🌙 He may seem to be a stoic, unemotional and very unmoving man, but deep down, he really is just a big softie with a gooey heart of gold. And somehow, by the luck of the Astrals, you managed to peer inside of him and see that.
🌙 He practically lives at the Citadel serving the royal family as head of the Crownsguard, so coming back to your apartment is a special privilege he really takes care of.
🌙 At first he felt bad leaving a few very small things at your place like a bottle of his body soap or his toothbrush, but when he saw you made room for him in your bathroom and your bedroom just for him, it made his chest feel all warm and tingly.
🌙 He often arrives home late into the night from the never-ending work. He feels awful, especially if you made dinner for him or if he comes in to see you struggling to stay up for him. You always chase away those worries with a kiss and some well-chosen words. You knew what you were signing up for when it came to dating the general of the Crownsguard.
🌙 There have been a few nights when he would come home to find you passed out on the couch with the tv on. He would feel awful at the thought of moving you, but he always does in the end. There's something domestically romantic in the way he picks you up gently in a bridal fashion and carries you into the bedroom.
🌙 He really loves it when you wear some of his things, especially his leather jackets. He has so many and he really only wears the same three over and over again, so seeing you wear his barely used ones always puts a smile on his face. He's always sure to mist some cologne on them every once in a while to keep up the scent you love so much.
🌙 He at first kept his relationship with you a secret under a heavy lock and key. You understood, of course. He was a general, it may not have looked good if he was seen with a civilian. Unfortunately, fate proved more powerful than him and Prompto of all people had somehow accidentally snapped a photo of you two together in Downtown Insomnia. Cor had no idea until Gladio opened that mouth of his. He was mortified, but also strangely relieved that he didn't have to hide you any longer.
🌙 Cor loves showing you off in the Citadel. He would purposefully "leave behind" something of his and would ask you if you could run it by his office. The look on the Crownsguard's faces when they would see you sitting on Cor's desk like a damn trophy was always priceless. You quickly caught on to what was happening, which made things even funnier when you really played along.
🌙 Cor didn't like attending all of the galas and balls and whatever celebrations hosted at the Citadel, but now, he has a reason to. He always invites you, and he does it the same way: Kissing up your hand and arm, drawing you close, asking you so sweetly if you would grant him the honor of accompanying him to whatever uptight nonsense going on.
🌙 He is a very old-school romantic and he is very much a gentleman. He often takes things slow, as well. It may seem a bit infuriating at times at the slow pace, but Cor is honestly just nervous about the entire thing. It took almost five dates before he actually kissed you.
🌙 There was one time you popped by the Citadel with a homemade lunch in hand meaning to just drop it by his office, but some Kingsglaive led you to the training hall where Cor was "educating" (basically just tossing around) some new recruits. The second he saw you, he froze up for a second and ended up getting pinned to the ground. That was a tough one to walk off, and he often finds himself blushing at the memory.
🌙 Clarus often jokes with the General and teases him about settling down. The shield regales to you about Cor when he was younger and how much of a little shit he was before he became General. He does clap a hand on Cor's shoulder and chides him playfully about settling down finally.
🌙 He actually uses his vacation days for once. Regis and Clarus had to do a double take at the form Cor handed in to Ignis' uncle for a vacation. Cor never really took time for himself, always busying himself with work and what-not to really indulge in the finer things in life. He really loves to take you to Galdin Quay; Something about relaxing on the cool, wet sand with you as the sun is setting always feels just right.
🌙 Cor has a pretty big sweet tooth that he hides so well, you didn't notice it for a good while. He will become putty in your hands if you bring home something sweet like a cheesecake or some Altissian pastries from a local bakery. He loves it when you offer him a bite of your dessert and will never say no to sharing one with you at a restaurant. His favorite one would have to be creme brule topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a few berries and a bit of flaky sea salt to finish it off.
🌙 He's not a good cook, and sadly, that's a skill the General won't be able to hone in his lifetime. There was one morning he wanted to wake you with breakfast in bed, but you awoke to the sound of your smoke detector going off. Cor stood sheepishly at your now open window, holding the smoking pan outside to avoid filling your apartment with its noxious fumes. It was honestly sweet.
