Here's the third comic in the Open World AU. I decided it would be more interesting if the cast also had some limited ability to conjure and worldcraft, so I wanted to explore that. This comic is both the longest I've done yet and is the most involved painting-wise. I hope it was worth the wait!
pros of eating your lunch outside on a nice spring day: feeling the sun, getting vitamin d, hearing birds chirping, watching the bees and the lizards and the squirrels
cons of eating your lunch outside on a nice spring day:
it was the only thing you knew you had always wanted, something you had trained for, excelled at and frankly, loved more than words. coming in every day to the young children who were so starry eyed and excited to play, learn their phonetics and see you felt fulfilling in ways you couldn’t explain to anyone else.
everyone knew you as the sweet, pretty teacher who decorated her classroom with all of her free time. you were a miss honey in the living flesh, with cute dresses and cardigans, your hair falling in even sweeter waves, big eyes hidden away behind a pair of glasses. the only way to really describe you was adorable, you were so easy to love.
you had an adamant rule that you weren’t allowed to have favourites, as it went against every moral code in your heart, but you simply couldn’t help yourself. little arin was perhaps the cutest little four year old you had ever come across, with manners, big sparkling eyes and an even lovelier disposition. you heart practically sang whenever she raised her hand to answer a question, or when you’d see her jumping around so cutely.
tonight was parents evening, and you knew you had a long stretch ahead, with some parents being more difficult to handle than others. you were often blamed for tiny things, and though that was just the life of a teacher, it still stung when you knew you gave it your absolute all. regardless, you put on a brave face as you set up your station in the large hall, watching other teachers do the same.
“you sorted?” your best friend, and colleague, yejin asked beside you, stacks of books propped on her hip as she approached your desk.
looking up, you gave her a grin. “yeah, even put sweets out this year. hope that means everyone’ll be nice this time.”
“i still stand by the fact anyone that can be mean to you is a psychopath.” she scoffed with a shake of her head, pushing a strand away from your face. “you got a big line up?”
“yeah, all the parents are coming. arin’s can’t make it, but i think they said her uncle will be attending instead.” you hummed, propping a sweet in your mouth.
she hummed too, putting her books down at the station beside yours. “lucky. i’ve had three drop outs already. can’t wait for them to get annoyed in two weeks because they feel misinformed on their child’s education.”
you laughed, shaking your head at her typically snarky behaviour.
the next few minutes were dedicated to making sure each of you tables were organised, so that parents could come to you during their allocated slots. yours, of course, stood out from the others, with a meticulous level of care going into all of your decorations. your kids loved coming with their parents for that sole reason, and you found that any tension from the adults were always lessened at the sight of effort being put in.
student books were organised alphabetically so they could have a look through, with examples of some of the work you had been teaching. colourful, phonics flashcards sat bundled in ribbon, with the children’s latest paintings all hung up behind and in front of you.
time began to trickle on rather quickly, with parents coming in and leaving, most polite, asking all of the right questions, but of course some left snide remarks. always something along the lines of their badly behaved children deserved better treatment, or that they wanted more attention, despite you doing every possible thing to do exactly that already.
by the time the night was winding down, you grimaced, looking at the time. it was late, with most teachers having finished up, but you still had one little student left. you reached for her file, heart already fond at the sight of her name.
“your little shadow’s next.” yejin teased quietly to you, packing up her own things.
you smiled with a shake of your head, not looking up as you prepared for your final appointment, crossing something out. you were told two weeks in advance that arin’s parents couldn’t attend, due to some family matter out of town, meaning her uncle would take their place. you couldn’t remember his name for the life of you, jaemin? juyeon? junghwan?
you were pulled from your thoughts as a small shadow loomed over your desk, your eyes peering up to meet large orbs adorned with the shyest of smiles.
“hi miss.” she waved, cheeks already red, cute hair pulled into pigtails similarly to how she always wore it.
“hello sweetheart. your dress looks so pretty!” you cooed, giving her a small high five to which she excitedly jumped to reach, causing you to smile. “mm.. uncle kook bought it yesterday for me.”
“that was so nice of him!” you nodded along, and as she turned in circles to show you properly, another looming shadow appeared.
this time, it completely engulfed you, with the scent of pine and musk hitting your nose almost instantly. your brain took a moment to catch up as it breathed in the intoxicating smell, your own large eyes peering up to meet those who you assumed was arin’s uncle.
oh.
oh.
whatever you had expected..this? this was not it.
dark hair, darker eyes, milky skin with piercings adorning his features, tattoos pouring down his arm as his t-shirt sat comfortably on his body. despite it being oversized, it did nothing to hide the pure size of him - shoulders broader than you had ever seen on anyone, chest puffed, height towering over you with ease.
a nasty part of your brain that you kept hidden away wondered what it would feel like to be between his biceps as he pushed tight.
worst of all, it looked like he was examining you too. you wished you could say he was doing it in a polite way, but with the way his eyebrows were pulled tight, his lips parted, his eyes trailing up and down you slowly, as though he was hungry..there was no civility in the way he devoured you.
you were polar opposites.
you, in your sweet cardigan and flowery skirt, hair tucked behind your ears and glasses pushed up your nose - you were picture perfect, exactly as his niece had described.
when jungkook’s sister had asked him to look after arin whilst her and her husband went to visit her in laws, he was more than happy to do so, loving her more than words. what he hadn’t realised was how excited she’d be to go to school every morning, with minute long rambles about the pretty teacher with the even prettier smile who wore cute dresses and made her hair all nice.
it was hard for his intrigue not to build after a while, especially once she had come one day almost screaming about how badly she wanted a strawberry dress because you too had worn one that day. he had taken her out immediately, closing his tattoo shop, and got to work, scouring every shop until he had managed to score one - to which she demanded she’d get to wear it for parents evening to properly show you.
seeing you now, all doe eyed and heart lipped, jungkook realised you were everything she had described and so much more. oh, you were sweet alright, the seconds long interaction with arin proved enough, but the decorations around you, your outfit, your demeanour, your voice. god, your voice.
you were a fucking problem.
for a moment, neither of you spoke, which in any other circumstance would have been entirely awkward, and yet you both stayed slightly rooted. somehow you both needed those beats of silence to really absorb one another, as though you were both slightly reeling from shock.
a scrape of a chair somewhere in the hall brought you back to life.
“oh..” you pushed your glasses up your nose, cheeks heating as you realised you had been staring. your brain failed to recognise he was still doing so. “i’m sorry..you must be..?”
he nearly grunted at the sound of your voice directed at him, liking it too much already.
“jungkook.”
you wanted to shudder, feeling almost humiliated by the reaction you were having to him. you peered down, watching as he extended his hand almost instantly towards you.
with a slightly shaking touch, your hands connected, his fingers swallowing your own whole. your limb was hidden within his in an almost comical way, your eyes connecting once more as sparks fluttered all over you over a mere touch. you felt like a school girl.
warm, calloused fingers, adorned with tattooes, caressed your own slightly, so gently you wondered whether you were imagining it, although it lasted so briefly. he didn’t let go until it began to border on confusion, slowly dropping your hand just as you spoke.
“miss y/l/n.” you managed.
“i know.” he responded almost immediately.
you didn’t catch the way his hand flexed beside him, still relishing your touch.
of course he knew. he was a man, after all, and after the first few times his niece proclaimed her love for her pretty teacher, his curiosity grew a million. seeing you now, it was very quickly making sense.
it was just something about you. you were lodging under his skin.
arin, oblivious to you both, tugged on his sleeve for his attention, pushing him towards the seats in front of the desk.
something in your chest bloomed at the sight of him so obedient to her, as he immediately listened, sitting down in the much smaller chair. it was endearing to see such an intimidating man folding for her with ease, and even sweeter watching her climb up onto his lap before he had even settled.
his arms caged her in protectively before looking up at you, the two making an adorable duo, something that had your heart utterly melting. she clearly adored her uncle, and he too was enamoured by her.
“well,” you said, forcing yourself back to reality, sitting down and reaching for her work folder. “shall we talk about this little one?”
“please.”
he leaned forward slightly, the change in position causing a small flush on your cheeks. his scent was intense.
“she’s doing beautifully.” you pulled out her phonetic workbook. “especially in reading, she’s picking things up quickly and really showing signs of independence. she’s choosing the books she wants to read, and they’re varying in difficulty which is always great to see.”
arin shyly hid her face in his chest, a sight so adorable you wanted to scream.
you smiled. “why don’t you tell your uncle what word you read all by yourself today?”
a pause. then, quietly..
“caterpillar.”
your smile only grew as you clapped your hands lightly, so pleased with her progress. “yes!”
her smile matched yours before peering up almost excitedly to gage his reaction.
“you didn’t tell me that, bug.”
jungkook was leaning down at her, face so soft, so unguarded, that it was hard to forget he had been looking at you non stop for the past several minutes, as though he was imagining every single possible sin.
“forgot.” she hummed back at him, causing him to laugh quietly, planting a kiss to her nose before murmuring something about how proud he was.
your stomach did something silky at the sound.
god, were you ovulating?
you leaned back, ignoring the flush in your cheeks and the shake of your fingers, pulling out work sheets, early writing, drawings she had made, even the class project she had contributed with. you were surprised at how eager he was, asking questions with genuine care, all whilst arin played with his hands, cuddling into him casually.
“she’s struggling to speak up in groups?” he grunted a little. “only a little, at the beginning. she warms up quickly, but she’s quite hesitant at first.” you nodded.
“is that a bad thing?” he asked quietly, as a means to not let her hear in case it was.
to that, you shook your head immediately. “no, not at all. some children just like to listen first, it’s quite natural. they like to assess before they leap in, it’s a safety thing.”
his eyes met yours once more at that, his lips pursing. “safe.” he repeated.
he tasted the word as though it had kept out of your own mouth and into his own, as though he could savour you with a single 4 letter combination. the way he assessed you then almost made you feel self conscious, as you watched his eyes trickle down from your own, to your lips, your neck, your chest, before trailing all the way back up.
your pulse skipped. your fingers were really restless now.
“her favourite lesson is art by far. her drawings are so sweet, she often takes them home for her parents. she’s working on a big project right now, with some of the older children, for the school library.”
“doing a butterfly, uncle koo.” she murmured, leaping at the opportunity to tell him. “it’s blue and pink.”
“yeah?” he hummed down at her, brushing her hair away from her face. “bet yours is the best one.”
to that she giggled loudly, as though he had said the funniest thing on the planet, a small but sure smirk forming on his face at her reaction. you smiled yourself, finding the two sweeter than most.
“she loves butterflies.” you added softly, as you took out some more drawings. “she tends to go out near the bushes during free play, or she’s near the nature corner trying to rescue something.”
jungkook was fucking enamoured by you. your small little smile, the way your lips pulled back to reveal such sweetness. a guy like him didn’t feel like this - this was odd. unheard of. confusing.
“rescue something?” his eyebrows raised.
“worms, mostly.”
his mouth twitched. “sounds like her.”
arin looked up with a small pout, still playing with one of his silver rings. “one was hurt.”
“i know bug, you told me.” he assured.
“she asked to put it into a shoebox. she brought leaves, twigs, made little breathing holes.”
this earned you a larger smile on his face as he let out a soft laugh, something that nearly had your breath taken away. he completely transformed, as though it was the loveliest thing he had ever heard.
“yeah? did it survive?” there was a teasing tilt to his tone.
“for three lovely days. you held a funeral for mr worm, didn’t you arin?” you hummed lightly down at her, to which she nodded immediately, jungkook closing his eyes momentarily as a huff of amusement left him.
you couldn’t help but watch him almost eagerly as he again, murmured something down at her, to which she smiled bashfully. he was all hard edges, tattooed and pierced, and yet he was putty for his adorable niece.
