the LI the LADS Men are jealous of
featuring - Xavier x F!Reader, Rafayel x F!Reader, Sylus x F!Reader, Caleb x F!Reader, Zayne x F!Reader
XAVIER
Every single one, but none of them elicit a stronger reaction from him than Caleb.
It's a little funny, because while Xavier doesn't usually express emotion unless he's with you, his expressions take you out when he sees Caleb. He either pouts, glares, or stares very, very intensely at the Colonel - as if trying to will him out of existence. He finds it very hard to keep a straight face around your childhood friend, and you find it even harder to keep yourself from laughing.
It was very rare for Caleb to visit you in Linkon. He was so busy that you usually went up to Skyhaven to see him, though you hadn't gone in weeks due to the influx of missions you'd been assigned. So you were in the middle of planning a trip to Skyhaven, Xavier having insisted on coming with you this time.
"Xav, won't the Hunters Assoc-"
"I've asked for a few days leave."
"You don't need-"
"I want to," he said so sweetly, with an even sweeter smile, his bright eyes never failing to make you melt.
"...Okay."
But now, as you two were looking for accommodation - you figured that offering to stay at Caleb's was out of the question, even if you had a key - there was a knock on your apartment door.
"I'll get it," Xavier stood up, walking over to open it. His body tensing moments later told you exactly who was at the door.
"Colonel," your boyfriend greeted him formally, stepping aside, "What brings you to Linkon?"
"Just wanted to see my pipsqueak," Caleb grinned, oblivious to the sharp, terrifying glare that followed him as he walked deeper into your apartment.
Xavier hated that nickname. More than he hated Wanderers.
"Caleb!" You beamed, jumping up from the couch.
Did the Colonel really need his eyes? Xavier wondered, as he came up with a dozen different ways to kidnap and blind your poor childhood friend, who was really doing nothing wrong.
Not only did Caleb have a very annoying nickname for you, but he had also grown up with you. He was close to you in ways Xavier could only dream of being, and he knew everything about you - mannerisms, habits, favourites, likes, dislikes...much more than Xavier knew, because he was still discovering all of that. You had spent your entire childhood with the Farspace Fleet Colonel, whereas Xavier had only thus far had just over a year of time spent with you.
And...maybe he was also jealous that Caleb was more outgoing, more expressive, than he was. The stark differences between them gnawed at him, like an itch that wouldn't go away.
Xavier joined you on the couch quietly, his eyes flitting between you and Caleb as the Colonel asked you if you've been eating well and getting enough sleep. Why was he asking? Xavier took care of you, and he did it well. You ate together, and fell asleep together. He was perfectly capable of-
"Xav, you okay?" You cut off his train of thought, a worried expression settling on your face at the look on his. He looked like he was going to take out the whole city block's lights.
"I'm fine," he replied calmly, in his usual tone. Though you knew him well, and you noticed the slight pout on his lips and you picked up on the jealousy in his voice.
Once Caleb was gone - everyone had agreed it might be best if he stayed in Xavier's apartment while Xavier stayed with you - you sidled up to the pouty Hunter on the couch.
"Xav," you poked his cheek, "Were you jealous of someone I only consider an older brother?"
"No," he mumbled, trying to appear cool and collected.
You laughed, resting your head on his shoulder. Your hands slipped into the warm pockets of his hoodie, earning you the slightest of smiles.
"You don't have to worry, I love my sleepy Hunter boyfriend more than anyone," you kissed his cheek. "I'm yours, for as long as you want me."
"Forever."
RAFAYEL
Rafayel asserted multiple times that he did not ever get jealous - but for every time he made that preposterous claim, there was a time that he very obviously got jealous of Xavier.
"It's always the quiet ones!" He would retort, when you chided him for being so hostile towards your partner.
"He's harmless! To you, anyway!"
"Sure...until one day I wake up and you're gone...with him!"
