xavier | 11:53 PM
"Xavier, is that you?"
"Yeah."
You hear the front door close gently, and it's immediately followed by the shuffle of heavy footsteps heading towards you. You look up from your phone, which you had been scrolling mindlessly on for the last hour, to see Xavier, still in his uniform, standing at the end of the sofa.
Before you can greet him, you see his knees buckle, and he falls face first onto the sofa, his face just landing next to your thigh, his long legs dangling from the arm rest.
You gingerly place your hand on his head, your fingers finding their way into his light hair.
"Xavier," you whisper his name, trying to stop him from falling asleep.
He grunts, the few syllables he tries to say muffled by the leather of the sofa. Then, you start to hear him snore.
"Xavier," you say, a little louder, giving the hair in between your fingers a soft tug.
He rolls his head to the side. "Tired," he mumbles, his eyes closed. "Sleep now."
"I know," you say, starting to get up from the sofa. "But you're still in uniform. Can you at least take a quick shower, get into some comfortable clothes and then go to bed?"
He gives you no answer. Instead, another soft snore escapes his lips, and you roll your eyes to yourself, before walking off.
There's a beat of silence before you hear his rushed, heavy footsteps.
---
"Xavier! Xavier, help!"
The door to the bathroom swings open, and you see Xavier, one hand gripping the handle, and the other the doorframe.
"What-"
Before he can say anything else, you rise from the side of the bathtub, and reach for his arm, pulling him into the bathroom. You close the door, and lock it behind you, preventing him from attempting escape.
Xavier stares at you, then his eyes flicker towards the bathtub, then back to you. You motion with your head towards the tub, which is covered in bubbles, with small tendrils of steam rising from it.
Xavier, having sensed your plan, sighs. "Are you serious?"
You press your back against the bathroom door. "Deadly. Get in the tub."
He shakes his head. It's dim in the bathroom, with only a few candles lighting the room, but you see a shy grin tug at the corners of his lips.
Wordlessly, he starts undressing, and you realize that you're still in the room with him. You inhale sharply, hoping that he doesn't notice, but his eyes meet yours, and he smirks.
"Are you going to watch me get naked?"
You immediately spin around, nose pressed against the door, hoping that he didn't see the flush spreading across your cheeks. You hear him chuckle as the last of his clothes fall to the ground. He lets out a soft hiss as he steps into the tub, and you hear the water splash at the sides of it.
"Oh... oh my..."
There are another few splashes as he submerges himself, and you turn again to see Xavier's head just slightly peaking out from the bubbles. He dunks his head into the water, then rises out of it again, his hair plastered to his forehead. He glances at you and gives you a drowsy grin.
"Thank you. This is heavenly"
You nod, and you turn to head out of the bathroom, but Xavier's arm shoots out of the tub and his soapy fingers wrap around your wrist. They're slippery, but his grip is tight.
"Can you... can you stay with me a little bit?"
You take a deep breath in before you give him a smile. "Of course."
You kneel at the edge of the tub, watch as his eyes start to flutter shut again. You reach for the shampoo bottle on the bathroom counter, pop it open, and squeeze some of it into your palm. You then shuffle around to the end of the tub where Xavier's head is, and you rub your hands together, producing some foam. You reach for his head, your fingers finding his hair once again. Xavier lets out a drawn out groan, which causes heat to spread across your cheeks, but you say nothing, and you continue massaging the shampoo into his hair.
You hear him start to snore again, and this time, you can't bring yourself to wake him up. You admire the small droplets of water that have formed on his eyelashes, the warm feeling going from your face to the pit of your stomach. His forehead is covered in suds, but you can't resist - you press your lips lightly against it, murmuring into his damp skin.
"Good night, Xavier."
In honor of the Ithaca Saga and Epic the Musical in generalđŤĄđŤĄ
Ody and Penelope have my heartđ¤đ¤
âá° a/n: i guess this is a series now lmao. if i were to do zayne or caleb, what animals would they even be. cat and dog? weâll have to figure this out >_>
dragon sylus version
mermaid rafayel version
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⼠he nibbles on you! itâs gotten to be a little bit of a problem, but xavier canât help himself. heâll nibble on your skin and hair until there are tiny little red marks painted on you. at first you thought these were little hickeys, but the real explanation is much more innocent.
bunnies nibble to groom you! heâll especially groom you when youâre bed rotting or are too lazy to get up. he wants to make sure youâre clean and if youâre not taking care of yourself â he will! but he also nibbles to get your attention. xavier is known to be pouty and clingy, so if heâs low on your love today heâll forcefully sit on your lap and nibble on your face until you give in.
⼠he hides in your hair. whenever xavier feels overwhelmed or stressed, heâll go straight to you and dig his head in your hair. itâs a combination of your scent and your shielding hair strands that gives him a sense of safety. he likes the way your hair feels against his skin along with the way it keeps him warm.
but still â wet, dry, tangled, brushed; he really doesnât care what your hair is looking like, as long as he can bury his nose in your scalp and close his eyes. this also makes for a good cuddling session!
⼠he eats everything. xavier has the appetite of three elephants and then another three elephants. whether he can cook or not is irrelevant, even if he burns something to the point of it being inedible, heâll still eat it. snacks youâve saved for later or baked good youâve left out gets gobbled immediately by him, and it was only âtil you scolded him that he stopped. stopped taking you food that is, heâll still beg.
if he smells a meal in the house heâll quickly sit next to you and smile silently, hoping that youâll spare him a piece. heâs learned to be less greedy, go easy on him â but heâll become extremely elated if you give him a quick nibble. he wouldnât even ask for a full piece of chicken or bread, just a little slither is enough to keep him happy. he thinks of eating together as bonding.
⼠he mimics you. sometimes consciously, mostly unconsciously, xavier will pick up and mimic your habits. if you have a habit of playing with your hair, xavier will also start playing with his hair to mirror you. if you touch your necklace in thought, xavier will also touch his imaginary necklace while he thinks. it wasnât until he picked up on your manner of sneezing that you realized you left an impression on him.
you didnât say anything at first: finding it rather endearing how xavier unknowingly imitates you. but once you brought it up in passing xavier tilted his head in confusion. did he really mimic you that much? he was a little oblivious to that fact, apparently. but even with that realization, xavier doesnât try and stop himself learning from you. in fact, he tries to tease you by imitating you even more. he loves being like you because he simply just loves you.
⼠he teases you with his ears. xavier knows how much you love his ears, so heâll use them to his advantage to play. when youâre asleep and he wants you awake, heâll climb the bed, lean into your face, and move one of his ears over your cheek to stir you awake. in a similar fashion, heâll use his ears to wrap around your head or wrist as another way to embrace you. the fluffy feel of his ears was always welcome on your skin, it felt like a hug from a pillow.
but by far his favourite way to use his ears on you was when he lightly traced your midsection and thighs with the very tips of his fluff. it tickles you slightly, but the purpose of this tease was to get you riled up and beg for a little more contact. he obliges, of course, but slowly. he loves taking his time with you. by the end of it all, his ears around wrapped around your thighs as he satiates his hunger in a different way this time.
