#fancy dinner

“Sweetheart…? Are you done there?”

Valko knocked a couple of times against the door and waited with a hand already on the doorknob. There was still time to get ready without any rush but he was feeling unusually nervous. He wasn’t particularly fond of these kinds of gatherings and he would’ve avoided tonight's dinner as well, if he hadn't skipped too many already. 

“Yes, I just stepped out of the shower.”

Her voice echoed softly from the other side of the door and he took it as permission to step in.

She was standing in front of the mirror, wrapped in a bathrobe and with the comb in hand. Her eyes immediately found him through the mirror’s foggy reflection and she raised an eyebrow when Valko came to stand right behind her.

“Do you need to use the shower…? I can go brush my hair into the bedroom-”

He shook his head and gently pried the comb from her fingers.

“Not yet. Let me brush your hair for you,” he offered kindly.

She hesitated a moment before pushing her hair back from her shoulder and let him have his way. Her hands rested on the edge of the counter as she enjoyed the combined feeling of his fingers sectioning her strands and brushing them carefully to not tug at any possible knot.

“We’re still on time, right?” She asked quietly, and not because she really cared about the time. Actually, she had noticed how his chest pressed lightly against her back and how Valko not-so-subtly paused to press a kiss or two on her bare shoulder.

“Mh… you smell so good,” he murmured absentmindedly, his eyes fluttering close as he took a moment to nuzzle against the crook of her neck and breathe her in. Her scent filled his nostrils and made the tension coiled at his shoulders seep away.

“Oh, thank you.” She chuckled softly when the tip of his nose tickled her, and one of her hands raised to reach behind to cup the nape of his neck.

A low, pleased groan rumbled from his chest as Valko instinctively leaned into her touch and forgot that he still had to brush her hair, his arms pulling her into his embrace.

“Why don’t you take a warm shower and let yourself relax for a bit…?”

Tilting her head back, she pressed a lingering kiss on his temple while her nails gently scratched the short of his hair. 

He hummed lowly and his golden eyes glinted playfully as they met hers into the mirror’s reflection.

“...would you join me?”

“I know better.” 

She laughed at the bold offer and gently pried herself away from him.

It was the first time she would accompany him to a business meeting and she didn’t want to make a bad impression by arriving late.

Valko let out a defeated sigh as he reluctantly let her go and watched her step out of the bathroom.

“Make yourself prettier than usual for me at least.”

“I will.”

And she kept her word, exceeding the expectations.

Valko needed to remind himself to breathe because the elegant dress she had chosen fitted like a glove.

“You’re drop-dead gorgeous, sweetheart.” He didn’t waste time stepping closer to her and taking a better look at her figure.

Her cheeks warmed up at his compliment and she lightly swatted at his arm when he lost himself staring at her with his mouth agape.

“No need to exaggerate,” she brushed off his praise only to not become even more flustered.

She felt a bit self-conscious already wearing something so fancy, because it was so different from the Hunter suit she wore proudly every other day. But this was an occasion, and she had to adapt to the dress code for the night.

“I’m not. You’re absolutely stunning. The most beautiful woman-” 

Her hand reached out to cover his mouth and stop him from flattering her further. She could already feel her skin burning from her cheeks to her collarbones and she didn’t want to become any redder.

She gasped when something warm and wet touched her palm, and she withdrew her hand immediately, glaring at him halfheartedly as he stuck his tongue out at her.

“My pretty sweetheart,” he insisted on complimenting her and his hands found her hips, gently pulling her in to kiss her warm, pink cheek.

“You’re insufferable sometimes…” she grumbled as she rolled her eyes at his chuckle. “Ah-ah! No. Dry yourself and get ready.”

She put up resistance when he attempted to hug her while still damp from the shower, and grabbing his shoulders, she turned him towards the wardrobe instead.

Valko allowed her to steer him away from her… for now, and indulged her.

“Alright alright… I’ll get ready. I’ll be handsome so as not to mismatch your beauty.”

