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#i am banging pots and pans outside your bedroom window
chelshiart · 1 year
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just a friendly round of sibling death match :)
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tundrainafrica · 3 years
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Title: Household Planning (1/2)
Summary:  
"It was Levi's household. The plates were arranged and sorted by color and use, the way Levi liked it. The cabinets and the storage were arranged in a way which would be efficient for cooking, or at least the way Levi would have wanted to cook."
Levi gets sick and Hange is left to navigate household chores.
Link to cross-postings: AO3
Notes: Set in the same verse as  “Rough day”  and “Sugar Rush”
"You're taking a week off?"
Hange wished no one would be there when she dropped by the queen’s office to give the letter. It was painful as it is to fathom what the next week would be like. Making her way to her familiar office in civilian clothing and seeing Historia there in the room only added salt to the wound.
“I’ve asked Armin to take over first. It will only be for a week at the most,” Hange explained.
"No. Take as many days as you need. I don't think you've even taken the day off since the war ended." Historia gave Hange a reassuring smile as she placed the letter back in the envelope.
Hange was sure the queen would give the week off with no arguments. Queen Historia had always had been understanding about any excuses related to family. Somehow, the response had come as a big surprise to Hange. As she walked out of the office and into the courtyard, she felt the late afternoon breeze seep through the cotton of her civilian shirt. It felt oddly nostalgic and Hange was reminded that she had not taken a day off in years.  
“It’s not like I’m gonna be resting anyway.” Hange muttered to herself as she made her way through the courtyard and into the main road to call for a taxi.
"Where to, Ma'am?”
“Paradis Central Hospital.
20 hours earlier
Levi was usually the one who opened the door for her when she got home. That night, she was surprised to find their seven year old Luke by the door waiting for her.
“Shouldn’t you be asleep? Where’s daddy?” Hange asked as she helped her son stand up. The young boy’s eyes were drooping and Hange was sure he would fall asleep as soon as she put him to bed.
“Daddy’s asleep.”
“Really?” Hange glanced at the clock on the mantle as she carried Luke to his room.
It was only a quarter to nine and she had known Levi long enough to know he would never be asleep at that time. In fact, most nights he was the one who would welcome her home. He would be cleaning, organizing or mixing tea in the kitchen while she showered and got ready for bed. She always fell asleep to the clatters of plates and mugs, the clanks of pots and pans and the opening and closing of cupboards. Funnily, she always woke up to them too, a testament to the odd sleeping patterns of her partner.
Luke had fallen asleep in her arms. Hange lay him gently on his bed and put the blanket over him. As she turned off the lights and closed the door behind her, Hange was made aware of the fact that the house was unnaturally silent without the sounds of Levi tinkering with something in the kitchen. She hurried to the bedroom she shared with Levi to find him on the bed, his back to the door.
“Tiring day?”
Levi was a light sleeper. Some nights when Hange did wake up next to him, she could usually elicit a reply or reaction from him with almost any sound no matter how soft. At that moment though, Levi was not responding.
She approached the bed, letting her footsteps resound loudly on the wooden floor under her. He still did not react. Levi was covered up to his chin with blankets. Not wanting to disturb the set up, Hange rested her hand on his cheek, only to recoil at the heat being released.
How was he this morning?  Hange felt a twinge of guilt when she realized she did not remember much of it. She had still woken up to the same banging of pots and pans and a full breakfast. There was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Hey, are you okay?" Hange asked, as she shook him lightly.
"Just… need to rest." Levi did not open his eyes. In fact, his face tensed as he said those words and Hange guessed that that slight effort was already causing him pain.
How much pain was he in?  They were both soldiers in another life and they both had higher pain tolerance than most people. It had set off some alarms inside her and Hange was considering calling a doctor then and there just to be on the safe side.
Am I overreacting? The last time Levi had needed medical attention, they managed in the middle of the forest with a little first aid.
Hange changed into her pajamas and settled on the bed next to him.
She scooched closer to him. The heat emitted from his body alarmed her but Hange reassured herself by focusing on the rhythm of his rough breathing. He was still very much alive.
“Just make sure to tell me if the pain gets worse. ” Hange whispered.
Levi let out what sounded like a whimper. A wave of concern washed over Hange. She put her arms around her partner, hoping that even just a little she could absorb the heat that was resonating from his skin.
She let the rhythm of his breathing lull her to sleep.
                                       Household Planning
When Hange woke up again, the sky was still dark. The sound of birds chirping just outside the window was enough though for Hange to conclude that it was at least late enough that the sun would rise soon.
“Good morning,” Hange whispered. His body was not as hot as it was the night before and Hange found herself squeezing her partner lightly in relief. “You scared me last night.”
“Hange…”  
Hange unwrapped her arms from around her partner and sat up. “You okay?”
Levi curled up into a ball, his arms wrapped around his stomach. “My stomach...hurts…”
Hange had seen Levi in worse situations in the battlefield but never in her life had she seen him so vulnerable. She had brushed off her worry the night before but as she took in her partner, lying curled up like a ball, the ragged breathing and the uncharacteristic whimpers, Hange conceded that she could not take the risk of omission. “Levi. I’m sorry I’m calling a doctor.”
Hange wished Levi had protested the whole set off. At the least, she wished he were conscious or aware enough to even notice a sleepy and confused Luke next by his bedside. He was lying prone on the bed as the doctor put his shirt up and ran his hands through the stomach area.
Hange’s blood ran cold as she watched Levi squirm in pain at lightest touch. She had worked with injured soldiers long enough to know it was a common symptom of internal injuries. The question that lingered was how exactly had it gotten to that point.
“This doesn’t look good Mrs. Zoe. We're going to have to get him to a hospital quick. He might need emergency surgery.”
“Do what you need to do.”
Hange walked out of the room and sat her son down on the living room sofa. She could hear the doctor making his way to the phone, quickly dialing a number and a few seconds later, he was rattling off vitals.
Hange had a fair amount of experience with first aid but the science and technology brought back from Marley was a tall order for her to master and Hange had to admit she probably would have only understood 70% of what the doctor had told the paramedics.
She spent the next few minutes explaining the situation to her son Luke over a quick breakfast and while walking him to school. Luke had ended up late as he had asked too many questions.
Why didn't daddy make breakfast?
Where are they taking daddy?
Are you okay mommy?
By the time Hange made it to the hospital, Levi was being prepped for surgery. He was completely unconscious as they unbuttoned his pajamas and switched it with a hospital gown.
Hange stayed nearby just in case he did wake up through it. She occupied herself by marveling at the improvements made in the hospital and the new developments by Marley. It was her first time back there for at least three years having shifted her focus into railways and street car installations.  A nurse put a needle through his wrist which was attached to a bag on a rack. Hange had forgotten the name of that invention but deduced that it was to get medicine into his system.                          
"How long will he be in surgery?" Hange asked.
The nurse shook her head. "We don't know the extent of the damage yet but internal bleeding of this severity should take at least two to three hours."
Internal bleeding. That usually meant certain death in the field. Hange could not help but think, if Levi had experienced that sickness only just a decade ago, he would have been dead.
"Thank you for all your hard work," Hange said.
She resigned herself to the fact that she would have to wait out until news on her partner came out. She made a brief detour to the outdoor payphone to call sick for the day. Armin would be able to take over anyway, he was very familiar at least with the plans Hange had for the transportation route through the city.
Hange could not shake the feeling that she would be missing out though. Her best ideas always came when she was in the office looking through blueprints and construction updates.
She willed herself to dial the familiar number of her office and explain her current situation.
Armin who had answered the phone was understanding and had given genuine well wishes to Levi. When Hange went back to the waiting room though, she started to reflect on the fact, that maybe the one who did not want the day off was just her.
As she sat back on the chair of the waiting room and looked up at the blank ceiling of the hospital, Hange knew she was miserable.
She was left to do what she had not done in years, sit idly by and wait.
                                        Household Planning
"A burst appendix with abscesses around his stomach area. It was pretty bad, a very high risk of infection. We will need to monitor him for at least a week and he'll be on a strict antibiotic plan for a while."
An appendix. She knew that organ. It was the useless organ yet it caused so much damage in Levi's system. "How long will he be…"
"We set up a room for him. He'll be staying for at least a week since we will need to monitor signs of post surgical infection and possible surgery again. He's not out of the woods yet."
Hange followed the doctor into one of the rooms on the third floor, noting that there were a lot more nurses making their rounds on that floor.
A nurse was there putting the covers over her partner when Hange arrived in. Her stomach dropped as she saw the tubes that all connected to some part underneath the blankets. Even for dying soldiers, she had never seen that type of medical treatment before and maybe if it hadn't been on Levi, she would have been excited at the prospect of seeing first hand the medical technology involved in keeping a patient alive.
At that moment though, her thoughts were all on Levi, how much he remembered, how much pain he was in and most importantly, if he were going to live through it.
Hange walked to his bedside and put her hand underneath the blanket, feeling for his hand. His hand was limp but it was neither too warm or too cold. She grasped his hand tighter, focusing on its warmth as a reprieve from the events of the past few hours.
"Hey four eyes, where's Luke?"
"He's in school…" Hange rubbed her eyes, still adjusting to the waking world.
"His classes are until eleven. It's one."
Hange sat up and look at the clock at the end of the room. "Wait what?" How long have I been sitting here?
Levi was half sitting up on the bed, conscious but groggy, looking particularly surprised. "Did you forget our kid?"
The realization of what had just happened dawned on Hange a split second too late. By then, Levi’s eyes narrowed into an accusing glare, a quick change from that of disbelief only a second ago.
Hange felt blood rush into her face "I’m sorry. A lot has been happening. You're stuck in the hospital… I don't know what to do…"
"Son first. Questions later."
                              Household Planning
The next question, Hange found herself tackling was where to take Luke. It was an obvious logistical choice yet it took Hange enough brain space that she ended up cringing at the state of her mind at that moment.
She had considered leaving him at home but could not come up with someone who could stay with Luke at a last minute request. She knew she would probably be with Levi for a while in the hospital, possibly until late night. It was a risk, leaving a child with a sick parent in a hospital ward but it at least trumped the idea of leaving him alone at home.
Somehow, leaving Luke with a sick, possibly immobile Levi, still seemed to be enough to give her some peace of mind.
"You promise to stay good, okay. Daddy needs rest," Hange said as they stood in front of the door to his room.
"Promise."
The promise was short lived. As soon as the door opened before him, Luke ran towards Levi's bedside and Hange had to grab him as he motioned to jump on the bed next to him.
"Daddy!"
"How was school?"
"I was the only one there. I thought nobody was going to pick me up."
Levi sneaked a glare at Hange with their son's last statement.
"Sorry Luke. Mommy got carried away. Daddy's going to be sick for a while and there was a lot to think about." Hange hugged her son from behind.
"How long will daddy be here?"
"A week at least," Levi answered.
So the doctor at least explained the situation to him.
Levi still looked like he was in pain and Hange wondered how much of his motions were a front he was putting up in front of their son.
"Mommy and Daddy need to talk. Could you give us some space?"
There were nurses all over the floor and Hange was sure at least one of them would have the time to take care of a kid. It was a quick search and within a few minutes of going out into the hallway, she at least had the peace of mind that someone was taking care of her son. The fact the nurse was helping with homework was an added bonus.
"I feel like shit," Levi admitted as Hange entered the room once again.
"You're doing great. I thought you'd be asleep the whole day to be honest."
"I don't think I'd even be able to relax anymore. Imagine waking up to realize my wife forgot about our kid."
Hange gave her husband an apologetic smile. "Just give me a list of everything I need to get done, everyday. While you're here. I'll get it done."
"Don't you have work?"
                                    Household Planning  
By evening, Hange had filed her leave for the week, she had her to do list on hand and Luke was at least distracted with toys she had just bought him from the gift shop next to the hospital.
Her first challenge was dinner. She had the cooking skills but the way everything in the household was sorted out made Hange hesitate to touch anything.
It was Levi's household. The plates were arranged and stalked by color and use, the way Levi liked it. The cabinets and the storage were arranged in a way which would be efficient for cooking, or at least the way Levi would have wanted to cook.
In the cupboard, they were so tightly stacked on top of one another that Hange feared that she would break something just by pulling something out.
Hange sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she was still left shocked by the events of that morning. Less than 24 hours ago, she would not have imagined having to learn to navigate the household all by herself.
