KIROKAZE
trying on a metaphor

blake kathryn

Andulka
icyghini twinkie
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let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
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Mike Driver
Stranger Things
I'd rather be in outer space đ¸
noise dept.

Origami Around

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oozey mess

Discoholic đŞŠ
One Nice Bug Per Day
YOU ARE THE REASON
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
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@zorosdoll
This is what I thought we would get for elbaph zoro btw we were robbed so bad
I love this specific panel so much
Have yall seen THAT tweet of sanji? I drew it hehe
This is so sanji and nami
I love one piece so much it brings me to tears
People hate on Pudding as if sheâs not a teen girl with a horrible mother. PUDDING GET BEHIND ME RN.
Sweet Dreams
⊠Trafalgar D. Law
contains explicit smut, rough sex, oral sex, fingering, choking, semi-public, dirty talk, overstimulation, creampie, comfort, emotional repression, morning-after teasing
Law came back to the cabin looking like someone had carefully removed every working part of him and left the attitude behind out of spite.
He shut the door with his heel, Kikoku still in hand, hat low over his eyes. His shoulders were tight. His jaw was worse. There was blood on his sleeve that probably wasnât his, which meant he would ignore it until someone else made it inconvenient.
You were already on his bed with one of his blankets over your legs, reading a book you had stopped pretending to care about twenty minutes ago.
âYou look charming,â you said.
Law gave you a flat look. âDonât start.â
âThat bad?â
He set Kikoku against the wall with too much care. âNo.â
So yes.
You put the book aside and stood. He watched you like he expected you to ask him what happened, and you didnât. You just took his hat off, placed it on the desk, and reached up to push your fingers through his hair.
For a second, he stayed perfectly still, then his eyes shut.
âYouâre eating,â you said.
âIâm not hungry.â
âYouâre eating.â
âIâm your captain.â
âAnd Iâm very impressed. Sit down.â
His mouth twitched like he wanted to argue, but he was too tired to make it worth the effort. He sat on the edge of the bed while you brought him the bowl from the little warmer you had stolen from the galley. Rice, broth, fish. Nothing fancy. Nothing heavy.
Law stared at it. âYou poisoned this?â
âI considered it, but Bepo looked sad.â
âMm. Weak.â
You sat beside him and held the bowl until he took it. He ate slowly at first, like he was doing it only to shut you up. You kept your fingers in his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp between pauses, and the longer you did it, the more his posture sank.
Not enough for anyone else to notice.
Enough for you.
There were entire confessions in the way Law accepted being touched without making a miserable comment about it.
When the bowl was empty, you took it from him and placed it aside. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, face hidden in his hands. You kept stroking his hair.
Neither of you said anything for a while.
The Polar Tang hummed around you, deep and steady under the sea. The sound filled the room, safer than silence, gentler than the things neither of you wanted to name.
Eventually he turned his head just enough that his cheek rested against your thigh.
You looked down at him. âThatâs new.â
âShut up.â
âYouâre cuddling my leg.â
âIâm resting.â
âOn me.â
âMm.â
You smiled, but you didnât tease him further. Your fingers slid through his hair again, slower now, nails barely touching his scalp. He exhaled through his nose, quiet and rough.
It should not have felt intimate, but it did.
He turned his face slightly, and his lips brushed the inside of your wrist.
You stopped breathing for half a second.
His eyes opened, sharp even half-dead with exhaustion. For a moment, he looked at your wrist like he hadnât meant to do that. Like his body had moved before his control returned.
Then, because he was impossible, he did it again.
A warmer kiss.
Your fingers tightened in his hair. âLaw.â
âProblem?â
His voice was low, tired, almost bored. You hated him a little. âNo.â
âThen stop looking offended.â
âIâm not offended.â
âYou look like youâre trying to decide whether to hit me or climb me.â
You stared at him. He looked back, deadpan, mouth barely curved.
âYouâre the worst man alive.â
âProbably.â
Then he kissed your palm. Not quickly. Not as a joke. His mouth pressed there like he was testing your pulse, your patience, both.
Heat crawled up your arm.
He pulled back just enough to look at you properly. His eyes were dark, shadowed from lack of sleep, but clearer now. More present. More dangerous in the quiet way.
âYouâre still thinking too loudly,â he murmured.
âIâm thinking you should sleep.â
âI was.â
âYou were kissing my hand.â
âMultitasking.â
You laughed under your breath, and something in his face changed. He reached for you then, one hand closing around your hip, and pulled you down with him under the blanket. It was clumsy only because he was exhausted. Law being clumsy felt illegal.
You ended up half beside him, half on him, your knee between his legs, his arm around your waist. The blanket slipped over both of you, trapping heat fast.
âThis is a terrible sleeping position,â you said.
âThen leave.â
His hand spread over your back and held you there.
You looked down at him. âYou are very bad at bluffing.â
âIâm excellent at bluffing.â
âYouâre literally holding me hostage.â
âYouâre not resisting.â
Fair.
His mouth found your wrist again, then your forearm, slow little kisses that did not match the sharpness of his face at all. You watched him do it, feeling each one settle lower in your stomach.
Comfort turned strange that way. One moment you were keeping him together. The next, his lips were on your skin and the air was too warm and his hand had slipped beneath the back of your shirt.
His fingers were ice cold.
Lawâs mouth twitched against your arm. âSensitive?â
âYour hands are freezing.â
âIâm a doctor.â
âThat explains nothing.â
âIt explains enough.â
His hand flattened against your lower back, then slid up, warmer now from your skin. He touched you like he was still trying not to ask for anything. Like he could make this practical if he moved carefully enough.
You leaned down and kissed him.
That broke the last useful thought in the room.
He kissed back slowly at first, his mouth firm and tired, one hand cupping the back of your neck. Then your fingers tugged lightly in his hair and he made a sound so low you almost missed it.
You didnât miss the way his grip tightened.
âDo that again,â he said against your mouth.
You smiled. âAsk nicer.â
His eyes opened. Exhausted, half-wrecked, still somehow arrogant enough to ruin your life. âYouâre warm, fed, and in my bed,â he said. âDonât get ambitious.â
âYou dragged me here.â
âI made a medical decision.â
âWas kissing my palm also medical?â
âYour circulation looked poor.â
You laughed, and he kissed you harder to shut you up.
His hand slid under your shirt again, and this time he didnât stop at your back. His palm moved over your waist, your ribs, then higher, dragging heat after it. He gave you just enough time to pull away. His thumb brushed under your breast, light enough to be cruel.
Your breath caught.
Lawâs mouth paused against yours. âStill fine?â he asked, quiet now.
You nodded once.
His eyes narrowed. âWords.â
âYes,â you said. âStill fine.â
Then his hand covered you properly, and the sound that left you was embarrassingly soft.
He kissed your jaw, your throat, the spot below your ear, while his thumb moved slowly over your nipple through the thin fabric. Not rushed. Not sloppy. Precise enough to make your hips shift without permission.
His thigh slid between yours under the blanket, pressing up just enough to make you tense.
You broke the kiss with a shaky breath. âLaw.â
âI know.â
That was the problem. He always knew.
His hand left your chest and slid down over your stomach. Slow. Warm now. His fingers traced the waistband of your shorts like he was considering the most annoying possible way to take you apart.
You grabbed his wrist. He stopped immediately. For half a second, his face went still. Careful. Too careful. Then you guided his hand lower.
âBrat,â he murmured.
âYou were taking too long.â
âI was being considerate.â
âYou were being evil.â
âThat too.â
His fingers slipped beneath the fabric.
Your whole body went hot.
Law watched your face as he touched you over your panties first, slow pressure between your thighs, finding the wet warmth there. His mouth parted slightly, the smallest crack in his composure.
âYouâre soaked,â he said, low.
Your face burned. âDonât sound surprised.â
âIâm not.â
âYou sound proud.â
âI am.â
You should have had a comeback. You did not. Because his fingers moved, and the blanket made everything worse. The heat. The closeness. The tiny space where every breath hit his mouth and every movement rubbed your body against his. His hand stayed steady between your thighs, stroking you through the damp fabric, watching you try not to fall apart too quickly.
âYouâre quiet now,â he said.
âI hate you.â
âMm. Of course.â
His fingers pushed your panties aside and your nails dug into his shoulder.
He exhaled once, controlled but rough, when he felt you bare. His fingers slid through you slowly, gathering slick heat before circling your clit with the kind of patience that made you want to bite him.
You buried your face against his neck.
He let you for exactly three seconds, then his free hand caught your jaw and tilted your face back. âDonât hide.â
âYou are annoying.â
âYou knew that already.â His fingers circled again, a little firmer, and your hips rocked into his hand.
That made his eyes drop. There was something devastatingly hot about him like this. Still tired. Still half-dressed. Still acting like he had control while his breathing slowly betrayed him. His hair was messy from your fingers. His shirt was wrinkled. His gaze kept moving between your face and the shape of your body shifting under the blanket.
He touched you like he had all the time in the world. Like the world outside his cabin had finally shut up.
When one finger slipped inside you, your breath snapped.
Law kissed the corner of your mouth. âThere?â
You nodded.
âWords.â
âYes.â
His mouth brushed yours. âGood.â
He worked you open slowly, one finger at first, then two, his palm pressed against your clit with every shallow thrust. Not rough. Not gentle either. Intentional. The kind of touch that made your thighs tighten around his wrist.
âYouâre making this difficult,â he muttered.
You laughed breathlessly. âFor you?â
âFor my self-control.â
Your eyes opened, and for once you caught him before he could hide it. The hunger in his face. The strain in his jaw. The way his hips had shifted closer without him seeming to notice.
âOh,â you whispered.
âDonât.â
âYouâre turned on.â
His stare went flat. âExcellent medical deduction.â
âYouâre really turned on.â
âYou want me to stop?â
âNo.â
âThen stop talking.â
But you felt him against your thigh now, hard and hot through his clothes, and the knowledge made your body clench around his fingers.
Law inhaled. His eyes sharpened. âYou did that on purpose.â
âI didnât.â
âLiar.â
His fingers curled inside you.
You gasped, hand flying to his shoulder, and his mouth found your throat again. He kissed you there messily now, less controlled, teeth grazing skin as his fingers kept their slow, ruthless pace.
Under the blanket, your hips moved against his hand. His palm rubbed your clit every time his fingers pushed deeper. You were hot everywhere, trapped between his body and the blanket and his voice near your ear.
âYouâre close,â he said.
You hated how calm he sounded.
You hated more that he was right. âShut up.â
âVery close.â
âLaw.â
âMm.â
A laugh broke out of you, shaky and breathless, and he kissed it straight from your mouth. His fingers moved faster then. Just enough. The angle changed, his thumb pressing directly against your clit, and your body went tight.
You grabbed his hair and he groaned, not a neat little sound. Not controlled. Low, rough, dragged out of him before he could stop it.
That was what pushed you over.
You came against his hand with your face pressed into his neck, trying to keep quiet and failing in small, broken sounds. Law held you through it, fingers slowing but not stopping too fast, his mouth at your temple, his voice low and close.
âThere,â he murmured. âThatâs it.â
Your whole body shuddered.
âYouâre evil,â you whispered again, weaker this time.
His lips brushed your hair. âYou keep saying that.â
âBecause it keeps being true.â
He was quiet for a moment. His fingers slipped out of you slowly, and you felt the loss of them in a way that made your stomach twist. Then he pulled back just enough to look at you.
The exhaustion was still there, but underneath it was something rawer. Needier. Law, caught between wanting to pretend he was unaffected and being very obviously affected.
You looked down. His belt was still fastened. His shirt still buttoned. He looked unfairly composed for someone who had just ruined you with his hand. âThat seems unbalanced,â you said.
His mouth twitched. âYouâre recovering fast.â
âIâm talented.â
âYouâre annoying.â
âYouâre hard.â
The silence after that was deeply satisfying. Law stared at you.
You smiled.
For once, he did not have an immediate answer. Then his hand caught your waist and pulled you closer until your thigh pressed between his legs. He shut his eyes for one second, jaw flexing.
You moved against him lightly.
He sucked in a breath.
âOh,â you said softly. âSensitive?â
His eyes opened. âCareful.â
âNo.â
âNo?â
You reached down between you and worked his belt open under the blanket. Your fingers were less elegant than his, mostly because your hands were still shaking. Law watched you struggle for three seconds before looking personally offended.
âYouâre going to break it.â
âI am not.â
âYouâre attacking it.â
âItâs dark under here.â
âItâs a belt, not an enemy.â
âHelp or shut up.â
He huffed a tired laugh and helped, undoing it with one hand like an irritating show-off. You pushed his pants open just enough to slip your hand inside.
The moment your fingers wrapped around him, his entire body went still.
He was hot in your hand, hard and heavy, and the sound he made when you stroked him once was almost silent. Almost.
You kissed his jaw. âThere?â
His eyes cut to yours. âDonât start.â
You stroked him again, slower, and his forehead dropped briefly against yours.
That shut both of you up.
The room got quiet except for breathing. Yours uneven. His controlled until it wasnât. Your hand moved beneath the blanket, fingers sliding over him, learning what made his mouth tighten, what made his hips shift, what made his grip on your waist go almost too firm before he forced himself to ease up.
He was beautiful like this in the worst way. Still trying to hold himself together while letting you touch him. Still trying to be Law about it, even with his breath breaking against your mouth.
You kissed him softly.
He kissed back harder. His hand returned between your thighs, slick fingers finding you again, and you jolted. âYouâre sensitive,â he murmured.
âI just came.â
His mouth curved faintly. âYouâre welcome.â
You squeezed him in warning.
His smugness died immediately.
Worth it.
He groaned against your mouth, hips pushing into your hand before he could stop himself. His fingers pressed against your clit again, slower now, less calculated, more distracted. That made it hotter. Law losing precision because your hand was around his cock felt like something you should put in a museum.
A terrible museum.
For horrible people.
You moved together under the blanket, messy in a quiet way. Your hand stroking him. His fingers rubbing you. His mouth dragging over yours, then your cheek, then your throat. Neither of you fully undressed. Neither of you needed to. It felt almost more intimate like this, half-hidden and overheated, clinging to each other in the small private dark.
His voice dropped near your ear. âCan you come again?â
Your stomach clenched. âMaybe.â
âMaybe?â
âYouâre very demanding for a man I fed rice to.â
His laugh was barely there, rough and low. âAnswer.â
âYes.â
His hand changed pace.
He kissed your cheek like he was pleased with himself and too tired to pretend otherwise.
The second time built slower, deeper, your body still oversensitive from the first. He kept touching you like he knew exactly how much you could take, while your hand grew slick around him from his own precum. His breathing got worse. His jaw pressed against your temple. His hips started moving into your fist in short, restrained thrusts.
âLaw,â you whispered.
His fingers stilled for half a second. Not stopped. Checked.
You nodded quickly against him. âKeep going.â
He did. Your legs tightened around his hand again. The blanket had slipped down to your hips, but neither of you cared. Your shirt was pushed up. His pants were open. Everything was too warm, too close, too much.
And still, somehow, soft.
Because his other hand was in your hair. Because his mouth kept brushing your forehead between kisses.
Because even while he was touching you like he wanted to ruin you, he held you like something precious he would rather die than name.
You came again with a broken little sound against his mouth.
This time Law followed almost immediately. His body went tense, his hand closing hard around your hip as he came into your fist with a rough, muffled groan. His face pressed into your neck, breath hot against your skin. For a few seconds, he did not move at all.
You held him through it, fingers gentle now.
His breathing slowly evened out. âMessy.â
You laughed, exhausted and warm. âThatâs your first comment?â
âItâs accurate.â
âYouâre romantic.â
âIâm tired.â
âYou came on my hand.â
âYou were involved.â
âYouâre stupid.â
His mouth brushed your shoulder. âYouâve said that too.â
âAnd Iâll keep saying it.â
He shifted carefully, cleaned you both up with a towel from beside the bed. He was efficient about it, but his touch had gone softer. Almost shy, if Law could ever be accused of such a thing without committing murder.
When he settled back down, he pulled the blanket over you both again. You ended up against his chest, your leg tangled with his, your hand resting over his ribs. His heartbeat was slower now. Heavy. Human. He held your wrist for a while, thumb moving over the inside of it.
You thought he was asleep.
Then he murmured, âYouâre still not allowed to tell anyone I cuddled you.â
âYou didnât cuddle me.â
âGood.â
âYou medically restrained me under a blanket and then got me off twice.â
His chest moved with a quiet laugh. âAccurate.â
You smiled against him, boneless and warm. After a long silence, his hand slid up to the back of your head. He held you there, not tightly. Just enough.
âThank you,â he said.
It was so quiet you almost pretended not to hear it.
You kissed the side of his throat. âAnytime, Captain.â
âDonât call me that in bed.â
âOh, you like it.â
âI donât like it.â
âYouâre lying.â
He sighed, but his arm tightened around you.
Later, he woke you up with his mouth already against your neck and his hand flat on your stomach.
Not soft. Not sweet. Possessive and warm, his fingers spread under your shirt like he had been holding you there for a while and had only just decided to make it your problem.
You opened your eyes into the dark cabin.
Everything hummed low around you. The walls were thin. Too thin. Somewhere outside, metal creaked, pipes clicked, and the ship sounded alive in the worst possible way.
Lawâs mouth moved against your skin. âYou awake?â he murmured.
You swallowed. âNo.â
His teeth grazed the side of your neck. âLiar.â
You shifted back against him just enough to feel him hard behind you.
His hand stopped moving. For one long second, neither of you breathed right, then his fingers tightened at your waist. âYouâre doing that on purpose.â
âIâm sleeping.â
âYouâre bad at it.â
âYou woke me up.â
âYou moved first.â
âYou were touching me first.â
His mouth brushed your ear. âI was checking your pulse.â
âAt my waist?â
âYouâre alive, arenât you?â
You almost laughed, but then his hand slid lower, over your hip, dragging you back against him with enough pressure to make your breath catch.
Law heard it. His voice dropped, mean and quiet. âCareful.â
You turned your face halfway toward him. âOr what?â
That was the mistake. His hand came up and covered your mouth before you could say anything else. Firm. Just enough to remind you exactly where you were, exactly who slept outside that door, exactly how much trouble you were in.
âOr youâll wake someone,â he murmured. âAnd Iâll make you explain why you canât behave.â
Your stomach tightened hard. His eyes caught yours in the dark. âYeah,â he said, too calm. âThatâs what I thought.â
You made a muffled sound against his palm.
Lawâs mouth twitched. âStill mouthy. Impressive.â
Then he moved. The blanket shifted over both of you as he slid down your body, disappearing beneath it. Heat flooded your face before his hands even reached your thighs.
âLaw,â you whispered.
His answer came from under the blanket, low and dry. âLower.â
Your fingers twisted in the sheets. âLaw.â
âBetter.â
His hands pushed your thighs apart, not gently, not cruelly. Just with that controlled strength that made your body obey before your pride could complain. His mouth pressed to the inside of your thigh first, slow and hot, then higher.
You grabbed the blanket. He kissed you once over the thin fabric of your panties. You jolted.
He huffed against you. âSensitive.â
âYouâre annoying.â
His fingers hooked into the waistband and dragged it down just enough. âStill talking.â Then his mouth was on you.
Your head fell back into the pillow, breath breaking immediately.
He did not ease into it. He ate you out like he had woken up starving and decided manners were a disease. His hands gripped your thighs under the blanket, holding you open while his tongue dragged through you slow, then deep, then mean. He was quiet about it except for the low sound in his throat when he tasted how wet you were.
The sound alone almost ruined you, so you bit your knuckle.
One hand left your thigh and pushed your wrist away. His fingers laced with yours instead, pinning your hand beside your hip under the blanket.
âNo hiding,â he murmured against you.
âThen let me be loud.â
His mouth paused. The silence under the blanket felt dangerous. Then he gave a low, humorless laugh.
âYou really want to embarrass yourself that badly?â
Your whole body burned.
He didnât wait for an answer. His mouth returned to you, hotter, wetter, filthier. His tongue circled your clit with awful patience before he sucked lightly, just enough to make your hips jerk into his face.
His grip turned bruising. âDonât move.â
âYouâre under the blanket eating me out,â you whispered, breathless. âAnd youâre giving orders?â
His eyes flicked up from between your thighs. Even in the dark, you felt that stare.
âYes.â
Then he lowered his mouth again and made you regret being funny.
You were close too fast. Embarrassingly fast. It climbed sharp and hot through your stomach, your legs shaking around his shoulders, your fingers gripping his hair beneath the blanket. He groaned when you pulled, and the vibration went straight through you.
âLawââ
Voices passed outside.
Both of you froze. You stopped breathing. Law went still between your legs, mouth still close enough that you could feel every exhale against your soaked skin.
Two crew members walked past the door, speaking quietly. Too close. Too awake.
You stared at the ceiling, one hand clamped over your own mouth.
Under the blanket, Lawâs fingers dug into your thighs.
The voices slowed. For one horrible second, you thought they would stop. Then the footsteps continued down the corridor. Their voices faded. The ship hummed again. Silence settled.
Law did not move for another few seconds, then his mouth pressed one slow kiss to the inside of your thigh.
