#guess it’s time for me to make a modern au huh XD
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Idk why but I feel like modern au BotW Link would make like those inspirational filmmaking vlogs about, idk, him discovering the secrets of life or something
#guess it’s time for me to make a modern au huh XD#welp add that to the list of aus I need to write for
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i love when the subject of modern au for the arcana comes up cause my only metric of judgement for it is What are you gonna do with Muriel. is he still. you know. practically homeless
cause it can be done well i believe it!! but i mean its interesting to me cause theres so many um. cultural differences i guess i can call it, and ramifications and implications and fucking more thesaurus words we get it to consider in comparing our "everyone has to have a document about *Everything*, whats your assigned number at birth, let me record you with 50 cameras at all times just in case, gimme your PapERS HOW OLD ARE YOU WHATS YOUR GRANDMAS MAIDEN NAME NO IM NOT SELLING YOU THIS CARTON OF EGGS UNTIL YOU TELL ME" society (Admittedly! not every single place in the world today is like this necessarily!!! so you can just put them someplace else and work from there!!! but youd have to know how life there actually looks like And also wait whats the point of this au if everything ends up the same lmao i wanted asra to have tiktok and work at starbucks what are we doing here) vs the old timey fantasy world presented in the game where its just "yeah sure you can go live in a forest theres no fences here lol bye dont get dysentery" which is how the world used to be i guess and thats so fun to ponder for me lol we really were just monkeys fucking about with sticks huh. good times
man this is why i dont actually write fanfics i get too lost in four different trains of thought and dont finish any of them lmao and i guess also cause of the "i Cant POSSIBLY write this story about kissing a dude if i cant describe the sociopolitical climate in this neighbourhood in the netherlands after the Batavian Rebellion and how it influenced the contemporaneous fauvistic arT MOVEMENT with UTMOST ACCURACY cause THATS WHAT HIS FAVOURITE PAINTING WAS THE ONE THAT SHOWS UP IN THIS THREE SECOND BLURRY BACKGROUND CLIP OF THIS SCENE IN HIS APARTMENT AND IS CRUCIAL TO HIS CHARACTER AND I HAVE TO NAIL IT WHAT DONT YOU GET" type personality i got going which i guess writers deal with by just going full "lol whatever i am god here and i make law" mode
i just started thinking about this cause of the new story on dorian in a modern au i got pretty hype about it teehee but yeah muriel hasnt shown up yet so i got into that whole spiral about wHERE ARE THEY GONNA PUT ME BOYE AAAGJHFN i hope he gets a good outfit lmao i love jules' vibe but i looked at asra n went aw Hell naw hed be way better dripped out you done my boy dirty cmon man. pashas hawaiian shirt tho fucking we're so back lets go lesbians hkdyyifulj Anyway they made lucio a wholeass bilionaire which had me shook a lil for some reason but i can see him as a total ~Musk-esque~ archetype lmaooo like that is literally so him, just barges in and makes people have good ideas for him gikgststnv oh god i hope theres not any elon fans reading this cause theyre not gonna appreciate that oh fudge ok lets get back to the point which was uuuuhhhhhhhhhh oh yeah i liked your muriel lives in a van concept i thought its good! yeah thats what i wanted to say. what a tumultuous journey i just had to invent to arrive here.
Oh yeah, I've been seeing a lot more posts and questions about the arcana's modern au, and it's why I was so happy to dig up all those old ask arcana posts! I'm so glad we have all that canon content from way back when, it was so sad that I could only put ten images in one post T~T
And Muriel definitely lives off the grid - I also remember another ask arcana that said in modern times he'd wear a cable knit sweater on top and leather pants and demonias on bottom and that works so well for him XD
Here's the screenshots since the links haven't been working:
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Say what you want
Just don’t say that you’re leaving
I hope this summer breeze
Will last more than a season
Will you write to me?
In time, we’ll see
Maybe spend your whole life with me
We’ve packed our suitcases
We’ve shut up all the windows
Hold tight
Soon you and I flow anywhere the wind blows
So make life to me
Hold tight to me
Stay awake the whole night with me
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
Can I take your shirt to dry my tears?
Can I meet you here this time next year?
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
We could take a chance and disappear
We could run away, get out of here
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
Wish you were here
I taste salt in the air
In your sweater that I sleep in
I dream of us riding bikes
At sunset by the ocean
Those were giddy days, lazy days
Sipping rosé, time to waste
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
Can I take your shirt to dry my tears?
Can I meet you here this time next year?
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
We could take a chance and disappear
We could run away, get out of here
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
Wish you were here
And if I leave here, you’re coming with me
If you leave here, I’m going with you
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
Can I take your shirt to dry my tears?
Can I meet you here this time next year?
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
We could take a chance and disappear
We could run away, get out of here
Can I keep you as a souvenir?
Wish you were here
***
...so I guess I should probably post that summer-themed Moanida moodboard I made before summer’s actually over huh
Luckily, the songs that inspired this take place at the end of the summer anyways, so I guess it still works XD
Long story short, I finally got around to listening to the latest Avril Lavigne album a few months ago and for whatever reason both Souvenir and In Touch have huge Moanida vibes to me, so...I made a little modern AU about it!!! Fuck it, I haven’t made content for these girls in a while, so it’s long overdue.
Anyways, the basic story here is that Merida’s family, the wealthy heirs to some old, old, old money that supposedly comes from their Scottish monarch ancestors, often use the rather cushy funds to take lavish vacations. The summer after Merida turns 16, her mother sets her sights on the Polynesian isles, hoping for a relaxing three months of beach-lounging and daintily sipping classy drinks. Although Merida rolls her eyes at her mother’s lackluster vacation plans, she hopes that if Elinor is preoccupied enough in her suntanning quest (as fruitless as it is--Merida knows damn well their pale Scottish skin will go straight from pink to lobster-red), she won’t be paying much attention to her wandering daughter.
Then one day, after several hours of making sandcastles and then stomping on them to pass the time, Merida meets Moana Waialiki. Moana is a local, her family having lived on that very island for hundreds of years. Generation after generation, they’ve made a life right where they are, never seeing any reason to leave. Additionally, Moana’s people are wary of the dangers of the outside world--especially her father, who lost his best friend to a faraway accident that he didn’t get word of until months later.
Moana wants more. She isn’t content to stay cooped up on her town’s island, and dreams of one day being some sort of community organizer...or perhaps the captain of a tour boat. Anything that lets her meet lots of different people and gets her off the island. Merida can understand--she longs to be free of her parent’s strict rules and expectations, and wants to see and experience so much more than the small world they’ve built for her.
Before they know it, they’re sneaking off on adventures together. Moana’s parents are too busy with their town to pay much attention to where she is, while Elinor, bless all the powers that be, is also taking a vacation from micromanaging her daughter’s life, evidently.
Fergus, meanwhile, is honestly thrilled--his daughter finding someone with her same fire and stubbornness who she can truly be herself around is truly all he could have wanted. He loves his wife, but he knows how lonely Merida can be when she feels like no one really understands her. And Elinor’s sternness hardly helps matters.
They steal an entire summer together. Licking ice pops while meandering their way along jungle paths. Sipping cherry-pineapple cocktails smuggled to them by Moana’s rebellious cousin Maui. Sharing lavish fruit bowls, legs dangling into the fancy pool Elinor and Fergus blew tremendous funds to include as a resort add-on. Having beach picnics and biking across palm tree-covered cliffs. Feeding ever-growing “cool shell” collections. “Accidentally” straying off hiking trails and roaming uncharted parts of the island they’re definitely not supposed to be in. It’s full of mischief and hijinks and perhaps something just a little more than friendship sparking...and it’s the most magical summer either has ever had.
The end of that summer hits both of them hard. They hate the thought of being parted so much that they make a brief plan to run away together. It falls apart, of course--the island’s small enough that there’s nowhere to really go, and for all Moana’s boating dreams, no one’s ever actually taught her how to sail. So they do the next best thing--Moana gives Merida a sweater to remember her by, and Merida promises to do whatever it takes to convince her family to come back the following year.
Hope to make more content for these gals soon <3 I miss them!!!
Pic credits available upon request!
#moana x merida#merida x moana#aesthetic#moodboard#moana#merida#moanaxmerida#meridaxmoana#moanida#moarida#meridana#merana#moana waialiki#merida dunbroch#disney femslash#rotbtd#brave#crossover
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Well, @frustratedpker said she expects more OC questionnaires from me, and your wish is my command! XD I re-did this one for my older OC, Fabian the jester. (Fun fact - my profile picture is the custom doll I made of him when I was like, 15. I consider him my first REALLY fleshed-out character.) The basic idea of the story is that most jesters are secretly spies, subtly influencing the world’s politics. It was fun to compare my results for him and Lucas, because they’re currently my main “heroic” protagonists - they’re both pretty self-sacrifical, but have very different vibes about it. XD
How do they react to…
---Someone in danger who isn’t hurt yet
Jumps in to save them, IF it doesn’t collide with his current mission objective. In other cases, maybe just yell.
---Someone in pain/injured
"Hey, can you walk? We probably should get you out of here"
---School work load
Just… ignores it. Life's too short to waste it on boring stuff.
---Loss of a friend
If it’s because of death - pay his respects, mourn a while in the jesters' fashion, focus on remembering them and telling stories. If it's due to a falling out - he gets the pangs of pain every once and then, but tries his best to move on.
---Death of a family member
Mourns for the appropriate time, but doesn't despair. They're still with you if you remember.
---New kids in school
"Let's see what you've got. If you're fun enough, we can be friends."
---Being the new kid
First, get himself noticed. Then prove his talents/usefulness.
---Being picked on
Make the bullies regret this, in very creative ways.
---Being praised/complimented
Exaggerated bows and fishing for more.
---Unintentional physical contact
Milks it for as long as he can.
---People who talk in excess
He won’t let them get as far. He’ll interrupt every second sentence with some joke.
---Being at a club
Let’s change that into a tavern. Heavy drinking, singing at the top of his lungs and making himself a centre of attention. If he lets himself get REALLY drunk depends if he’s “on the job” and really fishing for information, or just enjoys his free time.
---Getting in trouble at school
RUN!!!!! And hide from his father for a week. XD
---Getting roasted by a friend
Pure indignation, comically exaggerated, then firing back.
---Types of humor besides their own
Well, he’s literally trained to entertain all kinds of humor depending on the audience, but privately he scoffs at some less experienced jesters who just rely on cheap tricks and lack imagination. He's got standards, you know.
---People of the opposite personality type
He’s an ENFP, so the opposite is ISTJ - he finds them a bit stifling, and would probably provoke them a little with his rebellious nature, but eventually “deal with it”. They’re unlikely to become close friends though.
---Mainstream type people
Well, they ARE easier to predict/entertain/manipulate, thus making his job easier, so… *shrug*
---Memes and internet humor
Not really applicable, but in the modern AU he’d be familiar with it, though probably not a big fan. Most of them he just wouldn’t find so funny. A bit of a professional pride thing, “so now everyone thinks they’re comedians, huh?” type of deal. XD
---People who are needlessly lazy
If he needs them for something, he just drags them along not caring for protests. XD
---Being pulled into a fight
“Just tell me who to punch.”
---Really early mornings
A rare moment of peace and quiet in jester’s life. He enjoys the moment for himself.
---Having to be a mediator among friends
Irritation, mostly. He doesn’t have the patience for it. Can’t you just make up already?
---Learning new flaws in other people
"Nobody’s prefect, I guess."
---Acquiring new physical flaws
“As long as I can still juggle and outrun the angry guards, I’m good.”
---Moving into a new home
Where are all the strategic points in town? Also, the tavern.
---Being ignored by a crush
Irrelevant. His feelings don’t matter.
---Sharing a literal bed
Common occurrence during missions. They usually don’t have money for seperate rooms with his companions. He probably falls asleep first and spreads over the other person.
---Their own flaws and insecurities
“If I bury them deep enough, maybe no one else will notice…”
---People’s misconceptions of them
He literally counts for people to underestimate him, it gives him the upper hand. He feeds the misconceptions himself.
---Their crush loving someone else
It’s not relevant. It’s not relevant. IT’S. NOT. RELEVANT. (if he repeats it a hundred more times, maybe he’d finally believe it)
---Someone who wants to debate
“Really? Be my guest. Don’t expect me to treat it seriously, though…”
---A crabby boss at work
Most of his bosses are. Swallowing his pride is the first thing a jester needs to learn.
---Control freaks in their life
Ostentatiously disobeying.
---People so open minded that they agree to everything
Probably use it to his advantage.
---Day and night changes
Takes in the atmosphere. Just observing how life slows down/awakens around him is very satisfying.
---People who gossip
Gossiping right with them! They’re responsible for 90% of his information-gathering. It’s one of his favorite activities.
---All nighter activities
If it has to be done, it has to be done.
---Theme parks on location
Enjoys the general atmosphere, but again, he has OPINIONS on some less-than-skilled amateur entertainers who count on a quick buck there.
---Couples making out publicly
If he’s in a good mood and has time, he makes fun of them. If not, he just ignores them.
---Going to the doctor
“What do I need to do to get back on my feet? As soon as possible.”
---Bad smells in the area
Ignores them. He slept in enough stables to get used to it.
---Beginning a new project
Examining all the available sources and preparing a course of action.
---New technology item in the house
Not really applicable. He's casually curious about innovations, but doesn’t really care to use them himself.
---Being cut off from supplies
Beg, steal, or borrow new ones.
---New money to spend if they want
Treats himself. It’s not often he has a chance to indulge in luxury.
---New students or neighbors
Gets to know everyone.
---Friends doing something wrong
“What do you think you’re doing?”
---Getting called out on their mistake
Gets irritated. Denies anything is wrong and insists it’s all according to plan.
---Optimistic kind of people
Counterintuitively, he actually dislikes foolish, unwarranted optimism and shuts it down with cutting remarks.
---People who overwork themselves
"Take it easy, won't you? The life will pass you by before you know it!"
---People with poor hygiene
Ignores it. Would probably grimace at the odor but wouldn't comment. (unless it were funny)
---Animals in general
Always befriend local dogs. It saves your life when you piss off their owners. XD
---People who don’t trust anyone
Makes it his mission to worm his way into their circle of trust anyway.
---Long lectures or speeches
Boooooring… He'd either jawn or interrupt with his jokes, depending on the setting.
---Sleepover activities
Kinda pointless.
---Travelling for vacations
Enjoying every second of it. Admiring nature, sightseeing, trying new foods, chatting with the locals. He’s in his element.
---Board or card games
He loves them. Can cheat like a pro, too, but does it only if it’s a high-stake game when the results can affect the mission. He doesn’t do it recreationally.
---Starting a new job
Befriend every low-rank employee (maids, cooks) so he can gather info and gain favors.
---People missing limbs
Doesn’t really think much of it. Life sucks sometimes, but you gotta get by with what you have.
---Being kissed unexpectedly
“And now you ruined my make-up.” (Canon reaction. XD)
---A sudden scream
Get his knife ready and go investigate.
---The sight of fresh blood
“Shit. What happened there?”
---Public wardrobe malfunctions
Makes it a part of a joke.
---Sleeping in accidentally
“*Groan* I hope I won’t get fired over this.” (If it’s between employments, he doesn’t care.)
---Friends of a bad influence
Depending on how you define the bad influence, he can be one! XD
---Pessimistic kind of people
“Lighten up! Wallowing in despair never helped anyone. It affects morale. If you're unhappy, DO SOMETHING about it instead of complaining.”
---People who hate a show they like
“Sorry to hear you have no taste."
---Being told they’re not good enough
“Wanna bet on that?"
---People with mental disorders
I don't think that in medieval times people were as aware of those, but he's more patient than average with people having different "quirks" and doesn't write them off because of them.
---Being turned down for an invite
“Your loss. You'll miss all the fun!"
---People who don’t take care of their bodies
Doesn't care for strangers, but would nag his friends to take better care of themselves. But probably disguise his concern with some variation of "you'll be no use for the guild if you just run yourself to the ground, you know". They would get the intended meaning though.
---Being told a secret
He WILL use it, if the need arises.
---People with very little impulse control
Well, most people view HIM as the one lacking impulse control (not exactly true, his risks are usually calculated… with a LARGE margin for error XD), but when put in charge of some hot headed youngsters, he can act like a put-upon parent, holding them by the collar. That's a very rare occurrence though. Usually he's the one charging ahead. (Again, from other people's perspective - he usually knows what he's doing)
---People who can’t make a solid decision
Just forces them to make one. He has no time for this.
---Intentional physical contact
He's… pretty normal about it, I think? He likes it, is never awkward (unless he's getting hugged by a certain engaged duchess, who also happens to be the love of his life, but he's convinced it can never be, and while he longs to just return the embrace, he is aware of all the possible consequences and not wanting to sewer her reputation… but that was just one time. XD And he got out of it with a smooth joke, so again, does it really count as awkward? XD) sometimes initiates it, but also isn't an exceptionally touchy person. Not much to say here XD
---People who complain
Shuts their complaints down.
---Being introduced to someone else
Depends WHO they’re introduced to, he plays the desired persona.
---Having something of theirs taken
Steals it right back.
---Not knowing what they are doing tomorrow
Just enjoying their free day, with no worries. Lazing around.
---Their plans going awry
“Shit, shit, shit. Okay, what now?” *improvises something insane, borderline suicidal and usually brilliant*
---Various authority figures
Doesn’t respect them on principle, but sometimes pretends to, if it gets him something.
---People who can’t take care of themselves
He can't take responsibility for everyone's happiness. But if he can do just one small thing to make their day better, he'll do it.
---Weather changes
What would life be without a little unpredictability? (Honestly though, he usually pays attention to it. He doesn’t want to be caught outside in the middle of the storm, or something)
---People who wait for you to go to them
Well, he’s generally the first to approach people in any situation anyway…
---Competitive people
Competes with them. XD
---A very ladylike girl
He may be less crude with his joking, if she's nice.
---Being taken to the gym
Do I really need additional training? I'm in shape!
---Really late nights
Again, enjoys the quiet.
---Having a room all to themselves
Peak of luxury.
---A true gentleman
Makes fun of them, testing how long they would last.
---People who keep changing how they look
Often a requirement for a guild’s agent…
---Being kicked out of a public place
Tries to find a way back in.
---Getting lost when they need to be somewhere
"That's… bad. I gotta hurry."
---Getting something unexpectedly free
“Great, free stuff!” Gotta gather what you can.
---Reading someone else’s journal
Memorizes everything.
---A friend who snaps at them
Tries to make light of the situation. Or snaps right back. Depending if he’s guilty.
---People who like a show they hate
“Sorry to hear you have no taste."
---Someone having a crush on them
Half the time, it's his intended outcome (he sometimes charms ladies to get the info on missions). But if it happens without his control, he'd take a while to even notice. Once he does, it'd be pretty awkward. He'd try to turn them down before it gets too serious.
---Not knowing where to go next
Pretending he does.
---Super mega health nuts
“Well, obsessing about one's health is a luxury simple folks can't afford."
---Technology geeks
“You rely too much on your fancy gadgets. You'd die in the real world."
---Culture-minded culture-focused people
Well, he studies other cultures so he can better blend in, but his core belief is that people are the same everywhere, the rest is just details.
---Nature enthusiasts
Well, nature is great. Nature is useful. We'll be lost without nature.
---Being given a gift they can’t use
Gives it away.
---Being blamed for a friend’s misdeed
If it's a close friend, he's willing to take the burn for them. If it's a casual colleague, he'd probably try to set the record straight. (Of course, if it's only about the inner dealings of the guild. Otherwise the wellbeing of the mission always takes precedence and he'll do what he must.)
---Being snubbed by someone they look up to
Grit his teeth and work twice as hard to prove them wrong.
---Being put on the spot to give an answer
Stalls long enough that everyone forgets what the question was.
---Talking in front of a large group
That’s just a performer’s job.
---Being left out of an activity
If he cares, he invites himself anyway. If he doesn’t, well, he doesn’t. XD
---Animal enthusiasts
”I mostly want to know which animals can be petted, which are food, and which can potentially kill me (and how to kill them before it happens). That's all I need to know.”
---People with physical disorders
He'd take all their special needs into account. He won't be patronizing about it.
---History enthusiasts
"Got something that is ACTUALLY relevant to the present situation? If not, shut up."
---Being sat on by someone else
Mini-performance of righteous fury.
---An injured person
Helps them. He's pretty skilled with first aid.
---An unexpected grade in school
"Wow. Whatever I did, I should do that more often."
---Authority figures playing favorites
Does everything in his power to BECOME that favorite.
---Segregation and prejudice
“Sometimes life just sucks.” (That’s why I became the guild's agent, to try to make the world a better place. One step at the time.)
---Activists who try to force their ideals
He's not even gonna listen. And he makes fun of them.
---Commercials on TV
Not applicable, but he's generally distrustful of overbearing advertising. Prefers to test the product himself.
---Learning a secret they weren’t supposed to
That’s basically part of his job description.
---Being flirted with
Flirts back. It’s a good way to gather information.
---Being lied to or betrayed
Curses the liar/traitor. But if they explain themselves later with a good enough reason, he’s willing to give them a second chance. Trust is conditional though.
---Loud/rowdy/energetic people
He’s one of them.
---Tense situations
Breaks it with a joke.
---Rough tough areas of town
He finds his way around expertly.
---Situations under stress/pressure
That’s when he does some of his best thinking.
---Learning or advancing a skill
“How can I incorporate it into my next performance?”
---Music of their choice
Singing along? Probably.
---Being invited out with friends
“What are we drinking?”
---Plans changing on the spot
He’s often the one who changes them…
---Being placed in a group project
As long as they accept his individuality and unorthodox methods, he's good. Otherwise, he won't be happy.
---Sharing a bedroom
Pretty unproblematic. You have your space, I'll have mine, goodnight.
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Tangling with the Lifeguard (Pool Party Sett/Reader)
The Pool Party Sett story is done! I’ve gone with a beach!AU sort of setting where league races exist in a modern-day beach sort of place. Also sorry to any MF or Syndra mains, they don’t really come out the best in this xD Hope you enjoy, and as always, there is a smut warning for the end!
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The sun was shining high in the sky, crystalline waters lapping against the shore as beachgoers took advantage of the perfect summer day. Taking in the scene from your place in the shade of a tree on the border between the beach and parking lot, you let a smile grace your lips as you mused on just how much this place seemed to not change, even after so many years.
The last time you had set foot on this beach, you had been twelve years old, full of excitement and unaware of the harsh realities of the adult world. Your parents had brought you here for that summer, now thirteen years ago, the beautiful beach an unforgettable experience. You had left after that summer with treasured memories, and a new friend, that same friend the very reason why you had returned to Port Navori beach after so long.
Taliyah had been the same age as you, with fairly lax parents who let her roam the beach by herself, even as the small twelve-year-old she had been. You had bonded instantly, spending almost every day together, and keeping in touch through letters, and later emails and text messages.
You had long said that you had wanted to come back and visit the lively beach town, but the timing hadn’t been right, not until this year.
You were done all your schooling, and had quit your high-stress, low-pay job, and as Taliyah had said on your last phone call, you had no reason not to visit. Her parents had been travelling the world since they retired, so you would have her house all to yourselves.
In your absence, Taliyah had become a fairly accomplished surfer in the local scene, working at an ice cream shop on the beach to support her expensive pursuits. She had been so insistent that you couldn’t find yourself able to refuse her offer; work in the ice cream shop with her in the day, and then spend the rest of your time catching up with each other. You had missed your friend dearly, and had accepted the offer without a second thought.
And now here you were, waiting at the beach’s edge for Taliyah to show up. She had told you to dress for the beach, sounding casual as was her usual, so you had worn a swimsuit with a short, flowy shoulderless dress on overtop. Unwilling to look like a lobster by day’s end, you had carefully layered yourself with sunscreen, and now all you needed was for your friend to get here already. Just when you were about to get out your phone to text her, an excited call of your name had you re-stowing the phone in your bag and looking back to see your friend bounding across the parking lot towards you.
Taliyah, dressed in a two-piece water suit and carrying a tropical-flower-print surfboard, came to a stop before you, leaning her surfboard against a tree to free her arms to tackle you in a hug.
“You’re finally here!” she grinned, surprising you with the strength of her hug. “We’re gonna have so much fun!”
“So what’s first?” you asked as you pulled back from the hug.
Taliyah hummed. “I guess I’ll show you the shop.”
You followed her onto the beach, recognizing the small bright blue building from the pictures she had sent you before. Taliyah took you around the back, fishing a key out of her pocket before unlocking the door and leading you into the small room.
There were large tubs of ice cream in the middle of the room, the walls lined with containers of various toppings and machines. On the back wall from you were two windows, glossy menus pasted to the doors that would display out when they were opened. Upon walking closer to the menu signs, you noticed something.
“Hey, it says we open at nine, but it’s ten-thirty…”
“It’s fine,” Taliyah replied with a shrug. “The owners are pretty chill. If anyone complains, I’ll just tell them I had to train the new employee.”
You playfully rolled your eyes. Sometimes you really envied Taliyah’s ability to be so carefree. Her calm energy was a big help for you, having got advice from her on numerous occasions over the years.
Taliyah came over to where you were, eyes flitting boredly to the menu boards before turning her attention back to you. “So I’m thinking we get you taking orders while I make them.”
“Works for me,” you agreed. It certainly sounded easier than figuring out what a poro float was supposed to be. You never knew ice cream stands had such fancy options now, used to the simple menus of ice cream cones and bars back at the shops in your hometown.
You were about to open the order windows when you were stopped by a rustling noise from the back of the store. You turned to see Taliyah digging in a cardboard box in the back corner, pulling out some folded-up fabric that was the same sky blue as the stand.