I'm gonna need a while to adjust.
"Luke, we're going out to buy dinner."
                                Household Planning  
"What do you want for breakfast?"
"Omelette!"
30 minutes to eight. Luke should be in school by eight.
"It's pretty late for an omelette… What about bread?" In fact, Hange did know Luke liked omelettes. She did not want to admit it to her son yet but although she had spent a fair half an hour looking through the kitchen, she could not find the eggs.
The only food stored places within reason were the bread and the fruits which were displayed in a basket and a bowl on the kitchen table. The bread was covered in cloth, neatly folded when she found it though. As she put back the bread after eating it that morning, she could not recreate that same intricate folding pattern Levi had done.
"There were eggs in the fridge."
Where? Who puts eggs in the fridge?
Hange chose to pretend to ignore it. "Let's just get you to school. What time do I need to pick you up?"
"Two." Luke was avoiding her gaze and Hange could tell he was trying to hide disappointment.
"I'll take note of that." Hange took a pen from her kitchen table and wrote the time on her wrist. "Just eat this for breakfast." She wrapped a piece of bread on paper and dropped it in his bag.
It's my first time having to be the one to cook breakfast, of course there will be a few bumps.
"I didn't know where you put the eggs so I just gave him bread for breakfast."
"Where did you think the eggs were?" Levi asked, not even trying to hide the disappointment in his gaze. Hange inferred that it could have also been from the meager breakfast he was given that morning of pudding and fruit which Levi was mixing as he listened to the developments that morning.
“I looked everywhere, the cupboards, the storage, I even checked our bedroom.”
“It’s in the refrigerator.”
“And that’s what Luke said. I checked it after dropping him at school but it wasn’t there.”
“I put it towards the back so it wouldn’t break if it ends up accidentally falling out.”
The new refrigerators that came from Marley were a welcome improvement to the icebox that most people in Paradis were used to. Having busied herself with other things, Hange never really bothered to learn its different compartments. It looked like Levi did not want her to learn it either. The latter had preoccupied himself buying them at the best bargain when they were finally available and had spent a fair amount of days since they got it, organizing and reorganizing all their spoilable goods.
“Why do you put your eggs in the refrigerator? Even if you leave it out, it won’t go bad.”
“It’s an animal product, you don’t know what it touched.”
Levi had researched his household plan well and Hange only appreciated it more when Levi took a pen and paper and drew the fridge compartments, perfectly from what she had remembered. He explained the contents compartment by compartment, with the rationale for each.
“Why don’t we keep the eggs in the compartments by the fridge door? You cook them everyday.”
“The sudden temperature changes can make the eggs go bad faster.”
“Why put vegetables in the lowest compartment?”
“Vegetables in the drawer below because this compartment has higher humidity levels for fresh produce.”
Levi made sense. Hange had done her fair share of experiments to quickly understand Levi’s logic behind everything. She was still taken aback by how far he had thought ahead and how meticulous the whole process of organizing the refrigerator was for him. It almost made her hesitant to take anything out of the fridge for fear of destroying any part of the intricate plan Levi had set up for all their spoilable goods.
Levi dropped the pen and sighed. “So I’m assuming you didn’t get any cooking done if you still don’t know where everything is. What did you pack Luke for lunch then?”
                                    Household Planning  
Levi probably would not have approved of Luke enjoying a late lunch of two soft serve ice creams and a slice of bread. That was the only way Hange saw herself pacifying the young boy who looked to be on the verge of crying and shouting at his mother when she picked him up from school. At the same time, the reminder from Levi was enough for Hange to at least have enough motivation to remember to show up on time to pick him up.
“Don’t tell your father about this.” She muttered, as she led him through the market. Levi had left her a grocery list before she left to pick up Luke from school. At that point, she was determined at least to not fuck up the grocery shopping.
Another tray of eggs, bread, spinach, oranges, apples. The list was straightforward. When Levi and Hange had planned the list, they considered the easiest things for Hange to prepare, cook, eat and store for the next week while Levi’s fate was still undecided. She only had to buy enough for the two of them at least.
The markets were designed that all types of produce and goods could be caught with one loop around the market. In thirty minutes, Hange had gone through everything on the list.
As Hange made her way to the exit of the market, she felt a tug on her hand. “What are you looking at?” Hange followed her son’s gaze to see the tea and coffee shop on the side.  
“Daddy might want tea.”
“What makes you say that?”
“He only has three more bags left at home.”
                                    Household Planning            
Hange had dreaded the process of storing the food she had bought. She imagined having to empty the fridge and make wild guesses on where Levi would have wanted each product and whether or not she angled them in a way where it would be most convenient for those who opened it or less likely to spill.
Levi had explained a lot of it to her but many parts of it were going quickly into one ear and out the other due to the detail he put into such mundane concepts. She found that the crazy amount of detail and the fact that she possibly left things out, had left her blank at what exactly to do when she opened the refrigerator door.
“Daddy likes the stem facing outwards.” Luke pointed out as he grabbed the spinach from the bag and put it inside the half open vegetable drawer.
“The eggs?”
“You have to push the cheese out of the way when you put the eggs in. Tray opening facing outside...”
Hange at least knew where the fruits and the bread went. She lined up the fruit bowl and the bread basket on the kitchen table and added the fruits she had bought from the market on to the pile.
Luke reached out for the oranges on the top and distributed them evenly towards the edges of the bowl. “Daddy said it might fall if you let them sit unevenly on a pile.”
Hange unfolded the cloth on the bread basket and put the bread inside. She attempted once again to fold it similarly to what Levi had been doing before. Luke scooched closer to her and Hange could only gape as Luke deftly folded it into the same tight pattern she had seen it in that morning.
“Daddy taught you all of this?”
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minniewoos · 5 years
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The Sun Will Rise Again ➣ Bang Chan
Genre: mafia au, action, romance
Pairing: chan x reader
Word Count: 6,767
Warnings: violence, swearing, death, idk
Summary: Only looking for a comfy night in, your apartment gets broken into and you’re suddenly dragged into the city’s resident mafia. Turns out the only thing saving your life was your long lost little brother and the small spot the mob boss seemed to have for you. How cliche. 
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There’s only so much a person could do on a winter night.
It’s 11 pm, sniffling, you pulled your comforter tighter around your body, trying to gather a little more warmth from the cool air. The lights in your bedroom were dim, so only the pale moon shone faintly through your apartment windows. A hot cup of tea was snug in the palms of your hands as the snow fell outside, landing softly in the soundless streets. You had your laptop pulled in front of you as you watched your latest Netflix obsession; despite the audio being low as to not disturb your neighbors through the paper walls, you were as immersed as you could be. It was a calm night in for you, and absolutely nothing could ruin it.
You took a sip from your mug and set it on your bedside table, eyes glued to your computer screen. Unfortunately, when pulling your hand back you bumped the cup of steaming liquid, spilling it all over your hand and floor. Cursing, you threw your comforter off and quietly rushed to your kitchen where you ran some cold water on your hand, hoping the burn is only minor. You sighed and rolled your eyes at yourself, but you weren’t going to let this ruin your night. You turned the faucet off, the silver handle creaked weakly. Quickly grabbing a few paper towels you returned to your bedroom to clean up the mess.
“Okay y/n, no more messes…” You threw the paper towels away after cleaning and smiled contently, ready to get back to your show, “Nope nope nope.”
Spoiler alert: things get messy
It’s 1 am, you’re caught up on Netflix and your eyelids were weighty. Your laptop was put away, you were ready for bed, and your pillow was the softest cloud on the planet. Content and tired, sleep was about to engulf you completely in your warm bed. Unfortunately, God had different plans for you.
BANG BANG BANG
Your eyes shoot open but you’re frozen in your bed, your blood running cold. That was the sound of somebody knocking–no, pounding on your door. And whoever it was was impatient as they kept on banging your door. You were scared they might break it down completely. Nervously you stepped out of bed, leaving the warmth and comfort it offered. You rushed to your front door and looked through the peephole; a disturbing, sinking feeling in your chest as you see three men. They were in all black clothing; no masks and you could see they were not happy.
“OPEN UP!!” One of them shouted and you felt the door jolt as he hit it once more. They would and could definitely break it down. This never happened in your area. Sure, it was a small and cheap place, but there was barely any crime around. You had no idea what to do in this state, causing your brain to go into instant panic mode.
Frightened and panicked, you grab the closest thing to you for protection: a lamp–not ideal but it would have to do…
Slowly you creep away from the door and hide, there was no way you were opening that door. It was like having a death wish and you didn’t exactly feel like dying tonight. Your chest felt like a giant snake enclosed itself around you, squeezing and constricting the breath out of you; it was terrifying. The feeling of total dread laid over you like a blanket as you hid in your kitchen, managing to fit yourself in a particularly empty cabinet. The out of place lamp and a few pots and pans kept you company.
You could hear what they were saying, as they didn’t bother keeping their voices hushed. It only made the suspense worse, and there wasn’t much room to breathe in your little hiding place and it was hard to think straight in this situation. You felt suffocated as if the small space was shrinking. Your blood was rushing upwards and you felt it pounding in your head, you couldn’t think.
“Fuck it, just break it down. That motherfucker definitely went in this one.”
The next thing you hear is a giant crack, a sort of whipping sound as your flimsy wooden door broke in two. You take in a constricted breath, your voice catching in the back of your throat. You clutch one of your metal pans as a scene from Tangled suddenly flashed through your head; you could only hope Disney did their research into frying pans.
Your eyes were clenched shut and your heartbeat was resounding in your head. You could hear the men trashing your apartment, flipping furniture over, slamming doors open, and knocking everything down. But when you heard them enter the kitchen you nearly stopped breathing. They were slamming your cabinets open one by one, and it was only a matter of time until they got to you. You couldn’t breathe, you couldn’t think.
When it was time they reached you, the pounding in your head suddenly ceased, and there was silence for a brief instant. Suddenly one of the men pulled the cabinet door open; and he saw you there, shaking, with your eyes wide with fear. He smiled and your stomach dropped. The man clutched your arm and roughly dragged you out of the tiny space. Letting out a huge sob you were limp as he shook you around, finally gasping for the breath you were holding in.
“Hey! I found this little bitch.” He called to his colleagues, then looked at you, ”Where is he!?”
You didn’t know how to answer his question, but you were positive you weren’t going to just sit there and take the abuse you were receiving. You were terrified and had no idea what was going on. So, with the frying pan in hand, knuckles white and shaking, you swung it as hard as you could at the man’s face.
Contact was made.
He was not happy.
He ripped the frying pan from your hands and slapped you, causing you to fall out of his grip but you were on the floor now with tears pricking the corners of your eyes. Immediately the other two men were in the kitchen as well.
“Where is he? Huh??” One asked, crouching down to your level. But you only looked at him, dazed and confused; you noticed they were all older men.
“She’d hiding something, she fucking slammed me with a pan.”
You shook your head, “N-no, I don’t know wh-”
You were slapped again then grabbed by the hair, forcing you to look up at them, “Where. Is. he.”
Before you could answer, there was a gunshot that echoed throughout the room. The man who pulled you by the hair quickly crumpled to the ground. You instantly backed up, your back against your wall and utterly horrified. Blood began to pool underneath the man’s body. The two others were visibly panicked and about to run, but they were cornered. Your tiny apartment was five stories up and there was no way out except for the fire escape, but they didn’t know about that.
“He had a gun on him, he had a fucking gun. You said he wasn’t armed.”
“I thought he wasn’t, I-I made sure of it-” another gunshot and the second goon dropped to the ground as well, motionless. The sound caused both you and the original intruder to flinch; the older man stumbled to the ground in fear of the figure now towering above you both.
You finally tore your eyes away from the limp bodies on the floor and up at the perpetrator. His gaze looked as if it wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on the last man, and you were sure he would. But instead of killing him, he walked up to the last man, a confident stride that tells you he was more than used to these scenes. His eyes were directly on the last man, and he stopped a few inches from him to crouch to meet his eyes. You noticed an accent as he spoke lowly, “There will be no more dealings with whatever C-class group you came from. And tell your boss SKZ won’t tolerate another accident. Leave… Now.”
And with that command, the man ran. He ran for his life and didn’t hesitate to get as far away from this new guy as he could…
The new man looked at you, visibly angered; immediately your heart jumped to your throat and whatever thoughts racing through your head vanished as a realization occurred to you. You could die tonight. You slowly began to accept your fate as the man raised his gun, pointed straight at your forehead. Staring right at him, right into his eyes, you said nothing as all words were lost to you. You swallowed air and held your breath.