During the ride in the car’s backseats, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Valko.

He pulled black off really well -it complimented his skin tone and made his figure look impossibly sharp. But she could tell that the tailored suit fitted uncomfortably on him by the way his fingers tapped against his knee in a nervous rhythm.

She didn’t know what to say to calm him, honestly, because the closer they got to the designated location the more anxious she became. So she moved, her hand pulling her long skirt to the side to not trip on her heels, and sat beside him instead.

He didn’t hesitate wrapping his arm around her and pulling her flush against his side, stopping the unconscious fidget to rub her arm in a gentle motion. Looking at her, Valko realised that he was almost forgetting the most important thing.

“Oh, you’re still missing something.”

“What…?” Her head raised from his shoulder as she looked at him with a confused expression, mentally recalling everything she had in her bag.

“This…” he said while his fingers reached for his family ring and caressed it lightly before sliding it off. He grabbed her hand with his free one and for a brief moment, his gaze met hers.

She blinked, stunned. With wide eyes, she watched it shining thanks to his Evol’s work as he put the ring on her middle finger, the dark metal adjusting to her size until it fit perfectly. 

“There… now you’re perfect,” he murmured, satisfied by the sight of the gold wolf’s coat of arms glinting under the dim lights of the car.

It looked like it had always belonged on her finger.

He had wanted her with him tonight, not hidden behind the title he carried, but standing beside him as his partner.

Now the piece of jewellery was the tangible proof of their bond.

Her hand trembled slightly with a mix of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Valko had just put a ring on her as if it was the most natural thing he had ever done.

She smiled, flustered and utterly fond of him, while she interlaced their fingers together and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Next time you should go down on one knee, though…” she teased him affectionately and kissed his cheek, feeling his warm laughter right under her lips.

“And you should say yes,” he replied, matching the lighthearted tone, as he let her rub his cheek to wipe off the lipstick stain. 

When the car stopped in front of a fancy building and the driver opened the door for them, it was like a switch was turned on.

His posture straightened, his jaw clenched and his eyes lost the playful light they always had when it was just the two of them. Valko went right into chairman mood, and she followed suit without missing a beat. After all, years of training as a Hunter and different undercover missions carried with professionality helped her put aside her nervousness to be Ao Yin’s partner in front of a room full of important people and business men.

Even though their hands remained linked together for the whole time and his thumb brushed her knuckles in soothing circles. 

Polite greetings, small nods from distance and two flutes of champagne welcomed them into the most boring dinner they had ever been. And the worst past was that the people weren’t even that old… they were simply too pleased with their staggering inheritances and high-quality lives to actually offer an entertaining conversation.

The women asked about the ring on her finger, their tinted mouths eager to gossip about an incoming wedding as they proclaimed themselves -not really so sarcastically- jealous of the high reputation, the great properties and actions she would’ve likely obtained by becoming his wife.

But they completely ignored what his ring actually meant to her -a werewolf family that had welcomed her with open arms, the genuine promise of partnership Valko had already been keeping every day they spent together.

Meanwhile, the men seemed interested only in expenses, profit margins, and secure investments. 

By his side, she heard Valko taking deep breaths or letting out long sighs when his discussions about the research he was managing at the moment were interrupted by irrelevant questions. So she subtly leaned more against his side, her free hand holding comfortingly onto his arm, and tried to give him the strength to remain patient for a little longer.

But Valko loathed these social gatherings, and tonight reminded him exactly why.

He was glad that she was with him.

Though, when their gazes met between an empty conversation and another, he saw that she felt out of place just as much as him.

And he also sensed her hunger.

He was starving too.

The catering wasn’t bad but even if the waiters passed by often, their trails were filled with food that could barely satiate a bird.

“It’s finger-food,” she had whispered to his ear when he had raised an eyebrow at the cup of canapé a waiter had offered to them.

He could’ve eaten it all in one gulp.

But he had to be proper and eat a tiny piece at times.

