- sylus x reader
you and your lover are hailed and feared, but who would have guessed that behind closed doors, both of you are just that — lovers?
genre/warnings: very suggestive, making out, fluff, comfort, period cramps, assassin!reader (not l&ds mc), loosely based on sylus' secret times: midnight warmth & exclusive care!
note: very self-indulgent bye pls don't look at me :') this fic is a companion to assassin!reader series (strictly (un)professional and jealousy incarnate)
“Who’s ther— lord! Missus! What happened to you!?”
On a rainy night, you staggered into the base, drenched and covered with dirt. Your steps were unsteady as you made your way through the front door, and the first person to see you, Luke, was so shocked by the sight that he rushed to your side.
“Kieran! Call Boss!” he shouted to his twin, who immediately sprinted off to find him, steadying you. “Are you injured?”
“No,” you hissed, wincing as you clutched your abdomen. “Let go, I’m fine—” But before you could finish, you missed a step and—
—fell into Luke's arms.
In that very instant, Luke genuinely feared for his life. He squeaked and stammered, incoherent sounds escaping him, because oh lord— if Boss sees me ever touching his woman—
“What are you doing?”
And there came his nightmare. Sylus’ deep voice cut through like a blade, marking the arrival of doomsday itself.
“B-Boss! It isn’t what it looks like!” Luke quivered, desperately trying to explain himself.
However, Sylus paid him no mind and exhaled sharply, immediately moving over to pull you out of Luke’s grasp. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine!” you insisted, pulling away from him while staggering. “I’m not wounded or anything. Just... I just need a bath, please.”
Sylus eyed you from top to bottom. You had just been out for a reconnaissance, and yet you looked as though you had been through a tornado and back. Disheveled, your dress was smeared with mud and dirt, and even grime clung to your hair.
“Did you fall into a sewer or something?” he questioned, and he knew he had hit a nerve when you shot him a glare.
But you spared him no answer, walking away with labored breaths and a hand pressed against your lower belly. It was clear you were in pain, and the sight tugged at him as he followed you.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his concern growing. “What hurts?”
“You don’t have to fuss over me—” your breath hitched, feeling exhausted, and ashamed all at once. “Just my period, nothing much,” you murmured in a quieter voice so the twins wouldn’t hear.
As you reached the stairs to the second floor, you felt like collapsing. Did you really have to climb these stairs, too?
As if reading your mind, Sylus let out a sigh, but you nearly squealed when he lifted you into his arms.
“You’ll get dirty!” you rebuked, even as he took large strides up the stairs. “Sylus!”
“Just hold onto me.” He shot you a pointed look. “You can’t even walk without gasping for air, and you still want to climb the stairs? You’ll end up rolling and breaking your back.”
Despite your protests, your lover immediately brought you to his bathroom and sat you down on the sink. He turned the hot water on and then faced you.
“So? What did you get yourself into?” he asked, his red eyes narrowing in dissatisfaction. “You were fine, and you didn’t face anyone.”
You pressed your eyes shut, leaning against the wall, resigned to explain. “Fell into mud. Totally idiotic, I know, but my cramps started right before, so…”
“I don’t recall you experiencing this before. What brought this on?”
You met his gaze indignantly, retorting, “Well, a certain someone banged me so hard last night, and I got my period right after.”
It was quite unexpected, but still answered his concern. So, to that, Sylus snorted and tousled your hair, a playful twinkle in his eyes. “Ah, sorry, I guess?”
You pursed your lips, aware of how unapologetic he was. He smirked and added, “Now that I’m dirty too... I suppose we’ll have to take a bath together.”
“Are you mad? Do you want to get covered in my blood?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Why not—”
“No,” you retorted firmly, clearly irked. “You take the bath after me, and that’s final.”
. . .
“Put your arm around my neck,” Sylus commanded when you both emerged from the bath and already dressed in silk bathrobes. You complied, and he swiftly lifted you into a princess carry, bringing you to the bed.
Despite yourself, your heart fluttered at his action. He set you down gently, and the moment your back met the soft surface, you relished it and let out an involuntary moan. “Ahh...”
Your voice was soft and sultry, though tinged with a hint of pain. Sylus placed his hand gently on your face. “Your cheeks are warm,” he noted. “And you still look pale.”
"Mmm," you mumbled, suddenly the total fatigue catching up to you as you leaned into his touch. Seeing you so pliant like this seemed to flip a switch inside him, and he immediately settled next to you and placed his huge hand on your lower belly, pressing down on it.
“What are you doing?” you frowned.
“I’m giving you a massage,” he replied. “Stop squirming. I’m trying to pamper you here.”
“You don’t have to…”
“My woman is in enough pain that she doesn’t talk back to me. It’s feels off.”
“...actually, you suck. You’re too rough.”
Taking your whine into account, he adjusted his touch, softening his pressure. "How is it? Better?"
You didn’t immediately reply, indulging in the warm sensation, letting out a sigh as you squeezed your eyes shut. “Mm... Yeah, it feels good now. Don’t stop…”
There was something quietly erotic about watching you, usually so defiant, surrender to his touch like this. Sylus felt a deep, protective satisfaction as he continued his gentle ministrations—
But after a while...
Before he could stop himself, he leaned in, pulling you closer as he buried his face in your shoulder, inhaling deeply, savoring the scent of the bath foam you had just shared. “Mmm…”
You were caught off-guard and shivered at his breath tickling your skin, eyes fluttering open. “Sylus…” you murmured, a mix of protest and surprise in your voice.
But he didn’t pull away, his lips lingering against your skin, his gaze fixed on your bare neck, whispering, “Just relax. I’ve got you.”
Then, when he suddenly nibbled on your neck, you jolted awake. The gentle bite on your sensitive skin sent another shiver down your spine, stirring a mix of warmth that made your pulse race.
But he didn't stop there, as Sylus trailed your neck with a series of kisses and wet sucks, his breath hot against your skin. Soon, the only sounds filling the room were his quiet sighs and the soft noises of his lips as he continued to bite and pepper kisses on your skin, over and over.
“Ngh…” Each touch left you almost breathless, and the heat between you growing with every passing moment, making your toes curl and you moan softly by his ear.
“Hold me,” he gruffly whispered, and as if bewitched, you clung to his shoulders. He let out a husky chuckle. “Not too hard, or you won't be able to sleep later.”
“And whose fault would that be?” you quipped, entangling your legs with his, savoring the warmth of his body against yours.
“I’ve spoiled you rotten, haven’t I... sweetie?” he murmured amidst kisses, his tone laced with intrigue and his burgundy eyes flashing with a glint. “Just let me have my fill for a while.”
If you had a mirror, you’d see the hickeys forming on your neck, but instead of fighting him, you pulled him closer, letting out breathy moans freely and massaging his scalp as if urging him to go further.
“Naughty vixen—you are,” Sylus rasped deliciously in your ear, thick with desire and restraint as his grip on you tightened. “Tempting me, knowing full well I can’t do anything to you…”
A low giggle slipped from your lips. “Unfortunately… I learn from the best.”
Hard to get, snarky, taunting... You were the bane of his existence, and yet Sylus wouldn't have it another way. Your defiance and teasing only deepened his affection, making every challenge you presented feel like an irresistible part of what drew him to you.
He knew when his patience was on the verge of snapping, so to end it, he sucked hard on your shoulder one last time, making sure to leave another mark there. The squelching sound reverberated through both of you, before he pulled away and planted a firm kiss on your forehead, a gesture of both dominance and fondness for you.
“Now sleep,” he grounded out. “Your body has been through enough.”
“Mngh...” you whined, curling into him in contentment, your head nestled against his toned chest where you could feel his strong, steady heartbeat. “Really unfair...”
“You're going to feel better soon...” he sighed, one hand soothing your back and the other resting on your waist. “And as soon as you do...”
A wicked grin curved his lips.
“I'll pick up where I left off.”
You ask them for relationship advice
“I need advice.” You huff falling onto the couch where Caleb sat. Your head was in his lap as you pout, he looks down at you in confusion. He adjusts his position taking his ankle off his knee.