But he never pulled the trigger; instead, he held two fingers to his ear, he was listening to something. You noticed he had some earpiece in. A flurry of emotions crossed this man’s face; anger, confusion, surprise, then finally conflict. He lowered his gun and looked back at you, sternly but had no murderous intent as he had a few moments prior. A small wave of relief lifted off your shoulders and you could only wonder what he heard to spare your life.
“Stand up, follow me.” He ordered abruptly.
You raised your eyebrows, “Sorry?”
“I said, follow me.”
You didn’t have to be told twice as you shakily stood up as he walked out of the building with you behind him. He held his fingers to his ear again and you heard him speaking to someone on the other side
“Call the cleanup crew, it’s messy this time. Much more than it should have been. Did Seungmin jam the emergency calls? …Good, I’m coming back to the home base.” You listened in, and the only thought in your mind was what the hell had you gotten yourself into. This was clearly illegal activity and there was no reason for you to be involved. Maybe you were going to be kidnapped and sold soon, or taken hostage. Whatever it was you wanted no part of it, but at this point, you found it impossible to refuse. The man seemed like he was done talking, but he added one more comment before putting his hand down, “Tell Felix she’s safe.”
That name caught your attention and you stared keenly at the man, waiting for him to say more but he didn’t. Your thoughts began to wander again. Felix? Did he just say Felix? You gazed at the man’s back as you trailed a few steps behind him, eyes wide after hearing your brother’s name. You couldn’t think of many people with the name Felix in Korea, but one you could think of is your brother. Well, was your brother. He disappeared a few years back and nobody heard from him again, a lot of people assumed he died. And while you held onto hope that this guy, Felix, could be your Felix, you knew the idea was ridiculous. Felix was gone for years, and you could never see him doing stuff like this. But why would this Felix want you safe? Why would your life be spared? You held onto a tiny bit of hope for your brother despite the absurd idea.
When the man stopped walking, you realized he led you to a car. It was polished, all black, and unmistakably expensive. He opened the back door, looking at you expectantly. You only stared back for a moment before you realized he wanted you to get in. Your mouth opened slightly and he saw your hesitation in his request. He pursed his lips then sighed, “It’s safe, you’ll be protected and things will be explained later. But we need to leave quickly. Please get in.”
You furrowed your eyebrows; in any other situation, you would have vehemently denied ever getting into a stranger’s car like this. But considering everything you just witnessed, you were in no position to deny this man. You swallowed a lump in your throat before climbing into his backseat. He shut the door then got into the driver’s seat himself, he started the car but didn’t press on the gas as you expected. Instead, he pulled out a piece of cloth from the glove box, turned around and held it out to you.
“You’ll have to wear this on the way. You aren’t allowed to see where we’ll be going,” And very deliberately, he pulled out his gun and setting it on his dashboard for you to see, his message was clear. So, you took the blindfold from him and put it on securely. It was a couple minutes before you felt the car moving, but the silence was deafening and you were still scared shitless about where he was taking you. You didn’t want to talk and risk angering him, but there was still something you wanted to know.
“Just one thing, what’s your name?”
He didn’t answer right away, but when he did reply, his voice was calm and welcoming in a way. Much different from his stern and curt tone from earlier; you preferred it much more.
“My names Bang Chan, I wish we could have met on better terms, Lee y/n.”
∎∎∎
It was a good thirty minutes before you heard Chan turn the car off and get out, shutting the door. You heard him speak to a couple other people before he opened your door and told you your blindfold could come off. When you took it off you blinked a couple times before gawking in awe at the absolutely giant house in front of you. Even in the dark, you could tell it was an extravagant mansion. It had a very clean and chic feel to it; it had tall off-white walls with balconies spread across the sides. The tall, angular windows along with the sleek design gave it a modern and classy look to it. Your small, cheap apartment paled in comparison to this enormous house.
You looked at Chan, and the couple other guys he was with. One was broad-shouldered with a strong set jaw, while the other was shorter but you could see he wasn’t little at all and could probably pack a good punch. You nodded politely at them both, despite the unnerving feeling you had.
“I don’t see the resemblance Hyung. Is he sure he got the right person…?” The shorter one stated, his arms crossed as he seemed to analyze you. You shifted your weight and promptly avoided eye contact.
“Well whoever she is, you know the protocol. There are absolutely no witnesses; so we either kill her or take her.” The one with the broader shoulders said easily. So casually it freaked you out, just how often did they do this??
He then looked straight at you and popped a polite smile; the sudden change in attitude nearly gave you whiplash, “I’m Woojin, this is Changbin.” He gestured to the shorter one, “And you’ve already met Chan.” Then Chan also gave you a warming smile; presenting a completely different version of him you witnessed only a half-hour prior.
You nodded, not sure what to say thus you stayed silent. It felt as if one wrong step would mean life or death, but these guys are out here smiling at you. It was a conflicting situation at best and a deadly one at worst.
“Come inside, but don’t touch anything.” Chan warned you, then lead the way into the mansion.
Once inside, you could tell it was just as grand as the outside. A crystal chandelier hung above the entrance, a red carpet greeted you, and a ceiling as tall as the heavens it seemed. The decor had a white with gold accents theme to it and felt like you were on a movie set, ready to go to a ball. But instead of a ball, you were in a very different situation; one where you could die any second surrounded by people you don’t know. You swallowed the lump in your throat and sighed as you tried to calm your nerves. Everything was fine.
Following the three guys, they lead you to a sort of dining room area; big, long oak table and all. Elaborately decorated oak chairs to match, there was even the ‘big boss chair’ at one end of the long table. You swallowed and looked at Chan, your face asking what happens next. He just gestured for you to sit down while he walked over to the big boss chair. You stared at him for a solid moment before unconsciously rolling your eyes, of course, he was the boss. He exuded confidence ever since you saw him (try to kill you). Changbin saw your little eye roll and looked at you questionably, you just sat up straighter and evaded his eyes. You had a feeling the people here didn’t like you, Changbin and Woojin were staring you down, probably trying to judge your character. Chan was looking to the right at the stairs. You just took a deep breath, Woojin and Changbin were getting intimidating, so you followed Chans gaze towards the stairs and saw a few more people walking down. Specifically, four more boys came down the stairs, all calm but it seemed you were the center of attention. You gulped and looked at each boy sitting down at the table, all looking at you as well, but a couple shortly lost interest.
Nobody said anything, so you crossed your hands on the table and stated calmly albeit a bit nervous, “Hello, I’m y/n… and I’d like to kno-”
“Not everyone is here yet, we’ll introduce ourselves once the other two get here.” One who just sat down said, he seemed stern. You just sat back and stayed quiet, slightly annoyed about the chastising you got, but you knew better than to protest.
You were nervous, to say the least. But you wanted this over with asap.
It was another few minutes of silence, very awkward silence. You settled for staring at your folded hands instead of looking around, some of the boys were still judging you while others couldn’t seem to care less. You were just hoping the rest could get here as soon as possible, so this inevitably uncomfortable meeting could start.
A few minutes passed, or maybe it was a few seconds. You couldn’t tell since your sense of time slipped your mind. But a door suddenly hurled open. It startled you, causing you to flinch in your seat and your head to snap up in the direction of the loud noise. Most other boys sitting at the table turned their attention but weren’t alarmed in the slightest as if they were expecting it. In the doorway, there stood two boys. One was out of breath and rushed, you perked up at the sight of him.
“Wh-where is she?? Is she safe?” One of the boys, the owner of the unmistakable freckles and sharp eyes, questioned urgently.
There was another boy behind him, looking exhausted and annoyed, “Calm down-Chan said she was safe so there’s no need to-”
Ignoring the other boy, he scanned the room but his eyes quickly landed on you, they lit up immediately, “y/n!”
You stood up suddenly, the chair was pushed back and cluttered to the ground behind you and your hands slammed flat onto the table. You leaned forward, eyes wide and you held your breath for a moment. Then your face broke out into a huge smile, toothy grin and all, “FELIX!!!”
You ran over to him as he returned the smile, that smile you could never forget. That wonderful, beautiful, hopeful smile you grew up with. You found Felix. You ran into his arms, and he hugged you tightly; he felt so familiar and warm in this cold place. You stayed like that for a while, you couldn’t tell how long but his comforting presence was needed during this wild night. Your face was hidden and tears began to prick your eyes, sternly you pulled away and punched his chest, “Lee Felix! You have a lot of explaining to do!”
You stared at him and for a moment he looked worried, then he pulled you back into a hug and stroked your hair comfortingly, “I know, I know, I will too. But first, we need to get this done with okay…? y/n?”
You reluctantly pulled away and nodded, lips pursed and walked back to your seat, which was picked up for you. Thankfully, Felix sat next to you, as a result, it wasn’t as nerve-wracking before. But as you looked at Felix, you could see the physical difference in him; he grew up a lot in a few years. He lost the baby fat in his face, he was paler, and he definitely lost the childhood innocence you last saw him with. Felix grew up, without you; and as his older sister that hurt deep. You frowned and pushed your feelings to the side for a while, turning your attention to the group in front of you. And especially towards the big boss in the big boss seat, Bang Chan. He stared at you intently, the friendly aura he had before was gone and everyone at this moment was serious.
“Aw, what a cute reunion.” One of the boys cooed, you noticed he had especially chubby cheeks, and you couldn’t tell if he was teasing or not. You were pretty sure he was.
You only kept your silence, not going to start anything, especially with probable dangerous people. You weren’t that dumb.
“No one cares Han.” Chan spoke up, dismissing this Hans teasing, but his comment wasn’t malicious in the way you thought it would be. Not friendly either, but like two old buddies’ banter.
Chan was solemn once again and he looked straight at you. Just his simple gaze caused your heart to move up to your throat and you unintentionally swallowed the lump, “Now, miss Lee y/n, we are well aware that your involvement in tonight’s business was…nondeliberate. But due to our regulations, no outsiders are allowed to witness our business with such detail and concern. We are a very underground and discreet organization. Any attempt or the possibility of our operations being exposed are taken care of. With such a big mess that was caused in your apartment, things had to be taken care of quickly. So, there should currently be a cleanup crew at your apartment at this moment and if I’m correct, we intercepted all calls to the authorities in that area. While there was a big mess, we have it all under control, and the only outlier was you, y/n. You understand?” Chan quickly explained to you; you could only nod quietly. He then continued explaining.
“To put it simply, we were going to kill you. But Felix, our top sniper, was stationed tonight at the building next to yours. He recognized you and requested your life to be spared. Due to his high position in our organization, I accepted his request. Felix is to thank for your life. And now, since you’re here, you are still an outsider; and we will decide what to do with you. Your best option, truthfully, would be to join us. The other options…are less than desirable.” Chan finished, his eyes glued to you the entire time, stern and intense. You nodded again.
“I… have one request before we move forward.” You tread carefully, watching the others’ expressions before continuing. They were listening to you; Chan made a gesture for you to continue with your request. “I would like to know all your names, I only know a few of you. And it would be nice to know who you all are if I’m going to stay here.” You lifted your chin up, trying to stay confident while simultaneously announcing your decision to join this mafia.
Felix perked up beside you, “You’re going to join SKZ? You’re sure.”
“I mean, do I really have a choice?” You stated confidently, despite your sweaty palms and goosebumps, “I either die, or some other…undesirable outcome, or I join you guys. Am I right? I would at least like to know the people here if I stay.”
“It’s not that easy, you have to prove yourself and it’s not easy. People don’t pass often.” Woojin said calmly.
You straightened your back, “Well I’ll try.” You saw Chan smirk from the side but promptly ignore it. You also decide to ignore the little thump-thump your heart did before you looked away from him.
“Well, now that that’s settled, I’m going to introduce myself again, per your request.” Chan announced with a smile and a charismatic hand gesture, “As you already know, I’m Bang Chan. Whatever you want to call me, mob boss, mafia boss, crime lord, SKZ leader, etc. I’m basically the head guy here.”
