woof

kinktober: note: (there's a slight plot but tbh you don't have to read it in order to get the gist of it! also a few two-parters) ♡ 1. lapdance: leo x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ]

2. overstimulation: luca x kaito [ tumblr // ao3 ]

3. heat & rut: lyca x rui [ tumblr // ao3 ]

4. bondage: haku x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ]

5. masturbation: zenji x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ] (pt. 2 of haku bondage)

6. handjob: alan x tohma [ tumblr // ao3 ]

7. lingerie: jin x tohma [ tumblr // ao3 ] (pt. 2 of alan x tohma handjob)

8. somnophilia: ed x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ]

9. non-con: jin x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ] (pt. 2 of ed x reader)

oneshots:

feeding the tiger: taiga x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ]

tangible incentives: leo x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ]

pervert's remedy for heartbreak: sho x reader [ tumblr // ao3 ]

fighting fire with fire: taiga x alan [ tumblr // ao3 ]

It's New Year's Eve, and Rui has offered to host a party at the Obscuary Bar. With the holiday festivities wrapped up and nearly all the general students home until the new semester starts, the campus had been quiet, giving the reaper plenty of time to harvest anomalous flora and concoct new seasonal cocktails.

You receive a call from him just before noon on New Year’s Eve, enlisting your help in gathering simple decorations for the party. When you show up to the bar, Lyca is overjoyed to see you, leaping over a table to wrap you in a tight embrace as he loudly sniffs at your sweater.

“L-Lyca-kun!” You gasp with a laugh, playfully shoving him off. “Long time no see, huh? Miss me?”

His eyes swirl with a deep gold as they hold your gaze. “Maybe.” He releases you with a breath of reluctance, pulling his phone from his pocket and opening a chat before shoving the device in your hands. “Blondie says he wants us to go buy New Year’s decorations at the store while he gets ready. Said you’d know what to do. Oh! An’ he gave me this plastic thingy to give you.”

You take the credit card— black, impressive, while reading the messages on his phone, chuckling to yourself as Rui gets increasingly annoyed at Lyca before deciding to bring you aboard.

“Hm… Okay!” You hand Lyca the phone back, invigorated by the idea of having free reign over party decorating. “Seems easy enough. Let’s go get some banners and balloons and party hats and stuff!”

“What’s a baa-loon?”

You grin and take his hand, leading him to the Galaxy Express station.

Whew! Good thing there’s a party supply store super conveniently right beside one of the Galaxy Express stops! Lyca trails behind you, eyes shimmering with wonder and awe as you peruse the aisles, sparkles and colours and strange new textures galore.

“What’s this?” He asks for the seventeenth time, shoving a plastic package in your face.

“These are… A pack of plastic glasses shaped like 2026.”

“Oh. Does everyone wear them?”

“Uh… Whoever wants to, I guess. It’s just a silly New Year’s accessory thing.”

“…Woah…Huh…”

He flips the package around in his hands, pausing to make sure you were watching him, then looking back down. It’s clear he wants it, so with a laugh, you gently take it from his hands and place it in the shopping cart.

The two of you gradually fill the cart. From glittery banners to silly drink markers to huge foil golden balloons to elegant party hats to confetti cannons, you were more than prepared to throw a spectacular end-of-year bash with the ghouls who made your last (literally, possibly your last) year so memorable.

When you arrive back at Darkwick with bulging plastic bags in one hand and a gourmet creme-filled croissant in the other (a treat from the bakery next to the train station congratulating the two of you on a job well done), your steps are light and the mood bright. Lyca trails silently behind you, tongue-deep in his croissant as he licks out all the filling before loudly crunching and making enthusiastic Mmm! sounds every few seconds as though he were tasting it for the first time over and over again.

“Mmm!!!” You can practically hear him licking his lips, and laugh gently at his excitement.

“I’m glad you like it, Lyca!”

He grunts in response, mouth full of the flaky pastry. The loud crinkling of the foil wrapper that follows indicates that he’d finished his croissant, and he throws the ball of garbage into a nearby trashcan with perfect aim. “Famnks fr takin’ mbe,” he says between bites.

Rui remains nowhere to be seen when you return back to the bar, so you decide to get to work on decorating without him. You teach Lyca how to make tape loops and how to inflate balloons, and he carries you on his shoulders as you secure dangly silver-gold swirls to the ceiling. By the time the sun sets, the bar shimmers with a party-ready energy. You and Lyca stand in the middle of the bar, admiring the handiwork.

“Woah… It’s so pretty in here!”

“You did such a good job, Lyca-kun!”

He smiles, hands on his hips, proudly surveying the room. “I like it like this. The blonde gigolo should keep it like this all the time!”

You nod in agreement just as Rui finally surfaces from his basement lair.

“Hey, cutie!”

You rush over to him, taking a crate filled with glass containers from his hands as he climbs up the ladder before fixing his hair and straightening out his blazer.

“Sorry you have to see me all dishevelled like this. I was so busy I lost track of time!” He begins emptying the contents of the crate into the fridge, before noticing Lyca out of the corner of his eye. “Oh! You’re still here, Doggo!”

Lyca grumbles something inaudible.

“Sorry! Just didn’t see you there!” His eye finally catches on the massive balloons, and he pauses what he’s doing to take in the way his bar had been decorated.

A slow, low whistle of approval. “Oh man, when I said you’d know what you were doing, I didn’t expect you two to go this hard… What were you, some kinda event designer before you came here?” He grins, walking over to Lyca and lightly ruffling his hair. “You did good too, Doggo. Place looks great. I’m not looking at my credit card bill this month, though.”

Suddenly, the bar door swings open, a tuft of bright red hair stepping in.

“Haru!”

Behind him is Towa, grumbling slightly at being forced to dress up, but once he sees the balloons and glitter, his eyes light up and he beelines towards it. Haru laughs, sidling up to the bar.

“Starting early today, Harurin?” Rui teases, stirring a large plastic container of clear blueish liquid.

“You know me! Whatcha got there?” Haru peers over the counter and takes in a big whiff, coughing at the acrid smell. “It– it’s strong, I’ll give you that!”

“Hey hey hey! You should know by now not to smell random things here!” Rui sighs, bending down to pull out a small jar of a dark purple liquid, swirling it before opening it and pouring it into his jigger. Two, four, six, eight ounces. It mixes easily into the blue solution, gradually turning it clear, then pink, then a deep cranberry red. “It’s not ready yet, I still have to add some ingredients and then freeze it to infuse the flavours!”

“Aw, seriously, Rui? I thought if I came early I’d get to have a head start!”

Rui closes the container and places it in the freezer. “I’ll make you something, don’t wo–” His face pales as he searches in the freezer. “No, no, nonono… Fuck… Fuck!” He looks resigned, a frustrated sigh leaving his lips as he nervously scratches the back of his head. “I forgot, the ice machine is broken.” He sheepishly pulls out a single bag of half-used shoved-in-the-back-of-the-freezer-and-forgotten-about-for-who-knows-how-long ice, and looks nervously at the clock on the wall.

“I– uh. I could go get some ice,” you suggest. “I have to get ready, anyway. Maybe I could grab a change of clothes on the way back after picking it up— Woah?!”

Towa lifts you into the air, smiling proudly. “~~~~!”

“Oooh! Great idea! Towa can come with you to pick up the ice, then bring it back while you change!” Haru claps his hands together excitedly. “And that means I can still sit here and get a head start on drinks before everyone else arrives!”

So you head out with Towa, black credit card once again in your hand.

The convenience store is empty, with Benkei being replaced by a sleeping cat. Towa hums happily as you stack bag after bag of ice over his outstretched arms, continually encouraging you to stack them higher even after his vision is completely blocked.

“Towa, are you sure you don’t need help carrying any of them?” Your hands wrap around his arm as you guide him out of the store.

“~~♫,” Towa sings, quickly walking ahead as if to show you how capable he is.

“Okay, you’re strong. Hey wait— Hang on! I need to swing by the cathedral to grab my outfit!” You speed up your walk to catch up to him, but in a matter of moments he’s already a block ahead of you. “Uhh… Okay… Or not…”

Well, at least you can take your time in getting ready now that you don’t need to rush back with the ice. You watch as Towa’s head bobs out of sight before following the familiar trail of flickering iron streetlamps back to the cathedral.

When you arrive at your dorm, a huge yawn overtakes you. You step out of your clothes to change into your outfit, making the grave mistake of sitting on your bed and scrolling on Wickhive for several minutes. Sitting turns to leaning, which turns to laying, which turns to laying under the blankets. Another yawn. Maybe a quick 15 minute nap would energize you…

You wake with a start three hours later with a sense of dread pooling in your stomach. Fuck, you overslept! You throw your blanket off, rushing to wash your face and comb your hair before rifling through your closet for something party-ready.

Your outfit is simple, yet chic. A short skirt covered with large silver sequins, and a finely meshed silvery black long sleeve with half the back cut out. Your feet are decorated in strappy shimmery sandals with a narrow heel, the colours of which match the earrings that dangle down past your lightly styled hair. Nearly four hours have passed since you’d parted ways with Towa, and you hurry to add the final touches to your outfit before wrapping a thin shawl around your shoulders and grabbing your purse off the table.

Trembling slightly in the cold, you make your way back to the bar as quickly as possible. As you swing the door open, your jaw nearly drops to the ground.

The party is already in full swing, if not past that. There’s ghouls draped over tables and in booths, glasses and half-eaten plates of finger foods strewn about. Someone is yelling, someone is crying, there’s the sound of a Japanese lute playing, and you’re pretty sure some artifacts have been improperly used based on the swim ring coiled around a sentient motorcycle, and the stream of bubbles blowing out from behind an armchair.

Suddenly, a blur rushes past you, shoving you to the side. You realize it’s Luca, mouth covered with his gloved hands as he runs towards the bathroom. Your eyes trail after him, only to see him cough, then gag— no, no way— before he abandons his plan and runs to a corner, grabbing a fistful of napkins off a side table as his thrusts his arm against a wall for support, a wet splash hitting the floor followed by the sound of him retching. Concern floods your eyes and you immediately run over, calling his name.

As you rush to him, your foot hooks onto something— or rather, someone, causing you to trip and fall into their lap. Taiga cracks open one of his eyes, rolling over and grasping your bare thighs as a devious grin spreads across his face.

“Kitty-cat!” His hands migrate to your waist, pulling you down.

“Woah?!” Your arm shoots out, hand planting behind his head for support. His breath reeks of alcohol and you struggle as his palms roam, fingers playing with the hem of your cropped shirt.

His eyes are slightly unfocused but they manage to hold your gaze. “Was wonderin’ when you’d get here,” he drawls, flipping your shirt up slightly, exposing your navel. He pokes a finger in, eliciting a surprised squeak. “Gyahaha! Are you pretendin’ to be a mouse today?” He flips over onto his front, trapping you under him as he presses you into the ground. “Squeak for me again an’ I might not eat ya right away.”

You squirm under him as he delights in your struggle, arms caging you in. He’s surprisingly heavy, but you manage to eventually get a leg out, pulling yourself out from under him. Victory! Triumph soars through your veins as you stand up over him, until a loud snore sounds out and you realize that he’d actually just fallen asleep while laying on you.

You straighten your skirt, eyeing the pile of sick Luca had left behind (now politely covered with squares of cocktail napkins), before you feel your hand being pulled in the opposite direction towards the bar.

“Y/N! You're finally here! Come do a shot with me and Rui!” A particularly energetic redhead hands you a curiously coloured shot and you hold the glass up to the light, inspecting it. It's a translucent pale blue with thin, wispy streaks of white slowly floating down.

Rui has his hands up in surrender, a deep pink flush streaking across his face. “Hey, Harurin, I'm not as big of a drinker as you, you know!”

“Yeah, but this is an exceptional case, right? You're taking a shot with Y/N on New Year's Eve!”

“Fine, fine. You know what kinda suffering you're putting me through tonight, cutie?” Rui grins at you, raising his glass.

“Payment for making me decorate and get ice,” you tease.

“Cheers to a fresh start!” Haru exclaims, wrapping a long arm around you before clinking his glass against both yours and Rui's before quickly downing the drink.

You follow his lead, sharp bitterness stinging your tongue. A creamy menthol-like chill follows, sliding down your throat and snaking through your veins, coaxing out a deep-seated shiver from your bones. When you exhale, your breath comes out in a thick, white cloud.

“Woah?!” You take a few breaths in quick succession, watching them drift up towards the ceiling before slowly dissolving. “Rui, you’re like, a drink alchemist!”

“Fuck, Y/N. I knew your reaction'd be priceless, but I didn't think you'd be…” He sniffs gently. “…Didn’t think you'd be so—” His lip quivers almost imperceptibly. “…I didn't think it'd be so freakin’… cute!” A sob wrenches from his throat and he spins around, shamefully burying his face in his elbow. “D-don't look at me, I get—” Another sob, as his voice wobbles. “…I’m seriously so sorry, I—”

Haru tightens his grip around your shoulders and turns to you. “He gets emotional when he drinks too much.”

Just as you're about to try and comfort the reaper, a loud bang sounds from behind you, causing you to spin in your seat.

Ritsu stands a few feet away, looking at the ground in shock. He holds a sparkly red cocktail in one hand, his beloved Compendium of Laws laying open at his feet. He starts to bend down in an attempt to pick it up, wobbling slightly, ruby liquid sloshing out from his glass. You call his name as you rush over.

“I'll get it~!” It’s heavy. You hold it out towards the incredibly intoxicated paralegal and he accepts it, scooping it into one of his arms as he sways slightly. “Um… Ritsu, are you okay?”

“Yes!” He's smiling to himself, as if he's in on a joke no one else knows. “In fact, I’m feeling rather exceptional at the moment. I must say, you make a great business partner. Very keen and observant.” He gingerly shoves out a hand to shake yours, once again dropping his book on the ground.

“Um—”

“Ah!” He fumbles again, bending down to pick it up, only to spill more of his cocktail on the ground.

You sigh. “What if you give me your um… Give me your drink, and I'll help you pick it up, okay?”

Ritsu thinks for a moment. “Okay. But only b'cause you're my business partner.”

“Okay.” You take his drink, setting it on a nearby table, before once again hoisting the book up. “Can you put it back in your keychain thing now? I don't want you to drop it again.”

“M'kay.” He takes the book from you once again before fiddling with the artifact keychain at his belt. It’s stuck on his belt loop, his gloved hands fumbling with the simple metal ring. You watch, face pained, as he manages to grip it, before—

Somehow, his voice recorder pops out from his pocket and clatters to the floor. In an attempt to catch it with his foot, he manages once again to drop the book.

You sigh, bending down once again, reaching for the voice recorder when a sharp voice sounds from behind you.

“Are you fucking kidding me.” A frigid hand clasps over yours.

“J-Jin!” You stammer, body tensing at the slight contact.

“I let you have some time to yourself and you’re splayed out on the floor picking up this guy’s shit like you’re stuck in a time loop?” The Frostheim Captain pulls the recorder from your hand, slamming it into Ritsu’s chest, knocking him onto the couch behind before whipping around to face you. “Have some fucking dignity.”

“You're no fun,” you reply, rolling your eyes.

“Mm.” Jin pulls you close, swirling his drink. Richly dark and brown, a clear cube of ice circles the inner edge of the glass. “You're gonna regret that.”

He towers over you, staring down at you in silence, a grin slowly spreading across his face. His hand suddenly grabs yours, leading you across the bar.

As he steps over the very-asleep Taiga, you can’t help but laugh at the werewolf that has curled up next to him. Lyca’s ears and tail are popped out, the cheap 2026 glasses from earlier sitting off-kilter on his face.

Taiga sniffs the air as you approach. “Mmmh… Kitty-cat…,” he grumbles, pulling Lyca in close. “So soft…”

“Stop gawking at them.” Jin tugs impatiently on your hand, causing you to stumble behind him as he pulls you to the men's restroom.

“Uh…”

His gloved hand slams against the heavy wooden door, then against a stall door, opening it with a bang as he pushes you inside. He releases his grip on you as he spins you around, shoving your back into the door as he looms over you. He takes a sip of his drink, eyeing you up and down.

“I always wanted to do something about that attitude of yours.”

“And I always wanted you to just leave me alone.” You move to unlock the door, but he’s already moved a swift hand against it, holding it firmly shut.

“I don’t think you’re in a position to say that to me, slave.”

His index finger slides up your body ever-so-delicately, coming to a stop against the underside of your chin. His eyes— cold and empty and blue, lock onto yours.

“Open.”

Your mouth opens completely on its own. You make a sharp noise of surprise that you quickly swallow back down. Is it really that surprising? Jin misusing his stigma on you while intoxicated? No, you really should have seen this coming from a mile away.

A clink. He holds the glass up to your lips, tipping a generous mouthful of the amber liquid into your mouth. It’s thick and rich and tastes almost smokey, burning your throat as it slips down. He smiles, watching you swallow before he pulls the glass away, balancing it on top of the toilet paper holder.

You’re about to open your mouth to say something, but he must have sensed your intention, because his large hand suddenly clamps down over it. Your complaints turn incomprehensible against his palm, yet you continue to writhe in disagreement until you hear the sound of the bathroom door banging open.

…Oh. Someone else is here.

Immediately, you stop struggling, holding your breath. You can hear the sound of them walking to the urinals, then the unzipping of a fly. Your eyes flick up to Jin’s, a strange look reflecting back from his pale blue irises. For a moment, you can’t quite figure out the expression on his face, until—

Cold. A wet, freezing sensation right up against the sensitive skin of your waist, just slightly beside your navel. A shuddering gasp escapes from your lips as Jin’s hand clamps down even tighter around your mouth, his eyes commanding that you stay quiet lest you be found.

A cunning grin dances across his face. He releases your mouth, using his free hand to hike your shirt up higher, up past your chest so that your bra peeks out from underneath. Slowly, he begins to move the ice cube.

Down, to the edge of your skirt.

Back up, circling your belly button, as he watches the melted water drip off your feverish skin into the dimpled hole.

Jin moves the ice farther up, tracing it along the edge of your ribs, teasing at the skin under your breast. You shudder, holding your breath.

His eyes glint. This is exciting for him. He’s toying with you, waiting for you to slip.

The metallic clink of a belt sounds from outside, followed by the sound of the urinal flushing.

Jin lowers his lips to your ear, voice quieter than a whisper. “Think you can stay quiet?”

You nod.

“Good.”

He looks you over again and you feel so, so naked, pressing yourself as hard into the stall door as possible. You wonder if the person outside has heard you; wonder if they’ve noticed the two pairs of feet.

A drop of water follows a glistening trail down your body, silently splashing onto the tiled floor. The faucet turns on outside as he reaches behind you to unclasp your bra.

Piercing cold bites into your nipple as you sink your teeth into your lip. There’s a growing smirk on Jin’s face as he watches your reaction, intentionally backing away to better watch you struggle with the sensation. You squirm against the door, ice moving in circles. Your fists clench, breath held, praying for him to give you some sense of reprieve.

