#Good Uncle Sly AU

[chill-vibes-but-rainbow-panic]

(Click for better quality, because this was a PAIN to get on Tumblr T-T )

Tried drawing Uncle Sly for the AU again :)

First drawing is mostly canon accurate (mix between his description and his picture), and the second exists, because I somehow thought Uncle Sly had a trench coat, but that was literally never mentioned in the books, pretty sure. But he owns one, in this AU.

And I also wanted to draw one with colour, so there's three

(Sylvester is kinda a banging name though tbh. Shout out to him)

[drunk-person]

Please please please (Modern Au) P.4

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x cousin!reader

Summary: One of the most talked about gossips among the lower class servants in Kings Landing is the fact (or not) that Aemond Targaryen got involved with his cousin Y/n Targaryen when they were both teenagers. Mainly due to the fact that at the age of 17 she was sent to Old Town overnight. Some employees claim that Aemond was caught between her legs. Some say that, like her father, she had had a horrible fight with her uncle and aunt and was sent away. And other than that none of this happened, she just became interested in the course offered at the Old Town conservatory. But now five years later, Y/n Targaryen is back, and rumors haunt those who favor them.

This chapter is a part of a main story The gossip, you can find the previous chapter, summary and general tags by accessing the link.

Summary of the chapter: Rumors slowly grow out of control, a pair of silver heels can make more of an impact than you think.

Warnings of the chapter: 18+ mdni! Smut, p in v, slight codependency, no description for reader.

Word count: 12.800 k 🤯

A/N: I hope you like the new chapter, I'm very happy and grateful for all the dear people who commented on the previous chapter, thank you very much, your comments inspire me! Comments and suggestions are welcome 💕

A/N²: If Aemond had a song in this story, it would certainly be Apocalyptica - "Not Strong Enough". Y/n is a fashion expert, not me. So if you understand fashion and I happen to commit some crime against it, forgive me. If we analyze the title of the chapter and the chapter itself we will discover one of the reasons why Alicent doesn't want Y/n near Aemond. (Apart from the fact that they are both cousins).

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"Good morning Kings landing, it seems that Floris Baratheon is not in a very good mood, as yesterday she got involved in an argument with a clothing store attendant and almost got the young woman fired. The details of what was said were not disclosed , but one would expect more patience and joy from someone who is engaged to the son of one of, if not the greatest, tycoon in Westeros."

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The morning of the next day wasn't much different from the day before for Y/n and Aemond, with the two waking up naked and entangled, exchanging kisses and soft caresses.

-Let's take a bath? - Y/n whispered against Aemond's lips, who laughed and sighed at her at the same time while denying it.

-No bathing together today. - He kissed her lips as he said that. - Or I'll be even more late arriving at the company.

-It's going to be really quick, and you know I also need to go there today. -She sighed, looking at him and biting her lip, slightly apprehensive as she remembered that she needed to talk to her uncle.

Upon seeing Y/n fearful, Aemond lowered his guard and pulled her closer to him, needing to make her feel protected.

-Everything's going to be okay. - He kissed her lips again and suddenly her gaze returned to normal as she tried to convince him.

-C'mon. - She begged, climbing into his lap and kissing him deeper. - It doesn't need to be in the bathtub. - She brushed her lips with his. - Just in the shower is fine.

Aemond then put his hands on her hips and got up from the bed, making her laugh and scream as she clung to his neck.

-What do I do with you? - He arched his eyebrows as he quickly kissed her lips.

-I have many ideas of what you can do. - She smiled mischievously as she returned the peck on his lips, making him smile and roll his eyes.

As Aemond walked towards the bathroom Y/n kissed his neck and chin while rubbing herself against him and practically purring like a sly cat. Aemond could already feel himself harden, and from the angle she was in his arms he could feel her wetness against his own skin.

And when he leaned her against the bathroom wall already involved in a hungry kiss, Aemond accidentally turned on the cold water on both of them, making Y/n let out a cry of fright and cling even tighter to him.

-Aemond! - She shouted while he turned on the hot water too.

-Sorry. - He murmured laughing against her neck. - It wouldn't be so cold here if someone had remembered to readjust the thermostat last night.

-I was busy with other things. -Now it was Y/n who rolled her eyes as she lowered her lips to Aemond's neck again as she fluttered against him.

So needy. And Aemond could never deny it.

And with that thought he guided his cock to her wet entrance and fucked her against the bathroom wall while she moaned against his neck and kissed him contentedly. After they both reached climax he lowered her to the floor and watched as Y/n soaped her own body with an even bigger smile on her face now that he had gotten what he wanted.

-Can I take my shower now, Your Highness? - He asked ironically as he took the soap from her hand.

-Certainly my lord. - She curtsied and then kissed him on the chin before taking one of the towels and wrapping herself up to leave the bathroom while Aemond just smiled.

He took a little longer in the bathroom because he hadn't combed his hair the day before, and now the consequences of leaving it so long had arrived in the form of removing the knots that had formed naturally and by Y/n's wandering hands who loved him. stroll there.

A few minutes later, when he returned to the room with his hair combed and a towel around his waist, Aemond raised his eyebrows when he saw Y/n already dressed for the day.

-Where did you get those clothes? - His voice was confusing as she was wearing loose denim shorts just above the thigh and a black button-down shirt that had some buttons open, leaving a slight cleavage and exposing the sapphire necklace and with the hem inside the shorts, tucked in up to your elbows.

-They're yours. - She replied simply while looking in the mirror and adjusting her clothes to her body.

-I'm pretty sure I don't have any jeans that length. - Aemond said, curving his eyebrow at her, but noticing that the black button-down shirt she was wearing inside her shorts was actually his, but she had placed it in a way that didn't look so big on her.

-Not really, I cut one of your pants. - Y/n shrugged while unpretentiously going through Aemond's things looking for something.

-Did you cut my pants? - He asked with his eyebrows still curved as he looked at her beautiful legs in the shorts.

-Yeah, but don’t worry, I’m sure you didn’t like these. They were a rather strange light color. Who gave you this? - She asked as she walked around so he could admire the clothes better.

Aemond smiled, Y/n was right it had been a gift, he would never have bought those pants with that ugly color, but they strangely looked good on Y/n. He could never understand how she could look beautiful wearing literally anything, or literally nothing. Gods he loved so much when she wore nothing. And then he shook his head, pushing those thoughts away and giving she the answer.

-Aegon gave it to me for my birthday.

-Typical of him, but you were actually lucky. -Y/n rolled her eyes as she grabbed a black belt from one of the drawers and threaded it through the fasteners of her shorts and secured them in place. - Remember when he arrived drunk on my birthday, gave me a French fry as a gift and shouted "get it, little cousin". - Y/n spoke in disbelief while imitating Aegon's voice. - Afterwards he told me that he had found that potato in the trash.

Aemond stared at her, barely listening to what Y/n said, she looked so beautiful wearing his clothes. The feeling of possession that he already naturally had towards her was even stronger at that moment.

-Damn. - Y/n said, looking at her feet with a frown and forgetting the previous topic.

-What's it? - Aemond pulled her towards him by the belt loops, gluing her body to his and feeling even more satisfied when he smelled his own shampoo exuding from her hair.

-My heels won't match this outfit! - Y/n looked at him with a mixture of irritation and upset at the same time.

-Why not? - His hands went up to her waist, squeezing them gently while Aemond looked at her without understanding, the heels were perfectly good and made her legs look beautiful. And he would definitely fuck her wearing just those heels after thinking about it.

Y/n just rolled her eyes at Aemond's question as if he wasn't making sense.

-They are extravagant, and these clothes are obviously over size since they are yours, it won't work.

-Take one of my shoes. - Aemond said simply, kissing her neck slightly wetly.

-Aem.. - Y/n snorted rolling her eyes again. - Your feet are huge, we haven't worn the same size since I was 13.

-I need to buy shoes that match. - She said, already looking at him with those needy eyes and he looked away, not wanting to give in.

-I can't be late at the company today, I didn't go yesterday and I left early the day before. - Aemond mumbled with his head buried in her neck.

-Please Aem. -She said pulling out the last letter as she looked him in the eyes again, as he had lifted his head from her neck.

-Y/n.. - Before he could continue she reached out and kissed him on the lips, wrapping her hands around his neck.

-Please Aem…-Her voice was low and melodious as she trailed tender kisses down his jaw and chin as she rubbed herself lightly against him. - I won't delay you, it will only take five minutes. I swear.

-mhnm. We can stop by a shoe store on the way. - He agreed with a sigh, not being able to resist and Y/n jumped on his neck, kissing his face.

-I'm going to fix my hair. - She gave Aemond one last kiss on his jaw before walking towards the bathroom again while he just smiled and watched her.

Aemond went into his own closet and chose the same formal work clothes that he usually wore. And as he reached for a pair of boxers he heard Y/n's shrill, terrified scream coming from the other room. He didn't even bother getting dressed or wrapping himself in a towel, he just ran as he was towards the bathroom where Y/n was coming from, her eyes full of tears, and when she saw him, she threw herself into his arms.

-Hey Hey. - Aemond hugged her trying to calm her down. - What there was?

-S- Spider. - Y/n stuttered, still clinging to Aemond.

-It's not real. -Aemond spoke in a calm voice as he stroked her hair. - It’s made of crystal, it was a gift from Helaena.

-What is that thing doing in the bathroom cabinet? - She asked calmer but still with a shrill voice.

-I put it there because I didn't know where to put it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. - His voice was very calm and he was still stroking her hair firmly while holding her very close to him. - I'll throw it away, okay?

-You can't throw Hel's gift away, she'll be upset. - Y/n immediately denied it, still hugging him and with her head buried in his strong chest. - Just… put it in a very hidden place that I will never find in my life.

Aemond nodded her head and then pressed a kiss against her hair.

-Will you bring the brush and other things so I can fix my hair here? -She asked with her voice still a little sensitive as she looked at Aemond with fearful eyes.

-I'll take whatever you want. - He said, drying the tears that had run down her cheeks with his fingertips.

-I don’t like seeing you cry, only in the right way. - He said trying to do her smiling and being happy when he saw that it worked.

-What would be the right way? -She laughed a little at that question as she arched her eyebrows.

-Under me for sure. - He then kissed her forehead before heading towards the bathroom.

Aemond collected everything Y/n needed and not knowing what to do with the black crystal spider that was almost the size of his own hand, he just threw it in the laundry basket to be sorted later. It was a bit tricky having a sister who was obsessed with bugs while he had Y/n with a bug phobia, which was considerably worse with spiders.

-Okay, everything is here. - Aemond placed the things on the bed and Y/n smiled in response.

-My hero.

-I do what I can. - He gave her a peck on the lips as he approached. - Are you calmer? -His voice was soft as she held Y/n's face in her hands and she just nodded at him.

-Good. -He gently kissed her forehead and went towards the closet again, only then noticing that he was completely naked while doing all this.

Aemond got dressed in a hurry while he heard Y/n grumble irritably outside about her hair being unmanageable after the previous day, and that she wouldn't be able to fix it in such a short time. He just smirked, for him it was perfect he loved her hair when it was all crazy and out of control. And he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he came out of the closet, finishing fixing the sleeve of his own shirt, and found her with her hair tied up in a slightly messy bun and with braids on the sides.

-Didn't you say it was impossible to make your hair presentable in such a short time? - It was more than presentable, it was perfect.

-We both know that I can be a little dramatic when I want to. - She squinted her eyes and shrugged her shoulders as she walked towards Aemond who just rolled his eyes and crossed his right arm behind Y/n's back as he guided her to the door.

There was no more time for breakfast at home, and Aemond decided to just stop on the way and grab something quick from a coffee maker while Y/n bought her shoes.

Y/n put on her high heels to go out, as they were the only pair of shoes available at the moment. And Aemond felt his mouth water when he saw her legs in those shorts and those heels, and he couldn't resist pressing Y/n against the door, standing on her back and bringing his lips closer to the shell of her ear.

-You have no idea how hot you look in those heels. - He murmured, brushing his lips gently against her ear, making Y/n catch her breath momentarily. - And if I didn't have so many things to do today I would bend you against that table and fuck you until you cry right now.

His voice saying that stole all of Y/n's breath, and she barely managed to sigh to be able to respond to Aemond.

-Do not make threats that you do not intend to fulfill Aemond Targaryen. - She finally responded with her eyes closed and stuttering a little at the feeling of him pressing her from behind.

-I never do. - He assured her with a mischievous smile as he left a kiss on the back of her head before the two walked out the door.

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Aemond took the usual route to the company while Y/n looked out the window looking for a decent shoe store, as the two agreed to avoid an even longer delay. It was when she saw the golden Tyrell sign that she went into an uproar asking Aemond to stop the car, and he couldn't help but smile softly when he saw her happy.

-Can you give me your card? - She spoke with a sweet and cheerful voice while blinking her eyes - Mine stayed at the hotel.

Aemond rolled his eyes and gave a small smile as he reached for his wallet in the car's gearbox and pulled out his credit card, handing it to Y/n, who gave him a quick kiss on the lips before getting out of the car and heading towards the shoe store.

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Y/n bit her lower lip when she saw Jimmy Tyrell's new summer collection and practically had to close her eyes to pass it by and not try on each pair. Going straight to the one that her thought would look best with the outfit she was wearing. It took all the strength she had inside her not to ask the saleswoman to bring a box of each pair in her size.

The store saleswoman took the black sandals out of the box and Y/n thanked her, saying that she put them on herself.

And when Y/n took off her silver heels, the saleswoman raised her eyebrows and then opened her eyes wide in shock, trying her best to hide her reaction.

Y/n looked in the mirror, appreciating the combination of her new sandals with the rest of her outfit and ended up not resisting choosing a pair of earrings that matched as well since the ones from the night before didn't go well with this outfit, then paying for everything and running back to the car before Aemond collapsed.

The store doors had barely closed after Y/n left and the saleswoman who served her had already run to the back door of the store behind one of her co-workers in an uproar.

-Mila, didn't your aunt say that she saw a pair of silver shoes at Aemond Targaryen's house yesterday morning? - She asked with a frown and biting her lip in curiosity.

-Yes, she told me Joy. - Mila confirmed while storing shoe boxes in the store's inventory. - He didn’t let her into the apartment and then his mother called all strange looking for him. - Mila whispered to her friend again and then looked around before continuing. - My aunt thinks he was cheating on his fiancee.

-Well you won't believe who came in here wearing a pair of beautiful silver high heels and with Aemond Targaryen's credit card. - Joy said, restraining herself from screaming with excitement as she spread the gossip.

-Who? - Mila's voice emanated curiosity and she had already abandoned her work to pay attention to the conversation with wide eyes.

-Y/n Targaryen in person. - Joy practically hummed the words, trying hard not to scream.

-No fucking way. - It was the only thing that Milla could answer with her jaw dropped.

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Y/n admired her new sandals, and adjusted the side buckle so it didn't squeeze her ankle so much, while Aemond took turns watching the traffic and looking out of the corner of his eye whenever he could. Until a happy melody in Shania Tyrell's voice sounded over the car radio and Aemond smiled, turning up the volume as he watched Y/n's smile grow along with the melody.

-Do you still love this song?

-Absolutely. - She laughed and then began to sing along while shaking her head from side to side, smiling.

Aemond, taking advantage of them being stopped at the traffic light, looked at her more directly, and shit, how he had missed the contagious joy that Y/n had. The laugh, the smile, that curve of her cheek every time she was really happy about something. He felt as if the day Y/n left all the happiness had been sucked out of his chest, but now, it was as if a ray of sunshine of pure joy had hit him with her return.

-Sing with me Aem. - She asked smiling and Aemond denied with a sideways smile.

-Please Aem. - She asked, biting his lip and looking at him from beneath his eyelashes.

-Don't do that. - He begged while biting the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.

-Please Aemond. Just the chorus. - She begged. - I'll give you whatever you want later.

-You'll give me whatever I want anyway. - He couldn't help but smile dirtyly when he said that and Y/n rolled her eyes.

-Just the chorus. - She leaned over and kissed his neck. - For me.

-I hate you. - Aemond rolled his eyes before starting to sing the chorus along with Y/n who smiled even bigger while drumming his fingers against his own thighs.

-I think one of your biggest character inconstancies is that you like reach music. - Aemond mocked.

-Oh, shut up, Shania Tyrell is a music icon! - Y/n protested with a laugh as she continued singing, making him smile.

The rest of the way to the company was peaceful, with Aemond driving calmly while keeping one hand resting on Y/n's knee, who just admired the city's landscape with a small smile on her lips.

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The two attracted all eyes as soon as they left the main elevator, but Aemond didn't even notice, too lost to observe things around him, already heading towards the elevator that would take him to his own office floor.

-Good morning Mrs. Mayotte. - Aemond's mood was visibly better just by the tone of voice, and the secretary almost choked when she raised her head to answer him and found Y/n's figure next to him. - Any complications yesterday?

-N-No. - She replied nervously while shaking her head. - No complications.

-Good. - He nodded before entering his own office followed by Y/n who smiled and waved at Lizze and Sana.

As soon as the door closed, Lizze ran to Sana's desk, who was organizing some files on the computer.

-Sana… - Lizze's voice sounded more like a squeak as she crouched down near her co-worker's desk.

-What it was? - The other woman leaned forward out of curiosity, moving closer so she could hear.

-The shirt she's wearing is his! - Lizze whispered/shouted to her friend.

-What the fuck? - Sana almost screamed with wide eyes and Lizze signaled her to shut up. - How do you know that shirt is his? - She asked more quietly.

-Jaehaerys spilled juice on his suit a couple of weeks ago and he took it off and asked me to take it to the dry cleaners. - Lizze said in a fast-paced voice. - The embroidery on the collar is the same, and I'm sure that if you look under the collar there will be his initials there.

-Holy shit. - Sana's eyes looked like golf balls at that moment, as the two looked at the door in shock.

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-So this is your office? - Y/n said with her eyes shining as she looked around smiling. There wasn't a speck of dust out of place, just like everything that had to do with Aemond.

He just smiled and hummed as he went towards his own desk, already turning on his laptop and organizing some papers in his own folder. After looking around, Y/n sat on his lap, hanging around Aemond's neck while he organized some files on the main computer.

-I need to go talk to Uncle Viserys. - Y/n sighed, still sitting on Aemond's lap and he gently squeezed her thigh with strength.

-See you for lunch? - Aemond smiled sideways at Y/n who nodded positively while leaving a soft kiss on his chin and getting up heading towards the door.

Shortly after Y/n left, Aemond took a deep breath, still feeling his own body light. And after looking at some schedules on the computer, he got up heading towards Aegon's room, he smiled slightly when he opened the door and saw Jaehaerys' silver hair, who was playing with a cart on the carpet absently.

He didn't even have time to talk to his nephew like he always did, since as soon as Aegon saw him he got up and walked towards him.

-Where were you? I had to read a 30 page report yesterday. - The oldest asked irritated and Aemond rolled his eyes.

-I was busy. - He replied dryly.

Aegon's eyebrows arched slightly as he approached his brother, noticing a purple mark just below the collar of his shirt.

-I can see it. - He laughed mischievously, pointing at his younger brother's hickey, who adjusted the collar of his shirt at the same moment.

-But I thought you hadn't wet your cookie since Y/n left. - Aegon curved his eyebrows in confusion at the youngest. And when Aemond just looked away it was as if the realization of what was happening came upon Aegon all at once.

-Holy shit, she just set foot in the city again and you're already making out with our little cousin again? - Aegon practically shouted in shock, putting his hands to his face, but then he looked to the side and found his son's clear eyes watching them.

Jaehaerys looked at his father and uncle attentively and Aegon bit his tongue before continuing the inappropriate conversation for the innocent ears of his little boy.

-Jae, why don't you listen to some music on Daddy's cell phone? - Aegon asked smiling and crouching down next to Jaehaerys who gave him a wide smile as he agreed, extending his hands to take the cell phone and headphones from Aegon's hand.

-I want the baby shark one, daddy. - He practically screamed with excitement as he ran to the couch.

After Jaehaerys put the headphones in his ears and turned on the music, the older man turned to his excited brother again and returned to the topic.

-Did you two just clung to each other or was it really good? - Aegon rubbed his hands and shook his eyebrows as he spoke.

-That's none of your business, Aegon. - Aemond replied irritated with a cold voice.

-Did you fuck her? - Aegon asked with his mouth open, already realizing what had happened just by the younger man's expression.

-Shut up Aegon.

-Seven hells, she arrived a day ago and you two are already back to your old habits. Mom is going to be so crazy when she finds out.

-She's not going to find out. -Aemond replied instantly while he slightly squinted his eyes.

-Hell yeah, just like she didn't find out the first time? - Aegon asked, laughing as he threw himself into the chair and raised his feet on the table, but before Aemond could respond to his brother the door opened without warning, interrupting the conversation.

-Aegon. - A shrill and irritated voice came through the door, drawing the brothers' attention. -What the hell is this?

She was shaking the papers in her left hand, her face closed in anger.

-Data reporting? - He arched his eyebrow and spoke with an air of obviousness.

-No, these are drawings of a naked woman. - She said even more irritated and then her eyes widened, but she sighed in relief when she saw that Jaehaerys had headphones on and was distracted while humming.

Aemond raised his eyebrows and Aegon opened his eyes wide and went towards the woman, taking them from her hand.

-Fuck. - He said, trying to hide the drawings from Aemond who was looking at them over his older brother's shoulder.

-Seriously Aegon, I need the reports for about 10 minutes ago, where are they? - She begged, stamping her foot impatiently on the floor, her face slightly flushed.

-Sorry, sorry. - Aegon said, heading towards his own table and rummaging through all the drawers under the incredulous gaze of Aemond and the girl.

-On here. - He held out a pad of paper, which, unlike the drawings, which were in perfect condition, had slight ears on the edges.

-One day I'm going to kill myself inside this office, and it will be your fault, Aegon Targaryen. - She said, turning around and leaving without even saying a word to Aemond while she smoothed the papers hard, trying to remove the wrinkles.

-Good morning to you too, Miss Lanister. - Aegon shouted as she slammed the door loudly.

-I loved the drawings. - Aemond spoke unpretentiously while moving the anti-stress ball on Aegon's desk. - Mainly that mole on the right shoulder, which actually looks a lot like Ms. Lanister there.

-Shut up Aemond. - Aegon said, putting away the papers with drawings in a green folder and with golden elastic bands.

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Y/n held her breath for a few moments as she found herself at the door of Viserys's room on the top floor of the building. She couldn't run away, she needed to talk to her uncle, but the thought of facing him again after so long made her nervous, and memories of that horrible night five years ago came back to her instantly. With a sigh, Y/n shook her head, as if that would drive away the bad thoughts, and then knocked on the door and entered her uncle's room.

It was still the way she remembered it from the few times she had been there. Well lit, with models of buildings and other installations designed by the uncle spread throughout the room. According to him, only those that he was most proud of.

-Y/n? - Came that still, sweet voice from the other side of the room. - Are you my daughter?

And suddenly the fear and apprehension left Y/n's body as she turned and walked towards her uncle who was waiting for her with open arms ready for a warm hug.

-Ah, my dear, you are so grown up. - He smiled, still hugging her. - Yesterday she was still a little girl and now she's an adult.

Viserys stroked Y/n's hair and she wanted to cry with emotion. She expected screams. She expected him to ask her what she was doing there. Expected anything but to receive affection. And it took everything in her not to break down and let a few treacherous tears run down her cheeks.

-Come, sit here and let's talk. - The uncle said after letting go of the hug, guiding her to the table and sitting next to his niece. - Now that you're back home, what do you plan to do? - Viserys's gaze was curious. - Do you intend to work at the company?

Y/n made an involuntary grimace as she imagined herself working in the family company, the only good thing would be being close to Aemond. Which wasn't even such a good point since he would be working and wouldn't even have time to talk to her.

-No, no working at the company for me. You know I've never had a knack for Targaryen business, it's a lot of boring and not much creativity.

Viserys just laughed softly as he stared at his niece.

-Uncle, what I really want is to work in fashion. - Y/n continued with a confident voice. - I want to open my own brand, and you'll see, in a short time it will be as big as Jimmy Tyrell and Saint Tully! - Y/n's eyes sparkled when talking about this.

-It's good to know that you want to commit to something. - Viserys patted his niece's shoulder a few times, who smiled widely at her uncle's gesture of affection, and taking advantage of the moment of goodwill, Y/n took a deep breath and decided to ask.

-Uncle.. I have the money that my father sends me saved, in addition to what you always saved for me in the same account. - She started insecure. - But I'm still going to need a little bit more capital if I want to open my own brand.

Y/n's look at Viserys was identical to the look Daemon gave him when he had some wild idea, which Viserys usually didn't pay attention to. And thinking about this, and how perhaps with more attention on his part his brother would not have strayed so far, Viserys made the decision.

-Will you stay out of trouble? - He asked, curving his eyebrows a little.

-I will, uncle, I promise. - Y/n responded immediately while kissing her own fingers.

-So the answer is yes. - He confirmed smiling gently at his niece. - I will invest in your project.

Y/n almost screamed when she heard her uncle's yes and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly, making Viserys laugh softly.

-You won't regret the investment, uncle. - She said excitedly. - I guarantee you that in a short time Perzys & Anogar will be a reference fashion in Westeros.

-Perzys & Anogar? - The oldest asked, still laughing.

-Yes, fire and blood did you like it? It's our family motto in Old Valyrian, I took it from a history book. - She smiled even brighter.

-Very good. - Viserys nodded and then became a little more serious. -But what about your percentage in the company? What will you do when you gain control over her one day?

-Aemond can manage my part for me. - Before Y/n could think too much about it, she responded completely unconcerned while gently waving her hand, as if it had already been resolved a long time ago.

Viserys arched his eyebrow slightly when he heard that and Y/n curled her lips down and her eyes widened a little when she realized what he had said.

If Alicent were in that room, it would be the seven hells on earth.

-I mean, he's definitely going to manage Hel's part since she can't stand all of this either. - She waved her hands pretending not to care. - I might as well let him manage mine too.

-And how is your health, uncle? - She asked quickly changing the subject, which worked well since her uncle was easily distracted.

-From strength to strength, I will easily reach 100. - Viserys replied, now more smiling. - Your aunt put me on a diet where I can only eat green food, and the doctor cut out all sugar.

-Are you still using insulin? - Y/n asked genuinely worried.

-A pen a day. - Viserys sighed. - But he has kept his diabetes under control.

-You don't know how happy I am to see you healthy, uncle. - She smiled, shaking his hand firmly and smiling reassuringly.

-Ah my daughter, and I'm happy to see you home. - Viserys smiled back at his niece, even with all the circumstances, with everything he knew that could come from this return, he couldn't help but be happy to see a family member again. And at that moment Viserys thought about how good it would be to see his own brother face to face again.

❦❦❦

Not far from there, Aemond maid Mrs. Dancil went to his apartment again, and before going upstairs she took the keys that Aemond left for her at the entrance when he wasn't at home.

She generally never had much work to clean Aemond Targaryen's apartment. Unlike his older brother, Aemond didn't have many decorations at home that she had to clean, his furniture was simple and without gaps and his things were always in order.

But when she took into consideration the fact that Aegon lived with a huge dog and a child she could even understand the mess in his apartment. Today was one of the few times that she found the apartment slightly disorganized.

The bed hadn't been made, there were some glasses and cups in the sink, the couch and living room were disorganized, and there was more laundry to wash than usual. But the biggest surprise for the older maid was finding a black crystal spider in the laundry basket, next to a very short black dress.

Curiosity gnawed at the lady to know who was at her boss's house the day before so he hadn't let her in, and she looked everywhere, but couldn't find the heels she had seen on the shoe rack near the door.

There was only one question in her head: who was the woman in the black dress and silver heels who was in Aemond Targaryen's house?

❦❦❦

After leaving her uncle's office, Y/n returned to Aemond's office in an uproar, barely able to contain her own smile, not even noticing the panicked look on the faces of Aemond and Aegon's secretaries. She just closed the office door behind her and practically skipped over to Aemond's desk, and she couldn't help but smile when she saw her so excited.

-Based on your excitement, I can tell that the conversation with my father was good. - He hugged her around the waist while still sitting in the chair, and Y/n nodded in response.

-You won't believe it Aem. - Her voice was pure joy. - He didn't fight with me, he was actually very happy to see me. He said he's happy to have me back. - Y/n was beaming when she said that.

-Maybe Aunt Alicent will also be happy to see me. - She said hopefully, and Aemond refused to say otherwise because he didn't want to take away her joy.

-And what else did you talk about? - Aemond changed the focus of the conversation, squeezing her gently around the waist, and Y/n smiled even more.

-He asked me about my plans for the future, and I told him about my idea for the brand. - She bit her lip, looking at Aemond, waiting to speak.

-And then? - He asked, visibly apprehensive, pulling her even closer. - What did he say?

-He said he will invest in my idea! - Y/n practically jumped with joy and Aemond got up from the chair hugging her tightly while leaving a long kiss on her hair.

-Did he say how much he will invest in you? - Aemond asked with a smile looking into her eyes as he enjoyed that glow of joy that he loved so much, and Y/n shook her head.

