Late Night Talking | cw: 18+ mdni, fauxcest (uncle!Simon), smut and plot, másturbàtíon (m), p in v, no prep, unprotected sèx, age gap(40 something Simon, 23 yo reader)
a/n: more plot heavy than god intended. So sowry. Can be read solo dolo.
part one. 1.5. next
Simon hates when you ignore him.
I mean, to the point he can feel a migraine coming on. Irritation building, knee bouncing, snapping a little more than usual. He told you not to come over for a little bit, just needed to “sort some things out”. Maybe the space would make that want he felt radiating off of you disappear. Make that kiss you shared nothing but silly imagination, you could go back to what was.
But was it ever ‘normal’?
Maybe it was a car crashing into a wall, feelings bound to come rushing in all at once. The car being put in drive when he noticed how pretty that smile was, how gorgeous you were talking and laughing absentmindedly around the house, or when you called to check up on him, the engine revving and lurching forward without warning when he saw that damn cursive on the side of your hip in passing. ‘Honey’ in cursive, the exact same spot he got a tattoo he’d only recently told you about. Watched the way your shirt rose and fell over it, every curve of your body becoming more recognizable, hypnotized in the thought of touching each of them— the crash. Feeling your body against his, eyes scaling him up and down till he caught you, the electric shock of your fingers against his.
It was almost as if kissing you was unavoidable.
So keeping his mind off you wasn’t possible, not when the house only became a home with you in it. Your belongings scattered around the house still. He ignored you for two weeks— you ignored him for three. He tried to call and you’d block him. He showed up to your parents as an excuse, still at a loss of words of what to actually say to you, and you’d still picked up your siblings before he got there.
And still, the thought of you only entrapped him. He’s seen it over and over, the image of you on top of him, tantalizing, tossing your shirt to the side, hands sliding all over his body, down his slightly pudgy torso, his happy trail, and every single time you’re about to pull his cock out— he jolts awake. He’s too old to be having wet dreams, too old for morning wood. Or popping a boner after imaging you in his living room, on your knees, plump lips wrapped around his cockhead while you stare up at him through your lashes— fuck.
He’s quick this time to catch it, too frustrated with the feelings youre giving him, standing on his feet, one knee on the edge of the bed. rolling his hand down his own rock hard length. Simon slipping his boxers down just enough it springs out. Only getting stiffer with every twist of his rough hand down his shift. He lets out a shuddering breath, he can imagine it in full detail. Too clear. Letting him thumb rub the rest of his tip leaking pre, the way you’d circle your tongue around it, let it get all wet, with your saliva till your pushing your hair to the side, you hand on his thigh till his manhood’s got you choking.
“Shit honey bee,” he grunts out, low moans only growing now, how rough you’d try to be with him, spit gurgling and bubbling onto your cum coated lips, fast, tight— makes him grip himself just the way your mouth would be, warm sucking him through teary eyes. His hand at the back of your neck, rubbing the hairs on your nape, and Simon shudders, lifting his shirt and taking it into his teeth
He’s gotta calm down, but he can’t, muffled groans and huffs filling the bedroom, stroking his dick with vigor, eyelids low, can see the pudge of his stomach, the way he’s making his hand dirtier, every squelch while his hand works it’s way up and down his throbbing shaft. “Bloody. Fuckin- mmph!”
How would you look underneath him right now? That face with your mouth agape, curls sprawled out, making his maddening red dick shine with your quivering hole. How’d you keen so beautifully, “uncle Simon, oh- uncle Simon-“
And the old bastard chokes on a muffled groan, mind fogging with every way he dreamt of slamming into your cunt, his hand feeling the way his hips buck. Simon’s eyebrows knit together, balls tightening while spurts of white fluid lands into his hand.
It wasn’t right.
The man couldn’t even look himself in the mirror as he washed the cum off his hands.
Worse, he heard that damn door unlock. Having to rush out of the bathroom and down the steps. Had he always been this nervous- no- so eager to see you?
And when you saw that look on his face, flushed, confused, unprepared. You thought the worst first, but that’s not your business either, if he has someone else over. He’s your Uncle. And just that. Nothing more or less. You could play along for the rest of your life if need be. Pressing your lips together, you drag your bag of laundry further inside.
“I’ll be quick,” you huff out, not bothering to look him in the eyes, “My washer went out again.”
You’ve been complaining about he old thing for ages, Simon’s offered to buy you a new one when he attempted to repair it. But you declined, told him to spend his money on something better. And then there were the offers for you to just move in, another declined offer. Something along the lines of, ‘I’d be inturding, er- um- it’d be too much for you Uncle Si, got too much goin on..’
But who wouldn’t want to be with you, see you every morning, help you when you needed, see that beautiful face— Simon follows you to the laundry room.
“Just laundry?” He asks.
You nod slow with a blasé look, turning clothes inside out and tossing them into the wash, “Mhm.”
And that could’ve been the easy way for the both of you, letting you do just that. Not ask any questions. Let the rhythm of you bring uncle and niece fall back into place. It’s late already, around 11 pm, leave the idea of fucking you to rust and die, right along with the kiss you’d shared.
But he hears you sniffle, movements only getting more aggressive.
“Honey-“
“—It’s been a… hard week ‘s all.” Another sniffle, shutting the washer machine shut, pouring in the detergent and then running it. Setting it down on the shelf gently. You can only spare him a quick glance as he fills the doorway, brushing past him in search of space, anywhere where you wouldn’t feel trapped with this older man. Your feet guide you down the hall to the dimly lit kitchen, clearing your throat, “I’m sorry for what happened. I- I shouldn’t have done that.”
“[+] y’didn’t do anythin-“
You shake your head fast, words tumbling out faster than your tongue can register, “—I’m not perfect, you know how my family is, I’m trying though. Someone’s got to.” You let out a chuckle that doesn’t reach your eyes, pushing yourself into the counter. The only Riley is across from you. Leaning against the fridge, you can’t read him, but you know his eyes are glued to you even if you dove have a good view of his face in the kitchens light. You take a deep breathe, “But this week, I just- I really needed you, but I didn’t know if I could come and see you, o-or just hear you. And I crossed the line, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry Uncle Si.”
It makes his heart squeeze when he hears those hiccups erupt out of you, feet dragging across the hardwood floor, cooing, “None ‘f this is your fault Dove. Was oll’ on me.”
You fiercely wips your tears, letting him cup your cheeks, only leaning into his warm touch, “I just- I don’t wanna be thrown away. Please, I can’t do it Uncle Si.”
You hesitate, but Simon lets your hand rest on his back, the gap between you only growing smaller. Your eyes close, hot tears still flowing down your pretty face, “I need you Uncle Simon, I need you- hck- but we can’t-“
“—Shhh, shhh, lovie, You need me,” he hush’s you softly, tilting your head up to look at him. Let’s his thumb run across your full plump, mahogany brown eyes getting lost in yours, enchanted, “How do y’need me honey bee. Hm? ‘ll Do exactly what y’want.”
You feel your knees almost buckle, clutching onto his shirt, hands sliding up his back. You don’t even realize you’re pressing yourself against him, begging for what your head can’t even register, “Just need you, need you Uncle Si, need you.”
This older man’s lips are so soft on yours, gentle, guiding. He tilts your head to the side, encapsulating more of your lips, his tongue runs over your lip, gaining access to your mouth. Simon’s in no rush, kisses so slow, tougues swirling around each other’s, moaning and groaning into each others mouths. His hands slide down the globes of your ass, squeezing, before lifting you and setting you down on the counter.
You’re left breathless, string of saliva leaving your lips once he pulls away, but not too far, getting between your legs, pulling off your shirt with his to follow. You can only mumble, hands already sliding down his torso, his tattoos, the scars youve already memorized, “Why am I the only one- hmph- in hurry.”
He sets his hands on the sides of you, grinding his chubbing member against you through his sweatpants, “Swee’art you’ve no idea what you do t’me. Hah— Should I be rougher with you then, huh? ‘S tha what you want?”
You let out a whine, pussy clenching down on nothing, “Want everythin Uncle Si, everything.”
It’s a blur, how he got your pants off, underwear hanging off your ankle, slapping his mushroom tip on your fat clit, through your folds, and to your slippery hole and back. Your stomach coils, squirming as he holds your legs open, nipples growing harder as you whine, “Don’t tease, mm- hurry.”
He hisses, teeth gritting as he buries himself inside your warm walls, “Fuck- You’re bein greedy baby.”
Your velvety walls clench around him, shivers rolls down your spine, you choke on a moan, your eyes shot when you look up at him, “Only way I can get what I want.”
Your head starts spinning, the way Simon starts to snapping his hips into yours, working you open, filling you to the brim, and you can see it. The slippery soaking mess you’re making around his heavy girth, angry red and . His hips flex, fucking into deeper that has your eyes rolling to the back of your head, hands clawing down his back as he kisses your neck.
“Aangh! Uncle Simon!”
And it only makes him harder, bullying himself till you feel him hitting your g-spot. He groans while your hands run through his hair, “This what you wanted? Wanted your uncle t’ finally fuck you tight little cunny like you’ve been needing.”
“Mmm- D-Don’t call it— shit- right there! ‘S right there!” Your pussy trembles as his paces picks up, the countering daring to shift with every filthy thwack, your skin slapping against each other. Balls of your feet are in the dip of his back while he only diggs deeper inside you, drawing out your orgasm that has your toes curling. Mewling, ‘uncle simon, uncle Simon’
He lifts you off the counter, calloused hands kneading the globes of your ass, his cock still slotted deep in your honey dew walls, hiking up higher with every step he makes out the kitchen
You whimper, hands gripping onto his beefy shoulders, “Wait- Si- nngh- Uncle Si take it out, I-I’ll cum again.”
“Then do it, let me feel you honey bee.” He slams you down on his cock, hungry for it, groaning at the grip you’ve got his cock in, the way his cockhead brushes against your womb.