“Didn’t think you’d get away without an embarrassing uniform, did you?” Taliyah teased, tossing some of her fabric pile your way.
You caught the bundle, unfolding it to find an apron with Poro Palace Frozen Treats in pink bubble letters, little white fuzzy animals dotting the apron. There was an accompanying blue visor hat that looked like something out of a kid’s store. You reluctantly slipped both items of clothing on, looking back to find that Taliyah had done the same.
“Stylish, huh?” she smirked, striking a modelesque pose.
“We look like we work at an amusement park, Tali,” you laughed.
“Feels like it sometimes with all the annoying kids that come by,” she replied. “Okay, you can open it up now.”
Taliyah settled herself down in a chair in front of the section of ice cream tubs, and you reluctantly turned to unlatch and open the windows, unsure of exactly what you were getting yourself into.
The small room lit up with the outside sunlight streaming in from your window to outside, the immediate glare of the sun making you wish you had worn sunglasses.
Almost immediately, the masses were upon you. You noticed a woman with several children in tow who perked up as she laid eyes on you, striding over to you with her children right behind her, pushing each other as they scrambled to be the first one to get over to you.
You heard Taliyah groan behind you. “Get the pen ready. They always have the most annoying orders.”
You rose an eyebrow, but picked up the pen and notepad that sat beside the cash register as the woman came to a stop before you.
“You know, I’ve been waiting for an hour already. You young girls don’t know how hard it is for mothers,” the woman complained, not letting you get a word in edgewise. “Alright, tell her what you want.”
“I want a brownie sundae!” a small boy with blue hair who clearly intended to make full use of his outdoor voice shouted. “But with cotton candy ice cream and pop rocks and I want only blue candies!”
“Uh…” The kid was talking too fast for you to write, but luckily Taliyah had your back, a got it ringing out from behind you.
You weren’t sure how you had managed to get their orders out before they melted, messing up their total several times before Taliyah had to come and help you out. With a last snide look and a fistful of blue napkins, the mother and her little terrors left the stand at last.
“She’s the worst,” Taliyah said, bringing your weary gaze her way as she cleaned off an ice cream scoop. “I accidentally put one red candy in that kid’s sundae once and he screamed until I remade the whole thing!”
You winced. “Feels like we got off easy today.”
“Yeah,” Taliyah agreed. “Helps that they order the same thing every time, so I’ve got some practice.”
“Are they all this bad?” you asked, turning away from the window after seeing no potential customers nearby.
“Not all of them,” she replied with a strained smile. “I swear the heat just brings the jerk out in some of the people here.”
Speaking of jerks… your conversation was interrupted by an impatient-sounding throat clearing noise from behind you. You whirled around to see a redheaded woman with heart-shaped sunglasses and a revealing swimsuit leaning against your counter. She was staring at you like you were gum she had stepped in, flipping some hair over her shoulder when she knew she had your attention.
“Five cherry snowballs,” she said, dropping a few coins on your counter, some of which bounced and hit the floor. “To the red umbrella, thanks ice cream girl.”
Without any further interaction, she turned on her heel and strutted away, hips swinging as she went, leaving you wondering what had just happened.
You slowly turned back to face Taliyah again. “Um, do we usually deliver?”
“Nope,” she answered. “Not to people like that anyways.”
“But…” you protested weakly. You knew Taliyah got away with a lot here, but you didn’t want her to lose her job because some rude girl complained to her bosses. “I’ll just take them over and next time I’ll just say we don’t deliver.”
“Still tempted to put rocks in their snowballs,” Taliyah joked as she set about piling the scoops of red ice.
Soon you had a tray with five cherry syrup-coated piles of shaved ice in little plastic bowls with accompanying little plastic spoons stuck in the side of the dishes.
“I’ll be right back,” you said, heading past Taliyah to the back door, opening it to find yourself back out in the mid-morning heat.
The sand still felt uncomfortably hot underfoot, even with your flip flops on. With how hot it was out, these would have to be delivered as soon as possible to not be a puddle by the time they were eaten. Your only problem was that you had no idea where to go.
The redhead had said that she would be at the red umbrella, but of course nothing at this ice cream stand would be that easy. Standing just outside the hut, you were treated to a veritable rainbow of colored beach umbrellas. You counted at least ten red ones scattered across the beach, none particularly standing out to you. You didn’t have many options, and were forced to go with the most tedious one; checking every red umbrella until you found the girl and her group.
The first umbrella had been a bust, as had the next five. The sixth had led to a sweaty old man who told you that you were just in time to help him sunscreen his back. By the time you had hurriedly fled from that creep, it had been about five minutes of searching, the snowballs on your tray looking considerably droopier than they had been when you had left the shop.
You stared down at the tray of melting treats, unsure of what to do now. Should you go back and have Taliyah remake the snowballs? Try a few more umbrellas and hope you got lucky? You really hadn’t been anticipating this much stress when you had agreed to work here with Taliyah for the summer.
You frowned at the now-more-water-than-ice treats, your decision made. You couldn’t serve these, not as melted as they were. You would go back and help remake them and see if Taliyah had any insight as to which red umbrella was the right one. You turned around to head back to the stand, only to trip on your overheating flip flops and fall forward with a cry.
You had closed your eyes with a flinch as you fell, but opened them with a start as you heard a grunt from right in front of you. Looking up from your position in the burning sand, you felt like your heart was going to stop in your chest.
Standing before you was the most attractive guy you had ever laid eyes on, with fire red hair and a pair of black animal ears that looked soft to the touch. He was dressed in a tight pair of swim shorts, a lightweight red jacket tied around his waist. He had a flower lei around his neck, but that was the only thing that he wore on his top half, his insanely-well-built torso on full display, a torso you realized with horror was currently splattered with red syrup and shaved ice.
You looked from the hot guy to the ground, the sand around you speckled with plastic cups, spoons and napkins, your tray turned upside down in the sand. You slowly risked a gaze back up, only to see the guy staring down at you from behind his pink-tinted sunglasses as a clump of ice fell from his stomach to the sand just in front of your hands.
Embarrassment forced you to spring up, grabbing some stray napkins from the ground and dabbing them against the mess of syrup and ice on the man’s abdomen.
“I’m so sorry, I–” You looked up from your apologizing to see the man silently staring at you, your hand freezing in place as you realized that you were basically feeling this guy up through the napkins, the realization making your cheeks burn with shame and embarrassment.
“I’m really sorry!” you cried out, pulling your hands back. He still hadn’t said anything, and you realized that you couldn’t just stand here like an idiot, your flight instinct kicking in as you reached down to grab your tray before moving around the man and fleeing in the direction of the ice cream stand.
“Hey, wait!”
The man tried to grab your arm as you passed, but you were faster in your embarrassment-fueled retreat, and soon the hot stranger was far behind you. You didn’t stop running until you were back at the shop, the empty sand-logged tray clutched tightly to your chest, your heartbeat pounding in your ears as you shut the door, making eye contact with a confused Taliyah.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, getting up to approach you when you didn’t respond. “Talk to me. What happened? If that snob said anything to you–”
“No, no, she didn’t,” you replied weakly, sinking to the floor with your back against the door. “I didn’t even get to her.”
“Then what happened?” she pressed, bringing you a glass of water and prying the tray from your hands at last.
She ushered you to your feet and down into her chair, taking a seat on one of the counters. You took a deep breath, taking a sip of the water before recounting the events of the past ten minutes to Taliyah, who listened silently.
“…I didn’t know what to do, so I just ran,” you finished, setting your water down to bury your face in your hands.
“It’s no big deal,” Taliyah replied gently. “Everyone has embarrassed themselves in front of someone. Remember that time I tripped over my board in front of that group of tourists?”
“I covered him in cherry syrup, Tali,” you groaned. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”
“It’s your first day,” she stressed. “You’re bound to mess some things up.”
She stood up, returning to the shaved ice machine. “Now how about we remake those snowballs and then I’ll–”
Taliyah had frozen in place, a plastic cup in her hand as she stared straight ahead.
“Tali?” you questioned, standing up. “Are you–”
“That guy you dumped the snowballs on,” she quickly interrupted. “Did he have majorly cut abs and animal ears?”
“Uh, why?” You felt a jolt of fear shoot up your spine as you followed her gaze to see the man from earlier currently approaching the shop, well-defined abdomen now minus the sticky mess you had spilt all over him. “Oh god, it’s him!”
You and Taliyah exchange wide-eyed glances before you dove down out of sight, hiding behind the tubs of ice cream like they were a fortress.
“Please get rid of him!” you begged. “I’ll do whatever you want, I just can’t face him!”
You heard Taliyah sigh. “Fine, but this means you’re coming stone hunting with me tonight.”
You agreed immediately, even if the prospect wasn’t overwhelmingly appealing. Taliyah was always eager to add to her collection of shiny stones, but was so picky that it often took hours to find just one stone that met her standards. But right now you were so desperate that you would have promised her anything just to make the angry hot guy go away.
From your position behind the ice cream tubs, you could only hear Taliyah’s voice clearly, the general noise of the beach preventing you from hearing what the furry-eared man was saying. You wanted to peek out from your hiding spot, but found yourself chickening out. You really didn’t need him catching sight of you and making Taliyah’s job even harder.
You had gotten so in your own head with panic that you had completely tuned out of your surroundings until a hand waved in front of your face and you realized Taliyah was crouching in front of you, calling your name.
“You okay?” she asked worriedly.
“Is he gone?” you replied quietly.
“Yeah, he’s gone,” she confirmed, standing up and grabbing your forearms to pull you up with her. “Now help me remake those snowballs and then I’ll fill you in.”
You bit your lip as you scooped shaved ice into a row of plastic cups as Taliyah readied the cherry syrup. Soon you had five pristine-looking snowballs on your slightly-sandy tray, the sight of them bringing you back to your moment of collision with the cute guy.
The tray was snatched from your field of vision by Taliyah, who headed over to the rear door. “Be back in a few. Try not to freak out too much while I’m gone.”
And then the door was closed and you were left alone. Looking over at the order window, you decided that you were probably safer to just resume your position behind the ice cream tubs, unwilling to risk being out in the open in case the guy decided to come back.
While she was gone, you couldn’t help but fret over exactly what had been said between your best friend and the mysterious hot guy. She didn’t seem to be upset, so clearly their conversation hadn’t been that intense. Or maybe it had; Taliyah was a fairly relaxed person, so it would be difficult for a random angry customer to really get to her. But that didn’t quite make sense either; if he had yelled at her, you would have heard it over the noise of the beachgoers. All you were doing was overthinking yourself to death, exactly what Taliyah had told you not to do.
And it was there you remained until Taliyah returned, closing the door behind her and placing the serving tray in the sink before she turned her attention to you at last.
“Calm down, it’s fine… I think,” she said.
“You think?”
“Well he didn’t seem mad,” she explained. “He asked if a girl that looked like you worked here and I said you went home sick. Said he’d come back another time.”
“Another–” Oh god. Was he really so angry that he was willing to come back just for the chance to yell at you?
“I can see you freaking out,” Taliyah scolded. “Don’t. You’re fine. Musclehead or not, he’s not going to kill you just because you spilled shaved ice on him.”
She was probably right; hot shirtless guys on the beach likely had more important things to do than yelling at clumsy ice cream shop workers. By tomorrow, he would probably forget you ever existed, and you could go back to enjoying your time working alongside your best friend.
The rock collecting that night had been long and boring, at least for you. Taliyah hadn’t found any rocks she liked enough to take home, only ending the search after she had found some sea glass that she had deemed acceptable to add to her collection. You could only hope that you wouldn’t owe her any more favors any time soon, unsure if you could survive another late night rock hunt.
The next morning, you entered the shop alongside Taliyah, who put her bag down and began to set up the day’s supplies. Considering it was ten minutes past opening time and Taliyah had insisted that she didn’t need help setting up, you decided that you might as well just open the order window for the day, hoping that mom and her group of demon kids wouldn’t be waiting out there, only to unlatch the widows and see something arguably worse.
The window had only been open a peek, but it was enough for you to see the large figure of the man from yesterday standing ten feet or so from your shop, his back facing you as he stared out at the beach. In your brief glimpse, you also noticed that the jacket wrapped around his waist had a white plus sign in a circle as well as the word lifeguard in white blocky letters above it. Oh god, of course you had gone and pissed off a lifeguard on your first day here.
You shut the barely-open windows with a too-loud slam that made you wince before you quickly locked them again and rushed over to Taliyah.
“Tali, he’s here again!” you hissed.
“Huh?” she replied, pausing her task of refilling a container of sprinkles. “Muscle guy?”
You nodded frantically and Taliyah frowned, putting the sprinkles down and approaching the order window herself. You watched as she opened the window ever so slightly, peering out for a few seconds before closing it back up.
“Well… can’t say I was expecting him to actually come back,” she said evenly.
“What do I even do?” you asked, staring at the order windows like they would burst open at any second and reveal you to the clearly-determined lifeguard. “He’s a lifeguard, Tali! What if he bans me from the beach?”
She rolled her eyes in response. “He can’t just ban you from the beach. Lifeguards don’t have that much power. If they did, I would’ve been banned a long time ago for all the times I’ve surfed after hours.”
“Then what does he want with me?” you asked, looking away from the window.
Taliyah shrugged. “You’d have to ask him that.”
“But what if I… don’t?” you replied weakly. “He’ll give up eventually, right?”
“I mean, maybe?” she said. “But it might be easier to deal with him now and get it over with.”
You saw her point, but it wasn’t her that was being pursued by a tall, muscly lifeguard with a vengeance!
Taliyah clearly caught the reluctance on your face and sighed. “Fine, I’ll switch with you for today. Now let’s go over how to make the basic stuff before we open.”
True to her word, Taliyah had allowed you to hide in the back making orders, telling the lifeguard guy that you were off today. You watched him walk away from behind the shaved ice machine, hoping that your ordeal was finally over, but your hopes were quickly dashed the next day as you went to open the store again, only to see the same broad back facing you from just outside the shop.
Taliyah had reluctantly agreed to switch again that day, and the day after. But by day four, even the promise of helping her scavenge for rocks again wouldn’t get her to agree to switch.
You closed the window again, turning to Taliyah with pleading eyes, but she was having none of it.
“It’s been four days,” she said, arms crossed. “Clearly he’s not giving up. You should just see what he wants.”
“But…” The thought still terrified you. You knew you deserved to be yelled at for what you had done, but it was made that much worse by the fact that the subject of your plight was just about the hottest guy you had ever seen.
Taliyah shook her head at you. “Okay, but I’m not doing orders again today, so if you want to keep hiding from him, we’ll have to move onto plan B.”
Plan B, as it turned out, was a mascot suit of sorts; three fluffy poros stacked on top of each other like a snowman. A poro each made up your upper and lower body, the last poro being the head of the costume. You looked incredibly awkward, the arms and legs of the costume hairy and tipped with little brown claws. You were momentarily stunned by the sheer lengths you were going to just to avoid this guy, but you were already in the costume, so you reasoned that you might as well follow through with it now.
Taliyah put the costume’s head on you and your world was plunged largely into darkness, minus the mesh one-way view out of the top poro’s eyes. You were helped to the back door, some fliers for the store shoved into your hands.
Taliyah helped you walk out front, and you were pretty quickly swarmed by kids. You couldn’t see the lifeguard guy, but the relief that coursed through you was short-lived, swallowed by the immediate explosion of business brought on by your costume.
One thing you hadn’t considered in your haste was the heat. You weren’t sure if it was the costume or if today was hotter than usual, but very quickly you found yourself becoming a sweaty mess under the weight of the dense, furry costume.
The longer you were in the costume, the worse you felt, but you were determined to stick this out. So you handed out fliers and posed for photos with children while Taliyah ran the stand.
You wished that you could wipe the sweat from your face, but you weren’t sure if you could even reach up to remove the costume’s head yourself due to the awkward shape of the costume. So you endured the ever-increasing heat, only feeling wearier as the time ticked by.
You waved goodbye to a group of kids as they left with their ice cream cones, the sweltering heat really bearing down on you. As you went to turn and head back to the stand to ask Taliyah to help get the head off, a wave of dizziness crashed over you. You took one step towards the stand, and then another, and then it all went dark as you felt yourself falling forward, too weak to stop your descent to the ground.
You woke up with a heavy head, feeling foggy with confusion. The last thing you remembered, you had been heading back to the stand…
Immediately, you realized that you weren’t at the ice cream stand, and you weren’t wearing the poro suit, or even your beach dress. Sitting up in the cot you laid in, you found that you were wearing only your swimsuit.
As you sat up, a blue ice pack that you hadn’t realized was there fell from your forehead and into your lap. Picking it up, the pack only feeling slightly cold, you turned to look around the room, still unsure what exactly was going on.
You were in a room of some sort, guessing it was afternoon by the minute amount of light filtering into the room, even through the closed curtains. There was a fan gently whirring above your head, but otherwise the room was silent.
There was another cot beside yours, and a table nearby with a few red first aid kits stacked on it, some bandages messily spilling out of one of them. There was a sign pulled over the door, the side facing you reading come on in, we’re open.
You got up from the bed, shuddering with disgust when you noticed just how sweaty your whole body was. The bed squeaked as you got up from it, your knees hitting a bedside table between the cots that you hadn’t noticed had been there. On the small table was a glass of water, as well as a white fan that was emblazoned with what looked to be a group of cats waterskiing.
You picked up the fan, letting out a small laugh at the silly-looking cartoon cats on the fan. It looked like something you could win at a carnival booth.
“If you can laugh, then I guess you’re feelin’ alright.”
A deep voice from behind you made you jump, fingers fumbling the fan, which fell onto the floor with a clatter that was only made louder in the quiet room. You turned to look behind you, only to fall off the cot in shock when you saw the very lifeguard you had been trying so hard to avoid standing in the doorway of a small office you hadn’t noticed was there.
“Hey, careful!” He quickly crossed the room to squat down in front of you, taking your elbow and helping you back up onto the cot. You were too stunned to resist and found yourself falling into his chest as a wave of dizziness hit you.
“You okay?” he asked, and you tried to nod, but your head was spinning too much to focus. “Hey, hold still.”
He placed his hands on your shoulders, keeping you steady against him until you were able to regain your focus. When he was satisfied with your condition, he pulled back, releasing your shoulders and instead reaching out for the glass of water on the table next to you.
“Drink,” he instructed, handing you the cup before standing up. “I’ll be right back.”
He stared at you for a moment before finally turning back and heading into the office at the back of the room.
You watched him go, feeling on edge, but complied, bringing the glass up to your lips and taking a long drink. The last thing you wanted to do was give this guy more reason to be upset with you. You were surprised at just how refreshing the water felt, and you had soon downed the entire glass, placing it back on the table when you were done.
“Alright, lay back down,” the lifeguard instructed as he returned.
“What?” you replied. What was he going to do to you? How had you even got here? Where was Taliyah?
He stopped before you, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked down at your shaky, terrified form. “Are you–”
“I’m sorry!” you exclaimed, bowing your head. “I didn’t mean to spill the snowballs on you! If you need to yell at me, go ahead. I’m sorry I didn’t just come out sooner and–”
It had occurred to you mid-ramble that he had yet to say anything, and you cut off your babbling, slowly looking up to find him staring at you with what you could only describe as a bewildered look on his face.
He blinked. “Is that why–”
“I’m so sorry!” you interrupted, bowing your head again. “If you want to ban me from the beach, I get it!”
“Ban ya from the beach?” he replied with a bark of laughter. “The only thing I wanted to do was get your number.”
“My… what?” You had to be hallucinating. There was no way he had just said that.
“Lay down first,” he spoke sternly, and you complied, still feeling stunned by his words.
Once you were laid down, he picked something up from the bed, which you recognized as another ice pack. He placed it on your forehead, the cool pack immediately flooding you with a feeling of relief. Closing your eyes, you let out a tired sigh, suddenly feeling fatigued.
“Get some rest, princess. We’ll talk when you’re up again.”
You took his advice, the cooling from the ice pack lulling you back to sleep, your eyelids too heavy to keep open.
When you woke up again, you felt infinitely better, your head clearer and body feeling less overheated. The ice pack on your forehead was room temperature, and it was now dark outside. There was a light illuminating your left side as you sat up in bed, turning to see the office in the back with its light on.
The cot squeaked under you, which was responded to by the squeak of a chair from inside the office, the red-haired lifeguard emerging from the office and approaching your bedside.
“Feelin’ any better?” he asked, and you nodded, biting your lip nervously. “Got you some more water.”
You looked over to the bedside table to see the water cup refilled and took hold of it, grateful to have something to focus on other than the intimidatingly muscular man before you.
You drank the entire glass before you forced yourself to finally address the situation before you. “Um… why am I here?”
“You passed out,” he replied bluntly, taking a seat on the cot next to yours. “Overheated yourself in that rat costume.”
“They’re not rats, they’re poros,” you replied, unsure of what to say.
He let out a huff of laughter. “Poros that important to you that you’re willin’ to fry yourself for ‘em?”
“No, that was…” you trailed off. Well, you might as well just admit it. If he had gone out of his way to care for you after you had passed out like an idiot, then he deserved the truth. “I was avoiding you. I was scared you were going to yell at me. My friend didn’t want to keep covering for me at the window so I decided to wear that stupid poro costume.”
“So that’s what that was about,” he replied. “And here I thought you were avoidin’ me ‘cuz you weren’t interested. Gave up on gettin’ your number and then got news that someone passed out from heat stroke.”
You were still having a hard time comprehending the asking for your number part, so you instead chose to focus on the other half. “Heat stroke?”
“Not sure what you expected, wearin’ that costume in this heat,” he said. “Can’t say nobody’s ever been afraid of me before, but giving themself heat stroke just to avoid me is a new one.”
He sounded somewhat self-deprecating, and you immediately felt bad. You had clearly misjudged him, and realized that he hadn’t even mentioned the snowball incident himself.
You forced yourself to meet his eyes, even with as awkward as you were currently felt. “I’m sorry for giving you so much trouble, and for spilling snowballs all over you. I’m just really sorry.”
He laughed. “Ain’t nothin’ for you to apologize for. I’ve had worse get on me since I started workin’ here, and usually it ain’t from a cute girl.”
You tensed in your seat, tearing your gaze from his to look down at your feet, your cheeks feeling warm.
“Hey, don’t go overheatin’ yourself again,” he scolded, standing up from the bed. “If you’re not interested, that’s fine, but I think it’s best if I take ya home. Don’t need your friend yellin’ at me again if you pass out on the way back.”
As much as you wanted to deny his assertion of you being not interested, you couldn’t muster up the courage, so you instead quietly accepted his offer of help. You would have to ask Taliyah what he had meant when you got back.
It was surprisingly cold on the beach at night, the icy breeze sending shivers along your skin. You stared out at the dark ocean waves, entranced by the water crashing against the sand, when your focus was broken by some soft fabric being laid over your shoulders.
You turned to look over your shoulder to see Sett just behind you on the steps of the lifeguard office, the jacket that was usually around his waist now laying on your shoulders.
He caught your curious look and raised an eyebrow. “You nearly cooked yourself to death today, I ain’t about to let you freeze yourself to death now.”
“Thanks,” you replied quietly, reaching a hand up to keep the jacket around your shoulders.
Your feet met the soft sand as you followed Sett towards the parking lot. The beach was totally empty, an odd contrast to how things were in the daytime. It felt weird to actually see the shape of the landscape unobscured by giant beach umbrellas and a sea of bodies. You only looked away from the empty scene when you realized that you had left the sand, and Sett was staring expectantly at you.
“…what?” you asked, getting the feeling that he had said something that you had missed.
“Which way?” he repeated with a quick glance at the street ahead of you.
“Oh right,” you replied. “My friend lives on Sandstone Way.”
Sett’s ears perked up. “By that tacky souvenir shop?”
“Yeah,” you laughed. “Right by there.”
You giggled at Sett’s assessment; you had noticed the eye-hurtingly brightly painted store when Taliyah had walked you to her house from the train station. She had rolled her eyes at the store as you surveyed the display of t-shirts with embarrassing designs on them, stating that sometimes they got some good rocks in, but it wasn’t worth the amount of tourists always asking for directions when she was walking around the neighborhood.
Looking over at Sett out of the corner of your eye, you were struggling to think of anything to say. He was dressed in just his sandals and shorts, his sunglasses forgone and giving you a clear look at his golden eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.
“So this your first summer here?” Sett asked, breaking the brief silence as you walked side by side. “I know I’d remember you if I’d seen ya before.”
“I was here for a summer when I was a kid,” you answered. “But everything looks so different now. Maybe I just saw this place differently when I was a kid.”
“Nah,” he dismissed. “It never used to be this busy here. Tourists bring money to this place, but it means it’s always loud around here.”
The conversation was slowly helping you feel more comfortable with the intimidatingly handsome lifeguard. You felt dumb for putting so much energy into avoiding him.
“So have you always lived here?” you asked.
“Born and raised,” he answered with a grin that you couldn’t help but feel looked a little sad. “Ma used to work at the boating shop… and the laundromat… and the candy store.”
“All at the same time?” you asked incredulously.
Sett shrugged. “Didn’t have much of a choice. Pa ran off on us when I was a kid, and it wasn’t like anyone would hire a fatherless runt to work for them.”
“Sounds like it was hard,” you replied. “Did you ever find out where he went?”
“For his sake, I’d better not,” Sett sneered. “I heard ma cry missin’ that scumbag more times than I can count. There ain’t a family here for that bastard to come back to.”
“How is your mom doing?” you asked as you turned onto Sandstone Way, passing by the tacky tourist shop, the flashy paint on the walls too bright even at night.
