#did my best to remove tags so hope no one gets bothered
Note
Writing request! Phantom being a soft little attention whore and doing everything to get the flustered GN!Reader's attention? Doesn't need be NSFW, Phantom just wants some cuddle time.
Anon I need to thank you for adding fuel to my Phantom obsession
Also ignore how long this got
Tags: none! Just good old fluff
My request are currently open !
You had gotten to dinner later than normal because of some overflow work you were assigned. Being Sister Imperator’s assistant had its perks, but most of the time it left you with a stack of paper the size of your torso. That’s how you ended up displaced in the dining hall. Where you normally sat with the other Siblings who have been at the Ministry for a decent amount of time was crowded. You couldn’t justify trying to worm your way in. So you took up an open spot with some of the newer Siblings at the end of the hall. You were engrossed in your own world trying to get your brain to stop buzzing for the better part of the meal, only occasionally answering some questions or clearing up misunderstandings that you may have overheard. That was until you heard snickering. You looked up and noticed that the ghouls of The Ghost Project were seated at a table not far from yours. You also noticed that one of them, the quintessence ghoul by the looks of it, was approaching while Dew and Swiss tried and failed to hide their amusement.
The Siblings you were seated with forgot about any conversations that might've been going on when the ghoul came to a stop at the head of the table, his tail wagging rapidly. The mask may have hidden his face, but his mood was clear as day. Everyone at the table looked at him with wide wonder-filled eyes. You just cocked your head at him with a small smile. His tail beat faster if that was even possible.
“I couldn’t help but overhear some of you have never seen ghoul magic before.” He smiled so wide his fangs were peeking out from his lips. Some of the Siblings made small noises in affirmation too wonderstruck to formulate a proper response.
“Well lucky for you I learned a new trick! Do you wanna see it?” All it took was one nodding their head for him to clap his hands together “Great! I’ll need a volunteer though.”
You had never seen people move so quickly in your life. Each one of the Siblings was leaning over one another to get closer to the ghoul in hopes they’d be picked. He just laughed and held up his hands in a passive gesture.
“Alright okay, how about…you!”
The ghoul motions to the Sibling closest to him. He nods his head eagerly and waits for whatever instruction. The ghoul reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder. The air smells like ozone for a brief moment and you can hear a faint static noise as you watch tiny purple sparks dance to life and connect the two. Everyone at the table seems to be holding their breath watching with an intensity you don’t even see during Black Mass. You huff a little amused laugh and eat while you watch the display.
When the ghoul removes his hand the Sibling is staring at him in awe as he beams down at him. There’s a confused murmur through the group and out of instinct you answer their questioning
“Telepathy. Some quint ghouls have that ability.”
It’s almost humorous how casually you talk about demons and magic. It goes quiet for a moment. You look up from your plate to see all of the Siblings and the ghoul staring at you. His mouth was half open and it was only then did you realized you definitely just interrupted him. You panic internally for about a second before you notice his tail never stopped wagging. He made a move to walk over to your spot at the table, but he didn’t get very far before he was yanked backward with a yelp.
“Stop bothering the Siblings and eat your food before it gets cold or else you get leftovers in the den.” You recognized the voice of Cirrus from under the mask.
The moment he was gone, they all began questioning the man who was lucky enough to be chosen. He tried his best to describe it, but it was obvious he was floundering under the attention. You weren’t completely exhausted yet so you decided to throw him a bone and began to explain what you knew of ghoul magic and some of the things you’ve seen it do. However, the entire time you spoke you couldn’t help but notice the little quintessence ghoul hadn’t taken his eyes off you once. Every time he realized you were looking back, he would wave and smile broadly, and every single time Dew and Swiss would tease him. You couldn’t help but laugh at the display, it was pretty cute seeing how excited he got.
After you had finished and decided you had enough conversation for one night, you stood to leave, bidding everyone at the table a nice night. You made it approximately five feet out of the dining hall before you felt a clawed hand on your wrist. You stopped and turned to face none other than the little quintessence ghoul. His purring was filling the otherwise quiet hallway.
You cock your head with a smile not quite reaching your tired eyes.
“Need something…?”
“Phantom.” He grinned.
“Phantom.”
He trilled happily “Say it again.”
You huffed a laugh and took your hand from his grasp “Answer my question first.”
He took his helmet off, shook his hair out, and looked at you with bright eyes, cheeks dusted a deeper purple.
“Can I spend the night with you?” His tail wagged as he waited for your answer.
That was not what you were expecting him to say if you were being honest with yourself. You had been at the Ministry for years now, so random demons offering a night of sin was nothing surprising. What was surprising was just how forward he was. Usually, it took the new ghouls a bit of time to gain that level of confidence and interest in the humans of the Ministry.
When the silence dragged his face flustered deeper.
“That’s not what I meant dear Sibling…I mean well not unless you’re offering.”
You smile amused at the way his voice pitched higher awkwardly, you almost feel bad for your response.
“Not tonight Phantom. I’m exhausted from work.”
“Oh! Well that’s fine we can just—“
“I meant no to both sweetheart.”
The wag of his tail faltered as his purring got softer. You didn’t miss the brief flash of disappointment in his expression before he tried to hide it. He lightly shook his head causing his earrings to jingle.
“Well…can I walk with you to your room?”
You laughed “Sure I don’t see why not.”
“Great!” He immediately grabbed your hand and started walking down the hallway. You gave a light tug on his hand. He looked at you with a little ‘mmrr?’ sound.
“Uh, Phantom…my room is that way.” You pointed to the right with your other hand.
He smiled awkwardly making a noise of affirmation and turned to the direction you pointed to and began walking with your hand still in his. He definitely has not gotten used to his otherworldly strength because he was practically dragging you behind him. Eventually, you gathered your footing and were able to walk side by side. He kept glancing at you as he walked and would startle every time you caught him.
When you arrived at the door to your room you dropped his hand ready to say goodnight. Before you could squeak even one word out he wrapped you in a tight but quick hug. You rolled your eyes with a smile and hugged him back with a pat on his back. When he let go you opened your door and stepped in but not before turning around to him.
“Goodnight Phantom.”
You began to close the door and noticed that he tilted his head to keep looking at you until it was completely closed.
You smiled at the closed door for a moment before going about your before-bed routine. You flopped onto the horde of fluffy pillows and blankets and let the events of the day replay in your head. You let out a sigh feeling content at finally having a moment to yourself. It’s not that you didn’t like sitting with the new Siblings, but it felt more like babysitting or hanging out with a coworker. Then you thought to Phantom. You smiled to yourself. New ghouls were always so much fun, they were always so curious about everything Earth had to offer. It was even better when they finally got used to the company of humans and began seeking interactions. You would be lying if you said you didn’t find his behavior a bit endearing already. You had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time Phantom followed you back to your room.
Turns out, that came much earlier than you expected. You had woken up a bit before your alarm and decided to just accept your fate and get up and ready for the day. When you opened your door to leave, you immediately tripped over something. The mass in front of your door let out a surprised yelp. You caught yourself before falling. When you turned around you were met with the sight of Phantom slowly sitting up rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“G’moring.” He said with a yawn that ended in a whine.
“Phantom I did you…did you sleep there all night?”
“Yeah, why?” He asked it so casually with a hint of genuine confusion.
You stared at him bug-eyed
“Why? You weren’t kicked out of the ghoul den already were you?”
He cocked his head raising an eyebrow
“Uhh no? I wanted to walk with you to breakfast but then I realized I didn’t know how early you got up and then I realized I usually sleep late. So naturally the solution was to sleep right here.” He emphasized his statement by tapping the floor with his tail causing the piercings to scrape against the stone.
You laughed with a mix of amusement and disbelief “Naturally.”
You held out your hand to him and he took it eagerly. You helped him up and he hugged you again. As you two walked to the dining hall, he wrapped his tail around your wrist. With how early it was there weren’t many people at breakfast which you didn’t mind. It was mostly older Siblings and a few Clergy ghouls. The Siblings gave you knowing looks and you just rolled your eyes in amusement. The only other band ghoul that was present was Cirrus. When she noticed the way Phantom was leaning practically on top of you she came over.
“Bug I think you’re suffocating the dear Sibling.”
You shook your head as he whined “It’s fine Cirrus I don’t mind.” You reached up to scratch behind his pointed ears for emphasis. His tail beat heavily against the bench as a loud purr kicked up in his chest.
“Alright alright but if he does start bothering you, you know where to find me.” She said with amusement.
“I can handle myself” you grinned at her “I know how to handle a ghoul.”
Her tail flicked playfully behind her as she turned to go back to where she had sat.
You finished breakfast rather quickly after that and untangled Phantom’s tail from your arm making him pout. You apologized and gave him a quick explanation of your job as Sister Imperator’s assistant and why you had to go so suddenly. He seemed to accept it despite his dejected look. You ruffled his hair and bid him a good day which caused him to brighten a bit.
~~~
Apparently Phantom didn’t quite accept your explanation. Your task for the day, after finishing the paperwork you didn’t get to yesterday, was to run around the Ministry delivering said paperwork to whomever it applied to. Somehow every corner you turned you bumped into Phantom. At first, he would apologize, give your hand a squeeze, and then walk off to do his own chores, but after he realized you didn’t seem to be getting annoyed with the ‘coincidences’ he simply started to follow you around. He kept his distance for a bit genuinely not wanting to interfere with your job, but every time you turned and caught his eye and didn’t tell him off he would creep closer.
By the end of the day, he was practically your personal escort, walking side by side with you asking you questions just to hear you talk with his tail curled idly around your arm. Little did you know, that soon became your new daily routine. You would wake up to him waiting eagerly outside your door so you could walk to the dining hall together. He would disappear for a bit to speed through his own chores before coming to find you no matter what task Imperator had you up to. When you finished you two would then go to the dining hall for dinner where you’d make faces and hand gestures to each other from the tables while the ghoul pack and your friends respectively tease you both. It didn’t take much longer before he started to sleep over every so often.
As the months crawled on and the first tour date came closer you began to see less of him which made your heart oddly heavy. You tried, and failed, to not think too much about it. You obviously didn’t like him, he was just being friendly. You saw the way he interacted with the other ghouls and some other Siblings or the way he acted when you would sneak a peek at rehearsals. He was just affectionate! He liked attention! But he only walked with you. He only got up early to meet you. He only looked at you doing dinner. He only followed you back to your room. And his purring helped you sleep so much better than any weighted blanket. And the way his tail always betrayed his emotions. And how his eyes always lit up when he spotted you. And maybe your heart skipped a beat when he once confided in you after a rough rehearsal saying that you made him feel grounded.
Aw, shit was all you could think as you felt your cheeks heat and the list of reasons grew. You shook your head slightly to clear it and returned to the task at hand. You had been working on a massive project for Imperator that needed to be finished before the band went on tour. It’s taken up practically all your time, you barely had time to get proper meals in. That also meant you’ve been having less and less time with Phantom. You could tell it was definitely affecting him just as much. The moments you two did get together he was even more clingy, if that was even possible. He also seemed more tired, he still was rather energetic, but he definitely seemed toned down. Your suspicions were confirmed when he got back from a longer-running rehearsal and his quintessence sparked to life without him even noticing. He also took to sleeping in your bed every night now, burying his face deep into the crook of your neck and passing out with his tail wrapped around your waist.
You worked for a few more hours before leaning back in your chair to stretch. Your eye caught the clock on the wall and you cursed. It was well past midnight. Phantom’s rehearsal ended four hours ago. You found a good stopping point and quickly packed everything up and made your way to your room. You were ready to have to spend the night on your own for the first time in almost a month. You were already ragged from working all day and the idea of having your new routine, your only time with Phantom, getting disturbed made you feel even worse. You choked down the burn in your throat as you pushed your bedroom door open.
“There’s my comet.”
You gasped and looked up to see a rather exhausted-looking Phantom sitting happily on your bed. He was already in his pajamas and there were multiple books stacked on your nightstand. He blinked slowly and cracked a wide smile.
You smiled in return and willed yourself not to cry in front of him. However, the way his brows knit together before standing up and walking over to you reminded you. Quintessence ghouls can feel emotions. He crushed you against his chest and kicked up a purr in his chest. You attempted to stutter out a mix of an apology and an explanation, but he just shushed you and practically threw you both backward onto your bed. You didn’t even care you were still in your day clothes, you didn’t want to move now that you were right where you wanted to be. And then you smelled it. The air had suddenly felt electric. The scent of ozone and frost filled the space. You felt a little tingle in your mind before hearing Phantom.
I’m so happy you’re here. I missed you so fucking much. I like you so fucking much.
Your eyes snapped open. Oh. You definitely weren’t meant to hear that, at least not like this. However, your sleep-deprived mind couldn’t care less at the moment.
“Hey.” You shifted your shoulder to get him to lift his head from your neck.
“Huh? What is it?”
You gave him a quick, chaste kiss on his lips before pulling back and kissing his nose.
“I missed you too.”
It took him approximately five seconds to really understand what just happened as you sent him entirely offline. When his brain finally caught up, though, he laughed with so much genuine joy that it made your heart beat a little faster. He pulled you so impossibly close to him and peppered your whole face with kisses before leaving a long kiss on your lips. He nuzzled his face right back into your neck as you scratched between his horns. The silence was periodically broken with Phantom giggling to himself and pressing another kiss to your neck and shoulder. This went on until he ended up falling asleep with a slight smile on his face and a purr deep in his chest.
You curled into his hold and never felt more content in your life. You closed your eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep soothed by his rumble and his weight.
Okay. So maybe you did like him. Just a little bit.
#the band ghost#ghost bc#nameless ghouls#phantom ghoul#phantom x reader#i hope you like it anon <3#golfball writes
366 notes
·
View notes
Text
unconventional methods - chapter 2
Summary: Bucky Barnes struggles with his feelings towards Bunny, leading him to make a big mistake. Now he must make it right. It means doing something he is uncomfortable with.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader (SHIELD Agent Bucky Barnes x Adult Content Creator Reader)
Word Count: 6.7K
Warnings: 18+ NSFW MINORS DNI, texting, overthinking, self-doubt, misunderstandings, pet names, video call, mutual masturbation, slight dirty talk if you squint, metal arm use, use of a dildo, teasing, small dose of sub/dom dynamic, no mention of y/n.
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who showed interest in the first chapter. I really didn't expect this story to get the attention it did. Means a lot to me. If you didn't read the first chapter, you definitely should before reading this one.
unconventional methods - chapter 1
marvelous lizzie's masterlist
This story will end with chapter three, which will most likely come out the following Sunday (12th March)
Once again >> indicates incoming messages and <<; indicates outgoing messages.
Once again a big thank you to @notafunkiller and @es1dit for everything. Extra thanks to @notafunkiller for the beta-read and for helping me to improve the story. You two are the best!
All work is mine, please do not repost or translate without my permission.
Every like, comment and reblog is highly appreciated. Don’t hesitate to message me or send me a question or comment regarding the stories I write. I would love to talk about it and no, it would never bother me as long as it’s not a hate comment. They are never welcome.
Read more tag starts after the first paragraph of the story.
Gifs belong to @fysebastianstan I wanted to add them through Tumblr gifs but couldn't find them that way. I hope it's alright to use them and if not, I can remove them if requested.
<<< Previous Chapter
After that magical night, Bucky found himself overthinking again. He was definitely struggling with the feelings he had for her. They were sexual, but that was not all. He had been in only sexual relationships before the war. It was like an agreement: purely sexual and for fun. Some girls wanted a bit more experience before finding the love of their lives, and it was totally fine, but this… this definitely wasn’t the same. He was feeling possessive over her and the feeling was so strange, especially considering they did not even meet face to face.
Of course, he knew he wasn’t the only person she was sharing this side of herself with. Posting adult content was literally her job. There was no doubt other men would like to get closer to her and she would probably talk to them a little, see how she feels and if things fall into place, they would get to see this side of her and she would get aroused just for them. A rare sight. Anybody would be lucky to witness that.
He still couldn’t believe she was into him. It was probably more of the idea of him, not the real him since she didn’t know who he actually is, right? He knew his dick wasn’t a disappointment, his body was fine, but definitely could be better. There was always space for improvement. She did not see the metal arm or his face. She only heard his voice, saw some parts of his body, and created a different version of Bucky. Not even Bucky, James. Some 33-year-old dude named James who was partially good-looking. In her mind, he must be someone else, completely different from reality.
That was what she should be for him too, right? Some random super attractive girl on the internet who was willing to talk to him? Nothing more. Yet he couldn’t force himself to feel nothing but sexual attraction toward her. He tried to focus on work, but he couldn’t. Mission reports were always boring anyway. How were they supposed to distract him?
>> Hey handsome, I hope you’re having a good day.
Her texting him doesn’t help, either. It’s just making it harder for him to stay away. He needed to distance himself, get a new perspective and maybe, maybe have a chance to realize he was being ridiculous. But she was so hard to resist her, especially when she was just wishing him a good day like this, with no expectation or pressure.
<< Hey, Bunny. It’s boring, but I’ll survive. I hope you are having a good day.
>> Oh, I’m having a great day. Especially after last night…
Bucky closed his eyes and took a deep breath when he read the message. He just wished she wouldn’t bring it up. It was great, he can’t deny it, but he knew… he fucking knew it was nothing special for her, and remembering that just broke his heart a little more. She shouldn’t have to act like it meant something to her. The idea of her faking something was just unbearable.
<< You know you don’t have to…
>> I don’t have to what?
<< I’m grateful that you made me feel special. It felt great, but I know I’m not special or anything and you don’t have to act like I am. It’s fine.
Her responses came in so quickly, he had a bit of a hard time following them.
>> What the fuck, James?
>> What the actual fuck?
>> Do you think I am doing this with everyone?
>> Is that how low you think of me?
>> You think I open my messages, talk to the ones that seem okay, and send them special photos in my spare time?
>> Why would I fucking do that? What am I gaining? Loyal followers? More paying customers? People don’t wanna pay shit for things they can get for free. I know that better than anyone. It’s my job!
>> You think I pick the ones that are good-looking, and just have fun? If that were the case you wouldn’t even have a chance! Do you know why? You don’t even have a profile picture! I didn’t even know your name for days! I don’t even know if you are single or married or divorced!
>> If you think I’m treating loyal customers like this or something you are wrong. God, I feel so stupid because I thought you were different. Why would you be any different than the others? Just because you respected my boundaries, just because you didn’t ask for private photos, and just because you reminded me of those gentlemen from 40s movies, it doesn’t mean you are not after the same thing they are.
>> You have no idea what I am risking just by talking with you. God, I’m so stupid.
>> You got what you want and now you are done with the small talk. I get it. I’m backing off. Sorry for disturbing you.
<< Bunny, bunny, bunny!
<< No, please, stop! That’s not what I meant.
<< Please, give me a chance to explain myself.
<< Please.
<< That’s not what this was, believe me.
>> Explain what? How this is nothing special for you? It was just a bit of fun time with the girl you were following online? I don’t want to hear it.
>> You don’t have to explain anything to me. You don’t owe me an explanation, I’m just a random girl who shares adult content. Obviously, I have no soul or feelings.
<< I’m the one who has feelings for you, okay?! I didn’t think you would find me interesting or special because I don’t feel like I am.
<< I am sorry. I think I was just projecting. That’s what my therapist would say.
<< I just didn’t wanna make you uncomfortable with my feelings. I thought they would be totally unrequited.
>> You have feelings for me?
>> You better not be lying to get out of trouble, James!
<< I’m not, I swear. Just give me a chance, okay?
>> Fine. You get one chance. Tonight. You explain yourself on a video call or I’m not talking to you anymore.
<< Whatever you want, doll. Whatever you want. Just don’t step out of my life.
***
The day did not seem to pass fast enough. It felt like time was standing still just to torture Bucky more. The work was much more boring than usual: a lot of paperwork, signatures, and chasing the right people. Not that he was chasing anyone. He was sitting and pitying himself while waiting for Natasha to show up. He just wanted to get up and leave, but apparently, it wasn’t possible. When Natasha finally stepped inside, Bucky groaned out of frustration.
“Oh, fucking finally, Romanoff.”
Natasha didn’t even look at him.
“I was busy. What do you need?”
“A couple of signatures.” She leaned in and started to sign the papers as quickly as possible. She was never reading what she was signing because who had time to read a 25-page-long mission report? Apparently, Bucky Barnes because he had to write it from the scratch. Like his day wasn’t horrible enough... “I wish we could just go on missions, and that would be it.”
“Oh, that’s the dream, Barnes. That’s the dream.” She finally put her pen down. “I’ve been writing the mission reports for months. It’s your turn now, stop complaining.”
“I know, I know.” He accepted the defeat much easier than he normally would.
“Are you alright?”
Bucky looked up at her from his seat. Was he alright? Definitely not. He could feel a heavy knot inside his chest, burning his lungs and stomach while he was waiting for tonight. Of course, he wasn’t going to say that to Romanoff.
“I’m fine.”
“Doesn’t look like you are. Whatever it is, stop overthinking.”
“Easier said than done,” he murmured.
“Look, I know it’s not an on-off switch, but you gotta try a little bit harder. Shift your focus on something else or just face whatever makes you this… uneasy.”
“I’m gonna face it. Shifting my focus is not helping.”
Natasha gave him a suspicious look. She had no idea what this was about, but she had a feeling it might be because of the pretty girl she suggested to him. Or was it just wishful thinking? No, wishful thinking wasn’t something she did often. She was always a big realist and something was definitely up with Barnes.
“Good.” She simply answered. She knew him well enough to guess pressuring him to talk wouldn’t work on him. “We have a meeting tomorrow.”
Bucky groaned in frustration because he was just done with the mission report and now SHIELD was ready to send them in another mission again.
“We need a break.”
“This one is pretty urgent. Apparently, it’s been an undercover operation for a while now and they finally got the info they need. We’ll need to leave right after the meeting.”
“An undercover operation, huh? Interesting.”
“Be here at 9. Fury wants us all present, it’s really important.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll be there.”
***
Bucky had no idea when the video call was gonna happen, but he was already feeling too self-conscious. His face was known to most people all over the world since he was accused of killing the king of Wakanda. Then working for SHIELD became a big deal. He wasn’t sure how Bunny would react when she realized he was the Winter Soldier. He wasn’t ready for that.
>> Are you there? I’m available for that video chat.
<< I am.
>> OK. I’m calling you.
He quickly turned his laptop on, hoping he would keep the camera off for the conversation. Maybe just hearing his voice would be enough for her.
“James?” Her voice was so soft and silky. Hearing her saying his name like that made him shiver a little.
“Yes, doll?”
“Why is your camera off?” Of course, she wasn’t gonna let it go. What was he even thinking?
“I am not…” He actually didn’t know what to say. “I don’t feel comfortable…”
“You don’t feel comfortable with me? Is that what you’re saying?” She definitely sounded offended.
“No, it’s not like that. I don't feel comfortable... and you might not feel comfortable either."
“Why?”
“It’s hard to explain.” He was hoping she would just let it go.
“Try me.” She didn’t.
“Please, doll… Let’s just talk.” He was practically begging at this point.
“Jamie, if you don’t turn the camera on, I’m leaving. We can’t continue like this.” She sounded so determined, it was scary. And her calling him Jamie? A part of him melted. He had noticed how her calling him Jamie influenced him in this way. Maybe because his mom called him Jamie when he was little. Bucky came later when he was a teenager. Before that, he was Jamie at home.
“Don’t. Please, don’t.”
“Don’t what? Call you Jamie?” The defensive tone of her voice was breaking his heart.
“Don’t leave.” He quickly turned the camera on, afraid she might just leave. Then he heard her gasp. Fuck, she’s scared, he thought. “I told you it might be uncomfortable.”
She quickly pulled herself together.
“Yeah, it’s so uncomfortable looking at that pretty face.” She managed to say, trying to hide her surprise. “Or those blue eyes. Do you ever look in the mirror Bu-bunny?”
“Bunny?” He repeated confused. “You are the bunny, not me, doll.”
“If you say so.” She shrugged, licking her lips nervously. “I can’t believe you have been hiding this face all this time.” she tried to focus on him. “Why did you even think I would be uncomfortable?”
“Don’t you know… who I am?” he sounded nervous again, thinking he might have to explain his past. It’s always tedious. How can you say you were a brainwashed assassin in a less threatening way? You can’t. That was the problem.
“I know you were the Winter Soldier if that’s what you are asking.”
Oh.
“That explains the reaction.”
“No, it was because of your pretty face. Not because of your past. I’m in no position to judge you for your past. Whatever you did, you had no control over it. That’s pretty obvious.”
“How can you be so sure?” His question came instantly.
“Maybe I can tell you how and why one day, but not today.” She sounded a bit uncomfortable, so Bucky didn’t want to push her.
“Whenever you want, Bunny. I will always be here to listen.”
“Can I see your arm?” The change of topic came too suddenly. Her question caught Bucky off guard.
“Huh?”
“Your metal arm. It’s vibranium, right?” She was talking about the arm he has been trying to hide so hard. Does she really want to see that arm?
“Yes, it is.” He tried to sound as normal as possible.
“Can I see it?” She repeated eagerly.
Without saying anything, Bucky curled up his sleeve to reveal a part of his arm, still feeling a bit uncomfortable.
“Wow.” She looked stunned. “It looks… so pretty. The gold details. Wow.”
Her expression was something that can’t be faked. She was so genuinely surprised and interested. It gave Bucky the confidence he needed.
“Wanna see the rest?”
Bunny nodded excitedly, making Bucky smile. He took his henley off pretty quickly, and his metal arm, broad chest, and dog tags were on full display.
“Now I know why you only had one arm in every picture you sent me. Smart move, Sergeant Barnes.” Her eyes were still on his body, focusing on his arm. Bucky couldn’t remember the last time he felt this desired. Oh, god she definitely knows who I am, he thought. Getting called by his rank did things to him. He could feel the blood rushing to the other places. It’s not the time, it’s not the time, he tried to remind himself, yet a low groan escaped his lips before he could control it.
“So am I gonna see the rest, Sergeant?”
He gave her a confused look. When he asked that question he meant the rest of his arm, but apparently Bunny had different ideas.
“You mean…”
“The rest of your body, yes.”
“I thought we were gonna talk.” He tried to hide how much he was actually enjoying this change.
“We were, but I changed my mind.” Bucky smiled once again. Maybe I still got it, he thought.
“Because of the arm?”
“Because of you and yes, the arm too since it’s a part of you.”
“I never thought…” He couldn’t get to finish that thought.
“Your arm would be a turn-on? Well, it is. You should get used to that.”
“That’s gonna take a while,” Bucky admitted, then he looked back at the screen. “You gotta share more to see more, Bunny.”
“You are a fast learner, Sergeant. I like that.”
“I told you, you can always count on that.”
Bunny took her shirt off, instead of answering him. Bucky’s expression changed pretty quickly when he noticed she had no bra on. God, he needed to touch her, feel her and make her feel good, but he has no idea if that was even possible. His eyes focused on her nipples. How could they look this delicious over a video call? He wanted to latch on them, suck until she was a crying mess under him.
“You okay, Sarge?”
“God, Bunny, if you call me Sarge or Sergeant one more time, I will come inside my pants.”
“Noted,” she said with a teasing voice. “We wouldn’t want that, would we? I wanna see you first. Then we can make that happen.”
“I wanna see you, too. Coming hard while I tell you dirty things that turn you on.”
“Wow, the old man has a dirty mouth. Who would’ve thought?”
“Are you teasing me?” He asked with a small smile on his lips.
“I am challenging you.” Bucky gave her a suspicious look.
“To do what?”
“To talk dirty for real, James. You are ‘all talk and no action’ sometimes.”
“Oh, is that what we are doing now?” He already sounded challenged by her words. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t like a gentleman.”
“I do like a gentleman, outside the bed. In the bed, they are boring.”
“Okay, okay.” He nodded, trying to decide what to do next. “Good to know. Now, take your clothes off. I wanna see that body.”
“Is that an order, Sarge?”
“Yes, it is, Bunny.”
“And what if I don’t follow it?” Her voice was so fucking cute, Bucky did not know how she managed to be like this.
“Then you will be punished accordingly.” He didn’t even think before answering.
“Over the phone?”
“No. I will punish you in person. I will find wherever you live and I will punish you for not following a clear order.” The words spilled out of his mouth without much thought. The second he was done, he realized what he said. God, if she had got scared, she would have had every right to do so.
“That sounds more like a promise.” Her answer was unexpected and didn’t seem wary. Was she not scared of him? At all?
“It can be, but you wouldn’t wanna get punished.”
“Hmm…” She thought for a second. “Tell me, what do you want? A good girl or a bad one?”
“I want you, Bunny. Whichever you are.” His answer must be unexpected because Bunny’s expression changed for a second. She looked emotional and vulnerable, but she quickly pulled herself together.
“I am a little bit of both.”
“Then both it is.”
Bunny quickly took her remaining clothes off instead of responding, giving him a look. “Your turn.”
Bucky did the same.
“Now what do you want me to do?” She asked eagerly.
“Touch yourself for me.” She could feel how aroused he was just by hearing his voice. The full view of his erection was helping, too.
“Touch yourself first.” She sounded so demanding and Bucky couldn’t find the strength to refuse. His flesh hand wrapped around his already painful erection. “With the metal one, Sarge.”
Bucky quickly looked back at her, with confusion written all over his face.
“I promise, I am not a groupie or anything. I just think it would look so hot.”
