Angsty Corbeau x Fem!Reader (SFW) inspired by the DLC!! This is ANOTHER ALTERNATE ENDING featuring some extra friends! The beginning is identical to the others, breaking off into new stuff a touch sooner ;3
This lovely prompt comes straight from the beautiful mind of @mystiquefern !! Thank you for the idea, I love to cook <3
Prompt: Corbeau tries to make you jealous. It’s super effective, and Griselle finds out. Corbeau’s in deep shit.
She/her pronouns are used, (y/n) in place of a name, and there’s minimal body description. Content warning below the break :>
CW: angst, swearing, jealousy, neglect, threat of physical violence, incredibly minor sexual implications (it’s right there ⬇️)
After your initial hookup, Corbeau had contacted you several times. He liked to text you throughout the day, and would line up his free time to spend it with you. He took you out, spoiled you, and fucked you senseless. He was insatiable for a few months, and you almost constantly had bruises and hickeys as a consequence. But then, as things in Lumiose grew more tense and dangerous following the discovery of Hyper Lumiose, you spent less and less time together. You’d chalked it up to the two of you being busy, but your recent conversations had been… lacking. Your only meetings were regarding hyperspace distortions. He’d grown cold, and his texts had become infrequent. You’d done your best to not be insecure about it. That is, until today. He had a surprise for you.
The surprise was a team introduction to Korrina. You personally found nothing wrong with her, but your blood boiled more and more as Corbeau gave her praise. He hadn’t complimented you in weeks, and now this girl you totally wrecked in battle was getting his full attention. Either he was totally oblivious, or he was trying to upset you. Had he moved on? Was that your fault for not labeling things? You pushed the thoughts out of your head, the tip of your tongue lay firmly pinched between your upper and lower teeth.
“Korrina, I trust there is a room prepared for you at Hotel Z. I’m sure the old building would love to see a powerful trainer such as yourself. You’d better get settled, rest up so we can start surveying right away in the morning.”
“Mr. Corbeau, if I may, I would like to stay and talk to you personally.” You tried hard to hide the danger in your mouth, but your words come out like ice.
“Of course.” His face doesn’t show it, but there’s a vague flash of fear hiding beneath his features. Your eyes are fixated on a spot on the floor as the others leave, air growing tense. Philippe had stayed, as you expected, he still had a job to do.
“Are you serious?” Your eyes lifted to meet his.
“What?” Corbeau sounded almost incredulous.
“Don’t fuck with me, Corbeau. You know exactly what.” Your voice is poison on the verge of boiling.
“Are you not grateful to have such a strong ally?” So he did know. “You’ll need all the help you can get.” It was a stupid mistake to taunt you right now, and your fists clenched at his words.
“I don’t need help. Korrina’s not even remotely as strong as me. I forgot for two seconds I needed to mega evolve, and the battle was already over! You saw me beat her ass twice!” Despite your raising voice, Philippe remained firmly behind Corbeau’s desk. “One of my partners knocked out her entire team! And you want to run your mouth like she’s the newest, hottest thing in Lumiose?” There were a few moments of silence as Corbeau took in your words.
“She is.” Your eyes widen dangerously. Did he need a reminder that you kicked his ass, too? The air could be cut with a knife. “Well, newest at least.” He fiddled with a pen between his hands, eyes flicking to yours again. You were furious. Corbeau continued as if he didn’t notice, looking back down at his pen. “If you’re going to have this poor of an attitude when we meet, I may just have to start calling Ms. Mega Stones over for jobs instead.” He instantly regretted his words, hearing the implication only after they’d left his mouth. Begrudgingly, his eyes met yours again. Betrayal, rage, shame; jealously. Pushing you by praising someone else was torture enough, and now he’s put the idea of another woman in your mind. You’d always had an attitude and would talk back, but he’d never seen you truly angry. Corbeau remembered your life outside of Lumiose, and his stomach dropped at the thought that you might leave out of spite alone. Your face held an expression he’s never seen, a kind of rage he didn’t know you had.