You whispered, shaky and furious, âYou didnât let me finish.â
He emerged from under the blanket just enough for you to see his face. His mouth was wet. His hair was a mess. His eyes were dark in that flat, devastating way that made him look meaner than he actually was.
âI wasnât trying to make you finish.â
Your brain stalled. âHuh?â
His hand slid up your thigh. âI wanted to taste you.â
You stared at him. He looked completely serious.
âDo you ever hear yourself?â
âUnfortunately.â
âYouâre disgusting.â
His mouth curved faintly. âYouâre wet.â
You had no response ready for that. He kissed your stomach once, over your shirt, then climbed over you with an efficiency that should not have been attractive. His hand caught your hip.
âTurn over.â
Your pulse jumped. âAsk nicely.â
Lawâs eyes narrowed. Then he leaned in, mouth beside your ear. âTurn over before I decide you donât get to come at all.â
You huffed and turned. Fast enough that you heard him exhale a quiet laugh behind you.
âAsshole.â
âIâm about to fuck you into the mattress and youâre still insulting me.â
âYou started it.â
âIâm going to finish it.â
He pushed you flat onto your stomach, hand between your shoulder blades, not hard enough to hurt, just enough to keep you there. Your legs were pressed together beneath him, thighs tight, body stretched out under the blanket. He straddled them from behind, knees bracketing your legs, trapping you in place with his weight.
The position made you feel pinned before he even touched you.
It made you quiet.
Law noticed that too. His palm slid down your spine, slow, possessive. âThere,â he murmured. âFinally learned something.â
You turned your face into the pillow. âI hate you.â
âNo, you donât.â His hand slid beneath you, finding you between your pressed thighs. He felt how wet you still were from his mouth and went still for a second.
Then his voice dropped. âStill dripping.â
You squeezed your eyes shut. âStop talking.â
âNo.â
He leaned over you, chest against your back, and his arm slid around your throat, forearm firm across your upper chest and collarbone, hand gripping your shoulder, holding you exactly where he wanted you. Your breath hitched anyway.
Lawâs mouth brushed your ear. âTap twice if itâs too much.â
Your hand found his wrist. You tapped once just to be annoying.
He went still, then you dragged his arm tighter around you. âBad idea,â he whispered.
âThen stop.â
He did not. His other hand disappeared between you, belt shifting, fabric dragged down just enough. You felt him press against you from behind, hard and hot, sliding between your thighs first, coating himself in how wet you were.
Your fingers curled into the sheet. âLaw.â
His hand came over your mouth again. âQuiet.â
Then he pushed in.
The angle stole your breath.
Because your legs were together, because he had you pinned flat, because he was above you and around you and everywhere, he felt deeper than before. Tighter. Hotter. You made a broken sound into his palm and his arm locked more firmly across your chest.
He stopped halfway in, forehead dropping against the back of your head. âFuck,â he breathed, so low it barely had sound.
You clenched around him. His hand tightened over your mouth.
âDonât.â
So you did it again.
Law went silent, then laughed once, dark and breathless.
âYou really are asking for it.â
He drove in the rest of the way. Your body jolted under him, trapped between his chest and the mattress. His hand swallowed the sound you made. The blanket hid the movement, held in the heat, made every thrust feel secret and filthy and too close.
He didnât fuck you fast at first.
He fucked you hard.
Slow, deep, punishing thrusts that made your thighs tremble together under his weight. His arm stayed around your throat, holding you up just enough that your back arched beneath him. His mouth hovered near your ear, breath rougher than he probably wanted it to be.
âThere,â he murmured. âThatâs what you wanted, wasnât it?â
You nodded against his hand.
His hips snapped forward again. âOf course it was.â
Your eyes rolled shut.
âLook at you,â he said, voice low and mean. âCouldnât stay quiet from my mouth, and now youâre trying to take this without waking half the ship.â
You whimpered into his palm.
He slowed just to make it worse. âThat was not quiet.â
You bit lightly at his hand.
His rhythm faltered. Barely.
But you felt it.
Lawâs mouth pressed to your temple. âCareful,â he whispered. âIâm already being nice.â
You almost laughed. It came out as a muffled sob when he started moving again, rougher now, hips grinding deep every time he buried himself inside you. The pressure of your legs together made everything tighter, every stroke dragging against your clit through the way he had you pinned.
It was unbearable.
He knew. He had to know. His hand slipped from your mouth only long enough to catch your jaw and turn your face slightly.
âBreathe.â
You dragged in air.
âGood.â Then his palm covered your mouth again. It should not have been sweet. It wasnât, not really. But there was something in the way he kept checking, kept holding you together while taking you apart, that made your chest ache under all the heat.
Lawâs voice roughened near your ear. âYou can take it.â
Your nails dug into his wrist.
âYou can,â he repeated. âYouâre doing it.â A hard thrust made your whole body jolt. âQuietly.â You made a desperate noise into his palm. His breath shook. âMostly.â
That almost ruined you. The dry little correction. His voice half-wrecked, still somehow sarcastic while fucking you into the mattress under a blanket with people sleeping down the corridor.
You pushed back against him as much as you could.
Lawâs grip turned rough. âGreedy.â
You nodded.
âYeah?â His mouth brushed your ear. âThat all you wanted? Me pinning you down so youâd finally stop pretending you donât like being handled?â
Your body clenched hard around him.
He cursed under his breath. âThought so.â
His thrusts got rougher then. Less patient. His chest stayed pressed to your back, his arm around your throat, his hand over your mouth. You were completely trapped under him, legs together, body pinned flat, taking every deep stroke while the bed barely creaked beneath the blanket.
He was trying to keep it quiet.
That made it hotter, because you felt how much effort it took him. The strain in his arm. The way his breathing kept catching. The way his hips wanted to move faster but he forced them into deep, controlled thrusts instead.
âYouâre close,â he said.
You nodded quickly. His hand slid from your mouth to your throat for half a second, just to hold your jaw, to keep your face turned enough that he could see you.
âNot loud.â
You swallowed. âThen donât make me come.â
His eyes darkened. Wrong answer. His hand returned to your mouth, and his other arm tightened across your chest.
âI told you,â he murmured. âBrat.â
Then his hips changed angle.
Your whole body went rigid.
He had found exactly the spot he wanted, and because he was Law, because he was cruel when he was right, he kept hitting it. Again. And again. Deep and rough and controlled, his mouth at your ear, talking you through every second like he could feel your mind slipping apart under him.
âThere. Thatâs it.â
You shook beneath him.
âDonât fight it.â
Your fingers clawed at the sheet.
âJust stay quiet.â
You came with his hand clamped over your mouth and his arm locked around you, the orgasm tearing through you hard enough that your body tried to curl under his. He held you down through it. Kept you flat. Kept fucking you while you pulsed around him, every sound trapped against his palm.
Law groaned into your shoulder. Not quiet enough. Not nearly as composed as he wanted to be.
You heard it and clenched again, that made hips stutter.
âDonât,â he rasped.
You did. His control snapped in a way you felt more than saw. His thrusts turned shorter, harder, less even. His face buried against your neck, teeth grazing your skin, breath hot and broken. âYouâre unbearable,â he muttered.
You made a muffled sound that might have been a laugh.
His hand pressed more firmly over your mouth. âStill not funny.â
It was absolutely funny.
Then he drove into you deep and stayed there, his whole body tensing over yours as he came with a rough, smothered sound against your shoulder. His arm around your throat held you close while he shook twice, breathing harshly into your skin.
For a while, neither of you moved.
The cabin was silent except for both of you trying to remember how to breathe like normal people.
Then another set of footsteps passed outside.
He froze instantly. So did you. His hand was still over your mouth. He was still inside you. The footsteps paused.
Your eyes went wide. Law slowly turned his head toward the door, expression murderous in the dark.
Someone outside yawned, then kept walking. The footsteps faded.
You started shaking beneath him. Not from fear. From trying not to laugh.
Lawâs hand tightened over your mouth, but his own breath hitched once near your ear. âDo not,â he whispered.
You shook harder.
He pulled out slowly, and you both winced. He cleaned you up with infuriating efficiency, still under the blanket, still half-dressed, still trying to look like he had not just lost several pieces of his sanity. Then he dragged you back against him, your back to his chest, his arm around your waist this time.
Much safer. Much less threatening. Still possessive.
You whispered, âYou didnât make me explain.â
His mouth brushed the back of your neck. âNext time.â
Your stomach flipped. âYou covered my mouth.â
âAnd you still almost got us caught.â
You smiled into the pillow. Law exhaled slowly behind you, then pressed one quiet kiss to your shoulder. Soft enough to make the whole thing worse. After a moment, he muttered, âYou okay?â
You reached back and touched his wrist. âYeah.â
His fingers laced with yours. âGood.â
Morning on the ship was usually quiet in a way that felt medical. Dim lights. Low engine hum. People speaking in tired voices because being loud before coffee was how accidents happened.
Law walked into the galley looking like death had filed a complaint against him and lost. Hat on. Shirt buttoned. Face blank.
Completely normal.
You were already at the table with your cup in both hands, trying to look like a person who had slept. You had not. Not properly. Your legs still felt suspicious. Your throat had one spot that made you want to slap him and kiss him every time you swallowed.
Law did not look at you first. That was how you knew he was looking at you.
Bepo was making breakfast with too much cheer for the hour. Shachi and Penguin were half-dead over their plates. Ikkaku was reading something and pretending she was not watching the room with deeply feminine intuition.
Law sat across from you. Calmly. Like he had not had his hand over your mouth a few hours ago because you were both idiots in a submarine full of people with ears.
âMorning, Captain,â Penguin mumbled.
âMorning,â Law said. His voice was normal.
Terrible man.
You lifted your cup to hide your mouth.
Law reached for the coffee pot, then stopped. Just for half a second. Barely anything. His fingers flexed around the handle.
You noticed because you were a bad person. A ruined person. A person with evidence.
His hand was close to his face, and he had smelled it. Not strongly. Not obviously. Just enough.
His eyes went flat.
Oh.
Oh no.
You looked down into your cup so fast your neck nearly cracked.
Law poured his coffee with terrifying precision.
You were going to die.
Not from shame. From trying not to laugh.
He set the pot down. His thumb brushed once over his index finger, like he was trying to decide whether his own hand was guilty of a crime.
It was.
You bit the inside of your cheek.
Across the table, Lawâs gaze flicked to you. Sharp. Warning.
You widened your eyes innocently.
His jaw tightened. That was when it got worse. He took a sip of coffee. Then his chin dipped slightly, and the faint shadow of his beard brushed the rim of the mug.
His whole face changed by exactly nothing.
But you saw it.
He smelled you there too. On his own skin. From last night. From under the blanket. From the way he had buried his face between your thighs and then still had the nerve to act like breakfast was a normal social event.
His eyelids lowered for one second.
He stared into his coffee like it had personally betrayed him.
Your shoulders started shaking.
Law looked up slowly. âSomething funny?â
âNo.â
Your voice was too high.
Shachi looked at you. âYou okay?â
You nodded quickly. âCoffee went down wrong.â
âYou didnât drink any.â
âEmotionally.â
Ikkakuâs eyes lifted from her page.
Lawâs stare could have amputated you.
Bepo turned around with a plate. âCaptain, do you want eggs?â
Law did not answer immediately. Because he had moved his hand again. Because his fingers were near his mouth. Because, apparently, his own body had decided to spend the morning reminding him exactly what you tasted like. His nostrils flared once. Very slightly.
You pressed your lips together so hard it hurt.
Law shut his eyes for half a second. He looked like a man trying to survive war.
âCaptain?â Bepo asked, worried.
Law opened his eyes. âNo eggs.â
Bepoâs ears drooped. âOh. Sorry.â
Lawâs face softened by a millimeter. âItâs fine. Rice.â
âOkay!â
You watched him pick up his mug again. His hand was steady. His face was blank. His control was flawless. Except his ears were faintly red.
You placed your cup down very carefully.
He looked at you. You looked back. Neither of you said anything. Then you smiled.
His expression turned dangerous.
Under the table, his boot nudged your ankle.
A warning.
You nudged him back.
A mistake.
His eyes sharpened. You looked away first because you were not suicidal before noon.
Penguin squinted between you both. âWhy is it weird in here?â
âItâs always weird in here,â Shachi said into his plate.
âNo, this is different.â
âItâs your face.â
âMy face isnât weird.â
âItâs morning. Everyoneâs face is weird.â
You made the mistake of glancing at Law again. He was staring at his rice like the entire concept of appetite had become complicated.
You knew exactly why.
You imagined him trying to eat breakfast while still smelling you on his chin, still catching it on his fingers every time he moved, still pretending that it was not making him think about throwing the whole tray across the room and dragging you back to his cabin.
He would rather be executed than admit it.
That made it so much better.
You took pity on him. Mostly. You leaned forward slightly and said, very casually, âCaptain?â
His eyes lifted. âWhat?â
âYou have something on your face.â
Lawâs stare went black. Ikkaku slowly lowered her page. Bepo turned around. âWhere?â Bepo asked, deeply concerned.
Law did not move. You reached across the table before he could stop you, thumb brushing lightly over the edge of his chin.
His skin was warm. His eyes did not leave yours. The whole room narrowed around that tiny touch.
You pulled your hand back and looked at your thumb. Nothing there. âNevermind.â
Lawâs expression stayed perfectly blank. Too blank.
He was going to kill you.
Penguin blinked. âWhat was it?â
âNothing,â Law said. His voice was calm enough to be a medical threat.
You took another sip of coffee. This time you could not stop the smile.
Law leaned back in his chair, one hand around his mug, the other resting on the table. His fingers flexed once.
Still guilty. Still remembering. Still pretending. Then he said, without looking away from you, âYouâre assigned to inventory after breakfast.â
You stared at him. âWhat?â
âMedical inventory.â
âThatâs not my job.â
âIt is today.â
âThat sounds personal.â
âItâs organizational.â
Shachi pointed his spoon at you. âYou should never question medical inventory. Thatâs how he gets mean.â
You looked at Law. Law looked back.
There was no expression on his face.
None.
Except his eyes said very clearly: Keep laughing and Iâll give you something to be quiet about later.
Your stomach flipped. Unfortunately, your mouth was still alive. âDo I need gloves?â
Lawâs hand stopped around his mug. Ikkaku made a tiny sound and hid behind her page. Penguin frowned. âFor inventory?â
You looked at Law with the innocence of a war criminal. âJust asking.â
Law stood. Very calmly. Pushed his chair in. Very calmly. Picked up his tray. Very calmly. Then he leaned down as he passed behind you, close enough that only you heard him.
âYou are going to be quiet when I deal with you.â
Your smile vanished so fast it was humiliating.
ââ´ď¸Ë・â full already? didnât think so. my masterlistâs right here.
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sword divider by @uzmacchiato
"you owe me one hundred berries" (shanks x f!reader)
summary: the years brought intimacy, fun and adventure for you in the crew of the red-haired pirates. you found a little place in the world you could call home. dreams and ambitions become clearer when you are surrounded by people you love, especially when you manage to untangle your thoughts and do something about it.
warnings: smut, unprotected p in v, fingering, oral sex, spanking, hair pulling, dirty talk, spitting, creampie, no use of y/n, slow burnish. mdni.
word count: 10kÂ
 a/n: oof, this is LONG. almost as long as shanks' dic- ok i'll shut up now but boy oh boy did i have a lot to write about this man. I love my fictional husband so much. I considered separating this into two parts, but I like it better as one swift longass oneshot, lol. hope yâall enjoy it <3
masterlist
âWhat are your ambitions in life?â
The question caught you off guard. Itâs not like you and the man besides you had heartfelt conversations constantly. No, it was much more relentless teasing and a whole lot of work.Â
Looking straight ahead, you felt the presence of the seemingly infinite ocean in front of you, the smell of salt water, and the slight sway of the ship as the waves moved around and beneath â the combination had you at ease. The sea was your home.
The people asleep on the ship were the closest thing to a family you had nowadays. And a massive thank you to every deity for that.Â
Ever since you joined them, the benefits were mutual and the connection was instant. It was easy to love them, and you made yourself valuable. One of them, playing with his own name, called you their âlucky charmâ. All of that due to your navigation skills that got them out of trouble and into profit more times than one.Â
However, you kept to yourself. The pain, the heartache, the loss⌠They haunted you, even if they belonged in the past. And here, you were moving towards your future.Â
âYâknow, your dreams, your ambitionsâŚâ, the man by your side continued, given your silence. You remained quiet, teasingly, which only enticed him more. âSurely youâve heard of thoseâ, his smile was unfaltering and his one arm was on the bulwark, bottle of rum in hand.Â
You took a sip of your drink. The two of you were the last ones still awake, drinking and staring into the endless water and dark sky, trying to see where they met â at least, thatâs what you were doing. He was just yapping. Youâd grown used to your Captainâs tendencies of lightheartedness and mischief, and it was safe to say you were friends. Good ones, even if you werenât eager to share your deepest secrets. You were certain he didnât want to share his as well. You liked each other regardless because of it. Perhaps more because of it. Â
âCâmonâ, he drank a generous gulp, smiling still. âGimme a dragâ, as he only had one arm, he didnât have the capacity of holding the bottle in one hand, and a cigarette in the other. So, you held it for him between your fingers, sometimes moving it towards his mouth so he could inhale. It was such a simple gesture, but it felt so intimate.Â
You liked your Captain. Very much so. And, as one of the few women on the Red Force, of course you noticed that he checked you out every now and then â all men did. You didnât mind, in fact, you rather enjoyed checking them out right back.
It was extremely rare for the two of you to have a moment alone like this, and you cherished it immensely. The man was an Emperor, after all, and you still found yourself yearning for one on one time as if he was a school mate.Â
Even now, in this whole new world, he still made sure his crew had a moment to party every now and then, when things were calm. Hence, why everyone was passed out drunk and you were still standing, at guard. Or as much guard you could be in this half drunken state.
âYou know, itâs bad manners not to answer your Captain, not to mention a clear act of rebellionâŚâ
You took a deep breath, laughing quietly. âI knowâ, you spoke only to shut him up. You knew he wouldnât push you too far, and thatâs why you felt comfortable enough to talk. âI remember having dreams and ambitions as a little girl. I just⌠Donât know where it all wentâ.
âI reckon itâs still in thereâ, he pointed at your chest, your heart â skillfully balancing his bottle of rum without the pointed finger.Â
âI once said I wanted to be an assassinâ, you smiled remembering the child you once were. Your Captain smiled too. âI didnât know what an assassin was, of courseâ.
âOf courseâ, that smile was still there, perfect. As perfect as an imperfect pirate Captain can be, at least. His gaze inspired you to continue.Â
âI loved reading and history. I remember my fatherâ, your voice altered slightly, mentioning the flawed man who raised you, more emotional than before, âfinding new books for me every now and then. He abdicated everything for our little family⌠And for knowledge. I think at some point I wished to carry on his legacyâ.
The question of ambitions and dreams was a hard one. At this particular place in your life, all you wanted was to be safe, to be comfortable, to be around your found family⌠Around Shanks.Â
âWhat happened?â, he persisted, interested.Â
You took a deep sigh. âPeople. Expectations. Life got in the way, I guessâ.
âBut what would you want if there were no expectations, no people?â, he asked, and, although he directed the question to you, it seemed like he was looking for guidance for himself as well.
You shrugged your shoulders and smiled. âI think I would be a librarian in a small village⌠Have a lot of cats, and maybe horses, too. Be free, with the open skies above me and the infinite sea near, too, but with a place of my own. In another life, maybeâ, you looked over at him, âAll that after I travelled the world and found the One Piece with you, boss, of courseâ.
âNaturallyâ, his smile lit up the night, and he took a sip of his drink, a little lost in thought.
âWhat about you?â, you inquired. You didnât shy away from returning the question to him. After all, if you answered, so should he. Although he was the boss, he still maintained quite a balanced environment. You could just talk to each other about anything, and if one wanted out of the conversation, there would be no questions asked from the other.Â
His body was turned towards you, eyes on you and not on the sea. It was clear his focus had shifted from inside his mind to outside, to the night, to this moment. His attention was almost too much. You returned your gaze to that water below, the sound of the waves a good substitute for silence.Â
âHonestly?â, you nodded as he spoke, âAs a kid⌠I just wanted to be a carefree pirate withâŚâ, he stopped himself, shaking his head lightly. It was his turn to look away into the distance. âMy friends.The freedom of it all called to meâ, he finished, after taking another long sip of his drink.Â
Silence ensued. Yet, the quiet with your Captain was comfortable. Even though he was propense to partying and laughing, he seemed in his element in the silence too. A man of his stature with an ability to feel deeply was a rare thing. You felt immensely proud to be by his side, to be a part of his crew. It was no lie that you wanted to see the world, but you werenât sure you would have allowed yourself to want it this badly had you not joined his crew. They made this possible, and, even though there was violence and discomfort sometimes, it was good.Â
Even though you tried not to, your glare kept returning to him. Perhaps your thinking was too loud, because the man turned to you again. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes, as he did so often.Â
âDid you lose something similar to my face or am I just too handsome?â, the amusement in his voice was tangible.Â
âOh, shut upâ, you tried to cover your smirk by drinking some more, but he caught on, clearly having fun.