-No, he just said he was going to invest. - Her joy was palpable, since she was 14 Y/n said she wanted to have her own brand. While Aemond was studying to be a businessman, she was designing clothes, reading about fashion and learning to sew. In the first two she was great, in the last one not so much. And he smiled as he remembered the shirt with one long sleeve and one short sleeve that she had made for him.

-That's incredible. - He murmured smiling against her hair while Y/n hugged him tight and smiled excitedly.

The sound of the door opening made them both break away from the hug and look in the direction of the sound in fear. But to both of their relief, it was just Aegon who smiled mischievously in their direction.

-Welcome back, little cousin. - He said, laughing and waving his eyebrows as he closed the door behind him and entered the room, making Aemond roll his eyes and Y/n smile.

Aegon then opened his arms as he approached and Y/n, rolling her eyes with a smile, hugged him.

-I'm glad you came back. - He smiled, releasing her from the hug. - I was getting tired of being the only troublemaker in the family.

-No one can compete with you in this regard, Aegon. - Y/n furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head.

-Based on the quality time you and my little brother enjoy spending together, I'm tempted to say that you two can. - He mocked and then took two steps back, raising his hands when he saw Aemond's deadly look.

-I just remembered that I forgot to leave some food for Sunfyre. - He said scratching his head.

-Aegon, the only two things you do responsibly are take care of Jaehaerys and Sunfyre. - Aemond rolled his eyes. - I know you're just running away from work.

-Well, now that we've established that, I'm going to take my son and go home and watch TV. Goodbye brother, bye-bye little cousin. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. - Aegon said, walking out the door and then opening it again and just putting his head in and blinking as he said. - Remembering that there are very few things that I wouldn't do.

Aemond rolled his eyes deeply at his older brother who just slammed the door again while laughing. And when Y/n and Aemond were about to return to the conversation, the door opened once again and Aegon quickly entered with wide eyes.

-What do you want now? - Aemond snorted at his brother.

-Miss Mayotte said our mother is coming up.- He spoke in a strangled voice and Y/n and Aemond's eyes widened too.

-Shit. - Aemond hissed, looking from one side to the other.

-What are we gonna do? - Y/n squeaked in panic looking at the door, it was one thing to imagine her aunt's reaction to seeing her in person again, another was the real thing. And considering the things she said last time, Y/n's blood ran cold in her veins as she imagined Alicent's reaction if she found her in Aemond's office.

-You hide in my office. - Aegon spoke at the same moment, gesturing towards the door. - And you don't do anything, just stay here and invent something for mom.

Y/n left a quick peck on Aemond's lips, looking at him worriedly, then ran with Aegon out the door and entered the older man's office under the watchful eyes of the secretaries.

The two had barely closed the door when the elevator opened and Alicent got out of it with a look of unfriendliness, stepping firmly towards Aemond's office.

-Good morning Mrs. Hightower. - Lizze greeted her without looking her in the eye, practically sweating coldly with nervousness.

-Is my son in his office? - Her voice wasn't cold, it wasn't cutting and it wasn't nearly as frightening as her son's, but Lizze didn't know why she was equally intimate.

-Yes ma'am. - She shook her head, still without facing Alicent.

-And he is… alone? - The eldest arched her eyebrows and lips as she spoke.

-He has just with Mr. Aegon, ma'am. - She held her breath as she lied.

-Very well. - Alicent didn't say anything more than that before turning and entering Aemond's office without even knocking on the door.

Lizze practically sank into her chair when she heard the door close.

-Do you think we did the right thing in warning that she was arriving? - Sana whispered fearfully while biting the inside of her cheek.

-But of course! Have you gone crazy? - Lizze hissed in a whisper. - I'd rather cut my own neck than piss off the Targaryens. Besides, she can't fire us, he can.

❦❦❦

Aemond was sitting behind his own desk analyzing, or at least pretending to analyze, a data report when the office door opened and Alicent walked in with a very stern face, looking at each part of the office as if someone was hiding somewhere. .

-Mom, it's good to see you at the company. - Aemond smiled, pretending to be surprised when he saw her there, and also pretending not to notice the way she looked at his office. - Is everything okay?

-I came to ask you the exact same thing, my son. - Her voice was careful. - I found out from your father that you didn't come to work yesterday. Have there been any problems?

Aemond could see his mother's eyes shining with suspicion, he could see her hands tightly gripping the strap of her bag as she stared at him as if he were in a police interrogation after committing a crime.

-No problem. - He shrugged his shoulders indifferently with a stoic look as he lied. - Did anyone make it seem like there was some kind of problem?

-No, but you don't have the habit of missing work, Aemond. - She narrowed her eyes looking at him. - Which led me to believe that there was some kind of problem… - Alicent then paused before concluding. - Or perhaps someone causing problems.

-Fortunately you are wrong mom. -Aemond smiled slightly cynically as he lied. - I just drank a little too much at Cercei Lanister's party, and as you know, I don't have a habit of drinking. - He shrugged his shoulders. - I just felt bad in the morning the other day and decided to stay at home, since it wouldn't be of much use in that way.

-So you just stayed alone in your apartment all day because you drank a little too much? - Alicent looked at him somewhat gullibly as she approached the table, and Aemond nodded.

-It was just that, mom. - His voice sounded firm, and anyone would think he was telling the truth, and he normally would, but Alicent knew he was lying because of all the facts that had already come to her attention the day before, and there was only one person that would make Aemond lie to her so shamelessly.

-I hope it's just that, Aemond, and that you're not so foolish as to repeat the same mistakes again. - Her voice was cutting. - Such a thing would be an abomination in the eyes of the seven.

-I learned from my mistakes, mother. I won't commit them again. - Aemond murmured, feeling his own chest compress when he heard his mother's harsh voice directed at him.

Alicent wanted to scream at Aemond. Saying that she knew very well just by looking into his eyes that he was walking with that little snake once again, but she couldn't make such a scandal in the company with so many curious ears listening.

And with that in mind she took a deep breath before saying goodbye to her son with an apology and leaving the company with a hard step. Coming to the conclusion that she would need her father's advice on how to act in this situation before Aemond lost himself for good.

❦❦❦

Y/n and Aegon walked back and forth around his office like two headless chickens. Looks of concern visible on their faces as Jaehaerys jumped on the couch and sang the same song over and over using his father's headphones once again.

-Fuck, fuck, fuck. - Aegon repeated with his hands on his face.

-She can't be that bad yet, can she? People get more malleable over time. - Y/n's voice was anxious as she faced Aegon in panic.

Aegon let out a muffled chuckle.

-Maybe with certain types of things, but this? - He shook his head while making a grimace. - Oh no, she's still totally mad about it.

-Thank you Aegon, it was really very reassuring of you to say that. - Y/n directed a fake smile at her cousin, who just shrugged, pouting.

And without warning, the door handle turned and the two screamed in fright, scaring even Jaehaerys who stopped singing and stared at the two with wide eyes.

-It's me. - Came Aemond's soft voice and Y/n ran towards the door, unlocking it at the same moment and jumping into Aemond's arms as soon as he stepped inside.

She feels so scared. Afraid that in those few moments Alicent had made him change his mind, that he would say again that this was all a mistake and that he didn't want her anymore. And when Aemond crossed his arms behind her back and hugged her back tightly, y/n sighed in pure relief.

-All good. - He stroked her back. -My mother has already gone, she has a meeting with a group of do-gooders from the General Hospital, she can't stay long.

Y/n just nodded and Aegon sighed in relief, but then he raised his eyebrows as if he had suddenly reached a terrible idealization while he brought his hands to his face, pulling his eyes down.

-Shit, now I'm your two accomplice and when mom finds out, and she will, because I've never been able to hide some of the shit I did from her in my life, she's going to kill me too. - He gestured with his hands and walked in circles while talking uncontrollably. -That's a tremendous lack of consideration of you to, getting me involved in this. I already have enough problems on my own!

-Is grandma going to kill you off, daddy? - Jaehaerys asked innocently, looking at the three still standing on the sofa, and Aegon had to hold back a curse when he noticed that his son had taken off his headphones and was listening to their conversation.

-It's just a way of speaking, little mouse. - Aegon smiled and stroked Jaehaerys' head gently. - Grandma loves me. - He spoke with a less confident voice than he should have when referring to his own mother's love.

-Well, since I saved your necks, you both owe me this one. - Aegon grumbled to Aemond as he took Jaehaerys in his arms, making the boy laugh.

-Hello, sweetheart. -Y/n gently tickled Jaehaerys now that she was lighter again, making him laugh a little and hide his face in Aegon's neck. - The last time I saw you you looked like a small grain of beans.

Y/n spoke sweetly to Jaehaerys who smiled embarrassedly at her, but then whispered something to Aegon and got off her father's lap heading towards the small table that was next to the sofa and he used to play. He reached for a drawing of a butterfly and handed him to Y/n with a shy smile before climbing into his father's lap again.

-To me? - Y/n asked smiling genuinely and he just nodded his head. - You really have talent, you know I love drawing too. - Her voice sounded so kind and so gentle when speaking to him, giving so much importance to the little boy when she would give it to an adult, making Jaehaerys smile feeling important.

Aemond felt as if his heart was beating in an unnatural way when he saw Y/n talking so sweetly to Jaehaerys. All the promises they had made to each other were playing in his mind like a symphony, and at that moment all he wanted was to start his own family with his Y/n.

❦❦❦

After all that confusion, Aegon said goodbye and took Jaehaerys home. The rest of the afternoon luckily went without any major problems, Aemond ordered lunch for both of them at the office, and Ms. Mayotte brought it to them shortly afterwards.

And after they both had lunch amidst simpler conversations, Aemond needed to go back to work and Y/n lay down on the couch and smiled when she saw some magazines on the table, but grimaced as soon as she saw the topics. Business, finance, scientific studies.

-There's nothing about… fashion? - She arched her eyebrows, making a slight frown at Aemond, who just laughed.

-I don't have any at the moment, but I can get some for you in the future. - He smiled. - You can try a different reading for now.

-Nah. - Y/n smiled and turned even more towards Aemond. - I'd rather just watch you.

And that's what she did, for the rest of the afternoon Aemond did his best to catch up on the late work again. He made calls, personally rescheduled an important lunch, read and reread reports, wrote reports, signed a multitude of papers, all under Y/n's watchful eyes, even if every now and then she got distracted and started going through Aemond's things with interest, even leafing through a magazine about market analysis.

And when Aemond was almost finishing an exhaustive reading of a contract that the company's legal department had already pre-approved, he lifted his head slightly and found Y/n sitting on the other side of the table looking at him with a look of enchantment, as if the most amazing person in the world was in front of her.

-What happened? - Aemond asked, slightly embarrassed by the intensity of Y/n's gaze, and she stood up and walked towards him, who moved his chair away from the table to face her.

-The way you dedicate yourself to everything you do always impresses me. - She placed her hands on the table and smiled at him. - I've been watching you all afternoon, and it's all so complex, but you make it seem simple.

Y/n smiled at him so sweetly when she said those words, and Aemond felt his heart warm at that. He pulled her to sit on his lap and she did so willingly, still smiling.

-You always do it. - He murmured against her soft neck.

-This what? - Y/n's voice sounded confused.

-Makes me feel like I'm important. - He smiled against her neck and left a butterfly kiss there, making Y/n sigh.

-You are important. - She stated with a firm voice as she snuggled even closer to him, and Aemond just murmured softly in a silent response.

-I just thought of something… - Y/n rambled with her head laying against Aemond's chest.

-What? - He stroked her back gently up and down.

-If I'm going to start my own brand, unfortunately I'm going to need to understand at least a little about all these market and finance things. - Y/n snorted and Aemond mocked her when he heard that.

-I can give you some lessons. - He arched his eyebrows and now the one who mocked was Y/n.

-Please Aemond, the last time you gave me private lessons I learned everything, except what you were supposed to teach me.

-I'm a great teacher. - He said falsely offended by staring at her. - It's not my fault that you're an easily distracted student.

-Yes, because it's very easy for me to concentrate with your hands running up and down my thighs under the skirt. - Y/n rolled her eyes.

-Your thighs always distracted me. - He shrugged his shoulders.

-I thought it was my boobs. - She whispered kissing his neck.

-Boobs too. - Aemond murmured, pouting while squeezing her hips. - In fact, you're all a distraction, for example, right now.

-Well, I could use a little attention now. - Y/n laughed, crossing her arms around his neck when she heard that.

-I'm almost done here and we can go home. - He smiled back at Y/n and with her still in his lap he opened a drawer looking for something, suddenly his features became slightly grumpy.

-I forgot a flash drive in the car. - He spoke grumpily. - I'm going to go there to get it over with. - Y/n quickly got up, and Aemond went towards the door.

-Be right back. - He muttered as he left.

As he passed through the hall he didn't ask for anything, not asked about the work in progress, or gave even more paperwork to the secretariat, which left Lizz and Sana even more intrigued and certain that something was wrong there.

When Aemond arrived at the parking lot, his cell phone rang in his jacket pocket, and he pulled it out, huffing slightly and feeling like vomiting when he saw the name on the display.

Floris.

This certainly was the seven hells on earth. Aemond wanted to answer, he knew he should answer, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't answer that call after having been hugging Y/n about two minutes ago. He could still smell her scent clinging to his, and after the conversation they had had the day before he could not in any way betray Y/n like that.

And then he promised himself that he would go to Floris's apartment for a personal talk and resolve all this, but at that moment he didn't answer his cell phone, he just blocked it and put it back in his pocket while he unlocked the car.

The flash drive was in an easy place, almost impossible to forget, unless you were so involved with a certain person that it took your mind out of orbit. And with a sideways smile he picked it up, but then he saw on the carpet of the car the Jimmy Tyrell bag with a faint glow inside as the parking lot lights hit its interior, and Aemond's mouth practically watered as he remembered the image of Y/n in those shorts and heels that morning.

And without thinking much, something he had already noticed was common when he was around her, Aemond took the bag and returned to the elevator with a mischievous smile.

Lizze and Sana were gossiping in whispers when the elevator door opened again and Aemond got out with Jimmy Tyrell's bag in hand. They both looked curiously, trying to see what was inside the bag without the boss noticing.

-Miss. Mayotte. Miss. Heyors. - Aemond began and both girls instantly froze. - They are both dismissed for today.

They both released the breath they had been holding after he spoke, as he continued walking to his own office, but before reaching the door Aemond stopped and turned around.

-One more thing, Miss. Mayotte… - They both tensed again upon hearing his voice, and Lizze almost began to hyperventilate at the mention of her own name, no matter how good-humored Aemond Targaryen seemed, it was never good to let her guard down. - It's good to know that I can trust someone who works so closely with me, I appreciate that, and as proof of this fact, you will receive a 10% raise.

Lizze's mouth dropped open. She had worked at that company for about three years and had never received a raise in her life, and now she got a 10% raise for gossiping. Aemond didn't wait for a response, he just went ahead and entered the office, leaving both secretaries with their jaws dropped.

-What the fuck? - Sana was in disbelief. - Did he just give you a raise?

-Apparently yes. – Lizze was still incredulous.

-And he released us from work almost an hour early? -Sana spoke robotically, looking at Lizze, who just nodded.

-I've never seen him in a good mood in my life. - Lizze murmured, still in shock.

-Did you see the bag in his hands? - Sana whispered. - I bet it's a gift for her.

-You were right, Sana. - Lizze said in shock, but slightly euphoric at knowing the truth. - The rumors are true.

❦❦❦

Viserys generally left the company early, he was much healthier but Rhaenyra insisted that he at least leave work early, and he had barely entered the mansion's door when Alicent angrily approached him, taking him towards the office already talking about Aemond and Y/n before even closing the door.

-This relationship between them is sick Viserys. - Alicent squealed exasperatedly. - Can't you see that this is not love? It's almost an obsession what one has for the other. Aemond didn't have any other girlfriend until Floris because in his mind he would be cheating on your niece if he did.

-But now he has, doesn't he? - Viserys asked impatiently. -Which means he's already gotten over this whole thing.

Alicent looked at the ground, quickly looking away from her husband when she heard that statement. But soon after, she regained her posture.

-What about your niece? Did she get over it?

-Alicent for seven. - Viserys put his hand on his forehead as he spoke. - I spoke to Y/n today and she assured me that she doesn't want to cause any problems, she's just going to work and continue taking care of her own life.

-And she can't do all this away from Kings Landing? - The woman asked, clapping her hands against her legs impatiently.

-Alicent… - Viserys sighed tiredly, as if the subject brought him physical pain.

-Viserys, you cannot be so foolish as to think it was a coincidence that Aemond disappeared shortly after she arrived in the city. - Alicent said, her eyes shining as she drummed her fingers on the table.

-He already told you that he didn't feel well, didn't he?

-It was a lie! Do you think I don't know when my children lie to me? - She hissed furiously.

Viserys preferred not to answer that specific question to avoid an even bigger argument with his wife.

-What do you want me to do Alicent? - Viserys asked his wife again, equally tired. - I told you, Y/n is of legal age and is no longer under my guardianship. I no longer control what she does or doesn't do.

-So Cancel her credit cards! - Alicent demanded irritably. - She depends on your money, she will obey you if you leave her without funds.

-Alicent, I can't leave her without money. - Viserys protested. - Besides, Daemon sends her money too, she wouldn't be so affected if I removed the credit cards.

Viserys also chose not to mention to his wife the fact that he had promised to invest directly in his niece's business idea.

-Listen, husband. - Alicent rested her hands on the table top. - I know that in your family certain things are considered normal. But not mine! I will not accept my son marrying a direct cousin, this will only happen over my corpse Viserys! - She stated vehemently before leaving her husband's office, slamming the door behind her.

❦❦❦

Y/n had her back to the door when Aemond returned, she was sitting once again in the armchair that faced his table, and without her noticing the bag he just placed it next to a pot with a plant that was close to the door already heading towards the table once more.

-What are you doing? -He raised his eyebrows when he saw her with some papers on the table, but as he got closer he could see that she was drawing and smiled.

-I had a sudden inspiration and I needed to draw so I wouldn't forget. - She said excitedly as she scribbled a dress on paper. - It's just a sketch, I'll improve it later.

She shrugged, biting her lower lip as she continued to place the details she had imagined in the sketch. Aemond nodded as she sat down once again, already connecting the flash drive to the computer.

-It's looking great for me.

Y/n smiled in the middle of the drawing when she heard the compliment, and just continued to scribble and Aemond couldn't help but be distracted by watching the way she drew lines with such ease, making the drawing better and better and more vivid, always enchanted him.

And with a sigh he finally looked from the computer and went back to work. Almost an hour later he managed to meet the goal he had set for that day, while Y/n made a list of things she would need to resolve in the coming weeks. Aemond stood up and put his laptop back in his briefcase once again, while Y/n handed him the papers she had used to take notes and draw her ideas, in a silent request for him to keep them.

She then walked towards Aemond with that cat-like smile that made his chest burn with heat.

-You know, I was marking out everything I'm going to need to do in the next few days and I realized that I'm going to be very busy. -She ran her fingers slowly over his chest as he approached. - And I know you're very busy too. -She spoke softly while looking at him with those bright eyes, while she clung more and more to him. - I'm thinking about taking this weekend just for the two of us.

-Mmnn. - Aemond just murmured in response as he listened to her speak.

-We could go to Lys. For the private side of the island where photography is prohibited, no cell phones, no Internet, no one would see us. -She whispered close to his ear. - I want to have a little more of you just for me. Without anyone bothering you.

-I have a lot of work. -Aemond spoke in a hoarse voice as he firmly grabbed her waist.

-Come on Aem. - She whispered, hanging around his neck while distributing kisses and sucks. -It's weekend. - Y/n then stood on tiptoe and sucked his earlobe. - Please Aem. I swear I won't bother you again this week. - She practically begged, purring into his ear as he held her around her waist tighter and tighter.

-Please. - She asked, looking into his eyes after trailing sweet, wet kisses down his jaw to his lips. And Aemond lifted her off the floor without warning and sat her on the table, making her almost scream amidst her laughter. And Y/n instantly crossed her legs against his hips, pulling him even closer.

-Alright, but only the weekend. - He said, rubbing his nose against hers, which immediately opened the most beautiful smile Aemond had ever seen in his life.

-Really? - She asked, holding his face between her palms and when Aemond nodded, Y/n automatically covered him with kisses while laughing. - It's going to be the best weekend ever.

Aemond nodded as he trailed kisses down Y/n's neck with a slight smile on his lips, already moving his hands up from her hips to the hem of her shorts and pulling her shirt off. Aemond long fingers removed button by button from the buttonholes until the shirt was completely open in front, leaving Y/n's breasts exposed to him with the sapphire necklace hanging between them.

He stopped for a few moments to admire her and Y/n barely waited before pulling him towards her again, kissing his lips fervently.

-Wait just a second. - Aemond spoke almost breathlessly as he slowly walked away from Y/n who was looking at him confused. The older man then went towards the bag and pulled the heels from inside, taking them to Y/n who bit her lower lip when she saw Aemond's malicious smile and what he had in his hands.

Without saying anything he bent down in front of her, and unfastened the side buckle of her left sandal, slowly removing it and leaving a soft kiss on her calf before placing the heel on her foot, making her sigh. Soon after, he did the same thing with his right foot and she caught her breath, Y/n couldn't understand why any simple act by Aemond seemed so erotic.

-Ready. - He said, standing up again and kissing her again, Y/n made to let the black shirt slip off her shoulders, but Aemond stopped her, muttering in disapproval as he pulled the shirt back into place.

-Leave it like that for me. - He whispered against her ear. - You have no idea how hot you look wearing my clothes.

-Do you know how difficult it was to spend the day working and working while you were in front of me in those clothes? - He bit her ear while speaking. - The only thing I was thinking about was how I would like to rip those shorts off you and fuck you into oblivion.

-So do it! - She practically begged as she pulled Aemond closer to her by the sides of his jacket. - Please Aem, fuck me.

Y/n rubbed against him like a sly cat eager for touch, and Aemond unbuckled her belt and shorts, getting down from the table and pulling her shorts down, he then felt his mouth water when he realized that Y/n wasn't wearing anything underneath. of clothes.

-Weren't you wearing anything underneath all day? - His voice sounded practically like a growl, and Y/n just smiled mischievously as she slowly shook her head, biting her lower lip, making Aemond moan and pull her into a kiss.

-Whore. - He murmured softly against her lips and Y/n smiled proudly, biting Aemond's lower lip and pulling it slightly, making him moan with satisfaction, while lifting her up once again and laying her on the table with an absolutely malicious look on her face.

-Open those beautiful legs for me. -Aemond practically purred as he admired her lying half-naked on her office desk, and Y/n almost promptly opened her legs gently for him, not even blushing at the action as she stared at Aemond with eyes dark with desire.

Aemond held her by the thighs, carefully caressing the area, and then he took his hands to her intimacy, letting his fingers gently caress the lips of her pussy, Y/n was so wet that he could see the moisture even on the outside of her intimacy. . And then he opened her gently, letting out a sigh at the sight before him, her delicious wetness oozing out as her vaginal canal pressed against nothing making even more grooves flow out. Aemond brought his fingertips there and gently rubbed from the entrance to the clitoris, dragging the moisture there as he admired in wonder while Y/n shuddered.

-Fuck how I missed that cunt. - Aemond practically groaned before leaning forward and sucking her clitoris eagerly, making her moan and hold onto his hair tightly.

-I wanted you all day too. - She sighed as she rolled her eyes in pleasure and crossed her legs over Aemond's neck, making him pant against her pussy as he felt her heels against his back.

He ran his tongue even more eagerly inside Y/n with even more effort when he felt the sting caused by her shoes making her tremble uncontrollably on the table while she shamelessly rubbed herself against his face begging for more. His strong hands firmly held her thighs open for him, and Y/n whimpered and moaned, pulling Aemond's hair eagerly as she felt her entire body go out of control as the feeling of pleasure took over her body and Aemond ate her through the orgasm leaving her breathless, unable to say anything other than his name.

-I love your taste. - He sighed, leaving a kiss on Y/n's right thigh and moving away from her, who was still shaking uncontrollably after the wave of pleasure. - I love the sounds you make when I'm between your legs. - His eyes were dark as he stared at her hungrily.

- You know that, you know that if I could I would leave you like this. - He took his hands to her nipples and squeezed them, making her gasp. - Naked and with her legs spread on the table in my office, so I could have you whenever I wanted.

-I would stay. - She promised, standing up on her arms. - It would stay and it would be good for you. - Y/n nodded positively looking at Aemond with her eyes shining. - I would do everything you told me to do.

And losing what little patience he had left, he pulled her by the thighs, taking her off the table and turning her back towards him.

-Do you know what I want now? - He growled in her ear and Y/n felt her legs give out, having to lean on the table to stand up, and she just shook her head and lost her breath once again when Aemond turned her to face him with just an impulse.

-I want those beautiful lips wrapped around my cock. - He grunted with his face almost glued to hers and Y/n nodded positively, almost anxiously. - On your knees!

Aemond didn't need to say it twice, he had barely ordered it and Y/n was already falling on her knees in front of him ready to take him.

-Always so anxious. - He rolled his eyes, caressing her lower lip with his thumb and Y/n, who was looking at him from under her eyelashes with that look of false innocence that killed him, just stuck out her tongue and gently licked his finger.

-Whore. - He practically spat out the words as he grabbed her by the jaw and looked at her with eyes dark with desire, losing his mind even more when he saw a malicious smile take over Y/n's lips as she slowly brought her hands to his belt, removing it with Careful. She then released the button on his pants and pulled them just enough to release Aemond's dick to herself, Y/n then licked her palms and still facing him began to massage his dick from base to tip in the way she knew how. which he liked.

-By seven you drive me crazy! - Aemond grunted before sitting down on the chair and pulling Y/n next to him. The sight of her kneeling before him wearing only those damn silver heels, the sapphire necklace around her neck and his shirt hanging around her shoulders as she stared at him with eyes dark with desire almost killed him.

And without saying anything Y/n cradled him again in her hands and took him to her mouth after so long without tasting him, moaning with satisfaction when she felt the taste of Aemond again on the tip of her tongue. She guided her tongue along the long vein that ran beneath his length and then sucked on the tip making him moan in satisfaction under her touch.

Y/n felt satisfaction come over her as she took him in her mouth, she looked up and almost moaned when she saw the expression of pure satisfaction in Aemond's eyes as he had his head thrown back on the back of the chair as he enjoyed every touch of her. And when Y/n started to pick up speed, taking him almost entirely in her mouth while massaging the part that didn't fit, Aemond placed his hands on her head, guiding the rhythm while now looking into her eyes without wavering.

-So fucking good for me. - He caressed her face with his thumbs as he spoke. - Such a sweet little mouth.

With each moan she made against his cock, Aemond had to work harder not to cum. Every moment he looked into those eyes full of desire he almost lost control over his own body. And grunting a filthy swear word that made Y/n moan he pulled her off his dick leaving her confused.

-No. - Y/n protested, trying to take him in her mouth again. – I want to make you come.

-Not yet, Your Highness. - Aemond murmured, getting up from the chair and pulling her towards him. - You know things aren't always the way we want them to be.

Y/n gasped when he turned her back to him in one fell swoop, pinning her against the table and leaning her over it again.

-Now be good and be silent. - He whispered against Y/n's ear while pressing himself against her back, who just nodded, whimpering in anticipation.

Aemond then took his hand to the base of his own cock and guided it to Y/n's entrance, rubbing it gently through the folds in a silent tease before penetrating her. And Y/n, when she felt it, dug her fingers into the edge of the table hard as if she needed to keep herself anchored to something to avoid falling off a cliff.

-Always accepting me so well. - He panted heavily as he kissed the back of her neck, and when he lowered his eyes he could see his initials embroidered on the collar of his shirt, letting out a grunt of satisfaction as he pulled the shirt enough to bite Y/n's shoulder. - Letting me take you anywhere.

-Always Aem. - She whimpered at him, dragging him further into the frenzy.

-Such a good cunt. Just mine. -And amidst moans and dirty words Aemond began to fuck her pussy with fervor, the table creaked across the wooden floor and Y/n couldn't contain the sounds that came out of his mouth no matter how hard he tried. Her suppressed moans echoed through the room and Aemond smiled against her neck as he heard them, always proud of the sweet sounds she made for him.

-Being quiet has never been your strong suit, hasn't it, love? - He murmured to her. - Always making these delicious sounds for me. So perfect.

Y/n felt tears in her eyes, she felt her whole body heating up, she felt like her heart was going to come out of her mouth. Aemond's voice destroyed her on its own, combined with her touches there was no chance for her. Each thrust of his took her closer to the end, with each gentle movement of his fingers against her sensitive nipples and she saw more stars, with each kiss he left on her neck and she felt closer to falling.

-Please Aem. - She begged looking back. - Give me more.

Aemond felt crazy, with no control over his own body, the only thing on his mind was Y/n and how delicious her body felt against his. And going deeper and deeper inside her he felt an uncontrollable pressure in his lower abdomen and spilled himself inside her in thick ropes while panting close to Y/n's ear, squeezing her waist tightly and whispering softly how good she was and how she was the only one who made him feel this way. And with those words and that feeling, Y/n came undone against Aemond's dick, shaking and whimpering his name without control.