“A groupie?”
“Google it if you don’t know what it means. I am not gonna embarrass myself by explaining.” Bucky laughed a little.
“I know what it means, Bunny. I just wasn’t sure why I would think you're a groupie.”
“Oh…” She looked at the camera for a second. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” He was completely lost.
“That you have fans.”
The look he had was unforgettable: completely lost.
“I have fans?” He repeated mindlessly.
“Nobody told you that, huh?”
“Nope. I have fans?”
“You do.” Bunny giggled. He was really an adorable old man. “People who defend you online. I will explain more later, okay?”
“Okay.” He still sounded confused, but he let it go. The sight in front of him was more interesting than a group of people defending him.
“Metal hand, around your cock.” She reminded him.
“Right.” She watched him wrap his vibranium fingers around his erection. It was truly a sight.
“Now, your turn.”
“What do you want me to do?” She quickly asked.
“Do you have a dildo around?”
Bunny was silent for a second. “Yes?” Her tone was hesitant.
“Do you have a favorite?”
She tried not to smile. “Of course.”
“Take that one.” He sounded so confident. It was a huge turn-on.
“Wait a second.” She left the frame for a while, and Bucky could hear her walking around, looking through her stuff. Finally, she came back with it.
“You like it big,” Bucky stated after seeing the dildo. It was probably as big as his own dick. No wonder she was so into the pictures he sent.
“Is that a problem?” Her question was genuine. “I can get a smaller one.”
“Why would I want that?” He had no idea. “I want you to enjoy this. That’s why I asked for your favorite.”
Bunny’s concern vanished quickly.
“Now what, Sarge?”
“Now we both start to play with ourselves.”
“Sounds good.” Bucky watched her brushing her fingers against her clit while letting out delicious, low moans. It was nothing too pornographic, and he could feel more blood rushing to his lower side. He started to work on himself pretty slowly with his vibranium hand since it was new to him. He never used his metal fingers before so he was trying to be careful.
“Use lube.”
“Huh?” Bucky looked like a fish out of water.
“Use lube, it will make it better.” Her fingers were still working on her clit and lips as she spoke. “Or whatever you have. A cream works too, I guess.”
“I have lube, doll. How do you think my dick survived you for this long?”
She giggled again, and all Bucky wanted to do was kiss her hard. Her lips, her nipples, her wet pussy. Anything… he just needed to taste her.
“You don’t even need lube, do you?” he asked, trying to distract himself.
“Nope.” She moved her finger away from her pussy, just to show him how wet she is, and the response she got was a loud moan.
“Fuck.” He took a deep breath. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” It was such a raw reaction, and Bunny loved every second of it. “All for me?”
“All for you, Sarge.”
His fingers started to work faster, and thanks to the lube, it was much better than he expected. He was surprised at how the metal felt against his cock. Definitely didn’t feel like flesh, but it was good. Really good since he could actually move his metal hand faster.
“Can I put this in me?” She asked Bucky for permission to finally use the dildo, and god, he had to stop for a second, not to come instantly.
“Yes. Yes, you can.” He breathed out, struggling to form sentences at this point, but he managed it.
She pushed the dildo inside her effortlessly and let out a loud moan as she moved it in further. Bucky took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. There is no way you are not gonna come before her. He was talking to himself. Just calm down.
"Ride that dildo, Bunny. Imagine it's me."
“You want this to be over soon, huh?” Her teasing tone helped him relax. He liked that he wasn’t alone in this.
“You gotta meet me in the middle, Bunny. Otherwise, it’s gonna be embarrassing.”
She didn’t tease or challenge him this time. She just listened to his order and started to ride the dildo as she would ride him. Her movements, the noises she made… She was making things even harder. He felt like he lost control of his fingers. He wanted to slow down, try to come with her, but his metal hand wasn’t listening to him.
“F-fuck.” He breathed out. “I’m- I’m gonna come.” He sounded so pained like he was disappointing her.
“I’m gonna come, too.” Her response was quick. “Sstop holding yourself back.” She was panting, involuntarily showing him how close she actually was.
“Shit. Pinch your nipple for me if you like that.” His metal hand was moving fast on his cock, it was oozing with precum already.
“I do.” She was out of breath already. “I do.” Pinching her nipple was enough to push her over the edge. “Oh, fuck…” When the first wave of her orgasm hit her, he could see how strong it was. “Fuck, Bucky…” The moment she said his name, he knew he was gone. There was no way he could hold back. “This feels so good. So fucking good.”
“God, Bunny.” He let out a loud moan as his come hit the laptop screen. He gasped as he continued to move his hand until he felt painfully overstimulated.
He had no idea how long the silence between them lasted.
“James?” He heard her silky voice before opening his eyes back up.
“I’m here, Bunny.” She smiled in response. She could see he was still there, but she wasn’t gonna say that.
“That was amazing.” Bunny looked so blissed out.
“Tell me about it.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe how strong that orgasm was.
He heard Bunny taking another deep breath while looking back at him.
“Look, I know this is not the time…” Bunny sounded more serious than before. The tone got his attention back to her.
“Tell me.” He suddenly sounded so demanding.
“The timing is horrible.”
“I don’t care.” He smiled, trying to assure her.
“I won’t be around for a while.” His face dropped when he heard her words. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you tonight. I won’t be online or posting new content.”
"Is something wrong?" He sounded so worried, so panicked. As crazy as it might have been, he didn't want to lose her, especially after this.
“No, no, no.” She quickly assured him. “It's something I have to do. I was working on something for a long time and now it might come to an end. Which is a good thing since that's what I was trying to achieve. I just need to deal with it, then I will be back and I'll explain everything, okay?” Bucky nodded. “Just know that I'll be busy, but I'll come back, okay? No need to worry about me.”
“I will always worry about you.” That was the truth. Even if he knew she was fine, not hearing from her would worry him. “Thank you for telling me.”
***
The next morning, Bucky woke up feeling much better than he ever felt since he was a free man. Last night, things exceeded his expectations. He noticed how much he was overthinking everything, how he never thought she'd be so okay with who he was. He never thought she would be still attracted to him after seeing him. He wasn’t delusional enough to think he had an ugly face. The problem was the things that face was associated with and, yes, he was still convinced she was way out of his league. But she didn’t seem to care, and that was all that mattered to him.
He quickly got ready. His morning routine was simple, so he could just leave in half an hour: a quick shower, a simple breakfast, and putting on appropriate clothes were enough. After he was done with the essentials, he found a bit of time to send Bunny a good morning message. She might not be able to respond, since she told him she was gonna be busy these days, but he still felt like doing it. And after last night, he had no intention to refrain from following his wishes. Not anymore.
But when he opened the app, he was simply shocked, horrified even… Because Bunny was gone. Completely gone. Her account was deactivated, and only their old messages were still there.
The panic scattered throughout his body like rapid fire, spreading from his chest and burning everything on its path. He had no idea what to do. He didn't have her number or any social media accounts if she had any. He didn’t even know where she lived. Yes, sure, Bunny told him she was going to be away for a while and wouldn't be able to share anything, but deleting her whole account? That was completely unexpected and alarming. He rubbed his face with both of his hands, trying to figure out a way to make sure she was fine.
Slowly, the overthinking returned and took complete control of him. What if she just played it cool yesterday but wanted to vanish after learning who he actually was? The Winter Soldier was a terrifying figure, he would have not blamed her if that had been the case, yet he would have felt betrayed and disappointed. He tried to think of a moment or a small detail that showed she was just trying to act her way out of a dangerous situation, but nothing came to his mind. She was surprised, of course, but after that initial shock, she was back to her normal self. She even wanted to see him more intimately. Was it because she didn’t feel safe anymore? Could she possibly act so flawlessly and show no fear while trying to get away? A part of him didn't believe that couldn’t be true. She was one of the most authentic people he met, even though they did not actually meet in person. That was why he was pulled towards her this much. Another part of him thought this is basically her job. She had to look convincing enough, but looking and acting were completely two different things, and Bucky wasn’t sure of anything anymore. He was so focused on trying to find a logical explanation for everything that he almost didn't hear his phone ring.
When Bucky grabbed back his phone, he saw the name Sam Wilson on the screen. He didn’t feel like answering, but Sam was stubborn as usual. He called him back again in a second, and Bucky had no choice but to answer at the end.
“Hey, Buck. You ready buddy? I’m on my way and I can give you a lift.”
Bucky made an unintelligible sound, not knowing how to answer. He already forgot about the meeting and the time.
“Please, tell me you are ready. The meeting is in half an hour.”
“I am.” He finally managed to say something back. His own voice sounded robotic and the words were forced, but he had to go through this day to find a way to reach Bunny. Maybe he could ask for Fury’s help to locate her. It would take a lot of convincing, but he would do it for her. To make sure she was safe and sound. To do that, he had to go to this briefing.
“Okay, I’ll be there in 5.”
***
As Bucky and Sam finally arrived at the SHIELD headquarters, Bucky muttered a simple thank you. They didn't talk much during the ride, which wasn’t unusual, yet Sam suspected something was wrong. Bucky was usually calm and collected. He wouldn't engage in small talk or chat about random topics, but this time he seemed nervous. Sam wanted to ask what was wrong, but after all the time they spent together, he knew it was better to just wait for a sign. That was always more effective. Bucky would recoil into his shell like a freaking turtle if you made a move too soon, and that was the last thing they needed.
As for Bucky, he couldn't stop wondering about all the possibilities in the world and what he should do next. He would have to talk to Fury privately, ask for help, and get out of this mission. After that, he would go on whatever mission they decided to throw his way. No problem. None at all. Just let me be sure she is fine.
While still thinking about the plan in his mind, Bucky found an empty spot in the meeting room and sank down. He was checking his phone regularly to see if there was anything from Bunny or if maybe her profile would be back up, but no. There was nothing at all, and his worry was growing every second. He had no idea how he was supposed to go through this meeting at all.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to end one of the biggest undercover operations in the history of SHIELD.” Fury’s voice got the attention of everyone in the room. “We are going to hit HYDRA where it hurts the most. Innocents will be saved by cutting HYDRA’s biggest financial income. It doesn't get any better than this.” Fury talking about HYDRA got Bucky out of his own head for a second. “This operation has been going on for quite some time and there’s no one better than Agent Elvisa to explain the details before we get to action.” Fury turned his eyes to the side, moving his hand up to introduce the mysterious agent. What Bucky didn't expect was to see Bunny, in flesh and blood, right in front of him. She was wearing a generic SHIELD uniform, her hair neatly tied up in a ponytail, looking composed.
“Thank you, Director Fury.” Hearing her silky voice made Bucky realize he wasn’t dreaming. His eyes widened when he realized he was really standing there, looking perfect in that ugly outfit. He could feel a hole forming in his stomach while Agent Elvisa started to explain the details. She was actively trying to avoid meeting his eyes while talking, showing some statistics and the essential, but Bucky couldn’t hear anything. His ears were ringing.
Since Bunny kept avoiding the eye contact with him, Bucky’s glance turned over to Natasha. She was the one who suggested her, after all. Did she know about this? The woman who he thought was a complete stranger was actually a SHIELD agent. There was no way Natasha did not know this. Was this all an elaborate prank? Maybe orchestrated by Natasha. That would make perfect sense.
Bucky understood that HYDRA was making a lot of money from their human trafficking network, and SHIELD was about to destroy it. He would have loved to focus more on the details since this would have been a personal case for him in another context. He was one of their victims after all. Yet his palms were sweating as he thought about confronting her. Even when he tried hard to understand, his brain didn’t compute any of the information she was giving. It was too loud, too uncomfortable. He felt thirsty and nauseous at the same time.
After the meeting was over, Bucky jolted out of his seat to catch her. He needed a second to talk to her, privately, to understand what the fuck was going on. He thought he deserved that much explanation before going on another mission after everything that happened between them.
She was talking to someone, but Bucky didn’t pay attention to their conversation. He stopped right next to her, invading all of her personal space without considering how it might look from the outside.
“We need to talk.” His voice was so harsh, it made her flinch. She looked up and met his eyes for the first time, and he could clearly see she was uncomfortable.
“She was…” The man she was talking to tried to interject, but Bucky was having none of it.
“I’m talking to Agent Elvisa.” God, the way he said her name was stone-cold. It sounded like he wanted to spit her name out. He subtly grabbed her arm. “We need to talk. Right now.”
***
Bucky’s hand didn’t leave her arm until they were tucked inside the closest empty office. He was trying to control himself, but it was so hard when a million questions were running through his head. Yet, he managed to choose one to ask.
“Why?” His eyes were like two daggers.
“Why what?” She managed to say back, a little terrified.
“Why did you do this to me?” The way Bucky asked the question broke her heart. She could hear the disappointment, the pain and betrayal in his voice. “I just need to know why you did this to me.”
“What are you talking about? What did I do to you?” She looked completely clueless, and it hurt Bucky even more. “Look I know…” She tried to explain, but he didn’t let her.
“Was this a joke? Did Natasha put you up to this?” He talked so fast and harshly. “Or was this a bet between co-workers?” She was silent. Completely silent. Trying to understand what he was talking about.
“You think I played with you?” She asked the question like she couldn’t believe him.
“Didn’t you, Agent Elvisa?” Again, her code name sounded so harsh on his lips. She wasn’t Bunny anymore.
“Playing with you was never my intention.”
“But you did it anyway.” God, he sounded so broken, on the verge of a breakdown.
“I didn’t even know I was talking to you until last night, Bucky.” She was getting emotional, but Bucky wasn’t in the state to notice it. “I could never…”
“You could never what? Make a fool of me? Break my heart? What did you think would happen when you decided to show up and give a presentation in that freaking room?” He raised his hand to point toward the general direction of the meeting room.
“I didn’t know you would be here!” She finally snapped and started to yell back. “I didn’t know I was talking to you until last night! Did you even listen to me back there?”
Bucky looked all lost, trying to understand why that would matter right now.
“I was on an undercover mission all this time. It had nothing to do with you! You think I made a fake account and started creating content just to mess with you? Why would I do that?”
“I… I don’t know.” He didn’t know anything. All he came up with was a list of possibilities.
“I have been doing this for months! I’m trying to catch those bastards, trying to look convincing enough and make them pay for what they did!” She stopped for a second, trying to collect herself. She didn’t want to cry. Not right then. “You think you are so important that I would create a whole ass account instead of just coming and asking you out?”
Her question silenced him for a second, making him wonder what the last sentence meant.
“What did you just say?”
Right at that moment, someone knocked on the door and stuck their head inside.
“Sergeant Barnes, we have to leave in 10 minutes.”
He didn’t even look their way. “I’m in the middle of something!” It was so harsh yet attractive.
“I know, but Director Fury…”
“Just tell him I need 5 more minutes.” The determination in his tone shook the agent and he left without saying anything in return. As soon as Bucky heard the door close, he repeated his question.
“What did you just say?”
“I don’t know what kind of sick game is going on, but I’m assuming you know I have a crush on you. Maybe Nat told you. I.. don’t know, but I would never do something like this. Not to you, not to anyone. I’d just ask you out and get rejected with pride.”
“You had a crush on me?” He couldn’t believe what she was saying.
“You… didn’t know?”
“No.” They both looked so confused.
“I assumed that you did.” She awkwardly looked around.
“Nope.”
The door was opened without a knock this time and both of them turned their heads simultaneously.
“Buck-” Sam couldn’t even finish his sentence. The double death glare startled him.
“For god's sake! I just need 5 minutes of privacy before I go there and fight. Is that too much to ask?”
“Okay, man, calm down. I’ll tell Fury.” He quickly looked at Bunny and then at Bucky before closing the door behind him. Both Bucky and Bunny turned their eyes to each other.
“Okay, look… I didn’t play with you.” She started to explain. “No one put me up on a mission to mess with you. I don’t know if this is a twisted game of fate or something else, but I didn’t know you would be involved in this operation, okay?”
“It’s Romanoff’s doing.” He finally put two plus two together, and she nodded slowly. It made sense to her, too. Then they heard Fury talking outside, and they knew that the time was running out.
“We don’t have time for this.” She stated while running her hand through her hair. “Just know that I was going to explain everything after the operation. That’s why I said what I said yesterday.”
Before he could answer her, the door opened once again. No knocking, no hesitation. Bucky was about to yell at them not to interrupt once again, but Fury was standing on the door sill, looking uneasy.
“Barnes, we have no time for…” His eyes darted between both of them. “...whatever this is. We have to leave before it’s too late.”
“Fine.” He finally responded after a short while. “I’m coming, but this conversation is not over, Agent Elvisa.”
“I’ll be waiting, Sergeant Barnes.”
Next Chapter >>>
***
taglist (I tried to tag everyone who showed interest in chapter two. If you would rather not be included please let me know.)
@geminiflanagansblog @sadg1rlsei @lia-winther @nanikio @barnesboo1967 @chinaza444 @kaitlin013106 @ryanmxrie @steverogers-wife @weaselbeedisneygeek @tilltheendofthelinepal9950 @happyxdayxbitch @marvelogic @wintasssoldier @buckybarnessimpp @marvelsbitchh @alright-i-guesss @almosttoopizza @rabbitrabbit12321 @cookielovesbook-akie @whalien52bbgrl @cjand10 @scifinerd1818 @dellalyra @capswife @netherqueen23 @beware-my-thorns @freegardenbanananeck @iamstevessmile @raven1234321 @divadinag @noisesinthedark @amanda-says @ozwriterchick @sleyeveryday @arsonfrogger @lfaewrites @alana4610 @amberpanda99 @splendidreads @acatwriteshere
#bucky barnes#bucky barnes x reader#bucky barnes x female reader#bucky barnes smut#bucky barnes au#bucky barnes fanfiction#bucky barnes x you#bucky barnes x y/n#bucky barnes imagine#marvel x reader#sebastian stan#marvel fanfiction#bucky barnes angst#bucky barnes x yn#bucky x female yn#winter soldier#bucky barnes fluff#bucky x you#my stories#unconventional methods
814 notes
·
View notes
Text
haitani rindou ⇄ not to worry about.
synopsis : when you start to feel insecure and start overthinking, he reassures you the best like no one did.
warnings / tags : writing this with fem!reader in mind but no pronouns used, self indulgent, light angst to pure fluff, bonten!rindou, overthinking, ooc rindou, rindou best boyfriend canon, will edit if i feel like it.
rindou is always surrounded by girls. it is normal to feel jealous and uneasy whenever he does, it is his work after all, managing bars and entertainment, underground meetings and all.
today was like no other, you heard from your own boyfriend that there would be someone that would be his secretary for the whole week, just to record and to arrange his schedule— then you heard the phrase that makes each relationship shatter.
“i know baby, you shouldn’t worry about it, okay?”
you feel like he was getting irritated by you when you asked that question that has been bothering you. as he did his best to assure you. sometimes you’re scared that he is getting tired of you, making you shiver in thought.
currently laying down in bed, pouting, it was the second day that rindou was busy for the whole week but of course, he’s still coming home from a long day to be by your side — his home.
you’re worried about him— not that he would cheat on you but the girl that he is with would definitely pick on him without hesitation, i mean, did you even see your man?
despite overthinking, you did not hear rindou entering your home as you keep snuggling in your comfy bed until you sense his arms wrapped around you.
“baby? what’s the problem?” he asked and that is the time that small tears escaped your eye line.
note that he didn’t have the chance to change, he still needs to prioritize you over himself, always.
“i don’t know.” you breathed out, his eyes softened at your answer, and he caressed your back to bring more solace to you.
“it’s okay baby, take your time, i’m not rushing you,” he whispered
and you did what he said, taking your time on opening up to him, he understands that, he knows you struggle on those and not a bit of patience can be taken away from him.
“are you getting tired of me? reassuring me every time you go home? i trust you enough but—”
“you’re always thinking about me cheating on you?” he removed the blanket that has been covering your head to toe.
he wiped your dried tears, listening to you eagerly.
rindou ever believed that communication is key in a relationship, not only that, both of the parties should know what they felt in a current situation, like today but he realizes something.
“oh no, ‘m sorry baby, i shouldn’t say that phrase to you.” he assisted you in sitting up from the bed, hugging him.
he pecked the back of your hand softly, you sighed as if there were other problems as well.
“i cannot explain how i will always choose you over any other girl. if you’re thinking that you’re not beautiful, you will always be gorgeous in my eyes.”
“i swore to the heavens to protect you and love you— forever. i will never leave you no matter what” he said, his voice sounding so genuine as he spoke to you. you felt that he was as genuine as the sun is bright compared to the stars.
this was not the first time hearing his tone, that just means that he is genuine in everything he does.
“even if i look like a fly?” you blurted out, making him laugh.
“yeah, even if you look like a fly” he answered, picking out something from his pockets.
your head still laying on his shoulders as you felt something slip on your ring finger. you looked at your hand, seeing a stunning promise ring.
“i hope this assures you, i promise my life to you, not an engagement ring at the moment but i can replace that soon.” he kissed it, looking at you with his glimmering eyes.
“you don’t have to worry about everything, i’m always here, promising you to be true in any way.” he kisses your forehead towards your lips, kissing him back tenderly.
“rin, why...” you sniffled, looking at him with still teary eyes, chuckling at you.
“because i love you” he answered reasonably, carrying you to his lap, facing him.
“now, do you want to know what happened at work today?” he wrapped his arms around your waist, recalling what happened at his work. he won’t forget about telling you about what the girl does to him at his office.
at the end of the night, you’re still flustered at the promise ring he got you even though you already have a lot of jewelry, doesn’t matter, you deserve anything.
what was to worry about when rindou does everything to keep this relationship healthy and fair between the two of you? it doesn’t matter if you think you are causing the problems, he won’t get tired of everything for you.
#tokyo rev fluff#tokrev#tokyo rev x reader#tokrev x reader#tokyo revengers x reader#tokyo revengers fluff#rindou haitani#rindou x reader#rindou x you#haitani rindou x reader#haitani rindou x you#rindou haitani x you#rindou haitani x reader#[ rindou ] — ♡
416 notes
·
View notes
Text
Better this way...
Book: Crimes of Passion (Book 1)
Pairing: Trystan Thorne x F!MC (Carolina Rose)
Rating: Teen+
Warnings: Mentions of death/loss
Category: Angsty Fluff??? / Pining.
Summary: Alone in the office after a long day, Trystan and Carolina can only think of each other - if only the other knew.
Words: 2.3k
A/N: OK, it's my first time writing for these two! I hope it's somewhat decent. (It was supposed to be a drabble, but you know, shit happened. lol ) @choicesjunechallenge, Romance
I'm tagging my PERMA list - if you'd like to be added or removed for CoP fics, please let me know.
He studied her carefully, observing her the way a connoisseur takes in a priceless piece of art they know they'll never see again. He committed every line, contour, every gentle curve of her face to memory and did his best to conceal the grin attempting to travel from his heart to his lips. He almost succeeded. Almost. With a slight twitch, the corners of his mouth lifted, and he had to laugh to himself. He should have known better; emotions this strong can’t be contained. Not even by a man who had become a master of presenting a façade to the world.
She wore a worried expression while pouring over the papers scattered atop her desk. Jaw set, brow furrowed, that little crease that formed above her nose whenever she was troubled prominent. Carolina Rose had perfected her poker face for her job, but not when she was off the clock. At those times, the people who knew her best could read her like a book, and while Trystan Thorne wasn't yet a member of that privileged circle, he was doing all he could to get in... and he was a quick study.
Many small details that provided a glimpse into her soul had already been memorized, and he marveled over how even the slightest variance could lead her to morph into a different being. The woman across the room from him bore almost no resemblance to the one who rolled her eyes at his latest antics or pretended to be bothered by him, even as her expression so clearly told him the opposite was true. And those glorious moments when he earned her smile, perhaps a laugh… every trace of rigidity gone, her cheeks flushed with delight, and her eyes as bright as a child who had just been offered their favorite treat… he felt his breath escape him at the memory alone. Trystan was no stranger to this feeling welling inside of him; he had known it intimately before. When it left, it took a part of him and he insisted he'd never feel that way again. But look at him now.
The papers made a fluttering sound as they fell from her hands and joined the others on the surface below. She looked to the ceiling with a sigh of frustration, eyes clenched, her long, slender fingers rubbing her temples. He knew this wasn’t just a case for Carolina. Her Uncle Tommy had told him that none of them ever were. Each represented people… people who were hurting, people who had died, people she was working furiously to protect. Trystan wasn’t impressed with Carolina’s dedication and drive; he was in awe of it. The desire to do what was right, no matter the personal consequence; her ability to cut people down to size, to put him in his place with ease… she was one of a kind.
An undeniably beautiful woman, but beautiful women were a dime a dozen in his world; it took more than a pretty face to captivate his heart and awaken feelings he was certain died along with the only woman he had ever loved… but when he was with Carolina, he felt his heart coming back to life, and he was helpless to stop it.
With his eyes glued on her, Carolina met his gaze the moment hers opened. A slight smirk came to her lips as the tension visibly escaped her body.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Protecting you,” he simpered, and there was that roll of her eyes.
He couldn’t blame her. They both knew she could more than fend for herself. She didn’t need some playboy prince standing guard over her. Still, she never sent him away whenever he offered to stay behind.
“Coffee?” He asked, more of a statement than a question, as he was already preparing her cup.
“Sure. You might as well make yourself useful while you’re here.”
She raised her hands to her stiff shoulders, gently massaging them as her weary eyes followed his movements. Trystan hadn’t impressed her at first. A fact that she knew left him astounded. He was charming and handsome, obnoxiously so; she’d have to be blind not to see that, especially since he was donning no more than an Egyptian cotton towel during their unplanned meeting. But wealthy exiled princes were not to her taste. A cocky, wealthy exiled prince, even less so.
Trystan liked to pretend he knew more than he did, so Carolina watched him intently. There was no way he knew how she took her coffee, and she was eager to pounce on his first mistake… figuratively, of course—when he inevitably failed. That would be the catalyst to commence the back-and-forth banter that had quickly come to define them.
So she watched and waited. He filled her mug three-fourths full, pouring fat-free Lactaid milk to fill the remaining space. Carolina wasn’t lactose intolerant; she simply preferred the taste, and Trystan noticed. Her coy smile was growing into a wide grin when he began stirring. No sweetener. She knew he’d get it wrong and was eager to start the repartee… when he poured three packets of Splenda and one of Equal into her cup. The ball was firmly in his court now as evidenced by the look of astonishment on her face.
“Something wrong?” he purred with delight.
“No..uh… it’s just… how did you know how I take my coffee?”
He fell back into his chair and gently shrugged. “It’s not the first time we’ve had coffee together, Carolina.”
“No,” she agreed. “But it’s the first time you’ve prepared my cup, and….”
“…and I pay attention,” he interrupted, the velvety tone of his voice doing things she wouldn’t readily admit.
“Quick! How does Luke take his?”
Trystan bit his lower lip as he strained to remember, a blush that made Carolina warm inside appearing on his cheeks.
“In a cup?” he deadpanned.
Carolina burst out laughing and raised her cup to her mouth, eager to watch him try to spin his way out of this web.
“I pay attention…sometimes,” he said, clearing his throat. “I pay attention when it matters.”
“And my coffee preferences… matter?”
“They are of the utmost importance,” he smiled.
“But Luke’s… don't?”
“Of course they do… to him, but to me… he can text me what he wants if I'm picking up coffee on the way to work."
Now, it was Carolina blushing, cursing her body for giving her away so easily.
“It makes sense,” she shrugged. “I suppose it’s wise to be on your boss's good side.”
“My boss?” he challenged. “I hired your agency. There is a valid argument to be made that I am, in fact, your boss…but,” he emphasized, holding up a finger when she dared to interrupt. “But since both scenarios would make for delightful role-playing… I’m not going to argue the point.”
A bark of laughter escaped her. By now, she knew he was a relentless flirt, but the way her pulse raced at his words… if that had happened before, she must have been in denial, but there was no sidestepping it now.
“In your dreams, Thorne.”
“Trust,” he winked. “You are.”
He waited for the witty retort, but it never came. Instead, Carolina turned away, flustered and abashed. She was always fast on her feet and had a sharp comeback at the ready…but this no longer felt like a game, and retorts were the last place her mind was going.
“Well, uhm…” she cleared her throat. “I really appreciate your… initiative. It’s very… sweet.”
He glanced up playfully from under the hair falling onto his face. “Just like your coffee."
Her hands fumbled along her desk until she found her cup. Grasping it like a life preserver, she took a long gulp, almost emptying its contents. Anything to delay her response while she processed the places her mind and body were taking her. Was she falling? Carolina did not fall! And while she knew Trystan would catch her, that made it all the more terrifying. Unlike him, she was not familiar with these emotions. She had loved before, of course. Love was the guiding motivation in her life. She loved her Uncle Tommy. She loved her late Father with all her heart. How it would have broken him to know the impact his death had left behind.
It lived forever in her mind… the damp, dark garage… his lifeless body on the ground… his blood soaking her clothes, its smell permeating the air… the garbled sounds as he attempted to speak his last words… she remembered it all. Collapsing over his casket on that cold, grey morning. Uncle Tommy pushing his grief aside to support her. He probably carried her back to the car, she couldn’t recall… but the ride home was forever etched in her mind. One thing repeated in her mind as she watched the cityscape speeding by. Love hurt. Love equated to loss and pain, and she had to protect herself. She couldn’t stop loving the people already in her life, but she'd be damned if she let anyone else in. By the time guests began to arrive at Tommy’s bar for the repast, Carolina had already wrapped her heart in a box and placed it in a vault in the furthest corner of her home. She locked it and tossed away the key. An unconscious vow was made.
