#I believe she mentioned All at Sea was a favorite

[sketchy-lizards]

Thank you, Britt ❤️ rest in peace

[junkissed]

ocean view

member — junhui x f reader genre — romance, smut, strangers to lovers, soulmate au word count — 8.8k synopsis — an all expenses paid trip to greece for your friend's wedding seems too good to be true, but it gets even better when you meet a handsome stranger on the beach. with the help of a mysterious old lady, her magic deck of tarot cards, and one too many coincidences, you're starting to believe things really do happen for a reason. warnings — descriptions of female anatomy, unprotected sex, fingering, marking, an oddly romantic one night stand, mentions of past hookups, reader wears dresses, way too much yearning, happy ending ! notes — my part for the @svthub world tour collab; check out the masterlist here! thanks to @multi-kpop-fanfics for answering all my questions and the biggest thanks ever to @onlymingyus for proofreading & helping me brainstorm throughout !! inspired mostly by the spell mv but also a little bit from nana tour and in the soop bc of the vacation vibes. disclaimer i know nothing about tarot but i did a ton of research so i hope that part makes sense anyway :) this fic was a huge challenge to write so please please reblog if you enjoyed reading, the feedback is super appreciated and it helps me keep writing!! read bonus material here!

they say time flies when you’re having fun.

it felt like just days ago when your best friend had announced she was flying everyone to athens for her destination wedding. between helping prepare for the wedding and getting yourself packed for the trip of a lifetime, a weekend on the beach sounded like exactly what you needed to unwind.

but now that you’re here, you’ve quickly realized that your dreams of lazy spa days, massages, and lounging on chairs in the sand with cocktails aren’t on your friend’s itinerary.

what is on her itinerary, however? clubs. lots of clubs, and bars, and raves.

the night before the wedding, you’d showed up at the place you had all planned to meet at for her bachelorette party, a popular bar right on the beach in the center of everything. you hadn’t been sure what to expect, so you’d worn your swimsuit underneath your sundress just in case. between wedding plans and jet lag, you hadn’t yet had the chance to explore the beaches, and you weren’t about to let your favorite white strappy one-piece go to waste without wearing it the whole trip; especially not when you’re surrounded by gorgeous clear waters you don’t get to see while you’re at home.

you tug at your dress a little awkwardly, a simple off-white piece with buttons all down the front. cute and casual, the perfect thing for an evening on the beach. except an evening on the beach is not what you’re getting.

“next round is on me!”

all the girls let out a cheer, clapping and whooping as they raise their glasses. you’re still not even halfway through your first drink; the night is young, but your friends are more enthusiastic partygoers than you are.

you lean away to check the time on your phone, trying not to feel defeated when you see how early it still is. you’ve been trying to hype yourself up for tonight all weekend, but it doesn’t help that your friends are bigger partiers than you. that isn’t to say that you dislike parties, or that you never go out; but parties like this, huge events with hundreds of people packed into a small space with loud music and flashing lights, aren’t really your ideal way to spend a saturday night. even for such a special, rare occasion like a bachelorette party in another country, you can’t bring yourself to get lost in the scene. you should’ve known how this would go, and yet here you are, standing at a cocktail table by yourself surrounded by drunk women.

you turn back around and suddenly the bar is a sea of unfamiliar faces, everyone around you lost in their own worlds jumping and dancing to the music that booms from the speakers. you stand up on your tiptoes to see above the crowd, trying to push your way through in search of someone you recognize, but it seems like they’ve all vanished.

the pounding of the music is starting to give you a headache, so you down the last of your drink and head away from the bar, pushing past people until the crowd eventually starts to thin and you break out into the open air.

it’s still light outside, but the contrast from the darkened bar makes it feel like stepping into another world. the noise gets quieter the farther away you move, and you find your feet carrying themselves down the beach. you walk backwards, turning to look over your shoulder one more time to see if you can spot your friends, but all you see is a crowd full of strangers.

it’s easier to breathe out here, feeling the freshness of the ocean breeze and the salty air in your lungs as you get further and further from the people and the businesses. you turn around again and almost run straight into a man walking from the opposite direction, and you stumble into his arms before you realize what’s happening. you let out a little squeak in surprise and jump backwards, almost tripping over your own feet but his hand instinctively shoots around your waist to help keep you upright.

your cheeks burn with embarrassment, an apology already ready on your lips, but he beats you to it. “sorry,” he says with a shy laugh, slowly letting go of you and offering his hand for balance as you slip your sandal back on that had come off. he steps back and gives you a polite smile, trying to move out of your way. “you look like you’ve got somewhere to be.”

“the opposite, actually. escaping my friend's bachelorette party," you explain. 

"we're in the same boat, then," he chuckles, tucking his hands into the pockets of his shorts. "trying to ditch the bachelor party. it’s a popular place for weddings, huh?”

“seems like it.” you hum, turning to look out over the water. the setting sun glints off the surface, a clear and bright sparkling blue, and you lift your hand to keep the glare out of your eyes. “i just didn’t think it’d be so…”

“…hectic?” he asks, and you laugh a little.

"yeah, you could say that.” a warm breeze ruffles through your sundress, and you cross your arms over your chest. “i guess all weddings are like that, though.”

he nods, following your gaze off into the horizon. you go quiet, listening to the music still loud in the distance and the sound of seagulls cawing above your heads. "i was hoping to get a chance to explore more of the beaches while i'm here. i don’t get to see it often."

"wanna go for a walk?” you ask suddenly, uncrossing your arms. maybe it’s the fresh air of a new place, maybe it’s the comfort of finding another person wanting to get away from it all, but some part of you wants to stay here and find out. you’d wanted to see more of the landscape anyway, and now seems like as good a time as any, especially now that you’ve got company.

he looks over at you, judging your expression before his face softens. “that sounds perfect.”

it’s still early enough that the beach is still mostly full of tourists, adults lounging on towels while reading books and kids splashing water at each other and playing in the sand. you walk further down the beach, passing in front of a grey haired old woman sitting cross-legged on a towel, shuffling a deck of cards in her wrinkled hands.

"always lovely to see couples enjoying the islands,” she calls out to you. there’s an almost rhythmic lilt to her voice, and it’s so sudden that it makes both of you pause and turn around, having paid her no mind as you walked past before. she gestures down at the deck and you finally notice that she’s holding a set of tarot cards, a deep matte black that seems to glitter and sparkle even while shadowed. “would you like a reading?”

your cheeks start to warm, and you push down the butterflies that flutter to life when she assumes you’re together. "oh, no, we're not—”

"sure," jun says over you, and you sneak a glance up at him when you think he's not looking. "how much?"

she clucks her teeth and shakes her head, staring directly at you although she’s answering his question. "no, no, no, my dear. just offering a bit of friendly advice. won’t cost you a thing."

jun nods, but she seems like she’s waiting for your answer so you quickly nod, too. “okay. what… do we have to do?”

she places her palms over the deck and closes her eyes, falling silent. you stand in front of her, feeling a little awkward to be hovering over her like this, but she it’s like she doesn’t even notice. you share a look with jun, but after a beat he grabs your hand and grins as if to say, just go along with it.

her eyes suddenly fly open and she seems pleased with whatever she was doing. “i knew i could feel it,” she says cryptically as she begins shuffling the cards. “but let’s just see what fate has to say about it.”

she stops and pulls the top two cards from the deck, placing them face down on the towel as she motions at them with her hand. at her signal, jun bends forward and turns over one of the cards, reading it aloud. “ace of cups.”

“ace of cups,” she repeats. “an invitation. the open, uninhibited flow of emotions, creativity, and love; the awakening of your spirit. this is a new beginning for you, the start of a new season. trust yourself and your feelings, and embrace the opportunity to grow with your emotions.”

jun nods seriously like he’s taking in her words, but you can see the hint of a smile at the corner of his lips that he’s trying to suppress.

she looks at you expectantly, and you hesitate before realizing she’s waiting for you to flip over the second card. you cheeks heat as you read it, but you try not to let it show. “the… lovers?”

she smiles, and although her face looks kind you have a sense that there’s something she’s not telling. “the lovers,” she says, almost solemnly. “many people think this card is strictly about romance. and in some ways it is, but what it really represents is a choice. two diverging paths, two responsibilities. will you choose with your head, or with your heart?”

she stares at you for another moment, then looks back at jun. you both stay quiet and still, subconsciously hanging on her every word as she pauses, clearly having more to say. “having these two cards come up together… now, that’s fascinating for you two, isn’t it?”

you find yourself nodding silently, although you have no idea why. you feel jun’s hand in yours, warm and soft and grounding, and the smallest shiver runs down your spine.

“the lovers and the ace of cups are the potential for new beginnings and the fulfillment that comes with following your heart,” she says, her eyes locked with yours. “this is a very powerful and meaningful connection, but only if you make the choice that is most heartfelt. you must be willing to be your most authentic self and hold nothing back. keep your eyes open, and you will be rewarded with profound joy and happiness.”

immediately you turn to look at jun to see his reaction. he looks just as confused—but is that a hint of excitement in his eyes?—as you do. the woman’s words are… cryptic, to say the least, but it stirs up a feeling of excitement in the back of your mind that you’re trying to ignore. it probably doesn’t mean what you think it does, right?

"hey, wait, so what does—”

you turn back to look at the woman for another explanation, but there's no one there. the beach is empty except for you and jun and the slowly setting sun, a few boats tied up at the dock. you’ve walked so far down the beach that even the distant music has faded into obscurity and you’re left standing alone together, surrounded by nothing but the sounds of the waves. even the wind has died down, and it feels eerily quiet but in an almost comforting sort of way, to be alone together in a place like this.

"you believe in that kind of stuff?" you ask curiously as jun starts to walk away.

"mm… not really. but she seemed like a lonely old lady. i thought it'd make her day." he looks down at your entwined hands and squeezes lightly, almost teasing as you look up and see the grin on his face. "why, do you?"

you can't help the butterflies that instantly flutter to life in your stomach when you feel his warm hand in yours, but you shrug. "why not?"

jun doesn't reply, just nodding thoughtfully as you continue to walk hand in hand. 

with the way the atmosphere has suddenly changed, it feels like time has stopped as you meander your way along the edge of the water. you chat off and on with jun, but there’s a hefty amount of silence that neither one of you feels obligated to fill. talking to jun feels like talking to an old friend, and maybe it’s the beautiful scenery or maybe it’s the way both of you had found yourselves here looking for company.

after a while you come to a stop just below the rocks where you’d started. your footprints from where you’d run into each other are still visible, little indents in the damp sand, and it reminds you of what you were running away from in the first place. maybe you don’t want to run anymore. 

"well…”  jun says, inhaling slowly. "we should get you back to your friends. i'm sure they're looking for you."

"would it be so bad if i said i didn't want to find them?"

he pauses to gauge your reaction, and you don’t miss the flicker in his eyes as he looks at you. after a moment nods and points up the shallow cliffs, towards a little stone staircase worn down from years of being travelled on. "my hotel is just up there. if… if you wanted to stay a little longer? with me?"

you pull your lip between your teeth, looking up at him and the way the fading sunlight shines through his soft brown waves, and it only takes a second to make your decision. “i’d really like that.” 

it turns out that missing out on your friend’s party for a few more hours is an easy price to pay for more time with jun.

the door of his hotel room barely has time to shut before your hands are on each other. you tug him closer by shirt with an eagerness you rarely allow yourself and he immediately reciprocates, pulling you by the waist until you’re pressed chest to chest.

his hand skims over your collarbone towards your neck, and you shiver at the warmth of his fingers caressing the side of your jaw. he angles your chin upwards and leans in as you meet him halfway and your lips finally touch, a low sound escaping from your throat as his nose brushes your cheek.

he makes a soft noise as he inhales, deepening the kiss until you feel your knees go weak. his hand cups your jaw harder, trying to draw you further into him, unwilling to break apart. he kisses you so softly yet you can still feel the intensity behind every movement of his lips, exploring your mouth with a gentleness that feels more natural than anyone you’ve ever kissed before.

jun curls his arm around you tighter, and you’re sure he can hear how fast your heart is beating as he kisses you again and again until you’re breathless. you slide your hands away from his chest and start to undo the buttons at the front of your dress, but he stops you. you look up and meet his gaze as his hand on your cheek moves to wrap around your waist, carefully walking you backwards until the backs of your knees hit the bed and you let yourself fall back onto it.

he lets out a quiet groan as you pull him down with you, landing on top of you and catching himself on his forearms beside your head. his face is inches away from yours, staring into your eyes for a beat before he presses down to capture your lips again.

his kisses feel like magic, and you almost forget exactly what you’re here to do. you’d be content to spend hours with his lips on yours and nothing else, but you’re quickly pulled away from it when he sits back and starts to slide his hands down your body, his nimble fingers skillfully undoing the buttons of your dress one by one.

he pulls the fabric away and lets it fall to the floor before leaning to kiss you again, and a grateful sigh slips from your lips at his touch. your fingers tug at his shirt and he breaks away once more to quickly pull it off over his head, tossing it behind him without a second thought.

your hands slide earnestly across his body, your fingertips trailing down his torso and the deep lines of his abs. his fingers brush over your swimsuit in tandem, tracing the cutouts of the fabric where your skin is visible and making you prickle with goosebumps at his touch.

he seems equally as content to just continue doing this, but eventually his hands make their way upwards and gently slip the straps off your shoulders. he doesn't move any further than that, waiting for you to move instead, his fingers resting at the base of your neck just beneath your chin. 

you follow his actions and shimmy the suit down, letting it bunch up at your hips. only then does he finally break apart from you, moving his mouth down to your exposed breast and letting his tongue glide over your peaked nipple. your skin tastes like salt and sweat, like sunny days and warm breezy nights, and he can't get enough of you.

the first moan you let out is like music to his ears, and immediately he craves more of them. he wraps his mouth around your other nipple while keeping his hands attached to your body like magnets, desperate to be the one to draw more of those pretty noises from your lips.

you lift your hips just a little and he quickly gets the hint, wordlessly pushing his fingers between your skin and the fabric of your swimsuit before tugging it all the way off. he pulls it down your legs and you help him kick it away, leaving you completely bare beneath him.

your hands slide across his shoulders and up the back of his neck, tangling in his hair with another moan that sends a shiver down his spine. you can’t help but roll your hips upwards against his body, squirming for more friction as your nails scratch at his scalp.

his face stays buried in your chest for a long time, moving between your breasts and planting wet kisses all along your skin. your head is spinning at the sight of this gorgeous man working his magic on your body, his hands wandering up and down with a tender purpose. you don't even know his name but you already know you're gonna be thinking about this night for months, probably even years. you're shocked at how good he is at this; there's a melancholy feeling looming in the back of your mind, knowing that this is probably the first and only night you’ll get to spend with him, but you don't have time to focus on that when you have the tingly feeling in your stomach to focus on instead.

despite not saying anything aloud you can tell exactly what he wants from you, and something about how easy this is sends a feeling of relief through you. all of the mistakes of your past hookups feel like a distant memory. there’s none of the empty conversations meant to do nothing more than fill the silence and the awkward, tentative movements that you’ve become accustomed to from strangers who aren’t familiar with your body. 

but something about the way jun touches you does feel familiar, like you’ve been waiting all your life for it, for him. his silence, something that most of your partners in the past had fought so hard to avoid, now only leaves more room for you to enjoy the sounds that often go overlooked: the wet hum as his lips connect with your skin, the distant crash of waves outside the window, the quiet whir of the ceiling fan.

jun leans down and kisses you again, shifting on top of you as his hand wanders down your hips. you pull him closer and let your hand travel a similar path, and you bite your lip in excitement when your fingers skim over the bulge straining against his shorts.

he lets out a strangled noise almost like a whimper at the contact but the sound only encourages you to add more pressure, soaking in his reactions. he whines again, pushing his hips into your hand and exhaling a shaky breath as you continue to palm him, feeling the hard outline of his cock as he struggles to keep his composure.

his knee is against your thigh and he repositions himself to press it higher between your legs, returning the favor and giving you something to grind on. instinctively your legs widen a little to give him easier access, and he rewards you with another hot, messy kiss.

you groan at the feeling, pushing your hips down towards him and rubbing yourself on him. it’s a little rough at first, but you’re already so wet that it doesn’t take long before his knee is coated in your arousal and you slide along him easily. 

after a minute he pulls back just an inch, giving you room to breathe, but one hand is still on your hip and the other curled behind you to support your neck. “good?” he asks breathlessly, and even though it’s clear as day that you’re enjoying this as much as he is, you still nod and give him an encouraging smile, and he returns it with a smile of his own. “just let me know,” he says, and the sultry yet sweet tone of his voice makes your heart skip a beat.

at your approval his hand begins to wander again, trailing over the top of your thigh. his finger slowly make their way down and you shiver, your hand stilled against his abdomen as you anticipate his next move.

you take this moment to get a good look at him; you’d been too shy to stare earlier on the beach, unsure how things were going to go. but now that he’s on top of you, shirtless and obviously just as eager as you are, you let your gaze roam unabashedly across his body. your eyes glide over his torso, the hollow slope of his collarbones and his hardened nipples, the deep-set grooves of his abs and the faint lines of his ribs beneath his skin. you want to reach out to touch him and run your hands over every inch of him, but you’re trying to be patient. and although you know your time here is limited, it seems like jun is only just getting started.

his fingers finally make it to your inner thighs, tracing the area around your pussy, but it’s still not close enough for your liking. you wiggle a little to try and encourage him, whining softly and letting out a little plea. his lips quirk up and he nods, his grip on the back of your neck tensing and tangling in your hair. 

his fingers finally brush against your entrance and you gasp, writhing at how gentle his touch is. he dips his middle finger into your heat before pulling it back out, trailing upwards to your clit to circle it for a moment before heading back down and repeating the process. it’s barely enough, yet it leaves you breathless almost instantly.

he’s staring down between your legs with an intense focus, spreading your arousal around before sinking back into you for more. and just when you think you can’t take it anymore, he pushes his finger in deeper, holding it still for a second even though you’ve already adjusted to it. he waits until you start moving, arching your back and trying to get him to go further, before he adds his ring finger and begins slowly thrusting both fingers in and out together.

you whimper and curse under your breath, trying to roll your hips to match his rhythm. he starts to curl his knuckles and you swear you see stars, despite the fact that he’s barely moving at all.

after a moment when you’ve regained the ability to breathe normally again you start to move your hand back against his bulge, shaky fingers dipping beneath the waistband of his shorts. you wrap your hand around him and your eyes widen at the thickness, the heavy weight of him in your hand and how you’re sure he must be aching by now. you feel the way his cock jerks when you squeeze ever so slightly, his fingers inside you freezing for a split second as his brain tries to process before he plunges them in even deeper, curling into you with even more fervor than before.

you hold him tighter and run your thumb over his tip, swollen and leaking with precum. he gets a little noisier with every move you make, unable to contain the pleasure he gets even from this. even the smallest touches from each other have both of you on edge in a way you’ve never felt before, drawn to each other like no one you’ve ever had before.

his clothes in the way are starting to frustrate you, so after another second you release his cock and move your hand up to the waistband of his shorts instead, trying to tug them down but it’s difficult from the position you’re both laying in.

“please,” you pant out desperately after having little success, and he obliges, pushing his shorts away as fast as possible before resuming his motions. he’s still almost completely ignoring himself as he continues to focus on you and only you, and his complete devotion gives you another boost of confidence.

now freed, his hard cock slaps against your thigh and you moan happily at finally being able to see all of him. it looks even better than it felt, thick veins bulging out across his length and his tip flushed a deep red. you wrap your hand around him once more, flicking your wrist as you start to jerk up and down.

his fingers curl upwards to massage the spot that makes your eyes roll back, and if you had any functioning thoughts left you would’ve marvelled at the fact that he was able to find it so easily, but you’re too busy arching your back against his pillow to think about that.

he can feel you starting to clench harder around him, making his fingers stutter inside you, so he pushes his other hand down on your hip to stop you from moving so much. he pulls his fingers out and your eyes dart back up to his face for an explanation, unable to stop the whimper that escapes from you at the loss, but the look in his eyes instantly puts you at ease. you can already tell he knows what he’s doing, and somehow he seems to know exactly what you need, so for once you don’t mind sitting back and letting someone else call the shots.

“can i fuck you now?” he murmurs, and it takes you a second to even hear what he said because you’re shocked at how low and rough his tone is since the last time you heard him speak. he wipes his fingers against the inside of your thigh as he waits for your reply, and you shiver at the cool wetness on your skin.

the best you can manage is a stuttered “yes”, and without a word of acknowledgement he pulls you off the bed, guiding you off your back and onto your hands and knees.

you let out a squeak at the sudden change but you let it happen, and a second later you hear his voice beside you, his breath warm against your ear. “still okay?” he asks, and despite the gruffness in his voice you can still hear the soft edge to his words.

“yeah,” you repeat, suddenly losing the ability to say anything else to express your pleasure, but somehow you know he understands. your stomach flutters at the low tone of his voice, steady and calm but so full of warmth and lust.

you feel the heat from his face move away from your skin, and you know he’s sitting up on his knees behind you. his hands slide down your sides, reaching under you to cup your boobs with both hands as he groans at the feeling. you let out a matching whine, pushing your hips back against him to feel his hard length against the soft flesh of your ass.

his hands still holding your breasts, he leans down over you to keep you flush to his body, your back pressed against his chest. he presses a kiss in between your shoulder blades, letting his tongue trace lightly over the ridges of your spine.

you grind backwards against him harder, your body on fire from his kisses as he starts to suck gently at the back of your shoulder. you’re not sure if it’s hard enough to leave marks, but you kind of hope they do, because then you’d be sure this encounter wasn’t a dream. what other explanation is there for the fact that you’ve not only met the most handsome man you’ve ever seen in your life, but that you’re currently on your hands and knees in his bed as he runs his lips over every single inch of you, waiting for him to fuck you? it’s too good to be true.

but it is true, and you know it when he pulls away to brush your hair to the side and expose more of your back for him. his fingers are still so gentle against your skin, his touch heavy but soft, and it makes you even more desperate for him.

after a while he lets go of you and leans back, taking his cock in his hand and gently tapping it against your ass. you groan and fall forward, pressing your face into the pillows and arching your hips up into the air. his hands slide down your sides, gripping your waist with a low groan as he leans forward to kiss the side of your neck again.

he finally pushes all the way into you, and it feels so good it takes your breath away for a second. you can feel your walls throbbing around him, struggling to adjust to the feeling of being so full in the best way, a way you haven’t felt this strongly in so long. it’s a feeling like no other, and it makes you wonder why you ever settled for anything else before this.

his hands are all over you like he can’t decide what to do first, but after a while they settle at your hips and give them an encouraging squeeze, waiting patiently for you to set the pace. finally you bring yourself to move, tipping forward to let him slide out of you just a bit before you lean back into him.

he adapts quickly to your rhythm, thrusting in and out and matching your pace, using his grip on your waist for leverage to push himself deep inside with every stroke.