“Shoot pipsqueak I’m all ears.” He assures you making you take a deep breath. This was like a mini therapy session you guys had every once in a while. Too often for you not often enough for him.
“So he’s always running to help his best friend and I mean running. She called him to stay at her house because she’s going through a break up.” You explained as Caleb nodded slowly. He didn’t see the big deal because he always comes running when you call.
“I mean that is his best friend and think of us—“ You cut him off before he could say anything stupid. “The best friend is a girl and he spends the night. No matter what we’re going through he runs to her.”
“You should kill him.” He states bluntly before unpausing his show as if he solved your problem entirely.
“Caleb!”
You just got done arguing with your boyfriend again. Rafayel just watched with a bored expression, he was use to the bickering. He just wished you would dump him already. He watched you pace as you screamed at him which was out of character for you, in his mind at least. You hung up slamming your phone on the counter.
“Ugh! He’s insufferable. What should I do?” You ask more out loud but Rafayel was going to answer anyway.
“What did he do this time?” He asked taking about bite out of a grape from the bowl. You pout putting your chin on your fist. You know Rafayel and you also know he loathes your boyfriend.
“Ditched our date tonight for his friends.” You sigh, Rafayel on the other hand glares at you. He then got an idea.
“You should invite him out here to make up. It’s beautiful and quiet.” Rafayel counts on his fingers before your face fell flat.
“I’m not bringing him out here for you to kill him.” You deadpan making him drop his act and shrug.
“Worth a shot.” He throws a grape into his mouth.
Your leg bounced as you stared at your phone waiting for a text back. Sylus looks over his glasses to watch your leg bounce. You were shaking the couch with these nerves of yours. He couldn’t focus on a single word with all this bouncing. He knew you were arguing with that no good boyfriend of yours. He grabbed your leg without looking away from his book. Your gaze snaps over to him.
“Sorry.” You mumble, Sylus closes the book with a sigh, “What is it now?”
“He’s jealous because I spend a lot of time with you. Which is bullshit by the way! He spends a lot of time with his friends too!” You ramble as you wave your arms around. Sylus just watches you as you express yourself.
“What should I do?” You groan leaning into him. Sylus hums before rubbing your arm.
“We could give him something to be jealous about.” Sylus suggests, his smirk widening as he looks at you.
“You’re never serious.” You deadpan making him chuckle.
“Worth a shot.”
You get in Zayne’s car in a hurry accidentally slamming the door. You were so irritated that the night felt ruined because your boyfriend wanted to argue. He hated whenever Zayne was around but you make sure to remind him this is your childhood friend. His jealousy was ugly and Zayne would tell you constantly. The boy thought you were sleeping together for goodness sake! Not that you would mind. You explained all this to Zayne knowing he’d probably say what he usually does. You were just waiting for it.
“Maybe I can fix him…fix us y’know?” You fall back into the seat as Zayne stops at a red light. He looks over at you with the most serious face ever.
“Did he defecate on himself?” He asks seriously, you blink at him as if he was confused.
“No?” You question more than answer. Zayne hums as he nods his head slowly, “then why would you change him?”
You narrow your eyes at him. He’s as sassy as ever but he was right.
Your boyfriend and you had a huge fight. It was so big that you left and went to Xavier’s who could hear it from his apartment. You apologized for the noise which he didn’t care about. Your wellbeing was what mattered most to him after all. He made you tea and waited to hear what the arguing was about. You explained he accused you of cheating on him which wasn’t true. Xavier knew this since you guys spent so much time together.
“What should I do?” You sigh sadly. Xavier blinked slowly as he gave you a once over.
“Leave him.” He bluntly said. No hesitation, no pauses, nothing.
“Xavier I can’t.” You groan falling into the couch as he takes the cup from you. He places it on the coffee table and then turns his attention back to you.
“Why not? He’s not a good person and has zero redeeming qualities. He chews with his mouth open, he burps obnoxiously loud—” He lists and if you hadn’t stopped him he would go on and on all night. You put your hand over his mouth and nod as you look at the ceiling.
“You’re absolutely right.” Leaving the conversation at that.
“Want me to kill him?” He mumbles looking at you. You swiftly turn your head to look at him with genuine concern. Maybe you heard him wrong.
“What?”
“What?” He repeats now looking at you confused.
I couldn’t wait to get to Zayne’s but imo his Caleb’s and Rafayel’s are the funniest 😭 I also forgot what I was gonna write mid Caleb’s because I left my mind palace (the shower).
Have this while I concoct Sylus’ bday special 💋
*Nudges Season Three Lauren with foot* Doing okay there, sport?
My first fic in years. If there is any error, let me know.
Prompt: You had begged Xavier to roleplay as Lumiere. He refused multiple times until he finally gave in.
...
"Is this the meeting you had been expecting?" One of his hands on your throat while the other rested on your hip. You were trembling at his contact. You had been waiting for this moment and all your mind could think about was your husband's touch.
"Lu-lumiere!"
He even kept the mask on, you could not see him but you could feel how possessive he was getting by the second and how he was starting to enjoy it as well. Lumiere leaned forward, his lips brushing your ear, beating it.
"Is this what you like?" His grip getting stronger "You like being touched by another man, whore?"
The word sank in, it was the first time he called you that. You knew what you were asking for when you begged for him to act as Lumiere but that word, whore, strung a nerve.
"MC?" Xavier's touch lighten up as he felt you tensing up.
"I am not a whore..." A tear, then another and another. Your cheeks were now a river, tears falling into the mattress "I am not a whore" you bit your lip.
He pulled off from you, tossed that damned mask and spin you around. Maybe he had gotten a little carried away when he had hear you calling him Lumiere.
"No!" His arms wrapping around you as a cocoon "You are no whore. I am sorry..."
"You called me a whore" you were not looking at him, eyes full of tears and shame. Did he really thought that you were a whore or was something on the spur of the moment? In any case, you did not like it. "Do you think I am a whore?"
"No" he took one of your hands and kissed it, seeing that you did not pull away, he fell back on the bed "I would never think that about you" his hands traveled around your body giving you comforting squeezes "You are the most precious star in all the universe... I got jealous when I heard you call me Lumiere"
"But you are Lumiere!" You hit his chest "You shouldn't be jealous of your own self!"
Xavier sighed. How he could explain his jealousy, his love for you? He had lived for centuries, gave up his tittle for you, had see you fall in love with other man in the past, the thought of you want him to pretend to be someone else, even for one night, made his chest burst with jealousy.
He looked at you, the marks he had left in your love making, the way your skin glittered by the sweat due to all the work he had made you do, his gaze rested in yours. Your eyes shimmered with sadness, a sadness he had also put in there.
"I am Lumiere" he brushed your hair out of your face "But I don't want to be Lumiere with you. I want to be Xavier, I want for you to look at me and say my name"
Your hands reached for his, taking them to your chest. Your beating hard under his palm was a confession of your love for him.
"Xavier, I only love you" your eyes burning into his "I asked you to be Lumiere because you are Lumiere. I don't want any other man in my heart that it's not you"
Xavier's heart beat faster as the words left your lips. He should have know better, he should have already know that you were his, the wedding band on your finger should have been proof enough.
"I am sorry that I called you a whore" his hand moved to your face, brushing away the rest of the tears "How I can made it to you?" His hands rested in your hips, unsure if you would like to continue with your nightly activities.
Your lips met his cheek "I want for my husband cuddle with me until I forget Lumiere's offence... Also, get ride of the suit"
Xavier smiled, his lips looking for yours. Xavier spent of the night showing you with love until the sun came up. Lumiere's custom already forgotten in the floor.
You know what's better than fluff? Dark fluff.
The kind where devotion borders on obsession, where love isn't just tender—it's consuming.
"I'd do anything for you, love," he murmurs, voice smooth, unwavering. "Anything you desire, and it's yours."
And the other doesn't hesitate, voice laced with something raw, something desperate.
