#Artem Wing/MC

[angstmongertina]

loved in return

Hey, might as well post it here too in the hopes for more dopamine.

We can still post smut on tumblr, right? That’s still a thing? IDK I haven’t written any in ages.

Inspired by the end of Artem’s second bday event (not the card, I promise), though I have been working on it for over a year, whoops.

Cross-posted to AO3.

Do note that this is rated M. :)

She knows from previous experience that it takes about fifteen minutes to get to Artem’s building from hers. At this point, the route, each road and turn, each traffic light and stop sign, even the dance of the shadows from the streetlights across her face, are imprinted in her mind, in the way she subconsciously shifts to adjust to each lane change and turn. But even so, this time, the dark road stretches unending, an eternity in each second, each slow breath.

Each frantic, yearning heartbeat.

Her phone, clutched in her hand, its screen counting down the minutes, seconds, until she sees him again, seems to burn with the memory of his call, of the rasp of his gentle voice in her ear and the realization that the night is still young, that his birthday is not yet over. That she cannot leave him to spend the rest of it alone.

Not when she can be there.

Not when she can be with him.

The driver says nothing, but there is no need to; he must be able to sense her energy, to sense the tension that has her almost shaking, fidgeting with the soft wool of the keychain—still not enough, as she stares into the distance towards him. Towards where she should be.

Towards, perhaps, where she belongs.

When her ride comes to a stop, she is out the door before she is even fully aware of it herself, waving her thanks at the driver as he chuckles under his breath. She can thank him properly later, when she gets a chance to sit down and focus, but for now, she has someone far more important to see.

She lets herself in with the spare key that he gave her—for emergencies, he had said, with that familiar blush on his face, but she’s already used it once today and somehow she doesn’t think he’ll mind—and can only laugh at the tremble in her hand, missing the lock once, twice, before it finally, finally catches and twists under her fingers.

Even before she steps into the room, she can hear hurried footsteps down the stairs and a familiar gentle voice, and she freezes as he rushes into view, one hand still holding his phone to his ear while concern and confusion war openly on his face.

He skids to a stop, opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, she closes the distance between them and throws her arms around his neck, swallowing both his question and his soft noise of surprise. For a moment, he stiffens, and then she feels his arms curl around her waist, pulling her even closer as he returns her kiss with equal fervor.

Without thinking, she presses against him, feels the solidness of his chest, the tenderness of the hand that shifts to the back of her head, the warmth of his lips against hers, until she is lightheaded, almost swaying when she finally pulls away to fill her burning lungs with air.

Whether it’s from the lack of oxygen or just him, it’s hard to be sure.

“I…” The word is more rasp than anything and he shakes his head, clears his throat, though it does little to disguise the hoarseness of his voice, the heaviness of his breathing. “I’m not complaining, but why are you here? Did something happen? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” She reaches up, brushing the faint crease between his eyes with a light touch until he relaxes. “I… I just missed you.” She feels more than hears his chuckle, the low rumble against her chest as he leans down to press his forehead against hers.

“I missed you too.” A gentle finger caresses her cheek, traces a warm path against her skin, and she finds herself having to fight a shiver as it skims along her jawline, trailing down her neck to settle against her chin, tipping her head back for another soft kiss. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She huffs a laugh into his mouth, feels his lips curl into an answering smile, before leaning back, just enough to meet his gaze with a cheeky grin. “I never would have noticed.”

“Oh you…” He shakes his head, but the feigned exasperation is belied by that familiar affection in his eyes, tucked into the corners of his mouth and the gentleness of his voice, that fills her chest with the warmth of his devotion, and this time, this time, she can give into temptation and cut off his sigh with another kiss.

Finally.

It isn’t until she feels the question in his attention that she realizes she said it out loud, and she coughs, turning her head away. “It’s nothing. Just… the way you say that…”

His answering chuckle is low and knowing, enough to set off a spark in her belly, and she pouts, even as she fights off the urge to kiss that smugness—and any thought, really—out of his mind. “I suppose that is something I will have to keep in mind then.”

She snorts, though she can’t help but tighten her arms around his neck. “As if you expect me to believe that you didn’t already know.”

It’s a rare thing to see an expression that is somehow both bashful and smug, but he still manages it all the same, and she rolls her eyes, even as she gives into the temptation to kiss that stupidly self-satisfied look off of his face.

That, it turns out, works much better.

She is almost wondering whether she can forgo conversation entirely, this or other, in favor of more pleasurable activities, when he breaks away, leading her to sit on the couch before she has even had time to process his sudden absence, and turns to fuss with his collar.

“You must be tired. Why don’t you rest for a bit? Do you want something to drink?”

She frowns as he turns away, though it’s still not enough to hide the burning crimson lighting up his ears. “Artem…”

“Maybe tea? Why don’t I make some tea for us—”

“Artem!” Before he can run away, she grabs his arm and he freezes, a faint look of panic darting across his face, which she pointedly ignores. “I didn’t come here to make more work for you.”

He frowns, turning to cast a confused gaze over her. “I know, but—”

“But nothing.” She can feel the heat creeping up her face at her conviction, setting already flushed cheeks even more ablaze, but she ignores it, ignores everything but his small smile, but the shine of those bright blue eyes, familiar and gentle and so very dear. “Artem, I came here to be with you. I want to finish celebrating with you. To take care of you, like you do for me.”

His brows draw into a slight frown. “You already have. You already do, I—”

She reached up to press a finger against his mouth, feels the heat of his protest in his breath, the surprise and acquiescence in the way his warm lips still against her finger. “Not like that.”

“Oh,” he says, and then again, “Oh.” His eyes dart to her mouth and then away again, his face turning even more red than hers feels. “You don’t have to. I mean, I just…” He hesitates, giving a light, somewhat forced, cough. “Are you sure?”

She smiles, getting up to move, slowly, carefully, back into his space. “Do you trust me?”

“Without question.” The reply is instantaneous, heavy with the gravitas he puts into all of his confessions, and she can feel her heart twinge at the realization, at the responsibility, the power, she has been entrusted with.

In response, she steps closer still, into his ever-waiting hold. Looping her arms once more around his neck, she presses herself against him, feels more than hears his low groan muffled against her lips, the sharp inhale as she shifts, and she has to swallow down a soft noise of her own to speak. “I promise,” she murmurs into his mouth, “I want to.”

Her words seem to snap the last of his control; he pulls her even tighter against him, but with that same hesitancy, that same gentleness, that characterizes his every gesture. She moves forward again, pressing her advantage until he’s backed against the couch and it’s his turn to sit, watching her with wide eyes as she moves to straddle his lap.

“We…”

She grins, taking advantage of her new position to brush her lips over his jawline, the curve of his ear, and relishing in the shiver it draws. “Yes?”

He clears his throat, though it does little to hide the flush in his cheeks, the heat lingering in his eyes as he swallows. “We should move this upstairs.”

Smirking, she shifts, feels his shudder as she adjusts her weight against him. “Okay.”

For a moment, it looks as though he means to pick her up, but she pulls away before he can move, sliding back until they are linked only by their hands, his fingers wrapped tightly around hers, even as he stares at her with barely disguised need.

They’ve barely made it up the stairs before she’s back in his arms, kissing him hungrily, desperately. She’s not entirely sure who moved first, but it doesn’t matter, not with her fingers buried in his hair, curled in the stiff fabric of his shirt collar.

She advances into the room, backing him step by step to the bed, where she finds herself once again straddling him, a mess of cloth and bodies and limbs, but she doesn’t care.

How can she, when she manages to finally free him from the shirt and gets to run her fingers across the smooth skin and strong muscles of his chest, the evidence of his morning swims clear across the valleys contouring that pale expanse?

It is not the first time she has seen him bare before her, but even so, she can’t help but stare, drinking in the sight, and the knowledge that this beauty, that he, flushed and wanting and waiting, is for her eyes and her eyes alone.

What an honor.

What a privilege.

Gently, she pushes him onto his back and runs her fingers down his chest, watching it tense and tremble under her touch. His breathing is heavy, one hand clenched in the blankets while the other skims over her back, her arm, in distracting patterns that she has to make an effort to ignore.

Instead, she lets her mouth follow her hand, down from his lips to skim his jaw, and then lower still, against the soft skin of his neck. She kisses his pulse point, feels more than sees the bob of his Adam’s apple, the low moans she coaxes out with lips and fingers. Slowly, reverently, she traces along the planes of his chest, and then lower still to run along his slender waist, once, and then, at his sharp inhale, again with her lips.

