoulder, wondering if you could handle all of the things he had in store for you. As you watched him watching you, your stomach fluttered with nervousness, and your heart began to swell with adoration. You could handle whatever he wanted to do for you, but you hoped you could handle it well enough to entertain his brother the night after.

No matter how good he was, nobody was ever good enough to subdue a player like you. You would get your way, just like you did every time, but this time was different; it came with a cost too high to justify. Then again, you lived for a thrill, and there was nothing you weren’t willing to gamble for just a taste of what you desired. As he led you out the front door of the bar with a lingering hand on your waist, you revelled in the bliss of his touch all while fantasizing about what it would feel like to be touched by Josh instead. It made you wonder just how far you could take it before it became too much.

As the two of you walked hand in hand, the vicious cycle continued, and soon enough, you knew that ultimately, a punishment would be due. In your purse, your phone had already been ravished by drunk texts from the brother you had yet to entertain, but could not wait to have for yourself. You knew better, but the idea of having the both of them was too good to pass up. Greed was a wicked motivator, and it was plaguing you. You could only hope that punishment in the eyes of the devil, and especially given by the twin brothers, would be enjoyable more than it would be painful.

TAGLIST: @gretavangroupie @wetkleenex-gvf @edgingthedarkness @clairesjointshurt @jordie-gvf @lallisonl @writingcold @dannys-dream @ageofbajabule @GVFstuddedmajesty @mackalah @watchingover-hypegirl @earthgrlsreasy @blacksoul-27 @ur-m0ms-blog @Lyndz2names @gretavanomens @josh-iamyour-mama @gretavangirlie @cxffeecakez @stardustjake @highway-tuna @peaceloveunitygvf @dancingcarbon @kiszkas-canvas @thewritingbeforesunrise @myownparadise96 @just-ambam @jakeyt @joshym @demonrat444 @pattypanini @itsafullmoon (if I accidentally missed someone, please let me know 🤍)

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pengujoon · 8 months

Text

A BITTERSWEET REMINDER OF THE COST OF POWER

content. gojo x sibling!reader, fluff if you squint, angst, hurt/no comfort. cw: death. sick!reader, you die of unknown causes in this one, but it's something related to being the twin sibling of the gojo satoru.

a/n. I headcanon that gojo has a twin sibling

"I had it figured out quite a long time ago... the reason why twins are a bad omen for sorcerers." - Mai Zen'in

The fluorescent lights above cast a clinical glow, illuminating the fragility of the moment. Gojo sat by your side, his presence was both comforting and heavy with unspoken emotions. He knew that this moment was precious, a time to say the things that had remained unsaid for far too long.

"How are you feeling today?" His voice was soft, a mere whisper of the charismatic sorcerer you knew.

You managed a faint smile, your voice weak but filled with appreciation. "Just grateful for moments like this."

His hand found yours, his grip gentle yet firm. "We've been through so much together."

You nodded, memories flooding your mind. "And I wouldn't change any of it."

A mixture of sadness and love gleamed in Gojo's eyes. "You've always been the strong one, you know. Even when the odds were against you."

A bittersweet smile tugged at your lips. "Strength is in our blood, but it took different forms for each of us."

As time seemed to slow down, the room became a haven of shared history and unspoken sentiments. The moments you had spent together, the laughter and tears, all seemed to converge in this final conversation.

"You remember when we used to stargaze?" you asked, a wistful smile on your lips.

Gojo's smile was watery, his voice thick with emotion. "How could I forget? Those were some of the best moments."

Laughter and nostalgia intertwined, filling the room with a sense of warmth. The conversation continued, each memory and shared moment deepening the connection between you and your sibling.

As the day began to wane, the room's soft lighting casting long shadows, Gojo's gaze never left yours. "I'll always carry you with me. You'll never truly be gone."

The sentiment echoed in your heart, a promise that transcended the boundaries of life and death. Even as your strength waned, your love remained a constant force.

And then, as the sun cast its final rays and darkness enveloped the room, Gojo's voice shattered, a raw and agonizing cry escaping his lips. "I can't lose you. Please, don't go.”

His pain filled the room, an anguish that cut through the air like a knife. The heaviness of impending loss intertwined with the unbreakable bond you shared.

As you closed your eyes for the last time, Gojo's presence was a soothing balm. And as your heart's final beat approached, you knew that within the world of curses and sorcery, the bond between siblings remained unbreakable, a testament to the enduring power of love.

And only at the very end, as Gojo's cries echoed through the room and his tears fell onto your hand, did the truth become clear – this was your last day, a day where love and farewell coexisted, a day that would forever remain etched in Gojo's shattered heart, a heart that bore the weight of a sibling's sacrifice and the unspoken price of power.

#gojo satoru x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #gojo x reader #gojo x gn!reader #jujutsu kaisen imagines #jujutsu kaisen fluff #jujutsu kaisen angst #jujutsu kaisen drabbles #penguwrites #gojo x sibling!reader #gojo x you #twin!au #twin!gojo au #jjk sibling au #gojo x sick!reader

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puffballlofdoom · 3 months

Text

On "alysmond" and "helaemond"

For some reason, there’s a petty war going on between fierce “helaemond” and “alysmond” stans. Fr, I totally don’t understand why should those ships be mutually exclusive? If “helaemond” actually becomes the show canon, I can totally see Helaena breaking up with her brother-boyfriend after B’n’C. IMO Aemond’s recklessness and long-harbored, ill-concealed hatred for Luke , contributing to Jaehaerys’ tragic death is a reason enough for Hel to stay away from him, never mind how dear the siblings (with benefits) used to be to each other. In this scenario, Aeamond could pursue a relationship with Alys, never mind his previous (more or less romantic) engagement with Helaena…

In addition, if “helaemond” is confirmed, this subplot doesn’t necessary have to be some fabulous love story. I mean the siblings *may* have been getting along with each other pretty well , and I really enjoy the idea of young Aemond having a crush on his big sister. I find it really cute, that’s all. In my opinion teenage Aemond, doubtlessly familiar with the idea of “courtly love” (I’m guessing this concept could exist in the quasi-medieval Westeros), might have enjoyed performing the role of righteous knight, worshipping his “future queen” from afar , as if there was a “secret RPG session”, going on but in his head. Frankly speaking, the young !Knight Aemond and his !Lady Helaena don’t even have to get sexually involved and their “forbidden love” could remain just cute, childish crush, as the time goes by turning into mature friendship, mutual care and understanding. Perhaps older Aemond, driven with his sense of responsibility, would want to become a proprer father figure/ role model for his little nephews and niece? I like to think well-educated, smart Aemond, familiar with the story of Daenys the Dreamer, and keeping his sister company more often than her joke of a husband, found out Hel was a Dragon Dreamer.

On the other hand, we cannot rule out Helaena and Aemond becoming lovers, but IMO such a scenario would be pretty dark. It seems to me it could happened only if the show version of Helaena remained childless after two or three years of marriage (yet again, I am speaking about the show counterpart of the FnB Helaena, who canonically bore the twins about a year after she had wed Aegon) and Aemond started to fear someone like Larys Strong would simply get rid of Hel, so that the WIDOWED crown prince could take another bride. So, Aemond shared his fears with his sister, and the siblings agreed they ought to cuckold Aegon in order to secure Helaena’s position as the future queen, and thusly save her life… It’s possible the righteous prince Aemond , loathing the mere idea of fathering bastards, could have secretly married his sister (it could have been a traditional Valyrian ceremony, which still wouldn’t make the whole situation any romantic). However, even as a “secretly married” couple, who could grow to quite enjoy performing their “conjugal duty”, Aemond and Helaena could remain but “siblings with benefits” (which sounds awful, but given they’re Targaryens, it kinda makes sense) and never develop romantic feelings for each other. In this scenario, they could be still sleeping together after Aegon’s heir had been born, just out of sheer need for comfort, closeness or affection, or simply willing to reduce stress, feel better or have fun. Messed up as Helaena and Aemond seem, they could have perceived sex as yet another form of bonding… Whatever could have been going on between the siblings, their breakup after Jaehaerys’ death appears inevitable.

