still waiting for vampire!sevika or vampire!vi đ¤
Pt. 3 (can be read as standalone)
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Summary: After their (very homosexually-charged) estrangement a few weeks ago, Angel tries to bury the sour Sevika left in her heart. Sevika does the same, dismissing any meaning to be found in how she still makes sure to walk by the Five-Copper Furnace at least twice a week.
But one thing remains true: No one threatens the one who pours the drinks.
a/n: i'm a dirty filthy liar, i finished pt. 3 for bar owner reader before i even started my warmup for writing sevika's character LMFAO. will still do that prompt at some point!!
w/c: like 4.3k ish
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The world doesnât stop spinning because of one person.
Itâs a sentiment you were forced to be fond of in your life before the one you had now. People had always come and gone, it was the nature of the crime life, and it was certainly the nature of the Zaun one too. To stop and mourn for too long was to die.
And you had a business to run.
You did your best to count your lucky stars every night, reminding yourself as you wiped down the bar that there were other people. Plenty of women with smokey laughs and eyes like the moon. You were a good-looking bastard, youâd find the next one. You had all the time in the world now, away from the strife that used to follow you like a shadow.
Pay no mind to how you always swiped harder at the bar as you had these thoughts, slamming tumblers and plates into their places beneath the bar with extra vigor. Nor to how Zaun was about as different from Bilgewater as steel to iron.
Sevikaâs men and their presence started to dwindle with hers, albeit more slowly; many of them almost seemed hesitant, apologetic. You caught one of them on your way into the bar to open it for the evening.
âIâm real sorry, Angel,â heâd said.
âIâm sure sheâs got other work for you,â you said, waving him off as if it was- and indeed, it was- nothing personal. You only had problems with one ex-frequent of your bar. You werenât even all that inclined to include the heavy muscle she brought in with her on the last visit.
âAlways other work where the boss is concerned,â he affirmed, âBut⌠this has been one of the better gigs.â You stayed static outside your bar for a moment as he walked away, your key still stuck in the lock.
Itâs not like you needed protection in the first place, you were more than capable. Not that Sevika knew that. You grumbled to yourself as you organized the prep area behind the bar; you hadnât had to give much mind to security the past several months, Sevika handled the matter in its entirety without you so much as having to ask.
Itâs a sentiment you were forced to be fond of in your life before the one you had now. People had always come and gone, it was the nature of the crime life, and it was certainly the nature of the Zaun one too. To stop and mourn for too long was to die.
Youâd have to add that back into your list of tasks. Along with putting all the stools up at closing time. And what were you supposed to do with all these damn cigarillos you had behind the counter? You didnât smoke nearly as much as she did.
You smacked a hand that wasnât yours away from the aforementioned stash, smirking when you heard a small, âOw, jerk!â
âYouâre not old enough to smoke.â
âItâs Zaun, babies would smoke if they could,â the boy, a little tail of yours named Kix, retorted, pouting as he hopped up on the counter. You sighed. âI finished that book you gave me.â
âYeah? How was it?â
âPretty good! And, I think, as a reward for finishing it, I should-â
âYeah, Iâm gonna stop you right there,â you said, stepping away to move the lemons you just sliced into a container. Your tail, of course, followed.
âFine, can I at least finally get a knife?â
âWhen you can wield one of those batons without smacking yourself in the face, yeah. âTil then, hell no.â
âThatâs a bad word!â
âLike you care!â You could only breathe out a laugh. The children of Zaun were sharp, often leaving you deeply amused and incredulous.
âUgh,â he said dramatically, flailing against the bar. You shot one of your patrons an apologetic look at the antics of Stray Wet Cat #1. âBut you have so many, Angel!â He exclaimed, âHowâd you get those anyway? Did you kill somebody?â
I killed a lot of people, you wanted to say, but something told you that wouldnât have been appropriate. âI told you before, Kix,â you started, voice gentle like a teacherâs, âZaun isnât the only place in the world where you need to defend yourself. The world is way bigger.â
âDoesnât feel like it,â he muttered to himself, pushing away from the bar and trudging back to the lounge area connected to the kitchen, where a few of the other kids spent their time. You frowned as you watched him walk away, then looked down at the paring knife in your right hand.
For the children of Zaun, life depended on which end of the knife you found yourself on, and oftentimes nothing more. How much were you really doing for them, giving them sandwiches to eat and rudimentary lessons on how to hold a blade? They all had to leave the bar at the end of each day, stepping back into the streets waiting to swallow them whole on their treks back home.
âDonât be so hard on yaâself, Angâ,â the patron youâd shared a look with earlier interjected. You looked up at him in a daze, quickly putting on a thoughtful smile.
âIâm okay,â you replied simply.
âAnd so are those kids, thanks to you,â he said, âA little bit goes a long way in Zaun. These kids can stretch an inch of kindness, always have been able to.â
You saw eyes like slate in your mind as the gentleman went back to nursing his drink, and your smile faltered.
Werenât these the kids Sevika claimed to be doing her righteous work for? What could she tell them as she chipped away at their safe haven, showing up bi-weekly just to take away a little more? You growled lowly as you swiped a cigarillo from beneath the counter, abiding the thought to linger in your mind- as if you could condition yourself to hate her faster.
You were busy staring down the end of the cigarillo as you lit it, almost too busy to notice how a wave of quiet had washed over the Five-Copper Furnace. Your eyes flicked to the door just in time, though.
Your busy mind halted all thoughts more trivial than the now, a low voice reminding you of the shotgun beneath your bar, the knives in your sleeves, and the preeminent experience in violence that scarred your skin. Four men wearing all manners of weapons, and gleaming belt buckles of meridian silver, stalked into your bar.
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Sevika was, for whatever reason, a woman well-versed in the department of odd and unwanted talents. Being weirdly good with kids was at the forefront.
âOh! Captain-General Metal Arm Lady!â Well, she knew which kid that was*.*
âWhy is my name so long?â She muttered to herself as she stopped anyway, and turned on her heel to face him. The boy, one of Angelâs little henchmen named Kix, skidded to a stop in front of her. âWhat is it, kid?â She asked gruffly.
âWhereâve you been? Are you and Angel having a loverâs quarrel?â
Isnât he like twelve?? Sevika picked her jaw up from the ground as quickly as itâd fallen. âWho the hell even taught you what that is?â She asked incredulously.
âThatâs a bad word. And I read it in a book. Are you coming to the Five-Copper?â
âNo, Iâm busy,â Sevika said flatly. Her brow furrowed at the way his face fell. Not like a child whoâd been told no, but a boy who had something to fear. ââŚWhy?â
âWell, uh⌠m-maybe you could just stop by?â He rocked back on his heels, looking over his shoulder at the bar in question. Heâd caught Sevika so close to the place, he just needed to get her through the door⌠âI think Angel might⌠u-umâŚâ
Sevika sighed. âBefore tomorrow, Kix.â
âI think Angel might need you.â
Sevika scoffed, turning with a small flare of her cloak (drama queen), âSheâs a big girl, she can handle herself just fine, kid. I gotta go.â A small, surprised grunt rose out of her when she felt a tug on her metal arm. She looked down at the boy, shooting him a glare that lacked even an inch of fire.
âPlease, Miss Sevika! A bunch of guys just walked in and I donât know them, a-and they have really ugly, scary faces, and-â
âOkay! Okay. Câmon, letâs go,â Sevika rattled her arm out of Kixâs grasp, sweeping it back beneath her cloak. The boy let out a small cheer as her broad form turned in the direction of the Five-Copper Furnace, and he fell into step under the cover of her shadow. âAnd donât call me âMiss Sevikaâ. Just Sevika is alright,â she made a small, grossed-out sound.
âOkay! Does that mean weâre friends?â
âNo,â she replied, giving his head a small nudge as they walked.
âAck! Bully!â
The smile that began to flicker across her features promptly melted back into her perpetual frown as she watched almost half a dozen patrons leave the Five-Copper in succession. âHow many of them were there, kid?â She asked in a low voice.
âUh, I think four?â
Sevika hummed, stopping beside the entrance. She pulled Kix aside by the collar with her, as even more patrons filed out. âAre your friends in there?â She asked. The boy nodded. âOkay. Go get âem through the back. And go home.â
âBut-!â
âUh-uh. Sheâs already pissed at me enough, canât imagine how mad sheâd be if you brats got hurt once this goes down.â
âSoâŚâ Sevika felt a few grey hairs grow in at the same time Kixâs frown faded into a grin, ââŚit is a loverâs quarrel?â
âKix!â
âOkay, bye Sevika!â He hopped up and down as if to charge himself up before sprinting off. Sevika watched as he nearly tripped over himself when he quickly halted again. âUh⌠you wonât let them hurt Angel, right?â
âSheâll be fine,â Sevika said. She sighed as his feet stayed planted in the ground. Her voice was softer when she spoke again, âYou have my word, kid. Angel will be okay.â He gave her a final grin, before darting off. Sevika cracked her neck as she zeroed back on the entrance to Angelâs bar. âGuess collections is early this month,â she muttered wryly, before pushing the door open.
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âThese people donât even know, do they?â
You breathed out tendrils of smoke from your nose, lowering your voice in line with the bounty hunterâs. His friends had stayed mute, opting to survey your patrons and the bar itself like three angry lighthouses.
You smiled slightly at those who hadnât left yet, whose postures were coiled tightly like metal springs.
âI canât imagine itâd change a thing,â you replied. You picked up the wanted poster (old fashioned, you were aware) heâd thrown on the counter, giving it another flippant once-over. Your likeness had been- rather skillfully- illustrated in the center, with meaningless words like âWantedâ and âapproach with careâ swimming around it.
God, Iâm good-looking, you thought with a smile and a nod.
âAnd yet you have âem call you a different name. Bury your old one with the rest of your money, huh?â
âOh, that isnât buried. Not one bit,â Your face spread into a grin, wolfish teeth crushing the filter of the cigarillo. You saw the hunger that flickered in his eyes, a greed so romantically entwined with the people of Bilgewater that men died for it. Like this one would.
âWell, good to know! Between that and the hundred Golden Krakens on your head, youâll make a fine cashout,â the rancid man said, âAngel.â
Your eyes widened slowly, mockingly. âA hundred Golden Krakens?â You echoed, ââŚCan I turn myself in?â Your eyes flicked casually to the door as you heard it open once again.
âVery funny. NowâŚâ
Whatever the hunter had to say ceased to matter as you watched her walk in. Wide shoulders curved inwards, entering with the same intent your remaining customers all had. Sevika met your eyes immediately.
On one hand, not only was your safety further secured, but a return in a casket to your old city was all but out of the question now. Sevika wouldnât let you die, at the very least, you knew that much.
On the other hand⌠Sevika was in your bar. Your eyes narrowed at her, and you gave her a look that practically screamed âpiss offâ in spite of your other senses relaxing. She shook her head at you, matching your rising agitation with an annoyed curl of her lip.
Kix, she mouthed. Oh, thanks, kid. What a wingman.
You wouldâve found it silly the way she stuck to the walls as she moved through the bar. Trying to get closer to you, you realized. A hand slamming down on the table and another grabbing your collar brought your attention back to more pressing matters.
Sevika felt her heart jump higher in her chest, and she resisted the urge to rush right to you and pluck that manâs head from the rest of him. A firm hand on her shoulder was all that prevented her, and she leveled her gaze with the fool whoâd stepped in her line of view.
âWe called dibs on this job, youâre too late,â the hunter said. Sevika furrowed her brows in brief confusion, but the pieces came together quickly in a mind as sharp as hers.
Bounty hunters? For you?
He gave her shoulder a shove, and Sevika let herself be moved. Some distance to deploy her left armâs blade, good. âGo on,â he growled.
A scream from the bar counter swiveled all heads in that direction.
Sevikaâs eyes widened as your name started to rise in her throat, until she saw the main perpetrator sink like a stone in water⌠his hand left behind in your grasp. You wiped the knife on your apron, throwing your still-burning cigarillo at him as he writhed on the floor.
Sevika threw her cloak to the ground before her sensibilities turned to steel.
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You wouldâve made a fine alchemist, if you hadnât chosen the more profitable industry of alcoholism instead.
You also wouldâve been far less likely to have ever encountered Sevika and the all-consuming rage she inspired in you if youâd started an Apothecary. What with her- very much expected- aversion to seeking out any medical assistance of any sort.
âOw.â
âStay still.â
âOw.â Sevika hissed when you pressed the tonic-doused cloth to her wound with the exact same vigor as before, thrashing away from you. You sat up straight, leveling her with a look that seethed with your indignance.
âYouâre acting like a wuss.â
âAnd youâre acting like a child who didnât get her way,â she snapped. Your eye twitched, and so you closed them to take a moment to gather yourself.
You missed the way Sevikaâs gaze fell slowly to your lap, eyes creasing as she frowned at your battered hands. You hadnât had time to pull your gun from beneath the bar before shit went down, and so youâd resorted to hacking with hand and blade. Sevika had been at your back like a magnet, sticking to you and letting the hunters come to her. Youâd held your own valiantly.
She only serviced you a lukewarm glare as you moved back to her, this time gently easing the cloth onto her wounded cheek. You held her in place by the other side of her face. âYou can take a punch but not a wound disinfectant,â you quipped.
âI took more than just a punch recently, princess.â Sevika side-eyed you when your touch faltered, letting out a shallow huff from her nose.
âUnbelievableâŚâ you muttered.
âWho the hell were those guys? What could they possibly want with you?â Sevika asked. You jutted your lip at her in annoyance when her movements shifted the cloth.
She looked down to ponder the fight from a few hours ago (the lower floor was still an absolute wreck, but that was a problem for you to deal with tomorrow). Silver teeth; and weaponry not at all reminiscient of anything youâd find in Zaun, or Piltover. They had moved with an erratic tick to their attacks, not completely unlike the Shimmer-dependent henchmen Silco kept; although their addiction ran strictly red.
âThey werenât Zaunites,â she mused aloud.
ââŚNo. They werenât. They were from Bilgewater.â
You freed your other hand to reach for your wanted poster youâd nabbed before heading upstairs, and handed it to Sevika. There was a hanging silence between you as she read the same words over and over again.
âThey got your likeness wrong,â she said. You pursed your lips, waiting. âYour head is bigger than that.â
âShut up.â
Sevika chuckled; or at least gave a limp attempt at it. Her hand holding the poster fell with a soft crunch as she sighed. You let your own hands rest in your lap as she closed her eyes, and leaned her head over the back of your couch.
She had such a pretty neck. The lines of that strange scar were like wisps of blue smoke on her skin. You wanted to reach out to touch them, to thank her sweetly for defending you even as you spat fire on her wounds. You wanted to kiss all the smooth and rough patches you could see, lull her into a soft sleep-
âThis is gonna get back to Silco in a couple of days tops.â
You scoffed. âWhat, is he gonna raise my rent? Doesnât he have a revolution to claim to run?â
Deep down, you were impressed with what Sevika let you get away with saying to her. Inadvertently discounting her lifeâs work was no small thing, and youâd seen her put others on the ground for less. It was even more surprising when she gave a real answer to your poor-faithed question.
âYou shouldâve kept your head low. And let me deal with it. Not- cut a guyâs hand off.â She shook her head, rubbing her forehead. You opened your mouth to refute your lost honor, but she beat you to it, âYouâre too⌠competent. Heâll wanna bring you in now. And youâre no good to the Undercity if he pockets you.â
Youâre about to ask her why the hell does she work for him then, but another piece clicks into place before the words surface. Sevika watches the realization cross your face. âSo thatâs why youâŚâ
âTrust me,â Sevika took hold of your wrist as she raised her head to stare scrutinizingly at your wall, and guided you to press the cloth back to her face. âThe collections I take from you are cheaper than really being under his heel. You should see what he takes from that Sheriff up in Piltover.â She breathed out a humorless laugh. Your eyes widened, as the scope of Silcoâs reach did too. **
You were a fool. Had going straight truly dulled your cunning mind? (Or was it just the handsome woman sitting in your living roomâŚ)
âThatâs the discounted price too, by the way,â she muttered. You were pulled from your thoughts with a soft laugh.
âI knew you were fond of me.â
âI like what you do for the kids.â
âItâs nothing,â you said softly, surveying the injury on her face and deeming it sufficiently stabilized to move onto the next. You were glad, at least, that the brunt of the pain had been inflicted on you two rather than your good-willed customers.
Sevikaâs brow furrowed as she watched you go through the motions of prepping her next injury. Truthfully, she didnât know why she let you drag her upstairs in the first place; the way you coupled your attentive- if not presumptuous- touch with barbed jabs at her gall for walking into your bar shouldâve pissed her off. But she let you move her like you were a breeze.
Your movements were practiced, like youâd spent a whole lifetime sweeping up the broken pieces of stupid, pointless fights. Sevika looked down at the wanted poster again. ââŚHow much is 100 Golden Krakens?â She asked.
You hummed as you tried to think of the best comparison in Zaunâs economy, âProbably eightteen monthsâ worth of what I make running the bar.â
âJanna-â
You laughed heartily as you carefully peeled the wax paper from a bandage. Subconsciously, you rubbed over the wound once it was patched to soothe the ache, not noticing how Sevikaâs gaze immediately went to your nimble hand. âWhy, you thinkinâ about turning me in?â You teased.
âFunny,â she deadpanned, âWould be one less pain in the ass for me, though.â She gave you a pointed onceover. Her feigned exasperation melted into a grin when you slapped her leg (albeit very weakly).
âYou just said you like me!â
âThat isnât what I said,â she said, still feigning dismissal so smugly. You hated how well she wore a petty smirk, or how pretty her teeth were when she gleaned a real smile.
(You wanted to kiss that stupid look right off her face.)
Instead, all you did was roll your eyes, collapsing on the opposite end of the couch. In Sevikaâs mind, she just won that encounter.
âYou mind if I smoke?â
You waved your hand, looking out the window of your kitchen, âWorse has happened in my house today.â She didnât pull your gaze back to her until you heard her shifting around for a longer amount of time than it shouldâve taken for someone to find a cig and lighter. âLose your lighter?â You mocked, taking in the cigarillo hanging out of her mouth as she patted down her pockets with mild frustration on her face.
âOne of the bastards must have knocked it out of my pack,â she said with an agitated sigh. Her eyes perked up at the metal clink of⌠your lighter. You laid your head back against the arm of the couch, resting the open lighter slightly above your abdomen. Sevikaâs breath caught as she realized how close sheâd have to get to you- how close youâd make her get to you- to get a light.
Her eyes narrowed into a glare as they slid up to meet your gaze. She wasnât about to make a coward of herself now, though. She held your expectant stare as she leaned down between your legs, one of her hands boldly bracing on your shin with a slight squeeze. She cupped her hand protectively around yours as she lit the end of her cigarillo. The way your eyes widened and your chest stopped rising with breath wasnât lost on her.
I take it back, Kix, she thought, I donât think sheâs all that pissed.
She turned her head to the side as she blew smoke from her mouth. âTell me something,â she said, her voice nearly a purr. You had to fight with your own goddamn eyes to tear away from the small puffs of smoke that left her mouth as she spoke. You cocked a brow. âWere you a pirate or something?â She asked. Her eyes widened slightly when you met her with silence. âOh, sweet hellâŚâ
âDonât laugh!â
She laughed. You loved that she did.