“Well, congratulations on finding a new bitch to fuck on the side.” Your words were sharp and targeted, disregarding Philippe’s presence entirely. “Have fun with her, since she’s clearly better than me at something.” You turned to face the elevator and paused. “Save your breath next time and call her first.” The only sound in the room was your heavy boots carrying you away from the source of your rage. As the doors closed, you refused to spare him another glance.
“I’d like you to handle communication with her for now.” Corbeau’s voice was barely level, Philippe sensed its subtle waver.
“Yes, boss.”
Back at the Hotel, after a very blurry walk—with numerous people recognizing you and asking if you’re alright—you take a seat at the strategy meeting table. Your puffy eyes look down at your croissant curry, you wanted to have an appetite.
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Lida prodded, but you weren’t angry at her. Hell, you weren’t even angry at Korrina. Sure, she’s miles behind you and not worth an inch of Corbeau’s praise, but she didn’t do anything wrong. She was strong, kind, and ready to help. You weren’t about to torture yourself by hating someone you have to save the city with.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Thank you.” Your gaze met hers briefly as she poked at a croissant. “Just being with you guys is enough.” These were your friends, borderline family. You’d radically accept Korrina, and forget entirely about that poisonous little man. That would be the healthiest thing.
The healthiest thing would have been to maintain a routine, go outside, and engage in the activities you normally enjoyed. But, you could only manage one “healthiest thing” at once. Your bed gripped you with a suffocating weight, and you wished you could melt into the mattress. It had been a long time since you felt so down, and your coping skills weren’t exactly up to par. Nothing felt right, and you didn’t eat or drink. You just slept.
Three days went by like this, your rotom phone was silenced and lost somewhere in your blankets. No one had seen you or heard from you, and your friends started to worry. They had been looking everywhere for you, even contacted Emma, but had forgotten to check one place: your room. Lida was the first to have the thought, gently knocking on your door and calling out to you. You vaguely hear the knocking and your name coming from the hallway, and your mind flicks to your habit of not locking the door. Hotel Z was safe enough for you to forget. When there’s no response, you hear the handle turn and click open, then Lida calls out to you again. The closed curtains darken your room dramatically, save a stripe of golden hour light, as the sun begins to set. Lida rounds the corner and sees you fully tucked in, blankets wrapped around you everywhere. There’s a box of tissues on the nightstand and an empty water bottle. A tiny garbage can sits by the bed, and she sees your arm slip out of the blankets to toss a tissue into it.
“Hey, girl, are you okay? Did you catch a cold?” She sounds genuinely concerned, waiting to step forward until you’ve answered her question.
“Something like that. Not contagious though, don’t worry. I just… I made some mistakes, I guess.” You stop yourself from spilling the entire story to Lida. Her brow furrows as she steps over to the side of your bed.
“What’s gotten into you?” She sits next to you, resting a hand on your shoulder.
“A man.” Resentment can be heard in your voice. “A stupid one, at that.” Corbeau wasn’t stupid, and that actually made your situation worse. You sighed, trying to hold back tears as Lida responds.
“Girl, you are literally the hottest person in the entire city.” You laugh, to your own surprise, and she doubles down. “Bitch, I’m serious. Wait- was it Corbeau? You let that guy hurt you?” She didn’t mean to sound so judgmental, but it stung anyways. “I’m sorry- I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know. It’s okay, Lida. I just need some time to rest.” You watch as she tilts her head, thinking for a moment. There’s hesitation knitted into her next question. “How long have you been in bed?” She watches your expression closely as you process.
“What day is it?” It couldn’t have been that long.
“Thursday.”
“Shit. Three days, I guess. I’m fine though, I promise.” You look up at her with the best reassuring smile you can muster. Her brows furrow as she seems to think something over, then stands reluctantly.
“If you need anything, I’m just down the hall. You have my number, too. Want me to bring you some chocolates or something?”