“She’s doin’ good,” he answered, finally looking happy with a satisfied smile. “Got her to quit her jobs when I started workin’ enough to pay the bills.”
“You’re a good son,” you complimented him. “She’s lucky to have you.”
You smiled at him, coming to a stop before Taliyah’s house. “Well, this is me. Thanks for walking me back.”
“Take care of yourself,” he said. “I don’t wanna see you passin’ out again.”
“I’ll try not to,” you replied. “No more poro costumes for me.”
“On that topic,” he purred, leaning closer to you. “You never gave me an answer.”
“An answer?” you squeaked, flustered by his sudden closeness.
“I’ve been tryin’ to get your number for days now,” he replied, and you did your best to supress a shiver from running up your spine. Was this real life?
You wet your lips with your tongue nervously, unable to miss how Sett’s sharp eyes watched the movement.
“I, um, I don’t have my phone on me,” you said, immediately realizing how dumb you sounded. You didn’t need your phone on you to tell him your number! You hastily made to amend your statement. “…but if you come by the stand tomorrow, I’ll give it to you!”
“Oh?” Sett’s grin was wide, gold eyes flashing dangerously. “I s’pose I could find some time to stop by. See you then, sweetheart.”
Sett turned to walk away, but you stopped him with a call of his name. “Wait, your jacket–”
“Keep it for the night,” Sett replied. “I’ll get it from you tomorrow.”
You reluctantly agreed, stunned silent by his bold flirting, his jacket sitting warm on your shoulders as you watched him walk away. You stared at his broad back until he was out of sight, only then turning to head inside, knowing Taliyah would be waiting.
The next morning she was still on you as you spent some extra time getting ready.
“I still can’t believe he gave you his jacket,” she teased with a grin. “I mean, I figured he was probably into you, but–”
“You what?” you replied as you paused styling your hair.
“I kept telling you to talk to him,” she replied. “No guy like that is going to wait outside your work for days in a row just to yell at you for spilling ice on him. But I didn’t think you’d believe me if I told you.”
“I just feel so stupid giving myself heat stroke just go avoid him,” you lamented.
“Yeah,” Taliyah frowned. “If I had realized it was that hot out, I never would’ve let you go out in that thing.”
“It’s my own fault for being so dumb,” you insisted.
“But hey, it all worked out, didn’t it?” Taliyah grinned as she slipped on her water shoes. “You’ve got a hot lifeguard coming to visit you at work today.”
“Don’t remind me. I’m still super nervous,” you said, adjusting your beach dress over your most flattering swimsuit.
“You’ll be fine,” Taliyah replied. “He’s clearly super into you. You should’ve seen him when you passed out yesterday.”
“What?” You had been so tired last night that you had only told her the basics before crashing for the night, completely forgetting to ask her what had happened yesterday.
“Someone got him when you collapsed,” she told you. “You should’ve seen his face when he pulled off the poro head and saw it was you inside the costume! I tried to come with, but he told me he’d handle it. I maaay have threatened his life if anything happened to you, but just a little.”
You laughed. So that’s what Sett had been referring to.
Taliyah came up from behind you as you stared at your appearance in the mirror, resting her chin on your shoulder and meeting your eyes in the mirror. “Relax, you look great. Fuzzy ear boy isn’t gonna know what hit him!”
“Fuzzy ear–” you sputtered, laughing at Taliyah’s choice of words. “I guess his ears do look pretty fuzzy.”
“Well if he lets you pet them, tell me how soft they are!” she teased, pulling back from you to grab her bag. “Now let’s go. You’ve got a boy to meet!”
You somehow felt even more nervous today than you had the few days you had spent avoiding Sett. You were still having a hard time wrapping your head around the fact that a guy that looked like he had walked straight out of a fireman’s calendar was coming to your little beachfront ice cream stand for the sole purpose of getting your phone number. And his jacket, which was folded neatly on the countertop beside you.
You weren’t exactly sure when he was going to come. Usually, he would be there waiting outside in the morning before you opened, but all you had opened up to today was a sparsely-populated beachfront, no handsome lifeguards to be seen. By two in the afternoon, your anxiety had begun to get the better of you.
“Stop pacing,” Taliyah scolded you. “He’ll be here.”
“But what if he decided not to?” you said, taking a deep breath to try and calm yourself down. “What if this was just a joke?”
“Then I’ll go kick his butt,” she responded plainly. “He’ll come. Relax.”
You were about to reply, when a ding of the service bell at the order window had you spinning around, ready to take an order, only for the words to die on your lips when you laid eyes on the well-muscled lifeguard with the fuzzy black ears just outside the order window, sending a grin your way.
“Here to pick up my order,” he said, leaning an arm against the window.
“Your… order?” you replied, too entranced by his appearance to properly make use of your brain.
“A pretty girl promised me her number if I came by,” he replied, looking down at you through his sunglasses.
“I… right… I…” You turned back quickly to see Taliyah staring expectantly at you, mouthing the word number at you. Right.
With slightly shaky hands, you reached for the small notepad at the front counter, taking that and a pen in hand and trying not to focus on the fact that Sett was watching you as you began to write.
Double-checking that the number was right, you handed the paper to him, your fingers touching as he took it from you. Remembering about your other promise, you reached over to grab the lifeguard jacket from the counter beside you. You went to hand him his jacket, surprised when he didn’t take it from you.
“What time do you get off?” he asked, and you answered a quiet six. “Give it back to me then.”
With a short wave and a grin, Sett made a show of stowing the phone number in his pocket before sauntering off and leaving you standing there slack-jawed.
“See? Was that so hard?” Taliyah called from her seat at the ice machine. “Now you just have to keep it together for your date.”
“I don’t know if I can,” you said, leaning back against the counter.
“You did last night, didn’t you?” she countered. “He’s just a guy. A really hot guy, but still. Don’t freak yourself out. You deserve a nice guy. It’s just a bonus that he has more abs than spiders have legs!”
You let out an amused huff. Taliyah was right, as she always was. You needed to get over yourself and let yourself have a good time tonight.”
But for now, you had customers to deal with. You and Taliyah let out a shared groan as you saw the nightmare mom and her army of brats heading towards you. You both returned to your posts, hoping their overly-complicated orders would be right on the first try this time.
Taliyah let out a yawn, stretching her arms high above her head before beginning the process of cleaning up for the day. After the last customer left, you hastily closed the order window, not wanting to give anyone the chance to come and beg about how it was only five minutes past closing and they’ve been wanting a banana split all day. You had learned your lesson from that mistake on day two.
Once the order windows were closed and locked, you joined Taliyah at the side counter, helping to return all the different containers of toppings to their rightful places. You found your hands moving slower, your nerves slowing you down in order to prolong the inevitable.
Taliyah eventually got tired of your pitiful attempt at stalling for time and gently removed the container of blue sprinkles from your grasp. “Just go, I’ll finish up here.”
“Are you sure?” you asked, and Taliyah sent you an unimpressed look. “Okay, fine, I’m going, I’m going.”
“I hope you know I expect all the details later!” she grinned as you made your way to the door, hesitating with your hand on the door handle for only a moment before opening the door.
It was mercifully less warm outside today than it had been yesterday, not to mention that you were also minus a heavy mascot costume. Yesterday hadn’t ended too badly for you, but you would still prefer to not end today in a hospital if you exacerbated your current heat-sensitive state.
You weren’t sure if you preferred if Sett was already there, or if you got there first to wait for him; neither option seemed to abate your nerves. But of course, the lifeguard was prompt as always, leaning against one of the beams that held up the awning above the order window.
You didn’t think you had been making much noise walking along the sand, but he seemed to hear you, turning to face you with a grin as you approached.
“Ready?” he asked as you came to a stop before him, tucking some of your hair behind your ear in an effort to keep your cool.
“Yeah,” you answered, impressed that your voice hadn’t come out squeaky with how nervous you were.
“Good,” he replied, before his grin turned teasing. “Was half expectin’ ya to come on our date in that rat costume.”
“Poro!” you corrected again, trying not to get flustered by his mention of this being a date. You weren’t sure what else it would be, but you couldn’t help the butterflies that fluttered in your stomach when he had acknowledged the obvious.
He surprised you by taking your hand, pulling you along with him as you tried desperately not to stumble and fall into the sand.
The beach crowd was beginning to thin out, people heading home or to one of the many beachfront restaurants nearby. Watching as a kid packed up his sand toys, you wondered if one of those restaurants was where you were headed as well. Sett hadn’t told you anything about what the plan was, and you found yourself curious when he led you to the bright white lifeguard office.
At first, you had thought that maybe he had forgotten something, at least until you followed him into the small building to see what looked to be the table that had previously held all the first aid kits, now decked out in a soft-looking purple picnic blanket. On top of the makeshift picnic table was a spread of various tasty-looking finger foods, the scene completed by two chairs pulled up to the table, cushions with a starfish pattern placed on the seats.
You were perhaps too dumbfounded by the sight, as you snapped out of it to Sett calling your name, looking over at him to see him looking surprisingly tense. You should probably say something, you realized.
“It looks great,” you said, meaning every word as you looked over the table. “Are those cabbage rolls?”
“Ma helped me make ‘em,” Sett explained, looking bashful for the first time since you had met him as he raised an arm to scratch at the back of his neck. “Helped me with all of this, actually. Never done anythin’ like this before.”
“You mean a picnic?” you asked curiously.
Sett chuckled. “Picnics. Dates. Not a lotta women ‘round here who wanted anythin’ to do with a fatherless half-breed.”
You had a hard time believing that; you had noticed several mothers checking him out as they packed their family’s stuff to leave the beach. But the hint of something sad in his eyes made you reconsider. You had no memory of seeing someone like him that summer you had spent here, but it wasn’t like that was a surprise to you. You and Taliyah had been in your own little world at that time, only ever spending time with each other.
“Well I’m excited to try your cooking,” you said, figuring a change of subject was for the best.
Sett grinned as he sat down. “Should be decent. Haven’t poisoned anyone since high school.”
Your eyes widened, hand freezing on its path to grab a cabbage roll, startled eyes darting to his.
Sett let out a bark of laughter at your alarmed face. “Relax. Wouldn’t poison ya. Maybe those kids that keep swimmin’ into the boating zone, but not you.”
“Thanks… I think?” you replied, biting your lip as you stared down at the cabbage rolls, weighing your options.
“Wasn’t real poison anyways,” he scoffed, taking some rolls from himself. “Not my fault sugar and salt look the same.”
You laughed, grabbing some food for yourself at last. “I suppose they kinda do.”
“Ma didn’t wanna hurt my feelings, but I knew when I tried some myself,” he explained.
“It was nice of her to try,” you offered.
“Too nice,” he said. “Ma is always too nice. Never said anythin’ bad about my old man, even after what he did. Had to work three jobs for years because of that bastard, but not a word.”
“Well I’m sure she’s glad she has you,” you commented. “Even if you give her food poisoning sometimes.”
“Once,” he corrected, taking a bite. “Learned my lesson the first time.”
You followed his lead, finding the food to be entirely poison-free, and actually the best home-cooked meal you had eaten in a long time. The conversation moved to swapping work stories, and you were unsurprised to find out that the mother and her the demon children had been a thorn in Sett’s side as well.
“They really buried sleeping sunbathers in sand?”
“Five times in a day one time,” Sett grouchily confirmed. “Last time Braum went to handle it. Said I would bury those little assholes under the sand if I had to go yell at them one more time.”
You sympathized with his pain. You felt lucky that you had only experienced the tip of the annoyingness iceberg with that group of little terrors.
“Braum?” you inquired as you both left the lifeguard office, the beach now fully dark.
“Fellow lifeguard,” he answered, nonchalantly taking your hand in his as you made your way off the beach. “Bald, giant moustache, even bigger than me. Better at the whole gentle-but-firm thing than I am.”
“Oh, I think I’ve seen him before. He comes by for poro pops sometimes,” you said, mind drawing a picture of the surprisingly friendly man in the small purple swim bottoms with a weakness for poro-shaped ice pops. “So are you the head lifeguard then?”
Sett considered your question. “Guess I am the boss of ‘em. All of the other lifeguards are always comin’ at me with problems to solve. The extra pay doesn’t hurt either if I wanna keep momma from feelin’ like she has to work.”
“Say thank you to her from me for the dinner. It was really good,” you said as you passed by the familiar tacky souvenir shop.
“She’ll be happy to hear it,” he replied with a soft smile that made your heart thump in your chest. “I know she wishes she had more to cook for than just me.”
You both came to a stop before Taliyah’s house, and you sneakily glanced over just to make sure Taliyah wasn’t peeking out from a window, which she wasn’t. You turned your focus back to Sett, only to find him closer than he had just been. How was he so good at sneaking up on you?
A large hand came up to cup your jaw, thumb brushing against your cheek, and your face was tilted up towards Sett’s. You were glad it was dark out, because otherwise you knew your reddening cheeks would be obvious.
“Still afraid of me?” he asked, voice low, lips so close to yours that you could make out a small scar that crossed over his bottom lip.
“No,” you answered, making no move to pull away as you stared up into his eyes. “Not unless I was about to taste your high school cooking.”
“Smart,” he replied with a smirk. “But I’m talkin’ about right now, because if you don’t turn and run into that house, I’m gonna kiss you.”
Your bag almost tumbled from your grasp, but you held fast as you stared at Sett, whose own had already become half-lidded. You had no words to describe how much you didn’t want to run right now, so you didn’t use any, instead angling your face further upwards, trying to make your willingness abundantly clear.
With a grin, he leaned down and kissed you.
Pulling back slightly, he dove back in, his other hand coming to your waist to pull you against him. You happily leant into him, your hands on his firm chest.
When he pulled back again, you opened your eyes at last, feeling almost as dizzy as right before you had passed out from heat stroke.
Sett looked content, and you were only hoping you looked half as composed as he did right now. He leaned back in to give you one more peck before pulling back from you entirely, the cold from the air outside immediately apparent as soon as you were minus his warm hands against your skin.
“Think I’ll stop by tomorrow,” he said. “Been cravin’ a cherry snowball for some reason lately.”
Sett was a man of his word, you learned, though you were less happy to see him the next day when he asked if he could order a cherry snowball served like last time, and then laughed as you had proceeded to sputter like a broken machine.
His visits became daily, sometimes bringing Braum with him, who continued to surprise you with the sheer amount of poro pops he was able to consume in one sitting. Quite a few nights a week, you had found yourself all around Port Navori with the half-Vastayan lifeguard. You were surprised at how supportive Taliyah was being, considering you had originally come here to spend time with her.
“Gives me more time to surf,” she answered with a shrug when you had asked her. “And maybe that boyfriend of yours can convince you to stay here after the summer is over.”
“Boyfriend?” you yelped, and Taliyah raised an eyebrow.
“You aren’t? I thought he would have made it official by now. It’s been over two weeks… have you guys even done it?”
“Taliyah!” you scolded her, switching back to professional mode as a group of people approached the stand.
As you helped prepare their orders, you couldn’t help but think about what she had said. You and Sett had kissed quite a lot actually, but he had yet to do more than that. But it was far too embarrassing a subject for you to have the confidence to broach, so you had resolved yourself to just be content with things as they were.
It was just your luck that right then was when Sett had decided to make his daily visit to the stand, approaching the counter as the other group left.
Taliyah apparently wasn’t done pestering you for the day as she sped to meet him at the counter before you could get there yourself.
“Hey!” she greeted Sett with a sly smile as you stood frozen behind her, nervous about her motivations. “You’re on your break, right?”
Sett raised an eyebrow. “What about it?”
“Well,” she said, in the voice you knew meant that she wanted something. “There’s a surfing contest I entered, and it’s almost my turn and it won’t even take that long and–”
“Tali!” you interrupted, rushing over to the counter.
“All I need is an hour,” Taliyah insisted, before pulling you beside her at the counter. “And she needs some help while I’m gone since lunchtime is when most of the people come by.”
“I’m fine, I–”
“I’m in,” Sett cut in, eyeing you with almost palpable smugness.
“Awesome!” Taliyah replied, immediately shucking her apron and hat onto the floor in her haste to get out the door. “Have fun, see you after I win!”
“Taliyah!”
Your call of her name fell on deaf ears as she already had her board and was out the door, leaving you standing at the counter with Sett still leaning against the counter.
Sett reached up to pull his sunglasses off, tucking them into his packet, his golden eyes fully uncovered and sparkling with mischief, the sight alone making you feel weary.
“Well? You gonna invite me in?” he asked. “Not sure I’d fit through the window.”
You scrambled to meet him at the back door, not wanting him to try and get into the shop through the order window that was less wide than he was. It was a strange feeling to open the back door of the shop to a guy that was almost too tall for the doorway, and another thing entirely to try and corral him into behaving as you tried to keep the ice cream stand functioning while Taliyah was gone.
“Aren’t lifeguards supposed to set a good example for others?” you huffed, wiping ice from your apron. At least he hadn’t made things truly equal and put cherry syrup on the ball of shaved ice he had pressed against your neck.
“Not when I’m off the clock,” he answered. “Besides, it’s my once in a lifetime chance to see what workin’ one of these is like.”
It would definitely be only one time if you had anything to say about it. If the almost-hour with him here had taught you anything, it was that Sett was not cut out to work in an ice cream shop.
The scoops of ice cream he doled out were easily twice the size of the ones Taliyah did, which made for happy customers, but a less happy bottom line if he was here for more than an hour. He was also lacking Taliyah’s patience, and you were forced to sideline him when an especially picky middle-aged woman came by who insisted you remake her smoothie four times until it had an acceptable pH level. The woman’s complaints had miraculously stopped the moment Sett had approached the window himself, becoming so invested in flirting with the handsome lifeguard that she had snatched her next smoothie attempt from you without complaint, not even glancing your way as she batted her eyes at him, only leaving when he excused himself with an excuse of needing to make more orders.
You approached Sett to check on him and found yourself pulled down into his lap as he leaned back in the chair.
Huffing, he pulled you against him, nuzzling against your neck. “Don’t know how you deal with that. Couldn’t pay me to make her damn smoothie one more time.”
“You get used to it,” you replied. “Don’t you deal with worse as a lifeguard?”
“Yeah,” he grunted. “But nothin’ sayin’ I gotta be nice when I deal with ‘em.”
“That’s true,” you laughed.
“If anyone complains, they can go somewhere else. Ain’t another beach within a hundred miles as well-run as this one,” he bragged, kissing at your neck.
As much as you were enjoying his sudden affection, you knew time was running low until Taliyah would return. You made to pull back to tell Sett that, but were instead pulled into a kiss that took you a few breathless moments to find the strength to escape.
“This Friday,” he murmured, face inches from yours. “There’s a party at the pool. You should come with me.”
You had heard about the exclusive pool parties on this beach from Taliyah, but hadn’t expected to ever get an invite. The pool, which was at the far end of the beach from the ice cream stand, was as exclusive as it got. Gated with walls so high that you couldn’t see in, it was the membership-only place to be for all of the elite in the beach town of Port Navori.
“Is that… okay?” you asked hesitantly.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” he countered, and you didn’t really have an answer. “It’ll be fine. Come. Have some people I wanna introduce ya to.”
The door burst open at the same time as you nodded your agreement, revealing Taliyah clutching both her dripping board as well as a shiny blue ribbon.
“You won?” you asked, trying to disentangle yourself from Sett, who reluctantly let you up.
“Easily!” Taliyah gloated. “Nobody else stood a chance. So how were things here?”
“The money ain’t worth the drama of this place,” Sett griped.
Taliyah laughed. “Smoothie lady come back with a vengeance?”
“I’ll take kids buryin’ sunbathers up to their ears over this any day,” he replied with a grimace, standing up and stretching.
At his mention of ears, Taliyah had brought both hands up to her own head about where Sett’s were on his head, and you quickly waved at her to cut it out before he saw. Thankfully she did, but you could tell that you were going to get asked if you had pet his ears yet as soon as his fuzzy ears were out of earshot.
“I’ll text ya the time when I know it,” Sett said, giving you a quick kiss on the head and a two-fingered salute to Taliyah before heading out the back door.
“So?” Taliyah asked, pulling the chair up to the ice cream station after she had stashed her prize ribbon in her bag. “Are they as soft as they look?”
“I didn’t pet them,” you answered.
“It’s been over two weeks!” she complained. “Has he at least asked you to be his girlfriend yet?”
You shook your head. “He did invite me to a pool party with him on Friday at that fancy pool.”
“Really?” Taliyah responded, eyes wide. “You have to tell me what it’s like! I mean, I’ve seen satellite photos, but it’s not the same…”
“I’ll probably be too nervous to remember any of it,” you grumbled.
“This is your chance!” Taliyah encouraged. “By Friday it’ll be three weeks. You need to ask him if he sees you as his girlfriend or not.”
You reeled back, waves of anticipatory anxiety rolling over you. “I don’t want to scare him off. What if this is just casual to him and I’m too dumb to see it?”
“Then you’ll know,” she replied. “I know you. It’ll eat you up if you put this much energy into a guy without knowing how he feels about you. So ask. If he says no, then at least you’ll have an entire store’s worth of ice cream to drown yourself in after!”
Taliyah was right. She was always right. You knew that you couldn’t keep whatever this was up without knowing where you stood with him. The more time you spent with Sett, the more you wanted, and if he intended to keep things casual, you would rather know sooner so you could make an informed decision.
So that would be the plan then. Go to the party, have a good time (and get some photos of the pool for Taliyah) and then ask Sett about the state of your relationship. Sounded easy in theory. You could only hope you could muster up the courage to go through with the plan when the time came.
After hearing that the party was to start at four, Taliyah had gone all out, closing the stand at two so she could help you get ready to impress the snobs. You hadn’t put up too much of a fight, happy to have her help and her company, as your nerves only climbed higher the closer it got to four o’clock.
“You’ll be fine,” Taliyah said as she styled your hair. “You’ll only feel worse if you don’t get an answer from him. And with how good you’ll look at the party, he won’t be able to say no!”
“Thanks, Tali,” you replied gratefully. “I promise I’ll get you a bunch of photos of the pool. And whatever else you want.”
“What I want is for you to stay here for good,” she said. “So really I’m just doing myself a favor by helping you. This place has been a hundred times more bearable since you’ve been here, and I want it to stay that way.”
“Still,” you persisted. “I feel bad that you’re going to so much trouble. If you want anything, just let me know.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Taliyah dismissed with a wave of her hand. “You should get going, don’t wanna be late to the fancy pool party.”
She practically shoved you out the door, and then you were alone, walking down the mostly-empty sidewalk. As you walked along the street, you couldn’t help but dwell on the possibilities. What would happen at the party? What would Sett say?
If he told you that he wasn’t looking for anything serious, what would you do? It was hard to have an answer for until you were in the moment, since a lot of it would depend on what Sett’s answer would be.
You walked through the parking lot, and then onto the beach, passing by kids building sandcastles and games of beach volleyball as you walked towards the end of the beach where the pool was. As you made your way to the fancier end of the beach, you began to notice the differences that marked the split between here and the side of the beach that you were usually on.
The shops on this side of the beach were much fancier, the sand littered with designer beach chairs and umbrellas. It was crazy just how different two ends of one beach could be.
The pool was noticeable from a great distance, or at least the wall white walls that surrounded it were. At least you weren’t going to get lost and miss the party entirely.
You approached the pristine white stairs that led from the beach up to the pool entrance, equal parts excited and apprehensive. The entrance was an open doorway, covered by a deep blue curtain and guarded by a muscled bouncer in white. The sight alone was intimidating; why hadn’t you just asked Sett to meet you beforehand?
You plastered a reluctant smile on your face before approaching the man. “Hi, I–”
“Name,” he interrupted, not looking up from his clipboard, sunglasses too dark for you to see his eyes.
Well it wasn’t like you hadn’t expected some level of standoffishness from the elite side of the beach. Keeping your smile up, you told him your name, waiting the prerequisite few moments for him to leaf through the list.
He seemed to have found what he was looking for, as his hand with the clipboard went to his side and he moved over to the curtain, pulling it to one side to allow you to enter. He had said nothing further, but seemed to be staring in your direction, so you took that as your cue and walked towards the now-open entryway and into the pool.
The entryway led into a hallway with pristine white walls, soft lighting hanging overhead. You could begin to hear chatter as you got closer to the end of the hallway, exiting into an explosion of sight and sound.
The pool was huge, and there seemed to be an intricate gold pattern on the tiles at the bottom. The pool was surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas, tropical foliage bordering the inner walls around the pool.
There were people all over, in and out of the pool. There was also a bar in the center which seemed to be very popular, as many people were carrying around intricate-looking cocktails.
More than the scenery or the people, your eyes were scanning the area for Sett. You checked your phone again to make sure, finding that it was the time he had told you to be here for. Maybe he was just running late or…
Your rising concern was broken up by the tap of designer wedges on the granite heading your way. You looked up from your phone to see two girls heading towards you, one of which you realized you had seen before.
The stuck-up redhead that had been the reason you had been out on the beach to spill the snowball on Sett in the first place was striding towards you, not a hair out of place underneath her likely-expensive sun hat. At her side was a lilac-haired woman in a swimsuit with a plunging neckline that was color blocked with various shades of purple. Together they made quite a striking pair, but your previous encounter with the redhead had you wishing that Sett would get here soon to save you from the impending conversation.
“Look, Sarah,” the purple-haired one sneered as they came to a stop before you. “So eager to pretend she’s one of us that she rushed right over.”
You took a step back, but that only seemed to embolden them.
Sarah lowered her sunglasses, staring at you like you were in her way. “Sad when they don’t know their place, Syndra.”
“Sett invited me here,” you replied defensively.
