⠀⠀⠀⠀➺ pairing: Sylus x fem reader / love and deepspace
⠀⠀⠀⠀➺ summary: Sylus discovers fears. In his attempt of avoiding it, his beloved chooses otherwise.
⠀⠀⠀⠀➺ content warnings: fluff, hurt/comfort, established relationship, third person pov
⠀⠀⠀⠀➺ word count: 1.3k
⠀⠀⠀⠀➺ theme song: “I Just Wanna Touch Somebody” by Meg Myers
⠀⠀⠀⠀➺ A/N: this has been sitting in my drafts for a year or so. I have no clue why I didn't post it earlier. Enjoy! I'm happy to hear your thoughts/opinions on it!
For more lads oneshots, check out the pinned post on my profile.
Oh? Leaving me all by myself, kitten?
Well, I have your shirt to keep me company now. (A cute chuckle escaped her lips.)
How convenient. Leaving me all by myself in this lonely office, with too many papers to count. (He was so pouty sometimes. It was endearing, truly.)
(Or maybe he really missed her. Too much to handle. Too much to express it, because it didn't seem right. She's just been busy. Now, she was right there.)
Mephisto'll keep you company, my love.
“You're abandoning me now that I've been useful to you?”
Sylus didn't understand why his beloved stopped in her tracks. Her back straightened, muscles tensing underneath the satin material of his shirt — a red shirt she had taken from his closet. With an arched eyebrow, he watched as the playful grin on her face shattered, leaving behind a strange expression.
He blinked. Confused, maybe just as confused as the woman standing only a few meters away from his desk.
“Why are you saying that?”
“What?” came back his sudden response — a question that slipped too fast for him to actually think it through.
It was a joke. He hadn't meant anything bad by that, Sylus wouldn't use this kind of petty behavior to get the upper hand on someone, not when it involved his darling.
So why was she so surprised? And… upset?
She stood there, unmoving. One deep breath in and she seemed ready to talk, to explain, but the words died on her tongue. The huntress gulped.
“My beloved,” he started in a low, gentle tone. “What's wrong?”
“You know I didn't mean it like that, right? When I mentioned Mephisto. And leaving you alone.”
Sylus blinked. Of course he knew, why would he think otherwise?
Why would he think otherwise? Why? Just, why?
(She noticed. She saw him zone out, she saw his eyes get duller with each second.)
There was a high chance they really were sharing a soul. When she stepped closer, Sylus barely noticed. The moment her proximity settled in his brain, he almost flinched.
(She was his biggest vulnerability. His one and only.)
Sylus tensed. His fingers gripped at the armrests of his chair. A knot formed in his throat. She was close and for once, for once, he didn't know how to perceive that. His tired brain didn't know how to handle it, the worry in her eyes, her gentle gestures, the way she looked at him with so much adoration shining on her beautiful figure.
(There were times when he lost himself in his gruesome reality, times when the blood on his hands felt like sin and not duty only. There were times when he felt undeserving of certain kindness, when it felt wrong to receive it. They were rare and he found it hard to understand them — the only thing he was running from, sometimes.
Of course, the most powerful humans acknowledge their greatest fears. Yes, they do, but there were times when it was too much, times when he didn't want to solve his broken heart, times when he just let the broken pieces remain broken. Sometimes out of ignorance, sometimes because he was annoyed with himself.
Like now. He was annoyed with himself. Why was he upset that they've barely got to spend time together? They were both busy, it was to be expected. Why was he sad? Why did it feel cold again for a little while?
It was cold. That office had grown so cold without her in the past month. It's been lonely. Loneliness started scaring him again, so he shut that thought down until that very moment, when it came back and bit him by the heart.)
“You've been zoning out a lot lately,” she hummed.
He blinked the fog away. The worry in her eyes didn't falter. Ever present, somehow always alive. Her worry, her love. (So why be sad?)
Even from a small distance, she managed to lightly resonate with him. A pull in his chest, gentle, a soft pressure into his beating heart. Present in every crack of it. That's when his body relaxed — her hand cupped his cheek. (He didn't notice how tense he had been these days until then.)
Her thumb brushed over his cheekbone in slow circles. Sylus moved his hands, hesitantly placing them on her hips as he brought her closer, between his parted legs.
“I'm just worried because… it's not the first time I hear something similar from you.”
This time, the confusion didn't feel like an attack. He just hummed and watched as her gaze followed the lines of his nose and chin, his jawline, the collar of his shirt.
“You've called me once — thrice, actually — and you seemed sad that I didn't pick up. You seemed worried, too.”
“I told you—”
“It matters to me, Sylus,” she interrupted him in a gentle tone.
I told you there's no need to be sad about my random moods.
“It matters. When you're sad or worried, not only when you're content with business meetings. Every part of you matters to me.”
Sylus would've rather averted his gaze, but he couldn't, not when love shimmered like a palpable flame. It burnt, it arched and bended in his direction, yet it never burnt him. It was gentle. Like her touch, like her voice, like her words.
Her other hand touched his neck, cupping the hot flesh in her palm.
“You also didn't seem fully yourself these days. And I didn't want to prod too much, I didn't want to be a bother.” She ripped the skin of her lower lip with her teeth.
His hand shot out and pressed against her lip. The gesture stopped her anxious habit for a while.
“You are never a bother to me.”
“I'm glad to know that.” Oh, how sweet of a smile that was, shattering and putting him back together.
“I didn't want to prod,” she continued, “but it's hard not to notice. You know, you probably think you have it all under control, but,” a broken chuckle escaped her mouth, “it's pretty obvious to me. I see you, even when you think I don't.”
Stylus had never known how much he needed to hear those words. It was a need he hasn't realized yet, but when she said it like that, it hurt him. It ached.
The huntress held his face in her palms and bent at the waist, kissing his forehead. (He always finds a reason to do that, but she rarely gets the chance to bestow upon him the same gentleness that comes with a forehead kiss).
“Sometimes it scares me.” She took in a sudden breath, almost shocked by her own statement. “The way you phrase it, I mean.”
“What scares you?” because he didn't understand what she meant by that.
The “being left alone” part?
“It scares me that you might not see just how much I love you, Sylus. It scares me, because I love you and I want you to know that, always. Even when things go to shit, I love you. I don't want you to ever believe otherwise, because that'd be a lie.”
Something within him shattered. Loudly. The shards flew into the walls, they sank in the wooden desk, they broke the windows. It was loud in his head.
She bent again, this time leaving a kiss in between his eyebrows.
“I would never let go of you, not willingly. I'd curse the world and I still wouldn't let go. You're mine as much as I am yours.”
Sylus didn't know he needed to hear that come so clearly out of her mouth. It soothed a raw, open wound, it soothed in ways no one but she could've done it.
He felt his beloved curl her arms around his shoulders, one of her hands petting his hair.
“Alright?” she whispered.
“Alright.” A jagged voice, cracking. But it was still an answer.
So she held him tighter as he hid his face in her neck, breathing deeply into her scent.
Sylus x gn reader (basically MC), emotional hurt / comfort, platonic intimacy, fainting, fatigue, PTSD memories beginning to surface but they're still blacked out, plushie sylus, I hate tagging I hope that's fine, wc: 4k
The sun rose. The sun fell. Clouds might blot out the way it burned. But every day felt the same. Tired, grating, incessant. It slipped behind the skyline again. You should be able to sleep. But the air was thick, an omnipresent sting saturated the atmosphere. Every night was just the same.
"What's wrong?"
Your arms tightened their chokehold at the sudden voice, plushie squeezed against your chest. Assuming you might be left alone forever was a mistake.
"Sorry, sweetie. Thought you'd hear the door unlock."
Heartbeats pounded sorely, like clenched fists against prison walls. You sucked in another shaky breath, willing it to steady, to clear your sinuses in the process.
"Can I sit here?"
You nodded slowly, staring through the wall, not daring to pry yourself off the bed. It dipped behind your knees. Sylus was careful when approaching from behind. Extending the same courtesy he asked for.
"It's… okay if you don't want to tell me. But, well, I'd prefer it if you said something."
Not even a rasped sorry had the strength to leave your throat. It felt swollen, a boulder lodged inside, a miracle you could just manage to breathe.
"Mephisto worried about you. Said all week has been nothing but crying and hugging that same plushie."
You should have drawn the blinds before slipping so far into this. Even the mechanical crow thought something was wrong with how you coped.
Another tear gave up, breaking the wall you'd barely laid the bricks to hold back. And then another. Sliding down your temple, across your nose. There was nothing but futility in fighting them back at this point. It was silent anyway. No energy left to sob.
"I'm… beginning to think that you like him more than me," Sylus attempted to jest.
You didn't. The plushie was only a proxy, something to hold against your chest when it felt like everything might spill from that cage. Though it did smell a little bit like him. And it was a gift, after all.
Real Sylus had gotten bored with your claw machine requests. These all look the same, he complained with a hand on his brow. Don't you have them already?
He did have a point. Your arcade antics were insatiable. No matter how big the pile of smiling dinos, his favorite mass-produced plush could never be enough.
Do you have a better idea? You crossed your arms, stuck in such an old habit with no idea what else to do.
Sylus shrugged, Same one I always do.
And he took you out to design a custom-made plushie. The thing was maybe a quarter of his size, and practically a chibi, but it was soft and squishy and the first thing you reached for on the verge of a breakdown.
Although by now there was nothing more to break. Maybe all your pieces had shattered a long, long time ago. And only now you could no longer hold them together.
A headache pounded from the back of your skull. Probably dehydrated. But drinking anything just seemed to encourage more tears, so was there really a point to it?