After Y/n came bent over Aemond's office desk, he still panting over her trembling body spoke softly against the shell of her ear with his voice slurred by pleasure as he left a soft kiss there.

-I warned you that I never make threats that I don't intend to carry out.

tag list: @afro-hispwriter @fan-goddess @strangersunghoon

Next chapter

[lokisprettygirl]

Close Ties (Daemon Targaryen x Female Reader) (Modern AU) (Non canon) (18+)

Read Chapter 8 // Series Masterlist

Chapter 9

Summary : Trip to Japan with Uncle Daemon doesn't go as planned but that could be a blessing in disguise.

Warning: 18+, dad's best friend trope, canon (we don't know her..don't like don't read), feeling of hopelessness, slight uncle kink if you squint, familial uncle niece sort of relationship but he's not really her uncle, there will be more smut later, significant age gap but reader is in her mid twenties, mention of infidelity, divorce, smoking and alcohol drinking, physical violence implied

You were in your room at your parent's house packing for your trip to Japan, sure you had a place of your own but since you frequented here often you made sure to keep the majority of your belongings here as well, besides you had your flight with Daemon in three hours and didn't have much time to spare.

“Lingerie ..yup ..keep the lingeries..he may not touch you yet but he sure can look”

Daemon had told you to go see him in his room before heading downstairs. Was he going to kiss you? You had no idea, he was such a tease and very unpredictable.

You were excited to go see him when out of nowhere Cassandra came rushing into your room..

“Babee auntie just told me you're leaving for Japan”

You heard her voice so you gave her a fake smile, like a coward you still had not confronted her, but it's been two weeks since you had seen her last so that was good progress right?

“Yeah it's a work thingy with ummm Uncle Daemon” you told her so she smiled,

“Mmm how's your Uncle daemon doing anyway?” you gulped as she questioned you, if she knew what was going on with you and him she'd lose her mind completely. It was weird because she probably would have been the first person you would have gone to if things were normal between you two or if she hadn't slept with Daemon or gone on secret vacations with your ex..

“He's alright..” you mumbled so she sighed.

“How long is this trip for?”

“4-5 days?” You told her so she looked at you with a full smile.

“Good I'll have to pack accordingly” she jumped up and down as if it was a pleasant surprise for you that she wanted to join you.

“What do you mean?” You asked her as you crossed your arms in nervousness,

“Aren't you excited..we are going to have so much fun babe..i have never been to Japan” she giggled but it didn't amuse you at all.

“Cass I'm not going there for fun, it's a work trip and I'm pretty sure I'll have to be with Daemon to all the meetings, that's the whole point of this trip” her smile faltered as you said that,

“Did you just call him Daemon?” She asked you as she crossed her arms like a petulant child so you sighed again.

“Sir..Daemon.. whatever..he's my boss as well now Cass and things have been weird since you two had that fling ..I don't want weirdness on this trip..i need to focus on work”

And on your relationship with him. You needed privacy.

“Wow are you really not taking me with you now that you have a big girl's job? God you have changed” She said to you, she seemed genuinely upset and offended.

As she turned around to storm out of your room you called her once or twice but you didn't make much effort, a part of you did feel guilty but you shoved it aside. You really thought she'd just leave but she went downstairs instead and it must have been your misfortune that your father was home for once. After a few minutes your dad called you and told you that you didn't have to worry about the trip, her ticket was taken care of and that you could take Cassandra with you, and he would make sure all of you have a good time there and not just drown yourselves in work.

Gee thanks dad. Daemon was going to be pissed for sure.

When you didn't go see him like he had told you, Daemon went to your room first but it was all empty so he went downstairs and he saw Cassandra giving him a sly smile, there was luggage right next to her.

He glared at you and you were avoiding his gaze, probably due to embarrassment.

“Mate forget about the past and you both should move on, we are like family and that's how it should be..take this trip as an opportunity to resolve your differences” your dad said to him as he pointed towards Cassandra, she was exceptionally giddy ofcourse, she got her way like always.

Jackson was going to drive the three of you to the airport, there was an awkward silence in the car, you could see him looking at you through the rear view mirror and then you heard your phone ping,

He didn't respond to you after that, he wasn't even looking at you or talking to you, he was upset and rightly so.

As you all took your seats in the plane she swapped her seat with you because she wanted to “apologize to daemon and make things normal” but you knew it was just another excuse to stay close to him.

She wasn't even acknowledging that she had gone against your wishes and joined this trip despite your clear resistance.

You had to sit on the right side of the business class row while they were on the left, it was going to be a very long, very lonely and very tense flight for you..you wanted to spend these 12 hours just talking to him but that won't happen now.

After a few hours as Cassandra went to the bathroom you quickly got up from your seat and sat down next to him. He had his airpods in, his sunglasses down, and he appeared to be lost in thought. You gently tapped him on the shoulder and he looked up, visibly annoyed at first, thinking it was Cassandra who had woken him up. As he spotted you, his expression softened, but he still seemed unhappy about the whole situation.

“I know you're cross with me.. extremely cross”

He sighed as you said that,

“I told you to confront her, i have said it a million times in the past month” his voice was firm and strict like a school teacher,

“I know i should have –”

“Yeah you should have..she wouldn't be here right now if you had done so”

Your eyes teared up as he said that, you didn't like making him upset.

“I'm sorry..it's just not easy..we have been friends for years” you mumbled meekly and he was about to turn to you to comfort you but Cassandra returned so you quickly got up and went back to your seat.

His anger was misdirected he knew, he was pissed at Cassandra but as he didn't want to pay any attention to her he didn't even let his anger out on her because it didn't really matter to her what sort of attention she was receiving..

He knew he had to comfort you soon because he understood your plight. He stayed in a broken relationship for more than a decade, he understood how hard it was to let go of things you wanted to keep forever. You had always struggled to make genuine friends, so you had put a lot of effort into building a relationship with Cassandra but he could tell what kind of a person she was. She just wanted to use you.

He also wanted to discuss the work presentation with you so he asked Cassandra to swap seats with you which she did after rolling her eyes and whining for a minute.

“Daemon–” he interrupted you as you took his name because he could feel Cassandra's eyes on you and she was eavesdropping as well.

“Let's just focus on work alright…it's a work trip” he said to you so you swallowed the rest of your words, this wasn't going well, your relationship had just started like last night and this wasn't supposed to happen this way.

However as you helped him with the presentation you felt the tension melting slightly, he seemed in a better mood as he was smiling often and he was trying to cheer you up as well.

“Are you guys done ..like ..this seat is a bit uncomfortable not gonna lie” Cassandra threw her words in the air so Daemon glared at her,

“Then jump off the bloody plane” your eyes widened as he said that to her and she just scoffed in response. Now that had managed to bring a huge smile to your face.

As you all finally reached Tokyo and made your way to your respective rooms you couldn't help but stress about Cassandra, when you were at dinner together there was a pin drop silence between you three and it was the weirdest and most uncomfortable situation.

When you returned to your room you quickly showered and changed into a night dress. As you heard your phone vibrate at first you thought it must be Daemon but it was Cassandra instead. She wanted you to go visit a local nightclub with her that she had read rave reviews about. Did she realize that you were there for work and had a meeting in the morning?

You didn't respond but texted Daemon instead because you wanted to see him and clear the tension between you both however you didn't receive a response for a good fifteen minutes and you couldn't wait even a second longer so you put on a robe and stepped out of your room.

All three of you had rooms right next to each so you had to pass by Cassandra's room to reach Daemon's.

You knocked on his door and he opened soon after, he still had the laptop on his arm and he was on a call so he stepped aside and gestured for you to get in. You sat down on his bed so he smiled as he looked at you even though he was still deeply engrossed in that call.

“Hai! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu Mr Hayashi…Oyasumi” you crossed your arms as he spoke something in Japanese, as he hung up he took the airpods out and walked towards his desk to put his laptop down.

“You speak Japanese?” You asked him so he chuckled.

“Of Course not..i Googled it right before the call”

You smiled as he said that and reached closer to you.

“I texted you and you ignored me” he smiled and leaned down to kiss your forehead, sure he was upset with Cassandra's lack of boundaries and manners but he wasn't going to ruin this trip or hurt you because of that.

“I was working sweetheart”

“Mmm you're upset i know”

“I'm not upset ..i worry”

“She won't trouble you, you just have to ignore her” he sighed as you said that and sat down next to you.

“It's not me that I worry about”

“I tried to make her not come with us, i really did” your eyes teared up so he pulled you closer to him and hugged you, he hadn't done that since he had seen you last in his cabin which to be Frank was barely 24 hours ago.

“I know but did you try to confront her about the doubts you had regarding Dylan?”

“No” you shook your head and he placed his forehead down on yours,

“You know you need to do that, she's not a good friend you must know that now don't you?” he asked you softly and you nodded in response, you knew everything but you had a hard time accepting it..

“It's just..I don't have many friends..I have lost friends before but at least i knew that they just wanted to get close to me because of my dad..with Cassandra I just..what does she want?” your voice was laced with a mix of sadness and frustration as you spoke.

“Same thing but even worse i fear, first of all she's so annoying I don't know how you tolerate her”

“Well the same way you were able to tolerate her while you were fucking her”

There was a silence before you felt his fingers clutching around your hair and he pulled on it slightly. You had trouble breathing as soon as he kissed the corner of your mouth and trailed his lips down your chin,

“What have I said about swearing?”

“Mmm that i should do it more often?” he smiled as you said that.

Lord he found you absolutely adorable when you got all sassy with him.

“Your mouth is going to bring you trouble sweetheart, I'm asking again so this time think carefully before you speak”

Oh god. A part of you really wanted to defy him again just to see what he'd do to you but then your need to be his good girl weighted heavier.

“Mm that it doesn't suit me?”

“Mmm that being said, i fucked her because I was a lonely single man and she was available and quite eager to throw herself at me, her personality isn't what attracted me to her, but you can't say the same now can you?”

He caressed your scalp before he kissed your cheek, he could tell you were thinking about what he had said.

“She wasn't always like this..or maybe I just ..maybe I like to live in denial” your voice sounded defeated and he absolutely abhorred seeing you in this situation.

“I don't want you to lose a friend..but i need you to be careful before letting a person into your life like this. She has been going on free trips with you since she met you, she's using your name and your dad's wealth to get what she wants from you ..but that's not enough for her and you know that” Daemon's voice was filled with concern and your eyes teared up again as you knew he was looking out for you.

He might have just become your boyfriend of sorts like two days ago but he has always been someone who had your best interests at heart, you knew he'd never give you bad advice.

“In college ..during our last year, there was this guy Seth..he ummm..I liked him and i thought he did too because he used to look at me when I wasn't looking at him and he'd try to talk to me at times ..but on New years bunch of us went to New York City together and they kissed there as the ball dropped, I never confronted her because she didn't know that i liked him” he kissed your forehead softly as your innocent words clenched his heart. She always had her eyes on whatever you wanted.

“Or perhaps she did, ever thought about that?”

“Now am I'm thinking about that and..I just thought she had changed with time..it's hard to accept that maybe she has always been this way and I was so dumb that i couldn't see her real self” he cupped your cheeks as you said that. There's no way he'd ever want you to feel bad about keeping your heart kind and open for others..

“You're not dumb ..no my sweetheart, not at all, you're my sweetest pixie.. a bit naive yes but you'll learn and grow from such errors in judgement” he mumbled softly so you smiled as you hugged him before you climbed on his lap.

He quickly wrapped his arms around your waist and rocked you back n forth gently to comfort you.

“Besides.. every time you feel dumb, just remember that i spent eleven years with a woman that couldn't stop cheating on our marriage”

You pulled away and cupped his cheeks as he said that.

“Well you learned too Mister, now you have me and I'd never ever put you through that pain” a smile crept on his lips at your sweet words.

“Me neither, you for me ..as long as you want me”

“Mmmm as long as I want?” you spoke in a childish voice and it made his smile even wider.

“I got 30 years max..not making it past 70 so yeah it's as long as you want”

“Don't say that..”

“Mmmhm what are you gonna do about it?" His tone was challenging,

“I might kiss you”

“Ooohh is that a threat?” he let out a playful gasp,

“I am threatening you”

He laid down on the bed with you still on top of him and then he flipped you under him. He kissed your forehead and then kissed the tip of your nose, grabbing his chin between his thumb and forefinger he made you look at him. Not that you had your eyes off him.

“I have thought about this so many times” you mumbled as you caressed his chin with your fingertips.

“Mmm so have i..but only in the last four months”

“I know..you don't have to justify yourself to me of all people” he sighed and nodded as you said that.

“It's just strange at times. We have photos of us together when you were just a kid, on several occasions i had my arms around your shoulders or was hugging you, things can be misconstrued. I always feel like i should watch my words when I speak”

“Not with me”

You felt that he was finally going to kiss you but then you both heard a knock on the door and you quickly got up as you had a feeling it was Cassandra. Of course it was.

“What do I do?” You asked him so he chuckled,

“Hide in the closet? I'd suggest we pretend to work but I don't trust her to not fabricate things and snitch on us to your parents”

Could she really do that you wondered?

“Okay hiding in the closet it is then”

He had left the door of the closet slightly open, lights were dimmed in the room so she won't be able to see you anyways he figured. You stood inside with bated breaths as you heard his footsteps fade away from you.

“Have you seen y/n? She's not answering the door or her calls” she asked him as she entered the room on her own accord even though he hadn't invited her in.

“Look Cassandra..you nobhead.. I'm busy so just fuck off yess?”

He glared at her so she smiled. She was just shameless like that.

“Awn i thought you'd be more worried about her, isn't she like your niece?” her voice was so shrill it really pierced his ears in the worst possible manner.

“I reckon she's in her room”

“Mmmm or she's out with a bloke or something, it's not that she hasn't done it before” she sighed as she sat down on his bed.

Now you had a clear view of her from the closet that he had left ajar, your phone was on his bedside table and he was just hoping it won't start ringing , also what she had just said about you had pissed him off more, he knew you weren't the type to do something so careless even if you both weren't in this new relationship.

“uhhhuh that seems like something you'd do”

He clapped back at her so she smiled again. She wasn't done just yet.

“You know you have no idea how careless she can be with men in these new places..i mean i get the appeal of course but safety is important don't you think? She can't even defend herself in such situations as I have had to do so for her countless times before. I just worry too much, I think that's why she has been avoiding me lately” she made a sad face but he wasn't falling for that, he hoped you had heard the way she was talking about you behind your back, if she said all that your supposed uncle he couldn't imagine how she has been portraying you in front of strangers.

“She has really changed since she met Rhaenyra” his brows furrowed as she said that. He knew you had befriended Rhae since your birthday party.

“My niece?”

“Mhhm she's definitely a bad influence on y/n”

“Rhaenyra is a decent girl and so is y/n”

“Mmmmhm really because I saw your niece in a club a few days ago giggling in the arms of a man who seemed much older than her, i couldn't help but wonder where I had seen him before and then i realized I met him at your birthday party” he turned to look at her as she said that, sure he didn't want to believe a single word that came out of her attention seeking whore mouth but his protectiveness towards his actual niece weighed in. Rhaneyra was the same age as you so he knew she could make her own decisions like you but he was still worried.

“What man?” He asked her so she smiled,

“Mmm, your brother's business partner? I don't remember his name to be honest as I don't really care about her” she shrugged and she had that infuriating smile on her face so he smiled at her finally

“Well perhaps you'd have remembered his name if you had fucked him”

She glared at him as he said that she had been trying so hard to make him see her differently but she didn't know why he was so unaffected by her, usually guys often caved in eventually.

“Now fuck off i have a meeting tomorrow” he grabbed her arm and walked her towards the door, when he reached he shoved her out with a little force, he then watched her huff and make her way to the elevator instead of going to your room to check on you again. She was so deeply worried about you but didn't want to see if you were alright or not?

As you heard the door closing you stepped out of the closet and he immediately noticed that there was a dejected look on your face, not only has she bitched about you behind your back but had also tried to malign Rhaenyra's image in front of her uncle.

You snapped out of your thoughts as you felt him wrap his arms around you and you immediately pressed your chest against his broad comfy chest, he truly was your safe haven. Now that he had returned you couldn't imagine going years without never hearing from again.

As you looked up eventually he cupped your cheeks and kissed your forehead before he kissed your cheek.

“You alright?” He asked you so you nodded,

“Now i know what I have to do with her, maybe this was the push i needed”

“Good girl” your face flushed as his soft voice infiltrated your senses but there was a look of confusion on his face “Do you know anything about Rhaenyra and Harwin?” He asked as he stepped a little away from you, making you gulp in nervousness, his hand combed through his hair.

“You know you can't believe anything she says” you chuckled but he could see right through you.

"I find it unusually precise for her to invent such a story. She's not particularly astute. And you, my love?" He paused for a moment, gazing at you intently, before resuming, "Don't even consider attempting to deceive me like that." You let out a small sound of frustration before letting out a long breath, weighing his words carefully.

“Daemon she's a big girl, I'm sure she knows what she's doing..you can't go all uncle on her.. it would make you seem like a hypocrite” he scowled as you said that.

“It's not hypocrisy to look out for your loved ones”

“I know..but it's not a mindless affair …she's in love with him” you mumbled hurriedly and his eyes widened.

“I don't even know what sort of bloke he is.. didn't even get to talk to him at the party..isn't he like forty?”

Instead of answering you just tilted your head at the irony of the situation. “Oh pipe it down love..not every older man has good intentions.. consensus would say that majority of them are just predators..just sharks waiting to pounce on younger flesh” you walked closer to him as he said that and wrapped your arms around him, he was kind of cute with his feathers all ruffled.

“Mmm so you have good intentions for me hmm?”

“Of Course I do”

“I know mister, just calm down okay, besides if you want to know him better you just have to reach out to her, she has missed her uncle as well in these years, in a pure innocent way ofcourse unlike me” he chuckled as you said that, you caressed his cheek with your thumb and it made him smile, you weren't wrong though, you always had something wise to say to him.

“We all loved you so much even as kids, you had no idea how comforting it was to have you around me especially during festivals and vacations, you didn't alienate me like other adults, you spent time with me and made me laugh with your funny jokes…and I'm sure you did the same with Rhaneyra and Aemond when you were with your family..they'd love to have their old uncle back”

His eyes were teary by the time you were done speaking so you cupped his cheeks and curled your arms around him.

The decision to leave his family and you wasn't a well thought one, he left on an impulse, he was angry and raged, nothing else made sense to him at the time, he just knew he couldn't have stayed here.

However the way your relationship with him has changed so drastically now, for once he didn't regret leaving because watching you grow up into this fine young woman and then developing an attraction towards you later in life would have been way worse than what it was now and he probably never would have acted on it if that was the case so maybe everything happened the way they did for a reason.. that's to say he hadn't forgotten why he had to leave. He'd never forget.

“Do I get to cuddle you tonight?” You asked him so he shook his head,

“That won't be a wise course of action if we are trying to take the slow approach”

“Ummm hello? You are”

“Well you deserve that sweetheart”

You grinned from ear to ear as he said that. Yeah you deserved to be treated tenderly and with utmost care, he'd never do anything that would ruin the bond he shared with you, even if you both part ways someday in romantic sense he hoped that you'd still think of him fondly.

Next day you watched him at the meeting and your mind was blown, you were trying to focus on the work but you couldn't just turn off that part of your brain that made you tick and so devastatingly aroused for him, he was confident and fierce, he knew how to manipulate and get those people to like him, and he was so charming. He was a businessman through and through.

And he was a great mentor to you, you were actually going to learn plenty from him if you wanted to stay in the family business, no wonder your father trusted him to teach you the tricks of the business , everything seemed fine between them now but you often thought about him fleeing the country once and you still didn't know the reason for that.

As you reached the hotel again, you found Cassandra in the lobby and she walked towards you. Daemon then looked at you and he gave you a knowing look. It was now or never for you, she'd continue to remain toxic if you don't confront her just now.

As you neared her you were going to say something but she opened her mouth first.

“I have a confession to make, i slept with Dylan”

👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Taglist

@serving-targaryen-realness @annoyingsweetsstranger @anukulee @mcufan72 @insertsomethingsillyhereple-blog @silentf @ajthefujoshi @stupidthoughtsinwriting @ammo23 @shuichiakainx @daddylokisqueen @ipostwhtifeel @anehkael @madlyinlovewmattmurd0ck @dixie-elocin

[teddypickerry]

Hi! I love your work and I was wondering if you could do a Jess Mariano X Reader IG au if possible :)

INSTAGRAM AU!

jess mariano x gilmore! reader.

lorelaidragonfly Paul Anka hates cameras…?

yngilmore lorelaidragonfly jess put peanut butter on his hand lollll

rory.gilmore Be careful or Jess will start blasting Coldplay over the caption

babetteluvsmorey So cute doll! 💜

daveguitarist Twins

lukehatesig Jess.

jessmariano7 lukehatesig Hi Uncle Lukey!

yngilmore jessie get your man buns and camera out of there

jessmariano7 yngilmore You’ve insulted me

laneroxks favorite couple

sookieskitchen 🌞💛

lorelaidragonfly When two teenagers have a better relationship than most of the world.

rory.gilmore This is so cute ☺️

misspattystudio Adorable you two!

jessmariano7 Why didn’t I notice you taking this

yngilmore jessmariano7 bc you love your book more than me 💔

yngilmore HEYYYYYY

jessmariano7 yngilmore How’s it feel????

yngilmore jessmariano7 😐

rory.gilmore And to think I used to be the only reader in the family

lorelaidragonfly Is that my scrunchie? 🤬🤬🤯😒😡😒😠😒😩😒

lukehatesig Good photo Jess. The only good one you’ve ever taken because you’re not in it.

jessmariano7 lukehatesig Strike 7.

lorelaidragonfly Happy Birthday Sly💘

rory.gilmore the diary entry oh my gosh 😭 i love you guys!!!! happy jess day 💝

lizdanes My baby boy💞💞💞💞 Happy 18th to my little adult.

laneroxks happy birthday jess. i hope you get a very cool deftones record from a korean girl. ☺️

sookieskitchen You guys are the best! Happy Birthday Jess💛

babetteluvsmorey Aw it’s the Gnome Stealer’s birthday!

taylorstarshollow Eighteen and free! Does that mean he’s leaving Stars Hollow?

!

[unusual-raccoon]

Kinslayer | by Unusual_Raccoon (Luke Rivers/Lucemond AU) - Part IV

Warnings: Alternate Universe, Explicit Sexual Content, Established Relationship, Uncle/Nephew Incest, Intercrural Sex, Hand Jobs, Come as Lube, Rough Sex, Mutual Pining, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Canon-Typical Violence, Aftercare

Summary: The Prince Aemond Targaryen and his bedmate, Luke Rivers, adjust to the realities of living in King's Landing.

___

Three days and three nights - that was how long it had taken Aemond to clothe the boy.

His behavior was repugnant, he was no fool to this, yet…

The thought of having witnessed anything obscuring that pale flesh, anything but the prince’s own seed and an army of love-bites, stoked madness in Aemond’s blood.

‘Twas the fourth morning when Aemond stirred to a timid knock at the door.

Dyana, he’d quickly realized.

Kingsguard tended to knock like they meant to cleave the door in two, Dyana however, knocked as though she were afraid of being heard.

His long hair was snarled with sweat, surely some white-gold strands remained tangled around Luke’s demanding little fingers. Aemond had arched from the sheets, attempted to crawl out from under the coverlet when he found himself drawn to a stop by a maze of limbs locked around him.

A needy sound burned warm against his throat, a sound that pleaded, do not leave me.

He had the claimed the boy within an inch of mania morn through night. Pumped him with enough seed to have sired generations of dragons to come, were he a woman, and still, it was not enough.

He pressed the length of nose into those wild wooly dark curls, he breathed deep and smelled the salt of sweat and lilacs.

“Someone is at the door,” Aemond explained, voice coarse and muffled against Luke’s curls.

“Make them go away.” Luke mumbled meekly in return. Aemond chuckled at the coy caress of a little foot across the sinew of his bare calf.

“Is that a command, Taoba?” Aemond asked with a self-satisfied laugh as he toyed with the only part of Lucerys that emerged from the nest of blankets: his hair. The rest of him was painted in varying shades of purples, blues, and yellows, all adorned boxy hips and slender stretches of skin in the shape of Aemond’s fingers and starved mouth.

“A request, my Prince.” Luke amended drowsily, wielding all the diplomacy of a practiced courtier whilst half-asleep. The boy cocked his head to the side, and bared the sly peek of a pink ear from beneath the blankets for Aemond to nibble upon.

Needy hands clung to his neck and had drawn him closer, giggled upon the brush of white-gold hair into the open mouth of the twisted bedding.

“Hm,” Aemond hummed gently where his lips had been pressed to the boy’s ear.

A lasting kiss was placed upon Luke’s forehead, before Aemond extricated himself from the welcome heat of the boy’s alabaster skin; the boy’s throat had tensed with a longing whine for Aemond to return to his side, a siren song the prince ached to heed.

The carpeting had done little to muffle the biting cold of the stone floor as Aemond traveled to the door; his limbs ached for the warmth of Lucerys’ body.

A swift tug upon the door revealed Dyana, as he had portended. The girl was as meek as ever, head lowered, while Aemond had obscured most of his nakedness with a clever tilt of the door.

“Good morrow, my prince.” Dyana greeted, voice tilted towards the floor.

“Good morrow, Dyana.” The Prince replied softly.

Aemond had been surprised to discover a tray of food awaiting them: an assortment of fruits, exotic and local, delicately cubed bits of cheese, fresh bread still warm from the kitchens, a handful of boiled chicken’s eggs, and a small carafe of watered down wine.

It had been their growing tradition over the course of the days Aemond and Luke had spent holed away in a heaven of their own making, that Dyana would loyally leave a tray of food for them, as they’d be more than like to starve if left to their own devices. They had only an appetite for one another it seemed.

The finery of the meal placed before them was…suspicious, however.

“To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” Aemond asked, as he eyed the platter skeptically.

“Her Grace, The Queen asks that you enjoy your meal and would join her along with the small council in court, my prince.”

Aemond swallowed stiffly, mouth turned sour. Of course, he mused to himself, his paradise could not be eternal, for after all, he was a prince.

“Thank you, Dyana,” He said in a clipped tone, he grievance wasn’t with the soft-spoken serving girl, but even dragonfire tended to consume all in the pursuit of its target. His gripe had and likely always would be with his mother; mother who had denied him the very conquest that laid in waiting in Aemond’s very bed.

Ever the loyal servant, the girl offered a practiced curtsy in response.

Still, Aemond had called to her again, as he was wont when she seemed most eager to scurry off.

“Clothes,” The Prince sighed to her surprise, the sharp angles of his face pressed against the lip of the door. Wild ash white hair stuck to sweat on his cheeks and neck.

“I’ll be needing clothes for my guest today.”

Dyana’s eyes widened.

“Of course, my Prince.” She said in response, her head held low, though not low enough for Aemond to have missed the ruddy blush on her cheeks. Three days and three nights and he had finally asked this of her.

“And a bath - I’ll be needing a bath as well.” Aemond added, he smelled ripely of sweat and sex and semen.

With that, he had allowed Dyana to tend to his requests. Once the mousy servant had disappeared from sight, Aemond had made to collect the meal she had delivered.

The coy peek of a pale face from beneath the bedding had pulled a smile on the prince’s lips. Aemond carefully closed the door to his chambers, while he balanced the tray of food, mindful of the carafe of watered wine.

He witnessed the playful quirk of a sumptuous pink mouth, one he ached to kiss terribly.

“That looks lovely,” Luke hummed happily, twisted in the sheets to expose the pretty pale skin of his throat, adorned heavily with love-bites and suckled dark marks.

“Do not be fooled,” Aemond warned, mood abruptly dour at his mother’s games, as he climbed atop the bed with their meal. Despite it, Lucerys still enjoyed a plump, sweet grape, that earned a small little moan as he savored the tartness of it. Aemond cocked a reproachful silver brow at his bedmate who had become the very essence of temptation.

“It tastes quite good.” Luke added with an impish smile, savoring another morsel plucked from the plate. Practiced lips sucked the reddish remnants of a sour cherry from the boy’s fingers.

“You would tempt me so? At this hour?” Aemond asked with a weak-willed sound, melted against the coverlet before crawling closer to his quarry.

“You,” the Prince said spitefully as he pressed his lips to the inside of the boy’s elbow to the sound of a thready gasp, “who hardly gave me rest these nights passed?” Another kiss was placed along the relaxed muscle of his bicep, towards the jut of his shoulder that prickled with gooseflesh in anticipation.

“My prince is not so easily sated,” Luke admitted with a shudder where Aemond’s face pressed against the crook of his throat, as he had reached for the bread left atop their plate.

Luke tore small chunks of bread from the still-warm roll, pressed a gentle offering to his prince’s lips. Aemond’s pulse had slanted with desire as he licked any taste of warm, buttered bread from the boy’s reddish fingertips. He’d dined more readily upon the quiver of the boy’s breathing than any item of food left in offering by his mother.

“You would incur my wrath once more?” Aemond continued with a sharp smile as Luke offered a small cube of cheese between little alabaster fingers, giggling when the prince snapped his teeth upon the bit of hard cheese like a wild animal; ‘twas not the cheese, however, he was aching to taste.