When the hand hovering around her waist tightens its grip, fingers pressed firmly into her skin, she pulls back immediately, turns her attention back to his face in sudden panic, but it is not discomfort that meets her gaze. No, instead, she finds the parted lips, mussed hair and shallow breaths, and grins, even as she fights the growing heat in her own belly.

“Do you like this?” she murmurs into the soft curve of his ear, allowing her lips to brush against the heated skin with the same featherlight touch that she trails along his stomach. The question is more teasing than genuine, his body’s answer clear enough in the way he strains towards her touch, in the need and wonder in his eyes as she toys with his waistband. “May I?”

His only answer is a low moan of her name, half-hoarse groan, half-desperate plea, but his meaning is clear enough. Still, she waits, fingers light and teasing. “Are you sure?”

“Please…”

She kisses him in response, swallows his gasp as she lets her hands move, slowly, gently, in their task, sliding along the toned thighs, gliding across the slender calves. When he moves to help, she grabs his hands, pins them down long enough that he can understand her: he is not to do anything, not today.

Today is her turn to take care of him.

After a moment, she can feel him relent, his body relaxing, waiting. Instead, she sits back on her heels, admiring the view, reveling in the effect that she has on him with wonder and satisfaction. He lies before her, flushed and gasping, face full of warmth and need and love, and she can only bite her lip at the realization of the trust she has been granted, of the honor she has been granted.

It isn’t until he shifts, her name a hoarse plea from his lips, that she grins, shaking herself out of her stupor to brush her palm against him. He trembles beneath her touch, and she grows bolder, kissing him again as she curls her fingers around the length of him, gentle but firm.

She swallows his groan as her free hand traces light patterns on sensitive skin, drinking in his every noise and reaction, as sweet as nectar and twice as heady. He is not verbally profusive, but she knows him well enough to read meaning from each gasp and twitch, each moan and shudder. She has always been a quick learner and she’s never had a lesson so intuitive, a study so perfect.

It is intoxicating.

He is intoxicating.

She continues her ministrations, her careful, thorough exploration of him, until he alerts her with a muffled cry that he’s close, shifts a hand from its tight grasp on the sheets to curl gently around hers, encouraging without demanding. His every exhale is a plea, a prayer, against her lips and she slows her movements, feels more than hears him gasp and stiffen, and pulls back to take it all in, to take him in, naked, vulnerable, and hers. All hers.

When he falls apart with a gasp of her name, she is sure she has never seen anything so beautiful.

They get cleaned up in the comfortable silence of the lingering warm glow, punctuated only by his heavy breathing, slowly returning to normal. There is no need to speak, not when she knows, when they both know, that there’s nowhere else she would rather be, nowhere else that she would stay, than here. With him.

Always with him.

It’s not until she’s half-dozing in his arms that she remembers and thinks to break the quiet that has settled over them like a quilt, languidly rolling over to meet his own, sleepy gaze. “Oh, I forgot.”

“Hmm?” She hums softly as he presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, his arms shifting lazily to accommodate her new position. “Forgot what?”

“Who were you on the phone with earlier?”

He freezes, a look of horror wiping away the pleasant satisfaction on his face.

When he doesn’t answer her, instead continuing to stare into the darkness towards the stairs, she frowns. “Artem?”

As if on cue, her phone rings with a missed message, echoing throughout the room and she groans, slipping out from under the covers to where her phone had fallen onto the floor, forgotten in the heat of their earlier passion. Frowning, she swipes at it…

Only to find a voicemail waiting for her, from a very, very familiar number.

“Oh.”

Torn between embarrassment and amusement, she navigates to the missed calls, where she finds the notification and taps before she can think otherwise.

Professor An’s calm voice seems to fill the space between them, quiet but with a faint thread of amusement clearly audible. “I had guessed it was you who visited but this certainly confirms my suspicions. I just wanted to let you know that there’s no need to call me back.” Her chuckle held just a tinge of mischief. “I expect it’ll be too late for a phone call by the time you get this message anyway. Just tell my son to hang up the phone before he drops it next time. And if it’s still before midnight by the time you’re done, do wish him a happy birthday for me.”

Before she can even begin to organize her thoughts, he makes a muffled noise, somewhere between a sigh and a groan. Raising an eyebrow, she turns to find him with a hand covering his face, though it does not fully disguise the flush staining his cheeks and brightening his ears, and finds herself fighting a strange urge to laugh.

“That answers that question, I suppose.”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles in reply, half-blocked by his hand, and she bites her lip to keep her mirth contained as she wiggles her phone at him.

“Did you want me to get yours as well?”

He shakes his head, though she can see a barest hint of a smile hidden behind his fingers. “No, we can get it in the morning. Come back, before you get cold.”

She looks down at her naked body, deliberately posing herself in the faint moonlight. “What’s wrong? Not enjoying the view?”

“Oh you…” He chuckles, even as he reaches an outstretched hand towards her. “You know that’s not true.”

Faced with his typical sincerity, she can only relent, taking his hand and letting him tug her back into his arms. “Of course I know.” Grinning, she snuggles closer, resting her head on his chest as she looks up to meet his gaze. “Even your mother knows, if that call was any indication.”

She is rewarded with him dramatically dropping his hand back on his face, though it doesn’t quite disguise his quiet huff of amusement. “She will never let me live that down.”

“Probably not. But it could be worse, you know.”

“How so?”

“She could have been worried and come over to check on you instead.”

This time he audibly groans and she gives in to the urge to laugh, tucking her face into his shoulder to hide an undignified snort and feeling him shake with his own quiet laughter.

When she finally manages to regain her control, it’s to find him reclined back, ears tinged red but with a faint smile still lingering on his lips. Catching her gaze, he raises an eyebrow. “Are you done now?”

“Yup!” She moves closer still, letting her head rest against the crook of his neck as she smiles against his skin. “At least for now. Though she is right about one thing.”

“Oh?” He shifts until she can meet his eyes, soft and sleepy and so full of gentle affection that she finds herself nearly speechless. “What’s that?”

She clears her throat, shifting up and pressing a light kiss to his lips. “It’s not yet midnight. Happy birthday.”

He smiles and she feels his arms tightening around her, keeping her gently in place. “So it is. And it has been,” he murmurs, before kissing her again. “Thank you, my love.”

[andminnequin]

I’m so sorry I’m still on Book Four I know I’m lazy but here take meme

[surely-galena]

I really like the new sprites for the Dragonbreath event, it’s really refreshing to see an art update (in the sense that the usual sprites sometimes contrast the new art because of how long it’s been since the game came out):

I do want to shoutout this one expression from MC though. She’s so silly (affectionate)

And also this line from Luke because I think it’s great that he knows what metagaming is in the first place (plus the fact that it’s directed towards Artem, who has probably expressed the most discomfort so far, is even funnier)

[peachgea]

idk the actual context of these cards so i went with my imagination

[softxsuki]

Hello, may I make an URGENT request, please?

Nxx boys with an s/o who isolate themselves when going through a depressive and anxiety induced episode. To the extent that they actively go out of their way to avoid people (including them), they texted them one message about it before leaving them on read) . When they check on the reader, they are super skittish and super anxious about burdening others. S/o insists that they are okay even though they are trembling to the point where they struggle to stand. S/o is anxiously fixating on being "clean" (showering and exfoliating excessively to the point their skin is kinda red, wearing a white oversized shirt ) and being "cold enough" (their place is dark, max ac, fans on max) (they are also just wearing a loose shirt and shorts trying to feel something). In addition, there are red dots on the shirt along the center of their body, indicating fresh self-harm.

(Thank you in advance, and my apologies if It's really specific and it makes you uncomfy)

Tears of Themis Boys Comfort S/O Who Tries To Isolate Themself

TW: Do not read it mentions of blood and self harm, along with poor mental state will make you feel worse, rather than comfort you!