“No, that’s okay. Thank you. Get yourself something nice though, for stopping in and checking on me. I appreciate you.” You dig around in the blankets for your rotom phone, then use it to send 1,000 Pokédollars to her. With your success in the battle zones, that amount of money was literally pocket change. Then, you swipe away your notifications, unfocusing your eyes so you don’t have to see who they’re from.
“Aww, you shouldn’t have! You’re the one lying here not feeling well, why’d you send me money for coffee?” That lovely crooked smile graces her features.
“Because,” you draw out the word for emphasis. “I’m grateful someone cares about me. Now go get a treat. I’m going back to sleep.” Lida dismisses herself sweetly, taking longer than normal in case you changed your mind.
Once your door clicks shut, you’re shrouded in peaceful, painful silence. It’s true that you weren’t feeling well, and it wasn’t true that you were okay. You’d neglected every physical need in the book. Even your frequent naps were unsatisfying, providing no deep sleep. The time passed, both crawling and flying by. Back in her own room, Lida sends texts to your search party, updating them that you’d been found and were safe. Definitely not happy, but safe.
By the morning on the fourth day, damn near everyone in Lumiose City had noticed your absence. You weren’t flying between rooftops or terrorizing battle zones, the city lacked a certain spark without you. Lida had just a couple errands to run, then she could practice for a few hours with Starmie and be back in time for dinner. Her tasks for the day went by easier than expected, so she had a little free time to stop and use that coffee money you’d sent her. She stopped by a street vendor to get a galette for you first, then made her way to Café Nouveau. Lida had barely stepped past the first table when a loud, frightening voice rang out.
“Lida!” It was Griselle, stomping towards her with her tray folded against her side. “(Y/N). Where is she?” Her tone was demanding, with a distinct singe. Lida jumped and cried out at the aggression.
“(Y/N)? Oh… she hasn’t been feeling well.”
“That isn’t what I asked.” Embers rising in her throat.
“The last time I saw her was last night, in her room. She was curled up in a bunch of blankets with some tissues next to her. She’s not sick, but…” Lida looked off to the side, unsure if she should continue.
“But, what?” There was no going back against someone like Griselle. She wanted to know, so she was going to know. One way or another.
“She… somebody hurt her. Not bad, just, she’s been really down.” Griselle’s eyes opened wide when Lida said you’d been hurt. That was all she needed to hear. Her serving platter was abandoned on a table, and she was storming in the direction of Hotel Z. “Agh- Griselle! Wait!” Lida stumbled for a moment, stuck between getting her well-earned coffee or chasing after the fiery woman now borderline running away from her. She chose the latter, jogging to catch up.
“Wait! Griselle! Just hang on.” Lida had caught up, breathing labored as she tried to get an explanation out. “It’s like a romance… thing. She didn’t get hurt physically. I think maybe she got dumped or something.”
“By who?” Griselle’s pace was unrelenting.
“I don’t- I don’t know if I should say.”
“Then I’ll ask her myself.” The two women had reached the tunnel leading to Hotel Z’s courtyard. Griselle was steadfast as she pushed through the main doors. Naveen sat at his usual spot, seemingly working on clothing sketches. His head rose at the intrusion, watching Griselle cross the lobby with Lida in tow. When the elevator doors shut, Naveen looked down and resumed his sketch. Shortly after, the elevator delivered Griselle and Lida to the second floor.
“Which one?” Still, that tone, burning and dedicated.
“202? Wait!“ Lida shouted as Griselle marched to your door. She knocked firmly, definitely loud enough for you to hear, but there was no answer.
“(Y/N)? Are you alright?” Her voice carried well, too. Still, no response. No movement, no noise, no nothing. “I’m going in.” Griselle says, half to Lida and half to herself. “(Y/N), I’m coming in!” She does just that, twisting the door handle and letting herself in. Griselle finds you in bed, sobbing. Lida follows close behind, standing a few steps away, as Griselle sits on the side of your bed, looking over you and speaking with a softness Lida had never heard. “Hey, hey, are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” You try to say no, but instead your body shakes with another sob. Griselle’s upper body is flat against you as she leans down to give you the best version of a hug she can. “You can tell me. I’m here.”