“I am but a humble servant, my prince.”

“Oh,” Aemond hummed as he had reached to gather a bit of fruit between his long, ivory fingers, “is that what you wish to do? Serve?”

Lucerys was rendered sweetly mute, and instead offered a stuttering nod and coy curled smile.

“Open,” Aemond instructed, pressed another sour cherry to the boy’s tongue.

The thrill of delight that coursed through him at having fed Lucerys with his own hands, left the prince clawing for another bit of food to offer.

Aemond pressed a torn piece of bread to the boy’s lips, felt the lurch of heat in his stomach as those lips grazed his fingers. The were welcomed coyly deeper when he held up a piece of hard cheese, and again for a sliver of sliced apple at which point the wet velvet of the boy’s tongue lapped away any remaining juice with prejudice.

The next morsel was received from Lucerys with a delighted giggle, held in offering between the prince’s own lips was an overly sweet grape from Qarth. The grape burst with juice where the tender flesh was torn between their ravenous mouths. When their lips had met again, it was for the taste of one another, one of Lucerys’ hands lost in Aemond’s white-gold mane.

Aemond pulled away, lips colored with the sweetness of the fruit and a needy whine pulled straight from the boy’s lungs. Lucerys had inched closer as the prince reached to pluck another offering from the platter. Luke’s tongue rolled out obediently for whatever the prince might place upon it.

I would sit here with you for an eternity, Aemond thought to himself, chest warm as he offered a hunk of locally grown bitter orange that’s alarming tartness made the boy’s mouth water.

If only, The prince mused as Lucerys’ lips cinched around an ivory knuckle without prompting. The prospect of spending any time away from his bedmate didn’t augur well. Not after having days as a slave to his unabashed desires.

Lucerys mouth accepted his thumb deeper, a coy, wanting tongue flicked over a leathery callus.

“Naughty thing,” Aemond chastised with a beckoning crescent smile.

Aemond scarcely found the wherewithal to slather the boy’s thighs in the oil that had seldom left his bedside table; the bottle had seen much use in the days since passed.

He gathered Luke in his lap, stiff manhood pressed against the liberally slicked flesh of the boy’s thighs.

He had held Lucerys’ thighs together, felt the way the boy trembled in anticipation, his pretty cock stood plump and pink upon the end.

Aemond breathed a hiss at the warm glide of friction he felt at the slippery breach he found between the boy’s thighs. A hot shuddering breath had rasped scaldingly against the exposed ivory skin of his throat as his erection pressed against Luke’s own flushed manhood between generously oiled thighs.

Alabaster fingers clung to the white-gold of Aemond’s hair while the prince pressed a sweat-slicked temple to the boy’s sharp clavicle.

He had adorned pale thighs with further marks beneath the harsh dig of milk-white fingers. Aemond groaned against the hollow of Lucerys’ throat, as his hips rutted to the salvation found between slick thighs. It was not the delight of his snug quim, but it was enough, enough for their shared frantic moment.

The fingers that had been tangled in his hair groped further, cherry stained fingertips latched upon Aemond's pale nape.

They shared shaking, humid breaths as Aemond held Luke's boxy hips, the heavy head of his glistening manhood emerged from between the boy's thighs upon each thrust.

Aemond slanted his mouth over Lucerys' own, tasted the tartness of sour cherries and bitter orange on his tongue.

He lifted his hips, had driven them up with a gasping snarl, ash white hair clung to the sweat gathered over the willowy bunch of muscles between his shoulder blades.

Aemond held fast to the boy who bucked in his lap in earnest, pressed slippery soft thighs together around the searing hot weight of him. Each thrust stroked the tender underside of the boy's drooling erection and left them both aching for more.

The hot, slippery caress of skin on skin was all they craved.

Aemond clung to Luke’s hips, pressed at the tender flesh of healing bruises: yellows, greens, blues, and deep violets. There existed a garden of color upon the boy’s skin and Aemond’s milk-white fingers had set about a new bloom.

“Stay with me,” Luke pleaded between the wet glide of their skin on skin, the thick weight of Aemond’s cock rubbing against Luke’s.

“I am with you,” Aemond swore against the damp skin of the boy’s throat, glistened with sweat and the ardor of the prince’s mouth.

Still, the boy had begged again and again.

His plea was reduced to a single word: stay.

A few more thrusts and Aemond was undone, he spilled with a groan and a harsh spasm of his shoulders. Sweat simmered upon the prince’s shoulders and back, clung in rivulets to his throat.

That had remained entangled for a few heartbeats, savoring the warmth of one another’s skin before Aemond reached for the unaddressed strain between Luke’s thighs.

The boy let out a whimper in return, hips shied from the prince’s touch.

“Aemond, please,” he said with a quivering lower lip, his body had been left oversensitized, “it’s too much.”

“You wish to serve me? Then remain still - I will see you sated.”

Luke’s hips inched the faintest bit higher, but obeyed as Aemond gathered the cooling spend glazed milky and white on the boy’s oiled thighs.

The prince wrapped his slick palm around Lucerys' stiff manhood.

Luke’s thick brows gathered together, creased in an agonized bliss as the first glide of Aemond’s palm. Eyes of copper and dirt gleamed with the embers of a dying hearth and the glitter of overstimulated tears.

“Shh,” Aemond soothed as Lucerys tucked his face against the sculpted ivory sinew of the prince’s shoulder. He’d found there was a primal joy in pleasing the boy with the slickness of Aemond’s release.

Detest Aemond’s affections as he might, Luke eventually came unraveled beneath the firm tutelage of a hand weathered from years of swordplay. The boy gasped, his hips bounced and he latched his teeth ravenously upon the flesh of Aemond’s neck with a tortured moan.

Aemond felt the stirring of fresh desire in his gut while his knuckles were painted in a warm dribble of white, and he felt the belated throb of Lucerys’ teeth dug into the ivory skin of his neck.

“Well done,” Aemond hummed full of pride and longing against the halo of the boy’s dark curls. Lucerys had come down, huffing big fraught breaths before melting against Aemond’s shoulder once more. A mournful tongue lapped in tender little licks at the damage inflicted upon the prince's neck.

They crudely cleaned off their hands on any spare scrap of cloth they could find, soiled tunics had more often become their victim.

With a shaky hand, the prince attempted to peel the first of a boiled chicken’s egg. He eviscerated the initial one, left the soft flesh mangled between twisted shards of eggshell. He had succeeded upon the second, carefully eased a spiral of eggshell into a dish upon the serving tray. Aemond chewed a thoughtful bite before passing the rest of the egg off to Lucerys.

They ate in a companionable silence, with their desire momentarily sated.

“Will you be leaving?” Lucerys asked in a small voice, suckled his lower lip between his teeth, a timid sign Aemond had not seen the likes of in the days since their arrival to King’s Landing.

“I must,” Aemond admitted, “I am needed at court. It’s something that will happen often, you will grow used to my absence.”

In truth he was no more than a Royal seat-warmer, ushered in to small council meetings to fill the spot of his wastrel brother. He was never truly needed a court, other than to accompany his mother.

He was needed here, however.

“I do not wish to grow used to it.” Lucerys announced with the crackle of fire in his words.

Aemond felt his heart tug in his chest as he gazed longingly into round eyes of copper and dirt.

“I know, my darling, I know.”

. . .

Court had been droll and had only served as a reminder that his grandfather had ceased to revel in the power of his position. Ruling in the stead of King Viserys had made a clever autocrat of the Lord Hand; a manipulative mastermind that pulled the strings of the realm’s puppet Queen - all strings, but one.

Aemond had endured the affair until the Queen had dismissed all, save for him.

“Aemond, my love?” Mother called from her seat at the table’s head.

Aemond paused amidst his lengthy stride, turned to face his mother, he discovered the soft gleam of her tired, hopeful eyes. Her small hands sat atop the table, folded together; mother’s lonely little hands. The seven pointed pendant she wore was large and gilded and sat heavily upon her slim neck, rested against the swell of her bosom, wrapped in lush green velvet. Her auburn curls had been done up, tidied into a twist in the shape of a rose at the base of her neck.

“Mother?” He called in return, arms folded behind his back.

"Would you-" she began in the soft voice she reserved for him, for them, "would you take lunch with me?"

It was earnest and pleading and Aemond's hands tensed behind his back, for all the recent anger he'd bore for her, he was still no better at denying her anything.

He chewed along the inside of his cheek, faintly tasted the meal he had shared with Luke.

Inevitably, he acquiesced and gave a simple nod in response. Her face had bloomed with a vibrancy to rival the sun.

They had retired to mother's chambers for their meal, all the while the loyal Ser Criston Cole acted as their escort.

A single shrewd look from Aemond was all it had taken for mother to politely dismiss him.

"He is too familiar," Aemond said as he held out a seat for his mother.

The table within her chambers had been dressed with everything they might require for their meal, food and drink, candles even should Aemond's stay drag into the evening. Servants had prepared a light meal, a thin, but herbaceous potage with a small platter of delicately sliced goat kid and steamed cabbage.

Mother graciously took her seat, a faint color to her cheeks.

"He is sworn to me," The Queen had explained, though it had done little to soothe Aemond's ire.

"Sworn to enter your chambers uninvited?" The prince added, he had never developed his brother's entitlement, but he supposed something about the exchange between his mother and her sworn protector had never sat particularly comfortable with him while his father had rotted merely doors away.

"Darling-" She chastised, but it was gentle, as most exchanges between them were.

"It is merely a formality - Ser Criston was only being vigilant in his duties, ensuring that I am safe."

"He need not bother if I am present." Aemond countered, mother's face had taken more color, deeper in shade, closer to the spiced red wine that filled their cups. Her throat bobbed and her hands, lonely little hands sat upon the table as she let out a sigh laden with fondness.

"Come," She beckoned, her throat tight, "sit. eat."

Aemond had blown out a breath and joined her at the table, her hand sought his before it dared reach for the likes of utensils or a goblet of wine.

They shared a small prayer before their meal, prayers to gods that Aemond's had lost some stomach for upon his brief stay in Lord Harroway's Town.

"So," She began as dipped a spoon into the aromatic potage, "tell me your thoughts of today's small council meeting."

Following their meal Aemond had retreated into the courtyard to train. It was yet another of his duties he had neglected of late.

Night had descended when the prince had finally seen fit to retire to his apartments.

He had hardly made it through the door before he was met with a tangle of limbs around him and a wanton weeping mouth.

Aemond had seized his quarry with a desire that had bubbled and blistered in his veins in their time apart. An unkind hand tangled into the coy flicks of Lucerys' dark curls, bore down on his gasping mouth with a insatiable hunger; a hunger the likes of spiced wine nor pious prayer could cure him of.

"'Tis the blackest of sorcery you wield, Luke Rivers," Aemond panted as he gathered Luke into his arms, "for I have thought of nothing, but you."

This bastard that shared his blood tilted his head back with a delighted laugh, he'd bared the pale expanse of his neck. Revealed flesh painted in marks of Aemond's affection.

All of him was covered in Aemond.

The prince carried his conquest to bed, slung the boy down onto the fresh coverlet.

He sought to see the boy covered in him once more.

. . .

There was a delight, the prince had discovered in having witnessed his bedmate dressed. When he gazed down upon Luke scrubbed clean and garbed in green silk. At this, he could disrobe the boy, layer by layer, like unwrapping a gift.

“Black,” he had informed Dyana one morning, “I would like to see him in black.”

True Targaryen colors, Aemond had mused to himself while had sorted through velvets and spools of lace to adorn Lucerys in.

. . .

Small council meetings had become part of the norm. Just as afternoons spent by the Queen's side had become commonplace in the prince's life once more.

He'd sharpen his wit in the morn as he overheard the proverbial clash of swords between the Lords Beesbury and Lannister of the crown's spending.

And tend to his swordplay in the evening.

His nights however, were a selfish venture that offered no political gain, no gain but the sweating pursuit of pleasure.

"The servant girl," Mother had commented one afternoon, the weather had bode well enough for them to enjoy their lunch in the gardens.

Aemond had tilted his head to discover Dyana, loyal Dyana, had accompanied Helaena and her children into the gardens as well. Little Jaehaera whose head had gleamed white as a dandelion, toddled after a butterfly, something that delighted his sister and Dyana for they both erupted into applause for the girl.

"Is she to your liking?" His mother had asked with a painstaking amount of poise.

Aemond had nearly choked on a mouthful of honeyed wine from Lannisport.

"Mother," He hissed in alarm and rampant mortification.

"It has not escaped my attention that you are very nearly a man grown," her cheeks reddened and he prayed to gods whose favor he had not curried for, that the torment might cease.

"Mother..." Aemond said through gritted teeth.

"She is smitten with you," His mother added with a certain twinge of delight, pride perhaps.

"Dyana is not-"

Aemond paused upon the sound of his mother's soft laughter.

If you knew the true reason her cheeks redden when she catches my eye, you would find no humor in it, Aemond thought as his mother soothed a hand overtop his. She smelled of roses and honeyed wine.

"Dyana, is it?" Mother teased and the corner of his mouth had lifted imperceptibly with a smile.

"She should count herself lucky to have caught your eye, my darling."

Aemond battled no further on the matter, having known whatever ground he may have made in disputing the case would only dredge his truer treachery into the light.

"Perhaps you are right," Aemond said with a rueful quirk of his mouth.

"Perhaps, I am." Mother agreed with a warmth upon her cheeks and a syrupy quality to the darkness of her eyes.

. . .

Aemond was greeted by the welcome sight of his bastard bedmate traditionally in the evenings. Though on occasion, Aemond had been allowed to excuse himself from small council meetings to visit the library.

He would vanish into his chambers with a heavy tome about histories or philosophies, not to be seen for hours.

"A lover of the histories" some lords and ladies had commented, "like his father."

While he had never argued the claims, Aemond knew it was not a histories that he was so impassioned for.

Most evenings he had arrived to the sight of Lucerys, supine and wanting, dressed in silks or in firelight. The first handful of nights that Aemond had been preoccupied until nightfall, Luke had thrown himself at the prince's feet. The boy had taken Aemond's manhood into his throat with little prompting and low hungry sound of gratitude, ached for the heat of his skin and taste of his seed.

A testament to how well he'd served his prince.

Other times, the boy would yearn for nothing but his attention, to the sound of Aemond's voice as he read one of the tomes he had collected from the library until Lucerys grew drowsy by the hearth, lulled by the low cadence of his voice and the throaty purr of the crackling logs.

It was upon his arrival, Aemond had abandoned his eyepatch on a small table, that he had found something amiss.

His apartments were alarmingly quiet. The sound of Lucerys humming was almost always heard, the same little peasant tune he'd often done as they had traveled the River Road.

Lucerys was not upon the bed, nor by the fire.

"Luke?" Aemond called gently, as he tried valiantly to stave off the icy curl of dread that dug into his chest.

He took a step further into his chambers, and felt as that dread gathered around his innards like a dropped anchor, destined to drag him deeper and deeper into a bottomless despair.

"Lucerys?" Aemond beckoned, his throat had turned dry and pulse too loud in his skull.

I have spoken your true name, darling, now make yourself known to me, the prince thought to himself.

He strained his hearing but only found the mocking wail of an abandoned babe's cries. His mind's own cruel trick.

Aemond stepped further into the space, his mind had conjured a maze of his own home; distorted reality.

The crackle of hearth snarled loudly, it had eclipsed all thought in his mind, and the prince nodded to himself, throat cinched shut - fire, yes, fire, he had mused, the whole of King's Landing would know the sound of fire in your absence, nephew.

Aemond stepped towards his window, the one that faced the courtyard, shaking ivory hands braced upon cold unfeeling stone.

When he heard it: the congested whistle of breathing upon his blind side.

It was there, nestled against the cold stone, that he had discovered Lucerys. The boy, his darling boy was curled into trembling ball.

A ragged breath surged from Aemond's lungs, threatening to burst his burning chest as he collapsed to the stone before the boy.

"Seven Hells, why did you not answer me? Hm, have you any idea what you were nearly responsible for?"

Aemond asked with shaky laughter as he moved to gather the boy in his arms. Lucerys was tense, even beneath Aemond's touch.

When Luke had finally lifted his head, Aemond found his previous mania was within reach - mania and rage.

Lucerys gazed up at him with teary eyes.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aemond asked with venomous daggers of malice in his voice for whatever inspired tears in the eyes of his little dragon...

And they were the eyes of a dragon that had stared back at Aemond, eyes of copper and dirt that gleamed with tears yes, but with rage too.

"I have asked you a question." Aemond said through clenched teeth, with none of the usual tenderness he spared for the boy.

"I cannot answer it, my prince."

"You cannot?" Aemond echoed with a sneer, he towered well into Lucerys' space, even thrown upon his knees as he was, "You will."

Lucerys sucked in a breath, shoulders hitched as though it was a laborious task. It was when the boy brought a brocaded sleeve to wipe at his nose that Aemond had seen red.

Blood, in truth, stained the boy's sleeve. His blood, their blood.

The scarred half of his face ached as though he had been slashed anew.

"You are bleeding."

The prince swallowed a breath that burned of dragonfire.

"Lucerys," Aemond's voice was grave even to his own ears, "speak to me the person responsible-"

"I can't, Aemond, please," Luke suckled on his lower lip, those copper eyes lifted to acknowledge the embittered prince and all of his blistering torment, "...I-I have upset you-"

"Upset? I am not upset," His voice faltered, blackened with rage, "I am resolute that there will be justice for what has happened. Speak to me the person responsible and only they will burn. Continue to hold your tongue and I cannot promise the same."

Lucerys had flinched then, "burn?" he echoed in ragged whisper, awed by what Aemond threatened.

Tears dribbled down his cheeks and a piece of the prince loathed that he was somewhat responsible.

"It was the prince..." Aemond felt as his heart sank like the blade of a knife through his chest, “Aegon."

"Aegon?" Aemond echoed, "Why?"

Luke savaged his lower lip, abused the supple flesh until fresh blood trailed down his alabaster chin.

"He - I, Dyana had left to tend to his apartments and I had heard a scream..."

Aemond felt the sting where bile burned at the back of his throat.

"And what happened then?" The question had been a labor to ask.

"I went to see what was wrong."

Aemond grimaced.

"Unguarded?"

Luke only nodded in response.

"And?"

"He," The boy's face paled and his nose reddened still, "He was being unkind to her. I told him to leave her be, he told me to leave."

"You did not," Aemond surmised.

"I did not." Luke affirmed and Aemond felt an otherworldly longing tug at his chest.

"I-" His throat hitched and eyes watered anew, "He said cruel things, ugly things. Aemond, I do not wish to speak the rest…”

"He touched you?" Aemond asked, his voice trembled with the promise of fire and brimstone. Luke nodded once more, and once was all it had taken for Aemond to haul the boy to his feet.

"Where are we going, Aemond - I'm sorry."

"Quiet yourself," the prince instructed coldly, for had he let the fire that bubbled in his veins free, it would scorch all.

"'Tis as I said, I will see justice done."

With that, he had dragged the boy into the breach that existed between his apartments and his brother's. His was a rage that blackened and bleached his bones, a rage that boiled his blood, and would have surely dissolved the gemstone in his skull to mercurial streaks of sapphire tears.

Aemond had led Lucerys through a narrow passage that emerged into the prince's quarters.

There, strewn upon a divan, greasy white-gold hair in his eyes, was his brother.

Aemond released his grip on Lucerys’ arm and groped for the weight of the dagger on his belt that he'd yet to discard upon his return from the courtyard. It provided a small comfort to him. He cast a brief look to the boy, his head cocked toward Aemond's brother. Luke's lips had set into a firm line before he had given Aemond a nod.

He stalked towards his brother's sleeping form, and delivered a swift kick to one of Aegon's legs draped over the edge of the divan.

"Wake up." Aemond snarled as Aegon jerked into consciousness. His elder brother sought the source of his pain, no doubt, and had startled fully with a gasp at the sight of Aemond.

"Gods!" He cried, "Brother," Aegon sighed full of relief and with the faint hint of a smile, the bridge of his nose creased in distaste, "Cover that will you? It's disgusting."

With a single finger Aegon motioned in a macabre slice over his eye that matched Aemond's missing one.

Aemond's jaw tensed.

His brother reached for a goblet of wine, a dry Arbor Red that Aegon favored, only for his hopes to be dashed as Aemond slapped the goblet away, an arc of red gathered upon the lush Meereenese carpet beneath their feet.

"Seven Hells!" Aegon swore, "You're feeling well I see."

"'Well' is too kind a word for what I am feeling." Aemond snarled, though Aegon offered a unfazed smile as slung his legs over the edge of the divan with a grunt.

"Go on then, what do you want? What horrible thing have I done now?"

His brother asked, without a trace of guilt nor remorse nor even recognition in his voice; as though his own transgressions were too plentiful to count. It was then that Aemond identified the bloom of bruise on his brother's waxen skin.

"Your hands," Aemond said suddenly, "'tis the price a thief would pay for his crimes. You have touched something that does not belong to you."

"I'm sorry, what? My hands? A thief? What have I stolen?"

Aemond had gestured sharply to Lucerys who had gazed upon their every interaction with wide eyes.

"You again?" Aegon exhaled with a sigh, eyes narrowed at Aemond as though he had finally pieced things together.

"Brother, it was your savage that attacked me," Aegon said as he gestured to bruise upon his ashen skin, ", Or did he manage to omit that detail while choking on your c-"

Aemond had struck his brother, but the once to silence him.

"Have care of how you speak," Aemond warned, a snarl of heat in his words.

Aegon offered a dagger-sharp smile as he pressed a palm to his stinging cheek.

"You struck him." Aemond reminded with a darkness that lurched in his throat.

"I merely reminded a lowly subject of his place, as any good king would."

Aemond's lips curled in a sharp smile, "you are no king."

It was not a blow that had damaged his brother's pride, as he'd none to spare, even still, Aegon had loathed the prospect of the crown his entire life.

“I would have your hands in recompense. You were a poor thief, ‘tis true, but you damaged my property nonetheless.”

Aegon sputtered a loud, disbelieving laugh.

“Are you mad?”

“Your hands or your cock.” Aemond said sternly, as he maneuvered cleanly around his brother’s accusations to levy his own.

Aegon’s eyes, a shade of violet that bordered upon silver to rival that of his hair, gleamed hatefully.

“‘Tis the price a man would pay for rape.” Aemond enunciated, if theirs was a battle of wits, he took solace that he had outshined Aegon as a warrior and scholar.

His brother’s lip curled in a sneer, a hint of the dormant, drunkard dragon that lay beneath.

"He claims that you had forced yourself on a serving girl, Dyana."

"What would he know of what transpires between a man and woman? Have you ever even lain with a woman, boy? Save for my brother, of course."

Lucerys' eyes glared hotter then the spitting flames in the hearth.

"He is more man than you could ever be, my prince." Luke said with a tremble his voice, the poignancy of dragon's breath, capable of melting flesh from bone, upon his every word.

Aemond felt desire and longing split his chest, rampant and carnal.

Aegon guffawed.

"The girl had her legs in the air and happened to be screaming my name, the boy doesn't know what he saw." The elder of the two Targaryren princes alleged.

"She was begging you to stop!" Luke bellowed, cheeks flushed hot, "Aemond, I swear it."

Aegon offered another droll bark of laughter, dry and cutting.

"Brother," Aegon called with a familiar cadence that Aemond had known for his entire life, it was the rallying cry that Aemond had heeded since they were children; protect your kin. His brother fumbled for Aemond's shoulder expectant as always that Aemond would tidy his mess.

"I believe him," Aemond exhaled after what had felt like an eternity, felt the rolling prickle of a shudder at Lucerys' deeply relieved exhale.

Aegon squeezed at Aemond's shoulder, his smile faltered, "Of course you do, the fearsome Aemond One-Eye, more loyal to the cunt of a bastard boy than to your own bl- oh...wait."

Aemond had torn himself from Aegon's grasp suddenly, ice spread through his veins.

"Enough," Aemond exclaimed, as he observed the shrewd gleam in his brother's dusty violet eyes.

"Gods, he doesn't know does he?" Aegon asked in a delighted whisper. For every dream and colorful fantasy Aemond had ever nurtured over the years, his brother's manic smile and knowing eyes were a nightmare made flesh.

"You will not lay a hand on Luke again," Aemond cautioned his brother, resolve faltered as fear took its place, "nor the girl, Dyana. Should you have designs on keeping your most prized of possessions, brother."

Aegon only scoffed, though his gaze narrowed promptly on Luke with an intensity that chilled Aemond to his core.

"How gallant of you - mother would be absolutely beside herself, her favored son threatening the life of her most despised one."

Aemond bristled at the term.

"'Tis not your life in jeopardy, merely your cock, I know which you value you more."

Aemond had moved to leave, merely a step towards the hidden entrance they had entered through.

"Does Mother know?" Aegon asked and Aemond felt an icy scrape as the frigid claws of his own fear dug rendered his flesh a bloody mess.

"Of course not, what was I thinking, she would've disposed of him properly this time."

When Aemond had turned and faced his brother, he was met with the humorlessness of man who only sought pleasure in the suffering of others.

Ivory hands clenched into fists. Aemond's body shook with the violent ache of a swelling eruption; a fire that would be his Doom. Lucerys remained torn as he witnessed all, cluelessly from behind Aemond.

"Well, when she does find out, and trust that she will find out, and you are in search of another bastard who shares your blood to warm your bed, I've left a few in Flea Bottom."

Aemond had felt his restraint snap, rage won out over fear and he had been upon his brother with a roar; dagger drawn.

He'd jabbed the blade down again and again, felt a weight that struggled in pulling him back, his skin screamed hot, his pulse hammered painfully.

"Aemond, don't-" Luke's breath washed over him, rasped against the ear upon his blind side.

The boy was frightfully pale, he shook and tears glistened on his cheeks, for even a nameless bastard boy knew the repercussions of kinslaying.

Aemond blinked down at his brother, his motionless brother...

The Meereenese carpet was in ribbons and there was red soaked into what remained.

"We need to leave, Aemond, please." Luke pleaded and Aemond it was as though everything had snapped into place. He felt a primal urge, a responsibility that burned in his blood. He nodded shakily, stowed his dagger, staggered off of Aegon and drew Lucerys into his arms.

It was as they had retreated through the maze of hidden passages that members of the Kingsguard erupted into the room and to Aegon’s side.

. . .

Aemond hadn’t been able to banish the tremor from his hands even when they had arrived at his chambers.

His hands, treasonous hands.

His throat burned and his head ached.

What have you made of me, Lucerys? Aemond thought as he stared upon the boy, his soft lips moved with words the prince could not fathom.

An honorless gnave, a dripping duplicitous voice in his own head replied. It was not an assertion he was able to argue, he who had drawn steel against his brother.

The oath he had made weeks ago on their first night together rattled in his mind, sickened as he was by his actions, sicker still was his willingness to do it once more, to spill blood, royal blood for the fair face that lay before him.

Another, Another, Another-

'Twas all that filled Aemond's mind, how easily his brother had torn at his own secret, picked at it as mother did the tips of her fingers, unveiled the ugliness of his actions with a single word.

There is none other, none capable of replacing you, The thought had conjured the prickle of tears in his remaining eye.

Lucerys had continued his babbling, thoughtless, soundless babbling that Aemond cherished dearly when the fire in his blood resurged with an ardor.

"I need you," Aemond exclaimed in brief warning, his words were little more than a hot-blooded growl before he crushed his mouth over that of his bastard bedmate's.

The touch was frantic and desperate and less than the boy deserved.

He swallowed up the surprised squeal that left Luke's mouth, consumed it, and salivated for more.

There were broken sounds resembling Aemond's name, exhaled between each brief part of their lips for air. Dainty alabaster hands began to push vainly at his chest and arms, but still Aemond delved deeper until Lucerys had cried out for the coarse plunder of his tongue.

He slung boy before the dancing flames, like crooked teeth in the snarling hearth. He had torn at Luke’s clothes, split the seams of luxurious fabrics and bore pale skin to the gauzy glow of the flames.

A firm hand had pressed the boy down prone, his arms shook and his knees chafed as Aemond dug his fingers into the shape of the Luke’s boxy little hips.

The prince shucked his own trousers with malice, tore at the fine material until he had pressed hot and full against the warm crease of the boy’s rear.

He groped at the pale flesh held up in offering, rutted against the boy’s hole with a snarl. Ash white hair stuck to the sweat dappled upon his skin, on his cheeks. Aemond gathered his weight over the boy, enamored by the spill of his white-gold hair across the boy’s nape. Savored the sight of his hand settled atop Luke’s, his own fingers were long, his nails blunt, there was a prominent vein that forked beneath the milk-white skin of his hand.

His hips twitched in another wave, dry skin grated upon dry skin and Aemond breathed out a growl. He casted his halved-vision about the room. He felt the spasm of Luke fingers pinned under his own.

“D-did you want me to fetch the oil?” Luke asked knowingly.

“No,” Aemond exhaled in a growl, “no you will not move,” he ordered, you will not leave me, he thought.

The oil, gods damn him, the oil was across the room, too far gone, just as he was.

“Aemond?” The boy called in a tender, frightened voice.

“Remain still,” The prince instructed, voice cold and temper hot.

And he pressed unerringly against his target, as Aegon had phrased it - the cunt of a bastard boy.

