Thigh Rider

Thigh Rider

RQ: “could you write a jj maybank x male reader where jj lets the reader ride his thigh?”

Pairings: JJ Maybank x Male!Reader

Summary: I think the reuqest explains enough.

Warnings: M!reader, thigh riding, use of 'good boy' and 'baby', not proofread

A/N; this was sitting in my drafts for a long time

JJ was sitting by your window, looking out at the view while smoking a cigar. You had just gotten out of the shower, hair still damp as you walked over to JJ, wrapping your arms around his neck and resting your head on his shoulder as he continued to smoke.

“Hey baby, how was your shower?” He asked as he put the cigar in his mouth and puffed out smoke. “Warm..” you muttered as you continued resting your head on his shoulder, watching the waves crash against each other. JJ hummed in response as he puffed again.

You began to start giving him soft, little kisses along his shoulder and neck, feeling some sort of tension that rose in you. You slowly started to run your hands through JJ’s chest, “Someone feelin’ a bit horny, hm?” He asked simply out of curiosity.

He seemed to have known you a little too well since you nodded as you continued to roam his chest. “Alright baby, why you undress yourself and come sit on my thigh, mkay? How does that sound?” He looked at you while placing the cigar in his mouth.

You did as you were told and completely undressed yourself, now feeling vulnerable since you were the only one naked. JJ smiled at your embarrassed state. “Don’t gotta feel embarrassed, baby. Not like I haven’t seen your body before.” He winked at you before patting his thigh.

You straddled JJ’s thigh, him resting a hand on your waist. He placed the cigar back in his mouth with his other hand, taking a puff and moving his head closer towards yours, placing his lips on your soft ones as the smoke left his mouth into yours. A small moan left you as you slowly began to grind on JJ's thigh, his lips still on yours.

You placed both your hands on top of your cock as you grinded and thrusted, leaking pre-cum onto JJ's thigh. His lips were still on yours, free hand roaming your body. You removed your swollen lips from his to catch your breath as you continued to thrust faster, whimpering and soft moans coming out of you.

JJ smiled at your pleasured face as he placed his cigar back in his mouth, the smoke filling his mouth before leaving it, vanishing in the air. You began grinding faster as you felt your climax rapidly approaching.

"J, m'gonna cum.." You softly moaned, noticing how much precum had leaked out of your cock and onto JJ's thigh. Both of JJ's hands rested on both sides of your waist, his blue eyes staring at your closed ones. "That's it baby. Cum for me. Cum all over my thigh like the good boy you are." He spoke softly, grinning as he noticed your pace speed up.

"Hnnggg~ cumming!" You moaned out, your cum painting JJ's thigh. You rested your hand in the crook of JJ's neck as you slightly panted. "Damn baby, got me all turned on..." He flicked the cigar out the window and slid his hands down towards your ass, "why don't you help me out with my little problem?"

ONLY ONES WHO KNOW !!

!!   knj x m!reader

!!   wc | 5.8k

!!   tags | joon/reader are around 30 (implied), drinking, suggestive (reader comes off a little subby, but not as a bottom), reader seduces joon with facts about sea creatures, i don’t know how to write people who hate each other so the relationship is more like annoying x annoyed

[ event masterlist ]

professors of different faculties

seven minutes in heaven

“is that the best you can do?”

kim namjoon, head of the ‘historical’ aspect of the university's school of philosophical, historical, and international studies, is a terrible man to make an enemy of. his frowns are sharp and his tongue is sharper, lashing at loud talkers during his lectures and idiotic faculty heads alike, and he is never seen without a perfectly-pressed three-piece suit.

despite his severe outfits and hard-to-impress attitude, the passion he has for anthropology resonates in his voice, in his hands, and in his shoulders. his smooth voice grows quick and bouncy when he covers prehistoric art and relates cueva de las manos to the modern family, or even the brief few slides about the denisovan girl. he’s usually a patient person, a trait that many of his students can attest to, but when it comes to one man, every notion of it flies out the window with a crash.

you. you. maritime archaeology was your schtick. you did your postgraduate studies overseas, and you could often be found nattering away with your students in their mother tongue. he wanted to dislike you – you, with your messy folded sleeves and lack of a tie – but when you turned to him, all shining eyes and little waves, he could feel the chains of the drawbridge loosen just one notch more.

“he-llo, professor kim.”

he doesn’t look up, tapping away at his laptop. “seat’s taken, yn.”

your brow furrows briefly and you glance around, meeting the eyes of a few mutual students who look on with feigned disinterest. you glance back down at him and set your white bowl of katsu curry on the table. “you? waiting on a friend? i thought i was your only one.”

you move to sit down, but he grabs his bag and dumps it on the chair beside him – all without looking away from his screen.

Keep reading

Would be interesting to see SubTop!Clark Kent x DomBottom!Male reader

Clark Kent x Male Reader

(CW: overstimulation, cursing, degrading, lingerie play)

I stumbled through the front door of me and Clark's house, dragging Clark in by his tie. I slammed the door closed and shoved him against the wall, pinning one of his arms to his side. 

"I can't fucking take you anywhere. All those damn people flirting with you like they're a bunch of bitches in heat." You growled at him, running your hands over his firm body. Clark's eyes were filled with shame, lust, and need. 

"I-I'm sorry, my love! T-They just seemed so nice a-and I didn't think that it would make you upset…" Clark's eyes softened and glossed over, flashing me his puppy eyes. 

"After they groped your arms you came running over to me and practically humped me. You got turned on by those fuckers fondling your muscles, you naughty bitch." You growled and gripped his face and smashed your lips onto his. He whined loudly but was cut off by a firm squeeze on his carotid artery. His eyes rolled back a bit and his legs shook as he tried to stay up. 

I smirked and pulled away, watching as his bright pink lips twitched and small whimpers escaped his mouth. "Please…" He whined. I could see that his pants were tight as his cock strained against the restricting fabric. I grabbed him by the tie and yanked him upstairs. He stumbled along and yelled as I pushed him into the bed. 

I crawled on his lap and tore off his dress shirt. I sighed at his black lingerie that supported his big pecs. I smashed my face in his chest and sucked and bit his nipples. "Good boy~," I said and ground against Clark's waist. 

"Oh please! I'm gonna lose it, darling!" Clark whimpered and bucked his hips up into me. I wiggled down and began to take our clothes off. His big and pretty pink cock was dripping with precum all over his underwear. I threw them away and flopped on the bed, pulling Clark on top of me. 

"Prove that you can be a good boy. That you can control yourself in public without the need to cum in your pants every time you're near me." I said and grabbed a condom and lube. I tore the condom open and rolled it onto Clark's cock while spreading lube around my hole. 

"Should I prep you? I don't want it to hurt-" Clark began. "Be a good boy and fuck me already." I said and spread my legs far enough for his waist to fit perfectly. He lifted my hips easily and slipped his cock into my tight hole. He moaned softly and pumped his cock in and out of me mindlessly. 

