Work Text:
The rain hammered against the windows of the guild office, a relentless rhythm that made Alina Clover’s head throb. She sat at her desk, surrounded by towering stacks of reports, her quill scratching furiously against parchment. The dim light of the magic crystal lamp flickered, casting long shadows across the room. She sighed, glancing at the clock.
Late again. Of course.
Her thoughts wandered to Jade Scrade. He’d promised to help her tonight, but the storm outside was monstrous. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the wind howled like a wounded beast.
'He’s not coming,' she thought, trying to ignore the pang of disappointment in her chest. She shouldn’t have relied on him in the first place. Jade was… well, Jade. Infuriatingly competent, annoyingly charming, and always, always there when she least expected him. She didn’t like how much she’d started to depend on him. It was dangerous. He made her feel things—things she wasn’t ready to name.
Just as she was about to dive back into her work, the office entrance door creaked open. Alina froze, her quill hovering mid-air. Heavy, clanging footsteps echoed in the hallway, followed by the sound of water dripping onto the wooden floor. She turned her head slowly, her heart skipping a beat.
There he was.
Jade Scrade stood in the doorway, drenched from head to toe. His silver hair clung to his forehead, droplets cascading down his face like tiny waterfalls. His casual clothes—a long-sleeved sky-blue shirt and black pants—were plastered to his body, revealing the lean, muscular frame beneath. Water pooled at his feet, and he looked like a stray kitten caught in a downpour. A very handsome, very seductive kitten.
“Sorry I’m late,” Jade said, his voice slightly breathless. “Got caught up with some… issues. Ran here as fast as I could.”
Alina stared at him, her mouth dry and opened slightly. She should scold him for coming out in this weather. She should tell him he didn’t need to bother. But the words caught in her throat. All she could do was watch as he stepped inside, water dripping from his sleeves and hair.
“You’re… soaking wet,” she finally managed, her voice filled with bewilderment.
Jade grinned, running a hand through his wet hair and combing it back, relieving his high forehead - a view Aline had never seen before. “Observant as ever, Alina.”
Before she could respond, he started unbuttoning his shirt.
“W-what do you think you’re doing!?” Alina shrieked, slamming her hands over her eyes.
“My clothes are freezing,” Jade replied, his tone annoyingly casual. “I need to hang them to dry. I can't start helping you being this drenched.”
“Don’t you dare take off all your clothes!” Alina snapped, her face burning both in irritation and embarrassment. She jumped to her feet, rummaged through her drawer, and hurled a towel at him. It hit him square in the face. “Here! Use this! And give me your shirt. I’ll hang it up.”
"And what about my pants? They are drenched too."
"I don't care!" she barked, crossing her arms. "Dare taking them off and you are a history."
Jade chuckled nervously, catching the towel and throwing it on his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Alina kept her eyes firmly averted as he handed her the sopping wet shirt. She hung it on a nearby chair, her hands trembling slightly. When she turned back, Jade was sitting at her desk, the towel draped over his shoulders. His bare chest glistened in the lamplight, water still clinging to his skin. Alina swallowed hard, her heart pounding. She hadn’t realized how… defined he was. His abs, his biceps, the way his muscles shifted as he moved—it was all so… distracting.
“You’re staring,” Jade said, not looking up from the report he was reading.
“I am not!” Alina shot back, her cheeks flaming. She sat down across from him, determined to focus on her work. But every time she glanced up, her eyes betrayed her, darting to his broad shoulders, his toned arms, the way the towel clung to his damp skin.
The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Jade seemed oblivious to her inner turmoil, his quill moving steadily across the parchment. Alina, on the other hand, was a mess. Her thoughts raced, her pulse quickened, and she couldn’t stop stealing glances at him.
What is wrong with me? she thought, frustrated. He’s just Jade. Just Jade.
Finally, he broke the silence. “You’re being unusually quiet,” he said, setting down his quill and looking up at her flustered face. “Something on your mind?”
“No,” Alina said too quickly. “Just… work.”
Jade raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You sure? You look a little… flustered.”
“I’m not flustered!” Alina snapped, her voice rising an octave. “I’m just—ugh, never mind.”
Jade chuckled to her little outbust. "Well, okay."
