She/Her 18+. Just a lil indie author that writes on the internet. Enjoy it or else I might have to make you my enemy before we start understanding each other and I end up smooching you in a fit of passion. Coms are open.
Greetings and Salutations, fellow monsterfuckers. I think it's about the time that I got one of these. Considering that I'm finally posting consistently enough.
I'm Twitterpated, but pulling in my other name, Ethereal, you can call me E.T. Call me what you want, I really don't mind, I'm just here to have fun on this hellsite.
Stuff about my blog:
My blog is mostly sfw, but I do write nsfw. They will be tagged accordingly so don't worry.
Yes, I have older stuff, such as Rain and little oneshots. Read em, enjoy them, I'm happy you're delving into them, but I write monsters now, so I wouldn't expect to get anything like my past stuff unless it deals with monsters and has a reader insert.
I write mainly GN readers, but I also write Fem and will write Masc. They will be tagged accordingly.
If you have little ideas about posts and all that, send them, I enjoy getting asks and responses on my posts. I read them all more than once, even if I don't respond. I'm shy and bashful that you're complimenting my work. Thank you lmao.
AN: I'm back. Aha, after two years I have come back. A lot of shit happened. Switched jobs too many times, I landed myself in the hospital twice, which caused said job switching, and now I'm hopefully ok? Probably. Anyway, take this!!! I'm planning on expanding Cedar Hill into it's own little series of novels, so hopefully, we can get plenty more of cozy small town monsters, and maybe even a full novel for Fern. Plus sized reader for that bit of self indulgence, but it isn't really shown until subtle bits at the end.
CW: Overall GN reader, but reader is AFAB that wears a bra and has breasts, so it's more or less Fem by the end of the story, unprotected pnv - do not do this, you are not fictional, graphic smut, overall vanilla sex, he eats reader out. Minors DNI.
Word count: 10,771
Standing in the doorway of your front door, you lifted a hand, waving at the movers as they got into the truck, a silent thanks for helping you, if the twenty dollar tip to each of them wasn’t enough. Your smile faded when they pulled out of view, and your body slouched, drained from the drive, and from dealing with two people to make sure all of your belongings were safe.
Stepping inside of your new home, you kicked the door shut, and realized if you wanted to collapse into bed as soon as physically possible, you needed to get your room unpacked. Most of it at least. So that’s where you went, walking up the short flight of stairs, down the small hallway and into your bedroom.
It was quiet, something you weren’t all that used to yet, and it both unnerved you and calmed you. At first, you believed city life was made for you, but being locked in on a year lease with an expensive fee if you wanted to break it made you think differently. The car noise never stopped, neither did the faint sound of people yelling. Walking to work was too far, but the traffic would constantly make you late, and the subway put you out at a station that was farther than if you just walked, so you were fighting time tooth and nail every weekday until they offered you a work-from-home position. Of which you gleefully took.
Opening the first box, you sighed at the sight of clothes, shoving it towards your closet and moving onto the next one, pleased to find your bedding in it. Tugging out the fitted sheet, rolled into a ball because you were not folding a fitted sheet, you tossed it on your mattress, then grabbed the pillow cases to move to the suitcase that had your pillows in it.
It didn’t take long to get the bed prepped for the night, and you managed to find your sleep clothes in another box, getting a quick shower before settling into your freshly made bed. It also didn’t take long for sleep to grasp onto you, with both the drive and the entire process of making the move fit into one day, exhaustion flooded through your system, and merely left you a drained shell of the person you were in the morning.
<------------------------------>
Unpacking, even despite the fact that you now worked at home, took you around three days. Settling into town however? You weren’t sure you could say you were settled yet, even after a week and a half.
The town was different, it was pleasant, it smelt of fall despite it being summer, and Halloween seemed to be an eternal holiday celebrated there. You were sure it was just the drastic change from living in the city, dealing with the noise pollution, and regular pollution, to living in a town that was both quiet and had air you enjoyed breathing in.
Maybe the fact that it was a monster town was also something to get used to as well.
Cedar Hill, tucked into a valley a few hours from the closest city, was a small respite for monster folk of all types, being the majority populous. Over the time you’ve been there, you had only seen a couple humans around town, which didn’t concern you. You had an easier time with monsters, taking your experience at your time in the office in the city. They were always kinder, more willing to accept an outcast than the humans you worked with.
You walked through the aisles of the small grocery store tucked onto the corner of the town square. A werewolf ran it, you were pretty sure, so it was open decently late into the evening, which worked well for you when you had to work late some nights. The selection wasn’t as big as it was in the city, but it wasn’t as expensive either, so you’d take what you could get.
You grabbed at a jar of spaghetti sauce, slipping it into your basket as you turn down the next aisle, and bump into something- or, well, someone rather. Glancing up, your eyes widen when you’re met with a man wearing a thin sweatshirt and jeans, his head surprising you.
Expecting a head of hair, and tan skin that matched his hands, his head was a pumpkin. He glanced over at you, carved eyes somehow full of amusement, two pinpricks lighting them, as he raised a brow, which was also carved.
You took a step back, offering him an awkward smile. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I can tell,” he said, mouth thinning into a smile, but opening when he spoke again, a hint of a green tongue peeking out. “Are you alright?”
You nodded, the action rapid, something that you know will make a headache start to brew behind your temples when you finish. He chuckled, and when you stopped nodding to look at him again, the prophesied headache began to pound slightly on your temples. You took a breath, gripping onto your basket.
“I’m fine. Are you alright?” you asked, head tipping to the side as your hands moved the basket to sit in front of you, against your thighs.
He nodded, and pushed his own grocery basket up to settle on his forearm. “I’m fine, you didn’t really hit me in the first place. A nudge at most.”
“That’s good,” you said, and swayed slightly on your feet, looking around, then back at his carved eyes. His smile grew, points getting closer to his eyes as he glanced down to your feet. You were unsure about how you knew that, but you did, watching him meet your eyes again.
“I’m Fern,” he said, and you couldn’t help the little smile that touched your lips, a soft laugh bubbling in your throat. He raised a brow, taking a step closer to you. “You’re laughing.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you, it’s just Fern is…it’s-”
“On theme, I know. My parents were very into those types of names, not having them themselves,” he said, his free hand nudging your arm. “You can laugh, I don’t mind.”
You shook your head, even as your smile grew. “No, no, it’s not that funny. I’m over it now.”
“Good, because now would be the time you’d introduce yourself,” he teased, chuckling when your shoulders went rigid.
You introduced yourself quickly, and he nodded along, stepping closer to you when an older witch made her way over to grab some sage leaves. You didn’t miss the look the woman gave the two of you, and neither did Fern, if his small grunt meant anything.
“That’s Evra. She’s way too into everyone’s relationship business. Even if there’s nothing there.”
“Welcome to small town life, I suppose,” you said. He huffed out a laugh, glancing at the shelf in front of him, then back at you.
“You not used to it?” he asked. You shook your head.
“I grew up in a neighborhood where people more or less minded their own business because it was decently big…then I thought I could handle city life.” Your voice drifted off and you shrugged. “Nosy neighbors or not, I think I suit the quietness of small towns.”
“That’s good to hear. The people around here mean well, most of them at least, but they can get pushy. Gossipy,” he said. “Just don’t let them push you around, they’ll stop when they realize you’re not talking.”
You nodded, looking over at the shelf, only to pause when you realized that they put the paprika a bit too high up, and it was the one spice you needed that day. Fern happened to notice, however, moving his hand up and towards the spices, eyes trailing your expression until it perked up when he lingered over what you needed. He grabbed it, then set it in your basket for you.
“Thank you,” you said. “I would’ve jumped up to grab it but…”
He motioned towards himself, making you nod again. “I get it. If I’m in the way, just move me, I won’t give you much shit about it.”
Your lips upturned, and you readjusted the hold on your basket. “Much?”
His own smile widened, sharp ends carving up to his eyes. “You heard me.”
Fern’s smile softened a moment later, and his eyes narrowed slightly, head tilting as he stepped closer to you when another person looked at the spices. He nodded his head towards the older man when he grabbed what he needed and moved past them.
“You’re pretty popular with the seniors.”
“My mom worked at a care company,” he said, shrugging before pushing his sweater sleeves up, revealing a vine tattoo on his right arm. It winded around, going up and under his sleeve. You couldn’t help but stare, the pretty greens coloring the tattoo popping out. “You’re staring, Petal.”
You perked up, your cheeks warming in embarrassment as you realized what he called you, which only managed to make your face burn.
“I like your tattoo,” you said, motioning with your head towards it. “Very…on brand.”
He snorted. “I suppose it is. I have a couple more, but they’re littered around, and it’d be pretty inappropriate to show you them in public.”
Promptly averting your gaze, you shifted on your feet, then looked up at him again. Fortunately for you, however, he spoke again, seemingly noticing your awkward mood.
“Joking, kinda. I don’t show on the first meeting,” he said. “But I gotta get going, time constraints and whatnot. I work at the restaurant down at the square if you wanna catch me again. I work in the back, but I’ll pop out for you.”
“Rino’s?” He nodded, a quick, simple thing. He slipped beside you, flashed you another smile before slipping off into another aisle.
You looked down at the floor, a sharp breath leaving you as you scrubbed a hand down your face, pressing forward down the aisle. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say you were in trouble.
<------------------------------>
Rino’s smelt like freshly baked bread and garlic, flooding your senses the moment you walked in and looked around. A dessert counter off towards the side, opposite of where you could see the kitchen from, a bored looking Elf standing behind it, clad in an embroidered polo with the restaurant’s name on the breast pocket. Other townsfolk sat around the restaurant, the circle tables covered with a white -or off white, you could never tell- table cloth, a vase with two flowers and a candle decorating each table.
When you turned back to face the host podium, you were met with a bubbly Fae, their curled pointed ears perked as they held up a menu. “Welcome! Just one?”
You nodded. “Yea.”
They led you to a table nudged to the far right side of the restaurant, and still you kept your head on a swivel before you spotted the kitchen window, your eyes catching the dim pinpricks that belonged to Fern. You looked away, stopping just in time to not bump into the Fae as they seat you, leaving a menu in front of the seat you sat at, and telling you that your waitress would be over shortly.
So you flipped open the menu, gazing at what was listed. Grimacing at the prices, you tried to look for the cheapest thing on the menu, figuring that it must be worth it, but it was very out of your price range at that moment, since you were still pretty much recovering from moving.
Your eyes drifted over towards the sound of footsteps coming your way, assuming that it was your waitress, only to perk up when you see Fern standing there, arms settled on his hips. “Oh- hey, you didn’t have to come out to see me.”
“‘Course I did,” he said, his smile widening. “It’s not that busy. You seeing anything you like?”
You shrugged, not wanting to admit that the prices kept you from ordering. “I might just order an appetizer. I’m not that hungry…”
“Or,” he started, shoving his hands in his pockets, “and hear me out, I make you something you like and you eat it? Just a small, little idea.”
“Wouldn’t that be stealing?”
“They can’t afford to lose me and we have some food. We're getting a new shipment tomorrow so we’re trying to get as much out as we can before we have to find room for the new stuff,” he responded. “It’s up to you.”
As he waited for your response, you pondered about it. Part of you wondered if what he said was true, or if he was just trying to make you not worry about agreeing. While another part told you to agree to it, don’t worry about the consequences since you weren’t the one who came up with the idea.
“Positive you’re not gonna get in trouble?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled, nodding and rocking back and forth on his feet.
“I’m more than sure I won’t,” he said. “You don’t have to agree, I just think it’ll be good if you do. And I’m pretty good at cooking.”
Letting out a huff of laughter, you waved his ego away and nodded. “Fine, fine. Just surprise me, so I can say I didn’t know what you were going to do.”
“Playing innocent,” he hummed, taking his hands out of his pockets and resting them on his hips as he bent down to face you fully. Fern tapped your chin once, then stood back up. “I’ll be back with the surprise then.”
He walked away from your table with a wink, and all but sauntered back into the kitchen. You felt your cheeks heat, just slightly, as you watched him disappear behind the door with ‘Employees Only’ slapped on the top of it.
You chewed on your lip, closing your menu and setting it to the side, deciding to just order water when the waitress gets back.
Fifteen minutes passed, with you sipping at your water and glancing at your phone occasionally any time it buzzed. You were patiently, but also somehow impatiently waiting to see Fern again, your eyes darting towards the kitchen window, then the door. You followed the trail a few more times before the door finally opened, revealing Fern carrying a covered plate towards your table.
“You’re lucky, I don’t normally do table service. Worked my way up from that,” he said, pulling up the dome to reveal a light orange, creamy pasta dish. “It’s linguine with vodka sauce with added cream, sundried tomatoes, and spinach.”
You raised your brows, looking at him with a quiet hum, then back down to the pasta. “It looks good.”
“I know, I made it,” he said, flashing you a grin with a small laugh. “It’s on the house, you’re doing us a favor taking this, in fact.”
“Y’know, I dunno if I should call you cocky, or leave your ego alone because you’re giving me free food,” you said, leaning back in your seat.
“I’m ok with either,” he hummed in return, pushing the plate closer to you. “We have some older cherries I gotta get used up too…if you’re feeling dessert.”
“What’re the cherries supposed to be used for?”
“Normally a cherry cream tart. But, we have blondies that are really good with the cherries. You didn’t hear that from me though,” he said, glancing around at their surroundings, before looking back at you and winking. “Eat your pasta and if you want dessert, you can tell her to grab me.”
“Okay,” you said, hand already reaching for your fork to start digging in. He watched you for a second longer before exhaling softly and walking back to the kitchen, barking out an order immediately to one of the other cooks on the line.
You dug your fork into the pasta, twirling it, and shoving it into your mouth, holding back the near moan that almost left your mouth. It didn’t take long for the entire plate to be gone, same with your water, and when your waitress finally came, surprised to see you had already gotten food, you asked for Fern to come out, seemingly surprising her further.
She refilled your cup and grabbed your plate, bringing it to the back where Fern emerged, walking over to you as he wiped his hands on his apron, letting them rest on his hips as he stopped beside your table.
“You finished that fast,” he said, voice slightly teasing, but his tone was more awe than anything. “I’m glad you liked it.”
“It was good,” you responded, feeling your cheeks warm at his words. “...If you’re still offering that blondie…”
“Oh the offer’s still up, Petal,” he hummed, hand moving to brush the corner of your mouth with his thumb, wiping off some sauce you hadn’t even noticed was there. “I’ll go get it for you.”
When he went back again, it only took a few minutes for him to come out with it on a small plate, setting it in front of you, making your brows furrow when you didn’t see any of the cherries.
“I thought you were doing this because cherries were going bad.”
He hummed, nodding with a small, short motion of his hand towards it. “Cut it open.”
You paused, but did what he said, lifting your knife, and the fork on the side of the plate, and cut through the blondie, revealing pieces of red in it. You looked back up at him, then down at the blondie again.
“Tell me you didn’t make blondies just to put cherries in them,” you said, setting the knife down.
“Can’t exactly lie,” Fern responded, shrugging. “Some of the people on the line needed something to do, so I gave them something to do.”
“Fern-”
“Don’t argue,” he said, motioning towards the food. “Eat your blondie.”
He looked around again, before sitting down on the chair beside you, watching your face as you took a bite. His eyes narrowed, pinpricks darting to your every movement before you glanced over at him again, and paused mid bite.
“What?” you asked, covering your mouth with your hand as you chewed. He shook his head.
“Nothing, nothing, just wanted to see if you liked it.” His tone said something else, but you weren’t in the mood to push it, so you nodded in response.
“I do like it,” you responded. “I appreciate you doing this, especially since we essentially just met.”
He shook his head, waving his hand in the air. His smile curved up, and his brows furrowed, a thin line forming between the carved shape of his eyes and his eyebrows. “Doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other to me.”
You lowered your hand, a smile touching your own lips. “Is this small town hospitality? Or just you being nice to me?”
“Both?” he hummed. “Are you not used to it?”
“Didn’t really get it in an HOA riddled suburb or a noise polluted city. Everything about this place is new to me.”
You finished your blondie when the conversation slowly died off, drinking the rest of your water as you pushed your plate back.
“Thank you for this,” you said, standing and moving towards your wallet. Fern slips his hand on your wrist, tilting his head.
“Why’re you pulling out your wallet?”
“To…to pay?” you responded, setting a couple of bills down on the table for the waitress, and then trying to tug out your card, but he merely shook his head.
“Don’t worry about it, really. They can afford some food that was going to go to waste if we didn’t have room for it, and well…it’s weird if I tell you I don’t want you to pay.”
“You’re right.” You nodded, hands moving down to your hips, still holding your wallet. “It is weird. We essentially know each other’s names and that’s it.”
“Right…well…I’m off Saturday, shockingly, if you would want to change that? There’s this coffee shop like a block from here that’s really good, and it’s by the park…” Fern’s voice trailed off as he shrugged. “If you’re free, obviously.”
“Are you asking me out, Fern?”
His eyes widened, and he scoffed, but his pinpricks darted towards the side. “It’s more like a hangout. Getting to know one another so you won’t argue with me about covering for you when I cook you something.”
“Right,” you said. “That’s the only reason?”
“Would you be against it if it wasn’t the only reason?” he asked, looking at you again. “I can take a no.”
You couldn’t help the half smile that appeared, amused by him. “I just wanted to hear you say it. I’m free Saturday. Perks of having an office job.”
Fern nodded, huffing out a laugh. “Suppose having weekends off is a decent perk.”
Your smile grew, and you bit down on your bottom lip before grabbing a napkin, looking around the table before snatching a pen from his apron pocket and jotting down your number, handing it, and the pen back to him. “Thanks for the pen.”
“Thanks for using it,” he retorted, looking down at your number before folding it around the pen and tucking it back into his pocket. “I’ll text you? When I get off work, of course.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
<------------------------------>
‘You close to getting here?’
You sent the text five minutes ago, sitting at a table in the ‘Moon Bean’, looking out at the town through the window you were beside. The coffee shop wasn’t busy, only a few customers lingering around the other side of the room, as the owner worked behind the counter. Your coffee was lukewarm at this point, since you wanted to save it to drink with Fern, but it had already been fifteen minutes and the cold foam you splurged on was long gone.
‘Hey. Not to seem needy or clingy but could you text me if something held you up? We can reschedule.’
Another five minutes, and you pitifully drank down half of your coffee, stood with the cup, and headed out of the shop. The sun was out, and a breeze grazed your skin, but with the sour taste left in your mouth at being stood up, you couldn’t enjoy it, making the walk back to your place.
As you got through town, you passed by Rino’s, and as curious as you were to see if he was inside, working despite saying he was off, you passed by. However, when you walk by the grocery store, something hard collides with you, sending your coffee into your shirt, staining and forcing the now sticky and wet fabric against your skin. You gasped, dropping the cup before your head snapped over towards what hit you, only to see Fern standing there, holding a slightly crumpled bouquet of flowers.
His eyes widened, and his normally carved smile fell, as his pinpricks darted across the stain. “Shit, Petal, I’m sorry-”
“It’s…it’s whatever, I’m going home anyway, I’ll just change,” you said. You couldn’t help your tone, bitey and a little bitter, which he visibly caught.
“Going home? What? I thought we were getting coffee?” You didn’t have to say anything, his eyes dropping towards the cup, then back up to the stain. “...Oh.”
“Yea, oh. I was waiting for you for twenty minutes. I texted you,” you said. “If you were going to be late, you could’ve at least texted me.”
His brows furrowed, and he tilted his head, reaching down to grab his phone. A small sigh left him when he must’ve seen the texts, and he looked back at you.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t see them. I ran late and I wanted to get you flowers because if I was late might as well come with something, but I couldn’t pick out a bouquet and…and all of that seems like one big excuse when I could’ve just checked my phone,” he said, voice getting quieter the more he talked. He held out the bouquet, practically forcing it into your arms, and when he didn’t have something in his hand, he smoothed it over the side of his head, slipping both hands into his pocket. “I’m…god, I’m sorry. I can…walk you home? Can I walk you home? I could order something, my treat…”
Part of you wanted to deny him, to watch him squirm and relish in it for a moment, but another part of you saw that he was being genuine, and while his face could only show so much, his voice sounded too distraught for your liking.
“Only if you’ll order Chinese.”
“You got it,” he said. The air got quiet, before you gave him a tight lipped smile, and nodded once, turning to start walking home in your sticky shirt. He followed you soon after, falling into step beside you.
You both made it to your house in awkward silence, with you still feeling a little upset about what happened earlier, and with him trying to break the silence, but only ever getting out a syllable before shutting himself up.
You unlocked the door, letting him in first, hearing his quiet ‘thank you’ as he stepped in, and you followed him inside. You grabbed a vase from under the kitchen sink, filling it with water and placing the flowers in, not too concerned with cutting them to size at that moment. The only thing you wanted to do was get changed and eat.
You turned towards the stairs, only stopping when Fern finally spoke up.
“Hey, what would you want? If you’re getting changed I can order so we don’t have to wait long…”
“Probably Pad Thai,” you said. “Normal’s fine…thanks.”
He nodded, and you climbed up the steps, walking into your bedroom and shutting the door quietly, a heaving sigh coming from your lips when you heard the click.
“C’mon,” you mumbled, peeling off your shirt, and going into the on suite. You glanced at yourself in the mirror, wetting a wash cloth to wipe off the stickiness on your skin, and shook your head at your reflection. “He’s just a man. …A man we find attractive, but a man.”
You ran your hands up your face, but dropped them down to your neck, rubbing out the knots before you stepped back and left to grab another shirt.
You walked downstairs in a pair of sweatpants and an old band tee you thrifted in the city, the hem fraying slightly and the graphic practically nonexistent. Fern stood in the doorway of your kitchen, phone pressed between his shoulder and the…side of his pumpkin head. Your brows furrowed, and he glanced over when he heard the sound of your footsteps.
“Right…half an hour? Cool…great, thank you. Bye,” he mumbled into the phone, hanging up and slipping his phone back into his pocket. “They should be here in half an hour. Why are you staring at me like I have five heads?”
“...Because I just saw you press your phone against your head. And I only just now realized you don’t have ears.”
He’s quiet again, but only for a couple seconds before a snort leaves him, and he chuckles. “I guess you’re right. Just part of being me…proves how much of a great listener I am.”
“I’m unsure if you’re being ironic.”
“Completely ronic,” he said, deadpanning you. “I’m a fantastic listener. And texter…when I look at my notifications. I promise, that was a one-and-done thing.”
You waved it away. “I’m pretty much over it now. It’d be bitchy to take free food and not partially forgive you.”
“Partially?”
“You were twenty minutes late, Fern,” you said. “Text or no text, you were still late. And…knowing me the Pad Thai’s probably gonna be awesome and I’ll forgive you fully. But do it again and I’ll figure out a way to pluck your head off.”
He snorted again, shaking his head as his hand slipped under his head, lifting it slightly before it popped off like nothing.
“Like this?” he asked. Your mouth opened, eyes darting from his neck, to his head, back to his neck, before finally landing on his head.
“How…talking? How?” Was all you could muster, gawking at the fact that he was now holding his own head.
Fern put his head back on, shrugging.
“It’s like my hearing, just something I can do. I’ve never really thought of it,” he said. “I wouldn’t put too much thought into it.”
You breathed out a noise, hands moving to your hips as you stared at him, almost like you were waiting for his head to fall off.
“What?” he asked, eyes widening slightly as you walked up to him and moved your hand where he placed it on his head. “I didn’t think you’d want to do it immediately-”
“I’m just seeing,” you mumbled, tipping his head back and cocking your own head. “You can just do that whenever you want?”
“Yea,” he said, hand moving up to wrap around your wrist. He guided it inwards, before blindly reaching for your other hand. “Move this back here…”
He moved your other hand towards the back of his head, and just like before, his head pops off and into your hands. You bring him towards you, eyes staring into pinpricks.
“Does it hurt?”
“Nope,” he said, his hands shoving themselves into his pockets. “It’s like a little pull and then it’s off. It’s not even uncomfortable.”
“And you can still control your body…” He hummed, his smile stretching slightly.
“It’s a talent, I know, hold your applause,” he said, and after a couple seconds, he chuckles, the sound low, but just light enough to make your heart skip, even though you should still be upset. “I used to do this all the time when I was in school…just to fuck with people.”
“You were a menace then, huh?” you responded, lifting his head and helping him put it back on his neck.
“You could say that.” Fern rolled his shoulders, glancing towards your front door before looking back at you. “It got boring after a few years though, so I stopped in elementary, but everyone forgot by the time I was in high school, so I did it again. That and parental expectations.”
“The only thing I did in high school was get burnt out,” you said, fingers moving to fidget with the hem of your shirt. “AP classes do that though.”
“Gifted kid?” he asked, to which you nodded. “Same. Kinda. I never really wanted to deal with the classes so I just avoided any of the tests that would’ve put me in them. I thought it was cool when I was single digits, but it didn’t really mean shit. My sister was in them, and left the moment she could.”
“You have siblings?” The question came out before you could think about it, and you instantly felt stupid. “I mean- you just mentioned your sister so of course you do, but do you have any more?”
He chuckled again, and shook his head. “No, I don’t. Just my sister and I. Her name’s Rosemary.”
You paused, then huffed out a laugh. “You weren’t lying when you said your parents were into names like that.”
“No, I wasn’t,” he said. “I’m sure we would’ve been a full garden if my parents decided to have any more. Thankfully they were two and done.”
“Is your sister in town? I don’t think I saw anyone that matches your appearance.”
He shook his head again. “Nah, she moved away a few years ago after she graduated college. She visits, but it was like the moment she could, she left.”
“Oh,” you said, your smile faltering a little. “What did she major in?”
“Psychology,” he answered, a new, softer smile returning to his face. “She’s a therapist that works specifically with kids. It’s sweet, suits her.”
“She sounds like a good person.” He nodded.
“She is,” Fern said, opening his mouth to speak again, but closed it with another shrug, perking up when he heard the doorbell. “They got here early.”
He walked towards the door, opening it, and pulling out a couple fives from his wallet, handing it to the woman standing by the door as he took the takeout bag. When she left your porch, he turned around and nudged the door shut with his heel, walking back to you, and then into the kitchen. “I ordered a couple other things…you like those sugar donuts?”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Probably a lot of people,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a grin as he pulled out the food. “I appreciate you letting me come over.”
“Thank you for paying for dinner,” you said, stepping up beside him as he slid your Pad Thai towards you.
“I should be thanking you.”
You didn’t respond, didn’t ask why- you both knew why -you just nudged him towards your sink to pull out two forks, handing one to him.
He grabbed it, his fingers brushing against yours with a soft breath before he pulled away, and started gathering the food in his hands.
“Do you have a specific place you eat?”
“Normally the table in here…I don’t have a dining room, and normally I watch things on my phone when I eat, so the table is just easier,” you said.
He glanced over towards the small wooden table in the corner of your kitchen, two matching chairs being the only thing accommodating it. When you walked to it, he followed, setting everything down as he watched you go towards your fridge, opening it and leaning your hip against the door.
“What’re you looking for?”
“Drink. I need to go to the store. Are you fine with water? Tea?”
“Either’s fine,” he said. “I’m not picky.”
You nodded. Grabbing two glasses, and filling both with water from your filtered tap, you set them down in front of both chairs.
“Thank you,” he said, sipping at it.
“You thanked me afterall,” you said after a moment, hand nudging his shoulder as you went back to grab two plates from the cupboard. You finally sat down after handing him one, plating half of the Pad Thai on your own plate. “What’d you get?”
“General Tso’s. I’m normally an orange chicken guy but I like getting this on occasion.”
“Is this an occasion?” you asked, partly in jest.
“‘Course it is. It’s a first date…whether or not I almost fucked it all up,” he said. “It’s an occasion in my opinion, at least.”
Your gaze softened, and your heart rate sped slightly. “...I guess this is an occasion for me too.”
He covered his mouth when he took a bite, but he couldn’t hide the way his eyes curved slightly in visible glee, his eyebrows relaxing as the words settled between you two.
<------------------------------>
Your first date led into a second, then a third, and as summer turned to fall, your date activities matched. The town’s fair was up and going, bringing people from other towns, even the city, in to join in on the festivities.
You tugged on your long sleeve, biting down on your lip as you readjusted the way your overall straps rested on your shoulders. You were early, way too early, having misread the time you two had agreed upon, and instead of texting him about your mistake, you were standing right by the entrance, watching people walk in and out as time slowly ticked by.
You perked up when you heard your name however, your head snapping up to see Fern wearing a wristband, grin on his face and his new vine tattoo that peaked through his slight v-neck. The tattoo was still slightly red from when he had it done, but it was healing nicely from what little you could see of it. He sent you a photo of him getting it done when he decided on a whim to spend the money he put aside for another tattoo on a vine crawling down his shoulder to his lower ribs, with a frowny face about the fact that you couldn’t watch it happen since you were at work.
You smiled, waving and meeting him in the middle. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to your cheek and pulled back.
“Were you waiting long?” he asked, the hand with the wristband reaching out to interlace your fingers together, which you accepted gladly as you shook your head. Liar.
“No…not long,” you said, slipping your phone into your pocket to focus on walking with him. “You look nice.”
“Thank you. You also look nice, like always, so there’s no surprise there.”
Your cheeks warmed, and you used your now free hand to swat at him. “Shush.”
“Don’t think I will, Petal. You look pretty. Are those new overalls?”
“Yea,” you said. “I bought them when we planned-”
You cut yourself off, the warmth blossoming into burning heat, and you looked away. “They’re new, yea.”
You could feel his gaze on you, and you felt embarrassed about the fact that you spent money on a pair of overalls just to look nice for your fourth date with him.
“I needed a pair anyway…I want to get into gardening when it gets warm out again,” you said.
“Uh-huh,” he hummed. “I’ll just brush by the fact that you just stopped yourself from admitting that you bought overalls for a date to the fair. Which, you didn’t need to do, you look pretty in anything and everything in your closet.”
“You haven’t seen my stained sweats.”
“Is there a chance I might?” He asked, a teasing smile on his face. “Please tell me there is.”
“If you shush, like I said, you might get the chance,” you retorted. “Now shush.”
He chuckled, lifting his free hand up in surrender and swinging your intertwined hands as you walked further into the fair, passing by people and crowds standing around the food stands.
After a moment, however, Fern can’t help himself. “Do you want to eat or ride something first?”
“Ride. I want to finish with food. I get motion sickness,” you said. He pouted, or…did the closest thing to a pout that he could with a carved face. “Do you want to eat?”
“With you,” he said. “I’ll be fine, we can ride stuff first. It’ll be easier on my stomach anyway.”
With a nod, the two of you surveyed the limited rides. Excluding a couple kiddie rides, there were approximately five rides that were a possibility.
“Do you get motion sick on the ferris wheel after eating?” he asked suddenly. “If we get on by the time the sun sets, the ferris wheel gives you a perfect view of the town.”
You looked over at him, and thought for a minute. “I’d be willing to try it. It doesn’t seem like it moves too fast.”
“It doesn’t,” he confirmed. “They use the same one every year, slow as shit.”
With a snort, you shook your head and he grinned down at you, leaning down, kissing your cheek again, and tipped his head against yours for a brief moment.
You leaned into it, a soft hum leaving your throat with a squeeze to his hand. He pulled away with a soft look, and motioned towards the ‘coaster’ far off to the left.
“We should do that first, get the harsher ones out of the way.”
“Good idea,” you said.
“It’s an idea of mine isn’t it?” he said. You rolled your eyes, but didn’t stop the grin.
“Your ego is the biggest part of you, Fern,” you responded. He cocked a brow, smile turning into a smirk before he nudged you.
“Don’t speak so soon, Petal, you haven’t seen anything,” he said, and promptly tugged you towards the ride.
As the evening died down, the two of you hit almost every ride offered to you, excluding the ferris wheel and a ride that had too long of a line and both of you didn’t want to do anything that required waiting longer than the actual ride would be. You ended up sharing cheese fries, paid for by him, and split a stupidly expensive strawberry lemonade, paid for by you.
You sat at the pavilion table the two of you claimed, watching him as he tossed the trash from the fries and lemonade. Your eyes trailed his back, going down to the smallest curve of his stomach, making your heart and stomach flip at the sight. You stared at the way his jeans hung low, and the sigh that left your lips was unconscious, but just as dreamy as you were feeling.
He turned to walk back to you, stopping mid step when he saw that you were already looking at him. His shoulders shook slightly, his telltale that he was laughing, and grinned as he headed back to you, holding his hand out.
“You were watching me.”
“I’m allowed,” you said. “I’m on a date with you, aren’t I?”
“‘M not complaining,” he said, helping you stand before his hand moved towards the small of your back, splaying over the denim of your overalls to guide you to the ferris wheel.
The attendant checked your wristbands, and Fern made sure you were on the carriage before stepping in himself and shutting the door. He waved at the attendant, and gave him a look that made you think that they knew each other, so you nudged his foot with your own when the ferris wheel started to move.
