(ongoing) Turbulence of the Heart (Caleb x reader) You’re a first-year junior at Aerospace Academy with a dark secret and a darker past. Your father is the leader of Ever. You were test subject #001. And one day, Caleb found out.
(one shot) Playing With His Aftermath (lads x reader) Lads playing with their cum after taking you. Features all lads LI
(one shot) Be a Good Girl For Him (lads x reader) You’re being such a good girl for him, doing everything he tells you to do. Features all lads LI
Synopsis: (Lads x Reader) You’re being such a good girl for the lads, doing everything he tells you to do. ;)
Featuring: Xavier, Rafayel, Zayne, Sylus and Caleb
Warning: 18+ MDNI, you all get 'good girls' smut, dominant lads, submission you, sex in front of a mirror, touching yourself in front of him, eating fruit off your body, masturbation, delayed gratification. smut with plot. Small spoiler from Sylus' Magnum Opus memory.
WC: 900 words per LI
“I’m coming home tonight, and I miss you. For being away for so long, I’ll do anything you want me to. Command me, colonel Caleb ;)“
- The last message you sent before heading home after a one-month long mission.
You dropped your luggage to the floor with a heavy thud, your muscles sore and your mind fogged with exhaustion—and something deeper. Need. You couldn't stop thinking about him the entire mission. Every quiet moment, every time you pretend you were fine, your thoughts and skin were craving for Caleb.
And now… you were finally home after being away for a month. And there he was, standing at the doorway, waiting for his one and only to come home.
“Caleb,” you whisper, barely loud enough.
“Come here.” These simple two words were enough for you to pounce over to embrace him, his strong and muscular arms wrapping you in warmth, but also, arms that command authority.
“Welcome home. You did so well, pips” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your lips. “You’re home now. You don’t have to be strong anymore. I’ll take care of everything.” He continues to place kisses to your lips, each one more passionate than the last. You slowly step back from the force of his kiss until you’re against the door. He then takes both of your hands and pins them above your head, his leg between yours, your clit slightly rubbing against his strong thigh.
Moments later, when you both are breathless, he picks you up and takes you to the bathroom, your breasts hovering just under his chin, you can hear his disheveled breaths whenever they rub against his collarbone. When you get to the bathroom, and understand his intentions, you both stand quietly in front of each other as he undresses you.
He watches you silently. Reverently.
Standing before him naked, he steps closer and runs his fingers down the side of your neck. “You’re so beautiful. Step into the bathtub, let me wash you.” And you obey.
In the bathroom, steam was already curling in the air. His hands steady, slow, running warm water over your scalp, massaging shampoo through your hair like a ritual. He leans in close, lips brushing your ear. “You’ve been so tense. I want every part of you soft and wet for me. Be good for me tonight ok?”
You whimper under your breath as he rinses the suds away, planting slow, hot kisses down your neck, shoulders, then to your back, his fingers gliding down with aching precision, sending shivers down your spine, and heat radiating down your pussy.
After he’s done, he dries you off and returns to your bedroom, he hands you the familiar set of black lingerie—the one he once confessed he'd stolen for a moment of weakness, just to bury his face in the scent of you.
Your cheeks burn, but her body buzzed with heat.
“You know how much this drives me insane,” he said, voice dark and low. “Put it on. Slowly.” You give a little teasing grin, you’re enjoying this as much as he was. He always does everything to make you happy and to feel safe. Tonight, you want to be as good for him as you can.
So you do. Your skin tingles as the fabric slides over your thighs, and your chest. When you look up, he was already on the bed, lying back with his arms behind his head, watching you like a man waiting for his favorite sin. “Come here,” he says, “Climb on top of me and show me how much you missed me.”
You crawled over him, settling your weight above his legs, just under the bulge in his pants. The lingerie did nothing to hide how wet you already were. In fact, your wet pussy is already soaking the thin silk fabric, leaving a wet mark, which Caleb can see clearly. Caleb stiffens, hands clenched, like he’s resisting the urge to ravage your body at that very moment.
“Touch yourself baby, make yourself feel good. Right here. I want to feel the way your body reacts when I’m close.”
Your hand grabs one of your breasts, while the other drags along your chest, down your belly button, and down to your wet pussy. You gasp at the contact, circling your fingers under the sheer fabric, eyes fluttering shut.
“Keep going,” he growled. “Don’t stop until I tell you. Can you put a finger inside, baby.” And you obediently obey.
Your breath turns ragged, and your body tightening. You were getting close—too close, and it hasn’t even been that long. It’s been a month since you’ve had any stimulation. Your body feels so good, especially when Caleb is watching you doing bad things to yourself.
“Caleb—can I—?”
He sat up suddenly, lips brushing your ear. “No, baby. Not yet. You wait until I say. Hold it in for me.”
His hands then slip beneath yours, lifting you off his lap, and in the next breath he lays your back against the mattress, spreading your legs slowly, like he was savoring this moment.
He kissed the inside of one, then the other.
Then his mouth was on your pussy, your soaked, wet pussy..
You whimper and cry out, legs trembling as his tongue circles your clit, slow and relentless.
“You taste like you missed me,” he murmured between strokes. “Like you were made for this.”
Your hands fist the sheets, every muscle on fire, your body feels like it’s burning.
“Now,” he growled at her. “Let me feel it. Cum for me, sweet girl.”
You shattered at that moment—moaning his name, your body curling around the waves of pleasure that wreck you to the core.
He didn’t stop until you were gasping and twitching, then pulled back only to press soft kisses to the slick skin he’d left glistening.
When your breathing finally calmed, he leans up, brushes the hair from your face, and whispers, “I’m not finished with you yet.”
Perfect.
He flipped you gently onto your belly, slipping a pillow beneath your hips. His body came over yours, heavy and solid, skin against skin. Protective. Possessive. His large cock exposed and rests on your ass cheeks, his pre-cum mixing with your wetness. Was his cock always this big?
Then—slowly, deeply—he pushed into your tight pussy.
You gasped, body arching back into him.
“Just like that,” he whispered, holding himself over you, every inch of his strong body covering your back. “You take me so well. You’re my good girl, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” you breathe. “Yes—Caleb, I—”
“You can cum whenever you want,” he murmured, rocking into you, each stroke perfectly angled to press against your most sensitive spot. “Just let go.”
And when he reached around to rub tight circles against your clit, your body gave out again—shaking, crying out his name as he whispered praise into her skin.
“Good girl. That’s my perfect girl. Your body so sensitive for me”
You come undone over and over until he follows you with a deep, growling moan, hips pressing tight as he spills inside her, his body shielding you from the world.
And for a long while, he didn’t move. He just holds you there, as his cock begins to harden inside you once more.
“You’re back! I’m on my way. Your kittens miss you, can’t wait for you to tell us both what you want tonight. ;) “
- The last message you sent before heading to the N109 zone on your motorcycle.
You found him in the armory.
Sylus sat at the edge of his workbench, sleeves rolled up, forearms glinting with sweat and metal dust. He was focused—too focused. The gun in his hand gleamed under the low light, his thumb brushing the barrel like it was something sacred.
God, you missed him.
Three weeks. Three weeks of radio silence. Three weeks of wondering if he was still breathing, still whole. And now he was here—so close. You could smell the gun oil on his fingers and the faint trace of citrus on his clothes.
“Lil S,” you said softly.
His head turned. His eyes—sharp, amber, knowing—met yours. He smirks, the one that only you can see. His queen has arrived.
It took him half a second before he stood and crossed the space between you two, cupping your face with his calloused grip. He didn’t kiss you. Not yet. He just looked.
“You came,” he murmured, like he didn’t quite believe it.
“I’d go anywhere for you,” you whispered back. “And today… I’ll do anything you want. Tell me, what do you want?” You loop your finger under his collar, pulling him closer to you.
Something shifted in his expression—heat, hunger, possession. That was all it took.
He kissed you then, rough and slow, like he needed to relearn the curves of your lips.. When he pulled away, you were already breathless.
“Follow me,” he said, voice low and raspy, sending shivers from the top of your neck to your hot lips between your legs.
He leads you to the kitchen—a surprisingly clean, modern space for the chaotic outpost that was N109.
“I’ve got… fresh fruit,” he says, moving toward the cooler with the kind of confidence that made your knees weak. “My fruit business has been thriving,” he chuckles, “thought we could try it together.”
You didn’t even have time to answer. Sylus was already behind you, hands sliding beneath your shirt, pulling it over your head. His touch was deliberate, reverent. He undresses you in silence—worshipping the curves of your body, like each layer peeled back brought him closer to you.
Once you are naked, he lifts you effortlessly and lays you across the long, dark wood of the dining table, easing the heat permeating off your body. Your skin shivers through you.
“Stay there,” he said, brushing my cheek with his thumb. “Be a good girl for me, kitten. Don’t move.” He then vanishes into the kitchen.
When he returns, he holds a silver platter piled high—slices of peach, strawberries, dark-skinned grapes, and soft cubes of melon. He sets it beside you and takes a slow, deliberate breath.
Then he looked at me like I wasn’t real.
“Magnus Opus,” he whispered, gaze tracing every inch of my bare skin. “Whoever created you, must’ve loved you dearly.”
He places the fruit on you—soft pieces on your collarbones, slices down the center of your stomach, grapes nestled in the dip between your thighs. The coolness makes you tremble. His eyes never leave yours.
He starts at your shoulder, dragging the tip of his tongue across you to the peach slice resting above your chest. He ate slowly—like he was tasting more than just fruit. When he reaches your stomach, he pauses.
“You taste better than all of it,” he said. “And I haven’t even gotten to dessert.”
You gasp as he feeds you a grape, his fingers brushing your lips, then move lower, eating fruit from your thighs with a groan so deep it lights a fire in your spine.
Once all the fruit is gone, he licks your body, cleaning it from its syrup, the taste of you making his cock harder against his pants.
He hooks his arms beneath your legs, pulling them forward, off the table. Your body arches instinctively towards him, desperate, burning, needing.
“You’re not leaving this table,” he murmured, lining himself up against me. “Not until I’ve had every single reaction you’ve been saving for me.”
He releases his cock and strips in front of you, your pussy wet from his touch now flowing onto the dining table. You can’t help but stare at his naked perfect body, the one that takes you in one smooth, devastating motion.
Your head fell back with a cry, the stretch of him inside you is everything you’d been craving for since the day he left. One of his hands finds your breast, it was like his hands were perfectly fitted for it. His fingers teasing and firm, while the other slid between you both to press tight, slow circles against your now swollen clit.
“Look at me,” he said, voice rough. “I want to see you cum for me.”
You met his eyes, and that was all it took.
Pleasure hits you in waves, white-hot and endless. You clench around him, helpless to stop the tremors that shook your entire body. He keeps moving, relentless, holding you through each peak with soft groans and filthy praise.
“Good girl. That’s it,” he whispered. “Just like that. You were made to take me, kitten. Your pussy perfectly wraps around me.”
Another orgasm crashes through you. And another. You had lost count of how many times you’ve shattered.
And when he finally groans your name and spills his thick cum inside you, his body collapses over yours like a shield—strong, shaking, spent.
For a while, neither of you move.
His breath was hot against your neck, his hands still cradling you.
“I thought we were like flowers. We were meant to grow together in the same soil,” he whispered. “Yet you were quietly moved to another garden in a foreign land… then we met again. And here we are. What a wondrous fate.”
As his breath steadies, you feel his heat warm your body, and as his cock hardens once again, you know that no matter how dangerous the N109 zone is, this is the safest place you can ever imagine.
“I’m back Dr. Zayne, can’t wait to come home to, and maybe… you can give me a thorough inspection”.
The last message you sent before you ride your motorcycle home after a week-long mission in the no hunt zone.
Zayne looks up at you with slightly exhausted eyes when you open his office door. He scans over you like he’s reading your pulse from across the room.
“Close the door,” he says, voice low. “Let me see you.”
You step inside, feeling the weight of his gaze as you set your bag down. His lab coat shifts when he moves toward you, and you catch the faint smell of his cologne—something warm, jasmine, and unmistakably him.
You walk across the room, around his desk, until you stand in front of him, still in his seat. “Stand still.” His fingers brush along your jaw, down your throat, slow enough to make your skin heat. He’s inspecting you under the guise of a doctor, but you know better. His touch lingers where it doesn’t need to—over your shoulders, down your arms, across your waist.
“No bruising… yet,” he murmurs, his thumb skimming the curve of your hipbone. “Take off your jacket.”
You obey, heart thudding, peeling it off so you’re just in your shirt and pants. He steps closer, his hand sliding beneath the hem of your shirt, palm pressing against your stomach.
“Mm. Still in one piece,” he says, lips brushing your temple. Then his mouth moves lower—cheek, jaw, neck—each kiss slower than the last until his teeth graze your collarbone.
“Missed you,” you whisper.
He chuckles under his breath. “Missed my good girl too.”
Before you can respond, he turns you and sweeps the paperwork off his desk with one decisive motion. “Up,” he orders.
You hop onto the desk, and his hands immediately settle on your thighs, thumbs pushing them apart. He kisses you—hungry, claiming—before trailing down your throat, over your chest. Your shirt is gone before you even realize he’s unbuttoned it.
He leans in, warm breath fanning over your bra. “You don’t know what I’ve been thinking about while you were gone,” he says, voice deep, almost dangerous. “And I’m not waiting another second to have you.”
He pulls your bra down, tongue circling one nipple before sucking, his other hand already working at your pants. The drag of his fingers over your bare skin makes you shiver.
