#dwc21

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this burning

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 5 - Fire Places || Fuzzy socks, soft rugs, and hands intertwined.

Pairing: Ardeth Bay x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Lots of yearning. Implied smut.

Words: 1526

A/N: Believe me, I am more surprised than you that I wrote for this character again. P.S. 'gamela' means pretty or beautiful.

You couldn’t help but stare at him as the night went on. He was almost otherworldly, the way he spoke, the way he moved, even the slightest facial expressions in reaction to something John was doing. You have never met someone who was simultaneously so simple yet so interesting in your life before, which was telling, considering how often you traveled across the world.

When he arrived earlier in the evening, you were reminded of all of the feelings you spent months setting aside out of respect for his culture and religion. He was much more vibrant than the last time you saw him just outside the city of Karnak. And as much as you wished to ignore him, to pretend he wasn’t there and that you didn’t see him for almost half a year, you couldn’t. There were only a few acquaintances that arrived as early as him and you didn’t want him to think that he was no longer welcome among your family. Evie would kill you if she got so much as an inclination of what you felt for the man.

So you swallowed your feelings and pride, and tried to speak with him enough to not make it seem weird. You could swear there was something different about the way he was speaking with you, perhaps even looking at you, but you blamed the few glasses of wine you already went through. When the Christmas party reached its peak, you grew tired of socializing and quietly grabbed another glass of wine and walked towards one of the corners of the room, making sure to tell Alex not to whisper of your whereabouts to his parents should they ask him where you were hiding.

But that was not the only reason why you hid behind one of the bookshelves.

From where you were standing, you had the perfect view of the Medjai. You couldn’t believe how easily you forgot the aura about him. Seeing him around a handful of people was one thing, but seeing him in his dark, black cloaks that juxtaposed perfectly with the multitudes around him made him all the more fascinating, the more special. It shouldn’t have surprised you. He had the blood of the old gods running in his veins. His mere existence showed the majesty of the ancient civilization.

It was very clear, though, that you weren’t the only one longing to be near him. The attention he was receiving was justified and you couldn’t take it anymore, envious of how easily everyone else spoke with him when you only tensed at the sight of him.

Making sure that no one would miss your presence, you quietly made your way up the stairs into the private living rooms overlooking the gardens of the estate. A shiver ran down your spine and you reluctantly walked away from the balcony back towards the fireplace. It was moments like this when you missed Egypt. The fire may have always been put out by the winds of the desert but they managed to connect you to another time and place that old England could never aspire to do.

“You are not enjoying the party?” A deep voice pulls you away from your nostalgic thoughts and you turn around quickly to face the man, barely managing to hold back from gasping when you saw his cloaks flutter behind him as he approached you. Reluctantly, you moved away from the heat as soon as he stood in front of it, knowing that you wouldn’t be able to take being this close to him and not being able to know him the way you’ve desired ever since the two of you met.

“I- I don’t do well with crowds. And I suspect you don’t either.” The comment slipped from your lips before you can stop yourself and you stepped closer to him while holding out your hand just as he began to chuckle at your declaration. “Forgive me, sir, I didn’t mean to insult you. I just-” You try to backtrack from your previous words but the ruler of the medjai shakes his head and turns away from you.

You can’t help but admire his features as the fire shadows swim across them. The man was stunning, in every sense of the word. But there was something intimate about the tattoos across his handsome face being highlighted by the dancing flames, as if they were etched there by the fires of Osiris and Horus. You couldn’t look away from him. He was so approachable now, existing in a space that was held by your presence alone.

“Why do you continue to call me with such titles even after I’ve begged you to not do so? Is it so- so different from this land’s names that you cannot bear to say it? Or do you truly consider us as nothing more than acquaintances?”

The sudden outburst causes your eyes to widen in shock, mostly because you’ve known the man to always have strong control over himself, even in his moments of severe anger.

“It’s, umm- it’s out of respect? As I understand it, the Ruler of the Medjai held a high level of authority in the ancient world. I do not wish for you to think that I do not respect and understand your position just because we are in this modern civilization. As for being acquaintances, I- I thought…or I was told that you do not try to mix with someone like me, which I completely understand. It- please, know that it was never my intention to offend you.” You aren’t sure when the two of you ended up standing a foot away from each other but one minute you’re offering your apologies, and the next thing you know, the man in front of you closes the space and reaches out to touch your hair.

You’re not sure how you should react and you hold your breath when he leans down and takes a long whiff of your scent. You wish you could do the same with his beautiful, long locks but you remember that it might be offensive to be so forward so you hold back from mirroring his actions.

“Have you any idea what you do to me woman?” The question is whispered and it’s the only thing you need to hear to finally reach out and touch his hand.

“My name, say my name gamela. I want to hear you sing my name in that bewitching voice of yours.” You make the mistake of looking into his eyes as he orders you to whisper his name to him.

What you find in his eyes is terrifying.

It’s the same that’s in yours whenever you’re studying him.

“Ardeth…Ardeth please.”

It’s all you need to say for the semblance of control to finally snap. You don’t have time to react as he pushes you down underneath him atop the soft rugs adorning the floors and covers you with his body. He’s much warmer than you, and you aren’t sure if it’s because he was standing near the fire or because he feels this heated from the brief interaction. You can’t find it in yourself to care. Before you can say anything, Ardeth descends down on you, not caring for how animalistic he’s being as he raises the dress from around your thighs and nestles himself in between your legs. He makes sure to cover you with his robes, and you silently thank him for wanting to keep some form of your virtue from wandering eyes should you get caught.

As your arms wrap around him, Ardeth growls into the kiss and takes hold of both of your wrists, slamming them harshly against the ground before sliding his palms up to your hands and intertwining your fingers together. You gasp at the intimacy of the moment and regret it almost immediately when he sneaks his tongue into your mouth and claims you. His weight on top of you shouldn’t feel this glorious and comforting, and yet it is.

Even after he stripes you of your clothes and claims your body.

Even after his hands roam across your skin as if he, and only he, had the right to your body.

Even after he whispered his eternal love to you as he filled you with his essence over and over again.

But you find that it all makes sense, every little thing your mind and body and soul felt towards this man made sense. The way you seem to feel connected to an ancient past the more he draws shapes across your heated skin makes this otherworldly experience come forward and explain what you’re feeling.

As he wraps you in his arms and kisses every inch he can reach, you finally come to understand what all of these emotions came to be.

You’re in love with him.

And even though you thought you’d be afraid of admitting it, you aren’t.

In fact, you find that you don’t have an issue completely losing yourself in him, completely giving yourself up to him.

The thought is comforting. This burning fire was comforting.

All because it was him.

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Gentle Giant

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 13 - Warm Bath || Bubble bath, soft music, and gentle hands.

Pairing: Din Djarin x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Some angst. Fluff. Implied NSFW thoughts.

Words: 3065

A/N: Happy New Year everyone! This is obviously not the New Year prompt because, as always, I am late. But hey, I couldn’t not ring in the year with some flufffy, slightly angsty, with a hint of smut, story with the love of my life. Happy reading :D

As irritated as Din was that he forced him into taking some time off, he knew that this was long overdue. When he recalls what Greef Karga told him about not getting any good pucks if he doesn’t get away for a bit, his anger returns once more and he stops pacing around the cockpit right before slamming his hand against the wall. He hated not having something to think about, or actively pursue. It gave him plenty of time to remember everything that’s happened for the past months, made him regret ever handing the kid away to the Jedi. Din didn’t want to think about any of it and now that he was forced to take a few days off, he knew that they were going to be the most difficult days to get through. 

