bearbetts

Iroh’s brows lifted knowingly. “Mm.”

“Don’t start.” Zuko narrowed his eyes.

“I have not said anything,” Iroh stated knowingly.

“You’re doing the face.” 

“What face?”

“I have work to do.” Zuko sighed with the intent of ending the conversation.

“Of course you do.”

Strangely enough he actually did. Messages still needed answering, patrol reports required reviewing and supply requests from the ship waited untouched on his desk. So that afternoon, Zuko worked from his room overlooking the cove. Or he attempted to.

Sunlight streamed across maps and scrolls scattered over his desk while warm sea air drifted through the open balcony doors. Zuko finished one report, started another and read the same sentence four times. He found himself staring out the window again. The rocks below sat empty and the shoreline gleamed beneath the afternoon sun, waves rolling lazily into the cove. The sound of your voice was nowhere to be heard and he saw no sign of your tail in the water. 

Zuko frowned slightly and forced himself back toward his paperwork. Ten minutes later, he looked again to find the cove still empty. Ridiculous. What exactly had he expected? For you to simply appear every afternoon perched dramatically on the rocks?

He dragged a hand down his face and returned to writing as the silence stretched. A gull cried overhead and Zuko’s eyes drifted back toward the cove almost involuntarily.

Still nothing.

His quill stopped moving. Maybe you weren’t coming back. The thought settled unpleasantly in his chest. 

“Lord Zuko?”

Zuko nearly launched out of his chair.

A servant stood awkwardly in the doorway holding a stack of fresh correspondence.

“…Yes?”

“Your report, sir?” The servant asked stiffly. 

Zuko glanced down to realize that he had accidentally written half a sentence directly across the wrong scroll. Wonderful.

By late afternoon, his work remained only partially finished. The ocean outside glowed amber beneath the lowering sun. Zuko leaned back from his desk with a frustrated exhale and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. He shouldn’t care this much, especially because he barely knew you. Yet the cove felt strangely wrong without your voice threading through it.

He sighed as he let his hair out of the tight bun it was in that was causing him a headache as he made his way out of the room. The evening air was warm as he descended the stone path leading toward the beach. Sunset burned gold across the horizon, setting the water ablaze with orange and pink reflections. The cove was quiet and noticeably empty. Zuko slipped off his outer robes near the shore, rolling his sleeves absentmindedly before stepping into the ocean. Cold water climbed slowly around his ankles then his knees. He exhaled softly as he moved deeper.

The sea pulled gently around him as he submerged beneath the surface, letting cool water wash over tense muscles and restless thoughts alike. For a few moments, there was only silence before he saw the movement just beyond his peripheral vision. Zuko surfaced immediately, pushing wet hair from his face as his eyes scanned the rocks surrounding the cove.

“Hello?” he called cautiously toward the shoreline. A flash of shimmering scales vanished behind the farther rocks. Zuko’s heart betrayed him. You were there trying very badly not to be seen. Despite himself, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“You know,” he called toward the rocks, voice softer now, “for someone who keeps telling me not to trust your kind…”

He treaded water calmly, glancing toward where you’d disappeared.

“…you’re not very good at hiding.”

The water remained still for several long seconds before two glowing eyes peeked over the edge of the rock watching him suspiciously. For a long moment, neither of you moved. You remained half-hidden behind the rocks, chin barely above the waterline while your bright eyes watched him carefully.

Zuko tried very hard to look normal. Which would have been easier if his heart wasn’t suddenly beating loud enough to drown out the ocean.

“You came back,” you said at last. There was something quieter about your voice now compared to the night before. Less fearful.

Zuko brushed wet hair back from his face. “You sound surprised.”

“A little.”

“Why?”

You hesitated before admitting softly, “I thought maybe you’d changed your mind about me.”

“No,” he answered immediately.

Your expression shifted faintly to a soft smile. The setting sun bathed the cove in molten gold now, warm light spilling across the water in shimmering waves. It caught against your scales beneath the surface, turning them almost unreal. Zuko stared before he could stop himself. Under the sunset, you looked less like a creature from sailor stories and more like something ancient pulled from the sea itself. Beautiful enough to make the ocean seem dull in comparison.

“You’re staring again,” you murmured.

Zuko blinked hard. “I—”

“You always stare when you’re thinking.” A small smile tugged at your lips.

“I do not,” he said defensively.

“You do.”

“I’m just—” He stopped himself, biting his lower lip. 

Your brows lifted slightly. “Just what?”

Zuko swallowed the honest answer that lodged itself in his throat. You waited patiently, drifting a little closer through the glowing water.

“…You look nice,” he muttered finally.

Your eyes widened slightly in surprise and Zuko looked like he wanted the ocean to swallow him whole.

“I mean— not that you don’t normally look—” He grimaced. “That sounded strange.”

A soft laugh escaped you.

“No,” you said gently. “It didn’t.”

Heat crawled up the back of his neck instantly.

You drifted closer still, curiosity brightening your expression.

“The sun reflects on your scales,” Zuko explained awkwardly, gesturing vaguely toward the water. “They look different.”

“How?”

“…Pretty.” He glanced at you again before quickly looking away.

“So do you.”

“What?” Zuko slowly lifted his eyes to meet your again. 

You tilted your head slightly.

“Humans don’t glow underwater the way sirens do,” you said thoughtfully. “But when the sunlight hits you…” Your gaze drifted across the water toward him. “You look warm. Like the sun does.”

His pulse stumbled violently against his chest. Nobody had ever spoken about him like that before.

“You’re staring now,” you teased softly.

Zuko opened his mouth to answer and steam abruptly hissed around his shoulders. He whipped around instantly to find faint wisps rising from the ocean around him.

“Oh no.”

The water surrounding his body had started heating and tiny curls of steam rose where his emotions spiked, warm enough now that the seawater around his chest shimmered.

You blinked at him in surprise before laughing. It was bright and startling and beautiful. Mortified, Zuko immediately dunked himself deeper into the water.

“This has never happened before.”

“That’s a lie,” you tease. 

“It is not,” he stated in self-defence. 

“You’re steaming.”

“I’m aware.”

“I didn’t know humans did that.” Your laughter only softened into helpless giggles as more steam curled around him.

“We don’t!”

“Well, you are.”

Zuko groaned and covered part of his face with one hand while you floated there trying and failing to stop smiling. Zuko refused to look directly at you for at least the next thirty seconds which only made your amusement worse.

“You’ve stopped steaming,” you observed innocently.

“I’m glad you find this entertaining.”

“I do, actually.”

Zuko muttered something under his breath while wiping seawater from his face. The sun had nearly dipped beneath the horizon now, painting the cove in deep gold and soft pinks. The water around you glowed warmly in the fading light. You drifted a little closer.

“Do all firebenders react like that?”

“No,” he grumbled

“So it was just you?” Your smile widened.

“Yes, thank you for clarifying.” Zuko tried not to stare at your smile but failed at the simple task.

The ocean rolled gently around them in comfortable silence for a moment before your gaze suddenly brightened with thought.

“Come with me.”

Zuko blinked. “What?”

You tilted your head toward the deeper end of the cove. “There are tide pools beyond the rocks.” Excitement slipped into your voice now. “When the water is calm, seashells collect there.”

“…Seashells.”

“Yes.”

Zuko opened his mouth to respond, then closed it.

“There are shells that look like moonstones here. And glass coral.” Your eyes flicked back toward him. “I could show you.”

“…Fine.” Zuko tried very hard to sound unimpressed. You disappeared beneath the water in one graceful motion and he stared after the shimmer of your tail before sighing softly and swimming forward to follow. The water deepened quickly around the rocks bordering the cove. Sunset light filtered beneath the surface in wavering gold ribbons while schools of tiny silver fish darted around him before you resurfaced several feet ahead.

“Hurry,” you called softly.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. “I am swimming.”

“Slowly.”

“I’m human.”

You vanished underwater again and he huffed and followed, pushing farther through the sea until jagged rocks opened into a hidden inlet tucked between the cliffs. His breath caught at the sight of the tide pools that shimmered beneath the fading sunlight like scattered mirrors. Smooth stones lined the shallow water while shells of every color rested beneath the surface. The entire place looked untouched like a well kept secret.

“Well?” you asked from nearby.

Zuko glanced toward you.

You floated lazily beside one of the rocks, sunlight catching against your scales in flashes of blue-green fire.

“It’s beautiful,” he admitted quietly.

“I knew you’d like it.”

Zuko crouched carefully near one of the tide pools, fingers brushing through cool water as he picked up a spiral shell streaked with gold. You moved beside him curiously.

“That one’s lucky.”

“You have lucky seashells?”

“We have many things.” Your shoulder brushed lightly against his arm beneath the water. Zuko looked toward you again. Far too close at the droplets that clung to your lashes and your glowing eyes that reflected the sunset. Your gaze flicked downward suddenly.

“You’re steaming again.”

Zuko nearly dropped the shell.

“You’re doing it on purpose now,” Zuko accused.

“Doing what?”

“Pointing it out.”

“I just think it’s interesting.” Your eyes flicked toward the faint steam curling around the water beside him. “You react very dramatically.”

“I do not react dramatically,” he said defensively.

“You heated the ocean because I called you pretty.”

Zuko stared at you in horrified silence before he looked away again. The sound of your laughter echoed softly through the hidden inlet. The sunset had begun slipping fully beneath the horizon now, deepening the tide pools into glowing shades of violet and gold. Tiny ripples of reflected light danced across the rocks surrounding you both.