“It’s okay, really.” It was very obviously not okay. “Just a stupid fling.” Griselle’s face falls further the more she takes in your appearance. Whatever it was obviously meant much more to you than that. She watches you take a deep breath and wipe your tears. Then, you fall eerily silent.
“Are you feeling alright?” You looked zoned out, and your face was growing paler by the second. You shifted amidst your blankets to sit up.
“Y-yeah. I just- I don’t feel very good, I’m gonna go to the bathroom.” You stand, the cool air of your room hitting your legs. Griselle’s instincts told her to grab on to you, so she did, prepared to guide you to the bathroom. Her instincts were right; just a few steps away from the bed, your legs give out completely. Griselle catches you, turning what could have been a major injury into a few bruises.
“Lida, call emergency services.” For once, her tone is controlled, level, focused. Lida nods, rotom phone flying up to do just that. Griselle’s gaze is on you, searching for signs or symptoms, any indication of what was plaguing you. Your face is barren of any color, eyes looking almost sunken in with the prominence of your eye bags. Your lips were pale and chapped. Who could’ve had this strong of an effect on you?
You woke up face-to-face to fiery, worried eyes, Lida’s voice barely registering in the background. Griselle sees your face shift into confusion, and fills you in, rather than allowing you spend precious energy on asking questions.
“Hey, you’re okay. You’re in your room. It seems like you passed out.” Griselle feels a spark of hope as some color returns to your cheeks. “There’ll be some people here to help soon, okay?” You nod and smile weakly at her. Lida steps over and crouches next to you with a freshly opened water bottle.
“Here. Drink slowly.” Lida’s voice is gentle as she holds out the bottle. Your hand shakes terribly trying to grab it, and Griselle places her hand over yours, patiently stabilizing your motions so you can drink. When you’re done, she takes the bottle from you and hands it back to Lida. “Have you been remembering to eat and drink?” You give Lida a guilty look, exhaustion and illness written all over your face. She holds out a galette for you, puffy, sweet, and perfectly crunchy on the outside. The thought alone had tears rolling down your cheeks again, and Griselle comforts you, grateful to see you eat and drink.
When the EMTs arrive, Griselle has a hard time letting them handle you. She backs off, but stays as close as possible while they work. After routine tests and gathering of information, you’re told that it’s most likely related to your lack of food and water intake. In your mind that tracks, and Lida dashes out the door for food and drinks. She would go to the store, grab your favorite snacks and water and supplements and some vitamin-rich foods, planning out the entire stash she’d leave in your room in the hopes that it would help. Once you’re given the medical clear, Griselle’s interrogating you about whoever would make such a terrible mistake as to hurt you. You explained the situation as best you could, trying to stay vague enough so she wouldn’t put it together.
“It was just a fling. It… ended before I wanted it to. That’s all.” Your brain worked hard to track every detail, but slowly you gave yourself away.
“I will find out who did this to you.”
“Gris, I promise it’s alright. That’s what I get for messing around in murky waters.”
“And something bit you. What was it?” Her tone is intense, eyes locked on you. Your face faltered, nervously biting your lip.
“I just- I guess I thought I meant more to him than I did. Wasn’t expecting poison to actually be poison.” Oops. Your eyes meet Griselle’s again, and you think maybe you’re in the clear, until anger begins to rise in her eyes again.
“Wait. Corbeau!? That’s your fling? I’m gonna drag that nasty loan shark through the fucking dirt.” Griselle launches off the side of the bed, standing tall with clenched fists. “Oh, I’m gonna…” Lida’s voice rings out as she rounds the corner, startled to see the raging flame in front of her.
“Uh- I got water, electrolyte mix, and a pack of those cookies you like. There’s a couple protein bars in there, too. Try to eat those first if you feel up to it.” She shyly moves past Griselle to hand you the bag.
“Lida?” Griselle’s voice is dangerous, smoking from the rage inside her.
“Y-yes?”
“Can you wait here for a bit? I have something to take care of.”