“fuck,” he moans under his breath, finally breaking the silence, and with just that one sound you feel yourself starting to let go.

the words tumble out of your mouth and you ball your fists into his sheets, clinging to the bed to keep you grounded while your head is spinning. “please, please, yes—”

everything finally hits you all at once, like a tidal wave pouring over you as you fall forward and bury your face into the pillow with a broken whimper.

“don’t stop, please,” you whine breathlessly. your words are muffled by the pillow, but you can tell he’s heard them because his grip on your hips tightens even more, slamming into you with just as much force as before and carrying you through your orgasm.

jun has to bite his lip not to sail right over the edge with you, focusing all his energy on holding himself back until he feels your body go limp all at once, the waves finally subsiding and you let out a deep, pleasured exhale. he’s so close he can practically taste it, his skin flushed and damp with sweat and his abs burning with exertion. only once he’s absolutely sure that you’ve finished cumming does he let himself break, pulling out as fast as he can and wrapping his fist around his length with all the energy he has left.

he moans weakly at the loss of your tight, warm walls hugging him so perfectly, but the view as he jerks himself over you all but makes up for it. the sight of your ass pressed flush against his thighs, your lower back arched and on display like a gorgeous blank canvas, and it gives him such a rush until he can’t hold on anymore.

the warm, sticky liquid hits your back and you whimper into the pillow, instinctively lifting your hips even more towards him. his cum spurts out in thick ropes, painting your skin and pooling in the little divot at the base of your spine, running down your ass until it feels like you’re soaked in it.

he finally pulls back and lets out the breath he didn’t know he was holding in, groaning as he sees you sitting still on the bed with your hips in the air. you feel the bed shift with his weight as he gets up, but you don’t pay any attention to it as you focus on trying to steady your breathing instead. something in your gut tells you to stay put, and sure enough, a minute later you hear the sink running and then feel the cool fabric of a damp washcloth brushing over your back.

he lays his hand on your ass and gently gives it a little squeeze to signal that he’s finished, and you finally fall over onto your side. you’re coasting on cloud nine, and everything feels both dulled and hypersensitive at the same time. the whir of the overhead fan is a little more prominent now, and the quiet drone echoes around in your brain.

“do you need water? or do you want a snack, or something?” jun asks, and while his voice still has a touch of shakiness as he’s recovering himself, you can tell his tone is back to the gentle and polite sound you’ve become used to hearing from him.

you shake your head, and he hums softly in acknowledgement as he points to the nightstand on the side of the bed closest to you. “there’s an extra water bottle there, if you need it. i haven’t opened it.”

you nod against the sheets, suddenly too tired to even think about forming words. jun climbs back onto the bed next to you, stretching out his long limbs and leaning against the headboard with a satisfied sigh. 

you surprise yourself when your body automatically reaches out for him, curling into his body and laying your hand across his forearm like a weight keeping him close. but what surprises you even more is when he mirrors the action, scooting closer to you and letting your head rest against his stomach. your first thought is that he makes a very comfortable pillow, and you let your eyes fall shut for a moment as your breathing returns to normal, wanting to savor this moment as you collect yourself and prepare to leave.

you open your eyes what feels like minutes later, but when you reach over to check your phone you realize you’ve been asleep for more than an hour. you inhale slowly and swallow, blinking a few times as the sore feeling in your hips reminds you of where you are.

instinctively, you start to panic a little. your friends are probably looking for you. you disappeared without telling anyone, and now you have to get back to your hotel and make sure you have enough time to sleep properly and get ready for the wedding in the morning. never mind that it was probably the best night you’ve ever spent with another person, and never mind that your friends are probably still out partying and haven’t even noticed you missing yet.

you slide off of the bed as quietly as you can, stumbling a little when your feet hit the floor. you crouch down to pick up your swimsuit off the floor and put it on, hopping on one foot as you slip each leg through the holes. it's darker outside now, but the street lamps and the moonlight shining through the sliding glass door that leads to the balcony of his hotel room are bright enough that it still feels like day. you're so focused on getting dressed and mentally running over your to-do list that you completely forget there's another person in the room until you hear his voice cutting through the silence.

“you don’t have to do that, y’know.”

you freeze and look up, your half-buttoned dress hanging loosely from your shoulders, your cheeks burning at the realization you’ve been caught.

jun swings his legs off the bed, crossing the room in a couple of strides before he’s standing in front of you. he’s wearing nothing except for the boxer shorts he threw on right before you fell asleep, and your cheeks flush even harder at the sight, despite the fact that you’ve already seen much more of him than this.

it takes every ounce of restraint you have to keep your eyes from straying, locked on his face before your gaze falls quickly to the floor where your sandals are left in a heap.

you didn’t mean to sneak off. but what else were you supposed to do? you hadn’t meant to fall asleep and stay as long as you did, either, and now you were stuck with the awkward conversation that always comes afterwards. the inevitable hurried goodbyes and uncomfortable tension as you try to put yourself back together and leave as fast as possible.

jun takes a small step closer to you, and despite all the confidence you know he has, it feels almost… tentative. as if you’re meeting for the first time and he isn’t sure whether or not he’s allowed to touch you yet.

there's a lingering feeling that you can't quite put your finger on yet. it's conflicting, because you know you can't stay but everything in you is screaming not to leave. maybe there's something you can do, anything you can do. is it all worth it? to turn your life around in a complete 180 for someone you barely even know— and yet, the last few hours that you’ve spent with him have been incomparably the best of your life.

after a moment he reaches out and starts to finish buttoning your dress for you, his fingers working them back through the loops with just as much care as he did when he was taking them off earlier.

“sorry,” you manage quietly, though you’re not even really sure what you’re apologizing for. a lot of things: sorry for running away, sorry for having feelings you probably shouldn’t be feeling, sorry for knowing this won’t work out despite the way you really, really wish it could.

but he just shakes his head as he finishes buttoning the last button. “i took it off. i can help you put it back on, too.” you can tell he knows what you had actually meant, but he’s ignoring it either for your sake or his. something about his words feels so easy, like all the problems in your head don’t mean anything anymore. here you are, an anxious and awkward and confused mess, and there he is, smoothing out the wrinkles in your dress like it’s something he’s been doing all his life.

he adjusts the strap on your shoulder with a gentle pat, but his hands linger for a few seconds longer than they should, and you lift your eyes to meet his. “can i kiss you again?” he asks quietly, and for some reason his choice of words sticks with you. not one final kiss, not a goodbye kiss, just again. like he’s refusing to admit this will probably be the last time you’ll ever see each other.

and you nod, and his hands slide up to cup your cheeks and pull you back into his lips, just as warm and just as soft and just as familiar as the first time. there’s something so innocent about kissing him, even in the midst of a complicated and confusing mess of emotions that makes you second guess everything. somewhere in the back of your mind you vaguely register that this is the last time you’ll ever kiss him, but as long as his lips are on yours it doesn’t matter. you’ll figure out how to deal with all that later; for now, the only thing you’re concerned about is the way he grips your chin and pulls you even closer.

it feels like hours later when you finally pull away, letting out a slow exhale as you try to blink yourself back to reality, and you know what has to happen now. “can you find your hotel on your own? do you want me to walk back with you?” jun asks, and you can feel the hesitancy in his voice.

“it’s not far,” you sigh quietly, turning away to slip your feet into your sandals that wait by the bed where you’d taken them off earlier. you should’ve said yes. “but… thank you.” your words hold a sincere weight to them, and it’s silent for a few seconds as you cross the room quicker than you want to.

“you could stay,” he says finally, but his hand is already on the doorknob and you both already know the answer. you hate that you have to be the one to tell him no, even though it’s been clear from the start what the outcome would be. you give him a small shake of your head, and he pulls on the knob. 

he stands and stares for a minute, watching you walk down the hallway and praying you’ll turn around. and then you do, glancing back at him over your shoulder, and he almost allows himself to have a little bit of hope that you might come back, even though you both know you can’t. when you find him still standing in the doorway your eyes light up just the slightest bit, and finally you disappear with a tiny little wave.

the door clicks shut again, and the silence that follows is louder than anything he’s heard all day.

“and you didn’t even get this guy’s number?!”

you wince at the tone in jeonghan’s voice, rubbing the back of your shoulder guiltily. “his name, either.”

“even after the magic old lady said all that shit about soulmates?”

“she didn’t say that!” you huff. your tone rises almost defensively, although it probably has no reason to. she didn’t say anything about being soulmates… right? “she said something like, ‘keep your eyes open for stuff around you’. but he said he didn’t even believe in it, anyway.”

a waiter carrying a tray of champagne glasses walks past, and he snags a couple of them, holding one out to you. “well, it doesn’t sound like you’re keeping your eyes open. it sounds more like your eyes are closed, actually. are you blind?”

you scowl and take the glass from him. “my flight home is tonight, hannie. i’m not gonna see him again.” you take a sip, letting it sit in your mouth for a second before you swallow. “and besides, he said he was here for a wedding, too. he could be from anywhere in the world. it would be impossible to find him.”

“doesn’t hurt to at least try.” you both stop in front of a circular table covered in flowers, with a little placard next to one of the plates with jeonghan’s name on it. “i guess this is my table. you want me to help you look for yours?”

you shake your head, pointing to a table a little ways away. “i saw mine on the way in, it’s over there.”

“whatever,” he hums at you, but you know he’s just teasing. “i still wouldn’t blame you if you ditched and ran off to try and find him.”

“not happening!” you call over your shoulder as you walk away, matching his playful tone. but you can’t help but feel like maybe he’s right.

jun taps his fingers against the table, staring mindlessly at the bubbles floating in his glass of champagne. he’s stuck in his head— no, that’s not right. that’s not the problem. you’re stuck in his head. it’s nearly a full day later and he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about you, the taste of your lips, the feel of your breasts in his hands, the scent of the shampoo in your hair. if that wasn’t the most perfect hookup in the history of hookups, then he doesn’t wanna know what is.

he still feels bad for not even paying attention during the ceremony, because he was too busy imagining you and him up there on the altar kissing instead. god, what he wouldn’t give for another kiss like that. but just like you, he knows it never would’ve worked out, and despite the what-ifs that are chewing him up inside and the fact that he definitely, absolutely, totally would’ve tried to make it work however large the distance was, he knows it’s probably for the better. even if it means he’s gonna spend the rest of his life pining after a girl he met on vacation for less than a single day, and he’ll never even know your name.

he takes a swig of his champagne and tries to put on a cheery face. this is a wedding, after all, and he can’t afford to spend all his time pouting when he’s in a beautiful city by the seaside enjoying delicious food and near perfect weather.

and then he sees you.

not really, of course, because it’s probably the champagne going to his head after chugging the majority of his glass like a frat boy at a college party. but then he blinks, and it really is you, wandering around for a second before you sit down at a table on the other side of the venue, wearing a soft blue dress that’s even prettier than the one he saw you in yesterday.

he blinks again, not fully believing that it’s you and not just the combined effect of the alcohol and his daydreams, but you’re still there when he opens his eyes again. and he knows it’s you, because he can see the faint hickies on your back and shoulders that you clearly tried to hide with makeup but couldn’t fully reach.

the chances that he’d see you again—not even that, but the chances that you’d be attending the very same wedding he was—must be one in a billion. maybe even more. yet there you are, picking at your nail and staring wistfully at your empty plate as you wait for the reception to start.

he stares for another minute, just to make sure you’re actually real, before he stands up and makes his way to the terrace at the back of the venue where the groom is standing next to a tower of cupcakes.

“gyu,” he greets him, “hey. are we allowed to switch tables?”

“i… don’t think so?” mingyu hums, a little off guard by the sudden question. “i made sure we put you next to hao, but—”

“if i give you twenty bucks, can you put me at table 8 instead?” jun’s eyes flicker with desperation, and he has to force himself not to look back over at you.

mingyu whines apologetically and hesitates, glancing at his bride a little ways away as she talks to a table full of guests. “she did all this planning, jun, i can’t just change everything now…”

“it’s not changing everything.” jun pulls his wallet out of his pants pocket, already rifling through the bills. “i’ll make it a hundred. mingyu, please, just switch me,” he says.

the whine in jun’s voice makes him pause, and he bites his lip as he considers it. on one hand, he could have his brand new wife a little bit mad at him for a while (who’ll probably forgive him the second she gets in bed with him tonight), plus get to help his friend and get an easy hundred dollars out of it. or, on the other hand… he could not help him, and his wife would never know, and jun would probably hate him for some unknown reason even though he doesn’t think jun has a single bone in his body capable of hating anybody. the decision is easy.

mingyu takes the bills from jun’s hand and stuffs them in his pocket before anyone can notice. “go ahead,” he says, tossing his head in the direction of the table. “i don’t know what it is you want, but don’t let anybody see you.”

“thanks! i owe you!” jun grins and hugs him, letting out a noise almost like a squeal before he turns and dashes away.

you’re barely paying attention to the reception anymore as you sit with your chin in your hands, again mentally running over all the things you need to pack and how on earth you’re going to be able to board your flight tonight and leave everything behind. the beaches, the city… and him. how are you supposed to just get on a plane and get on with your life, knowing that he’s out there somewhere in the world, and you’re never going to see him again. 

you’re trying not to sulk, but you can’t help the way your mood has been sour all morning, already filled with regrets and you haven’t even left yet. maybe you should’ve skipped the wedding altogether and spent another day in his bed, wrapped up between his sheets and lying in his arms. but then the rational part of your brain reminds you that he was also in town for a wedding, so even if he’d wanted to or even been okay with doing that, he probably had other plans anyway.

you’re still trying to figure out what to do about your hopeless situation when you hear a sound close behind you. it startles you into putting a smile on your face, preparing yourself to socialize although you really aren’t in the mood to.

“is this seat taken?” jun asks as he pulls out the chair to your left and sits down.

your brows furrow in confusion, trying to place the familiar voice, until you turn around and your jaw drops when you see who it belongs to.

you stare at him in shock, your eyes darting back and forth between his trying to figure out what to say. “you’re not joshua,” is the best you can come up with as your mouth hangs open and you whip your head around to check the list of names assigned to this table. you recognize them all, yet here he is: the nameless stranger you’ve fallen so helplessly in love with in so short an amount of time.

he smiles at your reaction, and it’s such a genuine smile that you know he’s feeling exactly the way you do right now. “i guess you’re right. i’m not.” he brushes the name card in front of him to the side and sets his own down in its place instead before he holds out his hand to shake. “it’s nice to meet you. i’m jun.”

you pause for a minute, staring at his hand. you can’t believe this is real, you can’t believe he’s real; you’d almost been able to convince yourself that the whole encounter last night was a fever dream, if you hadn’t woken up in the morning with a soreness between your legs that screamed that it definitely was not a dream.

finally you reach out and take his hand, and even in that little touch you can tell it really is him, from the way your heart picks up when you feel the familiar softness of his skin and the gentle squeeze that sends goosebumps down your arm.

“it’s nice to meet you, too.”

i hope you enjoyed this!! if you did, consider reblogging or leaving a comment or an ask :) it shows me this is something people want to see more of, and knowing people like this makes me want to write more of it! thanks for reading!!

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[greenwitchfromthewoods]

sea ​​shore. l General Marcus Acacius

Summary:  your father wanted you to accompany the General, but you didn't want to do it.

Warnings:  +18, smut, fingering, unprotected sex (remember - safety first), breeding kink, mention of blood, a little bit of angst (but not really)

A/N: it was one thought and then i sat down and wrote thist. there are definitely mistakes, sorry. but i hope you like it. your feedback is very important to me and I want to thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. I secretly hope you like this story.🖤

"Gods! How much longer do I have to listen to this? Why do you have to be such a disobedient daughter?" your father's loud voice echoed through the garden, and the birds, startled by this, flew off from a nearby tree with a screech. "You're just like your mother! Like your mother!"

"You always said that I got my best traits from her." you replied, not hiding your agitation at all.

"And the worst too! You're stubborn and insufferable." your father took a sip of wine from his goblet and nervously stood up from the armchair placed in the shade of a large tree. "I don't know why the Gods make fun of me like that! They punished me with a daughter like you."

"Or maybe they blessed you." you added.

The man snorted something under his breath and shook his head in disbelief.

For several days, your house had been shaken by more and more arguments. Even the servants had already gotten used to them and they didn't react to your raised voices, only sneaking under the walls or, like now, between the flower bushes and trees.

It all started when last week your father, one of the most distinguished generals of the Roman Empire, announced to you after returning from the Emperor's palace that you would go to the province to your estate by the sea.

You were surprised. It wasn't the time of year when you went to that place. And then he proudly declared:

"General Marcus Acacius will honor us with his presence there. Unfortunately, I can't accompany him, but you know this place very well. You will be a pleasant company for him."

You resisted almost immediately. General Acacius was the Emperor's favorite. A brilliant commander, brave and untamed. However, you had no intention of spending time in his company. You knew this type of people, soldiers, very well.

They were brutal and aggressive. They always took what they thought was theirs and didn't show any brilliance.

Of course, your father was different. That's why your mother married him. Unfortunately, fate gave them only one child, a daughter. So you grew up among gardens and shields, and you weren't afraid to say what you thought. Your mother died when you were still little, and your father never married again. So you were the only one left.

And now you were looking at him furious like some goddess of anger and storm, and he had no idea how to deal with you.

"General Acacius is a great man. His presence will be an honor for us." Your father tried to speak calmly, although you rolled your eyes.

"Our family has enough honors, father." you replied. "Years ago, you were in his place. You conquered new territories and wealth for the glory of the Empire."

"But I'm old now. Let the old man enjoy the fact that his home will accept such a wonderful man. Please, go there with him tomorrow. Show him what wonderful lands we have. Please your old father's heart."

"You're perfidious, father." you sighed. "You play the old man card, when you're full of strength. You were training in sword fighting just yesterday!"

You wanted to add something else, but hurried footsteps on the gravel path distracted you. One of the servants appeared and bowed low.

"Sir." she said quietly. "You have a guest. General Acacius has appeared at your request."

"Bring him to the garden, please." your father replied, completely ignoring your indignant look, and added to you. "The matter is settled and beyond discussion. Pack your bags. You're leaving tomorrow."

"I can't believe you invited him here!" you hissed.

Your father just shrugged and poured himself another glass of wine. You knew you couldn't resist any longer and had to fulfill his request. You understood his arguments and you knew that, as the heir to his lineage, you had to make sure that your family didn't lose what your father had fought so hard for.

"Oh, Marcus! It's wonderful to see you." Your father beamed, looking over your shoulder.

"Greetings, Lucius." A low voice rang out behind you, and a stocky man appeared immediately after, shaking your father's hand.

He was tall, with broad shoulders and tanned skin. His dark hair had streaks of gray on his temples, but he was still very handsome. The armor he wore contrasted with your father's white toga.

"Marcus, this is my daughter, Y/N." The General's brown eyes landed on you, he looked at you searchingly. "She'll show you our estate. I'm sure you'll be pleased. You'll spend these few days in almost royal conditions."

"My lady." Marcus nodded, but you didn't even flinch. 

You reminded him of the sculptures of goddesses he'd seen in temples. Beautiful and inaccessible, shrouded in a wonderful fog of mystery.

"Of course, she can talk. She's just a little..."

"I'm dissatisfied." You replied, looking bravely at the General.

"Why is that?" the man asked, folding his arms across his chest, clearly interested.

"I think you'd be more comfortable with my father's company, General." You continued, not looking away from him, even though his eyes were boring right through you. "I'm just a weak woman, I don't think I'd be interesting company for someone with your reputation."

"But certainly very beautiful." Acacius replied.

"Y/N, please go to your chambers and pack." Your father quickly intervened, because he saw that you had opened your mouth again.

You nodded and walked away from your guest. Marcus watched you go until you disappeared into the cool walls of your home.

"A charming creature." He stated, smiling at the older man.

"Yes, indeed." Lucius handed him a glass of wine and raised his own slightly before bringing it to his lips. "Lovely, like her mother. Unfortunately, the Gods only gifted us with her. Sometimes I think it was easier to tame the barbarians on the outskirts of the Empire than to engage in battle with a woman like her."

"Rome needs women like her too." Marcus swallowed a sip of sweet wine.

"And she needs a husband!" your father laughed and sat back down in his chair. "Someone to teach her how to be humble. Maybe when she gives birth to her own children, she'll understand that I always wanted the best for her."

"We don't know what fate has in store for us, Lucius."

The man nodded and looked longingly at the entrance his daughter had disappeared through.

A pleasant, cool wind from the sea swept over your face. The sound of waves crashing against the shore and the cries of white seagulls flying above them filled your ears. You loved this place.

Even as a child, you could spend hours looking for shells and small crabs on the shore. You ran away from the waves that tickled your feet, ran up the sand dunes and picked wild flowers growing nearby.

This house was a safe place for you and now, as you stood on the balcony looking at the setting sun, you felt peace and gratitude.

You heard a rustle and after a moment someone's lips brushed your exposed shoulder, and strong arms wrapped around your waist.

"Why did you leave the bed?"

"I like this view at this time." You replied, feeling kisses slowly creeping up to your neck, you tilted your head slightly, giving him better access to this sensitive spot. "Don't you think it's beautiful?"

"I have a much more beautiful one before my eyes." he mumbled quietly.

You smiled, reaching out behind you and sliding your fingers into his soft hair. As his soft lips roamed your shoulder, one of his hands squeezed your breast tenderly. A quiet sigh escaped your chest.

"Marcus..." you sighed, "You're insatiable..."

"I'll never get enough of you, love." he whispered, "I could die between your thighs or feeling your lips on mine."

"You better not do that." you giggled, turning in his arms and looking into those beautiful eyes, "How am I going to explain to my father that General Acacius died with his dick buried inside me."

"You're right." he nodded, "That could be a tough one. But such a death would be glorious."

His warm lips captured yours. You loved their taste from the first moment. 

When you first met Marcus many months ago, you couldn't take your eyes off him. And he experienced the same, he admitted it to you during one of your secret meetings. You were sure that fate had placed you opposite each other, you couldn't fight it.

His lips quickly tasted yours. Your bodies found their way to each other and soon you were repeating his name in amorous ecstasy. However, you hid it from prying eyes. Marcus was still on the Emperor's orders, and you were afraid of your father's reaction if you tied your fate to the soldier.

"Now everything will change, my love." he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours. "Soon I will be only yours, and you only mine."

"I have belonged to you for a long time, Marcus." you replied. "Since the first time I saw you, I knew..."

"Tell me."