He did it again, he changed the way he presented himself and just made you feel…comfortable. You were usually wary of people like him, but without thinking, you smirk cheekily and just say, “What about the godfather?” Internally laughing at your own lame little joke. You then realized what you said and mentally curse yourself, what an idiot. You sighed deeply before looking at the table
But Chan didn’t seem to mind, he shrugged, “It’s an offer I can’t refuse.” He’s smirking again, and your heart is acting up again. Consequently, you nervously turn away, but he continues to talk, “And I’m sorry but everyone here has work to do, it’s a very busy day. So, everyone is dismissed.”
With that command everyone got up out of their seats to continue their work, a couple smiled at you and others walked off to ignore you completely. Felix stood up but stayed by your side and Chan got out of his chair. You were confused until Felix began talking.
“I can show her around, right? I’m not as busy as the others and I can introduce her to the others in the meantime.” Felix asked politely.
Chan nodded, “Of course, I was going to show her around but it may be more comfortable for her brother to do that. But try not to take up the others’ time too much. You guys can catch up as well.” He paused then offered a gentle smile, “I think you need it.”
You smiled back thankfully, if Chan had shown you around, you could’ve guessed your hands would’ve been clammy the entire time. You don’t like it, but the way you get nervous around him is inconvenient; besides, he was going to kill you just a little while ago. Your nerves are valid. Chan left the room and the little pressure on your chest left, you looked at Felix, a little smile on both your faces.
“So… during this tour, are you going to explain yourself?”
“I-…yes.”
“Good, let’s go.” You pointed towards the staircase some of the other boys came down and walked in that direction.
“Those are the boys’ rooms.”
You swiveled around and held your arms out in any direction, “You lead the way.”
He chuckled and started walking and you followed closely behind.
“So, let’s start from the bottom, right.” Felix said, leading you into a hallway and down a set of stairs and down another hallway until we got to a set of oak doors, they weren’t huge or grand. But just a humble, plain set of doors, “This is Jeongin’s workspace.”
And with that, the tour began. You met all the members, some more gracious than others. But Felix seemed close to all of them and you were glad to spend the time with your brother. He explained what the other members were in charge of, their jobs, and their importance in the organization. During the tour is when you realized the complexities of this mafia and just how much goes into it. Felix explained as much as he could to you without going too deep into secrets that would probably get you killed if you knew, and you knew not to tread too deep right now.
You also learned there weren’t only nine people in SKZ, but each member had certain underlings who they trained or kept track of. Ensuring secrecy while also having more manpower.
You nodded at Felix, “I figured it would be weird if a mafia as powerful as SKZ only had nine people, SKZ basically rule the city from what you’ve told me. I mean you’re pretty great but I don’t think you’re superhuman.” You nudged him as you walked side by side.
“But I am superhuman. You ever seen me with a sniper rifle? I’m always on target.” He said proudly, albeit half-jokingly.
“Okay, but if you were superhuman that would not be your superpower.” You mused, “If anything it’d be…super strength. You always talked about getting bigger and working out.” And you can see since you last saw him, he did gain muscle. Only reminding you once again he’s not the same kid as before.
“Anyway.” you wondered, “Where do the underlings stay? You said before most people in SKZ are, well, stray kids.”
“They are, but SKZ sponsors boarding houses around the city and suburbs. We ensure they have a roof over their head and food on their plates.” Felix said as he gained a serious look on his face, “It’s hard for a lot of kids who have nowhere else to go. We take care of them as long as they give us loyalty back.”
It was an odd dynamic, crime lords in their twenties and teens; and they took care of other young adults. An organization of kids who constantly kept the law on its toes. It was kind of amusing to you.
Eventually, Felix lead you to a balcony, top floor of the building with a breathtaking view. As he opened the door for you, you stared at the scenery in wonder. A small golden ball rose in the distance while an ombre of oranges and pinks surrounded it. The skyline of the city SKZ owned was a shadow against the beautiful sunrise. The view was complemented by light snow flurries, but it was oddly warm out for the weather. Gentle snow, yet not frigid like it normally was, for the sun seemed to take some of the bite away from the chilly air. You stared at the lovely view until Felix caught your attention, leaning against the stone railing. You went to stand next to him and waited for him to speak.
“I thought this would be a good place to talk.” Felix frowned, he looked like he was dreading this moment. Like a child who knows he was caught and about to get scolded. He looked at you, and you frowned, furrowing your eyebrows.
“You don’t have to go into detail…but I just want to know why.” You saw it would be painful for him to recall his memories, bring up old scars in what was a hard point in his life, “We can talk more another day but, I really just want to know why…”
He let out a heavy sigh and licked his lips nervously, “I wasn’t going anywhere I wanted to in life. And I feel a lot freer than I would have if I stayed.” And there he gave you a look, and you knew that was all you would get out of him to be comfortable right now.
You only nodded, not tempted to push the subject despite the curiosity in the back of your mind. After that there was a thick silence hanging in the air, the two of you stood looking out at the city skyline as the sun rose and the day was beginning. You’d be lying if you said the atmosphere was comfortable.
You’ve been on edge all night, the highlight was finding Felix but despite that, your nerves were running wild the whole time. Your life was flipped upside down and you weren’t sure what you were going to do anymore. All you wanted to do was sleep but instead, your apartment got broken into, you almost got murdered, and now you’re joining the mafia. Even with Felix by your side, your beloved brother, you weren’t as happy as you would’ve thought. This whole night was overwhelming for you, and in spite of Felix’s best efforts to make you feel content, you were always on edge. Felix must’ve read the atmosphere and looked at you, noticing your frown he looked down and sighed.
“I can leave you for a little while, you look like you want some time.”
You shrugged, “Maybe just an hour? Then I’ll need some sleep…” you said reluctantly, you did just want to rest alone, despite Felix being the only familiar thing to you here.
Felix only nodded understandingly and headed towards the door, and before he shut it, he turned around and smiled, “I’ve missed you, a lot y/n.” And with that, he shut the door, leaving you by yourself there. The city ahead of you, the rising sun behind the city, and the tiny snowflakes floating around you; you noticed they melted as soon as they reached the ground. And you realized that as soon as Felix left, you didn’t want to be alone, it felt empty. You just wanted to feel safe again.
You stood there in silence for a while, your thoughts running from one place to another. Eventually, you just smiled to yourself as an odd laugh bubbled up from your throat; it was short, high pitched, and full of absolute disbelief. You pinched yourself a couple times, just to make sure this wasn’t some elaborate dream you were stuck in. After looking at the city once more, you rubbed your eyes with the incredulous smile still gracing your face. Only one thought crossed your mind, “What the fuck.”
“Mafia? Long lost brother? Hot and rich boss? What is this a drama?” You muttered to yourself, exhausted and confused. Leaning on the banister, you hung your head low with a sigh as you stared at the ground below you.
Then you snapped your head up, “I just called Bang Chan hot and rich…” you groaned and rubbed your face, “Just kill me.”
Then, you heard the sound of the balcony door shutting and you silently cursed yourself. Somebody just walked onto the balcony and surely heard you talking to yourself like a madman, ninety percent sure it was Felix. You weren’t in the mood to hear Felix teasing you about calling his boss hot, and he most definitely would do that.
You turned around with a frown, ready for a snarky comment to come your way. But you were met with dimples and a cheeky smile instead. Here you found yourself face to face with the man himself, Bang Chan.
An ‘oh god’ was uttered from your lips as the blood from your body gradually moved to your cheeks, the heat of your embarrassment was overwhelming. This was definitely a drama and you were the cringey main character. You were half expecting Chan to walk back out, but instead his grin just got wider.
“Rich? Yes. Hot? Now that’s objective.” He said, dimples on display with a small chuckle.
“You know what’s not objective, my embarrassment.” You leaned your back on the banister, fully facing Chan now. But your face was turned down and your arms were crossed, You were clearly flustered and apparently Chan seemed to find that amusing but he held his arms up as if in surrender.
“You didn’t hear anything, got it?” You warned with a pointer finger in his direction. Your cheeks were red and you were definitely not intimidating. But Chan played along anyway.
“Hear what?” The dimples were back and your heart might have done a somersault.
You smiled, “Nothing.”
Then you both laughed, soft and short laughs. His laugh sounded genuine, a small chuckle that showed a mutual amusement for the little interaction you shared. And despite the embarrassment still fresh on your mind, you seemed to have calmed down some.
You then looked back out to the city skyline, outlined by the orange sky. That’s when you heard the scraping on chairs behind you, you looked around and found that Chan had pulled up a couple of chairs next to the banister. He sat down comfortably and patted the seat next to him, motioning for you to sit down.
“Come on, you must be tired.”
Almost instantaneously you collapsed into the chair, the cushions were like heaven as you leaned back and closed your eyes. And as soon as you sat down, the exhaustion you barely felt before hit you like a wave. Your eyes became heavy and you yawned out, “Thank you.”
It was a long night, and you were grateful for his kindness.
“Listen, y/n,” He rested his hand over yours comfortingly, he got your attention, “I know it’s a lot to take in. The night was stressful and unfamiliar. You felt unsafe, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you still feel like that. I apologize for dragging you into all of this, it was distressing for you. But I will try to make it so you can feel comfortable and safe with Stray Kids. You will have time to adjust and learn the routines here, and of course finding your place with us. If you ever need help, you can come to me and I will try my best. And of course you have Felix, even the others in here. We will keep you safe, okay?” Chan looked at you intently, speaking with purpose and a genuine heart. It was the gentlest you’ve seen him and what he said had touched your heart. It was as if the dark cloud hovering over your heart cleared away a bit, the stress was lifted with his words. You looked into his eyes and you knew he stood by his words.
“Thank you, Chan,” you looked down at your lap, “truly, I mean it.”
“SKZ is a safe haven to a lot of people, and I want it to be one for you too.”
You nodded with a faint smile on your lips, then you looked up at the rising sun and the beautiful scene before you. It was like you couldn’t get enough of it, “It’s a beautiful view, isn’t it?”
Chan hummed in agreement and the two of you fell into a comfortable silence as you both watched the sunrise. Despite whatever happened previously, you felt oddly relaxed next to Chan. He wasn’t familiar like Felix, but he gave off a similar warmth as Felix did. Well, at least now he did, you had seen a lot of different sides of Chan in one night. But this one was the warmest one, and you were glad for the company and ease he provided.
Eventually, as the both of you sat in comforting silence, sleep caught up to you and you felt your heavy eyelids finally close. The songs of morning birds lulled you to drift off to sleep. After your crazy night, it didn’t take long for you to go into a deep sleep, your head suddenly falling to one side. You were out and weren’t waking up soon.
Chan, enjoying the moment, started to hear soft snores from you. He knew you were sleeping before he even looked over, and he didn’t realize it, but the corner of his lips turned up ever so slightly. Thinking your neck looked uncomfortable, he scooted his chair a bit closer to yours and moved your head so that you were leaning on his shoulder. Not even stirring as he moved you. He even wrapped his jacket around you, providing you with some more warmth. Later, he would bring you back inside and let you rest somewhere more snug and comfortable, but right now, he just wanted to enjoy the moment and let you relax.
Chan smiled as he looked at you, the worry that’s been present on your face all night was gone and you finally looked at peace. The stress and anxiety seemed to disappear with sleep. He thought you were beautiful. Very softly, Chan promised, “You are safe here, you won’t be harmed with us. I’ll make sure of it.”
a/n: I honestly think it’s still kinda rough, but I’m impulsive and couldn’t wait any longer to post it so tada~  Like I said before this is gonna be a series so every members gonna get a story. idk who’s next but look forward to it!
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alloveroliver · 5 years
Text
Gavin x MC “I Had A Dream You Were Mine.”
Rating: Smut
WC: 6,088
A|N: This fic has a confession, then establishing a relationship, first-time sex, shower sex, and some fluffy moments.
Summary: Gavin's AC goes out, and you're the first person he calls. He asks if he can come over, but there seems to be something weighing on his mind. As he finally opens up to you, your day off takes a wholly unexpected turn. 
Mr. Love Queen’s Choice Fanfic
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The coffee machine roared to life. It spurted hot water over the freshly ground coffee beans nestled in the filter. You yawned, stepped back, and relaxed your hip against the countertop. Arms crossed over your chest, you felt your mind start to wander. Relaxing, you allowed yourself to wake up gradually. The window in the back of your studio apartment spilled rays of sunlight onto the plush carpet below. You watched the white chiffon curtains flutter as the AC circulated cooled air into the room.
The vibration of your phone made a harsh buzzing sound. A text came in brandishing the phone against the tiles of the kitchen surface. The unexpected noise made you blink out of your sleepy stare to eye who the text was from.