As far as Aemond’s relationship with Alys is concerned, I wouldn’t call it an overly romantic love story, either. Let’s say it out loud – in spite of her sharp wits, charms and whatnot, Alys was a prisoner of war and even if Aemond had fallen madly in love with her, I would risk saying she wasn’t in the position to truly reciprocate his feelings. Thanks to Alys’ good looks, the prince “generously” spared her life, there’s no two ways about it, BUT however “besotted” Aemond was with Alys, becoming his “war bride” literally meant she was chosen to be a freakin’ sex slave. In my honest opinion, the woman deserved better and I don’t believe she reciprocated his love. Alys certainly was not in the position to fully consent to be the prince’s paramour, although I can totally see Aemond developing genuine romantic feelings for her – however twisted it may sound. It seems to me in the very beginning, it was just about lust, but later on, the prince could have taken to the “witch” because of her personality and even become fascinated with her supernatural powers. Frankly speaking, I am not the fan of the “Alys casting a love spell on Aemond” theory. She might have been using her totally prosy, feminine charms in order to endear the prince to her, and thusly make sure she would be treated as well as she could possibly be under so dire circumstances. And no, I don’t mean Alys was just offering Aemond sexual favors. Intelligent person she no doubt was, the “witch queen” could do her best in order to forge an emotional bond with Aemond, too. For instance listening to what the prince had to say and showing him affection. Paradoxically, learning Aemond’s story could make Alys take to the prince at least a little, since in this scenario, she could realize in spite of coming from different social backgrounds, they shared a bunch of experiences. For instance, earlier in her life, unwed and pregnant Alys, born out of wedlock herself, had been no doubt an outcast – just like Aemond the Kinslayer, having blood of his close relative on his hands. Could it be a reason enough for Alys to start sympathizing with Aemond? Yes, indeed. In addition, the “witch” had lost both her child and their father – even if we are not familiar with the details and the moment she met Aemond Alys was probably over it. If the “helaemond” theory is confirmed, Aemond gets involved with Alys when his first “girlfriend” is also like dead to the world, not to mention the fact his son and/or nephew died gruesome death.

Here, I would like to admit I am not a fan of fetishizing Alys’ age and deeming her a “milf”. The woman was certainly more than just her looks and age. If Aemond had actually loved her – which I find highly probable - there must have been something more than just physical attraction! In addition, in the quasi-medieval world of Ice and Fire, girls in their early teens are considered eligible maidens, so in this universe, it isn’t out of usual for women in their late, if not mid-twenties to become grandmothers! Taking the fact FnB is supposed to be a historical source by a bunch of unreliable narrators, we don’t actually know how old Alys was. If we rule out the ageless witch/ red priestess theory, we could safely assume she was, for instance, in her 40s or 30s, but knowing the Westerosi customs, well, it is still possible she was just a few years older than then-twentyish Aemond. There is also an option Alys didn’t even exist and all the war bride/captor romance was made up by pro-Black maesters and scribes, willing to paint the prince in a negative light. After all making some lowly born wet nurse his wife, Aemond would insult House Baratheon, impudently breaking the pact which had to be sealed with his marriage to Lord Borros’ daughter. You just keep in mind both the Witch Queen and Aemond’s bastard son disappear from the “historical chronicles” shortly after the Dance ends. In addition, stressing Alys’ alleged “old age” could have made him look ridiculous in the eyes of Westerosi readers.

Personally, I prefer to imagine Alys existed, had prophetic skills and played a significant role in Aemond’s life. Perhaps at some point, she even developed some sympathy and twisted fondness for the prince (still her captor and, yes, her rapist) but never had second thoughts about having kept it to herself that Aemond would meet his end in God’s Eye and no one could blame her for it.

To sum up, I think shipping Aemond with Helaena does not automatically make the shipper anti-“alysmond”. In my view, adding one more (for want of a better word) romantic relationship to Aemond’s arc makes sense. It could be an interesting way to show how the character’s attitude towards his love interests and his interactions with them evolve as various experiences are shaping his personality. I would never pit Helaena against Alys. They’re two different women and the fact at some points of their lives, they happened to get involved with the same guy does not make them natural born enemies. In my honest opinion, if the show version of Helaena had a chance to meet Alys (here, I mean my own idea of this character, since we don’t learn much about her from FnB and her show counterpart is still a mystery), they would become… good friends.

#hotd #my rants #helaena targaryen #aemond targaryen #alys rivers #helaemond #alysmond #aemond x helaena #alys x aemond #alys rivers deserved better #anti helaemond #anti alysmond #fire and blood #my theories #am i lowkey shipping helys

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damn-stark · 7 months

Text

Chapter 11 It almost worked

Chapter 11 of Sugar

A/N- PLEASE THEY JUST WANT TO BE A HAPPY FAMILY!!

Warning- Swearing, Sweet tooth rotting FLUFF, angst, pregnancy talk, spoilers, long chapter, intended sexual activities and just soft and small sexual scene

Pairing- Suguru Geto x Gojo!fem-reader, (future) Choso x fem!reader

Takes place during- Jjk 0 movie

(Let me know if you want to be tagged)

————

“You’re late,” he whispers and hands you the book he carried in his hands.

You sigh deeply and glance at the door he walked out of before you look down at the tiger-like curse protecting the door as if some stranger is going to just waltz in and take what he’s protecting. You’ll have to thank Suguru for that, he didn’t want her to be left unprotected when the both of you weren't around; even if she's safe living in a community full of sorcerers, and is taken care of by a sorcerer.

Then again it’s not like it actually matters now; the tiger curse bonded with whom it was assigned to protect; the same way Toji was bonded with that worm that Suguru only got after his death.

“And you’re here,” you deadpan and walk past him to knock on the twin’s door. “Nanako, Mimiko, I’m home,” you announce in a softer tone than what you used with Suguru.

“Yeah, we heard!” Nanako shouts, and neither of them bothers to get up.

“Goodnight!” Mimiko shouts back. “Love you!”

You smile. “Me too! Good night!” You exclaim and then sigh as you turn to make a beeline towards your room without stopping by Suguru’s side.

“What did you do?” He asks calmly.

When you enter your room you put the book down on the shelf and instead grab your pajamas. “I went to a bar with Yuki,” you share. “Did you…end up going over there?”

You don’t need to be specific, he knows. So he answers. “Yes, but I didn’t get any of the action. I only saw the aftermath…the children were saved,” he reveals, making you stop just as you were getting other stuff, and turn to face him with a soft pleading look.

“Tell me Suguru that what you did had meaning,” you say quietly and put your clothes down to step closer to him. “Not everything else, but what you just did today.”

Suguru’s eyes soften and he closes the gap by grabbing your cheeks and pulling you closer to him. “Of course, there was, baby. And we are so much closer to our goal because of it,” he shares with growing excitement. “The curses that littered that school were excorized within seconds after Orimoto Rika was released. All of them, even the bigger one I let out. I didn’t get to see it, but the aftermath…” he trails off and smirks deeply. “It was truly promising. So yes, it has meaning.”

You let out a deep relieved breath and nod lightly. He nonetheless continues. “I’m so much closer to giving you and the girls the world I promised,” he whispers, causing your lips to tug to a smile. “We’re so much closer to ending this misery. I just need that curse and it will all be worth it.”

You hold his gaze and see only reassurance in his dark eyes. So that’s what you feel, comfort. There’s no ounce of doubt anymore, he never lies to you for you to have doubts, and he always accomplishes the promises he makes to you and the girls. So the guilt and hesitation you felt, melt away with his words, and with his fired-up excitement and loving gaze.

Others would see this, hear this, and call it madness perhaps, but all you hear is comfort and hope.

“Okay,” you whisper softly. “Okay, I’m sorry I got upset.”

Suguru shakes his head and caresses your cheeks. “It’s okay don’t apologize.”

You smile wider and grab his hands. “I’ll help you,” you let him know confidently. “We’ll get this curse together, whatever it takes.”

Suguru grins and nods. “Whatever it takes,” he repeats and brushes his thumb over your bottom lip before he begins to kiss you slowly as if teasing you.

You try to deepen the gesture, but he pulls back and begins to press a trail of kisses down to your neck.

“I need to take a shower,” you say breathlessly as you try to focus on anything else but his soft lips. “Suguru,” you muse.

Said man moves up and smashes his lips on yours, this time he’s quick and rougher, he shoves his tongue in you, making you gasp and go weak in the knees. Just as you’re about to stumble he slides one hand down to the back of your knee and slides your leg up to hook it around his waist, while he uses his other hand to grab your ass and lift you up to then throw you on the bed.

You laugh and before you know it, he’s taking his shirt off and flashing a smirk.

“Suguru,” you repeat again. “I’ve been out all day, I need to change out of these clothes at least.”

He snickers. “I’ll help you with that, after all you promised earlier didn’t you?”

You beam at him and welcome him with open arms. When he’s on top of you neither of you wastes any time to rip each other's clothes off and leave each other completely nude.

“Did you lock the door?” You ask him as you wrap your arms around his neck.

Suguru nods as his eyes roam your body. “Yeah, yeah,” he says breathlessly before he leans down and begins to press kisses on the collar of your neck and slowly moves his way down, making you ball the material of the bedsheet as your heart races, and your breathing gets heavier as he fills you with burning desire.