"I want her to split me open—dig her fingers into my ribs and pry them apart. To hold my heart in her hands, feel the pulse of it against her palms, my blood staining her skin. I want her to pick my bones clean, crack them open, suck the marrow dry. I want to be ruined by her, consumed until there's nothing left of me but the taste of her name on what's left of my tongue."
Because love, when it’s deep enough, is a hunger—one that begs to be fed.
Polites and Ody ♡✨
God someone put me down please. I need to go touch some grass. Please don’t even perceive me. This is my first time writing smut, so hopefully it’s okay
This is pure smut, no plot in sight. Pure filth. Be warned. Minors DNI! Concept: Sexy times with Xavier Tags: Smut, Plot? What plot?, Oral (F! Receiving), riding, biting, fingering, creampie (wrap it before you tap it), rough sex, praise, fem! Reader Word Count: 1605 Masterlist
His lips lapped at your core like a man starved, like you were his favourite liquor, his last meal. Moans and whimpers escape your lips, your fingers tightening in his already tousled hair as his fingers dig into the flesh of your thighs, keeping you spread open on his mouth. You feel a groan rumble from his chest at the feeling, resonating against your clit, adding and adding to the pleasure coursing through you. The tight coil in your abdomen wound tighter and tighter, his name leaving your lips like a prayer. His long fingers slid in and out, in and out of you, stretching and caressing as far as they could reach, your juices spilling out with every move, adding to the puddle that has formed under you. Not a single thought echoed through your mind apart from his name, the lustful haze clouding everything else.
Xavier’s dark gaze caught yours, his pupils blown wide, as if he was drunk off of you, his own eyes distorted with pure want. You could feel yourself clench around him, another wanton moan escaping you. The desire built within you with every skillful swipe of his tongue, with every suck and every thrust of his fingers. His arms pulled you even closer, until he reached the spot that made your eyes roll back and your toes curl.
The heat built, built, built, his unforgiving pace not giving you a chance to catch your breath. It was unbearable, unimaginable to be able to feel this much all at once, and yet here you were, wanting to escape but never wanting this to end at the same time.
Tears welled up in the corners of your eyes as your thighs trembled, trying to close but restrained by his strong grip, a grip that promised to leave bruises.
He kept up the pace, his fingers curling into that spot within you, his tongue licking up all the juices spilled, until your pleasure peaked, that coil snapping with a cry. Your muscles seize up as you throw your head back, bucking your hips against him.
He didn’t let up, letting your orgasm ride out wave after wave after wave. The obscene sounds from where he was connected to you filled your ears as the overstimulation took hold, and all of a sudden it was too much. Tears trailed across your cheeks, as you fell slack against the bed, the aftershocks making you whimper as he pulled himself away, just far enough to leave a trail of soft kisses against your inner thigh.
“Good girl. You did so good for me.” Soft praises left his mouth, as he slowly crawled up above you, leaving small kisses wherever he could reach, until his lips met yours, in a slow sensual kiss. His calloused hand cradled your cheek, wiping away the stray tears with his thumb.
“You okay sweetheart?” Xavier’s voice is soothing, bringing you slowly back to your senses, as you lock eyes with him.
“Yeah, more than okay.” You breathe, a small smile appearing on your face as he gives you another soft kiss. His eyes are still blown out, still dark with a hunger that’s yet to be satisfied. Against your hip, you can still feel his erection, hard and hot, precum dripping and spreading against your skin.
You keep your eyes locked with his, a mischievous glint echoing through your gaze, as you reach down, your hand grasping where he needs you most. He gives a sharp hiss, eyes closing at the sensation, before grasping your wrist, stopping your ministrations.
“F-fuck. You sure you want to continue?” The darkness swimming across his eyes should make you nervous, should make you shy away, but instead it pulls you in, makes you want to bring this man to ruin.
You pull your hand up gently, before pushing him over, switching your positions until he is beneath you. His eyes widen at the sudden movement, his hands landing on your waist, holding you steady as you straddle his lap.
“It’s my turn to take care of you.” You whisper into his ear, punctuating your statement with a bite to his earlobe. Your fingers run from his cheek, to his neck, to his chest. Lower and lower, the trail of your touch followed with your lips, nips and kisses decorating his pale skin. He’s so sensitive. He’s squirming beneath your touch, fighting the urge to roll you over and take the control back. His breathing quickens, his chest heaving as you switch to small bites across his neck, decorating it with red marks, a reminder of tonight just for him. Your hands trail lower, teasing touches on his thighs, tracing his abs and v-line. So close yet so far.
“Darling, stop with the teasing. Please.” His voice is rough, punched out, teeth gritted together as he tries to maintain even an ounce of composure.
“Shhh, you’re doing so well. I’ll give you what you want soon enough baby.” You bite your lip to hide your grin. God you loved the effect you had on him, the calm attitude crumbling beneath your fingers, red staining his cheeks. The grip on your waist is firm, nearly painfully so, as his eyes scrunch closed.
Finally, you decided to have some mercy on him, your touch trailing down to his dick. You thumb at the head, precum already coating your hand and the sound that comes out of him is something you’d like to hear for the rest of your life. You need to hear that sound again. You move your hand, twisting and pumping just like you know he likes it, but much slower than he wants. Your thighs protest as you reposition yourself, still trembling, so pleasantly sore. You guide his cock to rub against you as you grind down, covering him with the wetness dripping from your hole, a moan escaping both of you as his head catches your clit. His hands guide you down to grind on him again and again and again. You steady yourself with a hand on his chest, calling his name until his eyes open and land on you. His pupils are blown wide, his silver hair disheveled and redness spread further across his face. He looks divine. What a sight he is, underneath you, looking so fucked out already.
You bite your lip as you guide him against you, maintaining eye contact as you sink down on his cock. Bit by bit, you take him slowly, a strangled whine leaving both of you.
“Feels so good- so tight.” He sounds breathless as he grinds his hips up into you, bottoming out.
You have to take a second to breathe, adjusting to his size. You feel so full it’s almost overwhelming. You can feel every vein pulsing deep inside you, the stretch around him adding the sweetest ache to the many sensations coursing through your body.
A moment passes before you’re rising up until just the tip remains inside you, before grinding back down, setting a brutal pace. His breathing is shallow and rough as his hips snap up, keeping up with the tempo you set, hitting deeper and deeper and deeper inside of you. Hitting that sweet spot that has you faltering your movements for just a second. His grip around your hips guides you along, his eyes falling to your chest as you move one of his hands to your breast. He kneads it desperately as you lean down to spread an array of kisses and bites across his neck. Sweat drips down both of you, adding a deliciously salty taste to your kisses.
You swipe along his neck, swirling your tongue around his Adam's apple before biting down on it. His hips stagger in response to the sting and you soothe the ache with a soft kiss. The pressure builds within you, your nerve endings feel like they’re on fire with every thrust, with every touch.
“Gods Xavier, s-so good for me.” The words leave your mouth with a desperate tone as static fills your mind. The sounds leaving him are music to your ears as you swivel your hips, feeling him twitch inside you, delirious kisses being left across your shoulder.
“‘m close, so close.” His words spur you as you slam your hips down, going even faster.
“Fill me up Xavier.” You bite his ear as the pressure in your core unravels once more, your muscles spasming as you squeeze around him.
“Fuck I-” He doesn’t finish his sentence as the rhythm between you falters. You feel warmth fill you, painting your insides, dripping beneath you. You ride out your orgasms together, panting, desperately trying to catch your breaths. You lean up, your lips meeting his as you come down from your high together. You pull away just far enough to meet his eyes, gently brushing the hair from his forehead. A gentle smile braces his lips, his hands massaging your aching thighs.
“God, you drive me insane.” His voice is breathless, exhaustion evident on his features.
“Good, I’m doing my job well then.” You give him a soft, teasing grin.
“I love you sweetheart.”
“I love you too baby. Let’s get cleaned up, yeah?” You exchange a few slow, lazy kisses before you lift yourself off of him with a soft groan. You feel the wetness drip down your thigh as you attempt to stand, but your legs betray you with their shakiness and you have to brace yourself on the bed. You hear a tired chuckle before Xavier stands up beside you, lifting you into his arms before carrying you to the bathroom.