It stings— No, it burns.

It burns, and Jin knows and he’s pressing it even deeper into your skin, and what if it’s so cold your nerve endings die? What if it’s so cold you get frostbite?

“J-Jin…”

Devilish amusement flickers across his face. “And you said I was no fun.”

Your pulse throbs, hammering thickly wherever the ice touches, and just as you’re nearly at your limit, just as you’ve decided to abandon any care about staying quiet and kick him away from you— he relents.

The faucet outside turns off. You hold your breath, eyes locked with Jin as he remains still as ever, ice still held tightly between his fingers. The stranger dries their hands with a paper towel, lingering in front of the mirror for a moment before their footsteps patter away and the door swings open, then shut.

Tears well in your eyes. Your skin is red and raw and angry, a hot, numbing pin and needles sensation blossoming off your chest. Jin places the half-melted ice back in the glass, pulling out a handkerchief to dry off his fingers as you slump against the stall door.

Silently, he fixes your top, clasping your bra back up. He wipes a tear from your cheek with a thumb so gentle no one would believe it was the same cruel, ice-wielding hand. Warm; his hands are warm as they take delicate care in fixing the wrinkles in your skirt, smoothing down your hair, cleaning the smudged makeup off your lower lid. Leaning over you, he plants a cruelly soft kiss on the center of your forehead, before finally unlocking the stall door for you.

“You wanted to go, so go.” His voice is soft.

You remain in place, trembling, yet unmoving.

“Go.”

Your legs move as if on their own.

You stumble out of the bathroom, only to crash violently into Ren. Knees wobbly, you nearly tip off balance, but his reflexes are quick as he manages to hold you up by your waist.

“It’s okay, I got you.”

His arms are steady as he effortlessly holds you in a low dip as though you're dancing. Bangs sweep almost in slow-motion across his broad forehead as he flicks his eyes up from under them, locking them with yours. Your heart thumps loudly in your chest. In a swift motion, he reaches out his free hand, resting it on your cheek.

“Hey, Y/N. Your face is burning. Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah… I’ve just had a few drinks,” you half-lie, pushing away the thought of Jin and the cold that still burns against your chest. He stands you back up and you nervously touch your cheeks, feeling the redness deepen under his concerned gaze.

“Oh…” He cocks his head to the side, as if trying to read you. Can he… sense that something’s wrong? Oh god, was he the one using the washroom earlier? After all, why else would you be coming out of the men’s—

“Woah?!”

Ren grabs you by the hand, pulling you to a nearby table. He pours a glass of water, gingerly placing it in your hand with a wide grin. “Drink up, then.”

He smiles, tapping the edge of your water cup with his beer glass before downing it completely. You eye him incredulously, taking a polite sip. This Ren— this likely-quite-intoxicated Ren is almost like another person. You don’t think you can even remember having ever seen him smile before. A short shout from across the room catches both your attention and you turn to look. It’s Ed, hand flapping in the air, beckoning him.

“Ren~ I need you to accept our requests to join your guild!”

You look over to see Edward sitting in a corner with a puzzled looking Jiro, a passed out Luca resting his head on the table, and an excited Kaito shouting out possible team names to everyone’s disapproval. Is this… their new guild?

“Also, Ren, what is a ‘S… S… R…? Jiro just pulled two in a row and—”

Ren nearly spits out his drink as turns, taking several steps in the direction of the group before turning back around to look at you.

“You’re not coming with?”

“Oh! Um…”

He moves back to your side, clasping your hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’re always taking new members, and you’ve already played before so you can help me teach them! Ed has a lot of questions…”

It’s strange to see so many faces waiting for Ren. You would have never imagined him so comfortable in the presence of others before, much less be social? Or have… Friends? You squeeze his hand in return.

As you arrive at the table, Kaito bolts out of his seat to give you a hug. “Y/N! I’m so happy you’re here!”

“Oh! Kaito!” You wrap your arms around him as he pulls you close in a warm embrace.

“I saved you a seat.”

“Thank you!” You slide into the horseshoe shaped booth, settling in beside Luca as Kaito reaches for a bottle at the center of the table.

“We’re drinking this wine Ed brought,” Kaito says, spinning the label towards you. “He says it’s a vintage from France.”

You look towards Ed who’s splayed out over the booth, head leaning against the side of Jiro’s sturdy frame, long legs dangling off the booth. He briefly glances up from his phone at the mention of his name, ruby eyes flicking between you and the blonde as a knowing smirk grows on his face. “Yes, a Pauillac.” He stares wistfully until his phone chimes, a sigh huffing from his lips as he thrusts the device in Ren’s face. “How is this… xxbabys3npai guy always beating me even though I’m stronger?”

Kaito reaches across the table for an empty wine glass in front of him. “Y/N, Would you like to try the wine?”

You nod eagerly, watching as he pours you a glass. He’s surprisingly calm tonight.

“Thank you.”

He nods, settling into his spot beside you and reaching his arm around your shoulders in one smooth, confident motion; one so natural you barely notice it until you feel the brush of his hand against your shoulder.

Kaito clears his voice, commanding the attention of the others at the table as he raises his glass. “To new beginnings.”

You lift your glass up as well, nodding politely as you give it a gentle swirl before bringing it to your lips. The wine is silky, coating your tongue with earthy flavours that spread down your throat with a subtly fruity sweetness. Kaito watches you, waiting for you to place your glass down before speaking.

“I— ah.” He pauses for a moment, carefully choosing his words. “I’m really glad we were able to spend this past year together, Y/N. I think you're really—”

“Ren, why does everyone else have these fancy robes, but I just have the default black set?” Ed’s whining voice cuts loudly through your conversation. He’s clutching his wine glass in one hand, phone in the other as he waves it at Ren.

You laugh before turning back to Kaito, trying to wipe the look of amusement off your face. “U-uh… Um. Sorry, Kaito. What did you say?”

He smiles gently at you, brushing your bangs out of your face. “I like when you laugh.”

“Ah—” You shyly duck your head down as you flush red, taking a long sip of your wine. Where is this coming from? Kaito usually can’t even look you in the eye without freaking out, much less be so suave.

“And I’m really glad we were able to spend this past—”

“Ren, how do I equip this hat on my mage once I buy it?”

“Here.” Jiro swipes Ed’s phone from his hand, tapping at the screen. “Which mage do you want to put it on, Maelor or… Asc;flfgb?”

“What?” Ed peers over Jiro’s shoulder. “I didn’t name it that.”

“Okay. So, which mage do you want the hat on?”

“Wait— I don’t want his name to be Asc;flfgb, how can I change the name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Reeen~! How can I change the—”

“Give it here.” You sigh, holding your hand out to Jiro. “What do you want to name him?”

Ed’s eyes glint again as he watches you, head resting on his fist. “Mmm, Y/N. Quite the tech support, hm? I’m always surprised by people of your generation.”

You laugh quietly. “My generation thanks you.” You take a sip of wine as you tap around, finding the character settings page. “So… name?”

“Mm. You know what, I’ll let you name him whatever you want. A token of my gratitude.”

Thinking, you lean back against Kaito’s body. He tenses for a moment in surprise, but wraps his arm just a little tighter around your shoulder. You type in a name, then hand the phone back, taking another sip of wine before turning back to Kaito.

“Anyway, Kaito. It’s been really nice getting to know you this past year. I’m glad I ran into you in that closet,” you say with a laugh.

“Me too, Y/N.” He reaches for your hand, stopping just short before making contact. He takes a deep breath. “Hey, Y/N, I was wondering if in a few days you'd wanna come with me to see…” He's flustered, just a bit, and takes a swig of wine as he clears his throat. “Y/N, I wanna take you out like, in the city to see this—”

Ed’s voice cuts Kaito’s declaration of love in half again. “Ren, how do I use the ultimate move for this demon guy? I keep tapping it and it won't work.”

“You have to let it charge up first, but it charges faster the more kills you get.” Ren slides in beside Ed, finger swiping at his screen. “But see, if you equip this little bell thing—”

Suddenly, Luca's eyes flash open.

“Move. Move, move move!” Luca’s voice is panicked as he taps frantically at your leg, a hand moving up to cover his mouth.

You look at Kaito’s wide blue eyes as he scans his friend's pale face. “Kaito, move!”

Luca reaches over you and practically pushes Kaito out of his seat, and you quickly follow to let him out. He grabs a stack of cocktail napkins off the table as he runs in the direction of the washroom, stumbling as he retches loudly.

You stare at Kaito in worry. “Um…”

“Ah…” He scratches the back of his head nervously.

“Do you think you should…”

He sighs, worry and disappointment lacing his voice. “Yeah, I'm gonna check up on him. He really can't handle his liquor. I think he just had like… Two shots or something.” He pauses to look at you for just a second longer. “I'll be back soon, though! Don't go anywhere!”

You smile as he bolts after his friend.

“Hey, so Y/N. You gonna join our guild or what?” Ren flashes you a lopsided smile.

“Oh! Yeah, lemme just grab my phone—”

The sound of a lute suddenly strums, lights in the bar darkening.

You feel a tug on your arm and turn to see a wide-eyed Subaru suddenly appear at your side, face beaming as he smiles intensely down at you.

“Y/N! I’m about to perform an excerpt from a traditional Kabuki play about the New Year! I revised it to be performed by only one actor instead of three, so I’d really love if you could stay and watch, even if only for just a little bit…”

He tugs at your sleeve insistently, unblinking amethyst eyes glistening as he speaks. You can sense that ‘no’ is somehow absolutely not an answer, so you let yourself be led to the middle of the floor.

“This is a good spot,” he whispers. You notice Zenji and Saburo in the corner, the doll controlling the lute as it strums once again before Subaru politely darts away.

A quiet hush falls over the bar as the Hotarubi Captain takes the stage. His face has completely transformed in mere seconds— delicate features relaxed, mouth pursed into a small, feminine pout. Though he’s frozen in place he still manages to command all the attention in the room, a shared breath; held.

Zenji’s lute begins to play a slow, gentle melody, and Subaru swirls up from the ground, endlessly twirling like a flower petal caught in a breeze, the long sleeves of his outfit wrapping around him as he moves barefoot across the plush floor of the bar.

You’re so entranced by the performance that you don’t notice a pair of slender arms slowly slinking down around your shoulders until they press you backwards against a solid chest. You turn to look up in surprise just as Haku bends down to your ear.

“Shunkyô Kagamijishi.”

“Huh…?”

Haku snickers quietly, tightening his hold on you. “That’s the name of this play. Have you heard of it before?”

You shake your head, no.

He leans in closer, his warmth enveloping your back. “It’s about a young lady in waiting who’s chosen to perform the lion dance at a New Year’s celebration to exorcize evil spirits.” He rests his chin against your shoulder affectionately, smell of a citrusy liquor wafting off him. “The character is shy and hesitant, so she gets locked in a room to rehearse with the lion head. See? That’s why he’s moving like that.”

Subaru’s movements are small and delicate under a simple lion mask as he repeats the same motion over and over again, his character slowly gaining confidence with each action before beginning another. He moves in precise harmony with the lute; it’s as if they’re a single entity, his effortless grace completely mesmerizing.

“So she continues rehearsing, not knowing that through her dancing, she’s summoned the spirit of the lion.” The lute gradually intensifies as if on cue. You watch as Subaru’s face slowly evolves, his serene face being replaced by brows cocked at strange angles, nose twitching, lips spreading taut over his teeth in the beginning of an animalistic snarl.

As you watch, Haku's hands begin to wander from their position at your waist. A finger slips under your sleek top, seeking skin. Another finger follows, tracing shapeless patterns over your navel. A grin spreads across your face— you know exactly what he’s doing; anyone could have guessed what drunk Haku would be like, and just as you’re about to pull his hand out of your shirt, he grazes over the sensitive skin just above your pelvis, causing you to flinch over to one side.

“S-stop, Haku, I’m— I’m really— ticklish— here~!!” Staccato gasps fall from your mouth as you try to control your breathing, hands grasping for him in an effort to push him away. His grip tightens around you, holding you upright as you squirm in his embrace. He holds your hands still, and is it the wine? The wine mixed with whiskey mixed with whatever was in that glittering blue shot, that makes your stomach flip?

And Haku knows you, knows you well enough to know your squirming is half-hearted, that the friction buzzing between his chest and your back, between his breath and the nape of your neck, between his chin and the tip of your reddening ear are born of a tipsy want.

He tilts your chin back towards the stage. There’s a percussive beat that punches between the melody of the lute, and you watch as Subaru’s movements become increasingly more frantic. You’re trying your best to keep facing forward as Haku drums his fingers to the rhythm under your top, hands snaking up into your bra.

You barely manage to bite down a sharp gasp that bubbles up.

“Oh, wait wait wait. This is my favourite part,” Haku whispers, hands stilling and holding you tight as he grins into the back of your skull.

Subaru’s body freezes at the height of the beat and he stands on one foot, reaching up towards the sky. Silence envelops the room. He stays like that, perfectly poised, a long, aching breath held— before suddenly falling limp to the ground. An ominous stringed twang. His head twitches on the ground as the music slowly begins again, a note followed by a beat as his body begins to rise up.

Haku’s breathy whisper presses into your ear. “This is when the spirit of the lion enters her, and takes control of her limbs.”

What…? There’s no way that wasn’t an innuendo. You feel him smiling into your neck as his words send an army of goosebumps trailing all over your body.

“There’s no way that wasn’t an innuendo,” you whisper.

He pinches your nipple through your bra in response, a soft moan ghosting your lips.

“Quiet, Princess,” Haku purrs. “Not here. You wanna steal Suba-kun’s spotlight or something?”

“I can’t, not if you’re whispering that shit to me while fondling me in front of everyone.”

“But I like how you feel in my hands.” You wriggle against him until you’re finally able to pry his hands out, holding them in yours as you spin around to look in his gleaming irises.

“Are you saying you wanna be the spirit of the lion? And I’m the lady in waiting?”

“Are you saying you’ll let me in?”

“I don’t think the lion asks, he just does it.”

Something dangerous shifts in Haku’s demeanor. Without any further words, he pulls you past the other spectators and towards the entrance, leading you out the door with his palm against the small of your back.

Outside, the snow swirls with a surprising vengeance. Strange, it wasn’t like this before. A bitter wind whips through your hair as Haku quickly shrugs off his blazer, wrapping it delicately around your shoulders to keep you warm as he pulls you into the alley behind the bar.

It’s as if everything after that happens in a split second. His hands are back under your shirt, tongue lapping at your neck, knee pushing your shaking thighs apart as your back slams against the wall.

And you reciprocate; guiding his hands up your body, tilting your head to grant him further access, pressing yourself down against his leg.

He undoes your bra, fingers following the loosened band to rub against your nipples again, as he nips at your jaw, your earlobe.

“I wanna hear you make that sound for me again.”

“W-what soun—”

A pinch, sharp. You gasp in surprise.

"Mmm. Close, but I think you can do better…”

He cups your face in his hand, slipping his thumb into your mouth, his other hand moving to your other nipple and pinching again— hard.

A whimper, followed by a moan that rings out between the brick buildings.

“Heh. Good girl.”

His thumb is replaced by lips as he plants kiss after bruisingly forceful kiss on you, eagerly swallowing all the sounds you make. He pauses to trail hot kisses along your jaw, nipping at your neck and collarbones, always finding his way back to your lips. His hands are hungry, gripping and grabbing at anything he can find and it’s clear he’s not as poised as he probably usually is— he fumbles slightly, and you stagger under his unbalanced weight, but the alcohol burning your cheeks doesn’t mind as you lead his wandering fingers between your legs.

His fingertips catch against the dampening fabric that separates his body from yours.

“Fuck,” Haku groans, and he's looming over you again, pinning you flush against both him and the wall. A hardness imprints against your thigh; a hardness that twitches through his jeans, that has you unbuckling his belt in record time, that has him lifting up your tiny skirt, pushing the flimsy fabric of your underwear to the side as he drags his fingers slowly up between your folds. You palm over the fabric of his pants, squeezing the shape of his cock, only for him to swat your hand away.

“S-such… A tease,” you breathe between kisses, shifting your weight to give him better access.

“Such a slut for me,” he replies. His fingers move away from your entrance and instead slowly begin to circle your clit.

You press your forehead against his, before letting it lull in the crook of his neck as you struggle to maintain your composure. “Fuck, Haku. I— I wanna— I want… Is it… Should we…? Can we—”

With a loud bang, the back door of the bar suddenly slams open, causing you and Haku to jump apart. You watch, mortified, as a tuft of teal hair pokes out from the corner, peering the opposite way, then in your direction.

“—Aa-h! Kusanagi! A-and Y/N!”

In the split second it took for you to realize someone had come out, Haku had managed to pull his blazer off your shoulders, using it as a curtain to cover you as you hastily fix your skirt and underwear.

“Isami-san.” Haku nods politely at him, not missing a beat. “What brings you out here in the cold?”

Yuri’s cheeks are beet-red, clearly caught off guard both by what he’d stumbled upon and by the coolness of Haku’s voice.

“I-I… I was…” Yuri takes a deep breath in an attempt to quell his embarrassment. “Have you seen Jiro?”

“O-oh, Jiro?” You pipe up, just having finished buckling Haku’s belt back up. He smiles down at you, lowering the blazer and draping it back over your shoulders as though nothing had happened. “I saw him sitting at the booths a while ago.”

“Hmph. I checked that area already, do you take me for a brainless worm!?”

“Uh, well, it was earlier when he was drinking wine with Ed and—”

“WINE?” Yuri nearly yells, yanking the bar door wide open as he disappears back inside. “Jiro is unable to have any alcoholic beverages of any sort! His body doesn’t have the proteins or enzymes to properly process anything including food, let alone produce aldehyde dehydrogenase to process alcohol—”

You follow him with Haku at your heels as he stamps purposefully into the bar.

“JIRO-KUN!”

“I— uh—”

“WHERE IS JIRO-KUN!?”

“Yuri, I think he’s right—”

“DOES ANYONE KNOW OF JIRO’S WHEREABOUTS?!”

Haku places a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Yuri. I think Y/N’s found him over there by the booths—”

Yuri hurries over, clutching his medical bag. Jiro is laying down horizontally on the booth, his head hidden from view as he uses Ed’s legs as a pillow. Panic fills the doctor’s eyes as he immediately checks his pulse, counting the time he takes between breaths.

“We need to immediately administer a gastric lavage. He’s exhibiting signs of alcohol poisoning. Y/N, look in my bag for the nasogastric tubing and the suction unit, and you— HEY! Vampire! Sit him upright!”

“Huh?” Ed’s eyes flutter open. “Why, what’s the cause for all this sudden commotion?”

“Yuri, is this the tubing you’re—”

Yuri snatches a coil of clear silicone from your hand, eyes watering as he turns to Ed. “SIT HIM UP IMMEDIATELY!”

