you use your flirting method to free zoro from his capturers.
a/n: this was a request but tbh I didn't feel like writing that, so I changed many things. I used flirting instead of sex and this made it more lighter and humour-like compared to what was requested. I hope you don't hate me for it, but I thought about the changes once I started writing it and felt a bit more uncomfortable than I thought I would
words count: 2.7k
tags: sfw, established relationship, flirting as strategy, tension, slow burn
You look down at your clothes… they're simple and not very noticeable, which is good.
You smile at yourself.
“Alright…” you whisper to yourself “Let’s play a little game.”
Inside, everything is loud.
There are men everywhere.
Your eyes scan the room quickly, sharp and careful.
No Zoro.
But guards… many guards.
Too many for a direct fight.
You click your tongue softly “Then we do it the other way.”
You move toward the back, where the workers are, the ones that aren't paying too much attention.
You walk slower now.
Your body relaxes, your expression changes.
You become… sweet.
A man almost bumps into you, holding a tray of drinks.
“Oh! I'm sorry!” you say quickly, your voice light and a little shy.
He blinks at you, then looks again and again.
“It is okay… I mean— no problem!” he says, suddenly very nervous.
You tilt your head just a little.
“I'm a bit lost…” you continue, softer now “I'm looking for someone. A man with green hair. Did you maybe see him?”
The man frowns, thinking “Green hair… ah… wait… yeah. I think I saw someone like that. But…”
“But?” you ask, stepping just a little closer.
His ears turn red.
“He was… not free.” the man says quietly “They took him downstairs. Storage area, maybe? Guards are there. Strong ones.”
You nod slowly, like this is just normal information “I see…”
You give him a small smile and caress his chest as you walk past him “Thank you. You are very kind.”
He almost drops the tray.
You walk away calmly, but inside your heart is beating faster.
Now you just need a way in without fighting all of them.
You stop near another group of caterers.
This time, you don't wait. You step in like you belong there.
“Excuse me,” you say, your voice gentle but clear “I was told to help downstairs. They need more hands.”
One of them looks at you, confused “Who told you?”
You don't even hesitate.
“The tall man with the scar on his face,” you answer smoothly “He looked very angry.”
They all freeze a little “…Ah. Him.”
You nod like you understand everything.
“He said if we are slow, we will regret it.” you add, lowering your voice.
That works.
Fear moves faster than logic.
“Then go, go!” one of them says quickly “Take this.”
He pushes a tray into your hands. You look down and see that there are drinks.
You walk toward the guarded stairs.
Two men stand there, they're big and armed.
They look at you but you don’t stop.
“Delivery.” you say simply.
The guard narrows his eyes the moment you step closer “We didn’t ask for anything.”
His voice is sharp and suspicious.
You stop right in front of them, carefully.
You let your shoulders relax, like you aren’t orried at all.
“I know…” you say, almost tired “But do you really want to explain to your boss why his men are standing here thirsty and unhappy?”
The second guard frowns “We are not—”
You take one small step closer.
Your fingers lightly brush his arm.
“You look tired,” you say gently “Both of you. Long night, right?”
They hesitate for a moment.
You smile at them. Behind them you see Zoro sitting inside the cell with chains and no swords. Watching.
His eye meets yours, questioning.
You don't react and he understands, but you see it in the way his jaw tightens even though he stays silent.
“Hey!” one of the guards says, trying to focus again “Answer properly. Who sent you?”
You tilt your head, then, slowly, you put the tray down on an old piece of wooden furniture beside you.
“I didn’t want to say it like this…” you murmur while your hand slides over his shoulder, light and slow.
He freezes.
“I just thought…” you continue, voice lower now, softer, “maybe you both could use something better than drinks.”
The second guard lets out a short, nervous laugh, while watching you with sudden interest.
“Better?” he repeats.
You step closer again. Now you are right between the two.
Your fingers trail over one arm… then the other.
“You are strong…” you say, looking at the bigger one “And you…” you turn to the other, smiling gently, “you have very nice eyes.”