âThat was⌠a long time ago,â you waved your hand like you could bat the memories away, but theyâd never felt more with you than today. You had nearly forgotten how easy it was to snatch someoneâs life away. Youâd made a fortune on it once, and yet⌠the muscle of ruthlessness had grown weak and disoriented with lack of exercise. You frowned to yourself, shaking your head. âI did a lot of things Iâm not proud of.â
Sevika shrugged, taking another drag. âWe donât choose where life puts us,â she replied. You shouldnât have been surprised by such a⌠thoughtful sentence leaving her mouth. But your brows still raised slightly as you looked at her. âIâm not gonna be the one to judge you around here.â
You frowned, guilt jabbing in your gut. âBut I did you.â
âMaybe you werenât wrong for it,â she retorted softly. Your eyes widened. She inhaled softly before continuing, swiveling her gaze to meet yours again. âI used to try anâ push Silco to do more for the kids. Get books smuggled in in between all the Shimmer requisitions,â she scoffed, shaking her head. Your heart squeezed as you watched her carefully begin to pull the curtains around her true self back- for you. âGive people resources, just⌠something. I didnât realize I let four years go by âtil I saw you doing all that for the kids the moment you touched down here.â
You sighed, swinging your legs over the edge of the couch to rub your face with both hands. âYou really think I wonât be able to help them at all once Silco comes knocking?â You asked, biting your lip as you felt like what was the only answer was slowly enclosing around you.
Immediately though, Sevika shook her head. Your mouth opened slightly in confusion as she stood up from your couch. âNo. Iâm gonna handle this,â the determination in her step would have been beyond adorable if it werenât for your utter bemusement. âI⌠owe you,â she said slowly. You wanted to laugh at how her fierce bravado seemed to come to a skidding stop the moment she had to make an admission on her pride.
âOh yeah?â You teased.
She rolled her eyes as she pulled her cloak back on over her shoulders, concealing that absolute unit of a figure from your prying eyes. You smiled at how her broad shoulders were still very apparent, and the beginnings of her v-line peeked out with that damn cropped vest- get it together, Angel. âHeâs gonna know I was here anyway, might as well make something out of it,â she explained (right, you bought thatâŚ), pausing again to scrutinize you, âYouâre all good?â
Trigonometric equations started floating around in your head as you tried to decipher what she could possibly mean with that question, until her arched brow turned judgemental at how long you were taking to answer.
Oh. She was just asking about your⌠general wellbeing. Aw!
âO-oh, yeah, Iâm all good,â you said. Truthfully too, you were more used to fighting the Bilgewater types than her, and had come out of the confrontation mostly unscathed. Your jaw stuttered as if to say more when she hummed and took a swift step forward, tilting your head up with her index and thumb.
âYouâre not lying?â She asked lowly, turning your head gently from side to side.
âE-even if I was, itâs none of your business,â you snapped defensively. Dumbass. Did you have any idea how red your face was?
With an amused exhale from her nose, Sevika gently let go of your chin, fleetingly brushing her crooked index over your cheek. âWhatever you say, princess,â she said. She didnât even give you a chance to shoot back something clever (as if you had something prepared) before she was sweeping towards the door, fixing her cigarillo in the corner of her mouth. âYour barâs a mess,â she quipped over her shoulder, just to be a dick.
âFuck you!â You called after her, the smile on your face crystal-clear in your tone. The last thing you saw was her pretty side-profile as she half-glanced at you with smug amusement lining her face, before she closed the door behind her.
You slumped back on the couch, letting out a heavy sigh. âThat goddamn womanâŚâ you muttered, âFuck.â
no happy ending for my fav lesbian but still a 11/10
⢠synopsis. in the gritty underbelly of zaun, you find yourself entangled in the life of a new pit fighter: vi, a hardened fighter who wears her pain like armour. as a medic working in the fighting pit, you are tasked with patching up her wounds after matches, and you realize that while you can heal viâs injuries, you canât mend the broken pieces of her heart that belong to someone else.
⢠contains. afab!reader, arcane!vi, feminine characteristics, angst, lesbians, lots and lots of longing, kinda enemies to lovers (but worse), nsfw, fingering, 17+ kinda explicit.
⢠word count. 15.2k+
⢠authors note. i spent the last few weeks working on this fic and i am really happy with how it turned out!! eek!! happy reading!! <3 :)
Youâve grown used to the sight of blood.
It streaks across the tiled floor in dark smears, trails on the edge of your workbench, and stains the tattered cloths shoved into the waste bin. The scent of copper lingers in the air, mingling with the faint tang of disinfectant.
Youâve made it work, though. You have to.
Your bench is lined with the tools: sutures, gauze, tape, and a half-empty bottle of antiseptic youâve been meaning to replace. You keep it organized, and meticulous because chaos out there demands control in here. The pit fighters appreciate it, and you, in their own way. Thereâs always a pep in their step when they leave your little corner, heading to the bar with fresh bandages and a story to tell.
Some linger longer than they need to, chatting while you clean up. The regulars know your rhythmâwhen to crack a joke to ease the tension or when to stay quiet and let you focus. The brawlers come to trust you, and trust is hard to come by lately.
Maybe it was because you werenât trying to punch the lights out of their eyes.
The room itself is far from perfect. Cramped, poorly lit, and barely adequate, it feels more like a storage closet someone forgot to clear out than a proper medical station. Youâve done what you can to make it your own. A few paintings hang crookedly on the wallsâcheap prints, but bright enough to cut through the gloom. Candles flicker in the corners of your desk, casting a soft glow that doesnât do much for the lighting but makes the space feel warmer, more welcoming.
The pit fighters notice. They never say much about it, but you catch the way they relax when they sit down, their shoulders loosening just slightly as the room wraps them in its quiet. Itâs your small rebellion against the harshness of Zaun, a reminder that even here, thereâs room for gentleness.
Sometimes they repay that gentleness in their own wayâa drink after a fight, a nod of thanks, or a protective presence when the streets get dangerous, walking you home. Youâve been here long enough to know that loyalty is rare in Zaun, but somehow, youâve earned it.
The fighting arena roars with life, the crowdâs cheers rumbling through the walls like distant thunder. Tonightâs fights have been loudâlouder than usual. People running around with their coloured tickets based on who they were betting on. You glance at the clock.
Thereâs been a buzz all week about a newcomer, someone fresh and untested.
Vi, they call her.
Scrappy and wild, with a chip on her shoulder and fists to match. The kind of fighter who comes in all swagger and leaves in pieces.
You havenât met her yet, but the bookiesâ chatter alone has you bracing yourself. First fights are always the worstâtoo much pride, not enough sense.
The door rattles, hard enough to make the jars on your shelf tremble and you can hear muffled shouting from the other side.
It slams open, rattling on its hinges, but you donât look up right away. Your focus is on threading a needle carefully through the gash along the side of Rykerâs jawâa nasty wound from an earlier fight. Rykerâs been coming here for years, but never with complaints. Heâs one of the good ones, fighting not just for himself but for his daughter, scraping by on the cash these matches earn him. He sits hunched over, still radiating the heat of adrenaline.
âDonât fucking shove me,â a voice grumbles from the doorway. âFuck off, Loris!â
Your attention shifts to the two figures stumbling into the room. One of themâa broad-shouldered man with a face like heâs eaten rocks for breakfastâcould easily pass for one of the fighters. But itâs the girl heâs dragging by the arm that catches your eye.
Sheâs all jagged lines and sharp edges, her messy, dark pink hair sticking up in uneven tufts. Blood drips lazily from her nose, smudging against the back of her hand when she wipes at it, and her scowl is carved so deep it feels like her only expression.
âI donât need a medic,â the girlâVi, you hear the man mutterâsnaps, yanking her arm free. âI need a drink.â
âProtocol,â He replies flatly, giving her a shove that nearly sends her sprawling.
Vi catches herself with a stumble, shooting him a glare before surveying the room with obvious disdain. Her gaze lands on you, and her lip curls faintly. âThis it? Cozy,â she mutters, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
You ignore her, focusing on the final stitch on Rykerâs jaw. âYou can take a seat,â you say evenly, nodding toward the empty couch by the far wall.
âNo thanks,â Vi shoots back, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets. She leans against the wall instead, glaring at nothing in particular.
âToo proud to sit down, blue belly?â Ryker mutters, casting a sharp glance from his seat. His voice is low, edged with a warning. âOr has the guilt of hunting your own finally caught up with you?â
âRyker,â you say softly, your tone a quiet scold. The last thing you need is a fight breaking out here.
But his words make you look at Vi more closely. Her features are familiar, in a vague, nagging way. It clicks as you take in the hard set of her shoulders, the stubborn way she holds herself, and the bruises already blooming across her cheekbone. A new batch of enforcers had swept through Zaun a few weeks back, leaving havoc and clouds of Grey in their wake. Theyâd brought their brutality, painted their violence into the walls of the city, and then disappeared like ghosts, leaving Zaun more broken than before.
Thatâs how it usually went with them.
However, you had never heard of someone from the undercity becoming an Enforcer before.
Vi scoffs, slurring her words just slightly. âI donât knowâdâyou wanna find out?â
You pause, needle halfway through a stitch, tension coiling tight in the air. âDonât,â you warn softly, already sensing where this is headed.
Ryker shifts forward on the bench, his battered knuckles flexing. âYou wanna go another round?â
Vi pushes off the wall, stepping closer. âYou wanna lose again?â she challenges, her voice low and sharp.
âThatâs enough,â you snap, moving quickly to step between them. Loris mirrors your movement, his larger frame serving as an immovable barrier.
âSit. Down,â Loris growls at Vi, his glare enough to make her hesitate. With a huff, she leans back against the wall again, though her fists remain clenched in her jacket pockets.
You shake your head and turn back to Ryker, finishing the last stitch with practiced ease. âYouâre done,â you tell him, rummaging through your cabinet and handing him a small bottle of pain meds. âKeep it clean, change the bandage twice a day, and stay out of troubleâfor your sake and your daughterâs.â
Ryker stands slowly, still throwing a glare Viâs way. But his expression softens when he looks at you. âThanks,â when he says your name, his voice is warmer than before. âYouâre too good for this place.â
You offer him a faint smile. âTake care, Ryker.â
He leaves, brushing past Vi with a grunt, and the room feels quieterâtense but quieter. You turn your attention to the newcomer, whoâs leaning against the wall, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp, tracking your every movement.
âAlright,â you say, already washing your hands and gathering fresh supplies. âYour turn.â
Vi doesnât move from the wall. âIâm fine,â she insists, âpatch up the ones who actually need it.â
Your gaze flicks over herâthe bloody nose thatâs started to run again, the gash seeping through her sleeve, and the raw swelling on her knuckles. âSit,â you say, your voice firm.
She doesnât budge.
You meet her gaze, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably long, a quiet standoff neither of you seems willing to break. Your fingers tap once against the counter, but your glare doesnât waver. You wonât repeat yourself.
Loris, the man who dragged her in, steps forward with a roll of his eyes, giving her a nudge with his elbow. âSit down, Vi.â
She winces at the pressure on her back, her bravado faltering for just a split second. With a low grumble, she finally drops onto the bench, slouching with exaggerated indifference, her arms crossing tight over her chest.
You grab a clipboard and step closer. She watches you like youâre some kind of nuisance.
âName?â you ask, clicking your pen.
âVi,â she mutters, her eyes fixed on the far wall.
âVi what?â
âJust Vi.â
You suppress a sigh. âWhatâs your full name?â
âI said, just Vi.â
Thereâs an edge to her tone, enough to make you glance up. Her jaw is set, her expression daring you to press the issue. You donât. Instead, you scrawl it down and move on. âFine. Age?â
âOld enough to fight.â
Your pen stills mid-note, the corners of your mouth tightening as you resist the urge to roll your eyes. âOf course, you are,â you say dryly, setting the clipboard aside with a little more force than necessary. âAlright, letâs start with the obvious,â you say, gesturing at her face. âYour nose is bleeding. Tilt your head back.â
Viâs brow arches like youâve just said something funny. âI said, Iâm fine.â
âAnd I said, tilt your head back,â you reply, your voice steady but no less firm.
Her gaze sharpens, a flicker of defiance lighting in her eyes, but she tilts her head back with a dramatic huff. âHappy?â
You ignore her tone, stepping closer to inspect the injury. The faint scent of sweat and iron lingers between you, and for a moment, you notice the heat of her skin where your gloved fingers gently tilt her chin.
âDoesnât feel broken,â you mutter, reaching for a clean cloth to dab away the blood. She flinches as the fabric touches her skin, her muscles twitching under your fingers. âRelax,â you say softly. âIâm not going to hurt you.â
âCouldâve fooled me,â she mutters.
Your hand falters, just briefly. Thereâs a weight to her words, a sharpness you werenât expecting, but you push past it. âWell, I mean it,â you reply quietly.
Her silence stretches as you work, less hostile but no less charged. The closer you look, the more details you notice: the faint scars lining her skin, the inked letters etched into her cheekbone, the edge of a tattoo just barely visible beneath her collar, and the faint shine of her silver nose ring.
âJacket off,â you say, gesturing to the gash on her arm.
Her gaze snaps to yours, wary and sharp. âWhy?â
You give her a flat look. âBecause I canât stitch it through fabric.â
For a second, she doesnât move, her body tensing as if bracing for something. Then, with a muttered curse, she shrugs out of her jacket, tossing it onto the bench beside her.
Her arms are a messâold fighting hand wraps soaked with blood and dirt wrapped tightly around her forearms. You offer to replace them, but she cuts you off. âIâll do it myself.â
You let it go, focusing instead on cleaning the fresh wound. Her muscles tense every time you touch her, but she doesnât flinch again. âYou can relax, you know,â you say, trying to sound light. âIâm just trying to help.â
Vi lets out a bitter snort. âYouâre not the first to say that.â
You pause, but you donât press. Sheâs lashing out on you. Thatâs the most you can make of it.
The silence stretches again as you stitch the wound, her eyes watching you closely, unreadable. When you finally glance up, your movements stilling, she shrugs.
âWhat?â you ask, unable to help yourself.
âNothing,â she says, leaning back.
You hold her gaze for a beat longer before shaking your head and returning to your work, wrapping the freshly stitched wound with clean bandages. She stays quiet, watching until the silence becomes heavy again.
Then, without warning, she speaks, her voice quieter but cutting. âYou know, youâre wasting your time on these people. Half of them wouldnât piss on you if you were on fire.â
The words hit like a punch, sharper than anything sheâs said before. You freeze mid-motion, your fingers hovering over the bandage as you process her bluntness. Slowly, deliberately, you resume wrapping her arm, tucking the end of the bandage into place with more care than you think she deserves at that moment.
âGood thing I donât do this for their gratitude,â you reply evenly, though the edge in your voice betrays a flicker of irritation. Youâre trying not to let it get to you.
Sheâs new. Clearly, sheâs fighting off some kind of pent-up frustration. She must have anger issues or something. You wonder how many hits Ryker got on her before she knocked him out.
Her chuckle is low and humourless, more of a scoff than anything else. âRight.â
You hope he got a solid six or seven punches in.
You step back, peeling off your gloves with a deliberate snap. Thereâs a moment where you consider saying something more, but you swallow the impulse. Professionalism, you remind yourself.
âYouâre all set,â you say curtly, gathering up the soiled supplies. âIâd suggest taking tomorrow off. You know, to let the wound heal before you go back out there.â
Vi grabs her jacket, standing in a single fluid motion. She doesnât look at you when she replies, her tone casual but dismissive. âIâll live.â
You wish Ryker had broken her nose.
You shake your head, already turning back to tidy your workstation, unwilling to watch her saunter out.
Loris, standing by the door, offers you a small, almost apologetic smile. âThanks,â he says, his voice warmer than hers ever was.
You manage a smile back, but itâs shallow, worn. The door swings shut behind them, leaving you alone in the cramped room. The exasperation settles in like a weight, not heavy but persistent.
For a moment, you stand there in silence, staring at the supplies on your counter. You shake your head again, this time at yourself.
What the fuck is her problem?
You know you shouldnât be surprised when Vi stumbles into the medic room again the very next day. The fights at Antisâs brawling ring are infamous for their relentless schedule, especially on weekends when the bets come pouring in before sundown. Itâs barely dusk now, but the underground buzz is already unmistakableâthe muffled cheers and jeers vibrating through the walls.
Vi comes alone this timeâor at least she leaves Loris waiting outside the door. You catch a brief glimpse of him through the crack in the door, leaning against the wall with a drink at his lips, shaking his head like this is just another day for him.
The door slams shut as Vi shoulders her way in, her boots heavy against the floor. Sheâs holding one hand against her face, blood dripping sluggishly through her fingers and trailing down her arm.
You have to bite back a smile at the sight.
Sheâs ditched her jacket, and the sleeveless collared top sheâs wearing looks like itâs seen more fights than she hasâworn thin, patched up in places, and stained with a lifetime of blood and sweat. Her hand wraps are shredded and still filthy, hanging loosely around her forearms. The gash on her arm has reopened, the stitches torn apart as if they were never there to begin with.
You take all of this in within seconds, and something tightens in your chestâa mix of frustration and satisfaction. âYou canât fight back-to-back nights,â you say, your voice sharper than intended as you grab your gloves and a fresh set of supplies.
Vi grunts, brushing past you to sit on the bench. âI can do what I want,â she snaps, her words muffled by her hand still pressed to her face. Her defiance is unshaken, but the tremble in her shoulders gives her away. Sheâs hurting.
Now you start to feel bad. But just a little bit.
Youâve seen this beforeânew fighters crashing into the medic room with the same mix of bruised pride and bloodied skin. They fight like thereâs no tomorrow, each punch is thrown carrying something more than just adrenaline. Some fight for money, some for escape, and others just because they donât know how to stop. Thereâs always a reason. You canât help but wonder whatâor whoâVi is fighting for.
With a quiet exhale, you turn to the counter and grab your supplies. The clatter of tools fills the silence as you steel yourself for the inevitable pushback. âLet me guess,â you say, glancing over your shoulder at her. âAntis needed someone to keep the bets high, and you couldnât say no.â
Vi drops her hand from her face, and for the first time, you see the full extent of the damage. A deep bruise blooms across the bridge of her nose, nearly swollen shut in one eye, while blood smears across her mouth and drips down her jaw.
She glares at you through the mess, her voice sharp. âItâs none of your business.â
âNo,â you admit, stepping closer and gesturing for her to tilt her head back. âBut Iâm the one who has to patch you up. So humour me.â
She scoffs but tilts her head back, letting you inspect the damage. Up close, the bruise looks worseâangry and dark, already spreading across her pale skin. Her nose isnât broken (unfortunately), but itâs close, and the blood smeared across her upper lip makes her look like itâs been bitten off. You grab a clean cloth and start wiping the blood away. Your movements are brisk but careful, and she winces slightly as you press the cloth to her skin. Still, she doesnât pull away, just sits there stiff and unyielding.