Hey, I'm back with some angst, just for you guys! This one is for all of the lads boys. Concept: You end up in hospital, they wait by your side for you to wake up. Tags: Angst, hospital, mentions of injuries, so much yearning, mentions of blood, might be a bit OOC, all the nicknames. Wordcount: 450-500 words each Masterlist
Writing under cut bc it's long, enjoy
The breath he lets out is shaky, vulnerable, as he presses a gentle kiss to your knuckles. Perched on the chair next to the bed, his eyes stay focused on your face, the steady rise of your chest, and the bandages decorating your body.
“You must be sleeping well, you need the rest. You’ve been overworking yourself lately, you know? I’m supposed to be your partner, why didn’t you call me?” His words are barely audible, gentle, yet heavy. Nearly as heavy as the pressure weighing down his chest.
His heart dropped the moment he received that call, the drowsiness from his nap disappearing in an instant. He was rushing into the hospital before the phone call even ended, there was no second to waste. Blood rushing through his body was the only thing he could hear, as his chest constricted in a barely hidden panic. You have to be alright. Please be alright.
The moment his eyes fell on you in that hospital room, hooked up to a multitude of wires and machines, his knees nearly buckled. Bandages peeked through the gown on your body as you lay there, still as a statue, still as a corpse. The only thing indicating that you were still here, still alive, was the rise and fall of your chest and the steady beep, beep, beep of a nearby machine.
His hand gripped yours tighter as he pressed his forehead against your fingers, trying, yet failing, to steady himself. Gone was that calmness of the experienced hunter, instead replaced by a shaky emotion he hasn’t felt in a long time. Fear. He couldn’t lose you again, not like this. He would not survive losing you again, just like he did all that time ago.
“You said you wouldn’t leave, so please, please, come back to me.”
Time seemed irrelevant as the day passed him by, nothing snapping his focus away from you, waiting for you to open your eyes. Your beautiful eyes, the ones that sparkled with joy, a fondness, when you looked at him. He yearned to see that bright smile, the same one when you ate your favourite food, when you won a plushie in the claw machines, when you were up to no good playing pranks on him. The sky outside darkened rapidly, the rush of the hospital settling down into a quietness that was somewhat unsettling. Xavier was yet to move from your bedside, only allowing the nurses to check in on you now and then, refusing to go home even when visiting hours end.
“Open your eyes when you’re ready, I’ll be here when you wake up, I’m not leaving you ever again. I love you, my starlight. When the morning comes, I hope you’ll be here with me again.”
“Miss Bodyguard, how are you meant to protect me when you’re asleep in hospital? You need to take better care of yourself.” There was a teasing facade in his words, desperately trying to cover up the weakness in his voice. His back was starting to hurt as he leaned forward in the uncomfortable hospital chair, he hadn't eaten or drank or slept in days, but none of that mattered. Not when you were still not waking up, no matter how much he called for you. His hand moved towards your face, brushing away the hair swept across your forehead.
“You know, you promised me you wouldn’t make me wait again, and yet here we are. Open your eyes cutie, I want to see that beautiful smile again.”
When he heard you ended up in hospital, he immediately dropped everything. The painting he was working on? Forgotten. The art show he was meant to attend? Ignored. The meeting with an investor? Cancelled. There was nothing else on his mind apart from making sure you were okay, that you were alive and coming back to him. When he heard you were unconscious, and not likely to wake up any time soon, he nearly couldn’t make himself take a step through that door, hesitating just long enough to prepare himself. But he wasn’t prepared. He wasn’t prepared for the fear and worry that engulfed him when he saw your form, laying still, unmoving, on the blue sheets of the hospital bed. Even approaching you was a challenge, his legs too shaky to move steadily, and when he finally got there, he had to blink away the tears that welled in his eyes. The paleness in your skin made his brow furrow, his hand coming to rest on your cheek, caressing it ever so gently.
“I told you before to come back to me, safe and sound. Human promises sure are fickle.” His voice broke before he could finish getting his words out as he lay a soft kiss on your forehead.
He immediately upgraded your room to a private one, ensuring the care you got was top notch in hopes that it would make you wake up sooner. Not once did he leave your side, jumping up at ever twitch of your fingers, at every noise that left your lips. But your eyes didn’t open. He talked and talked, filling the silence, maybe his voice can guide you home, guide you back to him.
“I’ll decorate the cast when you wake up, just tell me what you want me to draw.”
“My heart is in your hands, Cutie, you have to come back and take care of it.”
“You said you’d be careful, and what do you do? What will I do with you?” The sigh he let out was heavy as he put your medical charts down, a hand moving to caress your head, moving the hair from your face. To anyone looking in, he would seem nonchalant, almost cold, but the storm raging inside of him as he gazed on your form was unrelenting, his heart shattering as he redid the bandages on your body. He refused to let any other doctor take your case, he trusted himself enough to provide you with the best care, no matter how much it hurt him to see you like this. He was your doctor after all. And your partner. You could rely on him to take care of you when you needed it.
“You always scold me when I’m injured, and yet I can’t bring myself to scold you for being this reckless. Seeing you like this, it makes my heart ache, so please wake up, come back to me.”
He was already working when he got the notice that you were on your way in. He intended to carry on with his work, finishing it quickly so he could take care of you. That is until he found out that your condition was critical. He dropped everything, reassigning other staff to cover his patients, so his focus could be entirely on you. They tried to stop him, he was too involved to have a clear head, but he refused, knowing that everything he worked hard to achieve was so that he could take care of you. To help you. And help you he did, no matter how much his hands threatened to shake, no matter the fear that gripped his heart, he still trusted his skill. His only thoughts were to save you. When you were finally stable, he still refused to leave your side. You were more important than any work he had, more important than anything in this world.
“I can’t do my work when all I can think about is you, here. The only time you should visit the hospital is for your checkups and to see me. Not like this. I’ll make sure you recover quickly, so rest until you’re ready to open your eyes.
Days later, you still didn’t wake up. He kept an eye on your vitals, taking up doing his reports by your bedside. The other staff brought him food, trying to coax him out so he could get some sleep, but to no avail. He talked to you too, when he needed a break, holding your hand, his thumb gently swiping across your knuckles.
“The cafe I told you about has just announced the new dessert menu, I’ll take you there when you wake up. So wake up quickly now, my love.”
His fingers worked to soothe the furrow in his brow as he leaned on the chair by the hospital bread, his eyes softening as he analyses the bandages wrapped around your body. The sigh that leaves his mouth is heavy, tired, as he moves to sit in the chair by your side. Silence surrounds him as he works through the unease settled in his chest.
When he found you in that field, his heart might as well have stopped. Mephisto reported what had happened, how you collapsed after fighting off several wanderers, killing the last one before passing out, blood seeping from your wounds. He had never moved faster, racing the streets on his bike, until he had you in his arms. He didn’t think twice about bringing you back to the N109 zone, calling on the best doctors he knew to his door, ensuring you were in the best care. He observed as they worked, scrutinizing their every move, a darkness surrounding him. The doctors, to their credit, worked quickly and efficiently, stabilising your condition, lest they upset the leader of Onychinus. Once he dismissed them, he sat on the edge of the bed, placing his hand firmly on your own.
“Sweetie, no matter how strong you are, I wish you would allow me to help you more. Rely on me, I’m at your beck and call, you know this.”
He did not move from the room, making sure you were comfortable, that your bandages stayed clean, and that he would be the first to know when you finally woke up. The uneasy feeling never left, and he was sure it wouldn’t until he saw your soft smile and your striking eyes. He desired to hear your laugh, to be on the receiving end of those teasing comebacks, to hold you. You were right here, yet you felt so far away when you slumbered for so long.
“I’ve always allowed you to come and go as you please, but this time, I ask you to come back to me, Kitten.”