“Did you know him?” you asked. He looked over at you, bending down to grab your legs and settle them on his lap.
“Yea, we were friends in high school.”
“Were?” He shrugged at first.
“Time made us drift away, he went to college and I started working,” he said. “Just life.”
You nodded as a response, leaning back into the bench and letting your eyes shut.
“You tired?” Fern asked softly, hands slipping under your overalls to rub right above your ankles.
“A little…crowds do that to me,” you said. “I’ll be fine.”
Cracking an eye open, you gazed at him, then the sunset, basking in the soft glow of it as the ferris wheel moves, which was admittedly very slow, just like Fern said.
The two of you sat in comfortable silence, his hands not stopping their movements as his thumbs rub against your skin, fingers digging in just enough to be a pleasant pressure. A quiet breath left you as you felt yourself dozing, a hand raising to cover your mouth when you yawned.
“We can go back to yours when we’re done here,” he said. “If you want me over.”
“Please,” you said softly. “You can stay the night if you want…”
The offer was out there, considering the two of you have been sticking to cheek and head kisses for the most part, but something deep inside of you felt that it was right. But you spoke again, backtracking a little.
“If you want to stay, that is.”
He smiled, leaning over your legs to kiss your knee. “I’ll stay over. Your couch is comfy.”
“I didn’t mean the couch,” you said, and when you saw his expression falter, you almost regretted saying that. “The couch is fine, forget what I said.”
“No- Petal, no, I’m not forgetting this. Do you want me to sleep in your room?” he asked. “Like really. Not out of obligation.”
You took a moment, but nodded. “Yea. I want you to…which is weird, isn’t it? We’re not even official but here I am, offering for you to sleep in my room.”
“I don’t think it’s weird,” he said softly, tugging on your legs gently before maneuvering himself to sit beside you on the bench. His hand hovered towards your leg, but didn’t settle until your hand pressed it against your denim clad thigh. “I- uh, I actually wanted to ask you to be my partner. Officially. Exclusively- which is obvious, I guess.”
Your eyes widened, and when you made the slow trip down, just to go around again, the sun hit him just right. He was beautiful, you thought, you always thought that. It was overtly true, he was beautiful.
“I’d like that,” you said. “I want to be your partner.”
His face, apparent with his sheer nervousness, broke out into what you could only describe as glee. He pressed his lips to your head, then to your cheeks, before lingering at your lips.
“Can I kiss you?”
“Please,” you murmur, kissing him back when he presses his ‘lips’ to yours.
<------------------------------>
You wet your lips, watching the ground chicken sizzle in the pan as you stirred it around with a spatula, your nerves betraying you with the shakiness of your hands.
You had fifteen minutes until Fern got there, and you had only now started cooking. It was just spaghetti, with jarred sauce for gods’ sake, the most you were doing was browning and seasoning meat and even that felt jarring doing it for a man who did this for a living. You weren’t sure what sparked the idea to cook for him in your head, maybe the fact that since he’s been staying at your place more, and paying for it with ingredients and a home cooked meal, you wanted to do it for him since you didn’t work Saturdays when he more than often did.
You set the spatula down when the chicken was browned, and grabbed the jar from the cabinet, tapping the lid against the counter before opening it with a pop. When the sauce was in the pan with the chicken, you rinsed the jar and put it in the other sink, already planning a use for it.
Fern walked into the door right as you were pulling out plates, peeking his head into the kitchen with a soft hum. “Did you cook, Petal?”
“Yea,” you said. “...It’s just spaghetti, and they were out of garlic bread so…”
Your voice trailed off before he closed the distance, and placed a kiss to your lips. “Thank you for dinner.”
You smiled, goofy and dumb, but nodded. “No problem.”
He kissed you again, and nudged you towards the table. “Sit, sit, I got this.”
“You’ve been on your feet all day though,” you said. “I should be doing it.”
“I get to come over and see you after work, this is my happy time. Go, sit, being on my feet doesn’t bother me,” he insisted, gently pushing you as he got to work plating. “Do you have garlic?”
“Yea, jarlic and some fresh heads, I added some to the sauce.” He nodded, walking towards your fridge and pulling out a head of garlic, two cloves missing from it.
“We could just make our own garlic bread,” he said. “Won’t be as nice as some on an Italian loaf but we’ll make do, won’t we?”
Your heart skipped, feeling a tightening in your lower stomach as you nodded again. “We will.”
“There we go,” he hummed, getting to work on dicing two more cloves, and tugged out some bread from your bread box, making the meal something a vampire would be able to sense a mile away…which was embarrassingly something that had happened after yours and Fern’s third date.
When a garlic butter was made and spread onto two slices of untoasted bread, he slipped a slice on each plate and walked to the table after grabbing forks.
“You didn’t have to do that,” you said. “I could’ve gotten it.”
“Don’t argue,” he responded. “It’s dinnertime.”
You pursed your lips, cocking a brow, which earned you his thumb pressed against your glabella, smoothing out the creases. “Fine. This isn’t over.”
“Never is with you, Petal,” he said, more fondly than teasing, dropping his hand and beginning to eat.
He washed the dishes when the both of you were done eating, something you also tried to protest, but it quickly died when he grabbed your waist, tugged you into him and kissed you breathless. Unfortunately, it was a very easy tactic to get you to give in.
So you leaned against the counter, asking him about his day as he scrubbed at the plates, setting them aside on the drying rack, explaining to you about the different versions of the same meal he had to make, since everyone wanted something taken out or replaced. He never complained though, not once, even if it made extra work for him, and made him be the bad guy and put a little more work on the other cooks on the line. He was just happy to see people enjoying what they ordered.
“You could open your own restaurant, y’know?” you said, practically blurting it out.
He breathed out a laugh. “Yea? You think so?”
“Yea, I do. You work so hard, you could definitely do it.” Your hand moved to his back, moving your fingers back and forth over the expanse of his upper back. “I get why you wouldn’t…since Rino’s has been here, but I think he’d support you.”
“Maybe,” he said. “I’ll think about it. But it’s gonna be way far in the future before I do anything like that.”
“I figured,” you respond. “I know you’re happy at Rino’s, you clearly love your job. I just thought I’d suggest it. You’d do great.”
He nodded, leaning into your touch slightly, finishing up with the last couple forks before shutting off the faucet and putting the sponge back where it belonged, stepping away from the sink.
You stepped closer, kissing his shoulder and slipping your hands under his shirt, unconsciously kneading at the softness of his stomach. He grunted, pinpricks darting from your face, to your hands.
“Petal,” he hummed. “You’re gonna cause something you’re not gonna be able to finish.”
Your eyes glanced up, and you kissed his shoulder again, your mind aware of what you were doing now. “Doubtful.”
Fern scoffed, though it held no frustration. “Doubtful? Awfully big assumption for you, Petal.”
“What’re you gonna do? Hmm? Prove me wrong?”
He let out a small ‘fuck me’ before tipping your head up to kiss you, large hands moving down towards your ass to haul you up and against his body. You yelped into his mouth, grabbing onto him tightly, eyes darting down towards your body, then his arms.
“Holy shit,” you breathed. “Holy shit.”
“What?” he murmured against your skin, his lips moving towards your jaw. His hands tightened their grip, forcing a gasp out of your lips as he pressed an open mouth kiss to your jaw, then to your neck.
“You’re lifting me,” you said, your own hands digging into his t-shirt. “No one really does that. Or is able to.”
“Must’ve dated some weak people, huh?” he asked, grinning over at you before kissing you again. Your lips moved in tandem, parting for him when his tongue, green like his vine tattoos, with a point at the end, swiping at your bottom lip.
Fern moved quickly, adjusting his hold on you, making sure your legs wrapped around his waist and bringing you upstairs. It should’ve freaked you out with the worry of falling and someone getting hurt, but you were too into the fact that he was doing this to care.
He nudged your bedroom door open with his foot, closing it with his heel when the two of you were inside, and dropped you on your bed. You stared up at him, eyes wide, pupils dilated, swallowing your irises whole as your chest heaved.
“Fuck, you’re so pretty like this,” he breathed, kicking off his shoes, and slipping his thigh over your hips to lightly straddle you, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to your lips. “Can I undress you?”
You didn’t even know you were nodding until you felt his hand slipping under your shirt, tugging down then pulling up to strip you out of it. His pinpricks, unchanged despite your own flustered appearance, dropped down towards your breasts and your bralette, a light green lace decorating the slightly darker fabric.
“You expecting me to see this?” he hummed, a teasing lilt in his voice as he leaned down to kiss right below your collar bone. “Or do you just have a bunch of these? Not complaining either way.”
“Both,” you mumbled. “...I just put this on.”
“I like the color, especially on you,” he said. “Can I take it off?”
“Weird way to show you like it,” you responded, but arched your back to allow him to remove it. He rolled his eyes, a small snort leaving him as he peels off the bra.
“Smart ass,” he said, nipping your shoulder as his hands trail further down your body after revealing your breasts, fingers trailing along the waistband of your pants. He looked over at you, despite having already asked to undress you, and waited for your approval.
You nodded again, pushing your hips up, which he groaned at, and slowly pulled down your pants, your underwear snagging against it and coming down with it.
He stared down at your nude body, awe in his expression as his hands hovered, like he couldn’t touch any part of you without ruining you. He pulled himself from the bed, stripping out of his shirt, allowing you to see his torso, the crawling vines on his arms and a couple other small tattoos. His stomach was plush, possibly one of your favorite parts of his body. And he lowered his arms to unbutton his jeans, pushing them down with his boxers and then kicking them off.
Your eyes widened, not at the fact that his dick was out, you had time to gawk at that, but the tattoo on his right thigh. Much like his vines, it crawled up and around it, flowers and thorns adding a bright splash of color to his skin. You breathed out, eyes drifting over to the smattering of dark hair right on his happy trail leading down to a trimmed bush right above his cock.
“You like what you see?” he asked, grinning as he squatted down, grabbing his clothes to move to your dresser. When he turned around, you saw what could only be described as a tramp stamp, which was also very plant themed.
“When’d you get the stamp, tramp?” you asked. He paused, and looked over his shoulder at you with narrowed eyes.
“You saw that huh?”
“It’s right in front of me. When’d you get it?” Fern turned before he answered, stepping back to your bed and pushing himself onto it and over you.
“Eighteen. I got it the night I graduated high school,” he answered, one of his hands moving towards both of yours and wrapping around your wrists, pushing them over your head. “Have I told you that you’re pretty yet?”
“Many times,” you said, but preened when he said it again.
He hummed, lowering himself and kissing your forehead, then your nose, then your cheeks before pecking your lips. You chased his touch, lips pursed slightly when the kiss didn’t last as long as you would’ve liked.
“Can I touch you, Petal?”
The question, that one, simple question sent heat spreading in your lower abdomen and between your thighs. It was the bare minimum, but fuck did his tone make you want to jump him. But you were nothing if not a smartass.
“You’re touching me already,” you said.
Fern’s eyes narrowed before he nipped at your skin again, sucking a soft bruise into the crook of your shoulder and neck. “Answer the question, Petal. Yes or no?”
His eyes met yours, and you nodded. “Please touch me.”
“There you go,” he cooed. He let go of your wrists, pointing at them. “Keep them there. For me, yea?”
“Yea,” you agreed.
He smiled, and your heart soared. His hands found your hips as he pushed his body back, smoothing down to your thighs and grabbing them firmly, peeling them apart. When he saw your cunt, soaked and practically glistening, he let out a small groan.
“You’re perfect,” he said, lifting your thighs to press a kiss to each of them, slotting the upper half of his torso in between as he lowered himself to you, pinpricks finding your face as his fingers, soft, yet carrying calluses from his job, spread you open.
You tipped your hands back, gripping at your headboard with a quiet whimper, seeing the faintest hint of his tongue before it pressed against your clit. A sharp jolt shot through you, and your heels dug into your comforter. You felt his grin as he did a few more teasing licks, and replaced the muscle with his thumb.
“Can’t really suck on it, Petal, my thumb ok?” he asked, a low rumble against you that forced a whine from you, but you nodded.
His tongue lapped right up to his thumb, before dropping down to your entrance, and the only thing you wanted to do was put your hands on his head and push your hips into him. Your grip got tighter on the headboard, but didn’t move from their spot over your head, even when the tip of his tongue prodded at you, with a firm swipe of his thumb against your clit.
You moaned, brows knitting together in pleasure as your eyes fluttered shut as he pushed his tongue inside. The feeling was unfamiliar, considering the amount of times you’ve been eaten out you could count on one hand, but you unconsciously clenched around him, drawing a chuckle from him, which only made your toes curl.
He continued his motions for a bit, fucking you with his tongue and giving your clit much needed attention to bring you towards the edge as fast as you possibly could get there.
And when you came, your moan was loud, unabashed as your legs jerk and your toes curled, he slowed his movements, pulling his thumb away as he drank in your climax. He pulled away when you relaxed, boneless and a small giggle on your lips, the bottom of his head wet with you. He wiped it away, and pushed himself back up to kiss you, letting you taste yourself on him.
“Good?” he asked when he pulled away.
“The best,” you murmured. He shook his head, expression amused as he rubbed your side.
“Good. Do you want to continue?” His other hand pulled your arms from their place, his silent way of saying you don’t have to keep them like that anymore. You nodded, letting out a quiet, but satisfied sigh.
“Yes, I do,” you answered. He kissed you again, softer and slower, pushing his hips between your thighs and grasping himself. Your eyes followed, noticing a glint in the overhead light down at his cock. He noticed, of course he noticed, and pulled back from your thighs, bashfully grinning to show you the prince albert he was branding. “You have a piercing.”
“That I do.”
“...Hot,” you said. “That’s really fucking hot.”
A breathy laugh left you, and you spread your legs further for him. He took the hint, pushing himself back to where he was, and prodding his head against your entrance.
As he pushed in, the stretch forced your breath to catch. He was slightly above average in length, but fuck he was a lot thicker than you assumed. Fern heard your breath catch, saw the way your eyes closed, and paused his movement.
“Are you ok?”
“Uh-huh,” you hummed. “Keep going, it’s just a lot right now…”
He waited for a few seconds, giving you the opportunity to back out, but when you didn’t he started going again, slowly pushing inch by inch before he was flush to your hips. He shuddered when the feel of you, warm and tight, wrapped around him, and moved his hand towards yours until he was able to intertwine your fingers together.
“You feel…fuck you feel great,” he grunted.
“So do you,” you managed. You lifted your legs, wrapping them around his waist, and digging your heels into his skin until he leaned over you, letting you wrap your free arm around his neck.
He pulled his hips back, then with a small snap, pushed back in, starting a bruisingly slow pace that felt good, but at the same time felt torturous. You clenched around him, a soft whimper pouring from your lips.
“You can go faster, you know? I’m not gonna break,” you said, looking up at him with hooded eyes.
“I might,” he responded, but abided, his pace speeding up and a bubbled groan leaving him. He looked down at you, watching your expressions like it was his respite, hips moving like he couldn’t get enough of you now that he had you in this way. “Gods- you’re fucking amazing.”
He moved his head down, tucking it in the crook of your neck and kissing the skin with another, loud groan. His grip on your hand was tight, and you returned it, toes curling as he pistons in and out.
The sound of skin on skin was almost obscene when you added in the wet sounding noise that clearly came from you. His hips adjusted when he moved his position slightly, and almost like magic, or just the power of angles, the head of his cock hits the spot that makes your vision vignette at the edges, punching almost a cry from you.
Fern’s head shoots up, his hips stalling for a moment. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Fuck no, keep your hips where they are- please,” you pleaded. “And go a little harder.”
He nodded, his pleasure clear as his free hand dug into your fitted sheet. “Whatever you want, Petal.”
He started moving again, keeping his pace with a rough snap of his hips. Your eyes rolled back when his head hit again, and again, and again, noises spilling from your lips.
“Fern, oh shit, just like that,” you keened, a cry trapped in your throat as tears sprang to your eyes. Your lower stomach grew tighter, and you clamped down on him when it finally snapped, your head tossing back as you came again, your orgasm rolling over you in waves as he kissed at your jaw to move you through it. Though, that didn’t stop his hips or the pace he set, now able to finally chase his own edge.
When he toppled off of it, however, your name came from his lips like a mantra, his hips pressed flush against yours as he spilled into you, his eyes closed, and his chest heaving as he slowly came down from his high. He exhaled deeply, moving to lay on top of you, not bothering to pull out fully as he began to soften.
“Holy shit,” he mumbled after a long moment. You let out a tired laugh.
“Yea…holy shit,” you responded, your free hand moving from his back, leaving behind red scratch marks and moving it up to his head, gently tracing the ridges with your fingertips. He leaned into the touch, a low noise leaving him like a purr would a cat.
“You’re perfect,” he said. “...Truly, utterly perfect. I’d marry you right now, on the spot…”
“Fern,” you mutter, squeezing his hand. “I had fun too.”
He looked up at you, eyes almost closed, a lazy grin on his face as he traced his hand against your cheek. “I didn’t hear a no.”
“We just started our relationship.”
“Fate is fate, Petal,” he said. “Why would it make us so, so compatible if it didn’t want us to elope like shunned teenagers?”
“Because we’re grown adults in our mid-to-late twenties,” you said.
“Better late than never,” he teased, lifting himself up to slowly pull himself out of you, pushing himself onto ‘his’ side of your bed, laying on his side so his hand can still drag up and down your body. He leaned forward, kissing you softly. “Either way, I’m happy we met. ‘M happier that I got you, and I don’t really plan on ever letting you go.”
“That a promise or a threat?” you asked, raising a brow.
“Why can’t it be both?” he responded, smiling down at you, and kissing your forehead. “Think about it. I’ll be right beside you when you finally wanna say yes.”
You snorted, and laid back against your pillows, letting him help you get under the comforter and laid beside you as you drifted off.
Maybe you wouldn’t say yes at that very moment. But someday? Someday you would.
Hey guys, or whoever happens to see this on my account. I'm not dead, nor have I been inflicted with any curse of a dramatic event. I just kinda stopped posting for a bit. Not because of the performance of my last post(that I fully believe might've been shadowbanned lmao) but because life got ahead of me !!
I got a job, started school, I'm switching jobs(you know how it is) and I'm working on publishing my Krampus winter themed novella. Yes it's after Christmas but Krampus is winter. Hopefully, I should be getting back to writing, even if I start out with some fics at first(working on a Beetlejuice one rn).
A/N : It's been a bit. And while normally I would've put this in the tags, because that's my comedy area, I do have things to say about this. This post is not like my other ones, it is strictly 18+ and I don't want minors interacting with it. I am not your parent, I cannot control what you do on the internet and I don't plan on doing that. But I don't want you commenting or anything like that if you are under 18. Thank you.
Word Count : 12, 617 (This is a big one)
CW : Non-graphic descriptions of murder, being with someone who has committed and admitted to murder(he needs to guys.), mating marks, graphic sex(it's not the best, but most of it was when I was sleep deprived at four-five in the morning), unprotected pnv(don't do this), blood, monsterfucking, canine features down there, size difference, any mistakes you may see(again. most of this is my sleep deprived ramblings.)
There were five bodies last month. That’s how many were reported being found in the forest the next town over. They were all excused as accidents in the woods- bear attacks or so. Some type of animal that wanted a meal. You were still morbidly curious anytime the news brought it up though, even though you’d never admit that. It was like every week a new one was being found, and while you obviously felt bad for the families, your mind constantly and unfortunately reminded you that the funeral home and morgue were getting more business than they’ve probably seen all year.
All you knew is that you were probably never going to travel to the next town over, having enough smarts to keep yourself from walking into your own doom.
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You set up behind the bar, running a hand down your face as you sighed. Despite the fact that there was a violent animal- or whatever, loose in either your town or the town over, the bar you worked at stayed open, and you weren’t all that upset about it. Some of the waitresses talked, and while you understood why they were so upset, you had bills to pay, and you carried a knife for a reason. So until the owners of the bar said something about closing down, you were going to come in when you needed to, because you really didn’t want to have to find another job.
As patrons came in and found their usual spots, you started working, making drinks for the people at the bar, then the people sitting in the booths and the ones standing over at the pool table and jukebox that never seemed to work right. You didn’t bother looking around to see a new face, those normally show up at the bar, and they weren’t exactly new faces considering that the town wasn’t very large, only big enough to have a Dollar General, and a couple name known restaurants but that was a given for anywhere really.
Which is why it surprised you to hear the doorbell and to look up and see a face you’ve never seen before in your life. Like you expected, he sat at the bar, and your stomach flipped when he met your eyes, dark brown eyes somehow piercing through you. You pulled in a breath, and walked up to him though, flashing a half-forced smile and resting your hands on the bar. “Do you need anything, sir?”
“I don’t need it, but I do want a whiskey neat,” he said, full lips pulling up into a little smile. Your smile widened just a bit and you nodded, grabbing the money he slid towards you and slipping it into the register, passing him two dollars back as change. You go around to the whiskey and make him up his drink, glancing up to look at the jukebox when you hear someone hit it, then back down to his glass when music began to play, sliding the glass over to him.
You noticed that his money was still in front of him, and he seemed to notice that you noticed, his smile turning to a smirk as he lifted the glass to his lips, his free hand tapping the money closer to you. When he set his glass down after taking a drink, he looked back at you. “It’s a tip.”
“I got that,” you said, and took it, slightly surprised that you got one at all. Normally, the others either wait until they’re done completely to pay all at once and tip at the same time, or they just paid and never tipped. In fact, you don’t think you’ve actually seen someone pay after they ordered the drink. It was a nice change.
You made a few drinks for a group that came in, and silence fell onto you and the stranger, but you felt him watching you as you gave one of your coworkers the drinks. It got to you however, when you were filling things up to prep for closing time early, knowing that you were just going to have to do it later, you looked over at him and spoke, “Are you new around here?”
He perked up and nodded, sipping at his drink. “Yea. Just moved here.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Really? Damn, I haven’t seen anyone move here since I was a kid. Normally it’s just people leaving.”
The man chuckled, his thumb rubbing against the rim of the glass. “Yea?”
“Yea,” you confirmed. “It’s a nice change, to put that out there. Most of the time it’s people leaving for college, or a better job offer.”
You were almost bitter saying that, remembering that most of your friends left for college, thought the city was better or just up and left without any warning, trying to excuse it by needing to work when they had a fine job here. You didn’t hate them for wanting to leave, you just never liked the fact that they didn’t call or visit once.
But when you felt him looking at you, his eyebrow raised back at you, you waved it off. “Just got lost in thought, sorry.”
Holding out your hand, you waited until he took it before introducing yourself with your name, keeping up the good ole small town hospitality that was shoved down my throat since I could talk. “Emerson Hale,” he responded.
Nodding, you glanced down at how his hand practically enveloped yours, and it made you feel a certain way. However, once you realized that you’ve definitely been holding this man’s hand for far too long, you let go and pulled back, clearing your throat. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hale. Any reason why you moved here?”
“Emerson- please. And the same reason anyone moves, I guess. The lease to my old home ran out and I decided that I didn’t want to stay there anymore, so I moved.” You nodded again, and pulled your lip between your teeth. “It’s not that hard when you can get a job at pretty much any garage.”
“Oh, you’re a mechanic?” you asked, to which he nodded back. “That’s cool. I’ve been doing this my entire working life…worked my way from the kitchen to here.”
Emerson nodded again and you offered a bashful smile, realizing you might’ve said a little too much. A nervous habit of yours. “Anyway- are you having a good time settling?”
“I am,” he confirmed, and you saw his eyes move when you began to chew on your bottom lip. “It’s a nice town.”
“I’d be biased if I agreed,” you jested lightly, feeling an odd sense of pride when you heard him chuckle. You parted your lips to speak again, but two of your coworkers walk up and you have to get to making drinks, getting one order done, then the other, feeling his eyes on you as you do.
That’s how the entire night went, actually. You talked when you were able to, learning that he lived in the house right outside of town, and you had brought up that you knew the family that had owned the house, but sold it when the old woman that previously lived there passed. It was fun, being able to do more than make small talk with the same people you see either every day or every week.
But everything good must come to an end, and that was when the bar closed. He finished his drink, which was only his second one that he happened to nurse the entire night, and you didn’t notice until he left, that he left a ten dollar bill on the counter. You found yourself smiling at the door as you shook your head and shoved it into your pocket, finishing up cleaning up and restocking the bar as everyone cleaned up their own stations.
When you got into your car and began to drive home, you felt better than you did in a long time. Guess you just needed some new company.
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It was a week before you saw him again, pushing your cart down the aisles of the grocery store, tired from the night before at the bar and simply grabbing what you needed restocked, knowing that you had plenty of frozen meals and snacks at home. But as you were looking at the meat section, thinking about what you could meal prep with, Emerson reaching in front of your cart to grab a pack of chicken thighs snapped you out of your thoughts.
You got ready to say something before his deep brown eyes met yours and he smiled. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” you said in turn. “I should’ve expected that I'd run into you here.”
“Yea?” You nodded.
“Yep, I don’t know if you noticed, but this place isn’t as big as most places in other places,” you said, chuckling and leaning against your cart. “Thought I’d see you at the bar more often though, a lot of the guys from the garage come in most of the week.”
He hummed, and shrugged at you. “I normally like just going home and going to bed after eating.”
Nodding along, you offered him a soft smile. “I get it. Half of the time, I crash when I get home from the bar. Not that good at dealing with a lot of people.”
“Really? You seemed to be a natural when I came,” he said, and you felt your cheeks heat a little.
“It’s just a lotta small talk…it was different, I guess you could say I had a good conversation partner. If that’s even a thing,” you said, laughing awkwardly. You were both internally grimacing at every little thing you said, and surprised at how natural it felt talking to him. When you heard him chuckle, and watched him put his chicken in his cart, you stole a glance at his outfit, liking the flannel and jean pairing on him more than you ever did on anyone else in this town. His voice, thankfully, snapped you out of whatever you were doing in your head.
“I’d say it’s a thing,” he said, and you finally noticed that he had a faint southern drawl in his voice. “You weren’t so bad yourself.”
Your smile widened and your fingers tapped along the cart handle, and you decided to bite the bullet. “You from the South? I noticed the faint accent…”
His eyebrows raised and a rumbled chuckle left him as he nodded. “Good ears. I grew up in Louisiana. Moved up here when I was fifteen so it’s been a while.”
“And, not to make you feel old, how long ago was that?” You asked, cocking your head to the side. Emerson’s eyes widened a bit and he moved his cart to be beside yours, looking down at you.
“I’m thirty-two, I’m sure you can do the math in your head,” he said, his tone amused. You hummed along, nodding and looking around at your surroundings before returning to him.
“I can assure you that I can do the math,” you said, keeping your hands busy by fidgeting with them. “I’m twenty-four.”
He seemed to notice your fidgeting, but didn’t comment on it and offered you a smile instead. “Only twenty-four and working behind a bar already.”
“Like I said, I worked my way up.” You managed to avoid telling him the fact that, while you did work your way up the proper way, the only reason you happened to get behind the bar, was because the previous bartender quit and the owners got desperate. “Are you settling in nice?”
Emerson perked up, but nodded, scratching at his bearded jaw. “Yep, I’m doing fine, boxes are still lingering around the house, but it’s doing alright.”
“It’s been a week, I took a month to unpack all of my things when I moved from my parents’ house. Which might be worse because it was just stuff from my old bedroom.” You shrug. “It could be worse, that’s all I’m saying.”
“A month?” He asked, his smile spreading to a small grin. He tipped his head to the side, and you had to distract your mind to calm your heartbeat. It was a little action that you weren’t even sure if he knew he was doing it. You still found it cute nonetheless, especially when his dark, brown eyes looked at you.
You blinked a few times after you realized when you didn’t answer, nodding with a sheepish smile and awkward laugh. “Yea, unfortunately. I was just trying to get everything for everything else. It was a few trips out of town and whatnot…”
He nodded and there was a beat of silence, but as you drummed your fingers against the cart handle. Even when you looked down into your cart, counting off what you need in the mental grocery list you made, you felt his stare on you, and you jumped when a warm hand touched your arm, eyes snapping back up at him. Your heart was racing, and he pulled his hands back, lifting them up to his chest in surrender. “Sorry- sorry, you just seemed zoned out.”
“No, it’s fine,” you said. “I just didn’t expect it.”
“Alright,” Emerson said, hands going into his pockets. “Look, I’m working the late shift at the garage today, so I’ll see you around, yea?”
You nodded. “Yea. I’ll see you around.”
He offered you another smile as he nodded to you and pushed his cart away, disappearing down an aisle. A heavy breath left you once he was gone, and you felt your cheeks heat up at the thought of him. This was not happening, you were not into a man you met twice now. You barely know him.
But you thought about his grin, and the way he tilted his head and how his eyes looked so interested in what you were going to say. You sighed, smiling to yourself and shaking your head, grabbing the rest of the meat that you need and moving on with your errand.
Maybe you were a little into him.
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The first person was found outside of town in the wooded area two days ago. This one was from your town, an older man that you had seen at the bar a while that worked at the hardware store in the middle of town. He looked as if it was an animal attack, much like the others, but it was less severe. The mood of the town changed though, a process of mourning for someone who wasn’t close to death naturally, but passed in a gruesome way.
The mood was especially solemn in the bar as you worked, the jukebox quiet and the usual loud chatting was a mere murmur. You stood there, cleaning a glass and keeping your eyes stuck on the wooden counter.
When the bell connected to the door rang however, you glanced up, eyebrows raising when you saw Emerson walk in, an unreadable expression on his face as he took a seat at the bar, in the stool he was in when he first came in. He didn’t say anything before he pulled something out of his pocket and put it in front of you, revealing a netted stress ball. His voice was quiet when he spoke, matching the tone of the rest of the bar, “Bad timing, but I noticed you fidgeting the last time I saw you, so…”
His hand nudged it closer to you and he gave you a small look, his brows furrowed just slightly. Looking at it, then going back up to him, you took the ball and squeezed it a few times, but then you continued to do it absentmindedly as you set the glass down with the rest. “Thanks,” you said. “I appreciate it.”
He nodded and glanced around the place, his look changing ever so slightly. “Everything’s so quiet in here…”
“Yea,” you breathed, keeping your voice down for the sake of not being annoying and loud. “Everyone’s really in a mourning stage, especially the older folk that knew him. I didn’t exactly get to know him…but my dad used to work for him, so it’s just this…stage of what to do and what to feel…”
His glabella creased when his brows furrowed again, lips pursing as he wet them and he looked over at you, resting his head on his hand. “Do you want anything to drink?”
“Yea,” he responded. “Same thing I had last time.”
“Whiskey neat?” He nodded in response, watching you as you slipped the ball into a slot under the counter and worked on making his drink, sliding it over to him and getting the money that he handed you into the register. “Keep the tip this time, alright? You already tipped enough last time.”
“You’re not gonna take it even if I leave it out?” You shook your head, and he took the money and put it back into his wallet, lifting a bit to put it back in his pocket. He ran his hand through his dark brown- almost black- hair, the loose curls in his hair prominent.
He started to sip at his drink after the action, and you returned to the stress ball he gave you, staring at him just like he does to you most of the time. But when a moment passed, he spoke again, “If this is bad timing, let me know, but I’m off this weekend. I want to get to know you…so, would you be up for having lunch with me this Saturday? My treat…I just don’t know when we’ll run into each other again to ask you this in a less…sad environment.”
Your heart picked up, and your expression softened as you looked at him and his expectant face. “I’d like lunch.”
A quiet, but visible sigh of relief hit Emerson, and you found yourself smiling, even now. “The diner is good,” you start. “...We could go there if you wanted?”
He nodded. “The diner sounds good…do you want to meet there? Or should I pick you up?”
You weighed both sections in your mind. It’d probably be easier to meet up…and as into him as you were, giving him your address was the exact opposite of what you were taught as a kid. However, how often did an out-of-towner as cute as him ask you out for lunch, make it known it’s his treat and then offer to pick you up?
“You can pick me up if you want,” you answered, grabbing a napkin and then a pen before scribbling your number and address on it, giving it to him. It was a risk, and it went against everything you had shoved into your head as a kid that you carried as an adult, but you completely, and honestly, didn’t care.
You watched as he took the napkin, smiled a bit at the information you scribbled on it and folded it into a small square to pocket it, his eyes glancing back up to yours. “Is half past eleven alright?”
With a nod, you found yourself smiling like a high school girl who just got asked out by her crush, but you didn’t hate the feeling it brought you. “That’s fine, yea.”
Your heart fluttered when his smile widened into a grin and you had to remind yourself that now was not the time, nor was it the place, to do anything remotely impulsive. So all you did was watch him down his drink, slide you the glass and stand. He offered you a tiny wave, but when you were about to return it, he grasped your hand, and squeezed it once before letting go. “I’ll see you Saturday.”