âYouâre going to tear open the stitches every time you fight like this,â you mutter, reaching for the antiseptic. âYouâve gotta take it easy. I know how these guys fight out thereââ
âI donât need your pity,â she cuts in, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
âNot pity,â you reply, keeping your tone even. âJust words of advice.â
âI donât need that either,â she snaps, her jaw tightening as you dab antiseptic on the wound. âJust patch me up so I can go. Iâm only here because Antis wonât clear me for my pay otherwise.â
âYeah, itâs protocol,â you say, capping the bottle and setting it down beside you.
âItâs stupid.â
âIt was my idea.â
Her head jerks slightly, her eyes flicking toward you for a beat. Thereâs something almost vulnerable in her expression before she quickly looks away. She doesnât answer right away, her gaze fixed firmly on the far wall. When she finally speaks, her voice is quieter, almost bitter. â...Still stupid.â
You smile faintly as you reach for fresh bandages. âYeah, well, stupid or not, itâs keeping people alive. Even stubborn ones like you.â
Stubborn is definitely a nicer word than what you really want to say.
She doesnât respond, and the silence stretches between you as you unwrap the old bandage around her arm. Her fingers twitch against her thigh, like sheâs itching to leave, but she stays seated, her posture rigid. You canât tell if itâs pride or exhaustion keeping her thereâor maybe both.
For the rest of the session, Vi is quieter than usual. Her sharp retorts are replaced by a heavy silence that seems to weigh down the air in the room. Outside, the muffled roars of the crowd echo through the thin walls.
As you work to clean and re-stitch her arm, you glance at her every so often, noting the way her jaw tightens and her fingers tap restlessly against her thigh. Itâs like sheâs bracing for a blow that might never come, her body constantly coiled, ready to spring.
You take a step back, pulling off your gloves with a snap. âYouâre good to go,â you say, your voice softer now. âBut you need rest.â
She snorts, grabbing her jacket off the bench without looking at you. âCanât rest. Iâm on a winning streak.â
You arch a brow. âYouâve only been here two days. I wouldnât count that as a streak.â
âDonât really care what you think.â
âYou should. Youâre sleep-deprived, by the way. Your eyes barely focus. Get more sleep. And you need to drink more water.â
Vi huffs a dry, sarcastic laugh, âSure, doc. Whatever you say.â
You want to argue, but sheâs already out the door, leaving behind only the faint scent of iron and the lingering weight of words left unsaid. Loris nods at you through the open door as she stalks past him, his gaze flicking back to you briefly.
The door swings shut behind them, leaving you alone with the distant hum of the crowd and the bloodstained bench. For a long moment, you just stand there, staring at the scraps of torn bandages scattered on the floor, the mess she left behind.
Itâs not long after that you learn her name is Violet.
The knowledge of it nearly makes you laugh.
Violets. Youâve never actually seen them, but a friend of yours, a painter, once gifted you a piece featuring soft, delicate purple blooms. It hangs over your bedside table, a rare touch of beauty in an otherwise bleak city. You like to imagine those flowers are violets, though youâre not entirely sure. Flowers arenât exactly a common sight in Zaun.
The irony of her name strikes you every time you think about it. Violet. Thereâs nothing soft or delicate about herânot the way she fights, nor the way she speaks to you.
She didnât tell you her name herself, of course. That would require her to speak more than three sentences in your direction, which feels like an impossible feat. No, funnily enough, it was Loris who let it slip, though you suspect he knew exactly what he was doing. It wasnât much of a âslipâ rather than straight-up telling you her name.
It happened a night at a bar near your work. Youâd gone with some friends, seeking a much-needed reprieve. The bartender, a friend of yours, had slipped you a couple of free drinks, and in a haze of warmth and exhaustion, you noticed Loris at the bar. He looked out of place, all gruffness and silence amid the lively chatter, so you invited him to join your table.
Several drinks in, your curiosity got the better of you. You leaned closer to him, your voice barely cutting through the music and chatter as you asked him about his pink-haired friend.
Loris wasnât much of a talker, you realized. Heâd spur out a few words or two, maybe a grunt or nod.
Loris made a face, his usual stoic front slipping just enough to reveal a flicker of amusement. He leaned in, his breath heavy with the scent of cheap beer, and gave a rare grin. âSleeping,â he said simply, before adding, almost as an afterthought, âHer nameâs Violet, by the way.â
Violet. You didnât expect that, and it mustâve shown on your face because Loris chuckled softly.
It doesnât take long for her name to start climbing the ranks at Antisâs. Fighters and spectators alike talk about her with equal parts fear and admiration. âAntisâs money-maker,â they call her, and itâs not hard to see why. When word spread about the unbeatable pink-haired girl, business began booming. Crowds flooded in, the promise of blood and spectacle drawing them like moths to a flame.
At first, she was just another new fighter, opening matches against scrappy, overconfident rookies. But that changed quickly. Within weeks, she was headlining brawls, her name alone enough to pack the stands. She didnât just winâshe dominated, often taking on two, three, even four opponents in a single night. And you? You kept count. You had to.
She tore through supplies faster than you could restock them. Bandages, antiseptics, medsâall of it consumed at an alarming rate. Youâve patched her up more times than you can count. But what stands out most isnât just the state of her after a fightâitâs what she leaves behind.
Her opponents donât come to you for minor injuries. No, they stumble in half-broken, their faces smashed and unrecognizable. Each night growing worse for wear. She fights with a ruthlessness youâve rarely seen, a fury that feels almost personal. You canât help but wonder what drives her. Is she trying to make a point?
Sheâs changing, turning into something the crowd craves. Her old, worn clothes have been replacedâblack jeans, already ripped at the knees, and a sleeveless black tank that clings to her frame. Sheâs losing pieces of herself, or maybe just hiding them.
You still can't believe that there's a girl named Violet out there beating the shit out of people for money.
One day, you accidentally walk into her in Antisâs office. Youâre here to drop off some invoices for medical supplies, your mind preoccupied with balancing the clinicâs dwindling stock against the rising demand. But when you open the door, you find Vi and Antis inside, deep in conversation.
Antis looks up first, his sharp eyes narrowing at your intrusion. âYouâre early,â he grunts, though thereâs no real annoyance in his tone. If anything, he seems amused. âPerfect timing. We were just talking about her look. What do you think?â
Vi shifts uncomfortably, her arms crossed over her chest. She doesnât meet your gaze, her expression unreadable. You glance between them, caught off guard. âHer⌠look?â
Antis gestures to Vi with a sweep of his hand, his grin wolfish. âYeah. Gotta sell the whole package, yâknow? The crowd loves her, but theyâll eat up a good aesthetic, too. Weâre thinking something that screams âunbeatable.â Right, Vi?â
Viâs jaw tightens, and for a brief moment, you think she might snap at Antis. But she doesnât. Instead, her gaze flicks to you, like sheâs waiting for somethingâyour reaction, maybe, though you canât figure out why it matters.
You clear your throat, hoping your voice doesnât betray you. âShe doesnât need to change anything. Sheâs already pretty... unforgettable.â
Antisâs booming laugh fills the room, but you barely hear it. Your focus is locked on her. Something flickers in her eyesâa fleeting softness, vulnerability, gratitude, maybe?âbefore she schools her expression and looks away. You tell yourself itâs nothing, just a trick of the dim light.
A few days later, she shows up in the medic room again. But this time, it's differentâsheâs not limping in, not dripping with sweat or covered in bruises. Sheâs just there, standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a casual air that catches you off guard. Her knuckles brush the doorframe absentmindedly as if sheâs unsure whether to knock or let herself in.
âDo you need something?â you ask, glancing up from where youâre restocking the shelves. âAre you hurt?â
She shrugs, pushing off the door and stepping inside. âNo, just⌠itâs quiet in here.â
Your brows knit together. Quiet?
She didnât seem like the kind of person to seek out quiet, especially not in a place like this. âYou came all the way here because itâs quiet?â
âYeah,â she says simply, her tone flat, like itâs the most obvious thing in the world. She grabs the chair from your desk, spins it around, and sits backward on it, resting her arms over the backrest. âProblem?â
âNo... itâs justâŚâ You trail off, unsure how to articulate the strangeness of it. Instead, you turn back to organizing supplies, aware of her eyes on you. âNever mind.â
These visits became more frequent whenever she didnât fight. And she even stays back for a bit after you patch her up. Sometimes she speaks, but more often than not, she doesnâtâsimply sitting in that chair, letting the distant noise of the arena, the cheers and shouts, fade into the background. Sheâll stare at the walls or absentmindedly tap her fingers against the chairâs edge, lost in thought, but thereâs a serenity about her, an unfamiliar stillness that you start to recognize.
She never tells you what brings her inâif something is weighing on her mind or if itâs just a need to escape the chaos. And you donât ask. Instead, you begin to anticipate her visits, a strange comfort taking root in the space between you.
The conversations are sparse, but you begin to notice the small things: the way her body relaxes when she settles into the old couch, the weight lifting from her shoulders as she stretches out, the way sheâll let herself drift off into a light sleep. Itâs almost like youâre giving her a moment of rest she didnât know she needed.
Vi strides in, her steps heavier than usual, and tosses a small, overstuffed bag of coins onto your desk. You recognize it immediatelyâone of the payout sacks Antis gives to the fighters, filled with their share of the betting pool. This one looks heavier than most, jingling with an unmistakable weight as it lands right on top of your paperwork. You pause, your pen hovering midair, and stare at it.
Her grin spreads as she catches the look on your faceâwide-eyed and mildly incredulous. âDonât worry, itâs not for you,â she teases, her tone light and mocking.
You roll your eyes, setting the pen down with an exaggerated sigh. âThis from your fight last night?â
Vi nods, her grin twisting into something sharper, a little more wicked. âSome of my best work,â she replies, her voice carrying the faintest edge of pride.
You tilt your head, raising an eyebrow as your gaze sharpens on her face. âI donât know,â you counter dryly. âHe broke your nose, and the whole side of your face is swollen. Doesnât sound like your best to me.â
Standing up, you step closer, brows knitting together in concern as you get a better look at the mess of bruises sheâs sporting. Without thinking, your hands lift, reaching toward her face to assess the damage.
Vi flinches. Itâs quick, almost imperceptible, but enough to make you hesitate. Your hands hover in the air, faltering. âSorry,â you murmur, your voice soft.
She coughs awkwardly, shifting her weight. âNo, uhâno. Itâs fine,â she says, a little too fast.
This time, when you move again, she doesnât flinch. She lets you gently brush your fingers over the swollen, splotchy skin along her cheekbone and jaw, and you feel the heat radiating off the inflamed area. Your touch is careful, clinical, but you canât help wincing at the sight. âYouâre kidding yourself if you call this your best work, Viâ you mutter. âDid you even ice this like I told you?â
Her eyes roll so hard youâre almost worried sheâll sprain something. She grabs your wristânot roughly, but enough to lower your handâand shrugs. âYou shouldâve seen the other guy.â
You give her a deadpan look. âI did.â
Her smirk returns, a little more genuine now, though she doesnât say anything. Instead, she sits on the edge of your desk and starts digging absently through the bag of coins, her fingers brushing over the shiny hexes and cogs. She doesnât pull anything out, just lets her hand linger there.
âI brought you food,â she says suddenly, her voice casual.
You blink, momentarily thrown. âFood?â
She lifts a greasy paper bag into your line of sight, and you realize you hadnât even noticed it when she walked in. âYeah, you know. The stuff you eat when youâre hungry.â
âOkay, asshole,â you mutter, but the corner of your mouth quirks up despite yourself.
She shrugs, feigning nonchalance. âGot it for Loris and I, but heâs, uh⌠busy. Doing... someone else.â Her tone is flat, like she couldnât care less, but thereâs a flicker of something thereâan edge of amusement, maybe. âSo, more for us.â
You watch her for a second. You like to think that you can see right through her sometimes, that you can read her, but as usual, sheâs an enigma. Thereâs something in the way she said us that makes your chest feel a little lighter, but you donât let it show. âThanks,â you say simply.
âWell, donât get used to it,â she shoots back. There is kindness she tries to hide, though itâs written all over her expression.
She settles onto the old medical bench, pulling out boxes of food from the bag. You wince internally at the sight, thinking about the number of people whoâve bled, puked, and worse on that very bench. Just hours ago, Vi had been sitting there herself, nose snapped out of place, grinning through bloody teeth and swollen lips and teary eyes. Now, sheâs perched there like itâs nothing, tearing into her meal with that same reckless ease she carries into every fight.
âIs this where Iâm supposed to remind you how unsanitary this is?â
She shrugs mid-bite, unbothered.
You donât bother arguing. Instead, you take the box she pushes toward you and settle in. The two of you eat in silence.
The days begin to blur into one another as Viâs visits grow more casual. At first, you barely tolerated herâa pit fighter like so many others, bruised and bloody and reckless, shuffling into your medic room with the same bravado they all wore like armour. But somewhere along the way, you start to realize you actually donât hate her company.
And as Vi continues her rise with pit fighting, you realize you also like to take care of her afterwards, even if it is your job or not. Each fight ends quicker than the last, her victories coming faster and fiercer. With every knockout, her confidence bloomsâbold, intoxicating.
Youâve always been able to tell why people fight. Some thrive on the violence, seeking it out like a drug, their eyes lit with a manic fire that never seems to dim. Others do it out of desperation: to keep a roof overhead, food on the table, some semblance of stability in their lives.
At first, you were certain Vi belonged in the first category. The way she took punches, how she barely flinched when you patched her upâshe didnât just endure the pain. She absorbed it. Relished it. She wore her scars like trophies, and it almost seemed like she was chasing something more with every bruise and break.
But then you started noticing other things. How her clothes, once old and frayed, began to look newer. The leather jacket she bought just last week, the new earrings glinting against her skin, the sturdy boots sheâs traded her worn ones for. Loris mentioned she moved out of his apartment recently and got her own place, though most of her money seemed to go toward booze.
You realize that fighting for Vi isnât just about survival or enjoyment. Itâs an outletâa way to lose herself in the chaos and the violence, to drown out whatever it is she doesnât want to face.
One night, you do something youâve never done before: you buy a ticket to one of her fights. Youâve seen enough carnage in the medicâs room to last a lifetime, but something about Vi pulls you in, like gravity. The crowd is as raucous as everâcheers, boos, the metallic clang of Antisâs bell marking the start and end of each match. You donât join in the noise. You just watch, feeling out of place among the spectators who are here for the bloodlust.
And then Vi steps into the ring.
Itâs the first time youâve seen her fight, and itâs nothing like you imagined. Youâd seen the aftermathâthe blood, the bruises, the broken bonesâbut witnessing her in action is something else entirely. Sheâs skilled, fast, brutally efficient, her punches calculated yet devastating.
The man sheâs up against is nearly twice her size, but it doesnât matter. She ducks under his swing with ease, her fist connecting with his jaw in a single, bone-crunching motion that sends him sprawling. The fight is over in less than a minute, and the crowd roars its approval.
Your eyes linger on her, unable to look away. Her back is to you, sweat gleaming on her exposed skin, highlighting the intricate tattoo that snakes across her shoulders. When she turns, she seems to know exactly where you are, her gaze locking onto yours even in the chaos of the crowd.
Your breath catches. The rise and fall of her chest, the bead of sweat tracing down her neck, the raw, undeniable power in her every movementâitâs overwhelming.
Something stirs deep inside you, hot and wanting.
You leave before her second fight starts, slipping through the crowd and into the tunnels. The line waiting for you in the medic room feels endless, yet the blur of bruised faces and bloody wounds canât distract you. Viâs image lingersâsweat on her skin, her breath heavy after the fight, and the way her eyes found yours in the crowd.
You never bring it up, and Vi doesnât either.
But something changes.
That night, as you treat her wounds again, it feels different. Sheâs quieter than usual, her usual cocky smile missing. You notice how her eyes linger on your hands as you work, following the glide of your fingers over her skin.
Your gloves feel thinner tonight, or maybe itâs just your imagination. Youâre hyperaware of every small movementâhow her skin feels warm under your touch, the sharp contrast of the calluses on her knuckles against your palm when you steady her hand to examine it.
She doesnât flinch when you press a damp cloth to the gash on her temple. Normally, sheâd tease you, mutter something about your bedside manner, or complain about the sting even though the both of you know she can take it. Instead, she just watches you, her gaze unwavering.
Itâs almost unbearable.
Sweat, blood, and alcohol. That is what she smells like. Thick and hanging on your tongue like smog.
âYouâre awfully quiet tonight,â you finally say, your voice softer than you intended.
Viâs lips quirk, but itâs a faint ghost of her usual grin. âJust tired, I guess.â
Itâs a lie, and you both know it.
You focus on cleaning the cut, trying to steady your hand. But her closeness throws you off. Sheâs sitting on the edge of the cot, her knees brushing against your thighs whenever she shifts. The room feels smaller.
âAlmost done,â you murmur, though it feels like youâre saying it more to yourself than her.
Vi tilts her head slightly, giving you better access, and the movement draws your attention to the curve of her jaw. Thereâs a bead of sweat lingering there, catching the dim light, and you have to force yourself to look away.
âTake your time,â she says.
Your fingers pause for just a second before you continue cleaning the wound. Her words hang in the air, charged and heavy, and you wonder if she knows how theyâve started to affect you. You reach for the bandages, your hands brushing against her skin again. Her breath hitchesâjust barelyâbut itâs enough for you to notice.
âThere,â you say, pulling back slightly. âDone.â
But your hands linger for a moment too long, your fingers still ghosting over her cheek. Youâre not sure if itâs you or her that doesnât pull away first.
Viâs eyes are on you again, darker now, and the air between you crackles with something unspoken. You donât know if itâs the proximity, the adrenaline still lingering from her fight, or the way her lips part slightly like sheâs about to say somethingâbut you canât take it anymore.
âI should clean up,â you say abruptly, turning away to gather the used bandages and cloths.
For a moment, she doesnât move, and you think she might say something to stop you. But then you hear the rustle of her leather jacket as she stands, the creak of the cot as her weight leaves it.
âThanks,â she says.
You glance over your shoulder, just in time to see her slip through the door. She doesnât look back.
Her visits dwindle after that night. Fewer and fewer until she stops coming altogether. She starts fighting nights back to back, ignoring protocol and refusing to see you after each one.
You try to shake it off.
To ignore it until you can't.
And then you visit her one day.
Itâs not in the medic room or the fighting ring. Itâs at her door, and itâs jarring, her address scribbled on a small piece of paper that Loris gave you.
You canât tell if Antis is pushing Vi to fight more or if Vi willingly puts herself through it every day. She is always in rotation, more so than any other fighter. Itâs gotten to the point where people are betting on how long Vi could remain undefeated.
You hate how you immediately perk up when her door opens.
âWhat are you doing here?â she asks, her voice low and guarded.
Her hair is black, dripping wet and staining her pale shoulders with inky streaks. The change startles you, but whatâs more disarming is the sight of her like thisâstripped-down, raw. Bandages are wrapped haphazardly around her chest, serving as an impromptu shirt. Her arms, usually hidden beneath gauze and gloves, are bare, revealing the countless scars that crisscross her skin. You can kind of see where her tattoos start and end. You think theyâre beautiful.
