also a place to stay

Maybe when he joins you in your bedroom, you can figure out what’s going on.

But an hour after you’ve prepared for bed, Valko still isn’t beside you.

It’s unlike him to not join you in bed when he visits. Usually he’s the one to convince you to go to sleep, and when you finally relented, he’d open his arms to welcome cuddles. It’s always warm in his arms, and the sweet nothings Valko would whisper on your head quiets down all the worries you may have carried throughout the day.

So when you’re met with the cool and silence that lingers because of his absence, it feels suffocating to say the least. Your blanket is not nearly as comforting, and your pillow doesn’t carry your worries quite like his words did.

With exhaustion weighing in your bones and concern etched into your heart, you stand up to see where Valko went. Your deepest fear clings onto your soul like a parasite as you search for your wolf — did he wander off into the woods without bringing you with him, never to be seen again?

But your heart calms and panics simultaneously when you see Valko on your couch instead. The TV remains off, and the only noises you can hear are your sharp, nervous breaths and the sniffles he hides behind his hands.

“Valko?”

He looks up in response to your voice, his entire face red and decorated with tears. “Oh, sweetheart. I-”

You immediately sit beside him, wiping his tears before he can get the chance to hide himself again. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I-I’m okay.”

“No.”

It sounds harsh coming out of your lips, and it even makes your boyfriend’s eyes widen a little, but you refuse to let him hide his emotions from you. Nonetheless, you soften its impact by placing kisses all over his tear-stricken face, letting him know that you’re here to help carry the weight of whatever it is he’s shouldering.

“Tell me what happened, my love,” you gently ask, but Valko’s eyes dart down to your shirt as though its design were code he’d love to learn about. The only response you get are his sniffles as his tears fall down to your hands, soft whispers of your name in-between like you’re his salvation.

With every teardrop that falls, a new question appears in your head. Did someone hurt him? Did you hurt him without knowing? Why didn’t you comfort him sooner?

“I…” Valko interrupts your thoughts, but he falls into your embrace before he can finish his sentence. Your questions halt completely, your utmost focus now placed in comforting him.

“Oh, my baby.”

You swear his hold on you tightens hearing that, so you continue to call him all sorts of affectionate names in the same way he does when he’s cuddling you. Darling, my love, honey… hell, even “my wolfie” escapes your lips, earning you a soft but meaningful chuckle from him.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

His ears are down as hesitation turns into a shake of his head.

“That’s okay, my love. I’m…” Tears coat your face as well, but you hide it with a smile he cannot even see. “I’ll be here for as long as you need me.”

Valko gasps, pulling away from your embrace just to meet your gaze. His eyes widen again when he sees how much your face mirrors his in terms of melancholy. “Do you mean that?”

You nod with no hesitation. In every life, in every timeline, in every world where he is yours, you will stay by his side until the very end. “Of course.”

“Even when I’m like this?”

You tilt your head in confusion, a habit you’ve gotten from him. “Like what? Like a cutie?”

His gaze is elsewhere, but you notice his cheeks and ears turning a pretty shade of pink. “N-no. Like a… a monster.”

The world outside stops, stunned into the same silence you are. Only one question in your head remains loud enough to drown your shock: Who made him feel that way?

But Valko falls back into your embrace, and all of the words you wanted to say are robbed from you. Whispers of “I love you” coat him warmly, and he even giggles when you lightly poke his ears.

“I love you, my little wolf. Forever and ever.”

Valko meets your gaze once more, bravely asking you questions through his eyes alone. Who could see a monster in a man whose heart is on his sleeve and with loyalty akin to a kindred spirit? Who could see a monster in those eyes that stare at you like sun rays do?

You gently caress his ears again to hear that giggle you love so much. “You’re a cutie, my love. I don’t know who made you feel like you aren't, but they’re wrong.”

“But I’ve… I’ve made a mess in your home-”

“You’ve made my house a home,” you clarify before he can finish talking down to himself. “Picking up Pile It Up blocks and getting hugs from you as I cook is amazing. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

“But I look like-”

“Like a cute little wolf,” you say with a smile on your face, rubbing his head of hair. “You’re so handsome, my love.”

And this time, Valko doesn’t say anything. The pink hue on his cheeks that gradually darken speaks for itself.

