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#need to be able to draw him in the victory crown with his ears
skylarsparkz · 2 years
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You can probably guess as to who I voted for tbh- AND HEAR ME OUT!
If Fell wins? He won with cat ears. I’m not sure about anyone else but if I lost to a discord kitten I think I’d simply pass away-
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kookiecrumb · 3 years
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jjk|| Your Head
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"tags": @kazthebrekkerofinej
word count: uhhhh
summary: Jungkook is the heir to the throne of your Kingdom! In this tale of duty versus heart, will love prevail victorious?
tags: Royalty!Jungkook x Peasant!Reader, oneshot, smut, fluff, slight angst, some crack, pining, forbidden lovers, Jungkookie has a sweet tooth, strangers to friends to lovers
warnings: explicit language, impact play, birthday sex (technically), fingering, oral (m receiving*), love marking, alcohol consumption, s&m themes, horny grinding, praise kink/body worship
a/n:
hey guys!
Firstly, I want to say how proud I am of myself for growing so much during this fic. I learned a lot about what I'm comfortable with, what I'd like to work on, and where my confidences lie.
I won't lie and say it's been easy, because writing this meant dealing with a lot of my fears? I'm excited for all the works that are to come.
The only thing I can do is be as receptive to growth as possible, so I'm looking forward to learning...
*I actually learned that Vaseline wasn't invented until like the 1870s? The fic is written in the 1810s, so I actually had a choice between having them do it with vegetable oil or spit. Spit won.
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5 years ago
You bend over to pick up an apple that had rolled over under your father's produce cart, praying that it isn't bruised so that you have to pay for it out of your dinner, when a crumpled piece of paper hits you in the ass.
Confused, you crawl out from under the stand and unwrap the paper.
The paper itself is of the finest quality you've ever seen. It's a sturdy cardstock, bleached white with gold etchings on the borders. The print on the top of it reads "His Highness Jeon's Royal Study," and scribbled in some kid's amateur cursive below, "Nice butt."
You directed your gaze upwards, towards the towering castle walls. Sure enough, a boy no older than 15 had his noggin popping out from the top of the rampart, with two wide eyes staring down, curious as to your reaction. This was Prince Jungkook, heir to the throne of your kingdom.
"Shouldn't you be equestrian horse riding or playing polo or something?" You shout. He furrows his eyebrows, apparently offended at your assumption, and then disappears behind the edifice.
Moments later, another paper hits your shoulder as you're practicing your caligraphy behind your cart. It lands between the apples, so you reach your hand over and fish out out.
You glance up at the anticipant, and sure enough he's there with his doe eyes and his coconut head, ogling.
"No, dumbie. That's at MID-day." Well how were YOU supposed to know the royal schedule of the crown prince, it wasn't just common knowlegde you learned from being a humble farmer's daught--
Ah!
"Will you STOP?!" You put your foot down. "Unless you're here to buy my apples, then you're not getting ANY, little Prince." Oh, shit. You gave him ideas. Now it was really over for you.
In less than half an hour, half a company of men arrived at the marketplace, asking about your little old apple stand, and sure enough, Jungkook had bought out the entire cart so that you were forced to help with the transaction.
The young prince had eyes frankly too big for his head, with the most prominent cupid's bow you've ever seen. His nose slightly outgrew his face and his ears were hidden away behind his short, black hair. "Now you can talk to me." He gave you a rose he'd stolen from the royal garden. "I am Jungkook, heir to the throne of--"
"I know who you are." You interrupt him, documenting His Highness' total in your calligraphy book.
With a hand perched on his chest from surprise, he scoffed. "And I happen to think you're really pretty, so I was going to ask you to be my very first consor--"
"You're 15, you have playmates not consorts."
"And how old are you?!" He's had it, raising his voice and taking a bite out of one of your apples with force.
"16, old enough to have suitors." You tease. Jungkook hangs his head a little. He just needed someone to talk to, it would seem. Reluctantly, you scribbled down your address down on a piece of note paper and handed it to him.
"Look, if you buy more of my apples, I'll have an excuse to tell my Dad so I can hang out with you." You spoke in a low voice as to not raise suspicion.
Your dad is standing negotiating with the guards about prices, his usual embarassing haggling gruffly overpowering the guards elegant twiddle-tones.
"Wonderful! See you soon, my sweet!" He resumes his confident demeanor, tucking the paper into his overcoat with a small smile. He salutes you boyishly and marches away with a year's supply of apples.
For the next week, the royal kitchen had baked 3 apple pies, made 5 fruit salads, 4 batches of apple muffins, and threw the rest of them in Sangria; that's the same Sangria as King Jeon finds himself drinking in his wife's drawing room on Sunday.
"Call Chef, fetch him up here." He waves to his assistant, keeping his eyes on the outside. He was deep in thought, his hands stoicly behind his back.
The Kingdom had been prosperous for over many years now, and war had not come close to threatening its borders in a lifetime. Negotiations were always successful, and quality of living was high. The work of a King, in a situation such as this, was to perfect the image of the royal family as strong rulers, and to paint his daughters as desirable to foreign heirs.
"Your Grace," the assistant called his attention, "Head Chef Sung." The dainty man bows and scurries off somewhere else.
Chef Sung is a portly man, who carries himself heaving with every step, his great belly inflating with each hefty inhale. He approaches the King, and kneels down to kiss his hand with his fat lips.
The King recoils in disgust, but quickly collects himself and his words. "Where are these apples from, is it France or Spain?" He demands.
"Neither, Your Highness." Mr.Sung lifts up his eyes. "They are from our Holy Kingdom; by order of Prince Jungkook, an entire cart was purchased of these apples and we have not been able to get rid of them." Tears threatened Chef Sungs eyes at the very mention of the fruit.
'Well, there's one thing the kid's done right.' King Jeon now faces the Chef, setting down his drink on a mahogany table, leaning against it casually. "Well! Good. I'd like to meet the owner of that cart, invite him to my Sunday brunch."
"Oh, yes, of course sir! You'll never see them in our kitchen aga--What?" Chef Sung takes out his handkerchief, waving it around in the air and drying his tears at once. "So you like them! Why...Yes! Yes, of course!"
Your father thought it would be valuable to have you around the kitchen, learning from the skilled men and women employed by the Jeon family. He only visited once a week to drop off fresh produce, (he'd been officially hired to handle restocking of goods) but you, after showing promising signs of being a gifted baker during one of your father's restocks, were granted scholarship by Ms.Kang to be her aid.
You were now, officially, a resident of the Jeon Estate, residing in the servant's quarters, immediately adjacent to the kitchen. This was convenient. It was far too convenient for a certain little Prince to get the idea of wanting a midnight snack and wandering downstairs.
One day, he does just that. He finds his way into the first bedroom to the right of the stairs facing the kitchen, and that happens to be your bedroom.
He pokes you awake. "Ow! Ow, whyyy~" You whine and toss yourself over to the other side of the bed. His irritating poking persists. You grab his fingers and your eyes shatter open.
You sit up, alarmed. "You could have me arrested, what the fuck are you doing?!"
"I wanted a midnight snack! Besides, I wanna talk to you." He pouts, still holding a small teddy companion.
"Fine. I'll bake you ONE sheet of cookies." You slip on your night shoes and shuffle to the kitchen, and Jungkook tags along.
By the time Jungkook's 18th birthday comes around, he's in the kitchen helping you whisk buttercream to top his cake while having a tease at the Austrian Princess' mole.
"You have one right under your lip, look!" You take a little buttercream from the bowl and stain the dark spot with it.
He licks it up and hastens to add, "it needs more sugar, lady!" as he turns to grab a puffy bag of confection sugar.
"You're impossible to please." Snatching the sugar away from him, you smirk. "You can gobble down as many sweets as you want when the ball commences. Remember, this is the year you're supposed to be keeping your eye out for a girl of a good fam--"
"Yada yada, must have hips for childbearing, yada yada yada..." He mocks the speech his mother had told him that morning when he got dressed.
"Exactly." You set your bowl aside to fix Jungkook's tie. "Yes, and that's your duty, as our heir."
You step back and examine Jungkook one more time. He'd grown so tall in the last year, his legs like spider's and he was just beginning to grow into his features. Handsome boy.
You, too, had grown into an elegant young woman. You had a poised complexion, ready-mannered and graceful. Your hands seemed out of place in your otherwise feminine frame, carrying an extra bit of girth from baking. You were 19 years old.
Marriage was becoming an uncomfortably frequent topic during your visits home, as your mother had married young, herself, she expected the same of you.
Truth be told, there were plenty of offers for your hand. You were a skilled and very esteemed individual, who had broken into thr artisinal class. But your father knew better than put a dowry on your happiness. So long as you worked, he saw no reason to marry you off just yet.
"Now, go. Your sisters must be worried sick! Go out there." You shoo him, pushing him out the door of the kitchen despite his flailing arms.
Throughout the party, you'd been carrying a platter of your own baked goods, serving them to the aristocrats attending the Princes' coming-of-age ball. Accents from all over Europe and some from Kingdoms as far East as Cyprus jubilantly engaged in artful conversation which filled the air with good spirits.
Jungkook, himself, was busy being introduced to as many women as possible, a medley of presenting duchesses, ladies, and even Princesses of your Kingdom. They were each more qualified than you'll ever be, ten-fold.
One was a Greek Princess, her hair cascaded in darling curls down her shoulders and her eyes were deep-set, her voice a flirtatious trill.
Another, a Prussian Princess', posture radiated excellency, and whose complexion sparkled like powdered snow. Jungkook greeted her warmly, pleased with her appearance.
Distracted, you tripped up your skirt and dropped the remainder of your pastries. With that, you stepped off to use the restroom.
The sound of Strauss' Rosen aus dem Süden faintly loomed in the air as you wiped tears from your waterline in the mirror. That was just the way it was, wasn't it? Princes come of age, and they find wives who they commit their lives to.
"Married men don't have friends who are girls." You say out loud, just to realize it. Jungkook was now expected to find a mate within the season, and he was, in fact, quite the eligible bachelor.
Little did you know that Jungkook had been keeping an eye out for you throughout the party, not only because you were carrying his favorite Danish pastires, but because he knew your company was his greatest comfort.
He's in the midst of greeting the Duchess of Kent when he excuses himself to go look for you. He finds your mess first, frowning as he realizes something has gone terribly wrong.
He catches you in the hallway, face puffy and shaky. He grabs your wrist to keep you from darting back to the kitchen.
"Please don't do this, it's my birthday, y/n." It's as if an unspoken rule had been broken between you, and he feels it. Something is making you uncomfortable. "Was it the girls? You told me about this, it's my duty to at least greet them and--"
"Yeah, you sure did greet the Prussian woman nicely." You speak through tears. "She's the girl you were born to be with, huh? Your birthright?"Jungkook is silent. "Every girl at that ball wants to be your wife, want to have your children. They haven't known you for a day and yet they're ready to be your bride."
You search Jungkook's eyes for any sign of coherence, hoping that he would defend against you, that he would speak up and tell you otherwise. No such argument comes.
You yank your arm from his grip and march to the kitchen to remake the pastries you spilled.
You had the job of clearing off all the tables upon the departure of the last guests. It is midnight, and the windows of the castle stream moonlight down on the carpet beneath your feet. The glow of candles soothe you as you hum the waltzes which echo in your mind. It's a brilliant evening.
The centerpieces of the tables were gardenias, lush rose-like flowers with yellow pistils.
Summer, 1809
"Jungkook, wait! You're going to make me trip!" You shout from the top of the hill.
"You've gotta come see before the sun sets! It's the only way we'll get there on time, now run!" Jungkook's speeding down the terrain towards the Sycamore tree which grew deep and wide beneath the banks of a great rushing river.
You groan and throw caution to the wind, rolling down the steep mount in your Sunday dress. Jungkook turns to watch you, a grin spreading across his handsome face. "Look at you!"
You land on your feet at the bottom and scurry off to join Jungkook under the grandfather tree, out of breath entirely. "Now, look what you made me do. You're such a boy, you know that?! Making me come out here just to see some bloody--"
Jungkook has plucked a gardenia and placed it behind your ear. "Would you shut up? We got here on time. Behold."
In all its glory, the sun bathes you in its vivacious rays, creating a feeling of heavenly bliss as it dips below the horizon. The sky blushes pink, its clouds mere whisps above you. Wind rustles the leaves of the grand tree, rousing the birds to chirp their afternoon song.
"Mom used to come here all the time with my Dad, because of these." Jungkook clasped the blooming flower in his tender hands.
After a while, he says "the bugs will come out soon, so we ought to go back," as if he's trying not to scare something away. He helps you up, and with one last look across the valley, you walk next to each other back to the East Quarters.
You take all the silverware and plates by the tub to the dish-washing station and toss all of the linen napkins into the washing machine. All you had left was to blow out the lights in leading upstairs.
"Prince! It is very late, and there are no guests left for you to entertain. What troubles you?" Jungkook's sitting on the stairs with his head in his hands, still wearing his best suit.
"I disappointed you, y/n...I didn't like any of them." He admits, lifting his head up to sulk at you. "I should have told you then, but I didn't want to make you upset!"
Did Jungkook mistake your jealousy for disappointment?
"I'm not upset because you didn't hit it off with the girls..." You sigh. A confession is due, and he's ready to hear the truth from you about how you feel about him.
"Well, the truth is, I didn't like any of the girls because I like you, y/n. But you know that, don't you?" You pause, asking him to elaborate.
"Remember when I bought all the apples because I wanted to be with you? Like...I told you that you were my consort and I kind of meant it?" He felt pathetic now, realizing that you weren't just ignoring his advances. "So you didn't friendzone me for 2 years, you actually didn't know that I liked you."
It was almost laughable, a situation you would read in one of your illegal novels which you kept tucked away in your pillow at night. "No, Kookie, I didn't." You admit to your insolence.
You can't bear to lead him on any longer. You needed to put duty over your own self interest for the sake of the kingdom, even if it shattered his hope. It was better this way.
"But, you do know that we can't ever be a thing, right? It's just silly." Your heart tightens with the words which fall out of your mouth. "It is. Nevermind what your parents would think, what would it do for your image? You're on the world's stage, Jungkook, and you're a selfish person if you think you can just throw all of your duties away to date a scum of the Earth like-- like me!" With your heart in your throat, dry your eyes with your sleeve. "And...I want to, I really really want to, more than anything else to love you, Jungkook. I love you! I...can't." Through the blur of your tears, the shapeless blob that Jungkook has become stands up.
Taking his thumb and swiping it under your eyes, he sighs. Words escaping him, he takes your trembling body against his chest and nestles his head in the crook of your neck. Your cold hands travel underneath his overcoat to hold his waist. The Princes' lips plant a gentle kiss on your neck, chaste yet deep and satisfying.
"I will not accept any bride if not you, my love." He draws back, meeting your fervid gaze. "To the world, I remain a bachelor for a few years."
"And after those years, Jungkook?" You ride your hands up to caress the man's jaw. "You will still love me after those years, and then what?"
"I don't know," he says, voice as soft as powder. "I don't know many things, y/n, that's why I need you to teach me." His palms are rubbing at your waist, beckoning you closer.
His breath quickening as you lean your body against his hold, and you figure it must be the wine he drank to calm his nerves. That was it, wasn't it? He was drunk.
"You're not drunk, are you?" Your face sours, really hoping it's not the case as you feel your body temperature rise.
"Y/N, I've only had a glass. You saw I was a wreck back there." His lips kept chasing yours in a dance you can't quite describe. "I have wanted to hold you like this since I saw you selling apples on the street. Give me the honor..." His forehead against yours and his strong hands supporting your back, he's already fucking you with his eyes.
"The pleasure of being your lover." He squeezes your waist tight with his forearms, planting brisk kisses behind your ear and breathing in your scent. He smiles against you. Your skin pebbles at his affectionate touch, purring softly as your eyes roll back in delight.
"Kookie..." You breathe, leaning on his broad chest. "Kook, the maids are wondering where I am, I have to go..." You slur, tugging at his collar.
He grunts in protest, taking your ear between his teeth and nibbling it.
"If you let me go, I'll steal some cake for you tomorrow at breakfast." If there's anything Jungkook likes more than Cream Ice, it was cake. He unravels you from his arms and nods, his eyes softening.
"Request my service tomorrow, from Ms.Kang. She's been sweet on me lately." You peck his cheek before stepping back. Your rouge has embarrassingly stained His Grace's cheek.
Jungkook bows and presses a kiss on your hand, eyes rising to meet yours. "Til' morrow, babe."
Jiyoo shakes you awake the next morning, handing you a cake and a note that reads: "Prince Jungkook has a commission he must discuss with you. Meet him at his chamber immediately."
Lacing on a simple corset over your nightgown, you try not to look too red in the face as you climb up the stairs to His Majesty's room. You'd be up there alone, as requested. The girls would absolutely start rumors based on that alone-- rumors which you realize are probably totally true. This was stuff of scandal, after all...
'There shouldn't be anything scandalous about love.' You decide as you rap on His Highness' door.
"Please enter...but only if you have my cake!" Jungkook says in his morning voice. He's so cute.
The simplicity of Jungkook's abode takes you by surprise. His bedroom is very well lit, a capital display of the flowered valley through his bay windows washed the room in gold, painting his porcelain white carpets and his cotton sheets a warm creme color. His drawers and vanity were etched in gold, with breathtaking detailing.
The Monarch himself was splayed across the bed, laying on his side casually. He held a glass in his hand, holding a white wine. He puts down his glass and sits up as your presence.
"We both know that you didn't come here as my servant." You lock the door behind you. "And I have no such commission to give you, darling." The innocence which undertones his usual speech is missing as he coaxes you towards him.
"This much I know, Your Majesty," You say, taking a bit of frosting on your index finger and smudging it on the Princes lips. His black eyes, as cunning as a viper, watch you dangerously as you push two fingers past his plush lips. He wraps his hands around your wrist and draws your hand away, his gaze fixating on you.
"Set the cake down." At his command, you carefully place the confection down on a nearby chest, feeling Jungkook's eyes on you, drawing you back towards his grip.
"Let me pull your laces apart," with your waist held by his Herculean hand, he hums "and then let me pull you apart. I want to memorize your pleasures and gratify your desires, I need it, y/n..." Your back flush against his chest and your thighs split, his hands knead into you as he litters your collar with his mark.
You gasp softly against the crook of his neck, giving into his hold of you. His hot tongue spreads under your jaw, closing into a hard kiss as his hands travel back up to undo your corset and free your tits.
One by one, his fingers pop open the buttons left on your gown until the collar hangs off-shoulder to expose your collarbone. At the sight of new skin, Jungkook's tongue darts to stain it.
His hands stagger above your breasts. "Is it okay if I touch you here?"
"Oh, Kookie, touch me everywhere~" Your hands form fists around Jungkook's shirt, beckoning him impossibly closer.
Grasping one ever so carefully, his thumb grazes your bud as he playfully bites under your ear. "ah-- ahh,"
Jungkook groans in response, he can't believe how cute you sound. Curious, he wants to hear more, so he traces your thighs and experimentally pushes up the outside your cunt.
You squirm, tensing up immediately in response. You bring your hands down to find the latch on his trousers and dip your hands below to rub him through his undergarments. He heatedly bucks up to meet your touch, a panting mess.
You face him now as he watches you ride his fingers while you grip his girth through his clothes. He takes you by the ass and places you on his prominent bulge, hips rolling into you as he hungrily kisses you, his firm hands grinding your core on his cock.
His face is a sinful red, panting under you desperately.
"I've been wanting to do this," His voice warbles through your touch, running your thumb along his underside. It's his turn to gasp. He sits up and collapses his lips into yours, softer than rose petals and his taste faintly like wine.
You place your hand on his chest, and his heart is pounding, a thin layer of sweat already forming on his honeylike complexion.
Hastily, you pull your dress over your head and lean back to allow him to familiarize himself with your stark form, a dainty chain hanging between your bosom. Jungkook bites his lips as he wriggles out of his clothing, desposing of it beside the bed.
He's giddy behind those sultry eyes, you know him well enough that he's overexcited to get inside of you. It goes straight to his cock, your playfulness as you feel up his bare shoulders and discover his abdominals, your fingers tracing his ridges with a sense of innocent wonder.
He takes your hands and looks at you in this way-- Butterflies fill your stomach instantly. Jungkook's thumbing at your pout with his intrepid fingers.
His eyes flutter when grip his base and submerge your upper body below his hips. You lick a long, thick stripe up his underside, causing his breath to hitch and his head to fall back on to the bed.
Those goddamn cupid's bow lips of his would whisper the dirtiest things under his breath, lewd thoughts that sounded completely alien coming from His Majesty's mouth, he said for you.
"Oh, such a pretty mouth~ It's so good, y/n, you swallow me so good--" he moaned like a mantra, trying to keep his hips from snapping up into you. Your hot, wet tongue wrapped around his throbbing cock was only a fantasy to him for years.
He fills your throat with his girth, his taste tantalizingly smooth. It leaves your mouth with a 'pop.' You struggle to keep your legs apart as you crawl up to kiss him.
He takes those fingers of his and slides his index and middle into you and languidly thrusts them, smirking against your lips. "Shit, you liked that, hmm..."
"Kookie...please," you whine as he squeezes your ass hard before smacking it. You yelp, the sting of his fingers radiating from your skin.
"I like it when you beg, y/n, it's so cute..." He pulls your ass up to his thighs. He's flush hard against your abdomen, already sticky with his precum and your spit. You marvel at the self control he has.
You don't finish your thought before he has his head inside of you, impaling you on his cock and stretching your entrance, hissing at how incredible it felt to have you around him.
His shaft reached pleasure points within you had yet to discover. You clench, feeling his tip brush against your cervix. "Wh... hngh," he groans, "how did you do that, do it again--" You wrap your legs around his thighs and clench around him, biting your lip. You watch as he shivers from pleasure, feeling his skin horripilate under your touch.
His thumb is softly circling above your clit as he pulls out of you carefully. He swirls back in, nestling himself inside your heat, hissing. "Ahh~ Jungkook~!" At the sound of his first name moaned out of your mouth, he groans and rolls his hips up to create messy friction. That familiar knot in your stomach tingles as he plays with the bundle of nerves buried within you.
He glances up at your ruined lips, clashing with them again as he lifts your knees up with his hands and thrusts nice and rough, making you yell with every jolt of his cock. The smell and sound of sex fills the room as he experiments with positions, laying you on all fours.
"Get your ass up for me." You obey, ever servile. You're reminded-- you're his servant. He owns your work, he owns your services, and now he wants you in the most lucrative way, he wants your soaked cunt around his imperial cock. He gets what he wants.
Jungkook's palms smack against your ass one more time, just to watch the way it jiggles for him. He smirks a little before he shoves himself into your pretty little cunt. You bury your face into the pillows in pelasure as he chases your orgasm with vigor, fingering your clitoris while you move your hips back to meet his hard thrusts.
You whine like a harlot, his cock allowing you every satisfaction as he works a head-spinning orgasm out of that cunt. "I'm gonna cum, Kookie~!" you warn as you spasm against his length, moans ripping from your throat as you coat him with your thick juices.
His hips stutter up and he just barely pulls himself completely from you as he paints your back white, a guttural groan escaping his mouth.
After a while of loud panting and scattered giggling, Jungkook reaches over for a wet cloth and cleans the both of you gingerly. You trail your hands up to caress his jaw and kiss his lips softly.
"You need to tell everyone that I had a long and extensive request for the Harvest party, that I wanted a lot of fall fruits and vegetables featured in the baked goods, make it as specific as possible and make sure that you mention that I want to meet with you again, over dinner." His labored breathing punctuate his words, as youd kisses consume him. "And..."
"And?" You cock an eyebrow, simpering.
"Doyouthinkmaybeyoucouldbringmesomemilktogowithmycake?" He mumbles, eyes glued on the bed.
"What?" (If you give a Kookie a Cookie...)
Disgruntled, he sighs and repeats: "Milk! Milk for my cake. I know it's moist cause you made it but I'm really thirsty, especially after..." His cheeks flush a cute pink. You wait for him to continue just to fluster him a little more. "Y/N, just please!" You can't ever refuse his pouty face.
Next week, Jungkook's got you pinned against the hallway wall, making out with you hungrily as his hands ride up your dress. Just across the hall, his Dad is negotiating war with Portugal over land in the West.
The next month, you have his cock buried in your throat underneath the table at an important conference about how to create jobs.
All this while the pressure for Jungkook to find a bride continues to rise as he reaches seniority, and as his father's grey hairs pronounce themselves.
Warm touches are always hidden away to the public eye, but often shared between two kindred spirits underneath the man in the moon's watchful eye. Jungkook, as he reaches his maturity, grows strong. His jaw sharpens, and his eyes darken. His hair grows long, and he gains weight. Now at the proud age of 20, Jungkook had become a man before everyone's eyes, including the eyes of foreign monarchs and their eligible bachelorettes.
One day, you're serving the Royal family at a private dinner, when the topic of marriage comes up for the first time since his birthday.
"Your mother has made friends with the mother of the Austrian Princess, and she's invited you to the cordial ball to introduce yourself to the Princess. An allyship with Austria would prove advantageous for our relations with France, so you are to make your best impression." The King wipes his mouth. Setting his fork down, he continues: "It is in the family's best interest for you to marry her, if the French Princess, Anastasie, does not present this season or the next." The Queen holds the King's hand firmly, reassuring him from his shoulder. She wears a slight frown on her face, her eyes worrisome, somber. The King hides his anxiety, as he's been accustomed to from decades of responsibility. Would this be the face of Jungkook soon?
For now, Jungkook's face is scrunching at the thought of marrying Anastasie. She's not the most delightful young woman, her imprudence ruined her enjoyment of any event. She couldn't keep an intuitive conversation about regional politics and domestic policy for the life of her. Her people were on the brink of overthrowing the aristocracy, he was sure of it.
"Yes, father," is what you hear from him before you disappear down the stairs to fetch desserts.
Jiyoo interrupts your quest for sweets with a letter, signed by His Grace. She has a naturally innocent demeanor, her cheeks rosy and her frame as delicate as a feather. "Y/N, you have another special request from His Majesty...can I ask you why you get so many of these?" She looks genuinely curious, not a single menacing thought behind those eyes.
"It's because the Prince really really loves his cake." I mean, technically it was true. Jungkook never passed up an opportunity to squeeze, smack, or dig his fingernails into your ass during your sessions.
"Oh." Jiyoo pouts. "So it's not because you're like, in love or anything?" Her eyes are glued to the floor. You were expecting this question eventually, as the other girls in the kitchen were already suspecting it. It was only a matter of time before word slipped into the girl's ears.
"As much as I enjoy the Prince's interest in my baking, it isn't my place to confess any sort of feeling for him." Your answer is straightforward enough, so Jiyoo nods and hands you the letter. Another request.
Outside the Palace, Winter came like the wind. Lakes froze over, and couples tied up their skates and danced on the ice. The trees were bare and brown, not a single leaf persisting through the chilling breath of Jack Frost.
Jungkook had left for the Winter Palace, to volunteer and raise spirits up in the North. As heir to the throne, he was to be Commander in Chief of the Royal Armed Forces, and therefore needed to undergo intensive training in order to boost morale.
You're back home, and in your wake is your father, who has now grown tangibly tired. He's been on a strict diet of warm vegetable soup for about three months, now. His eyes are sunken, but he still wears a subtle smile even during his most trying days.
Match girls make their rounds at night, you watch as the lamplighters illuminate the streets with their tall ladders and their taller peacoats. Shop windows glow warm shades of yellow and creme; inscriptions on the glass create shadows on the white snow.
"Wow. It's almost as cold as the King's heart out here." You step outside one day with a cup of tea, sneaking in a cheeky smirk. Yeah, good one.
"I heard that!" You turn towards the little voice. A child, maybe about 9 or 10 years old is pointing at you. You squint at it.
"Well, it's true..." You mumble. You have a bit of change in your pocket, so you walk towards a stand to buy a hot bun and a paper.
"Chilly today, hon...Best you take this on the house." The tenant hands you a steaming cake wrapped in a simple cloth and your paper. You stick the paper in your dress pocket and take back your change. You nod a 'thank you.'
You spill the contents of your pockets on the dining table and snatch the paper, snapping it open. Your eyes eagerly skim the headline: "Prince Jungkook Fires Up Royal Army." Below is an article detailing the happenings of His Majesty. All of it sounded very intense, the running, strategizing, first aid training...Was there anything Prince Jeon couldn't nail on the first try?
You set the paper down and pick up your now lukewarm tea. In the back of your mind you're coping with the fact that the Spring Solstice is next week, and that marks the beginning of Jungkook's last season as a Prince.
The King is ill with tuberculosis, and recovery is unlikely. If Jungkook is to marry, it is next season and that was final.
Sitting at the window of his Winter Castle study, Jungkook plays with a ring nestled between his fingers. He looks out onto the lake, as if he's trying to reach you with his gaze. His heart is tight knowing that it would be the season he chooses his bride. Actually, he'd already made up his mind long ago. If his duty was to marry, there was no way to evade such a responsibility. He had to fulfill it, despite his anxieties.
He straightens up and walks out of the hollow room with a firm step.
You awaken with the sound of horse's hooves thudding against the Earth. It is yet to be dawn, and in the distance, thunder roars mightily.
A figure wearing a long, black hood hoists itself off of the animal, tying it to a nearby post. It walks towards an obscure entrance, unknown to many staff.
Intrigued, you wrap a blanket around yourself and peek out at the stranger. His fingers are shorter than his palms, and that's when he tosses of his hood, his eyes set on you. "Y/N..."
You're bewildered by his guise, questions filling your head.
"I was horny, so I left camp" He sits down at the counter, catapulting a cookie into his mouth.
You roll your eyes. "And the guards let you?! Jungkook!" You whisper-yelled at him, readjusting your makeshift blanket-dress.
"Obviously not!" He puffed out his chest with pride. "I bribed them," he smirks.
"You're insufferable," you scoff, your eyes wandering down to observe his physique. His shirt is anything but conservative, highlighting the muscle he'd earned through laborious, sweat-inducing drills. You can feel his eyes on your face as you observe him.
"You can't hide it either," he crosses his arms. "You're standing in the kitchen with a blanket around your naked body." He flicks his tongue. He steps forward, putting a finger under your jaw so you're looking him in the eye.
Your eyes fill with lust as he speaks over your lips. "Look at yourself..." A crash is heard in the other room.
Jungkook's head darts up and in a flash, he disappears into the night.
'Fuck.' You gather your dress from the floor and shuffle back to your chamber.
The first event of the season commences with the most exaltant of spirits as friends of old greet each other with youthful smiles. Juicy exposés, enticing tales, and thoughtful greetings are exchanged in the most formal manner, and the conversation is lively; the most controversial topic of conversation, however, is the rumor that Jungkook is to marry this season.
