"Lord Sylus," the twins blurted at the same time as the heavy doors of the inn flew open.
Walking past them in a blur of snow white locks and flowing silks, Sylus looks straight ahead—straight through the walls where you prepared the room for his stay.
"Lord Sylus—" Kieran called after him, but Sylus was already turning the corner of the hallway, cutting through the gardens until he reached the double doors. Hurried footsteps followed him, but he knew they couldn't stop him if they tried; he waited long enough to finally see you again.
TW: AU, threesome M/M/F, M/M, M/F, smut, penetrative sex
Warnings:
This is an explicit fic told by Non MC.
There is penetrative male/male sex in this fic. Each fic in this series will be M/M/F. The LaDs boys all have different occupations in this series than in the game. If any of those things bother you, this isn't the fic for you!
Summary: They grew up together, opened a tattoo shop together and have always done everything as friends... but she wants more than that from one of them. What she doesn't know is the other one wants them both...
Word Count: 4,567
Tattoos & Tequila - Chapter 11 - littlewolf1984 - 恋与深空 | Love and Deepspace (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own]
That was my first thought when I woke up the next morning.
I thought about not going to work to avoid having to face them but that was the coward’s way out, right? At least that's what I told myself as I walked to work.
It felt almost like a death march… every step taking me closer to having to tell them what I had decided. My thoughts were a messy jumble, my emotions a tangled ball of anxiety and sadness.
I'd spent the night crying into my pillow, my mind going around in circles wondering if I was making the right choice or not, and I was sure the first thing they would notice were my bloodshot eyes and my flushed cheeks.
When I got to the shop, I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, my heart in my throat. It was quiet and a part of me hoped it would stay that way, but I wasn't that lucky…
I could hear movement in the break room but before I could even step over the threshold, I heard a voice off to the left near the seating area and froze.
"You’re late."
Sylus was sitting on one of the couches, his arms stretched along the back and his long legs stretched out in front of him. His red gaze was on me, his expression a mix of annoyance and something else that I couldn't quite place.
I swallowed, my voice coming out raspy as I stepped inside, "I uh… I overslept."
It was a pathetic excuse, and by the way his eyebrow arched I knew he didn't believe me.
He stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze searching my face, no doubt taking in my flushed cheeks and the dark circles under my eyes and I looked away, my heart rate picking up under his stare and my stomach twisting into knots.
"Liar…" his voice was low… almost dangerous as he stood up, "You weren't even planning on coming in, were you? You were going to keep avoiding us… avoiding this. Am I right?"
I opened my mouth to respond but no words came out, and he let out a low growl as he crossed his arms over his chest, the muscles in his forearms flexing just as Caleb came out of the break room and saw me standing in the doorway.
Caleb paused, looking uncertain for a moment on whether he wanted to approach or not then he leaned back against the wall, eyes slowly roaming over my body in a way that made goosebumps break out on my skin.
The air in the room almost seemed to shift, the tension suddenly making it hard to breathe as I stood frozen under two intense gazes and I felt so vulnerable all of a sudden that the need to escape became overwhelming.
"You look like hell," Caleb stated, his voice gruff and his face unreadable. "You alright?"
My throat was dry, my voice cracking as I answered, "I'm fine… didn't sleep much."
Sylus made a noise that was almost a scoff. "Not at all… judging by the look of you."
Suddenly confused, I looked back and forth between them.
The last time the three of us had been in a room together they had exchanged angry words and looks and now they were acting like nothing had happened… bantering back and forth like they always did and acting like the friends they had always been.
And then, I realized…they had talked… about me… about this entire situation and had apparently come to some kind of agreement behind my back.
The question was…
What had they agreed on? And how would it affect the decision I had made?
It was almost too much… the choice… them… this situation now… and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.
"I…" I swallowed again, my throat closing around the words as I tried to figure out what to say but all that came out was a shaky breath and then a soft… "Damnit…"
The silence in the room after that was deafening, and it kept growing with every second that passed as they stared and I felt like a gazelle standing in between two hungry lions that wanted to bolt but wasn’t sure if it should.
Sylus' jaw clench, and he took a step forward as if sensing my thoughts. "Don't…" he murmured, the word so soft I almost missed it. "You run and I’ll be forced to chase you."
I froze and as he took another step closer, I felt my eyes burn with tears.
"I… I…"
I couldn't think of anything to say as he closed the distance between us in a few long, easy strides until he was standing in front of me.
"You've been crying," he whispered, reaching up and tracing his fingers down my cheek.
I nodded, looking down to avoid his gaze as I whispered back, "Yes… I-I didn't know what to do or what I'm supposed to say… I… I'm so tired… I feel like I'm losing my mind."
His fingers trailed gently along one of my tear tracks then slid into my hair, gently gripping the strands and tilting my head up.
"Look at me."
I obeyed, almost hypnotized by the demand in his tone, and when my eyes met his they were a swirl of anger and need.
"Why is it so damn hard for you to make a choice?" he asked, his voice a low growl that made my whole being vibrate.
I tried to look away because I had made a choice but I wasn’t so sure it was the right one anymore, but his fingers held me in place. I could feel my breath coming out in shaky gasps as I tried to speak, "I-I don't-"
"You can't keep running from it forever," he murmured, his grip tightening slightly.
"I'm not…"
Caleb was now standing a few feet behind him, his gaze intense as he watched the interaction between us and I felt even more like a rabbit in the middle as they slowly closed in and surrounded me so I couldn’t run.
"You are… and you know you are…" Sylus' whisper was almost a hiss. "Tell me why it’s so hard for you to make a choice, Bay."
"Because it's not about the choice," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's about the consequences… the consequences of whoever I choose and the ones if I choose neither. I'm afraid of both outcomes and what it would mean..."
The room was so silent I could hear the sound of my heartbeat racing in my ears as I took a shaky breath, my stomach twisting into knots as I continued and told them the truth, "I love you… I’m in love with you both and I can’t choose so… neither. I won’t do it… I won’t choose between you… I can’t… so I choose neither one of you."
The words were out now, the confession hanging between us and making the silence that followed even more intense.
Sylus' eyes flashed, his expression darkening and I heard Caleb let out a low curse but I kept my eyes locked on Sylus, my heart in my throat as I waited for his response.
He didn’t say anything for a while… just stared, gaze intense as a myriad of emotions passed through his eyes… hurt, anger, frustration…
It was all suddenly too much… too intense… too soon… and I felt trapped and stupid… so stupid for everything…
"Sylus… please… let go…"
"No."
My eyes widened, that single word coming out in a low, dangerous tone that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It sounded possessive, feral… a sound he made when he was angry or frustrated or buried balls deep inside me…
I swallowed, trying to pull away, but his fingers tugged and held true.
"Sylus…"
He growled and as he pulled me closer, my hands came up to press against his chest.
"No… you’re not going to run…"
"Let go…" I said again, begging this time as I pushed against him.
He was way, way too close… too intense… and my heart rate rose as his eyes narrowed. "No… we aren't done here… you aren't going anywhere…"
I shook my head, tears spilling down my cheeks as I dropped my gaze to my hands where they were curled into fists against his chest.
"I-I… I messed up and now you both are going to hate me… I need to go so I don’t-"
"Stop," he whispered and his fingers moved to cup my face, his touch surprisingly gentle. "I don't hate you, baby… I could never hate you… you're just… maddening."
I jumped when Caleb suddenly appeared beside us and flipped the CLOSED sign before crowding against my back.
"I don’t hate you either, Bay…" he mumbled in my ear.
The way they were boxing me in made it hard to breathe and as much as I wanted to believe that it was because they accepted what I wanted, I didn’t think that was what this was.
This was something more and I was having a hard time trying to figure it out.
"I'm sorry…" I managed to whisper, the tears falling faster now. "I can’t choose… I don’t know if I ever will be able to…"
"You can’t… or you don't want to?" Sylus asked, his fingers moving back into my hair and holding me in place so I couldn't turn away.