There had been other people in her life, but they were never a problem. She knew they couldn’t get too close; if they did, she'd easily cast them aside. She knew how to dance around the fire without allowing herself to get burned. But with Trystan, everything felt different. He was the fire, consuming her each time he entered the room. If she opened this door, there was no question that the flames would engulf her, and perhaps there would be no escape.
“Carolina,” he said, the sincerity in his voice touching her heart. “Are you all right? A penny for your thoughts?”
He waited patiently, knowing something was amiss. Carolina Rose didn’t stumble. She didn’t fluster easily. She had to be… thinking… could he dare to believe she may have been thinking the same thing as him? He wanted to know… but sensing her trepidation… he waited until she was ready.
I think I’m frightened. I think I’m falling for you, Trystan Thorne, and I don't fall! This doesn't happen to me. It never does, but somehow... I can't make this stop... I can’t. And with you! Of all people? Your head would grow another five sizes if I told you this, and we can’t have that. But I think… I think falling for you… and I don’t understand it... I'm not sure I can let it in, and I'm less sure that I can make it stop.
Those were the words that filled her mind as silence hung in the air. But when her quivering lips finally uttered a sound, that's not what she brought herself to say.
“A penny?” she mocked. “With all your money, my thoughts are worth no more than a penny? Trystan Thorne, I’m insulted… and you’re out of luck… because my thoughts are far more valuable than that!”
Was it possible for two opposing feelings to wash over you at once? Her response left him crestfallen, his hopes dashed, but he also felt...relief.
“Then I’ll be sure to hit up the ATM before we do this again,” he jested, quickly pointing to the papers on her desk. “So… did you find anything?”
Grateful for the opportunity to steer their conversation in a different direction, Carolina began rattling off her thoughts. But Trystan never registered a word above the sound of his pounding heart. The words he had hoped to hear echoed in his mind.
“Trystan? Trystan…” Carolina said, tossing a crumbled ball of paper his way. “Did you hear anything I said?
“Yes! Of course!” He startled. “But… just to be sure… why don’t you tell them to me again?”
Carolina rolled her eyes and repeated herself, but it was futile. Trystan still couldn’t process a thing and the relief he had felt just moments before morphed into profound disappointment. This is for the best, he told himself. After all, he had been in love before, and love was… magical… until… His eyes screwed shut, and he was racing back in time. The night he had hoped to erase from his memory that was never more than a moment away was fresh again. He swore he could smell the salt in the air and feel the waves shifting beneath him. Juliana was there, more beautiful than ever before; all was right with the world… until… his eyes shot open with renewed focus. Fortunately, Carolina was there... still speaking.
“So, the bottom line is, this didn’t give us any new leads, but it did place more suspicion on some we already had.”
“Then, it wasn’t time wasted,” he rebounded without missing a beat. “I guess that leaves us with more work to do tomorrow. So, why don’t I give you a lift home now?”
“You know,” Carolina hesitated. “I’m going to hang back here a little. I’ll be all right. Why don’t you head out.”
Trystan nodded sadly. “If you insist, boss….I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He rushed to the door, taking one last look over his shoulder as his hand grasped the brass doorknob. Carolina had already begun typing away on her laptop, as focused on her work as ever. She was so beautiful, he thought, it would have been really nice if… no… he shook his head… no…he had to let this go. It was better this way.
#choices fanfic#crimes of passion choices#crimes of passion#trystan thorne#trystan thorne x f!mc#playchoices fanfic#crimes of passion fanfic#playchoices#m!trystan thorne x f!mc
81 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hey! Sorry if you get this a lot, but you mentioned in your one really long post that you'd maybe talk about the "non-invasive" procedures one day. I have a friend considering a few (notably that ice fat removal one, cryo something) and I was hoping you could tell a bit more about your experiences with them. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
hi! i’m happy to discuss, definitely. i hope you don't mind my publishing this, because i haven't yet had a chance to publicly talk about CoolSculpt (similar if not identical in fashion to cryo- methods of "fat removal") or other med spa procedures, and i'd like to add this to my anti-cosmetic surgery tag. if you're not comfortable with this ask being published, please let me know asap and i will remove it without issue!
if your friend is indeed interested in CoolSculpt, my caution there is firstly going to revolve around Linda Evangelista, the 90s supermodel.
her story about PAH (paradoxical adipose hyperplasia) that she experienced because of CoolSculpt is harrowing. here’s an article about it.
this happens a lot more with CoolSculpt than most people realize. i didn't experience PAH necessarily, but i will say that when i got CoolSculpt on my inner thighs, it left them extremely, extremely lumpy, and hardened. i already had one spot--about the size of a prune--on one of my inner thighs from when i got actual liposuction. i figured it wasn't the end of the world, and ignored it as best i could.
but when i went in and got CoolSculpt, i noticed in the weeks afterward that my thighs looked... bumpy. lumpy. like there were small, hard avocado pits underneath my skin. of course, i freaked out. i didn't know why it looked like that--the technician and the ads had all said it would be left smooth, fat-free, no trace of a procedure left behind.
before my last session (CoolSculpt takes multiple sessions), i asked the technician to take a look. she said, "oh, that'll go away in a few weeks. your body just has to detox it."
i was skeptical, but i wanted so much to believe she was right.
i waited, and i waited. i waited some more. weeks and weeks and weeks passed. not a single change.
i still don't rightly know what happened. i haven't quite had the time to get it checked out, because, depressingly, this disfigurement is very low on my list compared to my more pressing issues atm.
i also want to mention that i got CoolSculpt on my arms (they offered me a free "area" with my purchase of the inner thighs) and so i figured i'd try to get rid of some of my the fat under my biceps and triceps. all that happened was that the skin began to droop and sag. CoolSculpt did not transform my arms into firm, smooth limbs, not by any stretch. (there was no muscle there, so obv this was gonna happen!)
so, the inner thighs remain a mystery to me. the hardened lumps are still there, and seem benign, but they are extremely annoying. and i no longer care what they look like, but back when i did, the extremely firm lumpiness really, really bothered me. it was like huge ocean waves, frozen. Linda described her aftermath as "protrusions," and i kind of relate, honestly. i don't have it nearly as intensely as she does, but protrusions is a perfect way to describe the behavior of the flesh post-CoolSculpt.
as i've built more muscle in my legs over time, the lumps are less visible, but i still feel them there. it's really unsettling. makes me think of having parasites under my skin, which then makes me really queasy and panicked. but i can't do anything about them.
i got one suggestion to try to massage them, because they may just be gnarled tissue of some kind that could be broken up and metabolized if given proper stimulation and circulation. but no such luck--they're still there.
so, again, not totally sure what happened to me--not quite what happened to Linda Evangelista, but. i still had an adverse affect, which is frightening.
the people at the med spa i went to, btw, refused to acknowledge this as an issue. they told me i must just "metabolize fat poorly." not their fault, evidently. and i was powerless to challenge them, because i had signed a lot of waivers.
so, here i am. CoolSculpt just gave me another in a long line of apparently permanent side effects, even though it was noninvasive.
i wish so much i had just... fucking stopped, honestly. i should've begun my fitness journey then, if i wanted "toned thighs" so much, instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money (that i didn't have, btw) on this completely unregulated procedure that remains wildly popular. it is 100% a scam.
at least with working out, i gained confidence and strength and stopped caring so much about how i look once i realized that how i feel is so much more important. having done both, i can firmly say that i would choose my strong, big, muscular thighs over the trim, slim CoolSculpted ones any day.
and to drive the point home, i do still have the lumps in my thighs.
CoolSculpt is a waste of time, money, and health.
please do encourage your friend to look up the side effects reported from CoolSculpt, and keep in mind that most women who get CoolSculpt do NOT follow back up with the med spas they received treatment at. so when you see "over 95% of patients reported satisfaction with their treatment," know that they are NOT returning the calls of those who received adverse effects.
as i do with all cosmetic procedures, both invasive and noninvasive, i believe the percentage of those who have been "botched" is way, way, way, WAY under-reported, underrepresented, and vastly, vastly underestimated.
technically, because my surgeons never returned my communication, and because i never participated in an official survey (usually provided by the place that gives you the surgery, lmfao), i would not be included in the data collected for "botched procedures."
so please, please keep that in mind. most of us who have received life-altering results from any manner of cosmetic procedures either A) are not being communicated with by the providers of the procedure afterward, or B) are not even thinking about communicating with the provider of the procedure because they are now at their doctor or a hospital, trying to find answers to what went wrong.
or simply C) are too embarrassed to come forward and admit that we were “botched.”
or even D) have accepted it in numb silence or deeply flat denial because it would be too painful or too much effort to acknowledge that we most certainly didn’t get the results we were promised.
like, trust me, no one is calling me or knocking at me door asking me if i’m happy with my surgeries or my noninvasive procedures. not a single one. as far as the world was concerned, until i spoke up this year, i was a happy customer. so idk WHERE the fuck they get all these surveyed patients from. but sure as hell, no one ever asked me.
my point is, i don't believe the data collected on procedure satisfaction is AT ALL trustworthy, let alone accurate.
if there's another procedure you have a question about, i'd be happy to answer it to the best of my ability.
53 notes
·
View notes
Text
The Dream - Chapter Ten.
BESTIES! Who wants a double update? It’s here, you’re getting one! I figured I would, since the next two chapters are a little shorter, both coming in at under 3k in the word count. Going forward, I think we’ll do a 40 note unlock for a double update, and a 30 note unlock for a single one. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? Well, I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you here. Looking forward to your thoughts, as ever :)
Previous chapters - Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine
Tag list - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed (note: those not engaging will be automatically removed from the tag list, FYI)
Words - 2,648
Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!
“He’s still acting strange with you, then?” Angel asked, winding noodles around his fork. They were at the Chinese restaurant Keri had said she wanted to take him to, discussing her current predicament with Aaron.
“Well, kind of,” she began, poking at the pastry on one of the spring rolls before her. “He’ll ask what Rachel, Frankie and I are talking about, and if I say you, then he’ll just close up, or make some remark. He still has you pegged as a scumbag.”
Angel looked entertained by that. “Some people think I am, and if that’s what he wants to believe without ever actually meeting me, then that’s up to him.” He scratched his beard, shrugging. “I ain’t losing sleep over it, neither should you.”
“I’m trying not to, but it irritates me. What you do doesn’t have anything to do with him,” she stated, Angel chewing through his mouthful of food quickly, reaching to cover her hand with his.
“Don’t let it bother you, especially when he’s only looking out for you. You just don’t like it because it probably throws up a little conflict for you too, doesn’t it?”
She felt a little uncomfortable at his presenting of the truth like that, but decided it was best to be honest. “A bit, if I’m real with you.”
“All you gotta know is the following; what I do and who I am are very different things, alright?” He paused then, Keri sipping her iced tea, nodding. “How about the other guy in your group, Ash, is it? Does he think the same?”
“I’ve no idea, since we haven’t seen him for more than a half hour at a time, if that, for the past few weeks. He’s two years above us and currently coming to the end of taking his master's degree in biochemistry, so he’s literally absconded to his room or the study suites at college as he prepares for his finals in April. I doubt he’d take an issue, though. You guys have a common ground, a love for Harley’s,” she explained.
“Oh yeah?” Angel was interested at that. “What does he ride?”
She sat and thought on it, trying to remember, knowing she could only come out with something that was going to make her look utterly ridiculous. “Erm, it’s red. That’s about all I can tell you.”
He laughed softly at that. “You’re too cute.”
“I am as my Instagram bio states, Provo village idiot.”
Her words sparked something in him then, something he’d been meaning to ask for a while. “Speaking of you Insta, I need to know what made you choose the profile name you did. I mean, I know I was boring and just chose my name and birth year, but yeah, kinda curious to know how girl where photo came about?”
Keri was laughing softly before she’d even spoken, remembering the event that had led to it well. “I changed it after something funny that happened about a year ago. We have these students who came over from Thailand at our college, doing some long-term exchange programme through their church, and they’re the sweetest kids but back then, their English was still a little bit basic at best.
“So, one of them, Trinh, his name is, asked me if I could take some photographs of him to send to his family back home of him up in the mountains where the scenery is so breathtaking, so I agreed. Anyway, I said I’d print the ones he’d chosen, but between our busyness with studies, it took me a while to get them done, and he was obviously quite excited about seeing them, so ran up one morning in the hall and shouted, ‘girl where photo?’ at me. It sounds like he was being rude, but he was just so excited, and he couldn’t remember my name either, so yeah, that explains it. Frankie couldn’t breathe! Every time he sees me now, he yells it at me. It’s our thing.”
He laughed, resting his fork down when he’d finished, Keri taking another bite out of one of the spring rolls before her. “So, tell me how the love of photography started, then. You know, out of all the things we’ve talked about so far, I don't think I ever asked that."
Sitting there listening to her explain how she’d first come to love taking pictures with her grandmother’s old wind on camera when she was four, excitedly visiting the local one-hour photo place with her to get them developed, Angel smiled widely all the way through. He couldn’t help but note that he’d never felt so comfortable with someone in such a short space of time, the way they'd fallen into easy conversation, like two old friends becoming reacquainted after a period of separation.
How he felt when he was with her in his sleep was definitely mirrored by the reality of such, Keri seeming to settle well despite – as he could tell clearly – being quite nervous earlier as they’d left the airport. She’d almost crashed into a concrete post on her way out of the car park.
As for Keri, if only Angel knew how well she was hiding the fact that inside, all she could hear were panicked honking noises. Supressing her nerves was a battle she was mostly winning, but boy, she was working her ass off to keep it all hidden. Yes, she felt comfortable with him, and he was just a nice as he’d seemed thus far, but she still couldn’t believe he was sitting across the table from her.
This man, this completely irresistibly gorgeous man, a man she would have considered out of her league, was sitting there looking like he was honestly enjoying getting to know her. Her inner self? Anxious. She revealed those thoughts too after they’d left the restaurant, Keri stopping in at Frankie and Jaime’s apartment so she could leave her car behind and Angel could drop his bag inside, taking an Uber down to The Lounge.
“So, how’s it going?” Frankie asked, Keri greeting them both with a kiss while Angel went to the bar.
“Help! He’s too hot for me, I’m out of my depth and only just holding it together to act like a normal person and not spiral into one long calamity Joe parody of myself!” she hissed, seating herself on the opposite couch, a narrow table dividing them.
“Love, you need to cease with these thoughts,” Jaime began, reaching to squeeze her wrist. “You have no idea how much of a knockout you are, do you?” Here they were, Keri’s usual nerves and self-doubt when it came to men, especially in that moment, walking in with a very attractive one, the kind of guy that looks wise, she should have always aimed for, rather than selling herself short because she didn’t believe she could do better.
Keri waved her hand dismissively, shaking her head. “Stop, I am not!” Just then, Angel arrived back with them, placing down a pitcher of margaritas before a surprised looking Frankie and Jaime, and the same with beer for him and Keri, plus two glasses he pulled from his back pockets. He indicated he’d be back, returning with exactly the same order again.
“You trying to get us wasted there?” Frankie asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Ah, shit. She sussed me,” he laughed, before pointing back at the bar. “Your local ice hockey team just walked in, so I double ordered everything. Ain’t nobody getting close to that bar between the big dudes and all the hockey groupies down there.”
“I believe the term is puck bunny,” Jaime spoke, pouring out a fresh drink for her and Frankie. “And you say that like you’re not a big dude when really, you’re what? Six three?”
“Yeah, about that,” he confirmed, passing a beer to Keri. “I feel like a damned giant compared to this one.”
“Everyone is a giant compared to me and my five four tininess.” she laughed, cringing a little. Their conversation moved on, the girls all getting to know Angel a little better, laughing hard at stories of his youth, some of the antics he found himself involved in, the kind of life he’d had so very different from theirs. He enjoyed it, too, in turn hearing about them, learning of their lives, yet there was only one person he craved alone time with in order to do more of the same.
“What?” he questioned hours later when they’d returned to the apartment, Keri grinning to herself beside him, both all bundled in a comforter and blankets to ward out the chilly February cold. When the heat went off in the apartment, the temperature dropped quickly, and boy, you felt it.
“Nothing,” she spoke softly, shaking her head. “I'm just having a 'holy shit he's right there' moment again. It's good, but still weird.”
He could identify with such. “Same. I can't believe I'm here either.” His smile reached his gorgeous, dark eyes, reaching to squeeze her shoulder. “So, tell me things about you that I don’t already know, then.”
Her eyes widened a fraction, and it made his pulse skip. She was even lovelier than her pictures or presence in his dreams had alluded to. “Gosh!” she began, combing her hair away from her face with her fingers. “I don’t even know where to start!”
“Alright, I’ll ask, you tell?” he suggested, Keri nodding.
“Okie dokie, and you answer too!” And so, they began.
“What’s something you have more knowledge about more than anybody else you know?” Oh, that was an interesting choice. Thinking on it, he didn’t seem the type who’d be interested in run of the mill, getting to know you small talk. And as she replied about her love and knowledge of Nikon cameras, with Angel asking interesting specifics, she truly saw that he was much smarter than he appeared in how he articulated himself.
His wasn’t academically smart, but she enjoyed how direct he was, how original the questions were that he asked of her, and how perceptive he appeared to be. Therefore, she matched him, knowing that he wouldn’t be the type to be pacified by asking what his favourite movie or colour was. In truth, neither was she.
“If you could sit and spend an evening talking to anyone from history, alive or dead, who would it be?”
He beamed. “Yo, that’s a fuckin’ great question.” He took a pause, considering his options. The fantasy woman of his early teens, model Helena Christensen immediately popped into his head, but it would be gauche to reply with a beautiful woman, and he could do much better than that. “Che Guevara. I admire those who don’t play by the rules in order to achieve a better balance where power is concerned. Rebellion and revolution, people who stand up against oppression, I think it’s brave and bold, amazing even, the ripple effect that one person and their ideas can cause. How about you?”
Her reply was immediate. “Annie Leibovitz. The way she captures so much personality of her subjects in her photography, making the images so deeply personal, almost like they’re just a moment captured in a sequence of motion. Her images might be still, but they move. They have vibrance, some of her works even remind me of Renaissance paintings. She’s truly masterful.”
“I guess there’s a lot more to photography than there appears at first glance, right? It ain’t just about pointing a camera at your subject and clicking. I think it’s a really interesting art form, although I know very little about it. What’s your favourite picture you’ve ever taken?”
Immediately, she reached for her phone. “This one got taken off of my Instagram, even though I censored the boobies, but here.” Clicking on the image, it enlarged, Keri turning her phone to show Angel the photograph of Frankie, naked but a Pride flag wrapped around her waist, one hand holding herself up as she swung from the overhead bars of the black iron fire escape outside of the apartment, the other hand raising her middle finger, a cigarette hanging from the corner of her glossed pout. “It’s just her, unapologetically her. I captured the entire essence of Frances Scarvo in one picture, which was my aim.”
Angel studied it, loving the details, the light, the way the shadows fell over her lithe muscles, the shaft of sunlight shining down onto the tall building glinting the defiance in her eyes. “I fucking love it, you’re right, the way you’ve captured so much of her in it. I mean, I don’t even know her, but what I’ve noticed in her, her total confidence and pride in being an out lesbian, her humour and her strength, it’s all here. It’s unapologetic, just like you said. You should print this for her and frame it.”
“Already did,” she revealed. “It’s hanging in the bedroom, next to one I took of Jamie in a bubble bath. One I ended up slipping on the edge of the tub and falling into with her fully clothed. I just about had chance to throw my camera at Frankie and save it, rather than save myself.”
He laughed softly, imagining it. “Calamity Joe strikes again, huh?”
“Don’t you start calling me that, too!” The laughter they shared was so natural and easy, Angel loving that she didn’t take herself too seriously, her slight clumsiness a source of her own amusement just as much as it was everyone else’s.
He reached for her, thumb skimming her cheek, the gesture small, but big enough to make her heart flutter. “It’s good to see you relax a little at last. I’ve noticed it, how hard you’ve been working to not let your nerves get the better of you.
Shit. And she thought she’d fooled him. Angel Reyes, it seemed, was even more perceptive than she’d realised. “I want to be like I am with you in our dreams,” she began, Angel raising an eyebrow in a manner that bordered on lascivious. “Not like that!” she admonished playfully, slapping his chest with the back of her hand. “Well, not yet, anyway. You get what I mean, though.”
At the suggestion of those connotations manifesting in reality, he felt a little flicker of arousal stir within his depths. He couldn’t help it, the attraction he felt only strengthening in reality. “I do, I understand.” He’d keep it in check, though, for her comfort. “Okay, I thought of something else. If you could visit any period of time in history, when would you choose and why?”
“One of the prehistoric ages, so I could witness dinosaurs, the cretaceous period in particular. As long as in this hypothesis I could be somewhere safe, I’d love to sit and view them, the triceratops, the velociraptors, the tyrannosaurs rex. Can you imagine how incredible that would be? I have so much awe about them. There’ve been quite a few remains found in Moab, so I like to visit whenever I have time, go and see the skeletons in the museum there. I never get bored. How about you?”
All the way through her explanation, she’d noticed his smile widening, his reply confirming what she was beginning to think. “Exactly the same. All that shit is fascinating. You gotta take me to that museum! I’ve never been to see the bones in person before, but looking at pictures, the scale ones that show just how huge they were, it’s mind-blowing, trying to imagine something that big ever walking the earth.”
Finding something they were both geeks over kept them talking for a long time before their conversation eventually moved on, 2am rolling around, and neither feeling even remotely tired. Even if they were, they wouldn’t have been prepared to have called time on something they were enjoying so much.
#angel reyes#angel reyes fanfiction#angel reyes smut#angel reyes imagine#angel reyes x ofc#angel reyes fanfic#angel reyes fic#mayans mc#mayans mc fanfiction#mayans mc smut#mayans mc imagine#mayans mc fanfic#mayans mc fic
28 notes
·
View notes
Text
Find the Word - Manuscript Search Tag
Tagged by @merge-conflict. Thank you so much, this is such a cool idea! Gives me an excuse to share half-finished stuff so I can get excited about it haha.
Word #1: Up
When she awoke, the first thing she felt was a surge of power. Electricity flowed out from the center of her head. As it reached her limbs, she gained motor function. She tried moving - flexing the fingers on her right hand and then balling them up into a fist. Her grip was strong, steady. Her optics lit up and displayed the first image she would see through her new eyes - the Arasaka logo.
Word #2: Down
“You met me because you stole from Arasaka,” he reminded her.
“That was a mistake,” she said. “I regret it. But I chose to take Hanako’s deal for a reason, Goro. Not just because I thought it was my best chance to have the construct removed, but because I wanted to prove my value. To be completely honest, I had pretty high hopes for my life after the surgery. And then… when I was in the orbital station…” V looked down. That memory was as cold and empty as the void of space had been. “And I thought I’d failed, that I was dying and no one was coming for me…”
She looked back up. Goro’s expression had softened. He appeared as though he were about to say something, but V cut him off. “But you did come for me.”
Word #3: Bone
No matches. I will take this is a hint that I need to write about bones more often.
Word #4: Hands
“I see you have made yourself comfortable,” he told her, eyeing the fluted glass in her hand.
“I’m always comfortable now,” she responded, taking a sip. “Would you like some?”
“No,” he sat down on the couch across from her. “Luckily, your new body is not capable of becoming drunk. I need you to have a clear head for what I am about to tell you.”
V smiled and folded her hands across her lap. “You’re about to tell me that Arasaka has a job for me.”
“What makes you believe this?” Goro’s tone was level, his expression neutral.
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? Look at this place.” She grinned, spread her arms, and gestured generally at the apartment. “Look at my preem new cyberware. Why would ‘Saka bother to spend so many eddies on me if they didn’t have a goal in mind?”
---
Okay, I’m going to tag people who I’m pretty sure have done some form of writing they may want to share, but if you don’t want to share or don’t have content ready or whatever, there is no pressure at all. I’m tagging @bnbc, @corpocookie, and @just-a-cybercroissant. And, finally your words to search: why, need, noise, and silence.
#tag games#wip#work in progress#cyberpunk 2077#cyberpunk 2077 fanfiction#the devil ending#corpo v#arasaka#goro takemura
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
find the word tag game
indirectly tagged by @hannahcbrown so im gonna answer here
The first word given was moon-- which I found in a work in progress about one of my TES ocs :>
The note had been left in one of his packs for possibly months; if not a few years. Gyffard was surprised it wasn’t completely torn apart or crumpled from being forgotten and left pressed against the bottom of the bag where he kept repair hammers and such. Upon removing the letter from his pack to study it, Gyffard realized that dried blood caked through to the back of the parchment.
Not a good sign, that.
He decided the best course of action would be to open the letter now. Even though tonight was slightly more cloudy, Gyffard could see the letter well enough by moon’s light-- and the campfire meant he wouldn’t have to squint either.
As he opened to study what was written inside, the parchment crackled in a fragile sort of way and even popped once. He wasn’t sure to expect but could only inhale then release his breath slowly as he began reading.
the next word was home-- a fun one I found in an exchange fic I did about Celes Chere from Final Fantasy VI!
Thoughtfully, Celes tapped her foot on the floor. Being Cid’s ward granted her some freedom of movement-- but if she wandered off too far towards some Empire barracks or other official building, she might get into trouble that even Cid could not rescue her from.
Finally, she chewed her lip a bit and crossed her arms before speaking. “Searching about where?”
Your guardian’s office. You are not afraid to step in there are you?
“I am not!” Celes pouted, almost barking in response. “I have no reason to be afraid of Cid.” With Shiva’s laughter ringing in her ears gently, Celes huffed and stepped from her room.
It was quiet in the small complex that she and Cid called home. Cid himself was probably out at the lab, chatting with the scientists about her infusions and whatever other grand plans they had. Come to think of it, Cid seemed to only infrequently speak to Celes about anything from his work aside from the infusions.
Does something bother you, young Celes?
Her hand resting on the door, Celes sighed even though she could not see Shiva right now.
As I said, if you are afraid to step into--
“I am not afraid.” Celes interrupted, making her voice as firm as she could manage. Even if Shiva’s words were of genuine concern they meant little to Celes. She had not made it this far as Cid’s ward by being too timid and afraid of what was unknown.
the next word was hearth, which haha! I found in another TES fic (an exchange fic, even!) about Corvus and Millona :>
Millona’s smile could not get any wider. “And I do not regret a moment of time with you. Though... I do hope you plan on staying longer this time.” Corvus flinched and Millona felt a stab of guilt. She had never been good at jokes like Corvus was, she was far too austere. “Corvus..” She whispered and his eyes perked to look directly at her.
“I’m sorry. That was meant to be a joke, but it was in poor taste.” Their dancing slowed as Corvus considered his response.
“Your humor has always been that kind of dry, love.” Corvus shook his head. “No... it hurts because it’s also true.” He stopped the dance entirely.
“Corvus, I didn’t mean to-- I-- please don’t stop...” Millona whimpered. There was a moment of silence before Corvus started a much slower, more thoughtful step.
“Millona... I just thought of how... how much you knew and the much more you didn’t know.” He sighed. “And how much you suffered waiting for me. I made myself watch when you could only see me as a stranger.”
“But you’re not a stranger; you’re my husband!” Millona rested her head against his chest. “And I love you still Corvus.”
Her husband’s smile was tender if reticent. “A husband that has left you ten years cold, Millie.”
“And the only man who could ever possibly reignite this cold hearth...” Millona took one of his hands into hers. “Do you accept that challenge, Corvus Umbranox?”
“I do.”
And the final word was tears... hoo fun time! another exchange fic, but about mustadio from Final Fantasy Tactics and his disjointed little family (might rewrite this one day... and some others)
Besrudio himself hardly had reaction enough to register between the moment they saw the construct coming back into view with menacing red eyes to the moment he saw Mustadio frantically move in front of Besrudio himself. He was waving at Construct Eight, shouting, but Besrudio stood in place gripping his cane tight even when he realized the damned machine had just knocked his son over with a singular strike.
“DISENGAGING ON PROTOCOL TO DEFEND MASTER FROM ATTACK. PROTOCOL FAILED.” Construct Eight lowered its hulking shoulders then stood, stoically, in front of Mustadio’s fallen and groaning form.
“Mustadio!” He cried, his entire body shaking even with the cane upright in his hand and solid against the ground. “Gods above, not my son again! Mustadio!! ” Besrudio wailed, unable to keep composure this time. Unable to bend much to kneel beside his son either; even as he could be dead or dying. Besrudio was beginning to cry realizing that he was too old and too useless to even protect his son now when it mattered.
His tears stifled abruptly when he chanced to hear a small wheeze from Mustadio. A wheeze that grew in volume until he came to the realization that Mustadio was laughing as much as he could lying in pain on the floor. “S-Son? What is--why are you laughing?!”
Mustadio’s eyes opened and they too were watery. “D-Dad… the construct works like a beauty thanks to you and the boys. He heard us arguing and… and misinterpreted my words…”
“Speak no more..!” Besrudio huffed. “....Mustadio… I am glad you are alive right now, I--”
“No, father… he… he’d be a great companion… for you. He could protect you--” Mustadio laughed again and rested both hands over where the construct had pummeled him. “--whilst I am away.”