I gasped and arched my back, moaning loudly. "F-Fuck- OH!" I saw stars when he buried his face in my neck and humped me faster. I clawed at his back and whined into his shoulder loudly. His hands felt around me everywhere before grabbing my cock and jerking it in his hand. 

My eyes rolled back and my thighs twitched as I came all over my tummy. "Fuck! Clark!" I moaned. He was whimpering louder, getting close to his release. 

"Stop." I growled. 

"No! Please!" He sobbed loudly as his hips came to a sudden jerk. I smirked and wiggled my hips to tease him. I waited a bit before letting him thrust into me again. 

"Keep going but don't cum unless I tell you." He was faster this time. His moans were high-pitched and whiny. His thrusts became sloppy and needy.

"Shit…shit shit! Yes!" My eyes rolled back and my hips twitched. "Such a good boy~ Oooooh~" I whined as his cock bottomed out inside of me and his cum filled my hole. I shuddered and looked down with a lustful face. He sighed happily and trusted a few times, burying his semen deeper inside me. 

He slowly pulled out and watched with glazed eyes as the cum poured out. I wiggled into the bed more and let Clark clean us. He shyly dressed us before hopping into bed and cuddling into my arms. 

"Was it good?" Clark whispered gently. 

"You were wonderful, love." I whispered back. He kissed me and we both spent the night giggling about our day. 

Next: uhhhhhhhhh-

Simon Riley x Male Reader x Leon Kennedy

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|| Masterlist ||

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Authors note: Here is another twin series shot! More to come soon and thank you for 6.6k followers!! This idea came to mind because Leon is my other husband but in this one so is Simon.

Summary: An old friend and Ex makes an appearance back at reader and simons home town. The twins seem to know him very well and Simon isn’t too fond of the man.

Warnings: Fluff, jealous Simon, menacing twins, past lovers, Leon is a great man, overprotective Simon, twins track down there dad, past memories, catching up, twins are both 15 years old.

Word count: 2.5k

—

—

Y/n was running errands. The twins had begged him to buy snacks after finishing up their last stash and wanting him to stock up. He knew not to argue with his kids, knowing that the will fight back if he declined the idea of getting more snacks.

And so, he had no choice but to get changed and take his car keys and wallet and head to the nearest market. He carried a list of things the twins requested, including Simons small request of wanting something sweet. It always surprised Y/n that someone so deadly and dangerous could have a craving for something so sweet.

He chuckles at the memory of Simon devouring their wedding cake alongside the twins who ate next to him. There wedding wasn’t anything huge, just them three and a witness or two but that was all.

Upon arriving to the store he makes sure to take a cart, going up and down the aisles in case he wishes to get anything else but snacks. He reached the alcohol isle and grins to himself. One drink wouldn’t hurt, right?

He hums softly to himself as he searched the shelves, looking for his own favorite drink. He makes sure to add Simons on the list too in case he wanted a small drink. It takes him a few minutes to find Simons.

“Bourbon…bourbon—Ah!” He mumbled under his breath until he finally finds the bottle, smiling in victory as he takes the bottle in hand, checking to make sure that it was the right one.

“Never thought of you as a bourbon type.”

Y/n furrows his brows, looking up from the bottle to come face to face with an old friend of his.

“Leon?” Y/n stares at him with wide eyes as Leon gives him a faint smile in return. “Y/n.” He says in return, getting a small laugh out of the other.

“What—how—what are you doing here, out of all places?” Y/n finally asks, too in shock to let out a proper question. He couldn’t stop staring at Leon, he’s changed so much. His blonde hair no longer blonde but a dark brunette color and his eyes were brighter. The man aged like fine wine due to his appearance looking the same when he was younger but with hints of maturity and a faint stubble on his face.

Y/n couldn't stop staring at the man standing before him that Leon’s words go through deaf ears.

“—Y/n?”

He’s finally pulled out of his thoughts and blinks his eyes. “I’m sorry, what?” He coughs out, blushing softly as he placed the bottle of alcohol in the cart he had with him.

“I asked if you were alright? You seemed a little out of it.” Said Leon.

“Sorry! It’s Just—It’s been awhile.” He admits with a faint chuckle escaping his lips, trying to focus his attention on anything else but Leon. It wasn’t until the older man eyed his cart and smirks. “Snacks and booze? Having a party or something?”

Y/n flushed and laughs. “Actually the snacks are for the twins, you remember the twins right?” He’s quick to ask, disregarding Leon’s second question. “How can I forget the twins, I remember when they first started school. Is Briar still causing you trouble?”

Y/n groans at the mention of his troublesome daughter. “Always.” He answers, taking the end of the cart in hand and pulling it behind him as he walks down the aisle, alongside Leon as the two did some shopping together. “Briar and Ren are fifteen.” He blurts out, getting a surprise look from Leon who scoffs.

“No way, I remember them being kids. Has it really been that long?”

Y/n nods his head. “Time goes by fast.” He states, warning a chuckle from Leon as the two approach the register, standing in line to check out their items. Y/n had looked into Leon’s basket, raising a brow at the amount of alcohol bottles he has.

“Is that all your getting?” He points out, causing leon to chuckle nervously. “Yeah…”

Y/n hums and decides to keep quiet, turning his attention back to his one items and makes sure that he got everything for the twins and Simon. The thought of missing anything could get him into trouble, the last time he forgot something he got a dramatic Briar and a whinny Ren to deal with until he finally got them their favorites snacks.

It wasn’t until he stepped up to the registrar to finally get his things scanned and paid for that Leon calls out his name before he exits the store.

“I was wondering if you wanted to get some dinner? That’s if your not busy.” Leon quickly says, getting Y/n’s attention who stared at Leon with wide eyes.

He knows that he shouldn’t accept the dinner date he already had plans to cook dinner for his kids and husband, but it’s been years since he’s last seen Leon. His friend his first partner, they were simply catching up what could go wrong?

“Sure.”

—

“He’s taking forever.” Ren groans into the couch pillow, lying on his stomach as he continues to whine while Briar paced the room at a slow pace. She would glance out the window in hopes of her seeing Y/n’s return only to find nothing. Then she would look at the clock hanging on the wall.

“It’s been more than 30 minutes.” She mumbled.

“Be patient.” Simon finally speaks up from the couch, sitting on the far end next to Ren while the teen sulks into the pillows. “He told you two that you shouldn’t be eating too many snacks, perhaps this is his way of punishing you both and making you wait.”

Brair frowns at Simons words, doubting them. She knew her father well enough and she knew that area she lived in. The nearest grocery store was fifteen minutes away, she knew that her own father was someone who goes in to get what he needs and is out in seconds. He never took his time to check everything unless he had a long list of groceries to get.

“Something’s not right.” Briar finally says, getting Ren and Simons attention. “The store is close and he should have been back a few minutes ago.”

“Traffic?” Ren says with a shrug.

“No…” Briar tries to think over reasons as to why her father wasn’t home yet. Simon knew that she was overthinking the situation and comes to a stand, making his way over to the teen and placing a gentle hand on the top of her head. “Easy kid, Y/n will be back soon and if anything happened to him we would know.” Simon tried to reassure Briar but can still see the worry in her eyes.