I closed my eyes to block him out, my head aching from the constant back and forth. "Both…" I murmured, "I love both of you… I want you both… and I don't want to lose either one of you so I-"
"You won't lose either of us…"
"You don't understand…" I whispered.
"Explain it to us…" Sylus said softly.
I took a deep breath, trying to make sense of my jumbled thoughts and emotions. "I… I never intended for any of this to happen… I never thought… never even dreamed that I could have both of you… and now that it's no longer a possibility, I…"
"Who said it wasn’t?" Sylus asked.
The question caught me off guard and I felt my heart rate pick up, my mind suddenly swirling as I tried to process his words.
"Wh-what? I thought… but you said… Caleb… I…"
"Slow down, Bay… what did I say?" Caleb asked, his breath warm against my skin.
I faltered, the words that I had been so sure of just a moment before suddenly tangled in my throat. "I-I thought you said that you couldn't share…" I mumbled, trying to push away the hope that was starting to build. "I thought you… you said you couldn't do it… that you wouldn't."
"Things change," he murmured. "And the situation is different now."
"I… I don't understand… what changed?"
Sylus’ eyes flicked to Caleb then back to me. "Caleb and I… talked. We have agreed that losing you isn’t worth it and we are willing to try this out… to see if it will work and even if it doesn’t we will try to be what you need even if we can’t be with each other."
I froze, my heart pounding so hard I was sure they could hear it.
My gaze darted between them—Caleb’s amethyst eyes, Sylus’ burning red ones—both staring at me with a hunger that made my knees weak.
They… they mean it.
My breath hitched as the realization crashed over me like a tidal wave.
They wanted to try… to be with me. To be with each other…
The thought sent heat rushing straight to my pussy, and for the first time since this whole mess started... I didn’t feel guilty anymore.
A shaky exhale escaped me as I lifted trembling hands to grip their shirts—one fist in Caleb's T-shirt, the other tangled in Sylus' collar—and yanked them closer until our foreheads nearly touched.
"You're… you're not messing with me…?"
"I don't play games…" Sylus growled. "Not about this."
"We can try…" Caleb whispered against my neck and I felt him move closer, his body pressing against my back as he leaned down and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Because now that I’ve had you… I can’t go back, Bay… not after waiting for so long to have you."
"You mean that? Both of you?"
Sylus exhaled sharply through his nose. "Kitten," he murmured, his voice dropping into something rough and unyielding—the tone he used when he needed me to listen. "Do I ever say things I don't mean?"
My chest tightened as Caleb's fingers flexed against my waist then his lips brushed just below my ear as he murmured, "We're not asking for a choice… we're giving you an answer."
"I..." The word came out strangled because holy hell what was I supposed to say, what was I supposed to do now? The one thing I had been wanting for years was finally coming true and I could only think… did I kiss them? Did we have sex now? Did we wait? Did we go on dates first?
What were we supposed to do?
"What's wrong?" Sylus whispered in my ear, his voice pulling me away from the chaos in my brain. "You're overthinking, aren’t you…"
His breath ghosted across my skin and a shiver ran up my spine.
"I… I'm just… I don't know what to do… I… I wanted this for years, but I never thought…"
Caleb's mouth moved over my neck, his teeth scraping against my skin and making me shiver again.
"We know… we're here now…" he murmured. "You have us both."
I let out a shaky breath, my body trembling as their touches sent waves of heat through me.
"Then…" My voice came out small, uncertain. "What do you want from me? Right now?"
Sylus' grip on my chin tightened just slightly. "You, kitten. Just you…"
Caleb's hands slid up under the hem of my shirt, "You don't gotta think anymore today…" He paused and nuzzled along my jawline before adding gruffly, "… just feel."
"Ah ah…" Sylus mumbled as he reached out and grabbed Caleb by the chin. "Gonna have to wait, pretty boy. We have a shop to run… there will be plenty of time to feel one another later."
Caleb made a low sound deep in his throat, almost like a growl. "You're killing me," he muttered, his gaze flicking back to mine. "You're killing both of us…"
And then he stepped back slightly and I felt the air rush back into my lungs because I could breath again. I was trying to catch my breath when I felt Sylus' fingers under my chin.
"Look at me…"
I met his gaze, nibbling on my lip as I waited.
He traced his thumb across my lips then a slow smile spread across his face. "You better be ready for tonight, kitten," he murmured, his voice a rough and low rumble that sent heat coiling through me. "Because neither one of us is going to be gentle."
I let out a whimper, my body reacting instantly to the rough promise in his voice. My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as I tried to steady myself, but it was no use… the thought of what they were going to do to me made me tremble.
Caleb's low chuckle rumbled in my ear as he leaned in close enough for his breath to ghost over my ear again, "Fuckin' hell… you hear that? He's not playin’ around."
His hand slid down and gripped the back of my thigh hard enough that I yelped making both men smirk at each other over my head like they'd just won something.
Sylus watched with dark amusement while Caleb continued, "Better pray we get through this workday fast… ‘cause if you think the last time we were together wrecked you?" A sharp nip on my earlobe made me shiver. "Tonight’s gonna ruin ya."
And somehow between their combined touches and filthy promises… one possessive grip under my skirt while the other man palmed my throat and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before moving away… the air got so thick breathing became impossible.
The only thing left to do now?
Wait until the end of the day when I finally got what I had always wanted... being sandwiched between the two men I loved most in this world.
… the rest of the day passed by in a blur.
I tried my best to focus on tattoos and piercings, but it was almost impossible when I had the promises of later hanging over my head the whole time.
Every single thing I did was tainted with the knowledge that soon enough, I would be in bed with them both inside me, around me, holding me close while they both claimed me… and my imagination ran wild.
I could feel their gazes on me every so often, which didn't help… and the tension between us felt was so thick several customers picked up on it, giving us amused looks and whispering amongst themselves.
The clock seemed to tick by slower than normal as the day drew to a close and my heart felt like it was trying to claw its way out of my chest as I sat at the counter and tried to work on a custom design for a customer coming in the next day.
Normally sketching helped relax me but my head was too full, my mind too busy wondering and worrying over how it was going to happen, what was going to happen… when it was going to happen.
When the clock finally ticked over to closing time, I felt my heart stop and my mouth go dry. It was time, and I couldn't decide whether I was ready for whatever they had in store or not.
Sylus was the first to move… his fingers wrapping around my wrist as he yanked me up from the stool with a rough jerk. His red eyes burned into mine, dark and hungry, as he dragged me toward the break room.
Caleb locked the front doors with a sharp click before following.
"Time's up," Sylus growled, the sound more animal than man as he shoved open the door and practically threw me inside. The room was normally spacious and cozy to me… but that changed when both men crowded in after me.
My breath hitched hard enough to hurt as Caleb prowled closer while Sylus backed me up against the wall and gripped my chin between thumb and forefinger, tilting my head up so there was no escape from their stares.
"You nervous?" Caleb murmured gruffly right beside my ear.
I swallowed. "A little," I whispered.
He chuckled and placed a gentle kiss against my ear as his fingers traced my neck. "Relax, pretty girl… we're going to take good care of you."
Sylus let out a dark, humorless laugh as his grip on my chin tightened just enough to make me whimper. "A little?" he repeated, voice dripping with condescension. His other hand slid down to grip the back of my thigh then he yanked it up around his hip.
Caleb didn't bother hiding his smirk when I gasped at the rough treatment.
Sylus’ hands slid up under my shirt then, his touch hot against my skin as he pushed the fabric up... and I let my head fall back against the wall with a moan as I raised my hands so he could pull it off me.
Caleb leaned in once the shirt was gone, his mouth finding the sensitive spot on my neck as he deftly unclasped my bra with two fingers and tossed it aside. "Don't even know what you're in for… do you?"