Really fun to look through my fics & works in progress to try and find these words! I recommend this as a fun exercise if nothing else~
Tagging only anybody who wants to try this, because I know how it feels to have the pressure of expectation upon you-- your words, should you choose to accept them, are cycle, abrupt, sincere, and toils! :V
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
✩°｡ ⋆⸜ 🎧 Welcome to my official get-to-know-me page or should I call “rant page” lol. I don’t usually post stuff about my personal life online but maybe you’ll find something strange abt me here :> Take note, some of my posts may or may be not directed at anyone. I will not reveal who I am pointing towards to as this may lead to misunderstanding AGAIN lmao.
✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: Here are some random stuff about me :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧
˙˚˙ I was born with a skin tag on my ear. “Wtf is that?” It’s an extra skin that kinda looks like a smol pinky. I was so insecure about it before and decided to hide it behind my hair. Back in elementary, it’s required for u to wear a ponytail or headband😭… It was something that bothers me a LOT so I got it removed at 6th grade as a graduation gift. I waited so long for this moment to happen since I finally had the chance to wear a ponytail without worrying too much
˙˚˙ Are you currently writing a book? Yes! I’ll publish my book after I revise the last chapter. Since ur a special follower, u can get a sneak peak with the title :D I’m still making sum few changes abt it but I already have thought of a draft— “I Am An Introvert So Don’t Mess With Me.” This title kinda sounds a little off but I’ll try working on it. Introverts nowadays are determined to be “weak” cause many of us believe that if you’re alone, you have no role in society. In this book of mine, you’ll explore different experiences I had as an introvert my entire senior year. SHOULD I SELL THEM OR GIVE THEM OUT FOR FREE?? Any thoughts 💭
˙˚˙ What makes a person a “friend?” umm.. I have my own opinion about this. To whoever’s reading this, I hope you don’t get offended in any way. SOOO before I answer this question, let me tell you a story ;-; There’s this one girl who I considered as my friend but I felt like she only saw me as a friend of convenience— which means pretending to be someone’s friend in order to use them for your purposes. She messages me whenever she needs to rant about her so called “Ex” which is one of my friends too. As her “friend,” I mean acquaintance rather… I did what is right— told her to cut him off. After months of being her acquaintance, she suddenly treated me like TRASHHHH. I know she was bullied by sum mean girls during highschool but now she became the mean girl towards me lmaooo.. This generation kinda sucks for me since many people are trying their best just to fit in, no offense. I think you can only consider someone a friend if they’re genuine and consistent.
˙˚˙ Are you having a hard time to start a conversation and make friends? Yeah. I’m not used to be so extrovert-ish ;-; Though I may be a good listener, there are times that I just want to be on my own bubble. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it when someone tries to approach me, but it just scares that the person I trust the most becomes my enemy. MY TRUST ISSUES are so high to the point that I might break your heart 😭. I don’t want that to happen tho. There are times that I js get scared and want to be careful w my surroundings. I’m so tired of having problems bro 🥲
˚˙ If you’re an introvert, why are you so active when it comes to acads/reporting? OKAY.. so there’s a huge difference between being shy and being an introvert. Most of us are confused between the terms but for me, an introvert can be vocal if they want to. I have two separate lives: school life and personal life. I am a different person when it comes on both sides. There are various types of introverts and I consider myself as a confident one 🤓. Because of continous reading and binge-watching stories, I’ve adapted many personal skills that made me successful in my overall academics. For example, my love for watching MSA videos allowed me to have a skill of public speaking. Personally, I am not a fan of talking in a crowd full of people but because of the inspiring stories, I am here today :DD BUT TO BE HONEST, I still have that anxiety inside of me whenever I try to speak in front 😭. I js know how to look confident, that’s all :’’3
˙˚˙ I get socially drained most of the time. If you notice me not talking, that means I need to recharge. I don’t like initiating conversations with a smol percentage of social battery. I swearrr!! I love meeting new ppl but I hope they don’t mind if I’m inconsistentz
1 note
·
View note
Text
I posted 5,905 times in 2021
339 posts created (6%)
5566 posts reblogged (94%)
For every post I created, I reblogged 16.4 posts.
I added 1,999 tags in 2021
#others' writing - 1139 posts
#aquiver-aglow - 224 posts
#tag games - 150 posts
#others' wip - 121 posts
#my writing - 73 posts
#boost! - 72 posts
#loved these - 68 posts
#excerpts - 58 posts
#ask and answer - 50 posts
#loved this - 44 posts
Longest Tag: 138 characters
#lemme gush over the title some more. feather light🥰🥰🥰🥰 so you've decided not to publish it? i'm so glad i got to know you on here then
My Top Posts in 2021
#5
First/Last Line Tag Game
Thanks for the tag, rosiewritesandrambles! Taking these from yesterday's chapter VI.
First line:
An arm, extended. Bearing a flower. The shadow it cast below was still greyed-out, was still hushed. Silent in its eternity. And, sharp eyes following those petals to the tip, the flower in time became the arm.
Last line:
Now, two hundred years away in time, change was proving fickle. Even to the one it'd let hold it, who'd lent it his stained red wings.
Tagging whenever and if you want: starry-sky-stuff, talesofsorrowandofruin, notwritinganyflufftoday and avaeverstone. Otherwise, open tag as always!
35 notes • Posted 2021-07-16 09:01:52 GMT
#4
Bucket List 2
sleepy-night-child thanks for the tag, nightfriend🥰 somehow I have more titles for these than yesterday's batch haha. Except for Season of the Moths, the rest I only kinda see as worldbuilding and plot pieces I can extract for other wips. But who knows
Waterwillow. Most of the world has been submerged in water. There's a war between his isle-state and an underwater faction, and at the height of the war, someone infiltrates into their territory and the General is the one to take the shot. He miraculously survives, but wakes up many months later and will never be able to fight again. The war is taking a turn for the worse; unwilling to sit by and wait to be drowned, he undertakes a journey to explore the acid waters in the North. Maybe, just maybe he can find a way past them and help his people flee the war. But even in his heyday, he hadn't been a good swimmer.
The Hallowed Kingdom. This was my attempt at writing a fairytale, I've always wanted to do one of those^^, and got through a quarter of it but it was getting a bit long. What makes the kingdom hallowed is that every person is born with a clear trope and purpose, written down into the Library on their birth. That way, life can only be monotonous and peaceful. But when someone intrudes into the kingdom, of course, they have a blank slate. And soon after, he discovers exactly what happens to those who don't follow their story. The resident mortician buries them in a coffin and sets them on a journey on the river out of the kingdom to be on their way:) (it's not a comedy 🤣)
Season of the Moths. This was a side novel to my previous wip series, and even if I benched it forever... Harvest remains one of the best characters I've ever written and I love him to bits haha. He wakes up from death one day many centuries after he died. When he returns home, he doesn't recognize anything. But that would've been fine. What's worse, is that the original Season of Winter, the one who killed him in the first place, is the first face to greet him.
Rendered. Local convict escapes being hanged because so it happens that at the same time a bloodthirsty god refuses to be killed and breaks free. In order not to be killed on the spot, the man promises to be his follower and that he'll help him with everything. Along the way they get closer, but time comes when the god loses his senses, and it's up to his friend to save him. Of course, life's never that easy. Good thing he gets ressurected every time he's killed by his god's hand, or else he really would've turned into a ghost just to haunt the bastard.
Unnamed again. So three reformed dark wizards have to prove that they really have switched to the good side. The catch is, none of them know that the others are in the same boat. They're overseen by a dwarf and his son, and without being told, they're used as guard dogs to safekeep one very important item that in any other circumstances would've had their eyes twinkling with greed. But right now, they have to play house, and they have to play nice
Leaving this one open for whoever didn't get the chance to do it yet and wants to:)
35 notes • Posted 2021-11-05 17:56:13 GMT
#3
WIP intro: Aquiver, Aglow
*my lovingly named no-plot-only-feels wip
Genre: Dark fantasy with angels, humans and stars
Status: draft 2 finished at 200k (and actually planning for draft 3)
Setting: one little cottage in a sweeping golden field with Heaven looming above
POV: Third person, unreliable narrator, moving between characters
Main characters: Anne and Tyrone, featuring Heaven and the Promised Lands
See the full post
38 notes • Posted 2021-10-20 16:43:59 GMT
#2
Last Lines Tag Game
Thanks a lot for the tag, talesfromaurea!<3 here's me carefully extracting some lines that haven't steeped in spoilers haha
And the night, it was so dark. Should he look out of the window, press his nose against the glass, he wouldn't catch a wink of light. If not for the patches where starlight fell, shattering the gloom.
He'd said, if the stars breathed out, with how warm they were, all the world would only feel like winter. So their breaths would fog on its windows, and that's how they splashed on the ground.
Her smile reached her eyes, and she let out a small sigh.
Tagging whenever and if you want: 47crayons, avaeverstone, pepperdee and zmlorenz! If not, it's always an open tag
56 notes • Posted 2021-09-08 10:18:54 GMT
#1
WIP: Aquiver, Aglow Introduction
*my lovingly named no-plot-only-feels wip
Genre: Dark fantasy. Features angels and humans and stars
Status: draft 2 finished (sitting cozily at 200k), planning for draft 3
Setting: one little cottage in a sweeping golden field with Heaven looming above
POV: Third person, unreliable narrator, moving between characters
Main characters: Anne and Tyrone, featuring Heaven and the Promised Lands
See the full post
115 notes • Posted 2021-02-26 15:30:15 GMT
Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →
#my 2021 tumblr year in review#your tumblr year in review#wow okay i hadn't realized i'd posted that much#that's nearly half the 'quiv notes in my phone#also i love how both intros get featured#and you can clearly see my indecisive ass having edited the first one with what would become the second#bc i couldn't decide if i should make it a different post🤣#did my best to remove tags so hope no one gets bothered
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Ask Me Again Tomorrow
gif credit @pedros-pascal
Part Sixteen of the Rough Day Series
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 16.3K
Warnings: SMUTTTTT, following/stalking, some fluffy moments but mostly just a lil action and interaction, I don’t think there’s any other warning besides language and the smut (comm sex WITH A TWIST YALLLLL) but if you happen to find something else that warrants a tag, please let me know and I will do so accordingly!
A/N: The response to this story has grown beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined and I genuinely thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the privilege of writing for you. Hope this one ends up being okay and I’ll get to work on the next chapter soon!
***
Headstart—12:17pm:
The sky is so pretty. There isn’t much to look at on the surface—rolling hills and plains, grassy but with dry bare spots breaking up the green stretches, but the sky. It’s an oil painting above you, pastel swishes of yellows and pinks and purples with an enormous ringed planet taking up half the horizon and another sizable moon hanging high.
You should probably be running. Like, for real sprinting, but you can’t push yourself to go faster than a brisk walk. It’s so… free out here, more hills springing up every time you get to the top of the next, warm air filling your lungs. Even though you know realistically that the beginning will likely be the hardest—where you need to focus most on running and putting distance between you instead of hiding—truth be told, you’re not foreseeing making it more than a full day. You’re going to try, obviously, but in the grand scheme, you wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he finds you tomorrow. So, instead of wasting all your energy going as fast as you physically can right out of the gate, you just decide to stroll and think for a little bit.
You know what your goal is. Obviously, to last as long as you can, but more specifically… well, if Din is going to chase after you, then he’s going to try to think like you. Anticipate your movements, if he can’t already see the tracks you leave plain as day. Very soon, he’ll be walking this same exact pathing, following the footprints you’re leaving behind, but if you’re ever able to shake him or throw him off course, he doesn’t have a tracking fob. He doesn’t have any mechanical device that points him in your direction—if you can lose him with the footprints, then he’ll have to rely solely on predicting you. Which means you need to think… exactly the opposite of yourself if you want to outsmart him.
That’s harder than it sounds though, because… is he going to predict you predicting him? At what point does it stop? You somehow have trouble seeing this as an advantage the way he said it would be—you almost wish you had someone else chasing you, someone you didn’t know and someone who didn’t know you if only so this paradox could end before it begins.
You’re walking for about ten minutes before spotting a dirt road in the distance. There’s a person following it in the direction of the sun—you don’t know this planet’s magnetic field but you do know it’s after noon and the sun would set on Arvala-7 in the west, so that’s what you’ll call it for now. You call out to them as soon as you’re in range, and the stranger turns to you.
“Excuse me!” It’s a woman, you see it as you get closer. “I’m so sorry to bother you, but can you tell me where this road leads?”
She removes a sheer yellow shawl covering her dark hair and gives you a friendly smile. “Hello,” the lady greets, before spinning around and pointing back the way she came. “Osiruu is a few hours that way. There’s not much there, but it will take you to G’ila, a transport hub with many opportunities for drifters, or Nariss, the capital. I’m on my way to Shabeth,” she points in the other direction. “It’s far—a day’s walk, but it’s a holy place and offers quite the view. I would be glad for the company, but I understand its lack of practical appeal.”
So this place is safe enough to be inviting strangers along on your travels, noted. You’re going to have to make the decision right now, then. Which path should you take?
Something deep inside you tells you that you want to see this holy place, and just from a few sentences, you already like this woman and feel safe with her. But then all of a sudden, you remember something.
Last known locations tell you a lot about a quarry, Din’s voice drifts back to you, sounding soft and distant from the dark forests of Naboo. Smart ones go to populated planets, planets like Coruscant, planets that make it nearly impossible to find people. Brave ones go to dangerous planets, suicidal ones try their luck in the Unknown Regions, idiots continue to go about their business on their homeworld without caring. But planets like this—like Naboo… those are the pacifists. The ones that don’t ever put up a fight.
You suppose you should decide what kind of quarry you want to be. Friendly company and a view is something you normally crave—it’s something your soul speaks to after going without it for so long during your previous life. You never pictured yourself as the fighting type. When Din first asked you, you told him you wouldn’t run from him if he was chasing you, and choosing to accompany this kind stranger to her destination is essentially just that. Sacrificing a chase for a pretty view.
“Does Shabeth have a sizable population?” You ask her, and she shakes her head.
“It’s the sight of an annual pilgrimage that happens in a few months, but it’s beautiful there and I like to go whenever I can,” she tells you with a soft smile. “But there’s nothing for miles outside it, I’m afraid.”
Your footprints will lead directly there. He’ll find you easily.
“It sounds very nice, but I need to find somewhere with a lot of people,” you give her an apologetic smile. Truly, you think she would’ve made for a nice friend. “Thank you for your help, though, and good luck with your journey! I hope we meet again.”
“Do you need any food or supplies?” She asks you, and you stop short of passing her by. “I don’t have much with me, but know what it’s like to be a newcomer to Sanctuary II. I’d be glad to help.”
Good Maker, is this how everybody is here or did you just hit the jackpot with this lady? She seems like… you, almost. Her voice is gentle, she looks like she’d give nice hugs. You’re about to politely turn her down, but then you realize the brilliant opportunity that’s presented itself in her image.
“Actually, this might sound like a really strange question, but…” you tell her, before looking down at her feet. “Wanna trade shoes with me?”
***
Headstart—6:12pm:
You don’t think it’ll work, but as you walk into a small settlement a few hours later in a unfamiliar and worn pair of sandals, you decide that you’ll need to do this as often as possible. You can’t come up with anything else that’ll throw him off your physical trail besides constantly switching shoes—is that bad? Are you just an idiot with no hope? You’ve had—you check your watch—like, five hours to think of a game plan, and all you’ve come up with is shoes? You’re screwed.
At least there’s food here. Plenty. There’s vendors stationed along the street, multiple people passing by and going about their business. Osiruu, that nice woman said—not much here, but you think she was wrong. There’s children giggling and jumping rope on the corner, a shopkeeper sweeping her storefront, a graying man with an empty cup plucking an unfamiliar melody on an unfamiliar instrument—and while your tummy growls and you know you should quickly buy supplies and be on your way, you still stop for just a few minutes to listen.
It’s a lovely tune. You drop a few credits in his cup after he finishes and find yourself humming it as you look at the plethora of goods being offered by the vendors. Water, food—you buy enough of everything to sustain you for at least a couple days, not wanting to go hungry but also feeling realistic over optimistic. The cuisine is foreign and you just point to things that look appetizing since you’re not sure about the name or pronunciation, but after paying and taking a bite into a rather large piece of purple fruit, your eyes nearly cross at how sweet and tasty it is. Holy Maker, that might just be the best thing you’ve ever tasted. You ask for two more after you finish the first, tucking one in your backpack next to your blaster and munching on the other as you keep browsing.
Suddenly you see shoes—yes. Fucking shoes, your salvation. You take a good look at all your options, of which, there aren’t many. Generic men's, women's, and children's, all in the same color and design. It’s good in a way—you see most people walking around in the same type of clothing here and you pray there’s not a way for him to track your gait or the whole thing is a bust, but truthfully, what you’re most worried about is the fact that you’ll create a brand new set of footprints wherever your old ones disappear. Unless you trade with someone else, you won’t ever have a back pathing, you know that Din will probably be able to easily spot it.
“Three pairs of these, please,” you point to the correct shoes and tell him your size, but then—“Oh wait, actually, can I actually have one of them that’s the next size up? And another that’s the same but in men's?”
The man behind the counter gives you an odd look but acquiesces, measuring the size of your preferred pair to multiple men’s shoes to find one that looks roughly the same—you doubt he’s ever had a request like this, but you’re also a generous tipper. His smile is grateful when you tell him to keep the change and then you’re stuffing the new shoes into your backpack and moving onward.
Would there be some kind of map here, you wonder? One that shows distance so you won’t waste time trying to reach a place you won’t be able to walk to? That lady said a transport hub and the capital are through this settlement, but she didn’t provide much information beyond that. You don’t want to be in the middle of nowhere when he finally catches up to you, you’ll need some place to hide.
When you stop to ask an elderly gentleman as he passes by, he freely provides you a basic gist. There’s a large forest beyond Osiruu—after it will be a road that passes through a few notable places, with a town called Sijua to the west that leads north to G’ila, and Devain to the east that leads northeast to Nariss. Both are within walking distance, though it may take a couple days to reach your destination.
Alright then. Through the forest, you suppose. You probably should’ve asked which way is east, but he’s already leaving and you don’t have the nerve to ask him to stop again. You have a finger point, that’s all you need. Making sure to use one of the small restrooms near the square before heading out, you eventually decide to make your way towards the direction he said this forest would be.
***
Headstart—6:58pm:
A bus.
You’re not going to take it, of course, but it’s the perfect solution to the problem you’ve been mulling over. It’s at the very edge of the small settlement, and you quickly speed up into a half-jog as soon as you hear its engine running.
“Last call for the seven o’clock!” A large man stationed near the doors yells as you approach. “Last bus to G’ila until tomorrow!”
The sun is setting and you have to extend your hand out in front of you to not be blinded by it. “Hello,” you give him a smile, before grabbing one of the handles on the side and stepping up onto the metal platform.
“Ah!” The man quickly stops you, moving to stand in front of the open doors. He’s as wide as he is tall, big enough that he blocks the entire exit. “That’ll be ten credits, miss.”
“Oh,” you say, patting your empty pockets and pulling your eyebrows inwards, trying not to move too much in case the sizable amount of credits you have stashed in your backpack happen to rattle. “Oh, no. I think I lost my wallet.”
He sighs. “Off the bus then please, miss. Come back tomorrow if you find it.”
You nod, leaning your forearm against the paneling and beginning to take your shoes off. “Will it be parked in the same place exactly?”
The driver looks curiously at you, clearly confused at both the strange question and your strange actions. “I’m sorry? Please—off the bus.”
“One second,” you tell him, now barefoot on the platform and digging into your backpack for the slightly larger sized shoes you bought earlier. The sound of credits clink against your blaster, but you hope he takes your lead in purposefully ignoring them. “Does the bus to G’ila park in this spot every single day?”
“Yes,” the man tells you impatiently, eyeing the way you’re stepping into the new pair with a subtle look of distaste. Everyone is polite here, it seems. “It will arrive back at seven am sharp with passengers from G’ila, in the same exact place. Please get off the bus.”
“Thank you, sir,” you tell him with a smile, watching him step to the side to allow you to drop down into the dirt again and continue on your way.
Brilliant, if you do say so your fucking self. Eliminate the need for a back pathing. All footprints facing this direction are going to be the first footprints, and all of them facing the opposite way are going to be the last; if Din manages to figure out you didn’t take the bus, then he won’t be able to tell which new set are yours and which belong to the other passengers. You pray the helmet can’t track gaits, but while you’re still paying enough attention, you make sure to keep your steps just slightly longer and even try placing more weight on the edges of your feet to make it look like you have a slightly higher arch than you actually do. You’d put a pebble inside of them or something, but you know you’re going to be walking through the night and you don’t want to commit to having your feet hurt more than you already know they’re going to.
Eventually the quaint shops and small houses disappear behind you, and the sun setting over the horizon turns the clouds above turn more dusty green and brown than yellow and pink. You hope Din opened up the ramp after you left. You want him to see the sky.
***
Headstart—9:34pm
The forest here is different from Naboo, too.
Maybe it was because you only saw it while you were in crisis-mode, but that forest seemed much scarier and darker than this one. The vegetation there was thick and overgrowing, but these trees look like they’ve never had leaves on them at all. No twigs or small branches that sprout from the trunks—the branches are all thick and gnarly, criss-crossing with each other with how close they’ve grown together. You bet their roots are practically one at this point, stretching for miles and miles but all sharing the same system.
Because there aren’t any leaves, there's nothing to block the moonlight shining clear and crystalline through the twisting maze of branches. Sanctuary II appears to have a sister moon—Sanctuary I, perhaps?—that’s likely a similar size, because it’s the same one you've seen all day and it’s barely moved a few degrees that you can tell. It must orbit incredibly close and be tidal-locked with this one then. Two massive satellites swinging around each other as they circle a ringed gas giant, but it makes a stunning view and reflects more than enough light to see.
The sky is deep blue and maroon and you’ve been walking in a straight line for hours, using the stationary moon overhead as your guide. The only issue with this plan that you’ve been able to come up with is that there’s no widely traveled path through the trees—even you can see your footprints and the clear trail you’re leaving behind. You’ve been trying for a while to figure out another clever evasion tactic, but it’s harder than it sounds. Can’t just change shoes again, that’ll be a dead giveaway. How do you lose him?
You stop for a second, reaching into your bag to grab some water and stay hydrated. Looking up once more at the beauty of the swirling colors peeking through the branches above you, you find yourself pausing after returning the bottle to your pack. There are… an atrocious number of branches up there, and all of them are long and tangled and thick. Sturdy.
You’ve… never climbed a tree before.
Without thinking much beyond that, you decide to bend your knees and jump, grabbing hold of one of the strong wooden tubes over your head and then swinging your legs up. Ouch—the bark scrapes against your palms and you have to hold on tight with your thighs while you shimmy yourself upwards, but at least the wood is solid as fuck. It takes you a minute or two, but you’re eventually able to shuffle yourself around so you’re straddling the thick branch, and then you look out to see the large collection of them criss-crossing in every direction around you.
Oof, this is dangerous. You know it even before you start. The gaps leading to the ground are bigger and more numerous than your potential pathing forward, but the only thing that gives you reassurance is how thick the wood is—you’re almost certain the branches aren’t going to break as long as you’re careful.
Okay. Shoes, these are too big for the kind of dexterity you’re going to need. You take them off slowly, being extra careful not to drop them, and then exchange them with the better-fitting pair you bought earlier, making a mental note that the sandals and the larger shoes are the two you’ve already worn. If your pursuer manages to catch on to the multiple footprint changes, your most recent ones should ideally just… disappear right there, shouldn’t they?
You grin, before struggling into a low crouch and looking around your wooden cage for a safe way forwards.
***
Headstart—11:37pm:
Water.
A blessing, and not because you’re thirsty. You have clean water in your bag and decades of habits formed in the desert to ensure you’re taking breaks and drinking enough—what you need is a way to disguise your footprints once you get back on the ground again. This was good; scuttling your way along thick and twisting branches for as long as you have was time-consuming and exhausting, but it allowed you to avoid touching the ground for at least a mile or so, which means he’ll have to comb that entire radius to look for your drop.
And it was fun.
You even found yourself giggling as you ducked and scooted, ignoring the bark scraping your skin and your panting breaths, the way your face got sweaty and hot. You had to do some brave maneuvers at tricky spots—jumping, balancing, hugging—but it almost just felt like an exciting little obstacle course for you and you’re honestly having a fucking blast right now.
Water, though. Water is an unexpected beauty, even more than you’ve always considered it to be. Water is an eroder. Not only powerful enough to smooth down the rough edges of strong elements over time, but it will hide your footprints as soon as you create them and leave no indication that you were ever there.
Eventually you see it—a babbling stream cutting a considerably wide line through the trees. You creep forward and hang tight to a branch above you to make sure you won’t fall, wiping the sweat on your brow with your other hand as you study the terrain. The water is… a considerable distance below you, maybe about ten or so feet, and there’s quite a few branches on either side that extend and hang out over it. You could probably find your way to the other side somehow, but something tells you to avoid the road beyond the forest if you can. It leads to multiple places, it would be better to follow the stream until you can eventually merge with it later.
That means you’re… fuck. You’re going to have to jump, aren’t you?
It’s the only way—you can’t leave footprints which means you’re going to need to land in the water. The trees clear too far from the shoreline, so you can’t shimmy down the trunk of one for a shorter fall. You’re going to have to climb out on one of those long branches until you’re suspended over the stream, and then you’re going to have to lower yourself as far as you can and then let go. With your height already accounting for at least half the distance plus the length of your arms as you hang, you should only have to drop two or three feet before reaching water, and then maybe another two feet to the floor under it. It looks forgiving enough—the moonlight shines and the stream is clear and you can mainly just see sand at the bottom, no sharp rocks or other potential dangers to be found. This… this is doable.
Okay. If you pull this off, you’re a badass. If you don’t break any bones or seriously injure yourself in any way, you deserve some kind of commendation. This is probably kiddie shit to Din, who keeps literal rockets strapped to his back and jumps out of ships flying thousands of feet above the ground, but this is a challenge for you and you’re feeling just excited enough to be up to it.
You’re eventually able to climb onto the thickest, sturdiest branch you can see that happens to hang over the water, straddling it and beginning to scoot. Your thighs are killing you at this point but you’re holding deathly tight to the wood, your movements becoming more and more cautious the further away from the trunk you get.
You’re directly above the water now, but you need to go out a little further. Aim for right in the middle so you don’t accidentally leave any tracks or prints on the shoreline if you need to catch yourself. The unfamiliar wood in this forest is admittedly sturdy, but the branch begins to subtly sag with your weight as you keep slowly scooting forward, and you’re just about to the correct spot when—
Day 1–12:00am:
“Sweet girl.”
—You nearly fucking fall.
“Maker,” you gasp, suddenly scrambling to catch yourself on the branch before you can plummet. It creaks and groans under your weight but supports you nonetheless, and when you’re one hundred percent certain it isn’t going to break, you jerk your head down to the communicator and see that it’s midnight, on the dot.
Shit.
Your heart slams against your ribs and your arms shake with adrenaline while you study it for just a moment longer, trying to calm the fuck down.
“Hey,” Din’s voice comes sharply from your wrist, crackling and tinny through the comm, nearly scaring you again. “Answer me.”
You don’t want to sacrifice your grip right now, but you have no doubt he’ll fly the Crest out to you if you don’t respond. So you quickly let go to press a button on the front face and then latch onto the branch tight once more, raising your voice because you can’t risk bringing your wrist up to your mouth to speak. You hope he’ll be able to hear without the microphone picking up the sound of the stream below. “Uh. Ahem. Hello. Yes?”
“You’re too quiet,” Din’s disembodied voice immediately informs you. “Or something on your side is too loud. There’s an earpiece built into the side of the communicator, take it out and use it instead.”
You study the wrist brace without moving, until you finally see what he’s talking about. It’s a small, wireless piece of machinery hidden on the left side of the electronic display, and you quickly pop it out and stuff it into your ear just in time to hear the sound of hydraulics clanging through the speaker as you clutch the branch again. You’d know that sound anywhere, it’s the ramp of the hull closing.
“Are you already on the move?” You ask him incredulously, your thighs starting to go numb with how deathly tight you’ve been squeezing this tree.
“Can’t sleep,” Din murmurs, sounding so much closer and deeper than before. Does he have his earpiece on under the helmet or something? Stars, is that why his voice sounds that good? It’s like it’s coming from inside your own head, bassy and rough. “Ready or not.”
You huff, your tummy going warm. Of course he can’t sleep, of course he’s going to look for you as soon as he’s allowed to. If he waited until morning, you’d probably be slightly offended. You try to slow your heart rate into something acceptable, but being this far above water and hearing his baritone murmur directly in your ear make it difficult. “But I’m… sleepy.”
“You’re always sleepy,” he tells you, and though you can’t actually hear him walking, the sound of his footsteps shake through his voice just slightly as he speaks.
“Hang on,” you huff, ducking your head to drag it against your shoulder, keeping the sweat from your eyes without using your hands, “you’re gonna make me stay up all night just because you do? This isn’t fair—”
“Fair wasn’t part of the rules.”
Well. Fair.
Stars, you can’t stay here. You don’t know how long he wants to check-in for, but you’re also not confident with this branch’s ability to hold you for an extended time when you’re this far out from the trunk. You need to get in that stream one way or another, but now that he’s here, you have an extra problem. Din is going to hear you no matter what.
