YOU GOT CAGE'D!

Johnny had thought that it was a good idea to bring you along with him to the house warming party of one of his director friends, and he had been right for the most part; it was fun, singing and dancing and drinking and smoking until you were both a little bit too overboard to be able to drive home yourselves.

But the more that you had, the more you were clinging to Johnny, and he loved lapping up the attention; you hung on his shoulder and his every word, laughed at the stupid jokes and pop culture references that usually made you roll your eyes, and cried in his arms when you saw the producer who had turned him down when he asked for the role of your favourite comic book villain.

He would have looked so good in the mask with the voice and fighting the caped crusader. They didn't know they fucked up big time, but you did.

He was too gone to do anything except hold your body as close to his own as he possibly could, grinning and laughing under his breath.

But he still took you outside into the quiet, lonely, smoking area so that you could get some cold water and cold air in your system with a cigarette; the LED lights were blurry, everything behind you was just a bunch of smeared colours, but you... his breath left him.

His silver tongue became heavy steel in his mouth, and every breath hitched and became baited.

His phone buzzed, and he wasn't going to answer it until he saw you were texting someone. He nearly laughed when he saw the text you had sent, asking him where he was. With wobbling legs, he knelt between your legs, grinning up at you as he tried not to laugh.

"I'm right here, baby," he muttered, and when he heard how slurred his words were, he winced. "Here we go again."

You sniffled, almost dropping your phone as your bottom lip trembled. "I thought you ran off."

"Nuh-uh," Johnny shook his head, giggling when he nearly fell backwards. "Still here. Not going nowhere."

You swallowed hard, nodding slowly, but you soon perked up when you heard the song playing over the speakers. "It's your song!"

Johnny paused, and when he heard the lyrics, he grinned. "Sure is, baby... you wanna dance?"

You nodded, eagerly taking his hand; it was clumsy and neither of you really knew what you were doing beyond stumbling around in the dark, but he was close, and that was all you cared about.

The sound of his laughter, the feeling of his body pressed against yours, the way he pulled you when he nearly slipped over. Even in your more than inebriated state, you were so head over heels for him that it was the only thing on your mind in the slightest.

"Relax, soon, baby, we'll be all alone, don't you just know exactly what they're thinking? If you want my body and you think I'm sexy, come on, sugar, tell me so! If you really need me, just reach out and touch me, come on, honey, tell me so!"

You laughed when Johnny finally slipped, landing on his back against the soft faux grass and bringing you down with him so that the tip of his nose was against yours and your breaths mingled together easily; you stayed like that for a moment. Your head spinning as you giggled together until you felt like you were going to be sick.

Everything felt like it was spinning, all of it mixing into a blur of different shades of colours you didn't have enough time to name; but Johnny stayed in clear, perfect focus. You could see the soft pink outline of blush on his cheeks as it spread to his nose and the tips of his ears; little glitters of pure white in his brown eyes from where the LED lights caught them. The slight parting of his lips.

You kissed him, and he was quick to reciprocate, holding you close as he could but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough, and when you pulled away with a soft laugh, he just stayed put. Lovesick like a puppy dog, enough to rot his own teeth.

"We've been boyfriends for too long," he wasn't even thinking about the messy, slurred syllables leaving his mouth. "I don't want you to be just that anymore."

"You're not breaking up with me?" You whimpered out, shaking your head.

Johnny was quick to reassure you with a shake of his head and a kiss. "Marry me. Please."

"Yes," you grinned.

Maybe it would have been better for you to have waited until you were both sober, until you weren't so desperate to cling to him every second, and until you could actually think clearly, but you didn't care about any of that. Your heart pounded, and you started to gag and retch, letting Johnny get you on your hands on knees as he rubbed your back and giggled at the foamy, bile filled, sticky and wet mess streaming from your mouth.

"I think next time we should get dinner before partying."

You nodded. "I'm so fucking sorry, I'm such a mess, I-"

Dutch had recruited you fresh from the cattle trail after hearing about your work as a hired gun; you made it clear that you had morals, and that there were certain things he never should ask you, but after some sweet talk from Hosea, you caved.

You fit in most with Charles, Tilly, and Arthur Morgan, who decided that he would show you the ropes more than the others; if you had not known better, you would have guessed or thought that perhaps he was sweet on you a little bit.