Ed pushes Jiro up with much groaning and difficulty as Yuri snaps on a pair of latex gloves. “Ah… Pardon my interruption, Isami-san, but—”

“Wow, I didn’t think I’d see someone get their stomach pumped out in the middle of the—”

“SHUT UP, KUSANAGI!” Yuri’s eyes are watery as he threads the silicone down from Jiro’s nose. “Come on… come on come on come on…” His voice is soft, almost coaxing as he gently pushes up inch after inch of tubing.

“Y/N, pass me the suction now!” He holds his hand out, not bothering to turn to you.

You fumble around in the medical bag. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what a suction—”

“The clear syringe!! Do all of you here have parasites in your brain?!” He grabs the plastic syringe from your hand the moment you pick it up. “How anything here gets done I have no clue. And get me some water!”

Ed pours a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, before attempting once again to interrupt. “Again, Isami, I don’t think—”

“QUIET, YOU INSOLENT WORM!”

“Yes, sir.” Ed leans back against the booth and takes out his phone.

“You don’t think.” Yuri grumbles under his breath, his trained hands pulling the liquid from Jiro’s stomach through the tubing and into the syringe. “That’s the issue with everyone here, no one thinks, and then I have to come in and fix everything!”

Once the syringe fills, he empties the swirling red-brown contents into a nearby wine glass. Next, he fills the syringe with water, injecting it into Jiro’s stomach before pulling the liquid back out— the colour evidently diluted from the water, though still a brownish substance. He repeats the process several more times until the fluid coming out of Jiro is nearly completely clear.

His fingers quiver as he disconnects the syringe from the tube. “Jiro…” He’s sitting straddled on top of Jiro’s legs, tears glistening and running down his cheeks. “J-Jiro-kun… Why… Why did you…” Yuri slams his first into his chest.

Jiro’s eyes shoot open.

“Oh. Yuri. What are you doing here?”

“Jiro!!!” A loud sob wracks through Yuri’s body. “You… You careless, brainless germ!” He pounds his hands into Jiro’s chest again, burrowing his face into Jiro’s shirt as he waves everyone else away.

“This is uncomfortable. Can I remove the tubing from my nose?”

“I— I told you you’re not allowed to drink! I specifically said…” Jiro’s arms wrap around Yuri’s shivering body as he continues to sob into him. “Why… Why did you… Why would you… Do you have a death wish?!”

“Drink?”

“Y-you… I gave you a gastric lavage to purge the wine you so carelessly consumed from your system! Do you not have any remorse? Any idea what kind of pain you put me through?! Any idea how much of my skill and expertise and precious time you just wasted?!”

“I didn’t drink any wine.”

Yuri’s head twists to look at the wine glass behind him, now filled nearly to the brim with a mix of Jiro’s stomach contents and water. “B-b-but…”

“That’s just bile.”

“But why weren’t you responding when—”

“Oh. Did you see Subaru’s performance earlier? There was a scene where he was laying motionless on the ground, so Ed and I decided to emulate once the performance finished. Subaru-san is very talented.”

“Y-you… You were playing dead?! Why didn’t you stop me?”

Ed cuts in, a bemused look in his eye. “Isami-san, If I may. We were having a friendly challenge to see who could hold the pose the longest.”

Suddenly, a retch from behind, followed by a loud screech.

“ERRANT!!!!!!!”

You whip around to see Romeo with pure fury blazing from every one of his perfectly moisturized pores.

“THESE ARE LIMITED EDITION HERMÈS ALLIGATOR LEATHER WINGTIPS, YOU BBT!!!!”

“What’s a BBT?” Haru asks from the bar counter.

“BLIND BRAINLESS TWAT!” You look down to where Romeo’s feet are to see a pile of vomit piled neatly on top of his Limited Edition Hermès Alligator Leather Wingtips.

“Oh my fucking god.” You grab a pile of napkins and shove it in Romeo’s hands, before rushing behind the bar in search of a towel you could use to dampen and wipe his shoes with. Beside you, Luca’s head is buried in the sink as he starts to retch again.

“Luca, are you alright?”

He shakes his head no as he continues to retch. Reaching up behind Rui, you grab an empty glass and fill it with water, before gently placing your hand on Luca’s back, rubbing soothing circles.

“It’s okay, Luca. It’s better out than in.”

He coughs, gasping for air, then retches again.

“Wow, you… you’ve been throwing up a lot tonight.” Your eyes well up as the stench of stomach acid fills the air, and you force yourself to swallow an incoming gag. “I’m just gonna turn on the sink to wash some of it away, okay, Luca?”

He nods, trying to hold himself together before spewing all over the sink again.

“Um… Rui, is this normal?”

Rui shrugs. “Yeah, happens every time he comes in. One drink and it’s Chunder City. No idea why he keeps trying, though.”

Luca cups a handful of water and swishes it around his mouth before dry heaving again for a few moments. “Ugh… Kaito said I should try to drink more to increase my tolerance…”

“WHY WOULD YOU LISTEN TO THAT SLMOFL!?”

You roll your eyes, gesturing to Rui to take your place in caring for Luca while you bring a wastebasket to Romeo’s side to toss out the dirty napkins.

“Ah– Romi-romi-san, what’s a SLMOFL?” Rui asks as he places his hand on Luca’s back.

“A SHRILL LITTLE MONEY-OWING FRECKLED LOSER, OBVIOUSLY!!”

“Hey!” Luca says between bouts of vomit before retching again. He whips around, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his blazer as he storms up to Romeo. “Don’t you dare talk about my friend like that!”

“Wait, no, Luca!” You grab his arm, leading him back to the sink.

“Luca, you better keep your head in this sink until you’re sure you won’t cause any more cleaning fees in my bar,” Rui sighs. “Here. Drink some water.”

“Hmph!” Romeo rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms tightly over his chest. “Well? Finish cleaning my shoes, BB.”

You kneel back down, tossing away more soiled napkins while trying not to gag again as you pick up chunks of what looks like half-digested hors d'oeuvres off his very expensive sounding shoes.

As you finish polishing the last bits off, a sing-song voice echoes from behind you.

“Sho-chan~! What’s taking the drinks so long?” You hear footsteps stop behind you, followed by the flash of a phone camera directly in your face. “Pfft, Honour Roll, you’re such a simp, always cleaning up everyone’s… whatever that is.”

“Fuck off, Leo.” You stand back up, meeting his golden cat-like eyes with an air of displeasure.

“You’re so cute, Honour Roll. Hey, what are you offering her in exchange for a shoe cleaning, Romi-san?” Leo finishes the last few drops of his drink before reaching his fingers into the empty cup, holding an ice cube up to your face. He leans in close, voice low. “Do you think this is enough for me to get a free shoe cleaning as well?”

The blood drains from your face. “Were you… The one in the…” Fuck, of course he was.

“Were you the one in the what?” Sho strides over, handing Leo his drink before taking a sip of his own.

“Don’t worry about it, Sho-chan~,” Leo coos before gently ruffling Sho’s hair. “Sounded like a good time though, no, Honour Roll? Where’s the Frostheim Nepo Baby now, anyway?”

“I— I don’t know…”

“Ugh. C’mon, don’t be so sulky. Come have a drink with us.” He signals to Rui, who nods and makes a glass of something pinky-red and sparkling with a layer of creamy foam on top. “Look, we’re matching! Festive, right?”

“I guess…”

Leo pulls you to sit with them, pressing you down into the seat next to him. You realize it’s coincidentally directly in the line of sight of where Alan and Tohma are sitting. But it’s Leo, and there are no coincidences, and both you and Sho immediately realize his plan as he reaches his hand out for yours.

Sho rolls his eyes. “Fuck, Leo. Really? Here?”

“What? This is the best time to do it. Aren’t you curious, Sho-chan?”

The blonde doesn’t reply, and Leo smirks as he concentrates. “Great. Okay, now both of you shut the fuck up while I listen.”

Leo closes his eyes, nodding to himself as he eavesdrops. Sho shoots you an apologetic glance as he nervously scratches the back of his neck.

You watch as Alan and Tohma talk in the quiet booths in the corner. Alan’s sitting, holding his drink, while Tohma stands slightly away from him as if he’d casually run into him. They look comfortable with each other, with Alan even laughing at something Tohma says.

Not long after, Alan scoots over, inviting his ex-Vice Captain to sit. They remain apart, though there’s a strange familiarity between them. After a few minutes, Tohma offers Alan a taste of his sparkly drink, which he hesitantly accepts. As he sips it, Tohma moves closer, smoothly placing his hand on the Vagastrom Captain’s leg.

“Look, Alan’s face is all pink,” you whisper, watching as hands the glass back to Tohma.

Leo snickers. “Those two are definitely fucking. Or used to. Or going to. Or all the above.”

“The bet’s that they would fuck tonight, dumbass,” Sho says.

“I know, dumbass. Shut up, I’m listening.”

“You guys bet on if they would fuck tonight?”

“Yeah. Leo said they wouldn’t, but I said they would. If I lose, I have to wear a cat onesie to work the food truck. If I win, Leo has to wear one on one of his livestreams.”

You stifle a giggle, taking a sip of your drink.

“Shut up, Honour Roll. You’re making it hard to listen in. But you know what, I shoulda put money on you instead.”

“Me?!”

“Yeah, you. You know what I’m talking about, Hotarubi.” He eyes Haku’s blazer that’s still draped over your shoulders.

You laugh nervously, averting your eyes as you move to sip your drink again.

“Wait, Honour Roll. Happy New Year.” Leo raises his glass. “May you not die in a few months so you can keep helping me eavesdrop.”

“I guess that’s as good of a compliment as I could expect from you.”

“Okay, now shut the fuck up.”

“Leo, stop being such a prick.”

“You like it.”

“I’m just used to it.”

“Pfft. No, remember? You said last night you liked it.”

“…Shut up.”

“Wait wait wait wait wait.” You pull your hand from Leo’s grasp with a chuckle. “What the fuck was that? Are you guys fucking? Should I have put money on you two?”

Sho flushes deep red, while Leo rolls his eyes.

“Maybe. Now gimme your fucking hand so I can find out where they’re meeting later so we can follow them to know for sure who’s the winner. Honour Roll, you’re coming with us, right? I need to use your enhancing powers.”

“Leave me out of this.”

Suddenly, a sword slices through the air in front of you, temporarily severing the time and space of the bar as the Frostheim Nepo Baby steps out from thin air.

“Woah?!”

“Ishibashi.” Jin’s voice is a low, commanding growl that turns heads from across the room. He’s drunk and he’s furious, wobbling as he beelines to Tohma.

“My King.” Tohma stands up and steps in front of the still-steated Alan. He’s about to bow politely, but Jin’s hand grabs him by the bottom of his jaw, the forceful impact sounding in the air.

Jin brings his face right up against Tohma’s, and you can see even from the distance you’re at that his grip is clawing hard into the hollows of his cheeks. The blonde remains silent, yet stoic.

“Shut up.”

In a fraction of a second, Jin’s sword is out, the sharp edge of the steel pressed flush against his Vice Captain’s throat.

Alan stands abruptly, snatching Tohma out of Jin’s grip while knocking over the table in front of him, sending glasses flying across the floor of the bar.

“Stay out of this Mido, I can handle—”

In an instant, Sho’s already across the room, fists held. Alan immediately yanks the tail of his jacket, before grabbing an easy hold on Sho’s arm and holding him away from Jin. “Stay out of this, Bandana. It’s not your fight.”

“You’ve even got the Vagastrom newbies tucked under your belt, Ishibashi?” Jin circles Tohma, the sword back against his neck as Alan struggles to hold Sho back. “What, are you fucking the entire house of degenerates now?”

Tohma chuckles, though he doesn’t respond, which only further irritates Jin. The Frostheim Captain turns his attention to Sho, hand still on the sword at Tohma’s neck.

“Didn’t think a scrawny little thing like you would be his type. But, what do I know, right?”

“Pfft.” From beside you, Leo groans and rolls his eyes, standing up and waltzing over. “You think he’d want anything to do with your washed up three-eyes of a subordinate?” He stands directly in front of Jin, shoving a casual hand into his pocket as he pops his gum loudly in his mouth. “Hi, Kamurai.”

“What the fuck, Leo?!” Sho frantically scrambles for his friend as Alan struggles to hold him back, deciding instead to throw the blonde over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“While it's endearing to see, Mido, you really need to get your first years under control.” A thick drop of blood slowly runs down Tohma’s neck. “Perhaps a lesson for all of us about minding our own business, hm?” He looks Jin in the eye. “As we’ve discussed, Mido and I have a purely professional relationship, My King. Now, if you’d prefer talking this through rather than making a fool out of all of us, I suggest we retire for the rest of the evening.” The drop of blood soaks into the hem of his crisp, white shirt.

Jin’s eyes stare daggers into Tohma as he stands, unmoving.

“Oh, and Mido— I suggest leaving with your two adorable little puppies now before this one,” he motions to Leo, “Says something he might regret.”

Leo laughs cunningly. “Ooh, I’m starting to see now why you’re fun.”

Alan huffs, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. “Fine.” He effortlessly picks Leo up, slinging him over his other shoulder. All eyes are now on him as he walks out of the bar, and you scurry to open the door for him.

“Wow, you’re so strong, Mido-senpai!” Leo laughs, squirming slightly as Alan carries him out the door. “By the way, what’s going on between you and three-eyes?”

“Nothing. We just work together.”

“Is that what you tell yourself when his hand’s caressing the inside of your thigh?”

“Shut the fuck up, Leo!”

“Haah. Make me, Sho-chan~”

You put all your weight on the door as you forcefully slam it shut.

It seems as though the party is finally starting to wind down. Rui’s sweeping the broken glass off the floor, Jin and Tohma nowhere to be found (likely clipped out of the current plane of existence). Taiga remains on the floor where you’d first seen him, spooning a wolfy Lyca, who’s nestled with his face in the redhead’s chest. Jiro and Yuri have made up, and have started experimenting on Ed, whose sleeves are rolled up as they draw fluids from his veins as he plays on his phone with Ren. Kaito is holding a glass of water up to Luca’s face, encouraging him to sip it, though he ignores him, forehead laying flat against the bar counter. Haru sits beside them, loudly explaining to Towa why he can’t start a blizzard just because he feels a little jealous that Ren had caught you when you had tripped earlier. Romeo is behind the bar, running his expensive shoe under the faucet while standing one one leg. Subaru dances alone in the middle of the bar, while Zenji plays the lute and hums a soothing melody. Ritsu is passed out on a booth nearby, his Compendium of Laws and voice recorder sit scattered on the floor, recording everything, unbeknownst to everyone.

A familiar slender arm snakes down your chest from behind.

“You plan on taking my blazer home with you?”

“Oh…” You turn around, moving to remove it to return it to its rightful owner.

“Nah, it’s alright. I’m just teasing. It’s cold out, you should wear it back to your dorm.”

“Oh.” You pull it back tighter around yourself.

“Why do you sound so disappointed?” A knowing smirk dances across Haku’s face.

“I’m just worried you’ll be cold,” you reply. “But—” You stop mid sentence, embarrassed.

“But what?”

You stand up on your tiptoes, lips right against his ear.

“But, maybe if you came with me, I could keep you warm?”

Steady footsteps patter along the quiet path towards Frostheim. Hood up, beaded sweat slicking his forehead, the Captain of Vagastrom pauses for just a moment as he stands under a dim streetlamp, staring at the frozen castle. His chest heaves gently, breath crystallizing in icy puffs as he pulls out his phone one more time, checking if for some reason, he’d received a new message. But there’s nothing, and he grits his teeth as he walks the rest of the way past the iron gates, through the familiar Frostheim halls, hoping he wasn’t about to do something he would regret.

He finds himself standing in front of his ex-Vice Captain's door, frozen with his hand raised as if to knock. The last time he had stood here, Tohma had made him promise he wouldn’t come back. And Alan had respectfully kept his distance, only meeting with him briefly and professionally in his soundproofed car.

Alan lowers his hand. He was desperate, but not desperate enough to break a promise. He sighs lowly before turning away, shameful he had even showed up in the first place.

As he starts to walk away, there’s a quiet click. He stops in his tracks.

“Didn’t think you’d be so bold.”

The familiar voice sends shivers down Alan’s spine and he slowly turns around, breath catching at the sight of the impeccably dressed ghoul smirking at him.

Tohma opens the door further, stepping back and gesturing for Alan to enter.

It feels like time stops. He’s been here so many times before, and regretted it every single time. His head spins, his feet staying firmly rooted to the pristine marble tiles. He can't. He shouldn’t.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Tohma’s words pierce Alan straight through the heart. All this time, Tohma knew he would show up. In retrospect, it makes sense. Having been at Alan’s side for so many years, he knew him inside and out; his strengths, his weaknesses, his vulnerabilities.

And Tohma knew he had always been Alan's biggest vulnerability.

Like all the times before this, it was inevitable that he end up here. So Alan takes a deep breath before silently walking into the room, the door closing behind him with the same quiet click.

Tohma’s Frostheim room is the same as it had always been. Tasteful, ornate furniture, rich mahogany with simple gilded accents. Even in Vagastrom, his room had stood out. Though nothing as lavish as it is now, it had been meticulously clean and organized, without a thing out of place. Alan runs a bandaged hand over the desk— beautifully carved and lacquered, a stark opposition to the one they used to share.

With a silent flick of his cunning eyes, Tohma motions for Alan to sit. So he does, obediently, on the edge of the desk. His stomach is sinking, hands in his lap. This was a bad idea. He should never have come here.

“Look at me.” The blonde has a hand casually on the desk as he looms over Alan, whose eyes remain downcast. “I said, look at me.” Tohma’s gloved fingers reach out, tilting Alan’s chin upwards.

He looks. A sly grin stretches over Tohma’s face.

“I’m proud of you, Mido. You were able to wait hm, how long?” The blonde pulls his phone out of his pocket, deft fingers quickly navigating to their chat. “A whole week. That’s a new record. I suppose I should reward you, hm?”

His gloved thumb slides easily into Alan’s mouth, pressing against his bottom teeth. There's something about the teasingly assertive tone in Tohma's voice that makes Alan instinctively open wider.

A laugh, almost cunning. “You did always like when I did this.” Tohma pushes his thumb deeper into Alan's mouth. “Ah… Just a little more…”

The sharp, bitter tang of conditioned leather swirls on Alan's tongue as he reluctantly grants the blonde's request. It's poison, the way the taste immediately coats the inside of his mouth, sapping the moisture out. And it's poison, how nearly a year later, Tohma still manages to cloud every one of his thoughts until he can't stand it anymore, until he always inevitably comes crawling back.

Tohma's other hand gently trails over Alan's thigh, slowly making its way to his belt. He knows him, knows him so well that he doesn’t even have to look up to know the blonde’s eyes are trained on his face, smirking as he watches him struggle to hold it together. Alan’s belt falls open with a metallic rattle, the thumb in his mouth pressing his tongue down. It’s true— he always has liked this. The feeling of relinquishing control. The feeling of willingly surrendering, of following rather than leading.