They aren't thinking clearly anymore, you can see it.
You lean in and suddenly you wrap your arms around the bigger one.
Your cheek is almost touching his chest.
He stiffens in shock, then relaxes. Hands unsure where to go.
Behind his back your face changes completely. Your eyes move fast to look straight at Zoro, and you gesture to him to stay quiet.
Zoro stands up slowly, his expression is dark, confused and definitely angry, but he doesn’t speak.
“You know…” you say softly, still holding the guard, your fingers already working at his belt, unseen “This place is too noisy.”
The second guard steps closer “What do you mean?”
You glance at him, biting your lip just slightly.
“Maybe we should go somewhere private,” you whisper “All together.”
“…All together?” he repeats.
You nod slowly.
“Why not?” you say “It could be fun.”
That is all it takes.
“Yeah… yeah, there is a room.” one of them says quickly.
“Yeah, over there. ” the other adds pointing at a door.
You smile “Lead the way.”
As they turn your fingers close around something cold and metal… keys.
The two men move toward the room, excited, careless.
You follow just a step then you stop.
“Wait” you say softly.
They turn “What?”
You lift your hand slightly, smiling “I… have to get prepared, you know? Lady's things… no peeking or you'll ruin the surprise!”
You close the door behind them as you see them smirking at you anticipating.
Once the door is closed you walk straight to the cell.
Zoro is already at the bars watching you and burning…
You try one key… one of way too many keys.
Wrong!
Second one.
Click.
The sound is too loud.
“What was that?!”
You grin, breathless.
The cell opens and Zoro steps out, walking way too close to you.
You jump forward and hug him tightly. Relief hits you all at once.
His hand catches you immediately so you don't fall, but he doesn’t hug you back.
You look up and freeze a little. His face is dark, his jaw tight and his eye sharp. He's obviously really mad.
“…Flirting?” he says low.
Behind you, you hear the two men getting suspicious and moving to the door.
Zoro’s grip on you tightens slightly “…We are talking about that later.”
You pull back just enough to look at him better, your lips forming a small pout immediately.
You complain softly “No ‘thank you’? No ‘you saved me’?”
Behind you…
“HEY! YOU LITTLE—”
“LIAR!”
The men are rushing toward you now, faces red, shouting all kinds of names to you.
You flinch just a little, then quickly hide your face against Zoro again, tightening your grip on him.
“They are so mean…” you mumble, voice small, almost hurt “I was nice to them…”
Zoro’s eyebrow twitches.
You cling to him more.
“And you are also scolding me,” you add, quieter now, almost sulking “after I did everything alone…”
The footsteps get closer and louder. Weapons drawn.
“I already did all the work…” you continue, your voice dropping into something tired, real this time “I am tired now…”
There is a short silence.
Then Zoro exhales and when you look up, he is smiling, but not soft and sweet, it’s actually that dangerous, sharp smile of his.
The one that means someone is about to regret something.
“…Yeah.” he mutters.
His hand shifts, steady on you. Then he gently moves you back, placing you safely behind him.
“Got it.” he says, rolling his shoulders slightly “It’s my turn now.”
You nod automatically, even if he can’t see you.
The guards charge.
“You think you can trick us and walk away?!”
“After what you did—!”
Zoro steps forward.
“You shouldn’t blame her.” he says, voice low.
They hesitate for half a second but then Zoro moves fast. The first man doesn’t even finish his step before he is on the ground. The second tries to swing but he gets blocked easily.
Zoro’s expression darkens more.
“Honestly,” he adds, almost annoyed now, “if you fall for something like that…”
Another hit and another body drops.
“…that is your problem.”
You watch from behind, arms still wrapped around yourself.
“…Yeah,” you murmur softly, a small smile forming despite everything “Totally your fault…”
One of the men tries to run but Zoro grabs him before he can and he lifts him slightly.
“You tied me up,” he says, voice colder now “and took my swords.”
The man shakes “I— we—”
Zoro drops him hard “…Your first bad decision.”
Silence falls again broken only by the quiet groans on the floor.