Then he’s pushing you back until you’re lying on the desk, your legs spread wide. His cock—hard and heavy through his pants—presses against your clit as he grinds into you. The friction is maddening, and you tilt your hips up to meet him.
“Look at you,” he murmurs, tugging your hair just enough to arch your back. “Already wet for me.”
He slides in with one slow, deliberate thrust, filling you until you gasp. “That’s it… take me all the way.” His pace starts steady, each push rubbing against that spot inside you that makes your toes curl. God, he feels so good with his cock deep inside your wet pussy.
His hands find your wrists, pinning your arms to your sides so you can’t move, can’t even reach for him. “You’re mine right now. Feel every inch I give you.”
You bite your lip, moaning as his hips meet yours again and again. He leans close to your ear. “Tell me how much you missed this.”
“More than anything,” you pant.
“That’s my girl.” He keeps you pinned while his thrusts grow sharper, making your breath catch. The desk creaks under you, and you hear the faint clink of his water glass tipping over.
Water spills across the surface, dripping onto your skin, making you gasp at the cool contrast. His eyes darken. “Don’t move.”
In one fluid motion, he flips you onto your stomach, water slicking your chest against the desk. His hands grip your hips as he drives back into you from behind, the sound of skin meeting skin echoing in the room.
The pace is relentless now, his hips slamming into you until your knees shake. “Good girl,” he grits out, one hand reaching forward to toy with your clit while the other keeps you in place.
You’re moaning shamelessly, every thrust winding you tighter until the pleasure bursts. You cum hard, your thighs trembling, but he doesn’t stop.
“That’s one,” he says, voice low and satisfied. “We’re not done.”
Another wave hits before you can catch your breath, and then another. The wet sound between you grows louder until you feel it—pressure building so fast you cry out. He works you through it, coaxing, “Let go for me, baby.”
Your body obeys, and you squirt against him, the warm flood dripping down your thighs. His groan is deep, primal. “That’s it… fuck, I love making you do that, such a good girl for me.”
He pounds into you until his own release rips through him, his cock pulsing as he fills you. He stays there for a moment, both of you panting, his body draped over yours in a protective weight.
Then he pulls out slowly, his cum slick between your thighs, and leans down to kiss your shoulder. “Welcome home,” he murmurs, his lips curling into a smirk.
You think it’s over until you feel him hardening again against you. His hand slides between your legs, spreading you open once more. “We need to make up for lost time.”
“You’re back from your mission tonight right? I bought a new outfit. I can’t wait to show you, Lumiere ;) “
- The last message you sent before waiting for him to come home.
You hear the door click open just after sunset.
Xavier was finally home.
Three weeks out on a mission—no calls, no updates, just the whisper of his name on every report you weren’t allowed to see. And now, boots heavy on the wood floors, he was walking toward the bedroom.
You were already waiting—sprawled across the bed in nothing but sheer white lingerie, lace hugging your hips, satin ribbons loosely tied. Like a gift ready to be unraveled. The soft light cast warm shadows across the room, but his silhouette still made your breath catch when he appeared in the doorway.
He froze.
His eyes darkened the second they landed on you.
“You’re early,” he murmured, voice scratchy from travel.
“I missed you,” you said, sliding a hand down my own thigh. “Thought I’d give you a proper welcome home.”
He drops his luggage without a word. Takes two steps closer, his gaze sharpened, eyes dragging over every inch of your exposed skin.
“What’s the catch?” he asked.
“No catch.” you sat up slowly, letting the fabric shift over your body, the thin straps falling off one shoulder. The silk barely hiding the curve of your body, the plumpness of your breasts and your soaked pussy “I’m yours. Do whatever you want to me.”
His jaw clenched. Something primal flickered in his expression.
“Lay back for me,” he said. “And touch yourself. Let me watch you first.”
You smile and obey. Spreading your legs just enough, you let your fingers trail down, teasing yourself through the soaked fabric. His stare never wavering as he watches you feeling yourself up.
“Pull it to the side,” he ordered. “I want to see exactly what’s mine.”
When you did, he stepped forward, kneeling on the edge of the bed, his hand brushing yours away.
“Now,” he said, voice dark and hungry, “grab the headboard.”
you grip the mahogany headboard bars above you, the coolness grounding your heated body. He leans in, slow, his breath teasing your thighs—then his lips kisses your knee, up your thighs until it finds the wet slit of your body.
You gasp, legs tensing as his tongue circled, licked, devoured. His fingers found you fast—two pushing inside, deep, curling just right. But then another—pressing lower, slipping gently into your ass which made me cry out.
“Don’t let go of the headboard,” he said against my skin. “Or else I won’t let you cum.”
You held it tight. Your body writhed, trembling with every stroke of his tongue and thrust of his fingers. The tension snapped once—then again—wave after wave tearing through you until I was breathless, shaking. You were feeling absolute pleasure that you couldn’t think straight. The only thing you can focus on is his tongue and the way he makes you feel.
He dragged every last tremble from your body until you were limp beneath him, moaning his name like a plea.
Then he rose.
“Turn around,” he commanded.
You rolled onto my stomach, still clutching the headboard. You heard the rustle of clothes, and his soft groan as he strokes himself behind you.
Then you felt him—sliding between the curves of my ass, his cock hot and hard, gliding along soaked skin.
You whimpered.
“Please,” I begged, pressing back against him. “I want you inside me.”
But he only groaned, grinding harder, dragging himself between your thighs without slipping in. “Not yet,” he muttered. “Be a good girl, wait a little longer.”
You could feel it—how ready you were. Your thighs trembled. The sheets beneath you were damp with need.
Still, he denied you. Over and over, edging and grinding against your slickness, making you whimper, begging, pleading for him to take you.
And finally—finally—he gave in.
He pushed inside in one hard, perfect stroke.
You shatter instantly, crying out as he fills you up, the tension finally breaking. His hands grabs your hips, dragging you back against him as he fucks you hard, deep, relentless.
Then came the first slap on your ass
Sharp. Hot. Your breath caught.
Another. Your skin burned, but you moaned for more.
Again. Again. His rhythm didn’t falter as he spanked you, each strike a reminder that you were his to play with, his to wreck.
“You feel that?” he growled, low in your ear. “How perfect you are?”
You could only nod, mouth open, moaning, nearly incoherent.
“You’re my good girl,” he whispers, voice thick as he buries himself deeper. “So perfect when you’re like this.”
And when he came—groaning, trembling, clutching you to him like you were all that kept him tethered—it felt like the world had narrowed to just this room. Just this bed. Just the two of you.
“Rafy, if you can finish the stuff Thomas asked you to by tonight, I’ll do anything you tell me to do ;) Anything. You. Want.”
- The last message you sent Rafayel before you started to make your way to Mo Art Studio.
The room smelled like linseed oil, the ocean, and him—Rafayel's scent, warm and gentle, but seductive to your senses, clinging to the air like an invitation. The massive windows let in the kind of golden sunset that made everything feel surreal.
And there he was. Bent over his easel, brush in hand, adding the final strokes to the piece he’d been obsessing over for weeks. Shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest, sleeves rolled up. Completely focused. Totally in control, and you can’t wait for him to control you once he’s done.
“Still not finished?” you teased, arms crossed as you lean against the doorway.
He didn’t look away, but you saw the corner of his mouth twitch. “I will be,cutie” he said, “if you stop distracting me.”
You walk up behind him, resting your hands on his shoulders, lips near his ear. “I can’t wait for you to be finished,” I murmured. ”I’ve been thinking about you all day”. Your hands are now wandering down his shoulders, to the small of his back, wrapping around just above the belt loop of his pants. Rafayel’s breaths are slightly disheveled. The more you push him, the wetter you become.
And that was all the motivation he needed.
Because twenty minutes later, his final signature sweeps across the bottom right corner of the canvas.
He turns to you, eyes burning, longing, jaw clenched with restraint. “Come,” he said simply.
He led me through the loft, past dried brushes and scattered sketchbooks, to the deep marble bathtub in the corner of the bathroom—a space just as indulgent and aesthetic as everything he touches.
The tub was already filling up with steaming water, scented with gentle lavender pedals. He leans over the edge, checking the temperature. Then he looks at you, sitting on the ledge of the tub, his eyes a little darker than before.
“Cutie, tease me baby, undress for me.” he says, voice quiet but thick with authority. “Slowly. Let me see you.”
You do as he says. One piece at a time, his eyes tracking every movement—like he was painting you in his mind. Once you were bare, he points to the edge of the tub. “Sit here.”
The marble was cool against your skin, but that didn’t last long. Rafayel steps into the water, sinks down to his knees between your legs, and looks up at you like you were the masterpiece.
Then his hands grips your thighs, slowly spreading them apart. Your soaked pussy glistens in front of him, before his mouth starts to trace the slit. Up and down, flicking his tongue across your clit with gentle precision.
You gasp, hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer, deeper. You want him. He moans against you, his cock hard under the steamy water. His tongue works with slow, devastating control. You couldn’t think. Could barely breathe from the pleasure that he’s giving you. There was only him—his mouth, his fingers brushing against your inner thighs, sending shockwaves across your entire body. His tongue is like a delicate paintbrush, each stroke with purpose and desire. He inserts two long fingers inside your pussy, curling them upwards, and that was all it took to tip you over the edge. You cum from the indescribable pleasure.
But he wasn’t finished.
“Turn around,” he whispers against your skin.
You obey, bracing yourself against the edge of the tub, water lapping against your calves, your juices flowing down your legs. He stands behind you, pressing his body flush against yours, and in one smooth motion, shoves his hard cock inside you, angled upwards so that the tip of his cock hits your most pleasurable spot.
The mirror in front of you casts the full view of him taking you—his eyes locked onto yours through the glass, his hips snapping forward, the tension in his jaw as he watches himself sink deeper and deeper inside you. Watching you getting pleasured by his thick throbbing cock.
“You see that, cutie?” he murmured, breathing hot against your ear. “You’re perfect. Look at how you take me. Look at how good I make you feel”.
Your body trembles. You couldn’t peer your eyes away from the reflection—his hand gently tugs your hair, forcing you to arch up, giving him a good view of your tits bouncing up and down, the other hand gripping your hip, driving into you like he needs to claim every last piece of you. And god, you wanted him to.
After he ensures that you’ve cum multiple times, he finally releases with a low groan, his body folding over yours, lips pressing to the back of your shoulder blades.
But even that wasn’t enough.
He pulls you out from the tub, water still dripping from your skin. His cock—already hardening again—slapped against his thigh. He sits down on the velvet chair near the vanity, legs spread, still catching his breath.
“Come here,” he said, voice rough. “Ride me. I want to watch you fuck me this time.”
You climb onto him, your back to his chest, sinking down with a shuddering gasp. Your pussy perfectly molds around his cock. His hands grip your waist, guiding you as you move, rolling your hips against his. And you were both facing the mirror now.
“Such a good girl,” he whispers, lifting both of your legs with a possessive grip, letting the both of you see the way your bodies intertwine. “So deep inside you… You love it, don’t you?”
“Yes—Rafayel, yes—”
“You’re my goddess,” he breathed into your neck.
“I’m your good girl,” you moan, rocking harder against him, chasing the high he’s built with every thrust, every whispered praise.
And when you came again—crying out, nails digging into his thighs—he follows, holding you tight, groaning your name into your shoulder.
In the mirror, there was chaos and control. Light and shadow. Paint and canvas. And you were both ready to do it again.
Want more? Read "Playing With His Aftermath": Lads playing with their cum after taking you
a/n: I feel like I’m spiraling, I should figure out how I’m going to wrap up this rabbit hole I’ve gotten myself into.
Synopsis: Slow burn. a/u. You’re a first-year junior at Aerospace Academy with a dark secret and a darker past. Your father is the leader of Ever. You were test subject #001. And one day, Caleb found out
WC: 1.3K
Warning: no warning this chapter, just cute and angsty.
<< Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 >> (coming soon)
Prelude: The body wash you used smelled different from Gideon’s but it was a familiar scent. It didn’t take long for you to realize who it belonged to. Great, you’re trying to forget about him, but now your entire body smells like him. You groan to yourself, followed by another sigh.
His face was closer now. Closer than it should’ve been. You could feel his breath. His hands were still holding the jacket around you, but it felt like he was holding you up from your exhaustion. His lips hovered just above yours. One more inch. One more centimeter. One more breath…
His eyes flicked down to your lips, soft and unsure - until the shout of laughter behind you cracked the moment wide open. You both jumped slightly. A group of cadets burst through the back exit of the party hall, running through the downpour, shrieking about how soaked they were. The lights from inside spilled out behind them, casting long shadows across the rain-slicked path.
Gideon leaned back with a groan, slightly annoyed at the interruption, the tips of his ears pink. He chuckles under your breath, with a tinge of embarrassment, Gideon runs his hand at the back of his hand. You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. You weren’t even sure if you were disappointed or relieved. Maybe both. Who was Gideon to you? You try to cut through the awkwardness by changing the topic, pretending the conversation you just had didn’t happen. Gideon was drunk anyway, you thought to yourself.
“They’re going to slip if they keep running like,” you said quietly, mostly to fill the air between the both of you.
“Let them,” he muttered with a crooked grin.
The rain kept coming, heavy and relentless, soaking through your clothes and chilling your skin. You glanced at Gideon again - his balance was a little uneven now, and the alcohol in his system seems to be catching up to him. Without a second though, you looped your arm through his.