⼠he claps when heâs happy. this can be mistaken as a normal human habit, but xavier does it much more often and eagerly than any regular person. his hands will patter together rapidly to create a very quiet but joyful sound. he has no ânormalâ way of clapping, he only does it in one specific way to show how content he is. if he thinks the sound is too distracting for the moment, heâll hide his hands behind his back and pitter-patter them there.
even over small things like finding his favourite ramen in-stock at the store, heâll clap very quietly to himself before putting it in the cart, and later on, when he gets to show you what he got from the store, heâll start clapping again from how happy he is to share his excitement. as reserved as he is on the outside, xavier is very chipper on the inside.
đ¤
pairings: sylus x reader, zayne x reader, rafayel x reader, xavier x reader, caleb x reader
A/N: A series of headcanons about the LIs as your gym instructor. Requests are very much open.
SYLUS
⢠Sylus isnât just a gym instructorâheâs an executioner. He doesnât train people; he breaks them. Every session is a test of survival, and he watches your suffering with just enough amusement to make you question if he enjoys this. âIf you collapse, Iâm leaving you here,â he deadpans as you struggle to get off the mat.
⢠He has absolutely no patience for whining. The moment you start complaining, he doubles the intensity of your workout.
âI think my legs are going to give outââ
âPerfect. Letâs add weights.â
⢠Heâs unnervingly quiet when you struggle. No words of encouragement, no sympathyâjust the piercing gaze of a man who expects results. You groan, dropping the dumbbells. He just stares. ââŚSay something.â
He blinks. âPathetic.â
⢠He refuses to let you lift with bad form. He will physically adjust you without hesitation. Hand on your back, fingers pressing into your shoulders, grip firm against your waist. Heâs indifferent to the proximityâyou, however, are not. âRelax,â he murmurs, voice just above your ear. âYouâre tense.â
⢠His personal space boundaries donât existâespecially when spotting you. Youâre struggling under a barbell, and suddenly, heâs there. Arms bracketing yours, voice smooth and unbothered. âPush,â he orders. You try, but all you can focus on is the way his breath fans against your cheek.
⢠He subtly tests your endurance just to see how much you can handle. He calls it training. Itâs actually just entertainment. âYou can take more,â he muses, adding another plate to the bar.
⢠Flirts without technically flirting. Everything he says could be taken as platonicâbut the way he says it? Absolutely not. âYouâre improving,â he muses.
You blink. âWait⌠was that a compliment?â
He shrugs. âTake it or leave it.â
⢠Refuses to admit he cares, but itâs obvious in subtle ways. Heâll shove a water bottle at you without comment. Drag you to a bench when you look exhausted. You pant, wiping sweat from your forehead. âIâm dying.â
He clicks his tongue, tossing you a towel.
⢠Competitive to an unhealthy degree. You mention beating him at anything, and suddenly, heâs taking it personally. âI ran five miles today,â you say, stretching.
He glances over. âMake it ten next time.â
⢠When he does praise you, itâs rareâbut devastatingly effective. Itâs not often, but when it happens, it lingers. âNot bad,â he murmurs, watching you finish your set.
Your brain malfunctions. âWaitâwhat?â
He smirks. âNothing.â
SCENARIO
Youâre on the ground. Not sitting. Not crouching. Collapsed.
Sylus stands over you, arms crossed, entirely unimpressed. âPathetic.â
You groan. âI literally canât move...â
He tilts his head. âYou have another set.â
Your glare could burn through steel. âSylus. My legs are gone.â
He crouches beside you, gaze unreadable. âYouâre fine.â
âIâmââ You gesture weakly. âânot fine.â
Thereâs a pause. Thenâwithout warningâhe hooks an arm around your waist and pulls you up like itâs nothing.
Your hands instinctively grab onto his shoulders, and for a second, the world tilts. His grip is steady. His voice, lower than usual.
âSee?â he murmurs. âYouâre still standing.â
You blink up at him, heart hammering. âIââ
He smirks, releasing you. You immediately stumble.
âAlright,â he says, stepping back, tone casual. âNext set.â
You hate him. You really do.
ZAYNE
⢠Zayne is a gym instructor with the patience of a saint and the intensity of a drill sergeant. Heâs not the type to yell or get overly aggressive, but his expectations are high. If you slack off, he doesnât scold youâhe just looks at you. And somehow, thatâs worse. âAgain.â His voice is calm, almost indifferent, as you struggle through push-ups. âDonât stop until you get it right.â
⢠He never sugarcoats anything. If your form is bad, heâll tell you. If youâre being dramatic, heâll call you out. But if you actually push yourself, he will acknowledge it.
⢠You pant, struggling to finish your reps. Zayne watches. âYouâre stronger than that. Keep going.â
⢠The kind of instructor who gives subtle but sharp praise. He wonât shower you with encouragement, but when he does give a rare compliment, it sticks. âWell done,â he murmurs after you break your personal record.
⢠Prefers efficiency over flashy workouts. He doesnât waste time with trends or gimmicks. Heâll give you a program that works, but you will definitely suffer. âNo shortcuts,â he says, handing you a heavier weight than you expected. âDo it right, or donât do it at all.â
⢠Not overly physical unless necessary. Heâs not the type to adjust you constantly, but if your form is off, he will fix itâwithout hesitation. One hand at your lower back, the other guiding your grip. âHere,â he murmurs, voice close to your ear. âStraighten up.â
⢠Expects discipline, but isnât completely heartless. He wonât let you quit, but he does notice when youâre genuinely struggling. His version of kindness? A short water break instead of immediate death.
⢠You groan. âZayne, I think Iâm dying.â
He hands you a water bottle. âThen hydrate first.â
⢠Completely unbothered by whining. Complain all you wantâhe wonât react. In fact, the more you complain, the more weight he adds.
⢠âMy legs feel like jellyââ
âThen weâll strengthen them.â He hands you a resistance band.
⢠Is meticulous about post-workout recovery. He doesnât just push youâhe makes sure you recover properly. That means stretching, hydration, and making sure youâre not being an idiot. âYou better not skip your cooldown,â he warns.
You smirk. âWhy? Will you carry me home if I collapse?â
His gaze flickers to you. âNo, but Iâll make sure your next session is worse.â
⢠Doesnât like distractions. If you come to the gym to chat or mess around, heâll shut it down fast. âFocus,â he says when you start rambling between sets. âOr leave.â
⢠Gives zero reaction when people try to flirt with him. Other gym-goers have tried. He never takes the bait. You watch a girl giggle as she asks him for âhelpâ adjusting her form. Zayne corrects her stance in under five seconds, completely unfazed. âDone.â
She pouts. âThatâs all?â
He turns to you instead. âYouâre up.â
SCENARIO
Youâre wheezing. Absolutely dying.
Zayne watches from the side, arms crossed. âYou have five minutes left.â
You groan, gripping the treadmillâs handles. âIâmâgonna pass out.â
He tilts his head, unimpressed. âYou said that ten minutes ago.â
âI meant it this timeââ
The treadmill suddenly increases speed. You yelp.