“Um. Can you give me a second?” You ask him, glancing around to make sure there’s no better way of doing this. Nope, you realize very quickly—this is the best idea you’ve got, and you don’t really know what that says about the quality of all your other ideas.
“What?” Din grunts shortly, but you just clear your throat.
“I need to… mute myself. Give me like… five minutes.”
“What are you talking abou—”
“You of all people cannot be upset about asking for five minutes of quiet,” you return testily, looking down at the distance to the stream once more. That’s a long way. You… you can’t swim obviously, but again, the water doesn’t look too deep. Just a couple feet likely, shouldn’t go past your knees.
It’s fitting that he doesn’t say anything, which you eventually take as disgruntled acceptance, so you quickly press the proper button on your wrist to silence the mic and then take a few deep breaths. You have a time limit now, you have to do this.
With incredible patience and precision, you eventually slide until you’re clutching the branch upside down like an only slightly quicker and less coordinated sloth, before slowly dropping your legs and hanging over the water.
It’s… admittedly a bit further down than you anticipated, or maybe that’s just you making things worse than they actually are, but you’re committed at this point and there’s no going back.
You close your eyes, count to three, and then you let go.
The sandy floor meets your feet with considerable force and you make a hell of a splash doing it, nearly falling but just barely managing to keep yourself balanced and upright at the last second. The water is cool and comes up just over your knees, your backpack miraculously didn’t get wet and all your limbs remain shaky but unbroken.
Okay. Okay, fucking success. It feels… thrilling, accomplishing a dangerous feat, and you quickly let out a loud whoop before clearing your throat, trying to sound normal as you press a button on the communicator’s face once more.
“Mando?” You ask, slightly out of breath. “Sorry about that, I’m back.”
Okay, now which way do you go? Downstream seems like the easier path after getting in so much unexpected exercise, so that’s the one you go with. As soon as you lift your foot from the sand bed, you watch your footprint almost immediately disappear through the moonlit water, and you bite your lip at just how well everything turned out for you.
After a moment though, you realize he hasn’t answered you. You look down at the communicator again to make sure you pressed the right thing. “Hello? Shiny?”
“Did you trade shoes with someone?” Din’s voice suddenly comes through the earpiece, sounding absolutely incredulous.
“Shit,” you tell him, trying not to smile. “Hoped that was gonna buy me more time.”
“It… might’ve, if you kept walking in the same direction as they were,” he informs you after a moment. “Your shoes went south, but this other pair got all the way out here just to turn back around again? Good idea, but the execution needs work.”
Maker, he’s smart. It was the first attempt at a footprint change so you weren’t thinking much beyond tricking the tracking mechanism in his helmet, you ignored his logic completely. Essentially, the exact opposite of what he told you to do. You like to think you’re getting better at it by this point, thinking beyond just the original exchange, and you’re hoping you’ll be able to trick him with at least one of the other fifty times you changed shoes today. You’ll have to see tomorrow night, if you can make it that long.
Also, the road you were on apparently goes north-south, that’s important information you make sure to take note of. The man in Osiruu said Devain and Nariss are to the east, and that Sijua and G’ila are westward, right? Remembering that you thought south was west earlier, you do some quick calculating and immediately come to a stop in the moving water as soon as you figure out your positioning, turning around and walking upstream instead.
You want to go to Nariss. The capital, and the biggest city in walking distance. Smart quarry go to populated places, places that make it nearly impossible to find people.
“Alright. Mando: one, Me: zero,” you finally acknowledge, swinging your backpack around and unzipping it to dig inside for another piece of fruit. You’ve been hungry for hours but had to use both hands to stay safe and far above the ground, it’s the perfect time to eat. “How’s the baby? Behaving himself?”
“He kept trying to follow you after you left,” comes Din’s response, and you stop with just your teeth piercing the flesh, wondering if you heard him right. You actually open your jaw and pull the fruit away with just a bite mark in it.
“You’re joking.” No fucking way, not that little demon.
“Wish I was,” he tells you solemnly. “Made a fuss, tried to open the ramp a few times. Didn’t cause any trouble after, just… pouted.”
That’s… that’s exactly how he responded the very first time Din left the kid on the ship with you instead of bringing him along. He threw a fit, tried to ditch you for his dad multiple times, and then ultimately just looked cute and mopey with his limp ears until Din came back. Do you think it’s just him rebelling against change? That has to be it, right?
“He better not be giving you any hints about where I am,” you warn his father. “I’d tell you to put him on but I don’t want the earpiece getting lost forever.”
You hear it. The softest laugh—barely a breath, coming after years of learning to make it just quiet enough not to be registered by the helmet. It gets picked up by the communicator in all its understated beauty when normally it’d be silent, and it’s just jarring enough to make you careless.
On your next step, you accidentally lift your foot too high and make a splash, and you already know you fucked up before he can say a single word.
“What’s that sound?”
You immediately stop moving, allowing the cool water to move as silently as possible past your stationary knees. Shit. “Uh. What sound?”
You think he purposefully doesn’t say anything. Probably because it feels a little like cheating, doesn’t it? It’s to your disadvantage, having him be able to catch hints from your environment when he’s the one who made check-ins mandatory, but then again… how smart do you think he is? Something tells you that he might not need to track you at all—what are the chances he stumbles upon this little stream and just naturally assumes you were clever enough to use it to hide your trail? Did you waste time trying to engineer a vanishing act when it’s not going to matter regardless?
Oh well, too late now. You quickly decide to change the subject.
“You should try the big purple fruit that one vendor sells when you get into Osiruu, by the way,” you tell him pleasantly, taking a big chomp out of it and then letting out an extended hum of delight that only really fucking good food or sex causes a person to make. “I’m eating one right now, it’s so good. Be the best thing you’ve ever tasted.”
“Mm. Doubt it,” immediately comes his low response. Fucking immediately.
“Mando,” you gasp, scandalized and giddy enough that juice dribbles down your chin a bit.
“Are you having fun?” Din asks, instead of pushing the conversation any further in that direction. You don’t know if you’re thankful or disappointed with how quickly he decided to abort, but you take a moment to consider his question while swallowing and wiping your mouth. Not the answer, you know the answer—but why he bothered to ask. Did he know you were going to enjoy yourself as much as you have? Your only possible lament is how you’re talking to him through a communicator instead of having him next to you.
“I am,” you say warmly. “Be… be better if you were here, though.”
“Give me your coordinates,” Din proposes, and his voice is just low and rumbly enough to make you pause.
You’re really, really proud of yourself for only considering it for a few seconds before scoffing. “Psh. Nice try.”
“Was worth a shot,” he sighs through the earpiece, and you smile, taking another bite of fruit.
“Ask me again tomorrow,” you offer, grinning at the implication.
“We’ll see,” you hear him return, and though his tone doesn’t really change, you know he’s probably rolling his eyes. He won’t have to ask for your coordinates because he’ll already be there, but it’s nice to pretend for a while longer.
And then you both walk all through the night, sharing casual banter with each other for hours. He never once implies he wants to disconnect, even when you hit him with more nonsensical questions—
“What’s your favorite food?” (“I don’t have one.”)
“Okay, well what about just a food that you like?” (“I don’t like food that much.”)
“What do you mean? Everyone loves food.” (“Not me.”)
“Alright, well um. What’s your favorite color, then?” (“I don’t have one, either.”)
“Come on, you must have some kind of color you like.” (“What’s your favorite color?”)
“…Brown.” (“Then that’s my favorite, too.”)
—until the sun rises and you both say your goodbyes.
***
Day 1–6:15am:
You resolve to waiting until you see another person to allow your feet to touch dry land, figuring the longer you stay untraceable, the better off you’ll be. Your toes are wrinkly and your pantlegs and shoes have been drenched for hours, but then you finally spot a few fishermen standing upstream with their backs to you, speaking to each other in the dawning light. Two look to be full-grown, but there’s a smaller one in the middle, maybe a teenage boy, and you pause for a second, looking at the riverbank next to them. All their valuables—water, food, bait, extra rods, but also… their shoes.
Quietly, you reach into your backpack and remove the pair of men’s shoes you bought earlier. The ones closest to you on the shore seem to be the smallest, so you sneak over as silent as possible and rapidly make an exchange, fitting the new ones on your wet feet before allowing yourself to touch dry land and then speed walking away.
The ones you left him are newer and roughly the same size anyways—yikes, maybe slightly smaller now that you’re thinking about it—but at least you have a back pathing. If that kid decides to take your offering and the shoes fit, Din will follow him, and if he decides to go barefoot instead, he should still follow him, right? You’re not really aiming to trick him outright, mostly you just want him to waste more and more time. This likely wouldn’t work if there wasn’t a time limit attached to this hunt, but you’re going to do everything you can to disappear while he’s still far enough behind you.
***
Day 1–7:06am:
You get to Devain remarkably quickly after finding the correct road. The pit stop is much bigger than Osiruu, big enough to call an actual town instead of just a settlement, but still not large enough to feel concealed. You want a city. This place at least has cars and ships moving about and overhead respectively, but you’re looking for somewhere with lines. Somewhere that feels as cramped and busy as possible.
Still, you find a restroom to use and then decide to grab some more food for your trip, happily spotting your new favorite purple fruit in one of the shop windows. As you’re reaching out to hand the storekeeper the appropriate amount of credits, Din’s gruff voice comes through the earpiece so suddenly that you jump, nearly dropping them all on the counter. “Hey.”
“Holy shit, what?” You gasp, earning a confused look from the lady in front of you. You quickly shake your head at her and mouth an apology while Din grumbles in vexation.
“You were supposed to stay on foot.”
Ah. So he got to the bus, then. Okay.
“Oh,” you answer ambiguously, exchanging the money for your bag of food and giving her a polite smile. Din stays completely mute while you grab your snack, stuffing the rest of the goods in your backpack and then turning to leave—mute for so long that you have to double check you didn’t accidentally do it yourself.
“…Smart girl,” you finally hear him say. Quietly muttered under his breath, half proud of you and half frustrated for making his job more difficult. “Which one of these is yours then?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you announce, before taking a large bite as you leave the establishment and talking with your mouth full. “You really gotta try the purple fruit, it’s great.”
The communicator abruptly clicks to silence on his end without anything else and you laugh so unexpectedly that a few pieces of it fly out of your mouth.
***
Day 1–1:32pm:
Somewhere miles away from you, Din jerks to a halt in the middle of a forest.
He looks around the dirt floor, walks a few paces and hears the kid coo gently from his cradle. Behind the visor, the red footprints he’s circling are the last ones around for hundreds of meters, as far as his display can read.
His helmet slowly tilts upwards, and follows the endless maze of thick branches overhead.
With the beskar hiding his face, no one can see the way he slowly breaks into a beautiful grin.
***
Day 1–9:51pm:
Oh. Oh stars, you’re tired.
You’ve been walking all day without really seeing anything, not having any place to disguise your tracks in the wide open plains. You could’ve stuck to the road, but you started to feel the exhaustion creep in during the early afternoon and you wanted to be far away from other travelers and potential danger if you needed to rest. You knew this would be a long journey when you left Devain earlier—over a day’s walk, a group of children told you—you even tried skipping or jogging a bit to see if that would inspire more energy in you, but it didn’t help much.
The large cup of caf you bought while in town was drained hours ago and it didn’t help much either, probably because your exhaustion is more physical and not necessarily mental. It just felt like a sweet warm drink to sip before you go to sleep, that’s how much the caf helped. Still, you kept walking, kept moving forward even as you squinted in the setting sun, your feet aching from traveling for this long wearing unfamiliar shoes. The last time you changed them was hours ago, pulling another bus maneuver but with an air shuttle instead. Still, you don’t think it’ll be enough. You don’t even know where Din is but you already feel like you’re losing ground just knowing that he’s the one in pursuit.
You feel it—the hair standing up on your neck, the tingles in your hands, the stirring of your tummy—whatever the incessant gogogo that your instincts happen to scream when you’re in first place but you know the person behind you is quickly closing in. It’s day fucking one, it’s day one and you feel him in the wind as it brushes through your hair, you can’t even pause to rest because nobody knows better than you that he’s an absolute fucking machine when he wants to be. The kid may have powers beyond that which can be explained by the laws of nature, but Din is a force all his own. He drives you forward when everything inside you is telling you to stop. He keeps you awake and determined when you just desperately need to rest.
But that only goes so far. You’re bordering on two full days without sleep, and though you’d normally be able to suffer through, the constant movement is just brutal after being confined to a stationary ship for so long.
There’s a lone tree in the distance, you think. It’s hard to see. Not because it’s dark—well it is, just a bit darker tonight compared to last, but mostly because your eyelids have grown heavier and more burdensome than the bag around your shoulders. That looks like a good place to just sit for a second, right? Maybe eat some more food, try and wake yourself up? Yeah, that’s a good idea, you’ll head towards the tree and just… sit…
***
Day 2–12:00am:
Completely dead to the galaxy and sitting on your ass with your back against rough bark, the comm clicks and Din’s voice comes through the earpiece.
“Wake up.”
It startles you enough to make you lurch forward and jerk your head around in a panic, looking for any flash of beskar so you can instantly break opposite to it. You scramble on all fours to look around but you don’t see anything, not even behind the trunk when you crawl, and then you take a deep breath and use the bone of your wrists to rub your eyes vigorously after a moment, knowing your hands are filthy. “Fuck, how’d you—”
“You’re always sleepy,” Din repeats, and you collapse back into the tree with an exhausted groan, not entertained but not even having the energy to get mad about it.
“I… I gotta sleep,” you tell him, already feeling your body let go of its tension and search for the darkness of unconsciousness once more. “Shit. How d’you… mm. Stay awake all the time…”
“Sleep,” Din encourages, you can still hear him walking. “You need rest. I’ll see you soon.”
No—
“No,” you whine like a child, moaning and shoving yourself upright. Maker, you’re trying to focus, but asking that of yourself is almost impossible right now. Everything swims—you were dreaming, you think, but you can’t remember and it’s not important other than to emphasize how woozy you are. Things still feel like a dream, somehow.
You think he can hear your struggling through the comm, because the sound of his footsteps pause. “Go to sleep.”
“You go to sleep,” you tell him bluntly, giving your head a violent shake to try and wake you up. You want to slap your own cheek but you don’t want him to hear it. “I can’t sleep if you don’t.”
“I’ve have at least a couple more days in me before that happens,” Din murmurs, and you bet he knows exactly what the fuck he’s doing to you. You start to slouch, hearing the voice he uses when he’s curled around your body in the darkness of the hull. So warm, so gentle. If you use your imagination, you can feel his fingers drawing slow circles on your back, the vibration of his low voice rumbling against your ear as you lay your head on his chest. “If I hunt you the way I’d hunt a quarry, I’m going to find you before you wake up.”
“Then I’ll jus’ have to… not let tha’ happen,” you slur. Even this close to unconsciousness, you try your best to throw in a misdirect. “Already… paid for the bed an’ everything.”
“Sure you did. You in another tree?”
You immediately frown even as your eyes drop closed, too tired to fight but still managing to sound upset. “You makin’ fun of me?” You ask him with a harumph. Genuinely, you’re not smart enough to figure it out right now.
“Not hardly,” Din sighs, sounding… you don’t know. Is that displeasure or not? It’s not immediately clear. Does it sound that way because you’re just dumb stupid right now? Or because Din can’t actually decide how he feels about it? “Lucky I heard water over the comm last night, I would’ve wasted hours in that forest.”
“Noooo,” you whine in response, trying to push yourself off the tree but tipping sideways in the process, “that’s not fair—”
“Fair wasn’t part of the rules,” he repeats himself again and… nope, you don’t even have the energy to snark something back. You just grumble your best imitation of him while you do everything you can to heave yourself upright. It’s pitiful, you lose your balance not even halfway through and just plop on the grass for a second and groan.
“Stop,” Din eventually orders through the earpiece, tired of it. “What’s sixteen times itself?”
You’re loopy to the point where you don’t even question why he decided to ask you that. You just furrow your brows for a second and try to think about it, before suddenly realizing you… don’t know, you can’t remember. Multiplication tables and squares up to twenty are elementary to you, you know them by heart. Sixteen times sixteen. One forty-four. No… no that doesn’t sound right, is that twelv—
You take way too long answering what would’ve been an immediate response two days ago.
“I’ll stop here for tonight,” Din tells you with a resolved sigh. “I won’t move until you wake up. Go to sleep. You’re putting yourself in danger, you can’t even do the basics.”
Later, this moment will come back to you. That problem isn’t basic, not many adults would be able to tell you very quickly that the answer is two fifty-six. You don’t even think Din would. You would, though. On Naboo, you used rapidly applied trigonometry in your head to find his location, and that was barely two minutes after waking up. You should know this. And he knows you.
But for right now, you don’t pay it a single lick of attention.
“You promise?” You ask quietly, voice incredibly small as your head tilts back towards the sky, already feeling yourself beginning to fall back into the darkness again.
“I promise,” he vows in return, gentle but a promise nonetheless. He doesn’t have to do this. You wouldn’t be able to keep going even if he didn’t offer up this temporary truce, but knowing he isn’t currently gaining ground on you makes the idea of sleep so much more welcoming, something you want to seek out instead of fight.
“Will you, um…” your expression furrows. How do you say this? You sigh, giving up before even trying to figure it out. “I’m… not in a bed. I’m outside.”
Din doesn’t say anything when you pause, and even through the haze wanting to take over, you know it’s going to sound needy. You want him to stay. Even in the midst of an adventure, you want him to stay, you want to hear him breathe as you rest, but there’s not really an integrous way to ask.
You don’t need to ask.
“I’ll keep the comm open and wake you when the sun rises,” comes his lulling baritone before you can elaborate anymore, enveloping you in comfort in this dreadfully uncomfortable bed of grass and dirt. “Sleep, sweet girl. I’m right here.”
***
Day 2–5:34am:
The sun shines over the hills and you lift your head up to squint your eyes at it, confused as fuck. Looking down at your wrist to check the time in the warm rays, hands and clothes dirty from laying on the ground that long—you stay groggy and clueless for just a moment longer, before your heart lurches when you remember Din’s promise to you.
You open your mouth to address him but then catch yourself just in time. Wait. Don’t panic. Listen.
Breathing. Slow and relaxed through the earpiece, a rhythm now branded into your memory from months of nights spent in pitch black. He’s… asleep.
Din is asleep? Seriously?
You can count like… twice that this has happened, and one of those was because he got you to touch him just right after closing up a wound on his back, and his body couldn’t handle the strain and passed out. You’re never awake when he’s asleep—you’re just not, it doesn’t happen. Din… sleeps like it’s just a choice for him, he doesn’t ever really need it. Almost like how he used to eat before he started sharing meals with you, he said he doesn’t even like food that much. You think he just severed all of those things long ago, things that are basic fundamentals of survival and operated like a bounty droid that lost its voice box. It’s… nice, feeling like you’re somehow giving back some of the things he lost. Unintentionally encouraging him to find sleep again. Making sure he eats more, listening to him speak.
You struggle to your feet as quietly as possible, hearing him continue to breathe slow and relaxed through the communicator. This isn’t purposeful, you don’t think he actually allowed it. He promised you, and Din doesn’t take shit back. If he tells you he’ll do something and he doesn’t follow through, it’s either out of his control or a mistake, it’s never been purposeful. He didn’t mean to fall asleep.
And, in other circumstances, you most definitely would not find some way to take advantage of this. You’d let him sleep and do other things in the meantime—make some food for you and the kid, find something on the Crest that isn’t spotless and clean until it is, or just… lay there next to him until he woke up. But… these circumstances are their own. You have to capitalize now, this is your chance. You passed out last night around… ten pm, you think it was, and then he promised to stop at midnight. That means you have to walk at least two hours before he wakes up if you want to prevent any loss of ground—you don’t know where he stopped, he could be a few miles back even.
You have to find Nariss—you have to. It’s your only option, if you keep trying to run, it’s just going to make it so much easier for him. Now is the time to hide. You know it hasn’t been long, it’s barely been two days since you first left the Crest but it feels like you’re already in endgame, already making moves in self-defense instead of actually planning your maneuvers ahead of time.
The capital should be half a day’s walk from here, then. As long as you get there, you think you’ll be okay.
***
Day 2–8:28am:
Din’s groan suddenly comes through your ear.
You immediately stop, seeing a busy road in the distance and glad you haven’t quite made it there yet, before trying to disguise your voice as drowsy. “Mm?”
“Shit,” he breathes, and you hear him get up, the sound of beskar moving as he grunts.
“Mpph,” you groan back, squinting your eyes to see if that’ll help sell the act. “I thought you… Mando, fuck, y’said you’d wake me when the sun came up.”
“I… fell asleep,” he admits, voice rough with it, sounding just as confused as you felt earlier.
“You said you had days in you before that happened,” you murmur, taking a deep breath and stretching your arms up above your head. Stars, your back hurts, how does he possibly manage to carry a fucking jet pack around all the time?
“Yeah, I…” He pauses for a moment and you bite your lip, not liking the quiet as soon as you hear it. “How long have you been up?”
Op. Not good. “Wha?”
He’s not falling for it. “How long?”
How in Maker’s name? This is impossible. How can you hope to hide from him when you can’t even manage to hide the smallest fucking truth from him? Can you salvage this somehow? “…Like ten minutes.”
“Least a few hours, then,” he sighs, and you get ready to hit him with the same line he used when you complained about his leg-up, opening your mouth as soon as you hear him speak. “That was smar—”
“Fair wasn’t part of—”
Oh. Well. Apparently you didn’t have a reason to feel shitty about deciding to haul ass while he was passed out even though you kind of ended up doing so anyways. There was no agreement besides that he wouldn’t move until you woke up. Reason is on your side, but it still feels a bit like you fucked him over. Is that valid or are you just so used to being nice that putting yourself first feels like a wrong you’ve committed?
“Don’t feel bad,” Din tells you, and you hear a soft coo in the background. It makes you smile the smallest bit, your shoulders relaxing even as they ache from carrying your pack around. “You should feel bad about stealing that poor kid’s shoes, though. He walked home barefoot.”
You smack your forehead. “It was just….”
“Yeah,” he scoffs when you don’t finish your sentence, and you can’t keep back a giggle. “Alright, I’m up now. See you when you get here.”
And then the communicator clicks, and you’re…
Uh. What the fuck was that?
No. Nope, you’re not going to get played. That was a brilliant attempt at fucking with you, but you’re not falling for it this time. You’ve grown since that night on Canto Bight, you know him, he can’t just say shit to fuck with your head and then smile at your flailing response from under the helmet anymore. You normally would stew in that last comment until it got to you, made you make a mistake most likely, but the more you think about it, the more certain you are that he has nothing. He was just trying to see if you’ll abandon your entire plan just by implying he already knows it. That’s beginner shit, you’re not falling for it. Din wanted to leave the conversation with the upper-hand since you gained at least an hour of extra ground while he slept. You’re certain of it.
***
Day 2–12:35pm:
Nariss is big. Nowhere near the size of Coruscanti sectors of course, where billions of people are packed from surface to exosphere and require oxygen recirculation towers to breathe at the very top, but just slightly bigger than you expected. It’s bustling and you haven’t even made it through the city gates yet—you’re approaching them and the large number of people waiting in line, seeing buildings stretch out for miles in front of you and grinning. Yes, this will work nicely.
As you peek over shoulders in the sizable crowd, you see only two or three people allowing people to enter one at a time… is that a biometric scanner?
Oh. That looks good and it also doesn’t look good at the same time. If Din’s safety meant nothing to you, you’d have no trouble whatsoever getting in line and waiting to do a retinal scan, but you immediately pause and consider the potential consequences.
Your dumb ass almost weighs the option of clicking the communicator on and asking his opinion. You’d give away your location in a heartbeat (if he doesn’t know it already) just because you’re worried he’d… what, exactly? Stand in line for an hour, take his helmet off in front of a crowd of people, have the system ping his scan, and then hang out and wait for New Republic reinforcements to show? You have to stop worrying about him. He’s not a baby, he can handle himself and you need to stop considering the possibility of taking a loss just so he doesn’t have to, even if the self-destructive sentiment feels ingrained in your nature to do so.
So you wait in line, moving at a slow pace but at least moving. While you’re standing there quietly, a man in front of you decides to strike up a conversation. You don’t come from a place with an excess of people, but the ones in your sector were friendly and did this kind of thing often, so perhaps for that reason, you decide to chat.
“Do you have some place to stay?” He asks at one point. So far the conversation has revolved around him—every time he asks about you, you deflect. He doesn’t need to know. “Nariss isn’t kind to drifters.”
This catches your attention, though. This is relevant. “What does that mean?”
“It’s expensive?” He scratches his blonde hair, giving you a soft smile. “Food, housing, all of it is way out of my price-range. I stay with my uncle and work overnights at the eastern docks. It’s not much, but it’s enough to keep a roof over our heads. We used to live in Gibrath, but then we moved to the city because he’s a good architect and they’re always expanding. It’s nice, of course, but really expensive.”
He’s handsome, you think… in kind of a boyish, charming way. Blonde hair, sparkly blue eyes. He doesn’t look much older than you, and maybe in another lifetime you would’ve found him appealing, but… you like darker features, you think. Someone a little less expressive. This guy… talks a lot.
“I thought this moon was a safe world for people displaced by the Empire,” you offer, taking a step forward as the entire crowd shifts.
“Sanctuary II is,” he comments. “The capital is safe, too—what, with all the orangies walking around,” he tilts his head to two jumpsuited guards trying to organize the glob of people so the line can move faster, rolling his eyes as if they’re some kind of joke. “But not… welcoming, not if you’re looking for a place to settle. You would’ve been better off in G’ila.”
“Is there anywhere you know that would take me for free?” You ask. You have quite a few credits left, but you don’t think it’s a good idea to stay in an inn. It’ll be the first place Din checks.
“Are you a virgin?” He returns, and you immediately pull back at the unexpected question, your heart thudding at the possibility of danger. The man’s sandy eyebrows shoot up at your response and he quickly apologizes—“Heavens, I’m so sorry to ask like that! It’s just… the only place I know is the Holy Keja Orphanage on the northern outskirts. Their signs say they only house children and teenagers, but I’ve heard from other girls your age that they’ll accept any woman as long as they’ve stayed pure in the eyes of the Maker.”
“Oh,” you say after a moment, leaning sideways to see just a few people standing in front of him. Good, this is almost over. “Um. Yep. That’s me.”
He smiles at you once more, giving you a nod. “When you get to the city, just go straight through. It’s about a mile outside of the gates, no more than a day’s walk from this side of town.”
Okay, that’s… interesting. You think about it while you thank him and begin to exchange polite goodbyes, moving up another step until he’s next in line. That might actually be a good move. Din could spend a long time in the city without ever finding you. Smart quarry go to populated places, but… smarter quarry defy the expectations placed upon them, right? He knows you’re smart, and even though you’re confident his “See you when you get here” was purely psychological fuckery, that also implies… at the very least, that he’s assuming there is a here to get to. Meaning, he knows you’re not going into the wilderness to evade him. He’s not going to comb the outskirts when there are so many places to hide within the city gates, with an entire perimeter of New Republic guards stationed around it. Even if he does, the signs will say only children and teenagers—categories you do not fall into.
The unnamed man is soon ushered forward but you stop him quickly. “Oh, by the way. I doubt this will happen, but if a man in a big metal suit with a tiny green baby happen to ask you the same thing, please don’t tell him what you just told me.”
He furrows his eyebrows at you and cocks his head, but smiles and agrees nonetheless.
***
Day 2–5:43pm:
You have an idea.
You’ve been working on it all afternoon, but you were hit with it the second you were looking for another pair of shoes to buy and find a clever way of putting on.
The cheapest ones were ridiculously overpriced, blonde dude was right. You blinked down at the tag and asked the salesman where the cheapest shoes in this part of town were, and then he just wrinkled his nose at you and shooed you out of the store. Granted, you slept in dirt and spent two days walking—you bet you reek, but he didn’t have to be like that.
Though, the man’s displeasure with you had an upside. You were holding a possible pair of pants and a shirt to buy when he threw you out, not yet having checked the atrocious pricetag on them, but it appeared as if he’d rather let you have them for free than rip them from your… admittedly, pretty filthy arms. Oh well, you weren’t complaining. Fancy clothes for free, score.
But now you’re here, and you have the best idea. You don’t need to change shoes, not yet. Why? Because you’ve figured out how to turn your incessant detriment into an advantage.
You’re in the middle of downtown, you think, maybe just some random crowded square, and there’s an inn in front of you. It’s fucking enormous, and you already know it’s gotta be incredibly expensive just looking at the sheer number of stories. It’s an eyesore, it sticks out. But that’s okay, because you’re only planning on staying for a night.
It’s also… right next to New Republic headquarters. Or fuck, at least a station of some sort, because they’re swarming in and out of the constant crowd, passing by the valet doors.
At first you naturally wanted to steer away from the jumpsuits, since you know they’re bad news for Din, but then you remember what he said before you left. I’m only telling you so that you’ll know your advantage and find a way to exploit it. I can’t be seen by any officers, or they might arrest me.
It’s to your advantage, he said so himself. Everything lines up perfectly—the street is bustling, the inn is well protected, it’s nice—it’s everything you’re looking for.
And there’s another upside, see. An omnipresent, omniscient ghost in the form of a communicator clipped to your wrist right now. If Din is always going to be able to predict you, he’s always going to know when you’re lying, always be able to read you… then you’ll just have to let him.