The women exchanged a pointed look before Sarah raised an eyebrow at you, a hand on her hip. “You ever think about why that was?”
“What?” you replied, unsure of what she was getting at.
“She doesn’t get it,” Syndra said with a cruel undertone in her voice that unnerved you.
“Look around,” Sarah said sharply. “Really look. Do half the people here look like they belong?”
You looked around, not sure what you were supposed to be seeing. A man with a hook-nose sat at the pool bar, flanked by women in skimpy bikinis. A humanoid form that seemed to be made of water conversed poolside with a large purple man in a ratty straw hat who was holding a ukulele. What were you supposed to be noticing?
“Sett is too nice to break it to you, so the job falls to me,” Sarah said with a smirk. “This is our annual loser fest. Charity case race. Bring-a-freak-to-work-day.”
“Pig party,” Syndra supplied.
“Yeah, pig party,” Sarah repeated, noticing your confused look. “Don’t know what that is? Poor thing.”
“I don’t–”
“It’s pretty simple,” Sarah interrupted. “We take half the summer to find the biggest freak we can, and then we bring them all together and crown a winner, and by the looks of you, Sett is really going for the top prize.”
You gasped, eyes wide, suddenly feeling like you were going to be sick.
“Aw, you really thought he liked you, huh?” Syndra mocked with fake sweetness.
“He didn’t… he never…” you stammered, clutching your bag to your chest.
“Well duh,” Sarah replied haughtily. “He wanted to win. Do you tell a pig when it’s about to become bacon?”
“What is meaning of this?” Braum accused, storming up to your group. “I have not heard of such a thing!”
“Need-to-know, Braum,” Syndra dismissed.
“And you didn’t need to know,” Sarah added.
You felt numb. This whole time… is that why Sett wouldn’t ask you to be his girlfriend? Why he never did more than kiss you? All this time, he had just seen you as a prize pig for an ugly date contest? It all made sense now, why he had been so desperate to get your number. He had never liked you… it had all been one sick joke. You should’ve known; nobody as attractive as Sett would ever see you as anything but a freak. And was too cowardly to come and tell you the truth to your face.
“Look, she’s crying,” Syndra taunted. “Don’t cry! Soon you’ll be queen pig!”
You couldn’t do this. You couldn’t stay here with all these people who saw you as less than human as your heart was breaking into pieces. You were so, so stupid, now wanting nothing more than to cry in peace. So you did, turning and running as fast as your legs would take you out of this awful place.
“Bye, piggy! We’ll ship you the ribbon!”
You heard Braum shout your name, as well as the cruel laughter of the women, but you didn’t stop running. Not when you got to the beach, nor the parking lot or the tacky souvenir shop, the sayings on the gaudy shirts too blurry to read through your tears. Your feet didn’t stop until you were at the doorstep to Taliyah’s home, out of breath, tears running down your cheeks.
The door opened, Taliyah’s face appearing in the doorway. “Hey, did you forget– wait, what happened?”
“Settrigh, stay still!”
Sett frowned, but did as his momma requested, allowing her to tie the ends of his hair after she had finished arranging it. He loved his ma dearly, but he really didn’t have time for her to redo his hair ten times right now.
It was getting way too close to the start time he had given you, and with how nervous of a person you were, he had intended to be on time, but that was before his mother had discovered the reason why he was cutting their visit short today.
Ma was aware that he had been seeing someone, had been ever since Sett had needed help making food for their first date.
“You do intend to let me meet her, Settrigh?” she asked, stepping back once she had fixed his hair to her satisfaction.
“Yes, ma,” he answered, standing up from the chair.
He wasn’t exactly surprised by his momma’s eagerness, considering this was the first girl he had ever dated, let alone considered introducing to her. This world was shallow; he had learned that early in life, which may be why he found himself so drawn to a girl who had put her all into having nothing to do with him. You broke up the monotony in this busy beach town and gave him something to look forward to other than seeing his ma for the first time in a long time.
Sett knew he was working on a time limit. You had mentioned that you had planned on only visiting Port Navori for the summer, and the summer was half over already, which meant his chances to convince you to stay were also halved, which is where tonight came in.
He had been taking things slow, not wanting to come on too strong and scare you off like he had watched happen to many a beachfront pick-up artist. He had been unwilling to rush things and lose you, but the slip of the calendar into August had forced his hand.
He would be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit apprehensive as to how today would end. How would you take him asking you to be girlfriend? He could only hope that he hadn’t misread you entirely.
He didn’t go to the pool parties often, but it seemed like a good way for him to introduce you to his friends, as they didn’t often all gather outside of those parties. He knew you would likely feel out of place, but Braum would be there, and he intended to stick by your side the entire time. And then after the party, if things went well, then maybe he would end the night with you as his girlfriend, but the party would be the first step.
As he left his ma’s house, he found his mind turning to the party. If you were wearing that red swimsuit you had worn last week, then it was going to be a difficult night for his self-control. His desire to take things slow had really taken a hit then, his only saving grace being ma’s lecture on being a gentleman pounding in his head as he tried not to look at how your chest was half-busting out of your top as you leaned over to pick a thread off of his glove. You were really too hot for your own good, which made him all the more eager to see you.
He knew he was running late, the party having started at least ten minutes earlier. It wasn’t his style to be late, but he was also pretty helpless to defy his ma. He only hoped that you hadn’t given up on him and left.
He took the shortest route possible, which included a short trek through some bushes that left him more leafy than he would’ve liked, but it was all forgotten when he spotted the stairs that led up to the pool entrance.
He was able to bypass the doorman who was only half as big as he was and seemed to be wary of interacting with him, stepping out of the way as Sett approached. He pushed past the curtain, hurried steps heading down the hallway. You hadn’t been waiting outside, so clearly you had been able to get in. He tried to fight back the excited grin that wanted to take over his face, but it was a losing battle as he entered the pool area, eyes immediately scanning the area for you.
“Your cruelty is unimaginable!” Braum’s booming voice carried easily through the air. “That girl has done nothing to be deserving of such treatment!”
What had Braum so worked up? Generally he was an easy guy to get along with, easily Sett’s most tolerable co-lifeguard. Not much phased him, which was a little concerning. But Sett had other priorities, the most important being locating you.
You weren’t in the pool, and didn’t seem to be sitting in any of the chairs. Maybe you had gone to the bathroom and would be right back–
“Well how else was she supposed to know Sett is too good for her? She clearly wasn’t going to see reality without a little help.”
Sett’s ears perked up, his attention snagged by the mention of his name, but especially by the latter half of the sentence. He turned around to see Sarah Fortune with Syndra at her side, who had her arms crossed and looked bored. In front of them was Braum, looking more irate than Sett had ever seen him.
“What’s this about?” Sett asked in a warning tone as he approached, the fur of his ears standing on end, leaving him feeling like he wasn’t going to like where this was headed.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” Sarah dismissed, flipping her hair behind her shoulder with a flick of her head. “We just showed a daydreaming little clout chaser the way out.”
Sett’s eyebrow rose. “A what?”
“Your ice cream girl,” Braum cut in. “These two have told her that this is a party for pigs. They have told her that you intend to bring her here to win ugly contest, and then she had run off.”
“What?” Sett growled dangerously, but the two women remained nonplussed.
“We did you a favor,” Syndra stressed. “If we get a reputation of letting just anyone in, then we’ll lose all status as members of the ruling class of the food chain. So we decided to throw this little pig party to make you come back to your senses.”
“You’re one of us, Sett,” Sarah added. “This pool doesn’t have room for little nobodies who don’t know their place.”
“Rather be a nobody than whatever the hell this is,” Sett snarled angrily, the full knowledge of the truth turning his bad feeling to a mix of simmering fury at the two women, and worry for you. He hated himself for being late and allowing this to happen to you. “Save your concern and don’t talk to me again.”
“But we were–” Syndra started, but Sett wasn’t in the mood.
“If you even look at her again, you’ll have me to deal with. And unlike that girl you just bullied outta here, I ain’t so nice.”
With that, Sett turned on his heel and stormed towards the exit to go do his best to fix this mess.
Braum quickly followed behind him. “My friend, I am sorry I could not stop them in time.”
“Ain’t your fault,” Sett replied. “Wish I’d have known. Gotta go see if she’ll even talk to me at this point.”
“I wish you luck,” Braum said as exited the hallway and emerged out into the sunny late afternoon.
Sett parted from Braum, taking the stairs two at a time as he surveyed the area, trying to see if he could catch sight of you. He quickly crossed the sand, making a beeline for the ice cream stand, even if it seemed like a longshot. He passed by a group of kids throwing sand on an older man sleeping on a towel, but ignored it and kept going. If anything was on fire, Braum could put it out. Sett’s sole focus right now was finding you and hoping you’d let him explain himself.
His chest felt heavy with anger and regret. How could he have let this happen? He hadn’t realized how cruel those women could be, and it had led to them making you believe he thought you were some freak he was using for convenience, which could not be farther from the truth.
Seeing those two talk about you like you were a pariah had brought him right back to when he was younger, to what he had endured at the hands of people just like Syndra and Sarah. People who had ostracized him, did their best to make him feel like he didn’t have a place here. Sett-the-beast-boy-bastard; the words had haunted him for a long time.
He had grown tough in response to the years of bullying, but you hadn’t. This was your first exposure to how awful this place could be. He and ma had dealt with it for years after pa ran off; he had nearly gotten expelled from school after a particularly bad fight with a kid that had made one too many nasty comments about his ma to his face.
Sett stopped, letting out a frustrated sigh as he saw the large closed sign on the front windows of the ice cream shop. So that was a bust. Without giving the store a second look, he continued on towards the rocks and then up to the parking lot.
There was only one other place to try. Chest tight, Sett followed the same path he had the night of your first date, the same path he took every time he walked you home. The walk there was one long blur, his feet unable to stop moving until the familiar house was in sight. Without a moment’s hesitation, Sett approached the front door, rapping his knuckles against the wood. When no answer came, he tried again, and after a few moments, the door opened to reveal Taliyah, who glared once she caught sight of him.
“What do you want?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Is she here? I need to talk to her,” Sett said, urgency bleeding into his voice.
Taliyah sighed, stepping outside and closing the door behind her. “You’re lucky I’m even talking to you after this. You don’t deserve to talk to her if that’s how you let your friends treat her.”
“They ain’t my friends,” Sett argued. “If I’d have known they were gonna pull that shit–”
A sly smile lifted the corner of Taliyah’s lips. “Good answer. If you had said anything else, then I’d be slamming the door in your face right about now.”
“Then can I–”
“Talk to her?” Taliyah interrupted. “Nope. Not a good idea.”
Sett’s face must have taken on a darker quality, because Taliyah retreated back a step, raising her hands in the air in mock surrender. “Relax, tough guy. I didn’t mean it like that. But she’s a little too upset to talk to you right now.”
The information only made Sett feel worse. He wanted so badly to talk to you, to do what he had wanted to do before this mess had happened and make you his girlfriend. You had never felt farther away than you did right now.
“Give me some time to calm her down. I can get her to be at the pier at seven, then the rest is up to you,” she said, levelling him with a stern look. “I know this wasn’t your fault. That’s the only reason I’m giving you a chance. She really likes you, so try not to make her feel any worse than she already does. Bye.”
And then Taliyah was gone, retreating back into the house and leaving Sett standing on the doorstep.
“Brought you some water,” Taliyah announced as she entered the room, glass in hand.
“Who was at the door?” you asked.
She shrugged. “Someone looking for my dad. Told them he’s not here.”
You nodded. It was probably too much to hope that it would be Sett. You winced as you thought his name. You hated how much you wanted to see him, someone who had used you to win some popular kid ugly date contest.
So it had all been a lie then? All the things he had told you about his life, his family? Every time he had kissed you, was he picturing kissing one of those girls instead? Is this really what popular people did for fun? You felt stupid for falling for it, for falling for him. You were so stupid.
With some prompting from Taliyah, you took a sip of the water. After she had made sure you had drank the whole glass, she sat down next to you, taking the glass from you and setting it down on the bedside table.
“I should have known,” you croaked.
“Known that popular girls are bitchy? Maybe,” she responded.
“That it was too good to be true,” you corrected.
“You’re acting like you’re eighty,” she scolded. “There are other guys out there. Ones who don’t have shitty friends.”
“Yeah, I know,” you replied. “But I really liked him. And I didn’t even get to pet his stupid fuzzy ears.”
“Well if you’re joking, then you must be doing okay,” she said. “How about we go do something to take your mind off of things?”
You frowned, and she rolled her eyes. “Not right this second. I’ll give you until six-thirty to get yourself ready to go.”
Taliyah got up off the bed and headed towards the door. “I’m not gonna let your night be ruined because of a couple of snobs.”
She closed the door, leaving you alone with your thoughts again. You laid back on the bed, intent on taking some time before you got ready to just veg out. As much as the notion of going out didn’t excite you right now, it was probably better than being a mopey mess all night. There would be other guys; it was just a shame that you had liked this one so much.
Two hours later, you were walking down the street with Taliyah. Your getting ready to go had consisted of washing your face of all the smeared makeup from your crying, brushing your hair into a semi-decent state and then watching dumb cat videos on your phone until you felt like you didn’t want to crawl in a hole and die.
Taliyah had assured you that you didn’t look bad, which you might have believed if you hadn’t seen yourself in the mirror as you were leaving, but at this point you were beyond caring about how you looked right now.
Taliyah had refused to tell you where she was taking you, and so you were forced to follow her down the familiar path towards the beach, unsure of where it was you were being led. Part of you was worried that you might run into Sett, but then the more rational side of you took over; he was likely back at that pool, partying it up with those girls and lamenting that you had run off before he could win his ugly date prize. It was crazy to realize just how flawed your judgment had been.
You had expected to be walking onto the beach, as it was where you two usually spent most of your time, but Taliyah didn’t go to the parking lot, instead heading towards the rockier section of the beach. You hadn’t been over here before, only vaguely aware of the area as a prime fishing location, bait shops and the like lining the street across from this part of the beachfront.
She took you past the fishing spots, down to near the end of the beach, where there was a small pier that went about thirty feet out into the sea. Like most of the beach at this time on a weekday, the pier was empty, most of the fishermen also having headed out with their day’s catches.
Taliyah led you down the pier to the small bench at the end of it, pushing you to sit down. When she didn’t do the same, you looked up at her, confused.
“I’ll be right back,” she said. “I’m gonna go grab something to help cheer you up. You just enjoy the view for a bit.”
You decided to follow her advice, staring out at the water. There wasn’t much to see other than some boats in the far distance and some buoys bobbing in the water that marked the swimming section from the boating section.
It was kind of nice in a way, the calm waters helping you to relax as you watched the waves roll in and out. You stayed like that for a while as you allowed yourself to zone out until you began to wonder how much time had passed. Pulling out your phone, you saw that it had been almost twenty minutes, and yet there was no sign of Taliyah as you looked around.
You had assumed that she went to get you two some food, which likely was still the case. Some of the places here tended to have rather large dinnertime crowds, so a twenty minute plus wait wasn’t exactly unusual. You had no idea where she had gone, so all you could do was wait. If she wasn’t back by seven, you would just text her and ask what was up.
You let yourself be taken in again by the rolling waves as you continued to wait, trying to recall what kinds of restaurants there were on the beachfront. It couldn’t be that fish and chips place; Taliyah had spent a full half hour last week complaining about how stale their food was. Or the taco place, since it had been closed for renovations for the past week. You had been trying to think of a third option when your concentration was broken by someone taking a seat next to you on the bench.
You looked over, expecting to see Taliyah back with some food, but instead nearly jolted off of the bench when next to you was the very man you were out here trying to forget.
Just seeing him when you were feeling so pathetic sent a jolt of you weren’t sure what up your spine, your flight instincts screaming at you as you made to stand up, only to be stopped by a firm grip on your wrist.
“I know you don’t wanna see my face right now,” Sett said. “But I can explain.”
“Explain what?” you replied meekly. “Those girls explained enough.”
“I haven’t,” he insisted. “Just listen for a minute. Then you can leave, or punch me, whatever you want.”
You took a look around, still not seeing Taliyah anywhere. You weren’t sure what he could have to say that would make much of a difference, but you sat back down, and he let go of your wrist.
You turned reluctantly to face Sett, waiting for him to talk first.
“Never told ‘em to do somethin’ like that,” he said gruffly. “Didn’t even know about it ‘til I got there and you weren’t there.”
“But they said…” you started, taking a breath to keep yourself calm as you prepared to recount the hurtful words. “They said you were only spending time with me so you could win their whole ugly date contest.”
Sett’s eyes narrowed, the skin of his knuckles tightening on his curling fists. “First I’ve heard of it. Ain’t no way you’d ever place in an ugly contest anyways.”
His words threw you. “Wait, so you don’t think I’m ugly?”
He snorted, a grin playing at his lips. “Well I was plannin’ on askin’ you to be my girlfriend after the party, so nah, I don’t think you’re ugly.”
“You–” you gasped, pulse skyrocketing. This was not how you expected this conversation to go. You were half convinced you were experiencing auditory hallucinations until Sett reached over, pulling you into his side.
“This is my fault,” he spoke lowly. “If I hadn’t been late, I’d have been there to stop that from happening.”
“What happened when you got there?” you asked quietly.
“Braum told me what happened, then those two tried tellin’ me they did it for my sake,” he growled. “I thought I was used to seein’ through bullies from how I grew up. Doesn’t matter now, they won’t be botherin’ you anymore unless they wanna find out why momma says I got her temper.”
“Why were you late anyways?” you asked.
He groaned, leaning his head back against the bench. Even with the sun mostly set, you could clearly see a pink tone to his cheeks.
“What is it?” you pressed, curious about why the intimidating lifeguard was suddenly being so shy.
He let out a long sigh, finally meeting your eyes. “Ma was doin’ my hair.”
You looked him over, realizing that his hair did seem to be tied differently today. The only thing that looked the same was his ears, just as fluffy as they always looked. You could almost hear Taliyah’s voice screaming in your head to pet them. Speaking of Taliyah…
“Taliyah!” you gasped, trying to extract yourself from Sett’s grip, but failing. If Taliyah was to come and see you here with the guy she had taken you out to forget about… “My friend, she’ll be back any second and–”
Sett laughed, and you were immediately left with the feeling that you were missing something.
“She ain’t comin’ back,” he said amusedly. “I’ve got you all to myself for the night… if that’s what you want.”
“Taliyah set me up?” you breathed, not having suspected a thing.
“I asked her to,” Sett explained. “Wasn’t about to let you go ‘cuz of some shallow assholes.”
Taliyah was much sneakier than you had given her credit for, you realized, but you couldn’t bring yourself to mind right now. Though that didn’t mean you weren’t hungry, your previous stress melting away and removing the only distraction from your empty stomach.
“So,” you hummed. “Are you still going to ask me to be your girlfriend?”
You still had no idea what would happen by the end of the summer, but you really wanted this. You wanted him.
“Yeah, was plannin’ on it.”
You had thought about it all the way back to Sett’s house. Was it really for the best to go back to your city when the summer was over? Back to your parents’ house to find an equally demanding and unfulfilling job?
The more you thought about it, the more you wanted to stay. Taliyah was here, Sett was here, and other than your brief nasty encounter at the pool earlier, this summer had been the best one you’d had in a long time.
Sett seemed intent on giving you more reasons to stay as he was on you pretty much as soon as you entered his house. You had been standing in the entryway, looking at a picture of what must have been Sett and his mother when he caught you off guard, picking you up from behind.
You yelped, turning your head back to face him just in time for him to dart forward to snatch a kiss.
“You’ll have time to look around later,” he said as he walked down the hall, nudging a door open with his shoulder and then taking you into what looked to be his bedroom.
Once again, you were scarcely granted a look around before Sett had overtaken your attention yet again. You were swiftly carried over and deposited on the bed, Sett eagerly caging your body down against the sheets with his own.
“I wanted to go slow,” he said against your ear. “Didn’t wanna mess things up. But that’s not what you want, is it?”
“No,” you gasped as he snaked a hand under your dress, and then under your swimsuit bottoms. “I… I want…”
“This?” he inquired, thumb brushing against your clit, causing you to jolt against him with a breathy moan. “Waited a long time to hear that.”
Seeking more room to work, Sett pulled back to reach down and pull down your swimsuit bottoms, tossing them to the side. You watched with reddening cheeks as he returned his attention to you, head disappearing under your dress next.
His first lick against your pussy felt back-archingly good, but you didn’t have a lot of room to move with Sett’s hands holding your lower half in place. His tongue felt slightly rough, bringing pricks of pleasure-pain along its path.
Closing your eyes tight, you tried not to squirm, but it was difficult as Sett’s tongue prodded inside you before moving back to sucking at your clit. It felt good, almost too good, but you found yourself wanting more than his mouth against you.
“Sett,” you moaned. “Please…”
You weren’t sure if he got the message until you reached down to grasp at one of his hands. He pulled back from you, wiping one forearm against the wet lower half of his face as he sat back. His position on his knees on the bed allowed you a good look at the decently-sized bulge in the front of his tight swim shorts.
Sett caught your eyes, reaching one hand down to cup his cock through his shorts. “All you, sweetheart. Still think I think you’re ugly?”
You somehow managed to shake your head, speechless from his ardent display of his body. Sett seemed to bask in just how speechless he had made you, a sexy grin overtaking his face as he stared down at you.
“Couldn’t ask for more than this,” he said. “But if you want more…”
He was such a tease. With a burning face, you relented.
“Could you just put it in me please?” you asked, too shy to make eye contact.
“Can do,” he replied, and you could easily hear the smug satisfaction in his voice.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Sett stood up from the bed to pull his shorts off, wincing slightly when he pulled the tight fabric over his painfully-hard cock. Tossing the shorts to the floor, his attention quickly returned to you.
Giving his cock a few slow strokes, he watched you sit up on the bed. Feeling a burst in confidence from his display, you reached down to the hem of your dress’ skirt before pulling it up and off your body, Sett’s hungry gold eyes unable to look away from you as you moved onto your swimsuit top.
Once your top was off, Sett struck, pulling you towards him. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he pulled you onto his lap, reaching around to your front to cup your breasts as his mouth went straight to your neck. His hands were warm against the sensitive skin of your breasts, rolling your nipples under his thumbs as his teeth scraped against a sensitive spot on your neck.
You felt his hard cock under you and shifted yourself against it, Sett letting out a deep groan in response. You could feel how wet you were, but this wasn’t enough. You needed to fuck him, needed this building tension to come to a satisfying end for you both.
You turned in his lap, looping your arms around his neck and leaning down to kiss him. Sett was happy to meet tongues with you, one hand resting on your ass until you pulled back from the kiss.
You met eyes with Sett, who began to help you lift yourself up, lining up his cock with his other hand. When he brought you back down onto him, you both sighed as you were fully seated on his cock at last.
“Nothin’ else would feel as good as you,” Sett groaned as he began to help you move and up and then back down onto him. “Never wanted any girl as bad as I want you.”
You were much less coherent, moaning out his name as your hands grasped against his chest. With a further burst of confidence, you reached a hand up to his ear, running your fingers along the fur and enjoying the resulting groan, the next upward thrust of his hips hitting even better into you. Maybe you would leave this out at Taliyah’s interrogation later.
“There,” you moaned as he shifted you in his lap, his cock hitting even deeper inside you. “Right there, Sett.”
“You’re so tight,” he groaned, pulling you down into a rough kiss as he held you close, thrusting up into you as you eagerly moved along with him, needing to make this gorgeous man under you cum.
Sett came first, stilling for a moment before pulling you slightly back to put a finger to your clit, letting you cling to him as you followed him over the edge.
Once you had both come back down from the clouds, you were set back gently on the bed so Sett could run off to grab a cloth to clean you up with. You watched him leave the room, still having a hard time comprehending just how you had ended up this situation.
You definitely had some phone calls to make tomorrow. Your parents would be surprised, but you would probably focus on the Taliyah part rather than the new boyfriend part of your reasoning. Taliyah would be overjoyed for sure; you’d have to thank her for her meddling when you saw her.
As Sett returned, you realized something.
“Wait, is your mom home?” you asked in horror. You hadn’t made any effort to be quiet during sex, forgetting about his mother until he re-entered the room.
Sett laughed at your mortified face. “I don’t live with ma, so no.”
“Oh god,” you breathed in relief. “I was worried I was too…”
“She ain’t here,” he replied as he joined you on the bed, handing you the cloth he had grabbed. “You can be as loud as you want.”
You dropped the cloth, burying your head in your hands, Sett’s amused laughter ringing in your ears as you tried to content with just what you had signed yourself up for.
#xreader#readerinsert#league of legends#league of legends x reader#lol x reader#league of legends sett#sett#pool party sett#sett x reader#smut#pool party sett x reader
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Play the Game | Nanami Kento X You | Part 7/8
CHARACTERS: Nanami Kento X You (fem!reader | PLEASE READ THE NOTES BELOW*) | Gojo Satoru | Geto Suguru | Shoko Ieiri | Utahime Iori | other JJK Characters
CHAPTER COUNT: 7/8
WORD COUNT: 6,400+
GENRE: romance | fluff | slight angst | smut MINORS DNI | ooc depictions | female reader with described appearance* | modern au | rich people au | aged up characters
CHAPTER TRIGGER WARNING: profanity | age gap | cigarette smoking | strong/mature/suggestive language | smut (fingering, unprotected sex, slight daddy kink XD, etc.)
SPOILERS: n/a
STATUS: COMPLETED
collection masterlist
one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight
"Play the Game" Masterlist
"You always hide here when you're down," Geto said, stepping onto the rickety floors of the abandoned wooden gazebo at the far edge of the walled gardens. It was meant to be torn down but for your insistence for it to stay erect.