Your hips buck, arch backing while your sensitive pussy throbs around him, your clit all swollen, crying out as topple over again.
Your skins all sweaty as your back hits the mattress of the bed, can see the slick slipping down your mound, letting him box you in with his body. Simon French kisses you again, groaning in your mouth as you suck his tongue, spreading your legs, his member hitting your thigh.
“Not done with you yet dovie,” he grunts, slipping back into you slow, till his balls are pressed right against you, hands pressed down right where the crown of his cock is kissing your cervix, “Gotta show you just how much your Uncle missed ya.”
a/n: well, how was it? I ended up going the needy/‘ooga booga it’s forbidden’ route (which is cliche right?) to the point I just had to follow through with it before I deleted it☠️, it’s okay I think. Gross (complementary)
summary: You have the worst luck in the entire world to be transmigrated into a novel as some faceless side character, where the most notorious villains in the story won’t leave you alone. (ft. Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil, Vil, Idia, Malleus).
notes: 12k words, scenario, fluff, mentions of violence, reader gets injured once, heavily based on my love of cheesy isekai/reincarnation/villainess manhwa
All of your problems started with the book your friend lent you.
You didn’t even want to read it at first, but you took the copy because she wouldn’t stop pestering you and spamming you with texts. The title—I’ve Become the Villain’s Lover!—was embossed gold, and the cover picture had seven beautiful men lounging around a woman with brown hair, the woman gazing wistfully into the distance. In short, it was so cheesy it sent chills down your back.
You really weren’t going to read it. But that summer night was hot and humid and you had nothing better to do than stare at the television and stir around your half-melted ice cream. So when you saw the book on the edge of the kitchen counter, you thought, why not? and opened it up.
If it was bad, you would stop after a few pages. But the television kept droning on as you read, and your forgotten ice cream was now melted slush in its bowl, and soon you were halfway through the story.
The premise itself was simple enough: the heroine, Hera Winn, was the treasured daughter of a down on his luck baron. He sent her to the city to make her debut, and after a series of mishaps, she ended up running into the crown prince, Malleus Draconia, who fell in love at first sight. However, the crown prince was feared by his subjects, and rumors swirled around about his fearsome power and his family. To make matters worse, six other men fall in love with Hera. The cherry on top? All seven men were notorious villains, feared by people far and wide for their cruelty.
You were still a few chapters away from the ending when your eyes started drooping; it was impossible to keep them open, even though you were dying to text your friend. It was deliciously bad, in an over-the-top and campy way, and you appreciated how self-indulgent the author was. Seriously, why would seven villains even fall for an ordinary person? It was way too contrived.
Whatever. You could call her tomorrow.
You closed your eyes, and when you opened them again, you found yourself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Oh no. No way. This wasn’t what you thought it was, was it?
Conveniently, there was a hand mirror next to you, and when you stared into the frame, the face of a stranger stared back at you.
Your worst fears had come true. You’d transmigrated into I’ve Become the Villain’s Lover!
Shit. You were never going to read another book in your life.
HELPPP am I the only one sobbing rn cuz I can’t find that one scrumptious fanfic about reader getting reincarnated into twst-novel(ish) world where the love interests are the overblot gang and reader gets shoved into the protagonist role(out of their will) and slowly let's put into situations wherein they meet the (villains)love interests, and then there's fluffy, funny, and cute interactions and developments for each love interest, then they fall for reader who keeps rejecting them and after investigating they find out the the OG protagonist is just sitting around not doing their job so reader is stuck with seven guys pining after her— I CAN’T FIND THAT DARN FIC ANYWHERE
You may not realize it but the students at NRC know you're the secret weapon against their Housewarden when they get in trouble or need something done. Their Housewarden has a crush on you.
ft. Riddle and Leona (warning for mentions of depression/death in Leona's part)
There's an endless number of things that make Riddle mad despite all the techniques he's been researching and implementing. It comes with being the Queen of the strictest dorm, he supposes. Really he wouldn't be mad if people would just listen but apparently that's hard! Cater and Crewel were doing well to soften his edges, Trey sweetening the deal with cooking one random thing Riddle's mom never let him have as a child if he could go ten days without popping a vein.
Riddle thought he'd come a long way, honestly. Professor Trein really put it into perspective when he told the boy that the he could build a reputation on something other than anger. He wouldn't want to be known for that, right? Riddle was far more than his rage and it would be an insult to all his other talents to lose to it.
That wasn't to say he could never be angry again. There were absolutely reasonable things to be angry over. Like the scene in the kitchen right now.
Preparations for an Unbirthday Party were in full swing and Trey had the kitchen running like a well-oiled machine. He had dedicated helpers, people monitoring the ovens, people plating, and little runners to arrange the spread. Everyone knew he made extras and finger foods to tide people over before the event. Heartslabyul members tucked away in the nooks and crannies like clever mice as they gorged, enjoying a brief respite before darting off again.
He fully expected Ace or Deuce to be the culprit this time but they had learned. Riddle could only assume the young student didn't know but that didn't stop his blood from boiling. Those were HIS strawberry cheesecake cookies in those greedy little hands, HIS!
ON HIS SPECIAL PLATE AND EVERYTHING!
His throat burned with rage as he teeth ground together. Riddle could feel the vein pulsing in his head as he began to seethe, forgetting to breathe out his nose. Students slipped out of the kitchen, some slow and some quick, but his vision was starting to get hazy with fury and he couldn't keep track.
He doesn't know if the yell finally breaks free, or if Off With Your Head actually hits a target but he does feel someone's hand on his shoulder.
There's no blubbering, no high-pitched pleading, no force or violence.
It's far gentler than he deserves but that gentleness quiets the fierce beat in his ears. The world seems to come back together, the broken pieces wrapped in a fragrance that only you wear. His eyes focus and Riddle feels the guilt drag him down like a stone.
He was so close! What a stupid thing to get mad over! He really was no better than his mother, was he? So quick to jump at others and punish them with no regard...
"Breathe with me," Riddle doesn't dare meet your eyes, focusing instead on the hand resting warmly against his chest, fingers tapping patiently. He knows when to breathe in, breathe out, and hold. You do it with him and he swears you blow away all his anger when you blow out.
You cup his chin, forcing Riddle to meet your gaze. The angry pinch in his brow melts to a tired disappointment. His face flushes with shame, eyes dotting with tears. "It's okay to have these moments. You have to work through them to heal. You just can't live in them."
"I'm sorry," Riddle slumps against you, unable to lift his arms. You let his head rest on your shoulder, wrapping your arms around him.
"You didn't hurt anyone and didn't break anything so there's not much to be sorry about," he feels you shrug. "But you might've scared some people so maybe apologize for that. What was it Trein said? 'Turn your anger into action, seething into saying'? Go explain yourself."
It sounds simple when you say it. Trein's 'seething into saying' was especially potent because it made him realize all the times his mother failed to hear any reasoning but her own. He never had a chance to say anything out loud so it continued to fester on the inside.
"Now," you steal a handkerchief from his pocket, holding his face in your hands as you dab at his eyes, "compose yourself. We have an Unbirthday Party to get to."
"Right you are, my rose. Right you are," Riddle looks up as you tend to his lower lash line and the corners. "It shall be a very merry Unbirthday."
You pass Ace and Deuce in the hallway and Riddle doesn't miss the thumbs up you give them even though you're trying to be discrete.
--------- ---------- ---------
Leona may have the biggest room in Savanaclaw but that doesn't stop him from hearing Jack stretching for his morning jog at four AM. Ruggie's not far behind him; he can hear the hyena beastman cramming school supplies in his bag and taking pictures of his 'side jobs and errands' master schedule. He reaches blindly for his phone, rolling over as his finger finds the button. The light scorches his eyes and he growls low in his throat, tail swishing angrily beneath the twisted sheets.
Of course his phone is pointed at his face! why wouldn't it be, right? He's always being kicked when he's down. Leona scoffs, face relaxing from a snarl as his spotty vision settles. He has about an hour and a half before Ruggie slinks in to pester him for the day.
At least it's a good-natured pestering, unlike the attendants back home. Leona knows he has some internal shit to work out but it runs so deep that he can't scoop it all out. He feels full of holes and doesn't know which one to patch first. Ultimately he bleeds out, resigning himself to a day of nothing because it's easier to sleep and forget everything.
Maybe he'll have energy tomorrow.
Maybe the Great Sevens will grant him mercy and he just won't wake up. A genuine smile twists his lips as he thinks of haunting the palace like the ghosts of Ramshackle. Oh to scare the fur straight off of Farena!
Does that make him a bad person? He's not awake enough to dissect that, honestly. Leona lapses into a blissfully dreamless sleep until his first alarm goes off. The Housewarden musters his energy and looks at his phone again, silencing the alarm and flicking open his class schedule.
Alchemy, huh? It's better than History of Magic so maybe he'll go. The scent of potion ingredients always turn his stomach but nothing nauseates him more than Crewel. Leona doesn't mind the no-nonsense demeanor and gets a kick out of how the freshies squirm under his steely gaze but he hates the look Crewel gives him.
Crewel looks at him like he believes in him and Leona doesn't know what to do.
Leona knows he's defensive and skittish and lashes out when he's uncomfortable but Crewel doesn't seem to care. It leaves Leona confused because he hasn't left yet. Crewel gets under his skin because he knows Leona doesn't listen, tapping into Leona's bottomless desire to be petty.
It usually works and Leona hates it.
He stares at the ceiling after shooing Ruggie away for the third time, more awake than he wants to be. Leona knows he has to get up, get dressed, eat something, and get ready for class. It just...takes so much.
Jack tags in and walks up to his bed, fluffy ears swiveling and tail so puffy it puts Lucius' to shame. His tail shakes nervously and Leona's sleepy green eyes drift up to the way he rubs his neck awkwardly. "It's time to get up," Jack doesn't look him in the eye.