“Suguru,” you gasp breathlessly.

“Hm?” He hums and pulls his mouth away to grab your legs and pull them apart to plant kisses on your inner thigh, making you close your eyes and get lost in the sensation of his lips, of his breath unfurling over your skin, and his warmth over the part where you desire his touch the most.

“I asked for the pictures from your shoot today,” he says between kisses. “And darling, you looked absolutely breathtaking.” He pulls back and you groan in protest, making him snicker. He then moves up to hover over you again.

You would be impatient and flip him over, but instead, you look into his eyes and smile with awe. He mirrors your smile and leans in closer to you, causing his long hair to fall down like a gentle stream around your head, and shielding the single light you had left on in your room.

Neither of you say anything, you just watch each other, study each other's nude bodies basked by the dim light, and look up again. It’s been 11 years since you’ve been together and you still grow flustered under his gaze.

“I love you,” he muses endearly, “Mrs. Geto.”

You giggle and gently cup his cheek and tuck strands of his hair behind his ear. He leans into your touch and kisses your palm.

“I love you, Sugar,” you whisper with a beaming smile.

He grins and then nuzzles his face in the crook of your neck to begin kissing you again. “Mrs. Geto,” he whispers against your flesh.

——

*FIVE YEARS BACK*

You to Nanami: Can we talk, please?

You rapidly knock your knuckle on the table and wait. He might not respond right away, he might not even look at it at all. After all, it's been years since you’ve last talked and seen each other, but you have time to wait; the twins are at school, and Suguru is at his Religious group. You can wait.

Nevertheless, only a few minutes pass before a message comes in from Nanami.

Nanami: Yeah, where? When?

You sigh with relief and feel happy tears fill your eyes. You just thought he’d never want to talk to you again.

You: Right now? Uhm maybe your place? Or somewhere quiet?

Only seconds pass this time before you get a response.

Nanami: Okay, we can meet up at my place. Want me to get a car for you?

Oh? He’s changed, he doesn’t sound so moody anymore. He would’ve never offered to get you a ride before. He would’ve made you pay actually.

It’s a nice change.

You: No, I’m fine, I have my ride. Just send your address.

Nanami doesn’t fret to send his address, he doesn’t interrogate you any longer and just assures you that he’ll be right there. Albeit when you reach his apartment complex you end up waiting in the lobby for him.

You still have plenty of time before the girls are out of school so you don’t grow anxious, you read a book and ignore the wandering stares of the passersby who recognize you from magazines, billboards, and runways they've seen you in. You are a bit nervous to see Nanami again after 4 years of going without contact, but your current concern outbeats that so thankfully that’s not your top priority.

“Y/N?” You suddenly hear your name being called.

You close the book and stand up off the chair.

“Sorry I’m late,” you recognize your friend's voice. “There was traffic.”

You turn around and finally face him, noticing that he no longer has bangs, his hair is a lot shorter and more neatly styled. He looks a lot more muscular now too, or at least it seems that way, he used to be so skinny before. And he looks so formal in his suit. He honestly looks great! A little tired, but hey, who isn’t?

“Nanamin!” You exclaim and run over to him to throw your arms around him.

Regardless of the previous anxiety, and your current concern you still do feel excited to see him.

“Y/N,” he mutters as he gently taps your shoulder before he grows more stiff and pulls back slowly to look down at you. You follow his line of gaze and smirk before you step back and sigh. “I’m sorry, were you working?” You ask with guilt. “It looks like you came out of work. I’m sorry, you should’ve told me to wait—”

“No,” he cuts you off as he reaches for his blue tie to loosen it. “It’s fine, the day was boring anyway. Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He asks and meets your gaze, catching the difference in your eye color and blinking repeatedly with surprise. He doesn’t ask about it though and you don’t comment on it either, you just exhale deeply and feel your concern take priority once again.

“Uh, can we go to your house or something?” You ask.

“Yeah, sorry.” He quickly says and doesn’t waste any more time, he leads you to his apartment. And you have to admit the walk there is pretty awkward, neither of you knows what to really say, and you both have questions ready to ask, but neither of you makes the first move.

When you walk into his studio apartment that’s a different story though. It may not be big, but it’s still very neatly kept, and pretty fancy. The view is great too; you can see the city from his apartment.

“Wow, Nanami, this is very nice,” you muse as you take your coat off while you study his place. “Very organized too.” You smile and look for any sign of a partner just so you can be prepared if they walk in and think the worst.

“Are Geto and you still together?” He finally manages to ask.

You nod. “Mhm, we're married now,” you share with a nervous laugh. “We’re going on almost three years now.”

Nanami scoffs softly. “Sounds like him. Where is he?”

You put your coat on his rack by the entrance and continue to give him your back as you take your shoes off. “He’s at his facility. So working,” you share. “I wanted to talk to you alone.”

“Are you okay?” He asks again as he waits for you by his entrance.

You exhale deeply and share a breathless laugh. “Well, it depends,” you mutter and turn around to face him and catch him off guard.

“Uh,” he breathes out as he looks down at your belly.

“Big breakfast,” you tease as you see him continue to look at you with shock.

Nanami clears his throat awkwardly so you burst out laughing and tap your swollen belly. “I’m fucking with you,” you assure him. “Yeah, I’m knocked up. Don’t worry, it’s not yours.”

Nanami rolls his eyes. “Glad to see you haven’t changed,” he remarks.

You giggle and follow him as he guides you over to his couch. Before you can sit though, he props up pillows and pulls over his footrest like a nice gentleman.

“Nanamin,” you whisper and grab his arm. “It’s okay, I'm just pregnant not invalid. Thank you though.”

He doesn’t listen and tries to make your spot as comfortable as possible before you sit down. “What do you want to drink?” He asks as he steps back. “I have uh, day-old bread. Or crackers. I can make you something.”

You flash him a smile. “No, I just ate breakfast not so long ago. But some water is fine.”

He nods and walks off to his kitchen.

“Do you have a partner?” You probe. “I don’t want them to come home and freak out because they see me here. I’ll feel bad.”

“No,” he quickly answers as he grabs a glass cup. “No partner. You’ll be fine.”

You hum softly and gently fiddle with the edge of your skirt.

“How,” he interjects as he serves water in two cups. “How far along are you?”

You smile softly. “Five months,” you announce. “So halfway there.”

Nanami returns and places a cup of water in front of you before he places his cup down and sits down across from you. “Does…your brother know?” He asks, making you grow stiff and annoyed.

“No,” you deadpan. “He doesn’t know. I haven’t seen or talked to him in four years.” You sigh and take the cup of water to take a long sip, feeling every ounce of excitement, relief, and joy wash away.

“Look,” you change the subject with a more melancholy look on your face. “I’m sorry I made you get out of work, I just didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Tsukumo is away, and…Shoko…I haven’t talked to her in four years, plus, I don’t think she’d want to talk to me, so I thought of you. I hope that’s okay, and I know it’s bad that I call you just to come here and burden you with my problems, but I couldn't think of anyone else.”

“It’s okay,” Nanami assures you softly. “I know it’s been a while, but we’re still friends.”

Your eyes fill with tears and you can’t help but flash him a sad smile at the mention.

“So please don’t be afraid to share your burdens with me,” he adds.

You draw out a deep breath and place the glass down as you gather up how to express yourself without bursting into tears. He never rushes you, he waits until finally you find a way to share. “You know my stance with non-sorcerers. Suguru thinks the same way,” you interject softly. “Albeit he hates them a little more than me, he has no tolerance for them. He…killed his parents so as to not make an exception…” you trail off and draw in a shaky breath and take another sip of water as you grow nervous and scared.

“And,” you add. “I guess I'm scared. I mean, he loves the idea of having the baby. He’s so excited and protective, but what happens when the kid doesn’t have cursed energy?” You finally manage to express your concern. “What happens then? He’ll hate me and the baby. And I’m scared because of it. I mean I can deal with him hating me, but the kid?” You ask rhetorically and feel tears escape from your eyes. “And I know it’s way too soon to tell, but I’m still scared.”

“Why should you be though?” Nanami questions, making you sniffle and look over at him—“you come from a long line of strong sorcerers. Geto is a strong sorcerer. I’m sure your kid will be just as exceptional.”

You manage a faint smile, but that fades away quickly. “The Zen’in’s had Toji,” you explain. “He was born with no cursed energy. And I hear that they have another one who’s just the same. It’s not rare for kids from sorcerer families to be born like non-sorcerers.”