A little rough around the edges, a little more outgoing than he was, handsome as the day was long, and when he heard you sing?

He was positively smitten, there was no doubt about that.

Hosea encouraged him to pursue you, pointing out that you understood the outlaw life better than most, and you were a good match for one another; Arthur did not want to do it, but after Charles pointed out much the same, he caved, and asked if you would go with him on a hunting trip.

It was the best he could think of, knowing that you liked to watch the wildlife, and he liked to draw them.

You set out in the early morning, neither of you that sure where you were going, as Hosea's instructions had been far from clear, all you could do was to hope, riding around for what seemed like hours until you came to realise that, in the dense and thick forest, you were lost.

"Ah, shit."

You looked at Arthur, and smiled as you tried not to laugh, using the excuse of lighting a cigarette in hopes that he would not catch you smirking and biting the inside of your lip. "Are we lost by any chance?"

He glared at you, wanting to be upset and angry, but when he saw you trying to mask your giggles, he softened up a little bit, taking his hat off so that he could rub the back of his neck. "We are a little bit... you wanna look around or-"

"I can think of something better," you admitted, taking a quick look around. "Just, hear me out, Morgan."

"Alright, I'm listenin'," he nodded.

"We're all alone," you started, "no one around to see us, no one around to hear us. And y'know what they say about cowboys and horses."

Arthur raised his brow. "You wanna... here? Now? With me?"

You nodded, swiping your tongue along your bottom lip as you raised your brows a little. "What'd you think?"

He could only ask if you were really sure, and if you were certain that you actually wanted him; Charles was smarter and better with his hands, Javier was funnier and better to look at.

He wasn't anything special, but the way that you looked at him, a lump formed in his throat as he tilted his head to the side; breath hitching in his chest when you approached and softly cupped his jaw.

It made him groan softly, the feeling of your lips against his and the way that your body seemed almost magnetically drawn to his, and he didn't want to do anything except cave into his desires and kiss you back.

You were quicker, tugging his shirt and gesturing to a nearby tree, and he sat down with his back against it, able to feel the harsh bark dig into his back for a moment before you sat on his lap and kissed him again; wandering hands met warm flesh, his hands carefully caressing every inch of you that he could find. Your hands, so calloused and gentle; your arms, warm and firm with muscle.

Your chest, the coarse hair and the scarred tissue; your neck, the best blank canvas for his bruises and bite marks and fingerprints. Your mouth, soft and warm and inviting and welcoming, and how it made the most delicious little noises.

You bucked your hips, grinding against him, and Arthur growled under his breath to encourage you; your hands came to rest on his chest, pulling at his shirt to the point where he wondered if the fabric was going to rip.

His hands settled on your thighs as he bucked his hips, gasping your name softly under his breath as he tilted his head back slightly, able to feel your cock rubbing against his through the layers of coarse fabric; his eyes closed when he felt your mouth on his neck, sucking and biting and covering him in little love bites that were making his head swim.

“Oh, Arthur…” you started to lead his hand down and underneath your trousers, and he was happy to oblige.

“Be a good boy,” he whispered, groaning softly when you unfastened his belt and slowly pumped his cock in your hand. “That’s it, fuck, good boy.”

“Please, Arthur,” you whimpered, bucking your hips against his fist. “Please… want… want to cum.”

“I know,” he murmured, gripping the collar of your shirt and sucking your tongue into his mouth.

You kissed back, welcoming his tongue in your mouth when he slipped it in; harsh and heavy, open mouthed and breathy. You could feel his precum staining your fingertips, smearing it over his cock as you whimpered and tried to fuck his hand.

Arthur couldn’t stop himself, fucking your hand as he groaned and pressed into you a little more.

“Arthur, please,” you whined, rolling your hips. “Not gonna last long, please…”

Arthur picked up his pace, the soft squelch of his skin against yours, precum coating your cock; he wasn’t going to last long, either, able to feel himself let loose as he started to pant heavily, sweat on his brow.

You were so fucking close, you couldn’t even hold back when you came on his hand, groaning softly when he pulled away and licked it from his fingertips; thick and white and glistening with his saliva.

