âlads boys with a clingy partnerâ
hi bunnies sorry for not posting𼚠happy easter to all the ones who celebrate!
content: fluff, mentions of nightmares
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the morning air in onychinus is cold, but not cold enough to keep you from crawling onto Sylusâ lap while heâs trying to go through files. he sits on the velvet couch, his black blazer draped over his shoulders, one hand holding a holopad and the other gripping a steaming mug. youâre practically glued to him, arms around his waist, cheek against his chest
he exhales sharply, but itâs not annoyanceâitâs more like the sound of someone trying very hard not to indulge you too fast
âi canât feel my legs,â he mutters, not even looking down âyouâve been clinging to me for the past forty minutesâ
âyou love it,â you murmur into his shirt, fingers playing with the fabric âiâm your favorite parasiteâ
he finally looks down, crimson eyes glinting in amusement âif i had a favorite parasite, youâd be it, yesâ
his hand moves from the mug to your back, fingers tracing lazy circles against your spine. he doesnât push you away. of course he doesnât. Sylus complains, but he never actually means it. youâve figured that out by now
âyou couldâve kicked me off,â you tease
âi couldâve,â he says dryly âbut iâm indulging your clinginess. itâs charming. pathetic, but charmingâ
you pout up at him âmean.â
but he softens, just a little, when you donât move. when your breathing evens out against him, and your fingers curl slightly like youâre afraid heâll disappear if you let go
his voice drops to a murmur âwhatâs gotten into you?â
ânothing,â you say âjust wanna stay closeâ
he hums âyouâve been like this all weekâ
you donât respond right away. instead, you tug his blazer tighter around the both of you and nuzzle in
after a beat, Sylus speaks again, quieter this time
âdid you have another nightmare?â
he sets the holopad aside with a sigh and cups your face, guiding your head up until you meet his gaze
âyou need to tell me these things,â he says âi canât drag them out of you while you cling to me like an octopusâ
âiâm not an octopusâ
âyouâre worse. youâre cute. and you know i canât say no when youâre like thisâ
you blink up at him âso you do like it.â
he narrows his eyes âi didnât say that.â
you smirk âyou implied it.â
he kisses you before you can get cocky. just once, light and brief, but enough to silence your teasing
âyou can cling to me all you want,â he murmurs, his voice low âjust donât keep things from meâ
âi wasnât trying to hide it,â you say softly âjust didnât wanna make you worryâ
he lets out a soft chuckle, barely audible âi worry when you donât cling to meâ
âmmhâ he leans back, tugging you closer, settling you against him like youâre meant to be there âyouâre always holding onto me like youâre afraid iâll vanish. if you stop⌠iâll know somethingâs wrongâ
you bite your lip, warmth blooming in your chest
âbesides,â he adds, lips brushing your hair, âiâve grown fond of being your emotional support villainâ
you snort âyouâre more like an emotional support dragonâ
you shift slightly, enough to peek up at him through your lashes âso you wonât get tired of me being clingy?â
he smirks, brushing your hair back ânot unless you start following me into the showerâ
âiâve done that beforeâ
âand i had to bribe you out with chocolateâ
you grin, smug âyou bought my favorite kindâ
he rolls his eyes âyouâre impossible.â
but then he presses a long, quiet kiss to your temple, and when you melt into him again, he doesnât complain. doesnât even pretend to
because the truth isâSylus likes it. likes you. every stubborn, clingy, affectionate part
and if holding you close is the price for your peace of mind, heâll let you stay right there for as long as you need
Zayne doesnât look up right away when you wrap your arms around him from behind. heâs seated at his desk, posture perfect, pen gliding across a patient chart with that same practiced precision. his hair falls slightly over his glasses, and the gentle ticking of his desk clock fills the silence of the office
you rest your cheek between his shoulder blades, eyes closed, arms locked snugly around his torso like you might float away if you let go
âyou know this is the third time youâve interrupted me in the last hour,â he says, not turning around âyouâve brought me tea, asked if i liked the scent of your shampoo, and now⌠this.â
you hum softly âyou didnât answer about the shampooâ
âlavender,â he mutters âi took note the second you walked inâ
a small smile curves your lips. he did notice
Zayne sets the pen down at last and exhales, head tilting slightly toward you âi take it youâre feeling clingy againâ