Zoro stands still for a second, then turns back to you.
His expression is calmer now but his eye is still sharp, still watching you closely.
“…You.” he says.
You freeze a little.
“…We are still talking about that.”
You pout again immediately.
“I saved you.” you answer.
He crosses his arms “You flirted.”
You lift your chin slightly “It worked.”
A pause.
“…Tch.”
But you see that tiny shift, that almost-smile again.
“…Come here. Let’s leave now.” he mutters.
The walk back is quiet.
You walk a few steps behind him, your hands lightly holding your own arms now. The night air feels cooler now, but the tension between you two… is worse.
Zoro doesn’t look back.
You puff your cheeks a little.
You can't stop but notice the small things, though, like the way his shoulders stay stiff.
“…He is really mad…” you whisper to yourself.
When the Thousand Sunny comes into view, the lights are still on.
And the moment you both step on deck the crew run to you.
“FINALLY!”
“Where were you two?!”
“We were supposed to leave an hour ago!”
Their voices overlap with questions coming from everywhere.
You blink, a little overwhelmed.
“We just—”
“EW!”
You stop and turn your head to Usopp as he's pointing at you both with a face twisted in pure drama.
“You are both covered in sweat…” he says, narrowing his eyes “Were you two…??”
You choke “W-What?! No—!”
“Ah~ young love!” Brook adds calmly, hands behind his back “YOHOHOHO!”
Your face burns immediately and before you can even answer, Zoro walks past them and says “…Mind your business.”
His voice is flat and cold as if he's completely uninterested, but you notice that his ears are really red.
You stand there for a second then you smile awkwardly at the crew, waving your hands quickly.
“Not at all! Enemies!” you say fast while throwing a few small punches in the air “Fight! Big fight! Very dangerous!”
They all stare at you in silence.
“…Right…” Nami says slowly.
You don't wait. You turn and hurry after Zoro.
Once you're away from the others you call him softly “…Hey….”
No answer.
You step closer “…Are you mad at me?”
He keeps walking for a few seconds then he stops but he doesn’t turn.
“…Zoro…”
You shift a little, unsure now.
“I had to do that…” you start, voice softer “There were too many of them. I couldn't fight all of them alone and also find you and—”
“I know.” he cuts you off so easily but still not looking at you.
“…Then why are you—”
“Doesn’t mean I like it.”
His voice is low but there is something under it. Something tight.
You hesitate. Then try again, a little more carefully.
“I was just pretending,” you say “it didn't mean anything. It was just to trick them so I could free you.”
No answer, not even a small one.
You frown slightly then tilt your head “…Are you… jealous?”
You try to make the air lighter with some teasing and a small smile.
But nothing… no reaction… not even a sound.
Zoro walks a few steps more and then he drops down to the ground like he’s done. One arm behind his head and then the other.
He closes his eye ignoring you.
Your mouth opens “…Seriously?”
You cross your arms “That's it?”
No answer.
You let out a small, frustrated sound as you sit down next to him.
Close but not touching.
“Zoro…” you try again.
Softer now.
“I wasn’t enjoying it.” you say “It was annoying. They were annoying.”
He doesn’t move.
“I only thought about getting to you,” you continue, quieter “That’s all.”
Still nothing.
You glance at him, at his face and at how calm he pretends to be.
You lean a little closer.
“…You know I wouldn't choose them over you, right?”
The wind moves softly around you both.
“…And you’re the only one I’d do something that stupid for.” you add, almost mumbling now.
There's a small shift.
You smile a little.
“…Also,” you add, trying again, lighter now, “if I really wanted to have fun, I wouldn’t pick them.”
Then he finally moves “…Tch.”
You grin a little wider, leaning back on your hands “…So you are jealous.”
This time he opens his eye slightly, enough to look at you. Still a little annoyed.
“…Keep talking,” he mutters, “and I will go back and let them capture me again.”
You laugh softly and stretch your arms a little, then glance at him from the side as asmall smile forms on your lips.
“So?” you say lightly.
He doesn’t react but you lean closer anyway.