The rain continued to pour outside, its rhythmic patter filling the silence of the guild office. Alina and Jade worked together for what felt like hours, the stacks of reports slowly dwindling. Jade, still shirtless with the towel draped over his shoulders, was a constant distraction for Alina. She tried to focus on her work, but her eyes kept drifting to him again and again—his broad shoulders, the faint sheen of water still clinging to his skin. It was maddening.
Jade, for his part, seemed completely at ease. He scribbled notes, sorted papers, and occasionally glanced at Alina with that infuriatingly calm smile of his. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and it only made her more flustered.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jade stood up and reached for his shirt. It was still slightly damp, but he slipped it on anyway. Alina watched as he buttoned it up, her breath catching when a few buttons near the top refused to close, leaving a tantalizing glimpse of his chest. She quickly looked away, her cheeks burning.
“Sorry,” Jade said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. “Guess it shrank a bit. Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You’re not making me uncomfortable,” Alina muttered, though her face was beet red. She stood up abruptly, needing to put some distance between them. “I’m going to make some tea.”
But as she turned, her foot caught on the edge of the rug, and she stumbled forward with a yelp. Jade moved instantly, his arms wrapping around her waist to steady her. Alina crashed into his chest, her face pressed against his bare skin. She inhaled sharply, her senses overwhelmed by his proximity. He smelled… amazing. It was a scent she’d never noticed before—warm, masculine, and uniquely Jade. Her mind went blank, her body started acting on instinct.
Her hands landed on his chest, her fingers brushing against the hard planes of muscle she’d only glimpsed before. Her touch was tentative at first, but curiosity quickly took over. Her fingers traced the contours of his shoulders, slid down his arms, and explored the strength hidden beneath his skin. It was intoxicating. She’d never touched a man before, especially like this, and the sensation sent a thrill through her. Her hands moved lower, tracing the lines of his abdomen, her fingertips brushing over the defined ridges of his muscles, outlining the contour of his abs cubes.
Jade froze like a statue, his breath hitching and eyes wide open. He hadn’t expected this. Alina’s touch was soft, curious, and utterly disarming. A shiver ran down his spine as her hands explored his body, her touch igniting a fire he’d been trying to suppress. But when her fingers slid to his abdomen, tracing the shape of his muscles, he knew he had to stop her. This was getting dangerous, very dangerous—for both of them.
“Alina,” he said, his voice low and strained. He caught her hands in his, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed together. His eyes met hers, dark and heated as his own, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
“Don’t,” he warned, his voice raw with desire. “If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to stop myself.”
Alina’s breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the tension between them, thick and electric. Her hands trembled in his grasp, too tight to ignore, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned closer, her lips brushing against his as she whispered in his slightly opened mouth, “What if I don’t want you to stop?”
Jade’s violet eyes darkened, his resolve crumbling. The last pieces of remained self control and gallantry shattered. He released her hands, his fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her into a searing kiss. It was nothing like any kisses he had ever imagined he would someday giveher. This kiss - their first kiss—was raw, desperate, and filled with all the longing they’d been hiding. Alina melted against him, her hands sliding up to his shoulders as she kissed him back with equal fervor.
The world outside ceased to exist. There was only the two of them, lost in each other, their hearts beating in sync. Jade’s hands roamed her back, pulling her closer, while Alina’s fingers traced the lines of his jaw, his neck, his chest. The rain continued to fall, its steady rhythm a backdrop to their shared passion.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless, his forehead resting against her delicate round shoulder. Jade closed his eyes and breathed in her sweet scent - Alina's unique scent he would never forget. His expression soft and vulnerable. “Alina,” he murmured, his voice trembling. “I… I don’t want to lose this. Lose you.”
Alina smiled, her heart swelling with emotion. Her mind was still clouded after his feverent kiss and proximity. “You won’t,” she promised, her fingers brushing yjtough his thick silver hair. “Not now. Not ever.”
Jade smiled dreamily to her reply, his arms tightening around her waist, pulling her even closer as if they were a single whole . For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight of their responsibilities didn’t seem so heavy. With Alina in his arms, Jade felt like he could face anything—even the mountain of paperwork waiting for them.