A cold, pale hand reaches around Alan’s thick shaft, coaxing out a quiet groan.

“You’ve been thinking about this for a while, hm?” Tohma grips Alan's cock, stroking it slowly up, then down, amusement lacing his voice like venom. “You came all the way here for me to touch you like this, is that right?”

Alan says nothing, his shaky breath speaking volumes.

“And you’ve dreamt of me, almost every night since I left, isn’t that right?” Tohma pulls Alan’s head down until their eyes meet, tightening his grip on his cock. “Is that why you keep coming back? Because no one else knows how to talk to you like this, no one knows how to push all your buttons? Because no one else knows you like how I know you, hm? Is that right?”

Slowly, Alan nods, eyes locked on the blonde’s. It was true, all of it. And it was pathetic, the way his dick couldn’t stop twitching as Tohma’s vicious words cut into him.

“Mmh… I’ll be honest, I kind of missed seeing you in this sorry state.” Tohma releases his hold on Alan’s jaw and readjusts his monocle. “But I’ve got things to do, and places to be. So let’s make it quick, hm?”

Before Alan can react, Tohma’s hand suddenly picks up speed, sliding up and down his throbbing cock. A guttural sound escapes Alan’s mouth and Tohma slaps a hand over it, his other hand still pumping at an almost frantic pace. The sensation is too much, too much all at once, and at the elegant flick of a wrist, Alan cums with a muffled groan all over Tohma’s black leather gloves.

And when Alan opens his eyes, Tohma is already gone, the silence in the room being replaced by the quiet spray of running water in the bathroom. And he knows, from all the other times, that if he tried to open the door, that it would be locked.

He stands up, pulling on his pants and fixing his belt. His cock hurts, his jaw is sore, and worst of all, he still feels unsatisfied. But this is what he wanted, right? To feel the touch of the man he loved, the man who’s been haunting his dreams every night, the man who valiantly stayed by his side until something shinier caught his eye.

Bathed under cold, shallow moonlight, Zenji creeps out of the Hotarubi dorms, up a familiar forest path, and past a set of stone gates. He stands in front of the temple where only several days ago he, along with Subaru and Haku, had found you tied up and suspended with rope from the ceiling, your clothing mangled and torn. At the time, he had panicked, worried about your safety so much that it hadn't dawned on him the effects the anomaly would have likely had on you— on everyone that was there. It wasn't until he and Subaru had abruptly left the temple, leaving you and Haku behind, that he felt a familiar warmth in his chest, and that seeing you in such an indecent position had put him in quite the predicament.

That day, as he stood outside with Subaru, your soft sighs punctuating the still forest air, he had stammered an excuse to the Captain, promptly whisking around and disappearing into the forest while Subaru headed back to the dorms. But instead, he had hidden behind the temple, waiting until Subaru’s head disappeared down the mountain, before emerging from the thick underbrush.

And he would never, never in a million years admit this to a soul, but he crept back to the large, wooden doors of the temple and peered in through a small gap; just enough to see Haku’s sly grin as he photographed you strung up— the nerve of that salacious man! Zenji had almost interrupted, but then there was the low murmur of Haku’s voice, followed immediately by your breathy moan, and Zenji’s hand froze midair, shocked.

It’s that same memory that haunts him now; the sound of your gasps that soon followed as Haku teased the ropes binding your delicate skin, that brings him back to the temple tonight.

Zenji carefully looks around, making sure no one had followed him up, before pushing open the door and slowly entering.

The temple is the same as it was a few days ago; lanterns dimly lit around a mysterious bronze statue guarded by large twin fu-dogs. The ropes that you had been suspended from are now unraveled, long tendrils draping on the floor, your torn clothing still deeply woven into the thick fibers.

Slowly, he approaches the web of ropes. Some pieces of your clothing are easier to identify— the cuffs from your sleeve, the hem of your skirt, the tops of your nylon socks. His fingers pass right through, yet he traces a delicate finger over the ripped collar of your top nonetheless, remembering the way your hair had draped against the fabric as you arched your back, veins straining in your neck.

He watches the cloth sway gently from the rope, back and forth. Hypnotic, a pendulum. It tempts him, lures him in.

And in the same way as the other night, he slowly undoes the purple sash around his hips, then unbuttons his pants.

And then he kneels on the ground, bringing his nose to the strip of fabric.

Oh, his dear girl.

It still smells like you— of course it does, it had been against you the entire time you were dangling, unconscious, then soaking the sheen of sweat that started to bead on your skin as Haku’s long fingers moved teasingly down the ropes, down between your thighs.

Oh, your thighs. If only you’d have been able to see how beautiful they looked, held in the warm, flickering caress of the glowing lanterns. And the curve of your waist! The way it mirrored the bow of the moon almost exactly…

Rarely did Zenji ever feel spiteful of his death. Not having a corporeal body was hardly an issue; if anything, dying carved out more time in his day for him to write his poetry, his songs. But tonight, he finds himself wishing he could have been the one in Haku’s place.

He delicately holds the strip of fabric in his hand like it’s the most precious thing in the world.

He loves Haku, he really does, but does the man always have to be so… deubaucherous? You— you, are a lady, and Zenji feels a pang of guilt for thinking this, but if he had a body, he would have treated you so much better.

For one, he wouldn’t have taken photographs. He would have covered you with his coat to preserve your modesty, gently untying every knot from around your body, starting with the legs and working his way up to your hips, your waist, underneath your breasts. And if you allowed it— only if you allowed it, he would have kissed every bruise the knots left upon your soft skin.

One of his hands works itself under his garments as he begins to stroke himself, eyes closed, still inhaling the scent of you.

And with every kiss, you would have gasped the same way you did with Haku, the most magnificent music to his ears. Slowly, he would have lowered you to the ground until you were standing, and then maybe you would have leaned into him the same way you leaned into Haku, your warmth melting into his; a lover’s embrace.

Then, gently, as to not hurt you, he would have unbound your arms and wrists and oh my, would you have held him then? And after he finally frees you from the rope, would you have buried your face in the crook of his neck, safe in his arms?

He would have kissed your tender cheekbones, wrapped you in his coat and carried you gently down the forest path, into his dorm, and laid you down on his mattress, tucking you between soft layers and pillowy quilts. He would have brought you a cup of hot tea, held your hand, and stayed with you as long as you needed.

And maybe— but again, only if you allowed it, he would have slid into bed beside you, holding you as tenderly as he could, and you would slowly remove his sash, his suspenders, his shirt. And then you would wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him, slow.

Zenji’s knees tense, and he bites the inside of his lip as he takes a deep breath. He can still hear it, hear the way you sighed as Haku slipped a finger in. He can still see it, the look of pure, voracious lust in Haku’s wickedly golden eyes.

His strokes grow rapid.

If you were his, he could be so sweet, so tender. Your sighs and gasps and moans would be reserved only for him, and with them, he would write the most beautiful poems and ballets and operas. Night after night he would hold you as you fall asleep, brushing the stray hairs gently out of your face, and in the mornings you would wake up, legs tangled together, the smell of sleep permeating the crisp morning air.

He cums with a loud groan onto the floor of the shrine, burying his face in the strip of torn fabric while he inhales your scent. It barely moves, his face passing right through as though he weren’t there.

Zenji chokes out a quiet sob.

You wake up at an ungodly hour to the sound of a tiny paw tapping against your window. Blinking the sleep out of your eyes, you open the latch and pull up the glass, watching as the messenger cat hops on your bed.

“Good morning,” You mumble, taking the navy blue envelope from its mouth and patting its head in thanks. It purrs, nuzzling itself into your cupped hand while you scan the contents of the letter.

After reading the letter you sigh, folding it up and slipping it back in the envelope. “Another Hotarubi mission as inspector, huh? Guess I’ll go pick up the case files from Professor Moby now. I don’t think I can fall back asleep anyways.” The messenger cat looks up at you and gives you an enthusiastic meow.

“Thanks for the encouragement.” You grab your phone, deciding to send a quick text to Haku, telling him you’d meet him at Hotarubi with the case files. Suddenly, the messenger cat mews, reaching for the envelope in your hand. It knocks it to the ground and jumps off the bed after it, sharp nails scratching into your thigh as it launches itself off the bed.

“Ow!” You inspect your leg. Blood is already beading on the surface of your skin. You throw your phone on the bed and make your way to the bathroom to wash the cut, the unsent text promptly being forgotten.

After slapping on a bandaid and getting dressed, you turn around to watch as the messenger cat plays with the envelope on the floor, pushing it around and leaping after it.

“So… Cute…” you say, before closing the door of the cathedral behind you.

After stopping at Professor Moby’s office and getting the case files, you decide to sit down for a moment on a bench to quickly look through them. You skin through, muttering to yourself as your finger trails down the pages. It seems as though they tasked Hotarubi with the mission due to the fact that the anomaly is likely to be some sort of spirit, and that it was likely holed up in a forest temple not too far away from the teahouse. Seems easy enough! Tucking the folder back under your arm, you grab your bag and head to Hotarubi.

As you wait for Haku by the teahouse, you can’t help but wander around the grounds. The subtle smell of blooming wisteria wafts over the lake between crisp morning mist, illuminated by the first rays of the sun. You’d never been there so early, and the quiet stillness takes your breath away. You quickly check your notifications for Haku’s reply, but there’s nothing. Bored, you circle the building, finding the trail that leads up to the temple. Maybe it would be helpful to quickly scout it out first, seeing that it was so close by.

You gather your belongings and head up the forest path. There are small wooden markers along your way that indicate you’re travelling in the right direction, and you let yourself zone out, enjoying the sounds of chirping birds and gentle rain pattering on waiting leaves. It isn’t long before you reach a clearing and find yourself at the base of a small Shinto temple nestled between tall, centuries-old pines. There’s a stone torii gate up a small set of mossy stairs, with a rain-worn wooden sign hammered into the ground beside it. Stone lanterns illuminate a rock path to the vermillion-painted temple as it stands boldly under the dark shade of the forest.

You approach the gate slowly, making sure to bow fully before walking past it. The temple doors are shut, so you decide to circle around the outside. There are a pair of stone dogs guarding the entrance and you nod to them as you walk by. A small pathway stretches out behind, leading you to a well-maintained shrine. You bow at it before circling back to the front.

Though nothing of note came up, you were pleased with yourself for taking the initiative to do a little inspector work for your team. You mentally pat yourself on the back before pulling your phone out again to check for new messages, realizing that you have no reception.

As you prepare to leave, a breeze blows past, and you hear the door of the temple behind you creaking open just a inch. Peering in through the gap, you see that the inside is lined with white paper lanterns, gentle flames inside emitting an inviting, flickering glow. You push the heavy wooden door slightly to see farther in, smell of cedar and incense and warmth overtaking your senses. Slightly farther still, you take a step in to the temple, noticing a large bronze statue in the middle, emitting a slowly pulsating purple glow. Your breath catches in your throat, and you realize that maybe this was probably something you should examine with the others. You take a careful step back, when suddenly—

Thick, braided hemp ropes swing down from the ceiling, wrapping themselves around your body. You yelp in surprise, dropping your phone and the case file. The ropes twist around your arms, your waist, your thighs, loose ends pushing your bag off your shoulder and tangling under your blazer, shrugging it off your body and onto the floor in a crumpled mess. A moan rips from your throat as your head is pulled back by a rope knotting around your hair, while another wraps itself around the back of your neck. Slowly, you feel yourself being hoisted slightly off the ground and into the air by the array of cords that work to tangle themselves around you, and the last thing you see before your mind goes completely blank is a deep, swirling purple mist.

Your mind is hazy and your eyes are closed, but you recognize the sound of three voices as they call your name. They sound distant, but then there’s a creak of a heavy wooden door opening, followed by three loud gasps.

“My goodness…”

“Oh, my dear girl!”

“There’s no way…”

There’s slight shuffling sounds, before they fall into an uncomfortable silence.

“S-Subaru? Zenji? And… Haku?”

“Yes! Um, ah, s-sorry, I just… I wasn’t expecting… Oh! The case file’s scattered all over the floor…” Subaru’s voice stutters from beside you and you hear him shift, followed by the frantic sound of paper rustling.

You can feel that your head is pulled back, though your body is upright. Your wrists and forearms are bound behind your back, and your legs are spread wide open with rope that binds around your thighs. Your weight is being supported by what must be multiple coils around your waist and torso, restricting your movement completely.

An upside-down Zenji floats into view as you slowly blink open your eyes.

“Do not worry, my dear! I’ll get you out of this mess!” He follows the rope to where it’s attached on the ceiling, moving to untie it, but his hand clips through the knots as he desperately tries to grasp them. “I… can’t…”

Zenji whips his head towards your feet. “Haku! Stop ogling and please do something at once! This poor girl is helplessly strung up here with her clothes all torn and you’re just standing there staring between her legs?!”

You immediately flush a bright red.

“I was just examining the tying method used for this particular kinbaku work,” he says coolly. “It seems like whatever entity was here is more than well-versed in the art of rope bondage. I’m familiar with undoing the intricacies of the knots… It’s just that it seems the anomaly has threaded itself into the fibers of the clothing.”

“Into my… clothes? What do you mean?” You ask.

“I mean, we’d have to remove them all to free you from your bindings.”

“H-Haku! There must be another way!” Zenji shrieks. “Oh, my poor girl, I can’t bear to see you stripped of your dignity!”

Something must be in the air, because there’s nothing that sounds more enticing to you than Haku’s bold proposition.

“O-okay, that’s alright with me…”

“No!” Zenji cries out. “I-I mean… If it has to be done, maybe you would be more comfortable if we looked away, to give you some privacy!”

“Y-yes, this is a matter of privacy!” Subaru chimes in with enthusiasm, his tone overeager. He clears his throat nervously. “Ah— Because, see, just glancing over the case files, it seems as though the victims have all been tied in different positions. So, I— um. I think it’ll be easier to peruse the case files back in Hotarubi, if that’s alright with everyone.”

Upside-down Zenji nods with fervor. “Yes, yes, Subaru! A wonderful idea! We can cover more ground that way!” Zenji looks at you. “But only if that’s okay with you, my dear girl.”

You nod with the limited movement the ropes grant you.

“Haku, I trust that you treat our dear inspector with only the utmost of care,” Zenji says sternly.

“Of course.”

Once Subaru and Zenji make their abrupt exit, Haku chuckles to himself, sidling up beside you. He unties a knot, freeing your head from its backward position, and you turn to him.

“So… Did you like when I was looking between your legs?”

His boldness catches you off guard, his words sending a pang straight to your core as you stammer.

“I’m just kidding. Maybe.” His finger traces over a stretch of rope that coils under your breasts, causing you to shiver. A sly grin spreads across his face. “So, I didn’t wanna say this with the others around, but I think we should take some photos.” He watches you intently, as if he’s trying to gauge your response. “For the case file, of course. We can cover up anything recognizable, and even destroy it before we hand it in. I just think it would be beneficial… For us.”

You hardly ever find yourself at a loss for words, but Haku’s always had a way with manipulating his sentences, like he knows exactly how every word is affecting you. He inches closer, his long fingers continuing to glide along the rope, shadows of his touch setting off sparks under your skin.

“What do you think, Princess?” His lips are inches from yours.

You swallow, nodding. Your heart feels like it’s about to beat out of your chest.

“I’m gonna need to hear it in words, unfortunately.”

Your voice is strained, quivering slightly when you speak. “Y-yeah, you can take photos.”

He smiles as he backs away. “Good girl.”

You watch as he holds his phone up and moves around you. When he stands at your feet, camera pointed directly at your spread legs, you instinctively turn your head to the side.

“Aw, are you shy? You should know you look so pretty, tied up like that for me.”

A moan nearly slips from your lips as you instinctively try to clamp your legs together, ropes promptly stopping the movement. He grins, snapping a quick photo before walking around you, stopping once again at your side. His eyes glimmer, gold flecks swimming in his rapidly darkening irises.

“So… Wanna tell me how you got in this mess?”

“W-what?”

He smirks. “You’re cute when you’re tied up like that, so I wanna make it last a little longer. And I’m curious why you came up here all by yourself without telling any of us.” His fingers play at the ropes binding your waist.

“I did tell you… I texted you to meet me at Hotarubi after I picked up the files…” His fingers graze your skin, causing you to squirm.

“I didn’t get a text.”

“I sent it this morning when the messenger cat—” Oh. Right. You never did end up sending the text. “Oops.”

Haku’s fingers slowly move down to a series of knots around your pelvis. He runs them slowly over the twists of the knots, pressing them slightly into your skin, the light bite of the hemp making you gasp.

“You really should be more careful. You do know this is an aphrodisiac anomaly, don’t you?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Okay, and what do aphrodisiacs do? You’re an inspector, you should know by now.” He’s moved his focus to the rope running between your inner thighs, watching as you struggle to speak, much less answer his question.

“They… They make you feel… G-good.”

“Mmm. Good answer.” He swipes the back of a knuckle along your damp underwear, causing you to choke out a moan. “You’re a smart girl.”

“Fuck, H-Haku…”

“Fuck Haku what?” A fingertip brushes against your clit through the underwear, causing you to buck up immediately at the contact.

Your eyes flutter closed for a moment from the pleasure.

“Hey, c’mon, use your words.”

“F-fuck, Haaah… Please? Haku, I—” A finger plunges deep into you and you choke out a cry. You strain your body into the rope, clenching your muscles and pushing into the knots. The pressure feels sweet, almost tangy, the way it presses bruises into your skin. Haku has your underwear pushed to the side, his finger moving languidly in your warmth as he watches your reaction. God, why was he always watching you? And why is he moving so slowly? Cursing him and his games, you try to create some sort of rhythm with your hips, but his other hand grasps the rope from around your thighs and pulls you away.

“Hey, hey. It’ll feel better slow, I promise. Plus, what’s the rush? Where are you planning on going anyway, dressed like that?”

You stare at him with venom in your eyes. He smiles softly at you.

Slowly, his finger returns to its original speed, thumb beginning to circle your clit as he adds another finger. He curves them gently upwards and you gasp as he rubs your center, your hips rolling into his palm. Your mouth drops open as he quickens the pace just slightly as you look up at him.

When your eyes lock, a flush of pure embarrassment immediately stains your cheeks. Seeing him between your unapologetically spread thighs makes you feel so exposed, so vulnerable, so lewd, and behind his piercing gaze, you can tell Haku can read you like a book. The rhythm of his fingers are wet as they move inside you, and all you think about is how humiliating it is that he was able to make you melt like that in a matter of minutes.

But then you hear Haku groan, then curse under his breath.

And as he croons about how wet you are, how good you look tied up like that for him, how badly he wants to fuck you, you notice that his other hand is moving. Is he touching himself? And between shuddering breaths, you manage to tell him to fuck you, please, Haku, because there’s nothing more in this moment you could want more.