“No kiss for your saviour?”
And before he can answer, you close your eyes, tilt your face and your lips slightly puckered, waiting.
There’s a small sound from him “…Tch.”
Soft, like he’s tired.
You wait.
…Nothing.
Your brows pinch slightly and slowly when you feel his body move, you open one eye, then the other.
His face turned the opposite way, looking anywhere but at you, like you aren’t even there.
You blink then pout “…Rude.”
Without asking you shift carefully and drop your head onto his lap, looking up at him now.
That gets his attention and his eye moves down to you immediately, finally.
You smile, soft and a little teasing.
“You know?” you say quietly “As much as you pretend…”
You tilt your head just a little against him “…your blush always gives you away.”
A soft laugh leaves your lips.
He freezes for a second then his gaze sharpens slightly but he doesn’t look away this time.
Slowly his hand lifts and he places his rough fingers against your cheek. Warm and gentle. His thumb brushes lightly over your skin.
You go still, just watching him now.
“…Don’t do that ever again.” he says.
His voice is low and serious, “I’d rather die.”
You blink.
Then you laugh softly, a little surprised.
“Wow…” you murmur “You're that jealous?”
“…Tch.” he pushes your head lightly like he’s one with you.
You let out a small sound, then sit up again, fixing your balance “Hey!”
“Idiot…” he mutters.
You pause and smile. You lean in again a little.
“Kiss?” you ask, quieter this time.
He doesn't answer. Instead, he moves, leaning toward you… and then he kisses you.
It’s… warm.
When he pulls back, slightly, you’re still close enough to feel his breath.
“…Next time,” he murmurs, voice low, “there won't be a next time.”
You smile “…Where’s the fun in that?”
“…Tch.”
But now he doesn't move away and lets you hug him.
I've gone through and made a few small fixes (such as making sure everyone has the official version of my archon marks and not the half-assed temp ones) to the scions I've finished so far. I also re-exported their files from S4TI and sorted the cc better, so if anyone I sent the previous downloads to would like the cleaned up versions, let me know!
(Also a friendly reminder that anyone who would like the .zips of the XIV sims I've made is free to drop me an off-anon ask, and I'll privately answer you with the download links. This isn't some weird scam I just don't have the goddamned mental bandwidth to hunt down 20+ CC creators and undoubtedly a few lost CC archives just to make an essay-length link list for public downloads to them)
Okay, it's about time I acted on this. I don't know if I'm just a thirsty girl in need of water, but here's a short story inspired by seeing more skin on Erik than I ever thought I would get to see. Hope the other simpers enjoy this blend of humor and hunk.
The Rarest Endemic Life Finally Found: Erik Exposed
You have been in a relationship with Erik for a little while and things moved slowly as well as chaotically. However, an accidental encounter leads you with a lot more to think about.
Things had finally, finally settled down.
No awkward public courting attempts. No impromptu scientific flirtation. No Erik trying to understand human relationships through the eyes of monsters and other creatures.
You and Erik had fallen into a soft, domestic kind of closeness—holding hands during briefings, sharing meals, forehead kisses between field notes. You’d become his safe place. His person.
And he was yours.
You weren’t expecting that to change when you walked into the side tent that afternoon—just looking for your canteen and maybe a dry pair of gloves.
What you weren’t expecting… was Erik.
Standing.
Shirtless.
Facing away.
His back was turned toward you, skin a bit paler than what you normally see. His shoulder blades flexed as he reached for something, the long line of his spine tracing down to his waistband.
His silver hair was tousled, damp from a recent wash. He was muttering to himself, unaware of your intrusion.
And you?
You forgot how to breathe.
Your fingers curled around the tent flap. Your heart tried to leave your body. There were definitely a few battle instincts telling you to flee—except, this wasn’t a raging monster.
This was your shy, brilliant, affectionate biologist.
And he was… ripped? I mean, more than you expected.
“Uh—”
He turned at the sound, mid-way through drying off his hair with a towel.
And froze.
You froze.
You both stared.
Erik blinked.