His fuse was short in the days that you slept, on edge with everything and anyone who tried to distract him from being with you. He slept on that chair by your bed, had Luke and Keiran run his errands, and took no nonsense from anyone. He couldn’t get settled no matter how much he tried. With yet another sigh, he stroked your hair, traced your features, a gentleness he held towards you that contrasted drastically to how he’s been with everyone else.
“You are my one weakness kitten, but you’re also my strength. You make me want to be better for you. We were destined to meet again, the curse is gone so don’t leave me now.”
“I adore you, my dear sorceress. You chose to stay by my side, so come back to me.”
A darkness had settled in his eyes as he examined your form, fear and guilt gripping his heart. He couldn’t move, not even an inch, as the grip on your hand seemed like the only thing keeping him from losing it completely. His eyes were already red, the burning behind his eyes was almost painful, but he shed no tears, he refused. Because you were still here, you were still alive.
“Pipsqueak, come on, open your eyes for me.” His voice was small, broken, the pain coursing through his body shining through his words.
He didn’t even have time to think before he was rushing to the hospital. When you didn’t arrive to meet him as intended, worry started to bloom. He tried your phone several times just to be sent to voicemail, he knew something was wrong when he was sent to voicemail. He quickly found out, through less than legitimate means, what had happened, and he moved quickly, his mind racing. He rushed through the white halls, bursting through the door to your room. His breath caught in his throat as he took you in, the bandages that decorated your head and body, the bruises peeking from behind them. The stillness of your form brought a panic to him, memories he yearned to forget surfacing once more as he moved to your side, grasping your hand firmly and bringing it to his lips.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. I know you said you didn’t need my protection, and I know you’re strong. You are so strong. But seeing you like this? It kills me inside.”
His whole life was put on hold over the next few days. He would not leave the room, he would not let go of your hand, scrutinising anyone who even suggested he do so. He watched over you vigilantly, ensuring you were comfortable, that your condition remained stable, that you would wake up. Guilt clawed at his heart, refusing to let go. If only he was there when you needed him, you would not have ended up like this. Why did you not call him? Why was he not there?
“Everything I have done, it’s always been for you. To protect you. I want you to depend on me like you used to.”
His fingers pet your hair as he leaned over you, his violet eyes committing your features to memory. He longed to see your eyes, to hear you tease and banter with him just like old times, to hug you, to hold you. He encouraged you to wake up so many times over these last few days, hoping that maybe, just maybe, you’ll respond to him.
“I have so many things left to say to you, so many things I still want to experience with you. So don’t leave when we’re just getting started.”
“I love you. I love you so much more than you know. Open your eyes so I can tell you.”
that night at 3:07 a.m. | xavier
synopsis : Sequel to 3:07 a.m.
content : angst(obviously), non-related to the game events, non-cannon, just purely xavier x reader but in our world :)
writer’s note : part one can be found here. I was inspired to write this peace thanks to the lovely @hiqhkey <3 you were right, the angst potential in this was wew. It took me awhile to piece together how to write this one because I wanted angst but I also wanted closure, I hope you enjoy this one as well :D
You came into his life like turbulence—unexpected, disarming.
And yet, your voice was the calm that followed the storm.
Xavier doesn’t remember how it began.
Maybe it was that first night. 3:07 a.m.
He had meant to call someone else—fingers fumbling, mind clouded, emotions in disarray.
But it was your voice he heard.
Soft. Quiet. A melody that lingered longer than it should have.
He didn’t hang up.
He listened.
And then he called again.
It became routine, though neither of you called it that.
He’d come home from work, shower, lie in bed.
Waiting.
Sleep never came easy for him.
But you did.
At 3:07 a.m., he would dial your number.
And you’d answer, always.
“Hey,” you’d breathe into the line.
His heart would falter, just a beat.
It wasn’t love. Or maybe it was.
He couldn’t name it, but it left him aching.
He wanted to tell you that your voice was beautiful, that it soothed something in him he didn’t know needed soothing.
But he never did.
Instead, he’d ask about your day.
You’d ask about his.
It was your thing—he calls, you answer.
No questions. No promises. Just presence.
But slowly, the lines blurred.
He caught himself thinking about you more. Wanting more.
But the words never came.
He’d see you sometimes—crossing the street, sitting in your favorite café by the window, head bowed in quiet focus.
He never waved.
Never approached.
Because 3:07 a.m. was sacred.
And he was afraid that in the daylight, it might mean something else.
Or nothing at all.
So he waited.
For nighttime.
For your voice.
—•
Then came a night that didn’t sound the same.
You answered, but your voice held sadness.
It rattled him, the heaviness of it.
He wanted to reach through the phone, hold you, take the weight from your shoulders.
But instead, he stayed silent.
You told him about a boy you liked.
His stomach turned.
He should’ve known. He should’ve seen it coming.
It was him. It had to be.
Still, he smiled where you couldn’t see.
And said, “Maybe he’ll come around.”
“Maybe,” you whispered.
If only he’d realized it then.
—•
“Do you think some people are just… meant to belong to each other?” he asked one night.
The question came unannounced. Raw. Honest.
You laughed, soft and almost shy.
But you didn’t answer.
And he didn’t press.
Neither of you ever did.
But that night, he told himself it was time to move on.
If you had felt the same way, you would’ve said something.
Wouldn’t you?
Still, the thought nagged at him, cruel and persistent.
You always picked up.
He opened his mouth. Almost.
But he swallowed it down.
“You still there?” he asked, knowing full well you were.
“Always.”
That word settled in his chest like warmth, and yet it ached.
“I saw a fox tonight,” he murmured. “It ran across the road like it didn’t care if it got hit.”
He didn’t know why he said it.
Maybe to see if you’d understand.
Maybe it was his confession in disguise.
“I thought about stopping,” he added, voice low. “I didn’t.”
Silence stretched between you. His breath hitched.
Then you said, “You never stop.”
His heart clenched.
“Maybe I should.”
It hurt, saying that. Like swallowing glass.
He changed the subject.
Pretended it didn’t mean anything.
And when your voice grew soft with sleep, he noticed—he always did.
“Go to sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” he said, ending the call before you could reply.
His heart was racing.
In the dark, he whispered to himself, “Why didn’t I just tell her?”
But the moment had passed.
The weight of everything left unsaid pressed down on him, suffocating and sharp.
He sighed into the stillness of his room.
“Maybe it was never meant to be.”
But oh, it was.
It really, really was.
—•
Eventually, life got busier.
Or maybe he made it that way—chasing distractions just to drown out the ache in his chest.
He didn’t know what it was exactly.
Rejection? An answer he didn’t want?
All he knew was that your silence—your lack of anything—gnawed at him until it became unbearable.
So he filled his days with noise. With work. With anything that wasn’t you.
But the nights stayed quiet.
Too quiet.
When he came home, the stillness in the air was heavier than usual.
He moved through his routine on autopilot, then lay in bed with his eyes shut, pretending he could sleep.
Maybe, he thought, just maybe I won’t call tonight. Maybe she will.
But curiosity clawed its way in.
He peeked.
3:05 a.m.
He watched the seconds crawl.
3:06.
His thumb hovered above your contact.
3:07 a.m.
Before his mind could stop his heart, he called.
Tonight, he told himself. Tonight, I’ll ask her.
“Hey,” your voice came through, soft and steady.
Like you had been waiting. Like always.
“Hey,” he echoed, but the word felt fragile—smaller than he meant it to be.
“Rough night?”
“No. Just… long.”
The silence stretched between you, filled with everything he couldn’t say.
This was it—his window.
If he didn’t say it tonight, he’d let you go.
But then you asked gently, “Wanna talk about it?”
And he hesitated.
Why didn’t he just tell you?
He exhaled a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. “Not really.”
“Okay.”
His mind swirled—What if she feels the same?
Will I regret this silence tomorrow?
Still, the words stayed lodged in his throat.
Instead, “Tell me something nice… anything.”
Because he wanted to hear your voice again. Wanted to feel close to you, even if you were slipping through his fingers.
And you did.
God, you did.