He took out a cigarette and lit it, taking a long drag when you didn't answer, huddled on one of the corners of the hexagonal structure. "You really shouldn't have done that," he told you, his voice ringing crisp in the still air.
"You should really quit that dirty habit," you muttered in a form of retaliation, not really in the mood to be lectured.
"I could say the same with your games, Y/N!" he said harshly, the first time he ever would. It was more for the fact that he felt frustrated that you kissed him all for the benefit of another man as opposed to merely scolding you for whatever wrongdoing you've committed. He felt all the more frustrated that he was doing it at all.
"I'm sorry if I dragged you into this," you told him sincerely. "I shouldn't have –"
"I am not sorry," he interrupted you. "I wanted that for a while now."
"What?" You stood up and walked towards him, making him turn to face you. "What are you talking about?"
Geto placed a hand behind his neck, exhaling exaggeratedly and throwing his head back, closing his eyes momentarily before meeting your blue gaze. "I understand why Kento is taking this harder than what you're expecting." He sighed. "It probably would have been better if you kissed Yuuji instead."
You just blinked at him, perplexed. "I don't get it."
It's now or never. He wanted you to know at least before you made up your mind, but knowing you, he knew you already did. And he wasn't going to be your choice. "Look, I like you. I wanted you for myself ever since you entered university."
"Huh?"
"And three years ago, I told Kento about how I felt," he droned on. "And maybe he thinks that's still the case, that I am still his rival where you are concerned."
"So are you?" you demanded.
He shook his head, smiling as he blew smoke at the opposite direction. "I know a losing game when I see one, and honestly, I'm rooting for the two of you."
You clutched at his arm. "Suguru..."
He ruffled your hair, throwing his cigarette away and hugging you to his side. "Don't get me wrong, princess. I was hurt that I wasn't your favorite anymore. I wanted to tell you, but you beat me to it and told me you liked Kento instead."
"You'll always be my favorite," you said. "You guys don't get replaced, not to me. I love you all differently, and I have things I share with each of you that I can never have with the other."
Geto's eyes widened slightly at your words. "I'll hold you to that." He snickered then. "Seriously though, where the hell did the two of you get things so wrong? Everything just went to shit in a matter of hours. And I thought Ieiri and I were being very specific with our instructions to you."
"Ieiri?"
"She's been talking to Kento, too. You two are just too dense and slow."
You punched him on the arm, glaring at him.
"Ow!" he grumbled, rubbing at the sore spot. "I'm a model, you know. You're not supposed to mark me."
"Oh, is that what you tell all your girls?" you teased.
He rolled his eyes at you. "Kento already made it back to the house. You should apologize."
You stood on your toes and kissed him on the cheek, hugging him tight.
"You might want to refrain from doing just that, princess," he said but you just giggled and made your way back to the manor. "You're still my favorite!" you called out.
He took another stick if cigarette, chuckling at you, but as he was about to light it, he opted not to.
**
You've done it this time. You just knew it. You realized that when you sobered up from all the crying you did after the incident at the lake. It was too late to say you should have listened to Yuuji and regret wasn't really something you could relate to. Typically. Now, you wanted him to say, "I told you so." Him and Megumi. Throw in Nobara, too, but you knew you weren't going to forgive yourself if things didn't turn back the way they used to be where you and Nanami were involved. That was all you were hoping for if he really has been put off by the mere idea of you.
Geto was just as much of a trickster as you are, but what you did not foresee was the result and his reaction to you, and you weren’t exactly ready for the his confession. That was a first and after speaking with him, you understood. Nanami was downright outraged. He might have not gone all out on you about the matter but you knew there was something else he wasn't saying. He has always been considerate of your feelings, and you were afraid you've trampled on his. It was regardless of whether you meant it or not. You just crossed the line.
The situation wasn't good, and you knew Gojo would have killed you if he saw just how you were behaving at the lake, and you could just pray to every higher being out there that he never gets to find out or you’ll have no choice but to sit down and listen to his lecture. He may be averse to the idea of you dating any of his friends, and he may be the best brother anyone could have, but he would definitely not tolerate what you have done.
A bigger part of everything that’s been happening was your fault. You knew it, and you weren't afraid to admit it either. Although Nanami may have his faults for being so much of an over-thinker and being indecisive, he was right. Why couldn't you be a normal person for once and just be honest about how you feel? Why couldn't you just tell Nanami you loved him and you have been in love with him for the longest time? Again, you couldn't relate to the idea because you haven’t ever been able to healthily express your opinion, but enough was enough. You were going to do it tonight. It didn't matter what the result was. You wanted him in your life, and you’ll go through lengths to have him.
After tossing and turning on your bed for what seemed like hours and later wearing a path on your bedroom floor while fidgeting on the hem of your silk robe, you finally decided there was no way you were sleeping. You couldn’t if it saves you when the dread of him totally disappearing because of what you do gnawed at you from the inside.
You were worried sick of Nanami who disappeared after the incident. You called him on the phone several times but every attempt went straight to voicemail, and out of your frustrations, you found yourself retreating to that same spot where Geto found you. You were only able to rest easy when he spoke to you, telling you that Nanami already made it back to the manor.
Functioning on instinct, you got out of your room barefoot, the flaps of your robe flying behind you as you marched towards the guest room where he was staying. You even had your fist raised to knock on the door but at that very moment, you stopped. For the first time, you felt vulnerable. You didn't have a clue about what you would say to him the moment you see him. You didn't know how you would approach him or if it was already the right time to do so. It was an unfamiliar feeling.
Digging your nails into your palms, you listened for movement on the other side of the door when you heard the door to the adjoining bath open and close, followed by the quiet padding of bare feet on the carpeted floor. Your breath snagged, thinking of turning away. You decided to do just that but then, the door suddenly opened, making you squeak in surprise, the sight of him dressed in just his navy pajama bottoms causing you to ogle his muscular chest and abdomen.
Well shit, you thought. He was beyond hot.
"Er..."
"What is it, Y/N?" he asked, sounding mostly tired than mad. He didn't look happy to see you, but at least he didn't slam the door to your face. Too much of a violation to his manners, you surmised, tempted to tease him, but you opted not to. You weren't in any position to be playing your little games.
You exhaled in batches before you finally found your voice. "I... n-need to talk to you. Can I...come in?"
He just looked at you for a moment before taking a step back and opening the door wider for you. He then turned his bare back to you as he walked over to the bed, the muscles on his sides and back flexing with each movement. He then motioned for you to sit on the chair situated quite far from him before he himself sat down, waiting for you to talk.
You didn't sit down and instead stood behind the chair, gripping its back. "Look, I'm sorry."
He ran his fingers through his damp, blond locks, looking like a model for an expensive underwear brand as he did so. "Hmm. Are you now?"
Your throat grew dry, wishing you could smack yourself right there and then for thinking of other things when you were supposed to be apologizing sincerely to him. You knew that he was trying to be sardonic but you couldn't help but think how mesmerizing he sounded. Composing yourself, you nodded. "I am. Suguru and I –"
"I don't wish to hear it, Y/N."
"It didn't mean anything!" you finally snapped, breathing heavily and not realizing you've crossed halfway towards him. You stopped, catching yourself just in time. "I just..." You sighed. "I just wanted to make you jealous."
“Well, what the hell, Y/N! You’ve succeeded.” His jaw clenched as he said the words, eyes intent on you and unrelenting. “And guess what, you’ve done more than just make me feel jealous. You made me feel guilty, too, because I can’t help but think that I pushed you to do that because of what I said to you this morning. Are you happy?”
“No…” You shook your head, your breath snagging. “I was being selfish. None of it is your fault so you don’t have to feel that way. You’ve been trying to talk to me all day, and maybe I should have given you the chance, but being me, I relied on my baser instincts and made a game out of things again.”
He stood this time, towering over you. "That's all you know. Games," he told you quietly, his tone at odds to his words. "You never really cared who gets played in the end as long as you're amused." He reached over and picked up a few strands of your hair before flicking them off his fingers in disdain. "Isn't that what it is?"
His words hurt. "No..."
"Unfortunately, I got caught up in it, all the while thinking that maybe you'll spare me because..." He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I lost again. Congratulations."
"I'm sorry."
"Sure." He scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm tired, Y/N," he said as he sat down on the bed, burying his face into his hands.
This was it, you thought to yourself. You can't miss your chance. It was regardless of the consequences. You told yourself that. You were not going to back down even if it means you get hurt. Even if it means he would reject you.
Without thinking twice, you moved closer to him, settling on your knees directly in front of him just by his feet. You reached for his hands, gently easing them away from his face. You smiled at how big they were compared to yours, his palms rough against your fingertips. He let you pull them away, slowly moving of their own accord to cup your face, his dark, intense eyes searching yours.
"Y/N, I can't do this anymore."
You chuckled even as tears glistened in your eyes. You brushed his hair away from his forehead. "You read minds now?"
"I'm serious."
"Forgive me. I couldn't help it."
"What are you –"
Before he can finish what he wanted to say, you pushed yourself up on your foot and pressed your lips against his. You felt him stiffen against you, his hand tightening over the slope of your hips as you pushed him forward. You placed your left foot on the bed just beside his thigh while your hands took possession of his face, smiling into the kiss when he finally moved and reciprocated in kind. Your toes curled in anticipation.
He pulled you down, mouths enmeshed, breaths in sync, until you were leveled to him. He raised a hand, placing it on the side of your face, making you lean against its warmth. Your eyes flew open when he pulled away and pressed his lips against your forehead, lingering there before he kissed the tip of your nose, then your cheek just beside your mouth. Nanami closed his eyes as he leaned his forehead against yours, his hand soothingly rubbing at your bare thigh.
He was breathing deeply, brows furrowed together. Unable to help it, you started planting butterfly kisses where you could reach, capturing his lips again, hand gently caressing his jawline. Nanami twisted around, laying you on the mattress and hovering over you, continuing to kiss you. His scent had stuck to the sheets engulfing your senses and rendering everything nonexistent but him. You were lost in a world filled with nothing but him and the feel of his hands roaming all over your body in slow, sensuous movements as if he was blindly mapping out your every contour and curve.
"I don't think we should be doing this," he breathed out, chuckling quietly, but in the next moment, he sought entrance to your mouth, his hot tongue finding yours, stealing your breath. You held on tight to him, thinking he was overthinking things again, easing his mind by returning his ministrations in kind, and locking him in place with your arms wrapped around his nape. You moved your leg from underneath him, brushing your thigh between his legs, making his breath hitch when you applied the slightest of pressure, feeling him becoming stiff as you rocked your thigh back and forth against him.
Nanami drew back slightly, cutting the kiss. He opened his eyes, looking at you longingly, fingers tracing your shoulder. He looked at you with uncertainty as he fiddled with the lapels of your robe. "Tell me to stop."
At that, you smirked at him, your fingers also wandering up the expanse of his hard abdomen, slowly trailing fire up his chest to his collarbones. You bit your lip between your teeth as his skin seemed to grow warmer where you were touching him, the way he was unsteadily breathing adding to your thrill, beyond glad you had that effect on him.
"I don't want you to stop, Kento." You rose a fraction on your elbow and pecked him on the tip of his nose. "I want you."
He sighed then. “Y/N, if we’re going to do this, I want you to be certain.”
“Like a hundred percent certain?” you teased. “What’s the legal jargon for that? Do you want me to say, ‘Sustained,’ or ‘No objections, your honor’?” You giggled and he joined in, shaking his head. “Way to kill the mood though.”
“Sorry.” He flashed you a rueful smile.
Reaching out, you cupped the side of his face, eyeing him with as much conviction and certainty as you could. “You should know by now that I don’t do things I don’t exactly want to do. And when I say I want this – I want you – then that’s precisely what I want.”
He nodded slowly.
“You’re still overthinking.”
“I’m just thinking of what to say to Satoru –”
“You chose the wrong time to be talking too much.” You pulled him close, crashing your lips to his in reckless abandon. It was sloppy at best, but you hoped it would convey your certitude and confidence in what you were about to engage in with him. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Kento, I could cry just having you this close to me.”
Your words seemed to have unlocked something in him as his pupils dilated and his clear eyes clouded with want, and you couldn’t have been more glad that you decided to tell him how you honestly felt. Nanami lowered his head, claiming your lips with his in a slow, gentle kiss, his lips making love to yours in a seductive rhythm that spoke volumes of what he can’t typically express with mere words. The urgency in his kisses increased and you matched his fervor with yours, slightly rising off the bed to meet him halfway, taking as much as you could as he took from you – your breath, your heart, your soul.
As if a switch flipped, his gentle movements turned careless as he grabbed your shoulder and slid the robe off you, throwing it somewhere behind him, eyes alight with excitement as he further undressed you, pulling your matching nightie down, smirking when he discovered you weren’t wearing a bra underneath.
“You planned this,” he rasped.
You grinned smugly at him. “Maybe I did.”
“You’re beautiful,” he said, attacking your neck with open-mouthed kisses while his large hands took possession of your breasts, kneading them. You gasped when he caught one of your nipples, twisting it experimentally and watching your reaction when he latched his mouth onto the other, licking around it before giving it a particularly hard suck.
“Oh god,” you whimpered, eyes blowing wide when you heard the sound of your silks being ripped off of your body followed by a soft growl as he continued to devour your tender swells of flesh. His hands reached down, covetously taking your thighs, humming against your breast at the warmth and softness of your skin underneath the rough pads of his palms. He drew one hand upwards to the flimsy lingerie you were wearing, ripping it away wildly as well, making you gasp.
“Hey, don’t –”
Any protests you had died in your throat when he reached down the apex of your legs, his fingers immediately teasing your folds and rubbing gently. “Do you feel how wet you are, my love?” he rasped. “You want me this much?” When you didn’t answer, he prompted you by putting more pressure on the sensitive nub, making you buck off of the sheets with a squeaked out, “Yes.”
Your nether lips were slick with arousal and your clit started to become engorged as he touched you there, making you whine in pleasure as you carelessly threw your arms back on the mattress. He spread your legs wider, giving himself full access to your body while you lay there with hooded eyes, watching him have his way around you, his pupils dilated as he drank in every contour of your body.
“So beautiful,” he murmured, groaning in approval when you slightly arched your neck backwards, reveling in his touch. He started rubbing your clit in circles with just enough pressure to have you gripping on the sheets while his free hand took hold of your exposed breasts, kneading the supple flesh between his fingers. Nanami delighted in the way you looked writhing under his mercy, eyes hazy and mouth partly opened as you let out pleasured sounds, wishing to know how he can make you moan and tremble even more.
Nanami withdrew his hand from your chest and traced down the expanse of your belly until he reached your pelvis, securing you in place as he inserted his long digits into your throbbing cunt, going in and out. He chuckled softly at the sight of you taking his fingers in, the lewd sounds coming from your pooling juices as you clenched around him, spurring him on. He pressed down on your clit around and around, over and over again, circling around that sensitive part of you.
“Just like that,” you mewled, your hips lifting off the mattress to grind against his hand, meeting the friction he was creating and amplifying your desire.
He smirked as he hovered over you. “You just love this, don’t you?”
“Y-yeah,” you breathed out, feeling your first orgasm hitting you when he started erratically thrusting his fingers into you, the movement of his wrists quick while every thrust was accompanied by your snagged breaths.
Feeling himself getting harder and more titillated with the way your body tossed and turned beneath him, with his free hand, he shoved down his silk pajama bottoms, tossing it away along with his underwear, releasing his cock from its confines. He was, however, taken aback when you suddenly pushed yourself up, smirking at him as your eyes shifted between his dark orbs and his erection, thick, long and pulsating.
Without a warning, you pushed against him, your hands tight on his broad shoulders until his back was against the mattress. Having successfully turned tables on him, you straddled his lap and claimed his lips for your own, kissing him hard and unrelenting while your hands ran down his pecs, down to his hard abs, one of them racing faster than the other as you reached for his length, wrapping your fingers around it, its heat sending you on a wild rush.
“You’re so hot,” you droned absently, making him smile.
“You’re hotter when you’re trying to dominate me like this,” he responded, chuckling.
“Don’t I always though?” you teased, your grip on him tightening slightly while you ran your thumb over his tip, spreading his precum all over the pinkish head, making him quaver in delight. Whatever response he had in mind died right there and then when you lifted yourself up aligning yourself with him. You grabbed the base of his length, guiding him leisurely inside you, the slow pace driving you both on the edge. Your legs shook slightly as you slid down onto him, using his firm thighs to anchor yourself until you were fully sitting on him, his cock buried deep inside you.
“You feel so good,” he whispered, out of breath, feeling himself nestled in your warmth, fitting tight and snug as if you were made just for him. He sat up slightly, holding onto your hips as he slid out slowly, almost to the hilt, holding you up before very gently easing his way back inside, continuing with that slow pace, building a rhythm you both got used to. You held onto his shoulders, meeting every languid thrust halfway, establishing connection with every movement of your bodies.
“Ah…Kento…” you keen, as you both moved against each other, feeling every part of each other against yourselves, melding in a soft embrace as you rode him up and down. You both couldn’t get enough of each other, your nails digging on his back while his hands held your waist in a bruising grip. Your hips met each other in a steady rhythm, the sounds of your moans filling the room, mingling with skin slapping on skin and distinct squelching as you repeatedly swallowed his cock into your hole, making you crumple in rapture.
He reached up, placing a hand at your nape, making you lean closer to press his mouth onto yours, your tongues meeting in a duel, your whimpers drowned out by the action. He released your lips in favor of your neck, progressing downwards as he nipped on your flesh, all the way to your collarbones until he reached your breast, latching his mouth onto one of your nipples, making your toes curl as his ministrations brought about sensations that hyper-stimulated every one of your senses.
You luxuriated in everything that was him, the feel of his mouth on you, his length filling you up to the brim over and over again, in and out with every push, his smell, his warmth, the excitement leaping in his eyes while he focused on pleasuring you. You were caught in the midst of your love and fondness for everything that made up Nanami Kento, voicing it out by repeatedly saying, “I love you,” or broken parts of it anyway as if a prayer of fragmented pleas and exultation as he made you his.
He paused when he heard you say it, pulling away, his eyes wide as he gazed at you with his cloudy eyes suddenly becoming clearer while his vision focused on you. “Say that again,” he said.
“I love you,” you murmured, feeling your face grow warm at his unabashed scrutiny. Then again, “I love you,” with more conviction this time. “I’m madly in love with you, Kento.”
“You are?” he asked as if in disbelief, his mouth stretching into smile, eyes filling with joy when you nodded. And along with that, he felt himself growing even harder as if a silent affirmation to how he felt about you. “I love you, too.” He kissed you and laid you down on the bed. “So damn much.”
Nanami settled himself between your legs, placing them over his shoulders as he realigned himself with you, pushing in without preamble and pounding into you in a faster rhythm than earlier. He slid so easily inside of you as he pushed forward and pulled out again and again, the new position making your walls grip tighter around him while he fucked you deeper. He relished the way he was spreading you apart, mesmerized by the way you were connected.
“More,” you purred when you felt him hitting you right where you wanted him over and over again, making you see galaxies of stars as he rammed into you. “Right there.”
“Whatever you want, my love,” he panted, dipping himself even deeper. “You like that? You like how daddy fucks you?”
Your eyes shot open when he said that, knowing you were seeing a new facet of him you’ve never encountered before. But you were not able to dwell on that when you were prompted to respond with a rough, hard thrust, saying, “Yes, daddy. I do…so m-much,” when he pulled out all the way and shoved his dick back in, and in that same instant, you found yourself creaming around him. Your essence dripped down onto the sheets as he continued to thrust faster into you, his breath hitting your skin with the rhythm of his movements as he moaned your name, planting butterfly kisses on your neck.
“You’re so good,” he said as you clenched tighter around him. “Give me one more, baby.”
He hastened his pace even more, rising up with one of your legs hanging on his arm while his free hand reached down, playing with your clit, applying pressure and setting the tempo of his movements with his length which slid in and out of you unabatingly. Your moans were getting louder while your brain felt like it would turn to fizz as your heart pounded in your chest, holding onto the build of that familiar pooling of heat in your loins. In a sudden flurry of sensations, your body lifted clear off the bed as you came long and hard.
Nanami rode you through it, going even harder and rougher as groans started to spill out of his mouth, ending in a crescendo of your sensual cries and a dragged out moan from him as he came inside you, his white, hot seed coating your walls and overflowing out of you.
Closing your eyes, you tried to catch your breath, feeling a shiver run down your spine as you came down from your high. Everything felt detached and surreal as your mind started filling with thought after thought, dominated with nothing but the fact that he just made love to you, the idea not quite sinking in despite the panting, boneless mess that you are at that moment.
You gasped when you felt him pulling out of you before hovering over you to place a kiss on your forehead. You forced your eyes open to look at him, cracking into a crooked grin when you finally looked at him, his hands brushing away stray strands of hair from your sweat-matted forehead.
“I love you, Y/N,” he told you in hushed tones, while you were unable to do anything but nod weakly as your body succumbed to exhaustion.
**
He bet everything on Gojo’s wedding week. And it was all worth it.
The whole matter has not sunk in just yet, so much so that he didn’t get a wink’s sleep trying to make sense of it all, but mostly afraid that he will wake up in the morning and find that everything was just a dream. A very vivid, beyond pleasant dream. But the sun rose in the horizon, and as he lay there awake, he had his proof of everything that happened beside him, asleep and very much real, pressed against his side.
When you came to him the previous night, he was certain things between you would end. If he was being honest, he has had it with your playing. He didn’t know exactly what your aims were the previous night until you made the move. Again, if he was being honest, he was also being a coward, always the one at the end of the rope you were reaching for. He wanted to switch your positions for a change, but when he did, it felt like he was getting nowhere, just pulling the rope without anyone at the end.
He thought he had lost when you kissed Geto in front of him, didn’t know what to do with the information when you said you were doing it to make him jealous. And no matter how low you went just to get his attention or to retaliate to his lack of response to you the previous day, he couldn’t say he didn’t like that you did it, too. He didn’t like it per se, but your motivations behind it spoke volumes of how you felt. He was just too blind to see it.
You were right about certain things, one of them being the fact that he was supposed to know you and understand how you communicated. Another was the fact that it wasn’t too much for you to ask him to be selfish for his sake and yours. He had wanted to act exactly that way for a long time, and when you were giving him the chance, he walked away from it instead. And as per usual, you were the one who fought your way against him for the same aim of having him.
He sighed, shifting to his side to face your slumbering form. He felt his heart melting at the sight of you softly breathing and appearing so serene snuggled against him and wearing his shirt. He could almost laugh when you suddenly fell asleep on him right after he made love to you. He sighed, knowing you wouldn’t wake up any time soon after you closed your eyes, decided to clean you up and dress you up before settling beside you, too.
But out of everything, since the previous night, whenever he would remember you telling him you loved him, his heart just stops for a second only to resume its beating in irregular staccatos. You told him you could almost cry having him that close to you, but he was the one who felt like shedding tears about having you.
He bet his heart knowing there was a possibility that you would just toy with it and break it. In the end, he finally got everything he wanted in your person. He should have already known that in order to get to you, he has to go through everything, have his heart shattered if that’s what it would take. He wanted to peel all your protective layers, but you ended up doing that to him instead, and it was safe to say you succeeded. Still, although he felt like dying when he saw you kissing Geto, he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’d go through it all again if it meant he would get you in the end.
Nanami caressed your cheek with the back of his fingers, smiling when you scrunched your nose a bit, your brows furrowing slightly. Just then, your eyes opened, your ocean-blue irises devouring him in an instant in waves of emotions, the most dominant of them all being gratitude towards whatever higher power brought you to the world to exist and love him when you could have anybody else.
You broke into a sleepy grin the moment you saw him. “Good morning, daddy,” were the first words that came out of your mouth, teasing him the moment you woke up.
He felt heat suffuse his cheeks when you said that, flashing you a pained look. It hadn’t been embarrassing when he suddenly decided he had a daddy kink and wanted to hear you say it, but now that he has sobered up from the feel of you against him, he didn’t exactly want you to say it, not when you were mercilessly ragging him for it first thing in the morning. He didn’t detest it though.
Nanami diverted his gaze from you, his face turning red, but you abruptly rose slightly, grabbing both sides of his face to make him look at you.
“What are you getting all shy around me for?” you cooed. “Don’t you like it when I call you that?” You smirked. “Come to think of it, I was startled when you said that, too.”
“Are you making fun of me?” he said, pouting.
Your eyes rounded and you let go of him, even going to the extent of moving away from him.
“What?” he asked, suddenly panicked as he sat up, grabbing your arm, afraid you’ll walk away.
You clucked your tongue. “D-don’t do that…that p-pouting thing…” you spoke haltingly, unable to talk properly as you pinched the bridge of your nose, looking flustered.
“Do what?” he asked, not quite catching what you were saying.
“Don’t go acting cute so early in the morning. I’m not used to this side of you. Jesus, Kento,” you told him all in one go, your hands flailing about. “You’re messing with me.”
He arched a brow at you and started laughing heartily. You were genuinely distressed and he didn’t know what he would do with you. “I’m sorry, darling. I didn’t know you were not immune to my charms.” He pulled you towards him, making you face him. “How are you feeling by the way?”
“I’m fine.”
“Not sore anywhere?”
You rolled your eyes at him. “Fishing for compliments now?”
He shook his head slowly, not understanding what you were talking about. “I don’t think we’re on the same page.” He started fussing around you then, even lifting his shirt which you were wearing, slightly looking for telltale signs of the possibility that he could have hurt you in any way when he spotted bruises on your hips. “Oh no.”