Leona's tempted to ask Jack to pull him off the bed. That's half the battle. He's too prideful to lay in the floor practically naked; it'll motivate him to change clothes. If he's changed clothes, he's up. If he's up, it's only thirty steps to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Between the water and the mint, his stomach will demand food and the kitchen is right by the front door of the dorm.
If he can make it to the front door, he can make it to the mirror chamber. The mirror chamber is on campus so there's no reason to skip class if he gets that far.
"A lot of us look up to you, you know," Jack turns his back on him. Leona knows it's a hard thing for Jack to do, being a beastman and all. "Be the person we know you can be."
"Easier said than done." Leona grumps, finally pulling himself up from the sheets. He hunches over, already tired at the thought of getting dressed.
"But not impossible," you lean against the doorway and Jack's ears press flat as he darts out of the room. "Tap out," you whisper softly, bumping Jack's shoulder as he passes. The wolf beastman gives you a nod as you close the door behind you.
"Who called you?" Leona flashes his fangs in irritation as he moves strategically with his covers to reach the pair of pants waiting nearby. He's told you more than once he sleeps basically naked but you don't seem to care.
"Does it matter? I'm here." you shrug, staring at him with a look he can't read. It's not pity and it's not aggravation so that's nice. "You want help? The hardest part is getting started."
Very wise. Wiser than a herbivore has any right to be.
Leona concedes with a wiggle of his eyebrow, standing up after he's sure his legs are in the pants. He shrugs into them, groggily doing the zipper. His hands linger on the button as he realizes your words come from a life in a world no one else will get to know.
One you may never see again.
All of a sudden he doesn't feel like one of the oldest students. You're younger than him but you've basically lived two lifetimes.
Maybe you have better words for what he's feeling. Maybe they've found a way to fix it in your world and you can teach him.
He buttons the pants and you hold up the brown top. Leona doesn't know why he leans towards you in this moment. Something in you seemed to hold your arms out to him and a piece of him just wanted to be held. If you ask him, he'll say it's less of a hassle
You untangle his necklaces and lay them flat. Something wounded and happy wells up at the feel of your hands on his chest.
If you can do it, he can too. He doesn't know how you do it, but if you can find a way to exist at the end of the day, he can too.
He can exist for you. To thank you.
Is that weird? Maybe.
Leona shrugs into the black sleeveless jacket and cracks his neck, sighing.
"Not so bad, right? The hardest part of the day is already behind you."
You're not wrong but he's not going to tell you that. Leona separates long enough to brush his teeth and walks you to the front door of the dorm.
"How do you always know what to do?" he asks, looking ahead as you walk to the portal connecting to the mirror chamber.
"I don't. But I can see the signs. Depression was pretty common where I came from. You learn things."
"Do you...struggle with it to?" Leona fiddles with a gold clasp in his hair, acting like it got caught in his jewelry as your feet touch ground in the mirror chamber.
"Always."
You say it so honestly that it shocks him. For a moment it makes him jealous. Overall, he's impressed. That takes unimaginable strength. Strength he, the captain of the Spelldrive team, is not capable of.
"How do you beat it?" Leona asks softly, a hint of defeat and exhaustion in his voice.
"I don't beat it," you shake your head. "I chase it off. Sometimes it's for a day, sometimes it's gone a lot longer. Every now and then it sneaks up and gets the jump on me, the little bastard."
He laughs despite himself and doesn't bother to look ashamed.
"I just want more for myself. I don't want to admit it took me down. I want to be able to turn around and stare it in the eyes one day and say I won."
Leona doesn't know how to respond. He also wants to say he conquered his demons and became more than what people expected (or didn't). Once upon a time that win was the crown but now he's not so sure what victory looks like.
You stop in front of Alchemy and gesture to the door. His eyes widen a little. "Go win." you point to the door, sparing him no more time or attention as you went to your class.
Now he knows why Jack and Ruggie called on you. You'll guard him when he's wounded but won't baby him. You understand what he's too scared to put a name to. He is danger incarnate to a herbivore like you and you laugh in his face.
Silly thing. Important thing, but silly thing.
You're silly and he's stupid. A stupid lion with a stupid crush.
【 chapter 1 - the cub, some warmth, and a lion's advice 】
author's note: i'm back with the next installation of this series ! i have some more yuu introspection and a little bit of familial teachers <3 and leona still being a jerk but also being nice for once (totally not bc he doesn't like seeing yuu sad-)
word count: 5.6k
tags: yuu introspection ! (take my yuu brainrot everyone), cheka kingscholar is a ray of sunshine, familial teachers let's go, giving our bb yuu the love they deserve, some angst bc i love me my angst, leona kingscholar gives actual good advice for once ??
[ baby it's cold outside series | read it on ao3 ]
Yuu, as promised, was up very bright and early the next day. Grim was still slumped in their arms, half-asleep as they trudged through the snow over to the bridge. It was quiet. Most students were still asleep since the mirror only opened up at midday. They couldn't forget about it, with how Deuce was gushing about seeing his mom the whole week before.
"Turn over here," Grim mumbled sleepily. "Why're we even up so early?"
"Leona wants me at Savanaclaw bright and early so, sorry for dragging you with me," Yuu put Grim down as they each grabbed a couple of logs.
They still didn't know why Leona wanted them to be there early. Last time they checked, Ruggie could barely drag him out of bed every morning for practice. So there had to be something. Something that was connected to the look that Leona had yesterday. Something that was surely going to be trouble.
Grim took the lead to get them back to the fireplace. As soon as the fire was lit with Grim's magic, fairy-like creatures appeared. They were small, orange hair flickering like a real fire as they made crackling noises akin to wood burning.
"F-funyah, I thought Crowley was making the faires up," Grim stared at them in wonder. Yuu reached out a hand for one of them and to their delight, one sat on their palm. The touch instantly warmed Yuu's hands and more faires started curiously flocking them.
"Sorry little guys," Yuu patted them on their firey little heads. "I can't stay for long today, I have to go and babysit an overgrown lion cub." There was crackling in return and they seemed to wave as Yuu and Grim left the hall. "Well, that was pretty cool."
"It was, but I'm still sleepy..." Grim did a big yawn and stretch, like a cat. "Imma go back to the dorm and sleep a bit. You stay safe, henchman. Don't want you dying, y’know."
"Thanks for believing in me," Yuu said sarcastically. They wrapped their own ratty scarf around Grim. "Don't fall asleep before you get in bed. And make sure to close the doors and windows."
They shivered a bit as they made their way over to the Hall of Mirrors. Yuu didn't exactly have a lot of clothes that were snow-worthy, so they had bought a couple of jackets from the school store. It seemed to be doing its job, but they would have no chance if they were out playing in the snow.
Getting to Savanaclaw gave them a radical shift in weather, going from Sage's Island's cold winter to Savanaclaw's sweltering heat. They carefully peeled back their snow-speckled jackets on their way to Leona's room.
When Yuu opened their door, they half-expected Leona to still be asleep. But what greeted them was a fully awake Leona Kingscholar, lazing around on the couch. He was dressed properly in his dorm uniform this time and green eyes tracked their every move.
Yuu decided to stick with a safe greeting instead of testing him, "Good morning, Leona."
"Bad morning if I'm up this early," Leona's expression shifted before he put out a hand. "Help me up, he's here."
Yuu pulled him up slowly, but wait…who was here?
They don't get to ask any questions before the door flung open and Leona got hit in the stomach by an orange streak of movement. Said orange streak was laughing all the while, "OJITAN! I missed you so much, ehehe~"
"Ugh, not so loud, brat," Leona muttered, and yet he still lifted the child up gently in his arms. Cheka Kingscholar was here, wearing a large puffy jacket and looking like an orange chick in Leona's arms.
And it finally clicked in Yuu's mind when they spotted the look on Leona's face. They're going to have to babysit that tiny lion, aren't they? For however long he was here because they were Leona's “faithful servant”.
Well, shit.
"Oh," Cheka's ears swiveled and he squirmed in Leona's hold to face them. "You're...oh! Aren't you Ojitan's friend? Cheka remembers you from that spelldrive tournament!"
"You have a good memory," Yuu tried to give their best smile. "I'm your uncle's friend. Kind of. My name's Yuu."
"Oi, brat," Leona sighed. "You'll go on a tour of NRC with them, alright?"
"Will you come with us?" Cheka's eyes practically sparkled. "I wanna see Ojitan's cool magic skills!" Oh yeah, they almost forgot the part where the kid idolized Leona and the very ground he walked on.
"Yeah, yeah," Leona waved a hand dismissively. "I have some homework to do so I'll join you in the gardens later." Great, he was already pre-planning his nap time. Cheka seemed to find it an acceptable answer because he ended up walking around the room, marveling at Leona's stuff.
"Hey, servant."
"You called, Leona-sama?" Their words were dripping with sarcasm and Leona wrinkled his nose at them.
"Quit it. There are three rules," Leona raised a finger. "One, keep the brat occupied for as long as you can. Two, he better not get hurt. It's annoying to deal with hurt people. And three, you're still my servant, so you still have to wait on me.
"Who knows?" Leona said with a sharp smile. "Maybe I'll sleep the whole time while you guys are gone. Oh, and he'll only be here for a week, so rejoice."
"Thanks for that quick and easy guide," Yuu mumbled. "Uhm, Cheka? Where's your, uh, stuff?"
"My attendants have it," The little cub said, rifling through one of Leona's drawers. "They're still talking to the crow man, so they'll come soon."
"Alright, so would you like to go on that tour?" Yuu offered a hand and the little lion gladly took it. "NRC's pretty big and it has lots of things to look at."
"I wanna see all of Ojitan's favorite spots!"
"We can do that," Yuu cracked a small smile. "They're all kinda close together, but yeah, we can definitely do that."
"Herbivore, what's with that sad jacket?" Leona asked suddenly. They looked over to see him watching them yet again. Of course he would poke fun at the jackets they manage to scrounge up. Nothing got past him when it came to things he could scrutinize.
"I don't really have proper winter clothes. Crowley's probably supposed to give me some, but he hasn’t."