You open your mouth, but the words donât come. Why are you here? For some reason, you hadnât thought much about it before knocking. Now, standing here in her doorway, it feels like a mistake.
Youâre not really friends.
âUh,â you stammer, fumbling for an answer. Your gaze keeps straying to her hair, the stark black making it look longer, heavier. The pigment stains her hairline, dripping in uneven streaks along her temple. You notice how the damp strands cling to her neck, how the water pools in the hollow of her collarbone. It feels intrusive to look, but you canât help it.
Sheâs staring at you, her shock quickly shifting to irritation. âYou gonna stand there all day, or what?â
âIâyour hair,â you blurt out. âItâs⌠different.â
She scoffs, brushing past you as if youâre not worth the effort of a proper reply. The door swings open wider, an unspoken invitationâor maybe just a lack of concern if you follow. You hesitate, then step inside.
Her apartment is small and dim, almost claustrophobic. The air is stale and thick with a faint tang of alcohol. The small bed in the corner is unmade, the sheets rumpled and half-pushed onto the floor. A punching bag hangs in the center of the room, its surface worn and cracked from overuse. Thereâs a stack of clothes shoved into the corner, and a few empty bottles litter the floor near the bed.
But itâs the quiet that hits you the hardest. Itâs so different from the loud, chaotic energy she carries at the ring or the silence in the medic room. Here, everything feels muted, almost sad.
âYou dye it yourself?â you ask, trying to fill the awkward silence as she settles onto the edge of the bed.
She glances at you, the bottle in her hand tipping slightly. âYeah.â
âAntis didnât make you do it?â
Vi snorts a small, humourless sound. âNo. He suggested green.â
You try to picture her with green hair and fail. âWhy black?â
âNeeded a change,â she says simply, taking a swig from the bottle. The way she winces as she swallows tells you itâs not her first drink tonight. âWhy are you here?â
The bluntness of the question knocks you off balance. For a moment, you forget. Then the weight of the box in your hands reminds you. âOh, uh, I brought you some new hand wrappings. I saw them at the store and thought you could use them since yours are... shit. Yours are shit.â
Her eyes snap up to yours, something unreadable flickering in them before she looks away. âThanks.â
âItâs no problem,â you reply, though your voice feels stiff and awkward. You shift your weight, unsure whether to stay or leave. Her gaze returns to you, steady but unreadable, and you feel the strange urge to say somethingâsomething meaningful.
âYou... you okay, Vi?â you ask softly, not even sure why the words come out. You immediately want to take it back.
âWhy wouldnât I be?â
You look at her, really look at her. Not in the way you do at work, but right now, as a friend(?), guest(?) in her space. The dark circles under her eyes, the tension in her shoulders, the way she grips the bottle of cheap beer as if itâs the only thing keeping her upright. She looks⌠tired. Beaten down, in a way youâve never seen before.
âI donât know,â you admit, your voice quieter now, careful. âI guess you just⌠you havenât come by in a while. It looks like you need a good patch up again, no? Donât worry, I wonât charge.â
The words sound too casual, too light like youâre trying to make a jokeâand you are, but you can see the way her face stiffens after you say it. The faint bruises on her face, the bandages on her arms and hands, theyâre a clear sign of how badly sheâs been pushing herselfâsheâs been taking supplies from you without checking in, and youâve noticed. You know she hasnât gotten her pay yet. You havenât had the chance to clear her for it since she stopped coming by after fights. Itâs a faint sore spot between you both, an unspoken thing she wonât acknowledge, but you know sheâs not getting the care she needs.
For a moment, her face hardens, and you wonder if youâve crossed a line, if sheâs going to snap at you. Instead, she just stares at you, her jaw tight, her eyes narrowing like sheâs trying to figure out what your angle is.
You feel her gaze like a weight pressing down on you, making your skin itch.
Then, she exhales slowly, the tension in her posture easing just a fraction.
âIâm fine,â she says finally, though the words lack conviction. She shifts, setting the bottle down on the floor. âYou done?â
Youâre about to say something elseâmaybe ask again, maybe push for moreâbut then you realize itâs not your place. You step back, suddenly feeling like an intruder. âYeah.â
You place the box of hand wraps on the counter, but your hands feel clumsy as you do. You want to say something more, something comforting, but the words stick in your throat. âGood luck tonight, Vi.â
She doesnât respond right away. You turn to leave, your feet dragging slightly, unsure if you should even be leaving at all. It feels like thereâs something more to say.
Just as you reach the door, her voice stops you. Itâs softer than you expect, quieter, almost hesitant.
âThanks.â
As you walk down the hallway, the ache in your chest lingers, a nebulous knot of worry, pity, and something else you canât quite pin down. It tightens with each step, and you wonder, not for the first time, what weight Vi carries with herâand why it feels like itâs starting to settle on you too.
You shake it off, reminding yourself that you're not working this weekend. A rare luxury. Vi doesnât need to know, and honestly, you doubt sheâd even care. If anything, sheâd probably be glad to be rid of you for a few more days.
Thatâs what you tell yourself.
The next time youâre sitting in your cramped little medical room, fussing over how some of the things on your desk are now out of place, the door creaks open just a sliver. You pause, mid-motion, and glance at the shadow shifting on the other side. When whoever it is spots you, the door swings wide with an almost violent energy, smacking against the wall behind it.
âHey,â Vi stumbles inside, the loud thud of her boots and the echoing cheers from the fighting pit outside spilling into the room with her.
You stand abruptly, the chair scraping back against the floor as you take her in. âVi?â
It takes you a second to recognize her. The black hair throws you off again, though the pink is already creeping back into the ends, the dye washing out like itâs given up trying to keep up with her. Paint smears her faceâthick streaks running from her eyes down to her chin like some warped battle mask. Sheâs gripping a large bottle in one hand, cradling it as if itâs precious, her knuckles stained red.
Her smirk is crooked, her words slurred. âWonât believe it,â she drawls, letting herself fall unceremoniously onto the old, battered couch in the corner. The springs squeak loudly in protest, and she almost knocks over one of your carefully hung paintings. âHey.â
You frown, stepping closer. âAre you drunk?â
Her smirk widens, playful and defiant. âNo.â
âNo?â
âI just won,â she says, like that explains everything. âAgain. Beat that big guyâmetal jaw. You know the one. Knocked it clean off.â
Sheâs grinning like she just told a funny joke, but you donât laugh. Fighters donât go into the pit drunk, at least not that youâve ever seen. They also donât win, which is why Antis is strict about that; drunk fighters are bad fighters, and bad donât bring in any moneyâheâll kick anyone out who even smells like shimmer, let alone someone stumbling around with a bottle of booze.
You move closer cautiously, studying her.
She sits up straighter as you approach, her hair falling messily across her face. You catch a glint of her blue eyes through the strandsâsharp, even with the haze of alcohol dulling the rest of her. Her gaze flickers down to her bloodied knuckles, and so does yoursâred seeps through the white of her hand wraps, staining them in uneven patches.
She murmurs something, but itâs too soft to catch.
âWhat?â
âYou werenât here.â
Her words surprise you.
âYeah,â you say, unsure how else to respond.
âFour days.â
âI know.â
âWhy not?â
You hesitate, caught between wanting to downplay your absence and knowing sheâll see through it. âIâve been busy. I have a life outside this place, you know that, right?â
âRight,â she mutters, though thereâs something bitter in the way she says it.
She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees, her fingers gripping the bottle loosely. She stares ahead, her face unreadable, and for a moment, the room feels impossibly quiet despite the muffled roar of the crowd outside. Youâre counting the seconds until someone from the pit shows up looking worse for wear, but she just sits there, unmoving.
Finally, she speaks. âLoris and I are going out for drinks at the bar next door.â
âMore of them?â
She scoffs, but thereâs a faint smile playing on her lips. âFuck off. I was gonna invite you.â
âYou want me there?â
âSure,â she shrugs, leaning back against the couch. âSince you and Loris are so close.â
You roll your eyes, grabbing a plastic bag and filling it with ice. âOh, yeah. Best friends. I thought you knew.â
She grins at that, her expression lazy but amused as you press the makeshift ice pack to her cheek. She winces, hissing under her breath, but doesnât pull away. The familiarity of the moment settles between you, a rhythm you hadnât realized you missed. You didnât know how much you liked being around her, with all her flaws and quirks, until it was gone.
When she stands to leave, thereâs a lightness to her movements. She pauses at the door, glancing back over her shoulder.
âBut youâre coming, right?â she asks, her voice softer, less guarded.
You nod, tugging absently at the rings on your fingers. âYeah. Iâll stop by after I finish up here.â
Her smile catches you off guard. Itâs not the smirk or grin youâre used toâitâs warmer, something youâve never seen before. âGood.â
And then sheâs gone, leaving you alone in the stillness of the room. The ache in your chest hasnât gone away, but it feels different now, lighter somehow, settling into the pit of your stomach like a flutter of butterflies.
You canât wipe the smile off your face even if you tried.
Your night stretches on, each task blending into the next. Stitches to pull, bruises to ice, concussions to monitor. This is your rhythmâcalm, focused, efficient. You donât dwell on the blood staining your gloves or the bruised faces looking back at you. Usually, thereâs a detachment, a quiet understanding between you and the fighters. You help them, and they leave.
But tonight feels different. The weight of the work presses a little heavier, the hours crawling by as the thought of Viâs smile keeps replaying in your head. You remind yourself to focus, to get through the line of battered fighters who rely on you, but every second drags, making your usual rhythm feel offbeat.
Itâs not just Viâs smileâitâs the invitation, her softer tone, the way she paused at the door like your answer mattered more than usual. You donât let yourself overthink it, but you do catch yourself checking the time more often than youâd like.
When the last fighter leaves, mumbling a tired thank-you, you exhale in relief. The medic room is quiet now, the faint smell of antiseptic lingering in the air. You pack your supplies, stuffing gloves, gauze, and a few stray pins into your cabinets. The bathroom across the hall catches your eye as you pass, and for once, you pause.
The bathroom is dimly lit, the bulb above buzzing faintly as it flickers. The mirror is cracked in one corner, the surface smudged and grimy, but it still reflects more of you than youâre ready to see. Your sleeves are stained, and your hands are scrubbed raw but not clean enough. The uneven greenish light only makes you look worse, casting harsh shadows on your face.
You roll your sleeves up and run water into the sink, trying to scrub the splotches from your clothes. The waterâs cold and your hands ache from the effort, but it feels worth itâlike a small chance to put your best self forward. You straighten your shirt, brush off your jacket, and fix your hair as best as you can.
Itâs not enough.
Itâll never be enough for a bar full of fighters, let alone for her. You think about going home to change, but itâs already late, and the idea of missing her is ridiculously unbearable.
Clutching your jacket tightly, you step into the downpour outside. The rain pelts against your skin, soaking through your boots as you jog the few steps to the bar. The hum of voices reaches you before the neon glow of the sign above the door does.
Inside, the place is alive.
Most of the crowd from the arena spills into the corners of the bar, still riding the high of the nightâs fights. Tables are crammed with victorious fighters and their friends and sponsors, their voices rising above the heavy bassline of a song playing in the background. The air is thick with the smell of sweat, beer, and the faint tang of spilled liquor.
The dim lighting casts a warm, golden hue over the room, softening the rough edges of the crowd. People laugh, shout, and toast to victories. Some are already slumped over the bar, lost in exhaustion or celebration.
Your eyes scan the room, searching for her. Instead, you spot Loris firstâhis brick-like frame standing out even among the chaos. Heâs leaning casually against the bar, arms crossed, but his face lights up when he sees you.
He waves you over, and you weave through the crowd, dodging dancing bodies and familiar faces who call out greetings as you pass. Your heart beats faster, a mix of nerves and anticipation, as you approach.
âYou made it,â Loris says, his grin wide and genuine.
You huff, brushing a damp strand of hair out of your face, but you canât fight the smile tugging at your lips. âHi.â
Loris gives you a nod, his usual gruffness softened just a bit for you. He calls the bartender over, jerking his chin toward you to signal itâs your turn to order.
You glance at the menu briefly, though you already know what you want. After placing your order, the two of you settle into a quiet rhythm. Loris doesnât seem like the type to fill silence for the sake of it, and you donât mind. Thereâs a strange comfort in his presence.
You find yourself scanning the crowd without thinking, your eyes searching for pink hair at first, a flash of brightness that would stand out even in a place like this. Then you remember her hair is black now. Your eyes adjust, searching instead for the sleek leather of her jacket or the familiar glint of its spikes catching the dim, shifting light.
The bartender sets your drink down in front of you with a solid thud, breaking your focus. Your heart skips a beat, and you reach for the glass more out of reflex than thirst. The cool edge of it presses against your palm, grounding you.
âHappy youâre here.â
Lorisâs voice cuts through the noise, low but steady. You look up at him, caught off guard. His eyes remain fixed on his drink, but thereâs a weight to his words that makes your chest tighten.
âMaybe itâll keep Vi from doing something stupid,â he adds after a beat, his tone rough but not unkind.
Your eyebrows knit together as you bring your glass to your lips. The liquor burns on the way down, but itâs nothing compared to the unease settling in your stomach. âWhat do you mean?â
Loris hesitates, his fingers drumming against the counter as he considers his words. When he finally speaks, his voice is quieter, almost reluctant. âShe gets into fights sometimes.â
Your stomach sinks further. âHere?â
âOnly happened twice,â he says quickly like itâs supposed to make you feel better.
âOh.â You set your drink down, your fingers lingering on the glass. âWhy?â
Loris exhales through his nose, his shoulders shifting as if the question itself is a burden. âDunno. She wonât talk about it.â
You blink, caught off guard. âShe doesnât seemâŚâ You trail off, unsure how to finish that sentence.
âLike a drunk?â he finishes for you. âSheâs good at hiding it, most of the time. But sheâs been drinking more. Gets worse when sheâs stressed.â
You bite your lip, your fingers tightening around your glass. âStressed about what? Fighting?â
He shakes his head, never answering. âSheâs stubborn as shit, you know that. But somethingâs been eating at her, and I donât think she knows how to deal with it.â
The words hang between you as the clamour of the bar continues around you. You glance down at your drink, the amber liquid catching the dim light, and take another sip. It doesnât burn as much this time, but it doesnât settle the knot in your stomach, either.
âI can keep an eye on her,â you say quietly, more to yourself than Loris. âSheâs not supposed to be in the pit intoxicated anyway.â
He nods, a faint hint of gratitude flickering in his eyes. âSheâs lucky to have you.â
The comment catches you off guard, and you look at him sharply, but heâs already turning back to his drink. You swallow, your cheeks warming for reasons that have nothing to do with the alcohol.
You look away.
And then you spot her.
Vi pushes her way through the crowd, a storm parting the sea of bodies on the dance floor. Her scowl deepens as she brushes off someoneâs outstretched hand, her movements sharp, purposeful. The smudged paint on her cheeksâlikely streaked from the rainâgives her the appearance of someone worn down by more than just the weather. Faint lines trace across her face like tears.
Your eyes trail to her arms, bare and flexing slightly as she adjusts the leather jacket slung over her shoulder. The spikes catch the dim, flashing lights of the bar, their edges softened by the haze of the room. In her other hand, she grips a glass of something amber and strong.
Your heart jumps, and you realize youâve been staring when her gaze lifts to you. For a moment, she pauses in her tracks and just looks at you, her eyes scanning your face as if confirming youâre really here. Then, she grinsâa slow, crooked thing that tugs at her lips and sends your pulse hammering in your chest.
The smile is lazy but unmistakably pleased.
She changes course, heading straight for you.
She doesnât look drunkânot like beforeâbut the memory of her swaying slightly in your medic room comes rushing back. You donât miss the way her drink is already nearly empty, or how smoothly she downs the last of it before setting the glass on the bar with a clink.
When she reaches you, the faint scent of rain and leather clings to her, mingling with the sharper tang of alcohol.
âHey,â Vi says, your name rolling off her tongue in that low, slightly rough voice of hers, and she leans against the counter next to you.
âHey,â you grin, trying to keep your voice light even as your pulse races and Loris laughs at you. âYou seem surprised to see me.â
âNot surprised,â she replies quickly, her eyes flicking to yours and then away, her smirk faltering for just a second. âJust⌠glad.â
The simplicity of her words sends your thoughts scattering, but before you can respond, she tilts her head toward your glass. âWhatâre you drinking?â
You lift it slightly, letting the dim light catch the remaining liquid. Vi eyes it for a moment, nodding in approval. âGood choice. Finish it.â
You blink, âWhat?â
She nudges your elbow lightly, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of her lips. âCome on. Youâre here to have fun, right? Finish your drink, and Iâll show you what that looks like.â
Her tone is playful, almost teasing, but thereâs an edge of sincerity beneath it. You hesitate, then take a longer sip, her expectant gaze making it impossible not to comply. The drink burns a little less this time, and when you place the empty glass down, sheâs already holding out her hand.
âCome with me,â she says, and itâs not really a question.
Her fingers are warm when they curl around yours, her grip firm and steady as she leads you toward the heart of the bar. The crowd thickens as you move closer to the dance floor, the music pounding louder with every step. The bass thrums through the floor, climbing up your legs and settling in your chest, and the swirl of bodies around you becomes a blur of movement and heat.
Vi doesnât let go of your hand, even as she turns back to glance at you, a faint smile pulling at her lips. For the first time in a while, thereâs a lightness in her expression, a spark of something youâve missed seeing.
Her usual confidence is there, but itâs softened, almost shy. You follow her lead, feeling awkward at first, but her laughâlow and huskyâeases some of your nerves.
The two of you move together amidst the shifting pulse of the dance floor, the heat of the crowd wrapping around you like a living thing. Youâre acutely aware of every brush of her fingers against yours, the subtle way her body angles toward you as if sheâs drawn to your orbit.
Youâre staring at her, looking at the few freckles on her cheeks you can still see under the smudged paint, at the pink ends of her dark hair, at the way her leather jacket has found itself back on her shoulders, muscular arms hiding inside the sleeves.
You think youâre a little obsessed with her.
The question forms on your lips before you can stop it. âWhy did you stop coming by?â
Your voice is soft, barely carrying over the music, but itâs enough. Her gaze sharpens as she hears you, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face.
âI like taking care of you, Vi.â
For a moment, she freezes. Then, almost imperceptibly, she steps closer. Her hand slides to your waist, the calluses on her fingers warm against the thin fabric of your clothes. She doesnât answerânot with words. Instead, she tilts her head slightly, her thumb brushing against your jaw, coaxing you to look at her.
Her eyes search yours, hesitating just long enough for you to realize whatâs about to happen. Her breath, warm and faintly tinged with alcohol, fans across your lips, and a shiver runs down your spine.
And then she kisses you.
Itâs quick at first, almost testing the watersâa soft brush of her lips against yours that leaves your breath caught somewhere between your heart and throat.
You pull away from her, face burning, when you notice her eyes are still closed, only to flutter open questioningly. Bright, piercing blue meets yours, and for a moment, you see panic flare in her expression.