“Come on,” You said. “Let’s get you back before you pass out in the street.”
You should’ve known better.
The walk back to his dorm was quiet, except for the sound of your shoes tapping with every step. Gideon keeps looking at you like he wanted to say something but kept deciding not to. By the time you reached his building, you were shivering, rain dripping from your hair and sleeves. Gideon fumbled with his keycard, missed the slot twice before finally getting it right.
He should’ve known better. How could he let you walk him back? It should’ve been the other way around. He was internally criticizing himself.
“Y-you should stay.” He said suddenly, the door closing behind you with a soft click. “You’re soaked, and it’s late. I don’t want you walking back alone.”
You hesitated. “Gideon…”
“I won’t be weird,” he added quickly, holding up both hands like he was surrendering. “I promise. You can crash here. Caleb’s probably going to stay with MC tonight so he’s not coming back. I’ll take his bed, you can use mine.”
His expression was earnest, cheeks red, and something about the way he looked at you - hopeful, not pushing, puppy dog eyes - made it hard to say no. In fact, he was being a little adorable. It made you chuckle.
“... Okay” you said softly. “But only because I don’t want to catch a cold. We can grab breakfast tomorrow, ok?”
That made Gideon happy, a little too happy. You didn’t mean to lead him on, you’ll set him straight tomorrow.
“Oh, speaking of catching a cold, you should take a shower before you head to bed. And not to be dramatic, but I don’t want to be responsible for that.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Oh, not dramatic at all.”
Clumsily walking to his drawer and rummaging through it, he pulls out a faded oversized black t-shirt with the Academy’s logo barely clinging to the fabric. “Here, you can wear this. I think it’ll fit like… a very modest ball gown.”
You snorted, took the shirt from him, and headed into the bathroom.
The water was warm, and it helped melt away the chill from your skin. Although your heart was still uncomfortable knowing Caleb had a girlfriend, you were happy to have Gideon by your side. It was better than being alone. Gideon was always someone you could rely on, someone you trusted and someone that supported you. You never thought of him as anything more than a friend. But could he be more?
The body wash you used smelled different from Gideon’s but it was a familiar scent. It didn’t take long for you to realize who it belonged to. Great, you’re trying to forget about him, but now your entire body smells like him. You groan to yourself, followed by another sigh.
You dried off and slipped into his t-shirt. It was big - falling halfway down your thighs and swallowing your arms a little - but it smelled like laundry detergent and something warm underneath that you couldn’t quite place. Gideon, probably. It helped mask the scent of Caleb.
When you stepped out, the lights were off except for a small desk lamp left on in the corner. Gideon was already asleep, one arm flung across Caleb’s bed, the other tucked under his head. His damp hair was still messy from the rain, his face relaxed and unguarded in a way you rarely got to see. You stood there just watching him. Even though the room was dim and quiet and smelled faintly of rain and something sweet - you didn’t feel alone.
You pulled a blanket over him. He was worried that you would catch a cold, yet he fell asleep damp and wet. You feel a little guilty for that. You’ll treat him to breakfast tomorrow.
Quietly, you padded over to the other side of the room, laid on Gideon’s bed, pulled the blanket over yourself and lay down facing him.
You whispered into the dark, just loud enough for yourself.
“Thank you for not letting me be alone tonight.”
Gideon didn’t stir. But somehow, you secretly hoped he heard you anyway.
You blinked awake to sunlight cutting through the edge of the curtain, soft and golden. The rain was gone, and the quiet hush that followed had left the Academy grounds almost too still. You stretched slightly, limbs tangled beneath Gideon’s blanket. You look towards Caleb’s bed, only to find it empty.
Puzzled, you sat up. Looking beside you, you noticed a neon green sticky note fluttered slightly in the breeze of the cracked window.
“Went to grab breakfast for us. Wait for me. -G”
You smiled, a little sleepily. Gideon’s handwriting was as chaotic as he was sometimes, and the little doodle of a muffin beside his name made your chest ache a little in a good way. Maybe it could happen. It would be easier.
Still wearing his oversized t-shirt, you swung your legs off the bed - but your foot accidentally bumped into the corner of the desk chair. It rolled slightly, knocking something over with a soft clatter.
You looked down.
A tablet.
It had fallen face-first on the floor. You bent down, picked it up gently, relieved that the screen didn’t crack. You turned it over to place it back on the desk - but the screen lit up the moment it registered your touch.
And everything shifted.
Lines of data scrolled upward - security clearance tags, mission summaries, intelligence logs. But one bold heading made your heart seize.
The name - the project - everything about it hit like a punch to the chest. You shouldn't be seeing this. You knew that, but your hands moved on their own, scrolling downwards. And then you saw it.
Subject File: Y/N L/N
There was a photo. A surveillance still of you taken without your knowledge. Beneath it, lines and lines of text - notations about your father, his crimes, and two words that made you panic: Aether core.
You couldn’t breathe. Then –
The door opened.
You turned slowly, the tablet still in your hand. Caleb stood in the doorway, sunlight casting a harsh gold halo around his broad figure. His eyes locked on - on the tablet - and something sharp flickered behind his expression.
<< Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 >> (coming soon)
Taglist for our Apple pies: @flamedancer13 @brailsthesmolgurl @snowycandyapple @bokuwarin @toelady @1ren3n
Synopsis: (Lads x Reader) Lads playing with their cum after taking you.
Featuring: Xavier, Rafayel, Zayne, Sylus and Caleb
Warning: 18+ MDNI, smut, cumplay, facial, anal play, breeding, breast play. All with consent, respect, and gentle care.
WC: 600 words per LI
It’s been a few hours since Xavier first pinned you against the mattress, your legs and pussy begging for air after he relentlessly fucks you senseless. You can’t remember how many times you’ve cum, how many times you’ve screamed his name, how many times he pushed into your most sensitive spot.
He lays beside you, chest rising and falling heavily, an arm draped across his forehead, sweat glistening. Your bodies were flushed, his abs flexing with every breath, and his cock twitched, still sensitive from his last release.
You turned to him, pressing a soft kiss to his hip. “You good?”
A low, breathless chuckle escaped him. “You’ve got me seeing stars, sweetheart.”
You grinned, letting your fingers trail lightly down his abdomen. “Then close your eyes,” you murmured. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
He opened one eye, smirking faintly. “Oh yeah? Thought you’d worn yourself out.”
You didn’t answer. Instead, you slid down the bed, lips brushing over his inner thigh. His breath caught as you took him into your mouth, warm and slow. You could feel how overstimulated he was, every twitch of his hips, every quiet groan that slipped past his lips.
“Y/N…” he warned, voice husky and low. “I just came—”
But he didn’t stop you. He tilted his head back, one arm flung across the pillows, and let you work.
You bobbed gently, letting your tongue tease the head of his cock, swirling slowly, loving the way he tensed under you. He was so sensitive now, every drag of your mouth making him tremble. You looked up at him, eyes wide, letting him see the devotion in your gaze.
“Fuck,” he breathed, voice ragged. “You’re too good at this.”
He shifted suddenly, grabbing your wrist and pulling you up before flipping the both of you—so fast it made you gasp. You were on your back now, but he didn’t lay you flat. Instead, he moved above you—kneeling—straddling your chest, his cock glistening as he looked down at you.
“You want it?” he asked, voice dark and velvet-smooth.
You nodded, lips parted, breath shallow. “Yes… please.”
He didn’t hesitate. One hand wrapped at the base of his shaft while the other found your cheek. He stroked himself slowly, eyes fixed on your mouth, your skin, your desperation. His voice dropped another octave.
“Look at you. So fucking pretty like this. Taking care of me after all that.”
You watched, mesmerized, as he stroked harder—until his muscles flexed, and his breath hitched. You know he’s getting close so you open your dirty little mouth to take his cum like a good girl. His warmth splattered across your cheek and lips, his release painting your skin as his eyes fluttered shut, a shiver running through his body.
You moaned softly at the feeling, heart pounding.
He opened his eyes, gaze dark and tender, thumb spreading his cum across your cheek. “Good girl,” he whispered.
Your thighs clenched.
Then, his voice dipped, commanding and sweet all at once:
“Again.”
Rafayel was so immersed with his work that he didn’t realize you had come over, until you walked past him completely naked, and that was how it all started. Hours of two bodies colliding with one another, mixed with sweat and unforgiving pleasure. You lost count of how many orgasms you’ve had. Intense orgasms only he can give you. The slight curve of his cock hitting that perfect spot.
He had bent you over the edge of the bed, one large hand splayed across your lower back, the other gripping your hip so tightly you could still feel the imprint of his fingers. You could still feel the way he called your name as he came—hot, heavy—spilling across your back in thick ropes, gasping like he’d been holding himself back for hours.
“Don’t move,” he murmured.
He leaves you momentarily —face turned to the side, chest heaving against the sheets—while he stepped away into the adjoining room. When he returned, his voice was low and rich, curling through the air like smoke.
You lifted your head just enough to glance back. “What are you doing?”
There was a quiet sound—the soft bristle of something brushing against glass.
Then, in his hand, you saw it: a small, slender paintbrush.
Your breath hitched.
Rafayel’s eyes roamed your naked body like he was trying to memorize every curve, every mark he’d left on you. And there were plenty—faint bruises blooming on your hips, scratches along your thighs, flushed skin along your spine.
“You,” he said softly, “are a fucking masterpiece cutie.”
The brush dipped toward your lower back—right where his release still glistened on your skin—and then dragged upward, slow and deliberate.
You shivered. “Rafayel…”
“Shhh. I’m working.”
The bristles slid over your spine in smooth strokes, circling your shoulder blade, then dragging down the curve of your waist, his cum now an artpiece on your back. He painted in silence, one hand pressed between your shoulder blades to keep you still, the other dragging the brush across your back like you were silk.
“Every inch of you belongs to me,” he muttered. “I could cover you in this—layer by layer—and it still wouldn’t be enough.”
You whimpered, your body tightening with each pass. Then came the pause.
He frowned, pulling back slightly. The brush hovered, but the movement stalled.
“What’s wrong?” you asked, breathless.
He leaned down, lips brushing your ear. “I ran out.”
You swallowed hard. “You—what?”
His voice now a dark, and silent whisper,. “I’m not done. But if I want more to paint with…”
You felt the paintbrush slide down your back, between your cheeks, down your pussy to your clit, making little circles with the cum-soaked brush, his hand sliding between your thighs.
“…I’ll have to make more.”
You gasped as he pressed his hard cock against you once more from behind —already hard, already desperate—and in one swift thrust, he was inside you. The paintbrush is still moving in rhythmic circles around your swollen clit, “Rafayel—!”
He groaned into your neck. “Don’t move. Let me finish what I started.”
And he does—using your body not just as a canvas, but as his altar, his obsession, his art. Over and over again.
Your legs were draped over Zayne’s shoulders, heels digging slightly into his back as he moved inside you with slow, powerful strokes. His grip on your hips had softened from before—no longer desperate, but reverent, almost tender. You felt every inch of him, the way his body trembled from holding back.
He pressed his forehead to yours, eyes searching.
“You okay?” he whispered, breathing warm against your lips.
You nodded, barely able to speak. “Zayne… please. I want all of you.”
His lips parted like the sound of your voice undid him. And he let go.
A deep moan slipped from his throat as he pushed in hard one final time before pulling his cock out. His whole body tensed, and you gasped at the sensation of his release—hot and thick—spurting across your stomach as he strokes himself in front of you, his cheeks flushed a perfect shade of pink.. Long ropes of cum land from your stomach to just below your breasts, making you shiver from the contrast of warmth against your flushed skin.
Zayne held still for a breath, panting, forehead dropping to your shoulder. His heart beat against yours in heavy thuds. But he didn’t move away.
Watching the way his cum dripped down your body—his gaze full of something deeper than lust. Adoration. Awe.
Then, without a word, he knelt back between your thighs. His hand cupped one of your breasts gently, thumb brushing the underside.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, almost to himself.
You flushed, but didn’t look away. “What are you thinking?”
“That I could stare at you like this forever.” He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss just above your navel—right where his release still clung to your skin. “And that I want to make you feel good again.”
You parted your lips to ask what he meant—until he reached for your breasts again, lifting them delicately, pressing them together with the softest touch.
His cock, still slick, slipped between them—his movements now slow, careful, like you were fragile and sacred.
“I just want to feel you,” he whispered. “One more time.”
You gasped as he thrust gently between your breasts, the warm mess of his earlier climax acting as a glide. His eyes never left yours, not even when his hips stuttered again, a softer sound of pleasure escaping him.
When he came again—this time smaller, less frantic—it pooled right at your collarbone. Zayne let out a shaky breath and leaned over you, resting his forehead against yours again.
You could feel his weight, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It was comforting.
He stayed like that for a moment, catching his breath.
Then he slowly pulled back, gaze sweeping over the mess on your chest, and his jaw flexed—not in frustration, but something closer to guilt.
“Let me clean you up,” he said gently, already reaching for a warm towel from the nightstand. “You’ve been through enough tonight. You shouldn’t have to lift a finger.”
You smiled up at him, dazed and glowing. “I don’t mind.”
“I do,” he said softly, wiping you down with quiet care. “You deserve to be taken care of.”
His touch was tender, lingering just long enough to soothe without overwhelming. When he was done, he pulled the blanket up, tucking it around you with one arm before sliding into bed beside you.
You curled into him without hesitation.
Zayne wrapped his arms around you tightly, holding you like you were his home.