You whimpered, feeling your knees shake as you caught his gaze, wriggling your way down between his thighs.

“Please…” you whispered, peppering his cock with kisses. “Cum in my mouth, Arthur.”

Arthur nodded, a breathy moan leaving his mouth when you took his cock in your mouth, your nose buried against the coarse brown hairs at his base; he braced himself against the tree’s roots, fucking your mouth and thrusting against it as you bobbed your head.

Fuck.

He tilted his head back, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth as he grunted, pausing for a moment. He could hear you gulp as the first spurts of cum shot into your mouth, and he couldn’t stop it, moaning loudly as you swallowed every single droplet, licking his cock clean before standing up again and clearing your throat.

“Arthur,” you whispered, the trace of something white on your tongue. “I want you to fuck me.”

He didn't waste time, fumbling with your trousers and getting them undone before pushing you onto the ground on your stomach, pulling your trousers down all the way to expose your ass; he delivered a sharp slap, making you whine as you tried to push back against him.

He took the petroleum jelly from your pocket, coating you with it before he leaned over, his arm right by your head.

“I might not hear ya,” he growled out. “If I go too far, tap the grass twice with your left hand.”

You nodded, which earned you another firm slap. “Alright!”

“Good boy,” he praised, wrapping his hand around his cock and giving it a few hard strokes, taking a moment to spit on his palm and work it over it so that it was slick and ready. He lined himself up, not even giving you time to demand he fuck you before he thrusted into your ass and grunted softly. “Don’t cum until I tell you to.”

You nodded, grabbing the green green grass with a harsh grip and pushing back against him; he was pounding into you, so hard and so fast that you jerked forward with every thrust. You needed it, you wanted it.

You had to remind yourself that you could actually moan and call out his name, there was no need for secrecy or anxiety about getting caught when completely alone. You pushed back against him when he pulled you up so that you were on your knees with your forearms against the bed. Face down, ass up as Arthur rutted against you.

Fuck.

It felt so good.

A slight sharp sting from his size as he stretched your ass, feeling you clench around him as he kept going.

“Daddy, please,” you breathed out, gasping softly for air.

Arthur paused. “What did you just call me?”

“Daddy?” You were sceptical, scared of his reaction.

“Keep sayin’ it,” he grunted out, pressing his hand between your shoulders to keep you down. “Say it louder, come on, now.”

“Daddy,” you whined, desperate to fuck yourself against him. “Fuck! Right there!”

Arthur could hardly control himself, and he wasn't sure why. He had been called Daddy plenty of times by former lovers, but when you said it… fuck, when you said it it was as heavenly as a prayer yet as sinful as the devil himself.

When you said it, it evoked something primal, feral in him as he gripped your hip with one hand, keeping the other fixed between your shoulders.

You were grunting and moaning, drool slipping onto the ground beneath you as your eyes rolled back slightly, egged on by his harsh thrusts and his praises as you clenched around him and whimpered softly.

You wanted to cum so desperately, and he knew it, but he was a cruel, cruel man and wasn't going to allow it.

Arthur's hand grabbed your neck, yanking you up so that your back was against his chest as he bit down harshly against your neck; you squirmed, moaning his name softly under your breath.

“You're mine,” he grunted out, leaving a large and harsh mark on your skin. “Understand?”

You nodded. “Please, Daddy, please… gotta cum. Fuck. I need it.”

Gently, he grabbed your cock, starting to stroke it as he gently bit down on the edge of your ear. “You wanna cum for Daddy?”

“Please.”

“Not just yet, sweetheart, hold on a while for me,” he hissed sweetly, so close and on edge as he continued to pound into you.

The sound of slapping skin was loud and difficult to ignore, but it didn’t take long before Arthur was pinning you beneath him and fucking you until his cum was starting to slightly and slowly drizzle from your ass, squelching when he fucked it back into you; he gritted his teeth, finally giving you the permission you were so desperate for and praising you softly as he fucked you through it.

He waited until you were ready, panting heavily and all but collapsed on the grass, before he pulled out and did his trousers back up, crouching beside you and softly stroking your sweat soaked skin.

“Cigarette?”

You nodded, letting out a long and contented sigh. “Fuck… absolutely.”

Arthur smiled, lighting two and giving you one as he took a long drag from his own. “I didn’t go too far, did I?”