“she’s sensitive, definitely, which isn’t a bad thing whatsoever but it does mean socially she’s still catching up.” you softly proceeded, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. jungkook watched it. “she’s made some lovely friendships this year, and they’re really solidifying.”
“yeah, she keeps mentioning a yuna..”
you brightened. “yes! they’re really inseparable at the minutes it’s so, so cute!”
“she also tells me she likes when you read stories.” he added.
you blinked at him softly, tilting your head with a slight hum of confusion.
“said something about different voices. she keeps asking me to read her sleeping beauty.”
you let out a soft laugh at that, shaking your head. “some of the girls have been coming in during their play time and asking to be read a book. they’re on a princess kick at the moment.”
to that, he huffed in amusement once more. “yeah, she keeps telling me to get out. something about her prince charming will wake her up.”
“he will.” she grumbled a little quietly in his arms, to which you smiled widely.
“i’m happy you like them.” you redirected, happy that your students were enjoying reading enough to enact it at home.
“curious about these different voices.” jungkook interested, eyebrow raised. “show me.”
“show..you?”
“what, that bad?”
you laughed, unable to hold it in. “dreadful.”
“now i really need to see.” he couldn’t help the mischievous glint in his eyes, still too busy being enamoured by you to stop staring so openly.
“i’m not doing voices at parents evening.” you continued to laugh, shaking your head, but the pink glow on your cheeks gave you away.
“a shame. i’ll be thinking about it tonight.” he murmured casually, as though he wasn’t openly telling you that you’d be on his mind.
your stomach flipped.
before you could even conjure up a response, arin suddenly tugged a folded piece of paper your way, almost buzzing with excitement as she peered up at her uncle momentarily too.
“look, miss!”
you smiled automatically at her, unfolding it with a quiet “what’s this?”, stretching out the paper to see.
and immediately, you froze.
a drawing, one of her many cute ones of course. the sun in the corner a stark yellow, the green of the grass at the bottom alongside the lovely house in the background. in the middle of the paper stood arin, in her cute dress and pigtails, both of her parents by either side, with a large love heart above their heads. what had you shaken, however, were the two figures to the side, also holding hands, one that resembled her uncle a little too well, and the other? one look and you knew that was you.
above you both sat an even bigger red heart.
you couldn’t have even played the plausible deniability card, considering both figured were labelled with a terrible scrawl of “miss” and “koo”, further causing you to inhale sharply.
“arin..” you choked out.
she simply ignored your state, pointing and labelling everything. “this is mummy and daddy and that’s me, and that’s our house and this is you miss, and this is uncle koo and we all live together.” she rambled.
your eyes were widening as you made the mistake of looking up directly to jungkook, unsure of what to say or do. he, however, seemed absolutely enamoured by the picture, focusing directly on the both of you.
“yeah? what’s this, bug?” he asked her, pointing at the massive love heart.
“means love.” she casually snuggled into his chest, as though it was completely normal. in the case of a four year old, that much felt true.
his lips lifted at the corners, in clear satisfaction. “you did good. let’s put it on my fridge when we get home, yeah?”
you let out a small little noise, as though what you were hearing was utter madness disguised in a bow. he was staring at the drawing in a way that had you genuinely confused, as though he was considering it to be a reality, as though he hadn’t just met you mere minutes ago.
as though it represented something so much bigger.
“she likes stories..” you managed, trying to make the mood a little lighter out of embarrassment.
he finally peered up at you, eyes so much darker than usual. “she’s observant.”
you weren’t sure what to say, your shaking fingers now in your lap as yejin quietly watched from the desk over, practically enamoured by the sexual tension radiating off of both of you. you were bewildered, thrown off your professional course as you simply went blank, all thoughts gone of out of the window.
thank god, arin, your saving grace, yawned loudly into jungkook’s chest, pulling you both out of the trance you were ultimately locked in. you watched as he hoisted her onto him more securely, before finally standing up, height completely looming over you in a way that had your gaze slightly glazed over. he wanted to see that look again. desperately.
“thank you for your time. this has been..insightful.” jungkook murmured, just as you stood up, smoothening your skirt.
you were sure your cheeks were on fire at this point, as a mixture of humiliation, curiosity, and frankly, hot need coursed through you at both the sight of him and his words.
“t-thank you for coming.” you stuttered out, nodding lightly, as he simply stood watching you for a few extra moments.
jungkook’s gaze only left yours to trail over you fully now, up and down as though he was savouring the sight of you, his fingers grazing the bottom of your cardigan instinctively, almost desperate to feel the woven strawberries his niece had gushed about so earnestly. he watched your breath hitch, his ego climbing as he realised he had the exact same effect that you were having on him.
oh, he was about to ruin you.
with a good night, you watched him leave, niece resting her chubby face on his shoulder, all whilst you slumped back into your chair, completely exhausted from the interaction. yejin all but leaped towards you, hands on your desk with wide eyes.
“oh. my. fucking. god.” she whispered down at you, to not cause any alarm with other teachers and parents.
you were fucked.
—
the weeks after parents evening were easily some of the most challenging of your adult life so far. to say you were being tested was an understatement, as your integrity of being a teacher came into challenge by none other than jeon jungkook.
you were notified that arin’s parents had to stay back for an additional two weeks, meaning you were seeing him on a minimum twice a day, five days a week. though the interactions were fleeting, both at drop off and pick up time, he took advantage of every seconds.
first came the fleeting touches. he’d watch as you handed the children back to their parent’s, taking the time to speak to each one earnestly, saying your goodbyes to sweet cherubs who would wave eagerly back at you. whenever it was his turn, he watched as your cheeks flushed pink almost immediately, your lips parting, brain malfunctioning in real time.
“pretty dress.” he had said to you once, as his niece bounced over, his fingers lightly grazing your wrist. “i like pink on you.”
“thank you.” you were sure your cheeks were on fire at this point, much to his amusement.
another time, he had grazed his fingers against your wrist, feeling your pulse for a moment too long as you handed him arin’s bookbag, a soft gasp leaving your lips at the contact. judging from his cool and collected demeanour, you assumed he wasn’t as affected as you were, but you couldn’t have been further from the truth.
jungkook’s entire mind had become you. your dresses. your floral perfume. the cute way you’d push up your glasses. there really only was one word to describe you as, and that was adorable - a stark difference to his darker being.
he’d go to work, opening up his tattoo shop, having to take regular breaks during sessions just to smoke a whole fucking pack of cigarettes in hopes you would leave his brain. this wasn’t normal. it wasn’t healthy. he didn’t know you. he didn’t know you. he didn’t know you.
and yet, he knew you. all little arin would do day and night was talk about her lovely teacher, and how excited she was to go to school, how upset she’d be that the weekend was coming. it was hard not to think of someone already stuck in your mind when the world would put them in every direction you’d look in.
he liked hanging back whenever he’d pick her up, too. one time, he had come in late to pick up, the school gate closed, meaning he had to walk through the long way into reception. it took him a while but once he reached your classroom, the sight nearly had him letting out a shaky breath.
his niece, colouring, so adorably, as you cooed down at her, guiding her to do it within the lines, giving her praise all the whilst she beamed.
once he had made his presence known, he stayed behind for another 20 minutes just to speak to you. he wasn’t much of a talker, but he couldn’t help but hover around you, listening as you shyly answered his questions. he felt ridiculous, asking anything just to get your attention, even asking about lesson plans to hear you light up and talk.
jungkook was a domestic man. he didn’t look like one, not with his appearance, all tatted and rough, but he had always wanted a family of his own - one look at you and his breeding kink was already blaring loudly within his ears.
oh, he had big plans for you.
y/n. you’d look good next to him, he thought, all sweet and doe-like. men like him ruined girls like you, but he wanted to be better than that, and be worthy of you. he had his own business, a good place in the city, enough money in the bank to spoil you rotten, a good head on his shoulders. he could offer you stability. could offer you so much and more.
the pair of you were ruined.
half term finally arrived, and it felt like both relief and punishment.
relief, knowing that you were spared jungkook’s presence, allowing your brain to finally exist once more in comfort, without the constant push and pull of how much you wanted him. he had become your personal brand of torture.
punishment, knowing that he was no longer in your presence regularly. arin’s parents had come home earlier than planned, meaning jungkook had simply stopped coming one day, a small frown on your face at the thought.
you had spent the last fortnight in what could only be described as pure anticipation, body learning his schedule before your mind could ever keep up. his heavy presence, his darkening eyes that would watch you with each passing move at exactly 3.15, when the children would finally come out.
he was always on time, always watching, always saying just enough, but never too much. it made it so much worse when you compared it to some of the other dads who flirted casually, openly, directly - jungkook stalked.
there had been the afternoon where he leaned against the doorway to your classroom, watching arin pack up, having stayed behind for an afternoon club. black t-shirt, sweats, hair slightly messy - he looked so good that you had to turn your back to him, leaning up to blutack things onto the wall.
“you always dress like this for work?” he asked you from across the room, heavy gaze following you shamelessly.
you peered over your shoulder nervously. “like what?”
he didn’t respond, tongue in his cheek as he openly checked you out, head tilted before his niece hopped over, shouting out a sweet bye bye to you. you watched as he was pulled away, his eyes hovering over every inch of you, only pulling up to meet your eyes once he was about to properly leave.
you shook your head at the memory.
tonight was different. it felt so much heavier than usual, so much more impactful, and exactly what you needed.
dressed in a dress that was obnoxiously short, you looked at yourself in the club bathroom, eyes dazed, skin slightly sticky from the heat of packed bodies. your body was on show, a complete 180 of what you typically looked like, with alcohol booming through your veins, providing you with a candied reality.
the club pulsed around you as you pulled down your dress at the bottom, pulling your straps up your shoulders to stabilise it over your breasts, you legs on show, your tiny, lacy panties ready to be seen underneath if you even thought of bending over. violet lights sparked in every corner, and though the bathroom was empty, you swore you could still feel everyone around you.
yejin had insisted you go out with her tonight, your other best friend jimin tagging along in the name of a good night.
something along the lines of, “more alcohol and even more bad decisions.”
you had let them dress you, style you, even down to the lack of bra underneath the dress, with him scoffing at the thought, letting out a mutter of how it would ruin the silhouette of the dress.
you were so used to looking like innocence personified that it felt euphoric to finally become sin, and as you entered the club once more, you felt yourself become engulfed in it. you had been here for an hour or so, and already multiple men had hit on you, buying you drinks, going so far as to openly grab you but it did nothing.
none of them compared. none of them were him.
you felt plagued, whining every time your lips touched the rim of a glass, remembering him even in your moment of desperation. you were here to forget him, not to remind yourself of his presence.
oh, but only if you knew.
if only you had looked around you.
if only you had actually opened your eyes.
jeon jungkook rolled his shoulders for the umpteenth time that night, tense, jaw locked and hardened as he watched your scantily dressed body saunter around, hands tied into that of your friends. he watched as you drank your cocktails, rolling your eyes as men tried to approach you, your dainty fingers pushing against their chest with a dismissive look.
who were you?
he hardly recognised you. no, he was used to the strawberry dresses, the flowers you often tucked behind in your ear, the cute dresses that touched your calves, your sweet ballet flats. your eyes would scrunch with each and every smile, head tilting as your hair sat in buns and ponytails.
you right now, however, were not that girl.
there was something sultry imbedded into you, with the way your hair sat so sleek down your back, your skin on show and your giggles hidden behind a manicured hand. god, he had never been harder in his fucking life. his girl, was this really you?
he had every intention of coming to you after half term, to properly ask you out, just like a girl you deserved. seeing you now made his brain malfunction - why the fuck would he wait, when you were right here, right now, all his.
he had been here just as long as you had, and considering this was his friend, jin’s, club, he had been lounging in the vip, nursing a drink. he looked angry, with every person looking at him avoiding him, when in reality he was watching with staggered breath.
there really was nothing casual about the way jungkook watched you.
his friends had long stopped trying to talk to him, with conversations around the vip section becoming static in his ears whilst his world narrowed to the little slip of skin exposed when your dress rose higher as you danced.
he had downed his drink within seconds, with his newest sitting untouched for twenty minutes.
it sat sweating beside his hand, long fingers drumming against the glass, his body restless as he sat, trying to leave you be. he wanted to be respectful. fuck he was trying to do right by you, leave you alone.
namjoon said something, beside him, and yet he couldn’t hear a single word because you were laughing. your head tipped back throat exposed, whilst some stranger took it as ample opportunity to come closer to you, whispering something into your ear.
jungkook’s jaw locked even harder.