I whimpered, bringing my hand up and burying it in his dark hair.
"Look at you," Sylus murmured, dragging a rough thumb over the swell of my bottom lip while Caleb sucked another bruise onto the column of my throat. "All shaky and I bet you’re wet for us already."
Caleb's hand moved… fingers twisting one nipple before he cupped my breast and licked a long line up my neck.
I gasped, back arching as a shock of pleasure zipped straight to my pussy. "F-fuck," I stammered, "you can't say that you want me then expect me not to react."
Sylus' eyes were dark with desire, his fingers sliding down my stomach and underneath my skirt with deliberate slowness.
"I don’t just want you, kitten… I want you both."
That little confession made heat explode under my skin.
Over the past few months, I had wondered if that was the case… there was something about the way he talked about Caleb, the way he looked at him… the way he always looked desperate and needy while listening to Caleb fuck in the break room.
To have it confirmed… I thought my body was going to combust with lust on the spot.
I wanted to ask questions because the conversation they had between the ultimation and me coming into the shop this morning must have been heavy… all feelings laid out, all their wants and needs and desires out in the open for all to see.
And I was at the epicenter of it all…
"You're really okay with this?" I asked between gasped breaths. "You both want this?"
"We're here aren't we?" Sylus grunted. "Wouldn't be here if we didn't."
Caleb let out a low sound deep in his chest, his mouth moving back up my neck to find my mouth. The kiss was hard and demanding, full of teeth and tongue, and I didn’t try to resist as he deepened it before he pulled away and murmured, "He does have a way of getting what he wants."
Sylus' growl vibrated through me as Caleb's words hung in the air. "That I do," he agreed darkly before claiming my mouth with a kiss that stole what little breath I had left.
Caleb didn't let up either, his hands moving with rough purpose as he pushed his hand further under my skirt and flipped it up to expose the bare skin beneath. "Fuckin' hell... that’s hot…" he muttered then his long fingers were sliding into my pussy with no warning.
I cried out, my hips jerking into his touch. My body was on fire—every nerve ending alight with sensation, every brush of skin against skin sending sparks through me.
"Look at you," Sylus rasped against my lips, his red eyes burning as he watched me squirm between them. His grip on my hair tightened when Caleb curled his fingers, making my hips bucked, "You were made for this… for us."
Caleb chuckled darkly against the shell of my ear before adding another finger and scissoring them. "Bet she can take more though," he mused… right before pressing down hard on my clit with the palm of his hand.
I let out a sharp cry, my body arching violently between them as I came for what would probably be the first of many times tonight.
"That's it," Sylus growled, pressing a rough kiss to the corner of my mouth while Caleb worked me through the aftershocks.
Caleb smirked then he slowed his movements, dragging his wet fingers out just enough for me to feel empty before pushing them back in deeper just to feel me clench again.
"Fuck, you clench so good…" he murmured, biting down on the tendon where neck met shoulder before adding another finger without warning.
Sylus' shifted, one hand yanking open his jeans and pulling his cock out before stroking the long, thick length from top to bottom while his other hand shoved my legs further apart.
Watching silently, Caleb pulled his fingers free and leaned against my side as Sylus lined himself up, the thick head of his cock pressing against my soaked entrance.
"Gonna make you scream," he muttered darkly before slamming in with one brutal thrust.
I in fact did scream… back arching off the wall as I was split open on him, stuffed so full it burned but I relished the feeling... my nails scraping down his chest while Caleb watched with hooded eyes and a smirk curling the corner of his mouth.
"Fuckin' hell," Caleb rasped out when Sylus pulled almost all the way out then thrust back in, setting a brutal pace that had incoherent noises spilling from between my lips.
"So tight," Sylus growled through clenched teeth, one hand fisting in my hair to yank my head back while the other gripped hard on Caleb's shoulder for balance.
Caleb watched, his smirk dark and feral as his gaze remained locked on where Sylus’ cock was pounding into my body relentlessly—the wet slap of skin-on-skin echoing in the room.
Then suddenly he reached down without warning and pressed two fingers against where Sylus and I were joined to feel how wide Sylus was stretching me… then he was sliding his fingers along Sylus’ cock when it slid out then back inside me on a particularly rough thrust.
I let out a choked sob, my body convulsing as I came again.
"T-too much," I gasped, but the words were lost in another cry as Sylus bottomed out again and grinded his hips against mine.
He let out a guttural groan, his hips stuttering.
"Fuck—taking me so damn well."
Caleb's smirk widened, his fingers still pressed against us—feeling every slick slide in and out before dragging upward to press against that little bundle of nerves above my pussy.
"Too much?" Caleb taunted right by my ear when that made me convulse, all the while making slow circles over my swollen clit with his calloused fingertips.
Sylus didn’t slow down either, if anything his thrusts got harder… faster—each snap forward punching another ragged cry past my trembling lips.
"I'm not stopping till you come again," he rasped against the sweat-slicked skin of my jaw.
I sobbed, my body already trembling on the edge of another orgasm. My fingers dug into his shoulders as I fought against the overwhelming sensations—too much, too fast, but it felt good.
Caleb chuckled darkly when he saw how close I was again—the way my legs shook with every brutal thrust.
"Yeah… that’s it," he murmured before adding a second finger beside his first to press even harder against that swollen little bud.
Sylus groaned as he felt me clench around him violently… his hips stuttering for just a second as his grip on Caleb's shoulder tightened.
Caleb smirked then murmured, "Gonna come already? I know you have better stamina than that."
The taunt had been calculated—daring even—and for one terrifying second? I thought maybe it might break whatever fragile truce they’d established but there wasn't an ounce of malice behind those words… just pure provocation.
But instead of lashing out?
Sylus let out this rough sound halfway between a growl and a laugh before grabbing Caleb by the back of the neck and pulling him into a rough kiss that had me biting my lip with a moan because… that was hot as fuck and I wanted to see more.
Chapter 12
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tags - fashion au, angst, fluff and crack, not canon compliant, non graphic violence, eventual smut, sylus has two dicks, rafayel is a little shit, blowjobs, deep throating, face-fucking, finger sucking, cunnilingus, PIV sex, no protection (wrap it before you tap it), no beta we die like josephine
chapter word count - 3.2k
dividers - @strangergraphics
A week before the show, Sylus called you out of the blue. You were about to unlock your apartment door, keys in hand, when your phone began to buzz in your bag.
It was the first time in months he'd contacted you outside of the fittings and the occasional relay of crucial show information via email. There was a weird aura surrounding him ever since your private fitting—a cloud of melancholy followed Sylus wherever he went. The worst part wasn't the sudden absence of light-hearted teasing, but the way Sylus acted as if you couldn't see the cloud hanging above his head.
It seemed to attach itself to Rafayel as well—the usual glimmer in his pearl eyes dimmed; there was no playful banter, only strictly business. Though the complete turn around left you more confused than ever, you supposed that this was what it should've been like from the beginning. It was for the best, for the plan’s sake or yours—you weren't sure.
“The hotel has been booked,” Sylus said over the phone. “I’ll forward you the hotel and travel information.”
“I thought we agreed that I was going to book it myself,” you huffed.
“The plans have changed,” he said, slight irritation on the tip of his tongue that seemed to warn you that now was not the time to push him.
“At least tell me that I have my own room.”
“Of course, sweetie.”
Despite Sylus’s insistence on booking your hotel room, it was nice to have some much needed independence and space from the two before the big day. Rafayel and Sylus surely found comfort somewhere more spacious like a penthouse or a private residence.
So much for privacy when you found out that the neighboring rooms were occupied by Sylus and Rafayel.
“You guys could have gotten luxury suites,” you sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose, “You know that, right?"
Sitting on the edge of your bed, Rafayel rested on his hands while taking in the beach-themed room wearing a smirk that seemed to say, this is cozy, isn't it?