Your nose stuffed up again, forcing breaths to suck through your mouth. Faster, more jagged, chest rising and falling with turbulence. The weight of a plush doppelgänger not enough to stabilize your state.
"Get up, kitten," the real Sylus wrapped an arm around your shoulders, gently guiding you to sit up. Plushie Sy was still held tightly, straddling your thigh.
It was easier to breathe once elevated, but you didn't want to show yourself, eyes red and skin beside them brush-burned from wiping away the tears. So you turned into him instead, the plush squished between your bodies.
One long hand on the back of your head, one on your upper back. When it moved from side to side, the tension between your shoulders felt obvious. On display.
"What happened?" he murmured, "I've… never seen you like this."
Your head shook, not ready to talk yet. You wished that you could. That vocal cords wouldn't seem to petrify during important moments.
"What is it that you need? A hot meal?"
No. Couldn't imagine eating with all the snot pooling in your stomach, running down the back of your throat. Couldn't force anything down without choking on it. Feeling sicker.
"Hmm… how about some tea?"
Your shoulders twitched in attempt at a shrug.
"Or maybe… a warm shower?"
Yeah. You needed that. But couldn't bear to be surrounded by those white walls, the tiles, the overhead fluorescent light. Everything was too bright.
You might ask to use his shower, but that meant stinking up a car with body odor all the way to the N109 Zone. Or closer, but you didn't want a sterile, soulless safe house. You wanted Sylus and all his spirit to enhance the atmosphere. And there were more pieces of him in your apartment than any of those extra properties.
"I want it to be dark," you slurred, weak and nearly unintelligible.
"The lights can stay off."
Red mist unfurled and the room darkened, city lights and waxing moon banished to the other side of the window. Sylus pried away his chibi and carried you a short distance to the ledge of the bath.
"Do you… need me to stay?"
You nodded, slowly letting go of his sleeve.
"Can't see in the dark, kitten?"
You nodded, and felt his frown. The crystallized window let in nothing but a mosaic of blue hour's light. It was usually enough to see by, but your vision had been dark for a few days. Its blue-bruised filter harder to ignore when it made everything else seem to disappear, only glints off the smooth bath and tile wall sprinkled throughout the room.
When the water turned on, you gripped his arm again. Shoulders risen to cover your ears.
"Is it too loud?"
Yeah. Jarring after a week or so, according to Mephisto, of silence. maybe more.
"Should I put on some music?" Sylus began to hum, connecting his phone to your speaker. "How is the temperature?" he whispered.
You couldn't put it off forever, opting to just climb in without testing it. Any shower was better than no shower at this point. You didn't even want to guess how nose-blind you might have become.
"That's…one method, I suppose."
At least it was harder to tell whether you were crying or not. Clothes became saturated and heavy, bleeding from your back as the shower pelted it. Not hot enough. You reached out to turn it up.
"Don't. You'll burn yourself."
You whined, arms wrapping back around your knees. It wasn't ideal. You still felt gross, and now soggy, hot water numb through the clothing. It all had to come off. And then you'd have to do laundry. All you wanted was to just disappear. Stop existing, for a little while. Or maybe permanently.
Maybe the pajamas would win this wrestling match and swallow you whole. They were such a struggle to remove. So you turned to Sylus instead, patting him down for a knife.
"Don't be so dramatic, kitten. Want some help?"
You nodded, face feeling hotter, wondering if he could see what a mess… He could. Definitely. Think of something else. The way that he maneuvered the fabric away was a far cry from fumbling in the dark. You heard the wrung water hit the shower floor. Felt it vibrate.
A hummed laugh, "And now we're both wet."
You tugged at his sleeve again. Only this time it felt oddly like a sponge. Sacrificed his own dry comfort for this. But you really, really didn't want to be left alone. Like every falsely-assembled shard might crumble again during a five-second trip to the washing machine. You couldn't let him go. He brought you to the shower. He'd have to live with that choice. This apartment was your territory, after all. His mistake for stepping into it.
"Do you want me to get in with you? …Let me undress first. Things are easier in that order."
You were definitely crying. The heave of your chest made it hard to ignore. When was it ever going to stop? Any break was like a faulty pause button, that might unclick itself at the slightest jostle.
"I'm right here," a hand on your shoulder until his body pressed up against yours. "What, are you afraid of the bath now?"
"Maybe," you choked.
Sylus was just trying to make a joke. Or prod you into saying something. Or…
God, you were thirsty. Throat dry with a pain that radiated up to your ears. And water was right there. You leaned back with an open mouth, swallowing it.
He hummed low, beginning to work through your hair. Did you know where your soaps were in the absolute dark? Could you reach for them while sitting on the floor?
Hot water relieved some tension, but it made your muscles just feel even weaker. The fatigue hard to cut through. So you leaned into his touch, waiting until the hair products were rinsed out to ask him for your soap. One long hand splayed below the hairline to protect your eyes.
"Want some help? I can get your back."
"Okay," you whispered between sniffles, while Sylus took your hand to place a second soapy washcloth in it.
He started humming again, out of tune with the song, and you began to scrub your face. Was it face wash? No. But you didn't care. Trying to dig out the dirt from your neck, your chest, your thighs, anywhere it might be hiding.
More gentle and controlled were the circles on your back, the laps down your arms. You leaned back against his chest, feeling heavy, but soft. Not so rigid. Now that you were in the shower, it seemed better than anywhere else.
"Had enough yet?
You hummed lazily. Then realized that it was weakness. Could you get up?
"I'm really tired," you tried to say, but it wouldn't come out right.
The world shifted, or maybe it was dizziness. So long as you didn't throw up on your finally clean skin, or on Sylus's leg, it would be fine. You could rest.
But not if something kept hitting the side of your face.
"Look at me."
You blinked, realizing your eyes had been shut. Sylus was standing beside the bed, one hand now cupping the side of your face. The other held your ankles together, legs raised at a ninety degree angle. Both of you still naked, dripping water. His playlist filtering in from the bathroom.
"Wha..?"
"Good," he exhaled. "Have you been eating enough?"
You didn't have the heart to lie to him. Not when he was redirecting the blood from your legs back to vital organs to keep you conscious. Not when you really had no idea how to answer.
It wasn't like you had been expending a lot of energy lately. Not like you had a reason to be as hungry as you normally were. For someone who stayed in bed all week…
Whatever you had been doing wasn't enough. The recurring nausea had kept a healthy appetite at bay. And you didn't want to eat too much and throw up. But passing out was worse. You should have been trying harder.
"I'm sorry," you whispered, instinctively grabbing the plushie and holding it to your chest.
You should change the bedding and wash that, too. It felt so impolite like this. Entirely unprepared to host.
"I brought food, so… let's find some clothes. Then, we'll eat." Sylus stepped into his own boxers, pulled from your dresser drawer. Slipped a baggy shirt over your frame. Pressed a kiss to your forehead.
A few minutes later you were on the balcony, shoveling warm soup down.
"Take it slow," Sylus chided, peeling a fruit from the seat next to you. The pajama pants you bought slung low on his hips, hair still damp, just beginning to curl in the light breeze.
You paused, trying to heed his advice. But the salt was so satisfying.
"Can we go to your place?"
"Troubles in Linkon?"
You shook your head. "Not really."
"You don't need an excuse. You're welcome to visit any time."
"But you might be away," you murmured, stabbing at a soft vegetable. The spoon kept missing, hitting the bottom of the bowl instead.
"Hmm. Well, then you'll have to let me plan ahead."
You sighed, putting the spoon down to drink from the bowl.
The cityscape glimmered tiredly. You'd seen it all before. This balcony had a lovely view when you first moved in. But now it was just the same old buildings, lost to the charm of mystique when you knew what boring meetings went on behind the reflective windows. Less like jewels now, and more like a glass cage.
"What, um… what were your plans?" you mumbled, reaching for another plate.
"That depends on you."
"I should clean," you sighed, "and then I don't care."
"Alright."
You took his hand to stand up, saving the rest of the food for later. Indulging in it whenever you passed by the coffee table with a free hand. Maybe there wasn't a whole lot to clean. Some dishes, the laundry, and opening windows would be enough. Your muscles still ached, soon sprawled across his lap on the couch in front of an old box TV.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"Hmm. You look…" like your eyes glazed over too easily. Paying no attention to the movie, submerged by some deep sadness behind them.
His fingers that absentmindedly ran through your hair, switched to massaging the scalp, hoping to be more grounding than some old film.
You let your eyes rest, beginning to dart around behind the lids right as the laundry finished.
Grumbling, you sat up, bracing to go change it.
"Stay right here," Sylus put a hand on your knee. "I'll get it."
You rubbed your eyes, feeling so utterly hungover. It wasn't fair. You hadn't been drinking. Had no fun night out to balance the scales, no reckless decision to blame.
When he sat back down, you leaned into his arm. Like it might suck the headache out of your forehead.
"What is it?"
"I remember… what they did to me."
"You remember?" he stilled, the room fallen silent but for the whir of a VHS tape.
"Not really," you swallowed. "But I can feel it. happening. And then it's hard," a few gasps had to settle out. "It's hard to talk."
"Hmm. The flashbacks steal your voice?"
"That," you murmured.
"I see. You're looking for a place with no white walls, and no ceiling lights. Would that feel better?"
"I think so," you whispered, gnawing the skin off of your lip.
"That's… easy to plan around. I happen to have the same preference, after all."
You pulled back to look at his face, instead wincing at the sudden movement, how it hurt your head.
A glass of water found your hand. "Drink this. You're still dehydrated."