"Then just use mine," He tilted his head. "I have several jackets so just choose one. It'll definitely be better than that sad excuse of a jacket."
"Y'know, you can just be nice without being a jerk about it," Yuu went through Leona's closet, Cheka curiously peeking at them from the side.
"Where's the fun in that?" Leona sounded like he was smirking. Meanwhile, Yuu found the least expensive-looking jacket that would maybe fit them, taking it out. It still looked like a whole ass dress on them, but at least it was warm.
"And besides. You're working for me for ten days,” Yuu really regretted giving him that much power over them now, seeing the arrogant smirk on his lips. “I don't wanna see you get sick on the first day and not cash in on my free servant."
"You shouldn't be talking so crassly in front of a child," Yuu retorted. "Let's go Cheka." There were no more complaints out of the Savanaclaw Housewarden as they exited his room. Which was good, because one more comment and Yuu would’ve probably taken the child and ran.
"I think Yuu-tan is very cool," Cheka whispered conspiratorially as they made their way to Savanaclaw's mirror.
"Hmm? Why's that?"
"My Ojitan doesn't like talking to anyone at home. Even the servants and my papa," Cheka said with a giddy look on his face. "So seeing him talking a lot with Yuu-tan, that means he's very good friends with Yuu-tan, right?"
"Kind of?" Yuu really didn't know how to answer the little lion's increasing number of questions. Them being friends with Leona Kingscholar just didn’t sound that correct. It wasn't as if they were Leona's lackey and they weren't exactly…on equal terms. It was hard to think of a clear answer.
But they didn't have to when they spotted Jack doing his morning jog. "Oh look, it's my friend, Jack."
Jack must've heard them approaching because he jogged over to the sidelines, "Hey, Yuu. Back again? And with...eh? Isn't that Leona-senpai's...?"
"Woah! Do you know my Ojitan?" Cheka beamed at him as he stuck out a hand. "I'm Cheka! Nice to meet you, big wolfie!"
"I'm babysitting Cheka for winter break," Yuu deadpanned. And they didn't miss the slightly amused look on Jack's face before smacking him.
"Do you play spelldrive too, wolfie-tan?"
"Wolfie-" Jack sighed, resigning himself to the nickname. "Yeah, I do. Actually, your uncle's the captain of our spelldrive team. Pretty cool, right?"
"So he does practice here?" Cheka looked out into the field. "So cool! I miss seeing him play. Where to next, Yuu-tan?"
"I guess we can go visit the main street?" Yuu glanced over at Jack before smiling slyly. "Bye-bye, wolfie-tan." And Cheka echoed the goodbye. Yuu swore they saw Jack's cheeks tinting at the nickname. They took that as their revenge.
As soon as they stepped through the mirror, Yuu let Cheka clamber up into their arms. It made their arms hurt like when Grim was dead asleep on it, but it was better than risking the crown prince of Afterglow Savanna getting sick because of them.
"So these are the sports fields," Yuu tried to act the part of a tour guide as Cheka ooh-ed at the fields. "You can't really see it because of the snow, but that's basically where we do our flying lessons."
"Do you do flying lessons too?" Cheka asked, tilting his head.
"Uh, I do. But my broom's kinda special since I don't have magic of my own."
"I knew it!" Cheka grinned triumphantly. "You don't smell like magic! It's a nice smell though so I don't care." It impressed Yuu how both Kingscholars could notice their lack of magic so quickly. A beastmen's nose sounded like it'd come in handy at times.
"Thanks, little lion," Yuu couldn't help the small quirk of their lips at the compliment. "Maybe if we get permission from Leona, we can play out here tomorrow in the snow. Do you get lots of snow at the Savanna?"
"Nope!" He said, emphasizing the 'p'. "It's always sunny or rainy there, mostly sunny. But there's lotsa snow here, I'm sure Ojitan will let us play!"
As they were about to step out of the fields, a voice yelled out to them, "Hey! Wait a second!"
And there was Vargas, in the flesh, shoving a hat into their arms, "I gotta go quick so here's my gift! Don't forget to exercise in the winter. With plenty of eggs and exercise, your muscles will thank you!!" Then he was running off yet again.
Huh. Did they just get gifted a hat just now? From Vargas, of all people? The hat looked really warm, with fur lining the inside and ear flaps to keep their ears from the biting wind. It was a dark brown leather, with a red strap to keep it on their head.
"Uh...you wanna try the hat?" Cheka nodded eagerly and Yuu plopped the hat onto the cub's orange and yellow hair. The hat was too big, but Cheka gave a big, toothy grin that told them he liked it all the same. And besides, he looked really cute in the hat. It made Yuu briefly wonder if Leona was ever this cute as a child...which was besides the point.
They meander over to the path, icy rock crunching beneath their boots, "This is the main street. It has the Statues of all the Great Seven. Do you know about them?"
"Mm! I remember Ojitan telling me about them once," Cheka said, tapping his chin. "He told me about...the King of Beasts!"
"Did you know that your uncle's dorm was based on the King of Beasts?" Yuu trudged on. "He's this statue right here."
"That's such a scary-looking lion," Cheka mumbled in awe. "But it kinda looks like Ojitan." Yuu snorted at the comparison. It was…kinda true. The haughty look and the scar over his eye really did remind them of Leona. Or maybe they were just thinking too deeply into it.
As they kept walking, they noticed that Cheka's tail had come to rest under their arm, curling away from the cold. "Are you cold, little lion?" Yuu asked, looking at the child's reddened nose.
"Kinda. But I wanna keep going!" Cheka sniffled, though his eyes looked determined.
"We can keep going after a short break," Yuu took a detour from the main road to go to Sam's. "Let's go here. Usually your uncle gets his snacks from here."
Yuu put Cheka down as they entered the store, "Sam? You open yet?" Yuu didn't see the usually-spirited man, but they did see the shadows shift to mimic his shape. "Do you know where Sam is?" Sam’s friend from the other side shook its head before vaguely ruffling up both Yuu and Cheka's hair.
Cheka squealed in delight, "What's that, what's that!! That's so cool!"
"That is my friend from the other side, little imp," Sam pranced out of the depths of the store. "Sorry for the wait, I was busy packing stuff for Ruggie-kun."
"Ruggie-senpai? What are you packing up?" Sam gestured to the big bags of food behind him.
"All the stuff that's near expiry," He explained jovially. "Ruggie-kun has a lotta mouths to feed back in his neighborhood so I do this as a favor every break."
"Hey, mister!" Cheka pointed at one of the sparkly things at the corner of the store. "What's that?"
"And who might you be, littler imp?" Sam cooed. Yuu couldn't help but think the older man had a soft spot for kids in general. He was kind hearted enough to pack everything for Ruggie too.
"I'm Cheka Kingscholar! I'm here to visit my Ojitan," Cheka beamed, before continuing his long speech on why he loved Leona so much and why he was his favorite person.
"Could you tell Sam I'll take a hot cocoa?" Yuu whispered over to the shadows that were clinking the glass cups. Yuu took the paper one instead. The shadow gave a thumbs up and Yuu set to work mixing up the warm drink for Cheka. They were sure that he would definitely enjoy something sweet.
As they waited for the hot water to boil, they pulled out their phone. Crowley had gotten it for them after the whole Octavinelle incident, which had been really helpful. They pressed on Leona's number. Now, how did they get his number? Well, by getting Ruggie to sneak into his phone to get it– at the price of a week's worth of premium lunches.
They put the phone closer to their ear when the line clicked, "Great and benevolent Leona-sama, it is I, your faithful servant."
There's a sharp sigh over the line, "If you don't get to the point in the next one minute, I'm ending the call."
"Wait, wait," Yuu fumbled. "I'm just calling to check in on you."
"Hah? Could've just texted me," There was shuffling over the line and Yuu belatedly wondered if he was asleep right before.
"Calling's faster. Anyway, how's the work?"
"It's getting done. Don't worry," Leona yawned. "There're so many alchemy equations, it's almost like Crewel is mad at me."
"Gee, I wonder why," Yuu shifted the phone to their other hand when the water was done. "It's not like you skip his classes most of the time."
"More attitude and I'll turn the paper to dust," Leona said; no heat behind his warning.
"Sure, sure. Do you want anything from Sam's? I stopped by to get the cub some hot cocoa," Yuu gently stirred the liquid, adding in milk.
"Get me something with meat, I'll meet you at the gardens in thirty."
There's a hand tugging their jacket, "Is that Ojitan? Can I talk to him?"
"Say no. Oi, herbivore-"
"Only for a second okay," Yuu said sweetly, handing the phone over to Cheka so he could talk to his beloved Ojitan.
"How many marks for the cocoa, Sam?" Yuu pulled out their wallet. "Oh, and if you could pack up three, no four burgers to go?"
"Two marks for one, and the burgers make it fourteen," Sam smiled secretively. "Before you go, I've got a gift for you, Prefect."
"A gift?" Yuu blinked, staring as Sam pulled out a box.
"It's not quite what you kids are into these days, but I thought it'd suit you!" Sam opened the box. "Ta-da~" Inside was a black scarf with little skulls printed on it in dark purple. A scarf. Sam was giving them a scarf.
"It's wintertime, so I wouldn't want my favorite little helper to freeze," Sam gently wrapped the scarf around them. "I hope that you have a good break here. Sage Island is beautiful at this time of year."
"I...thank you," Yuu couldn't keep that vulnerable tone from their voice. And they couldn't help it, that they were touched by such a simple gift. They thought back to Vargas’ rushed gift-giving as well which made them draw a sharp inhale. Was this planned all along?
"Oh! I got a matching smaller one for the little fire imp too," Sam brandished a Grim-sized scarf. "Stay safe this winter, and I'll see you next year, little imp."
"You too."
There's a tug on their jacket and Cheka's there, "Ojitan wants to talk to you."