So far, he's been to four different private residences within his own Kingdom and has been invited, by the secretary of King Louis XVII to meet their daughter. It would be an understatement to say that stakes were high for the pending King.
You were kneading your dough a little too hard thinking about it. "Not so rough, y/n!" Ms.Kang snatches the mixture from your hands. "What is up with you lately, you're so tense! It's really disrupting the kitchen's dynamic."
You shrug it off. "It's going to be hard sedating Anastasie's sweet tooth, I suppose."
"Well, you seem to be doing just fine dealing with Jungkook's addiction to cakes...She's perfect for him, really." Ms.Kang throws more flour on your kneading table and steps off. You give up on the dough, covering it with a cloth and letting it rise.
Jungkook is tapping his feet, munching on finger sandwiches as he waits on you to make an appearance.
"Dearest Prince, look, I am wearing Mediterranean violet!" A duchess shouts as she passes by him, to which he raises his eyebrows at. Another, with dark green eyes approaches and begins speaking rapidly in French at him. Frightened and undereducated, his canned response was: "Excusez-moi, Pouvez-vous répéter plus lentement s'il vous plaît," to which the duchess furrows her eyebrows before something else catches her attention, elsewhere.
Truth is, Jungkook is incredibly shaken at the thought of announcing his engagement tonight. Well, that and the fact that you had yet to pop out of the kitchen. Man, those finger sandwiches were good.
As the night progresses, Jungkook realizes that if he doesn't get up on that platform and say what he needed to say, he'd have to say it in London. Setting his fears aside, he plants himself on top of the orchestral stage and taps a champagne glass with a cheese fork. The music comes to a stop.
With conviction, he begins: "The time has come that I announce my engagement. To all of my beloved friends, who have introduced me to the most beautiful, talented, diverse, and benevolent ladies I've come to get to know over the years, I thank you from the depths of my soul." He swallows and continues, his confident voice masking his trembling. "The life of a Prince is defined by the virtues presented to him at birth. Those virtues are: duty, responsibility, grace, kindness, mercy and integrity." Here comes the part, oh shit.
"I am abdicating my throne to my Cousin, the Duke of Namseong."
Silence sweeps the room. You poke your head out to see what was going on.
"...to marry the love of my life, y/n." He points at you. Your face is cherry red, and you find yourself dropping those same Danish fucking pastries all over the carpet.
"Shit," you fall on your knees, plucking them from the ground one by one. You don't know whether to run as fast as you can or to present yourself, but your body seems to be currently doing the latter. You go along with it.
Jungkook takes your hand tenderly on the stage. "I am unable to perform my duties as King, and therefore am ineligible for the throne." His touch gives you the will to continue beside him. You feel the pure fear rushing through your love's veins, and he knows that this is the hardest thing he'll ever have to do, yet he stands by his announcement.
So, if Jungkook doesn't get to be King of this World, he at least will forever be the King of Your Heart.
But all this, of course...is all in Your, dear reader, Head.
~
a/n:
hope you enjoyed.
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astridthevalkyrie · 3 years
Text
another installment of:
A Scene Popped Into My Head But Instead Of Writing A Whole AU I'm Just Going To Write That One Scene <3
Today’s Feature: Knight Levi!
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The room is dead silent. Your heart soars and drops simultaneously when Levi walks in, flanked by two of his best soldiers. Years of training are the only reason you don’t trip over yourself as you rise from the throne, crown suddenly heavy on your head. It’s been nearly impossible to get any intel from the battlefield. Most messengers couldn’t make it out, or there was too high a risk of valuable information being released to the enemy.
Your country has been at war far too long. And for far too long, you haven’t seen him, the man you love, not knowing whether or not your precious captain of the guards was even still alive. And now here he is, in proper decorated uniform, walking across the throne room, past the nobles all waiting for news, to you, his queen.
It may be selfish, but all you want to do is whisk him away, ask someone to draw you a bath, soak in it with him with your head resting on his naked chest, watching droplets run down his skin. No talk of this bloody war, no talk of all the death he’s seen, and no talk of how wildly inappropriate this is. Just you and him, sharing fleeting kisses and heated moments, as he makes you come undone for him in a way only someone who is a master at their craft would be able to. Fingers dipping in areas you’ve only ever exposed to him, low grunts and quiet proclamations of love in your ear, and the loveliest blushes when you tell him that none of these riches mean anything to you, not the way he does.
Levi kneels down on one knee before you, respectfully bowing his head. “Your Majesty.”
You try your best to keep your voice from shaking as you respond. “Levi. What is the news?”
There is a pregnant pause in the air, and then he looks up, beautiful grey eyes shining in loyal adoration and dedication.
“The day is ours.” His voice cracks. “We’ve won.”
Cheers explode around the throne room as you laugh breathlessly, unbelievingly, and then, without a care, you are leaping off the platform and running straight into his arms. He catches you with practiced hands, and perhaps it’s fate’s good mercy that everyone is too busy joyously celebrating to notice that you are embracing the commander of your army as though he’s your lover.
Which, of course, he is.
Taking advantage of the moment, you pull away and press a brief, searing kiss to his lips, whispering, “You came back to me.”
“Of course I did.” He rests his hand on your cheek, dipping in to kiss you again. “I don’t disobey orders from my queen.”
And the crown stays perfectly balanced on your head as you hug him again, even tighter than before, resting your head in the crook of his neck. How long you stay there, you don’t know, all you’re aware of is how closely he’s holding you, like he’ll never let you go again, and that’s all you need. This, truly, is a victory that tastes sweet.
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kouomi · 3 years
Text
Home
Summary: Atsumu looks back on your relationship and finds himself longing for the person he called home (Miya Atsumu x f!reader)
Warnings: lil bit of fluff, heavy angst, mentions of death, fighting
Word count: 2,708
A/N: italicized parts are in the past! lil heads up this is not edited!! Someone please hug Tsumu cause I made myself sad writing this
My Masterlist
Posted: March 14th 2021, 8:30 AM EST
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“‘Tsumu!” You gasp as your flung onto the couch, a chorus of laughter following your cry. The two of you tumbled around for a few moments before Atsumu pins your hands to your side, a leg on either side of your hips as he grins at his victory.
“Don’t you dare.” You warn, knowing all too well what the mischievous glint in his eye meant. Your warning is too late, however, as his hands move to attack your sides sending you into a flurry of laughter. Tears pricked at your eyes as he mercilessly continued to tickle you, his own laughs of amusement being heard over yours.
“What was that? I don’t think I heard ya.”
“You win! Stop!”
Seemingly satisfied with your call of forfeit Atsumu draws his hands away from your sides, only to fall on top of you making a squeal pass your lips. His arms loop around your waist as you tried to shove
-
Atsumus eyes nervously scanned the large crowd as he stepped out on to the court, the loud cheers and blaring band falling upon deaf ears as all he could hear was his thoughts whizzed by faster than he could focus on one. It was his first game of high school and while he was able to hide it well, below the surface of his facade he was swelling with nerves and worries. What if he messed up his serve? What if he did something to lose the game for the third years? What if something he did this game made the entire team turn on him like they did in middle school?
Before he could fully process what was happening the referee passed him the ball, hundreds of eyes following its course into his hands. Taking a deep breath, Atsumu spun the ball in his hands.
Don’t mess up.
How many steps do I take?
Is this too far?
What if I throw it up wrong?
Don’t. Mess. Up.
“Go Atsumu!”
The sudden call of his name pulls him out of his thoughts, his attention being drawn back towards the crowd. After a few moments of searching his eyes meet yours, a sense of calm washing over him as you smile back at him. She came, he thought to himself, his own smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. With you there, surely everything would be
-
“Y/n, can ya please let me in?”
“Go away!”
Atsumu sighs as he leans his head on the bathroom door, his hand once again trying the handle though the lock prevents it from turning.
It was a stupid fight, one that’d been building up over time that suddenly boiled over causing you both to explode at each other. Both of you had said things you didn’t mean, harsh words being thrown at each other since you arrived home. Your throats had gone raw from trying to speak over each other but you both refused to back down, tunnel vision preventing you from hearing one another out as you pressed to prove you were right.
Looking on what you’d said now having been sitting outside the bathroom for about an hour he understood why you’d been upset and, while he didn’t quite want to admit it, you were in the right.
While he knew this now, it didn’t help what had gotten him in this situation in the first place. At the peak of your screaming match he found himself blinded by anger and words he’d never thought he’d ever say to you passed his lips, rolling off his tongue before he realized what he was saying.
“All I’m saying is I want to spend some more time with you! Is that really too much to ask?” You asked, exasperated.
“Ya knew when we started dating how busy I am!” Atsumu exclaimed, “Why are ya suddenly so mad about it?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s because you spend more time with your fan girls than with your actual girlfriend!”
“Really? Yer pulling that? It’s not my fault yer so needy Y/n, I’m not gonna drop my practices just to make ya happy all the time!”
“If you think I’m needy why don’t you go date one of the girls who keep throwing themselves at you?”
“Maybe I should! They’d probably be less annoying than ya!”
“‘Tsumu, wait-“
“What? Finally realizing how easily I could replace ya? Yer the one who suggested it, remember?” He scoffs, ignoring how you’d shrunken, “Ya should be thankful for the time ya get with me, cause if not there’s other girls who could take yer place. I don’t need ya.”
As soon as he said it he froze, almost not believing that those words had actually come out of his mouth. The look on your face unfortunately proved it to be true, however, as he could see the way it seemed as if all of the fight and anger had been drained out of you leaving you with a hollow expression. You but your lip as you shook your head and shoved your way past him, ignoring all attempts he made at stopping you as you slammed the bathroom door in his face.
“Baby, I’m sorry okay? Can ya unlock the door so we can talk?”
“Leave me alone, Atsumu.”
He felt a pull at his heart at the slight crack in your voice followed by quiet sniffling, guilt threatening to swallow him whole as he realized you were crying because of him.
Unable to put up with you locking yourself away any longer, Atsumu grabbed a bobby-pin from your room and got to work unlocking the door with it, successfully doing so after a few minutes. Almost as soon as the door swung open he’s kneeling on the ground beside where you were curled into a ball, frantically scanning his mind for something to do.
“Y/n...” He says, reaching a hand out to brush your hair away from your face.
He cringes when you flinch, temporarily drawing back before reaching out again this time wrapping his arms around your shuttering frame. Though you temporarily resisted, ultimately you found yourself melting into his embrace as you adjusted to wrap your arms around his torso. Atsumu pulls you into his lap, one of his hands cradling the back of your head as you cried into his shirt while the other ran up and down your back. The two of you sat there until your tears slowed to a stop, Atsumu not daring to move a muscle in fear of scaring you off.
“You really are an asshole, Atsumu.” You mumble, your grip on the fabric of his tshirt tightening.
“I know.” He sighs, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head, “I’m so so sorry. I didn’t mean any of that. Yer the best girlfriend I could ever ask for, no one else even begins to compare. And yer right, I’m not spending enough time with ya but I’ll try to, okay? I love ya so much.”
“I
-
The two of you lay on the couch in your living room, the only sound being that of the TV you’d turned on for background noise when your boyfriend had appeared at your front door. You’d anticipated his arrival, having watched the game against Karasuno on your phone the day before and such expected the defeated and angry atmosphere that surrounded him.
Atsumu lay on top of you with his arms wrapped firmly around your waist, holding himself in place against you. One of your hands rested on the back of his head that rested on your chest as the other ran up and down his back, paying attention to rub in the patterns you knew he liked. He hadn’t said a word since he arrived other than a short “missed ya”, having passed all welcomes in favor of clinging to you, his body melting into yours. After the loss at nationals he had wanted nothing more than to curl up in your arms, the long trip home seeming to go slower as he counted down the seconds until he could finally be here.
“You did really good.” You whisper, pressing a kiss to his forehead as he tensed slightly. “I’m proud of you.”
“It wasn’t good enough.” Atsumu says, voice weak compared to its usual light hearted tone. “I lost the game for everyone.”
“You weren’t the only one playing, ‘Tsum. It isn’t all one person’s fault. But you are one of the reasons you guys were even able to get that far, yeah? Don’t beat yourself up over one play.”
It’s quiet for a moment as he processes your words, as if trying to decide if he’ll believe you or not. He moves his head upwards so he can nuzzle his face into the crook of your neck, the feeling of a tear falling onto your skin pulling at your heart as you give him a small squeeze.
“It’s just- it was-“ He stutters, his words shaky and ultimately cut off by a sharp intake of breath as he tries to hold back his tears.
“I know.” You murmur, “But you’re still the best setter there is, y’know? And the best boyfriend, best teammate, best looking; you’re so much more than that one game.”
“...Best looking twin?” He asks quietly.
You laugh, “Yes.”
The sound fills his ears, providing him with a sense of comfort no words or actions had been able to. You always knew the right things to say, to do, to comfort him and make him feel better when he was at his lowest and felt ready to give up. Something about you warded off all of the negatives and filled the air around you with warmth. Something about you felt like home. Something about you made him sure that one day, he was going to m
that’s how things between the two of you went, always being cut off too soon. All of his memories with you, each I love you, each kiss, each quiet afternoon spent cuddling on the couch watching movies, everything was ended before it was supposed to. Even your relationship went that way, being cut off, suddenly forced to a stop before it could even really begin. Each memory was halted right in the middle, part of each story missing making them feel impartial and almost fake with holes in their plots and the endings missing. Everything was so vivid, yet so vividly fading at the same time it terrified him that he was losing what little left he had of you. Details faded away so all he was left was glimpses of a memory that didn’t even feel like his anymore; left looking through a foggy window on to a life he wished he still had.
Every day without you felt bland. No longer did he have your soft voice scratchy with sleep whispering in his ear in the mornings; your fingers lacing with his as you wandered around the shops; your body searching for his warmth during the night. The apartment that had once belonged to the both of you was now void of your glowing presence, the air stiff and too quiet without you. His happy, care-free smile had faded from his face and become less frequent as he found himself wondering what he was supposed to do without the one person he could call home.
“I got invited to play for the Olympics next year.” Atsumu says, not quite as enthusiastic as it should be, “Ya always said I’d get there one day.”
No response comes.
“It really sucks without ya here, Y/n.” He continues, feeling his throat start to constrict, “I miss ya. A lot.
It’s already been a year, can ya believe that? I don’t want to believe it. A whole year with ya gone. It’s just... not right.
Sometimes I forget for a few minutes, and I think yer gonna be there when I open the door just like ya always were. It scares me, cause I can’t remember everything, even yer voice is a little gone without the videos. I could never forget yer smile though, even with all the pictures. I think that’s my favorite thing about ya.
I really took everything for granted. I wish I could go back and just hold ya, one more time. One more kiss. One more time hearing ya say I love you. Just something to hold onto. It’s not right, nothings right without ya here. Ya were the reason I was always so happy, ya made everything seem so much brighter, but now it’s just... bland. It’s like I can’t be happy without ya, I don’t wanna be happy without ya.” He stops to wipe his face of the tears that’d begun to fall, though new ones quickly slip into the tracks of the old.
“I wish you’d just come back. Sometimes I get mad at ya, for leaving me here alone, but ya know I can’t stay made atcha for long. It just hurts, knowing yer not coming back... Yer not coming back.”
He hits his lip, the air in his lungs feeling to heavy as if it’s trying to suffocate him from the inside. Everything falls on him at once, like a thick sheet of snow covering everything in sight and leaving him cold and numb yet burning and screaming at the same time. You’re gone. His Y/n, his beautiful wonderful, amazing Y/n, was gone. Everything hurt, every breath, every small movement of his body as it shook with sobs, every nerve; everything hurt as he longed for something that was so painfully taken away.
“Please Y/n/n... I don’t know what to do without ya.” He cries, eyes squeezing shut, “I miss ya, just please... come back to me.”
Still no response. The only sound being Atsumus cries muffled by the snow he sat buried in.
Atsumu barely notices the hand placed on his shoulder, only acknowledging the other person when they call his name.
“Hey.” Osamu starts, glancing down at his brother with eyes heavy with concern before flickering back up. “Do ya wanna minute?”
He doesn’t respond, another cry being answer enough as he feels his body collapsing in on itself. Risking his legs giving out beneath him, Atsumu stands and throws his arms around his twin, desperately clinging to him as if trying to find an anchor to the world. Osamu didn’t say anything as he held the blonde, feeling his own tears prick at the corners of his eyes at seeing his brother so torn and distraught.
He’d known this was going to happen today, that no amount of words would even begin to fill the void within him and every attempt at comfort would fall upon deaf ears so he didn’t try. Instead, he sat there. For a time unbeknownst to the pair they sat on a bench Osamu was able to coax Atsumu towards, no words daring break the silent agreement they’d made to not speak. They sat there until Atsumus heavy sobs eventually eased to a dull crying and he pulled away, eyes meeting his brothers for a moment as if to thank him before he let his head fall back on to the bench to face the sky.
“Come on.” Osamu said quietly, standing and waiting for the other to follow. He does after a moments pause, eyes lingering on the grave he’d sat beside and tracing over your name before he lets out a heavy, shaky sigh and started walking away, ignoring his mind that screamed at him to stay.
“Let’s get ya home.”
Atsumu obliged but he knew that part of him lay within you, that where ever you went, no matter how far was where his home was; that, without you, away from you, he’d never truly be home again. So he left, leaving with you the pieces of himself he’d given away and the memories that failed to fully reanimate with hopes that maybe, if he couldn’t be with you now at least you could find your way back to him, waiting for you to fall into his arms and bring him wherever you had settled; the place he so desperately longed for: home.
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sr-talks-snk · 3 years
Text
Soundtrack Choices for Levi vs. Zeke, Round 3, SNK Episode 73
Okay ... I've seen a few people on twitter complaining about the choice of soundtracks for this episode when it comes to the Levi vs. Zeke fight. So ... I loved them. I literally screamed hearing both - all the callbacks to Season 3 part 1 & 2 ... Which we already know is going to be important if we look at two of the previously/scheduled coloured chapters Isayama himself chose: 81 - Levi's first round with Zeke, and 69 - Kenny's backstory with Uri Reiss, as well as big Levi and Historia moments.
Okay, callbacks ... but how? And more importantly, why?
Let's start with Before Lights Out & Chapter 81.
These two link together because chapter 81 of the manga contained the result of the suicide charge, the beast titan fight, and Levi's promise - with the chapter literally being titled 'Promise'. In the anime, the soundtrack paired with the suicide charge is the instrumental version of Before Lights Out.
Considering in the newest episode, we have Levi thinking of his promise to Erwin again, and hoping that he may be able to finally fulfil it, it actually makes sense to re-use this piece of music from the original suicide charge as Levi stares into the eyes of what were once his comrades, and prepares to slice them to pieces in order to pursue Zeke.
Wait ... so then, Levi really is cutting down his men all in the name of revenge, to fulfil his promise to Erwin?
Not exactly. While the vow absolutely is something Levi wishes to fulfil, I believe there's more at play here. What's giving him the resolve to push through this dreadful event isn't simply a thirst for revenge or a need to keep a promise to his fallen mentor and friend.
In Attack on Titan: Chronicle, we actually have the version of Before Lights Out with vocals played over the Levi vs. Zeke fight.
Here are the lyrics:
Freedom! Freedom! Forgive Me! Retake Maria! Victorious, triumphant! All of my kingdom For your return I will let it burn! I will let it burn! Dear departed I’ll cry for you in a dream Now I must rise to be queen Be worthy Be worthy
This doesn't really fit with Levi or even Erwin's POV, but more ... Historia's? But what does Historia have to do with any of this?
Well. I'm not going to get into a big analysis on the manga side of things here, that's a whole other post, but we had Levi's entire dialogue about Historia, her pregnancy, and the idea of turning her into a titan cut from the episode (or moved), leaving a lot of manga readers scratching their heads. So was it not important? Well, yeah, it was. But I think it was misinterpreted by too many people, so instead, it was cut or moved. Historia is absolutely important to Levi's story, because their families are intertwined. I'll go further, too, and say that Historia is as much a key part of Levi's underlying motivations when it comes to his relationship with the Beast Titan as Erwin and his vow are.
The second soundtrack used in this scene only serves to cement this idea of Historia's importance to Levi's arc. Let's look at where K-21 was used previously in the anime ...
We have the initial fight between Levi and Kenny, during the pursuit in Trost where Levi and the squad end up losing Eren and Historia after giving chase. The second occasion is in the cavern beneath the Reiss Chapel, where again, Levi confronts Kenny in a bid to rescue Eren and Historia.
Mikasa is also present in both of these chases, her driving factor being Eren.
Two Ackermans on the same team. Two targets to acquire.
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Kenny, their older relative, the obstacle in the way as they try to save their charges from the fate of Historia’s ancestry and the Titans.
Just like Zeke is Historia's older relative, is linked with the prospect of her becoming a Titan, and the obstacle in the way of her future.
K-21 plays again in episode 73 because Levi is once again fighting for Historia's future.
K-21 has been described as literally Kenny's theme, too, so it might also be interesting to draw some parallels between the lyrics and Kenny's position in Season 3 vs. Levi's position now.
Got the ear of Royalty
Kenny described himself as the 'Reiss' dog.' He fought for the crown as part of the Interior MPs after re-connecting his bloodline with the crown and gaining Uri's trust, moving past the old family feud. He was working for Rod when the soundtrack was used initially. So then, can we assume that Levi is working with or to protect Historia - the next generations of Reiss and Ackerman now paired once again - as he pursues Zeke in that forest?
If you look at it this way, suddenly the soundtrack choices make such perfect sense, it hurts. When manga chapter 139 comes out, people are going to look back at this scene and go OH.
One more small thing I noticed from the scene ...
When Levi blew up Zeke's nape, visually it felt like a call back to the scene where Historia defeats her father with the way the chunks of flesh flew through the air.
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We've seen apparent call backs to this in recent manga chapters too, during the moment Levi takes out Zeke by severing his head. The nature of his movements and his reaction seem to mirror Historia's.
These two are ABSOLUTELY connected, there's no doubt in my mind.
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sexymanera · 3 years
Text
cantarella
vil schoenheit + neige leblanche
female reader
full imagine
angst
note: I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED YOUR REQUEST I AM SO SORRY OHMYGOD AND IM SORRY IF THIS ISNT THE REQUEST U WANTED HHHH vil might be out of character here uhhh
play- cantarella: kaito ft. hatsune miku
.・゜-: ✧ :-  -: ✧ :-゜・.
“You thought you could drink this powerful                                                          potion you knew so well”
the ensemble played in a graceful tone. it was a waltz. vil’s right arm was supporting your back as his left was outstretched. your feet matched his and the pace of the music. it was pure bliss. how funny though. you were dancing with your knight. the person who swore on their life to protect you. the party was getting boring, as it always has for you, and you needed a partner for the upcoming dance. 
you and vil had already practiced this multiple times since you were children. the feeling stayed the same for you- but for vil? he was ecstatic. he was finally near you not as a mere knight but as a person. it gave him pure joy. but of course, good things come to an end and you had to switch partners. though, vil expected you to switch with some random noble the random noble he caught a glimpse of before passing you to the mad clad in white and sky blue and his eyes widened. it was neige leblanche. 
vil had already known of the black haired man’s limerence towards you. after all, the look neige gave you was very familiar to the blonde haired man. since he, too, stared at you with those same, loving eyes. a sigh of defeat escaped from vil’s lips. he knows he can’t do anything about it. a woman of high nobility like you? ending up with him? sure vil had high confidence but even he has doubts of his own.
“y/n,” a sweet voice rang through your ears. you didn’t even notice you had to switch partners with vil. you looked up and saw shiny brown orbs and silky black hair. the man before you was breathtaking. “neige...” you spoke. neige laughed softly as you both danced without ever making a single mistake through the lively ballroom. 
“how have you been, y/n?” he asks, getting closer to you. “ah, i have been well. you?” he twirls you around before gripping on your waist and hand softly and pulling you closer to him that you can feel his breath practically fanning your face. you silently gulped at his abrupt action. “good now that i’ve met you here.” although neige’s face was covered half by a white masquerade mask, you could tell that his eyes were shining. 
neige leblanche. the crowned prince of the neighboring kingdom of pomefiore. you already expected to meet him here. the person who ordered you to kill this man has predicted everything correctly. you were known to be very good with expressing your emotions. people have ordered you to kill their target and you have never been caught. not even once. you have never been suspected. how could they suspect the princess of pomefiore to have done such a cruel thing? 
the song ended before you knew it and you walked towards vil to see how he was holding up for the remaining parts of the ball but neige grabbed your hand, “oh, sir leblanche? is something the matter?” neige frowned slightly at your formality. you weren’t formal earlier while the two of you were dancing, so why? he shook off his frown and chuckled for a moment, “ah, you see, i just so happen to travel far just to attend this ball that you had invited me to. so i was wondering if you would give me a room to stay in just for tonight?” 
you bit your lip. no, you didn’t hesitate. it’s just that you weren’t really in a position to grant him a room to stay in. your parents decide that. neige seemed to have read your mind and snapped his gloved fingers, “mm, i see! i already asked your parents but i just needed to see if you would be alright in seeing me tomorrow for breakfast,” he started, “after all, you might be surprised to see me at your breakfast table tomorrow morning.” ah, so that’s how it is.
“oh of course i’m alright with it! i haven’t seen you since grandma’s funeral. i’ve always wanted to catch up with you!” you grabbed his hands and held it tight, indicating how happy you truly were. neige glance up to see vil narrowing his gaze at the black haired prince. all he could do was grin in a mocking manner before kissing your hand and taking his leave. vil was powerless. he couldn’t do anything. he had no authority to force neige out of the kingdom or your heart. he was always second. he hated it. 
you noticed vil looking down and ready to draw his sword but you lowered it and smiled at him, “it’s okay, vil! i know he has good intentions.” vil, even if he wasn’t your knight, couldn’t disagree with you. he has a soft spot for the princess. all the fellow guards knew. “now,” you cleared your throat and intertwined your hands with his gloved ones, “let’s go, okay?” 
morning soon arrived rather quickly. it almost seemed like the ball was just ended a few hours ago. you stretched your arms in bed and yawned a bit before receiving a knock at your door from vil. “princess y/n, neige leblanche is here to see you.” his voice seemed drained of life. it’s like he was defeated from a duel. you panicked and scrambled to get your indoor dress for today. a few moments of no response and vil knocked again, slightly glad you were taking time to reply. looks like sir leblanche has to wait until breakfast. vil thought to himself, smirking at the man who was shorter than him. neige noticed vil’s self-victory and gritted his teeth.
“apologies. if the princess hasn’t woken up yet, tell her i’ll be-”
“i apologize,” you quickly squeak out, slamming the door open. you fiddle with your fingers as neige observes your ghastly attire. the dress has clearly not been ironed as wrinkles were clearly visible. your shoes were mismatched and your socks have not been pulled up properly. you obviously didn’t have the help of a maid. neige stifled his laughter but failed and started chuckling at how you presented yourself. noticing how neige was laughing, your cheeks flushed from embarrassment. “mm, nothing to be embarrassed about y/n. i find it cute,” he whispered before leaning back. 
“going back to the reason of why i am here, i simply ask for your presence at the garden this afternoon,” your cheeks heated up at the thought of simply being with neige at the garden. walking together, possibly holding hands, talking about literally anything, oh how the thought made your heart flutter with excitement. “definitely! i’ll see you there soon, sir leblan-” in one swift movement, neige already has you pinned against the doors, causing vil to step back as he draws his sword, ready to behead the crowned prince. vil carefully watched his movements as neige put a hand under your chin and tilted it up so you would have nothing to stare at but his shining orbs. you almost got yourself mesmerized in them.
“i’m tired of the formalities, princess. just call me neige,” he lets go of you and walks away, leaving you stunned and your heart ready to jump out of your chest. vil immediately rushed next to you and held you in his arms. “princess? princess y/n, are you alright?” he gently shook your figure. you glanced up at your childhood friend who is currently your knight and chuckled, “vil, why do i feel this way whenever he’s near me?”
the invitation from neige to meet him at the garden drew near and you felt excited. you helped the chefs in preparing the snacks and tea that would be served for the both of you. your orbs narrowly glanced at the tea. jasmine, huh? you thought to himself, silently bringing out a vile that contained white powder that looked similar to arsenic. you bought the vile to the teacup and tapped the rim of the vile, allowing some powder to escape from its container.
you walked out the door, surprised to see vil. was he always there? you shook your head, hoping he hadn’t noticed you walking in with the poison. you made sure to keep it hidden in your fists.
“vil, all you have to do is stay by my side! i’ll never abandon you, so you won’t either, right?” 
your child voice echoed in his head. things just had to get complicated. it just had to take a wrong turn. just as it always had with vil.
-
“that knight is absolutely spineless,” neige muttered to himself as he made his way towards the garden where he was supposed to meet you. his eyes landed on your ephemeral figure. it drew him closer. “y/n!” you lifted your head up from your lap and smiled at the man in front of you, “sir lebl- i mean, neige!” you greeted, getting up from your seat to do a curtsey. neige appreciated the gesture as the two of you sat down in front of each other. nothing much has happened except for when the tea was served.
you glanced at the man seated in front of you. you had already taken the teacup that didn’t contain any poison. neige sensed the presence of the loyal knight named vil behind the large hedges of the garden. vil was left in the shadows. what could’ve he done? nothing. he was letting you go without putting up a fight. it sickened him. this wasn’t who he was but he couldn’t help but be that weak, powerless person since he was just a mere knight.
neige takes a sip of the jasmine tea and instantly felt his throat burn. a cough escaped his throat along with a spot of blood that stained his white gloves. your eyes widened. the poison people usually gave you were subtle and killed the victim in an instant. why was neige in pain? why is he suffering? did you acquire the wrong poison? you slowly walked towards neige as he fell on you, his eyes almost lifeless. you orbs widened as he placed an empty vile in your hand and smiled. you immediately realized that was the vile that contained the poison.
he knows.
at this point, you weren’t worried on getting caught. you were worried about his safety. vil stepped out of the bushes and rushed towards the two of you. neige was then brought into the care of the paramedics as the guilt slowly consumed you until you were never able to sleep.
the clashing of swords woke you up in the dead of night. what on earth was causing the ruckus? you walked up to your balcony to see neige and vil having a duel with neige looking injured. rushing outside, you ran towards the garden despite your feet aching without any shoes.
vil raised his sword to swing at neige who was obviously worn out. you stepped in between the two men and expected vil’s sword to have an impact on you but you felt nothing. only the drip of cold liquid on your face. neige’s blood.
neige had prevented the sword from harming you with the help of his hand. the back haired male dropped to his knees as you cradled his tired body in your arms. tears escaping your eyes.
the blonde haired knight’s hands shook violently. what did he do wrong? he almost harmed you. he almost killed you.