You knew how much he loved it when you confessed your love to him or told him about what awaited you when times became calmer and more gracious for both of you. These stories gave him strength, and your voice soothed his racing thoughts.

He adored you every day. And every night he would raise prayers to the Gods, thanking them for the grace they had bestowed upon him. He didn't think a man like him deserved someone so wonderful and pure.

And yet you were. He held you in his arms, felt your heartbeat, kissed your lips. You were more material than what he believed in.

"I knew you were mine," you said quietly, the pads of your fingers brushing his lips. "You looked at me like you had been searching for me your whole life. And I felt like I had suddenly come alive. I had never felt like this before."

"I thought you were just a dream..." Marcus whispered, his lips brushing your fingers. "I was afraid that if I blinked, you would disappear. If that happened, my heart would never know peace. I didn't think I deserved someone as heavenly as you..."

Your hands rested on his cheeks, and you looked straight into those eyes you loved.

"Marcus, you are the bravest man I know. I couldn't give my heart better than in your hands."

"My hands are stained with blood, my love."

"So let me wash them with my love and devotion to you."

You kissed him, feeling the remnants of sweet wine on his lips. You clung to his bare chest, letting the sheet you were wrapped in slide to the floor. Marcus' hands rubbed your back as he kissed you back.

He slowly moved you and you felt a cold pillar behind you. You leaned against it. Marcus' hand slid between your thighs, touching your slippery folds. The remnants of what he had left there recently were trying to leave.

You moaned quietly, feeling his fingers slide into you.

"You're so beautiful... So divine." he murmured in your ear, glancing as his fingers disappeared inside you. "I filled you to the brim, and I know you'd take even more. I'd like you to walk around Rome with my cum flowing lazily down your thighs... It would remind you of all those moments together. And I'd know that you carry something of mine inside you."

"I've walked like this before..." you replied, smiling seductively. "I felt your seed between my legs when I was talking to my father's guests, and once even at a party in the Emperor's palace."

Marcus growled deeply at the mere memory of how he had possessed you, quickly and hard, during that party, when you both had disappeared for a moment in the dark corridors, unnoticed. His fingers were delving deeper into you, teasing that sensitive spot that was giving you incredible pleasure.

"Yesterday, when I saw you in the garden with your father, I wanted to kiss you." he confessed, kissing the corner of your mouth. "I wanted to fall at your feet, confess my love to you, and beg him to let me marry you. Gods! You were so adorable with those pouty lips and that angry expression."

"I think I would strangle you if you did!" your hand slid down his soft stomach, through his pubic hair, straight to his hard cock. "My father is not ready to part with me yet. I know he says otherwise, but believe me, he is not ready." you stroked his hard manhood a few times and Marcus groaned "But now everything will change. When we come back, a new life will be waiting for us."

"I can't even imagine it, love. Are you sure - ohhhh.... Are you sure he'll agree?"

"Of course he will." His fingers slipped out of you and Marcus stood between your legs, lifting you up slightly and you wrapped your legs around his waist as he slowly lowered you onto his cock "He respects you so much... Ohhh, yes!... He'll be happy when a general like you tames his daughter."

You were so juicy that his cock slid into you without the slightest problem all the way to the base. You breathed deeply, letting your walls get used to the stretch. Even though Marcus had been inside you so many times, each time you felt the same pleasant feeling of being completely filled by him.

"I want you to be my wife, not my servant." he said softly "I will only enslave you in the bedroom when you let me. When you let me be raw and rough, I will fuck that wonderful pussy until tears come to your eyes and your throat hurts from screaming my name."

He thrust his hips and you moaned, wrapping your arms around his neck tighter. He moved hard, his fingers digging into your soft hips where there were already marks from your last closeness. He felt your cunt squeeze him, still hungry for his seed.

Your back ached from being pressed against the column, but you didn't complain. Each thrust was harder and brought you closer to your peak.

"Tell me you'll let me put a baby in your womb." His voice was interrupted by every breath, but you felt that those words went straight to your core. "Tell me I'll see your swollen belly, your milky breasts... You'll be the goddess of life."

"I'll let you fill me to the brim every night... OHHHH! I want to carry your seed inside me, like fertile soil. Our sons and daughters will grow for the glory of your lineage." you moaned, digging your nails into his strong shoulders. "I'll be surprised if we don't come back from here with one of our children nested in my womb. Gods!" 

The mere thought that you could already be with his child made Marcus start thrusting into you harder and more determinedly. 

You felt that you wouldn't last long. His strength and passion were so great that soon you felt your body tense up, and the velvet walls tightly wrapped around his cock. Waves of pleasure flooded your entire body, but Marcus didn't stop. A few more thrusts made his seed flood your pussy once again. Driven by natural instinct, with a loud groan, he pushed them in further and further, as if he wanted to be sure that your prophecies would come true.

You put your forehead to his, you felt his sweaty skin under your fingers, his hot breath warmed your breasts.

You still had him inside you as the cooler evening wind caressed your skin. The cries of seagulls tore you out of your reverie for a moment. He slowly lowered you and your legs buckled slightly under you as your feet touched the cold floor.

"Kiss me, my love." he whispered, and you gladly fulfilled his request.

You kissed the man you loved with tenderness and devotion, you wanted him to feel everything that was in your heart that you couldn't express. And you knew that Marcus felt it.

"You were definitely right about one thing." he stated after a moment, looking at you with love “There are truly beautiful views in this place."

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[diamonddaze01]

hesitate

pairing: jeon wonwoo x f!reader | wc: 5k genre: angst, a hint of fluff if you squint | exes to ??? warnings: mentions of alcohol a/n: inspired by the word “inhibition” // dedicated to @gotta-winwin, who has my whole heart (and who gave me the prompt) // also tagging @gyubakeries and @ylangelegy bc i know they love a good exes to ???

summary: Time is supposed to soften things, isn’t it? To sand down the sharp edges of old memories, to make the past feel like something distant and untouchable. And yet. 

There was never a single moment when it ended. No violent, heart-wrenching goodbye. No door slammed in anger, no words sharp enough to draw blood. Just a slow and steady unraveling, like a thread coming loose from a favorite sweater—subtle at first, barely noticeable, until one day you realized the whole thing had come undone in your hands.

You and Wonwoo never loved recklessly. There were no grand declarations, no dizzying highs that threatened to tip over into ruin. Your love was quiet—steady in the way autumn fades into winter, in the way the tide pulls in and out without fanfare. A love built on shared books and late-night conversations, on whispered jokes and glances that spoke more than words ever could. The kind of love that felt like a home, like something that would always be there.  He knew exactly how you liked your coffee; you knew exactly when he needed to be pulled from his own head. You thought that was enough.

Maybe that’s why you didn’t see the ending coming.

It happened in the smallest ways. A hesitation before answering the phone. A missed ‘good night’ text. Conversations that once stretched deep into the early hours growing shorter, the pauses between them heavier. He used to reach for you in the quiet moments, brushing his fingers over yours absentmindedly, a tether between you even when words weren’t needed. But then the touches faded too, replaced by an emptiness neither of you spoke about.

You told yourself it was just a rough patch. That things like this happened. That love, real love, wasn’t something that disappeared overnight.

But it didn’t disappear overnight. It slipped away in increments, in all the times you almost asked if something was wrong but didn’t. In all the times he almost told you what was on his mind but swallowed the words instead. In all the ways you both chose silence over the possibility of saying something that might shatter the delicate balance between you. 

And then one day, the space between you became a chasm too wide to cross. You started filling the spaces he left behind—seeing friends more, staying late at work, convincing yourself that the ache in your chest wasn’t loneliness, just growing pains.

You should’ve fought for him. He should’ve fought for you. But instead, you both let the quiet swallow you whole.

There was no fight. No moment of finality. Just a last, quiet conversation that felt like an echo of all the ones before it—only this time, neither of you tried to stop what was coming.

It was over before you even realized it.

And now, standing in a sea of white flowers and champagne glasses at Seungcheol’s wedding, you realize it has been four years since you last saw him. Four years since you last heard his voice, since you last traced the curve of his hand with your fingertips, since you last looked at him and believed, foolishly, that you had all the time in the world.

But Wonwoo is here. And just like that, the past isn’t the past anymore.

You catch his gaze at the ceremony, and for a second, it’s just you and him. His eyes flicker with something unreadable—nostalgia? Regret?

You look away first.

But the moment lingers. The weight of his gaze stays on you, even as the vows carry on, soft and earnest, filling the space between the rows of guests. Seungcheol’s voice is steady, full of love and certainty, the kind that turns even the passing of time into something soft. His bride looks at him like he’s the center of gravity, like there’s nowhere else she would rather stand.

You think about how once, a long time ago, you had thought love would always be like that—solid, unwavering, inevitable.

Beside you, someone sniffles, dabbing at their eyes with a tissue. The moment is beautiful, perfect in the way weddings always are. But your hands are clasped too tightly in your lap, and your mind is somewhere else entirely.

It doesn’t feel like four years.

Time is supposed to soften things, isn’t it? To sand down the sharp edges of old memories, to make the past feel like something distant and untouchable. You should be able to sit here, to hear these vows, to look at the man you once loved and feel nothing but the quiet nostalgia of something that had run its course.

And yet.

And yet.

The applause startles you, the room filling with the sound of cheers and celebration as Seungcheol leans in to kiss his bride. The moment has passed. The past remains the past.

But as you rise from your seat and blend into the throng of guests making their way toward the reception hall, you know it’s not over. Not really.

Cocktail hour passes in a blur.

You keep yourself busy—chatting with old friends, laughing at stories, nodding along to anecdotes that don’t quite reach your heart. A flute of champagne stays in your hand, less for the sake of drinking and more for something to hold, something to anchor yourself with.

It’s easy to pretend, in moments like these, that you’re fine.

And then you see him.

Wonwoo stands near the bar, a drink in hand, his posture relaxed but attentive as he listens to Soonyoung tell some elaborate story, all sweeping hand gestures and animated expressions. He looks different. Older, in a way that isn’t just about time. His suit fits better, tailored to the way his shoulders seem broader now. His hair is styled with more intention, like he put real thought into the way he wanted to look tonight.

But then he lifts his glass to his lips, and something in you stirs—because he still drinks the same way, pausing between sips as if lost in thought. He still listens the same way too, nodding with a quiet focus, the kind that always made you feel like he was absorbing everything, even the things left unsaid.

You don’t realize you’re staring until his eyes flicker to yours.

A moment. Just a breath of a second where neither of you move.

And then he hesitates—just barely—before looking away.

Your heart stumbles.

It’s ridiculous, how something so small can undo you.

You should be over this. Over him. You have told yourself this for years, repeated it like a mantra every time you felt the sting of his absence in places you didn’t expect. But nothing could have prepared you for seeing him again like this, for the way your body still reacts before your mind has time to catch up.

“Hey,” a voice murmurs beside you. “You okay?”

You blink, snapping out of it, and turn to find Jeonghan watching you with an amused sort of knowing.

You exhale slowly. “Yeah,” you say, though your voice doesn’t quite hold steady. “Just—weddings, you know.”

Jeonghan hums, following your gaze before his lips quirk into something undeniably smug. “Ah,” he says, dragging out the sound. “I see.”

You shoot him a look. “Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were about to.”

He raises his hands in mock surrender, but the glint in his eyes doesn’t waver. “I was just going to say it’s funny, isn’t it? How time works?” He swirls his drink in his glass. “You think you’re past something. Then you see it again, and suddenly—” He snaps his fingers. “—it’s like no time has passed at all.”

You swallow. “That’s not what this is.”

“If you say so.”

You take a sip of your champagne, the bubbles sharp on your tongue. “It’s been four years,” you murmur, almost to yourself.

Jeonghan tilts his head. “And?”

And—what? Four years should mean something, shouldn’t it? It should be enough distance, enough silence, enough to dull whatever this is. But time is funny that way. It doesn’t always take what you want it to.

He nods toward the bar. “So what’s the plan?”

You scoff. “Why would there be a plan?”

Jeonghan gives you a look that says you know exactly why.

But before you can say anything else, the reception doors open, and the crowd begins filtering inside.

You take the opportunity to slip away, heart unsteady, throat tight.

You tell yourself you won’t think about him for the rest of the night.

You know it’s a lie.

But the reception means no avoiding him.

Not when the seating chart, in all its cruel, matchmaking betrayal, has placed you at the same table.

You should have known.

Maybe Seungcheol had smiled a little too knowingly when you picked up your place card. Maybe the bride—lovely and kind, full of all the soft edges that make her believe in things like second chances—had given you that look, the one that spoke of hope wrapped in careful intention.

But none of it prepares you for the moment you sink into your seat and he’s already there, sitting just across from you, a half-empty glass of wine resting between his fingers.

The hum of conversation swells around you, warm and easy, but all you can hear is the sound of your own heartbeat.

Wonwoo doesn’t startle when he notices you. His expression doesn’t shift into something surprised or awkward. Instead, he just looks at you—steady, quiet.

“It’s been a while,” he says, voice lower than you remember, rougher around the edges.

“Yeah… it has.”

It’s such an ordinary exchange, the kind you might have with an old classmate or an old friend, and yet, it unspools something deep inside you.

Because his voice is the same. It still folds into the cracks of your world so easily, as if no time has passed at all.

You reach for your water glass, fingers tightening around the cool surface, grounding yourself in something tangible. You won’t let yourself slip into the past. You won’t let yourself think about how his voice used to be the first thing you heard in the morning, murmuring half-asleep complaints about how you always stole the blankets in the night.

You won’t let yourself remember how, in the end, it wasn’t some grand betrayal or an explosive fight that tore you apart. Just the slow unraveling of something that once felt unshakable. Days stretching into nights spent apart, conversations that started and never quite finished, the space between you widening until neither of you could find a way back.

It should have made things easier.

It doesn’t.

The table fills with conversation—Soonyoung talking too loud, Seokmin’s laughter lighting up the room, Jihoon sighing into his drink like he’s already exhausted from the night ahead. It’s easy, the way they talk, the way the years haven’t touched the camaraderie between them. The familiarity of it all should be comforting.

Instead, it only reminds you of what’s changed.

You used to fit here, in this space, with these people. But time has shifted things, reshaped the outlines of your life into something unrecognizable. And yet, Wonwoo is still here, a tether to something you thought you had let go of.

You feel him shift beside you, the faintest brush of fabric against your arm. His scent—something darker than before, less sweet, like the years have settled into him in ways you don’t know—lingers in the air between you.

And then, so quietly you almost think you imagined it—

“You look good.”

The words land softly, but their weight is immense.

Your breath catches. It’s such a simple thing to say. A polite observation, an obligatory nicety exchanged between two people who used to be something more. But from him, it feels different.

From him, it feels like an echo of a life you no longer live.

You let out a breathless laugh, tilting your head as if to brush it off. “I’d hope so. I didn’t go through all this effort to look bad at a wedding.”

Something flickers across his face—something unreadable. A ghost of amusement, maybe. A hint of something softer, something like nostalgia.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he murmurs.

“I know.”

The silence that follows isn’t heavy, but it’s not light, either. It’s thick with everything you don’t say.

You could ask him how he’s been. If he still gets lost in books for hours, forgetting to eat. If he still takes his coffee black, no sugar, no cream. If he still listens to the same old songs on repeat until they become part of his skin.

You could ask if he ever thinks about you, if there are moments—quiet and unexpected—where your absence is as sharp as a blade.

But you don’t.

Instead, you sip your water, let the night unfold around you, let the conversation and laughter and music swirl together into something dreamlike.

You tell yourself you’re fine.

But when you catch him looking at you, when his gaze lingers just a second too long before flickering away—

Maybe you’re not as fine as you think.

You should have seen it coming.

Jeonghan has always been an instigator, a puppet master pulling invisible strings with an effortless smile. So when his fingers wrap around your wrist, his smirk already in place, you barely have time to react before he’s dragging you toward the dance floor.

“C’mon,” he drawls, his tone dripping with amusement. “It’s a wedding. You can’t just sit there all night looking like you’re in the middle of a tragic romance novel.”

You shoot him a glare, half-hearted at best. “I’m fine where I am, thanks.”

“Yeah, well, you won’t be for long,” he counters, and then—then—you realize he’s not just dragging you. He’s dragging Wonwoo too.

You feel the moment Wonwoo stiffens beside you, but neither of you back out in time.

It’s already happening.

Jeonghan all but shoves you two together with the kind of smug satisfaction that makes you want to kick him. And then he’s gone, vanishing back into the crowd, leaving you standing there with Wonwoo, the weight of the moment settling over you like a too-warm coat.

The song is slow, the kind that turns the world soft around the edges. Couples move around you in lazy circles, hands pressed close, eyes locked in something tender. Wonwoo is already holding his hand out, and you, as if possessed by some unseen force, slip your hand into his, your fingers brushing lightly against his skin.

The moment feels too close, too intimate—like you’ve been here before, like this dance is one you’ve already danced a thousand times in the past, in another life.

You could walk away. You should walk away.

But you don’t.

Instead, you exhale, steadying yourself as Wonwoo’s hand finds your waist, tentative at first. His touch is careful, as if he’s afraid you might pull away.

You don’t.

Your hands find their place—one on his shoulder, the other settling into his palm. His skin is warm, his grip sure but gentle, and for a moment, it feels almost natural. Almost like muscle memory. He pulls you closer than you expect, and your heart jumps, an unexpected flutter in the pit of your stomach. He feels solid against you—real, there—but just out of reach.

Too familiar. Too much.

His face is close enough now that you catch the faint scent of his cologne—a deep, woodsy fragrance that instantly fills your senses. It’s familiar in all the wrong ways. And you’re so close that you can feel the warmth of his breath just above your ear.

You want to breathe in, to lean into him, to give yourself over to the moment. But something holds you back, something keeps you from closing the space between you.

His hand on your waist feels too familiar. Like it never left. Like it’s the same hand that once held you together when you were falling apart, the hand that once steadied you when the world seemed unsteady.

You try to steady yourself, try to find something in the rhythm of the music to pull you away from the feeling of everything hanging in the air between you.

But it’s impossible.

So, you try to lighten the moment. A small, teasing question. “You still overthink everything?”

You can’t help the edge of your smile, though it doesn’t quite reach your eyes. It’s a poor attempt at pretending everything’s normal. Everything’s fine.

But his response is different than you expect. His voice, low and almost lost in the swell of the music, is steady when he answers. “Only when it comes to you.”

And that—that—almost makes you stumble.

You swallow, the words catching at the base of your throat.

Because what are you supposed to say to that?

Because what if—what if—you’ve spent all these years thinking you were the only one who still carried the ghosts of what you used to be?

A long, fragile silence stretches, and for a moment, neither of you moves.

The world around you feels distant, a thousand miles away, as you stand there in this small space with Wonwoo, caught between the ghosts of who you used to be and the strangers you’ve become.

His hand feels too warm against your waist. Too real.

And then, as if some invisible force finally snaps the thread that’s held you together, Wonwoo clears his throat, his hand at your waist slowly slipping away. His fingers linger for a moment longer than necessary, as if he’s reluctant to let go of something that’s been lost.

You glance up at him, and his eyes—dark and unreadable—seem to say everything, even though he doesn’t speak. The distance between you has already grown, more than it should, more than it ever could be in a room full of people, full of memories, full of things unsaid.

He gently steps away from you, the space between you widening until it feels unbearable. The music swells around you, the noise of the crowd growing louder, but all you can hear is the absence of him near you.

You don’t look after him.

But you do.

His back is already to you, his movements deliberate, as though he’s making his way out of the room with quiet, measured steps. Each one feels like a door closing, one after another. And even though your body screams for you to reach out, to stop him, you remain still, frozen.

It’s easier this way.

You sit back down at the table, and Jeonghan’s already there, sitting with a soft, all-knowing smile. He doesn’t need to say anything. His gaze alone says it all—the mix of knowing, teasing, and a little bit too much sympathy.

He pats your hand, a small, comforting gesture that doesn’t reach your heart. Not yet, at least. “It’s just a dance,” he says, though the words feel more like an apology than anything else.

You nod, your fingers curling around your drink, the cold glass grounding you in this reality.

But you’re not sure which reality that is anymore.

The night air is cool against your skin, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the wedding reception that you just fled. The distant hum of music and chatter seems like another world entirely, one you can’t bear to be part of right now. You need air, need space to think, but mostly—mostly, you just need the silence.

You find yourself leaning against the cool stone of the building, eyes closed, breathing deeply. The breeze dances across your face, but it doesn’t ease the knot in your chest, the one that has been twisting tighter all night. You never expected this moment. Not with him. Not now.

And yet, here you are, standing outside, heart torn between the past and the present, the weight of everything you once shared pressing in.

A noise, a shift in the air, and you open your eyes just as he appears—Wonwoo, his silhouette framed by the soft glow of the reception lights spilling from the door behind him. He stands still for a moment, as if unsure whether to approach, but then he steps toward you, his expression unreadable yet somehow full of everything you can’t quite decipher.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” he admits softly, his voice tentative, almost as if he didn’t want to disturb the fragile peace between you.

You scoff, trying to mask the vulnerability that his words stir up. “Why? Because of you?” You try to sound light, nonchalant even, but you both know it’s a lie. It’s not just him. It’s the years, the distance, the unfinished story between you.

His silence is enough of an answer. His gaze flickers to the ground, then to you, a mixture of longing and regret that feels too familiar. He hasn’t changed, not really. And yet, everything about him seems like a stranger now.

Maybe it’s the weight of the past finally catching up with you, or maybe it’s just the unbearable tension of the night. But the words spill out, unbidden, before you can stop them. “Why did you let me go?” Your voice cracks a little, and you hate how vulnerable it sounds.

He doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, he takes a step closer, his gaze avoiding yours, but the sadness is too palpable to ignore. He’s thinking, searching for the right words—and you can see that. You can always see that with him, the way he’s always so careful, always so deliberate with everything he says.

And then, his voice finally breaks the silence, but it feels like it’s coming from miles away. “Were you ever happy after me?”

It’s a question you weren’t prepared for, one that hangs heavy between you, unanswered and aching. Because you don’t know. How could you? The years apart have been full of things you’ve pushed down, things you didn’t want to face, not then, not now.

Your eyes sting, and you blink hard, trying to clear the rush of emotions. “I don’t—”

But you don’t finish.

“I didn’t think you’d want to see me,” he says quietly, the words barely a whisper, as if speaking them aloud makes them too real.

You want to laugh, to scream that of course you never wanted to see him again, that it didn’t hurt, that you’ve moved on. But that would be a lie, one you’re tired of telling yourself.

Instead, you look away, the weight of the past pressing on your shoulders. “You don’t get to just walk back into my life after all this time,” you say, more bitter than you mean to. Your voice cracks slightly at the end, and you quickly steady yourself.