Pairings: Luke x Gn!Reader, Marius x Gn!Reader, Artem x Gn!Reader, Vyn x Gn!Reader

Warnings: mentions of self-harm, fresh cuts, blood, depression, anxiety, poor mental state in general, isolation, feeling like a burden

Genre: comfort

Post-Type: headcanons

Word Count: 3.4k

Summary: In which you find yourself going through episodes of depression and anxiety so you try to isolate yourself from the boys

[A/N: Hello! Firstly, I'm sorry that this was as soon as I could write and post this urgent request for you, but I thank you for being patient and understanding! I tried my best to include as many details as you mentioned, but I did end up leaving some out. As we can see I went a little overboard, but I hope this helps you out <3. Hope you enjoy! Depression and anxiety are so horrible to deal with, trust me I have a few episodes as well, they come so suddenly and they definitely hit hard. Reach out if you ever need to, I'm here if you need anything! <3]

Luke:

As your childhood friend, Luke notices that something is wrong the minute you begin to isolate yourself from him

You guys always hangout together, whether it be him walking you home from work, or grabbing a quick lunch together between your busy schedules, both of you always made time for each other

So when you began messaging him that you couldn’t get lunch or see him, red alerts went off in his head immediately

He just wants to make sure it’s nothing serious and wants you to know that he’s there for you if you need him, so he sends you a quick text

You do respond, but your message is short and cryptic; however, after that, all his other messages get left on read

He acknowledges that you clearly need space, so he gives it to you, sending a check-in message to you every few hours as he continues his work for the day

By the end of the day with still no response from you, he decides enough is enough, so he races over to your place

He doesn’t want to be a nuisance and seem overbearing, but he was very worried now, this had never happened before since the two of you began dating

Arriving at your home, your door is surprisingly unlocked so he lets himself in, making a mental note to remind you to not leave your door unlocked when you are home alone…

But he’s met with pure darkness in your home along with a freezing breeze

He enters your room to find you on your bed in only a t-shirt and shorts to cover you from how cold is was in there

He does internally freak out for a moment and thinks the worst–probably stares at you for a while, holding his breath, until he sees your chest rise, indicating you were indeed alive, and only then is he able to breathe again

“MC,” he calls out in a whisper, not wanting to alarm you from his sudden presence as you lie on your bed with your eyes closed in the darkness

It does spook you a bit, but you could recognize his voice anywhere as you open your eyes and question why he was there, in which he quickly scolds you for keeping your door unlocked but sighs as he sits beside you on the bed

“What’s going on?” He asks.

“Nothing, I’m fine” you say quickly

Did you really think he’d believe that? He’s a detective for crying out loud, he could spot a lie a mile away, especially when it came from you, someone he knew for so long now

As his eyes get accustomed to the dark, he notices a dark stain on your shirt and leans forward to turn your bedside lamp on–and then it becomes very clear what was going on…that was blood

“Spill, I’m all ears”

You know he means business, and you can’t exactly hide the blood from your self-harm on your shirt either, so you let it all out; how low you’ve been feeling lately, and how you got a wave of depression and anxiety out of nowhere, hence your distance from him

“I just didn’t want to burden you with all these complicated feelings that not even I can handle. You’re busy with your own work and I don’t want to distract you from that…but I’m sorry for ignoring your messages. I did read them all and I appreciate your support and allowing me some space,” you sigh, feeling bad that he ended up in this mess anyway

“You’re not a burden to me, MC. You’re my lover and my childhood friend, we have a bond unlike any other. You don’t have to pretend to be okay around me. You’ve always been there for me on my rough days, so it would be an honor to do the same for you…I love you…a lot. I hope you know that I’ll always be here for you. The second you need me, I’d drop everything to hear you out and help you through it,” Luke expresses and he reaches out to hold your hand, pulling you into his arms

And just like that you felt a little less lonely through your feelings, you could get through this

After giving you some privacy to clean up your fresh cuts, Luke spends the night with you as he feels a bit nervous leaving you alone. He’d make you some hot chocolate or any kind of drink that you’d like to warm you up as he turns the fans off and lowers the ac, throwing a blanket on you

You wanted to feel something? Well enjoy the warmth this man provides you with as he joins you under the blanket and gets lost in conversation with you for the rest of the night until you both fall asleep

Marius:

Ahh yes Marius–this man is clingy and obsessive (in a good way) so the second you leave him on read along with only telling him through text that you ‘need some space’ he’s already at your front door, knocking on it

“MC! Honey, it’s me, please let me in,” He pleads loudly. (rip to the neighbors because he’d stand there all night until you decide to let him in)

Knowing how persistent he was, you force yourself up to unlock the door before plopping back down on your sofa, allowing him to let himself in

Thankfully Marius hears your lock click and opens the door himself, but he’s a little taken aback by the darkness in your home along with how freezing it was in there

He flicks on the light by the front door, which makes you flinch from the sudden brightness, and you find him running over to your side to embrace you as soon as he sees you’re only in a t-shirt and shorts in this freezing home

Your skin is as cold as ice as he tries his best to warm you up

“What’s going on? Why is it so cold in here and why did you leave me on read?” He pouts, not letting go of you

You do push him away slightly though despite how comforting and warm it was in his arms

“Nothing, I’m fine. I like the cold”

He squints his eyes at you, knowing you were lying because you weren’t looking into his eyes

Marius inspects your condition one for time, and that’s when he notices the faint dark stains on your shirt–blood, it had to be, unless you were painting with red paint somewhere in your home, but that seemed highly unlikely

“Please let me in,” he says in a softer tone, going a little more serious

This pulls at your heart strings, Marius never got serious unless it came to his father’s company or when danger was around, but you clearly weren’t okay and that made him worry, so you decide to just open up to him

You tell him about your feelings, how you’ve been feeling really anxious and sad lately, and you also explain how you blocked him out because you didn’t want to be a burden to him

“If anyone’s a burden, it’s probably me, beautiful,” he sighs in relief, happy that he finally knows what’s been going on. “Of course filling my fathers place as CEO is a little stressful, but darling, time spent with you is my only time to be myself and to truly relax, even if that means hearing your worries and feelings. It’s my job as your boyfriend to protect you and keep you safe, but I’m failing at my job if you don’t let me in…”

He pulls you into his embrace as tears start to fall from your eyes

“Please let me be your shoulder to cry on, let me be the one who helps you feel alive, who helps you feel something. I’m your person, the one you’ll never feel alone with, just say the word and I’ll take all those burdens off your shoulders”

Slight relief fills you at his words…you really weren’t alone. These feelings didn’t have to feel as overwhelming as they did

After more hugs and a few kisses, Marius makes it his responsibility to clean your cuts up and press kisses to each of them

Afterwards, he’d order some takeout that you like as he offers you professional help if you thought you needed it (he wouldn’t force you, but he wants you to know that there are options and that was one of them) as someone big in the industry, he had many connections and he could find you the best psychiatrist in Stellis with the snap of a finger

But whatever choice you decide to make, just know that he’d support you through it all no matter what

Artem: 

Intellectual Artem has a more direct approach to helping you out

He doesn’t pick up on you isolating yourself from him that quickly, because he’s always swamped with work, and you usually give him his space anyway when he’s busy

But one weekend when he had the day off and you didn’t reach out to him first, he was a little…sad? Disappointed? Something like that

He becomes worried and messages you but you only tell him you’re fine

Every message he sends after that gets left on read, so he then catches on that you are very clearly not fine

“You can be honest with me, MC. We’re lovers…I just want to be there for you. Please message me when you get the chance,” he messages you

Artem wanted to give you your space, but he was worried. Did he do something to you without even realizing that he upset you? Were you really okay? So his plan of giving you the weekend to yourself goes down the drain as he finds himself at your front door with some homemade food he cooked at his own home and packed for the two of you to enjoy

He knocks softly at your door and clears his throat, “It’s me, Artem” he announces himself, feeling a little awkward…what if he was just overreacting? He was still pretty new to the whole dating scene after all

However, as your disheveled self peeks through the slightly open door, he knows his fears weren’t for nothing

You don’t even get a chance to speak before he’s already opening the door fully and stepping into your home

The darkness of your home along with the freezing temperature hits him like a truck as he turns back to look at you, with furrowed brows…what exactly was going on?

The light from outside illuminates just bright enough where he can see what you’re wearing, a t-shirt and some shorts. You must’ve been freezing

Needing to change the environment around you both, he places the food down and helps you close the front door, opening up the blinds to let in some natural light along the way

Seeing one of your candles nearby, he lights one up and guides you to the couch where he places a blanket over you

He’s quietly studying you, trying to piece everything together, but this is a case he can’t entirely solve on his own

“MC…” he says, not really knowing where to start. “Is everything okay?”