“vil, all you have to do is stay by my side! i’ll never abandon you, so you won’t either, right?” your child self grinned brightly, holding his hand. vil only stared at you before bursting out in a fit of laughter. “hah, once i become king, i’ll be the one abandoning you,” he said, cockily. you pouted before punching him. “you’re so full of yourself! bleh, you becoming king would never happen!” you taunted before running away from vil. the blonde was left dumbfounded and doubtful but chased after you, “just watch me! if i become king, i’ll protect you, you know!”
protect you. 
he had failed you.
vil stared at neige clutching his hand and you holding it as he walked away from the scene. he couldn’t face you. before vil could walk away completely, he looked around his shoulder to see neige’s face contort into a mischievous smirk as he hugged you. a finger pressed to his lips. vil’s eyes widened. this...
this was his plan all along.
his plan to force you to poison him. 
his plan to make you his.
.・゜-: ✧ :-  -: ✧ :-゜・.
a/n: I KEPT CHANGING THE PLOT OF THIS SHIT IM GOING TO CRY AND PROBABLY DO A REMAKE OF THIS SINCE ITS SO SHITTY AND CONFUSING UHJDSK IM SO SORRY
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shoujolover-666 · 3 years
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The villain will get his own Happy Ending: Prologue
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29384211
Characters: Vil Schoenheit, Rook Hunt, Neige LeBlanche
Relationship: Rook Hunt/Neige LeBlanche, Vil Schoenheit/Rook Hunt, Vil Schoenheit/Neige LeBlanche
Warnings: Character Death in the beginning!
Summary: To be reborn into the world of the series he had a role in was something he did not expect.He didn't know if he should laugh or cry when he realized that he had been reborn as the villain.
A blond man sat up from his bed, his night robe was drenched with sweat and he was breathing heavily, his eyes were wide open.
The blond looked at his hand, he was slightly shaking because of what he dreamt, his head was pounding. His face was pale as he tried to organize the things he had just seen.
That… that wasn’t his first life.
He already lived a life as Vil Schoenheit before, just not in this world.
Some things were still hazy, but he could still remember a few things.
Vil had been a student of Night Raven College and an accomplished actor. A magician who was well known for his beauty and his skills, someone who led a rigorous lifestyle to be better than anyone else, to prove that he was someone powerful.
Someone who deserved to be on stage until the very end.
And he died at the age of 18.
It happened during the holidays. His day has been nothing spectacular as he walked along the sidewalks, his eyes were on the script he got from a director he would be working for.
Once again, he received the role of a villain. A character who would be sacrificed for the happiness of the hero and his love interest. Interestingly, Rook had been invited to play the role of the male lead for the hero, for the director seemed to have been interested in the fellow blonde since the VDC. He didn’t mind it exactly, wasn’t even that surprised by it.
Rook was attractive in his own way, and he was also aware of how their performance would attract a few interested parties who were in need of fresh faces.
What annoyed him was that Neige got the role of the hero once again. Vil grit his teeth but didn’t show his anger openly, for he was in public and wouldn’t risk getting a blemish on his rather good reputation, despite the roles he got. His head snapped to the side when he heard screams all of a sudden, a shocked look was on his face as he saw a kid who just waltzed over the street because of one stupid reason or the other while a truck was quickly approaching.
Before he could waste a second thought on what to do, his feet just carried him to where the boy was as he pushed him out of the truck’s way. What he felt next was the impact of the transporter as it hit him. The crash only hurt for a second before he started to feel nothing, his body was numb as he blinked slowly. He could dimly hear shocked screams and gasps from bystanders, but his brain was already occupied by other thoughts.
He could have just used his magic instead of jumping right in, couldn’t he? Still, he didn’t regret what he did, for no one else seemed to have reacted to what happened in front of their eyes.
Maybe he will be seen as an idiot who didn’t use his magic to help. Perhaps he would be seen as a hero who used his own life to save a child. Wouldn’t it be ironic if he got what he wanted only after his death? A smile was on his lips as he felt the warmths seep out of his body, noticing the slight twitching of his fingertips. Vil closed his eyes as he vaguely noticed the sound of sirens, but it was too difficult to cling to his senses.
That was the last thing he had seen in his dreams, his hand was resting on his head as he gripped it.
A chuckle then escaped his lips, it seemed as if his luck was impeccable.
To be reborn into the world of the series he had a role in was something he did not expect.
He didn't know if he should laugh or cry when he realized that he had been reborn as the villain.
The Vil Schoenheit of this world was the vain second prince who was admired because of his ethereal beauty and feared because of his sharp tongue that was accompanied by a violent temper. People sucked up to him, and he was naive enough to believe their whispers of how he would be so much more suited to be on the throne than his brother, Louis Schoenheit, the crown prince.
In the series, his downfall began because of his selfishness as he forced Rook to stay by his side. While Rook accepted it with a smile while saying that it was an honour to serve the fairest of the kingdom, his eyes were on someone else already.
Rook Hunt, the male lead, was in love with Neige LeBlanche, the beloved youngest son of a barony.
He was the one who was known as the fairest and kindest of the kingdom, at least among the commoners, with how he always helped the poor and gave them kind and warm smiles.
The duke first fell in love with Neige when they were children, the black haired man was the one who let Rook stay at his home when the other found him injured in a forest.
When he first read about it, he almost gagged but kept a straight face.
This was just a cliché story in which they would fall in love while he, the villain, would harass the poor hero because of how he couldn’t accept that Rook fell in love with someone else. From harsh words to straight assassinations attempts, he would do anything to get rid of Neige, so Rook would only look at him.
In the end, his brother and the duke would be the ones who condemn him for all the crimes he committed against poor, poor Neige, abusing his power unfairly.
He would then be thrown into a cold cell, starving to death because of how he would be forgotten by the guards…
… as if he would let that happen!
No, Vil had no intention to follow the path of the Vil of the script. This was definitely the same world with how he had lived so far.
The grip he had on his blanket tightened, the look in his eyes was a determined one. Hah, there was no way that he would go down the same path.
It still wasn’t too late to change. Rook may be in his service already, but he didn’t start the harassment yet, at least not the really bad things.
Sure, he had been harsh to him verbally, but except for that, he had been relatively tame.
Vil would give up on Rook. He could feel a twinge in his heart, he remembered how he had been in love with the shorter man without ever confessing to him. He wanted to after the VDC if victory had been theirs, but it wasn’t, which was why he refrained from doing so, especially after the reveal that his… no, the hunter, was a fan of Neige.
It wasn’t that he felt betrayed. More than that, he believed that he wasn’t good enough for the other.
Vil wasn’t as adorable and cute, wasn’t as warm and soft as the boy with ebony locks and chocolate coloured eyes that seemed to melt the heart of even the coldest person.
For a second, he wondered if he would be able to give up the other man. Obviously, Rook was already in love with someone, and he wasn’t the kind of person who would take that kind of happiness away from another person, despite how cruel he can be sometimes when it came to work.
The blond shook his head, of course he had to give up. Even if he was in love with Rook, this duke… he wasn’t his to take.
Staying alive should be his first priority. Getting between them would only be a hassle, and there were better things he could do with his life and the position he had.
This time, he would live his life to the fullest and prove that he was more than just a pretty face. Those two can have their happy love life, Vil didn’t care anymore at this point, or at least that was what he tried to tell himself.
Vil slowly got up from his bed, walking over to the mirror. A loose strand of hair was tucked behind his ear as he smiled to himself.
He would escape the cage of the role as the villain that was imposed on him. Get people he trusted, gain a hold on the aristocats and maybe even fall in love with someone else.
Surely there was someone who was worth keeping, Rook wasn’t the only pretty fish in the sea.
With that new goal in mind, he called for a maid, so they could draw a bath for him. It wouldn’t do him any good if he met those nobles while he was still sweaty after all, would it now?
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wiypt-writes · 3 years
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Leave No One Behind
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Ch 10- Today Is A Gift, That’s Why They Call It The Present Co written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​
Episode Summary: The Team run their second mission, but it doesn’t go according to plan. When one of the refugee women goes into labour, Hannah and Sammy battle to save her life and that of her baby and the outcome isn’t one any of the team hoped for.
Episode Warnings: Bad Language words. Smut (NSFW no under18s). Descriptions of birth and trauma. Still born baby- so PLEASE PLEASE HEED THE WARNING AND DO NOT READ IF THESE COULD TRIGGER.
Episode Pairings:  Ari Levinson x OFC Hannah Horowitz
A/N: Just to re-iterate, this deals with a very, very difficult subject. Please do NOT read if the warnings above could upset or trigger.
Leave No One Behind Masterlist // Main Masterlist
Chapter 9 Part 3
“Baby I've been here before, I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, I used to live alone before I knew ya. I've seen your flag on the marble arch, but love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah”  Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen
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 Things settled down for Ari and Hannah nicely after her birthday. Sammy wasn’t exactly what Ari would call happy about the situation, but he was accepting which was the main thing and he knew that it made Hannah happier. They were careful to be respectful to his feelings and kept PDAs to a minimum, and also, whilst they didn’t hide the fact they were together from any guests, they still wanted to keep up their professional, alter ego fronts. Therefore, the days were full of stolen moments at their cave, the evenings consisted of taking their own time together after dining with the group to enjoy long sunsets sitting or walking along the sand with Simon and a few drinks whilst the later nights were spent wrapped round one another either in his hut or Hannah’s, the physical side of their love lulling them into a satisfied sleep.
If it wasn’t for the fact they were there for a far more serious reason, Ari would have certainly called it paradise. But they had a job to do, and as such, a couple of weeks later in April they embarked on their second mission.
Rachel was manning the radio and overseeing the hotel as usual, and the rest of them piled in the trucks and set off in the dark, following the route they had meticulously planned, maintaining the updates on the radio as required. They arrived without a hitch, the journey going smoothly and Hannah couldn’t resist taking a dig at Sammy about his lack of faith, her brother simply giving her a scathing look as Ari chuckled from the driver’s seat.
The 5 agents operated quickly and efficiently in the dark clearing of the desert loading the refugees into the trucks, and it was with the last group that Hannah spotted a woman being helped towards the truck by 2 others. She was pregnant, very pregnant in fact. And it was evident she was in a severe amount of pain.
“Sammy…” she nudged her brother and pointed towards the woman. Sammy followed her gaze, and once he spotted what she’d seen he let out a loud groan.
“Shit.” He shook his head, and no sooner had the curse left his mouth, the woman fell to her knees, a cry coming from her lips which was hastily stifled by another refugee clamping her hand over her mouth. Hannah rushed forward, dropping besides the woman and smiled kindly at her, before she turned back to look for Kabede who was currently locked in a heated discussion with Sammy.
“Are you crazy?” Sammy shook his head “It’s too dangerous, she should have stayed!”
“If she stayed she would have died.” Kabede shot back “As would her baby…”
“If anyone hears her then we’re all gonna die!” Sammy shot back and Hannah angrily shushed him.
“Stop it, both of you, you’re scaring her” she looked up “Sammy, she’s in labour and we can’t leave her here…”
“Oh great, that’s…just…” Sammy took a deep breath
Hearing the commotion, Ari and Jake shut the tailgate to the other truck and Ari jogged over to find out what was happening.
“What’s going on?” Ari asked and then he glanced at Hannah who was knelt between a young woman’s legs and one look told him exactly why “Oh…shit.”
“Yeah, shit!” Sammy shook his head and Ari took a deep breath as Hannah spoke.
“She’s in labour.” She looked up at Ari, every inch of her face etched with worry as the woman let out a little cry “And she’s pretty far engaged.”
“I knew things were going too smoothly…” Sammy sighed and Hannah glared at him.
“Oh shut up Sammy you prick!” she shook her head and turned back to Ari as he scrubbed a hand down his face.
“Can you help her?” he asked
“I can try, but it’s gonna have to be on route.” Hannah looked at him. “If anything goes wrong the faster we can get her to the doctor on the boats the better.” Ari drew a deep breath “Ok, Sammy help me and Kabede get her in the truck.”
“I’ll go get my kit.” Hannah jumped up and headed for the cab of the truck, pushing past Max as she ran.
“What…” Max followed her with his eyes before he turned back towards Ari and Sammy, his eyes shooting up as he took in the pregnant woman being helped to her feet, his mouth hanging open slightly.
“Other truck is loaded. We ready to go?” Jake asked, drawing up besides Max, frowning at the look on his face. “Something wrong?”
“Looks like we picked up one extra.” Max whispered, and Jake followed his gaze, his mouth dropping open.
“Oh…”
The men looked at each other before Jake mumbled something about a couple of blankets and shot off back to their truck. Meanwhile, Hannah emerged from the cab of the one she had travelled in and ran back to the tail gate as Jake reappeared, passing a small bundle of blanket to Kabede who placed one under the woman’s head as one of the other refugees took hold of her hand.
Kabede looked at Ari who nodded and clapped his hands together.
“Ok, everyone let’s hit the road!” he loudly called before he turned to Hannah as she was about to vault into the back of the truck. His hand gently fell to the side of her neck as he looked at her “You need me to stop just yell, ok?” she nodded and he kissed her forehead “You can do this sweetheart, I trust you.”
She swallowed and then handed her bag to Kabede before Ari helped her climb up into the truck. Kabede hopped down, quickly embracing Ari before he slunk back off into the shadows. Sammy and Ari slammed the tail gate shut and they both sprinted to the cab. With a final glance back into the flat bed where Ari saw Hannah knelt between the woman’s bent legs, talking to her gently, he twisted back and exchanged a glance with Sammy before he put the truck in gear and set off.
Hannah knew there was something wrong from the minute she’d examined the woman. She’d only delivered a few babies but none of those deliveries had involved quite as much blood as this. The thought that the woman could be having a major haemorrhage crossed her mind but she tried to shake it off as she wiped her blood slick hands on the shirt she was wearing. The truck then hit a rut in the road and the woman let out a scream, gripping her friend’s hand.
“Sorry!” Ari yelled back and Hannah glanced up, momentarily to the front before another yell and a hand on her shoulder made her turn back and she saw with horror the woman had passed out.
“Sammy!” she yelled “Sam, please I need…”
Sammy didn’t waste a second, he clambered over the seats into the back looking at Hannah as she wiped the sweat off her brow with her forearm, unknowingly smearing her head with blood.
Sammy crouched in front of the woman, gently checking her pulse.
“She just passed out.” Hannah said. “The baby’s crowning but…”
“She’s losing too much blood.” Sammy stated the obvious, but Hannah didn’t snap.
“I know.” She said softly.
“Ari!” Sammy called and Ari tipped his head slightly to show he was listening “Get on the radio, tell them what’s going on. They need to be prepared.”
“Got it…” Ari said, reaching for the handset.
“Listen to me Han…” Sammy said, “You’re gonna have to manipulate the baby slightly. Let her body to the work but as she’s passed out you’re gonna need to help ok?”
“Okay.”
Sammy carefully moved, placing his hand on the woman’s stomach “I’ll tell you when she’s contracting again. You need to gently grip the head…”
Hannah did as she was told and looked at her brother.
“When you feel the baby moving forward slightly, pull until you feel resistance. Then stop.”
“Right…”
There was a few seconds pause and then Sammy nodded “Now.”
Hannah did as she was told, her fingers curing around the edge of the baby’s head and she gave a tug. The head appeared, and then she noticed with horror that the chord was wrapped around its neck.
“Shit, shit, shit…” she mumbled, and looked at Sammy “The chord…”
Sammy instantly moved. “My hand…” he said gently and Hannah understood he wouldn’t be able to manipulate it free with his limited movement.  She waited until he had hold of the baby’s head, supporting it and then her nimble fingers she moved to try and manipulated the chord free. As she was doing so, the woman began to stir, and then she started to panic. Sammy glanced at the other woman, holding her hand and spoke to her.
“Calm, please, as much as you can ok?”
Whether she understood or it was the tone he spoke in, Sammy had no idea but the woman moved and placed a hand on her friend’s head, gently talking to her in a soothing voice.
“Got it…” Hannah said, and Sammy nodded as once more the woman began to scream. She tucked her chin into her chest and pushed once more, and the baby’s shoulders broke free and Hannah saw the baby slide out into Sammy’s hands.
“It’s a girl.” He said gently, looking at the woman, but Hannah was completely focussed on the baby’s face, which was a cold shade of blue.
She once more wiped her hands, this time on her jeans, and gently hooked a finger into the baby’s mouth, clearing its airways before she began CPR. Gently blowing into the tiny mouth she then used both fingers to pump at the chest, repeating the motion over a few times before she bent and tipped her ear to the baby’s chest and mouth.
Nothing.
As the woman was screaming and babbling besides her, Hannah continued her attempts to resuscitate the tiny baby as Sammy saw to the woman, cleaning and patching her up as best he could.
“Come on…” Hannah mumbled “Come on…”
Over and over and over she tried, and eventually she felt Sammy gently lay his hand on her shoulder.
“Han…” he said, and she looked at him, tears in her eyes. He shook his head sadly.
“No, just…let me try again, Sammy, I can…” “It’s been ten minutes.” He stopped her protest “I think we should call it.”
Hannah looked down at the tiny, lifeless baby which was lay on the bloodstained blanket on the floor of the truck, her tears gently falling down her face. She gave a soft nod and Sammy squeezed her shoulder before he looked up at the woman.
“I’m sorry he shook her head.”
The silence that had fallen across the back of the truck was punctuated by her loud scream of agony and Hannah let out a soft sob as Sammy curled his arm around her.
“What…is something wrong?” Ari called, his voice anxious.
“You could say that.” Sammy said softly. Ari turned his head to look at them, just in time to see Hannah turn and press her face into Sammy’s shoulder, her small frame wracking with sobs.
“Fuck” He mumbled, hanging his head slightly as he resumed his driving in silence. Ari gave himself a moment before he reached for the radio to fill base in on what had happened.
It felt like forever until they reached the deserted cove where they were rendezvousing with the Navy seals. Hannah remained in the back of the truck, the devastated woman cradling her still born baby to her chest. Once everyone else was loaded up, Ari and Sammy came back to help them down. The woman’s friend said something to her and the woman furiously shook he head and Hannah looked at her.
“What is she saying?” she asked softly, “I’m sorry, I don’t…”
“She not leave baby.” The woman said “
“She doesn’t have to.” Ari said gently.
“She say baby go too. Be buried.”
Ari nodded and the woman spoke to the mother and she nodded as well, and then slowly the 2 men and Hannah helped them off the truck and over the sand to the waiting boat. Hannah walked by her side, supporting her gently and looked at the Navy officer who peered at the bundle and bowed his head.
“HQ told us.” He said gently. “We’ll take care of her.” “She’s lost a lot of blood.” Hannah spoke, swallowing “She’s weak so…” “I promise she’s in good hands.” The officer assured her.
Hannah took a deep breath and looked at the woman again who stared at her, eyes wide. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t help.” Hannah said gently. “I’m so…so sorry.”
The mother’s voice caught in her throat as the lady gently reached out and grabbed her blood stained hand “You…you good person.” She croaked.
Hannah took another shuddering breath and stepped back, the woman releasing her hand, as Ari and Sammy helped push the boat out through the waves before she bent down and began to wash her arms in the salty water of the sea. She jumped slight as she felt a hand on her back and she looked up as Ari crouched next to her.
“I couldn’t help Ari.” She said gently “I tried, but…” “Hey, it’s not your fault honey.” He said, his hand cupping her dirty face.
“I’m a fucking doctor.” She shook her head, shrugging his hands away as she stood up. “That…I should have….”
“Firefly.” Ari soothed as he rose to his feet, the waves crashing around his knees “You did what you could. Sammy said you were brilliant.”
“He’s a far better doctor that me.” She shook her head “If he had both his hands…”
“You stop that right now!” Sammy’s voice came fiercely over the night and Hannah turned to face him where he was stood a few feet away “Han, we had no equipment. No ultra-sound…she was probably in labour for the last 24 hours. The baby could have been in distress for all that time. There’s nothing either of us could have done.”
Hannah looked at him before she turned away and began making her way up the beach. She passed Max and Jake who were stood watching the ocean, both men turning to watch her go before they looked back at Ari and Sammy.
“You alright pal?” Ari glanced at Sammy who took a deep breath, his shoulder slumping.
“It’s never easy…but when it’s a kid, especially a baby.” He shook his head “That’s probably the first one Hannah’s had to deal with.”
Ari looked over to where Hannah was now climbing into the truck, settling back into the seat she’d been before and he pinched the bridge of his nose before he let out a long breath.
“Come on, let’s get back” he said, his hand falling to Sammy’s shoulder as they waded out of the shallow depth of the ocean. “Good job guys.” He nodded to Jake and Max, “Another 174 people safe.”
“Yeah…” Max looked out over the ocean before he turned to look at the truck, then back to Ari, his shoulders slumping, his face sad. “But it’s the one that didn’t make it who we’re all thinking about.”
Ari bowed his head, before he looked at Max and gave the man’s shoulder a squeeze as he walked past. He said nothing, be chase he had absolutely nothing to say that he knew would make a blind bit of difference to how they were feeling.
The 4 men made their way back to the trucks, Ari climbing in and settling to Hannah’s left, Sammy to her right. He gently dropped his hand to her knee. She didn’t look at him, but she acknowledged his touch by dropping her hand to his and giving it a soft squeeze before she let go so he could start the truck and take them home.
***** It was early morning and still dark when they arrived, Rachel waiting for them as ever. Max and Jake trudged towards her, greeting her with a hug whilst Sammy hopped out of the cab, turning to help Hannah down. He slung his arm over her shoulders and together they made their way towards Rachel.
“Hey.” She said gently “There’s some tea on the go if either of you want any?”
Sammy smiled at her and nodded, but Hannah shook her head as she bent down to scoop Simon up. The dog instantly began licking her face and she turned to Rachel.
“Thanks but I’m gonna turn in.” 
“You sure?” Rachel asked.
Hannah nodded.
“Ok, well, see you at breakfast then.”
Without a word Hannah walked through the resort and out the back door, just as Ari caught up with the group. He watched Hannah go before he looked around.
“We’ll debrief later.” His instruction was gentle, his eyes sliding back to the spot Hannah had been in seconds ago. “It’s been a long night.”
The group nodded and Max muttered something about needing a snack before he and Jake took off to the kitchen.
“What happened?” Rachel asked “I mean, I got the jist of it but…” “Chord was round the baby’s neck.” Sammy sighed, “Hannah managed to unwrap it but it was too late. Poor thing had probably died well before she was even born..”
“Shit.” Rachel bowed her head, sighing heavily “That’s…” she trailed off and Sammy looked at her before she glanced back up at him “Are you ok?”
Sammy shrugged “It’s never nice.” He replied, having no other words to describe the situation.
Rachel gently squeezed his hand “I’ll go make the tea, Ari?”
“No thanks. I’m gonna go check on Hannah.” He replied. Rachel nodded and then turned to follow Max and Jake. Taking that as his cue to leave, Ari made for the door to the beach.
“Ari…” Sammy spoke softly and Ari spun to look at him. Sammy licked his lips “I know I don’t need to ask but…look after her, ok?”
“Always.” Ari nodded, smiling softly. Sammy gave him a small incline of the head before he headed off towards the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, Ari made his way out of the back of the resort and jogged up the sand towards Hannah’s hut.
He pushed the door open, before he stepped in, locking it behind him. He let out a chuckle as Simon jumped up at him, his tail wagging that hard it was a blur.
“Hey buddy.” He crouched down to give the dog some scratches “Where’s your mamma, huh?”
It was a pointless question, as he knew where she would be. In the shower. His eyes glanced at the bed as Simon walked past Hannah’s discarded boots and hopped up, making his way to his favoured place, the pillow on the side Ari slept on. Ari rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed before he bent down to undo his laces. He shucked his hiking boots off and looked back a Simon, and as he did so something else caught his eye. Hannah’s night stand looked different. The lamp was on, there was the standard bottle of water, her book, but there was something missing. And as he racked his brains, trying to figure out what it was, it suddenly clicked. The photo of her and Andy, the one that had been taken in her Mama’s back yard was gone.
Ari didn’t quite know how he felt about that. On the one hand he couldn’t deny he felt, well maybe not pleased but a certain level of comfort or relief if that either of those were the right word at the fact that he no longer had to see Andy’s face when he woke up next to his girl in the morning. But on the other he felt a little sad. Both of them had lived lives with other people, it was a fact neither of them could escape and Ari wasn’t sure he wanted to either. That time apart had taught them things, things about themselves that had shaped their lives, moulded them into the people they were now. He licked his lips and stood up, headed over to the small bathroom at the back of the hut, gently pushing the door open.
“Han?” he asked softly, his eyes adjusting to the dim light from the feeble strip halogen on the ceiling and the sight in front of him broke his heart. Hannah was sat in the bottom of the shower, fully clothed, her arms hugging her knees to her chest, as she wept.
“Oh Firefly…” Ari sighed, crossing the small space and shuffling down next to her, the water soaking his hair and his clothes as he wrapped one strong arm around her. She turned to him, burying her face into his chest, her sobs wracking her small frame. “It’s ok, I got you.” He pressed a kiss to her sopping wet hair and simply held her, his hand rubbing up her back and her shoulder as she cried.
“I tried so hard…” she stuttered and he swallowed again, pressing his face into her hair.
“I know baby. I know.”
How long he stayed there simply holding her, Ari had no idea and he didn’t particularly care. Nothing mattered to him, nothing but the girl he was cradling in his arms. Eventually her sobbing evened out and she pulled back slightly to look at him. Without a word she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips which he took, gratefully as he brushed her sodden hair off her face.
“You ready to get cleaned up?” he as softly and she nodded.
Ari stood up, pulling her to her feet and with gently hands he slowly undid the button down she was wearing and she slipped it down off her shoulders, before he reached down and pulled the sodden tank top off her, which was clinging to her skin. With a quick and easy movement he shrugged his open plaid shirt off before he reached back and grabbed a handful of his wet t-shirt, pulling it over his head. Her eyes focussed on him, Hannah reached for his belt, her gaze falling downwards as she undid his belt then his jeans and he stepped out of them and his boxers in one movement, before he helped Hannah out of the clothing on her bottom half, which was harder work as her jeans were clinging to her thighs and legs. He held them still whilst she stepped out of them, kicking them to the floor of the bathroom and as Ari stood his hands trailed up the outside of her bare legs, coming to rest on her hips.
The moment was intensely intimate, the pair of them sharing a moment that was so raw, it was hard not to be aroused and as Ari looked at her, he saw a flash in her eyes. It wasn’t lust, it was softer, much softer, a pure love coupled with need and want.
He bent down, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth. “Turn around baby girl.” he whispered softly, against her mouth and without so much as a question she did as she was told. Ari reached up, flicked the clasp on her bra and pushed the straps forward, pressing a kiss to each of her shoulder, before he placed a gentle open mouthed one to her neck. Stepping back slightly, Ari reached down for Hannah’s shampoo and squeezed an amount onto his palm and gently began to work it into her hair. He felt her relax slightly, her shoulders dropping, the tension seeping out of her as he massaged her scalp softly.
Hannah gave a low sigh as she leaned back further so her head lay against his shoulder, her eyes closed. She relaxed completely as his touch soothed her, making her feel safe as his fingers softly worked into her hair.  After a little while his hands dropped to her hips and she allowed him to guide her round so she was facing him. His hand gently slid to her chin and with a gently nudge he tipped her head back slightly against the stream from the shower and he reached up, brushing the shampoo away from her face and down her long hair, causing her to press against him, her wet skin slick as it slid against his.
Eventually her hair was completely rinsed clear and he repeated the process with her conditioner and once her hair was done, her locks smoothed and tangle free she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
“Your turn.”
Ari turned around, dipping his head slightly as she gently wound her hands into his hair, nails scratching against his scalp, her body pressing into his back. When she’d finished he turned back to face her, dropping his head to rinse out his hair, taking the opportunity to simply look at her, taking in every singled damned detail. Those blue eyes, the curve of her nose, her high cheekbones, her plump lips, toned shoulders, that dip in her collar bone, the line the water was tracing between her breasts… as his eyes raised to hers he knew she’d spotted how unashamedly aching for her he was and she reached up with her hands, the pads of her fingers cupping his face through his beard. She guided his face down to hers where he captured her mouth in a soft, gentle kiss. He let her guide him, tell him how much she wanted, or how little she wanted, his hands simply splaying across the soft skin on her back and it soon became obvious exactly what she wanted when her hands moved to the back of his neck, tangling in his hair as her tongue explored his mouth.
Ari’s fingers flexed on her hips before they gently traced their way up her ribs and back down again. With a quick, strong movement he pivoted her round so her back was pressed against the rough, sand stone tiles and the kiss grew fervent, his mouth slanted over hers. He broke it, trailing his lips across her jawline and neck and Hannah let out a soft whimper as he softly sucked at that point where her neck joined her shoulder. One strong thigh anchored between her legs and he used it to push up gently against her spot and she let out a low keen, her head lolling back against the wall. Watching her reaction carefully, he repeated the action, both hands curling round her hips as he gently guided her movements back and forth, causing her to rub herself against the strong muscle of his thigh. It wasn’t wrong before she was controlling the rocking, pushing down harder as she rode his thigh and Ari rolled his foot up onto the ball, pushing his thigh harder into her and she gave a louder cry this time, the friction sending a hotwire straight up her core.
“Ari…” she gasped out his name as his lips nipped at her ear, his beard rubbing against the skin on her jaw “Need you, please…”
With an easy movement, he reached down and hooked his hands round the back of her thighs, lifting her up. Her legs wrapping around her waist as once more his mouth claimed hers as he lined himself up and pushed into her gently, her heels digging into the tops of his thighs just below his ass. His throat elicited a deep rumble as he kissed her hard, her hands gripping at his broad back as he began to pump in and out, his head falling to her collar bone where he gave a soft nip.
With each roll of his hips Hannah felt her pleasure beginning to mount, soft moans and mutters of his name falling from her lips as she dropped her head to his shoulder, the feeling in her stomach beginning to overwhelm her.
“Look at me Firefly” he said gently, and she opened her eyes, those ocean deep globes locking onto his as he saw her mouth open, lips part in a soft cry as she came, a deeper groan bubbled over in her throat and her head slid backwards against the wall as she succumbed to the pleasure that crashed over her in waves. Ari would never get tired of seeing her like that, ever. It was the most arousing thing in the world to him. His pace began to quicken, the tight bands in his stomach coiling further and further until they snapped as he pressed her harder.
“Hannah…” he half whispered, half gasped into her ear, nose nuzzling at her pulse point as he came, riding out his release with a few more shallow thrusts until his hips stilled and his head dropped to her shoulder, his breathing deep, his body and soul utterly blissed and consumed by her.
Ari kept her supported, feeling her shaking slightly with the afterglow, and raised his head, sliding his nose against hers gently, brushing their lips together ever so tenderly.
“I love you…” he whispered, before he pulled back to look at her as he gently set her on her feet, his hands cupping her face. She ran the tips of her fingers up his spine and into his hair, gently pulling his face down to hers.