Then flushed from the base of his neck to the tips of his ears.
“Oh—stars—” he blurted, fumbling for the nearest fabric-like object (which was not his shirt, but instead his journal, which did nothing to hide anything). “I—I thought everyone was out in the field—!”
“I was—was looking for my gloves—!” you squeaked, turning halfway around, hand over your eyes but absolutely still seeing everything in your memory.
There was a beat of heavy silence.
“…You can look, you know,” Erik said softly, sheepishly. “We’ve… been very close.”
You peeked.
Big mistake.
Because he was looking at you now, with flushed cheeks and the kind of shy little half-smile that made your knees weak.
You swallowed hard. “I didn’t know you...were this...”
“Pale?” He muttered.
"Strong-looking." You replied, and you could practically see him try to hide in his shadow at your compliment.
You took a step in before you could stop yourself.
He watched you, breath catching.
Your hand hovered near his chest, fingertips ghosting over skin. “Can I?”
He nodded, heart pounding.
You traced across his collarbone—remembering his trembling hands, his soft kisses, the way he held you like you were something sacred.
And now, here he was, all of him, without shame.
“I’ve never seen you like this before,” you said quietly.
“You’ve seen me afraid. And awkward. And sleep-deprived.”
“And I loved you through all of it,” you whispered, brushing your lips over his shoulder. “But this? This might kill me.”
His breath hitched.
You kissed the base of his neck.
And then—
“OH SWEET DEVILJHO, I KNEW IT!!”
You both jumped as your Palico burst into the tent with a bundle of dried herbs, dramatically shielding their eyes.
“YOU TWO ARE NAKEDLY IN LOVE!! I KNEW IT!!”
“We’re not—!” Erik yelped, grabbing the towel and finally managing to cover himself like a stunned forest maiden.
“Y/N's committing skin crimes!” Your Palico howled as they ran off.
Outside the tent, Olivia called, “Do I need to murder someone?”
You groaned into Erik’s shoulder.
He groaned into your hair.
Eventually, when things had quieted, he whispered against your ear:
“…You still think I’m handsome?”
You pulled back just enough to grin. “Handsome, sexy, devastatingly sculpted. Your shoulders have leveled up.”
♡ a/n: THIS IS A TEASER!! based off the 5* memory 'your fragrance' with raf. not proofread! hoping to have this done and ready to post some time this week before friday :)
“where are you going?” rafayel’s words are right behind you, and his hand presses against the bathroom wall that your forehead rests on. you whip around and find yourself trapped between rafayel’s hard body and the hard wall behind you. you back up instinctively, but find yourself hitting the cold surface before you even take a single step.
“gotcha,” rafayel smirks softly, and you tremble at his proximity to you. his other hand grips a towel bar to your left, while his other hand leans against the wall to your right, so you’re utterly trapped. he’s so close, close enough that you can feel his rapid breaths fanning across your parted lips. as rafayel’s eyes roam all over you, from your lips to your heaving chest, you feel very much like a lamb caught in a lion’s den, except you don’t want to escape.
“rafayel…” you murmur using both your hands to gently push against his chest, unintentionally brushing against the exposed skin there under his unbuttoned dress shirt. you’re hoping he’ll have mercy and release you, afraid that the palpable sexual tension in the air would cloud your, and rafayel’s, judgment.
he shivers as your wet hands brush against his chest, knuckles turning white as they grip the towel bar next to you. his breath comes out in pants, chest heaving up and down, with a light sheen of sweat painting his pale skin. the sight snaps you out of the moment, reminding you that rafayel seems like he might have a fever.
“let’s go to the hospital…i’m worried about you,” your hands shift to grip his open shirt, bringing the fabric together to cover him up. rafayel’s hand releases the towel bar to take both of your hands into his, trapping them against his chest.