🌙 That doesn't mean that he won't help out in the kitchen. As bad as he is actually cooking stuff in a pan or a pot, he's very skilled with cutting up produce and meat - not surprising - for you. He loves to hold you from behind and watch over you as you work in the cookware and will always be available to taste test for you. He especially loves taste-testing anything you're baking.
🌙 Cor isn't much of a show-off, but something really does it for him when he sees you full-on staring at him when he does something as simple as hoisting something heavy over his shoulder. He's not as brawny as Gladiolus, but Cor has some very defined muscles and he now tends to show off a bit only in front of you.
🌙 He worries about you often, especially if he's gone with the King or Prince for long periods of time. There's been a few incidents in the city that make Cor anxious about leaving you. One particular incident involved a pretty bad crime spike in your neighborhood. Cor offered you a bit of training, especially hand-to-hand, and he was utterly relieved when you took him up on the offer.
🌙 Cor is a bit territorial around certain individuals. It was more so the glaives as the Crownsguard wouldn't dare to do anything flirtatious around you. There's been an incident where Cor had to put himself between you and an eager young glaive who would not take no for an answer. The Immortal's eyes bore into the glaive hard enough that you swore the poor kid's brain would melt. He doesn't like the feeling of being jealous and he often tries to avoid situations like that.
🌙 Cor says he's not a pet person, even turns up his nose at times, but deep down he's a big lover of animals. If you have a pet, he's all over them when you aren't looking. He will buy them more toys and then play dumb when you would ask where the toy magically came from. He really likes it when Umbra and Pryna show up in the Citadel, too. He's always sure to give the good dogs some good scratches.
🌙 He's usually a pretty light sleeper, but ever since he basically just moved into your place, he's been finding himself sleeping a lot more peacefully in your presence. At first, he didn't cuddle up to you much, only laying a hand on your hip or thigh just for a bit of touch. but it slowly devolved into him always being the big spoon and drawing you close every night.
🌙 He's very good at remembering all of the little details about you. Every date, he has memorized. Every place he took you out for dates, locked in his brain. You wouldn't blame him if he didn't know a few things here and there, but it's so enticing knowing that Cor knows you like the back of his hand.
🌙 The fall of Insomnia absolutely tore him apart. Things got just a smidge better knowing refugees were fleeing and the prince and his entourage were accounted for- except for you. He didn't know it, but you had gotten out by the skin of your teeth, showing up in Lestallum with another group of survivors when he saw you in the hotel lobby. It was like his world stopped turning at the sight of you all scraped up and worrying. His embrace was tight around you, nearly ripping your jacket as though you'd slip through his fingers like sand if he lessened his grip.
🌙 The decade of darkness took another toll on him. No kingdom. No prince. No crystal. He didn't put much faith in the Six but it really did feel like they were all taking turns kicking the shit out of him. He really was only able to do it because of you being by his side. Often times, he would come back home to you with gashes. Sitting on the toilet, you'd fuss over him like a mother hen while you cleaned his wounds before you started to help him dig deep and really work at the root of the problem.
🌙 Cor isn't good about feelings and he's not good with talking about them. As much as he doesn't want you to pry, he finds it heartwarming that you try to get him to open up in other ways. One of his favorites that you tend to do, especially during the decade long night was just talking for possibly hours about something random just to get his mind off of things.
Imagine being Cor Leonis's girlfriend who is the librarian of the Citadel. After hours in the library back room, Cor is fucking you roughly on your desk whispering how much of a dirty girl you are and how he loves seeing your face crying and begging for more.
" C-Cor! P-please!"
" Please what y/n? You need to use your words."
He moves his lips closer to your ear. " Tell me what you want me to do y/n." He slows his thrusts as he waits for her answer.
" F-faster! I want you to go harder! S-show me how well Cor the Immortal can please his woman!"
Looking down at her with a satisfied smirk on his lips, he takes in the sight of her body with the dark red marks that he planted along her neck and collar bone. Moving down to plant a sweet kiss on her lips he whispers again, " I love seeing your face and body begging for me like this.
Cor slams his cock deep inside of y/n, making her moan out loudly in pleasure.