Gavin (10:45 AM): Are you home?
Your left brow rose at his blunt question. You hoped he wasn’t waiting downstairs again to whisk you away somewhere so early in the morning. You peaked at the clock and pretended you didn’t see the numbers 10:45 AM. 
‘Oversleeping was a form of self-care,’ You recited to yourself like a mantra as you typed back.
You (10:46 AM): Good Morning. 😊
You(10:46 AM): Yes I am. Why?
Gavin: [...is typing…]
You waited for the three dots to stop bouncing, but his text was taking far longer than it should.
You were quickly losing a bit of patience with the dots stopping and going on the screen. Setting down your phone, you walked over to the cabinet. A larger than average mug stared you straight between the eyes. You were compelled to grab the monstrosity for your own overindulgence. It could have been misconstrued for a small cereal bowl, but you weren’t the type to judge yourself. Consuming copious amounts of coffee was welcome on days like this where you took time off work.
The tips of your slippers drug across the linoleum, making your way to the brewing coffee machine. The scent of warm grounds permeated the kitchen, sending you to your happy place. However, the happy place was quickly shattered when you assessed the kitchen. Seeing some of the dishes piled in the sink along with a full trash bag you needed to take out was all a massive buzz kill.
Trading the giant mug for your phone, you check Gavin’s text.
Gavin(10:47 AM): Can I come over?
Gavin (10:49 AM): My AC went out last night, and the heat index is rising.
You (10:50 AM): Sure, that’s not a problem.
You (10:50 AM): Do you have a mechanic going over to fix it?
Gavin (10:50 AM): Okay. I’m actually already downstairs.
“I knew it.” You murmur to yourself with a sly smile.
You (10:51 AM): Give me a minute to change. 🙏
You darted off to your bedroom at once. Throwing your phone onto the bed, you kicked off your slippers and took off your oversize t-shirt. Tossing them to the floor, you didn't care where they landed.  You hopped out of your drawstring shorts and hobbled over to your closet. Without turning on the light, you tug a red flower printed dress from its hanger and pull it down over your head. Your heart raced faster than usual. You tried to excuse it with the sudden running you did in your sleepy state, and not correlate it to the hot guy making his way over to your house this very moment.
Dating Gavin had been an adventure in it of itself. He still seemed unreadable between those planned occurrences. It was beginning to get hard to tell how much he truly liked you. Today was obviously a meeting out of necessity, right?
Having your AC go out here, in the middle of the summer, was brutal. Your car seat belt felt like it would give you 3rd-degree burns if you let it touch your skin. Just walking outside was hell. No clouds in the sky meant you were an egg, and the world was a frying pan. You recalled seeing on the news that AC units all over town were going out. Their hardware was unable to keep up with the sudden heatwave.
Shaking your head out of a sudden yawn, you run your fingers through your hair to smooth down flyaways. A few loud bangs against the front door made you wince. He was already off the elevator that fast? You rush to the living room, transferring all your hair to one side.
Scanning through the peephole, you spot Gavin ruffling his hair. He pushed up the sweaty locks then, shaking his head, pushed it back down. You crack to door open and smile at him.
“Please tell me you weren’t just waiting in the hallway this whole time.”
“Okay. I won't.” His face remained unreadable as he locked eyes with you. You let the words sink in as you imagined him sitting against your front door for the past five minutes waiting on your text back. 
You sigh. “Alright well come in. It’s cooler in here.”
Gavin held his motorcycle helmet under his left arm. He then picked up a duffel bag off the floor and carried it in his right. The black bag was adorned with his police unit logo and looked sturdy enough to last a lifetime. He passed the threshold, moving ahead of you. The back of his light blue shirt was dark down the center, slick with sweat from the scorching heat.
“What’s the bag for? You planning on staying the night.” You laugh, but the chuckle got caught in your throat. “You’re not trying to stay the night are you?!”
“No.” He plopped the bag in the entryway and hung his helmet up on the coat rack. A smile touched his lips, and he fluffed up his hair again. “This is a change of civilian clothes and work clothes if I get called in.”
“Oh, are you on-call today?” You shut the door and locked the deadbolt before walking Gavin into the central area of your home.
“I’m sort of always on call, actually. Due to the nature of the department I work for.” Gavin stuffed his hands in his pockets as he made his way to the kitchen.
“That kind of sucks. Never knowing if you are going to have a whole day to yourself or not.” You remembered how this was supposed to be your day off, but this turn of events wasn’t as bad as being called into work unexpectantly.
“It’s my duty. I don’t mind helping people that are in need. Even if it takes away from my free time.”
“Of course. I admire that about you...” You bite your lip and gesture to the coffee pot. “Do you want some coffee? Freshly brewed.”
“Um,” He paused under the vent. The faint breeze from the AC unit tousled his hair, making the sweaty ends shimmer around his face.
“Wait, that was a dumb question.” You let out a small chuckle. “How about a glass of ice water?”
“Yes. That sounds amazing.”
Grabbing a glass, you mull over the past few minutes in your head. What a strange day this has turned out to be, and it’s only begun.
“Was there nowhere else you could have gone? No other friends or family?” You blurt out, making small talk as you pull open the freezer.
“I-” He placed his hand on his hip and shuffled his feet. “I had to see you.”
“Oh?” 
The ice clinked into the empty glass, filling the dead silence.
“I had a dream about you. It was, well I think it was a fever dream but-”
“Fever dream? Are you sick?” Your tone was full of worry. You couldn’t let him get sick if he was going to be called into work at any moment. 
You filled the cup with filtered water from the refrigerator and handed him the glass.
“No, The air conditioner went out while I was asleep this morning. It got so hot, and my dreams became so vivid…”
He took a long gulp of water. The ice rearranged as he tipped the glass up, downing half of it in one breath.
“What was your dream about?” You watched him wipe his mouth with the back of his hand after coming up for air. 
He looked off to the side with a thoughtful pause. Gavin set the drink down on the countertop, and his gaze followed the sweat from the glass dripping down to the side
“I had a dream you were mine.”
“What?! Yours? What do you mean.” Your heart went from resting to sprinting in one second flat. You could feel the tips of your ears begin to heat up.
Gavin closed his eyes and turned towards your form. “That you were my girlfriend and that we were happy.”
You brows shot up but couldn’t stop the smile that spread over your face even if you wanted to.
“Oh like that…” You bit your lip, failing to hide the grin that lit up your features.
“I know I’ve taken you out on many dates, yet we’ve never really solidified anything.” He nodded, locking his amber eyes with yours, and taking a step closer towards you.
With his sudden proximity, you took a step back, pressing your lower back into the countertop. However, you reached out for him at the same time receptively. Gavin’s cheeks were pink from the heat, but they grew rosier with every inch he neared.
“Does that upset you? That I never told you how I feel?”
His salty scent permeated the space. His hands rested on either side of your hips while he brought his forehead down to yours.
“I’ve not been upset, no. I just didn’t think you were ready to take a more… serious step.”
“You don’t think I'm the kind of man that can be serious with the women he cares for?” He spoke softly, not accusatory in any way.
“I don’t know what kind of man you are entirely.” You confessed, and Gavin narrowed his eyes down to you. “But I do know that I’d like to learn.”
He seemed to like this answer. His hand moved up to tangle in your hair while the other rotated your hip against him. Beads of sweat from his nose tickled yours. This wasn’t the first time you two had ever been this close. Each date you’d been on, there was some type of hand holding or, more rarely, a goodnight kiss. But, after every date, there was also the radio silence.
Gavin would be caught up on a new mission, or too exhausted to call you back. You didn’t blame him, though. His job was hard on him, mentally and physically. It was amazing that he was still alive after all the dangerous shit he’d put himself through.
In typical Gavin fashion, he wasn’t waiting for your time together to grow comfortable. In his sudden closeness, he wore his emotions on his sleeve. He inched closer at a snail's pace, making sure there were no signs of you wishing to run away. You wondered how much your heart could take as it sped up double time.
The warmth of his lips was surprising. You didn’t realize just how cold you were in the apartment all alone. Compared to his temperature, you were an ice cube. Gavin’s hand drifted to the back of your head and pressed his lips firmly against yours in a blistering kiss. He held you to him, slanting his lips over your dumbfounded ones.
You were so shocked by his display of affection that you stood there grasping at his t-shirt, eyes wide. His fingers drew patterns on your hip, tiny heart shapes you noted.
“Gavin.” You whispered between his lips. He paused with his mouth hovering just above yours to hear you out. Heat flared in the pit of your stomach. His touch filled the lonely void in your heart, and all you could do was stand there like a deer in headlights. “Oh, Gavin.”
You wrapped your arms around his shoulders and pressed your lips back into his. Gavin made the kiss more demanding as if he were asking you to feel what he felt in equal measure. His heart was bared to you, yours for the taking if you were to choose to accept.
Gavin’s hand trailed up the line of your spine, curling you against him with every heated second that passed. The tip of his tongue preyed on the smallest part in your lips. He teased the seam while entering slowly. His warm tongue mingled with yours, minty from the toothpaste you used minutes ago. It was a slow, searing kiss that made your head spin and knees weak.
His hair began to tickle your face the further he bent you under him. Your heart slammed against your ribcage. It beat against his firm chest while your skin tingled with giddy excitement. Gavin inhaled, turning his head to the opposite side to kiss you deeper. Your hands move up his neck, tousling his sweaty hair, cold to the touch from the short time in the AC.
The coffee machine spurt and drained the rest of the water reservoir onto the grounds. The machine made a short jingle signaling its completed its brewing process. With an audible click, it shut off automatically. Gavin broke the kiss and stood you up, clearing his throat.
He turned on his heel and stole his glass of water off the countertop. The cup emptied down his throat in an instant. He took another breath and placed his hand on his hip.
“Can I take a shower here?” He ran his hand through his hair again, making it stand in all directions.
You licked your lips and nodded slowly. “Of course. Um, let me show you where the towels are.”
Absently, you began to twirl a piece of hair between your fingers trying to will your red cheeks away. Gavin rushed off to the walkway and picked up his duffel bag while you walked to your bedroom. Your hands were shaking as you twisted the knob to the on-suite bathroom.
“Right. I got it. Thanks.” You heard Gavin’s voice from the other room, then the quiet beep of him ending a phone call.
“Is everything okay?” You call out.
“Yes. Everything is fine. That was the AC repairman.” His calm voice filled your bedroom. The implications of him being inside your private space were enough to keep the blush on your cheeks fresh. He tossed his cell phone onto your bed next to yours then dropped his duffel at the end.
“The towels are under the sink.” You whisper, stopping when you notice his hands begin to pull at his collar. “And….” He tugged the damp fabric up his frame, revealing the taut muscles of his lower abdomen. “Soap…”
“Soap is under the sink?” He asked candidly, removing the shirt from his sweaty body.
“Uh.”
He tossed it to the floor and unzipped the duffel bag. You watched his back muscles constrict and flex as he dug through the items. His shoulder blades moved under his skin, rippling the back muscles. His side obliques stretched and flexed deliciously as he shuffled around.
“No, in the shower.”
Gavin pulled out a folded shirt from the bottom of the bag. He turned to look at you over his perfectly carved shoulder. You were ogling, how could you not, and Gavin caught you in the act. You pulled your finger out of your mouth and hid your hand behind your back. Rubbing your thumb over the jagged nail you just bit to shreds you gazed back at him.
“Does it smell like you?” The softness in his voice caught you off guard.
“The soap? Err, I guess it would. Yeah.”
Gavin’s face lit up with a smile. “Okay then.”
He took out another folded item and stood to his feet. He slipped off his shoes next to his bag, balancing himself on the mattress. Gavin walked past you with a calm smile and leaned toward you.
“Oh-” You squeaked before he planted a wholesome kiss right on your unsuspecting lips.
His stance seemed to have meant it to be a quick peck, but the kiss lingered. The longer your lips where locked, the harder it was to excuse yourself and step away.
Your hand slipped up his bicep, not so subtly feeling him up. The man was so tempting it was downright sinful. Did he know what he was doing to you? Did he care? It seemed you also did things for him that you didn’t quite understand. Gavin hadn’t said what he thought was so alluring about you, in fact, he kept his crush on you a secret for almost a decade.