Nanami sighs and nods softly. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he says and then goes quiet for a moment. “But,” he then adds. “I don’t think that’ll be your case. Even if it was, that’d make Geto a deadbeat bastard if he’s willing to hate his kid because of something they couldn’t control.”

He might be right, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that you’d feel like it was your fault. And it doesn’t take away from the fact that you’d live with guilt for the rest of your life for your child because her father couldn’t love her.

“Yeah,” you mumble. “I guess you're right.”

“And if it happens you always have your brother,” he adds, making you grow stiff and annoyed.

“Please,” you mutter with that clear emotion. “I don’t want to talk about Satoru.”

“Y/N,” Nanami scolds you. “I can’t tell you to forget what happened, but he’s still your brother.”

You clench your jaw and shrug. “I don’t care. He left, so I’m leaving him behind. So please don’t bring him up anymore, and don’t tell him about anything. Don’t tell anyone.”

Nanami sighs and nods. “Okay.”

You hum and wipe away your tears.

“Look,” he continues to say. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I’m sure your kid will turn out to be a sorcerer. I’m sure that they’ll be as strong as you…”

You smile softly.

“And if they don’t then…you always have a place here. You and your kid.”

You gasp softly and tears rush down your cheeks. “Thank you,” you murmur. “You’re nice. Nicer than before that’s for sure.”

Nanami scoffs and smiles softly at the ground. “I was a moody teenager then.”

“Weren't we all?” You agree. “Are you still a sorcerer?” You can’t help but ask since there’s really nothing either of you can do about your situation right now. You just needed to talk to someone and hear their advice.

“No,” Nanami reveals. “I quit that. I’m a working stiff now. You?”

“Well,” you sigh and sit back. “I hunt curses, yeah. I do odd jobs with Tsukumo, but right now I am on maternity leave.” You laugh softly.

“Besides that,” Nanami adds. “I see you’re doing well for yourself. I mean you're doing your dream job.”

You grin and nod. “Yeah, you remembered! Yeah,” you repeat. “Well after I dropped out, I worked to get stronger, but after that, I said what the heck, I’m going to try, and next thing I knew I’m walking down runways and shooting for magazine covers.”

Nanami smiles and nods softly. “Good for you. I'm glad you could follow that dream,” he shares. “I don’t think it would’ve been possible if you stayed at school.”

You hum in agreement and drink more water, and as you do, you feel the baby kick so you jolt up and rush over to your friend. “Oh my god, give me your hand,” you say quickly and grab his hand regardless. “She’s kicking, wanna feel?”

Nanami looks down at your belly and hesitates before he mutters his response slowly. “Okay?”

You beam at him and press his hand against the spot where you feel her kick. Rather than looking down you watch Nanami, and see his breath catch, and his eyes widen slightly as he feels her.

“Cool, huh?” You muse. “The twins love to lay on me and feel her move.”

“Twins?” Nanami asks as he pulls his hand away.

You nod. “Yeah, we adopted twin girls that Suguru rescued…Maybe we can hang out again and you can meet them. They’re my pride and joy.” You mention with a soft smile.

Nanami hums softly. “Yeah. That’d be nice,” he agrees.

You beam at him and then sit back in your seat to add something else about the baby. “Suguru and I wanted to name the baby Yu, if it was a boy, just like—”

“Haibara,” Nanami finishes for you as his lips tug to a soft smile.

You nod softly. “Yeah,” you whisper. “But it turns out we’re expecting a girl, so now, we’re clueless as to what we want to name her. Suki is up in the air, or Kiko, but we’re still debating. So if you have a suggestion that’d be great.”

Nanami chuckles. “I wouldn't have a clue,” he says.

“Well,” you sigh. “We still have four months left to decide, so.”

“Are you scared?” Nanami interjects. “To have your baby, I mean.”

“A little,” you admit. “But mostly I’m excited. I can’t wait, I want to meet her already.”

“You know out everyone I never expected you to have a kid,” Nanami shares softly, catching you a surprise. “I thought your brother would, but not you. Now that you’re expecting one, I’m happy for you, y/n. I’m happy that you found a way to live your life outside of our messed-up world. I know you'll make a great mother.”

Happy tears fill your eyes and your heart skips a beat. “Thank you, Nanami. Thank you for everything,” you tell him sweetly. “I hope we can continue to talk and hang out so you can meet her. So we can continue to be friends as well. I missed you, you know.”

“Yeah,” he whispers. “School was never the same after you left…I missed you too,” he admits, making you grin softly.

Your fear about your child’s future won’t go away, but you’re happy that you got your friend back in your life. You really missed him.

——

*NOW.*

“Hello! Can I come in?!”

“Oh, your child’s awake,” you whisper against Suguru’s chest as you’re snuggled up against him after you exhausted yourselves after last night's passionate activities.

“It was getting late,” he comments on the fact that your daughter always wakes up at the same time every morning and never fails to come to your room first—“Yes, Satori, you can come in,” he addresses the visitor as he caresses your back.

The door opens and the sound of stomping paws rush in and skid to a stop by the bed.

“What did I say about that curse in the room?” You question as you keep your head on Suguru’s chest.

“Mommy!” Satori ignores you before you feel her jump on the bed and crawl over to throw herself on you. “You’re finally home.”

You hum. “I got home late, sorry, Chipmunk.”

Little arms wrap around you and her long strands of hair fall over your face. “We missed you,” she muses.

You pull your arm out from under her and hug her tightly against you. “I missed you too.”

“Guess what?” She asks, making you open your eyes and meet her dark brown eyes looking at you already.

“What?” You whisper.

She leans close to your ear, causing her black hair to cover your eyes as it falls all over the place now. “Daddy said we’re going to buy your birthday present soon,” she whispers loudly.

“Excuse me?” Suguru cuts in. “That’s supposed to be a secret, Chipmunk.”

Satori giggles. “But daddy, I didn’t tell her what it was.”

You smirk and glance at Suguru. “You’ll tell me, huh?” You ask your daughter.

Satori pushes herself up and stabs her knee in your ribs as she does, making you groan.

“Well,” she mumbles. “No, because Nana said she’d take away my dolls if I did.”

You giggle. “Oh, don’t worry she won’t.”

“But last yesterday—”

“The other day,” Suguru corrects her.

“Oh…the other day, she hid my doll! And she didn’t want to give it back,” she whines and pouts. “She’ll do it again. Daddy, you have to tell her something,” she complains and throws herself on him, making sure to squeeze herself between him and you even though his other side is empty.

She always does this. She’s like…Satoru in that way, always wanting Suguru’s attention for themselves.

“I’ll talk to her,” Suguru assures his young daughter. “Okay?”

Satori nods and continues to push you back with her feet so Suguru can hug her instead. “Are you going to work today?” She asks him.

“No, I’m going to be home all day today,” he says with a smile, causing her to squeal—“what do you want to do today?” He asks. “Maybe we could go harvest some apples with your mommy and your sisters?”

“Apple pie?” She asks. “Uncle Larue makes the best.”

Suguru smiles brightly and nods. “Yeah, we can definitely ask him.”

“Yay!”

“What about me?” You complain as you’re left on the edge. “I’m cold over here.”

Satori and Suguru both look over at you at the same time, and their resemblance shows off as they’re side by side. She’s literally a mini him except for in personality, she probably takes after you in that. Or…he who shall not be named anymore.

“Well,” Satori mutters as she lays her head on Suguru’s neck. “I guess you can be with us.”

Suguru snickers, and you move yourself back to lay beside your daughter.

“You know,” you muse as you cover her with the blanket. “You used to sleep on your daddy’s chest all the time when you were a baby.”

Satori rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mommy I know, you tell me all the time.”

You smile brightly and drag yourself closer to Suguru. “And I used to lay right here and watch you guys sleep,” you add.

Satori can’t help but smile as she clutches onto Suguru as if he were going to disappear out of the blue. If she could, she’d go with him everywhere, she’d even go with him to his religious facility, but he says she’s still too young to be there so she stays home with Belinda, or you, or the twins instead. She’s attached to him though, and infatuated with the curses he can manipulate. She’s not scared of them like you were at her age. It makes you glad.

But regardless, this attachment is born out of how spoiled she is by Suguru, which is why she wants to go everywhere with him, he spoils all three of them. And you too. And you can’t say you don’t like it because you do, especially when he spoils the girls, it makes your heart flutter.

“Hey!”

You look over at the door and see Nanako walk in with her hand on her hip. “When is breakfast going to be ready? We’ve been waiting,” she complains.

“Maybe you and Mimiko can make breakfast?” You suggest teasingly as you sit up.

Nanako doesn’t like your joke though, and scoffs before she walks over and throws herself on the bed. “Hey we should catch that scary movie that came out last week,” she says, making Satori gasp.