Clearly everything was in fact not okay, and he did notice the blood stains on your shirt, but he decides to keep his observations to himself, you’d tell him if you wanted to

“I’m great. How are you? What brings you here?” You feign interest, you weren’t in the right headspace to have casual conversation

“I know you’re probably holding back and pretending to be okay because you think you’d be a burden to me. Trust me MC, I know how to read you well, you’re my partner after all. I’d be foolish to believe those lies. It’s okay though, I won’t push you to tell me, but just know that you aren’t a burden. You’re the only one I’ve let into my life and I just want to make sure you’re happy. As your man, it’s my job to make sure you’re doing well, and it seems like I dropped the ball, so for that I am truly sorry.”

Not wanting Artem to blame himself anymore, you decide to just tell him everything that’s been going on, from everything you’ve been feeling, and why you’ve been avoiding him, as well as informing him that you self-harmed

It wasn’t like you didn’t trust him, you did, you were just scared to lose him or have him not want to deal with the baggage you carried

Your body began to shake as you explained everything and Artem quietly listened to each word, scooting closer to you as you spoke, so he could hold you, in an attempt to calm your nerves and ease your shakes

“I see…I’m sorry for not noticing sooner. Though work takes up a lot of my time, you’ll always be my number one priority. I’ll do better. I promise,” he sighs, holding you tighter to him as if you’d disappear from his grasp

Even if you reassure him that it isn’t his fault, Artem takes this very seriously and would work more on checking in on you throughout his day, no matter how busy he is

“I know you’re going through a tough time right now. I’m not sure how I can be truly helpful other than just giving you my support, but we can look for a professional's help as well if that's something you’d like to do…” He brings one of your hands up to his lips and leaves a lingering kiss to your skin, “You’re not alone, never. It’s okay to reach out for help when you need it. You can reach out to me anytime, even if you just need to hear my voice. I’ll always make time for you MC, I love you. I promise we’ll get through this together”

After everything, and once you’re a lot calmer, he’d put on a movie for you both to watch as you eat the food he brought, making a mental note to check out your wounds later on, but for now he’d try to keep things bright and hopefully distract you, even if it was just momentarily

He does take a few days off of work so he can stay by your side and give you the support you need as you decide what step you want to take next

Vyn:

Nothing slides by Vyn, this is his specialty after all

You and Vyn frequently got together to drink tea and just talk about life or go on walks at a nearby park, Vyn always made time for you at the end of his day after seeing patients all day

So when you text him to cancel your plans one evening, he already knows something is up

“Something came up, I can’t go out this week. I’ll text you when I can,” you message him

“I am coming over,” he responds immediately, pulling his things together as he heads to you

Though he does have a spare key to your place, he doesn’t use it, knowing that suddenly invading your space, especially when something was obviously going on with you, wouldn’t be a great idea

“Darling, mind letting me in? I would like to speak with you if that is alright,” he speaks calmly through the door, knowing you were probably expecting him and listening on the other side somewhere

It takes a while. It’s silent, which worries Vyn as he debates whether he should just let himself in, but his worries vanish as soon as he hears your lock click open and the door slowly creaks as you open it

“My love,” Vyn whispers, eyeing the darkness behind you as a chill hits his face from the open door, but he keeps a smile on his face, needing to remain calm and not act shocked or alarmed which could potentially scare you off or have you close your heart to him, “Can I come in?”

You nod softly and open your door wider so he can come in, you were expecting him anyway since he said he’d be over soon

Vyn is still in his doctor coat which he slings over your shoulders, noticing you’re only wearing shorts and a t-shirt when you had the ac on blast. It was freezing in your home

He turns on a small lamp, not wanting to blind you with the bright light of the room, but needing to change the feel of your home subtly

Taking a seat on your couch, he pats the spot beside him, eyeing your bloody shirt until you’re seated

“May I?” he asks, gesturing to your shirt and whether he could see the damage you made. You knew there was no hiding things from Vyn. He was used to this and probably already knew what was going on, so you hesitantly nod, sighing in defeat as you begin to shake

You were scared of what he’d say or think about you after seeing your fresh cuts…

Vyn gently lifts your shirt and takes in the sight of your cuts with a neutral expression, then walks away to get some supplies to bandage you up so they don’t get infected

When he returns with a first aid kit, he quietly and softly cleans you up before speaking again

“I am all ears if you would like to say what led you to do this? And before you say it, no you are not a burden, no I am not upset, and no I do not hate you, darling. I am still very much in love with you despite how much it pains me to see you hurt yourself like this. I would just like to understand from your perspective if you would let me in,” he smiles softly, ready to hear you out

And as if he had some kind of magic pull on you, you find yourself revealing everything to him, from the complicated emotions and episodes you’ve gone through for the past few days, to how it all led to you eventually harming yourself, so you could feel something for once…something other than your depression and anxiety

He understood now, from your isolation, to the state of your home, and your desire to feel something, hence why it was so cold in your home and why you were wearing shorts despite how cold it was. All the pieces started to come together in his head

Vyn takes your hand in his now that he finished treating your cuts, he laces your fingers together as he speaks, “I first want you to know that what you are feeling is normal. It happens to a lot of people who are not aware of how to properly cope with these intense feelings. Depression and anxiety are more common than you think, but perhaps taking matters into your own hands caused you to feel worse?”

“Perhaps,” you nod, agreeing with his words. This was something you always tried to deal with on your own, which is why you tried to isolate yourself in the first place, you didn’t want to drag anyone else into your problems, you felt this was your own burden to carry

“Now…speaking not as a psychiatrist, but as your boyfriend, I want to say I care about you more than anything in this world. You are the light of my life, the one and only person I look forward to seeing everyday, so please do not lock me out of your heart, darling. It is my actual job and my duty as your lover to ensure you are okay. But you can count on me to help you through this if you would allow it”

Whether you take his help or not, he’d still show you his love and support for whatever decision you make

After a few hugs and more chatting, Vyn would make you some tea to calm you down

He’d squeeze you into his business day if you choose to seek counseling with him…after all he’s the only person he’d trust to truly help you through this

Through the good and the bad, Vyn will always remain by your side and hear you out, even with your smallest issues

REQUESTS ARE OPEN :D

Posted: 7/18/2023

[vyntilador]

Let Me Cherish You

The boys catching you talking oh-so affectionately about them🫶

————————————————————————————————————

Genre: Fluff / Romance

Character/s: Marius, Artem, Luke, Vyn

Fandom: Tears of Themis

A/N: me rn screaming into my pillow and getting all giddy writing vyns part LMFOAOAWHSHAHAAHH

(you talking is color red, marius is purple, artem is blue luke is orange n vyn is green btw)

———————————————————————————————————————

𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓾𝓼

You were over at his family home havinf a small chat over tea with his father when he suddenly raised the question; "What did you find in Marius that made you love him?" You pondered the question for a moment, gathering it all and smiling to yourself as you thought more about him. "Well, for starters, I love his eyes. That maybe sounds a bit basic but I love the way he looks at everything as if it's the most priceless thing in the world. He uses everything he sees as an inspiration either as a painter or a businessman. Even if he had this.. 'annoying' laid-back attitude, I admire him for still being able to make me smile and comfort me in dark times." You were unaware of the smile blooming on your face as you kept going. "In all honesty, there's kind of a lot of things I like about him. Maybe some, I haven't found yet or some that are just so amazing that I can't put it to words." Austin von Hagen laughs softly and later then turns his gaze into the doorway where his son stood, frozen and staring fondly at his lover.