Taking small sips, you leaned into his side. Sylus was on his phone, but you didn't bother to glance over. The tape ended with a clack.
Exhaled after a while, "I'm so tired of feeling like shit."
"I know," he rubbed your shoulder. "So we're going on vacation."
Convenient, wasn't it? You were already on medical leave for a month. Not because of an injury, but because Zayne's medical advice was your way out. Resting for the sake of your heart was easy for him to sign off on.
Zayne probably thought your state was over the loss of Caleb and Josephine. And the grief was still there, sure, but burning just as hot was the need for answers. Caleb would have known something. Grandma definitely knew. Her handwriting was on those documents. She didn't even bother to change names since… what, experimenting on you? And then raising an escaped subject as if it were a grandchild?
So now you were left alone with these questions, and no one to answer them, and sometimes you searched for your own childhood on the dark web. But every piece of potential information led to nothing. Corrupted data. Silence.
And you didn't want to spend the next weeks repeating this same sickening rhythm. Torn between clawing to know, thinking you deserve to know what happened to your own body. And being utterly fucking terrified of what you might find. Of the flashbacks and nightmares getting worse before your mind was capable of holding such weight. After all, if you could handle it, wouldn't those blacked-out memories return on their own?
For now, they were fleeting glimpses. Warped dreams. Crumbs of conversation you'd caught in passing as a child and wondered ever since what they were about. Intrusive thoughts, nightmares, fears and fantasies, that were always there for as long as you could remember.
Trying to act human. Feeling inhuman. Wondering what he hell else you could be but insane, with thoughts like that.
The overwhelming fear of anything remotely medical. Down to latex gloves and surgical masks. Struggling to visit anyone injured, drowning in the fears the hospital would recognize that you were different somehow. They'd take you in. Run experiments. Torture.
The visions of torture were the worst. Nothing you could do could stop them. And you'd feel it, too, so visceral, so gruesome. In the middle of a board game in Josephine's living room, or alone on your twin-sized mattress trying to sleep.
The earliest visions made no goddamn sense. They were brightly colored, two-dimensional, featured cartoon characters you could not recognize, but only fear.
Eventually, you were able to forget them. Until recently. Something broke, and you didn't understand what. You should have grown past it all instead.
Crowned as the strongest Hunter, welcome to come and go as you please through the N109 Zone, with talented friends and neighbors as your peers. Fuck, you had finally begun to feel safe, for once in your life. And now? It was like starting over, blindfolded, back in the dungeon you'd blacked out. Left to feel the practically tactile sensation of being violated in ways that you still had no words for. But it made you feel small. Helpless. There was no help. You had to name the problem first.
Maybe a distraction was what you needed. A trip sounded nice. In theory.
"Sylus, I'm not going out like this." Just because your tears managed to dry up temporarily didn't mean that you could hold it together with all the crowds that came along with travel. You wanted to be alone. Or rather, alone with a safe person.
"Private jet, sweetie."
"Oh." Your voice fell flat. "Why not the N109 Zone? We can just go to the base—"
"There's no sunlight in the N109 Zone."
"I don't want the sun."
"Do you… want me to spoil the surprise?"
"Whatever," you sighed. "Do I need anything?"
"Just whatever you want to bring. Though it might be good to clean out the fridge before we go."
"I'll tell my neighbor he can eat whatever."
"That works, too."
It felt like sleepwalking. Texting Xavier, packing a bag. All you could think to grab was the plush. A few changes of comfortable clothes. Not much else.
"How's your stomach? We don't have to drive right now."
"I'm ready." You grabbed the leftovers and a pack of ginger. Hunger was back, even if it mingled with nausea. You hated passing out. Fainting wasn't an option.
"If you say so." He gathered your favorite pair of shoes, an oversight from someone still wearing house slippers, slung your bag over his shoulder. Held out a hand. "Your turn."
It never really got old, the height that he carried you from. The way that he only used one arm as you leaned into his chest, holding on for closeness more than the fear of falling.
The tinted windows forced streetlights into being gentle on tired eyes. Your bag was in the backseat, plushie on your lap. Still, he hesitated to turn the car on.
You let out a yawn, figuring out how to recline his passenger seat. It wasn't very hard.
"Hmm, someone's sleepy. Rest if you're tired."
Maybe you could let yourself. A change in environment was recommended for nightmares. So…
"We can still board, even if you're not awake. Or did you want to be woken up?"
You shook your head, aggravating the weighted throb inside it. "Do you have medicine?"
"Sure. What kind?"
You shrugged, rubbing your forehead. It helped a little. God, could you just hold it together for a while? Was he going to regret being trapped in a room with you an hour later?
Wasn't this everything that you wanted?
Maybe you should ask Zayne if he had any more advice. Maybe you'd go out on a limb and take it this time.
"Here," Sylus closed your hand around something. "Take this."
You looked at it, like a piece of gum wrapped in paper. A slice of fruit roll-up. A…
"How?"
"Let it dissolve in your mouth. Wherever. Underneath your tongue, if you don't like the taste."
"Are you pranking me?" you squinted up at him, those gentle crimson eyes chasing yours.
"I wouldn't do that. Not right now." Dry hair shifted like feathers with the slight shake of his head.
"Candy placebo?" your brows wrinkled, smelling the paper.
"Would you like to read the label, kitten?" Sylus dug it out, but your eyes wouldn't focus on the words printed. "I thought you wouldn't be in the mood for pills. Isn't your throat sore?"
"Oh… thanks," you mumbled, accepting the medicine.
He got your preferred flavor right, and it almost masked the telling hints of medication. Like a cough drop, the inside was slow to dissolve, allowing time to fidget with it in your mouth. Give sore skinned lips a break.
Drowsiness might have been a side effect. It was like teleporting, waking up someplace else from a dreamless void. An ornate carved ceiling draped around the room, painted with flora, dimly lit by sunlight that escaped over thick curtains. The air smelled of flowers, as if fields of them bloomed just outside.
Part of you, the normal one, wanted to shake Sylus awake and ask where you were. But the present you didn't really care. It was a relief to wake up without a nightmare. To spend time with him, not observing your pathetic state. So you tucked plushie Sy into his far side and nestled yourself closer. Just breathing him in, in the dark hotel room… Was it a suite, or one of his properties? Something else entirely?
Maybe you would find some answers. Sylus was good at tracking down information, like your work schedule. And so far, at least, you hadn't scared him away. Maybe during the next episode, you would let it out. Tell him what you saw, even if it made no sense.He wanted you to say something. But how could you? What if you tried?
It wasn't curiosity that drove you to stand, but hunger. So long as you could navigate to the kitchen, it didn't matter what place this was. If you had a nightmare, then you'd still wake up next to him. And if you couldn't sleep, well… Was that really anything to complain about?
Sylus wasn't used to sleeping a lot, anyway. But he was now. Talking incoherently, sprawling over the bed… You'd have no choice but to lie on top of him. Rake your hand through his hair, listen to the beats in his chest as it rises and falls. It wouldn't be much to complain about.
Silly college AU: Due to an administration error, the dorm you thought you had reserved is no longer available. You are stuck hunting for a place to stay near campus at the last minute, but thankfully, Caleb offers you the spare room at the place he shares with his roommates. Things get a bit complicated however when you start catching feelings for more than one of them… Maybe they also start having feelings for each other WHAT WHO SAID THAT
The next morning, you woke up earlier than normal, but not because you wanted to. All night you tossed and turned on the old, uneven mattress, and what’s worse was every time you moved it creaked obnoxiously loud. At this point, if you didn’t at least get a new mattress today, you would definitely be sleeping somewhere else tonight.
Zayne was already downstairs when you entered the kitchen, it seemed like everyone else was still in bed. “Goodmorning.” He said, his tone a bit stiff. He was sitting at the island with a hot drink next to him, reading something off his laptop.
“Morning,” You gave him a brief smile, hunting for the coffee maker.
Honestly, you weren’t quite sure how you felt about Zayne yet. When you were little kids you used to play together all the time, but as you got older he grew more and more distant, until you only heard about him when Gran happened to catch up with his parents. For a long time you assumed he just didn’t like you, and now with just the two of you here… it was awkward to say the least.
“How was your sleep?” He said it quickly, you nearly missed it.
“Oh good, it was good.” You half turned towards him, “Mostly. Actually it wasn’t that great, that mattress is pretty old.” You laughed weakly. “How was yours?”
“I slept fine.”
“That’s good.”
A moment passed, and neither of you spoke. He quickly turned his gaze back to whatever was on the screen, and you turned back to the coffee maker. It was a sleek, black machine with more buttons and attachments than what seemed necessary. There must be a button to just… make a coffee, right? Maybe you should just look for a mug first…
Zayne cleared his throat, “Are you having difficulty?”
“What? No, no I got it!” You sent him a thumbs up that you immediately regretted. You felt like a fucking dork. “It’s a pretty fancy machine.”
“Sylus has particular tastes. So does Rafayel. They compromised.” Zayne replied, then, “Second cabinet on the left.”
“What?” You spun around.
“The mugs.”
“Oh,” You opened the cabinet he pointed out, “Thanks.” There was an array of mismatched mugs lining the shelf, you chuckled lightly, “Are there any that are off limits? Maybe someone’s lucky mug?”
Zayne didn’t look up from his laptop. “They’re dishes.”
“Right…” You grimaced as you turned back to the shelf. The first mug within reach was plain white, but when you turned it around you couldn’t help but laugh. “‘World’s Best Dad?’ Whose is this?”
“It’s Sylus’s.”
