xavier love bot

he looked as excited as you felt, and you were sure if his tail was out it’d be wagging.

“will they hit us?” he asks out of curiosity more than fear.

you shake your head. “ash sometimes hits you, but only if you’re close-”

you’re interrupted by a ‘fwoop’ of a firework shooting into the air, followed quickly by a loud bang!

you turn and look at the sky as bright shades of reds and purples streak across the abyss.

valko’s hand tightened in your hair at the boom, but you just assumed it was because he was caught off guard. it wasn’t until they set off two more fireworks thag you started to worry.

valko flinched at every boom, his thighs beneath your head quivering and shaking like a leaf in a tornado.

you frowned and sat up, turning to look at him. “whats wrong? hey, oh gosh, it’s okay-”

your poor boyfriend was covering his ears and shaking all over, his eyes wide and full of terror. you’d never seen him look scared! not even when you fought a hoard of wanderers or when he almost choked on a chicken wing.

you were about to reach out and hold his face when they set off a bigger firework than before, the boom twice as loud as the previous ones. poor valko jumped up and ran away, much like scooby-doo in the cartoons, his feet moving but his position not changing.

you jumped up and chased after him, but damn your hour of daily cardio stood no chance against a werewolf in fight-or-flight.

you called out for him and searched for valko for 15 minutes before you found him cowering and whimpering in fear under a small bridge in the park you were at.

“valko!” you crouched down in front of him and pressed your hands on top of his, muffling the bangs and booms even more. “it’s okay, they’re not gonna hurt you- shit, i’m sorry, i forgot about your hearing sensitivity.”

valko whimpered and leaned his forehead against your chest, trying to hide. his body was trembling against yours.

a few minutes pass and he seems to have calmed down a bit, the noise muffled enough for him to relax. valko pulls his head away from you and looks over your shoulder at the fireworks lighting up the sky.

he flinches every time one explodes, but he still watches for you.

by the end of the firework display, he’s calmed down enough that he’s smiling. but that wasn't enough for you.

“valko, i am so so sorry, i’m a terrible partner, i didn’t even think about the noise-” you hug him, scratching his head.

valko hums at the sensation and nuzzles your neck. the sudden lack of noise makes the air sound like it’s buzzing to him, the only other noise being people chatting quietly as they walk to their cars.

“hey, it’s okay, i didn’t think about it either. i should've known it would be loud when i saw kids with headphones.” he pulls back and smiles at you, a hint of a smirk on his lips. “can we get me some of those for next year?”

you gawk at him. “next year? you seriously want to come back?”

valko nods and leans back against a supporting beam of the bridge, pulling you into his lap. “of course, you love them. and i kinda ruined your experience this year… i’ll make it up to you next year.”

you scoff. “‘ko, if anything I ruined your experience. i could've planned better, we could've watched them from the car miles away, i could’ve gotten you headphone, i could have-”

“shhhh, enough. there’s no point in ‘would’ve could've should’ves’, it’s over with. i had a good time.” he comforts you. “and you were right, there is a firework for everyone.”

you finally smile at that, the anxiety seeping out of you slowly. maybe, despite it all, valko actually did have a good time. “oh yeah? which one did you like?”

“i liked the ones that went up like…” he mimics it with his hand, dragging his fingers up and spreading them out, before ‘exploding’ them.

you laugh and nuzzle your head into his chest. “i like those too. which colors were your favorite?”

to your surprise, valko answers quickly. “i like the yellow and blue ones.”

you raise an eyebrow and look at him like he’s crazy. “really? that’s.. an interesting combination. i didn’t even see any yellow and blue ones together.”

valko frowns. “they were all yellow and blue.”

“what? no they weren’t! there were red, orange, yellow, green, purple, blue, white, cream- how fid you only see yellow and blue?!” you ramble passionately. had valko somehow managed to only look up when they shot off yellow or blue fireworks?

uh, why was he looking at you like that? valko’s lips were quivering as he held back from laughing.

you growl lowly, annoyed, and flick his fuzzy ears that had popped out sometime in the whole ordeal. “what’s so funny, fuzzball?”

valko finally breaks, laughing in your face. “you’re forgetting a very important detail, sweetheart.” he points to one of his eyes.

your heart sinks and your face flushes with embarrassment. “you’re colorblind- oh my gosh, valko!” you smack his shoulder. “why the hell would you let me drag you to something that is too loud for you and not even pretty! uggghhh this was a waste of your time, i’m sorry.”

valko pulls you against him and laughs. “this wasn’t a waste of my time, you were so happy for those first few fireworks!”