âFuck,â she mutters, running a hand through her rain-damp hair. âFuck, Iâm sorryâI shouldnât haveââ
âNo.â The word comes out instinctively, you cannot get rid of that stupid smile on your face. âNo, donât apologize.â
Your fingers find their way to the lapels of her jacket. Her face scrunches up, caught somewhere between hope and disbelief, but youâre not looking at her eyes anymore. Youâre focused on her lips, on the faint scar cutting across the corner of her mouth.
You tug her closer.
You kiss her back.
She exhales sharply against your lips, the sound half a gasp, half a groan, as her hands come up to cradle your face and the nape of your neck. Itâs as if something inside her has snapped, all her restraint slipping away as she pours herself into you.
The world around you dissolvesâthe music, the crowd, the cacophony of Zaunâs nightlife fading into a muted hum. Itâs just her, her warmth and her touch, her breath mingling with yours as she holds you like youâre the only thing anchoring her to the moment.
Her lips move against yours with a fervour that borders on desperation, her hands mapping out the curve of your waist, the small of your back, your hips, and your ass with her eyes closed. Sheâs eager to have you close, to feel you.
You respond in kind, your hands sliding up her abs, your fingers tangling in her hair, tugging slightly as her groan vibrates against your mouth.
The sound she emits makes your head spin. Viâs warmth is all-consuming. A tangle of heat and want that leaves you both breathless by the time she finally pulls back, her forehead resting against yours.
âI need toââ she starts, her voice hoarse and trembling. She glances around, as if suddenly aware of where you are. âLetâs go somewhere. Outside.â
She doesnât wait for a response, her hand finding yours again as she guides you through the crowd. You barely register the shift in the air until youâre stepping into the rain-soaked streets of Zaun.
The alley she leads you into is dimly lit, the flicker of a neon sign casting faint, wavering light against the wet pavement. The rain is light but steady, cool droplets clinging to your skin as she turns to you, her chest rising and falling like sheâs been running.
Her gaze is intense, unwavering, as she steps closer, crowding you against the brick wall. âYouâre making me crazy,â she murmurs, her voice low and rough. Her hand cups your jaw, her thumb tracing a slow, deliberate path along your cheekbone.
âI could say the same,â you admit.
And then sheâs kissing you again, this time with a fervour that leaves no room for hesitation.
Itâs embarrassing how fast you tangle together after this, melding together into a pathetic heap out on the sidewalk for god and everyone in this podunk city to see. This time, you note with a ticklish glee settling in your stomach, your lips moving in tandem. They slit against each other with ease.
The rain seeps into your clothes, cold against your skin, but Viâs touch is fire. Her hands are everywhere, rough and sure as they explore your body, pulling you closer, as if afraid youâll slip away.
You thread your fingers through her hair, pulling her to you, matching her passion with your own softness. She groans into your mouth, the sound vibrating through you, and you take the opportunity to deepen the kiss, your tongue brushing against hers in a slow, deliberate caress.
Her grip tightens on your hips, fingers digging into damp fabric as she presses you harder against the wall. The rain patters around you, mingling with the sound of your ragged breaths, the occasional distant noise of the bar fading into irrelevance. She parts your thighs with one of her own and places a steadying hand right next to your face. She takes you in, wholly and completely and you let her.Â
The rain beats down relentlessly, plastering your clothes to your skin, but you barely notice it. Not when Vi is kissing you like thisâlike sheâs trying to consume you like sheâs been starving for this. Her body is warm, her lips are hot, insistent, and messy against yours, her teeth occasionally graze your lower lip in a way that sends shocks through your entire body.
Breathy moans expel from your mouth in tandem with curses as her leg creates delicious friction against the lace of your underwear.Â
âVi,â you manage, though it comes out as more of a broken whine, breathless and desperate.
Her name on your lips pulls a moan from her, low and guttural, and the sound is enough to make your knees weaken. You think you might collapse if she werenât holding you so tightly.
Your head spins. You feel like youâre dissolving, every nerve alight as you lose yourself in her touch. Your lungs burn, screaming for air, but you canât pull away. You donât want to. Instead, you cling to her, fingers tugging in her hair.
Itâs overwhelmingâher heat, her strength, her desperation. Sheâs chaos and want, all Violet and nothing else, and youâre caught in her pull, like a leaf tossed about in a gale. It terrifies you, the way she consumes your thoughts, your senses. It feels like being set aflame, every kiss, every touch fanning the fire until youâre sure youâll burn to ashes.
Her hands slide lower, shoving into the back pockets of your pants, and she grips you firmly, guiding your hips to rock against her. The movement is deliberate, slow at first, but the friction makes you whimper, a sound that seems to drive her further. Vi pulls you closer, dragging your body against hers in a way that makes you shudder.
Your breaths come in sharp, uneven gasps, each one punctuated by her low moans. You donât think youâve ever felt like thisâuntethered, your body moving on instinct as you grind down against her leg. Her hold on you tightens, fingers digging into you, her strength reminds you of all the noses sheâs broken, all the wounds you had to tend to because of her. The thought makes you dizzy, makes you crave her more.
Viâs hips roll up into you, meeting your movements with a messy rhythm that leaves you trembling. The heat pooling in your stomach builds steadily, like a fire that refuses to be sated, even under the torrent of rain.
You let your hands wander, sliding up the hard planes of her stomach, your fingers tracing the ridges of muscle through her soaked bandages. Youâre struck by how solid she feels, how strong, and it makes your chest tighten with something you canât quite name. When your palm presses lower, cupping her over her pants, she keensâa quiet, needy sound that has you aching to hear it again.
Oh, you want her to do that again, youâre going to make her do that again.
Her grip on your hips becomes almost bruising, her breath coming faster as she sighs into your mouth. âFuck,â she mutters, the word a rough exhale that sends a shiver down your spine. And then, barely audible, she mumbles, âCait.â
You falter, the word barely registering over the storm and your own pounding heartbeat. Itâs unfamiliar and foreign, and it sticks in your mind like a splinter.
Her lips are on yours again, insistent and wild, her teeth catching your bottom lip as her hands slide up under your shirt. Her fingertips are warm despite the rain, leaving trails of fire along your skin as she pushes the wet fabric higher. You shudder under her touch, goosebumps rising in her wake, your body arching instinctively toward her.
Your mind is a tangle of emotions and half-formed thoughts. Youâre hyper-aware of everythingâof the rain soaking through your clothes, the way her breath mingles with yours, the quiet groans she canât seem to hold back.
She moves with purpose, her lips finding the sensitive skin along your jaw, then lower, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down your neck. Each touch sends a fresh wave of heat through you, making it harder to think, to breathe.
Your fingers are clumsily slipping into her underwear and then youâre there, fingers brushing right against her clitâsheâs so wet that your fingers brush right through her folds, gliding like silk.
âVi,â you whisper again.
Her answering hum vibrates against your skin, and she pulls back just enough to meet your gaze. Her eyes are half-lidded, the blue of them dark and turbulent, like the sea during a storm.
You lean in, pressing your lips to the sensitive spot just below her jaw. Itâs a place you know well, one youâve touched countless times in the dim light of your medicâs room, dabbing at bruises and wiping away blood. Each time, sheâd jerk away ever so slightly. Now, you press your lips there with the same precision, but the sense is wholly different.
She shifts beneath your touch, her breath hitching as your mouth moves deliberately along her neck. The breathy moans she leaves by your ear fuel you, spurring you on as you focus on the rhythm of her breathing, the way her body responds to you.
âGood,â she mutters, her voice rough and uneven. âFuck, feels so good.â
Her hand moves beneath your shirt, her palm rough and calloused against the softness of your skin, digging under your bra. She cups your breast, her thumb brushing over your nipple, and the sensation sends a jolt through you, sharp and electric. Her other hand tangles in your hair, tugging just hard enough to make your scalp tingle.
It aches, but youâre smiling, even as the rain continues to pour, soaking through your clothes and plastering your hair to your face. You sneak a glance at her, and the sight nearly undoes you. Her eyes are squeezed shut, her dark lashes clumped together with rain and dark, smudged makeup against pale, bruised skin. Her lips are parted, searching for somethingâyour lips, your skin, something to kiss.
You donât make her wait. She bites at your neck, teeth grazing your skin, and you gasp, your hand instinctively moving to her hair. You tug, and the sound she makesâa guttural, desperate moanâsends heat pooling low in your stomach.
She mutters your name, her voice soft yet filled with a hunger that shakes you to your core. Thereâs a plea disguised in her tone, a silent plea to give her everything, to let her take all you have to offer.
And you will. Youâll give her everything. Your time, your care, your thoughts and prayers, every piece of yourself. Your leg, an arm, the air you breathe, and the food you make. Youâd give her your heart, too, if only sheâd take it.
Her body trembles against yours, her chest heaving as her breath comes in sharp, shallow bursts. You canât tell if itâs from the cold rain seeping into your bones or from the way your fingers move against her. You trace light circles over her clit, teasing, testing, and the way she reactsâhips jerking, her hands clutching at you desperatelyâyou think she wants your warmth, and you hope that is what she chases after.
When you slip a finger inside, she gasps, her voice breaking into soft, fractured sounds that make your chest ache. It takes a few tries, careful adjustments to find the spot that makes her fall apart, but when you do, itâs like a floodgate opens. Her moans grow louder, more desperate, her body tensing beneath your touch as she winds tighter, tighterâ
âCaitâŚâ The same name from before slips from her lips like a whisper at first, so faint you almost miss it.
Then she says it again, her voice catching on the syllable, and your world tilts.
âCait⌠CaitâŚâ she chants, the name tumbling from her lips in fervent prayer, each utterance cutting through the haze that had clouded your mind.
It tastes bitter. Bitter like the alcohol still lingering on her breath. Bitter like the realization sinking into your chest.
You freeze, suddenly sober.
Your hands falter, and Vi doesnât seem to notice at first, still panting, still trembling, her forehead pressed against yours. The furrow in her brow deepens when you pull back, untangling yourself from her arms.
âWhatâ? Whyâd you stop?â Her voice is hoarse and confused, the desperation still thick in her tone.
âWhoâs Cait?â The words leave your mouth before you can stop them.
âWhat?â
Vi blinks, her face a mask of confusion before her expression shifts. Guilt flashes in her eyesâraw and unguarded. Itâs a look youâve seen before, maybe once or twice.
âYou keep calling me âCait.ââ You canât meet her gaze as you say it. Your chest tightens, your throat burns, and suddenly, the space between the two of you feels suffocating.
You reach for her hand still under your shirt, running your thumb over her split knuckles. Itâs a gesture that feels too tender now, and you pull her hand away from you, stepping aside to put distance between your bodies.
âI donât knowâŚâ Your voice cracks as you say it, your mind grasping for anything to make sense of this moment.
âShit. Shit.â Vi curses under her breath, running a hand through her wet hair. âIâm sorry. I didnât mean toâI didnâtâCaitâs just⌠someone I used to know, alright?â
The rain pours harder, the chill sinking into your bones as you cross your arms tightly against your chest. You glance down the alley, to where the streetlights cast faint glows on the wet pavement. Anywhere but her face.
âUm⌠I think I need to go,â you mumble.
âYou just got here.â Her voice is low and unsure, and it makes you stutter for a moment. She takes a step toward you, one hand lifting as though to touch you, but she freezes mid-motion, her fingers curling into a fist.
âI know.â You force the words out. âBut itâs been a long day.â You take a step back, and then another.
âPlease.â Her voice cracks on the word. âDonât leave.â
You pause, your breath hitching at the desperation in her tone. It tugs at something in your chest, something that still wants to turn around, to reach for her and say everything is fine. But itâs not fine. Not anymore.
âViâŚâ Her name feels raw on your tongue. âYouâre drunk. I shouldnât have⌠Iâm sorry.â
âNo.â She cuts you off, the panic in her voice sharp enough to pierce through the rain. âNo, donât say that. Iâm not drunkââ
âYou are.â
Her words are rushed, and frantic, like sheâs trying to convince herself as much as you. You shake your head, stepping back again, the cold of the brick wall scraping against your palm as you steady yourself.
âYouâre clearly not in the right state of mind right now,â you say, your tone firmer this time. It feels like a lie, like a mask youâre slipping on to hide the crack forming in your resolve. âIâll see you tomorrow, alright? Just⌠rest easy. You fight early tomorrow.â
She exhales sharply, a sound halfway between a sob and a growl, her hands clenching at her sides. âFuck. Fuck!â The frustration explodes out of her as her fist slams into the brick wall beside her, the dull thud reverberating in the air.
The sound makes you flinch, your shoulders stiffening as you start walking away. Her voice chases after you, raw and broken, but you canât bring yourself to turn back.
Your lips burn where her mouth had been, a phantom heat that refuses to fade despite the freezing rain. You wipe your hands against the damp fabric of your pants, but the scent of her lingersâsmoke, leather, and something wholly hers. It clings to you like a ghost.
The sunlight catches you off guard the next morning. It filters in through the grimy window of the medic room, cutting golden beams through the usual haze of smog. The light feels almost intrusive, prying into the shadows youâve grown accustomed to.
You glance at the old clock on the wall, your eyes heavy from lack of sleep. Last night replays in your mind like a broken recordâViâs voice, raw and regretful, the taste of her still lingering on your lips, and that name, Cait, slipping like a shard of glass between your ribs.
Outside, the faint hum of Zaun waking up filters through the walls. Fighters pass by the door, their voices carrying muffled excitement or hushed murmurs about Viâs loss.
âSheâs never been this off her game,â someone says as they pass. âWonder whatâs eating her.â
You tighten your grip on the bandage roll in your hand, trying to ignore the way your stomach clenches.
The sunlight persists, illuminating every imperfection in the roomâthe cracks in the walls, the scuff marks on the floor, the faint stains on the counter. Itâs the first time youâve seen this much light down here, and yet it only seems to highlight everything you want to forget.
You try to focus on your work, lining up supplies that donât need organizing, folding bandages that donât need folding. You think about how Viâs presence, chaotic as it was, had somehow made this job bearable. Her grins, her dry wit, the way she sat in that chair like it was her throneâit had all made this dim room feel a little less oppressive.
But today, the chair stays empty.
Word of her loss had swept through the Pit hours ago. Even the ones who bet against herâout of spite or fearâseemed shocked. Youâd caught snippets of conversations, whispers about how Vi had gone down hard, how her opponentâs hit had landed with a sickening crack that echoed through the arena.
Ryker confirmed the details when he came in, his voice low as he described the sound her body made hitting the floor. The image had stuck with you, sharp and unrelenting, as you waited.
You expected her to show up the way she always didâbleeding but defiant, swaggering in with that cocky grin, already downplaying her injuries. But as the hours stretched into evening, the worry settled deeper.
Maybe sheâd gone straight to the bar again, skipping protocol out of spite. You wanted to believe it, even if it wasnât fair. If anyone had the right to be upset, it should be you.
You paced the cramped room, the sound of your boots scraping against the floor the only thing keeping you grounded. You told yourself you didnât careâit wasnât your job to chase after fighters who wouldnât take care of themselves. But deep down, it stung.
The thought of her turning back to old habitsâof her brushing you aside like you never matteredâsettled in your chest like a bruise you couldnât rub out.
And then the door creaks open.
Vi steps inside, her silhouette framed by the soft, golden light spilling through the window behind her. She hesitates in the doorway, a shadow of her usual self. Her confident swagger is gone, replaced by a tired, battered figure. The black paint streaked across her shoulders has smeared into her skin, blending with dried blood and sweat. Her leather jacket hangs heavily from her hands, and her makeshift top is damp, torn in places, and caked with dirt.
Her face tells the rest of the story. A swollen eye, a nose bent at an angle that makes you wince just looking at it, and a constellation of bruises across her cheekbone and jaw. Blood has dried in crusty patches along her hairline and temples, merging with the remnants of the black paint she hadnât bothered to wash off.
She lingers there, gripping the edges of the doorframe like sheâs bracing herself for rejection. Youâre about to speak when her gaze finds yours, cutting through the silence like a knife.
âHey,â she says, her voice scratchy and low.
You exhale a breath you didnât realize you were holding, willing your tone to stay steady. âTook you long enough,â you say lightly, turning toward the counter to grab the salve and bandages.
When you glance back, the ghost of a smirk flickers on her lips, but it vanishes just as quickly. She steps further inside, lowering herself into the chair with a muted groan. Thereâs no quip this time, no offhand joke. She just sits there, shoulders sagging, staring at her bloodied hands like they belong to someone else.
You pull on your gloves, the snap of latex breaking the silence. âWhat happened?â
Her shrug is stiff, âGuess I wasnât fast enough.â
Thereâs an edge to her voice, sharp and bitter. Itâs self-directed, steeped in frustration, and it takes you by surprise. You soak a cloth in antiseptic and step closer, gently dabbing at a jagged cut above her eyebrow. She flinches but doesnât pull away.
âWhy didnât you come sooner?â you ask, your tone soft but firm.
Her jaw tightens, and her hands curl into fists on her lap. âDidnât think youâd want to see me.â
You pause mid-motion, your hand hovering just above her skin. Her words feel like a slap, and youâre not sure if the sting comes from the accusation. âI still like to take care of you,â you say quietly.
Vi scoffs, the sound is humourless and tired. âThatâs your job.â
âYeah, but,â you counter, meeting her gaze head-on. âI like doing it.â
The confession hangs in the air, heavy and unspoken between you. Her shoulders tense as she processes your words, her eyes darting away like she canât bear to look at you.
You try to focus on cleaning her wounds, âYou shouldâve come earlier. You shouldnât do this to yourself.â
âWhy not? Seems to be what Iâm good at.â
Her words strike a chord, a pang of hurt and anger swirling in your chest. You step back, giving her space as you set the cloth down. The sunlight streaming through the window catches on her hair, painting her in a halo of gold. She looks almost ethereal, and it breaks your heart, because you know she doesnât see it.
âViâŚâ You hesitate, unsure of what to say.
She looks up then, her eye searching your face. Her voice cracks when she speaks. âI donât get it. Iâm a jerk, right? Always have been to fucking everyone, even Loris and my sister and I... I mean, Iâve been a dick to you since day one. Why donât you just⌠let me fuck myself up?â
âIâve thought about it,â you admit, a hint of teasing laced in your voice. âBut then Iâd be a pretty shitty medic, wouldnât I?â
Her lips twitch upward again, but it doesnât quite stick. âIâm sorry,â she says, her voice so quiet you almost miss it. âFor everything.â
You nod, not trusting yourself to speak.
âI didnât mean toâŚâ She trails off, her gaze dropping to the floor. âI didnât mean to hurt you.â
The sincerity in her voice twists the knife deeper, but it doesnât change the truth. âItâs okay,â you manage.
âNo, itâs not.â She finally looks at you, her blue eyes clouded with something you couldnât quite place. Regret? Shame? âI⌠You deserve better than that. Better than me.â
Her words hit like a punch to the gut. You swallowed hard, forcing a small smile. âYouâre being dramatic. Iâm fine, really.â
Vi shook her head, leaning back against the chair. âYouâre not. Youâre just too good to say it.â
Her eyes flick up to meet yours, and for a moment, it feels like the world has stopped spinning. You can see the pain in her expression, the regret and the sorrow, but thereâs something else, tooâa longing that mirrors your own.
But itâs not enough.