He moved his clothes to one arm and wrapped his other around your waist. He nibbled on your bottom lip, then pressed many kisses along the line of your jaw. You held your breath, resting your hands on his shoulders. Gavin kissed your ear, and you jerked, biting your lip to stave off a moan. 
“Ah- I’m sensitive there.” You warned, pushing your shoulder up to defend yourself. Gavin made a noise and moved to your neck instead. You realized he was laughing, but the chuckle shortly dissipated into breathlessness.
The room was a blur as your feet left the floor. You were soon in your bathroom being placed atop the counter next to the sink.  Gavin tossed his clean clothes to your side. The sunlight poured through the small window in the shower, and the afternoon glow highlighted his handsome features. He had a boyish charm about him yet the body that someone godlike chiseled out of marble.
Gavin pushed you against the mirror, moving his body between your legs with ease. He let out a quiet frustrated groan, and a pang of fear ran through your chest.
“Are you okay?” You ask, cupping his cheeks. You waited for a response, but there wasn’t one for a long moment. “Gavin?”
“Is this-” He started, then paused. He screwed his eyes shut and took a breath. “Are we together now?”
“I, I, I-” You stuttered, embarrassed by his oddly timed question. “Are you asking me to be your... girlfriend?”
He nodded expectantly. His eyes searched your face while he swallowed thickly. “Yes. Will you?” His voice was lower, more soothing as he asked his question again.
You blinked many times, wondering if this wasn’t some elaborate dream your mind came up with and you’d yet to leave your bed today. But, his warmth was real, his tender eyes were real, and all his kisses were very real.
“I’d love to be, Gavin.”
The warm moment shared in the small room swelled your heart. Gavin’s eyes lit up with a huge smile. He moved to hold you in an embrace, crashing his lips into yours in celebration. The kiss was playful, with a nip here and a nuzzle there. However, the giggling and smiles soon melted away, and passion replaced them.
A roll of warmth lit up inside you as his hands began to roam your torso. It wasn’t until his fingers flexed over your breast that you realized you forgot to put on a bra. There was a moment where he froze, but then he continued, and Gavin didn’t seem to mind. Soon the lack of undergarment proved to be more pleasurable than realized. A happy accident you noted. The silky fabric felt good against your skin as Gavin’s fingers tantalized you.
It became clear he knew precisely what he was doing. Gavin pinched the erect nipple, gently rolling it between his fingers. A light gasp escaped you, and he kissed you with quirked up lips. He looked pleased with himself, happy to pleasure you. 
You held him close, running your fingers through his hair. Your tongues swirled together playfully fighting for dominance. Gavin’s lips tore from yours and moved down the line of your neck. He kissed the dip in your shoulder then proceeded to nibble the lobe of your ear. This time you moaned unabashedly, and he sighed with contentment. As he latched on to the skin under your ear, his thumb circled faster over your sensitive nipple.
Gavin began adding pressure. He sucked on your delicate skin before you realized what was happening. A small sizzle of pain registered in your head the moment Gavin removed his lips from your neck. He’d left a small hickey beneath your ear, easily hidden from others by a curtain of your hair.
He groped your chest, moving his lips to your mouth. His other hand resting on your hip began to move down towards your knee. The kisses came faster and faster until lips smacked and gasps escaped.
Trembling fingers moved beneath your skirt. Gavin began retracing patterns, this time on your inner knee. You weren’t sure if it was a silent question, Gavin asking how far you were willing to go. Or if it was that he was setting boundaries for himself. Either way, you tossed all fucks out the window and parted your leg further. This invited him to move closer to your center if that was what he wished.
He moved his hand quickly down your leg and squeezed your thigh in delight. He exhaled like a weight was lifted from his mind. The kissing picked up again, and you didn’t know how much more of this you could take before it was no longer deliberate. Was he trying to rile you up like this? Or were all his movements due to the heat of the moment?
You broke the kiss, hoping to cool off for a second to gain clarity. Gavin rested his forehead on yours, puffing air. You took in a deep breath, hoping to pause long enough to make sure this was what he wanted. His hand continued to caress the bare skin of your parted thigh.
With a gulp, you clear your throat. “A-are you going to take a shower now?”
The low hum of the vent rumbled behind you. The sun slowly lifted in the sky as time passed. Gentle rays of light began to spill into the tiny bathroom, reflecting off the white subway tiles. There was no need to turn on the light switch since the sun lit the room plenty.
“Are you going to join me?” Gavin narrowed his gaze quizzically.
All the air in the room became thick, hard to breathe. You sat there, eyes wide and mouth hung open at his question. A notable booming filled your ears as your heart pounding out of control.
“What.”
What, indeed. What was he saying? Join him? You shook your head and closed your mouth to not drool all over the place.
“Join me in the shower.” Gavin proposed quietly. His heart rate escalating was proven by deep red tinge that spread over his cheeks and burned the tips of his ears.
You were frozen. Words died on your tongue with any retort you jumbled together in your brain as thoughts raced a mile a minute. Could you manage hand gestures? Mime your answer?
In your mind, you threw together an elaborate performance full of over exaggerated facial expressions and hand movements to express your absolute agreement when words failed you. But, a simple nod was all it took to give Gavin the answer he needed. He moved quickly towards the bathtub and pulled the faucet nozzle. Water began to spray over the shower curtain, making a loud enough noise to force a jump from you. The nervous excitement was the one to blame. It awoke the butterflies in your stomach and set your heart of in a runaway beat.
Gavin turned and approached you, sporting some stray water droplets on his bare shoulders. He scooped you off the countertop surface and sat you gently atop the plush rug. His hands lingered over your hips while his lips met the crook of your neck, kissing the fresh hickey he gifted you. Your body swayed with his, curving around his warm touch.
Your breathing picked up as you looked towards to running water. Was Gavin really going to see you naked this soon? You’d just agreed to be his girlfriend and Gavin was all for taking it to the next level. You weren’t going to complain. You’d dated long enough that this was something that was past due. Yet, it still felt exhilarating all the same.
Another rush of heat engulfed your body, something more than the simple jitters. Excitement, nervousness, a hint of rebelliousness all mixed together making your blood pressure spike. He stood behind you and trailed his fingertips up the center of your spine. It felt nice while his nails scratching the part of your back you could never reach, bringing chilled bumps to the surface of your skin.
Gavin found the zipper to your garment and pulled. Soon the fabric covering your shoulders went slack and the dress easily pooled at your feet. Gavin gulped close to your ear before kissing your newly exposed shoulder. He was keeping his cool quite well, except the fact that his hands were trembling as they cupped your bare breasts.
A resounding sigh fell from your lips as you twisted in his grip. Gavin’s amber eyes drank you in before capturing your lips in a heated kiss. Your feet shuffled, and your dress rustled around your ankles. The question of whether to help him out of his clothes or not came to mind. He did relinquish you of your main garment. It was only fair that you help him, was it not?
Decidedly, you ran your hands down his firm stomach towards his jeans. His muscles flexed, reacting to your soft touch as you met the band of his pants. Gavin didn’t speak as you began pulling the button loose from the slit. His chest seemed to rise and fall exponentially faster than before.
The button came loose, and Gavin took over. He moved back and pushed the pants down to his feet along with the boxers he wore. His eyes looked up and down as he stood against you again. He kissed you while walking you back to the tub. Gavin swallowed thickly and pushed the band of your panties down the roundness of your ass with lightning speed. They fell to your ankles, and he lifted you out of them and set you in the shower basin. Your arms wrapped around his neck just as he tugged the white shower curtain closed. 
He let the water pour over the two of you while your lips were locked. Your fingers ran along his scalp, helping the water soak through his sweaty tresses. Your heart still raced, but the warm water soothed your muscles, helping you to relax. Despite being entirely bare with Gavin for the first time, it was a welcome calming sensation. He twirled you around to allow the brunt of the water to soak through your hair next.
His hands began to roam the curves of your body and you, in turn, did the same to him. His skin was soft, pulled tightly over solid muscles. His body was sculpted and rigid in every place you could get your hands on. A droplet of water fell from your hair and ran along the crease of your eye. You broke the kiss to wipe your face to prevent discomfort. Gavin helped by angling you away from the shower-head and moving your wet hair out of your face.
The starfish-shaped grips on the bottom of the tub proved viable at this moment. They kept both of you from slipping and sliding around the slick wet surface. Gavin moved your back against the wall, bending to kiss down the side of your neck towards your chest.
His lips felt electric over your tender skin. He kept his arm around your waist and captured your nipple between his sensual lips. The swirl of his tongue over the delicate nub brought the first sound out of you in several minutes. A gasped turned exclamation when he used his teeth to tug lightly.
A wash of pleasure flooded your body, heightening the touch of his hand that held you close. Water droplets ran down his cheek as he switched sides. He lapped at the other nipple greedily, more aggressively than the prior. Gavin’s hand moved from your waist to grasp your ass. It was too much, but not enough all at once. His hot mouth ran along your chest, up towards your lips again.
He moved his hand from your ass to your thigh and pulled your leg up to wrap around his waist. It wasn’t until his moment that you realized just how turned on he was. Gavin's erection slid along your core as he rubbed himself against your sex. His tongue delved between your lips while his hips bucked. Pushing his solid cock against your helpless clit, he groaned,
“Oh my god,” You moaned between kisses. Gavin rotated his hips, pulling your leg up further to spread your center apart more. “Oh- fuck.” Words left you in sensual cries.
You felt your core heat with each jut of his hips. You essence doubled, coating his cock as it ran along the center slit of your puffy lips. Gavin’s throat flexed, holding back sounds that leaped to his lips. He breathed laboriously into the kisses, moving faster between your slickening thighs.
The warm water was hitting the cooled air making pillars of smog that rolled over the small room. The humid air kept your skin warm enough to be out of the direct spray from the faucet. The temperature was perfect for you, especially in Gavin’s warm embrace. Your hands ran through his hair affectionately, teasing the back of his neck.
Your eye peaked open while kissing when a guttural sound made its way from his throat. The angle of his jawline was sharp and handsome, even this close up. His cock slipped effortlessly along your core, coated in your combined desires. His hips wavered with each of your answering thrusts.
A blush deepened in your cheek as you brought words to your lips. “I’m ready.” You managed a tone just above a whisper.
Gavin’s deep honey eyes shot open as he looked down at you. He nodded, then left a sweet, lingering kiss to your temple. It was a stark feeling compared to the heated kisses he had been giving you. But the docile kiss was just as desired as the rest. His fingertips moved along your skin lovingly and longingly. The small gestures swelled your heart, making you feel safer with him than you did before. You knew you were special to him and he didn’t even have to say it.
His hand stroked your thigh before he moved it up his hip an inch and angled himself downward. His cock prodded your entrance, moving with the rhythm of his hips to ease himself inside you gently. You pressed up on your tippy toe and took in a deep breath in anticipation.
The intrusion felt like a pinch for an instant, then bliss the deeper he pushed in. Your walls desperately clenched against him, eagerly accepting him into your needy cunt. Moans from you both echoed off the tile walls. His voice rang true in each grunt and mewl. Your lips begin to seek one another as if you were in perfect darkness.
He crashed his lips into yours and held them there unbreakingly as he sped up his hip thrusts. The feeling of fullness was intoxicating. Each time he pulled his length out of you, you yeared for him again, bucking your hips toward him anxiously. Gavin’s arms wrapped around you protectively as he let his inhibitions go.
His pumping increased along with his ragged breaths. Gavin broke the kiss and cradled your writhing form closer to him in a tight embrace. He nuzzled his nose against your ear, pushing your wet hair out of the way. He gained speed with his new position, moaning louder into the crevasse of your neck.
Your nails dug into his back, leaving tiny marks in his skin. The pressure built within your core and you didn’t know how much longer you could outlast him. Your leg slipped on his hip, but he held you tight with his large hand. The water washed away the sweat that coated him. It left behind a gentle scent of his unadulterated musk. His touch, scent, and the sounds he relinquished helped aid your impending release. The coil in your core began to tighten impossibly tight.
“Gavin-” You mewled his name, making his hips falter. “I’m close, I think…”
It was hard to tell how much more it would take for your body to snap. Either way, letting him know that he was doing a great job at bringing you there was what was important.
He hissed through a groan, pushing you hard against the wall. His hand came up and cupped your chest, rolling his thumb over your pert nipple. The sensation shot straight to your sex, making your hips jerk. Gavin filled you deep with every stroke, stretching your pussy deliciously to the brim.