And in the hush of the room, with the smell of sweat and skin still lingering in the air, he kissed your temple and whispered:
“Thank you for trusting me.”
The room was quiet now—except for the soft sound of your breathing and the way Sylus’s chest pressed into your back, still rising and falling with the aftershocks of what he’d just given you… multiple times.
You’d lost count of how many times he’d taken you tonight. Slow. Rough. Deep. Worshipful. Each stroke calculated to hit your most pleasurable spot, in a rhythm that he knows can make you shiver. He loved the way your pussy wrapped around his cock and loved the way you call out his name each time you’re about to squirt.
You two were spooning this time as he took you, his favorite position. He knew it made you feel surrounded. Owned. Loved, even in his most possessive moments.
This time, he hadn’t even repositioned you—he pulled out just before his release, and reached for your thigh, and came across the top of your hips while you were still limp and breathless in his arms.
When he came—hot and deep from your hips rolled down across your backside—you felt every pulse of it, every thick rope dripping down your ass and slipping into the cleft between your cheeks. You shivered, body clenching softly in response.
Sylus didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.
One of his hands trailed slowly down your side, over the curve of your hip, before slipping between your thighs. His cum was already sliding downward with gravity, and his fingers followed—coating your skin, slow and intentional.
“You feel that?” he murmured behind your ear, voice rough and low. “That’s mine. You’re mine.”
You whimpered, melting into him. You can only respond with an obedient nod.
His hand moved behind you, spreading your ass cheeks slightly before pressing the slick pad of one finger right atop your asshole, where your body was most vulnerable. He paused—silent, listening to your breath.
“Tell me if it’s too much,” he said softly, brushing his lips along the curve of your shoulder.
You nodded once. “I want it.”
That was all he needed.
His finger eased into your tight ass, slow and gentle, the slide made easier by the mess he’d just left there. You moaned, the unfamiliar stretch making your walls tighten instinctively—and Sylus groaned in return, the tension in his arm wrapping around you increasing.
“You don’t even know what you do to me,” he rasped.
You felt him getting hard again behind you—already pressing against your thigh, thick and throbbing, as his finger continued to gently work inside you.
Then, without removing his hand, he lifted your leg once more and slid into your soaked pussy from behind, burying himself in one long, fluid thrust.
You gasped, back arching into his chest.
“Sylus—!”
He stilled, savoring the feeling—your slick heat gripping him so perfectly, your body trembling from the double sensation of being filled in two places at once. His finger now angled towards the wall between your ass and pussy, creating an intense sensation that only Sylus is able to give you.
He kissed your neck before he wrapped one of his hands around it. As he begins to move, slow and deep, every motion deliberate.
“I want you to remember this,” he whispered against your skin. “How full you feel. How wrecked you are. How much I love being inside you… all of you.”
His thrusts stayed steady, one hand gripping your thigh, the other still inside you, working you open with reverent care.
And when you came—shaking and gasping into the sheets—he followed seconds later, hips stuttering as he buried himself to the hilt, arms wrapped around you as you two enjoyed this world made for only the two of you.
Your body trembled as you sank down onto Caleb once more, thighs aching, knees pressed into the soft sheets. His hands were on your waist, grounding you—but it was his gravity evol that kept you there. A delicious pull, like the invisible weight of him was anchored deep inside you.
His hard throbbing cock was so far in, so deep, so unrelenting.
You gasped, screamed out his name, hips stuttering, but couldn’t lift yourself.
“Stay,” he murmured, voice low and thick, his fingers digging gently into your hips. “Don’t fight it. Just take it.”
And you did.
You let the gravity hold you still, your body flush against his, his cock buried so deep it made your toes curl. Every time you tried to rise, your muscles tensed—but the air around you pulled you back down, as though the very space between your bodies refused to let you go.
“Look at you,” Caleb whispered. “Just sitting there. Full of me. Taking it all in like my good girl”
Your walls fluttered around him, sensitive and overstimulated. He wasn’t even moving—but it didn’t matter. He had control. Of your pace, your rhythm, your breath, your everything. You mind goes blank, the pleasure taking over you like he’s cast a spell on you.
He groaned as his hands slid up your back, down again, gripping the flesh of your ass as you rocked once—twice—and he pulsed hard inside you.
And then he came, his hot cum flowing inside you, shooting up into the deepest walls of your pussy, the heat permeating your senses. You loved the feeling of his cum filling you up.
He didn’t pull out.
He stayed sheathed, twitching inside you as his hips gave one final roll. You could feel it—the warmth spreading, pooling between your thighs, slowly seeping out as his cock began to soften a little.
But you didn’t move. It feels so good to feel his cum flowing down, coating every part of your pussy.
You sat on him, body slack with pleasure, his softening length still nestled inside you as he exhaled against your neck.
Then his hand drifted down.
He slipped a finger between your thighs, gathering his cum that had escaped, and dragged it upward in slow, sensual strokes—pressing into your clit with practiced ease.
You gasped, body jolting. “Caleb—!”
He shushed you with a kiss, his hand still lazily working circles as his other hand gathered more of the mess between your legs.
“I want to see you covered in me,” he said, voice lower than before. “I want to mark every inch of you.”
His voice demanding now, “Be a good girl, play with yourself with my cum. Let me watch you. I want your cum to mix with mine”
He dragged his hand up your stomach, smearing the warm slickness along your skin in long, slow swipes. His other hand slid up to your breast, thumb brushing your nipple as he spread the remnants across your chest, possessive but soft. Two fingers finally make his way to your lips, where you obediently open up as he slides them across your tongue.
"You're mine," he whispered.
Then he groaned against your collarbone. You can feel yourself getting close as his hot cum creates an added sensation to your swollen clit.
His cock, still inside you, twitched.
You felt him grow again, hardening with every slow beat of his heart.
“Caleb, please, I want more, I'm so close. Please, I need you again.” you whispered, dazed.
He smiled against your skin.
“Did you think I was done?”
In one smooth shift, he rolled his hips up into you, gravity curling around your spine once again, keeping you exactly where he wanted you—helpless to the slow build starting again. His hand clasped and binds your two hands behind your back. You submit, giving him full control of your body, your moans, and your orgasms.
This time, you knew he would take you even deeper, it was going to be even messier, and he wasn’t going to stop until every inch of you is covered with him.
a/u: I recently figured out how to start a taglist. Please let me know if you'd like to be added to it <3
Synopsis: Slow burn. a/u. You’re a first-year junior at Aerospace Academy with a dark secret and a darker past. Your father is the leader of Ever. You were test subject #001. And one day, Caleb found out
Warnings: MDNI please. Minor adult suggestive matter. A few spoilers from Caleb’s Deceptive Solitude card.
WC: 3K. Omg I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it got so long and I just started spiralling.
<< Chapter 2 | Chapter 4 >>
Prelude: His face was closer now. Closer than it should’ve been. You could feel his breath. His hands were still holding the jacket around you, but it felt like he was holding you up from your exhaustion. His lips hovered just above yours. One more inch. One more centimeter. One more breath…
You dreamt of Caleb last night. You didn’t remember much, but one thing stayed with you: his eyes. A deep, quiet purple, like twilight just before night fully sets in. They were soft, but heavy with something unspoken. Strange how something can feel dark and bright at the same time.
After last night’s events you’re not quite sure how you’ll react the next time you see Caleb. As you slowly slip out of bed, your finger lingers on top of your bandaged leg, the heat on your thighs still linger. You can still feel the remanence of Caleb’s fingers. His gentle touch as he traces the wound, your skirt slightly lifted. You shake your head to pull you back to reality, reminding yourself…
You’re not pipsqueak.
After freshening up and packing up your bag, you make your way to your morning classes. A couple students in your class approach you, in awe of your performance in the centrifuge from the day before. They invite you to a few upcoming parties, but you politely decline, but after some insistence, you agreed to go to one, the largest party held each year at Aerospace Academy - taking place two days from now. A quick entrance and a quicker escape, shouldn’t be a problem.
At the end of class, as students trickle out of the lecture hall, your professor asks you to stay behind.
“I saw your performance yesterday. It was certainly impressive.”
“Thank you professor” you responded
“You’ve consistently ranked top of the class academically, and your inept skills that you showcased yesterday shows your capabilities. I’ve shared your performance with some of the other professors and we would like to invite you to the Advancement Aviation Program.”
The Advancement Aviation Program was the opportunity everyone secretly hoped for but few dared to chase. Created by the Farspace Fleet, it handpicked the best students and threw them straight into real missions - no simulations, no safety nets. The training was intense, designed to push limits and weed out the uncertain. But for those who made it through, the payoff was huge: early access to high-stakes ops, a fast track to the Fleet, and a career that could take off before graduation. It wasn’t just a program - it was a golden ticket. A potential escape from Ever.
Seeing your hesitation, your professor asks you to take a few days to consider and to let him know by the end of the week.
Focused on your studies, the week went by like a blur. The last time you saw Gideon and Caleb was when you were in their dorm. You message Gideon from time to time, but he’s been busy with his own classes, but agreed to meet up at tonight’s party.
The sky was gray when you woke up, the gray clouds blocking the darker gray skies. It looks like it’ll rain today, but you didn’t mind. Something about the storm always brought a strange sense of calm. Maybe it was because you were used to waiting for things to fall apart.
You moved through the morning routine quietly. You put on a plain white T-shirt, and fitted black leggings before tying your hair up in a high ponytail. The fabric hugged your frame, simple and clean. You look like someone who blended in, someone ordinary. You liked the ordinary.
You arrive at the shooting range, meeting up with your classmates and waiting for the firearms instructor to arrive. A couple of guys in your class pop over to make small talk with you and several female classmates casting glances your way. Jealousy is a scary thing, you thought to yourself. You prefer to stay invisible. Looking around, there were several classes at the facility. You can hear the slight echoes of footsteps as people make their way in.
The shooting range was actually your escape. Back when you were at Ever, you were trained in armed combat, and were taught to use several types of firearms. But there was something about it - maybe it was the silence between shots, or maybe it was one of the only places where you felt … in control. Which is ironic, considering what they did to you.
Your instructor arrives and after a short demonstration, you are at the helm of the shooting range. Your fingers wrapped around the grip instinctively, your stance steady before you even consciously thought about it. The world dropped away. Just you, the target and the tight little coil of pressure in your chest that never quite went away. And each time you held a firearm, you would whisper a little mantra to yourself. A voice so faint that only you can hear:
Steady your breathing. Align your gaze, the laser sight, and the target. They should all be at the same level. Feel the subtle sway of the muzzle. Steadily press the trigger with your index finger, applying even pressure…
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots cracked through the air - clean, fast and precise. Dead centre. And then, everything went still.
You slowly shut both of your eyes for a few seconds, allowing the moisture to coat your dry eyes. And when you open them, you notice everyone else has stopped. All eyes were on you.
And as you turned around, you noticed two familiar silhouettes standing a few metres away from you: Gideon and Caleb. Among them were a few other seniors, who also have their eyes fixated on you. Gideon’s eyebrows raise in quiet silence, his mouth slightly ajar from the shock of you acing your shots. And Caleb, arms crossed, unreadable expression on his face, but those violet eyes fixed directly on you - like he was solving a puzzle. The attention made your stomach drop.
Your classmates came over to offer you pats on the shoulder and cheers. Luckily, you were good at masking the panic. The attention was suffocating. You internally scolded yourself for your stupidity. You were supposed to be hiding this. You were supposed to be bad at this. You referred to your shots as beginner’s luck, and during the next few rounds, you purposely aimed everywhere else on the target except for the bullseye.
“Gideon, is she your junior? Introduce her to us! Is she single?” Several of the seniors take notice of your rare talent and they’ll definitely be spending more time at the shooting range. You didn’t notice, but Gideon was pretty upset that you attracted the attention of more people. His chest tightens. He catches himself glancing at you from time to time, looking at your back in those leggings and a simple white t-shirt, he can’t help but be in awe of you. You’re breathtaking, you’re enchanting, and you’re his.
You got to give it to yourself, you were a pretty great actress. You missed several shots after that. You winced. Shook your head. Played it off like nerves. Eventually, the whispers died down. Someone scoffed, another cadet took their place on the line beside you. Like nothing had happened. Perfect.
You stayed behind after class ended. You told your instructor you wanted to clean your gun, and double-check the magazine count. But that was a lie. You just needed a moment to breathe. The shooting range reminded you of your past life, but at the same time, it gave you a serene peace, one you hadn’t felt in a while since the incident. The anxiety of forgetting to message your father, or the fear of Viper’s unexpected visits gnawed at you for several days now. You took several deep breaths, calming your shaky heartbeat.
The target with your perfect first shots was still hanging there, untouched. Mocking you. A perfect, damning little hole through the center. You hated that it felt good to hit it. You hated that your body remembered how to kill better than it remembered how to feel safe. And you hated that for a split second, holding that gun made you feel like you could conquer your deepest fears. How pathetic.
Suddenly the sound of boots behind you made your breath hitch, prompting you to turn around.
“You’re not new to this” Caleb stands before you, his voice low and calm. Not judgmental, but certain.
You swallowed hard and looked away, why was it so hard to lie to him. Play it cool, you dummy. You couldn’t muster a response.
He stepped closer, enough that you could feel his breath on your forehead, sending shivers down your spine. He’s not touching you but he was close enough that your skin still reacted when you two were together.
“I’ve seen people shoot before,” he continued, “I’ve even trained several juniors. This wasn’t your first time.”