Simon sighs. “How about we drive by to see if his car is still at the store?” Simons idea gets Briars attention, lightening Briar as she nods frantically.

“Go get your shoes. Both of you.” Simons instructs the twins as they quickly move to get some shoes on while Simon gets the keys to his own car, waiting outside for the twins as they rushed out of the house and into his car.

“Come on! Hurry up!” Briar exclaimed, getting an eye roll from Simon. “We are only doing a drive by, that is all.” He reminds the twins as he gets the car started and driving then towards the nearest store. Briar is bouncing on her seat, staring up ahead in hopes of seeing anything that could be causing her fathers delay while Ren sat in the back seat staring out the window.

It wasn’t until they stop at a red light that Ren speaks up. “Holy shit.”

“Language.” Said Simon while Briar turns around in her seat to face Ren. “What?” She takes notice of Ren staring out the window with wide eyes, frowning. “What are you looking at?” She finally turns to her own window, looking in the direction her brother was staring only to spot her father eating outside a fast food with another man. The two laughing together without a care.

Briars mouth is open in shock. Rens eyes are wide and Simon. Oh, Simon wasn’t someone who easily got jealous but the grip on the steering wheel caused his knuckles to go white, clearly upset about the situation but not saying anything about it. Before the twins could say anything the street light turns green, Simon hits the gas and drives off.

The twins sit in silence while Simon finds a longer way back home. The tension in the car gets the twins uncomfortable, feeling Simons anger and jealous radiate off his body. The twins felt like kids again who got yelled at for doing something wrong, getting their father really angry to the point where the car rides were full of silence and only tension. Even though the twins knew they weren’t in trouble they can’t help but feel like they were.

When they finally get home the twins both glance at each other, communicating in silence. Ren is the first to break the tension. “Maybe it’s a friend?” His voice is soft.

“Or he’s cheating.” Briar blurts out, blunt and honest.

Ren smacks her shoulder, glaring at his sister who glared back. “I’m only being honest,” She hissed out, rubbing her shoulder.

Simon is sitting in silence, listening to the kids bickering but is quick to shut them out. Simon wasn’t someone to get upset over stuff like this, he trusted Y/n. He married him, he wouldn’t throw everything away for someone else. Even though Simon and Y/n have been married for a few years he knows his partner well enough to communicate with him regarding anything and so far things have been going well.

Y/n would tell Simon everything that happens at work, let out his frustrations when he’s dealing with something hard. He tells Simon how he feels about curtain stuff without being afraid or embarrassed about it.

Simon couldn't say he was the same. He struggled at first when it comes towards talking about his feelings. He always kept everything bottled up. After Y/n came into his life he slowly started to learn.

“He’s not cheating.” He finally speaks up, startling the twins with his deep voice. “Y/n wouldn’t do that.” Simon adds, turning towards the twins and giving them a reassuring smile.

“Come on, let’s wait inside.”

His last words get the twins moving, jumping out of the car and rushing inside, jumping on the couch and fighting over the remote while Simon tossed his eyes on the coffee table and plops down between the twins, taking the remote from the two and deciding what to watch, getting a look of disbelief from the twins.

It wasn’t until an hour later that Y/n finally gets home, stumbling inside the house with bags in hand and sighing deeply. “I’m back!” He calls out, kicking the door shut.

He raises a brow in confusion when he doesn’t hear a greeting back. The twins usually come running to him when he comes back from the store but no one comes to him. “Kids?” He calls out, walking further into the house. “Simon?” He approached the living room where he finds both Briar and Ren, sitting side by side with arms crossed while narrowing their eyes.

“Uh, I’m back?” Y/n says again a bit concerned by the twins attitude as they watched him.

“You’re late.” Said Ren.

“Yeah, thats because I was getting your snacks.” Said Y/n as he walks over to the kitchen, to set the bag of snacks on the counter, taking it out of the bag. “Getting snacks should only take a few minutes you were gone for an hour.” Briar says this time, getting off the couch and walking to the kitchen, following her dad around as he puts the snacks away.

“So? I was taking my time.” Y/n shrugs his shoulders. The twins are slowly getting irritated and it’s Ren who blurts out the question they really wanted to know the answer too. “Are you going to divorce Simon?”

Y/n’s eyes widen, whipping his head to face the twins properly. “What—? What makes you think that?!”

“We saw you…you were having dinner with some guy and you seemed pretty happy.” Said Briar, shrugging a shoulder as she lowers her gaze. Briar could be loud and blunt but the subject of Y/n and Simon possibly divorcing set her into a panic where she shuts down, closing up and becoming afraid.

Y/n had noticed this when raising the twins on his own before Simon came into the picture. He’s quick to shake his head, approaching the twins and pulling them into hugs. “God no—I could never leave Simon and I would never ask for a divorce, do you know how long it took me to finally find someone who actually cares for me and you two? Because I’m not throwing that away.” He shakes his head.

Ren lifts up his head from Y/n chest. “Then who was the guy you were having dinner with?”

Y/n lets out a soft chuckle. “He’s—well, he was an ex of mine but, what we had back then wasn’t serious it only lasted a few weeks before we decided to remain friends. I haven’t seen him in years and I was simply catching up, nothing else.” He explains to the twins.

“You guys met him once!”

“We did?” The twins said in unison, confusion written on their faces as Y/n rolls his eyes. “Yeah, when you were seven years old. His name is Leon Kennedy? Tall blonde hair, blue eyes—?”

Briar is the first to gasp, pulling away from her dad. “The really hot cop?!”

“He’s in his thirties and not a cop anymore.”

“But he’s still hot?” Briar questions with a mischievous grin on her face while wiggling her brows. Y/n sighs deeply, knowing that his daughter was going to force him to admit that Leon was still good looking.

“Yes, he’s still attractive but, I love Simon more. He’s—“ Y/n looks up from the twins to see Simon standing near the stairway, leaning against the wall as he grins. Clearly the man had heard everything, listening into their conversation as Y/n gives off a soft smile before looking back at the twins. “Simon has the muscles and strong—God, the way his hands wrap around—“

“Ah! Stop no more!” Ren shouts, covering his ears as Briar faked a gag, looking at her dad in disgust. “No details!” She shouted too. The twins growing dramatic while Simon approached the twins and Y/n, smiling at his husband as he wraps an arm around his waist and pulls him into a deep kiss, Y/n wrapping his arms around his neck as he deepens it.

The twins scream in horror at the sight of their parents making out, running out of the kitchen and upstairs. “Get a room!” Ren shouted, causing the two to break apart from the kiss and laugh.

“Oh, we have one.” Y/n smirks at Simon.