———————————————————————————————————————

𝓐𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓶

(god he deserves all the wholesome energy in the world so here😭)

You and Artem were stationed in an orphanage for a task in the law firm. The job you were given was connected to a child that resides within the orphanage which led you to your situation right now. You were sat on the floor with a number of children surrounding you as they 'interrogate' you. "Miss, is he your husband?" A little girl speaks up, her big, innocent eyes gazing into yours as if she sees your soul itself. "Uhm, no—" You were taken aback by the child's sudden inquiry that you stuttered slightly. "Mr. Wing is my co-worker. He's not my lover." You smiled sweetly at the child as you explained to her. "But how come you act like a married couple?" What..?—"Yeah! My mommy and daddy act exactly the same!" two kids now spoke and your panic increases. "Missy, if you're not married, then surely you like him, right?" A little boy asks and you sigh internally at the sudden turn of events. "Look! Miss attorney is turning red!" Many of the kids cheered and you sighed once more, not knowing how to deal with them. The children begged you to answer their questions and you were left with no choice. "..Yes, I kinda like him." You responded in a soft and quiet tone, making sure he doesn't hear. "But why do you like him?" a child asks, gaining the other kids attention. "Why do I like him..?" you ponder for a moment then spoke. "Well, he's really kind. Whenever I'm working, he's always looking out for me. And also, I look up to him! He's such a great person overall that I want to be like him. And.." "Look! She's smiling! " A little girl interrupts and the room full of children erupt with cheerful voices. "That's what my dad always does whenever mom comes home from work." The hoard of children discuss amongst themselves once more and you felt helpless until the sweet sound of a voice all too familiar was heard amongst the voices of the children. "Hey now, let miss have some rest. She's been very busy and I want you all to take good care of her, not tire her, okay?" "Okay!" the children agree in unison. Artem smiles to himself as he thinks of the words you described him as. He makes sure to stop by at the flower shop before going to work tomorrow.

———————————————————————————————————————

𝓛𝓾𝓴𝓮

A karaoke booth packed with 'adults' screaming singing their hearts out. That was the kind of situation you were currently in with Luke and your old classmates. Luke held the microphone in one hand while his eyes were trained on the tv displaying the lyrics. Your gaze stayed unmoving on him until somebody spoke up from beside you. "So, you still like him?" You whip your head to the direction of the voice to see one of your old best friend along side Luke back then snickering. You stayed silent, not knowing how to answer. More of your friends heard the topic of discussion and crowded around you for an answer. "What'dya like about him?" "If I had to guess it's probably his academic ability." "No! Not only that! Look at his build." "I can't believe you guys only look on the outside. It's his personality!" They all argued about which it was you liked about him but the answer was clear in your heart. "I don't like him just because he has a well built body or he's very intelligent but, I love him because he's always sincere. Ever since we were children, he was always honest with me. He never hesitated to do anything just to cheer me up and I love him for that. Though, I think he's gotten used to basically throwing his own well-being away just to save me and I wanna keep his mind at ease that it's not only him that has to protect the other. I'll protect him too, even if I'm not really capable." The girls that swarmed around you all swooned and squealed in excitement, saying how your love story would be just like a kid's fantasy novel about princesses. A blush bloomed on your face, mimicking the color of red flowers while trying to avoidtheir gazes but what you were unaware of was that Luke was looking straight at you the whole time, falling in love all over again.

———————————————————————————————————————

𝓥𝔂𝓷

You were only supposed to bring him lunch when you're suddenly swarmed by his students, all asking you questions as per your sudden appearance within the school. All the female students all talk amongst themselves while the others interrogate you and suddenly, a voice pierces through the noisy atmosphere. "Wait! You're all asking the useless questions! Miss, are you and Professor Richter dating?" The room goes quiet as all the students' attention turns to you. They all move closer to you demanding an answer and you sigh, defeated. "No, we're just..." as you thought of an answer, you suddenly cut yourself off , thinking if you were friends, acquaintances, work partners or...lovers. "... friends?" you finish your answer in an unsure manner. The students scoff and others laugh. "Come on miss, we're psychology students. There's no way in this green earth that Professor Richter looks at you like that and you're only friends!" students all agree and nod as they talk loudly once more. "Well, let's just say you're just crushing on him, what do you like about Professor Richter?" A rosy tint slowly emerges to your cheeks as seconds pass while you thought deeply about it. "Well— uhm.." you sigh and just decided to speak your thoughts. "He's very kind and caring. The moment I saw him, I already felt comfortable around him, with that soft expression he has. He's good both inside and outside. And uhm, please don't tell him but, I was already captivated by him on our first meeting. I mean— if you'd all just seen how cute and...attractive..? he was! I swear, I could've melted right then and ther—" the sudden sound of a low chuckle in the tone and voice you're all too familiar with interrupts your words as you look up and see all the students' eyes wide while some cover their mouths and you slump knowing that he's right behind you. "My rose, can we speak privately for a moment?" his voice was calming and smothered with loving affection and you take a quick look at the students again all hurrying out the room to give you privacy all the while snickering amongst themselves. "I've told them to get home as soon as classes are dismissed but they still don't listen." he takes a few steps to stand in front of you and he puts his finger underneath your chin to gently tilt it upwards so that he can lay his eyes upon your face. "But I guess I have them to thank for letting me overhear how much you adore me." he takes your hand in his and gives a chaste kiss on the back of it. "How about a dinner date then, my love?"

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A/N:this shit messy fr💀

[hecalledme-jagi]

Can we just take a second to talk about how Artem looks at Rosa?? Like this man clearly adores her long before they started dating and it’s so obvious, that it hurts.

LOOK AT HIM! ROSA HAD BARELY STARTED FEELING ANYTHING FOR ARTEM AT THIS POINT AND HE JUST!!! ＿|￣|○ He looks at her with so much tenderness and all the while he’s under the impression that he’s struggling to communicate how he feels??? Sure, he’s a clumsy dork when it comes to romance, but his eyes say so much more than any romantic gesture he could possibly conjure up or whatever poetic words he might want to say. Those eyes express a very deep longing to treasure and cherish. He wants, and is content with, experiencing the mundane things in life at her side and it KILLS ME 😭 he’s happy, beyond compare, watching the waxing and waning of her expressions and feeling her warmth.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON HIS BIRTHDAY INVITATION! Out of ALL the First Birthday invitations, Artem’s was my absolute favorite(and it’s probably my favorite invitation of all time). For one thing, it’s stunning, but it’s so unbelievably soft T^T!!!!!! The gentle way Rosa shifts closer to Artem, the way he gently holds her hand and blushes when she gets closer. The adoring look on his face and the soft smile on hers! UGH!! And it only gets better when you think about how she spent DAYS recreating an iconic scene from Artem’s favorite movie!? As a movie buff myself, Rosa’s actions spoke volumes! She dedicated so much of her personal time to get Artem a gift she knew he’d love. I wouldn’t be surprised if Artem fell in love with her all over again after that!

And after they start dating, he just continues to be more loving!? Some how his gaze becomes EVEN SOFTER!? HOW!? TELL ME! HOW!? If a man looked at me the way Artem looks at Rosa, I’d actually die. Out of all the leads, I think I love with way Artem looks at Rosa the most. It’s such a gentle and adoring expression that is 100% content with just looking. Just observing. The way he looks at her makes you think he’s committing every micro expression to memory and tracing every contor of her face, so that if there ever comes a day that he can’t see her face, it’ll be permanently seared into his very soul.

AUGJRVWWejtbegw AND IT GETS BETTER! They revealed, during the Cue The Champion Event, that Artem keeps a polite distance with Rosa when they’re in public, meaning he’s probably pretty shy about PDA, so he makes up for it through his loving gaze(thats how I’m interpreting it anyway :3). Artem and Rosa, in my humble opinion, create a very warm atmosphere around each other without having to express their affections verbally or physically. Any bystander could tell the two love each other just by seeing how they look at each other. Just by seeing how Artem looks at her. UGH JUST LIKE IN THE MYSTERIES OF BAKERLON EVENT! He’s composing a wordless love letter (´༎ຶོρ༎ຶོ`)

I’m mostly adding this card just for fun, but there’s just so much affection Artem carries for Rosa and as much as I love the other leads, Artem holds a very special place in my heart that I just can’t ignore 🥺

[kitsuga]

The Rain Giveth, the Rain Taketh Away. {Artem Wing x Reader/MC}

Description: 

A fic in which Artem finds the warmth he’s been told he (and the rain) could never have. 

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Tags: fluff, power outage, storms, mc/reader is NOT rosa!, not beta'd, not edited, gender neutral reader, artem wing x reader/mc, tears of themis/tot, artem wing

Word Count: 2,122

A/N: Written on: November 19, 2021 

I know the title sounds ominous but I promise everything will be alright; i just love artem man idk what else to tell you 

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

“Hm?” 

Artem looked up from the papers sprawled out across his desk whenever the lights above him flickered. He thought nothing of it and returned reading for a moment, until it happened once more just a bit longer than the first. Glaring at the lights above, he watched as it did it one more time before he finally turned towards the large windows in his office. He knew it was dark because he’d been working late, but it was much darker than usual as he took a peek through the curtains. 