"Yeah?" And Yuu turned away from Sam, giving Cheka his drink. "Be careful, it's hot, okay?" They blinked rapidly, trying to stop any tears from falling.
"...Why the hell do you sound two seconds from crying?" There goes trying to be subtle. Curse Leona Kingscholar for having such good hearing.
"Uhuh, a gift is making you cry," Leona's tone was teasing, but Yuu could hear the slightest trace of concern.
"It's complicated, ask me later," Yuu dismissed, not set on baring the softer parts of their heart to Leona Kingscholar, and most certainly not over the phone. "I got you a burger. I hope it's enough for your kingly tastes."
There was a small pause, "Yeah. Sure. Don't forget to watch the brat like a hawk."
"I'll keep him safe, don't worry," Yuu felt a lot less like crying after the short back and forth with Leona. The line clicked and Yuu was greeted with the sight of Cheka eagerly sipping at his hot cocoa.
"You like it?" Cheka nodded vigorously and Yuu felt like that was mission accomplished. "Should we continue then? Er, you can hold the drink if I put a cap on it." Yuu still wasn't used to accommodating Cheka. His antics might've been similar to Grim, but he was a complete angel compared to him.
"Let's go!" Cheka said cheerily. "Bye shadow-tan and Sam-tan!!" Sam waved them off from where he continued to pack food into bags. Holding on to a kid in one hand and the burgers, Yuu felt like they had become a true babysitter.
The inside of the main building was warmer, so they helped Cheka take off his little puffy coat.
"Yuu-san," They stood up to see Trein walking down the hallway, Lucius in his arms.
Lucius jumped off, approaching the duo with caution. He was probably being wary of Cheka. But Cheka's eyes were sparkling as he saw Lucius.
"Kitty!" Cheka giggled. "I'm a cat too, but a big cat. A lion, ehehe~!" He patted Lucius, who sniffed at Cheka before rubbing against him. Yuu took the hot cocoa off him before an accident could happen.
"Who is this?" Trein asked, looking down at Cheka with unreadable eyes.
"That's Cheka, Leona's nephew. I'm touring him around," Yuu smiled at the quiet teacher. "Are you going home for the holidays?"
"I will be returning to my daughters once the mirror opens," Trein acknowledged. "Lucius is also quite ready for a change of pace." Said cat was now purring in Cheka's arms, tiny tongue licking at the squealing cub's face.
"I almost forgot," Trein pulled out a small pouch. "Lucius." Said cat squirmed out of Cheka's hold and over to the Prefect, butting his head at their legs.
"I personally wanted to gift a black pair, but Lucius chose these grey ones, which were also elegant," Trein said solemnly, taking out a pair of winter gloves. "I see you got a scarf from Sam-san and the hat from Vargas already?"
"Wh– Oh, ah, yes," Yuu fumbled with the stuff in their hands before accepting the gloves gingerly. "Did you all plan this out beforehand?"
"Who could say?" Trein smiled the slightest bit, which shocked them. "Maybe it was just a whim of ours."
"Ah! That's Yuu-tan's third gift!" Cheka looked curiously as they pocketed the gloves. "Is it your birthday?"
"Yuu-san can't go home right now," Trein said, picking up Lucius once again. "So as teachers, we want to make sure they're having a good break here at NRC."
Cheka nodded, "It's okay, Yuu-tan! You have me and Leona-ojitan! You won't be lonely, ehehe~" If Yuu was a different person then maybe they would've cried right then and there at the words they received. But instead they swallowed around the lump in their throat.
"Thanks, Cheka, Trein-sensei," Yuu gave a small smile before stuffing the gloves into the pockets. "Shall we go meet with your uncle?"
"Yes!" Cheka agreed. "Bye, Kitty and Mr. Kitty's owner." As Trein left, Yuu turned toward the direction of the infirmary. It was faster to use the bridge to go over to Ramshackle and then over to the botanical gardens rather than go all the way around again.
"Wait a second, puppy!" There was the sharp clack of shoes before Crewel came into view. "I cannot have you walking around in that atrocious color!"
Cheka looked confused, "Puppy?"
"He calls us all his puppies," Yuu said in a conspiratorial tone. "He's the alchemy professor."
"Tch, I see the others got to you first, but behold," Crewel brandished what looked like a designer brand shopping bag. "Now don't go feeling bad about the price, this jacket was an old one I outgrew. And its quality is assured."
"Wait, Crewel-sensei, I-" Yuu had the burgers, the jacket, and scarf taken off by Crewel's careful hands.
"Who am I if I leave one of my favorite puppies shivering all winter long," He said dramatically, tugging the jacket over Yuu's shoulders. "Yes, your physique is perfect for this jacket as I thought."
Cheka's eyes were the size of dinner plates by the time Crewel was done, "Yuu-tan!! You look super cool!" It was a warm winter jacket in an elegant black, faux white fur lining the hood and layers upon layers of zippers.
"Thanks, Crewel-sensei," And Yuu felt their ears flushing when Crewel patted their head.
"I hope you have a wonderful holiday and return with a fresh mind, puppy," Crewel backed away, a smile on his face. "I'm expecting a lot from you next year." They felt that same warmth again, but it felt less like they were going to cry this time as they watched Crewel leave.
Yuu picked up the bag, Leona's jacket folded neatly inside, and the burgers on top, "Let's go. Your uncle might be waiting."
"I bet Ojitan's gonna be surprised," Cheka giggled. "Yuu-tan looks very pretty and handsome."
"You think so?" Yuu does a slow spin as they walk. Cheka giggled again and copied them.
"I know so," Cheka reached his arms up, and Yuu carried him. His tiny hands pat at Yuu's face. "Yuu-tan has a different smell than other humans but is very kind. So you're pretty and handsome like my papa says."
It was quite the trek over to the botanical gardens, especially with Cheka insisting on being carried the whole way. When they finally got there, the botanical garden was sweltering as always, but Cheka was in their arms, so...they were toughing it out. They found Leona within a familiar underbrush almost immediately.
"Leona-sama, Cheka-sama and I have returned," Yuu sat down next to the seemingly dozing lion.
"Do you and Ojitan play attendant and master a lot?" Cheka asked, sitting on his uncle's stomach. Leona still didn't stir.
"We're playing because it's winter break. Now, c'mon I even got you a burger," Yuu sighed. "Okay, fine. Two burgers."
Leona finally shifted, "Took you long enough."
"I got a little sidetracked," Yuu handed over the burgers, including Cheka's.
"You stink."
"Gee, thanks."
Cheka giggled, "I didn't know Yuu-tan was so popular. So many people gave presents for the winter holidays!"
Leona raised a brow, already halfway through his first burger, "That's why you stink of Crewel and were crying?"
"You...are literally the worst," Yuu grumbled. "I didn't cry, I was touched by these thoughtful gifts."
Cheka, with a mouthful of burger, suddenly exclaimed, "It's so Yuu-tan won't be lonely, the teachers said. But they have us, so it's okay!"
And Yuu just prayed that Leona would forget about it. They did not want to talk about this, especially not to…to Leona. They didn't even know if they could get through it without crying.
But as fate would have it, Leona Kingscholar wasn't just anyone. He was sharp, knowing where to dig his claws in a hunt. He was also patient, someone who could circle his prey just waiting for a slip-up.
After roaming around school all day, Cheka must've been tired because he instantly fell asleep right in his uncle's lap after finishing his food. Leaving a lucid Leona and Yuu alone.
And that was when Leona decided to bite.
"What's that about you being lonely?" As soon as the words left Leona's lips, Yuu felt like they were the one being hunted.
"It's....nothing. Something Cheka made up, I'm not...lonely." The words tasted like ash on their tongue because it was untrue and the expression on Leona's face showed he was unconvinced.
"Look. I'm not into sappy shit," Leona lied down, placing Cheka on the soft grass. "So why don't you just rant while I rest. That way it's off your chest, or whatever. Consider it a favor for today." Yuu could only watch as Leona slipped an arm under his head, falling asleep within a couple of seconds. Yuu peeked at him, resting their head against their knees.
"Just about everyone's going home for the holidays," It hurt for Yuu to inhale as they thought about their next words. "Ace was busy complaining about his brother's welcome pranks. Deuce said his mom's going to cook his favorites when he returned. And Jack's going snowboarding with his family. Ruggie-senpai has tons of food from Sam's for his neighborhood. Fuck, even you have Cheka here. No matter how much you claim to dislike him, I know you care.
"And not to be a total pessimist, but I only have Grim. I can't even see my family, if I even had one because I'm here. In Twisted Wonderland. Which isn't the worst place to be...
"But...I can't... I don't remember them. Somewhere somehow I lost every single memory I had of my family or my friends. Whenever I try thinking about it, my brain comes up blank and it's...the most awful feeling I've ever experienced," When Yuu inhaled, their breathing felt sticky, just like the tears that were rolling down their face. "I miss them. I want to remember what I forgot...if I had any family at all. I-it hurts to see everyone else just..enjoying their breaks and I know it's not their fault but..."
"You're envious all the same." It's Leona's voice that finished the sentence, and his voice that startled them into a hard flinch.
"I thought you said you were sleeping," Yuu asked shakily, glancing between their arms to see Leona finally opening his eyes.
"Never said I'd actually fall asleep," Leona sat up. "So that's why? You can't remember your family or friends from back there?" Yuu nodded the best they could, breath catching when Leona came closer to them.
“If you don’t remember them, then why not make new ones?” The suggestion had them snapping their head up. There was a smirk on Leona’s face when he saw their face. “There we go. Finally got your eyes on me, huh, herbivore.”
“What- what do you mean by that?”
“What I mean is,” There’s a hand plopped on their head. “Instead of agonizing over what you can’t remember, why don’t you focus on those you can remember?
“Your merry band of herbivores, the pup Jack, that cat of yours. The prissy Heartslabyul students, the octo-jerk and his goons, Ruggie, hell, even the teachers.
"Ugh, what I mean is: In Afterglow Savanna, family’s those who care about you, so you...have plenty of family members here at NRC.”