You reached into the shallow water suddenly before pulling something free.

“A wishing shell,” you announced. The shell shimmered pearly white beneath the fading light, smooth and spiraled perfectly at the center.

“That’s a seashell.”

“It’s both.” You moved closer through the water until your shoulder brushed lightly against his again.

“In my pod,” you explained softly, “we carve wishes into shells and return them to the sea.”

“And the wish comes true?” Zuko turned the shell carefully between his fingers.

“Sometimes, you shrug.

“That sounds suspicious.”

“You’re suspicious.”

“I’m realistic.”

“You’re grumpy.” Your grin flashed briefly.

“I’m not grumpy.”

You laughed again before reaching toward one of the rocks and producing a small sharpened piece of coral. Zuko eyed it cautiously.

“You carry carving tools around with you?”

“It’s just a brush..”

“That feels unrelated.”

“It isn’t.”

You pressed the coral gently into his hand. “Carve something.”

Zuko hesitated but the shell sat warm from his body heat in his palm while waves lapped softly around your arms beneath the water.

“What do people usually carve?” he asked quietly.

“Names. Wishes. Promises.”

You leaned closer to watch him, slowly, carefully, Zuko carved the first letter of his name into the shell. A crooked little Z. Then you took the shell from his hands and carved your own initial beside it. The letters sat unevenly together against the pearly surface.

Zuko stared at them longer than he should have.

“What now?” he asked softly.

You held the shell carefully between both hands.

“Now we make a wish.”

The ocean breeze moved gently through your hair as you closed your eyes. Zuko hesitated before doing the same.

“What did you wish for?” he asked quietly after a moment.

Your eyes opened slowly.

“If I tell you,” you murmured, “it won’t come true.”

Zuko frowned slightly. “That’s convenient.”

“You asked.”

“…Fine.” He looked back toward the shell. “Then I’m not telling you mine either.”

“You already are.”

His brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The ocean can hear heartbeats.” You smiled softly.

Zuko suddenly became very aware of his heavy heart palpitations. The tide pulled it from your fingers instantly, carrying it slowly toward the deeper sea and the both of you watched it drift away in silence as your hand lingered in his. The shell disappeared slowly into the darkening sea until neither of you could see it anymore. Neither of you spoke for a while and Zuko didn’t mind.

Your shoulder rested lightly against his as you both sat atop one of the smooth rocks jutting from the tide pool. Water shimmered around the stone below while tiny glowing fish darted lazily beneath the surface. Then your gaze shifted toward him thoughtfully.

“What?”

“Your hair looks different when it’s wet.” You tilted your head slightly. Before he could respond, you reached toward something resting beside the rocks and lifted a small comb carved from pale coral. 

“What is that?” Zuko eyed it cautiously.

“A comb.”

“I can see that.”

You hesitated then, suddenly looking oddly uncertain. “May I?”

Zuko stared at you before nodding quietly.

Carefully, you shifted closer beside him atop the rock until your tail, brushed against his side beneath the water. Zuko sat impossibly still as you moved behind him slightly, gentle fingers brushing against the damp strands at the back of his neck.

“You’re tense.”

“I’m not tense.”

“You absolutely are.”

The comb slid carefully through his hair in slow and gentle movements. Zuko nearly melted on the spot. No one had ever touched him like this before. Your fingers occasionally brushed against his skin as you worked small tangles free from his hair, humming softly under your breath all the while.

Zuko stared silently out across the ocean while moonlight reflected across the waves. The tension left his shoulders beneath your touch.

“There you are.”

Zuko swallowed hard and  before he could overthink it, he leaned back slightly against you. Your movements stilled for only a second before continuing again. One of your arms rested loosely against his shoulder while you combed through his damp hair, and the warmth spreading through his chest became almost unbearable.

He could have stayed there forever. Behind him, you shifted slightly closer.

“You’re warm even at night,” you murmured absently.

Zuko opened one eye.

“You keep sounding surprised by that.”

“You feel like sunlight.”

His chest tightened again.

“And you always smell like the ocean,” he replied quietly before he could stop himself.

Your hands paused briefly in his hair, then continued slower than before.

“I do?”

“Yes.”

Zuko leaned back slightly farther against you and didn’t pull away. He was so relaxed he was falling asleep.

“Do humans always fall asleep this easily around mermaids??” you whispered teasingly.

Zuko huffed softly, eyes still closed. “You haven’t drowned me yet.”

“Yet,” you repeated thoughtfully.

“You keep saying that like you’re considering it.”

A quiet laugh vibrated against him before a splash echoed somewhere beyond the rocks.

Your entire body went rigid and. Zuko straightened immediately as your gaze snapped toward the darker end of the inlet.

“What is it?”

Another figure was partially submerged farther beyond the rocks. Another mermaid was watching. Even from this distance, Zuko could feel the hostility radiating from them. Their glowing eyes flicked from you to him, then narrowed sharply.

“No…” you mumble.

The other mermaid disappeared beneath the water without a word. 

“They saw us.”

“Who?”

“One of my pod.”

The fear in your voice was unhideable.

“Is that bad?”

“Yes.” Your eyes flashed toward him. Before Zuko could ask anything else, a deep sound suddenly echoed across the ocean.

BWOOOOOOOM.

The low haunting call of a conch shell rolled through the cove like thunder beneath water. Zuko physically felt it vibrate through the rocks beneath his feet. Another call followed, closer this time.

BWOOOOOOOM.

Your expression shifted instantly into panic. “We have to go.”

“What is that?”

“A warning.”

The ocean around the inlet had changed now. Movement stirred beneath the surface in every direction. Shadows glided deep below the tide pools too quickly for Zuko to follow. More mermaids watching. The conch shell sounded again somewhere farther out at sea, urgent and calling. You backed away from him reluctantly, water swirling around your tail.

Zuko stepped forward immediately. “Wait.”

Your eyes met his and he saw genuine fear there. Fear for him.

“You shouldn’t come back tomorrow night,” you whispered.

Zuko frowned. “What?”

“My pod won’t allow this.”

“This?” he repeated.

Your gaze flicked briefly toward his hand, then back to his face.

“Us.” you say solemnly,“You barely know me.”

“I know enough.”

Another conch call echoed through the sea and you flinched visibly this time.

“I have to go.”

Zuko stepped into the water after you. “Then let me explain—”

“You can’t explain humans to mermaids who’ve watched ships poison the sea.” There was a quiet bitterness in your voice that stunned him.

“And I can’t explain you to the Fire Nation.” Silence fell between you both.

“I liked tonight,” you admitted quietly.

Zuko’s chest ached. “Then don’t leave.”

For one horrible second, he thought you might actually stay. Your tail shifted uncertainly beneath the water and your expression wavered, but another distant conch call shattered the moment.

You closed your eyes briefly before whispering,

“Goodbye, Zuko.”

Before he could stop you, you surged backward into the ocean. Silver flashed beneath moonlight and water sprayed around the rocks. Then you disappeared beneath the waves entirely leaving only ripples behind. Zuko stood motionless in the tide pool long after the sea went still again. The coral comb remained forgotten beside the rocks.

And far out in the darkness, the warning conch echoed one final time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rights to any Characters mentioned nor do I consent to plagiarism of any kind. Thankyou ;) ☆Tags: @strangeprincessblog @cinnamongirlkisses @amethyst09 @skyavyel @butterflygirlblogg @rubyyworld @maee67 @clockworkgraystairs @averypr3ttylady1 @uchihabbynic @annichka ☆Line divider: @uzmacchiato

Iroh’s brows lifted knowingly. “Mm.”

“Don’t start.” Zuko narrowed his eyes.

“I have not said anything,” Iroh stated knowingly.

“You’re doing the face.” 

“What face?”

“I have work to do.” Zuko sighed with the intent of ending the conversation.

“Of course you do.”

Strangely enough he actually did. Messages still needed answering, patrol reports required reviewing and supply requests from the ship waited untouched on his desk. So that afternoon, Zuko worked from his room overlooking the cove. Or he attempted to.

Sunlight streamed across maps and scrolls scattered over his desk while warm sea air drifted through the open balcony doors. Zuko finished one report, started another and read the same sentence four times. He found himself staring out the window again. The rocks below sat empty and the shoreline gleamed beneath the afternoon sun, waves rolling lazily into the cove. The sound of your voice was nowhere to be heard and he saw no sign of your tail in the water. 

Zuko frowned slightly and forced himself back toward his paperwork. Ten minutes later, he looked again to find the cove still empty. Ridiculous. What exactly had he expected? For you to simply appear every afternoon perched dramatically on the rocks?

He dragged a hand down his face and returned to writing as the silence stretched. A gull cried overhead and Zuko’s eyes drifted back toward the cove almost involuntarily.

Still nothing.

His quill stopped moving. Maybe you weren’t coming back. The thought settled unpleasantly in his chest. 

“Lord Zuko?”

Zuko nearly launched out of his chair.

A servant stood awkwardly in the doorway holding a stack of fresh correspondence.

“…Yes?”

“Your report, sir?” The servant asked stiffly. 

Zuko glanced down to realize that he had accidentally written half a sentence directly across the wrong scroll. Wonderful.

By late afternoon, his work remained only partially finished. The ocean outside glowed amber beneath the lowering sun. Zuko leaned back from his desk with a frustrated exhale and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. He shouldn’t care this much, especially because he barely knew you. Yet the cove felt strangely wrong without your voice threading through it.