“Really? What’s the story there?” You put it back and grabbed another mug, it was pink with little cat ears poking out the top.
“His kids gave it to him.”
You nearly dropped the mug, “Kids?!” He was a father?!
From this distance you couldn’t be sure, but you could have sworn the corners of Zayne’s lips turned upwards a fraction. “You’ll have to ask him about it.”
Curiosity gnawed at you, but you had the feeling Zayne wasn’t about to gossip. “Alright…” Back at the coffee maker, you placed your mug under what seemed to be the main spout, and then… Where was the on switch? You couldn’t even see where to add water. After a few minutes of feeling around the escape room of a coffee maker, you heard a chair scrape back on the floor.
“Here,” Zayne came up beside you and pressed a button on the top of the machine. “It’s connected to the water so you don’t need to add any, and it grinds the beans on its own so you just need to pour a new bag into this slot once it’s empty.”
You raised your brows, impressed, “That’s pretty nice.”
“Depending on your tastes, here is where you select the style of coffee, and this is the size.” He pressed another button and a screen lit up with all the options available. He cleared his throat lightly and opened a drawer under the machine. “There’s a variety of syrups and flavours to choose from if you like, as well as creamers in the fridge.”
Your eyes widened, there were at least a dozen flavours to choose from, “Does everyone prefer different flavours?”
“Ah, well, they’re mine.” Zayne looked away, “But you’re welcome to use as much as you like.”
“You still have a sweet tooth, huh?” You grinned, maybe he wasn’t so different after all, “I remember once you nearly chased down the ice cream truck when we were little, you paid with your piggy bank and everything.”
He still wasn’t looking directly at you, but the tips of his ears turned slightly pink, “There’s no reason to start digging up the past.”
“What? Come on, it was cute.” You teased, “There’s no shame in liking sweet things.” You tapped the coffee option you wanted on the machine and it spurred to life. “How expensive is this thing by the way? It looks like it belongs in a cafe.”
At the same time, the basement door swung open and Sylus walked through. He was wearing the same clothes he had on at dinner yesterday, had he even slept? “It’s on the cheaper side, just under $1000.”
Your mouth dropped open, “That’s cheap?!”
Sylus smirked, “We all contributed, does that make you feel better?”
“Still…” You eyed your cup as it filled up, “It better be damn good coffee for that price.”
Zayne glanced at Sylus over his glasses, “You’re usually going to bed at this time.”
Sylus grabbed a mug, not the ‘world’s greatest dad’ mug, you noted, and set it down on the counter next to you. “I got busy.” He said simply, “And I have some errands to run today.”
Zayne walked back to sit at his laptop, the slightest hint of disapproval crossing his brow.
Sylus rolled his eyes and leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed. “Don’t worry, I’ll get my eight hours in before the end of the day.”
Zayne returned his focus to the laptop screen, “An irregular sleep schedule can cause–”
“Yes, yes, I know.” Sylus moved your filled mug out of the way and handed it to you without looking, then replaced it with his own. “You’re one to talk, though, if your sleep schedule from last year is still the same, that is.”
Zayne didn’t respond, clearly Sylus was correct.
You hesitated, mug in hand, unsure if you should say something or not. To be honest, Sylus was a bit intimidating.
Almost as if he could sense your unease, his ruby red gaze slid over to you, “I see we’re not the only ones who suffer from poor sleep quality.”
You were taken aback, “What do you mean?”
He clicked his tongue, amused, “Those dark circles under your eyes tell me everything I need to know about how you fared on that lumpy excuse of a bed.”
Your brow furrowed, “Hey!”
“Am I wrong?” He picked up his mug and took a sip. “Or perhaps you’re trying out a new look? Sorry but I don’t think it suits you sweetie.”
Nevermind, he wasn’t intimidating at all, he was a dick. You huffed, “I slept just fine, thank you.” You weren’t even sure why you were lying, you just hated how smug he looked.
“Oh I see,” His lips curled upwards, “So you don’t want to go buy a new bed today?”
You faltered, “Well–”
“Yes. She. Does.” You turned to see Rafayel stomping down the stairs. “I could hear that thing creaking all night, I’m surprised I didn’t go deaf.”
You winced, “It was that bad?”
He gave you an incredulous look, “Uh, yeah, it was that bad. It sounded like you were strangling seagulls all night long.” He walked up to you, “We’re going shopping, right now.”
You blinked, “I haven’t even had breakfast yet, or coffee.”
Rafayel scrunched his nose and waved you off, “We’ll go out to eat, but I can’t relax until I know that bed has been replaced and burned.”
You shifted on your feet, “Well, Caleb said–”
“We don’t need to wait for them to return.” Sylus was already pouring his coffee into a travel mug.
You paused, “Return? Them? Who?”
“Caleb and Valko left for a morning jog earlier.” Zayne explained. “I can let them know where you went.”
“You’re not coming?” Sylus turned.
“You are?” The words came out before you could stop them.
Sylus chuckled, “Like I said, I have errands to run so I’ll be out anyways.”
“Don’t worry,” Rafayel nudged you with a wink, “Sylus has good taste.”
You worried that ‘good’ taste actually translated to ‘expensive’ taste…
“I have more work to get done, I won’t be able to join you.” Zayne explained.
Rafayel’s brows pinched together, “It’s a Saturday, and classes haven’t even started yet, how do you have work to do?”
“Some of us do more than the bare minimum in our courses.” Zayne replied cooly.
“Some of us like to have lives. You should try it some time.” Rafayel retorted.
Zayne sent a cold glare over his glasses, but Sylus spoke first, “Easy now, let’s play nice. Zayne you’re coming.”
“Am I now?” Zayne raised a dark brow.
“Yes.” Sylus smirked, “I appreciate your input when selecting practical furniture.”
Rafayel scoffed, “I can be practical.”
“Stylish, sure, but practical?” Sylus clicked his tongue, “We have limited space to work with.”
You blinked and stepped up, “Uh, I can pick my own furniture.”
Sylus’s gaze flicked towards you, amused, “But can you pay for all of it sweetie?”
“What? Yeah that’s what I was planning on.” Your brow furrowed, annoyed at his presumption, “I mean I was planning to check out somewhere second hand, maybe Ikea if there’s a good deal–”
Rafayel made a gagging sound, “No, see this is why we’re coming with you.”
“Zayne?” Sylus tilted his head, expectant. “You can finish that later.”
Zayne pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing this was a losing battle, “Fine.”
About 45 minutes later, you were in the backseat of Zayne’s car after finishing breakfast with the three men. Rafayel sat next to you while Sylus sat in the passenger seat.
“So,” Rafayel tilted his head towards you, “bare minimum you need a new bedframe, a mattress, a desk probably, a chair, side tables, a dresser, a new closet, pillows, a throw rug–”
“Woah slow down, that’s a bit more than the bare minimum don’t you think?” You laughed a bit awkwardly. “I wasn’t planning on getting too much.”
“You want to keep living like a stray?” Sylus chuckled to himself. “You may not have noticed but we have a certain standard of living we like to maintain.”
“Don’t worry we’ll find things you like.” Rafayel nudged your arm, “Or are you more particular?”
“Not really,” You shrugged, did they really care that much about what furniture you bought?, “I’m staying all the way in the attic though, it’s not like anyone else will see.”
“You should still have a comfortable living space.” Zayne added, pulling into the parking lot of a store you didn’t recognize.
“We’ll start here, if you don’t like anything we can try somewhere else.” Zayne put the car in park and the four of you stepped outside.
The moment you entered the store, you knew this was not a place meant for you. The furniture itself was fine, great even, certainly nicer than anything you’d ever owned before. It was also way more expensive than you could afford. Perhaps if you were looking for just one piece, but a whole bedroom furniture set? You had lived a comfortable life, Gran had an excellent pension and always made sure you never had to stress about money, but this place was clearly not meant for students on a budget.
“What’s wrong? You don’t see anything you like?” Rafayel looked around, “That bedframe looks nice, I think it’s mahogany too. Oh! And it comes with matching side tables and drawers, that’s cute.”
“It’s a solid frame, it won’t fit up the stairs.” Zayne pointed to a different set with a plush, upholstered bedframe, “This might be more comfortable, and it comes in a variety of colours.”
You expected Zayne at least to be a bit more down to earth, but his parents were doctors, perhaps he was used to this life after all. “Uh…”
Sylus was eyeing a dark leather set, sleek and modern, “It might not suit the rustic aesthetic of the attic, but you could make some adjustments if you wanted to.”
You clasped your hands together, “Wow this is great guys, but–”
“Is it too simple?” Rafayel tapped his finger on his chin, “I thought so.”
“What? No it’s–”
“If you want something different you just need to say so, sweetie.” Sylus folded his arms together.
“I’m trying to!” You rounded on him, “What are we doing here?! I can’t afford any of this!”
The men glanced between one another, then back at you. Rafayel smiled, “We know, that’s why we’re here, silly.”
You blinked, “Huh?”
Sylus chuckled, “Not all of us are living on a student budget. Go on, pick what you like, don’t worry about the price tag.”
You balked, “What the– No way that’s way too much, I– I can’t accept that!”
“If you don’t choose something yourself I fear it will be chosen for you.” Zayne adjusted his glasses, “Don’t worry, if it was an issue we wouldn’t be here.”
You stared, not quite believing them, “So… you can afford to shop in a place like this for someone you just met… but you live with roommates?”
“Perhaps I enjoy the company.” Sylus shrugged. “Besides, the added furniture is an investment for the house.”
You narrowed your gaze at him, "Business school made you that successful after one year? What kind of business do you do?”