Under The Moonlight

Part 14

Request: Yes or No

~~~

Mountains and forests stretched out on either side of the large lake, rich and covered in luscious green. Winter had begun releasing its vicious claws on the land. The days became warmer, the snow melted faster, and there were more sightings of animals. Spring would soon settle in nicely, providing relief from the freezing nights and numbing snow. A welcome season for them all. Especially with the prospect of fishing and plants blossoming. More food, more comfort. 

But while the first signs of spring had lifted everyone's moods, (Y/N) found himself thinking of something else. Of someone else. His sister. 

The last time he'd seen Freydis had been months ago when her belly became noticeable. He remembered how long it had taken for his younger brothers to be born, and if his line of thought was correct, it meant Freydis had likely had her child by now. He smiled at the thought of his sister being a mother. She'd always been a natural with children, but she'd never shown any interest in having her own. Though, there was always the knowledge that many mothers passed during childbirth. He could only pray to Freya that she had kept Freydis safe and strong during her labor. 

"It is beautiful out here." He turned his eyes away from the ripples in the dark water and onto the woman beside him. Eleana, the daughter of the late Lord Vitomir. After the passing of Lord Vitomir, Mariam explained that the man had his daughter pose as a boy to grant her safe passage to Constantinople. And seeing how Gestr eyed her now, he'd been right in doing so. Eleana kept to herself on most days, speaking either with (Y/N) or Mariam, occasionally with the other girls and Harald. But she primarily stuck to (Y/N). He couldn't tell if she merely trusted him more or clung to him since he'd been the first face she'd looked at after losing her father.

"It is... peaceful. But the quiet leaves you alone with your thoughts." (Y/N) said quietly and she nodded, her thumb running back and forth over a line in the wood. She sighed quietly and longingly looked back in the direction they came from. Before (Y/N) could attempt to provide some words of comfort, the boat jerked and shook lightly, a scraping sound coming from underneath them.

"We hit something!" Kaysan hollered and Leif tore himself from his spot beside Mariam, rushing to the front of the boat and peering over the side as Kaysan held the bobbling rudder. 

"The rudder is broken!" Leif called, briefly turning to look at Harald. "Lower the sail!" 

Doing as instructed, Harald and Batu got the sail lowered before watching Leif for any other instructions. Leif and Kaysan held the steering rudder together, directing the boat toward land so they could properly check the damages done. (Y/N) strode across the boat and picked up some rope, waiting for Kaysan to hop down onto the grass and put down wood in the dirt so he could toss the rope and get the boat tied safely. Once done, (Y/N) climbed over the ledge with Harald and Leif, landing on the grass with a soft thud. Leif and Harald stepped into the shallow water, picking up the small pieces of wood floating around. The others gathered around on the boat to watch the men.

"We need a metal band to hold it together," Leif explained, reaching into the cold water and checking the damages underneath the rudder.

"Can you fix it?" Harald asked, tossing the pieces of wood aside. 

"Without a forge, no." 

"There is one in Kodak." Kurya piped up. "It is a day by water, but reachable over the mountain in a few hours." 

"Leif, (Y/N), and I will go then." Harald spoke and helped Leif detach the broken rudder from the boat, carefully setting it on the grass and climbing back onto the bank. 

"Do they have a market? Perhaps we can all go." Eleana proposed as she toyed with the ends of her braid, her eyes occasionally flickering over to (Y/N). 

Shaking his head, Harald wiped his wet hands on his pants and looked back at the blonde. "No. You must watch the boat and be alert. It is dangerous on shore." He told her. Eleana frowned and sighed again, pushing herself off the side of the boat and disappearing out of view for a moment as Batu and Gestr got the platform set up so they could walk on and off the boat with ease. Eleana reappeared with a bow and a quiver full of arrows. She carefully walked down the platform and offered the bow to (Y/N).

"Be careful."

"I will." (Y/N) smiled reassuringly, slipping the bow over his shoulder and placing his hand on her shoulder to squeeze it gently. Harald stared at them with furrowed brows, exchanging a glance with Leif but the older Greenlander merely shrugged and climbed back on the boat to collect his axe.

(Y/N) nodded to Eleana once Harald and Leif were ready before turning around to begin their trek through the forest and over the mountain. Birds chirped and fluttered around, flying into their nests where softer squeaks and chirps could be heard. They'd hear the occasional rustle of an animal moving through the brush and the distant sound of animal calls. Noises that had disappeared during winter due to the cold and scarcity of food. Now, the forest felt lively and full. The wilderness offered much to those who survived its trials and tests. Harald couldn't see that. He knew how to hunt and camp but he belonged in cities and villages. 

The hours went by quicker than expected and they arrived at Kodak, or rather what was left of Kodak. The market that once likely held many things now had nothing but whispers and memories. Things had been burned down, notable by the charred wood and ashes scattered around. Seeing as there was no smoke or the smell of burning wood, (Y/N) could assume whatever group had raided and destroyed the market had done so days prior.

"We should be quick about this. The people who did this may return." 

"(Y/N)'s right." Leif agreed, nodding as he looked over the debris and rubble with a small frown. "We will need to find metal if the forge still remains standing." He told them, walking deeper into the desolate market in search of the forge.

(Y/N) hummed softly in acknowledgment, looking over the remains of the market. It appeared big and housed many merchants. Anything of value had been likely stolen or burned. (Y/N) listened to Harald and Leif rummage through the wood, collecting any metal they could get their hands on. (Y/N)'s interest, however, shifted to the small dock near the market overlooking the shimmering lake. He glanced back at the other two, spotting them by the still intact forge.

With them occupied and working, (Y/N) approached the dock and stepped on it, careful to avoid the areas where the planks were missing. The sound of crackling fire and hammering of metal filled the air, disturbing the peace of the scenery. 

Tilting his head up toward the vibrant blue sky, (Y/N) closed his eyes and whispered a prayer for Freydis. For her and her child. For a safe delivery. And for them to have a safe passage to Constantinople. The sharp cry of a raven flying overhead interrupted his prayer but it only made him grin and peer up at the dark bird. Allfather had acknowledged his prayer. At least the Gods still watched over them. He inhaled the fresh air as twigs and leaves crunched behind him, arms soon slipping around his waist and pulling him against a strong chest. 

"I miss you," Harald whispered, his beard brushing against the back of (Y/N)'s ear. His rough hands found (Y/N)'s, enveloping them and holding them gently. "And I am thankful you have remained by my side through this journey. I understand if you are still upset. I... I know I needed to hear those words. My mother always told me I can be... stubborn."

"That's one word for it." (Y/N) muttered and Harald chuckled, lips pressing against his temple. (Y/N) stared forward at the water. His chest twisted and turned with feelings he couldn't identify. 

"(Y/N), I am aware we can never be like this in front of others but... I still wish to be yours and for you to be mine. When I retrieve my fleet and take the throne, I will have enough riches to prove I am a suitable and capable husband. I can provide your family with as much coin as they desire. They will not have to live out in harsh lands and will have a full belly each night." Harald spoke softly, looking out at the forest across the river. (Y/N)'s brows furrowed slightly and he shook his head, slipping out of Harald's hold and facing him. 