" I want you to scream loudly so that everyone in the Citadel knows who y/n l/n belongs to."
hi tarooo may i request a chocobros, nyx, ravus reaction when someone throws their s/o to a body of water even when they know the reader can’t swim please?
Omg everyone, guess who got the day off! Welcome to the far north and snow days! We’re not actually off because of the snow itself, rather, it knocked out our servers, so we have no internet at work and so almost no work can be done lol. But who cares! I got to sleep in!
Hello hello! Thank you so much for this request @uneverveineetaulit !! This definitely reignited my love for surly Cor Leonis 😚
No. 8 - “If you’re going to act like a little brat, then I’m going to treat you like a little brat.”
Rating: E
Warning Tags: None
Words: 913
-:- -:- -:-
Cor Leonis was not someone to tease. But you loved doing it so much. You could see his blue eyes harden like ice with every little quip you made. The muscle in his cheek twitched with every smirk you gave him across the meeting table, your foot working its way up the inside of his leg. Make him suck in a breath when you wouldn't - stop - tapping - on the top of his desk with your nails. He'd been distant lately, and you knew that this behavior would get a better response than giving him the cold shoulder or ignoring him. Plus, you were feeling childish.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked, clearly annoyed, not looking up from his paperwork.
"Not a thing, Mr. Leonis," you replied haughtily, tap, tap, tapping your nails once again. You wondered just how long he'd let you keep this up. "Well," you continued, "besides the fact that you haven't said more than a dozen words to me the past three days combined."
"That's what this is about?" he answered, finally looking up, his brow furrowed. "I apologize that I had other things to worry about." You scoffed at his backhanded apology, rolling your eyes.
"Don't just dismiss me, Cor. I'm annoyed, ignored, and really enjoying pissing you off," you spat, standing from your chair. You were planning on storming out of his office, and you made it about halfway to the door before you felt him grab you around your waist. "Let go of me," you said through clenched teeth.
"No," he replied, in that commanding tone that always made you shiver in the best way. "If you're going to act like a little brat, then I'm going to treat you like a little brat." Cor pulled you back to his desk, his grip tight on your wrist as he sat on the low bench in the corner of the room.
"Cor," you warned, but he took no heed of your tone, pulling your body down so that you were laying across his thighs on your stomach. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I just told you, princess," he retorted, and your lips parted at your nickname. Cor never called you that, not even in the bedroom, and hearing the word in his deep voice made your skin flush with heat.
You felt Cor's hand slide down your spine before grabbing at your ass, which was very nicely presented to him. You squirmed, trying to get off of him, but he held you in place with an iron grip on your waist. His hand left your behind, but was brought back down with force, your thighs tensing as a slap resounded in the office. You cried out, quickly clapping a hand over your mouth, in complete disbelief that Cor really just spanked you.
"You've been bad," Cor said, soothing over where his hand hit for a brief moment before delivering another slap to the opposite cheek. "Such a troublesome little brat."
"C-Cor!" you said, tensing your muscles just in time for the third slap to your ass. "Oh... gods...." You were so incredibly turned on, it was maddening. Just three spanks and you were rutting your pelvis against Cor's thigh.
He delivered two more in rapid succession and you moaned, voice cracking a little at the end when he gave you one more. You cursed, rubbing your legs together to try to get some friction on your sex, your clit already throbbing with need.
"Are you enjoying this?" Cor asked, pulling up your shirt. He tugged down the waistband of your leggings, exposing your reddened skin to the cool air of the room. "You shouldn't be enjoying your punishment."
"Can't..... ah, I c-can't help it!" you cried, moaning loudly again as he slapped your bare bottom. You were expecting to be spanked more, but when his fingers slid down your ass crack, spread your lips and smeared your slick over your clit, you felt your eyes roll back in your head.
"Look at you, you're soaked," he commented, circling over your bud. "I didn't know you liked pain so much."
You nodded, some semblance of an affirmative noise slipping past your lips. Cor's fingers relentlessly caressed your clit, aiming for you to come quickly. You couldn't control your moans, each breath devolving into sounds of pure pleasure, tears starting to sting your eyes. You let your eyes close, a series of particularly hard swipes driving you right over the edge. You dug your nails into your palms, only vaguely feeling Cor remove his hand from between your legs.