âNo, seriouslyâ, he took one step closer, âam I really so beautiful that your gaze just falls on me naturally?â
You laughed, but you felt your face redden nonetheless. You could try to play it cool, but this interaction had begun to make you nervous in the best way possible, and the part of you fueled by rum wanted to see where it would lead.
âYes, Shanksâ, you playfully responded. Calling him by his name was a dangerous move, especially in the mocking tone you had on. You brought the cigar to your mouth, lighting it again and taking one long inhale. You breathed out the air, still smiling slightly, your Captainâs eyes now predatorial. âI do think youâre that beautifulâ.
Another step, this time you took it. The two of you were so close you could feel his warmth. His body towered over you, all six foot seven of him. It almost made your neck hurt looking up to him, but the thrill of this situation made anything bearable.Â
âCare to share?â, he motioned to the smoke between your fingers with a raise of eyebrows.Â
You just lift your hand close to his mouth so he could breathe it in. When he exhaled and you began to lower your hand, he stopped you, holding your wrist and the bottle at the same time. Then, he did the unthinkable. He kissed it.Â
His lips were rough, but they felt amazing on your skin. Perfect. As if they belonged there.Â
Even this small gesture, this little kiss on the inside of your wrist, the smoke still coming from the cigar, caused an inexplicable rush. Body on fire, burning as red as his head of hair.
His gaze never left your face, not even when your glare flew from his eyes to his lips, still lingering on your skin.Â
Your poor heart, beating so quickly for a man so unattainable. Yet, a voice inside you, most likely drunk as well, whispered softly, if he could be attained, it would be by you.
A loud noise came from inside the crewâs quarters. You jumped, but Shanks simply moved away softly.Â
As quickly as the moment came, it was gone.Â
The cigarette in your hand went out.Â
***
It had been a few months since the hand incident, if it could even be called that. The Captain acted pretty much the same most of the time, composed and natural, but you felt changed in your very core.Â
Sometimes, youâd look for him and find him already staring at you. Every now and then, during a party or celebration, some drinks in, youâd flirt with him and he would flirt back, all charm and charisma.Â
You brushed the incident off as a drunken reaction, but there was a part of you that couldnât get rid of the sensation that something between the two of you shifted, and that you might want more.Â
The slight shift in his demeanour came not only from his gaze, or the flirting. There was a new found protectiveness, as if his shadow was towering over you as more than a Captain. One time, when the ship was docked on a random island, you felt him come behind you during an argument with a shopkeeper. You hadnât realized he went in after you, and yet, there he was, by your side. You didnât even have to ask.
The conversations you had around others were different now too. The Captain valued everyoneâs opinion, but you could tell by the way he wouldnât take his eyes off of you that he wanted to know yours, not the filtered version you carefully crafted for others, but your true, honest opinion.
Either that, or you were hallucinating from scurvy.
The night fell swiftly, and the crew was scattered in this small fishermenâs island. You were probably the only one on the ship still, and your intention was to enjoy the quiet night alone on the ship with a book you picked up at the shop the day you had anchored.Â
A ruffled noise came from behind you as you made your way to the common room. You reacted instantly. Book in one hand, dagger on the other, you were ready to defend yourself and the Red Force.Â
âJeez, at rest, soldierâ. The voice came from behind you, all fun and giggles. You could recognize that sound anywhere. âAt least I can sleep soundly knowing you are guarding us allâ.
âHeavens, boss!â, you put the dagger back in your belt and held your book close to your chest. Turning around to face him was a natural reflex, but a part of you wished you hadnât done it. He was quite the sight â deep red hair, built like a god, even his scars were attractive. âYou scared meâ.
âYou look adorable grasping your book like thatâ, he said, letting his body fall on the wall. Back against it, one leg up to balance himself. There he was with the flirting once more. That smile could stop a war, you were certain.
Your head fell to the side, in a way you hoped was sweet and charming, and you had to hold yourself not to smile. Part of you wanted to maintain a strong facade for him, tease him, make him work for it a little.Â
He was your Captain, but he was also a man.Â
There was a flame behind his eyes and an energy in the way he tilted his head, matching your movement, which had your chest moving up and down more strongly. Air felt rarefied, and suddenly you were aware of every part of your body â the red in your cheeks, the white of your outfit, the shaking of your legs, the sweating of your hands.
This should have been simple. It was just a Captain chatting with his mate.Â
It could be just that.
However, you realized this was the first time you and Shanks were alone together since the incident.Â
âCat got your tongue?â
âNo, I simply have no adequate responseâ. Your mouth was faster than your brain. Maybe, in another life, you were more eloquent, like your father, or maybe elegant, like your mother. But no. You just stared at the man who was your Captain and the object of all your desires, and said incoherent nonsense.
âYou havenât quite figured out what I want you to respond, huh?â, he read you like an open book. âYou can just speak your mind, you knowâ.
The cover of the book was endlessly interesting. The night smelled like salt, and the lighting in the corridor leading to the common room was dim.Â
You felt him take a step closer before you saw it. Once more, you were in a compromising position â with your Captain towering over you, dark cloak almost shielding the both of you. You remembered this feeling, this that came as easily as breathing.Â
His one hand moved up towards your chin, lifting your head so your eyes would meet. You knew you could be seductive and blink innocently and just lure him in if you wanted, but this was Shanks.Â
He was more experienced than that, and he would be able to tell if you were doing something only to please him or because you thought he would want it.Â
In your mind, you constantly found yourself thinking about what your Captain would do to you. Of course you had heard many stories about his conquests, his one night stands, his lovers â all of whom seemed more than willing to go back for more. All made it seem like sharing Shanksâ bed was a dream.
You were far from virginal, but any involvement with your Captain had the potential to be complicated, so you were a little hesitant â even though the tension was palpable, even though his hand remained on your chin. The hesitant part was bigger than the people pleaser part.Â
And the attraction was stronger than any hesitation. Â
So, you did the one thing you could think to do.Â
One hand moved to hold his wrist, and you moved it slightly closer to your lips. With a suaveness that was strange even to you, you kissed it.Â
It was the very first time your lips touched Shanks, and it was magical.Â
If this was an answer to the questions you had, it was a good one.Â
His shock was evident in his face and in his body. He tensed up immediately, not used to having someone treat him with such fondness, hold him with such care. Even though he was the furthest thing possible from chaste and coy, his endeavours were, more often than not, much too raw.Â
The Captain usually didnât have a problem with his dominating, charismatic personality â he constantly used it to his advantage, and it worked. Although he would much prefer being carefree, life happened and he had to play the hand he was given. But there was not a single part of him that expected this.Â
He wasnât in control, for once. After all, this wasnât a one night stand or a hookup with no strings attached. The two of you were connected by something greater than life, and your entire livelihood would be affected if it ended poorly.Â
It wasnât in Shanksâ nature to worry this much, and it wasnât in your nature to do something this recklessly.Â
And, somehow, your lips still didnât leave his skin.Â
You blinked once, twice, hoping for a reaction. The seconds dragged on for days, it seemed. His mouth was slightly open, and his eyes never left yours.Â
His big right hand moved, cupping your cheek, and your eyes instantly closed, relishing in his touch. Was it you who let out a moan? You couldnât tell, so lost in the moment. He murmured your name, a warning, and you opened your eyes to find an expression youâd never seen before in his face.
âTell me to stopâ, he said.Â
âNoâ, was your murmured answer.Â
He used his strength to push you against the wall behind you, now in control again, where he belonged. The hand that was soft on your cheek moved harshly to your neck. He pulled your hair back, just a little, not excessively. Your neck was exposed, and he would have to lower his body a lot to touch it with his lips, and damn, you hoped he would.
You dropped your book, which fell to the wooden floor with a loud thud. Â
His signature red hair was covering his eyes, but you could feel the predatory gaze on you.Â
You half expected him to kiss you, take you to his chambers and claim you in the most animalistic way possible. But that wasnât him. The man standing in front of you was calm, lighthearted and fun, albeit domineering. Easily taking charge of the situation and making it what he needed. So, it was no surprise that he lowered his head to press his forehead against yours, and said âYou smell so goodâ.
You just chuckled, now holding his waist. He sniffed your hair like a puppy would.Â
âSeriously, is that driftwood?â, you could hear his smile when he spoke. Perhaps it was insanity. But having Shanks close to you like this, his body attached to yours and his attention solely on you was insane, so you didnât see any harm in playing along.Â
âShut upâ, you giggled. You looked up to him, trying to memorize his features.Â
The moment suddenly became serious. Your giggles stopped, and his smile vanished. The rest of the world vanished, too. No sounds, no light, nothing.Â
There was only you and him.Â
The built-up tension was a solid block above the two of you. You wanted nothing more than to break it, but, at the same time, the agony was delicious. Waiting, anticipating and yearning somehow made this moment all the more precious.Â
Closer, your mind screamed. You shared his air, coming from his parted lips. There was an unspoken need for more closeness, for less space to be between you two.
Closer, closer, closer.Â
Just like clockwork, a noise came from the door, interrupting. You didnât want to be parted from Shanks, not in the slightest. Yet, to preserve this moment and others that might come, he let you go, kneeling to pick up your book.Â
A drunken Yasopp made his way down the corridor right after, barely speaking to you or the Captain. You heard him murmur something about showing them whoâs aimless when he went inside.Â
Your Captain, still looking at you, but further than you wished, nodded once in a silent âIâll see you laterâ movement. The legend, the myth, standing in front of you. All those stories about his doings, all the fuss and glory and bounty. It constantly amazed you that, even though he was indeed legendary, he was still a man.Â
A man who, despite having a complicated past and an even more complicated present, remained kind.Â
His kindness was shown once more when, before leaving, he approached you and gently kissed your forehead. You could feel his agony, his yearning â a twin to your own.
There was a part of you that wanted to follow Shanks as he left, long steps towards his chambers. In fact, you wanted nothing more than to follow that man and continue your interaction, to finally feel more of him. But there was a force stronger than nature, an intuition, a voice that whispered you should let him go and come back to you when heâs ready.Â
So, you did.
***
As the days went by since your last encounter with Shanks, you felt more and more afflicted by his absence. Nonetheless, you felt certain you did the right thing.Â
Your body was on fire just remembering the way he held your hair, the way his eyes looked at you with delicious anticipation and warmth.Â
It had been a long time since you felt this way, if you ever did. Sure, every now and then you craved sex and you didnât mind finding someone in whatever port you were anchored to satisfy your needs. It was carnal, and it was good, mostly.Â
However, this longing was different. It was a kind of interest you had rarely felt. The more Shanks you got, the more you wanted.Â
And it wasnât enough. Stolen glares, a touch of hands, laughing at the dinner table surrounded by the crew. It just wasnât enough. You needed to smack that smirk right out of his face and then kiss it better.Â
A couple weeks after that night, you could still feel Shanksâ hand on your cheek, you could sense his arm around you⌠The attraction was mutual, of that you were sure.Â
You wondered if the agony of these days apart was mutual as well.Â
Will it be long before he comes once more?, you were tossing and turning in your hammock, thoughts of Shanks flooding through your head.
The night had fallen quietly, and most of the crew was asleep. You only heard the slight snores and the waves crashing against the Red Force. The ship had not anchored since you last set sail, moving through the sea at a comfortable pace.Â
You stood up quietly to not wake up anyone, and moved up quickly. Going out on the upper deck, getting some air and smelling the ocean beneath you. That was what you needed before trying (and most likely failing) to fall asleep once more â it would be good to have the air cool you down when you felt like you were burning up with need, with yearning.Â
After passing through the corridor where you last spoke with Shanks, memories surrounding and consuming you like embers, you made your way out into the night.Â
The relief of seeing the endless sky and the infinite waters surrounding you was immensurable.Â
That thrill only lasted for a moment, however, because your eyes landed instantly on the figure covered by shadows, but whose silhouette youâd recognize anywhere.Â
You began to turn around, intending to leave him be, when he said, âI can hear youâ, nonchalantly.Â
Your face contracted as you turned around, smiling and embarrassed. âSorry, boss, I was just going to enjoy the silence for a while. Didnât see you thereâ.
âPleaseâ, he motioned to his side. An invitation and a promise of peace.
You walked towards him with as much caution as you could, your mind still hazy. His body was supported by the bulwark, and there was a cigarette half smoked in hand.Â
He didnât look over, respecting your need for stillness.Â
You had no idea how long you stood there. It could have been hours, days or years.Â
When you finally turned to him, he was turning to you too.
âThis is weirdâ, you said.
âThe sky is beautifulâ, he said at the exact same time. He took a second to process your words, then smiled. âWhatâs weird?â.
You pointed to yourself and then to him. In his usual fashion, he just shrugged jovially, corners of his lips upward. âItâs good weird, you know, but still a little weirdâ.
âBut seriously, whatâs weird?â, he turned around, back facing the sea. âThe fact that I wanted to hump your leg like a puppy?â
You laughed, happy to be met with the same humour as always. At least, you had a friend in him, regardless of the rest.Â
âI wouldâve let youâ, you lifted your eyebrows in a knowing manner, teasing him. He was smiling, too. âThe sky really is beautiful tonightâ.
Obviously, you still wanted him. Damn, you would really let this man hump your leg if he was into it for real. You were a little kinky yourself and, truth be told, you were willing to try anything once. And to try with Shanks, of all people? What a privilege that would be.
Out of all the dirty, unholy things you wanted to try out in your life, you were lucky enough to have done most of it. There were a few times it just happened, and others you planned out with some partner.Â
This whole situation made you think of the Captainâs kinks. What does he secretly wish for in the middle of night like this? Did he come up to the deck for air from the hotness of imagining a tad too much?
âYou look like an ass guyâ, you blurted out before even understanding what you were saying. Oh, the things insomnia and horniness can do to a girl.Â
Shanks almost choked on smoke. âWhat makes you say that?â
You tilted your head like an interested dog would, trying to see any sort of disinterest or repulse in his features. Instead, all you found was genuine surprise and curiosity. âItâs a little controversial, right?â, he nodded, smile growing. âAnd it seems like youâre the kind of guy who likes it a little dirtyâ, he chuckled as you spoke, âand who would love to have it tight and a little painfulâ. His silence was deafening, even if his smile was still there, so you hit him playfully with your elbow. âAm I wrong?â.
âOhâ, only that sound came from him. You were still smiling. A pirate Captain, an Emperor of the New World, the legend, the myth. Right now, he was simply the man before you. Red hair, red cheeks. âWoman, are you trying to kill me?â
You didnât answer, containing your laughter, amused by the situation. Hell, if it was weird, you didnât mind making it weirder. At least, you both were having fun.
âJust wanted to check how blue your balls can getâ, you turned around, elbows on the bulwark.Â
âThe answer is veryâ, he copied your motion, turning around as well. With you crunched over and him standing at full height, you felt like a devotee worshiping a god. Come to think of it, you wouldnât mind worshiping this man.Â
The sea wasnât as agitated as usual on this night. A good counterpoint to your heart, that was almost beating out of your chest.
âI would love to see itâ, you joked. It wasnât that much of a joke, actually, but the situation demanded some humour.Â
âCome get it, thenâ, was his response. He looked so calm in this whole situation.
You opened your mouth to speak, but words would not suffice. You were never that great at conversation anyway.
There was nothing left to say. Only to do.Â
Thatâs why you stood up, adjusting your posture. Shanks immediately turned his body to yours, giving you his full attention, almost as if good posture was alarming â you could tell, by the twinkle in his eyes, that he was having as much fun as you. You got on your toes and threw your arms around his neck, in a dramatic fashion he certainly admired, and, at long last, brought your lips to meet his.Â
Although Shanks was a little surprised you actually followed his instructions and went and got it, he reacted quickly. He kissed you back passionately, using his one arm to pull you closer.Â
He kissed just like you thought he would â full of feeling, dominating but not aggressive. Intense. The kind of kiss so unbelievable that it would haunt you forever. His experience was clear in the way he kissed, not messy, not too much, just fully him.
He was much taller, and even though you were on your tip toes, he still had to lean down. That didnât stop either of you. One hand moved through his hair â you had always dreamed of doing this â and the other held his neck as if he was getting away. By the way he held you, however, you could tell he wasnât going anywhere soon.Â
Warmth flooded you. Him, him, him.Â
Heavens. For a man with only one arm, you could surely feel him everywhere.Â
Your belly was turning with excitement and a feeling you didnât really want to admit you felt. Right now, all that mattered was this proximity, this intimacy.Â
The Captain, always aware of his surroundings, turned you so your bum hit the bulwark, and he lifted you with ease. When your eyes met his, you could tell he was looking for an answer, that he needed one.
He mirrored you this time. He would take anything you could give. He was choosing you, for whatever reason, and he wanted to give you all the time to choose him back. Never pushing you, never pressuring.Â
There was no need for time. You had him right now.Â
Your hand moved on his shirt, half-open in classical Shanks fashion. You felt his chest rise and fall beneath your hands. Taking advantage of the position, you pulled his white shirt towards you, bringing your lips together once more.Â
How easy it was to kiss him, how very natural. It amazed you how instinctively you knew to wrap your legs around his waist, even if you were out on the deck. It was remarkable how his body moved with yours, matching every movement before you moved at all. His lips never left yours, his tongue rhythmically asking for passage to your mouth. It wasnât as messy and guttural as one might think, but calculated to the point of making you wonder if this man was carefully made for you.
You moaned against his mouth, not able to control yourself. That made him bolder, hand moving to your leg and squeezing. You opened your legs more, allowing his body to come closer to you between them.Â
âFuckâ, he muttered when your lips separated. You already missed him, already craved him, more so than before. You bit your lower lip, holding in a smile. His forehead rested against yours, his breath ragged much like your own. âLet me fuck youâ.
Yes.Â
âWowâ, you said, trying to remain serious instead of taking all your clothes off and bending over in a common area of the ship, âWonât even buy me dinner first, huh?â
He laughed loudly, even though you were acting all serious.
Although Shanksâ laugh was no cause for concern at the Red Force, it was the dead of night in the middle of nowhere. You shushed him and put a finger to his lip, the universal âshut upâ sign.Â
âAre you crazy? People will come here!â.
âWho cares?â, his voice sounded like a smile. Was that even possible? He kissed you gently as his hand caressed your thigh, making your sleeping gown raise and show more and more skin, which seemed to enchant him greatly. âI own everything around here, in case you havenât heardâ.
You let out a surprised sound. âYou donât own shit, bossâ.
âYeah, baby, talk dirty to meâ, he gripped your thigh and kissed your neck playfully. You were giggling, happier than ever. The air was cold and the fantasy of moaning âbossâ as Shanks was inside you had you hotter and even more bothered.Â
You two were giggling and kissing, enjoying this moment, not wanting it to end.Â
âCome to my chambersâ, he said between kisses. His hand held you tightly, moving down towards your bum and squeezing every now and then. You always had a hunch the Captain was an ass man.Â
âPeople will know somethingâs up when they wake to see Iâm gone and then see me coming out of your roomâ.Â
Your response only brought indifference. âAnd?â.
âWell, boss, I think having forty grown men prying wonât help us in any affairâ, you separated from the kiss, holding his chin so his eyes could face yours. He was beyond beautiful, and a part of you, a possessive, unreasonable and irrational part of you, could only think mine, mine, mine, mine, mine. âAnd Iâm pretty sure Iâll come back for more once I have a taste of youâ.
âDonât worry about themâ, he replied. At this rate, with the hotness of your body, it would take very little talking to get you in his bed, despite your concerns. âWeâre all that mattersâ, he kissed you lovingly, âCome with meâ.
He took a step back and stretched out his hand.
You took it.Â
***
You had been in Shanksâ quarters more than once, but never in a situation like this. One time, he was so drunk he threw up and you found yourself cleaning up as he fell asleep on the floor. There was this other time, when you were so nervous after losing a stupid game, that he just locked you in the room as punishment. He said you were grounded or something, and you had to stay until you were no longer in homicidal mode. Everyone laughed, and you broke a couple things out of vengeance.Â
Now, however⌠This was different.
Shanks sat on his bed, not a care in the world. His cigarette went out, and he motioned to get another in his pocket, but thought twice. He looked at you, who were observing the maps on the walls, seemingly trying to play it cool, and chuckled.Â
You turned around and met his gaze.
One step and you were standing in front of him, between his legs he so gloriously man-spread.Â
He didnât have to tell you to make yourself at home. You were home.
His hand touched you behind the knee, and you almost jumped in anticipation. He travelled upwards slowly, almost touching your butt and then not, just to go down your thighs again and repeat it all over again. It was torture. It was delicious.
You let your hands rest on his shoulders. His big, hard, muscular, manly shoulders. Damn, had he been working out?Â
He finally stopped playing around and pulled you closer. You straddled his lap, letting your core dangerously close to his, as his hand stayed on your butt.
âIâm definitely an ass guyâ, the way he laughed was surprisingly wholesome. You couldnât help but to laugh back.Â
âI knew it!â, you celebrated, raising your arms above your head.
Shanks took advantage of the movement, eye level with your tits, to kiss your chest gently. âBut I have to admit, these make me wonder if Iâm not a boob guy tooâ.