He had claimed him fiercely, upon his hands and knees with little more than spit, sweat and desperation to ease his entry. Lucerys’ dainty alabaster palms clung to the carpet, abraded in bruised pinks and reds. His knees had fared no better.

The boy’s spine had laid curved and wanton, his slight form shook and dripped sweat, bathed in the embers of the hearth that snarled beside them. Luke’s flushed cock wept between his thigh as Aemond ravaged him mercilessly.

It had been morning, too dark for the sun, but morning still when Aemond had found sense. He remained panting, his forehead pressed in contrition to the bend of the boy’s back. His hands stroked at the tender flesh of bruised boxy hips, pressed kisses and numbing salve to scraped hands and knees.

They had settled upon the bed after the prince had meticulously cleaned the worse of his transgressions from the boy’s skin with the aid a warm rag and wash basin.

"Are you still very angry?" Luke asked, a cautious but indignant finger poked experimentally at the narrow point of Aemond's chin.

"No, I-" Aemond swallowed shamefully, "I am not angry with you, I was never angry with you, though, if you harbor such feelings towards me, I understand."

Luke's soft, boyish features creased, his thick, dark brows furrowed together.

"Why would I be angry-"

"I hurt you." Aemond said with a grimace, his touch ghosted over an ugly bruise, in the shape of his unrelenting grip that had been imprinted upon the alabaster skin of the boy's arm. He'd been unable to scrub clean his memories of their hours spent beside the fire.

"I fear I am no better than him..."

Lucerys had inched closer, dainty hands that bore the irregular scratch of laborer's calluses took a firm hold of the prince's angular face.

"Aemond..." Lucerys exhaled, brow pinched and cheeks flushed, "Do not say such things - I will not allow it."

The prince offered an anguished, longing sound as he gazed with halved-vision into eyes that gleamed of fire and blood.

"Luke-"

"I struck a prince, rightfully I should have been flogged through the streets, if not killed outright-"

"Do not speak of such things, Taoba, I will not allow it."

Aemond felt as his chest constricted upon the sound of the boy's terribly fond laughter.

Luke's thumbs traced along the dagger-sharp edge of Aemond's cheekbones, followed the straight bridge of his nose, and settled upon the cupid's bow of his lips.

"You defended me."

"You're a prince and I am-"

"Mine." Aemond had supplied with feigned sharpness, beckoned into the warmth of the boy's body at the tender press of a coy foot against his shin.

"Yes," Luke's breath hitched wondrously, "Yes, I am yours."

. . .

Aemond had only ventured beyond his chambers when the need for food had grown too pressing to ignore.

He had questioned a serving girl in the kitchens concerning Dyana's whereabouts, but had been met with closed mouths and averted gazes.

The kitchens had grown bitterly cold when Aemond had discovered Aegon wrapped around a decanter of wine; nary a scratch on his face...

The servants treaded around him frightfully.

"There he is," Aegon greeted with a lift of the decanter, the contents sloshed about, red as blood, "my brother - the kinslayer."

There were some gasps heard amongst the staff around them.

"You're feeling well I see." Aemond said primly.

"'Well' is too kind a word for what I am feeling." Aegon replied with a sneer.

The accusation was baseless one, the winging of a capricious drunkard, the prince assured himself. But Aemond feared the damaged had already been done as he felt the collective gaze of the kitchen staff prickle across his skin in mute judgement...

He gathered a plate food for himself, a few fruits and a single chunk of bread, and a measly cup of watered wine before he departed to his apartments.

The prince's appetite had fled him, in his turmoil he only hungered for the affection of a brazen bastard boy that had bewitched him, body and soul.

Aemond pushed open the door to his chambers, head tilted in the effort to balance their plate and discard his eyepatch.

"Aemond?" Luke called, a faint quiver to his voice.

"Hm, Darling-"

It was he lifted his gaze that his heart stilled in his chest.

"...Mother?"

___

A/N: So, uh, this part is one I have been looking forward to...Y'all might not feel the same way. Leave a comment to yell at me.

Apologies for the delay, school work took precedence for once - but I'm super happy I was able to finish this part in the series before the weekend was up.

[whumpbby]

Thinking back to that omega JC with alpha NMJ idea, both outcomes are interesting but I find myself more captivated by the version where NMJ lives, the guy doesn't get to live very often after all. He deserves some good things to finally happen to him. The same goes for WQ (and maybe WN). Who I just realized would have a blast taking on the challenging mystery of the Nie's saber technique. Go play God girl.

Sometimes I forget how creative omegaverse allows one to be, not just with the dynamics but with packs too. Both NMJ and JC are dynamic leaders of their inner pack (family) and general pack (sect); both of which have recently taken major casualties. Their instincts are hypersensitive right now. Something they don't fully realize until the baby can be felt kicking not just JC's belly but their parental instincts into overdrive.

God I just want to see these two be parents! JC doesn't have JL anymore because JYL and her husband are thankfully alive and NMJ is finally able to experience parenthood thanks to also being alive. I wonder what type of uncle NHS would make?

Some last thoughts, at least JC has JYL to ask questions about parenthood, WWX will get to be a proper uncle this time, and A Yuan can keep his Wen family. Truly this is a happy timeline.

Sorry for the long time it took me to answer this ask, I needed to put my thoughts in order about this AU, becuase there are A LOT of thoughts about this AU!

I love omegaverse - it allows to pull in such a variety of subjects and themes, from straight-up porn to some really good character analysis and world building:)

In the 'NMJ lives' option, the plot goes a bit different than in canon - NMJ is a rash and righteous character, but I don't believe that he's politically dumb. He's set in his ways and inflexible, sure, but he can see the bigger picture (something that JC is not able to do at the moment due to stress, inexperience and having approx. 3h of sleep a week). He knows what sort of a viper JGS is and how the Jiang being weak benefits the Jin - and how he didn’t have a horse in this race until the option of an heir by JC came up.

Now, the Jiang being strong again will benefit the Nie - a pact with a trade-oriented region? Yes, please. After the war, they all need that. No wonder JGS is so keen on destabilising the region - with his son married to the Jiang Yanli the man probably thinks he has first pick of the trade deals.

However, if NMJ has a child via the current Jiang clan leader, then the Nie get the political priority and that's tempting. The Jin don't need any more power in their hands - and it's obvious that's what JGS is aiming for and JGY is helping him achieve in front of everyone's faces.

Well, then. Huaisang isn't the only one with a mischievous streak in this family. There are not many chances to indulge in it as a Sect Leader - but pissing of other sect leaders is a long-reaching tradition in the sphere of Great Sects.  NMJ wasn't leading the charge against the Wen just so the fat cats that barely lifted a finger could reap the benefits.

And thus begins Nie Mingjue's campaign to be the biggest pain the JGS's ass he can manage to be. He's still pissed off at JGY, so he channels that into less screaming and more interrupting him whenever some speech about Yiling Laozu starts winding up. At Huaisang's prodding, he brings his oldest advisors to the conferences, the old sly foxes that served his father and has them look out for the issues that may evade him. Yao sect leader is so brave when ranting against a young omega sect leader, but somehow has little to say when an imposing alpha growls at him to shut up from across the room.

And it's fun. Most fun MNJ had since the war has started. It relaxes him a little, allows him to focus on something else than the despair of losing so much to the Wen (and trusting the wrong people). It allows him to see the bigger picture a bit more clearly - and while the Nie never paid much attention to the rest of the cultivation world, the threads he can see now aren't running in a good direction. They are staring into the face of another war - all for a pathetic handful of war prisoners and a piece of metal Jin Guangshan apparently cannot live without!

So, yes, it makes perfect sense to get himself involved at this point and help out a fellow sect leader forged in the flames of war. It would be damn shame if the Jin got to fold Yunmeng into their coffers and take the one eligible gentry omega for themselves.

And, that is not to be understated, Jiang Wanyin isn't hard on  the eyes in any measure. And talking to him proved that he isn't much as the rumours painted him - not a rash, angry shrew. Not like his mother was described. He is raw and inexperienced, yes, and very defensive - but he's also reasonable and respectful, and willing to discuss his points until pressed into arguing them. He's honourable and honest. No wonder Meng Yao is able to talk circles around him.

Having a kid with an omega like that isn't a bad idea.

Hell, maybe he even allows JC to take him to the Burial Mounds to see in person how Wei Wxian's army fares... and yeah, that's what he expected tbh. Well, the pup running around is a surprise, but otherwise yeah, he's shivering in his boots. He's not going to admit he was wrong to want them dead - never - but he can admit that they're too pathetic to be a danger to anyone at this point. Seeing the fames Ghost General weeding turnips puts things into perspective a bit. (Maybe that's how he comes across Wen Qing and she makes her case about helping with the family curse?)

[meepthemeeping]

Camp trip! (Lambert X Aiden modern AU)

Gathering all the supplies, they headed off to a clearing in the woods. Their boots shuffled through the grass, and as they went, more sounds of nature could be heard. Aiden could make out squirrels chattering, leaves crunching, birds singing, insects churring, and the rustling of bushes. Ferns fanned out beautifully, accompanying the dense trees along the unpaved path. Aiden does his best not to get distracted while carrying the sizable cooler with Lambert. Lil' Bleater kept getting too close to Aiden, trying to nibble on his shirt while he wasn't looking. Eskel had to move her away often, but his shirt had little goat-teeth marks anyway.

"It's a tradition at this point," Lambert says with a sly expression.

"It was yours anyway," Aiden retorted. It was a lie, but Lambert still scrunched his face.

Once they reach the halfway point, the sun begins going down. Jaskier endeavored to find words that rhyme with silver with Ciri, but he accidentally put his rhyme scheme in a corner. Their freestyle song turned into an awkward pause, and Geralt did his best to repress his grin. All the white-haired brother could do was readjust the strap of Ciri's backpack to fit around his buff shoulder.

"Maybe liver? No, that doesn't sound right," Jaskier mused.

"Chilver!" Ciri beams.

"Oh, yes! Chilver," the musician continues with his song.

Eskel had to roll a fallen tree with Geralt out of the way of the merry crew. The blizzard that came this year killed the weaker trees in the forest.

They reached another stopping point to trade off duties. It was Lambert's turn to be on Ciri duty; Jaskier and Eskel carried over the cooler. Aiden lost track of what Jaskier was talking about at this point; it was like white noise now. Ciri watched birds hop around in a bush. Aiden had joined her in staring.

"Wanna freak out Uncle Lambert?" She spoke in a hushed tone.

"Yes." A wicked smile develops on Aiden's face.

Ciri reached out to the bushes, scaring away the birds. A Grand-Daddy Long-Legs was sheltered in the underbrush, using the leaves as a hiding spot. "You won't hurt them, right?" she says as she freezes.

"No, I swear," Aiden says, nodding.

"Here, they don't bite." She puts the spider in Aiden's hand. He let it travel the length of his lower arm, coaching it to the other hand when it tried to move too far up.

"What are you doing?" Lambert walked over to get a look. "Eck! Put that down, you fucker." Lambert shrinks away

Aiden watches the spider dance on his fingers. "I think it's neat."

"Ewww," groans the shorter man.

Aiden decides to put him in a bush free of birds, and it disappears into the woodland. Lambert leers at him from afar, barely concealed behind Geralt. "Wait till he learns Cat likes eating spiders."

"He fucking what?" Lambert makes a disgusted face.

They stop in their tracks as they leave the tree line. Finally, they reached the lake when the sun was almost gone. Geralt's hands felt along the rough tree bark, his fingers memorizing the texture.

The sun had gone down by now, causing a lovely warm gradient. The lake glimmered beautifully in the remaining light, its mass spanning from the muddy shore to a small island. Gentle sounds of nature keep them company; no wonder why Geralt liked this. The sun-kissed Aiden's skin felt fine in the heat, despite the uncomfortable sweat forming.

"I'll bring the packs over, then get you," Eskel said.

Eskel and Jaskier placed the cooler in the boat and rested on the shore. Lil' Bleater hopped in the boat without hesitation, a real ride-or-die goat. From what Lambert stated about how well Lil' Bleater is taken care of, it made sense.

Ciri was preoccupied with identifying the ducks on the lake's surface. Her dad waited patiently for her answer.

Ciri looked over to Geralt and then said, "Mallard?"

Geralt nods and says, "Good job, cub."

It's nice to see such a good father. Aiden leaned against a tree, observing the wholesome scene.

"Checking out my brother?" Lambert rolls his eyes.

"Jealous, hm?" Aiden pokes the tip of his nose. "Don't worry, you'll get my attention."

Lambert scrunches his nose, shooing his finger away.

"This place is beautiful, habibi," Aiden laughs, allowing Lambert to take up the free space beside him.

Lambert hums, tilting slightly toward him. "Yeah, hopefully, a boat doesn't tip over this year."

Geralt turned to look over at Lambert, giving him the driest look possible.

"It was an accident," Lambert huffed. Aiden wasn't sure what that meant, but there was definitely a story there.

Aiden bites his lip before saying, "Lamb, there's something I should tell you."

"What?"

"I can't swim."

"You can't swim."

"Nope." Aiden had an uneasy smile.

"No one taught you?"

"Nope."

"Well, you're in luck. Lambert was actually on the swim team in high school. He is damn good at it too," Geralt said, walking with Ciri from the shore.

Sweet gods, apparently he was dating a man with a million talents. "Oh~, I have a handsome lifeguard as my boyfriend," Aiden coos.

Jaskier snorts at that, breaking Geralt's composure.

Once Eskel returned with the other boat in tow, the others got a move on. Ciri was helped into the boat by Eskel. Aiden nervously looked at the boat he was expected to get in, he was sure Lambert wouldn't drown him on purpose.

"Relax, Kitten. You'll be fine," Lambert said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Geralt and Jaskier were boarding the other boat; Jaskier made a surprised expression at the nickname, then quickly went back to the task at hand.

"Don't be worried. I'm sure Lambert doesn't wanna lose you. Where would he find another free chef?" Eskel kids.

With impressive aim, Lambert hit Eskel square on the forehead with his reusable plastic water bottle. Eskel chuckles, taking it like a champ.

He'll have to challenge Lambert to knife throwing sometime, and possibly have competition aside from Gaetan.

"Maybe Lambert can teach you to swim?" Ciri added. She peeks over at the man in question.

Aiden sensed his embarrassment returning.

Lambert snorts, "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

The tanner man stopped him from shrinking into himself. Hopefully, Lambert won't try to get him back for the spider thing. The men were left on the dock to wait for Eskel. Lambert looked over at him before reaching out to hold Aiden's hand. Even at that dinner, Lambert was anxious about showing him love in front of his family. He knows by now that it's not because he's ashamed of being with a man. This was something he was trained to hide, much like Aiden himself.

The taller man locked his hand firmly around Lambert's, both staring into the lake.

"Thanks for coming here, Aiden."

Aiden brings him closer, kissing him. "Sorry about being late, work got in the way... And I was worried."

"Worried?"

"I want your family to like me, I know how much this means to you."

Lambert sets a hand on the back of his neck, dragging him down to kiss again. "Trust me, if they didn't like you, you would know already."

They lost track of time sitting on the dock edge, snuggling up to each other.

"Love birds, I'm back," Eskel called, rowing towards them.

Aiden practically fell on his side as Lambert moved off him.

"Fucking finally," Lambert huffed, still flushed.

"Yeah, yeah. Get on the boat!" Eskel rolled his eyes.

Aiden, with a large sigh, stepped onto the boat. Lambert sat where the oars were placed.

Aiden was sure he looked skittish as all hell right now.

As the boats started moving, he used all his willpower not to death-grip the side. All his suaveness left his body once he stepped aboard.

Lambert removed his sweaty shirt and tossed it into the space between them before beginning to row.

"Trying to distract me?" Aiden shakily jokes.

"Is it working?" Lambert grins.

Eskel ignores the sappiness, more interested in observing the current move. Lambert rows in a steady rhythm, trying to make the trip quick without terrorizing Aiden.

"Definitely makes it better," Aiden said, eyeing his biceps moving in rotations.

He wouldn't stop messing with his hair, and truth be told, he'd been nervous about this trip for two days now. Lambert keeps his focus on paddling. Why did Eskel have to say something about drowning?

"You like birds, do you?" Lambert broke the silence.

It was more of a weird fascination about them for Aiden. "Uh, yes?"

"Look beside you," Lambert says, pointing to the left side of the boat.

There was a flock of ducks on the lake, most of which weren't swimming. Aiden eyed them for a long time and asked, "Why aren't they moving?"

"They're asleep."

"They sleep on the water?"

"You have a whole book in your apartment about ornithology. How do you not know?"

Aiden huffed defensively, "I don't read half the books Coen gives me!"

"Then why do you keep accepting them?"

"I want to be polite!"

They continued their meaningless argument until Aiden let out a dramatic sigh. He went back to watching the ducks, a cheeky smile on his face. Lambert swallowed whatever he was going to say since he didn't have his boyfriend's full attention. Eskel silently chuckled at the ridiculousness of the two. Aiden's anxiety was still there, but it had eased a great deal. He didn't think babbling would be such a useful distraction.

They reached the dock soon, to Aiden's relief. He gripped onto Eskel a bit too hard when being helped out of the boat.

"See, you're alive, and you didn't piss yourself," Lambert snorts from the boat.

"You don't have your phone, do you?" Aiden says, twitching his lips.

"Nah, I gave it to Eskel." The paler man raised an eyebrow before realization crashed on him.

Aiden beams over at Eskel, who seems to be on board with him. The two grabbed the side of the boat facing them, lifting it as Lambert cursed.

Lambert wobbled off the boat into the lake. It takes a second for his head to pop out of the water with a scowl.

Aiden didn't account for how fast Lambert could swim or that they were a few feet from the shore.

Now a soaking wet Lambert was rushing toward land. Aiden turns on his feet, running in the direction of the cabin's backyard. His boyfriend may be one hell of a swimmer, but Aiden knows how to run like his life depends on it. Lambert ignored Eskel in favor of chasing him around the house. The others were staring at them as Aiden made his fourth lap around the house. He was so caught up in running forward that he didn't realize Lambert had turned to run the opposite way. He soon found himself staring right at Lambert as he hooked another corner.

"Got ya!" Lambert shouted. Aiden didn't have enough time to dodge being picked up by his waist. "Now, what to do with you?"

Aiden was amazed that he could lift him so easily, given how tall he was. "I have ideas," he hums, wrapping his legs around Lambert.

"You don't while Ciri is here," Geralt says from across the yard.

"Later, I guess." Aiden chooses before Lambert releases him.

After overseeing the two act like idiots, everyone went back to setting up camp for the night.

The night breeze hit Lambert's wet form, making him shiver. He marched to his suitcase, retrieving some clothes. "I'm going to shower and change," he says to the group, then captures Aiden's hand.

"No ideas," Geralt reminds him as he fishes his keys out of his pocket. Tossing the keys to Lambert, he drags the leaner man behind him.

They stepped through the front door, leading into the living room. Lambert hits the lights before marching any further. The place was simple, with neutral walls and no accent colors. Even with its lack of pigment, it was carefully made to be comfortable.

There was a rather cozy couch, and by looking at the blanket, you could tell it was soft.

Lambert pulled Aiden away from eyeing Geralt's home decorating skills to take him to the hall bathroom.

"Why didn't you ask your brothers to decorate your place?" Aiden wonders.

"I didn't care what it looked like until you showed up," Lambert retorts while using a towel to collect the water dripping on the floor.

Aiden made a contemplative sound before obtaining a rag to wipe the grime off himself.

He knew this could be nothing, but he couldn't help but think those words meant more. He didn't magically solve Lambert's problems; that was never his goal. He wanted to be there for him in the same way his family was there for him.

(author's note: Habibi means my love or my dear)

[journeythroughlifesblog]

'Help' AU Chapter 18.

After a failed performance that was ruined by some mere mortal, the DBK family returned to the palace. The news of the return of the ruler spread quickly throughout the kingdom of demons. DBK, PIF and Red Son were in the Throne Room. None of them spoke. They were unhappy that some kid beat them. DBK sat on the throne. PIF stood beside him and their son stood on the other side of the throne. One of the clones informed them of the arrival of the generals and nobles. DBK ordered them to be let in. The clone nodded its metal head and turned and walked away. The huge door opened. A group of demons entered the room. At the very beginning there were generals, they were the tiger demon, the eagle demon and the fox demon. They were followed by lower-level generals, and finally by the nobility. DBK looked at them with disgust. PIF noticed her husband's nervousness. She shook her lover's hand and said "destroy them" which reassured DBK who nodded his head. The demons came close to the throne, but there was a very large gap between them and DBK. The generals bowed. DBK looked at them with contempt.

"Hello our lord. It's good you're back," said the tiger demon. DBK did not respond.

"We're glad you're back safe," said the demon eagle.

"The queen was so distraught that she threw everyone out of the palace," said the fox demon. PIF wanted to punch him. DBK shook her hand this time, which made her calm down.

"I learned that in my absence you wanted to choose a new husband for my wife," told DBK. The demons were terrified.

"You see, we didn't know if you would come back..." said the frightened demon eagle.

“You should never lose faith in me any more. you were prepare an army,” DBK said with a cold expression on his face. Whispers spread around the room.

"The army... was just a preparation..." said the demon eagle.

“Preparation for what?” said DBK.

“We had really good intentions. We were amassing an army to… avenge you,” said the tiger demon. DBK raised an eyebrow.

"And who did you want to take revenge on?"

"We were so distraught that the Monkey King had taken our king away from us that we were gathering an army for you to defeat him," said the tiger demon with a smile.

"Really?''

"Yes. We think you will surely want to take revenge on him for his imprisonment and of course for separating you from your family,” said the fox demon. It was obvious that DBK was very nervous. The demons thought he was angry with Wukong. DBK wanted to rip them all apart.

"If I may.. on behalf of the nobility, I would like to ask that since you have returned, we could return to the castle and advise you again," said the demon eagle. DBK was about to snatch them all away, but he saw the shadows begin to wave and grow larger. He knew Macaque had arrived. He composed himself and sighed.

The shadows grew larger. The light went out completely. The demons were panicked. The generals began to look in all directions. They drew their swords.

"Fear not our lord, whatever it is, we will defeat it"

DBK watched the scene with amusement. PIF smiled and Red Son rolled his eyes. He knew his uncle loved to make a dramatic entrance, and he always did when he got the chance. But Red Son had to admit it was funny how the generals are scared.

The shadows knocked the weapon from the hands of the generals, which fell to the floor in surprise. The door slammed shut. The demons trembled in terror. The shadows created a small tornado. Then they stopped and Macaque and Wukong emerged from them. They both had a sly smile on their faces. The demons sighed in relief. The generals perked up. PIF, Red Son, and DBK were surprised that Wukong arrived, especially that he was wearing a lot of blankets?

Oh no... my uncle has already found out about my failure... thought Red Son, who was secretly scared that he had let his uncle down.

"Welcome brother!" Wukong said with a happy smile. DBK nodded at him.

The demons raged. "My lord, we'll take care of him in a moment," said the tiger demon. DBK didn't answer, he wanted to see what they would do. The generals went on the attack. Macaque and Wukong walked freely forward. Macaque easily defeated the generals. He waved his hand lightly, and the shadows pushed the generals aside. The nobles moved aside to make way for the monkeys. The monkeys reached DBK who said with a smile "I see you are feeling better brother"

"But why do you have so many blankets?" said PIF.

"Because it makes me feel better," Wukong replied. Macaque and Wukong stood next to PIF and watched the demons who were shocked.

“No one will return to the castle. And for their disobedience, the commanders-in-chief who wanted to take the throne in my absence will be executed," DBK said.

"But sir..." the demons began to speak.

''NO. This is the end. And now leave. I want to enjoy the moment with my family. Clones!” DBK said sternly. The bull clones escorted the nobles to the exit and took the generals to the dungeon.

"let's talk in a more secluded place," said Wukong.

I'm done, thought Red Son.

They all went to the main room. Wukong sat back in his armchair. PIF poured wine into the goblets. She served one Macaque and one served DBK. PIF sat in the other amchair. DBK sat on the sofa with Red Son next to him. Macaque stood next to Wkong. The warrior sipped some wine.

"Well, to your health. For a successful performance,” Wukong said with a smile.

Everyone looked at him gloomily.

"Sorry uncle, but we didn't manage to win..." said Red Son. Wukong started to laugh. Everyone was surprised by this reaction.

"Uncle, are you feeling well?"

"YES" Wukong stopped laughing and glared at Red Son. Wukong coughed.

"I don't know if you know, but we were interrupted by some mere mortal," she told PIF.

"I know that," said the king with a sly smile.

DBK, PIF and Red were surprised.

''You know??" Red groaned.

''Brother, but how?''

Wukong sighed and said, “This kid came to me. I honestly did not expect this.. he was asking for help. Of course I refused, but I gave him faith in himself."

''What?!"

''That's how it turned out.. I was watching your fight.. the kid really has my powers''

“But how is that possible?” said PIF.

''I have no idea. This is intresting. But despite that, you managed to put on a really good show."

"But we lost..." said Red Son.

''And what about it? Nothing happened. You did as planned. It wasn't about winning, it was about bringing DBK back so I'm actually proud of you guys."

These words shocked Red Son. He felt a surge of unexpected glory.

"If the kid has your powers, what are you going to do with him?" DBK said.

''I will train him''

''What?'' everyone said.

‘’Wukong! Do you realize that you are sick?” said Macaque.

''Yes! That's why you're going to help me with this." Wukong looked straight into the warrior's eyes. Macaque growled in displeasure.

“But what is it for?” said PIF.

Wukong sighed. "I need a successor who will take my title.''

''You can't be serious!'' said Macaque.

''Yes I am. I have to tell you the truth..." everyone focused. "I've always been afraid of death... I didn't want to experience it..."

“Wukong what are you talking about?” said the warrior.

''Liuer.. this disease... is killing me''

''Oh come on?! It's not the first time..''

"I lost one layer of immortality!"

Everyone shocked. The warrior's glass of wine fell to the ground. Silence fell.

"How do you know?" said PIF.

"The day before your show I had one of those bad days, but it wasn't just an ordinary bad day.. I felt my soul tearing apart..."

"That's why Guain was in then," said Macaque. Wukong nodded.

“How much time do you have left?” said DBK.

''I have no idea exactly how much. She said it depends on whether the illness gets worse or not.” A tear rolled down Wukong's cheek, which he quickly wiped away and smiled weakly.

"That's why I decided that this kid would be my successor."

"Brother..."

"Wukong.." said Macaque.

''Please, I don't want to argue. Respect my decision." Wukong said softly. He got up on shaky legs. The warrior gave him his arm.

"I think it's time for us to go... could you..." said the king. Macaque opened a shadow portal. The king and the warrior passed through the portal.

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions about that au just ask. :)

[lanaisdoe]

Hi, i found your blog. That is raely cool und fantastic. Im a big fan too from Daemyra. And i think was allone was so impressed and obsessed of them too. Do your write fanfictions?

Greetings Amaryllis

Hello, my dear Amaryllis <3 :))

Thank you!!! I am very happy to hear we share the same passion. Feel free to send me a personal message! In messages it's much easier to chat :)

And yes, actually:) I am currently writing one fanfic. It's called MORE THAN YOU KNOW. (...yes, it's got to do with the song's lyrics :D : "I just need to get it off my chest, yeah, more than you know, yeah, more than you know! You should know that baby you're the best, yeah, MORE THAN YOU KNOW...I saw it coming, from miles away I better speak up if I got something to say...Your good intentions are sweet and pure but they can never tame a fire like yours...Right where you wanted, down on my knees, you got me begging, pretty baby set me free...") It's a modern AU but with Daemon and Rhaenyra mostly true to GRRM's books. My Daemon's protective, adoring, caring, devoted, passionate and obsessed when it comes to Rhaenyra but cunning, smart, sarcastic, impulsive, self-seeking, and unhinged, with a Targaryen superiority complex, when it comes to everything else. My Rhaenyra's love-struck, naive, a dreamer, adoring, obsessed, a charmer and a sly fox when it comes to Daemon (at the beginning of the story), but spoiled, self-important, egocentric and a brat when it comes to everything else. They're family (second cousins once removed) but they call each other uncle/niece 'cause Daemon and Viserys practically grew up together, like brothers. (And yes, their union is legal in the U.S., I've checked, so no worries :D) In my fic the Targ family are wealthy but private people; they own a King’s Landing shipbuilding and logistics company. We follow Daemyra's story throughout years, their dynamics change as the story progresses. (Rhaenyra's basically 18 at the beginning, Daemon 30). It starts with them reuniting after 5 years apart. It's a story with detailed relationship development, with lots of texting, calling, hanging out, and lots and lots of cute, hilarious, caring, passionate, and truly deep moments between the two. Soulmatism. Fire. Targ superiority. Us against the world vibes.