“I love you too.” she replied softly, her eye shining as his mouth caught hers once more.
The water in the resort never ran at scalding level, but now it was colder than normal, and Ari felt Hannah shiver slightly. He reached round to turn the water off before he flicked his hair out of his eyes and stepped out, gabbing a towel. He held it out for her and she turned around so he could wrap it round her from behind, his arms holding her to him as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She turned to look at him, giving him a gentle smile before she left the room and Ari grabbed another towel, quickly rubbing himself down before he wrapped it around his waist and followed her into the room where she was busy digging in one of the drawers. She stilled and gave a snort as she stood up and waved a pair of boxers at him.
“You moving in?” she quipped and he gave a chuckle.
“I didn’t put them there.” He held his hands up. “Must have been Rachel.” Hannah eyed him suspiciously and he gave a laugh “Scouts honour, Firefly.”
“I believe you.” She shrugged, tossing them to him and he caught them expertly in his right hand. “Thousands wouldn’t”
“Good job I don’t need to convince thousands then isn’t it.” He looked at her and she shook her head before she pulled out a pair of panties and a tank-top to change into. Ari dropped his towel, shimmied into the boxers and then shooed Simon off the pillow. The dog glared at him as he stood up and made his way to the end of the bed, flopping down with a loud huff. Ari followed his example, his head falling back against the pillow and he glanced over at Hannah as she pulled the loose tank over her head. He kept his eyes on her as she gently squeezed and dried her hair, picking up a brush, combing her waves out before she deftly braided it.
“You know, I reckon I could braid your hair…” she looked at Ari in the mirror as she stood up and he scoffed.
“You sound like Maya.” He said as she crawled over him, the pair of them climbing under the comforter before Ari turned off the light, his eyes once more glancing at the space where the picture had been. He settled down, debating whether or not now was the right time to bring it up but it was pushed from his mind as Hannah lay her head on his chest, one leg tossed over both of his, his hand gently tracing shapes on her upper arm.
“What’s it like?” her quiet voice broke the silence.
“What’s what like?” he asked, his nose brushing her temple.
“Having a daughter, a kid?”
Ari stilled and looked down at her “Han…”
“I just wondered.” She whispered quietly. “It must be amazing, you know to have this little person you made just there.”
“It is.” He nodded, his hand stroking her arm again “It’s also scary as fuck knowing that they’re gonna depend on you for everything. It’s life changing. Your entire outlook changes. Suddenly it’s all about them you know? Its hard work, stressful, but worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.” She stayed silent and he kissed her head “Did you ever talk about it? With Andy?”
“Once or twice.” She let out a deep breath “We never got the chance though. He always said he wanted a girl.”
“What about you?” Ari asked.
“I never really had a preference.” She mused “But I guess all women dream about having a boy who looks just like his daddy.”
She sniffed a little and Ari pulled her closer, kissing her head again “You know you’re amazing, right?”
She didn’t reply and he moved so he was led on his side, looking at her, his hand gently brushing a loose strand of damp hair behind her ear.
“What happened tonight, don’t torture yourself about it.” He urged her, his nose bumping hers “I’ve done that myself and nothing good comes of hit Han.”
“You mean Andy?”
Ari took a sharp breath in which he released through his nose “Amongst other things.”
“I know you noticed”
“Noticed what.” He played dumb, but it was no use.
“The photo, Lobo.”
“Well, yeah but it’s not really my place to comment, Firefly.”
“I just felt it was time, you know.” She shrugged “Like, I don’t want to forget him. I never will but...well, you gotta move forward right?”
“Yeah, you do.” He nodded “All the time. You keep looking back over your shoulder at the past, you miss today as it unfolds around you. And as I always tell Maya, yesterday is the past, tomorrow’s the future but today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.”
“That’s very philosophical.” She replied and he chuckled.
“I have my moments.” His chest vibrated with his quiet laugh and he pressed a kiss to her forehead “I mean it though. And that goes for everything.”
Hannah fell silent as she snuggled closer into him, her cheek pressing against his chest as his chin rest on her head.
“I can’t get her out of my head, Ari.” She whispered quietly, her voice catching “She was blue and, I tried, and…”
“Han…” Ari kissed her head as his arms pulled her closer, his hands rubbing at her back. “It wasn’t your fault.” “Everyone keeps saying that.”
“Because it’s true.” He urged, one of his hands slid round to her face and tipped her chin up so she was looking at him. The room was dark, bar the dim first light of dawn that was sneaking through the lattice shade above the head and he could just pick up the speckles of light in her sad eyes “And I’ll keep telling you until it sinks in. It was a horrible, horrible…accident, twist of fate, whatever. No one could have done anything more.”
“Then why do I feel so shitty about it?”
“Because you’re a beautiful, compassionate woman who cares.” he said, his lips pressing to hers softy “That’s part of the reason I wanted you here after all.”
“Only part?” she quipped through her tears “I knew it.” and Ari gave a soft huff of laughter.
“Well, I’ll admit there was a slight selfishness on my part too but, honestly? In the most it was because you were the right woman for the job.” She stayed silent as he reached up, his thumbs brushing the tears from her cheeks. “And I know that tonight was…well, it was fucking awful but…we gotta focus on the positives. Another 174 lives Firefly, and yeah, that doesn’t make up for the one we lost but…well, it’s gotta mean something yeah?”
“Maybe it will tomorrow, Ari, but right now, I just…”
Ari felt her sag in his arms and she pressed another kiss to her head “Try and get some sleep Firefly, you’re exhausted.”
“Bossy bastard” she mumbled, stifling a yawn and he shook his head.
“Stubborn jack ass.” He shot back and she gave a snort as she yawned again, snuggling deeper into his chest.
Ari’s arms kept her close, his large hands gently rubbing at her back until he felt her relax completely. After 5 minutes or so he glanced down, and could just make out her eyelashes as they lay against her cheeks, her breathing even. Pressing another kiss to her head, he peered down at Simon who had been stealthily creeping further up the bed to his current position of being curled in the space behind her knees.
With a smile at the ridiculous, almost domestic feel of the situation, given that it was as far from a normal domestic life he could leave, he closed his eyes and gave into his own feelings of exhaustion.
**** Chapter 11 Part 1
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Leave No One Behind
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Ch 10- Today Is A Gift, That’s Why They Call It The Present
Co written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​
****
Episode Summary: The Team run their second mission, but it doesn’t go according to plan. When one of the refugee women goes into labour, Hannah and Sammy battle to save her life and that of her baby and the outcome isn’t one any of the team hoped for.
Episode Warnings: Bad Language words. Smut (NSFW no under18s). Descriptions of birth and trauma. Still born baby- so PLEASE PLEASE HEED THE WARNING AND DO NOT READ IF THESE COULD TRIGGER.
Episode Pairings:  Ari Levinson x OFC Hannah Horowitz
Song for Episode:  Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen 
A/N: Just to re-iterate, this deals with a very, very difficult subject. Please do NOT read if the warnings above could upset or trigger.
Series Master List //  Main Masterlist 
Baby I've been here before, I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, I used to live alone before I knew ya. I've seen your flag on the marble arch, but love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
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Things settled down for Ari and Hannah nicely after her birthday. Sammy wasn’t exactly what Ari would call happy about the situation, but he was accepting which was the main thing and he knew that it made Hannah happier. They were careful to be respectful to his feelings and kept PDAs to a minimum, and also, whilst they didn’t hide the fact they were together from any guests, they still wanted to keep up their professional, alter ego fronts. Therefore, the days were full of stolen moments at their cave, the evenings consisted of taking their own time together after dining with the group to enjoy long sunsets sitting or walking along the sand with Simon and a few drinks whilst the later nights were spent wrapped round one another either in his hut or Hannah’s, the physical side of their love lulling them into a satisfied sleep.
If it wasn’t for the fact they were there for a far more serious reason, Ari would have certainly called it paradise. But they had a job to do, and as such, a couple of weeks later in April they embarked on their second mission.
Rachel was manning the radio and overseeing the hotel as usual, and the rest of them piled in the trucks and set off in the dark, following the route they had meticulously planned, maintaining the updates on the radio as required. They arrived without a hitch, the journey going smoothly and Hannah couldn’t resist taking a dig at Sammy about his lack of faith, her brother simply giving her a scathing look as Ari chuckled from the driver’s seat.
The 5 agents operated quickly and efficiently in the dark clearing of the desert loading the refugees into the trucks, and it was with the last group that Hannah spotted a woman being helped towards the truck by 2 others. She was pregnant, very pregnant in fact. And it was evident she was in a severe amount of pain.
“Sammy…” she nudged her brother and pointed towards the woman. Sammy followed her gaze, and once he spotted what she’d seen he let out a loud groan.
“Shit.” He shook his head, and no sooner had the curse left his mouth, the woman fell to her knees, a cry coming from her lips which was hastily stifled by another refugee clamping her hand over her mouth. Hannah rushed forward, dropping besides the woman and smiled kindly at her, before she turned back to look for Kabede who was currently locked in a heated discussion with Sammy.
“Are you crazy?” Sammy shook his head “It’s too dangerous, she should have stayed!”
“If she stayed she would have died.” Kabede shot back “As would her baby…”
“If anyone hears her then we’re all gonna die!” Sammy shot back and Hannah angrily shushed him.
“Stop it, both of you, you’re scaring her” she looked up “Sammy, she’s in labour and we can’t leave her here…”
“Oh great, that’s…just…” Sammy took a deep breath
Hearing the commotion, Ari and Jake shut the tailgate to the other truck and Ari jogged over to find out what was happening.
“What’s going on?” Ari asked and then he glanced at Hannah who was knelt between a young woman’s legs and one look told him exactly why “Oh…shit.”
“Yeah, shit!” Sammy shook his head and Ari took a deep breath as Hannah spoke.
“She’s in labour.” She looked up at Ari, every inch of her face etched with worry as the woman let out a little cry “And she’s pretty far engaged.”
“I knew things were going too smoothly…” Sammy sighed and Hannah glared at him.
“Oh shut up Sammy you prick!” she shook her head and turned back to Ari as he scrubbed a hand down his face.
“Can you help her?” he asked
“I can try, but it’s gonna have to be on route.” Hannah looked at him. “If anything goes wrong the faster we can get her to the doctor on the boats the better.” Ari drew a deep breath “Ok, Sammy help me and Kabede get her in the truck.”
“I’ll go get my kit.” Hannah jumped up and headed for the cab of the truck, pushing past Max as she ran.
“What…” Max followed her with his eyes before he turned back towards Ari and Sammy, his eyes shooting up as he took in the pregnant woman being helped to her feet, his mouth hanging open slightly.
“Other truck is loaded. We ready to go?” Jake asked, drawing up besides Max, frowning at the look on his face. “Something wrong?”
“Looks like we picked up one extra.” Max whispered, and Jake followed his gaze, his mouth dropping open.
“Oh…”
The men looked at each other before Jake mumbled something about a couple of blankets and shot off back to their truck. Meanwhile, Hannah emerged from the cab of the one she had travelled in and ran back to the tail gate as Jake reappeared, passing a small bundle of blanket to Kabede who placed one under the woman’s head as one of the other refugees took hold of her hand.
Kabede looked at Ari who nodded and clapped his hands together.
“Ok, everyone let’s hit the road!” he loudly called before he turned to Hannah as she was about to vault into the back of the truck. His hand gently fell to the side of her neck as he looked at her “You need me to stop just yell, ok?” she nodded and he kissed her forehead “You can do this sweetheart, I trust you.”
She swallowed and then handed her bag to Kabede before Ari helped her climb up into the truck. Kabede hopped down, quickly embracing Ari before he slunk back off into the shadows. Sammy and Ari slammed the tail gate shut and they both sprinted to the cab. With a final glance back into the flat bed where Ari saw Hannah knelt between the woman’s bent legs, talking to her gently, he twisted back and exchanged a glance with Sammy before he put the truck in gear and set off.
Hannah knew there was something wrong from the minute she’d examined the woman. She’d only delivered a few babies but none of those deliveries had involved quite as much blood as this. The thought that the woman could be having a major haemorrhage crossed her mind but she tried to shake it off as she wiped her blood slick hands on the shirt she was wearing. The truck then hit a rut in the road and the woman let out a scream, gripping her friend’s hand.
“Sorry!” Ari yelled back and Hannah glanced up, momentarily to the front before another yell and a hand on her shoulder made her turn back and she saw with horror the woman had passed out.
“Sammy!” she yelled “Sam, please I need…”
Sammy didn’t waste a second, he clambered over the seats into the back looking at Hannah as she wiped the sweat off her brow with her forearm, unknowingly smearing her head with blood.
Sammy crouched in front of the woman, gently checking her pulse.
“She just passed out.” Hannah said. “The baby’s crowning but…”
“She’s losing too much blood.” Sammy stated the obvious, but Hannah didn’t snap.
“I know.” She said softly.
“Ari!” Sammy called and Ari tipped his head slightly to show he was listening “Get on the radio, tell them what’s going on. They need to be prepared.”
“Got it…” Ari said, reaching for the handset.
“Ok, now listen to me Han…” Sammy said, “You’re gonna have to manipulate the baby slightly. Let her body to the work but as she’s passed out you’re gonna need to help ok?”
“Ok.”
Sammy carefully moved, placing his hand on the woman’s stomach “I’ll tell you when she’s contracting again. You need to gently grip the head…”
Hannah did as she was told and looked at her brother.
“When you feel the baby moving forward slightly, pull until you feel resistance. Then stop.”
“Ok…”
There was a few seconds pause and then Sammy nodded “Now.”
Hannah did as she was told, her fingers curing around the edge of the baby’s head and she gave a tug. The head appeared, and then she noticed with horror that the chord was wrapped around its neck.
“Shit, shit, shit…” she mumbled, and looked at Sammy “The chord…”
Sammy instantly moved. “My hand…” he said gently and Hannah understood he wouldn’t be able to manipulate it free with his limited movement.  She waited until he had hold of the baby’s head, supporting it and then her nimble fingers she moved to try and manipulated the chord free. As she was doing so, the woman began to stir, and then she started to panic. Sammy glanced at the other woman, holding her hand and spoke to her.
“Calm, please, as much as you can ok?”
Whether she understood or it was the tone he spoke in, Sammy had no idea but the woman moved and placed a hand on her friend’s head, gently talking to her in a soothing voice.
“Got it…” Hannah said, and Sammy nodded as once more the woman began to scream. She tucked her chin into her chest and pushed once more, and the baby’s shoulders broke free and Hannah saw the baby slide out into Sammy’s hands.
“It’s a girl.” He said gently, looking at the woman, but Hannah was completely focussed on the baby’s face, which was a cold shade of blue.
She once more wiped her hands, this time on her jeans, and gently hooked a finger into the baby’s mouth, clearing its airways before she began CPR. Gently blowing into the tiny mouth she then used both fingers to pump at the chest, repeating the motion over a few times before she bent and tipped her ear to the baby’s chest and mouth.
Nothing.
As the woman was screaming and babbling besides her, Hannah continued her attempts to resuscitate the tiny baby as Sammy saw to the woman, cleaning and patching her up as best he could.
“Come on…” Hannah mumbled “Come on…”
Over and over and over she tried, and eventually she felt Sammy gently lay his hand on her shoulder.
“Han…” he said, and she looked at him, tears in her eyes. He shook his head sadly.
“No, just…let me try again, Sammy, I can…” “It’s been ten minutes.” He stopped her protest “I think we should call it.”
Hannah looked down at the tiny, lifeless baby which was lay on the bloodstained blanket on the floor of the truck, her tears gently falling down her face. She gave a soft nod and Sammy squeezed her shoulder before he looked up at the woman.
“I’m sorry he shook her head.”
The silence that had fallen across the back of the truck was punctuated by her loud scream of agony and Hannah let out a soft sob as Sammy curled his arm around her.
“What…is something wrong?” Ari called, his voice anxious.
“You could say that.” Sammy said softly. Ari turned his head to look at them, just in time to see Hannah turn and press her face into Sammy’s shoulder, her small frame wracking with sobs.
“Fuck” He mumbled, hanging his head slightly as he resumed his driving in silence. Ari gave himself a moment before he reached for the radio to fill base in on what had happened.
It felt like forever until they reached the deserted cove where they were rendezvousing with the Navy seals. Hannah remained in the back of the truck, the devastated woman cradling her still born baby to her chest. Once everyone else was loaded up, Ari and Sammy came back to help them down. The woman’s friend said something to her and the woman furiously shook he head and Hannah looked at her.
“What is she saying?” she asked softly, “I’m sorry, I don’t…”
“She not leave baby.” The woman said “
“She doesn’t have to.” Ari said gently.
“She say baby go too. Be buried.”
Ari nodded and the woman spoke to the mother and she nodded as well, and then slowly the 2 men and Hannah helped them off the truck and over the sand to the waiting boat. Hannah walked by her side, supporting her gently and looked at the Navy officer who peered at the bundle and bowed his head.
“HQ told us.” He said gently. “We’ll take care of her.” “She’s lost a lot of blood.” Hannah spoke, swallowing “She’s weak so…” “I promise she’s in good hands.” The officer assured her.
Hannah took a deep breath and looked at the woman again who stared at her, eyes wide. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t help.” Hannah said gently. “I’m so…so sorry.”
The mother’s voice caught in her throat as the lady gently reached out and grabbed her blood stained hand “You…you good person.” She croaked.
Hannah took another shuddering breath and stepped back, the woman releasing her hand, as Ari and Sammy helped push the boat out through the waves before she bent down and began to wash her arms in the salty water of the sea. She jumped slight as she felt a hand on her back and she looked up as Ari crouched next to her.
“I couldn’t help Ari.” She said gently “I tried, but…” “Hey, it’s not your fault honey.” He said, his hand cupping her dirty face.
“I’m a fucking doctor.” She shook her head, shrugging his hands away as she stood up. “That…I should have….”
“Firefly.” Ari soothed as he rose to his feet, the waves crashing around his knees “You did what you could. Sammy said you were brilliant.”
“He’s a far better doctor that me.” She shook her head “If he had both his hands…”
“You stop that right now!” Sammy’s voice came fiercely over the night and Hannah turned to face him where he was stood a few feet away “Han, we had no equipment. No ultra-sound…she was probably in labour for the last 24 hours. The baby could have been in distress for all that time. There’s nothing either of us could have done.”
Hannah looked at him before she turned away and began making her way up the beach. She passed Max and Jake who were stood watching the ocean, both men turning to watch her go before they looked back at Ari and Sammy.
“You alright pal?” Ari glanced at Sammy who took a deep breath, his shoulder slumping.
“It’s never easy…but when it’s a kid, especially a baby.” He shook his head “That’s probably the first one Hannah’s had to deal with.”
Ari looked over to where Hannah was now climbing into the truck, settling back into the seat she’d been before and he pinched the bridge of his nose before he let out a long breath.
“Come on, let’s get back” he said, his hand falling to Sammy’s shoulder as they waded out of the shallow depth of the ocean. “Good job guys.” He nodded to Jake and Max, “Another 174 people safe.”
“Yeah…” Max looked out over the ocean before he turned to look at the truck, then back to Ari, his shoulders slumping, his face sad. “But it’s the one that didn’t make it who we’re all thinking about.”
Ari bowed his head, before he looked at Max and gave the man’s shoulder a squeeze as he walked past. He said nothing, be chase he had absolutely nothing to say that he knew would make a blind bit of difference to how they were feeling.
The 4 men made their way back to the trucks, Ari climbing in and settling to Hannah’s left, Sammy to her right. He gently dropped his hand to her knee. She didn’t look at him, but she acknowledged his touch by dropping her hand to his and giving it a soft squeeze before she let go so he could start the truck and take them home.
***** It was early morning and still dark when they arrived, Rachel waiting for them as ever. Max and Jake trudged towards her, greeting her with a hug whilst Sammy hopped out of the cab, turning to help Hannah down. He slung his arm over her shoulders and together they made their way towards Rachel.
“Hey.” She said gently “There’s some tea on the go if either of you want any?”
Sammy smiled at her and nodded, but Hannah shook her head as she bent down to scoop Simon up. The dog instantly began licking her face and she turned to Rachel.
“Thanks but I’m gonna turn in.” she said.
“You sure?” Rachel asked.
Hannah nodded.
“Ok, well, see you at breakfast then.”
Without a word Hannah walked through the resort and out the back door, just as Ari caught up with the group. He watched Hannah go before he looked around.
“We’ll debrief tomorrow.” His instruction was gentle, his eyes sliding back to the spot Hannah had been in seconds ago “It’s been a long night.”
The group nodded and Max muttered something about needing a snack before he and Jake took off to the kitchen.
“What happened?” Rachel asked “I mean, I got the jist of it but…” “Chord was round the baby’s neck.” Sammy sighed, “Hannah managed to unwrap it but it was too late. Poor thing had probably died well before we got to her.”
“Shit.” Rachel bowed her head, sighing heavily “That’s…” she trailed off and Sammy looked at her before she glanced back up at him “Are you ok?”
Sammy shrugged “It’s never nice.” He replied, having no other words to describe the situation.
Rachel gently squeezed his hand “I’ll go make the tea, Ari?”
“No thanks. I’m gonna go check on Hannah.” He replied. Rachel nodded and then turned to follow Max and Jake. Taking that as his cue to leave, Ari made for the door to the beach.
“Ari…” Sammy spoke softly and Ari spun to look at him. Sammy licked his lips “I know I don’t need to ask but…look after her, ok?”
“Always.” Ari nodded, smiling softly. Sammy gave him a small incline of the head before he headed off towards the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, Ari made his way out of the back of the resort and jogged up the sand towards Hannah’s hut.
He pushed the door open, before he stepped in, locking it behind him. He let out a chuckle as Simon jumped up at him, his tail wagging that hard it was a blur.
“Hey buddy.” He crouched down to give the dog some scratches “Where’s your mamma huh?”
It was a pointless question, as he knew where she would be. In the shower. His eyes glanced at the bed as Simon walked past Hannah’s discarded boots and hopped up, making his way to his favoured place, the pillow on the side Ari slept on. Ari rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed before he bent down to undo his laces. He shucked his hiking boots off and looked back a Simon, and as he did so something else caught his eye. Hannah’s night stand looked different. The lamp was on, there was the standard bottle of water, her book…but there was something missing. And as he racked his brains, trying to figure out what it was, it suddenly clicked. The photo of her and Andy, the one that had been taken in her Mama’s back yard was gone.
Ari didn’t quite know how he felt about that. On the one hand he couldn’t deny he felt, well maybe not pleased but a certain level of comfort or relief if that either of those were the right word at the fact that he no longer had to see Andy’s face when he woke up next to his girl in the morning. But on the other he felt a little sad. Both of them had lived lives with other people, it was a fact neither of them could escape and Ari wasn’t sure he wanted to either. That time apart had taught them things, things about themselves that had shaped their lives, moulded them into the people they were now. He licked his lips and stood up, headed over to the small bathroom at the back of the hut, gently pushing the door open.
“Han?” he asked softly, his eyes adjusting to the dim light from the feeble strip halogen on the ceiling and the sight in front of him broke his heart. Hannah was sat in the bottom of the shower, fully clothed, her arms hugging her knees to her chest, as she wept.
“Oh Firefly…” Ari sighed, crossing the small space and shuffling down next to her, the water soaking his hair and his clothes as he wrapped one strong arm around her. She turned to him, burying her face into his chest, her sobs wracking her small frame. “It’s ok, I got you.” He pressed a kiss to her sopping wet hair and simply held her, his hand rubbing up her back and her shoulder as she cried.
“I tried so hard…” she stuttered and he swallowed again, pressing his face into her hair.
“I know baby.” He said, “I know.”
How long he stayed there simply holding her, Ari had no idea and he didn’t particularly care. Nothing mattered to him, nothing but the girl he was cradling in his arms. Eventually her sobbing evened out and she pulled back slightly to look at him. Without a word she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips which he took, gratefully as he brushed her sodden hair off her face.
“You ready to get cleaned up?” he as softly and she nodded.
Ari stood up, pulling her to her feet and with gently hands he slowly undid the button down she was wearing before she shrugged it down off her shoulders, before he reached down and pulled the sodden tank top off her, which was clinging to her skin. With a quick and easy movement he shrugged his open plaid shirt off before he reached back and grabbed a handful of his wet t-shirt, pulling it over his head. Her eyes focussed on him, Hannah reached for his belt, her gaze falling downwards as she undid his belt then his jeans and he stepped out of them and his boxers in one movement, before he helped Hannah out of the clothing on her bottom half, which was harder work as her jeans were clinging to her thighs and legs. He held them still whilst she stepped out of them, kicking them to the floor of the bathroom and as Ari stood his hands trailed up the outside of her bare legs, coming to rest on her hips.
The moment was intensely intimate, the pair of them sharing a moment that was so raw, it was hard not to be aroused and as Ari looked at her, he saw a flash in her eyes. It wasn’t lust, it was softer, much softer, a pure love coupled with need and want.
He bent down, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth. “Turn around baby girl.” he whispered softly, against her mouth and without so much as a question she did as she was told. Ari reached up, flicked the clasp on her bra and pushed the straps forward, pressing a kiss to each of her shoulder, before he placed a gentle open mouthed one to her neck. Stepping back slightly, Ari reached down for Hannah’s shampoo and squeezed an amount onto his palm and gently began to work it into her hair. He felt her relax slightly, her shoulders dropping, the tension seeping out of her as he massaged her scalp softly.
Hannah gave a low sigh as she leaned back further so her head lay against his shoulder, her eyes closed. She relaxed completely as his touch soothed her, making her feel safe as his fingers softly worked into her hair.  After a little while his hands dropped to her hips and she allowed him to guide her round so she was facing him. His hand gently slid to her chin and with a gently nudge he tipped her head back slightly against the stream from the shower and he reached up, brushing the shampoo away from her face and down her long hair, causing her to press against him, her wet skin slick as it slid against his.
Eventually her hair was completely rinsed clear and he repeated the process with her conditioner and once her hair was done, her locks smoothed and tangle free she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
“Your turn.”
Ari turned around, dipping his head slightly as she gently wound her hands into his hair, nails scratching against his scalp, her body pressing into his back. When she’d finished he turned back to face her, dropping his head to rinse out his hair, taking the opportunity to simply look at her, taking in every singled damned detail. Those blue eyes, the curve of her nose, her high cheekbones, her plump lips, toned shoulders, that dip in her collar bone, the line the water was tracing between her breasts… as his eyes raised to hers he knew she’d spotted how unashamedly aching for her he was and she reached up with her hands, the pads of her fingers cupping his face through his beard. She guided his face down to hers where he captured her mouth in a soft, gentle kiss. He let her guide him, tell him how much she wanted, or how little she wanted, his hands simply splaying across the soft skin on her back and it soon became obvious exactly what she wanted when her hands moved to the back of his neck, tangling in his hair as her tongue explored his mouth.
Ari’s fingers flexed on her hips before they gently traced their way up her ribs and back down again. With a quick, strong movement he pivoted her round so her back was pressed against the rough, sand stone tiles and the kiss grew fervent, his mouth slanted over hers. He broke it, trailing his lips across her jawline and neck and Hannah let out a soft whimper as he softly sucked at that point where her neck joined her shoulder. One strong thigh anchored between her legs and he used it to push up gently against her spot and she let out a low keen, her head lolling back against the wall. Watching her reaction carefully, he repeated the action, both hands curling round her hips as he gently guided her movements back and forth, causing her to rub herself against the strong muscle of his thigh. It wasn’t wrong before she was controlling the rocking, pushing down harder as she rode his thigh and Ari rolled his foot up onto the ball, pushing his thigh harder into her and she gave a louder cry this time, the friction sending a hotwire straight up her core.
“Ari…” she gasped out his name as his lips nipped at her ear, his beard rubbing against the skin on her jaw “Need you, please…”
With an easy movement, he reached down and hooked his hands round the back of her thighs, lifting her up. Her legs wrapping around her waist as once more his mouth claimed hers as he lined himself up and pushed into her gently, her heels digging into the tops of his thighs just below his ass. His throat elicited a deep rumble as he kissed her hard, her hands gripping at his broad back as he began to pump in and out, his head falling to her collar bone where he gave a soft nip.
With each roll of his hips Hannah felt her pleasure beginning to mount, soft moans and mutters of his name falling from her lips as she dropped her head to his shoulder, the feeling in her stomach beginning to overwhelm her.
“Look at me Firefly” he said gently, and she opened her eyes, those ocean deep globes locking onto his as he saw her mouth open, lips part in a soft cry as she came, a deeper groan bubbled over in her throat and her head slid backwards against the wall as she succumbed to the pleasure that crashed over her in waves. Ari would never get tired of seeing her like that, ever. It was the most arousing thing in the world to him. His pace began to quicken, the tight bands in his stomach coiling further and further until they snapped as he pressed her harder.
“Hannah…” he half whispered, half gasped into her ear, nose nuzzling at her pulse point as he came, riding out his release with a few more shallow thrusts until his hips stilled and his head dropped to her shoulder, his breathing deep, his body and soul utterly blissed and consumed by her.
Ari kept her supported, feeling her shaking slightly with the afterglow, and raised his head, sliding his nose against hers gently, brushing their lips together ever so tenderly.
“I love you…” he whispered, before he pulled back to look at her as he gently set her on her feet, his hands cupping her face. She ran the tips of her fingers up his spine and into his hair, gently pulling his face down to hers.
“I love you too.” she replied softly, her eye shining as his mouth caught hers once more.
The water in the resort never ran at scalding level, but now it was colder than normal, and Ari felt Hannah shiver slightly. He reached round to turn the water off before he flicked his hair out of his eyes and stepped out, gabbing a towel. He held it out for her and she turned around so he could wrap it round her from behind, his arms holding her to him as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She turned to look at him, giving him a gentle smile before she left the room and Ari grabbed another towel, quickly rubbing himself down before he wrapped it around his waist and followed her into the room where she was busy digging in one of the drawers. She stilled and gave a snort as she stood up and waved a pair of boxers at him.
“You moving in?” she quipped and he gave a chuckle.
“I didn’t put them there.” He held his hands up. “Must have been Rachel.” Hannah eyed him suspiciously and he gave a laugh “Scouts honour, Firefly.”
“I believe you.” She shrugged, tossing them to him and he caught them expertly in his right hand. “Thousands wouldn’t”
“Good job I don’t need to convince thousands then isn’t it.” He looked at her and she shook her head before she pulled out a pair of panties and a tank-top to change into. Ari dropped his towel, shimmied into the boxers and then shooed Simon off the pillow. The dog glared at him as he stood up and made his way to the end of the bed, flopping down with a loud huff. Ari followed his example, his head falling back against the pillow and he glanced over at Hannah as she pulled the loose tank over her head. He kept his eyes on her as she gently squeezed and dried her hair, picking up a brush, combing her waves out before she deftly braided it.
“You know, I reckon I could braid your hair…” she looked at Ari in the mirror as she stood up and he scoffed.