Once, then twice his thumb teased your chest before a rapid heat engulfed you. It began in your core, making you clench your walls helplessly around his girth. Your volume increased to a loud strangled version of his name.
“I’m- I’m… cuming.” You managed to gasp to beg him not to stop. “Keep going-” 
You moved your hand behind you and patted along the wall. As your back arched towards him, your hand found the sill of the tiny window. You used the ledge to brace yourself as your body pulsated with each surge of pleasure.
His hips swayed, but he never ceased his thrusting. He let out a low groan from deep in his chest, pressing his head into the side of your neck. It wasn’t long after your initial pulsing you felt his heat fill your body. Gavin’s dick throbbed hard against your clenching walls. Then sensation transmitted a wave of pleasure straight through your entire being. Your jaw slackened as you closed your eyes and let his powerful arms become the only thing holding you up.
It was a defining moment between you two. Both were giving your all to the other in a moment of absolute confidence that the other would cherish it. The ripples of pleasure soon stopped, leaving you in an afterglow of emotion and ecstasy. Gavin caught his breath, pulling out of you gradually before letting your leg drop back to the ground.
He held you tight still, giving you a moment to let your leg muscle stretch out. You shifted your weight, testing the stability of your other leg. A sticky warmth began to trickle down your thigh, making you somehow more bashful than before. It was proof that what just happened wasn’t some kind of fever dream and you, in fact, made love to the man of your dreams.
Gavin let out a long sigh and stood up straight. He smiled down at you and stretched his arms above his head, walking back under the shower head. His muscles were more defined than earlier, having gone through a sort of work-out to activate them. Once rinsed off, he gestured to where you relaxed against the wall in a blissed out state.
“Get over here. Let me help you.” His voice was a considerate command.
With a grin, you walked toward him. You and Gavin began taking turns cleaning one another. He washed your hair for you, giving you a scalp massage in the process. He flirted a bit, mentioning the gorgeous speckles of color your eyes. It reminded him of the night sky and calmed him every time he was frustrated.
You reached up as far as you could and washed his hair with your lilac shampoo. Gavin bent down due to the height difference so you could gain access to the rest of his head. He kissed your forehead, tip of the nose and lips in the process. He was far goofier than you’d ever seen him, but it was a welcome sight to behold. The loofa filled with scented coconut soap was passed between the two of you as the shower continued. The water ran cold long before either of you brought up getting out.
.
.
.
Thanks for reading! I appreciate you all!
Also, holy shit that word count intimidated me. This is my longest fic to date! I hope you guys enjoyed the read!
Masterlist is at the top of my blog~
738 notes · View notes
spacs · 7 years
Note
IgNoct please, things you said that made me feel like shit. thank you so much :)
AO3 link@ignoctweek Day 2 prompt: “Noctis Cooks”
Noct scowled at the stove, holding his burnt hand. Thenoodles he’d been trying to make were scattered across the stovetop, boilingwater hissing where it had spilled over the hot spaces. The oven had beenturned up too high so the blackened bread was on the next counter and thevegetables had been unceremoniously dumped into the trash – which was probablywhy the sauce tasted weird.
Swearing, he went to the sink, running his already reddeninghand under the cool water. This was going great.He couldn’t wait to show Ignis how he could absolutely take care of himselfwith his masterful culinary skills. The older man was going to be so proud.
His pans were ruined, the kitchen was a wreck, and he stillhad homework to do. He really did have everything put together.
The report from the Citadel was glaring at him from the spoton his dining table. He huffed as he wrapped his hand in bandages. The reportwent with him to bed that night and he tore through the information, puttingmarks here and there, highlighting important pieces and revisions where needed.Maybe it would be enough to keep Ignis from grouching at him again.
Ignis picked him up from school the next day. He stillmaintained a frown of disappointment and very carefully avoided eye contactwith Noctis. That only soured the prince’s mood.
“I see you have yet to fix your shirt button,” Ignis noted,pulling the car away from the curb.
Noctis bit down on the inside of his cheek. “Yeah, I hadother stuff going on last night.”
“Of course. More video games and comic books.”
Unwilling to pout, Noct sucked on both his lips. He crossedhis arms across his chest and leaned against the car door, opting to look outthe window instead of replying. Ignis sighed and didn’t fill the silenceeither.
It wasn’t until they got to Noct’s apartment building thatIgnis spared him a longer glance. Of course, being Ignis, his gaze landedimmediately on the injury. “What have you done to you done to your hand?” heasked, putting the car in park and reaching across the console to take Noct’shand in his own.
The prince grimaced, letting him take his hand. “Burnt it,”he answered shortly as Ignis took off the wrappings slowly.
He pursed his lips, inspecting the burn. “You didn’t put anysalve on it,” he observed, turning his hand around for a better look. “It’sbegun to blister.”
“It itches.”
“Of course it does. Come, I’ll put something on it so itheals properly.”
“You don’t have any potions?”
“At the Citadel.”
“Then let’s go get one.”
“It isn’t serious, Noct. Let it heal naturally, it will onlytake a few days.”
Noct huffed, throwing himself from the car. “Great. Weapons training with Gladiotomorrow with a messed up hand.”
Ignis followed him, trailing behind as they made their wayto the elevator. “Perhaps you should be more careful, then,” he replied icily.
“I’m trying,”Noctis bit back, mashing the button on the elevator and almost hoped Igniswouldn’t make the door in time.
He did, slipping in just before they closed. His briefcasewas held prissily by his side and he lifted his free hand to push hisspectacles up his nose. “Perhaps you should put forth more of an effort into trying.”
The prince shook his head, glaring holes into the door asthey were lifted to the top floor. He was through the door before it had evencompletely opened. He charged down the hallway, throwing open his front doorbefore stalking to his bedroom to slam the door behind him.
Fuming, Noctis stood in the middle of the floor. He threwhis bag onto his unmade bed and glared around the room. Trash littered thefloor, take out boxes and dirty dishes that he didn’t have the energy or willto clean. He knew the room didn’t smell good – the air fresheners he’d gottento mask the smell had long since run out – and the air felt sticky somehow. He hated this. He hated coming home to thismess, to this apartment, to more work – from the Citadel and school – and now he was starting to hate coming home to Ignis.The advisor had been in a bad mood for a week now and was starting to lash outat Noctis too.
A loud clang came from the kitchen that gave Noctis a start.Then he cringed when he remembered the mess that the kitchen was – the oneplace in his apartment that was almost solely Ignis’. Pots and pans Ignis hadgone out to purchase just so he could cook and bake the appropriate things forhis charge, some of which came from his own pocket and not the crown’s. AndNoct had cooked on those pans and probably ruined them in the process.
Because he couldn’t do anything right. He could even try properly.
Crashes and bangs continued from the kitchen as Ignis setabout noisily cleaning up. All the sounds were setting Noct’s teeth on edge ashe attempted to think about where he should even start his afternoon. Videogames sounded far more appealing than the homework that had spilled halfwayfrom his bag, or the report that had been deposited messily on his desk.
Homework first, hereminded himself. Ignis would lose hismind if I started playing—
A crash, louder than before, drifted from the kitchenfollowed by a series of swears that Noctis had never heard leave Ignis’ mouthbefore. He was momentarily shocked before becoming overwhelmingly annoyed and storming from his bedroom.
“What the hell areyou doing out here?”
Ignis was bent over the counter, glass shattered next to thesink and spilling into it. He was clutching at his hand with a towel and wasmuttering expletives until Noctis interrupted. Angrier than the prince had everseen him, he wheeled around, revealing a bloodied arm that had trailed fromwhere he was holding his hand.
“What am I doing?”he fumed, staring at Noct in disbelief. “Lookat the mess you’ve left me.”
“This is myapartment, Ignis,” Noct snapped, choosing to ignore the wound. “You don’t haveto clean anything.”
“You expect me to work like this?” Ignis gestured to thechaos that was the kitchen. “You expect me to make your meals, launder yourclothing, mend your shirts, check over your work, chauffer you around the city,but to do all of this in filth?”
Noct rolled his eyes, stifling the hurt Ignis’ words cause.“No, I can clean it, Igni—”
“Can you?” Ignisinterrupted him. “Tell me, Noct, how long has this all been here?”
“Just since last night,” he defended, lifting his injuredhand. “It’s how I burned my hand—”
“And the mess in your bedroom? In the living area?” Ignispunctuated each question with nod of his head in the direction of the rooms.“What of those, Noct?”
The prince stopped, swallowing heavily before directing hiseyes to the floor. Ignis snorted without amusement before sighing deeply. “I’msorry,” Noct muttered, feeling small. “I’m trying, Ignis. I really am.”
“It isn’t enough, Noct,” Ignis told him. “I cannot doeverything for you. Believe it or not, I dohave responsibilities outside of caretaking.”
Noct felt his eyes start watering and he looked down to hisfeet, his hair falling in front of his eyes. Ignis would not see him cry. “I’m sorry,”he murmured, trying to swallow the lump in his throat so his voice wouldn’tbreak.
“Apologies can only go so far.”
Silence fell over them. Noct continued to look at his shoesand he could hear Ignis’ heavy breathing as he tried to calm himself. But theprince was the one who broke the quiet first. “I’m… I’m ah… I’m going to ordersome takeout. So… just go home, Ignis. I’ll find my own way from schooltomorrow.”
A beat. “Fine,” he said curtly. He stalked from the room,shutting the door to the bathroom with a sharp click. Noct trudged to hisbasket of takeout menus and started to flip through them, sitting at thekitchen counter and pointedly ignoring the mess. When Ignis left the bathroom,he didn’t go to the door. He stepped to the counter, setting something downNoct didn’t dare turn to see. “For your burn,” he explained. “Apply the salve,let the wound breathe, then apply the bandages before you sleep so you don’t—”
“I get it,” Noct snapped.
Neither of them said another word as Ignis left. Noctisfound himself suddenly not hungry at all, choosing to instead collapse on thecouch and fall asleep.
Something was different when he entered his apartment thenext afternoon. He’d walked home from school after Gladio had called to cancelhis training out of nowhere, but not before stopping by the arcade with Promptoto shoot a few things. It had made him feel a little better, especially sincethe blond had spent the whole day trying to cheer him up despite not knowingwhat exactly was wrong.
But now something was wrong with his apartment. He sniffedas he toed off his shoes, noting all the lights were on. It smelled… clean?
“Hello?” he called, walking further into the apartmentslowly. He rounded the corner to the kitchen and saw Ignis, standing sheepishlyat attention. “What are you doing here?”
Then he saw the apartment. It was spotless. The kitchen wasclean and no longer smelled like something was burning, the living area wasfree of clutter and comics with the game console tucked neatly back in itsplace on the shelf. There was a bag on the kitchen table that Noct eyedsuspiciously as he made his way over to it.
“A gift,” Ignis said when he saw the way the prince lookedat the bag. Carefully, Noctis pulled two new controllers out, inspecting themin his hand. “Wireless so you don’t need to pull the console closer.”
Noct glanced over his shoulder, looking around again. Thedamn pillows had been fluffed on thecouch. “What… What?”
“I spoke out of turn yesterday, highness,” Ignis replied instantly.He bowed slightly, which Noct hated.“I… I am so very sorry, Noct.”
The prince blinked at him. Then blinked again. Then oncemore.
When it became clear that Noctis wasn’t going to speak,Ignis pressed on, “You are not a burden. I made it seem as if you were. Icrossed a line.” Noct couldn’t argue with that and it was wrong to say it’s okay because they both knew itwasn’t. “As of late I have been in a rather poor mood, but that isn’t an excusefor the things I said and I won’t present it as such. I would, however, likeyou to know that I did not lash out because I was frustrated with you. I wasfrustrated with myself and I’ve taken it out on you. I am incredibly sorry.”
Noctis bit down on the inside of his cheek and his eyes fellto the floor at Ignis’ feet. He scratched the back of his leg with his oppositefoot and started to pull on a loose string on his shirt. “You said apologiescan only go so far,” he said quietly.
Ignis nodded solemnly. “Yes,” he agreed. “Gifts, cleaning,words… these won’t take back what I said. I wish I could because I didn’t mean any of it. I felt like I was watchingmyself from the outside and the moment I left last night I wanted to come backand beg your forgiveness.”
“Why didn’t you?”