"My family survives well enough. Greenland is our home. The cold, the danger... is part of who we are. We do not care for riches. I do not care for riches. You have done enough to prove yourself capable of caring for a family, Harald. You do not need a fleet or a crown to prove that. You are a warrior and a good hunter. That is enough for anyone. Only nobles would care about how much coin one has. The fact you are not king has nothing to do with your capability. Your arrogance does. Your pride does. It is not your stubbornness that makes you undesirable. You care about riches and power and you cannot accept anything but those things. You need those things. I was happy in the wilderness, even if all we had was a cabin. Yes, I saw how each day you grew more dislike for it but I thought you'd adapt to it. I know now that... you were not made for the type of life I wish to have. And I was not made to be in a court."

Swiping his tongue over his lips, Harald swallowed and stepped forward, taking (Y/N)'s hands into his. "I enjoyed our time at the cabin because you were there. You may find court enjoyable after you see what it is like. Warm food, the finest clothes, a proper bed. You do not know what it is like yet. You have proven you can adapt to changes. I love that about you. I love you." Harald smiled, bringing (Y/N)'s hands to his lips. But when (Y/N) only stared at him with watery eyes, his smile began to crumble.

"I care about you." (Y/N) whispered, voice nearly cracking. Harald's face fell and he shakily exhaled. "I care about you, Harald. I wish to help you and-"

"You do not love me anymore?" 

"Harald-"

I have made mistakes but I am going to fix them. The riches, the power. I can give it all to you. I-I want to support you and help you and care for you. I cannot do that like this. I am nothing right now. But when we arrive at Constantinople, I will be someone. I will give you whatever you ask for, (Y/N). I promise you that. I will earn back your love-"

"You want to buy my love, Harald. All you think about is that throne. All you think about is coin. All you care about is-is..." (Y/N) trailed, ripping his hand from Harald's and scoffing softly as the tears flooded his eyes. Wiping away the tears when they slipped down his cheeks, (Y/N) sniffled and shook his head. "You cannot seem to understand this so I will speak clearly. I did not care for your royal blood when I fought with you or feasted with you or shared your bed. I did not care about how rich you were. I fell in love with you because you were kind and loyal and showed strength. I fell in love with who you were. Your titles and power had nothing to do with it. But I am sure some noblewoman will care about those things and you will be able to buy her affection with whatever riches you obtain." 

"I do not-"

"I promised to help you so I will. But once that is done, I will return home to Greenland, with or without my brother." (Y/N) stated firmly and wiped away the last of his tears. With a weight off his shoulders, he brushed past Harald and walked off the dock, approaching Leif who watched them with a grimace.

Ignoring the quiet questions from his brother, (Y/N) checked the metal they had created and motioned for them to head back. Harald silently joined them a few minutes later and they headed back through the forest and over the mountain. A newfound tension settled with the three and no matter how many times Leif tried to speak with either man, it remained.

But the silence didn't last long when (Y/N) approached the tree line and abruptly stopped, forcing Leif and Harald to nearly topple him over. 

"There are men." (Y/N) whispered, drawing an arrow from his quiver and getting his bow ready. Some of the men had been killed but four remained. One held Mariam with a knife to her throat while the other two restrained Kurya. The last one staggered behind the first man appearing injured. Aiming at the man holding Mariam, he released the arrow when Harald and Leif charged forward. The man collapsed to the ground as Harald took out two men and Leif buried an axe in the back of the last one. (Y/N) quickly joined them, heading up the platform and checking on the disheveled Eleana. She wrapped her arms around him and panted softly, the medallion around her neck pressing against him. 

"I own you! This is my boat and they are my property!" Gestr's voice roared and (Y/N) turned to look at the tied-up man. Brigtoc, Dorn, and Cadlin held him still as he squirmed and yelled. Batu swallowed thickly and lifted his arm, offering his blade to Dorn. She took it and glared back at Gestr, driving the blade into him. Cadlin went next, stabbing his shoulder blade and listening to him cry out in pain. Finally, Brigtoc took the blade and gave the killing blow to his neck. The three girls panted and let him slump over, glaring down at his body. 

"We have to reattach the rudder," Leif breathed, turning away and walking toward the wooden piece laying on the grass. (Y/N) climbed down into the boat, untying the deceased man before nodding for Batu to help. Together, the two tossed Gestr overboard and into the flowing water before doing the same to the other man onboard. Kaysan took care of the men on shore, similarly tossing the bodies into the water. 

"Kaysan, go collect the food they had on their horses." (Y/N) called down to him, watching the fighter nod and jog over to the horses. Eleana climbed down into the boat and stepped forward toward him, glancing over at Kurya. 

"Kurya's the brother of the Khan. There's apparently a bounty on his head." Eleana revealed. Raising her hand, she touched the sun-shaped medallion she had kept hidden underneath her shirt. Moving closer, she leaned in toward his ear. (Y/N)'s gaze flickered to Harald who watched them with a frown. "And I am to be the Emerpeor of Constanipole's new wife."

                    ➸        ➸       ➸       ➸       ➸       ➸

They traveled for a while before stopping again at the Dnipro River. The land was rich and Mariam had pointed out the soil was perfect for planting. Without the presence of Gestr, the red-haired girls had become more open and sociable, laughing and smiling more without the fear of being harmed looming over them. Cadlin and Kaysan's relationship had notably blossomed into romance. With everyone occupied at their camp, Harald had asked the Greenland brothers to accompany him to the waterfall they'd have to go down once they got moving again. (Y/N) and Harald acted courteously with each other but the tension remained. 

Nearing the rushing water, (Y/N) could hardly hear his own thoughts over the roar of the waterfall. He stepped closer to the ledge, debating moving further but a hand caught his and held it. Looking back at Harald, the prince shook his head and spoke but his words were drowned out by the sound of the water. (Y/N) tilted his head at him and Harald chuckled in defeat, keeping his fingers around (Y/N)'s wrist and standing beside him. 

"It's a long drop," Harald spoke loudly in an attempt to get his voice to carry over the noise. He laughed again and looked back at the giant waterfall, clearing his throat for a moment before suddenly yelling into the air. (Y/N)'s brows raised at how quiet it sounded compared to the waterfall, an amused smile pulling at his lips. Leif laughed and stood beside them, taking out his disk and holding it up in front of his face to toy with it. Harald watched him before his gaze lifted and he stepped back, accidentally tugging (Y/N) along with him. He paused and turned his head, peering down at their intertwined hands and slowly releasing his hold on him. (Y/N)'s amused smile fell. Harald's lips pressed into a thin forced smile and he motioned for the brothers to follow him a bit further up the mountain. 

(Y/N) saw it in the distance, peeking out between two mountains. Camps across the plains. A thin strip of smoke slipped out from a clearing in the forest, catching (Y/N)'s eye. A rather close camp of Pechenegs. They were far enough for it to take days to reach the boat but they were camped near the river below the waterfall that led to Constantinople. They'd likely have weapons, and if their reputation was true, the crew would be in for a painful time if caught. 