“I have a variety of interests, some have been more profitable than others.” He gave you an amused look, “Go on, sweetie, we don’t have all day.”
You were still suspicious of the sudden generosity, but eventually caved and began picking out pieces you liked. At one point you sidled up to Zayne as the other two looked around a different part of the store, surely he would understand that this was a ridiculous situation, right?
“Zayne, are you really sure this is okay? I mean I was prepared to get my own furniture…” You kept your voice low so the others didn’t hear. “I feel… weird just accepting this.”
“I said before, Sylus and Rafayel in particular have certain tastes they refuse to give up.” His lips turned up ever so slightly, “You’ll get used to it.”
“What?” You turned around to double check they were out of ear shot, “Did they buy all of your furniture too?”
“No, I bought my own.” He said, “Though at that time circumstances were different.”
“So does the house belong to Sylus?”
“No, the house is in Xavier’s name. His family owns quite a bit of property in the city.” Zayne smoothed his hand over a throw pillow, he offered it up for your approval. “That’s why we don’t need to pay rent.”
Your eyes widened, “Wait, you don’t? We don’t?” You had meant to ask about rent at some point, or you assumed someone would bring it up… “Is everyone in this house just loaded?”
Zayne set down the pillow when you didn’t show interest in it. “If you must know, Xavier’s part of the Shen family–”
Your jaw dropped, “Wait, you said his family owns some property– you didn’t say they were the biggest real estate mogul in the country!”
“As far as I know, he doesn’t like to associate with them very much.” Zayne picked up a different pillow, “Rafayel’s family works in the art and entertainment industry, his aunt is quite famous. Valko’s family owns a tech company, from the sounds of it they’re expecting him to run it someday. Sylus has been working on his own business for a while now, and it seems to be taking off quite well, though he is very private about it. Do you like this colour?”
You looked down at the pillow, still in shock, “Uh yeah that’s nice.” You shook your head, “So, are you, me and Caleb the only normal ones here?”
Zayne huffed a laugh through his nose, “If by ‘normal’ you mean we don’t come from excessive wealth, then yes I suppose so.”
“It’s not polite to gossip behind other’s backs,” Sylus tutted from behind you. “I expected better from you Zayne.”
“She asked, and I replied honestly.” Zayne said simply.
“Are you still worrying about that stuff, cutie?” Rafayel crossed his arms, “Come on, we’re going through here again and this time you’re going to pick the things you actually want.”
By noon, you were leaving the store with a ridiculously large order of furniture and decor set to be delivered by the afternoon. Your head was still spinning with how little the others seemed to care about the price, but they had insisted. You couldn’t deny, it took off a tremendous amount of stress knowing you didn’t have to worry about rent or any additional bills. It still seemed odd that they would all choose to live with roommates when they clearly didn’t need to, but perhaps they did simply enjoy one another’s company.
When the four of you returned home, Caleb, Valko and Xavier were sitting eating lunch together.
“There you are, I was wondering where you disappeared to.” Caleb tilted his head, his smile was a bit stiff, “So, where were you?”
“Relax warden, we took her to get furniture.” Sylus replied.
Caleb’s brows pinched together, “Already? But–”
“You were gone, and it was an emergency.” Rafayel peeked at what they were eating. His expression morphed from curiosity into betrayal. “What the fuck– you made crab rolls without me?!” He lunged for a roll on the plate closest to him: Valko’s.
Valko intercepted, yanking his food out of reach, “Hey get your own!” He all but barked.
“There’s more on the counter Raf,” Xavier pointed to the stack of sandwiches, “There’s enough for everyone.”
“Oh.” Rafayel composed himself. “Why didn’t you say so?”
Sure enough, that afternoon all your furniture was delivered, and by the evening the attic was unrecognizable. As apprehensive as you were about accepting their generosity, you couldn’t deny how great it felt to see the newly transformed space.
“There, now you’re properly moved in.” Caleb put his hands on his hips after moving the last dresser into place.
Rafayel took a running leap and flopped onto your new bed, not a single creak to be heard. “Ahhh much better, now I can actually sleep tonight.”
“So that’s why you wanted to go shopping so bad.” Valko laughed. “Not out of the goodness of your heart?”
“This was for the greater good.” Rafayel pointed a finger, “For everyone.”
“Because you’re grumpier than Xavier when you don’t get enough sleep?” Caleb began placing your books on the shelves.
Xavier crossed his arms. “I’m not that grumpy…”
You picked up one of your bags and brought it to the closet, “Thanks again for helping me get set up, you’ve all been a huge help and more than generous.”
“A friend of Caleb’s is a friend of ours,” Valko hooked an arm around Caleb’s shoulders with a bright smile. “Besides, it’s nice having some new life around here.”
“Where do you want this to go?” Xavier reached for a bag and began undoing the zipper.
Your blood went cold and you leapt to grab it out of his hands before he opened it, “That’s okay I got it from here!” You clutched it to your chest. It was full of clothes, more specifically, it was where you stuffed all your underwear.
He blinked, a bit surprised, “Are you sure?”
“Yes– really– you’ve already done enough.” You stammered.
Caleb laughed to himself, did he already know what you were hiding? “Alright, alright come on, let’s get out of here. See you tomorrow, pips.”
Silly college AU: Due to an administration error, the dorm you thought you had reserved is no longer available. You are stuck hunting for a place to stay near campus at the last minute, but thankfully, Caleb offers you the spare room at the place he shares with his roommates. Things get a bit complicated however when you start catching feelings for more than one of them… Maybe they also start having feelings for each other WHAT WHO SAID THAT
Between the seven of you, it took the rest of the afternoon to move Rafayel's supplies into the study and your things upstairs. Going up and down the stairs so many times today had you questioning whether this was truly worth it, but it was too late to reconsider.
It was a large space, though the ceiling slanted at a steep angle which made it feel smaller. Two large, circular windows were positioned at the far ends of the room, and there was one window pointed towards the front of the house that jutted out slightly, creating a small alcove with a bench seat. The room itself was nice, but unfortunately there was very little furniture. A spare twin bed and a small side table were the only pieces to fill the space. Your bags were all stacked in the middle of the room in a lonely pile with nowhere to put anything. You were definitely going to have to go shopping for furniture later…
“Well this is… cozy.” Valko put his hands on his hips as he scanned over the empty room.
Rafayel grimaced, “Are you sure you want to sleep here? Honestly the couch might be more comfortable.”
“It is a pretty cozy couch.” Xavier admitted. “And it’s not as dark in the living room…”
“We’ll go furniture shopping as soon as we can.” Caleb assured you, “But if you feel uncomfortable staying in here tonight we can figure something else out.”
You shook your head, “No, I’ll be fine. After all, it’s already an upgrade from any of the dorms I would have gotten anyway. Plus I can’t exactly complain when the other option is sleeping in the street.”
“Very ‘glass half full’ aren’t you?” Sylus chuckled to himself. “I would have made someone else give up their bed for the night.”
Zayne sighed, “This state is only temporary. In any case, we need to set up a schedule for dinners.”
“What kind of schedule do you usually follow?” You asked as everyone began filing out of the room and headed back downstairs.
“We rotate every week who is in charge of the shopping, cooking and cleaning.” Zayne explained. “It is easier than everyone trying to make different things in the kitchen all at once.”
“Since Zayne already did the shopping, I can cook tonight.” Xavier offered.
The reaction from everyone was immediate.
“That won’t be neccesary–” Zayne began.
“I think it’s my turn anyway, isn’t it?” Caleb added.
“You ruined the expensive pans I bought last year.” Sylus grumbled.
“I didn’t think it was that bad?” Valko shrugged.
Xavier frowned. “Hey, I know how to cook.”
“Nuh-uh, you’re still banned from the kitchen.” Rafayel looked back towards you and held up a hand in a mock stage whisper, “Xavier nearly burned down the house last year… and gave us all food poisoning… and has no idea how to use seasoning. So he’s not allowed to cook anymore.”
“How am I supposed to improve if you don’t let me try?” Xavier pouted.
“Unfortunately your cooking is a risk to everyone else’s health and safety.” Zayne sighed.
You pursed your lips, it was hard not to take pity on those big blue eyes. “I can cook with you,” you offered, “I want to say thank you for letting me stay here after all.”
Caleb nearly tripped down the stairs, “You don’t have to–”
“You’re basically a guest still–” Rafayel stammered.
“That would be great, thank you.” Xavier stepped in time with you, a soft smile on his lips. “Let’s go decide what to make.”
You missed the satisfied look Xavier shot over his shoulder as he led you back into the kitchen, leaving the other men behind.
Valko stuffed his hands in his pockets, “I guess I’ll do the dishes after.”
As soon as the pair had disappeared into the kitchen, Zayne turned on Caleb, “Why didn’t you say she was coming over before?”
Caleb shrugged, dismissive, “I hadn’t planned on it initially but I wasn’t going to leave her waiting with nowhere to go.”
“You could have given me a warning.” Zayne kept his voice low.
“A warning?” Caleb raised his brows, “Warning for what? So you could prepare to be awkward around her in advance?”
Zayne scowled, “You know what I mean.”
“I don’t think I do.” Caleb said sarcastically, “Why don’t you tell me?”
“Soooo anyways,” Rafayel gestured to Caleb, breaking the tension. “What’s the deal with you two? You kinda treat her like a little sister.”
“So what is she to you?” Sylus examined his fingernails idly, “You’re quite protective of her it seems, but you’re not dating.”
“Obviously I care about her,” Caleb rolled his eyes, “And I know how you guys are.”