You think you’ve hardened, think you’ve moved on from the boy who used to fit perfectly into your world. But now, standing before him, you realize that nothing has really changed. Maybe you’ve both just been pretending.

The seconds stretch between you like a chasm you don’t know how to cross.

“I—” His voice falters, a beat of hesitation before he continues. “I should’ve fought for you. I should’ve fought for us.”

The words hang in the air, heavy, impossible to ignore. The bitterness, the ache—it all rushes back, flooding your chest in an overwhelming wave. You should’ve fought.

It’s too much, too soon, too late.

"Why didn't you?" The question spills out before you can stop it, a desperate plea, a wound reopening.

His eyes flicker with pain, but he doesn’t answer. Instead, his hand moves toward you, slow and cautious, like he’s unsure whether he has the right to touch you after all this time. It hovers just above your arm for a moment before he lets it fall back to his side.

“I never stopped loving you,” he says softly, his voice finally breaking with the weight of the truth. His eyes meet yours, and in them, you see the depth of everything unsaid, everything unfinished. It’s like the whole world has been holding its breath, waiting for this one moment.

But your breath catches in your throat, the words lodged there, stuck between you. You want to respond, want to say something—anything—but nothing seems enough. Not when the years between you are so vast, so full of things you can never get back.

And then, you shake your head, swallowing hard. "Don’t say it unless you mean it," you whisper, the words trembling in the cool night air.

For the first time in years, he doesn’t hesitate. His hand, steady this time, reaches for you again. This time, it’s not tentative, not uncertain. It’s full of everything that has been buried for so long—longing, regret, a hope that feels too fragile to voice.

“I never stopped loving you,” he says again, and this time, there’s no doubt in his voice. It’s not a question. It’s not a plea. It’s the truth, bare and unguarded.

And for the first time in years, the dam inside you cracks, letting the flood of emotions pour out all at once.

But instead of speaking, instead of letting the words fill the air, you reach for him. It’s instinctive, raw, the need to bridge the gap between you. You’ve both been standing on opposite sides for so long, and yet here you are, closer than you’ve been in years.

You don’t kiss him. Not yet. But your hand trembles as it touches his chest, the beat of his heart beneath your palm steady and alive. His eyes are still on you, watching, waiting. And in that moment, you feel the weight of everything—the love, the loss, the time that has slipped away—and it’s too much, too overwhelming.

“I don’t know what we are anymore,” you admit, voice breaking.

“I know,” he replies, the words simple but full of a truth that makes your chest ache. “But I think I’m ready to find out.”

His hand moves to your face, gently cupping your cheek, and this time, you don’t pull away. For the first time in years, you let yourself feel what you’ve been denying for so long.

He doesn’t say anything at first, just watches you for a moment, as if weighing the silence between you, the years that have passed. Then, after what feels like an eternity, he extends his hand, palm open, a small, quiet invitation.

"One more song?" he asks, voice low, almost uncertain. His gaze is intense, earnest, and it’s impossible to ignore how the corners of his eyes crinkle just a little as he waits for your answer.

For a moment, you’re unsure, the past and present warring inside you. But then something shifts, something familiar and comforting in the way he stands there, offering a chance. The truth is, you’ve missed him, missed this—missed him in a way you haven’t allowed yourself to admit until now.

You nod before you can second-guess yourself, slipping your hand into his, feeling the weight of his touch anchor you, like it always used to.

You don’t say anything as he leads you back into the warmth of the reception hall, the laughter and chatter continuing around you, but it all feels distant, like you’re in your own world. The band plays a soft ballad in the background, and it’s like the universe has conspired to give you this one moment, a slow, quiet chance to remember what it felt like.

His hand settles at your waist, and for a split second, you forget how much time has passed, how many things have changed. He feels like home again—familiar, comforting, warm—but there’s also something new, something tentative in the way you move together, like you’re both learning to rediscover each other.

You find the rhythm, your steps synchronizing, and for the briefest of moments, it’s like no time has passed at all. It’s just you and him, caught in the soft sway of the dance, surrounded by music and memories.

He looks down at you, his expression unreadable, but there’s something in his eyes—something that makes your heart skip a beat. Maybe it’s regret. Maybe it’s longing. Or maybe it’s both.

“I want to try again.” he murmurs, his voice barely audible over the music. The words hang between you, heavy and raw, but they don’t feel like a promise, not yet. They feel like an offer. A question.

Your hand rests against his chest, your fingers brushing over the familiar thrum of his heartbeat. For a moment, you wonder if this is enough. If one song, one moment, could somehow make up for everything you’ve lost.

You don’t say anything right away. Instead, you press a little closer, as if the act of simply being near him might make everything fall back into place. You feel the way his breath catches as he pulls you in a little tighter, the movement almost instinctive.

You don’t know what the future holds. Maybe it’s too soon. Maybe you’ll regret this. But for now, in this moment, it’s just the two of you, caught between the echoes of the past and the possibility of something new.

The song begins to fade, but neither of you lets go. Neither of you pulls away.

And when the music finally ends, the silence that follows feels like the beginning of something, something you can’t yet name but can’t quite escape, either.

You look up at him, eyes searching his face. He’s waiting for something from you—an answer, a reassurance, a sign that this is what you both want.

You smile softly, but it’s not a smile of certainty, of knowing. It’s a smile that acknowledges the weight of what you’ve both carried, the pain and the love that never quite went away.

 "How did we end up here?" you ask, almost to yourself.

His gaze softens, and he shakes his head slowly. “I think we’ve always been here,” he says quietly, like it’s some truth you both used to know. “Just... too afraid to admit it.”

And when the song ends, you stay in his arms just a little longer. Neither of you backs away. Not yet.

tagging: @ottersmind @blvenote @kyeomsworld @cookiearmy @armycarat2612 @rjea @xylatox @flwrshwa

@christinewithluv @headlockimnida @letwiiparkjay @cherr-y-eji @codeinbelle @baguette-atiny @whoa-jo @noiceoofed

[mreowsu]

—woke up to a multitude of notifs from the previous one, it appears to have been well-recieved. in return, here is a thank you from me :)

BANGS — part two · SECRET RENDEZVOUS

previous

summary · it didn't take long for friends and family back home to hear of you and sae's rendezvous in spain, and boy they are not happy. cw · itoshi sae x fem!reader, both are 14-15, profanities, itoshi rin appearance yay, fluff wc · 4.1k

The ride back to the academy dorms was uneventful, save for the occasional celebratory chatter from the boys' team. You had tagged along on their bus after the match—what? Belonging to the female Re Al team, how could they possibly refuse their up and coming female striker?

Seated a few rows ahead of you, Sae kept his usual quiet, earbuds in and his focus elsewhere.

Your phone buzzed relentlessly in your pocket. Notifications piled up, missed calls and texts flashing one after another. You tried to ignore it, brushing it off as hopefully post-game excitement and congratulatory messages to be passed to Sae for those that couldn’t reach him. But once the bus pulled into the academy grounds, the increasing persistence became impossible to overlook.

Everyone got off the bus, leaving you and Sae to walking side-by-side homeward to the dorms. Sae barely spared you a glance as you sighed and pulled your phone out, scrolling through the chaos. The screen lit up with an endless flood of notifications—mentions, retweets, likes—your feed practically bursting at the seams.

It didn’t take long for the stunt you pulled to spread like wildfire. With cameras and the media stationed all over the stadium, both you and him in your little world had been immortalized from all possible perspectives.

X (or twt?) was most especially on fire.

“Did y’all see the way she just touched his hair? 😭” “Japan’s prodigies or Spain’s new power couple?” “The power she holds. I’m in shambles. Goodbye.” “#Hair goalz” “Sae is so real, I mean, if I were to be sweating with people watching, I’d want to look my best” “I dunno if I wanna be him or her” “Guys, may I remind you all that these are 14 year olds??”—

You scrolled further, only to be greeted by memes that sent a fresh wave of horror washing over you. Screenshots of Sae’s faintly pink ears were captioned with things like, “Bros blush is heard around the world” and “BREAKING NEWS: Japan’s prodigy caught slipping.”

Your personal favorite (if you could call it that) was a photo of you brushing back his bangs, captioned:

“Y/N L/N, certified hairdresser for future world cup winner LMFAOOOO”

“Ugh,” you groaned, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Why do they have to make memes out of everything?”

Sae’s gaze flicked to your phone for a second before he returned his attention to the road ahead. “You’re surprised?”

You sighed, shoving the phone into your pocket. “No, but I can’t believe they got that angle.”

“They got every angle,” Sae replied dryly, his tone as flat as ever.

Your steps slowed as you neared the dorms. You pulled out your phone again, scrolling through the messages until you found one that made your blood run cold.

You paled.

Among the sea of notifications was one from your mother. Her text was simple yet loaded:

Mom: “Call me. Now.”

All thoughts of internet chaos evaporated as you stared at your mother’s menacing message. The bold lettering glared ominously at you through the screen, carrying more weight than it had any right to.

You groaned, slumping against Sae’s side with all the subtlety of a boulder rolling downhill. His body stiffened at the sudden contact, and his eyes darted toward you, a flicker of annoyance crossing his usually impassive face.

How had she even managed to make two words sound so menacing? “How did she even make it bold?” you muttered under your breath, staring at the text like it might explain itself. You held the phone up for emphasis, and for your companion to see. “Where did she get the bold font? Why is it in bold?” You cried.

He sighed, his lips pressed into a thin line of annoyance. “Maybe she just wants you to call her.”

“No kidding, genius,” you shot back, glaring at him for his unhelpfulness. “But it’s scary when it’s in the bold font.”

Sae rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath about your overreaction before leaning just far enough to escape your weight. “Just call her already.”

You groaned again, dragging yourself upright and glaring at your phone one last time. “If I don’t survive this call, tell her it was because of the bold font.”

Sae’s expression didn’t budge, but you caught the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes. “I’ll send flowers to your funeral.”

You shot him a glare, “very funny.”

Resigning yourself to your fate, you tapped the call button and braced for impact. The line barely rang twice before your mother’s voice burst through.

“You’re too young for this nonsense!” she started, her tone a mix of exasperation and concern. “You went to Spain to play football, not to… to… canoodle!! Do you know how many relatives have called me asking what’s going on between the two of you?!”

You couldn’t hold back a laugh at her tone, though you quickly tried to stifle it, but upon realizing what she just said, your face heated up.

“It wasn’t like that!” you protested.

“Then why does it look like that?!” she snapped back.

You groaned, running a hand down your face. “It’s just the media blowing things out of proportion. Sae and I are just friends.”

Friends. The word tasted bitter, foreign, almost hollow when it came to you. But were you guys really? It didn't quite fit the shape of what your relationship had become. It didn’t feel right—not with the way he always lingered just a little too long by your side, or the way your heart skipped at his smallest actions. Hearing the word friends, Sae would be lying if he said he didn't so much as feel an undeniable pang in his chest.

Neither of you said anything more, or lack-thereof, though. The moment passed like a fleeting shadow.

“Good,” she said, but her tone didn’t soften. “Now go find him. He’s not getting out of this.”

“MOM!” you exclaimed, your voice shooting up an octave in sheer disbelief.

“You’re in it together. If you’re getting scolded, so is he. That’s how teamwork works.”

“I don’t think that’s how teamwork works.”

“Don’t argue with me,” she snapped through gritted teeth. “Go find him. Now.”

You stared at your phone, utterly baffled, before slumping with an exasperated groan. “How does she do that?” you muttered.

Sae, who had been observing your side of the conversation with mild interest, raised an eyebrow when you lowered the phone.

“Well?” he asked, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. “Do what?”

“She sounds bold-lettered again,” you complained, gesturing dramatically at the phone. “Like, how does she make it sound like that? Bold and threatening all at once? Is this a skill all mothers have?”

“Maybe you should just listen to her,” Sae deadpanned.

You glared at him, jabbing a finger in his direction. “She wants—”

Just then, the unthinkable happened. Your mother, seemingly defying all odds and cellphones, suddenly went on speaker without warning, her voice ringing out loud and clear.

“I can hear him, let me talk to him now!” She demanded, the exclamation marks practically visible in her tone. “NOW!”

“—to yell at you too.”

You froze, and he blinked, looking at the device in your hand, utterly unfazed. “You know,” Sae began, his voice dripping with sarcastic sweetness, “I think this is a good time for me to leave.”

You turned to glare at him, pulling him back toward you with a surprising amount of force, making him stumble slightly.

“Get back here!” you hissed, your hand still gripping his arm as he tried to step away. “You’re not leaving me to face her alone!”

Sae, who had been halfway through his dorm, sighed. “You’re not exactly giving me much of a choice.”

But you weren’t about to let him off the hook that easily. With a determination, you pulled him back outside the room, holding the phone between the two of you as your mother’s voice filled the space.

“You both are in so much trouble!” Your mother practically shouted from the phone, her frustration evident. “I should’ve known something was going on when I saw the media coverage. I’m not having my kids make headlines for this!”

Sae, who had remained unfazed so far, leaned casually against the wall, his gaze fixed on you with an unreadable expression. “I didn’t make headlines. That’s all on you,” he teased lightly.

You blinked at him, caught off guard by his response. "What the hell do you mean? You literally walked toward me with a fucking spotlight on your head!" 

“WATCH THAT TONGUE—I’m not done with this nonsense!”

You shot him a warning look, silently begging him not to make it worse. But that only seemed to entertain him more.

“Look, I get it,” you said, speaking directly into the phone, trying to regain some control of the situation. “It’s not a big deal, okay? Like I said, it’s just the media blowing things out of proportion.”

“I don’t care about the media! I care about you two being sensible!” your mother’s voice cracked a little, clearly not impressed by your attempt to defuse the situation. “Now, Sae, you better not be leading my child astray. I want you both to keep your heads in the game.”

Without a word, you shoved the phone toward Sae, who had barely reacted to the situation. He shot you a look, you mouthed: ‘she’s talking to you’. You gestured dramatically at ‘you’. 

He stared at the device like it was an inconvenience, but eventually took it, his usual indifference in place. 

You were both just standing there, patiently, albeit strained, waiting in silence for the next round of scolding from your mother when a new, unmistakable voice entered the boxing ring somewhere in the background.

You both froze. Sae nearly dropped the phone, his grip faltering. You couldn't help but snicker at the rare look on his face. The last thing you expected was to hear that sweet but dangerously knowing voice—his mother, unmistakably. That sweet but unnerving voice was enough to snap him out of whatever bravado he'd been putting on. He looked at the phone as though it might bite him.

“Hi, Mrs. L/n, is my son on the line? I’d like to talk to him,” she said again, though the distance made it sound muffled, like she was halfway across the room.

Sae had managed to escape his parents’ wrath for a while, but that was about to change, and you couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit victorious.

His brow furrowed, unable to mask his surprise. Sae ran a hand through his hair with a resigned sigh, clearly not surprised by the turn of events. "Of course," he muttered under his breath, the weight of it all sinking in. "My family would have contacted yours the moment they caught wind of whatever the hell the two of us were doing in Spain."

You raised an eyebrow at his comment, crossing your arms with a knowing smile. "Oh, so you knew this was coming?"

He looked at you with a dry smirk. "I mean, it's not like we were exactly being subtle, huh?" he added, his usual smugness creeping back into his tone. "It wasn’t my fault you decided to get all touchy in front of the cameras."

You glared at him with all your might, but your argument died on your tongue, clearly defeated. "Unbelievable," you muttered.

The phone crackled slightly, and then his mother’s voice came through.

"Hello?"

The both of you stayed silent, catching each other's staring before you took the liberty to answer. "Hello?" you greeted, your voice slightly uncertain.

"Ah, Y/n, so sorry for the sudden intrusion," Sae’s mother chimed in, her voice full of sweetness, but you knew carried a weight behind it. Locked and loaded, reserved to open fire only at Sae. "My son is always so unpredictable… He’s not giving you any trouble, is he?"

You couldn’t help but grin. “No trouble at all, I promise.”

There was a soft chuckle on the other end, but it didn’t sound entirely convinced. “Well, I do hope he’s keeping you focused. I did hear something about hairdressers…” She trailed off, clearly referencing the media frenzy from earlier. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I trust you to take care of each other.”

You blinked in surprise. The sudden shift from the playful teasing to genuine concern caught you off guard, but you did your best to play it cool. “We’re doing fine, really.”

“I’m sure you are, darling,” she continued, her voice warm, but there was an undeniable edge to it. “Just remember to keep your heads in the game. I want you both succeeding, not making headlines for nonsense.”

You glanced at Sae, who was clearly pretending not to listen. “Don’t worry, we’re focusing on football,” you reassured, a soft smile pulling at your lips.

“Well, that’s all I wanted to hear,” she said, her tone finally lightening up. "From you, atleast."

You raised an eyebrow at her words, catching the subtle jab aimed at Sae. You could feel his irritation radiating off him, though his face betrayed nothing more than a slight twitch of his brow. Smirking, you mouthed; 'you’re not off the hook yet.'

Then her voice came through the speaker again, calm but firm. “Now, darling, be a dear and hand the phone over to Sae. I’d like a word with my son.”

Your grin widened. “Of course,” you said sweetly, holding the phone out to him. “It’s for you.”

Sae sighed, his shoulders stiffening slightly. “Tell her I’m not here,” he muttered.

“Pretty sure she already knows you are,” you replied, shaking the phone for emphasis. “No escaping this one, superstar.”

He shot you one last glare. "You’re not gonna let me forget this, are you?"

“Not a chance,” you replied, your grin widening as he took the phone from your hands. “But hey, at least now we know what happens when you get too cocky.”

Sae let out an exaggerated sigh, clearly resigned to all this. His usual deflection didn’t work as well this time.

He lifted the phone to his ear, "Hi, Mom." He muttered, trying his best to sound nonchalant, but his posture had stiffened. He wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Don’t you “Hi, Mom” me, ITOSHI SAE!” his mother’s voice finally snapped. “What’s this nonsense I’m hearing about you two? Running around Spain causing a spectacle for the media, playing to their little games!?”

You couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking your head slightly. “So she’s got the bold font superpower too, huh?” you muttered mostly to yourself, but loud enough for also him to hear. The sheer power of that 'ITOSHI SAE' was like a force of nature.

His teal eyes hardened, shooting you a glare, his discomfort obvious, but you could tell he wasn’t used to this level of public embarrassment. His mother had always been a force to be reckoned with, but now she was using her bold-letter power on him too. “It’s not like that,” he started, his voice dry and flat. “We’re just—”

“No excuses, Sae. I’ve seen the footage. I’ve heard the rumors. You’re not going to get away with this one. Not while I’m around,” she interrupted, her voice unyielding.

You leaned against the doorframe, biting back a laugh as his mother’s voice carried through the speaker, scolding him in rapid-fire Japanese. Sae’s expression didn’t change, though his lips pressed into a thin line.

After a few minutes, he handed the phone back to you. “She’s done,” he said flatly, though the faint pink tint to his ears gave him away.

You took the phone, grinning. “She gave you the ‘focus on football, not nonsense’ speech, didn’t she?”

“She’s very thorough,” he deadpanned.

“Welcome to my world,” you said with a shrug, bringing your phone on speaker to bid your farewells.

Your mother’s voice came through the speaker, her tone still a little sharp. “Sae, this better not happen again…”

Sae braced himself, his expression turning completely blank as he muttered a weak greeting. “Hi, Ma'am.” He visibly straightened, his usual confidence momentarily chipped away by the dual maternal interrogation.

“Sae, behave,” his mother chimed in. “And don’t get each other in trouble. I’m trusting you to be the responsible one here. You should know better.”

Your mother didn’t miss a beat, her tone taking on a teasing edge. “Exactly. Boys are supposed to protect, not cause chaos. How could you let this happen under your watch, Sae?”

You shot a glance at Sae, his face betrayed none of the usual confidence, just a tense concentration.

You bit the inside of your cheek, suppressing a grin as Sae’s blank expression barely wavered, save for the faintest furrow of his brow. His mother’s voice, now layered with a hint of amusement, added to the jab. “Honestly, Sae, I thought you were more sensible than this. I expected better from you.”

You could almost hear the corners of your mother’s mouth curve up. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m taking care of it,” she replied with a playful note. “You know how it is with these kids—they think they’re invincible.”

Despite the constant jabs, you knew Sae wasn’t the type to let anything truly reckless happen—not to you, not to himself. If anything, he was the one who kept everything grounded, often steering things back on track. Yet here he was, taking the brunt of both mothers’ wrath, enduring their playful scolding like the stoic shield he was.

Sae sighed quietly, and you nudged his arm gently. “Hey, just look at it this way—you’re their golden boy, hm?”

Sae's teal eyes rolled a sideways glance at you, his lips twitching as though he wanted to say something but thought better of it.

"Well, Y/n.." His mother trailed off. “Please make sure my son is behaving himself. He has a tendency to… push boundaries when he thinks no one’s watching.”

You blinked, startled by the sudden turn of the conversation. “Uh, I’ll do my best?” you replied hesitantly, shooting a glance at Sae, who looked thoroughly unimpressed.

“And one more thing,” she added, her voice firm but tinged with an almost playful seriousness. “Don’t let him get away with anything when it comes to you. Don’t let him have his way, understand?”

Your face flushed instantly, the implication of her words hitting you like a freight train. “W-Wait, what—”

Sae, who had been silently enduring the conversation, finally turned his head sharply toward the phone, his ears turning a suspicious shade of pink. “Mom.” He interjected, his tone low and warning.

But his mother was undeterred. “Oh, don’t ‘Mom’ me, Sae! I mean it." Then, his mother released a sigh. “It’s just.. the two of you are out there in Spain... no one else can keep an eye on you. Be rational, okay? Don’t give us a reason to fly over there and check on you myself.”

You couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, despite the heat still burning your cheeks. “Noted, Mrs. Itoshi. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sae groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Are you done?”

“For now,” she replied smoothly. “I’m just making sure things are in order. Y/n, thank you for putting up with him. You’re a saint.”

Sae muttered something under his breath, “unbelievable.”

You snorted. “Of course, Mrs. Itoshi. Someone's gotta bash him in his head from time to time.”

Even with his mom’s playful but pointed implication, you knew better. Sae would never do anything out of line with you, nor anything that would make you uncomfortable. For all his aloofness and sharp edges, he’d always been careful around you—attentive in his own way.

The thought softened the embarrassment lingering in your chest, and you glanced at him, his hand still dragging down his face as he muttered under his breath despite his irritation.

“But don’t think I won’t call again if I hear more nonsense.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle under your breath at the thought, but the tension didn’t seem to break on Sae’s side. He eventually muttered, “We'll do our best, Mom, Mrs. L/n.”