“You sound like Maya.” He said as she crawled over him, the pair of them climbing under the comforter before Ari turned off the light, his eyes once more glancing at the space where the picture had been. He settled down, debating whether or not now was the right time to bring it up but it was pushed from his mind as Hannah lay her head on his chest, one leg tossed over both of his, his hand gently tracing shapes on her upper arm.
“What’s it like?” her quiet voice broke the silence.
“What’s what like?” he asked, his nose brushing her temple.
“Having a daughter, a kid?”
Ari stilled and looked down at her “Han…”
“I just wondered.” She whispered quietly. “It must be amazing, you know to have this little person you made just there.”
“It is.” He nodded, his hand stroking her arm again “It’s also scary as fuck knowing that they’re gonna depend on you for everything. It’s life changing. Your entire outlook changes. Suddenly it’s all about them you know? Its hard work, stressful, but worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
She stayed silent and he kissed her head “Did you ever talk about it? With Andy?”
“Once or twice.” She let out a deep breath “We never got the chance though. He always said he wanted a girl.”
“What about you?” Ari asked.
“I never really had a preference.” She mused “But I guess all women dream about having a boy who looks just like his daddy.”
She sniffed a little and Ari pulled her closer, kissing her head again “You know you’re amazing, right?”
She didn’t reply and he moved so he was led on his side, looking at her, his hand gently brushing a loose strand of damp hair behind her ear.
“What happened tonight wasn’t your fault.”
“I know.” She said gently, “I know that but…”
“Don’t torture yourself about it.” He urged her, his nose bumping hers “I’ve done that myself and nothing good comes of hit Han.” “You mean Andy?”
Ari took a sharp breath in which he released through his nose “Amongst other things.”
“I know you noticed”
“Noticed what.” He played dumb, but it was no use.
“The photo, Lobo.”
“Well, yeah but it’s not really my place to comment, Firefly.”
“I just felt it was time, you know.” She shrugged “Like, I don’t want to forget him. I never will but...well, you gotta move forward right?”
“Yeah, you do.” He nodded “All the time. You keep looking back over your shoulder at the past, you miss today as it unfolds around you. And as I always tell Maya, yesterday is the past, tomorrow’s the future…today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.”
“That’s very philosophical.” She replied and he chuckled.
“I have my moments.” His chest vibrated with his quiet laugh and he pressed a kiss to her forehead “I mean it though. And that goes for everything.”
Hannah fell silent as she snuggled closer into him, her cheek pressing against his chest as his chin rest on her head.
“I can’t get her out of my head, Ari.” She said quietly, her voice catching “She was blue and, I tried, and…”
“Han…” Ari kissed her head as his arms pulled her closer, his hands rubbing at her back. “It wasn’t your fault.” “Everyone keeps saying that…”
“Because it’s true.” He urged, one of his hands slid round to her face and tipped her chin up so she was looking at him. The room was dark, bar the dim first light of dawn that was sneaking through the lattice shade above the head and he could just pick up the speckles of light in her sad eyes “And I’ll keep telling you until it sinks in. It was a horrible, horrible…accident, twist of fate, whatever. No one could have done anything more.”
“Then why do I feel so shitty about it?”
“Because you’re a beautiful, compassionate woman who cares.” he said, his lips pressing to hers softy “That’s part of the reason I wanted you here after all.”
“Only part?” she quipped through her tears “I knew it.” and Ari gave a soft huff of laughter.
“Well, I’ll admit there was a slight selfishness on my part too but, honestly? In the most it was because you were the right woman for the job.” She stayed silent as he reached up, his thumbs brushing the tears from her cheeks. “And I know that tonight was…well, it was fucking awful but…we gotta focus on the positives. Another 174 lives Firefly, and yeah, that doesn’t make up for the one we lost but…well, it’s gotta mean something yeah?”
“Maybe it will tomorrow, Ari, but right now, I just…”
Ari felt her sag in his arms and she pressed another kiss to her head “Try and get some sleep Firefly, you’re exhausted.”
“Bossy bastard” she mumbled, stifling a yawn and he shook his head.
“Stubborn jack ass.” He shot back and she gave a snort as she yawned again, snuggling deeper into his chest.
Ari’s arms kept her close, his large hands gently rubbing at her back until he felt her relax completely. After 5 minutes or so he glanced down, and could just make out her eyelashes as they lay against her cheeks, her breathing even. Pressing another kiss to her head, he peered down at Simon who had been stealthily creeping further up the bed to his current position of being curled in the space behind her knees.
With a smile at the ridiculous, almost domestic feel of the situation, given that it was as far from a normal domestic life he could leave, he closed his eyes and gave into his own feelings of exhaustion.
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onlycags · 3 years
Text
Someone to Share it With | Çağlar Söyüncü
Word Count: 2,659
Warnings: angst, oral sex (male receiving), unprotected sex
A/N: I wanted to write something about the FA Cup win yesterday but I wanted to make it angsty. Shoutout to @sammisze for all her angsty suggestions, as always xx
- - -
You couldn’t believe it.
Ben scored to put Chelsea at a draw with Leicester and you watched, dumbstruck, as the thought of going into overtime sunk in. Luckily, you were able to breathe easily when the goal was ruled offsides, but there was still a few more minutes to play.
Words couldn’t describe how you felt when the final whistle blew and Leicester were crowned FA Cup champions for the first time in club history. You cheered along with the rest of the crowd, laughing and hugging with the Leicester wives and girlfriends while you waited for your friend.
It was a sight to behold, watching the boys celebrate on the pitch, laughing and hugging and crying with one another as the reality of the win set in. You watched Çağlar run a hand through his hair; Youri and Wes Morgan yelling and hugging; Rodgers and Vardy hugging and crying. Through it all, you tried to commit every moment to memory, knowing this day would be something you’d never forget.
“I’m so proud of you!” You screamed, running into Çağlar’s arms when you were finally able to get to him. He was still wet from the rain and sweat after exerting himself on the pitch, but you didn’t care. You clung to him, burying your face in his chest as he hugged you back fiercely.
“Thank you,” he murmured, so low you almost didn’t hear him. He pressed a kiss into your hair before sighing into your neck, pretending for a moment that this hug was more than it was.
Çağlar went back to the changing room with the rest of his teammates, just as ecstatic and amped up as they were - even if he didn’t really show it. Madders and some of the other boys started pulling out their phones, recording the epic after-party moments in the changing room while Çağlar sat in the back, taking it all in. He didn’t mind, though. Observing was more his speed anyway - he’d taken all the pictures and lifted the cup, feeling as fulfilled as he could in a win like this. His phone buzzed with an incoming text that brought a smile to his face.
You: Congrats again! I’ll be waiting at home if you want to celebrate later :)
He ignored any sexual thoughts he had regarding the wording of your text, knowing it wasn’t like that between the two of you as he typed out a response.
Çağlar: We might go out - I will let you know.
He had every intention of dragging you out with him if that’s what ended up happening. Of course, he was excited to celebrate this historic win with his teammates, but Çağlar couldn’t help feeling a little forlorn as he watched Albrighton pick up his kids and kiss his wife - even Madders with his pregnant girlfriend made Çağlar jealous. Çağlar felt someone sit down next to him, a smile on face when he saw who it was. “We did it!” Cengiz shouted above all the ruckus, looping an arm around Çağlar’s shoulders and pulling him in for a side hug.
“We did,” Çağlar confirmed, nodding stoically.
***
The party on the bus that took them to the designated pub was wild; everyone was drinking and dancing and singing, still ecstatic from the win. When they finally got to the pub, Çağlar was one of the last ones off the bus, checking his phone for any messages from you.
“What’re you doing checking your phone, Cags?” Madders slurred, catching the action before Çağlar stuffed his phone in his back pocket and tried to play it off.
“Nothing,” he said, trying to drop the subject but Madders wasn’t having it.
“Waiting for a text from her?” He asked, smirking knowingly and Çağlar knew he’d been caught.
“None of your business.”
“Why isn’t she here with you?” James pressed, eyeing Çağlar. “Did she turn you down?”
“Not exactly. She didn’t ask and I didn’t offer.” Çağlar paused, hating admitting that out loud. “She just said she’d be waiting for me when I got home.”
James snorted, rolling his eyes. “She’ll probably be asleep when you get back.” He slung an arm around Çağlar’s shoulders, trying not to trip as the two of them walked into the pub. “I say we find you a girl to help take your mind off her - besides, if she wanted you, I think she would’ve made a move already, especially after your goal on Tuesday.” James paused, looking around the pub. “And you haven’t tried to sleep with her either, which tells me you might not want her the way you think you do.”
Çağlar couldn’t tell what was worse: that he was actually seriously considering the relationship advice being given to him by a drunken Madders, or that said relationship advice was making sense. He finally spotted Cengiz at the bar, excited to see his best friend. “Madders thinks I need to get laid,” is the first thing he says as he takes the empty barstool next to the other Turkish international.
“Madders might be right,” Cengiz agrees, taking a sip of his beer. “You’ve been pining after her for months but haven’t made a move; she doesn’t come out to celebrate this win with you, and now you’re sulking. If you’re not gonna go home right now and confess your feelings, I think you should bring home a girl tonight - one of us needs to get laid because of this win.”
Çağlar laughs, finally able to flag down the bartender and order. “Maybe. Have you seen anyone here yet?”
Cengiz nods in the direction of a group of girls huddled around James Justin, Harvey Barnes and Madders. They’re all talking and laughing, but Çağlar knows that all three men are in relationships and won’t be doing anything more than coming home to their girlfriends at the end of the night. “Hey! Cags!” Madders shouts, motioning to Çağlar. “Come join us!”
Reluctantly, Çağlar gets up from the barstool, patting Cengiz on the shoulder and gets a few encouraging words in Turkish before he joins his other teammates.
Madders introduces him to all the girls and one of them catches Çağlar’s eye. She looks a little like you - or, at least, he’s convinced himself that she looks a little like you - and she shows more interest in him than he feels like you ever have. When she puts a hand on his arm, his heart starts to race and he relaxes into her touch. It’s been a long time since he’s felt anything for a girl that wasn’t you and Çağlar can’t believe he’s actually going to take this girl home.
The two of them talk and laugh over a round, and when Çağlar asks her if she’d like to come home with him, she immediately smiles and nods. James gives him a thumbs-up as he heads out of the pub with the girl on his arm, and Çağlar tries to ignore the feeling in the pit of his stomach that wishes he was taking you home instead.
***
The Uber back to his place is filled with sexual tension. The girl has her hand on his thigh, getting dangerously close to his dick with each word she whispers in his ear. Çağlar knows he needs to get out of his head but he can’t stop overthinking.
Until she kisses him.
The moment she does, Çağlar focuses on nothing else except how good it feels to kiss someone. It’s been years since he’s kissed anyone, and if he’s honest, he wishes he was kissing you, but that doesn’t matter now. Right now, he’s going to go home and have meaningless victory sex with someone he’s never going to see again.
~ ~ ~
You don’t realize you’ve fallen asleep on the sofa waiting up for Çağlar until you hear the front door open. Your stomach dips as you get up, and you find yourself hoping you manage to get the courage to do what you’ve been planning to do since the moment you got here.
You’re still in his jersey, the ‘Söyüncü 4’ feeling like it’s burning into your skin as you make your way to the foyer. When you get there, though, the sight in front of you is nothing like you’d imagined.
Çağlar has his hands on another girl’s waist, kissing her like his life depends on it. Her hands are all over him - on his arms, in his hair, everywhere - and she’s making sounds you never would have thought he would be into. “I want you,” she says in a throaty whisper, her hands reaching for the buttons on his white shirt as she trails kisses down his neck.
Time stops for both of you when Çağlar’s gaze connects with yours. He takes in the maroon jersey that’s a few sizes too big and the way your eyes start to fill with tears tell him he’s fucked up. His blood runs cold and he reaches for the girl’s hands, stopping her.
You take a deep breath in, trying to steady yourself when you feel anything but. You know that Çağlar’s trying to talk to you, but you don’t care, focusing on grabbing your purse and putting on your shoes, desperate to get out of the house and away from all of this so you can cry in peace.
“YN, wait,” Çağlar says, his hand catching your upper arm before you can sidestep him and escape.
“Congrats on the win,” is all you’re able to say before you’re shrugging out of his grasp and reaching for the door. As it closes behind you, you hear the two of them talking about something but you don’t care.
It’s not a far walk from his place to yours and you need time to clear your head. You cross your arms and shiver, realizing it got even colder since the sun set, but there’s no going back now. Somewhere in the background, you hear the sounds of a girl yelling, but you tune it out. Tears spring to your eyes again, but this time you let them fall.
“Wait!” You hear Çağlar call out but you ignore it, thinking it’s for the other girl. You feel a hand on your shoulder and you turn, coming face-to-face with Çağlar. “I’m sorry,” he says, his expression tortured.
“It’s okay,” you reply, trying to put on a smile you’re not feeling. “Go celebrate with the girl you brought home - you deserve it.”
“No.” Çağlar shakes his head vehemently. “I only want to celebrate with you.”
That makes you laugh and you roll your eyes. “Funny, because it sure doesn’t feel like it, Çağlar.”
“It’s true!” He sputters, trying to figure out how to get you to believe him. “I only brought her home because I didn’t think you wanted me like that.”
“Oh.” Your face falls and you realize your mistake. “Guess I should’ve tried harder, then.” You take a deep breath in, resigned. “It’s okay, though - I don’t want some other girl’s sloppy seconds.”
Çağlar feels like he’s been punched in the stomach, regretting all his actions over the last few hours since the cup win, his heart in his throat as he watches you walk away. “YN!” You hear him call after you, but you keep walking. “Please - talk to me!”
“What is there to talk about, Çağlar?!” You shout, turning back to look at him. “You wanna celebrate? Go celebrate!”
“Not without you!” Çağlar looks upset as he walks towards you. “One kiss,” he whispers, looking down at you with a pleading expression on his face. “If one kiss doesn’t convince you that I want you too, then we can forget this ever happened. Please, YN. Let me prove it to you.”
You weigh your options, finally giving in. “Fine,” you sigh, shaking your head. “Kiss me.”
Çağlar’s eyes search yours and he steps back. “You clearly don’t want this - I’m not gonna bother you again.” He turns, starting the walk back to his house.
“Damnit, Söyüncü!” You shout, stomping your foot as you race after him. It’s your turn to make him turn around, and before you can overthink it, you press your body against his and tangle your fingers in his hair as you drag him down for a kiss.
It takes a second for Çağlar to respond, but the moment he does, the kiss turns heated. His hands are on your waist, sliding down to cup your bum and press you closer to him. You can feel his growing erection and you groan into the kiss, Çağlar swallowing the sound and running his tongue over your bottom lip. “Take me home,” You whimper when the kiss breaks, your fingers clutching his shoulders.
Without another word, Çağlar takes your hand in his and leads you back to his place. The two of you laugh and kiss in-between steps, barely making it to the door before your shirt is on the floor. “Fuck,” he curses in Turkish when he sees the lacy bra you’re wearing, his hand sliding up your back to unclasp it. “So beautiful.”
You arch your back and whimper when Çağlar runs his thumbs over your nipples, your hands burying in his hair when he bends down and presses kisses to the top of your tits. “Please, Çağlar!” You beg, barely able to form words when he sucks one of your nipples into his mouth.
It isn’t long after that and Çağlar is laying you down on his bed, trailing kisses down your torso as his hands work the button and zipper of your jeans before he pulls them down your legs. You reach for his hair, pulling it out of the bobble and giving him a grin when you finally get to run your fingers through it. “You played so good today,” you murmur, sitting up on your elbows so you can drink him in. “You should get a reward.”
Çağlar’s eyes darken as he looks at you, smirking. “What did you have in mind…?”
You get down on your knees, running your tongue up his shaft as you look up at him. Your name is on his lips as you take him fully in your mouth, gagging on his length as you work him over. His fingers are in your hair, the pricks of pain in your scalp adding to the sensation.
“I don’t wanna cum yet,” he groans, pulling you off his dick. “Wanna be inside you for that.”
You stare up at him, spit and pre-cum dripping down your chin. “Then get inside me already, Çağlar.”
Without another word, Çağlar laid you back on the bed, lining his cock up with your already-dripping entrance. Your eyes were locked with his as he slid into you, and you knew everything was going to change. “Çağlar!” You whimper, your nails raking down the lion inked on his back as he starts thrusting inside you, picking up the pace as his orgasm builds. His hand comes between your bodies, his thumb finding your clit and he’s rewarded when your walls start to clench around his cock. He buries his face in the crook of your neck and you feel his cum coat your inner walls to trigger your own orgasm.
Both of you are breathing heavily when he rolls off of you and you immediately press yourself against his side, slinging your leg over his hips. “That was…” you trail off, pressing a kiss to the fading ink on his chest.
“Yeah,” Çağlar replies, holding you tighter against him.
When you’ve caught your breath, you move to get up, starting to look for your clothes. “What are you doing?” He asks, sitting up.
“I...I was just gonna go,” you answer, stopping in your tracks. “Is… is that not okay?”
“Kalmak. Lütfen.” Stay. Please. When you give him a questioning look, he continues, “We’ll deal with the consequences in the morning - right now, I just want to wake up next to you.”
6 notes · View notes
curly-bangtan · 4 years
Note
Drabble game: Member: Jin 6) baby, I’m not going to last if you keep doing that 21) can’t you stop gaming for 1 second and give me attention?
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#6: “baby, I’m not going to last if you keep doing that.”
#21: “can’t you stop gaming for one second and give me attention?”
#20: “let me guess, you’re horny again.”
Warnings: oral (M), slight exhibitionism, giving seokjinnie the best suck while he’s gaming and on a call with the boys
A/N: I feel so bad because I really haven’t had much time to write lately because of uni so I haven’t prepared anything special for Jin’s birthday except this. :c But anyway, enjoy~!
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.
“Ahh- Aahhh- AAAAHHHHHHH!”
You hear the distinct yells coming from a certain room as you enter the house, a noise so boisterous that it could only belong to none other than your boyfriend.
Which one is it this time, Maple Story or Kart Rider?
Shaking your head in a smitten grin, you walk to the source of the shouts.
To his credit, he at least acknowledges you, “Oh, hey sweetie. Back so early?” To his discredit, he doesn’t even look up from his game, eyes glued to the glaring computer screen, which you don’t doubt have been fixed in place for the entire time you were gone. Kart Rider it is this time.
Tonight was a girls’ night, a few drinks at a nice cocktail bar with your closest female friends (a few meaning maximum three because cocktails are bloody expensive), chin-wagging and updating on each other’s love/sex lives. You always enjoy this type of gatherings.
“Early? Seokjin, it’s one.”
Only a single earphone in, he looks up, but even so, scarcely lest his eyes stray for a second too long from the pixelated road and he crashes again. He’s ranked number 6 right now. Out of seven. Why is he even trying anymore, he’s not going to win. Still, your eyes meet for a fleeting moment, enough for you to feel connected to him again, to trick yourself into thinking that he remotely missed you. Because he definitely didn’t. He didn’t even notice the time, where would his attention find the capacity to remember you while he’s racing his friends on this server?
“Oh shit, now way, it’s one already?” There is a monotone in his voice where disbelief should be. Basically, when Seokjin is gaming, he has two possible moods: over dramatic Ancient Roman gladiator with astounding battle cries, or completely stoic, focused, and most likely won’t realise if you’ve cracked an egg on his head. Both are equally as infuriating.
“Yes, it’s already one.” You sigh, plopping your bag on the floor to the side and striping your winter layers.
It’s shocking, sometimes, to think that your boyfriend is close to reaching his thirties. People compliment him endlessly on his lack of ageing - how doesn’t he have a single wrinkle? he looks the same as he did five years ago, if not better! - but little do they know, not only has he physically not aged, but also has mentally not grown up since the age of sixteen. Sixteen is him on a good day and you being generous.
You wonder if he’s going to stop gaming after this round now that you are back.
You wait.
He ends up coming fourth, which isn’t too shabby considering he had fallen off the course and wound up at the back. Watching as he stretches his board back, you think he’s going to switch his computer off, call it a day and finally come join you on the bed. But then he says into the microphone:
“Guys wait for me, let me change my character.”
You shut your eyes and sigh. Every time.
So you try to mind your own business as you wait for him to finally finish - you don’t mind going to sleep without him, you’re that far into your relationship that you don’t even need to say good night anymore. Practically a married couple at this point.
But then your mind wanders to the conversation you and your girls were having earlier during the night.
On the topic of sex, June brought up how her and her boyfriend has started to switch things up in the bedroom since, as much as she loves him, the same dick gets boring after a year. There was one time where they did policeman roleplay and he dropped the key under the bed and took ages to fish it out, but it was fine because the sex had been a solid 10/10, so apparently it was worth the sore arms. Kerry was surprised that June hadn’t tried to spice it up sooner; she on the other hand has been into moderate BDSM since highschool. Nothing hurts better than the sharp pain of being whipped on the butt by a crop cane, apparently. Just the other day, Namjoon suggested to Eunae that they should have a threesome with another man, the name of whom would not be disclosed, but you considerably suspect that he’s someone you know. Taehyung? Jimin? They seem like the type to be into this shit. But anyway, apparently, it turned Namjoon on a fucking lot to see Eunae get pounded by someone else while sucking his cock. She couldn’t complain at all, except for not being able to walk the next day.
You have such wholesome friends.
When it got to you, you kind of just- sat there poking your fingers. It not that your sex life with Seokjin is vanilla, but that’s exactly what you’re saying. Neither of you are particularly adventurous in nature, especially when it comes to sex. You would say that he has a higher sex drive than you, but only marginally. There are days where you would wake up and before your eyes are fully open, he’d already be inches deep in you. Sometimes, you go a long five days without sex out of tiredness and neither of you have a problem with it. But nevertheless, the sex is, as June described, the same mediocre missionary hammering until he blows his load either too soon or takes too long, with the occasional oral if you’re not feeling lazy.
Yeah, not mind blowing.
It’s not like you minded, but hearing your friends talk about their wild sex life makes you feel like you’re missing out. You and Seokjin are missing some fun, some excitement.
With that in mind, you crawl out of bed and approach your oblivious boyfriend. His shoulders jolt in surprise when he feels your arms snake around his neck from behind. Sparing you a second of his attention, he tilts his head up to meet your gaze, eyes wide in curiosity. You hang over him, cheek pressed on the crown of his head as you watch his game without particular interest.
Then you begin to bury your nose in his thick black hair, trailing tiny pecks all the way down to his face. Your hands start to roam as well, groping his toned chest not at all subtly. Seokjin is naturally well built with his hefty big bones - actual bones as well as, you know, that bone.
His fingers are moving mechanically on the keyboard in astounding reflexes. Hmm, you want those fingers inside… You place a particularly wet kiss on his cheek to try to coax his focus into your possession.
“What’s up, baby?” You count the flicker of his eyes as a small victory, even if you haven’t successfully infringed on his unwavering glare at the screen. Then he speaks into the microphone of his earphones, “Hoseok-ah, I’m catching up, watch out~!”
Ignoring his question as well as his sudden jerking motions to avoid his kart from veering too far, you proceed to kiss down his neck, pressing your warm lips ever so lightly on his skin to create that sensitive sparse contact that will surely make his little hairs rise. Your hands have now travel under his outstretched arms, albeit in an awkward angle due to your position, and are playing with the hem of his shirt. He’s wearing white today, and if there’s one thing you love more than your boyfriend, it’s your boyfriend in white.
When your small fingers reach the band of his joggers, you sense not only his muscles beneath your touch but his entire posture tense. Your wandering mouth feels him gulp.
“Let me guess, you’re horny again?” It’s unusual to hear him speak in such a low voice, a genuine hushed whisper rather than one for dramatic effect. The way he tilted away from the earphone mic does not go unnoticed, trying to to let the boys hear him. How interesting… Why not exploit that?
“Hmm…” You hum, lips still painting his collar now with gentle sucks. Your fingers are feathering his torso, each time daring to dip a bit further under his pants, but never too much. “Can’t you just stop gaming for a second and give me some attention, Seokjinnie?”
He tenses once more.
This is kind of fun. You almost snicker diabolically.
Muffled voices sound from the other end of the call, barely audible from the earphone that has been left dangling by the wire, not plugged into his ear. And you know that if it weren’t for them, Seokjin would be reprimanding you loudly right now.
“After this game, okay sweetie?” The tendons of his fingers strain over his knuckles. Click click click click click. Aggressive keyboard pushing.
“But… I can’t wait…” You put on your babiest voice with a whiny undertone, drawing out each syllable for emphasis. As you use your nails to tickle the skin over his pelvis, one of his knees jerk up and hit the desk.
Cute reflexes, you mirth.
“Shit-” He mutters under his breath. “Please, please, please. You’re distracting me.”
That’s the point.
This time, you reach even further, one hand brushing his thigh, the other returning to his fuzzy navel. “Seokjin…” He tries his best to hold in a sharp inhale at your seductive touch. “Right now, please…”
“Last game, I promise.” He whispers away from the microphone.
“You have two more rounds, you just started a new game, I can’t wait that long.” You nip at the lobe of his free ear.
“Boys, I’m going to bed after this game.” He announces to his friends, shooting you a brief pointed look, and whispers pleadingly, “please.”
Do you feel slightly bad for putting him in such a tortured position? Yes. But do you have every intention of carrying on? Also yes.
“How about this, baby,” you press your mouth against his ear, “you stay quiet while I give you the best blowjob of your life right now, then I’ll be satisfied and leave you be. Or, I go right back to bed right now and probably ignore you for the rest of the week until you do some grovelling for choosing a video game over your girlfriend.”
Seokjin shudders at your warm breath perforating into him and heaves, jaw hanging slightly open as he throws you one long glance. You see the clockwork in his mind turning as he contemplates your offer, clearly torn. Promiscuity is not his thing, so naturally, getting sucked off by his girl while on a gaming call with his friends presents a difficult dilemma.
“Shit, Y/N-ah…” He laments softly, causing a smirk to bloom across your face. He’s going to cave, you know it. Concentration at the game now dispersed, Seokjin wets his lips in hesitation. “Fine.”
So he caves.
Smug, you drop onto your knees and scuttles around his chair until you’re in the shadows of the desk. He rolls his seat back to allow you emerge between his legs. It’s dark down here, yet you know his body inside out. Lifting his rear off, he allows you to tug his joggers down, your hands not missing the chance to skim past the outskirts of his hips. You see him glance down, teeth gritted.
Kissing up the insides of his thighs, you let your tongue dance lucidly, teasing him until his quads can’t tense any further. There’s already a semi-bulge in his boxers, this lewd boy, and when you palm him over the grey cotton material, his lower half buckles.
Oh this is going to be fun.
When you feel more heat rush down to his groin, and his member grows more erect, you stripe the boxers off too. Your boyfriend is still, quiet, and you have to check that he’s still conscious. He is. Very conscious. Of your little shadow casted face in front of his fat aching cock under the desk.
He gulps again. He’s fucked.
Just as he looks back up at the screen so his vehicle doesn’t fall behind, he feels your tingly breath hovering over his shaft, up and down, as if assessing where to devour first. Unluckily for him, it’s his balls. Sucking on the soft delicate skin, one of your hands comes under to cup him. Seokjin lets out a low whimper that sounds vaguely like mmhhah-.
“Jin-hyung, where did you go? Falling behind already?” Jungkook taunts over the call, the other guys snickering after him.
Seokjin can’t even respond. It’s taking all of him to even keep half his attention on the race, how is he supposed to formulate a functional sentence?
You look up at him, grinning devilishly as you fondle his balls in your hand with your tactful tongue. Although his fingers are still clicking away at the keyboard, he is now looking down at you every few seconds. Progress. After a particularly cruel suck that has him curling his toes, you move to his cock.
It is throbbing violently. It tends to do that - Seokjin is a throbber; if you get him aroused but deprive him of the friction, he pulses up in need. You find something about that so cute.
And so, slowly and lubriciously, you drag your tongue up his tongue in a zigzag, curving around his circumference at every turn. “Aish…” He cries, and you know it’s not because of the game. He looks down, for a long couple of seconds this time. His lips are parted, hand pushing the hair out of his face to reveal that glorious forehead that’s powerful enough to topple kingdoms.
Then you swirl around his head, the rough pad of your tongue pressed hard against him, tasting his salty precum.
“Fuck.” He exhales. He knows you know what you’re doing to him and he’s completely under your influence, helpless. You wonder if his friends can hear his soft curses and moans. A part of you wants them to. Exhibitionism? Who would have thought.
You focus on his slit, licking mercilessly at his oozing opening, lapping up the taste of his arousal. His thigh is now trembling. Yet you don’t stop assailing his tip, slowly taking it in your mouth while your tongue performs its magic. Swirling, licking, flicking, sucking.
Abruptly, Seokjin grabs the mic of his earphones, concealing it in his palm to mask his voice when he says, “baby, I’m not going to last if you keep doing that.”
You just look up at him, wide feign-innocent eyes overflowing in amusement. His own eyes lock on yours, head tilting to the side in exasperation at your antics. His incapacity against your relentless technique sends your cunt surging.
Finally, you take his cock in your mouth, swallowing him inch by inch agonisingly slowly until he pokes the back of your throat. He has to bite down on his lip to prevent those whimpers from escaping. When you slurp up, your tongue continues to draw patterns across his length, feeling his pulsing veins beneath you. Playing with his bollocks at the same time, you release his cock from your mouth with a wet pop.
At this point, you can tell he’s given up on the game, especially when his left hand grips onto your hair, his hips buckling again to push himself into your mouth. The keyboard sounds are decelerating, his eyes fixed on you more than the monitor, only occasional glances up at the game so his kart isn’t completely halted.
You gag as you bob up and down his cock, salivating endlessly to create a slippery friction for the walls of your mouth to mould over him. He fits in you so well. Each time, you try to take in more and more of his length until his whole member is engorged in your mouth. His taste grows increasingly salty, tip crying tears of precum.
Yup, he’s definitely not going to last.
Fingers holding onto your locks tightly, as if holding on for dear life, his chest rises and falls shakily, breath getting heavier. “Shut up, Jimin.” He says into his mic. You wonder what the boy had said.
As your pace increases and strokes of your tongue intensifies, his thighs squeeze around you. He’s desperately falling apart. Maintaining eye contact, his head collapses back, his neck exposed. He’s so close, you can tell.
So you go as fast as you can despite the ache in your jaw, riding him with your mouth, face stretching to encompass his girth. Tears spring to your eyes yet you ignore them. He’s pushing your head up and down now, guiding your speed to pursue his orgasm.
Then-
“O- fuck!” He groans out loud, not even bothering to lower his volume anymore. A moment later, you feel the violent twitch of his shaft followed by a spurt of warm liquid into your mouth. You slow your imbibing, considering his utmost sensitivity right now, and tenderly suck around his ejaculating tip. His whole body convulses, eyes rolling back. He is at utter surrender, both hands cradling your face, legs sprawled out.