“...See you,” you responded, eyes following him as he left. You only went back to work whenever the door shut, breathing out and filling up what needed to be filled.
After that, you expected the rest of the night to be slow.
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Saturday arrived much faster than you thought it would, hitting you like a backhand. You spent the previous night fussing over an outfit, to which you decided a knee high sundress would be fine, making sure to add your favorite sage green knitted cardigan because it was calling for rain. Then after that you wondered what you’d get, if you should eat before so you didn’t have to get much, or if you were just going to get your usual, ultimately deciding on the latter before you forced your brain to turn off when you went to bed.
The next morning, and waking up at nine in the morning to get up, wasn’t good for you. You were groggy, given that you forgot to pick up coffee when you were at the store, so you were stuck trying to get what caffeine you could out of a mug of tea. But you got through the rest, albeit in a slightly rushed fashion, and almost rushed out the door when you heard his truck pull up to your house and then the shutting of a door.
However, when you made your way out and down the steps, you collided into his chest, earning a faint grunt from him. You looked up at Emerson when you realized what you did, flashing him a sorry smile as he looked down at you. “Where’s the fire, doll?”
Your cheeks warmed at the pet name, and you felt your smile growing. He held his arms out to steady you when you pulled back, his hands running up and down your cardigan sleeves. “Sorry- wasn’t paying attention.”
“That was apparent,” he teased. “I’m not sayin’ I don’t appreciate the eagerness though. Been a while since I’ve gotten that.”
A pout formed on your lips when you heard his words, and he seemed to notice the pity you were giving him, shaking his head and waving his hand in the air, flashing a nervous grin. “It’s only ‘cause I haven’t been in the dating scene for a long time. Don’t worry your pretty, little head about it.”
You were a weak woman. That’s what you confirmed just now, with his smile, with his words. You were surprised you were still standing by the time he held his hand out and walked with you to his still running truck, opening the door for you and helping you in before shutting the door after making sure you were buckled. He rounded the front afterwards and got in himself, buckling up and pulling the gear into reverse to head downtown to the diner. “Did you have a good morning?”
You looked at him when he asked the question, shrugging a bit. “It was alright. I’m just not a morning person.”
“When is morning to you?” Emerson asked, chuckling as he snuck a glance towards you.
“I work nights, my mornings are noon or one in the afternoon,” you answered, pressing your lips together. “I woke up at nine.”
“I’m honored,” he said. “I assume you don’t do that for many people.”
“No,” you confessed. “Just for friends and if I have an appointment, not as often as you think when the afternoon exists.”
“Well- next time, I’ll ask for dinner instead of lunch.” You took a moment to process the words, but another smile bloomed on your lips and you looked over at him, raising a brow.
“Next time?” You met his eyes when he looked at you again. “Already hoping for a second date?”
He shrugged, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel, but you could notice the tinge of pink on his cheeks. “Call me optimistic for thinking we can also have dinner one night.”
You chuckled, nodding. “We’ll see, Emerson.”
Soon after that, he pulled into the parking lot of the diner, stealing the spot right in front of the door. He turned the truck off, got out, only to jog around the front like he did when he was at your house, and opened the door for you, helping you hop out when you’re unbuckled.
You held his hand as he used the other to shut the door, locking up the truck as he walked with you inside, hand moving from your hand to your mid back. “Really trying to earn that dinner.”
He chuckled and shook his head, opening the door for you and walking in behind you. The two of you found a small corner booth towards the back, sitting across from each other. You glance at one of the menus that sit on the table, as if you didn’t get the same thing every single time you come. You looked over at him, seeing him lean his head on his hand, eyes staring at the menu. “I can feel you staring, doll.”
“Sorry- just, watching,” you said. “I already know what I’m getting so…”
“Do you come here often?” He asked, looking up from the menu.
“Not anymore, but I used to go every other week when I was in college and stuff,” you said, shrugging. “I just get the same thing.”
“Ah,” he said, humming and giving you a small smile as a waitress came up to you two.
Ordering was easy enough, at least for you, Emerson made all three of you wait in silence before he eventually went with the first choice he made. And when the waitress was gone, all he did was chuckle into the mug of coffee he got, drinking it black.
“Do you normally take that long to order?”
“If I don’t figure it out beforehand, yea,” he responded. “I don’t eat out all that much. I cook at home.”
“A home cooked meal sorta guy?” Emerson nodded. “Don’t blame you for that, I’d do it more if I had time to cook every night. I just meal prep most of the time.”
You offered him a little smile, trying to not make the situation seem bad, even though it made you seem like you were busy all the time. You weren’t. You just took forever to fully wake up so the last thing you wanted when you had to clean up, do errands and get ready for work was cook.
“All I’m hearing is that you’re going to my place for dinner and I’m cooking for you,” he said, nudging your hand with a half smile. “If you’d want that, of course.”
Forcing yourself not to immediately nod or seem too desperate, when you were teasing him about wanting a second date already earlier, you pressed your lips together and looked around before meeting his eyes again. “I think I’d like that.”
“You think?” He asked, smile widening into a small grin. “Do I still have to earn it?”
“No,” you started. “I’d like to have dinner with you, Emerson.”
His eyes lifted and despite the visible dark circles under his eyes, something you only noticed just now, he looked more awake than you were at the moment. You didn’t know if it was the sun being nice now that it was peeking through the clouds to get through the window, or if his eyes just lightened, but he looked visibly happier, even without the grin on his face.
“Good- great,” he breathed, his grin turning awkward as he drummed his fingers along the table. Your own leg was bouncing under it, but you stopped his fidgeting, by reaching over and grabbing his hand.
“I’m not free many evenings…but I can do it Sunday next week if you want,” you said, to which he nodded, almost enthusiastically. It looked a little out of character for a guy that looked like him, but it only managed to make you happier to see it, because you were the one that did that to him.
Your tea came when the food did, and for a good hour and a half, the two of you sat there, eating, talking, doing something you haven’t had the time, or the urge to do in what felt like forever. And if you weren’t sure of it before, you were now, sitting across from him, watching him chuckle mid bite at a stupid joke you made.
He paid, like he said he would, but you left down the tip, walking out with him, his hand enveloping yours as he helped you up into your seat, watched you buckle and shut your door for you before he got in himself. When he drove you home, one hand was steering, while the other was on your thigh, his thumb rubbing the skin of the top of your thigh. “Is this alright?”
You nodded when he turned to glance at you, smiling gently and clasping your hand over his. “It’s perfectly fine, Emerson.”
He let out an audible breath, looking back at the road as you squeezed his hand, his confession soft when he said it, “I like the way my name sounds coming from you.”
“Really?” He nodded.
“Really, doll,” he confirmed.
The music that turned on when the radio did wasn’t all that loud, just in the background and slightly muffled, but it added a nice ambience as he drove. You leaned back into the seat and looked up at the cloudy sky, humming softly. “I think it’s gonna rain.”
“You think?”
“Mhm,” you hummed out. “‘S all dark and cloudy.”
“I see that,” he said. “Let’s just hope you’re right.”
“Do you like the rain?” you asked, looking over at him again. You watched him shrug a shoulder, making a little noise.
“I’m alright with it, doesn’t bother me. I like it more when it’s Fall,” he said. “Just colder weather.”
You made a mental note of that, nodding again and squeezing his hand. “You a fan of snow?”
“Not when I have to drive in it,” he jested a little, earning a small giggle out of you. “How about you?”
“Me?” You went silent for a moment, thinking about it, but not thinking too hard before speaking again, “Spring and Fall. I don’t like it when it’s too cold, because it’s annoying, but everything’s all sticky and hot when it’s Summer. I want a nice middle.”
His fingers dug a little into your thigh. “Not too hot, not too cold.”
“Yea,” you said, forcing yourself to swallow when he squeezed your thigh before letting go, drumming his fingers along your skin.
He didn’t bring it up, didn’t even glance your way for the rest of the ride, just occasionally tightening his hold on your thigh, before letting go and continuing his movements until he pulled into your driveway and parked the truck. Just like at the diner, he helped you get out, and walked you to your door, smiling all the while.
When you unlocked your door and turned to face him, you smiled gently at him. “I enjoyed lunch. Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” he said. “Just happy to have your company.”
There was the accent again, forcing multiple emotions to surface and your cheeks warmed. You didn’t say anything in response to that, but you did turn fully, taking the two steps towards him before lifting up on your toes and kissing his cheek. “I’ll see you, Emerson.”
A breath left him, and his shoulders sagged as he nodded. “Yea- see you, doll.”
With that, you walked in your house, giddy, and carrying a lot more feelings towards him than you probably should, if you were being honest with yourself.
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There were two more victims that week. This time a mother and daughter; you knew both of them because you went to school with the daughter, you had only heard she was visiting the day you heard the news though. They were in a similar condition of the old man, but less visibly maimed, just scratched and bitten, with weirdly specific chunks taken from the bodies. At least that’s what you heard.
You couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit bad while you were driving to the address Emerson sent you. You were always the type of person to feel a little guilty being happy when something bad was happening around you. It only worsened now that there were actual bodies being buried.
But as you pulled into his driveway, gazing at the house in front of you, you turned off your car and got out. You smoothed your shirt down and fiddled with the bracelets on your wrists, knocking three times on the door and waiting.
His voice was heard in the house, but you didn’t make out what he was saying, just hearing him get closer to the door before he opened it, looking down at you with a grin. “Hey, you’re early.”
“You’ll get used to that,” you said, leaning into it when he pecked your cheek and led you in the house, your eyes falling to the apron that was tied around his waist. “Even got the apron…”
He chuckled, nodding and taking it off. “I just wear it to wipe my hands off, but everything’s cooking on the stove or in the oven.”
You walked further into the house with him, noticing that there were still some boxes that lingered, empty bookshelves in the living room that needed to be filled, the mantle lacking decor, the walls bare of pictures, save a few of what you assume to be his family and of him when he was younger. When you walked into the kitchen though, a waft of smells slapped you in the face, making you look around in the kitchen.
You hummed as you walked closer to the stove, glancing back at him as he watched you. “What’re you making?”
“Chicken,” he said. “I was going to fry some up, but I didn’t have enough oil and it was already getting late enough, so I’m baking it, if that’s alright.”
“Yea,” you said. “It’s fine. Not that you could change it even if it wasn’t.”
He nodded as you breathed out a laugh. “I would’ve made something else though.”
Your gaze softened. “You wouldn’t have had to, I’m just happy you’re willing to make me something.”
You noticed that he was quieter than normal, especially when he only nodded again towards your words and stirred whatever sauce he was making. Concern mixed in with your expression as you walked up to him and touched his arm. “You alright? You’re quiet.”
He looked down at you, then towards your hand on his arm before lifting his free hand up to grab your hand and place a kiss to your knuckles. “‘M fine, just thinking.”
“About?” You asked, tilting your head to look at him better. “If you don’t wanna talk about it, just tell me and I’ll rant about this shit movie I watched last night, but, if you do want to talk, I’m a good listener.”
His brows furrowed, and he kissed your hand again, only to shrug. “It’s nothing- really, just busy with work and dealing with life and shit.”
You got the feeling that it wasn’t all that he was thinking about, but you accepted it and relented, nodding before lifting up to peck his cheek. “If that’s all.”
The relief on his face was visible, and he kissed your forehead. “Dinner should be about done, if you want to go sit down, you can.”
“Nah,” you said. “Where’s the plates? I can help you finish up.”
“Do you do this when you’re a guest at people's houses?” He asked, masking the solemn expression on his face with an amused look. “You can sit, I got it.”
The urge to argue grew within you, but you relented, holding your hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, I’ll let you do it, but next time, I’m helping.”
“I’ll accept that,” he said, but lifted his hand and jerked his thumb to point towards the living room. “Go and sit. Turn whatever you want on, on the tv.”
You nodded and walked out of the kitchen, walking into the living room and settling on the worn leather couch that you could tell has been through quite a few moves. But when you sunk into it, you wondered how he ever left it, not even bothering with the tv as you relaxed into your cushion.
You don’t know what happened, but the next thing you were present for was when Emerson walked into the room chuckling, giving you a look as he handed you a plate of cut up chicken doused in sauce with a side of broccoli. He sat beside you with a groan and turned the tv on, putting it on a random movie channel as you sat up and rubbed your eyes, trying not to rub away your mascara. “Felt like I dozed off…”
“I think you did. Said something to you as I was finishing up and didn’t get an answer,” he said. “I don’t blame you though, some nights I just make it to the couch…though it’s recently more often than not every night now.”
You didn’t ask him about it, but you wondered how hard the garage was getting him to work if he couldn’t even make it to bed most nights. So, as the movie played in the background, the two of you ate in silence, finding comfort in it, rather than it being awkward. It let you get lost in your thoughts too, and so you did.
Emerson was nice, and despite you two moving decently quickly, you didn’t seem to want to slow it down, happy with these little dates and how you were taking it. Maybe the physical affection was a little quick, but, it wasn’t like the two of you ended up in bed together, and all you’ve actually done are cheek and hand kisses, since you didn’t consider hand holding all that romantic when you would’ve done it even if you were just friends with him.
But as you looked around the room, noticing the cozy decor that made the room look like organized chaos with the boxes, you leaned back in your seat again, looking over at him as he touched your thigh with his hand and squeezed it before going back to his food. You smiled when he did, and got closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. “Do you do anything to help you sleep? I don’t think it’s good for you to constantly sleep on your couch.”
“It’s not…but…normally I’m tired so I don’t do anything,” he said, shoveling some chicken into his mouth as his eyes went from you to the tv, then back to you. “Sometimes I take a walk in the woods, but it’s not to help me sleep. Just something I’ve done since I was a kid.”
You made a noise, nodding along to his words as you both finished up your plates, setting them aside on his coffee table. “Maybe we could take a walk one night?”
“I…I’d like to do that, but it’s normally a thing I do alone. Just helps me wind down, process everything,” he said, and his tone did a poor job of hiding the fact that he didn’t want you to come on one of his walks. “Maybe we could go to the park one night though. When you’re off.”
You nodded again. You didn’t want to intrude, especially when he was being nice about letting you down, so you didn’t say anything about the walks. “Maybe we could go to a movie before the park, good ole’ fashioned romcom date.”
His eyes were on you, and you saw that they were the shade of brown you saw at the diner, but the sun wasn’t on his eyes this time, covered up by the curtains. You simply chalked it up to it being the light hitting his eyes. Even if it was dull.
“Movies and a walk in a park, couldn’t continue this without one traditional date,” he jested lightly, nudging you gently. You nudged him right back, smiling softly at him.
Emerson got up soon after though, grabbing the plates and bringing them to the kitchen, wrapping up the food and putting it away before grabbing himself a beer and you a soda when you expressed your disinterest in getting a beer yourself. And when he sat back down, the silence returned, carrying a tension you haven’t felt for what felt like ages.
But all it ends up turning into is you tucked into the side of his body as you watched whatever boring and bland movie was playing, both of you occasionally making comments towards the characters’ actions, laughing along to what the other said. At least, until the both of you ended up in a pile on the couch, you on top of him as you use his chest as a pillow, faint snores leaving him as you slept, the tv on low and offering more light than it did noise.
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The next two weeks were good, with your movie and park date ending up with him coming into your house just for a moment when he dropped you off, and then earning a quick kiss on the lips instead of on the cheek when he walked out the door. And from then on, it was a little more than obvious that you two were in a relationship, taking into consideration that you were able to stand each other for three dates and Emerson’s weekly visits to the bar to get his usual. You denied his tip every time.
Tonight however, was a little different than usual. He visited you at the bar, but fidgeted more than you had. He looked stressed, eyes exhausted. You had tried to ask him what was wrong, but he shrugged it off and told you that it was just a heavy load at work. You didn’t believe him, you hated that you didn’t, but it didn’t change the fact that you had too many doubts in your mind about it. And when he left, he kissed your cheek, told you he’d text you when he got home, but never did.
And you were concerned, worried and suspicious, not with the fact that he wasn’t telling you everything, though you felt bad for even thinking that he was hiding something when you two simply haven’t dated long enough for you to know every little thing about him. So, you did the one thing you could do: drive to the woods with a flashlight and knife and hope that you were safe from whatever animal was out in the woods. He goes there at night. Maybe tonight was just one of his nights…and maybe he got unlucky…maybe- no. No. You were not thinking about him getting caught by the animal that killed three people already, if it even was the same animal.
You drove in silence, driving until you found his truck parked at the edge of a path, and you quickly parked beside him, shutting your car off and getting out, turning on your flashlight.
Your feet were already sore from standing all night, however it was nothing compared to how you felt knowing he was here when it wasn’t safe. And call it intuition, but something in your chest didn’t feel right when you thought of him. You didn’t know how to describe it, but it felt off, and it made your eyes water a bit, but you wiped it away the moment you felt it.
Your footsteps sounded louder than you knew they actually were as you walked down the path, looking around in hopes that Emerson didn’t go too far into the woods. But the deeper you got, the more dread grew in the pit of your stomach. The last time you remember being this deep into the woods was when your high school thought it’d be fun to send a bunch of teenagers unprepped for hiking into the woods for the entire day. After that you didn’t sign up for another field trip.
A low, but painfully loud growl ripped you out of your thoughts, and your heart sank, looking around at your surroundings carefully before taking a few steps back, just to run when it came into view of the moonlight. You screamed, sprinting away from whatever was now chasing you. You hope Emerson wasn’t caught like you were, but, right now you were trying to survive, ignoring the burning in your legs, and how every step made your feet want to die as you ran.
But it was just faster. It grabbed you by the arms, weirdly human-like hands gripping at your body as it pushed you to the ground, forcing you on your back and looming over you. You screamed again, seeing the open maw of bloodied teeth, canines sharp and large. Your heart pounded as you couldn’t help but cry, feeling the clawed hands dig into you as you stared up at the monster. It had a wolf looking body, at least the fur covering the huge beast made you think, but you caught the hooves it had for feet, the curved legs and the antlers that sat on top of its head. It wasn’t an animal you’ve ever seen before, and you regretted not taking anything you’ve seen about cryptozoology seriously, but what surprised you more, was that it didn’t kill you. It just stared.
Its dark eyes loomed bore into yours, its chest heaving, but its mouth closed, and if you weren’t panicking and crying, you would’ve seen a look of recognition in its eyes. When it’s snout pushed against your cheek, tongue leaving its mouth to lap up the tears, you froze, body going rigid, but that only made a small whine come from it.
The monster nudged you again, and then a third time before backing up and pulling you on your feet harshly, turning you around and lowering until its snout pushed into your back. You didn’t know what to do. It was just…letting you go? There was no damn way.
Maybe you were already dead. This is just one big dream and you’re just already dead so you can’t wake up.
Hands touched your waist, pushing you forward a little, making you stumble as it followed you when you started walking. Your footsteps were slow, shaky, and you felt as if your knees would give out if you kept going.
Eventually, you got to your car, and the monster looked at Emerson’s truck as you glanced at it sadly, realizing what it meant. However, as if sensing your sadness, the monster nudged you again, grabbing your head, being mindful of touching you with its claws as it turned your head towards it. And it moved to his truck when you were watching it.
A large finger pulled open the passenger seat, and it grabbed a flannel from what looked like a pile of clothes on the seat. It pushed the flannel towards you, then towards itself, once, then twice, as if it was trying to tell you something.
You didn’t know what to make of it. Why it seemed so human when you assumed it was the reason those people were dead. You swallowed thickly, watching it push the flannel into its body before you noticed the way the monster’s eyes were looking at you, dark circles even through the light sprinkle of brown fur, and irises that were a light brown in the moonlight.
Your eyes widened, your mouth dropping open as you froze again. Your eyes dropped to the ground as your mind tried to process what was happening, what you just learned. “Emerson?”
He made a small noise, tipping your chin up to let you look at him again, his eyes big and puppy like as he nodded, his freehand holding his flannel. “You’re kidding me…you’re a…oh my god…”
A breath left you and you pushed his hand away, opening the door to your car. “Get away from me.”
You tried to ignore his hurt look as you got in your car and started it, driving back to your house, your hands gripping the wheel tightly because if you were holding it any looser, they’d be trembling. You slammed the door when you pulled in, getting into your house and shutting the door, locking it up and leaning against the wood as your chest heaved with each breath you tried to pull into your lungs.
Emerson is a monster. Emerson has killed people. You were dating a murderer.
No wonder he didn’t want you walking with him in the woods.
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When you woke up the next day, someone was pounding on your door. A groan left your lips, and you stretched, still emotionally drained from the night before. As you got up, you checked your phone, seeing fifteen missed calls from Emerson and thirty texts that followed it.
You didn’t check them, and you walked downstairs, having a feeling that the person at the door was the man you really didn’t want to see at the moment. You, however, groggily dragged yourself to the door and opened it up enough to peek your head up, confirming your assumptions. “Didn’t I tell you to get away from me?”
“Doll, please, just hear me out-”
“No, Emerson. You’re a murderer. A monster. Why would I hear you out? You’ve been killing people,” you said, effectively cutting him off and making his glassy eyes even more desperate than they were seconds before.
“Please…just five minutes…and I’ll leave and you can block me and I’ll never interact with you again. I need you to hear me out,” he pleaded.
You didn’t want to, but you remembered how he acted last night, and you took a breath, making one of the dumbest decisions you could, opening the door and letting him in. He gave you a thankful look, walking into your house and reaching out, but reeling back seconds later. He followed you to your living room and sat in the chair while you took the couch, wringing his hands as you waited for him to speak.
He took a breath after a long moment, and bit his lip. “I’m a monster. You can call me that, it’s right…I’ve been this way since I was a kid. My mom was like this…and her dad before her…I got the short end of the stick and happened to take after her. We…we’re pretty much carnivores. We can eat vegetables and all that and live off of it…but we need more meat than anything. It’s why I go to the woods-”
“To kill people?” He shakes his head quickly.
“No- no. To hunt…before I came across you I just had deer…” He murmured. “If I don’t find any animals before someone decides to walk around…I just…I don’t know…it’s not pretty, and I hate the fact that I’m doing it. I don’t want to do it.”
“You still do,” you said, voice tired, but your eyes judgemental as you watched him. He cowered a little in shame and sighed before nodding.
“Yea. I do,” he said, voice shaky as if he was on the verge of tears. “I can’t excuse it, and there’s no point in trying, especially if it’ll make no difference to you, but I try so hard to keep myself from doing it…I promise.”
“What about those five people in the town over?” You asked, and his head almost snapped up to shake his head again.
“That wasn’t me. I didn’t even live there. I lived an hour from here…and even then I only fucked up twice,” he explained, his thumb digging into his palm. “Even if you don’t like me, you have to believe me with this, it wasn’t me.”
You were quiet for a bit, contemplating it. On one hand, it made sense, his attacks were far less gory than the ones in the town over. But he still killed people, and you felt like a fucked up person even considering keeping him in your life.
“Doll,” Emerson breathed. “Please…if nothing else…just believe that I don’t want to do it…”
“What are you?” You asked. He shrugged in response.
“I don’t know. No one really has a name for what I am. I can shift at will, but I don’t like doing it,” he said. “No one really has a definite look either. I don’t look like my mom in that form…she doesn’t look like my grandpa, it’s just a mess.”
“And you can live if you just eat a lot of meat?” You asked, to which he nodded.
“It’s more complicated than that, but yea, I can. It’s better for me to have it raw…but I get why no one would like it,” he said. “I try to find bigger animals, they let me last the longest…just like I could go two weeks without hunting because of the deer last night.”
Letting out a soft breath, you nodded, parting your lips to speak, but Emerson cut you off. “You have no reason to let me have a second chance, but if you do, and only if, because it’s up to you, there’ll be no secrets.”
“You’re not afraid about getting hungry one day and…well…” You trailed off, but he got the gist, his eyes widening.
“No. Not happening. Would never happen,” he said. “I would be out hunting far before then. When you’re in my life, I would hunt everyday if it meant never hurting you. I promise.”
“You can’t promise me that-”
“Watch me,” he responded. “Doll- I promise, and I know I’m making a lot of them today, but I will never put your life in danger. Last night was a fluke, but even then, I wasn’t hungry, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
He had a point, and you hated that he had one. You also hated that you still wanted to be with him…monster and all. “You’re putting a lot of faith into yourself.”
“My mom did it with my dad. I’m not her, but…I’m sure as hell her son, and even if our relationship was still new, I wanna fight for it. For you,” he said, standing from the chair, wiping his hands off on his jeans. “I’ll give you time to think about it. You know where I live. We’ll go at your pace.”
You stood to walk with him to the door as your mind was racing, coming up with a million things at once and not slowing down for even a second. As he walked out, you blankly watched him turn to face you again, lean down and press his lips to your cheek for just a second, pulling away before you could react. “Just let me know how you feel. Or…don’t, I guess, I think I’ll get the message if you don’t come see me.”
With a nod, you watched him as he left, and heaved a sigh when he drove away. And after standing in your open doorway for a good while, breathing in the cool, morning breeze that blew against you, you walked back inside and shut the door behind you.
You didn’t know what the right plan of action would be. Even if he said he didn’t do it in the town over…and the mauling process proved that he was inherently gentler, it still doesn’t stop the fact that he admitted to killing two people out of finding them before anything else. Not to mention the most recent three. You wanted to believe him about not hurting you, though. Even if you had your doubts, you wanted to believe him.
You were gonna think it over, however, deciding that it would be best to not just give in and try to act like everything’s fine.
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It took five days, ten hours and three minutes for you to drive to his house and give into the part of you that wanted to be with him. He was thrilled, as you suspected, but what he wasn’t thrilled about, was when you made it a point that if he wanted to make it work, he would take you in the woods and shift. He tried to convince you of letting him do something else, like him in the basement shifted and you stand by the door before going upstairs until he’s able to shift back, but you weren’t having it, wanting him in the area where he can run, where he can choose to come after you, rather than struggle to get out of a room thanks to his size and antlers. Eventually he relented.
And that’s where you were, wearing actual boots, and then a pair of sweats to go along with it, because if you were going to be walking all night, you were going to be comfortable damnit. You leaned against your car, hand covering your eyes as you heard the rustling of fabric, the both of you standing outside of the woods. “Do you really need to strip, Em’?”
“If I don’t want my clothes ripped, yea. You don’t have to cover your eyes, Doll- I’m not exactly uncomfortable with someone I’m dating seeing me naked.”
“Just respecting your privacy,” you said, when all that really held you back from looking was the fact that you just knew you would pounce if you did. And you really didn’t want that when you were trying to establish if you were willing to get back into a relationship with him again.
He only hummed in response and there was silence for a moment before you grimaced at the sound of bones cracking and moving, shutting your eyes and covering your ears from the gruesome noises until you felt something large nudge you. Cracking them open just a bit, you saw Emerson, in the form you saw five days ago, giving you a soft look as he licked your cheek. “Hi,” you said after a few seconds, continuing when he stepped back, waiting for you to start walking, “are you just going to follow me?”
Emerson nodded, and that only confirmed that he understood you when he was in that form…which helped. “Can you talk?”
He shook his head, wolfish ears drooping a little. “Right…alright. At least you can understand me.”
To that, he nods, and you offer him a small smile. However, he doesn’t start moving until you do, and even then, he only sticks behind or beside you as you enter the woods. “Em’, you can run around here…you’re not even hunting, and you ate earlier tonight.”
He nudged your neck with his snout, big, brown eyes looking down at you when he pulled away. He almost looked like he was pouting. You sighed, but ended up chuckling, lifting a hand and waiting for him to get close to it before running it along the top of his head. “‘S like having a pet.”
Emerson pulled away at that, narrowing his eyes at you and huffing out a heavy sigh, getting you to laugh again. “Awe- c’mon, you wanna make this work, you’re gonna have to take the jokes, Em’.”
He only huffed again and walked ahead of you, making you run to catch up to him, only to tug on his lazily wagging tail to make him slow down. Which he did as he looked back at you, head tilting just slightly. Slightly relieved he wasn’t actually upset with you, you let him pull your hand from his tail with his hand. If you thought his hands were large when he was human- Christ, they were gigantic now, you were sure his palm could cover your face and have room left over.
You stopped your mind where it was before it got any farther, letting him hold your hand as you both walked deeper into the woods.
It wasn’t hard for silence to take hold of the two of you when only one of you could speak, and aside from the times he booked from your side when he heard a noise, just to return panting, but with a blood free mouth, everything was fine. And just when the moon got high in the sky, making you check your phone to confirm it was indeed midnight, you walked a little further before finding a rock to sit on to rest your feet and legs, groaning when you sat. He sat in front of you on the path, grabbing one of your legs with his hands and pushing up your sweats, just to tug off your boot. “What’re you doing, Em’?”
He didn’t answer, didn’t even look at you as his thumb pressed into the bottom of your foot, then doing it again to another area, over and over, going back and forth like he was trying to massage your foot or something. It worked…kinda. Just felt like someone was poking you, but you appreciated it, running your fingers through the fur on his wrist.
He did the same to your other foot, eventually getting both of them to, admittedly, not be as sore as they were when you first sat down, even looking up at you when he was done to get approval of his actions. You thought it was cute, reaching forward to pet him. “A big puppy.”
A noise came from him, but all he really did in retaliation was nip your shoulder, and move his hands to get you off the rock and onto the dirt path, your back on the ground as he loomed over you, staring at you intensely.
“Emerson? Whatcha doing?” You asked, not that you expected a response. Him tugging on your shirt wasn’t what you were expecting though. Your brows furrowed, but he ‘kissed’ your cheek before moving your shirt up a bit, thumbs pressing into your stomach gently. Didn’t take you much to connect the dots as to what he wanted.
Your hand went back down to one of his and you squeezed his wrist, only for him to squeeze you in return. You were honestly shocked he was being this gentle with you…but you suspected having his entire life to deal with this, he’d get used to it and what strength came with it. You squeezed him again when he pushed your shirt up further, speaking when he finally looked at you, “You’re making it painfully obvious what you want to do, and I’m gonna remind you that we’re thighs deep into the woods and you’re…not human.”
When his grip loosened and his head tilted again, he leaned towards you and licked your cheek, and the pitiful way his eyes were looking at you made you backtrack. “Not that I mind that you’re not human- you look great. I read werewolf books, I’m just…uh…you’re a helluva lot bigger than me. I don’t think it’ll work.”
All he did in response was shrug, and you took it that he didn’t care, which made you slightly concerned, but also made you feel things you weren’t willing to admit. However, your boyfriend did when he pressed his nose against your skin, inhaling deeply. “Em, I know what you’re thinking, it’s not gonna work.”
You didn’t know what he was thinking. You’re a liar, but you stuck with it, looking him in the eyes and keeping your figurative foot down, even though you really didn’t want to. And when he pulled your shirt up just a bit further to expose the bottom of your bra, you didn’t complain, just simply relented and stopped playing hard to get because you weren’t fooling him or yourself with it. Easier to admit you were a freak than trying to convince yourself you didn’t want it.
You moved your arms above your head, resting them on the dirt, and letting his clawed fingers gently trail down your skin before they stopped at the sweats. You were just about to let his fingers tug under the waistband, but you stopped him before he could when an idea popped into your head. “Wait.”
He stopped, moving his hands from your body, which you found oddly adorable as he tilted his head again, concern in his eyes. You shook your head, dismissing the concern. “It’s nothing bad, just…an idea, I guess. To get your energy out so you can shift back.”
Emerson moved his head to the other side and you moved yourself from the ground, putting your boots back on and lacing them up, steading yourself by holding his antlers. “I run, you chase…it’ll be fine. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t even be out here with you right now, much less suggesting it. So don’t worry.”
If he could talk, you knew he would’ve argued with your ‘don’t worry’ shit, but he couldn’t, so he wasn’t able to. And you saw the way his ears perked that he was interested, standing up fully before nudging you towards the woods with a hand.
You stuck your tongue out at him, swatting him before you looked back up at him when you stepped off the path. “Give me a twenty second head start.”
He nodded without much thought, and you took off the moment you saw it, counting to yourself as you dodged trees and rocks and the occasional log, your feet aching with the excess and frankly unneeded push you were giving them.
You could tell when the twenty seconds was over, hearing faint, but heavy footsteps running in your direction, and all that did was make you haul ass faster, racing into a clearing before looking around, ‘hoping’ he doesn’t get you before you make it back into the woods. That proved to be futile however, when you scream in surprise the moment you hear, and then see him bound towards you, so much faster than you would’ve thought he was.
He pinned you onto the grass, face down and his hands gripping your hips tightly. Emerson nosed your back, nudging you to make you turn your head and look at him, not doing a single thing until you nodded at him. His chest heaved and he ‘kissed’ your cheek, his hands pulling your hips up. You noticed his glances whenever he did something, no matter how small it was.
Pushing your shirt up, he moved a hand to envelope one of your breasts, shoving up your bra when he got tired of the fabric. Your breathing caught when you felt the rough skin of his hand brushing against your skin and your nipple, a little noise leaving you as you buried your head in your arms.