Heavy downpour and furious winds whipped against the glass as he stood for a moment to take it all in. Such weather would have been nice to sit at home wrapped up in the comfort of blankets or by a small lantern or candle to read a good book, but was bad news for the situation he found himself in; not only would driving in this be extremely dangerous, but the flickering lights could only mean one thing-- 

The room around him went black, as did the small, vague lights of surrounding buildings and streetlamps that he could make out through the drops on the window. A loud groan simultaneously came from the other room. 

A power outage meant automatic shutdown. No Power, no chance of driving—all ways to say Artem wasn’t going home that night late or otherwise, to which, it was his turn to groan. 

“Hey, Artem?” A voice rang out in the dark, clumsily opening his office door. “You’re still here, right?” 

“MC... Yes, I’m still here. Please be careful—wait right there.” 

Artem tried to fumble around his desk as quietly as he could, looking for his phone. Once he found it and turned on the flashlight, he carefully pointed it towards MC, careful not to blind them. They looked exasperated—maybe even a hint of annoyance—at their predicament; he was sure his face closely mirrored theirs. 

“Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine; I felt my way over to your office because I thought you were still here—is the emergency generator not going to kick on?” 

Artem stared at them for a moment before slumping down into his chair gently—he knew there was something he was missing; maintenance had cancelled their appointment to fix the backup generator a few days before. Well, it wasn’t like he could exactly drive home anyway, but a cup of coffee would have done wonders for him at the moment; he sighed heavily. 

“It... hasn’t been fixed. There isn’t going to be any power, I’m sorry MC.” 

“Hmm,” they hummed, finding their way to the chair across from him. They leaned back fairly relaxed and shrugged. “It’s not like I could make my way home in a taxi in this weather either, I suppose. At least I’m stuck inside rather than out.” 

He smiled to himself—they thought the same thing he had, and for that, he felt his ears grow a bit warmer; they grew extremely hot whenever he came to realize the two of them were stuck there together, however. He awkwardly cleared his throat and straightened his tie to give his hands something to do. 

“That’s true. Better to be dry and safe than otherwise.” 

“And besides, at least I’m not alone—I've got you!” 

Artem tried his best not to choke on his own nerves. He cleared his throat once more and turned away, hoping the dark of the room would save face for him. Their words played over and over again in his mind, floating softly like a melody while he tried to analyze every hint of emotion that may have been present; over-analyzing it, however, backfired on him. As he took his time thinking, MC took his silence in a way he wished they hadn’t. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sure that was weird to say—I mean, of course, I’m sure you’d rather be alone to get your work done—or, you know, I’m not trying to assume I’m a pleasure to hang out with when you could be at home, or--” 

“No, I’m... I’m glad I’m not alone, too. I’m... very glad that you’re here with me.”  

Artem cut them off, the features of his face being softly illuminated by the flashlight’s glow to add another layer of gentleness to his eyes and the small smile that graced his lips. He could see the shine of their eyes, the phone’s light giving away the subtly to their shock, and certainly not helping them hide the fact they were a little embarrassed by his sudden admission. They turned their head with a false pout—he could tell because though their lips were pursed, the corners of them turned upright—and crossed their arms, looking at him with a sideways glance; he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smiling any wider. 

“Well, since you’re stuck here with me now, what should we do?” 

“Good question.” Artem picked up his phone and looked at the battery percentage. “We might want to start by finding some sort of lantern, or actual flashlight. This isn’t going to hold out much longer.”  

“I think there’s one in the emergency kit underneath the lounge’s sink?” 

“Then let’s check there, first.” 

He stood up quickly, moving to the other side of his desk before MC could get up and potentially stumble. Pointing the flashlight downwards towards their feet both to give them an idea of where they needed to stand and make sure he wasn’t blinding them, he offered up his hand cautiously, hoping he didn’t look like a fool. 

“Here, take my hand. I don’t want you running into things and possibly hurting yourself,” he cleared his throat of nerves, “it’ll be easier this way than if you try to follow from behind.” 

“Thanks!” 

Artem pushed all thoughts out of his mind; he was working on autopilot now. He would not think about their hand within his own—no—no thoughts about that whatsoever. It’d be ridiculous-- to be so fixated on something so trivial, as if he were in one of those high school romantic drama movies. Instead, he made a beeline for the lounge, careful not to drag MC along carelessly.  

With them manning the flashlight, he managed to find the lantern, as well as fresh batteries. He almost dropped them out of both fear from MC’s sudden shout, but mostly because he tried hard not to laugh at MC yelling ‘SCORE’ so triumphantly. He moved and placed it on the table, flopping down onto the couch and running a hand through his hair. 

“Hmm... this may be enough light to finish a few more documents; or maybe take another look at that case...” 

Artem’s voice dropped off as he looked at the wall across from him. Within the dim light came darker shadows, and this one was shaped like a dog. Then a butterfly. Then a... 

“An alligator.” MC proudly called out, turning to look at Artem. “See?” 

“I was going to say a crocodile.” 

“You obviously don’t know your shadow animals. You should work on that.” 

Artem laughed, the sound ringing out against the chilled air with a soft echo. He decided to wing it, moving to sit on his heels beside them and listen intently to their shadow animal lecture and presentation. He followed along, joining them with half-decent attempts himself just to laugh softly and smile brightly at their praise. Work didn’t need to be finished tonight. They coaxed him into a shadow puppet play— then another, and another. It was quite cute, if he was honest, and judging based on his laughter—anyone could see he was enjoying himself. Creating grand stories of bunny princesses and crocodiles—sorry, alligators—in space, without a shred of thought for their ages nor their status as lawyers, made him feel a type of freedom he hadn’t in years. Watching the way the corner of their eyes crinkled as they laughed along with him, the way their smile seemed to reach from ear to ear and light up the room better than the lantern, or noticing how they leaned in close to him every so often, left his heart racing, but feeling so full of affection. 

The room grew colder as the night went on, the large glass windows not doing much to improve their situation. MC was knees deep into a story about how embarrassed they were tripping the other day at the coffee shop when Artem noticed their shoulders shake momentarily; subtly, he watched as their body shook even between their lively storytelling movements. Swallowing his nerves each time they jumped up, he silently slipped his suit jacket off and gently draped it over their shoulders; pulling it together, engulfing them with the warmth—both the feeling and scent, if you had asked MC at the time—he gave an equally defrosting smile. Subconsciously, he leaned in towards them a bit, his voice lowering to just above a whisper as an apology for interrupting them. 

“You’re cold. Go ahead and take this.” 

“Are you sure? Won’t you be cold too?” 

“I’ll be alright, no need to worry about me.” 

“You say that, but I watched you fight off a shiver just there.” 

The corners of Artem’s lips fought to keep from curving upwards, a defeated sigh escaped him, followed by a smile. The melody of MC’s laugh warmed the air. 

“Let’s find a blanket, then. I know someone has to keep one in here for lunch naps, I’m sure of it.” 

They fought against the darkness to find the throw blanket—MC thought about taking the pillow too but it was put back after they playfully wacked him with it. He brought them to the couch as it got later, and listened to them as they rambled on about this show they had been keeping up on; he listened to every word, making sure to take mental notes about whatever made them particularly excitable—he'd take the time to research key elements later so he’d have something to talk about with them. The time had ticked by—surely it was late into the night, not that he could check anymore, his phone had died as they begged to borrow it to look up various pictures to improve their impromptu presentation. Slowly, he listened as their voice grew softer, softer, their words started to blur together more and more; with a soft thud, their head landed on his shoulder. 

Artem sat there a while, basking in the glow that was MC’s light—enough to light up a powerless room, enough to light up a powerless man—that's what he felt whenever they were around; defenseless against their rays, defenseless in his own love. He studied them, then; the curve of their face, the softness of their expression, the gentleness of their breathing. In, out, in, out, Artem did his best to match their pace with his own breathing to combat the heavy sounds of his heartbeat in his ears. Could they hear it too? What if it woke them? 

What he hadn’t considered, however, was that it may not have been just his own. The wild patter of rain against the glass pane lingered through the stillness of the night, the lantern clicking off to welcome in the darkness; Artem welcomed it as well, hiding the tenderness the two of them were sharing, keeping it to themselves in their own little world. Carefully, he moved to include them in the blanket as well, ensuring they were warm; taking a leap, he wrapped an arm around their shoulders to bring their head to his chest instead. Even the rain couldn’t drown out the way his heart raced, or how rhythmic, soft, and lovely theirs sounded. It filled his ears, coursed through his veins, warmed him up from head to toe. 