He sighed as he let his hair out of the tight bun it was in that was causing him a headache as he made his way out of the room. The evening air was warm as he descended the stone path leading toward the beach. Sunset burned gold across the horizon, setting the water ablaze with orange and pink reflections. The cove was quiet and noticeably empty. Zuko slipped off his outer robes near the shore, rolling his sleeves absentmindedly before stepping into the ocean. Cold water climbed slowly around his ankles then his knees. He exhaled softly as he moved deeper.

The sea pulled gently around him as he submerged beneath the surface, letting cool water wash over tense muscles and restless thoughts alike. For a few moments, there was only silence before he saw the movement just beyond his peripheral vision. Zuko surfaced immediately, pushing wet hair from his face as his eyes scanned the rocks surrounding the cove.

“Hello?” he called cautiously toward the shoreline. A flash of shimmering scales vanished behind the farther rocks. Zuko’s heart betrayed him. You were there trying very badly not to be seen. Despite himself, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“You know,” he called toward the rocks, voice softer now, “for someone who keeps telling me not to trust your kind…”

He treaded water calmly, glancing toward where you’d disappeared.

“…you’re not very good at hiding.”

The water remained still for several long seconds before two glowing eyes peeked over the edge of the rock watching him suspiciously. For a long moment, neither of you moved. You remained half-hidden behind the rocks, chin barely above the waterline while your bright eyes watched him carefully.

Zuko tried very hard to look normal. Which would have been easier if his heart wasn’t suddenly beating loud enough to drown out the ocean.

“You came back,” you said at last. There was something quieter about your voice now compared to the night before. Less fearful.

Zuko brushed wet hair back from his face. “You sound surprised.”

“A little.”

“Why?”

You hesitated before admitting softly, “I thought maybe you’d changed your mind about me.”

“No,” he answered immediately.

Your expression shifted faintly to a soft smile. The setting sun bathed the cove in molten gold now, warm light spilling across the water in shimmering waves. It caught against your scales beneath the surface, turning them almost unreal. Zuko stared before he could stop himself. Under the sunset, you looked less like a creature from sailor stories and more like something ancient pulled from the sea itself. Beautiful enough to make the ocean seem dull in comparison.

“You’re staring again,” you murmured.

Zuko blinked hard. “I—”

“You always stare when you’re thinking.” A small smile tugged at your lips.

“I do not,” he said defensively.

“You do.”

“I’m just—” He stopped himself, biting his lower lip. 

Your brows lifted slightly. “Just what?”

Zuko swallowed the honest answer that lodged itself in his throat. You waited patiently, drifting a little closer through the glowing water.

“…You look nice,” he muttered finally.

Your eyes widened slightly in surprise and Zuko looked like he wanted the ocean to swallow him whole.

“I mean— not that you don’t normally look—” He grimaced. “That sounded strange.”

A soft laugh escaped you.

“No,” you said gently. “It didn’t.”

Heat crawled up the back of his neck instantly.

You drifted closer still, curiosity brightening your expression.

“The sun reflects on your scales,” Zuko explained awkwardly, gesturing vaguely toward the water. “They look different.”

“How?”

“…Pretty.” He glanced at you again before quickly looking away.

“So do you.”

“What?” Zuko slowly lifted his eyes to meet your again. 

You tilted your head slightly.

“Humans don’t glow underwater the way sirens do,” you said thoughtfully. “But when the sunlight hits you…” Your gaze drifted across the water toward him. “You look warm. Like the sun does.”

His pulse stumbled violently against his chest. Nobody had ever spoken about him like that before.

“You’re staring now,” you teased softly.

Zuko opened his mouth to answer and steam abruptly hissed around his shoulders. He whipped around instantly to find faint wisps rising from the ocean around him.

“Oh no.”

The water surrounding his body had started heating and tiny curls of steam rose where his emotions spiked, warm enough now that the seawater around his chest shimmered.

You blinked at him in surprise before laughing. It was bright and startling and beautiful. Mortified, Zuko immediately dunked himself deeper into the water.

“This has never happened before.”

“That’s a lie,” you tease. 

“It is not,” he stated in self-defence. 

“You’re steaming.”

“I’m aware.”

“I didn’t know humans did that.” Your laughter only softened into helpless giggles as more steam curled around him.

“We don’t!”

“Well, you are.”

Zuko groaned and covered part of his face with one hand while you floated there trying and failing to stop smiling. Zuko refused to look directly at you for at least the next thirty seconds which only made your amusement worse.

“You’ve stopped steaming,” you observed innocently.

“I’m glad you find this entertaining.”

“I do, actually.”

Zuko muttered something under his breath while wiping seawater from his face. The sun had nearly dipped beneath the horizon now, painting the cove in deep gold and soft pinks. The water around you glowed warmly in the fading light. You drifted a little closer.

“Do all firebenders react like that?”

“No,” he grumbled

“So it was just you?” Your smile widened.

“Yes, thank you for clarifying.” Zuko tried not to stare at your smile but failed at the simple task.

The ocean rolled gently around them in comfortable silence for a moment before your gaze suddenly brightened with thought.

“Come with me.”

Zuko blinked. “What?”

You tilted your head toward the deeper end of the cove. “There are tide pools beyond the rocks.” Excitement slipped into your voice now. “When the water is calm, seashells collect there.”

“…Seashells.”

“Yes.”

Zuko opened his mouth to respond, then closed it.

“There are shells that look like moonstones here. And glass coral.” Your eyes flicked back toward him. “I could show you.”

“…Fine.” Zuko tried very hard to sound unimpressed. You disappeared beneath the water in one graceful motion and he stared after the shimmer of your tail before sighing softly and swimming forward to follow. The water deepened quickly around the rocks bordering the cove. Sunset light filtered beneath the surface in wavering gold ribbons while schools of tiny silver fish darted around him before you resurfaced several feet ahead.

“Hurry,” you called softly.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. “I am swimming.”

“Slowly.”

“I’m human.”

You vanished underwater again and he huffed and followed, pushing farther through the sea until jagged rocks opened into a hidden inlet tucked between the cliffs. His breath caught at the sight of the tide pools that shimmered beneath the fading sunlight like scattered mirrors. Smooth stones lined the shallow water while shells of every color rested beneath the surface. The entire place looked untouched like a well kept secret.

“Well?” you asked from nearby.

Zuko glanced toward you.

You floated lazily beside one of the rocks, sunlight catching against your scales in flashes of blue-green fire.

“It’s beautiful,” he admitted quietly.

“I knew you’d like it.”

Zuko crouched carefully near one of the tide pools, fingers brushing through cool water as he picked up a spiral shell streaked with gold. You moved beside him curiously.

“That one’s lucky.”

“You have lucky seashells?”

“We have many things.” Your shoulder brushed lightly against his arm beneath the water. Zuko looked toward you again. Far too close at the droplets that clung to your lashes and your glowing eyes that reflected the sunset. Your gaze flicked downward suddenly.

“You’re steaming again.”

Zuko nearly dropped the shell.

“You’re doing it on purpose now,” Zuko accused.

“Doing what?”

“Pointing it out.”

“I just think it’s interesting.” Your eyes flicked toward the faint steam curling around the water beside him. “You react very dramatically.”

“I do not react dramatically,” he said defensively.

“You heated the ocean because I called you pretty.”

Zuko stared at you in horrified silence before he looked away again. The sound of your laughter echoed softly through the hidden inlet. The sunset had begun slipping fully beneath the horizon now, deepening the tide pools into glowing shades of violet and gold. Tiny ripples of reflected light danced across the rocks surrounding you both.

You reached into the shallow water suddenly before pulling something free.

“A wishing shell,” you announced. The shell shimmered pearly white beneath the fading light, smooth and spiraled perfectly at the center.

“That’s a seashell.”

“It’s both.” You moved closer through the water until your shoulder brushed lightly against his again.

“In my pod,” you explained softly, “we carve wishes into shells and return them to the sea.”

“And the wish comes true?” Zuko turned the shell carefully between his fingers.

“Sometimes, you shrug.

“That sounds suspicious.”

“You’re suspicious.”

“I’m realistic.”

“You’re grumpy.” Your grin flashed briefly.

“I’m not grumpy.”

You laughed again before reaching toward one of the rocks and producing a small sharpened piece of coral. Zuko eyed it cautiously.

“You carry carving tools around with you?”

“It’s just a brush..”

“That feels unrelated.”

“It isn’t.”

You pressed the coral gently into his hand. “Carve something.”

Zuko hesitated but the shell sat warm from his body heat in his palm while waves lapped softly around your arms beneath the water.

“What do people usually carve?” he asked quietly.

“Names. Wishes. Promises.”

You leaned closer to watch him, slowly, carefully, Zuko carved the first letter of his name into the shell. A crooked little Z. Then you took the shell from his hands and carved your own initial beside it. The letters sat unevenly together against the pearly surface.

Zuko stared at them longer than he should have.

“What now?” he asked softly.

You held the shell carefully between both hands.

“Now we make a wish.”

The ocean breeze moved gently through your hair as you closed your eyes. Zuko hesitated before doing the same.

“What did you wish for?” he asked quietly after a moment.

Your eyes opened slowly.

“If I tell you,” you murmured, “it won’t come true.”

Zuko frowned slightly. “That’s convenient.”

“You asked.”

“…Fine.” He looked back toward the shell. “Then I’m not telling you mine either.”

“You already are.”

His brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The ocean can hear heartbeats.” You smiled softly.