“Good,” Sae’s mom said firmly, a slight note of relief in her voice. There was a faint shuffling sound on the other end, like the phone being passed, until your mother’s voice entered the conversation. “I trust you’ll both be on your best behavior.”

You chimed in quickly, trying to get the conversation over with. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Itoshi, Mom. We’ll keep things in check.”

Your mother let out a hum of approval. “Good. And remember, we’re just a call away if you need a reminder.”

“Duly noted,” you replied with a nervous laugh, glancing at Sae.

With that, the call ended, leaving you standing there, Sae released an exasperated sigh and immediately dropped his shoulders in relief. You couldn’t help but laugh.

Sae shook his head, stepping back into his room. “Next time, leave me out of it.”

You smiled. Despite the scolding and the embarrassment, there was something undeniably comforting about moments like these—a reminder of home, even when you were miles away.

You were about to turn and leave when something inside you decided it wasn’t time to bail just yet. You stepped forward, casually walking right past Sae into his room before the door could fully shut behind him.

Sae froze, slitted eyes widening in surprise. “What—”

You shrugged again, a mischievous smile playing on your lips. “No reason. Just hanging around.”

Before he could protest, a sudden ring cut through the air. The sound was familiar, but louder than usual. You glanced at Sae, eyebrow raised, but his face shifted quickly from surprise to annoyance as he grabbed his phone.

“Who’s calling you now?” you asked, leaning back against his desk as he answered the phone.

At first, Sae’s face was unreadable, but then his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You could hear his voice, but just barely. You noticed and gave a slight smirk. “Guess it’s your turn for Rin’s wrath.”

Rin. The name was almost like a curse for Sae—he loved his brother, of course, but when it came to their sibling dynamics, it was always a bit chaotic.

You couldn’t help but lean in, curiosity piqued. Expecting his mom to be back on the line, you were caught off guard when Sae’s little brother spoke up from the other end.

“Hey, nii-chan,” Rin’s voice sounded loud and clear, filled with that usual mix of child-like wonder and boyish innocence. “I’m hearing things from the media again... What’s going on with you and Y/n? You two are seriously causing a stir.”

Sae’s face flushed even more, a mix of frustration and, if you were reading him right, embarrassment.

“You’re already hearing about that, huh?” he muttered, rubbing his temples.

“Of course I am!” Rin responded, completely unbothered by his brother’s apparent discomfort. “But seriously, are you two that close now? Should I be worried?”

You almost snorted at the lighthearted tone in Rin’s voice. It was all teasing, but there was an undertone of real curiosity—or maybe just a little bit of jealousy? You couldn’t help but smirk at how Rin always found ways to poke fun at Sae, no matter how far apart they were.

Sae didn’t answer right away, his eyes meeting yours for a brief moment as he sighed. “Just... keep your nose out of this, Rin.”

You snickered at his reaction, walking closer and casually sitting down on Sae’s bed, still enjoying his discomfort. You decided to butt in, taking hold of his phone.

“Hey, Rin—”

“Y/n! What in the world are you two doing over there?” Rin’s voice came through sharp.

“Uh, playing football?” you tried, his sudden change in tone was something you weren’t expecting, but has anything ever went your way ever for the past day?

“You know what I mean,” he whined. “I can’t go five minutes without seeing some clip of you two looking… weird! People are saying stuff!”

You leaned back against the headboard, glancing at Sae, who had now propped himself up on one elbow on his desk, silently listening. “Rin, it’s nothing. The media’s just exaggerating.”

“Oh, really? Because it doesn’t look like ‘nothing’ when she’s running her hands through your hair, Sae,” Rin shot, his voice cracking slightly at the end.

Sae, finally engaging, sat up and snatched his phone from your hand, holding it to his ear. “What’s your problem, Rin?” he asked bluntly.

“My problem?” Rin’s voice grew louder. “My problem is that you two are over there acting all… close, while I’m stuck here dealing with everything alone!”

Silence stretched between them.

Finally, Sae sighed. “You’re being dramatic. It’s not like we’re having fun. We’re working, just like you.”

“You don’t get it,” Rin muttered, his voice quieter now. “You both left. And it’s… it’s hard seeing you two together there. Without me.”

Your chest ached at his words. Taking the phone back, you softened your tone. “Rin, we miss you, too. It’s hard for us here, you know that. But we’ll come back—this isn’t forever.”

“Yeah,” he muttered, though it sounded half-hearted. “Just… stop making headlines, okay? It’s embarrassing.”

You laughed, and even Sae’s lips twitched upward. “No promises,” you teased, earning a low groan from Rin before he hung up.

As you set the phone aside, Sae leaned back against his desk-chair, arms crossed. “He’s such a pain,” he muttered, though there was a faint fondness in his voice.

“Yeah,” you agreed softly. “But he’s our pain.”

“Whatever, I want you out of my room before dinner time. I have to take a shower.”

“Bleh!”

“💢💢💢”

© 2025 mreowsu

[thatrandomidiot182]

I'm not great at writing full stories, so if someone wants to take this idea and turn it into a whole fic pls do so. Also, pls pls pls tag me. I'd love to read it!!

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SO, thinking of Velaryon! Reader who is...

The youngest daughter of Rhaenys and Corlys, born around the same time as Jace and Aemond.

Her egg never hatched in the cradle, so it was assumed that she would succeed Corlys as the next Sea Snake and become the Lady of the Tides, seeing as Laenor would become King Consort and Leana was now a Princess.

However, some other factors that need to be taken into account are;

King Viserys sees the birth of a daughter so close to the birth of the two boys as a sign, another reason to further unite the two great houses (especially after the rumors surrounding the dark-haired grandson of his) so he proposes another marriage. This time, the girl is to be raised amongst both boys and allowed to choose between them once they all come of age.

(The reason I didn't mention Baela is bc Viserys atp wouldn't be that into marrying his line into Daemons line lol.)

Corlys is salty and refutes at first, bc look at how Rhaenyra and Laenors marriage is going, not to mention Daemon and Laena. Rhaenys, on the other hand, convinces him to agree because either way, their daughter ends up a princess, or even better, a queen.

AND

Corlys ain't into the matriarch idea.

AND

Laenor is currently his direct heir, so logically, his son would be the next Lord of Driftmark.

So, Corlys holds off on naming her heir for as long as he possibly can.

This is where things begin to go downhill...

Naturally, the three kids all grow up amongst each other, all of them being told that at one point, Reader would marry one of the boys and either rule driftmark or become queen.

This feeds into the animosity between Rhaenyra and Alicent and, in turn, Aemond and Jace.

Rhaenyra is urging Jace to bond with Reader to 'save her' from the Hightowers clutches. Not to mention how much she admires Readers' determination, will, and intelligence. She thinks Reader would be a good queen one day (I HC that she sees herself in Reader lol)

Alicent could honestly care less at the beginning, but as soon as Aemond begins making snide comments about Aegon being king, she begins to urge him to pursue Reader and become the Ruler of Driftmark. A, futile, attempt to turn his attention away from the iron throne, seeing as he always had the intention to marry Reader, with or without his mothers interference.

Both boys, therefore, form some sort of affection for Reader.

Jace is indifferent at first. He believes the reader is pretty and admires her intelligence and wit but does not particularly enjoy the thought of being forced into a marriage.

Eventually, these feelings change, and he becomes devoted. He completely adores her, as does the rest of his family. He idolizes her, worships her, and is now vying for her love and affection just as much as Aemond. He knows the moment he spoke his wish for her hand, it would be his, being the Kings favorite did have perks, but he would rather wait for her to return the feelings. He would hate nothing more than her being miserable in an arranged marriage with him.

Aemond, however, is immediately infatuated. Neither of them have dragons, so it must be fate! He always follows her around like a puppy, and they often study together. Wherever she goes, Aemond follows. Seeing as Reader spends most of her time preparing for her, inevitable, rise to power, Aemond also begins to learn the ways of the court and how royalty should behave.

As they grow and time passes, his pure childhood love and adoration festers into obsession and, much like Jace, utter devotion.

He believes that Reader belongs to him, just as he belongs to her. Why else would the gods bind them in such a way? He believes that the reason they don't have dragons is because they were meant for something greater than dragonriding! They were meant to rule, conquer the nobles, and charm the smallfolk. They were meant to bring about a new era of Targaryens, ones who were more than powerful enough without dragons.

(Yeah. He's like double the psycho he is in the show lol.)

That's how the boys feel about everything, Now let's take a glimpse into Readers mind...

Now, her whole life, Reader is constantly being told by everyone,

"You're going to be a great Sea Snake, just like your father!"

"You'll make a fine Queen one day, better than any we've had in ages, I reckon!"

"You and the Prince (either one lol) make such a handsome couple, I'm sure your children will be very blessed with looks!"

In her youth, when she's innocent and naive, (until she's abt 6) she's just confused. She's her fathers heir, isn't she? Why isn't she titled yet? Why does she have to marry one of her snot nosed nephew/cousin in order to gain one?? (As if she's also not a snot nosed brat at the time lol)

She doesn't question her parents because she trusts them, and believes that maybe she's not old enough, or trained enough, and therefore dedicated the rest of her spare time to studying, training and practicing.

And then Laena dies.

The Driftmark incident happens, but the only reason Aemond claimed Vhaegar was because Reader was trying to claim her, and he followed her and was just there for emotional support.

After Aemonds eye was cut, Reader distances herself from both boys.

She feels guilty about Aemond losing his eye.

She resents Lucerys and, by extension, Jace, as she believes it was a completely unacceptable reaction on their part.

Rhaenys and Corlys are PISSED.

"What were you thinking!?"

"You knew Rhaena was supposed to claim her!"

Reader is also big mad.

"Leana was my sister, I had just as much of a claim to Vhaegar as Rhaena!"

"Why must I be the one with nothing!? No title, no land, no dragon, NOT EVEN A SHIP!!"

Rhaenys explains that they were just waiting for the right moment, between Laenas passing and Corlys' declining health. (Excuses lol)

Aka, she's trying to convince Corlys to wait and see who Reader decides to marry before naming an heir.

Corlys, on the other hand, is fine with waiting bc being forced to choose between a bastard and a hightower as the heir to driftmark is agonizing. (He's legit considering Vaemond atp)

Anyways after that, everyone kind of splits up.

Jace goes with his mom to Dragonstone.

Reader doesn't see him again until his blood is being questioned, but does write to him after he persistently apologizes.

Reader stays at driftmark and begins to learn how to sail and command a fleet.

(The only reason Corlys agrees is bc he wants to quiet the rumors of why he hasn't named her as his heir yet.)

Aemond stays in kings landing, and the two reconcile only because he broke down and begged her not to hate him for being deformed, and she couldn't handle him thinking she'd toss him aside for that. (By letter ofc)

Then Laenor 'dies.'

Everyone is upset, distraught, mourning, you get the gist.

Reader, however upset she may or may not be, is also ecstatic.

She sees this as another chance.

A chance for her to finally get a dragon.

A chance for her to prove herself to her father and finally be named his heir!!

After all, no one else is in her way anymore... (so she thinks)

So, once again, while everyone is busy at the funeral, Reader sneaks off to claim Seasmoke.

Alone, this time.

However, that doesn't work (bc he's not dead lol) so she completely breaks down.

Everyone thinks it's bc both her siblings just died but it's actually because she feels worthless and pathetic.

Existential crisis lol.

Who comforts her? Jace.

They bond over losing Laenor, and Reader has a manic epiphany.

Maybe Aemond was right. Maybe the gods refused to give her a dragon because she was meant for greater things.

After all, Jace was a dragonrider through and through. She knows that he despises his princely duties and would be happy if he could have the title and power of the throne without the politics and mind games.

He would much rather burn and fly than rub shoulders and sign papers.

Then she starts PLOTTING.

If her parents refused to name her heir, even after Laenors death, then she would go above them.

She'd show them she was worthy. She didn't need them anymore.

She didn't want them anymore.

After all, why would she choose to be a Lady when she could be a Queen?

If she marries Jace, she has no doubt that he would allow her to handle everything. He'd be nothing more than the face and name. She'd be the one making the calls.

He'd be the axe, and she'd be the executioner.

She waits to inform everyone of her decision, though, seeing as they are in mourning, lol.

She doesn't even tell Jace, but she does become more affectionate and romantic with him.

Jace is just happy she's finally giving him attention and spending time with him (poor bby).

Aemonds too busy plotting how him and Reader are going to usurp the throne to realize she was pulling away from him. (Delulu)

Time passes, Viserys is wilting and the dance is approaching.

Readers making moves to secure her place as Jaces Queen, befriending both the smallfolk and the nobles and shadowing Otto Hightower and Larys Strong as much as possible. (Unlikely friendship lol, they're all ambitious, cunning, and know how to play the long game. Reader admires their ability to manipulate everyone to their advantage, Otto is under the impression she will be his future granddaughter in law, and Larys believes she can benefit him one way or another in the future.)

Alicent and Otto are beginning to groom Aegon to be King.

Rhaenyra marries Daemon and awaits her succession.

Corlys is severely ill and is finally about to name Reader his heir.

Then the gun goes off.

Everyone gathers in kings landing at Vaemonds behest to discuss the legitimacy of Jace and Luke.

(Vaemond and Reader do not get along bc they both think their the rightful heir to the Driftwood throne.)

Reader is a whole badass now. Smart, pretty, strong and manipulative AS FUCK!

She's grown to simultaneously love and despise both her nephew and cousin after everything that has happened.

Regardless, she decides that once the whole legitimacy dispute was settled, she'd announce her choice to everyone present.

That obviously doesn't happen because of Rhaenys announcing Lucerys and Jacaerys' engagements to Rhaena and Baela.

Reader is LIVID.

She's upset, furious, and feels betrayed.

Was all that talk of choice and decisions meaningless?!?

Was all her agony over choosing between the two she loved the most for nothing!?

Nonetheless, she keeps her cool, and her determination never wavers.

After all, Aegon the Conquerer had two wives. Why couldn't Jacaerys? Besides, he loves her, not Baela, he wouldnt give up on their engagement that easily.

She could deal with sharing him, seeing as Baela didn't show any interest in being a ruler at all. Her plans could still work. She just needed to adjust some things first. It might actually benefit her more.

Baela could keep Jace occupied while she did what she wanted.

Yes.

It could still work.

Then, Lucerys is named heir to driftmark.

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divider by: @bucciniexe

I still have wayy more to add to this but I'll post it tomorrow it's currently 6 am and I need to sleep lol

[rcmclachlan]

okay, so if you’re not writing the aquarium scene in the 118/217 scheming fix-it (god i love this) can you at least share what mishap and or shenanigan gets them banned from the aquarium?? (since you mentioned it in the tags i assume you picked one!)

The aquarium is Christopher's idea, because getting Buck and Tommy back together is the one thing he and Eddie can talk about without it devolving into shouting or week-long silences that make Eddie want to put his fist through his living room wall.

So if plotting to interfere in the open bear trap that is his idiot friends' breakup gets him an hour of uninterrupted screen time with Chris three times a week? He'll meddle in a way that would make even his abuela say, "cariño, that's a little much." He'll change his legal middle name to el metiche.

"Buck used to take me to see the otters when I was younger; they're his favorite. But the exhibit has been closed for a year because they've been redoing it," Chris says, then texts him a link to the aquarium website. "The big reopening is next week. If someone asked Buck to take Jee-Yun, he wouldn't be suspicious."

"Chris, you're a genius," Eddie says, a little awed. His entire body aches to reach through the laptop screen and across state lines to pull his kid into a hug, but all he can do is sit on his hands and hope his face shows all the love he feels.

A small, but genuine grin unfurls on Chris's face. "That's not news, dad."

Eddie decides to take the aquarium idea to what Chimney keeps calling the weekly 118-217 Shadow Summit to see if the rest of the group thinks it holds water—no pun intended—and is extremely offended when Dana gives him a slow blink and says, "That's actually not bad. Who came up with it?"

"Is it that hard to believe it was my idea?"

"Very."

Dana presses the rim of her wine glass to the sly, crimson curve of her mouth. With her victory rolls, winged eyeliner, and tattoos, she looks like the winner of a car show pinup contest. She also looks like an evil queen out of an old school Disney movie. At least five people in their general vicinity look like they'd thank her if she force-fed them a poisoned apple or turned into a giant dragon.

Eddie reaches into the bowl of popcorn by his elbow and throws a handful of it at her. She just takes a sip of her wine and serenely lets the kernels bounce off her.

"Knock it off before I put you both in a time out." Lucy drains the dregs of her beer and says to Chimney, "Having Buckley take your kid is the perfect excuse—she's, what, two? Three?"

"Five," Chim says with the heartache of a man whose baby is almost old enough to rent a car. "As long as we don't tell my wife that Jee's playing the part of the cutest MacGuffin ever in this little plot, we should be good. But how do we get Tommy there?"

"Short of planting a bomb in the penguin tank, I can't think of a reason Mr. Nature Boy himself would ever voluntarily go." Hen roots around in the popcorn bowl for the kernels with the most butter. "Actually, he might be thrilled if we did that. I don't think he likes birds very much."

Dana lifts a brow. "I smell a story."

"Does it smell like KFC?" Chim pops a pretzel in his mouth and chews loudly, grinning. "Once we've adjourned the cabal for the evening, remind me to tell you about Maurice."

Eddie doesn't know Nico very well—he can't get a read on the guy to save his life—but the smug smirk he's sporting looks entirely out of place. Nico takes the last mozzarella stick off the platter they'd ordered to share and puts it between his teeth like a cigar. He looks like the world's lamest oil baron.

Eddie looks at Dana in askance. Wordlessly, she plucks a piece of popcorn out of her hair and throws it at him. It nails him right between the eyes.

"Let me handle Kinard," Nico says. "I'll get him there, no problem."

To his credit, Nico does get Tommy to the aquarium the day of the sea otter exhibit grand reopening. And thanks to Chimney planting Chris's idea in Buck's head at the start of their next shift, Buck does take Jee-Yun.

Unfortunately, their paths never cross, because while the penguin habitat doesn't explode, the sea jelly gallery does, completely flooding the first floor. When the aquarium is forced to evacuate everyone, Buck and Jee-Yun end up at the Chili's down the street, while Tommy ends up riding in an ambulance with an old woman who gets stung by a box jellyfish.

"I don't understand how this happened!" Lucy shouts, keeping her fingers on the ankle pulse of a man in the middle of an allergic reaction to a lilliputian jelly sting as Hen and Chim pump him full of epinephrine and then start administering compressions.

Eddie would help, but he's carrying three kids—two in his arms, one on his back—through shin-deep water to safety while attempting to dodge all the bluebottles floating on the surface. Dana glides past him to get the next group of kids waiting to be rescued, not a hair out of place. She looks like a fucking mermaid. He's gonna trip her the next time they pass each other.

Annoyed, Lucy casts around and then asks, "Has anyone seen Nico?"

Just in time for the man himself to sedately walk through the pandemonium, two bewildered penguins tucked under his arms like purses. He smiles brightly. "Hey, did Kinard pass through here, by any chance? Phase two of my plan is ready to go."

Eddie stares at him. "What was phase one?"

He never does find out what exactly phase one entailed, but it's enough to get them permanently banned from the aquarium for life.

"If you ask me, the punishment so does not fit the crime," Nico says, digging an elbow into Eddie's side as he jostles for room in the back of Athena's squad car.

Eddie says nothing. He's too busy mentally composing the short-answer portion of his application for the El Paso Fire Department, although, in the end, it doesn't matter. He completely forgets everything he plans on writing when Athena slides in, glances in the rearview mirror, and shouts, "Those better not be penguins in my back seat, Edmundo Diaz!"

He and Chris spend two hours talking about it during their next call, so Eddie calls it a win.

[glitch-but-ya]

04| THE ECHO OF WHO I ONCE WAS

"Let your memory of me be lost to time" IV

TAGS: Platonic!Xavier, angsty, drugging, alcohol, mentions of blood and violence, use of weaponry, self-depreciation, self-image struggles, mental health struggles. WORD COUNT: 6,571 words. TAG LIST: @withering-dream @moonlight-inthe-sea @tinyweebsstuff @vyntheria , @xxfaithlynxx , @just-a-shapeshifter08 , @stxrrielle , @napa-the-yappa

A/N: Sorry for the wait!! Been super busy lately. Anyways, somehow I pushed my boundaries and wrote double the amount of words from the previous fic. Expect it to keep increasing in the future! Hope you enjoy longer parts💕

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3 , PART 5

You tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear whilst your other hand fiddled with the hem of your gown. Your fingers intertwined with Xavier’s with fervor. Your eyes darted around, searching for the thousands of mocking gazes you felt were glued to you. Yet, nobody spared you a glance. Why? Your mere presence commanded unwelcome attention. The gown, although breathtaking, stood out like a sore thumb—dashingly elegant yet suspiciously innocent compared to the intricate needlework of the N109 zone. The gowns of the women here certainly did no injustice to their intimidating complexions. A simple flick of their hand or the subtlest crook of their eyebrows bore more authority than you collectively owned—if any at all. Their gazes were dangerous, their words reserved. To successfully imitate even one of their gestures would cost you half your lifespan. And unfortunately, the mission could not wait. Neither could Xavier, you assumed, judging by how swiftly he whisked you through the auction.

Xavier, in your eyes, was a determined individual whose focus could not be swayed from the task at hand. Or at least, that was the reasoning you came up with to justify the protective grip on your hand. Like a drill head, he pushed through the throngs of people, penetrating the densest masses and shielding the body behind him from whatever obstruction might arise. A part of you pondered whether it was instinctive protection. He was aware, after all, of the mental state you were in.

For a moment, you considered it—perhaps he didn’t hold onto you for the sake of the mission but because he wanted to. Because the thought of losing you among a crowd of foes unsettled him. But the part of you that left no credit to yourself denied the possibility immediately, smothering it beneath the weight of reason and insecurity. There was no way he cared enough to worry about your well-being. It had to be the urgency of the mission.

His grip on you was unfaltering. Even as you wiggled your fingers, he didn’t let go. Letting out a defeated sigh, you resigned yourself to scanning the crowd.

The auctioneer’s voice sliced through the air, overpowering the rustle of silk and the clink of wine glasses that pressed against your ears unremittingly. You watched as the prices climbed higher, your lips parting a little wider with each bid. The wealth and power radiating from the room bore down on your shoulders like an unbearable weight, crushing you from within. Everything felt unreal. You couldn’t believe such places existed—so abundant in greed and filth. Though the air reeked of nothing but luxury perfumes, you swore you caught a horrid stench beneath it all.

Heavy chandeliers glared upon you, forcing you to squint under their unfamiliar glow. You were certain your behavior was viewed as eccentric. No noblewoman shields herself from a mere arsenal of chandeliers. No woman of class envies the faces of those passing by. No woman grips her partner’s hand in a place she is supposed to call familiar. You hugged yourself tighter with your free arm.