You didn’t say much as he was touching you, simply letting him know what you enjoyed when you let out a noise. Up until he pulled your sweats and underwear down in one fell swoop, cold air hitting your cunt and making a shudder roll down your spine.
You heard a throaty noise leave Emerson as the hand on your hip left, and you almost looked back to see what he was doing before he spread you out for him. Your cheeks felt like they were the sun, and you embarrassingly spread your legs further, fingers slightly digging into the dirt. A sharp moan ripped from your lips when you felt him gently push a finger into you, and you were happy he couldn’t speak at the moment so he couldn’t comment on how wet you were at that moment, his finger stretching you.
He was slow and gentle with his movements, never getting too far, and never curling his finger, which you appreciated thanks to the claws, but he didn’t need to fortunately, drawing you to sweet release by pushing his palm against your clit as he thrusted his finger. You doubted it was going to be enough, looking back at him with half lidded eyes when he pulled his finger out, and you scoffed with a groan when you caught him licking his finger clean. “...C’mon, Em’. You have more important things to do.”
Emerson looked down at you, swatting at your ass when you tried to hurry him, which you responded to with a small squeak. “Right- right, sorry…I’ll be patient…jeez…”
Another rumbling chuckle before he leans over you, licking your cheek. “Yea yea…”
Silence overtakes the two of you, and he keeps your head facing in front of you, rather than back at him, one of his hands pressed onto your back while the other does whatever it’s doing. A hiss leaves his maw after a moment and you get ready to ask if he’s alright, only for something large to prod as you, and you realize.
Your heartbeat picked up and a whine left your throat, but even that turned low and slightly pained when he presses in, stopping right when the head of his cock was in, stretching you further than his finger did. Your chest heaved, your fingers digging deeper into the dirt.
The hand on your back rubs up and down your side, his snout pressing into your back gently as he licks and nips. After a drawn out moment, he presses in further, making another mewl leave your lips when he fills you completely, bordering on uncomfortably. You take a glance back, seeing the bright red of his cock, seeing that even that wasn’t human, especially with the knot that sat close to the base. There was still plenty of him there, but his eyes met yours and he shook his head, nuzzling into your neck, waiting for your nod and small plea to move before he did.
His pace was slow at first, being gentle and cautious with you as he eased you into getting used to it, but you never expected him to hold himself back fully, moans pulling themselves from your lips as he got faster, huffs and throaty grunts leaving him. The wet noise that came from the both of you seemed to echo in the silent clearing of the forest, not that you cared, or really heard it over his heavy breathing and your moans.
Emerson’s thumbs dug gently into your skin as he loomed over your body, moving faster, his cock twitching inside of you. The heat from his body and the cool of the grass below mixed and pushed against both your front and your back, and you didn’t know whether to shiver or sweat. Not that you had the time to before you felt a searing hot pain in your shoulder, something akin to a scream and a cry leaving you as your head snapped over to look at Emerson, seeing his large teeth dug into your skin.
He didn’t stay attached for long, but when he pulled back, a nasty bite mark was left on your shoulder, the tips of his teeth covered in blood before he laps at the wound with his tongue, trying to clean the bite as an arm wraps around your waist, and a rough finger is pressed against your clit, giving the swollen bud some needed attention after what just happened. It wasn’t enough to overpower all of the pain, but it did do enough that you were able to cry his name out and clench around him, seeing stars when you finally came again.
Emerson followed shortly after, spilling rope after rope into you, thankfully not trying to get himself deeper as he did. He pulled out a moment after he was done, his panting loud, and your knees so shaky you don’t hold yourself up anymore, flipping onto your back and letting some of his spend spill from you and go on the grass. As you eased your shoulders down, however, a pained hiss left you as you pushed back up, your hand hovering over the bite mark.
You touched it experimentally, yanking your hand back when a shock of pain went down your spine. It was going to leave a nasty scar alright.
Hands touched your arms, and you jumped, looking back at him, only to see that he shifted back, his dark circles more visible than they were before. “...Em’...”
“Yea…hi,” he breathed, giving you an apologetic look as he checked out the bite mark, kissing your head. “‘M sorry for hurting you, Doll…it wasn’t…”
He trailed off and sighed, kissing you again as he helped you get your clothes back in order, your shirt ripped at the shoulder he bit. “It wasn’t what?”
“It wasn’t a ‘hungry’ thing…if you get what I mean. Just an affectionate thing people like me do…”
“How is giving me a mark that’ll scar affectionate?” You asked, and he chuckled nervously, standing before gathering you in his arms and walking back to the path as if you two didn’t just fuck for the first time.
“It’s like a mating mark,” he explained after a moment. “My mom did it to my dad…my grandpa did it to my grandma. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like a…well…a wedding ring essentially. But it doesn’t need to be like that for us, if that’s what you want.”
Your brows furrowed and your now tired eyes looked up at him. “Have you done this to anyone before?”
He shook his head. “No, it’s like an instinct thing, I guess. You can only really be right once, so if something isn’t right about someone, you’re not going to want to mark them. Also why I stopped dating for a while.”
Hearing his words, you couldn’t help but smile just a bit, even if it was slightly weak. “So…you’re pretty much saying we’re made for each other?”
“Pretty much,” he said, looking down at you with a soft expression. “You alright with that, doll? It means being stuck with me for the rest of your life.”
“If I didn’t like the idea of that…I don’t think I would’ve considered letting you back in my life…and my heart the moment you talked to me that morning,” you said, shrugging before wincing. “We’re moving a little fast, but…I don’t know, it feels good.”
“Really?” You nodded.
“Really.” The smile on his face widened, and he gently set you down on the ground when the two of you got to your cars. You leaned against your car, and let out a sigh.
“You alright enough to drive?” he asked as he got his clothes on, tugging on the worn tee he had in his hands.
You nodded again. “Yea, I’m good enough to drive, just a little sore down there, but my legs aren’t too bad.”
He put his shoes on as he nodded, eyes looking back at you. “Well…since you can drive, do you wanna stay over at my place? I’ll make you some food…draw you a bath, let you borrow some clothes- anything.”
Breathing out a laugh, you pushed off your car to step over to him, kissing his cheek. “I’d like that, thank you.”
“No- thank you, doll. I might’ve gone crazy if you didn’t want to,” he said, making another laugh leave you.
“Is it ‘cause of the bite?” you asked.
“It’s exactly because of that.” He touched your arm gently, eyeing the mark again. “We’ll get that wrapped up at my place too…I don’t want it getting infected.”
You let his fingers graze the mark before he moved his hand to your chin, tipping your head up to kiss you softly. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it said all you needed to know, especially with the adoring way he looked at you when you pulled away. “I’m glad you wanted to be with me after all of that.”
“...Call it instinct,” you said. Emerson snorted, rolling his eyes before pulling you in for another kiss.
Sure, your boyfriend…now mate was unconventional. You felt good about it- about your relationship. You just needed a lot of meat in the future.
You weren’t a fan of change. It was just something new to get used to, and you didn’t see the point of changing your schedule when it already was fine. But then you were broken up with, and a morning text turned into silence, a midweek date after work turned into eating at the diner alone, and every little thing that reminded you of him was either returned to him, or thrown in a box that was shoved deep into your closet.
You weren’t a fan of change. But you were forced to become one. Because if you didn’t, you’d still be stuck in the past, and you didn’t want to think about him anymore. Even if you two did still live in the same small town that the both of you grew up in.
🌩--🌩--🌩
Your hand came down on the alarm, shutting up the annoying beeping that was the only reason you bought the thing in the first place. Taking a breath, you rubbed your eyes, sat up and stretched, feeling your bones pop and crack as you moved the blanket, turned your legs off the bed, and stood up, albeit begrudgingly.
After a shower and getting dressed, you went into the small kitchen of your townhouse, making yourself a bowl of oatmeal to at least eat something before you went into work. You got used to leaving your phone by your bedside table, preferring not to use it in the morning anymore, since in the beginning you’d wait like a dog does its master for that simple ‘good morning’ text. You shook your head free from the thought before you went down that rabbit hole, eating your somewhat bland breakfast, washing up the dishes and setting them aside to dry.
You slipped a pair of shoes on, and then grabbed your bag, going back to your room to grab your phone. Shoving it into your pocket, you made your way out the door and into your car, even though it was only ten minutes away if you walked. Still, you drove to your place of work, a quaint little pop and pop florist shop, owned by an older couple who used to babysit you when you were a kid.
You walked in, hearing the bell and going into the back to clock in, then going out to flip the sign to show that the shop was open and you found your seat behind the counter. Hearing steps behind you, you glanced back, smiling when you saw Laurie and Samuel. You saw the Dwarf and Elf smile back at you, and you leaned against the counter when you turned the stool to look at them. “You two are down here early, what’s the occasion?”
“Nothing,” Laurie was quick to dismiss, but the glance down to his husband was more than enough to tell you that it wasn’t just nothing.
“You’re still a bad liar, Laurie,” you said. “You two gonna tell me the truth or what?”
Laurie grimaced, but much to his visible relief, Samuel started speaking, voice gruff, like he just woke up, which he probably did, the Dwarf was never an early riser. “We thought you’d do better in tha’ back today, hm?”
“And…why’s that?” You asked, brows knitting together. You never went in the back, ever. It was always something Samuel took over because he liked the gardening aspect, while Laurie was the star seller out of the three of you. “Did I do something?”
They shook their heads quickly and Laurie took back over. “No…just…you know how this town is, people talk.”
“Right, we live in a small town, what’s going on?” The Elf took a breath, biting his lip.
“We know how hard you took the breakup, and we didn’t want you to be upfront if Callum comes in today,” he said after a moment. You tensed, but managed to ask one thing before your mind went blank.
“Why would he even come in here? He’s like the last guy that would come in here…” Trailing off, your heart clenched, but you weren’t going to show what you were thinking, not if it had the chance that you were wrong.
The two, however, noticed, reading the way your hands clenched your knees and how your shoulders got stiff. “...It’s going around that he’s going on a date with a new hire at the garage.”
You tried not to react, you really, truly did, but no matter how soft Laurie’s tone was, you still bit back the urge to tear up, your fists clenching against your legs. It had only been three months since the break up, and while you knew that he was allowed to move on, start dating again, you couldn’t help the way that the thought of him dating someone else made you feel. It was only natural, the two of you were dating for almost five years, starting right after the two of you graduated high school, and he moved on after three months.
You snapped out of your thoughts when you felt their hands on your legs, and you shook your head, forcing yourself to act normally. “I’ll be fine,” you started, a bit weakly, “we’re not together, he can do what he wants.”
Managing a smile, you breathe out a huff, and turn back to the front door of the shop, knowing that if you looked at them and their sympathetic expression, you would’ve broken down.
You could handle it. You were going to have to.
🌩--🌩--🌩
The shop never got many customers during a work day, most of the customers coming right after they get off for a date night, an apology bouquet or just something for their partner. Your foot was tapping against the stool the entire time you were sitting, and you could help but pace around whenever you had to get up. You hated the fact that the thought of him coming in made you this nervous, but you had good reason to when the bell rang, and Laurie failed to greet the heavy steps.
You didn’t look at him for a while, keeping your back facing him as he talked quietly to Laurie, getting a bundle of roses and carnations, pink and red. Your hands trembled, and you turned in the stool to price the bouquet, never meeting his gaze when he placed the flowers down beside the old monitor you and the other two used to check people out.
“Hi,” Callum said after a couple seconds of tense silence, his low voice more familiar than anyone else’s in your life. You looked up at the Minotaur, your eyes meeting his brown gaze, the fur on his face still slightly dirty, and his hands stained from his work at the garage.
“Thirteen-fifty is your total,” you said in response, almost bitter in your lack of wanting to make small talk with him. It pained you to be cold to him, but he didn’t say anything else to you, simply handing you his card and letting you read it in the machine, handing it back to him with a receipt seconds after. You let Laurie give him the ‘have a nice day’ shtick, walking back to ‘help’ out Samuel, even though the work day was over in an hour and a half.
You heard the bell to the door right as you walked back, and your back hit the wall, getting Samuel’s attention right as tears welled in your waterline, your bottom lip trembled and you sniffled, shutting your eyes tightly to stop yourself from crying. But despite your efforts, the tears ran down your cheeks, and soon you had both men trying to comfort you, holding you in both of their arms to offer any form of solace.
They closed the shop early, something you tried to argue with, but you learned quickly that you couldn’t really speak while crying, so it didn’t work other than making you seem like a mess, which you admittedly were. And when the sign was flipped and the door was locked, the blinds sitting over the windows, they all but dragged you up to the apartment above the shop, the home you practically grew up in with the amount of times that they babysat you. It was to keep you from being upset and alone at your own place, you knew that, they sure as hell knew that. You didn’t blame them though.
Laurie made dinner for the three of you and Samuel settled beside you, rough hand holding onto yours as he let you flick through movie after movie until you settled on one you considered one of your favorites.
As the movie played and the three of you were gouging on carbs, you sat off to the side, letting the couple sit beside each other, even though at first they were hesitant to not have you in the middle. You were better tucked into the arm of their small couch though, it let you think and drown out the movie you’ve seen more times than you can count.
Seeing Callum earlier both made your heart race and stabbed it with a knife at the same time. He wasn’t there for you, like he was times before, and if you knew why the breakup happened…if he would’ve given you at least some closure, you would’ve been fine- happy for him even. But it was only three months since it happened, and you still had no idea what happened to cause him to want to break up with you. It was like a switch flipped and suddenly you were single.
You closed your eyes once you were done eating, setting your empty plate aside and dragging a hand down your face to get you out of your thoughts. You were just going to have to accept it. That was the only thing you were able to do at that point.
🌩--🌩--🌩
It was four months since the breakup, and three weeks since Callum came in last. He hadn’t been in since, which didn’t exactly mean much, since he never really did flowers unless it was a birthday or anniversary, and even then he focused more on interests than just flowers. But you hadn’t heard anything else about his date with the new hire in his garage. You had practically bullied Laurie and Samuel into telling you anything, and it came up to nothing, so you chalked it up to nothing being shared, or nothing happening between the two.
You felt weird, being so into your ex’s personal life, but if anything, he invited you into it by going to the shop he knew you worked at to buy flowers for them. No- that just felt petty.
The shop’s bell ringing snapped you out of your thoughts, petty and otherwise, and you looked up, parting your lips to speak, before you snapped your mouth shut when you saw that it was the Minotaur you were just thinking about. You looked down at papers, acting like you haven’t seen him and silently wishing Laurie was still out here instead of in the back with Samuel. It meant you actually had to talk to him.
You glanced up when you heard him say your name, and after breathing out a sigh, you got up from the stool, walking over to the flowers. “Roses and carnations?”
“No, actually. I’m not here for flowers…” There he was. There was the Callum you knew. “The shop closes in an hour, yea?”
You nodded. “Like it normally does.”
He paused for a moment, and nodded, walking up to you and reaching out to brush his fingers against your arm. “Do you wanna go to Izzie’s after you’re off? Our usual table? I need to talk to you.”
It sounded serious, and you didn’t miss the way his soft voice made your heart flip. “...About?”
“...I really just want to tell you then…so…please?” He was begging now. He was actually begging. You closed your eyes for a few seconds and you nodded, looking up at him when you opened your eyes.
“Fine…fine, I’ll go,” you said. Your expression softened when you saw his deep brown eyes light up, the evening glow coming in through the windows making the color look like it had golden flakes mixed with the brown.
“Great- perfect, thank you. It’s my treat, so don’t worry about whatever you get.” Your brow twitched and furrowed, but you nodded again, teeth digging into your bottom lip.
“You don’t have to-”
“Don’t,” he said, lifting a hand. “Just- just let me treat you, ok?”
“Ok,” you breathe out, watching him with a sigh.
The last hour went by slowly, feeling like it was an entire day, and the moment the clock hit seven, you raced out with barely a ‘see ya’ to Laurie and Samuel. With your bag gripped tightly in your hand, you unlocked your car and threw it into your passenger seat, getting into the driver’s seat afterwards. You pulled out onto the road and began driving across town to Izzie’s.
When you pulled in, you managed to pull in beside his van, the nostalgia and familiarity of the late nights in it sending you whirling, but you got out of your car, locked it up and headed straight into the front doors. You were sure you looked desperate, wanting something akin to how you were back when you were with Callum, and you knew you should be trying to move on…trying to get over him, but gods, did you not want to do anything resembling moving on when he asked you to the spot you guys had weekly date nights at.
And when you saw him, your heart started racing, seeing that he was sitting in the booth the two of you used to sit in every wednesday. You forced yourself to slow yourself to a walking pace, making your way over to him before slipping into the booth, sitting across from him as if you didn’t care for any of this.
He smiled when he saw you, and pushed his menu over to you. “Pick what you want. Even if it’s your usual.”
“You know you don’t have to pay for me,” you said after taking a quick glance at the menu. You knew what you were getting, it was all you ever got when you came here. Nothing could go wrong with a vanilla shake and loaded fries in your mind.
“Yea, but I want to,” he responded, waving the thought of him not doing it away. “I invited you out, I’ll pay.”
You let out a breath, but nodded and set the menu down, pushing it away. Your leg bounced, not stopping until a large hand touched your knee and your eyes met his. “Why’re you nervous, Moonlight?”
You could barely process the pet name, tensing under his touch and staring at him with furrowed brows. “...We’re exes…why wouldn’t I be nervous that you wanted to talk?”
Something flashed in his eyes, something that you thought looked akin to hurt the way his lips pursed a little, and he moved back, moving the long hair from his eyes, then on the normal chain he wore on his horns after he got off of work. “Do you want to start talking now or after we get food?”
“Now, please…” you said. He nodded and moved his hand from your knee, then held his hand out, palm up. He left his hand there, even after you didn’t take it, keeping the offer there.
“Right…right…” Callum breathed out, his bullnose ring glinting in the light. “I regret breaking up with you…”
You tensed again, your thoughts spinning around you, and it felt like the world around you went silent. He…he regretted it? “...You regret it?”
“Yea,” he started. “...If…if it’s alright with you…I’d…I’d like to try again…maybe?”
Your lips parted and you gave him a look that just screamed confusion, mixed a hint of disbelief. “You want to…try again? After breaking up with me out of nowhere and going out on a date with someone else?”
He flinched at the questions and gave you an apologetic look, trying to grab your hand. “...Let me explain…-”
You smacked his hand away and stood up, holding your hands up in mock surrender. “Let you explain what? Why you want me back, or why you broke up with me?”
He glanced around and tried to usher you back in the booth. “Moonlight, please sit down,” he said softly.
“Or what?” He took a pause, sighing and standing, grabbing your arm before you could pull it away and guiding the both of you outside and to your cars, lifting his hands when you settled against your passenger’s side door.
“Please, don’t fight with me,” Callum said after a moment. “Let me explain…whether you accept it or not is up to you, but please just hear me out.”
You took awhile to answer, and you didn’t even do it verbally, offering him a single nod and a hand wave. He sighed again. “I know saying that I want to try again after going on a date with someone else is…not the best thing to hear…and I promise it’s not because the date didn’t go well. I genuinely regret breaking up with you and I’m such an idiot for doing it.”
“Then why did you do it?” You asked, not trying to fight, or to respond sounding like an ass, just…wanting to know.
“I didn’t want you to hate me,” he responded.
“What? Why would I hate you?” Callum slowly reached his hand out, waiting for you to grab it and his expression softened when you did.
“We got together out of high school…we were our first actual relationship and…I didn’t want you to start resenting me for holding you back in the future…and I…I knew it wouldn’t happen, but the possibility of me feeling the same made me want to die…I just thought we’d be better if we explored…” He trailed off when he was done, waiting for a response from you, his nerves apparent.
It took you another long, drawn out moment before you finally replied to him. “And you regret doing it now?”
He nodded. “Yea…I was regretting it when I did it…but I thought it’d get better, that if I just held out you’d be happier. And I went on the date…I can’t say I hated it, because they were nice, but I was thinking of you the entire time, how you’d react if I took you there…what you’d wear, which place we’d go to after, what movie we’d inevitably fall asleep to…”
Your heart was pounding again, a slow but loud sound hammering away at your ribs. But he spoke before you could. “I still…- you’re the person I think of when I wake up, and you’re the person I think of when I go to bed and I hate that I ruined us when I still constantly think about how much I love you.”
“Callum…” you said softly, squeezing back when he squeezed your hand. “Why didn’t you talk to me?”
“...I don’t know…I thought you’d think I was ridiculous or something…”
“So you went straight to break up with me?” You pushed up from your car, taking a step towards the Minotaur. “You should’ve talked to me.”
“I know I should’ve. And I regret that I didn’t, but I don’t want what we had to end…will you at least think about giving me a second chance?”
You didn’t have to think when you nodded, grabbing his other hand and squeezing them both. “...I’ll think about it. But you have to earn that, alright?”
He managed a smile, nodding back at you firmly. “I’ll make you weak in the knees faster than you can blink.”
And to tease him, you blinked, grinning when he laughed.
🌩--🌩--🌩
It was exactly four months later, but you were three ‘second chance’ dates in with Callum, finally folding after he consistently made an effort, constantly threatening being late to his shift at the garage to drop off a coffee, tea or pastry at the shop, and to occasionally earn a kiss on the cheek after he kissed yours. Laurie and Samuel were practically sick at seeing the two of you, despite the amount of PDA the couple were giving each other at every possible opportunity.
At that very moment though, you were relaxing on the worn couch in Callum’s home garage, watching him work on his van and all in all, enjoying your day off.
“You’re awfully quiet, Moonlight,” Callum said, wiping his hands off with an old rag. “What’s on your pretty, little mind?”
Your cheeks warmed, but you rolled your eyes. “Just admiring, Sunshine.”
“Yea? You still into something you’ve seen for five years?” He asked, teasing tone blatant.
“Obviously,” you chuckled. “I’ll still like this fifty years from now.”
He hummed and walked over to you, lifting your legs to settle beside you, resting your legs over his. “You really think so?”
“I know so, Callum.”
You didn’t like change, but you could get used to this…instead of sticking to how it was before.
Ayo, different post, but I'm here to advertise my books. I have two, indie published, but that's 'cause I couldn't be damned with an actual big name publishing company and agent(unless...).
One is YA in every sense of the matter other than some consistent swearing, which, in my opinion, pushed it up to NA. The second is fully NA/A and 18+, as it has exactly two(2) smut scenes. Descriptions are under the break.
To: Him: YA/NA
My first book after many scrapped ideas. I published this at 16 and self admittedly, it's obvious.
It's a childhood friends turned roommates to lovers slice of life. Definitely a preference choice, if you like a relatively quick read that has absolutely no high stakes, and no doubt about a happy ending, this one is for you.
Tyler and Sage are freshly out of college and still learning how to be relatively good adults, paying bills, taking care of themselves, etc etc. There's just one little thing, both of them are hopelessly into each other, much to the annoyance of their mutual best friend, Aiko, because of how oblivious they are to their own best friend's feelings. The story takes place during a week, showing what the two twenty-one year olds go through during a daily basis leading up to their town's pride event. Unsure about whether to confess their feelings, Aiko convinces the both of them to do so. But are they gonna? Or are they going to back out at the last minute like the times before?
Dad's (Dead) Best Friend: NA/A
My second book, obviously. I published this one this year actually, so it's brand new and ready to read.
Sticking to what I've already done, this has a taste of slice of life, but with a purpose: Finding out what happened to Joan Langdon, the MMC of the book. It's a Dad's Best Friend romance, but with a Corpse Bride esque twist. Keeping to my monsterfucker roots, I went with a zombie x human murder mystery romance with a guaranteed HEA.
Twenty-nine year old freelance editor, Seraphina Horial, doesn't really get out much, living in the shadows of her successful parents and often forcing herself to become a workaholic to pay the bills. Her father's best friend, Joan Langdon, disappeared five years ago without a trace, only to come back into Seraphina's life by climbing out from under a tree in the park. Too exhausted to consider it something straight from a horror movie, she brings him back to her loft close to the edge of the city she lives in, and vows on finding what happened to him, much to his constant disapproval. But when the two get closer to each other, learning things about the other they were never able to talk about when he was alive, Seraphina gets closer to the answer in Joan's case. But what will happen when she finds out what really happened to Joan.
If any of these interested you, consider checking it out in the link in my Writer's Card(Beacons). They're available in Amazon and Barnes & Noble, priced the same, and available with Kindle Unlimited. So if you stayed this long, take a few seconds to at least check it out. I'd appreciate it, even if you don't get anything.
You didn’t know what you were doing, walking through the forest alone. You could barely make your way through the city, yet you decided to walk through the woods to get to your family’s cottage. You should’ve just brought your carriage with you. Or at least a horse. Your feet were killing you.
You weren’t stopping to camp for the night, no, so you walked, and walked, and walked. And you found a glimpse of humanity. It wasn’t your family’s cottage though. It was an Orc tribe.
You were both severely lost and hopefully not as screwed as you felt.
{--}
The moon was high, but the tribe was lively, the loud laughter and talking obvious. And you were standing on the outside of it, worried about asking for a spot to stay for the night. You knew you needed to do it, it’d be easier walking when it was sunny out, and all you needed was a single night before bidding them ado and never seeing them again. But as you took a step, you saw a pair near the bonfire that sat in the middle of where the huts were.
It was an Orc with a Human, his arms wrapped around them as they sat on his leg, laughing and chatting with the rest of the Orcs that were there. You walked closer towards the bonfire, towards where it seemed that most of the tribe was sitting, but you accidentally broke a stick and the woman beside the Human and the Orc seemed to hear it despite the loud talking around her, and her head snapped over towards you, eyes widening a little when she saw you.
Once she saw you, the rest did, and the tribe got eerily quiet. Realizing that none of them were going to walk to you, you walked over to them, clearing your throat and fidgeting with your clothes before lifting your hand to wave. “Uh- hi? I don’t mean to intrude, but…if anyone knows an inn or something…I need a place to stay for the night…I’m willing to pay.”
Even after you spoke, it was quiet for a while, and you felt like you should’ve just kept on walking. But the woman who saw you first stood and looked you up and down, cocking a brow as she walked up to you. You had to tilt your head up to look at her fully, noticing a multitude of scars littering her exposed arms and one across her nose. Your eyes met hers, a dark brown, only lit by the moonlight. Her arms crossed and with a final beat of silence, she spoke. “You can sleep in the meeting hall for tonight.”
You let out a breath as relief flooded your system, a glimpse of a smile touching your lips as you nodded. “Thank you.”
She nodded once and moved to the side, a hand touching your shoulder as you started walking. “Last building on the right.”
Her voice was raspy, but not deep. It was something you expected to come out of a woman that looked like her. You don’t say anything else however, nodding again before beginning your walk to the meeting hall. It wasn’t that hard to find, given that after the bonfire area in the middle of the tribe every building was in two straight lines across from each other.
You got into the building, trying your best to look around the dark area, the windows lining some of the walls not catching much of the moonlight. With a squint, you made your way through, stepping cautiously until you found a wooden bench. You grimaced at the thought of how your body’ll be in the morning, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and you set your things against the side of it and sat on the bench, giving your feet a well needed break from walking.
Right as you shrugged your coat off to use as a makeshift blanket, you heard footsteps coming towards the building, one of the doors opening shortly after. You glanced over, noticing the woman from earlier, holding a blanket, and a pillow in one arm while her free hand held a lantern. She silently walked over, putting the blanket and the pillow down before taking a couple steps back. “There.”
“Thank you,” you said, and before she could leave, you leaned towards one of your bags, pulling out a small coin bag to make truth out of your initial request to stay. You grabbed a few coins, and you looked up at her to hand them to her, but she held up her now free hand, shaking her head.
“Don’t, the chief and his chiefess aren’t charging you for sleeping on a bench in a cold building,” she said, and you hesitated. Part of you was relieved that you got to keep some of the coin you brought with you, but another part of you felt like you were pushing the kindness you were already given.
“Are you sure?” You asked, and she nodded, watching as you let the coin fall back into the bag you took them from. You put the coin bag back where you grabbed it and you looked over at the blanket and pillow again, slowly grabbing the pillow, setting it to the side and then the heavier blanket. “Thank you…again.”
“It’s fine,” she said, letting silence blanket over the two of you for a moment longer before she patted your shoulder, turned and walked out of the building, leaving you alone in the darkness.
You settled on the bench, wrapping your coat around your body again and then settling under the blanket. While the bench was hard, the blanket and the pillow lessened the inevitable side pain you were going to have in the morning, and you were always grateful for that.
Exhaustion started to seep into your body soon after you got fully settled, your eyelids getting heavy until they eventually closed and you were finally asleep for the night.
{--}
You woke up to a loud knock on the door, the sound echoing through the building, responding to the noise with a groan, slowly opening your eyes as the door opened and the smell of food wafted through the area. Your stomach growled as you sat up, rubbing your eyes and stretching, hearing your sore body pop and crack as you yawned.
You looked to the side, groggy eyes seeing the woman from before standing near the bench you turned into your bed. She looked down at you silently before handing you the bowl she was holding. “Here.”
Slowly grabbing the bowl, you gave her a tired, yet thankful smile, holding the warm wood close to you and beginning to eat soon after. The Orc woman sat on the bench you made into a makeshift bed, not beside you, but close enough that she wasn’t trying to put obvious distance between you two. You looked over at her midbite, feeling her gaze burning two holes into you. You finished the bite you took and parted your lips to speak, but she spoke before you could, “Aloka.”
Your brows furrowed, but she cleared it up. “My name’s Aloka.”
“Oh,” you said, and through your exhaustion fogged brain, you responded with your own name, only to turn back to the food to take another bite.
The two of you were quiet again, and to say it was awkward would be downplaying it. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t enjoyable to sit in, even if you were five seconds from falling asleep again. Thankfully, Aloka managed to break it, “The chief and chiefess are allowing you to stay longer if you’d like. We would find a room for you if yes.”
“...I appreciate it, but I only needed to stay the night. I could hardly see in front of me and I need to find my family’s cottage,” you said, hearing her hum a couple seconds after you stopped speaking.
“Do you not know where it is?” She asked, and you nodded, taking another bite.
“I do…but normally I take a carriage to get there,” you said after you swallowed that bite. “I decided to walk this time…even though part of me was calling it stupid before I left…it got dark before I could get there so I took a few wrong turns.”
Aloka nodded, slightly lifting an eyebrow at your explanation. “If you thought it was stupid…why do it?”
You shrugged, taking another bite before sighing as you eat for a moment. “I convinced myself right before I left that it would be fine…”
“So still stupidity,” she said after you trailed off, eyes watching you eat the rest of your food. “You’re lucky you found us.”
You nodded, wiping your mouth and setting the bowl beside you. “I am,” you confirmed.
She looked from you, to the bowl, standing to grab it. “Leave the blanket and pillow here…someone will get it later today.”
Your gaze, still slightly tired but getting more awake by the second, watched her and you nodded again. “Alright…but, just a quick question…there’s a lake in this forest…are you-…do you think you know the direction of it?”
Aloka stopped herself midstep, glancing down at you before she placed her free hand on the top of her hip. “If your cottage is close to the lake, you went the exact opposite way to get there…you’re two days from it.”
Your heart sunk and the heat in your face disappeared instantly, the chill of the non-heated meeting hall getting to you. “...Two…days?”
She nodded again and offered you the first bout of emotion you saw from her, which looked to be pity, if your tired mind read it correctly. “That’s right…”
With a breath, you ran your hand down your face, a groan leaving your lips, murmuring, “Shit…”
“...I take it you’ll be staying longer than you thought,” Aloka said.
“I suppose I am,” you breathed out, looking back up at her. “I don’t want to be a bother.”
“It’s…it’s nothing. We’re already collecting Humans, with my brother’s partner being a part of the tribe.” Your eyebrow lifted, remembering the obvious couple from the night before, slightly surprised to learn that she was related to the Orc. “You’ll have a place to stay for however long you plan on staying.”
“Thank you,” you said, those two words seeming to be your favorite at that moment. She nodded in response, and walked out a few seconds after the conversation died.
You leaned against the bench when you heard the door shut, laying back on the pillow and pulling the blanket over your body. You weren’t the best at talking and you were sure it was more than obvious to her, which made for an awkward relationship going forward…but you got the feeling that she was kind.
And the idea of making a new friend gave you the smallest silver lining the situation could have.
{--}
You settled into the chief and chiefess’ hut, since they were the only one with the extra space they were willing to give to you for an indefinite amount of time. You pushed your bags against the end of the bed they set up for you and grimaced at the amount of times you had said any form of ‘thank you’ towards them. At least your parents would be proud of your manners if they heard about this- when they heard about this.
Grateful to have a bed for the time being, you had to force yourself from laying down and falling asleep for the rest of the day. To rest your sore side and your still hurt feet, dreading the walking you have to do for the rest of the day. You put your boots to the side of the bed, fixing the wrinkled clothes you changed into earlier that morning, sighing and falling back on the bed.