Four sets of brows furrowed in unison.
“Hey what’s that supposed to mean?” Valko’s shoulders dropped slightly, “I thought we were cool?”
Caleb winced, “No I just– I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable in a house with a bunch of guys.”
“Right, right.” Valko put his hands on his hips. “So uh, any bets on how long it’ll take before the kitchen burns down?”
Based on the reactions from the others, you expected Xavier to be entirely hopeless in the kitchen, but so far he wasn’t doing too bad. Well, he picked out a stir fry recipe and began pulling out ingredients, so, no emergencies yet.
“I’m really grateful you guys are all cool with me staying over,” You pulled out a cutting board and began prepping ingredients, “I know it might be a bit weird for me to just jump in when you all have your own routines.”
“I don’t mind at all.” Xavier pulled out a second cutting board and joined you at the counter. “Sometimes it’s good to shake up routines.”
He seemed so sincere, you couldn’t help but smile to yourself. “So, how do you guys sort out all the other chores?”
“Well, cooking, dishes, and grocery shopping are the big ones.” Xavier handled the kitchen knife well, he chopped the veggies with quick, precise movements. What were the other guys talking about? It looks like he does this for a living. “For cleaning, we each take care of the floor we sleep on, and split the main floor at the end of the week. It hasn’t been an issue so far.”
“Okay, good to know.” You nodded, “What about the garden?”
“I actually tend to it most of the time.” He shrugged. “Sometimes the others help to water or weed, but I enjoy taking care of the plants.”
You gestured to the potted plants around the kitchen, “Are these yours too? They look like they’re doing really well.”
He nodded, “Yes, do you like gardening?”
“I keep a few plants here and there but I’m no expert.” You pulled out a pan to start frying.
“I can show you sometime, if you like.” Xavier flicked on the element and brought some of the ingredients over. “I have some flowers that would look lovely in your window sill.”
“Really?” You blinked up at him, “I don’t want to ruin your garden–”
“It’s not ruined if they’re offered as a gift,” He caught your gaze. Somehow, despite how extraordinarily blue his irises were, they didn’t feel cold or intense. His eyes were soft, welcoming, and crinkled ever so slightly as he smiled, “Besides, your room could use some life in it.”
You laughed, “Okay you’re right about that, it’s pretty barren right now.”
“Do you– oh no.” he paused, and it only took you a half second to catch up.
“Shit– turn off the heat!” You had been so caught up in your conversation you hadn’t been paying attention to the items now beginning to turn shrivel in the bottom of the pan. “What happened? That should have been a low heat!”
Xavier scratched the back of his neck bashfully, “Oh, um…”
You shook your head, but still offered him a smile, “You’re a bit impatient, huh?”
“What do you mean?” He pouted slightly, but was already pulling more ingredients out to replace what was lost. “I do a lot of things that require patience.”
You scraped out the burnt food and replaced it with the fresh items Xavier had prepared, double checking the temperature this time. Thankfully, only a small amount had burned initially so it wasn’t a complete waste. “But not when it comes to food I take it?”
He shrugged, “I like to eat. Cooking takes too long when I’m already hungry.”
You laughed at his honesty, “So the others were right to ban you from cooking alone?”
He hummed, thinking for a moment, “Maybe, but… that means you’ll just have to cook with me from now on.”
“Yeah?” You elbowed him lightly, “Alright you teach me how to keep my plants from dying and I’ll teach you how to cook without needing a fire extinguisher nearby.”
He grinned at that, “Deal.”
You stirred the contents of the pan around and reached for some sauce to mix in, “So, you said earlier that Caleb talked about me?”
Xavier nodded, “Nothing bad, he always speaks highly of you.”
“But… you said he made you think I was younger than I actually am.” You looked over your shoulder to ensure the hallway was empty, “I guess it just bothered me a bit because I feel like he always acts like I need help. I’m an adult now and I’ve managed just fine on my own after he first left for college, I’m not a helpless kid…” You glanced at Xavier, “Sorry I didn’t mean to start dumping all that on you–”
“No, no it’s okay, dump away.” He kept chopping the vegetables, making them into smaller and smaller chunks.
“Thanks– uh, I think that’s enough chopping,” You gently pulled the cutting board away, “You’re going to turn it into mush soon.”
“Oh.” He paused, “Sorry I got carried away.”
“That’s okay,” You chuckled, “You’re smart with science and stuff right? Think of cooking like chemistry.”
“Chemistry is easier. The rules are clear.” He frowned, watching you season the dish, “Cooking is all just made up.”
“Okay, so rely on your nose– or better yet, your tastebuds,” You scooped a small bite with a fork and blew lightly to cool it down before offering it to Xavier, “Here, what do you think of this?”
He blinked, looking between you and the fork. You expected him to take the fork, but instead he leaned down with his mouth and took the bite as you held it. You held back a shiver at his sudden closeness as his lips closed around the utensil, mere inches from your hand. Then you scolded yourself inwardly; don’t make it weird, you offered the food. He’s not thinking any more in depth about it, so you shouldn’t either. He just so happens to be a very attractive man practically eating out of your hand. That’s all. You cringed inwardly again; you can’t think like that when you barely know the guy!
“That’s delicious.” Xavier snapped you out of your spiralling thoughts. “You did a great job.”
Your cheeks warmed slightly, “It’s nothing really, besides, you helped.”
He shook his head, the corners of his mouth turned upwards, “You and I both know I didn’t do much.” He stepped a bit closer, nearly touching. You tensed, why was he getting so close?! He leaned over the pan and breathed deeply through his nose. Oh, that’s why. “I think I’m starting to see what you mean though. I just have a hard time knowing what spices and seasonings to combine to make it taste like this.”
You relaxed. “A lot of it is just practice, you start to understand how things go together the more you do it.”
He looked towards you, “Good thing I have a great teacher now.”
You turned your gaze back to the pan, hoping the warmth on your cheeks wasn’t noticeable. “Well, in any case this is just about done, so–”
“Heya how’s it going in here?” Valko strode into the kitchen, “Woah that actually smells pretty good.” In a few steps he was leaning over the stove right beside you, breathing in the meal. “Nice work newbie!” He clapped a hand on your shoulder and gave you a light shake. Wow, his hands are big.
“Thanks, Xavier helped too–”
“Mmmm,” Valko pulled back, his mouth twisting into a smirk, “I think you did 99% of the work and he stood there looking pretty.”
Xavier’s brow furrowed, “I was learning.”
“Sure, sure,” Valko reached into the cabinet and pulled out plates to set the table. As he stepped up to the table he turned and yelled, “Hey, food’s up! Get in here!”
As the rest of the men filtered into the room, you noted their suspicion morph into pleasant surprise once they saw the dish on the table. Clearly they had low expectations for Xavier, but you did feel a small sense of pride knowing they were happy about the food you made.
“Nice work pipsqueak, looks like my cooking skills rubbed off on you after all.” Caleb winked at you and pulled out a chair next to him.
“Hey, I can cook just fine.” You huffed, but sat beside him anyways.
He raised a brow, “Then why do you always ask me to do the cooking when I come to visit?”
“Well… because it tastes better when someone else does it.”
“Mmhmm, riiight.”
The round table managed to sit everyone comfortably, even after adding an extra chair for you to join. Xavier sat on your other side, then Zayne beside him, Sylus was across from you, Rafayel on his other side, and then Valko.
As everyone began eating, you gestured across the table to Sylus and Valko, “So Rafayel and Xavier told me what they’re taking, I already know that Zayne’s in med school and Caleb’s studying aerospace engineering, but what are you two studying?”
“Biomedical engineering,” Valko answered around a mouthful of food, “Got some pretty cool stuff going on in our lab, you should come see it sometime.”
“Swallow your food before you speak,” Zayne chastised, earning an eyeroll from the other man.
“You’re not my mom.” Valko grumbled, after shoving even more food in his mouth. “I’m just eating.”
“Zayne’s right. It’s disgusting.” Sylus drawled, “And poor manners in front of a guest.”
Valko gestured to you, “She’s not a guest anymore, she’s a new addition!” He finally swallowed and turned to you, “Do you think it’s gross?”
You hesitated, “Um… well…”
“Don’t be afraid to tell him what you really think.” Sylus sipped his drink, “He’s all bark, no bite.”
“It’s a bit much, Val.” Caleb admitted, saving you from having to get in the middle of it.
Valko slumped back in his chair, “Okay, okay, whatever.”
Sylus sighed, “In any case, to answer your question, I’m returning to study computer programming and mechanical engineering.”
“Returning?” You tilted your head, “What did you take before?”
“I already have a degree in business.” He explained. “But I had other interests I wanted to pursue.”
“What’s your schedule like by the way?” Rafayel put his elbows on the table, drawing your attention away from Sylus, “We usually carpool to campus whenever our class times line up.”
You ran through the start times of your new schedule in your head, “Monday, Wednesday and Friday I start at 9am, then Tuesdays and Thursdays I start at 11am.”
“Nice, that matches with us.” Caleb gestured between him, Valko and Zayne. “At least Monday, Wednesday, Friday does.”
“Aaaand you can ride in with us on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” Rafayel nodded to Sylus and Xavier. “Personally, I never schedule a class earlier than 11 if I can help it.”
“You hardly attend your classes anyways.” Zayne muttered.
Rafayel blew a raspberry at him, “Puh-lease, they can’t teach me anything I don’t already know. I just need the credit.”
“Very mature.” Zayne rolled his eyes.
“Do you have all your supplies for class?” Xavier interrupted before an argument could start.