You wanted to go home—to curl up, to succumb to your burdens, to bury yourself within your sheets while you wiped your tears on the face of your once-favorite crow plushie. If being the truest version of yourself was most desirable, why did it hurt so much?

You thought you could handle it. You thought you could endure the stares. But reality crashed into you like a tsunami at its might. You gripped the sides of your gown, tugging it down in a feeble attempt to shield yourself from the world. You wanted to hide. To run away.

Your gaze wandered to the visages of the countless women attending the auction. They were adorned in rich colors—deep emerald, burgundy, and black being the most common. Many wore backless gowns, others dressed in garments with thigh slits and plunging necklines. Their feet were encased in piercing-sharp heels.

A group of them turned over their shoulders to glance at you. One woman held her gaze for a moment longer before turning back to her friends, snickering at what you presumed was you. A frown tugged at your lips.

Elegant, refined, opulent, and greedy—they were everything you could never imagine yourself to be. Yet, it begged the question: why chase a single soul when surrounded by women of similar class? What had made you so different in his eyes?

What made the cruel sorceress appealing to the lone dragon?

To you, she was no different than the women who stood here, carelessly sipping wine bought with their own blood-soaked money. So why did he like her?

Your muscles tightened. If you knew, maybe you could be her. You could weave together that picture-perfect facade meant to be glued to your face.

"Ouch."

A small voice broke you out of your trance. Immediately, you released your grip on Xavier’s hand. You muttered a quick apology, averting your gaze the moment his concerned eyes swept over your face. You could sense it—the curiosity, the worry. But you weren’t ready to give any answers yet.

Your relationship with Sylus was strictly confidential. Nobody—especially a skilled hunter—should know of your interaction with him. As if sensing your reluctance, Xavier pursed his lips.

"Did you sense any fluctuations in the area?"

You folded your arms over your chest and shook your head. "As we suspected, the real aether core is not here," you whispered back.

Xavier craned his neck to meet your gaze, placing a thoughtful finger under his chin.

"But," you interrupted his trance, your eyes scanning the hunter’s watch hidden beneath your sleeve, "I do sense slight fluctuations in one of the VIP lounges." A crestfallen shake of your head followed your statement. "Not strong enough to be an aether core, though. So I’m guessing it’s another high-grade protocore."

"I would be surprised if the actual aether core was here," he chimed in.

You nodded in approval. "We're here for leads. Let's keep our eyes peeled for any information beacons. Anyway, should we keep an eye on that room?"

Xavier hummed in thought before glancing at the entryway to the lounges. "I'll fish around for some information. You keep watch in the meantime. Keep an eye out for anyone slipping in or out."

"And don’t approach them, right?"

Xavier responded with a firm nod. "Wait for my return." He tossed you an extra gun.

The gun you’d caught yourself reaching for trembled in your hand. Why did he have to be here? You constricted your lungs, muffling yourself with your palm as you dissolved into the shadows. The auctioneer’s declarations dimmed in volume as the world around you distorted.

Our souls are intertwined. We cannot escape from each other. Your fingers tightened around the gun’s grip as familiar strands of silver hair flashed past, accompanied by whiffs of cedar. The thump of your heart crept up to your ears. Your forehead throbbed, and beads of sweat streamed down its sides. A lump of saliva pushed past your throat. Could it be that you were mistaken? That his lingering presence in your mind caused you to connect him with an unrelated stranger passing by? But the man’s identity was unmistakable. Tall with white hair, crimson eyes, and a deep voice you couldn’t forget. It was undeniable. The man before you—the man that had just passed by—was your past lover, Sylus.

"You’ve made quite the trip here, haven’t you?" a rich female voice remarked, swiping a black card against the modern card reader. Your legs trembled with anticipation as the door glided open with a beep. No, you told yourself, Xavier told me to stay put. "I happened to be staying nearby." "That’s good, then," the lady’s wide-brimmed sun hat dipped as she lowered her head and pushed the door open. She gestured toward Sylus, who stepped in without hesitation.

A slight pang flared in your chest. An array of thoughts began to flood your mind, but you swiftly shut your eyes. He’s not yours anymore. He’s a lone man, free to do anything he desires with whoever he pleases. It’s not your business.

It was wrong to feel this way. You knew jealousy was a destructive sin, both to the self and to those around you. But their mere interaction—the way he glanced at her beneath her hat, how he offered a calculated smile, and how he conversed so casually with a woman he was (at least supposed to be) on strictly professional terms with—awakened something in you that you couldn’t quite grasp. Something dark, painful. In a word, it was jealousy. You assumed she was something close to his type. Of course, you didn’t know her. You didn’t really know either of them. But the presence she radiated reminded you of her. Clad in an amethyst dress that draped down her legs up to her knees with an attractive slit on its side, she seemed powerful. Her long lashes, sharp nails, elegant hat, and extravagantly jeweled neck and fingers rendered her a perfect fit for Sylus. They seemed to slot in just as two oppositely shaped puzzle pieces would, forming a flawless picture—an unstoppable duo able to conquer whatever they pleased with ease. They shared a common prowess and were up to each other’s standards.

You scanned her form again, noting how the corner of her lip crinkled as she smirked. Was she who you were expected to be? A savage woman bearing a rotten heart swathed in prodigious amounts of greed? A woman whose ideals rivaled every philosophy you’d sworn to defend? You couldn’t forget all you’d stood by and believed in for the sake of earning a man’s approval. Even if God had decided one evening to swap your body with hers, and had forced you to spend the next 25 years of your (her) life in her body, you were certain you would inch no closer to fathoming her mindset. She felt so distant, just as the past version of you did.

At that moment, it felt as if your decision had reached solid ground. There was no point in yearning for a man whose heart already belonged to someone else. It was a fact—you could not understand her, much less be her. If there was something to invest in, it wasn’t Sylus’s love. Your mission stalled for none, and your goal remained firm. Once you solved the mystery behind your aether core and removed yourself from Ever’s hit list, you could settle into a lonesome yet tranquil life far from the bustling streets of Linkon. Somewhere new, for sure. For a new beginning. When that day comes, and you are to leave behind whatever mess you’ve made here, you would do so with your chest heaved high. Sylus was your equivalent of a short-lived high school romance fueled purely by hormones. It didn’t matter how you truly felt. Because from now on, the truth would be that your relationship with him was merely an ordinary fling and nothing more. Greater priorities had stepped in, demanding your full attention. You couldn’t afford to be heartbroken. Not in this broken world that raced incessantly. And besides, something assured you that this time, you had followed the right lead.

You watched as the door shut after the two, sliding into place with another distinct beep. You revealed yourself from the shadows shortly after and walked down the hall, imitating an ordinary guest. Once out of the cameras’ range, you immediately pulled up your hunter’s watch and typed a short message to Xavier. You ended it with your next location—"I’ll wait for you near the bar." If anything, you were ready to face him this time. Having 'overcome' your period of heartbreak, you were ready to commit to this task with him.

"A drink, miss?"

You shook your head and waved your hand dismissively. "No, thanks." The bartender's eyes narrowed visibly for a while. "Not much of a drinker, huh?" he pressed on. The small talk fell silent as you pursed your lips, unwilling to provide an answer. A conversation with potential spies was the last thing you needed while waiting for a belated meet-up. Speaking too much, especially in a place like this, was a fatal mistake that could cost you your life. You were well aware of the roles bartenders often adopted for a couple of extra bucks. They were subject to drunken confessions, after all, and they wielded the authority to alter your drink at will. Alcohol wasn't particularly something you were fond of either. You did wonder, though, whether refusing the drink had blown your cover more than you realized.

"We offer lots of non-alcoholic options as well, miss. Should I fetch you a French Bloom?" he offered with a simper, pushing on relentlessly with whatever his pursuit was. His words weighed heavy, marked with an undertone you couldn't quite grasp. His eyes, although seemingly modest, concealed bundles of ill intent. You didn't know what he wanted. You were unsure whether what he simmered with was lust or danger—a greater goal to sabotage your mission. Whatever it was, his determination was unwavering.

"Or perhaps you'd prefer a Virgin Mary?" he leaned in, his head tilting to the side. The air shifted. Your eyes darted about the room, scanning your surroundings in a manner subtle enough not to give away your nervousness. The laughter of guests surrounding the counter echoed persistently. It was as if your discomfort was imperceptible. Or, even worse, perhaps it was too insignificant to matter. Surrounded by people of class, by people of importance, you felt small. If anything were to happen, you were sure nobody would come to your aid.

Your jaw tensed. Your hands inched toward the opening of your purse, where your gun was. The room shrunk significantly, walls caging in to confine you in place. There was nowhere to run, no place to flee to. Xavier, your only savior at this moment, was nowhere near you. And it was too risky to attempt to contact him anyway. You were trapped. And the only way to escape unscathed was to play your cards right.

"Just some water, please." You turned to him with a cold smile. "Bottled."

The bartender's smile slackened notably. His gaze seemed to pierce into nothing with an indescribable intensity. His fingers curled around a glass, tightening ever so slightly. The space between you fell silent but remained heavy. For a moment, the two of you simply stared each other down, as if bound to compete on who would falter first. With one final cock of his head, the man stepped away.

You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. The tension dissipated as he vanished. Your hands sank back to your sides, and your back leaned against the counter. The walls slid back into place, releasing you from your confines. You'd won. For now, it seemed. Of course, you weren't foolish enough to believe you'd truly won. But you were more than willing to savor the temporary moment of triumph.

Your fingers drummed against the counter, your mind wandering off as you waited. It had been a while since the man wandered off into the back. So much time had passed, yet there was no sign of Xavier. You wondered if he had gotten caught up with trouble. You doubted it, though. You’d seen what he was capable of with your own eyes. If you could manage to avoid getting killed (although barely), you were confident Xavier could as well. Much better than you, in fact. If your suspicions were true, and he was indeed the renowned Lumiere, you had nothing to worry about.

“Here you go, miss.” The bartender set a sealed bottle down on the counter. You swiftly dropped a few coins onto the counter and whisked away the bottle. The realization of how thirsty you were had just dawned on you. Your lips hadn’t kissed a liquid in hours, and the incident that had just occurred didn’t do you any favors by drying your throat up further.

Your fingers deftly twisted the top open. It was sealed. You smiled at the discovery, letting your shoulders slump. There shouldn’t have been any problems if it was sealed, right? There was no way he could unseal, spike, and reseal your drink in such a short time. Oh, well. You were too thirsty to ponder it anyway. You chugged the water hungrily. Some of it trickled down the corner of your lip, barely making it to your chin before you wiped it away. By the time you were done, the bottle was half empty. You fetched a tissue from your purse and gently tapped your lips. You winced at the bits of lipstick that had been absorbed alongside the excess water.

At that moment, your ears perked at the sound of a familiar voice calling out your name.

Your head whipped toward the source, eyes brightening as Xavier approached. From afar, he shot you an apologetic smile.

“I got distracted. Did you wait long?”

As if reminded of his late arrival, a frown graced your lips. “Did you doze off or something? I—” You stopped. You didn't know what you were supposed to say or how to say it. Were you supposed to cry about how your mysterious ex, who just so happened to be the infamous leader of an illegal corporation the Hunter’s Association was after, had gotten himself involved with the lady you two were after? The fact that Xavier was unaware of the relationship in the first place made it worse. Furthermore, how were you supposed to relay to him how you felt like you were in danger? Would he not think of you as paranoid when you failed to provide any concrete evidence? Would you not be judged when you tell him how constricted you felt, even though the man had not actually posed any real threat? To add to that, your mental state was not the best, and you knew Xavier was aware of that. You would be dismissed as a newbie paranoid about her first real mission. It was useless. You were useless. He wouldn’t get it. He would misunderstand and criticize you without your knowledge. Not that he would be wrong to. You just didn’t want him to. Because it would hurt, nonetheless—true or not.

Just shut up and lie. That’s the most useful you could be anyway. You were sure you were onto nothing. No matter how many discoveries you made, Xavier would come in and throw it all out the window, proving it wrong or offering a better solution. You didn’t resent him for it. He was a professional, after all. Worthy of the delicate suit he wore, worthy of his title and reputation. In the end, people like him are the ones who get picked. They are loved, cherished, and looked at. They are the ones with healthy careers, blooming relationships, and a flock of friends, no matter their past. The rest are filth, like you, who will eventually be disposed of, discarded into landfills, and forgotten. All while people like him have their names displayed on pillars of strength. Whether it be notoriety or fame that got them to that place, regardless, they will remain at the top while the rest rot and wither away. That was your fate. So, you told yourself, it’s your place to shut up and remain quiet.

“I was just overwhelmed by the crowd.” Once again, you retreated into your shell, shielding yourself from prying eyes and good intentions. “Sorry.”

Xavier shook his head and leaned in, his eyes carrying a hint of worry. “No need to apologize. I shouldn’t have left you alone. But,” his eyes narrowed, “if you were overwhelmed by the crowd, why did you drift someplace more crowded?” You bit the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from smiling sheepishly. Unsurprisingly, he'd caught you in your lie.

"Oh, I needed a drink," you held out your half-consumed water bottle. "Want some?"

He waved his hand dismissively. You shrugged and stuffed the bottle into your purse. It was small enough to fit, but the surface bulged subtly.

"You know," Xavier started, "you should avoid buying anything when undercover."

"I know, I know." You flicked your wrist. "I forgot to pack a bottle, so I was practically dying."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, but next time, be careful."

Suddenly, his eyes hardened, and he set out toward a more secluded place. You straightened your posture instinctively, trailing him as he walked.

"Liora Blackthorne. She's a relatively amateur merchant in charge of several trading guilds around the world," he whispered, glancing at you over his shoulder. So, her name is Liora.

"She's recently risen to fame. Got lucky, according to her competitors. The aether core has been her object of interest for a while now. She was probably scammed. I can't help but feel pity for her." He stopped, eventually coming to lean against the wall of a segregated corner. His eyes wandered off in thought. That was when you noticed it cross his mind—the thought you dreaded at the moment.

"I think," you started, "that it's still worth a shot. We could learn of the supplier and apprehend him. Besides, if she is after the aether core, she may pose a greater threat to us later on."

Xavier, whose thoughts you'd just interrupted, looked back up at you, his eyes regaining their familiar glow. He stared at you for a while, tilting his head subtly to the side as he scrutinized you as if you were a specimen behaving irregularly. Your breath hitched in your throat. Did he know you knew? Did he figure it out? Although you were enamored with both the softness and the power of his gaze, you resented it at present. Your instincts told you that he'd caught on and that you should just come clean now. But a part of you doubted your own judgment. Perhaps you're just overthinking it like you always do.

Xavier sighed, pushing himself off the wall. "Alright," he said, his voice indifferent. "I suppose you're right. We have nothing to lose, after all." He turned on his heels, as if ready to leave. A tide of relief washed over you. He hadn't noticed, and you'd successfully averted his focus where you wanted it to be. The thought of your fulfillment made you rejoice internally.

As you'd barely begun your celebration, Xavier's face approached yours. Placing both hands on his knees, he crouched down. His face was a modest distance from yours, but you felt suffocated nonetheless. You were pinned under his gaze, even though he was barely touching you. The intensity in his eyes caused your heart to thump with more fervor against your ribs, threatening to leap out. You were stripped bare with all your misdoings etched across parts of your body, open for him to see. For the first time, Xavier scared you.

"You know, I would prefer it if you didn't lie to me like that," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave lower. "Don't you think it's best if we place our full trust in each other?"

At that moment, your world shrunk. Once again, you were trapped.

You opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Only a soft tremble of your lips followed. Xavier scanned your form again. His eyes softened as he noted your nervousness.

"I'm not mad." What a lie. "I'm sure you had your reasons, and I won't pry into them. But, please," he pleaded.

With renewed courage, your eyes met his again. You could tell he was being sincere. His presence radiated safety. Maybe telling him wouldn't be so bad.

And so you did. You began, narrating the events that had occurred so far. From Liora's appearance to the silent threats you received at the bar, you recounted everything in detail. You explained to him the bartender's obtrusive behavior, and all the while, he listened without a flicker of judgment or critique passing his lips. You'd left out Sylus on purpose, replacing him with "a suspicious-looking man who'd entered the room alongside her." And you were sure Xavier had caught on to your half-truth. But out of pity or respect, he did not pry. He only listened with a countenance you could not decipher. You could see the cogs turning in his head, processing the newfound information. And once you were done, Xavier's lips curled gently.

"You did a good job," he patted your head gingerly. "Your experience will be helpful."

You couldn't help but beam at his praise.

"But," he began, making your heart sink to the depths once more, "I'm a bit worried about that water he gave you. You drank it, right?"

You tilted your head and placed a finger on your lip. "It was sealed."

Xavier shook his head. "Bottled water can be spiked as well. Some prepare drugged bottles and seal them in advance."

You rolled your elbow, raising your arms as you did. "I feel fine, though."

"Let's just hope you remain that way."

You bit the inside of your cheek. Only now had you realized how imbecilic it was to let your thirst overwhelm you in crucial moments like these. You felt stupid. How dare you be so oblivious? Well, there was no point in beating yourself up over it now. If you were marked for death, you'd have died by now.

"You mentioned a suspicious man entering the room alongside her." Sylus. "Could he have been a lover?"

Your cheeks flared. "No!"—you blurted out faster than you could comprehend. Xavier's eyes narrowed, lingering on you for a minute. Okay, he was definitely judging you. You quickly readjusted your tone. "I mean, of course not! I already told you—it's a business partner!"

"You didn’t."

"Oh... Well, now you know." You grinned awkwardly.

Xavier cleared his throat. "Anyway, I think we should check it out. We could try eavesdropping. That way, we could determine whether it would be a waste of time to pursue her or not." Xavier suggested, to which you nodded in agreement almost instantly.

You placed your hand against the wall, leaning some of your weight onto it. You huddled closer to Xavier, who was listening to the conversation unfolding inside via a portable monitor. Apparently, in the long and grueling half-hour he had been gone, he had made time to access the room's footage through a hidden camera. Unfortunately, the footage was blank, leaving you only with distorted audio clips to extract information from. Whatever it was, it was enough.

"I’ve heard of your recent acquisition, Miss Liora. I wish to congratulate you in person." You perked at the sound of a rich male voice. It was certain now: it was truly him.

"An 'acquisition'..." Xavier mumbled. You chimed in, "I think it's the protocore."

The next bits of the conversation included a string of fabricated formalities. The two spoke in a formal tone with a proper accent and decent grammar. It seemed they weren’t so close after all.

You subconsciously leaned into Xavier's body, almost entirely releasing your weight onto him. The realization had only dawned upon you when he staggered forward uncomfortably. However, the moment you'd decided to move away, he wrapped an arm around your back and propelled you to your feet while supporting you.

"You okay?" He tilted his head, his eyes brimming with concern. You felt a pang of guilt in your heart. It was you who was bothering him, and yet, he was the one asking you if you were okay. Friends like him were quite scarce nowadays.

"I'm fine." You flicked your wrist dismissively. "Just a little weak in the legs. Haven't had a seat in a while, you know." With his hand still on your back, Xavier pushed you down onto the floor, crossing his legs and seating himself beside you. Your cheeks flared. "Xavier! This is embarrassing! What if--"

"I've disabled all cameras and doors leading to this hallway. Don't worry, we're safe here." He sent you a comforting glance. Something fluttered in your chest, causing you to feel soft and fuzzy inside. Your cheeks flushed as blood rushed to your face. You wanted to squish his cheeks, to pat his head aggressively until his hair was a huge mess. Seriously, how could someone as powerful as him be so adorable?

"This," the two of you relocated your focus back to the surveillance monitor, "is my key to the greatest success man can accomplish." A camera would have done you both a huge favor right about now. If you had one, you could see whether the object in Liora's possession was an aether core or something less trivial. You shared a knowing glance with Xavier. He was thinking the same. But a hint of something other than irritation crossed his face. His eyes deepened, carrying a resemblance of anxiety. His leg oscillated up and down as if he were trying to shake bothersome worms off his thigh. He wasn’t telling you anything, though. Not yet. That was until he turned his neck to face you fully. With a calculated voice, he began, "Hey, don't freak out, but I think--"

"And now, the only impediment in my evolution is you." You both held your breath. Your bodies stilled at the woman's explicit confession. You looked at Xavier, and he nodded. He raised his gun to his face, the barrel pointed upwards, and lowered his head. At his signal, you would make your move.

But you couldn’t help the way your legs trembled. It was not fear. You were certain you weren't afraid. It was as if all the blood had drained from your legs, leaving them numb and lifeless. You grimaced, feeling the sensation slowly begin to spread across your stomach. Picking up on your discomfort, Xavier pushed you back onto the ground.

"Wait here. I'll apprehend them both." You reached out to wrap your fingers around his sleeve. With a swift tug, you had him crouching near you. You brought your face closer to his, letting him look into your eyes. Xavier's lips parted.

"No," you adjured firmly, mustering up the fiercest look you could manage. "You won't last." And you were confident he wouldn't. Not against Sylus, if they were to find themselves in a face-off. You didn’t know who would emerge unvanquished, but it didn’t matter. Either outcome was unfavorable. Despite the falling out you’d experienced with Sylus, and despite the bond you shared with Xavier, you didn’t wish ill on anyone. If either were to wind up injured, you couldn’t forgive yourself. Xavier was unaware of the kind of foe he was up against and was consequently unprepared. You couldn’t let that happen. For the sake of peace, you couldn’t.

As the voices continued to play in the background, Xavier's eyes narrowed, but he did not protest. He knew better than to doubt you in moments of absolute seriousness. If you were confident, it was for good reason. He was aware, of course, that you had hidden the man's identity purposely. But it was only fair to let you keep your secrets close to your chest. He had locked his own away in a box, far from curious gazes like yours. After all, he wasn’t a hypocrite. But what both disgruntled and perplexed him the most was your abrupt declining health paired with your infuriating stubbornness. If a fight were to break out, you would fall first.

But before he could lay you down against the wall, you scrambled to your feet. With the copy of the keycard, you barged in recklessly. Xavier cocked his gun and followed after you. Once the two of you were inside, the door slid shut with a hiss.

With aching legs and a light head, you raised your gun, leveling it with the woman's head. You racked the slide. Click.

"Miss," you called out, your legs readily giving in. "Please stand down." You watched as Liora's eyes widened, as her grip on the gun faltered. Her eyebrows knitted menacingly. A crease formed at the center as she did. But a smirk tugged at her lips, replacing the frown the moment she picked up on your wobbling legs. You were trembling all over. This was only a minor setback.

In a rapid movement, she whipped her gun at you. Her finger tightened around the trigger. You instinctively tightened yours. The anticipation worsened your symptoms and caused your vision to distort. Your hands shook violently. Your focus drifted. Taking the chance, Liora launched a bullet from her gun.