Here are some pics to give you an idea of what to expect in the first few eps (and the story will be long, I'm afraid. Very long :D it already is long, and it's just the beginning. But it's all action, all about Daemyra's bond). It's set on the Olympic peninsula, Washington state, in a small seaside town Port Townsend + Marrowstone Island, Tacoma and Seattle :) It's all written in a form of entries with exact time, place and date... We see Daemyra's rship develop, change, deepen, and all that in different seasons of the year in everyday life moments:)

romance, comedy, drama / 10% drama, 90% feel-good

etc ... :)

[thesugarclubs-blog]

Bend the Rules - AU Eddie Munson x OC

warnings: teenage au eddie munson, forbidden love, high school romance, pure fluff

word count: 10.4k

WP: https://www.wattpad.com/1315622283-bend-the-rules-peyton

Masterlist

The blaring sounds of his alarm pulled Eddie from his sleep, and with a deep groan, the boy rolled onto his back, swiping a tired hand across his face and through his short dark hair. Getting up for school was never something he wanted to do. In fact, going to school was never something he wanted to do. He stretched his tired limbs, just as a stern knock came from his door. 

“Ed, get your ass in gear, boy! Spring breaks over, you’re going to be late” His uncle Wayne called through the wooden door. 

With another dramatic groan, he pulled himself from under his sheet and rolled out of bed, barely catching his feet underneath him. He grabbed an Iron Maiden shirt from his floor and sniffed it quickly before pulling it over his head, as he kicked up a pair of dark jeans from beside his dresser, pulling those on too and attaching his signature handcuff belt. Eddie grabbed his leather jacket that had his dark grey hoodie still inside and slid his arms into it, pulling the hood up when he finally walked out of his room, grabbing a black metal lunchbox off his chair. 

Eddie grabbed the piece of toast out of his uncle’s hand with a smirk, “Let’s go, I thought you said we were going to be late,” he quipped. 

“We are,” Wayne narrowed his eyes at his nephew, following him out the door, “and let’s make sure we stay at school today, I don’t want any more calls from Hopper saying he caught you messing around in town, you hear me?” 

Eddie chewed on his dry piece of bread as he turned his head around, smirking at his uncle. 

“Tell that to Steve, not me. You know I would never risk anything by stealing Mrs. Crain’s wig and feeding it to-”

“Enough, son.” Wayne sighed, leaving Eddie with a smirk on his face. The 16-year-old boy knew too well what kind of pranks he’d been pulling with his best friend Steve since they were in kindergarten. 

“Just don’t get your ass arrested. Can’t bail you out of there and you know that.” 

Eddie chewed his toast and nodded, saluting with two fingers as he made his way further down to where the car was parked, followed by his uncle. 

Wayne had barely come to stop in front of the high school when Eddie had already opened the door to jump out. It was almost 7:50 and he needed to make it to the lockers before he missed her. Or he wouldn’t be able to talk to her until third period and he couldn’t let that happen. Not after spending the entirety of his break trying (and failing) to stave off thoughts of what it’d be like to hold her hand or kiss her lips. Foolish little daydreams he shouldn’t even be entertaining given who he was. 

“I have a double today, remember to eat dinner when you get home, please. And no-“ 

“Messin' around I got it, I would never.” Eddie answered back with a sly smirk, “see ya in the morning.” 

“Alright kid, have a good day.”

The hallways were still jammed back with students chatting and laughing as he crammed his skinny body through tiny openings. “Shit,” he eyed the grouping of football players two years his senior and curved to the left, pressing himself through their circle as fast as his legs would take him in his converse and came to a skitting stop as he broke through the final opening and saw her. 

Her long honey-brown hair fell in soft waves around her face and down the back of her cute pastel-striped top, heat licking at the back of his neck as his eyes trailed over the shortened hem that showed the smallest hint of her stomach. She closed her locker, swinging her teal backpack over her shoulders. 

“Munson, where do you think you're going?” One of the football players had spotted him and was bee-lining towards him.

“Not today Hargrove,” he backed away and put his hands in the air, “I don’t know how many times I have to turn you down, I told you…” his eyes fluttered to where she had started to wander to class. “You just wear the wrong lip gloss, I break out in hives every time we make out!” He hollered and turned on his heel darting away from the threats that Billy screamed in his direction and around the corner. 

“Where are you? Damnit,” he whispered, knowing he had a tiny window to say good morning to her. But his eyes caught a glimpse of her backpack in the crowded hallway and he jogged toward her. He lifted his hand to his mouth and checked the smell of his breath with a quick huff of air before straightening himself out and slowing his pace to catch up with her. Act casual… he thought. 

“Peyton,” he called out to her and she turned to look at him over her shoulder, the light catching the swirls of light brown in her iris. 

He came to a stop just before her, taking a deep breath to collect himself as his eyes lingered over her. Like the first glimpse of the morning sun, she shone with a warm, dimpled smile that always made the butterflies in his stomach seek their way around his heart. 

“Hi Eddie,” She beamed. “What’s up?”

“It’s cool, you? Did you have a good break?” He shifted nervously on his feet, not seeing Peyton for a whole week made him realize how much he’d missed her soft, velvety voice. 

She shrugged as she grasped the straps of her backpack. “I’m good. The first days were good, but a whole week at the lake house with my family and their friends made me want to pull my hair out by the end,” she chuckled lightly. 

The bell rang, making the students left in the hallway rush past them to head to their early morning classes. This was it if it was now ever going to happen. He’d prepared himself every awakened hour for a whole week. 

Well, he’d tried to at least. 

“Maybe we can talk later when we have more time?” She said as she was on the way to turn around. 

Eddie nodded enthusiastically and tried his best to shoot her a charming smile as he walked back down the hall, watching her as she walked away. When she was out of sight, the boy ran his hand over his short hair and rolled his eyes, feeling a small blush creeping up his neck as a soft smile found its way onto his lips. 

Instead of going to class, Eddie slipped out the side door and wandered around to the back of the school. He pulled a smoke out of the inside pocket of his jacket and lit it. A familiar head of short honey-brown hair rounded the corner and breathed a laugh with a shake of his head. 

“First day back, and you’re skipping already?” Steve quipped, nudging his elbow into his best friend. 

With a strong inhale and a shrug of his shoulders, he smirked, “what can I say? I have a rep to keep up,” he teased back, “what are you doing out here?” 

“Running laps, but I saw you sneak back here,” Steve shrugged, leaning against the wall opposite his friend, “I saw you talking to Peyton this morning, you still haven’t given that up huh?” 

Eddie choked a laugh, and rolled his eyes, “that’s rich coming from the boy who can’t even talk to Nancy Wheeler”

“I can talk to her! I’m just, playing the long game,” Steve brushed his hair behind his ear and pushed himself off the wall, “I have to go back to PE, get to class will you?” he laughed as he took off. 

“Whatever you say, mom,” Eddie shouted after him, laughing to himself as he took the last inhale of his cigarette before putting it out with his foot. Deciding that Steve wasn’t so wrong about going back to class, he made his way into school again, hiding in a room under the steps where he usually would meet his friends during tests to check the answers, until the next lesson would start. 

When he heard the school bell ring, he made his way out of his cave and to his next class. Biology - he hated it. The only good thing was, she was in this class too. 

Walking into the classroom of his biology teacher Mr. Ward, Eddie spotted Peyton sitting alone in the back of the class, the seat next to her basically inviting him to sit there. 

“This seat taken?” Eddie asked as he reached Peyton who turned her head from her notebook to Eddie. He could make out some drawings that she did before she closed the notebook and put it on the side of the table.

“No, no. You can sit there if you want.” She smiled softly, and Eddie responded with a huge grin on his face, sitting down and getting his books out. 

Before Eddie could say anything else, Mr. Ward clapped his hands and brought everyone's attention to the front of the room. Well, everyone’s except his. His chocolate brown eyes kept flickering to the girl sitting beside him, listening in on the small whistle her nose made as she breathed in. 

He watched as she tucked a piece of honey-brown hair behind her ear, and swiped her tongue along her plump bottom lip. She was taking notes as the teacher rambled on about some sort of ecosystem that Eddie was not listening to. He bit the inside of his cheek and glanced down at his textbook. 

Ok you idiot, quit staring, she’s going to think you're creepy, he thought to himself, letting out a deep breath. 

“Page 67,” Peyton leaned over and whispered to him with a smile. 

Scrunching his eyebrows together, he smiled back and looked up, “What?” 

“We’re on page 67,” She pointed to his book. 

“Oh yeah, yeah thanks,” he laughed nervously, flipping through his book to the right page. Eddie tapped his fingers on the page, quickly picking up a pen and scribbling something into his notebook before ripping the small corner of the page and sliding it across the table to Peyton. 

U look pretty in blue

A soft pink blush crept up her cheeks to match her small smile as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Peyton tucked her hair behind her ear once more and scribbled something back to him. 

Thank you with a tiny heart beside it. 

Now Eddie was the one blushing as he turned to catch her gaze, just as a ray of sunshine caught her bright amber eyes, illuminating the colour of her iris. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he turned his eyes back up to the front of the class. Not that he was going to listen at all to Mr. Ward, he never did, but he needed to distract himself enough to get rid of the fuzzy feeling of being in such close proximity. Her warm vanilla scent swirled in his nose every time she flicked her hair. 

“I—” Eddie went to say but Mr. Ward turned an icy glare on him prompting the urge to give him the middle finger but that would result in him being sent to detention on his first day back. 

Uncle Wayne would kill him and he’d never see his angel again. 

“I have a double today, remember to eat dinner…” 

He flipped over another piece of paper and twirled the pen between his fingers methodically as he thought about the wording. He scribbled across the paper, dumping every ounce of courage he had into the note. 

Do you want to come over for pizza tonight? 

Wayne did say to eat… he just didn’t say what and with who. Eddie smiled to himself before sliding it under her book and taping the table with his pen to get her attention. 

He flipped the pen nervously in his hand as she lifted her book. Her eyes scanned the small piece of paper before setting her book back down and facing forward. Eddie’s heart hammered the longer she stared forward listening to Mr. Ward ramble on about the powerhouse of the cell. 

Eddie’s eyes flickered over to her while he pretended to pay attention. She had her lip between her teeth biting back a smile but the upturned corners of her mouth gave her away. The sight only sent a wave of butterflies through him. 

She lifted her book once again scribbling something before sliding it across to him. 

Sausage and Mushroom? 

Eddie couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his face as he wrote a response. 

Anything for you, m’lady. 

A soft giggle escaped Peyton’s lips and caused Mr. Ward to spin around and glare at the two of them. A deep clear of this throat brought the two students' attention back to the front of the room. For the rest of the lesson, they tried their best to stare at the board and listen. Eddie was tuned out of whatever was happening again, as the nerves of what he’d just asked her sunk in. His room was a disaster and the trailer was not something he wanted to show off. Not that he was ashamed of it, but someone like Peyton deserved better than that. 

Peyton Morris was from the suburban part of town that Eddie was never allowed in. Her father owned some chain of restaurants that were everywhere in the country and she was one of the kids at school who had their own car the moment she turned 16. The two had met the summer before high school started when her family moved in. Eddie had been at Steve’s while his parents were away, it was the only time he was allowed there, and the two boys were out biking when they saw the moving truck. He’d had a crush on her since that day. 

And now she was actually going to hang out with him. By themselves. At his place. Eddie sucked in a deep breath and practically lept from his seat the second the bell rang. He couldn’t let her know how nervous he had become or how much he was slightly regretting asking her over. 

“Eddie! Wait up,” a soft giggle came from behind him as Peyton jogged up to meet him. 

He swiped his hand over his head and pressed his lips into a thin line, “Sorry I uh, almost got you detention” 

She shrugged and nudged her elbow into his side, “would’ve been worth it,” she smirked, “I’ll meet you at your locker after school okay?”

Eddie fought to contain his excitement as his cheeks warmed and his fingers fidgeted in the pockets of his leather jackets. “Yah three thirty sharp,” he nodded. 

The rest of the day went by pain stakingly slow. Eddie found himself watching the clock in every classroom like if he stared at it long enough he might be able to use the force to make it advance time. 

When the last bell rang he skirted from the classroom, nearly tripping over Steve and Robin by their lockers to get down the hall. His heart hammering in his chest praying that Peyton had been confident in her decision and she’d be waiting for him. 

When he rounded the corner she was there, waiting patiently with a soft smile on her face. She looked down at the watch on her wrist and scowled, “it’s three thirty three, you’re late Munson.” 

“I.. oh god—,” he stuttered worried she was actually upset with him. 

“I’m kidding,” she laughed, “you ready?” 

“We’ll have to walk to my place,” he admitted nervously, every stipulation he offered was followed by the irrational fear that it would make her change her mind. 

“I have my bike,” she offered. “It’s one of those big handlebars, you think you can peddle us there without dropping me?” She smiled. 

Panic coursed through him as the worry of dropping her became a harsh reality. “I-uh-I think I can handle that.” 

Peyton laughed with a raised brow, “you don’t sound so sure.” 

He sucked in a deep breath, “Well I mean it might take me a minute to get used to your bike and the way it rides but…” he rambled on trying to find any ounce of courage left within him. 

She grinned, tucking her book back closer to her chest. “You don’t have to be nervous Eddie. It’s just me.” 

Yeah, that’s the problem, he thought. 

He forced a smile, “I’ll try not to be.” 

The pair made their way out of the school, pulling looks from almost everyone they passed causing Eddie to pull his hood back up over his head. Even the rest of the school knew she was too good for him, but Peyton responded by looping her arm with his as they walked out the front door together. 

Instantly, Eddie felt his palms get sweaty and heat crawled up the back of his neck, but he pushed it all down as soon as they got to her bike. She unlocked it from the bars and pulled it free, turning to him with that gorgeous smile on her face. 

He took the bike from her and smirked, “your chariot m’lady,” he chuckled, as he climbed on and offered her his hand. 

“Why thank you, good sir,” she teased, using his hand to settle herself on the handlebars, before he took off down the street, sending Peyton into a fit of giggles. 

“You okay?” Eddie laughed with her. She nodded her head and placed her hand over his to keep herself steady, pressing her fingers between his, she looked back at him with a smirk. 

“Don’t throw me off,” Peyton commented. 

With a wink, he linked one of his fingers over hers, “I got ya, don’t worry.” 

Her laughter giggle echoed through the air as the wind blew through her hair and tickled Eddie's nose. He hadn’t felt this free in a while and that was saying something. Eddie thrived on that feeling, anything dangerous that pushed the limits of society and filled him with adrenaline. But this… this was different. It was unbridled joy and it felt like he was flying. 

He pushed them faster until they hit the big hill at the end of the road, the trailer park was at the bottom. Her home at the top, in a neighborhood he could only imagine was chalk full of manicured lawns and perfectly healthy families. As they rounded the top he halted his peddling and let gravity take control, “hold on!” He yelled over the sound of wind in his ears. 

Her hands squeezed tightly around his and she leaned into him. Her backpack pressed against his chest and her head fell back against his shoulder putting full trust in his ability to keep them steady. He watched as she closed her eyes and let the wind fill her hair and Eddie just knew that she felt the same. 

They were flying together. 

Eddie could feel the first genuine smile on his lips that he’d had in a long time. The feeling of freedom and not caring about the world around them. Letting her spirit guide him in this new feeling of not being afraid. 

They finally pulled up outside the trailer, and Eddie brought the bike to a screeching halt, offering out his hand as Peyton jumped off, letting out a musical laugh that tickled his ears and made his heart sing. 

“That… was incredible,” she breathed, spinning around to see Eddie gently placing her bike against the front steps. 

He laughed with her, and grinned, “I’m glad you think so,” in a fit of confidence, he walked up to her and brushed his hand through her long hair, fixing the pieces that were now sticking up from the wind. It was just as soft as he’d imagined, until Eddie realized what he was doing and retreated his hand, a blush creeping up his neck, “sorry…” 

“Thanks,” she fixed the rest of her hair herself and flickered her eyes to the trailer with a soft smile. 

Eddie cleared his throat, and gestured dramatically to his home, “Welcome to my castle,” he offered her his arm, “right this way…” 

“Such a gentleman,” Peyton giggled, wrapping her arm under his once more. 

They walked up the front steps and Eddie pulled open the front door, “after you, sweetheart,” he tried his best to sound confident as the nerves of her being in his home set in once more. Butterflies swarmed his stomach as she once more shot him that beautiful smile as she thanked him, taking a few steps inside. 

Eddie walked in and shut the door behind him. He turned towards Peyton and his knees nearly gave out at the sight of her in the middle of his trailer looking back at him with soft expectant eyes. He almost pinched himself just to make sure this moment was actually happening, that it wasn’t just one of the foolish little daydreams that littered his brain. The pinch would probably get him to talk too, instead of just staring at her holding his breath as he was doing now. 

He watched as she fiddled with the strap of her backpack, a faint crease forming between her brows while she chewed softly at the corner of her lip before being the braver one of the two and breaking the silence. 

“Um, shoes off? Or?” 

“Oh, um, yeah yeah. You can throw your bag over there too. Here, let me-” Eddie rushed through his words as he began to kick off his boots and moved forward to take her bag off her shoulders, stumbling over his feet in the process. Peyton grabbed onto his arm to try to stop his fall but he took her down with him unintentionally. 

Peyton landed atop him, her hands gripped into his shirt, with a shocked look on her face. “Oh god,” she blushed, “I’m sorry, are you hurt?” She asked, looking over him.

“Never better,” he smiled, trying to hide his amusement. He had been waiting to be this close to her, in this exact way all school year and yet now that he was in such a compromising position he wasn’t sure he was ready to chase that dream. 

His eyes flickered to her lips, and instinctively her eyes followed his trail, her cheeks flushing with nerves. “Here,” she pushed off him and came to a stumbly stance over him with her hand extended to help him up. “How about that pizza?”

“I’ll have to order it,” he sighed, hoping that Argyle would answer the phone. He owed him a favor and Eddie didn’t have any money but when he had invited Peyton over for pizza that wasn’t at the forefront of his mind. 

He walked to the phone, stripping it from the wall and pressed it to his ear as he watched Peyton survey her surroundings. He was more nervous than he had expected, wanting to know what was turning in her pretty little head as he listened to the dial tone. 

Eddie could feel his heart hammering in his chest as he watched her moving about. He let out a breath and shook his head, trying to shake off the feeling that was creeping back in. He pressed the pizza place's number and a wash of relief came over him when Argyle did answer the phone. 

After ordering the pizza, and getting Argyle to agree to his terms, he hung up the phone and turned back to his guest. Ok be cool, just wait for the pizza, he thought to himself. 

“Pizza should be here in fifteen minutes,” he sighed and cleared his throat as he moved over to flop onto the couch. 

Peyton shot him a soft smile, and sauntered over to sit beside him, “There’s uh, a lot of caps on the walls” 

Eddie laughed and looked around as he nodded, “Yeah my uncle is kind of a collector. Anywhere he goes, he has to get one to bring back,” he explained, “the funny part is, he actually wears all of them, switches it out every few days.”

“That is pretty impressive… your place is really nice Eddie,” she swiped her tongue along her bottom lip and looked down as she fidgeted with her hands, “it really feels like a home” 

Taking in her words, he wasn’t really sure what she meant. Eddie looked around the trailer and saw little reminisces of his life with his uncle, and a soft smile appeared on his lips. There were a couple of pictures of him as a boy, that one time his uncle tried to get him to play baseball and a couple of years later at his first guitar concert. It had taken her words for Eddie to actually realize the amount of work his uncle had put in to make this place home just for him. 

“Thanks,” He answered quietly, rubbing his hand into the back of his neck, “hey there’s a stack of movies by the TV if you want to pick one, whatever you want to watch,” he commented, changing the subject over to something else and grinning over at his guest as he caught her gaze.

She bit her lip, smiling at him and not helping the thundering in his chest as she made her way over to the stack. 

“Any preference?” Payton asked peering over her shoulder at him. 

The sunset through the windows caught the golden flecks in her eyes, the amber strands of hair that poked through the dark brown and the way her lips were a perfect shade of pink all making his jaw drop slightly as he watched her. Suddenly she was the most beautiful thing in his trailer. 

Finally, he shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. “No preference.” He said softly getting up to help her look. 

A wide smile beamed over her lips as she picked up a copy of The Breakfast Club. 

“Have you seen this?” She asked. 

He wanted to lie and tell her no. But the truth was he’d watched it about ten times so far. 

“Classic bad boy falls in love with the good girl?” He grinned, “that’s right up my alley.” 

“Good,” she smiled, “because it’s one of my favorites.” 

Eddie smiled, resting his hand on top of the VHS tape his fingers brushing the inside of her wrist as she let him take the tape. He sucked in a breath feeling tiny fireworks shoot up his arm from the warmth of her skin. 

Quickly he pulled his hand back, the VHS clattering to the floor between them. 

“Shit.” He mumbled kneeling down to pick it up hearing her giggle as she looked down at him. Dark brown eyes meeting hers. 

“There are those nerves again.” She smirked.

He exhaled a shaky deep breath as he straightened back up again with the tape, feeling the redness creeping up along his neck. He had to admit it, to be honest it was pretty obvious, he was feeling like a mess. Clumsy and acting like he hadn’t a clue how to act around girls. Or for the fact any human being in his state. 

But this was Peyton Morris. In his trailer. With just a small gap between them with her head slightly tilted to the side, a warm smile lingering on her lips that continued to spread through him. 

A dream that somehow had come true. 

“You don’t have to be nervous around me, Eds, I don’t exactly bite.” Both chuckled as more warmth spread through him when she gently placed her hand over his. “I’m really glad you invited me over. I needed this escape from my reality. To let loose and have fun.” 

Eddie cleared his throat and nodded, trying not to suffocate from the way his pulse raced from their touch. “Sorry…and I’m really glad you didn’t neglect me…” 

She giggled, that adorable little giggle with her sparkling, mesmerizing eyes. “From the words of Eddie Munson? I could never.” 

If it weren’t for the distant knock on the door that turned clearer the third time, he wouldn't have been able to move from his frozen spot. Peyton nodded her head to the door with a soft smile and he scurried to make his way over. 

Opening the door, Argyle stood with the pizza cardboard in his hands with a huge grin on his colorful, patterned clothing that could be seen from space. 

“Eyo brochacho! The free pizza for the man himself has arrived!” He bowed his head and reached out the box for Eddie like he was offering it to royalty. 

“Thanks, man,” He grabbed the box from his friend. “Talk to ya later okay bye,” with that, he slammed the door closed. Maybe it was his nerves that took over or-

No, definitely his nerves. 

“Pizza is here,” Eddie said on his way to the couch, not really thinking about it. He set the pizza down on the table in front of the couch, just like he always did with his uncle. Just when he realized that this wasn’t the perfect way to eat pizza with a girl he liked - or at least he thought it was - his cheeks heated up and he looked at Peyton. 

“I-I’m sorry, we should eat at the dinner table, I-” he grabbed the pizza box and stood up, looking around hectically before Peyton stopped him by touching his arm.

“The couch is just fine, Eddie. We wanted to watch a movie, remember?” she giggled and Eddie's cheeks turned a darker red. 

“Right,” he breathed out and giggled. He was embarrassed. How was this pretty, perfect girl still here? With a guy like him? He felt the insecurity growing stronger with each thought he had. 

He popped the top of the box, his nerves getting the best of his schoolboy heart as she hovered over him wanting a look. She sat down next to him and tucked her foot under her bum so she could still reach the pizza. “Oh shit... I mean…shoot,” he went to stand to get plates but Peyton leaned over and snatched a piece into the palm of her hand. 

“Oh…” he bit his tongue and watched her with big eyes as she munched down on the hot dough and spicy sauce. Her eyelashes fluttered and she sunk into the cushions of the couch happily 

“I haven’t had pizza in so long,” she hummed, taking another bite. “Mom says it’s too greasy for dad, they’re on some weird health kick. All we eat is turkey meatloaf and vegetables…” she mumbled as she chewed. 

Eddie should have been eating, or talking…really anything but staring but he couldn’t help himself. Peyton fricken Morris, snuggled on his couch in her socks, speed eating pizza like she was starving and somehow she still looked like an angel. Eddie had deemed himself the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet. 

“Is there something on my face?” She looked at him with wide eyes, pausing with her teeth half-sunk into a piece of pepperoni. 

“No, you’re perfect.” He smiled. 

Eddie‘s skin was now flaming hot. He couldn’t help himself. The words just slipped out so easily, it was so obvious to him. Hell, she was a living dream but he feared he was being too forward and that she would find his choice of words weird…

Until she blinked up at him with her big, amber doe eyes, her cheeks dusted pink in the most adorable way as a soft smile spread across her plump lips. 

“You’re not so bad yourself, Munson.” She teased as she took a big bite, reaching for another piece to offer him. “Eat now before I finish it alone.” 

He accepted the piece with a bashful smile, he could practically hear his own heartbeat drumming in his ears by now. He took a bite and savored the flavors, leaning back to rest his head against the headrest as he hummed in satisfaction.  

“This is so so good.” He said with his mouth still full of the tasty pizza. 

Peyton bit down on her bottom lip, failing to hold back a smile. 

Eddie raised a brow, swallowing down the rest of the dough. “Huh?”

She pointed to her chin as she nodded her head toward him. “You have something just here.”

Before Eddie had time to wipe away the mess he’d made, feeling more than embarrassed, she leaned forward and swiped her thumb over his chin. It was a quick movement, but her touch sent shots of electricity through his whole body, sparking something up in his fluttering heart.

For a moment, Eddie’s mind went completely fuzzy, only focusing on the beautiful girl sitting in front of him. What had Argyle put in this pizza? It had to have been something to make him act this way. 

Eddie took another bite of pizza before launching himself up and moving over to the TV, “guess this works better if we turn it on huh?” He joked, popping the VHS into the player and grabbing the remote before plopping himself back down beside Peyton. 

Her soft giggles were like music to his ears as he hit play and fast-forwarded through all the commercials at the start, stopping just as the intro music began for the movie. 

Peyton cocked her eyebrow at him and smirked, “that was pretty skilled, it was almost as if you knew exactly when to hit play,” she teased. 

Eddie shrugged as he took another large bite of pizza, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he retorted pulling more of her musical laughs out of her. It was very easily turning into one of his favourite sounds. 

The two of them sat there and polished off their medium pizza easily between the two of them, as the movie played in the background. His eyes flickering to the beautiful brunette sat beside him every once in a while, just to make sure she was still there and real. Suddenly, he felt Peyton’s leg land in his lap as she hooked her calf around his knees, getting more comfortable on the couch. 

He looked over at her as his breath caught in his throat, and she gave him a soft smile. 

“Is this okay?” She whispered, 

All Eddie could do was nod in response as he gently placed his hand on her ankle and rubbed his thumb against the sliver of skin that was visible between the hem of her jeans and her sock. When she didn’t instantly pull her leg away from him, he let out a small sigh of relief and tried his best to turn his attention back to the screen. 

The sound of the front door opening pulled his attention quickly away from the screen, as Peyton’s leg retreated from on top of his. Wayne stepped inside and cocked his eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Uncle Wayne! I thought you were at work?” Eddie’s eyes flickered between Peyton and his uncle quickly as he sat up. 

His uncle let out a deep chuckle, and tilted his head to the side, “Forgot my lunch in the fridge and came home to get it, is that okay with you nephew?” He questioned, with a smirk on his lips, “you know I expected you to be up to no good when I got here but this…” 

“Oh right! Uh, uncle Wayne, this is Peyton - Peyton this is my uncle Wayne,” Eddie cleared his throat. 

“If I hadn’t done a double take, I would have thought you were curled up on the sofa with Harrington for a moment,” his uncle rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as his eyes passed between the two of them, a sly smirk creeping up on his face. “It’s nice to meet you, Peyton,” he extended a grime covered hand to her and before Eddie could scold him for being embarrassing Peyton took it without gripes and shook it. 

“You have a lovely home,” she said, sitting up as he let go of her. “And don’t tell Steve but my hair is definitely nicer than his.” 

Wayne laughed with a nod of his head, “I like you,” he smiled, “she’s funny.”

Peyton sat up a little straighter as Eddie tried to evaporate into the couch, he was ten seconds from turning into the fibres of cotton when Wayne clapped his hands together awkwardly. “Can I speak to you?” he asked, nodding toward the other end of the trailer. 

“I’ll be right back,” he went to put his hand over Peyton’s but pulled back nervously. “I’m sorry.”

Eddie slowly sauntered over to where his uncle was standing at the end of the hallway and clasped his hands together with a frown, “Okay, first of all, that thing with Harrington happened one time, let it go,” he quipped, “second of all before you say anything…” 

“Boy, I will smack you upside the head if you keep talking,” Wayne crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow as his eyes flickered to the girl sitting in their living room, “is there a conversation we need to have right now before I go back to work?” 

“Wha- Oh god, no! No, no,” Eddie shook his head, dramatically waving his hands in front of himself, “it’s not like that, she’s just here to hang out!” 

“Well having the Morris girl in my living room was not exactly what I was expecting when I walked in that front door, pardon me for being curious” he cleared his throat, looking down at his nephew, “do her parents know she’s here?” 

With a shrug of his shoulders, he let out a small sigh, “I don’t know, we didn’t really talk about it…” 

Wayne let out a breath, and placed a hand on Eddie’s shoulder, “I am making the terrible decision to trust you here, but make sure she gets home at a reasonable hour, you hear me?” 

“Yes Wayne, I know…” Eddie mumbled. 

A loud clap of his uncle's hands made both Eddie and Peyton jump a little, as he moved back into the living room with a smile, “So Peyton, did Eddie tell you about that time he got himself stuck underneath the trailer because he tried to befriend a raccoon?” 