But he’s stubborn, and he doesn’t change a thing about what he’s doing until soon, your sharp, shallow breaths match the wet, now rapid pace of his fingers.

It’s 2:30 am, and Lyca is rolled up under his blanket, sweating profusely. He tosses and turns, trying to sleep, but his skin is weirdly sensitive and there’s a pressure in his head, and in his chest, and in his groin. Whatever was happening had all the symptoms of going into heat, but it wasn’t supposed to start until two weeks later. He rubs his legs together, the friction causing him to moan into his pillow. But it’s late, and he’d already gotten off a few times already, and he really just needs to sleep in time for his morning class tomorrow. What the hell is wrong with him?

He opens his phone, debating whether or not to text Subaru his symptoms to ask if it was normal, but looking at the time, decides against it, burying his head under his covers and taking a series of deep breaths to calm himself.

His ears perk up when he hears the front door open, followed by familiar footsteps, and a low creak as the door clacks back shut. Lyca can tell it’s Rui from the breathing. It’s silent for a moment before the sound of a closet opens, the crinkle of a jacket being removed, the closet closing. Rui moves down the hall, quietly humming a tune to himself.

Lyca had never paid much attention to what his roommate did, but tonight he can’t help but sit up, straining his ears. Slowly, he slides out of bed, opening his bedroom door and peering down into the hall from atop the stairs.

There’s some light shuffling and sounds of things being rearranged. The clink of metal against porcelain, glass against glass. Lyca’s ears flick in the direction of the kitchen. He slowly creeps down the stairs, stopping midway to peer at Rui through the banister.

The blonde looks surprisingly happy tonight, buzzing around the room, placing dirty dishes in the sink with a carefree energy. His cheeks are a light pink, and if Lyca strains really hard, he can hear that Rui’s heart rate is higher than usual. He was probably out drinking past opening hours again with Harurin and that Romi guy.

Lyca continues watching as Rui grabs an apron and slips it on over his head, tying the strings behind him with a practised ease. He watches as Rui removes his gloves, carefully tucking them into his apron pocket before replacing them with long, pink dish gloves.

Soon, Lyca finds himself in the hallway just before the kitchen, peering out from behind the corner. Something about Rui is especially entrancing tonight, but Lyca can’t figure out what it is.

Maybe it’s the way the moonlight is caressing the delicate features of his face, or maybe it’s the way he moves — smooth and graceful and hypnotic, as if he’d done them every day for his entire life. Maybe it’s the tune he’s been humming to himself ever since he got home; a slow, sweet melody that makes Lyca feel warm and buzzy, or maybe it’s the alcohol-induced blush on his cheeks that makes him look almost… cute.

Lyca shifts uncomfortably in his hiding spot. Since when were his pants so tight? And when did his stomach get all weird, and why was his dick all throbby? He reaches a hand down, tentatively palming it once. Shivers run up his spine.

Just then, Rui bends down, reaching under the sink for more dish soap. And Lyca can’t help but to imagine that he’s behind him on all fours, grinding against him, how good it would feel to just rub himself against his ass, to press him down into the floor, and now he’s rubbing his dick through his pants again and it feels so good, and he reaches an arm out to support himself against the wall… And immediately knocks over a lamp.

Rui's head immediately whips around.

“Oh, hey, Doggo! Didn’t see you there!”

Lyca freezes, a deer caught in headlights.

“Everything okay?”

Lyca stammers and nods, looking down at the shattered lamp on the floor. He crouches down, inspecting the broken shards. “I-I’ll clean it up!”

As he reaches his hands out, Rui runs over, yelling at him to stop. “Hey! You’re gonna cut your hands if you do that!”

“Huh…?”

“It has sharp edges so it’ll cut your skin! C’mon, let’s get a broom from the pantry and sweep it up together, okay?”

Lyca doesn’t know what a pantry is, but grunts in agreement and follows him.

“Ta-da! Here’s the broom and the dustpan, so you can use it whenever you need to!” Rui points behind the pantry door. “But can you grab it? My gloves are all soapy from doing the dishes earlier, haha!”

The pantry is narrow, and Lyca has to squeeze past Rui to get to the broom. The light brush of the back of Rui’s thighs against Lyca’s still-hard member causes his insides to twist in knots, and he lets a quiet groan slip out his mouth.

“Uh… Hey, Doggo…? Are you oka—”

“Quit callin’ me Doggo!” Lyca presses Rui into the wall of the pantry, trapping him as he grinds up against his backside. “Haah… Damn it, why does it feel so good?”

Rui pushes back and says something, urgency lacing his voice, but Lyca’s brain is turning to mush and all he can really process is that the friction he’s been craving all night is trying to shove him off, so he slams Rui back into the wall, holding him in place. Lyca grinds again, heat pooling in his stomach as his erection grows.

“Feels… So… Good…”

He starts to form a rhythm with his hips. He keeps one hand on Rui’s back, pulling down his sweatpants with the other. Precum had already soaked into the fabric of his boxers, and when he shoves a hand in to touch himself, his skin is hot, throbbing, feverish.

Rui tries to move again, so Lyca wraps his arms under his waist to keep him still.

“Please, I just need… Can I just… It feels so good…” He thrusts once more against Rui, agonizingly slowly, before groaning and dropping his head onto the blonde’s back. “Feels… So… Good…”

“Lyca…”

The werewolf whimpers at the sound of his name.

“Lyca, you have to stop. You can’t touch me.”

“I’m not touchin’ you, though.”

Rui sighs. “I know, but I’m scared it'll happen accidentally.”

Lyca’s words are muffled against Rui’s back. “It feels so good though. You feel so good. Wh… Why do you feel so good all a’sudden?”

It’s silent for a moment before Rui replies, his voice gentle. “...I’d be lying if I said this didn’t feel good for me too, Lyca. It’s probably that aphrodisiac anomaly they were talking about over the speakers yesterday.”

Lyca doesn’t know what an afro-dee-zi-ak is, but the hint of want in Rui’s voice makes him want to pull him closer. He tightens his arms around the blonde’s hips, pressing himself harder into Rui, causing him to gasp.

The gasp travels straight to Lyca’s cock. It twitches against the thick waistband of the boxers it's trapped in and Lyca groans into Rui’s back, and he knows in that moment he doesn’t have any more self control to stop.

“What if… What if I promise I jus’ don’t touch ya?”

“You can’t possibly—” Another gasp as Lyca grinds into him again, “Promise that,” Rui retorts, gloved hands clenching into fists.

“Can too! I-I’l just stay like this! I won’t move!” To prove his point, Lyca keeps his body as still as possible, his hips moving in the smallest motion he could possibly make. And he’s so turned on he could definitely cum like this, between the friction and the pressure and the way Rui’s backside curves perfectly around his shaft, and the way Rui struggles to hold it together, moaning and quivering in both reluctance and touch-starved bliss, but Lyca wants more, just a little more—

He wriggles his hips so that his boxers slide down just enough for his dick to be fully exposed. Glancing down for a moment, he admires how red and raw it is, the way it throbs and twitches like it has its own mind, and he has to bite the inside of his cheek with his fangs to stop himself from tearing off Rui’s pants and fucking him just like that. But Lyca would prefer to cum before he dies, so when the taste of blood floods his mouth, he instead angles himself so that he’s fucking the gap between Rui’s thighs.

When he thrusts the first few times in the new position he discovers he can feel Rui’s erection hard against his own, and he feels something akin to triumph. Excited, Lyca moves a hand down to the buckle of Rui's belt, but a pair of gloved hands are quick to grasp his wrist.

“You said you’d stay still, Doggo.” Rui’s voice is teasing, but firm.

Lyca whimpers. “Just feels so good…” he mumbles, burying his face in Rui’s back again, reverting back to the micromovements of his hips.

Suddenly, Rui’s legs squeeze tight around Lyca’s cock.

“So let’s keep going then, yeah? Just keep your hands to yourself.”

Relief floods over Lyca; he feels like he’s won. The new pressured sensation is almost overwhelming compared to what he felt before and he pulls nearly all the way out before thrusting once, hard.

Stars fill his vision. He tries to go slow, to make sure no part of him touches the reaper, but he feels like he’s in a frenzy. Every one of his instincts is telling him to bite, to mark and hold Rui close with his teeth, and it’s taking everything in him to push it away, so instead he uses his mouth to gather as much fabric as he can from the back of Rui’s blazer and bites down on it. And the pressure against his teeth as he drives himself in and out from between the blonde’s legs feels so good, so good that a possessive snarl comes out.

He can smell the desperation and need that floods out of Rui’s pores, and he can hear every shuddering breath the blonde takes, and with the breaths comes the quietest moans, a stream of curses and pleads that only work to unravel Lyca so fast he doesn’t even realize he’s about to cum until suddenly he’s thrusting as fast and as hard as he can until his entire body shaking and quivering, a damp mess dripping down his legs and soaking into the fabric of Rui’s pants as his cock swells and knots.

When Lyca’s brain starts functioning again, he pulls the fabric from his mouth and starts apologizing until he realizes that Rui is still clamped tight around him, wriggling and humping desperately. So Lyca repositions one of his hands around the blonde’s cock, causing Rui to moan at the increase in friction as Lyca rubs him through his dampened pants.

“S-so wet, fuck!” Rui holds his gloved hand against Lyca’s, increasing the pressure against Rui’s member. Lyca squeezes, hard, and a babble of sounds and noises tumble from the blonde’s mouth. “So good, Lyca, it all feels so good… I think I—”

The praise makes Lyca whimper and he burrows his head into Rui’s back again, his hips bucking involuntarily. The fabric of Rui's pants has started to make his dick feel raw, but he can feel it building again, he's so close—

“Ngh… Shit, I’m gonna cum again, just gimme a—”

“Fuck, Lyca, I—”

They climax at nearly at the same time, bodies jerking through their orgasms together and completely soaking Rui’s pants before slumping down on the floor of the pantry, out of breath.

“Ah… Now we have to clean this mess up too, Doggo.”

“Hey... I said to stop callin’ me Doggo.”

“You gotta admit that it was a pretty dog-like position you had me pinned in though, no?”

Lyca thinks for a moment. “No, I’m a werewolf still.”

Rui chuckles. “Yeah, yeah. Hey, by the way, it’s mega cute that your ears are out right now. Can I pet you?”

Luca stretches his arm, breathing in, holding it, then breathing out. He rolls his head to loosen his neck, once clockwise, once counterclockwise, before stretching out his other arm.

Though the afternoons are sunny and warm, the autumn mornings had just started getting brisk. Luca always looked forward to his close combat classes, and starting the day by exercising both his body and mind always left him feeling energized. He takes in a deep breath, admiring the cloudless sky, clear and bright with just a tinge of purple.

Next, he warms up his legs. He does a series of thirty second foot taps before reaching into his bag for his jump rope. He looks around for Kaito, shaking his head when he’s nowhere to be seen. His other classmates slowly filter in, starting their warmups and practising moves they had learned in previous classes.

As he skips rope, he can’t help but wish that Kaito would take combat classes a little more seriously. The blonde was always nearly late to these classes even though Luca had banged on his door earlier to wake him up, Kaito’s groggy voice shooing him away with a panicked, “Yeah, I’m awake! Be there in a sec!” But then again, he shouldn’t concern himself over other peoples’ issues. He was here to learn and work as hard as he could. His brow furrows in concentration as he spins the rope faster, feet quickly catching up to the new rhythm.

Soon after, the combat professor arrives and Luca puts away his jump rope, glancing around for a mop of blonde hair. Still no sign of him. It isn’t until after attendance and well into the lecture that Luca hears a gasping wheeze as a familiar hand lands on his shoulder.

“Fuji, good to finally see you this morning.”

Kaito continues to struggle to catch his breath. “I’m sorry, Professor. I- ah, slept through my alarm again.”

Luca flinches at the lie, but keeps his mouth shut. The Professor tuts his tongue, but continues on with the rest of the lesson.

After the lesson, the class disperses into pairs to practise what they just learned. Kaito follows Luca to an open area, standing idly by as Luca swings his arms and legs to warm back up.

“Okay, Kaito. Do you want to try first, or do you want me to go first?”

“Uhhhh. Can you go first? I– ah, don’t think I really remember how to properly… arrange my body.”

Luca nods with understanding. “That’s fair. I practised this with Jiro a little bit the other day, so I do have a bit of muscle memory. Let’s start the move by having you lay down as my opponent then, okay?”

Kaito gets on his knees, then awkwardly maneuvers his body facedown, his arms and legs sprawled out under him. “Like this?”

“No, Kaito. The opponent is supposed to start by laying on their back, like they've been flipped. Can you turn over for me?”

“Sorry.” He rolls over like a log, taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes. “This is kinda nice! I feel like I could fall asleep just laying here.”

Luca crouches down and pulls one of Kaito’s arms away from his side. “Just lay like this while I figure out the move.” The blonde nods, eyelids fluttering closed as he feigns sleep.

Luca plants an arm by Kaito's head, then maneuvers a leg over Kaito’s outstretched arm, lowering himself so his weight rests on his shin, which has Kaito’s bicep pinned down. A yelp comes from under him.

“Hmm… I think it's kind of like this. Okay Kaito, try moving now.” The blonde complies, his trapped arm flailing at first, followed by the rest of his body.

Luca chuckles to himself, pleased as his friend struggles to get free. “I get why they call it ‘stapling’ now. Kaito, why don’t you try throwing some punches with your other hand? I want to see how I could deflect.”

The blonde complies, but the position of his body causes him to curl up to throw the punch, and Luca traps him with his arms.

“Ack– Mffgnnh!” Kaito tries to buck Luca off, but his hold is firm. The blonde continues to fight back, wriggling again and again to no avail. Readjusting his grip slightly, Luca plays with his weight distribution by putting all his weight on Kaito’s arm as he looms overtop. A muffled yelp comes from underneath as Kaito thrashes harder, before a pale hand slaps three times against the training surface.

A tap out.

Luca instantly releases his grip, sitting back on his feet and reaching out an arm to help his friend up. Kaito refuses the hand, instead clumsily curling into a vertical ball, his face tinged an embarrassed bright red.

“That was a really good try, Kaito!”

“T-thanks…” Kaito shifts uncomfortably in his seat, eyes cast downward.

“Let’s take a short break and then come back to it, okay?” Luca hops to his feet, grabbing two bottles of water and passing one to his friend. He sips his water, lost in thought. Usually Kaito could eventually manage to shove him off, but today, Luca felt totally in control of his hold. A small smile graces his face; maybe this was a sign that he’d gotten stronger with all his vigorous training. He wipes his brow, turning to look at Kaito who remained in the same position, water untouched, though slightly less red. He locks eyes with Luca for a moment, before quickly turning to look away again.

“Is everything alright, Kaito?” Luca crouches beside his friend, who immediately shifts away.

“Y-yeah! I’m fine! Everything’s fine!” He grabs his bottle of water, cracking it open in a swift motion and chugging half the bottle.

Luca nods. “Excellent. When you’re ready, let’s try again. This time, let’s switch positions, and you can be the one on top.”

Kaito spits out his water. He stammers, shaking his head fervently. “What?!”

“Oh, I mean you can be the one pinning me on the ground.”

Kaito continues to shake his head in disbelief. “That’s not what I meant!”

Confusion fills Luca’s face. “Sorry, I don’t think I understand. Could you elaborate?”

“NO.” The blonde gulps down the rest of his water, crumpling the bottle and throwing it off to the side. “Ughhh, this class always lasts forever. Come on, let’s get it over with.”

Luca nods. “As you wish. Would you like to lay down again, then?”

“Fine. But can I lay the other way?”

“It’s not what we learned in class… Though it would be good for me to see if I would be able to use the same technique on someone if I had them in a hold where they were face down. That’s a good idea, Kaito! Let’s give it a shot.”

“Urgh…”

The blonde hesitantly lays down on the ground, taking a deep breath.

“That’s great.” Thinking for a moment, Luca crouches over Kaito, figuring out how he would position his body. Logically, if someone were face down, they’d use their legs to get up. Luca pushes one of Kaito’s legs to it’s splayed to the side, before using the same technique from earlier to lock down his thigh.

“Ow… Your shins are so bony…”

Luca chuckles an apology. “Okay, try and get out of the hold now, Kaito!”

Kaito sighs before trying to pick himself up using his hands. Luca pounces on him, holding his hands down while keeping his leg locked in place. The sudden impact causes Kaito’s face to slam into the ground and he groans, buried swears muffled by the training mats as he struggles to get free.

It was strange, but today, Kaito seemed to be trying especially hard. Maybe he finally decided to take his studies seriously after the embarrassment of showing up late for class? Regardless, Luca was proud of his friend. Maybe today would be a good day to go a little harder on Kaito, since he’s been so receptive to the grappling.

Adjusting his position, Luca practically sits on Kaito while holding his limbs down. Another muffled sound, followed by an increase in thrashing.

“I’m sorry, Kaito, does this hurt?”

“Mmmfffgghh… No… B-but—”

Luca readjusts again, causing Kaito to whimper and buck his hips. The hold he had on his friend stayed strong, as Luca’s confidence skyrocketed. Somehow, his body had learned to pin an enemy down by combining techniques! In his excitement, he rearranges himself and just as he does so, Kaito throws his body to the side, flipping on his back. His face is flushed, and he’s panting, and the way he took advantage of Luca changing positions to release from his hold was surprisingly impressive.

Adrenaline floods Luca’s body. Immediately, he uses his knee to hold Kaito’s leg down, causing the smaller boy to groan in pain.

“L-Luca… I can’t—”

Kaito continues to struggle to release himself from his hold. Luca skillfully readjusts his body, managing to lay himself over his friend before swiftly turning his arm so that the weight of his chest locks Kaito's head to the ground.

“Luca, crap, I don’t think I can—”

Kaito thrashes again, groaning in Luca’s ear as he bucks once more into his opponent’s thigh. And then he suddenly stills, his breathing ragged, heaving chest pressing into Luca's body.

He taps three times on the mat.

Luca peels himself off his friend, who instantly curls into a ball, burying his face in his knees.

“Kaito! Are you okay?” Worry immediately creases itself over Luca’s face as he tries to examine Kaito’s body, which only makes him curl up tighter. “Did I hurt you? Oh, no. Did I stop too late? I didn’t see a tap out earlier, but you were trying to say something to me…”

But the blonde isn’t listening, and Luca has no idea what he did wrong, but Kaito looks so flustered and embarrassed. Finally, he manages to point to his bag.

“T-towel… please…”

Luca immediately hops to his feet and beelines to Kaito’s bag. As he rifles through it for the towel, an announcement blares from the P.A. system:

ATTENTION PLEASE! Darkwick Academy is currently undergoing an immediate investigation, as an anomaly has been found this morning to be affecting the entire campus. This anomaly has strong aphrodisiac properties, and the Academy will be going into an island-wide lockdown effective immediately. Classes will continue as normal. Please proceed carefully, and take appropriate precautions.