You felt like disappearing at that moment, “You shouldn’t be watching me” You responded, your voice small.
“But I do, and I did,” he said. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Did they teach you to shoot?”
You know who he was referring to. But you shouldn’t bring yourself to respond. Caleb grabs you by the chin to tilt your head up, forcing you to make eye contact with him. He then brings himself closer to your ears and whispers softly words that only reach your ears, his tone dark and low.
“I know you shoot like someone who’s been trained to kill, and I know you hide it because you’re scared of what people would think if they saw the truth” Caleb continues, his voice even softer, each breath blowing warm air beside your ears, and radiating down the side of your neck. “But you can’t fool me, you’re a bad liar”.
Caleb then gradually lets you go. He walks past you, brushing his arms against yours and takes your phone which was lying on the bench. After a few moments, he saves his number on your phone. He looked at you afterwards.
“When you’re feeling uneasy, you have two options. You either hit the bullseye,” Caleb pauses for a moment before continuing.
“Or you run to me”
Run to him.
After everything, you didn’t want to go to the party, but the constant messages from your friends and classmates pressured you to attend otherwise. With a big sigh, you freshen up quickly back in your dorm before making your way over.
Lying to yourself, you thought maybe, for once, it’d distract you from the way Caleb looked at your at the shooting range, and the way his fingers felt on your chin, how his voice resonated in your ear and down your neck, how close his body was that you could feel the heat radiating from it. The way something inside you had shifted - dangerously.
But what you didn’t realize was that practically everyone in the school was at the party. Stupid. How could you forget this was the school’s biggest party, even the school sponsors it. You spotted Caleb from a mile away - laughing, relaxed, drink in hand - making you wish you had stayed in your room. Out of the sea of people at the party, why did he stand out to you? You shut your eyes and sigh again, you’ve been doing that a lot this week.
When you opened them, you saw her.
She sat close to him, too close. She was tall, beautiful, and one of her hands rested on Caleb’s lap. And Caleb’s arm was wrapped around her shoulder, protecting her from harm and the bustling crowds. You suddenly froze, the rest of the room fading into a distant hum. Your chest felt tight in that awful hollow kind of way.
Gideon appeared at your side with a drink, as if summoned by your spiraling. You jumped when he came into view.
“Oh sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he hands you a drink. “I’m surprised you came to the party, didn’t think this was your scene. Thought you would bail.”
“It’s not,” you replied, “but I may have gotten peer pressured by several of my friends, but seeing how many people are here tonight, I don’t think I’ll be able to find them”.
Your curiosity gets the best of you. “Who’s that? I would’ve thought Caleb would be allergic to women with the number of people he’s rejected.”
Gideon laughs at your joke, “That’s MC” he then said casually.
“MC?”
“She’s a childhood friend of Calebs’. They practically grew up together. She’s training to become a hunter and from what Caleb has told me, she’s one of the top in her class. They’ve also been working together on a special mission they were recruited for. That’s why Caleb didn’t take any juniors under his wings this year. But it sounds like things have changed since the last time she visited.”
“Change? How so?”
“He’s been calling her his girlfriend. I mean, they do look like the model couple together don’t you think? You should hear the way Caleb talks about her when she’s not around. It’s like she’s the only one he cares about in the world.”
“Oh” That was all you could mutter. Just oh.
You were suddenly reminded of those three words that Caleb said to you. ‘Run to me’
But now, all you wanted to do was run away. You made a flimsy excuse and left Gideon’s side. You turned away quickly, praying your face didn’t betray the mess happening behind it. The ache in your chest sharpened. You weren’t supposed to care this much. This feeling was foreign to you, and you didn’t like it. You weren’t even close to Caleb for crying out loud, but the way she leaned into him - and the way he let her - it hurt.
As you walked outside, you were engulfed by heavy rain.
Is this punishment for wanting something that could never be yours?
Cold, sharp and merciless. It soaked through your clothes in seconds, your white t-shirt turning see-through, clinging to your skin like a second betrayal. You wrapped your arms around yourself and kept walking, hoping the storm would help drown out your thoughts.
What were you expecting? Just because he says a few nice words to you? Just because he was the only person you opened up to about your past? Just because he told you to run to him when you felt uneasy? You can’t help but feel stupid and small. And this ache in your chest didn’t go away. But at least the rain drowned out the sound of your muffled whimpers.
“Hey!” You hear someone calling your name, and you can hear fast footsteps running towards you in earnest. You turn around.
Gideon. He was running towards you, soaked, his styled hair a little messy from the rain and he approached you with his jacket already half off. It didn’t take long for him to catch up to you.
He stops in front of you, catching his breath, eyes flickering over you and your drenched form. And then he froze, and you realized why.
Your shirt. Your soaked, white, clingy shirt casting an outline of your bra. You crossed your arm over your chest, burning with embarrassment.
“Oh my god, I’m sorry you had to see me like this”
“I - I didn’t - shoot, here.” He rushed to pull off his jacket and gently wrapped it around your shoulders. “You’ll catch cold, you’re freezing” The warmth of his jacket envelops you and it comforts your heart. Your chest loosens from the heat.
You expected him to let go of it, but he didn’t. His hands stayed, fingers curled at the collar and brushing against your neck. His cheeks a bit flushed from the alcohol.His eyes not leaving yours. You tried to take the jacket off because you didn’t want Gideon to be cold, but he pulled the jacket tighter around you, his fists slightly brushing against your white shirt.
“Why did you chase after me? You should get back to the party, I don’t like crowds anyway, and it was overwhelming for me. I’m sorry if I worried you”
He looks at you - really looked at you. And for once, the usual calm, collected mask he wore cracked just enough for you to see everything he’d been hiding.
“Because - Because, for me,” Gideon responds, his voice coming out low and rough. “ Because it was always you. When you walked away, I knew that if I didn’t come after you tonight. I would lose you to someone else, and I would never let that happen”.
You both stood there, breathing hard, rain dripping from your hair, his hands still holding onto the jacket wrapped around your shoulders like he was afraid you might vanish if he let go.
“I don’t know when it started,” Gideon went on, “but somewhere between mentoring you and seeing you radiating, seeing you smile and watching you hold yourself together when no one else could, I stopped being able to take my eyes off you. I just needed to be near you. Even on days where we just sit together in the library, not talking to each other. When you held my hand for the very first time when we ran together to grab food before the cafeteria closed, I knew I couldn’t get away from you.”
His fingers tightened slightly on the collar of the jacket, eyes scanning your face like he was memorizing the shape of your silence. Gideon looked like he wanted to say more, but he didn’t.
At that moment, he leaned in, just slightly, like he was waiting for you to stop him. You didn’t.
His face was closer now. Closer than it should’ve been. You could feel his breath. His hands were still holding the jacket around you, but it felt like he was holding you up from your exhaustion. His lips hovered just above yours. One more inch. One more centimeter. One more breath…
Title: Turbulence of The Heart - Chapter 2
a/n: I try to post a new chapter every Thursday ^.^
Synopsis: Slow burn. a/u. You’re a first-year junior at Aerospace Academy with a dark secret and a darker past. Your father is the leader of Ever. You were test subject #001. And one day, Caleb found out
Pairing: Caleb x non-mc reader, but Gideon likes you too! And Caleb likes the MC (uh oh, love triangle, square?)
Warnings: Not smut, but MDNI please. Some tame angsty, sexy moments in this chapter. Throughout the story there’ll be mentions of psychological and physical trauma, manipulation, parental abuse, kidnapping, human experiments and attempted murder, but I’ve kept this to a minimum. Angst with a happy ending eventually (probably) and a whole bunch of misunderstandings, but I’ll sprinkle some fluff here and there.
WC: 1.9K
<< Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 >>
Prelude: He didn’t know if he should protect you, expose you, or save you from whatever hell you hadn’t yet spoken aloud, secrets you weren’t ready to share. That scared him more than he cared to admit. But at the same time…
He wanted to understand you.
Caleb.
You couldn’t read his expression. The dim light of the hangar cast long shadows across his face, turning him into something unreadable—distant. You didn’t know what to say. You didn’t know what he’d seen. How much had he witnessed? Why was he even here?
Caleb was the first to break the silence. “Doesn’t it hurt?”
Following his gaze, you looked down and noticed a thin stream of blood trailing down your leg, a deep crimson stain spreading across your skirt.
“Oh—it's nothing. I’ll be fine.”
He let out a small hum of acknowledgment, but said nothing more. The silence between you felt like a battlefield, neither of you willing to make the next move. Then, without a word, Caleb turned around and knelt in front of you. The moonlight through the hangar windows caught the curve of his back, illuminating the broadness of his shoulders. Were they always this... huge?
“Come on,” he murmured. “Let’s get you patched up.”
He stayed kneeling in front of you, waiting for you to climb onto his back. But when he noticed you weren’t moving, he sighed quietly. A moment later, a wave of weightlessness surrounded you—soft, controlled. He used his evol to lift you gently off your feet and secure you on his back before slipping his arms beneath your legs and standing.
You were lighter than you should’ve been. That made him worry more than he let on.
His back was warm against your chest, his stride steady and strong. You could feel your heart pounding in your ribcage. With every echo of his footsteps on the tarmac, it beats a little faster. You silently prayed he couldn’t hear it.
He took you to his dorm room. His dorm room is neutral, and you were glad he didn’t take you to the med bay, where questions would swarm before you were ready. He puts you down on the bed that you can only assume is his own before he shuts the door behind him and turns on a warm light on the bedside table. He then goes into the bathroom to get a first aid kit before kneeling in front of you to tend to your wound.
He lifts your skirt up to reveal your upper thigh. The cut wasn’t deep, but it stretched from the top to the side of your inner thigh. His fingers brushed along the edge of the injury with practiced care, but that light touch that brushes across your leg sent a jolt through you.
“Uh, I can do this myself” you blurted, snapping out of the daze you hadn’t realized you were in. Your heartbeat quickens as you realize you were in his dorm. Together. Alone. At night. You reach out for the kit, but he gently swats your hand away, and you obediently place them by your side. He looks up at you while giving you a smile. That smile. The smile that every woman falls for. You feel your cheeks flush, and you look away.
“The meds work immediately, but it might sting, you need to tough it out”
He carefully and meticulously disinfects your wound. He gently blows on it after cleaning it and the cool sensation makes your skin shiver. Your fingers gripped the edge of the blanket beneath you like it was the only thing grounding you to reality. You both remain silent as he finishes bandaging your injured thigh with steady fingers.
After putting the first aid kit away and returning to your side, you feel a sense of anxiety course through you. You feel like you need to be honest with him but the worry in your heart makes you feel small.
“About tonight...” Your voice cracked. “Can you pretend you didn’t see anything? Please... don’t tell Gideon. He doesn’t know. No one does.” Your voice gets softer and softer with each word.
Caleb stared at you for a long moment, then silently rolled his desk chair in front of you and sat down. Close. Too close. His knee brushed between your legs ever so slightly. Did he not understand personal space?
...Though, truthfully, you didn’t mind.
“I won’t,” he said softly. “But can you tell me what happened?”
You hesitated, not sure how to respond. Caleb doesn’t press you any further and was about to get up when suddenly, you finally opened up to him. When he hears you speak, he slowly sits back down, gazing into your eyes, like you’re the only one that matters right now.
“I’m Lucius’s daughter. And that man you saw tonight, he was my father’s consigliere, Viper. He was my caretaker. As you can probably tell, we don’t exactly get along.” You lower your gaze, unable to meet his gaze. But for some reason, speaking the words out loud brought you a bit of peace. Maybe you just needed someone—anyone—to hear you.
“When I was a kid, I was sick. A lot. After months of tests, they discovered a unique protocore had formed in my heart. That’s when everything changed. No more normal life. Just white rooms, clinical notes, and sterile observation decks.”
Caleb listened intently, his eyes locked on yours as you continued.
“They monitored everything—my emotions, my stress responses. Fear could shut the core down or set it off like a bomb. That’s what they were really testing: how dangerous I could become. Eventually, I graduated from that life. Or... so I thought. My father let me enroll here, but I had to report back to him daily. Tonight, I forgot. So Viper came to remind me.”
Caleb takes a moment to collect his thoughts. His jaw clenched, fists curling unconsciously in his lap. He hadn’t realized it until his knuckles turned white.
“I’ve heard of Protocore Syndrome, but most of them are harmless and have been studied extensively. The one in your heart…”
After what felt like forever, you finally responded, “It’s an Aeth–”
Suddenly, the door swung open.
“Hey Caleb, I stopped by the cafeteria—grabbed some of the leftover food for the night—”
Gideon’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. He stopped mid-sentence, taking in the scene: you and Caleb, sitting too close. For a split second, something flickered in his expression—suspicion? Jealousy?—but it was gone almost instantly. Looking at you, he notices your bandaged leg and quickly walks over and kneels beside you. Deep worry casts across him.
“What happened?!”
“She fell near the hangar,” Caleb said quickly, standing. “I saw her and brought her here. The med bay was too far.”
Gideon glanced at you, then back at Caleb. He hesitated, then nodded.
“You probably fell asleep again, didn’t you?” Gideon said to Caleb with a faint smile. “Let me guess—you were talking to MC out there?”
Caleb caught your confused glance and answered easily, “It’s the only place I can get some peace and quiet. But that’s our little secret.”Something about the mention of MC made your chest tighten. You didn’t know why. “I should return to my room”
“I’ll walk you back and take some food with you” Gideon suggests. “Sure, thank you”
Gideon talked the entire way back—about flight tests, his training schedule, even some girl who pulled Caleb aside earlier to confess to him. You laughed, nodded, responded—but you weren’t really listening. You were too lost in your thoughts.