You told him about the dog you saw with its head out the window, tongue flapping like it owned the world.
You told him about the heart-shaped cloud that vanished before you could take a picture.
You told him about a song that reminded you of him.
His heart faltered at that—but still, nothing.
He only hummed, listening like it might be the last time he’d ever hear you.
“Do you think…” he started, then stopped. His courage faltered mid-sentence.
A pause.
“What?” you prompted, gentle.
His breath caught. “Do you think we’ll still talk like this… a year from now?”
You laughed.
And it shattered him.
Why was that your reaction?
“You’re the one who calls,” you said simply. “I just pick up.”
He fell silent. One beat. Then two.
“Yeah… I guess you do.”
He gathered what was left of himself. “I hope you sleep well tonight.”
There was a pause, quiet but heavy.
“Are you not calling tomorrow?” you asked softly.
His chest ached. That was his moment—his chance to say something real.
But instead, “I don’t know.”
And he ended the call.
Alone in the dark, he whispered, “I need to move on.”
A tear slipped quietly down his cheek.
The next night, he stared at his phone.
Thumb over your name.
Hovering.
He shouldn’t call. He couldn’t.
His heart wasn’t whole enough to risk it again.
So he didn’t.
He shoved his phone beneath his pillow and closed his eyes.
If she wants to talk, he told himself, she’ll call.
But a voice inside him whispered something else—Maybe she’s waiting, too.
Still, he forced himself to sleep.
No more.
—•
Day One.
He woke with a racing heart and reached for his phone.
No missed calls.
No texts.
Nothing.
The absence stung more than he expected.
And there it was—his answer.
You hadn’t called.
He sighed, the weight of regret and hopelessness pressing into his ribs.
That was it.
That was the end.
He got up and started his day, pretending he hadn’t waited.
Pretending it didn’t hurt.
But good god, it did.
Day Three.
He didn’t mean to look.
But at 3:07 a.m., his eyes flicked to the clock anyway.
His chest ached with a hollow kind of yearning, the kind that sits heavy behind the ribs and doesn’t say a word.
He didn’t call.
You didn’t either.
The silence had settled into something familiar now.
It used to be comfort. Now it was absence.
Still, he told himself, This is what moving on looks like. You asked for this.
But it didn’t make the loneliness feel any less real.
Day Five.
He passed your favorite café on his way home.
The table by the window was empty.
Or maybe it wasn’t—you just weren’t in it.
He didn’t stop to look too long.
That night, he didn’t touch his phone.
He left it across the room, face-down.
But at 3:07 a.m., he still turned in bed, waiting for the sound that wouldn’t come.
Week Two.
He met someone new.
She was kind. Confident. The type who smiled with her whole face.
She asked for his number first, and he gave it without hesitation.
Not because he was ready, but because he wanted to be.
They started talking. Messaging.
Late night conversations, but never at 3:07 a.m.
That time belonged to someone else.
Still did.
But he didn’t say that out loud.
Week Six.
He liked her company.
She laughed at his jokes, touched his arm when she smiled, remembered how he took his coffee.
She made things feel easier.
Lighter.
And yet—some nights, when the world had gone still and he was finally alone with his thoughts, he still reached for his phone.
Not to call her.
But to scroll through your old messages.
The short ones. The long ones. The ones where you sent voice notes because texting was too slow.
He missed you.
Quietly. Constantly.
Like background noise he couldn’t tune out.
Month Two.
He was dating her now.
Their photos lived on social media—her head resting on his shoulder, his arm around her waist.
His smile looked real.
People said he looked happy.
And sometimes, he was.
But he never told her why he always seemed a little quiet around 3 a.m.
Why he never answered calls past midnight.
Why his smile never quite reached his eyes when a particular song came on the radio.
Because there were things he had buried—like old postcards you never send but can’t throw away.
He didn’t talk about you.
But sometimes, when he was with her, and the world was soft and kind,
he wondered if you ever stared at your phone too.
If you ever hovered over his name and decided not to press it.
If you ever missed him at 3:07 a.m.
And in that wondering, he realized—He hadn’t moved on.
Not really.
Not fully.
He was just learning how to live with a ghost that still answered the phone.
—•
Month Six.
He proposed.
It was quiet, understated—just the two of them beneath a canopy of lights and the hush of the evening breeze.
She smiled. She cried. She said yes without hesitation.
He kissed her like he meant it.
And he did.
He meant it.
But as the ring slipped onto her finger, something stirred deep in his chest—an ache, dull and persistent.
Not regret.
Not quite.
Just something unsettled.
Something he hadn’t named.
Something left over.
Because even now, even here, part of him wondered if you ever thought about him.
If you’d feel anything at all when you found out.
If you’d feel… nothing.
And maybe that would hurt more.
Later that night, while she slept soundly beside him, his eyes flicked toward the clock.
3:07 a.m.
He didn’t know why he still looked.
Maybe he just always would.
Month Eight.
Healing came slowly.
Not like a breakthrough—just a quiet fading of the noise.
The days stopped feeling like a performance.
The silences became lighter.
He caught himself smiling more. Meant it more, too.
And he started seeing her not as someone who filled a space, but someone who fit.
He still thought of you.
But not always.
Not the way he used to.
There were moments—brief ones—when your name crossed his mind in the middle of a song, or when he passed that café window you used to sit by.
But it didn’t sting as much.
It just… lingered.
Like something that might have been.
Something gentle. Undefined.
A feeling, not a fire.
Still, on some nights, when the world was quiet and he couldn’t sleep, he’d wonder.
Did you ever think of him, too?
Month Ten.
The wedding planning began in earnest.
Color swatches, catering menus, playlist drafts.
She filled journals with ideas, kept Pinterest boards titled forever.
He helped where he could.
Smiled. Showed up.
Even laughed when she made him try three kinds of cake in one sitting.
It was real.
And it was good.
But some nights, when she’d doze off beside him with a notebook still open in her lap, he’d scroll through his contacts until he found your name.
He never pressed it.
He never would.
But part of him still paused there.
Not because he wanted to go back.
But because he still hadn’t figured out if he should tell you.
Not to ask for anything.
Not to confess anything.
Just… to let you know.
“I’m getting married.”
A sentence he rehearsed and never said.
And maybe he was afraid that if he did, you’d say, “I always thought you would call.”
Or worse—That you’d say nothing at all.
So instead, he locked his phone and turned off the lamp beside the bed.
He wasn’t in love with you.
Maybe he never had been.
But there had been something.
And it never quite left.
Almost One Year Later.
3:07 a.m.
The numbers glowed dimly in the dark, like they always did—unchanged, untouched.
He hadn’t planned to call.
He hadn’t even thought about it.
But somehow, he was already staring at your name.
Already pressing call.
The dial tone echoed once.
Twice.
Three times—Then a soft click.
You answered.
There was only breath on the other end.
Faint. Familiar. Present.
His heart stuttered.
“Hey,” he said, voice low. Steady.
Silence.
He swallowed. “I didn’t think you’d answer.”
Still, nothing.
Just you, breathing. Listening.
Maybe frozen in place. Maybe waiting for more.
And he gave it to you.
“I just…” he started, and the words stuck, catching in his throat. He let them fall anyway.
“I’m getting married.”
The quiet thickened. Not even a gasp. No sigh.
Just your silence.
“I wanted to tell you myself.”
There was a pause.
Then, your breath barely above a whisper, “Why now?”
He let the silence stretch before he answered.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I kept thinking about you. About how I never said goodbye.”
Another pause.
Your voice cracked, just slightly. “I would’ve answered.”
His chest tightened.
“I know,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
There was a long silence. Neither of you filled it.
He listened to the stillness like it was the last piece of a song he couldn’t finish.
And then, softly—like it cost you something, “I’m happy for you.”
His heart stuttered.
He hesitated.
There were words at the edge of his tongue—things he might have said if this were a different life.
But instead, all he gave you was, “Goodnight.”
And the call ended.
No goodbye.
Just the quiet click of something finally closing.
—•
The air was still.