While she couldn’t even taste much due to the gourmet sauce put on almost everything, because she had dared to question once what that was and the waiter had listed so many spices in such a fancy way to be incomprehensible. To not risk anything with her allergies, she simply settled for sipping her champagne instead.

They managed to resist for a couple of hours.

Then Valko politely excused themselves and led the way towards the exit.

“Wait… where are we going?” She asked, her heels clicking softly after his suit shoes to match his deliberate escapade.

“I promised you dinner. We’re going to have a proper dinner.”

Once the driver was dismissed earlier than expected, Valko helped her sit on the passenger’s seat before getting behind the wheel and the engine rumbled lowly as they left without glancing back at the luxurious building.

A soft grin tugged at his lips when, from the corner of his eye, he caught her hands slipping the heels off and her body relaxing on the leather seat.

“Do your feet ache?”

“A little… but it’s fine as long as you don’t make me walk on them anymore for tonight,” she answered honestly as she tilted her head towards him to watch him drive.

“Check in the compartment,” he gestured to her with a small nod without revealing much.

“Why…? Oh, no… I can’t believe this-”

She broke into a genuine laughter when she did as she was told and found a pair of fuzzy socks inside. She didn’t waste any time putting them on, giggling happily at the nice feeling of the soft fabric against her sore skin.

“You’re welcome,” Valko hummed, proud of having anticipated things correctly beforehand. And his grin turned into a wide smile as she leaned over the center console to press a loud, playful kiss on his cheek.

“Where is my loving partner taking me for dinner?” She questioned curiously, returning to sit properly on her seat to not distract him from the road any further.

“Right there,” Valko pointed at the fast food restaurant that was appearing on their way, and they ended up laughing some more at the irony of the night they were spending.

Because there was something wonderfully ridiculous about eating cheeseburgers in the back seat of a luxury car while still dressed for a business dinner.

Just like she had gotten rid of her shoes, Valko had taken off his suit jacket and rolled the button-up sleeves to his forearms to be more comfortable.

He hummed contently every time his teeth could sink onto the big, juicy burger he had ordered and chewed on it.

“Don’t make a mess,” she chided him halfheartedly as she used a napkin to dab at his chin.

“Thanks, sweetheart.” He replied, even if his mouth was still full.

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t exactly blame him, because she was devouring her own burger with the same hunger.

“Fries?” He grabbed the container of rich fries with cheese and bacon they had agreed on taking as a side-dish with a mere glance. 

“Mh-mh… thanks,” she nodded eagerly and forked some before bringing them to her mouth.

Valko watched her with a fond smile, happy to see her eat properly.

“This is the best part of the evening,” he said and then he opened his mouth when she fed him some fries back.

“The burgers?”

He shook his head and leaned in to nuzzle the tip of their noses gently.

“Escaping with you.”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ🐺*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧: *✧: *✧

-._.-._-._.✦⎜Supporting #BRINGVALKOBACK campaign⎜✦._.-._.-_. 🐾 #WeLoveValko 🐾 #ValkoIsLoved 🐾 #ValkoIsInnocent 🐾 #ValkoIs6thLi 🐾

[This one shot is also published on AO3]→“Until You come Home” series❣️

💚 Other works: ✧ “Popcorn and Jump Scares are a Must for a Movie Night”; ✧ “The Return of the Wolf in the Woods Fails”; ✧ “Just Hug me Tight”; ✧ “Gentle Nibbles and Ear Scratches”; ✧ “Smelling Like Home”; ✧ “Everyday is Chocolate Day for Us!!”; ✧ “The Superior Courtship Strategy”; ✧ “Family and Childhood Memories”; ✧ ...

💌 If you have any one shot request, scenario or head canon for Valko, my inbox is open and you can leave a comment under the dedicated post!!

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Happy birthday, Miss Furina!!! 🩵💙 To celebrate, here’s a little throwback of some NeuviFuri art I made back when the 4.2 archon quest came out. How will you celebrate the birthday of the dear Lady Furina? I’d really like to know!

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