“that the teacher?” namjoon asked, with a low whistle as he traced his friend’s eye-line, catching sight of the pretty lady.
he couldn’t answer.
not when you had taken that very moment to turn, and your dress. fuck.
it clung like sin.
all those prim and proper outfit choices felt blasphemous to think about now, especially now that he had seen you in all of your glory. all those sweet, pastel dresses he had spent weeks dreaming about, peeling them off of you inch by inch, were now replaced by the sight of you in front of him, practically naked.
he genuinely couldn’t breathe.
he should have looked away, he owed you that much. instead, his mind became uglier - thoughts of wondering hands, strangled moans, that pretty dress pushed up to your waist. god, he’d ruin you. you’d let him too, from the looks of it.
“you look sick.” jin grumbled as he sat beside his friend, pouring namjoon a drink. “what are you moping about? this isn’t a good look for me, you know.”
“feel worse.” jungkook let out a humourless exhale, rolling his shoulders once more.
the disgusting realisation that he had tried to be good was enough to drive him insane, because that was the problem. he had tried to court you right, respectfully, like you deserved - tried to keep his filthy thoughts of touching something as soft and delicate as you far away, only to walk into a club and find his sweet teacher dressed like every bad thought he had ever had.
he was done. done pretending like he was unaffected, and done pretending like he wasn’t absolutely enamoured by you. he had never felt like this towards anyone in his life, not even the long term relationships he had been in - he didn’t just want you. he wanted to own you.
possessiveness and ownership ran at the forefront of his mind whenever he looked at you, and he knew it was sick, but the part that flickered inside of him whispered into his ear that you wouldn’t mind the idea whatsoever. an even more fucked up part of your mind promised him that you would like it.
every man had his eyes on you and enough was enough. the bartender, the sleazy guys, even the ones with extra money in their pocket - enough. you were his. surely you knew that by now?
he catalogued every single face, making good note of what they looked like before finally standing up in all of his glory, shoulders wide, biceps tense. his chair had lightly scraped, capturing the attention of all of his friends, who watched as he finally began his descent away from the vip section, and right to where you were.
-
you didn’t know where the heat was coming from anymore. the club was warm, the alcohol even warmer as it ran down your throat, rendering you officially tipsy. you were practically on cloud 9, finally able to breathe and enjoy yourself the way you wanted and planned.
something else, however, had began pricking at your senses.
you couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
you knew it was ridiculous considering you could actively feel multiple eyes on you, wandering gazes from men who wanted nothing more than to sink their teeth into you but this was different. it felt different.
you tried ignoring it, only to fail, as every few seconds your body kept reacting to something in the unseen, the hidden. your thighs felt restless, your throat tight, your skin far too aware of your surroundings - you blamed it on the tequila.
“you’re flushed!” yejin shouted over the music.
“yeah..i feel really hot.”
jimin laughed. “that’s the point.”
you rolled your eyes at him, pushing his shoulder gently as he twirled you both. you took one last sip of your chilled drink before glancing at the bar.
“i need another.” you groaned, already ready to get drunk, but the lack of liquor was proving to be a problem. “wait, get me one too, i’m about to finish this.” jimin asked, giving you a pearly smile.
you nodded dramatically, before turning to the bar, fighting your way through a sea of people. you could feel hands all over you, and though they weren’t welcome, you weren’t annoyed by them either, as they only added the euphoric state of your mind. you moved around people in a blur of neon and heat, lights flashing down on you harshly before you managed to get to the bar finally.
bass thudded through the floor, so much so that you could feel it in your heels, and through your ribs. you squeezed up to the bar, solidifying yourself a place before politely calling out to one of the bartenders.
nothing. he completely ignored you, causing you to frown, trying once more, earning a passive look before he turned to serve someone else.
you pouted, head tilting in a mixture of tipsied offence and confusion. “rude..”
before you could even conjure up anything else, or try again for that matter, you felt something against you.
a large body pressed against yours, tightly, to which you could feel every ridge, every bite of muscle engulfing you in that very moment until you could do nothing else other than simply gasp. you froze, breath held in your chest, as you watched two large arms snake from either side of you, caging you meanly into the bar with no escape.
you would have recognised those tattoos anywhere.
you froze, your breath completely stalling as you were crowded completely against the bar edge, your front pressed harshly, whilst your back was pushed against heated skin. you were crowded, deliberately, intentionally.
pine. musk. him.
your lips parted before your brain could keep up, just as you felt breath touch your ear.
“that pout for him?”
your knees nearly buckled.
your shaking hands pushed back against him just slightly, enough to turn in his arms and see for your own two eyes whether this truly was a reality. big mistake.
you stood face to face with jungkook, his head dipped low, eyes capturing your own almost instantly. his tattoos were so much clearer under neon lights, his piercings glinting, his eyes so dark, his shoulders so wide. you genuinely couldn’t comprehend this. couldn’t fathom he was here, capturing you so no one else could have a look.
claiming you.
he looked almost offended by how beautiful you looked in that moment, all starry eyed and heart lipped.
“jungkook.” your voice came out shaky, breathless even, so much smaller than intended.
his gaze dragged over your face visibly. over your eyes, down to your nose, dragging against your lips, grunting once he looked down at your body, before coming all the way back up to meet your stare once more.
“baby.”
your stomach flipped so hard you gripped the bar behind you harshly.
“what..what are you doing here?”
his jaw clenched. “watching you.”
no embarrassment, no shame - he said it like a well known fact. it should have unsettled you, and yet, you felt a shaking exhale leave you.
“how long?” you dared to whisper, causing him to push you harsher against the bar, your bodies so intimately pressed against one another. “all night.” he whispered, head dropping down to meet the shell of your ear.
the hands at either side of you now came forwards, fingers grabbing at your waist, pushing you that last cm into him, meaning your own hands came up press against his chest, all whilst his head sat almost touching your own, eyes unable to look away from one another.
he was touching you. intimately.
before either of you could speak again, jungkook broke eye contact, looking behind you as the bartender finally decided to appear. one look at jungkook and he was gulping, recognising him as the owner’s best friend, immediately giving you both the highest of attention.
“what do you want, pretty girl?”
pretty girl?
in that voice?
you forgot every fucking drink in existence.
“i..” your mouth open and fell, looking down at your hands on his chest, flexing your fingers gently, before your eyebrows furrowed. “that gone already?” he asked you in mild amusement.
you flushed hard.
“vodka soda, please.” you tumbled out, holding him delicately.
he ordered for both of you, swiping his card with ease, not even sparing you a second glance during payment. it was only when the bartender moved away to make the drinks that you realised he had stayed where he was exactly, with no intention of moving back, still pushing your body against him intimately. now that you were touching him back, his chest flexed under your hands.
the music swallowed everything but him.
a hand let go of one side of your waist, instead reaching up to cup your chin, fingers wrapping around your neck also, to tilt your head upwards. he was examining you still.
“missed this face.” he hissed quietly underneath his breath, causing you to flutter your eyelashes up at him, stomach swirling with butterflies. “look at me when i talk to you.”
your gaze met his once more, forced as his hand tightened around your neck, causing you to practically slump against him. you liked it, liked it a little too much - the feeling of almost feeling powerless at the hands of a man who had been on your mind the day you met him at parents evening.
your thighs pressed together.
“do you know,” he began, sounding thoughtful, so soft, “how many men have been looking at you tonight?”
your pulse jumped as his mouth dipped close to your ear, letting out a gentle little, “hm?”
“nearly dragged one outside for touching you.”
a cocktail mixture of heat, confusion arousal and fear jolted through your nervous system, as you found yourself letting out a shaky breath. “why?”
“because i’ve been trying so fucking hard to be good for you, y/n.” he hissed then, almost sounding in pain.
his words hit like a tidal wave, as you desperately tried to catch up, fingers now digging into his skin beneath his t-shirt hidden chest.
his thumb pressed into your jaw, forcing your face higher. “tried real hard, pretty girl.” his voice was low enough to not be carried by the music, an ode to you and you alone. “thought you were a good girl. thought you deserved a man to do this right.”
he leaned closer, just as your lips parted.
“tried to wait until half term ended, give you some space to think.” his eyes shut tight for just a second, as though reminiscing his once plan. “was gonna come to you with flowers like some fucking gentleman, take you out, walk you home. was gonna do all that sappy shit ‘cause you deserve it.”
the words sounded sinful in his mouth, but the imagery in your head was enough to have you whimpering openly. the thought of him, jungkook, so enamoured by you, more than what you thought. you were so sure this was one sided regards to the way you felt, and yet here he was, declaring it to you in front of others.
“but then i walk in here,” his eyes deliberately ran down your shaking body. “and find you wearing this.”
you gulped almost nervously. “do..you not like it?”
“more than just like it, baby. fucking love it.” he hissed, offended by your thought track. “problem is every other bastard in this place is looking at you too. drives me fucking insane.”
your eyes left his, trying to catch your breath, so overwhelmed by everything around you - the thump of the music, the flashing lights, the heat, the proximity. he watched you, examining you in detail, recognising every single emotion on your pretty little face.
his thumb dipped, touching your bottom lip, dragging it gently over until it pulled, his eyes trained solely on your mouth. “you’re in my head. can’t get you out.” he admitted quietly, for you to hear and you alone.
the sentiment was not lost on you, as something inside your stomach, soul and mind broke at the prospect. you had assumed he had a roster of girls, that he was using you almost as placeholder because of convenience - this..this wasn’t what you had expected.
knowing he felt the same way as you, equally as confused, equally as enamoured; it felt like confirmation that you weren’t going insane. the magnitude of your feelings, no matter how sudden, felt heavy in your body. to know he was feeling the same, despite his usually quiet and reserved self made you want to scream in joy.
“i can’t stop thinking about you either.” you whispered, so faint that he wouldn’t have heard you had his eyes not watched your lips part.
that alone, was the confirmation jungkook needed as he suddenly pulled away, giving you and your body space. the look on his face was devastating, as though you had said the one thing that could truly undo him, his hands shaking as they released you, running them both through his hair messily - he looked ruined and you had only said a single phrase.
you blinked up at him, dazed.
“jungkook..”
“don’t.” his voice came out rough.
he sounded strained, as though his entire resolve was now left hanging on a thread. his jaw ticked at you openly as he stared and stared and stared, looking away momentarily as though he was thinking, wanting nothing more than to be good to you, be the gentleman he knew you deserved. he needed to be.
and yet, he lost.
he looked back at you, face eerily calm as he took both of your hands and pulled once more, your body pulled against him. fingers intertwined as he brought the back of your own to his lips in a sudden sweet kiss. “come with me.”
your breath caught for the millionth time that interaction. “where?”