Later that night, Gideon returned to the dorm. He stood near the door, looking conflicted.
“Why are you just standing there?” Caleb asked from across the room, lounging on his bed where you were sitting before, with a half-eaten plate of food and his tablet glowing faintly in his lap. “Thanks for the food, by the way. I left half for you.”
Gideon sat on his bed, running a hand through his hair. “Sigh… how can she be so beautiful? She’s smart. Strong. Everything.” The thought and memory of seeing your skirt pulled up slightly above your bandaged leg made his cheeks flushed.
“You could just tell her, you know.”
“I can’t. Being her mentor is the best thing I’ve got right now. I don’t want to ruin it. Besides, did you see all the guys at the hangar this morning? She had everyone’s attention.”
He changed the subject.
“What are you reading? DAA reports?”
“Yeah. Same mission we’ve been working on all year. But I think we finally cracked something.”
As a senior, Caleb would’ve accepted a junior under his wings if the DAA hadn’t invited him to participate in a special operation. To the DAA and the Aerospace Academy, he was useful. Within his first semester, he was already outpacing cadets two years his senior. He wasn’t just the top pilot, but he received top marks in combat simulation. Zero-G maneuvering and tactical response. His instincts in high-risk missions and simulations were extraordinary and borderline precognitive, like he knew what the enemy would do before they moved.
But there was one test he never passed. The psych eval. According to the evaluator, he was too guarded, too composed and too unreadable. When asked about his past, Caleb gave polished answers. When probed about his moral boundaries, he gave textbook answers. The evaluation team flagged him as emotionally disconnected. But the DAA didn’t care. Caleb was a rare talent.
Caleb continues to read the report. For the past 10 months, he’s been recruited by the DAA to work undercover on a special mission in collaboration with the Hunters Association. To be honest, he accepted this opportunity because he knew the MC would also be working on this as well. She was a prominent and skilled hunter in-training with the resonance evol. He knew she was strong, but his will to protect her was even stronger.
Caleb’s tablet screen glows in the dim light of his dorm, while Gideon is asleep on the other side of the room. On the left side of the screen shows intercepted transmissions, converted drop-point coordinates, and mission briefings. Each report had the same header: “Operation: Project Atei - Ever Takedown”
And tonight, he retrieved something new. On the right side of the screen, a secured file flickers with glitching metadata, decrypted files sent not long ago through a silent informant. This file shows one clear name: Y/N. The contents were a patchwork of corrupted research logs, black-barred sentences and clinic notes so cold they chilled his spine. And on one file, two words caught his absolute attention, “Aether Core”.
Caleb sat frozen in the low light, the only sound in the room the faint hum of the tablet still active in his hands. The report was damning - if even half of it was true, you were more than just a victim of Ever. You might’ve been one of their greatest experiments, or their greatest threat.
His thumb hovers over an image of you on the tablet. With one click, he could’ve; and should’ve, sent the file straight to the DAA.
Protocol says to report it. But his heart said don’t.
He leaned back against the wall, exhaustion weighing on his chest. His eyes flicked from the classified data to the still-glowing name on the screen. Y/N.
The mission demanded answers. It’s been dragging on for too long. He wanted nothing more than to complete this mission as soon as possible so that MC wouldn’t need to risk being in danger anymore. He didn’t know if he should protect you, expose you, or save you from whatever hell you hadn’t yet spoken aloud, secrets you weren’t ready to share. That scared him more than he cared to admit.
But at the same time…He wanted to understand you.
But one thing was certain. He needed to get closer to you. One way or another. But why?
Title: The Moons that Protect Their Little Star: Ch2: Always By Your Side.
a/n: I try to post a new chapter every Monday ^.^
Synopsis: This is not a romance fanfic. AU. After coming home from a 3-day mission in the no-hunt zone, you’ve come down with a bad cold. You’re the MC and live with your 5 older brothers: Sylus, Zayne, Xavier, Rafayel, and Caleb. Their world revolves around taking care of you. Each story is one-shot. You don't have to read the other chapters to understand what is going on.
<< Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 >> (coming soon)
WC: 1.8K
Your alarm sounds, waking you up from your slumber. You wake up in the comfort of your own bed, tucked under your weighted blanket. On your left and right are 5 plushies that are also tucked in. An apple, a crow, a snowman, a bunny and an octopus plushie. They’re the plushies that you and your brothers got from the crane machines at Twinkle Toys.
As you get out of bed, you feel as though you’re coming down with something. Your throat is dry, you feel cold, and your head is warm. You don’t think too much of it, it’s probably just a little cold. You make your way to the bathroom to freshen up for work. As you walk down the hall, you can smell the savory aroma of bacon and eggs, your favorite breakfast. However, as wonderful as it smells, it makes you slightly nauseous.
After getting ready, you walk down the stairs. Your vision suddenly gets blurry and you start feeling slightly dizzy, and you accidentally trip over your feet. You feel yourself falling forward. Unable to steady yourself, you close your eyes and prepare for impact, but it never comes. When you open your eyes, you feel a boundless weightlessness engulf you as if you’re floating.
“Whoa, Be careful pipsqueak, still clumsy as ever”
Noticing your near accident, Caleb used his evol just in time to stop you from falling. WIth a tinge of worry and relief, he takes your hand before dissolving his evol. He notices your hand is warmer than usual, though he assumes that it was because you were freshening up in the bathroom and didn’t think too much of it.
“Go downstairs for breakfast, I made your favorite. Zayne and Sylus left late last night, they had a few things to take care of.”
You head downstairs and find Rafayel and Xavier still passed out in the living room. You let out a quiet sigh. An artist that sleeps at odd times, and a hunter that gets to set his own schedule. It must be nice. As you make your way to the kitchen, the smell of the food becomes overwhelming and your stomach begins to churn. You don’t have much appetite, so you eat a piece of toast and pack some of the food into a lunchbox before heading out to work.
Your headache worsens throughout the morning. Your skin feels like it’s burning, but you’re cold at the same time. Just one more report, you think to yourself. Tara and Captain Jenna stopped by to go through the progress report from the previous mission, but their voices sounded like they were muffled. Your body begins to shake and fingers start to tremble. You suspect that it may be because you didn’t drink enough water. As you stand up to head to the kitchen, you feel your body going limp. Seconds later, you feel yourself crumpled to the floor in front of your team.
You were transported over to Akso Hospital where a group of healthcare providers tended to you immediately. They took your temperature, placed you on an IV drip and notified your emergency contacts, and the first one on the list was none other than the chief cardiac surgeon of Akso hospital, Zayne.
Zayne had just completed a surgery and stepped out of the operating room, where Yvonne had been waiting for him. After being notified of your condition, he quickly made his way to your hospital bed. His brows furrowed and a tinge of disappointment presents itself in his eyes. How can he be so careless to let you fall so sick to the point where you had fainted at work and was brought to the hospital.
As he stepped into the room you were in, he sat beside you, staring at your frail and pale skin. As strong and active as you were as a hunter, your heart condition from the Aether Core draws energy from your body. But as it draws energy from you while you’re sick, you get even weaker.
Zayne smoothes out the misplaced hair on your face and tucks it behind your ears. He checks your vitals and condition before issuing to discharge you from the hospital. He knows that you hate hospitals. It’s always scared you as a kid. You hated being alone, especially when you’re sick. It’s probably for the best. If your others found out that you had to stay in the hospital, chaos would ensue. This is the best option for the other patients as well, Zayne thought to himself. He makes the necessary arrangements before carrying you to his car. On the drive home, Zayne holds onto your hand, warm from the fever. Too warm. Your face scrunches up at the discomfort, small whimpers sneak out. You wish your head would stop throbbing and you instinctively bite your lips.
“I’m right here, my little snowflake. You’re safe.” You can’t really make out what Zayne was saying, but his gentle voice was enough to lull you into a deep slumber.
You wake up to a throbbing headache and your whole body feels like you’ve been beat up by a hundred wanderers. But you seem to be doing a little better than you did earlier today. By the time you wake up, it is almost midnight.
You slowly open your eyes to find yourself in your bedroom which is dimly lit. You felt something on the top of your hand. You gently caress it to find an IV hooked up to it. You really dislike needles and try to take it out, slight panic setting in and you sit up from your bed.
“Hey, cutie, don’t do that. It’s going to make you feel better” Rafayel slowly covers up your hand to stop you from pulling the IV out. You didn’t notice that he was sitting beside the bed on the floor, one hand holding your blankets in place so you didn’t kick it off. Looking around, you noticed a basin with water, and multiple towels hung over it. Rafayel changed the towel for your head every thirty minutes or so. But he eventually stopped seeing you sleeping so well, that he didn’t want to disrupt you.
“Rafy, I don’t like it, please take it out?” Your voice is hoarse from resting, tears slowly form in your eyes. You really didn’t like needles, and you hated hospitals even more. You try to push his hands away.
Rafayel takes both of your hands and gently lays your head on his shoulder. You can’t help but cry. You hated being sick. As a child, your brothers always took care of you and protected you from hardship. So as you grew older. Falling ill became more intolerable. You felt helpless. Rafayel soothes your hair, pats your back and reassures you that everything will be okay. After a long while, your cries turn into little sniffles.
“Zayne received an emergency call after he dropped you off. When he comes home, we’ll ask him to take the IV out for you ok?” You nod gently.
“Good girl”
Xavier comes into your bedroom shortly after holding a bowl of chicken noodle soup. It smells delicious, contrary to the food that he normally makes. You’d be lucky if he didn’t set the kitchen on fire just by opening the fridge.
“How are you feeling?” Xavier asked as he placed the tray of food on the bedside table.
“I’m one of the toughest hunters in Linkon, but who knew a flu was enough to knock me off my feet?”
Xavier lets out a soft chuckle. Just hearing his laugh makes you feel better from your ailments. He pours the soup into a smaller bowl, allowing the soup to cool down faster. He then takes a spoonful, blows on it to cool it down, and feeds you.
“Blegh, Xavy, did you add salt to the soup?”
Xavier looks at you with a confused stare. He thinks he did, or did he?
He leaves and returns momentarily, adding salt to the soup. The second spoonful tastes better, much better. You finished all the soup, and Xavier was content with that. He hands you two little pills that were broken into two smaller pieces, urging you to take your medicine, which you obediently follow.
Before he leaves, he changes your pillow case and brushes your hair. He’s not as gentle as Caleb, but it’s still very relaxing. Because of your fever, your hair feels oily. Xavier braids your hair loosely so that you can rest more comfortably. He can help you wash your hair tomorrow once your fever is gone.
Suddenly your phone rings, Sylus was calling.
“Kitty, I heard you weren’t feeling well. Are you feeling better?” In the background, you can hear gunshots, sirens and two familiar voices laughing like maniacs.
“I’m feeling a bit better, the others have been taking really good care of me. Who are we beating up tonight? Can you say hello to Luke and Keiran for me? Also, I miss Mephie, can I play with him soon?”
“You can come to the N109 zone once you’re better, Mephisto misses you as well. Luke and Keiran are… occupied at the moment. As for the people I’m dealing with, they’re nothing more than ants, they’re not worth our time” More gunshots can be heard.
If Sylus was being honest, he was annoyed that he had to deal with these vermins while you were unwell. He wants nothing more than to come home and take care of you. He makes sure to vent his anger on those that oppose him tonight. After feeling reassured that you’re recovering and talking to you for a while longer, Sylus says good night and tells you to get some sleep. Before he hangs up, Luke and Keiran are also screaming in the background, wishing you well.
You let sleep consume you and with your brother’s at your side, you were able to sleep. The next morning, you feel a lot better. You look beside you and see Caleb, Xavier and Rafayel sleeping on the floor in your bedroom. You feel so blessed to have the most loving big brothers by your side. You quietly sit up, noticing your IV was removed.
Zayne walks in at that moment, seeing you awake. Stepping over the other three who are still sleeping, he sits beside you to take your temperature, and to make sure your fever has gone down. After making sure you were okay, he looks back at the other three and can’t help but let out a big sigh.
“What’s wrong?” You asked.
Zayne is silent for a little while, but then looks back at you with a helpless look on his face, and just a hint of anger, which quickly subsides as he looks into the eyes of his precious baby sister. He can never win against those eyes.
“They stayed in your room last night to watch over you, and now all three of them are sick”
Synopsis: Sylus x reader, one shot. Caleb + Zayne cameo. Your daily café visits spark sugary and spicy conversations with a charming barista Sylus. One day, your childhood best friend Caleb, secretly in love with you, decides to join you for coffee. Meanwhile, a quiet doctor watches you from afar, captivated by your beauty.
a/n: Inspired by one of my best friends who has a crush on her barista, and the read was he flirted back! (AHH!). This one’s for her and for all the lads girlies who are waiting for their own meet-cute moment. ♡
WC: 1.4K
You had a routine, especially on days filled with back to back meetings. Just past noon, you’d push through the familiar wooden and glass door of the cafe across the street from your office, the soft chime welcoming your arrival. The air inside is filled and permeated with the scent of freshly ground coffee beans and chocolate, bringing with it a gentle warmth on a summer’s day. To some, this was the place they would quickly stop by to get a dose of caffeine. But for you, this was a little safe haven, a place where you can escape the chaos of your day.
And then there was Sylus - the barista.