“Sure, of course, where are you-“
“I’m going to take out the fucking trash.” Griselle stomps out of the room, and you groan when you realize where she’s headed. There’s a pause as Lida silently questions where she’s going.
“She didn’t… she didn’t grab the garbage…”
Corbeau sat at his desk, idly enjoying a brief moment of down time. Just when he thinks it’s time to fancy himself a tea, a terrible ruckus starts downstairs. He shares a glance with Philippe, who then approaches the elevator. It’s a good thing he does, because when the doors open, a fiery hot and furious woman comes stepping out.
“Corbeau!” Griselle barks sharply, confident stride barely stopping when Philippe blocks her path. “Get the fuck out of my way.” She spits through gritted teeth. One well-placed punch in Philippe’s abdomen, and she’s stepping past him while he doubles over. It was a lucky hit, right in the diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him. Refusing to let any emotion show, Corbeau stayed firmly in his seat, looking up at Griselle as she stomps towards his desk.
“Can I help you?” It’s as if she doesn’t hear him.
“You’re going to tell me—right fucking now—what you did to (Y/N).” She’s rounding his desk, reaching for his collar. Corbeau jerks to the side, but she gets him by the tie and yanks him forward. “What did you do?” Her voice is dark and burning. His golden eyes narrow, testing her resolve.
“She’s a big girl. She can make her own choices.”
“Tell me what you chose to do, rat.”
“I complimented someone. Is that so bad?” The hand not gripping his tie raised quickly, palm open for a harsh slap. Her gratification is interrupted by a large hand wrapping around her arm, pulling her away from Corbeau. Her grip on his tie tightens, and Philippe puts himself between them, clearly having caught his breath. He hoists Griselle by her waist and tosses her over his shoulder, arms and legs thrashing wildly. She loses her grip on Corbeau’s tie, and Philippe adjusts his weight before ‘escorting’ her to the elevator.
“You bastard! She hasn’t eaten in four days. Four! There is nothing about you worth making her suffer!” Her words were harsh, targeted, and true. Griselle seethed with rage, hurling more insults as Corbeau simply straightened out his tie. The last thing she saw before the doors close was that vile man fixing his glasses.
Four days? That… lined up exactly with his grave mistake. He had assumed you would come back around, or that he’d see pictures of you in nightclubs, dancing to forget about him. But instead, you shut down. You. Beautiful, powerful, indomitable you. Corbeau’s stomach churned at the thought of you starving yourself because of him. He could fix this, right? Certainly he could fix this.
When Corbeau left his office, just a few minutes later, he found Philippe still fighting to get Griselle out of the building.
“Oh my- are you serious? This is where you’ve been? Get her out!” The grunts chip in, and eventually they’ve got Griselle by every limb. She’s fully surrounded by a circle of grunts as it takes them all to carry her out of the door, sideways, and Corbeau approaches his bodyguard. “We’re going to Hotel Z. Now.”
Lida did her best to comfort you, but you were beyond upset at the idea of confronting Corbeau. Just the thought of having to see him made your vision blurry. Despite her fury, Griselle’s presence reassured you, and you felt somewhat lonely in her absence, even with Lida next to you. You close your eyes and breathe deeply, vaguely aware of Lida’s hand rubbing your shoulder. Her head snaps up at the sound of the elevator and she gasps, chime heard just barely through your door.
“That must be Griselle! I’ll let her in.” Lida pats you twice, then stands and makes for the door. Your stomach clenches at the thoughts of what Griselle may have done. Though, it’s not like Corbeau didn’t deserve it. You’re brought to attention by a stark shift in Lida’s voice. “Oh- I don’t- yes, but- wait!” Your head lifts at the obvious fear, and then the worst thing happens. Corbeau rounds the corner, Philippe in tow. You can see Lida desperately trying to wave to you from behind the larger man. Corbeau pauses and looks at you while Lida forces her way to the front. She stands between you, arms stretched from her sides in a defensive stance.