“somewhere i can think.” he let out a humourless little laugh, all disbelief.
any rational person would have asked more questions, clarified what was going on, why he seemed so undone by you and your tiny dress, but frankly, you didn’t care. you were utterly captivated by him, and having his attention like this felt addicting, like a class a drug created entirely for you.
so, instead, you nodded.
jungkook began to lead you, body close to yours, creating a path with ease. his hands never left yours, steadying you as you stumbled a little, making sure you were good as people watched you both, men ogling you and women ogling him. you managed to catch yejin’s gaze, who had a beaming smile on her face once she recognised who you were with, animatedly pointing at jungkook with a big thumbs up, making you flush even deeper than you had all night. thankfully, jungkook seemed to stay ignorant of it.
heat ran down your spine as he took you left, walking past security who nodded at him, opening up a pair of doors that seemed inaccessible to a large majority of the people here. your eyebrows furrowed slightly as you were led up a set of stairs, private, dimly lit, the music growing quieter with each passing step.
the club noise completely muffled to a dull noise, leaving your heartbeat as the loudest noise around you.
jungkook was ahead of you, broad shoulders filling the space in front in a way that made you want to moan. fuck, he was just so big all over, it was one of the most attractive things about him - he didn’t even need to try, just being around him made you safe.
halfway up the stairs, he suddenly stopped, your fingers still locked with his.
your front brushed his back as you walked into him slightly.
you watched as he turned to face you, the cool air of the staircase easing your body’s heated temperature whilst his state did nothing to sedate the growing fire in your stomach. you peered up, watching as he stepped down, pushing you against the railing gently, dipping his own head down so he could breathe in your scent like a mad man.
“you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”
dark eyes, wrecked. he looked sinful, utterly dangerous for the space between your legs.
to his question, you merely bit your lip, nibbling on it. he watched, eyes tracing the action with a harsh sense of affection - his sweet teacher was still there, it seemed, simply hidden underneath smoky eyes and bare legs.
“gonna take you upstairs, y/n.” he whispered softly. “i’m gonna treat you exactly like i wanted from day one, like i should have. need to know you’re coming because you want me too.”
it was your turn to almost take offence, with your eyebrows pulling tight. your shaking hands became confident, resting on his chest, fingernails digging slightly into skin to mark your territory.
“want you. wanted you from day one too, jungkook.” you promised him, big eyes fluttering in a way that wanted him to take you then and there.
a beat of silence stretched between you.
you watched as he shut his eyes, exhaling lightly, before pulling forward and pressing his lips faintly to your jaw, grazing it as an almost promise to you - he wouldn’t let you regret your choice.
pulling away, he let out a breath, before taking a hold of your hand once more, also pressing a kiss to it as he led you up the rest of the way, this time with an assured sense of urgency.
he opened the door to the private room, and your eyes pulled back in both a mixture of awe and intrigue. you had never been in a place like this, adorned with such lavish furniture, a private bar, a lounging area where a few guys sat around, some of them talking to girls, all whilst jungkook began leading you to another door across the room. all eyes were on you, and you realised these were clearly his friends, from the way they all either smiled politely at you or smirked at jungkook openly.
as he pulled you into an additional room, you watched as he locked it behind you, to ensure a level of privacy, only for you to turn, your stomach dropping in pure anticipation.
a large bed.
the sight of it nearly had you moaning out as it confirmed every thought in your head, your legs growing weak, thighs desperately pushed together at the understanding of what was going to happen. it was all you had been able to think about for weeks.
the thought of him being just as desperate as you, bringing you here just to ruin you, despite having played the gentleman for the entirety of the time you’d known him - your ego bloomed at the thought of having a man like jungkook so down bad for you.
you could hear footsteps behind you, breath hitting your shoulder as his head dipped, breathing in your perfume once more. his body pressed against yours meanly, your back to his front, against him in ways where you could feel him intimately.
“sweet girl.” he hummed just as you looked over your shoulder, meeting his heavy gaze.
he had the faintest of smirks on his face as he read you like a book, a fucked out expression over you and he hadn’t even touched you properly - oh the fun he was about to have. his hands grabbed onto your waist, pushing you lightly as he led you forward, all the whilst planting pepper kisses to the back of your neck.
your small little dress began to ride up as you were plopped onto the bed, bouncing lightly as he stood, hovering over you, looking at the lace of your panties that was now visible, a dampened patch inbetween your legs that had his cock visibly straining against his jeans. his mouth salivated at the sight.
“the things i want to do to you, baby.” he sighed, as your face sat crotch level for him, your gaze fluttering over him in anticipation.
“then do it.” you whispered, almost taunting him, desperate to see him break in front of you.
for a moment, neither of you spoke, simply staring at one another, until he suddenly lunged for you.
you gasped as you scurried backwards on the bed, just as he hovered over you, pinning you down harshly on the plush covers, watching the way you sank in comfortably. he grabbed your arms, pinning them above your head, leaning down to press his head against yours.
he looked possessive by definition, lips curled in almost snarl as he breathed you in, your eyes fluttering closed at the feel of him already so intimately against you. one of his knees separated your legs, cold air hitting the wetness between your thighs, to which he grunted lightly at.
“my good girl. gonna let me ruin you forever, baby? no going back after this, you’ll be mine.”
to that, you nodded almost instantly, hips bucking upwards to get any sort of friction. “please..want it.”
how could he deny his girl?
his lips dropped against yours immediately, claiming harshly.
lips moved in unison as you immediately moaned into his mouth, causing him to groan as he felt you utterly melt. your hands, pinned against your head, were pliant against his own fingers as his lips claimed you, kissing you like a man starved, all whilst grinding down on you for friction.
you could feel how hard he was, how much bigger he was than you in this position and it made your brain malfunction, realising that he truly had every intention of breaking you tonight, just like you wanted.
soon enough, his tongue demanded entry into your mouth, to which you allowed, feeling him explore you in ways that had you whimpering at the thought of it between your legs. it was like he could read your mind, applying further pressure between your legs, the noises leaving you enough to render him dead on the spot.
once he pulled away to let you breathe, he watched as a thin string of saliva separated you, the sight enough to have most cumming in their pants. he couldn’t wait, couldn’t be rational, not when you were here, moaning for him, grinding, desperate to be touched by no one else other than him.
immediately, he sat up, watching as you propped yourself up on your elbows, lips slightly bruised.
he leaned over, grabbing your dress and pulling it up almost meanly, pushing it over your waist and to your stomach, causing you to crash back down on the bed, your hands shaking as they looked for something to grab.
“fuck.” he elongated, groaning loudly at the sight inbetween your legs.
pretty, lacy and tiny. your panties did nothing to hide how wet you were, as they sat completely soaked against you, desperate to be peeled off, hungry to be touched. he immediately positioned himself between your legs, grabbing either thigh before yanking you down to meet him, a squeal leaving your lips at his harsh actions.
“look at you, y/n.” he hissed, nose brushing against your clothed pussy immediately, breathing in the scent. “j-jungkook!” you squeaked, hands flying to his hair in almost embarrassment, as you watched him simply grunt against you like a pervert.
“a good man would be gentle with you..” he whispered underneath his breath, planting pepper kisses to anything he could get his hands on. “but i can’t do that baby. you understand, right?”
“don’t want you to be gentle.” you immediately shook your head in a whimper. “wanna feel you properly.”
that was all he needed. confirmation from his girl that she wanted it just as nasty as he wanted to give it to her - you really were a match made in heaven.
and so, he pushed your panties to a side, blowing against your pulsing clit for a second as he admired how fucking pretty your pussy looked like this, before utterly devouring you.
you let out a loud squeal, hands flying to his hair almost immediately as jungkook began eating you out like a man starved. your poor clit was being abused by his mouth as his sucked, licked, traced and bit, making you feel very inch of his emotions towards you.
you bucked your hips into him, desperate to get away from the overwhelming emotion, but he kept you pinned, grunting loudly at you each time you tried to pull apart. instead, you were resolved in pulling at his strands harshly, crying out his name despite knowing that everyone outside the room could probably hear you.
fuck, he knew you would taste good. one look at you and he knew you were candied all over, but this? how could he ever live without a taste of your pussy now that he was here? the way your thighs trembled violently, your core leaking, all whilst he played with you.
he relaxed one of your thighs with his hand before his fingers began prodding at your entrance, his eyes looking up to capture your own just as he inserted one, watching the way it scrunched up in a mixture of pleasure and shock.
“fuck, jungkook!”
the call of his name on your tongue as he gave you no time to adjust was euphoric, pumping his digit in and out, in and out, in and out as he suckled on your clit like a mad man. soon enough, he couldn’t help himself, inserting another whilst you whimpered about it being too much, only causing him to scoff against you.
“gotta be able to take my cock, pretty girl. need this pussy stretched out.”
you bucked your hips into him further at his words as he set a relentless pace, so deep, fingertips curling every chance he got. sure you had played with yourself, and had boyfriends touch you, but this was on another level. no man had ever made you moan so loudly, always having to fake orgasms and get off privately after but this? you realised there was no way you could let jungkook out of your life, not if your pussy craved this exact feeling forever.
“you’re so good to me. taste so good.” he groaned, all but making out with your pussy, your slick dripping from his chin. “don’t know how long i’ve wanted to do this.”
“wanted this too.” you whimpered back.
“yeah?” he scoffed, sucking, pumping. “i should’ve ate you out on your desk like i wanted. should have made you lock the door and kept your mouth full.”
“y-you can still..fuck..still do that.” you promised him, moaning uncontrollably at this point, scratching at his shoulders, at the sides of his face, anything you could get your hands on.
to that, he grunted, sucking particularly harshly on your clit. “yeah? you want me to do that, baby?”
you couldn’t respond. not when you were already close, already feeling something build in your stomach that you knew would ruin you for the rest of your life - three weeks and he had managed to outdo any man in your life thus far, and you paled to imagine the thought of not having him after this. not when his fingers pumped so meanly, tongue circling only to suck even meaner, causing your legs to shake uncontrollably around him.
“k-kook..m’gonna cum.” you managed to choke out, but it was like he couldn’t hear you, only going harsher, more eager, more desperate, his own hips grinding against the bed to feel some relief.
white, hot light soaked through you as your hips lifted off of the bed, a loud and choking squeal escaping just as your orgasm finally hit you. you could feel it run up and down your veins, coursing through you harder than any other time in your life, clenching around his fingers in a tight clamp. jungkook choked at the feeling, eyes shutting tight before opening up immediately to watch you orgasm for him, body shaking, whining and crying.
he continued to pump, not caring that you were a bundle of oversensitivity until you began slapping at his shoulders desperately to get him to stop. he listened, although reluctant, pulling away from the space between your legs with a small pant, your panties in his hands as he pushed them into his back pocket.
he was so much more perverted than you thought, and yet you liked it. yearned for it even, enjoying it beyond belief as you watched one another pant. you were dazed, eyes completely glossed over with a sense of need you had genuinely never felt before, watching as he pulled you up from your perched position.
you felt his hands on your dress, helping you remove it, unzipping and pulling it above your head, whilst you yanked at his own t-shirt, desperate to have him as bare as you. he couldn’t help the small smile at your actions, loving how needy you were now that you had cummed - god, you were so adorable.
soon enough, all that was left between you were his boxers, to which, you let out a pretty little sigh at the sight. he was big, too big for sure, but the print of him so harshly pressed against his boxers had you oozing between your legs once more, looking up at him almost shyly.