You step back, and the distance between you feels like miles. âYou should rest. I gotta fix your nose.â
Vi nods, leaning back in the chair. The sunlight catches on her bruises, highlighting every mark, every scar. She looks like a warrior, battle-worn and beautiful, and you know youâll never forget this image of her.
As you work in silence, you canât help but wonder what it wouldâve been like if things were differentâif whoever Cait was didnât haunt her, if she could see you the way you see her.
But deep down, you know the answer.
Sheâll never be yours.
But youâll always be hers.
When you finish, Vi hesitates for a moment longer than you expect, her movements slow and deliberate, as though she doesnât know where to go next or what to do. She stands, and the way her shoulders rise, like sheâs summoning whatâs left of her strength, makes your heart ache.
âThanks,â she says.
âOf course. Itâs what Iâm here for.â
As the words leave you, they feel hollow. You want to reach for more, to say something else, to make her understand. You want to scream, to tell her that you could be enough for her if sheâd just let you. You could make her believe that sheâs worth more than the pain sheâs carrying. But instead, all you do is smile. Itâs soft, strained, and bittersweet.
She doesnât meet your eye as she turns toward the door. You watch her move, each step deliberate, like sheâs carrying an invisible weight. For a fleeting moment, itâs as if sheâs pulling the room with her, dragging everything back into the shadows.
And then, sheâs gone.
The door clicks softly behind her, leaving the room eerily silent. You sit back in your chair, the quiet pressing in around you like a heavy fog. The warmth from the light seems to linger, but it doesnât reach you anymore.
You sit back in your chair, staring at the empty space. The room feels colder and quieter, and you realize that, no matter how much you wish otherwise, sheâll always carry pieces of someone else with her.
warnings: twitter porn links, usage of strap, fingering, squiring, spanking, tummy bulges, strap sucking, face fucking, breeding, two of these are straight but let's pretend they're not:3
requested:D!
âĄâno need to pause your game
âĄâoh how wonderful it is to be her passenger princess
âĄâgiving you backshots
âĄâshe loves using the breeding strap
âĄâriding her fingers
âĄâshe can't resist your ass
âĄâyou take her cock so well
âĄâfucking you with her strap
âĄâyou wore that just for her, right?
âĄâmaking out
âĄâher strap is so big
âĄâshe loves making you squirt
âĄâshe knows how to fuck you
âĄâsucking her strap
âĄâtribbing
âĄâfingering you
âĄâshe can't help but touch herself when she eats you out
hello! Long time reader first time ask.
perhaps a peaky blinder boys x reader whose love language is bitting?
-đ§ââď¸ anon
(If emoji anons are allowed of courseâ¤ď¸)
Hello I absolutely love this because biting is definitely one of my love languages haha
Warnings: lots of fluff in this but it does get NSFW in places, mentions of blood in Arthurs.
Tommy
đż Is not at all surprised when you bite him for the first time, he's so sharp an observer of people and their habits that before you were even particularly close he had been able to tell you were a "biter"
đż And he couldn't help but feel a little more drawn to you for it... He would find himself watching you, your smile, the way you bite your lip or your thumb when you're concentrating, the way you're so often biting your thumb or finger when he catches you looking at him...
đż And he's measuring his worth based on how long it takes for you to finally drop your guard and sink your teeth into his shoulder or neck when you're cuddled against him...
đż The man is quietly tortured waiting for it to happen because he knows that it's your love language, he just Knows it, and he needs you to do it to him so that he knows you really love him... The man is desperate...
đż He gets a little bit hopeful every time you nuzzle into him... Every time you kiss his shoulder or his hand when he's cupping your cheek...
đż In fact he gives you every opportunity to, always guiding your head to the crook of his neck when you're hugging, always letting his fingers and thumbs stray a little close to your mouth... Inviting you to sink your teeth into him...
đż But you know what Tommy is like, he'll never out and out ask you, he wants you to do it without thinking, so instinctively...so he knows it's real... If he asks you he'll never quite be sure that you're doing it because you love him,or because the trust is there, he'll always be left wondering whether you're simply obliging his request...
đż So he has to be patient, and contrary to common belief Tommy is sometimes capable of patience... Especially when it comes to things like this, slow, careful things. Slowly, delicately chipping away at your composure, your self conscious outer shell that stops you reacting instinctively to his affections... For a long time he can tell you're holding back...
đż And then when it finally happens he's surprised, because you drop your guard seemingly out of nowhere, coming up behind him at the foot of the bed one morning when he's trying to fix the cuffs on his unbuttoned shirt. Your arms wrap around his waist and you stand on your tiptoes nuzzling into his neck... You catch yourself by surprise too, thinking you're only going to give him a little goodbye kiss...
đż But instead your first shy kiss skims his jaw only to be followed by another, this one pressed to the vein in his neck. And then you smile, a toothy smile into his shoulder and his heartbeat begins to pick up as he realises what's about to happen.
đż your teeth hover over his neck, he can feel the warmth of your breath as you think about it, almost getting shy... And then you graze your teeth over his skin, such a hesitant gentle drag... He wonders if perhaps you're going to shy away even now, his breath caught in his throat.
đż And then when you sink your teeth into him, your delicate bite sends a wash of relief through his body, warmth radiating through him from the delicate spot on his neck where you hold a little bit of him between your teeth.
đż "That's an interesting way of saying good morning angel..." He teases you as he turns around to kiss you. You're blushing and he realises then that you might take his teasing to be a scolding... That you might never bite him like that again. So he quickly adds, "not a complaint..."
đż He seriously loves it! The first time you bite him like that his heart soars... It's a silly thing to be quite so obsessed with and he knows it, but he finally feels secure in your affections when you do this, sees this as you finally trusting him enough to reveal yourself to him... He's not wrong either, it takes a little time for you to feel comfortable enough to want to sink your teeth into someone and you certainly don't waste your affection on just anyone... It takes a specific kind of nurture to make you feel comfortable enough to bite like that, and so when you do, and can see Tommy likes it, is happy for you to nibble on his shoulder like that, well your heart soars too. You get this toothy grin on your face and giggle and then immediately go to do it again.
đż From then on you bite more and more regularly, mostly just soft little nips when you want more attention than he's giving you... When he's sitting in his armchair with you in his lap, more focussed on the book he's reading than you... When you're out walking and you want to stop and be kissed at the side of the path... When you're first waking up in the morning and you're all sleepy and bursting with affection for him...
đż He loves how you nibble on his bottom lip when you're kissing, how you'll nuzzle into his neck peppering kisses over his skin and then graze your teeth along his pulse before drawing a little of him into your mouth... He loves the possessive nature of your bites, likes to feel as though you're laying some kind of claim on him.
đż He doesn't bite you back however because he's scared of hurting or marking you like that, he doesn't want to bruise you and he gets such a possessive urge inside him when he's with you that he's sure he would lose control and bite you too hard... He also likes that it's your little quirk, something you alone do to him alone. He has his own way of showing you affection and sees your biting as girlish and sweet. Not something he'd mirror.
Alfie
đť Alfie loves your little vampiric habit, he just loves it...
đť He sees you as being so innocent and soft so sweet and pure, and your biting is very much something which goes along with that... It's one of those "childish" little things you never grew out of and he thinks it's adorable.
đť He notices the way you chew anything you can, your sleeves your pencils, your fingers... He can't help but stare, watching as you pause your writing and sink your teeth into the tip of your pencil chewing in it thoughtfully... he can't help it if his mind wanders, if he starts wondering what it would be like to give you his fingers to nibble on instead...
đť He teases you about it too, will tell you "come sink those little teeth into papa instead ziskeit..." The first time he says it you think he's joking, you look up at him from where you're sitting and smirk, expecting him to smirk too, but when he doesn't and instead beckons you over once again you can't resist. You're a little shy about it, sitting in his lap and then hesitating, not actually sure what to do now he's watching you... But then he caresses your cheek gently and offers you his fingers, he can't take his eyes off you as you gently sink your teeth into his finger tips...
đť He'll definitely call you things like "my little vampire..." And tease you when you bite his neck, just wanting to make you blush because again, he finds this little habit of yours completely adorable...
đť Alfie knows this behaviour is a comfort thing, that it's all about your trust in him, how comfortable and safe you feel with him and so whenever he feels your teeth sink into him he feels so proud... Proud that you're his little ziskeit, proud that you trust him, that you feel safe enough to be yourself with him completely...
đť He loves the way you use biting to initiate further affection, how you come up behind him and stand on your tiptoes sinking your teeth into his back or his shoulder, how when he pulls you in for a hug more often than not you'll gently nip his bicep or shoulder and then look up at him with your big doe eyes silently asking for more...
đť He loves when you bite his hands, in particular that place where his thumb meets his palm and curves to his wrist... He likes it when you bite his wrist too actually. Alfie just loves it when you nip at him, he finds your playfully affectionate nature completely adorable.
đť You rarely bite him with any level of force but sometimes, if you sink your teeth in a little too deep he'll gently scold you, "now what did I do to deserve that little one?" He'll put on a show of frowning, being wounded and when you say you're sorry, that you didn't mean it he'll soften and welcome you into his embrace, "I know little one, course you didn't ziskeit... But you just be careful with your old man yeah, wouldn't want anyone thinking I was being savaged by my little girl would we..." Of course he's only teasing and when you pout up at him he just smiles and offers you one of his fingers to nibble on, "Nah what am I saying ziskeit, you can savage me whenever you like..."
đť Now obviously Alfie likes to keep you away from his real enemies but when it comes to men like Tommy Shelby who are always poking around, turning up without an appointment and barging into his office demanding a word... Well, let's just say you're a cheeky little madam sometimes and you won't hesitate to make some catty little remark upon being disturbed by him... And Alfie loves that about you, he particularly enjoys being able to say "careful Tommy, this one bites..."
đť The day you offer him your fingers to bite warms his heart. First of all he thinks you look so cute... Looking up at him with your wide warm eyes, stroking your fingers through his beard before holding them to his lips. Second of all, he knows it's a sign of deep trust, that you must really love and think the world of him to be pressing your hand to his mouth for him to bite. So he doesn't reject you, he smiles softly, tries so not show just how touched his is by teasing you all "Oh now, ain't that sweet..." Before very gently biting you, light enough not to leave a mark, kissing the place he sunk his teeth moments later...
đť He only bites you when you offer him your hand, and even then he's always very gentle as he doesn't want to hurt you... He wouldn't want to leave marks on you and he doesn't need to, "everyone already knows you belong to me..."
Arthur
đ Now Arthur definitely bites during sex, everyone knows that Arthur likes to have rough sex... there's fingernails and teeth involved for sure and no women's ever left Arthur's bed without the marks to prove it...
đ That doesn't however mean that he's ever considered being bitten himself... he'd always view biting as a dominant trait, a way of marking what is yours, a possessive trait, a way of staking your claim... so he doesn't realise how much he's going to like being bitten by you until you actually do it...
đ And the first time you do it he is so surprised... First of all, it was only an affection, gentle little bite, your teeth barely grazed him, and the mark faded so quickly, so his dramatic cry of "ow... What was that for?" Seemed a little over the top. And of course it was over the top, it didn't hurt him a bit, he was just stunned that his lass, who was hugging him and nuzzling into his neck moments ago, would sink her teeth into him so out of the blue... And not in the heat of the moment either...
đ But for all his melodrama Arthur really did love it... He just has to pretend he didn't because to be seen letting you nibble on his shoulder like that could make him look soft... So he kicks up a fuss whenever you do it or else tells you off for teasing him and threatens to teach you a lesson later...
đ But he does really, really like it. There is absolutely no denying how much he likes it... Every time you bite him affectionately he gets a tell tale blush on his cheeks which is adorable, but which you have to pretend not to notice because if you do that will be the end of that, he'll never let you nibble on his shoulder again...
đ Over time he grows more and more confident about your vampiric way of showing affection, he likes that his girl has got some bite about her, a little menacing touch despite your general sweetness. He thinks that actually it makes you pretty bad, revealing of a dark side you might have... and that only makes you all the more attractive to him...
đ Now, when you're fucking Arthur loves it when you bite down on him hard and sink your teeth right in... You've been known to draw blood on more than one occasion when things have gotten a little rougher, a little more intense than either of you could have predicted...
đ Arthur quite likes to mix pain and pleasure and he gets addicted to the sting of your sharp little nips, he will often command you not to hold back, to bite harder... if you catch him in just the right place at just the right moment you can tip him over the edge and cause him to cum from a bite to the shoulder or neck...
đ At first he's a little shy about the marks you leave on him, he's worried it might make him look weak, but then one day his brother makes a comment about how he ought to put a muzzle on his woman if she's "that wild" and actually Arthur thinks he quite likes that... the idea that everyone will know his girl is wild, that she can't be tamed...
đ So from then on he almost shows off the bite marks, he's proud of them and proud of his wild woman...
đ He has a scar on his hand left by you... Once when you were fucking, Arthur was really railing you, it was rough and intense and you were being very loud... So Arthur had used his hand to hush you, forcing the side of his hand into your open mouth and giving you very clear instructions, "fuckin bite down for me girl," hissed through his teeth as he thrust into you at a violent, rapid pace... And you couldn't disobey him...
đ So you bit down hard, squeezing your eyes shut as he fucked you against the wall until your whole body was limp... And when you were finished and you finally unclamped your teeth from his hand you were shocked, and a little horrified, to find that you'd really done a number on his hand... You actually feel guilty, rushing to try and clean the wound, apologising to Arthur over and over until he takes your face in one hand gently squeezing your cheeks as he forces you to look up at him. "Now you listen to me love, don't you ever fookin apologise for that yeah, you did as you were told an that makes you a very fookin good girl don't it..."
đ The wound healed quickly, it wasn't as bad as it looked, and it left a very pretty little crescent moon scar the shape of your bite which Arthur is obsessed with, it's like wearing a little piece of you at all times, and it reminds him of that moment... Fucking you against the wall, listening to your muffled cries of pleasure, the sting of your bite... He replays the scene in his head whilst turning his palm up to admire the scar... He's so proud of it, and so pleased to have such a "fookin feral" woman.
John
đź Bites you first...
đź John is such a playful romantic, he's boisterous and a little clumsy with you sometimes and he's oh so childish and unafraid to show his affection however the notion takes him in the moment...
đź So of course biting is one of his love languages too... He's always telling you how cute you are, how he "could just eat you up..." And he does...
đź He likes biting the tip of your nose, pretending to bite your cheeks, he likes to nuzzle into your neck tickling you and biting gently until you're giggling and trying to fend him off... He'll go for your fingers and toes too, taking your hand and lifting it to his mouth, holding your ankles delicately, tickling your feet and then going to nibble your toes - the number of times you've almost kicked him in the face because of this...
đź So of course he loves the fact that you speak his language... He loves the fact that when you're giggling and play wrestling and he has you pinned to the floor you'll turn your head and try to bite his wrist...
đź You're able to have these soft moments of silent affection, on days when he's stressed, or troubled and you go to him quietly, wrap your arms around him from behind and nuzzle into his back. You gently bite his shoulder, just to let him know you're there, and when he turns around and welcomes you into his embrace he'll nuzzle into you, close his eyes and let you kiss his cheek before grazing your teeth along his jaw... And when he lifts his head and opens his eyes he'll tilt your chin up towards him and let his teeth graze the tip of your nose before kissing your cheek and squeezing you tight against him.
đź It's like this extra layer of closeness, this extra way with which you can know eachother and trust eachother intimately. It makes you feel instinctively close to one another like little lion cubs...
đź John also likes it when you bit him during sex... He likes to bite you too and has definitely left a fair few bruises and teeth marks on your neck, shoulders and breasts before... But you do the same to him, biting his shoulders and his chest, leaving bite marks on his neck too...
đź And John loves to show off these marks... Loves to brag about them and the fucks in which he earned them... If he's got a particularly good looking one he'll be pulling the shoulder of his shirt down to show off the mark to his friends... He gets scolded by Ada "Honestly John put it away! The lengths you'll go to to prove you're getting a lay... It's embarrassing really..." But he'll just laugh her off and immediately launch back into the tale of his "war wound"
đź He'll tease you about it too, he'll come home from the betting shop and tell you something like, "the lads were talking about you today... They reckon I should put you on a leash..." And then he'll grin and before you can get in a huff with him he'll have wrapped you up in his arms, playfully nipping at your face and your ear, already trying to talk you into bed...
đź Has definitely bitten you on the bottom on more than one occasion, he can't help it...
Bonnie
đBonnie is definitely also a biter... not quite in the way that John is a biter... he too is very playfully affectionate sometimes but he's also much more careful and much more soft...
đ He bites you too, very tenderly, often a kiss on the lips will finish with a little nip to the end of your nose before he pushes your hair from your face and sends you on your way
đ When you're sad or he can tell that something's wrong he'll come sit down beside you in front of the campfire, the two of you just gazing at the flames quietly, and without a word he'll pick up your hand and raise your fingers to his lips, and he'll bite his teeth down gently on your finger tip, just once, catching your eye communicating silently with you that he's there, that he's all yours and you can tell him anything you need to...
đThe difference here is that Bonnie learnt this behaviour from you... He's mirroring you, as an act of love and trust... He wants to be able to communicate his love for you in ways you'll understand and so when he realises that the little grazes of your teeth, the little nips to his shoulder or his hand, are all little gestures of affection, your way of asking for his attention or letting him know without words that you love him very dearly, he wants to reciprocate.
đ The first time you bit him he wasn't all that surprised...Even before you were together he could tell you were a biter, he'd seen the way you sucked on your gold cross necklace, saw the way you nibbled on your finger tips with you were nervous or concentrating on something. He also noticed that when you were sleepy you would chew on your sleeve or suck your thumb... Always in these moments when you lost your awareness of the outside world... When your inhibitions were lowered slightly...
đSo he'd always secretly hoped you'd feel comfortable enough with him to let your guard down and show your affection with a little bite...
đAnd the day you finally did (not that it really took all that long because you felt comfortable around bonnie from day one) he's was pleased he actually blushed. The day you sunk your teeth into his shoulder whilst you were hugging him, it lit him up. You left a little smirk on his lips and a rosy hue to his usually pale cheeks...
đ He turned his head half way to look over at you, a little smirk on his lips as he said "Well hello to you too little dove... Lose your words this morning or something?" Only teasing you of course before he took your face in both his hands and nipped the tip of your nose gently with his teeth. That painted a big grin on your face, left you feeling so girlish and giggly.
đBonnie absolutely loves it when you bite him, the two of you have lots of wordless forms of communication, often able to talk with only your eyes... But your little nips are his favourite.
đ You often bite when you want his attention and so often that's the sensation he wakes up to... You half asleep, resting on him, your teeth grazing his chest, shoulder of neck. He likes it when you scrape your teeth along his jaw...
đ Bonnie has only ever marked you once and it was an accident... As much as he wants everyone to know that you're his little lass he wouldn't want to damage your reputation by leaving you littered with bitemarks or lovebites... You'd only get called horrible names by the other girls in the camp and he'd also have to deal with the wrath of your father...
đ It isn't just that though, Bonnie is a very tender lad and he sees you as being his precious angel, he would never want to hurt you and so he saves all his aggression for the ring, all his gentleness all his softness reserved for you...