“Nothing,” his voice is unstable as he exhales into the mic, “I just- um- spilt water all over my desk.”
‘Spilt water’ indeed.
You swallow his load in your mouth after pulling him out, hand lazily milking out his every last drop. Seokjin is panting as he gazes down at you, caressing your cheek gratefully, fiddling with your red swollen lips.
“I’m leaving, boys, good night.” He mindlessly ends the call with a few clicks and shuts his computer, his whole attention now devoted to you. “I can’t fucking believe you did that.”
Smiling proudly, you answer, “That was fun, wasn’t it.”
“I’m sure it was really fucking fun for you.” Seokjin hauls you up gently from the ground, and jeez, your knees are sore.
Without a second to waste, he pulls you in by the neck to meet his lips, your tongue still bitter from his cum. He’s not normally particularly dominant, yet this time, there is a roughness to his kiss, and an eagerness in the way his arm traps your waist. Walking back step by step, you tumble onto the bed, your core heated from the pool of desire you’ve collected for him. And when he flips and pins you under him, you know you’re fucked for the rest of the night.
“You’re going to regret doing that.”
.
04/12/19
© Copyright 2019
509 notes · View notes
themurphyzone · 4 years
Text
PatB Oneshot: Eurydice
Summary: An alternate scenario for the Halloween episode, loosely based on the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. Mr. Itch strikes a different deal with Brain. If Brain can make it to the surface world without looking at Pinky, the contract will be voided and Pinky’s soul will be returned. And failure is not an option.
Beginning AN: I posted this idea on Discord a month ago and I’ve wanted to write this scenario ever since. I love the Halloween ep so much…so how about some whump? I am not kind to our favorite mice at all, just a heads up. Also there is a serious lack of fics over the Halloween ep. It's prime material for angst.
Big shout out to @plutonis who listened to me cry over torturing these poor mice over DM. 
FFN Link 
                                                      Contract
I, the Brain, hereby agree to a challenge against Mr. Itch, Proprietor of Wayward Souls and Master of Hell, in which the winner shall receive Pinky’s soul. Should Brain win this challenge against all impossible odds, Pinky’s previous contract in which he agreed to submit himself to hell’s eternal torments in exchange for Brain’s dominion over the surface world shall be voided and destroyed, and he may return to the surface world with Brain. Additionally, Brain agrees to forfeit his royal claim on the world and is prohibited from future attempts at global conquest for the remainder of his days.
Challenger Signature: The Brain
Drafter Signature: Mr. Itch
*Mr. Itch reserves the right to set the terms of the challenge at his leisure.
o-o-o-o-o
He’d been too hasty in signing the contract. The combination of brimstone and heat had to be affecting his decision-making process.
It’s not about Pin– the food pellets, he told himself. Absolutely not.
But it was too late. His signature was burned into the page. Five blood-red letters would determine Pinky’s fate.
And even if…no, he couldn’t afford an if…when he succeeded in rescuing Pinky, he’d have to give up the world. He wouldn’t even be able to try and earn his crown, scepter, and throne through his own merits.
Without the nightly ambitions, Pinky might…wish to find a different associate.
Brain’s entire purpose would be gone. Forever.  
He didn’t listen to the convoluted, nonsensical legalese that Mr. Itch’s lawyers provided. There was no need to provide metaphors or explain the situation further.
Brain understood the gist.
No matter the outcome, he would fail. And this time, the consequences were permanent.
“Think of it, Brain,” Mr. Itch sneered, and Brain hated that cocky, self-assured expression that put even the best car salesman in the world to shame. Mr. Itch waved his hand, and a sick, twisted parody of a game show appeared behind him. “You can walk away now and rule the world…or you can risk it all and try to get Pinky back.”
Brain’s vision blurred as he was forcibly thrust onto a tall podium. A spotlight illuminated him, and the demons clamored for his choice.
A tall demoness cheerfully indicated two panels to the studio audience of hell’s denizens. One depicted Brain on top of the world in royal regalia. He could have power to change the world. Admiration from the populace. Endless wealth so they could have the finest things life had to offer.
But the other panel was a portrait of Pinky. Just a misleading, goofy portrait of a smiling Pinky that belied the high stakes of Brain’s contract.
He was chafing under the spotlight. But why? He was king, he was emperor, with everyone at his beck and call! He shouldn’t be afraid of a little spotlight!
Except he wasn’t any of those things here. Just a mouse who’d failed to notice his associate signing his own soul away.
The demons clamored. Brain gripped the podium, vulnerable and ripe for humiliation, for several…seconds? Minutes? Hours?
His voice wasn’t working. He needed his voice, didn’t he? But he could only stammer like a fool. Perspiration built on his fur, and he nearly slipped off the podium, his palms damp and clammy. He didn’t know if it was the heat or the anxiety, but everyone was waiting for his choice.
“Save Pinky!”
“No, the world!”
“Go for cash!”
The demons jeered in a harsh, guttural cacophony. Brain was sure he would’ve been covered in fresh produce and popcorn if they’d had any available. Anything to amplify his current indignity.
He wanted Pinky. He wanted the world. He couldn’t have both.
But in the end, there was hardly a choice at all.  
Ruling the world without Pinky by his side wasn’t worth the castle, the riches, the statues. Institutes of higher learning named in his honor, policies with his seal of approval, ethical practices in scientific fields to enforce…but what good were they to him?
His castle would just be a gilded cage. Sparkling and clean and mighty for all his subjects to behold from afar, but its interior would only contain a gloomy king without an associate, a confidant…
And a kindred spirit.
All or nothing. He had to try. Who knows? Pinky might’ve done the same for him.  
“I’ll try to save Pinky!” Brain shouted, forcing the words past his throat and into the unforgiving outside world.
He wasn’t prepared for Pinky to spring onto the podium. That mindless simpleton was grinning from ear to ear like he was just being called to the stage in The Price is Right! Didn’t Pinky realize his soul was in peril?  
“Oh, Brain! My hero!” Pinky snatched Brain up in an enthusiastic hug. Brain stiffened and tried not to think about the hand currently rubbing his head, and how he would never feel it again if he failed his quest.
They were also surrounded by an unfriendly sort. They would believe this saccharine display was a weakness if Brain allowed Pinky to indulge these childish needs.
He shoved Pinky off, holding him at arm’s length for a moment so Pinky would take the hint.
“…so he can show me where the food pellets are,” Brain added hastily.
That was all Pinky was needed for.
To show him where the necessities laid.
A hellish fanfare played, saving Brain pondering those terrifying thoughts.    
An enormous fiery plume burst onto the stage, then dissipated to reveal Mr. Itch. He conjured a microphone and bowed heartily at the thunderous applause.
“Ladies and demons, we have something very special for your entertainment on this fantastic Halloween night. I trust you’re aware of our newest resident and his…well, can I even call him a friend? He didn’t lift a finger to stop me when I claimed Pinky.”
Brain stared down at his hands to avoid the harsh, mocking glares. This was just the opening act. Mr. Itch was hyping up the crowd for Brain’s ultimate failure.
Mr. Itch strolled around the stage, each movement radiating confidence of a self-assured victory. “Yes, he enjoys having that ultimate power. A glorious statue, his rival in the race for world domination now a lowly jester in court, his name praised on every street corner! Isn’t that a dream come true? And yet...he chose to come into my realm and make demands. Like the world wasn’t enough for him.”
Because Pinky wasn’t there to make the world enough.
A hiss of smoke sprung up by Brain’s foot. He bit his tongue, wondering if part of the challenge was running on hot coals or avoiding random ember spurts. At this point, it seemed very likely. His feet probably wouldn’t survive the night.
In the unlikely scenario that the rest of his body survived of course.
And something wet landed on his toe. Wet? There wasn’t anything wet about hell, unless one counted the boiling lakes. But it evaporated into steam before he could fully process the cool reprieve.
Then he heard it.
A whimper.
From Pinky.
A tear trailed down Pinky’s cheek.
“Pinky?” Brain asked quietly, trying to keep his eyes trained on Mr. Itch, who was currently recapping the tale of Brain’s disastrous attempt at Broadway to the raucous audience. Not one of Brain’s finest moments, but he couldn’t dwell on that now. Better for them to laugh over what was past and done, rather than drawing their attention here.
Pinky clutched his tail in a death grip. Steam leaked under his eyes and around his cheeks, his entire face damp with tears.
“He’s saying awful things.”
Even with their proximity, Brain had to strain his ears to hear Pinky’s voice.
“Don’t bawl, Pinky,” Brain whispered, hoping by some off-chance that the verbal comfort would be enough. “Don’t cry. Not here. Not now. Don’t…don’t be foolish.”
He didn’t know if the reassurance was meant for Pinky or himself. With a trembling hand, Brain reached for Pinky’s back, shuffling closer to make the motion less conspicuous.
But Pinky moved away before Brain could touch him.
“They have to know, Brain,” Pinky said. His voice was far too calm. “I can’t let him tell those awful lies about you.”  
Pinky tried to balance on the edge of the podium, but Brain grabbed him by the tail and hauled him off. But Pinky was stubborn, and he tried again.
“Let him talk, you idiot!” Brain yelled, grabbing Pinky’s tail to knock him off-balance and buy some much needed time before Pinky foolishly tried again, oddly glad that Mr. Itch was enough of a showman to keep the attention away from them.
But Pinky’s huge pain threshold allowed him to recover far quicker than Brain would’ve liked. “Brain, let go of my tail!” Pinky shouted, trying to sweep his tail into a huge arc to dislodge Brain.
“Not until you do as you’re told, for once in your life!” Brain retorted, grasping the wriggling tail. He wouldn’t relinquish it.
Pinky was slippery though, and in one swift motion, he freed himself from Brain’s grip. Realizing he needed a more secure hold, Brain threw himself at Pinky’s right arm. Suddenly, the arm blurred, and Brain couldn’t stop his forward momentum in time. A sharp pain erupted on the side of his head and knocked him against a corner, his face throbbing painfully.
Through his daze, Brain pressed a hand against his cheek and winced at the tenderness. Hopefully it didn’t swell. Ice packs weren’t exactly a common item in this hostile environment.
Then he saw Pinky.
And Pinky was absolutely distraught. Smoke poured out his eyes at a more alarming rate than before. His blue eyes were tinged red. Pinky clutched his elbow with his other arm, squeezing as hard as he could to admonish it.
But it wasn’t necessary.
A microphone was thrust into Pinky’s face before Brain could tell him so.
“How could I forget our little stars of the show?” Mr. Itch asked, a sadistic grin stretching from ear to ear. “That was quite a scuffle there, Pinky. Can’t say I blame you. Revenge for all the times Brain’s bopped you on the head and insulted you?”
Pinky wiped his eyes in a pitiful attempt to get some semblance of dignity back as the demonic crew trained all their lights and cameras on him.
“N-no...” Pinky said weakly. “I mean, he can say mean things sometimes, but the bops-“
Mr. Itch shook his head in a show of mock sympathy. “Your friend-“ he curled his lip as if the word itself was cyanide “-called you a speckless nougat just before you signed my contract. He’ll take everything and give nothing. He’ll send you away only to ask for your services again because he can’t do the manual labor on his own. You’re a talented little guy, aren’t you? You’ve showed the moxie and the know-how to become a Broadway star or president of the good old USA. And instead of putting those gifts to use, you’ve been rotting inside a cage with a failure who leeches on your success.”    
Failure.
One of the cameras trained its unforgiving lens on Brain. He shook away the remaining dizziness and stood up to get some semblance of dignity back. The demons booed and heckled him, but he tried to lift his head in defiance.
He wasn’t a failure. He ruled the world! His word was law, his brilliance unparalleled!
He had it all-
-only because Pinky sacrificed his soul for him. Pinky had taken drastic measures to prove himself when there had been nothing to prove, because Brain made Pinky believe he had to prove his usefulness.
He’d gained the world yet lost Pinky. It was failure.
Which meant he-  
“Stop it,” Pinky begged. Brain’s thoughts came to a screeching halt, and he stepped away from Pinky before reminding himself that he was being illogical. Pinky didn’t have telepathy. He couldn’t have heard all that. But Pinky was glaring up at Mr. Itch with a ferocity Brain had never seen before.  
In the span of a single night, Brain’s entire world had been shaken to its roots.
Mr. Itch raised an eyebrow. “Stop what?” he asked, placing his free hand on his chest like he’d been genuinely offended.
“Stop it! STOP CALLING BRAIN ALL THOSE NASTY MEAN HORRIBLE THINGS RIGHT NOW!” Pinky’s voice rose into a fevered pitch, his fur bristling along his spine.
This was wrong. This was so very wrong. Pinky wasn’t supposed to be the angry one.
Before Brain could stop him, Pinky leapt off the podium and landed on the microphone to the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ of the lesser demons, and even Mr. Itch seemed too stunned by the maneuver to shake Pinky off.
“Pinky, cease immediately!” Brain yelled once he managed to find his voice. “You’re being reckless!”
“I HAVE PLENTY OF RECKS, BRAIN!” Pinky screamed, tightly clinging to the microphone even though Mr. Itch was attempting to pry him off. “CAUSE YOU’RE NOT A FAILURE OR A LEECH! YOU’RE A MOUSE!”
A comforting warmth spread through Brain’s chest at the affirmation, but he pushed those feelings aside. Pinky’s words meant nothing if Brain didn’t succeed with this rescue.
The audience was deathly quiet.
“Yes, Pinky,” Mr. Itch growled, trying to slip a finger under Pinky to dislodge him. But Pinky held on. “Let your friend talk. Let the cameras capture his selfishness. After all, his presence here just means he wasn’t grateful for your gift. That he wasn’t happy with your gift. As I said before, all he does is take, take, and take some more. What’s he ever done for you in return?”
But Brain had been grateful. For a short time anyway.
Until he realized his gratitude came from Pinky’s sacrifice. All of Pinky’s sacrifices that involved no benefit to himself.
Pinky mumbled something that had much of the audience leaning in eagerly, trying to hang onto every word.
Mr. Itch shrugged. “Well, if you have nothing else to say, then-“
But Pinky hauled himself on top of the microphone, clinging to it like a lifeline.  
“Brain gave me my name! He gave me a chance to see the world! He gave me a chance to do things I never dreamed of doing before! I wouldn’t have met Pharfignewton otherwise! Or Winnie or Mr. Sultana or any of the other lovely people we met while trying to take over the world! Maybe Brain can be big-headed and a grump but he works super hard and he’s going to make the world a better place to live! And most importantly, he’s my best friend and nothing you say will ever change that!”
“Pinky…” Brain’s throat closed uncomfortably. It had to be the oppressive, stagnant air. What could he possibly say to Pinky’s emphatic speech?
Even the demons were moved. Some embraced their neighbors, others made sympathetic noises. There were a few who sat with their heads pressed against their knees in a futile attempt to staunch their tears.
He’d never been more grateful for Pinky’s charisma.  
Mr. Itch took notice of his followers’ reactions. A vein seemed to pop in his head, his once casual, lazy posture now stiff and alert.
“Brain only kept you around because you were useful.” A dangerous edge crept into Mr. Itch’s tone. “That’s all there was to your so-called friendship.”
“NARF!” Pinky screeched in defiance.
It sounded all wrong. Fury and fear laced that familiar, irritating monosyllable. Brain didn’t know what narf meant, and he probably never would, but he was certain that narf wasn’t meant to be uttered in such a fashion.
“Narf!” a demon called.
Another demon stood up and pumped his fist. “Poit!”
“Troz! Egad! Narf! Zort!” The demons chanted Pinky’s favorite syllables like the world’s most demented cheering squad.
An inferno burned in Mr. Itch’s eyes.    
“SILENCE!”  
Mr. Itch’s snarl deepened into a guttural and unearthly roar, the entire netherworld quaking in outrage. The lesser demons hastily vacated their seats and cowered behind each other, large boulders, or whatever makeshift shields they could find.
The microphone and a tiny white body were hurled into the empty audience box, crashing into the metallic structure with enough force to leave an enormous dent.
There was no tic-filled laughter to accompany the harsh clang of his body impacting metal.
“PINKY!” Brain screamed, not caring that he tumbled more than climbed down the podium. He landed right on his throbbing cheek and got a mouthful of hot crimson dust for his trouble, but he couldn’t care less.
The physical tortures were just going to build up until Pinky’s body couldn’t handle it anymore. It didn’t matter that Pinky had a near-immunity to pain. Pinky’s body would break and he would never notice.
Brain spat out the dust and hurried over to Pinky, who feebly stirred next to the microphone.  
Mr. Itch loomed above them, an ember casually lit on his finger. “You know what? That’s perfect,” he chuckled, and it was utterly devoid of good humor. “Absolute silence.”  
Brain knelt on the hard ground next to Pinky, who only blinked up at him with those too-trusting blue eyes. Pinky raised a shaking hand, cupping it against the cheek he’d accidentally hurt.
“I’ve sustained worse injuries,” Brain said quietly. Despite the heat, he shivered at the touch. He wished Pinky wouldn’t comfort him. He didn’t deserve it. “You know that.”      
Pinky opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“Speak up, Pinky.” Brain tried to sound commanding, but his voice hitched instead. He couldn’t even keep up a thin illusion of normalcy.
Pinky tried again, but Brain still couldn’t hear him. Not even a cough or a wheeze from smoke inhalation. He wasn’t choking or flailing. There couldn’t be something lodged in his throat.  
“He can’t speak, Brain,” Mr. Itch said. “He’s been silenced per our little agreement.”
Silenced?
Brain snatched the wrist gently cradling his cheek and felt for a pulse, and he couldn’t disguise his relieved sigh once he found it.
“C’mon, just what do you take me for? It’s not a euphemism. Takes all the fun outta the contract.”
“Just say narf, Pinky,” Brain pleaded as he shook Pinky’s shoulder, as if pleading in hell would accomplish anything useful. “Please say narf. Can’t you do that much?”
Pinky mouthed the syllable to no avail. He became teary all over again, his free hand feeling his throat as if trying to coax the narf out. His foot kicked out, yet it made no thump against the crimson rocks.
The demons murmured among themselves, and though they appeared sympathetic to Pinky’s plight, they were too frightened of their master to come any closer.
It was just as well. Brain didn’t want anyone to touch Pinky.
Brain tried to glare at Mr. Itch, but a mouse could never hope to be intimidating against a sadistic supernatural being.
“Don’t give me that look,” Mr. Itch scoffed. “The fine print of our contract lets me set the condition of the challenge. Pinky’s silence is my first condition. If anything, I’m doing you a favor. Awful noisy thing, isn’t he? No wonder you weren’t inclined to get back him back right away.”
Had this been a different situation entirely, Brain might’ve found it relieving that Pinky would have to be quiet for a while.
Cruel irony at its finest.
Pinky touched his nose against Brain’s own, and Brain tried not to think of how Pinky could comfort as easily with a touch as with words. Surely Pinky was just using tactile stimulation for his own peace of mind rather than Brain’s.
“And now for my second condition,” Mr. Itch smirked. He snapped his fingers, the sharp echo promising cruelty yet to come.
The gentle pressure of Pinky’s nose vanished, the feel of his wrist and shoulder gone. The whites, pinks, and reds of his body were now colorless, lifeless. His bright blue eyes faded into a pale, ghostly void. No pupils, no irises…just empty.    
Brain tried to put a hand over Pinky’s heart, desperately wishing for the steady thrum he was so accustomed to. Yet his hand passed through Pinky’s chest like mist. It was neither cold nor hot, simply that there was nothing to feel.
Pinky reached for Brain’s face, looking at him with that strange, milky gaze. But his hand passed through the cheek he’d accidentally hurt, and Pinky’s chest heaved rapidly. He tried to grab his tail, as he always did when he was truly upset, but couldn’t.
No tears came out. Just several silent sobs.
Pinky was just a silent, sorrowful ghost of his former self. The loudest and happiest mouse Brain had ever known was reduced to this shadow, trapped within his mind, unable to engage with the world around him.
It was a horrible, undeserved fate for such a kindhearted mouse. There would be no release, not even from death, if Brain failed his challenge.
He had no choice but to win.
And even that was practically impossible.
“Pinky, I’m sorry…” The words tumbled out of Brain’s mouth before he could think of anything else to say.
Why wouldn’t his mind just work? I’m sorry? Like he’d done nothing more than eat the last food pellet? Sorry didn’t even begin to cut it!
Pinky floated instead of standing, feet skimming just above the ground. He gave Brain a tiny, reassuring smile. Of course he’d find something to smile about in his non-existent state. It probably should’ve annoyed Brain, but it was rather comforting to know that Pinky would always be Pinky.
Even so, the smile faded just as quickly as it came. Pinky couldn’t properly express his joy with narfs and poits and enormous embraces.
Then a fingersnap above his head reminded him of Mr. Itch’s presence.
“We’ve got business to discuss, Brain,” Mr. Itch said as he straightened his lapels. “You should know what your challenge consists of.”
In other words, Brain’s humiliation had hardly begun. But he’d do it. For Pinky’s sake.
Brain tried to hold his head high and show hell that he wasn’t afraid to defy their evil laws, but he couldn’t even find the strength to bring his ears up.  
Another snap, and the microphone soared back to Mr. Itch. He twirled it with a showman’s flair and gestured for the audience to take their seats. The lesser demons obeyed, murmuring among themselves and pointing at the spectral Pinky. They didn’t seem pleased by Pinky’s complete silence.
“Ladies and demons, think of Brain’s challenge as an adaptation of an old Greek story,” Mr. Itch announced. “And I ain’t just talking about a watered-down Heracles here. No, this story isn’t about heroes slaying monsters. Rather, it’s a tragedy. The Greeks were masters of that particular craft, you see. A man goes on a quest, yet his fatal flaw always strikes him down in the end. I trust you’re quite familiar with the concept, Brain?”  
Brain said nothing. No need to give them ammunition.
His temper and pride were the source of many failures. But there was nothing he could do except commit the same errors over and over again.
He should’ve known. It was only a matter of time before the ones he…tolerated suffered the consequences.
As if sensing his thoughts, Pinky wrapped his spectral arms around Brain’s shoulders. He couldn’t feel the saccharine display, and that fact pained him more than he cared to admit.
“Ever heard of cooperation?” Mr. Itch sighed. “You have the starring role in the show tonight. Give us something to work with, at least.”
Brain gritted his teeth. He’d had enough of this delay. “I’m through with this prolonged torture! Just get it over with already!” he shouted. “I refuse to be paraded around like a sideshow attraction!”
“Touchy,” Mr. Itch huffed in disdain. He turned back to the audience. “But I digress. Now, this tragedy involves a man who ventured into the depths of the underworld to retrieve his closest companion. He placated everyone with his music, including Hades himself. And because Hades was a total sap, he allowed the man to lead his companion back to the surface world.”
His arm swept out and a large stone staircase appeared. It spiraled and arched far above their heads, and Brain caught a glimpse of a starry sky hidden among the crimson stone.
Pinky belonged in the surface world, where the grass and horses and inanimate objects he had yet to befriend waited. And he was relying on Brain to bring him there.
Perhaps it was silly to reach for arms he couldn’t feel, but Brain placed his hands atop where Pinky’s fur should’ve been. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d voluntarily touched Pinky without hurting him.
Something to rectify if they made it through this trial.  
“And that brings me to the final condition.” Before Brain could react, darkness engulfed his vision as he was plucked up into the air, his head squeezed by an unforgiving, burning hand. Brain bit the skin like it was just another day of rough handling by some careless scientist, but a fiery pain flooded his throat and he released the hand immediately. It felt like magma had crammed its way into his esophagus, and there was no lifegiving water to relieve him.
Then he was roughly deposited at the base of the stairs.
Brain tried to turn around, but Mr. Itch forced him to stare at the first brimstone step instead. The steps were several inches taller than him, though he could still reach the next step if he jumped high enough.  
“Ah, ah, ah,” Mr. Itch scolded. “I wouldn’t do that if I were a pathetic mortal like you. In this little tale, Hades told the man he couldn’t look at his companion until they were both in the land of the living, lest she be lost to the underworld forever. For your challenge, I’ll be invoking that same clause.”
Brain resisted the urge to bite that supernatural conman’s fingers off. He would only wind up damaging his throat.
“I can hardly expect Pinky to follow me in the presence of distractors!” Brain protested. “He’s liable to find a stalactite interesting, or collect rocks, or do anything else other than-“
Mr. Itch only cackled, pillars of lava erupting alongside his cruelty.
And Brain remembered why the story was known as a tragedy.
The man looked at his companion just as they reached the surface world. Her soul was forever lost among the dead. Though he tried to reclaim her, the underworld wouldn’t release her again. And he spent the rest of his life mourning her loss.
Hell expected a faithful adaptation. They knew Brain would inevitably lose his temper and forget that he couldn’t look. They knew they’d be able to keep Pinky forever.
They knew.
Yet they put on this charade anyway.
Because false hope was the cruelest lie of all.
“Your challenge begins, Brain,” Mr. Itch declared, and the wicked fingers slowly released Brain’s head. “And remember, no looking at Pinky until you’re both in the surface world. But that’s a moot point, ain’t it? You’re bound to forget soon enough. At least try to go for most of the length before your undeniable failure, okay? We wouldn’t want the show to end too soon.”
Mr. Itch vanished in a puff of smoke.
Undeniable failure.
“I am not a failure,” Brain snarled to himself, more out of habit than belief. But his petulance at the phrase enabled him to climb five steps without pausing for breath.
And he didn’t require Pinky to boost him up! He climbed five steps by himself!
But that thought was banished as he climbed the sixth step. Pinky couldn’t physically boost him, nor provide mental fortitude. The adrenaline rush wore off quickly, and Brain’s feet dangled in the air as he tried to find a grip on the rocky outcropping. But he managed, albeit with difficulty. On the count of three, Brain heaved himself over the ledge.
He laid on the hot stone to catch his breath, face tucked under his hands so he wouldn’t see Pinky.
No words of encouragement. No strange tics. Nothing except the roar of lava, mockery, and his darkening thoughts.
Funny how one didn’t appreciate what they had until it disappeared. Pinky always lifted Brain, boosting him to higher places he couldn’t reach alone. It was something he’d always done, and Brain had let it slide out of practicality. Just treat the action like a living, portable stepstool. It was far better than expending more energy than required during plans.
In hindsight, would it have killed him to say thank you? Or at least nod in gratitude?
There was no time limit, but Brain stood up and dusted himself off, though the crimson dust would just attach itself to his fur all over again within seconds. It was impossible to shake off, and Brain wondered if he would ever be able to fully cleanse himself of it.
Taking a deep breath, Brain reached for a handhold above his head and hauled himself up.
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot again. One more repetition. Start all over for the next stairstep.
It was a rhythm. Rhythms weren’t full of what-ifs or what could’ve beens. Concentrate on the rhythm. Nothing else mattered.
He had to keep moving. Keep climbing. It was better than sitting there and doing nothing. He couldn’t rest. He wouldn’t.
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot.
Brain’s throat burned. His fur was slick with perspiration, though it only served as a method to lose precious water instead of cooling him off. His limbs trembled, and it was difficult to keep hold of the unforgiving stone.  
But he’d only completed the first two spirals! There were still several more tiers left, and the starry sky seemed much further away than before.  
“Pinky, if…if we make it out of here-”
Brain shuddered as he laid down to rest. His voice was raspy from the fumes and thirst, but he had to keep talking. Had to say something. Maybe Pinky would listen, maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he wasn’t even in earshot.
“-if you want to leave…”
He trailed off, rubbing away teardrops that quickly evaporated into smoke. His chest ached, but he couldn’t say for certain that it caused by physical labor.
Brain couldn’t make an attempt at global conquest even if he succeeded. Pinky’s help would no longer be necessary.
Between the two of them, Pinky knew how to live. He knew how to talk to people, how to have fun, how to narf through his pathetic lot in life with a smile on his face.
Brain only knew survival. Maybe it was his former field mouse instincts that somehow bled into intellect. Maybe his primitive instincts weren’t as gone as he’d like to believe.
He would never be anything else but a lowly test subject. If someone decided to euthanize or feed him to a snake one day…well, it hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things. Another mouse would take his place. And when that mouse died, it would be replaced again. And the progress would continue in the name of scientific progress.
Dying for science.
Yes, that’s how he’d meet his end.
But Pinky’s kindred spirit would touch others. Whether it was through an executive office, the lead role on Broadway, or even just helping a stranger on the street, he could do so many good things for the world around him.
The world would love Pinky back.
And if a solitary mouse in a lonely lab happened to turn on the TV and see his former associate surrounded by an adoring crowd, he would be happy to see the world has changed for the better.
So he had to keep going.
He had to try. Try to bring Pinky back to the surface world…and let him go. He shouldn’t keep anything he didn’t earn.
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot.
The halfway point now.
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot.
He miscalculated the distance to the top of the next step and reached too far. He lost his footing and plummeted several inches. Growling under his breath, Brain punched the unfeeling stone, though it only bruised his knuckles instead of making him feel better. Then he tried again.
And again. And again.
He couldn’t grasp these handholds! There was no logical reason why. They were approximately the same size and shape as all the other outcroppings! It shouldn’t be this difficult!  
“Pinky, where are you when I need you? Cease your nonsense at once and help me!” Brain screamed, clutching the stone and closing his eyes so he wouldn’t see Pinky. Eight tries. Nine tries and counting. Why couldn’t he do something as simple as this?
But Pinky couldn’t help. It was useless to ask.
What’s the matter? Can’t manage a simple task on your own?
“Of course I can!” Brain snarled, and he gripped an outcropping so tightly that it broke off in his hand. He hurled the useless pebble into the abyss below, then found a different handhold and successfully hauled him to the next step out of sheer spite towards that nagging, insistent voice.
How do you know Pinky’s following you? How do you know he’s not enjoying his newfound flight capabilities?
He didn’t know. Pinky smiled when he discovered he could float as nothing more than a ghost, it was true, but the smile hadn’t reached his eyes. Pinky was incapable of deception. Even without speaking, the intention had been clear. Pinky only wanted to comfort Brain.
That Pinky could learn to live a life of nonexistence. That somehow Pinky would adapt to no touch, no words, no rest in hell.
If only those blank eyes had been more accusatory. It would’ve been far easier to deal with.
Pinky shouldn’t adapt to this. He couldn’t.
But he might-
No. Brain had to try. He had to try and not fail.
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot.
The ground quaked beneath his feet, and Brain clung to the crimson ledge he rested on. He wouldn’t put it past hell to throw him to the bottom and negate all his efforts.
Still, he pressed on.
The sky was closer now. Several autumn leaves were blown along the wind.
Are you sure Pinky’s behind you?
Three spirals left. Almost there. They were almost there.  
Failure would come soon. He was sure of it.  