"If we survive the falls, then we have to survive them." Harald sighed heavily, tightly gripping the hilt of his sword with his hand. "We must move on. The faster we get this over with, the sooner we'll be out of their territory." He said and turned, heading back up the river. (Y/N) lingered on the camp for a moment before his gaze drifted downward. Harald was right. It was a long drop from the top of the waterfall. High enough to destroy the boat if they got unlucky. (Y/N) looked away and followed Harald back to the boat.

Once the boat came into view, Harald called out to them, "Pack up! We're moving on."

"You have seen the falls?" Batu asked.

"We have." Harald nodded, waiting as everyone gathered around. "I'm not going to lie to you. It will be a challenge. We will have to prepare ourselves to go down it." 

"When do we leave?" Kaysan asked next, one arm wrapped securely around Cadlin's waist. She leaned against his chest with a big smile, gazing up at him lovingly.

"Tomorrow."

"What? Why so soon?"

"The water level is dropping. If we wait much longer, the boat will not make it over the falls." Kurya explained, turning his head in the direction of their voices. 

"And we would all be trapped here," Harald added. Catching the look Batu and Kaysan exchanged, he continued. "The longer we stay here, the greater the chances the Pechenegs will find us."

"Then we portage. The men said the Pechenegs have moved east." Brigtoc proposed. (Y/N) frowned. Most of the crew appeared comfortable at the river. They'd need to be convinced to leave.

"They lied. There are many camps visible from the falls. We could see fires in the plains further ahead." Leif revealed with a light shake of his head. 

Huffing, Harald placed a hand on his hip. "We've risked enough camping here the last few nights. The sooner we move, the better." Harald told them and walked toward the platform to get on the boat. However, Kaysan stepped in front of him and gave an apologetic look.

"Then, I am not sure we will be joining you." He said, wrapping an arm around Cadlin when she moved closer to him and nodded in agreement. Harald blinked at them, brows furrowing as he glanced back at the brothers. 

"Why not?"

"I am not ready to die," Cadlin answered, resting her head against Kaysan's chest. Harald scoffed in disbelief and stepped back, looking over each of the crew members. 

"You would all rather risk the Pechenegs?"

"They haven't found us yet. And you can't tell us the fall is without risk." Brigtoc responded with a light shrug.

"Nothing is without risk! All we have done for the last two moons has been with risk!" Harald rebutted angrily.

"But before we had no choice! Now we do." Cadlin pointed out.

"I choose to stay." Brigtoc stood up from her spot on the boat. Dorn stood up and moved beside her, signaling her agreement with Brigtoc. Batu bowed his head when Harald looked at him and Harald's shoulders slumped. He turned toward Eleana but she shook her head at him. With no one appearing to be on his side, Harald groaned.

"What is all this? We have known for months this day will come. And now, when it is finally here, you are not willing to meet the challenge? I will not wait here and let the Pechenegs make a flute out of my coward's bones! I'll go by myself if I must." Harald barked, moving onto the platform and making his way onto the boat. 

"You can't," Leif called and walked forward, making Harald look at him. "We need at least six rowers, and we must lessen the weight of the boat by 50 skippund or it will not clear the base of the falls."

"50 skippund?" Harald repeated softly, lightly tapping his foot and looking over the boat. "So we lose the mast."

"The mast weighs about 15 skippund," Leif told him, his eyes flickering onto the stacks of fur but Harald shook his head.

"No, if I lose my furs I have no reason to go on."

"Then you are just like everybody else." Leif shrugged. Harald stared at him, jaw clenching as he inhaled sharply. Storming off the platform, he stalked off into the forest while cursing softly under his breath. (Y/N) stared after him and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and walking through the grass, following the imprints Harald left. 

"(Y/N)?"

"I'll be back." (Y/N) called back to Eleana and continued into the forest, tracking Harald down to a boulder. The prince sat on it, holding his head in his hands. He didn't move when (Y/N) got closer, only sighing quietly when (Y/N) sat down beside him. They stayed quiet and listened to the sounds of the forest until Harald lifted his head and leaned back. 

"Everything has gone wrong... I've lost you and now everyone else has abandoned me." Harald whispered, looking down at the dirt and pushing it around with his foot. "Have you come to lecture me more? Tell me how useless this sulking is?"

"I only tell you the truth, Harald. And the truth is that you cannot expect them to follow you when you refuse to sacrifice something of yours first. Those people may lose their lives going down that waterfall. They're afraid... and they're afraid because they do not trust you. You have not given them a reason to. Cadlin, Dorn, and Brigtoc are experiencing freedom for the first time in a long time. Mariam is dying. Kurya risks being captured and put in front of his murderous brother. Batu and Kaysan are happy because they're surrounded by friends. Eleana... Eleana is the key to Constantinople because she was promised to the emperor." His words made Harald look at him and (Y/N) sighed softly, delicately placing a hand on Harald's cheek. "You are better than this Harald. You are a man of many talents. You will find a way to make money in Constantinople without those furs. It will just take a long time." 

"How do you know?"

"Because you are an intelligent and strong man. And you know I'm right about everything. About us, about them. You mustn't live in denial anymore, Harald. I wanted us to be happy on this trip and in Constantinople. I wanted us to have good memories of each other that we could think about after we part ways. I was never meant to be in court, Harald. I see it in your eyes that you know this is true. You do not want to accept it but you must. Making hard decisions will be part of being King of Norway. This pain will make you stronger." (Y/N) told him softly, using his thumb to stroke Harald's cheek. Rising to his feet, (Y/N) cupped Harald's face and kissed his forehead. "They are not abandoning you. They are trying to make you see their side of things."

With that, he left Harald with his thoughts and returned out to the clearing by the river. Eleana rose from his seat with a bowl of berries in hand, offering him some and glancing back at the forest. (Y/N) quietly thanked her, taking some berries and popping them into his mouth. "Will Harald agree to get rid of the furs?" Eleana asked with a tilt of her head. 

"I'm not su-" Looking back at the forest, Harald reemerged with a concentrated look on his face. Everyone turned to watch him get on the boat and approach his stack of furs. Picking one up, he tossed it overboard and looked back at the others, gaze lingering on (Y/N).

"I cannot guarantee anyone's survival. What is over the falls, I do not know. I can only guarantee my best efforts to keep us alive. And I cannot do that if we remain here." He said and looked back at his furs, continuing to toss them in the river one by one. Leif approached him first to help then Cadlin then Brigtoc and then everyone else. They took the furs and tossed them into the water.

By the end, Harald appeared pleased with himself, smiling widely as everyone worked together to get the mast off and into the water. They packed the tents and other belongings that were on the shore into the boat and turned to Harald and Leif with newfound determination. 