“but you can’t even see what they’re supposed to look like.” you murmur against his chest, feeling deflated. this entire night had gone to shit, and you felt like a terrible partner for not considering his limitations.

valko shook his head. “i see the entire world that way- i see you that way. is that a waste?”

you grumble out a halfhearted ‘no’.

he smiles and pats your head. “see? then it wasn’t a waste. next year, we’ll have an even better time. maybe i’ll get some colorblind glasses to wear with my headphones!”

a/n: happy fourth of july to anyone who celebrates!!

tags: @colonelkaboom @sweetcalebb @heartyluv @rafayelkisses @wetforsylus @angeleclair @insidious-innocence @xaviersbunny @deepspacenova @silverianni @paintedperidot @luvleixo @gardenialily @xinghuisknight @theerogueprincess

Though letting himself into your apartment like this was nothing new, had become a part of your routine for months at this point, if you're honest, there was something that had been feeling different about Valko's visits to you lately. Less vexing and more… comforting.

An increased awareness of him, maybe? The sound of his voice. His size. The way his laugh and personality managed to fill the room more than his bulky body. Of the way he always tripped over your living room rug or tried to sneak a rub of his scent into every pillow. Of the way he stood so close when he spoke to you, capturing you in the sweet honey of his eyes.

It was something warm that pulsed in your chest, something intimate that had started to hook your gaze to his mouth and magnetize your palms to his skin even today, when you're at your lowest.

His right ear twitches at the sound of his name as he grabs your phone from the floor, a crease of distaste scrunching his nose when he clicks on the screen to stop the noise and tsks, "Looks like my 'dogs are better than cats' speech needs some work."

"Maybe I'll be more in the mood to hear you out–" you take your phone back and set it on the table with a huff, "–when my 'please use the damn front door' speech finally penetrates that thick skull of yours."

A crooked grin scrawls over his face. The pointed tips of his incisors reflecting the dim light of the small lamp you'd flicked on purely to save you from feeling like a complete gremlin while you moped this evening.

"Gonna tell you the same thing I tell Ma every time she says that." He unfurls from the crouching position he'd been in and drops his weight beside you, making your normally sizeable loveseat suddenly feel cramped. "Processing info is for the ears, not the skull."

Resting your cheek in your palm, you narrow your eyes at him with a considering hum.

"What?" Your uninvited houseguest turns to face you, eliciting a concerning creak from the loveseat as his knee comes up to rest on the cushion and his arm drapes over the back. An oversized paw just shy of brushing your shoulder. "What d'you mean, 'hm?'"

"Trespasser, jumpscaring people, terrible manners, and a smart ass to your mother?" You note each transgression by holding up a finger. "No wonder you're always prowling around Linkon alone."

"Hey, hey! Woah, woah, hold on." His hand darts forward, covering yours like it'll hide the evidence. "No– I mean– sure I may be some of those things, but trust me," he puts one of your fingers down and leans forward, another sad groan coming from below the cushion as he rests his elbow on his knee. "I wouldn't be sitting here, or hanging out with you – or breathing – if I were a smart ass to my mother."

Despite yourself, you feel the corner of your lip twitch, the closest you’ve come to a smile all day.

It surprises you how naturally it comes, how much lighter you feel, as you take in his easy grin, his warm palms, his artless gaze. Makes you worry that you're becoming used to this feeling, to something you might be misreading.

"Why?"

"Well, she has this really brutal way of grabbing you by the ear and–"

"No–" the word dissolves on a giggle that has both his ears twitching and an expression you can't quite interpret crossing his face. "I mean, why are you sitting here? Hanging out with me?"

"Oh. I kind of–" He stops, a hint of pink creeping onto his cheeks as he looks down at your still-linked hands. "I mean, I sorta felt like something was… off. With you." You're suddenly glad for the loss of his gaze as he starts to fiddle with your fingers, pressing the pads of his fingers to the tops of your nails as if to test their sharpness. "It's like a.. tug?"