Knowing that sitting around won’t help the situation he’s found himself in, Din puts his helmet back on and leaves his ship, but not before slipping the new weapon that’s become the bane of his existence into the holster of his belt. As much as he wants to leave it on the ship, he knows the chain of issues that might unfold should anyone remove it from him. But unlike the others he’s come to learn about, Din doesn’t make a show of it and makes sure that it’s hidden beneath his cloak in order to not draw too much attention to himself. He gets enough of that already. 

He can tell that there are many eyes on him as he makes his way through the town but unlike before, where he would have unbuckled his guns and aimed it potential enemies, Din remains calm and reminds himself that Karga was a blabber mouth and probably told everyone of Din’s adventures with the Jedi and the Imps. 

When he reaches his destination, Din looks around briefly before he steps into the doors of the establishment. It’s the last place he thought he’d ever go to but it’s as good as any when it comes to relaxing. Before the old Twi'lek asks him what he wants, Din slides the necessary credits across the table for her to count, not wanting to listen to any of the “offers” she has for him.

“What do you require for your nights in our humble home Mandalorian?” She smiles sweetly at him and even though Din knows he’s nowhere dangerous, his hands still itch to reach for the saber in case any surprises come about. When he sees a few, rather important, gentlemen walk behind the Twi'lek without their entourage of guards, his mind eases and he relaxes his muscles. 

“Some peace and quiet, nothing more.” 

“It is your lucky day, Mandalorian. We happen to specalize in both. Follow me, please.” Din watches as the old lady asks for one of the women standing behind her to take her place before she walks around the desk and heads towards one of the doors that require a passcode. He looks away until she inputs the numbers and follows behind her quietly as she moves past many rooms and reaches the end of the hallway. Taking out one of the many cards in her pocket, she slides it open and hands Din the card for his use. Before she turns around to leave, Din clears his throat to stop her. 

“Who do I call if I need anything?” 

“There is a large green button beside your bed. Push it for assistance.” 

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Din nods his thanks to the Twi'lek and smiles to himself when he sees her respond in kind. When she is out of sight, he walks into the room and slides the card in his hand to shut the door. 

What meets him when he turns around is unlike anything he’s ever seen. He knows how luxurious these establishments tend to be but he never thought he would ever have enough credits for something like this. The last few missions made him more than comfortable and it just now occurs to him that what he paid was more than enough for the next few days. Setting his things on top of the bed, he inspects the room carefully to ensure that there aren’t any small surprises that might screw him later and when he is pleased with the privacy of the quarters, he takes of his helmet and puts it beside him. 

When a breeze comes through the large windows from the other side of the room, Din walks up to the open doors and breathes heavily when he sees the view that meets him. Although it isn’t much, the landscape and mountainous terrains remind him that Nevarro isn’t always so disappointing. As he allows his eyes to take in the scenery, he slowly removes every one of his weapons, one by one, and sets them on the large table behind him. He leaves the saber on him though, knowing that it wouldn’t hurt to not be careful, even in a place like this. 

He goes back to his bed and removes his gloves, placing them on the nightstand near him, followed by his cloak and the beskar plates. When he’s down to his flightsuit, he pushes the green button right next to the light switch and waits for someone to respond. 

“Good evening sir, how may I be of assistance?” The voice that responds to Din sets him on edge, not because it sounds strange but because of how soft and pretty it was. Can a voice even be considered pretty? Din shakes the thought aside when he hears her ask the question again and he clears his throat before he breaks the silence. 

“Sorry, yes. I- I would like- umm,” Din stops removing his clothes when he realizes that he doesn’t remember what he was going to ask. 

“Sir?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure what I was going to ask for.” There is a deafening silence for a few moments, some of the longest seconds Din has ever lived through, and before he can apologize once more, the woman on the line chuckles before she breaks his train of thoughts. 

“That’s quite alright sir, I will come to your room to assist you with anything you may need.” Din is about to respond and say that it won’t be necessary but the line cuts off. Din frantically looks around, unsure of what he should be doing before the owner of the pretty voice comes in. As soon as he hears three soft knocks on the door, he puts down his beskar and grabs his helmet, pushing it onto his head haphazardly as he unlocks his door. 

Din gets the wind knocked out of him when he looks down and sees you standing in front of him with your hands clasped to your front. He smiles at you but is reminded rather quickly that you can’t see his soft expression because your own expression falters briefly when you meet the dark visor of his helmet. 

“Oh I- forgive me sir.” Your voice somehow sounds even melodic in real life and Din steps aside to let you in. 

“What for?” Din asks as you step into his room and it takes him a great deal of control to not let his eyes roam down your form. 

“Had I known you were a Mandalorian, I would have come later.” Din doesn’t know how to reply to that comment and he stands aside to let you know that he isn’t trying to corner you. “You are meant to wear your armor around others, are you not?”

“Well, no. My helmet is the most important…but I’ve learned that even that is different.” He is not sure why he felt the need to say that last bit but he lets the words hang in the air until you decide to carry the conversation.

“Did you remember what you needed from me?” You take a step towards him and feel at ease when he doesn’t move away from you. A part of you thinks that perhaps he isn’t as dangerous as he comes off, or even as the rumors around Mandalorians, and when he moves his hands from his sides and places them in front of him, you are positive he’s only trying his best to not seem too dominant. 

“I still can’t remember, but now that you are here, I would like to ask you where the baths are, and if there is any chance I could have a private room?” He can’t help it anymore and his attention travels down your skin, biting his lower lip when he realizes that what you are wearing leaves nothing to the imagination. 

“The bath here isn’t to your liking?” Your question catches him off guard and he looks around the room to see if he’s missed anything. 

“There- there is a bath here?” 

“Well yes sir, of course. Right through here, if I may?” Din nods to your question and follows you when you move past him towards a door that he presumed led to a simple refresher. When you push open the door and reveal a large, quite sophisticated, room that could he considered as a whole room by itself, Din whispers his shock as he moves past you and studies the bath. 

“This is not what I expected.”

“Is it not pleasing to you?” You move closer to him and Din has to clench his fists to stop himself from reaching out to you and calm you down. 

“No, no you misunderstand me. I am not used to this…lifestyle, and I am unfamiliar with how this all works.” Din knows there is no shame in admitting something like this but he is embarrassed to know that you might think he’s too boring.

“Let me help you, sir.” Once again, you break his train of thought, but this time, you reach out for him and place your hand on top of his wrist, wanting to make sure that he knows you are only trying to help.

“Oh you don’t have to, I’m sure there’s-” Din tries to refuse your request, knowing that you probably have more interesting people to attend to than someone like him. 

“Please?” You ask once more, hoping that he believes your words so you don’t make more of a fool of yourself. Goosebumps erupt across his skin when your grasp on his wrist tightens and he whispers his approval before he heads outside to let you prepare the bath. Din stands in the middle of the room, silent and confused as ever. He doesn’t know what sort of help you are offering and as much as he wants to ask if you were pushing the ball into his court to let him take over, he doesn’t want to assume anything and unintentionally hurt you. 

When he hears the faint sound of soft, instrumental music coming from the bath, he shakes thoughts of you begging on your knees aside and decides to ignore whatever it is you may have been telling him. He didn’t need this kind of stress right now. If you wanted anything from him, he would gladly give it without question. Otherwise, he thought it best to not cross that line. 

Stripping out of the rest of his clothes, Din wraps the towel he brought along with him around his waist and takes a deep, calming breath before removing his helmet. He eyes his past oath briefly in remembrance of a time where things weren’t as they were now. As soon as he feels his mind spiraling down thoughts of the child and the Jedi, he makes a beeline to the bath. 