“dunno, kookie..i-i..don’t think you’ll fit.” you admitted honestly, the use of such a cute nickname doing something to him as he immediately hovered over you again, pressing kisses to your lips hungrily. “gotta make it fit, right baby? just need to take it.”
you nodded at him, so pliant in every way, his submissive doll. god, he felt like he was corrupting you, and yet he knew you were also leaving your mark on him too.
he wanted nothing more than to fuck your throat, but he knew he wouldn’t last, and so, he pulled down his boxers quickly, pumping his cock with one hand, pushing your hair away with the other. he asked you to lift your legs for him, to which you did sweetly, revealing your messy pussy once more, a slow breath escaping him.
he ran the tip of his cock up and down your core, collecting slick, just to see your expression. you were propped up on your elbows, watching him with an open mouth, a blissed out expression appearing everytime he nudged your sensitive clit, loving the feel of something so much larger than his fingers ruin you already.
“big breath.” he whispered down at you, as he began to push inside, watching the way your elbows gave out, your head falling plush to the pillows.
you grabbed onto his arms, letting out a loud, broken moan as the tip of his cock stretched you out wide, pushing deeper and deeper inside of you until you could genuinely feel him in your stomach. he wasn’t deterred by your nails digging into him, causing his skin to break, only further thrusting inside of you until he was fully inside, eyes never leaving yours.
watching the way you struggled to keep your eyes open, whimpering, shaking, yanking him down to you whilst also pulling at his hair, grabbing at his skin. god, he was going insane. he couldn’t breathe, not with you gripping him so tightly, not when he was completely inside you and still wanted to feel so much closer than what he already was.
“too big.” you whimpered out with a quivering lip, as he panted above you, pressing kisses to your face. your cheeks, your nose, your eyes, your lips - his angel girl. “doing so good for me baby, fuck. look at you.”
he took one of your hands, kissing it before pressing it against your own stomach so you could feel the slight bulge, your eyes rolling to the back of your head.
the mixture of pain and pleasure was utterly addicting, as though this was the one thing you had needed, craved even, without realising. how were you ever supposed to live without it now that you’d had a taste?
a whine was pulled from you as he suddenly pulled back, and gave you a thrust, skin slapping against skin almost immediately. he did it again, and again, and again, and again, until you were finally moaning, squealing each time he pushed back down on your stomach so you could feel him even deeper.
soon enough, he was setting a pace, thrusting j in and out of you, the sounds of your moans and his grunts filling the space, echoing out to the rest of the vip section.
you were usually a reserved person but even you couldn’t bring yourself to care, feeling utterly gone in the hands of a man you barely knew. this wasn’t like you, it was uncharacteristic - even your past boyfriends and flings were soft with you, equally as quiet and hesitant. jungkook went against everything you had ever known with his rough thrusts and harsh kisses, even the way he declared his interest for you felt too loaded to be deemed normal.
“so good to me.” he grunted into your ear as he began to set a faster pace, your moans echoing against the four walls, your eyes shutting tight. “fuck, fuck, fuck.” you whined out, legs widening for more.
the sound emitting from you both were downright sinful, as the tension of the past few weeks finally exploded between you both, jungkook fucking you like a man with a mission. his head rested against your own, hips ploughing into yours, cock all but bullying your poor pussy into submission as your lip continued to quiver, it all beginning to feel like too much and not enough.
“you’re so perfect.” he hissed. “you’re driving me insane. i can’t fucking think anymore, can’t..fuck, lift your hips..can’t do my job, can’t eat, can’t sleep. just you, all of the time.”
he sounded angry, as though you were genuinely plaguing him when all you had done was simply exist, doing nothing more than orbiting his life. it was enough to drive a man like him to ruins, as he realised very quickly that he had no intention of operating his life without you as his.
his words were ruining you too, as tears began to climb to the surface, only to flood and escape just as quickly as they formed. you were so overwhelmed by him, in the greatest of ways, and his delectations for you - you had never been desired so greatly, so openly, without any care of what it seemed like. it was obsessive, darkly so, and any other woman would have been smart enough to push him away. unfortunately for you, you simply spread your legs, begging him to go deeper.
“that’s it, baby. cry for me.” he cooed, genuinely enamoured by how sweet you were underneath him.
you raised your arms, wrapping them around his neck as he cupped your body, pulling you up so that he was practically fucking you off of the bed. you wanted to get closer. wanted to feel closer, even though it wasn’t even possible.
“feels so good.” you whined at him through hiccups, to which he nodded down at you, chest inflating, knowing he was bringing you pleasure. “yeah? like it when i fuck you open, my sweet girl?”
“wan’it all the time.” a sob almost tore out of your throat at the thought, the possibility even.
guys like him and girls like you, they didn’t make sense. you were too soft, too gentle, too understanding. he was rough all over, uncaring half the time with his words, mean by nature. lord knew that one taste of you had confirmed he would spend a lifetime changing that if it meant he could keep you for a second longer, especially with the way you were looking up at him with the sweetest of faces. how could he not be enamoured?
he let out a shaking breath, gripping you. this wasn’t normal, he knew that, fuck he was so aware it killed him - not even a month of knowing you and he couldn’t fathom not having this, not when you were everything he had ever secretly wanted. he knew you were the same too, with the way you were babbling, gripping onto him, your high approaching already but he didn’t want you cumming just yet, not when he had just started.
and so, he slowed his thrusts until he finally came to a halt, a loud, desperate whine echoing from the walls as you hit his chest. “why?”
instead, he grinded into you, making you feel every inch, every vein on his too big cock, just to see you squirm, just to see you shake.
“you’re mine, y/n. my girl now, you hear me?” he whispered down at you, face void of any emotion other pure, fucking devotion.
your quiet sobs only began to grow louder as you nodded earnestly up at him, fingers shaking once they finally locked into his hair once more, grabbing, pulling. “your girl.”
“my girl.” he repeated, panting as he began pick up his pace again. “fuck, the things i want to do to you.”
he smacked your ass harshly, the sound echoing around the room, hitting that sweet spot inside of you over and over until all you could feel were the shooting sparks trailing over your aching figure, your limbs curling around him desperately.
“do them. i want them all.” you begged him, hips lifting. “wanna feel you all the time, kookie.”
“yeah? kookie’ll do anything for you, baby. anything you ask for, i don’t give a fuck, it’ll be yours, you understand?” he was panting, voice harsh, almost mean. “this tight pussy was made for me.”
you let out the cutest “mhm” to confirm, knowing that his words were factual. his words rolled in your head, knowing you belonged to him both mind and body was beyond euphoria, but to know he truly meant it - fuck. it was insanity. this was genuine, unadulterated insanity.
soon enough, your positions had changed, as he bullied his cock back into you as you sat on top, your load moans heard by anyone close by. the feeling was unlike anything you had ever felt before, and though you had been stretched, jungkook choked at the feeling of how tightly you were clamping him.
he watched as you rode him, letting you take it at your own pace, your tits bouncing with every thrust. his bunny. you were too cute in this position, and as he sat up, his back against the headboard, he couldn’t fathom how sweet you looked trying to pleasure both yourself and him.
it wasn’t about the pace, it was about the effort. you put your all into everything, and despite him wanting to break you, it was this that had him coming undone in his mind. his girl, bouncing on a cock that barely fit earlier, ignoring the pain, completely overcome by the unbearable pleasure, rubbing her own clit.
“just like that.” he grunted, chest rising and falling as he watched you eagerly, his hands teasing your nipples. “such a good girl. just wanna feel good, don’t you? bouncing on my cock like a fucking slut.”
you clamped down hard on him at the name, liking it way more than you ever thought you would. “n-not..a slut.”
“yeah you fucking are. my slut, creaming on my cock like a whore.” he hissed, one hand coming up to grab and tighten around your throat, as he began to take charge, thrusting up and into you.
your eyes began to haze over, completely gone at the feel of him snapping into you.
“want you like this always. no thoughts in that pretty head, just taking it.”
your sobs only grew louder as his hand tightened on your neck, the lack of oxygen heightening your emotions. when he released you momentarily, you gulped in a large breath as his thrusts only hit harder, your ass bouncing against him with lewd noises echoing around the room.
you could feel it coming, your high rising in the pits of your stomach as you collapsed into his arms, falling forward to which he caught you almost immediately, not halting his movements even once. he cupped your face to his, cooing at you gently, pressing sweet kisses to your lips as though you were the prettiest thing he had ever fucking seen.
“gonna’cum.” you slurred, completely fucked out and cock drunk at this point as he completely wrapped his arms around you to trap him to his chest.
“fuck, me too baby. where do you want it?” he hissed, body marked from all of the scratches you had been leaving on him, sore cuts having formed.
you hiccuped as you met his gaze, lips glazing his. “inside. want you to cum here.”
your hand took a hold of his as you lead it to your pussy, where you were joined, the ploughing of his cock doing nothing to ease the restlessness of your mind. his breath caught at your words, wanting nothing more and yet never ever in a million years assuming you’d like the same. you weren’t even using protection, just fucking raw like rabid animals and hoping for the best.
what would be the worst case scenario? the thought of you pregnant had him seizing up, his balls full and ready to unload at the prospect of you carrying his child. he didn’t really give a fuck if it was too soon, or if you barely knew one another - he knew what he wanted. known it for years, and now that you were in front of him, begging for him to cum inside? he’d give you everything you wanted.
“yeah? want kookie to get you nice and round? get you pregnant?”
you hated the effect of his words as you nodded eagerly, matching his thrusts as a means to get exactly that.
his jaw became slack at the enthusiasm on your face, grunting loudly as he felt you clamp on his cock one last time, letting out a too loud squeal as you finally came.
hot, flashing white obscured your vision as you closed your eyes, electricity running up and down your veins, a final, devastating whimper escaping your bruised lips. your legs shook around him, your pussy clenching harshly to the point he choked, gripping you tightly, feeling his own orgasm wash over him.
you both fucked back into each other to ride out your highs desperately, with a mixture of lips clashing, moans shared between embrace, skin still slapping against skin. only when you wined out of overstimulation did he finally stop, chest heaving, arms still caging you.
the minutes after blurred into the quiet buzz, and music that could faintly be heard from downstairs. your eyes closed as you let him manoeuvre you, soft kisses being planted on every inch of you, sweet nothings whispered into the confinements of your ear as though they belonged to you, and you alone. your heart inflated at the way he brushed your hair out of your face, keeping you full with his cock with no intention of pulling out.
“did so good for me, baby.”
you almost shyly hid your face in his neck, slightly embarrassed by how intimate the situation now was with the absence of sexual tension. he wasn’t deterred, instead smiling down at the way your cheeks heated up at his attention, a quiet huff of amusement leaving him.
“i meant it by the way.” he hummed, positioning you so you were more comfortable, all whilst his cum leaked on either side of his cock, still stuffed inside of you. “you’re my girl, yeah?”
it was your turn to smile up at him, not bothering to respond but instead, press a soft kiss to his lips in confirmation.
all his.