“what will it take for you to believe that i’m okay? i’m exactly where i want to be,” his gruff voice invades all your senses while his eyes burn holes through your own. he presses himself further into you, until his forearm is resting against the wall above you, only your joined hands pressed against his chest separating the two of you. he leans down, his face now impossibly close to yours, and for a second you find yourself lost in his purple and blue cosmic eyes.
you take a deep breath, trying to ground yourself to reality, and remind yourself that rafayel’s actions are only fueled by the strange effects the perfume had on him. he’s not in his right mind, and you need to think for him.
you whisper, craning your neck to look into his eyes, “you’re not yourself right now. let me help you, i can take you to the doctor.”
rafayel leans down, resting his chin in the crook of your neck. he breathes you in, the smell of the perfume, still potent despite the scrubbing, mixed with your pheromones invading his very being. slowly, almost like it pains him to do so, he lifts his head away from you. he releases your hands and uses that same hand that gripped them to lift your chin towards him.
“do you know the only thing you could do that would help me?” his hooded eyes lock yours in. his voice is the soft purr you know and love, slightly tinged with a rough and carnal desire.
“name it. i’ll do it for you.“ part of you knows that rafayel isn’t going to ask you for anything regarding his health but you can’t stop the words from coming out of your mouth. you’re stepping into very dangerous territory and you can’t seem to hold yourself back.
“kiss me,” his voice is low, but the assertive demand in it is undeniable. his command makes you shift in between his legs against the wall, becoming hyper aware of how deeply your bodies pressed into each other. you know you want to, you’ve wanted to for some time now. but you can’t shake the idea that the strange effects of the perfume were clouding rafayel’s judgment and inhibitions.
hiii, can I still request a drabble? if yes, I want to ask for prompt 1, vocabulary list: stay with rafayel. bcs I think this boy is definitely a tsundere, will do and say literally anything but the truth that he wants you to stay with him. clingy rafayel is just so cute! thank you, I love your writings by the way ✨
send me one + a character and i'll write u a drabble
summary: 5 times rafayel asks you to stay + 1 time you do instead
a/n: it's just cuteness u__u
001.
“Stay.”
You are both children, and the summer sea is lapping at your feet. Sand squeezes between your toes and shells glitter like diamonds scattered across your stretch of secret beach. Rafayel’s pinky is hooked through yours. You laugh a laugh that sounds like heartbreak, even though Rafayel is too young to know what heartbreak means —
He wonders, later, if creatures of the sea are both with heartbreak in their bones — because what is heartbreak if not the sea? With the way it sings to an endless sky, the way it cups the world in its palm, the way it loves so helplessly — the beach, the seafarers, the rain — only for its loves to sink into its depths and never rise again.
“I can’t — you know I can’t!” you’re still laughing, digging your toes into the sand, as if this were all just a game.
Rafayel huffs, “I don’t! I don’t know!” and he knows he’s being petulant, being childish. But he figures he still is a child, by the measure of the sea, so he should be allowed at least this.
“I’ll be back tomorrow!” you say, you promise, so carelessly, as humans are wont to do.
Rafayel bites his lips, and a part of him knows that you won’t be. Still, he forces a smile, a sigh, and nods.
“Okay then… I’ll see you tomorrow.”
002.
“Stay…” he’s drunk. He can taste it in the weight of the humid air on his tongue. It’s late — the summer moon hanging huge and turgid on the horizon. Even the tide is lazy as it sloshes against the long stretch of shore just outside his window, weighed down by the summertime dreams of long lost loves, the shrapnel bits of broken promises.
You sigh as you look down at him, your eyes bright in the dim lighting of his giant studio.
“I really should be getting back…” you glance at the large clock on the wall, but your eyes flicker back towards him and Rafayel seizes on the chance, pushing himself up and tugging at your sleeve.
“You told me you’d come back and now… you’re leaving again…” he knows he sounds like a petulant child but he feels like a petulant child, the half-bottle of champagne dulling his senses and muffling his usually razor sharp wit.
“I —” a frown creases your forehead as you crouch down beside him, looking over his face, “I said I’d… come back?”
Rafayel sighs again, letting his eyes fall shut, “You don’t even remember…”
He feels the cool of your palm against his cheek and fights down the urge to moan and lean in closer, to press you to him.