You shook your head, daring to smile at him for a moment. “Fuck me like that again, and I’ll get a fucking ring.”

He grinned, a certain pounding in his chest as he swallowed thickly. “You’d go that far?”

“For an orgasm like that?” You laughed, nodding. “Absolutely... you holding onto any more secret talents, Morgan?”

He blushed as he shook his head, chewing the inside of his lip. "Me? Nah. I'm pretty simple, and erm... y'know, what I said, if you don't-"

You had been brought up as Lin Kuei, dedicated your life to them and trained with them for years, and you had always had a soft spot for Bi-Han; he was grumpy and gruff and he was harsh and he was a little bit of an asshole at times, but you had always been right there behind him no matter what.

For whatever reason it was, you could not deny that you liked being around him; loyal to a fault and often taking on the role of his personal guard dog even when you should never have done such a thing. Even when he didn't deserve it for the way that he had treated his brothers and their father.

Bi-Han had noticed that, your unwavering loyalty and how you followed him around like a puppy who didn't know any better; how you craved and yearned for his attention like a dog cast out.

Your constant whimpering and whining at him when you thought he was going to be unsafe for any reason.

He enjoyed it, knowing that one of his oldest friends and confidants was all but his personal guard dog. Tall and skilled and competent, but his guard dog nonetheless.

You were far more loyal than the others, and he took note of that; he didn't need to explain any of his orders the way that he did with Cyrax and Sektor. He said jump, you jumped. He said roll over, and you rolled over.

You never questioned anything, never doubted his authority, never did anything but show him absolute loyalty and obedience; you never saw any faults in him or his actions, you never saw anything, but the same Bi-Han that you had grown up with.

The same Bi-Han who used to run behind you and tell you to beat up his brothers because they were picking on him; the same Bi-Han who got shouted at by his father for such an action. They weren't picking on him, and you were too blinded by loyalty to do anything except obey; maybe that was why he was more lenient with you than the other Lin Kuei.

Maybe that was why he was more tolerable of you than the others, and maybe that was why he saw you in a different light than anybody else. Handsome as he was, Bi-Han always see everybody else as beneath him, and although you were just as much, you did tend to have his favour just a little much.

After a long heatwave, there had been a storm all night; skies had turned into the same colour as ink, whilst silver lightning flashed against the sound of roaring thunder, and hailstones as big as golf balls shattered against the cobblestone outside.

Bi-Han had called you into his office, and you stood there, staring at him blankly whilst he glared at you.

"You've grown into a fine warrior," Bi-Han growled out, as if it pained him to say something nice about anyone. "Strong, capable, loyal."

You nodded slowly. "Thank you, Grandmaster, I do try."

"You've done a lot for me," he hissed out, the pain getting worse as he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "You've done a lot for the Lin Kuei."

"Thank you, Grandmaster," you nodded again, wondering what had gotten into his system. "Is everything alright?"

Bi-Han noticed the slight nervousness in your eyes, and how oblivious you had been the entire time; he was never nice to you for the sake of it. He was never tolerable and gentle with you for the sake of it. He couldn't be.

"As you know," he sighed out. "Only Lin Kuei and our allies can be together. We cannot allow outsiders into our ranks."

You nodded curtly.

"Do you think someone is trying to bring in outsiders?"

For centuries, your family had been Lin Kuei, just as his had been; just as Madam Bo's had been. It was an honourable and noble thing to be part of, which was why only certain families could send their children off for training; those who never made it back were cast upon the same light as heroes. Those who were sent back got to grow up as normal adults with normal lives.

"No," he admitted. "I don't."

You did not understand why he was bringing up such a thing now, but you knew that there would be a good explanation; Bi-Han had always had a good eye for things, and he was never wrong as far as you knew.

You chose to remain silent, watching as he stood from the desk and crossed over to you, his brown eyes catching the dull warm light as he looked up at you with an expression you had never seen on his face before.

"You have been my best and closest ally since we were children," he started, "you would serve well, I think, if you were my husband."

You tilted your head to the side. "Beg pardon, Grandmaster?"

"I wish to court you," Bi-Han growled out. "Do you accept?"