Yuu blinked. That was… “...really good advice,” they murmured out as they tilted forward till they bumped into his arm. “Thank you.”
“Don’t count on me doing it again, herbivore,” Leona’s hand ruffled their hair before he yawned. “Now stop cryin’ already, it’s making it hard to sleep.”
Of course. Typical Leona. He couldn’t let a sweet moment be, he just had to find a way to bite back at the end. It still made Yuu feel a lot better as they watched Leona lie down to take a proper nap this time.
And Yuu was content watching him and Cheka doze. It gave them ample time to calm down and to think about what Leona said. And he was right. Maybe they didn't need to try so hard to remember. It'll all come back someday so...they should live in the present. And their current present was taking care of these two, so they would try enjoying it to the fullest. Thinking about it that way, well...it didn't seem so bad.
[ omake : sleep with us ! ]
Leona scratched at his ears as he sat on his bed. It was nighttime now, and after that little nap, the little brat had wrung them dry with requests. And by them, he meant the herbivore. It seemed that they were taking their job as a babysitter seriously. Now Cheka was throwing a tantrum because the herbivore wanted to go back to their dorms.
"Cheka, it's okay," Yuu was crouching in front of the little cub that blocked their way. "I'll be back tomorrow, I promise." It's kinda cute how they think Cheka would just give up that easily. The brat was almost as stubborn at him at times.
"But, but!" Cheka's cheeks puffed out. "I want you to sleep here." Me too, Leona wanted to echo. But if things went well then he would get exactly that without even lifting a finger. Besides, was the prefect someone who was immune to a kid's pleading? He didn't think so.
"I, er, have a friend that'll be worried if I don't go back."
"But why can't you sleep here with me and Leona-ojitan?" Yuu threw a glance over, and Leona took care not to seem too amused by the cub's actions.
"Because there's no space unless I sleep on the couch...?" Leona snorted at the poorly covered-up lie. It was useless, because-
"Leona-ojitan's bed is big enough for the three of us!" And there we go, Cheka finally pointed out the elephant in the room. Cheka tugged at their shirt. "Please~ Stay with me."
"Give it up, herbivore," Leona yawned. "The night isn't getting any longer. Just get over here already." The brat sent them the best puppy eyes‐ or was it kitty eyes?– that he could before the herbivore finally sighed.
"Fine. Let's go to sleep," Yuu carried the little menace over to the bed and Cheka went straight to pulling them closer to him. Which he appreciated. But he could do it on his own if he wanted to.
He ended up with the herbivore sidled up close to him, Cheka squishing between them both and using Yuu like a personal pillow. Which was rude, because clearly, Yuu was his personal pillow, not Cheka's. But he would allow it this once since he did a good job of getting them to stay.
He could still see the slight redness in their eyes from when they had cried earlier. It still left a bad taste in his mouth just thinking about it. He hadn't realized how lonely of an existence the herbivore was until that moment.
"Does he get that stubbornness from you?" Their eyes met his and he doesn't look away.
Instead, he shrugged, "Dunno. Maybe. Now go to sleep." Thankfully the prefect didn't open their smart mouth again. They fell asleep quick, probably just as exhausted as the brat was.
But Leona found that he couldn't sleep all that easily that night. The warmth he was feeling, the sound of two others was far too loud in his ears. And a sense of kinship from the herbivore of all people; the loneliness that they couldn't yet shake. Leona had known that feeling all too intimately for far too long. So maybe this time, he could be the one to be there for them. This time, he could be the helping hand that his younger self would’ve wanted to have.
thanks for reading the yuu angst ! comments and rbs are always appreciated <3 if you'd like to read more, check out my ao3 + masterlist !
Oh, and SIMON "GHOST" RILEY having a successful wife would include two major things.
Firstly, he would be the one asking if she wants to sign a prenup. No, scratch that, he would slid the paper onto her side of the table on a random Sunday, sipping his cuppa and scratching his stubble like it's their usual morning. She would put him on time out, and that would make him puzzled.
The man just wants his wifey's money protected, what all the fuss is about?
Secondly, he would still look, behave and even eat just as before meeting her. Lads would look at his lunchbox with pre-heated pasta with sausages and whisper to each other "doesn't his wife drive, like, lamborghini?"
"She doesn't." He would answer, crossing his arms on his chest while looking at them. "I'm 'er personal driver. Now shut up and eat".
captain john price who bangs his pretty cute girlfriend over his desk while the rest of his team sits awkwardly on the other side.
“open your eyes,” he commands you, his voice deep and rough. “I said, open em. are ya gonna piss me off too?”
and so you find it in you to open them despite the embarrassment that sits low in your gut as he ruts himself into you. It’s not hard to make out who’s in front of you. his warm skin and signature hat makes him easy to identify and as your vision focuses, you can make out the crimson on his cheek and the sweat building on his neck.
you look at him, almost apologetically, as if saying “I’m sorry you have to see me like this,” because Kyle truly is an angel and the idea of his knowing what your eyes looked like when all fucked out seemed like a sin on its own.
first, he calls out soap for texting you late at night. john fists the hair on your head till you’re facing the scot who’s not looking at your eyes, but somewhere lower. “y’know what couples do at night, Mactavish? I’ll give you a hint.” price snakes his arm between your legs, pinching and rolling your clit to which you let out a pained and delicious mewl.
and next in line is gaz, whose gesture of buying you your favorite foods has gone unliked by price. luckily, Gaz is sitting right next to soap so you don’t have to strain yourself to find him. Gaz knows he shouldn’t stare…but he can’t help himself and surprisingly, the captain hasn’t told anyone to stop so he swallows the lump in his throat, and commits the sight before him to memory.
then there’s ghost, who refuses to acknowledge he has actively done anything. “bullshit. wanna tell me why you’re always staring at her ass?” which shuts the brooding man up immediately.
your orgasm comes quick, as it always did. your words come out broken and desperate but they barely register to your boyfriend who has his own agenda.
your eyes roll back as you climax, the euphoria sending you into a blissful state of haze. but john doesn’t stop, not when he has a point to prove.
so he fucks you through your high, and then he fucks you more. your hand presses against his thigh with no real pressure, sobbing cries of overstimulation.
“after today, i want no more foolery from any of you. I’d suggest you take today for all it’s worth because after tonight, you can all go to your beds and jerk off your pathetic cocks to the memory of this and. nothing. else.” he punctuates each word with a sharp thrust, willing either your legs or the desk legs to give out.
“do i make myself clear?”
and the answer all comes in unison. “Yes, Captain.”
John Price’s favorite position is a mating press because he’s a fucking dirty old man with a raging breeding kink. The position allows him to fuck you real deep, kiss your cervix just so with his fat tip so that he fills your womb thrust after thrust.
And he keeps you there long after he’s finished, legs pressed to your shoulders, cock keeping you nice and plugged with his seed, muttering something breathless and ragged about ‘making a baby stick.’
John MacTavish’s favorite position is cowgirl because he’s obsessed with you and it gives him the perfect view of everything you. How your face scrunches when you sink all the way to the bottom or the way your tits bounce with each new thrust.
How your weight feels on top of him, so you’re in control. And the way you look at him, eyes determined, when he starts to get overstimulated, and begs you to stop, but you just fuck him harder.
Kyle Garrick’s favorite position is doggy because he’s an ass man after all and your hips are the perfect handles. He can’t stare at the way your ass recoils off his hips for too long or listen to the loud smack or else he’ll finish too quickly.
And he doesn’t even have to tell you; you just know he likes it when you bury your face into your arms and arch your ass that much higher. You don’t ever run too, just take the way his balls slam against you, meeting him with each deep thrust.
Simon Riley’s favorite position is prone brone because he can’t look at your face without immediately needing to finish. He’d rather take you this way, with your body trapped under his, weight suffocating you, so you have no option, but to take it.
Likes curling his hand around your neck and burying his face against your shoulder. Likes the way your legs kick out even more when he’s fucking you too roughly hands scrambling to find purchase on anything.
The apartment had gone unbearably quiet after he yelled.
Not the comfortable kind of silence either. Not the kind Simon liked after long missions where the world finally stopped demanding things from him.
This silence was wrong.
You stood by the stove with your back turned, shoulders tense, blinking rapidly like if you just tried hard enough the tears would disappear before he saw them.
Too late.
Simon stared at you like he’d just watched himself pull a trigger he couldn’t take back. His chest rose once. Heavy.
“...Fuck.”
The word came out under his breath, barely audible.
You wiped quickly at your face. “It’s okay.”, you whispered , hurt and embarrassment blooming in your chest.
It wasn’t okay.
And Simon knew it immediately because your voice did that tiny shaky thing it only did when you were trying very hard not to cry.
He felt sick.
The kind where the person you love looks hurt because of you.
Simon took one cautious step forward. Then another.
“Love.”
You shook your head without turning around.
That hurt more than the tears.
Usually when he came home, you gravitated toward him automatically. Hands on his chest, arms around his waist. Soft little smiles like he was something worth waiting for.
Now you were standing as far away from him as the kitchen allowed.
Because he yelled.
Because he came home carrying all his anger and dropped it right at your feet.
His jaw clenched hard enough to ache.
“Don’t do that,” he said quietly.
“Do what?”, you mumbled, trying to smoothen your voice.
“Stand there acting like you deserve that.”
You finally turned a little at that, eyes glossy. “Simon-”
“No.” He scrubbed a hand down his face harshly. “No, don’t excuse it.”
You went silent. He looked wrecked now. More wrecked than when he first walked in.
Rainwater still clung to his jacket. His shoulders sagged with exhaustion, but guilt sat on him even heavier.
“I came home to you,” he said, voice rough. “Warm flat, food on the stove, you waiting for me.” He laughed once bitterly at himself. “And first thing I do is bark at you like some miserable prick.”
Your lips parted slightly.
Simon looked away, jaw flexing.