—
end of term performances were the bane of your living existence. the children were stressed, the teachers were stressed, everything required a level of attention and meticulous care to the very last second all in hopes of pleasing parents. it felt excessive at times, but seeing your students up on stage, so adorably singing their hearts out just as they’d rehearsed did something to your brain that you utterly adored. it was all worth it in the end.
you stood, just behind the parents, in a corner of the room, watching the performance in front of you with a soft smile, holding up a thumbs up whenever one of your children looked at you for support. they were all performing beautifully, and judging from the fact there seemed to be not a dry eye in the sea of parents, you were pretty proud of yourself.
your stomach, however, was filled with butterflies at the sight of jungkook sat, alongside arin’s parents, only a few rows in front of you. you’d recognise your boyfriends shoulders anywhere, with his towering height and bigger build - even calling him that made you want to giggle into your own hands like a school girl.
the days following the club felt like a fever dream. he had cleaned you up, taken you home and stayed with you all night, leaving only reluctantly due to work commitments. he texted you as much as you needed, knowing you were an overthinker, always checking in on you, facetiming you more times than you could even count.
it had only been two months since that night but things were rapidly progressing between you. it was pretty clear to both of you that this wasn’t a normal relationship, and that the feelings you both shared for one another were intense to say the least. you felt insane half of the time, almost too scared to tell him the depth of your feelings for him, and yet jungkook had no qualms about it whatsoever.
whether you were in his arms, or over a call, or even stuffed full of his cock - he took every opportunity he got to tell you how deeply he wanted you - no, needed. you often came into the tattoo shop after your own shifts just to spend time with him, where he’d feed you, hold you, breathe in your scent.
you had met all of his friends, and his family, including arin’s parents who were quite literally over the moon over jungkook’s choice of partner. everyone who would meet you couldn’t believe he had managed to get someone so different, and despite being a ladies man, you were the definition of a keeper.
little arin had practically exploded at the confirmation you would be in her life in a more intimate way, constantly asking if you could come over to her house to play now that you were uncle kook’s girlfriend.
it all felt like a massive whirlwind of events, some that felt too fantastical to really be a reality. yejin teased you with every passing moment, until you had set her up with one of jungkook’s friends, jin, who owned the club. that resulted in her coming into work rather disheveled, clearly having showered and dressed in a hurry as she took you into your empty classroom to unload all of the dirty experiences.
it seemed that you were happy in every facet of your life, in ways you genuinely didn’t think were possible. even stood here as you admired the back of his head, you could feel your cheeks heating up, harbouring a soft smile you hid behind one of your hands.
soon enough, the performance was over, the children collected by their parents, all singing one another’s praises whilst you made your way to your classroom, humming underneath your breath. it was late and you just wanted to finish off a few bits and bobs before making your way back home.
you bent over a pile of finger paintings, hair pulled up into a messy bun to get it out of your face, your lip bitten. you just needed to pin a few up before you left, humming quietly as you gathered everything you needed, climbing up your step stool.
you leaned upwards, wobbling slightly as you almost lost your footing, a small squeak leaving your lips. before you could move an inch, two hardened hands grabbed you by your waist, positioning you back properly.
looking down, you met the gaze of your boyfriend, who was looking up at you in amusement.
“oh! i thought you left.” you blushed pink, embarrassed at being so clumsy in front of him.
“wanted a kiss.” he simply responded, before picking you up with ease, putting you back on the ground to actually face him.
the giggle you let out was one he was growing to love more and more with each passing day as you leaned upwards, pressing a small peck to his lips. he grunted, causing you to leave a few more, not wanting to have a full blown make out session at your workplace despite doing it so often at his. perks of being the boss.
“where do you want this?” he asked, taking the paintings out of your hands, barely stretching his hands up for the same space you had to climb just to reach.
fuck. you hated how attractive that was.
“thank you.” you pressed another kiss to his back once you had informed him, shuffling away to clean the rest of your station.
“you were good with them today. couldn’t stop watching you, think arin probably noticed.” he laughed a little underneath his breath once he had finished up, walking over to you. he slung his arms around your waist, pulling you in so your back sat flushed against his front. “didn’t think it’d make my brain go crazy.”
“what’d you mean?” you hummed, fingers tracing his fingers.
“is it too soon to get you pregnant?” he asked openly, causing you to gasp out loud, slapping his arm in protest at such crude language.
“kookie!”
he couldn’t help the smirk as he watched you flush bright red, the giggles that left you a clear indication of how you really felt.
“what? can you blame me?”
“you can’t talk like that.” you murmured through a shy smile, despite his kisses coming to attack you on your neck, jaw and cheek.
he leaned, forehead against yours, the moment oddly intimate. more intimate than anything else you’d ever really known, and yet that seemed to be a norm with him. he planted kisses to your face, anywhere he could access, as though nothing was enough and yet he wanted more and more and more and more.
“okay, help me just organise these drawings and then we can go home.” you teased, to which he nodded immediately, a man made pliant by the woman in his life.
you handed him a portion, whilst you did the rest, organising them in alphabetical order so it was easy to access tomorrow when you handed them back out to parents. you continued your smooth hum from earlier as you both worked respectively, the quiet between you welcomed and comfortable.
as you completed yours, you noticed jungkook, furrow in his brow as he stared at one openly in his hands. he was examining it in great detail, causing a pearl of curiosity to burn in your mind.
“what’ve you got there?”
he didn’t answer, as you walked over for yourself, cheekily sliding under his arm so you could view it within the confinements of his warmth. his expression shifted as one of his hands immediately took a hold of you, a too large hand gripping your stomach possessively. you loved how it felt.
a crayon drawing.
arin’s.
5 stick figures. a cute puppy in the corner, sun in the sky, grass on the ground.
your chest tightened as you recognised what you were seeing immediately.
arin, holding both of her parent’s hand’s, a big love heart above all of their heads as she depicted her happy little family. beside them, two others, holding hands, one labelled “uncle kook” and the other “auntie y/n”.
it looked incredibly similar to the one she had made three months ago, in that parents evening hall, where she had already depicted her two favourite people outside of her parents together, happy. a prophecy, it felt like.
the difference in this depiction, however was the big, fat diamond on your finger, and the veil on your head.
whilst you were busy gasping, eyes wide, finally looking at what she had depicted, you didn’t notice jungkook staring down at you, gauging your reaction whilst only pushing you back deeper into him, the incessant monster in his brain telling him to make it a reality and to do it quickly.
his wife. fuck. what a dream.
he’d make that happen. soon.
—
IM BACK!
guys, this was originally supposed to be 1k words but unfortunately, i cant shut the fuck up to save my life omg
i hope you guys enjoyed, i just love this pairing so much, aren’t they the cutest ever 😢 i have a few ideas pending for potential drabbles in the future if you guys are interested
thank you guys so much for reading, and thank you for your continued patience - if you want to show some love, my kofi is here, there’s no obligation whatsoever!!
will never found au where mike finally finds him and they lock eyes and mike just says "will" in his will voice with tears in his eyes and he's about to hug him but then will sort of backs away and just makes this pained expression for a few seconds and then clears his throat and turns away and-
𝜗ৎ synopsis. after a long, tiring battle, you and your team just want some rest for the night... even if you have to share a bed with fire lord zuko
this is adult zuko btw
𝜗ৎ a/n. oh hey guys... am i still welcome back...
my writing style changed a lil for this, hope that's ok!! it's more casual and not as artistic?? poetic??? in comparison to the afaa ones.
i've always been an atla fan so i thought now would be the best time to return lol, i don't think i'll be writing for the other avatar as much anymore tho :(
𝜗ৎ tags. fluff, sfw, sharing a bed (?), nothing suggestive !! just very cuteness, no established relationship, friends with slight tension ?
KEEP READING BELOW!
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The bruised horizon of the sky spilled its colours over the sea, decorating the usual blue in a blend of delicate pinks and oranges. It was truly a beautiful sight, one much needed after the battle you had engaged in. It had been a while since the team had gotten back together, and fighting felt like you were back in your youth. Your legs felt numb as you navigated throughout the steepness of the mountain, your body aching with each step. Yet for some reason, you seemed to be the only irritable one.
Aang was blissfully talking with Katara in the front, an almost unnoticeable blush dusting the apples of their cheeks as they conversed. Sokka walked behind them, complaining and mumbling about something that didn't reach your ears- probably how stupid Katara and Aang were sounding. Toph remained unusually silent throughout the trekk, only throwing in sarcastic remarks and moving the landscape if needed. She would occasionally toss small pebbles in the back of Sokka's head, and exploit her blindness when he got annoyed. Zuko was moving behind you, a steady frame in case you fell- you could practically feel the heat radiating off him as you walked.
You considered your team to be a sort of second family by now, growing up together as teens, partly drifting away in your young adulthood life, and suddenly clicking back as if nothing had ever happened. Everyone had grown into their bending, or Sokka into his skills, and it then seemed to register in your brain how long you had all stuck together.
Zuko had noticeably grown the most, his messy hair growing to become jet-black and long, his scrawny frame suddenly becoming broad and firm. You've always liked Zuko, maybe a little too much, ever since he clumsily introduced himself as a nervous, confused boy to the leader he is today. Yet you never let your fondness be known, so you buried it deep in your heart- smothering the chance of you and Zuko together as the group went their separate ways.
Unbeknownst to you, Zuko felt the same way.
"Guys, I see an inn up the mountain. Let's just stay there for the night." Said Katara, her pace already picking up as Aang trailed behind.
You silently cheered in your heart as your body begged for rest. Maybe pushing it in a battle after years of no practice wasn't the brightest idea.
-
The inn wasn't impressive, just a small area for travelling people. The environment was warm and cozy, the dim lights casting an orange hue to the side of everyone's faces. As the receptionist was talking to Katara about the rooms, you couldn't help but notice how Zuko's face had matured. The glow highlighted the slope of his nose to the front pieces that fell in front of his face, carefully framing the sides. You nervously coughed, distracting your thoughts and attempting to eradicate the re-emerging fondness you had buried years ago.
"The inn is a little small, so some of us will have to share a room, is that alright with everyone?" Sighed Katara, holding out the room keys in her hand.
Katara and Aang were comfortable sharing a room together, Sokka and Toph almost always slept alone and would never sleep in the same room- so it came down to you and Zuko.
"Sorry Y/N, you're fine with sharing a room with Zuko, right?" Asked Katara as she handed over the room keys, a glint of mischief in her eyes as she smiled.
You only sighed and bid your goodnights to your friends as you and Zuko headed over to your rooms, an awkward silence covering the both of you. It was strange, to say the least, it had definitely been a while since you and Zuko had been left alone.
You hummed as you inserted the key, opening the door to reveal-
a singular bed.
-
"Did Katara give us the wrong room key?" You mumbled to yourself, dread filling your stomach as you looked around the room, hoping for another bed to magically appear.
Zuko awkwardly coughed, taking down his bun to let his hair drape over his back. "We've slept in the same room before, this should be no different."
"Same room, but same bed? Are we even going to fit?" You made your way to the bed, settling on the side closest to the wall.
"I can always sleep on the floor, if that makes you more comfortable." Zuko offered, already grabbing a pillow and blanket.
"No. Let's just share a bed for tonight- we're both tired, we're both friends, we can do it." You huffed, forcibly grabbing back the pillows and blankets and throwing them on the bed.
"I'm going to take a quick shower first, you make yourself comfortable." You headed over to the showers, the steam quickly enveloping you. Your heart thrummed against your chest as the water dripped down your body, your thoughts clouded by the idea of sleeping next to Zuko. This would've been your dream as a teenager, but now? You weren't sure.
As you emerged out of the shower, wet hair cascading over your shoulders, you glanced at Zuko who was propped up on the bed, his palms idly playing with a small flickering flame. As he noticed you making your way towards the bed, he tucked himself under the covers, the blanket barely covering his broad back. You wondered if it was the flame that casted the colour, or if his cheeks had been dusted with a light crimson.
"You showered too?" You asked, climbing over his frame to your side of the bed.
"Yeah, there was an extra in Sokka's room." He grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
"Well, goodnight then." You sighed, turning to face the wall instead of Zuko. He mumbled a quiet goodnight, then turned off the light.
A silence enveloped your bodies, awkwardly inserting itself as you tried to calm your beating heart. You could feel Zuko's breathing on the back of your neck, his frame only millimetres apart from yours. You stared at the blank wall, trying your best to breathe evenly and sleep- you were tired after all, yet couldn't place your thoughts anywhere else but Zuko. You decided to focus on the coolness that seemed to creep in during the night, an unwelcome breeze settling in on your body.
You tried tugging the blanket closer to your body, but it would then slip off Zuko's frame, so you laid there- cold and tired, yet your eyes would not let you rest.