Your mind races with panic as you realize just how much your attraction to him has been tugging at you over his last few visits. "Are you saying that with this– this bond or whatever, you can feel my emotions?"

"Nah, it's not like that." You hope he can't see the stark relief in your gaze when his eyes meet yours again, letting go of your hand to press a palm to the center of his chest. "It's not emotions that call me, it's, well… you. Calling me, that is. Needing me. Or, pulling at me, more like."

Your brows arc upward. "Like a leash?"

His head shoots back dramatically, paired with a groan that sounds almost as distressed as the loveseat still suffering under his weight. "Mercy, little hellion. Let a man keep at least a little dignity." He shakes his head with a bark of self-deprecating laughter. "But yeah. You've got me leashed up good. Happy?"

His question is gentle but pointed, hopeful. His frame still leaning over you, an umbrella shielding you from the sadness and negativity that have been pelting you all day.

Your chest warms at the sight, making it all the harder to respond with a sad smile and the shake of your head as the all the reasons you're not happy come flooding back.

"Alright," he says easily, unphased and unrelenting. A considering look enters his eyes. "Just means I've gotta take more drastic measures here."

In a blur of movements you barely have time to process, he turns his back to you, kicks off his boots – an oddly polite gesture that has you reconsidering just how serious he was about that leash comment – and flops backward. The broad span of his shoulders forces your bent knees down to accommodate the weight of his head as it nestles into your thighs.

"V-Valko! What are you doing?" you stutter, heartbeat galloping as the scent of amber and pine and him wash over you. His ear twitches as he takes your awkwardly hovering hands, placing one behind the wolf ear on his right and the other behind the human ear on his left.

"There," he says with a wiggle of his shoulders, like your thighs are a pillow he's nestling into.

When he notices your hands haven't budged, he gives you an expectant look, nudging the sides of his head into your palms until your lips twitch and your fingers start to move.

"This is your drastic measure?"

He hums in response, eyelashes fluttering as your nails scrape gently over a rose-coloured mix of silky hair and plush fur.

"And this is supposed to…" The question trails off but your hands continue.

He shrugs, the heat of his shoulders anchoring your thighs as one of his arms sneaks around your waist.

"I dunno, distract you? Annoy you, comfort you, take your pick." His eyes lock onto yours, sincere, earnest. "Whatever you need."

The combination of his touch and his words act like a stick of dynamite, blasting through the boulder of tension and worry that's been sitting on your chest all day.

You take a deep breath as he sighs in what you instinctually know is relief. And for the first time since he's mentioned this "bond" of yours, you think, maybe this thing goes both ways.

The thought that you might be starting to figure him out as well as he always seems to understand you brings a small smile to your face.

His lips mirror yours. "That's what I like to see," he says, voice low.

You roll your eyes and flick his ear to disguise the way your stomach flips when the praise rumbles through your thighs, flexing them to jostle him and joke, "What? Me being suffocated?"

His finger comes up to tap the end of your nose with a self-assured grin. "Stop pretending you dont like it, I saw that weighted blanket on your bed." You're not sure if it's you or the loveseat that squeaks when he tugs you into his face and nuzzles into your stomach. "Wanna tell me what's got you down?"

There's something about Valko's bluntness, about his willingness to tackle everything head-on, that catches you more off-guard than his casual and abundant displays of affection ever do. It's straightforward, without artifice. And though there's no hesitation in his request, there's somehow no pressure in it either. As if no response you give him could ever result in offense or resentment or awkwardness, making it feel like the most natural thing in the world to tell the unvarnished truth.

So you do.

"It's just… everything? I don't know, it's all piling up. Like, there's work, lack of sleep, friends I'm not keeping up with, not to mention the general state of the world."

You pause, finding his attentive gaze already on you when you look down to see if you're making any sense. He nods encouragingly, the ears on his head twitching in unison like an attentive audience.

"So I guess I've just been thinking about it all and it feels a little overwhelming. Right here." You press a hand to your chest. "And… heavy, I guess. Like–" You raise a pointed brow. "Like getting crushed by a giant mutt on my own sofa."