“You must really be drunk, huh…” your voice is soft and helpless, but he can hear the hint of your resigned laughter. A moment later, he feels the couch dip as you sit back down, tugging his head into your lap as you run an absent hand through his disheveled hair.
He shakes his head, “Not drunk…”
“Shh… just sleep, okay?” you murmur, pressing your hand to his forehead and smoothing out the tiny frown threatening to crease his brows.
“Will you be here when I wake up?” he asks, even though he doesn’t really want to know the answer.
Your laughter is soft, and maybe even a little sad as you caress his cheek.
“Maybe.”
003.
“Stay… still.” Rafayel has both your wrists pinned above your head, his eyes narrowed as he looks down at you. You tug at this grip, cheeks flushed as you glare up at him.
“Stop! It’s fine —!”
“It is not fine,” he bites out as he reaches down to tug up your shirt. You squirm beneath him, your skin burning hot as his eyes skate down the length of your torso to catch on your lower abdomen, where you can feel the wound you’d gotten during your latest mission splitting open, oozing a steady stream of warm blood onto your freshly laundered sheets.
“This — you —” his eyes are wide as he looks up at you before his gaze is drawn back down. A look of horror seeps into his face as he lets go of your wrists.
“I’m — it’s okay — I’m okay…” you say, wincing as you push yourself into a half-sitting position, him still half-hovering over you with an expression caught between anger, terror, and confusion. You sigh, looking down at the large, rather ungainly gash on your lower abdomen.
It’d hurt like hell, sure, but now, it’s mostly faded to a dull throbbing and the occasional zing of pain that shoots up your spine. Vaguely, you wonder how many stitches it’ll have to be this time.
“Y-you’re…” Rafayel sounds distraught, and even though he glares at you again, you can hear the tremor in his voice.
“I just need some sleep… and tomorrow, I’ll go get it checked out.”
Rafayel slumps sideways onto the bed next to you, an arm thrown over his eyes.
“I’ll come with you.”
“If you want,” you lay back against your pillow, shifting gingerly so as not to agitate the wound even more.
“Do you have a first aid kit?”
“Yeah, in the bathroom — but —”
You can only sigh as Rafayel makes his way to the bathroom and comes back a moment later with the first aid kit and a determined frown.
“Now really — stay still.
004.
“Stay close…” Rafayel’s voice is sweet and warm by your ear.
You bite down a rack of shivers a second before he pulls away, laughing at something someone is saying. The bright lights of the exhibition are a bit overwhelming but you’d promised to show up, and so you had.
The dress you’re wearing is a bit tight, but you hitch a smile to your face as a wealthy art collector smarms at Rafayel, waxing poetic about canvases and colors and the sea. You watch with a muted amusement as Rafayel charms the man into a purchase, and then, as soon as he’s got the signed check, sends the babbling socialite on his way before turning back towards you with a soft shudder.
“I think that’s enough networking for one night.”
You blink, blustering as he tugs you off to one side, grabbing two more glasses of champagne as he goes.
“Wh — but — what about the other buyers?”
Rafayel rolls his eyes, “I really only need to make one or two big sales a year, and then the rest —” he flaps his wrist with a painful, marked nonchalance, “that’s all just for clout, anyway.”
You heave a deep sigh, swallowing down a laugh as Rafayel sips at his drink.
“Shouldn’t you at least try to appease some of the other attendees?” you ask, looking around at the various glitterati of Linkon society.
“Nope!” Rafayel sounds too pleased as he grins at you, reaching out to clink his glass against yours, “I don’t really care what most of them think, anyway.”
“Most? So… you do care what some of them think?” you probe, curious now as to who’s opinion Rafayel might put above his own.
Instead, he leans in, pressing in so close that you feel his hot breath against the lobe of your ear, feel the weight of his words ricocheting down your spine —
“No… just the one.” He pulls back and your heart stutters in your chest.
“And… who might that be?” you ask, your voice breathy and thready and just a tiny bit jealous.
Rafayel’s smirk pulls wide, “Oh… a certain Hunter with a mean streak and a weird obsession with claw-machine plushies.