"I can feel you shaking." Zuko suddenly whispered, propping himself up on his arm.
"It's just a little cold, I'll be fine." You breathed out, turning to face him.
The moonlight did nothing but enhance your predicament- the silver threads that gleamed through the window highlighting his face. You stared at him as he looked back, no words being said.
In his eyes, you were nothing but ethereal. The silver lighting gently accentuated the apples of your cheeks, clearly highlighting the colour of your eyes as you gazed up at him. Your hair messily covered the pillow, yet delicately framed your face. If you would let him, he would cover his palace in paintings of you. Yet, he was afraid- after all, you were too good for him.
As teenagers, he had always settled next to you more than the others, you didn't treat him as a threat- but rather a friend, a human. He had developed strong feelings towards you, yet never acted on it out of fear. Those feelings only grew stronger after seeing you for the first time in years, that same cheerfulness and crinkle in your eyes while smiling, the dimple that appeared when you laughed, he remembered it all.
Truth be told, he was ecstatic when Katara told him you would be sharing a room, she even smirked as you turned around to leave.
Could this be the moment he acts on his feelings?
"Come closer." He breathed, slightly moving back.
You felt your heart drop to your stomach, butterflies fluttering throughout your body.
Zuko seemed to notice your hesitation, and suddenly began to fumble over his words.
"It's just because your cold, and I'm a firebender- so I thought we could share body heat. Only if you're willing, I just wanted to-"
You silenced his rambling by nudging yourself between his arms, your back placed against his chest. You could feel his breathing hitch, his arms slowly wrapping around your torso. The warmth enveloped you almost immediately, causing you to let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you Zuko, that's much better." You turned to face him, placing your hands over his shoulders as you made yourself comfortable.
He could only stutter words as he pulled you in closer, heart desperately clawing to intertwine with yours. Whether it was the heat from his firebending or the close proximity, both your faces flushed a crimson, only hidden by the thin veil of moon and night.
"Goodnight, Zuko." You whispered, finally closing your eyes and letter sleep take over you.
"Goodnight, Y/N." He sighed, massaging your scalp as he gazed down at your sleeping form.
And as he was sure you were finally asleep, your breathing evened out and your arms lazily tangled around him, he kissed atop your forehead.
a/n: hii guysss it's been a while but since atla leaks r coming out... i thought i'd write smth for zuko ^^ am i still welcome back gulp... do people still like neteyam
THE FIRE LORD'S GARDENER CAN'T BE THIS CUTE. ─────────!. [pt.O1]
pairing; ꒰ firelord!zuko x f!earthbender!reader ꒱ .ᐟ ♡
synopsis; sent from the earth kingdom as a gesture of peace, you arrive at the fire nation with every intent to fulfill your duty of restoring the royal palace gardens. what you didn’t prepare for was the fire lord’s routine visits. you assume it’s to manage his suspicions. he assumes it’s to observe your progress. neither of you are correct. and falling in love was never the plan. (wc: 2k)
cw; fluff, meet cute, soft zuko, plant bending (earth bending variant), accidental intimacy, pinning, rom/com, idiots in love talk about plants instead of feelings, blue spirit zuko returns, zuko unironically starts a love triangle with himself
What struck you first about the Fire Nation was its nearly intolerable heat.
You fanned yourself with one hand as you disembarked the ship, feeling as though the sun was following you personally. Nevermind the collective eyes from men at the docks burning curious holes into your earth-colored robes. Keeping your sights ahead, you climbed into a gilded carriage sent from the palace. You reminded yourself that this was all normal. It was the Fire Nation, after all. Of course it would be warmer.
And you also reminded yourself of your purpose.
By the strange good favor of reputation traveling farther than you ever intended, you were invited to advise on the royal grounds of the Fire Nation’s palace. The Fire Lord desired the palace gardens renewed. To welcome a more peaceful era, and as a token of trust between the Earth and Fire kingdom. And so you had bowed your head and said yes, though your stomach had churned at the thought.
You were received by palace attendants with all the expected courtesy. They carried your belongings and offered tea, all with serviceable smiles. Then you were escorted to your sleeping quarters prepared for you in the Guest Wing. Where you were told the Fire Lord was occupied with other affairs, and would formally welcome you the next day. And tomorrow, the master groundskeeper would be available to show you the estate and to answer any practical needs.
You should have rested. The journey had left you queasy and achy. The sea, though calm by a sailor’s standard, had never agreed with you. Yet the knowledge of the gardens beyond your window beckoned you like an old friend waiting for you to visit. That, and you assumed the fresh air would likely settle your stomach. Reasonably, it seemed like a good idea.
But if it was such a good idea, then one would certainly pinch their chin and cock their head sideways if they caught you dodging attendants and guards.
On your own secret mission, you managed to find the royal gardens without being noticed (at least that’s what you thought). You walked slowly, fingertips brushing against leaves and petals. Knees bending now and then so you could press a hand to the earth in passing. And everywhere you found the same thing: growth with very little joy.
You made your way to the lower terrace, tucked just far enough from the main walkways where there was little chance of being spotted by wandering eyes. You knelt beside a patch of dried and barely growing jasmine. It had been planted with good intentions, but not much else. The soil beneath it had been packed too tightly for the roots to breathe, let alone absorb any nutrients.
You placed your hands gently against the ground and exhaled, fingers curled slightly.
You loosened the soil in careful ripples, easing tension and guiding moisture upward in soft threads. The roots shifted almost immediately, and a small green shoot pressed its way upward where there had been nothing before.
Your face glowed, eyes glistening at the sight. “Why, hello there little friend. So glad you could finally join us.”
“Is this how you always work?”
The voice behind you was calm and low. And seemed so close, you felt the heat of their body seep deeper than the sunlight pressing against your back. With a gasp, your hands jerked from the soil and you quickly turned on your knees.
The Fire Lord stood only a few paces away, garbed in robes of deep red and black bordered in gold. Formal enough that there could be no mistaking who he was. Dark hair framed a face you knew at once from portraits and formal ink renderings. His scar, vivid and unmistakable across his otherwise handsome face, drew the eye first. Before you could be accused of rudely staring, you pitched your sight back to the gravel beneath his feet.
Still on your knees, you gathered your hands in front of you in a bow that had your forehead gracing the dirt. “Fire Lord, please forgive me. I meant no disrespect for coming here without a proper escort.”
“I should be the one apologizing,” he said, raising a hand almost in shock by the impact of your forehead meeting the ground. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
You managed to unclench your eyes. That was not the reply or tone you had expected. Carefully, you looked up. Sure enough, his features matched his words as a look of concern (and justifiable confusion) creased the skin between his brows.
“Thank you for your considerate words,” you swallowed, and swiped away the small rocks practically embedded into your skin, “but I was more surprised than anything else.”
That was an utter lie. But you were in no place to make the Fire Lord feel guilty. Especially since it was you who was slithering around in his flower beds like some common garden snake.
After a short pause, his gaze shifted past you, toward the jasmine. “They look healthier today.” A forlorn look seemed to cross the placidness of his face. As though the thought had carried him somewhere else in time. “I’m hoping to have some tea once they’re ready.”
You turned, following his attention, and blinked when a small cluster of blossoms had already begun to grow.
“Oh, of course,” you said, a little brighter. “The soil is very good here. The hint of volcanic minerals will surely bring out the most of the floral notes for you to enjoy, my Lord. Well, except it’s only—” you pinched your lips shut. At least you knew it was a very bad idea to criticize the soil management as your first conversation starter with the Fire Lord.
“Only what?” he asked, definitely not allowing you to play it off as useless rambling.
“...only that it seems somewhat over-managed, if that makes any sense at all. Not that it wouldn’t make sense to you, my Lord. I’m certain it would, if I explained. Although, I’m not trying to imply to know what you don’t know—” you cleared your throat to regain some semblance of composure, “with permission to speak plainly, it’s as if everything here has been forced to survive, rather than allowed to comfortably bloom on its own.”
When his lips remained a thin line for longer than your heart could take, you had every sense to leave on a ship by sunset. Thankfully, you were saved by a curve that ghosted one corner of his mouth.
“That sounds like the palace in general.” He said before continuing. “I was informed by the chamberlain that you had arrived. I meant to welcome you properly tomorrow, but I caught something moving in the gardens outside the window of my private study.” He stole another glance at the blossoming buds. “I was curious.”
You fiddled with your dirt speckled finger tips. “I’m sorry to have distracted you from your work.”
“It was a welcomed distraction," he said, dismissing your apology.
The conversation should have ended there. Where you would finally stop playing in the dirt like a worm, stand to pat your sleeves and knees clean, then politely bid the Fire Lord a pleasant day. Instead, voices rustled the nearby foliage.
“...she was meant to stay in the guest wing!”
“...just hurry up and find her before anyone else does.”
You froze. Knowing very well who those voices were looking for. “I have this strange feeling,” you whispered sheepishly, “they might be looking for me, my Lord.”
The Fire Lord glanced down the path where eminent footsteps approached, then squarely back down at you. A brief assessment of your predicament held two very important truths; the first being you were not supposed to be here and, two, he was most certainly not supposed to be the one to have found you first. And just to add in a third, the attendants currently approaching were absolutely in no way supposed to find those two things happening at the same time.
“Don’t move,” he instructed.
You complied, mostly because you weren’t sure where you could go even if you tried to escape at this point. He stepped closer, and you blinked up at him as his outer robe shifted, and a wall of dark fabric draped over you. Shrouded within his robes, the tips of his fingers graced your shoulder, gently guiding you closer to his side. You stared at the fabric in front of you, and where the pattern shifted as two figures appeared at the end of the path.
“Fire Lord Zuko!” One voice pitched in utter surprise. “We–ah–didn’t realize you were in the gardens,” the attendant continued, treading carefully on their words. “We’re terribly sorry to disturb you.”
“There’s no disturbance,” he said, not moving an inch. “I was just getting some fresh air.”
“And we were only making sure everything was in order, ” the other attendant couldn’t help but blurt out.
An awkward pause. And you swore the other attendant's elbow had twitched to nudge the other in the gut.
“Is there something missing?” Zuko asked.
“No, no, not at all. My Lord,” the more composed of the two answered. “Nothing of importance.”
“That's a relief,” the Fire Lord breathed, idly nodding to his surroundings. “If it’s nothing important, then I imagine it won’t cause any trouble.”
The first attendant could barely control the nervous squeak in his voice. “No trouble at all, my Lord. There’s absolutely nothing about what we’re looking for that should trouble you.”
You felt a slight tremble in his body. Something dangerously close to a chuckle. But he buried it away, his posture settling back into practiced composure.
“E-Excuse us, my Lord. We’ll continue the search elsewhere,” the second attendant scrambled to add.
You pressed your lips firmly together. Scolding yourself for finding any of this amusing. Because if you had made a sound, you were fairly certain the entire situation would fall apart immediately. Luckily, you managed to steel your nerves long enough for them to bow and retreat down the path with haste.
“You can come out now,” he said after a moment of quiet had settled over the garden.
You shifted, the world widening around you as you stepped back into view. You kept your eyes from wandering back to him, still trying to tame the shameless smile threatening to show itself.
“You should return to the guest wing,” he said, seeming to also be taming his amusement at present. “And if you’re going to lie about where you’ve been, you should make sure to be more convincing than those two.”
“You’re right, I should." You hummed in agreement. “Before I become even more trouble.”
“That would be best.”
You turned to leave, then paused before turning over a shoulder. “Thank you for that,” you added softly.
He didn’t reply with any words, permitting only a small smile to grace that hard line that refused to bend. It faded just as quickly as it came. And he reserved his rest of his attention toward the jasmine bed.
You made your way back up the path, mindful of where your feet fell. Though not quite mindful enough to resist looking over your shoulder once more.