“I think so, I have to double check if I’m missing any textbooks.”
“You’re not, I made sure.” Caleb said matter-of-factly. “What? I was there when you signed up for your classes.”
The rest of dinner passed without any drama, and afterwards you excused yourself to head back to your new room. You tried to organize some of your things, but without a closet, dresser, or any storage for that matter, your efforts were short lived. It was Saturday tomorrow, so maybe you could go grab some basic furniture before your schedule got too busy. You sat down on the bed, wincing as the springs in the mattress creaked. New mattress too. Great. You sighed, beggars can’t be choosers, and other than your lack of furniture, it was a pretty great location.
You heard the steps as they approached the door, then a light knock came from the other side. You sat up from the bed, “Come in!”
Caleb poked his head through the door and stepped inside, “Heya pipsqueak, I just wanted to check in with you.” He looked around the bare room, “Look, what if I sleep on the couch and you take my bed? It’ll be more comfortable–”
“Caleb, I’m fine, really.” You assured him. “Besides, I like an excuse to go shopping.”
He laughed and shook his head, “Alright, alright, how about we go tomorrow?”
“Sounds good to me.” You grinned, “Y’know I don’t know what you were so nervous about, everyone seems really nice.”
“Yeah, they have their moments.” He rubbed the back of his neck, “Seriously though, if anyone bothers you, you tell me right away, okay?”
You swatted at him, “Yeah, yeah, I know. They all seem like nice guys though.”
“They are.” he admitted, “As much as we all bicker, I can’t deny they’re kinda fun to be around.”
“Well, thanks for letting me join you.” You smiled up at him, “I really appreciate you going out of your way for me.”
He wrinkled his brow, as if you just thanked him for breathing, “Of course, I’m always here for you. I’d never leave you hanging pips.” He took one last look around the room. “You sure you’re good up here? Offer still stands, I have a bedframe and a duvet cover and everything.”
You laughed and shoved him lightly, “I told you, I’ll be fine for one night.”
“Alright, alright,” he walked back to the door, “Goodnight, have a good sleep.”
18+ mdni | mean brat tamer xavier for my wife @starkissedxav mueheheeh
TW. degradation, kinda petplay? he makes u bark, swearing, piv, face fucking, oral (m rec), creampie
“what should we do for dinner?”
you were spread across the couch, twisted into a position xavier swore couldn’t be comfortable as you mindlessly scrolled through your phone. the two of you finally had a consecutive day off, so a vast majority of it was spent sleeping, eating, or doing absolutely nothing.
he hummed from his spot in the kitchen, peering into the fridge before deciding to make the most of the remainder of the night.
“why don’t i cook for us? i’ve been seeing lots of good recipes on—”
xavier was cut off by an obnoxious snort, your sudden loud laughter filling the room. “what’s so funny?” he questioned, walking towards you with an inquisitive look on his face.
you threw your phone onto the ground, eyes trailing up his lithe figure before landing on his face. a smug, teasing grin formed on your lips as you spoke. “no offence xav, but you’re not exactly the best cook. i’ve seen you fuck up boiling water”
xavier’s ears flushed a bright red as he pouted, pink lips pursed as he tried to justify his skills or lack thereof. “boiling water’s unpredictable, how was i supposed to know it could get that…bubbly”.
you bit your lip in a poor attempt to conceal your amusement, nodding sternly to show your faux support. “oh i’m sure it is mr lightseeker…why don’t we do hotpot again? i doubt you could fuck that one up”
xavier’s eyes widened, the usual puppy-dog look being replaced with a dark gleam. he stepped closer, looming over your tangled position on the couch until his shadow completely covered you.
“you really love running that mouth, don't you?" he whispered, clicking his tongue as his blue eyes locked onto yours with absolute authority. "off the couch. now."
the sudden shift in his voice made your heart do a violent flip. your smirk instantly vanished as you scrambled to sit up properly, suddenly feeling very small under his gaze.
“w-wait” you stammered, holding your hands up as you tried to backtrack. "didn't mean it like that, i was just—"
a soft, breathy laugh cut you off, but there was no warmth in it. xavier didn't budge, his dark eyes tracking the frantic movement of your lips.
“three” he said calmly, taking a slow step until his knees were brushing against the edge of the cushions. your breath hitched.
“cmon xav, seriously i didn’t—”
he shook his head like he was genuinely shocked at your audacity, a pitiful gaze on his otherwise apathetic face. “two."
your heart raced as his presence seemed to fill the room completely, so overwhelming it made it hard to breathe. realizing there was no point in fighting back, you quickly scrambled to kneel on the floor, the sound of your knees hitting the tile making him smirk as he took a seat in front of you.
“aww, i was hoping to show you what happened when we got to one. why’d you have to start behaving now?”
a finger lifted your chin to look at him, your soft and gentle boyfriend replaced by the wicked sadist that only came out when he was with you.
you kept your fists tight on your thighs, lips shut until he gave you permission to speak. “such an obedient bitch when you wanna be, makes me think i’m not strict enough when you act up.”
tremors wracked through your body as he degraded you, your brain coming up with a million ways this could go—each making you more excited than the last. a shaky breath left your lips as you tried to calm yourself, your obvious excitement making him laugh.
“god, you’re fucking sick huh? make me feel so bad when you’re crying for me, but you like this shit too don’t you?”
you nodded your head rapidly, hoping he’d let you show how sorry you were. he hummed before pushing you back with a finger on your forehead, sending you to the other side of the room with a flick of his head before instructing you further.
“crawl to me.”
you hesitated to get on all fours, equal parts shame and arousal flooding your nervous system. you opened your mouth to speak but were reminded of your place as he quirked a brow. a whimper sounded from your throat as you slowly made your way to him, knees sore from pressing onto the hardwood floor.
“speak.”
embarrassment had tears brimming your eyes before you let out several soft barks in succession. if it were anyone else, you’d kick their ass.
but this was xavier, and even now, you felt safe. yes—he held the power, but you had the control to end this any time you wanted. it took time to build enough trust to ensure you were comfortable setting limits, but xavier knew you’d stop him if it were too much. the fact you didn’t meant he could push you further.
“still hungry puppy?” his husky voice spoke, your eyes flicking from his eyes to his lips to the hand palming his now prominent bulge.
you nodded and brought your fists in front of you in a begging manner, showing him how docile you had become. he chuckled before unbuckling his belt, the familiar sound of metal clicking making your cunt gush.
xavier barely pulled his jeans down, lowering them just enough to expose his boxers with a damp spot on them. he shivered as he began to stroke himself in front of you, drool pooling in your mouth at the sight.
“spread your legs. wanna see how bad you want it.”
any sort of shame had left you by now, immediately leaning back to discard your pants and spread your pussy lips, strings of slick between them concrete evidence of how much you loved when he took charge.
he groaned and threw his head back, adam’s apple bobbing as he applied pressure onto his twitching length. you pressed your thighs together in hopes to alleviate the heat building between them but were quick to separate them when he lifted his head and glared at you with furrowed brows.
“did i fuckin’ say you could do that? god, you just never learn huh?”
your figure trembled before him as he pulled his length from the confines of his boxers, grabbing you by the hair and bringing you below it, slapping his cock onto your cheeks.
you whined at his ministrations but made no move to stop him, the heat of his heavy length against your skin only further arousing you. “should i let you get it wet before i fuck you? or do you want it to hurt?”
you stuck your tongue out in response, a string of drool immediately falling from the muscle as you stared at the bead of precum running down his flushed length. xavier bit his lip to stop the whines that threatened to fall from them, choosing to distract you from how needy he felt by shoving his cock down your throat and bucking his hips to make you gag.
“let me see you can take it, puppy”
you hummed in response, trying to relax your throat and breathe through your nose as he buried himself in the tight muscles of your throat. he threw his head back once more to avoid finishing to early, the sight of you choking on his length too easily pushing him over the edge.
spit bubbled at the sides of your mouth as he continued to fuck himself into your mouth, loudly groaning when your nose tickled the hairs at the base of his cock. you felt his length twitch in your throat before he quickly pulled you off him, pumping his length slowly before signalling for you to get on top of him.
“fuck, so fucking good for me” he moaned, pressing his lips against yours in a harsh kiss. the taste of him on your tongue had him groaning, fingers circling your slick hole before lining his cock with your entrance and shoving himself into you.
“xav, t-too much” you finally spoke, raspy voice turning into a moan as he sucked at the pulse point at the base of your neck and circled your clit. he kissed up the column of your throat before looking at you with pure adoration, the sight of you falling apart because of him making his heart burst with love.
“i know starlight, but you take it so good, don’t you?”
you nodded before starting to bounce on him, thighs already feeling a burn as you desperately chased your release. xavier leaned back and stared at your movements, already nearing his climax again.
“so close angel, need you to finish first for me”
his thumb grazed the sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex of your cunt, your walls tightening automatically as he stimulated your most sensitive spots. you nodded eagerly before your release unexpectedly washed over you, triggering xavier’s orgasm as well.
spurts of cum filled you up, leaking out after it reached your hilt. xavier’s lips trailed across your shoulder, pressing gentle kisses on your sweaty skin before finally pulling back and brushing your hair from your face.
“shower then hotpot?” he whispered, voice once again soft and kind. you nodded, knowing that you guys were gonna go for a round two in the shower and end up just ordering in.
I was gonna wait for the day we get him back. But I feel burnt out and in need of a cheering up, so I'm posting it now.
It had been a few weeks since that text from Valko.