Rows of guests sat under soft morning light, flowers swaying gently with the breeze, as music began to hum low and steady.
Xavier stood at the altar, hands clasped tightly in front of him, breath slow.
He wasn’t nervous—at least not in the way everyone expected him to be.
He felt the weight of the moment. The finality. The beauty of it.
And the ache.
Then—like a pull, a presence he couldn’t ignore—his gaze lifted.
And there you were.
Standing quietly near the back. Almost hidden. Almost not there.
But he saw you.
Your eyes met his, and the world narrowed.
Just for a moment, it was quiet.
Just for a moment, it was 3:07 a.m. again.
There were no smiles exchanged.
No nods.
Just something suspended between you—years of silence, almosts, and words that never made it past the throat.
But it was enough.
He understood.
So did you.
And then the music changed.
The crowd rose to their feet, turning.
She appeared—his bride, radiant and glowing, the embodiment of everything he had chosen.
He looked at her, heart steady.
And when she reached him, he took her hand with warmth, with care.
The ceremony moved forward.
Vows were spoken.
Promises made.
And when he leaned in to kiss her, he did so gently, tenderly, with a love that had grown slowly, earnestly.
Applause broke out.
The world opened again.
And when he turned, just for a second—just instinctively.
He saw you.
You were walking away, slipping through the crowd with that small, knowing smile on your lips.
The kind that said everything.
He watched you disappear around the corner, and it struck him.
That was your goodbye.
Not in words.
Not in tears.
Just in the way you let go—with grace, with quiet acceptance.
And maybe that was what you both needed.
Not closure. Not confession.
Just the soft acknowledgment of what once lived between you, and what would no longer linger.
He turned back toward the crowd, toward the life he’d chosen.
And the ache in his chest softened, like something finally exhaled.
Save me Lumiere~
╰┈➤ ❝ xavier x afab!reader | VALENTINE'S EVENT !
tags : established relationship, general teasing and banter, kisses, cuddles, lots and lots of fluff, xavier glows when he's happy <3
wc : 2k
an : I MISS HIM. I MISS HIM I MISS HIM I MISS HIM I MISS HIM I MISS HIM AHUHUHUHU i needed to get this out of my system omg,,, this is the happiest i've been with writing for a while tysm @bunbunnies for the request AND HAPPY WHITE DAYYY !! (p.s. please listen to the song i swear it adds to the vibes) (p.p.s. additional tag @ourlittleuluru for also inspiring this hehe)
taglist : under the cut! (SIGN UP HERE)
ko-fi jar / commissions
Everyday is enough of a special day as long as it's with you.
Your eyes blinked open.
The advantage of sleeping in Xavier's room was that the blinds were drawn—it was the perfect environment to be conducive for sleep, so much so that the peaked, late-afternoon sun, did little to stir you awake. The sheets were warm, and cozy, and soft… You could sink into the mattress, so cloud-like and weightless.
It was dangerous, in a sense. Staying here made you forget what other things you had on your to-do list for the day. But turning your head to the side to rest your eyes upon the soundly sleeping figure next to you made everything worth it. Warm sunlight peeked in slightly through the blinds, illuminating the room in a soft, dim glow, but you didn't really need it. If anything, the only light you felt that you needed was right here, right next to you.
You noticed faint, barely-noticeable particles of light floating around the crown of his head, and you smiled.
Those weren't from the sunlight.
He must be having a good dream…
You shifted slightly. The movement pulled you away from his embrace just a little bit, but it was enough to get him to stir.
"Mmmnh…"
He didn't open his eyes, but his arms tugged you closer by the waist. An instinctive reaction, you could only assume, and a soft laugh fell from your lips in response. Something about the way he held you made him feel akin to a weighted blanket; despite being clearly asleep, his grip on you was firm enough that you could barely wiggle free from him this time.
You felt sleepy nuzzles into your shoulder, and you smiled and pat his arm.
Pats wouldn't work, of course.
Gently, you shook him, trying to nudge him off of you.
Bleary eyes opened, vision unfocused.
"What… time is it?"
A playful scoff on your end. "Gee, I dunno, Xavier. I'm kinda stuck here."
He blinked, for a moment. Once, twice. It took a while, and you patiently waited, eyebrow raised as your words—and the way he was hugging you so firmly—finally registered in his head. A hint of sheepishness was present on his gaze as he allowed you free from his grasp. You were quick to soothe with a kiss to the tip of his nose.
He sat up with you as you moved to reach for your phone, and out of the corner of your eye, you could see him rubbing his eyes as if it would do anything to help the sleepiness subside.
12:30 in the afternoon.
This was new—you never got to sleep in this much when you were alone, but sleeping with Xavier seemed to bring out newer, sleepier, admittedly lazier sides to you that you didn't know you could have. It was a good thing, of course; at least this time, you could actually rest. There was something freeing about it. Xavier never judged you for sleeping in with him; in fact, he'd much rather have you do just that than wake up without him.
And then your eyes drifted towards the date.
February 14th.
A moment of realization dawned.
You'd gotten so caught up in this just being another simple, restful day off, that you'd completely forgotten…
Slowly, sheepishly, you set your phone down and turned to Xavier.
Still clearly a little out of it, he was sitting up, staring blankly in your general direction. It seemed as if his mind was still asleep, slow blinks not particularly focusing on even you, or anything else. His hair was a mess, a few strands sticking out. His pajama top looked a little skewed—no doubt, if he could still be under the covers at this very moment, he certainly would have been.
But he also looked so freaking cute.
A moment of silence passed like that, a silly smile on your face as you tilted your head—because how could you look away from that? Few others would have the privilege of seeing the Association's most formidable Hunter doing adorable little eye rubs and trying to stay awake in his own bed. In fact, no one else probably did aside from you. And it was a sight to appreciate.
It didn't take too long for his gaze to focus back on you, and, whether out of another instinctual pull or out of a slight sense of embarrassment for realizing you'd been staring at him this whole time, he pulled you back against his chest. Automatically you curled your figure into him, ear resting against his heart as you listened to its ever-steady thrum.
"…It's almost one in the afternoon," you huffed. Yet there was no resistance in your voice; your arms wrapped around him in a reciprocal manner.
"Mhm. But… I want to stay like this a while longer."
"This is unfair, you're just too comfy…"
He shifted, coaxing your head up to look at him. Upon meeting his gaze, you could see that most of the sleep had since melted away to give way to a certain sense of fondness. "We don't have plans today," he murmured. "Can't we stay in a little longer?"
It was so difficult to say no.
A smile peeked at the corners of your lips.
"Well… how about, what do you want to eat later? We've missed breakfast, so this might as well be…"
"Brunch… right?"
"Mhm!" Your eyes fluttered as he reached over to trace your cheek, light, gentle touches that lulled you into a sense of comfort. "We could… order some takeout, maybe? It's been a while…"
"Sure. We can order from that place you like."
You watched, your own gaze softening, as he leaned in to press a kiss to your forehead.
"Xavier…"
"What do you want to do today?"
He tucked an awry strand of your hair away from your face this time, but the question made your eyes light up. Something in you knew what he wanted to hear—that he probably, likely wanted to just stay in and sleep.
Yet, you sat up, and you could have laughed at his expression. He blinked, taking another moment to process, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly. Unlike last time, he didn't sit up with you.
"I… I have an idea!" you nudged him. "Listen, you said so yourself. We don't have plans today… And, remember all those movies we said we'd watch together? Isn't this the perfect time for us to—"
He cut you off.
Another second had you practically yanked back down to him, and you let out a laugh.
"Five more minutes…"
—
You wondered if it was supposed to end up this way.
Messing around in the kitchen turned brunch into an odd combination of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, another reminder of just how easily things could flow into their own thing, when it was just the two of you. You could argue about how unhealthy your habits had been today, but one day was just one day, wasn't it? You had no real plans today—in the end, what it settled into was a mutual agreement to indulge in the day a little.
But what you hadn't expected was to walk into a living room that no longer… looked like the living room that you knew.
You didn't think you'd spent that much time fixing up the kitchen, but the stark change to the living room space proved otherwise.