Meanwhile Sylus took the chair by the window, crossing one leg over the other. A small ocean breeze rolled through the cracked window, carrying salt and warmth into the room. But it did very little to squash your rising irritability.
“Although a certain kitten wanted to show off her independence,” Sylus replied, “We can't have her stray too far.”
“We need to be able to reach you right away in case of an emergency.” Rafayel checked for the invisible dirt under his nails.
“You have my number,” you pointed out as you crossed your arms over your chest, leaning against the wooden dresser. “Besides, nothing is going to happen.”
Sylus and Rafayel exchanged a brief knowing glance before the amethyst-haired man spoke up: his attention bored into your soul, forcing you to only look at him.
“Not unless you want it to.”
-
Rafayel’s statement looped in your head during the entire car ride to the venue. Even though it was a longer journey, you had yet to figure out the meaning behind his words. You knew Rafayel wasn't referring to an accident, that much was obvious, though you couldn't shake off the visible storm behind his eyes—that was new and unsettling.
“We have arrived,” the driver announced, double-parking at the curb.
As Sylus and Rafayel wordlessly helped you unload the garment bags and accessories out of the car, you selfishly wished that they would rile you up like they would’ve a short time ago. Push your buttons just the right way. Something. Anything to calm your racing heart and sweaty palms.
Although they reassured you time and time again there would be no violence, the seriousness etched into the corners of their taught lips did little to ease the worry in your heart. If the night truly ended with a shower of bullets, at least you weren't going down without a fight.
Pre-show nerves were nothing new. They were something you had never really gotten over, the anxieties only growing whenever you peered out into the crowd that accumulated in the sea of chairs. You had to take a deep breath to remind yourself that it was going to happen with or without you.
The runway was set, the models were on stand-by, and Sylus was in his designated spot amongst the audience while Rafayel was backstage with you.
“Everything will work out.” He reassured you as he adjusted his shirt. Straightening your back, you titled your chin up high—it was time.
“It’s my biggest honor to welcome the one and only, Mr. Rafayel Qi,” the cheery announcer clapped her hands as the audience followed suit.
Rafayel gave you a quick glance before stepping on the stage and disappearing behind the partition wall. The pearls that covered his silk shirt shimmered under the bright lights, a hard armour for the battle ahead.
“The story you are about to witness is one of rebirth; emerging from the ashes and the sea foam. A young designer and an artist who have reinvented themselves once again,” Rafayel spoke to the crowd.
The lights dimmed as the club-ready pop music blasted throughout the room and Rafayel made his way down to his seat beside Sylus. You fixed the models one last time before they started strutting down the runway one by one, sucking in your breath as if breathing on the garments would jinx everything.
After the last model left, you watched from a small opening behind the curtains. The rows of scrutinizing eyes followed each model’s step, their eyes raking over every inch of fabric, analyzing every detail, every seam, every minor flaw they could find.
“Eyes forward,” Sylus’s soothing voice came through your earpiece.
There he was—sitting front row wearing the crimson leather suit like he was in the show itself. Unlike Rafayel next to him, the harsh lines and dark undertones resembled a dragon's scales. A leather harness the color of onyx strapped across his chest with chains of silver draped down the side of his ribs. A man waiting—weapons concealed under the flamboyant display.
“I haven't seen talent quite like her in some time, it truly would be a shame for her career to be so short lived.” An unsettling voice filled your ears—picked up from either Sylus or Rafayel’s concealed microphone.
Sylus and Rafayel’s faces remained unreadable as they perfectly blended in with the rest of the crowd, but you still noticed the displeasure growing in between Rafayel’s eyebrows. As murderous intent pooled in his usually cheerful eyes, you knew Rafayel was inches away from pulling out his enshrouded dagger.
“There’s plenty of time to take care of that later,” Sylus whispered, slithering closer to Rafayel and resting his hand on the artist’s lower back.
“I’ll make it quick,” Rafayel declared through gritted teeth, his knuckles turning white as he grabbed onto the hilt.
“While I have no doubt in your skills,” Sylus rubbed slow, comforting circles underneath Rafayel’s silk shirt. “She’s watching.”
Quickly retaining his composure, Rafayel straightened his posture. “Let her see, then.”
-
Bottles of champagne poured into flutes as the thumping bass slithered up from the polished floor and into your bloodstream. The heat of the crowd caused Rafayel and Sylus to lose a few layers—their see-through lace and open shirts displayed a deadly amount of skin that had your mouth running dry. Cameras swarmed them, flashes illuminating their alluring auras. You stood on the sidelines as you watched them in awe. They were the stars of the show, after all.
“May I offer you a glass, miss?”
“Yes, thank you,” you replied, promptly taking the glass of the bubbling champagne and downing it one go while you never took your eyes off Sylus and Rafayel.
Jealousy ricocheted in your chest as you placed the now empty glass on the bar. Taking in a deep breath, you reminded yourself that you didn't have the right to their attention. You were just their business partner—though lately you weren't so sure you wanted to be just that anymore. It wasn't like their touches and flirting were unwelcome—that boundary was always blurred from the beginning. You only had yourself to blame for putting up that invisible wall.
Somewhere between the third and fifth glass, you lost yourself in the moving crowd—too drunk to care about whose hand rested on your hip and whose dick was pressed against your ass. None of it mattered, not really, especially when you fantasized about how their hands would feel so much better on your skin instead. But they were somewhere else, too caught up celebrating their successful mission. They had collected all the evidence and no longer needed your services. They no longer need you.
When the songs changed you decided to take the opportunity to get yet another drink—and make a quick stop at the bathroom. To your surprise there was no line for the restroom, although you could never be too careful; the last thing you needed was to walk in on a couple hooking up. Knocking on the bathroom door, you didn't hear anything on the other side—then again you weren't sure you would with the music blasting through the speakers.
Maybe it was the alcohol coursing through your veins, or maybe it was the fact that Sylus and Rafayel were in various states of undress, bodies pressed together as if it was the end of the world, but your brain lagged at the sight as you stood motionless in the threshold of entrance.
“Don't look so surprised.” Breaking your trance, Sylus pulled away from Rafayel as the latter began to suck on his collarbone. You couldn't help but stare at the glitter that transferred from Rafayel’s skin to Sylus’s body—pure evidence of their passion-fueled rendezvous.
“At least shut the door if you're gonna watch,” Rafayel chimed in as he peered at her through half-lidded eyes, a small smirk displayed on his swollen lips. “Though the invitation is open.”
Sylus was the first to test how far you were willing to go, only to get burned by your foolish moral compass. Rafayel may have been less bold, but his warm smiles and playful teasing only further cemented your attraction with every stolen glance. It was one thing to live out your fantasies in the safety of your mind, another to have all your defenses stripped bare and spoken into existence.
“Time’s ticking,” Sylus breathed, his right eye glowing in the hazy bathroom lighting. “Do you really want to waste more time denying yourself?”
As you stepped forward and softly closed the door behind you, Sylus reached out a hand. There would be no more hypotheticals if you finally crossed that line, swallow the doubt and finally take what you've wanted this whole time.
And so you placed your hand in his.
“That wasn't so hard was it?” Rafayel commented as Sylus pulled you flush against his chest.
-
Stumbling to the doorway to his room, Sylus struggled to unlock the door as he was otherwise very preoccupied biting your lower lip. Somewhere after the elevator ride and during the walk you had thrown your arms around Sylus’s neck, prompting him to lift you up so he could carry you.
Rafayel on the other hand took the opportunity of Sylus’s distracted state by undoing the Onychinus leader’s belt and slipping your panties down your legs. You weren't even fully undressed and on the bed when Rafayel buried his face in your soaking cunt.
“Don't get too greedy,” Sylus warned Rafayel as he sat next to you. But Rafayel was far too busy sucking your clit to care. You moaned as he slipped a finger inside, partly in shock but mostly in undeniable pleasure.
“Rafayel!”
