~••♡•▪| KORI NOVIKOV |▪︎•♡••~
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was warmth—lots of it. The kind of cozy warmth that wraps around you , and makes you want to stay in bed forever. A solid weight pressed against my back, and something heavy draped over my waist.
That's when it hit me.
Ares was spooning me.
Ares, the same guy who pulled a knife on Gene and had an expression scarier than death itself, was now cuddling me like I was a life-sized teddy bear. One of his arms was slung possessively over my hip, his hand resting flat on my stomach. The other arm? Tucked under my neck, cradling my head.
His breath, soft and even, brushed against the back of my neck, sending little shivers down my spine. And his legs—oh boy. They were tangled with mine like we were participants in some kind of human pretzel competition.
I wanted to laugh. This big, scary man, who could make people cry just by looking at them— myself included - was currently holding me as if I were the most precious thing in the world.
What a softie.
I tried to shift, but Ares responded by tightening his grip, mumbling something incoherent into my hair. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was purring.
"You're squishing me," I whispered
Ares only grunted in reply, his arm pulling me closer.
"Okay, okay," I muttered, trying not to laugh as he snuggled further into me. The blanket was now off his body, exposing his long muscular and tattooed legs.
Yum.
I twisted my head just enough to catch a glimpse of his face. His features, usually hard and intimidating, were completely relaxed in sleep—dark lashes resting on his cheekbones, jaw slack, and lips slightly parted.
He looked peaceful. Soft, even.
I bit my lip to keep from grinning. The sight of Ares like this was adorable. And I couldn't get enough of it.
Scary Guy? It's more like overgrown Teddy Bear.
As I tried to wiggle free again, his arm slid up a bit, and his hand accidentally grazed my ribs.
I gasped.
Not because it hurt—no, it was far worse.
It tickled.
Ares shifted behind me, and in doing so, his fingers brushed my side again.
"Oh no," I whispered, a giggle escaping before I could stop it.
His arm tightened. Another shift, another graze.
And just like that, the giggle turned into a full-blown laugh.
"Stop it!" I squeaked, squirming as more laughter bubbled out of me.
Ares blinked awake slowly, his brows knitting together in confusion as I wiggled and cackled beneath him. "What...?" His voice was raspy with sleep, which only made the situation funnier.
"You—" I gasped between giggles. "You're... tickling me!"
Ares, still half-asleep, blinked again, clearly not processing what was happening. "Tickling...?"
"Yes!" I laughed harder, my body twisting to escape his accidental tickles.
His confused expression melted into something mischievous—like a wolf who had just discovered a new toy.

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Kori Novikov | 18+
Romance☆☆☆☆☆ "Then why did you hurt me," I whispered, not being able to say it any louder. His face softened as he stared at me. His hand reached up to my cheek and I didn't even stop him. It was too late. I was in love with him and now that he's admitted...