Your poor, overdramatic fishie would never admit it out loud, but he was jealous of the Hunter's ability to stay calm in any situation. He was quiet, reserved, mature - not dramatic, loud and childish like Rafayel was. He was Rafayel's opposite, and sometimes...sometimes the fear got the best of Rafayel and he'd think one day you'll be tired of his antics and run off with the Hunter. Xavier also didn't necessarily need a bodyguard, so that also worried Rafayel - his deepest insecurity when it came to this one-sided rivalry was that he was too reliant on you, unlike your partner.
Today he seemed to be especially bothered by your association with the blue-eyed 'menace' - Rafayel's "insulting" nickname for him.
"Do you have to go?" He pouted, bottom lip sticking out so adorably that you were almost tempted to stay and cuddle him longer.
"Yes, I do. But I'll be back soon," you kissed his cheek.
"Mhm," he crossed his arms, sulking. "I'll give you one hour, then I'm going to drown him in the ocean for thinking he can steal you away from me!"
"He doesn't-!" You laughed. "Where did you get that idea??"
"Shhh, go now before I spit bubbles at you."
His indignant tone forced you to bite your lip so you wouldn't provoke him further with your amusement.
When you returned, the weariness drained from your system as your eyes widened, becoming comically large at the sight of the painting that was adorning the wall before you - the painting that your boyfriend was currently working on.
Red.
That's pretty much all you saw.
On the surface, it was a beautiful painting with no clear meaning or no visible references. But because you knew Rafayel, and you knew how he could be, you immediately knew that the blue and silver laced together within the chaos of the red was meant to symbolise Xavier.
"What is this?" You asked him, amused but also a little frightened.
"You like it?" His voice had an uncharacteristically unstable edge to it, "It came to me right after you left."
"...Yeah...I'll bet..."
You approached him, ready to give him a kiss, but he didn't climb down to meet you like he usually did. His eyes remained fixed on the canvas, his paintbrush moving swiftly. You tugged on his pants, thinking he didn't see you standing there, but he stubbornly refused to give you any attention.
"Rafayel!" You smacked his calf, making him yelp and drop his paintbrush, red paint splattering all over the tiles.
He finally looked at you, his expression a mix between a pout and a glare, "Yes?"
"Can you please come down?"
"That depends, are you actually going to stay with me this time or run away with your Prince Charming?"
You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose, "I'm considering the latter."
That got his attention, an undignified screech leaving his lips as he practically hurled himself at you. The two of you hit the ground in a tangled mess of limbs, his arms wrapping around you like tendrils, tightening when you tried to struggle.
"Rafayel!"
"Sorry, not sorry, cutie," he grinned at you, peppering your face with kisses. "I caught you, so by rule you are mine to keep."
"Technically, I caught you..."
SYLUS
Sylus never struck you as the jealous type, but you soon learned that he was not always as composed as he made himself out to be, especially whenever the name Zayne came up in a conversation.
It was harmless, too, a comment that you didn't think would be problematic. But it sparked some unwelcome thoughts in his mind.
"I'm fine, Sylus. Doctor Zayne was there. He helped finish off the Wanderer and then took me home after treating my wounds."
Sylus's jaw clenched. Why was another man taking care of you? Why was another man taking you home? That was his job, and his job alone. You were dating him, not whoever this Zayne was. So yes, maybe his possessive streak flared up a little.
So he did his research.
This doctor was well-known, and had earned a very respectable reputation. He also earned well enough to live luxuriously, but seemed to choose a simpler life instead. Humility.
He found himself scoffing as he read more and more.
But that may have been an attempt to hide his growing insecurity. He knew he wasn't good for you - quite the opposite in fact. His reputation, what he did for a living, how he handled things...he always knew you were too good for him. Before, it was easier to ignore because you were happy.
Now?
Much harder, knowing that you had someone who could take care of you just as well as, if not better than, he did. Someone who was just as pure as you, someone who lived in the same place as you and could see you whenever he wanted.