“Are you going to cum already, sweetie?” Sylus asked, brushing your hair to the side as he watched your face contort in ecstasy. “He’s barely even tasted you.”
One could argue that yes, you were already close to cumming as you began to shamelessly grind down on Rafayel’s face, losing yourself to each flick of his tongue as the pressure started to build.
“She tastes so fucking good, Sylus,” Rafayel groaned as pulled away for a second. “Pull up her legs for me.”
Doing as he was told, Sylus slid behind you as he guided his hands down towards your hips, lower to your thighs before lifting your legs nearly flesh to your ears. A squeak of surprise sounded before it was replaced by a deep moan that fell from your lips. Rafayel’s tongue was impossibly deeper, so much so that if it weren't for Sylus holding you in place, you would have surely passed out by now.
As you attempted to lift your hips up, Sylus chuckled in your ear—his voice low and inviting as it caressed the shell of your ear—before leaning down to capture your lips. You whimpered against his mouth at the swirl of Sylus’s tongue against your own, the sensations from both men making your head spin in all directions.
“Kitten,” Sylus groaned as he broke the kiss. You were about to reply when Rafayel hit that one spot that ripped a cry out of you.
“Eyes on me, cutie,” Rafayel hummed, switching out his mouth for his fingers. When your eyes locked with his, the thread that you were holding onto finally snapped.
“Just like that,” Sylus breathed, “Cum for us.”
At this rate you weren't sure if you were going to survive whatever they had in store—though a voice in the back of your mind told you that it was going to be one hell of a ride.
“Should we give her a show?” Rafayel asked Sylus, one side of his lip curled as he posed the question.
“I think she saw enough already in the bathroom,” Sylus mused, running his fingers under your breasts.
A shaky breath at the contact didn't help, and in fact, was about to make your situation even worse; because the second they closed the distance above your body, you were gone.
A haze of open-mouthed kisses and wandering hands ensued and you almost let out a whine at the sight; their bodies drawn to each other yet never quite getting what they craved with you in between. Instinctively your legs parted as your hand trailed down to where you needed it the most, but a hand stopped you before you could reach your aching pussy.
“Can't take it anymore, cutie?”
Though you were still dazed from your orgasm, Rafayel and Sylus wasted no time in peeling the rest of your clothes off along with their own. They positioned you on the edge of the bed as Sylus stood behind you and Rafayel in between your legs on the bed; letting you breathe for a second but not for any longer as their impatience grew with each wanting glance.
All it took was a single plea from you for Rafayel to bury himself to the hilt, coaxing a pornographic moan from him as his breaths staggered. His hands gripped onto your hips when he began to thrust low and deep; a steady pace even though you knew he was practically dying to move faster.
“Open your mouth for me,” Sylus ordered softly, his hand cupping your jaw as he rubbed gently with his thumb.
Once you obeyed, Sylus let his fingers experimentally dip into your mouth. You closed your lips around him and began to suck on his fingers before he could even tell you what he wanted. “Perfect.”
“She’s squeezing me so hard,” Rafayel huffed, his head falling down as he quickened to a brutal pace, nails digging into your skin as if to anchor himself. “I'm going to—”
“Not yet,” Sylus said, taking out his fingers. You whined at the loss, but instantly swallowed when he lined up his hard cock to your mouth. Looking up at him, his eyes never left yours. “Open wider, sweetie.”
Taking all of him, you warm tears pricked the corners of your eyes—causing the dark mascara to pool before running down the side of your cheek and onto the crisp, white sheets below. As if noting your slight discomfort, Sylus took a pause.
But you didn't want him to treat you like a porcelain doll—you wanted him to completely ruin you.
“Sylus, hurry please—it feels so good I can't—” Rafayel’s hips jerked, his movements now uncoordinated as he was approaching his release.
Cradling your head with his hands, Sylus started to slowly fuck your mouth as if he had all the time in the world; simply ignoring Rafayel’s pleas as he groaned in pleasure.
Though he didn't last as long as he wanted to when you suddenly swallowed around his length. His hips stuttered then as his delicate control snapped at once, fucking into your throat even when more tears spilled.
“Look at you,” Sylus nearly growled. “Our girl.”
Rafayel finished then as you involuntarily squeezed down on him, a string of curses following as he laid his head on your stomach. Sylus wasn't far behind either, but when he tried to pull away, you stopped him with one single touch. That was all it took for him to cum, his seed hot and salty as it coated your throat on the way down.
You had never felt so satisfied, never felt so full as you did when you laid on the bed with two pairs of arms wrapped around your body. A tangle of legs intertwined as your breaths began to even, bodies sweaty and sticky yet soft and warm.
Despite basking in the blissful afterglow, you knew that eventually you would have to go back to reality—back to everyday life running the atelier. Rafayel would go back to locking himself in his studio while Sylus would return to tending to the inner workings of Onichyunus, leaving you to miss their lingering touches and smart-ass remarks.
Even if tonight was only fueled by lust, your selfish heart would not let them go. Would not go back to pretending you never wanted them, would not let the walls grow back after you finally tore them down.
-
“I’ve analyzed everything we collected that night,” Sylus addressed Rafayel and you, standing above the work table. The bottle of red was almost finished between the three of you, glasses half-full as the moonlight filtered in past the diving curtains. “I’ll be sending any information that might be worthy of your attention, Rafayel.”
Swirling the wine in the glass, Rafayel looked up before nodding and taking a sip.
“So you got everything you needed, right?” You asked. Sylus cleared his throat, loosening his tie a smidge before taking a sip himself.
“Alright,” you sighed. “Out with it, the both of you.”
“We recorded more than we needed,” Rafayel said, resting his palm on his hand to look at you through half-lidded eyes. “Would you like to listen, cutie?”
“Isn't that sensitive information?”
“Let's say it’s for our ears and our ears only,” Sylus breathed, sitting down on the stool on your right. With both men on either side of you, it was your turn to drink.
“You can save it for when you miss us,” Rafayel hummed, pushing your hair from the left side of your neck so he could press a kiss to the underside of your jaw. “Or we can listen to it together, I don't mind."
Finishing your glass, you looked at the both of them before sitting up with a smirk growing on your face. “Let’s go.”
TW: AU, threesome M/M/F, M/M, M/F, smut, penetrative sex
Warnings:
This is an explicit fic told by Non MC.
There is penetrative male/male sex in this fic. Each fic in this series will be M/M/F. The LaDs boys all have different occupations in this series than in the game. If any of those things bother you, this isn't the fic for you!
Summary: They grew up together, opened a tattoo shop together and have always done everything as friends... but she wants more than that from one of them. What she doesn't know is the other one wants them both...
Word Count: 4,877
Tattoos & Tequila - Chapter 10 - littlewolf1984 - 恋与深空 | Love and Deepspace (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own]
I let out a huff and opened one eye to see my mother leaning against the back of the couch, staring at me. My head was already pounding with the hangover from hell and the sharp tone of her voice only made the throbbing worse.
"Thanks, mom," I mumbled, burying my face against a couch pillow with a groan and pulling the blanket over my head to block out the sunlight pouring through the floor to ceiling windows. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear right now."
"You're welcome," she said dryly, pulling the blanket back and tugging on my arm. "Sit up. We need to talk."
I groaned again, resisting like a moody teenager because the idea of moving was too much when every nerve ending in my body was screaming and the light felt like daggers in my eyes. "No," I whined, reaching up and grabbing at the blanket. "It's too early and I'm dying. Go away and come back at a decent hour."
"It's eleven in the morning," she said dryly, "And I'm pretty sure you're not dying. You're just hungover. Stop acting like a child and sit up."
I grumbled but didn't fight her this time, reluctantly sitting up and rubbing a hand over my face before squinting at her. "What?"
"What were you thinking getting drunk last night? And crashing on my couch without warning me? Why didn’t you go home?"