Seeing him behind the counter makes your smile a little bigger, your steps a little giddier, and your heart beats a little quicker. His apron tied in a perfect little bow, hair a little messy at the back like he rolled out of bed not long ago. Through the bustling swarm of people in line during the afternoon rush, he catches a glimpse of you. He smiles at you, and gives you a little wink. It’s almost like he can’t wait to serve you.
“Hey, sorry pipsqueak, I’m a bit late. So this is the coffee shop you’ve been telling me about. It’s busy here, stay close to me.”
Slightly startled, you turn around to see Caleb standing behind you, close enough to shield you from the people walking in and out of the shop. He looks towards the counter and you think he’s just looking at the menu, deciding on what to order. What you didn’t notice was his darkened eyes as he saw how the barista smiled at you. Caleb didn’t like that.
Caleb had a few days off from the Farspace Fleet and decided to come to Linkon to visit you for a couple of days. You enjoyed his company, though you sometimes feel bad that he has to curl up on your couch at night. Maybe you should let him sleep on the bed with you? You have been friends for long enough, it shouldn’t be weird. right? You decide that you’ll bring it up with him tonight and let him decide. A few minutes later, you and Caleb make it to the front of the line. Seems like the afternoon rush is dying down, as there aren’t as many people left in line behind you two.
“Hey!” you said cheerfully meeting Sylus as you step up to the counter. “This is my childhood friend, Caleb. He came to visit and I wanted to show him where I get my favorite dose of caffeine”
Caleb forms a tight smile. “Nice to meet you”
“You too, are you in town long?” Sylus responds.
“Just for a few days, I’m usually the one that visits her. This coffee shop is nice, I’ll definitely be coming with her more often. She seems to like this place”
Sylus glances at you, “She does I would say, she comes in almost every day. She’s my daily dose of sunshine”
Your heart is pounding out of your chest as you hear that. Was this just excellent customer service? Was there a hidden meaning? Your thoughts are interrupted as you hear Caleb ordering an iced coffee for himself. As you were about to place your order, Sylus interrupts you, a smirk falling across his face.
“Iced Chai latte and a chocolate chip walnut cookie, kitten?” You felt relieved that you had worn foundation today, otherwise, you were certain that he would notice how red your cheeks were. He knew your order! You nod, and he punches the items at the register.
“My treat pipsqueak. You go grab a seat, I’ll bring your stuff over. It’s the least I can do for letting me stay over at your place.” Caleb makes sure he speaks clearly so that the barista can overhear it.
Sylus glances at you and then back at Caleb, and you can sense a little shift in energy. You make an ‘ok’ sign at Caleb and walk towards a booth for two, situated by the window overlooking a bustling road. When you were here alone, you would watch people walk by, wondering what their lives were like. You would make up little stories in your head, and sometimes when you were having a bad day, you would watch the rain fall, the pitter patter sounds soothing your heart of all its troubles and worries.
A couple minutes later, Caleb walks towards you with your drink in hand. But something was missing. Your cookie.
“Hey, I think Sylus forgot my cookie, I’ll be right back.” You hurried back towards the counter. Sylus was wiping down the espresso machine, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw you return.
“Forget something?” He asked, entirely too casual.
“My cookie” You said with a sheepish smile. You hope you weren’t bothering him.
He reached under the counter and pulled out a perfectly wrapped cookie that he warmed up for you. He knew just how you liked it. “Oh, this cookie?” he teased. “I must’ve forgotten to give it to you.”
You narrow your eyes. His eyes tinged with playfulness. “Did you really forget?”
Sylus leaned in slightly, his voice lower now, softer, the tone reverberates, and you can feel your stomach fluttering. Or was that your heart?
“Maybe, or maybe I just wanted an excuse to tell you how pretty those earrings look on you today.”
You blinked, heat rushing to your cheeks once more. The cookie suddenly feels warmer in your hand, the chocolate chips are probably melted under your fingers with the amount of heat you were emanating.
“Thank you” you respond, barely above a whisper.
“Anytime kitten,” he replied, grinning. “And for the record - I’d probably forget your cookie again if it meant you’d come back”
You slowly make your way back to Caleb, who unnoticeably has been eyeing you both during your conversation. But he was patient, he’s waited for you for so long, and he has plenty of time to show you how special you are to him. Because in this world, no man is good enough for you. You deserved the best. You deserved him, and only him.
You and Caleb continue to enjoy your coffee and sweet treat by the window, and you tell him everything that’s going on at work and the anxiety you’ve been feeling. He wishes he could give you the world, give you the happiness you deserve, and make all your troubles go away. But what you need right now is the gentle comfort of someone who will listen, and he will spend all day and night if he could just listening to your voice, and when you’ve said enough, he would hold you tight and comfort you, telling you that it’s okay, that you’re doing a good job, and rock you to sleep at night.
Across the cafe, someone else was watching.
Zayne, a well respected and almost famous cardiac surgeon of Akso hospital, is a quiet regular who always sat on the opposite side of the cafe. He would always order a coffee with too many spoonfuls of sugar, and a dessert that would sometimes give him a toothache. He’s noticed you for weeks now. He wasn’t the type to interrupt, especially on days when you’re enjoying the solace of being alone, enjoying your cup of coffee and cookie.
He notices that you get the chocolate and walnut cookie each time you visit, one of the coffee shop’s most popular items. It was also his favorite too, but when he sees that there’s only a few left, he refrains from ordering it, hoping that you would walk through those wooden and glass doors to secure the last cookie.
Today, from his usual seat, Zayne saw you come back - saw the way the barista’s shoulders straightened, the subtle shift of his tone. And now, as you smile at your cookie and blushed at some comment too quiet for Zayne to hear, something in his chest pulled a little tighter.
He wasn’t jealous, not really. He didn’t know you personally, but over the past few weeks, whenever he catches a glimpse of you, he would find himself feeling a little more peaceful. You provided him with a kind of calm in his otherwise chaotic world.
A part of him reminded himself that he shouldn’t interrupt, but one day, and soon enough, he hopes he can find the courage to walk to the other side of the coffee shop, to the booth made for two that you always sat at, for a chance to say hello.
Synopsis: Slow burn. a/u. You’re a first-year junior at Aerospace Academy with a dark secret and a darker past. Your father is the leader of Ever. You were test subject #001. And one day, Caleb found out
Pairing: Caleb x non-mc reader, but Gideon likes you too! And Caleb likes the MC (uh oh, love triangle, square?)
a/n: This is a romance fanfic for the damsel in distress girlies. There will also be a lot of misunderstanding, angst, fluff, everything I can concoct really. In this story, Caleb and MC were not experimented on as a child. You were.
Warnings: MDNI please. Throughout the story there’ll be small mentions of psychological and physical trauma, manipulation, parental abuse, kidnapping, human experiments and attempted murder, but I’ve kept this to a minimum. Angst with a happy ending eventually (probably) and a whole bunch of misunderstandings, but I’ll sprinkle some fluff here and there.
WC: 1.9K
Chapter 2 >>
Prelude: The man is now in front of you, and your eyes meet.
Caleb.
It’s been 8-months since you started studying at the Aerospace Academy and you’re now starting your last semester as a first-year student. This semester is where the fun begins. Flight simulations, endurance evaluations and the infamous human centrifuge, the very machine you’re waiting for as part of your physical evaluation to determine your suitability to become a pilot.
“Caleb’s making his way over, we’re going to head to our next class together. How are you feeling? Nervous?I’ll get a puke bag ready for ya” Gideon says playfully.
“What makes you think I won’t come out unscathed?” you retort..
As a junior, you were paired up with a senior pilot as a mentor. Gideon was your mentor and you were one of the top students in your class. Gideon was reliable, has helped you through multiple cramming sessions and you two got along well. Without him, you probably wouldn't have survived your first two semesters. And Gideon was the first person to introduce you to Caleb.
Gideon came with you to show his support as you wait to go into the human centrifuge for the first time. You’re pretty sure he’s just there to get a good laugh at the juniors who're coming out of the centrifuge pale as a ghost. The machine is designed to mimic the gravitational pulls that pilots experience while they’re piloting. Organs shift, guts twist and your body feels like you’re going through a washing machine.
Each time a student comes out, they're all noticeably sick. You and Gideon simultaneously turn around and plug your ears to block out the sound of them throwing up. Gideon silently laughs when it happens because you remind him of someone else that used to cover his ears with him as well.
“Listen, when I was in my first year, there was only one person who came out of that machine completely fine on their first attempt”.
“Let me guess, Caleb right?”
“Yup, he walked out and then went straight to the cafeteria cause he was hungry”
Caleb. There’s not a single person at the Aerospace Academy who doesn’t know him. He’s practically admired by every student and instructor here. You’ve met him a handful of times since he was good friends with Gideon, but you two normally just exchange pleasantries. You won’t deny that he’s attractive, but considering the number of confessions he’s received, and an equal number of rejection he’s given, you made it a mental note to never fall in love with him. In fact, you’re pretty sure he has someone he likes, someone he refers to as “Pipsqueak”.
“Cadet #520, Y/N, you’re up!” Your turn.
You walk up. And as you're about to step into the human centrifuge, you suddenly hear a crowd of excited murmurs, gasps and cheers from the others. You look around to see what everyone was so excited about. And that’s when you noticed Caleb walking over and standing beside Gideon. Right, Gideon mentioned he was going to stop by.
Gideon looks at you and loudly shouts, “You got this! Don’t disappoint me!”
You roll your eyes at him, and before you step inside, you make eye contact with Caleb, who smiles, gives you a nod and a little thumbs up. You felt butterflies in your stomach, but you weren’t sure if it was because of the adrenaline, or if it was because of his smile.
For the students' first time, they were tested for 45 seconds. As the machine spins, you feel the physical effects of the G-forces increasing. You see the small screen in front of you indicating the G-Forces. It started from 1G… then 2G … then 3, 4 and 5. You can feel the physical strain that it’s causing your body, your muscles tense. You realize how physically demanding this is. No wonder everyone came out feeling sick.
However, despite all this, your breathing is steady. If anything, you were having a great time. It felt like an intense roller coaster. You find yourself laughing a little, this was pretty fun. Shortly after, the centrifuge slows and comes to a full stop. The door to the human centrifuge opens. You feel a bit dizzy, but it really wasn’t that bad. You unbuckle the safety harness, remove your helmet and step out.
It takes a few seconds, but you find Gideon in the corner with Caleb beside him. You start walking towards them. But something feels off. You look around and notice a bunch of eyes staring at you. Wait, are there more people here now? Was it because Caleb was here? A few seconds later, you’re beside Gideon.
“Uh, why is everyone staring at me?” you say as you look around, your eyes finally falling on Gideon when he doesn't respond.
Like the others, Gideon stares at you like he’s under a spell. Caleb looks at you and chuckles.
Caleb is the first to speak, “I guess we can’t underestimate you.” He nudges Gideon to pull him out of his trance.
Gideon trips through his words, “Y-you- went in, and then y-you came out, and you’re fine?”
Oh, so that’s why everyone was looking at me. Out of the 19 students that went into the centrifuge before you, you were the only one that came out looking perfectly fine. As everyone comes back to their senses, you’re met with a round of applause. Even the instructors were looking at you in high regards. You look around and smile awkwardly at everyone but to be honest, the stares and attention make you a little uncomfortable.
By the time your last class was over, it was already 9pm. As you step out of the facility, you realize you left your jacket in the hanger where the centrifuge was. You make your way there quickly, hoping to run to the cafeteria afterwards to get a hot meal before they close for the evening. The hanger was pitch black when you arrived. You use your phone's flashlight to navigate through the darkness. It didn’t take long to find your jacket laying on the bench. You walk over and as you pick up your jacket, you hear a voice behind you. A voice you know all too well.
“001”
You know this voice. Even though you hadn’t heard it in months. This voice is the source of your nightmares, your torments and your pain. You take a moment to compose yourself, refusing to let the fear consume you as black mist enshroud and wrap around you tightly like chains, forcibly pushing and pinning you against the wall.
“Let me go! Why are you here? Did my father send you, Viper? What have I done?”
Viper was your father’s most trusted assistant. He won’t hesitate to kill anyone as long as your father gives the orders, including you. He’s known for being the most merciless and heartless member of the syndicate led by your father, known as The Ever Group, an underground syndicate known for illegal Protocore manipulation and classified human experimentation. On Viper's right arm is a tattoo of Ever’s insignia. One that anyone would recognize. Everyone knew about Ever. You’re no stranger to his ruthlessness. For most of your life, you were under his careful watch and subject to the experiments he conducted on you.
You were born with a powerful Protocore in your heart. They referred to it as the Aether Core. No one knew where it came from, but it held immense power. You spent a great deal of your life going through test after test after test as Ever tries to extract it to hone its power. However, every attempt fails as the core emits a protective barrier around you when your life is in danger. Viper tried to kill you on several occasions, but failed each time. It’s like you were invincible, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t feel the pain of the torture you were subjected to. After that, you were forced to learn to suppress the Aether Core’s strength, as Ever worried that the Aether Core would be discovered by the other factions, who are also hungry for power.
“The boss wanted me to check in on you, you didn’t message him tonight, he was worried. Look at the freedom he’s given you, you spoiled brat, You should be grateful that he allowed you to attend the Aerospace Academy.”
Your father demanded that you message him every day during your time at Aerospace Academy. That was one of his many conditions for allowing you to study here. He didn’t care about your day. He didn’t care what grades you got in school. He didn’t care if you were sick or if you were eating enough. He made you message him because it's a reminder that he has absolute control over you.