âZAYNEââ
He doesnât react. âYouâll survive.â
You stumble, barely catching yourself. âYouâre evil.â
Thereâs a flicker of amusement in his eyes. âKeep running.â
RAFAYEL
⢠Rafayel is the worst and best trainer you could have. Heâs the type to look like heâs taking this seriouslyâclipboard in hand, stopwatch tickingâonly to throw in something completely ridiculous halfway through your session.
⢠âAlright, time for squats. And if you mess up, Iâll make you do them while balancing a book on your head. Gotta work on that grace, cutie.â
⢠He is not a role model. Skips warm-ups, ignores cooldowns, and somehow never follows his own advice. Heâll sit there drinking an iced coffee while watching you struggle. âPush through the pain,â he says lazily, sipping his caramel macchiato.
⢠Absolutely makes things harder just to mess with you. If he sees you struggling, does he help? No. He makes it worse. âOh, youâre having trouble with those weights? Here, let me fix that.â âand suddenly he adds more.
⢠Zero professionalism. If you start flirting, he will flirt back, and itâs a dangerous game. âYouâre lucky Iâm here to watch you suffer.â
You smirk. âOr maybe you just like watching me.â
He leans in. âAnd what if I do?â
⢠Overly dramatic when he works out himself. If you ever catch him actually exercising, he acts like itâs a life-altering event. âGod, this is agony. Why do people do this?â âas if heâs not a personal trainer.
⢠Pretends he doesnât care, but actually keeps a close eye on you. Heâll tease you for whining, but the second you actually look like you might faint, heâs already there, handing you a water bottle. âTsk. You look pathetic.â A pause. ââŚDrink.â
⢠Loves making up fake âtraining techniques.â Half the time, you donât know if heâs being serious or just making things up for fun. âThis exercise is called âsuffering but make it aesthetic.â Perfect for you.â
⢠Will absolutely let you take breaks if you bribe him. You want to sit down and do nothing? Cool. Just bring him a snack, and heâll mysteriously forget how many reps you had left. âFifty push-ups? Nah, I think it was⌠ten. Maybe five, if youâre cute enough.â
⢠Gets jealous if you take fitness advice from someone else. If you ever listen to another trainer, expect Rafayel to sabotage them in the pettiest way possible. âOh, he told you to stretch like that? Ridiculous."
⢠The type to bet against youâthen get personally invested when you prove him wrong. He wants you to fail, just so he can be smug about it. But when you actually push through? Yeah, now heâs impressed. ââŚGoos job,â he mutters when you finish a brutal set. Then, a smirk. âDo it again.â
SCENARIO
Rafayel leans against the squat rack, watching you struggle with your set.
âI swearâthis feels heavier than last time,â you grunt, barely holding the bar steady.
He smiles innocently. âHmm. Weird.â
You narrow your eyes. âYou did something.â
âMoi?â He places a hand on his chest, mock-offended. âDarling, I would never sabotage my favorite student.â
You pause. âIâm your only student.â
âExactly.â
It takes you a second before realization hits. âYou added weight when I wasnât looking, didnât you?â
He hums. âGuess youâll have to finish the set to find out.â
ââŚI hate you.â
He grins. âI love you too.â
XAVIER
⢠Xavier is terrifyingly efficient as a trainer. He doesnât yell, doesnât mock, doesnât even look particularly invested. But somehow, he always gets you to push past your limits. âYou said you were done? No. You have three more in you. Keep going.â
⢠His neutral expression makes him unreadable. You can be dying in the middle of a workout, and heâll just watch with the same blank stare.
âIs this⌠supposed to be this hard?â
He blinks. âYes.â
⢠Zero tolerance for excuses. You tell him youâre tired? He tilts his head slightly. âAnd?â Say your muscles hurt? âThatâs the point.â Try to leave early? He will appear behind you.
⢠But he has an unexpected soft spot. The moment you actually canât keep going, heâs already handing you water, fixing your form, making sure you donât push past your limit. He wonât say it, but heâs watching closely.
⢠Deadpan humor that makes you question if heâs serious. âXavier, I think Iâm dying.â
He nods. âYes. That is what training feels like.â
⢠Heâs weirdly encouraging in a clinical way. He wonât shower you with praise, but when he does compliment you, it hits. âYour endurance has improved,â he murmurs, as if itâs just an observation. âŚBut somehow, that makes you want to try even harder.
⢠Almost never raises his voice, but when he does? You listen. The one time you nearly drop a weight on yourself, his usual monotone disappears. âStop.â You freeze, more from shock than anything. When you glance up, his eyes are sharpâfocused entirely on you.
Then, just as quickly, heâs back to normal. âFix your grip.â
⢠He doesnât do âsmall talkââbut he remembers everything you say. You mention your favorite protein shake once, and a week later, he hands you one without a word. âDrink this. Youâll need it.â
⢠One time, when you were gasping for air on the mat, you look up to glance at your instructor for an approval, only to see him snoring on the floor.
⢠Stares at you a bit too intensely. You didn't want to assume, but you swore you caught him staring into your lower half when you were doing squats.
⢠He has a quiet but very possessive streak. If another trainer tries to offer you advice, Xavier is right there, staring them down. âSheâs my student,â he says, and thatâs the end of the conversation.
SCENARIO
Youâre gasping for air, bent over after another brutal round of circuits.
âI canâtââ you wheeze. âThatâs it. Iâm done.â
Xavier watches you for a moment, then nods. âAlright.â
Wait. Thatâs it? No cold stare? No sarcastic remark?
You frown. âYouâre not going to force me to keep going?â
He hums. âNo. If you want to stop, you can stop.â
âŚYou donât trust him. ââŚBut?â
He tilts his head, like heâs considering something. Then, his voice drops, just barely: âI just thought you were stronger than this.â
Your eye twitches. Oh. Oh, that bastard.
You grit your teeth, straightening up. âFine. One more set.â
For the first time that day, he almost looks amused. âGood choice.â
CALEB
⢠Caleb is the ultimate âsupportive but slightly terrifyingâ trainer. Heâs always smiling, always energeticâbut somehow, that makes him even scarier. âCâmon, pip-squeak! Just one more set! You got this!â
âŚYouâve been doing âone more setâ for the last 20 minutes.
⢠Heâs the type to bet against you just to make you work harder. âYou? Finishing a full workout without whining? Nah, I donât see it happening.â
âŚYou push yourself just to prove him wrong.
⢠Runs next to you on the treadmillâeffortlessly keeping up. Youâre dying, but heâs jogging beside you, chatting like this is a casual stroll. âYou hear that? Thatâs the sound of progress, babe.â
âŚThe only sound you hear is your own wheezing.
⢠Looks like heâs playing around, but heâs actually analyzing every move. Heâs laughing, teasing, but if your form is even slightly off? Heâs immediately fixing it. âTsk. You keep that up, and youâll wreck your knees. Hereââ He steps behind you, hands ghosting over your waist to adjust your stance. Too close.
⢠Not afraid to use distractions as motivation. If he catches you slacking? He leans in, voice dropping into something softer. âWhatâs wrong? Getting tired already? You know, if you do five more reps, I might have a reward for you.â
âŚYou never ask what he means. You donât want to know.