đ The time he did leave a mark on you he felt so guilty, he was so apologetic, keen to make sure you weren't hurt, kissing the little teeth marks he'd left on your shoulder.
Isaiah
đIsaiah definitely thinks that your affectionate biting is a cute little quirk, something that makes him smirk or chuckle to himself... He thinks it's a little funny and he's definitely never had a girl bite him like that before...
đ he also thinks that if it wasn't you, he wouldn't be letting anyone bite him so "cutesy" so softly... No, this is definitely something only you could ever get away with... Other girls would be told to behave...
đHe can tell when you're going to do it, you get this impish little smile on your lips which he can't resist... Even if he thinks it's a strange habit he couldn't ever deny you, not when you look so cheeky and so sweet... So instead he'll hold his hand up to stop you, say something like "now hang on a minute love what are you about to do?" "Them teeth again eh? You're lucky I'm so soft on you ain't ye sweetheart..."
đ He'll actually make you say please!! Which of course you do, very sweetly, so sweetly that he couldn't possibly say no to you... And when you have given him a little nip, your teeth sinking gently into his shoulder, he makes sure that you never forget to say thank you. If you do he'll stop you, catch your wrist so you can't walk away and then he'll raise his brow, challenging you, "I'm waiting love..."
đHe doesn't bite you back, not softly anyway, and not as a way of showing affection... Sexually however Isaiah definitely bites... He likes his sex kinda rough and he definitely enjoys leaving little marks on you to show the world that you're taken...
đHe's never too rough with you, he wouldn't ever bite so deep that he broke the skin, but he's certainly left little teeth marks on your neck and definitely enjoys scattering your collar bones with bites too. Sometimes he will push your shirt to one side in the middle of the day, just so he can admire the marks he left the night before and trace his fingers over the dents in your skin.
đHe won't let you mark his neck, or anywhere that might be seen by the other peaky lads because he's still a little uncertain whether letting his woman bite him makes him "less of a man" it's definitely something he is sensitive about... But I think he'll grow out of that and grow into a John type figure who brags about it...
đ He likes it when you bite him during sex, if you sink your teeth into his shoulder when he's fucking you he takes that as a sign he's doing a very good job and it motivates him to go all the harder...
Michael
âď¸ He's very shocked the first time you bite him... He chastises you because "that wasn't very ladylike of you y/n..."
âď¸ He definitely has pretty firm ideas about what makes a man, and he definitely doesn't think allowing your woman to bite you (even if it is affectionately) is very manly at all...
âď¸ He definitely has a complex, trying to be like Tommy, wanting his cousins approval desperately, and in his head he asks himself "what would Tommy say if he saw this?" Unfortunately Michael isn't actually that good at predicting what his cousin Tommy would say because if he was he'd Know that Tommy a) wouldn't give a shit if you were biting Michael and b) would quite like it if you were biting him...
âď¸ And the thing is... The thing is that Michael quite likes it. He doesn't know why and he certainly thinks he's not supposed to like it... But undeniably he does. And you can tell that he does too... You can tell because whenever Michael likes something he tends to stiffen a little, he tends to frown and swallow his enjoyment down. So when he straightens his back and clears his throat, that's when you know he really likes something...
âď¸ So despite the way he always scolds you, despite the way he threatens to punish you for persistently ignoring his rules and biting him, you carry on... Because you know that deep down he likes it and that really all he needs to do, something you wish he could do, is accept that it's okay to enjoy affection.
âď¸ Because really that's all it is, Michael has a problem with showing and accepting affection... Sure he was raised for a time by Polly, but he doesn't remember that and the middle class cottage dwelling family who did raise him, were restrictive to say the least. Affection was earned and it certainly wasn't sentimental... So when you do something as sweet and seemingly motiveless as playfully biting him, he doesn't know how to handle it and he's embarrassed to show his enjoyment...
âď¸ Anyway, he likes it... He really likes it and whenever you graze his skin with your teeth, he gets this tingling feeling all through his body, a kind of asmr response? He sometimes comes out in goosebumps and then he really doesn't know how to try and hide his love for your little habit. That's when he'll really tell you off and you'll just giggle along apologising through your laughter before kissing him on the cheek and teasing that you're going to do it again.
âď¸ During sex he really can't hide how much he likes it and honestly he's given up trying, if you bite his neck or nibble his ear, or if your graze your teeth over his chest, he moans on command and it is music to your ears... He also fucking loves it when you nip at his thighs when you're on your knees giving him head. The first time you did that to him it blew his mind.
Bonus material here (and I'm sorry I didn't have it in me to write HCs for some of our other men but...)
𪽠Luca is absolutely the type to tease you and ask something like "What's the matter with you sweetheart, they don't feed you at home?"
𪽠Would probably get your bite marks tattooed on him...
đŚ When you bite him Aberama will gnash his teeth at you to tease you, pretending that he's gonna bite your fingers off.
đŚ he likes it when you nibble on his ear...
Taglist
@inalovesrabbits-blog
@zablife
@marwwfairy
@everysage
@tommyshelbyswhore
@kas3yhatesyou
@kxnnxy
@starrykitn
@call-sign-shark
@only-malala
@galactict3a
@darkcastle167
@feyresqueen
@ratcig
@love4thegallaghers
@randomcreator-09
@niktwazny303
@val-murphy
@liliac-dreamer
@mollybegger-blog
@vanhelsingsbigtoe
@hp-hogwartsexpress
@sethell
@novashelby
BECAUSE OF YOU (masterlist)
vi x fem! reader
precis: After leaving to mourn the mysterious death of her sister Jinx, Vi returns to Piltover determined to put the past behind her. That is, until she stumbles across the social media of a girl who may know crucial information to her sister's cold case. With secrets spilling and tensions rising, Vi hopes her sister can be put to rest because of you.
content: modern/social media au, language, lying, betrayal, mentions of death, drama, cheating, all characters are young adults (18-22), most parts are in text but some may be written chapters, perspective will be next to the chapter name
prologue
episode 001 ⯠"IN THE STREETS OF LA" (v)
episode 002 ⯠"SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO" (r)
episode 003 ⯠"SELFISH AND WILD" (r)
episode 004 ⯠"IT WAS A MAD WORLD" (r)
episode 005 ⯠"LOOK AT ME NOW"
episode 006 ⯠"JUST LIKE I THOUGHT"
episode 007 ⯠"YOU DID."
epilogue
Š silknspice
summary: sevika wants a new piercing and wanders (has researched thoroughly before coming) into your shop
a/n: google search how to get another tattoo without disappointing my grandma
tags: piercer!reader, needles, flirting, kinda ooc sevika (?), a little sweet awkwardness
ao3 version
as far as cleanliness standards go in zaun, your shop was heads above the back alley piercers and tattoo shops. for one, you never reused the same needles and you had an autoclave that you used to sanitize the jewelry you offered, as well as the questionable jewelry that your clients brought in.
safe to say that most of your clients were high end criminals who could spare the coin to get the best experience possible in the undercity.
in your tiny corner shop, you were the main piecer and you cycled in various tattoo artists. a lot of them started by tattooing on the streets and developed their own styles, giving them the proper equipment helped them make masterpieces that youâre sure even the prissy piltover citizens would be impressed by. the building itself was pretty small with the shop downstairs and your apartment upstairs. you had a display desk up front with a dinky antique register sitting against the wall that didnât open half the time. there were two main salon-type chairs in the room facing toward each other, with a small room in the back for more intimate placements of tattoos/piercings. the leather on the chairs were originally a neon pink that faded into more of a peach with patches over scratches on the chairs and ink stains. the walls were covered in graffiti, you invited in local kids to paint around and express themselves; which basically meant that your walls were covered in jinx propaganda right now. you wouldnât believe the amount of people who came in for new ear piercings and cloud tattoos who also had blue hair.
today was a bit quieter than usual, you had no appointments and your tattoo artist got done early today so you were busy giving over your books while leaning on the counter on your elbows. the bells of your door jingled and you looked up, locking eyes with the most gorgeous woman youâd ever seen. she had a very short haircut above her ears, a mechanical arm that had a green⌠head? attached to it, piercing grey eyes, and a very strong build. swallowing thickly, you smiled warmly at the tall woman, âhey there, how can i help you?â
she trudged up to the counter as though she was unsure if she actually wanted to do this, her eyes glued down into the display case, âiâd uh, like a piercing please.â
you nodded along and tilted your head, trying to follow her eye line as to which piece she was looking at, âwell youâre definitely in the right place for that, what are you looking to get?â
she met your eyes again, god it was like looking up at the sky during a storm, a nervous sigh leaving her lips, âwhat would you get?â
the question startled you a little, people usually come in and know exactly what they want. you hummed and studied her face, wondering what would look good with her proportions.
âhmm well for you, i would get either a medusa piercing or a labret,â you suggested and pointed to the middle of your cupidâs bow and underneath your bottom lip.
she attentively watched your finger like a cat following a laser and subconsciously licked her lips. her eyes lingered on your lips long enough that it brought a blush to your cheeks, how the hell were you going to get through this appointment in one piece? she shook her head and snapped out of it, glancing down at the case once again, âcould i see what it would look like?â
âof course,â you nodded and pulled out a case that had an array of studs with different ends, base colors, and backs. she ended up picking out a silver disk stud and you couldnât help but notice how her ears turned a little red when you praised her, âgood choice.â
picking up the middle of the piercing with a clamp, you held it up to her and turned the desk mirror towards her. she softly took the clamp from you, brushing her rough hands against yours, the small touch making your heart flutter like a pair of butterfly wings. she inspected the stud in the mirror and curiously held the silvery jewlery above her lips and below. you couldnât help but watch as the stud passed over her full lips, lips with a dark gloss shining off of them that youâd love to mix with your current lipstick-
fuck stop that, remain professional.
you took a deep breath to refocus and plastered on your least horny smile, âeither one calling your name?â
she clicked her tongue and stood back up to her full height, her brows knitted together in concern, âi canât decide which one to get.â
âyouâd look good with either one, plus you can always get one now and the other later,â you mused, kicking yourself to bring your mind back to down to the ground.
she hummed and looked down at you, her eyes trailing from one eye to the other, down to your lips, and back up, making a triangle.
you were so fucked.
âiâll get the labret sweetheart,â she said definitively and handed the clamp back to you, the pet name rolling off her tongue so naturally it made your knees weak.
you mindlessly nodded and took the clamp from her, sliding over a clipboard with your liability paperwork on it with a sparkly pen.
she raised an eyebrow at the pen, but picked it up anyway, vaguely scanning over the words as she signed and dated her name at the bottom. you quickly busied yourself with sanitizing the stud she picked out in the machine and setting up your station with all the proper tools. you could feel her eyes watching you, a surge of confidence flowing through you at the nickname she called you, so you made an extra effort to swing your hips side to side as you moved around your station, bending down to pick up a plastic bag that you âdroppedâ. you heard her suck in a sharp inhale, a grin tugging on your lips as you straightened back up. walked back over to the counter, you glanced over the paperwork.
âsevika, thatâs a pretty name,â you practically purred out, fluttering your lashes at her.
âyeah? you got a name to go along with your pretty face?â she quipped, a half smirk on her black lips.
âi guess you should know the person whoâs about to shove a needle through your face, iâm y/n,â you smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind your ear.
âa lovely name for a lovely lady,â she complimented and raked her eyes across your body.
you giggled shyly and shook your head, tilting your head towards the chair behind you, âcâmon back pretty girl, letâs get you pierced.â
she followed you back to your station and sat back in the chair, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. after snapping on a pair of your favorite colored gloves, you prepped the back of the piercing to go into the hollow needle once it was through and grabbed a marker.
standing directly in front of her, practically standing between her thighs, you had to force yourself to look back into those piercing grey eyes.
âiâm going to make a small mark where the piercing will go and then you can check the placement, is it okay if i touch your face?" you asked softly, a shy blush tinting your cheeks.
sevika gulped and quietly nodded, this time averting her eyes from you. you softly pinched her chin between your fingers and turned her head to face you directly. you leaned forward and mapped out her bottom lip to find a true middle and pressed a small dot onto the skin beneath her full lips, feeling her hot breath fan out on the back of your hand. quickly pulling back to stop yourself from kissing her, you practically shoved the hand mirror into her hands and barely squeaked out, âif you want to move it, itâs no problem!â
you took a step back and looked to the side of the room to give her some decision time, trying to ignore how beautiful her lips were and how desperately you wanted to kiss them. she carefully admired the mark in the mirror and hummed, nodding in approval, "looks good to me."
"perfect," you chirped and took the mirror from her, explaining the process of the piercing very briefly as she nodded along, brushing her short hair out of her face when a few strands got stuck to her eyelashes. god, you wish you were the one pushing her hair back.
you cleared your throat and picked up the piercing clamp, turning to her with a smile, "go ahead and open your mouth for me."
she did as you asked and looked up towards the ceiling as you placed the clamp in position over her bottom lip with the dot you made on her skin earlier. you gently positioned your hand holding the clamp vertically and grabbed the hollow needle from your station, lining it up with the dot.
"go ahead and take a deep breath in for me dear," you said calmly, getting into the zone as you focused in on doing the piercing correctly despite the handsome woman in front of you.
she inhaled deeply through her nose and once you were sure that she had taken a deep enough breath, you directed her, "and go ahead and breathe out."
as soon as she started to let the air out of her mouth, you pushed the needle through her skin and pulled the clamp down, holding her bottom lip open towards you.
"good job, worst parts over," you praised, earning an amused huff from sevika.
you let go of the needle and put the back of the piercing into the hole, pulling the needle back through the way it came with the jewelry sticking out in its place. you screwed the top disk onto the piercing and removed the clamp, admiring the slight puffiness of her bottom lip. holding up the mirror to her again, you smiled brightly as a sense of pride flowing through you, ''whatddya think?"
sevika held the mirror up and admired the new piercing from every angle, a satisfied smirk gracing her lips, "i love it."
you giggled and cleaned up your station, disposing of the needle and putting the clamp in the sanitizer machine. sauntering over to one of your cabinets and pulling out a small blue bag, you put together a goody bag with saline solution, aftercare instructions, and piercing floss for later on.
walking back over to her and holding out the bag, you couldn't help the smile on your lips as her fingers brushed against hers, "for it to heal properly, no smoking, drinking, kissing, or uh oral sex for at least 3 weeks."
one of her eyebrow cocked at the last rule before a decisive smile came to her lips. she followed you back up to the counter and paid for the service, leaving a hefty tip.
âso, could i take you on a date in 3 weeks?â
you blinked at her owlishly, processing what she just asked you. quickly regaining your composure, you asked nonchalantly, âis that for a kiss or for oral sex?â
âboth if youâre lucky.â
the two of you laughed and you agreed, scribbling your number down on a stray piece of paper. when she held out her hand to take it from you, you held up a finger and folded the paper in half, sealing it with a kiss that left a mark from your lipstick.
she blinked in surprise as you pressed it into her hand with a wink, âa preview for 3 weeks from now.â
sevika chuckled and shook her head, pocketing the paper, âyou little minx.â
you giggled and waved as she left, checking out her ass as she walked out of your shop.
this was going to be the longest 3 weeks of your life.
a/n: writing fan fiction is crazy like why am i watching multiple labret piercing videos to describe the process right
part 2 with the date if there's interest in it (((:
taglist: @maneskinwh0re @archangeldyke-all
Sevika is now a council member, why not make it smut đ¤ˇđžââď¸
- I honestly donât know how I feel abt this or even the ending of arcane but fuck it btw I have another sev fic i should finish soon. đ¤đž
âWe shouldnât be doing this here,â You pants, holding Sevika's shoulders as she fervently kisses your neck, pressing you against the table, her breath hot against your skin. "You have a meeting soon, what if someone walks in?"
Sevika pulls back to you, her eyes dark with desire as a mischievous smile plays on her lips. "I don't care, let them," Sevika smirks, lifting you easily onto the table and wrapping your arms around her neck before saying, "You know why? Cause I'm a fucking councillor now, I make the rules, baby.
You giggle at her boldness, unable to push aside the ache growing between your thighs at the possibility of the rest of the council walking in on you. "Please just be quick, Sev," you plead, playing with her hair as she leans in closer, her lips brushing against your jaw.
"I can't promise that, babe," she chuckles, kissing along your jaw as her hands slips under your shirt, pulling you closer.
You can't help but moan softly as she nips and sucks at your neck, moving your head to give her better access as you give in to her touch. Sevika's hands move with urgency, making quick work of your shirt and bra, tossing them to the floor before standing back to get a good look at you.
"Fuck, baby" she breathes, trailing her eyes over your exposed chest with hunger in her gaze. "Take those off for me," she demands, her eyes locked on your every move as you eagerly comply, stripping yourself of your jeans, leaving you in just your underwear. You blush at her staring, shying away slightly before meeting her eyes with a shy smile.
"Stop being shy, c'mere," she murmurs, stepping forward, her hands tracing your waist before settling on your hips. "Youâre so fucking hot," she says against your lips making you giggle before pulling you into a passionate kiss, her lips moving hungrily against yours.
Sevika guides you to her designated chair around the table, pulling you onto her lap as she deepens the kiss, her hands resting on the curve of your ass. You wrap your arms around her neck, subtly grinding against her thigh as she kneads your ass, giving you a playful spank. You tuck your head into the crook of her neck, hiding the whimper that escapes your lips as she rubs over the now sensitive skin.
"Don't hide from me, baby," Sevika demands, spanking your ass again, making you gasp. You face flushes as you meet her intense gaze, feeling a surge of arousal at her hands slowly guiding you to grind against her thick thigh. Your clothed clit rubs against your panties, the damp fabric creating a delicious friction that makes you twitch in her lap.
"Oh fuck, Sev," you moan, bunching Sevika's shirt in your fists as you grind harder against her. The feeling of her strong thigh against your throbbing clit fogs your brain, forgetting about the meeting starting soon, only able to think about how badly you want to cum.
"Does it feel good, baby?" Sevika coos, brushing back your hair and holding your face in her hand. You nod, unable to form words, the only sounds escaping your lips being desperate whimpers and cries. "Yeah, you wanna cum for me?"
"Yes, please," you manage to gasp out, your hips faltering when Sevika flexes her thigh against you, increasing the pressure on your throbbing clit. Sevika's hand leaves your face, trailing her fingers down your neck to your tits, teasingly circling your hardened nipples.
You twitch as she pinches the sensitive buds, chuckling softly at your reaction. She leans back in her chair to watch you squirm in her lap, a wicked smile playing on her lips as she taunts, "My meeting starts soon and I would hate to leave you like this." You whimper in frustration, feeling the heat pooling between your legs as Sevika's finger trails even lower.
"No, please, I'm so close," you cry, humping against her thigh desperately. Sevika's grin widens as she pulls your panties up against your dripping core, reveling in the way you writhe and moan under her touch. As your orgasm builds, Sevika guides your hips to move faster, feeling you drip onto her thigh.
"Can I cum, Sevika, please? " you beg, your voice shaky with need as your head drops against her chest, feeling the tension building in your belly.
Sevika chuckles, stroking your hair gently as she whispers, "Of course, baby." With her encouragement, you finally reach the edge, tucking your head in her neck to muffle the cries of pleasure as your body trembles.