He didn’t know much time had passed in the world beyond. Was it November already? Was it time for the world to replace the witches and skulls with turkeys and wreaths?
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot.
The navy sky was filled with countless twinkling stars. Lights from a faraway airplane blinked steadily as it flew into the horizon. Ever closer, ever brighter.
“Do you see that, Pinky?” Brain whispered. For once, the stars gave him no existentialist dread. A feeling he dared describe as hope filled his chest and strengthened his limbs. All fears were banished to the recesses of his mind. He climbed with renewed purpose, not pausing for breath. “Just a little farther. We’re almost there. Stay behind me, Pinky. Just stay behind me.”
He’s not behind you.
“Yes, he is,” Brain retorted.
This was important. Pinky always came through in matters of importance.
Always is so absolute. You know those statements are usually false, right?
The ground rumbled, accompanied by a distant outraged roar, but Brain paid no heed to it. He ignored his doubts, he ignored the roars, he ignored everything but the starry expanse above and the rocks beneath his hand.  
Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot.
He could do this. One more ledge. One more handhold. One more foothold.  
The sky was so inviting, so beautiful…
Brain gripped the last ledge. He was filthy with dust and sweat, but he couldn’t care less. He was almost there.
Pinky was almost home. Pinky would be able to feel again.
And he would leave. But that was alright. Pinky wouldn’t suffer in hell on Brain’s account. That’s all that really mattered.
He hauled himself onto the last ledge…
…but he didn’t see the pitchfork’s hilt in time.
An agonizing pain shot through his body as he lost his grip and plummeted to the previous step. His back slammed against the hot stone. A searing pressure in the center of his forehead kept him pinned. He gasped for air, his dry throat throbbing.
An enormous crimson devil blotted out the night sky, and Brain’s fragile hope ripped away from his heart. The Devil’s eyes burned like lava as he glared hatefully at Brain, digging the pitchfork ever so slightly into his head.
It wouldn’t take much force to crush or melt his skull, whatever the Devil fancied.  
“I OFFERED YOU CHANCE AFTER CHANCE TO WALK AWAY WITH THE WORLD. BUT YOU STOLE WHAT RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO ME. YOUR PUNISHMENT SHALL BE DEATH.”
The silky, snake-oil voice was gone, replaced by the full power of a supernatural entity. What was a mortal, pathetic rodent compared to the Master of Hell himself?
He was going to die. He’d failed to save his friend. His only friend.
If his soul was trapped in hell forever…if he had to suffer for all eternity, he deserved it. For his selfishness. For his callousness. For his failure.  
“Please don’t hate me, Pinky…please don’t…” Brain choked out. He didn’t know where Pinky was. But if Pinky was watching, or listening, he could only ask that Pinky wouldn’t hate him.
He lay there, his determination gone, his lonely demise imminent.
“Narf! Zort! Poit! Troz!”
And the pressure vanished.
“Narf! Zort! Poit! Troz!”
A cacophony of Pinky’s favorite syllables sounded again and again and again. Though Pinky’s voice wasn’t among them, Brain still heard that oddly wonderful Cockney accent loud and clear.  
“NO! PINKY IS MY PROPERTY!”
The Devil roared as dozens of lesser demons swarmed him, the pitchfork swinging wildly at anyone who dared to oppose his reign. Something screamed at Brain to find cover before he was caught in the power struggle too, but his body refused to obey any rational thoughts.
Several demons ripped the enormous pitchfork away from their master, and the weapon crashed into a wall and spiraled into the depths below. Other demons screeched and clawed at every part of the Devil they could reach. The Devil swatted one pig-snouted demon slashing away at a shoulder, and he flew over Brain and tumbled down the stairs, grunts of pain echoing off the walls.
Immediately, his nearest allies howled in fury and attacked with more vigor than before. They chomped on cloven hooves, they fended off every swipe, and shouted warnings to their comrades before the Devil’s wrath could reach them.
No longer was self-preservation their only concern. They were a united force now, one the Devil himself had underestimated severely.
With one final shove, the Devil toppled over the edge. The ground rumbled at his furious roar, which quickly decreased in volume as he fell into the abyss.
Brain’s heart pounded, but the Devil didn’t resurface. A resounding cheer went up from the demons, then two of them rushed past Brain, presumably to check on their downed ally.  
The remaining demons watched Brain closely. He flinched under attention he didn’t want. He just wanted to leave this horrible place. Then he realized they weren’t exactly looking at him, but rather somewhere just above his head.
“Narf!” the demons shouted, hands raised to their foreheads in a salute.
There was only one explanation behind the sudden camaraderie.
Pinky.
Pinky had been helping him all this time. Somehow, he’d influenced selfish demons to unite against their cruel master and protect each other from serious injury. Somehow, he’d found a way to say narf despite his voiceless state.
Somehow, Pinky still wanted to save Brain, even after all he’d done.
“Thank you, Pinky,” Brain said softly.
He didn’t need to question Pinky’s presence any longer.
A cool, fresh breeze blew over Brain’s fur as he climbed the last step. The starry sky was clear once again. It was a nice view.
The demons stood aside to allow them safe passage. He kept an eye out for any hostility, but other than their natural weapons, there was none to be found. Whether it was out of respect for the trial he and Pinky had endured, or if they were just an unpredictable force and Pinky’s presence somehow warded them off, he didn’t know.
Brain stepped onto the cool asphalt of the DMV parking lot, and had this been a different circumstance entirely, he might’ve found it rather ironic that one would be glad to set their sights on a DMV. He shivered from the temperature difference, the chilly autumn air contrasting heavily from the sweltering inferno.
Pinky’s contract shimmered into existence , and Brain’s own agreement followed within seconds. Someone had stamped ‘VOID’ in red capital letters across the top page of both contracts, and fire blazed across the crimson ink and engulfed the papers entirely. The ash and smoke left behind were swiftly carried off by the night wind.
Just like that, their contracts were gone.
In his relief, Brain turned to face Pinky to properly share their victory.
IDIOT! If you turn around, Pinky will be claimed by the Devil. Your entire challenge would be for nothing!
And Brain’s foot stopped mid-turn.
The realization struck harshly.
He didn’t truly know if the Devil had a claim over Pinky’s soul. The lesser demons only bought them time to escape hell. Brain doubted they’d be able to hold their master back forever, even as a united front. But if the Devil came back, what then? Two lab mice couldn’t hope for a permanent victory against a powerful, malicious entity.
There was only one solution.
Brain could never look at Pinky again.
He didn’t trust himself to not slip up. Sooner or later, he’d forget that he couldn’t look. And Pinky would be gone again. Brain’s efforts would be in vain.
Hell wouldn’t be so accommodating the second time.
“Narf! Brain, I can say narf again!” a familiar voice exclaimed behind him.
Brain’s ears perked without any conscious input, but it was a minor loss of control in comparison to everything else he’d endured tonight.  
He heard the clatter of pebbles and a swish of fallen leaves alongside a gentle tap of dancing feet against the asphalt. Pinky could interact with the environment again. He could dance and speak and produce all the noises he wanted. It was a small consolation, at least. The contract never said anything about never being able to hear Pinky again.
“Brain?” Pinky asked again. “Are you alright?”
Brain forced himself to stare at a white line that marked a parking space instead.
Don’t look, he chanted. You mustn’t look.
A featherlight touch landed on his shoulder, a gentle warmth not quite touching his back, but just close enough for him to feel its presence.
Brain hastily pulled away. He hated this feeling of helplessness, of being unable to function without physical reassurance. But he couldn’t accept Pinky’s touch either. It would just lead to further loss of control over his emotions, and he’d forget that he couldn’t look.
Pinky would have to leave ACME Labs and Brain forever. He would probably find it difficult at first, but he’d adapt. That’s just what he did.
Brain’s entire body ached. He just wanted to wash away the fire and brimstone, tend to his injuries, and sleep. It didn’t matter what he wanted to do after that. Even if he ignored the contract’s terms and tried to conquer the world again, it would never be the same.
He set off for the lab. Pinky followed, as always.
Maybe it was a selfish risk to not send Pinky away at this very moment, but he was grateful that Pinky would accompany him for one last after-failure trek.
o-o-o-o-o
He’d completely forgotten about his very brief stint as emperor. The only reminder from that timeframe was Snowball, who’d exchanged his jester cap and bells for the royal crown as soon as Brain abandoned his post to rescue Pinky.
ACME was no longer a mighty castle, but just another underfunded lab. Nobody chanted his name, called for their problems to be solved, or held signs that proclaimed Brain as their ruler. His statue had long vanished.  
He didn’t want to see loyal subjects, enormous wealth, and undisputed power tonight. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever want them again.
Right now, he was just Brain, an exhausted, downtrodden lab mouse who would have to try to live without his only friend.
On the way back, Pinky had chattered about anything and everything, prattling on about cheese flavors, then about an inflatable reindeer someone had put up a month early, and finally to paint swatches so their section of the lab would be, according to him, ‘happy and go-lucky and livelier than a herd of hippopotamuses!’.  
Brain said nothing. He just let Pinky talk. This might be the last time he’d ever hear that silly voice again.
“Maybe we could get some feng shui going, just like on HGTV! Zort!” Pinky said, and Brain could just imagine him scratching his head in a vain attempt to get any thoughts going. “Wait, no…we should paint radish roses on the walls! And make them with our radish rose whatchamawhozits! Twice the garnishes for our dinner parties! What color swatch should they be though? Raspberry rose? Rosemary? Oh, we should get one with a funny name! What do you think, Brai-oh, hey Snowball! Haven’t seen you in a while.”
Snowball scowled, stalking over to Brain and casting a contemptuous glare at Pinky. The loss of the hamster’s usurped power was still fresh in his twisted mind.  
“My statue is gone thanks to whatever you did!” Snowball jabbed a finger into Brain’s chest. But Brain barely felt it. He didn’t feel anything towards Snowball at the moment. Not betrayal, not hatred, not even bittersweet nostalgia.
Brain only wanted rest.
“You should’ve stayed in hell,” Snowball growled. “He promised he’d keep you there.”
Brain placed his hand over Snowball’s finger, but he didn’t have the strength to push it away. The hamster raised an eyebrow at the lack of resistance.
“And he kept that promise, Snowball,” Brain said quietly. “Perhaps not in the way you expected, but he kept it.”  
Snowball scoffed. He wasn’t convinced in the slightest.
The laboratory doors were wide open. It was a small consolation that he wouldn’t have to go through the mail slot.
“But…our contracts went up in smoke, Brain. Literally.” Pinky’s voice quivered. “And we’re on the lab’s doorstep too.”
It was time to break the news. Maybe he shouldn’t prolong the goodbye, but Pinky needed time to clean himself and pack his belongings.
“I wish to speak with Pinky. Leave, Snowball.”
“Fine,” Snowball spat, shoving past Brain. “I’ll talk to that blasted devil myself. Even his lawyers will have a difficult time against an entire corporation’s legal team.”
Once he was gone, Brain gestured for Pinky to follow him inside. The interior no longer held a throne, red carpet, or a golden wheel. Just their cage, several counters, and standard laboratory equipment.
Pinky made a valiant effort to hold his tears back, though he couldn’t completely stop all the whimpers from escaping. “P-poit. Nothing good ever comes out of wanting to talk,” he chuckled weakly.
“No, I suppose not,” Brain said. He gripped the side of a bottom drawer to give his hands something to do. His hands were scraped raw from climbing, though he relished the sting. Stings were only a small pain. He could handle small pain. More importantly, he couldn’t turn around, not even to see Pinky off for a proper goodbye.
You have to leave now. Thank you for everything. Goodbye, Pinky, his mind supplied.
It wasn’t enough. Whether it was one word or a million, they would never properly express everything he never said. What was he supposed to say to Pinky, who gave his soul away for Brain and never asked for anything in return?  
“Brain, are you mad cause I didn’t help you?” Pinky asked. “Is that what this is about? Cause…I wanted to. I tried to push you up the steps, but I couldn’t feel you…and I tried shouting and cheering and yelling too! I…I don’t think you heard me. I’m sorry for being useless, Brain. You struggled so hard for me, and I was just useless!”
When Mr. Itch imposed his horrible terms, Pinky tried to cheer up Brain. Even when Brain had doubted, Pinky had been by his side. And he’d somehow inspired the demons to come to their aid.
That wasn’t useless. Not at all.    
Even if Pinky hadn’t done all those things, Brain wouldn’t have held it against him. His anger was directed entirely towards the Devil himself.  
“You’re not useless, Pinky,” Brain admitted. “I never should’ve implied it before this entire mess started. I’m sorry.”
There was silence for a while, only broken by the tap of Pinky’s feet on the tiles.
“Okay, I forgive you,” Pinky said. There were no strings attached. It always took Brain by surprise, how there were no additional requirements for Pinky’s forgiveness. “How come you won’t face me, Brain? I wanna see you.”
Brain took a deep breath. Best to get it out of the way. Get it done.
He couldn’t say done and over with. There was no over. He would never be the same without Pinky.
“I can’t see you, Pinky. I can’t look at you. Ever again. ” Brain pressed his head to the drawer, fighting the urge to turn around. “Don’t come any closer. You’ll just…it’ll make it harder on both of us.”
But Pinky’s footsteps drew closer. Of course they would.
“Make what harder?” Pinky echoed.
A warm hand fell on Brain’s shoulder, so different from blazing fire and cold wind, and something inside him broke.
“This goodbye, you idiot! He’ll come and he’ll take you again if I look at you! So leave at once for your own safety!” he yelled. His voice sounded foreign to his own ears, parched from thirst and raw from fumes.  
“Then what was the point?” Pinky’s hand tightened around Brain’s shoulder. “Why would you rescue me only so you could tell me to leave? Why would you come after me and get hurt so much? At least you’d have the world if I’d just stayed there!”
“I WOULDN’T HAVE THE WORLD IF YOU REMAINED IN HELL, PINKY!” Brain screamed back. “I WOULDN’T HAVE ANYTHING!”    
Not the one that truly mattered, anyway.
Pinky’s long tail drooped, ears falling back. Tears spilled out of his blue eyes.
And Brain’s anger melted away, replaced by all-consuming fear. His temper struck again, and he’d forgotten.
He’d turned around.
And he was looking straight at Pinky, right into the sorrowful expression he wore.  
“No,” Brain whispered, shaking his head as he put as much distance between himself and Pinky as he could. But his body wouldn’t cooperate. He only managed a few shaky steps backwards. The lab was always so big. Why did it feel so tiny now?
Pinky was close. Far too close.
He’d looked.
The Devil was coming.
Lurking in any shadow, ready to snatch Pinky.
“He’s coming, Pinky!” Brain cried. “You have to get out of here now!”
“Who’s coming?” Pinky asked, reaching for Brain again. “Brain, are you alright? Your ears are floppy.”
He wasn’t even trying to run.
“No, I can’t let him take you. Not again!” Brain quickly glanced around the room. Surely there had to be plenty of places for a mouse to hide!
But the drawers were far too obvious, desk items could be moved easily, and his mind wouldn’t work just like every plan he ever came up with didn’t work and his attempts to protect Pinky would end in failure and he failed even when he wasn’t after the world and he just wanted to do something good for once without failing miserably-
White filled his vision as he was pressed against a warm chest by a gentle arm. A strong heartbeat thumped against his ear. A hand gently slipped under his chin, tilting his head up until he was looking into reassuring, sky blue eyes.
Despite the tears, Pinky’s gaze promised only hope and light and companionship.
Then Pinky carefully touched the area Snowball had jabbed, the center of Brain’s forehead where the pitchfork almost crushed him, until his hand lingered on the cheek he’d elbowed during their fight on the podium.
Gentle. Kind. Worried.
And Brain cried. Pinky held him close, not complaining when Brain’s tears dampened his fur or when the leftover crimson dust smudged against him. Tears splashed against Brain’s head, and he wrapped his own arms around Pinky, just to let him know it was alright if he needed to release his tears too. He didn’t know if he was hugging too tightly or holding too loosely, nor did he know if his arms were in the correct position at all.
Brain stroked the fur along Pinky’s spine, hoping the gesture conveyed that he forgave Pinky for accidentally hurting him. He took Pinky’s tiny hum as a good sign.  
Pinky had been deprived of all sensation. This was comfort for him, just the reassurance of touching Brain. Of being close to him.
They stayed that way until nothing was left but exhaustion and damp fur along their cheeks. Brain’s legs buckled, unable to hold him up any longer.
Pinky caught him. “It’s okay, Brain. I’ll carry you,” he said, and his tone left no room for argument.
Never once did Brain feel like he was going to fall during Pinky’s climb up the counter. He only relished the close contact.
But he had to let go all too soon.
Pinky set Brain on the counter, then brought him a thimble of water from their bottle. The cool water flowed down his throat, bringing him much needed relief. He sipped slowly, giving Pinky time to dampen several fluffy towels in the sink.
“Pinky, aren’t you tired?” Brain asked as he exchanged the thimble for three small towels. One was damp, another held strawberry-scented soap, and the last one was dry.
But Pinky shook his head, yawning loudly as he skipped away to clean himself as well. He made lots of noise as he freshened up, just to let Brain know he was there.
And with his mouth wide open too. It was rather uncouth, and despite his exhaustion, Brain rolled his eyes at just how Pinky-like that action was.
Brain made sure to use all three towels the way Pinky intended, scrubbing out the dust with the damp towel, and to his surprise, it came out rather easily, then rubbed the strawberry scented soap and clean water into his fur, and finally dried himself off with the last towel.
As he patted down his fur to try and get it into some order, Pinky came back. The messy tuft on his head stuck out in every possible direction, and so did the rest of his fur.
“You’re a mess,” Brain sighed as Pinky picked him up and carried him back to the cage. Pinky laughed softly as Brain flattened a particularly egregious tuft on Pinky’s shoulder. The acrid fire and brimstone scent was gone, and now they smelled of fresh strawberries.  
They settled into their shared bed. Pinky set Brain down on his preferred side, then pulled away. Pinky frowned for the barest second, but it was quickly replaced by a gentle smile.
Yet he knew Pinky still needed physical contact.
And so did he.
“Pinky?” Brain whispered.
Pinky took that as an invitation to pull Brain into a secure hold. “Yes, Brain?”
“Don’t go…” Brain nuzzled into Pinky’s chest, into the odd yet comforting warmth he freely gave. One last stray tear slipped from his eye. “Please don’t go.”
Instead of replying with words, Pinky rested his jaw on top of Brain’s and hummed softly, the vibration soothing to his worried mind. His tail draped over Brain’s waist to anchor him.
“Just say narf, just say narf.
We’re alright, we’re okay, so let’s say narf.
You and I will have tomorrow nights again.
No matter what happens, I’m always your friend…”
The melody was soft, the rhythm reassuring. Brain closed his eyes and believed in Pinky’s familiar song.
They were together. Tomorrow night would come. He was sure of it.  
End AN: So...I’ll be real, some parts of these were really hard for me to write cause I feel so bad for torturing them like this. Give them love guys. They need it. 
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Thorin ~ Uncertain
Alphabet Challenge Masterlist (700 Followers)
Words: 1,818
Warnings: Gold sickness, mentions of battle, blood, wounds, skin changer reader
“I’m sorry, we're not going to make it.”
Your words echoed around Thorin’s mind as he paced over the golden floor.  It was bothering him, but he couldn’t remember why.  He felt it should’ve been clear, but instead it was making his head throb angrily.
He growled in the silence, the sounds of the battle lost in the wide expanse of room, why was he allowing the words from you to affect him so?
His chest ached then and he stopped, staring at his reflection on the floor, the crown looking heavy on his head.
You were a skin changer, what would you know?
You could turn into a wolf at will, how could you judge him?
You had given him everything on this quest, so why would you lie to him now?
Thorin swallowed thickly, your voice suddenly not the only one in his mind, and it was hurting, more and more, and he could feel tears starting, could feel them slowly rolling down his cheeks as he thought about what he’d done, as he thought about what was happening there now.
He wasn’t there for his people.
He wasn’t there for you.
The crown scattered to the floor as he threw it, drawing in deep breathes as it all became clearer, as he focused more than what he’d been able to since going against Smaug.
Noises from the battle came to him and he stared towards the gates, fear gripping him for a moment before he was running, having a feeling that he was running short on time.  He had to help, he had to find you.
He didn’t blame his company for being angry at him, he didn’t deny the words that were said, but as he asked where you had gone, their faces turning grim made his chest tighten more, his gaze moving to the wall, the fight suddenly seeming too loud for his ears.
The bell smashed through the wall without hesitation, they charged out all together without any fear of what was to come, of whether they could die out there today.  This was how it had to be.
Thorin fought through the orcs, fought amongst the elves and dwarves that were rallying around his call, but his mind did not settle until he gained sight of you.
Thick fur was covered in blood, a deep gash in your side, several arrows buried under your skin, but you were unperturbed as you leapt at a troll, teeth burying into its thick skin and throwing it to the ground, going quickly for the throat before it can fight its way back up.  Orcs fled around you, going for the smaller targets of the dwarves and elves, but once you were sure that the troll was dead, you wasted no time in bounding after them.
Their shrieks and hollers of fear were what drew Thorin’s gaze.
“Y/N!”  His voice sounded barely audible over the fighting, his glimpses of you fleeting, but he wanted to find you, he wanted you to know-
A small growl behind him made him whip around, finding you behind him, amber eyes meeting his for a brief moment before you leapt back into the fighting.  It had been brief, but it was enough.  Thorin continued the fight knowing you were still by his side.
The horn blow drew his attention and anger filled him.  Thorin knew that this battle wasn’t going to end until Azog was dead.
The war goat was the fastest way up and with Fili, Kili and Dwalin at his side, they made short work of the orcs that blocked the path.  At the top, a small force awaited them, but they found that quickly out their hands.
Orcs fled as you landed by Thorin’s side, a growl in your throat as you chased and took them down, making it look easy and you quickly back to the dwarves sides as the silence up here took over.
“Fili, Kili, scout ahead,” Thorin said quietly.  “Report anything back quickly, but no heroics.”
But a growl made Thorin look at you, quickly stepping in front of Fili and Kili, blocking their way, your ears up, listening.
Thorin has to trust you, he knew that your senses were far keener than his own, and he quickly told Fili and Kili to stay put.  All of you waited, your body tense as you listened for what was coming.
You were gone in a flick of your tail, Thorin barely having time to blink as you charged at the approaching orcs on the ice.  His heart jumped to his throat as he watched you momentarily slip on the ice, your footfalls a little uncertain, but it didn’t take you long to adjust.
He couldn’t but give a small smile; even here, even now, after everything that had happened, you were still adaptable, still protective, and he knew, should he survive this, he would have to thank you properly.
As you took down his orcs, Dwalin, Fili and Kili taking care of the straggler, Azog had no choice but to appear and now, Thorin felt more ready than he ever had before in battle.
Azog was going to die today. He was going to haunt the line of Durin no longer.
You kept the other orcs at bay, allowing Thorin to focus entirely on Azog, allowing him to keep the fight just as one on one.  Thorin knew that, even though you currently weren’t interfering, that you were watching, waiting, ready to go at a moment’s notice should Thorin need you, and this only made him more determined to finish the fight quickly.
He didn’t want you hurt more than you already were.
The eagles worked as a wondrous distraction against Azog, a howl cutting through the air as you called to Beorn who was shifting mid-air he fell into the second army that was approaching, and Thorin took full advantage of Azog not paying attention to him.
With a cry, Azog is pulled under the ice with his own weapon.
For a moment, Thorin thought that that would be it, that the fight would be over, but then he saw Azog floating, eyes still open as he drifted just below the ice.  Anger curled in his stomach and Thorin followed, almost not believing that something could survive something like this.
Azog’s eyes drift shut and Thorin thought that it was finally over.
Something hit him from the side, sending him flying across the ice as he heard the ice shatter where he’d just been, and it took him a moment to regather himself until his caught sight of a flash of fur, you standing in front of him, a low growl rumbling through your chest in answer the roar from Azog.
Thorin knew that you had just saved his life.
He quickly gripped his sword again and the two of you stood facing Azog, cautiously waiting for what was going to happen next.
You both knew that Thorin was his main target.
You both knew that he wouldn’t rest until Thorin was dead.
You both knew that Azog was tiring.
It was like the two of you had done this before, you slowly stalking around Azog, each step measured and calculated, your gaze not leaving him, even as Azog looked between you and Thorin.  Thorin himself stepped forward, sword at the ready, feeling surer of this than anything else he’d done in his life.
It was over quickly, your teeth sinking into Azog’s sword arm as Thorin’s blade sunk through his chest, and as you both watched the light fade from Azog’s eyes, you both let yourselves finally take a breath.
Stepping away, the fights around you starting to ease as orcs fled and were felled by the remaining forces, the two of you stood in silence for a long moment.
You let yourself shift back to your human form, groaning a little as your wounds shifted and you tugged an arrow free from your shoulder, Thorin watching you out of the corner of his eye, unsure of what to say.
“Good to see you back on your feet.”  Your voice was as uncertain as he felt and Thorin let out a slow breath.
“Good to see you stayed on yours,” He said, facing you properly.  “And thank you.”
The grin you gave him was amused, but it was clear you were still being a little cautious, having no knowledge of if he’d truly overcome his sickness.  “Glad you actually said it for once.  I was getting tired of saving your life for free.”
Thorin chuckled and he watched your shoulders ease more.  “What was the wording you used?  I’m a bloody stubborn bastard of a dwarf?”
You snorted.  “Something like that.”
Silence fell between the two of you again and you watched the eagle’s aid the battle below, glad to see that it was all almost over, that now you could all start to rebuild.
“You could stay you know,” Thorin said quietly, not looking at you.  “If you wanted to.  There would be a home for you here.”
You sighed.  “Thorin…”
“I know I said some harsh things,” He continued.  “I know that I was more than stubborn about…about how I felt, but I want to make that up to you, if I can.”  He looked at you, finding you watching him, a frown creasing your brow.  “I want us to make it.”
Your smile was smaller this time, still clear of your uncertainty in this.  “Let’s get ourselves healed up first, then we can talk. I can’t promise you anything Thorin, I hope you know that.”
Thorin nods.  “I know your heart is in the wilds,” He takes a step closer and takes your hand between his.  “But I also know that a part of it is here, otherwise you would not have been so honest with me.”
You stared at your hands for a long moment, before resting your free one on top of his.  “I know you are still a stubborn dwarf, maybe less so a bastard now, but still stubborn.”  You smile at his chuckle.  “But I also know, Thorin Oakenshield, that something between us would be fraught with challenges, and that it would be no easy task to walk that path, just as it was not easy getting this far.  Once things have settled, once we can both think clearly and not in the heat of just having a victory, then we shall talk properly, if that suits you and it’s not just me being an over cautious wolf?”
He chuckles at this and nods, allowing his hands to drop and the two of you to stand side by side again. “It does Y/N.  I am glad that we just made it this far.”
Nodding, you cast him a longfull look that he does not see.  “So am I, Thorin, so am I.”
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loveafterthefact · 4 years
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Love After the Fact Chapter 10: Time to Sharpen Up
Chances of survival are dwindling into single digits... because Lance is lousy with a sword.
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“Come on now, Lance. You’re better than this.” Alfor frowns, following his son's uncertain footwork.
“I’m really not.” The droid pulls on its whip, Lance’s broadsword tangled in the glowing cord. The Altean is panting, skin glistening.
Alfor presses his thumbs into his eyelids, though whether with disappointment or embarrassment, Lance can never tell.
He’s not a good warrior. Not with a sword.
Keith just watches, tail flicking back and forth, ears following Lance’s movements. Shiro stands on his right, visibly unimpressed, but trying to be polite.
Lance sighs. He’s just not very good at this. The droid charges, too fast. Lance has been distracted by his audience, hasn’t seen the advance. It’s a genuine mistake, this time.
“Lance!” Alfor yells, drawing his own weapon to protect his son while Coran tries to end the training sequence. The training sequence can’t end during an attack.
Too fast. Alfor won’t get there in time.
Lance throws a hand up, a flash of blinding blue light flaring from his palm.
Light threads through every crack and crevice in the charging droid, saturating its wires, melting, warping, disintegrating in the blinding light. It crumbles into nothing a mere spot from his outstretched palm.
He collapses to his knees. Too much. Too fast.
“Invalid technique. Victory forfeited,” rings out from the walls. Keith gapes, eyes wide. What a terrifying thing to be able to do to something. Lance could do that to him.
“End training sequence.” Alfor crouches beside him. “Son, are you alright?” Lance meets his father’s worried gaze with weary eyes. Alfor softens. Lance’s eyes find the floor.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get there.” Alfor gently helps him up. “If nothing else, you have plenty of untapped potential. And I know you’re capable.” The king looks his son over, anxiously checking for injuries. Lance nods, staring at the training room floor. “Look at me.”
Lance looks.
“I know you have it in you, son.” Alfor cards a gentle hand through Lance's hair. Lance nods, more for his father’s benefit than anything else.
He doesn’t feel much at all. The things Lance wishes he were good at are the things everyone knows he’s bad at and the things he’s actually good at, no one knows at all. It’s mostly intentional, but in this case, it’s reality. With his father, his spouse, and his spouse’s brother watching, it bites.
Everyone else disperses to return to whatever they were doing, leaving just himself and Keith. The Galra comes over, tail flicking like a pendulum. “I know you said you were lousy with a sword, but...”
“But quiznak am I lousy, huh?” Keith nods, sheepish. “We should go hunting soon. I can finally try out that bow Zarkon gave me for my birthday. You can see my actual skills then.”
“Sounds good.” Keith’s ears are wilted today. Lance knows why.
“We have a few vargas before it’s time to say goodbye.” Lance puts a hand on Keith’s arm. “Is there anything you’d like to do?”
“I think… I think I’d just like to go and… sit in the loft in our quarters, if that’s alright. I know we have work to do, but-”
“Go on. If anyone asks, I’ll say you’re helping the Captain get his affairs are in order and that you’re both working to ensure your safety after he’s gone. Commander Iverson is certain to be bitter about it, since he’s technically in charge of your safety, but I consider that a bonus, personally.” Lance grins, and Keith manages a small smile, despite both his aching hearts.
Lance only has one. How he gets enough oxygen with only one heart is beyond Keith’s capacity to understand. Perhaps that's why he's so bad with a sword.
Up in the loft, Keith finds himself looking out at the grounds. He can’t see beyond the castle walls. He’s never seen beyond the castle walls, not even when he got here. He’s never met the commonwealth, never seen any wilderness. If this past movement is any indication, the Alteans are perfectly content to restrict him to the castle walls and never give him the opportunity to leave. Keith is still staring out the window of the tower loft, half-extended claw dragging down the fine glass, when there’s a knock at the door. He turns away from the purpling sky to find Adam.
“Prince Yorak, Crown Prince Lancel has sent me to escort you to the launch.”
Keith sighs, nods, leaps down from the landing, not bothering with the ladder. “Will I ever be permitted to go somewhere alone?”