⢠Has no sense of personal space. He will absolutely drape himself over you if he thinks youâre resting too long. âOh, donât mind me, Iâm just waiting for you to stop being lazy.â
⢠If you ever try to beat him at anything, he makes it a whole event. You challenge him to a sprint? He smirks. âOh? You think you can keep up with me?âSuddenly, the entire gym is watching.
⢠He absolutely loves reveling in the thought that he's physically stronger than you, sometimes even asking for you to sit on him as he do push-ups. You never agreed.
⢠He gets way too proud when you start improving. The first time you lift heavier weight than before, he whoopsâloudly. âHell yeah, thatâs my girl!â
âŚYou pretend it doesnât make you feel weirdly warm.
⢠If anyone else so much as glances at you? He notices. And suddenly, heâs all over youâgrinning, slinging an arm around your shoulder. âSo, sunshine. How about we grab a smoothie after this? My treat.â âŚHeâs not asking. Heâs staking a claim.
⢠Will not let you leave without stretchingâand if you refuse? He personally helps you. âFine. Weâll do it together.â Then heâs behind you, hands guiding your arms, breath way too close to your ear. âDeep breath. Good girl." Youâre never skipping cooldowns again.
SCENARIO
You collapse onto the mat, sweat dripping down your face. âI canât anymore.â
Caleb squats down beside you, grinning. âOh yeah?â
You glare up at him. âIâm done.â
He tilts his head, considering. âHmm. Shame.â
ââŚShame?â
He leans in, smirking. Too close. âWell, I was gonna sayâif you did ten more reps, maybe Iâd let you pick where we grab food after.â
You stare. âThatâsââ
ââOr,â he interrupts, voice dropping, âI could just pick for you. And you know I have awful taste.â
You groan. Heâs the type to drag you to some all-protein, no-flavor nightmare.
He grins wider. âSo. Whatâs it gonna be, pip-squeak?â
You sigh, grabbing the weights. âI hate you.â
He laughs, standing back up. âNo, you donât.â
Even if Xavier is my main ...
Sylus's bbd event is so fudging beautiful and pleasing and
Like
Ahhhhhh
Its too good and i was literally staring at this for 5 mins because it was so beautiful and gawd
And whoever made this, hatsoff sir or maam
You can press on the decorations in the Sylus Bday event and you get little commentary!!
Originally for my friend in the LaDs server Iâm in.
After learning about Xavier's myth, finally, I'm feeling soft for him. Meanwhile I mostly started liking Xav more already because of my friend. So now I'm going to be soft about him on main.
When the light of the early morning sun filtered gently through the curtains of your apartment, you awoke to the feeling of an arm slung over your waist. Cradled gently in Xavier's arms, you carefully turn over to look at him. It wasn't as though seeing his sleeping face was uncommon, but it was as novel as the first time you'd been graced with the sight.
Despite his nature, Xavier always tried his best to be awake to spend time with you. Your hunting partner even had his notification volume at a decibel you were certain no one else ever would just to make sure he didn't miss your texts and calls when you were apart.
You couldn't help yourself and brushed your fingers over his forehead, brushing back the hair covering the skin there to plant a tender kiss on the uncovered area. A giggle had to be stifled when his nose scrunched a little and he pulled you deeper into his embrace, inadvertently forcing you to bury your face in his shoulder. There was a happy hum, barely there, when Xavier finished shifting you to be closer. The feeling was a bit ticklish as the vibrations of the noise rumbled in his throat.
You decided the dawn was too early to rise and begin the day, especially when your prince still yet slept. So you slowly sunk deeper into the peaceful quiet Xavier brought you and returned to the land of dreams to greet your lover. The noon sun would be next to bring you back to the waking world. Plenty of time to frolic in starlit fields with the man who would give you his everything just to make you happy.
The next you woke, the feeling of soft hands and softer kisses brought you into wakefulness. Xavier's fleeting touches gentling you into the waking world. "Good morning, my star. The night was long, but you were there in my dreams. So it wasn't too bad being asleep all this time," were the first words to light upon still sleep drowned ears. "Good morning, Xavier," you got out sleepily, smiling when he responded with another kiss; this time on the lips.
"We could stay here. There's still time," Xavier began. "Whatever you decide, whatever you want- I want that, too."
"We could. Buuut- I'm sure you're hungry by now," was your reply. Which was promptly met by a still bleary-eyed look of eagerness, your bunny-like boyfriend enjoying the idea of eating. "I've got you." And then you were being carefully scooped up into his arms and set down. He shuffled forward, holding you up while still rubbing the remaining drowsiness from sleep-soft features. The rest of the short noontime was spent in such a way. The two of you groggily moving together, Xavier taking care to hold up most of your weight and thoughtfully move thing and hand them to you when necessary. It was sweet. Your sleepy boy doing his best to help your equally sleepy self, holding onto you tight all the while.
He gave you a silent look of apology while you made breakfast, wishing he could do it for you. But while he was highly capable as a hunter, the kitchen was certainly not a battlefield he could brave. Which meant that whenever you caught glances of him whilst moving about the kitchen, you saw his eyes stuck to your form. Xavier's eyes never once strayed, watching you now that he was given the opportunity to stare. You were perfect in his eyes. So strong, so capable- Even able to do things he couldn't. You couldn't help matching his hopeless smile, teeth peeking out before your hand covered the upward curve of your lips. This was met with a pout and a certain hunter stalking towards you to move your hand. "Don't do that. I like your smile."
You were cheesing again. Silly man.
An entire day off spent together is a day well spent, no matter how you chose to fill those precious few hours.
A movie together, dinner, getting ready for bed...
Laying down with him, arms once again secure around your middle and face nuzzling into your nape with a tender "I love you", you wanted to do it all over again. All the simple and mundane days you got to spend with your shooting star that made all your wishes come true. You'd gather up all the stardust of the quiet moments together until next you could hold this fleeting star in your arms.
đ⏠⏠âŹ
(â ď¸ Warning: Slightly angsty and dramatic) đĽ UPD: Guys, I hear you loud and clear about Xavier, and I'm already working on his full story. Let me know if you want more about the others (or any specific one).
You donât even make it home.
One secondâyouâre stepping toward your door. The nextâyou're grabbed.
A sharp yelp leaves your lips, but itâs already too late.
One hand clamps down on your shoulder, the other hooks around your legs, and suddenlyâyou're airborne.
"Cargo secured."
A second voice. Muffled. Hollow.
You twist wildly.
Two figures in black masks, sharp beaked visors, curved horns on their hoods.
Luke and Kieran.
You thrash. âPut me downââ
"No can do, Miss," Kieran hums, flipping you upside down just slightly.
"Our Boss gave very strict orders," Luke murmurs.
Your stomach sinks. The car door swings openâ
And youâre shoved inside.
Kieran and Luke plop down beside you, silent as shadows.
Thenâ
Luke sighs. Long and exaggerated.
"Such a shame," he muses. "She was so pretty."
Kieran hums. "So full of life."
Your eyes narrow. âWhat.â
They tilt their heads in unison. Lukeâs fingers drum against the seat.
"He was so worried."
Kieran exhales. "On the first day, he simply waited."
Luke nods. "Second day, he sent people out. Checked hospitals. Crime scenes."