“Spent two bloody weeks thinking about getting back to you.” His voice got quieter. “Then I walk through that door and make you cry inside five minutes.”
The tears you were trying to stop spilled over again.
The second he saw them, he looked genuinely devastated.
Not angry. Not frustrated.
Devastated.
“Oh, sweetheart…”
He crossed the room immediately then stopped himself halfway, hesitating.
Simon Riley, who would walk through gunfire without blinking, suddenly looking uncertain about whether he was allowed to touch his own wife.
“You don’t have to comfort me,” you whispered.
That nearly broke him, his eyes shut briefly.
“Christ.”
He finally stepped closer carefully, like approaching a wounded animal. His hands settled lightly on your arms, almost tentative.
“I’m sorry love,” he said again. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. Ever.”
You looked down, vision blurring, “I know you’re tired.”
“That’s not an excuse.”
“I wasn’t trying to annoy you-”,you huffed ,choking slightly on the tears.
“I know.” His voice cracked slightly then steadied. “I know you weren’t.”
The guilt in his expression got worse somehow.
“You were taking care of me,” he murmured. “That’s all you were doing.”
You tried to look away again but Simon gently caught your chin before you could.
“Look at me.”
You did. Big mistake.
The second he saw how hard you’d been trying not to cry, his entire face softened into something painfully guilty.
“Didn’t mean to scare you.”, he murmured ,gently cupping your face.
“You never yell at me.”, you sniffled.
That one hit directly to the ribs.
Simon actually flinched.
His thumb brushed carefully under your eye, wiping away a tear with absurd gentleness for a man built like a concrete wall with emotional constipation.
“I swear to you,” he said quietly, “the second it came outta my mouth, I wanted to take it back.”
You could hear how honest it was.
Simon wasn’t good at pretty apologies. He wasn’t poetic, wasn’t smooth. But guilt made him painfully sincere.
“I hate that you looked at me like that,” he admitted softly.
“Like what?”
“Like you were trying to figure out if I was angry with you.”
His voice nearly disappeared on the last part. Because that was the thing eating him alive now. The fact that for even one second, you’d looked at him uncertainly instead of safely.
Simon pulled you against him suddenly, firm and desperate, burying his face into your h.air.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated quietly against your temple. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
You felt the way he held you tighter after every apology, like he was trying to physically make up for it.
“I missed you,” he admitted in a low murmur. “Missed you so bad it felt wrong sleeping without you there.” His arms tightened. “Then I come home and act like that.”
Your hands slowly curled into his shirt. Simon exhaled shakily at the feeling.
“There she is,” he whispered, relief and guilt tangled together. “Thought I fucked this up properly for a second.” he mumbled ,inhaling the scent of your hair.
“You didn’t.”
“Nearly did.”
And judging by the way he kept pressing little apologetic kisses into your hair like a man trying to repent for his crimes against domestic peace, he was going to spend the rest of the night making absolutely sure you knew he regretted it.
Small. Stupid. Jason shutting down the second things got too real.
You’d asked him - gently - why he’d disappeared for three days after a rough patrol. No text. No call. Just radio silence while you sat in your apartment worrying yourself sick.
“I was handling it,” he’d said, voice flat, arms crossed like he was bracing for impact. “You don’t need to know every detail of my shit.”
“I’m not asking for every detail,” you’d replied, trying to keep your voice steady. “I’m asking you to let me in. I’m your girlfriend, Jason. Not some civilian you have to protect from the truth.”
He’d laughed - short, bitter. “Yeah? Well maybe I don’t want you in. Maybe I don’t want you seeing the parts of me that are still fucked up from the grave.”
The words had landed like punches. You’d stood there, chest tight, and said the thing you’d been thinking for weeks.
“Maybe we need a break.”
Not a breakup.
A break.
Time. Space. Air.
Jason had gone very still. “What?”
“Just… a break,” you’d said, voice cracking. “Not forever. I just need to breathe, Jason. And you need to figure out if you even want me in your life or if I’m just another person you’re protecting from yourself.”
He hadn’t argued. Hadn’t fought. He’d just nodded once, jaw tight, and left.
That was nine days ago.
Jason Todd had never been good at feelings.
He’d spent years building walls so high no one could climb them. Death had only made them taller. But you - quiet, patient, stubborn you - had somehow slipped through the cracks anyway.
Now those cracks felt like canyons.
He’d spent the first few days throwing himself into work. Patrols. Warehouse raids. Anything to keep his hands busy and his mind quiet. But every night he came home to an empty apartment and the silence screamed louder than any gunshot.
Then he saw you.
It was at a small café near the university. You were sitting outside with a guy — some tall, friendly-looking idiot with glasses and a soft smile. He said something that made you laugh, head tilted back, eyes bright the way they used to be with him.
Jason’s stomach dropped.
He told himself it was nothing. Just a friend. You were allowed to have friends. But the image stuck - you smiling at someone else while he was falling apart.
That night he did something he’d sworn he’d never do.
He drank.
Not a beer. Not a glass of whiskey.
A bottle. Then another.
The alcohol burned going down, but it didn’t quiet the noise in his head. It only made it louder. By 2am he was drunk for the first time in his life, sitting on the floor of his apartment with his phone in his hand, thumb hovering over your name.
He pressed call.
You answered on the third ring, voice sleepy. “Jason?”
“You’re out there smiling at other guys,” he slurred, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. “While I’m sitting here like a fucking idiot thinking about you every second. You said a break. Not a breakup. But it feels like you’re already moving on. Like I was just a phase. Like-“
“Jason,” you cut in, sounding more awake now. “Are you drunk?”
He laughed — ugly and raw. “Yeah. First time in ages. Congratulations. You made the emotionally constipated zombie drink. Happy now?”
There was a pause. Then your voice, sharper. “Stop it. You’re spiraling. Come over. We need to talk.”
“No,” he snapped, but his voice cracked. “You wanted space. You got it. Go smile at your new friend. I’m sure he’s nicer. Doesn’t have blood on his hands. Doesn’t wake up screaming—”
“Jason Todd,” you said, voice firm but gentle, the way you always got when he was like this. “Stop. You’re breaking my heart right now. I’m coming over. Do not hang up.”
He didn’t.
He sat on the floor, phone pressed to his ear, listening to you move around your apartment, the sound of keys, the door closing. Twenty minutes later there was a knock.
He opened it.
You stood there in sweatpants and one of his old hoodies, hair messy, eyes wide with worry. The second you saw him - red-eyed, swaying slightly, looking smaller than you’d ever seen him - your face crumpled.
“Oh, Jay…”
He broke.
The tears came fast and ugly, shoulders shaking as he tried to hold them back. “I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I’m so fucking sorry. I thought… I thought you were done. I saw you with that guy and I just… I panicked. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to be someone worth staying for.”
You stepped inside, closing the door behind you, and pulled him into your arms. He collapsed against you, burying his face in your neck, arms wrapping around your waist like you might disappear.
“I’m not done,” you whispered, holding him tight. “It was a break, Jason. Not a breakup. I needed space because I was scared too. Scared that you’d keep shutting me out until there was nothing left of us. But I never stopped loving you. Not for a second.”
He cried harder, the kind of raw, broken sound that tore at your chest. You guided him to the couch, pulling him down so his head rested in your lap. Your fingers stroked through his hair, slow and soothing, the way you knew he liked.
“I love you,” you said quietly. “The angry parts. The scared parts. The parts that think they’re too broken to be loved. All of them. You’re not too much. You’re not too damaged. You’re mine. And I’m yours. Okay?”
He nodded against your thigh, fingers clutching the hem of your hoodie. “Okay,” he whispered, voice hoarse. “I’m sorry I got drunk. I’m sorry I said those things. I was just… scared. I saw you smiling and I thought I’d lost you for good.”
“You haven’t,” you assured him, leaning down to kiss his temple. “I’m right here. And I’m staying. We’ll figure out the rest. Together.”
Jason stayed curled in your lap for a long time, breathing gradually evening out as your fingers continued their slow path through his hair. Every so often he’d press a kiss to your thigh or your wrist, like he needed the constant reminder you were real.
“I love you,” he said again, softer this time. “More than I know how to say. I’ll try to be better. Less… constipated.”
You laughed quietly, the sound warm. “I love you too. Even when you’re emotionally constipated. Especially then.”
He shifted, pulling you down so you were lying beside him on the couch, your head on his chest. His arms wrapped around you, holding you like you were the only safe thing left in the world.
The city hummed far below. The argument, the fear, the drunk call — all of it faded into the background as Jason held you close, his heartbeat steady under your ear.
“I’m keeping you,” he whispered into your hair. “For as long as you’ll let me.”
You smiled, pressing a kiss to his chest. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.”
In the quiet dark of the apartment, Jason Todd — the man who came back from the dead, the one who built walls so high no one could climb them — finally let someone in.
And you?
You stayed.
Because loving Jason Todd had never been easy.
But it had always been worth it.
a/n : this is a newer request I got but I’m working on older ones sorry! (Reqs open <3) @moviecritc bc u wanted to be tagged babe 🌷 ac as usual : @/ciricearts
a few centered around his family—he always sits or stands to the left of dick, always makes cass her plate, always brings dessert to gatherings because nobody can do it as well as he can.
a few about his work—he always starts on the south end of gotham and works toward the north, always cleans his guns an hour before patrol, always puts his right boot on before his left one.
then, he has several for you.
he always flicks your sky projector on fifteen minutes before you’re done getting ready for bed, he always lets you take a bite of food first before picking his fork up, he always lets you read the prologue of a book he’s considering purchasing.
but your personal favorite?
jason always lets you kiss him first.
he’ll lower his face to yours, keeping the space between the two of you until you lift your lips to slot against his. whenever he wants affection, he’ll draw closer, look at you with those utterly compelling eyes of his, and wait.
he waits until you respond—whether it be reciprocating his energy or not.
he doesn’t take from you. he loves whatever you give him, even if it’s merely eye contact.
even then, he’ll graciously accept it because it’s from you.
jason has a habit of waiting for you to kiss him first, not because he’s nervous or shy.
he waits because he knows what it’s like to have things taken, and he always wants you to have a choice.