“No! You can’t just- you don’t get to show up whenever you want!” Her voice is shaking with fear, and your heart warms at the obvious protective display. Corbeau leans to the side, peeking at you past Lida. He looks as if there’s something he wants to say. Any thought he had is interrupted, however, by the ding of the elevator and then the wall of fire bursting out. Griselle was furious, sprinting into your room and damn near tearing Philippe’s suit trying to reach the boss. You have a larger reaction to her presence, Corbeau notices. Philippe manages to pull Griselle off of him, and he drops her on the floor where she quickly recovers and takes a defensive stance next to Lida.
“Get the fuck out.” You’ve never heard such poison from her before. “Get OUT!” Her face is redder than her hair, voice tearing through the space of your room.
“Philippe, I’m sorry to do this to you again, but I’ll need you to remove her from the room.” His voice is metered, eyes still searching for you through your defense squad. He points at Lida, and you see her confidence waver. “You, too. Both of you. Out. I have something to discuss with your friend here.” Griselle steps forward, definitely with the intention of attacking Corbeau, and Philippe’s large hand is (respectfully) grabbing her apron, spinning her around, and forcing her into the hallway. Corbeau points at Lida again, but she stands firm.
“N-no! Go away!” Corbeau’s response to Lida’s declaration is a sigh, one hand reaching to lift his glasses, the other rubbing his eyes. He replaces them on the bridge of his nose, and his eyes dart to the hallway. Philippe is stuck in the doorway wrestling with a, still very loud, Griselle. He groans, simply walking past Lida to the side of your bed, and he sits down as if it were his. The door slams, a shake reverberating through the room, and Griselle’s furious screams are muffled ever so slightly.
“Good work. This one, too.”
“What?!” Lida’s eyes shoot open as the strong man hulks towards her. She ducks around him, hoping to avoid his steel grip, and makes for the door. “Okay, okay, I’m going. (Y/N)? I’m sorry, I’m gonna sit outside with Griselle, alright?” Her voice grows softer, before being fully drowned out by the fire in the hallway. Philippe pushes Lida through the doorway into Griselle, stopping her from using too aggressive of a tactic. You can hear her cussing out Philippe and Lida, door only doing so much to muffle her words. Philippe leans back against the door, plenty strong to keep it shut; frustrated at his work but grateful to give the boss a bit of distance.
“I don’t want to talk to you.” You’re refusing to look at Corbeau, and he slips off the bed, dropping down to meet your eyes with his.
“What happened?” His voice is soft, and it makes your heart ache. You bring your hands to your face and roll away.
“Nothing.”
“Darling-“
“Don’t call me that. I’m not anything special to you.” You almost feel the pang in his chest, and you move your hands to meet his gaze again. He looks hurt, brows pinched and mouth open slightly. “It’s like you just threw me away.” There’s a long pause as he takes in your expression.
“Is that how I made you feel?” His voice breaks, tough exterior crumbling. Your brows furrow in anger.
“How you made me feel? Don’t try to tell me that you care now.”
“I-… I’m sorry.” He audibly has to stop himself from calling you darling. “You were so angry the other day. I’ve never seen you like that before, and… I thought you wanted to be left alone. All of my calls went to voicemail, and I didn’t want to smother you.” You stare at him blankly, waiting for any other excuses he could conjure. “She’s not better than you at anything, you know.”
“Corbeau, stop.” You try to rub the emotional fatigue from your eyes, then let them land on him once again. He’s… he’s crying. You can see it welling up in his eyes, threatening to fall any second. He’s silent, but his eyes are pleading with you, and he seems almost shocked when a tear falls, wetting his cheek. He quickly wipes it, unsure of what to do with his unexpected display of emotion.