Zuko suddenly became very aware of his heavy heart palpitations. The tide pulled it from your fingers instantly, carrying it slowly toward the deeper sea and the both of you watched it drift away in silence as your hand lingered in his. The shell disappeared slowly into the darkening sea until neither of you could see it anymore. Neither of you spoke for a while and Zuko didn’t mind.

Your shoulder rested lightly against his as you both sat atop one of the smooth rocks jutting from the tide pool. Water shimmered around the stone below while tiny glowing fish darted lazily beneath the surface. Then your gaze shifted toward him thoughtfully.

“What?”

“Your hair looks different when it’s wet.” You tilted your head slightly. Before he could respond, you reached toward something resting beside the rocks and lifted a small comb carved from pale coral. 

“What is that?” Zuko eyed it cautiously.

“A comb.”

“I can see that.”

You hesitated then, suddenly looking oddly uncertain. “May I?”

Zuko stared at you before nodding quietly.

Carefully, you shifted closer beside him atop the rock until your tail, brushed against his side beneath the water. Zuko sat impossibly still as you moved behind him slightly, gentle fingers brushing against the damp strands at the back of his neck.

“You’re tense.”

“I’m not tense.”

“You absolutely are.”

The comb slid carefully through his hair in slow and gentle movements. Zuko nearly melted on the spot. No one had ever touched him like this before. Your fingers occasionally brushed against his skin as you worked small tangles free from his hair, humming softly under your breath all the while.

Zuko stared silently out across the ocean while moonlight reflected across the waves. The tension left his shoulders beneath your touch.

“There you are.”

Zuko swallowed hard and  before he could overthink it, he leaned back slightly against you. Your movements stilled for only a second before continuing again. One of your arms rested loosely against his shoulder while you combed through his damp hair, and the warmth spreading through his chest became almost unbearable.

He could have stayed there forever. Behind him, you shifted slightly closer.

“You’re warm even at night,” you murmured absently.

Zuko opened one eye.

“You keep sounding surprised by that.”

“You feel like sunlight.”

His chest tightened again.

“And you always smell like the ocean,” he replied quietly before he could stop himself.

Your hands paused briefly in his hair, then continued slower than before.

“I do?”

“Yes.”

Zuko leaned back slightly farther against you and didn’t pull away. He was so relaxed he was falling asleep.

“Do humans always fall asleep this easily around mermaids??” you whispered teasingly.

Zuko huffed softly, eyes still closed. “You haven’t drowned me yet.”

“Yet,” you repeated thoughtfully.

“You keep saying that like you’re considering it.”

A quiet laugh vibrated against him before a splash echoed somewhere beyond the rocks.

Your entire body went rigid and. Zuko straightened immediately as your gaze snapped toward the darker end of the inlet.

“What is it?”

Another figure was partially submerged farther beyond the rocks. Another mermaid was watching. Even from this distance, Zuko could feel the hostility radiating from them. Their glowing eyes flicked from you to him, then narrowed sharply.

“No…” you mumble.

The other mermaid disappeared beneath the water without a word. 

“They saw us.”

“Who?”

“One of my pod.”

The fear in your voice was unhideable.

“Is that bad?”

“Yes.” Your eyes flashed toward him. Before Zuko could ask anything else, a deep sound suddenly echoed across the ocean.

BWOOOOOOOM.

The low haunting call of a conch shell rolled through the cove like thunder beneath water. Zuko physically felt it vibrate through the rocks beneath his feet. Another call followed, closer this time.

BWOOOOOOOM.

Your expression shifted instantly into panic. “We have to go.”

“What is that?”

“A warning.”

The ocean around the inlet had changed now. Movement stirred beneath the surface in every direction. Shadows glided deep below the tide pools too quickly for Zuko to follow. More mermaids watching. The conch shell sounded again somewhere farther out at sea, urgent and calling. You backed away from him reluctantly, water swirling around your tail.

Zuko stepped forward immediately. “Wait.”

Your eyes met his and he saw genuine fear there. Fear for him.

“You shouldn’t come back tomorrow night,” you whispered.

Zuko frowned. “What?”

“My pod won’t allow this.”

“This?” he repeated.

Your gaze flicked briefly toward his hand, then back to his face.

“Us.” you say solemnly,“You barely know me.”

“I know enough.”

Another conch call echoed through the sea and you flinched visibly this time.

“I have to go.”

Zuko stepped into the water after you. “Then let me explain—”

“You can’t explain humans to mermaids who’ve watched ships poison the sea.” There was a quiet bitterness in your voice that stunned him.

“And I can’t explain you to the Fire Nation.” Silence fell between you both.

“I liked tonight,” you admitted quietly.

Zuko’s chest ached. “Then don’t leave.”

For one horrible second, he thought you might actually stay. Your tail shifted uncertainly beneath the water and your expression wavered, but another distant conch call shattered the moment.

You closed your eyes briefly before whispering,

“Goodbye, Zuko.”

Before he could stop you, you surged backward into the ocean. Silver flashed beneath moonlight and water sprayed around the rocks. Then you disappeared beneath the waves entirely leaving only ripples behind. Zuko stood motionless in the tide pool long after the sea went still again. The coral comb remained forgotten beside the rocks.

And far out in the darkness, the warning conch echoed one final time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rights to any Characters mentioned nor do I consent to plagiarism of any kind. Thankyou ;) ☆Tags: @strangeprincessblog @cinnamongirlkisses @amethyst09 @skyavyel @butterflygirlblogg @rubyyworld @maee67 @clockworkgraystairs @averypr3ttylady1 @uchihabbynic @annichka ☆Line divider: @uzmacchiato

caleb becomes a regular in your social circle. the closer you get to mc, the more he appears in your life. he brings you coffee when he brings her own usual order. he cooks you meals when mc invites you over for dinner once a week. when your friends and mc go out on outtings, he ends up tagging along when he's not on active duty. slowly, but surely, he becomes a constant in your life. it's a subtle change in your day-to-day, but it's enough to make your breathing a little less study, your palms a little more clammy.

and on nights when you leave mc's place after dinner, your houses are in the same direction.

"you really don't have to walk me. i'm not far off," you mumble sheepishly as he paces alongside you under the night sky. you notice he's taking smaller steps than he usual does---probably to keep up with you.

it shouldn't, but your heart skips a beat.

he shrugs. "i can't let a girl walk alone at night in good conscious. plus, your place is on the way."

he's right. it is on the way, but if he's going to make you a stammering fool every time he walks you home, you'd really rather walk by yourself. you suck in air through your front teeth to will yourself to pull it together.

"i'm glad mc met you," he says suddenly. when you just stare at him in confusion, he laughs. you've noticed that he laughs differently when mc is here. more ideal. more performed. this one--although it sounds more tired--feels raw. your fists clench. you wonder if you're looking too much into it. "you're a good friend to her."

a good friend who might be developing a crush on her adoptive brother.

but when he glances over at you, purple hues glimmering against the light of the one street lamp above you, your mind goes blank again. he really is pretty.

guilt bubbles in your throat. yet your chest also clenches, knowing how much he devotes himself to her. is it jealousy? you don't know, but you shove it down, like a deep dark secret. something to be locked away and forgotten about, and something to take to the grave.

you're not sure when (maybe it's more of a gradual thing), but your feelings for him quickly grow. it started off as a small infatuation to something more intimate. too intimate. you watch the way he laughs when mc teases him. you watch the way his brows furrow when he tastes his food. you glance back when he drops you off at your place, watching his broad back disappear into the dark. you like the way he laughs. the way he double knots his shoelaces. how he draws a smiley face on your coffee cup. your heart flutters as he wraps a bandaid around your finger when you cut yourself, even if the bandaid was probably something he had on hand for mc.

you realize quickly, that you're so, so incredibly screwed.

it's not long after that mc confides in you about her longterm crush. at first, your heart nearly jumps to your throat, afraid of who she might present. but this very feeling makes your stomach drop simultaneously. isn't it wrong to have this childish posessiveness for her---what even is he? adoptive brother? childhood best friend? fated lover? you swallow hard. you hope it isn't the last one, as selfish as it is.

luckily (or unluckily) for you, she confesses her crush on her primary care doctor and childhood friend. as fast as the relief comes, your mind flickers back to caleb. does he know? does he know that his love is unrequited?

perhaps the two of you aren't so far from each other as you originally believed.

"does anyone else know?" you ask her quietly.

"nope! you have to promise to keep this a secret!" she pleads, holding your hands in hers, and you nod eagerly. "well, except for caleb. but caleb knows everything. he figured it even before i did."

oh.

he really is just like you.

"how do you do it?" you ask one night, when you and caleb are leaving her apartment in your usual routine. you'd waved to her goodbye as you left, while caleb ensured to remind her to keep her heater on because the temperature was likely to drop. and after a few silent minutes of pacing beside one another, the question had rolled out meekly, having been bubbling in the back of your throat for weeks now.

"do what?" he hums.

"how do you--" you pause. "--cope? with knowing that she likes someone else?"

he stops.

for a moment, you think you've crossed a boundary. one that isn't meant for you to cross. he stares at you with wide eyes, and then they soften again. you breathe in relief. his hand comes up to rub the back of his neck and he looks off to the side, cheeks dusting pink.

it's kind of cute.

"you know."

"i do," when he doesn't say anything, you clear your throat in a hurry. "i'm not making fun of you or anything. i just want to know because...well, i'm kind of in the same boat."

this finally makes him turn his head to look at you again, raising a brow. "you like someone? who?"

your face heats, gaze turning to the ground. "i'm not telling you."

he scans your face a few more times, but when you show no sign of giving in, he tilts his head. "you like him a lot?"

so much. so much so that it's suffocating sometimes.