I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose as flashes of the bar, the sexy bartender and our conversation about the ‘things we wanted but couldn’t have’ came back to me with a vengeance. "I was stressed," I muttered. "I needed… a break from everything. And your house was closer…"
Her sharp gaze softened just a fraction—enough to let me know she wasn't as mad as she was making it seem but was still deeply unimpressed. "A break from everything? So you decided the best course of action was to drink yourself stupid then stumble over here like a stray cat?"
I opened my mouth to argue, but the way her eyebrow arched told me it was pointless.
"Don’t bother," she said with an exasperated sigh, already turning toward the kitchen. "Coffee is on the counter if you can handle it without vomiting… there’s also a glass of water and some pain killers…" A pause as she shot me a look over her shoulder… one that I hadn’t seen since I was a child, "And we are discussing this when your brain isn't trying to escape through your eyeballs."
I whimpered at the mention of coffee, my stomach twisting in protest even if it was the liquid of the gods and I normally loved it and drank two or three cups before going to work each morning.
"You're evil," I muttered before finally peeling myself off the couch with a groan.
The walk to her kitchen was slow and torturous, each step making me wince as I braced myself against the walls for support. When I reached the counter, the water was waiting for me like she said with two painkillers sitting beside it.
My hands shook slightly as I grabbed the glass, nearly knocking it over in my haste to get something… anything in my body to help ease this damn headache.
The painkillers went down with effort, but the water helped wash away some of that cotton-mouth taste lingering on my tongue. I set the cup back down carefully before exhaling shakily and leaning my forehead against the cool marble of her kitchen counter for support.
"You done being dramatic yet?" she asked dryly.
I let out a weak groan before pushing myself up and turning to look at her.
"No."
She raised an eyebrow, her arms crossing over her chest as she leaned her hip against the countertop and studied me with a critical eye. "Hungover and snippy… that's a great combination."
I frowned, wincing as the movement set off the throbbing in my head. "Don't pick fights with me when I'm pretty sure I can see sounds."
She shook her head before looking at me in a way that made me think I wasn’t going to like what she was going to say next. "I had an interesting conversation with Sylus this morning."
"What?" I croaked out, my mind suddenly spinning, "What did you… you talked to him? This morning? Why? What did he want? Why did he call you? When did he call you?" I paused for a minute, my brow furrowing in confusion then I whisper-yelled, "Please tell me you didn’t answer the phone!"
"Of course I did… why wouldn’t I?"
"Moooommmm… nooooo…."
She huffed and rolled her eyes. "What else was I supposed to do when he called me and asked where you were?"
I groaned, dropping my head into my hands with a pained whimper.
Great. That was exactly what I didn't need right now…
"Please tell me you didn't tell him I was here."
Her silence was the only response I needed.
"Damn it, mom," I groaned, massaging the bridge of my nose. "Why would you do that?!"
She gave me a look that said she thought the answer to that should have been obvious. "He was worried about you, which I can't blame him for considering you disappeared without telling anyone where you were going."
I let out a strangled noise, dragging my hands down my face. "Worried? That's not… he wasn't worried."
My voice cracked on the last word as I recalled his icy text: I’m coming over.
He hadn’t been worried… he had wanted an answer to the ultimatum Caleb had thrown down before I was willing to give it and I had left and ended up drunk in a bar to avoid having a conversation I wasn’t ready for.
My mother's expression shifted… the kind of look that said she'd seen this brand of stubbornness before and was five seconds from calling bullshit. "Mmhmm," she hummed, unimpressed. "And yet he called me at six in the morning to ask if you’d shown up here." A pause as her gaze sharpened. "Twice." Then with a huff. "Then again thirty minutes ago."
Something hot and guilty twisted behind my ribs at that last detail. It shouldn't have mattered; Sylus had no right to demand answers from anyone… least of all after ghosting me for days then demanding my attention when it suited him…
But it did matter.
Hearing that he had cared enough… was worried enough… to call my mother shouldn't have made me feel guilty yet giddy but that didn’t stop the conflicting feelings from rising to the surface.
I pushed away from the counter and stumbled toward the kitchen table to collapse into a chair. "What did you tell him?" I muttered, dropping my head onto the cool wood.
She sighed, taking a seat across from me. "The truth," she said, voice blunt.
The truth… did I even want to know what her version of the truth was? Probably not but I asked anyways.
"And what exactly is the truth?"
She gave me a look like my feigned ignorance was beyond annoying but answered anyway, "That you were here and alive, but hungover and not in any state to talk and that he should give you time to process whatever is going on before trying to contact you again."
"And he accepted that?"
She snorted, the derisive sound making it clear she thought that was an incredibly stupid question. "Of course not," she said dryly. "He wanted to see you. I think he would have barged in here and dragged you out by your hair if I had let him."
I let out another groan, my face still mashed against the cool table. Of course he would.
"He's like a freaking dog with a bone," I muttered, my voice slightly stifled by the tabletop. "I said I needed time and space to think."
She hummed before her expression shifted into something less annoyed and more… concerned. "What’s going on, Bay? You’ve always been close to those boys and now you’re keeping them at a distance…"
I lifted my face from the table. "It's… complicated. You wouldn't understand."
It was a bold statement… and an arrogant one considering she had been in a similar relationship in her youth and one of those men was my father, but I was too nauseous and too miserable to think about that right now.
She scoffed, one eyebrow arching up. "Try me."
I looked away, my gaze shifting to stare out the window across from the table as I tried and failed numerous times to figure out how to explain without embarrassing myself.
She was quiet, studying me as I struggled to find the words but eventually, she broke the silence. "Bay," she said, her voice surprisingly patient. "Look at me. Please."
For a moment, I considered ignoring the request… but something in her tone had me shifting my head to meet her gaze. "Do you really want to know?"
"I just spent the last half hour on the phone with a very concerned and very stubborn man who wouldn't stop asking questions while the other kept fretting in the background like a mother hen, so yes. I think I deserve to know what the hell is going on."
Hearing that they were together was surprising… considering how pissed Caleb had been when he found Sylus and I in bed together but that wasn’t important right now…
I licked my lips and then… everything came spilling out of me.
I talked until my throat ran dry, my stomach rolling with every bit of information I spoke out loud… I told her everything from Sylus’ idea to pretend we were dating to get Caleb’s attention to the part where I was given an ultimation but left out the more… intimate parts.
When I finally finished, I slumped back in my seat and waited for her to say something.
She was silent for what felt like forever, just sitting there watching me before finally speaking, "So that's what's going on?" she said, her voice neutral. "You're torn between the two."
I huffed out a bitter laugh. "Simple, huh?"
"Simple? It sounds like a goddamn nightmare."
I let out a huff. "Tell me about it."
She was silent for another long moment then, "Do you love them both?"
"Yes," I said softly. "I do. Which is why it makes it so damn hard to choose."
Her expression softened. "I… understand… more than you know." She paused and nibbled on her bottom lip before meeting my gaze. "Making the decision to walk away from Ty and Jace was one of the hardest I ever had to make… but it was the smartest thing I could have ever done."
My shoulders slumped as she mentioned the two men she had been in a similar relationship with back in her twenties.
One of those two men was the father of me and my twin brother, but she had never tried to figure out which one and I couldn’t blame her… one of them was a drug addict who had been sentenced to life in prison for killing a hostage at the bank he had attempted to rob… and she had found out the other had been married with two kids already a month before finding out she was pregnant.
Sighing, I leaned my head back to look at the ceiling. "What if I can't make a choice? What if I'm not as smart as you? What if I do make a choice and it’s the wrong one?"
She let out a huff and when I looked at her, there was a small smile on her face. "You're smarter than you give yourself credit for… smarter than all of us, I think. And even if you can't make a choice… that's okay too. You're young, you have time."
The words did little to make me feel better. In fact, they just stirred up the guilt that had been bubbling for days. I knew I couldn't keep this up but the idea of telling them that I couldn’t and wouldn’t felt like having my chest torn open.