A loud cry answered the hard slap you felt on your ass, one more from your lover to make your climax that much more powerful.
Cor let you come down before he pulled your pants back up, graciously helping you to sit next to him on the bench.
"Does that make up for me ignoring you?" he asked and you nodded, hearing him chuckle. He placed a gentle hand on your cheek, turning your head to face him. "I am sorry, I just had a lot on my plate."
You smiled weakly, still reeling from your orgasm. "It's okay... I shouldn't have acted this way."
"Well, I don't know about that...." he responded, leaning in for a kiss. "I definitely enjoyed giving you a good spanking."
"Why don't you come over to my place tonight, then?" you asked, trying to be coy. "I'm not sure I learned my lesson."
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Final Fantasy XV
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Cor Leonis/Reader
Characters: Cor Leonis
Additional Tags: Suicidal Thoughts, Insomnia, Hurt/Comfort, Angst
Summary:
You couldn't sleep, tormented by your own thoughts. Even though you should be happy that Cor, your lover, was sleeping soundly next to you, embracing you and giving you the warmth you loved.
Noctis: all mornings are lazy with him. He’s quite the sleep snuggler, so more than likely you’ll wake up with him attached to your back like a baby koala bear. He prefers to wake up naturally, it just improves his mood over all throughout the day. Be gentle waking him up and you’ll earn a little smile and a chuckle.
Prompto: he always wakes up first, peppering your cheeks with little kisses. He giggles a lot in the morning, and doesn’t mind lingering in bed for some good morning cuddling. But after a while he’ll start to get a little bored and needs some stimulation and things to do.
Gladio: incredibly and increasingly rare are the mornings where you wake up and Gladio is still there. But once in a blue moon you’ll wake up to find him draped over you, snoring quietly in your ear. He’lol roll over and pull you onto his chest, holding you against him in a tight bear hug while he tries to get some more sleep.
Ignis: Like Gladio it’s rare you’ll see him sleep in. Sometimes though you can catch him still snoozing after 7 am, his hair a mess, glasses on the bedside table, his pj shirt slightly unbuttoned and askew. Wake him gently with a good morning kiss. He won’t linger in bed long but the few minutes you do spend together are sweet none the less.
Cor: you’re fairly certain Cor has seen every sunrise every day for the last 30 years. The man never sleeps in. Only once did you manage to keep him in bed past 6 am and you had to use more...salacious means to achieve that. At least he’ll sit on the couch to cuddle for a bit while he has his coffee before work. He’ll find the time to give you somewhat of a normal relationship.
A/N: First commissioned piece for my lovely pal, @blindedstarlight! Partly inspired by 500 Days of Summer sans the angst, consider this awkward fluff just in time for, well, pre-Valentines. Or something to that effect lol
Also tagging some pals! @valkyrieofardyn @gowithme @emmydots @bleucommelhiver @hanatsuki89 @raspberryandechinacea @noboomoon @animakupo
Link on AO3
Day 70
Today is Tuesday, and your tight-fitting shirt is the colour of a sinful red. Like a bright danger sign breaching his field of view, Cor immediately notices you even out of the corner of his eye as soon as you enter the Citadel training room. You do not meet his eyes, but the sight of you drags him out of focus.
And to think that Cor never, ever loses his focus.
So he misses a step. Fumbles in a split second. His reflexes fail him that Clarus’s fist lands on his face, the swing of the wooden sword sending him flying across the room.
A loud, resounding thud echoes as Cor crashes gracelessly on the hardwood floor. A sharp pain seizes his whole body, and he is aching all over. His head is pounding as if he had also been hit with a lead pipe. A shrill ringing in his ears is deafening that he does not hear the hurrying footsteps, the worried whispers, the swift gathering of familiar faces hovering over his head.
“Shit,” he hisses sharply under his breath, squeezes his eyes shut. What a way to make a fool of myself in front of—
“Are you okay?”
Your voice startles him out of his wits. And when he opens his eyes, yours is the first face he sees.