You nodded. "Yeah, we can give it a go... we've known each other long enough, might be nice to take the next step... since when do you... y'know..."

Bi-Han glared at you, and chose not to answer.

"I do accept, though," you admitted perhaps a little quickly. "I just don't really understand what I did to gain those kinds of affections from you."

Johnny did not pay it much mind when you had started studying and preparing for your examinations; he was proud and he supported you going back into education, and on the odd occasion he did sit down to help you with it, but he never saw what you got out of it.

You had been married for years, and his career had always been enough to keep the pair of you more than supported, he didn't get why you wanted to go back. He didn't pretend that he did, either, but he was still there with you every step of the way anyway.

He declined meetings and auditions so that he could sit with you at the kitchen table, going over the same old revision day after day, wishing that you would stop getting yourself so stressed out about it; sex didn't help much, although it did clear your mind for a while.

He was just glad that you let him in enough to know what was going on.

He was worried, of course he was, he couldn't say that he wasn't. If you were not careful, you were going to burn yourself out, and he knew you well enough that he could already see it happening.

The way that you rejected his soft touches, how you snapped at him and how you paced around until there were awful gauging blisters on your ankles and your achilles tendon. Johnny hated seeing you in such a state, knowing that he should have stepped in much sooner.

Still, he waited until you were ready to go out for dinner, and when you stepped out of the bathroom in those worn and ragged cargo trousers and one of his old t-shirts, he grinned, pulling you close and hugging you tight enough that you nearly lost all breath in your chest.

You crumbled, one arm going under his and the other flung over his shoulder as you nearly sobbed, your face pressed to his neck whilst he ran one hand up and down your back, just enough that you could feel it and you knew that he wasn't about to go anywhere. Maybe Johnny knew you too well.

His touch was gentle and sweet and soft, and all you wanted to do was sob; only just keeping your composure when he cleared his throat and shook his head.

When it came to hugs, you had to admit, the long and tight ones that Johnny always welcomed you with were the best in the world, and always had been; he would squeeze you a little bit, just as reassurance so you knew that he was there, and he would hold you in place long enough that you didn't want to go anywhere else.

They were special like that, and you were more than thankful for it; no one else could have been so easily reassuring and so easily comforting the way that Johnny could; you leaned into it a little more, not wanting to let go for the longest time and knowing that he would hold on all day until you were ready to decide to stay or let go.

"You're doing too much," he told you. "You're gonna crash and burn just like I did on the set of Low Hill Gunslinger."

You shook your head, sniffling as you tried to catch the shake of your bottom lip to stop it. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I just-"

"Baby, I know you," Johnny murmured. "You're overwhelmed, doing too much, and you're tired... and as your husband, which, let's face it, best husband in the world right here, I'm telling you, you gotta take a break. For me, please?"

You thought about it, you didn't really feel like it and you knew that you should have told him no and gone back to your revision, but the look in his brown eyes was too hard to ignore; you hated thinking about it, but you knew that he was right.

You knew he was right and you knew that you were going to shock your system too much if you weren't careful.

So you sighed, and nodded as you pulled away from him just enough that you could look into his eyes. "Fine, fine, you're right. I need a night off."

"That's what i like to hear," he murmured, pulling you closer again so you could feel his cock pressing against yours through the layers of fabric. "Y'know, we could always cancel dinner anyway... spend a little time doing some marital bonding."

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn't deny that it was more than tempting; sex could be a great way to clear your mind, and the way that he was already willing and eager to go only made you think it was that much of a better idea.

"You gonna do that thing with your tongue?" You asked softly, and Johnny nodded eagerly. "Fuck dinner."

For a while, you and Smoke had enjoyed being together out in the open, as his father had approved of the relationship between the two of you after seeing what a fine man you were; but things changed before you could do anything about it, as Smoke's brother, Bi-Han, had forbidden relationships for those beneath himself.

Forced into secrecy, you did wander if it would have been better to have called it quits; you decided not to, though, as you didn't want to hurt Smoke. You didn't mind hurting yourself if it would have kept him from trouble, but you could not hurt him, you could never put him through such an awful thing.

So, instead of splitting up, you and Smoke came up with a plan to sneak around and not get caught; it seemed like it wasn't going to work at first, you had to admit, so you were pleasantly surprised when it worked a little too well.