Your breath got caught in your throat.  Â
You wanted him to do something, to just tear your clothes and take you. Your eyes were closed, savoring the moment, and your hand moved down to his signature red hair then to his shoulders and then back.Â
There was a beat of silence, of complete stillness. You were not even breathing as Shanks approached your chest and open mouthedly kissed your collarbone.Â
You looked down and met his gaze, a serious expression on his face. His eyes searched for any hesitation, any doubt in yours, but he didnât find any. He wouldnât find any. This was irrevocably what you craved, intensely and deeply.Â
You moaned when he resumed his ministrations on your skin. A gentle kiss near your chest, a peck on your neck. He explored with the expertise only a pirate could have.
Finally, he moved his hand to the front of your clothing and began to pull down. Once more his eyes searched you for a sign to stop.Â
You mouthed more without making a sound.
Ever so sweetly, he pulled your night gown down and freed your breasts. You let out a whimper as he let out an animalistic sound. His hand gripped your thigh as a lifeline as he drove right in, kissing the skin and then licking where his lips just were.Â
He nibbled at the soft skin of your chest, in a way you were sure would leave bruises, even if there was no force. The ghost of his lips would haunt you forever.
Without any warning, his hand pulled your clothes down to expose more skin. You moaned as he sucked one nipple, your pussy already clenching. At the same time you desperately wanted him to move south, you wanted this moment to last.Â
His hand was on your waist, holding you for dear life as you rocked your hips lightly, experimenting. The motion caused a positive reaction, you realized as the man let out a sigh.Â
âI have wanted this since I first laid eyes on youâ, he confessed, moving to the other breast, licking and kissing and involving your nipple in his mouth. You moved your hips against him again, hoping to gain some relief, and he let out the prettiest moan youâd ever heard.Â
âYou had me since you first laid eyes on me, bossâ, you replied.Â
Your confession in between a shortened breath seemed to entice the man, for he lifted you off him with ease and threw you on the bed like a ragdoll. Then, almost as if he had read your mind, he ripped your night gown in half, exposing you to his fully clothed self. You gasped and his eyes darkened.Â
There was something about the power dynamic⌠Something about being on display for him whilst he was clothed. The need you felt was brutal. He was up on his knees, opening your legs to make space for him, with excellent balance for a man with only one arm.Â
Just like a damned clockwork, came a knock on the door.Â
Shanks growled in frustration. âIâm busyâ, was his harsh response as he resumed his ministrations on your body. He lifted one foot and kissed it with such care and adoration it made your heart flutter and your pussy to clench around nothing.Â
âJust making sure everythingâs alright, bossâ, Bennâs voice came from the other side of the door, âYou were nowhere to be foundâ.
âIâm in my room during the night! Whatâs wrong with that?â, he replied, still holding your leg up. You giggled at the situation, trying to remain quiet and failing.Â
Beckmanâs scuff was followed by his footsteps, moving away from the room.Â
Truth be told, you had a hunch Shanks suffered from insomnia since long before you two had met. Meeting him in the dead of night, him offering to stay guard, all the parties that went well into the morning⌠The signs were clear.
It took one to know one, right?
Your heart was beating fast, but not only for the horniness. No. This had become something else the moment all the pieces of a puzzle connected in your head and you saw your Captain as not a myth, not a legend, not an Emperor or a pirate, but as a man. A flawed man, who had suffered so much in such a short life span. A man who looked at you and saw a version of yourself youâd grown to love.Â
âWhere were we?â, he smiled down at you, still teasing and charming, but you just rested your leg down and pulled him in. He looked surprised, almost confused, for a moment, before you joined his lips and yours once more.
You hoped the kiss would convey the desire and all the feelings you couldnât quite name.Â
The man murmured a âwhatâ as you pushed him down on the pillows and straddled him.Â
It was different, to say the least, to be on top fully naked as the man beneath you was fully clothed, but you didnât really care, not when Shanks opened that smile. The one that had the entire world stopping just to see it for a second.
You rocked your hips and made a sound you couldnât recognize as you began to kiss his chest, opening his shirt to see more of him. More, more, more.Â
You moved your body south, to the waistband of his pants. âThese are ugly ass trousers, bossâ, you commented, earning a laugh from him. âMaybe we should take it off⌠And then throw it into the ocean?â.Â
It was true, you really did hate those pants. But that was not the reason why you wanted them off.Â
Shanks scuffed jokingly. âYou can do anything as long as you take âem off right now, loveâ.
The pet name caused your brain to short circuit for a beat. Love was a really strong word in your books. Yet, somehow, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.Â
You put a pin in those thoughts because there was something hard and hot calling you.Â
The pants were quickly discarded into the floor, along with his white shirt. The laziness in Shanks took over and he let you do most of the work, but you didnât mind. Not when there was something so interesting hiding in those ridiculous pants. Not when every word he said was a holy command to you.Â
Your mouth went dry at the sight of Shanks, naked, laying in front of you like a five course meal. Not only that, but oh, his cock. You had no idea a dick could be that pretty. Long, thick, with a cute pink tip and veins that seemed put there by a skilled artist and not some randomness of nature.Â
All of him seemed straight off a painting, to be honest. Even his missing limb, the place where your gaze stayed for more than a second. Enough to make him touch it, trying to remain lighthearted but a little tense nonetheless.Â
âItâs an adjustment, really. The whole missing arm thingâ, he said, tone playful, but you saw underneath it. There was pain lingering in his eyes. Physical pain, yes, but emotional pain too. There was a story there, one you hoped he would share whenever he was ready.Â
You just kissed his entire body, from his legs to neck. You purposely skipped his cock, hard and glistening with pre-cum. Your hands followed your mouth, until you felt you had touched him everywhere.Â
The last place you were going to caress was his left shoulder, the place where his arm used to be. As your mouth moved to it, he held your hair gently, stopping you.Â
âYou donât have toâ, his voice was a whisper. There was a lot of emotion in his eyes, and you hoped he could see it in yours too.Â
âI want toâ, you replied, confident he would stop you if he was uncomfortable. As long as you were concerned, though, all of him was made for your kisses, for your touches, for love.Â
He let go of your hair, hand still on your head when you pressed your lips there for the first time.Â
You looked at him to make sure everything was fine, and you were met with adoration. You proceeded, cocky smile growing in your face as you moved down his body again.
âTeaseâ, he messed with your hair, biting his lower lip.Â
If he hoped for an answer, he would be waiting for a long time. After all, you were face to face with his dick once more, mouth watering and the unholiest of thoughts going through your mind.
Surely, he had made another snarky comment by now, but you were too far gone to listen. You licked a stripe from his base to the tip, and he gifted you with a delicious moan, one that went straight between your thighs, adding to the wetness.Â
The licking and kissing part was easy. His dick was just too good and he even tasted good, too. But the sucking part could be a challenge, considering he was big and thick. You wouldnât back down from a challenge, though. Oh, no.Â
You remained relaxed as you wrapped your lips around the tip, using your tongue to stimulate him even more. You used your hand as well, softly rocking the part of him you couldnât fit in your mouth yet.Â
Even though you were relaxed, this was hard. Pun intended.Â
Words of affirmation showered from his mouth, âso goodâ, âthatâs itâ, âyouâre so prettyâ. But you were far too focused on making him lose his mind. You looked at him best you could in this position, and fit more of him in your mouth.
More, more, more.
His hand was caressing your hair before tugging on it, mindlessly trying to make you take more.Â
Captainâs orders, huh?
From the sheer size of him, you didnât know if it would be possible, but you just relaxed your throat as you took more of him. Almost deepthroathing, almost all of him.Â
There was saliva everywhere, but neither you nor Shanks seemed to care. He was far gone, muscles contracting as you moved your head up and down a little, turning to the right and to the left simultaneously.Â
Finally, his eyes met yours again.Â
The sight was too much for him. He pulled your hair away from his cock and pulled you to him, kissing you with so much intensity your teeth hit his in one moment.
Your body was above his, and his one hand was everywhere. When he finally touched you between your legs, you separated the kiss to breathe. Just one touch and you were already melting in his hand.Â
âNot gonna last?â, he murmured in your ear, continuing to move his fingers through your folds, teasing your clit and then moving away, not letting any part of him go inside of you just yet. Your moan was a mix of a cry and a prayer. Him, him, him, it was all you could think.
You rocked your hips against his hand, trying to get more. More of something, more of anything, you just needed him.Â
Thankfully, Shanks was an experienced man and knew how to read a body. He lift himself, sitting against the headboard with you on top of him, both your hands holding his shoulders and legs on either side of his thighs. Your entrance was dangerously close to his cock, and you felt your pussy pulsing and your heart beating with anticipation, with want.Â
âYouâre sure?â, Shanks whispered, searching for your eyes. No hesitation would be found there.
âWhat would you do if I said no?â, you joked, taking his cock in one hand to pump it once, twice, three times. He was half laughing from your comment, half moaning from the pleasure.Â
âProbably cryâ, his words were playful, but his eyes were lustful, âand then jerk offâ.Â
It was your turn to laugh, but the amusement was short lived, because he took advantage of your distraction to line himself and thrust his hips upwards, finally entering you.Â
A gasp from you. A grunt from him. You threw your head back as you lowered your hips slowly. It was a good thing you two had been flirting forever and the anticipation got you wetter than the entire freaking ocean, because your Captain had a big dick, and it was hard to take him.
Your cunt was pulsing, craving more of him. His hand rested on your hips, and he began moving and instructing you to move too. You tried rocking your hips, but it was too much. Your clit was right on his pelvis, and it was just too good.Â
Noticing you were a goner, Shanks took matters into his own hands. He pulled your body down, chest flushed with his, and began thrusting upwards in a delicious speed, starting out slow and the building. You let out little whimpers close to his ears, and each time you did he seemed to go even deeper.Â
You wanted nothing more than for this man to bury himself in you.Â
It would have been amazing to just lay on top of him as he fucked you with the precision of a professional. But you wanted more.Â
You lifted your torso, sitting on him. In doing so, both of you moaned loudly. For a second, you worried someone might hear. To Hell with them. There was only this moment, only this feeling.Â
You began riding him as if your life depended on it. Back and forth, hips dancing on top of your lover. The sounds were a perfect soundtrack to the moment.Â
You reached your hands from his chest, where they had been for support, to your own breasts, twitching your nipples and grabbing them to maximize the feeling.Â
The man looked starstruck to see you chasing your high, pleasuring himself, on his body. His mouth fell open the more you moved. He pressed his feet on the bed, grating you more stability as his thighs were behind you.Â
You let your hands fall behind you, to where his thighs were. The new angle was explosive.Â
The release you both craved so much was magnified by how long you both waited for this, to finally touch and feel each other. Once more, you found yourself desperate to get more but wanting the moment to last.Â
How does a moment last forever? You werenât really sure, but when Shanks took advantage of the position to draw lazy circles on your clit, you were sure time stopped.Â
There would be a before and an after this.Â
No sound came out of your mouth as you surfed the waves of your orgasm. You didnât even have time to let him know you were cumming, you just did. And it was a coreshaking, unbelievable feeling.
As your body trembled from the stimulation, Shanks lifted himself up, sitting more than laying down now. He hugged you, bringing your chest close to his face and seizing movement as you came down from your high.Â
Both your hands held his hair, and you opened your eyes to meet his.Â
You thought thereâd be a before and an after because of the crazy orgasm, but you were wrong. The before and after would be from the look in his eyes.Â
You had seen adoration there before. Mischief, anger, annoyance, amusement. What you now saw, as he slowly began to thrust his hips upwards, were the four little letters that made a word you rarely said.Â
You couldnât take your eyes off of him, not when he made you feel like the most beautiful woman alive. Not when he made you feel this good.Â
âStand up and bend overâ, his tone left no room for discussion.Â
âAy ay, Captainâ, you joked, sad to break contact but eager to see what was coming next. He scuffed and stood up too, going behind you and jokingly slapping your ass.Â
You caught a glimpse of his dick when he stood, all pink and glistening with arousal. Your mouth watered. Perhaps you shouldâve thought about protection, but, eh. Once again, who cares? Your mind was far too hazy for worry.Â
His one hand touched your hips, forcing your face into the mattress and making your back arch even more. You turned your face, pressing your cheek on the soft blanket and putting both your knees on the bed, opening yourself up even more for him.
He stopped touching, and for a second, everything was quiet. Not even the ocean outside dared to make a sound.
When Shanksâ index finger moved gently through your entrance, collecting arousal, all the noise came back at once â the crashing of waves against the Red Force, his ragged breathing, something outside the room, your moans and whimpers.Â
He seemed pleased with your reaction, collecting your juices and his on his fingers before pushing two of them in. This manâs goal might just be to kill you. You tried looking back further, to catch a glimpse of his face.Â
He was so gorgeous it actually hurt. Sweat on his forehead, red hair falling on his forehead and eyes. Pecs so delicious it reminded you of a five course meal. His scars, his missing limp, all of it just made him more precious.Â
Your eyes met when his fingers left your pussy, and, without a word, he lined himself and pushed. Even a few moments without his dick made it harder for him to enter you again. He murmured something along the lines of âso tightâ before he began thrusting again.Â
Hips colliding against yours, time and time again. The force was almost brute, but you loved it. Was it possible to feel so passionate for a cock? Maybe, and if not, you were surely making the groundbreaking discovery that it was.
The position allowed him to go deeper, harder, and you both loved it. You were moaning, he was saying mumbled words affirming just how good you were for him.
âThis cunt was made for me, loveâ, he said. âAll mineâ.
You shivered at the statement. Dear God, you felt the knot in your lower belly tightening again.Â
Shanksâ thrusts were sloppier, uncoordinated and impossibly harder. You loved the intrusion, the aggression. For all you cared at that moment, he could just tie you to the bed and fuck you until you melted into a puddle.
You clenched around him, purposefully. At that, he reacted with the prettiest moan youâd ever heard.Â
âWhere do you want it?â, he asked and you loved that he did.Â
âInsideâ, your voice was shakier than you expected. âPlease, insideâ, you just didnât want him to leave you. You wanted all of him in you.
He squeezed your hips, pushing you flush on the bed and laying on top of you. Having a two meters man with his full weight above you was hard, but even more so, it was fun and warm and dirty. His hips kept pistoling into you.
His mouth was pampering kisses on your ear, and you could feel and hear his breathing.Â
He didnât announce he was coming. Instead, he just thrusted so hard and so deep it made you let out a little scream. Ropes of white shot in you, and he kept moaning as his long release marked you as own.Â
It was the perfect moment for a declaration, but you needed to stay in this bubble where nothing else other than you two existed. You needed to just feel his chest against your back and his softening dick inside.Â
When he began moving to lay by your side, your hands flew behind you to keep him in place a little longer. âStayâ, you managed to say. âA little more, pleaseâ.Â
He didnât answer, instead, he just complied. He just kissed the side of your face, gentle and loving.Â
A moment passed. Maybe two. It could have been years or seconds you stayed put beneath him, just feeling his body and his kisses.Â
When he finally left your body, you whimpered. He laid by your side, stomach up whilst your chest was down.Â
You were face to face, feeling each other's breath.
âHiâ, nonchalantly he said, a smile already growing.Â
âHeyâ, you were able to let out. You felt absolutely destroyed and ready for more.Â
âSleep hereâ, he begged, reaching for your hand. He pulled it to his lips and kissed it. Romantic.Â
You nodded, moving towards him, curling up on his chest. His cum was dripping, probably making a mess on his sheets. At least they werenât your sheets.
The air felt lighter, somehow. His chest was moving up and down beneath your head when you cuddled even more in him.Â
The moonlight cast a pale light in the room.Â
***
âMy thighs hurtâ, was the first thing you said when he woke up and opened those beautiful eyes. You were already awake for a few minutes, and you had more than enough time to go to his mirror and check out the red bite and hand marks on your bottom.Â
Promptly, he guffewed. You took one of the many pillows on his bed to hit him with it.Â
âShut up! Everyone will hear!â
âI think that ship has sailed, darlingâ, with only one hand and laying on his back, he still managed to be dexterous. After taking it from your hands, he threw the pillow away, smiling. âI wasnât the one screaming last nightâ.
âOh, that could be anyone of your floozysâ, you brushed him off, crossing your arms and pouting like a child.Â
He played the offended part, gasping. If only there were pearls around his neck for him to clutch! You rolled your eyes, trying not to give him the satisfaction of a smile and failing miserably.Â
He pulled you closer, bringing your chest to his back, cuddling. An Emperor, cuddling. You never thought youâd see the day, and yet, it felt so natural. You let him adjust himself behind you, and you felt his morning hard on deliciously on your back.Â
His lips first met your shoulders, then your neck, and finally your ear. âYou can be my floozy any time you wantâ, he whispered. The words themselves werenât all that seductive, but the way he said it, morning voice raspy and the ghost of last night all over you⌠That was something else.Â
A part of you wished you could be more mysterious and hold in your laugh. With Shanks, you just couldnât. Your smile, your laughter, it all came naturally. He had that effect on you, apparently.
You werenât one to share your dreams and ambitions that easily, but, with your Captain, it felt as simple as breathing.
You rolled your hips against his morning wood, teasing him.Â
âTime for round two?â, he asked. His voice was all the stimulation you needed.Â
You turned to meet his face and join your lips.Â
âOut of how many?â, after a few pecs, you inquired. After all, a girl had a right to know if it was a one night and morning after thing, or more.Â
âHow many numbers are there?â
âInfinite, as far as I knowâ
âThereâs your answerâ, he barely finished saying the words before kissing you deeply. He moved over you, towering over you the best he could with only one arm.
It wasnât long before you were a mess of moans and orgasms again.Â
***
The morning came with an unbearable heat. You managed to sneak out of the Captainâs room and go to your chambers quietly, avoiding any prying gazes. Since he destroyed your clothing, you borrowed something of his. Now, out on the deck covered in sunlight going to the kitchen for a late breakfast, your tank top and shorts were soaked in sweat, and the entire crew was complaining when you joined them.Â
âSomebody opened the gates of hellâ.
âI havenât felt this hot since I snuck into an oven as a kidâ.Â
You laughed as you reached for a muffin at the breakfast table.Â
In more ways than one, you were immensely grateful this was your life. Grown men bitching about the weather and all.Â
The door to the kitchen opened with little noise. If you weren't so deeply aware of Shanksâ presence at any given minute, you might have missed his quiet entrance. There were no good mornings, only a calm smile as he walked to the head of the table, passing through his trusted mates and yourself.Â
What you didnât expect â and probably no one did â was that the Captain would stop behind your chair, hand on your shoulder, and lean down to give you a kiss on the cheek.Â
Intimate. Lovable.Â
Public.Â
Lucky Rouxâs food fell from his fork. For a couple seconds, one could hear a pin drop. Perhaps they heard your heart too, almost beating out of your chest.
But then, as quickly as the silence came, it was gone.Â
The clinking of silverware, chairs moving and footsteps around the room, the laughter from Yasopp as Benn pointed to Roux and said âyou owe me one hundred berriesâ. Shanks simply moved with ease through the room.
Oh, you were going to find out what were the terms of this bet later.Â
You looked over to where he sat at your side, at his usual place at the head of the table, and the look you were met with made your heart melt. You were sure by now your face was redder than his hair, but, to paraphrase your Captain, who the hell cares?Â
Amidst the common chaos, he mouthed in silence three little words to you, reaching out to hold your hand. Eight letters, so simple, yet it was everything. Your heart stopped for a second and, time again, the entire world faded. There were only you two. In all the years youâd known him, there were only ever you two. You held him back, smiling and blushing upon his gaze.Â
Then, you mouthed the words right back.Â
áŻËâŕ¨ŕ§ â tobacco & mint [18+]
á˘đŠEnjin x f!Reader
.・.:*â wc â 16.5k | beta read | proof read
SYNOPSIS Enjin didnât know you were hiding all that under your somewhat baggy cleanerâs uniform until one day August gets a new whiff of inspiration to cook you up the possibly hottest uniform among the cleaners yet.
CONTENT nsfw / fluff / sexual tension / porn with plot / resolved sexual tension / mutual pining / slow burn / friends to lovers / coworkers to lovers / service top!enjin / praise kink / submissive reader / cursing / oral f!receiving / fingering / sadist!enjin if you squint
WARNINGS nsfw / weed / usage of she/her pronouns / mdni
Enjin was a simple man with simple needs.Â
A couple cigarettes. The rush of tearing a trash beast apart piece by piece. The relief of a joint right after. Hitting up his favorite local spots at the end of a workday, surrounding himself with gorgeous women who couldnât deny the fact that he, too, was quite the specimen himself.Â
Simple.Â
Once you joined the Cleaners, heâd been ecstatic to finally share the burden that was being in your twenties while babysitting a bunch of brain-wrecked teenagers.Â
For the first time in a while, he had room to breatheâtime to indulge, and not just in stolen moments.
He could prep joints at night for the next day. Take long baths. Hook up with strangers. Stumble back home high out of his mind at bonkers hours in the morning.
He wasnât above sharing his pleasures, either. Heâd invite his adult coworkers to go out with him from time to time.
Gris usually took him up on it if his day had been particularly roughâespecially after some heavy trash-beast ass-kicking.
Semiu, on the other hand, decided on a whim whether she felt like tagging along or not.
As for Zanka, Enjin was already looking forward to the day heâd be old enough to become a potential drinking buddy. Fingers crossed.
Heâd even invited you along a couple of times as well, only to learnâpretty quicklyâthat you were more of a domestic soul. You liked taking care of yourself in your room during your spare time, doing chores, sticking to your own quiet routines and little rituals.