005.
“Stay with me… please…” his voice is hoarse with want, his pupils blown so wide they almost swallow the midnight magic of his eyes.
“Rafayel, you’re burning up!” you press your palm to his forehead and frown, your other hand wrapped around his wrist, his pulse fluttering beneath your grip.
“D-don’t worry — it’s just — it happens ever year —”
“Still! We should go see a doctor —!”
“No! No — no doctors…” his voice is harsh and he pulls you back towards him with such force that the wind is knocked clean from your lungs as you sprawl against his chest, held there by the weight of his arms and the aftershocks of surprise still coursing through you. Vaguely, you note that he’s much stronger than he’s ever let on — less vaguely, you note that his thumbs as pressing into the bare skin of your side as he bites his lips and looks anywhere but at your face.
“Rafayel? Are… are you okay?”
“It’s — I’m fine —” he lets out another ragged breath and you know implicitly that he’s lying.
“You’re not fine — I’m going to grab some ice — o-oh!” you topple backwards as he pulls you back, strong arms encircling your middle as you try too get up and make for the kitchen.
“R-Rafayel?”
He lets out a long breath as he hooks his chin over your shoulder; in your periphery, you can see the dark blush blooming across his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, can feel the heat seeping through his thin shirt and yours to your skin. You can smell slightly salty sweetness of his skin as he holds you to him, his eyes closed, lashes almost damnably long in the moonlight as he tugs you back and slumps against the couch.
“I don’t need anything else but you… so… can you just… stay?”
His voice is soft, almost pleading.
You swallow; you nod; you sink into his embrace, wondering briefly if you’d felt something similar to this before. Or perhaps you’d made a promise like this, once upon a time. But the moon is soft and low and heavy on the horizon, and the sea outside is sweet as it shushes against the long stretch of beach, the water casting a myriad of dancing starlight scattering across Rafayel’s studio ceiling.
“I’m not going anywhere,” you say, leaning back into his embrace.
“Good…” he says, nosing into the soft spot between your neck and shoulders; you shudder as his lips brush against the sensitive skin there, “good,” he says once again before leaning down to press a longing kiss to your shoulder.
006.
“Stay…” you peer blearily up at him through the haze of sleep, all your limbs feeling both heavy and weightless all at once. The events of the night prior flashes behind your eyes and you flush hot at the memory.
Rafayel lets out a soft chuckle, “Oh how the tables have turned.”
“Hm?” you make an uncomprehending noise, frowning slightly as he leans in to press a soft kiss to the back of your hand, still sitting up, the soft white sheets pooling around his middle, the morning sun casting him in a halo of silver and gold.
“Nothing. I’m just gonna go grab some breakfast — I’ll be right back.”
Still, you pout, digging your fingers into his wrist as you shake your head and whine.
“Don’t… don’t leave.”
Rafayel lets out a soft sigh, laughing as he leans back down to kiss your bare shoulder.
“I’ll just be in the kitchen… I won’t go any further than that — I promise, okay?”
You loosen your grip ever so slightly, “Can your promises be trusted?”
He tuts, gently tugging his arm free, “Of course they can — I found you again, didn’t I?”
You hum, burying your face back into the soft linen cover of the pillow as Rafayel gets up to prep breakfast.
He returns less than ten minutes later with a silver tray and a helpless smile as he looks down at your slumbering form, before he leans down to press his lips to yours, curling his fingers into the baby hairs at the nape of your neck and shimmying back under the blankets with you.
He loops his arms around you and smiles to himself as you burrow deeper into his chest, mumbling incoherently.
“Stupid girl… as if I could ever, ever leave you again.”
Because he’s completely enamored with your existence.
Soft, little smiles, reserved just for you.
He just enjoys your presence so much, that sometimes he doesn’t know how to handle it, and the emotions just bubble over to the point he can’t control his own expressions ❤️
He simply loves your laugh, and any time he hears it, he can’t help but smile along.
You’ve got him wrapped around your finger from everything you do… and you don’t even realize it.
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