The bullet froze mid-air. A dark mist wrapped around her torso. It extended past her body, wrapping itself around the bullet, which was now suspended mid-air. "Sylus... you! Why?! They won't spare you either!" she gritted her teeth. He said nothing in response.

Your head spun, and eventually, you lost your balance. Xavier was quick to come to your aid, using one hand to prop you up as you were about to fall. Your eyelids drooped, your vision blurring. Your head snapped to where Sylus was standing. You analyzed his features in a haze. He seemed angry. Was he mad you screwed up his plan? He must be. You failed him yet again.

"Xavier..." you mumbled, squinting. His grip on you tightened.

"Just hold on," he whispered into your ear. He raised his head from your scrunched countenance to shoot Sylus a nasty glare as if daring him to make a move. But to Xavier’s astonishment, he didn’t move. He simply focused on pinning the woman down with his evol, ignoring you as if you didn’t exist. As if you didn’t matter. It angered him further. What type of men were you involved with behind his back?

After a period of struggle, and despite Xavier's soft coos and pleas, at last, the world faded to black.

The following morning, you awoke on a soft, unfamiliar mattress. The scent of burnt eggs mixed with sandalwood permeated the air, filling your nostrils and offering you a (not so) warm welcome to your new room. The mattress squished beneath your weight as you lifted yourself off the bed. The scarlet velvet fleece draped around your body, bunching oddly with your movements. A fresh jug and glass were placed by your bed with the care you were familiar with. You were still dressed in your gown from before, the only difference being the absence of the itchy or uncomfortable upper layers. Your hair was undone, messy, and your neck lacked the jewels it once bore. Your face felt muddy, possibly as a result of lingering makeup. Despite the comfort of the grand bed, your head throbbed with vigor. Had Xavier wrapped up everything back at the auction? Did he capture Liora? Or did she run away? Did your negligence botch the mission? Had your identities been revealed? Are you on the run? Are you even in the N109 zone? And what about Sylus?

Your head ached in retaliation, urging you to rest, to shut your eyes and sink into the sheets again for a single moment of shut-eye. But something unpleasant stirred in your chest uncomfortably. Something fiery and bitter. Before you knew it, it spread to your veins and marionetted you onto your feet. You winced at the coldness of the floor. Your head followed the rays of peeking sunlight, guiding your eyes to a window. The darkness of the N109 zone swirled with Linkon's azure skies, forming a vortex of contrasting colors above. On your side, there appeared to be more blue than red. From that, you could determine you were somewhere around the border between the N109 zone and Linkon, but in Linkon nonetheless.

Each step you took caused bolts of pain to spike up your feet. The numbness slowly began to return, but this time as an aftermath of being drugged rather than a consequence. Comparatively, though, it was slightly more bearable.

You pressed your face against the glass, peering down at the land below. Your room offered an unimpressive view of a parking lot with rows of vehicles positioned in designated spots. You watched as a red car wheeled off the gravel road and attempted to line itself between two white strips, only to fail and bump into a wall behind it. You should've scrambled out of your bed in search of Xavier, yes, but your fragmented and exhausted consciousness demanded otherwise. No matter how many times you urged yourself to move, you couldn't. Your body betrayed your will.

"Oh, good morning." The scent and sizzle of burnt eggs drifted into the room, flowing past your nose. "How are you feeling? I'll get breakfast ready soon."

You turned to face him, although you didn't need to look to know he'd burnt the food he had been struggling to prepare. "You overcooked it."

He laughed sheepishly. Your heart couldn't help but melt at the sight. He was so adorable.

You limped toward Xavier, who was leaning on the doorway with a pan of charcoal eggs. "Don't move around too much. You're not fully recovered." He grabbed onto your shoulder to steady you before walking you back to your bed. He set the pan down on the bedside table. He pulled a stool and seated himself in front of you. "The drug has lasting effects."

You turned your head, fixing your eyes on the window again. He chuckled, a boyish sound. "Anything interesting out there? You've been staring at it for a while."

"Where are we?" you urged, but your tone bore no perplexion. Xavier's lips parted as if saying, Right, how could I forget?

"The man there." He bit his lip. "The man you seemed to be acquainted with. He helped us." You slowly turned your head back to him with an unreadable expression plastered on your face. He continued. "He didn't tell me his name. But he helped wrap things up there. He got rid of the evidence. We had been caught on a few cameras, and a couple of guests had picked up on our unfamiliarity. Including the man who'd ordered your drink to be spiked. He erased the footage, used his authority to shut some lips, and took care of anything else that needed to be put under wraps."

"And Liora?"

He paused. "The man... gave her up to us. She was dragged away by the association. Out of respect, I stayed silent and mentioned nothing about his existence. I simply claimed it was all my work. The protocore was, in fact, fake. Just another high-grade protocore. She'd been tricked."

You nibbled on the skin of your lower lip. "And about where we are?"

"He arranged a hotel for us to stay a night. He covered it as well."

"In exchange for what?"

He turned his head away. "That..." Your eyes narrowed, and you cocked your head, waiting for him to say it. A pregnant pause followed, and Xavier clasped his hands together and leaned in. His eyes hardened as he looked up at you.

With a sharp exhale, he began. "He demanded that I drop you from this mission."

[swift-works]

Enchanted ✧.* Part Three

1 | 2 | masterlist

word count: 3k

summary: After inheriting your grandmother's house, you find a seemingly normal mirror in the attic. When night falls however, the mirror becomes a portal into your favorite fictional world and who better to greet you than your favorite character. Can you change his fate or see him to his doom?  

tags: isekai!reader, sfw, possible ooc? idk man it’s a fanfic

a/n: y'all are so amazing oh my god 🫶🏻. got me smiling at my phone and shit 🤭. might start a taglist for this, so if you want to be added let me know! also apologies for the delay, but i hope it was worth it

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Marco had a firm grip on your shoulder as he led you to your doom Whitebeard. The sky was still dark with only the moonlight shining down over you both. You could feel your heartbeat hammering as you both moved through the night. Your anxiety was practically eating you alive. You were about to meet an Emperor of the Sea and you weren't meeting under the best conditions.

You both finally stopped in front of a large door. Marco knocked loudly before entering the room with you in tow. The Whitebeard was sitting at a desk over by the wall. He was huge, you felt like a mere ant with his sheer height. You knew he was massive compared to a normal human, but it was still jarring to see in person. The sound of the door closing and a cough caused him to turn your way and he raised an eyebrow while looking you over.

“Marco? Who’s the brat?” 

The mentioned pushed you forward and crossed his arms as he leaned against the door. “Don’t know. A stowaway is my guess. Found them in Ace’s room with a handful of berries from his bag. They look harmless, but Ace was out cold on the floor when I walked in. They said they could explain so here we are.”

Whitebeard’s face hardened at the thought of harm coming to one of his sons. His gaze pierced through you. “Explain yourself or you’ll be sleeping with the sea kings.”

You felt like you were going to throw up, but it would do you no good here so you pushed your anxiety aside for the moment. “It’s kinda complicated but I promise you I didn’t do anything to Ace. We were messing around and he just fell asleep, I swear on my life. Just wait until he wakes up and he’ll back me up.”

The tension in the room was suffocating. They had no reason to believe you and if you told them where you were from, they’d probably toss you overboard anyways. You feared for your life if Ace didn’t wake soon. 

“That doesn’t answer the question as to why you were going through his stuff or how you got here, yoi.” 

You bit your lip as you thought of what to say. “As I said, it’s complicated. I’m not sure you’ll believe me if I tell you. And I admit that I was snooping, but I should’ve known better. My curiosity got the better of me, but it wasn’t my intention to steal. Honest.” 

Whitebeard’s gaze never left you as he spoke to Marco. “Go check on Ace and see if he’ll wake up to verify.” You couldn’t tear your eyes away from the hulking figure before you, so you assumed Marco nodded. The door shut behind him as he left the room. “Now, I want you to tell me how you got on my ship undetected. None of this ‘complicated’ crap.”

So you told him. Well, about the mirror, not the being from a different world. Finding it hidden away, befriending Ace and going through it, you told him everything. He studied your face as if looking for something. Whatever it was, he found it as he nodded. “Yes, I know all about that mirror.” 

You furrowed your eyebrows. “Wait, you know about it?”

He let out a barking laugh. “It was on my ship was it not? I’ll admit though, it’s been a long time since it was last used.”

“Last used? Does that mean someone from my side came here?”

“It was a long time ago, but yes someone came through. In the end though, she made the choice to return to her home to her family.”

You were trying to wrap your head around it. You weren't the first? Then who was? 

“In fact, you look like her spitting image.” His words caused your thoughts to come to a halt. Your grandmother used to say that you reminded her of herself in her youth. There was no way he was talking about your sweet, old granny though, right?

“Wait. Whitebeard, sir, what exactly are you implying? That my grandmother came here and never told me?”

He let out a sigh. “We both agreed that it would be better for less people to know about the mirrors. It was too dangerous for people from her side to come here. So we hid them and I guess neither of us had the heart to get rid of it. Which is why it was so easy for you and Ace to stumble upon them.”

Everything he was saying made sense. You had never seen the mirror before you found it in the attic. Now that you thought about it, you could recall her wistful face, eyes longing for a place far from home when she thought you weren’t paying attention. You just thought it was for your absent parents, not a fictional pirate world.

This was a lot to take in. One thought occurred to you though. “You’re not gonna like tell me that you’re my grandpa are you? There’s only so much I can handle in a short amount of time.”

Whitebeard let out another chuckle and shook his head. “No, we were just good friends. I offered her a spot on my crew even. If she didn’t have people relying on her then I think she would have taken my offer. That’s why we were such good friends, we shared a love for family.”

You nodded along with what he was saying, that did sound like her. It would have been cool if you were actually related to Whitebeard though. Insane, but cool. Who would have thought that you’d be talking about your dead grandma with an emperor of the sea. 

“Do you also know about-”

You were interrupted by the door opening and a face full of freckles.

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The first thing Ace became aware of was a sharp stinging in his nose. He abruptly sat up and furiously rubbed at his nose, nearly colliding with Marco. He didn’t even remember falling asleep. One minute he was goofing with you and the next he was being woken up. Speaking of you, his gaze drifted to the mirror. You weren’t in it but it still reflected your bedroom.

“If you’re looking for your little friend, they're with Pops.” His attention was pulled over to the blond. 

“Wait, they’re here?! Can you take me to them?” Ace practically jumped to his feet. Marco stopped him before he could rush to you.

“Slow down hotshot, I need you to verify that they aren’t a threat.”

“A threat? Did they look like a threat? C’mon Marco they were unarmed and in pajamas. No, they aren’t a threat….except maybe to pillows.”

Marco huffed and threw up his hands in exasperation. “How was I supposed to know?! You were passed out and they were snooping through your stuff,” He gestured to the fallen bag with berries surrounding it. “And you should know in this world that appearances can be deceiving.”

Ace rolled his eyes and adjusted his hat. “You can tell me all about deceiving appearances or whatever later. Can you take me to see them now?”

Marco nodded and led the way to Pop’s room. The night sky was clear, stars twinkling around the full moon. There was a soft breeze that ruffled through Marco’s hair and pulled at Ace’s stampede strap from his hat. The deck was void of life, save for the people on watch. 

They made their way to Pop’s door where they could make out the faint conversation on the other side. Marco suddenly stopped in front of the door and smirked. “You know, Thatch is gonna be ecstatic when he finds out what you’ve been up to.”

Ace groaned and ran his hands down his face. “He’s gonna be so annoying and a pain in my ass.”

“Now you know how we feel.”

“Yeah-hey!”

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Bickering entered your ears as the duo walked in. Your conversation with Whitebeard would have to resume later. If there was a later for you here. Warm brown eyes met yours and Ace’s face lit up. “You really are here!”

Marco rolled his eyes as he shut the door behind them. “I wasn’t lying.”

Ace immediately came to your side. Concern flashed across his face. “You’re not in trouble right?” Then he turned to Whitebeard. “They didn’t do anything to me, it was just my narcolepsy. 

“Ace, I’m not in trouble. He knows about the thing.”

“He knows?!”

Marco butted in. “Wait, what did I miss? What thing?”

Whitebeard waved his hand and cleared his throat. “Alright Alright, no one is in trouble and I understand the situation now. Marco, I’ll discuss this with you and the other commanders in the morning. For now, let’s all get some rest.”

Marco sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get any real answers tonight. On his way out, he reminded Ace of the meeting. If Ace missed the first half of another meeting because he slept in, Marco was gonna skin him alive.

Only the three of you remained. You still had a question though. “Wait, one more thing. Why was tonight the only time I could pass through? Any other time we tried it, nothing went through.”

Whitebeard brought his fist to his chin in thought. “I don’t know much, but for some reason, it only fully works during a full moon.”

The mysterious workings of the mirror would have to remain a mystery for now as you let out a loud yawn. You didn't mean to, but the events of the night were starting to catch up to you. You slapped your hands over your mouth and muttered a “Sorry.”

You got a chuckle from both of them. Whitebeard waved you both off. “We can discuss more at a later date. You two go get some rest.”

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As you both made your way to Ace’s room, you stopped to admire the night sky. It took Ace a moment to realise you weren't right behind him and he shot you a questioning look over his shoulder. “You okay?”

You nodded as you breathed in the scent of the ocean. “You know, this is the first time I've ever been on a ship. And I haven’t seen this many stars in a long time. Let me soak it in for a minute, who knows when I'll get another chance when I go back.”

Ace thought for a second. “You don’t have to go back.”

“I can’t just stay here, Ace. I have a life back home.”

He scoffed. “What life? You always complain about work and you have no friends, no offense.”

“Offense taken! I have friends….I just don’t see them often.”

“Whatever you say,” He raised his hands in defense. “I’m just saying you have a choice.”

Did you? Sure, it sounded appealing, but you weren’t made for this world. Sailing the seas with an Emperor? It was a death sentence for you. Not to mention what you knew of their fates. You were brought out of your thoughts by Ace’s hand on your shoulder.

“Just think about it, okay?”

You absentmindedly nodded. You couldn’t bring yourself to say no to him. A smile tugged at his lips and his hand drifted down to yours. Your cheeks darkened but you didn’t have time to ponder as he firmly gripped your hand and started dragging you. “Wha-Ace!’

“C’mon, we’re supposed to be getting rest. Weren't you yawning like five minutes ago? We can stargaze another night.”

“Stargaze?” You laughed. “You wish I’d stargaze with you. And that's if i come back”

“Blah blah blah can’t hear you.”

“You’re such an idiot.”

“Can I be your idiot?”

“Ace!”

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You never made it to your bed. Once you and Ace had gotten back to his room, you had realized what a mess you had made earlier. A bunch of random things were sprawled across the floor. After cleaning that up, your eyes could barely stay open. You had both collapsed on his bed and it was oh so comfortable. You knew that all you had to do was to cross a couple of feet to get to your bed, but it was like your body was made of lead. Surely you could just close your eyes for just a few minutes. You didn’t even realise that you fell asleep until the next morning.

The next thing you were aware of was sunlight streaming in. Oh no. You sat up in a rush, blanket falling from your figure. Wait, you don’t remember covering up last night. Ace must have draped it over you. Ace. He wasn’t in the room after a quick survey. Didn’t Marco say something about a meeting?

Panic was starting to creep in. Whitebeard had said that you could only pass through the mirror during a full moon and the next one wouldn’t be for a month. You were now officially stuck here. You were so getting fired when you got back. Sighing, you ran your hands through your hair. You could handle this.

Knocking caught your attention. It must have been Ace. Well you hoped it was Ace or this was going to be awkward. Should you respond? Before you could decide, the door opened just a bit

A wave of messy black hair peeked out from the door. Ace had his hand covering his eyes. “Are you decent?”

 You deadpanned. “No, I’m naked.”

“Even better….wait, are you actually?”

Laughing, you got up and made your way over to him and moved his hand from his face. “You really thought I’d be waiting for you naked? In your dreams, Portgas.”

He pouted. “Why do you have to be so mean to me? I could leave you to fend for yourself, you know.”

“You wouldn’t and you know it.”

“I guess you’re right,” He sighed dramatically. “On to a more important matter….Are you hungry?”

That’s how you found yourself in the mess hall. Curious glances were thrown your way. You’d be shocked too if a newcomer showed up while you were literally in the middle of the ocean. You tried to ignore the prying eyes as you followed behind Ace. Whatever was being served smelled delicious. Your stomach growled. 

Ace laughed. Then his stomach growled and he stopped. He cleared his throat. “You’re gonna love this food, Thatch is a god in the kitchen.”

A large pompadour popped into your vision. “Oh so now you’re singing my praises, you’re lucky if I gave you anything after you used the ‘O’ word.”

“You’re still mad about that? You can’t ignore the truth that you’re getting old-“

Ace was suddenly pulled into a headlock. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence or I’m giving you the scraps for a month.” Ace managed to make a thumbs up with his hand before he was released. The arm that was around his neck moved to his shoulders “Now, why don’t you introduce me to your friend.”

“Oh right,” he introduced you. “And this here is Thatch, fourth division commander and our cook. We don’t know what we’d do without him.”

Oh, this was Thatch. His death would become the catalyst to the horrors of the future. It was an odd feeling being around so many people who you knew would die for the sake of the main storyline. You managed to muster up a smile. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

“Only good things I hope, now why don’t we get you two something to eat.”

Breakfast with the Whitebeard Pirates was oddly domestic. They were like a giant, loud, family. Despite Ace’s wishes, Thatch decided that he was going to tell you embarrassing stories about Ace from the past year. Including the time he tried to use his devil fruit to bake cookies and he burned all of them, Thatch had made him eat the whole batch after. Every. Last. Crumb. Which had gotten Ace a lifetime ban from the kitchen.

As Thatch rambled on, you sat back and admired the scene in front of you. You had only ever had your grandmother for breakfasts like this.  After weeks of lonely meals, it was a nice feeling to have again. A figure on the other side of the mess hall caught your eye and a shiver ran down your spine.

Marshall D. Teach or as you better know him, Blackbeard.

He was just sitting there, having a conversation with his table mates. Nothing that looked out of the ordinary as he laughed obnoxiously. You knew however that it was just a facade. A hand suddenly waved in your face, bringing your focus back to your own table mates. Both Thatch and Ace had concerned looks on their faces, but Thatch was the one to speak up first. “You okay, kid? You totally zoned out on us.”

You shook your head and pushed your plate over to Ace. “I’m fine I uh….I’m just not hungry anymore.” 

Thatch shrugged it off. Ace, however, had followed your gaze over to Teach’s table. He knew Teach wasn’t the prettiest pirate, but he wasn’t a bad guy... well, as far as being a pirate went. So what had caused you to freeze up? He would have to ask you later.

You were feeling conflicted now. You had told yourself you wouldn’t interfere but it wasn’t that easy anymore. Now, you were in the story. If you got your calculations right, you might still be here when it happens. Could you really just stand on the sidelines and not do anything?

No you couldn’t. Maybe if you warned Whitebeard then Teach would never get the chance to kill Thatch for that devil fruit. Ace wouldn’t go on a manhunt that would result in defeat, imprisonment and death. The Whitebeard pirates would remain as one instead of losing their captain. Screw the storyline Sorry Luffy. Right now, these were real people and not characters on a screen or page.

One thing was for certain, you needed to talk to Whitebeard again.

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last part | next part

a/n: please drop your favorite nicknames for ace in the comment. i'm having trouble picking one.

[katiemay-025]

Unexpected

~~~~~

summary: Johanna Mason had a plan for the 71st Hunger Games but she never expected a budding relationship with one of the other tributes let alone a Career

wc: 4.4k

warnings: use of y/n, mdni, character death, angst, graphic violence, mentions of forced prostitution, swearing

~~~~~

Everything was perfectly as planned. Johanna might have had a few bruises from the stunt she pulled at the parade but other than that, everyone fully believed she was weak. Even her district partner believed it, opting to sit with the other tributes. She credited her ability to cry on cue. Johanna was now sitting alone on the training center secretly observing her competition.

That was until a girl put her tray in front of her. When Johanna looked up she was met with the eyes of a career. God she hated them, thinking they owned the place. “Hi. I’m y/n from District 4.” Johanna knew who she was, this year among the careers, she was the top of the food chain. Your brother is the one and only Capitol Darling Finnick Odair.

Johanna stayed quiet hoping the girl in front of her would hurry up and tell her what she was doing here with her. The top of the food chain with the bottom. You didn’t say anything eating her food in silence. It was annoying the district 7 tribute, so she mustered up her meekest voice. “W-why are you sitting with me?”

“My brother won when I was 11 and he would take me out to sea to fish and train. It didn’t go too well with my classmates. They said it was unfair that I got to go on all these ‘field trips’. They were jealous and their jealousy quickly became hate.” What does that have to do with me? Johanna thought. “Anyway I know what it’s like to be an outcast. It’s not fun, so seeing you alone, I didn’t want that for you.” It was like you read her mind, answering her question as soon as she asked it in her head. For the rest of lunch you asked her about her life in District 7 and playing up to the weakling she was, didn’t speak, only opting to shake or nod her head.

Still, you found out a lot. First talking about your brother and then turning the conversation to Johanna’s siblings. She didn’t know what compelled her to tell the truth about them. Nodding when you counted to 4 and then again when you got the correct number of brothers, 3, which meant you knew she had a sister. Other things like her being the middle child, her age (17) and her favorite color (Green because of the forests) were discovered.

Johanna found out about your favorite color (blue for the ocean), your most prized possession was the conch shell you found at the beach, your relationship with Finnick, how he was protective and caring under all that bravado.

After lunch, Johanna fully expected you to rejoin the careers but you didn’t. You went to the weapons station and picked up an axe, which was not in the category of your specialty weapons. ‘Stabby stabs’ as you called it. She sat in the corner hugging her knees as everyone over looked her. For good measure, Johanna decided to cry again.

Through blurry vision, Johanna watched you with the instructor learning the basics. It was okay form and she couldn’t say anything without giving herself away so she turned her attention to crying again. It was its own workout. She buried her face into her knees and practically cried herself to sleep.

Johanna was woken up by you gently shaking her shoulder. You were sitting on your knees at her level. In a calm, soothing and oddly charming voice, you persistently asked her to join you for training. No was not accepted as an answer so Johanna was dragged to the weapons section. You picked up an axe and Johanna dreaded not being able to swing it around like she could. Oh god I’m going to have to pretend to be bad. She thought.

As soon as you instructed Johanna to hold it with 2 hands, she dropped it to the floor. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t ready.” She forced the tears to well up.