When Din walks into the room, he is surprised to see you wearing less clothes than before. He’s unsure where you got what you were currently wearing but he quickly realizes it doesn’t matter because it was becoming harder to keep his thoughts at bay. You must have not heard him walk in because you remain as you are, hands moving around beneath the hot water as you continued to pour different liquids into the bath. Din dares to move his attention down your back, and his heart skips a beat when he sees the lines spiraling and framing your back and discovers that they weren’t decorations on your clothes but rather you back. 

He must have made some sort of noise as he was admiring you because you’re suddenly turning around quickly and apologizing for not noticing him earlier. The words die in your throat, however, when you see his unhidden face and you look away immediately and step back from him. 

“I- I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you’d take your helmet off sir. Had I known, I wouldn’t have presumed to look at you. Please, I- I didn’t mean to…” Your flustered response warms Din’s heart and he chuckles at your nervousness before taking the last few steps and slipping into the water. Din uses your momentary distraction to remove the towel from around his waist and dip into the bath. Even though the liquid caressing his skin is milky, he waits until enough bubbles surround his waist before he looks backward and responding to your apologies. 

“Relax mesh’la, I- I wear it out of habit at the moment. Nothing more. You can look…if you want that is.” He never thought he’d ever be put insuch a conversation but he ignores the awkward ordeal for your sake, and also because he would really enjoy it if he was able to get some rest soon. When he doesn’t hear any movement, Din shuts his eyes and regrets the events that led to him sitting where he is now. 

But then a ripple across the water reaches him and he sees you from his periphery as you move your hands in the water to warm it up. 

“May I touch you sir?” Your voice is nothing louder than a whisper and it sends a shiver down his spine when it makes him think of what you would sound like if you were writhing in pleasure beneath his body. 

“C-call me Din.” That’s the only answer he offers and he looks ahead once more to avoid being tempted by the look he was sure he would find in your eyes. No sooner than he reveals his name does he feel the softest touchto his shoulder blades. Up until this point, Din didn’t think he would ever be gifted with such gentle hands upon his skin but as you begin to knead the tense muscles across his back. 

The more pressure you apply across his joints, the more difficult it is for Din to think of anything else but how much he craves to return your touches. He doesn’t notice how easily his fists unclenched until his eyes flutter open and he looks down to see your small but rather nimble fingers digging into his palms to help him relax further. 

His jaw clenches tightly when your nails drag and push into his wrists and for a moment, he thinks he hears you gasp his name quietly. When he looks down and sees that the bubbles aren't covering him up as much as he liked them to, he averts his gaze to the side so you don't notice the flush creeping down his neck. He's able to distract himself for a second but then you move closer to him and your body heat reaches his muscles. And Din thinks that this must be what hell feels like.

Having the most exquisite being in reach but knowing that it isn't yours.

It occurs too late to Din that the music was doing little to his nerves because as the melody dies down to nothing but a few, rhythmic notes, his thoughts take a turn again and he begins thinking about how slow he'd want to go with you, how careful he'd want to be with you so he can commit to memory what makes your breath hitch and what makes it cease altogether.

Din snaps out of his haze when you sit right behind him and lean forward. He can tell that he's resting his head right between your breasts and he unintentionally meets your movement with his own. When be pushes back, you stretch your arm down his neck and massage his chest. You must like what you're feeling because Din hears g a little curse escape your pretty lips. It's all he needs to turn around to look at you. He wants to see the expression your features hold to see if you're as affected by this moment as he is.

It’s a mistake to shift his attention to you because as soon as he makes eye contact with you, he senses the shift in the air of the room and before he knows it, he is tugging you closer to him. Din brings you slowly though so you could know that you have a say in whatever would happen now that he was sure you were thinking the exact same thoughts as himself. 

He watches as you lick your lower lip when he pushes your intertwined hands beneath the water until your palm softly lands across his chest. Din doesn’t dare look anywhere else but you and when the water reaches up to your waist, he throws all caution aside and sits up enough to gain the upper hand. You gulp nervously but smile at him when his arms slip around your waist and pull you into his lap. You don’t want to give him a sign that he might misunderstand so you trail your hand across his chest until you reach his wrists. Din remains quiet as he watches you move his fingers down your form, swearing beneath his breath when he feels the goosebumps across your skin the more intimate his touches become. 

“D-Din…”

“Mesh’la, may I touch you?” His question breaks you apart almost instantly and you throw yourself into his arms to avoid the intense emotions swimming his brown eyes.

"Please."

It's all he needs to hear to tighten the hold he has around your damp skin.

"Sweet girl," he moans in your ears to calm your nerves.

The last coherent thought that brushes through his mind before you carries you to his bed is…

Your touch may have just saved him.

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Kiss the Cook!

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 1 - Baking || Vanilla, sprinkles, and chocolate flavored kisses.

Pairing: Marcus Pike x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Shy Marcus. Fluff. Flirting. Kissing.

Words: 1338

A/N: Who better to start off the month than with the fluffiest of characters, Agent Marcus Pike? Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody :D

The sound of the front doorbell ringing makes you swear at the oven, and you quickly take out the two pans off the racks and set them on top of the stove before you make a run to the door. A quick glance at your watch lets you know that you still have time before everyone comes so you’re not sure who exactly was a whole hour and a half early. Your confusion only increases when you swing open the door and find Marcus smiling at you while trying to blink away the snowflakes from his eyes.

“Hey, sorry I’m late I was looking everywhere for these, and I guess everyone out there had the same idea.” He says as he steps in and clutches the large pot of Poinsettia to his side. You swallow nervously as you shut the door behind him and let him know where he can hang his coat. “I hope no one else brought red wine.” Marcus sets the gifts down as he swings off his coat and scarf, and you can’t help but marvel at how good he looks in the navy-blue cardigan.

“Well, I can assure you that no one brought either of those things.” You say as you nod at him so he could follow you into the kitchen, completely missing the way he looks around the living and dining rooms.

“Perfect,” He says as he brings the flowers and wine along with him, trying his best not to let his eyes roam down your exquisite form as you sway into the warm room again.

“Is everyone in the backyard?” Marcus asks as he sets down the wine near the other bottles you have out, and you push in the last two cookie pans and set the timer on the oven before you turn around and look at him. You shoot a curious eyebrow at him and notice the way he awkwardly shifts from one foot to the other while fiddling with his fingers.

“No one brought wine or flowers because no one is here yet. You’re almost two hours early Marcus.” You wonder what he’s trying to get at but when he starts looking around worriedly, you realize that he might not have known that. When he brings his phone out and scrolls through the screen, you walk around the island and begin to decorate the cupcakes with vanilla and chocolate whipped cream. You can tell from your periphery that he’s starting to feel out of place and when you look up at him and see him scratching the back of his head, you hand him the bag in your hand and reach for another one.

“Help me out with these then?” You smile at him, hoping that he could feel slightly more ease and not panic. When he nods and avoids looking into your eyes, you can’t help but chuckle at his obvious shy demeanor. You’re not sure how much time passes before Marcus clears his throat and apologizes for being super early. He explains to you that he was told by everyone that you get all the games going around four in the afternoon so he thought showing up a half hour later wouldn’t be so bad.

“Don’t even worry about it. Besides, you’re helping me out with all of this so I can’t really complain. I just feel bad because you’re stuck with me for the next hour or so.” You say as you begin to set the cupcakes around the fancy Christmas tree looking rack you bought earlier in the day.

“So?” The immediate response shocks you and you turn around and look at him for a few moments, hoping to find an answer among the unspoken words following that question. Before you can ask him what he means, the oven rings again and you move quickly to take the rest of the cookies out. When you set them down and turn around again, Marcus is standing right behind you, his soft brown eyes making you feel as warm as the scent of the cookies and cupcakes you’ve been baking all day long.