After spending the entire summer whining and pestering Sho, who told him to pester Alan, who ignored him until he started pestering Dante, Leo had finally gotten a club approved for Vagastrom. There was an empty garage next to the main dorm, and Leo had spent the past month working surprisingly hard to clean and renovate it. It was honestly a relief to have Leo out of everyone’s hair, not only for his fellow housemates, but also for pretty much the rest of campus. You found that you had a lot more free time without him constantly calling you over to eavesdrop on people, though a small part of you missed his shenanigans. So when he started a group chat with you and a few others asking to meet at midnight to get your opinions on his pet project, it was an exciting surprise.

“Did you steal the Vagastrom couch?”

You breeze in through the garage doors, pausing to take a look around before plopping down on the familiar worn couch.

“You’re not even gonna say hi?”

“Hi.”

Leo scoffs at your greeting, ignoring it. It’s a quarter to midnight, and no one else has arrived yet. In all honesty, his club was coming along pretty well. There’s a glassy modern DJ booth on one end, and several open-concept bars lined with a large array of colourful bottles along the walls. The dance floor is spacious with a few cocktail tables around it, and there’s an area toward the other end of the club with leather-clad private booths. The style is industrial, surely to match the vibe of the garage, with a sleek black marble finish that gives it an air of class. It was impressive he managed to pull all this together in the time he had. As you examine your surroundings from your seat in the middle of the room, you notice that he’s eyeing you, and make an extra effort to keep your gaze neutral, bordering on disinterested. The last thing you wanted was to inflate his giant ego.

“Hm.” You pretend to check your phone before looking back up at him, pleased as irritation flashes over his face. “So, are you gonna get rid of this couch when you’re done?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t fit the vibe.”

“That’s a shame. I think it gives it more character,” you reply, idly running your hand over the armrest.

Leo sneers. “More character?”

You shrug. “I dunno. It’s kinda boring.”

“Boring? You wouldn’t know taste if it hit you smack in the middle of your face.” He eyes you incredulously, before crossing his arms in defiance.

“If you really think that, why’d you include me for your consultation then?”

“Fine. What could make it more fun, then?”

You stand, stretching for a moment before walking around, getting a feel for the space.

“Hmm. Dance floor’s kinda bland. Why is it just concrete? What if you got one of those cool glass dance floors that change colours?”

Leo sighs, rolling his eyes. “That’s so fucking tacky. My god, you really have no taste. And do you know how expensive those are? Plus, the strobes and stuff are gonna be on when the electricity gets hooked up next week and it’ll look less bland.”

“Or–” You say, gesturing toward an empty stretch of floor near the DJ booth, “What if over here you installed a pole and hired strippers?”

“Are you offering your services?”

“I don’t know how to pole dance. Maybe I could do lap dances though.” You pull out a chair and straddle it backwards, flipping your hair dramatically while batting at your eyelashes at him, mocking flirtation. “You know, that’s actually not a bad idea. I bet Jin would show up and throw a ton of money at me,” you laugh. “Then you could afford the cool glass dance floor.”

“You’d need a lot of training before you could lap dance for money. I’m sure even Jin’s weird obsession with you has its limits.”

You scoff, standing back up. “You’re saying that like you could do a good lap dance.”

“I’d do a better one than you.”

“Okay, bet.”

Leo’s face flickers with cunning amusement as he straightens up. “Okay, Honour Roll. You’ve got my attention. Let’s see it.”

You tap your chin, thinking. “How about we make a deal. I'll give you a lap dance now if you promise you’ll do one on opening night. For the next person that walks through the door.”

“Not fair. If that’s the case then I want a private lap dance.”

You hesitate for second. You and Leo were always bantering like this, always trying to one-up each other. But why did his eyes suddenly darken when he said that? And wait, why were you suddenly… Not completely opposed to it?

“Would you even let me dance on you?” Your voice comes out soft, almost vulnerable. If he really did think you were as worthless as he made it seem, surely he’d back out, right? You watch his face intently, trying to gauge a reaction.

“A bet’s a bet.”

Fuck.

There’s no way you’re about to do what you’re thinking, but your hands seem to move on their own. Tentatively, you reach under your skirt and pull at the straps of your underwear, carefully lifting each leg to free the garment without exposing yourself. Folding it in a small square, you gently tuck the thin material in the front pocket of Leo's jeans before looking back at him.

His eyes are blown wide, a light flush dusting the tips of his ears. You lift your hand up to his face, pinky up.

“So, we have a deal, then.”

“Deal.”

Just as you intertwine your fingers together, the door of the garage bangs open, and Sho walks in. A huge grin plasters itself on your face as you look at Leo.

“So it’s gonna be Sho, huh? Of course it’s him. I'll be sure to come early on opening night.”

“Fine. But you have to hold up your end of the deal first,” he replies quietly, grabbing your hand.

“Where are we going?”

“What, you thought I'd build a club and not have private back rooms? God, you're so dense sometimes.” He waves at Sho, who nods back, hands shoved in his pockets as he admires the space.

This was the worst fucking day of your life. After weeks of pining after this guy who sat across from you in one of your classes, you decide to ask him out. He’d always been nice to you – lending you a pencil once, telling you the date when you forgot, grabbing a book from the top shelf because he was taller and could reach it better. So, you gathered up all your courage and after class, made sure your skirt looked cute and fixed your hair before asking him to wait- Hey, sorry, you had something important to ask him, is it okay if you talk in private? He told his friends he’d catch up with them later and after they leave you spill your heart to him, only to have him say…

“Oi!”

A voice calls out to you, breaking you out of your head. You look over, spotting Sho kneeling on the floor of the Vagastrom garage, polishing Bonnie.

“Can’t sleep either? If you come here, I’ll warm you up.” As you slowly walk closer, he notices your sullen expression. “Hey, hey. I’m kidding. Why the long face?” You sit next to him on the cold floor, putting your head in your knees and curling your body into itself while letting out a long, defeated groan. “Are you okay?” He asks, a hint of concern lacing his voice. He wasn’t expecting you to actually take him up on his offer and now he finds himself unsure of what to do. His comforting skills were subpar to say the least, but he reaches a hand out to soothe you before second guessing himself and pulling it back. You groan loudly again.

“Hey, snap out of it,” he says. “What’s got you all bummed out and sounding like the grudge?”

You curl yourself tighter and mumble something intelligible.

Sho leans in closer, his brow furrowed in concern. "What? I can't hear a damn thing." He nudges you gently with his elbow. "C'mon, out with it. I ain't got all night." His voice is gruff but he watches you patiently, giving you the space you need to gather your thoughts.

Finally, you uncurl, face streaked with tears. “Sho, be a hundred percent honest with me. Am I ugly?”

His eyes widen, the question catching him completely off guard. “Seriously? That’s what this is about?” He reaches out and gently wipes a tear away from your cheek with a surprising tenderness. “You’re not ugly. Not even close. Whoever made you think that is a fucking idiot.” He pauses, searching for the right words to say. “Hey. Don’t let some dumbass’s opinion get you down. You’re way better than that.”

You make a loud groaning noise similar to one an anomaly would make if it were in pain. “GAH! I asked this stupid GUY in my class out today and he laughed and said I looked like a bug. A FUCKING BUG!! He couldn’t have just said no, he had to add that my eyes bulged out of my head in a bug-like way, what the hell?!” You shove your head back angrily into your knees, forcing out yet another muffled groan of agony.

“What’s his name? I’ll give him a piece of my mind.” You look up to see that his expression has darkened, his jaw clenched slightly. You’re caught off guard by his protectiveness. Sho looks at you and sighs, running a hand through his hair to calm himself down.

“Listen, that guy’s an idiot. He’s probably just insecure and trying to make himself feel better by putting you down. Don’t let his words get to you, Honor Roll.” The blonde gives your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Plus, there are plenty of guys out there who would be lucky to have you.”

You dramatically topple over, smushing your forehead against his arm. “Ughhhh. You know, I don’t even have anything against bugs. Some of them are cute.” You let out an aggravated sigh before looking up at him again. “But thanks, Sho. Means a lot coming from you especially because you’re stereotypically very hot.”

Sho chuckles. “Bugs are alright, I guess. Anyway, forget about that guy, he’s obviously got no taste.” He folds up his polishing cloth and stands up, holding an outstretched hand to you. “What do you say we do something fun? I could whip up some good food, or we could go for a night drive on Bonnie. I just got her all clean and changed her oil.” You put your hand in his, and he pulls you up. “Whatever you want.”

He was right, there was no need to dwell on that guy. You take a deep breath before turning to Sho, forcing a grin to trick yourself into a better mood. “Okay, then let’s go for a ride on Bonnie! Can I drive?”

The blonde grins at your enthusiasm. “Alright, alright. A little getaway it is. But…” He hesitates, drumming his fingers on his leg. “Look, I trust you. I really do. But Bonnie… she’s not the easiest thing to handle, you know? Plus, she’s very particular about who rides her.” He gives you an apologetic look, hoping you won't be too disappointed. "How about this? I'll drive, and you can be my co-pilot. Tell me where you wanna go and we’ll go. Does that sound okay?" He flashes you a smile, hoping to win you over. "It'll be fun. We can ride all night."

“Heh. Pervert.” You respond, reacting to the last thing he said.

“H-hey, it’s not like that! I just meant-”

“It’s okay, I like perverts.” You grin up at him. “Okay, let’s go! Heartbroken bug in YOUR area looking for anything that will make me feel ALIVE!!!” You scream into the night air.

The blonde smiles, popping open the seat of the motorcycle and handing you a helmet before putting his own on. You fumble with yours, struggling with the straps. “What the… why is it so loose?”

Sho sighs, shaking his head slightly. “Geez, you can’t do anything right, hey?” He teases affectionately. “C’mere.” Gently, he reaches up and adjusts the straps to fit you, his fingers brushing against your neck as he clips the buckle. You flinch slightly and Sho eyes you for just a beat longer than he needs to. “There. Helmets need to fit snug, otherwise they’re useless.” He pats the top of your helmet before swinging a leg over Bonnie with a practiced ease, motioning for you to get on. “Come on, little heartbroken bug. The night is young.”

“Where am I supposed to hold on to?” You ask as you awkwardly climb on Bonnie.

“My waist.”

You feel him winking even without seeing his face and you’re glad he’s turned around as you immediately flush a bright red. “You’re such a pervert. I bet you get all the heartbroken bugs like this.”

Sho smirks at your accusation. "And what's wrong with being a pervert? Someone's gotta appreciate the finer things in life.” You smile at his response, settling in and wrapping your arms around him.

Bonnie's engine revs, the loud sound filling the air. “Hang on tight, alright? Don’t want you flying off when I hit the throttle.” You squeeze him harder in response and your helmet bumps gently into his. He bumps your helmet back. As he releases the clutch Bonnie roars to life, the three of you speeding off into the night.

The nighttime roads are empty and winding, the orange of sodium lights casting a warm downward glow as the cold wind whips the fabric of your jacket. Your nerves quickly fade as you feel the way Sho leans expertly into every turn and you relax into his back, settling your hands into his lap. You feel your mind start to wander, firstly to the horrible rejection you experienced today, then to other partners you had before, then to your friends and family back home. Your old life had been so cozy and quiet and full of promise, a stark contrast to the life you lead now at Darkwick. But there were always little glimmers of warmth here and there, and your arms were holding onto the waist of one of them. You rest your chin on the side of Sho’s arm as your train of thought ends.

“Whatcha thinking about?”

The blonde hesitates for a moment. “I dunno. Just how much better this is than sitting and rotting in the dorms,” He shrugs before falling silent for a few long moments. “And I guess I was thinking about how easy it is to get lost in your own head, you know, like let other people’s opinions define you.” You chew on his response for a moment. Is he talking about you? He glances at you for a second, a small smile on his face. “What about you? What are you thinking about?”

“Mmm. I’m thinking about riding with you all night.” You feel his body tense at the sudden perverse comment and chuckle to yourself. “It’s really peaceful driving around at night, I see why you do it so often. My heart is feeling better too.”

“I’m glad. Out here, nothing else matters. It's just you, the road, and the wind in your hair. And maybe a cute bug on your back." You blush furiously, clinging tighter to him to hide an internal scream. “So, where to? Anywhere in particular you wanna hit up?”

You think for a moment, then remember a late night sweets shop Leo had recently showed you on Tiktok during an eavesdropping session. “Can we eat ice cream? Maybe something sweet will patch my heart up. This place has drinks too!”

“Heartbreak ice cream, huh? Lead the way. But I'm trusting you to pick the best damn ice cream place in town.”

Sho eagerly navigates as you read him the directions from your map app. Eventually, you pull up to a small parking lot packed with cars. You do a once-over, then decide to park a little farther away in a quiet residential alley.

You unbuckle your helmet and hand it to Sho, who places it beside his own under Bonnie’s seat. Noticing a little corner of rolled fabric poking out from under it, you reach in to touch it.

“What’s this for?”

“I– ah. That’s a picnic blanket.”

“You have time to go out and have picnics?” You eye him incredulously.

Sho’s hand nervously reaches up to scratch at the back of his neck. “No… I use it for stargazing. Sometimes I drive around and when it’s a clear night I like to find a nice field and lay down under the stars.” He watches you, trying to gauge your reaction. “It’s peaceful. We can go tonight, if you’d like.”

“That’s so romantic. But I usually don’t put out on the first date.”

Sho’s cheeks immediately turn red and he turns away from you to rearrange the helmets and close Bonnie’s seat. It’s cute, the way twisting his words can make him so flustered.

“So, uh. What kind of ice cream did you have in mind?” When he turns back to you he’s mostly regained composure, and begins walking toward the dessert shop. “I’m pegging you to be a chocolate person.”

You shake your head, walking beside him. “Chocolate’s okay, but I should let you know this isn’t a regular ice cream place. They sell crazy flavours, like durian, curry, and jalapeno milkshake.”

Sho’s eyes nearly bulge out of his head as you grab his hand and drag him into the restaurant.

The two of you are seated across from each other in a cozy booth. Sho looks uncertain as he peruses the menu, but you encourage him to try some interesting flavours for hell of it. “When else are you gonna get to know what takoyaki tastes like in ice cream form?”

He shakes his head, sighing. “Fine. Let’s get some weird ice cream, but only if we’re also getting drinks. My heart can’t handle this sober. Plus, you look like you need a drinking buddy tonight.”

You nod eagerly, finger trailing down the menu to find the strangest ice cream flavour. After some contemplation, you settle on a lobster and wasabi mix.

“Ready?”

You nod and the blonde waves the waiter over. “I’ll have the takoyaki ice cream, and Honour Roll here will have the lobster with wasabi.” He stares at you the entire time as if he’s taunting you to change your mind. “And for drinks, I’ll have a double gin and tonic.”

“Make that two,” you add.

The waiter leaves, Sho shaking his head amusedly. “Fuck, Honour Roll. You’re really testing the limits of my tastebuds here.”

“Mmm. I like that you let me test your limits.”

A sly grin forms on his lips. “You know, you keep calling me a pervert, but you’re the one making all the jokes here, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you reply, batting your eyes at him.

The drinks arrive first, and Sho watches as you squeeze in some juice from your lime wedge before stirring it in. He picks up his glass and holds it up to you. “To not letting jerks ruin a perfectly good night. And to weird new flavours.” He pauses to look in your eyes. “And to perverts.”

Your glasses clink together and you take a sip, alcohol quickly warming your cheeks.

“So, what did you even like about this guy?” Sho asks bluntly.

“I– ah… You know… I don't even know.” You take another sip, chewing on the inside of your lip while you think. “I guess at first I liked that he was tall. And his arms were nice. Oh, and one time I forgot my pencil and he let me borrow his. And he got a book for me once at the library because I couldn’t reach it. Why are you making that face?”

“Are those your standards?” You frown at his clear disapproval. “C’mon, seriously? That’s how you pick ‘em? Anyone half decent should lend you a pencil, or use their height to grab a book for you.”

A frustrated sigh escapes your lips. “Yeah, I just. Sometimes I don’t have a lot of options, okay? And maybe it’s kinda lonely being the coveted Honour Roll all the time.” You pause to take another sip before cradling your drink in both hands. “It’s like I’m everywhere but I’m never anywhere long enough to build good relationships. And everyone in this fucking school knows what's gonna happen to me in a year, so it’s like… What’s the point of even getting to know me?” You stare down at your cup and idly swirl the liquid, fidgeting with the straw. “This guy, honestly, I think I picked him because he’s in a lot of my first year classes. He’s just a general student but he’s a constant, and he showed me a little kindness, and it felt warm, and I liked that, and that’s it. But I guess he's more of an asshole than I thought.” You look up into Sho’s soft eyes as you finish your thought.

There’s a long pause, and you can tell he’s thinking.

“I’m sorry,” Sho says finally.

“It’s okay, you didn’t do anyth–”

“No, I mean I’m sorry for… your circumstance.” He looks up as the waiter interrupts to place down the two ice creams. He thanks the waiter, then hands you a spoon. “That must be hard for you,” he finishes.

Idly, you prod at your ice cream, a small smile forming on your lips. It’s nice to feel heard. “Thank you, Sho.” He nods.

You take a small scoop, and wait for him to dip his spoon into his.

“Cheers?”

Sho smiles and nods, clinking his spoon to yours, before hesitantly sniffing the ice cream.

Your lobster ice cream is way spicier than you think, the sharpness of the wasabi hitting the back of your nose, causing your eyes to water.

“Hey, mine’s actually pretty good,” Sho says, scooping another spoonful, making sure to pick up bits of nori and bonito flake. “Wanna try?”

You nod, taking a sip of your drink to help with the hit of wasabi. He motions for you to lean in, and brings the spoon to your mouth, feeding you before leaning back, waiting for your review.

“Not bad, I like the savouriness of the mayo but the octopus bits are kinda freaking me out…”

As the ice cream melts in your mouth, a familiar figure by the entrance of the shop enters your peripheral vision, causing all the blood drain to drain out of your face. You immediately slink down in the booth.

The blonde watches you in confusion before turning his head around to see a tall, dark-haired man in a Darkwick uniform being led by the host past your table. You sit silently, looking downward, but he does a double take and recognizes you.

"Hey, Bug-Eyes. Didn't think I'd see you again so soon after I rejected you. And you’re here on a date with…" He pauses to look at Sho before looking back down at you. "With a fucking ghoul.” He tilts his head back to laugh forcefully. “You of all people should know by now that they're unhinged and violent. But I guess you like that, huh?”

Sho jumps to his feet, his ice cream spoon clattering to the floor.

“Hey. Leave us alone.”

The general student backs away from the table, waving his hands in the air with accusatory sarcasm. “You know,” he starts, turning to Sho and gesturing towards you, “precious Honour Roll here is kind of known to like, sleep around.”

Your mouth drops open. “What the fuck?”