“No! We’re going to pluck apples today!” She exclaims.

“We can do both,” Nanako argues.

You look at her with concern. “Maybe something not scary?” You suggest.

“You lost the bet,” Mimiko interjects as she slowly makes herself inside the room. “You promised one scary movie.”

Tsk.

You groan softly in protest. “This totally sucks, but I guess you’re right.”

“So what about it, Geto?” Nanako presses as she places her phone down.

Suguru looks up at the ceiling and speechlessly recoils over the fact that he’ll have to be stuck in a theater with non-sorcerers, but he doesn’t actually express his complaint, he sighs instead and nods. “Okay, that’s fine.”

Nanako grins and goes back on her phone, letting you glance over at Mimiko and smile at her as you pat the empty spot beside you.

She looks at the spot for a second before she slowly makes her way to your side to lie beside you.

“For now though,” Suguru adds. “Why don’t we go eat, hm? Satori why don’t you come help me?” He asks.

The little girl finally gets off him and claps joyfully. “Okay! Yay!” She exclaims and quickly climbs off the bed to run to the bathroom first. Suguru follows her and helps her brush her teeth, leaving you with the girls alone.

“So,” Mimiko interjects. “Are you guys closer to getting that special grade curse?”

You sigh and feel her head fall on your shoulder, letting you lay your head on hers as you explain the situation. “Well, not really. But we want to get her soon, Suguru just made his first move though, so we’ll wait a bit until we make our next move before we finally go for the win.”

And you did wait, a few months. You didn’t want to get caught before you could come up with a good strategy to take the curse, so you waited a few months before Suguru decided to make his next move to finally lure Okkotsu out to see the power Rika was blessed with for yourselves.

“Do you really think he’ll release her?” You doubt Suguru as he helps you up on the end of the beam that’s several feet over the abandoned shopping center.

“I’m sure he will,” Suguru assures you as he summons the worm curse to wrap it around his shoulders. “With the semi-first grade curse I’ll release, he’ll have to if he wants to save his friend.”

You hum and lean against the wall to wait for the students they sent out for this mission. “Well if he doesn’t and I get some kind of disease up here,” you complain. “I hope you’re ready to cremate me.”

Suguru scoffs at your over-dramatic comment and stands across from you to watch the entrance.

“If he doesn’t bring out Rika then what?” You ask seriously this time. “The cursed-speech user has his limits, you know. Knowing my brother and the school, Okkotsu is probably already training with something else, so if he doesn’t bring out Rika then what?”

Suguru rubs his chin and looks over at you to meet your gaze. “Well then if they're in trouble you can jump in and help them, we can’t risk Okkotsu dying without having her out. The veil will give you cover so you won’t be seen when the job is done.”

You scoff with amusement. “Jump in and look like some whack job just hanging out ready to save kids in veils? They’ll figure us out on the spot.”

“Well,” he argues. “You wouldn't have to get down, an air technique will be discreet and execute the curse without you having to be seen.”

You sigh and nod. “Yeah, that’s right, but he’ll know for sure.”

Suguru nods. “He’ll know today regardless of what happens,” he says. “So it won’t matter. Let’s just hope they don’t protect the kid and make it impossible to reach.”

You chuckle. “Yeah,” you comment on that matter sarcastically. “That’ll happen.”

Suguru snorts softly. “Yeah, you’re right,” he agrees with you. “But he is Satoru’s student, who knows maybe he’s different.”

You avert your gaze and frown at the thought, but you also hope that Suguru’s right about Satoru protecting Okkotsu, because at least he’ll protect the kid better than he protected you that day nine years ago.

“Look,” Suguru breaks you from your thoughts. “They’re here.”

You take a peek past the wall and see a skinny boy in the school uniform with short white hair and a scarf around the bottom of his face—that must be the cursed speech user.

You then spot Okkotsu next to him. Suguru had found his school ID, so you knew what he looked like, but what’s way more visible now is his dark eye bags. Plus he wears white rather than a usually dark-colored uniform. Why?

Yet that’s not the most outlandish thing about Okkotsu, now that you’re close to him you can’t help but freeze and gasp with shock as you quickly feel his cursed energy. It’s impressive and terrifying at the same time. It’s also a lot more than Satoru’s ever was. It’s so…unbelievable.

It would’ve been nice getting to know him now that you see how special he is, but, oh well.

“Come on,” Suguru whispers excitedly. “It’s almost time.”

A veil is drawn so you push yourself away from the wall, but continue to hide under the shadows until a pack of low-level curses create some tornado in the middle of the shopping center. You use that as cover and walk further down the beam to sit in the middle with Suguru beside you.

The curses are busy with the students so they pay no mind to Suguru or you, letting you watch as they form an orb and get louder. Before you know it though, you make out the cursed-speech user walking to the curses, so you use your cursed technique and form a thin water shield in front of Suguru and you, just in case.

The cursed-speech user is strong, so it’s unknown how far his sound waves will reach, and water catches sound waves so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Explode!” A voice booms out through the silence, and with that single command all the curses combust, and luckily only the aftershocks of the explosion reach you.

“Truly amazing,” you muse. “I’ve never seen that in action…I would’ve liked to have that technique, it’s cool.”

Suguru glances over at you, you can feel his stare from the corner of his eyes—“like you would've actually enjoyed not being able to speak,” he interjects.

You tilt your head to the side and meet his gaze with a smile. “Ugh, so true,” you agree.

“Maybe our next kid can have that,” he comments.

You snort and retort. “Now how are they going to have that, it’s an inherited technique, dork.”

Suguru smirks and shrugs whilst you both look back down at the scene. “It can happen, it can be a rare case, but it can happen.”

You shake your head and listen as he proceeds to lower a veil, “emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure,” he chants.

The person who lowered the other veil must be weak if Suguru can cover it with ease. So your brother isn’t the one supervising his students today. That’s good to know.

“Here we go,” Suguru murmurs as he releases a short light blue curse with a big nose and tusks.

Once the kids see it you see Okkotsu reach for his weapon, so you lean forward with curiosity and hope to see the curse attached to him. But Suguru’s curse attacks first, and the cursed-speech user counters by only managing to twist the curses fingers.

“Nice try,” you praise the boy while he falls down. Your eyes then drift to Okkotsu as he runs over and drags his comrade away from the curse, letting you sit back and focus back on Suguru as you wait for their next move.

“Anyway, how many kids do you want?” You ask.

Sure you’ve asked before, but answers change.

“How many ever come out,” he says and turns his head to meet your gaze.

You huff. “I need a clear answer,” you counter. “I’m going to be the one carrying them, and popping them out.”

Suguru draws in a deep breath and drifts his gaze away as he thinks

“Maybe until we have a boy?” You suggest.

“Well,” Suguru breathes out. “What if we have a boy next? I want at least three more.”

You laugh softly. “Three? Man. Okay.” You nod softly in comprehension. “Well, you might get your fourth soon after this morning.”

Suguru’s lips pull to a smirk and he tilts his head. “Well, I can make that a definite possibility later.”

You mirror his smirk. “Oh? Is that a promise?” You tease.

Suguru leans towards you. “We can make it a binding vow,” he whispers in a soft and soothing voice.

You watch him with an enamored look before you beam at him. “No need,” you assure him. “Let’s do it. Maybe go on a nice date, and not do it at home? A hotel?”

Suguru grins. “Well, okay. That works,” he agrees, “I know where to take you too.”

“Oh?” You probe excitedly.

“It’s a surprise though,” he teases.

You hold his gaze for a moment before you smile timidly and then look back at the scene as you see Okkotsu walking out to face the curse. You expect—hope he’ll display Rika, but he only imbues his blade with cursed energy.

The curse gives him everything it has, but Okkotsu proves to be what you expected, a trained swordsman. Even when he gets wounded he keeps Rika in and instead helps the cursed-speech user come out and give the finishing blow. Much to your disappointment.

“Well,” you breathe out and stand up while the kids walk away. “This blows.”

“Oh, what do we do about the veil?” You hear Okkotsu ask.

“What a shame,” Suguru interjects as he swings his leg off the other. “We came here to see Rika,” he says while the worm curse gives him the ID. “As a fellow special-grade, I was hoping to meet him soon. I needed to deliver something he dropped, too.”

“Well,” you groan with distaste. “Looks like we’ll have to move to plan b.” You press your hand on your hip and groan.

Suguru gets up and while he lowers the veil, the worm curse drags itself over to you to drape itself on your shoulders. You smile at it and scratch the top of its head before you caress his head with your cheek as he presses himself against you.