You spent a good chunk of your time tending to your vital instrument. Other than that, you just⌠existed among the residents. Easy. Steady. Reliable.
He exhaled slowly, letting the tensions of the day roll off him as his thoughts drifted towards the night ahead, an unlit cigarette sitting between his lips. The places he might go, the people he might see, the things he might do.Â
His steps echoed through the atmosphere of low humming halls. It was easy to slip into autopilot, leave monotone routine behindâas monotone as his job could get, reallyâ and trade it all for the simple pleasures waiting outside.Â
Enjin had already clocked out in his head. Cigarette, street air, somewhere loudâhe was halfway there when Augustâs voice tore through the hall.
âITâS DONE! HAHA! I DID IT!â
Enjin stopped. Clicked his tongue. Figures. Nothing out of the ordinary. He put his foot in front of the other.Â
Then August yelled your name.
The lighter stayed in Enjinâs pocket. Instinctively, he turned back around to watch the scene unfold in front of him.Â
You appeared like you always did â clothes draping over you like they were just a size too big, hair half-tamed (much like you).
Mildly tired, mildly irritated, yet entirely unbothered by the chaos that was August himself. He leaned back against the doorframe behind him, eyes following the way you yanked the fabric out of Augustâs hands.Â
âOn my fucking life,â you groaned. âWhyâre you yelling? Mâright here.âÂ
âWow, youâre so fun and energized,â Enjin chimed in, as sarcastic as he was relaxed.
You shot him a look â flat, unimpressed. He grinned anyway, like heâd just won a prize, or something. âYou asked for a new uniform?âÂ
âNot really,ââyou held the clothes up to get an impressionââhe just said heâd make me one âcause he felt inspired, so I let him.â
He couldnât help but notice the fabric of the new uniformâ or rather, the lack thereof.
Enjin then realized, distantly, that heâd never really thought about what you looked like under your layers of much too oversized clothes.
The sweaters swallowed you whole, the pants hung low and loose, and somewhere along the line his brain had filed you away as safe. Familiar.
Not something to think about.
âAugust,â you said, turning the scraps of fabric over in your hands, brows knitting together, âare you sure this is for me? This is so not what Iâd usually wear.â
Enjin almost agreed out loud. Almost. It didnât match youânot the way he knew you, anyway.
You were all soft edges and practical comfort, huge sleeves and borrowed pants, a presence that blended into the space instead of demanding it. This thing looked like it wanted to be noticed.Â
He shouldâve written it off right there, shouldâve sided with you and moved on. Instead, he found himself staring a second longer than necessary, curiosity gnawing at him in a way that felt unfamiliar. He wantedâunexpectedlyâto see it on you.
Wanted to know what August had seen that he hadnât. The thought settled in his chest, stubborn, yet not entirely unwelcome.
Enjin was a simple man.
âAre you doubting the gear genius?â He teasingly tilted his head.
âYeah? How dare you?â August scoffed.
You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. âIâm not doubting anyone. Iâm just sayingâthis doesnât really look like something Iâd wear.â
August waved you off, already vibrating with confidence. âJust try it on.â
You hesitated for half a second before nodding. âGive me a minute.â
And just like youâd seemed to appear out of nowhere, you were gone again the very next second. The door to your room clicked shut.
Enjin didnât realize heâd been watching until August lightly elbowed his side, muttering to himself about unique stitching, unmatched genius, and a true artistic vision needing proper time to take shape.
Adjusting his weight against the doorframe, Enjin finally lit the cigarette that had been resting between his lips.
Huh, weird.
Heâd seen people change beforeâhell, had undressed people before, had just been about to go out and find someone to undress again. None of this should have registered.
And yet.
Seconds ticked by, and his mind counted them anyway.
He took a drag. Exhaled. Then did it again. The burned-down bud at the tip of the cigarette fell to the floor in what felt like slow motion.
He shifted again, cigarette now between his fingers, trying to convince himself that now could be the time follow through with his original plan: go out, fool around, return at some ridiculous hour. No obligations. No reason to stick around.Â
So why werenât his feet moving?Â
His gaze drifted toward your closed door. For the briefest moment, he imagined what it might look like. Immediately, he shook his head. He really never thought of you this way.Â
And yet.
The thought lingered. The thought of youâany way other than your usual comforting, gentle, easy selfârefused to disappear. He heard the soft shuffle and toss of clothing behind the door until all that remained was quiet nothing.
He couldnât lie to himself. He was curious. Whatever pleasures waited outside werenât going anywhere, and he was entertained enough right where he wasâso why force it?
There was no rush. No harm in sticking around a little longer. If nothing else, it gave him an excuse to annoy you about it later.
Another drag. Another exhale. The cigarette was now less than half its original length. A few more inches fell to the floor, slow, unimportant, meaningless.
The lock of your door clicked. And it mattered so much, for some reason.
Enjinâs head tilted, cigarette now forgotten between his lips. He imagined your last couple motions behind that doorâ a careful tug at a new hem, flatting a creased surface of the fabric, adjusting the fit and drape of certain places. Your hands moving along yourself in a familiar fashion.Â
Your hands moving along yourself.
And that was new. In spite of all the trouble he usually got up to, heâd never thought of you as a woman before. Not once.Â
Then, you stepped out.Â
The uniform fit differently than he expected. On its own, it wasnât flashy, or anything, but it conformed to your shape in a way that made it undeniable. Attention-seeking. And youâŚ
You made it look effortless.
The seams traced your lines perfectly, moving and folding with you in one fluid motion as if the fabric had been waiting for you.
The uniform was stripped down, tight, and sharp. The skirt hugged your hips, short enough to catch the eye without feeling ridiculous. It was tasteful.Â
The top clung to your torso in a way that left neither room for more fabric, nor for imagination.Â
Over it, the cropped jacketâCleanersâ emblem bold across the backâfit snugly, following your every movement without losing its structure.Â
And the bootsâchunky, scuffed, ready for anythingâgrounded you in a way that made the whole thing feel both dangerous and effortless.
And what shouldnât have mattered suddenly mattered so much. Because, fuck⌠you were hot.
Every little shift you madeâa tilt of your head, a small tug at the hem, the way the fabric moved with youâkept catching his attention. He bit the inside of his cheek. Ainât no way youâd been burying all that under those layers.Â
And yet.
Something in him knew better. Your figure fit the style of the uniform perfectly. Natural. Balanced. Built in all the right places. That shouldnât matter. And still, it did. His pulse ticked a little faster, and he kind of hated that he noticed.
What he was most shocked to have to face was the fact that you were pretty much exactly what he imagined whenever he thought of an ideal type.Â
His lungs tightened. Not from desireâat least, not fully. Fascination, awareness, intrigueâall tangled together. The version of you heâd filed away as âsafe, familiarâ no longer fit. Something was⌠different.
You glanced at him, eyebrows raised, waiting for judgment. Approval. Anything.
He exhaled slowly, smoke heâd forgotten in his lungs curling upwards past his curious eyes. âFits,â he said, voice low and casual, as though he was trying to convince himself he hadnât been holding his breath for the past couple seconds.
You blinked, then tilted your head to look down at yourself. âYeah⌠I guess so.â
Neither of you moved. The hall felt quieter, smaller, like any sudden movement could cause him to bump into you. August had gone silent as well, half inspecting his work, half sensing the shift in the air without caring to pinpoint the energy.Â
Whether or not you had realized it, that was up for debate.
Enjin took another long drag. Exhaled. Hoping the smoke would create a barrier between him and your form.
It was then, that he realized it wasnât just the uniform that mattered. It was the subtle shift in you, the way you carried yourself differently, the unfamiliar side of you quietly asserting itselfâand him noticing, no pretending otherwise.Â
Your back straightened, chest lifted ever so slightlyâoh, fuckâand the natural sway of your hips whenever you shifted your weight had him chasing after his own breath.Â
âHonestly,â you spoke, smoothing the fabric of your skirt over your hips, âI thought this would be uncomfortable, but⌠itâs really not. I do actually like it.âÂ
âTOLD YA! IâM A GENIUS!â August screamed, dancing with wild pride.Â
Enjin couldnât help but simply stare. An involuntary smirk grazed his features. âYeah⌠you are a genius.âÂ
He was a simple man with simple needs.
âââââââââŕ¨ŕ§âââââââââ
By the time the last trash beast went down, youâd forgotten what it felt like to wear anything else.
Given the nature of your fighting, bruises were inevitableâsomething you hadnât even considered when you first received the outfit. Now, black-and-blue marks bloomed along your legs, stretching from mid-thigh all the way down.
It was a sight quite familiar to you, the difference being thatâwith your new uniformâ it was visible to everyone around you as well.
You were going to have to do something about that.Â
The adrenaline hadnât quite worn off yet. Your limbs buzzed from all the movement, body feeling hot and fuzzy. You shifted your weight from one leg to the other in pursuit of some sort of relief for each limb.Â
And in spite of all your movements, the pieces of clothing hadnât shifted in any unwanted way. No hems to adjust, no creases to smooth over. Nothing. The uniform didnât just cling to your bodyâit practically felt molded to your physique.
You hadnât had to think about it once during the fight, which, honestly, was the highest compliment you could pay to the resident âgear geniusâ who had so carefully tailored it to your needs.
You glanced over at Enjin, who seemed to be in a similar state as you. Chest heaving, skin dusted with the thinnest layer of sweat and grime.
He leaned back slightly, the ever-present teasing grin tugging at his lipsâa feature that somehow only grew more pronounced after a good fight at the edge of the No Manâs Lands.
He put most of his weight onto his dear umbrella as his gaze flickered towards your form. You caught it flicking down for a split secondâa questioning twitch in his lip, a curious squint of his eyeâand then back up.Â
âDonât start,â you said, already anticipating a comment about the state of your legs.
âWasnât gonna,â he replied easily, his hands up in defense and then catching Umbreaker just in time before it fell over. Then, after a beat, âYou took quite a hit back there, though.â
âWell,â you looked down to properly inspect the spots this time. The bruises blossomed mostly in the areas around and on your knees, though your shins werenât exempt of the hues of color. Frankly, it looked like it usually did. âComes with the job.âÂ
âHuh,â his gaze flickered down again, lingering long enough for you to take note of it. âYou always bruise like that?âÂ
âPretty much?â You responded, putting one leg behind the other, as if it was going to do anything to hide it. âLegs usually take the worst of it.âÂ
âFigures.â he responded, lifting a joint to his lipsâhis habitual celebration joint, as youâve come to learn about him.
His attention to your legs lingered just a second longer than youâd expected it to, before focusing on lighting the end of the blunt with his lighter.Â
âYou know,â he teased as the fire finally caught, then dropping his lighter back in his pocket, âthe amount you bruise in a day feels like the amount I take in like, what, two weeks?âÂ
âWow, youâre so cool for that,â you shot backâunimpressed, sarcastic. âIs this your way of telling me to be more careful?âÂ
âNah,â he smirked, taking a drag of his joint and exhaling the smoke, a relaxed groan escaping along with it. âYou handle yourself just fine.âÂ
That earned him a look. âHigh praise.âÂ
âDonât get used to it.â he retorted, a challenging expression adorning his sharp features.
âAw, why not?â You finally took a moment to stretch.Â
Hands pressed together, you reached overhead, trying to ease the tension built up in your back during the fight. Even as you moved, you couldnât help but notice the hem of your top riding up just slightlyâenough to follow your motion comfortably, never restrictive, never bothersome.
It was honestly impressive.Â
When your arms dropped back to your sides, you caught the faintest flicker of movement out of the corner of your eyeâand for a moment, it felt like Enjinâs gaze was still following you. Just for a heartbeat, though.
âWhatâs up with you today?â
âHuh?â A cloud of smoke tore through his lips. âWhat do you mean?â
âYouâre, like, looking at me all the time,â you said, resting a hand on your hip. âWhatâs up with that?â
âIâm not.â He scoffed, taking another drag, huffing little smoke circles and watching them disappear into the air.
You rolled your eyes. âYou are, though.â
âNo, Iâm not.â
âYou totally are.â
âYeah,â he admitted, shooting you a hopelessly charming smile, eyes shamelessly flicking down and back up your figure. âMaybe a bit.â
Unfortunately for you, his charms didnât leave you entirely unaffected.
You couldnât help it. Anyone with working eyes knew exactly that Enjin was the unfortunate epitome of attraction.Â
The sharp line of his jaw catching the light as he tilted his head, the way smoke curled lazily from his lips, forming all sorts of organic shapes before vanishing into the air.Â
The collar of his shirt revealing the ink nestled underneath his skin, curving alongside his neck, giving him this edge that somehow fit that permanent teasing expression he always wore.
You shook your head slightly, trying to tell yourself it didnât mean anything. But your pulse had its own opinion, quickening with the small, easy awareness of him in front of you.Â
But no. This guy was more than likely carrying a choker filled to the brim with booty calls. There was no reason for him to be paying you that kind of attention, especially since he usually didnât.
Something youâd always been painfully aware of, to your dismay.
âWhatever,â you muttered, more to yourself than him. âCan you drive?âÂ
âWhy?â he grinned. ââCause your legs are busted?âÂ
âYouâre so funny today,â you mustered the most obnoxious fake-laugh you were capable of. âNo, genius. Iâm asking, because youâre high.â
âThat would certainly be a valid concern,ââhe took another taunting dragââif you werenât talking to me right now.âÂ
âSilly me,âyou said, not-so-subtle sarcasm yet to unlace from your voice. âNo, but really.âÂ
You walked past him toward the off-roader, unable to hide the little bounce in your stepâhalf from the lingering adrenaline still coursing through your veins, half from the excitement you felt at the prospect of returning back to your baseâhome.
Heavy steps followed you until you both slid into the vehicle, him in the driverâs seat.
âIâve done wilder things stoned,â he scoffed, playfully rolling his eyes as he inserted the key into the ignition.
âLike what?â You asked, getting comfortable in your seat.Â
âWouldnât you like to know.â
âYouâre so insufferable sometimes.â you sighed, shooting him a displeased look. âJust focus on the road.â
He smiled, eyes meeting yours as if to admit guilt. âNo promises.âÂ
His fingers moved quickly over the keys, firing up the engine before shifting gears and getting the car rolling.
âBuckle up, princess,â he said. âJust âcause your legs are bruised doesnât mean Iâll be slowing down any time soon.âÂ
The little nickname definitely didnât go unnoticed by youâas well as the double innuendo, which wasnât out of the ordinary for himâthough you felt too something to really comment on it.
âDonât you worry about my legs,â you shot back, trying for a casual tone. âNot like Iâm made of sugar or something.â
He smirked to himself, taking a last long drag of the joint before flicking it out the window. âGood to know.â
You caught him muttering something under his breathâmore to himself than to youâbut decided to let it slide. Your pulse still hadnât quite settledâwhether that was from the fight or due to certain body-modded men within your vicinity was something you chose not to worry aboutâ and honestly, you didnât really feel like picking fights, anyway.Â
The motor rumbled beneath you as the off-roader stumbled over the uneven ground of the No Manâs Land, gradually leaving the chaos behind. The road began to flatten with each passing mile, though the ride already felt surprisingly smoothâespecially considering it was Enjin behind the wheel right now.
You kept your hands folded in your lap. Your gaze kept wandering between the trash-ridden landscape â a rather unpleasant sight â and, of course, him â an admittedly rather pleasant side.Â
Despite every warning youâd given yourself, despite every attempt to keep your guard up, he slipped past it effortlessly. He didnât need your consent to get under your skinâand you couldnât really help letting him, either. He was just good at getting peopleâs guard downâat least among the Cleaners.
Or maybe it was just you.Â
Your gaze drifted back to him, more often than you cared to admit. His side profile looked sharper and even more defined against the warm rays of a setting sun kissing his dirt-ridden skin.Â
It was honestly a bit annoying how attractive he was.Â
You mentally traced the patterns of the tattoos disappearing beneath the nick of his shirt, wondering about the way they might continue. Your focus drifted towards the flex of his strong hands on the wheel, covered in similar shapesâhow did they curl under his sleeves?
You shifted in your seat, throwing one leg over the other, and felt the faint sting of bruises along the length of your legs. Nothing severe, but enough to remind you that your fight hadnât been gentle.Â
You flexed them subtly under the skirt of your uniform, partly to stretch, partly out of curiosity, playing a quiet game of âhow long before it hurts too muchâ. Of course, it never got to that point. Itâs just some light bruising.Â
He glanced at you then, out of the corner of his eye, and his smirk widened just slightly, like he knew about the silly game you were playing in your head to entertain yourself. A small quirk of his eyebrow, a tilt of the headâit was enough to make your chest tighten, though you pretended (miserably) to focus on your legs instead.
âSo,â he said, voice casual but teasing, âyou planning on sitting there looking broody all the way back, or are we gonna talk?â
You let out a soft breath, shoulders sinking into the seat. âIâll be honest⌠Iâm kind of tired.â
âI was wondering when youâd say that.â His tone softened, the teasing thinning out. âYou can sleep, if you wanna. Iâll wake your ass at HQ.â
âMm,â you hummed, eyelids already heavier than youâd realized. âSounds good.â
âIâll wake you up good,â he added lightly. âGet Delmon to hose you down.â
One eye cracked open. âOkay. Iâm not sleeping.â
He huffed a quiet laugh. âIâm kidding.â A pause. Then, softer, more genuine: âIâll wake you up real gentle. Promise. Get some rest.â
The hum of the engine filled the space between you. The road stretched ahead, steady and uneventful.
You shifted slightly, adjusting against the seat, legs stretching out a little more carefully this time. Your head tipped back. The exhaustion wasnât dramatic â just the slow kind that settled into your bones after a long day.
You felt it before you saw it â his hand adjusting the climate dial so the air wouldnât blow directly at you. The smallest thing. Almost nothing.
But not nothing.
Your eyes fluttered closed.
The last thing you registered was the faint sound of him muttering under his breath â something about how easily you wear yourself out â and the way the vehicle seemed to move just a little smoother than before.
You were asleep before you even realized it.
âââââââââŕ¨ŕ§âââââââââ
The common area was louder than usualâmusic bleeding from a battered speaker, empty bottles clustering along the tables, the air thick with smoke and laughter. Someone had dragged out a deck of cards, another group arguing loudly over rules that changed every five minutes.
Enjin fit right into it.
He leaned back in his chair, one arm slung over the backrest, a drink balanced loosely in his hand as he laughed along with the others. Easy. Relaxed. This was familiar territoryâpost-mission chaos, shared exhaustion, celebration for still being alive. The kind of environment he absolutely thrived in.
His eyes roamed the room in a moment that was supposed to be all about appreciating his weird, little family.
And then, they stopped.Â
You hadnât made any sort of announcement. No dramatic pause, no random attempt at drawing attention. You just slipped into the room like you always didâ quiet, familiar, reliable.Â
His gaze flickered down before he could stop himself.Â
The uniform sat on you as disgustingly well as it always did. Skirt hugged you too well, top accentuated your physique, jacket hung loose over your shoulders, sleeves slinging in the air.
He had just gotten somewhat used to seeing you this way. It was supposed to be safe. It should have been safe.
You chose trouble today.Â
It wasnât the uniform that threw him off.
It was what you added.Â
Dark fabric hugged your legs beneath the skirt, reaching high enough to erase the bruises he knew were there. Practical. Sensible.
That, somehow, made it worse.
He knew why you were wearing them. A part of him basked in the fact that he was probably the only person here that knew why you were wearing them, that this was your attempt at hiding your bruises. And, somehow, knowing what it looked like underneath made it that much more⌠intimate?Â
Not to mention the way that the plush of your legs perfectly spilled over the hem of the fabric, which was the best part about these types of socks, anyway.
But this was you. Cozy, unchanging, reliable you.
With a single addition to your work attire, youâd managed to take it from blurring the lines of professionalism to⌠well, overstepping them entirely. At least, in his eyes.
He couldnât tell if he minded or not. Or he just couldnât admit the truth to himself.Â
The card game, the drink in his hand, the music running in the backgroundâall of it faded as he took his sweet time observing you.
He eased back into the loveseat he was occupying, spreading his long legs like he owned the space, as if waiting for you was the most natural thing in the world.
You greeted a few people, checked on the kids at the childrenâs table, but never seemed to settle in one spot.
And so, he called your name before he could stop himself.Â
Your head snapped toward him, eyes locking with his as you made your way to the poker table.
âHey there,â you greeted, arms loosely crossed.
âHi,â he replied, flashing that infuriating grin. âSit down. We could use another player.â He shifted over, leaving just enough space for you to slide in, and you didâprobably closer than youâd expectedâafter greeting everyone at the table.
His hand draped over the back of the two-seater, half-encasing your frame. His legs stretched, one brushing the side of your thigh, claiming the space with casual confidence, yet leaving enough for you.
âSo⌠what are we playing?â you asked, voice light, like you were trying not to notice the proximity.