“Is it weird for me to say that I’m glad I came early?” The tone of his voice sends shivers down your spine, and you shake your head at him before your eyes shift down to look at his plush lips.

“C-care to elaborate Agent Pike?” You barely manage to ask as you slowly lean into him, and the sudden smell of his cologne and natural musk makes you dizzy. Marcus notices the way you sway back and forth, and he immediately grabs your hips and pulls you to the side away from the oven. You swallow the lump in your throat when you feel him step closer into your space.

“I think you already know the answer to that…Agent.” His smile makes your knees buckle and Marcus has to suppress his laughter as his hold around you tightens. He leans down slowly, eyes boring into yours to make sure that you weren’t uncomfortable by his advances. When he feels your hands reach up his arms and grab onto his shoulders, he licks his lower lip before descending down onto you like a starved man.

You always thought that Marcus would be a gentleman when he kisses, perhaps take his time mapping out your skin and tasting you as you surrendered to him. But the way he’s devouring you right now lets you know you may have been wrong about him. He was crazed, shoving his tongue deep into your mouth and swallowing your moans as you held onto him and melted in his arms. You feel goosebumps erupt across your skin when you feel how hard he’s squeezing you, and you gasp when he pulls away for a moment before molding his lips with yours again. Then he growls when you tug a little harshly on the hair at the nape of his neck and you swear you were having another one of your dreams that starred him claiming you as his.

When the need to breathe grows uncomfortable, Marcus pulls away but remains wrapped up in your embrace. The two of you are violently heaving and as soon as you make eye contact, you both begin to giggle like little kids who’ve just been caught kissing each other.

“I- I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” Marcus confesses as he pecks your lips one last time before he rests his forehead against yours.

“Me too…I always wondered what you’d taste like but, god, I never thought you’d taste like chocolate.” You bite into your lower lip when you see a familiar blush color his cheeks and run down his neck.

“As much as I want you to think that I naturally taste so sweet, I may or may not have stolen one of the chocolate chip cookies when you weren’t looking.” You break out into laughter at the serious tone he takes on at the ending of that sentence and you don’t think twice before throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss.

“You’ve committed a serious crime Agent Pike, I wonder what I should do with you. Such thievery will not be tolerated.” You playfully frown at him and shut your eyes when he leans down and kisses your cheek.

“Whatever you want sweetheart, whatever you want.” You get the sense that he means more by those words than he’s letting on and you stand on your tiptoes to touch your lips with his one last time. A hum of approval rises from his throat as he savors the slow, intimate kiss and you realize that you might have an issue with not always kissing him whenever he’s around.

“Just keep kissing the cook and all will be forgiven.” You whispers against the scruff across his cheeks before you nuzzle into him again, smiling at how warm and big and safe he feels around you.

“I think I can manage to do that.”

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Get on my Lap

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 9 - Sledding || biting wind, cold noses, and laughter.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Swearing. Soft Steve.

Words: 1425

A/N: Oh god how I've missed him. Also, this blog doesn't believe in Infinity War and Endgame. As far as I'm concerned, the Avengers still all live in the tower.

It shouldn’t have been such a terrifying concept but as you looked down the relatively small hill and saw how quickly everyone else was sliding down the snow, you realized that this was much worse than you initially thought. You can vaguely hear Peter screaming at the top of his lungs because of how hard Sam pushed him down and you’re not sure if his mixed screams and laughter are making you feel better or worse. When you look down and see how badly your hands are shaking, you realize that this might not be the best thing to do right now. Before you can think about it any more, you let go of the sled in your hands and walk away from everyone.

As you rest against one of the large trees and look across the field, you smile when you notice Bucky and Sam throwing snowballs at Peter and Natasha. She seems calmer than usual but as soon as she leans down and makes her own snowballs, you laugh at how quickly Sam and Bucky run away from her. It’s all you need to see for your anxiety to calm a little, but as the cold New York wind picks up again, you quickly zip up your parka and try to fix your scarf so it covers your nose as well.

“You alright there sweetheart?” Steve’s concerned voice snaps you out of your haze and you nod quickly just as you turn away from him, knowing that one look into your eyes will let him know that you’re lying.

“Talk to me,” his soft tone makes you wish he wasn’t able to read people so easily and as soon as you turn around and look at him, you find his baby blue eyes much brighter than you remember. The way he’s looking at you makes your heart skip a beat but you have to remind yourself that he was just a friend and that he was probably never going to be anything more. You smile when he steps around you and shoves your shoulder with his own to try and get you to talk with him.

“This is going to sound stupid, but apparently, I have a few of sledding. And before you say anything, I realized said fear approximately five minutes ago.” You avoid looking at him and instead shift your attention to Nat as she smacks Sam right in the face with one of his snowballs.

“That doesn’t sound stupid at all,” Steve says but you shake your head at him so he doesn’t say anything else.

“Come one Steve, you and I both know how pathetic it is. I’m an Avenger for fuck’s sake, this is the easiest thing I’ll do all week.” You finally meet his gaze and find him raising a curious eyebrow at your choice in words. “Sorry, I’ll put a dollar in the swear jar when we get back.” You pout as you kick the snow beneath your feet.

“I’m afraid of the ferris wheel. I- I don’t like how high they go, or how often the car swings back and forth even if you’re just sitting there and not moving a muscle. It’s so easy for things to go wrong.” He shrugs his shoulders when he sees the shock on your face.

“I- I didn’t know.” You whisper as he mirrors your actions and kicks a rock far away from him.

“Come on, I have an idea,” Steve doesn’t leave room for negotiation as he takes your hands and moves back to the rest of the group. You shouldn’t be surprised by how warm his hands are, considering the serum and everything but you still shiver when you feel your own skin begin to heat up.

“Steve, I really don’t think pushing me down is going to help.” You try to distract him, afraid of how you might react if he goes ahead with whatever he has in mind for you.

“I’d never do that to you doll,” the pet name makes you gasp and you avoid looking at him as he lets go of your hand and grabs his own sled. He gets on it quickly and holds his hand out for you.

“What?” You stare at his hand and try to figure out what he’s trying to do.

“Get on my lap.” Your eyes widen in embarrassment at the declaration and you look around to make sure he wasn’t pranking you or something.

“You’re joking.” You try to chuckle but when Steve tilts his head and shakes his head, you realize that he might actually be serious.

“Go on sweetheart, get on my lap. I promise to protect you if anything happens.” He smiles brightly at you and you suddenly feel your face heat up at the soft gesture. Well, your nose is still fucking cold but you ignore how uncomfortable it is.

“Steve I-”

“Do you trust me?” His question makes you frown and you look at him with anger.

“Of course I trust you, what kind of dumbass question is that?” You forget your fear of his idea for a moment and it’s all Steve needs to lean forward and pull you down until you fall into his lap.

“Then this shouldn’t be a problem.” Steve whispers to you as he fixes your leg and forces you to wrap your arms around his neck so you don’t budge.

“You ready doll?” The question is a little more intimate than you care to admit but you nod nonetheless and shut your eyes just as he begins to move the sled down the hill. There is a moment of absolute silence as you prepare for the wind to hit your face and as soon as you feel the sled moving down the hill, you unintentionally open your eyes to see what you were ultimately going to crash into.

Instead, you find that the motion isn’t as bad as you originally thought it would be and before you know it, the two of you have reached the bottom of the hill.

“See, was that so bad sweetheart?” Steve asks and it takes every ounce of self control in your body to not lean forward and kiss him. You get the sense that Steve might be feeling the exact same thing though when you see him eyeing your lips and licking his bottom one. Before you can think twice of it, you press your cold lips to his cheek and stay there for a few more moments before you pull away.