Let him know. Let him know exactly where you are. Right in the middle of the most populated street you’ve seen thus far, a constant barrage of people walking by and New Republic officers patrolling. If you were planning on staying in the city, this would probably be your best option to hide. He could waste days here if you’re smart about it.
The concierge doesn’t appear too pleased with your lack of cleanliness and neither do you, honestly, but at least he allows you to book a suite for the night. It’s… not as bad as you were originally assuming, credits-wise, but it’s worth more than half your stash and you’re going to have to conserve from this point on. It shouldn’t be too bad—your destination is a holy orphanage, you’re sure they’ll have some extra food and a bed for you even if it won’t be ideal. Still, you think you’re going to enjoy some lavish experiences for once in your life before you go.
***
Day 2–11:54pm:
Alright, so this was the best idea ever. This is the shit.
You’re leaning back against a fluffy stack of pillows, squeaky clean from an absolutely glorious bath and watching the flickering drama on the large holonet display in front of you. You don’t have any idea what’s going on, as it’s being broadcast in Rodian, but you haven’t been able to change the frequency because it’s so fucking intense—somebody’s sister is their mother, you think? No, that must be a mistranslation, right?
You’re also in a robe. Yes, there is a motherfucking robe in here. And… and slippers, it’s like a dream. Do people normally wear slippers in bed? You do. Hell, maybe you should stay here, screw the credits and the chase. This mattress is even better than the one on Naboo and you’re basking in the luxury after being outdoors for so long.
The lights are off other than that and you’ve opened the drapes wide, knowing you’re on something like the fifteenth floor and nobody would be able to see you anyways. You just like being able to turn your head and look out at the sky. Violent and periwinkle tonight. You wonder if he’s looking, too.
Luckily, you snap yourself back out of it and glance down at the time on your communicator, quickly pressing a button on the remote to mute the Rodian show and then opening the line the moment the hour changes.
Day 3–12:00am:
“Hiya, Shiny,” you say before anything else, laying back and running a few fingers through your damp hair. Your eyes close against the flickering light, taking a slow, relaxed breath. Maker, this feels nice.
“You sound happy,” Din comments. Astute, you feel happy. Well… you’d obviously feel happier if he was here. Your eyes flick over to the open bathroom door, still steamy from your bubble bath earlier, imagining him walking through it completely naked and then climbing over you on the covers. You can only really picture it from the neck down—no, hang on… you can see his shaggy brown curls, that one spot on his forehead you know, how his facial hair would be dark and frame his mouth. No face, though. Missing just one fraction of him from your imagination, feeling incomplete but also somehow… complete in a way.
“I feel better after sleeping last night,” you tell him, purposefully leaving out the softness of the sheets underneath you, the sheer comfort of all this extravagance. You don’t need it, you’ll never need it, but it feels nice to have for once.
“I do, too,” he replies quietly, and your eyes flutter closed. You… miss him. This mattress would feel softer with him next to you. He’d probably be able to translate this show for you, even though you already know he’d fucking hate it. You can imagine it—you with your eyes closed, him propped up on an elbow next to you and grumbling vague descriptions of the nonsense happening on screen just to hear your chuckles. Adventures are great, but maybe they aren’t as great by yourself, you think.
“You should sleep tonight, too,” you encourage, but he scoffs.
“Not a chance,” Din mutters. “Oh, before I forget, we need to charge the communicators today.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” You ask him, glancing at all the multiple wireless charging outlets stationed around you. “I’m in the middle of nowhere.”
He doesn’t even take a fucking second before responding. “Good one.”
You grin up at the ceiling, warmth flooding you. You love him. Literally every single time, he just knows. Your curiosity is too overwhelming after this happening so often. Your plan to distract him relies on him being able to read you, but that doesn’t prevent you from wondering how he does it so accurately, time and time again. “How do you know?”
“You slept outside last night,” he immediately tells you, like that should mean anything to you.
Does he… does he truly know you well enough to know how much your back and shoulders hurt today? How much you were aching for a shower and clean clothes? A bed to sleep on that isn’t dirt or metal? You give into the accurate prediction with shameless honesty, not caring if he knows it’s the truth.
“This bed is soft,” you murmur gently, dragging your hand across the mattress next to you. “You should be here. I’d make you feel good.”
Admittedly, your comfort is making you a bit drowsy and you said it in the easiest way possible, but you didn’t necessarily mean it sexually. Well… you sort of did—you’d make him feel so good in this bed—but what you meant was more… comforting. He could take a bath, or a shower, and get all the grime off him. He could feel clean and unburdened, take a break instead of constantly moving around. The baby could have a whole bed to himself if he wanted, though you know he’d probably want to be on this one instead. You could all look at the sky together.
Din is quiet for a little bit, before his voice comes back through the earpiece. “Are you in an inn?”
“No,” you say, a little too quickly. Perfect, that sounded just right for a lie. You are lying, you absolutely are in an inn, the only difference is that you want him to catch on that it’s a lie, so… why does he take way too long before responding?
“Hm.”
What the fuck—why… how is it even physically possible? He read you that deeply from one single word? You’re not sure if he’s somehow psychic and figured the whole fucking thing out or if he just knows there’s something off, but it’s still enough to blow you away.
“Are you doing this on purpose?” You blurt without thinking.
“Doing what?” He grunts, sounding like he’s stepping over something, his breath changing intensity as he walks.
“If I look out this window right now, am I gonna see you standing out there just messing with me?” You don’t even know what to believe anymore. How do you beat this? If you don’t want him to know the truth, he’ll figure it out, and if you do want him to know the truth, he’ll still figure it out. His perception is unbelievable.
After a moment of silence, he murmurs gently through the comm. “I thought you said you were in the middle of nowhere.” It sounds like he’s smiling.
“I…” your eyes shift around awkwardly, “am…”
Din lets out a deep sigh. He’s right, that was bad, even for you. “I found your bed a few hours ago,” he admits. You close your eyes as you listen to him make his way closer to you, step by step. “I’m nowhere near the city yet. You have time to sleep.”
Your expression furrows and you frown. “Why are you helping me?”
“Why do you want me to think you’re in an inn?” He tosses back, and you huff.
“Because I’m trying to outsmart you but you make it really fucking difficult,” you grumble, not happy about him catching on so quick.
“You’ve also gained about four hours on me since we started.” His voice is gruff. You don’t know if he thinks it’s a good thing or a bad thing. “You should give yourself more credit. I thought I would’ve found you by now, never expected you to get all the way to Nariss. It’s… not good for me.”
The honesty creeping in makes you go soft. It makes you want to reciprocate, even if it’s dumb and you haven’t thought it all the way through. “Wanna know a secret?”
“Tell me.” His voice is a bed all its own, deep and gentle and safe.
You say it before you lose the nerve. “I might just turn around and walk back.”
His footsteps stop and you hear a small sound in the background, a quiet little baby noise that suddenly makes your heart ache. You’re comfortable but incredibly aware of how alone you are. People pass by on the streets below, cars and hoverbikes honk in the distance and you’re by yourself. For the first time in over a year, like you have been for years, you’re by yourself.
“Sweet girl,” Din sighs, and all of a sudden… you can feel his arms around you with it. You feel so… known, somehow. Every sentiment you could’ve possibly given in your last sentence, he relays his understanding back with his. He makes you feel loved with it. “Never wants to run.”
You don’t say anything, because you suddenly realize you’re totally fucking whipped, up down and sideways for his metal ass and the little floating grimlin that follows him around, and you would throw away the fifth quarry, adventure, the sky—literally everything if you could be with the both of them right now.
But again. You don’t have to say anything, he already knows. “Give me your coordinates.”
Your eyes pop open and you bite your lip. Oh, stars. You hate that you do genuinely consider it. He could be here, and very soon. With the jet pack, both of them could be here in less than an hour, probably. He could take a shower. Watch these stupid shows with you all night without needing to be on the move, help you build a bed of pillows for the kid on top of this one. You could be with both of them again, even if it’s only for a little while.
“Ask me again tomorrow,” you finally whisper, looking down at the soft white fabric of your robe, the way one of your slippers is falling off your foot as the holonet program continues to play on mute.
Din’s footsteps eventually start up again, and you both relax in silence together. You, squinting at the screen because your eyes are getting heavy; him, continuing to travel step by step and gain ground on you. Let him come. You’ll be long gone by the time he even makes it to the gates.
It’s been about ten minutes of shared, quiet existence before you hear him bite into something and chew, and your face suddenly lights up.
“Are you eating the purple fruit?” You ask, your slipper falling off with excitement. You don’t know why, but it’s like… you’re stoked for him. Just as proud of him for doing normal things as he does when you step out of your own comfort zone. You like to think you’re both better that way. Balanced.
“Mm,” Din replies with his mouth full, and you grin down at your bare legs peeking through the robe while he swallows.
“Is it not the best thing you’ve ever tasted?” Your voice goes a little breathless with it, and you hear his footsteps stop once more.
“Close,” Din murmurs lowly, sending a small shudder through you. It suddenly feels a bit warm in here, doesn’t it? This morning was one of the rare times you were awake while he was asleep… it’s almost always the other way around, and just from the implication in his tone, you’re reminded of the thing he likes doing most when you’re resting. Maybe he’ll let you do it to him, next time around. The thought gets you hot enough to warrant the other slipper falling to the floor.
“You’re alone, right?” You whisper, knowing he must’ve pulled the helmet up to take a bite of the fruit. He must still be following your path through the hillside, then, not yet reaching the road.
“The kid is awake,” Din tells you, sounding like he’s trying to stop everything before anything starts. His words are short and clear in their meaning, but…
This has a very small chance of success, you already know. “…Do you want to—”
“No,” he responds quickly, already way ahead of you. “We can’t.”
Something in his voice… you don’t know, there’s just something there that makes you feel just a little reckless. Should you push it? You’re by yourself in this suite, what can go wrong?
“You can’t,” you correct him quietly, shifting around on the bed just a bit and biting your lip. It’s a thrill—being able to tease him without having him in front of you, drive him crazy knowing you’re just out of his reach. “But I can do whatever I want, can’t I?”
There’s a pause, a tense and knowing silence suspended between you before he eventually speaks.
“I’d be real careful,” Din mutters low in warning, but what is he gonna do?
“What are you gonna do?” You whisper to him devilishly. Quiet and breathy, beginning to snake your hand down. Stars, your heart is already pounding. You’d only likely mouth off like this in person just to see how hard he’d fuck you, but this feels extra dangerous for some reason. He’s stuck, he can’t do anything about it right now, and you know it’s playing with fire. “You could hang up if you don’t want to hear me. Or you could find me before I’m finished. Come make me stop.”
Din doesn’t say anything but he very much does not hang up, nor does he come busting into your room like you imagine he’d like to. The sheer fact that your door is still closed and locked tells you for sure that he isn’t just hanging out in the hallway, just letting you have your fun.
You start pressing your fingers against your robe at the apex of your thighs, humming at how nice the pressure feels. You don’t even spread your legs or push the fabric away, you just sigh into it and wiggle your hips a bit, pressing hard against your clit and listening to him breathe.
“Do you want to listen?” You ask quietly after a moment, and Din still doesn’t respond. Likely because there’s not a real answer, both yes and no would imply the wrong thing. “I’ll talk.”
Still, nothing from him. Dead silence through the comm. You’re starting to understand. For two days, you’ve felt like he could read your every thought just by the cadence of your voice. He’s staying quiet so you can’t even attempt to do the same to him—if he doesn’t talk, you can’t find a weakness and pounce on it, you can’t feel any more confident or reassured about your own ability to read him.
You’ll just have to push a little harder, then.
“Hm. If only this fancy communicator could…” you pause to look down at your wrist for a second, studying the menu. You don’t think you’ve ever really looked at it, you never had the time.
Din’s growl is sudden and sharp through the earpiece. “No, don’t even think—”
“Ah,” you smile, tapping the face and immediately finding the correct screen. “Take pictures.”
He’s deadly quiet for a moment, and you bite your lip with excitement. When he does speak, his voice is a pure threat, chilling you to the bone as much as it burns deep in your tummy. “…You wouldn’t.”
Ignoring him, you suddenly locate a menu option that sounds phenomenal right now. “Oh shit, does this holocall? Or is it a video option?”
“Holo,” he says very seriously while you study the lack of complexity of the built-in camera in skepticism, “and the kid is awake, so you can��t—”
“Oh, it’s definitely a video,” you unclip it from your wrist and he curses as you sit up, and then you press a button and wait impatiently for him. “Pick up.”
Din takes forever before responding, and you hear the continuous beeps as it attempts to connect, before his quiet baritone rumbles in your ear. “What if I don’t?”
You feel your mouth pull down at the corners, not so much frowning as you are dubious. He’s going to turn down the opportunity to see you and your surroundings when his whole goal is locating you? Really?
“You sure?” You ask softly, raising an eyebrow. “You’d get to see me, where I am. What I’m…” your eyes dip down to the loose robe riding your curves, your skin glowing against the white fabric, “…wearing.”
The beeps continue on for a few more seconds, until they finally stop. You frown down at the black screen of the communicator, not seeing anything at all. Did he decline the transmission request? No… there’s a little red light next to the small lens that wasn’t there before. Why can’t you see him?
“Why can’t I see you?” You ask. You want to look at him looking at you, you don’t want to always be stuck on the other side of a one-way mirror.
“I… have it linked to my helmet, but it only has a front-facing camera,” Din tells you after a moment, and he sounds… slightly out of breath. “Easier to see, the watch is useless now besides the controls.”
Wait, does that mean you’re… being shown on the inner-display of his helmet instead of his wrist? Right in front of his eyes, as if he were actually here with you?
“Nobody can see me but you?” You clarify, and when he doesn’t respond, you bite your lip and lean back into the pillows. You lift the watch up slightly, extending your arm out until you can get the angle as wide as possible. “Can you see… this?” You ask softly, before hooking your fingers in the collar of your white robe and slowly pulling it open for him.
“Where are you?” Din asks instead, and you hear his footsteps through the earpiece, as if he’s walking away from something very quickly.
You don’t answer him, parting the soft fabric until your breasts are completely exposed and you sigh, closing your eyes and snuggling back into the pillows once more. “I’ll tell you where I am if you keep watching me.”
“Why?” Din grits in frustration, coming back around to the same dangerous question he had earlier. “Why would you do that?”
“I don’t know.” You slowly tilt the camera down until you can spread your legs and the robe falls open with the movement, letting him see your pussy peeking through in the flickering light of the muted screen in front of your bed. “Can you see that?”
“Yeah,” he says shakily on the end of a breath, and you feel yourself get wet. Fuck, he sounds so fucking tempted, the sight making his voice come without any of the self-assuredness as it usually has, but… he could also just be saying that. How do you know he’s telling you the truth?
“What am I doing?” You test him, lifting your knee just the slightest bit so you really give him something to look at.
“Spreading your legs for a camera,” Din responds without hesitation, voice scraping against your ear, making you shiver and your nipples harden. Fuck, the way he says it, like it’s wrong and bad even though he’s the only one who can see or hear you do it… it makes you feel even more naughty and emboldened.
You bite your lip and reach your hand down to spread your lips for him, too, hearing his breath immediately catch on the other end. Already your pussy makes your fingers slick against your soft skin, the sash of your robe still holding the fabric together on your body but also loose enough to allow it to part in the right places and reveal everything you want him to see.
“I am in an inn,” you whisper teasingly, letting your finger drop to brush against your clit and then sighing in soft delight. Oh stars, that feels nice, it feels so good to treat yourself after being completely nomadic for two days, getting to be clean and soft and comfortable while you feel this pleasure, and Din’s voice growls through your communicator like you’re doing something painful to him.
“Fuck,” his breathing picks up while you begin circling your clit. “Where?”
“Nariss,” comes your quiet moan, turning your head on the pillow to blink slowly at the camera. Wanting him to see your eyes as well as your finger slowly dip into where you’re the hottest, caressing the sensitive skin there knowing he’s watching.
“Where in Nariss?” Din’s voice is as pleading as it is sharp, desperately trying to keep either you or himself on track.
“I don’t know,” you say again. Truthfully, you don’t—you don’t know the cross streets, you don’t know the part of town, you don’t know much of anything at all besides physical descriptors. You quickly move the camera to the side as far as you can hold it and let him see you from a different angle with the window as a backdrop. “But the window is open. And there are lots of people outside.”
“Can they see you?” Din immediately challenges. Of course they can’t, you’re fifteen stories up and the room is darker than it is outside with all the city lights and swirling colors of the sky, but you suppose he doesn’t know that. You think he just needs to relax—if this is what he’s always like during hunts, you now know exactly why he comes back to you all riled up and tense.
“I don’t know,” you murmur back, starting to rub your clit a little faster, trying to make it feel like him. It doesn’t—your fingers aren’t large or strong enough to give you those perfect circles; you just feel like you’re meandering yourself towards ecstasy instead of picking you up and hauling your ass there like he does, but it’s okay. Hearing Din’s rough breathing come through the earpiece, knowing his hands are probably clenched tight into fists, wondering if he’s hard yet… all of it culminates into a power trip unlike any you’ve experienced recently. It makes you bold, tells you to open your mouth. “Does it matter? I’d still let you fuck me against it if you were here.”
“Stop it,” comes his growl, but what is he gonna do?
Your leg lifts a little wider so you can slowly slide your fingers down and push two of them inside yourself, and Din swears as you moan, “Come find me.”
“Give me your coordinates—”
“Are you giving up?” You offer breathlessly, lifting your eyebrows and your hips up slightly at the question, but you’re… not expecting the extended silence following. You assumed a growled no would immediately come next, or just another empty threat said with enough force to make you tremble with excitement, but not… nothing.
The response makes you pause just for a second, easing your fingers out and dragging them across your thigh to clean some of the wetness off before extending your arm out towards the communicator. Din stays quiet while you navigate through the menu with trembling fingers, eventually finding your coordinates and hovering over the unchecked share location box.
You wait with your lip bit, confident he knows what you’re doing and you don’t have to narrate or repeat yourself. Fuck, you knew you were considering abandoning this entire adventure just to be next to him again, but you had no idea. No fucking idea that it could ever be a thought in his own mind as well. You… assumed he likes this, hunting is what he does for a living and he’s the one who conceived of the idea in the first place. Is he just that aroused by you? Or is there something more?
“No,” Din eventually murmurs, and you immediately navigate out of the menu so you don’t accidentally press anything catastrophic, before pulling your hand away from the communicator with a resolved hum and settling back into the pillows again. Making sure to look directly into the lens even if your eyelids are heavy with heat and desire, you slowly lick your fingers and then reach down once more.
His deep, shaky breath is so telling. Exhausted after all this, but still not hanging up, still doing his hardest to tough it out when he’s only miles away from you and has jets attached to his back. You don’t want to drag it out but you also do, you want to be kind but something about Din makes you also want to be as formidable as possible. You’ll never be able to threaten like he does, you’ll never have anyone cower just because you walked into the room, you’ll never be as powerful or strong as he is, but you can still put up a fucking fight against him in your own way.
You whimper softly, your breathing beginning to find a quicker pace as surely as your fingers do. It begins to spark and build, a red hot flame being kindled by the knowledge that he’s as close as possible without actually being close, right here with you when he always seems so far away.
“Mando,” you whisper, though your expression pulls inwards just slightly because it… in a scenario as sensual and intimate as this, it almost doesn’t sound righ—
“Din,” he whispers back, so quiet you almost don’t hear it, like he almost doesn’t want to but has to anyways, and then you just start to fucking burn.
“D-Din,” you whisper instead, trying to keep your voice as quiet as possible through the rising swell. He’ll be able to see it, you think. The way your tummy and chest start to heave, how your body begins to brace for it—and yeah, Maker, he sees it, because his voice suddenly changes.
“Stop,” Din growls roughly, knowing exactly how you cum—knowing exactly what it looks like, the way it sounds in your breathing, what it tastes like, how it feels on the inside. It’s been so long since you’ve touched bliss without him, months and months since you brought yourself to completion on the floor of the Crest by yourself, and though he’s rarely ever denied you, your own high on newfound control causes it to slip. He barks your name and tells you to stop once more, but it’s too late.
“I’m gonna cum, Din,” you breathe out—
“Don’t—”
It tears through you, rapid and surging, and he snarls a curse, something loud snapping and thudding and… did he just punch something? You can’t think, it’s delicious and hard as fuck and everything you needed after two days of near constant movement and thought with little rest, and you bite your lip to keep quiet but a pained whimper still shoves its way out of your tense vocal cords regardless. It sounds like it hurts because it does hurt; the orgasm shatters your body into pieces and you’re left trembling by yourself on this soft bed, wishing he was with you on a metal one.
You sink into the mattress in the moments following, sluggish and exhausted and just conscious enough to keep the watch facing you. You bet the camerawork was terrible, shaky at best, but you can’t find it in yourself to care right now. You just lay there and listen to his harsh breathing while you work to slow your heart rate, reveling in the filthy little show you just gave him and wanting to finish it out properly.
“Come find me,” you breathe out once more, lazing soft and naked for him, blinking dazedly at the watch as you pan it over you. Your thighs are still twitching and there’s a thin sheen of sweat clinging to you, but you drag a finger through your swollen lips and carefully wipe the wetness across one of your nipples. “Clean me up.”
“Fuck,” Din suddenly spits through the earpiece, furious. “You think—y-you think—”
“What?” You hum, basking in the afterglow and so, so curious. Truly, you’re dumb as fuck, you have no clue what you’re thinking, but if anybody would be able to tell you, it’s him.
There’s a moment where his breathing stops. It’s completely silent on the line, before you hear another few heavy footsteps on his end pick up and then halt just as quickly.
“You think you can taunt me?” He murmurs, dangerous and deadly quiet. “Show me exactly where you are, disappear and then make me waste forever trying to get there? You think that’s gonna work?”
Your eyebrow lifts, considering. He… may or may not have predicted your strategy perfectly, but his insight has stopped surprising you by now. “Maybe…”
“Maybe you shouldn’t fall asleep tonight.”
Ooh. That one sends goosebumps down your arms, but you’ve gained four hours on top of a twelve hour headstart. He can’t scare you with that tone, not when you’re still woozy with pleasure and he isn’t right in front of you. Instead of wilting beneath the hard threat, you just blink gently at the communicator, finding strength in being the only one to get him this mad when he’s always so composed, this talkative when he barely says a word. “Maybe I’ll just stay here then?”
“Maybe you wanted me to know you’re in an inn because you already found someplace to hide that isn’t one,” Din reasons very, very adeptly. Stars, your heart subtly begins to pick up, your legs continuing to tremble as the small red light next to the lens stares you down. “Can’t be planning to stay with someone you just met because you’d already be there, can’t be going to a hostel because you found the one city on this moon built for commerce and not aid. Not staying in another inn, you can’t afford it—the view looks high up, that robe is expensive, and you already bought food and at least five pairs of shoes in two days. I don’t think the place you found is even in Nariss. You think you can outsmart me, sweet girl?”
The chill down your spine doesn’t reach your eyes, you won’t let it. You just feel yourself smile, tilting your head at him and licking your lips while your finger brushes one of your nipples, but Din doesn’t accept your silence the way you’ve always accepted his. He wants an answer from you, right now, and it’s clear in the dark rumble of his voice, the danger slowly brewing beyond what you originally planned for.
“Tell me,” he orders, unamused and leaving no room to disobey. “How long do you think you can keep running?”
Your eyelashes flutter, suddenly deciding… why not? What have you got to lose? Nothing that you didn’t already go into this situation completely expecting to lose anyways. What’s the worst he can do? Find you?
You close your eyes, pinching one of your nipples and wondering if you might just go for another one since he’s still here. “Ask me again tomorrow.”
But then, instead of immediately responding, you just hear Din’s footsteps suddenly pick up, faster than any pace you’ve been able to keep over the past few days. You don’t think it sounds like a run necessarily, but you know that his legs and strides are far longer than yours and it’s probably pretty much equivalent to a run for you. You hear the rhythm of your demise speeding up, coming closer and closer, and everything in you both fears it and welcomes it.
“We’ll see,” he tells you, and then the red light vanishes and your earpiece clicks to silence.
***
Day 3—2:23am:
Even though it takes you much longer to do so than it normally would on a bed so large and comfortable, after such an exciting interaction and not being used to flickering light when you try to sleep but wanting to experience the rarity anyways, you’re eventually able to pass out.
But, not even a few minutes into a restless dream, you turn over and accidentally knock your communicator off the wireless charging station on the side table. It blinks with four percent battery life.
***
To be continued!!
#the mandalorian x you#the mandalorian x reader#din djarin x reader#din djarin x you#mando x reader#mando x you#the mandalorian#smut#reader insert#fanfic#rough day#no-droids#tw: stalking
6K notes
·
View notes
Text
Stress Relief
Here it is! This is entirely self indulgent and filthy! Im a wh*re for the croissant guards
Also I headcanon Fox looking like how amikoroyoaiart draws him. her art is so good!
Commander Fox x f!reader
Crossposted on ao3
Rating: 18+
Length: 3.9k
Warnings/Tags: Oral (m receiving), that good sloppy toppy, office sex, cursing, light grinding, making out
NSFW BELOW THE CUT
Bringing the Guard their morning caf had become a tradition, of sorts. You knew the caf in the mess wasn’t good--in fact, it was barely even palatable. When you first started as a new secretary, it had been your timid way of offering friendship to the imposing troopers who worked so hard to keep the planet safe. They warmed to you quickly. Thire was the first to remove his helmet in front of you, plonking it down on your desk and taking a long pull of caf barely a second after you handed it to him. At your stunned look, he had just raised a brow and said, “Long patrol last night,” with a shrug.
As the others had become more comfortable with you, you had seen most of them without their buckets at some point--except for Fox. He always took his caf with a polite “Thank you, ma’am,” and retreated to his office. You knew it was against regulation for them to remove their helmets while they were on duty. But even when you dropped off the caf in his office, he was at his desk with his helmet on.
“He keeps it on so you can’t tell if he’s actually asleep,” Thorn told you one day. “I suspect he even does it while we’re standing guard sometimes.” You laughed aloud at that. The serious Commander Fox, asleep standing up. He was right though, you never would be able to tell.
The first time Fox removed his helmet in front of you, you hadn’t expected the gray dusting his temples, but honestly you weren’t surprised. The poor man was stressed beyond belief and worked half to death. You were more surprised that he finally did it in the first place. Fox sighed, running a hand through his unruly curls, before taking the caf and giving you a tired smile. He thanked you by name that time. You tried to ignore the butterflies in your stomach.
From then on, he had been without it more when you went into his office. You even caught him sleeping once--head resting on his folded arms, bucket set next to him--and had done your best to deliver the caf without waking him. Maker knew he needed the sleep more than he needed hot caf--if Thorn hadn’t told you he snuck naps with the helmet on, you would think he ran off caf and stubborn will alone.
One morning, after you had passed out caf to the others--and a little cup of whipped cream for Grizzer--Fox hadn’t made an appearance, so you made your way to his office to drop it off. You knocked lightly on the door. “Come in,” his gruff voice called, and the door slid aside. You smiled at him, noting the way his shoulders visibly relaxed at seeing it was just you. You set the cup down on his desk. You had just turned when a touch on your wrist stopped you.
Fox was looking up at you, helmet cocked to the side. “You know you don’t have to bring us caf every time you work, right? The boys better not be nagging you for it.”
“I know,” you said. “I enjoy doing it. And it’s the least I could do.”
“The least you could do?”
“You all work so hard. You deserve more, even if it’s just better caf.”
He squeezed your wrist gently. “You don’t owe us anything. It is our duty to the Republic--”
“I know, Fox,” you tried to hide your grin, and failed. “But you’re also my friends.”
That seemed to surprise him, hand falling from your wrist as he sat back in his chair and regarded you curiously. You made your way back to the door, pausing in the entryway and looking back over your shoulder.
“Have a good morning, Commander.”
“...You as well, ma’am.”
The door slid shut behind you. Fox slipped his helmet off, setting it on his desk and staring hard at the door you had disappeared through. His eyes flicked to the paper cup of steaming caf, brows furrowed.
It was the first time you had called him by his name.
Friends?
----
After that day, Fox seemed to be trying to talk to you more. Instead of taking his caf and running off, he would stay, either to chat or just hang around for a minute with you and the other Guards. Stone nudged Thire, who nudged Thorn, and they all looked over to where Fox leaned his hip casually against your desk and you were laughing at something he said.
“Did someone replace Fox while we weren’t looking?” Thire questioned under his breath.
“I’ve never seen him so...cheery,” Stone said.
You smiled up at Fox, worrying your bottom lip with your teeth. They watched as your fingers grazed the back of his hand where it rested on your desk. “Think something’s goin’ on between those two?” Thorn asked, gesturing vaguely over towards you and Fox with his cup.
“Absolutely.” Thire didn’t hesitate to answer.
The three quickly snapped to attention as Fox excused himself, heading their direction. You gave them a small wave. Thorn was about to wave back before Thire thumped him in the arm.
“Don’t you have duties to attend to?” Fox grumbled as he passed them, heading to his office. “Get to it.” You hid your laugh behind your hand seeing the three Commanders scramble to disperse.
Evening rolled around, and you cocked your head side to side, stretching your neck and shoulders. You had been going over forms all day, datapad after datapad, organizing reports and requests for the Chancellor and the Senate. Your shift was almost over, and you were getting ready to go home for the night.