I blew out a breath and ran my fingers through my hair. "It just feels impossible. Being stuck between what I need and what I want."
She was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "And what do you need?"
I looked away, staring down at the table as I thought about the answer to that question. "I need… I need them… both of them."
"And what do you want?"
"Same answer," I said before I could stop myself.
"That's not always how it works, kiddo. Sometimes… we can't have everything we want."
Her words were the truth and a painful reminder at the same time. I knew that the chances of me finding a way to keep both of them was like finding a needle in a haystack.
"I don't like your logic," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly.
She let out a soft laugh. "It's not logic. It's experience."
I let out a bitter laugh, scrubbing a hand over my face. "Goddamn it."
"I know it's not what you want to hear, but—"
"But… what? I have to choose?" I said then shook my head. "I have made a choice but what if it’s the wrong one?"
Her expression shifted again… sympathetic yet stern. "You can't live in the middle forever. I know you want both of them… but that's not a realistic option if it’s not what they want and you know it. You can’t force them to want to be in a relationship with you and each other. They will grow to resent you… resent each other and then you will lose them both for sure."
She exhaled sharply as if something occurred to her then she continued, "Look… you're not selfish for wanting them both but you are being unfair to all three of you by dragging this out. Make a decision and stick to it, Bay. Choose one of them or choose neither but… make a choice."
A heavy silence hung in the room as her words reverberated through my mind. I knew she was right… deep down, I did and it was time for me to step up, be a woman and tell them what I had decided to do.
But that didn’t mean it wasn’t going to hurt…
"Okay…"
The moment the word left my lips, relief and dread tangled in my chest because I knew what I was going to do and I knew it was going to have consequences that were going to change things.
My mother studied me for a long moment… probably searching for any hint of hesitation before nodding once.
"Good."
She pushed back from the table and stood, already turning toward the counter to grab her keys. "Now that we've settled that…" A pointed glance at me as she shrugged her purse over one shoulder and slid her feet into a pair of shoes. "... you're going to take a shower while I run out and get you something decent to eat."
I opened my mouth—to argue? To thank her?—but she cut me off with a raised finger before I could make a noise…
"Nope! You smell like cheap tequila and poor decisions." A pause as she eyed my bloodshot eyes, "And you look like hell warmed over twice.”
She jabbed an accusing finger toward the hallway bathroom. "Shower, Bailey Nicole. Or I will call your brother and have him come deal with you."
I shivered at the threat, knowing she wasn't joking. My brother had a way of finding out when I acted like a fool and always made sure to call me on my bullshit… usually by giving me a lecture that lasted until I wanted to pull my hair out. "Okay, okay! I'm going, I'm going... no need to threaten me…"
Before I could say anything else, she was out the door with a smile on her face, leaving me alone in the silence of her house with a pounding headache and lingering choices.
I dragged myself up from the chair, legs wobbling slightly as I stumbled down the hallway toward the bathroom my brother and I had shared when we were kids. Sighing, I turned the hot water on then quickly stripped out of my wrinkled clothing and stepped under the water, pulling the bright green and pink curtain closed behind me.
Steam curled around me as hot droplets pelted against my stiff muscles as I closed my eyes and stood under the spray for a while letting the water wash away tequila and stress.
It wasn't until the hot water started to go cold that I washed up quickly then pushed away from the spray and turned off the water before reaching for a towel on the rack.
I had just finished drying off and was eying my clothes with distaste when I heard the front door open and close then my mother's voice followed by my brother's deeper tone.
I froze, towel clutched to my chest as the unmistakable sound of his boots thudded down the hallway.
"Bay?"
His voice carried through the door… sharp, amused. "Mom says you're hiding." A pause before his voice dropped… becoming dangerously sweet, "Open up… we need to talk."
I gritted my teeth and dropped the towel on the floor, yanking on yesterday’s wrinkled clothes without even bothering to put my underwear back on.
By the time I wrenched open the bathroom door Rafayel was leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed and that look… the one that said I’d be lucky if this only ended in humiliation instead of blackmail photos posted on his Memories page.
"You," he announced solemnly, "are an idiot."
I let out a sharp, offended laugh—partly because of the audacity and partly because he wasn’t wrong. "Wow… I haven’t seen you in two months and that’s what you say? Really?" I shot back, shoving against his chest to get him to move.
He pushed off the doorframe with an exaggerated sigh before leveling me with a stare so unimpressed it could’ve melted steel. "Yes, really…"
I ignored him and turned to look at our mother who was standing at the end of the hall studying the wall like it would provide all the answers to the universe. "Thought you said you weren’t going to call him."
"She didn’t, Xavier did."
My brow furrowed in confusion. "Who in the hell is Xavier?"
My brother snorted and reached out to ruffle my wet hair. "He owns Hellfire… you know, the bar you got drunk at last night."
"Of course you know the owner of the bar I went to… why wouldn’t you?" I muttered, pushing his hand away from my head before he got motor oil or some other shit in my clean hair from the last car he had worked on.
"You know it's really freaking annoying that the bar owner called my brother to tattle because I got drunk…"
"I don't think it was because you were drunk," he said, sounding way too casual about the whole thing as he watched me fight with the tangled mess of damp hair sticking up on top of my head. "I think it was because you were flirting and he didn’t want me to kill him."
I bristled, suddenly very aware that our mother was now paying attention to us instead of muttering about needing to paint the hallway a different color.
"I was not!"
His smirk turned downright wicked as he pulled his phone from his pocket, scrolling with deliberate slowness before holding the screen up to my face.
A video played—grainy but unmistakable.
Me, leaning over the bar, tongue swiping my bottom lip like some cheap romance novel cover model while Xavier's amused voice teased, "Careful… you lean over any further and you might tumble behind the counter."
I made a strangled noise and lunged for the phone. "Delete that right now or I swear—"
He yanked it out of reach with a laugh. "Nahhhh," he drawled. "Don’t think I will."
"You're such a dick."
He shrugged like I had complimented his sense of style instead of calling him names before holding up the phone again and playing the video on a loop, making my face burn in embarrassment. "Blackmail material," he said with a smirk.
A strangled gasp escaped me and I lunged for the phone again.
This time when he yanked it away, I stumbled forward and had to catch myself on the doorframe to keep from face planting against his chest. "I hate you," I muttered.
"You love me."
"I don’t know why."
"Because I'm charming?" he suggested. "Incredibly handsome and funny?"
"Annoying as hell," I supplied dryly.
He gasped, pressing a hand to his heart. "Rude. I'm wounded, Bay."
"Delete the video and I’ll take it back."
"Nope," he said gleefully. "I am never deleting this video ever. It is too perfect and you’re way too entertaining when you’re drunk."
I narrowed my eyes, trying to calculate my options on whether I could kick his ass fast enough to grab his phone and delete the damn video or if he would toss me over his shoulder and dump me in the pool like he had when were kids.
"I hate you so much," I ground out again as I stalked past him into the kitchen where our mother was leaning against the counter waiting for us. "You're not supposed to be here anyways. You were supposed to be working at the garage with Valko today."
"I was," Rafayel agreed, following close behind me and stopping to lean against the opposite counter with his phone still in hand. "Then X called."
I paused in the middle of rifling through the bags of food on the counter and frowned over my shoulder with a container in my hand. "So you rushed over here to rub it in my face that I got drunk and flirted with the bartender instead of working? Bet Val loves that…"
His smirk only widened as he pocketed his phone with a lazy shrug. "Nah, I rushed over here because my little sister didn't just flirt with the bartender—she talked about some real deep shit involving love triangles while downing enough tequila to kill a small horse."
His voice dropped into an exaggerated whisper. "And then she propositioned him."
My stomach lurched, not from the hangover this time, but pure mortification.