“T-thank you,” you shy away from his gaze and shift your attention to the hand he has around your waist, silently thanking the heavens that you can blame your elevated heart rate on the cold temperature and the adrenaline rush and not anything else.

“You’re welcome, but I think we should go again until you can do it by yourself.” He clears his throat but continues to look at you.

“M-maybe I don’t want to go by myself…”

You let the words sink in, hoping that he would understand what you’re trying to say without you actually letting him know of your feelings. When he slips his hand underneath your chin to tilt it up, you shut your eyes to collect your thoughts so you could muster up the courage to look at him.

“Whatever you need baby,” his voice is barely louder than a whisper and you slowly lean into his space when you see him shutting his eyes and moving towards you.

A sudden smack to your back and his head abruptly ends the little moment the two of you are in and as you rub his head to get rid of the snow, you look up and see everyone staring at the two of you. You narrow your eyes at Nat and Bucky, only to find yourself getting pushed up to your feet by a very irritated Steve.

“You know what fuckers, you’re going to wish you didn’t do that.” His voice is a little menacing but you can’t help the laughter that bubbles up your throat when you see him quickly forming snowballs and running up the hills behind them. All of them scatter quickly and you laugh even harder when you see genuine fear on Peter’s face.

As the sound of screams and swears and laughter fills the air, you finally let out a sigh of relief, and you quickly thank your brain for having an irrational fear or else you and Steve would have never shared the moment.

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Is that so Bad?

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 8 - Snowed In || Candles, snow drifts, and quiet.

Pairing: Pero Tovar x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending.

Words: 1536

A/N: This trope with this man makes me feel...things.

The sound of angry murmurs distracts you from the momentary peace you were barely able to achieve and you take a deep breath to try and ignore the sounds emitting from the man behind you. You had a feeling that he was purposely being so noisy to piss you off but now that you had no means of escaping him, you had to force yourself to calm down, unsure of how he would react now that William wasn’t here to separate the both of you. You turn to the side to get a quick glance of him, only to see him rubbing his hands together and blowing warm air into his palms to try and keep warm. All animosity evaporates when you see how much he’s struggling to keep warm and you set aside your differences as you stand up and approach him.

You can tell he hears you approaching him but he doesn’t bother to give you a second’s attention, continuing to grumble and slide his hands together to get some blood rushing into his fingertips. When you stand right in front of him and say nothing, Pero finally looks up and narrows his eyes at you in irritation.

“What do you want now princesa?” He snaps at you and as much as you want to remind him how hateful you find his little nicknames, you shut your eyes to compose yourself before you move towards the fire and throw some more wood in it.

“It won’t do either of us any good if we freeze to death.” You say as you move the tree barks around to get them to light quicker.

“Increíble, your observation skills are unmatched as always querida.” You know the sarcastic comment is due to the position the two of you found yourselves in and not strictly because he dislikes you so you stand up quickly and shake your head as you go about the room to light more candles. You can sense his eyes watching you and you do your best to not be affected by the attention he’s giving you all of a sudden. As much as you hate to admit it, you know for a fact that neither of you will survive the night if you don’t bundle up and keep each other warm. You try to tell yourself that what you’re about to suggest isn’t because you want the man but because of survival.

When you turn around and see the way he’s staring at you, you realize that it’s more the former than the latter.

A gust of strong wind shakes the wooden windows around the cabin and you try your best to not show how afraid you are of the weather conditions. One look into Tovar’s eyes and you know that he can see right through this tough act.

“We will be alright, hermosa.” You’re shocked by his attempt of comforting you and for a moment, you forget all of the unkind words he’s spat at you over the months you’ve known him. You think that perhaps he might say something else but when he avoids your eyes and frowns at the floor, you know that there are no more kind words he will try to whisper to you tonight.

“I think- I think it would be best if we try to sleep.” You say as you take your shoes off and remove the knit fur from your bag. Tovar doesn’t move a muscle as he watches you prepare the almost-broken bed. When you move towards his bag and try to remove his own fur as well, Pero hisses quietly before looking away from you. As much as he wants to keep warm, he knows that he won’t live with himself if anything happens to you. So, he lets you move his own covers to the bed and makes sure you’ve spread them around perfectly before he shuts his eyes to try and focus on keeping warm.

“I won’t wait all night for you, come on.” His attention snaps towards you when he sees you sit up on the bed with a raised eyebrow.

“Qué?” His pout deepens and if you weren’t beginning to freeze from the shed layers of your filthy coat, you would have giggled at him.

“We need to get some rest, tomorrow’s trek to the village will not be easy.” You say as calmly as possible, watching as it finally dawns on Pero what you are talking about. Still, he feigns ignorance and sinks deeper into his chair.

“Then go the fuck to sleep.” He practically growls in response and you almost cry at how stubborn he’s being.

“Listen here you uncultured pint of milk, you know as well as I that neither of us will survive this night if we don’t share heat. So get off your lazy ass, get into this fucking bed with me, and you can continue hating me tomorrow.” You don’t realize how loud you’re yelling until your insults come to a halt. You don’t waver eye contact with him once, knowing that he might find your shyness as uncomfort and would refuse to get underneath the covers with you.

Tovar continues to stare at you as your chest rises and falls angrily. His lack of response makes you wish you could throw something at him but you let your thoughts calm down before you allow him to see how hurt you’re feeling.

“You would rather freeze to death than join me in a bed? Is that so bad Tovar?”

He’s about to respond in kind when a strong drift shakes the cabin once more and it’s all he needs to listen to your words and get up from his seat. You swallow the lump in your throat as Tovar moves around the bed to the other side, and when he takes off his own coat and boots, you slip into the bed and bring the furs all around you. Pero is reluctant to slither his way next to you but when he realizes just how cold it is now that he doesn’t have his coat, he immediately moves beneath his furs and brings them to his neck.

The two of you rub your feet together for a while before the bed ceases to move and as the winds begin to calm, you wish that the man beside you didn’t hate your existence so you could try and speak with him. It’s eerily quiet, the only sounds around you are the snow drifts outside and the cackling of fire inside.

“I do not hate you.”

You almost flinch at the gruff whisper that breaks the silence and you reluctantly look past the covers to find Pero already staring at you.

“When you said that I would go back to hating you tomorrow, I- I never hated you. I could never hate you.” There is a strange and terrifying intimacy you find in his burning eyes and as much as you wish to ask him why he is always so hostile with you, you decide against it and opt to move closer to him. If Tovar is surprised by your actions, he doesn’t show it and instead opens his arms so the two of you could share covers.

As you settle closer to him and bring your own furs on top of him as well, Tovar shuts his eyes and tries to focus on anything else but the scent of you. You can tell from his furrowed eyebrows that he’s trying his best to control himself and it dawns on you then why he felt the need to whisper such a confession to you.

You reach for him slowly, not wanting to scare him by your touch, and you lay your hand on top of his cheek. The action earns you a shiver and a gasp from the rough man, and you smile softly when he finally opens his eyes and looks at you.

“As hard as I tried, I couldn’t hate you. The contrary, if I'm being honest,” you let the words sink in slowly and you can tell the second he registers the meaning behind your words because the look of fear he holds in his eyes turns to one of guilt. You hate how negatively your words affect him so you try to move closer to him until there is no space between either of you.

“Hermosa I-”

“I know, Pero…I know.” You cut him off, knowing that he would probably have a difficult time putting what he’s truly feeling into words. He sighs heavily before he moves his arm around your back to bring you flush against him. You follow without question and shut your eyes as you rest your forehead against his.