âItâs called Bluffing,â he said, eyes flicking toward you briefly. âBasically, the deck is evenly split among the four of us and we have to place cards in order of Ace to King facedown. The catch: You wonât always have the right card at the right turn.âÂ
âAh,â you murmured as you took the drink from his hand and sipped, the weight of his gaze lingering on you. âSoâyouâre gonna have to bluff.â
âRight,â he replied, brow quirking just slightly. âYou can place in multiples, though. If you gotta place an Ace and you have two on your hand, you can place both.â
âI see,â you replied, voice casual and airy. âHow do you win? Or lose?â
âOh, yeahâanyone can call a bluff at any point. If youâre right, the person who bluffed gets the entire pile on the table. If youâre wrong, you need to take the pile,â he responded. âWhoever has no cards left wins. Youâll get the hang of it.â
He leaned back slightly, letting his arm drape lazily over the loveseat, the movement deliberate, stretching closer to you without touching⌠yet. The proximity was ridiculous, and he knew it, and of course, so did you.Â
He could feel the subtle brush of your leg against his, hear the faint shift as you adjusted your seat, the way your hand lingered on the drink heâd gotten himself.
His mind did a quick double-take, because⌠damn. You smelled good. Closer than heâd ever been, and now it was impossible to ignore.
Enjin reached for the full deck on the table, shuffling it, before he split the cards evenly between the four of you, movements smooth and practiced. Cards slid across the table in neat stacks.
âAlright,â he said, glancing around. âWhoâs got the Ace of Hearts?â
Everyone checked their hand.
A beat.
âI do.â
His eyes flicked up immediately.
Of course you did.
âThenâyou start.â
He leaned back, watching from the corner of his eye as you looked down at your cards. You took just a second too long. Your lips pressed together, like you were holding back a smile.
That was new.
You placed a card face-down.
âAce of Hearts.â
He didnât even hesitate.
âBluff.â
The word came easy. Calm. Certain.
Bro snorted. âAlready?â
You turned toward him slowly. âYou donât even know what I put down.â
He tilted his head, studying you openly now. âDonât need to.â
It wasnât about the card.
It was the way you sat a little straighter. The way your fingers lingered on the edge of the card a fraction too long. The almost imperceptible satisfaction in your eyes.
You were asking for it, really.
âFlip it,â Delmon urged.
You held Enjinâs gaze for half a secondâa silent challengeâbefore turning the card over.
Six of Hearts.
Bro burst out laughing.
Enjin didnât. He just smiledâslow and smugâbecause⌠well, there it was.
âI knew it,â he said quietly.
âYou didnât know anything.â You rolled your eyes.
He huffed a low laugh. Then, using the arm that wasn't draped casually behind you, he reached down and lightly poked a spot on your leg he knew was bruised. You yelped, just enough to make him grin wider.
Meanwhile, he couldn't help but savor the fact that he was the only one who knew what your legs looked like beneath the thigh highs. It was his way of telling you thatâat least in split secondâyou belonged to him.
âI know you.â
You muttered something under your breath as you took your card back, clearly annoyedâbut not really.
âAlright,â he said, settling back again. âGo on.â
You drew in a breath, adjusted your grip on your cards, and this time when you placed one down, your expression was steady. Almost neutral.
âAce of Heartsâfor real this time.â
He watched you carefully.
No lingering. No spark. No tiny flare of pride.
Just calm.
He held the silence for a second longer than necessaryâjust to make you feel it.
âAlright. Continue.â
Delmon cracked his knuckles. âTwo.â
He placed two cards down in a neat stack. No hesitation. No theatrics.
Bro eyed him briefly, but didnât bite.
âThree,â Bro said next, tossing one card onto the pile with a lazy flick of his wrist.
Stil, no one called anything.
Then it was Enjinâs turn.
He looked down at his hand. The next number was four.Â
He just so happened to have two.
A small part of him considered holding one back for the next cycle.
He didnât.
He slid both cards into the center. Calm. Clean.
âTwo fours.â
He didnât look at Delmon.
He didnât look at Bro.
He looked at you.
Your fingers were still resting on your cards. But he saw it â that tiny shift in your posture. The way your shoulders squared. The way your eyes flicked to the pile and then back to him.
You were thinking. Good.
He leaned back slightly, arm still draped along the seat behind you.
âYou gonna call it?â he asked lightly.
Delmon scoffed. âHere we go.â
Enjin ignored him.
His gaze stayed on youânot challenging. Just steady.
He wasnât bluffing. But he almost hoped you thought he was.
For the most part, you upheld the eye-contactâeyes flicking towards the cards in his hand from time to time, as if questioning the legitimacy of them.Â
âI wanted to,â you murmured, eyes flicking toward him, wary, âbut⌠now that you want me to call it, I wonât.â
Enjin huffed a laugh.
âFair enough. Your turn.â
You placed your three cards with a smile. âFive.â
Delmonâs brow furrowed as he eyed the pile.
âBluff,â he finally muttered, leaning forward, elbows now resting on his knees.
You blinked, keeping your expression calm. âOh?â
Enjin watched from his spot, leaning back slightly, arm still stretched behind you, smirk tugging at his lips. He didnât need to see your cards to know what was coming.
âYou sure about that?â Enjin asked lightly, just loud enough for the table to hear. His voice carried a teasing edge, though he kept his own cards close.
Delmon hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded. âWhat are the odds of having three fives on your hand? Iâm calling it.â
You flipped your first card â five. Then the second â five. And the third⌠five.
It was true.
Delmon froze, eyes widening as realization hit. âHuh?â
You leaned slightly toward the center of the table, a faint, triumphant smile tugging at your lips, sliding the small pile towards him. âThere you go.â
Enjinâs gaze lingered on you, amusement and something warmer flickering in his chest. You werenât even aware of the way youâd slid closer, your side almost fully pressed against him.Â
He felt a soft nudge against his chest â your shoulder lightly stabbing into him. He didnât move. He could feel the warmth radiating from you, the faint brush of your side against his, and the subtle weight of your presence.
He looked down at you, catching your eyes before you looked away. The next second, you muttered something under your breath, too faint to carry over the pounding bass from the speakers. Enjin might have only noticed becauseâwellâhe'd just been looking at your lips anyway.
An idea struck him.Â
As if the proximity weren't already enough, he inched closer, letting his body press lightly against yours as he
leaned down, silently signaling that you should repeat yourself.
His arm draped over you more than it did over the seat, head tilted ever so slightly as his gaze locked with
yours, faces just inches apartâa challenge you were doomed to fail. He caught the brief flicker of your eyes
down toward his lap, though you didn't pull back.
He caught your gaze again, right as your pretty lips began to part. âI just asked if we start from ace again,â you spoke, almost in a whisper.
âNo,â he replied, voice casual, but he couldnât help the small smile tugging at his lips. âNext is six.â
You fit against him perfectly, your frame settling into the dip of the cushions at his side, curves aligning just so. You seemed comfortable there, either unaware of how close youâd slipped toward him or simply finding it as natural as he did.
Everyone eyes shifted to Delmon now that it was his turn. He placed one card down. âSix.â
Right after, Bro laid down a seven. Supposedly.Â
The turn circled back to him.Â
Enjin looked at his hand. Not a single eight. It was time to bluff. No big deal.
He slid two cards into the pile, careful, measured. âEight,â voice calm, almost casual. Not rushed, not nervousâjust like always. He let his gaze flick toward you out of the corner of his eye. The way you were watching him, that slight narrowing of your eyes.
âBluff,â you said, quiet, steady, like it wasnât a guessâlike you already knew.
He froze just for a fraction of a second, more amused than concerned.
âYou think so?â he murmured lightly, leaning into the seat a little more. Not defensive. Not worried. Just curious what youâd do.
You held his gaze, unwavering. Calm. Confident.
Enjin exhaled slowly, sliding the pile toward himself. âAlright, fine,â he said under his breath, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. âYou got me.â
He was just flattered to know youâd watched him so intently.
âDamn,â Bro sighed, hand on the back of his neck. âYou guys are really good at this.âÂ
Enjin hums. âYeah,â he says. âSomething like that.â
Minutes passed, then stretched into what felt like hours. The pile grew steadily, now close to a quarter of the deck, and no one could afford to lose. Yet somehow, bluffs hadnât been called in forever.
âYouâre taking forever,â you groaned, tapping your cards lightly, fidgeting.
âIâm thinking,â he replied evenly, though the tiniest twitch of a smile betrayed him.
âThinking about whatâbluffing?â
âWanna call it? I dare you.âÂ
He glanced at his cards, then back at you, then back at his hand, before cautiously sliding a ten onto the ever-growing pile.
âOne king.â
It was intense.
âYouâve got to be lying, man!â Delmon exclaimed, eyes fixed on the pile as if staring harder would reveal the truth.
âOkay, call it then. See what happens.â His empty threat earned groans all aroundâBro rubbing his forehead in frustration, Delmon gripping his knees like he needed an anchor. And you⌠still. Too still. Still in a tense way, like you were frozen in time.Â
He didnât know if it was reflex, instinct, or just a quiet urge, but his hand had started tracing lazy shapes along your shoulder. You seemed to relax into it, even if only slightly, and he was quietly glad to be of some comfort.
It also seemed to distract you from the game, which was a bonus.
It was your turn now. The pile demanded an Ace.
You picked a card and slid it onto the pile, voice even, airy. âAn Ace.â
His eyes narrowed just slightly. He could tell.Â
The way your fingers lingered on the card before letting it go, the tiny pause in your voice, the way your gaze flicked to him and then quickly awayâyou werenât enjoying the lie as much as you should have been.
He considered calling it. Just for a moment.
But he couldnât bring himself to let the pile crash down on you.Â
He leaned back just slightly, letting his gaze rest on you for a beat longer than necessary, noting the faint lift of your chest as you exhaled, and the subtle tension easing from your shoulders. Not because he needed to, not because he wanted to punish youâjust because he could.
Just because he liked it.
âââââââââŕ¨ŕ§âââââââââ
You played round after round after that, the hours slipping by unnoticed. The table shifted, drinks were replaced, the music grew louder and then blurred into the background.
By the time the night began to thin out, heâd walked you through the halls and left you at your door, talking about nothing and everything at onceârecent expeditions, Rudoâs progress, who had handled the trash beasts better on the last mission (obviously you). You said your goodbyes like you hadnât half-sat in his lap just moments earlier.
And you just couldnât shake the thought of him.Â
His lingering looks.
That honeyed tone to his voice.
The way his words always seemed to push just enough to see what youâd do with them.
Youâve been trying to catch sleep for a couple hours, but the phantom sensation of his finger lazily tracing circles into your shoulder hadnât faded. Neither had the warmth of his body pressed against yours, or the image of his sharp, calloused hands working the deck.
You groaned into your pillow, kicking your feet against the mattress (which was dumb, because your legs still hadnât recoveredâit hurt really bad).
This was frustrating.Â
Even now, your body felt as though it was running just as hot as it had when pressed right against the side of his hard chest. Tingles ran over every bit of skin that touched him. Your thoughts wandered places you usually always tried to keep them from and you were failing miserably tonight.Â
His naked, inked skin.Â
His strong, broad frame.Â
His stupid hot fucking smile.Â
The way his hands would feelâŚ
Youâd usually always been able to handle him, but something was just different this time.Â
This wasnât the same old big-ego Enjin. It was him threading himself into your thoughts, somehow playing with the pace of your heartbeat, the temperature of your skin, the electric feeling in your stomach.
Sleeping was pointless. You were lucky you had nowhere to be in the morning.Â
Maybe you should take a shower.Â
You begrudgingly lifted your face from the squished pillow and pushed yourself up, heading to grab a change of clothes before shuffling toward the bathroom.Â
By the time you reached it, your resolve had wavered enough that you didnât even bother shutting the door fully before peeling off your sleep shirt, carelessly throwing it onto your pile of laundry you had yet to find a day to tackle.Â
The water felt relieving against your skin. Today felt like the kind of day that justified turning it really hotâwhich Enjin always hated, since it usually meant a cold, miserable shower for him the next morning. After tonight, you figured he kind of deserved it.Â
If he was going to occupy your thoughts, you were claiming the hot water.Â
The sensation of the water running down your body seemed to numb the pain in your legs, but it did little to wash away the feeling of his skin pressed against yoursâbecause of course it wouldnât. This wasnât a physical sensation, it was him in your head.
You turned the temperature up a notch.
It burned, but it felt good.
Single droplets pierced you like hot needlesâa type of pain you actually welcomed. All the tension of the day seemed to wash off your body, disappearing down the drain along with the water.
You could stay here for hours, maybe even fall asleep like this. All your senses felt cut off from the outside world, with no room for any unwanted thoughts. Just the unbearably hot water, close enough to feel endless.
And then, there was a beep.
You froze. You hadnât taken your choker off yet.
Someone was calling.Â
You feared you knew exactly who.Â
âEnjin, what the fuck? Itâs, like, 1 a.m.!â you whisper-shouted, covering the choker as best you could with your hand, as though that was going to shield you in any way.Â
âHuh? Itâs almost 3. And I can hear you,â he replied.
âYeah, I know, weâre in a call!â you said, exasperated.
âNo, like⌠I can hear your shower,â he clarified, a faint chuckle in his tone.
âAnd you thought itâd be a good idea to call me in the shower?â
âYou picked up, didnât you?â His grin practically radiated through the call.
What you hated most in this moment wasnât that he calledâit was the fact that you were excited about it.Â
And the fact that he was right.
âYou donât even know how hot my shower is running right now.â you challenged him, hoping to get him right where you knew it hurt.Â
âThatâs fucked up,â he laughed, like he wasnât taking you seriously at all. âJust to tick me off? Or you just felt like showering hot?â
âI donât have to answer that.â you mumbled, reaching for the shampoo bottle.Â
âAnd that says so much,â he replied. âWhyâre you taking a shower in the middle of the night? Didnât you say you were tired?âÂ
âI was tired,â you admitted, letting the water cascade over your shoulders. âI just couldnât fall asleep.âÂ
âMm, same,â he replied. âItâs kind of your fault for turning on the shower, though.âÂ
âThats on you.â And you regretted these words the moment they escaped your lips.
âWhatâd I do?â
Because what were you even going to tell him? That you couldnât stop thinking about how good he smelled? That you wished his arm had fully encased you? That you actually kind of liked it when he pressed down on your bruises? That just thinking about any of it made your body react in ways you could never, ever admit out loud?
âI just donât like you.â you muttered, scrubbing shampoo into your hair, trying to keep your voice even.
âI know thatâs not true, sweetheart,â he said, his smile as audible as ever through the line.
Again with that pet name.
âIâm just gonna stop talking.âÂ
âYou could also just hang up.âÂ
âWhy donât you hang up?
âI donât want to,â he chuckled lowly. âI feel like you donât really want to stop talking, either.âÂ
You heard him shuffle on his end of the lineâthings cluttering and moving around.
âYouâre very confident in yourself.âÂ
âHang up, then.âÂ
You didnât reply. You didnât hang up, either.Â
âThought so,â he murmured with a faint exhaleâwas he smoking?ââWanna come over?â
âWhat. Now?âÂ
âYeah. Or, you know what?â The sound of shifting feet, a quiet grunt. âIâm coming over.âÂ
Your fingers clenched slightly around the shampoo bottle, as if it was your lifeline. âIâm in the shower!âÂ
âWell, hurry, my footâs out the door already.â And the click of his door shutting was, indeed, audible on the other end.Â
The moment you felt the shampoo rinse completely from your hair, you stepped out of the shower, grabbing the first towel within reach.
âAt least wait, like⌠two minutes,â you said, tugging it tighter around yourself. âPlease.â
âBut then Iâd have to walk all the way back.â
âOur rooms are next to each other!â you shot back, exasperated.
âYeah⌠way too far. Damn, you should lock your door.â
âAre you in my room right now?â
âYes, maâam,â he replied, as if that settled everything.
âJust waitâsit down somewhere. Iâll be right out.â you replied hurriedly, dropping the towel after drying yourself off and getting into your giant sleep shirt.Â
Shutting the bathroom door behind you and quickly shuffling your way back to your space, you find him splayed out on your bed, staring at the ceilingâor perhaps following the pattern of the smoke as it rose into the air.Â
âWell?â he asked, his focus not shifting toward you quite yet. âYou gonna keep me waiting?â
You crossed your arms, trying for irritation. âDo I look like I had a choice?â
Then, he spared you a glance, eyeing your frame for a moment. Then two.Â
He smiled. âYou look good.â
You blinked, caught off guard. âSorry?â you asked.
âYou look good.â He met your eyes after letting his attention wander all over you. âLike⌠really good.â
You shifted on the spot, tugging at the hem of your shirt. âDonât start with me, Enjin,â you muttered, though a faint warmth had already started spreading through your chest.
âRelax, Iâm just messing with you,â he said, propping himself up against the wall. He made space on the mattress, patting the newly free spot as a silent invitation for you to get comfortable.
He brought the blunt to his lips and took a long, unhurried drag. You could practically see the smoke fill his lungs, his chest expanding before he leaned his head back slightly and exhaled, the haze curling lazily toward the ceiling. The sound he madeâlow, pleasedâhad no business shooting right through you the way it did.
You took a short breath, grounding yourself, then crossed the room and settled into the space heâd made for you. You leaned back against the pillows, angling your legs carefully so they didnât tangle with his, even though the mattress dip made closeness unavoidable.
When you glanced over, he wasnât looking at you anymore.
His gaze had gone distant, unfocused, like heâd drifted somewhere else entirely as the drug settled in. For a moment, you just watched himâhis relaxed posture, the faint rise and fall of his chest, the way the smoke still lingered around him.
The thought that he looked kind of ethereal quietly passed your mind.Â
Then, with the slightest tilt of his head, his eyes found yours again.
âWanna try?â he asked, holding the blunt out toward you. You blinked. Once. Twice.Â
âWhatâsmoking?â you echoed.
âYeah.â His smile was lazy, unpressuring. âYou donât have to.â
You hesitated. Youâd never really felt the urge beforeânever saw the appeal. Still, curiosity nudged at you, persistent and annoying.
ââŚIf you teach me?â
Something softened in his expression, just briefly, before a faint smile took over.
âOf course, sweetheart.â
He held it closer, waiting. You took it carefully, immediately aware of how little you knew about what to do with it. Youâd seen people smoke before, sureâbut holding it yourself felt strangely intimidating. For something so small, it suddenly felt like it carried a lot of weight.
And you were supposed to breathe that in?
âItâs pretty intuitive,â he said, watching you with open amusement. âJust donât inhale too deeply.â
âThatâs your instructions?â
âTo be fair,â he chuckled, lifting his hands in lazy defense, âyouâre probably gonna start coughing anyway. Just a heads up.â
Your eyes rolled on instinct.
You studied the blunt like it might give you some sort of guidance if you stared long enough. Then you brought it to your lips and took a tentative inhale.
Nothing.
Frowning slightly, you tried againâdeeper this time.
Instant regret.
The burn hit fast and sharp, ripping the air straight out of your lungs. You sputtered, coughing hard as smoke escaped in uneven bursts, shoving the blunt back into his hand while you struggled to breathe. You were hunched forward, absolutely wrecked, eyes watering.
Enjin was already laughing beside you, completely unapologetic.
âI told you not too deep,â he said between laughs. âI gave you one instruction.â
You wanted to snap backâhad a dozen words lined upâbut air still hadnât fully returned to your lungs, and all you could manage was a glare that only made him grin wider.
âEasy,â he said, laughter still in his voice as he shifted closer. His hand came up to your back, warm and steady, rubbing slow circles between your shoulder blades. âBreathe. Iâve got you.â
He guided you gently back against him, your spine settling against his chest.
You coughed again, sharper this time, eyes stinging as you tried to suck in air that didnât burn. âYouââ you rasped, grounding yourself with a hand on his leg. âYouâre evil.â
He hummed, clearly entertained. âYeah, yeah. Deep breaths. In through your nose. Just like that.â
You did as he said, partly out of necessity, partly because the weight of his hand made it easier. The coughing eased little by little, your chest still tight but no longer on fire.
âThere you go,â he murmured, closer now, voice lower. âSee? Still alive.â
Without really thinking about it, you leaned back, letting your head rest against him for just a second as you caught your breath. âI hate you,â you mutteredâthough it came out far less convincing than you meant it to.
His thumb traced a lazy line along your shoulder. âMhm. I can tell.â
You exhaled sharply, shoulders tense. âYou absolutely set me up.â
âI warned you,â he said, lifting the blunt past your frame and bringing it back to his lips. âYou just didnât listen.â
Thatâs when two things hit you at once.
Oneâyou felt it.
Your thoughts began to loosen in a way they never had before. The constant noise in your head softened, blurred, fading into something distant and manageable.
And twoâthe position you were in.
Your hand resting on his thigh.
Your back pressed flush against his chest.
His arm lazily draped around you, like you just did this all the time.Â
It was a dangerous combination. With your thoughts dulled and hazy, you didnât have the energy to filter your thoughts about how much you actually liked it anymore.
He shifted slightly behind you, just enough that the pressure of his chest against your back deepened, and you felt the subtle weight of his attention resting along the back of your head.
âSee?â he murmured, more to himself than you. âKnew youâd feel it.â
You frowned faintly. âFeel what?â
âThe quiet,â he said, his finger lightly tapping against your temple. âYou stopped fidgeting.â
That caught your attention. Youâd usually try to deny itâbut you couldnât. Your thoughts felt slower. Softer.