“No,” Peyton looked between them with a curious glimmer in her gorgeous brown eyes. “But that sounds like Eddie and I would love to hear it,” she laughed. 

“Maybe another time,” Eddie mumbled, trying to hurry Wayne from the trailer before he did any more embarrassing damage. The heat from his weird questions still tingled at the base of his neck and he could feel how hot his cheeks had gotten. “You have to get back to work!” 

“You kids be good,” Wayne warned with his best dad voice, making Eddie smile nervously, “and stay on the couch Edward.” He gave a pointed silent threat to behave himself piled atop the previous, light-hearted one. 

When the trailer door finally slammed shut Eddie walked back to Peyton and sat down on the couch across from her, resting his arm against the back of it. She sunk against the back of the couch giving him the reach to wrap a strand of her soft hair around his finger. 

Eddie let the silence wrap around them as he concentrated on the small strand of her silky soft hair. The smell of pizza had dissipated allowing the warm vanilla scent of her perfume to envelope him as she scooted ever so slightly closer to him, causing their knees to brush together. 

The butterflies once again took over his body and Eddie cleared his throat, as he rewound the film back to where they had been interrupted. Peyton settled back in beside him, leaning her body into his and pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she softly smiled up at him. 

“Your uncle seems really cool,” she commented, nuzzling her cheek into his shoulder. 

Swallowing thickly, he nodded slowly and turned his chocolate brown eyes down to meet hers, “yeah he’s uh, he’s pretty great. Don’t tell him I said that though, I’ll never hear the end of it,” he chuckled. 

“Your secret is safe with me,” Peyton whispered, nudging him playfully. 

“I am forever in your debt m’lady,” he rubbed lazy circles on her shoulder with his thumb as they watched the movie. 

Eddie waited with a bated breath between each soft fit of laughter that came from her, nervous as hell as the time ticked on and the movie was coming to an end. He had waited hours, days, and weeks to have this moment with her and now that it was here it was like time was racing by and he couldn’t figure out how to slow it down. Her eyes were heavy as the credits began to roll and Eddie softly nudged her to wake her up, “Peyton?” he whispered to her. 

An adorable squeaky yawn pulled from her chest and he couldn’t help but chuckle at the cute sound, “you should probably get home. I can walk you to the top of the hill?” He offered. And if I’m lucky, I can find the courage to kiss you. He thought to himself as she stretched and stood up clumsily from the couch. 

“That movie was funny,” she hummed as she slung her backpack over her shoulders.

Eddie opened the trailer door and the cool spring air hit his face making him scrunch up his nose from the stinging cold. He looked back at Peyton, realizing she hadn’t worn a sweater, “hold on,” he walked to where he had shucked off his leather jacket and lifted it up to her to put on. 

“Eddie,” she giggled, “won't you be cold?” 

“You have further to go and I’ll be okay,” he smiled, urging her to put it on. 

Peyton swung the leather jacket over her shoulders and tucked her arms through the sleeves. She looked at each hand and smiled softly, “what’s with the chains?” 

“Oh uh, that jacket belonged to my father... It’s a long story but the seams were letting go and I - I thought it looked cool,” he confessed with nervous laughter. 

“It does look cool, I like it,” Peyton climbed onto her bike and the two of them started their way out of the trailer park and up the road. “Thank you for today by the way… I did mean it when I said it was nice to escape my reality for a bit.” 

Eddie’s smile never seemed to leave his lips as he listened to her, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pocket, “I’m glad I could help… your - your welcome over any time you need that, or just anytime,” he rambled. 

It was hard to tell whether he was shivering from the evening chill or his nerves of a potential goodnight kiss, but either way, he felt every muscle in his shoulders and jaw tense as he tried to stop himself from shaking. 

“Honestly it was nice having company, usually when my uncle works all night I just walk around that trailer by myself with my guitar,” Eddie admitted. 

“Maybe you can play for me next time,” she offered, peddling as slowly as she could to match Eddie’s pace. “I miss hearing you play,” she said and then looked away from his as her cheeks flushed red. 

“When did you hear me play?” He asked, silently begging her to look back over at him.

“Last year chess club used to get out after school and you…” she rocked her head back and forth nervously, “you sometimes were in the band room playing the guitar with your friends.” 

“Chess club?” Eddie raised an eyebrow at her.

“If you tell anyone Munson, I’ll march back to your house and ask your Uncle Wayne for baby photos,” she threatened playfully. 

“Okay, okay!” He held up both arms in surrender, “who knew you were such a dork!” 

“Eddie!” She scoffed, embarrassment lacing her voice. 

“I have Wayne, you play chess. A secret for a secret,” he laughed, his chest contracting tightly as they reached the top of the hill. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her, but he certainly wasn’t going to risk walking her into the gated community. That was asking for Hopper to pick him up on loitering or something… “I had a really good time tonight.”

Peyton hummed softly, and pressed her feet into the pavement, looking out at the big houses that lined the street beside them, “I did too…” she spoke quietly, chewing on the inside of her cheek, before turning her gaze to meet his, the light from the street lamp catching her face in a perfect glow, “I’ll see you at school tomorrow?” 

Eddie nodded slowly and clicked his tongue as he watched her start to move towards the gates, “Goodnight Peyton,” he smiled. 

“Goodnight Eddie,” 

And with that, Eddie watched as she peddled down the street into her neighbourhood. Taking a couple of steps backwards, he turned and slowly made his way back home down the hill. He let the cool air hit his face and allowed his thoughts to wander. Her laughter and the small scrunch of her nose flashed through his mind and the smile that had been plastered on his lips all night grew wider. 

He practically floated his way back into the trailer and settled himself at the dining room table as he started scribbling ideas for a new song, the words flowing out through his fingertips so easily as he pictured the way her eyes shone in the sunlight. 

Eddie wasn’t sure when he fell asleep but he only dreamed of how feathery her hair felt between his fingertips and how the left side of her smile curled a little higher than the right. The sound of a plate scrapping across the table shook him from sleep and he opened one eye lazily to inspect what smelled so delicious. 

“Waffles for lover boy,” Wayne said, “so did you, you know…” he raised an eyebrow and Eddie tilted his head to the side in confusion. “What do you kids call it now? Kiss, make out?” 

“Don’t ever say that again,” Eddie groaned, “and no cause I'm a coward,” he sighed heavily and slammed his forehead against his notepad in frustration. 

“Will hot cocoa make it better?” He set the Garfield mug on the other side of the table. 

“I’m not a little kid,” he groaned, rolling his head to the side to see Garfield's stupid face mocking him for not kissing the girl he liked. “Does it have marshmallows?”

A deep chuckle escaped his uncle as sat opposite his nephew, “I wouldn’t cheap you out like that, you know that. Now tell me what happened” 

“I froze up… I walked her up the hill and looked into her neighbourhood and realized she’d never actually go for me like that so I just… I don’t know,” Eddie groaned, stabbing his fork into the waffle. “She deserves better than me uncle Wayne,” he grumbled. 

Wayne placed his mug hard on the table, “you listen to me right now Edward Munson, that girl would be lucky to have you in her life, no matter where she’s from. And based on what I saw last night, she knows it too, so pick yourself up, eat your breakfast and get your ass to school so I can sleep” 

The boy's head shot up as he eyed his uncle, “Does that mean…” 

“Yes you can take the car, I don’t have the energy to deal with you this morning,” He mumbled, sipping his coffee, “But you have to promise me you’ll go to class and stay there or else you’ll never take that car or a car of your own and I’ll get Hopper to take your license until you graduate, do you hear me?”

Eddie beamed as he shoved half of the waffle into his mouth, quickly gathering his school things. "THANKS, WAYNE!" He exclaimed mouth still full of food. 

He practically ran to the door, swinging it open and heading outside. Eddie stopped in his tracks, barely making it to the front step before he ran back to the door. He pulled it open glancing over at the table where his uncle still sat, car keys dangling off his index finger as he read the newspaper, sipping on his coffee non-bothered. 

A laugh bubbled in his chest as he raced back over and grabbed the keys. "Right, thank you again." He said this time making his way back out to the car without another thought. Only the excitement of seeing the long golden brown hair and dark eyes made his skin feel like it was on fire. 

Eddie climbed into the car, turning off the southern rock his uncle insisted on listening to and shoving the Metallica cassette he hid in the center console into the player. He stuck the key into the ignition and began strumming on his leg as he backed out of the driveway, his fingers wrapped around the steering wheel, hitting every chord and slide. 

He sang his heart out as the excitement in him built like a stoked flame as he got closer to school. He parked the car and grabbed his bag, mentally marking the shortest route to her locker in his mind as the dejavu began to kick in. 

Eddie had parked in the west lot so he could avoid all the football players and hopefully cut Peyton off around the corner on her way to English class. His boots scuffed against the hallway floors as he moved as fast as he could without full-on running. He flattened out his messy shirt and tried to appear presentable as he went to round the corner only to come to a dead stop. 

“My dad yelled for almost an hour last night,” Peyton’s voice was low and hushed as she leaned against her locker with her back to him across from Nancy Wheeler. She was wearing a sunny yellow sweater and a pair of jeans, his leather jacket was gripped in her hand tightly. 

Eddie wanted to reach out, make his presence known but the conversation sounded private and the weight on his chest felt like a thousand pounds as Nancy spoke. “That’s what you get for going down to the trailer park,” she shook her head, her eyes drifted up to where Eddie stood watching the disappointment seep across his face. 

“Eddie is...nice,” Peyton fought and he waited, hopeful that she would stand up for him. 

“But he lives in the trailers, his uncle barely affords that and there are more than enough basketball players to go around.” Nancy raised an eyebrow, “you’re better than him.”

Eddie couldn’t stomach whatever Peyton had to say next, he took off down the hallway, busting out the door back into the parking lot. He stared down at his shoes, trying to find a way to get air into his lungs as the disappointment threatened to swallow him whole. 

He knew it. This whole time he knew their differences would get in the way and yet his uncle let him have that small glimmer of hope. Hope that she would see past the trailer park and their status in this town. Hope that she would actually see him and in a matter of sheer seconds, that hope was ripped from his body of bulldozed by non-other than Nancy Wheeler. 

Leaning against the side of his car, Eddie pulled a smoke out of his hoodie pocket and stuffed it between his lips, lighting it and taking a long drag. He wasn’t sure why this came as a surprise or why any of this hurt so much, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he was right all along. Peyton did deserve better than him. 

“Rough morning, sport?” A smooth voice came from beside him as his best friend leaned against the car. 

Eddie blew out a cloud of smoke and looked down at his boots, “Not now, Harrington, I’m really not in the mood.” 

Steve put his hands up in defence, “alright, alright, I’m just here to say that whatever those football jerks said or did, you know I’ve got your back if you want to kick their asses,” he commented backing away, “you know where to find me” 

With a deep sigh, Eddie closed his eyes and shook his head, “it’s Peyton… I knew she deserved better than me and apparently she thinks so too,” He mumbled. 

“What? No way!” Steve placed his hands on his hips and frowned at Eddie, “based on the way I saw her looking at you yesterday, there’s no way that’s true!” 

“It is, Steve! I heard her talking to Nanc…” he chewed on his bottom lip before taking another long drag of his smoke. 

Steve let out a breath and moved back over to his friend, clapping him on the shoulder, “maybe you missed part of the conversation,” 

“No what she said was pretty clear,” he replied sarcastically. 

“Look, don’t write it off until you talk to her yourself, okay? I have to get to practice or the coach will kill me, but just trust me on this one, she likes you, man,” Steve shot his friend a soft smile before jogging across the parking lot and into the soccer field. 

Eddie sighed, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder. He wasn’t ready to talk to her. Everything he felt this morning rushing out of the house to be able to see her was washed away with the girl’s words. 

Maybe Steve was right. Maybe he had missed the conversation but it didn’t help the dread that crept through him. He hoped he was wrong, that he misheard and someday they’d live happily ever after. This wasn’t a movie though and so far life hadn’t mimicked Hollywood for him. He’d never be John Bender and Peyton wasn’t his Claire Standish. 

He tossed his smoke to the ground, snubbing it out with the toe of his boot. Class sounded like a drag but he knew that if he didn’t go, Uncle Wayne would never let him take the car again. 

Eddie made his way inside, brushing past people in the hallway as he made his way to Biology. If anyone was going to give him a hard time about skipping a class it was going to be Mr. Ward and today he wouldn’t be able to take the humiliation. He’d been humiliated enough. 

When the class room door opened, he pulled his hood further over his eyes, forcing himself invisible as he found a seat in the back of the class. Without a word he pulled his items from his bag and listened as Ward dragged on about some random facts he had no interest in paying attention to. 

His eyes fell over to his normal spot finding Peyton sitting back in her seat, hair tucked back behind her ears and scribbling in her notebook. After a few moments her head lifted slightly, turning to peer back at him like she could feel his gaze on her. 

A soft smile spread across her lips, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes and one that made that sinking feeling in his gut feel more real than before. He didn’t smile back. Eddie just sunk further into the seat and stared at the empty notebook paper sitting in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her smile fall and brows furrow. It took everything in him not to look up at her again. 

Don’t look up, don’t look up, don’t look up. He willed himself. 

The bell rang sooner than he expected after feeling like every minute was dragging out longer and longer and as soon as it did Eddie shoved everything he had into his bag and raced out of the classroom. He didn’t want to run into her or risk the inevitable rejection she was waiting to give him. 

No, instead he swiftly made his way down to the band room. The one place in school that he could hide without getting into trouble. Mr. Corbin was the only teacher that took the time to treat Eddie like another human and not just another failed student. 

He pushed open the band door, grinning as soon as he saw the red electric guitar sitting perfectly in it’s stand as if it were waiting for him. 

“Munson, you aren’t supposed to be here yet.” He heard a voice call from the corner. His eyes tracked the voice, Mr. Corbin stood rearranging sheet music as he watched Eddie float towards the guitar. 

“I know, but…” he stammered for a moment, “it’s been a rough day, can I just hide out here today? I promise I won’t be in the way and I’ll only practice during class breaks.” Eddie pleaded. 

Corbin watched him for a moment before nodding. “You’re lucky there’s only a few hours left.” He pointed a stack of papers at him, “You were never here and I never saw you.” 

Eddie couldn’t help the thankful smile that spread over his features, “thanks Mr. Corbin.” 

He nodded once before disappearing into his office. Eddie spent the rest of the afternoon playing riff after riff until they turned into something he didn’t recognize, meshing songs together until they melded together. 

Time had slipped away from him. This was his happy place, playing music forcing himself into the notes and finding new ways to flare the chords to make the music he loved. 

He hadn’t even realized that the door to the bandroom swung closed until he felt something tossed to his feet. 

Eddie stopped playing, glancing down to see his leather jacket laying on the floor in front of him. Shit. His eyes tracked up to find Peyton standing in front of him. Something between a mix of anger and sadness plastered over her features. 

“Pey–” He breathed, setting the guitar carefully back into it’s stand. “Why have you been avoiding me Eddie?” She asked, hurt standing clear in her voice. 

His brows knit together. 

“You’ve not said one word to me today and I thought that–” She stopped herself, gnawing on her bottom lip as he watched her. 

“Thought what?” Eddie asked, “because it seemed pretty clear this morning that I am not good enough to be seen with Peyton Morris.” He bit. “What was it Wheeler said? There’s plenty of basketball players to go around?” 

Her lip trembled as he forced the hurt from his voice and hid it with anger. 

“She didn’t mean that,” Peyton defended. 

“Yes she did. You and I both know if Wheeler is one thing it’s brutally honest.” He bent over to pick up his jacket, laying it on the chair behind him, “I just didn’t think that you’d agree with her.” 

“Eddie, I didn’t–don’t agree with her!” She blurted, tossing her backpack to the floor at her feet. “Nancy is a good friend but doesn’t see anything past the gates of our neighborhood. She doesn’t understand what it feels like to fall–” 

His eyes widened slightly as she paused. Eddie took a step towards her, cautious and careful, “fall?” 

Peyton let out a sigh, running her fingers through her hair and gripping the root before looking back up at him, “to fall for a guy like you.” 

There it was. 

“A guy like me?” He exhaled a hollow laugh, “trailer park trash?”

She huffed, stomping her foot, “No Eddie! To fall for a guy who wants nothing more than to see me smile! One who actually tries to make me smile.” Peyton swiped away a tear that had fallen down her cheek as they stared at each other. She sucked in a breath before letting out a deep sigh, “Eddie you’re the only person who makes me happy. Like really happy and yesterday was just more proof of how right I was about the good in you.” 

“We can’t do this,” he whispered as much as it pained him to admit it. No one was going to let the troublemaker be with the good girl. 

She stepped towards him, taking a fist full of his shirt in her hands, “I don’t care what they want, Eddie, I care about what you want.” She looked up at him through thick lashes, “I care about you.” 

His breath felt like it was stuck in chest as he realized just how close they were. Eddie searched her eyes, looking for any glimpses of a lie but found none. Regardless of the doubt swirling through him, his hand found her waist as the opposite rested against her cheek. A tiny boost of confidence corded its way through him. 

“Your father will never let this happen,” he urged. 

“I don’t care what he says.” 

Eddie smiled, “this is gonna be a rough ride princess,” 

Peyton finally laughed as another tear falling from her eye as he quickly wiped it away for her. 

“Good thing I’ve got a knight in shining armor then,” Her index finger tapped against the middle of his chest, telling him that it was in fact him that she meant. 

Eddie ran his thumb over her cheek before leaning in riding the wave of courage coursing through him as his nose brushed against hers, “I’m sorry I avoided you today.” he whispered, lips brushing against hers. 

“I’m sorry Nancy said what she did,” she whispered back at him. 

He shook his head, shaking off the feelings he had earlier today before pressing his lips to hers in a timid kiss. His mouth carefully slotting over hers as fireworks exploded in his stomach. Eddie felt her twist his shirt further in her hands as she tried to pull him closer to her, melting into him and him her. 

Every doubt and worry he had dissipated the moment her lips touched his and even if it was only for a moment or for a day, he’d cherish any second he could get with the girl who felt forbidden but held his heart firmly in the palm of her hand. 

[sinkableruby]

shouting emoji pencil and paper emoji

someone else asked the shouting one so ill answer that one there

📝Share a snippet of an unposted WIP, with or without context.

debated on which one to pick for one for a while but i like this one a lot... here's context first. this is for a college/human au fic btw:

ok so you know how like in preschool and stuff sometimes youd accidentally call the teacher mom or dad? well it's like that but instead its your uncle and instead of you its college student ougi and theyre very embarrassed about it and just tried to cover it up badly. also they use they/them pronouns in this one bc i felt like it. ok context over

Hanekawa’s face, though, turned sly. “Hmm… I wonder if I’ll just go and tell him you said that~” Ah, so that was an option.

They froze, smile stuck stiffly on their face.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves now. There’s really no need for that, Hanekawa-senpai. I will do your work for you.” They were quick to resort to bribery.

“For a month.”

“Are you trying to kill me? A week.”

“Two weeks.”

They looked annoyed. “Fine. It makes you feel good, does it, to push your work onto a highly stressed, busy college student?”

Hanekawa smiled. “Yup! That’s another win for me, Ougi-chan.” She was terrifying in her ability to toss around the most terrifying person I knew.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a new glimpse into Hanekawa-senpai…” marveled Kanbaru.

their rivalry continues even in this universe... fun

the fic is supposed to be a very long fluff fic where a bunch of koyomis friends and stuff come over to his house for a party and they hang out and play like video games n shit n have fun :)

its quieter in this snippet bc only a few ppl are there (ougi, koyomi, suruga, tsubasa) but itll definitely get hectic lol. writing the rest of this is a long ways off bc ive got a bunch of fics i wanna finish first (or rather, one big one that i want to get to before this next big one), but i like the little gags and jokes and interactions ive written so far

here's another bc i like it:

"Are you fucking shitting me," said Ononoki.

(she is losing at super smash bros)

[chill-vibes-but-rainbow-panic]

I recognize and respect that the canon has made a decision to punish the antagonist/villain for the horrible actions they have undoubtedly committed, therefore giving them their deserved "bad"/tragic ending. But given that I care for this bastard and want them to be happy, I've elected to make an AU anyway

[faeriecourts]

naruto university au

Sasuke’s mindless in the comfortable silence that settles, brain turned off from what was probably brain rotting TV, his hand reaching out before he can even process what he’s doing, one of his fingers sliding over Naruto’s bracelet. It looks like parts of a volcano were made into little pearls, metal loops in between them, tiny etchings in the metal.

“You like it?” Naruto clanks the bracelet off his wrist, holding it up for Sasuke to take. “My mom made it.”

“Your mom?”

“Yeah, she has a jewellery company.” He runs his finger over the intricate markings of the metal. “Modern witchcraft calls these ‘sigils’, but back in the day, our family called them ‘seals’. They’re said to enhance things like power, strength, and concentration.”

Sasuke huffs at that, but Naruto just laughs.

“Yeah, yeah. Does it work or is it placebo? But the fact stands that some of my family were burned in the witch trials for it.”

Call Sasuke dense all you want, but he definitely feels the way he’s fucked up in this moment, jaw slack and stumbling. “I-I’m sor-”

“Don’t be,” Naruto waves his hand. “It’s not like I knew any of them personally. My mom’s big on tradition though, she likes to pass it down.”

“I get it.” Sasuke’s chin rests on his knee. “My mom used to tell stories about the Uchihas when I was a kid. She says the Uchihas used to be warriors, that they breathed fire and that their eyes would turn red under intense emotion. Usually from the death of a loved one, but once… once it happened in the name of intense love.”

Naruto smiles at that, heartwarming and brilliant, and Sasuke can’t help but let his breath catch at soft blue eyes meeting his.

“That’s lovely. Are you close to your family?”

At that, Sasuke winces.

“Ah, I didn’t mean to pry-”

“It’s fine.” Sasuke has been a lot of things, a coward about a lot of things, but Naruto hasn’t shyed away once from him, so Sasuke won’t either. He has to match him, after all. Has to be just as good, if not better.

“It is fine.” Naruto reassures. “Sakura’s not close with her family either. We both believe you fill it in with the family you create.”

The family you create. Family has always been a bitter pill in his mouth. Sasuke has never had a moment to create something, always on the tail end of the shadow Itachi creates.

It’s in the safe blanket of the night that he lets the words slide out of his mouth. “My brother and I are close,” he says tentatively. “He- Our father put a business test in front of me when I was 5, turns out Itachi scored full marks on it at that same age, but I didn’t. Not until months of studying later.” He doesn’t know why he’s admitting this, doesn’t know why he does a lot of things these days. But this is not his family, not the Uchihas. No one raises a fist in response, no one reprimands him for talking about it, for saying the truth.

“That’s cruel.” Naruto tries to meet his gaze, but Sasuke just stares at the bracelet in his hands.

“My brother asked me if I hated him, once. I didn’t respond. After that, he told our father he’d do it all. He’d take over the business early, take on all the responsibilities, as long as our father didn’t test me again. And then he graduated from here when he was 12, met sales quotas at 15, was leading board meetings at 17. No one trusted him, at first. Because who trusts a teenager with a company?”

Naruto doesn’t respond for a while, but when he does, he says all that matters. “He’s your brother.”

“He’s my brother.” Sasuke agrees. “So I have to help him.”

Sasuke hands the bracelet back to Naruto in the silence that follows, a simple and complicated exchange all at once.

“Or,” Naruto wiggles his eyebrows, the side of his mouth tilted in a sly smile. “You could do what my uncle Kurama did, and just fuck off to the wilderness.”

Sasuke finally meets his eyes at that. “What?”

“Yeah, his job used to be like, literally firing people. At some point he just got sick of it, saved up enough to get a house in the middle of nowhere.”

“You do realize there’s a reason why people don’t do that, right? It takes hours to get groceries that way.”

“Nah, man, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t give a shit. He’s out there with a vegetable garden and everything. It’s a self-sustaining house, he’s got a group he lives with too. Chops firewood barefoot, apparently it’s what god intended or something.”

“Oh, so running to the wilderness thing is genetic, then?”

“It was one year. Sometimes you just gotta- I don’t know, man, like, sit in nature! Build a tent, build character!”

“Build character? If I slept in the woods, my mom would call aniki to ask if he cut off my credit cards.”

“Well, if he ever does, we can both fuck off to the woods together and I’ll make sure we survive. Cook oatmeal over a fire and everything.”

There’s the slightest upturn at the corners of Sasuke’s mouth. Fucking off to the woods suddenly doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

ao3 | part one two three

[chernayawidow]

“Mainly, you needed to stop wasting it. You were tired of jobs that would pay your bills but not bring you closer to your career.” — Hell yeah! Honestly I also need that kind of clarity but it’s just so harddddd 😓

“And frivolous thoughts of coffee shop boys and…the hope of running into your soulmate.” — See THIS right here is what makes the situation even more painful, is the fact that she hopes to find her soulmate. While on the other hand, he knows about her in a way, and he had the chance to reach out to her, but he decided to let the connection fizzle out because of his revenge driven, neglectful father.

“Yes, make sure it’s not on Thursday,” she said, brushing a finger through her thin blonde hair. “I have to leave early to get my roots touched up before I go away this weekend.” — This bitch needs to get cut down to size 💀 listen I’m all for getting your hair done, but to put that above our baby girls OWN work load is a bitch move. I really hope she gets a reality check at some point…

“Oh. And get me a coffee, would you, dear?” — I choose to believe that our girl proceeded to spit a big ol’ glob into that coffee!

“Really?” Your voice was terse. “It’s one day a year, Dad. You can’t even manage that?” — Oh no, another shitty dad 🫣

“At least you had your car—a dark blue Camaro your uncle had restored and gifted you for your twenty-first birthday.” — OH FUCK YES YES YESSSS!!!! I LOVE CAMARO’S!! Bobby for the win you amazing human being!! Also I immediately thought of Vampire Diaries.

“You didn’t talk to your Uncle Bobby as much as you would like. Between work and school and taking care of the house for you and your dad, you didn’t have much free time on your hands.” — Justice for Bobby!!!

“Your dad had never liked it, you hanging around your uncle. So you didn’t tell him.” — Good thing you’re a 24 year old woman babe, what you do is your choice, and he can’t stop you MWAHAHAHAHAH 😏

““He knows,” Bobby said. The surly edge to his voice made you smile in amusement.” — I love Bobby so much, and Rufus too 🥺💖

“Usually I’d take you up on that, but I’ve got some people coming in pretty soon.” — The Winchesters I bet… 😏

“You shook your head. People drive like maniacs nowadays.” — LMAOOO oh if only she knew who that flash of black belonged to 💀

“You were finally feeling your soulmate.” — DUN DUN DUNNN!! AND THUS IT BEGINS!!

“Part of him thought, if he hadn’t hooked Sam into coming with him to try and find John, maybe Jessica Moore would still be alive.” — I’ve always wondered the same thing. If Sam never went with Dean, and was home with Jess, then would she still have died?

“’Cause it’s not just for you,” Bobby said dryly, then he hesitated. “...My niece might be swingin’ by later.” — Awh he’s so sweet and fatherly 🥹🫶

“Sam finally cracked a small grin as Dean rolled his eyes. “Fine. Jesus. You’d think Miss America was comin’ into town.”” — Nah just your soulmate who you avoided, no biggie at all 🤙

“You felt it now. You could almost visualize it with your eyes closed. In your imagination, it was bright and beckoning. You focused on it, and it grew brighter, thrumming and soft.” — This is such an interesting version of a Soulmate AU! There’s so many different types and I’ve never seen this kind before, but I’m really enjoying it!

“You could say that, he carefully replied. He remembered the way your voice sounded, smooth and pleasant in his mind, and he couldn’t help smiling a little. But not for long, I’m thinkin’.” — WOOHOO!!! CONTACT HATH BEEB MADE!! ITS HAPPENING!!!

“He answered you as he turned on the showerhead and started undressing. I’ll make a deal with you…if you can guess what I do for a living, I’ll come by and introduce myself in person.” — Dean you sly motherfucker 🤣

“When he once again remembered his dad’s warnings, that new warmth in his heart chilled, and it sunk like a stone.” — MAN FUCK JOHN! He really went and turned what should be a happy experience, into a terrifying one that Dean is now not wanting to commit to out of fear 😐 Stupid John! ITS ALWAYS THE JOHNS!!

So now the ball is really starting to get rolling! I just really hope that Dean disregards what John said and doesn’t up and leave her, because I don’t think my heart could handle that angst 🥺 and I can’t imagine how she would feel about that! Keen as to see how he handles this! Love your work as per usual! 🫶

Never Say Goodbye - Part 3

Pairing: Dean x Female Reader

Summary: The first time you and Dean sensed each other’s thoughts and feelings, you were just kids. It would take years to realize that you both were bonded for life, and even longer to finally meet. [Soulmate AU] (Rated M for eventual scenes – 18+)

Word Count: 4,500 Warnings: Language, fluff.

Part 3: Contact

As it turned out, your life started to get better after you missed that shift at the coffee shop.

Oh, you still got fired. But the experience of nearly getting splattered on the pavement by an oncoming truck gave you some unexpected clarity about your life.