Adam sighs, holding the door open for him. Keith trusts this Altean more than the others, though still not much. “Likely not. You are not held in fond regard.”
“So we are still pretending this is for my benefit.”
“No. You are also under constant surveillance. One of the guards posted outside your door is a Listener, one who uses alchemy to enhance their hearing. You’ll be pleased to know that their only report thus far was that you have not yet consummated your union to Crown Prince Lancel. King Alfor is not pleased.”
Keith stops in his tracks. “My body is the only possession I have left.”
Adam turns to him, pushing up his glasses, ever-present datapad cradled in his arm the way one might cradle a baby to their hip. He looks… sad, but trying for indifferent. “That’s where you’re wrong, Prince Yorak. You swore fealty to your King. Everything that you are belongs to Altea, including your body. You have been contracted out to the Crown. That being said, I have instructed the Listener to wait a phoeb, then claim you have mated with the Crown Prince.” Keith frowns, trying to understand.
Adam smiles, lips curling. “Your reality is that you are a living possession. But reality can be manipulated with relative ease. I can make your perceived reality far, far different from what it is. I can make you charming, demure, innocent, beautiful, powerful, awe-inspiring, terrifying, loathsome, dangerous- whatever Crown Prince Lancel wants. That is what you are.”
Keith stares at the green-scaled Altean, eyes wide. The ruff of fur down his back rises with a sudden chill. “You- I’m beginning to think you are the most dangerous thing on Altea.”
“You may very well be correct. Shall we?” Adam turns, leading them down yet another hall.
“My brother sure knows how to pick ‘em,” Keith mutters, more to himself than anybody else.
Adam trips. “Excuse me?”
“Oh. You couldn’t tell?” Keith cocks his head. Adam blinks, hazel eyes wide. He shakes his head. “My brother is embarrassingly smitten with you. It’s really funny, actually.” Keith smiles. “It’s... nice, I guess. At home, he’s always so imposing. He’s imposing a lot here, too. It’s nice to see some other side of him working its way into the open. He normally saved that for when we were in our den, away from everyone else... I think he likes it here.”
“Everyone likes it here. Everyone except you, it seems.” Everyone else gets to go home. Adam turns before backing his way through the doors to the launch pad. “Though, as far as the commonwealth is concerned, you miss your homeland, but our beloved Crown Prince is the only thing you need to be happy.”
Adam grins as he holds the door open. Shiro tugs Keith out into the open before he can step past, pulling him into an all-encompassing embrace. Keith doesn’t even try to resist.
“I’m really gonna miss you,” Keith whispers, a slight whimper in his voice as he throws his arms around his brother.
“Aw, I’ll miss you too.” Shiro gives him a squeeze, eliciting a gentle purr from the young prince. “It won’t be so bad. Lance is a good man. He’ll be good to you.”
“He has been thus far.” Keith doesn’t enjoy the admission, but there it is. Not everything is terrible. “Even if he’s a terrible warrior.”
“True. He is. But he seems to like you well enough. And this place... I know you haven’t seen much of it yet, but it is beautiful here.”
“I know. And it’s nice. But it’s not home.”
Shiro smiles, one of his large hands rubbing the spots behind the younger Galra’s ears. “I’m proud of you for doing this. For not putting up fuss or fight. Sometimes, that’s the hardest thing you can do.”
“I know. I have no regrets. No matter what might happen.” Shiro steps back then, regarding him with that cool gaze. A soldier’s gaze. The captain nods, lays a fist over his breast. Keith returns the gesture. He’s a soldier. Not a pampered prince. A soldier.
Lance watches the farewell, not saying a word. He knows all of this already. His spouse is a warrior, not a lord or a prince. Lance needs to do better to support that lifestyle. Keith can’t be happy sitting around reading all day. In the meantime, he walks over and places his hand on the small of Keith’s back, trying to be supportive.
He wants Keith to know he's here for him.
Lance is surprised when the Galra’s ear turns toward him and his tail curls around his ankle. It’s the furthest Keith has chosen to acknowledge Lance’s presence in view of other people without it being for show. Adam has fallen to gossiping about how cripplingly shy the new prince is to save face.
Speaking of which... Shiro steps up to the Altean, leans down, whispers something in his ear. Adam’s face turns bright red, scales glittering brilliant green as the Galra draws back, grinning from ear to ear. Lance hears a snort as Keith tries not to laugh. He smiles. “I’m going to invite him back as soon as possible. Watching these two flirt is the most fun I’ve had in my life.”
“It’s hilarious,” Keith agrees, whispering in Lance’s ear.
“Reminds me of watching my fathers flirt, to be honest. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen Alfor undignified.” Lance grins. “I’ll tell you about it sometime, if you want.”
“I- I’d like that, actually.” Keith smiles an uncertain smile, willing but not hopeful.
The spouses stand side-by-side as the ship carrying Shiro departs for Daibazaal. A soft keen in Keith’s throat informs Lance the warrior prince wishes he could be on that ship too.
“It will be alright, Keith. You’ll see him again. I promise.”
18 notes · View notes
siebenschoen · 4 years
Text
a summer’s day
fandom: ikemen sengoku
pairing: yukimura x mc/mai
warning: toothrotting fluff, some kissing and not much else. no spoilers.
the title is in fact a shakespear reference and there’s another small one in text, but, really, it’s not important
summary:
Waking up with her in his arms is the sweetest pleasure Yukimura has ever known. If only he could keep his mouth shut.
She is a calming weight in his arms, her hair tangled around his fingers and her hands drawn close to her chest. She looks so impossibly peaceful, when she sleeps, in a way she never really does, when she is awake. After all she is filled to the brim with energy. This is just the quiet before the storm, Yukimura thinks, pulling her closer and chuckling lightly, when he can feel the way she presses her face against his chest. The fact that she is doing it unconsciously is doing weirdly wonderful things to his heart.
He lets himself roll on his back, pulling her with him. It’s warm in their room and she is warm against him, but he doesn’t mind. There’s something to be said about how fitting she feels, how it’s almost like this is how they are meant to be - curled up against each other.
Yukimura is sure that greater men than he have tried to put this feeling into words and he’s also sure that he will never come close to what they achieved - words are not his strongest suit after all. But maybe, maybe, he thinks, he could go to Yoshimoto and ask him for love poems. She would appreciate that, of that he is sure, in the same way she appreciates everything that’s beautiful. With a dreamy smile on her lips and so much joy in her eyes, that he thinks it might overspill some day. Shingen would find out though, if he goes to Yoshimoto. And his lord would most certainly do his very best to make it as embarrassing and mortifying for Yukimura as possible.
Mai shifts against him. It would be worth it though, he thinks, before her eyelids begin to flutter. The combined heat of their bodies and the summer that’s waiting outside of their doors, slowly pulling her from her dreams. She yawns and somehow he can’t help but think that it’s adorable. Something about her just makes everything she does so goddamn endearing. Love, he thinks, it’s because I love her. Her eyes open and she smiles up at him, warm and soft, and his heart feels like it’s melting. He knows that he is blushing, since his cheeks are beginning to feel even hotter and her smile is growing. So, he leans down and kisses her, because he’s not sure if he’ll be able to do, let alone say, anything at all, if she keeps on looking at him like that. She’s just too beautiful.
Her lips are soft against his. And her warmth is comforting in a way no other could be during this summer heat. She shifts her weight, so that she lies on top and she crawls up a little so that she can kiss him better. Yukimura’s hands settle on her waist. The feeling familiar, but still exciting, ready to draw her closer, closer, as his tongue darts out to trace her bottom lip.
She pulls away, her face coming into focus, as his eyes slowly open. She’s hovering over him, her hair framing her face, mere inches away and he finds himself caught in a horrible trap - because if he kisses her, he can’t look at her, but if he looks at her, he can’t kiss her- Mai presses a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth and murmurs a “Good morning” against his lips. He finds that he is smiling. “Good morning, boar woman”
She sighs and rolls off him. “Way to kill the mood, Yuki.” He leans up on his elbows. “What?” But she just throws him an exasperated glance over her shoulder, while she gets up to get dressed. “Being compared to a boar is not exactly charming, you know.” She moves around the room collecting the kimono she picked out for the day. It’s a beautiful piece, decorated with an intercrate design of flowers - he always liked her in red. Mai stops to look at him. “Can’t you compare me to”, she shrugs, “I don’t know, a summer’s day?”
“A summer’s day?”, he repeats confused. By the the way the corner of her mouth jumps, he can tell that there is a joke somewhere in there, but he doesn’t press. Instead he sits up, awkwardly scratching his head. “I guess it’s just that that’s what I’ve always called you…” He trails off.
Mai sits down next to him. She has changed from her sleeping kimono into her undershifts and her hair is pinned up in a messy bun, to have it out of the way while she gets changed. The sight still makes him blush, but it no longer makes him feel as embarrassed as it use to. After all he now knows that she likes his blush - she has admitted it in whispers to him more than once -, because it makes her feel beautiful and how could he ever be ashamed of that? “That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good.” Her words pull him out of his thoughts and it takes him a few seconds before he realises what it is they are talking about.
“But it suits you,” he replies and winces, when she gives him the look - her lips pressed together, one eyebrow raised. “You’re really not helping yourself here” “I don’t mean it in a bad way, dummy”, he quickly says, his nervousness making him add the affectionate insult more out of habit than anything else. He knows that she knows that. At least one less thing to worry about. “Than care to explain to me how exactly I’m supposed to feel flattered? Because the last time I checked boars were these huge, dangerous beasts-”
“And you’re the most dangerous person I know”, he blurts it out, before he can stop himself. “What?” Yukimura can feel the blush on his cheeks deepen. “I mean”, he knows he can’t stop now, no matter how much he would like to. Being around her, being affectionate with her as gotten easier for him, but it’s still hard to admit certain things. He has a hard time putting his thoughts into words and more often than not they come out differently than he intended them to. He hopes that this too will change someday, because she deserves to hear all those things. And so he takes a deep breath, looking her straight in the eye so that she knows that he is serious. Because this is important. She is important.
“You’re the most dangerous person I know, because you’re so beautiful that it does all these weird things to my heart, when I so much as look at you. And I love you so much that sometimes I think I might die.” Now it is her time to blush and he relishes in the red on her cheeks, it feels like a victory. “I don’t think you know what you truly do to me.” He pulls her close to him and the way she whispers “I know, you do the same to me” against his jaw, makes him feel bold.
He presses a kiss to the crown of her head. “But that’s not the only reason you’re like a boar. You’re wild like one, too. And free. And it makes me love you even more.” A kiss to her forehead. “And you’re strong and resilient. Everything you set your mind on, you see through.” Two kisses on both her cheeks, he can feel her giggling against him. “And you can get angry like one as well.” A kiss on the tip of her nose.
She looks up at him then with her cheeks bright red and it makes his heart flutter like her lashes. “You like it when I’m angry?”, she laughs. Yukimura can’t help but pout. It’s a bit unfair, he thinks, that she is so beautiful even when she’s teasing. “Well, not when you’re angry with me…”, he trails off and looks away before he catches himself again, “But you get angry, because you know when something is wrong and you’re determined to make it right. And I guess, I just really admire that.”
She has gone quiet in his lap and he suddenly becomes acutely aware of that fact. His cheeks are starting to feel hot again and he quickly looks away. “Nevermind, just ignore all that…” “No”, her hands are reaching out for him and she’s cupping his cheeks, turning his face back towards her. “I’m not going to ignore it, because I feel the same way, Yukimura. I really do admire you. And I love you.”
He’s a blushing mess between her palms and the Gods don’t seem to have any mercy for him, because now she’s leaning forward and kissing him and- it’s a lot. She’s a lot. In a wonderful, breathtaking way. All his senses are floated with her and he feels like a drowning man. Only that he really doesn’t need air, if he can have her instead. And his mind is busy processing her, while his body is busy feeling her, so it takes him a while to realise that this would be an excellent moment to draw her closer-
She pulls away and before he truly knows what’s happening, she’s back on her feet, her kimono in hand. “Hey!”, he manages to press out, but even to his own ears it’s a weak protest. “Later, Yuki, I’ve got work to do.” His cheeks are burning. Half embarrassed, half hopeful - because later definitely sounded like a promise, a promise he won’t let her forget. And she’s laughing, but funnily enough he finds himself laughing back.
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gukptune · 5 years
Text
— i never asked (m.)
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Pairing: jimin x reader
Genre: highschool!au, volleyballplayer!jimin, friends to lovers to enemies, angsty smut
Warnings: explicit language, mentions of abuse, abusive behaviour, semi-dom jimin, brief explicit sex, jimin’s dirty mouth and prying hands.
Summary: you watch everyday when park jimin leaves the gym with bruises and cuts on his face...he tells you it’s just practice, things get rough, you didn’t believe that a simple practice could result in broken bones. so you do whatever it takes to know the truth.
Words: 4k~
Note: eeek!! as you read you will understand why i wrote things the way i did! hope you enjoyed this fun little experiment into angst and domestic shit!!!
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There he is again, struggling to carry his backpack and gym bag stumbling out of the gym with fresh new bandages. The ivory white bandages wrapped around both his wrists tightly, your eyes barely managing to catch the thicker bloodied one hidden underneath his black knee pads.
You knew he usually takes them off, but today he kept them on to hide what happened in the gym. You always knew it was sketchy, you’ve seen it nearly every day for the last year.
You may have been nosy for always watching the boy’s volleyball team leave the gym after their practice but you wanted to see if what the students mumbled about were true. If those rumours were true you were bound to do something about it.
You also had an excuse to be here, you were the school paper’s photographer. Whenever you’d lack any kind of event or drama to keep record of you’d be wandering around inside the gym for the beginning of practice. Of course during this time the coach wouldn’t be showing any kind of suspicious activity, the boys only running laps and stretching. 
Until you left, you could hear the whistle rip through your ear drums signalling that the real practice was about to begin. You could hear it, the thunderous claps of the ball against the waxed hardwood floor and against the poor team’s skin.
You’ve been trying for so long to stay through the entire practice but the coach would always make an excuse for you to leave, something along the lines of ‘the boys practice hard, the ball might hurt you’. It was ridiculous, even parents weren’t allowed to watch.
You were bound to get something on that cruel man, Coach Kim. He treated the students like peasants. The boy’s were his soldiers, being thrown around in the court for his own ego—when they’d win, Coach Kim would get praised. All the glory would go to him, because he’d ‘coached them to victory’.
It was sad that faculty and parents couldn’t see past the ex-champion himself to see their students and kids suffer. But of course, they didn’t see that shit that man did at games. The team would win, always. Breathing heavy sighs of relief as if they had managed to slip out of trouble.
Rumours were if they’d lost their punishment could result in broken bones.
The parents and faculty didn’t see the fresh marks left on them as they left their practice. You heard that they’d blame themselves, saying it was their fault to their parents who blindly take it trusting in the vile Coach.
What could a Gold Olympic Medalist do wrong, right?
Everything.
He’d pray on the weak to better his ego, his pride, to look like he was the pacifist taking in students in need. Reality would reveal the exact opposite.
Biting your tongue, you take the leans cap off your camera, setting your camera to snap a picture of the team’s libero, Park Jimin. 
Through the mirror display of your camera you couldn’t help but feel guilty. Feeling guilty for using him as evidence, he didn’t deserve to be in this position, none of them did but to you he was different than all of them.
So different.
Watching as he walks himself towards the main building, he leaves the school entirely. You still sat on the halfly wet bench, soaked from the rain shower earlier today. Feeling your shoulders drop with failure, another day, another wound yet nothing has changed.
You’d hope that one day, with enough evidence of the student’s wounds you could convince them all that it would be better to destroy that man’s life. You needed to start with him, with Jimin.
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The morning came with another sprinkle of rain. Umbrella’s curtaining the sky when you come out of the train station in front of school. Students dressed in hoodies instead of blazers due to the colder air, no teacher would hassle shivering kids.
You put your wet outdoors shoes into the shoe locker, pulling out your slippers to halt at the sight of the brunette Class President. Known as well as the volleyball team’s Captain, Libero and the head of the student council. He was also your boss.
“Good Morning,” Jimin smiled, his ever so enthusiastic and intoxicating personality immediately drawing many’s attention. He was looking at you though, was he directing the greeting towards you.
Slippers in hand, you blinked mindlessly at him. Realising after a few seconds of staring that he was waiting for a response from you.
Dropping your slippers to the ground, trying your best to replicate his smile in return, “Morning to you too.”
Jimin’s smile somehow got bigger, “You look great today, by the way.”
He turns towards his own shoe locker, proceeding to change out of his outdoors shoes. Your breath hitched with his compliment, a hand brushing over the crown of your head at the braid you spend your entire morning on. Heat rushing to your cheeks, someone had given you a compliment already, and it was Park Jimin who did that.
You didn’t know how to respond to that, murmuring a quick thank you to him. Your slippers slipped onto your light pink socks and a book bag in hand, you didn’t know if it would be polite to just leave entirely. He was also in the way you were heading.
With himself ready for class, he turns to you with a surprised expression. He must’ve not expected to you still be here. His eyes drop to the camera hanging over your neck, proceeding to look around.
“Want to walk to class together?” Jimin suggests, already turning his body to leave.
Well, you weren’t about to say no to your class president, as awkward as this was you opted to not pay attention to other prying eyes. You politely nod, allowing him to take the lead.
In silence, you two walked towards your homeroom, which you shared. The halls were mostly quiet with low chatter. Students were rather respectful in this sense.
Jimin’s eyes again, peaking from the side, eyeing your camera, “You take your job very seriously, I commend you for that.”
He was definitely referring to how you always had your camera on you. It was always either around your neck, in your hands or at least near you. Always ready to capture every moment. If only he knew what the true purpose of always having it out was.
“Thanks,” You replied, “But I mostly seem to because I enjoy it.”
Not completely a lie, nor it was completely the truth.
Jimin chuckles, “If only everyone in student council would enjoy their job like you. You should’ve stayed within the main body, we would at least get things done that way.”
You knew what he meant, exactly what he meant. Your closest friend was the student council’s treasurer, therefore she deals with how the funds are spent. Most of the time spent in the student council room is spent arguing amongst themselves and getting nothing done. As President, Jimin is seen as a delightful prince, never seen to do any wrong in the eyes of everyone yet somehow during meetings he couldn’t get anyone to agree on their discussions. Of course you didn’t know what goes on there, you were only apart of the branched student council. Leading the school paper, which was more of a school article.
Only having a few members due to the demands and little rewards of the club. No matter, at least you knew anyone who joined cared enough about writing, photography and journalism.
“Well you guys did manage to get the donations up for charity, right?” You said, “Being able to organise a full friendly volleyball match with your rival and even winning.”
Jimin huffs, tightening up his tie, “Right. It wasn’t difficult by any means, Coach showed up at the game and donations rolled in by the parents.”
He seemed trouble by this. You felt selfish, bringing up Volleyball in hopes that he would somehow slip and tell the truth. With that you recalled the wounds he had yesterday, of which they were all covered up by his uniform. The limp didn’t go unnoticed by you though.
“But you still won, it was all you.”
“Coach lead us through the game, as always,” He strains, biting his lip.
Even outside the court, the team members had to ride the coach’s dick at all times. It made you fume.
Jimin shakes his head, giving you a tight smile as you reached the entrance to homeroom, “Nevermind that, you’ve been taking pictures during practice right?”
You nod, wondering where he was aiming.
“Would you mind if I look through them...with you?” Jimin asks, his charm playing well to get him what he wants, “If that’s okay with you.”
“Sure.”
It was easy to say yes to him. His tight smile breaks, finally giving you the same expression he gave you this morning. Allowing your shoulders to slack off the nerves and unease for trust, in him. He thanks you, walking into homeroom without you.
You wonder if he wanted to see how he looked in those pictures, Park Jimin was not that narcissistic to care for how he looks in lame school papers.
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Transferring all the data from your SD card was probably the most boring part of your job, you just sit and wait. Of course with the help of your fingers tapping away at your phone to cure the boredom at least a little.
Your laptop already overheating from the bare minimum, fantastic.
Sighing, you drop your phone against the desk centre of the studio. In your school paper studio, which most just refer to as the studio, the tables were set in a rather meeting like configuration for teamwork purposes. Allowing all the members to work around eachother and have easy conversation, also being centre of the room meant it was easy to have presentations of future projects when the board is right in front of you.
Being the head of the school paper meant you sat at the head of the table obviously, but everyone had left by now. Only you and your computer warming the room at this point.
A few knocks breaks you out of your trance, turning around you lay eyes on Jimin, leaning against the frame of the door. In his hands the keycard used by student council members to get into the studio and other rooms. Only the important figures had it, of course Jimin would have one too.
“Still working hard I see.” His pushes off the frame, shutting the door behind him with a click.
You couldn’t help but chuckle, you weren’t actually doing anything at all, “Sitting around is totally working hard.”
Jimin’s face seems to tell you that he appreciates the little bander you had, instead of the nervous awkward back and forth you had every now and then. You were only able to be so bold due to the fact that you two were alone, very alone.
He settles himself in, pulling a chair next to you instead of sitting in one of the unoccupied ones around the table in formation. He sat himself very close to you, maybe even uncomfortably close. He was leaning in to your laptop with a mission.
“You really want to see those pictures, huh?”
“I’m just curious.”
You ignored the others pictures loading, if you remembered correctly he wanted to see the photos from the most previous practice. Opening up your files you entered the code to access it before clicking to open all the photos.
“Do you want it up on the projector or—”
“It’s fine like this,” He rushes.
Alright then, you kept going. Enlarging the pictures to fit the screen, his curiosity seemed to grow. He was breathing down your neck at this point. From the corner of your eyes you could see how he looked extremely determined.
That was when you clicked past so many pictures to land on one that seemed to peak his interest, Jimin loses as sense of manner, swiping your hand out of the way. You were forced back on your seat, watching him zoom in on the photo, his shoulders tensed up right away.
“What is it?”
Jimin stutters, clicking randomly before he speaks up, “Could you delete this?”
“What, why?”
“Just delete it.”
You didn’t understand why, trying to get a look at the photo that had suddenly made him so defensive. Yet, he wasn’t allowing you to, his fingers diligently trying to delete it himself.
“Fuck! Why can’t I delete this.” It seemed like he was mumbling to himself, nearly everything on your laptop was passworded and backed up anyways. You didn’t worry about loosing the picture but more worried of what’s making him this way.
“Jimin—let me see.”
You push him out of the way finally to lay your eyes on the photo he’d been so keen on keeping to himself. Your chest clenches, staring at the photo. Jimin seemed to have noticed your change as well, he begins to breathe heavily and look back and forth between you and the image.
“Is this what it looks like?”
“Of course not! It’s not—it’s—” “It looks like the coach is threatening your teammate Jimin.” That was exactly portrayed in the photo, the extremely zoomed in photograph. The coach with his hand around a poor boy’s collar, choking him whilst his other hand held a volleyball threatening pushing it up against his face. The coach’s face was red, strained, veins popping out of his neck. It was undeniable, this was evidence. You wouldn’t never noticed this yourself. 
What worried you most was the fact that Jimin, did all of this to try to get the picture removed. He knew what the coach did, he lets the coach get away with it, burying the truth as well. 
“He’s not, y/n, don’t make things up!” He bursts out of his chair, giving you quite the fright.
You didn’t understand why he was so angry at you, you weren’t the ones abusing his teammates, “What else does this look like to you!”
“Nothing, it looks like nothing, just fucking delete it.”
“No.”
His face twists, as if he’s just been betrayed. His eyes drape down from this standing form towards you, a fist in hand, sending shivers down you back. Was he going to hurt you? Class President Park Jimin, golden boy, sweetheart truly can be terrifying.
“Just delete it, y/n. It makes things easier.”
“Easier? What easier? The fact that you, the team captain that should have your teammates backs let the coach get away with shit like this—”
“It’s not that—”
“He hurts you too, you think I don’t see it. I have pictures—”
“Fuck!” He runs his hand through his perfectly gelled hair, rustling it apart, allowing himself to look undone and frustrated. He bends over, gripping the desk allowing his white knuckles to blister red, “Why do you have to pester.”
“It’s my job.”
Jimin spits out a mocking chuckle, “Your job? I’m technically your boss, y/n, so shouldn’t you do what I say, as a good little employee?”
Little, he’s speaking as if he was looking down at you. Like you were insignificant, you were, to him. Only today did he finally notice you, to gain something. You were dumb enough to think, you were worth him.
“So do you job, do what I tell you, and delete everything—” His hand brushing away the hair that had fallen down off your braid behind your shoulder, his fingers tickling at the skin of your cheek. The hand that slides down your face, rolling into your neck with a tight grip, you nearly choke from the pressure, “Okay, pretty girl?”
Yours eyes sting with tears, gripping onto his wrist with your own hands trying to pry him off, “Jimin—stop you’re hurting me.”
His eyes were tinted red, without any expression he only watches you suffocate. Only when your eyes shut and you cried out did he snap out of it, dropping you onto the ground.
“Why don’t you just do as you’re told!”
“I care more for what’s right than my job, Jimin!”
Sobbing you pat the floor, seeing your own tears littering the marble floor. Jimin on the other hand, stares at his hand with blood shot eyes realising what he had nearly done.
“Y/n, shit, I’m so sorry,” He pleads, dropping on his knees. You flinch away from him, his eyes widening with fear.
“Why—why did you do that,” You weeped, “Just for a photo, I can’t—who are you.”
It finally sank in, all the shit that had built up inside Jimin finally comes out, yet he releases his frustrations on the wrong person, you.
You begin to stand from your fallen position, legs shaking you held onto the table for balance. You were able to hold yourself up from this point, ignoring the boy beside you, you just wanted to go home now.
Grabbing your bag off the floor, Jimin finally sees what you’re trying to do. 
“Y/n, please don’t leave.” Jimin tries again. His voice calm and soothing. You didn’t want to look at him, knowing that if you did it was over and he’d have won.
You can feel warmth lingering by your wrist, his palm flat against it encasing your wrist in his hand, “Hey, I’m sorry, I don’t know what got into me.”
His breath fans over the shell of your ears, he was right behind you, lingering. He rubs his thumb into your wrist, hoping it will calm you, sooth you of course. He’s good at that.
He pushes himself against your back, nudging his head into the crook of your neck, “Y/n—I never fucking asked for this.”
The hair he’d pushed away previously allowing him to pepper kisses up your neck to your jaw. Freezing up, you didn’t know how to react to such affection from him.
“Please—just delete those pictures and we’ll be fine.”
You whip yourself to face him, his hand falling off your wrist during it. He looks down at you with the that expression again, pity, disdain, showing the slightest impatience.
“That’s all you want, isn’t it.”
“It is.”
You bite your tongue, wanting to lash out at him but knowing it wouldn’t do anything at all. Especially now that you were still on the fence on whether you could trust him.
You sigh, closing your laptop, “I’m just—I’m going to leave.”
Of course he was faster than you. He knew that you weren’t so easy to verbally convince, “I locked the door, y/n.”
“I have a key too.”
Jimin was quick to change that, trapping you in using his body. He pushes himself against you, his crotch right up against your bottom, he fishes for the key card before you could take it.
Ripping it from the belt loop of your skirt, he tosses it behind him, “You don’t have one anymore.”
Feeling confused, he was manhandling you again. It was so easy to him. Yet, the feeling of his strangely prominent bulge up against yourself, you didn’t want to move.
His hand flat against your shoulder, he runs it down your back towards the hem of your shirt. Following the curve of your body when he stops at something he likes, way too much.
“They’ve said stuff, that you have a crush on me,” Jimin mutters, “Is that true?”
You swallow hard, you were unsure what he was trying to get out of you again, but you nod anyways.
“Good,” Jimin grunts, “Can I convince you to delete those pictures then?”
It was better than him exploding again, “Convince me how.”
“I could kiss you, finger you? Eat you out or—” He sucks on the sensitive part of your neck, “I could also fuck you?”
You twitch, unknowingly bucking your hips back into him. Hissing to yourself, how could you just do that.
“So you’re keen, fuck, I would be lying if I said I didn’t want this either.” He pushes the hem of your skirt up, revealing the shorts you wore underneath, he could still get a good look of your bottom and lining of your thong, “If you want this, you tell me, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”
You think over it, was this right. He was going fuck you to get you to delete those pictures. How was he okay with this—
“Y/n, I don’t have all day, pretty girl.”
“Okay.”
“Okay...”
“We have a deal, I’ll delete the pictures if you—”
“Kiss you? Finger you, eat you out or fuck you?” He teases.
“All of that.”
He lets out a staggered breath, “Fuck, alright. We have a deal.”
The evening proceeds to drift into a blur. Lips against one another in such heat and rush, it felt like flame ablaze. He didn’t hold back, nor did you. Stripped clothes thrown amidst the studio without a care, lips attached on lip, sucking and nipping.
Hands gripping onto each other’s skin enough to bruise. More flesh and more skin against one another allowing heat to brew between you. He didn’t even bother with the skirt, keeping it on as he fucked himself into you like an animal starved, the crinkling fabric shielding both of your eyes from the motions.
His eyes were burning elsewhere, burning into yours like he doesn’t want the moment to end. His hand holding your hip against his to feel as his ridges and thrusts. The other caressing your neck, crooking it upwards as if he wanted you to only look into his eyes as you became undone.
His hand were unresting, palming your ass cheek as if he wanted to rip the thing off. As he rolls into you with his cock, he guides your body with his hands to meet his pace. It was a lot, too much for a little room to hold the sounds.
He sucks at your skin like it was his, holds you like he doesn’t want you to go and looks at you like a love he can’t have. 
It didn’t slip past you, the way he only took his pants half off, completely covering his knee. His shirt was unbutton by your doing, his packed stomach bruised at the sides. Whenever you’d slip your hands underneath his shirt to feel him, he’d moan, only in certain spots did he whimper in pain not pleasure.
He was closed off. Only mumbling out dirty things for himself, calling you pet names under his breath, ‘pretty girl’, ‘good girl’.  
He wasn’t quiet by any means, after he was unable to hold himself back anymore.
The bandages on his wrist rolled up when he held onto your cheeks when he came, staring into your eyes as he fucks the cum out of you for your own release. He didn’t notice them himself, he was so drunk on pleasure. His growing hair brushing against your forehead when he sucks your lips into his before it ends with peppered kisses and sweet nothings.
He puts himself together without a word, leaving you slouched over the desk watching him. He was catching his breath yet he seemed in a hurry. He wouldn’t dare to look at you, trying your best to put back together the nearly torn apart uniform from Jimin’s doing. The rising sense of shame, how would you ever look into the studio the same way again.
His tossed backpack over his shoulder, he glances at you once before he leaves the room. His shoulders tensed, he didn’t even bother waiting for you, or even waiting for a response. He only a few words he muttered, reminding you that all he did was for gain, those words that made you feel worse than you already did.
“Don’t forget, y/n, please.”
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