“I didn’t know.” His voice is almost a whisper. You furrow your brows, waiting for him to continue. “I didn’t know I was that important to you. You’re- you’re making yourself sick. Over me.” Now, Corbeau accepts his fate, removing his glasses and setting them on your nightstand. Your eyes follow his hands, and when they return to his face, there’s solid streams falling down his cheeks. Subconsciously, one of your hands frees itself from the blankets and reaches for him. He’s just out of your reach, and he seems hesitant to grab it. Are you sure? His eyes say, he personally wasn’t ready for you to forgive him. You curl your fingers a few times, motioning him closer. Corbeau reaches out for your hand like a sinner seeking salvation. His fingers delicately hold yours, gracing your skin as if touching you for the first time. His knees scoot him closer to the edge of the bed, until he’s able to coddle your entire forearm. Both of his hands hold yours, tentatively bringing your fingers to his lips. When your skin meets, you feel the wetness on his cheeks. “I’m so sorry.” His voice is a whisper, lips moving against your fingers, up to your knuckles. “You’re wonderful. I couldn’t even imagine having eyes for someone else. You’re better than me, I hardly deserve to look up at you.” Corbeau’s motions on your hand continue as you process his words. “My love… my sweet girl.” He’s talking to himself now, thumbs brushing up and down as he worships your hand. “I’m not worth you suffering like this.”
“Then why am I?” His eyes flick up to yours.
“…Because I’m an asshole.”
“That’s right.” A small smile grows on your face, and Corbeau’s eyes glisten with something other than wetness.
“Can I fix this?” He’s so, so pretty. You nod, reaching out with your other hand to swipe your thumb across his cheek, wiping one of many tears.
“I’ve been waiting for you to fix it for four days.” Corbeau’s on you in an instant, arms digging through your cocoon to find you. He pulls you against him in a tight hug, inhaling deeply into your neck. You cringe, wishing he’d save this kind of proximity for after you’d showered. If you smelled bad, Corbeau gave no indication, arms only wrapping tighter as you squirm. Sweet words spill into your neck. I’m so sorry, I need you, I love you. Wait- what? He doesn’t seem to notice his accidental confession, praise unending. “What was that?” Corbeau pauses at the sound of your voice. There’s a moment of silence as he freezes in fear, realizing what has left his mouth. “I love you, too. Even if you are an asshole.” His body relaxes, despite your insult, and he hums against your neck, pressing soft kisses here and there. You wiggle, trying to get him to pull back. “Stop,” you laugh. “I’m stinky.”
“Stinky!?” He says loudly, the only word of your conversation that Philippe would’ve been able to hear. You snort and laugh harder, slapping his chest as he smiles wickedly. When your laughter slows, beautiful eyes looking up at him, Corbeau can’t help but dip down and place a kiss on your lips. It’s chaste and awakening, like a spring day. “Sorry, I should’ve asked first.” Curse this man, gentlemanly only when he wants to be.
“You’re an ass. I love you so much.” You look at each other for a moment, Corbeau’s gaze distinctly fond, registering a new silence from the hallway. Corbeau sits back, head turning in the direction of the door.
“Philippe?”
“Yes, boss.” The larger man’s voice reminded you of his presence; his tone is distinctly tired and disappointed. Usually he was so stoic, you have to push down another laugh at the obvious sound of his suffering. Griselle had almost gotten the best of him. It was his job to protect Corbeau, and he’d do so with his life, but he wasn’t expecting your friends to be so… tenacious.
“Let them in.” There are several seconds of silence as Philippe processes a few questions. ‘Are you sure?’ Hangs silently, but obviously, in the air. Of course he thinks it’s a bad idea, but he won’t be insubordinate. The door clicks open, Griselle immediately trying to get in. Philippe blocks the doorway with his body.
“She’s still mad, boss.”
“Of course she is. We’re going to talk things out.” Philippe groans, reaching his maximum level of bullshit for the day. Griselle’s harsh eyes meet steely ones, realizing she doesn’t have to fight anymore. She still wants to, but backs off to prevent more conflict, not because she cares about anything Corbeau has to say.
“Fine. Spit it out, loser. And get away from her.” She takes one step towards the bed, and Philippe clears his throat. Griselle stops, hands clenching into fists. Corbeau turns to face her, but doesn’t stand from the bed.