These are collection of college entrance test (CET) review materials and also additional advises to make the entire study experience more easy for the person taking on this task. The additional advices is more about scheduling your time and know about important dates regarding college application.
It should be noted most of these materials are dedicated for Filipino learners taking on college entrance test (CET) from Philippine colleges, so many of them are recommended or created by Filipinos. Those specific review materials would be highlighted in bold red letter.
{📁} Collection of C.E.T Reviewers
CETs Reviewers Masterfile
CETs and Learning Materials
CETs Scholarship and Reviewers & Modules 2020
entrance exams reviewers
Jahjah's Super Duper Ultra Mega CET Reviewers
2023 Updated Entrance Exam Reviewers
{▶️} WEBSITES & REVIEW CHANNELS
The first 5 recommendations will have small notes about the website/ review website, but I still recommend the rest of the websites/ review channels
FilipKnow.Net ➤ This website also provides exam reviewers for Civil Service Exam, LET Reviewer, NAPOLCOM Exam Reviewer, NMAT Reviewer, PMA Reviewer, & UPCAT Reviewer
Khan Academy ➤ I recommend the app version over their website. They have videos and quizzes for the lesson you want to learn about. Actually, if you also want to prepare for grade 11 and upcoming grade 12, I recommend downloading this as well.
ReviewCentral Academy YT Channel ➤ This channel is great because it provides review videos for different colleges like UPCAT, ACET, etc.
Kippap Education YT Channel ➤ They have UPCAT and ACET review videos and many more.
The Maroon Blue Book FB Videos ➤ They also have long review videos for UPCAT.
Organic Chemistry Tutor YT
Kimmy Ko - Campbell Biology YT
Crash Course YT
Professor David Explains YT
studyclix.ie
Adapt - Revision Timetable (app recommended)
Physics & Maths Tutor
TL Maths (Math Specific)
Maths Genie (Math Specific)
My final advice is follow social media accounts dedicated to letting Filipino learners know about important dates regarding CET and College applications, such as Kolehiyo Updates.
Always second guessing yourself with Simon because he’s so big n’ strong. Meanwhile you’re his sweet civilian girlfriend who has to get all your clothes in an extra large.
Simon’s lying on top of you one day, TV on but the sound is off and you’re running your fingers through his blond locks. Just getting long enough to curl— meaning he has to go in for a haircut soon.
“Do you want to go to the gym with me tomorrow?”
You paused everything. Stopped scrolling on your phone, your hand ceasing its soothing pets in his hair with your heart sputtering. Does he think you need to go to the gym? Get into shape more, is that why he’s asking?
Now that you realize it, he’s thumbing over that one part of your waist where it dips. Your bare skin touching his hand suddenly feels sickening.
“Why?”
You ask self-consciously. You haven’t mentioned anything about getting in shape, so did he see something that just made him want you a little thinner?
“Just because?”
His answer only soothes your nerves the tiniest bit. He doesn’t speak like there’s an ulterior motive. But that could just be how Simon always sounds.
“No thank you.”
You whisper as chipper as you can. Simon makes a little noise and fuck, you knew you disappointed him. Now taking your phone and searching up diets that aren’t too noticeable right away.
Meanwhile, it’s just been a little while since you commented on Simon’s muscles and he thought asking you to go with him to the gym would be a sure fire way to hear you compliment him.
Simon who yearns for his pregnant wife. (MDNI 18+)
୨୧⋅┈∘┈⋅⋅┈∘┈⋅୨୧⋅┈∘┈⋅⋅┈∘┈⋅୨୧ ⋅┈∘┈⋅⋅┈∘┈⋅ ୨୧
Simon Riley wasn’t sure what the hell he was listening to.
Or more accurately… what kind of nonsense these sergeants were going on about.
"Fuckin' hell.” one of them, Ramirez, muttered over his mug. "Wife's knocked up with number two, and it's like tryin' to hump a bloody beach ball. No positions work, she's always knackered, and half the time she just wants to sleep. Sex? More like a chore I gotta check off the list."
The others chuckled, nodding like it was the gospel. "Tell me about it.” another chimed in. "Mine's the same. Gained a ton already, and the hormones? Christ, one minute she's all over me, the next she's cryin' over a stupid animal shelter Ad. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
Simon didn't move, didn't breathe a word. His gloved hands tightened around the edge of his tac vest, but not from anger. No, it was something hotter, sharper, coiling low in his gut.
They were wrong.
So bloody wrong.
He thought of you—his wife, his everything—curled up in their bedroom back home, that soft swell of your belly just starting to show under his old shirts you loved to steal. Five months along, and you were glowing, all curves and fire, your body a map he couldn't stop exploring.
He shifted, feeling an erection growing under his gear. Just the thought of you did that to him now. The way your breasts were fuller, heavier, straining against the lace he bought you the last time he was on leave.
How your hips swayed a little wider when you walked, teasing him without even trying. Sex wasn't a chore—no—it was a privilege.
Last night, you'd been on your side, his hand splayed over the bump where their little one kicked, and he'd slid into you slow, deep, your gasps mixing with his growls. "Simon..” you'd moaned, arching back against him, your skin fever-hot and slick. He'd cum faster than a fucking virgin, all because of how beautiful you were, swollen with his child.
The sergeants droned on, oblivious. Simon pushed off the wall, a ghost in the dim light, heading home.
He needed you now—needed to feel that life you'd made together, to bury himself in the woman who turned his world from shadows to something worth fighting for.
As he stepped into the your home, the door clicked shut behind him, he found you on the couch, feet up, reading one of those baby guidebooks with a smirk.
"Miss me, Lieutenant?" you teased, eyes sparkling.
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he knelt before you, hands gentle on your thighs, trailing up slow as his gaze darkened. "Every fuckin' second, lovie. Especially now."
His voice was rough, laced with that hunger only you ignited. And as he leaned in, lips brushing the curve of your belly before he found his way between your thighs, he knew this was heaven, not hell.
Simon who yearns for his pregnant wife. (MDNI 18+)
୨୧⋅┈∘┈⋅⋅┈∘┈⋅୨୧⋅┈∘┈⋅⋅┈∘┈⋅୨୧ ⋅┈∘┈⋅⋅┈∘┈⋅ ୨୧
Simon Riley wasn’t sure what the hell he was listening to.
Or more accurately… what kind of nonsense these sergeants were going on about.
"Fuckin' hell.” one of them, Ramirez, muttered over his mug. "Wife's knocked up with number two, and it's like tryin' to hump a bloody beach ball. No positions work, she's always knackered, and half the time she just wants to sleep. Sex? More like a chore I gotta check off the list."
The others chuckled, nodding like it was the gospel. "Tell me about it.” another chimed in. "Mine's the same. Gained a ton already, and the hormones? Christ, one minute she's all over me, the next she's cryin' over a stupid animal shelter Ad. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
Simon didn't move, didn't breathe a word. His gloved hands tightened around the edge of his tac vest, but not from anger. No, it was something hotter, sharper, coiling low in his gut.
They were wrong.
So bloody wrong.
He thought of you—his wife, his everything—curled up in their bedroom back home, that soft swell of your belly just starting to show under his old shirts you loved to steal. Five months along, and you were glowing, all curves and fire, your body a map he couldn't stop exploring.
He shifted, feeling an erection growing under his gear. Just the thought of you did that to him now. The way your breasts were fuller, heavier, straining against the lace he bought you the last time he was on leave.
How your hips swayed a little wider when you walked, teasing him without even trying. Sex wasn't a chore—no—it was a privilege.
Last night, you'd been on your side, his hand splayed over the bump where their little one kicked, and he'd slid into you slow, deep, your gasps mixing with his growls. "Simon..” you'd moaned, arching back against him, your skin fever-hot and slick. He'd cum faster than a fucking virgin, all because of how beautiful you were, swollen with his child.
The sergeants droned on, oblivious. Simon pushed off the wall, a ghost in the dim light, heading home.
He needed you now—needed to feel that life you'd made together, to bury himself in the woman who turned his world from shadows to something worth fighting for.
As he stepped into the your home, the door clicked shut behind him, he found you on the couch, feet up, reading one of those baby guidebooks with a smirk.
"Miss me, Lieutenant?" you teased, eyes sparkling.
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he knelt before you, hands gentle on your thighs, trailing up slow as his gaze darkened. "Every fuckin' second, lovie. Especially now."
His voice was rough, laced with that hunger only you ignited. And as he leaned in, lips brushing the curve of your belly before he found his way between your thighs, he knew this was heaven, not hell.
“What the fuck, Simon?” you’re hissing out, trying to turn your head and look him in the eye when you give him the fiercest glare you can muster. His large hand moves from the scuff of your neck to the back of your head, holding you in place.
“Don’t try. You’ll strain your neck,” he says evenly.
“Strain my neck my ass, Simon you’re fucking lying on top of me,” you snap back, snarling as you try to break free. In return, he presses down more of his weight down on you, effectively rendering you immobile.
“Are you finished?” he says in that same unbothered tone of voice.
“Go fuck yourself,” you say, squirming fruitlessly under his grip.
He lets out a quiet huff of laughter and does not budge one inch, except to put his face beside your ear and whisper, “Stay still, darling.”
Eventually, you wear yourself out somehow and stop struggling. He’ll get tired eventually. You will outstubborn the stubborn bastard.
Except… once you start to make yourself comfy, it feels… nice. It’s soothing, to have a warm, solid weigh against you. In spite of what you told yourself, you feel you muscles start to relax, the sharp edges of your nerves smoothening out.
“That’s it,” he says. “There’s my girl. Being so good for me.”
A warm feeling blooms in your chest, and you hum, pleased. He noses the side of your neck.
You don’t even know what you were on edge about. Why does that matter anyways, when you can be good for him like this?