Prepped for your little home theater date, the room had been dimmed, lights switched off—except, even with the lights on, you wouldn't have been able to pinpoint where exactly the television was, or where exactly the couch was, or where exactly Xavier was. Instead, what stood in front of you was a large amalgamation of blankets, and bedsheets, and pillows… Not quite organized in the least, nor matched in shade or size, but certainly very… big. You knew that these were all the extras that you had stored, and you couldn't quite describe what was in front of you.
A canopy?
A castle?
A… fort?
You stood there for a while, head tilted, noting a rummaging going around on the inside. It took a moment before you heard a little click, and the inside of the pillow fort glowed a warm, inviting orange.
Xavier poked his head out from under one of the blankets.
"Hi," he nodded at you.
The sparkle in his eyes told you that he was quite proud of yourself.
"…Hi," you laughed. "What's with the living room, Xav?"
"You… said you wanted to watch some movies. I figured I could turn it into something cozy."
"Except I'm always cozy with you."
"Then, extra cozy."
"Did you just want another place to fall asleep in?"
"…No…"
With a laugh, you waved your hand, and crawled under the fort with him.
The space was smaller inside than you'd expected it to be, all fluffy and warm and, true to his word—cozy. It certainly didn't look like much from the outside, but snuggling with him under a separate blanket of your own, leaning against the foot of the couch, the television settled in front of you… truly did make it feel like a personal little theater for the both of you.
Once again, perhaps instinctually, you curled sideways into him and lay your head on his chest. With one arm wrapped around you to keep you securely tucked into him, he used the other to point upwards.
Fairy lights.
Several strings of them, the very source of the little glow you'd been seeing from outside. The lights emitted from them weren't particularly strong, but all of it turned this whole thing into something that was—again—cozy.
A hand reached out, and you let out a soft laugh. "They look like stars."
He followed your motion, reaching out with you. His hand placed next to yours made yours incredibly small, but it made you smile. "Yeah," he agreed, "but they're also stars that don't feel too far away from us."
"Kinda like we're stargazing, huh? Without the cold…"
Your fingers intertwined with his, and he brought your hands down towards his mouth. A soft peck to your knuckles, before he nuzzled your hands against his cheek.
"Well… Anywhere with you feels like stargazing. Since the only star I really want to be looking at… is right here."
His words drew out the air from your lungs. Your eyes met—there was a certain shine in his, blue eyes glowing beneath the strings of light hanging above you. Even this alone, the way he looked at you, could have been enough to drown you. You felt the heat rush to your cheeks; such simple words had you floundering in an instant.
"You're so unfair," you murmured.
There was no bite to your words.
"Am I?"
He shifted to dim the fairy lights, and a flick of his hand had his evol playing around with the lighting. Barely a couple of tries were needed for him to secure a spot on the 'wall' of your little safety fort, where shadows danced along the lined sheets. Slowly, he brought his pinky over to draw your hand back to his, and the shadow of a rabbit formed on the wall.
A giggle fell from your lips. "Hey, that looks like Bunbun!"
"That you've gotten three of in a row just last week…"
You nudged him, pulling your hand to make another, smaller rabbit. "Weeelllll, it kind of looks like you, too~"
Sneaking a glance at him showed a little smile spreading on his own features, but you had little time to recognize the brief flash of mischief in his eyes before the rabbit he'd been projecting to the wall swiftly turned into the head of a wolf.
You gasped, drawing your own rabbit away. "Xavier!"
"I thought you were more sensitive to traps."
"But they're cute—!"
"Sometimes… you should expect the unexpected."
You let out a squeal as the 'wolf' began to advance towards your rabbit, and you immediately draw your hand away and buried your face into his chest. "Silly!" Laughing, you made light punches at his arm. "Take your wolfie away from me!"
And it was silly, but something about it made you feel all fuzzy inside. He laughed in return; it was the sound of it that made you stop, pausing to cherish the warmth that spread through you as a result of it.
Yet the more you look at him, the more you realize that the glow within your little blanket fort, pillow fort, castle whatever it was—wasn't quite coming from much of an external source, but from… him. Specks of those same little sprinkles of light scattered around him, and you could have sworn the very outline of his figure felt like it was glowing.
Smiling, you shifted closer to him, fingers moving to thread through his hair. "Xavier…" you chuckled. "What's going on?"
"What… do you mean?"
You reached out to poke his cheek. "Xavier glows when he's happy."
It took a moment.
You watched as his expression shifted ever so slightly, the flash of surprise making itself visible for a moment before settling into a fondness you knew was reserved only for you. You could marvel at it, really. There were many things about Xavier that you've come to know all this time that you've been spending with him, the past couple years of your relationship. Things like the subtle movement of his gaze when he's caught off-guard, or the twitch of his lips when he tries to keep himself from smiling. He was more expressive than people realized—moreso with the little things, and a little less, sometimes, with his words.
"Because I am happy." He leaned in, closer. The tips of your noses touched, and he nuzzled against you gently. "Are you?"
His hand raised, a familiar bunny light bouncing around the both of you as he smiled softly. That bunny, the very same one from that campfire, the very same one where—as far as you could recall—you'd made one of your very first promises with him.
Tell me when you're overwhelmed next time.
Something in you told you this was a similar moment.
It was quiet for a while, your eyes staying locked. Bated breath formed a certain tension in the air that wasn't unbearable, but easily had your heart skipping a beat. If you leaned back down, listened to his heartbeat… you wondered if you would feel the same thing. Yet somehow, in this moment… it felt as if your hearts had never been this close.
It was Xavier who broke the silence.
"I didn't forget, you know."
You didn't pull away, but you blinked. "…Huh?"
"Today. It's Valentine's day… Isn't it?"
"Oh…"
"I didn't forget."
He nodded his head, once. The smile on his face never quite left, even as he assessed the traces of panic on your own.
"I— I did, though… Sorry. I don't have anything, I didn't really—"
"It's okay."
You blinked. Again. You noticed that Xavier had been catching you by surprise a fair amount this day. "Huh?"
"It's okay," he repeated, patiently. "Because the only gift that I want… is already right next to me. And she's the same star as the only star I wish to be looking at."
Once again, it was Xavier who broke the tension.
Before you could react, before you could fluster yourself over his words—
He leaned down, lips touching against yours.
One kiss. "I love you."
Another kiss. "I love you."
A third kiss. "I love you, still."
You were left dizzy at the quick succession of kisses, feather-light, barely there, and you could practically feel the way his lips turned up into a satisfied smile.
"They say three times' the charm… right?"
Cheeky.
And yet, looking back into his eyes pushed the mischief in them aside, and instead what you found in them was— love.
So, so, much love.
More than the three times he's said it today, and more than… whatever Valentine's Day was supposed to be.
Something swelled in your chest.
"Sometimes, I think that, from the far reaches of the night sky… A star has arrived on this planet." You spoke slowly, formulating your words, and then you bumped your nose against his with a smile. "And I also think that star happens to be laying right next to me."
Arms wrapped around his neck, and it was your turn to shower his face in a little flurry of kisses, relishing the soft laughs that fall from his own lips.
"So if I'm the only star you want to look at," you murmured, "then you're the only star I want to spend the rest of my days with. I hope… tonight won't be the last night we get to spend with each other. I want more nights with you. More like this."
And he chuckled.
"No, it won't be the last."
Slowly, his arms trailed to rest on your waist, gently guiding you to settle on top of him. Happily, you pressed your forehead against his. In this moment, you realized that you loved, all too much, to look into his eyes like this.
"…Your eyes look like stars," you laughed quietly.
"Yours hold all of them."
"No, that's wrong, Xavier. It holds one star. That's you."
He smiled.
"…Mn. It won't be the last, not tonight." He said again, brushing your hair from your face. "We've followed the pull of fate to this moment, so I'll make sure to stay by your side. Now, and always. Maybe, this night… holds the hope there is for us to always be together."
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loyal to my man ~Xavier .... Life is delulu at this point and other fixations
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