Getting seated, they tied ropes to their oars in hopes it would keep the oars from drifting downstream when the boat went over the falls. Leif wrapped Mariam in a coat and kissed her before taking his place at the back with the rudder. Harald got the boat moving and instructed everyone to row. (Y/N) and Eleana remained with Harald at the front, looking for any large rocks in the water and checking for when the waterfall grew closer. The river began pushing the boat harder and the waterfall came into view, sending a wave of anxiety into (Y/N). He felt rang a finger over his necklace and took in a deep breath.

Once the boat entered the rapids, he ducked down with Eleana and Harald, pressing his back against the boat and holding onto whatever he could. Leif called for the oars to be pulled in and everyone ducked down, holding on for dear life. (Y/N) squeezed his eyes shut, hearing the roar of the waterfall grow closer and closer. Eleana wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest fearfully. When the boat went over the fall, screams followed. Water lashed at (Y/N)'s face and body, the force and air lifting him.

And then he felt himself being flung from the boat.

"Show me how to kiss?"

Pairing: Roronoa Zoro x [gender neutral] Reader Summary: Two sets of headcanons: one in which you ask Zoro to show you what it is like to kiss and another one in which he's the one to ask. Tags: Shy Zoro / Fluffy and loving / Also sorta funny Coming soon (Vinsmoke Sanji's version)

MASTERLIST

If you’re the one to ask him...

• He just. He doesn’t know how to kiss either. I mean, do you think he ever had the time or mindset to do it??

• So, it’s messy. None of you really know what to do.

• Behind it all, Zoro has been kinda hoping he could kiss you and you’d been looking at him in a different way lately, so something like that was sort of bound to happen at some point

• It’s like a switch turns for you two, and it’s impossible to stop after that because, after all, you gotta practice to be perfect, right?

          “...They wouldn’t stop kissing.” You sighed, twisting your mouth a little as you thought back to the couple you saw at a bar when hanging out with the crew at an island. You and Zoro were out on the deck for the night watch; he sat back against the railing while you had your back on the ground, observing the stars above you. Once in a while, a colder breeze would make you shiver, but it wasn’t really that bad. The gentle rocking of the ship would intensify your tiredness, at times, but never enough to make your consciousness slip away into slumber, which resulted in sporadic and pointless talks. “It was obnoxious.”

Zoro hummed in agreement, shaking his head as he kept his gaze far in the horizon.

“What’s so great about it?”

He raised an eyebrow, humming again, and looked at you.

“About kissing,” you explained, sitting up and scooting closer to him with a sigh. “What’s good about it?”

...Why would he know? Zoro blushed a little as he looked away and preferred not to answer it. Maybe you’d give up on the question or talk about something else. Having to deal with always trying to find something other than the annoying couple at the bar was already stressful enough.

“Zoro.” You nudged him. “Can I ask you something?”

He blinked and looked at you for a moment. He nodded. You were a pain in the ass everyday—affectionately—, so he was mostly used to what you could come up with.

“Look, I don’t know how to say it without making it awkward, but like, I trust you, so...” You sighed, your eyes averting away for a moment. “Like, could you show me how to kiss? I never really had any time to think about it because I was always training to be strong out in the sea, y’know?” Was Zoro even paying attention? Even in the dark, you could see his red cheeks. Did you say something wrong?

“I can’t help you with that.” He kept looking forward, eyes narrowed. You knew that serious posture was just a play. It was when Robin and you ran into him taking care of babies.

You pouted. “What? C’mon, I’m just curious. We’ll just never talk about it.”

Zoro didn’t bulge, only groaning when you poked his side, squirming away more than he usually would. “I already said I can’t help you with that!”

You opened your mouth to argue, but nothing really ever came from your mouth. Instead, you searched in your mind for some reference, however, you could only remember Zoro always in the corners of bars or celebrations or over the sake. He was never the type to be around hitting on someone like Sanji did nor pay attention to whoever approached him. Maybe...

“I think I get it.” You smirked a little. “You don’t know how to kiss either.”

The flush on Zoro’s face intensified as he gasped and widened his eyes. “Wh—What are you talking about?”

You chuckled. Of course, Zoro, the swordsman with his unbelievable focus on becoming the best ever and his whole damn shyness wouldn’t allow him to be with anyone else either. It was almost relatable.

“It’s obvious Zoro. You can tell me, though,” you continued, ignoring the stuttering mess he was in, “y’know, it all makes sense. And I’m, like, the closest one to you here, you can at least admit it to me, right?” You elbowed his side a little—you didn’t give a fuck about it, to be honest, it was just nice seeing him like that. “I’m up to helping you with it, though, hm? What do you say?” You chuckled again, but made sure to keep a serious hint. It was all a joke until he agreed. If he disagreed, you were just fucking around, right?

Zoro’s face was so red. He could feel it burning and everything felt too much. His heart already felt like it would rip off his chest, and then the way you elbowed his side and that your face was so close to his that he could feel your breath on the side of his face, he was—

“Fine!” He breathed before he could notice it himself.

You raised your eyebrows. Did you hear it right? “Fine,” huh? Your own cheeks warmed up at the thought.

“You really...”

“Don’t make me regret it.” Zoro gulped, and you almost chuckled as he shifted to face you, his eyes still not looking anywhere near yours.

Despite fooling around the whole time, a serious atmosphere fell over both of you simultaneously, having the two of you gradually fall quiet. Zoro took a deep breath while you already looked at his eyes, waiting for his gaze to meet yours, which it did, eventually, even if still a little uncertain. You wanted to smile, laugh and hide all at the same time, but still held the gaze.

The ship had never been that quiet and maybe the wind was a little colder than you thought it to be. It didn’t matter, though, because Zoro’s hand was warm against your cheek, and you held onto his wrist out of reflex, which also felt warm. A quiet exchange of gazes was enough to determine you were ready and he was leaning in.

It was slow and careful, with nervousness lacing it, but still sweet nonetheless.

Zoro’s nose tickled a little when it brushed against your own nose, as if testing the waters before you leaned in properly. The distance was miscalculated and your lips brushed together too soon, making both of you pull away at the same time as if it’d burned. It didn’t burn, no, but there was something.

Your eyes met Zoro’s and he had a similar look on his face—so he felt it too. He mirrored the small smile that showed up across your face before the two of you leaned in again, carefully and slowly letting your lips meet.

Warm. Zoro’s lips were warm, but the kiss also made you feel something inside your chest that stirred up with the “kiss”, and made you lean in for more as you’d seen other people do, which snatched a soft gasp from Zoro, but he still tried to make up for it. If anything, things were just messy. None of you really knew what to do, trying to set your own rhythm but also match with the other’s and put in practice only brief notions you only had so far.

Suddenly, Zoro had his other hand cupping the side of your neck, which made you pause for a moment, but it was more than enough for him to figure out exactly what was missing and make the kiss more of a kiss. You just followed his lead this time, letting his lips guide yours through a gentle and uncertain kiss that maybe awakened more in you that you were aware of.

Cold air replaced Zoro’s lips when he pulled away. Your mind was still a little fuzzy, so you took a moment to open your eyes, already meeting his waiting gaze when you did so.

“That...” You whispered and gulped. The small pause had Zoro holding his breath and tensing up. “Can we do it again?”