In a jolt, Cor hauls himself up to sit. Your concern should not have surprised him, but it did. After all, you’re one of the resident medics, and even if you are strictly assigned to the Kingsglaive, looking after the whole Lucian force is your duty.
And of all the medics that had to see him in his shameful hour, it just had to be you.
“Uh, I’m fine. Better than fine,” Cor says, which is an obviously poor lie on his part. He rubs the back of his neck, his head mildly throbbing. Behind you, he can see Clarus eyeing him with a wicked smile on his face.
“Wait—“ you kneel beside him, carefully taking his face into your hands— “you really sure? No head pain, or anything?”
Cor nods. He only hopes that you cannot feel the swell of heat that rises in his cheeks. “Yes, very sure.”
“Well, Cor is a man of steel,” Clarus chimes in, arms folded over his chest. “Someone of his calibre should have his ego checked from time to time. And I wouldn’t have taken him down from his pedestal today, if it weren’t for you, the Achilles’ heel—“
“Clarus.” Cor’s menacing glare is as sharp as his sword, it might have sliced Clarus in half. But Clarus, or course, remains unfazed.
Meanwhile, you raise a confused eyebrow to the both of them. “Uh, am I missing something here?”
“Oh, nothing much—don’t mind us,” Clarus says, beaming a grin. “And don’t worry, I’ll see to it that Cor is as fit as a fiddle.”
“If you both say so,” you say as you hold out your hand and help Cor back on his feet. You give him a smile, and Cor watches you walk away to return to your Kingsglaive friends on the other side of the training hall.
Cor exhales a heavy sigh. “I’m going to kill you for that, Clarus.”
“Back to your threatening habits, I see,” Clarus teases. He rests his arm on Cor’s shoulder. “You know, you could just tell her.”
“Not your business.”
“Wait until Reggie hears about this, then it will be our business.”
“Fuck you,” sneers Cor, shrugging Clarus’s arm off of him.
“Me? Shouldn’t it be fuck her—”
“I’ll tell Joy about this.”
Clarus laughs. “My wife would only be pleased, that I can assure you.” He claps a hand on Cor’s shoulder and says, “Now, don’t you want a rematch to avenge your lovesick clumsiness?”
“This time I will really beat your ass,” Cor says, all smug. A large part of him is still reeling from the warmth of your hand in his, and how awfully perfect you look in that sultry shade of red...
Maybe it really is about time I tell her, he quietly ruminates as he picks up his sword, ready to swing for another round.
Day 45
For the record—his own internal record, that is—Cor is never the type to have a crush. He is also never the type to have a crush on someone to the point of unconsciously knowing all their favourite things, let alone looking forward to what colour of shirt they would be wearing. That may have been Clarus’s thing back in his bachelor days, or some other guy who tends to obsess, but definitely not him. He swears this fact upon his life and his honour.
But ever since he got to know you a little bit better, with all the times you have been spending with him on and off council meetings, he may have that oath completely compromised.
Case in point: he remembers random things about you. You may have briefly shared your interests in a passing exchange or on one of those long conversations you two have had when you were forced to work late in the Citadel, but best believe Cor has it all memorized: from your favourite ice cream flavour to music genres to flowers, down to your usual order at Kenny Crow’s.
Then there comes the matter of your shirts. It is never his intention to look forward to what you’ll be wearing, but at this rate, he knows how you’re much more likely to wear cooler colours on training days with the Glaive; darker ones on days when you are balancing your shift in the infirmary. He has seen you wear every shade of blue and green, but not red. Anything but red. He’ll probably lose his shit once he finally sees you in his favourite colour; he’s already certain that no one will rock red the same way you would.
But today is one of those days that you are wearing neither shade of blue and green. Because as you enter his office, he almost spills his coffee when he sees you in white. And not just any white shirt—a white summer dress, to be precise.
“So here are the physical exam results of the new recruits you requested,” you say by way of greeting. “Monica’s been called by Clarus for an urgent meeting, so she asked me to turn this over to you.”