Various members of the Guard had come and gone, leaving and returning from patrols. Senators and representatives had filtered through; less and less as the evening progressed. You were just getting ready to leave when Fox stalked through, back from his rounds, tense and practically vibrating with irritation. He didn't even spare you a glance as he disappeared into his office. If the doors weren't automatic, he likely would have slammed it shut.
You knew he had a thankless job--a job he had no say in having, either. Usually it was something to do with the Chancellor that got him so worked up. Half the time you thought Fox would strangle the man himself if he could. Maybe you should take Fox out to one of the cafes nearby, just for a second to breathe and not carry the weight of the Guard on his shoulders. Was that against regulation? It might be better to invite him back to your apartment. Or did that imply too much?
You pushed yourself up from your chair, mind made up. He could always say no. You wouldn’t be offended.
You paused outside the door to his office, listening carefully. You couldn’t hear anything from the other side. So, you knocked.
“What.” Fox’s biting tone surprised you, but you didn’t take it personally.
“Commander? I...It’s me,” you said hesitantly, and then wanted to smack yourself. Confidence. “Is everything alright?”
No response. You took the silence as a sign that he wasn’t interested in talking. That was fine. You didn’t want to impose if he needed time to himself. The door slid open just as you had stepped back, intending to leave. Fox sighed, jerking his head to direct you inside.
The door shut behind you, and Fox sat heavily in his chair at the desk. Another deep sigh, and his shoulders slumped. He pulled his helmet off, setting it aside, and you caught a glimpse of the dark circles under his eyes before he put his head in his hands.
“Commander Fox?” You took a tentative step forward, so you were close enough to reach out and touch his shoulder.
He looked up at you. There was still tension lining his shoulders, hands flexing into fists and then relaxing. Stress. He opened his mouth to say something, frowned, and then closed it again. He cleared his throat. “Did you need something?” You could tell he was making an effort to soften his voice, likely as to not snap at you again.
“I just wanted to check in, sir,” you said, coming around the desk to stand next to him, leaning your weight against it. “It looked like something was bothering you.”
He waved his hand in the air vaguely, brows pinched. “You don’t have to call me ‘sir,’ you’re not one of my men.” He looked like he was debating saying more, so you waited patiently, quietly, hoping he recognized that you were here to listen if he so needed.
“As you likely know, there’s a gala coming up. Senators, politicians, ambassadors, Jedi….” Fox huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s going to be a security nightmare. And the Chancellor,” he spat, venom in his voice, “has been on my case about patrols and the Guard. Always demanding more. We’re spread too thin, and not getting the support we need--” he cut himself off. He was getting himself worked up again.
You placed your hand over his where it was clenched into a fist on the desk. It relaxed under your touch. Fox heaved another sigh mixed with a groan. “I’m behind on paperwork too,” he glared at the stack of datapads sitting to the side. “I don’t know where I’m supposed to find the time to do everything.”
“Hmm,” you reached over and picked up one of the datapads, skimming through it, hopping up so you were now sitting on the desk. It was just a patrol report that needed Fox’s signature before being filed. “What’s your CC number?”
“CC-1010,” he answered instantly, then regarded you with suspicion. “Why?”
You signed the bottom of the form: CC-1010, “Fox,” and submitted it.
“What are you doing?” his voice seemed to have kicked up an octave.
“Helping you with your work. I deal with paperwork and holoforms all the time,” you said, picking up another datapad and scanning through the information. “Most of the time it’s to make sure there’s a document trail. Most of these probably don’t need an in-depth review, they’re not important. They just go in the archives and are never looked at again.”
“I--you--that’s illegal,” he sputtered. But he seemed more surprised than serious.
You raised a brow at him, signing his designation and name once again before submitting the next form. “Are you going to arrest me?”
“No,” he didn’t hesitate. Interesting. Then he had a thought. “Your handwriting doesn’t even look like mine.”
“Doesn’t it?” you showed him where you had signed. It was almost identical to his scrawling script. His eyes flicked between the form and your face, incredulity on his features.
“How…?”
You shrugged. “It’s something I’ve always been good at. Saved me a lot of trouble as a kid when I needed my parents to sign for something at school. Especially when it was a disciplinary note.” Fox barked a disbelieving laugh at that and you couldn’t help your sly smile. “Even if I didn’t mimic your signature, no one would notice. Or care. You could mark the lines with an X and it would go through; it’s only the acknowledgement they care about. You can even draw a loth-cat face and have that be in the archive forever as a signature.”
“Don’t you dare,” he threatened with a chuckle. “Some of these aren’t just patrol reports though. I actually have to read through the more important ones.”
You handed him a holopad as you picked up your third. “How’s this: we work on these together; if I find one that has important information or requires more than a signature, I’ll give it to you.”
He regarded you for a long moment, debating your offer. Some of the weight had lifted from his shoulders; he looked less tense, less overwhelmed, even less exhausted. Then he slowly nodded. “All right,” he said. “But you have to let me buy you coffee for once.”
“You don’t have to do that--”
“We’re friends. Right?”
That stopped you short. You did consider him and the other guards friends, but to hear him say that he also considered you one...it was nice. It made a pleasant warmth flutter in your stomach, and you couldn’t help your shy smile at his words. “Right,” you agreed. The soft upturn of his lips made your breath hitch. He looked so young when he smiled.
The two of you worked in companionable silence, steadily making your way through the stack of datapads. You had been correct--most of them were unimportant; standard reports and forms that required a signature purely for protocol. Every once in a while you handed one over to Fox for him to read through. Slowly, your free hands had crept together, and Fox hoped to the Maker that you didn’t notice how warm his cheeks had gotten.
Your thumb rubbed soothing circles over the back of his hand, and he didn’t notice he was staring at the way your fingers moved rather than reading through the form you handed him until you cleared your throat. “Fox?” you asked quietly. His gaze landed on your lips. He wanted you to keep saying his name, he wanted to hear it again and again--
You brushed a stray curl back from his forehead. A tug on your arm had you stumbling forward off-balance, and you would have fallen if strong arms had not wrapped around you and pulled you into an armored chest. Heat rushed to your face at the new position you found yourself in: sat in Fox’s lap, his hand still entwined with yours.
Then he kissed you.
It was gentle, soft. His lips pressed to yours chastely, far more gently than you expected him to be, and you felt the datapad fall from your hand. The sharp clatter of it hitting the ground made Fox pull back, but then you grasped the back of his neck, twining your fingers in his curls, and pulled him back to your mouth. He tossed his own back on the desk with a groan as your lips met again.
You licked the seam of his lips, and he opened for you. Fox was content to let you lead. His hand gripped your hip, and he sighed into your kisses, melting from your affection. You don’t know how long the two of you stayed like that--tasting, breathing each other in, sharing languid kisses full of pent-up desire.
His wild curls were soft in your fingers, and he all but purred when you lightly scratched your nails along his scalp. The hard plastoid of his thigh plates was uncomfortable underneath you, and you shifted your hips slightly in an effort to find a more comfortable spot. The breath hissed out through Fox's teeth, and your face flushed with warmth realizing you had brushed against his codpiece. His fingers tightened on your hip and thigh, pulling you towards him, encouraging your hips to roll against him again.
It was an awkward angle, with you sitting with your legs thrown over his lap, but from the hitch in Fox’s breathing it was doing something for him. You hummed into his mouth before pushing yourself up, holding onto his broad shoulders for support as you swung one leg over so you were now straddling him, chest to chest.
“Better?” he rumbled, nipping your bottom lip before soothing the sting with his tongue. You squeaked as his palms cupped and squeezed your ass, tugging you closer. Both of you basked in each other's eager little breaths and soft noises, hungry and wanting for more.
"Mhmm." The new position allowed you to feel the firmness of Fox's codpiece against your center when you pressed your hips into his. Fox really appreciated the new position, with your tits against his chest and free access to grope your ass. He almost whined into your mouth at the steady slow grind you started against him.
You wanted to hear that noise again. An idea struck you. You wanted to taste him. One more deep kiss, then you shimmied back off his lap. Fox made a noise of protest and tried to pull you back to him, but you just grinned and shooed his hands away. The floor was cold on your knees as you settled between his spread legs.
“What are you--oh,” he cut off with a harsh breath as your deft fingers unclasped his codpiece and tossed it away. Immediately, your palm cupped the warm bulge at the front of his blacks. He shifted in his seat, and you noticed his cheeks and ears had flushed a shade darker. How cute.
“Commander,” you purred, slowly stroking him through the fabric.
“Y-yes, cyare?” His hands flexed at the arms of his chair. He was struggling to not reach out and pull you back on his lap. Normally so composed, Fox now looked wrecked with his lips slightly parted, kiss-swollen, and hair mussed.
“Will you let me suck your cock?”
Fox spluttered and fumbled at your bluntness. You bit your bottom lip, looking up at him from beneath your lashes, still slowly stroking him over his blacks. You could see him fighting with himself. Maker, he wanted it. He wanted to see your pretty lips wrapped around his length. But he also didn’t want you to feel like you had to--he also desperately wanted to pleasure you.
“Please?” you leaned forward and mouthed at his clothed erection, letting your spit soak the fabric. Your eyes locked with his, looking up at him with your best faux-innocent look, like you had no idea what you were doing to him. But Maker, you were hungry. You wanted him.
“Fuck,” the word sounded as if it had been punched out of him. His pupils were blown wide, black swallowing the rich brown of his irises. “Fuck, yes--”
You wasted no time in tugging the band of his blacks down. A shiver worked its way through him; seeing you on your knees in front of him was a dream--a dirty little fantasy he would never admit to. Many nights alone in his quarters or in the showers he had roughly fisted his cock to the thought of you in situations that were most definitely unprofessional, biting the back of his hand to keep his noises at bay. And now here you were, the sweet secretary, making his dreams become reality.
The sliver of warm skin revealed to you made you instantly want more, and you couldn’t stop from pressing a light kiss to his hip. Then you eased his leaking cock from his blacks. Fox hissed in a breath through his teeth as your hand loosely wrapped around him, pumping his length slowly. The precum that dribbled from the tip slicked your grip. He was thick and firm in your hand, like velvet-wrapped durasteel.
The first stroke of your tongue against his cock made him curse. You licked slowly, working your way from tip to base and back, tracing the pulsing vein that ran along the underside. Taking the head of his cock in your mouth, you tasted the salty tang of the precum that leaked from him. When you hummed around him, his hand shot to your hair, fingers winding through the strands. He didn’t push you down or pull you away; instead, he merely just...held on.
Fox’s breathing kicked up watching you worship his cock with your tongue and hands. You enjoyed watching him try to hold himself together, slowly making him fall apart piece by piece. Your head bobbed up and down his length, each time taking more of him. Your hand continued to pump and work the rest you hadn’t fit in your mouth. He breathed out a string of words in a language you didn’t understand, but from the tone it sounded like he was praising you.
All his little noises were making the heat coil in your core. Wetness pooled between your legs, and you clenched your thighs together for the slightest bit of relief. You closed your eyes to concentrate, focusing on the weight of his cock on your tongue, the heat of his body. You slowly took more of him in your mouth until you felt his tip bump the back of your throat. Breathe through your nose. Fighting off your gag reflex, you swallowed around him.
“Shit! Shit, mesh’la--” Fox cried out above you, feeling your throat constrict around his length. He tugged gently on your hair, and you pulled off him with a gasp. “Fuck, if you keep doing that I’m gonna cum in your mouth.” It was meant to be a warning, but he sounded too breathless for it to carry any weight.
“But Commander,” you looked up at him, enveloping the tip of his cock in the heat of your mouth and gently sucking. His thighs twitched under your hands, cock throbbing, and you pulled off with an obscene pop. “That’s the best part.”
You were messy, letting saliva drip from your mouth and down his cock. You sucked, licked, and kissed every inch of his length until it was sopping. When you ducked down to take his balls in your mouth, his breath hitched, hand tightening in your hair, and a low moan came from him.
“Gedet’ye, mesh’la, gedet’ye--” Fox choked out.
“Hm?” You pulled back, hand wrapped around his cock and continued to pump him tightly. You twisted your wrist when your hand brushed over his head. He was panting lightly, and looked deliciously wrecked.
“Gedet’ye,” he said again, “please.”
You smiled at him, and he felt his heart jump. You looked filthy, lipstick--Coruscant guard red?--smeared, lips and chin wet with spit. “I want you to cum in my mouth, Fox.” Then you brought your mouth back to his cock and sucked, laving your tongue over the sensitive head as one hand stroked the base. The other came up to cradle his balls, and he was done for.
Fox cursed up a storm in both Basic and Mando’a, nearly doubling over as his orgasm was wrenched out of him by your clever mouth. You kept your gaze connected with his, eyes hazy and half-lidded. Warm spurts of his release filled your mouth and you eagerly swallowed it down, milking his cock until he had nothing left. Subtly, you rubbed your thighs together, so turned on it nearly hurt. Seeing Fox fall apart for you stoked the fire of arousal in your core.
He had an arm thrown over his eyes as he slumped in his chair, chest heaving for breath. “Stars above, you’re going to kill me,” he said. You giggled, hands running soothing motions over his thigh plates, even though he couldn’t feel it through the plastoid. He looked boneless and sated, which was exactly your intention--well, part of your intention.
Then he was guiding you back up, cupping your cheek and kissing you hard. It was desperate, deep, filled with so much emotion that you couldn’t decipher it, you only knew that you felt the same. You moaned into his mouth. He broke the kiss, and you noticed the glint in his eye and his sly grin before he kissed you again, standing and guiding you back to sit on his desk.
“Now it’s my turn.”
#commander fox x reader#fox x reader#commander fox#cc-1010#cc 1010#cc-1010 x reader#cc 1010 x reader#star wars#star wars fanfic#star wars fanfiction#tcw#the clone wars#the clone wars fanfic#the clone wars fanfiction#tcw fanfic#tcw fanfiction#coruscant guard#my writing#fanfic#fanfiction#clone trooper x reader#commander fox x you#fox x you#clone trooper x you#no y/n#reader insert#coruscant guard x reader#coruscant guard x you
502 notes
·
View notes
Note
hi dan! how are you? congrats on 1k!! for the prompt event, can i request libra + kaeya + fluffy angst in which the reader realizes kaeya is their soulmate when he lies, on a very stressful day for both of them, about them never being a bother when they need a favor, so reader starts avoiding him bc they become unsure on how to act around him? either hc or drabble is fine. thank you so much! have a great day!
bothersome (hc scenario)
penpal: i'm doing fine (other than getting ready for school in a few weeks), hope this is to ur liking anon ! have a great day as well <<3
prompt: libra the scale, lie-tattoo soulmate au
pairing/s: kaeya x gn!reader
sypnosis: hc on how you avoiding kaeya after finding out he’s your soulmate.
includes: fluff/slight-angst, short fic, mentions of alcohol, reader overthinking, mentions of injuries
you need a drink. immediately.
when being assigned to a high class commission for the first time, you honestly thought things will go smoothly, even with reckless pallad tagging along.
but then the two of you came across to three ruin guards, causing you to be ditched by pallad and left you alone to deal with the three mechanics.
by the time you came back to mondstadt, you were filled with bandages covering your bruises and injuries littered all over your body, earning concerned stares from people as you pass by.
you could care less from the attention you received, all that was running through your mind is that you weren't able to complete a once-in-a-lifetime commission and missed your opportunity.
katheryne was more than happy to at least reward you for slaying the three ruin guards that was apparently a commission. despite getting paid by the end of the day, you were still disappointed.
as soon as you claimed your rewards from katheryne, you immediately took a visit to angel's share, hoping to find a certain man to chat with.
your eyes brightens when you spotted kaeya sitting on one of the stools in front of the counter.
"hey," you called, causing kaeya to look at you as he watches you sitting down beside him.
"rough day?" he asks with a teasing grin, gesturing your treated wounds. "how was it?"
you let out a sigh, quietly asking charles to give you your usual drink. "the commission? what can i say if i didn't do it at all?"
kaeya pats your shoulder reassuringly, taking a sip of his drink before putting it down. "care to entertain me with the details?" he asks.
"ruin guards." you said nonchalantly, thanking charles– who gave you your drink. "they all suddenly appeared and my partner ditched me."
he sighs dramatically in response. "what a coward."
you nodded in agreement. "indeed. what about you? got a rough day too?"
kaeya simply shrugs in response. "that's for you to not find out and for me to only know." he replied, swirling his drink around.
you stayed silent for a while, looking down at your glass with a blank look on your face.
now that you think about it, there was one certain commission with a generous reward that you could ask katheryne to let you do– not to mention the fact that with kaeya's help, you can definitely finish this commission in no time.
"say kaeya," you look at the calvary captain curiously, your eyes lands on his. "you don't mind if i ask you a favor, right?"
"are we going to bury or burn the body?" he asks jokingly.
he lets out a light laugh when he sees you rolling your eyes at his joke. "i'm merely jesting. you don't have to worry about being bothersome to me, you can always ask me for a favor."
you smile gratefully at your friend. "you have my thanks, kaeya."
as the both of you continue chatting the night away while enjoying your drink, you couldn't help but notice an itch in your covered arm, your hand constantly scratching on the bandage with irritation.
it wasn't until you removed the bandages the next day when you realized why it was itchy.
you were sure the words imprinted on your arm would haunt you for a while.
"you don't have to worry about being bothersome to me, you can always ask me for a favor."
you stared at the words on your arm for a while, unsure how to feel with your recent discovery. surely this was just a coincidence, right? but what if it wasn't–?
does this mean.. he finds you bothersome and annoying?
you frowned, your hands brushing against the tattoo whilst ignoring the pain from its touch. perhaps you should avoid him and not bother him unless necessary.
you let out a sigh, grabbing the new bandages you got from the cathedral and start wrapping it around your injuries, the thoughts about kaeya's true feelings about you never left your mind.
since then, you started avoiding areas where you know you'll encounter the man, whether it'd be angel's share, the knights of favonius headquarters, and even the entrance of mondstadt, deciding to go to the right entrance of the city and go to katheryne from there during the morning.
you were quite proud that you managed to get away from the calvary captain's sight, not minding the new change of routes and the hindrances you had to do in order to avoid kaeya like a plague.
this went on for a week. you no longer heard of the man and he the same. every time you see at least one glance of his familiar figure, you would immediately head to the opposite direction, ignoring him calling out your name should he notice your presence nearby. you're honestly grateful he didn't try to chase you.
even though you're okay with avoiding him, you couldn't stop your head from thinking about kaeya, wondering if he's now happy that you're no longer bothering him.
it didn't help that you've been debating with yourself on whether or not you should tell kaeya, a person who finds his own soulmate bothersome, that you're his soulmate.
deep down, you knew it was best to tell him, he deserves to know after all. besides, it's not like the world will end if you tell him, right?
you were simply walking around windwail highland– looking for certain items for a commission when you spotted him standing not too far away.
your breath hitches when you see him looking at you direction, spotting you right away. oh crap.
without another thought, you immediately turned away and started jogging to the opposite direction, praying to barbatos that kaeya isn't followin–
"my, i didn't know you'd be a slow runner." you felt your heart jump from kaeya's sudden voice, causing you to stop your tracks in surpirse when you see kaeya jogging alongside you and stopped as well.
he chuckles at your reaction, crossing his arms with a stilled-grin plastered on his face. "so now you're not running away from me anymore?"
you tried to walk away after those words, only for kaeya to suddenly grip your wrist and stop you from going anywhere.
"what do you want, kaeya?" you ask calmly, trying not to look at the man behind you as you stare at the direction ahead.
his grip on your wrist didn't falter. "care to tell me why you're suddenly avoiding me like i'm a plague? did i say something wrong?" he asks.
"it's not that."
you stayed silent, now unsure what to say. you knew that you'd expose yourself right away the moment you lie in front of his face.
you then sighed, looking down at the ground in defeat. it's now or never.
"am i... a bother to you, kaeya?" you questioned, scared of his response. will he lie again?
his grin faltered, taken back by surprise from your question. "what?"
you turn behind to look at kaeya, causing him to let go of your wrist. "i... i need you to be honest with me. am i a bother to you?"
you watched as kaeya stayed silent, looking at you with a serious look. "what made you think of such thing–?"
"remember when i asked you if you wouldn't mind me asking you a favor?" you asked, furrowing your eyebrows. "do you remember what you said to me during that night?"
before kaeya could say anything, you slowly raise your arm to his eye level and lifted up your sleeves, showing him the exact words that he remembered saying on that night.
his grin completely disappeared.
"when i saw this the day after that, i had so many things to think about. i thought i should be happy that you're my soulmate– but why did... why did it had to be because of this lie?"
"y/n i–"
"i avoided you because i thought you think of me as a hindrance to you and i didn't.. i didn't want to bother you and your duty as the calvary captain." you explained, your shoulders slumped. "but i kept thinking if i told you that i'm your soulmate, you would've been disappo–"
your eyes widens when you felt his arms wrapping around you out of nowhere.
"i'm not disappointed that you're my soulmate, y/n." he said, hugging you in comfort. "if anything, i'm... relieved."
you furrowed your eyebrows. "what about... what about the favor? why did you lie–"
"i lied because it was a stressful day for me as well," he clarified. "yes, i did find favors bothersome at that time, but i never find you bothersome, so i had no choice but to say i'm okay with your favors because it's from you."
you felt yourself slowly relaxed when you didn't feel any itchy feeling around your body, letting out a sigh in relief as you continue to let kaeya hug you to his content.
"so does this mean.. you want me as your soulmate?" you ask hesitantly.
he smiles genuinely for the first time, holding onto you tighter and nodded.
"yes."
#kaeya x you#kaeya x reader#kaeya x y/n#genshin x reader hcs#genshin x reader soulmate au#genshin impact x reader#genshin x gn reader#genshin x reader#genshin x reader fluff#genshin impact fanfiction#genshin impact fluff#genshin imagines#kaeya imagines#kaeya alberich x reader#kaeya alberich x you#kaeya alberich x y/n#genshin scenarios#genshin fluff#genshin headcanons#genshin kaeya x reader#genshin impact x gn reader#kaeya x gn reader#genshin impact#genshin soulmate au#kaeya soulmate au#genshin impact imagines#genshin fanfic#genshin hcs#kaeya fluff#kaeya hcs
539 notes
·
View notes
Note
Can u write an au where carol’s cat (goose) keeps sneaking into fem!reader’s apartment and so carol and reader communicate with each other thru notes they put on goose’s collar and they eventually fall in love (((:::::::
Goose's Best Friend
Summary: After a stranger's cat injured in your apartment one night, you decide to attach a short note to its collar to give your apologies. They lead to something you could have never expected.
Pairing: Army Pilot!Carol Danvers x Reader
Warnings: language
Word Count: 2,792
It was the middle of the night, 2:57a.m., to be exact, when a loud crash shook you from the clutches of sleep. You sat up with a groan, rubbing your eyes to clear your vision enough to look at the clock on your nightstand. You swung your legs off the bed, eyes catching the shattered lamp on the ground. Fighting off the temptation to leave it on the ground for tomorrow, for fear that you might forget about it and slam your bare feet into the shards scattered around the floor, you slid your legs into some sweats and stood up.
You weren’t expecting, when you turned on the light, for something to move. When something darted around the corner you actually let out a high-pitched yelp, flying backwards and hitting your elbow hard off the corner of the nightstand. You felt tingling rush into the tips of your fingers as you tried desperately to comprehend what had just happened. Your breathing had already increased, and your heart was racing inside your chest. You took a hesitant step forward.
Despite being alone in the apartment, you flushed beet red in embarrassment when you found the creature you’d been so terrified of. The orange tabby cat stared up at you with wide eyes, letting out a quiet mew. Immediately your heart softened, its beat slowing down to a normal pace. When the cat made to step toward you, though, you immediately noticed the limp. Your eyebrows furrowed and you knelt down, letting it come to you. You reached out for its front leg, and it let you take it into your hand.
“Oh, sweet baby,” you muttered softly, wiping a bit of blood out of its fur with your thumb. “Come on. I think I have a first aid kit in the bathroom.”
It surely didn’t understand what you said, but it followed you when you stood up. It limped into the bathroom behind you, settling once it reached the tile floor. You reached into the cupboard under the sink and pulled out the red case, propping it up on the countertop and opening it up. Quickly, you located the roll of bandages and the scissors that came with it. You pulled it out and got some wet paper towels. Once more you knelt down on the ground next to the tabby.
A black collar around its neck caught your attention. You reached out for the silver tag that hung from it and spoke aloud. “Goose. Well, Goose, there’s no phone number here for your owner. Guess I’ll have to fix you up and trust you can find your own way home, huh?”
He meowed in response.
You continued to wrap up his leg. When you finally finished, you tucked the first aid kit away again. You clicked your tongue a couple times in an attempt to get him to follow you again. The both of you headed toward the kitchen, where you rummaged through the fridge for the leftover chicken from dinner the night before last. You pulled some out and set it in a small dish on the floor, a sort of apology for your lamp having done such damage to the poor animal’s leg. He helped himself quickly. Meanwhile, you dug through one of your drawers.
You popped the cap off a pen and cut a small strip of paper, struggling to keep your writing small enough to fit.
There was no number on the collar, so I opted for this. Goose found his way into my apartment and had an unfortunate mishap. I patched him up and gave him a treat. I hope that’s okay. He should be alright.
Hope he feels better soon.
You rolled the note around the tabby’s collar and taped it in place. He’d finished his treat by now, so you led him back to the apartment door. When you opened it, he cast one glance back at you, eyes shining as if in gratitude, then scurried down the hall. Just as he turned out of sight, though, someone else moved into your peripheral vision. You could have scoffed when you saw who had wandered into the hallway. She spoke before you could close the door.
“Isn’t it past your bedtime?”
“Fuck off, Danvers.”
“Captain Danvers,” she hummed, a wide smirk on her face as she twirled her keys around her finger.
“In your dreams,” you scoffed. “And next time you’re using your stripes to get random women in bed, be a little quieter, would you? Some of us around here have self-respect.”
You closed the door before she could respond to that.
You and Carol Danvers had hated each other for as long as you’d lived there. The two of you were like hot and cold, or night and day. She liked loud music and late nights whereas you liked a nice book and an early night. You were quiet and soft-spoken, and Carol was a bully. In fact, she was your bully. You’d never endured such teasing and taunting from anyone else before. It wasn’t her harsh words that got to you, though. In fact, you weren’t entirely sure what it was that got to you. Maybe it was her arrogance, or maybe it was her ignorance for anyone around her. It didn’t matter.
Carol Danvers brought out a side of yourself that you didn’t know existed. You’d only have to hear a single word fall from her lips or see a glimpse of her from the corner of your eye, and instantly any semblance of a good mood would dissipate and fade into annoyance. The hatred you held for her made your blood boil in your veins at the mere sight of her stupid, cocky smirk. You sometimes wished you could just reach out and slap that stupid smirk off her stupid face.
You pushed the blonde from your mind, heading back to bed. Hopefully, the coming day would be one that didn’t involve the blonde captain.
*
It was three days later that a quiet meow caught your attention. It tore your gaze from the TV, and you glanced toward the source of the sound. The face that was watching you immediately brought a smile to your face. You pat the couch beside you and the tabby jumped up, settling onto the blanket. You ran your hand across his head, watching his eyes close in content. You were about to turn your gaze back to the TV when you noticed the paper around his collar. It wasn’t the same one you put there. You reached out for it and removed it, careful not to rip it, and unrolled it. You flicked on the lamp.
Sorry about him. He wanders around the building. This isn’t the first time he’s gotten into someone’s room. If you fed him, he’ll probably come back to you (which I don’t mind, so long as you don’t mind that he’ll keep coming back). That’s how I know you’ll get this. So, thank you for patching him up. The vet would’ve cost more. You were right. He was just fine.
Rolled up with it was a twenty-dollar bill. You chuckled, immediately standing up off the couch. You pulled a small treat out of the fridge as you passed it, Goose trotting into the kitchen at the sight. You handed it to him and he took it happily, chowing down as you stood up straight again and continuing on your journey toward the notepad on the counter. Once again you ripped a small piece of paper out of it, ripping the cap of the pen off with your teeth and holding it there as you brought the pen down to meet the paper.
It seems so. You were right. He came back. He’s a sweet boy. I truly enjoy his visits. I don’t get many of them, so he’s welcome here whenever he pleases. And I don’t need this. Keep it.
You knelt down on the ground to Goose once again. He sat still for you as you wrapped the bill around his collar, wrapped the note around it, and then taped them both in place. Once more, you led him back to the apartment door, opened it up for him, and let him into the hallway. He rubbed his head against your calf once more before dashing out of sight. You shut the door behind him.
*
You huffed as you stormed into the lobby of the apartment building. Work had not treated you well that day. All you wanted was to head upstairs, put on your coziest pyjamas, order takeout, cuddle into the couch, and watch a movie or two. It was all you needed to wash away the horrible day and ease the stress that was weighing so heavily on your chest. You only wanted to pick up your mail before you did, but apparently, the universe had other ideas.
“Looking for some mail from your mommy?”
Danvers was the last person you wanted to deal with today. You didn't even bother to grumble a response to your neighbour, who was still in uniform as she stepped up beside you and unlocked her own mailbox. You were going to step away without a single word, but once more, you didn’t get your wish. Carol snickered at something, making you slam your box shut with far more force than necessary.
“What, pray tell, is so fucking funny?” You snapped.