I didn’t remember doing any of that… in fact, the last thing I remembered was telling the bartender I couldn’t choose between Sylus and Caleb so I chose neither then I was waking up with my mom in my face telling me I looked like death.
What else had I said?
The thought made me want to crawl under the table and die. I didn't want to know what else I had spewed in front of the damn bartender… or anyone else for that matter.
My brother caught my expression and let out a laugh. "Aww… look at that face. What's the matter, Bay? You look like you're about to vomit. Tequila finally catch up with you?"
"You're enjoying this too much," I muttered, jabbing a finger in his direction.
He held up his hands in mock surrender but the grin on his face was pure evil. "Hey, if you don’t want me to share your drunken confessions with everyone then make sure you’re not being recorded…"
Pausing dramatically, he wiggled the phone tauntingly. "Or maybe I should send it to two men who might be very interested to know exactly what their girl was doing last night..."
My stomach dropped as panic flared hot under my skin because if my brother sent the video to them? Things could get ugly fast… I had a feeling I would find myself underneath them with them punishing me to remind me who I belonged to or… they would throw up their hands and decide they were done with me before I could tell them I had made a choice… or… or…
The possibilities kept circling and circling until I was close to a panic attack.
Rafayel’s expression shifted, the smirk fading as he pushed away from the counter and took a step forward, his voice suddenly gentler. "Hey, easy…"
I took a step back, almost tripping over a kitchen chair in my haste. "Don’t," I managed in a soft voice, "You can't send them that… please… they would leave me… they would…"
"They wouldn't," he said quickly, taking another step forward and grabbing my shoulders to pull me into a hug. I hated that he knew how to read me, how to soothe my panic, even when his words were making it worse. "They care about you too much for that…"
"Then why are they making me choose between them?" I cried against his chest as I wrapped my arms around his waist.
He sighed, one of his hands rubbing soothing circles on my back in a slow, steady rhythm that did little to soothe me. "Because they're idiots who don't know how to share."
A shaky laugh escaped me and I squeezed my eyes shut, holding onto him tighter. "I think I'm the idiot in this situation for letting it get to this point… I just wanted…"
He made a soft shushing noise, fingers running through my hair. "It's going to be alright," he said quietly. "No matter what you decide, they would never leave you… they're in too deep, you know that."
I let out a shaky breath, trying to find comfort in his words.
They were possessive and protective of me. They weren't going to just walk away… not after how much they cared… "Yeah…" I murmured. "I know…"
His hand continued rubbing comforting circles on my back as I slowly pulled out of the embrace with a shaky sigh.
He watched me for a moment then asked, "You gonna be okay?"
I let out a shaky breath, running my hands through my still-damp hair as I avoided his gaze. "I don't know," I admitted quietly.
He didn't say anything for a long moment, just studied me with ‘the look’… the one that said he wanted to push but wouldn’t… then he nudged the container of food towards me. "Eat," he muttered then grabbed a container and handed it to our mother before grabbing one of his own.
His casual command did little to ease my racing thoughts, but I didn't have the energy to argue… and the idea of putting some food in my stomach sounded better than the hollow feeling of a hangover-induced headache and maybe… just maybe something greasy would help somehow.
I grabbed the container and sank down at table without complaining, opening the lid to eye the eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast inside before I grabbed the plastic fork and dug in.
The conversation in the kitchen fell into the normal catching up about life’s events as the three of us ate. I didn’t say much as the eggs in my stomach churned and the headache throbbing behind my eyes only got more insistent.
I was halfway through the hash browns when my brother finally spoke, setting down his coffee with a quiet thump after taking a long sip of it. "Tell me everything and let’s talk it through."
"There's not much to tell," I muttered as I stared down at my food—the thought of finishing it making my insides clench. "Sylus thought making Caleb jealous by pretending to date would be a good idea but then we slept together… then Caleb and I slept together and Sylus found out and got jealous. Then we slept together again and Caleb found out and now I'm caught between two assholes who I care for and they're making me choose between them. That's it… it sucks."
He was quiet for a long moment, watching me closely as I pushed the food around in my container, his expression thoughtful as if he was trying to pick his words carefully. "I'm sorry for all that you’re going through," he said finally with a sigh.
My eyes flicked up to his face, surprised he was being supportive instead of trying to be a dick or giving me a lecture. "You are?"
He rolled his eyes, looking vaguely offended at the question. "Yes, I am. Believe it or not, I don't enjoy seeing my baby sister hurting and miserable."
My heart twisted at the sincerity in his voice. He didn't often show his softer side, but when he did, it always got to me. "Sorry, it's just… I'm used to you being a pain in the ass."
"I know," he agreed with a grin. "But just because I'm an ass doesn't mean I don't care."
I couldn't help but laugh, some of the tension easing in my chest as the familiar banter between us started up with our mom playing referee like she always had. And as we sat there I couldn’t help but think… maybe everything would be okay...
Chapter 11
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"—and the worst part of the whole thing is that she pulled me in her office," you rant, walking into the bedroom as you start to unbutton your shirt.
sylus lounges on the bed in his robe, only watching as you begin to angrily strip off your work clothes. you're down to just your underwear now as you reach behind your back to undo your bra.
"need some help there, kitten?" sylus quirks an eyebrow, resting his head on his palm waiting for you—but you don't respond.
"I can't believe she's so petty!" striding over to the bed, sylus motions for you to come over.
"come here," he pats his lap, moving his robe to the side. "tell me everything."
"sometimes I want to quit so badly," you huff, lowering yourself onto sylus as you grab onto the head board behind him.
"the offer to join onychinus still stands," he replies, his voice trailing off into a groan as you start to move your hips. "just say the word and it's all yours."
Okay there are so many good ones but I have it, I must have missed it the first time I went through them but n. 51 with Sylus🥺
51. slow dancing
With Sylus
Prompt list
A/N: 💃<- this you?
A massive ballroom isn't some place that the Boss on Onhichinus frequented. Most people couldn't even get a glimps of the alleged CEO—Mafia boss, depending on which rumour you heard—as he prides himself in his secrecy, holding his meetings in the secret rooms overhead.
But, it is where you twirl, partner-to-partner as the evening progresses, you are a complete opposit to your partner-in-crime, more of a people person than a hundred Sylus combined.
So it comes as a surprise when you change partners and it's those rough hands that catch your waist, the crimson eyes you know so well burning into you as the live band teansitions into a slower tune, the light dimming as the crystal chandelier seems to reflect only on you.
"I've been watching a while..." Sylus curls into you, almost caging, as the words whisper in your ear, his warm breath forcing you to turn your head away just slightly, his hair brushing the nape of your neck. "Should I build you a place to dance at the base?"
You look up, eyes reflecting the sparkles of the chandelier as you bring your arm to his shoulders, feeling him pull you closer, "Will you hire people to dance at your whim as well?"
"They already do." His eyes crinkle behind the rimless glasses perched on his nose, a smirk on his lips showing a deal won. "I'll dance at yours."
The words catch you breathless, or perhaps it was the sudden twirl before the Boss of Onhichinus brings you in closer, his hand firm on the small of your back with a touch of a claim that quietens the entire room, leaving only him at your sight, "I didn't enjoy watching you in the arms of others. They don't understand you like I do."
"Is Sylus jealous?" You tease, your face presses in his ruby red suit—matching your dress—and you feel the hand lacing with yours tightened.
"And if I am?" The Boss whispers, his hand possessively resting on you, "Will you shower only me with you affection then? No one else."
Your breath hitches in your throat at those words, Sylus despises beating around bushes the most, yet his directness still catches you off guard, "What have you done to earn it?"
"I've claimed you as mine, in front of all." Sylus spoke with conviction, turning you to keep you back-to-chest, so you can finally see. Only the two of you still remain dancing, the rest of the crowd is left standing still, watching the man they've only heard rumours about, stepping out of the darkness to stake his claim on the woman he's been eyeing from it.