“Let’s have a family reunion first,” Suguru says as he makes room for you to walk past him. “Go over our plan and then move to plan b.”

It’s been ten years. You did good at avoiding your older brother for ten years, now you’ll break that streak and probably see him again at the place that holds the most memories of your cherished teenagehood.

“We’re going to have to lie to Satori,” you mention as you walk out of the emergency exit. “If she finds out who we’re going to see, she's going to want to stick along.”

“You don’t want them to meet yet?” Suguru queries.

You sigh and drop your head when you land on the alleyway by the shopping center. “No,” you deadpan. “Not yet. At least…not there. I don’t trust people not to go tell my family about her. The school is too public.”

Suguru hums in comprehension. “They’ll eventually know you know. We can’t hide her forever.”

You lift your gaze to look at the end of the alleyway and nod softly. “I know, but I want her to at least know how to defend herself a bit before they find out. If they—”

“They won’t,” Suguru cuts you off to assure you. “I won’t let them hurt her.” He reaches over and grabs your hand, not caring what people might say since he’s wearing his Buddha costume. “The curse I gave her won’t let it happen, and you and our family would never let it happen.”

You hold his gaze and feel the comfort you seek by that simple look. When you walk out of the alleyway and join the sidewalk to go to your waiting car, you go back to the previous topic.

“I was promised a show,” you comment as you let go of his hand to hug the worm's head. “We only got to see the fucking preview. If you can even count that as a preview,” you grumble.

“Well I didn't—” Suguru cuts himself off as he hears you mimic him.

“Stop that,” he mutters.

You mirror his serious facial expression and do it again. “Stop that.”

Suguru groans and rolls his eyes, making you and the worm smirk.

“You know Satori has started that habit too,” Suguru points out with annoyance. “I see where she gets it from now.”

You ignore him and wrap the worm around your shoulders before you interject seriously as if you’re upset. “Do you know what’s not right?”

“What?” Suguru doesn’t fret to probe.

“Left,” you interject with a growing smirk as you try not to laugh at your own joke.

Suguru sighs deeply and quickens his pace to try and reach the car faster. You finally burst out laughing and don’t wait to run over and throw yourself on his back.

“It’s a joke!” You say between laughs. “Laugh! It’s funny, I totally got you.”

“You’re such a dork,” he murmurs with a soft smile.

——

*THE NEXT DAY*

“Please! Help me! It’s been months and Geto has not accomplished his duty to me!” Kanemori, one of Suguru’s donors exclaims through heavy and exhausted pants.

“Duty to you?” You mock him and laugh softly before you look away from your nail to look at the sweaty man with disgust. “You see,” you sigh and prop your elbow on the armrest. “I would, but I hear that you’re behind on payments, so I will recommend talking to my husband about your condition,” you roll out and offer him a feigned smile. “Albeit I'd watch my tongue if I were you, my husband isn’t as merciful as me.”

Mr Kanemori drops his head and groans before he mutters. “Bitch.”

Nanako gasps as if he had offended her, but you simply smirk with amusement.

“All these years and you’re still nothing but Geto’s slutty housewife,” he sneers out of anger over the fact that you didn’t help him exorcize the curse that clings onto him.

“Well,” you sigh nonchalantly and only seem to piss him off more since you remain calm. “Maybe that’s true, but just remember the only reason you’ve lived this long is because of me. He could’ve killed you the first month you fell behind on your payment, but I told him to give you time. So do you have it?” You ask.

Mr Kanemori swallows thickly and parts his lips to make an excuse, but you cut him off. “Oh, well, what a pity. It looks like it’s time I be a good housewife and take out the trash.”

You swiftly flick your wrist and shoot off a blast of wind that slams into him so hard that he flies out of the room.

“Anyway, what were we talking about before?” You move on quickly as the man stumbles on his feet and begins to yell.

“Geto! Give me Geto! Geto!” His footsteps recede and his voice lowers as he gets further away. “Geto, control your wife—”

Before he can finish his complaint he gets cut off by Suguru, you imagine, he really hates it when people try to bad-mouth you; both non-sorcerers and sorcerers alike. It’s something he’s done since you were teenagers, but now as he’s grown more ruthless, he doesn’t tolerate it whatsoever. It’s something you can say you’re very proud of.

“Oh, that’s right! Miguel,” you bring up your previous conversation before you were so rudely interrupted. “What did you want to show me?”

Said man approaches you and shows you his arm to point at a dark spot. “Come on tell me, does that look cancerous.”

“I’m no doctor,” you mutter as you grab his arm and take a better look. “What does that look like to you Mimiko?”

Mimiko leans over and glances at the spot, and shakes her head.

“You know what?” You snicker. “It’s an age spot! You’re just getting old.”

Miguel pulls his arm away and shoots you a pointed look that makes you shrug.

“I don’t know what you expected, I’m not a doctor,” you remind him. “But maybe it’s that cream you’re using. It’s not a good product. I can give you something better if you give me that recipe I’ve been wanting.”

Miguel folds his arms over his chest and shakes his head. “No, it’s a recipe passed through generations of my family,” he says. “I won’t just hand it out to anyone.”

You scoff. “We’re family,” you point out.

Miguel shrugs. “Yeah, and I still won’t give it to you. I’ll keep making it myself for all of us.”

You pout. “You suck.”

He snickers and Mimiko joins him. You frown and before you can counter, Suguru bursts through the doors with a smile on his face as he comes in shouting. “The time is right, my family.”

You shift in your seat and watch him approach you, and your family gathered around you at the end of the room.

“Let’s lower the curtain on the age of monkeys,” Suguru adds joyfully and stands beside you. “And build a paradise for Jujutsu sorcerers. First, we must tell the cornerstone of the Jujutsu world, Jujutsu High.”

What a pain in the ass. You really don’t want to see him again. There’s a chance he might not be there, he could be busy, but you feel like there’s a higher chance that you will see him when you go shortly. What will he do? What will you do?

You can’t attack anyone yet, but will your anger heighten, or will you not feel it anymore? When you think about what he did you get annoyed and upset all over again, you hate that he left, but seeing him face to face can be a different story. It can bring a rush of many unwarranted emotions.

And sure, you can keep your cool and control your emotions when it matters, but you worked so hard to try and suppress the agony, and getting reminded of that won’t be good. But then there’s the other possibility…and that is that you might not feel anything at all anymore and you’ll just have to live with the fact that he hates you now, that everything you once were is a simple memory.

Maybe that’ll be the worst of all. You can live with being upset at each other, you can tolerate not talking to each other, fighting too, but having him hate you?

Then again why should it matter if he hates you? You stand on different sides of your world, no matter what happens he’ll never come to terms with the ideology you follow. So should it matter if he hates you or not?

No…

“Why not catch them off guard?” Toshihisa interjects. “Won’t that work better? If we plan it good we won’t even have to fight long.”

“A surprise attack is often beneficial,” Suguru says. “But not this time. If we go in with a surprise attack all the sorcerer's that work at the school will be there and foil everything. We need them to be distracted and away from the school for our plan to work, which is why we’re letting them know.”

“What if they try and attack you now?” Manami questions.

“It’s highly doubtful,” you cut in. “They won’t risk putting the students at risk, but if they do try anything that’s why I will go with Suguru.”

“I’ll go too,” Miguel volunteers.

“No,” Suguru rebuttals. “I don't want them to see you yet. Your weapon is an advantage against Satoru Gojo, I'd rather keep that a surprise until the battle.”

Miguel doesn’t argue, he nods in comprehension, letting Suguru then look at Larue. “Will you come, Larue?” He asks. “There’s a high chance they won’t attack, that’s not my intention today either, but if they do then can you help us?”

Larue rolls his head to the side and then nods nonchalantly. “Yeah, sure.”

You offer him a thankful smile and then get interrupted by a shout. “Hey, I want to go too!” Nanako exclaims as she puts her phone down. “Plus there’s this crepe spot close to there that I want to try, so can we go?!”

Your eyes brighten and you sit up and cut in with the same excitement. “Hey, and there’s that shopping center near there that I want to go to too, so that totally works out, yeah, Suguru?”

Suguru and you look at each other, and he hesitates but ultimately gives in. “Yeah, that’s fine. Now as to battle plans let’s discuss that after dinner tonight? It’s been a while since we’ve all been together like this.”

Without hesitation everyone agrees, making you and him happy.

“So now,” he moves on smugly. “Let’s go declare war.”

You sigh deeply and don’t feel your dread go away at any moment during your way there. So it’s a good thing Suguru decided to use one of his flying curses to travel on and make things quicker, or else you would have lost yourself in your wandering mind.