"i guess," you mutter. he grins.

"what do you like about him?"

"stuff."

"is he cute?"

"sometimes."

"tall?"

"yeah."

"is he funny?"

"when he's not being annoying."

"what's your favorite thing about him?"

"i'm not telling you," you hiss, and he snickers.

after a few silent moments where you purse your lips in annoyance, he sighs in exasperation. "and you're sure he likes someone else?"

you nod firmly.

"well, sorry to be of no help but," his eyes cast to the black sky above, as if he's counting the stars. "i don't think there's a way to cope. it just becomes normal."

"normal?"

"all i can do is hope they don't get together, and that she'll see me how much better i am one day," he shrugs. "but until then, i just have to pretend things are normal."

"and...what if she never...y'know."

"she will."

you're not sure if he's convincing you, or himself. still, you leave it be.

after that night, caleb acts differently. not enough for others to notice, but subtle ways that only you would be able to see. he glances at you sometimes, even when you're not directly speaking to him. his knee knocks against yours and he doesn't completely pull away as you sit next to him. he slips a hot pack into your pocket when it's cold, right before he holds one out to mc. he smiles the way he always does in front of her, gaze flickering in your direction when her attention is elsewhere.

it makes you feel special. it's so small, and it shouldn't, but it does. you know he's doing it because he sees himself in you. being in the same boat, it's his way of saying that the two of you are allies. that you understand one another. and that in itself, makes your body feel all warm.

if only he knew that the part of you--the one you were so desperate to get rid of--secretly wished he would stop having feelings for her.

but you let it go on. for months that feels like years. you watch him interact with mc from the side, and it's hard at first. but after a while, you suppose he was right. the clench of your chest becomes the norm--so much so that sometimes, you don't even notice anymore, and you become more accustomed to the way things are. you might even say that you're okay with these unrequited feelings, if it means you'll get to feel special for just a little longer.

but as all good things end, things eventually go to shit when mc confesses.

and unlike your own, it's reciprocated.

the night mc breaks the news that she's now in a committed relationship, caleb walks you home as usual. but instead of the usual humorous banter you've grown to cherish, it's a deathly silence that makes your throat dry. you sneak a few glances in his direction. he stares forward blankly, making it difficult to tell what he's thinking. you attempt to start conversation a few times, but the words die out on your tongue before it leaves your lips.

so when the two of you get to your door, you're shocked to hear him finally speak. even more, at what he says.

"do you have beer?"

you finally get a good look at his face. his usually glimmering eyes are dull, the blood from his face drained to make him look paler than he already is. he looms over you, casting a shadow across your face as he steps closer.

you want to remind him that he doesn't like to drink, but you suppose today is a special exception, so instead you nod slowly before stepping to the side to let him in.

as you watch him slip out of his jacket, you register your own feelings. it's unsettling. you'd been afraid that you would be happy if mc had fully rejected him, but you're relieved to find that you don't feel that way at all. instead, there's something heavy that sits on your shoulders. dragging you down. suffocating.

as he sinks down onto your couch, you realize: you feel like shit--as if you're the one that's been rejected.

you detest seeing him hurt. oh, how far you've fallen for this man.

the two of you drink that night, watching some crummy show from your childhood in a comfortable silence. he doesn't move a muscle, as if he's a living statue, and it makes you do the same. the stillness in your apartment is unmistakable and begins to lull you to sleep since he doesn't seem keen on sharing conversation either. you fall asleep eventually, wondering if he's going to be gone by the time your eyes open again.

sure enough, he's gone, though he was gracious enough to leave a post it on your fridge.

'thanks for the company. and the beer :)'

this becomes a ritual. he comes over every night he walks you home, drinks silently, and then leaves before dawn. the more mc fawns about her new boyfriend, the more he drinks. and the more upset he is, the more you drink. the more the two of you drink, the more comfortable you both become.

as allies would.

it's selfish, but you begin to look forward to it. existing with him. being with him. even if it means nothing to him. it's pathetic, but it's your reality.

at least, for a while.

"do you still like your guy?" he asks one night.

the light of the television flickers against his face as you answer. "yeah."

you let your head fall to stare at your fumbling fingers. you don't have to ask if he still likes her because you know. everyone knows. and even if he entertains you with these visits, he's not even aware you have feelings for him--nor would he care. you've come to terms with this months ago, and it's easier to manage now, but the dull ache in your heart remains like a persistent tumor.

you detest it.

you wish that even for a bit, even if it's for one night, he'd see you as more.

"hey," he mumbles.

you turn to his voice, only to find that he's leaned impossibly close to your face. he's just inches away, and you can see his features in all its glory despite the darkness of the room. his lashes, the straight of his nose, a subtle redness on his bottom lip from chewing on it. he's beautiful. he always has been to you. your heart should be pounding out of your chest, but all you feel is a calmness that could lull you to sleep if he hadn't been so close. and whether it's because you've stopped breathing, or if it's because you're in shock, you don't know.

his breath fans your cheeks. "i'm going to kiss you."

and you let him.

his lips are soft but eager against yours, so it's not long before he swipes his tongue against your bottom lip as if asking for your permission. you part your lips in response. it's warm. his large hands cup either sides of your face as he leans closer. it's intimate. so incredibly intimate. you place one of your hands on top of his and he kisses you deeper, leaning until you fall onto your back.

it's hot. overwhelming, yet it feels good. his mouth finally parts from yours, the taste of him still lingering on your tongue as the two of you pant to catch your breaths. his hands prop past your head onto the sofa, caging you in as his knee presses between your legs. all you can see is him. all you can feel is him. everything is him.

"is this okay?" he asks softly, and it almost makes your heart burst. why does he have to be so considerate? it would've been easier to lose feelings if he wasn't, but that's what got you into this painful predicament in the first place.

"are we going to do it?" you ask, face heating.

you should be happy right? the person you're in love with is hovering over you, staring at your lips as if he wants to kiss you till there's nothing left. but instead, you feel your emotions waver. the only thing keeping you together right now is lust.

"i'm not him, and you're not her," he whispers. "but we can pretend."

as heartwrenching as the words are---because he is him but you're not her---you nod and swallow back the tears threatening to bubble at the corners of your eyes. pull yourself together, you think to yourself. don't show him. he can't know. he can never know.

because you'd rather have him at arms length, than not have him at all.

he kisses you again, and this time, it feels more erotic. despite having used tongue last time, it feels different when he tilts your chin up to slot his mouth against yours perfectly. your eyelashes flutter open to take in his feature again, but you find that he's already watching you with lidded eyes as he slithers his arm behind your waist and presses you against himself.

his body feels hard. trained. you suppose it's to be expected given his involvement in his job, but it's more defined than you'd imagined countless times before. his hand goes to the buttons at your shirt, popping them undone one at a time as he tilts his head to kiss you at a different angle.

you think he might bruise your lips by the end of tonight.

"caleb...mmf..." you whimper against him. "...air."

he pulls away slowly, and you think you finally have the opportunity to breathe, but he lowers his head to your chest before pulling back your shirt and leaving your bra fully exposed. you yelp when he hooks a finger onto one of the cups and yanks it down, putting your bare breast on display. your face immediately turns a deep shade of red. "w-wait, caleb--"

"they're so pretty," he mumbles before latching his mouth against the peak of your breast. you gasp, but he continues to suck and mouth at the mound of flesh on your chest, just enough to leave a mark that'll grow darker by tomorrow morning. you slap the back of your hand against your mouth to muffle the embarrassing sounds slipping through your lips, but he grabs your wrist as if he knew what you were going to do.

"caleb, this is so embarrassing," you blurt, and he stops at that. he finally detaches from your breast and looks up at you through his lashes while adorning a shit-eating grin.

"it feels good, doesn't it? i can make it feel even better, baby."

the nickname goes straight to your core, that had undoubtedly soaked your underwear by now.

you must've died. you must've died, and you must be in heaven, you think.

or is it hell?

you almost shriek when his head lowers down to your hips. he pops open the button to your jeans, and you hear a 'ziiip' right before he's peeling your pants off and tossing them to the side. your hands fly in front of your face to hide how mortified you are.

"fuck, you're so wet already," he hisses, sliding a long finger against the damp spot of your underwear. it sends chills up your spine. "mm, but not enough. i need to get you ready for me properly."

whatever that means.

a moment later, his head is between the plush of your thighs. his tongue rides your clothed cunt, and the sound it rips from you is something you hope nobody ever gets to hear again. his tongue grinds against your core for a few more minutes before you feel him tug your underwear to the side.

finally, you peer down at him through your hands.

his eyes bore straight into yours as he grips either of your thighs, his fingers pressing into the fat to keep them stable.

the bastard smiles.

"show me your face. i wanna see you when i make you cum."

fuck.

you don't have much of a choice when you're gripping at the sides of the sofa just a few minutes later as he laps at your pussy like a starved man. his tongue feels hot against your core, especially when he teases your clit by sucking on it routinely before he goes back to licking your insides. his tongue pumps in and out of you lewdly, and all you can do is sink your lips into your bottom lip in a pathetic attempt to stop moaning. if his low chuckle tells you anything, it isn't doing much.

the sounds that are coming from his contact with you is enough to be in porn, you think.

you arch your back as he suckles on your clit again, body desperately trying to move away but he just pulls you closer by the thighs, plush against his mouth. your hand flies to his hair, pulling helplessly as you choke out your words. pulling on his hair only makes him suck harder. "c-caleb---'m gonna cu--mngh--!"

he hums in acknowledgment, the vibration of it just providing more stimulation against your poor pussy. his eyes meet yours again, and you swear you can hear his voice against your ear.