Mainly, you needed to stop wasting it. You were tired of jobs that would pay your bills but not bring you closer to your career. And frivolous thoughts of coffee shop boys and…the hope of running into your soulmate.

Maybe one day, you could dare to hope, but from now on, you wouldn’t let it rule your thoughts. You wouldn’t hope too hard either.

It could save you from the disappointment of never hearing anyone’s thoughts but your own.

So you decided to check the University of South Dakota’s career board for jobs, and you discovered an opening in the history department! A research assistant for one of your favorite professors, who was writing their dissertation on the strange, superstitious, and sometimes down-right disgusting social practices of the Ancient Greeks (including bottling up the sweat of their best athletes, because they thought their musky body oils contained magical properties).

Since you were already majoring in history, you were a shoe-in for the job. And working directly with your professor gave you a great resource for future classes.

Four years later, you had earned your bachelor’s degree in History. You even decided to further your education when you were able to get a scholarship for graduate school.

Now you were just one semester away from finishing your master’s. You still worked in the history department, but you had been able to upgrade—to Executive Secretary to the Dean of Ancient Studies.

It sounded fancy, but really, you were a glorified slave. Or at least, your boss seemed to think so.

“I need you to cancel my meeting at two,” said Dr. Birch. She breezed into your tiny office without knocking, startling you from where you were hunched over your laptop.

“Good morning!” came your reflexive greeting, though it was a bit too loud and sharp. You internally winced at yourself and relaxed your posture, like a bird unruffling its feathers. “Cancel your meeting with Dr. Wells?”

Dr. Wells was a nice man, and an important one. He was the Head Dean of the entire History department. Technically, he was above Dr. Birch. It wasn’t a good look to blow him off, but you weren’t about to say so.

“Yes, I have an important lunch, and I already know it’s going to go overtime. Gary will understand,” she replied. She was looking at her phone rather than at you. For all she cared, you were just a calendar with hands.

Dr. Helen Birch was a brilliant woman. She’d published no less than five books, had won awards for her peer-reviewed articles, and she had been your academic advisor all through graduate school.

She could also rival Meryl Streep for “bitchy-ass boss” in The Devil Wears Prada.

“I also need you to grade the final exams for one of my classes,” she said. “Greek Studies this time.”

You held back a sigh. Again? I’ll never finish my own finals at this rate.

But what you said was, “Sure, I can do that. And I’ll email Dr. Wells to reschedule.”

“Yes, make sure it’s not on Thursday,” she said, brushing a finger through her thin blonde hair. “I have to leave early to get my roots touched up before I go away this weekend.”

“That’s fun,” you chatted while you revised Dr. Birch’s calendar on your computer (and sent an apology email to Dr. Wells). “Where to?”

“Oh, I have this tedious conference in Chicago. But then my boyfriend is taking me skiing in Breckenridge.” She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I simply can’t wait. This semester has been a drain on my psyche, and just terrible for my migraines.”

With the email sent, you took a little breath and gathered some courage as you got up from your desk and gathered a handful of papers you had stapled together. It was a rough draft of your thesis, which was only a bit worse for wear (including a suspect coffee stain that you didn’t remember accidentally putting there).

“Actually, I was going to ask you if you got my email about my thesis. I just wanted to go over some of the feedback you gave me on the draft,” you said, trying to sound more confident than you felt.

Dr. Birch raised a brow. “What of it?”

“Well.” You showed her the front page, which was covered in red ink. “Mainly the part where you crossed out the first three pages and commented, ‘Missing the point.’”

She nodded. “Yes. I’m afraid I have nothing to add about that.”

Well, that didn’t exactly help you. The first three pages was your entire introduction to your thesis, “TV & Film: The Modern-Day Mythology of the Masses.”

You must’ve had a pitiful, lost look on your face, because Dr. Birch finally took pity on you. She sighed.

“You are a creative girl. I’ll give you that, but your degree is not in cinematography. You are a historian,” she said. “And while the ‘Well of Souls’ in Raiders of the Lost Ark may be based on a real historical place in Jerusalem, that does not mean Indiana Jones can, or should be described as a ‘religious experience.’”

My ten-year-old self would bed to differ, you wanted to retort, but you kept your mouth shut and lowered your eyes. Dr. Birch nodded to herself and was about to leave your office, until she stopped short and gave you her Amex card.

“Oh. And get me a coffee, would you, dear?”      

The moment your day ended and you were able to get into your car, you let out a long sigh of relief. While you waited for your car to warm up, you massaged your hand, aching from grading papers for Dr. Birch’s class.

You rubbed your hands together, this time to warm them as the frigid air draining from the car still bit into your skin. A shudder tingled through your body, and not in a pleasant way. Honest to God, I hate the winter.

On reflex, you toyed with the silver ring on your right hand—your mom’s ring. It usually comforted you, but today, remembering her made your heart heavy. Because today was the anniversary. 

You still remembered that snowy day when you were fourteen, could picture it so clearly, like a scene painted on glass.

With one last sigh, you fished out your phone to call your dad. It rang for a few seconds (it always took him an eternity to answer his phone, and it drove you crazy).

“Hello?”

“Hey, Dad,” you said.

“Hey. Just got off work?”

“Yeah, I’m headed back to Sioux Falls. Want to meet at home and go together, or do you just want to meet me at the cemetery?”

The other line was silent for a moment. Longer than you would’ve liked.

“You’re coming, right?” you pressed.

“Look, I’m gonna have to work late tonight,” Jack said. “Don’t wait up for me.”

“Really?” Your voice was terse. “It’s one day a year, Dad. You can’t even manage that?”

“I told you I’m working a case.” He sounded annoyed. You didn’t care.

You were pissed.

“Whatever,” you dismissed. But then, you realized you weren’t willing to let it go just yet. “You know, I just find it interesting. On her birthday, Christmas, today, somehow you just can’t be bothered to visit your wife.”

“Hey, drop it, all right?” your dad snapped back.

“Sure. It’s none of my business, I guess.”

“I don’t need your sarcasm either.”

You silently fumed, but you weren’t willing to hang up the phone first. You didn’t want to look petty, and apparently, neither did he. You both could be stubborn like that, sitting in a tense stretch of silence instead of just…

Instead of just, I don’t know what, you could admit, if only to yourself. Eventually, his voice reached your ears.

“I’ll go when I can,” he said.

“Fine.”

And you really did hang up this time.

What should’ve been an hour drive back into your hometown took almost two with the traffic.

Oh yeah, you still lived at home with your dad. It wasn’t ideal, especially with a long-ass commute every day. But unfortunately, being a full-time student with a part-time job didn’t give you the budget to have your own life.   

At least you had your car—a dark blue Camaro your uncle had restored and gifted you for your twenty-first birthday. You didn’t talk to your Uncle Bobby as much as you would like. Between work and school and taking care of the house for you and your dad, you didn’t have much free time on your hands. You did see Bobby around town sometimes, and occasionally shared a beer with him when your demanding schedule allowed.

Your dad had never liked it, you hanging around your uncle. So you didn’t tell him.

That seemed to work out better for both of you.

In fact…

You reached for your phone again and found your uncle’s number.

“Stop badgering me, Rufus. I’m busy.”

Your lips curved into a grin. “Uncle Bobby?”

“Oh. Hi, darlin’. Sorry, thought you were some riff raff that keeps spammin’ me.”

“What did Rufus do now?” you asked.

“He knows,” Bobby said. The surly edge to his voice made you smile in amusement.

“What’re you doing later? Up for a beer?”

“Usually I’d take you up on that, but I’ve got some people coming in pretty soon.”

You scoffed. “You have people? What people?”

“You’re not the only number in my cell, you know,” he said dryly.

“What, you mean Rufus?” you teased.

“All right, now you’re just runnin’ up my minutes,” he said. “If you really want that beer, you’re welcome to swing by, if you want. I’ve got a stocked fridge full of cold ones.”

You laughed, then you considered his offer. Did you really want to go home and deal with your dad (whenever he bothered to come home)?

“Well, I’m going to the cemetery first, but I could maybe swing by after,” you replied.

“Right, that’s today, ain’t it?” Bobby said. “Give your mom my respects.”

A more genuine smile grew on your lips. “Thanks. Will do.”

You hung up with him just as you got to the cemetery. It was hard not to feel melancholy here, especially in the winter. All the graves were lightly dusted with snow, and it felt like the world came to a quiet stillness here.

You bundled up with your scarf and gloves as you braced yourself for the cold, stepping out of the car. On your way in, you heard the rumble of a car going by. It was loud enough to make you turn your head and see a flash of black speeding away.

You shook your head. People drive like maniacs nowadays.

You were about to continue on your way towards your mom’s grave, when you finally heard it.

Say goodbyeee…never say goodbye-y-aaayy. Holdin’ on we gotta try, holdin’ on to never sayyy goodbyeee.~

Someone was warbling a Bon Jovi song in your mind, and it certainly wasn’t you.

But you did come to a dead stop in your path. Your eyes widened as shock claimed your heart and your brain. Soon enough though, your heart warmed as you became aware of something new. It was like a low hum at first, reverberating inside your chest.

You and me and my old friends, hopin’ it would neeever end. Say goodbye—

The singing continued, but all you could focus on was the thrumming in your skull, the thread of connection you could sense and feel inexplicably. You didn’t realize you were crying until you felt warmth trickling down your cold cheeks. Sniffling, you wiped your tears with the back of your hand and smiled tremulously.

You were finally feeling your soulmate.

Which meant, he was close by…and with that realization came an important question:

What the hell do I do now?

They were in South Dakota again.

Dean knew coming back here was…potentially dangerous. He hadn’t heard his soulmate’s thoughts in four years, since the last time he was in this state.

Truth be told, he hadn’t wanted to come here. After the last hunt though, he could use some R&R at Bobby’s for a couple of days.

This time Dean had his brother with him, albeit the circumstances weren’t…great. Their dad was missing, and Sam had lost his girlfriend in the process of trying to find him.

Sometimes, Dean really regretted going to find his brother at Stanford. Part of him thought, if he hadn’t hooked Sam into coming with him to try and find John, maybe Jessica Moore would still be alive.

A more selfish part of him (one he wouldn’t name) was glad to have Sam with him. Dean was actually having fun hunting with him. And maybe, Dean was having to get to know him again too.

“You think Bobby will have any intel on Dad?” Sam asked from the passenger seat of the Impala. They were about five minutes away from Singer Salvage, the old man’s tow business (and his house).

“Doubt it,” Dean replied, changing the radio station once Bon Jovi turned to REO Speedwagon. He could get down with some pop rock from Jovi, but REO was pushing it.

“Then why are we here?” Sam turned to him with a frown. “We just ganked a poltergeist in our old house and…we saw Mom. You think we should be wasting time right now?”

Dean’s lips pursed. Leaving their old house behind in Lawrence, Kansas was exactly why he needed a minute before jumping into the next case. As much as he wanted to find John, Dean just…he needed a minute to breathe.

Revisiting those old (painful) memories wasn’t easy for him. He wasn’t sure that Sam completely got that.

“Bobby’s got a stack of lore books to Kingdom Come. Who knows, he might have a way to help us find Dad,” he said.

Sam shot him an unimpressed look. “And if he doesn’t?”

Dean resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He got why Sam was so fired up. Really. The fact that the kid was having weird…premonition dreams about the near future was concerning. And he wanted to find the thing that killed Jess, that killed their mom, but this was clearly going to be a marathon. Not a sprint.

“In the meantime, we crack open a couple beers,” Dean said, “get one or two of free nights on actual beds, and then we’re on our way to the next gig. How’s that sound?”

Sam let out a sigh through his nose and faced the road ahead. They both knew he wasn’t happy. Dean couldn’t exactly blame him.

When they finally got to Bobby’s, the old man greeted them with a casual wave, beckoning them inside. He offered them the contents of his fridge—a few beers and a frozen lasagna defrosting in the fridge. Dean scoped it out while Sam dropped off his bag in the upstairs guest room.

“That for us?” Dean pointed to the lasagna with a grin. “Didn’t know we merited the red-carpet treatment.”

“’Cause it’s not just for you,” Bobby said dryly, then he hesitated. “...My niece might be swingin’ by later.”

Dean raised his brows in curiosity. “Didn’t know you had a niece.”

Or any family, for that matter. He knew the old man had a wife, once upon a time, but he assumed she’d passed away. No kids. Bobby had never talked about having an extended family. He didn’t have pictures on the walls, and the shelves only had books and locked boxes.

Bobby took a long sip of his beer after opening a bottle each for himself and Dean. He had one ready on the counter for Sam, who came into the kitchen looking tired. The kid hadn’t been sleeping well for the past few weeks, to say the least. Dean handed him the beer.

“I don’t see her much,” Bobby conceded.

“Why’s that?” Dean asked.

It took a moment for the other man to answer. Eventually, he was honest. “Well, she's grown. Going to school, got a job. But you could say I had a fallin’ out with her dad, a while back.”

“You have a brother?” Sam said.

“Brother-in-law,” Bobby corrected. He didn’t say anything more about it though. Sam and Dean shared a look that said they agreed: There’s something off there, but I’m not gonna pry.

“You still see her though?” Dean asked.

“Every now and then,” Bobby said, sipping at his beer again. “It’s a small town.”

That kind of pissed Dean off. Bobby was a good guy. He’d watched Sam and Dean a lot when they were kids, their dad on a hunt. He’d made sure they had decent food to eat, good movies to watch, and even played catch with Dean a time or two.

So what kind of assholes did Bobby have for family, that they couldn’t be bothered to check in on the old man every now and then? They must’ve been off living their lives, in their own little world. Must be nice.

Dean brought the bottle of Heineken to his lips, only to realize it was empty. Couldn’t have that, could we?

He went to the fridge and opened the cap, only to jump as the beer fizzed and leaked over his hands.

Damn it!

Bobby sighed. “And I just mopped the damn floor.”

“All right, Martha Stewart. Keep your slippers on,” Dean teased. “Sam, get me a paper towel.”

Bobby tried to get by him to get the mop, but beer was still dripping down Dean’s arm.

“Would you move to the sink, already?”

Sam finally cracked a small grin as Dean rolled his eyes. “Fine. Jesus. You’d think Miss America was comin’ into town.”

Damn it.

You heard him again. And this time, you could hear his voice, so you knew the thought belonged to a him. The voice was pleasantly deep, and annoyed. You actually felt his irritation and were able to recognize that the emotion didn’t belong to you.

Excitement bubbled in your throat, almost making it hard to breathe as you drove your car down the road. You had been too worked up to go see your mom, and technically you were supposed to head to your Uncle Bobby’s house, but this was too important.

You needed to figure out how to talk to him—your soulmate.

So you pulled over on the side of the road, and even turned the radio off. Okay, now what?

You didn’t know what you were supposed to do. They taught about this subject in school, sure, but that had been years ago! You’d spent the past six years filling your head with college and work and learning how to be an adult.

Okay, just breathe. You calmed down a bit with some deep breaths, and you closed your eyes. When you first heard your soulmate’s singing in your head, you remembered feeling warmth spread through your body, emanating from your chest. Then in your mind, you’d noticed a…a thread, of what could only be described as energy.

You felt it now. You could almost visualize it with your eyes closed. In your imagination, it was bright and beckoning. You focused on it, and it grew brighter, thrumming and soft.

You thought of what you wanted to say, and you tried it—sending your thoughts and your will through the connection.

Having a rough day?

Dean was still wiping beer off the floor in Bobby’s kitchen when he heard your voice ring through his mind.

Having a rough day?

His entire body tensed, and he paused with a ball of wet paper towel in his hand. Sam had taken the mop from Bobby and was about to finish off the floor, until he noticed Dean blanking.

“Dean?” he asked.

It shook Dean out of his shock, enough for him to look up at his brother. “Hmm?”

“What’s up? You were staring off into space.”

Dean feigned innocence. “Nothing.”

Sam’s brow rose, but he didn’t press the issue and went back to mopping. Dean took the opportunity to toss the wet paper towel in the garbage.

“I’m gonna hop in the shower,” he said, and made his swift exit to the bathroom upstairs, so quickly that he didn’t see Bobby watching Dean curiously from the living room.

“Don’t use up all the hot water!” Sam called after him.

Once again, Dean found himself locking the bathroom door and staring at himself in the mirror. His green eyes were conflicted as he tried to calm down. Maybe his heart was starting to beat a tick faster. Maybe a trickle of nervous sweat was making its way down his spine. Maybe he didn’t know what the hell to do.

His dad’s warning was still clear as a bell in his mind.

“Unless you’re prepared to hang up your gun, and stop hunting, don’t open that door.”

Dean knew why John had said it, and even agreed with him…at least, logically he did. His life was complicated, and insane, and bloody. How could he put someone else through what he went through? What he still went through every day? It wasn’t right.

But his chest was aching. He rubbed at it absently.

He could feel your worry again, he realized. You were anxious, probably waiting for him to respond. Dean could feel you. Having a rough day? you’d asked him.

So as usual, he made an impulsive choice.

You could say that, he carefully replied. He remembered the way your voice sounded, smooth and pleasant in his mind, and he couldn’t help smiling a little. But not for long, I’m thinkin’.

Your relief hit him in a slow, but powerful wave. It almost made him feel guilty for taking so long to answer.

Well, it’s not every day you hear someone else in your head. Maybe you’re going crazy.

She was teasing him. You were teasing him.

It brought an incredulous smile to Dean’s face. You’re one to talk. Maybe you’re just talkin’ to yourself right now.

Hmm. I don’t usually warble to Bon Jovi, but maybe you’re right.  

A beat of surprise, another to remember what he and Sam had been listening to in the car earlier, and then embarrassment prickled at the back of his neck.

You heard that, huh? he asked wryly.

Maybe, you giggled. It was a cute sound, and it cut through some of his embarrassment. He wasn’t used to being put back a step by women. He was good at reading people’s body language, and usually it didn’t take him more than one look to figure out what a woman thought about him, and what they wanted to do with him.

So the fact that he couldn’t see you was a challenge. With that realization, a slow smile spread across his face. He was game for a challenge.

Well, I’m likin’ your voice so far, he said. Think I could get you to sing for me?

He felt you pause, a flutter of warmth through a tendril of shyness. I’ll leave the performing to you, Romeo.   

Come on, it’s only fair.

Who said life is fair?

Dean sobered a bit at that. Ain’t that the truth.

Hmm, so you were having a rough day.

Make it a week, he said.

Yeah, I know the feeling…I wasn’t having a good day today either.

Dean sensed your melancholy and didn’t like the feeling. Well, now you’re talkin’ to me. So it should be smooth sailin’ from now on.

He could feel you brighten at that. It made warmth bloom once again inside his chest, especially because he sensed you were smiling—a bit shy, but genuine.  

…What’s your name? he asked.

It took you a beat, but eventually you gave him your name. It wasn’t what he expected, but he liked it. Your name rolled through his thoughts, and he tested on his tongue.

What’s yours? you asked predictably. Somehow, Dean didn’t anticipate the follow-up.

Suddenly he realized exactly what he was doing: he was talking to you. (Something he’d told himself he wasn’t going to do.) Not to mention, he’d been locked in the bathroom for about ten minutes and hadn’t even showered yet. Pretty soon either Sam or Bobby was going to come knocking to see what the hell he was doing, so he might as well shower for real.

He answered you as he turned on the showerhead and started undressing. I’ll make a deal with you…if you can guess what I do for a living, I’ll come by and introduce myself in person.

Dean felt your shock, so he let you think as he stepped into the shower. Eventually you came back, annoyance coloring your emotions and your voice.

That’s stupid.

Dean smiled. Aw, come on. It’ll be fun.

For you!

Don’t you know, sometimes the best things in life come after some delayed gratification.

You paused for a moment, in which Dean didn’t know if you were in shock again, or just pissed. Maybe a combination of both.

Great, I got a comedian, you deadpanned. …You’re not a comedian, are you?

Sweetheart, I’m hilarious, Dean replied. But no. Good guess, though.

He sensed the equivalent of you rolling your eyes.

Just then, Sam knocked on the bathroom door.

“Hey, you better not use up all the hot water!”

“Twenty minutes of peace, Sammy. That’s all I ask,” Dean shot back. Sam made a sound of annoyance, but he went away, leaving Dean almost alone with his thoughts.

Look, I gotta go, he said regretfully. But I expect you to have some guesses cooked up by the time I get back from work.

You were still annoyed, but you begrudgingly agreed to his terms.

Fine. Just…don’t wander too far off. I can’t win the game if I can’t hear you.

Dean sensed your underlying worry, and your fear. You were afraid he was going to leave.

His heart softened. As a result, he ended up promising things he didn’t know if he meant.

Don’t worry. I’m not leaving town until you win, he said.

He felt your warm smile, along with your excitement.

Goodnight, sweetheart. We’ll talk soon.

Okay…goodnight.

He hung onto the feeling of your presence for a few seconds longer, before he let go of the connection. For now.

Dean caught himself smiling, but it quickly turned to a frown.

“Nobody should be waiting on men like us to come home bloody.”

When he once again remembered his dad’s warnings, that new warmth in his heart chilled, and it sunk like a stone. He leaned against the cool bathroom wall and pressed his forehead against the tile, while lukewarm water beat the side of his face and body.

Shit.

AN: Oh, Dean. What're we gonna do with you? lol

I hope you enjoyed Part 3! I promise they'll finally meet soon lol. What did you think of their first conversation?

To keep reading: Part 4

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[pokemon-ash-aus]

Hey, I just finished reading your fanfics for the genderfluid au. Great stuff, love how Miho blackmailed her uncle G.

I was just wondering, how and when did the other travelling companions found out about Ash/Miho?

I know Brock knew basically from the start but Misty wasn't informed about his/her/their situation yet. I'm kinda curious about the later companions to.

Honestly the Genderfluid AU is very everywhere for me but i do have better going for it uwu

Misty finds out in the Orange Islands, right befoee the Johto trip. She gets suspicious when Ash sort of leaves by himself and finds out then and there.

As his best friend, she goes to Tracey and basically tells him a story of herself and if he can't acceot it he's out.

Thats around the time that Ash finds out Misty is Trans and was too scared to tell Brock or himself.

Tracey doesnt have gender identity issues but they find out that he's Aromantic and doesnt really understand Relationships.

Gay lil trio they are.

The other companions findnout with time, especially as Ash grows more confident.

In Unova, Kalos and Alola, he sort of scuttles back a lot, and has to relearn how to be opennwith himself. He can't depend on Brock or Misty, he's got to do it on his own.

It helps a lot when they Meet Cynthia and Dawn again in Unova, and Dawn provides that crutch.

For Kalos, it's actually Bonnie that finds out first when she demands Miho take care of her brother. Miho offhandedly mentions that she takes care of him very well- and while that slips both Serena's and Clemonts notice, Bonnie picks up on it incredibly fast.

Like a kid, it takes her a bit to understand bt when she does she doesn't mind at all. She likes when Miho does her hair and when Ash braids it. Though, Bonnie does spill when Clemont and Serena are curious on why Ash and Miho never meet. She's just so surprised people would hate them just cause they're who they are.

Serena... Serena is great, though it takes her a lot longer to understand and she has to battle against her own homophobia (Being raised primarily in Kanto was not good for her). But when she and Miho are stuck together, she slowly understands and starts to explore herself. Realizing that- hey- she doesnt actually like boys, and she likes Girls instead.

Clemont is easier, a scientific approach on how most transgender people are and he accepts it fairly well.

In Alola, it just takes some time is all. Ash wants to make a good impressions, especially since they dont want to leave Alola.

All does go well :3

Journey's is one i havent thought of tbh, but thinking about it now, Nonbinary Goh and Genderfluid Ash make such a powerhouse friend group. Both of them making sly jokes to each other that if any other person made they would shut them down fast.

Goh: Ah- yes, i identify as a toaster today

Ash: So do i gotta wait for you to go bing to gimme my toast?

Had a Cis person told them that, it would have been disgusting. But they know they get along well.

Fun fact, Goh told Ash almost immediately that they went by They/them pronouns and if Ash didn't like it then he could leave.

Ash: Oh thank Mew, i didn't know how to bring up my pronouns with us being raised in Kanto.

Goh is abrasive and loud and with his pronouns, he doesnt care what anyone else thinks. (Sadly, that's why he only has Chloe as a friend)

[thelarriefics]

ROYAL FIC REC, Part III: Below you’ll find more regal fics. (Part I, Part II)

📖 Nothing But You On My Mind by @absoloutenonsense (83k)

Louis Tomlinson is a PR manager hired to improve the image of royal bad-boy Prince Harry Styles. Unfortunately for him, that means being faced with the Prince's constant innuendos, incessant dirty jokes, and relentless flirting. Louis just wants to make it to Princess Gemma's coronation; once she's crowned Queen, his contract is up and he never has to see the Prince again.

📖 adjudication by @bottomlinsons (75k)

Harry's been engaged to Princess Charlotte of Ryde for as long as he can remember. He's come to know her, to love her, through the letters she's sent him over the past three years.

But when the wedding finally arrives, Harry quickly learns that nothing is as it seems. With his crown and country at stake, Harry must decide who to trust in this strange new land. And the sly Crown Prince of Ryde doesn't seem inclined to make things easy.

📖 i kiss you (across hundreds of separating years) by @inlockets (44k)

the stars and two amused boys are playing cupid, and there are one too many coded love letters and a duck plushie that smells like home

📖 Just for Tonight (I can be yours) by @sadaveniren (42k)

Harry, prince of Cestrescir, has been betrothed to Ludvic, prince of Yorvik, since birth. He'd accepted a loveless marriage as his duty to his country, until an accident threw him in the path of a gentle alpha

📖 crown me with your heart (your love is king) by @perfectdagger (41k)

A The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Wedding au in which Harry is the Crown Prince of the small island of Eroda and Louis’ uncle is trying to take the throne from him, with a slight a/b/o twist and some more.

📖 take my hand, wreck my plans by @daggerandrose (38k)

a cinderella abo au with a twist

📖 Under your skin, Over the moon by @softfonds (35k)

If there was one thing Harry didn’t expect the day before his uni graduation, it was for his long lost grandmother to show up and tell him he’s actually a prince thats next in line to rule Genovia. He also didn’t expect to fall for his royal advisor, who happens to hate his guts. A Princess Diaries AU.

📖 with no way out and a long way down by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed (31k)

Prince Harry is ten when he receives his soulmark.

📖 the sanctity of patience by @scrunchyharry (22k)

When young Lord Harry was chosen by King Louis of Bavaria to become his husband and prince consort, Harry thought all of his dreams had come through. His illusions came crashing down when he understood it meant living in isolation in the alpine castle of Neuschwanstein with a husband who turned out to be far from what he had hoped for.

His illusions vanished, Harry will have learn to appreciate what has and even, perhaps, fall in love with his imperfect husband and his castle.

📖 But Now Together, We're Alone by @becomeawendybird (22k)

It's a stroke of good luck when Harry Styles, a man who grew up on the small island of Martinique, is offered the position of tutor to the Dauphin and his sister.

When he arrives at the palace, he is dragged into a world of opulence, courtiers, whispers in the shadows, and illicit affairs. But he is also introduced to the king, the most intriguing man he's ever met.

📖 The Golden Prince by @behappyhl (19k)

When He arrives in London, he’s speechless.

It’s so different from his little hometown, he can’t help the feeling that it is an unknown planet. Everything is bigger; The streets, the buildings, the stores. The people are always running somewhere, always in a hurry. Harry instantly feels out of place.

Or, Harry lives a perfectly normal life until he gets a life changing job opportunity.

📖 i hope that you won't slip away in the night by @adoredontour (13k)

the one where louis is a prince and harry is a popstar

📖 The Prince and The YouTuber by @haztobegood (12k)

The Annual Rosendal Spring Gala hosted by the Royal Family is the most prestigious fundraiser in the country. When a problem with the honorary foundation arises, Crown Prince Louis Tomlinson must pick a new worthy foundation on short notice. He discovers the perfect replacement in an unlikely place, while watching his favorite YouTuber, Harrysparkles.

📖 Trust Me Tonight by @vintageumbroshirt (10k)

After Harry’s eighteenth birthday, his father calls him into a meeting to say that he is to be married to Prince Louis of France in just over a week.

Harry is excited, of course. The arrangement is better than any he could’ve hoped for, with such a young, handsome and kind husband.

There is just one issue: Harry doesn’t know what happens on his nuptials, or how to get pregnant to give Louis the heir that he needs.

📖 Your secret's safe with me by @lightwoodsmagic (7k)

when Louis' favourite singer comes back and announces he's performing again, him and the rest of his group chat decide to go. When Haz, the man Louis' fallen in love with without meeting him, says that he can't, Louis tries his best to convince him with a drunken phone call, hearing his voice for the first time. It's not until he's at Royal Variety that he swears he can hear it again.

📖 been lost for too long by @lookslikefairytale (6k)

Nothing much interesting happens in Harry's life, ever. Sure, some would – literally – kill to trade places with him at the palace. But being seventh in line for the throne comes with a set of annoying and boring responsibilities and none of the fun that the actual royal princes, Harry's cousins, get to have. Except, maybe, for the fact that people seem to want to kill Harry on a daily basis.

or, the one where Harry gets kidnapped and Louis rescues him. Kind of.