Your smile widens when you see your victory, and you share it by kissing him again. On his forehead, his cheeks, and especially his lips — no place is left unloved. No part of him is left to wonder whether or not he’s beautiful.

Because in your heart and soul, you know that Valko is the most beautiful person you have ever met.

“I’m glad you’re here,” you tell him. “Don’t disappear on me, yeah?”

Valko smiles, as if to say, Why would I ever do that?

a/n: did y'all like the ending? 🥹

also, "little wolf" is the cutest nickname i've heard for Valko. bittersweet, yes, but sweet all the same

Thank you for reading! Any form of interaction is appreciated. Take care :)

Sylus, in response to his gratitude, stands up with a smug grin on his face. “The pleasure is all mine,” he says. It’s difficult to pinpoint how genuine the statement is considering how the lady next to him has her hand above her gun, but Valko knows well enough that sincerity is the last thing he could expect from acquaintances.

Although, his curiosity about the lady is definitely not out of mere politeness.

All throughout the meeting, you sat in the seat next to Sylus without asking for permission from either of them. Sylus had introduced you as a dear friend of his, someone he’d call on if “matters got out of his hands,” and he would’ve told you to stay outside had Valko not welcomed you in. He knew of Luke and Kieran and once welcomed them with open arms, but he didn’t know of you. Were you a friend, a foe, or another thing he would rather not admit to himself?

“May our new deal keep the both of us prosperous,” Valko says as he stands, planning to escort his business partners out of the room. “If you keep your end of it, that is.”

“A good partnership depends on trust, and something tells me that you don’t have much of that at the moment.”

“Your reputation precedes you, Sylus. An admirable feat, but unfortunately it does have some consequences.”

This is all in good fun, is what Valko would’ve thought if he expected sincerity. If he placed his heart on his sleeve in front of the devil like a fool.

“Don’t act like you know nothing about deception, Valko,” Sylus remarks. “Aren’t you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”

“Draconic fire isn’t welcome here, I’m afraid.” He shakes his head when he sees your wide eyes. “Don’t trip on your way out!”

And with a scoff, his business partners are gone.

The silence of the familiar room seeps into Valko, the metaphorical fires of hell crawling into his skin and consuming him slowly. With a soft sigh, he looks for his mask so he could go and monitor what is called “The Hunting Grounds” and catch whoever is entitled enough to plaster the mask of a wolf’s deception on their face.

He should’ve known to make sure the room was completely empty, because by the time he places his hood on his head, someone clears their throat behind him.

Valko stills.

“What are you planning to do?”

He turns around to see you with your hands crossed, glaring at him with more suspicion than Sylus did during this entire meeting. “Didn’t think you’d want to see me again so soon, sweetheart.”

Your face turns red at the pet name, earning you a small grin from the cunning chairman.

“Anyway,” he adjusts his sleeves to make sure his heart wouldn’t fall out. “My extracurriculars are none of your business.”

“If you’re planning to hurt anyone, then they are my business.”

Valko raises a brow, intrigued. It’s been forever since he’s sensed a noble heart.

You step closer, and with each step you take to close the distance, his curiosity about you boils within him more. You weren’t a foe, judging by the way you listened to illicit business ventures with a straight face, but a friend feels too weak to describe the way you make his heart jump.

“I’m not going to hurt anyone.” He raises his arms, surrendering. “I’m not that type of man.”

That’s one of many lies Valko has stated tonight.

“What type of man are you, then?”

Your face is too close, too smug for his liking. Behind the mask is a smile only reserved for those who could entice him. Seldom is it ever seen, even in the morning sun, so it beats him how you could make him smile so easily.

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing seems to be accurate,” you continue, but this time you poke his mask like he’s a statue to be admired and not an illusive, cunning chairman. “Shame. You look better without a mask.”

Valko stops you from pulling it down completely, fearful that you’ll see the redness that burns beneath it. His hand sits atop yours, gently pressing it against his chest. “You’re a brave cat, aren’t you? Poking wolves isn’t a fun hobby.”

“Ah, so you are a wolf.”

He sighs, amused. This conversation is more multifaceted than all of the business deals he’s ever done.

“You’re taking up a lot of my time, sweetheart. I have to go.”