'let me hear you.'

the orgasm that crashes onto you is nothing like what you've felt before. sure, you've touched yourself from time to time to null you over, and at the time, it had been enough. but whatever this earth shattering spasm pulsing through your body is---you don't think you can ever go back. you cum into his mouth, and he takes whatever you have to give desperately. your body sputters as you moan, your fingers fisting in his hair again. it comes in waves, each wave hitting like a tsunami whenever you think it might be coming down from the high.

he wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand as he looks up at you.

"fuck, that's it baby," he groans, and before you can even register what's happening, his long thick fingers are pumping in and out of you.

"mngh, caleb, i-i just came!..." you whine as he climbs on top of you again, and you can feel the shit-eating grin he has as he mouths at the sensitive crook of your neck. "i'm still s-sensitive!..."

"do you know how fucking hot you are when you're cumming?" he nibbles at the shell of your ear and your fists clench against his chest. he's everywhere again. above you, in you, beside you---he's all you can feel. and all you can hear is the lewd squelching of his fingers pumping in and out of you. "i could've gotten off just from listening to you if i wanted to."

"c-caleb," you gasp, staring at his unforgiving fingers disappear inside you. "it's t-too much, please!..."

"god i love when you say my name like that," he whispers, his free hand going to grope your breast. his other hand has his thumb rubbing against your clit while his fingers continue to pump. "i love your tits too. has anyone ever told you how nice they are?"

everything is so erotic. it's hard to pay attention because your head is spinning. everything feels so good and too much at once. you barely register when you cum again, your walls clamping down hard around his fingers and coating them in your liquids as you spasm against his chest. white blinds your vision. he muffles your moans by slotting his mouth against yours, tongue pushing against your own as your eyes roll back into your skull.

you definitely must've died this time. if not, you don't know what else could possibly kill you.

"you still there, baby? that much, you can take, right?"

maybe not.

when your eyes flutter back open, he smiles. "good girl."

you barely notice the way he lifts his fingers to his mouth, sucking on what you left on him as he stares at you trying to pull your consciousness back together. you're not sure what you expected from caleb in the bedroom. sure, you've imagined him and how he'd be a million times given how long you've yearned for him, but it was nothing like this. you'd envisioned him to be more traditional. maybe softer? vanilla, definitely, but this...

he takes his fingers out of his mouth with a 'pop', eyes never leaving yours in the process.

he's filthier than you thought he'd be.

"told you i could make you feel even better."

and annoying. you push his face away and push yourself up onto the sofa while he purses his lips in disappointment of having to take his hand off your chest. you eye him suspiciously. is he...pouting?

why is it kinda cute?

"do you have a condom?" ah, you'd been so fucked out you hadn't realized the two of you hadn't actually...

you shake your head, finally able to gather yourself in some semblance of how you usually are. "i don't. i'm on birth control."

"fuck," he bites the inside of his cheek. "that's hot, too."

you blink at him. "that i'm on...birth control?..."

"no," he suddenly hooks his arm beneath your knees and the other around your back and lifts you up from the sofa. you yelp, hands flying to grip his shirt (which you now realize is still on), but he's already on his way to your bed room. "that we get to fuck raw."

your face goes red. so vulgar.

he places you down gingerly onto your bed, and you perch yourself on your forearms as he stands straight. he takes the bottom of his shirt with either arm, pulling his shirt over his head in a single motion and tossing it to the floor. god, if you didn't think he was sexy fully clothed (which you did), he was most certainly now. the abs you'd felt through his shirt earlier are cut like they've been chiseled by some sculptor, and if he wasn't standing in front of you you'd think he'd been photoshopped. he has some scars, but they only add to the slick collecting at your core.

he smirks at your wandering eyes. "like what you see?"

"shut up."

he rolls his eyes playfully as he unbuckles his pants. "degrade me more and i might get off on it."

you decide you'll shut up this time around. instead, you crawl to the edge of the bed to finish taking off his pants. his eyes widen as your fingers gingerly work on the zipper, and then reach your hand into his briefs.

is this thing even going to fit?

"it'll fit," he mumbles, and you look up at him in surprise, as if he's read your mind. you think you might see the slightest pink hue at the edge of his ear, which makes pride tinge in your chest for flustering him, even if it's just a little.

you decide to test the waters just a bit more.

"why so shy?" you sneer. "all bark, no bite, huh?"

wrong move.

in an instant, he's on top of you. his eyes dim as he unclips your bra and tears it off to the side, your entire body now on full display. it's embarrassing, you'll admit, but also feels incredibly intimate. he raises a brow. "if we want to go there, do you want me to tell you how good you taste on my tongue? how tight you felt around my fingers? how much i like the sounds you make cumming into my mouth? how--"

you push from the back of his head to kiss him, effectively shutting him up.

and you don't know how much time has passed before you're mindlessly fucked out into the mattress---having cum for the umpteenth time---as he pounds himself deep into your core, your juices seeping out of your hole and forming a white ring around his cock.

you've found that his favorite position is missionary, since it's the third time you've lied under him like this already.

"so tight, baby," he groans, sweat making his hair stick to his forehead as he thrusts deeper into your cervix each time, making you moan loudly. "mngh--keep clamping down on me like that, fuck."

you're too far gone to even respond, eyes in the back of your skull.

"one more time, pretty," he mouths against your neck. "just one more time, together this time."

usually, you'd have put up a fight, especially given his stunt earlier when he was eating you out, but your strength to do so has long gone to dust. you nod feverishly. "feels--feels so good caleb--ngh..!"

"i know, baby, i know," he grits through his teeth. but soon enough he's lost his ability to speak, because you're cumming one last time, gummy walls gripping around him like a vice as your back arches. he pushes himself deep one last time before he's shooting a thick ropes of his seed into your womb, moaning straight into your ear. "fuck, keep milking my cock like that---shit, you feel so--"

as he collapses on top of you, you stare up at the ceiling. you can hear is his breathing against your chest. feel the warmth of his body. his hair tickles the sides of your neck. and as you come down from your high, you can only think of one thing.

you wish you could stay here forever.

at least now, something new has been added to your routine with caleb when he walks you home. drink, fuck, bathe. each time, he's gone before the sun rises, and you're left by yourself with a cold dent on the other side of your bed. every time, he leaves a sticky note on your fridge. sometimes, it tells you he left you breakfast. sometimes, it's a joke only he finds funny. sometimes, it's nothing at all, except for his usual smiley face.

the notes taunt you. as if telling you that no matter how much you drink together, how much you fuck, how much he cares for you afterward, he'll only see you as a friend and a means to cope with his unrequited love.

nothing more, nothing less.

despite the euphoria you experience with caleb each night, reality hits you in the face faster than you would like. even before the morning when he's gone, or when you see the sticky notes. he carries you to the bathtub afterward, where the two of you sit quietly, your back to his chest while he plays with the ends of your wet hair. he doesn't say much, and you wonder if reality has hit him again too. with the initial rush of lust gone, all that's left is what was there before. a grim, stomach sinking feeling that you can't seem to ignore as you usually do.

rejection.

"you should confess to him," he says one day.

your breath hitches.

"before someone sweeps in and takes him away," he mutters. "like what happened with me."

"i can't do that."

you feel him tilt his head. "why?"

because if this is all you can have, you want to have it. even if it's not all you want.

"i won't ever be the person he truly wants," you sigh dejectedly, cupping water into your palms as you watch your reflection. "so i'd rather just have him around, than make it awkward by telling him something that'll just burden the both of us. isn't that what you're doing as well?"

he doesn't dispute it.

when you open your eyes in the morning, he's gone as usual. you wonder how much longer you can keep this up without your heart forcefully tearing out of you. you don't know how much longer you can look him in the eyes as he thinks about someone else. you don't know how much longer you can wake up to an empty bed, knowing he's thinking about her first thing in the morning, and not you.

'have a nice day :)'

oblivious asshole.

you crumple the sticky note and toss it in the trash. but a few seconds later, you dig it out again to look at the smiley face again. it pisses you off to no end as much as it hurts, and it somehow gives you butterflies at the same time.

Like a hit of static, you jolt when fingers graze your calf muscle. It’s Sylus hiking up the tiny desk to have it rest above your thighs.

“Class is about to start soon kitten, get your stuff out” He suggests with one of his I know what you are smiles, “You didn’t do so great last exam remember?”

The worst part of it all is that you're all alone in your poor performance. You saw their grades. Exam 2 from last week came out to be a 98% and 99% for them. They compared their answers, they argued, they gloated. Then they hounded you for your score and wouldn't take no for an answer. Sylus took your computer and Caleb typed in your password as if he thought about it himself. All that to reveal a whopping 69%. And yes they made sure to tease you with every joke they could think of.

“Bet you’re blaming us for that aren’t you?” Caleb says, unzipping your bag. He fishes out your tablet, “If it weren’t for these two dummies I’d be straight A student.”

He mocks your voice at a completely different octave on purpose to rile you up. To make sylus laugh because it’ll just further piss you off.

"I think she's smarter than that" Sylus defends, and something in your chest flutters as a silent betrayal. “She knows we had nothing to do with it. If we did, the numbers might’ve been flipped.”

Assholes. Both of them. You bite your frown as you avoid their line of sight.