“Why?” you asked, blinking cluelessly when you saw what he was looking at. To your surprise, he suddenly took you in his arms, his expressions indicating distress. “What’s going on?”
“I hurt you,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry.”
It was your turn to laugh. “You obliterated me, Kento, but I’m not sorry about it.” You pulled away from him and pecked him on the lips. “You were awesome.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I should go easy on you. I don’t really like the idea of injuring you in any way.”
You narrowed your eyes on him. “You’ve set the bar on how good you can be between the sheets. If you hold back on me, I’ll throttle you. Maybe I’ll ask Satoru for help, too.”
“What –”
“You’ve been warned, Nanamin.” You leaned forward, planting your face on his chest. “Stop worrying. I don’t regret anything, and if you make love to me as well as you did last night every single day, I’ll gladly have my battle scars.”
Nanami cupped your head, rubbing soothingly, his eyes meeting yours while a slight smile played at the corners of his mouth. “You’re so weird sometimes.”
“You love me.”
He kissed the top of your head. “I do. With all that I am.”
“Stop getting into a tizzy then.”
“Okay, Y/N.”
“Okay, Kento.”
“Are you always going to call me by my name now?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “I like it better than when you call me Nanamin.”
Your brows knit together then. “I’ve kinda gotten fond of that nickname though. But if that’s what you want, I’m down for it, too.” You grinned at him. “Kento.”
Nanami broke into a smile, but then you said, “Can I always call you 'daddy' instead?” He rolled his eyes, feigning annoyance. “I’ll throttle you.”
You chuckled. “My mother would flip!”
“Satoru would flip.”
You laughed, wrapping your arms around him. The two of you stayed that way for a few moments, just enjoying the comfortable silence while you listened to his heartbeat and basked in his warmth, his muscular arms wrapped around you securely. You’ve never felt safer.
You were, however, the first to break it.
“Kento?” you began.
“Yes, my love?”
“What are we now?”
“You’re all mine and I’m yours,” he stated firmly.
“So we’re official?”
He scoffed. “If last night wasn’t enough to make us official, I’d be happy to prove it further to you. You’re the woman I’ll marry. I’m not giving you a choice on that.”
You snickered. “Fine.”
“Fine?” he repeated with inflection, pushing you down on the mattress while he hovered over you. “Why do you sound as if you don’t like it?”
You burst into bubbles of laughter. “I’m not complaining…”
“But?”
“If that’s the case, I want Satoru to know first before the others. Is that okay?”
He nodded. “That’s just fair, I think.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything for you. When do you want us to tell him?”
You held his hand, entwining your fingers together and beaming tenderly at the way yours were engulfed by his. “Soon. Very soon.”
-end of part 7-
Aaaaand we're down to the second to the last chapter. This one's rather self-indulgent and I got carried away with the the "daddy" thing lol. Anyway, I would like to say thank you to everyone who's been reading this fic and looking forward to my updates. You guys make me happy!
*I used “you” here, but since my character is Gojo’s little sister who is established to be his female clone for reasons essential to the plot, she possesses the same blue eyes and white hair. I did not exactly want to create an OC (although technically, I did by describing Y/N), but I opted for the best of both worlds in this fic, leaning more towards the literary aspect of it as opposed to it just being reader/you-oriented. I hope this isn’t iffy to anyone, and yeah, i’m not being exclusive or whatever.
Thank you so much for reading. Likes, comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it.
© ORIGINAL WORK BY nanaminokanojo. CHARACTERS ARE INSPIRED BY GEGE AKUTAMI'S “JUJUTSU KAISEN.” [20210806]
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*chants softly* Do it - write that modern AU uno fic that the fandom doesn't realise that they desperately need 👿😏😘
Remember this? This came up between Christmas and New Year’s 2019 xD And now I finally did it.
Pairing: Arthur x gn reader | Words: 2325 | Rating: mildly nsft | Tags: strip Uno (yes, you’re reading this right), modern AU
The party is in full swing around you, but you have no desire to join in. It's been a while since a new year made you hopeful, and all the happiness and well wishes for another promising year sound forced and wrong in your ears.
It's too loud, and it smells like alcohol and too many people in a small space. You can barely breathe, so you head along the corridor to the rooms that are off-limits to the other guests. You don't feel like crashing in John's and Abigail's bedroom, so you take the next room that's part office, part storage room. In the past, you sometimes crashed here for the night.
You close the door behind you with a sigh and are about to head for the couch, but then you spot someone sitting in front of it on the ground. He's hunched over a little and looks up when you stop dead in your tracks.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know somebody was in here."
"It's alright," the guy says, offering you a kind smile.
A little lamp next to the sofa throws a soft shadow on his face, and you recognize the beard and nice features. You've seen him many times in photos around the apartment.
"You're Arthur, right?" you ask. "John's friend slash brother?"
Arthur chuckles. "Yeah, I guess you could call me that."
"I'm Y/N, Abigail's friend."
Recognition shows in Arthur's face, and he nods. "Friend slash soul mate slash the only person who understands Abigail whenever John acts like … well, John."
"So you have heard of me."
"A little, here and there," Arthur says, "mostly good."
"Mostly?"
Arthur grins a little one-sided, and something warm rises up in your stomach. You always thought that Arthur was handsome based on the pictures. It's way worse in person.
"I didn't mean to crush your party-" you start, but Arthur interrupts you.
"It's alright. I understand the urge for some peace and quiet. Please stay."
"Thanks." You move closer and sit down on the ground, putting your first and only drink down on the table next to the lamp. "What you got there?"
"Uno cards, if you believe it," Arthur says, and you both look at each other and speak at the same time. "John."
Arthur laughs, and you take a sip from your drink, enjoying the view. You definitely prefer Arthur's company to all the fake happy people outside.
"You gonna shuffle those all night, or are you ready to lose?" you ask.
"Lose?" Arthur measures you with a raised brow. "Around here, nobody takes me on."
You wave your fingers at him. "Come on then. Deal."
Arthur shuffles the cards for real now before setting up the first game, and you try to figure out if you've ever had a stranger New Year's Eve. Sitting in a friend's apartment playing Uno with a stranger is not a plan you would have made.
About two minutes later, Arthur puts his last card on the pile. "See?" he teases, but you just shrug.
"Beginner's luck."
You go back and forth with dealing the cards, and although Arthur wins the first three games, you soon catch up, making you both even again.
"So, why are you in here?" you ask, sorting your cards.
"I only came because John and Abigail wanted to set me up, but she didn't show," Arthur says with a shrug. "Didn't feel like partying after that."
"That sucks. Did her plans change?"
"More her perspective, I guess," Arthur says, something defeated in his voice. "Saw my profile picture, and suddenly she changed her mind."
"Nah, that can't be it."
"Why not?"
"Because you're gorgeous."
"I- What?" Arthur stumbles.
"I'm telling you that you're a very attractive man," you say while watching your cards. "And Uno, by the way."
"Oh, well, thank you, I guess," Arthur says. He puts another card on the pile, his cheeks now sporting a red tinge. "You're very nice."
"Just honest. And I win."
You grin at Arthur as he collects the cards to shuffle again. "You really are a worthy foe. We should make this more interesting."
"What, like strip poker?" you joke and Arthur laughs.
"We only have Uno cards." He's about to deal, but then he looks at you with a mischievous spark in his eyes. "Although it doesn't make much difference, really."
You look at each other and there's a sudden tension as if both of you wait for the other to chicken out or laugh. You wish you could, but the idea of getting Arthur naked is too tempting, even if you might lose some of your clothes yourself.
"We should probably lock the door," you say as casually as you can.
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
You get up to lock the door, and when you come back, Arthur deals, both of you acting as if nothing changed, but you feel a constant wave of heat running up and down your body. Before, you didn't really care much for your cards, but now every move counts.
Arthur's the first one to win, but the second he puts down the card, he looks like he'd rather take it back. "Look, you don't have to-"
You interrupt him by taking off one of your shoes. "You're just worried you're going to lose."
"Fine, you're asking for it."
Arthur wins again, getting your second shoe, followed by you winning for the first time. Like you, Arthur loses his shoes first, and then you agree to count both socks as one item. That's how Arthur ends up shirtless pretty soon after. You tell yourself that a naked torso is really nothing special, but for some reason, you play your worst round.
"You seem to have a hard time concentrating," Arthur teases, and you hate that he actually noticed.
"Shut up," you grunt, focusing on the cards. Still, you can't help but peek at Arthur once in a while.
"How did you end up here then tonight?" Arthur asks.
"My ex is back in town and hung around in front of my apartment, so Abigail suggested I hang out here."
"Something to be concerned about?" Arthur asks, his voice making clear how he thinks about a stalker-y ex.
"It's not that bad, really. They're not dangerous or anything, just annoying," you explain. "It's probably just a desperate 'alone on New Year's Eve' thing. Like I'd do that again."
You roll your eyes, and Arthur chuckles. "One of those, huh? Just gotta wait them out then. And this is your shirt gone."
He puts down his last card, and you get to your feet. "I'll go with the pants first if you don't mind. I'm hot anyway."
"Suit yourself," Arthur says nonchalantly, but you can feel his eyes on you as you slide the fabric down your legs.
Arthur looks away again when you sit, but your skin still prickles, and you wonder how much more of this you can take. Playing freaking Uno shouldn't be this hot.
Lucky for you, you get a good hand, and despite your lack of concentration, Arthur's the one who has to get rid of his pants next. You try your best not to stare at his junk but fail miserably. Suddenly you're very concerned about what could happen next. Arthur must think the same.
"Glad we locked the door," Arthur grunts, "I don't need strangers looking at my junk."
"I'm a stranger, too, aren't I?"
"You called me gorgeous; you can do whatever you want," Arthur says.
You know he's joking, but that doesn't stop your brain from imagining things you could do to or with him. That very pleasing but also distracting train of thought loses you your shirt in the next round. Still, Arthur's the one who has to get rid of his underwear first.
This time, you have the decency to look away until he sits down again, and the red on Arthur's cheeks is back.
"So, what now?" he asks. "Can't exactly take off more if I lose."
After what you just thought about, your brain seems to have lost all sensible ideas, and you blurt out the first thing on your mind. "Truth or dare."
Arthur chuckles. "Really? And next up is 'spin the bottle?'"
"Hey, we're playing strip Uno," you huff, "you really want to get judgemental on me now?"
"Alright, alright, 'truth or dare' it is. Just deal."
You deal the cards with butterflies taking flight in your stomach. You don't even know what to ask or dare Arthur, but the alternative is to get naked yourself. Either way, you're in trouble.
The round goes on and on, both of you putting on more cards rather than losing them, but then the game turns in Arthur's favor until he forgets to say Uno. You have better luck then, finally winning the round.
This time, it's you who tries to offer a way out. "Look, you don't have-"
"No, no, that's what we agreed on," Arthur says, waving his fingers at you. "Come on, ask."
"Alright, truth, or dare?"
Arthur studies you for a moment, his gaze so intense that a cold shiver runs down your spine. "Dare."
All kinds of stupid things run through your mind, but you don't want to make Arthur look foolish, especially in front of anybody else. You want to keep him all to yourself.
"I dare you not to move, no matter what."
Arthur raises his eyebrows in surprise but stays deliberately still. You take all your courage and crawl over to him, scattering the cards without a second thought.
When you reach Arthur, you run your cheek along his one like a cat before placing soft kisses along his neck. You hear him take in a sharp breath, but he doesn't move.
You look up to him, and he keeps still as you move closer, your lips hovering so close to his that you can feel his breath. It takes all your willpower not to kiss him, but you're still playing after all.
"Your turn," you say, looking right into Arthur's eyes. They're a nice shade of blue but with an almost golden circle in the middle.
"Truth or dare?" Arthur asks.
"Dare," you say way too fast.
Arthur's lip twitches into a smile, but he still doesn't move. "I dare you to come closer."
You crawl into Arthur's lap, very aware of the fact that only a tiny piece of fabric keeps you apart. With your arms around Arthur's neck, you make yourself comfortable, but your faces are still inches apart.
"Truth or dare?" you ask.
"The truth is that I didn't say Uno on purpose," Arthur says. You believe him, which means that he wanted for this little game to start.
"Trickery," you say, running your fingers through his hair, "how very naughty of you. I think that entitles me to dare you again."
"Sounds fair."
You move even closer, your fingers teasing Arthur's neck. "I dare you to touch me."
Arthur places his hands on your knees before running them up to your thighs. You get goosebumps all over your skin and can't help that you fidget a little. The friction takes its toll on Arthur. You can feel him pressing up against you while he runs his hands up along your body.
"Truth or dare?" he asks, his fingers dancing over your back.
"Truth. I want you to kiss me."
Arthur caresses your shoulders while he looks at you, his fingers climbing your neck in slow motion. The touch makes you shiver, but you stay right where you are, letting Arthur cup your face with his hands. Only when there's a barely-there pull, you move, finally closing the gap between you and Arthur.
You can't remember the last time someone kissed you this gently, and you melt against Arthur, promising yourself to stay in his lap for as long as you possibly can.
Arthur deepens the kiss, the taste, and warmth of him making you forget where you are until there's a harsh knock on the door.
"Hey, Y/N? You in there? It's me."
You feel like being doused with ice water, and your fingers dig harshly into Arthur's shoulders.
"Who's that?" he whispers, worry in his expression.
"My ex," you whisper back.
"Come on, let's talk," comes the voice from outside.
Arthur raises his eyebrows in question, and you immediately shake your head, so he tilts his head to face the door. "Do you mind? We're trying to hook up in here."
There's silence, and you bite your lip so you won't laugh. Sadly, your ex doesn't give up that easily. "Who is this?"
"It's Arthur; you might want to remember that name the next time you skulk around somebody's apartment."
It's silent again, then your ex clears their throat. "Just call me, okay? We can talk about this?"
You look at Arthur, slightly shaking your head, so you both stay quiet until you're sure your ex is gone. Arthur leans back with a sigh, resting his head against the couch. "That was not a turn on."
"I'm sorry," you say, running your fingers over his beard. "Like I said - annoying."
Arthur watches the ceiling for a bit before he takes your hands, threading your fingers together. "You know, I have an apartment, too. No exes hanging around that one."
You laugh. "Getting me naked here doesn't mean you can get me naked over there."
"I just borrow these cards, and we'll see what happens."
He kisses you again, and you have to admit to yourself that you'd rip your clothes off in an instant if he asked you to. You still act like you need to be persuaded. "Fine, you may take me there and try again. You might lose, though."
Arthur smiles. "I'll take that risk."
Getting dressed has never been such a thrill for you. Maybe the new year wasn't so bad after all.
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Bookends [3k, ongoing; AO3 link here]
book·end [ ˈbu̇k-ˌend ] n. a support, one of two usually similar things that begin and end something.
Summary: Kakashi Hatake is no stranger to taking in strays. But when his former comrade and friend mysteriously disappears after the murder of his entire family, leaving behind his little brother, Kakashi learns that there's more to getting lost on the path of life when you pick up an Uchiha brat along the way.
A modern adoption AU exploring various moments in the life of Kakashi, Sasuke, eight dogs, and one vengeful cat.
a/n: Did I expect to become obsessed with Naruto in my 30s? Short answer: no. I guess you could say I got lost on the path of life. XD
It’s the same thing almost every night lately.
“I picked up dinner on the way home. Hope you don’t mind.”
He doesn’t. Kakashi knows this by now. The passive hn of acknowledgement that greets him when he steps through the door and into their apartment tells him as much. If it really bothered him, he’d have made it known by now. What Sasuke lacks in words he more than makes up for in opinions - something he’s never short of.
The dogs, at the very least, are happy to see him.
“Yes, yes, I missed you too,” Kakashi says a little exasperatedly, holding the takeout bags out of reach for their overly excitable noses and trying to return their enthusiastic welcome without the use of his hands. Sasuke stays seated at the table, pouring over a textbook, and decidedly choosing not to offer any assistance. Beside him, Pakkun, the oldest and most loyal of his four-legged companions, raises his head from his crossed front paws. Sleepy eyes meet Kakashi’s for a moment, blink, then slip shut as he lowers his head and goes back to his nap.
Loyal, indeed.
It takes Kakashi a minute to break through the wall of dogs barricading him against the door after slipping off his shoes. They follow at his heels as he crosses over to the kitchen, tossing the keys onto the counter island that overlooks the living room before setting down the bags of food.
“I thought we’d go a little greasy tonight,” Kakashi continues, starting to unpack the bags. The small apartment is quickly filled with the sinful smell of fried food and seasoned vegetables. The dogs eagerly circling his feet quickly devolve into a panting mess.
“We’ve talked about this,” Kakashi chastises Biscuit, who is not nearly tall enough to reach the counter but nevertheless tries, standing on his short hind legs and nose snuffling frantically back and forth along the edge of the counter like it's being pulled by an invisible fishing line. He’s going to have to deal with them first if there’s to be any chance of getting the food safety to the table.
“Hey, give me a hand, will ya?” he calls to Sasuke as he wades through the dogs to get to the cabinet with the cups and plates. They get impossibly more hysterical at the sound of the clinking dishes, a tell-tale sign that they’re almost close to the main event. This isn’t the first time it’s occurred to Kakashi that this apartment is too small for two people, let alone eight dogs.
“Oh, for the love of- Sasuke.”
Sasuke, it turns out, isn’t listening - or so it would appear given that Kakashi’s appearance hasn’t prompted anything but deafening nothing since he walked through the door. However, Kakashi has lived with Sasuke for a couple years and observed him for longer. He’s learned to read the subtle shifts in the boy's silences. Sasuke has so much to say if one takes the time to listen.
Sating his (and the dogs’) appetite suddenly doesn’t seem so pressing.
“Alright, have at it,” Kakashi relents, dumping the contents of one of the take-out cartons onto the plate and setting it down at his feet for the dogs to fight over. He’ll clean up the mess later. For now, he grabs the carton of udon, a pair of chopsticks, and leaves the dogs to their feast, carefully stepping over them and making his way out to Sasuke.
He sits down, looking far more relaxed than his much younger counterpart. Sasuke’s eyes remain downturned and concentrated on his homework. Kakashi lets him be and turns his attention to his food. He can multi-task after all. He breaks apart his chopsticks and opens the carton, then picks at the noodles a bit before twirling them around and raising a helping into his mouth. It doesn’t quite pack the punch he’d been fantasizing about on his walk home from the shop.
“Trouble with homework?” Kakashi eventually asks, his tone light.
The pen in Sasuke’s hand stills. Then, after a moment - and without meeting his gaze - Sasuke slides a folder across the table with his free hand.
Kakashi’s chewing slows and he looks over his carton. Sasuke is content with providing no further explanation, already pursuing his assignment like nothing happened.
Kakashi doesn’t need to read past the over-the-top swirly cursive heading to know what’s soured Sasuke’s mood. The pink and read hearts dotting the top of the single sheet of paper tucked neatly in the folder’s pocket are a dead giveaway. He shuts the folder, then picks up the carton and digs into his noodles a little more enthusiastically than before.
“So… it’s that time of year, huh?”
Sasuke makes no indication that he’s heard his question. Kakashi understands. He would have had a similar reaction at his age. But he’d like Sasuke to be different.
“Should be simple enough,” he goes on, surreptitiously glancing up from his carton, but Sasuke is stubborn. And naive. Because Sasuke has already given himself up.
In some ways, Sasuke is exceptionally mature for his age. But at the end of the day, he is still a twelve-year-old boy and not immune to acting as such. He’s not above shutting himself up in his room and blaring his music at some wholly unnecessary volume until neighbors get involved (“This is the only apartment complex in Konoha that will take 8 dogs,” Kakashi is reduced to shouting through the door in his bathrobe and slippers at 1 in the morning. “Are you trying to get us kicked out?”), or staying out much too late roaming the streets and only slipping through his bedroom window when he thinks Kakashi is in bed (He’s not. He’s (once again) in his bathrobe and slippers waiting outside his bedroom door and prepping a lecture that is sure to be ill-received.)
In other words, if he truly wanted to avoid facing Kakashi, he wouldn’t be here.
So Kakashi waits.
And waits.
And waits.
Until…
“Look, Sasuke-”
“It’s so- annoying.”
Sasuke glowers at the space in front of him, refusing to look at Kakashi. It was a slip, one he quickly recovers from, however. The grip around his pen tightens and he attacks the page in front of him with conviction. He’s clearly annoyed. With himself, with the predicament Iruka has so unjustly put him in. Kakashi allows him a couple sentences to take his frustration out on his assignment before moving forward.
“I think it’s nice.”
Sasuke drops his pen and his head snaps up.
“Nice?” He says the word with such fierce disdain that Kakashi can’t help but chuckle. He merely picks at his noodles with amusement.
“Nice??” Sasuke repeats, eyes narrowing incredulously. “As if you would have ever lowered yourself to something so meaningless.”
Kakashi chews thoughtfully. He’s not wrong. Still, he simply shrugs.
“Sure, it’s a little silly. But there are very few things in life that are truly meaningless. What holds no value to one person could mean the world to another.” He pauses. The intensity of Sasuke’s stare doesn’t waver. “There’s nothing wrong with building relationships among your peers and having a little fun. A hard word for you, I know,” he adds dryly, poking at a mushroom, “But give it a shot. These opportunities won’t be around forever.”
“I don’t even like these people,” Sasuke mutters with a bitterness that most adults would find unnerving coming from a 12-year-old.
(He knows; his colleagues have told him as much.)
“That’s not true. You have Naruto and Sakura-”
“Annoying and annoying-er.”
Kakashi frowns a little at that. He sets the carton aside. “Look, I’m going to tell you what I told you last year. If you really don’t want to do this, I’m not going to make you. I’ll understand… but your friends might not. And despite what you say, when your classmates come to you with their cards, I think you’re going to realize too late that you might like to give them something in return.”
Kakashi lets the words sink in. Sasuke’s expression is unreadable. It takes some time - a long time, really - but eventually, his shoulders slump forward, and after a tense moment, he relents.
“Fine.”
“Good,” Kakashi says, satisfaction evident in his tone. “I think we still have supplies leftover from last year somewhere in here,” he muses aloud, rising from the table and disappearing into the hall that leads to their respective bedrooms. The sound of him rummaging around in the hall closet fills the air until eventually a pleased Ah interrupts the silence. When Kakashi returns cradling an assortment of craft supplies in his arms, Sasuke looks as though he’s already regretting his decision.
“Here, I’ll even do it with you,” Kakashi says in a show of solidarity once he spreads out his findings on the table. There’s still several paper heart cut-outs leftover from the previous year. Kakashi’s hand hovers thoughtfully over the pile before making his selection and pulling them towards his end of the table.
A sharp, derisive snort comes from the seat next to him. Kakashi looks up.
“Yes?”
“There’s no way you have that many people to give valentines to,” Sasuke retorts with all the bluntness of a kunai knife.
Kakashi blinks at him, then peers down at the pile, a puzzled frown tugging at his brow underneath his silver fringe like Sasuke’s right. That he’s made some sort of horrible mistake. A split-second later, his expression clears.
“Actually,” he replies, reaching across the table and grabbing an additional heart, “I missed one. How could I forget my most cherished pup?” He shakes his head somberly, giving Sasuke a meaningful look.
It takes Sasuke a moment to understand.
“You’re making valentines for the dogs.” It’s not a question, and there’s no mistaking what he thinks about that.
“Well,” Kakashi acquiesces, eyes crinkling, “I can’t play favorites.”
They hold each other’s gaze. Despite the pleasant smile Kakashi puts forward, Sasuke’s eyes remain cold and unfeeling.
In the end, Kakashi exhales a patient breath.
“Go get dinner, Sasuke.”
It's going to be a long night.
* * *
It’s when he’s sorting through his mail on Valentine’s Day that Kakashi runs into Iruka.
“Yo.” The word is barely out of his mouth before being promptly met with an angry grunt, after which Iruka slams his apartment door shut so violently that the decorative Cupid hanging there falls to the floor.
Kakashi slow-blinks down the empty hallway, hand halfway raised in greeting. With a small shake of his head, he sticks the mail under his arm and digs into his pocket for his keys.
The dogs are on him the instant he opens the door. Unfazed, he glances around the apartment expecting to hear the sounds of Sasuke’s self-imposed banishment to his room, the kind that expressly tells him that under no circumstances is he to be disturbed. Only there’s no pulsating bass. It’s quiet. And Sasuke’s not in his room but on the couch by the open sliding glass door, back propped against a slumbering Bull and a book open in his lap. He surprises Kakashi further when he deigns to look up.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Kakashi greets back, closing the door behind him. It should be a welcomed sight, but he can’t help but feel a little wary. It’s not often that he sees Sasuke so... at peace.
He walks over to the kitchen and drops the mail on the counter beside what can only be the fruits of his and Sasuke’s labor. He smiles to himself.
Popular as ever, I see.
With a sense of satisfaction, he sifts through the sizable pile of valentines, familiar names popping out at him. He pauses on one in particular. Sakura’s careful craftsmanship stands out from the rest, the evidence of her feelings clear as day. Kakashi only hopes that Sasuke didn’t say anything unkind.
Naruto’s stands out too - though, for entirely different reasons.
“I see Naruto’s scissor skills haven’t improved.” With two fingers, Kakashi picks up the pitiful thing and gives it a good once over. He can only assume that it was supposed to be a heart, though he can’t be sure. It’s a sharp contrast to Sakura’s, which Kakashi knows she probably spent days laboring over. A glob of glitter glue drips from Naruto’s abstract creation pinched between his fingers and drops onto the counter. He shakes his head and hangs it up on the fridge anyway, Sakura’s joining soon after. He lingers on them for a moment, eyes crinkling with a familiar fondness before he turns away to join Sasuke in the living room.