You wondered what your parents were thinking, if they were worried or if they thought you were already at the cottage. They tried to get you to go in a carriage, and you cursed yourself from not agreeing to it, but you couldn’t change the past, and so there you were for a few days, abusing people’s kindness and giving them another mouth to feed.
You heard a knock on the door, and it opened slightly before you could respond, the low voice of the chiefess filling the air. “Can I come in?”
“Yea,” you responded, sitting up and moving to the side, watching her open the door and enter, shutting the heavy wooden door behind herself. “Do you need something, chiefess?”
“Just call me Lufi,” she started, giving you a little smile before walking over to you and sitting on the edge of the bed. “Are you settling in well? I know everything must be much bigger to you.”
“It’s fine,” you said. “It’s comfortable…I appreciate you two housing me.”
“It’s what we do,” she said. “Aloka said you were meaning to go the opposite direction.”
You nodded to her words, a small sigh leaving your lips. “Yea, I thought I was going the wrong way, but I must’ve taken a wrong turn when it was dark.”
She nodded back at you. “Would you like an escort, or are you simply going to walk home when you feel comfortable enough to do so?”
“I’ll probably just go home…I was only planning on staying for a week or so anyway,” you said, wondering why you felt so much more comfortable talking to the Orcs that you’ve only just met compared to people you’ve known pretty much your entire life back in the city. “Thank you for the offer though.”
There you go again. She breathed out a laugh, shaking her head. “Don’t thank me, it’s nothing. If anything, Anoal and I would send Aloka, she seems to enjoy your presence. We haven’t seen her warm up to a stranger as fast since Cortek, her brother, had her meet his partner.”
Your heart picked up at the thought of her warming up to you faster than normal. “Yea? I’m not sure what I did to do anything like that other than ask for some shelter.”
Lufi shrugged. “She’s been better since Cortek’s partner joined the tribe…maybe she’s just warming up to your kind. None of us has been treated all that well by most people of different races.”
You nodded, a little solemnly. “Humans kinda suck,” you said, flashing her a small smile.
“Most of them,” she agreed. “But there’s always exceptions, aren’t there?”
“Yea,” you said, “there are.”
{--}
You walked down to the bonfire now roaring in the middle of the tribe area, finding one of the hunts roasting over it and sitting in the open spot beside Aloka. Flashing her a little smile, she returned it to the best of her ability, and your cheeks heated up ever-so-slightly at the sight, liking the way the flames lit up her face.
It’s been a few days since you arrived in the tribe, and despite the lingering fact that you have to go back home, your clean clothes slowly dwindling with each day, but Lufi was right, and every chance you had outside, you were with Aloka, either helping her with her daily chores, eating with her or simply spending your time with her. And you hated to admit it, but you felt more comfortable there than you’ve ever been in the city. You didn’t have to hold a front for the status you had, hell, you doubted people actually could tell your parents were noble because you weren’t packing to wear fancy clothes all week.
Aloka’s hand brushing your leg made you tense, and you snapped out of your thoughts, looking back up at her, meeting her brown eyes. “Do you need something, Aloka?”
She shook her head, but when her hand moved to sit on your thigh, you knew there was something she wasn’t saying, especially when she couldn’t meet your eyes and instead decided to talk to her brother and his partner.
Your brows furrowed, but you took it in stride, putting your hand on hers and watching the fire as it crackled and popped. A smile appeared on your face at the chatter everyone was doing and when you felt Aloka’s hand tighten her grip on your thigh. You leaned against her, not meaning anything by it, but you felt her arm tense before relaxing and she moved her arm, wrapping it around your smaller body before resting on your other thigh, keeping you steady and warm all at the same time.
The air between the two of you seemed to change slightly, seeming like it was thicker, but for a reason you weren’t completely sure of. You felt safe though, in a way that seemed completely friendly and platonic.
Totally.
{--}
Sunlight poured into the room, and you groaned a little as you stirred awake, turning to the side, but hitting something soft and yet hard at the same time, another noise leaving you. You pushed up, rubbing your eyes as you felt chilled air touch your skin. When you cracked your eyes open, looking to your right side to see what you hit, only to realize that this wasn’t your bed, or your room…
When you look beside you, you’re met with a back, a green back and a full head of black hair, unbraided and undone, messily laying on the pillow. You pressed your lips together, eyes widening a bit at the sight of Aloka beside you, breathing steadily, and just as bare as you were at that very moment.
You looked around the room, seeing your clothes and hers littered on the floor, a breath leaving you. You felt awkward waiting until she woke up, but you also felt awful at the idea of putting your clothes on and leaving like you were running away from what had happened the night before, so you slowly slipped out of bed, put on your underwear and shirt, slipping out of her room, but making your way into the kitchen, hoping you have enough time to find some food and not make it seem like you were stealing her food.
However, you weren’t so lucky that time, hearing her heavy footsteps come down the steps and then your name being called by her groggy voice. Walking out with a small slice of bread in your hand, you see her look down at you, tired brown eyes processing that you were still there before she smiled at you slightly. “You stayed.”
“I wasn’t gonna walk out with just my shirt on,” you said, noticing her robe that was tied tightly around her waist. “Sleep well?”
She nodded, running her fingers through the mess that was her bedhead. You, however, couldn’t help but admire it. Comfortable silence fell between the two of you and you stepped back to let her in the kitchen, watching her get a drink before leaning against the counter. “Did you enjoy last night?”
The question threw you off guard, but you managed to nod. Admittedly, you did enjoy the night before, just not the consequences of it…like having to talk about whether you were still friends or not.
A warm finger touched your forehead, bringing your attention back on her. “What’re you thinking?”
“...Are we still friends?” She cocked an eyebrow, finishing her drink and setting the cup on the counter space beside her.
“Do you often spend your nights being intimate with your friends?” Aloka asked you back.
Your face warmed and you shook your head, and you watched another smile -which was more of a smirk at this point- grace her features. “Then I guess we’re not.”
Feeling your heartbeat pick up, you bit your lip. “Then- then what are we?”
“Whatever you want to be,” she said, her tone softening. “I know you’re leaving in a few days…so…”
“Is it wrong of me to not know what I want?” You asked. “I want you in my life…that I know…but…we’ll barely see each other. I just…I don’t want either of us to feel like we’re being held back.”
“Do you remember how you got here?” She asked, and you nodded. “Then come visit…we’ll figure it out. Besides, we still have a few days, and even though you’re already making me soft around my edges- thanks for that- I want you to come back. Alright?”
You nodded again. “Right…”
You took a breath, and leaned into her hand when she cupped your cheek. It was a sight to see, seeing how close the two of you got in only a few days. You knew it was natural not to know what you wanted with a person that you’ve only known for a few days, but you felt bad that a happy ending wasn’t in the near future.
But with time, you hoped and put your faith into fate, hoping that it might be into both of your futures someday. For now though? For now you were fine not knowing. As long as you had her in your life.
You never left your village much, you never saw the need to. When you did, it was to the same place to forage berries when they were in season in the Springtime. You had to be sneakier the past couple of years though, the elders warning people of an Orc tribe living nearby. They didn’t want anyone leaving and being caught without realizing it, just for the village to be raided or set ablaze, or both.
While you understood the concerns, you never saw the need to fear the fact that they were nearby, holding the thought process that everyone needed a place to live. Though, that was before you were caught.
^___________^___________^
The sun was setting, which meant that everyone was either indoors, getting ready to close their store or spending time getting the last bit of the late spring sun before retiring for the night. You, however, thought it was the perfect time to sneak out of your own cabin to go to the little spot that had an abundance of berries that you used to pick with your parents when you were young.
Your father was a baker, never let a single berry that went uneaten go to waste. And your mother was a seamstress, prided herself in her work and always reassured you that whatever you stained with the dripping berry juice, she’d either get the stain out or make you a new one. You missed them.
You grabbed your father’s old basket, lined it with your mother’s old towel for it and set off into the woods, keeping a lantern in your hand to light your way once the sun made its way out of sight and the moon lifted to show itself in the sky.
Every footstep sounded louder than you knew they were, your eyes rapidly darting back towards the village until it was out of sight and you found your way in the little area that was filled to the brim with berry bushes. You kneeled by one, setting your lantern down and picking them, letting them fall with a silent thump into your basket. When you picked enough from one bush, you moved to another, and then another, until your basket was full and your lantern was practically out, leaving the moonlight to guide you. But as you stood and dusted off your clothes, you heard heavy footsteps, and you tensed, rushing with your basket to a tree, trying to hide behind it.
You heard a voice before you were able to fully hide, though. “I know you’re there.”
Your heart raced, pounding against your chest as you heard the deep, raspy voice. And it wasn’t as if you were able to hide, so you peeked out around the tree, eyes widening when they had to snap up to look at the Orc fully.
He was looking down at you with a tilted head, an eyebrow cocked. He didn’t look too thrilled, but he didn’t look angry either, an unreadable expression masking what he was really feeling. “Don’t you humans normally stay in past sunset?”
“Most of us,” you answered, though your voice was barely audible in the quiet night air. He seemed to have caught what you said though and a little glimpse of a smile appeared on his lips.
“Not you though?” You shook your head, but shrugged. His eyes darted down to the basket and then around at the berry bushes surrounding the two of you. “Do you normally pick berries when the moon is out?”
“No,” you responded. “Do you?”
“No,” he said back, that glimpse turning into a real smile as he side-stepped over to a tree, leaning against the rough bark of it.
You saw one of his hands move his long braid over his shoulder, letting it rest against him as the rest of his muscular, yet severely scarred body stayed still. When you looked back up at his face, you noticed that his right tusk was chipped, missing the pointed tip like the one on the left has. You didn’t ask about it, you thought better not to, especially since you didn’t even know his name, but it looked like he’s been through a lot.
“Didn’t someone teach you that it was rude to stare? Especially at something much bigger than you?” He grinned. He was teasing, that much was obvious, but the words of your village’s elders rang in your mind and you moved back towards the tree you were hiding behind before. He let out a small snort, eyes looking you up and down before he rolled his eyes and pushed off of the tree. “Relax.”
“Hard to do for me…in general really…” you said, and you almost cringed at how pathetic that sounded. His brows knitted together, but you shook your head and looked back towards where you came from. “I should be getting home before it gets to be too late-”
“Already? We just started talking,” he said, not fully cutting you off, yet not letting you trail off the way you were going to do. His grin grew and he took a step closer to you. “Don’t tell me I scare you.”
“You don’t,” you said. Half-truth. The fact that he could crush your skull with your hands scared you. Him just standing there didn’t. “It’s just…late.”
“Not late enough for you to forage though?” He asked, lips pursed the best they could be with his tusks. “You can just admit it, wouldn’t be the first time my race has scared yours. You probably have people telling you to lock your doors, hide or else the big, bad Orcs are gonna come get you or raid your town.”
He wasn’t wrong, you thought to yourself, but he did sound awfully bitter. “Does that happen often to you…?”
“More than your people cause wars, which says a lot, doesn’t it?” You couldn’t argue, nor did you really see the need to. Humans didn’t really have a good reputation to anyone…even to other humans. You only shrugged, giving him an apologetic look.
His gaze softened and he shook his head, huffing out a sigh, saying after a beat of silence, “I’m Cortek.”
Your eyebrows lifted and with a nod, you said your own name, corners of your mouth curling up ever-so-slightly. “What’re you doing out here, Cortek?”
He shrugged. “I like walking during the night.”
You nodded, humming quietly. You breathed out, pursing your lips and looking down to the basket in your hands. “Why are you foraging when it’s dark out?”
You paused, briefly questioning if you wanted to tell him the truth or not. You decided to anyway. “My village really isn’t the biggest on leaving or being out past sunset.”
“Why’s that?” he asked. Your eyes moved back up to him and he seemed to understand shortly after. “Ah. Right, my tribe’s close, isn’t it?”
You nodded again, offering him an apologetic glance. “Yea…the elders aren’t really…welcoming to anyone other than humans being near us…even Elves…and Dwarves…or others…”
Sighing, you stepped closer to him. “I think they’re talking bogus though, a lot of people my age do, but we can’t speak out against them without being reprimanded…so it’s easier to listen or to sneak around.”
You watched as his lips turned up a little and you were a little grateful that you were able to cheer him up a slight bit. “It’s like that in my tribe with the chief. Though you might end up with your head on a spear if you fight against the chief.”
“Remind me not to get on their bad side then,” you jested, hearing him breathe out a laugh before shaking his head and fixing the tunic that sat loosely on his body, covering the scars on his chest that you got a glimpse of earlier.
Looking back down at the berries, you clucked before getting an idea, tilting your head back up to meet his eyes. “Come back here tomorrow…same spot. Around the same time.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What for?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see, I suppose,” you said, smiling before lifting your hand with a little wave, turning on your heel and walking off. “Same spot, same time, Cortek.”
“Yea yea,” you heard him say as you walked away, a silent laugh shaking your shoulders.
^___________^___________^
The sun was high and there you were, standing in your kitchen, in the comfiest clothes you could manage, a couple candle’s lighting up the area despite the light coming from them not being needed as you worked on making a simple pastry dough, reading over your father’s messy handwriting on the small card he scribbled the recipe on. The basket of berries were sitting off to the side on your counter, waiting to be turned into a jam so you could put them with the dough, watching you and probably judging you for working so hard just to bring a few with you that night when you saw Cortek again.
It wasn’t as if you were meaning to impress him…simply offering a few of them as a peace treaty. You didn’t have many friends in the village and if this was your one chance you had, you were taking it. You wanted to know more about him, maybe where he got his scars if he was up to sharing, but you weren’t exactly sure how he’d react if you just asked, you planned that question for another night if a friendship actually blossomed. Maybe then it’d also show the village that the Orcs aren’t bad. That there was nothing to be afraid of, even if they were intimidating appearance wise.
And once you got the dough in a muffin tin and in the oven, you began working on the jam, grabbing the recipe card for that out from under the dough card.
^___________^___________^
Nighttime came faster than you were expecting it, and without bothering to change into anything nicer, you wrapped up a few tarts and put them in one of the picnic baskets you had. Then, after making sure everything was clear and no one else was out, you rushed out of the village, heading back to the berry bushes.
When you slowed yourself down as you neared the area, you saw that Cortek was already there, waiting for you. His head picked up when he saw you and he flashed a little smile, wearing an outfit similar to what he was wearing the day prior: a loose tunic and loose, black pants, much like what you saw the knights wear when you visited the city years ago, being lucky enough to get a glimpse of a few of them outside of their armor. “You’re early.”
“Or are you late?” He responded, but his smile grew and it let you know that it was just a tease. His eyes glanced down at the basket in your hands, then around at the berry bushes. “Come to take the rest of the berries?”
You shook your head. “No, I made some tarts today, wanted to share them.”
He visibly froze, brows furrowing before his eyes moved to yours and the deep brown softened under the moonlight. “You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” you said, lifting the basket and walking up to him, only to guide the both of you on the ground, putting the basket between you two and opening it before handing him a small plate of tarts, and pulling out your own plate. You spoke after a moment, “My father used to bake these and share them around in the village. I’m not sure they’re as good as his, but…I tried my best.”
“Used to?” He asked. Your eyes got slightly wet and you pulled in a breath as your smile faltered.
“My parents went to the city one day. When they were supposed to come home a storm hit…and they never arrived,” you explained, not wanting to go into much more detail than you have already. You didn’t like talking about it, even after five years.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, pulling back the wrap over the plate. You shook your head.
“It’s fine…it happened years ago…the least I can do is keep their memories alive. Through tarts or something like it.” You just barely missed as his gaze softened further and he looked down at the tarts before back up to you. “They weren’t like the elders. I’m sure that if they could’ve afforded to move, we would’ve gone to a more inclusive town…”
“If it means anything, I’m glad they didn’t,” he said after a beat. “If they did, I wouldn’t have had you coming here with tarts.”
You breathed out a little laugh and nodded. “Yea…you have a point there.”
The air between the two of you went silent, and you watched him as he grabbed one of the tarts and took a bite out of it, waiting for his reaction, hoping you didn’t just disappoint your father for making them bad. Not that your father was ever disappointed in you, it was never in his nature.
Cortek caught your gaze when he was done chewing, a little smile upturning his lips before he nodded a little. “It’s good.”
Your shoulders slumped in relief and you were able to smile again, letting it grow when you finally noticed just how small the tart was compared to his hand, but he didn’t comment on it, so you weren’t going to. “Good- it was my first time making these after everything so I was a little nervous.”
“You shouldn’t be,” he said, taking another bite before eating the rest of it. You felt proud, even though you just followed a couple recipe cards correctly and they turned out how they were supposed to. But you were taking a win no matter where it came from.
The two of you spent a bit in silence, eating without feeling the need to talk until the tarts were done and the plates were back in the basket. You were sitting at the same distance from before, a little more than a foot apart, but you felt the need to get closer to him, and when you saw that his hair wasn’t in the braid that it was the day before, you took that chance and scooted closer to him a little bit. “Your hair isn’t in a braid tonight.”
Cortek paused for a beat, but lifted his hand and touched his hair, nodding with a small glance towards you. “Yea, why?”
You parted your lips, but after being able to think about it, you thought it was a bit weird to ask him if you could braid his hair so close from meeting him, so you shrugged instead. “Nothing…just like pointing out the obvious, I guess.”
He smiled a little, his hand dropping from his hair and nudging your arm. He didn’t say anything else, but the silence that returned was comfortable and the two of you spent the rest of the night under the moonlight and in the soft breeze that touched the night air.
^___________^___________^
As Spring turned to Summer, you grew more comfortable with leaving the village since your parents died, even going as far as to sneak out during the day to meet up with Cortek. You met his twin sister, Aloka a month ago, almost instantly getting her approval when he made a quip about her and you socked him in the arm, not that it did anything to a man that was two or three times bigger than you.
You considered him a genuine friend, the first one you’ve had in years, which, as sad as it sounded, it was true. You never realized that you didn’t have a real friend until you were truly alone in the world, and it was like that for a good long time.
You stood beside a lake Cortek had shown you soon after you emptied the bushes of their berries, forcing him to take most of them and bring back to his tribe, whether it was to eat or bake with. In return, and with a joke about how he didn’t want to see your massacre of the berry bushes anymore, so he showed you the lake that sat nearby, one that you didn’t even realize existed since your town used a river that must connect to the lake.
It only took ten minutes of waiting and distracting yourself with skipping rocks, for Cortek to arrive, wearing an open tunic that only really covered his arms and bottom torso with a visibly worn set of bottoms with a pair of boots. His hair was up in a low pony, and he grinned when he spotted you, scooping you up in his arms before squeezing you and setting you down to turn you to face him. “You’re early, Honey.”
Your cheeks warmed at the pet name, something he randomly decided to call you after learning that you put honey on most of your baked goods. You liked it nonetheless. “You’re just late, ‘Tek.”
He scoffed, waving his hand in the air. “Sure, sure, whatever you want to call it. I just know that you’re always painfully early and that you wait for me to arrive.”
You hummed, nodding along even though he was clearly talking out of his ass. “Or maybe you’re late.”
“I guess we’ll never know,” he said, smiling again before he sat down on the grass, helping you sit beside him. “Alo’ wants to see you again, and she also said that she wants you to make those orange cookies again.”
You breathed out a laugh. “She’s eating me out of house and home and she doesn’t even live with me,” you said.
He chuckled, wrapping his arms around his legs and tugging them so they’re flush with his chest, looking less like the warrior you were intimidated by in the beginning and more like a big, domestic puppy. “Eh, she’s just like that. It took her years to even eat something sweet. It’s a miracle she’s so attached to your baking.”
Your eyes softened and you smiled, a little thing, but it wasn’t like you could visibly portray how your heart felt at that moment. “I’ll make sure to bake some for her.”
Cortek smiled back at you and nodded, moving an arm before he tugged you against his body. You leaned against him, your eyes shutting and your heart skipping every so often. The moment felt so utterly-
Someone yelling your name snapped you out of your thoughts and your head snapped back, eyes meeting one of your neighbors looking at you with eyes the size of saucers, her gaze going between you and Cortek. The both of you stood and you pulled him behind you, even if he was the bigger one. “What are you doing?!”
You almost flinched at the shrill and she turned to run back to the village before you could answer. You wanted to chase after her, but you already knew that you were done for…the elders would find out and you’d be a goner even if you happened to catch her. So you sided and you looked up at Cortek, your expression now bittersweet as he rubbed your shoulders, moving to hold your arms. “You alright?”
“Not really,” you admitted. “I’m going to be in big trouble.”
“Do you want me to come with?” he asked. “...I don’t think anyone would let me go into your village, but I’d be right outside of it.”
You shook your head, even though you wished you could’ve agreed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, ‘Tek. Just…stay here, I’ll come back as soon as I can, alright? If it gets too late, go home and we’ll meet tomorrow.”
He gave you a look, but you patted his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
With that, you pulled from his grasp, and made the trek home, only to find the Elders at your house, waiting for you to arrive. Your heart sunk further and you didn’t start to talk until you let yourself in and then let them come in, all five piling in your small cottage. You parted your lips to start trying to explain yourself, but you were cut off shortly after you began to utter your first word.
“We told you- everyone to not leave the village. We said that there were Orcs nearby and we wanted to protect our village. And what do you do?” The leader -a short man lacking most of his all white hair- said. “You go off and spend time with an Orc! Are you trying to get our village raided? Destroyed?”
“That’s not what I was trying to do-”
“Then what were you trying to do?” He asked, cutting you off.
You stood there in silence for a beat, your lips pursing before you sighed and said, “The Orcs are nice, they don’t mean anyone harm.”
“They’re Orcs, they raid and they steal and they fight, that’s their culture. You’re putting yourself at risk, you’re putting everyone at risk,” he said, the other elders nodding in agreement. “Think of how your parents would feel about this? About you putting us all in danger.”
Your body tensed, your eyes widening and your lips parting before closing a few times. You wished you didn’t say no to Cortek coming along. “My parents wouldn’t discriminate over an entire race because you guys think that they’re dangerous. They could be, but how many wars have we started with the Elves? How many wars have our race started because we didn’t like people being different from us?”
You looked around, you saw the memories that were made there, and you knew that your parents wouldn’t want you to stick around if it meant that you weren’t going to be happy. When you looked back at the elders, who were still gawking at you for your little monologue, you took a breath. “I’m done. I’ll be gone by tonight. Don’t worry about me putting your little port of power in danger.”
Walking to the door, you opened it, motioning towards the outside. “Please leave. I need to pack.”
Some of the elders looked at you like you had two heads, but despite the lecture and disciplinary methods the leader clearly had planned for you, he looked at you solemnly and nodded, leading everyone out of the cottage and shutting the door behind him when he walked out. You were quick to start packing after that, finding what bags you were able to carry yourself and filling one with clothes. You stashed what books you could and emptied out the picture frames before pressing the photos in the books.
You brought one bag down and packed your father’s recipe cards and your mother’s towels and forced yourself to ignore the baskets that belonged to your parents, knowing that you couldn’t bring them with you no matter how much you wanted to. After that, you just focused on the necessities, filling the rest of the second bag with it, and managing to fill a third bag with memories you were afraid to let go, journals you had yet to finish.
It took you a long time to gather the courage to grab the bags and leave. You weighed that it was so much easier to stay than it was to leave, but yet you did. You grabbed your bags, and with a tearful look back at the house that you thought you’d be in forever, you left.
You walked back into the forest, your legs moving slower with the added weight of the bags and the emotions flooding your body, but you make it back to the lake, only to see Cortek pacing. He didn’t seem to notice you until you were almost beside him, his eyes lighting up, before his expression fell when he saw that you had bags with you. “...They didn’t.”
“They didn’t,” you confirmed. “...I did. It didn’t feel right staying in the village.”
He moved to you, grabbing two of the bags from you and carrying them like the weight meant nothing to him. “What’re you doing?”
“Carrying your bags, you’re coming with me,” he said simply, moving one of the bags to the other hand and holding them in one hand so his free one could grab yours. “I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I let you be homeless. I have some space in my hut back at the tribe.”
“You sure? Wouldn’t people react weirdly to you bringing me back?”
“Maybe some, but Aloka is pretty close to the chief and his partner so you’re staying no matter who complains,” he said, and you felt relief fill your heart, nodding.
“Remind me to make her those orange cookies,” you said, a little smile touching your lips despite the situation. He laughed, nodding and leading you to his tribe.
^___________^___________^
Summer turned to Fall and Fall eventually turned to Winter, you grew more at home in Cortek’s tribe than you did the past five years you lived alone in your old village. You essentially became the tribe’s baker, and while you were put together externally, you were internally freaking out, using and abusing your father’s recipe cards to make enough for everyone and then some. But it wasn’t that bad, you got a warm place to live, food, and you didn’t even have to do anything hard, since everyone else treated you like you’d break if you ever lifted an ax to get some firewood.
There was just one, little thing that left you reeling: you were hopeless with your newly gained feelings for Cortek. There was a reason that you always wanted to spend time with him, and gods did you figure out really fast that it wasn’t because you wanted to be good friends with him. Not that you ever complained about staying friends. You were happy being with him no matter what your relationship with him was.
You pulled a cardigan over your body, holding it tightly against your body as you braced yourself and went outside, your feet stepping onto the fortunate light feathering of snow that laid on the ground. You scrunched your nose at the sudden onslaught of cold and you squinted to keep walking, hating yourself for going outside already. You found Cortek outside of the little tavern hut the tribe made when they must’ve settled here. He was talking with a few other Orcs, all of which waved and gave you little smiles before he turned to look down at you, brows furrowing when he saw you in just a cardigan over your clothes. He walked over to you and met you halfway, tipping your head up as he leaned down a little. “Why’re you only wearing that?”
“I don’t have a coat,” you said. “I didn’t go out often when I lived alone.”
He sighed, giving you a concerned glance before he unclipped the fur that rested over his shoulders and put it on you, the cloak warming you instantly, but being a little long for your body. “Wear this then, I have another one in the house.”
“What about you now though?”
“Orcs don’t get that cold,” he explained. “Thicker skin. What’d you need?”
“We’re gonna run outta firewood soon,” you said, pulling the heavy cloak closer to your body. “We only have a few pieces left.”
With a nod, he pulled the hood over your head and stood straight. “Just toss the rest in the pit, I’ll bring some when I get home, you should go back inside, you look like you’re about to turn to ice.”
“Feels like it,” you admitted, but grasped his hand to squeeze it before you went back to the hut and let him return to his chat with his friends.
You tossed the rest of the wood into the fireplace, keeping the cloak on as you settled on one of the large chairs that sat in the little living space just off of the kitchen. It didn’t take long to warm up, but being surrounded by what was essentially a big blanket made you doze off quickly, and you weren’t in the mood to get up to go to your room.
You woke up when the door opened and heavy footsteps followed, eyes cracking open to look up at Cortek as he walked in. He set the firewood down against the wall and glanced over at you, an amused smile on his face when he saw your tired gaze. “Comfortable?”
You hummed, nodding. “Very.”
He chuckled a little and walked over to you before pushing the hood down. “We could get it hemmed for you, if you like it so much.”
“You don’t have to,” you said, but you’ve learned not to fight with him about doing things for you.
“We’re getting it hemmed,” he replied, and that was the end of that. He sat on the other chair in the room, a loud grunt leaving him as he relaxed and leaned into the chair further. There was a beat of silence, but he broke it after a moment, “It’s been nice.”
“What?”
“Having someone else in the house with me…” Your eyes met again and he shrugged. “I’m not the best at being alone.”
Your brows knit together, but you nodded with a little smile. “For all things considered you’re a good roommate, ‘Tek.”
He smiled back. “I try.”
You knew he didn’t have to. As you looked at him, you watched him turn to look up at the ceiling before his eyes shut and you slowly unclipped the cloak off of you, leaving it on the chair as you got off and walked over to him, feeling awkward, not exactly knowing why you were doing what you were doing. “Cortek?”
He cracked his eyes open, jumping a little when you were so much closer than he thought you were. “Gods, Honey, you got close.”
Your face grew warm and you gave him a nervous glance, smile included. “I need to talk to you.”
Concern grew on his face again, and he sat up, nodding. “What about?”
“...Us…I guess? I don’t know…I don’t exactly know what to say.” You bit your lip, took a breath and gave yourself a little nod. “Deny me all you want…no hard feelings or anything, I just…uh- these past couple months I’ve wanted to be more than friends…”
Cortek’s eyes widened a little, and you already regretted saying something about it, but he drew you closer and kissed your forehead, holding your hand and squeezing it. “Aloka owes me five gold.”
“What?” you asked suddenly, only for your own eyes to widen and you slapped his arm. “You knew?!”
“‘Course I did, you’re not exactly subtle. Not like I don’t feel the same anyway, Alo’ just wanted to see if you’d confess or if I would have to. And you did it first so we’re five gold richer.” You narrowed your eyes at him, groaning before pulling your hand away from his.
“You’re ridiculous, Cortek.” He laughed, grasping your arm and tugging you back into him, lifting you so you would sit on his thigh. “You bet on this? Why didn’t you just confess?”
“I was curious to see if you’d last the winter,” he mumbled, planting a kiss on your temple, his tusks pressing against your head. He smiled down at you, and you couldn’t help the smile that came with the sight of his.
You shook your head and leaned into him, pressing your lips against his for a brief moment and tucking your body into his as his arms slipped around your waist. You were wondering why you even thought that the confession would’ve gone poorly, even if he did bet with his sister about it.
And hey, you might’ve gone through an emotional rollercoaster because this man was in your life, but you had him for good now, and you didn’t plan on letting him go.
How to Date a Ghost | Monster Boyfriend(China Cabinet pt 2)
Dating a ghost wasn’t something you saw yourself doing with your life, but then again, you didn’t see yourself doing half of the things you were and well…it’s not like you were complaining.
Arax was a fine boyfriend, he was just a little old fashioned and a little grumpy at times, but you never blamed him. If you were stuck in an unused cabinet after never talking to a person in over a hundred years, you’d be grumpy too. So you understood that he needed time during those moments. That and a blanket and tv time to watch whatever trash tv he wanted at that time.
But given that it was a year into your relationship with him, you picked up on a few things that apparently happen when you date a ghost as someone who’s still alive.
✄-----------------
You were sitting in what would’ve been your dining room, if you hadn’t turned it into a nook now that you were able to afford the bookshelves to put all your books in the room. It was early enough in the morning that Arax wasn’t awake yet, or he just wasn’t showing himself to you at that moment. It didn’t take long for you to realize, even before you two were ‘official’ that despite being dead, Arax actually took the time to sleep now that you knew he existed. He told you it was to pass the time in the beginning, but you noticed after a bit that he would gradually get tired whenever it was around the time he usually slept, like his body was just on a clock.
But as you were tucked in the chair you put in the corner of the room, book in your hands, you felt someone touch your hair on the top of the chair, then the lingering feeling of cold lips on your cheek. Your eyes glanced up from the words on the pages, but you didn’t see anything and you rolled your eyes, a smile spreading on your lips. “C’mon A’, show yourself.”
He did as was told, appearing in the bookshelf closest to you on your right, but he was floating, looking at the books on the top shelf. “You didn’t take long to call me out.”
“You didn’t take long to start messing with me,” you responded. Arax shrugged and went down before his feet touched the rug on the hardwood floor. “How’d you sleep?”
“Fine, I guess…it was just spending time in a dark void, if I’m being honest. I’m guessing you didn’t get any sleep, since you’re up at-” he moved to the kitchen, looking at the clock on the microwave “-Jesus Christ, it’s seven in the morning, you need to go to bed.”
“For the record, I did go to sleep, you’re just an old man and go to bed earlier than I do. And I’m not tired, so I’m getting some reading done.” He hummed, going back in the room before finding his seat on the floor in front of your chair, head finding its spot between your calves. “You alright?”
He nodded, for a beat, but you noticed his eyes training on the ground, so you nudged him with your foot. “Hey- what’s up? Talk to me, sweet thing.”
“It’s nothing, I promise, I’ve just been thinking about things.”
“What sort of things?” you asked. “You do know you can tell me anything right? Like no matter how dumb it may be.”
“I know,” he sighed. “It’s just- We can’t do things. Like what people do in shows or in movies. I can’t even court you correctly, for god’s sake. It just makes me feel like you’re better off with someone less like me and more…alive.”
You didn’t respond for a bit, shutting your book and setting it on the table beside your chair, leaning down to run your fingers through his hair and then grasp one of his hands with your free one. “You get that if I wanted something like that, I wouldn’t have stuck around for a year, right? We’ve been together for a long time, I don’t need dates out in public or for me to be ‘courted’. I’m happy staying at home. Movie dates are more my style anyway.”
“And what if you want something more? LIke a wedding or a family?”
“It’s the twenty-first century babes, I don’t need it to be happy. I’m fine living without spending money on a wedding or not having a kid. Even though adoption exists.”