His shoulders relaxed, his head bobbing a bit as he struggled to blink away the impeding sleepiness. Accepting his fate—he must give up and remove his eyes from them some time, after all—he tilted his head back and leaned it against the back of the couch. Content right where he was, he felt the wave of exhaustion finally hit him, his adrenaline now wearing off. With a gentle smile on his lips, a silent wish that the night would never end, and a slightly desperate hope the lights would return by morning to wake him so that he could keep their night to themselves-- Artem slowly let sleep overcome him, his breath slowing until it gently matched the pace of his company.  

One last, sleep-filled wish to meet and relive the moment again in their dreams crossed his mind. 

[lux-drm]

love and deepspace mc switches with tears of themis mc send post

[idanielions]

More moving from 2023 insta story;;

[10]

10/7

6/8

11/8

19/8

24/8

25/8

31/10

10/11

14/11

[angstmongertina]

leaves rustle above us

Trying to get back into writing regularly in 2023 through prompts. Feel free to send me a kiss prompt from here!

A non-tumblr friend sent me ArtemRosa and 38, and I had to. I’m so sorry. A companion of sorts to my one fic inspired by Entwined Fate.

Title taken from Pim’s The Life We Could Have Had.

TW: a highly romanticized version of death, terminal illness.

38. A kiss… because they’re running out of time

It comes on quickly.

It almost always does, the doctors say, in cases like this one. She is still young and vibrant, has not reached the age of screening and examinations, and there is no reason to believe that anything could go wrong, so they have never seen a need to check. Until now.

Until it is too late.

She is still young, they say, and though they are solemn and professional, the best in their field, for something as important as this, in their eyes he can still see the pain, the compassion. She is young, too young, for this, her life meant to be unwinding for years, decades, by his side. She has—they have, because they are partners, in work, in love, in life—two young children, they know, who love their mother. Who need their mother.

She is still young, but even so she smiles, that brave, warm smile that has always shone anywhere she goes, his compass, his guiding light, and squeezes his hand without saying anything, for what words can be said, can possibly express everything that must be running through her head in this moment.

He squeezes back.

She is still young. She can survive this.

She must.

And for a spell, for a month, for two, it seems like she will. Life continues on. She refuses to put everything on hold, refuses to act like anything has changed, and how can he do anything else, when she is still blazing forward like the star she is? She continues taking cases, putting every drop of motivation into fighting for justice, a legacy to carry into the future. She spends time with their children, connecting with him, loving them in a way that seems to come so naturally to her. She keeps living and he doesn’t allow himself to wonder what will happen next, because she is still young.

The signs are small, at first. She seems more tired, but surely it’s from work, from the extra energy needed to take care of two children now, rather than one. Her appetite wanes, but that is typical for the treatment, and means nothing else. Can’t mean anything else. It is only a setback, only temporary.

That winter, wrapped in blankets by the fire, they make plans to go to Cloudbreak Temple again in the summer, to bring their second child, to introduce him to the old master and relive those warm memories from years past. He smiles, kisses her gently, and agrees.

They don’t make it.

By spring, she is housebound, only managing to move about through a combination of his help and sheer willpower. She still smiles at him though, softer, more fragile, more tremulous, but it still shines all the time, and he commits each one to memory as best he can. Her smile, her laugh, her warmth. He knows, even before she says anything, that they will have to last him a lifetime.

The next appointment, her hand ensconced in his, she tells the doctors that there is no point in fighting the inevitable.

He squeezes back and doesn’t argue.

As the days warm, she grows increasingly bedridden. His mother stops by to care for the children; he does what he can, but he cannot manage them as well as he ought, not when he can barely leave her side. He thanks her, and pretends not to see the sorrow and sympathy in her gaze. Instead, he focuses on her, holds her cold little hand in his and tells her about the fluffy clouds, the birds outside, the newly budding leaves on the old oak.

He sees the look of longing on her face and does not let his heart break, not yet.

In late spring, she greets him with a bright, warm smile, calls their daughter to her side, and promises them a day out. She hums as he tells her about the sunshine, cheerful and spirited, and she looks so much like she used to that his chest is painfully tight when he agrees to her request.

He carries her, wrapped snugly in a soft quilt, outside and does not notice how easy it is now; she has always been slight, but the last year has seen her grow wispy, as substantial as a warm breeze, but she smiles at his expression and kisses him, warm and solid and real.

They sit together under the tree, their little family, her head light against his shoulder, fine hair tousled by the gentle spring breeze, their son in her arms, warm and content, while their daughter runs around, soaking in the warm sunlight, breathing in the cool fresh air. She laughs, nestles herself more comfortably against him, and when he leans down to kiss her, to enjoy the moment, he can almost pretend that nothing has changed.

As the sun sets, she calls their daughter over, embraces her with a kiss before sending her off to find her grandmother. The air is cool now, enough to make her shiver, and he pulls her closer, until there is no space between them, feels the slight weight of her against him as their lips brush, soft, slow, and incredibly tender, as her head rest against his chest, over her heart, and her eyelids droop and close.

“I love you.”

She smiles, gentle and warm and wonderfully, impossibly beautiful, and, as he hums a quiet lullaby, falls asleep safe in his arms.

She never wakes up.

[kissofthemis]

hi! I saw the one where the boys were being flirted/harrased and the MC saved them, can I request the nxx boys with an MC that can fight and knows self defense?

🌹 NXX when MC can fight & knows self-defense 🌹

❤️ Artem ❤️

Artem is the least surprised to find out about MC's self-defense skills. After all, he had the advantage of reading that fun fact on their resume.

However, knowing something in the abstract and experiencing it in person are... two vastly different things.

The first time he sees MC use their self-defense is on an NXX mission. Some thug throws a punch and MC deflects it with ease, then manages to grab him and kick him where the sun don't shine.

Artem is extremely impressed. He knows MC is capable and bright, but this is a pleasant surprise to see a more physically inclined skillset of theirs.

He doesn't make weird comments or get nosy. He does, however, start inviting MC over to watch a lot of martial arts movies....

💛 Luke 💛

While Artem was the least surprised, Luke is probably the most surprised.

To say that Luke is "angry" is not quite accurate, but rather he's... disappointed?

In hindsight, he should have figured MC would take some self-defense classes before going to university. Once he left school early, who was going to protect them?

Luke struggles because protecting you is such a major component of his identity and has been ever since childhood.

He sometimes has difficulty seeing MC as an adult and not as the teenager he left behind.

Ultimately he feels better about MC's capabilities once he asks for a demonstration.

He actually ends up asking to spar with them frequently, so both of them can stay sharp and continue making each other better!

💜 Marius 💜

Marius is ecstatic to learn that MC can hold their own and defend themselves in a fight. He's almost too excited.

On the one hand, he's relieved because he feels safer knowing he can't be with them 24/7. Marius knows that being too close to someone with his fortune and status can be dangerous, and MC already turned down his offer to have a constant bodyguard.

On the other hand... he keeps asking them to demonstrate. Over and over. He's practically begging to see new techniques all the time.

MC doesn't think much of his curiosity until they try a move on him. Then they realize exactly what Marius wanted.

Marius von Hagen, why are you like this?

They end up training together as well, because Marius wants some moves that rely on wit and agility instead of strength. He's very tall, but he's not a muscle man, and he can never predict when someone might try to attack him.

💚 Vyn 💚

Vyn also isn't too surprised, as he read the documents that Artem sent over before vetting MC for the NXX.

But just like Artem, Vyn finds that seeing MC firsthand is quite different from reading about their capabilities on paper.

He's impressed by the grace with which MC moves, even when striking or blocking forcefully.

After all, Vyn comes from a background where he probably only saw physical fighting as a show of power or to beat others into submission, only to gain an upper hand or as blackmail.

To see MC use their skills to protect and defend? It's a beautiful thing for Vyn.

But Vyn also takes nothing at face value, and so he gets a tad nosy.

He can't help but ask what inspired MC to learn self-defense, at what age, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

[surely-galena]

I really want to point out the effort that went into the chibis for the anniversary event minigame because they are actually so expressive:

Winning the minigame

Luke: Characteristic, enthusiastic celebration -- "we did it!!"