His jaw drops in dramatic affront. “You– did you just-” He snaps into a sitting position, your loveseat groaning in despair before he points a finger at himself, as if there could be anyone else you were talking about. “Mutt?! Oh you just crossed a line, you hellion.”

Any response you might’ve had morphs into a high-pitched squeal as you’re scooped up by a muscular arm and thrown over his shoulder.

“Valko! What are you doing? Put me down,” you manage through giggles and laughter as he hauls you to the bedroom with what sounds like a muttered 'I’ll show you a giant mutt.'

You land on the mattress with a breathless oomph, the stray laughs bubbling from your throat feeling foreign but welcome as Valko descends over your figure in an army crawl, finally stopping when you're nose to nose.

Your chests meet on each breath as he reaches up to brush hair from your face. His eyes seem more yellow than amber in the dim light, like marigolds, and you can't think of anything more fitting for the resilient, protective man above you.

"Hi," you breathe, grinning wide.

"Hello, gorgeous," he murmurs, darting a glance at your lips that has your heartbeat pounding against your ribs.

The shadow of his tail swishes behind him as he lowers his weight onto you, fitting his body over yours in a way that anchors and comforts you rather than stifles you.

"Better?" He mumbles into your neck, the heat of his breath awakening gooseflesh over your collarbones. "You know, now that you've made my pedigree your punching bag?"

"Yeah, actually," you realize with a giggle, fingers brushing over the soft bristles of his undercut. "I do."

You haven't laughed this much in a while. In fact, despite being pinned under the heaviest man you know, you haven't felt this light for a few weeks now, you think, which was… the last time he visited you. You close your eyes briefly, mourning the loss of your sanity at the realization that he was right earlier. You had needed him.

"Then listen to me real quick." Your hand slips to his jaw when he raises his head, his smile smaller, his eyes intent. "Next time you feel overwhelmed, or if it's all feeling like too much, you don't have to isolate yourself, or doomscroll, or muscle through it alone. I know I look like I'm all brains but I can help carry things. So just call me, yeah?"

You smile, agreeing with a small nod, pausing before you joke, "With the leash?"

"Okay, who's the smart ass now?" he mutters with a shake of his head, crooked grin back in place. "I meant with a phone. But the leash works too, I guess."

"What's it like?" you ask, curious for the first time since you've learned of it.

"The bond?" His eyes flicker between your eyes and your lips, a knuckle tracing your cheek. "It's like one of those less traveled paths in the woods. Barely visible to the naked eye, but once you find it and start walking on it, everything starts to feel… right."

"Your chest gets really warm and you have this zappy feeling in your gut." His lips tip up in a faraway smile as his eyes follow the path his knuckle makes over your ear, your neck, your collarbones. "Everything feels possible when it's there. Lighter. And when it's gone? Anything you do feels wrong. Empty."

"But…" You swallow past the heartbeat in your throat. "I thought you couldn't feel my emotions," you protest weakly.

A spark ignites in his eyes, electric enough to charge the air between you as his expression morphs into what you can only identify as a primal satisfaction. He inhales deeply, as if he's trying to memorize the scent of this moment, holding your gaze as his eyelids lower.

"I can't," he breathes, so close his nose brushes against yours when he shakes his head. "Those were all mine."

Your lips part, tongue hovering in wait between your teeth as his palm comes up under your chin, fingers settling on both sides of your jaw to draw you in. Your eyes shut as his lips descend over yours, and despite the warmth of his palm, the first brush of his tongue feel like being doused in flame. You wrap your arms around his neck on a moan, humming when he tilts your head to lick into your mouth again and again.

"Valko." The soft, fuzzy sensation of his buzzed hair grazes your knuckles and he sighs into your mouth, as if you're breathing life back into him with the sound of his name.

You take the chance to nip at his lip, holding it hostage between yours until he answers in kind. The sharpness of his teeth like bee stings on your mouth, soothed only by the sweet honey of a tongue that's licking, tasting, consuming the flushed skin between your lips and your throat.

His body sinks into yours, each of his muscles and contours taking shape around yours like heated metal, a weapon being forged for its master, its weight the heaviest thing you'll ever have to carry again.

➻➻ MASTERLIST

NOTE: They can take my undomesticated wolf man from me in the game but he will live on as a terrible house guest in my delusions forever xoxo