“I made a mistake. A terrible mistake. I’m here to atone for my actions. First,” He turns back around to face you. “To my love, I’m sorry. You are immaculate, and I am deeply ashamed of myself for making you feel otherwise. I couldn’t bear a life without you. Next, to your friends,” His eyes are back on Griselle. “I’m sorry. I hurt your friend, and she’s suffered because of me. I will not ask for forgiveness, it would be unfair of me to expect that. I only ask that you give me another chance with her… I long to bring her peace.” His hand rests gently on your leg. “And finally, to Philippe, I’m sorry. I’ve put you through a lot today. It’s your job to protect me, not clean up my messes. I’m a stronger man with your support.” Though the room is still thoroughly upset with Corbeau’s actions, the tension eases at his genuine apologies. Griselle isn’t ready to give up, you can see it in her eyes.
“It’s alright, I promise.” Your voice is gentle. Corbeau turns to look at you, but sees you’re looking at the fiery woman instead.
“I’ll listen to you, (Y/N), but if you-“ She points at Corbeau with a hiss, “ever hurt her again. I will find you. I will hunt you down. And I will make you bleed. No one has ever hunted your ass like I will, mafia man. Remember that.” Corbeau nods, otherwise unmoving, hand staying on you. “Ugh. (Y/N), I love you, but I can’t be around this guy. We’ll talk later, okay?” You thank her, smiling and waving as Griselle dismisses herself. She’s silent until she reaches the hallway, where she debriefs Lida at full volume. Philippe remains posted in your room, prepared for another outburst.
“Philippe, would you mind waiting in the hallway? I’ll be just a moment.” The larger man sighs, nods, and begrudgingly heads for the hallway, which still contained the source of his stress. When your room is just you two, Corbeau’s attention returns to you. In an instant, his hands are cupping your cheeks, kissing you gently. It’s slow, tentative, savoring you like a finite resource. He hums against you, having unintentionally fueled his own desire. He pulls away, golden eyes scanning your features.
“I’m so sorry, my love.” His words are breathy; each time he says sorry, it’s as if he’s apologizing for the first time. Showing you the extent of his regret and dedication, his loyalty overriding anything his stupid mouth could say.
“I know. Just don’t do that shit again.” His pupils dilate at the sound of your familiar sass. He’s looking at you like there’s nothing else in this world he needs—or even wants—to see. You watch as he gets more and more lost in your features.
“Can I still call you darling?” His voice is low now, teasing you from a very close distance. You break into a wide smile and try to look away from him. An addictive chuckle leaves him, and he crawls over you, pressing his forearms on either side of your head.
“If you have to.” His lips are on yours again, giving you slow, lingering kisses. It’s enough to warm your chest and the area between your legs. To your disappointment, he pulls away, gaze as fond as ever.
“Let me take you out tonight. I could write you a novel full of all the reasons I love you, but there are other ways I would like to demonstrate my adoration.” He pauses for a moment, gauging your reaction. “Tonight?”
“Tonight.” You confirm, and Corbeau smiles, leaving one last kiss on your lips. He stands, golden eyes fond and grateful, and he dismisses himself, leaving you feeling better than you had in several days. You could force down food and water, but this was a different need, something that boosted your morale.
In his absence, Griselle shoves her way into your room again with Lida in tow. She’s next to you in an instant, searching for your hands as well as your face.
“Are you okay?” That’s all Griselle can get out, but several questions lay just beyond her lips.
“Yes, Gris. I promise. I’m okay.” She seems relieved at your words, making a bit of room for Lida to sit by you as well.
“What about Corbeau?” Lida asks tentatively, aware of its potentially volatile answer.
“We’re going out tonight.” You say dreamily, feeling the same flutters in your chest that you felt before he’d messed up. Griselle’s eyes open wide and she freezes, staring straight at you. You get a sense of very strong disapproval.
“Are you fucking kidding me!?” Yep, Griselle did not like that.
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This is my first time writing for Griselle!!! Again, thank you @mystiquefern for the wonderful prompt. I hope you enjoy ❤️