He was still there. Standing exactly where you had left him.
summary: zuko's straight-forwardness in appreciating the attractive qualities of the lone stranger saved by aang has you curious on whether you could get him to spill on what he thinks of you. (no major movie spoilers)
"He's very attractive." Zuko admits, eyes unblinking as he stares at the unconscious stranger.
The entire team whips their heads to stare at Zuko in unconcealed shock.
"What?" Zuko mutters, gaze lingering on the surprised expressions casted onto him, before eventually landing on yours. "He is. It's all in the bone structure."
You blink, unable to process his straight-forward words that landed on you like a gut punch. You've never considered it, the fact that Zuko also found others attractive.
It seems like a completely, silly notion now that the thought has verbalised itself in your mind. Of course Zuko would notice if others were considered attractive. Maybe it just never occurred to you in all your years of knowing him—of also finding him—
You clear your throat, forcing yourself to look away from his prying gaze, confusion alight in his eyes from your taken-aback expression.
If he's unconsciously considered the attractiveness of this stranger... has he ever—no, this should not be your priority. It doesn't matter what he thinks of you, it's not like it would change a thing. He's practically admitted it non-verbally through that monotonous admission of his, that a person's looks is assessed by him in a completely, impersonal standpoint.
Bone structure? You shouldn't be curious. Knowing Zuko, he might accidentally insult your structure if you asked.
The curiosity does not disappear. In fact, it digs deeper and deeper into the crevices of your mind—subconsciously affecting your attitude around Zuko.
It doesn't help that it's painfully obvious that he's noticed your strange behaviour ever since his comment. Once, when his hand had come up to your shoulder to alert you that everyone was boarding the ship—and your entire body jumped in response. Again, when you completely blanked out when he asked if you would like some firecracker buns.
It's not like you wanted to hyper-focus on his observation on purpose. It's just that after years of knowing him and pushing down that sub-concious attraction—of not allowing yourself to even see him as anything more than the Zuko you know, the rebound impact of all your resurfacing emotions combined with his lingering presence is far too much.
Zuko isn't the type to beat around the bush either, one of the rare habits his uncle hasn't passed onto him. In a moment of needed reprieve, your attempt at regaining your composure fails spectacularly when you find yourself in a stand-still, cornered in the back of the ship—one firecracker bun in his hand as an offering.
"Have I said something to make you uncomfortable?"
Zuko's gaze is akin to a puppy's, wide-eyed and brows furrowed. Afraid that he's done something wrong, overlooked the choice of his words once again and destroyed the atmosphere without realising.
Straight to the point as ever, you'd appreciate it more if he had given you a few more minutes to come up with a reasonable excuse. Something more plausible than 'Do you find me attractive?', a lingering question that should've remained buried in the soil that you departed from nearly an hour ago.
"Not exactly." Taking the firecracker bun from his hand, the crumbs coat your fingers. You needed something to muffle your words, anything to distract you. It's easier to focus on the lingering spice that melts into your tongue, rather than his unblinking stare.
"So—I did say something." His mouth parts, a slight tilt downward in the corner of his lip. "Or I've made you uncomfortable."
There was no winning with him. Swallowing your last bite, you brush the crumbs against your sleeve, the slouch of your posture a key sign of surrender, your invisible white flag waving at the sight of his increasingly dubious expression.
"The first one." You admit with a sigh. "Earlier—"
He leans in subtly, a habit he does when he's listening attentively, and the luscious wave of his bangs brushes against your knuckles. His amber eyes pierce through you, and the words practically die off your tongue.
Why is he looking at you like that?
It isn't fair that he has such an effect on you. You still remember the old days, when he had a worser temper instead of the softened expression that lingers warmly on you. Plus, that horrible haircut, a singular ponytail with the rest of his hair shaved off forever engrained in your mind. Even recalling the image doesn't help calm your thundering heartbeat when the Zuko in front of you is so—overwhelming.
"You were saying?" He prods gently.
You swallow, averting your gaze. "When you mentioned... about attractiveness. Was that like—a spur of the moment kind of thing, or do you have a first impression for everyone you meet?"
His brows furrow for a moment, before recognition lights his golden gaze. "Ah—that."
"Right, that." You feel the seat warming beneath you in your embarrassment, a hallucination of senses in your sudden need to escape his assessing gaze. He barely even remembers his comment, and here you are, still obsessively prying over it.
"I was only answering Toph's question." He states. "No one was stating the obvious."
"The obvious." You muse. "Do you assess the attractiveness of everyone you meet?"
"I suppose it depends." He mutters, hand rubbing over his chin in consideration. "If it was during a battle, I wouldn't be prioritising on considering the opponent's appearance. As compared to someone knocked out on the ground, it gives me plenty of time."
You barely resist a snort. Only he could treat a topic like a person's attractiveness like one of his battle strategies. "I suppose you didn't have time during our first meeting then."
As soon as the words leave your mouth, both you and Zuko freeze. Your lips clamp shut, an immediate wince shuddering through your frame. Cat's out of the bag, you suppose.
"Never mind." You wave it off, your own laugh echoing much too loudly through your ears. "It wasn't like I was wondering—well, maybe I was. You just sprung it out of nowhere earlier, and I got... curious. You don't have to answer—"
"I did." He cuts you off unceremoniously.
You blink, his vague words echoing in the thin distance between the two of you. "What?"
He swallows, and for once, he's the one flustered in this conversation. "I did notice, during our first meeting."
No way. Your first meeting with Zuko was anything but pretty. You remember being covered in sweat, grime, and ashes coating your clothes as he shot flames at you from his palms. The twisted grimace on his face when you had him writhing under your grip, as he loudly declared his revenge on you, rupturing your eardrums with all his yelling.
"You mean—" You barely resist a grin stretching on your lips. "—when I pinned you down on your airship, and you were spitting death threats into my ear."
"Yes, that." His long locks cover his ears now, but you can bet the rims are reddened from the reminder. "You were formidable."
Formidable. No, that wasn't enough. His sudden focus on the floorboards of his ship made it obvious that he was simplifying his observation.
"I was gaining the winning hand." You state out-right, disbelief coating your tone. "And you had time to notice?"
A restrained sigh escapes Zuko's gritted teeth, already regretting his slip of tongue.
"What of the angle? Does the Fire Lord recall my bone structure during our first battle too, when I pinned you to the floor?" You tease.
He scoffs in a light-hearted manner, shoulder lightly bumping into yours. "It was the first time anyone had pinned me down. I wasn't exactly given another view to look at."
"Was the view bad then?" You prod.
"Not at all." He answers absentmindedly—quickly without hesitation.
Your lips part, speechless. Zuko immediately separates his shoulder from yours, a bashful expression overtaking his features.
"Objectively." He states hurriedly, waving his arms. "I was expecting to find the Avatar at the time, not... you."
The way he says it, the almost breathless note that leaves his lips. You devour it hungrily, now being the one to lean in, prying.
"And how did you find me, Zuko?" You ask earnestly.
He huffs in defeat. His softened gaze finally meets yours again, his eyes roaming over your features, ones that he's familiarised with for years, and yet... it still takes the breath out of him. "...You were the most beautiful person I've ever sparred with."
Oh... wow. You didn't expect that.
"You were threatening to kill me." You recall in disbelief.
"I was multi-tasking." He mutters, ashamed.
Your intended snort escalates into a cackle, unable to contain yourself. "I would have never guessed that from the way you glared at me. So full of shame—and destroyed pride."
"What about you?" He asks in a hurry, though his tone drops towards the end in hesitation—hinting his regret in the wrong change in topic. He grimaces, gaze dropping to his tightened fists over his lap. "...Did you find my scar hideous?"
Surprise colours your features.
Immediately shaking your head, you're at a loss for words on how to convey just how off-course he was on his guess. How could you ever find Zuko hideous? Your heart barely survived your visits to the Fire Nation, not when their own Fire Lord always insisted on attending to your presence personally, even when it arose suspicion of your shared bond with him, to have him so easily distracted when you arrived on his lands.
Even now, he's overwhelming your vision. Healthy muscles that are barely hidden under his clothes, or the hair he's refused to cut ever since his youth that now flows lusciously down his broad back. His amber eyes that glint golden when the sun reflects his irises, and even the conjured image of the way his arms move when he's fire-bending.
He's— "Beautiful."
By the time you realise your second slip of the tongue, Zuko has already blinked once, caught off-guard.
You purse your lips, finding this conversation to be as riveting as it is a weaponised self-attack. "Objectively speaking. You're attractive, Zuko."
"Objectively." He repeats slowly, amused that you're using his own deflecting choice of words.
"Fine, like really attractive." You deadpan. "It's annoying, because I'm supposed to be focused on the mission, and you're just... standing there."
It was the truth. You couldn't be the only one who noticed it. His subtle change in demeanour over the years, how he carried himself into a room now instead of randomly announcing his arrival at the worst timings. Even Sokka noticed.
He snorts, and the sound deflates the tension in your chest. "Funny, I should be saying that about you."
You gasp, expression aghast. "You're joking."
"It is not honourable to lie." He shrugs. "You've always been the most magnetic in my eyes. I can never find myself looking away from you."
You grow quiet, the genuine sincerity in his words leaving you defenseless. Have you been blind all along? Is that why he always sent letters—asking you to visit his nation for purposes other than meetings? Or why he sought for your company constantly during this entire trip, despite it being the first time the entire set of Team Avatar being together in months?
You had been too focused on what was comfortable and familiar, to teasing and prodding, that you never considered this.
"For the record." You whisper, leaning in to truly look at him. "I never found your scar hideous. You were always beautiful to me, Zuko."
He swallows, something intense flickering in his gaze—but too fleeting for you to catch onto it. Maybe it had always been there, when his eyes linger on your form when he accompanied you in his palace gardens, or even back then, when he was a banished prince who sought for you, even with a grimace on his face.
"That haircut when we first met, though?" Your smile breaks out into a toothy grin. "Absolutely hideous."
The softness in his gaze falters, before a groan rumbles past his throat. "Will you ever let that one go?"
"Never."
He lets out a low breath, drained of his energy. "I admitted to finding you attractive, and this is my repayment?"
"Who's finding who attractive?"
Sokka's voice strikes a jump in your shoulders, and Zuko's in an impressive halt, frozen completely after being caught red-handed.
"Ah, between the two of you—" Sokka whistles. "I was wondering who was going to break first. Congrats, love-birds!"
"We're not—" Your voice clashes with Zuko's. "This isn't—"
You sneak a glance to Zuko, and his hand is already covering half of his face, his embarrassment shielded by the shadow of his large palm.
Sokka's confused gaze switches between the two of you, blinking slowly.
"Ah, couple years too early?" Sokka shrugs, before clicking his tongue. "That's rough. I'll check back in with you guys in another time." Making his way back towards the front, he shouts once more to prove his point. "Just don't let me catch you guys making out or anything, I'll need to poke out my eyes for that one!"
"...We better restrain him before he starts blasting it as news to everyone." You groan.
"Agreed." He mutters.
Right as you made your move to leave, Zuko's hand grips yours—stopping you.
You lift your head, meeting his gaze. "Yeah?"
His Adam's apple bobs up and down, consideration clear in his expression before he decisively leans in. His voice is a warm hush, soft and intimate when he whispers. "For the record." Your own words echo back to your ears in the low hush of his voice. "I wasn't only referring to our first meeting when I said that you're beautiful."
His smile quirks up into something tender, a secret expression reserved only for you. ...At this rate, your curiousity was really going to be the death of you.
likes, reblogs, and comments are highly appreciated! <333
a/n: i need to write more firelord zuko stat. he looks so good and still so awkward my childhood crush has been reignited.