Outside of the Lin Kuei, in the secrecy of your home and your bedroom, you and Smoke were free to be yourselves; he would sneak so far as the door, let himself in with the spare key, and surprise you with a tight hug and a whisper of your name under his breath, letting you laugh it off before you turned around to grab his hand.

He would spend a while just holding you, getting used to feeling of having a boyfriend again until you would make some teasing comment and he would snap out of it; you adored it whenever he came over, adored it when he held you and sat with you and just made it clear how much he needed you.

Sometimes, although it was incredibly rare, he would bring you flowers that he had picked himself, and you would put them in the garden.

Inside of the Lin Kuei, though, you had to take a slightly more dangerous path, and would sneak in through his window just for a chance to tell him goodnight; you would be as careful and quiet as possible, and he would tell you off for being so foolish and taking such a large risk that could have seen your head and your spine pulled out in a single frozen piece.

You would laugh it off with a scoff, all too sure of yourself, and he would grumble and growl until he realised that it was no use. Sometimes, you would take a DVD or two, and just sit in his bed watching Johnny Cage films for a while.

Part of you resented Bi-Han for it, for driving you and Smoke into secrecy like that, for forcing a wedge between you and Smoke that both of you had to climb just to meet one another halfway.

You couldn't be a normal couple, you couldn't be seen together in case anyone told Bi-Han, you couldn't spend as much time together as you used to. You missed it. You missed your Smoke, and Smoke missed his lighter.

It wasn't fair, and you knew that more than anyone else in the world; it wasn't fair that you and Smoke could not simply exist like everybody else, and had to be sworn to secrecy over some stupid bullshit rule that his brother had made out of spite.

It didn't seem right that you and Smoke had to suffer because of his brother, but that was unfortunately the way that things were, as awful as it was to admit.

Still, sneaking around and knowing that it was forbidden was better and kinder to you both; you still had each other, and you still had the sanctuary of those cool nights together.

It was better than nothing.

It must have been around eleven at night when Smoke had heard his window creak, and the full weight of another man creep inside; he should have been on guard, he should have been on edge and screamed at the intruder.

But he smiled, leaning back slightly against the headboard as he extended one ar out a little, enough for you to find your way into his embrace after kicking your shoes off. He was quick to kiss your temple, sighing under his breath as he pressed his forehead to the side of yours.

"I'm going to miss this," he said softly. "I have to go a whole month without you, I... I don't know how I'm going to cope."

You moved, straddling his waist as you tilted your head to the side and frowned. Those grey eyes entirely focused on you. "Tomas... you'll be fine, I promise. It's just a month."

"I know," he whispered, his hands on the sides of your thighs as he frowned. "But I still hate it. I hate having to sneak around with you and-"

"The forbidden fruit is the sweetest," you pointed out with a slight smile. "And anyway, when you get back, a certain birdie told me that Johnny wants to personally appoint you as the head of his security team for his next premiere appearance... where I will happen to be attending with Kung Lao."

"You mean-"

"I do," you nodded. "Johnny was very sympathetic when Kenshi passed the message along for me... so when you get back, you will have me all to yourself for three whole weeks. Kuai Liang and Bi-Han caved when Madam Bo got involved."

"I could kiss you," Smoke grinned, shaking his head as the disbelief flooded through his veins. "You did all of that?"

"Well, I sort of masterminded the whole thing," you shrugged. "You'll be running Johnny's security for three weeks from a hotel room, and I will be in the room right next door."

Smoke could hardly believe it, three whole weeks where you could be a normal couple; three whole weeks where he could grin and tell strangers that you were his boyfriend without fearing his brother's wrath. Three weeks where your relationship was not forbidden out of spite.

He couldn't stop smiling. He didn't want to stop grinning, and when you kissed him for the first time in all too long, he was quick to kiss back; quick to pin your body beneath his as he whimpered your name under his breath, letting you softly nip at his bottom lip. He bit back, listening to the way your breath hitched and how eagerly you pulled him closer, his name traced on your lips.

He bit a little harder, so you did it back softer just to make him laugh. You were quiet and careful, adjusting your body so that any and every movement was muffled by the blankets.