Artem: Calm approval and congratulations -- "I knew we could do it."

Vyn: Clapping to show his appreciation for their effort and a job well done -- "you did wonderfully."

Marius: Confidence. That's it. "Of course we could do it, because I'm here."

But, on the other end of things:

Failing the minigame

Luke: Trying to console MC through encouragement -- "it's okay, we'll get it next time!"

Artem: Trying to figure out what exactly to say, but looking super uncomfortable as he gestures at her mistakes. "You did a good job, but you see..."

Vyn: This is one is so funny because he's just standing there thinking, but MC looks STRESSED as she tries to figure out what he's thinking. But when Vyn speaks, it's probably along the lines of: "Well, considering all the variables at play, I think we could attempt a different plan next time."

Marius: This chibi goes along so well with his winning one. MC is devastated, and Marius is just awkwardly grinning at her, like, "what can I say? Mistakes were made... haha."

[grapenamjams]

THIS IS THE DOMESTIC SHIT THAT MAKES ME SICKKKKKKK UGHHHH 😭😭😭

[psychopomparia]

Rambling time, but I like it when the male leads in Tears of Themis show their vulnerabilities to MC. I've seen this more in Vyn and Artem since I've done more solo events based on them (plus my bias for Artem).

So, moments when Vyn started genuinely crying during his birthday event or when Artem's desperately embracing MC cause he's so emotionally overwhelmed over Professor Russo's real self.

I could list more moments of Artem being like this in his new sweets chapter. And there are def more moments among the male leads but I just find these moments golden. Not because I like seeing them suffering, but because it's about trust to me. Trust that they can let themselves be vulnerable or emotional in front of someone you love. You can show this person your pain, your tears, etc. Even if they feel burdened to sometimes show MC this side in order for her not to get worried, she reassures them that it's okay. She can handle it like how they can handle her when she's feeling vulnerable.

Overall, I really do admire when guys just show this side of themselves. It's growth in their personal relationship and romantic relationship with MC.

[vyntilador]

Love talk

What are the boys' love languages?

——————————

Genre: Pure fluff<33 except for Luke's part kinda angst

GN!Reader for my besties out there<3

Might make an nsfw of this👀

Luke Pearce

Acts of service/Physical touch

Honestly tho, seeing how he hasn't seen you in like 8 years, I'd think that he'll be clingy by that point like,,, imagine a koala clinging into u😭😭😭

He'll call you over or he'll be the one to come to ur apartment just to cuddle and stuff. You don't even need to talk, he just needs to have you in his arms in a reassuring manner. When you cuddle too while sleeping, your soft breathing and the slow rise and fall of your chest just calms him down so much.

Especially during nights where he gets nightmares about how one day, with you being in the NXX and having to deal with dangerous deeds, he's afraid that he'll lose you. It's during those nights where he holds you tighter against him in a desperate effort to convince himself that you're safe and sound.

If he wakes up and you're not in bed or smthn like that, he's mildly panicking. He shoots up from the bed and is immediately running around yo apartment looking for you only to find you cooking breakfast in the kitchen. The moment he sees you humming whilst cooking with a cute lil apron on, a relaxed smile shows on his face and he slowly walks towards you to hug you from behind<3333

Sometimes with that in mind, he looks out for you a lot during missions. Don't get him wrong; he trusts you but he can't help but have these lingering fear of losing you. The moment that he hears you yelp in pain, he immediately runs over towards you asking what's wrong. Imagine you like trip on a tree root or smthn or stubbed your toe somewhere or had a little cut somewhere.

Poor boy goes mom mode and immediately scolds you gently while tending to you<33 (would def give a soft kisses to wherever u were hurt #lukebestboy)

OH AND WHILE CUDDLING, HED DEFINITELY WHISPER "I love you.." WHILE HAVING HIS FACE BURRI3D IN YOUR NECK OH MYGODDDDDDD

Vyn Richter

Gift giving/Words of affirmation

LOOK AT ME IN MY GOD DAMNED EYES AND TELL ME HE WONT BE OT THERE COMPLIMENTING YOU ON A DAILY BASIS???????

You could be out there, literally just making tea for him and suddenly, the moment he takes a sip, you'd hear that annoyingly gentle voice of his going "You always make the most exquisite tea, My love."

YALL WANNA KNOW WHATS WORSE??? HES SO SUBTLE WITH IT BUT AT THW SAME TIME, HES NOTTTTT

Working from home and ur like sat on ur bed, working on some documents for the lawfirm with Vyn right next to you, just silently admiring you your work and the moment you're done, you show it to him then he turns to look at you with the most amazing, spectacular, breath taking, amazing, beautiful, alluring, jaw dropping, fancy, handsome, soft, gentle, sweet smile of his then he opens his mouth to say, "You did it so perfectly. I'm proud of you."

(this def isnt me just indulging myself into some1 that can actually praise me properly no,,)

On bad days where you just feel like shit, he's immediately off to his garden to pick the most BEAUTIFULLY PERFECT rose he sees and gives it to you with some chocolates and a little teddy bear

When you ask him what are those for he just says "You looked a bit...out of it so I thought that I can give these to you to cheer you up."

An absolute fucking sweetheart nobody talk to me omfg

I personally think he'll do acts of service too like, imagine having just opened your eyes after a good night's sleep and immediately smelling the most delicious smell you've ever smelled then seeing Vyn sitting beside you with a tray of food.

"Good morning, my rose. I wanted you to rest more since you seemed tired last night so I made some breakfast for you:]"

Please praise him too sometimes. He's a huge perfectionist and sometimes feels like he isn't good enough for u so having u reassure him that he's more than enough is just enough to make the poor bby melt</3

*cough* vyn praise kink *cough*

Artem Wing

Words of Affirmation/Acts of service(gift giving)

The absolute KING of acts of service n words of affrimation

He sees you working hard while going to the pantry to get some coffee even tho he has a coffee maker in his office, he's quick to be like "Here's some coffee. You've been doing well these days. Remember to take a few breaks, okay?"

Cue Celestine rubbing her temples in disappointment with Artem bcs wtf,,, did he rlly just gift COFFEE to his crush?? 😭😭 Celestine's on the move to save the day and convince Artem to actually buy u roses or smthn else appropriate for a courting gift💀

Or in that one card, (in sickness or in health(?)) yall saw how Artem literally, with no hesitation, took it upon himself to take care of u??? Husband material frfr

So imagine the same thing happens like,, during field work, the heel of ur shoe broke or to make it more GN, your shoe just broke like, the sole broke off, or it was raining and it made yo shoe very slippery, imagine the worried look on his faceee:((

He'll stop walking and look at you saying, "Should we go back first? I don't think that you'll be able to move around like that...Not that I think that you'll be a burden—"

POOR BLUSHY BBY JUST HAVING A HARD TIME TO EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS

"No, don't move." *proceeds to take off own shoes but u fortunately stop him in time* "Why?:(" If u refuse his offer of his shoes, he'll then try to be more bolder like, one moment you were just looking at him and moments later, you're suddenly in the air and in his arms.

Celestine hiding in the shadows talking through a walkie talkie with mama wing being like "mission accomplished.😎"

Marius von Hagen

Physical touch/Quality time

Another huge clingy baby🕴️

Being a CEO of a large company and still studying takes up A LOT of his time so whenever he has time, he immediately spends it with u<33

He wouldn't care about whatever you were doing in the first place, he's immediately waltzing into ur apartment like its the most natural thing in the world (it is) and just plop down in bed with you.

Yknow, I kinda think that hes an all-around kinda guy with this love language thing. Like, he'll sometimes discreetly paint/draw you and would give it to you, if youre feeling down or just tired with his bs, hes wasting no time to immediately pamper you with kisses and whisper sweet nothings in ur ear

If you give him a gift, he'll absolutely cherish it like it's a multimillion dollar treasure (doesnt even matter what u gave him, you could give this dumbass a rock and he'd cry tears of joy)

Give him a single pebble and hes looking at you like "🥺" and saying "For me???🥺"

Yeah so all in all, he's just a 6ft bby that would absolutely spoil the living SHIT out of you bcs u deserve it<3 (congrats on bagging a billionaire bestie)

*ehem* i rlly wanna add a slight nsfw so ill make it on a diff part or smthn it's currently wip so ill link it here whem it's done *ehem*