“Oh, nothing. Nothing. Nice keychain.”
The keychain was a souvenir one you’d gotten from your trip to Disney with your family a few years ago. It was a picture of you and your brothers all wearing Mickey Mouse ears and sticking your tongues out at the camera. If anyone else had said the words, you would have blushed and thanked them. When Carol said the words, you shoved the keys in your pocket and shot a glare so harsh that it would have killed if it could have.
“You’re a dick, Danvers.”
“Captain Danvers,” she corrected once more.
“Look, this whole army pilot thing might work on those girls you pick up from god knows where, but I’ve met you,” you sneered. “You use this uniform for detestable things, Danvers. It’s disgusting.”
You stormed away.
When you unlocked your door and stepped into your apartment, however, you found that you wouldn’t need pyjamas or takeout or movies to make you feel better. Your new best friend was sitting on your couch as if he had been waiting for you to arrive home. You dropped your bag at the door and moved to sit with him immediately. After stroking his head absentmindedly for a bit, you noticed the new note.
Take it. Please? Come on, you’re going to make Goose sad if you don’t. You’re going to make me sad if you don’t.
Attached with the note, again, was that same twenty-dollar bill. You rolled your eyes as you moved into the kitchen once more, handing Goose a few of the cat treats you’d bought for him. He accepted them happily as, for the third time, you prepared to write a note for Goose’s mystery owner. You didn’t even bother to sit down, hunching over the counter in a way that your back probably wouldn’t have thanked you for. You scribbled on the paper.
I’m sure Goose won’t mind at all. As for you? Well, I don’t really know you, do I? Just keep the damn money, will you? You know, Goose is going to gain a few pounds if you keep sending him back here.
Sincerely, Goose’s new best friend
After a few pats to the head, you sent Goose off with that. He was back later that day.
Goose’s best friend,
Goose does mind. He wants you to keep it. Please? Besides, if we keep attaching it with scotch tape to a wandering cat, it’s going to get lost. You wouldn’t want that, now, would you? I sure wouldn’t. As for the treats, I’ll make sure to walk him a bit more. Wouldn’t want to lose my new favourite pen pal over a couple extra pounds on the cat.
- Goose’s mom
This time, there were two twenties attached. You chuckled at that. Goose was gobbling down his treat as you wrote.
Goose’s mom,
I think that’d be quite a sight to see, you walking Goose down the street. Guess if I ever see Goose leashed and with some random woman on the street, I’ll know what you look like.
- Goose’s best friend
P.S. Just donate the money. Seriously.
As if it were habit by now, you reattached the bills, added your note, and sent the tabby out the door once again. You headed back to what you’d been doing.
It wasn’t long before the next reply.
Goose’s best friend,
Here, I’ll help you build the image. I’m 23, blonde, and about 5’6”. I’m in the army, so I’d probably still be in uniform after work. Oh, and Goose’s leash is blue, and he has a grey harness for walking.
- Goose’s mom
P.S. I split the $40 between the humane society and the local shelter
You once more had to laugh at the stranger. Of course, you immediately moved to respond. As much as you didn’t want to kick Goose out, you wanted her to get your answer as soon as possible. You grabbed your notepad.
Goose’s mom,
You sound cute.
- Goose’s mom’s best friend
It was a short note this time. You were having fun, though, and you wanted to tease your new friend a little. You attached the note to Goose and let him run off.
Once more, Goose returned with a new reply.
Best friend,
You didn’t give me anything in response. I’m offended.
- Goose’s mom’s best friend’s best friend
You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at the way she’d signed her newest note. A pang of confidence hit your chest. You scribbled on the note.
Goose’s cute mom,
Let’s go for coffee then. 2B. I’m free when you are.
- Girl with a crush
*
You regretted sending that last note. You’d never gone more than 12 hours without communicating with the mystery note sender. You’d grown quite fond of the little pieces of communication you’d exchanged with her. It was actually the highlight of your day, on most days. Since sending that last one, though, you’d yet to hear back from her. It’d been four days now. You were quite upset about it, and decided the best way to fix that was some loud music. Maybe it’d piss Danvers off as much as she pissed you off.
When there was a loud knock on the door, you immediately assumed that you’d sure pissed someone off. Of course, they’d complain about you and not her. Everyone loved Carol fucking Danvers. You wished you could whirl the door open and shout at whoever was on the other side, but knew yourself better than that. You’d probably open it up and apologize, then turn the volume down and wallow in your misery to the sound of softer music.
That is, if it were anyone but Danvers.
“What? Just now realizing how damn annoying it is to hear loud music blaring from the apartment directly below yours?” You rolled your eyes. “Fuck off, Danvers.”
You went to slam the door, but she stuck her hand in. It must’ve been a little harsher than you meant to, because she shook her fingers out when she retracted them. You didn’t apologize, because you didn’t even feel bad. She deserved it after giving you two years of hell having to live in the apartment below her. You’d not have been surprised if one day she invited an elephant into her room just so she could make as much noise in your apartment as possible.
As you were about to make another snarky remark, though, you noticed something. That cocky glint that was usually shining in her brown eyes was missing. She wasn’t even meeting your eyes. Her gaze was cast to the door beside your head, locked to the bronze numbers that were screwed into it. You raised a single eyebrow, waving your hand in front of her face to get her attention. She blinked as if coming out of a trace, looking back to you.
“What do you want, Danvers?” You snapped when she wouldn’t speak.
She didn’t answer. She only held out a small piece of paper. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion, but took it from her. The handwriting was one you’d seen so many times.
Goose’s best friend,
Coffee it is. But I’m paying. I still owe you.
- A girl who also has a crush, Carol Danvers
#carol danvers#carol danvers x reader#captain marvel#captain marvel x reader#reader insert#marvel#mcu#lesbian#wlw
605 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi Hi could I request Kuroko, Kagamai, Akashi, Midorima and Murasakibara reaction to their s/o who's into photography and loves to take photos of them because they think their the most beautiful muse. They say things like "the light is hitting you perfectly please don't move until I take this picture." something like that lol
A/N: anon…this, THIS is a masterpiece of an idea and I love you for it (๑♡⌓♡๑) please enjoy! ♥️
Tags: the boys [KKMMA] x reader ✅ SFW ✅ fluff ✅
━━━━☆ ━━━━☆ ━━━━☆
Kuroko:
ok so the first time you took a picture of him was during lunch break
since he usually likes to spend his free time in the classroom while eating his homemade bento, the moment you became a couple you’d always join him
one day you were a bit late because one of the teachers had held you up, so you quickly texted him an apology for your delay and told him you’d be there soon so he can start eating without you
when you finally arrived, you immediately proceeded to apologize but promptly shut your mouth as you saw the scenery before you
Kuroko was reading one of his many novels, his elbows propped on the very edges of his desk, bento box and chopsticks untouched before him, blue eyes fixated on the text before him
everything about this was perfect as is, but what really gripped you and made you unconsciously reach for your camera, that you always had dangling from your neck, was the way the morning sun hit his face casting an ever so small shadow that only further accentuated his beautiful and calm facial features
as if in trance you gently push the small button on top of your camera and the shutter goes off
surprised by the sudden sound he turned his head in your direction and wanted to greet you but you cut him off even before he uttered a single syllable: “Tetsu, don’t move! The way the sun hits the back of your head right now is perfect…I just need to take a picture so bear with me for a moment.”
the way you had your left arm outstretched to stop any of his movements while your eyes were hidden behind the small rectangular object didn’t stop your boyfriend’s light blush to spread across his cheeks
he wasn’t used to being the only one in a photo so that alone made him a little nervous and embarrassed, but your silent comments and compliments on how his hair looked even more remarkable under the sunlight or how his facial features managed to perfectly cast shadows on his face that made him look more mature made his heart race faster than any game
luckily for your lover, this situation showed him another side of you that he rarely got to see, and who was he to interrupt your adorable mumbling just because of his embarrassment?
.
since then you used any and every opportunity to take his photo, whether it was in Maji Burger as he drank his usual smoothie or when he waited for you in front of a fountain in the park where you scheduled your date
when he finally asked you about it you proudly announced: “I’m sorry, but I can’t help the fact that my lover is such an amazing model for basically any type of photo! I always thought that you were hiding your beauty beneath those bangs and turns out I was absolutely right!”
you continued showering him with compliments until he couldn’t take it anymore and shut you up with a gentle kiss
“If it weren’t for your keen eye, I could’ve continued hiding myself and avoid the other’s gazes”
“Do you hate being the center of attention that much?” you whispered out, your eyes directly peering into his own big ones
with a smile he gently caresses your cheek and answers: “Your attention is all I need.”
Kagami:
Kagami was aware of your fascination for photography, I mean how could he not be when every time the two of you were out together for different reasons, you’d always take your camera with you and snap a photo or two
what he wasn’t aware of though, was what or better said who the subject of your images was
every time you reached for your camera the lens was always aimed in his direction and it never bothered him, because he figured that you were taking a photo of the scenery behind him so he never bothered to pose, smile, or anything of that sort
one day though it made him wonder whether his presence might disturb whatever images you’d taken so the next time you aimed your camera he turned his head, looking directly into the object’s circular lens, and just as he was about to say something the familiar sound of the shutter shut him up
“Perfect…that might be the best one yet” you silently praised and smiled to yourself
W-Wait a second…
“(Y/N)?”
“Hm?”
“What did you just photograph?”
you looked at him with slightly wide eyes, confusion spreading across your face as you answered: “Why of you of course”
and that’s when it clicked
all this time you’d taken pictures of what he thought to be the nature and scenery but in actuality, it was him you’d focused on
“W-Wait! You mean to t-tell me that I wasn’t in the way of your photos a-and that you actually photographed–“
before he could finish his sentence he realized something else that made him blush even harder
Perfect…Absolutely breathtaking…I’m so glad that I took my camera with me…The lighting and wind make you even prettier…What tranquility and gentleness, I’m in love…You’re so beautiful
all these comments that he’d brushed off, thinking that they were some kind of weird quirk of yours that resembled his captain’s whenever he talked about his samurai series, now made perfect sense
when the reality of the situation hit him he couldn’t help but bury his face in his hands and grunt at his stupidness, meanwhile, you tried to wrap your head around what Kagami had been believing up until today
looking at him being that frustrated with himself made you chuckle, but it also made you feel bad since you never directly told him so you decided that now might be the best time
with a gentle smile, you once again raised the camera to your face, waited until his figure became the focus and blurred the background, and gently pressed down the shutter
the sound made the young man beside you flinch and ever so hesitantly glance up to you with a dreading expression on his face
after pushing some of the buttons you cozy up to your boyfriend until your shoulders touched and showed him the image you had just taken with a proud smile
“I’m sorry for not telling you about it, but if I shared the fact that you’re my muse with you, you probably would’ve never allowed me to take any” you reasoned as you looked into his eyes and observed the way his cheeks reddened the moment you called him your muse
“I’m your muse…?”
you nodded and showed him a few other photos that all showed him do average everyday things such as eating something, chatting on his phone, warming up, etc. and even though they weren’t that special, the way you managed to capture him, his expression, and even some of the background made them all look professional
“Taiga, you’re such a nice guy that you would’ve probably offered to be my model if I had asked you to, but I wanted to capture that raw beauty of yours, the one that you display on every basketball match and that was the only way to do it…or at least that’s what I thought”
you paused before returning to the most recent image
“Having you being aware might be better after all…just look here at the way your eyes sparkle and your posture, both tense and relaxed at the same time gives off the impression of confidence and a tinge of uncertainty, both summing up your profound character that I love so much”
listening to your explanation made his heart beat harder against his chest and to stop you from fawning even more he covered your camera with his big hand and murmured: ”I-It’s fine already…I get it”
after seeing yet another unexpected expression on your boyfriend’s face you tried to get another shot of him, but this time he tried his best to avoid you and the two of you ended up chasing each other around the park, attracting the attention of many fellow visitors, but to you, it was as if only Kagami and you existed
Midorima:
one afternoon during the end of basketball practice, you had joined your green-haired boyfriend with his supplementary exercises, observing him and the perfect way he shoots one three-pointer after the other
you’d asked him long ago whether it was alright with him to take his photo and despite the many protests he’d agreed under the condition that it happened during basketball practice
unfortunately, the way he played didn’t manage to ignite the spark you needed to snap that one photo you’ve always been hoping for, neither his skills nor his playstyle were to blame for that, there was just something missing that you couldn’t name
the way you sighed caught Midorima’s attention and made him stop mid-throw so that he could take a glance in your direction and when he saw the disappointed face you made it made his heart ache
“Is something the matter (Y/N)?” he suddenly asked as he sat beside you, towel in one hand and his drinking bottle in the other
you shook your head and tried to play it off, blaming your bad mood on one of your earlier classes and the complaisant boyfriend he was he let it go (also partially because he was afraid that if he prodded further you’d get mad)
out of the corner of your eyes, you could see how he took off his glasses and started cleaning them
and that’s when your heart throbbed
the way his long fingers carefully handled the fragile black frames, the skillful and cautious way he removed any speck of dust from the glass, mixed with the way some of his green hair’s strands stuck to his slightly sweaty forehead, and lastly his beautiful long eyelashes were what won you over
before you knew it, you had grabbed your camera and had taken a photo of his profile, the shutter’s sound startling both him and you
“D-Did you just take a ph–”
“Shush! Stay just like that!” you blurted out, your hand on his chest to restrict his movements and keep him in that exact pose he was right now
with a reluctant expression on his face, he avoided looking in your direction, hoping that you wouldn’t notice the light blush spreading across his cheeks, meanwhile you smiled to yourself at his futile attempt and once again snapped another picture…
.
thanks to that one coincidental photo you managed to take back then, you finally knew what you have been missing all this time, namely your boyfriend being himself and not the Midorima Shintaro from Shuutoku who never missed a shot
in order to achieve that “normality” you had to take as many sneaky shots as possible, but they unfortunately never stayed as secretive as you would’ve wanted them to be because he either caught you mid-photo or your own comments betrayed you
Just like that Shin, look more to the side!
Leave your glasses be, you’re even more beautiful without them!
Don’t touch your hair! The way it is right now compliments your face perfectly!
Even if you scowl at me, you still look good!
he’d always run up to you afterward, blushing at the entire situation and no matter how much he ended up protesting, scolding you, or trying to take the camera from you to delete the photos, he never truly was upset about it
the reason Midorima let it all slide was because he enjoyed the way you smiled when you looked at the images you’d taken
the way your eyes practically sparkled mixed with the slight flush of your cheeks made his heart race every single time
“Is something wrong Shin? You’ve been staring at my face for quite a while.”
embarrassed of being caught by you, he squeezed your nose and stuttered: “I-It’s nothing, k-keep looking at y-your photos!”
Murasakibara:
taking Murasakibara’s pictures wasn’t an issue, you simply asked him and he agreed with no resistance whatsoever
you were over the moon at first and even made sure to have your camera with you at all times so that when an opportunity presented itself you’d be ready
from a pedestrian’s point of view, you looked like a cute touristic couple which consisted of the somewhat bored boyfriend, who agreed to have his photos taken for your happiness, and you, who couldn’t hold the excitement of being together with this young man back while happily snapping one pic after the other
their thoughts weren’t that off from the truth, you truly were delighted to be able to practice your hobby, and even having the tall young man as your model made it even better
thanks to the amount of muscles he’d gained from his daily basketball training, his height, his beautifully long and purple hair, his constantly relaxed expression, and his surprisingly gentle facial features, your boyfriend was already photogenic as is so any photo you took was downright breathtaking
and yet, those fulfilling feelings were rather short-lived
as time went by and you shot one photo after the other you came to realize that you hadn’t managed to take a single photo where he genuinely smiled or grinned
getting him to do either was nearly impossible, even for you
all you ever managed to summon was a very loving and gentle smile that resembled that of an angel; it was so pure that you could read all of his emotions from it, but that smile was reserved for your cuddle sessions that always ended up with him almost crushing you with his embrace and his low giggles as the result to your mixed reactions
“(Y/N)-chin, let’s go over there and sit down…I can’t walk anymore”
you giggled and took his hand that he’d extended to you, following him to a bench that was protected by a couple of trees, which cast down a perfect shadow on the wooden surface
the young man plopped down as if he’d ran for hours without a single break and wrapped his big arms around your waist, burying his face in your tummy
his childish behavior made you giggle and you softly caressed his head
“Didn’t you want to eat your snacks?” you asked after a short while, only to receive a silent growl as an answer
“Let me stay like this for a while…please”
his cute way of pleading with you only broadened your smile, which turned it into a grin as soon as an idea popped into your mind
with one hand still on his head, you used the other to aim the camera lens at the young man’s head as you asked your lover to look up at you
it took him a short while to comply because he kinda had the feeling that you wanted to ask for yet another photo, but he ultimately gave in and cast his purple eyes up to you
still smiling you glanced at the small screen on your camera in order to make sure that everything was perfect when you subconsciously blurted out: “Everything about you is charming Atsushi, the way the wind caresses your hair, perfectly accentuating your gentle face’s features…I’m so glad to have you as my muse”
…
…
your eyes went wide as you noticed the change in his expression
his cheeks had taken on an unexpected shade of deep red, one that you’ve never seen on him before; his eyes were a bit glassy and maybe equally as wide as yours, and his mouth was slightly agape
“Wha-! What are you saying (Y/N)-chin?!” he screamed out and once again hid his face before you could manage to snap a picture of this rare expression
“Atsushi, wait don’t hide! Let me take a photo!”
your protests fell on deaf ears and no matter how much you struggled or tried to loosen his grip around your waist, his strength made sure to make all of your attempts futile
“I-If I let you see me like that…I won’t be cool in your eyes anymore a-and I don’t want that” he finally admitted in a low voice
it took you a short while to comprehend what exactly he was trying to say; and when you did you couldn’t hold your laughter in any longer, ruffled his hair, and kissed the top of his head, waiting until he had regained his composure and returned your affectionate gestures
Akashi:
having the famous Emperor as your lover was like a dream, but when it came to keeping things a secret you were at a clear disadvantage because this man read you like an open book
no matter how hard you tried to act innocent or clueless, he’d always be able to add two and two together and expose whatever you were hiding within a matter of minutes
same goes for your fondness of photography and the fact that you had your eyes set on him as your muse
one day when you visited his home the two of you were in the living room and he was playing a round of shogi against himself while you sorted your camera’s gallery
when you took a glance at the young man your heart throbbed
the soft light of the sun that managed to come forth between the many clouds of that day shone right at him; in order to block the light from disturbing his vision, he’d leaned his chin on his hand and let his fingers extend to the corner of his mesmerizing eyes; a soft smile adorned his lips as his left hand stretched out to move one of the many wooden pieces before him
you couldn’t help it and immediately proceeded to take a picture, successfully catching him off guard
“Did you take a picture of me?” he asked without shifting his line of sight from the board, a hint of amusement in his voice
“Mhm, I did…sorry” you apologized before sighing to yourself, “it’s just that you looked really beautiful and I thought it’d be a shame if I didn’t use the opportunity.”
being called beautiful was something he wasn’t used to, so as he heard that word pass your lips, he froze up and finally tore his attention away from the game, and now gazed at you with a warm smile
“You can take more if you’d like.”
“R-Really?”
and with that, he became your conspirator in your mission to take as many photos of him as your camera’s storage could handle
.
“Just like that Sei…look more to the lef- yes, perfect!”
you spat one command after the other as the young man before you held onto the reins of his gorgeous white horse and let his hand gently run along the animal’s head
after snapping a few more photos you looked at them in silence, an unusual scene for your boyfriend
“Is something the matter (Y/N)? Aren’t you satisfied with these?”
your head shot up and you violently shook your head, explaining that it was nothing and you were just lost in thought; even though he quickly realized that you weren’t telling the truth, he chose to keep silent until you were ready to tell him what truly bothered you
unexpectedly, your silence lasted longer than he’d hoped for and no matter how unique he tried to organize these little photo sessions you did, your mood never seemed to improve which frustrated him
when he saw you sitting on the couch all sad and unmotivated while you scrolled through your camera roll, he immediately turned around and went back outside to his garden to mull over ways in which he could help you out
so to distract himself, he picked up his basketball, started dribbling, and began perfecting his shooting
the sound of the ball hitting the wall caught your attention, causing you to get up and search for its source
when you opened the front door you were greeted by a similar sight as the one back when you’d first taken Akashi’s photo which made you smile
“Sei-chan, that’s what I was looking for” you whispered as you subconsciously took a photo of the exact moment where the young man jumped and gently threw the ball against the wall, simulating a layup shot
still unaware of your presence the young man wiped his sweat with his shirt’s collar and the moment he felt your arms wrap around his body he jumped ever so slightly
before he could ask you anything, let alone say something, you kissed his cheek and whispered: “I knew it…you’re always beautiful, but the moment you shine the brightest is when you’re being yourself”
moved by your words he turned around, returning your embrace and kissing your lips as he then proceeded to hide his blushing face and glassy eyes from you by pressing you closer to himself
#knb headcanons#knb imagines#knb fluff#kuroko no basket x reader#knb x reader#kuroko x reader#kagami x reader#murasakibara x reader#akashi x reader#━𝙺𝙽𝙱#━𝙰𝙽𝙾𝙽'𝚂 𝙴𝙲𝙷𝙾
514 notes
·
View notes
Text
Loki Laufeyson | a little miracle
Loki Laufeyson x fem!reader
plot : After getting banned from Asgard, Loki found shelter in your home. You two easily grew closer as time passed, engaging in a long term relationship without you ever being able to carry his child due to the none-matching genetics. During Christmas Eve, you and the demigod stumble upon an abandoned baby on the steps of your porch.
warnings : mention of nudity and child abandon.
The 24th of December marked a rather cold and ruthless evening. The sun had set low hours ago, which allowed you and your long term love interest to spend a delightful night whilst having dinner nowhere far from the soothing sound and warmth which erupted from the working chimney. Even if he often criticized midgardian food, Loki had made an effort to worship your roasted chicken which in fact resembled what he used to eat every day whenever he still was allowed on the lands of Asgard. The man would often tell you about the nice adventures he had had the pleasure to experience, whilst also verbally exploring the many beauties that carried his homeland.
Of course, you never seemed to get tired of hearing his stories. His arrival in your life had offered you well needed company, especially as you lived far from the city; in a little country house within a low populated village. Besides, he was also the most interesting and intelligent man you ever got to meet. No matter how many bad actions you knew he had committed, your heart still managed to hold a special place for Loki within your chest. Often, you would reassure his anxiety by claiming that everyone deserves another chance. Long story short : you felt overly grateful that he was now here to keep you safe and sound.
After dinner, the two of you had moved to the couch before the chimney, easily getting rid of your clothes and engaging in a never ending cuddle- the type of snuggles that you liked the best : skin to skin. Feeling his warmth against yours made the fire from the chimney appear irrelevant, and the sweet caresses he offered your sensitive body felt better than any silk sheets anyone could ever dream to possess. These kind of moments were never about sex, but always about sharing a special and dedicated contact with the man you had fallen in love with. Surely the two of you often allowed yourselves to spend some sexually pleasurable time together, but those kind of cuddles overcame any of these private intercourses.
His lips collided against yours in a smooth manner, both of your respective eyelids remaining closed as his naked body rested between your legs. You never grew tired of those motions, your organism constantly begging for more and reacting to any touch coming from your partner. His hips rocked against yours just so slightly, the dry humping being part of the overall loving mannerisms. And right now, it was enough to satisfy you. However, an unwelcome detail managed to flash itself back into your mind, pulling you out of the romantic moment you were attempting to spend with Loki. Opening your eyes, you allowed your palms to rest against his shoulders in order to stop him through his motions.
“I forgot to turn off the candle on the porch..” you murmured, earning a tired groan coming from the large man. “I won’t be long.” You affirmed after you had laid a loving kiss on his cheek, watching as the demigod sat up in order to allow you to shift off the couch. Your hand reached out for your sweater and panties, putting both of those pieces of clothing back on before lazily making your way until the front door. Scratching the back of your neck, you finally pushed open the door of your house before taking a step forward in order to be able to put your hand on the candle. However, your foot stumbled upon a foreign mass, easily leading you to step back out of surprise as unhappy cries began to escape the layers of dirty drapes.
Your hand landed against your chest, orbs starring down at the scary sight that you wish wasn’t what you thought it was. However, it undeniably was and remained an abandoned baby resting on your porch. Your first reflex was to seek for any silhouette lurking within the darkness of the snowy night, eyes squinting as you attempted to distinguish the potential parents of this child. “Hello?!” Fear echoed in your voice, though you soon gave up on trying to figure out who had left this child here as you couldn’t tell for how long this poor baby had been laying on your doorstep- which allowed you to jump to the conclusion that those gruesome individuals were probably gone and far by now.
You looked back down at the newborn who now only allowed a few tired whimpers to escape their lips, body crouching down so that your hands would be able to remove the layer of sheet which covered their face. Upon being revealed to the light, a new whine echoed throughout your ears, your empathetic self feeling sorrow invade your organism. You picked up the baby with a lot of care, face still diverted towards their grimacing one right before Loki finally made an apparition behind your silhouette. “What’s taking your so long-“ he began to ask, the smile on his face fading away as soon as you turned around and revealed the child to his bare eyes.
“Where did you find this?” He asked on a tensed tone, visibly not appearing too happy about seeing you carry a foreign toddler. “I found it on our porch. Someone must’ve left him there...” you admitted on a sorrowful tone, looking down at the little piece of sunshine who clearly didn’t deserve to be in the situation they were in. Your empathetic self couldn’t even believe that people still did those kind of things nowadays. It disgusted you to even think of it. “Put it back.” Loki demanded, earning a confused yet absolutely irritated stare coming from you. “Are you mental? I told you I found it right here. Who am I supposed to return this child to?” You answered sadly, feeling more than shocked by your partner’s inappropriate and rude behavior.
Loki looked down at the baby’s face, earning a few gasps from the newborn who kept their eyes closed. No form of care nor empathy seemed to show on the grown man’s face- which once again was a detail that left you speechless. “We can’t leave it there. Poor thing would freeze to death.” You affirmed whilst gently rocking the baby in order to make sure it would stay calm and sleepy. Loki remained silent for a couple of seconds, his mind probably trying to find a good response to your previous statement. “What if.. what if we kept it?” You suddenly offered, looking up at your lover who simply scoffed as a response. “Keep it? This isn’t a fairytail. You can’t just keep a child like this.” Loki answered harshly. Currently, if both of your arms haven’t been required to carry the toddler, the demigod would’ve probably earned a slap across his face.
“You’ll bring him to the authorities tomorrow. Now let’s get inside.” Loki ordered, turning back around as he began to take a few steps forward in order to join the warmth of the house. However, you stopped in front of the doorstep. “Why are you acting like this? This isn’t like you.” You accused sadly, your arms still patiently rocking the child. The truth was, this situation simply reminded Loki of his own past- how Odin had found him abandoned on a rock on Jotunheim. He had suffered due to his new environment mixing up with who he truly was, and didn’t wish to put anyone through the same bother he once had to go through. “Everyone deserves a chance.” You suddenly affirmed, causing the demigod to stop through his track. This statement struck him right through his heart.
Your eyes anxiously stared at his back, waiting for an answer coming from your partner who had decided to behave so harshly. Loki finally ended up turning around, green eyes making contact with yours as he slowly began to make his way back to you. Face to his silence, your anxious self couldn’t help but add a few decisive words. “It’s the child we’ve always wanted. It’s a.. miracle.” You affirmed sadly, feeling tears fill up your orbs at the thought of finally being able to look after a child of your own. Of course, Loki knew how much this topic meant to you, and that even if he had never planned to have children of his own before stumbling upon you and your desires. But in that child, he couldn’t help but see himself.
Patiently, the demigod accepted to take a new look down at the baby who now had their eyes open, a gentle whimper escaping their lips upon making eye contact with the adult male. Loki took the initiative to take the toddler out of your arms, carrying it in his own limbs without ever speaking a word as he made his way towards the chimney. The demigod had began to gently rock the toddler, looking down at them and allowing the baby to toy with his long strands of black locks whilst he patiently sang to them in that beautiful Asgardian language of his. He kept a low tone, making sure not to scare the baby without ever breaking the eye contact he had engaged with the toddler.
Leaning against the entrance of the living room, you finally allowed yourself to smile out of relief face to this soothing sight. This was everything you’ve ever wanted : seeing Loki carry a child, and that even if it wasn’t necessarily yours. No matter where this baby came from, this house would now become his home.
AHHH thank you so much for 1000 followers!!!!! I couldn’t feel more grateful. For the occasion, I had to write something for you guys. It’s different from what y’all probably have the habit to read, but I hope it was enjoyable to read still! Love you and take care!!! Special tag for @seasexnsun who turned out to be my 1000th follower!
#loki#loki laufeyson#loki laufeyson fanfic#loki laufeyson fluff#loki laufeyson imagine#loki laufeyson smut#loki laufeyson x reader#loki laufeyson x you#marvel#marvel imagine#tom hiddleston roleplay#tom hiddleston imagine#tom hiddleston x reader#tom hiddleston smut#tom hiddleston au#tom hiddleston fanfic#tom hiddleston#loki imagine#Loki fluff#Tom Hiddleston fluff
443 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
schokodelphin
Stressed and depressed
pepampo
Untitled
schokodelphin
Stressed and depressed
jordaanthees
the world of JORDAANTHEES
babylink
Call me Link or Blathers!