It was hardly rare that Johnny could not sleep, especially when he had just come back from filming; he found it difficult to flick the little off switch in his mind, and distance himself from the characters that he played.

On many such nights, you often stayed up with him until you eventually dozed off together, your head on his shoulder, his head tilted to the side so he could feel you properly as he slung his arm around your shoulders to keep you close to his body; it was nice, you had to admit, having him all to yourself like that in the quiet.

You rarely got a quiet moment with Johnny, between the whole Earthrealm Defence bullshit and his career, you took every and any quiet moment you could; five minutes before he woke up in the mornings. Watching him with a small smile on your lips.

Those precious few days when he was so tired that all he wanted to do was hold you against his body and feel you in his arms and be silent; you enjoyed those moments the best, you had to admit.

Of course, you had known for a long time what you were getting yourself into, you would have been an idiot if you didn't.

There had been many difficult times, you couldn't deny that; being treated like sex objects because of your relationship, all the bullshit that came with being a common man dating the world's favourite leading man was almost second nature by now.

Johnny learned quite quickly, too, that if he didn't want to fuck up the relationship, he was better off keeping you away from the spotlight as much as possible; as much as he always wanted to show you off, it was safer and quieter for you to be away from that side of his life.

He was good to you like that.

But between all of that, and the time that he had to spend away from you, you were just thankful for the quiet moments, the silent times; you were just thankful that he could still come home and be your Johnny.

Your Johnny, who was going grey at the temples and only stopped caring when he heard you "accidentally" allow it to slip that you thought he would be hotter grey; your Johnny, who found any reason to flirt with you and then grin like a schoolboy when you referred to him as your husband.

Your Johnny, who adored the way that you smiled when he called you his husband.

Your Johnny who stole half the newspaper in the morning so he could read about himself, but always remembered to leave the puzzles out for you; he didn't remember how you took your coffee, didn't know if you preferred white or yellow daffodils, but knew that you liked to sing in the shower and always sat outside to listen, and knew that you liked a certain caped detective so begged and pleaded with directors for the part just so he could be your hero.

Above all else, he had always been, and would always be, your Johnny.

Maybe not the best husband in the world, definitely the most egotistical, but he genuinely loved you and he did care. Maybe he got a little jealous at times, maybe sometimes he fucked up, but he adored you no matter what; you could be at your lowest and worst, and he still thought you were the best man in the world.

He still thought you were the perfect man. No one had ever, or would ever, even think about coming close to where you stood for him; lovesick like a puppy and crushing like a schoolboy if you so much as breathed in his direction.

Tonight, however, had been ones of those nights when he wasn't able to sleep; sat outside and staring at the stars and the moon as he felt the cold seep into him from where he was sat on the patio.

Tense until you snuck your way between his legs and sat on the step beneath him; he smiled, humming under his breath for a moment as his attention immediately fell on you, immediately and happily focused on you.

"Couldn't stay away from me, huh?"

You leaned back into his touch, waiting for him to move so that you could sit on his lap with your back against his chest. Happily drowned in the way he hugged you so tight and so close that you could hardly think of anything else in the world, let alone anywhere else that you would have preferred to be.

You doubted such a place even existed; his touch gentle and slow, so different to how it usually was in the best of ways. You shook your head, chewing at the inside of your lip as you lit a cigarette and took a long drag.

"There's no one I would prefer wasting time with."

Johnny scoffed, hugging you a little tighter as he pressed his face against the side of your neck, a gentle sigh falling from him as he closed his eyes for a moment. "I missed you so much, baby..."

"Of course you did," you laughed softly, leaning into the touch as you tilted your head to give him access to your neck a little easier. "Or did you just miss sleeping in until gone noon?"

"Can't it be both?" He was quick to pick up the signal, peppering your skin with little kisses and bites as his wandering hands found their way under your shirt.

You rolled your eyes fondly, quick to finish the cigarette so you could turn around and put your arms around him; one settled under his arm, the other over his shoulder as you closed your eyes for a moment, and sighed. "Since when is it ever both?"

"Now," Johnny pointed out quietly. "Chris kicked my ass on that set, had me getting up at four every morning just to get into costume..."

"But," you murmured. "Imagine how good it'll be now it's done, and you can brag about how you're your husband's favourite hero on and off screen."