He sensed it before you even said anythingâthe way your breathing evened out, the tension in your shoulders easing, the subtleties of the things you didnât doâlike pulling away, or fighting back.
âLook at you,â he murmured, voice low, almost cooing. âSo calm⌠seriously, this might be the longest stretch youâve gone without barking at me.â
âShush,â you muttered, cheeks warming. âMânot calm. Nâ I donât bark.â
âSure, baby,â he said, that word curling around your spine. âWhatever you say.â
And you didnât even have it in you to fully process the new pet name.Â
His hand found the hem of your shirt, tugging it lightly between his fingers, testing the fabric against your skin. Not enough to pull it up, not enough to be overtâdefinitely enough for you to notice.
You felt the faint brush of his thumb against your side with each little pull, a whisper of contact that made your stomach tighten.
âYouâre kind of comfortable.â you muttered, trying for casual as you pulled your hand backâslowly, like you didnât want to draw attention to it.
âOnly kind of?â he asked, voice easy, almost amused. His fingers flexed once against your side, just enough to be intentional.Â
âOkay,â you murmured, almost to yourself. âYouâre really comfortable.âÂ
âMm, sure seems like it,â he let out a soft hum. âYou feeling tired?âÂ
âNo,â you replied, letting your words trail just slightly. The warmth of your body pressed into his was dizzying. âMâjust very good right now.â
His hand moved lazily along your side, brushing your hip with an absent-minded care that made your stomach twist. âMm,â he murmured. âWant me to stay?â
You nodded.Â
âOkay.âÂ
The room fell into a quiet that wasnât uncomfortable, just⌠present. No teasing, no jokesâjust him and you.
Slowly, his fingers traced the curve of your waist, mapping the gentle swell of your sides as if committing every line to memory.
Each movement was bold in intention yet measured, teasingâlike he was daring you to react, and you found yourself holding still, caught between hesitation and anticipation.
The warmth of his touch spread through you in ways that werenât just physical; it was the attention, the quiet focus of him exploring without words.
His hand was no longer just playingâit was present, outlining the frame of you, leaving you aware of every point of contact, every subtle press of skin against fabric.
His other hand slowly lifted, fingers weaving through your hair. With a practiced ease, he swept it over to one side, letting your thick sleep shirt slip just enough to expose your shoulder. The fabric pooled lazily around the curve, leaving your neck bare to the warmth of his gaze.
A content sigh left your lips.Â
âYou like that?â he whispered, his warm breath brushing along your ear. You already knew he didnât need an answerâhe just wanted to hear it from you.
You complied with a soft hum.Â
He took one last slow drag of the blunt, the tip glowing faintly in the dim light. You caught the plume of smoke in your peripheral vision as he exhaled, and it curled lazily over your shoulder, teasing your bare skin.
With a subtle flick of his fingers, he sent the finished blunt spinning onto the floor. You were too caught up in the moment to care, letting the tension in your body unravel under his attention.
You donât think youâve ever been this relaxed.
The hand that had been tracing your side drifted lower, slipping past the hem of your shirt. It moved agonizingly slowly, skimming over the soft skin of your bare thigh, his thumb drawing lazy, teasing patternsâjust a little too far up, just a little too far in.
Just a little too much to pass off as friendly.
He was giving you just enoughâenough to make your skin burnâbut never enough to truly satisfy the ache that had built up inside you. The moment felt charged, but it wasnât as simple as just raw intimacy.Â
His breath skimmed the skin of your neck in slow, even intervals. âYouâre really soft.â It almost sounded like a question.Â
You could feel his attention on youâthe hazed focus of his gaze lingering along the line of your neck, the faint feeling of his hair grazing your skin. Then he inched in closerâslow, gentle kisses traced along the length of your neck. And despite all the tension coiled in your body, they werenât meant to provokeâjust soft, unhurried.
He pulled back, resting his head atop your shoulder.Â
Part of you was relieved he didnât take it further. Another part of you screamed at the loss of the feeling.Â
âYouâre not telling me to stop,â he whispered into your shoulder.Â
And, yeah. You werenât.Â
You swallowed, fingers curling lightly into the fabric of his sleeve. âYeah,â you said quietly, words slower than usual, âShould I?â
There was a pause. Not the heavy kind. Just enough to let your words settle.
âUp to you,â he replied easily, his thumb returning to trace an absent-minded line along your side. âIâd be a bit butthurt about itâbut, you know. Whatever.â
That made you laugh.Â
He stuck to caring strokes and gentle touches.
You drifted off to sleep in his embrace that night.Â
âââââââââŕ¨ŕ§âââââââââ
He was a simple man. At least, heâd always thought he was.
Things just failed to feel simple lately.Â
Enjin sat at the table, leaning slightly forward as Semiu traced patrol routes on the worn map spread across the surface. Corvus flipped through the mission logs, scribbling notes in the margins with a pencil that had long since lost its eraser.
He answered questions when prompted, offered minor adjustments to the routes, corrected a timing estimateâon the surface, he was engaged.
His thoughts were entirely elsewhere.
Theyâd gotten stuck with you in your bedroom that night, about a week ago.Â
The memory lingered at the edge of his mind, pulling his attention away even as Semiu traced the eastern perimeterâand he was fucked, since he couldnât for the life of him figure out why she was outlining it in the first place.
The scratch of Semiuâs pencil across the map, the rustle of papers, the muted scribbling of Corvusâs notesâthey all faded into the background.Â
He could almost feel your warmth, hear the soft sighs youâd given him, see your eyes closing at the subtle pleasure of his touch.Â
He understood heat, understood wantâthe easy kind, the kind you didnât have to think too hard about. Touch, tension, release. Heâd never been precious with it. Never needed to be.
So thisâthis gentle kind of cautionâsat wrong in his chest.
The way his hands slowed before touching you. How instinct kept telling him to pull you closer, but something quieter told him not to rush. Like moving too fast might shatter something he didnât quite have a name for yet.
That part confused him.
Youâd always felt safe. Why did that matter so much right now?
And then that uniform.Â
It shouldâve been the usualâcharming smiles, lingering touches, the spark of attraction he knew how to handle. Instead, it had hit him sideways. Like the sight of you had shifted something into place rather than set it on fire. Pride, maybe. Something that settled instead of burned.
The realization crept up on him slowly, unwelcome in how obvious it suddenly felt.
He wasnât being gentle because he didnât want you.
He was being gentle because, somewhere along the way, youâd started to feel precious.
And that thought lingered far longer than he wanted it to.
He absently rubbed the back of his neck as Semiu asked about polluted zones by the border of a No Manâs Land near the eastern perimeter.Â
âUh⌠yeah, those are clear,â he said, eyes drifting to the empty chair across the table, imagining you slumping into it, hair damp from a shower, in nothing but that huge shirt youâd worn that night.
Corvus glanced up sharply. âYou even paying attention, Enjin?â
He blinked, shook his head slightly, and forced a nod. âYeah, just⌠thinking âbout the deployment,â he muttered, realizing how transparent that sounded.
Heâd like to get deployed with you again.Â
No. Stop. Not now.Â
It wasnât about him seeing you for the first time when he laid eyes on you that day in the hallway. Something in him had been stirred awake, something that had been dormant for quite some time.
Granted, the way you looked definitely didnât hurt.
He just hated how smitten he felt about it.
Once he realized youâd fallen asleep, breathing slow and even against his chest, heâd chosen to give you space. Heâd tucked you in carefullyâtoo carefully, if you asked himâpulled the blanket up to around your shoulders and all that. Left without waking you.
He took a shower after. Cold.
For once, he didnât even mind that youâd used up all the hot water. Heâd planned on it anyway.Â
He just couldnât believe the way he was treating you.
Enjin wasnât selfishâjust a bit indulgent. A hedonist in the simplest sense. He liked what felt good and had never been shy about reaching for it.Â
He wasnât unfamiliar with want. He knew exactly how far he couldâve gone, how easy it wouldâve been to guide you there with him. You wouldâve let him. He was sure of that. And he wouldâve taken care of you â that wasnât the issue.
Because, fuckâhe wanted to.
So why didnât he take you?
You hadnât been tense. You hadnât been provoking. Youâd been safe.
Again, safe.Â
He was starting to get fed up with safe.Â
He clenched his jaw. It annoyed him, the way heâd held back. Especially considering the things he couldâve done to youâwanted to do to you. Thinking about making you call out his name like it was the only thing you knew how to say anymoreâover and over again.
And yet.Â
He didnât.Â
He replayed it in his head more times than he cared to admitâthe way youâd leaned back into him without thinking. The way your voice had softened. The way you hadnât told him to stop.
You wouldâve let him.
That was the problem.
It wouldnât have taken much. A slight shift of his hand. Turning your face toward his and closing the distance. You were already pliant in his arms, hazy and warm and trusting.
Trusting.
His jaw tightened again.
Of all the things he couldâve doneâwanted to doâheâd chosen restraint.
His mouth had found your neck, yesâbut only in the softest way. Slow, measured presses of his lips against your skin. It was the one thing he couldnât quite stop himself from taking.
Even then, heâd been careful.
And when had he ever been careful?
Enjin didnât do careful. He did instinct. He did desire. He did taking and giving in the same breath. Going with the flow of things.
This time, something in him had paused.
Not out of uncertainty. Not out of fear that youâd reject him.
Out of something worse.
He didnât want to cheapen it.Â
The thought irritated him more than anything else. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply through his nose.
Even here, surrounded by stained papers, pencils, and scattered mugs, the thought of you was impossible to shake.
Seeing you in your uniform hadnât started this. It had just made it harder to ignore. The way you carried yourself. The way you focused. The quiet competence. It had sharpened something that had already been there.
When had he become so aware of you? Of the way you looked at him differently lately. Of the way his body reacted to even the smallest shifts in your tone.
He wasnât used to wanting something slowly.
It was unsettling.Â
Because if this was just lust, he wouldâve satisfied it already.
And he was only just starting to realize it.
Semiu and Corvus started gathering their things. Somehow, the word dismissed drifted into his awareness, and before he fully realized it, he was up as well, tidying alongside themâhands moving almost automatically, thoughts still elsewhere.
Moments later, he waved them goodbye and stepped out of the briefing room, moving through the low, humming halls.
The day had passed in a blur.
Heâd looked for you briefly, only to be told youâd been cooped up in your room all day, finishing reports you had let pile up and procrastinatedâyou really hated paperwork.Â
And he just knew that about you.Â
At some point, heâd bumped into Semiu in the common area. She had finished her work for the day early and didnât really have anything left to doâshe figured sheâd like to use the evening to enjoy herself, or something along those lines.
Enjin had agreed.
Thatâs how he found himself in a crowded barâor clubâhe wasnât even sure and it didnât really matter. He was perched at a table, smoking his bluntâas per usualâwhile Semiu sipped a drink across from him, seemingly enjoying the light buzz in her system.Â
The music did most of the work in drowning out his thoughts. Around him, people were dancing, some were flirting, touching. Others were getting wasted, a couple were fighting. The colorful light pierced through the clouds of smoke all over the place.Â
The kind of environment he usually thrived in.Â
Usuallyâ
Oh. Semiu was talking to him.Â
ââŚmany prank calls. Like, seriously, it pisses me off,â Semiu ranted, leaning back in her chair, fingers tapping impatiently on the table.
âTotally,â he replied, taking a slow drag from his blunt. The smoke curled around his fingers as his gaze drifted over the crowd, half-present, half-lost in thought.
âIâm too nice on the phone. I bet the hell guards donât get calls like that,â she continued, voice rising slightly with exasperation.
And he tried so hardâgenuinelyâto listen to his coworker and friend he held so close to his heart. He really, really did.
âYeah, seems unlikely,â he murmured, blowing the smoke upward and letting it dissipate into the dim light.
âEnjin. Whatâs up with you today?â Semiu pressed, leaning forward now, her eyes narrowing slightly as she caught the distracted set of his eyes.
âHm?â He blinked, realizing sheâd actually addressed him, fingers flexing absently around the blunt.
âDuring the briefing, too. You, like, disconnected from the world or something?â Her arms crossed over the table, resting the weight of them on it.
âNah, Iâm good,â he said, a faint grin tugging at his lips, taking another slow inhale. âWhy? You worried about little olâme?â
 âAâight. Imma take your word for it. For now,â she sighed, shaking her head. âBut also only because Iâm so fed up by the calls I donât really have the capacity to listen to you right now.âÂ
âHonestly,â he said, exhaling the last of the smoke from his lungs before flicking the blunt into the ashtray on the table, âworks fâme.â
âYouâre welcome, boo.âÂ
Enjin felt a dip in the seat next to him.Â
In his peripheral, a woman, about a head and a half shorter than him. It almost slipped his mind that things like this happened to him more often than notâthat he usually waited for them.
âHey,â she smiled at him, feigning innocence, though they were both well aware of her intentions. âYour nameâs Enjin, right?â
Ah. So heâd spoken to her beforeâsomewhere, sometime.
He finally spared her a proper look. She sat upright, legs elegantly crossed, hair cascading over one shoulder like a deliberate portrait. A subtle flush colored her cheeks, softening her features.Â
Andâusuallyâsheâd be just the type of woman heâd go for.
But today was not a usual day.
âNope.â He popped the p with unnecessary emphasis. âNameâs Goostaf Hurgenskurk.â
The look on Semiuâs face in his peripheral was pricelessâher eyebrows shot up, mouth half-open in a mixture of shock and amusement, like she couldnât quite decide whether to laugh or glare.
âOh, sorry,â she stammered, stepping back a little. âMustâve confused you with someone.â
She turned on her heel and hurried away, leaving him with a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He watched her retreat, letting the brief amusement linger before his thoughts drifted back to⌠well, everything else.
âSo,â Semiu said, raising her glass to her lips, holding his gaze deliberately as she took a slow sip before setting it back on the table. âGoostaf.â
âI donât even know,â he sighed, running a hand over his face. âI was just trying to think of a weird name.â
âWhy, though?â Semiu leaned back, tone soft with genuine curiosity. âSheâs pretty. You always let a pretty girl take you home with them, no?â
âYou make me sound like a manwhore,â he muttered, a defeated chuckle escaping him.
âWellâŚâ Her voice trailed off, insinuatingâjust letting the thought hang in the air.
Enjin groaned, letting his head fall back against the chair. âI just donât feel like it today.â
âI feel like,â she said slowly, tilting her head up, a knowing look slipping into her expression now, âyouâre just feeling someone else.â
Andâhowever she figured it outâhe knew that she was right.
The thought settled heavier than he expected. Heâd been circling it all day, avoiding it, dressing it up as confusion or exhaustion. But now, sitting in the middle of a crowded bar with music pounding around him and with his good friend sitting across him, it finally landed.
Properly.
âFuck, Semiu,â he groaned, dragging his hands down his face before letting his forehead fall briefly into his palms. The realization hit harder than any drink or drug in the room ever could.
Her brows lifted. âIs that whatâs been bothering you all day?â
âYeah,â he exhaled, sitting back again, staring at the table instead of her. âI justâI havenât really seen her for a week. We keep missing each other at work,â he rubbed at the back of his neck. âItâs rough.â
âYou should just stop ogling her every chance you get and man up,â Semiu said, tapping her fingers lightly on the table, eyes fixed on him with quiet insistence.
âOgling is a kind of a strong word for it.âÂ
âShe ogles you too.âÂ
âYeah, I know,â he let out a short laugh, shaking his head, before letting out a sigh. âIâm losing my mind.â
âNo, man,â she said simply. âYouâre okay.â A small pause. âJust let her know.â
He looked up at her. âNow?â
She shrugged lightly. âDependsâdo you want to tell her now?â
âââââââââŕ¨ŕ§âââââââââ
You. Despised. Paperwork. With. A. Burning. Passion.Â
Hours had passed since youâd started, and the stack of reports in front of you had barely shrunk. Every form felt the same as the last, every column and checkbox an endless, mind-numbing loop.
Your pen scratched across the page, filling in numbers, ticking boxes, repeating the same information over and over, trying desperately not to make mistakes. Your eyes ached, your back was stiff, and your brain was screaming for even a single moment of entertainment.
You slammed your pen down. Enough. You needed a break.Â
For a moment, you leaned back in your chair. The room was quiet, the night outside slanting through the window casting a cold light on the mess of papers. You hadnât moved from that spot all day, and it showed.
Boredom clung to you like a second skin. Attention fractured. Thoughts wandered.
You missed everyone. Watching Zanka train Rudo from the corner of the training yard, hearing Semiuâs voice echo from the common area, even the occasional gruff comment from Delmon â all of it made you wish you could be anywhere else right now.
But youâd told everyone to stay out of your room unless it was an emergency. No distractions. No interruptions. You needed to get through the paperwork, and the last thing you wanted was someone leaning over your shoulder asking questions or chatting.
It was definitely what you wanted, though.Â
Still, even in the quiet, your thoughts kept drifting. You missed him too.
No. Focus.
You let out a long, tired sigh, shoulders slumping as you rubbed at the ache in your neck. The pen hovered uselessly above the next form.
Your eyes wandered across the room, landing on the stack of completed reports next to youâneat, precise, and utterly soul-crushing. You pushed it away with a flick of your wrist.Â
Enough of this.
Youâd finish the rest tomorrow.Â
You leaned back in your chair, stretching your legs and letting the tension in your body ease slightly. Somewhere in the corner of your mind, you imagined him thereâon your bed, attention drifting into nothingness as smoke swirled gently around him, unhurried and softâand him looking utterly peaceful. Pretty.
A knock at the door froze you mid-stretch.
Your heart skipped. Youâd told everyone to stay out unless it was urgent.
Another knock. Louder this time. Your chest tightened. You hesitated, staring at the door, mind racing through every possible scenario.
Slowly, cautiously, you approached and cracked it open.Â
To your surprise, it was Enjin.Â
And as much as he didnât look like he was about to deliver bad news, something about him had shifted. The air around him felt different.
No performative expression. No mischief in his eyes. No provoking glint. Something much softer had settled over his sharp featuresâa contrast that made your chest ache a little.
âHey,â you said, brows knitting slightly. âDid something happen?â
âNo,â he answered simply. His voice was calm. Certain. âNot at all.â A beat. âCan I come in?â
You studied him for a second longer, searching his face for anything you mightâve missed. Finding nothing urgentâjust your own curiosityâyou stepped aside.
He moved past you without another word. Not brushing against you, not lingeringâclose enough that you felt the warmth of him as he crossed the threshold. The door clicked shut behind him, the sound louder than it shouldâve been.
For a moment, neither of you spoke.
He took in your roomâthe desk crowded with papers, the stack youâd shoved aside, the pen lying abandoned where youâd dropped it. His gaze lingered there briefly before returning to you.
The silence wasnât awkward.
It was heavy.
And whatever heâd come here to sayâyou felt like it mattered.
Just that he didnât say anything. He looked at you, held your gaze as though he had all the time in the world. Like it stood still, right here in this roomâwith you.Â
You caught the faintest dip in his gazeâjust slightly, brushing over the lines of your shoulders, the skin underneath the collar of your shirtâthe smallest of shifts of his irisesâbefore returning to your eyes.
You felt like you were being⌠scanned. For something. But you didnât have the capacity to commit your mind to what that could possibly be, because your focus was on something entirely unrelated.Â
The breadth of his shoulders.Â
The vivid reds and blacks inked into his skin.Â
The loose curl of his hair falling near his temple.
He didnât say anything. Not with words, at least. But you were beginning to understand.
He stepped toward you, slow and unhurried, closing the space without breaking eye contactâwhich felt like a bit of a crime in and of itself. It was unbelievably nauseating, made you feel powerless, but in kind of a good way.Â
Had he always been so tall? He really towered over youâcouldnât even look at him anymore without folding your head back.
His hand found yours first, fingers curling gently as he drew you in. You could feel sparks at the tips of your ownâand it hurt. It hurt so much, because all the tension in your body seemed to come crashing down on you all at once and it hurt so much it felt good, somehow.Â
Then, it snaked around your waist, steady, holding you close. You didnât quite grasp what was actually happening, you just knew you wanted more, but also anticipated possibly throwing up butterflies any second now.Â
His body was so unbelievably warm and bigâthe scope of it so up close was a bit hard to grasp. You feel the outlines of his defined body through his thin sweater and you forgot how to breathe for a second.Â
His other hand came up to cup your face, gentlyâso unbelievably gentle, like your skin might crack under anything more; it almost made you cry.Â
His fingers slipped into your hair, careful, slow. His thumb moved back and forth along your cheek, steady and soft. Tenderâand you started wondering when you would have ever described him that way.Â
You were beginning to understand.
Your initial hesitance vanished into thin air along with the ability to think straight.Â
And all the what-ifs and maybes that had been crowding your mind melted away the instant he pressed his lips against yours
The sound of your heart pounding mixed with the ringing in your ears; you were certain you were about to die, if it wasnât for the way he was squeezing your frame against his, like he promised to catch you if you were going to fall.Â
He was slow. Tentative. Testing the waters, as if silently asking for permission youâd already given him a million times over in your head.Â
His grip on your waist tightened just slightly, almost accidentalâtrying so hard to hold back, yet his true immediacy shone through the cracks of his performative reluctance.Â
He had been just as desperate to do this to you as you had been to have it happen.Â
You felt the butterflies do their thing againâand it was fucked up how easily heâd given them to you, with something as simple as a kiss and a couple touches entirely unraveling you.Â
Shivers trickled down your spine at the sensation of him, of it all; his warmth radiating through the fabric of his sweater, his lips moving with your own in a painfullyâagonizinglyâslow tandem.Â
Then he pulled backâno more than an inchâyour soft, warm breaths mingling in the small space between you. A lazy, faint smile on his face.Â
âHey,â he exhaled.