“The other parent is a ghost, hun,” he said, looking up at you and squeezing your hand.
“Weirder people are parents. You’re fine,” you reassured, even though you did think it’d pose a thought about how to explain why one parent is never showing up to events or anything dealing with the kid because he’s dead and attached to a cabinet and can’t leave the house. You shook your head. “Look, baby steps, we’ll be fine.”
“...If you say so,” he breathed out, lifting your intertwined hands to kiss at the back of it, squeezing it again. “I wouldn’t hate you if you realized you needed someone else though.”
“Never gonna happen,” you said. “I’m quite fine not meeting new people in a romantic setting and staying with you for the rest of eternity.”
“But-”
“No,” you cut him off, moving your hand from his hair to his chin, tilting his head back so he can look up at you. “No buts, no arguing, nothing. ‘Kay?”
He took a moment, but he nodded. “...Fine.”
“Good.” You nudged him to the side so you could stand and stretch. And in the corner of your eye, you watched him stand back up, his light footsteps faintly padding on the floor before his arms wrapped around your waist and he rested his chin on your body, the coolness of his body sending a shudder down your spine, but you were used to it, so it didn’t bother you as much as it did in the beginning of your adventures with him. “‘M gonna make myself some food, you can turn on the tv and play whatever you want.”
“Could we listen to an audiobook this time?” Arax asked, and when you turned to face him, you saw his eyes all big and surprisingly glossy for a ghost, his bottom lip jutted out in a pout that he seemed to have perfected in the past year. He had quickly taken a liking to audiobooks when you introduced them to him, and he usually played one while reading the same book at the same time, and when you asked why he was doing it when you saw it happen for the first time, he answered that it made him focus on what he was reading better. You just shrugged it off and ever since you would either turn the audiobook on for him, which meant buying a cd copy half the time so he could listen to it on your old discman or you read him the book, which did in fact made for some good quality time when he was able to get himself to stay still and silently read along with you. When he wasn’t in the mood to sit still and needed to walk around the room in laps, he fortunately did make you tea most of the time to help your throat.
You nodded at his question, placing your hands on his before moving him from you and motioning towards the living room with a small kiss. “Go for it, babes.”
A little smile appeared on his face before he kissed your cheek and walked towards the living room, audibly plopping himself on the couch as he got whatever his pick of the day pulled up. You were relieved to see that he was happy now, given his earlier admissions, and with a small, quiet sigh, you walked in the kitchen and started making yourself some food, pulling out a plate, then your toaster before tossing in two slices of bread and pushing it down. As you were pulling out the butter and jam you had in the fridge, you heard a guy’s voice in the living room suddenly. You set the two things on the counter and shut the fridge with a light shove, walking out into the living room to see the Dracula book cover on your tv.
You glanced over at Arax, noticing that he was already under a quilted blanket on your couch, looking like he was as comfortable as could be. “Comfy?”
He nodded with a hum. “Yea. What’re you making for breakfast?”
“I’m making toast for myself,” you answered, the beginning of the audiobook becoming mere background noise as you walked over to him, sat on the edge of the couch and brushed your fingers against his cold skin. “You’re getting good at using all of this.”
“I have an amazing partner that lets me explore their electronics,” he responded happily, lifting himself up to plant a kiss on your jaw, causing your cheeks to heat up despite the cold touch. “If the technology people have now started back when I was alive, things would’ve gotten done so much faster…not to mention that you wouldn’t have to wait to get something if you could just order it online.”
He sighed, looking almost for longing. “You survived your time, you can now reap the benefits of the technology now that you’re in the afterlife.”
You saw him shoot you a look, and you knew you pushed a little bit with the ‘surviving your time’ bit, so you tried to backtrack. “Look, just be happy you died young. Now you’re forever in your late twenties. That means something, right?”
“I guess,” he said, moving his hand to touch yours. “I have to watch you grow old though…and it doesn’t make me feel good thinking about it.”
“Think I’m gonna get all wrinkly when I’m old? That you’re gonna be dating an old person when we’re both ghosts?” He shook his head.
“I’m more afraid that I’m gonna have to watch you forget me or something like that…and it’s not gonna feel nice watching it when you finally…pass.” Arax grew quiet but he squeezed your hand, obviously to keep himself from spirling in the thought process. “We still have time now though, right?”
You nodded. “Mhm. And even when I do kick the bucket, I doubt that I won’t remember you when I’m a ghost. Maybe whoever’s in charge of this dump’ll let me get old but make me a hot ghost. I think I’ve earned that right already.”
Your heart lurched when you heard him laugh and he nodded. But you heard the toaster pop before the conversation was able to continue. So you stood and got your breakfast finished, walking back in and sitting at his feet this time, letting him put his ankles and feet on your lap.
You two didn’t say much else for the rest of the morning, merely listening to the audiobook as you took comfort in each other on the small couch. It wasn’t a morning that usually happened nowadays, so you weren’t trying to waste it by doing anything that could be thrown aside until later.
✄-----------------
It’s been a week since you reassured Arax about his worries, and while it didn’t completely get rid of them, that was obvious with the way he clung to you whenever he seemed to get into a mood, or a rom com trailer turned on in the middle of a video you two turned on for background noise and he’d get upset because he can’t drag you out to the yard or a park to picnic with you. You’ve been pretty good at distracting him though.
Which is why you both were laying in the comfort of your bed, dramatic heaving coming from your ghostly boyfriend as you tried to catch your breath, reaching over to tug on a shirt, then a pair of sweats, but you didn’t get out of bed, only covered so you could warm up a bit before you went back to cuddling Arax. You felt his eyes on you, only for them to avert quickly when you looked over at him. “What?”
“Nothing,” he answered, but sat up and moved closer to you. “You’re always so…pretty after we do…this.”
“You’re allowed to say the word,” you snorted, but he waved it away, planting a kiss on your neck.
“Don’t feel like it,” he said simply, laying back down and tugging you against him, tucking his head against the crook of your neck, lazily placing his lips on your skin and keeping them there as he relaxed and shut his eyes.
“I’m gonna have to go to work one time or another today,” you told him quietly, hearing him groan against you.
“Why do you never respect the post-glow?” Arax asked, glancing up at you with hooded eyes. “Do it later…”
You chuckled, shaking your head, but you relented, letting him have his time, your limbs tangling together as you traced your fingers up and down his back, your head leaning against his. “You’re bein’ really clingy recently, not that I’m complaining…but, you sure you’re alright, Arax?”
He took a moment, but nodded, slipping his arms around you and holding you tightly. “I’m fine, I’m just in my own head at the moment.”
“You wanna talk about it,” you asked him calmly, continuing dragging your warm hand up and down his skin, placing kisses on the side of his head. He shook his head and you nodded back at him. “That’s alright…if you want to later, I’ll be here to listen.”
“I know,” he mumbled, sighing against your skin. But after a pregnant pause, you heard him speak in the quietest voice you’ve ever heard him talk in, “I just wish I was born in the same era you were…”
Your eyebrows raised. “...Yea? Why’s that?”
“...Because maybe we would’ve met…been like this and I’m not constantly freezing you…or so I can actually have a dream when I sleep. I like floating…I like being able to disappear…being a ghost is fine, but I hate not being alive…” he trailed off and went silent, burying his face back in the crook of your neck before you wrapped your arms around him and pulled him flush against your body.
“I’m not going to tell you what your feeling is invalid…because it’s not. But honestly, I like you as a ghost…and yea, wouldn’t it have been nice if we could’ve met and had a world wind romance? Yea, ‘course it would, but if you were born around the time I was, we might’ve not met. And just knowing that no matter what could’ve happened…I met you because I bought this house…I think that’s nice.” You moved one of your hands, running it through his hair. “I’m not going to forget about you when I get old…and I’m not going to move on randomly with the notion that I want someone willing. ‘M with you, and I’m happy to be with you. Ghost or not. Besides, I couldn’t care less if you freeze me, it makes up for it during the summer and when I’m sick.”
You heard a muffled huffed chuckle, but he didn’t move, and you kissed the side of his head again. “Why don’t I take the day off and we just spend the rest of the day in bed? Just the two of us?”
You got him to look at you again, and you saw his lips quirk up with a soft smile as he nodded. “I think I’d like that…”
You smiled down at him, nodding. “Good.”
The cabinet in the corner of your dining room was definitely haunted. You didn’t need to be a medium or believe in the paranormal to know that. It was empty, lacking the china that the previous owners took with them, and considering that you rarely had people other than the occasional friend or your parents over, you never cared enough to get any to fill it, so there it sat, bolted to the wall and empty.
At night though, if you were settled in your living room working, you usually felt something watching you, and if you took the chance and glanced up, it wasn’t rare to see something moving. Though usually, you just pushed it as your eyes fucking with you, or your brain trying to creep you out, so you distracted yourself by popping in your headphones, turning on music or a movie in the background and continue working. The distraction usually helped. Not all the time though.
|___________|
You sat on your couch, a Halloween movie from the nineties on the tv and your hand residing in a half full popcorn bag. After graduating, going out for Halloween never seemed as fun anymore, especially as your friends moved on with their lives, getting married, some even having a kid or two. So there you were, binging movies like no one’s business. That is, until a loud slam echoed in your house.
You stood up, wiping your hand off as it left the popcorn bag when it got set on the table, ignoring everything every horror movie taught you. You walked to the dining room, leaning against the doorframe before reaching over and flicking the light on, seeing nothing there. You heaved out a sigh, assuming the wind must’ve hit your shutters or something, and going back to the couch.
Another noise happened after that, but you promptly ignored it, watching movies until you passed out on your couch, a blanket thrown over your body haphazardly.
|___________|
You woke up as your body started to get cold, eyes blinking open to move the blanket over you fully before you spotted a figure looming above you, screaming and throwing a pillow at them. You yanked your body back, heart racing and deafening your ears as you clambered to the couch and sprinted to the kitchen, getting faster when you heard the person’s footsteps.
Yanking out a knife, you held it out threateningly to the person, only for them to hold their hands up, surrendering to you. “Hey- hey, I’m not gonna hurt you. Promise.”
“What are you doing in my house?!” You all but yelled at them.
He let out a breath, shoulders slumping before he pushed his shoulder neck length hair back, stepping up to you, stopping when you wield the knife further, but slowly and cautiously tugging the knife from your hand. “You’re going to hurt yourself before you hurt me with this thing.”
You were rigid, eyes wide at the audacity of the stranger, not that you were able to move given the fear of someone breaking into your house.
He put the knife to the side, far from the both of you, only to take a step back, his hands moving back up again and he offered you an apologetic smile. You stopped him before he could speak though, repeating your question, “What are you doing in my house?”
You took a step to the side, closer to the front door, but he followed you, hands dropping to his sides. “I’d hate to break it to you, but this is technically my house.”
With a beat, you froze. “No…this is my house. It’s in my name.”
“Yet you’re not the one attached to a cabinet and dead, now are you?” He asked you, raising an eyebrow. “If anything, you’re just someone who happened to get stuck being my roommate.”
It took you a moment, but only a moment as your mind pieced together the puzzle, the reason why you felt something there…the reason why you were feeling like you were being watched. “That was you…”
“What was me?”
“All of the times that I felt like I was being watched. That was you? Wasn’t it?” You saw him visibly tense and he offered an apologetic look.
“Guilty. But it was only while you were down here. I rarely go upstairs unless you’re gone,” he said, though it does little to reassure you about anything in this situation. He seemed to have realized this and readjusted his suspenders, then the sleeves of his button up before shoving his hands into his pockets. “Right…so- I’m Axar…”
You took a moment, wondering if you should respond with your own name, but then took the chance to, introducing yourself. He nodded when you said your name, looking about as awkward as you were panicked, letting silence take over before speaking up after a few seconds, “I wasn’t trying to hurt you back there…when you woke up. Your blanket wasn’t on fully so I just thought…”
“You just thought?” You questioned.
“I just thought It’d fix it,” he finished, sighing. “It’s getting colder and this house doesn’t have the best insulation, I didn’t think you needed to get hypothermia.”
You were quiet for a bit, but you nodded. “Yea…thanks, I guess. You just made me colder though…you’re a ghost right?”
He nodded again. “That’s me…ghost, spirit…whatever it’s called.”
“And how long have you been in this house?”
“A while…kinda lost count after fifty years. I came with the cabinet…I’m kinda…attached to it per-se. I never lived in this place until I died and the cabinet was bought for the house. I’ve been here since.” Axar shrugged. “I won’t bother you if you don’t want me, but I wouldn’t expect or hope that I’ll just up and leave…you’re pretty much stuck with me unless you move away like the last owners.”
“They saw you?”
“I didn’t think they’d get home so early. Moved out as soon as they were able to.” He sighed and moved to lean against the doorframe of the dining room. “Now I just kinda stick to nights…”
“Which is why you were out tonight?” He nodded. “Thought you were out completely, so I didn’t think I’d be caught.”
“You were colder than not having the blanket on fully,” you said. “Thought I had to move it myself.”
You shouldn’t be this casual. He’s dead. A ghost. What was wrong with you?
A sorry smile appeared on his face. “Sorry, I can't exactly help the lack of heat. I’m sure it’s good in the summer though.”
You breathed out a little laugh, nodding along. “It probably is. But uh…you said you were attached to the cabinet, right?”
“Mhm,” he hummed. “I don’t know why, but it might have something to do with me being the one that built it.”
“And when’d you build it?” Arax paused, grimacing before looking at the cabinet, then back at you.
“Like a hundred twenty years ago? Give or take.” Your eyebrows raised, eyes widening with them.
“So you’re saying you’re over a hundred twenty?”
“I died when I was twenty-eight so yea…pretty much,” he shrugged again. “Time’s kinda lost when you’re dead, you can never keep track of it and the days sorta just fuse together.”
You almost felt bad for him, having to go for so long without anyone to talk to and just having to sit and watch in the background, attached to something he just happened to build. “Is there any way to get you out?”
“Afraid not, the last owners tried pretty much everything. I’m stuck here. Not exactly the best predicament, but it beats having to haunt a cemetery like a cliche ghost.”
“Oh, like haunting a house isn’t more cliche than haunting a cemetery,” you jested. “At least in a cemetery you’re where you belong.”
He chuckled, shaking his head at you. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“Yea, but thinking I was gonna die really wakes a person up,” you answered, but a yawn snuck up on you.
“Not too awake to stop the yawn though,” Arax commented. “I’ll stay down here if you go upstairs, promise.”
“You’re gonna assume I’m gonna trust the promise of a ghost I just met who was looming over me?” You asked, but snickered and walked past him to clean up your snacks and turn off the tv.
You heard him follow you, but he just stood off to the side and out of your way. “Considering you don’t seem too worried about me, I’m gonna assume and say that I’m alright.”
“That’s the thing with assumptions; you don’t know what the actual answer is.”
“Do you trust me?”
“I’m tired so I’m gonna have to for tonight, but if I die thanks to you and start haunting the place, you’re gonna have to deal with me for all of eternity,” you said, putting the dishes in the sink and throwing the trash away, heading towards the stairs after you finish up. “Don’t be too loud.”
“No promises,” he responded. A little smile appeared on your face and you shook your head, heading up the steps.
|___________|
After half a year, you can confidently say that living with Arax isn’t bad. Sure it was a little weird at first, having a ghost roommate that randomly appears, but he wasn’t as bad as your old living roommates so he was already one of the good ones.
Though, there was that tricky thing called feelings. You would have suspected living with the guy has convoluted what your heart considered a normal friendship, but again, you had roommates in the past. So were you in love with him? You might be. Might.
With a sigh, you sat with your laptop in your lap, staring at the email one of your clients sent you, looking through all of the demands that they’re fortunately paying for thanks to you charging per hour rather than just a fixed price with extras.
Arax sat beside you, tilting his head, but not asking what was wrong. In your time of living with him, he hasn’t once asked about the technology you had, though he definitely sounded his age talking about how he did everything by hand. You assume that with his time being a ghost, he’s kept with the times with each owner, not that there were many.
You glanced over at him, then back at the computer before shutting it and taking the notion that you’d do it later. “Work,” you said simply.
“Ah,” he said, humming before turning further to face you. “What about work?”
“Just work. Don’t feel like doing anything today but if I wanna live here and eat…I kinda have to.” Arax nodded, but moved closer to you and all that did was make you suspicious. “What do you want?”
“Who says I want something?”
“You’re getting closer to me.”
“That doesn’t mean I want something,” he said, mock offended. “But, now that you’re asking, would you mind if you turned on something? I don’t know how to work your remote.”
“Dude, it has four buttons now,” you said, but you relented, turning the tv on and then turning on a show the two of you started a few weeks ago. He grinned at the tv, moving to get closer to it. You didn’t say anything about it, just watched him plop on the floor and watch the tv like an excited kid. Which, if you had to grow up in a time that didn’t have tv and you ended up in a time that did, you’d be excited too.
You relaxed on the couch, stretching out and letting out a small groan when your joints popped. He glanced back at you when they did, shooting you a concerned look, something he did everytime your joints popped. “Stop lookin’ at me like that, there’s no way your joints never popped back then.”
“I didn’t even say anything,” he responded. “Don’t try to kill me again, beau.”
You sighed, watching him look back at the tv as your cheeks flushed red. Beau; that stupid word that made your stomach twist and your heart tug every single time he said it. You loved hearing it, but it was one of the reasons you were so confused with your feelings.
You had asked him once about if he was courting someone before he died, to get a feel about if he had anyone he was wanting to see in the afterlife, but it didn’t come back happily. He had explained that while he tried, he wasn’t really the type most people wanted. You didn’t really understand it, but he explained that he was into anyone and everyone, not exactly caring about how they looked or who they were under their clothes. And once that secret came out to his attempted lovers, it wasn’t exactly good for him. Though, you were able to reassure him pretty easily that it wasn’t his fault or that something was wrong with him. It was actually kind of sweet watching his first reaction to a picture of a pride parade, seeing him see people that were like him.
“You’re not watching,” Arax said, snapping you out of your thoughts, your eyes snapping over to him. “You were zoned out. You ok?”
You nodded. “Yea, I’m fine, just thinking.”
“About?” You parted your lips to say an excuse, but then you got the best idea in the world, hands down. That was just your opinion though.
“Nunna,” you said, watching his brows furrow with a little grin on your face.
“...Nunna?” Arax asked, adorably confused with the word, probably wondering if it was another word he had to learn.
“Nunna business,” you responded almost instantly, your grin widening watching as his confused expression fell and he leaned over to hit your leg.
“Not funny.”
“I thought it was.” You giggled out, nudging his arm. “You’re just old so you don’t think it’s funny.”
His eyes narrowed at you, but he pressed his lips together. Tilting your head, you waited for him to say something snarky in response, but he doesn’t, his features eventually smoothing as he stares at you.
“Do you know your eyes glitter in the sun?” he asked suddenly. You paused and you felt your cheeks get warmer.
“I guess? I wouldn’t say they glitter though.” He stood, sitting beside you before a cold hand grazed your cheek, then grabbed your jaw.
“I would,” Arax said, his face leaning closer. “Your skin is so red…are you warm?”
“Just my cheeks,” you said, but immediately regretted it when he touched your cheeks with his hand, very close now.
“That better?” You nodded and your breathing hitched when you saw his eyes drop down to your lips before going back to your eyes. He pulled his hands away, glancing back to the tv, looking slightly embarrassed, but you decided to take the chance. You only live once, you supposed.
Your warm lips touched his freezing ones and he went rigid at the touch, eyes back on you. Your hands found his head and you moved his head back to face you again, pushing further when his hands found your wrists, returning the action, albeit inexperienced with the movements.
Your heart skipped multiple beats, but you didn’ care, simply smiling against his lips as you pulled back to breathe, biting at your lip as you looked at him again, chest heaving only a little.
With the way that he looked awestruck, you would’ve assumed that if he had a bloodflow, he would be as red as you were. “Wow…”
You laughed, nodding. “Yea…wow.”
He waited a couple seconds, staring at your lips all the while before looking back into your eyes. “Can we do that again? Please?”
Your smile widened and you nodded again, letting him lean forward this time, your back hitting the back of the couch of his hands found your waist as he kissed you. You kissed back, hands moving down to his shoulders as he got even closer to you.
There was no might. You were definitely in love with him.
Now how do you start a relationship with a ghost…?
A Healthy Kinda Love (Toxic Love pt. 2) | Monster Boyfriend
You couldn’t say being a vampire is easy, not that you would in the first place. The first few days were hell, constantly hearing the animals when you stepped outside at night. It took you a while before you were able to stay out there for five minutes and not be overwhelmed by the smell and the sounds.
Hex had been with you with every step, praising you for even going outside in the first place, making sure you were fed since a newblood’s hunger was far worse than a seasoned vampire. He’s gotten better with time as well, controlling his temper and making sure you were able to stay sane when you were able to hear the blood pumping every single time you called a client or a client called you back. Your fangs were sore and hard to control, but, like usual, helped with that.
He’s not the best still, and he has his moments, but aside from the uncomfort you were feeling thanks to him turning you, you were happy you gave him that chance. Happy you did something you shouldn’t, yet again.
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“You’re going to trip,” Hex said as he passed you, turning around and running backwards as he shot you a look, earning one in return from you.
It was your first hunt, something Hex was almost killing himself with stress with. It took two hours of convincing and a helluva lot of kisses to get him to agree. But as fun as you were having with your newly gained speed, he got even more overprotective with how you were outside of the cottage.
“I’m not gonna trip,” you said, waving your hand in the air, narrowing your eyes at him before he shrugged and turned around. “Hex, I’m not-”
You were down before you knew it, your foot catching on a rock and then you were suddenly face first on the ground, the fallen leaves barely breaking your fall as you heard Hex sigh and walk over to you. You could tell he wanted to be cheeky, but he held himself back, helping you up and dusting off your sweater. “Watch your surroundings, alright? I don’t want you getting hurt, Crow.”
Crow. That was his new pet name for you ever since the two of you got together. He constantly told you that the two of you were an ‘attempted murder’ and that’s why he called you that. But you knew better. You saw the crows he befriended and that gave him little rocks and even something he gave you once. All for some pieces of stale bread. You were tempted to tell him, but you saw the way his eyes lit up when they visited him when the sun went down, you heard how he spoke when he called you that. And you really, really loved it.
“You could’ve warned me,” you said.
“Yea, I could’ve, but I could’ve also kept you at home and just brought home an animal for us. I didn’t do that, now did I?” He asked, kissing your forehead before nudging your hand and grabbing it, walking with you. “Y’know, I was never taught how to do these things when I turned…I had to learn on my own.”
“On your own?” You questioned, looking over at him with furrowed brows. He nodded.
“I was turned by a random who didn’t know when to stop…never saw them after that night and well…it’s not like I knew how to find people like me,” he explained. “I’m not letting you go through the same thing when I’m here to help. It’s not fair to you.”
“I wouldn’t exactly blame you if you did that though,” you told him, but he squeezed your hand right after you stopped talking.
“I would,” he said, slowing to press his lips firmly against the side of your head. “I’ll let you learn by yourself soon enough, but I don’t want to throw you in something when I can help you the first time and then gradually let you do it yourself.”
You knew better than to argue with him about it, especially since he was more knowledgeable with his experience as a vampire. You also didn’t want this night to end on an accidental tense note, genuinely enjoying spending time with him outside for the first time since you’ve gotten adjusted. “Whatever you say, Hex.”
A smile curled up on his lips and he squeezed your hand again. “Now you’re learning, Crow.”
Rolling your eyes, you pushed him slightly with your free hand.
The two of you walked for a little bit longer, that is, until you yanked Hex to a sharp stop, your pupils dilating as you glanced over at the left. “...You smell something?”
Nodding, he looked mildly impressed, but he also did mention how newbloods have sharper senses of smell and hearing so they can survive better. “...Rabbit,” you started, whispering, “also deer and-”
You cut yourself off. “And?”
“Bear, Hex.” You expected him to stop you, to try and calm the excitement, but all he did was grin and kiss your head again. “You wanna try getting all three?”
“You want me to try getting a bear?” You asked him, disbelief in your tone.
“Not alone, obviously, I’ll never expect that of you. But if you get the rabbit, and I get the deer, we can use the rabbit as bait and take the bear out together,” he suggested. “That or I could subdue it and you could snap it’s neck.”
“You’re putting a lot of faith into me, Hex,” you commented, giving him an unsure look that was countered with a scoff and a wave of his hand.
“I know you can do it.”
With that, he tugged you to where you said to go, letting you make a quick trip with the rabbit, which was further off than you expected. He chased after the deer and the both of you made your way to the small cave the bear made their home. “I can’t believe we’ve lived near bears.”
“We’re a few miles away from the house…besides, we’re in the forest, Crow,” he whispered back, tossing the rabbit into the entrance of the cave. When the smell of bear got worse, you had to cover your nose moving with Hex as a brown bear appeared, clearly tired and disgruntled, yet not denying the dead rabbit just laying in the entrance of his home.
Hex watched, eyes focused on the bear before he quietly lifted you and helped you get on the top of the cave, making sure you were steady before watching the bear again, waiting until it bent down to eat the rabbit before making a move.
He was fast, and before you knew it, you were watching your partner fight a bear, something you’ve never thought you’d see in your life. Both the fighting a bear and Hex being your partner. Though, you never thought you’d be a vampire that’d have to hunt animals either, and that really was the cause of it all.
You were almost worried for Hex until he pushed the bear against the side of the entrance to the cave with a grunt, looking up at you for a moment before yelling at you, “Hop down on its shoulders and grab its head!”
You listened, stumbling, but digging your fingers into the side of the bear’s head to stay steady on it, hearing Hex again, “Now kill it!”
You flinched when you heard him, almost hesitating on if you really wanted to do it. However, Hex must have bitten into the bear to get a one up on it, because when the scent caught your nose, your pupils dilated and your hands moved on your own. Hex caught you as the bear fell, its head following shortly as it rolled a little off to the side, leaving you with the body.
Your fingers dug into his arms, trying to get at the bear’s body, acting like a wild beast that hasn’t eaten in months as he held onto you, whispering praise as he tried to calm you down, littering kisses against your neck and up to your ear. “C’mon, Crow, breathe, breathe.”
You could barely hear him, but after a moment, your senses got used to the smell and slowly but surely, you calmed down enough to loosen your grip on his arms, a breath leaving your lips. “There we go…”
You looked back at him, then towards the bear’s body…then at its head. “I killed it…”
“Mhm,” he hummed. “You did great on your first hunt, ‘m proud of you.”
Your expression softened and a little smile appeared on your lips at the praise. “Can I carry the bear back home?”
He huffed a laugh and nodded, letting you go and watching you as you walked to the bear and tossed the six foot body over your shoulders like it was nothing. He grinned at the sight, moving over to the deer before coming back with it over his shoulder. “You’re abusing your powers.”
“You said newbloods are stronger than ‘seasoned vampires’.”
“They can exert more strength more easily. That’s what I said, not that they were stronger.” You rolled your eyes playfully before following him back to the cottage, letting him get the deer drained before moving onto the bear.
“You want me to get you some food as I get cleaned up?” You asked him, waiting for him to turn and look at you before nodding.
“That’d be easier, yea,” he said, flashing you a smaller smile before walking over to you to kiss your cheek. “If you want, I could skin them too. I just remember you saying something about wanting a big blanket for winter. It’s getting to be fall, Crow.”
“You’d sleep under a bear skin that I decapitated?”
“‘Course I would, it’s called using the animals.” Hex shrugged. “If you don’t like it, I could always sleep under you.”
He cocked an eyebrow and laughed when you swatted at his arm. “Hex!”
“You love me,” he said teasingly, only for you to steal a kiss from his lips.
“I do, but sometimes I want to hit you.” He playfully growled before turning you around, placing a firm swat on your ass to send you inside the cottage.
You walked in, heading to the kitchen to wash your hands and change into something comfier for the night before you got Hex and yourself two glasses of blood. Walking out, you use your foot to shut the door, walking over to him in the process of the makeshift drainer he made a while ago, something he had before you moved in because he didn’t have anyone to feed on. “How’s it goin’?”
He looked back at you, a smile on his face as his red eyes lit up at the sight of you. “Perfect, like always. Gimme a sec’ and I’ll grab my glass.”
“Take your time,” you told him, watching him as you sipped from yours, eyes fluttering shut as you calmed your almost uncontrollable bloodlust. He had said it’d calm down eventually, but right now you were stuck with it.
You leaned against the side of the cottage, watching him after getting over the savoring of the first sip, your eyes following the way blood pours into the container that was under the body. Eyes following his movements as he set it up to do it for him, you handed him his glass when he walked over to you, smiling when he smothers a kiss against your lips, humming when he tastes the blood that stains them.
He takes a long drink of his glass, pulling in a deep breath before letting it out as his eyes stare down at you, a darker red now that he’s had a taste. “Something on your mind, Crow?”
You shook your head. “Nothing important.”
Hex scoffed. “Anything that’s in your pretty, little head is important. C’mon, what is it?”
“You’re gonna keep bothering me until I tell you, aren’t you?” A single nod is all you get, but it’s enough to make you fold with a groan. “Fine, fine.”
You paused for a moment, and he waited, raising his eyebrows when you didn’t immediately spit it out. “If that incident didn’t happen…would you have turned me anyway?”
You didn’t need to explain what the incident was. You didn’t want to anyway. That wasn’t a good night for either of you. But you almost started to tell him not to worry about it when you saw him tense up, but he spoke before you could, taking a drink beforehand. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?” He nodded again.
“I wanted to ask you out first…get closer…that sorta stuff. That night…I turned you because I needed to save you. I wasn’t thinking straight and I just…I couldn’t let you die, so I turned you. Any other time, I would’ve done it when you were willing. But I was desperate.” He shrugged after a moment. “You probably already knew that though.”
“I might’ve picked up on it,” you said softly, pulling a hand from his glass before your lips grazed his knuckles. “By the way…I think you’re very good for me now.”
His eyebrows raised again and a smile spread on his face. “Really? No more ‘you’re bad for me’? None of that?”
You shook your head. “None of that. Even then- I was still with you despite that.”
“True, but it’s one thing when you’re with me despite thinking I’m not good for you. It’s another when you finally do,” he told you, and as much as you hated to admit it, he was right. “Though, I still think you’re far too good for me.”
“Your way of thinking is wrong usually.” He narrowed his eyes at you and you scrunch your nose at him, giving him a little smile before drinking more from your glass. “I think I’m perfectly in your league.”
“You’re a bad liar, Crow. A godawful liar.” Shooting him a look, he simply looked away, finishing his glass before looking over at the bear, changing the conversation with ease. “We shouldn’t have to hunt for a while after this.”
“We shouldn’t?” He shook his head.
“Even if we feed once a day, it’ll still take us over a month to get done with all of our blood. We- no I only eat once a week and you’re surprisingly keeping up with it once every two days.”
“It’s not that hard…just uncomfortable,” you said with a shrug. “It should get better though, right?”
He nodded. “Mhm, after a while it won’t be as uncomfortable ‘cause your body’ll get used to not eating as much.”
You nodded back at him, but you also couldn’t deny that your brain decided to get stuck on one small thought you happened to come across. Fortunately and unfortunately for you, Hex noticed. “What is it now, Crow?”
This time, you just spit it out, partly ashamed of yourself for thinking it, “Are you ever gonna get tired of having me around and not want me anymore?”
You saw his expression soften before he looked back at you. “What makes you think that?”
“Nothing, it’s just…a thought, I guess.”
“Well, get the thought out of your head,” he started, moving into your personal space to lean down and kiss your head. “‘M not goin’ anywhere and I’m sure as hell not letting you go either. I’m always gonna want you around, no matter what. Even if we fight.”
“Really?”
“I’ll pinkie promise you if it makes you happy,” he said, lifting his free hand and holding out his pinkie, letting you link your pinkie with his. “I promise, on my cold, undead heart that I’ll love you for the rest of our lives, ok? No matter how bad a fight is or anything of the sort. I’m gonna be here, and I’m sure as hell never gonna get tired of you, Crow.”
You smiled up at him, sighing softly before he pecked you on the lips. “That’s why I keep saying I’m in your league. You’re perfect for me.”
“Even if I’m the reason you can’t go out in the sun without burning?”
“Even if you’re the reason I can’t eat my favorite foods anymore,” you said, not answering his question, but giving him another reason. “Trust me, you’re stuck with me, I’m still paying the mortgage on the cottage.”
“Makes one of us,” he jokes, laughing when you swat at his arm. “You’ll pay it off, and then you can live in the house for free.”
“Not if I want to pay the bills.”
“Well, without a mortgage,” he said with a shrug, handing you his empty glass. “Anyway, finish up your drink, ‘m gonna get this inside and you’re gonna help me jar all of this up.”
“Am I getting paid?”
“You’re getting food,” he retorted and you nodded.
“True, I’ll finish,” you said, kissing him again before walking back in the cottage and downing the rest of the blood, putting the glasses in the sink before going out to help him with the containers.