Sylus didn't tell you about this. He didn't want to make you choose. Or maybe, he was avoiding it because he was scared...that your choice wouldn't be him.
When you finally got to the N109 Zone, Sylus couldn't stop himself from engulfing you in what felt like the tightest embrace he'd ever got you in. Like he was trying to crush you, though not intentionally.
"I missed you," his deep voice was muffled by your hair.
"I missed you too," your expression softened, a warm smile on your lips as you wrapped your arms around him. "But what's prompted this sudden, unexpected affection?"
"Can I not just miss my girlfriend without having an ulterior motive?" He chuckled, pulling away to give you a once-over. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Doctor Zayne-"
Behind Sylus, Luke and Kieran shook their heads frantically, as if trying to tell you not to say what you were going to say. They were trying to be discreet, but then you frowned.
"Luke, Kieran, out," Sylus commanded, without even looking.
"Do you not like Zayne?" You raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, now it's Zayne, hmm? What happened to 'Doctor'?" He chuckled, clearly trying to brush this off.
"Sylus."
He sighed, "The doctor seems...nice." Saying even that was clearly a struggle for him.
You laughed.
"Is my misery amusing to you, kitten?" He asked, though his eyes betrayed his own amusement. "You like seeing me suffer?"
"Nooo," you giggled, wrapping your arms around his neck, "I just...it's so unexpected. I didn't think any man in existence could make you jealous...since you're the guy making other boyfriends jealous. Or, well you would, if you spoke to any other women..."
His amusement only increased, though your words did bring him comfort, "Would you like me to speak to other women, then? Test out your little claim."
"Absolutely not."
Sylus's laugh was rich, deep and full of joy.
CALEB
Like Xavier, Caleb is jealous of every single one of the LIs, though his Operation: Get Rid of The Other LIs didn't officially start until he found out about your encounters with Sylus, the head of Onychinus.
In this situation, his concern over your wellbeing (and your constant visits to the N109 Zone) warred with his intense jealousy and possessive nature. He didn't know whether to be more worried about you going into such a dangerous place so often, or worried about you being around Sylus more than he'd liked.
You had met Sylus before you found out Caleb was alive, that much he knew. The only way he could rationalise your behaviour in this regard was that he hadn't been there to stop you.
And now you spoke about the Onychinus leader as if he was a saint - which he was far from being.
"Next time you need to go to the N109 Zone, for whatever, tell me," he murmured in your ear one night, as you lay in his arms watching a movie.
"That's random..." You looked up at him, "What made you think of that?"
"Promise me," his eyes darkened.
"Okay, okay, I promise. But don't you think...that the Farspace Fleet's Colonel being in the N109 Zone would draw some...unwanted attention?"
"Last I checked, pipsqueak, you did that by yourself," his tone lightened, turning teasing.
"Hold on," you raised an eyebrow, "Are you-"
"Nope."
"You didn't even know what I was going to ask!"
"Yes I did," he flashed you a mischievous smile, "You were going to ask if I was joking. Which I wasn't."
"I wasn't-"
"Shhh, the movie is playing."
"Sylus."
Immediately the Colonel tensed beneath you. His arms tightened around your body, almost squeezing the life out of you. His hot breath warmed your neck, before he bit you.
"Don't say that name," he was trying to sound playful, but the dark undertones made you shiver. "Don't even think it."
Caleb was trying his best to keep calm. But hearing you say the Onychinus leader's name, even playfully, was really pushing his limits. His low growl was an indication of that, if his possessive bite wasn't.
"You're jealous," you laughed, amused and slightly disturbed.
"And you're mine," he growled once more. "Mine."
"That wasn't in question-"
"That guy," he pointed to a character on screen, one of the worst developed characters in the movie, with the worst appearance, "Reminded me of the Onychinus leader."
"You mean Sylus?" You laughed.
"No, the leader of Onychinus."
"So....Sylus."
"Stop that!" He growled.
"We're saying the same thing!"