“I take it everything went well today,” he says, plopping down onto the adjoining couch and humming contentedly when he props his feet on the coffee table and leans back. Pakkun leaps up and settles himself next to him, a low, warm growl rumbling underneath his hand when he begins to massage his wrinkled head.
“You could say that.” Sasuke has his back to him, but Kakashi detects something in his voice.
“Meaning?”
There’s a pause before Sasuke shuts his book and looks over his shoulder at Kakashi. “Let’s just say I got what I wanted for Valentine’s Day.”
What Sasuke wanted for Valentine’s Day was for all its practices to be dismantled and done away with for the greater good of humanity - or so he claimed in a rare moment of awakeness on their way to the academy that morning. Somehow Kakashi doesn’t think exchanging a couple valentines with his classmates is responsible for this drastic - some may say, miraculous - shift in perspective.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with Iruka, would it?” He jerks his thumb at the door. “I just ran into him in the hallway and he didn’t look too happy.”
The corner of Sasuke’s mouth twitches, but he only shrugs, facing forward and cracking open his book once more.
Kakashi exchanges a look with Pakkun whose doleful eyes stare up at him, equally suspicious and, if he’s not mistaken, wholeheartedly unimpressed. With some reluctance, Kakashi swings his legs off the coffee table and gets to his feet in one languid motion. He crosses the short distance to where Sasuke sits, plucking the book out of his hands as he comes up behind him.
“Hey!”
“I’d like your undivided attention for this if you don’t mind,” Kakashi says calmly, perching himself on the arm of the couch, one foot on the ground, the other propped on the seat cushion. Sasuke glares at him resentfully, but keeps his mouth shut, albeit with the air of one whose time is being profoundly wasted.
“Ok,” Kakashi starts, folding his arms across his chest. “What happened at school today?”
“Nothing.”
“Sasuke.”
“Nothing,” Sasuke repeats, drawing out the word. When Kakashi continues to stare at him, he huffs in irritation. “Tch, I didn’t do anything.”
“I didn’t say you did,” Kakashi replies smoothly. “However, it’s not like you to take pleasure at Iruka’s expense. I thought you liked Iruka.”
There’s a pause. Sasuke averts his eyes out the window, uncomfortable. A gentle breeze rustles the overgrown jungle habitating the balcony.
“Yeah, I do,” he confirms grudgingly.
“Ok,” Kakashi continues ever so patiently, “so what’s got you in such a good mood?”
There’s another long pause. However, this time it’s Kakashi who breaks the silence. The answer hits him over the head and leaves him feeling - if he’s perfectly honest - like a fool.
“What did Naruto do this time?”
Sasuke hasn’t looked away from the window, but Kakashi sees a flicker of something cross his face.
“Well?”
Sasuke mulls it over, then simply relies, “Naruto was very generous with his valentines this year."
An image of the limp heart dripping with barely dried glue on their fridge comes to Kakashi’s mind. “How generous are we talking?”
“500 ryō worth.”
Kakashi can see where this is going. He suppresses a sigh.
“And where on earth did Naruto get the money for such a selfless gesture?”
Sasuke’s eyes slide to meet Kakashi’s. “Iruka.”
“Knowingly?”
A flash of annoyance flares in Sasuke’s dark eyes, again, like he’s wasting his time. In fairness, he is; the answer is obvious.
Kakashi leans his head back against the bookshelf behind him and briefly closes his eyes. A sigh falls heavily from his lips.
“Well, as long as he doesn’t come knocking on our door looking for money…” He glances down at Sasuke. “Was it worth it, at least?”
“Was what worth it?”
“Whatever it was that constituted stealing 500 ryō?”
Sasuke’s eyes narrow almost imperceptibly, but his reply is void of any feeling. “How should I know? I’m not Sakura. Now, do you mind? I was in the middle of something.” He holds out his hand then, waiting.
Kakashi regards him with patience, not entirely content to end the conversation there. It’s the familiar way in which Sasuke holds his hand out to him that cautions him to hold back. Patience, it whispers. Remember how you found him. Reading. At peace. At home.
He hands the book to Sasuke, who takes it without thanks, and thinks as he watches him leaf through its pages and settle against Bull that he could do with some light reading too.
#naruto#kakashi hatake#sasuke uchiha#naruto au#fic#bookends#he's like me#this is the most indulgent thing i've ever done#exactly one (1) person is going to read it
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Hyrule the baby detective?
ohohoho okay so.. I have three genres I like to write in my original lit: horror, scifi, and mystery. so I wanted to write a mystery for LU, multichapter and thoroughly outlined (partly because analyzing HSH was so much fun and I wanted to keep that going alkdfjkasdfj). so I came up with an idea for a crime mystery set in a vaguely 1890s ‘modern’ Castle Town city following apprentice detective Hyrule... I actually wrote a Lot for the first draft before realizing it was a bit too silly for my intent and I hadn’t outlined it enough to solve the sideplots I’d introduced while writing. so I scrapped this... 4? chapter first draft right before the climax and sat down to Really plot it out (I wrote this one in July I think lol)
I have a whole outline and I made a new setting: ‘modern’ university AU with a serial killer antagonist who takes an interest in Hyrule. I had so much of it planned out and I was hype to write it because the twist was amazing, which is the part I felt was lacking set up in the first try. but then classes started and I came up with another multichapter idea and started writing that instead, kinda.. oops!
so if I ever release a version of this fic, it’ll probably be an edited and finished version of the crack taken seriously first draft XD and I’m not sure if I’ll ever use the twist I came up with for the second version so I won’t share it, but it was Good omg.... I love adding twists into my multichapter fics, they’re so much fun aaa! :D
and I guess, just because I can.... have a (unedited and messy) snippet from it! :D
Hyrule was so nervous he’d managed to leave the office and board the subway before even opening the envelope. The envelope where the address of the client and time of meeting was… Hyrule sighed, carefully opening the clasps and peering inside. There was one tiny slip of paper and nothing else. Great. Hyrule pulled the appointment card out, squinting down at the scribbled address and-- oh dear, the meeting was in less than an hour! Hyrule’s eyes flicked around, only relaxing slightly as he realized he’d somehow managed to board the correct train.
He was a bit frustrated at the lack of information he’d been given, if he was being honest. A murder case typically had a name, some pictures, a report even when they got the call, but the card Hyrule held simply had an address and a name--Twilight. Odd name, but he didn’t really have room to talk, his parents had named him after a country after all.
The train arrived and Hyrule shuffled his way through the crowds at the station, climbing the stairs to find himself in the center of the historic district. Towering stone buildings lined the streets in streaked creams and greys, stained by coal even as most of the city moved to electric. The houses here were expensive and ancient and Hyrule knew the district was made of wealthy, private citizens more than anything else. People who preferred to keep their affairs under the table, tight-lipped and aloof, rude even. Hyrule lived in a dingy apartment, packed like a sardine in rooms barely big enough for a bed and stove. He felt small and out of place just standing in the street, suddenly aware of how cheap his white shirt and suspenders looked compared to the businessmen clad in full suits around him.
Hyrule rushed to find the building, glancing up towards the clock tower that rested in the building at the end of the street. Rows and rows of brownstones, all looking strikingly similar, before Hyrule found the bright red overhang of an apartment building, the address emblazoned on the cloth in gold script. He let out a small sigh of relief, still ten minutes ahead of schedule, and pulled open the grand wooden door at the entrance.
The interior was dark but spacious, high ceilings and sconces all fit with gas lamps that were out of use. There was a window at the top of the first flight of stairs, smudged and allowing a grey, watery light to pass into the foyer--the only light present. The right side of the hall held a built in alcove, a set of open mailboxes behind a desk and chair. An attendant sat in the dim light, head slumped forward on his chest, brown hair disheveled over his maroon uniform. Obviously asleep. Hyrule looked down at his note, up at the stairs, and quietly snuck past.
Two flights up Hyrule noticed a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling at the top floor, visible through the gaps in the alternating staircases. A small man was strapped to the rail and ceiling, grease and soot staining his shirt and hair pulled away with a green headband. Hyrule found himself on the fifth floor and peering at the precarious set up the man had constructed--or was he just a boy? He didn’t look much older than fourteen, but he was clearly hard at work, wires looped around his arms and clamps in hand as he converted the chandelier from gas to electric. The kid shot Hyrule a questioning look and he realized he’d been staring, quickly turning away and facing the hall ahead.
There were six doors, three on each side of the hall with tiny golden plaques adorning the wood with each apartment number. Hyrule winced as each step he took broadcast itself in loud squeaks, the maroon carpet rolled over the wood doing nothing to muffle them. Fortunately the apartment he was looking for was the first to his left, room 501, and he took a moment to check his pocket watch and take a few steadying breaths. Before he moved to knock on the door he heard the click of the knob, and a moment later the door tugged open to reveal a man dressed in a dark jacket with dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. They narrowed for a second and Hyrule felt himself stiffen in fear before the man grabbed his arm and pulled him in.
The door shut quickly, trapping Hyrule in the mysterious apartment with a threatening stranger and no escape. He almost considered trying to bolt before his eyes landed on the teen sprawled over the loveseat ahead, long blonde hair spilling onto the ground while his bare feet rested over the couch back. His left side was covered in a layer of streaking pink scars that pinched his eye slightly shut and twisted his mouth into a perpetual smirk. What made Hyrule pause however was the grin the kid shot him, warm and excited, and when he turned back to the other man he saw the tense posture had relaxed significantly.
“You’re from the agency, right?” the man asked, voice a bit tired and hopeful, like he’d been through this song and dance several times before.
“Ah, y-yes! My name is Hyrule, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Hyrule stretched out his hand and the man shook it readily, firm, and Hyrule felt himself begin to relax slightly.
“I’m Twilight. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll fill you in on why I called.” Twilight offered a small smile and Hyrule let himself be guided to sit in a high backed armchair opposite the loveseat. Twilight shoved the teen’s legs off the back and came to sit beside him as he readjusted into a cross-legged position, grin still wide on his face.
“I’m Wild by the way,” Wild waved, Twilight nodding somewhat resigned.
“It’s nice to meet you, Wild,” Hyrule nodded despite the odd name, smiling at the thanks Twilight mouthed at him.
“Alright, so,” Twilight huffed, crossing his legs and straightening his back. Hyrule perked up, pulling a notepad and pencil from his jacket pocket and flipping open to a blank page. “I didn’t say much on the phone last night because this is a… well, a sensitive case, let’s say.”
Hyrule hummed, curiosity easing his anxiety enough to shine through. “A murder, yes?”
Twilight winced and Wild snickered at his side.
“Yes and no…” Twilight shot Wild a glare. “See, it hasn’t exactly happened yet.”
Hyrule paused. Huh.
“So you heard that a murder is being planned and you called us to help prevent it?” Hyrule surmised, only to be met with more laughter from Wild. Twilight shoved him but the teen only hid his smile behind a hand in response.
“Not exactly,” Twilight sighed, and Hyrule noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. “You see, we have this odd neighbor at the end of the hall, and--”
“Twilight saw the guy’s ghost in a dream and is convinced he’s going to be killed.” Wild cut in, ignoring the sharp glare Twilight shot his way.
“Well, that’s a new one.” Hyrule raised his eyebrows, taking in the giggling teen and Twilight’s tired expression.
“It wasn’t a dream, I saw him, or at least I think I did.” Twilight sighed, fixing Hyrule with pleading eyes. “It must have been a ghost because he just appeared out of nowhere in the hall, covered in blood, and told me to call the cops. I did, but when they arrived they said nothing was wrong and I must have been seeing things. But I have a bad feeling about it, something isn’t right. I just want to make sure the Old Man’s okay.”
“When was this exactly? Have you checked on him yourself?” Hyrule tapped his pencil on the notepad, mulling over Twilight’s words. This certainly was an interesting case, and while he wasn’t sure how much he could truly do to help, he understood what Twilight meant. Hyrule trusted his own instincts--a bit too much according to Legend--but they hadn’t truly led him astray yet.
“This was a week ago. I checked on him right after I woke up the next morning. He was fine, not a scratch on him, but something tells me whatever is coming for him hasn’t yet.” Twilight twisted his fingers together nervously and Wild’s laughter petered off. “I’ve been hearing arguments from his apartment. More and more strange people have been coming to visit, and at odd times of the night. I think he’s gotten himself mixed up in something, but he’s pretty stoic and keeps to himself. I just worry…”
Alright, so maybe this case wasn’t as straightforward as he’d been led to believe, but Hyrule wasn’t deterred. Twilight’s words shone with honesty and he realized that the man was likely on his last attempt to find help. No one in their right mind would believe this story, no respectable detective would take on such a case. So it was a good thing Legend sent him, because Hyrule had literally nothing to lose.
“I’ll help you,” Hyrule announced, feeling a swell of confidence as Twilight smiled and Wild shook his head fondly. “If what you say is true there is cause for concern. I can start interviewing those close to him and keeping tabs. If he’s in trouble, we’ll find out, and I can make sure he stays safe.”
Well, he could try, but that was beside the point.
“Thank you so much,” Twilight said, already relaxing. “You don’t know how many detectives I’ve reached out to. They all say I’m crazy or trying to pull a prank.”
“Well, I’m here now, and I’ll get to the bottom of this.” Hyrule replied with far more confidence than he had. At least Legend had taught him one thing--how to bullshit. “So, why don’t we start with what you know about this man…”
Twilight sat back in the chair, Wild getting up to make tea in the adjacent kitchenette. Hyrule readied his pencil, hands steady as his nerves eased.
“We call him Time.”
#genderfluid-puddle-of-soup#aiden writes#this fic is so fun aaaa I wish I'd just finished the first draft XD#oh well
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Hush - Father Anthony Burke/Maurice “Frenchie” Theirault - NSFW
Title: Hush
Author: Donnie
Fandom: The Nun
Setting: Father Burke’s Church
Pairing: Father Anthony Burke/Maurice “Frenchie” Theriault
Characters: Father Anthony Burke, Maurice “Frenchie” Theriault, OC: Denise
Genre: Romance/Spiritual
Rating: E
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 2755
Type of Work: One Shot, Part of the Sins Of The Father series
Status: Complete
Warnings: Gay, Slash, Yaoi, MLM, Sin Kink, Church Kink, Confessional Booth Glory Hole, Jealousy Kink, ABO Dynamics, Mating (Mentioned), Knotting, Vaginal Sex, Interrupted Sex, Voyeurism, Prayer Kink, AU - Canon Divergent, AU - Modern AU
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything except Denise and the other OCs mentioned.
Summary: If Anthony Burke knew one thing about Maurice Theriault, it was that he was a glutton for punishment.
AN: Hey guys, it’s me again! Just thought I ought to say, if you want vague updates and to talk to me more, I have Twitter and Tumblr, too! Twitter is Sunshinecackle, and Tumblr is Writteninsunshine! I also have a writing Discord that is currently pretty dead. xD I can PM it to people who want it on FFN, for everyone else, it’s here: discord.gg/FyaWw25
Here we have another dirty thing with Father Burke and Maurice. Who knew I would be able to bang out so many words for these two? I guess I have a problem. xD But, regardless, they’re fun to write and I’ve been able to get a lot done, so I’m proud of that, at least. Here we go!
All prayers used within are actual Catholic prayers, if that bothers you, please do not read this. This is a very heavy church and sin kink fic, and if you cannot handle that, DO NOT READ IT. I will not interact with people telling me I’m bad or need Jesus or something.
The Nun Fic Masterlist
Hush
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Stepping into the confessional booth after midnight, Maurice felt flighty and exhilarated. He drew the sign of the cross before himself before taking a deep breath and letting it out.
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was two weeks ago.”
“Two weeks?” Father Burke commented, off-handed but uncharacteristic to his usual attitude, “It seems you have been busy.”
“I… Oui.” Maurice answered, “I’ve been thinking impure thoughts, Father. I feel as though I need to be bred by every Alpha I see.” There was a low rumble of a growl on the other side of the wall, and Father Burke had to cover it with a cough. “Just being around certain Alphas I know makes it unbearable.” A slick, wet sound filled the confessional as he slid his hand into his track pants to touch himself, and Father Burke’s scent picked up in interest.
“Every Alpha?” He asked, unable to tamp down on the subvocal growl in his words.
“Not everyone gets me as wet as you do, Father.” Came the sultry answer as Maurice let himself have a small moan of pleasure, rubbing his fingers over his clit. Eyes rolling back, his jaw dropped, “Can you hear me, Father? Smell me? You do this to me so often… I can barely make it through a sermon without needing to touch myself.”
“That is… Sinful, indeed, my son. I… I do indeed smell you. And hear you.” There was a rustling of fabric on Father Burke’s side and it was clear he was readjusting.
“This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins.” Maurice offered through another moan, and Father Burke finally opened up the small door between the booths.
“Your penitence is to serve me, and through me, the Lord,” Anthony replied, accent thick with arousal as he pushed his cock through the hole. “Use your mouth for me.” That growl was still there, thick and possessive as he presented himself. Maurice slipped to his knees in the booth, slurping at the elder’s cock and dipping his tongue underneath the foreskin, just like he liked. Already, he heard the other’s head thunk against the wooden wall between them, and he couldn’t help but take him all the way into his throat. The choked sob of a moan that left the elder man made him giddy and excited, bobbing a few times in rapid succession.
Maurice’s throat was warm and wet and tight, just like another particular part of him that he liked, and he couldn’t help but feed himself to him a few times, giving shallow thrusts into his mouth. Anthony panted, moaning unashamedly as he rolled forward, though he was struggling to get that confession out of his head. Every Alpha he saw. Despite Maurice falling into an easy rhythm, he finally pulled back entirely.
“I want you in here, with me. Now.” His voice left no room for arguing, so Maurice gathered himself and exited his half of the booth while Father Burke closed the door between them. He stepped in, immediately being pressed into the door when it was closed. Anthony’s lips were on his neck, the warning of teeth pressed to each kiss as he fought the urge to mark him right there. He held both of Maurice’s wrists beside his head, biting into his neck enough to leave indents. “Other Alphas, huh?” He questioned, puffed up over this, his breath hot on the younger’s neck.
“I-- Ohhhh, it’s… It was just… For the game.” He managed, his words broken by moans and gasps as he was thoroughly scented and chewed on. “I only think… Think about y-you these days.”
“You had better.” Anthony snarled into his skin, nipping his earlobe and jerking his knee between the other’s thighs to give him something to rut against. As expected, Maurice ground himself down into the other’s leg, eyes rolling back with a loud moan.
“Only you, I promise~” Maurice whimpered, not caring that he was rubbing the elder’s cock against his pants leg.
“Strip, I want you to ride me. Now.” Demanding as he was right now, the thought was too good to pass up. He sat down, his pants already around his ankles, and watched as Frenchie struggled to get out of his own pants. The track pants shouldn’t have been such a challenge, but it took him too long to get his boots off, as well. Crawling into his lap facing him, he sunk down on the elder’s cock and gasped, eyes rolling as he filled him thoroughly in one go.
Without waiting for a second, Anthony took hold of his hips and slammed his own upwards, only leaving a gut-punched moan on his lover’s lips. Sucking at his neck and chest, he tugged his shirt up and off as he rutted his hips up, barely giving Maurice a chance to move. Biting into his neck, Anthony tasted his skin with a lick as he pulled the other down on him, and Maurice cried out, going stiff from the pressure on his muscle. There would be no hiding that mark, at least.
“If you do not stop me,” Anthony moaned into the bite, licking at it and nuzzling the sensitive skin around it with his nose, “I am going to mate you. Right now.”
“O-ooh, fuck, right here?” Maurice didn’t seem so bothered by the thought anymore, hitching his hips in a tight circle as he rolled down. “Yes… Do it.” It wasn’t like he had a knot blocker on him, anyway.
Grinding up into him again, Anthony purred loudly in his chest, sucking on the bite mark he’d left behind and happily rubbing the other’s stomach. He’d wanted to pup him up for a while, and this was as good as any chance he’d get. About ready to push him into the wall and fuck him hard, they both went still when they heard the heavy door to the church open.
Anthony’s eyes went wide and he quickly fumbled for his pants around the younger man, pulling the scent blockers out and activating them with a swipe of his thumb. “Shh.” He muttered, holding a hand over the other’s mouth and trying to still his hips.
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was three days ago.” A woman’s voice broke through the other side, and Father Burke sighed. Frenchie could tell this one came in a lot. “I took some of Daniel’s school supply money to buy more crack.” She told them, not knowing there was a third party, “And I didn’t do anything to put it back. He needs a new backpack, and I smoked all of it in two days. I didn’t take too much, just $50, but he’s upset… And I think I sinned.”
“Well, my child,” Father Burke had an amazing ability to not be bothered by the clamping pussy around his cock, and Frenchie thought that was equally frustrating and admirable. Of course he’d have to try and get him to moan or breathe heavy, at least, “You and I both know that taking from your children is sinful, as is using the money to feed a habit the devil provided you with.”
The last word hitched a little as Frenchie wiggled in his lap, and Anthony gave him a dirty look and shook his head. ‘Not now’ he mouthed, and the French-Canadian just grinned at him, clamping tight around his cock and making Anthony’s eyelids flutter.
“I… I know. I know I sinned. It doesn’t help that Mikayla is starting to smoke at school. Just cigarettes, but I can’t help but think that it’s my fault.” The woman on the other side sobbed into her hands, and Frenchie rounded his hips again. Covering his grunt with a cough, Anthony sighed.
“Would you like me to arrange for you to go to a clinic to get help? There is one uptown that is very nice, we work with them often for people in your situation.”
“I-- Yes, Father. That would be good, I think. I don’t want to keep doing this to my children.” She told him, “It’s just so hard, being a single mother.”
“I understand your-- Your situation.” He had to keep his growl out of his voice somehow, so he rested his face on Frenchie’s shoulder. That opened up his neck to nibbles and kisses, and he had to close his eyes tight and gulp. “I think St. Joseph would be a good place to start, and I could arrange for Margaret to take care of your children while you g-- Get better.”
Maurice could feel Anthony flagging inside of him, so he sucked hard on his shoulder, right where he intended to bite him when they mated. His hips rolled and he felt that throb go through him, and he couldn’t help the excitement flooding his system. This was the absolute wrong time for it, and he knew that, but Frenchie was being adamant to finish this.
“I’ll do it. For them. Thank you, Father. This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins.”
“Your penitence will be to apologize to-- To your children,” He grunted slightly, lightly tapping Maurice’s hip as a reprimand, “And then you will check into St. Joseph, and I will help you in the morning. I want you here at ten sharp.” Anthony felt a pang of anxiety in his chest, knowing what must happen next. “Join me in prayer.”
Maurice barely contained his moan behind his hand, closing his eyes and sucking in a deep breath.
“My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.” Was this truly for Denise, or was it for his own transgressions right now? Even Anthony didn’t know for sure. “In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things.” Maurice rounded his hips and lifted slightly, drooling slick down Anthony’s cock and balls, and Anthony had to take a breath, as shaky as it was. “I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.” Maurice somehow managed to swallow down another moan, rising and falling slightly in the other’s lap. “Ou-our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and d-di-died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy.” Her voice joining Anthony’s didn’t seem to bother Maurice at all, “Amen. Is that all, my child?”
“Yeah, I… I think so. Thank you, Father.” With that, Denise exited the booth and her leave through the large doors left Maurice alone with his lover once more. His hips rolled and Anthony’s hands jumped to them, holding him still.
“You,” Anthony began, voice stern, “Are in huge trouble.”
“Oh? Why?” Maurice’s hips tried to make another round and he nearly got away with it before Anthony’s firm grip on him kept him in place.
“You know what you did. You can’t go doing--”
“Then punish me, Father.” Maurice purred, nuzzling his neck again before he was pushed back. Anthony’s hands jumped back to Maurice’s hips to stop him from moving once more.
“I will. You love being punished so badly, I don’t think you get a punishment.”
“Oh, come on.” Maurice pouted, crossing his arms, “You said you’d mate me.”
“And now, I don’t think that I will. Not tonight.” But, that didn’t mean that Anthony was going to stop. He roughly thrust up, before rocketing off the bench and pinning him back against the door. One hand went to the other’s rump, squeezing before giving him a slap that made Maurice’s ass jiggle. “You’re going to have to take your punishment, however, and then offer repentance.”
“I thought y-you said I--”
“Your punishment is really that you have to wait to be mated, L’Amour. You shouldn’t have done that when she was here to confess.” Though his voice sounded softer, now, his thrusts didn’t let up when he wasn’t busy talking. Each of them pushed Maurice closer, and Anthony finally turned to kiss his lips gently. “Now, we pray. Do you remember the prayer that she spoke…?”
“Mnn… Not-- N-not really, F-Father.” Maurice whimpered, getting close enough to his orgasm that it would have left him, anyway.
“Then repeat after me, Precioso.” He spoke softly, kissing the other gently on the lips, “Oh Most humane and adorable Jesus, Your endless grace and mercy flows forth. ” Taking a break from his words to give a few more thrusts, Anthony listened to Maurice’s broken moans of the words he’d left him with. “Before granting the gift of absolution to earnest repenters of sinful ways, You demanded a sacrificial compensation. For a wrongful act cannot be rectified until punishment has been accepted.” Another thrust broke the word ‘punishment’ in half as Maurice spoke.
“Yes, for the salvation of my soul, Jesus, You accepted the price of the Cross.” Maurice was insanely close now, and Father Burke reached down to grip his Omega’s cock gently but firmly. He wasn’t going to come until they were done. His thrusts didn’t get any easier, however, “Gr-grrrr-grant me the gr-grace to remain free of debts, my he-heart remaining flawless before You, m-ma-making Your absolution truly worthwhile.” With a soft smile, he finally rolled his hips forward to bury his knot inside Maurice, causing him to shriek while he murmured ‘Amen’ into the Omega’s neck.