The two of you spend the rest of the night using the rest of your jars to get the blood to last more than a week and as he’s playing tetris, trying to fit the jars with the others in the fridge and in the freezer, you watch him with a dumb little smile on your face because that was your man.
And even if he yells at inanimate objects because they don’t fit exactly like he wants them to, you love him anyway. Even if in the beginning he wasn’t all that good for you.
You never thought that just going off the grid would cause you to end up with the biggest pain in the ass in existence. But here you were, three years into working remotely and living in a small cottage you were fortunate enough to call home.
Only, you unfortunately got the original owner of the cottage as well.
⛧⛥⛧⛧⛥⛧⛧⛥⛧
Pressing the receiver onto the base of the landline you got from your job, you leaned back in your seat, sighing softly and running a hand down your face before you glanced over to the side of your makeshift dining room office, seeing Hex, your unwilling, vampire roommate. He was lifted around half a foot off the ground, staring at you with those beady, red eyes you’ve gotten used to after three years of dealing with them. “What?”
“Nothing,” he responded, but clearly he wanted something. He wouldn’t be looking at you like a man starved if he didn’t want anything.
“I fed you last week,” you reminded him. “Remember, the deal was that I would feed you every other week and I could live here without you throwing a fit. I don’t have to feed you until next week.”
“First,” he started, getting closer to you, lifting up higher to float over your laptop, tilting your head up, “I don’t throw fits, I get reasonably upset when someone comes in and steals my house. Second, you hardly fed me last week, and I’m hungry now.”
“Deal with it, vampy,” you responded, pushing him back by his forehead. He narrowed his eyes, giving you a look that could kill.
“Third, stop fucking calling me vampy,” he said.
“You’re a vampire though,” you said. “It’s on brand.”
His glare only deepened and he came at you again, your head tilted back in a second, his fangs bared and aimed towards your throat, an empty threat to tear it out. You only glanced down at him, moving a hand before tugging on his hair. “I have to work. Be a good boy and I might let you feed from me again. ‘Kay? ‘Kay. Now get out of the way.”
It took a moment, but he relented and pulled back, giving you another glare before floating away from your makeshift workspace and moved to the living room to sulk, which was just another Tuesday for you. “Y’know, you’re gonna have to stop sulking whenever you don’t get your way…you’re like five hundred years old.”
“Five hundred fifty,” he corrected you from the living room. You rolled your eyes and shook your head, going back to your laptop after deciding he was a lost cause until you were done from work.
Though, it wouldn’t be a normal day if he didn’t come back into the dining room to bother you some more. At least he had the courtesy to leave you alone when you were on the phone, more than patient to wait until you were done talking to a client. And he did, at least, make you lunch when you weren’t able to take your break, setting it beside your laptop before grumbling something about him being devolved into a simple servant to a ‘damn human’. You wanted to disagree with him, but arguing while on the phone wasn’t exactly the best move if you wanted to keep your job.
However, when you finally clocked out at five-thirty sharp, he was on your tail, following you into the living room and making himself home on your couch, staring at you with those beady eyes of his. “What’s your argument for behaving today?”
“I made you food and left you alone while you were working. At least, when you were off the phone.” You glanced over at him and noticed that he was pouting, looking almost desperate. “C’mon, please?”
You narrowed your eyes at him, but sighed and moved your sweatshirt, tilting your head to the side and letting him have access to your neck, the marks from three weeks ago healed up. “You drank from my wrist last week, you’re getting the neck this week. You’re not getting anymore until you hit the two week mark.”
His pout got worse, but he looked at your neck, grumbling after a moment, “Fine.”
You heard it before you felt it, his fangs sinking deep into your skin, his arms wrapping around your waist and pulling you against his body, drinking from your neck deeply. His eyes are screwed shut, face contorted in pleasure. His fingers are digging into your sweatshirt, and in return, digging into your skin.
Your hands found his, moving them from your shirt and squeezing them tightly, getting a squeeze in response. You relaxed a little more when he did that, happy he’s still there and not so deep into the bloodlust.
He continued to drink from you, only stopping when you squeezed his hand twice, then one more on his other hand, telling him you were light headed and to stop. He pulled back, tongue catching the little droplets that escaped before he moved, grabbing you a large bandage and pushing it on the mark he left, yanking you against his chest. He always got clingy when he was done drinking, no matter where he did it.
It was sweet if you wanted to cuddle, today however, you wanted nothing of the sort. You just wanted to go to bed. “...Hex, let go.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Cause I’m tired,” you responded, turning your head slowly to look back at him. “And I want to go to bed.”
“Just rest on me,” he responded simply, like it was the most obvious answer. “It’s not like I’m doing anything.”
“You never do anything,” you said, glancing back at him. He shot you a look and pursed his lips, now stained a pale red thanks to your blood.
“Your pierce marks aren’t scabbed yet, I can still take more blood from you,” he warned. But you don’t believe him for one second, deadpanning him before turning back to look ahead of the two of you, leaning back against his torso. As he wrapped his arms around your waist, you let your eyes shut, relaxing against his body. “You’re lucky I’m full at the moment.”
You hummed. “You’re a softy. A big, ancient softy.”
His hands squeezed your body, head tipping down against your shoulder. It was usually moments like this that let you believe that he wasn’t as bad as he acted. He got soft after he drank from you, usually insisting you nap with him before he took over dinner duty for the night, usually excusing it with a small ‘you need to keep your strength up if I’m feeding from you’. Though, that was usually his excuse when he made you anything.
And it wasn’t like you complained all that much, considering he was surprisingly soft and weirdly warm despite being part of the undead.
You sighed out, a quiet breath escaping your lips as you rested against him and let your eyes shut, head tipping onto his as the both of you fell asleep, relying on the other for comfort.
⛧⛥⛧⛧⛥⛧⛧⛥⛧
With the good days, came the bad days, and with the bad days came the really bad days. Unfortunately, you were stuck with a really bad day.
You were out for four days, having gone to the city for something dealing at the office. You told Hex you were leaving. You told him to take care of himself, to take care of the house. To behave. But the moment you walked in the house, it was pretty much a nightmare.
When you walked through the door, suitcase in hand and visible bags under your eyes thanks to the uncomfy hotel mattress, you saw Hex walk right in the main hall, his feet stopping when he spotted you before his face grimaced. “You reek.”
Of human, you knew he meant, but it still caught you off guard nonetheless. “I just got home, don’t start this, Hex.”
“Don’t start what? I’m only telling you that you smell like you were in a zoo,” he said, rolling his eyes, something clearly bothering him, but you just walked in and kicked the door shut. “Though, you were surrounded by those humans in the city. It’s no wonder.”
“Hex- not now. Please. I’m tired and I want a nap,” you said, practically begging him to stop before he truly started. “...I’ll feed you when I wake up…just let me-”
“Don’t worry about it. I already ate, took a deer down this morning, gave me more than you could.” You tensed at his words, already halfway through the main hall of the small cottage.
“You don’t like deer blood,” you said, pointing out the obvious. “You said it makes you sick.”
“Oh well, must’ve changed,” he responded, shrugging before walking past you and leaving you alone in the room. Sighing, you hefted your bags up the steps and into your room, seeing that Hex left it a mess.
Though, at the moment, you didn’t care, you simply put your bags down, got out of your shoes and got into bed, knowing that you were going to have to deal with Hex later. But that was an issue for you later.
Sometimes though, sometimes really bad days turn into horrible days. Sometimes you can’t even stop it before it starts.
After waking up from your nap, you tidied up the room, unpacked before going downstairs to make yourself some food before feeding Hex, because you knew that he got disgusted by the animal blood before taking what he needed to last almost two weeks without blood. But you had the misfortune of accidentally slicing your palm right as Hex walked in the kitchen.
You knew you should’ve ran the moment his footsteps stopped. You knew you should’ve ran the moment you heard a growl…you should’ve ran. But you didn’t. You went to the sink and you tried to run your hand under the water, trying to get rid of the blood to wrap your hand.
You felt his hands a few seconds after, then when you hit the ground, it distracted you from his fangs piercing into your cut. It did not, however, distract you from the sharp pain when he started drinking, forcing you to cry out and move your free hand to push at his head, your voice a whimper, “Hex, get off! You’re hurting me!”
But he didn’t listen like he usually does, another growl leaving him as his eyes snapped up to yours. He continued drinking, moving his eyes back to your hand as he gripped your wrist tightly, taking and taking and taking. You tried again, tapping him, pushing him, anything, but the pain got worse, and you were too lightheaded to do anything anymore. Your heart was slowing but your mind was racing, terrified of what would happen if he didn’t stop himself.
Your vision got blurry and you were on the brink of passing out when he stopped, pulling from you abruptly. You didn’t hear what he was saying, and you could barely see what he was doing, but you were too weak to do anything, so it wasn’t like you could do something in the first place. You did hear a high pitched noise after a long moment, then silence, then his wrist was pressed against your lips, the taste of heady iron slipping into your mouth and down your throat.
Then, he picked you up and carried you to the couch, laying you down on it and throwing a blanket over your body. He left for a couple minutes, then came back with something in his hand. It didn’t take you long to realize that it was a first aid kit, but that took you longer than it should have, not that you can think of much else but staying awake at the moment. You were getting colder despite the blanket and you heard him say something again, but you couldn’t make it out.
You were freezing though, that much was apparent, but all Hex did was bandage your hand, then his wrist and he moved to the couch, pulling you into his body. The last place you wanted to be was in his arms, but you didn’t have the strength to pull away.
Eventually, the darkness took over, and you were finally lured back to sleep, a blanket of calmness in a mess of chaos.
⛧⛥⛧⛧⛥⛧⛧⛥⛧
You woke up later in your bed. You were in different clothes, comfier clothes than the business casual attire you were wearing when you passed out. The room was clean, not in the state you left it before going downstairs, which means Hex must’ve cleaned. Not that you wanted to think about the man who almost killed you earlier.
But you can’t help it when you live with him and when he walks through the door carrying a glass of a dark red liquid. He paused when he saw you, relief flashing across his face as he set the glass down and rushed to the side of the bed, only for him to pout when you quickly moved away from him.
It was almost too fast though. And your vision was clearer, but after your vision was blurry, you wouldn’t know the difference. You definitely knew the difference when you took a breath though, immediately catching the metallic smell that belonged to the cup. Your sense of smell was never that good…sure you could smell it when it stained your hands, but who couldn’t?
Hex held his hands up. “I know you probably hate me, and I don’t blame you…but I’m sorry. Really really sorry.”
“You almost drained me, Hex,” you said, voice hoarse. “How long was I out?”
“Three days,” he responded softly. “...I tried waking you, but you wouldn’t budge…but I know how it is…”
“Know how what is?” You asked, narrowing your eyes at him. His hand lowered and he grabbed the glass again, giving you a sorry look.
“The transformation,” he said. “I don’t know what happened back there…I never experience that unless I’m starving…and I drained an entire deer before you came home…I just…I’m sorry I was pissy and I’m sorry I almost killed you, but this was the only way that you’d be safe.”
Despite no longer having a beating heart, it stopped. “You turned me?!”
He flinched at your shrill. “Yea…but you’re alive, aren’t you…?”
Your glare deepened and he gave you a nervous smile, handing you the glass. “...Here…I…I got another deer…you should eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” Yet you took the glass anyway. “How do I know you didn’t put anything else in here?”
Hex sighed, nodding. “Right, you don’t…and you don’t trust me right now…which is understandable…but it’s just deer blood…it’s still warm, it’ll be a little bitter at first, but you’ll get used to it…”
“I don’t want to ‘get used to it’,” you retorted. He nodded again.
“Right…then don’t get used to it, but unless you want to freak out and act like I did…you should drink that.”
“And what about next time?”
“Blood is easy to store now that you don’t need human food,” he mumbled, getting closer to you. “Drink it, don’t make me force it down your throat.”
When you didn’t, he started to get desperate, not above begging with a soft, “Please? I really don’t want to force feed it to you so you don’t freak out. It’s not fun.”
You glared at him for a long while, right before you sighed and sipped at the glass. It was bitter, but the feeling of it running down your throat made you pull in a sharp breath. You were quick to down the rest of the glass, lips staining red as you cradled the glass, eyes wide and pupils dilated. Looking over at Hex, you watched as he got closer to you and patted your arm. “...Good. Do you want more?”
You took a moment, but you nodded, handing him the glass back before you shakily got out of bed and followed him downstairs, hand gripping onto his shirt tightly.
You sat on the floor in the kitchen, back pressed against the cabinets as he got you more from a jar, crouching down and handing the glass to you. “Here…”
You nodded again, watching as he sat down in front of you. “...Why did you turn me?”
Hex paused, obviously not expecting the question before he sighed and shrugged a little. “...I…didn’t want you to die. I fucked up…so…I just did the one thing I knew I could do…”
“By turning me into a…a blood sucking-”
“Don’t continue that,” he said, cutting you off with a look. “You’ll get used to it…it’s not all bad, you can still work and all that…”
“But what about when I have to go into the office?”
“Heavy duty sunscreen and try to cover yourself,” Hex answered. “...Just try to get inside before you get burnt.”
You looked away from him, glancing up at the window in the kitchen, seeing the darkness of the night and the silhouettes of the trees, moonlight pouring into the room. You flinched away when he touched your hand, the same hand he almost killed you by drinking from. Feeling his stare, the way he was almost desperate for you, you sighed. “...I don’t know if I should stay here, Hex. You hurt me…really bad.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I know…and I don’t blame you for not wanting to be near me or anything like that…I am sorry though. But, don’t leave. In the beginning, sure, you were a…I don’t know, you were new and a human and you were taking over my house that I had for all of my adult life…”
When you didn’t react, he took it as a sign to continue, watching you drink some of the deer blood. “I don’t know how to live without you anymore.”
He watched you as you tensed, eyes slowly moving over to his. “...What?”
“I know it sounds like horse shit…but, I’ve lived by myself for centuries, I’ve lived in solitude for centuries and now that I have you, I don’t want you to leave. Please, don’t leave, I don’t know how to go back to that life anymore. I don’t want to go back to that life anymore,” he confessed, getting closer to you. “...Three years is nothing to someone my age, but it took me too long to realize that I need you…in more ways than one.”
Your eyes widened slightly, back pressed against the wooden cabinet doors, Hex only getting closer to you, forcing you to mumble, “...You’re not good for me…”
“I know…” he agrees softly. “...But if you give me time…if you give me a chance…I will be good for you…if you give me time to prove it.”
You knew you shouldn’t. You weren’t supposed to like him. You weren’t supposed to forgive him. You weren’t even supposed to know him.
But just like the first day you moved in, just like the first time he fucked up and barely apologized, yet did the best he could to make up for it, just like the weirdly beneficial friendship you made with him three years ago. You ignored what you weren’t supposed to do…you always took the chance.
And you’re taking the chance now. You shouldn’t. But you want to.
After a long moment, you nod, another sigh moving from your lips as you drank the rest of the blood, your fangs sore from suddenly growing in and all of the enhancements to your senses overwhelming you, but you lift your hand and gently touch his cheek. “...You’ll get one chance. Don’t blow it, Hex…”
A smile blossomed on his face, making him look younger, more innocent. It wasn’t often you got a smile out of him. Not often at all. And if you giving him only one chance did this, then maybe you’re gonna be ok, pushing fate aside and doing what you shouldn’t be doing.
Because he’s bad for you now, but you’re more than faithful that he’s gonna be great for you later.
Everyone around you always told you you were crazy…that you’d never accomplish much. Not that you ever tried to prove them wrong. You only let them believe what they wanted to believe. Their opinion didn’t matter, because you weren’t crazy, and you could accomplish stuff that you thought was important.
It didn’t help your self-esteem though. It only got worse and worse with each comment. Well, until Kyna, a jackrabbit hybrid, appeared in your life. That’s when everything changed. That’s when your life turned around for the better.
He came into the coffeehouse you worked at one random day, and just like that…it was like a spark shot inside of you, blowing up in a million different fireworks. You fell quickly, but you never actually told him, appreciating his friendship far more than you cared about risking him not returning your feelings.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
You prepped the machine, already getting Kyna’s coffee ready for him before he came in. He ordered the same thing everyday: a tall coffee with three espresso shots, two pumps of vanilla, creamer and four tablespoons of sugar. He brought his own cinnamon, despite you saying that you had some you could add, but he’d only wave his hand in the air, add it and say something along the lines of ‘it’s different when you do it yourself’. You’d only laugh and take your fifteen minute break to hang out with him, spending what time you could with him before he had to head into work.
It was like clockwork when he’d show up and when he’d leave. You admired his schedule, but you also admired that he always seemed to drop what he was doing if you wanted to hang out. He seemed to live for you…and that in itself gave you something to live for in return.
Today was no different, you perked up when you heard the bell attached to the door ring and you watched as he walked in, large ears stood up on the top of his head like always, a chunky sweater swallowing his plush body whole as he donned his normal pair of cowboy boots and jeans. A walking representation of cozy country. You smiled when his eyes lit up at the sight of you and he rushed over, only to see you holding out his coffee. “You made it already?”
“You order the same thing, Bunny, kinda hard not to prep it.” Red tinged his tan cheeks at the nickname, something he used to hate being called, yet got soft on it whenever you said it, so it stuck pretty fast. “Don’t worry about paying either, I already put the money in the register.”
He pouted a little, giving you a small look before sighing and nodding. “Right. I’ll accept it, but only because I know you’re too stubborn to let me pay you back.”
Your smile widened. “Glad you’ve learned, Bun’.”
You watched as he shot you a small look, grabbing the coffee from your hand before tugging out that container of cinnamon from his bag, adding just a bit to his coffee before stirring it and sipping it, the smile on his face making your heart soar. Your eyes softened as you looked up at him, glancing over at your co-worker before she simply gave you a nod and you quickly went around from behind the counter, following him to his normal table like a lost puppy, sitting with him and letting him take your hand, enjoying the warmth of his calloused fingers, the roughness of his skin scratching at your skin, but you hardly cared.
“So, we still on for movie night?” Kyna asked after a moment of silence. You nodded, not wasting a second.
“Duh, you should bring that snack mix you make sometimes. It’s great and it’d suit binging bad movies until we can’t handle it anymore.” He smiled, scrunching his nose at you before nodding, squeezing your hand.
“Anything for you,” he said. There was a beat of silence between you two, but he ended it, opening his mouth and asking, “You got anyone new in your life?”
You snort. “Me? Oh, no, you’d be the first person to know and even then, I’d probably be kidding myself.”
“Yea, but I want you to get out there more, you’re great, anyone would want to be friends with you,” he started, squeezing your hand again. “And hey, maybe you might find a date? It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
You shook your head. “Nah, not really looking for someone. Sounds like you’re trying to get rid of me.”
You were teasing, obviously, but he shook his head, smile faltering a little. “Never. You’re stuck with me and I’m stuck with you. Forever and always.”
“Forever and a day,” you mumble back, meaning it with your entire heart.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
Sitting down at a table, you scroll through your phone, a little smile on your face as you look through everything, only to jump when you feel a hand on your shoulder, your eyes snapping up, only to see Kyna there. “Oh, good, it’s just you.”
“‘It’s just you’? Ouch, hon, you’d think I’d get a better greeting, being your best friend and all.” You rolled your eyes at his dramatics, waving your hand in the air dismissively before standing and hugging him. “Missed you.”
“It’s been a day since we saw each other, Bunny.”
“A day too long,” He mumbled. You smiled at his words, squeezing him tighter. After a few seconds, you two parted and you both sat down, your phone’s screen facing the table as you put all of your focus on him. Though, that wasn’t anything unusual for you.
Kyna bit at his lip and reached out for your hand, gripping it as his thumb rubbed against your knuckles. Your eyes fell to your hand in his and you felt your cheeks heat up, taking the initiative to squeeze his hand. “You good, Bun’? You look a little nervous.”
He nodded, smiling over at you before squeezing your hand back. “I’m good. Work’s just been stressful recently.”
With a small pout, you nodded a little. “Sorry, Bunny.”
“You gotta stop doing that,” he said. “You keep apologizing for things that aren’t your fault.”
Your cheeks flushed further and you chuckled nervously. “Old habits die hard.”
“That habit should be sixty feet under,” he said. A smile appeared on your face, a wide, genuine one- one that made him smile too. “I’m serious, you need to stop apologizing for shit that isn’t your fault.”
“Yea, but then I wouldn’t see your ears flop like they do, or the way the space between your brow crinkles,” you said. Kyna’s smile widened, turning into a goofy, lopsided grin, making your smile widen, heart soaring at the sight. You bit down on the tip of your tongue, not hard enough to hurt, but just hard enough to suppress the laugh that wanted to leave.
You loved it when he got like that, all happy and carefree. It made him look younger…like he didn’t have as many worries as he did. And you loved it even more when you made him like that. It made you more happy than you could imagine, and despite it being impossible, every single time you got that reaction, you fell in love just a little bit more.
You blinked when Kyna snapped his fingers in front of your face, waving his hand afterwards. “You good, hon?”
With another blink, you nodded, getting out of your thoughts and waving your free hand in the air. “Yea, just thinking.”
“About?” He asked, smile still on his face.
“Don’t worry about it,” you responded, scrunching your nose at him. “It’s nothin’ bad, Bunny, promise.”
He seemed to relax at that, but you still felt the squeeze he gave your hand, calloused fingers digging into your skin a little tighter, a worried look in his eye. Your smile slightly faltered. “You alright?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You just have this…look in your eye…I don’t know.” His grip got tighter and it was like the mood shifted ever-so-slightly. You were concerned, but he moved your hands, lifting it gently before intertwining his fingers with yours, a soft breath leaving him, his nose twitching. That when you knew something was up. “Kyna…what’s wrong? Don’t lie, your nose twitched.”
He sighed, lips pursing a little before he opened his mouth, then shut it almost immediately after. He shook his head. “Not right now, hon.”
“Later?” He nodded. You got the feeling he was telling the truth.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
You paid for the drinks and Kyna tossed down a tip before the two of you made your way out of the restaurant, his arm around your shoulders, your left hand lifted and holding onto his hand. “So, you gonna tell me what’s wrong?”
He huffed out a breath and glanced down at you. “You really don’t give up, do you?”
Meeting his eyes, you shot him a look. “You know me. Do I ever give up?”
Kyna smiled, shaking his head. “Nah, you don’t. One of the things I love about you.”
Your eyes widened slightly and his smile grew, a scoff leaving him as he pulled his arm back and nudged you. “You really couldn’t tell?”
“Tell what?” You asked, but you knew what he meant. You just wanted him to say it. You needed him to say it.
One of his brows raised and you grinned up at him, flush touching your cheeks when he tilted your head up when you two got to the curb of the sidewalk, your back against the streetlight before he leaned down and pressed his lips onto yours. Letting out a muffled sound, your eyes fluttered shut and you were quick to kiss him back, arms throwing themselves over his shoulders, pulling him deeper into the kiss.
He loved you. He loved you. He loved you.
He knew you loved him too.
When you two parted, you slowly opened your eyes, smile on your lips as you caught your breath. He looked down at you, the same goofy grin on his face as he asked, lips brushing against yours, “You know what I’m talking about.”
Your smile grew and you kissed him again.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
You breathed out a huff, shoving the last box into the unfurnished living room, standing up straight and wiping your forehead free from the sweat that sat on it thanks to your adventure into moving. Kyna walked out to the living room, not looking any better as he lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face and you couldn’t help but stare at the pudge of his stomach, resisting the urge to grab at it and love on it. Your eyes fell to the way his sweats hung on his hips, catching some of his tail sitting on his back.
“Enjoying the show, love?” You heard him ask, snapping out of your mind before flushing and going back to the boxes. He snorted, walking over to you with a little hop and pressed a kiss to your head. “You’re not slick.”
“Shuddup,” you responded, burying your head against his chest when he pulled you into his arms, kissing your head again. “I just…”
“You just what?” Kyna asked teasingly.
“I like your body,” you muttered against his shirt. “It’s soft.”
His expression softened and he squeezed you. “I like your body too, love.”
He felt the smile you made against his body, squeezing you once more before letting go and lowering his hand to give you a little swat. “Let’s unpack.”
You shot him a shocked look, eyes wide and lips parted before running after him, letting him let out a yell and watching him hop into a run down the hall and up the stairs of your shared house, his laugh contagious as you ran after him, laughing at him as he traps himself in the bedroom, slamming the door shut.
God, you loved him.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
Walking into the house, you had a smile plastered on your face, nudging the door shut with your foot and calling out towards Kyna, knowing he was home from work already, “‘M home, Bunny!”
“Bedroom!” Kyna called in response and you nodded to yourself, setting the paper bag you got from the farmer’s market down, setting your keys beside it before shrugging out of your -his- hoodie. You tossed it on the couch and jogged down the hall and up the stairwell, slowing to a walk as you walked in your room, only to stop five steps in your and Kyna’s room, eyes wide and quickly welling with tears.
He was on one knee, holding a ring in his large hand, pinched between his thumb and pointer finger. His ears were straight up and he was wearing that sweater he knew you loved. He gave you a soft smile, moving on his other knee, holding the ring towards you, urging you to take it. “Marry me? Please?”
You felt tears run down your cheeks and you nodded, letting him slip the ring on your finger before wiping your tears, accepting your hug when you practically threw yourself onto him, smothering his face with kisses. You held onto him tightly, hands digging into his sweater, face buried in the crook of his neck as he held you silently, kissing your temple and letting you calm down.
You did, eventually, pulling away from him and grinning up at him, sniffling before kissing him again. “Love you,” you mumbled against his lips.
“Love you more,” he teased, kissing you again, holding your left hand. “Now we can really be together forever.”
Your grin grew and you nodded. “...Forever and a day.”
Kyna beamed, tears pricking his own eyes as he nodded. “...Forever and a day, sweetheart…”
He hugged you again, squeezing you tightly, like he didn’t want to let go. Then again, neither did you, especially when he kissed your cheek and mumbled, “I can’t wait to love you for the rest of my life.”
That only made you start crying again. Something he immediately tried to stop, shushing you and wiping your tears, despite his own rolling down his cheeks as you two took in the moment. Completely in love and so, utterly ready to take on the rest of your lives together.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
You look through paint swatches, sighing and leaning against the couch, tossing them on the kitchen island and dropping your head in your hands. You felt hands on your shoulders, thumbs digging into your shoulders and easing out the tension as Kyna kissed your head. “Why don't you take a break, love?”
“We have nine months until our wedding, Bun’, I can’t.” You looked back up at him, relaxing nonetheless when you looked up at him. There was a beat of silence, but when you glanced back at the paint swatches, you sighed again. “...Maybe I should.”
He smiled, obviously proud of you before pulling you off of the stool and into his arms. “C’mon, we’re taking a nap.”
You leaned into his body, nodding with a small noise. “Please,” you said.
His thumbs rubbed your body gently and he kissed your nose, carrying you up into your room and laying in bed with you, letting you curl your body into his. “...I can’t believe we have less than a year until we’re married.”
Kyna hummed in agreement. “I know, love, it’s getting closer and closer. But, when we’re married, we’re taking that honeymoon and enjoying ourselves and then we’re gonna come back here and be a real, responsible married couple.”
You hummed back at him, eyes looking up at him. “I love you.”
He smiled at the confession, kissing your forehead, grabbing your hand as the other wrapped around your body. “I love you more.”
“I love you the most,” you responded, mumbling as your exhaustion came over you, forcing your eyes shut and your breathing to slow. Kyna squeezed your hand, smiling down at your sleeping form before tossing a leg over yours and falling asleep with you, pulling you closer to his body, feeling your hands sleepily grip his shirt.
God, he loved you so much.
Hours later, you woke up to him making dinner, a color scheme he knew you’d like laid out on the kitchen island, staring up at you when you looked at it. “You should’ve woken me up when you woke up.”
“You’ve been stressed with work and the wedding. I wanted you to get your sleep,” he said, glancing back at you. You gazed up at him, a soft, sleepy look on your face. “You look like you need more sleep.”
“I’m fine,” you said, shaking your head before walking over to him and wrapping your arms around him, kissing his back. “Thank you.”
“For?” Kyna asked, confused as to why you were suddenly thanking him.
“Just being you,” you said, kissing his back again. “I just…I love you so much…I’m really happy you love me back.”
He smiled softly, turning to face you, pulling you into his arms. “I couldn’t not love you, sweetheart, you’re my favorite person in the world.”
You couldn’t help but smile at that, looking up at him and resting your chin on his chest. “You mean that?”
“With all of my heart, love. I couldn’t imagine anyone else being my favorite person, the love of my life…my future spouse.” Your smile grew and he lowered his head down to kiss you. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” you responded, looking up at him happily. “For forever and a day.”
His smile widened at that. “Good. Good. Because I’ll love you for forever and a day too.”
You knew he meant it.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡
You rushed through the door, plastic bag covering your wedding outfit in hand and a grin on your face. You couldn’t wait to show Kyna. “I’m home, Bunny!”
There was no response. Which was odd, since he was home when you left, and you were only gone for twenty-five minutes to pick it up too.
Your brows furrowed and you set it down on the couch, setting your keys down in the bowl with his keys, walking around the house and checking each room, but Kyna was nowhere to be seen. Even weirder.
You looked out the window, confirming that his car was in the driveway, right beside yours. You turned around when you felt a hand touch you, jumping when you saw Kyna, watching him chuckle a little before giving you a small look. “You’re jumpy today, sweetheart. You good?”
“I couldn’t find you in the house. Like anywhere. I checked everywhere. Where were you?” You asked, trying to calm your heart, but when you saw the flash of fear in his eyes, and his nose twitched, you couldn’t calm your heart, not when you knew something was wrong. “Bunny?”
“...Love…hon…we…we need to talk,” he said softly, grabbing your hands. Fear flashed across your face and your mind started flooding with ‘what ifs’. He brought you to your bed and sat you down, tucking some hair behind your ear. “...You remember when we got together…when you asked if something was wrong?”
“That was almost three years ago, Bun-”
“I know…” he said. “...I…I never did actually tell you what was wrong.”
Your brows furrowed again. “...What?”
He squeezed your hands. “...Honey…I’m not…well…here…so to speak.”
“What?” You repeated. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not real, baby…” You narrowed your eyes at him.
“Bunny- Kyna, this isn’t funny.”
“I’m not trying to be funny…” Kyna said, pulling you closer. “...Sweetheart…that day at the restaurant…I…I had an accident at work. Someone didn’t put something on right and…well…I got the brunt of it…”
You swallowed thickly, shaking your head, but the look on his face…how serious he was being. Your heart almost stopped, tears pricking your eyes. “But…but you’re here. You’re with me. We’re getting married in three months…!”
“And if I was here with you…we’d be doing that…but I’m not, honey. I haven’t been for a long time.” He was crying, shoulders shaking as his hands gripped your hands tightly.
You felt tears run down your cheeks soon after. You felt like your heart was torn out, especially when he went over to his nightstand, opening it, tugging out an open envelope, something you don’t remember seeing. He handed it to you and you shakily took it. You opened the flap and pulled out a card, a sob ripping from your lips when you saw it.
It was a funeral invitation, done up in Kyna’s favorite color and flower, saying the date was the week after you two got together. “...I don’t remember getting this.”
“You blocked out everything about it…and I mean everything…it was like it never even happened for you,” he explained softly, sitting back down beside you and touching your hand.
“...So you’re not here…?”
“...Not physically, no,” he answered. “But…I’m always gonna be with you, sweetheart. I did love you…I always have…from the day we met. But I was a chicken shit and never confessed.”
“...Until that day…”
“...Until that day,” he confirmed. He grabbed your chin and planted a small, chaste kiss on your lips. “I will always love you. I promise.”
“...For forever and a day…?” You ask. He gave you a wet smile, nodding.
Hi, I'm updating this, by entirely redoing it, but I've realized my own limits, and what people enjoy(that or tumblr shadowbanned my big boy post). I'm doing commissions, and it would be very nice if you were to read all of this, even if you don't go forward with a commission, I hope you find a writer who fits what you want, tumblr is full of amazing writers and they deserve to make something off of it.
I'm a romance writer. I have two books indie published, and I do write both sfw and nsfw. If you commission me, you can pick from three categories, which will be listed below. I'm trying to price them fairly but I do need to make some money with the time I'm spending, so I'm trying to get them as cheap as I can.
I write monster romance, and normal romance, I'm comfortable writing either for a commission, and I'm open to 1st-3rd pov. If you simply want a story with a premise, but you want me to make the characters, that's fine, just please don't expect them to be detailed all that much. If you would like to include your own characters, that's great, just tell me their details and I'll try my hardest to do my best with them. If you want second pov, but have a description of the 'reader', list it, same with the character they're romancing. If you would like it to be as undetailed as possible, like most of my stories, I'm a-ok with doing that. I do GN, FEM, MASC, Afab(but gn) and Amab(but gn) readers. Just make sure to specify which you would like, and what you would want.