“Te amo, mi amor.” You don’t know what he whispers as you begin to fall asleep but you get the sense that it’s taken a lot for him to reveal something so intimate to you, even in his mother tongue. You hum in response as you allow yourself to rest your mind, but not before you commit the declaration to memory so you can ask him about it tomorrow.

Perhaps this snow storm wasn’t a complete inconvenience after all.

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Stripped

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 6 - Blanket Fort || Fluffy pillows, movies, and snacks.

Pairing: Jack 'Whiskey' Daniels x Fem!Reader

Warnings: None.

Words: 1498

A/N: A romantic night on the ranch with Jack Daniels sounds perfect right now. Also, this is a few days late so I'm literally about to post the other fics I wrote yesterday and today for this week. Enjoy the fic dump, and Happy Holidays babes!

You were sure he was joking. After all, there was no way the Jack Daniels you knew would be willing to do something considered “childish.” A part of you hoped he wouldn’t agree so you would recite the whole speech you spent the entire day practicing but as soon as you heard that southern drawl responding with another one of those “well sure thing sugar, that seems like it’ll be mighty fun,” you jumped in excitement and let him know you already had a change of clothes in your car. Even though he never once made you feel like you were immature, you still felt like you needed to bring it down a notch whenever the two of you hung out. But with how quickly he hopped onto the idea, you had a feeling that tonight would be more entertaining than all those other nights the two of you spent together.

You couldn’t wait for the hours to roll by, and as soon as it was time to leave, you grab your duffel bag and skip towards Jack’s office. You don’t have a chance to knock on the door though because as you are about to raise your hand, Jack walks out while fixing his glasses.

“Well hello there gorgeous,” Jack winks at you and leans down to kiss your cheek, the sentiment distracting you long enough for him to grab the bag from your hand and walk ahead.

“I can carry it fine Agent Whiskey!” You try to take it out away from him but he switches it to the other hand quickly, shaking his head at you with that dashing smile of his just as he fixes his hat.

“I know you can sugarpie, but you don’t have to when I’m around.” You can’t help but roll your eyes at him as he holds the door open for you. The two of you badge in several times before you reach the elevator to the parking lot.

It’s a relaxed drive to his place and you tease him about the maintenance of the grass outside of his fence just as you enter his farm, telling him that makes the other side seem a little abandoned. Jack pouts at you and tries his best to ignore the way you giggle at him when you exit the car. As much as he hates to admit it, you’re absolutely right. The outside of the estate needs as much attention as the inside. But he doesn’t tell you he agrees with you. It doesn’t take much to get back at you though, Jack knows it. So, when you aren’t looking, he runs towards you and hoists you up on his shoulder, laughing at your obvious irritation when you keep on swearing at him and begging him not to drop you.

When the two of you walk into his place, Jack throws you on his couch and runs away, yelling something about getting all the necessary blankets and pillows until you have some time to cool off. You choose to not listen to that last bit, knowing that if you say anything snarky again, he would raise an eyebrow at you and skip all the plans you had prepared for the night to a different kind of fun.

You rent out a few movies as you wait for Jack to bring everything from his room, but when he takes longer than necessary, you grab your things and head upstairs to try and hurry him. As you walk into the room and find the bed empty of all the pillows, you change quickly and fix your hair before calling out for him. Thinking that he was in a different room, you head outside and go to the two guest rooms at the end of the hall. Where there’s no sign of him in either of the rooms, you walk out and stop at the top of the stairway.

“Jack I swear, if you scare me, I’m going to be really mad. You know how much I don’t like these jokes. Please.” You say as loudly as possible, hoping that the older man doesn’t surprise you and hawl you over his shoulders again. It’s only a couple of moments later that you realize just how quiet the house is, and you narrow your eyes at the odd silence before you make your way downstairs. A string of extremely flowery and quite impressive curses ring from outside the backyard and you grab your phone from where you left it just as you slide open the door.

What you find waiting for you makes you gasp in shock and you have to blink a few times before you step out slowly into the backyard.

“J-Jack! You did all of this? I only wanted a small kind of place upstairs!” You ask him when he turns around, eyes unable to look away from the magical space staring back at you. When you asked him if it was possible to make a blanket fort tonight, you expected a few things here and there, not half of his backyard turn into a freaking castle made of plush pillows and fuzzy covers.

“I take my job very seriously little butterfly, and I sure as hell wasn’t goin’ to half-ass tonight.” He says with a serious tone, walking around you to set up the last bit of the fort. You watch as he expertly throws the blankets above where you’ll be sitting and before you can ask him if you can help, familiar trotting snap you out of your haze and you smile when you see Sammy and Amber make their way towards the two of you. You walk towards them to give them some attention but Jack beats you to it and hops over the side to make sure the little fence is locked.

“Now listen here you two, if you try to get funny with me, I will ground the both of ya’. You got that? I don’t want no jumping over here. This ain’t for you!” You snort at the way Jack warns the two Arabian horses.

“Can’t they join us tonight?” You ask him as you lean over and play with their hair.

“No can’t do sugar, they’ll end up bringing the whole goddamn thing down.” Jack’s warning tone makes you shiver but you turn away from him immediately so he doesn’t notice the effect that voice of his is having on you.

“Come here baby,” Jack jumps back to your side, hugging you tightly as you continue to shower the young horses with attention. “Don’t old Jack deserve some of that lovin’ too?” He whispers in your ears and smiles when he notices the small smile making its way onto your pretty features.

“Jack definitely deserves some attention, especially after that castle behind me.”

“I aim to please sugar,” he nuzzles into your neck as he responds and you use the moment of distraction to slip from underneath his arms and run towards the fort. As always, Jack is quicker and he tackles you easily beneath him, laughing in your ears when you fall on top of the mountain of pillows and try to hit him with one.

“Come on now, don’t play hard to get with me. I’m an old man darling, I won’t survive.” He lets you push him onto his back and straddle him, grabbing his chest with his hand to show you just how much he means his words.

“Oh really? Didn’t this old man fuck me into the mattress a few nights ago?” Your smile deepens when you feel him unintentionally buck his hips against you.

“I do seem to recall something of the like,” Jack licks his lower lip as he grabs your hips and brings you down onto his waist a little harder. “You weren’t complainin’ then butterfly,” he winks at you and leans up to give you a kiss, only to frown when you get off of him to turn on the large tv screen opposite you.

“I will be complaining tonight if we don’t watch at least one movie, cowboy.” You walk back into the house to grab the snacks from your bag, unable to wipe the smile from your face at what Jack went out of his way to do.

When you return outside, you see that he’s already set up the first movie on your list and you quickly make your way towards him with the popcorn and candy. Jack moves the covers away for you and throws them over your form as soon as you slither into his arms.

“You need anythin’ else baby?” Jack asks as he kisses your forehead and looks around to see if you needed him to grab anything from around you.

You turn away from the large screen playing the beginning of the movie, finding the look in his eyes much more intimate than all those other nights you’ve spent with him.

“No, now I have everything right here.”

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Whispered Confessions

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 4 - Cozy Cabin || Patterned rugs, soft blankets, and warm baths.

Pairing: Din Djarin x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Sort of enemies-to-lovers but not really.

Words: 1542

A/N: I don't even know honestly.

This could not be happening. It should not have been possible. Of all of the gentlemen in your acquaintance, it had to be him, the one man that made it crystal clear to you, and everyone in his company, that he did not tolerate the mere sight of you.

You try your best to ignore his presence, you really do, but it is very difficult to focus on anything else when the man who made it his life’s goal to make you feel as close to being worthless as possible was pacing around the extravagant home and purposely ignoring your obvious anxiety. It’s the worst possible thing to happen, especially since the last time you’ve seen each other.