Then again it’s not like returning to Jujutsu High actually resolves anything, or makes things quieter within you. It’s only a trigger for memories of your past to rush through you and make your complexity only feel worse.

“Ugh, what a piece of junk,” you complain as you take a look at part of the school and notice that it hasn’t changed in the past nine years since you’ve last been here. “This place never changes.”

Suguru grabs your hand to help you out of the bird's mouth, while he also takes a look at the school. “Tell me about it,” Suguru agrees.

“Yuck!” Nanako exclaims with disgust as she leans over the bird's mouth. “Geto, Y/N, is this really Tokyo? Feels like the sticks.”

You put on sunglasses and scrunch your nose in disgust as a wave of nostalgia hits you while you keep studying this damned school.

“Nanako,” Mimiko interjects softly. “That’s rude.”

“What? But don’t you think so, too, Mimiko?”

You finally look down and see Okkotsu and the speech-cursed user along with one of Yaga’s cursed corpse, a panda, and one of the Zen'in girls, the one with no cursed energy.

“Come on!” Larue exclaims as he leans towards Nanako. “Get off already!”

“Aren’t you cold?” Nanako rebuttals, causing you to snicker.

“Yeah or do those nipple covers come with built-in body warmers?” You tease, making Nanako laugh while Larue glares at you.

“Who are they?” Mimiko interjects, pulling your gaze back to the students.

“Whoa!” Nanako exclaims as she points ahead. “It’s a panda!”

You sigh and share a knowing glance with Suguru before you cut in. “Bunny, it’s not polite to point,” you gently remind her.

The girl ignores you and proceeds to take pictures. “How cute!”

“And who are all of you!” The Panda directs at all of you. Which they should've done the moment you all landed. You could’ve easily killed them already—“Intruders aren’t allowed in, by Yuta here.”

“Kelp!” The cursed-speech user agrees? Or disagrees? Is he hungry?

“Huh?” Okkotsu rebuttals in confusion.

“No sign of him yet?” You ask Suguru.

“Not yet, but someone will be here shortly, hopefully,” he says.

“Go home before you get beaten!” The Zen’in girl bounces off the others' comments. “By Yuta!”

“Huh?!”

Suguru lets go of your hand and zooms over to Okkotsu to take his hands and finally introduces himself while you wait for the others to get here. “Nice to meet you, Okkotsu. I’m Geto Suguru.”

The other kids look at your husband surprised at how fast he got to Okkotsu, while the boy looks at Suguru nervously and kind of confused.

“Huh?” Okkotsu says. “Oh…nice to meet you…” he trails off.

“You possess a truly wonderful power, I see,” Suguru continues to say. “I believe that great power ought to be used toward great ends. Have you ever questioned the current state of the world? This world where Jujutsu sorcerers act in secret in order to protect the order of commonplace society.”

“Did Geto and you really come here?” Mimiko asks as she approaches you.

You watch Suguru as he pulls back from Okkotsu and nod. “Yeah, a long time ago now,” you say quietly.

“You see,” you listen to Suguru add while you watch him walk around the boy. “There’s this established paradox saying the strong must accommodate the weak.” He turns and throws his arm around Okkotsu’s shoulders before he dramatically expresses himself. “It’s so deplorable!”

You walk over to the short fence with a smile on your face as you find his whole act over dramatic. “He’s so dramatic,” you mumble to the ground as you hide your smile.

“I’ll say,” Larue agrees with you. “How much you wanna bet he was rehearsing that on his way here.”

You snicker and lean back against the fence as you look over at Suguru with a straight face and a stifled laugh.

“The apex of all creation has halted its own path of evolution!” Suguru adds louder. “It’s nonsense.”

You have to admit though, that he does look pretty when he makes those faces.

“It’s high time mankind reconsidered its strategy for survival!” Suguru says. “Which is why we’d like you to help us.”

“Help with what?” Okkotsu asks, and as he does you gasp softly as you catch the glimpse of short white hair through the trees. And you know it can only be one person.

“We’re going to kill all non-sorcerers,” Suguru reveals nonchalantly. “And create a world with only Jujutsu sorcerers.”

The kids react to what was said, and you react with the same disbelief as you finally see him after nine years. It’s a good thing you have sunglasses, it’s actually why you brought them, so he wouldn't look you in the eyes, but the shades don’t hide your face nor do they block his.

You see him clearly, you notice he actually looks like he got fucking taller. He wears bindings over his eyes now instead of shades, which is probably more convenient. His hair doesn’t like it’s that shaggy anymore, it looks more neatly styled now which suits him better. And he looks like he got more muscular, but you can’t tell all that much with his baggy clothes.

And another thing is clear, your anger, that resentment you felt after he left you in that house with your abusive family, is all still there. You still feel it raw and burning within you. It’s still alive—or is it something else? Anger for what could’ve been if he had taken you home that day, if he had come in any of those 5 days that you spent getting tortured. Is it guilt too?

No…it can’t be that…

It’s just pure anger.

“Could you stop preaching your crazy beliefs to my students?” Satoru speaks in a voice that has grown a bit deeper, but not that much.

Nevertheless, he then turns his head and you see him face you. His eyes are hidden, but you can feel his stare linger on you even as you look away.

“Satoru!” Suguru exclaims happily. “Long time no see!”

Mimiko seemed to have noticed your reaction to seeing your brother so she gently hooks her arm around yours, making you look at her and smile softly as you grab her hand and caress it gently.

“First of all, get away from those kids, Suguru,” Satoru adds, making you look up and see that more sorcerers have joined this confrontation; Muscle-head Yaga, Mei-Mei whom you just saw a few months back, Nanami whom you actually saw a couple weeks ago when you went to hang out at a bar. You also see Ijichi whom you haven’t seen in over ten years, he looks so much older, like, older than your brother even.

There are other sorcerers you don’t recognize, and there’s no Shoko. But that’s good, you don’t want to see her disappointment, you can’t face it. That’s why you avoided speaking to her over the years, no matter how much you miss her.

“I had heard this year's first-years were all outstanding students,” Suguru says with a smirk. “Now I understand, it was all your doing. A special-grade cursed human, a cursed corpse mutation, the descendant of the cursed speech users, and…the Zen’in clan's failure.”

The girl swiftly points her blade at Suguru and sneers, “you piece of—”

“Watch what you say,” Suguru cuts her off with no ounce of remorse, his voice is cold and his threat is sincere. “Because I don’t need any monkeys like you in my world.”

With that said the shy-looking boy slaps Suguru’s hand off his shoulders and counters. “I’m sorry. I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, but…I can’t help anyone who insults my friends!”

You smirk at his sudden confidence and speechlessly praise the boy for defending his friends; even the Zen’in girl whom you actually don’t dislike, after all, if she does have heavenly restriction like you’ve heard she has, then she’s special. Just like Toji Zen’in was.

“My apologies,” you hear Suguru tell Okkotsu. “It wasn't my intention to upset you.”

“Then what exactly did you come for?” Satoru asks as he puts himself between Suguru and his student.

“To declare war,” Suguru reveals with a smug smirk before he faces all the other sorcerers. “Everyone gathered here, open your ears and listen closely! On the coming December 24th, when the sun sets, we shall conduct the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons,” he says and steps back so everyone can see him as he makes himself clear.

“It will take place in the crucible of curses, Shinjuku Tokyo, and the holy land of Jujutsu, Kyoto. We will unleash a thousand curses upon each place,” Suguru shares. “And of course, their command will be massacre. If you wish to avoid a scene straight out of hell, come and stop it with all your might. Let us freely curse each other!”

You smirk confidently as everyone falls in shocked disbelief at the horror that was announced, but then through the tension, Nanako screams, causing Mimiko to lean towards you, and you and Larue to lean away out of embarrassment.

“Geto!” Nanako breaks the tension. “The store’s gonna close! And Satori and Belinda are already there!”

“Oh, it’s already that late?” Suguru asks as he looks back at her calmly before he looks over at your brother again and speaks to him one last time. “I’m sorry, Satoru. These girls just insist on getting crepes from Takeshita Street.

“Hurry!” Nanako interrupts.

Suguru begins to turn but adds one more thing. “So I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Bunny,” you mutter with annoyance as you turn to walk back to the bird. “What did we say about interrupting?”

“Okay, but don’t act like you don’t want some too, plus the faster we get out of here, the faster we get to go shopping!”

You grin. “That’s so true! You’re so smart,” you praise her.

“Good grief,” Suguru sighs as he walks back to the bird. “I don’t see what’s so good about a place with so many monkeys,” he says.

Mimiko lets go of you, and you help her back on the bird as you peer back to look at Suguru. “Okay, I changed my mind,” you interject. “No shopping center, we want to go to the mall.”