Right. It was Monica who’s supposed to deliver these results, not you in this godsend of a dress. His dreary office—the oaken shelves, the soulless furnishing—is somehow brightened by your presence. And it’s not even helping how well-lit his office is, streaming in morning sunshine to favour this sight of you. For a brief moment, he struggles to tear his eyes away—until he finally notices that in your arms are a handful of folders, and that you’re gingerly eyeing for a spot to unload all of it.
“I, uh, shit —sorry, here—” In a sudden rush of panic, he sets down his coffee cup, and hastily clears some of the books and binders strewn all over. “You may leave it there. Thanks for your help.”
You neatly place the files over the newly vacated space on his desk. “You’re welcome—“
“Uh, you look really pretty today.” The words stumble out of Cor without warning, as if his tongue had lost its brakes. Fuck. He fidgets at the edge of his seat, stammering to backpedal, “I mean, not just today —sorry, you look pretty everyday, but, you know—“
“No, it’s okay, Cor. Um, well—“ you purse your lips, struggling to stifle the hearty giggle, and is that a blush Cor is seeing on your face? “Thank you. I’m taking the half day off to meet someone, hence—“ you gesture awkwardly up and down your body— “the dress.”
“Oh.” The oh slips out of Cor in a disappointed exhale. His voice evidently drops along with his heart. “Right. I see—“
“But it’s not a date, though,” you say quickly, defensively. “Not that I needed to clarify that bit, but um, yeah.”
“Okay.” Cor nods and laughs sheepishly—but mostly out of a bizarre relief, thank the gods— as he reaches for the back of his neck. “You must be in a hurry—I’m sorry for keeping you.”
You smile. “Don’t mention it. See you around.”
As Cor watches you walk out of his office, all he could bother to think about is how badly he wants you to stay. Stay for a little while, just one more second and I wouldn’t ask for more.
Day 3
When Cor visits the infirmary to retrieve a couple of meds for his headache one dull Thursday morning, the new face that greets him stops him halfway through the door.
“How may I help you?” you ask amiably, a pleasing smile on your face. He briefly scans the room; there is no one else present except for you, the infirmary surprisingly vacant and ascetic: empty beds, clinical equipment properly arranged, the medical cabinets maintained in orderly perfection. Even your desk is sanctified with cleanliness. Not a single sheet of paper astray from your outgoing tray.
“I need some Advil,” Cor says, slumping heavily at the seat across from you as if he is carrying the entire world on his shoulder. “Headache.”
“Oh, alright.” Your smile is suddenly eclipsed by a rather concerned look. You slide him a pen and a sheet of paper tucked in a clipboard. “Please sign your name here and I’ll be right back in a jiffy.” As he quickly fills up the form, his head still in the verge of splitting into pieces, you hastily retreat behind the white curtains, and you emerge a couple of minutes later with a packet of capsules.
Cor returns the clipboard back to you. “So, sir…” You trail off, scanning the sheet, and Cor sees your eyes widen. “Oh. So you’re the Cor Leonis.”
“That I am.” Cor tries to give you a small smile, only that it appears to be more of a weak wince.
You scribble something on the paper. “Have you eaten something in the last couple of hours?”
“No, not yet.”
Your lips quirk sideways. You look at Cor as if you are about to pass some judgment; he could sense how you are studying his face with the way your eyes are fixed on him with a more intensified concern. Then, you say, “I don’t mean to prolong your agony, but will you promise me that if I give this to you—“ you wave the packet in your hand— “you’ll first grab a proper meal before you take this?”
“I, uh—“ Cor scratches his cheek, eyeing you curiously— “sure, yes.”
You raise a skeptical brow. “On your honour as a soldier?”
Cor laughs. “Of course.”
You give him one last look of hesitation before you finally hand him the medication. “Heed my advice, marshal.” Another bright smile crosses your face. For a brief second, Cor forgets to breathe.
New Girl is what his peers in the Crownsguard call you. Our Lady is what he often hears from the Kingsglaive. He never understood why the Kingsglaive seemed to be overprotective with their newly hired medic, but he finally understands all their territorial bullshit.
On his way back to his office, he does heed your advice, but he no longer finds the need to take the pill.
Day 4
No one from your newfound friends in the Kingsglaive warned you about Cor the Immortal. Specifically, no one warned you how infuriatingly handsome he is in person.