There's no time basis I'm able to give with how fast I'm able to get it done, but if it takes a little longer, I'm sorry, I'm applying to multiple jobs(which is another reason why I'm redoing this) and I'm starting college in September, as well as having my own projects/the monthly posts. I will try to get them done as soon as I can in the order that I get them. I also am setting a straight word limit for them, but I may go over said word limit. You will not be charged for that, I just want your commission to not be rushed, especially in the ending.
Commission Categories
3k words(sfw or nsfw) - $5. The small package. Either the little fluff(or angst) story. The Porn-with-very-little-plot story.
5k words(sfw or nsfw) - $7. The medium package. Adds more to the story without being too long. Gives more plot to the spice and can hit you in the heart with sadness or happiness.
7k words(sfw or nsfw) - $9. The large package. Got yourself a full angst/fluff right. Porn with plot, or no plot. Up to you really.
I appreciate it if you've read all the way down here, even if you don't commission anything. If you do want to commission, you can either message me here with your commission request and tip my kofi, or I can give you my paypal, either works for me. I also have venmo if anyone is comfortable with that.
You used to love the rain, and the sound of it still calmed you down, but you stopped liking it as much when you met him.
^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^
It was a rainy day, you were on your porch, letting it hit the hanging roof as you sat in your chair, rocking in your chair before you heard a noise, something that sounded a lot like static. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up and you tensed as the sound got louder, the creature getting closer to you. The static sounded pained, and you were ready to walk right back inside, but in the middle of standing up, the static was the loudest it’s been in that moment, and you knew why. You felt it, and you heard the static quiet down second by second. They were right beside you.
You kept your eyes down, a shaky breath leaving your lungs and you sat back down, hoping that the rain stopped soon.
A moment later, there was another noise, something calmer, something meant for you to hear. You still didn’t look up. You didn’t want to. You’ve heard of creatures like this one, humanoid in stature, but very quick to show someone that they were not if pushed over the very thin line they had.
You saw the deep grey hands belonging to them, wilted flowers gripped tightly in their hand, the petals occasionally dripping droplets of water. They made another noise, something that sounded akin to a ‘hello’ and then a quick ‘thank you’.
You only nodded, relief flooding your system when they stepped out of the way for you to rush to your front door, your head dipped down to the floor. You allowed them to stay on the porch, but you went inside your house.
When you shut the door, you finally looked up and slowly walked to the window, pulling back the curtains and glancing at the creature, spotting a mop of black hair on their head, heterochromic eyes a bright green and purple. They stared at the ground before taking a couple cautious steps to the chair you were just in before sitting down, lanky limbs splaying awkwardly on the wooden chair.
It didn’t take them long to get comfortable, finding a position that worked for them before they decided to glance back, eyes meeting yours. You heard another faint noise, and then you saw a small smile on their lips, aimed directly towards you.
And when the storm ended and the rain stopped, they disappeared, but not before knocking on your door. When you opened it, they were gone, but the same bouquet of flowers was there, on your welcome mat.
^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^
The next couple times you saw him, it wasn’t raining, but he continued to spend hours with you, simply being in your presence, making small noises that sounded like words, and you responded to them. And when he left, he always left little gifts. At first, they were always on your welcome mat, but recently he’s started outright handing them to you, a lower here and there, a pretty rock occasionally, and then there were things you hoped he didn’t steal from the village nearby, but you never wanted to confirm.
Now was no different, but before you even had a chance to say anything, he handed you the gift, putting a sheer cloth in your hand before pointing to it and then using his lanky hand to cover your eyes before making another noise, one that sounded a lot like ‘wear’.
You closed your eyes before tilting your head up at him, cocking your head to the side. “Adonis? You want me to wear this?”
He made another sound in response, ‘yes’. You obliged, happy he still hasn’t complained about the name you gave him before tying the cloth around your eyes, opening them. You kept your eyes down, trying to get used to the feel of fabric around your face and your sight now being colored a light blue before he tapped your chin and brought your eyes up to his, but instead of reacting poorly, he acted as if you were looking at him through the window. He was calm, happy even.
Your cheeks flushed at the contact and you wanted it back when he pulled his hand away. He made a string of noises, a smile on his face as he took a step closer, ‘you can look at me now’.
“I suppose I can,” you responded. “Thank you, Adonis.”
His smile widened and he brought his hands together, walking over to the second chair you put out, sitting down in the chair and crossing his legs under him, tucking his hands in his lap. You sat down beside him, keeping your eyes on his as he ‘talked’ to you about his week, your ears catching onto enough to keep the context going, your brain filling the blanks in for you.
But when he brought up his parents and family wanting to meet you, his mate, you stopped him quickly, your brows furrowing behind the fabric. “Woah woah, slow down Adonis. Mate? What’s that about?”
He stopped and looked at you, the edges of his hair falling slightly to the side as he tilted his head. His brows pinched together before grabbing your wrist before his fingers grab the bracelet he gave you one of his visits before pointing to him, another string of noises leaving him, ‘you accepted my gifts. Makes you mate’.
Your heart almost skipped three beats, your eyes widening as everything crashed down onto you. You had no fucking idea what you just got yourself into…not a single clue. “...Mates…as in soulmates?”
He shrugged once before nodding at your words. You pulled in a breath, mumbling under your breath, “Son of a bitch…”
Adonis was nice, sweet and you were able to admit you thought he was attractive, but you just thought he was being nice…not courting you in a way you didn’t understand. Though, you should’ve looked into his kind more, but it wasn’t like you thought it was necessary.
You looked up at him again and nodded. “...Right…right…”
How were you supposed to deal with this? It’s not like you could say you weren’t his mate, in his eyes you were and…well…you didn’t want to break his heart, he obviously seems excited. Maybe his family won’t accept you…and he’s very family oriented so he can’t be with someone his family doesn’t approve of…that’s a plan.
It was something…if not, you…you were in one hell of a ride.
^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^
Turns out that Adonis’ family loves humans…and you were the star of the show that night. They even mentioned that naming was also part of the mating process, so you really just fucked yourself right up.
But it was a week after meeting his family and two after being told you were Adonis’ mate, and, thinking back on it, you really didn’t mind it all that much anymore. He wasn’t the worst guy to be tied to…sure, you were gonna have to wear the cloth over your eyes until you figure out how to look at him without angering him, which was something that you learned was out of his control and something he wished he was able to change about himself. But was it really that bad?
You glanced over at Adonis, seeing his legs tucked under him as he sat in the chair, hands delicately holding the mug you handed him when you stepped out with your coffee, taking a sip of the bitter liquid and letting it run down your throat. You sat beside him, watching him gracefully move the mug to one hand as he held out the other, palm up, a small, silent question, asking if you were going to hold his hand.
You moved a hand from your mug and placed it in his, letting him hold it tightly, feeling three squeezes to it. He lets out a noise, your name. You hummed and glanced over at him, cloth over your eyes. “Yea?”
‘You’re quiet. Is everything ok?’ You paused again and nodded after a long moment.
“Yea, I’m fine, Adonis, don’t worry about me,” you said, trying to be reassuring. “I just…I’m thinking. And it’s a good morning, sometimes you just wanna stay quiet during a good morning…”
He nodded, but didn’t look like he believed you, squeezing your hand again. ‘Are you sure?’
You nodded again. “Yep. I’m good.”
‘You don’t look fine.’ The string of noises was soft, and you found yourself translating the noises instead of just having your head piece together what the context was. ‘Talk to me. What are you thinking about at least?’
You froze, your heart skipping a beat. Do you tell him? How do you break it to him? “...Well…it’s uh…I’ve been thinking about us…and about the whole ‘mate’ thing.”
‘Right. You’re my mate, what about it?’ You let out a breath.
“I…uh- I wasn’t expecting to become your mate…I didn’t know that accepting your gifts would do that and well…I already met your family and they seemed to like me…but-” He cut you off, and you almost saw hurt cross his face.
‘But you don’t want to be my mate.’ Your lips parted slightly, and you weren’t quick enough to backtrack before he pulled his hand away. ‘That’s all you had to say.’
“But that’s not what I was going to say, Adonis…” You set your mug down on the wood floor beside your chair, reaching out of his hand again. “I’m fine with being your mate…I like it. I just…I wasn’t expecting it and it’s so sudden and…”
You sighed. “I don’t want you to think that I don’t like it, much less hate it. But it was fast…and I didn’t know.”
He visibly relaxed, nodding. ‘...Oh…’
“Yea…” You let out a breath of relief when you felt his hand grab yours again. “It’s fast. Very fast.”
He nodded again, thin black eyebrows pinching together, something you had to resist the urge to smooth before he talked again, ‘Do you want to go slow?’
A small smile touched your lips and you nodded back, relief flooding through your system. “Yea, that’s exactly what I want.”
There was a moment of silence, the tension thick between you two before he squeezed your hand. He parted his lips to speak again, but you both heard it before you saw it: the rolling thunder, promising a heavy storm.
The rain followed quickly, the wind blowing it on your porch as you got up, helping Adonis out of his seat before ushering him into your cottage, shutting the door behind the both of you.
Adonis had been inside your cottage a couple times, but every time he was able to go inside, he looked at it in awe, like it was somehow a masterpiece when it was just your multiple aesthetics thrown together in a big pile. This time though, he made himself home on your couch, staring down into his mug as his thumb ran along the rim. ‘I don’t know how to take something like this slow.’
The admittance was a surprise to you, something you weren’t expecting. “What?”
‘Mating with my people is quick…easy…’ he let out an audible sigh, ‘most of my kind have a child by the end of the first year their mate and them have been official.’
Your eyes widened, something he caught, even behind the cloth. ‘We don’t have to do that,’ he reassured you. ‘My family didn’t have children until years after. My parents mated young and wanted to live life a little.’
“Your parents get it,” you said, trying to joke a little. Adonis managed a little smile. “...Look, I…I think I could feel something for you, I really do, but it…it’s not as fast as it might’ve been for you.”
He nodded. ‘That’s alright. I’ll wait for you.’
And wait for you he did.
^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^
It took a year, but he never stopped visiting you, instead, he practically moved into your cottage with how often he stayed, proving to be one hell of a cook. You still had to wear the cloth sometimes, but mirrors helped with looking at his face without angering him.
You’re sitting across your kitchen table, cloth on, white now ‘cause it was easier on your eyes. You look up at him, giving him a little smile before you nudged his hand, relishing in the way he took yours and held it comfortingly. ‘Yea?’
“I…uh…I have to confess something. Which means we need to talk,” you said suddenly, almost chuckling at the panic on his face, knowing it’s only good news.
It took a year. But it was a short year, you hardly even could tell it passed with how much fun you had in it. You spent almost every day with Adonis, sometimes visiting his family, and…you couldn’t help but fall in love with him, with his little mannerisms, the way he grumbled when something happened that he wasn’t fond of, no matter if it was fictional or real, or when it was sunny, he put little wild flowers in his hair and practically begged to do the same to your hair, which you couldn’t help but agree to. You just couldn’t help it. You fell for him, and you fell fast.
‘...About?’ Adonis asked after a moment. ‘What happened?’
“It’s nothing bad,” you said. “But…I- I want to continue with the mating process.”
His eyes widened and a smile bloomed on his face. He looked elated. “Believe it or not…I fell in love with you. It took a year, but I’m confident enough to say that I love you. I love you a lot, Adonis.”
His smile grew to a full blown grin and you can tell he was moving faster than his mind was, his lanky body moving across the table to capture your lips in his, a skinny hand snaking to the back of your neck to help you tilt your head up to kiss him comfortably. You let out a noise of surprise, but your eyes slowly fluttered shut as you kissed him back, hands lifting and digging into his loose shirt, lips moving against his in a dance, something you never want to get away from..
It took a moment, a long, drawn out moment, but you both pulled away for air, chests heaving as you two tried to pull in as much air as you could from the kiss. “Wow.”
He smiled again, looking proud of himself before nodding in agreement. ‘Wow…’
You stood up, tugged him down and kissed him again, smiling against his lips before pulling away. You opened your mouth, ready to speak again before hearing thunder, a small snort leaving you. “Guess you’re staying for a while, Adonis.”
He nodded again. ‘Not that I’m complaining.’
“You better not be,” you teased, grabbing his hands and pulling his body flush against yours, looking up at him happily. So so very much in love. You two stood there in silence for a moment, letting the rain be background noise, relaxing you as you kept him from panicking at the noise, softly littering him with praises and the occasional kiss.
It got as far as your bedroom, where the two of you were laying in bed, Adonis curled around you, his legs too long to do anything but that. The rain tried to lull you to sleep, but you kept blinking yourself awake, watching Adonis as he listened to some music through your headphones, not looking too awake himself.
You pushed some of his hair behind his ear, smiling lightly before sighing, resting your head on his shoulder. You wondered what he chose to listen to that could make him so sleepy, but then again, you were reacting the same exact way towards rain, so you decided not to ask, only blinking yourself awake a couple more times until you finally drift off to sleep, the last thing you feel being Adonis’ skinny arm wrapping around your waist, one of his legs going between yours.
^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^
You were at his parents’ again, this time with more than just Adonis’ parents and two siblings, oh no. This time his whole family was here, towering over you and the man you considered a giant. Though he did mention being smaller than the other men in his family.
Practically on Adonis’ lap, he held you close to him, adjusting the cloth around your eyes when it got too loose, or carrying on with banter some of his family members started, even encouraging you when you joked around with his sisters, fitting right in despite being the only human in the house.
After an hour of it though, Adonis moved his hands to yours, rubbing the backs of them with his thumb, mumbling in your ear, ‘You know how much I love you, right?’
You nodded, looking back at him with a small smile. “‘Course I do, Babes, you don’t have to remind me, y’know that?”
He lowered his face to your neck and you could feel his lips quirk up. ‘Yea, I just like saying it. But I said it for a reason this time.’
“Yea? And what’s the reason?” You asked with a low voice, grabbing his other hand. You narrowed your eyes and decided to lighten the slowly tensing mood, teasing him, “You’re not about to propose, are you?”
Adonis paused and your expression fell before your eyes widened as he muttered against your skin, ‘Well not anymore, you ruined the mood.’
“No,” You said, carrying the ‘o’ before shaking him a little. “I didn’t, c’mon, you can still do it, I’ll be serious.”
You didn’t notice the knowing looks that his family shot the both of you. If you did, you would’ve realized that he clearly had it planned from the start, and that would’ve only made you feel guiltier than you already did at that moment.
“C’mon, do it, please?” You asked him, squeezing his hands. “I promise I’ll be serious.”
You batted your eyelashes at him and put on the best pout you could manage. Ever the pushover, Adonis made a big deal out of sighing and nodding, moving one of his hands before pulling out the ring from his pocket.
He simply held it out to you, and you finally noticed the silence in the room, glancing around at his family, seeing them all staring at you. Your cheeks flushed and you bit your lip, only to turn back to face Adonis, press a chaste kiss to his lips and take the ring, slipping it on your finger.
Then the silence turned to small cheers and your gaze fell to the ring, noticing the simple gold band and smiling at your birthstone and onyx gems, swapping through the entirety of the ring. You kissed Adonis again and smiled up at him, pressing your lips against his one more time for good measure.
The rest of the night was a party for the both of you and you sighed softly, happily, every time you looked down at the ring.
You don’t like rainy days as much as you used to, but, if you’re being completely honest? You don’t really care. Not when you have him.
Just throwin' something out there, cause I think there's enough of you lmao.
If I opened commissions, would anyone be into that? It'd pretty much be monster romance and if anyone is interested I'll make a post sayin' everything about it. Just curious.
At first, you thought your life wasn't normal. But the longer you stayed on Actae, the more the life you didn't call normal became normal. Especially being the next crowned royal, destined to rule beside your soon-to-be husband, Fonir.
It's been a year and a half since you left Earth as a test subject and it's been a year since you matched with Fonir, something that's changed your life for the best...even if there are some rocky parts with the idea of you ruling. Fonir thinks you'll do wonderfully, 'convincing' you of his point by kissing you until you simply drop the argument full of your self-loathing.
Despite the beginning of your life on Actae, you wouldn't give it up for the world...especially now that you have Fonir.
(;-;-;-;-;-;-;)
You felt someone latch onto your arm, shaking you gently before cool lips pressed against your forehead, then your cheek, then your nose, then the other cheek before you tiredly pouted your lips before said cool lips were placed on yours. You blinked awake slowly, smiling up at Fonir. "...Morning, Lobari."
He almost melted at the pet name -knowing full well it was just Actaen for 'match'- a purr leaving his throat before he kissed you again. "Your pronunciation is getting better every single day, Jarïle...you're doing wonderfully..."
Your smile widened after a moment and you stared up at him with an adoring look in your eye, pushing back some of the hair that framed his face. "Well of course...I have a wonderful teacher."
Another purr left his throat as you lifted yourself up to kiss the round button of his nose. "How long have you been up?"
"Couple hours...my father wanted me to confirm some of the wedding details..."
"This early? We have-"
"Two months, my love," he chuckled, cutting you off with his words and another small kiss. "We agreed on a year from now eight months ago."
You let out a soft groan. "...Right...right...no wonder everyone was wanting my opinion on floral arrangements..."
Fonir chuckled again before nodding. “You answered them though.”
“I did…and I had no idea why I was being asked about it…Jesus Christ, I better have chosen the right arrangement,” you said, falling back on the pillow.
“You keep mentioning this Jesus fella, and I don’t know why, but I’m sure you’ve chosen the right flowers, love…you have an eye for that sort of stuff.” You met his eyes, knowing that you’re not awake enough to explain to him about why you say Jesus in a moment of anguish, almost finding it cute that he’s confused about it before you sighed.
“Yea, well…I hope so too.” Fonir gave you a soft look, kissing your head before helping you back up into your sitting position easily. His slim hands held your arms lightly, rubbing up and down your shoulders. You lifted your hand to cup his cheek, softly smiling up at him. “Fonir, I don’t know how you’re so cute…”
Yellow touched his cheeks and he let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “Flatterer,” he said, scrunching his nose at you before kissing yours.
“Only telling the truth,” you said quietly, moving your hands before pushing them against his chest with a chuckle. “Now step back…if you keep doing this I’m not gonna get out of bed and then it’ll be noon by the time you’re done.”
He flashed a smile down at you and you only rolled your eyes in response, chuckling before pushing him back gently. “I’m serious, c’mon, I gotta get up, I gotta meet Jorik and Soran for coffee this afternoon.”
“That’s hours away,” he sighed, moving to dramatically throw himself on your lap. “Do you just want to leave me? Is that it?”
“You’re so fucking dramatic,” you snort. “Don’t you have a meeting with your dad at the exact same time as my coffee meeting?”
“Yes, but I’m not trying to leave my oh so small lover when I have hours to prepare,” he groaned. You shoved him off your lap and onto the bed, hopping out of bed the moment you’re free.
“I’m not small,” you retorted, only for him to groan again and hold up his hand, his forefinger and thumb oh-so close together.
“Tiny, tiny Lobari,” he responded quietly, moving himself fully on your side, laying on his side to look at you. “My short royal.”
You stepped out of the way of his arms as he tried to grab at you, moving over to your closet. You skipped the flamboyant wardrobe that was your new royal gear and reached in to grab a worn tee and jeans, grabbing a jacket to go with it. You got changed, walking out after snatching a pair of socks and tossing the night clothes in the hamper. “You’re not wearing your new clothes?”
“I’m going out for coffee,” you answered, smiling over at him, “it’s not a royal meeting.”
“Yea, but I never see you in them.”
“I wore them just last week, hon,” you commented, watching as he visibly tried to remember it, before pouting and letting out a long, dramatic sigh.
“That was so long ago.” Rolling your eyes, you let out a snort, hopping on the bed to get your socks on, only able to get the right one on before a pair of lanky arms wrapped around you and pulled you into Fonir’s chest, his head laying on top of yours.
“Fonir,” you deadpanned, “I’m not leaving you forever, at most it’ll be three hours.”
“Yea, and you’re getting ready so soon.” His pout got worse, letting you get the left sock on before tugging you down, pushing your hair behind your ear slightly. “Five more minutes?”
You met his eyes, admiring the small galaxies before kissing the corner of his mouth gently. “...Fine, five more minutes.”
(;-;-;-;-;-;-;)
It was not, in fact, five more minutes. It was more like two hours and a half, the two of you sleeping soundly on your side of the bed, dead to the world.
That is, until your phone started ringing, forcing Fonir awake with a groan as he nudged you gently. “Someone’s calling you, Lobari,” he said groggily, refusing to open his eyes lest naptime is over.
“...It’s probably Jorik,” you groaned, hiding your face further into his chest. Then it hit you. Your eyes snapped open and you pushed up, moving to grab your phone and answer the call. “Yea?”
After a failed attempt at getting up and out of Fonir’s arms, you lay on your side. “Did you just wake up?”
“From a nap, yea…what’d you need? We aren’t supposed to meet until this afternoon…it’s only eleven.” There was muffled talking on the other end, and the cool lips pressed against your neck did little to keep you focused. “Jorik?”
“How do you mind meeting at twelve? They need Soran and I at the library, the newbies aren’t doing too well,” she said with a small chuckle. You blinked a couple times.
“Noon? Yea…I could do that. Just gotta get out of bed.” There was a small grumble from the lanky prince that was currently clinging onto you, his arms only getting tighter around your body. “Someone’s not too happy I’m leaving earlier.”
“It’s our custody time, and we’re only asking for a couple hours,” Jorik joked, laughing faintly a moment after. You get the feeling Soran cracked a joke.
“I’ll escape,” you started, getting cut off by another grumble, “it’ll just take some effort.”
“He does understand you’ll be coming back, right? I don’t think he understands that.”
“Fonir’s fine, he’s just a passionate fiancé,” you defended. “Also we’ve only just moved in with each other three months ago…he’s still getting used to me being at an arm’s length everywhere.”
He hummed in agreement and you simply kissed his head. “You’re enabling him.”
“I am not,” you said. “You and Soran are together constantly.”
“That’s because we got lucky being each other’s Lobari, not to mention we work together, dumbass.”
“Hey hey, you’re speaking to one of the future rulers, watch who you call a dumbass,” you jest.
She snorted and you could just see the eye roll through the phone. “You should value honesty as a future ruler, and being honest, I think you’re a gigantic dumbass.”
“Does that make you a jackass?”
“Only if Soran’s the smartass,” she responded without a moment to think. You laughed, glancing up at Fonir’s face, only to see him staring down at you with a fond expression. “Soran says he’s the jackass.”
“Soran can be whoever he wants to be,” you said, lifting yourself up to peck Fonir’s lips swiftly. “Look, I’ll meet you at the coffeehouse early, but I gotta hang up.”
She sighed heavily. “Fine, but don’t show up with sore legs this time, Korlae.”
Pink touched your cheeks. “I think I can promise you that this time around.”
“Good,” Jorik started, “we’ll see you there then.”
“Mhm,” you hummed, not minding when she hung up on you, simply putting your phone back on the nightstand. “Think I can get up now, Fonir?”
“Not sure,” he said. “Might have to kiss me. Like one of those human fairytales you told me about. That might get me to let go.”
You snorted, rolling your eyes before grasping his chin gently, lifting his head up to meet his eyes and kiss his lips softly, smiling down at him when you pulled away. “That better?”
Yellow tinted his olive green skin and he smiled back up at you all goofy like, pulling you down to kiss you again. “Ei jhab wiu,” he said softly.
You pinched your brows together at the use of his native tongue, translating it in your mind before your eyes widened and you kissed his nose. “I love you too.”
Fonir’s smile widened and he let out a small chuckle, lifting his head up to kiss you again. When the two of you parted, he let go of you and watched as you got out of bed. His eyes followed you when you grabbed a pair of slip ons and put them on, turning back on his side. “You’re leaving at noon now?”
“Mhm, before then actually, I have to leave earlier to be there by noon.”
“So we won’t see each other until dinner?” You gave him an apologetic look.
“Afraid not, Love, but it’s not like we can’t last that long without each other…we’ve only been living together for three months and before then I had the apartment.”
“But that was different,” he said, getting out of bed himself, walking over to you. “Then we didn’t live together so it was normal not to see each other all the time. Now I wake up beside you and…it’s just different. Now I just…miss you, a lot.”
Your eyes softened as you looked up at him and you grabbed his hand, kissing each knuckle. “...I miss you a lot too. But guess what? In two months, we’re gonna be married, and we’re gonna start ruling when you turn twenty-five, and we’re gonna be together forever. We can last a couple hours, Lobari.”
A hint of a smile appeared on his face and he kissed your head. “I adore your optimism, Jarïle.”
With another swift kiss, it was Fonir’s turn to get dressed as you finished getting ready. You fixed your hair up, getting it to your standards before brushing your teeth, letting the toothbrush sit in your mouth when he walked into the bathroom, adorned in his normal royal gear, your hand holding up his hairbrush. He took it with a thankful smile and brushed through his long hair, waiting for you to finish brushing your teeth before showing his strength and lifting you on the counter, handing you a ribbon before turning around and lowering down for you to put his hair up.
“You never ask anymore.”
“I don’t have to anymore,” he responded simply. “You’d do it anyway.”
You swatted at his head, giving him a look. But almost immediately after, you started gathering his hair, tying it up with the ribbon before double knotting it so it doesn’t untie. “Did you-”
“I did,” you responded, cutting off his question. “That sucker isn’t going anywhere.”
He rose back to his feet and turned around, glancing at your work in the mirror before kissing your forehead. “Perfect, like always.”
“I could completely botch your hair and you’d say it was perfect,” you retort.
He gasped melodramatically. “I would not, I value honesty.”
Fonir met your eyes, taking your chin in his hand. “And we have a guest room that I would force you to sleep in if my hair was botched.”
“My my, the prince has guts.”
“You know how much I value my hair, Lobari,” he said, helping you off the counter and walking with you out of the bathroom and back into your bedroom, watching you grab your phone and your wallet. “Leaving already?”
“Long walk,” you answered simply. “I have to, I’ll text you when I get there.”
He nodded, moving over to you to give you another short kiss. “Good, have fun, get what you want and tell the other two I say hi.”
“Will do,” you said, smiling up at him before opening the door and walking out of your room.
(;-;-;-;-;-;-;)
You walked into the coffeehouse, glancing around a little before spotting Jorik and Soran at a corner table, both of them on their phones, but holding hands right on the table. You rushed over to them, knowing that if you stood in the doorway any longer, you were either going to block someone or someone would recognize you. And you really didn’t want the latter, you’ve dealt with enough of that.
Sitting down across from them, both of them glanced up at you, Soran’s body perking up to put his phone down and pull his hand from Jorik to sign happily, ‘Hey, how was the walk?’
“It was alright,” you responded. “Fonir says hi, by the way.”
You pulled out your own phone, shooting your fiancé a text, telling him you were at the coffeehouse. He was quick to respond with a smiley face, and you left it at that, shoving your phone back in your pocket.
“Texting him?” Jorik asked.
“I said I’d let him know I got here,” you said. “You know how he worries.”
“Yea yea,” she said, waving her hand in the air dismissively, only for Soran to shoot her a look and get your attention again.
‘She’s just as bad. She just doesn’t like admitting it.’ You parted your lips to comment on it, but Jorik was quick in grabbing his wrists, shooting him back the same look he gave her.
“Shut.” He smiled at her smugly, leaning forward to give her a kiss before pulling his wrists away from her hands. After a couple seconds, Jorik’s cheeks flushed and she pulled back, cheeks puffed out as she leaned back in her chair. “That was unfair, Soran.”
His grin widened and he leaned back after her, moving his hand to grab her hand, signing single handedly towards you. ‘Don’t worry about ordering your drink, we got it for you.’
You gave him a thankful look and his smile softened at it. You felt a buzz in your pocket, then two more before you pulled your phone out, checking it. Only to see that it was Fonir sending you pictures of a stray animal that he found in the garden, the last one being him holding it. “...I have a pet now,” you sighed out, more amused than anything, showing the two the photo.
“He really just took them.” You nodded, pulling your phone back to ask what he’s naming them.
The only response you get is a blurred mess of him and the Actaen version of a cat, his father in the small corner of the photo. “Maybe not.”
“What happened?” Jorik asked for the two of them.
“His dad’s in the last photo. I think he’s running back to our room.” You glanced up at them, watching Soran’s shoulders shake as he quietly laughed. “You laughin’ at my fiancé trying to sneak an animal in the castle?”
He linked arms with Jorik, signing at you quickly. ‘Maybe. It’s just funny that he would have to sneak.’
“Ralin isn’t exactly the biggest with pets,” you said, shrugging. “Also don’t maybe me when you were just laughing, weirdo.”
‘Thought I was a jackass?’
“Only because you said you were, Soran,” you responded. You opened your mouth again to start talking again, but you were quickly shut up by a waitress coming with your drinks: a human, who, with one glance at you, let out a surprised squeak before setting down your coffee, dipping their head down and rushing back to the back.
You sighed, shaking your head and lifting your mug up to sip at the coffee. Looks like your hopes of not being recognized were shit.
(;-;-;-;-;-;-;)
You rushed around, talking to maids, butlers, wedding planners, all of which cracking down on the wedding planning when you and Fonir hit a month to go before you became an official future ruler of the kingdom.
Your outfit was being made, the food planned by Fonir, the band planned by the both of you. You were running dry, especially when Ralin has been giving Fonir and you more responsibility for when you two start ruling the kingdom yourselves. You hardly caught a break.
Now wasn’t any different.
You rushed out of the ballroom, taking a deep breath as you hid behind one of the doors, your head leaning back to hit the wall gently, closing your eyes as you took the only moment of silence you’ve gotten in weeks.
That is, until you get shoved into the door by someone else hiding behind it, your eyes snapping open to look up at who did it, only to see Fonir, looking down at you with wide eyes. Your expression of surprise faded into a smile and you chuckled quietly. “You too?”
“You have no idea,” he mumbled, leaning down to kiss you before the both of you slid down to the floor, leaning on each other. “...You think we could just get married…I could find someone.”
“Your dad would be pissed.”
“He would…but the last thing I want is everyone in the entire damn kingdom watching us get married…it’s supposed to be intimate,” he sighed. “It’s a lot.”
“It is,” you said, nodding in agreement. “...But we can do it.”
He glanced over at you, the corners of his lips upturned. “You think so?”
You grabbed his hand. “I know so, Fonir. Trust me, we’ll get this, and then we have a two week honeymoon…alone, without any cameras, any responsibilities, just us.”
He sighed out, his smile widening. “That sounds so good right now.”
You chuckled again, kissing his cheek. “You ready to get back in there?”
“Five more minutes?” Pausing at the question, you nodded after a moment, watching his eyes light up before he wrapped an arm around your waist and tugged you closer to him, burying his head in the crook of your neck.
This time, it was only five minutes.
(;-;-;-;-;-;-;)
You took a deep breath, flowers littering your hair, a mix of the flowers you chose for the arrangement, a mix of greens, pinks and yellows. You smoothed down your outfit, the silky feel of the garment calming you a little.
When the music turned on, you took another breath and walked into the ballroom, the handmade floral carpet padding the noise coming from your boots as you walked down the aisle, ignoring the cameras in the corners, just focusing on Soran and Jorik on your side, and then Fonir, giving him a small smile. He returned it, already looking like he was about to cry. Not that you could blame him with how nice he looked in his suit, the colors bright, something he obviously chose.
You stood beside him at the end of the carpet, the both of you lowering to your knees, as the music quieted down, slowing to a stop right before the wedding started.
The beginning was in Actaen, something you only got bits and pieces of, but with the way Fonir was looking at you, you would’ve been alright if you couldn’t understand any of it.
The elder called you out first, lifting your head up to settle a necklace around your neck, the blue gem sitting in the wiring shining in the light. “Do you take our prince, Fonir, the future king of the people of Actae to be your husband? To never part until one of you takes your final breath?”
You nodded, looking over at him before your smile widened. “I do.”
The elder smiled slightly, doing the same to Fonir, slipping the necklace on him. “And do you, my prince, take your match, your human as your spouse? To never part until one of you takes your final breath?”
He nodded just as quickly as you did, more tears welling in his eyes as he kissed your hands. “I do.”
Ralin stepped up, smiling down at the both of you before taking his crown off, laying it on Fonir’s head before walking over to Jorik, taking Fonir’s mother’s crown off of the cushion before setting it on your head, the crown a little big for you, but you’d make due.
He stepped back for the elder to continue. “Now, with the power given to me to lead this marriage of a kind, I now pronounce you life partners, you may kiss.”
Fonir didn’t need any more say than that, leaning forward, cupping your face before kissing you, smiling into it when you responded almost instantly, kissing him back and letting the feeling of bliss drown out the cheering and applause of the audience and your two best friends.
You were a royal now, something you never thought would happen in your life, and as long as you had your husband by your side, you thought you could do anything you could ever want.