As you come down from your high, you face Sevika again, a shy smile on your lips as you give her a quick kiss before getting off her lap with shaky legs. "You need help?" Sevika jokes, watching you stumble slightly before getting up to help.
"I'm good, just need a minute," you pant using the table to steady yourself.
"Let me help," Sevika insists, picking up your clothes and carefully dressing you.
"Thank you," you whisper, once she's done, leaning up to kiss her once more before heading towards the door, "Have a good meeting,â you wink as you exit, running into another council member as you speed down the hall
read on ao3
content warning(s)!! graphic descriptions of injury, mentions of surgical procedure, heavy angst, hurt/comfort(?)
summary: You are an ambitious young surgeon from the Undercity. When a handsome woman with a severe injury is brought into your care, your medical skills - and emotional capacity - are tested to the extreme. other tags: surgeon!reader x Sevika // canon-compliant // Sevika-centric // character study // slow burn // mutual pining disclaimer: i'm not a doctor or even a med student. apologies for any and all inaccuracies
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i can hear the sound of a heartbeat (before it goes out)
what brings you to the lost and found?
sold your friends like guns for hire
---
dividers by @bernardsbendystraws
bounded by business (2)
part one here!
peaky blinders x fem!reader, thomas shelby x fem!reader
type: fluff/angst(?)/smut(ish)
summary: a second class powerful gang in the south of london reaches out too a strong working class gang in the south east of birmingham for a union. Whilst the wedding takes place, unwanted guests break in, causing the newly wedded couple to panic.
timeline: preferably at the start of season 2, maybe even before, but after graceâs betrayal. (Arthur is not married to Linda yet.)
warnings: swearing, gang talk, arranged marriage, weapons, kissing, toxic uncle(?), mention of cheating bf, violence, mentions of blood, reader getting sh, mentions of slight sexual interaction, smoking, drinking, brief mentions of guests getting high,
note: guys i apologise if the wedding isnât correctly done as i am brown, and i donât often go to weddings outside my culture, however, i have tried my hardest by following how weddings within the show went including some research. i highly apologise! thank youđ
masterlist.
requests are openâď¸
Three days have passed since the meeting with the Peaky Blinders. Itâs rather late and youâre at one of the posh pubs your family owns, drinking away the sorrows for the next day. Tomorrowâs the day youâre dreading. Oh how youâd rather get thrown in the cut than marrying some man that threatens to cut people with razor blades - a man you barely know.
âItâll be alright,â you hear your best friend say, placing her drink down, snapping you out of your little daydream, offering comfort by giving you a little side hug. âHeâs probably not as scary as you think.â
â(best friendâs name), Heâs feared by the whole of Birmingham.â you speak in an obvious tone, turning your head to face her, raising your brows.
She, smiles, clearly amused. Whilst pressing her lips against the glass of wine, she teases, âLooks like youâve done your research on your soon-to-be-husband.â
That earned her a wack on her waist.
âOw!â
âShush.â you remark, smirking lightly, watching her playfully glare at you from the corner of your eye, whilst sipping on your wine.
âI am NOT doing this!â you yell out, pushing away from your uncle and mother who are practically dragging you into the church.
ây/n youâre marrying him whether you like it or not!â your uncle growls out harshly, anger fueling his eyes, grabbing onto your arm again, harder than before.
âMum!â you whine out, moving your pissed gaze from your uncle towards your mother.
ây/n, darling, just do this for your dad, you know how bad he wanted you to get married.â she calmly and sympathetically answers with, unlike what your uncle is doing. Your father died in the war, by an unexpected bombing attack from the German troops.
Trying to resist your uncleâs harsh grip, whoâs attempting to get you into the church without messing your gorgeous white gown, flawless makeup and hair, you snap a light remark towards your mum, âIâm sure he would have actually wanted me to marry someone I love, not some wannabe gangster who waves his razor around.â
âWell that âwannabe gangster who waves his razor aroundâ provides you protection.â your uncle interrupts your mum from speaking, mocking your words, raising his voice towards you, âMy brother- your father, would rather have wanted a man whoâd protect you till his last breath than a guy who cheats on his girlfriend with a whore!â
You want to say something back, but the mention of Andrew stung, you thought youâve drank the pain away, but of course, itâs still there.
âNow youâre going to fucking go into that church and marry him.â he yells in fury, pushing you towards the church harshly, each word being spat with anger, thereâd be no surprise if the people inside the church heard, âI donât want you causing any of your fucking scenes in there, you understand? No fights, no arguments, i donât want any of that shit!â
When he hears no response, he snaps, scaring you,
âDo you understand?!â
Your mum shoots you a warning look, both of you knowing that if you donât respond, heâd drag you in by your hair that has been curled gracefully by your older sister.
âI understand.â you softly mutter through gritted teeth.
âNow get in.â he pulls your arm, dragging you towards the church, your mother following behind.
âTommy thereâs still time yâknow,â John mutters to his older brother, whoâs stood at the alter, âYou barely even know the woman! Who knows, she could probably one of those fuckinâ pointless activists?â
âJohn, listen to me, yeah? We might not know what sheâs like, but are we going to drop a really fucking good deal over some woman, aye?â Thomas raises his brows at his younger brother.
âBut Tommy-â John starts, however getting stopped when he notices you beginning to walk down the aisle. The younger Shelby sighs, cursing under his breathe, moving himself away from Thomas and towards Esme.
As the ceremony begins, everyone hushes down, watching you and your uncle, whoâs masked his irritation, walking down the aisle, your veil coving your face, disguising your fury which youâre trying to stop from releasing, for the sake of the wedding. You keep your eyes low, avoiding everyoneâs gaze.
Now stood infront of the Altar, your uncle passes you to the feared brummie gangster youâre forced to marry, you feel his thick, calloused hands taking your slimmer soft ones carefully, as if youâre glass that can be easily shattered. Those same hands now lift your veil up, revealing your neatly done makeup which is applied onto your soft, pretty, gorgeous face. His piercing blue eyes study you, yet keeping a stern expression, making you feel interrogated. Your gaze canât help but lightly examine Thomas in return, noticing the way his expensive suit decorates his muscular build.
Breaking away from your gaze, both you and Thomas now turn, facing Jeremiah Jesus - a close friend of the Shelbyâs.
âDearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together in holy matrimony, Thomas Michael Shelby and (readerâs full name).â Jeremiah speaks aloud, âThomas Micheal Shelby and (readerâs full name), have you come here to enter into a marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?â
âI have.â Tommy replies, beside you, in his usual raspy tone. Jeremiahâs eyes now land on you, as you havenât said your confirmation.
âI have.â you mutter carelessly, looking away.
Jeremiah then lightly nods, âAre you prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and to honor eachother for as long as you both shall live?â
âI am.â you both now say, you now wanting to get this shit over with.
âSince it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church.â Jeremiah continues, watching how both you and Tommy hold hands.
âI, Thomas Micheal Shelby, take you, (readerâs full name), to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. To love you and to honor you all the days of my life.â Tommy states his vows, repeating after Jeremiah, in a stern, cold tone, with his usual brummie accent, staring down at you, his piercing blue eyes glued onto you.
âI, (readerâs full name), take you, Thomas Micheal Shelby, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. To love you and to honor you all the days of my life.â the vows come out your mouth, unwillingly, not wanting to have come out of your plump lips. You return his stern look he gives you.
Jeremiah then continues on with his speech, finishing off with 'Amen'. He then sprinkles the wedding rings, that bound you with Thomas, with holy water, handing one to you and to Thomas.
â(readerâs full name), receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and the Son, and the holy spirit.â the feared Birmingham gangster announces the vows Jeremiah indicates him to say, as he places the wedding band onto your left, ring finger, sliding it on.
âThomas Micheal Shelby, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and the Son, and the holy spirit.â you repeat the words, failing to hide your light annoyance as you place the wedding band onto Thomasâ left, ring finger.
âNow let us humbly invoke God's blessing upon this bride and groom, that in his kindness he may favor with his help those on whom he has bestowed the Sacrament of Matrimony.â Jeremiah states to everyone within the church, âIn the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife. The husband may now kiss the bride!â
As Jeremiah speaks the last sentence, your now husband, carefully cups your face, bringing his face closer towards yours, pressing a kiss onto your lips, instantly melting into it, you hesitantly place your hands onto the nape of his neck, closing your eyes, the kiss now turning quite intimate. Cheers erupt.
âAlright, calm down you both, no need to eat eachother up, youâve got a whole house to do that shit in!â a deep, joy fall teasing voice erupts behind Thomas, snapping you both out of eachotherâs mouths, seeing the owner of the voice, Arthur, smirk. You pull away from him, your brownish pink shaded lipstick now lightly smudged onto his lips, looking away, moving your gaze around, seeing your uncle nod lightly - in approval - his stern facade still remaining. As you look around, your eyes then land on a couple of Spanish lads, rivals of yours,
they surely werenât on the wedding list.
âRight everyone, letâs get the fuckinâ family photo done!â Arthur yells aloud, snapping you out of your train of thoughts, making everyone get outside the church, where the wedding photo is meant to be taken.
As both yours and Thomasâ family gather around you both, infront of the camera, Arthur bellows for space to be made, guiding the less important guests away from the camera. You then look towards the field on your right, the same group of unknown Spanish men huddled together, seemingly discussing something suspiciously. Unexpectedly, you get pushed, loosing your balance on your heels, you fall into your husband. He quickly reacts by grabbing your waist, letting the cigar be held with his lips, holding you upright as you regain balance.
âAlright?â you hear him ask you, through the cigar, softly, yet his Birmingham accent present, looking down at you.
âYeah, thanks...â you mutter, your light London accent contrasting his, as you straighten yourself, avoiding to look at him, still stubbornly furious at this wedding.
The rest of both families now finally find places to stand for the photograph. As the photographer announces the photo will be taken, Thomas snakes his arm around your waist, catching you off guard as he pulls you closer to him, your arm unconsciously resting onto his back, hand placed onto your shoulder. The Spanish men depart, moving away from others, you notice and canât help but feel a hint of panic growing within you, you werenât aware of their presence being made at the wedding.
As the photographer states that the photo has been taken, both families now disperse, mingling with each other. You notice how John and your younger brother getting along, having a laugh with one another. Yet your mind is still on those group of lads.
Family and friends now gather around you - same with your husband, you feel arms wrap around you in a friendly hug, you then notice it's your best friend, your chosen bridesmaid.
âI told you it'll be alright.â she mutters into your ear.
Unable to hide your light smile, you step back, letting go of her. âDon't get too full of yourself.â you mutter back, teasingly. She now moves to the side, as your mother embrace you. âYour father would be proud.â your mum states, cupping your face, smiling lightly.
You smile very lightly, placing your hands upon your mothers. âFor dad.â you mutter.
Time passes, family and friends congratulate the newly weds. Finally, your uncle approaches, patting Thomas on the back, congratulating him and the rest of the Shelby family, the rest of your family following along on bidding their now in-laws a congrats, the Spanish not to be seen.
After a while, the party makes their way to the Arrow House for the reception. Thomas makes his way towards you, placing his hand on the low of your back, guiding you towards the chariot.
âLet's take you to your new home, aye?â he says as he helps you up into the chariot.
âI can get on it myself.â you snap lightly towards him, refusing his help, causing his corner of his lip to curl upwards into a very tiny smirk.
The ride to the Arrow House was silent. As the chariot approaches your new home, you can't help but notice how gorgeous the victorian house is. You look up mesmerised by the beauty. Thomas notices but doesn't say anything, instead he gets off the carriage and puts his hands out to help you down, which at first you refused to take, until you realised your wedding dress weighs you down, giving you a high chance to face plant the floor. Stepping into the house, you look around, captivated by its stunning decor, looking at the paintings with decorate the walls. The wedding party follows behind, cheering and laughing with one another.
âWelcome, Mr. and Mrs. Shelby.â you hear an older woman say, you turn your head to where the voice was coming from, realising it was a maid.
âIs everything set, Frances?â he mutters, exhaling smoke.
âYes, Mr. Shelby.â she replies.
Everyone settles in, music erupts in the hall, couples singing and dancing, getting drunk and high. You observe around the room, figuring out where the Spanish lads have wondered off too.
A woman, seeming a couple of years younger smiles at you, âWelcome to the Family.â she passes you a glass of irish whiskey. âI'm Ada, Ada Thorne, Tommy's younger sister.â
You gladly take the whiskey offered to you, taking a long needed sip, âThanks, Ada, i'm y/n I/n-â
âShelby.â Ada corrects, a light smirk plastered on her face as she sips on her own glass of whiskey.
âOh donât worry, darling, youâll be hearing âMrs.Shelbyâ all the time, itâll stick.â an older woman speaks, smirking at you, standing next to Ada, sipping on her champagne.
Ada then speaks up, gesturing over to the woman beside her who looks you up and down, âThis is Aunt Polly.â
âIf Tommy ever lays a finger on you, or even says or does something horrible, you come straight to me.â Aunt Polly added in a strong womanly tone, âIâll sort the man out.â
You and Ada let out a light chuckle.
âPol, youâre making him seem like heâs fucking crazy!â Ada states.
As youâre in a commotion with the two shelbyâs, drifting the worry caused by the Spanish off your mind, giggling whilst drinking, your older sister and your 5 year old niece, walks over to you. Your niece then smiles up at you, embracing you, you lift her up, and let her nuzzle into you. Your sister leans over and whispers in slight worry into your ear. ây/n, I donât know where (uncleâs name) is, (younger brotherâs name), (older sisterâs husbandâs name) and (male cousin) is looking for him, Mumâs just told me thereâs unwanted guests here, I think itâs the Spanish.â
As she speaks your smile falters, the two Shelbyâs notice the change of your dementor and how panicked your older sister seemed. âIs everything alright, loves?â polly asks, her happiness now being replaced with concern.
âI- yeahâŚâ you mutter out, staring at your sister in disbelief, you then look around the hall, downing the rest of the whiskey and putting the glass down, âI saw a couple of themâŚâ
âAnd you didnât think of telling us?â your older sister says, in a more lecturing tone, backing up, so she can see your face.
âI-â you try to reason, but judging on the look on her face, you knew there was no point, you look around the room, trying to spot any of the Spanish, or anyone involved with them.
âWhat's going on?â Polly now questions more seriously, Ada now backing her up.
Your sister turns to face your in-laws, âThere's uninvited guests here, some of our enemies...â
Polly's face darkens and Ada's brows rise.
Polly then turns her head looking around and then her gaze lands on 3 young lads. She takes a couple of steps across the room.
âMum?â one of the younger lads, seeming the eldest out the three, furrows his brows up at polly, and then eyes you and the others around you, âIs everything alright?â
âMicheal, I want you to go to Tommy and let him know there's unwanted Spanish guests here, enemies of the l/n foundation.â Aunt Polly states in an authoritative tone, âIsaiah, Finn, just keep an eye out for the Spanish.â
All three boys nod and does as they're told.
The door to Thomas' office gets swung open, revealing a panicked Micheal, âTommy!â
The Shelby gangster looks up from the paperwork, a string of smoke releasing his lips, he promised to polly that it would take only a couple of minutes, yet has been stuck in his office for half an hour, âMicheal, what's wrong?â
âTommy, there's unwanted Spanish guests here, enemies of the l/n foundation.â Micheal walks towards his desk, eyeing the paperwork.
Tommy then stands up from his seat, stubbing his cigar out, placing his pistol into his holster, âMake sure everyone stays put, Micheal.â
Thomas leaves the office, Micheal following behind into the hall.
âJohn, Arthur!â He motions for the two to come over, joining your sister and niece, your mother, your auntie, polly, Isaiah, Finn ada, esme, Micheal and himself.
As the family has all came together, your mother begins to fill the family in on how no one knows where (uncleâs name) is, (younger brotherâs name), (older sisterâs husbandâs name) and (male cousin) are looking for him as well as the fact there are unwanted Spanish enemies here, as guests.
Tommy looks around the group.
âIs everythin' alright?â Arthur asks his younger brother, placing a hand on his shoulder.
âWhere the fuck's my wife?â he spits out in protectiveness, his gaze darting around the room for his spouse. You're his wife now, you're his woman now, you're his responsibility.
âShe was with us a moment ago.â ada blurts out, worry overtaking her body, worried for her sister in law she just grew a strong bond over.
âWhere is she now!?â
âWho's that?â Esme states, motioning over towards an older lad, who's walking at a fast paste, across the dance floor, standing out, like a white crayon in a box full of black ones.
Everyone looks at the guy Esme gestures towards.
âJohn, Arthur, come with me. Everyone else, keep guarded.â Tommy then follows the older man with his two brothers following behind.
âMum, she'll be fine, she's capable of anything.â your older sister wraps her arms around your mum's shoulders, assuring her you're fine. Polly passes her a glass of whiskey, knowing how the worry feels, as she felt the same when Tommy, John and Arthur went off to war.
âShe's a strong woman.â your auntie adds.
âAuntie y/n the best!â your niece butts in, making the family chuckle.
Your fist meets one of the Spanish men's nose, causing him to stumble back into the wall holding onto his broken, bloody nose, a couple of the enemies lay on the floor, dead, blood covering your white wedding gown.
âYou bitch!â a strong Spanish accent is heard behind you, causing you to turn and grab the wrist that was aimed at you, pulling the lad forward, putting him into a headlock, âOh, I'm the bitch?â you sarcastically spit out, facing him towards the other man, him watching as you shoot the man in the headlock, dropping dead.
The guy with the broken nose looks at you in horror, horrified at what such a pretty, naive-looking woman could do, he clearly underestimated you. You're no naive woman, you're a woman with power and intelligence. In your eyes, no msn can own you, snd you'll make sure that Thomas Shelby's well aware of that.
Another bullet releases from your pistol, piercing the heart. He falls dead. As the bullet was shot, you get pushed to the side, harshly against the wall, getting pinned. You groan at the harsh contact. The man lifts his gun up. Unable to react in time, he wacks the gun across your face, face snapping to the right, pain shoots through, a few cuts begin to let out blood. Without being able to process what just happened, he punches you, your face snapping the other direction. You let out a painful grunt.
A cold, metal barrel meets your chin, face now tilting up, looking at him coldly and with deadly eyes, even though he could end your life in seconds.
âI knew you were sexy, but I didn't think that having you under me, with the ability to end your life in seconds could be sexier.â he growls out in a strong Spanish accent, âWhat should I do hm, darling? You've killed all the others.â
You stare up at the man as he looks you up and down, checking you out in the bloody white wedding gown with the stained veil decorating your head.
He then grinds his hips into yours, causing you to back yourself more into the wall, you've never felt so vulnerable, âShould I fuck you and then kill you, or just kill you, huh? What would your husband think when he sees you dead, my cum traveling down your legs?â
You close your eyes, not wanting to look at the older man, disgusted, âYou dirty fucking bastard.â you mutter out, clearly not wanting to admit how you're in a dead end.
That earned another sack across your face, you whine out in pain, the gun barrel retuning to where it first laid. He clearly didn't like your attitude.
Bang.
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taglist: @meadowshelby @iceyyycapsicle @lunxrstellx @jbrownta
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