he doesnât respond right away. instead, he reaches for your hand and gently tugs you around to his side. you let him guide you, limbs loose and obedient as he pulls you onto his lap. one of his arms wraps around your waist, the other settles over your hand where it rests on his chest
âif it were a problem,â he says softly âi wouldnât be holding you right nowâ
you sigh contentedly and tuck your face into his neck âi missed youâ
âi saw you this morningâ
Zayneâs lips curve into the faintest smile âyouâve been unusually attached latelyâ
you shift slightly âdo you want me to stop?â
heâs quiet for a second, then murmurs
you lift your head, surprised âreally?â
he sighs again, but this time itâs the fond kindâthe tired, helpless kind that only comes out when heâs too in love to argue âiâve been waking up with your arm draped across my chest every night for the past week. i canât reach for my alarm without peeling you off me. and somehow, i donât mindâ
you look at him with wide eyes âso you like it?â
âi didnât say thatâ he adjusts his glasses with one hand âbut if you stopped, iâd probably assume you were hiding somethingâ
you frown slightly âiâm not hiding anythingâ
âthen why the sudden surge in affection?â
you hesitate, then quietly say âyouâve been working more hours lately. i just⌠i donât want to feel like iâm losing time with youâ
his expression softens instantly
âiâm sorry,â he says âi shouldâve noticed soonerâ
you shake your head âi get it. your patients need youâ
Zayne leans forward and presses his forehead to yours. his eyes, usually sharp and unreadable, are soft now. tired, yesâbut open in a way only you ever get to see
âtell me when you feel like this,â he says gently âdonât just cling. i can handle honesty better than surprise cuddles in the middle of surgery prepâ
you laugh under your breath âyou did scold me that timeâ
âbecause you nearly knocked over an IV standâ
you nuzzle closer âworth itâ
he shakes his head but doesnât push you away. instead, he shifts the chair slightly, pulling a blanket from the side cabinet and draping it over both of you
âi have three more files to go through,â he says âbut if you promise not to fall asleep and drool on my tie again, you can stay right here.â
âyou think i keep spare ties in my desk for fashion?â
you grin âyou secretly love it.â
âi am a man of science,â Zayne replies, deadpan âi donât love being drooled onâ
but he kisses your cheek anyway. warm. soft. and when you rest your head against his chest again, his arms tighten just a little
he lets you stay for the rest of the evening, finishing his files one by one while you curl in his lap like a content cat. and every so often, he pausesâjust to run his fingers through your hair, or to press a kiss to your temple, like he needs the reminder too
Calebâs halfway through refueling his aircraft when he hears rapid footsteps behind himâlight, familiar ones that donât belong to any mechanic on the tarmac. he doesnât need to turn around to know itâs you
âdonât say anything,â you huff, wrapping your arms tight around his waist from behind âjust⌠stand thereâ
he chuckles under his breath, lowering the nozzle and tilting his head back slightly âthat bad of a day, huh?â
âno,â you mumble against his back âi just missed youâ
he grins, lips twitching at the corners as he sets the nozzle down and lets his hands rest over yours âyou saw me this morningâ
âdoesnât count. you left before i was awakeâ
âtechnically, i kissed your forehead before i left,â he says, voice playful âthat counts for somethingâ
you hug him tighter âi want a do-overâ
Caleb turns slowly in your arms, the scent of jet fuel clinging faintly to his jacket. his eyes, that soft violet hue youâve always loved, lock on yours with warmth and just a hint of mischief
âyouâre clingy todayâ he says with a knowing smile
he leans in a little, brows raised âhave i ever said no to you clinging?â
you look up at him, teasing âyou get smug about itâ
âbecause i like it,â he says, pulling you in without hesitation âi like that you want to be close. that you run straight to me when youâre feeling needyâ
you bury your face in his jacket âiâm not needyâ
âyou literally followed me to the plane, mid-shift, and clung to me like a baby koalaâ
you pout âare you calling me a koala now?â
he laughs and lifts you slightly off the ground in a warm, secure hug, spinning you in a slow circle despite the busy hangar
âa very cute koala,â he murmurs âwith a death gripâ
you hum contentedly, resting your chin on his shoulder âi just didnât feel like being alone todayâ
he immediately softens at that, arms wrapping tighter around you
âyou never have to be.â
âbut youâre always workingâ
âso are you,â he says, brushing your hair back gently âand yet, here you are, glued to me in the middle of a military-grade launch pad. not exactly subtleâ
his voice lowers a little, quieter against the sound of nearby aircraft and voices
âi think about you all the time when iâm flying,â he confesses âwhen i hit turbulence, when the sky goes quiet, when the alarms go off in my headset⌠youâre the one i think of. and then when i land, i hope youâre hereâ
you blink, caught off guard by how soft heâs being âyou do?â
he nods, gaze never leaving yours âevery timeâ
you smile into his chest âthen maybe i should start hiding in your cockpitâ
he snorts âyouâd get arrestedâ
âyouâd bail me outâ
âyeah,â he says without hesitation âi would.â
you stay there for a while, wrapped in him, ignoring the curious glances of nearby engineers. Caleb doesnât care. he never does. even when his superiors are around, even when heâs supposed to be the strict Colonel on dutyâwhen it comes to you, his arms are always open
âhow long until you take off?â you ask, voice small
you tug on his jacket sleeve âstay with me âtil then?â
he doesnât even hesitate âyou got it.â
he guides you over to the edge of the hangar, where the sun hits the floor in golden beams. you sit together, shoulder to shoulder, legs stretched out, your head resting against his. the world keeps movingâpilots shouting, aircraft hummingâbut in that little moment, everything feels still
Caleb intertwines your fingers with his
âyou can be clingy all you want,â he murmurs âi signed up for that the moment i fell in love with youâ
you squeeze his hand âwhat if iâm clingy forever?â
he grins âthen i guess youâre stuck with me forever too.â
Rafayelâs house is bathed in warm light, the windows cracked open just enough to let in the city breeze. classical music plays softly from hidden speakers, the scent of white tea and citrus lingering in the air. heâs lounging on his favorite cream-colored couch, wearing a silk robe loosely tied over a half-buttoned shirt, swirling a glass of wine in one hand while reading something on his holo-tablet
and you? youâre practically draped over him like a second robe
âyouâre heavy,â he drawls, though thereâs absolutely zero heat in his voice âare you attempting to fuse with me?â
you bury your face into his chest âmaybeâ
he sighsâdramatically, as alwaysâand sets his tablet aside âis this how itâs going to be now? i canât even sip my wine without being used as a human mattress?â
you peek up at him, pouting âdonât act like you donât love itâ
he raises a perfectly shaped brow, eyes flicking down to where your legs are tangled with his
âi love many things. vintage wines, rare artifacts, silk pillows⌠and, unfortunately for me, youâ
you grin, not the least bit offended âso i can stay here?â
he exhales, then tilts your chin up with one finger âi would sooner burn this apartment to the ground than move youâ
you blink ââŚromanticâ
you stay quiet for a moment, tracing absent shapes on his chest through his shirt. he watches you for a beat, then softly asks âwhatâs this about, dove?â
you glance away âi just missed you.â
he hums âyou saw me two hours ago.â
âi still missed you.â
his hand finds your hair, long fingers combing through it gently âyouâve been a bit⌠clingier than usualâ
you wince âtoo much?â
he snorts âplease. if i didnât enjoy it, do you think youâd still be breathing right now?â
you laugh, muffled against him
he brushes a kiss to the top of your head âiâm not complaining, darling. iâm simply curious. your usual clinginess is adorableâthis level borders on concerningâ
you donât answer right away, just sink further into his embrace like the answerâs hidden somewhere in his heartbeat
he softens, all teasing gone from his voice âtalk to meâ
âi had a dream,â you finally say âthat you leftâ
he frowns âleft how?â
âjust⌠disappeared. no note, no goodbye. i woke up and you werenât there, and it felt so realâ
Rafayel is silent for a moment. then, he slides his glass onto the side table and pulls you into his lap properly, wrapping his arms around you with rare, unguarded tenderness
âiâm not going anywhere,â he says âyouâd have to banish me yourself. even then, iâd find my way backâ
âwhat if you got bored of me?â
he scoffs âimpossible. youâre chaos in a pretty package. and you cling to me like ivy. how could i ever get bored?â
âsome people donât like clingyâ
âthose people have no tasteâ
you laugh again, and Rafayel leans in to kiss the corner of your mouth, then your cheek, then your forehead. his lips linger there, his breath warm and steady
âdo you know how many people want my attention?â he murmurs âand how few actually have it?â
you nod slowly âa lot. and almost none.â
he smiles âexactly. youâre not just the exception. youâre the rule-breaker. you cling, and i let you. you pout, and i cave. you crawl into my lap during my very important wine therapy session, and instead of throwing you offâI hold you tighterâ
you blink ââŚthat might be the most romantic thing youâve ever saidâ
âdonât get used to itâ
he chuckles and lets his head fall back against the couch, arms still snug around you. you curl up there, completely content, as the music shifts to something slower, more intimate
âstay here tonight,â he says softly âcling all you want. hell, cling in your sleep. drool on my robe. claim me like a pillow. iâll allow it.â
âyouâre spoiling meâ
âno,â he says, kissing your temple again âiâm keeping you.â
Xavierâs apartment is dim and quiet, lit mostly by the flicker of neon lights outside the window. the soft hum of rain hits the glass, steady and calming. heâs stretched out on the couch in an oversized hoodie, one arm draped behind his head, the other flipping lazily through a book heâs already read twice. every few pages, his eyes flick down to the weight pressed against his side
curled up against him like a second blanket, arms wrapped around his torso, cheek smushed into his chest. you havenât said much, just let out a satisfied sigh every now and then like youâre recharging on physical contact alone
âyouâve been stuck to me all nightâ he murmurs, voice quiet but amused
âi know,â you mumble âiâm comfyâ
he glances down at you âclingy today, huh?â
he closes the book with one hand and sets it aside âyou were clingy this morning. and this afternoon. and when i tried to go take a showerâ
you lift your head slightly âyou still wentâ
âyeah. with you sitting on the sink counter like some judgmental little gremlin watching my every moveâ
âsomeone had to make sure you didnât slipâ
he huffs a laugh, but itâs warm. he reaches over and brushes your hair out of your face with the tips of his fingers, his touch carefulâalmost hesitant, like he still canât believe you let him do this. like he still feels lucky every time
âyou gonna tell me whatâs going on?â he asks softly
you blink âwhat do you mean?â
âthis level of clinginess usually has a reason. not that i mind,â he adds quickly âjust⌠youâre usually a little more subtleâ
you hesitate, then bury your face back into his hoodie. it smells like clean laundry and something distinctly himâcold metal, warm skin, and comfort
âi just missed youâ you say into the fabric
âyou saw me yesterday.â
âi know. i still missed you.â
Xavier is quiet for a moment. you can feel the way his chest rises and falls under your cheek, steady and calm
âyeahâ his arm wraps around you, pulling you a little closer âif you missed me, then this is where you belong.â
you tilt your head up to look at him âyouâre really letting me get away with this?â
he smirks âgetting away with it implies iâd ever stop youâ
âyouâve definitely tried beforeâ
âyeah, and every time you look at me like i just kicked a puppyâ
âyou hate it when i do thatâ
âobviously,â he mutters âyou weaponize your pretty faceâ
he rolls his eyes, but thereâs a soft flush on his cheeks âunfortunately.â
you smile and cuddle back into him. the rain continues tapping against the window, and the sound of his heartbeat fills your ears, steady and grounding. he runs his fingers gently up and down your spine, over the fabric of your hoodie, the rhythm almost hypnotic
âyou can be clingy whenever you want,â he murmurs âjust give me a heads-up if you plan to fuse with my ribcageâ
you snort âno promisesâ
you both go quiet again for a while. he shifts a little to reach for the remote, flipping the TV on lowâjust soft background noise, some slow documentary youâre not really watching. the screen casts a gentle glow over both of you, and his thumb traces little circles on your arm
âyou know,â he says after a moment âi used to think i needed a lot of spaceâ
âyeah. but⌠i donât mind when itâs you taking itâ
your heart stutters âyou mean that?â
âi wouldnât say it if i didnâtâ he pauses âyou make it easier. being around you doesnât feel like noise. it feels like⌠quiet. the kind of quiet i donât want to endâ
you stay silent, overwhelmed for a second. then you shift up just enough to press a kiss to his jaw. his skin is warm, and you feel him freeze, then relax under the touch
he doesnât say it back right awayâbut youâve learned not to expect it from him every time. not because he doesnât feel it, but because he shows it more than he says it. and right now, heâs holding you like the world could fall apart and he wouldnât notice as long as you were still in his arms
ââŚi know,â he murmurs eventually âand i love you, too. now stop moving. youâre warmâ
you smile, eyes closing âfine. iâll stay. forever.â
âgood,â he whispers âi was hoping you would.â