But as much as you tried, and you really have, you couldn’t think badly of him. Not only did you know how difficult it was for a man with his history to properly form relations but you also knew of his day-to-day whereabouts and how often he went out of his way to help those who were much less fortunate than him. It’s why you were so fascinated by him. You were never really sure what it was you’ve done that made him constantly react to you so viscerally but it must have been worth his treatment. Still, it would be nice to know what you did so you could apologize to him at the very least.

Except he never gave you the chance to offer your apologies. He never even left room for you to so much as breathe in his company. As soon as he would come anywhere near you, and you close to him, he would begin dismissing your opinions and comments, going as far as using your own friends’ suggestions to make you out as nothing more than a silly little thing. It irritated you so but you found it easy to make excuses for him.

It wasn’t until months of his acquaintance that you realized why you managed to give him the benefit of the doubt without too much trouble. You would never dare to admit it out loud though, not even in the privacy of your mind. He would know. He would somehow come to read your deepest, darkest secrets and you were afraid he may use them against you.

You suddenly flinch and snap out of the momentary haze that befell you when you feel a soft hand come to rest atop your shoulder. The reaction must not be what Colonel Djarin expects because he takes his hand away instantly before putting space between the two of you. You look at him with anxiety and you hope that he finally has mercy on you and tells you of whatever plan he’s been plotting. When he says nothing and continues to stare at you with widened eyes, you slip out from beneath the throw blankets he brought to you as soon as you entered his estate.

“I- forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to scare you.” You’ve never heard this tone of voice from him before, didn’t think it possible for someone as rigid and forward as him. You say nothing as you approach him slowly but you do stop when you notice him stepping away whenever you grow closer to him.

“My lord, please. Let me be of aid in some way. I- I understand how difficult this situation must be for someone of your standing and I promise you I will not speak of this upon my return to my family.” You realize too late that he is not listening to anything you were saying and you tilt your head to the side when his frown deepens.

“You must know, surely you must know I would never force myself upon you. Please…tell me that is not what you think of me?” You’re shocked by his response, mostly because you were not sure why he was bringing up such an obvious understanding. Your eyebrows raise into your forehead with curiosity as you begin to ring your fingers nervously, unsure of what you should say to him.

“Mesh’la please, tell me that you know me enough to-”

“I am well aware of your lack of interest in me, sire. You’ve made it perfectly that you hate the mention of my name in society, hence my comfort at the moment. However, I would still think you a perfect gentleman had we been courting. I take pride in knowing even those who dislike me and you, sir, are not the type to commit an atrocity of that degree. As a matter of fact, I find it mad that the thought ever crossed your mind. You and I may not be friends but you should know that I would never think you capable of such horrible behavior.” You don’t notice how heated your voice is until you hold your lips once more and turn away from him. You don’t have the heart to look him in the eyes after what you had just declared to him and instead shift your attention to the Arabian rugs beneath your feet.

You had taken off your shoes a while ago due to the pain shooting through your leg. You had walked a long distance to reach his estate and you couldn’t stand the confines of the shoes any longer. It was a good choice on your part though, for the rugs beneath your feet were as soft as the first layer of snow during Winter.

It’s silent for too long to your liking and when you muster up the courage to finally look him in the eyes, you are met with a calm yet angry pair of brown orbs staring right at you.

“I do not dislike you.”

The way he whispers the short confession makes you shiver in hope and you allow your features to rest as you look upon him to ensure he was telling the truth.

“And I certainly do not hate the mention of your name. In fact, I find myself wishing I could speak it every minute of every day. But it would be deemed inappropriate.” Din waves his hand dramatically as he speaks and you swear you see him focusing on your parted lips for a brief moment before he returns to meet your gaze.

“Sir?”

“There isn’t a moment that goes by that I do not think of you. I can barely go one night without dreaming of the passionate discussions we’ve held thus far. You- you drive me mad, and the thought of knowing that I could never have you makes me want you all the more.” You blink confusingly at him as he continues to hiss and growl his desires and as much as you wish to ask him why he’s been treating you so awfully, you can’t help but repeat the last few words that parted his lips.

A part of you wants to inquire after his reasons for thinking that he can’t have you. You’re sure he would most likely give you a reason that he thinks makes sense but is utter stupidity when discussed further. But you know that this conversation would not benefit you either.

You would return to this moment later and wonder why you felt the need to reveal your own feelings to him. But you don’t think too much of the consequences now, and before you can try and stop yourself, you blurt out what you’ve wanted to tell him for so long.

“You already have me.”

It’s a whispered confession, very much similar to the way you speak to the priest whenever you visit church and ask for absolution. But unlike the priest, Din does not offer you forgiveness for your sins. No, he gives you something much more valuable. He gives you his soul, with all of its perfections and imperfections.

Neither of you is sure who was first to move but all you know is that within a second of your declaration, Din was slipping his arms around your back and carrying you into his arms just as he smashes his lips with your own. You never thought that the first kiss you’d ever experience would be filled with so much desperation but you can’t find it in yourself to complain, not when the touch of his skin against your own felt like the perfect, warm water that swims across your skin as soon as you dip into a late-night bath.

You know you should push him away and remind him of the reality of your situation but you don’t want to part from him, not now, not after he has shown you such wonderful emotions in the span of a few seconds. For a moment, you fear that he will return to his old, unkind self after the kiss but when he pulls away and nuzzles into your neck, you are sure that the persona that met your every word with aggression and teasing was his masked self.

This, this was his true nature.

And you would gladly live through the past few months again if you knew that one day, you would end up in Din’s warm, summer cabin and listen to him as he confessed his undying love to you.

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Teach Me

December Writing Challenge 2021

Day 2 - Frozen Lake || Cold hands, Scarves, and Snow.

Pairing: Din Djarin x Fem!Reader (Professor AU)

Warnings: Awkward encounters. Nice but quiet Din. Whispered confessions. Soft kisses.

Words: 2287

A/N: I should be writing my final project but Professor Djarin just hits differently.

Within ten minutes of being on the ice, it occurs to you that this was perhaps not your thing. In fact, this would most likely be the first and last time you’d ever give ice skating a chance. Looking around, you find yourself envying the children that were zooming around their parents and their friends with complete ease. The thought makes you laugh but you have to restrain yourself when you slowly lose balance once more. You realized too late that you should have stayed near the shore of the lake but you knew for a fact it wouldn’t have helped you either. There were no walls to help you navigate the difficult sport, and no one around working to teach you how to skate properly without hurting yourself. God this really was a bad idea. 

Taking a deep breath, you curse yourself for not choosing proper attire before you take one step ahead. You remember hearing one mother telling her little boy that he should approach ice skating the way he walked or ran. It sounded perfect in theory but the practical portion of such advice was proving to be a nightmare. As much as you want to go home, you know for a fact that none of your friends will be understanding of your obvious struggle and will tease you about not being able to do something as simple as ice skating if you showed up on Saturday and fell on your ass time and again. 

You’re not sure if it was the prospect of falling over and making a fool out of yourself in front of everyone or it was the breeze that swept across the layer of ice and through your body but within the blink of an eye, you’re suddenly swinging your arms around wildly and swearing at the top of your lungs just as you slip backward and land on your back. You groan and shut your eyes for a few moments to catch your breath before you realize that you should check to see if the ice was strong enough to take such a thud. You sit up quickly and look around, sighing in relief when you don’t see any sign of a crack beneath you. You do however vaguely hear a few kids laughing at your unfortunate moment but you ignore it and try to figure out how you will manage to stand.

Your distress must be extremely obvious because you hear someone approaching you from a few feet away and coming to a halt just above you. You don’t bother trying to look up, knowing that it would be difficult to try and make eye contact with whoever was kind enough to help you out of your misery. 