He whips his head back to you. “Yeah. We’ve all heard you’re a little slut running around campus spreading your legs for all the ghoulies. No idea you were into regular dudes like me too, must be some kind of nympho or something with that appetite.” He turns around to walk away, eyeing a livid Sho. “Good luck with this one, freak.”

As he turns to leave, the entire restaurant is completely silent. Sho's fists are so tightly curled that his knuckles are completely white.

“Sho, don't–”

He lunges at him, causing the dark-haired student to stumble back against the wall.

“Apologize to them. Now.”

“Tch. It's true though.”

Sho leans in beside his ear, voice a dark murmur. “You sure you wanna taunt someone you just called unhinged and violent?”

The general student rolls his eyes. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He looks at you with a strained face. “My apologies, Honour Roll.”

“Fuck you,” you spit back.

He looks to Sho, who rolls his eyes and releases him from the wall. “Get the fuck out. You’re not gonna wanna run into me ever again.”

The general student looks back at you with a smirk before leaving, briskly walking out the door. When Sho turns back to you, your head is in your hands. He slides back into the booth beside you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulls you into his body. As you sit silently in his arms, you hold back a quiet sob as the restaurant fills back with noise, shame and anger coursing through your veins.

He pulls your head into his chest, running his fingers idly through your hair, and you swear it’s the only thing keeping you calm. Time passes in his arms and the tables that witnessed the scene slowly leave, being replaced by new guests. When the server comes to check up on the two of you, Sho murmurs something to the waiter who returns with a ceramic tokkuri of hot sake, which the blonde pours for you and gently places into your hand.

You bring it to your lips, hot steam warming your face.

“He’s not even wrong,” you say to him quietly. You wait for a reply, but Sho doesn’t say anything, nor does he change the way his body fits around yours, his thumb continuing to gently stroke your shoulder. Looking up at him, he meets your questioning gaze.

“He’s wrong in that he thinks any of that matters.”

It takes you a few minutes to wrap your head around his response, and the matter-of-fact way he delivered it. You slowly begin to move, picking up your spoon and stirring around the melted slurry. “That… what he said about me, it doesn’t bother you?”

“No, not at all. You should do what you want to do. As long as it’s consenting, who am I to judge? Plus, it’s not like I haven’t had my fair share of hookups too.”

The unwavering certainty behind Sho’s words slowly lift you from your fog. You feel your internalized shame dissolve, getting quickly replaced with exasperation. An aggravated sigh leaves your lips.

“Who the fuck even slut shames anymore? It’s fucking 2025.” You continue mucking around with the melted ice cream, drawing patterns using your spoon. ‘You know, I think I’m the maddest at the fact that he tried to ruin my day twice. That’s actually insane behaviour. What’s even his agenda? He hates ghouls and he hates sluts and wants everyone to know?”

The blonde smiles, watching as your sarcastic personality begins to reappear. He takes a sip of his sake and you follow, promptly topping up the tiny cups.

“Enough about him, though. Now you’ve got me all curious about your fair share of hookups. Didn’t peg you to be a fuckboy.”

Sho shrugs. “I'm not really a fuckboy. I'm more of a romantic in a tough situation.”

“Ah. Is stargazing on that picnic blanket your move then?”

“Saw right through me.”

As the night progresses, your mood improves as you sip warm sake beside Sho. You end up sharing your fair share of Darkwick hookups with him – how it started when Jin kept asking you for “favours” in exchange for pretty dresses, how the lonely ones were always the easiest to get into bed, how you sustained a unique scar on your collarbone from someone with particularly pointy incisors. And how it felt like these people you were sharing yourself with understood you on a level no one else could; the anguish, desperation, and resignation you feel now were the same emotions that had driven all the ghouls into making demonic pacts that could have easily killed them. That maybe you did like that some of them were a little unhinged, a little violent. That maybe it makes you forget for just a moment that you might never get to go home.

At some point, you realize you're sitting facing Sho on the booth, with one leg up on the seat and the other tangled between Sho's. His eyes won't leave yours, your heart is racing, and you feel a hot pink warmth in your cheeks from the liquor.

“What are you looking at?” You ask.

“I'm looking at you, stupid.”

You laugh. “I know that. But you have a look in your eye.”

“Oh, yeah? What's it look like?”

Putting down your cup on the table, you pretend to inspect his face before shifting your body so that you're practically in his lap. You boldly reach up to cup his jaw in your hand, tilting his face to meet yours.

“I think it looks like I might have to add you to my list.”

He lets you pull him into a heated kiss, teeth bumping as you feel your stomach melting into a pool of desire. Hands wrap around your waist, pulling you closer for a moment, before he suddenly breaks the kiss.

“Let's go.” He one-shots his remaining sake and slides out of the booth, reaching a hand out to you. You take it and he guides you to the door, handing the server a bill on the way out.

The cold night air hits you upon exiting and it feels sobering, though you stumble slightly and grab onto Sho's arm for support as you walk together back to the alley where Bonnie was parked. He wraps an arm around the small of your back, hand landing on the side of your hip.

“Where are we going?” You ask.

“Bonnie's our DD. I'm gonna take you stargazing, like I promised.”

“Stargazing, huh? So we’re gonna fuck?”

“I thought you didn't put out on the first date.”

You stop as you reach the spot where Bonnie is parked, hoisting yourself up on the seat so that you’re sitting sideways, facing Sho.

“I usually don't put out on the first date. But,” you take his hand, pulling it under your skirt against a damp spot in your underwear, “I need you to take care of this.”

“Fuck,” he breathes, fingers gently rubbing against the fabric. “You don’t play around, huh?”

You place a hand on Bonnie's seat for support as Sho slowly drags his finger along the edges of your underwear, before slowly and carefully pulling them off you, lifting one leg at a time. He pockets the thin fabric before leaning in to kiss you, pressing down you into the motorcycle.

“Uh– Wait.” You push him gently away. “Is Bonnie okay with… this?”

“Ah, yeah. Bonnie's seen it all.” Sho scratches the back of his neck nervously. “I actually kinda think she's into it. She seems to run better after she sees some pervert shit.” He looks at you, hoping it doesn't scare you off. “Though she's never really been directly involved like she is now…”

“Hmmm. So it's kinda like we're having a threesome with Bonnie then, huh?” Before Sho can change his mind, you pull him back into a heated kiss.

Sho steps between your open legs, hands gently squeezing the tops of your soft thighs. Slowly, he begins to move them down your legs, moving them along the curves of your body and back up, pausing to grip your hips. You press your body back into his hand as a response and he nips your lip, slowly dominating the kiss you initiated. A hand on your jaw encourages you to open your mouth and his tongue quickly slips in, coaxing a small moan from you.

“Dirty girl,” he purrs, looming over you. The hand on your jaw moves slowly down your neck as he continues kissing you, unfastening the top two buttons on your top. His slim fingers push back your collar to find the scar you talked about earlier on your collarbone, and he pauses the kiss to look at it. It's slightly ragged and about an inch long, moving sideways towards your shoulder. The blonde smirks at you, thumbing it. “Looks good on you. Even hotter that I know how you got it.”

He kisses the scar while his fingers continue unbuttoning your shirt, lips following behind as he moves downwards toward your navel. Your shirt now wide open, Sho's hands explore his new exposed territory, tracing around your bra and using his fingertips to press into the faint shape of your peaked nipples.

You close your eyes, melting into his warm caress. Every touch is intentional, and he takes his time feeling every inch of your skin. Pulling the top of your bra down, he cups each breast to his mouth, licking and kissing the soft flesh and flicking his tongue over each nipple before pulling the padded cup back up.

“Just in case someone comes.” He kisses your lips again, trailing small, soft pecks along the side of your jaw. “But you like the possibility of being caught, right?” he whispers lowly in your ear.

You're taken aback but nod, blushing at how direct he is in calling you out.

His fingers travel back to the scar on your shoulder, gently massaging it. “Uh huh. And I'm guessing you like being marked too?” You nod again, tilting your head to the side to give him better access. He chuckles at your eagerness, planting a kiss on your skin. “Come on, at least try using your words.”

It's embarrassing how quickly he had you wrapped around his finger.

You inhale slowly, trying to collect yourself. “Yes, I like being marked.”

“Mmm. Good girl.” His words light a fire under your skin and a small quake runs through your body. “Oh? I see we also have a praise kink.” Sho laughs lightly before licking a strip up your neck and biting down, causing you to involuntarily buck up against him. He grins, sucking harder on your neck, a hand slowly sneaking up under your skirt. His fingers draw small circles against your clit and you burrow your head in the blonde's hair, breath shaking with pleasure as you pull him closer with your legs.

“Mmm. You’re so needy.” He brings the fingers that were circling your clit up to your lips. “Open for me.” You oblige and he pushes them into your mouth, swirling them against your hot tongue while he smiles down at you with praise in his eyes. “Fuck, you look so good with your mouth wide open for me like that.” He presses your tongue down, eyes darkening as your eyes tear up from the pressure. “Can I spit?”

You nod. He uses his fingers to hold your jaw open, lifting his head and spitting a long, white string that slowly moves down, landing square on your tongue. Smirking, he removes his fingers and closes your mouth, kissing you slow and deep.

“I knew you were a pervert,” you say after a while, breaking the kiss.

“And you're taking it all with enthusiasm, so what does that make you?”

He brings his hand back down to spread your folds apart, slowly inserting a slick finger into your core, causing you to moan at the new sensation. Sho swears under his breath at the sound you make, leaning his forehead against yours as he starts gently massaging your g-spot. You relax, letting the force behind his movements rock you back and forth for a bit before reaching for Bonnie’s handlebar to steady yourself, gripping it tightly as the blonde inserts another finger. It doesn’t take much for a familiar warmth to spread through your body, and you move to rub your clit as the blonde’s fingers move faster, a grin spreading across his face as you slowly unfurl.

With barely time for a warning you buck up into his hand, back arching and legs involuntarily clenching around Sho's, pulling him close. As waves of your orgasm course through your flushed body, you grip the handlebar even tighter, when suddenly a loud rev sounds out in the night. Rattled, you immediately pull your shirt closed in shock, looking frantically around you.

Annoyance creases Sho's brow, and he looks beside you. “Hey, Bonnie. Mind keeping it down? We’re not trying to get caught here.”

“Oh my god.” You look at Bonnie, whose motor is now quietly purring. A smirk crosses Sho’s face, and he removes his fingers from inside you, walking around and bringing it up to Bonnie. Her mouth opens and she licks his slick fingers, her purr increasing in volume for a moment. He pats her gently before turning his attention back to you.

He pauses to admire the scene in front of him. The dim light of the alley casts soft shadows that caress the hills and valleys of your frame, the soft drone of traffic in the distance. He takes a step back, eyes raking over your body – from your mussed hair sticking to your forehead to the purpling mark blooming on your neck, to your crumpled unbuttoned top, down to the skin on your bare thighs.

He hums in approval, voice barely a whisper. “You’re so pretty, looking up at me like that.”

You smile, bashfully tucking a strand of hair behind your ear and pulling your legs together. “Pervert. You know what though? I think I’d be prettier on my knees.”

Sho’s mouth opens in surprise as you stand up, pulling him to take your spot on Bonnie’s seat. You unbuckle his belt for him, and he undoes his pants, wriggling them down to mid-thigh. You pull his throbbing cock out from inside his boxers, slowly stroking him up and down as he gasps softly, watching you work.

“So… you’re also into the possibility of being caught, huh?”

He looks at you angrily and you tighten your grip slightly, causing a moan to slip out from between his lips. After a few more pumps, you slowly lower yourself to your knees.

“No, you don’t have to–” You kiss the tip of his cock, ignoring him, causing him to groan in pleasure. “I don’t want you to hurt your kne–” You cut him off again, tongue moving from the bottom of his shaft to the top.

“Shhh. We’re trying not to get caught, remember?”

Sho bites his lip, nodding as you wrap your lips around him. He’s fairly big, so you use your hand at his base to help as you suck him off, the flavour of precum bursting on your tongue. His breathing gradually quickens and you look up at him, head thrown back in ecstasy, adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows his quiet moans.

A hand moves up to your head, threading its fingers through your hair before gently pushing you deeper onto his cock. As he hits the back of your throat you hold in a gag, tears welling in your eyes, drool immediately slicking your mouth on reflex. His back is arching so much he’s barely sitting on Bonnie, his free hand gripping the seat tightly as he tries his best not to thrust into your mouth. You cradle his balls with your other hand and he lets out another moan, biting hard into his shoulder to stifle it.

“Fuck,” he whispers, breath quickening. “Fuck, you’re gonna make me cum, it feels so good I—” The blonde is silent as his thighs shake, fingers tightening around your hair, keeping your head in place. You grin to yourself, mouth still stuffed full with his cock, and you feel it fill with his spend.

Still kneeling obediently, you wait for his spasms to calm and his for grip to loosen before slowly standing back up, brushing the dirt off your knees. You notice that Bonnie’s motor is still on, if not running a little louder than it was earlier. As Sho slowly regains his composure, you move to look at Bonnie, and notice her mouth opening as you approach.

“Oh! Umm, do you want some?”

Her mouth remains open, engine continuing to quietly rev. You kneel back down, positioning your head as close to her as possible, letting Sho’s cum slowly drip off your tongue into her. “Good girl,” you say, mimicking Sho. When you’ve finished, you stand back up, gently running a hand along Bonnie’s metal frame. Her engine purrs louder, her rumbling steady and deep.

Sho is eyeing the two of you, face unreadable. He runs a hand through his blonde hair, sighing before standing to do up his pants.

“Fucking perverts, both of you.”

He opens Bonnie’s seat and pulls out your helmet, handing it to you before securing his own, before swinging his leg over the motorcycle and patting the seat in front of him.

“Wanna come home with me tonight, little bug? I’ll let you sit up front this time so you can get a better view.” You smile up at him, clicking the buckle together and nodding.

“Um, wait a sec. Where’s my underwear?”

“In my pocket. We’re gonna ride bareback tonight.” He grins, reaching out a hand to playfully flip the hem of your skirt up. Your face reddens but you hop on in front of him. His hands move to your waist, adjusting your position and groping your hips before returning back to the handlebars.

“Stay like this till I tell you to leave, okay? Got it?”

You'resitting, Leo’s hands clasped around yours on the worn leather couch in Vagastrom. It's a long weekend, so most of the general students had gone home, save for the ghouls and yourself. Leo had just seen Alan meeting up with Tohma through his window, and summoned you through a series of rapid-fire texts as he sprinted down the stairs to the common room. You brought a blanket and a book this time, as these hand-holding sessions tended to take quite a while.

“Hey, Honour Roll, you useless and deaf? I didn’t hear an answer.”

Annoyed, you use your knee to push yourself away from him while keeping your hands together. “Don’t bother me,” you snap, not looking up from your book.

“God, you’re so fucking dense.” Leo says, throwing his head onto the backrest of the couch. “Literally anyone in the world could have gotten this stigma enhancing power you have but noooo. It had to be you.”

Fucking Leo, always having to open his big mouth and ruin whatever you were doing. You snap your book shut. "If you want to keep holding my hand to listen in on Tohma and Mido, give me a good reason to stay. I have better things to do.”

"A good reason?" He raises an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Let's see... how about the sheer, unadulterated pleasure of my company? Surely that's reward enough."

You roll your eyes as you start to put the book into your bag with one hand.

“Ugh, okay! I’m sorry. What do you want me to do? Read to you aloud from your book like I’m a fucking kindergarten teacher?” He pauses for a moment before his expression shifts slightly, a spark of challenge in his eyes. "Or perhaps," he continues, his voice dropping to a husky murmur, "You'd prefer a more... tangible incentive? Something to keep you thoroughly entertained while we eavesdrop?” He shifts back, a smirk growing on his face. “The choice, as always Honor Roll, is yours."

He’s annoying, but it’s pretty late, and you’ve been pretty bored with everything being at a standstill these past few days. You decide to toy with him for now.

"Hmmmmm..." you hum beside him. "What kind of tangible incentives would you have in mind for me? You have to let me know quick though, Leo. My hand is suddenly letting go of yours..." You pull your hand dramatically slowly from his grasp. He watches you, amusement filling his yellow eyes, but doesn’t say anything. "Aw, no offers then, Leo? That’s too bad, I was hoping to do something fun tonight. I'm out." You pull your hand firmly from his grasp before standing up to fold your blanket.

His eyes darken with a predatory glint as he watches you. He doesn't try to stop you, a smirk playing on his lips as he leans back against the couch, feigning nonchalance.

"Going so soon?" he drawls, his voice laced with amusement. He lets his gaze drift over your body, lingering on the way your hair falls over your shoulder. "Y’know, I thought you’d be more adventurous than that. But if you're too afraid to play the game, then by all means, run along. Plenty of other people who would be absolutely thrilled to take your place."

He watches you intently, waiting to see if his words have had their desired effect. He knows you're not one to back down from a challenge, and he's betting that your pride will be enough to keep you from leaving.

You straighten up, smoothing out your skirt. “Hmm. Sorry, Leo. Didn’t hear any tangible incentives offered, unfortunately. I can't do business without a good pitch, you of all people should know that. Plus, without a good offer, me and my hand that you love to hold so dearly have our own tangible activities to attend to tonight." You wink at him and wiggle your fingers before collecting your things and turning to walk away without so much a glance back.

Irritation etches itself in his brow as he watches you walk away.

"Fucking tangible incentives, huh?" he mutters under his breath. He hated that you didn’t want to play his game, and hated that you were walking away from him so easily. He pushes himself off the couch, stalking after you.

"Fine," he says, his voice a low growl as he grabs your arm, pulling you back towards him. He leans in close. "How about this? You stay, and I'll let you decide what we do tonight. Anything you want, no limits. Sound good enough for you?"

He waits, his eyes burning into yours, daring you to refuse. He knows he's playing a dangerous game, but he can't help himself – your comment about you and your hand had both irked and turned him on, and he hates not getting his way.

A devilish smile creeps onto your face. You knew he'd offer something, but you never expected it to be so... Not in his favour. And no limits? You whip around to face him, eyes unblinking and decisive.

"Okay, Leo. I’ll bite.” You step back and think for a moment. He looks smug, and you decide you want to wipe the stupid grin off his face.

“You are now my obedient dog. And you will do whatever I tell you to do tonight."

His grip on your arm tightens, a flash of anger momentarily flickering in his eyes before he schools it back into a mask of bored amusement. He hates the idea of being controlled, and wasn’t expecting you’d take it so far and so seriously.

"Careful now," he purrs, voice laced with a dangerous edge. "Don't get too ahead of yourself. I’m willing to play along. But don't think for a second that you have me completely under your thumb. I'm still in control; I'm just letting you think you're not." He pauses, his eyes narrowing as he studies your face, searching for any sign of weakness. "But tell me, mistress, what do you have in mind for your obedient little pet tonight?"

He’s taunting you. You straighten up, looking at him with what you hoped read as sternness. “Hmm. Well, as with any new puppy, I’m going to have to see just how obedient you really are," you reply matter-of-factly. "Get on your knees."