"Poor thing" You hear sylus coo as he studies the irritation deeply settled on your mouth. They both stare into your eyes that look ahead to watch the Professor set up his computer.

Sylus comes close, lays a thick meaty arm along the back of your seat like you’re his. You're instantly consumed by the crisp scent of leather, the kind of scent that hints a good looking man is nearby.

No one notices the way he gets really close to where you retreat by leaning the other way. Towards Caleb.

"Lucky for you, you have the two top performing students at your disposal" he promises and his smile is so kind it startles you, "S no need to look so pouty, you'll get wrinkles."

"You leave us with no choice” Caleb adds with a shrug, “You’re GPA's gonna tank without our help."

His knee knocks into yours, "Man pipsqueak..where would you be without us?"

A thousand of responses that you’d never say generate in your brain. Something about if it wasn't for caleb constantly distracting you, you'd be able to take notes. Maybe you would've made a friend or two instead of sylus scaring everyone off.

You definitely would no longer dread entering the lecture hall or start sweating the moment you sit down, waiting for the chaos to arrive.

The room lights up with the neutral color of the professor's slideshow. Big and small black font spell out on the massive projector in front and on the two side screens. The professor’s voice fills the room and he's the type of lecturer that never idles. He goes straight into the lesson after a basic greeting.

"Good afternoon. Is everyone alright? Yes? Good. Let's continue where we left off…"

At the same time you feel another touch on the side of your kneecap. It's Caleb tracing a knuckle in a straight line over the side of your thigh. Instantly, you regret wearing a skirt today.

“Interesting choice of outfit today pips” He comments and it’s dry. His cheek lays in his hand that’s propped up, “you notice that too right Sylus?”

“I’m not blind” He responds like a deep purr. “She has a great body”

You swallow at that, the emphasis and the implications of it. He makes you sound like a meal, and you’re tensing up below your skirt.

“Why wouldn’t she want to show that off?” He questions

You decide to distract yourself with your tablet, downloading the slideshow as they blatantly talk about you. You try to make yourself feel like a real student despite everyone around you doing the opposite.

Caleb’s touch doesn’t depart from your knee, in fact it rises, but you’re only glad they're not messing with your tablet like last class. Caleb trying to get into your hidden photos, Sylus creeping through your search history.

“But during the winter though? Nah" Caleb counters and Sylus hums like he makes a good point, " Pips gonna catch a cold.”

You sharply inhale through your nose when you feel his knuckle expand to a full hand, big and warm smoothing over the fat of your thigh. He coasts over you like a new car, shifting your skirt with the graze of his fingers. You know he catches the way your muscle firms when you squeeze.

Somehow they’ve found a new way to amp up their antics, and to your horror it works effortlessly.

You grip your pen and write down a word from the presentation. Just a single word, and you attempt to direct your brain to the concept as Sylus's voice drops into dangerous territory.

“Maybe we should keep her warm then”

By the middle of class your pencil is down and your tablet is asleep.

You’ve long abandoned the intellectual journey of electromagnetism. The professor and the rest of the class leave you stranded while you feel as though you're slipping back and forth from reality.

It's hard to remember that you're still in a lecture hall and there's people around. That the hall is quiet except for the professor. You can even hear the rumble of someone's stomach in the near distance.

And yet caleb whispers, and it's a mockery of a inquisitive tone.

“Hey Sylus.." He asks slowly, "What’s that noise?”

You’ve got an elbow on the side desk to bury your mouth into your palm. It helps to stifle the sounds they pull out of you with every flex of their thick fingers rubbing deeply inside your pussy.

Sylus whispers back to Caleb at your left,

“Not sure..” He goes just as taunting, and you feel the long stretch of his middle finger. It curls like it's sweet to press deep. The ice silver of his ring kisses your hole smeared in your arousal that they use to their advantage. The same ring that costs the amount as your tuition without aid, rubs your slit at his finger settles in. Your cunt drools exactly how your mouth does in your palm.

Sylus’s voice is a low hum, “Sounds familiar though doesn't it?”

He thinks aloud, and the two grin like they exchange words telepathically.

There’s another timid squelch..! as they push, “It kinda sounds like somethin' really wet" Caleb ponders,

The girl sitting in the row ahead, three seats down glances over. Her face reflects her doubt, surely she didn't hear that right?

Sylus and Caleb don't stop (why would they?). They ride out your frightful squeeze inside that pulls them in like quicksand, and don't say anything until her head turns back to her game. You feel them quiver with internal laughter as you try to recover from the humiliation.

"Huh. I wonder what could that be?" Sylus whispers

Caleb hums like he’s stumped too, and you want to tell the both of them to shut the fuck up but you don't.

“You hear that too, right pips?” Caleb asks you

Duh and you’re dizzy about it. It’s absolutely ridiculous how full you feel with just two fingers. Two different sizes and heat, but they're both so big and too good to you. Sylus and Caleb move in perfect tandem that you can hardly believe it. Knuckles sticky with your juices brush against each other as they fondle the feel of you dripping in their hands. It's like they just so happen to know what buttons to push, where and how to find them as they slide along where you're most sensitive. Because of that you’re body is more than willing to give them what they want even if your mind isn't. They both softly inhale as your tight gummy walls clutch around them, pressing their fingers together.

You try to keep it quiet by shutting your thighs. You shake your head as your final answer. You hear nothing but the rattle of your heart as it lubs quickly in your chest. They stifle their laughter again but fail poorly.

“Really?” Sylus sings in a melodic voice, and by the bass in his vocal cords it sounds hollow. In your peripheral you can see his crooked smile like the thought of sin, “You sure?”

His grin grows wider and more smug. He moves his finger faster than the slow aching drag they both settled on. He pumps into you earnestly, like he would if he was fucking you. It purposefully makes the noise from your cunt louder. You twitch inside again and again and squeal into your hand biting the fat of your palm.

“Don’t start lying now” Caleb murmurs lowly, honest advice and a threat wrapped in one. Alongside sylus, he's shameless and you tremble. Your thighs collapse to spread like a whore. There's another disgusting squelch! that dribbles out “Nah no way..you know exactly what that is” He says with a slow convincing nod

You shake your head in admittance, despite how it burns your face iron hot to acknowledge this highly unnecessary fact to point out. In a way it’s your last desperate attempt to get them to slow down before someone hears and says something. You want to go back to the way they were carving your insides to memory. It was their strange way of playing nice.

“You do?” Sylus says like he's mildly impressed. He's still not done with this stupid interrogation. His breath fans over the side of your face like a thirst, “That’s good. As punishment for lying, why don't tell you us? We're very curious."

You swallow, your pride keeps your lips shut. The words you know but god you can’t say it. The girl on a crossword game would hear, and saying it aloud is so stupid within a space meant for learning and not whatever this is.

It's too much and they know it, you feel them move your skirt way up. Chills roll over down your spine as cooler air kisses the mess between your thighs.

“Pipsqueak..” Caleb voice sends another sharp current to your stomach, his voice and his finger is scolding, precise and mean against your sweet spot, “Tell us what’s making all that noise.”

“It’s-” You shut your mouth and briefly inhale another moan less quiet as Sylus follows after Caleb, when one pushes in the other pulls back. Sylus even flexes his hand, the side of his thumb putting emphasis on your clit instead of the subtle teasing.

“It’s what pips?” Caleb presses, “We can't hear you”

He frowns as if you're the one way out of line. And Sylus looks so elated, eyes shining dangerously.

The embarrassment of it all makes your lips tremble like you’ll cry. They know it well and little do you know that’s one of the things about you that gets them off. You're so small compared to them, you just can't help but be so cute, so stubborn and angry. Even so, you always end up giving in.

Your head raises a little to whisper so low they hang off every word,

“It’s my pussy..”

Caleb's lips fall apart while Sylus softly inhales like you touched his cock.

“Oh is that right?” He whispers, your face further stings from the condescending tone layered in their voices,

“It’s this slutty little cunt actin’ up again huh?” Caleb bites to your ear, “Makes sense. You're leaving a mess everywhere tsk tsk..”

Sylus chuckles, “I wonder why though.. I thought you hated us kitten" He muses, "But it looks like you really” his fingers stroke your pussy with every word, “really like us. Am I right?"

You nod and it’s easier this time. There's no hesitation because despite the anxiety of getting caught (again), you really need this. They pull deep levels of pleasure from your core you’ve never experienced, even with your own toys and a dorm to yourself. All with just their fingers and you squeeze at the thought of their cocks.

But then they slow down, one after the other. They hold you right on the edge and your body settles out of relief and utter disappointment.

Sylus spares you bright eyes with an even brighter grin. He whispers against you, shaky as if he’s somehow connected to your leaking pussy, “I’ll play with your clit if you beg nicely for me.”

Caleb snorts, watching your thighs where you clench bashfully against their fingers , “Please..” you whisper and Sylus shakes his head.

“You know what I like kitten” He gives you an unimpressed look, “Say it for me.”

You find yourself rocking at their torturous speed. You try again, wiggling, and his eyes are fiery when you mewl, “Please daddy..”

You’re horrified when the two look mildly taken aback as if you suddenly spoke another language. But both of them duck their heads down as they contain a hard laugh.

Snickering, Sylus slides achingly slow out of your hole, and smears the wetness from your pussy over your clit, “Daddy huh?.. I wanted you to say my name kitten, but I guess that works too."

"B-but-"

“Knew you were a dirty girl and you just keeep provin' me right.” Caleb cuts you off, "What about me? What's my name?"