"Every time you say his name, pipsqueak, I'm going to bite you. Hard."
Despite that sounding like a good thing, you shivered. When Caleb wanted to bite you as a punishment, it definitely was a punishment. He latched his teeth onto your shoulder, and kept them there until you squirmed uncomfortably and tried pushing him off. Usually leaving indents that you could not, for the life of you, make an excuse for in public when anyone saw it.
"...Alright fine...Caleb."
"Much better."
ZAYNE
Rafayel's new painting this, Rafayel's new painting that. Zayne was, ironically, sick and tired of hearing those words. Those specific words. He was a patient man, so it wasn't the other women in the hospital talking about Rafayel that got to him.
It was when you spoke about him.
Zayne was well aware that Rafayel had hired you as his bodyguard, which really wasn't a problem. You were a good Hunter, you could be trusted. But could Rafayel?
Zayne often wondered why you'd chosen him. Especially when he comes across men like the purple-haired artist. He knew he wasn't the most lively or fun person, he could be stern and restrictive, and he absolutely did not know how to flirt or be romantic in an 'aw, that's sweet' kind of way, the kind that makes people swoon.
He worked late, he couldn't spend much time with you beyond morning office visits and very rare lunches or dinners, and sometimes he had to leave during those, too.
Yet you endured everything, with a smile on your face.
And Zayne was content, for a while, knowing you had no qualms about all of this. But then you met Rafayel, the eccentric, bright-eyed artist that had a knack for flirting and making you laugh. The man whom you had much more fun with, always off doing something dangerous, or something simple like one of his art exhibitions or going to the carnival.
Things Zayne was too busy to do with you.
"Zayne?" Your voice brought him back to reality. "Are you alright?"
The doctor blinked, lifting his head to see you settling into the chair across from him, on the other side of his desk. A brown paper bag sat in front of you, and your eyes were studying his face worriedly.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine." He adjusted his glasses. "Is this-"
"Yes," you finished eagerly, your eyes brightening, "I figured you would want some. You barely had time for breakfast this morning."
"And you think a brownie will fill me?" He asked, not realising how badly that came out until his eyes landed on your face, watching it fall as hurt flashed in your own eyes.
"Oh, well, I-" You reached for the bag. "I'm sorry, I'll-"
"Don't," he gently grabbed your wrist. "Please, don't go."
You sat back down, but stayed quiet.
"I'm sorry," he sighed, taking off his glasses, "I was just thinking about how much time you have spent with the artist, and it reminded me that we haven't spent enough time together."
"Rafayel?" You frowned. "Why-"
"Some of the nurses were talking about him," he leaned forward, his arms coming to rest on his desk. "You always laugh when you talk about him."
Your eyes widened, realising what was wrong, and then you reached over to take his hands in yours, "Because he's an idiot. Seriously. I tune out half of the things he says!"
"But...you have fun with him," the doctor frowned, as if your response didn't make sense.
"Yeah, but not the kind of fun I have with you," you smiled, then realised how that sounded. "I-I mean, not that kind of fun, but the kind of fun that...oh forget it." Your cheeks burned.
Zayne chuckled at that, "I understand." His heart fluttered at the implication.
"Ah, the romantic kind of fun, that's what I mean!" You looked proud of yourself, for finally saying it. "The dates, the cuddling, the short but incredibly sweet moments we share...Zayne, I don't have that with anyone else and I would never want to. You're what I want, and certainly what I need. A grounded, responsible man to keep me from doing stupid, reckless things."
"You do them anyway," he pointed out, though his smile was now a little bigger.
"Yes, yes, details," you waved his extremely logical point away, "What I'm trying to say here is...I like our dynamic best. You, the mature and responsible one, and me, the reckless and playful one. I don't want another me in a relationship!"
That's when Zayne laughed, a genuine laugh that only you ever heard. And you smiled, because being able to ease his worries was something you enjoyed doing more than anything else.
"I love you, Zayne. Only you."