Kieranâs head tilts. "By day three⌠well, we all knew something had to bleed."
Your stomach drops.
Luke stretches, relaxed. "Four syndicates fell in one night. Just in case one of them had you."
Kieran sighs. "On the fourth day, he realized that wasnât enough."
Luke hums. "So he started getting creative."
Your breath hitches. "Creative?"
Kieran taps his chin. "That warehouse in N109 Zone? The one that burned to the ground?"
Luke leans closer. "Day five. Still no sign of you. He collapsed an entire district."
Kieran shrugs. "Nothing personal. Just a message."
Luke tilts his head. "And then day six came."
A beat of silence.
Kieran chuckles. "You know, Miss⌠If you hadnât shown up today, N109 Zone wouldâve been repainted in blood by sundown."
Luke sighs dreamily. "It still might be."
Your blood turns to ice.
And thenâLukeâs head tilts toward you.
"Now�"
Kieran completes it, a beat later.
"Now he has you."
The car slows. Your chest tightens. And thenâyou realize where you are.
N109 Zone. His estate.
The car door swings openâ
And youâre hauled out like luggage.
"Handle with care," Luke hums.
âI am handling with care," Kieran murmurs.
They carry you inside. Set you down with eerie gentleness. Smooth out your jacket. Brush imaginary dust off your shoulders.
Thenâthey step back. Bow, deep and slow.
âWelcome home, Miss.â
And thenâtheyâre gone.
You whirl after them. âHEYââ
A quiet sound.
Fabric rustling. A slow, deliberate exhale.
You freeze.
And thenâyou turn.
Sylus is standing across the room. Calm. Collected. Expression unreadable.
But his eyes. They burn.
You swallow.
âWhat the fuck was that?â you snap, motioning toward the door.
Silence.
He just⌠watches you.
Thenâslowly, smoothlyâ
He shrugs off his jacket. Lets it fall onto the chair. His fingers move to his cuffs. Undoing them.
One. Then the other.
Rolling his sleeves up, inch by inch.
Your stomach twists.
âSylus.â
He doesnât answer. His hands move to his belt. He unbuckles it. Pulls it free.
And youâ
You fucking run.
You BOLT.
Straight toward the door. Itâs locked.
You curse.
Behind youâhe clicks his tongue.
âOh, Kitten,â he murmurs, voice low, almost amused.
You spin, darting behind the desk. He follows. Casually. Slowly.
âYou disappear for six days,â he murmurs, voice smooth, mocking, deadly.
You sidestep. He matches you.
âYou ignore my calls.â
You swerve left. He steps right.
âI tear this city apart looking for you.â
You dodge back. He adjusts effortlessly.
âAnd now,â he exhales, tilting his head, smirking lazily, âyouâre running.â
You hurl a stapler at him. He catches it. Drops it. Sighs.
Thenâhis patience snaps.
A sharp pulse of red energy explodes outward. The desk flips. The chairs crash against the wall.
And suddenlyâ
You are out of places to run. Before you can moveâ
He has you.
A sharp yelp rips from your throat as he grabs you, spins, and drops into his chairâ
Bringing you down over his lap.
Your breath catches. âSylusââ
"Ah, ah, ah.â
His palm glides down your back. Teasing. Amused. Smug.
"You made a very poor choice, Kitten."
Your heart pounds. His fingers hook into your waistband. And in one sharp motionâ
He pulls your pants down.
Your entire body jolts. âWaitââ
The first smack lands. Sharp. Stinging.
You jerk violently.
Thenâthe second.
Thenâthe third.
âSylusâyou absolute bastard!â
A low chuckle vibrates through his chest.
âSix days, Sweetie.â
Another smack.
âYou think you get away with that?â
You snarl, thrashing. âYouâIâll kill you!â
"Oh?" His hand presses against your lower back, keeping you pinned.
Thenâlower now, smooth as silk, dripping with mockeryâ
âYou sure you can handle that right now?â
You growl.
And thenâ
You bite him. Hard. Right on the thigh.
His breath hitches. Thenâa slow, dangerous laugh.
He grabs you. Turns you over, setting you between his legs, hands gripping your chinâforcing you to look at him.
And thenâ
You see it. The rage is gone.
And in its placeâ
Something raw. Something wrecked. Like heâs aged years in just six days.
His voiceâwhen it comesâis low. Hoarse. Unsteady.
ââŚI thought Ever carved you up for spare parts.â
Your stomach drops.
"You really think," his fingers twitch against your skin, "I was just waiting?"
His eyes flick over your face, scanning, memorizing. And thenâsofter now, almost brokenâ
"If you hadnât come back tomorrow, I wouldâve wiped them off the face of the earth."
Your eyes sting. Your hands reach for him, trembling.
You slide forward, onto his lap.
His breath stutters.
And thenâyou kiss him. Hard. Desperate. Unyielding.
He shudders.
Thenâhis hands clench around your waist, crushing you to him. When he pulls backâforehead pressed against yours, breath unevenâ
ââŚNext time you disappear,â he murmurs, lips brushing your cheek, voice shaking with something terrifyingly real, âIâm not looking for you.â
Your heart cracks. You shake your head. You cup his face. Hold him there.
ââŚYou wonât have to.â
Silence.
Thenâ
His grip tightens. And just like thatâ
He is never letting you go again.
You already know where he is.
Zayne isnât home. Of course, he isnât.
So you do the only thing that makes senseâyou head straight for Akso Hospital.
By the time you step through the pristine glass doors, youâre already talking.
âI know how this looks, but I can explainââ
And thenâyou see him.
Standing near the nursesâ station, uniform crisp, posture rigid, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat like heâs carved from ice.
For a secondâjust a secondâhis breath catches.
But thenâ
A switch flips. His entire presence shifts.
Cold. Professional. Untouchable.
His eyes meet yours. And he says nothing.
No relief. No anger. Nothing.
Just pure, hollow emptiness.
You swallow hard. Force yourself to continue.
âZayneââ
âYou need medical attention.â
His voice is calm. Impersonal. A doctor speaking to a patient. Not the man you know.
Your stomach twists.
He doesnât ask where youâve been. Doesnât ask why you disappeared. Insteadâhe starts listing symptoms.
âYouâre pale. Have you lost blood?â
You inhale sharply. âZayââ
âConcussion?â
âNoââ
âFever? Infection?â
His eyes flick to your scraped knuckles, the dried blood on your sleeve.
And you realizeâ
Heâs not angry. Heâs protecting himself. Heâs shutting down. Like he already convinced himself you werenât coming back. Like he already mourned you.
And something inside you breaks.
Your legs wobble.
You swayâ
And thenâ
You collapse.
The reaction is instantaneous.
A sharp inhale. A rush of movement. A sudden, firm grip catching you before you hit the ground.
Zayneâs arms lock around you. One around your back, one under your legs, holding you effortlessly. His breathing is uneven. His fingers tremble against your skin.
âHeyâ!â His voice is no longer detached. Itâs urgent. Terrified.
He tilts your face up, eyes scanning for injuries, pupils blown wide with panic.
"Youâ" His breath shudders. âShit, you'reââ
But you donât answer. Because you keep your eyes closed. Because you know exactly what youâre doing.