“I must say I am truly surprised that my star student is struggling with a few inches of ice.”

Your hands stop from shoving the ice particles off of your knees and thighs as soon as you register the voice talking to you. You’d recognize him anywhere.

Oh no, not him. God, anyone but him. 

You look up instantly and narrow your eyes to try and make out the face of the large figure standing above you and when he moves to the side to block out the sun, your expression turns to one of complete shock and embarrassment. 

“P-Professor Djarin!?” You hate how squeaky your voice sounds but the anxiety over your tone washes away as soon as you trail your eyes down his form and take him in. 

Maker, he was even more good looking than the last time you saw him. 

“Here, let me help you.” He calmly says as he leans down and takes hold of your hand, not leaving any room for argument as he easily pulls you up to your feet without budging an inch. You gasp at the sheer strength he somehow manages to hide from wandering eyes, but quickly right yourself so he doesn’t notice the way you’re staring at him. You say nothing as you pat the back of your pants and your back to get rid of the cold ice, a part of you hoping that he’d just leave you to wallow in humiliation. 

When he doesn’t bother clearing his throat to excuse himself, you take a deep breath and muster up the courage to finally look at him. As soon as your eyes meet his, you find it difficult to care about anything else around you. They’re somehow more expressive and soft than when you admired them months ago, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d think they were a bit more dilated than usual.

“T-thank you for that, I uhh, I’m obviously not talented enough to do something like this.” You try to diffuse the tension by saying literally anything to not deal with the silence but the man doesn’t seem to catch onto what you’re saying and he nods along. 

“How are the holidays treating you?” You swallow the lump in your throat as you rub your hands together to try and get blood pumping through them again.

“Like they always do…” It’s the most cryptic answer you’ve ever heard but you don’t say anything in return and look around awkwardly to see how close you are to shore. 

“And um, h-how’s this semester been?” You ask one last question, hoping that he puts two and two together, and sees why you want to leave. 

“You weren’t in any of my classes so it was quite boring.” 

Your head snaps towards his direction instantly, and you blink confusingly at him when you realize that you didn’t just imagine him saying that. He doesn’t bother to correct his confession but he does move his attention to your hands. A frown appears on his handsome features and you don’t have time to say anything as he slides closer to you and grabs your smaller hands in between his own. You look down and try your best to control your heart rate when you see him take his gloves off and shove them in your pocket. As soon as you look up at him again, he closes his palms over your shivering digits and pulls you closer to him.

It’s almost as if time stands still for an eternity and you pray to whatever higher power exists out there that you weren’t imagining all of this or that this was all an elaborate dream due to a concussion. 

You don’t dare look anywhere else but him and you silently curse yourself when your focus shifts down to his lips for a moment before they return to stare into his deep, brown eyes. 

“Professor I-”

“I’m no longer your professor mesh’la, and you haven’t been my student for almost half a year. Please, call me Din.” He whispers down at you and it takes every ounce of control to not wrap your arms around his neck and pull him down in a heated kiss. 

“Din.” He must not have expected you to say his name right away because the look he gives you is one you’ve dreamt of being at the end of for years. He’s about to say something in return but a breeze comes through once more and causes you to shiver. Din lets go of your hands for a moment and you want to complain about the sudden loss of heat but he quickly unravels his long, thick scarf and wraps it around your neck. It’s much bigger on you than it was on him but you can’t complain because even though you might look ridiculous, it smells like him and you don’t want to part with it in the near future. 

“Thank you.”

“Mesh’la, let me show you how fun this can be.” You’re sure this wasn’t what he had in mind a moment ago but you brush the thought aside when takes hold of your hands and begins to pull you towards him. Panic must appear on your features because he stops immediately and looks down at you from below his glasses. 

“You- you’re…if I fall, I might take you with me and-”

“Baby girl, I’ll be fine. It takes a lot to knock me down so don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” 

You’re not sure what exactly stuns you into silence, the affectionate pet name he just used with you, the fact that he shamelessly but humbly showed off his large frame, or how genuine he sounded when he said he’d protect you. 

You nod at him and look down at your feet when he slowly skates backward while he pulls you along. It’s less stressful than before but it still takes you a long while to get used to drifting across the ice. The smile never leaves Din’s expression and you slowly begin to relax into his arms as the sun begins to set beneath the city. 

“A quick learner as always mesh’la.” Din whispers in your ears just as he slows down to move behind you. You want to say something in return but then you feel his hands on your waist as they guide you across the ice and all coherent thought washes away.

So busy trying not to melt into his arms, you don’t see the small rock in your way until your skates hit the pebble and you lose your balance. True to his words, Din’s hold tightens around you and he pulls you into his chest instantly. You’re heaving from the shock of almost falling down again but the scent of Din hits your nostrils and makes you forget about the almost-accident. 

“I told you I’d protect you sweetheart,” Din doesn’t let go of you and the grin on his face slowly falls away when he looks down and sees the way you’re looking at him. 

“D-Din…” You forget for a moment where you are and moan his name just as you slide your hands up the knit sweater and fist your fingers into the collar of his shirt. 

“Cyar’ika, let me teach you one last thing.” 

You’re about to ask him what he means when Din shuts his eyes and leans down into your space. As soon as you register what he’s about to do, you follow his lead and try your best to lean up without tripping over. He slips his hands beneath your jacket and squeezes your hips tightly when he feels you growing closer to him. It’s the last thing you imagined happening when you woke up today and headed towards the lake. You wonder whether these mutual feelings have been present throughout the year and half of classes you’ve taken with Din but your skin finally catches up with what’s happening and you forget all about those nights when you came home and wished for him to look at you differently. 

His breath fans across your cheeks right before he molds his lips with your own and you can’t help the shiver that zaps up your spine when you finally feel him move against you. It’s simultaneously the softest and most passionate kiss you’ve ever had the pleasure of receiving and you find it difficult to control your reaction to the way he seems to savor your taste. Din manages to pull you closer into his chest and you smile when you realize that had you been anywhere else, he may have been already trying to get some of these layers off. As he slips his tongue into your mouth and deepens the kiss, you almost lose your balance again and gasp at the slip of your feet. You expect Din to tease you about the way you’re responding to him but he takes advantage of the moment and growls right before he devours your mouth. Within seconds, your touches become more frantic and you find it strange that you couldn’t care any less about where you were standing. 

A sudden cold sensation begins to take over your exposed skin and your eyes flutter open right as Din pulls away and looks to the sky above. You follow his gaze and bite into your lower lip when you see the snow peppering his pretty eyes and the scruff across his jaws. The two of you stand there for a while before Din slips his hands into his pockets and brings out his gloves to give you. 

“Let me take you to dinner, please?” You recall how he was a man of few words but you never thought such a simple question would get you this flustered. You don’t trust your voice enough to say anything so you nod and slip your gloves hands in between his own again. He skates slowly to the shore and helps you balance as you take your skates off before he slips the plastic atop the blades of his own skates and walks towards his car. 

Like a gentleman, he opens the door for you and waits for you to get inside. When you hesitate and continue to stand facing away from him, Din slowly turns you around so he could look at you. 

“You- you don’t owe me anything mesh’la.” As much as it pains him to say those words, he knows he would never be able to force you to do anything you didn’t want. 

“I’ll have dinner with you on one condition.”

“Anything.” He whispers right away, slipping his hands beneath your chin to raise your face until he has a perfect view of you. 

“You promise to teach me more.” 

Din feels as if his heart is about to beat out of his chest and he wipes the snowflakes away from your cold skin before he leans down to rest his forehead against yours.

“Gladly.”