You had tried to call him back, tried to text him again and again, but all you got in return was the cold message that the number did not exist. You had tried to contact his cousins too, only to find that their numbers no longer existed either. Then you spent days searching the web for anything. Any trace, any record, any explanation, but came up with nothing. It was as if EonCore Corp had suddenly been erased from existence, leaving behind no footprint, no evidence, no proof that any of it had ever been real.
Only that final text from Valko remained, along with the encrypted files he had sent.
Sometimes you caught yourself rereading his message just to reassure yourself that he had been real at all. That you had not imagined the giant nerdy werewolf who had barged into your life, lectured you about spiders and melted into a puddle every time you scratched behind his ears.
But you refused to lose hope.
You found a moon-shaped outdoor lamp and placed it on your balcony, where it stayed lit every hour of every day. He had asked you to keep the light on for him, and that was exactly what you intended to do.
You were living on autopilot now. You worked from home during the day, and in the evenings you kept searching the web for answers, trying to find an explanation of what had happened to him. Since Valko had worried about you staying cooped up in your apartment, you had also developed a habit of taking an hour-long walk in the nearby park each day.
No matter the weather, you went there.
Sometimes you listened to music. Most days, though, you simply walked beneath the trees in silence, hoping against all reason that one day you would catch sight of your giant boyfriend’s figure ahead of you.
Until then, you kept walking.
And every night, when you returned home, the little moon lamp was still there on the balcony, quietly lighting the way.
Just in case Valko came back.
Eventually, you lost track of time. The rigid routine of your days blurred together until they all felt the same. You were returning from your walk one evening and as usual, your gaze lifted toward your balcony, expecting to see the now-familiar glow of the moon lamp.
But your balcony was dark.
Your heart lurched.
For one stunned second you stood frozen on the sidewalk, staring up at the empty darkness where the light should have been.
Then you ran.
You practically barged through the building doors, not even waiting for the elevator. Instead, you sprinted up the stairs, your breath coming fast, your heart hammering in your ears, one thought repeating over and over in your head.
The light must stay on.
You fumbled with your keys as you unlocked the door to your apartment. Barely managing to close it behind you, you rushed straight to the balcony and switched on the lamp.
You bent forward with your hands on your knees, dragging in slow, shaky breaths and trying to calm down your heartbeat. For several long minutes, you stood there in silence, just breathing.
Then, still trembling, you made your way to the bedroom. You did not notice that the door was slightly ajar. You did not turn on the lights either. Too tired, too shaken you simply padded over to the wardrobe to grab a change of clothes.
A sudden noise from the bed made you freeze.
You turned slowly, squinting into the darkness.
And then you saw it.
A giant shadow on your bed.
For one horrible second your mind went completely blank. The only reason you did not scream was because your throat locked so tightly that not a single sound could escape. All coherent thought vanished. Your brain began conjuring every monster, ghost, murderer and nightmare creature you had ever seen in a horror movie, each one worse than the last, until the room itself seemed to shrink around you.
You stood there, unable to move, unable to breathe properly, staring at the enormous shape on your bed and wondering what exactly had found its way into your apartment.
The shadow on your bed moved.
You reacted instantly, lunging for the door. With your eyes squeezed shut, you fumbled for the light switch and slammed it on, hoping the sudden brightness would blind whatever was in your room long enough for you to escape.
The moment the lights came on, you heard a sharp curse behind you, followed by a loud thud, as if something had fallen straight onto the floor.
Your first instinct was to run. Your second was to freeze, because your brain finally caught up to the voice.
It was familiar. Very familiar.
Slowly, cautiously, you turned around and fixed your gaze on the squirming, muttering pile of sheets and blankets lying near your bed. For a second, all you could see was a mess of fabric twisting and shifting. Then a familiar head finally emerged from the chaos. Crimson hair stuck out in every direction, one ear was completely flattened against his head, and the other twitched furiously.
“Val?..” you asked carefully.
The head immediately snapped toward you, amber eyes locking onto yours.
“Hi?..” Valko answered with an awkward, sheepish smile.
For one long, stunned moment, your brain refused to cooperate. It was still scrambling to make sense of the scene in front of you.
Somehow, Valko had managed to untangle himself from the blankets, and now he was sitting on the floor in the middle of the heap, looking far too large and far too embarrassed. His ears twitched once, then twice, while his tail thumped softly against the floor behind him.
He looked less like a terrifying intruder and more like a very guilty puppy who had been caught doing something incredibly stupid.
“I... err...” Valko rubbed the back of his neck, clearly struggling to find the right words. “I underestimated how much I missed you.”
You raised your brows, your brain still refusing to fully process what was happening.
“And?”
You could practically see the red spreading across his face and neck.
“Well,” he said, looking anywhere but at you, “I came here, but you were gone. I wanted to track you down, but...” Valko trailed off and lowered his gaze. “The whole apartment smelled like you, and I...” His face was now almost the same color as his hair.
You looked at him. Then at the pile of blankets. Then back at him.
It finally clicked in your mind.
“Did you roll around on my bed, because you missed my scent?” you asked, amusement creeping into your voice.
The quiet, miserable whine that came from him was answer enough.
Then you burst out laughing. Valko groaned and dropped his face into his hands, his ears flattening even further.
Still giggling, you finally walked over to him and crouched down in front of him. Reaching up, you gently scratched behind both of his ears.
Valko let out another small, utterly pathetic whine before wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, taking one long, shaky breath. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with your familiar scent. Only then did his entire body finally relax. The tension melted out of his shoulders. His ears slowly perked back up beneath your fingers, and you felt his tail give a slow contented thump against the floor before curling around the two of you.
You hugged him just as tightly, resting your cheek against his hair as the fear, worry, and loneliness of the past few weeks finally drained from your own body.
Neither of you said anything for a long moment. There was nothing that needed saying.
He was here.
He was safe.
He had come home.
You smiled softly and tightened your embrace just a little.
you haven’t crossed that final line yet. not really. not fully.
but one soft kiss turns into another, and another, and somehow you’re in his lap, straddling those thick thighs, mouths moving lazy and hungry. his hands are on your waist, careful, respectful… until you shift just right.
your hips roll down against the hard line of his cock and he lets out this sinful little groan that goes straight to your core.
so you do it again.
and again.
and again.
valko’s breathing gets shaky. his glasses are sitting on his face crooked now , and he’s making these soft, desperate whimpers against your mouth every time you grind down. you can feel how hard he is through both layers of clothes, thick and throbbing under you, and you’re so wet it’s almost embarrassing. he can smell it. you know he can. his nose keeps brushing your neck like he’s trying to breathe you in.
you’re so close. so fucking close. but you need more. you need him closer.
he’s trying so hard not to thrust up against you. you can feel the way his hips keep twitching, the way he’s holding himself back with everything he has. his hands are shaking on your waist.
“sweetheart-ngh-we should stop-“
you grind down harder and he breaks.
a broken, high little sound leaves his throat as his hips jerk up against you once, twice, and then he’s coming in his pants with a quiet, wrecked moan, forehead pressed to your shoulder, glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose, trembling all over.
you’re still so wet. still so close.
and he’s looking at you like he just did something unforgivable but all you can think is how pretty he looks when he falls apart.
Valko had been teasing you for the past twenty minutes.
Lying on his back in bed, a smug smirk on his face as he looked up at you straddling his chest, completely naked.
“C’mon, pancake,” he murmured, hands sliding up your thighs, squeezing the soft flesh. “Sit on my face. I’ve been thinking about it all day.”
You were already soaked, but you still tried to play it cool. “You’re so demanding.”
His golden eyes darkened. “And you’re stalling.”
Before you could retort, you felt it; the cool, smooth press of metal forming around your wrists. Valko’s evol. He’d created sleek, unbreakable handcuffs, linking your hands together and then anchoring them to the headboard above you with a satisfied rumble.
Your eyes widened. “Valko-”
“Hands stay there,” he said, voice rough with hunger. “Now be a good girl and sit on my face.”
He didn’t wait for you to obey. His strong hands gripped your hips and pulled you forward until your thighs were on either side of his head, your dripping pussy hovering just above his mouth.
The first kitten lick had you moaning, wrists tugging instinctively against the evol cuffs. He groaned at your taste, the sound vibrating through you as he licked deeper, tongue fucking into you while his nose brushed your clit.
“Fuck- Valko-“ You tried to grind down but he held your hips firmly, controlling the pace, making you take exactly what he gave you.
He was relentless. Lapping at you messily, sucking on your clit, then thrusting his tongue back inside you like he couldn’t get enough. Every time you tried to move, the handcuffs kept your arms stretched above you, completely at his mercy.
“Look at you,” he murmured against your soaked folds, voice muffled but dripping with smug satisfaction. “All tied up for me. So fucking pretty when you’re falling apart on my tongue.”
You were shaking, thighs trembling on either side of his head as he devoured you. The cuffs held you in place firmly, cool metal against your wrists as you tugged and moaned, completely lost in the feeling of his mouth on you.
When you finally came, it had your back arching, a broken cry of his name falling from your lips as you clenched and soaked his face. Valko didn’t stop, licking you through it with, hungry rumbles until you were whimpering and oversensitive.
Only then did he ease you off him, handcuffs disappearing just like that and him flipping you onto your back and kissing you deeply, letting you taste yourself on his tongue.
After, he pulled you into his arms, nuzzling into your neck with a satisfied, possessive growl.
“Good girl,” he whispered, running his fingers over the marks he’d left on your thighs. “My perfect mate.”
You were still catching your breath, thighs shaking, when he started kissing down your body again.
“Valko- wait- I need a minute-“
He just smirked against your skin, already spreading your legs again.