And for a moment, it works. For a moment, heâs yours again. For a moment, his walls are completely, irreparably shattered.
Thenâ
His steps slow. His breathing evens.
And suddenlyâ
He stops. And you feel it. That one single, damning second of realization.
Your eyes are closed, but you can hear it. The sharp, cold click in his mind as he figures it out.
His arms loosen. Too loose. Too fast.
And suddenlyâyou're falling.
You gasp sharply, hands instinctively grabbing at himâ
But he catches you at the last second, lowering you onto the cold, sterile floor of his office with just enough control to keep you from truly getting hurt.
But barely.
His jaw is tight. His nostrils flare. His hands press into his thighs like heâs physically holding himself back from losing control.
Thenâflat, quiet, lethalâ
âYou lied.â
Your stomach drops. You open your mouthâand then you feel it.
A sharp, aching throb in your knee. It hits all at onceâthe pain, the exhaustion, the weight of everything that happened.
Your throat tightens.
And thenâbefore you can stop itâ
Tears prick at your eyes.
Your voice comes out small, weak, broken.
âZayne⌠my leg hurts.â
Everything stops. The air in the room shifts.
And suddenlyâ
The rage is gone. His walls crumble.
His gaze snaps to your kneeâswollen, bruised, torn fabric revealing skin already darkening with a deep, painful contusion.
And just like thatâheâs on his knees. The doctor in him takes over.
His hands tremble as they press to your leg, fingertips ghosting over the bruised flesh like it physically pains him to touch.
He leans down. And presses a soft, lingering kiss to the bruised skin.
Your breath catches.
His forehead presses gently against your knee. And thenâa whisper, barely audible, like heâs afraid of his own voice.
ââŚI lost you.â
Your heart cracks wide open.
He inhales sharply, his fingers tightening against your leg, like heâs still trying to convince himself youâre real.
You slide off the chair. Sink onto the cold, sterile floor. Your hands come up, cup his face.
His breath stutters.
You press your forehead to his.
Hot. Unwavering. Eternal.
âOnly death could take me from you.â
His eyes squeeze shut. And when they open againâ
Thereâs nothing left but raw, agonizing devotion.
Thenâ
His hands reach for you. And this time, he doesnât let go.
The door clicks shut behind you.
Something feels wrong. The air is too still. Too perfectly controlled.
And thenâyou see it.
The chair.
Placed dead center in the room.
The apartment is spotless. Too spotless. Like someone scrubbed it raw, wiped away every trace of warmth, every sign of life.
Your stomach tightens. And thenâa voice.
Cold. Measured. Absolute.
"Sit down."
You turn sharplyâ
And there he is.
Colonel Caleb. Not your Caleb.
Not the man who kisses your forehead every morning. Not the man who makes you breakfast even when heâs running on two hours of sleep.
No.
This is the soldier. The commander. The man who could level entire cities with a single order.
And you are his captive.
Your jaw tightens. âCaleb, what the hellââ
"Sit. Down."
Your spine stiffens. âNo.â
A flick of his fingers. The chair scrapes forward, slamming into the back of your knees.
You stumble, cursingâ
But before you can reactâa force clamps around you. G-forces shift. Gravity bends. The chair drags you back to the center of the room.
Thenâweight locks around your limbs. You canât stand. Canât move. Your pulse spikes.
His face is unreadable. His eyesâstormy, dark, endless.
Like he hasnât slept in six days.
A tablet activates in his hand.
Several floating screens appear around you, flickering with surveillance footage.
And thenâhis interrogation begins.
His voice is calm. Clinical. Devoid of warmth.
"In the hours before your disappearance, this man entered your building. Do you know him?"
You blink. âWhatâ?â
He gestures at the screen. A blurry security cam shot.
You squint. âThatâsâa fucking courier.â
"Interesting."
A swipe of his fingers. Another screen appears.
"You placed an order at a bookstore six days ago. Three books were delivered. For what purpose?"
You stare. â...For reading?â
His brows twitch.
"Curious. You spoke to the courier for over five minutes. What was discussed?"
Your hands clench into fists. âHow the hell would I know?â
A beat of silence.
Thenâsofter now, dangerous in its evennessâ
"You really expect me to believe you donât remember?"
Your blood boils. âAre you seriously doing this right now?â
He swipes again. More footage. More records. More evidence that means nothing.
And you snap.
"You are losing your fucking mind."
His jaw tightens.
And thenâ
The gravity releases.
You lurch forward, finally able to moveâ
But before you can get upâ
heâs already there.
A single step. One hand gripping the back of your chair, tilting it backâ
His face is inches from yours. His gaze burns.
"Are you fucking someone else?"
Your breath catches. Your pulse thunders in your ears.
And thenâ
You laugh.
Sharp. Bitter. Furious.
You gesture at yourselfâthe dirt, the bruises, the blood still crusted on your sleeve.
âLook at me, Caleb.â
He doesnât move.
âDoes this look like a woman having an affair?â
His fingers twitch against the chair. His voice drops to a whisper.
"Iâm on the edge of it."
Your chest tightens.
âI donât doubt that, you psychopath.â You shove against his arm, but he doesnât budge. âNow let me up so I can strangle you.â
His fingers loosen.
And thenâ
"Six days."
Your breath hitches. His hand moves. Curls around your jaw, firm but careful.
"Six days. Eight thousand six hundred forty minutes."
His thumb brushes over your cheekbone.
"I couldn't breathe without pain."
Your throat tightens. Your rage collapses into something else entirely.
âCalebââ
"I searched. I traced every lead. I turned this country inside out."
His voice wavers.
And thenâsofter, rawer, almost desperateâ
"If you hadnât come back, I would have burned everything to the ground."
Your chest aches.
ââŚI had a mission. It was classified.â
His jaw twitches.
"Then tell meâ" His voice turns sharp, edged with something almost pleading. "Tell me you werenât running."
You exhale shakily.
âYouâre so obsessed with losing me, Calebâmaybe thatâs why you always do.â
Silence.
Something in his face breaks. He straightens. Turns away.
Leaves.
The door slams.
And you collapse to your knees. Your hands come upâcover your faceâ
And finally, finally, the tears fall.
But thenâ
A soft creak. A shift in the air. Warmth.
Arms wrapping around you, pulling you into a crushing embrace.
You freeze.
His voice is hoarse, quiet, trembling with something raw.
"Youâre the only one who can destroy me without lifting a hand."
Your breath shudders. His grip tightens.
"One word from you," he murmurs, "and Iâm gone."
You shake your head.
âCalebâŚâ
His forehead presses against your shoulder.
"I tried. Every day. Every second. I tried not to hold on too tight." He exhales shakily. "But I canât."
Your heart clenches.
âCaleb, I always come back.â
He flinches.
You pull back just enough to cup his face. His eyes are stormy, desperate, flickering with pain.
"You have to trust me."
His lips part, but no sound comes out.
Thenâbarely above a whisperâ
"I can't lose you."
Your fingers tighten against his jaw.
"You wonât."
Silence.
Thenâ
He kisses you.
Itâs not gentle. Itâs desperate. Devouring. Starved.