“So tell me sweet child, how are you doing? Have you so much as forgotten your place? Shall I remind you?”
Viper walks towards you, stepping and crushing your phone beneath his feet. You saw Vipers face before the light on your phone disappeared. Viper was smiling, the kind of smile a maniac makes when playing with a new toy. The black mist tightens around you. You can't help but yelp as you struggle for air.
You try to mask the fear in your eyes, and suppress the pain in your heart as rage spreads across your body. But as a defense mechanism, that rage transforms into obedience and reluctance. You were trained to become obedient. That was the only way to stop the pain. The only way to escape the darkness. The only way to freedom, even if it was just an illusion. Because in your world, freedom didn’t exist. If only you didn’t have the Aether Core in your heart.
“Please tell father that I’m doing well. I’m grateful that he let me study here. Tell him I’m sorry for not reporting to him tonight. I won’t forget again.”
The black mist loosens around you, but not before a sharp pain grazes your thigh. It almost feels like you were whipped. A hint of red starts to stain your skirt. That was Viper's way of leaving a mark on you to remind you of the consequences of disobeying your father.
“Pftt, remember to follow your orders, if it happens again, don’t say I didn’t warn you”. And just like that, the black mist dissipates, with Viper’s presence vanishing with it.
You take several minutes to compose yourself. How pathetic. For 8-months you lived in freedom. You almost forgot about the chains that bound you to your roots, to Ever. Tears roll down your face, and you wipe them away before they fall. It wasn’t because of the pain in your leg, you’ll patch that up when you return to your dorm room. Your tears shed because of the realization that you’ve never felt true freedom, and you were once again reminded of that tonight.
The clouds move to the wind in the evening air, and the moon reveals itself to illuminate the hanger with its glow. You collect yourself and your things, and you start to make your way to leave. However, a glint of light catches the corner of your eye. You turn to look at the source of the light and notice a shadow of a man standing in the back corner.
“Who’s there?”
A moment later, the shadow slowly walks towards you, his footsteps steady, and light. The moonlight casts a light that flickers on an object below the man’s adams apple. A necklace?
As he gets closer, you see the silhouette of the person. Your eyes widen when you realize who it is. His eyes darken as he approaches you, with brows furrowed. You can’t read his expression. Was it concern? Was it disappointment? Was it pity? You weren't sure.
The man is now in front of you, and your eyes meet.
Title: The Moons that Protect Their Little Star: Ch1: Welcome Home.
Synopsis: This is not a romance fanfic. AU. You live with your 5 older brothers: Sylus, Zayne, Xavier, Rafayel, and Caleb. Their world revolves around taking care of you. Just a day in the life of a little sister being spoiled, being protected, and being dotted on by her big brothers.
Chapter 2 >>
WC: 2.3K
“I’m home!”
You return home after a 3-day mission to the no-hunt zone. Recently, multiple anomalies have been detected, and the Unicorn Team has been tasked to find the source of these anomalies and eliminate them. You're glad that the mission ended successfully, you want nothing more than to go home instead of camping out in the forest every night.
At the doorstep, you enter your passcode. 3-2-6-4-5-9, which spells out ‘family’ on the number pad, and hear a familiar click. You step inside, slipping your backpack off your shoulder and dropping it on the floor with a tired thud. It’s so nice to be home.
You live in a beautiful quiet neighborhood. The house is large, but it feels cozy. It's beautifully furnished and it feels warm and comfortable. Scattered around your home are several miss matched decorations from the trinkets each of your brothers brings home from time to time.
Candy jars filled with sweets, antique guns, model planes, paintings of the ocean, and the softest throw blankets present themselves in different parts of the house.. But you wouldn't have it any other way. Each item has their own stories to tell, and each one reminds you of the people that love you unconditionally.
Xavier follows behind you shortly after as he steps into the house. You sometimes find it annoying that you work with him everyday and in the same division, since you’re both top performing hunters on the Unicorn team under Captain Jenna. But you were thankful for him on this mission. Without him, you probably wouldn’t have been able to defeat the wanderers without getting injured. On missions like these, you feel fortunate to have Xavier there to protect you from harm. He was your star, and you were his galaxy.
“Take your shoes off and go take a shower first before coming down for dinner. I’ll take your stuff out of your backpack and put it away. I’ll also hang your jacket up for you.”
“Thanks Xay Xay”
You shortly crawl up the stairs on all fours and make your way to the top step, when you see Rafayel stepping out of the bathroom.
He gives you the biggest smile. “Welcome home cutie. I just drew a bath for you. The water is extra hot, just how you like it. I don’t know how you do it, I’d be a cooked fishy if I went in there.”
“Rafy!” In an instant, your exhaustion dissipates as you run to hug Rafayel. You missed him, as well as the others. Your family has always been the most important people in your life. “I missed you fishy”
“Haha, I missed you too” Rafayel lifts you up in his embrace and twirls you around ever so slowly. He doesn’t want to make you dizzy. “Xav messaged us an hour ago and said you two were on your way home. You were passed out in the car apparently, you must be a tuckered little bodyguard”. He lets you down gently and tucks a strand of your hair behind your ears.
“Mhmm, but our Lumiere did most of the heavy lifting. Our intel suggests that there were only supposed to be a few low tier wanderers so we brought a junior to the mission for training. However, things got a bit complicated when S-tier wanderers appeared and he had to ensure the junior’s safety. Luckily no one got seriously injured”.
You start rubbing your eyes now as you feel yourself getting tired again after Rafayel lets you go.
“Alright little Angel fish, I’m glad you are both home safe and sound. Go enjoy your bath while it’s still piping hot. Sylus is cooking your favorite dishes, so don’t be too long”
“Thanks Rafy, I love you!”. As Rafayel walks down the stairs, he doesn’t turn around but makes a little heart symbol with his thumb and index finger.
When you walked into the bathroom, the mirror was already slightly fogged and the air was thick with steam.
The bath is the perfect temperature as soon as you climb in. You can smell the gentle scent of lavender and eucalyptus, your favorite. Rafayel must’ve added a few drops of essential oil in the bath. You smiled, the kind of small, worn smile that only appears when someone understood you before you said anything.
As you climb into the bath, the soreness in your body slowly fades away. Muscles you didn’t even know were tight slowly melted. The quiet splash of water echoed softly, and your body finally allowed itself to rest after a strenuous three days.
You slowly sink lower into the bathtub when you feel a little sting on your ankle. You lift your foot up and notice a cut. You don’t think much of it as you close your eyes to let yourself decompress.
You almost fell asleep in the bathtub, until your tummy reminded you that it’s empty and it would like some sustenance. You slowly step out of the bathtub and notice one of your favorite sets of PJs are neatly folded on the counter. They’re light purple with red and pink seashells on them. You roll your eyes gently. Of course Rafayel would choose these for you.
After drying off and getting changed, you place your dirty laundry in the hamper and step out of the bathroom. You see Caleb’s study room door slightly ajar and a faint light radiating inside. You peek inside and notice he’s reading some documents on his computer. He must still be busy with work even late into the evening.
Caleb doesn’t come home very often. He works in the Farspace Fleet and is in Skyhaven most of the time, but he had a week off and decided to come to Linkon for a visit, specifically to visit his little apple. A soft sigh escapes you. Why must there be a mission while Caleb is here. You wished you could’ve spent more time with him.
Caleb heard your little sigh and looked up. His furrowed brow instantly relaxes and his face lights up as he notices you peeking in.
“I see you standing there, are you just going to pretend you were passing by?”
He turns off his computer and starts walking towards you and you find yourself tearing up a little bit. You really missed him. You see Rafayel, Xavier and Zayne almost every day, but Caleb and Sylus don’t always come home. Everyone’s so busy after all. You know Caleb’s missions can be dangerous. From time to time, he’ll send you little letters and notes telling you to eat well, to take care of yourself and to tell you how precious you are to him. But you don’t particularly like these notes, because you know he writes them for you before every dangerous mission in the deepspace tunnel.
You give him the most gentle hug, snuggle your face into his shirt. Your voice muffled as you tell him how much you missed him.
“I missed you too Pipsqueak, a little more than you realize” He gently pats the back of your head and notices it’s still dripping wet. “I see that you didn’t dry your hair properly again, I’ll go grab your towel, go downstairs and relax on the couch, I’ll come down to dry your hair for you”
You love it when Caleb dries your hair. He’s patient, gentle and it feels so nice. Even though you know he must be tired from working, you decide to be a little selfish and accept his offer.
Walking down the stairs you can smell the delicious food being prepared in the kitchen. As you make your way to the living room, you hear Sylus humming a little tune in his deep baritone voice. It’s… a little offkey, but you like it nonetheless. You hum along as you walk through the kitchen.
Sylus sees you approaching and a little smirk appears on his face. “There you are lil’ miss”
You can’t help but blink at the spread along the counter - all your favorite dishes. It smells so good that your mouth starts salivating.
“Lil S, you cooked all this? You’ve really outdone yourself” you lift yourself up on your tippy toes and headbutts his shoulder. You don’t know why you did it, but you just did. Sylus doesn’t object. Call it cuteness aggression if you will.
“Zayne wouldn’t leave me alone about making sure you eat today. He was worried that you would be too tired to eat, so I had to pull out all the stops” Sylus replied, plating everything neatly. “Here, drink this first”
Sylus hands you a warm bowl of soup. You take a sip and your eyes instantly narrow, you have the biggest grin on your face. It’s delicious and the nausea from hunger dissipates instantly.
You slowly make your way to the living room, careful to not spill the soup. Caleb’s already there with a towel, hair brush and hair dryer in hand. “Come sit, you can have your soup while I dry your hair Pips”
When your hair is dry and dinner is ready, the five of you start to have dinner in the living room while watching a new movie about a zombie Korean boy band. Zayne was just wrapping up an emergency cardiopulmonary bypass for one of his patients. You wonder if he’ll be home soon, the food will get cold. You can't help but feel a little sad that he isn't home yet. You missed him.
But as soon as the thought crosses your mind, you hear the click of the front door and Zayne steps in. You dart up immediately but by doing so, hit your knee on the table. “Ouch! Stupid table.” You slowly limp your way over to Zayne and give him a big hug.
“How dare you hurt her, you dumb table” Caleb suddenly says.
“Are you really going to make an enemy with Onichynus’s leader?” Sylus says, as he aggressively pokes the table.
“The ocean holds grudges and my sharks are hungry” Rafayel retorts.
“No matter how comfortable you are to nap on, I won’t forgive you for hurting her” Xavier says.
Zayne pinches the bridge of his nose. His brothers are all so stupid, he thinks to himself. But his thought quickly goes away when you tug on his arm and pull him into the living room where the others are. “Come on! Dinner’s getting cold, it’s time to eat. I missed you Zayney” A warm smile appears on Zayne’s face. He missed not seeing you at home for the past several days. Your smile always brightens them all up. No matter how annoying his brothers can be, Zayne is grateful that his family was all together. This home is complete.
As you two make your way to the living room, Zayne notices that you’re favoring one of your legs. “Did you injure your foot?”
The other 4 immediately look at you with serious faces. Uh oh.
“I think it’s just a little cut, have dinner first, and then you can check it out”
You should’ve known and hid it better. Zayne and the other four immediately got to work. They sat you down on the couch, Rafayel went to get the first aid kit, Sylus places a cushion behind your back, Caleb and Xavier’s eyes darkened and they secretly plot revenge on all the wanderers. How dare they hurt their little sister!
Zayne calmly and gently lifts your foot and examines the cut. It really isn’t that serious, but to prevent infection, Zayne carefully disinfects the wound and wraps it with a bandage with little snowmen on it. Good as new.
“Alright. Alright. I’m really okay! Let’s all have dinner together now. The food is getting cold.” You smiled and said.
Your five brothers relax and ease up a bit, but eventually you all return to your dinner. The food is delicious. They each take turns putting food on your plate. But you’re not complaining. You were so hungry that you could devour all the food on the table. In silence, you all watch what would become one of your favorite movies.
After dinner, Zayne stepped out for a few minutes and returned with a bag. “Here, ice cream mochi. Green tea and mango, your favorites”. Zayne is the best, you think to yourself.
You and everyone else claimed spots across the couch and floor, throwing pillows everywhere and pulling out blankets like it was a sleepover. You’re nestled between Caleb and Sylus, your feet tucked under Zayne’s blanket. Sylus sits on the armchair, the one no one dares to sit on when he’s home. That’s his chair, he’s very particular about it. Xavier is passed out on the carpet. He’ll be asleep for a few days, maybe more. You giggle to yourself. You all quietly enjoy each other’s company as you watch TV..
“Okay” Rafayel says, grabbing the remote. “First one to complain about the show gets banned from dessert”
“I’m the one who bought dessert” Zayne says, raising his eyebrow
“Puh-lease, I’m the one holding the remote” Rafayel counters smugly.
You laughed. You missed these silly banters. You closed your eyes for a moment, letting the sounds of the show, the warmth of your brothers and the hum of comfort settle deep into your chest. You’re fully relaxed and safe at home.
In your home, with five big brothers who spoil you in their own quiet, careful ways, you let the drowsiness consume you, realizing you didn’t have to be strong and brave in the house. You didn’t have to smile when you didn’t want to. You didn’t have to ask to feel protected and loved.
They just knew.
And tonight, they reminded you in all their own ways, just how important you are to them.
As you drift off to sleep, and as the others join along, you know that you and your big brothers will all have the sweetest dreams.