The advisor pursed his lips and looked away, ashamed. “Ididn’t want to assume you were ready to hear it so soon. It’s selfish of me tobe here unannounced now, but I needed to see you.” He paused, clearing histhroat like he’d said something he hadn’t intended. “I’ll take my leave. I’veordered a few of your favorite rice bowls,” he gestured to the door, “whichshould be here momentarily. The fridge is stocked with ingredients and I’veleft instructions for quick and easy recipes as well as Cup Noodle in thecabinets.”
Noctis cast a long stare at the kitchen, grimacing inwardlyat having to cook again.
“I… I was planning on another attempt at the pastry before Iran out of time,” Ignis admitted. He began to busy himself with gathering hismaterials. “I’ve arranged for Gladio to pick you up from school when yourequire and I shall bring by any necessary reports during the day. I’ll leavethem on the table.” He nodded towards the dining table then took a deep breath,glancing around the apartment to see if he’d missed anything. “I shall beavailable whenever you need me, so if you’d like to contact me you are mostwelcome.”
A frown deepened on Noct’s face. “Why are you talking likethis?”
Ignis gave him a confused look. “I thought you might likesome time away from me,” he explained, as if it were obvious.
“I didn’t say that.”
A beat. “Noct—”
“I know I haven’t been easy to deal with either lately,”Noct admitted. “I’m…” He bit back the word tryingbut didn’t know what to replace it with. He gave up and just let silenceenvelope the room.
“Your hand,” Ignis said suddenly.
Oh no. He’d forgotten. And now Ignis was going to be madthat he forgot—
Ignis was retreating to the bathroom, just as he did lastnight. He came back with the salve and bandages. Wordlessly, he crossed theroom and set the bandages down on the table before extending his hand to Noct. “IfI may?” he asked.
For a moment the prince considered refusing. It was his injury and he should have treatedit. It was stupid of him to forget about it and it had been tingling with pain all day. Almost regretfully, he put hisinjured hand in Ignis’, hissing when the cool salve was spread across it. Ignismurmured an apology, massaging the salve into his hand and Noctis refused to admit he was blushing. It didfeel better.
Ignis tilted his head and looked at him with more sympathythan Noctis liked, fingers still caressing his hand. “Is there something elsegoing on, Noct?”
His eyes flicked up to Ignis, embarrassed. “No,” he said,probably too quickly.
Ignis paused then continued tentatively, “Perhaps now is notthe best time, but… you can always count on me, Noct. If you need to talk, I’mhere for you.”
“You were right. You already do a lot for me. Too much.”
Ignis shook his head adamantly, letting Noctis take his handback. “No, I was a fool, Noct. I’m happy to do those things for you. I wantnothing but the best for you.”
Noct crossed his arms across his chest carefully, keepinghis hand from sliding across his shirt, shoulders lifting halfway up his neck. “I’mtrying,” he finally relented, lookingat the floor again. “I want to be a good leader. I want to be able to take careof myself.”
“I will help you,” Ignis swore, looking like he wanted toreach out again. “After what I’ve done, I understand if you’d rather aid camefrom elsewhere but I am yours, Noct.”
Surprised, Noct looked up. Ignis’ cheeks were dusted pink,but he didn’t take the words back. “Ignis… I—”
At that moment the doorbell rang, startling both of them.Ignis almost bounced away from him in his surprise, straightening his shirt andpushing his glasses up his nose. “That will be the rice bowls,” he murmured. “I’llretrieve them.”
And with that, the moment passed. Noct watched Ignis walkdown the hallway and exhaled shakily. Did… no. No way. He chewed on the insideof his cheek, turning on his heel. He set his bag down on the table and went toflop down on the couch. Ignis returned, rummaging through the bag to be assuredit was all there.
“Which would you like, Noct?” he asked awkwardly.
“Whichever.”
The advisor chose one of the bowls and set it down, taking thebag into the kitchen with the intent of putting the rest in the refrigeratorbut Noct stopped him, saying, “Grab one for you too.”
Ignis looked like he was going to protest, but thoughtbetter of it. He picked the top one from the bag, setting the rest aside. Hetook both into the living area, standing strangely in front of the coffeetable, unsure of where to proceed.
“Can we just… watch a movie and eat?” Noct asked, holdinghis hand out for the food.
The other man hesitated then smiled fondly. “Certainly,” heagreed, rounding the table to take a seat on the opposite end of the couch.
Noct let the space sit between them while they ate andwatched the action movie Prompto had left the last time he’d been over.Eventually he shifted down the couch and leaned heavily against Ignis, droppinghis head to his advisor’s shoulder. Ignis was stone-still, but as the movieprogressed so did Noct’s exhaustion and he slowly descended to rest his head onIgnis’ thigh instead. Fingers began threading through his hair, making him feelmore relaxed.
He turned his head up to Ignis when the credits rolled, wholooked back down at him. “Can you stay?” Noct asked quietly.
“Of course,” Ignis murmured immediately, squeezing Noct’sshoulder. “We’ll need to wrap your hand soon, highness.”
The prince made a noise of acknowledgement then snuggledinto the couch, letting his head fall to Ignis’ thigh again. He sighed,contentedly, and closed his eyes. “I forgive you, y’know?” he whispered after afew moments. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Then I won’t.”
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wonderandwriting · 7 years
Text
The House Next Door
Summary: It would be nice to have some company. 
Word Count: 1.6k 
Warnings: (spoilers) child death
Rosa picked up the hat and put it on before admiring herself in the mirror. Her dark, curly hair was barely contained under the hat but the yellow matched her dress perfectly. She smiled at herself and pretended she could hear her sister, Hattie, exclaim over how pretty she looked.
She turned away from the mirror but kept the hat on as she went through the rest of the box. Most of the clothes within were mouse-eaten and yellowing and Rosa shut the box with a click. There had to be something else that she hadn’t explored.
The sound of laughter and happy screams drew her to the window, her footsteps making no sound on the dusty attic floor. There was a little girl and boy playing in their front garden, the girl in a bright red dress and the boy in an already dirty white shirt. It was some complicated game that included much twirling and screaming with rules known only to the two of them. She and Hattie had played similar games when they were younger, although their mother would have scolded them for making such a racket.
The sun streamed through the window and Rosa could almost feel the warmth on her skin. Maybe it was time she left her attic and went out in the garden for a short time. The clothes could wait.
She hurried downstairs, holding onto her hat as she did so, and spurred on by an excitement that seemed to spring up out of nowhere. Her breath came fast as she stepped into the kitchen. Even as the thought of the sun and the grass and the wind called to her, hesitation dogged her every step. She was glad there was no one else with her to see the long pauses she took as she neared the door.
Her heart was in her throat as she reached for the door handle. The door was stiff and it creaked but it gave way under the tug of Rosa’s hand. She laughed a little in surprise and wondered what she had been so scared about. A step forward and everything faded away.
Her bedroom was dusty, Rosa noticed as soon as she opened her eyes. There were cobwebs in the corners and a thick layer of dust on the dresser. She would have to ask the maid to come and clean it later.
Try as she might, she couldn’t remember why she was in her bedroom and she couldn’t remember why she was on the floor rather than in her bed. She stood up and dusted her dress off. The delicate fabric seemed to be the same as ever, no dirt seemed to settle on it and Rosa stood up properly with her head held high.
Her mind couldn’t seem to settle on one thing. She let her feet carry her to where they wanted to go and she ended up in the kitchen. The oven was new, she noticed, she didn’t recognise the model. It obviously wasn’t very good considering the rust that seemed to be apparent around the corners. Possibly it was a strange new invention her father had brought home but her mother usually stopped him from installing expensive, useless things such as that. Why hadn’t she this time?
“Rosa!” Hattie called from upstairs and Rosa left the kitchen without a second glance. She climbed the stairs and ignored the dust lying undisturbed. “I can’t find my something borrowed! How am I supposed to get married when I don’t have my something borrowed?” Hattie sounded distressed and as much as Rosa wanted to go and comfort her, she knew that she had the perfect thing to solve her dilemma.
“Hattie, you can borrow my necklace,” Rosa replied, her voice sounding loud in the hallway. “I’ll get it from my jewellery box. Just a moment.” Her bedroom door was still open but when she was in front of her dresser, her jewellery box wasn’t there. The top was dusty and there were no dark shapes to indicate where her jewellery box may have stood.
“Hattie, have you taken my jewellery box?” Rosa asked, latching onto the only possible explanation. Her sister was quiet. “Hattie?” Rosa’s stomach clenched in worry and she hurried to Hattie’s bedroom, throwing open the door only to see an empty room.
Hattie’s room needed a clean, Rosa noted. She would have to speak to the maid if this kept up. Rosa closed the door of Hattie’s bedroom and wondered if their mother needed help in the kitchen.
Her mother wasn’t in the kitchen but every time Rosa turned her back on it, she thought she could hear the clatter of her mother banging pots and pans as she cooked them their favourite biscuits. Hattie liked hers drizzled in honey while Rosa preferred them plain.
There was a shriek of laughter and Rosa looked out the window to see children playing next door. Their clothes were in an odd style but Rosa thought the girl’s dress was pretty nonetheless. They had found a ball somewhere and were bouncing it to each other. The ball was going higher and higher and Rosa pulled open the door without a second thought, prepared to warn them to be more careful.
Before she even got the words out, the ball soared above the children’s heads and straight into the road. Rosa huffed and cast her eye back at the house, looking for the mother nearby.
“Tiarna, don’t!” The high-pitched voice had Rosa jerking her head back to the children, only to see the little girl in the red dress disappear over the fence.
“No!” She cried out but the children didn’t hear her. She watched in horror as Tiarna marched out into the road and grabbed the ball, spinning around to face her brother with the ball held high and a triumphant smile on her face.
There was a horrific sound and a huge metal monster started down the street towards Tiarna. She screamed and Rosa stepped over the threshold, a hand outstretched as if she could stop the metal monster from bearing down on her.
The world faded out.
The floor of her bedroom wasn’t the cleanest place she could be, although why she was lying on the floor she could not remember. Rosa stood and dusted herself off. Maybe she could go and help her mother with the wedding breakfast although Hattie had said more than once that she was too nervous to eat. Still, it was something to do with her hands and she couldn’t remember why she had come in here in the first place.
The stairs were quiet for once, not creaking as they normally did under her weight, and the kitchen was as well. She looked around as if her mother was hiding in a corner somewhere, waiting to jump out and scare her, but then was drawn to the window. It was grey outside, as if a veil had been drawn between Rosa and the rest of the world and she was seeing a slightly blurred impression of it. The people dressed in black coming out of the house next door could be seen easily though.
Rosa was confused but the woman who came out last was obviously upset, clutching onto an older man with one hand and holding a handkerchief to her face with the other. She swung open the door to see if there was anything she could do and startled.
“What are you doing here?” She asked the little girl in red on the doorstep. She recognised her from somewhere but she couldn’t remember where. Her hair was done in many little braids and the ties at the end were red to match her dress.
The little girl looked up at her with dark eyes that looked even bigger through the magnifying effect of her tears. “Mummy can’t hear me and Ty screams when he sees me.” Her voice was wobbly but her words were clear and Rosa bent down so she was level with her.
“That’s very sad,” Rosa said, unable to think of anything else. “My name is Rosa. What’s yours?”
The girl sniffed. “Tiarna.” She looked back at the house. “Why can’t Mummy hear me?” Rosa looked over too as the weeping woman was bundled into the car.
“She seems upset at the moment,” Rosa said delicately. “Maybe you can try to get her attention in a little while.” Although with how the woman had looked, it may be longer than a little while. “Do you want to come in here and wait?”
“I don’t know,” Tiarna said doubtfully. “Mummy says I’m not allowed to go anywhere with strangers.” Rosa was taken aback.
“That is a strange thing to say.” She stood up however, knowing that Tiarna was far more likely to listen to her mother than a neighbour she had never met before. “I was helping my sister, Hattie, get ready for her wedding. It looks like rain, do you want to wait in the kitchen until it stops? That way you can be dry and still see when your mother returns.”
Tiarna sniffed and wiped her nose with her hand. Rosa twitched and resolved to get her a handkerchief before Rosa’s mother saw that. “I suppose. I can carry on looking for Mummy.” She looked more cheerful and Rosa stood to one side to let her in.
“You can stay here for as long as you want,” Rosa said cheerfully as she shut the door against the chill. It would be nice to have some company.
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