“Go where?” There is curiosity in your gaze, the flame of it matching his. He finds himself wanting to show you his world — his family, his life, everything he doesn’t usually show other people.

But Valko doesn’t answer.

The night surprises you with an abrupt message from Sylus on both of your watches, signaling the end of this… entertaining conversation. A half-hearted joke about relationships that would only be found on a Moments post of a chronically online Linkon user is not at all what one would expect from Onychinus’s leader, but then again, the man has always been good at surprising people.

“Sylus is ridiculous,” you comment. “He’s always pairing me up with you.”

“He’s playing Cupid now?” Valko asks. 

“For a man who can aim guns, he sure can’t aim an arrow.”

Valko bites his tongue from saying that the metaphorical arrow had quite accurately aimed at his heart. Dwelling in this realization, he looks at the moon which shines amidst the dark night, reminding him of what he needs to do.

“I’ll have to go,” he says regretfully. “Safe travels, sweetheart.”

And he wanders off into the Hunting Grounds with only your smile burned into his mind.

a/n: I'm still not over Valko's trailer, you guys. I truly cannot wait to meet our fluffy cutie chairman :3

Thank you for reading! Any form of interaction is appreciated. Take care :)

What was his name again?

“Valko,” he answers, like he’d just read your mind. He leans back against a tree, defenseless and bloodied, although if the Hunter’s Association hadn’t tasked you to take care of him, you would’ve been fooled by his appearance.

“Valko,” you repeat. “And what are you doing out of confinement?”

“Seeing you.”

Goodness, his mouth is something else.

Your grip on the gun tightens. How foolish of you to bring one of the Association’s flimsy weapons instead of the one Sylus had offered to you. 

“Funny, but this isn’t a great first date option. Running away from me isn’t so…”

“Romantic?” he finishes. “And here I thought you didn’t like me.”

You don’t, but playing cats and dogs to keep him disarmed is nice. Taking a careful step forward, the end of your gun brushes against his chest, but you don’t shoot. You don’t do anything except freeze when his hand touches your hair, when his gaze burns you from head to toe.

The moonlight knows just how to soften even the wildest of men, huh?

“Would I have chased you here if I didn’t like you?”

“Would you have kept me confined if you did?”

You huff. “You’re not answering my question.”

But he only smiles, those fangs of his settling on his lip for a mere second. Blood drops from his hair to his chin, and he pants like there isn’t air between you both.

In a world where you aren’t completely hypnotized by the sight, the end of your gun would have been in his mouth.

“Speechless?” Valko teases. “I didn’t think that was possible.”

“I didn’t think I could corner you, but here we are.”

His little pout does nothing to ease your nerves, or the butterflies that flutter carelessly in your body. If he wasn’t the Association’s target or EVER’s associate, you would think he was endearing.

“Arrest me then, Miss Hunter.” He makes a show of placing his arms in front of you. “Since you’re being so good.”

Good? Is there anything good about the way you’re hesitating?

“Go on. You can do it.”

You scoff, reaching for the cuffs that hang onto the belt loops of your pants. Or, at least, they’re supposed to be there. Panic wells up in your chest when you realize your handcuffs aren’t where they’re supposed to be.

“You! Give me back my cuffs!”

He raises his hands in mock surrender. “I didn’t take them.”

“Where else would they have gone?” With one hand on your gun, your other does a hasty inspection on him. Your hand brushes his face, his arms, his legs…

“Goodness, Miss Hunter. Do you caress your lovers on your first dates?”

“Do you ever shut your mouth?” you remark, standing back up with no cuffs in hand. “Ugh. I must’ve dropped them while chasing you.”

“How convenient,” Valko murmurs dryly. “I didn’t make that patdown worthy for you.”

With how much of him you’ve seen just by doing so, your newfound intrigue certainly makes it worth it. But even in this world where you are hypnotized, you know when to bite your tongue.

When the other hunters come to find him, the sight they are to see is the fury in your eyes and the softness of his smile. Nobody would expect Valko to soften, but the only woman who could make him do so is in front of him, falling in love. 

a/n: ugh, i wish we got more of his personality in the teaser. if he does end up being as flirty as i've portrayed here, he'll take away my ability to breathe (as if he hasn't already lmfao)

thank you for reading! any form of interaction is appreciated. take care :)