Zoro chuckled, closing his eyes as he blushed again. “I hoped you’d say that...”

The new kiss had actual synchrony, even if it was barely present. Your hands actually held onto his shoulders this time as you pressed yourself closer, allowing the kiss to be deeper.

There was a look on Zoro’s face when he pulled away this time, one you couldn’t quite read. “You taste nice.”

“I taste nice?” You chuckled. “What’s it like?”

“It’s...” Zoro sighed, blinking a couple of times as he looked at you. “Sweet. What do I taste like?”

“Sake.” You answered without missing a bit, which made his face fall a little; you chuckled.

.𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟.

If he asks you...

• Zoro’s been thinking about it for a while now, to be honest, trying to find an excuse to make it happen

• He genuinely didn’t think it would be that good. He had little faith in it—mostly curiosity—, but when you kiss him, he just ends up getting lost and wants more. Just wants you to show him everything. Also uses the excuse he gotta practice to get perfect

          “What’re you so grumpy about?” You raised an eyebrow, seeing Zoro walk in while grumbling under his breath. He usually didn’t come over to the aquarium bar when you were there during the afternoons messing with your own stuff just like the rest of the crew, so he certainly wanted attention that you were more than willing to give.

Zoro took a seat next to you, scowling. “That damn cook.”

“Oh.” You raised your eyebrows and sighed with a nod without looking up from the stuff you messed with. There were a few lists of what each one of the crew needed since you would soon make a stop on another island, so you needed to organize all of those and estimate how much money you’d need, and thinking wasn’t very easy with Zoro there, but it probably wasn’t anything that bad since it was just more fighting with Sanji. Not that he really cared about it, but you supposed it was a way of him gaining your attention despite how shy he tended to be. He wasn’t that shy around you, though. It was even funny when people commented about him being only cold and stoic—he could be, yeah, but he was also too shy for his own good.

“He’s spilling some stuff about kissing today, y’know?” Zoro huffed, crossing his arms. “About how he misses it and how I wouldn’t understand because I’ve never kissed!” He growled.

“Is it true, though?” You mumbled between the numbers of berries. 15 minus 7 resulted in 8, then 2 minus 1 would be 1, so 11 minus 7, so it would be...

Zoro clicked his tongue. “I’m not like him.”

“That doesn’t answer the question,” you hummed. So, 15 minus 7 was 8, then the 2 turned into 1, and 11 minus—

“I don’t have time to waste around like he does, kissing and— and hell knows what.” He looked down with pursed lips then turned to you.

“Right.” You inhaled deeply and scratched out the math you were doing to start it all over again later. “It’s not really a waste of time, I mean. Depends on the person. What, you’re aromantic or something? Or just never kissed? You’re sounding a little too bitter about something so irrelevant.” Now and then, Zoro just needed you to poke him with the raw truth so he would ground himself in reality again a little.

“I—I wouldn’t think about it.” Zoro clicked his tongue, looking away again. “I got better things to do.”

You sighed, putting your pen away and sitting back on the couch. “I mean, you never tried it. I wouldn’t be so secure about it myself, in your position, but you do you, right? I'm no one to judge."

Maybe that rubbed off on Zoro the wrong way. He raised an eyebrow at you for a long moment, but all you could do was shrug and nod at him to say something already. You had work to do, after all.

"If you're so sure about it, then show me."

"What?"

"Show me how to kiss." Zoro's face had a tinge of red despite how confident he tried to seem.

Despite the surprise, a smirk still tugged on your lips as you raised your eyebrows. "Oh? You sure? Wanna give me your first kiss? Am I that special?"

He clicked his tongue and looked away once again. "Don't be annoying about it or else I'm leaving."

A chuckle erupted from your lips as you tugged a little on his haramaki when Zoro started to stand up. The way he put it all made you want to tease him more to humble him down a little, but you knew better than that; things probably wouldn't go the right way if you kept him there grumpier than he already was or even accidentally scared him away, something you absolutely didn’t want before such an opportunity.

“Come on, don’t be like that.” You scooted a little closer to Zoro on the couch, putting an arm over the backrest of the couch, behind him. “Right, seriously. You mean it?”

A little crease was still there between Zoro’s furrowed eyebrows as he glanced you up and down, with his arms still crossed over his chest.

“Okay.” You rolled your eyes. He could be just like that sometimes. Annoying.

“How do you do it? Is there any secret trick or—” Zoro shrugged and raised an eyebrow at you. His shoulders dropped a little from their jagged stance and his arms weren’t crossed so tightly anymore.

“I mean, there’s no secret, but there are a few tips I wish I knew before I did it the first time, y’know?” You shifted a little, trying to push your mind away from annoying numbers to a new setting instead. “Like, it’s not necessarily a continuous thing, and it’s sort of you kissing my upper lip while I kiss your bottom one and then vice versa, but you can also— You’re not listening, are you?”

“I’m not.” Zoro confessed with that grin that made you want to punch it right off his face. “Your lips do look nice while you talk, though.”

“...Shameless bastard.”

“What was that?” He narrowed his eyes at you.

“Nothing!” You mirrored his expression and clicked your tongue, holding back a chuckle. “You’re quite useless sometimes, huh? You listen to nothing.” Your hand cupped Zoro’s face gently, letting your thumb reach the corner of his lips before going down along his lip. “That’s why you’re such an empty head, got nothing but muscles...”

Zoro grinned. “You may complain, but you just never get away from me.”

“I’ll just make you shut up at once.”

His hand held onto your elbow as you leaned in and finally pressed your lips to Zoro’s. It was a simple kiss, just keeping your lips against his for a few seconds before pulling back again. A light blush dusted his cheeks and he still glanced at your lips, so you leaned in once again to give him a kiss that wasn’t just like a prolonged peck, actually moving your lips together.

Zoro wasn’t the best at it—of course not—, but he still tried, his grip against your elbow tightening a little at times while he messily kissed you back, trying to keep it up and mirroring your movements. His lips were clumsy and messy, but still something that you could guide and make the whole thing worth something. You held his cheek as you deepened the kiss a little, which made his breath get caught in his throat and his lips get a little lost for a second before they followed your lead again.

The mere seconds you had to pull away already felt like too long, with you exchanging gazes with Zoro to silently check if everything was alright, before your lips were pressed together again. Your tongue ran against his bottom lip this time, actually snatching a gasp from him.

“Is it okay?” You whispered, furrowing your eyebrows a little. Just a few inches still serpared your faces, having you both feel each other’s out of pace breathing.

Zoro nodded. “I just wasn’t waiting for that.”

“Is it okay, though?” You grinned again, seeing him grow flustered once more.

“...Do it again.”

You did kiss Zoro and lick his bottom lip once again, but this time, he opened his lips and allowed you to slip your tongue past his lips. There was a little taste of sake still, already faint. He still didn’t know what to do, but the way you held onto his jaw did ground him a little so he would calm down.

“Good?” You whispered against his lips, lips still grazing him.

Zoro’s breath hitched as he tried to catch his breath, hazy eyes observing you from close. “Do... Do it again.”

.𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟.