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Immortal Love

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Summary: Zhongli is troubled by some thoughts that are keeping him awake, lucky for him, he has you.

Pairing: Zhongli x (gn!) Reader

Tags: Angst to comfort, very domestic setting and fluff towards the end, Zhongli is having a bit of an existential crisis, Reader picks him up again and reassures him

A/N: The Zhongli brainworms are kicking in again recently so I had to drabble something for him because he is amazing. Shoutouts to @lychniis and @zhongrin for fuelling my Zhongli brainrot more again recently. Definitely check them out, too!! (I know you're not on my taglist so I hope you don't mind the tag x.x)

Zhongli shifted on the bed unable to find rest. No matter how hard he tried, sleep simply wouldn’t find him tonight because of the endless thoughts that had been plaguing him. So he lay awake, turning to the side, so he could watch the steady rise and fall of your chest and listened to your calm breathing and occasional huffs as you slept peacefully. A fresh breeze wafted through the open window and past the curtains in your shared bedroom. He saw goosebumps rise on your arms before you curled into your blanket more with a satisfied hum in your sleep.

The moonlight from outside the window, shone through a crack in the curtains and landed on your form in a way that perfectly illuminated your features, wrapping you in an ethereal veil of liquid silver, that was contrasted by the molten amber-gold of his irises which continuously wandered over your sleeping form.

He softly placed his hand over yours, carefully tracing patterns over the back of your palm with his thumb and feeling your warmth under his touch, prompting you to smile in your sleep.

As he watched you lie there so peacefully, his heart suddenly grew heavy again, when the dim light revealed the fresh scar on your shoulder that had been caused by a wound which had been inflicted during one of your commissions for the Adventurer’s Guild not too long ago.

You had shrugged it off as nothing and had simply put a bandage over it with a nonchalant smile but Zhongli just couldn’t help but worry and be reminded how he could lose you in just the blink of an eye. He worried every time you got hurt, every time you fell ill and every time a wound healed again, letting him know again and again that your time was running out and he was yet another step closer to losing you. He often had to remind himself that you were still there, right now, by his side, so his worries and his heartache were unjustified, yet he knew, you were mortal and he was not. 

He wanted nothing more than to spend eternity with you, until bedrock turns to dust and until the sea dries out, but unlike his, your time on this world was finite and he was painfully aware that you didn’t have forever.

He had already lost so much in his life, one would assume he is used to it by now, but he was not, every time he had lost a big hole had been left in his heart, one that could never be filled again, for the person that filled it before was gone. And despite having to endure so much loss and grief before, never had he feared losing anything as much as he did losing you. Whenever it would happen, there was nothing that could ever prepare him to lose his anchor, his shield… the light of his life.

Day in and day out he was reminded of your fragility, of your mortality, of the things in this world that could potentially steal you away from him finitely, and there was nothing he could do about it. An illuminated being, a god like him, entirely powerless about the natural flow of life and it pained him more than anything he had ever experienced or was able to comprehend.

He suddenly felt hot tears spill and stream down his cheek, dampening the pillow he was resting his head on, as he lifted his hand to cup your cheek gently in your sleep. He could faintly feel your steady heartbeat under his palm and the warmth radiating off your body. You are still here.

You suddenly stirred in your sleep and drowsily opened your eyes, looking at him and smiling at him adoringly, nuzzling your cheek further into his hand.

"Hey. Are you still awake?", you croaked sleepily, equally reaching your hand out to cup his face, suddenly feeling the dampness of his tear stained cheeks under your fingers. 

"What's wrong?", you asked worriedly, gently brushing some of his brown locks out of his face with your finger.

"I don't want to lose you.", he said, his shaky voice barely even above a whisper.

"Hey, hey… what’s with this all of a sudden? I have no plans to leave, love.", you reassured, placing soft kisses on his nose and forehead and kissing his tears away, giving him a loving smile.

“One day you will be forced to.”, he wept softly. And at that moment you began to understand what it was, that was keeping him awake and it made your heart painfully clench in your chest, wanting nothing more than to kiss his sorrows away and telling him that everything will be alright.

“Hey, listen! No matter what happens, I’ll always be here.”, you emphasized as you placed your palm over his chest where his heart was, feeling the steady beat of it under your palm. “Okay?”

"If this is a contract, you better not break it."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

You cuddled closer to him, burying your head in his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and engulfed yourself in his warm embrace before drifting off into sleep once more. With the arm he placed over your waist he pulled you a little closer and placed a tender kiss on the crown of your head, closing his eyes as well.

It was no use to dwell on things of the future in the present, because all it would do was ruin the precious time he had with you and he’d do everything in his capability to show you just how much he loved you in the time you had together and make the best of it.

Do not repost, copy, translate or edit - © dustofthedailylife || reblogs, comments and asks about Genshin or my fics are always appreciated <3

Maple dividers are mine - do not copy.

TAGLIST@irethepotato @euphierosyne @x-zho @stygianoir @polalcee

(send and ask to be added/removed)

This is so sweet 😭<3 I love him,

wintertime cuddles ❄️

Nothing better than snuggling with Zhongli on a cold winter’s day.

Fluff, tenderness, just kissing and cuddling Zhongli on the couch <3

There is tea, there are blankets, and there is Zhongli.

It does not snow in Liyue, but it certainly gets cold during winter. Especially when the sun has dipped down into the clear sea, bleeding out its final rays of molten gold, allowing the moon to make its icy ascent. The air disrobes itself of its warmth, biting anyone who decides to venture out. 

The cold aside, it is a beautiful evening like any other in Liyue.

You choose to spend it indoors on the sofa with your lover, sipping tea and basking in each other’s presence. Not to mention the cuddles to be had on cold days like these, where physical proximity solves all issues one may have.

Your cheek is pressed against Zhongli’s, and a sigh of contentment escapes your lips as he pulls your body even closer. The blanket that covers you both is a lovely, thick brown comforter, but even its softness pales in comparison to that of Zhongli’s lips. Tender kisses are trailed along your skin, and he nuzzles you affectionately when you kiss him back. 

He shifts slightly for your comfort, tilting your chin up for another one of his gentle kisses. His hands are warm, partly an aftereffect of the cup of tea he had held seconds prior, but mostly due to his own inner fire. 

His lips ghost over your neck, warm breaths coating the skin in gentle puffs. He kisses you there once, twice, thrice, until your contented sighs mingle with his. 

“You’re so warm…” you breathe, gazing up adoringly into Zhongli’s own loving amber eyes. 

He lets out a quiet chuckle as you press further into him, wrapping an arm around you protectively. “Well, I become whatever my beloved needs.”

“So in the summer, will you be made of ice for me?”

“Perhaps,” he says, laughing again. 

You hum, content with that answer, and cup his cheek for a quick kiss. “I love you.” “I love you too.”

You sit in silence for a short while, snuggling while taking sips of tea every now and then. It’s a comfortable silence, but you know Zhongli will be breaking it any minute now.

And that moment comes as he refills his teacup. “How about a story to pass the time?”

“Mm, that would be wonderful,” you say, and Zhongli lets your head rest comfortably on his shoulder as he begins to tell a tale of the past, his words punctuated by kisses here and there while running his fingers through your hair.

day twenty | ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ

"Was I ever going to be told about this, or was I supposed to accidentally discover it myself?"

tags: pet names, fem!reader, established relationship, reader is preganant, dragon!zhongli doing dragon!zhongli things because im a simp, nesting, tooth rottingly fluffy

ao3 link | taglist | masterlist

hello everyone ^^ this segment of the zhongli flufftober that is now just 31 fluffshots is inspired by this ask! i recommend checking it out so you know what the original context was :) i had so much fun writing this, i was literally kicking my feet and giggling like an imbecile... anyway I've been told by a couple of betas on some other works that i may have a slight over reliance on dialogue so I've been working on setting the scene a bit more through description, please tell me if this slays or not.

i am down so astronomically bad for family man zhongli be still my beating heart and ovaries cause wtaf

Zhongli's favourite part of the day is easily six pm when he can hurry home from the funeral parlor to see you. But over the few weeks, he's been becoming more on edge as the clock tends to the end of his work day. He's never particularly enjoyed being away from you for long, granted, but he always wants to be at home now.

On his way home, he passes through the market stalls and finds himself drawn to a couple of stands, musing over how the wares would suit your home perfectly. Before he knows it, he's bought a ridiculous amount of goods and is staggering under the weight of it as he returns home to you. He'd only meant to buy the vase, but then he'd been drawn to some woolen blankets and pillowcases with golden threads, and how could he ignore his instincts when they were calling out to him so loudly?

"You're finally home," you smile when he comes through the front door. You dare not ask about the ridiculous amount of things he's been buying recently–when you do, he looks at you with confusion, as if you're supposed to know what he's doing. You don't. At all. When it comes to Zhongli and his instincts, you've learned to ride the wave and accept whatever you're told.

Zhongli lowers his head to kiss you, manoeuvering his pile of goodies out of your way. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm great. How are you?" You shoot back snarkily. You know that's not what he's asking—he's asking about whether the baby's been good today or whether you've done anything particularly exciting with the sudden excess of time you've been granted since taking maternity leave.

"I'm well, thanks," he replies, chuckling and your evasion of his question. You do this almost every day, withholding the detail of your day from him until he sits down and gives you his full attention—something he can't do while carrying a whole mound of knitted goods.

"I'll tell you more after you put that away. Where are you putting all that stuff anyway?" You ask, and Zhognli shrugs.

"Places." he smiles, heading upstairs. The aforementioned place is your room—not that you spend much time in it. In fact, Zhongli's been in your old room more often in the past three months than you have since you moved in. As your pregnancy progresses, you seek him out more than usual, desperate for his comfort. And so, his room has become a shared room. Not that he particularly minds.

When he returns downstairs, he lies down, resting his head in your lap, and you tell him everything you've done today, absent-mindedly braiding his hair as you talk. He likes being close to your stomach, even though you're barely showing, and listens attentively, asking questions about your adventures. Nine times out of ten, you both fall asleep like this, and you awake in the morning in your bed. But today, you wake up before Zhongli does, having napped earlier in the day, and carefully slip away from him, slipping a pillow under his head where you once had been.

The sheer amount of knitted things Zhongli brought today has made you want to revive your old hobby of crocheting in the hopes you might be able to make something for the baby. If you remember correctly, the last time you crocheted anything was when you still used your room for its intended purpose—and not as a walk-in wardrobe. And so, you march yourself to your room, ready to check under the bed for your trunk of supplies.

Or rather, you would be if Zhongli hadn't replaced your bed with what feels like thousands of pillows and blankets.

Oh, Li, you think, wrapping a blanket with golden threads around your shoulders.

Sometimes, it's easy to forget that the man wasn't always human—that even though his body is that of a man's, his mind and soul aren't, and that sometimes old instincts kick in. Was he embarrassed? Was he worried that you'd think he's weird?

You walk towards the large pile of comforters out of curiosity. If he put this much work into it, you might as well test if it's any good, right? You sink into the blankets, curling up with one of the pillows in your hands. It feels like every part of your body is being hugged by him, no less. You can swear the blankets smell like him. Before you know it, you've fallen asleep, a golden pillow clutched close to your chest.

When Zhongli wakes up and finds you replaced by a pillow but the house silent, he's slightly concerned. Have you injured yourself while he's been sleeping? It can't be. He would have woken up. And so he's decided to search for you. Just to make sure you're alright. He can't be too careful. But you're not in his bed, and you're not in the bathroom, the study, or the small makeshift library he'd put together for you.

The final place to look is your old room, but you'd had no reason to go in there before, so why would you go now all of a sudden? But of course, that's where he found you, curled up in the middle of the sorry attempt of a next he'd put together to try and curb his urges. He wishes he'd had enough time to finalise his preparations, but seeing you sleep so happily makes his heart swell. He sits on the floor beside the bed, carefully taking your hand in his as you stir, resting your hand on your stomach as you sit up.

"Good evening," he smiles, and you stare at him blankly as if you don't understand, a sign you've slept well. "Are you alright?"

You nod, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into bed with you. When you've finally woken up enough to talk, you look up at him and ask: "Was I ever going to be told about this, or was I supposed to accidentally discover it myself?"

"I had intended it to be a gift for you and the baby when you were further along, but I have no objections to you getting an early present." His smile is excited and bright as he pulls you closer to him, suddenly overcome with the feeling that you can never be close enough.

"This is not what I expected when I found out dragons nest." You smile against his chest.

"Well, I can't exactly bring you feathers, can I? You'd slaughter me the minute I step over the threshold, so this will have to do."

"I can think of worse places to sleep," you smile, kissing him lightly. "Thank you. I love it."

© 2023, thesparklingwriter. please do not copy, edit, repost, or translate.

taglist: @ainescribe

The Conspiracist

Someone claims Rex Lapis has returned, and tries to con you and Zhongli into giving offerings…obviously, it doesn’t work.

★彡 just you and zhongli low-key bullying a scammer

It’s meant to be a normal evening, just you and your husband Zhongli shopping for incense for your home, when a mousey-looking man traipsing along the marketplace holding out an offering basket draws your attention. Zhongli, ever the curious man when it comes to affairs of his nation, suggests approaching him to see what his deal is. You oblige, but almost immediately regret it.

“Rex Lapis has returned to us!” the man says, firmly shaking his fist up in the air.

For a moment you wonder if Zhongli’s secret has finally been found out, but when you turn to him you see your husband smiling warmly. “Could you please elaborate, good sir?”

He wastes no time in doing so. “Rex Lapis has re-descended from Celestia, reborn! He is currently taking some rest within a cavern deep in the Chasm, and hopes that his people will worship Him with more fervour than before!” Ah. A conspiracist.

“Yeah, well it’s more likely that I spend every night in bed with Rex Lapis,” you retort with an eye-roll, and you just faintly hear the chuckle that escapes Zhongli’s lips.

The conspiracist, however, draws in a sharp gasp. “Excuse me!” he exclaims, “that’s utter — utter blasphemy! Rex Lapis would punish you for saying such a thing!”

“What kind of punishment?” you ask, grinning, and beside you Zhongli clamps a hand over his mouth so as not to laugh even more.

Looking even more scandalised, the conspiracist quickly shakes his head, muttering under his breath. “At any rate, I will ask Him to keep you and your husband safe – as long as you drop some offerings into this basket here.” He holds out the basket, rattling it impatiently.

Zhongli, having composed himself once more, ignores the basket and rubs his chin thoughtfully. “But if Rex Lapis has truly returned, how have we not been informed of this matter?”

The conspiracist puffs his chest out authoritatively. “He has personally selected myself as His humble messenger of truth and prosperity.” Once more, he rattles the basket. “I accept - I mean, He accepts both items and Mora.”

“Might you kindly take us to Him?” Zhongli asks, still not caring about the basket. “I would love to converse with Him face to face.”

“He wishes not to be seen by many mortal eyes just yet!” cries the conspiracist, his moustache twitching. “And besides, the road to His cavern is dangerous and can only be crossed by those blessed by Him!”

Zhongli holds up his Geo vision, a small twinkle of amusement in his eye. “Then it would please you to know that we are allogenes of the very element he holds reign over.”

Now it’s your turn to giggle as you see the mousy man’s face redden like a Jueyun chili. He stumbles back. “Would you look at that, the moon is rising!” he says hurriedly, “I must return to His side lest He lose patience with me.”

“Ah. A shame. Well then, give my regards to Rex Lapis.” Not even bothered with hiding his smile, Zhongli also peers into the so-called offering basket. “Ah, and let it be known that He prefers Cor Lapis over Noctilucous Jade. Also, seafood is a definite no-go, unless you plan on finely chopping the fish.”

Casting a glare, the conspiracist declares that perhaps Zhongli must know nothing about the Geo Archon, and with a huff, he struts off – perhaps on his way to swindle someone more malleable to his tastes.

You snicker, looping your arm with Zhongli’s as you two return home for the day. “So, apparently you don’t know anything about the Geo Archon?”

Zhongli chuckles in return as he pulls you closer. “Oh dear, it appears so. How unfortunate. Whatever will I do now?”

“Let’s wallow in our misery all evening with a nice book and our new sandalwood and jasmine incense,” you bemoan mockingly.

“And after that, you shall lay in bed with Rex Lapis, hm?” He only laughs as you playfully punch his arm, all of a sudden feeling slightly bashful in front of your own husband.

"allow me to comfort you?"

zhongli x gn!reader

genre: fluff/reverse comfort

word count: 1.1k

tags: zhongli is SO SAD. IM SORRY. uhhhhh cuddles, lots of em, kith kith, nightmares, zhongli is dragon boi

tw/cw: ig zhongli has some sort of what i guess could be called anxiety but that's kinda it

a/n: decided to double post this week because i have exams and this is my way to destress, enjoy :)

ps... this is not very well proofread

opening your eyes in the morning is normally quite a peaceful feeling, especially when your boyfriend is with you, as he would normally have his arms wrapped around you, lovingly awakening you from your slumber. however, today seemed different, or rather, tonight. 

you were awakened to the feeling of movement, and a rather dragonic looking man stirring next to you in bed. 

was he having a dream? a bad one? you could’ve sworn this was the first time this had happened, and you weren’t sure what to do. 

after a moment, you sat up, and decided to awaken him, as you could see the golden patterns on his arms glowing every few seconds, which after knowing him for a while, you came to figure meant he was in some sort of distress.

you grabbed his arm and started to move your hand up and down gently, as to not startle the man too much. some people might think its a risk not worth taking, to awaken a literal sleeping dragon, and even you knew the man had the potential to hurt you, but he never would. you trusted him, more than anything. 

after turning on the lamp at the bedside, you began making more effort to awaken the man. 

“zhong. my love, wake up”

after about thirty seconds of attempting to awaken him, the man suddenly sprung upwards, breathing heavily, and catching hold of his surroundings. he scanned around him, before grabbing onto your hand and looking down, closing his eyes. 

shortly after you began to hear gentle sobs from the man. surely this can't be right. rex lapis, crying…?

“hey, what happened? you okay?”

you quickly realised however, that these questions were pointless, and that he was not going to respond. instead, you opted for pulling him closer to you, wrapping one of your arms around his broad shoulders, and holding his hand with the other, gently stroking his thumb. 

his gentle sobs continued for a few minutes, before you moved your hand from his and used it to pull his head to your chest, where you presumed he could perhaps find some solace as you ran your fingers through his hair. 

when his sobs finally slowed down, it took him a moment to pipe up. 

“surely this position is uncomfortable for you, aren’t my horns hurting you, or digging into you somewhere? i can make them g-”

“shh, i’m okay. promise.”

“v-very well”

after another moment of silence, he spoke again…

“i am... sorry for awakening you. i cannot remember the last time this happened, but it was truly long ago”

“my love, you have nothing to apologise for. do you want to talk about it?”

“i suppose it would be improper of me not to offer up an explanation after so crudely awakening you like this… i dreamt that… they left me”

“they left you…? who?”

“the liyuean people. i dreamt that they abandoned everything here, that their archon was no longer worthy and-”

was he crying? again?

“hey, you’re okay. it was only a dream”

“i’m sorry, i do not have these experiences often, which means that they only feel more real to me”

you wipe the tears from beneath his eyes, and lean up to place a gentle kiss to the top of his forehead.

it was still an odd sight to see zhongli crying. 

"i know, darling, i know”

“may i talk to you about something? If you wouldn’t mind lending an ear?”

“that's exactly what i'm here for, ‘li” 

“very well. truthfully i sometimes feel as though a lot of my person is a façade. of course i am required to believe that i am powerful, otherwise i would not hold my position amongst the seven, but honestly i sometimes feel that i am not enough for the people here in liyue. i have given them everything i have, but what if that is not enough? what if one day, liyue, rex lapis, morax and zhongli are all left in the dust. what if it is all forgotten? if my efforts are put to waste?”

“zhong. when was the last time you interacted with a liyuean? they all know that you care for them more than anything, do not let your own self doubt get in the way of that, or you will become blinded by your insecurities. you are doing a good job, take it slowly. after all, fate awaits us all, and there is very little that can be done about it. i promise you, the people of liyue love you. i love you”

“i love you as well, dear. sometimes i just worry.”

“i know. i cannot even begin to imagine the amount of pressure you are under.”

you used your hand to tilt his face towards yours, before easing his worries with a kiss.

“shall we lay down dear? i still feel apologetic for waking you up”

“sure, but just this once, allow me to comfort you?”

“very well”

you moved to lie flat on your back, as zhongli moved himself closer to you, resting his head upon your chest.

“is this okay?” 

he asked, wondering if the position was comfortable for you. after all the man did have literal horns poking out of his head.

“mhm! can i play with your hair?”

“please, do. that sounds ever so pleasant at this moment in time.”

and so you moved your fingers to entangle in his hair, gently massaging his scalp as he let out a large yawn, wrapping himself tighter around you.

“i love you, y/n”

“love you too, ‘li”

after a few moments of pleasant silence, you piped up again, with intentions to ask the man if he had calmed down any.

“zhong?”

“zhong~?”

ah. he was sleeping. 

“sleep well, prince”

and all of a sudden, began a low, rumbling, purring noise, from somewhere in the mans chest. an ability you were completely unaware he had, but for some reason the sound soothed you, and let you know he was calm, and happy in your presence. 

you placed a gentle kiss to his head once again, before drifting off into your own slumber. 

you awakened to the feeling of gentle kisses being placed upon your shoulder, by none other than zhongli himself, who was obviously very impatiently waiting for you to wake up.

“ah, you're awake. good morning, dear”

“mmm, morning zhong”

“did you rest well?”

“i did. you?”

“me too”

“why of course, i'm not sure why i asked”

“what is that supposed to mean…?”

“you started purring in your sleep last night”

“i did WHAT?!"

This is so beautifully written, I'm in love with this piece. Ndownekee helelmee

The tenderness, Zhongli just yearning for the feeling of humanity-😭 I'm a sucker for this fic

◊ title:: seen

◊ pairing:: zhongli x f!reader

◊ wc:: 1.9k

◊ warnings:: nsfw. mdni. mentions: war, blood.

◊ a/n:: my first nsfw zhongli piece. i love this man fiercely - every. last. inch. of him.

your relationship with zhongli began as one of acquaintances, but quickly and effortlessly turned into a fond friendship. it didn’t take long for both of you to act on your mutual attraction and for months now you’ve had…something…with him.

you’ve spent time together with increasing frequency: taking long walks in the outskirts of liyue when time allows, enjoying long, fascinating conversations that keep you both up until ungodly hours of the night, and sharing moments of physical intimacy. chaste kisses have turned hot and passionate. wandering mouths and hands. you’ve spent him with your hand numerous times, turning the inside of his pants creamy white just as he has done to you. in the beginning, you’d asked him a couple of times to take his gloves off, to touch you skin to skin but he would suddenly withdraw every time, leaving both of you panting and needy with no release.

you didn’t know why - he refused to talk about it. your best guess was that his hands were littered with unsightly scars, about which he was terribly self-conscious. but you stopped bringing it up months ago, deciding that his gloved touch was better than his absent touch. no matter how fiercely the raging fire in your loins burned for him, however, so long as he couldn’t be naked with you, you’d never let him bed you.

the markings on zhongli’s skin have been with him over the millennia, even after stepping down as the geo archon and relinquishing the title of rex lapis. shirking his identity as morax did nothing to rid him of his physical appearance, leaving him with the permanent, heavy reminder of his godship. he just wants to be a man now, to have a human experience; to just be himself, free from stifling decorum and tremendous responsibility.

he longs to show himself to you, to be honest and transparent about who he is but the fear of what you might think of him when you see him - all of him - when you discover who, no, what he was has been holding him back. recently, however, he has given it much thought and reasons that if exposing himself revolts you, it’s better to rip off the bandage, as it were - to get it over with so you can both go your separate ways before either of you get too invested or hurt too badly.

as far as zhongli is concerned, your likely rejection is all but a foregone conclusion, and damage control is the best he can hope for.

a night on the town ends like so many before, on top of your bed, tongues swirling and zhongli’s hips nestled between your open thighs, grinding his clothed erection against your throbbing clit. his slacks are darkened where his girth pushes painfully against the fabric - a sinful mixture of your slick and his prespend. a few feet away, his coat hangs atop yours over the back of your sitting chair; his shoes sit neatly underneath. leave it to zhongli to keep order even as his carnal urges take hold. 

pushing himself off you, zhongli kneels between your legs and rids himself of his tie and waistcoat. he watches you carefully to gauge your reaction as he takes his rings off of his thumbs. your heart leaps with anticipation when he begins to loosen the thin, black barrier from his fingers until a couple of deliberate tugs are all that’s needed to free his hands.

rough and battle-worn, they all but glow with a complexion of brilliant gold. the former archon feels naked; revealing his discolored flesh to you is just like being in a state of undress. your eyes widen, making zhongli feel the urge to pull away and cover his skin again. you open your mouth and look up at him, speechlessly searching his eager gaze, but for what? an explanation? confirmation of his suspected identity? so many questions churn through your mind, but there will be time for that later.

it warms your heart to see the man formerly known as morax, once feared by legions of warriors, standing before you, vulnerable and insecure as you admire the same hands that wiped them out long ago. you take both his hands in yours, turning them over before bringing one to your cheek, holding it against your warm skin as you press your lips to his palm.

zhongli releases his bated breath, watching adoration fill your eyes as your curious fingers meander into the long sleeves of his dress shirt. his heart quickens as you expose his wrists, the skin gradually darkening to match the ore of his old namesake. your eyes find his again as you gingerly bring your fingers to the collar of his shirt. 

“may i?”

“y-yes,” he says, closing his eyes as you begin to unfasten the buttons, starting at his collar and working your way down at an unhurried pace. the simple act causes his adam’s apple to dip under your touch and his member to twitch inside his slacks. his naked chest rises and falls, the skin there pale and unremarkable save for a small patch of dark hair. it tickles your soft lips as you kiss his flesh, his pectorals flexing at your unexpected but very much welcomed affection.

you finish with the final button, your covetous eyes taking in every ridge and valley of his musculature. zhongli shudders as your hands explore his stomach beneath the beige linen, the heat of his skin seeping into your fingertips as they traverse the length of his torso. reaching up, you slip your hands into his shirt just beneath the collar and begin to push the expensive material away from his shoulders. it falls away, down his perfectly toned arms, uncovering what the lore describes with surprising accuracy. 

intricate vein-like lines thread their way upwards along his battle-carved arms, etched into his flesh like the stone he once commanded. from his wrists to his shoulders, the graduation of colors reminds you of the forging of a new weapon in fierce heat. along his forearms of scorching amber and biceps of carbonized iron, geometric patterns glow with the same color and intensity as his bright, golden hands. his shoulders are just this side of black; dark brown like old soil, dense and compacted by the weight of the world and centuries of war pounded into them.

you see him. nearly every human to have existed in the past few thousand years would recognize his distinct markings anywhere. you now know who he used to be, but do you see him as the man who stands before you in this moment, or as the god who greedily ended entire civilizations?

“this changes nothing,” you murmur, sensing his needless worry. “zhongli,” you bring your hand to his face and ghost your lips below his ear, “do you not know by now that i can read you like one of your myriad books?” his breath is warm against your cheek when you press your mouth to the corner of his lips, whispering tenderly. “the color of your skin will not stop me from seeing right through to the core of you. you are a beautiful man, inside and out.”

zhongli’s heart rattles his ribcage, beating so hard like it’s trying to escape his chest to get at you. all the air rushes from his lungs as he turns his head to kiss you properly, devouring the taste of your lips.

you reach back and unzip your dress, letting it fall to expose your flushed breasts before guiding zhongli’s xanthous hands to them, wordlessly encouraging him to touch you. liberated from months of bridled desire, he cups and squeezes your soft flesh, a string of saliva snapping between your lips when he lowers his mouth to your tit. he suckles and swirls his velvety tongue around your pebbled nipple as his hands grab and pull your waist closer. he relishes the soft moan that you reward him with, yearning to hear other sounds he might be able to coax from your pretty mouth.

your wandering hand finds and squeezes his erect cock, aching and jumping at your touch. he sits back on his haunches, his breaths coming hard and fast through open lips. you watch his golden, elegant fingers unbuckle his belt and open his uncomfortably tight trousers before leaning over your body again.

you’re both locked in a desperate kiss when you reach down and slide your fingers inside his waistband, feeling the familiar heat of his impressive length as you free him. the resounding depth of zhongli’s voice when he groans into your mouth has you clenching around nothing. he so urgently removes your dress that the fabric rips in a few places, eliciting a pitiful whine from you at the sudden glimpse of morax’s deep-seated power emerging with his need.

with your fingers indisposed, fisted in his amber-tipped locks, you resort to unsuccessfully pushing his pants down his thighs with your toes. he takes over, making no waste of time working them down his legs, growling in frustration when they briefly get stuck around one of his ankles. you snicker at his plight and he gives up.

“good enough,” he huffs with a smile before settling between your legs, pants long forgotten when his naked cock nestles against your cunt for the first time.

your eyelids slide closed, zhongli taking advantage of your exposed neck when you roll your head back at the feeling of his hardness dragging against your slippery clit. your inner thighs hug his naked hips as he sucks and nips at your pulse point. he hasn’t even entered you and you’re already so close to your climax.

zhongli reaches between your bodies and rubs the throbbing head of his cock along your wet slit before nudging at your entrance, your hips rising off the bed to meet him. your walls spread around him as he pushes inside you, coaxing a long, low moan from his parted lips.

“archons, yes…” you sigh, your mouth hanging open at the exquisite stretch zhongli’s thick girth provides as he fully sheathes himself inside your heat. you paw at his black shoulders, his muscles dimpling under the pressure of your fingertips when he begins to move with slow, shallow thrusts.

the same golden fingers that slayed gods centuries ago now brush stray locks of your hair from your face with tender care. you wrap your arms around his neck, holding him fast to your body as though he might disappear if you let him go. 

“i have wanted you like this for so long…” he mutters against the damp skin of your neck, his movements gaining in speed and depth. there are a thousand things you want to say to him, but his sculpting of your insides to fit his shape has left you breathless and unable to form a single coherent thought.

he raises up onto his arms and laces his glowing fingers between yours, gently pressing your hands into the bedding on either side of your beautiful face. watching your body move with his, zhongli is filled with deep satisfaction and the first flutterings of love at the edges of his heart.

you turn your head to press your open lips to the warm, dark skin of his bare arm, quietly gasping his name as his erect length drags sweetly along the wet walls of your core. your soft skin pressed so intimately with his - stained with earth and the blood of many men - confers your approval of his naked form with far more eloquence than any words ever could. your full acceptance of his true self turns his gaze from his lonely past. his focus now lies ahead and all he can see before him is his future with you by his side.

zhongli mlist

i hope you enjoyed reading this as much as i did writing it. 😩😮‍💨 if so, reblogs are greatly appreciated!! 🧡

Caught in the Act

Pairing: Reiner Braun x f!reader

Word count: ~ 5.2k

CW: Minors do not interact, smut, f!reader, modern AU, slightly self ship coded (but not in a noticible way, I hope!) basic pet names used (princess, babe, etc), established relationship, light teasing, male masturbation (briefly), fingering, unprotected sex, creampie, cursing, not proofread, and if I'm missing any tags, please let me know so I can add them!

A/N: It's been awhile since I've tried writing smut so this is the first time in awhile and I'm still rusty so it's not nearly as descriptive as I could be but hopefully that'll come back to me as I attempt to write more little bits like this. This wasn't proofread so it'll probably have some mistakes that I'll maybe edit later.

Summary: You and Reiner have the day off but as you have plans earlier in the day, you decide to text your boyfriend a teasing photo while you're out. When you return home, you catch Reiner in the middle of pleasuring himself, which leads to you facing the consequences of sending the photo to him in the first place.

Reiner hated that he wasn’t going to get to see you nearly as much as he wanted today. The two of you had the next two days off but you had appointments scheduled and you planned on going to lunch with your best friend. All of which meant that he was going to have to find things to do while you were out. You had already written out the grocery list and as much as the blond man didn’t want to go shopping on his own, he knew it would be something he could do so he didn’t spend all day at home pouting because he couldn’t cuddle with you on the couch.

As usual, Reiner woke before you and as much as he wanted to wake you up with kisses, he knew where that would lead and you had already warned him last night that he would have to keep his hands to himself as much as possible until you got home again. So he settled for gently brushing some hair out of your face before softly saying your name.

You woke up, blinking slowly as your eyes adjusted to the dim light in your bedroom. You smiled lazily at your boyfriend and leaned in to steal a soft kiss, laughing when Reiner grunted when you pulled back. You rolled out of bed, feeling Reiner’s honey colored eyes watching your every move. You glanced over your shoulder at him with a raised eyebrow and watched as he climbed out of bed as well.

“I’ll go make us breakfast,” you said by the time you were halfway out the door.

Reiner watched you walk out of the room with a sigh before getting out of bed as well. He dug out some clothes from the closet to pull on, not worrying too much about what he was going to wear. By the time he joined you in the kitchen, you were already cooking pancakes for the two of you. He huffed softly as he sat down at the table to watch you. What he really wanted to be doing was standing behind you with his arms around your waist but he didn’t want to incur your wrath either so he was trying harder than usual to behave himself.

You laughed as you glanced back to see him sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hand, pouting. You shook your head at Reiner’s dramatics but didn’t beckon him over like you usually would. If he was going to try to keep his hands to himself, you weren’t going to try to tempt him. You didn’t have much time this morning before you knew you had to leave for a handful of routine doctor’s appointments. Today was the first day you had enough free time to schedule the appointments. Had you known in advance that Reiner was going to have the day off today too, you would have put off the appointments a little longer so you could have today and tomorrow all to yourselves.

You set a plate down in front of Reiner before sitting down by him. Your foot absently started to brush along his calf and he nearly choked on some of his breakfast when he felt it. The only reason you stopped was because you could see the way his face started to flush and how his chest was starting to rise and fall erratically.

You both chatted a little, with you reminding him that you should be home around 3 that afternoon and then you would be all his. It was a lot of time for your boyfriend to try to fill so he wouldn’t think of you too much but Reiner thought he could do it. When you got up from the table to get ready to clear it, he jumped up to do it first, shaking his head as he took the plates from your hands.

“Go get ready, babe. I’ve got this,” he said before leaning down to kiss you, the plates balanced in one hand. Unlike when you kissed him earlier, Reiner was slower to pull away from your soft, plump lips. When he did, he grinned to himself at the slightly dazed look on your face. “I’ll see you around 3.”

You headed for your bedroom, laying out your outfit for the day on the bed, before you shuffled off to take a shower. Reiner heard the water running and groaned to himself as he finished loading the dishwasher. The temptation to try to join you in the shower was almost too much for him to take. He headed down the hallway, stopping at the bathroom door and taking a deep breath. He had to steel his nerves before opening the door because he didn’t think he would have the willpower to stop himself from joining you otherwise.

“Y/N?” Reiner called out softly, poking his head in the door. If he stepped into the steamy room, he knew he would lose all resolve so he lingered at the door. “I’m gonna head out to go grocery shopping. If you think of anything that you need or want that’s not on the list, just text me.”

“Okay,” you said, not even bothering to look over toward the door. You knew what would happen if you did and you were still trying not to tempt the blond man. “Everything should be on the list though.”

“Mhm,” was Reiner’s absent-minded reply as he stared at the glass shower doors, just able to make out your form as he watched you. He suddenly shook his head when he realized what he was doing, clearing his throat. “I’ll see you around 3. I love you.”

You turned off the shower just as Reiner spoke but you didn’t move to exit the shower just yet. “I love you too, Rei.”

He quickly shut the door, feeling his pulse already starting to quicken the moment the water turned off. Reiner closed his eyes as he leaned his back on the door, trying to get his mind off of the thought of you naked on the other side of the door. He knew he could resist but part of him really didn’t want to wait until later today to ravage you. When he heard the blow dryer going, Reiner took another deep breath and pushed off of the door to put on his shoes.

It wasn’t long before he left, not wanting to linger too much longer. If he focused on the errands that he had to run, he would make it through the day. At least that was his hope. He knew he could probably even run to the gym to work off some of the sexual tension that he was feeling this morning. Anything to keep his mind off of you.

You hadn’t heard Reiner leave but you slipped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around yourself nonetheless. The house was quiet so you knew he had probably left. When you got to the bedroom, an idea started to form in your head. You wanted to give Reiner something to look forward to so you made sure you put on his favorite bra and panties set. It was one that he had picked out for you when you had been out shopping together and any time that you wore it, Reiner couldn’t keep his hands to himself.

Once you had it on, you moved to the full length mirror on your closet door, snapping a picture of yourself. You smiled a little at the photo after taking it and decided to wait to send it to Reiner later. You checked the time and knew you had to rush to get ready but you were out the door just in time to hopefully make it to your first doctor’s appointment on time.

*** *** *** ***

You had finished most of your doctor’s appointments and were now waiting in line at the pharmacy to pick up your prescriptions and some vitamins and supplements when your friend texted you about lunch. You texted her back that you would meet her in 20 minutes. Since your phone was still open, you smirked to yourself as you quickly sent Reiner the picture you had taken earlier with a ‘can’t wait to see you at 3’ added for good measure. You already knew what Reiner’s reaction would be when he saw the photo so you knew you would be in for it when you got home but that was the whole point.

Once you got everything and paid, you headed out to your car. Your phone went off and you checked it once you were in the car only to find what amounted to a keyboard smash from Reiner. It was quickly followed by a text calling you a little minx, telling you he was going to make sure you won’t be able to walk tomorrow. With a smirk, you texted back to tell him that was your hope before tucking your phone away so you could drive.

*** *** *** ***

Reiner knew he was going to need to work off the sexual frustration he was starting to feel after your text. He had gotten it while he was eating lunch at a small cafe. He had already shopped and put all of the groceries away at home, busying himself as best as he could. He had even gotten a bouquet of flowers to put on the kitchen table to surprise you. Since he didn’t want to be stuck at home, he had decided to go grab some lunch and to make a stop at a shop that he knew you liked where they sold handmade chocolates.

He had barely started to eat his lunch when the text arrived and immediately Reiner was shifting in his chair, trying to readjust himself. Your response hadn’t done anything to calm him down either. Reiner closed his eyes and softly groaned, trying to think of anything other than that photo you had sent him. That was when he decided the gym would be his next stop instead. His gym bag was still in the trunk of the car so he wouldn’t have to stop at home for anything.

He put his phone in his pocket to stop himself from looking at it again before he focused on the food in front of him. It was taking more of his willpower than he thought to keep his mind off of you though. But he knew he could do it. Because he knew when you got home, he was going to bend you over the arm of the couch if he had to so he could remind you how much he missed you.

*** *** *** ***

You had been surprised that Reiner hadn’t tried calling or texting you again but you made it through lunch without hearing from him. Your last appointment, the one with your therapist, was canceled due to your therapist having a family emergency so you headed straight home, hoping to surprise your boyfriend. You parked and headed for the door with a little bounce in your step, excited to see Reiner again after spending most of the day away from him.

When you opened the door, you heard the soft sounds of Reiner moaning and whimpering from the living room. You bit your bottom lip softly, feeling your breath catch for a moment before you slipped off your shoes. You quietly set your keys on the table by the door and left your purse by the door. You didn’t want to disturb Reiner after all as you started toward the living room. The sounds only got louder as you got closer and you could already feel your excitement growing.

You stopped in the doorway, softly gasping at the sight before you. Reiner was sitting on the couch, his t-shirt pulled up to expose his abs and a bit of his chest. He had his sweatpants pulled down just enough to free his cock, which he was furiously pumping with one hand while holding his phone in the other. You didn’t have to get any closer to know what it was that he had his eyes fixed on as he fucked his fist.

You could feel your body heating up, the throbbing between your legs starting to grow. If you kept silently watching Reiner, you knew that feeling would become unbearable but you also knew that he wouldn’t leave you unsatisfied once he became aware of your presence. The waiting would make it sweeter or that was what you kept telling yourself as you felt your legs shake just from hearing Reiner whimpering your name as his hand pumped faster and faster.

The phone fell from his hand as his head fell back, eyes closing as his hips bucked up to meet his own thrusts. His chest rose and fell frantically as he started to cum, the sticky stream coating his stomach as he continued to work himself through his orgasm. It was clear that he was trying to coax out every last drop as he grunted and groaned, your name obscenely slipping out from his slightly parted lips as Reiner started to pant softly.

“Fuck, baby,” you murmured but you clearly spoke louder than you had meant because you saw Reiner’s eyes open to fix his soft gaze on your face. Without realizing what you were doing, you had started to walk toward him, watching as his face flushed.

Reiner’s blush spread all the way to his ears as his face heated up with embarrassment. He started to quickly clean himself up, muttering some sort of apology as if you weren’t supposed to see him doing that just now. He pulled down his shirt and pulled up his pants as you stopped at the edge of the couch.

“You act like I’ve never seen you do that before,” you teased, your eyes slowly looking him over. “I’m usually the one getting all shy while you watch.”

Reiner swallowed thickly, shaking his head. “You weren’t supposed to be home yet.”

You let out a soft laugh as you sat down on the arm of the couch. You saw the way your boyfriend looked you over though, his pupils still blown and a lustful look in his golden colored eyes. Your body trembled a little as he started to shift to stand up, looking up at him with your eyes widened. Before he reached you, you slipped off of the arm of the couch and started to back away from Reiner, giggling softly.

He followed you, moving slowly but deliberately. He was like a predator stalking his prey. He wasn’t in any hurry because he knew it wouldn’t be long before he had you trapped. You weren’t looking at where you were going but Reiner knew that soon your back would be up against the wall. You let out a soft oof as your back hit the wall and Reiner chuckled, quickly closing the gap between the two of you now.

He pressed his large muscular body against yours, licking his lips. He looked like he was about to devour the most delicious meal ever and honestly that wasn’t too far from the truth because he was ready to devour you. His hands moved down the sides of your body slowly until he was able to lace his fingers with yours. He chuckled when you offered no resistance to him, pinning your hands above your head.

Reiner held them there with one large hand wrapped around both of your delicate wrists. He looked down at you with an almost lopsided grin on his face. He used his other arm to lift you easily and you immediately wrapped your legs around his waist. He pressed his hips hard against yours and you let out a gasp as you felt that he was hard again already.

When he captured your lips in a kiss, it was rough and hungry. His tongue didn’t politely ask for entrance into your mouth. Instead he pushed his tongue into your mouth forcefully but you didn’t hesitate to part your lips for him when you realized what Reiner wanted. You moaned against his lips, your hips rolling a little against him but he didn’t stop. He wanted to remind you that you were his with this heated kiss.

Just when you started to feel dizzy, needing to catch your breath, he finally pulled back from your lips. His lips were soon trailing messy kisses along your jaw as he worked his way toward the side of your neck. You tilted your head enough to give Reiner more access to the soft, sensitive skin of your throat and he took full advantage. He soon had you moaning and whimpering his name as his lips and teeth grazed your skin. He made sure to suck on the most sensitive spot at the crook of your neck, leaving a mark behind.

You were panting as he pressed himself against you a little harder, rocking his hips so his clothed cock rubbed against you. You whined softly, his name falling from your lips once more as you struggled slightly in his grasp. There was no getting away from him and he enjoyed the way you tried to squirm with his body pressed up against yours.

“You’re not going anywhere, princess,” Reiner roughly whispered before his lips brushed against your neck again.

“Please, Reiner,” you whined, begging him for something. It was difficult to say if you were trying to get him to loosen his hold on your wrists or if you wanted more of him although it was likely a combination of the two. You wanted to touch him, to show him how much you wanted him. The best you could do while pinned to the wall was to attempt to grind your hips against his.

He groaned as you moved in just the right way to create a delicious amount of friction between your bodies. It was only a hint of what would come but his hand released its hold of your wrists as he moved to slip that hand under your shirt until he was cupping and massaging your breast. You gasped but one of your arms wrapped around his shoulders as your right hand slipped into his hair.

As your nails lightly scratched his scalp, the movement of Reiner’s hips became a bit more deliberate. Each movement was nearly a thrust of his still covered cock against your still clothed pussy. Your back arched away from the wall as much as you could with your much larger and stronger boyfriend still pressed against you.

Reiner pulled you away from the wall, one arm firmly holding you against him although your legs around his waist helped. He didn’t say a word as he carried you to the bedroom, leaning down so your back was now pressed against the firm mattress of your bed. Immediately his lips were back on your throat even as he started to undress you. You were just as eager, pulling up his t-shirt and whining when you couldn’t get it over his head because his lips were still attached to your skin.

Reiner chuckled softly but he pulled back and let you remove his shirt, taking the opportunity to do the same to you. Both pieces of clothing were haphazardly tossed to the floor and soon after almost all of the clothes you both wore were lying in random spots on the floor. Reiner was completely naked but you were still in that bra and panty set you had put on this morning to tease him. He smirked as he looked down at you, letting his fingers play a little with one of the straps of your bra.

He let his eyes slowly drink in your form as you laid beneath him, a hunger in his eyes that was greater than any you had ever seen there before. He was kneeling on the bed, his knees on either side of your thighs. “Mm, kinda wanna fuck you just like this, love,” Reiner said, almost growling the words as he let his fingers trace the curves of your breasts. Soon his hands were trailing down your body and he chuckled as he watched you shiver and squirm beneath him.

His hands stopped at your hips and it wasn’t long before you were trying to spread your legs a little more for your boyfriend as one of his large hands slipped down between your legs. Every brush of his fingers on bare skin made your whole body tingle but when his hand reached the crotch of the lacy panties you wore, you nearly whined for more. He let two fingers slide in the side of your panties, slowly teasing you as he let his fingers explore a bit.

Reiner smirked at the soft whimpers that fell from your lips as your hips rolled upward slightly. You couldn’t seem to form words while he took control like this, your head too dizzy to focus on anything that wasn’t Reiner’s touch. He tsked softly and shook his head even as the tips of his fingers dipped inside of you, making you gasp.

“You’re so wet already for me already,” he said even as he pushed his fingers deeper, watching your eyes flutter closed. Reiner reached his left hand up, lightly grasping your chin and tugging to tilt your head up slightly. “Uh-uh, princess. Eyes on me.”

You slowly opened your eyes as you felt the pad of Reiner’s thumb brushing and tugging at your bottom lip. You parted your lips and bit down on his thumb before leaning your head up enough to take the very tip of his thumb into your mouth to suck on it softly. If you weren’t so wrapped up in the way Reiner already had you feeling dizzy as his two fingers pumped in and out of your pussy, you might have smirked at him when you heard your boyfriend grunt softly at the feeling of your lips on his thumb.

His long, thick fingers continued to work your core, groaning as he could feel your walls tightening around his fingers. Reiner slowly pulled his thumb from your mouth and reached down to pull the crotch of your panties to the side a little better, allowing him to push his fingers even deeper inside of you. His thumb, still wet with your spit, started to lazily circle your clit, making your back arch gently off of the mattress.

“You look so pretty like this,” he softly said as he quickened his pace, his cock almost aching. But Reiner wasn’t stopping until he made you come undone for him with just his fingers. He could feel how close you were already but he didn’t let up the pace, wanting to give you every bit of pleasure he could. “Fuck, y/n, you feel so good.”

You wanted to respond but anything that wasn’t a moan or Reiner’s name seemed to die on your tongue before you could form a response. Your hands were gripping the sheets beneath you, tugging on them as your hips rolled up to meet the thrust of his fingers. He knew just how to touch you so it wouldn’t be long now but you also knew if Reiner wanted to prolong this, he could. His fingers found that sensitive spot inside of you, hitting it just right with each thrust to make you lose all sense of thought.

“A-almost,” was the only word you could gasp out before your back was gently arching off the mattress again, your lips parted in a soundless moan.

Reiner groaned, his thumb changing the pattern he used to rub your clit. He felt your walls tighten even more around his fingers and his hips actually bucked at the sensation but he never took his eyes off of your face. He could see the blissed out look your features took on as he felt you starting to cum.

“That’s it, baby,” he cooed even as you whined softly, your body writhing beneath him. His fingers continued to work to draw out the pleasure you felt. He was almost certain that the sheets would be soaked by the time he was through with you tonight. “Shit, you look so good like this. Just a mess for me.”

You couldn’t keep your eyes open as Reiner continued to finger you through your orgasm, your toes curling as you repeated his name like a prayer. Your hips were rolling to meet each thrust of his fingers and you felt his cock brush against your inner thigh, which nearly caused you to cum all over again.

Reiner slowed his thrusts as he heard you whimpering, easing his fingers out of you with a self-satisfied smile on his lips. He waited until you were looking at him again, your chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. Then he slipped his fingers, wet with your slick, into his mouth. He hummed around his own fingers, licking and sucking every bit of wetness off of them.

“Reiner,” you whined, your hips rolling gently in anticipation. You wanted more. You wanted him inside of you. You wanted all of him but you could tell Reiner was enjoying the tease right now. Still you watched him intently as his fingers slipped out of his mouth and he started to lean toward you.

You reached up and pulled him down toward you, making the blond man chuckle at your eagerness. Still he pressed his lips against yours, taking his time as he kissed you. You could taste yourself on his lips as you parted yours to brush your tongue along his seam of Reiner’s lips. He moaned as his lips parted and you slipped your tongue inside his mouth. Your kiss was hungry and filled with your desire for him and he started to ease the tip of his weeping cock inside of you as you continued to kiss.

Your nails lightly dug into the back of his broad shoulders as you moaned into his mouth. His hips moved to ease more of his throbbing cock inside of you as your right hand slid up until your fingers tangled into his short cropped blond hair. Your hips rolled forward as if to help him enter you completely and Reiner’s hands slid down until he was gripping your hips, holding you still as he paused his movements.

You whined softly as he pulled back from the kiss, trying to wiggle gently against his hold but it was no use. You weren’t going anywhere as Reiner kept his cock sheathed inside of you, both of you breathing heavily. Your eyes rolled back the moment that Reiner’s hips began to move again, pulling back and snapping forward. You tugged at his hair as his pace began to build slowly.

“That’s it, princess,” Reiner cooed, his voice rough with desire. His thrusts were growing rougher with each movement that he made. His eyes were heavy lidded but he didn’t pull his gaze from you, wanting to see every expression as he pounded into your pussy. “Take it. Take all of it.” 

It wasn’t long before the only sounds filling the room were the lewd sounds of skin meeting skin with each thrust of Reiner’s hips and the desperate whines and moans coming from each of you. He reached one hand out to grip the headboard while the other held on to your hip to keep you pinned to the mattress. Each of you panted and whispered moans as Reiner’s pace quickened.

“Ahh- ahh- fuck!” he groaned as he felt your walls tightening around his cock. His hips stuttered a little before he recaptured that steady rhythm from moments earlier. “You close, baby? Huh? F-fuck … come for me then.”

Your heels pressed a little into the backs of Reiner’s thighs, causing his thrusts to become shorter but no less rough. If anything, he found that he was able to fuck you harder and faster this way. Your eyes rolled back as your neck arched gently and Reiner took the opportunity to kiss and suck on the soft skin of your throat, trying to leave more marks on your skin so there would be no doubt who you belonged to.

Your orgasm ripped through your body suddenly, like a coil in your belly suddenly snapped, and it seemed to pull your boyfriend right along with you. He was whining softly as he came without warning, filling you with his cum. His thrusts were erratic but they didn’t stop as he rode out his own wave of pleasure. Reiner was panting as he finally slowed to a stop, pulling out of you with a sigh.

Your eyes fluttered open as you fixed your slightly dazed eyes on the man that was leaning over you. He was supporting most of his upper body weight with his arms as he watched you start to come back down from the high of him making you come. You couldn’t feel it yet but in the morning your body was going to be sore and there would be bruises on your hips and anywhere that Reiner had deemed fit to bite down or suck on your skin. Right now you were still running on adrenaline as you smiled lazily back up at Reiner.

He reached out and lightly brushed away some of the hair that had stuck to your sweaty forehead. He heard you hum softly, making him laugh. You were clearly still too blissed out to form words. Once he had caught his breath enough to speak, however, he shifted slightly to lay on his side beside you, pulling your body tight against his own before softly whispering near your ear.

“I’m going to get a bath going for us,” Reiner said as you turned your head toward him. He watched you nod and laughed yet again as you attempted to steal a kiss although your lips connected with the tip of his nose instead. “I’ll strip the bed and get the sheets washed too. Okay?”

You nodded as you felt him carding his fingers gently through your hair. You attempted to get up when Reiner moved and he shook his head at you. Still you stood on shaky legs, causing your boyfriend to swoop in and scoop you into his arms, carrying you bridal style as he headed for the bathroom.

“So stubborn,” he teased and you laughed softly as you rested your head on his shoulder. He carefully set you on your feet near the toilet and you held on to the counter while Reiner started to run the water, checking the temperature before plugging the tub to let it fill with the warm water.

“I’ll be right back,” he said as he headed to the door and again you nodded silently.

Once he was out of the room, you stripped down and quickly used the bathroom. You tried to clean yourself up a little but you ended up sitting on the lid of the toilet as you waited for Reiner to return. He smiled softly as he saw you sitting there before he quickly turned off the water. He held out his hand to you and helped you into the tub, moving to sit behind you. You sat between his legs and leaned your back against his chest, letting out a soft sigh.

In the quiet of the bathroom, the two of you let your bodies relax and your tense muscles unwind. Reiner held you, placing soft kisses along your shoulder occasionally. And while the two of you still had the rest of the night to yourselves, this moment was all that you needed.

[papamin au 🐅] nanamis new tie 👔

Calamus et Gladius

Stolen from a foreign army to participate in the Culling Game, speaking little to no Japanese with just a rifle for self-defence, the reader partakes in a bittersweet dance of death and love, with Higuruma Hiromi.

Warnings: 18+, MDNI, enemies to lovers, murder, use of firearms, the desperate smut of two traumatised people who fall hopelessly in love.

This is long, but I make no apologies, because the payoff is worth it.

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You were used to violence. You were used to senseless bloodshed. Used to rains of bullets, flinging shrapnel, your ears ringing with explosions and screams.

Yet, it was your own screams that rang through you, as an enormous gavel split the earth where you had just stood.

Your entire unit was dead, almost fifty men and women lured into Tokyo Colony One, and you scrabbled back on grazed hands, kicking feet, as this ink-haired monster stepped slowly through the rubble and gore, black eyes fixed on you with the rage and fervour of a justified killer.

He appeared to hesitate only briefly as your face crumpled up at him in tearful rage and despair, desperation. You did not move to grab the rifle on your back; a threat of retaliation would be your downfall.

Despite being the only one of your unit who had had something new, something alien awakened within them, you had developed no fantastical technique. You had no mystical weapon. You had no roiling blue flames engulfing your fists. You had only the ability to sense others like you, and the horrifying stop-motion beasts that now sullied your sight. It was enough, at least, to hide.

"Please-- please--" you begged, the last attempt of a cornered woman. Your back pressed against the wall, the wide street around you a no-man's land of rubble, overturned cars and bloody splatters. The man's hand tightened on his gavel, his other raising to swipe flicks of black fringe off his forehead. He frowned, stopping. You noticed his distinctive hooked nose, crinkling in disgust.

"English," he offered, thickly accented, neither a question or a statement. You gulped, nodding with urgency, any dialogue an opportunity to re-establish his humanity.

"Innocent," you insisted, hands raised in front of you, disarming, "I'm innocent." That word, the man seemed to recognise, and he blew air through his nose, snorting in mirth.

"Innocent?" He asked, sarcastic.

He knelt down in front of you, his eyes still offering no mercy, but he spoke to you so conversationally. He reached one long finger out, tapping the rifle on your back, coming back round to stroke you teasingly along the side of your cheek, holding it so tenderly. His words washed over you, meaningless, until you caught one you could understand as he stood up.

"...sorry." His arm raised, the head of the gavel blocking out the sun, and you took your chance.

Your hand darted, and you flung a handful of brick dust into his eyes as he spat, staggered, cursing. You brought the butt of your rifle round to slam into the side of his head, and although he barely faltered, you ran for your life, darting down alleys, your heart bursting in your ears.

You heard no footsteps chasing you. He could have...but he didn't.

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Just one easy kill.

The others had all gone down so hard, Hiromi thought, stepping into his swing, barely missing the foreign woman, the gavel making a buckled crater in the tarmac instead. Hiromi tsked, annoyed, kissing his teeth. Watching her squirm on the floor to save her life, a worm from a bird, Hiromi's gut churned-- ugly.

Murder was so easy. The power to beat scum at their own game was intoxicating. Hiromi stepped after her, so far removed from his old self. His usual self? He wasn't sure.

His keen eyes built the woman's character, hawkish and unforgiving. Young...naive. Soldier...killer. No Japanese...lazy. Pleading...pathetic. Not fighting...coward. By the time she began to beg Hiromi, she was already barely human in his eyes. Swiping his hair upwards, and tightening his grip for the deathblow, he spat, "English."

She caught his eye, and Hiromi felt the barest seed of guilt in the back of his mind, an itch he could not scratch. She had nodded at him, tears brimming in her eyes, hands raised in placation.

"Innocent," the woman had insisted, "...innocent." Bile rose in Hiromi's throat at the familiar word, and the audacity she had to use it for herself, as if she wasn't rolling in the same pigshit as the rest of them. Hiromi's lip curled, smirking as he rubbed his nose with the side of one long finger.

"Innocent?" He stabbed. Hiromi knelt, talking at you as if you understood.

"What's that? You're the good guy, are you?" He mocked, reaching out to tap the rifle on your back, feeling you flinch beneath him, "Is it this, that makes you innocent, hmm?" He brought his hand to your cheek, stroking it with the blade of his finger, swiping away the tears that had cut a track through the dust and grime, "Or this pretty face, hmmm? Are those big, teary eyes what make you innocent? Don't make me laugh. You're scum, just like the rest of us. And natural law is at play here." He cupped your cheek once, squeezing it with the barest of sincerities in his apology as he stood.

"Sorry," Hiromi offered, lifting his gavel and feeling power churn through him, just and righteous as your executioner.

Hiromi cursed as he felt a spray of grit flung into his face, immediately disarmed by the sordid pain of sand in his eyes, further disorientated by the ear-ringing slam of something into the side of his head. He staggered, faltering.

"Oooh, you piece of shit," Hiromi cooed, vicious, spitting with venom, vision completely obscured as he tried in vain to clear his eyes. He felt you disappear, and he leaned against the wall, laughing despite himself at having been bested. He smiled, the barest tinge of admiration for your tenacity threading through him.

"Alright," Hiromi sniffed, rubbing his nose again as his vision began to clear, "catch you later, I suppose."

Hiromi tried to forget you. He tried to forget his humanity, but each life he took made him sicker, infected by this game.

Every time he closed his eyes, to sleep in some strange home-less, love-less bed, your eyes met his, impeaching him.

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Resources soon ran thin, for one who held no territory. You had your army pack, and rationed out your meagre foodstuffs, always hungry, always on-edge. You had never fought alone, in war.

You had managed to develop quite the skill at hiding, and concealed yourself, cloaked in plain sight, from even the most powerful of those left in the game. Every day that the stragglers were picked off, the stakes ran higher. Every explosive battle you ran from, dodging the falling debris thrown by titans, you felt your inherent value as an easy kill increasing.

You thought of the hook-nosed man who had let you go. Despite his willingness to kill you, you craved human contact, and found warmth in the memory of the heat of his gaze, his hand on your face, desperately trying to translate the words he had spoken to you as he caressed your cheek.

One dewy dawn, you had taken position on a sheltered rooftop, giving you equal measures concealment and oversight. With your rifle drawn, flat on your belly, you felt the ebbs and wanes of a familiar power draw closer. Curiously, it made your belly clench, eager to see the man who could have chased you, but didn't. You were itching to know why. Itching to behold him again.

Your heart leapt as he stepped into the street, at least four stories below you. Even from this distance, you could see the intensity of his furrowed brow, the noble bearing of his shoulders beneath a great black overcoat. His tie hung, dishevelled, loose-knotted. He was hunting.

He paused, tiptoed on a breath...before rolling, gracefully dodging as a knife of Cursed energy ricocheted through the street, splitting it. You gasped, your eye moving away from your rifle lens, watching in awe as he took to battle with another man. While he seemed to hold his own, he appeared distracted, and was buffeted, winded by an almighty hit, knocked onto his back, elbows on the ground.

A strange panic overtook you as your hook-nosed man's assailant bore down on him, power surging, preparing to murder--

-- a gunshot. A brittle, echoing bang. The assailant's head snapped forwards, and he fell, killed instantly, face first on the ground in front of your hook-nosed man.

He panted, his face sprayed with blood. With a few owlish blinks, his eyes tracked upwards. You held your breath, adrenaline coursing through you. As the man stood, eyes fixed on you (in rage? murderous intent? thanks?), you jolted to life and took aim on him.

He did not raise his hands. There was no standoff, as he made no move to save his own life. In the moment that he accepted his death for the attempt he had made on yours, something in you both softened, seeing each other as you saw no others. A gentle impasse. The intimacy of differentiation.

It took everything you had in you to break eye contact, and run.

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Hiromi mulled beneath the shaky warning of your rifle.

You were afraid, he thought as he gazed up at you, so sickeningly grateful for having been chosen by you. The mist of his opponent's blood drifting through the sunrise, picked Hiromi out as somehow preferable, in your mind.

And, why should you not be afraid? He saw you beneath him, again, your eyes soft and begging him for mercy. You had been defenceless and entirely in his palm. He had been relieved, he recalled, that he could kill someone easily. The begging made you passive. Hiromi could have vomitted, sickened by himself.

He stood, arms raised slightly to his sides, his profile illuminated by sweet morning sun, waiting for death to take his hand.

Hiromi felt embraced by your eyes. Wanted. Some companionship, in death...until you refused him his end. The red string between you both seemed to snap as you broke eye contact and ran.

Alone, as the sun broke above the skyline, Hiromi whispered; "Thank you."

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There was no way out. Starving and desperate, days had passed since you had saved your hook-nosed man, and you had crept through haunted streets to a convenience store, unusually well-stocked with food and drink.

You bit your tongue for your own stupidity at having walked into such an obvious trap. No amount of being able to hide one's Cursed energy could compensate for being seen walking into the shop. Crouching now, behind shelves of ramen, tears trembled on your lashes, an aching lump in your throat.

You heard a mocking voice, cooing at you, laughing at you, and you blushed with indignant tearful injustice, not needing language to know when you were being assaulted for your sex. You were afraid of death. You were more afraid of being used beforehand.

With nowhere to hide, and no grit to throw, you tipped your head back and thought of those black embering eyes, holding you in his gaze.

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"Are you hungry?" The voice chirped, teasing, mean, "Come out, baby. I've got something here in my pocket you can taste." A filthy laugh. Slow, easy footsteps. Willing to rape you before he killed you. Hiromi felt himself burn with fury, ready to wring this man's neck with his own two hands.

Hiromi walked the streets easily, now. His power had come on in leaps and bounds, and he both trusted in his own abilities, and feared nothing of death. Not since you had held his life in your hands, and thrown it straight back in his face.

He was a disordered eater at the best of times, but, a sudden faintness from hunger sent him seeking food. Hiromi knew some dirty little spider had built a web at an abandoned store, and did not fear a man who sought to ensnare the desperate.

Let him try me, thought Hiromi as he approached, lit by the sickly orange glow of streetlights, and see where it gets him.

Just a few steps from the entrance, Hiromi paused mid-step, his heart hiccuping in his chest. It was you. Inside the store, your Cursed energy faltering and so overwhelmed by that of the spider. Hiromi's lips parted, to call for you, a hand in the dark. He stopped, gritting his teeth. No-- this would not do, he thought, as he began a hunt of his own.

The spider was so obviously distracted by excitement, thrilled to find a woman in his dirty little trap. He had found you, by the time Hiromi reached you, in time to see you flung, body smashing against the counter, curling and coughing. Hiromi stepped behind the spider, seething, overburdened with terrible strength.

You had looked up in time to see your hook-nosed man wind an arm round your assailant's neck, throttling him, dragging him backwards out of the store. The hook-nosed man's face was twisted, ugly with rage...and for what? For you?

If your Cursed-energy had been no match for that of your assailant, his was dwarfed by that of your rescuer. Still coughing, doubled over on your hands and knees, you crawled to the entrance, watching the streetlights flicker above your hook-nosed man as he choked the life out of your assailant, merciless in his conviction.

You knelt there, drinking in his profile, in that sickly orange glow. His sharply squared jaw. His black overcoat, shrouding him like Death itself. Panting and cursing as his arms shook, your assailant fighting weakly beneath him. Choking the life out of a man, a murder most intimate. For you. Killing, with his bare hands-- for you.

Time hung in suspended animation in these small hours. Your rescuer sighed, the tension releasing from his shoulders as he knelt back on his haunches. He appeared devoid of guilt, at having carried out his sentencing. Slowly, as if fearful of what he would see in your eyes, he turned to you, kneeling in the doorway of the shop.

Your eyes met. You studied each other in silence. He had a way of making you transparent. You had a way of making him exposed. His panting slowed, palms flush to his thighs, offering you a cautious smile, as your eyes glimmered in the dark.

"English," he spoke, by way of greeting.

"Nose," you returned. He frowned, uncertain.

"N..?"

You reached up to stroke your nose, and repeated, with a smile; "Nose."

His hand reached up to mirror yours, realising, and he burst into laughter, rich and genuine. You blushed, burying your face in your hands as he continued to laugh. He wiped his eyes, fingering the hook in his nose again, looking at you with those deep embering eyes that wholly undressed you.

"Nose," he repeated, chuckling, "Subarashī." Your bit your lip in mirth, looking anywhere but at him as he tried to catch your eye again, mischief twinkling in his.

Hiromi stood, stretching his shoulders back with a husky groan, tipping his neck from side to side. He stepped over to you, and you felt, ridiculously, so teenagerish as the odd duality of your hook-nosed man made your belly twist. You saw a long-fingered hand enter your line of sight. You looked at it questioningly. The fingers wiggled in invitation.

With a shaking hand, you took his. He pulled you up and smiled at you, swinging your hand briefly in his before releasing it, waiting for you to step into the shop before he followed. You browsed for food, as if Saturday-Night-Snack-Hunting as a couple, in safe silence.

Shivering as the adrenaline wore off, your stomach clenched with terrified nausea to hear explosions, shouts, drawing ever nearer in the street outside. Your hook-nosed man looked up, hangdog eyes wide, flicking from you, to the street, and back again. He gritted his teeth, bundling packets of food into the pockets of his overcoat.

You found yourself manhandled, his heavy coat suddenly on you. Your rescuer's hands moved deftly, smoothing the coat across your shoulders, searching for words, irritated by his intelligence in one language and his stupidity in another.

"Cold-- hungry-- go," Hiromi pressed in broken English, spinning you as you protested, urging you through the back door. You turned in the doorway, your eyes begging him to...what? To go with you? There was no time, no time--

Hiromi materialised his gavel, and crouched, snarling at you: "GO!" He roared, steeped in regret as you sprinted away, guarding your life like a child.

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Your hook-nosed man began to leave you breadcrumbs; tickets to safe havens, food, shelter, beds. You felt the vestiges of his Cursed-energy wherever you followed his trail, haunted by the path of devastation he left to build you sanctuaries.

Your dialogue budded, and combined with his notes and signs, you began to learn more about him. His notes, secreted away in scrawled English, street signs flipped to point in alternate directions, and crude maps drawn on dust-caked windows, all added colour and life to him.

Hiromi took a little joy, his cold heart popping to life, at the little hearts you drew in the dust; signs of acknowledgement, a tiny thrill.

You found yourself drawn to a bookstore, and scoured the shelves, looking for a particular something, a matching pair. You found hints of him in the pockets of the hook-nosed man's overcoat; a business card, in Japanese. A handkerchief, curiously embroidered with two gold initials-- H.H. A set of housekeys with a key-finder fob. A pair of chewed pens. You still thought of him as "Nose".

Hiromi still thought of you as "English", as he caught himself differentiating you from the others. Still steeped in this depression, this black-dog-misery and ugliness, he saw you, a light in the dark, who hid yourself to protect yourself as well as others, from needless violence.

They were all ugly...except, perhaps, for you.

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You sighed as you slipped into the hot bath, water up to your chin in the great, deep basin of this luxury hotel. You were impressed there was still a hot water supply, and you felt a gleeful coil of naughtiness, knowing you would never usually be able to afford to stay in such opulence, all marble tiles and gold taps.

Fighting for survival did not negate the fundamental craving for little joys, and you took advantage of the selection of complimentary soaps, scouring yourself free of grime with happy hums. You sang to yourself, quiet in the evening hush, just you and your languid splishing--

-- oh. A cautious approach. A familiar power. You clasped the lip of the bath, sinking your body under the water.

"...hello? Nose?" You called out. You heard the click of a lock, quick feet stepping in, locking the door behind him. A single held breath.

"...English?"

You blushed, pressing your lips to your knuckles, white from how tightly you gripped the bath. Hiromi's cheeks prickled faintly, hearing soft splashes from the bathroom, seeing your clothes discarded over the bed, your rifle leaning against it. You cleared your throat, wanting to talk, not knowing where to start.

"Mhm." Hiromi smiled at your little squeak, sitting with a groan and creaking knees, his back against the wall beside the bathroom door. Separated by this thin wall, he reached a hand around the doorway behind him. You giggled to see his long fingered hand offer you a jaunty wave.

"Konbanwa, English," he offered. He jolted to feel your little hand, warm and wet, squeeze his. His thumb grazed over your knuckles, smooth, examining, probing in a way that made your belly tight. You reluctantly released his fingers, humming in thought as you reached out of the bath into your backpack, searching for something.

Momentarily, Hiromi felt something gently tap the side of his head around the bathroom door, and he giggled, a noise which made you paddle your feet in delight. He reached up, taking a Japanese-English dictionary and phrasebook from your hand.

"Ahhhhh!" Hiromi hummed, genuinely thrilled, "Yoi aidea." He skimmed through the book, hunting again, and you paused, listening.

"Good idea!" He stated, confident, and he squirmed to hear you laugh at his janky pronunciation. Hiromi wanted so dearly to see you, to know you were uninjured, and instead scoured his little book again.

"Hurt?" He asked you. You softened, responding automatically.

"Ah...no, I'm...hmm," you flipped through your own book, "...uhm...daijōbu desu?"

Hiromi hummed, satisfied. You talked this way, for some time, gently brushing the outskirts of each others' language and personality. Hiromi corrected you. You corrected him. The bath grew cold. The light began to die behind the windows, casting you both in deep shadow and amber glow.

At some point, in the conversation, your hands had trailed together again. Hiromi now leaned sideways against the wall, his cheek pressed against it, eyes closed as his fingertips grazed the inside of your wrist.

You lay in the bath, shivering, feeling your heartbeat between your legs from such an innocent, intimate touch-- except, it did not feel innocent in intent. Perhaps, that was what made you squirm.

"Stay safe," Hiromi whispered to you, his fingers drawing circles on your palm, his next word crumpling your face with barely restrained tears, "Afraid."

Hiromi bit his lip in anguish, eyes squeezed shut to see you in his mind's eye, so desperately touch-starved as you pressed a kiss to his palm. He felt your lips remain, nose ghosting against his pulse. He imagined those lips on his own, and he was filled with an anxious need to taste you, to lift you from the bath, wrap you up in the bed and his arms, safe.

Fully distracted by thoughts of you and your sweet cries beneath his body, Hiromi almost missed you holding out your book to him, pressed open at the start-- and a name, your name, written neatly on the page. You offered this, all the while wanting to step to him from the bath, and offer him the feel of those clever fingers, examining the rest of your body.

"Oh..." Hiromi whispered, reverent, squeezing your hand as he swiped his thumb over the faint imprint of your written name, repeating it aloud slowly. Hearing him speak your name, almost had you climbing out of the bath and into his lap. You closed your eyes, imagining him crying it out as he peaked, buried deeply inside you. You burned with the urgent need to know him.

Just a few seconds later, Hiromi's hand reached round the corner, offering his own book back to you, with his own name written in your own alphabet, jolted and square.

"Higuruma...Hiromi?" He hummed, happily.

"Hiromi," you repeated, and he hummed again, delighted by your name on his lips. You tucked your dictionary away, thrilled, reaching for a towel.

"It suits you. I love it." Hiromi understood just one word you had uttered, and it sent joy creeping down his spine. He pressed his forehead against the wall.

Pull yourself together, Hiromi, he thought, it's just loneliness and desperation. Nothing else. No amount of logic and self-chastisement stopped his mouth from moving independently of his mind, as he flicked through your dictionary, imbued with your name.

"Bed. Stay. Please." Silence. Hiromi pressed the corner of the dictionary to his head, cursing himself under his breath. Idiot, pathetic little moron, stupid--

"Yes."

Hiromi's stomach swooped, missing a step, hearing you climb out of the bath. You steeled yourself, blushing furiously, to wrap a towel around yourself and pad out to the bedroom. Hiromi turned his back to you, but not before seeing the graceful curve of your leg, the wet cleavage of your breasts, the towel barely skimming the tops of your thighs. He breathed slowly, clawing back his self-control as you dressed behind him.

A long, slow whistle, belonging to neither of you, broke the silence, and your blood ran with ice water.

Voices spoke, Hiromi spitting threats, in this language that still gatekept against your understanding.

You jacked sideways, still topless, seizing your rifle as Hiromi demolished the doorway with a single wide swing of his gavel. You heard laughter from the corridor, and you hurriedly pulled your top and Hiromi's overcoat on, fixing your rifle on your shoulder to take aim.

Hiromi backed up to you, wrapping one arm behind himself and around you, fingers splayed against the small of your back. You understood none of the venom spat between Hiromi and this hidden assailant.

Your nerves on a knife-edge, you sensed movement behind the shattered brickwork of the doorway, and fired, a deafening blow in this enclosed space. A spray of blood and an enraged shout through the drifting plaster-cloud saw you hit your mark, and Hiromi exclaimed, shocked and delighted, squeezing your waist.

"I've seen better shots than that from her, bastard" Hiromi warned, "and if you think she's easy prey, you've got both of us to take down."

"Hiromi," you gasped, hyperventilating, "Hiromi-- Hiromi--"

Silence through the room; Hiromi's ears rang. He pocketed your dictionary, and grasped your cheeks, eyes fixed to yours and wordlessly reassuring you as he turned you towards him from the doorway. You felt your heart bounding in your chest, hands loosening on your rifle as you drank him in, breathed the same air, panting, together--

--it was all too fast. Hiromi's eyes fixing behind you. His panicked shout. Being thrown sideways onto the bed, a glassy smash, a scream that may have been your own--

Hiromi and your hunter plummeted in an outward spray of glass, two inky blots fading into the night.

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You had searched so desperately. Nothing could assure you Hiromi was still alive. There were no breadcrumbs left in the dust; nil but blood, and so much of it, beneath the shattered hotel window, so many stories up.

You had run your hands through it, clotted with the rubble, needing to feel him within the grisly spill-- alas. Too many residuals passed over this land. Too many battles fought, too many lives spent and saved, for clairvoyance to be what repaired your fractured heart.

You steeled yourself. Adversity goaded you to try harder. To do better. You took to the hunt yourself. You amassed points from potshots, hidden in curious places to execute nasty little opportunists who sought dominion over the weak.

While you had had no experience of the Kogane-- the odd, winged shikigami which acted as an interface between the players and the game-- in your passive state, they now became regular visitors, updating you of your points total. You had assumed they could not speak your language-- you were wrong.

Witnessing, from afar, one day, another player asking Kogane a question, your stomach rolled with nausea and hope as you called the black-tailed beast to you.

"Kogane?" The creature appeared with a pop. Your mouth opened, and closed, faltering over your words.

"Kogane, is-- is Hiromi Higuruma a player in the game?"

Silence-- and an answer; "Higuruma Hiromi is a player in the game--"

All of the air left your lungs in an enormous gasp, a heaving cry of relief as you doubled over, your hands cupped over your mouth and nose, tears streaming down around your fingers, before the Kogane had even finished giving its report.

"Thank you-- th--thank you, Kogane," you sobbed, blinded by your own tears. This tiny demon, to whom manners meant nothing, hung impassively. It disappeared with a pop as you spun away, cloaked with conviction.

You turned on a pinhead, cocking your rifle ready, and stalked off through the ruins; all of your steeling wisped away like ashes, your heart on the battlefield, knowing your vulnerability was out there, alive.

You decided now, with a smile at the thought of those beetle-black eyes, to hunt not for business, but for pleasure.

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Hiromi felt the damp all the way to his bones, in these heavy, wet clothes, made heavier still by the excruciating weight of his crimes. The theatre door swung closed behind him, and he leaned his back against the wall, crouching, the palms of his heels pressing so hard into his eyes that he was blinded by lights.

He had fallen beyond salvation, and it gnawed at the rotten wood of him, eating him alive. Feeling his brain judder, his tie too tight, the walls too close, the silence too deafening, Hiromi tried to collect himself. He pressed his palms to his thighs and breathed; in through his nose one two three four five and out through his mouth one two three four five.

Feeling his heart rate slow, full of equal parts light and dark, Hiromi called out into the gloom, straightening slowly.

"Kogane." The creature appeared with a pop, waiting, patient. Hiromi spoke your name, and then, hesitant--

"...is she a player in the game?" A heartbeat. Two. Three.

"Confirmed--"

Hiromi did not hear the rest, buckling to his haunches with a primal cry of gratitude, and a few moments of dry sobs as his fingers raked through his hair. Chest heaving, he breathed again, one two three four five, one two three four five.

In the space taken for one breath, Hiromi decided not to find you. You, who had always chosen not to fight. You, whose pleading eyes still haunted him. You could not be sullied by his rot.

Hiromi stepped out into the night, a porcelain man checkered with cracks, seeking only to rebuild a world worthy of you.

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He's here.

Climbing the stairs, fine piano music rang distant, its notes bittersweet, cherries in kirsch. Your feet carried you unbidden and you ascended, the notes becoming sweeter, feeling him, closer, playing this Siren's song.

Stepping into the doorway of the skyline bar, he must have felt your approach. The lights were low, refracted through a hundred hanging glasses, a hundred under-lit bottles of vim and vigour. The room sprawled out in an expansive, long C-shape, and your heart stuttered to see Hiromi at the end, pale fingers moving across the piano, white-shirt-shoulders burdened by the weight of his song.

You felt him build in the music as you approached, each note demanding more of him, and more and more and more and more--

There was only the briefest hitch in the music, barely perceptible, as you slid onto the bench beside Hiromi. He did not look up, his mouth set in a grim line, his eyes pressed tightly shut.

Consumed by the need to feel his skin on yours, you reached out, your hand ghosting over his. In a flash, Hiromi's hand darted up to grab yours, fingers tangled, as his other hand continued to move, playing this bisected song. A few moments passed, this way, with Hiromi pressing his lips and nose to your knuckles, his face contorted, conflicted-- pained.

"Go," he whispered, breath fanning over your hand, "bad."

"I...I don't--...bad?" You turned towards him, to hold him, and he jerked, twitching away from you, and you felt your heart tug along with him.

"No. Me. I...am bad." You shook your head, more and more fervent as Hiromi twisted away from you, quietly cursing, husky, tortured. He tried to release your hand, and you refused, plaiting your fingers in his, steadfast in a way that filled him with an animalistic urge to appreciate you.

You turned from him, your other hand resting upon the high keys, pressing gentle, uncertain notes. Overwhelmed by your closeness, and your insistent faith in him, Hiromi softened to watch your profile, backlit from the liquid glow of the bar. Your small hand, moving softly over the keys. Your heart beating like butterfly wings in your throat.

"No. Not bad. Lost. Lonely. Sabishī."

Every moment of belief you handed him, pulled Hiromi closer to the light. Swallowing thickly, he brought your joined hands to the keys, laying his palm over the back of yours, overlaying your fingers with his own. He pressed, soft insistent touches, on your fingers, guiding them to play. You felt your belly coil with odd pleasure, captivated by Hiromi's hands, all at once gentle and rough, smart and instinctual--

"Hiromi--"

"No. Stop." Hiromi tensed, his voice rough, fraying alongside his self-control. His hand shook over your own, the notes stopping now. Heat burst through you, certain he felt it too, this dangerous need, and his name forced its way out of you again, a challenge.

"Hiro--"

Hiromi spat venom again, growling and cursing as he stood, lifting you by the waist, sitting you upon the keys with a spray of notes, his arms shaking as they pressed beside you, trapping you in. Nose to nose, his breath on your lips, his face twisted with fury and need, Hiromi whispered to you.

"Stop. My name--" Hiromi shook, on his last thread, half a step away from using you--

When your hand snaked to his tie, tugging him closer, your other hand sinking into the back of his hair, Hiromi snapped.

His lips pressed to yours, hot and hungry, his body closing the rest of the distance to be flush between your thighs. Your mouth opened to him, feeling his urgency as he drank down your stolen breath, one hand tilting your head back to consume you, the other dragging through the plush rolls of your belly and hips.

Every kiss was hot and anguished, punctuated by Hiromi's low rolling voice, not needing language to feel the fervour and vice on his lips-- "--won't be gentle-- I'm sorry I-- I can't--"

You insisted your understanding on him the only way you knew how; fingers working his tie off and draping it round your own neck, locking your legs around him to press his aching cock against your core, undoing his shirt in a desperate flurry, all notes and fingers and tongues and moans.

You tasted rum in his mouth, all spice and brown sugar, and his hand wandered to your throat, feeling your pulse there before tilting you backwards, arched against the hood of the piano. With your head rested back, he spoke to you, shirt now unbuttoned to his navel, cock straining against the material below a trail of black hair.

"--making a mistake to let a monster put his mouth on you, English-- let's see what sounds you can make." Your khaki t-shirt was pulled off over your head, where Hiromi let it catch around your hands, twisting it to bind you. Hiromi kept you gripped this way, leaning over you, caging you in as he gripped the cups of your bra between his teeth, yanking them down to free your breasts.

Hiromi shuddered and moaned, feeling a drop of pre-cum soak into his boxers, as he flattened his tongue over your nipple, rolling, tasting, pulling you between his lips, nuzzling from side to side like an animal. You mewled, jutting your hips involuntarily, and Hiromi pressed back, pleasuring you with rough, sharp thrusts against your clothed pussy.

Hiromi leaned back, releasing your nipple with a hard suck, gazing down at where he fucked himself against you, mesmerised by the way you shivered and humped against his cock. Unabashed, his words falling over you like strange-eyed constellations, Hiromi fucked you with his voice--

"--cum like this, and I'll give you my fingers...cum like that, and I'll give you my tongue-- fuck, I'll eat you alive, you fucking goddess--"

As Hiromi spoke, all twisted rage and growls, his hips slammed into you, spurred on by your squeaks and whimpers, gripping the fat of your hips to ram your core against him. The pleasure was brutal, all harsh fabric friction and Hiromi's unrestrained adoration, and you tried to hold yourself together as you were dragged to orgasm, your frantic hands pressing disjointed chords on the keys beneath you.

Hiromi wanted to, needed to cum like this, with you, knowing he'd be able to continue fucking you after until he collapsed in your arms from exhaustion. Pausing only briefly to reach into his boxers, and angle his angry, throbbing cock upwards so the bulbous tip pressed between his waistband and belly, Hiromi's eyes rolled back in unadulterated ecstasy as he continued to fuck you against him.

You were both close, having been unfinished even by yourselves for weeks, and Hiromi's eyes burned into yours, feral with the need for you to finish with him, feeling your thighs tense around him as you babbled, fully understanding your meaning behind the nonsense--

"--gonna cum-- please-- Hiromi-- harder--"

You pressed back against the piano, arching with a high-pitched cry as hot pleasure burst through you, from your deeply aching clit outwards, crackling through your fingers, all white-hot sparks and embers. Watching you convulse against him, angling his hips to rut his trapped cock tip, feeling his thighs and belly set alight with the force of his orgasm, his hands planted either side of you, back twitching as he came with a bark.

Still riding the last waves of your orgasm, you watched him in fascination. The sight of Hiromi's cum spurting in long, white ropes onto his navel and yours, his agonised, fractured gasps, had you humping against the underside of his cock again, dragging out your peak to hear him whimper, cock twitching against your core. Your hand drifted to his belly, stroking the cum between your fingertips in a blissful haze, squeezing a thumb under the foreskin of his exposed cockhead, stroking his slit with his own lubrication.

Hiromi convulsed and growled at you, clasping your hand against him, dopey and shaking as you drank his reaction from his eyes, thumb still circling his cockhead, slippery with his seed.

"St--st--aaaaahhh..." You shushed Hiromi's weak cries, grazing your tongue over his lips, delighted as he twitched in your hand, weak little spurts of cum oozing onto your fingers. Hiromi let you continue like this, for a few seconds, before wrenching your hand away, plaiting your fingers into his own and nuzzling into you furiously. His heart leapt to hear you giggle as he bit into you, still to desperate, everything still not enough to take away this pain and this filth and this misery--

His other hand wandered down, stroking down the rolls of your belly, pinching, nails grazing, digging in all the way to your belt, undoing it with military efficiency. Not bothering to undo the button, he yanked down the zip instead, giving him enough room to manoeuvre his hand between your skin and the fabric, shucking your underwear aside to cup the wet heat of your pussy in one long hand.

Dipping his hand out to collect the cum off your belly, he thrust his hand back inside against your pussy again, teeth gritted and bared as he drank down your reactions now. He was satisfied to see the playful glint in your eyes flicker, your eyebrows raised in shock and overstimulation, teeth sinking into your lip as he rubbed your clit roughly, cum-sticky fingers rubbing broad strokes side to side across it.

"--two can play at that game, sweetheart...feels good? More? Harder?" Hiromi pressed you, in these words you didn't understand, and laughed, darkly satisfied as you wiggled beneath his hands, one hand resting lightly on your throat as you tried in vain to scoot away from him, your breath releasing in airy whimpers.

"No answer?" Hiromi moved his fingers faster, harder, your pussy squelching with your mixed cum inside your trousers, feeling you writhe beneath them, "I'll decide for you then."

Hiromi urged your orgasm to build, faster and harder this time, teeth gritted as he dragged you to the edge, growling into you as his tongue flicked roughly over your nipple--

"--come on-- know you can do it-- I'll go as hard as you like, come on, good girl--ah, there-- good girrrrllll..." Hiromi softened his movements, fingers undulating against your pussy as he pulled another orgasm from you, moving one finger from your throat to dip into your mouth, shuddering as you sucked it around your cries and whimpers.

Hiromi felt his cock beginning to stir to life again, and he committed you to memory like this, draped over the piano, wet breasts heaving, his seed dripping down your belly, eyes glazed, body supple.

Another word, that he did know in English, slipped from him, as he dropped to his knees before you, worshiping at this otherworldly alter in the moonlight; "Beautiful."

You blushed, voice catching in your throat as Hiromi smiled up at you, soft and captive in his sincerity as he unbuttoned your trousers, easing them, with your underwear, gently to your ankles, and off. Feeling suddenly so exposed, so flawed, you squeezed your eyes shut. You felt Hiromi grip your ankle with such tenderness, pressing a long, languid kiss to the delicate bones on the inside.

"English," Hiromi called, beckoning you back to him. You shook your head, blushing, eyes still closed, and he insisted. "English, please--" your eyes opened, uncertain, and Hiromi hummed in satisfaction as he began to kiss his way up your inner legs, "--beautiful."

Sighing and leaning back, one arm over your eyes, your heart bursting with the oddity of having fallen in love like this, you felt safe behind your language barrier as you spoke without a filter; "Oh, Nose. I love you. I really do."

Hiromi paused, stunned and ecstatic, his lips still on your inner thigh. He shocked you both, at how quickly his grasp of your language had come along; "And I love you, English." Hiromi chuckled with genuine glee as you clapped your hands over your face, mortified. Hiromi nuzzled into you, wickedly playful, but soon overtaken by this violent urge again--

"And...I love--" you squealed as you felt Hiromi force your thighs apart, sinking his tongue and nose quickly between your folds, groaning as he tasted the heady mix of his and your cum around your clit. His cock, almost fully hard again, throbbed, tightening his waistband as the blood rushed to it again. Hiromi reached down, releasing his cock with a sigh.

He took his time, lifting your thighs over his shoulders as he lapped at you, dipping his tongue into your entrance, tasting you, teasing you. You leaned, watching him again, and he looked up at you, hooded eyes burning as he nuzzled his nose against your clit, and held his own cock in his hand, stroking slowly. You felt jolts of voyeuristic pleasure, watching him masturbate himself to the taste of you.

"I...I like that," you whispered to him, your hand moving down to graze your nails against his scalp. You watched Hiromi like pornography as he shuddered, his cock leaping in his hand, your eyes fixed intently on his hand gliding up and down his length as you felt your pleasure beginning to crescendo yet again.

"More, I--" you moved your hand in the air as if you were the one stroking Hiromi's cock, mimicking faster movements, "--faster, Hiromi." Hiromi hummed in understanding, groaning sandy little groans into your pussy now as his hand sped up, jacking himself off harder, feeling your pussy clench around nothing beneath his tongue as you watched him, your keening cries getting higher and higher until--

-- you came again, trembling with the fluttering soft pleasure of your third orgasm, thighs clamping around Hiromi's head as he sucked your clit gently between his lips. Hiromi panted, gripping the base of his cock, delaying his high, fingers wet with more pre-cum, desperate to drag you to the floor and finish using you.

Pulling his mouth away, his hands trembling on your thighs, Hiromi's face was unreadable as he looked at the floor. Standing, dishevelled and sweating, looking up at you with feral hunger, his cock still twitching in his hand, you could see the barest vestiges of Hiromi pleading you for permission, with those exquisite dark eyes--

All it took from you was a nod. Hiromi pounced, wiry arms deceptively strong as he lifted you, legs locked around his waist, nose nuzzling against yours, teeth nipping your lips with a rumble. Hiromi whispered his mother tongue against your mouth, reaching out one hand for his overcoat, and tossing it into the floor, before laying you on your front, sinking his teeth into your shoulder blade with bruising force.

"--you're beautiful, and you're good, and I don't deserve you-- fuck, I need you now, I--I need--"

Hiromi panted above you, barely restraining himself from slamming into you immediately as he looped an arm round your neck and chest, pulling you up and forcing your back to arch. Ghosting his nose over your ear, he whispered your name, making you shiver and squirm, certain you'd break unless you felt him inside you soon.

"Ready, English?" You trembled, nodding, head tipped back as his cock grazed against your slippery folds. One hand cupped your arse, stroking softly, before slapping, Hiromi captivated by its plush jiggle against his fingers, how you cried out, how your skin flushed so deliciously.

Not holding back, Hiromi slammed into you, one forearm planted to the floor while the other restrained you against him, cupping your breasts in one squeezing hand. He shook, cursing, his teeth in your shoulder, as he felt the tip of his cock kiss your gummy walls, feeling your pussy clench around him in shock.

Prone, hands clawing at his overcoat, Hiromi felt enormous inside you, so swollen and plush after waiting to be filled for so long. You whimpered, resting your head sideways against his clutching bicep, feeling the muscle tense and jump as he rammed into you at a relentless pace, still speaking husky reassurances to you in his native tongue.

"--rest, just-- keep still and let me hold you, I-- I can't slow down anymore--"

Feeling simultaneously used and protected, caged in like this for him to chase his own pleasure, your breath came in ragged gasps, both hands now clutching the forearm across your neck and chest, head swimming with the instinctively blissful fullness of his cock, tightly sleeved within you. You felt your belly jolt from the force of Hiromi's thrusts, and pressed up towards him, proud to hear him moan in response.

Hiromi fucked you with abandon, needing this release, needing to shed his sin and worthlessness, his heart leaping to feel you fall apart beneath him. His hips began to stutter, strength abandoning him as his orgasm approached, moaning deep breaking moans in your ear, nipping, holding your neck in his teeth.

His legs buckling beneath him, Hiromi cried out in bliss, his arm shaking around you, hips flush against your arse, cock twitching long, hot spurts of cum inside your walls, feeling you pulse around him, sucking him in. You revelled in the glorious feeling of him twitching deep inside you, your belly hot and clenching as his seed seeped out between your clenched thighs. Hiromi lay above you, panting, pressing soft kisses into your hair, using his arm to roll you sideways with him, covering you both with his overcoat.

With his arm beneath your head, the other lazily stroking the curve of your waist and hips, Hiromi laughed lazily behind you.

"You love me, English, hmm?" Hiromi laughed again as you clapped your hands to your face.

"Stop, Hiromi, stop--" you cried, blushing all the way to your toes as he squeezed you closer, "-- or I will shoot you." Hiromi lifted his head, peering mulishly at you, one eyebrow raised. You scowled, pointing to your gun, and then at him, and he gasped in mock horror.

"Ara ara," he rumbled, teasing you in alien words, "so violent when you're meant to be happy."

You remembered these sweet small hours the most, after the horrors that came. You remembered lying in each others' arms, sticky and teasing. You remembered sneaking to the bathrooms, splashing each other at the sinks as you cleaned up as best as you could. You remembered laughing as Hiromi cursed, trying to clean the residual cum off your clothes. You remembered Hiromi calling for you, afraid, anxious, before you ducked back up from behind the bar, your arms full of snacks and drinks. You remembered lying beneath the piano, gazing out across the city, flicking peanuts at each other, sharing slow, lazy kisses. You remembered naively seeing a future between you, a happy life with none of this unthinkable chaos.

It was your fault, you cursed yourself, vomiting and wracked with sobs, staggering away from the devastation. If you had been able to develop your power, and pose a real threat, Hiromi wouldn't have been burdened with such a liability.

Lost in each other again, nose to nose beneath the piano, your instincts had kicked in just fast enough to kick Hiromi away, saving his life as the floor between you both split with dreadful electricity. A strange-haired, wild-eyed boy burst through the room on a voltage, bottles smashing, the floor splitting, your rifle disappearing into the chasm as Hiromi shouted for you, urging you, ordering you-- you were sure, to move, to run, to save yourself and leave him.

You could do none of them, your military training meaning nothing to this god. You could do nothing when Hiromi stepped into his path, defending you, fighting tooth and nail. You could do nothing as the floors split beneath him, dragging them down in lightning flashes, horrifying rumbles. You had fled from the collapse, leaping flights of stairs one at a time, possessed by some strange force. You had not felt Hiromi again. Powerful though he was, you could not see how he could walk out of such a fight alive.

Putting all the dregs of your energy into hiding, refusing to let Hiromi's sacrifice be in vain, you cried yourself to sleep, nose in Hiromi's overcoat, his cum still cooling between your thighs.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Each day merged into the next. Time had lost meaning. While you had the urge to fight before loving Hiromi, to have loved and lost him broke you and the future you may have had. The battleground was no place for someone such as yourself now. You cursed the injustice of it all.

Cold, dirty and exhausted, your head rested sideways against an industrial bin, praying the rain would wipe your soul clean.

You had translated his business card, with your little dictionary--

Lawyer. Higuruma Hiromi, Criminal Defence Lawyer.

Knowing this detail of his life, a sweet overlay of understanding dawned upon you, his character suddenly so understandable, his anguish shooting through you like knives, and all too late, too late--

"...English?"

Your head jerked up, to the end of the alleyway. Silhouetted, dripping in the rain, bleeding and bruised but impossibly alive--

Your face crumpled, pressed into your wet sleeves, shaking. Slow splashing footsteps approached you, Hiromi kneeling in front of you, a hand coming out to graze through your hair.

He opened your dictionary, dusty and bloodstained, before flicking to a dog-eared page;

"Found you."