It was harder than he thought not to bite down, but Anthony knew that if he didn’t stick to the punishment, Maurice would never listen to him. Instead, he kissed at his Adam’s apple, focusing on licking him in time to his haggard breaths. Maurice appreciated the thought, rocking his hips slightly to secure the hold on him, and his eyes rolled back as Anthony let go of his cock.
“Ooh… Father,” he gasped, “It feels… So good.” To finally come went unsaid, because Maurice didn’t need to get in more trouble for nearly interrupting Denise’s confession. It already cost him the mating, and that was bad enough to get his mind on a hopefully better track of thought.
“You feel good, too, Maurice.” Anthony purred into his neck, nipping his earlobe gently, “And when the time is right, I will mate you, if you still want me to.” Dragging his lips back to Maurice’s, he kissed him gently, nuzzling their noses together.
“I--” Maurice went a little still, but he wasn’t quite stiff, watching the elder with a pensive frown before he relaxed again, “I think I am… Heavily considering it.” That was the best he could come up with, laughing softly at himself before shaking his head. “I’ve never dated someone this long before.” He added, resting their foreheads together as Anthony moved them back to the bench.
“If I recall, you’ve never dated anyone else.” He offered softly, kissing those plump lips gently once more, “Though I am flattered that you chose me to be the first.”
Had any of the others tried to dig their claws in, Maurice would have already been spoken for. Perhaps it was luck, but Anthony liked to think that God was rewarding him for his hard work; Even though there were things he wasn’t so proud of, that haunted the back of his mind quite often. Maurice helped to keep those thoughts at bay, and he didn’t know what he’d do if he was eventually turned away.
“I’m happy that you are the first.” Maurice told him honestly, kissing back gently, “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted romance before. It is delicious.”
“You are incorrigible.” Anthony laughed, gently lapping at his lips and teeth, “Also delicious, but mostly incorrigible.”
“I… Have no idea what that means,” Maurice replied, eyes down, and Anthony tipped his head up again to kiss him once more. As much as Maurice beat himself up for not understanding things often, Anthony never minded explaining things to him.
“You will continue to sin and I must be here to try and steer you straight. With… More of this, I suppose. Romance and your favorite punishments.”
“I like the sound of that.” Maurice murmured against his mouth, happy to have a good man in his life for once. “I could get used to this.”
“I sincerely hope that you do.”
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AN: Can I write anything for these two that is less than six pages? Evidently not so far. At any rate, I hope you guys enjoyed!
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Helping Hand
Writer’s note: This is a little LONG fic for my buddy @howtodrawyourdragon‘s birthday! It’s my first modern au hiccstrid fic, and there may be more to come. No more waiting, Mel! XD
Astrid’s nerves skittered about like little creepy crawlies under her skin. She was thankful her hand had to continuously move her cane about, hiding the tremble of her limb.
An incident only a few months back had taken her eyesight. She’d run out into a lightning storm to close the stable door of her horse, Stormfly – so her hooved companion wouldn’t gallop off in terror. Lightning struck the metal wind gage atop the barn, throwing Astrid backwards and knocking her unconscious. When she came to, she awoke to a black sheet of nothingness. And she’d remained in the darkness ever since.
After physically recovering, she’d jump right in to trying to live her life the way she used to. Her determination faltered when things didn’t go as she assumed. Everyday life occurrence as simple as walking to the front door weren’t simple anymore. Learning to read brail was an enormous challenge. And worst of all, Stormfly wouldn’t allow her to ride her anymore. Just that alone caused Astrid’s spirit to crumble and she found herself more than once on lying on the rug in her room sobbing.
Her doctor had suggested a support group to help her cope with the sudden loss of her eyesight. After a week of crushing despair, Astrid picked herself up. She couldn’t – wouldn’t – allow this disability to crush her. Her father had dropped her off at the building the support group met in. With her cane at her assistance and one stop for directions, she made her to the meeting room with her head held high.
Hiccup’s knee bounced as he waited for the meeting to begin. Almost 3 years had passed since the car accident that severed his left leg just below the knee. At first, he wasn’t excited about the idea of a support group for the disabled, but his father had convinced him that it would be good for him to be around others who had lost a part of themselves as well.
The tapping of something on the floor pulled Hiccup’s attention to the open door. His heart sped up at the sight of a beautiful blonde woman walking carefully into the room. He was so captivated by her, he didn’t notice the sunglasses she wore or the cane in her hand.
He broke out of his daze and jumped to his feet, noticing she was going to collide with the circle of chairs. But before he could reach her, the woman’s cane tapped the metal leg of the chair and she veered to the right, tapping on chair legs as she made her way to a clear path within the circle.
She continued tapping lightly on the front chairs as she drew closer to him. Hiccup remained quiet, watching her. He’d never met a blind person directly in his 18 years of life, and he was in awe at how she handled herself.
When the woman gently tapped his metal prosthetic leg, her features contorted in bewilderment. She raised her cane, softly thumping at the metal again. This time she hit something that wasn’t metal at all.
The woman gasped softly and froze. “Did I just hit a person?” she asked.
Hiccup chuckled. “You did, but don’t worry, I’ll live.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m still trying to get the hang of this.” She shook her cane.
“Looks to me you’re handling it just fine,” Hiccup encouraged, a little coy smile crossing her lips at his words. He asked, slightly awkwardly, “Are you uh..here for the disabled support group meeting?”
The woman shook her head. “No. I like to stroll into random buildings.” Hiccup’s mouth hung open, not sure what to say until the woman let out a breathy laugh. “Just kidding. Can you point me to an empty seat?”
Hiccup patted the chair next to him, loud enough so she could hear. “The seat you’re standing in front of is empty. If you don’t mind sitting next to me, that’s is.” He really hoped she didn’t mind.
The woman smiled and carefully settled down in the chair. “Thanks.”
“My name is Hiccup.”
“Nice to meet you, Hiccup.” She offered her hand to shake, and Hiccup gladly accepted. “My name is Astrid.”
Astrid was reassured that she didn’t have to share her story for her first meeting. She could wait for as many meetings as she wished before sharing anything but her name. Astrid didn’t expect to make friends there and to be honest, she wasn’t looking for new friends either. But as she chatted with this boy named Hiccup, she was beginning to change her mind.
Ever since the incident, no one had treated her the same. Her mother walked on egg shells around her, asking constantly if she was all right. Her father - who was a quiet, reserved man already - barely spoke to her. It drove Astrid crazy that she couldn’t see his face but could feel his penetrating stare.
Her friends had stopped by several times to hang out, but they too treated her as if she were fragile. The awkwardness radiating from them, as if they didn’t know how to act around her anymore, didn’t help Astrid feel any better. Only her riding buddy, Heather, had acted normal for the most part. But even then, there were moments when Heather would let something slip that caused an awkward riff.
This guy she’d just met acted as if there was nothing wrong with her. He chatted animatedly with her, his enthusiasm quite infectious. Astrid found herself forgetting about her disability and the fact that she didn’t know what this guy looked like. For the first time in a few months, she felt at ease again.
All too soon, the meeting started. Astrid listened intently at the stories told of heartache and progress and learning to live with loss. Every story was different, and yet, Astrid could relate to every single one.
When it got around to Hiccup, he didn’t tell his story of loss. Astrid had figured he’d been to these meetings many times before. Instead, he shared his progress with a new prosthetic for his leg and she assumed his disability was the loss of said limb.
“I get funny looks when people see the peg leg, but it doesn’t bother me. This type of prosthetic works for me and I’m sticking with it.”
The first image that came to Astrid’s mind was a pirate when Hiccup mentioned his peg leg. She smiled, amused by the thought that the guy sitting next to her wore a triangle hat and sword on his belt. Maybe a parrot thrown in the mix too.
Hiccup finished, and Astrid could feel all the attention in the room suddenly on her. It was strange how she couldn’t see eyes looking at her anymore, but she could feel them as if a person’s gaze manifested physically on her person.
She tried to clear her throat of the lump that had formed. “My name is Astrid, and I lost my eyesight almost 4 months ago.” She didn’t want to share any more; not to a room full of strangers that she couldn’t see. At least, not yet. “That’s all I’d like to say.”
“I didn’t tell my story either during my first meeting,” Hiccup whispered as the next person around the circle shared. Astrid gave a little nod in response, reassured by his words.
Not long after it was her turn, the meeting was over. She turned to her right hearing the guy next to her shift to stand. “It was nice meeting you, Hiccup.”
“Nice meeting you too, Astrid.” She could hear the sincerity in his voice and knew he was smiling. “Can I…walk out with you?” There was a nervous tone about the way he asked, and it made butterflies flutter in Astrid’s stomach.
“Sure. Let me text my dad real quick.” Using Siri as help, Astrid sent a text to her father to inform him the meeting was over.
Hiccup didn’t reach out to help lead her as they walked out, just waited patiently for her to start the trek to the front of the building.
“Are you planning to come back?” Hiccup asked right after informing her to take a left. The rest of the walk was a long hallway to the exit.
“I think so.” Now that they were walking, Astrid could hear another tapping of metal besides her cane on the floor and assumed it was Hiccup’s prosthetic. “A peg leg, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s quite the attention getter, especially with kids.” He didn’t sound at all ashamed of it.
“Where’s your parrot?” It was a silly question, but Astrid couldn’t help dwelling on the pirate image.
“A parrot?” Hiccup asked, puzzled.
“To go with the peg leg.”
There was a pause then a soft laugh. “Oh! Peg leg. Parrot. Arrrrrrrrr. My parrot is out for repairs.”
Astrid let out a tiny chuckle. “I’m sorry. That was dumb of me.”
Hiccup’s pace had slowed significantly as they walked. The quiet clink of his prosthetic helped her keep track of his strides, oddly comforting her. She wished she could see his face to match his unique voice. “Which leg is it?” slipped out before she could think about what she was asking.
“Um,” Hiccup’s brief pause made her regret the question, “The left.”
“If you’re uncomfortable talking about it-“ she spilled in an apologetic tone.
“I’m fine with talking about it.” Hiccup sped up his pace and the sound of the door opening followed. “After you.”
“Thanks.” Astrid’s cane tapped her way out the exit, only to be met by the calling of her name. “Wow, my dad must’ve not left the parking lot. He got here way too quickly.”
“I guess I’ll s—talk to you next week.” Astrid caught Hiccup’s correction. He was the only person so far who had avoided the term ‘see you later’, and Astrid was thankful for that. The awkward apologies or silences after someone had made the mistake was more unbearable than hearing the actual word being misused.
“Yeah, next week.” She hoped she was smiling in his general direction. “Bye, Hiccup.”
As she made her way to her father’s car waiting on the curb, a renewed hope began to swell in Astrid’s chest and she anticipated her next encounter with her new friend. Next week’s meeting couldn’t come fast enough.
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Sonamy Prompt Request
World: AU (Alternative Universe - in otherwords, not canon xD)
Couple: Sonamy (older. much... much older, lol!)
Summary: phoenixsaloverIt's fine if you want or not to write this Prompt it's a very cute and maybe this might sound cannon with modern since they are older...and who know time changes.... Here's the Idea: It's like in the future, Amy is missing somehow but Sonic didn't even panic like everyone else and said "She went with Cream and Vanilla for a rest for 6 months" (Along time but hey, it would be awesome that kind of Vacations) and Amy came back with 4 tiny Babies Hedgies in a Baby carriage. Were all "What is the world happen?? Who these newborn babies mother?" Amy would confess "Me ofcourse" and everyone would wonder who the father was , here comes Sonic the Hedgehog saying hello to the group going directly to Amy , Since he isn't a very affection character he just , what you call? Rub on the cheek by cheek and peck on her cheek making her blush. And looking at the babies with new look on his eyes...and at that moment everyone know who the father is, plus everyone have their mouths to the ground. ahhaha! xD (Ah there was a time Sonic did went to the hospital since with his SPEED he can get anywhere, and assisted to her labor, Sonic might be a great Friend to support his friends and I believe he would try to comfort her knowing she' will be in pain). What do you think? XD
Author’s Note: I.. will see what I can do XD I’ll do my best! I’ll have to fiddle with it and change it for purposes of making sense and being plausible, but thanks! :D
Prompt:
The reunion of the original team was about to take place, and Tails was excited to see all his old friends again! He had become a successful entrepreneur and had a very successful business, creating inventions for a new future.
He adjusted his tie and tried to look presentable, going to the spot they all designed to meet.
As far as he knew... Knuckles had a family now, trying to teach them the ‘echidna’ way of things, and preserve some posterity since he was the last of his kind. Guardians in training, you could say.
Cream and her Mother went on Vacation recently, and apparently, so did Amy, though he wasn’t sure if they all went together, he figured that was probably the case.
Sonic, unsurprisingly, was unheard of for some time.
Tails had kept in contact with everyone, mostly, but was really excited to see Sonic again.
When the event finally took place, everyone showed up, except for Sonic.
“When do you think he’ll come?” Cream asked, sipping her cup as Tails looked a little worried.
“He’ll be here. I know he will!” He sounded confident. “Afterall, I know he carries a phone now. Not sure why.” he shrugged. “But he said he’d be here.”
Suddenly, the team turned as Knuckles was rounding up his kids in his arms, looking like he had his hands full with rambunctious children, until the door came open and Amy walked in with a baby carriage. “Sorry! I’m sure we’re really late!” she apologized, and strolled the carriage over to the table.
“Ah! Amy!” Cream raced up and hugged her. “You’ve been gone for so long now!”
“Haha... yeah... funny story.” she hugged her friend with a sweatdrop, knowing she would have to explain.
“Hey, Amy!” Tails walked over, before staring down into the baby carriage. “Woah! Whose are these?”
She giggled, but then gave him a funny look. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m a mom of four now!” she happily stated, “Just like I always wanted~ Well, I would’ve wanted a few more, but this will do.” she moved her hand in and lowered the blankets.
Four beautiful hoglets all fidgeted in their sleep.
“Awww~” Cream cooed out. “They’re adorable.”
“Y-y-yo-your married?!” Tails exclaimed, turning to her.
“Em-hmm.” Amy nodded, showing off the ring. “It’s been a while...”
“Y-yeah... no kidding...” his hands sweat a little, what would Sonic think..?
“Hey guys!”
The three turned around, as Sonic was swarmed by little Echidnas that leapt onto him. “UNCLE!!!” they cried out.
“Hey! What have I said about jumping on people!” Knuckles scolded, stomping his foot down, but they seemed to completely ignore him.
“Ugh... they’d listen to their mother...” he groaned, bending over as if giving up.
“Hey, Tails!”
“S...Sooonic!” Tails also leaped, but was careful of the kids.
“W-woah! Haha, missed you too, buddy!” he wobbled in place a moment, getting his balance.
“I guess I should get used to this.... afterall...” He moved the kids and Tails off of him to walk over to Amy. “I’m sure they’ll all have my speed and your strength.” He stood by her, and looked down at the carriage, before making funny faces as the hoglets laughed slightly in their babyish way.
“...W...What do you mean... your speed and...” Tails pointed his finger to Sonic, then Amy, then the carriage.
Three little dots formed in his mind’s eye, and he used his finger to connect them, forming a heart, as the two smiled and leaned closer together.
Amy kissed Sonic’s cheek as he leaned back, surprised, and then looked away with a nervous smile.
“AHHH!!! You two really tied the knot!!!” he exclaimed.
Sonic and Amy looked back to him, shocked he hadn’t figured it out sooner, but then Sonic put an arm around Amy, looking away and scratching his nose with his other hand. “W-well... A guy gets older Tails...”
“New adventures arise~” Amy gave Sonic some flirty eyes as he drooped his eyes and looked embarrassed.
“Something like that.” he admitted quickly, before Knuckles swung an arm over him, making him wobble away from Amy and remove an arm from around her.
“Hahaha! To see you hitched! I never thought I’d live to see the day! Hahah!” Knuckles teased, before leaning in closer, “Hey... if you ever need advice, I’m here for you, okay?”
“Uhh.. uh-huh?” Sonic nodded, but seemed more confused on the gesture than anything.
“Wow, Amy! You really got your man in the end.” Cream smiled up to her, so happy for her.
Amy put a hand over her face, blushing. “It just shows that with a lot of work, effort, and a whole lot of perseverance, you too can have your dreams come true~”
“You forgot about being pushy and annoyingly persistent too.”
She summoned her hammer, her eye twitching.
“What was that?”
“Haha! Kidding!” Sonic motioned his hands out, and took one of the kids quickly out of the carriage, “You wouldn’t hurt someone holding a baby would you?”
“PUT HIM BACK.” her motherly instinct triggered and he immediately put the child back to safety.
“Hmph! I told you! You can’t speed around with them till they’re old enough to withstand your whiplash!” she scolded, and tucked the babies back in nicely.
He pouted, folding his arms and motioning with fish lips over to Tails as a side comment. “She never let’s me play with them.”
“That’s probably best.” Tails sweatdropped. “W-wait, am I just readily believing all this!?”
“Yeah, it takes some time, Tails.” Sonic closed his eyes and patted his friend’s back in comfort. “I had to wake up and realize that Amy was my wife a few times before it really settled in.”
“WHY YOU-!”
“Honey! Joking! Come on?” he once again held his hands out, trying to calm her down.
“That really happened though, you jerk! You woke up one morning and screamed my name as if you were surprised I was there!”
“Eh-heh... old reflexes of fleeing from you die hard?” he put his pointer fingers together, pressing them up against the other in nervous, awkward truth...
But he knew what would come out of this.
“WHY I OUTTA-!”
Sonic jogged around the room as Amy chased him, making the others have a good laugh.
“It’s a wonder they fell in love.” Tails rolled his eyes.
“Not really...” Knuckles, holding a little girl, looked up towards the corner of his eye, an awkward sweatdrop as he remembered the woman he married to be someone he used to spat with all the time too...
“Not that unlikely...”
(Isn’t it funny how the couples who fight the most end up married? I love that xD)
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Annotations on Falling in Love with Love (Again)
FiLwL(A) is my 3zun cinderella which is actually just about the importance of qin su and also reuniting with your exes. Here’s my behind the scenes/notes/lore for chapters 9-11.
ch 9: nie mingjue being hot
i wrote this before i’d even written the Murder in ch 6;;;;; i just love nie mingjue
i so deeply believe in nie mingjue being smart and able to see through meng yao because he’s straightforward and strategic.
“hmm” i said to myself. “how do i write the bois getting together??” after much thought i decided on “by stabbing one of them a bunch”
bits of this are still funny to me. rip meng yao sometimes you gotta be up close and personal with a hot dude’s bare sweaty chest
also my version of “romantic and sensual” is just “doing math and deciding yeah, against your better judgement, you’re gonna smooch” because i love an overthinking murder twink
“on the bright side, the late-night guest was not jin guangshan’s type. unfortunately he was exactly meng yao’s type: nie mingjue” i can’t believe i let myself write this, bc it feels way too modern, but also the tone of this fic is just sarcastic enough that modern grouchy shit works
ever since i discovered that camel was a delicacy in tang china i became OBSESSED with it. i nearly included it in ‘i have always loved the door’ and it makes an appearance in ‘blood in the cut’
the guan reappears!! or at least is mentioned.in case u forgot it from chapter 1 it is Definitely Not A Glass Slipper Or Anything
“i love ruining a twink’s life” i said in the author’s notes. i was not lying. my hobbies are making nie mingjue look cool and making jin guangyao suffer.
“xichen was disappointed when he didn’t see you there” “and you of course, weren’t” “on the contrary i was happy to see you” is one of the exchanges that was like. core to this fic. similar to “i met someone” “i don’t know what you want me to say to that” “neither do i”
when outlining fics i tend to include some key dialogue/exchanges that strike me as the Mood TM and half the time these exchanges go through incredible rewrites or just get deleted, but it’s always nice to see them survive
the xiangqi was so much fun to write, not bc i have played the game a bunch (i haven’t) but bc it gave me a fun way to talk about the conversation without talking about the conversation.
“a controlled leak qould have been very useful” makes me so happy it’s such a MOOD and nie mingjue immediately going heart-eyes over it is complete wish fulfillment. when will a hot sword lesbian be enamored over my ruthless scheming???? im taking sword lesbian gf applications over in my ask box
“But it hadn’t been easy” this paragraph originally included “Nie Mingjue had broadened his moral compass, and Meng Yao had learned to trust” or something but i couldn’t really figure out how meng yao would describe his own personal growth since he left qinghe. like he DID grow he DID learn that he can trust the people he loves to trust him and that it’s worth bringing people in on your schemes and plans.... but he’s too dumb to describe this.
the xiyao troll’s comment on this was “LMFAO that oocness from both meng yao and nmj where nmj is suddenly JGY levels of cunning and JGY is dumb enough to make mistakes XD”
this has stuck with me so hard
how do you read Falling in Love with Love and only discover after 16k words that i think meng yao makes mistakes?????
how do u consume any adaptation of mdzs and think that nmj isn’t smart enough to go “huh that cunning twink who is absolutely mooning over me and xichen and also plays weiqi like my old buddy seems REAL FUCKING FAMILIAR” nmj canonically sees thru jgy machinations all the time
anyway i love nmj and the xiyao troll
did you know there’s an exchange to celebrate the troll’s works??? i discovered it after signups closed but im going to enjoy reading all of them
ch 10: and with very little trouble
this took me like a month to write oops but that’s just because a lot has to happen
the opening where meng yao is being mean to qin su was so hard to write. meng yao getting overworked?? fine. meng yao getting abused??? cool. meng yao being slightly short with his sister, who is in no way hurt by this bc she can tell it’s not about her??? HORRIBLE!!!
the detective scene happened. there’s not a lot to say about it, i don’t think, except to note that han meilin did try to stand up for qin su
ch 11: impossible things are happening every day
cinderella time mother fuckers!!! this is another one that took time!!
ch 10 took time bc i wasn’t 100% sure how it would play out
this took time bc even though i knew exactly what would happen and how, it has to be Real Good, y’know? it’s tying up the entire fic. if these 2k words don’t work, then the rest of the fic will feel less good and ppl won’t come back to it
(please everyone come back to this over and over if only to laugh at my obvious qin su agenda)
qin su and meng yao fighting over who gets to take the fall for their joint murder. i love them.
i wasn’t planning for this fic to start the sunshot campaign but here we are. in the war.
How did this version of the sunshot campaign go? Well. not good. because someone has no reason to invent necromancy. But not as poorly as you’d think. Jiang Sect isn’t destroyed, and the Cloud Recesses are functional (although not at full capacity), so they have more strength on hand. Plus, Meng Yao encouraged Koi Tower to funnel money and resources into the Qin Sect, specifically so if the war started before he expected it to (whoops!!! it did!!!!), those resources would be somewhere he could encourage to fight.
on the one hand, the sunshot campaign’s territory is divided in half by the wens. on the other hand, that means the wens are fighting on both the northern and southern border (since, again, jiang sect is still alive)
anyway i’d say it’s a more steady war, as opposed to my recollection of canon where like. everyone’s fucking miserable until our sexy goth boi comes out with his corpses and wrecks shop.
then han meilin and qin su look at their families and say “if you do not let us marry right now in a way that combines our sects equally...... we will just do it anyway.”
(meng yao in the background, holding a thin knife: fucking try me. try me. i want you to be mean to my sister just so i can stab you with my knives.)
anyway it’s time for the epilogue where meng yao is vice general and there is no more wen sect
(have i thought about the dafan wens in this ‘verse? no. i probably should not, either, as wwx would be less ride-or-die for them and that means maybe wen qing and wen ning would die in a war camp)
never mind!!! happy thoughts only!!!! like how qin su and meng yao are getting ready to kill again bc they are the bi crime sibling club!!!!
jin zixuan is invited to family brunch but he’s never invited to bi crime sibling club because qin su and meng yao refuse to let him lose his innocence.
“ge, jie, i’m married with children, i don’t have any innocence to lose--” “oh didi, precious baby, our infant brother, shining beacon of our heart...”
mo xuanyu is also forbidden from joining bi crime club. he’s too baby.
they do discover other jin bastards and invite them to lunch and sure, there might eventually be another bi criminal.
3zun visits each other in 2 month chunks, with one to two month breaks as needed. so the epilogue is the beginning of 2 months hanging out in meng yao’s house, and then later in the year they’ll hang out in the cloud recesses or whatever
qin su and meng yao both have secret lists of places to acquire babies for each other. han meilin knows about both of these lists and laughs every time she sees the same orphanages on both lists.
the final comment from the xiyao troll on this was: “Interesting choice to write a bland ooc AU, but I guess this is all you can manage with your writing skill. ;) This way you don't have to worry about JGY lying to Xichen for years, murdering NMJ, attempting to murder Xichen's family in the second siege, stealing secrets from the Lan sect, corrupting a healing song Xichen trusted him with, and fully betraying LXC's and NMJ's trust.”
like. yeah. of course i sidestepped the bad things. that’s what a fix-it au is for. it’s where i say “here’s an alternate universe, where certain bad things do not happen.” it’s where i say “if meng yao had always had qin su around to counteract the messaging his mother gave him, he might not have gone so far in his quest for power”. duh.
also like kiddo, troll, friend. the pitch for this fic is “cinderella except with murder and qin su rights”. i’ve been clear from the top that this is an Indulgent Fic with No Pretenses of Quality. im proud of some sentences and passages, but this ain’t Blood In The Cut where im tryna Say something or either of my jiang cheng-centric fics where im focusing on good characterization.
it’s a cozy murder where qin su gets to live and have a cool wife
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