His hands tangle in your hair, holding you to him like heâll die if you pull away.
A single tear escapes down his cheek. And you catch it with your lips.
ââŚIâm sorry,â you whisper. âCaleb, Iâm so sorry.â
His breath shudders. He shakes his head.Â
âNo.â His voice breaks. "You donât apologize to me."Â
Your brows furrow. âCalebââÂ
He swallows.Â
"If youâre better off without meâ"Â
Your hand flies up, slaps over his mouth. He freezes. Tears well in your eyes.Â
âDonât. Say. That.â His chest rises sharply. You lean in, press your forehead to his.Â
ââŚYou are my universe,â you whisper.Â
His hands shake against your back.Â
âNo matter what we do, no matter what happensââ You press your lips to his, slow, deep, endless. âI will always come back to you.âÂ
His breath shudders against your lips.
And thenâhis voice drops, quiet but unshakable.Â
"You will never disappear on me again without warning. Not now. Not ever."
The door clicks shut behind you.
You barely take a step inside before a voice cuts through the airâ
Calm. Measured. Unshakable.
"Ah." A quiet exhale. "Look who finally remembered they have a home."
You freeze.
Xavier is already there.
Sitting in the living room, one leg crossed over the other, a book balanced in his handâlike your sudden reappearance was nothing more than an interesting plot twist.
He doesnât look up immediately. He finishes the sentence heâs reading first.
Thenâcalmly, unhurriedlyâhe turns the page.
And finallyâhis gaze lifts to yours.
Cold. Slow. Too calculating.
"Six days."
Your stomach tightens. "Xavâ"
"Mm. No." He holds up a single finger.
The room falls silent. And somehow, thatâs worse.
You watch as he closes the book. Carefully. Precisely. Thenâwithout breaking eye contactâhe sets it aside.
And thenâa small smile.
Soft. Almost friendly.
Which means youâre in deep, deep trouble.
"You look tired," he murmurs, tilting his head. "Traveling, were you?"
You exhale. "Xavierâ"
"Oh, no. Let me guess." His fingers tap idly against the armrest. "You were simply busy."
A pause.
"Too busy, in fact, to answer a single message."
Your jaw tightens. "It wasnâtâ"
"Ah," he interrupts softly, as if realizing something.
His eyes flick over your torn sleeve, the faint bruises on your arms. Then, slowlyâhe smiles.
"Or," he murmurs, "did you lose your phone again?"
Your stomach drops. Because he knows.
You inhale sharply. "Xavâ"
He shakes his head.
"No, itâs alright. I understand." He leans forward slightly, resting his chin against his knuckles. "Iâm sure you had an excellent reason."
A beat of silence. Thenâmild amusement, carefully laced with steel:
"Would you like to tell me what it was?"
You hesitate.
Because you were on a mission. A classified one.
Because he wasnât supposed to know. Because you work together.
And yetâhe knew nothing.
You try anyway.
"I had aâ"
"A mission?" His brow lifts, a polite flicker of curiosity. "Fascinating."
His tone is smooth, unbothered. And thatâthat is when you know how angry he really is.
He gestures vaguely toward the stacks of reports on the table.
"Tell me, darling, which mission was it?"
You swallow hard. "I canâtâ"
"Mm. Right. Classified."
Another small nod. A slow, deliberate blink.
"As are all major operations within the Association."
His fingers drum lightly against the armrest.
"And yet, strangelyâ" He tilts his head. "Not a single record of your assignment exists."
You say nothing.
Xavier exhales through his noseâalmost disappointed.
"And here I thought," he murmurs, "we were supposed to trust each other."
You flinch.
His gaze softens. Not with kindness. But with something far worse.
Pity.
"You must have had your reasons, of course," he muses.
A small sigh, like heâs humoring a child.
"I imagine you thought it was necessary. Sensible, even."
His fingers lace together.
"Just as I found it necessary to send out a search party on day three."
Your breath catches.
"You what?"
He hums.
"By day four, I expanded my resources. You'd be surprised how quickly information spreads when you know where to look."
Your hands clench.
"Xavierâ"
"Day five, I began considering alternative outcomes. Some of them, admittedly, rather unpleasant."
A flicker of something colder in his expression.
"Ever been forced to sit in a room full of people trying to convince you that your partner is dead?"
Your stomach turns.
"Xavier, I wasnâtâ"
He clicks his tongue.
"Day six, I received word that you had finally resurfaced."
He leans back. Folds his arms. And thenâa soft chuckle, utterly humorless.
"Imagine my relief."
Silence.
You exhale sharply. "Xav, Iâ"
"Did you know," he interrupts, voice light, conversational, detached, "that people tend to avoid looking a grieving man in the eye?"
Your throat tightens.
"Not that I was grieving, of course." He taps a finger against his chin. "I donât make a habit of mourning people until I see a body."
He tilts his head slightly, studying you.
"But I imagine it must have been quite the inconvenience, being dead for six days."
Your chest tightens.
"You think I wanted toâ"
"Oh, I know," he murmurs. "You didnât want to disappear."
His voice lowers.
"But you still did."
And for the first timeâhe is no longer smirking. His blue eyes bore into yours, steady, sharp.
"You made a decision that left me in the dark."
A long, slow breath.
"And I need to know," he says softly, "if you would do it again."
Silence.
You donât have an answer. You donât think there is one.
He exhales.
Finally, he leans back. Gazes at you for a moment longer.
Then, calmlyâhe stands. Smooth. Effortless. Precise. And thenâhe walks past you.
Your heart slams against your ribs.
"Xavierâ"
He doesnât stop. You push to your feet.
"Xavier, youâre coming back, right?"
Finallyâhe pauses. Turns his head, just slightly.
And thenâ
"Ask me again in six days."
The door closes behind him. And this timeâyouâre the one left behind.
You are exhausted.
Every part of you aches. Your body demands sleep, warmth, peace.
Insteadâ
You come home to chaos.
Loud music. Laughter. The scent of wine, perfume, candle wax, and indulgence.
And thenâthe sight of him.
Rafayel.
Lounging near the pool, half-leaning against an ornate chair, a glass of red wine dangling lazily between his fingers.
His shirt is unbuttoned just enough to hint at toned muscle beneath, his sleeves rolled up, his perfectly tousled hair falling over his forehead in an effortlessly careless way.
And surrounding himâbeautiful women.
Drinking, laughing, leaning toward him like heâs some fallen deity of temptation and excess.
Your stomach twists. A tight, burning rage coils in your chest.
And thenâ
He sees you. His eyes widenâjust slightly. And thenâa slow, almost lazy smirk.
"Ah." He lifts his glass dramatically, tone dripping with sarcasm. "Look who's finally returned!"
You tense.
He rises to his feet, arms spread as if welcoming royalty.
"My muse. My inspiration."
His voice carries over the music, over the murmurs of people starting to notice the tension.
"The very heart of my art!"
A sweeping gesture.
And thenâ
He motions toward the canvas-lined walls.
Your breath catches. Because theyâre all of you. Dozens of paintings.
Butâruined.
Slashes through the canvas.
Paint smeared and splattered over your likeness like an artist in rage, in agony, in heartbreak.
The fury in you erupts. Your voice cuts through the music.
"What the actual fuck is this?!"
He gasps, mock scandalized.
"Oh, you donât like them? What a tragedy!"
He downs the rest of his wine in one smooth gulp, tossing the glass aside with a careless flick of his wrist.
Thenâhe grins.
Crooked. Reckless. Infuriating.
"And here I was, drowning in sorrow, channeling my unbearable suffering into art."
A sigh.
"But alas." He shrugs dramatically. "Seems the muse herself has returned."
You march toward him. He tilts his head.
"Careful, cutie. You seem upset."
"Youâre a fucking disaster."
He laughs.
"Youâre six days late to that realization."
You grab his wrist, yanking him toward the exit.
âWeâre talking. Now.â
His body moves, but his feet donât follow. Insteadâhe pulls against your grip.
His smile widens.
"Oh?" His voice drips with amusement. "Dragging me away already? Jealous, cutie?"
Your jaw clenches.
"This is pathetic."
Another laugh, lighter this time.
"Ah, but it was all I had!" He places a hand over his heart. Theatrical. Overdramatic. Perfectly insufferable.
You snap.
And shove him into the pool.
He barely has time to reactâwater crashes around him, drenching his white shirt, dragging him under.
And for a brief, glorious secondâsilence.
Untilâ
His hand grabs your wrist. You yelp, but itâs too late.
He pulls you down with him.
Cold water engulfs you, shocking your senses.
When you resurface, gasping, furious, heâs already brushing his hair back, blinking at you through wet lashes.
And suddenlyâ
The playfulness is gone. The crowd has vanished. Thomas made sure of it.
And nowâitâs just you and him.
And for the first time tonightâheâs quiet. His voice is lower, slower.
"You storm into my house. Onto my estate. Into my party. And then..."
He gestures lazily toward the water.
"You throw me in my own fucking pool?"
You pant, teeth gritted. âYourâhouse? Great! Iâll leave you in your fucking houseââ
You turn to climb outâ
And he grabs you again. A firm grip. Unshaking.
His eyesâdarker now. Sharper. Focused.
"Make another move, cutie." His voice is dangerously low.
"And weâll have problems."
You glare. "Let. Go."
He doesnât. Insteadâhe pulls you closer.
âYouâre not walking away from this.â
Your pulse spikes.
"Rafayelâ"
"Do it," he whispers. "Say it to my face."
Your breath catches.
"You want to leave?" His hand slides to your waist, pulling you closer, forcing you to feel the heat radiating from his soaked body.
"Then say it."
Your hands shake. You flick water into his face, desperate to break the tension.
He doesnât even blink. Insteadâhis eyes drop.
To your clothes.
Soaked. Clinging. Revealing everything.
His pupils darken. And thenâhis jaw tightens.
"You left me for six days," he murmurs.
Your breath stutters.
"I left for work, not you, you hysterical maniac."
He tilts his head.
"Thatâs the same thing. And your phone?"
"A Wanderer shattered it!"
He lets out a sharp, bitter laugh.
"Ah, yes. And I suppose you were also too busy fighting for your life to send me one. Single. Fucking. Message?"
You exhale sharply. "Raf, youâre insufferable. A party? Seriously?"
"How else am I supposed to handle soul-crushing heartbreak?"
His voice drops.
"Tell me, cutie." His fingers skim your waist, trailing fire in their wake. "How else was I supposed to drown my suffering?"
He leans in, breath hot against your lips.
And thenâ
He kisses you. Desperate. Possessive.
Your legs wrap around his waist, instinct taking over.
His grip tightens.
"You threw me in a pool," he whispers against your lips.
"You deserved it."
His fingers dig into your hips.
"You waltz in after six days and justâthrow me?"
"Maybe I should throw you again."
He grins against your skin.
"I should make you pay for that."
"Rafâ"
"Mm. Shh."
His hands travel lower, pressing you harder against him.
Your breathing turns shallow.
"Your paintings," you murmur.
"Iâll paint more."
"You hated me for six days."
"Endlessly." He kisses your throat, voice dropping further.
"You didnât want to see me again?"
He grins against your collarbone.
"Try leaving me again, cutie."
His grip tightens, unshakable.
His breath is hot against your ear.
"And I promiseâ"
His hips press forward, slow and deliberate, sending a sharp jolt of heat through you.
"You wonât be able to walk for a week."
Pair: Xavier x reader
Wc:2k
Includes: Fluff, established relationship
"Stay right there," Xavier says, backing away from you. You turn to him with a confused expression. "No, don't move." With the second command, you grow anxious. If Xavier was this insistent on you staying still, there was most likely a Wanderer nearby. You curse. Today was your day-off so you hadn't brought your weapon with you.
"Xavier," you whisper his name in a worried tone. When he doesn't respond, your eyes scan the park for anything that can be used as a weapon. You hear a click, and your body acts fast. You roll off the trail and grab as many stones as you can carry.
"MC?" Xavier calls out for you. You body shoots up and your arm is reared back.
"Where's the Wanderer?" You ask.
"Wanderer?" Xavier shakes his head. "There's no Wanderer." You look around and notice that the park is still as peaceful as when you entered it. You drop the rocks.
"But...why did you tell me to stop walking?" You ask. Xavier pulls out his phone and shows it to you.
"There was a nice breeze that shook the leaves," He says. "And the sun was shining down on you so nicely, I had to take a picture." You look at the photo Xavier took. It looked better than the photo booths one you would take.
"Xavier, this is...wow," He managed to take a photo of you that, despite looking confused, made it seem as though you were posing professionally.
"I'm glad you like it," He smiles. He begins to scroll through his gallery. "I try to take pictures of you whenever we spend time together." His gallery is filled with pictures of you laughing, concentrating while playing kitty cards, and the claw machine and even aftermaths of your Wanderer fights. Xavier was able to catch the perfect moment of when you landed the last blows in those fights. You looked like an action movie star.
"They're so many photos," you say.
"Yeah. You look so good at everything you do. I wanted to make the moments last forever." Xavier says.
You kiss Xavier's cheek. "You dork." You take out your phone and hold it high above your head. You snap a photo of Xavier's warm smile and blushing face. You show it to Xavier.
"Perfect, now I have a wonderful moment to keep forever."
THIS MAN .....
Makes everyone's standards sky rocket and high and then makes reality hard .... đđ
Man why u gotta be so perfect
my shaylaaaaa
You know what's better than fluff? Dark fluff.
The kind where devotion borders on obsession, where love isn't just tenderâit's consuming.
"I'd do anything for you, love," he murmurs, voice smooth, unwavering. "Anything you desire, and it's yours."
And the other doesn't hesitate, voice laced with something raw, something desperate.
"I want her to split me openâdig her fingers into my ribs and pry them apart. To hold my heart in her hands, feel the pulse of it against her palms, my blood staining her skin. I want her to pick my bones clean, crack them open, suck the marrow dry. I want to be ruined by her, consumed until there's nothing left of me but the taste of her name on what's left of my tongue."
Because love, when itâs deep enough, is a hungerâone that begs to be fed.
loyal to my man ~Xavier .... Life is delulu at this point and other fixations
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