You’ve only heard of his name either on the many broadcasts on the radio or television, or came across his impressive exploits in the pages of The Insomnian Gazette. Not a single portrait of him, nor even a single footage of an interview, was ever made public. He never graced the spotlight of his fame; he seemed to hide behind the shadows of all the other great men before him. You can only guess that he’s probably camera shy. Or that he chose to eliminate anyone who ever dared take his photo.
So you were left to speculate what the Cor Leonis actually looked like. In your head, you imagined a fearsome man with cruel eyes who had no idea how to smile, or laugh.
But as soon as you saw his name on the form—in quite a neat handwriting, no less—the face sitting across from you is far from the image you had in mind. In fact, he is quite the opposite.
He has such kind eyes, a striking shade of blue. His handsome face has gracefully wizened, and is set to a perpetual frown. And whatever confidence that possessed you to hold a conversation with him, you gladly thank the gods. Because when he laughs the moment you question his honour—a fucking bold move in exchange for that packet of Advil—you can promise that his laughter could light up an entire city. You can also promise that his smile knocked the wind out of your lungs.
Day 46
“Monica set you up—” Crowe says before taking another swig from her bottle of beer— “and that’s ‘cause I asked her to.”
“You son of a bitch,” you say loudly, trying to compete with the rest of the boisterous chatter of the other Glaives sitting on the other side of Yamachang’s joint. The decadent reek of the grilled garula kebabs wafts the air. It is sweltering hot.
“So how did it go?” Nyx sidles up to the vacant seat next to you, bottle of beer in hand. “Did you blow him away seeing you in that outfit?”
“I don’t know, actually. I think I made it awkward. I even explained that it’s not for a date, but I didn’t tell him it’s ‘cause I’m meeting my parents, and…” You heave an exasperated sigh. “And I don’t think he even likes me that way—”
“Y’know, my good friend—” Nyx loops one arm around your shoulder— “you and Cor are smart in your respective fields, but gods forbid, you two are also the dumbest people I’ve met when it comes to the matters of the heart.”
Your face wrinkles into a confused frown. “What does that even mean?”
Both Nyx and Crowe shake their heads. “May the gods save us all,” Crowe says before she downs the rest of her drink.
Day 70
“I still don’t understand why you’re not telling him,” Monica says as she eases behind her desk in the infirmary, busily multitasking stacking her Crownsguard records and offering you her kind advice.
“It’s not that easy, okay.” You take a fist of almonds from your drawer and begin eating them aggressively. “Besides—” you say in between chews— “he’s just so…”
“So?”
“So handsome.”
“Gods, forgive the man for being blessed by an aesthetically beautiful face.” Monica laughs. She types in something on her keyboard before she swivels to look at you. “But really, what do you have to lose?”
“Well, my pride, for one.” You step away from your desk and sit in front of Monica. “And he’s been a good friend to me. And I don’t want to compromise that just because I like him, and I do like him a lot. I probably like Cor more than I like life itself.”
Monica says nothing. Instead, a teasing smile creeps up on her face. She has fallen way too quiet, and you immediately notice how she is casting a furtive glance on the door behind you...
Shit. You hesitate to turn around. Your heart is pounding loudly against your chest. “Please don’t tell me he’s standing right by the doorway.”
Monica shrugs, rising out of her desk. “I think I’ll let the two of you sort this out.”
As you turn to watch Monica leave, you see Cor leaning against the doorframe.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
He walks over to you, unable to hide the smile on his face. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“Right.” You bite your lip. You can’t bring yourself to look him in the eyes. “So how much have you heard then—”
The burning question is extinguished at the tip of your tongue when he takes your face in his hands, his lips crushing yours. In this kiss, he makes it clear that he has heard every word you’ve said. That the feeling is very much the same. That he also likes you more than he likes life itself.
He thumbs the sides of your cheeks, pressing another kiss on your forehead. “I think you should know that I really like you in red.”
You laugh. “I better buy more red shirts, then.”
“And I hope you don’t mind if I keep you this time around.”
The smile on your face aches. “I would like that very much.”