Sylus fingers twirls a point under the hood of your clit for extra incentive. He and caleb force it out of you incredibly easily, "C-caleb.." You whine, you hear hear him curse under his breathe , " 'leb-"

“Yeah that’s it” He murmurs as your hips buck into their hands. Sylus hums like you said something profound. Your eyes momentarily shut as Caleb slows to slide in another finger.

"Fuck you're gettin even wetter baby" He whispers lowly, it's rushed and the ghost of a lustful groan, "God you feel so good.”

You can't help but nod in agreement, head bowing, eyes shutting. It’s too much especially with sylus twirling over your clit, just like the way you would when you need to get off really bad. You don't have the will power to make it stop. Instead your hand holds his wrist, completely dwarfed by the utter size of him. There's something deep and strange that's emerging, and they’re the cause of it you know it. Sylus playing with your pussy and caleb fucking his fingers into you. They're both dragging something that shouldn't come out. Not here at least.

Your blood runs ice cold then searing hot from it. “wait..s..stop” your lips covered in drool, you whisper without squealing.

“What’s wrong this time?” Caleb sighs slightly vexed, staring into your face with a bone straight expression, “Don’t say you’re not enjoying this, my fingers are getting all pruny because of you”

You miss the way that girl on the crossword game flinches and goes to text her friends.

"Something's gonna c-come out" You try to say and it takes them a moment before Sylus goes, "Oh"

It triggers something inside the both of them. Makes them more eager and even more relentless. You’re completely helpless between them.

“Don’t hold back kitten” Sylus assures you again, “Make a mess for us.”

“Do it already..” Caleb murmurs at your other ear, eyes narrow, dark with possession, “Come on..make your pussy squirt in your seat”

“I can’t-please ” You writhe under his seedy gaze, and sylus who whispers your praise.

“Yes you can"

They grab your thighs to keep them spread wide before you sealed them shut. Fingernails digging into your skin persistent as they pull where you legs try to flee from them. Their persistence is enough to make you break and it comes all at once and hard.

You can barely brace yourself at the peak and caleb slides his fingers out just as a water clear wave bursts from your pussy and slides over the curve of the seat, leaving a glistening trail that drips.

“Fuck yeah..” Caleb rubs against your hole before sliding in again. Your lips form to say the words no and stop but you can’t trust yourself to keep quiet enough.

seeing it now; the indents of your teeth, the hickeys, and scratch marks… this sight proved to be precisely why. it was absolute perfection—suitable for the man who sports your lustful onslaught like a well-earned trophy.

it started off sweet, almost capable of being considered innocent when you made your presence known. he jolted just the smallest bit after the warmth of your lips touched right below his shoulder and quickly relaxed the more kisses you trailed across the smooth expanse of your already painted canvas.

“you left me?” you interrogated him softly through a pout he could hear far too clearly, tugging on the belt loop of his light denim. why he was wearing jeans and not completely naked was a question you needed an answer to. pressing matters, of course.

“just headed out to get some things so i could feed you, pips,” he promised teasingly. “you worked up quite the appetite. seein’ as you tried to eat me and everything, after all.”

that made you laugh, despite how much it was laced with his typical corniness. but it also made the subtle ache in between your legs pulse with a greedy desire for more. so much more.

knowing that he went outside with everything you’d done to him hidden beneath nothing but a t-shirt? it was like a drug. addictive. and seeing as he didn’t stop you when you pulled on the knot he had tied and sitting on his lower back, he wanted “more” just as much as you did.

“i like them, though. took some pictures for your filthy safekeepin’, too.” the second he turned off the burner and rested his spatula on the apple shaped saucer you two had gotten at a flea market, you knew what was about to happen.

was it pathetic to be so excited?

the loose tie fell completely at the same time caleb turned to face you, and you didn’t let him waste anymore of it when his hand cupped the underside of your jaw. as his thumb grazed your bottom lip, it was then that you took the initiative and brought his lips to yours, pulling him toward you by the back of his neck.

“can’t ever get enough, can you? wakin’ up and causing all kinds of trouble.” he chuckled in between the wet kisses, carefully pushing you back until you bumped into the counter. goosebumps dotted across every part of your body when he caressed your hip tenderly. “food’s gonna get cold… won’t taste as good.”

your head shook swiftly. “don’t care.” you meant it.

mumbling hurriedly against his lips for him to touch you and fisting the material of his apron, you were trying your best to get him to understand that if he wasn’t inside of you in the next few seconds, there would be hell to pay and sexually frustrated tears to wipe.

caleb knew you like the back of his hand. he didn’t need words for it to click that you were just his pretty girl who was desperate for more dick than he already gave you. he’s given you everything you’ve ever wanted in all your years together and like the good boyfriend he’s long since been promoted to, how could he ever dare to deny you?

as if you were featherlight, he easily hoisted you above the countertop and spread your thighs apart to give himself room. he was just so… big. everywhere. his ability to take up space and make you feel small would forever be one of the qualities about him that you treasured most.

more kisses were placed in the crook of your neck as you looked to the ceiling to give him easier access when he began to outline it like a roadmap. from your collarbone, your throat, and your jaw, caleb made a silent vow to spend today leaving you just as claimed as he’d been by you. it was only fair.

feeling his bulge nudge against you through his jeans and your panties was a buzz that had you on the precipice of rabid.

now. you needed him now.

“take what you want.” he licked your bottom lip while you eagerly fumbled with his button and zipper. “use me juuussstt how you need to. since you’re so impatient.”

he could tease you all he wanted to, but the fact that he was pulling your panties to the side and eventually swatted your hands away when you took too long to release him through your needy haze, was more than enough ammo for you.

you worked to get his meddlesome pants and boxers down right below his ass, too impatient to try stripping one another completely. when your hooded eyes met, caleb guided the tip of his cock until it pushed past your pussy lips and kissed your fluttering hole that was trying its hardest to suck him in. both of you were textbook examples of a whimpering pathetic mess, and the feeling of your heart beating in your chest so intensely was inebriating more than anything else.

“caleb…” you warned the second he stalled. “if you don’t—” words didn’t exist. not when you could feel every inch, vein, and curve of his pulsing cock slowly split you open and slide inside of your throbbing cunt. you braced a hand on his shoulder and the other tightly held onto his elbow of the arm that he had firmly planted beside you the more connected you became.

“f-fuck… you’re this soaked already…” the shakiness of his voice made you clench around him tighter than you already were. “what about now, huh? got nothin’ smart to say?”

“s-shut up…” you weakly retorted, eyes rolling to the back of your head when he rolled his hips into you in retaliation to your poor manners.

“you used to say thank you… used to be so sweet…” his hair swayed across his brows furrowed with pleasure. “now you just take, take, take. and all i do is let you... some things will never change.”

he didn’t bother trying to mess with you anymore as he nipped at your ear, solely because if waited too long to start moving, he would fill you with his seed before either of you had the opportunity to truly enjoy this moment. his apron began to fall off his body with every stroke he gave and his pressured grip on your outer thigh that he had resting on his hip was sure to leave a caleb-sized print that you’d get tattooed if you could.

both of you grabbed at each other like you couldn’t be closer, moaning loud enough that if the neighbors didn’t know how sickly in love you were, they would surely get the memo now.

“watch us,” he panted, pressing his forehead to yours with a lazy grin. “you’re so fuckin’ easy, pips. look at how wet we are.”

your mouth hung open in a small o when you peered down at the sight of him gliding in and out of you with so much ease. your slick had his dick glistening and the creamy ring that was forming was a sight so erotic that you could already feel that familiar coil building in your lower gut.

“baby… ‘m gonna…” you warned as you felt your orgasm steadily approaching. but he wasn’t done. not yet.

he opened you up more to the point that you felt the blissful burn in your thighs, drilling into your sensitive pussy until all you could do was cry when he reached so deeply.

the violet in his irises almost seemed to shine with pride as you lost yourself in the way he fucked you. a hand made itself at home in his tousled hair and you couldn’t hold it any longer when the friction of him being so close stimulated your swollen clit.

your shared orgasm was instantaneous after that final gratifying thrust that made him shake and call out your name like it was what would always be what saved him from himself. his cum was hot, thick and sticky as it flooded your insides and painted your velvet walls until both of you were drained and utterly spent.

it was only seconds that passed before he slid out of you with a wet squelch, making you hiss from the peaked sensitivity.

“lemme see.”

you knew what he liked. every time without fail.

he rested a hand on your knee and used the other to keep your panties out of the way, staring at your used cunt as you pushed his load out. caleb watched in awe the more the creamy substance trailed down your ass and made a small pool on the once pristine marble. the way it dipped and fell down the side could make his knees buckle.

so much cum was leaking from you, and he didn’t know if he should make you aware of his cock already trying to stir to life once more.

“you’re a freak,” caleb jested, tucking himself back into his jeans before crowding you shamelessly.

“yes we are.” you smiled into his kiss as he leaned down, groaning when his tongue danced with yours in the sensual exchange. “clean me up?”

nodding once, he abruptly pushed you further back on the surface, making you yelp at the gesture that was opposite of what you thought he’d do.

“lay down f’me, pipsqueak. i got it.” without hesitation, you followed his instruction. you didn’t know what to expect; a hot rag, a paper towel, or his fingers stuffing his seed back inside. but you surely didn’t anticipate your back arching from the sensation of a long lick sliding up in between your puffy slit.

caleb looked up at you when you searched for answers, nose buried in the mess you made together with a knowing smirk in his eyes.

who needed breakfast anyway?

a/n: pls be easy on me.