A simple word. It didnât mean anything, reallyâbut it did. And you understood.
âHi.â Your voice almost ran out. Airy. Barely even there.
His grin widened, before he leaned back in again. Initially soft and merciful touches turned more intense, intentional; a firmer grip on you, a stronger tug on the back of your head, tangling into the strands of your hair at the nape of your neck.
Your body, your mind, your everything seemed to solely focus in on him. There was nothing more important than this, him kissing you senseless and holding onto you like you were going to disappear if he didnât.Â
You felt him grow impatient with each passing momentâpulling your body even closer by the small of your backâand you couldnât help but notice how large his hand felt there. He angled his head just right to deepen the kiss with natural finesse. He was everywhereâfilling all your senses, overwhelming your system in ways you never thought possible.
He smelled of faint hints of tobacco, though he tasted a lot fresher than youâd expectedâalmost minty in flavour. The mix of cigarettes and mint made for a spicy tingle on your tongue and all you could think about was how it kind of fit the man you were holding onto like a lifeline.Â
Your hands found the nape of his neck, feeling up the short hairs of his sharp undercut.
You were trying to catch a thoughtâany thoughtâat least a single wordâbut you hadnât taken a proper breath in nearly half a minute, and it was definitely starting to affect your ability to think clearly.
That he hoisted you up by the underside of your thighs with controlled ease a moment laterânot breaking away from you for even a secondâdid not help in the slightest. He took a few steps somewhereâbefore your back met the hard surface of the wall behind you.
Your legs comfortably tangled around his waist as he pinned you against it with his hips, hard. The hand previously on your cheek joined the other on your waist, fingers digging into your side, abandoning any idea of slow and tender.
Your own hands traveled beneath his collar, nails dragging across bare skin and if he didnât have this tattoo you were sure thereâd be deep, red scratches there.Â
Groans rippled through him with every drag of your nails, the sound shooting straight through your stomach. It only seemed to provoke him furtherâpulling you closer by the arch of your back and pressing you against him, his fingers digging in just enough that you knew youâd feel it the next morning.
The kiss turned messy. There was no sense or rhythm to it, only pure instinct and insatiable hunger for the other. No matter how close he wasâhow deeply his fingers dug into your skinâyou still felt like he couldnât be further away. You wanted him closer, as close as physically possible and more.Â
He moved on towards your neck and it was nothing like the faint pecks heâd left there that night a week ago. This was him devouring you, moving right on the edge between pleasure and pain. His kisses stung as he bit them into your skin, likely tainting it with red and blue hues. âYou feel so fucking good,â he whispered, basking in the way your body twitchedâyour sweet gasps nothing short of music to his ears.Â
Once he felt like he was done with one place, heâd continue his assault further down along the blank canvas of your skin, leaving only stinging spots behind, before finally returning to your swollen lips, leaving one single, slow and deep kiss.Â
âEnjin,â you heavedâthe first time you were able to take a long breath in a hot minute.Â
âMm?â He hummed, leaving lazy pecks on your lips, eyes entirely dazed. Sometimes, heâd move it to the corner of your mouth, your cheek, your jawâjust peppering you with gentle kisses, taking his sweet time with it.Â
His grip on you told a whole different story.
His huge hands encasing more of you than you could have ever expected, pinning you against him with little to no effort, like your weight meant absolutely nothing to him. And why would it? He was easily two times your size, if not more.Â
âI needââ kiss. ââmore,â another kiss. âPlease.âÂ
He pulled back an inch or two, a faint yet devilish smile adorning his face. âMore of what, sweetheart?âÂ
His head dipped back into the crook of your neck, lips grazing the newly mark-ridden parts of your skin, leaving a couple more soft kisses along their pattern. âMore of this?â Â
And he was well aware that that was not what you meant. You knew he knew that was not what you had meantâand it was frustrating to no end. The ache between your legs was getting more unbearable by the second. âNoâwant you to touch me,â you whined. You tried to ease the tension by pulling him closer, shifting your hips against himâevery attempt in vain.
He had you pinned securely in place, and there was no adjusting it without his help. Without his permission. âPlease, Enjin.â
âI am touching you, baby,â he huffed a breathy laugh, before holding his hand out to you, offering it. âHere. Move it to where you want me, sweetheart.âÂ
You held his gaze for a moment, weighing your options. It hurt your ego to have to admit this to him in such a degrading wayâand still, a part of you felt so cared for. Your pride urged you to save face, but given the position you were in, there wasnât necessarily much ego left to save. If accepting his offer meant getting the itch scratched you so desperately needed attention for, then it was simply what you had to do.
And soâwithout breaking the eye contacâyou took his hand in your own and first guided it down the like of your body and underneath the hem of your shirt. His brow quirked slightly, eyes darkening as it met the plush of the inside of your legs.Â
Ever so slowly, you moved it a couple inches further in and further up, until his fingers finally met the sole layer of fabric separating you from what youâre asking of him.Â
The smile that grew on his face was something else.Â
He shifted, properly supporting your weight on one leg while keeping you steady with a hand snaked around the small of your back. Then, without hurry, he tugged the fabric aside, running his fingers along your sore, wet folds.
His gaze tilted down to where his hand disappeared beneath the fabric of your shirt. âDamn, baby. Youâre soaked,â he let his fingers dip into you for nothing more than a couple inches before running them up and down againâtracing you. Memorizing you. âFuck, thatâs hot.âÂ
The sounds that left you would have left you feeling quite embarrassed, if you werenât so distracted right now. The relief of the friction did a lot to sate your desire for a momentâbut you could already feel yourself wanting more.Â
He seemed to have picked up on it as his fingers moved upwards to solely focus on your wanting and waiting clit. Your eyes shut close at the sudden feeling of him finally giving you what youâd needed, gripping at his shoulders for dear life as if youâd fall if you didnât and whining his name through broken breaths like a personal mantra.
He hummed. You felt his muscles shift beneath your palms, like his head had tilted upwardsâlike he was looking at you again. âYes, pretty girl?âÂ
âSâreally good,â you exhaled, opening your eyes only to see Enjin already fully focused on you through your hazed vision.Â
âI know, baby, I know,â he cooed, corner of his lip faintly quirking upwards. âWasnât even gonna do this with you,ââhe leaned in, eyes falling to your lips before catching them with his in a short kissââwas gonna come here and tell you how I feel. Wanted to spend more time with you, ask you out on a nice date, do it right this timeâbut you,â his eyes met your gaze againâthis time, more intense.Â
His previously tender attention towards your clit turned overwhelming in an instant. The pad of his finger moved a little faster and harder nowâeach deliberate stroke drawing a sharp, involuntary twitch from your body.
Youâd never felt so overstimulated, every sensation heightened to the brink, and yet some reckless part of you was completely, helplessly into it.
Soft whines slipped from your mouth, and if anyone happened to be on the other side of the wall you were pressed against, you were certain theyâd be able to hear you.
âLooked up at me all doe eyed like that. Said âpleaseâ like that.â His fingers dipped into you without warning, two of them filling you more than two fingers ever should be able to, but, of course, Enjin and his blessed, huge hands, took little to now effort to make you see stars. âThis what you wanted , sweetheart?âÂ
âMm, yes,â you breathed, pure instinct taking over as you pulled him back in by the nape of his neck.
It drove you insaneâthe way you felt his jaw shift against your palm, the slow graze of his tongue along your bottom lip, the steady curl of his fingers inside you, again and again and again.
âMm,ââhe separated from you for a momentââsâjust for you, baby,ââbefore leaning back in. His fingers curled inside you again and again, brushing that sensitive spot that made your insides tighten and your skin burn in ways no one had ever made you feel before.Â
He had something about himâsome kind of chemistry that felt entirely unique to Enjin. That towering height, those striking features, paired with his addictive charisma that showed in the way he talked to youâin the way he touched you, kissed you.
It wasnât demanding in a forceful sense. It was unraveling. It was simple. You were willing to hand yourself over completelyâwithout him ever having to ask. Like some sort of spell.Â
Without breaking away, his fingers slowly slipped from you ever so slowly, drawing a soft whine from you straight into the kiss. You felt the faint curve of his smile against your lips. Then his hands were on you again, firm and sure as he hoisted you up against him and carried you away from the wall.Â
The edge of your desk met the backs of your thighs as he eased you onto it with controlled care, settling you against the surface. You felt the edges and corners of the sheets of paper youâd just been working on minutes ago right beneath you, itching and poking at your skin.Â
With one last, teasing bite to your bottom lip, he pulled back from your kiss-swollen lips with a devilish glint in his eyes.
He lifted his fingers to his mouthâthe ones previously teasing you beyond measureâand licked them clean of you without breaking his hazy gaze from you. You could tell he was doing it just to mess with youâand it was working unfortunately well.Â
Your attention drifted to the thing repeatedly pressing against your inner thigh, and a mix of curiosity and anticipation washed over you.Â
Given the size of himâhis body, his hands, his limbsâyou had expected him to be a certain⌠size. And in a way, he met those expectations. But to feel the bulge of him so intimately pressed against you made it hit you all at onceânow that your bodies were pressed close to flush against one another.Â
This man was big.Â
Your hand reached towards the hem of his pants, almost instinctively, before his own hand caught yours by the thin of your wrist. Looking back up at him you noticed the corner of his mouth curled upwards. âNot now, pretty girl.âÂ
Your head tilted in response. âWhy not?âÂ
 âSome other time. Jusâ wanna focus on you today,â he brought your hand within his towards himself, leaving a couple of gentle pecks along the inside of your wrist.
âBut what about you?âÂ
âIâll enjoy you, baby,â he leaned back in, pausing just an inch before, a devilishly charming smirk resting on him. âDonât worry your pretty head about it.âÂ
His lips found yours again, trading a few more heated kisses before drifting to the corner of your mouth, along the line of your jaw, and down to your already tender neck.
He roamed your body with no shame, tracing your every lineâfrom the swell of your chest to the plush of your hips. Groping at your sides and circling your waist with his hands, before pushing you backwards for you to lean against the wall behind you, forcing himself between your legs, casually.Â
His hands found their way between them again, collecting the slick on his fingers, before lazily drawing patterns over your pulsing, sore clit, drawing all sorts of sounds and reactions from you as passively pumped his fingers in and out of you every now and then, like it was just second nature to him.Â
His kisses trailed downwardâpast your heaving chest, along the curve of your stomach, across the warmth of your thighsâbefore his head finally settled between your legs, where he left a mix of teasing love-bites and gentle, lingering pecks on the insides of your thighs.
âYouâre very kissable,â he commented from his position on his knees, looking up at you as he guided your legs to rest atop his shoulders.Â
The sight was chargedâthis huge man, both in height and breadth, overwhelming in body mass and bearing the authority of the head of your team, kneeling there in front of you. Something about the commanding way he held himself even in that submissive posture.Â
It didnât make him any less impressiveâor any smallerâin your eyes. If anything, the juxtaposition only made him more magnetic.
He looked fucking hot.
His hair all messed up, lips kiss-swollen, mirroring your own, skin covered in a thin layer of sweat, eyes dazed with pleasure and radiating the sheer power he naturally carried. His brow was quirked ever so slightly, a faint, mischievous smile on his face.
âIs that why you bit my neck raw?â you asked, looking down at him through your own daze, fingers grazing through the short strands of his hair, not much bite in your voice despite your words.
He huffed a laugh, and your heart skipped a beat.
âMâabout to do much worse than just eat your neck, babygirl,â he said lowly, his hot breath traveling past the thin skin of your inner thighs, his gaze traveling downwards.Â
And with that, his tongue dipped through your folds, dragging a slow lick up your heated, pulsing core. Your breath shuddered, your hand gripping at his hair to anchor yourself as he worked you up.
His hands wrapped around your thighs, your feet resting on his shoulders as he pinned you against his face, tongue dragging up and down through your folds and making a point to flick your sensitive, aching clit in the process.
âEâEnjin⌠ahâsâ so good.â
You felt him suck it into his mouth, toying with it between his lips before letting it go in a wet kiss and continuing his assault. You felt like the meal of a starving man.
He had no shame in the way he was eating youâthe sounds he was making, the way he was practically making out with you. What youâd yearned to feel was finally coming true, and your body and mind seemed to sing with the relief he was finally granting you.
He pressed the flat of his tongue against your clit, rhythmically dragging it up and down. His fingers dug into the flesh of your thighs, holding you against him as to leave no room for escapeâat least not until he was done with you.Â
This man youâd known to be so indulgent in his own pleasure now shifting his focus entirely onto you left an impact that would haunt you for the rest of your life. No one had ever treated you the way he did, touched you the way he hadâmade you feel the way he was making you feel.
Youâd certainly never experienced anyone going down on you of their own free willâlet alone seeming to take pleasure in it themselves.Â
No man, no less.
And yet, here he was, caging you against him, just in case the pleasure he was giving you became too much to handleâwhich, judging by the way it was building up, it already was starting to feel that way. He definitely wasnât letting you go.
The friction drove you crazy, made you feel as though you were floating and falling all at once. You couldnât decide whether to pull him even closer or push him away, but you knew that everything about him felt so fucking good and something was building up inside of you that only he could unravel.
One of his hands loosened its grip on your thigh, sliding down and around it, before two fingers began pumping into you, curling against the spot Enjin had claimed the moment you had guided his hands between your legs.
âAhâplease donât stop,â you writhed and you whined, eyes shutting close at the overwhelming feeling of him flooding your senses.
âMâright here, baby,â he breathed against you, before turning his attention back to your puffy clit, fingers deep and curled inside you.Â
Pleasure twisted into an intoxicating kind of painâthe rare kind that made you ache to explore it even more. It burned, it stung, sharp and sweet all at once, and yet you knew with absolute certainty that if he stopped right now you would shatter into a million miserable pieces.Â
Without warning, he suckled your clit into his mouth again, flicking his tongue over it as his fingers pumped in and out of you with relentless rhythm. Your legs instinctively clamped around his head, trying to shut out the overwhelming sensation, to push him awayâto no avail.
Your body reacted on its own, trying to relieve the strain he was putting on you, but your mind wanted nothing more than to keep him as close as humanly possible.
âMâ gonna⌠please⌠sâso much,â you whimpered, forever torn between pulling him closer and trying to escape.
That only seems to edge him on as he raised the intensity, moving harder and faster in every way imaginable and making you see stars and cry his name like a desperate prayer.
âEnjinâfuck, sâso good, please-âÂ
Your climax crashed over you, leaving you trembling in the wake of it.
Like the good man heâd proven himself to be, he guided you through it, helping you ride the wave, tracing lazy circles over your clit with his tongue while his fingers moved in slow, languid rhythm. Finally, he pulled back with one last, gentle kiss to your now tender and abused clit.Â
He slowly rose to his full height, hands flat on the surface of the table, encasing your pleasure-drained body, your torso leaning half against the wall.
âIf I had known you taste this good Iâd have done this a lot sooner,â he smiled, catching your lips in a kiss you couldnât resist if you tried.Â
âMm,â you replied in a haze, returning the pecks he was giving you and tasing yourself on lips tongue. âCan I return the favor?âÂ
âAs much as Iâd love to see you try, baby,â he smiles, helping you off the desk as he scoops you into his arms effortlessly, making his way to the bathroom with you. âHow about we take a hot shower together and I take you out on a date first?â
âââââââââŕ¨ŕ§âââââââââ
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE :3
thanks to my amazing beta readers @zukunyy and @imjusttrashignoreme
thanks to my boyfriend who helped me write a service top because he just can
and thanks to @pixopix for the dividers :3
A/N: AND THANK U GUYS FOR READING <333 Iâm planning a part 2 to this because I need me so dom Enjin and Iâm actually more of a fan of oral m!receiving anyway sooo yeah thatâs gonna happen hopefully :3 again, thanks for readingâIâd appreciate a reblog if you liked it シ:*+.\(( °Ď° ))/.:+ if you have any requests you can definitely lmk
+18 | MDNI
Considering the fans this man has build up, I do feel like I owe a fic for him...even tho he has mustard hair..
Naoya x f! Reader / smut
If u don't like what or how I write block my vlog and the tags :)
âââââ âââââ âââââ âââââ ââ
You have dreaded this day since the day you were ten. Or maybe you have been dreading this man since you were nine.
You have never liked Naoya.
Whether it was the way he'd always talk down to everyone, or the fact he wouldn't or maybe even couldn't tie his own sandals. Either way, all you remember feeling about this man since a very young age was deep annoyance.
You always and immediately wanted to groan when he opened his spoiled mouth, or even came close to you really.
So logically, the day poor little twelve year old you found out that he would be your husband.. you were not having it.
"this isn't up to discussion, child. Marriage isn't about love when you're born into our clans family." Your mother had excused you temper tantrums. "Do you think I married your father because I wanted to? Weak women wither first, get yourself together."
But the worst part was Naoya, really. He was so damn smug about the whole situation, especially entering your teen years.
His family's misogynistic ways imprinted even more on his in that time. He'd make sure to always walk in front of you, or he did until you started tripping him every time he did it.
This bickering would go on anytime you interacted with each other.
And it didn't stop even now.
Your twentieth birthday was only a month ago, yet here you were. Already with a ring in your finger that felt like a cuff around your ankle.
Throughout the whole day and ceremony, he kept whispering filth in your ears. About what would come later, after the ceremony.
You struggled with not making faces, or confronting him about how he was going to be a father if he didn't know how to wipe a counter.
His wandering hands were only a side dish to his primitive words. You took more deep breaths than you spoke words that day.
Your back was bare against the expensive fabric of your shared futon, Naoya slotted between your legs like he owned the place, which he maybe did. His fingers were working you for what felt like an eternity.
Prodding and scissoring, effectively stretching you for what's to come later. You tried your best not to spare him any sounds, only quiet gasps and broken whimpers slipping past your lips.
"Not gonna sing for me, bridie?" He mocked, his damn smirk still plastered on his face. His thumb came to push on your clit.
Your hips jolted, a breath getting stuck in your throat. You bit down on your lip, feeling pressure build up in your gut.
Naoya noticed in the way your breath faltered and your insides twitched. "Wife's are supposed to answer to their husbands you know." His free hand came to squish your cheeks together.
You yanked your face from his hand. "Fuck off-hn..!" Naoya shook his head condescendingly. "All this time and you still don't have any manners."
Your orgasm was creeping up on you even further, spine tingling and arching right as you were about to tip over the edge.
Naoya withdrew his fingers from your sopping cunt. Watching in something close to delight as you squirmed from the sudden loss of friction.
"Just admit you like the way I touch you." He pressed a mock kiss to your cheek. "'would make things so much easier on you, y'know."
"you're so damn annoying." You huffed out through heaved breaths. Naoya dismissed your comment with an eye roll.
"Whatever.." his hands grasped your thighs. "C'mon wifey. Spread 'em for me." He parted you legs, taking his time observing everything between them.
His thumb swept up your slit, parting your glistening folds for his prying eyes to reach even further. You didn't meet his eyes once he looked at your face again.
He gave himself a few preparing strokes, before lining up with your oozing entrance. Your fingers dug into the sheets next to you, trembling the slightest.
"what, you scared?" Naoya taunted you, starting to push himself in.
The burn wasn't as bad as you thought it'd be, despite the strength making your toes curl. Now you were almost thankful for the foreplay he put you through.
Your hips squirmed underneath him, cunt fluttering around him. "Don't-" His fingers dug into your sides until his knuckles turned white. "Don't - do that." His voice didn't sound as cocky as it did any other time he spoke. It was more pressed, like he was barely holding himself together.
His face disappeared into the crook of your neck, expression pinched and twitching.
Fuck, you were tighter than he expected.
He squeezed his eyes shut to stop them from rolling back.
Would he even be able to bottom out fully before --shit.
Your expression twitched too, but into a surprised one. You felt warmth spilling inside of you. Along with Naoya's huffing in your neck, your could paint yourself a picture of what happened.
"..Did you-"
"shut up..!" He was even trembling a little. "I..didn't." he insisted, despite not even being asked anything in particular.
His breathing was labored, trying to get himself together. "Fuck.. you're..- doing this on purpose..!" He barked, grinding his hips weakly into yours.
" 'you need a moment?" You asked, half mockingly half concerned.
You didn't think you ever saw him as embarrassed and exposed as now before.
"I'm fine.." He huffed out. "Don't - need condolences from..- from my wife."
"You sure..?" Your hand came to the back of his neck. "I could take over if you can't-"
A sudden snap of his hip shut you right up. You gasped sharply, contracting around his length still buried in you again.
He groaned, back arching from the feeling of your soft gummy walls twitching around him.
"don't even think about it.." he seemed utterly offended. "Just-"
"give me a second.."
âââââ âââââ âââââ âââââ
Actually do kinda hate this man, but this was fun to write so, yh.
Smut was very awkward to write so no proofreading on this, hope y'all's enjoyed it anyway
<3