Suguru proceeds to grab your hand to help you up. “You and who?” He asks as he dreads it.

“The twins, Larue, me, and Satori of course!”

Suguru scoffs. “Sure she does, you know how much she hates spending time there. So how about you guys go, and Satori and I go home,” he tries to make an excuse.

You flick your wrist and brush him off. “No, I want your opinions on things,” you whine. “Plus,” you add with a growing smirk. “I forgot my wallet at home.”

You didn't.

Suguru sighs deeply and just as he’s going to agree, he gets cut off by your brother. “Did you think we’d just let you leave?” He questions.

“You don't want to do that,” Suguru warns him whilst he pulls out a giant curse before him, and multiple smaller ones to surround the students. “Your precious students are within my range. And my y/n has made sure to keep your co-workers out of range.”

Just as he says that you make sure to use your cursed technique to raise a wall made of dirt from the ground to block the other teachers, and the other sorcerers from reaching the students.

“Well, everyone,” Suguru finally brings this all to an end as he grabs onto his bird. “See you on the battlefield.”

The bird closes its mouth, leaving you basked in darkness and your thoughts as it ascends and flies away.

——

*LATER*

“Suguru?” You call out and then slide the back door open to see Nanako standing behind him with his long and dark hair in one hand and a brush in the other. You see Mimiko sitting on the ground beside him, hugging her stuffed creature. Satori’s tiger curse is here of course and makes itself small as it lays under the chair, while Satori is, of course, snuggled against Suguru as they sit on a chair under the grand and naked Momiji tree.

“What does that word say?” You hear Satori ask.

You don’t want to interrupt the moment so you lean against the doorframe and watch the way Nanako brushes Suguru’s hair, the way Mimiko finds peace in her silence, and the sight of Suguru reading a book while Satori tries to read her own.

“Well,” Suguru says, and you watch him point to the page. “Can you try and pronounce it?”

Satori blinks and looks up at her father with a pointed look before she rebuttals. “Well no, silly, that’s why I asked.”

You hold back your laugh, and Suguru scoffs in slight disbelief but he can’t help but smile with amusement.

“Okay,” he breathes out before he helps her. “Well, it says, remember.”

“Oh,” Satori mumbles. “I knew that.”

“I know you did,” Suguru says with a stifled laugh.

You grin at the interaction, and then quickly pull your phone out to take a discreet photo of this adorable moment of Suguru with his girls. And after you take it you admire it with a soft smile as you affirm to yourself that one of your emotions that you know you didn’t feel when you saw your brother, was regret.

Moments like these are why you will never regret the choices you made and the path you followed. It’s all you wanted even when you didn’t even know you wanted it. So if it meant having to live without your brother for the rest of your life just to see sweet and tender moments like these then you’d take it. You don’t want to let go of this moment. Peace and a home is all you’ve ever wanted and you don’t want to let it go. Even if there’s an empty little gap, you could still live happily here in moments like these.

“Y/N?” Suguru breaks you from your stupor. “What are you doing over there? Why don’t you come and join us, Firefly.”

Okay, you can live without that name.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t call me that,” you mumble as you walk over to them. “What are you reading?”

Suguru lifts his book to show you the cover before he responds. “Colors of a Mother, the book you told me about.”

You grin. “Really?” You ask as if he doesn’t read every book you recommend to him. “Do you like it?”

Suguru nods. “I do,” he says. “It’s a very good read…” he trails off and pushes himself up to give you his seat, but you shake your head.

“No, you can stay there I’ll sit on the ground with Mimiko,” you tell him and unfold his leg to sit on the ground between them. “What are you guys doing out here anyway?” You probe. “I was looking everywhere for you. Miguel and the others are on their way now.”

“Well the girls caught me brushing my hair so they asked if they could do it,” Suguru lets you know. “So we all came out. And Satori is doing her reading homework.”

“Yeah,” she grumbles. “But it’s too hard. Why can’t you just read to me instead.”

“Because I’m reading my book too,” he rebuttals. “You just have five pages left. You can do it.”

Satori sighs deeply and goes back to reading to herself. Suguru goes quiet as he returns to his book, and the twins don’t speak as they’re busy with what they’re doing, letting you lay your head back against the chair to smile softly at the blue sky.

You never let go of Suguru’s hand and he gave you all this; a nice and big house that you’re both comfortable in, he helped you start to build your sorcerer community, he gave you your daughters, a protective family, and he gave you peace and happiness. Most importantly he gave you hope that everything you wanted could be achieved, that there can be a better world.

The world and hope was so blurry before, but it’s so clear now thanks to him.

“Geto,” Nanako interjects softly. “Who’s Satoru Gojo anyway? He’s super strong right?”

Oh, but there’s still that situation of your brother…right.

“Hm,” Suguru agrees and goes quiet for a moment before he continues softly. “He was my best friend. But we fought and it’s been like this ever since.”

You need to ask Suguru how he felt after seeing Satoru after ten years. He can act nonchalant but you know there must’ve been some kind of emotion when he saw Satoru.

But when he asks you what will you say? Yeah, well nothing has changed. Which is true. You’re still angry. But…will this anger last forever? You couldn't help but think of that after you left the school.

You managed to be friends with Nanami even with your differences in morals, so can’t that be the same with Satoru? There has to be a point where your anger will slowly fade away won’t there?

“Daddy,” Satori interjects. “When will I get to meet Uncle Satoru?” She asks, making you drop your head and frown at the ground.

You owe it to her to try, don't you? To try and maybe see past that anger and animosity? Ever since she found out about him she’s been adamant on meeting him, Nanami’s and Suguru’s stories of their past only help to fuel her desire.

“Well,” Suguru answers softly. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know yet. Maybe soon, but I can’t promise you anything.”

Satori sighs. “But I want to see him,” she whines. “He’s mommy’s brother, right?”

“Yeah, but things are…complicated right now,” he tries his best to assure his daughter.

“What does that word even mean?” Satori asks in an annoyed voice. “Com—what is that?”

“Hard,” Suguru lets her know. “Things are hard right now.”

“Well,” Satori sasses him. “Make them easy.”

You snort softly and feel Suguru nudge your leg with his foot so you don’t encourage her behavior.

“It doesn’t work like that,” Nanako counters her sister.

“Well Daddy can do anything,” Satori argues. “So yes it does.”

“Not this time,” Suguru lets her know honestly. “Sorry, Chipmunk.”

Satori groans, and your smile falls as you think about that debate whether to look past your anger or not. Regardless of it all, Satoru is the only family member you have who is worth anything, that you actually want Satori to meet and interact with. Everyone else, well, they can all go to hell for all you care.

“Mommy!” Satori exclaims and suddenly wraps her arms around your neck as she rests her cheek on the top of your head, causing her loose strands of hair to fall on your face. “Why can’t you make things easy so I can see Uncle Satoru.”

You swallow thickly and try your best to avoid the complicated topic. “Because,” you mumble. “It’s not that easy. Life is,” you sigh. “Hard that way.”

You know she probably doesn’t truly understand, but you can’t find any other way to explain it but in that way. You don’t want to tell her why she hasn’t met her uncle, why you’ve held a grudge over him for ten years. No matter what, you won’t bad mouth your brother to your daughter.

“Well,” Satori adds. “Can you and Daddy try?” She asks.

You sigh and nod. “I will,” you assure her. “I’ll try.”

“Okay,” she whispers and pulls back to sit back against Suguru.

“Now,” you move and sit up straight. “Why don’t you come here so I can fix your buns.”

“Mhmm, no,” she flat-out says. “I want Daddy to do it, you always leave them funny.”

It’s not your fault she moves a lot.

“Satori,” Suguru scolds her softly. “That’s not very nice.”

Satori exhales deeply. “No, Mom, thank you,” she grumbles.

“That’s okay,” you assure her and can’t help but smile at her. “Anyway,” you roll out playfully and stand up to grab Suguru’s arm and pull it up so you can sit on his lap. He secures his hold right away by wrapping his arm around your waist.

“We should take a picture!” You suggest excitedly as you pull out your phone. “Nanako, Mimiko come here!”

Nanako lets go of Suguru’s hair and wraps her arm around Suguru and you as she rests her chin on his head and beams at the camera. Mimiko walks over and stands by her sister to lean forward and smile softly. Satori presses her cheek against Suguru’s, while he presses himself closer to you and smiles softly.

You grin at the camera and capture this sweet and tender moment of you and your family together.

A/N- Was Satori created just to be a piece of Suguru for Satoru, after Suguru’s death? Yes, yes she was.

Tagged- @deniseabad1928 @secondary-character-25 @starlightanyaaa