He looks at you with daggers in his eyes. He clearly hadn't expected you to come out swinging so hard. But he’s not one to back on his own challenge, especially in front of you; the happy-go-lucky, overbearing, completely useless Honour Student.

“So tell me. What do I get in return for this... obedience? What are you offering me for debasing myself at your feet?"

You scoff at him. "I don't need to offer you anything. You are my puppy, and you've agreed to this deal. You made the terms. No limits. And I’ve decided what we do tonight. And tonight, you are my obedient puppy that does not. Fucking. Talk. Back."

You nearly crack a smile at the sound of those ridiculous words coming out of your mouth, but you remain stoic. Your unwavering command makes Leo raise an eyebrow. It's clear that all he’s thinking about is how to find ways to relinquish your power, to turn the tables around. Defiance builds in his eyes before he slowly and deliberately lowers himself to his knees, gaze steadily locked on yours, refusing to fully surrender his power.

"Very well, mistress," he purrs, his voice a low, husky rumble. "Your obedient puppy awaits your command."

A grin spreads widely across your face. This is going to be fun. You sit down on the couch once again, removing both your left shoe and sock.

"My puppy is going to prove his obedience to me by licking me from the very bottom of my foot-” you point at your foot, moving your finger as you speak, “all the way up my entire leg to the inside of my thigh, without stopping. If he breaks contact, he will start again. Is this understood? Bark twice for yes.”

Leo’s eyes widen at your outrageous and, frankly disgusting request. The bottom of your dirty foot? He really hadn't expected you to be so direct, so demanding, so perverse. But before he can stop himself, he catches himself barking twice for you, thinking, what the fuck is wrong with me?

Fuming, he grabs a hold of your foot and wipes the bottom with the cuff of his sleeve. He digs his nails into your skin as a sign of retaliation, before reluctantly pulling it towards his mouth. The action was embarrassing and completely repulsive, and he closes his eyes as his tongue makes contact with your heel. You feel his tongue quiver in disgust. Slowly, he moves up your ankle and halfway onto your calf before he opens his eyes again. He locks his eyes with you only to see the intense heat in your gaze as you watch.

Oh, so you’re into this, huh? Leo thinks. Two can play at this game, then.

He slowly, deliberately, crawls forward on his knees, his eyes never leaving yours. The closer he gets to your thigh the more control he feels, as your body starts to unfurl at his tongue. He reaches out, his fingers gently tracing the curve of your thigh, sending shivers down your spine. Your breath hitches and Leo grins, biting down softly, nibbling at your skin but never breaking contact. His tongue flicks and teases, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

Fuck. Leo is such a fucking tease.

As he reaches mid-thigh, you move the hem of your skirt up and spread your legs so he can fit between your thighs. You feel your pulse quicken and wonder if he can smell your arousal, if he knows he’s driving you wild with the way his hands are digging into your flesh, pulling you apart as he loudly licks like you’re the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted. You involuntarily buck into his face, feeling his grin on your skin.

The moment he reaches the edge of your white lace underwear, you push him out from between your legs, fixing your skirt.

“Mmm. I might have underestimated you.” Your leg tingles are you feel his spit slowly dry. “Such a good doggy.” You smile, rolling your sock up and putting your shoe back on. “And you’re all mine for tonight.”

“I seem to have made a deal with the fucking devil, apparently.”

You fidget under your skirt, finding the elastic of your underwear and pulling it down your legs, placing it on your hand. “Smell it, Puppy. This is the smell of your new owner.”

Leo flushes with embarrassment. He looks down at the strip of fabric, immediately recalling the way it looked on your body when he was under your skirt, licking and sucking your thigh.

“It’s okay Puppy. You can sniff it.”

He shoots you an irritated glance. “If I hear a fucking breath of what’s happening now to anyone I swear to god-”

“I won’t, Leo. Unlike you, I don’t blackmail others. Some might say I don’t have enough brain cells and am too stupid and useless to do such cruel things, so.” You nod your head again at the underwear in your hand, beckoning him to sniff it. “Your secret’s safe with me, Puppy.”

He cringes at his new nickname before hesitantly putting his nose into your hand and breathing in softly. It smells warm with your arousal, the same smell that made him drool under your skirt. It’s sweet and intoxicating, and he feels himself growing rapidly.

“You like that, Puppy?” You move to kneel down beside him, letting him sniff it once more before reaching around the back of his neck with the fabric. When he realizes what you’re doing, he has to kneel on his hands to stop himself from punching you in the face.

“Aww! So pretty! I hope you like your new collar. Oh my god, it looks so good on you,” You croon, sitting back on the couch to admire your work. You hate to admit how precious he looks, almost innocent with the strip of white lace around his neck, kneeling in front of you. He was taking commands surprisingly well.

You decide to stretch out your foot and gently rub it into his crotch. He gasps in surprise as you tease him, parting his legs slightly for you. “Mmmm. Does this feel good, Puppy? It’s okay, you can tell me. I won’t get mad if it does.”

Leo grits his teeth, biting back a groan while trying to tone down the effect your foot is having on him. He closes his eyes for a moment, his body tensing with a mixture of pleasure and frustration at the raw sensation. He feels himself growing harder by the second. He opens his eyes, his gaze burning into yours, a mixture of longing and defiance swirling within them.

"Does it feel good, Puppy?" He mocks, mimicking your tone. "What do you think, mistress? Does it look like I'm enjoying myself?"

Your foot drops suddenly, breaking all contact, eyes immediately hardening once again. Leo whines, his throbbing cock tangled uncomfortably in the folds of his pants.

"This just won't do. Obedient puppies don't talk back to their owners. Seems like we still have some training to do." You sit back, crossing your arms, watching his reaction while tapping your shoe on the floor, thinking. Just when you were starting to soften up to him, he had to go and push your buttons all over again, even with his own pleasure on the line.

Leo’s eyes burn threateningly into yours, daring you to make him do something else ridiculous. You loudly exhale your displeasure at him.

"You wanna cum tonight, Puppy? Go to the kitchen and get me a bowl of cereal with milk. I'm hungry. Does my Puppy know how to fetch, or is he fucking useless and I need to teach him that too?"

"Fetch?" He drawls, his voice laced with poison. He’s honestly impressed by your resolve, never once breaking character.

He slowly, deliberately, rises to his feet, his gaze once again never leaving yours before he heads into the kitchen. His eyes scan the cabinets for your favourite cereal and he pours it into a bowl before opening the fridge for the milk, adding it in. His movements are graceful and efficient, and he moves as though he’s performing for an audience. He returns the milk to the fridge before fishing out a metal spoon and putting it into the bowl.

He walks back toward you, the bowl of cereal in his hands, a smirk playing on his lips. "Here you go, mistress," he purrs, his voice a low, suggestive rumble. "Your obedient Puppy has returned with your sustenance. Now, about my pleasure tonight-"

You motion silently with your eyes for him to place the cereal down on the coffee table in front of the couch. His face falls upon sensing your disdain.

"Puppies don't walk on two feet. From now on, you will remain on all fours. Get me another bowl of cereal — this time, as a real dog."

Leo exhales sharply. You can tell he’s trying to bite his tongue, trying to calm himself down. He glowers at you, anger radiating from his stare before painstakingly slowly and deliberately, lowering himself to all fours, his body tensing with the unfamiliar position. He can feel the blood rushing to his head, the muscles in his arms and legs straining slightly with the strange position.

What an incredible sight — Leo Kurosagi on all fours in front of you in the Vagastrom garage. You can’t help but smile at the absurdity of the situation, and pat his head gently as a reward. “You have such a tough exterior sometimes, but I like how you’re being so good for me tonight, Puppy.” A tiny blush creeps up his cheeks as he does his best to look threatening. You ruffle his hair. “Okay, Puppy. I’m super hungry for my second bowl of cereal. Think you can handle it? I promise I’ll give you a little treat if you do this for me. How does that sound?”

Leo rolls his eyes gently, mentally at war with himself for stooping to this level, and for giving you the power to control him however you wanted. The treat does sound nice though. He wonders if you’ll let him fuck you from behind later with your skirt on, like a dog. The thought immediately excites him, and he catches himself once again barking twice.

Slowly, he crawls into the kitchen, feeling out the sensation of his knees on the hard cement floor. He winces as tiny bits of debris wedge themselves into his skin through his pants but continues, if anything, to spite you for thinking this would be difficult for him. You sit back to watch, biting into your bowl of cereal.

When he reaches the counter, he does his best to stand on his doggy hind legs to grab the bowl and cereal. He pulls out the cereal bag and pours it into the bowl using his teeth, appreciating the enthusiastic murmur from you as you watch him from the couch. He opens the fridge and carefully takes out the milk, putting it down on the ground before picking it up again with his fingers pressed together like a paw. Leo was always an excellent performer, and knew how to satisfy his audience’s clearly cruel tastes. He picks up a spoon with his mouth from the drawer and shoves it into the bowl.

Bringing it to you seems like the hardest part. You watch as he tries holding the bowl with his teeth, nearly dropping it, before deciding to gently push it one doggy step at a time towards you with his paw. You’re absolutely enthralled – Leo is so focused on this task and so committed to his role as your dog that it was commendable.

He pushes it right up to your feet. “Your second bowl of cereal, mistress.” Satisfaction fills his face, and he smirks up at you. “Now, about that reward…”

Your eyes brighten. “Of course, Puppy, I’d never forget!” Placing down your first bowl of finished cereal, you pick the second off the floor. “But first, sit for me.”

Leo sits back on his hind haunches, face smug.

“Such a good boy!” You ruffle his hair. “Alright, you ready?”

A wicked smile stretches across your face as you place the bowl of cereal Leo has just made for you onto the floor in front of him, swiftly removing the spoon. “And your reward is… dinner! Oh, and make sure to lick the bowl clean like a good boy, okay?”

You watch as a wave of fury washes over him, barely unable to hold himself together from the way your words dripped with honey. The humiliation of being forced to eat like an animal, of having his dignity stripped away… He is more than livid. You can tell he wants to lash out, wants to defy you, wants to reclaim the power you stole from him, but then he remembers that he was always just playing his own game. And if he’s gone this far, he may as well fucking finish it.

He stares at the bowl of cereal, his stomach churning with disgust. He lowers his head, nose twitching as he sniffs it, trying to determine whether it's worth the humiliation. He exhales loudly, turning back up to you.

“Not. A. Fucking. Word. To. Anyone.” Leo says sternly. You nod eagerly, miming zipping your lips shut and throwing away the key. “...Not like anyone would ever even believe you anyway,” he mutters under his breath.

He lowers his head, bringing his mouth tentatively to the bowl and licking a piece of cereal up and into his mouth. Shifting slightly, he changes his position until his paws rest beside the bowl, legs curling under his back. He tips the bowl into his mouth and makes a soft slurping sound.

Your eyes are wide with delight, mouth slightly agape as you watch the unbelievable sight unfold. How have you managed to get Leo, master of being a cunning, annoying, manipulative asshole, onto his knees, slurping milk and cereal? Part of you wishes one of the other ghouls would walk in right at that moment to confirm this was really happening, while the another part still wanted something more.

Leo continues to gently slurp, head to the floor and neck bent sharply as he struggles to eat. The bowl makes small noises as he tips it around to get at the cereal and after a few minutes, he feels his tongue scraping the bottom of the clean bowl — exactly as you had asked. He looks up at you, eyes glistening with shame.

“I… I did it…” he says quietly to you as he rearranges his legs, sitting cross-legged beside your feet. Your heart breaks a little, and you realize that this is the first time you’ve ever seen him with no bite left. He’s humiliated and ashamed, but still sitting, obeying you. You move off the couch and gently run your thumb down his sharp cheekbones, cradling his head in the palm of your hand. He looks so fucking pretty sitting there, soft to everything you do, your white lace underwear still secured around his slender neck.

“Hey, look at me. You’ve been so good, Puppy. So, so, so good, and so patient too.” He slowly looks up at you, eyes soft and sad. “I know you just ate, but are you still hungry? I’ll give you a little treat for being so good for me.” You kiss his forehead before you sit back on the couch, leaning back slowly, then uncrossing your legs. His eyes follow your movements, laser-focused on your fingers moving to tease at the hem of your skirt.

"You’re not afraid that your puppy might bite?" he asks quietly.

“I know my puppy. My puppy only bites when I tell him to, otherwise he’s not a good dog.” You bend down to his level, breath softly grazing his ear. “But you’re a good dog, right?”

Leo bites his lip and nods slowly.

“Mmm. I know you are. Because you’re my dog.”

Slowly, you spread your legs open, and he shifts to kneel in front of you. “Lick,” you command. “But one bite, and you will be punished. Is this understood?”

The garage is completely silent, save for your shallow breaths of anticipation.

He slowly and deliberately crawls forward, his hungry eyes never leaving yours. The low, resigned tone of his voice makes you shiver. “Understood, mistress. Your obedient puppy will lick, and only lick, unless you command otherwise."

As he reaches your legs, you feel his breath ghosting across your skin as he leans in close, smelling you deeply. He presses his lips to the middle of your thigh, his tongue tracing a slow, deliberate path upwards, inching closer and closer towards your center. The contact makes you gasp, and you take tiny breaths for every kiss he presses into you. He hears this, and you feel a small smile grow on his face, kissing your thigh more deliberately, playing more with his tongue. He savors the taste of your flesh, the intoxicating scent of your arousal filling his senses the closer he gets to you.

His hands move to push your skirt back slightly before wrapping around the back of your thighs. You let him pull you toward him, feeling the heat from his face between your legs. When he reaches the edge of your opening, he pauses, body trembling. He looks up at you, and you nod eagerly at him.

“Yes,” you breathe, and it’s all the permission he needs. He licks you once from your opening to your clit, kissing the bud gently. His tongue draws long strokes across your folds, then short, testing what works best for your body.

“You taste good,” Leo whispers. When he hears your breath hitch slightly you feel his fingers dig deeper into your thighs, tongue focusing on the motion that made you react. He laps and laps and laps at you, and it feels so good that you can’t help but buck your hips into his mouth.

“S-such a good dog,” you pant out, a hand reaching for something, anything to steady yourself. You grip the arm of the couch and your knuckles turn white as Leo keeps his rhythm steady. You can feel his piercing rubbing against your clit — is he playing with your clit with his jewelry? The hardness of the metal feels so good against you, and—

“Ah— fuck!” Your hand reaches towards his, peeling it off from around your leg. “Fingers. C-can you? Please, I—”

Leo smirks as he hears you losing your composure, but obediently obeys. He takes his finger and puts it in his mouth, golden eyes meeting yours. You can tell he’s making a performance out of it by the way he’s swirling his finger on his tongue, slowly opening his mouth for you to see. As he slowly pulls it out, you watch as a beaded string of saliva trails in the air before snapping, and suddenly he dips his finger into you. Your clit throbs and you realize he’s started to play with it using his other hand, causing you to squeeze your eyes shut and press the back of your head into the couch in pleasure. His yellow eyes are completely focused on your face, watching every lewd expression you make with amusement. There’s a warm, slick sound between your legs and you turn away with embarrassment from how wet you are for him.

His fingers gradually pick up speed and a soft moan tumbles from your mouth as he curls it inside. Your grasp on the couch tightens, and you tangle your other hand in his grey hair, silently instructing him to continue licking by pulling his face back down. Dutifully, he obeys, using one hand to fuck you while his tongue swipes up and down your clit in time to your gasps.

A small spasm rolls down your spine and your legs twitch around Leo for a split second and that’s when he can tell you’re getting close. He pauses to add another finger and you feel yourself stretching for him, the sensation causing you to pull on his hair while a string of profanity pours from your open mouth.

“Shit, Leo, fuck! I’m close, I’m so… so close,” you rasp, pulling him closer with your thighs. His grip on you tightens further and he continues as you begin to see stars and a familiar warmth spreads from your core throughout your body, clenching around Leo’s fingers. A sharp gasp pierces the air as you spasm, his long fingers continuing to stroke until you start to relax around him. He stays inside a moment longer, kissing your clit gently and slowly moving to your inner thighs, planting small kisses and licks while you slowly regain your composure.

When you finally open your eyes, you see him watching you, a smug look on his pretty face. “Fuuuck, Leo, I—”

“Head so good you forgot I was your dog, huh?” He grins wickedly at you before slowly bringing the fingers that were just inside you, glistening and sticky, into his mouth and watches your reaction as he licks and sucks them clean. A hot flush runs up your cheek.

“Such a good dog,” you reply, correcting yourself as you pat the space on the couch next to you. His eyes light up and he moves beside you, laying down with his head in your lap. You tangle your fingers in his hair and massage his scalp, eliciting a small hum from him. A comfortable silence grows between the two of you as your thoughts wander to the events that led up to this. Never in a million years would you have thought you’d have bratty Leo Kurosagi curled up beside you but here he was, eyes closed and relaxed, letting you pet him.

You hear Leo’s mouth open for a second and look down, but he closes it again almost immediately.

“Were you going to say something?” You ask, but he shakes his head, burrowing again in your lap. A few moments pass before he looks up at you again, slowly exhaling.

“Hey… I kinda liked… that...” he says quietly. His admission hangs in the air for a moment, and you can tell that he’s nervous waiting for your reply. “I just– I didn’t have to think for a moment, it was only about you.” Your fingers move to his cheek, cupping his face gently in your hand as you idly stroke his face, soft eyes watching him as he speaks. “I was a little scared of you for a second.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, when you made me crawl, and then again when you made me eat the cereal off the ground. And then when I did it, I scared myself more.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“No, I—.” He looks away into the distance before closing his eyes, taking in a deep breath. Slowly, he pulls himself up so your eyes are at the same level.

If this were Leo an hour before, you would have been terrified. But something in him looks resigned, like you’d seen a part of him that he’d never let anyone else see before. If you were wicked enough, you could easily have him under your thumb.

But the way he reaches out to hold your hand like you were the most delicate thing in the world is precious. His eyes waver, trying to read your mind. Were you judging him? Were you going to laugh at him?

“Hey, it’s okay, Leo. I liked it too. It's hot when you take orders from me like that.” His posture softens and he relaxes into you. “And I won’t tell anyone. I don’t wanna ruin your street cred, at least not at the moment.” He mumbles something that sounds like a thanks and presses his embarrassed face into your arm.

You tousle his hair before reaching in your bag on the ground to pull out the blanket you’d brought earlier. In a smooth motion, you unfurl it over both your bodies and wriggle closer to Leo so that you're laying down facing each other. His hand snakes up to your chin and he brings you close, gently kissing you.

God, he’s so fucking pretty.

You reach up to untie the lace underwear from his neck and fold it in half, pressing it into his palm. “This is yours now. Come find me if you decide you wanna be my puppy again, okay?”

His fingers tighten around the precious piece of fabric, and Leo snuggles wordlessly into your chest with a nod.