“No. It’s okay.” You consoled her with patience and shook your head helping Johanna lift it. She let you adjust her grip and your eyes lingered on her hands for a few seconds. You simplified your explanations after that and Johanna assumed you were giving up on a hopeless tribute from District 7 who couldn’t even hold their trade weapon but still being nice.

By the second day of training, it was clear you separated yourself from the career pack. Going to the survival sections and checking in on Johanna throughout the day retelling her about what you learned. Finnick got you in a habit of teaching him what he taught you saying the best way to truly know something was to teach to someone else.

The sibling-ship between you and Finnick was definitely stronger than her own relationship with her own siblings. You always had a story with him, like how you almost drowned him, how he let you drive the boat, or even the stupid dolphin sounds he made when a pod of dolphins swam next to the boat. You had your own whale speak that you demonstrated and gave Johanna second-hand embarrassment. She couldn’t have possibly shrunk any smaller.

Johanna wouldn’t lie, you were making her job a lot easier for her checking on her less and less throughout the day, quickly leaving when you couldn’t stop her from crying. God she hasn’t cried this much ever, her stomach was hurting to the point of nausea. To everyone else it looked like you were getting tired of her but she knew you better. You silently left a bottle with her name on the label of water filled with electrolytes so she could replenish the salt she lost while crying.

Johanna nearly had a heart attack when she saw your score after the individual assessment. An 11! Even after taking time to take care of her. Had you been prioritizing yourself, Johanna was sure you would’ve gotten a 12. Anyway, you did miles better than she had, earning the lowest training score ever at 2. Though according to plan, she couldn’t help but think about how you’d react to it. Were you disappointed?

During the interview with Caesar Flickerman, you addressed stepping away from the pack. “Oh those rumors are true. I don’t need them to win clearly with the score I got.” You flashed them a smirk that got everyone swooning over you. Johanna hated it, they didn’t even know like she did. They didn’t know that your favorite animal was a manatee. They didn’t know that you scratched your ear lobe when you were deep in thought. They definitely didn’t know that when you laughed, you place your hand over your heart. “And if that puts a target on my back, let them, I’ll kill them all.”

There was a flicker of darkness in your eyes and a venom in your voice that spread goosebumps over Johanna’s arms. The way you looked into the camera was like you were talking to her specifically. A horrible thought surfaced in her head. You were at the top of the tributes, you could easily feign kindness and kill her. It wasn’t ridiculous, after all, she herself was acting. It never occurred to her that someone else could be acting because at the end of the game, there would only be one victor. When the games started she needed to get away from you.

Johanna focused on herself, trying to speak about her family but then burst into tears again. She spent the rest of her interview time crying. It was getting old, even Johanna herself was getting tired of it by now. Blight was there to retrieve her after it and handed her a water bottle. “It’s from the District 4 girl.”

“Y/n.” She whispered, Johanna felt her heart tighten in her chest. Why am I feeling this way? She pushed it away, these were her cards and now all there was left to do was wait.

The arena was mountainous and rocky with patches of trees. When Johanna rose into it, she saw the cornucopia, and in the center, was a battle axe. You were six podiums to her left and when she found you, you were already looking at her. The moment the gong sounded, Johanna stumbled off her podium and ran toward the trees. She needed to get away from the bloodbath.

Just before reaching the tree line, Johanna dared to turn back. She saw you in the center dodging an attack from someone and grabbing a knife from the pile to slit their throats. You grabbed a harpoon, and a couple more knives before slinging a backpack over your shoulder. You made eye contact with her across the way before darting your eyes towards your left and her right.

When Johanna followed your gaze, she found the District 2 girl running towards her with a sword. Before she could even be close enough to start swinging the sword, a barbed dart flew into her head and her whole body jerked back to the ground as her head snapped. You gathered the rope around your arm and pulled the harpoon out of the dead Career. Johanna stood frozen, the center of the cornucopia and the edge of the tree line was at least 100ft and you just killed the career easily while she was moving.

“Go.” You said putting your hand on her shoulder and forcing her to run. “GO!” Johanna didn’t need to be told twice, and ran through the trees. Dodging and weaving were second nature to Johanna especially either all the tree farms. You followed closely behind for a while until you found a small cave, skidding to a stop. “Johanna! Over here!” Johanna was panicking. She just ran so fast for so long people would clearly start being suspicious. The District 7 resorted to dry heaving. “Oh. Oh man.” You said, you grabbed her arms and placed them behind her head. “Open up your airway love.”

Johanna was fine, but something about the way you called her love made all of her pretending go away. “I’m okay y/n. I’m fine.” Well almost. Her voice still had the softness to it. For the night, you tried to fit Johanna and yourself in the cave but she were hesitant.

You had unpacked your bag before asking Johanna a question, “Jo. Come on what’s wrong?”

“What if you try to kill me?”

You gave her a glare under the flashlight. “Honey, if I wanted you dead, I would’ve done it by now.” That shut Johanna up real quick and apparently the entire cave too. She did not expect to be scolded. “Why did you look back? God you were such an idiot. You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”

“I don’t know.” She did know. Johanna needed to know you were okay but she wasn’t going to tell you that. “Why did you save me?”

“I do not want or need your obituary to say death by standing in the middle of a cornucopia bloodbath.”

Johanna wasn’t sure what your plan was. Didn’t you know that there could only be one victor? What were you going to do when there was only the two of them left? It seems to Johanna that you weren’t going to think about it until then.

She didn’t mind it, sitting all day in a cave might be boring but if she isn’t doing anything, Johanna’s conserving energy. You and Johanna shared more about your homes, you more than her since now everything was on camera. At night you sat quietly holding Johanna in the sleeping bag you shared, she was sniffling and you decided to glide your nails over her forearm.

On the second day, after a bit of hiking you found a large river and immediately jumped in after stripping. “Come in the water!” You laughed cupping a handful of water and drinking it.

“I don’t know how to swim.” Johanna replied meekly.

Your shoulders visibly dropped before making your way back to the shore. Suddenly you stopped eyeing something down stream. You squinted your eyes and Johanna watched you sink your head underwater only to surface 20ft away fighting a red splashing fish the size of your torso. You laughed as its tail whacked you in the stomach. With incredible strength you hoisted it between your arms and slid your fingers into the second gill and pulled. The fish stopped moving and you held it over your shoulders as you finally made it back to shore.

“Dinner! And breakfast and lunch and dinner again. For the two of us, I could probably last a few days. I hope you’re not allergic to fish Anna.” A small ding sounded and Johanna found a parachute floating right towards you as you were now gutting the fish. You paused for a second opening it to a full ice chest. “Thank’s Finn!” After cutting the fish into pieces, you and Johanna continued hiking finding another cave.

For the next couple of days, you and Johanna stayed in the cave only going out to get water. Johanna played her weakling part, clinging to your arm to not go. The compromise you came to was that Johanna would sit at the entrance with a knife and watch your back as you went to grab water.

On day 5, you told Johanna that since they were nearing the top 8 tributes, they would be interviewing family soon. She hoped her family knew what her plan was and made something up. You ran out of food this morning and told Johanna to not worry about you when you went out. It was only a few minutes you were out of site that a cannon sounded.

Johanna immediately ran out of the cave. “Johanna? Johanna!” She heard you call.

“Y/n!” She called back. You ran up the ridge to her. “I thought you-“

You pulled her into a hug shushing her. “It’s okay Jo. I’m here.” You stroked her hair trying to calm her. She spent the rest of the walk to the river clinging to your arm. The two of you made your way back to where you left your harpoon only to literally see all the water drained into the floor.

“What are they doing?”

“The Gamemakers are draining the river, probably to set up something to bring tributes together.”

“We don’t have to go right?”

“We need the water.”

“How long can we survive without water?”

“3 days.”

“Can we make it 3 days.”

“Yes but who’s to say the Gamemakers won’t wait 3 days to bring everyone together? When we’re desperate water.”

Johanna hated the Capitol. She hated being at their mercy. And she hated her plan right about now. The clueless weak girl that could do nothing could probably tap a tree for sugar and water by now if she had just showed who she was from the beginning and gotten that axe. But had she done that, she wouldn’t have you.

You and Johanna toughed it out waiting the rest of the day and the next before an announcement sounded. Attention Tributes tomorrow morning at the Cornucopia you are invited to attend. Each of you desperately needs something. That will be the only announcement. May the odds be ever in your favor.”

There hadn’t been a cannon since the scare cannon a few days ago. With the fallen tributes tribute that night, you figured out that besides you and Johanna, there were the rest of the careers, a boy from 9 and a girl from 11. You were stressed, Johanna could tell, you were fiddling with a rope you brought in as your token running your fingers through the grooves.

Hiking back to the Cornucopia at night was pretty easy since you and Johanna spent most of your time in cave. Johanna navigated through the trees easily, being from 7 and working in the tree farms, she had to know the way home or she’d become the forest witch’s food, or she was told. The two of you made it to the cornucopia in the middle of the night just after they played the anthem where no fallen tributes appeared.

In the night, neither you or Johanna could get some sleep knowing there were tributes around. You sat back to back and eventually you used Johanna’s shoulder as a head rest and she felt your soft breathing on her neck. Your right hand reached for her left behind you and you ran your thumb over the back of her skin. Johanna turned her head to look at you only finding that you were already looking at her with a sparkle in your eyes. She might’ve imagined it but your eyes were focused on her lips. Johanna felt a weird feeling in her stomach. Part of her wanted you lean in. That thought scared her so she laid on your shoulder. Johnna felt her face go red as she stared ahead to watch you 6.

In the morning, you gave Johanna a knife and told her to walk in front of you. The plan was to get what you needed and get the hell out of there. You stood with you back facing her as being the first people here meant you were the first targets, but she’s seen you throw. It felt like forever waiting for the feast but then Johanna heard a humming and saw the packs. Before it could even finish rising, Johanna grabbed the District 7 pack and District 4 pack trying to run away.

You held an arm out to stop her. Across the way were the four remaining careers. Johanna almost questioned why you didn’t throw your harpoon but then that would be taking your only weapon away. The careers charged towards them raising their weapons. You gripped Johanna’s shoulders as you strapped the backpacks onto her. “Run! You hear me? Run and don’t look back!”

She took off through the cornucopia but stopped when she heard a cannon. You were her ally and friend, she wasn’t going to leave, not after everything you have done for her. In the cornucopia, the battle axe from the first day was no longer there. There were smaller chopping axes and splitting axes that’ll have to do. Johanna picked them up hearing metal clash against metal outside.

She heard groaning that wasn’t yours and another strike that caused another man to scream. Then the dread filled her ears, she heard you gasp in pain fall to the ground with a thud. Johanna gritted her teeth when she heard the careers taunting you.

“Now that you’re as good as dead, your little cry baby is nex-“

Johanna put an axe in his face before he could even finish his sentence and before the other two careers managed to make sense of what was going on, the District 7 tribute had swung in their direction. The second one was barely lifted his bloody sword before Johanna literally chopped his head off.

Johanna saw red, hacking and swinging at everyone around her. The boy from 4 put up a fight but was so badly injured by you that he didn’t stand a chance against her. Back at the feast table, someone else had grabbed a backpack trying to run from the danger but Johanna threw the knife you gave her into the person’s calf. In one swift motion, she removed the axe from the career’s face and split this tribute’s head down the middle.

Blood sprayed on her face. When she looked up, the girl had wide eyes and tripped on the floor falling face first into the gravel. Johanna ran straight to her and swung at her shoulder. She was down but Johanna kept swinging until her body was nothing but a messed up pile of flesh and blood.

Looking around with a strong grip on the axe, she couldn’t see anyone else so Johanna quickly ran towards you. As she approached you, she heard a quiet voice congratulating her but ignored it. You were on the ground in your own pool of blood. The red liquid was flowing out of your torso and your eyes and her heart clenched. “Come on we have to go!”

“Johanna? You’re alive? You’re okay?” You choked out.

“Yeah I’m fine. Theyre dead. We need to go before the others come.” Johanna slings her arm over to carry her but you groaned at the slightest movement.

“Jo. Johanna! Stop! There’s no one left Jo. 22 cannons. We’re the last two.” Johanna was shocked she thought she was keeping track too but she must’ve lost count somewhere. Johanna realized the gravity of your situation. he should have told you she could fight. She could’ve grabbed an axe faster to help you. She might’ve blown her cover but you would still be okay. And you were, Johanna brought her hands to your stomach and pressed into it.

“Hey tell my brother I love him okay?” Her heart beat soared and she felt it in her throat when you said that. You were dying. She let out a choked sob.

“No. No! No you are not dying on me. You’re going to win this and tell him yourself.” She yelled.

“Love, judging by how strong your voice is, only one of us is on our death bed.”

No! Shut up! Stay with me. Stay with me please. Do you hear me? I can’t lose you Y/n!”

“You don’t have a choice Jo.”

She did have a choice. She chose to present herself as weak and now you were dying because she let you do all the work. You could’ve been a power duo, at least you wouldn’t have had to 1v4 the rest of the careers. Even though the careers had stabbed you, it was Johanna’s fault and for the first time since her reaping, she cried real tears.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

You shook your head and struggled to open your eyes to meet Johanna’s. “Don’t be. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I lied to you. I- I killed them all. It was all an act, the crying, the fainting, the training score. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” If she didn’t have tears streaming out of her eyes she would have seen the smug smile on your face.

You reached up to cup her cheek swiping the blood from it. You shushed her caressing her face. “You give them hell Johanna.” Johanna let out a whimper leaning into your hand as she pressed into you harder to stop the bleeding.

Something weird filled her vision, waves breaking over the rocks, Finnick’s smile, swimming with the dolphins, a field of wild flowers. The conch shell you liked to listen to after catching it and herself sitting alone at lunch.

Boom.

Johanna burst into tears and buried her face into your neck crying, leaving a trail of snot on your shoulder. She wiped the snot with the back of her hand not caring that she just smeared your blood on her face. Ladies and Gentleman the victor of the 71st Hunger Games Johanna Mason.

You were gone, just like that. You didn’t deserve it, you were a good person. She came in here with a plan and she never expected to fall in love let alone have an ally. She hated the Capitol and she is going to give them hell. They will regret taking you from her.

~

Outside of the helpless girl act, Johanna proved to be a formidable district girl. She was known as strong, cunning, angry and after refusing to prostitution, extra angry.

Johanna was standing on an empty balcony swirling a drink around with a scowl on her face. There was no need to be cordial with everyone. She openly hated them and everyone praised her for her strategy even fooling a career. You weren’t just a career to her, you were an ally, a friend, her love. She cried all her tears for you, vowing never to cry again.

She heard the door click open and was about to rip into this person until she turned and came face to face with the familiar sea green eyes and tanned skin. Johanna didn’t know how much attention she gave to you and your features until now. “Finnick.”

“Johanna.” He said. The newest victor immediately back tracked on her vow. Tears welled in her eyes but she didn’t let them fall. Here she was categorizing her feelings to love when it did not compare to Finnick’s pain. He practically raised you and it showed on his face, the half smiles and the bags under his eyes, his disheveled hair, though all the capitol elites found it hot.

He leaned against the same railing facing the opposite way to Johanna. He didn’t offer to talk, sitting in the silence was an Odair thing apparently, not that Johanna knew what to say anyway.

She settled for, “I keep thinking about what would have happened if I picked up the axe sooner. I might not have had an ally in her but she’d probably be alive. Some ally I was.”

Finnick had turned his body to her. “I thought Y/n was crazy for wanting to be your ally after the first day of training.” Johanna looked at him puzzled, thinking back to what she possibly could have done to get you to want her. She cried, you sat with her for lunch and you taught her how to use an axe. Well as much as you can teach someone who already knew how. “But I guess she saw something in you.”

“When she taught you how to tie a knot or any other skills, did you pretend to be bad?”

“Yeah. Why?”

It was the axe, Johanna remembered now, when you looked at her hands and then gave her less explanations on how to wield one. Of course, you taught Finnick skills he already knew so you could commit it to memory and actually learn it instead of forgetting it. “I did the same thing when she tried to teach me how to use an axe. She knew! She knew all this time and didn’t say anything about it. God! I should’ve done something to help her sooner.”

“You can’t change the past.”

“I fucking know that.” She was indebted to you. For keeping her secret, for trusting her, for protecting her. Always. “I just wish I could tell her how much she means to me.”

“There are so many things left unsaid. But wherever my sister is, I think she’ll know.”

[envy-of-the-apple]

Okay,, you have to let us know are the eggs any characters Specifically like megumi or itadori? I bet they would be clingy mommas boys.

Love you crumbs you give us and happy late birthday 🫶🏻

awww ty bestie okay okay okay holdonholdon

You'd name the hatchlings. Idk if I mentioned this or not but in the excerpt, the reader names Suguru and Satoru cuz they didn't have a concept of language yet. I think once they had a general concept of human language, they'd use their human names for each other just like you do.

When Nobara, Yuji and Megumi hatch, they'd definitely hang onto you the most. It's mostly because you are the most caring out of the throuple you were forced into. It makes sense for you to care about them, right? After all, human babies are pretty helpless and that's how far your knowledge extends. And they're adorable, with big round eyes, making cute little chitters. You get a tiny bit protective of them, especially considering the other two nagas don't carry the same sentiment. Suguru is clearly a believer of tough love and you've caught Satoru trying to put one of the eggs in his mouth (you're pretty sure he was joking...but you arent risking it when they're this tiny). They're small right now, but naga hatchlings grow up fast. They're practically your height in just a couple of years.

I feel personally, Yuji would be the (most outwardly) clingiest. He's affectionate, more dog than snake, sometimes. He's the largest of his siblings. When he was smaller, his favorite thing to do was wrap himself around your shoulders and you'd carry him around. He can't do that now, but he has other ways of spending time with you. He 'hunts' with you the most, assisting you with collecting berries and fruit. Apart from you, he'd bond with Satoru more. They share a similar personality, both are easily amused.

Megumi would be the shyest, but he loves you just as much as his siblings do. Much like his fathers, he enjoys the warmth you provide and would love cuddling with you in the languid hours of the evening. He doesn't do that much when he's older, but he's still interested in spending time with you! He likes quality time, the most. Eventually, during your time on the island, you'd have set up a tiny garden. He'd help with that. He and Suguru would have lots of similarities, so you'd often catch them together. They'd both help with your garden, helping cultivate the seeds and soil. It's not natural for them, but they understand you're different from nagafolk

But I think Nobara would be the one you're the closest to. She hatched the first. She's also different from her brothers. Again, in the naga species, the females become something akin to sirens. Slowly, you'd notice how different she is compared to her brothers, how much she enjoys the water, how dry her skin gets when she stays on land for too long. She'd evolve differently. Webbed hands, her tail would be more lithe, finned.

Because she's so different, Satoru and Suguru don't have much of an interest in her. Again, much like reptiles, nagas are fairly independent at a young age. Satoru and Suguru allow the hatchlings to stick around because you'd pitch a fit otherwise and they try to keep their mate happy. Once it becomes clear Nobara is aquatically gifted, you'd be terrified of the thought of her being out alone at sea, so you'd often go out with her, not caring how pruny your fingers get. Because of how much time you spend with her, I think she'd be the most interested in humans. She'd ask you about human culture, human customs. Every once in a while, she'd go out and collect remnants of humanity, clothes, trinkets, jewelry, anything she can find off the ocean floor. She'd sit on the rocky shore, holding out each one, demanding you to explain them to her.

You wouldn't dare mention how much you fear her fathers, but I feel Nobara would be the first to realize that you don't want to be here. She can see it in your eyes, the longing whenever you're explaining another human trinket. She wants you to be happy, but if you go back to the humans....would you still have time for her? Would you still braid her hair? Take care of her? Love her?

In the end, Nobara is the most similar to her fathers. She'd keep you on the island too.

ughhhhhh i should just write that chaptered naga fic already this is getting ridiculous.

[distant-velleity]

new kai oc?!??!?!

MOLI FENG (锋茉莉)

[SSR] Council Uniform

“Weapons and armor don’t make the warrior—discipline and strength do!”

The student council president of Flower Blade Academy. Stoic and disciplined with a stern resting face, she may come off as imposing. However, she aims for improvement, not impossibility, and tries to be reasonable.

she was supposed to be the main helping figure in my event, at the fan school it was hosted at, and she's ruixing's cousin lol--- idk i just think shes neat </3 if u guys want i could post more abt her and her fan school and all that

(voicelines and groovy below)

Birthday: July 7th (Cancer)

Age: 18

Height: 176 cm

Dominant hand: Ambidextrous

Homeland: City of Orchids

Grade: Junior

Club: Xiangqi Club

Best Subject: History of Magic

Hobbies: Tai chi

Pet peeves: Close-mindedness

Favorite food: Pork buns

Least favorite food: Bitter melon

Talent: Swordsmanship

~

Summon: Feng Moli of Flower Blade Academy. I look forward to my stay here. …Rest assured, I’ll try not to be too much of an intrusion.

Set to Home Screen: Thank you for your hospitality.

Home Transition 1: I heard that Ruixing is in Diasomnia. If the rules allow it, I’ll pay my cousin a visit and see if his dormitory lives up to its reputation.

Home Transition 2: The statues of the Great Seven line the main street, dignified and honorable… In the future, I’ll make sure to hold my head high just as they do. 

Home Transition 3: Hm… This campus could use more varied physical education facilities. The mind and imagination work in tandem with the body. 

Home, after login: I’m here representing Flower Blade Academy at one of the largest arcane academies. There is no room for carelessness; I must be extra conscientious. 

Tap Home 1: All student council members are awarded ceremonial swords at Flower Blade Academy; unlike Night Raven College, it used to be a military institute. …Of course, my sword is the real deal.

Tap Home 2: So you have stables on your campus as well… I do recall Silver mentioning something to that effect. 

Tap Home 3: I don’t agree with Coach Vargas’ methods entirely—everyone learns differently and at different paces. However, I do appreciate the kind of instructor who believes in the potential of their students.  

Tap Home 4: I ran into some other students on my morning jog. I was pleasantly surprised—it seems a spirit of self-improvement exists at Night Raven College, too.

Tap Home 5: …Enough. You have my attention. How can I help you?

~

“I’ll never grow complacent—I swear on my honor!”

Home Transition (Groovification): Night Raven College students… are a rowdy sort, aren’t they? Aggressive, competitive, stubborn… Heh. All commendable qualities, of course.

Tap Home (Groovification): Soldiers have to be able to sleep under any conditions, though we’re no real soldiers. That is to say… The conditions in Ramshackle are rather unique.

~

taglist (ask to be added or removed): @thehollowwriter @theleechyskrunkly @elenauaurs @casp1an-sea @nahelenia

@skriblee-ksk @boopshoops @scint1llat3 @nyx-of-night @nemisisnemi

@beneathsakurashade @sillyslipperybananapeel @kathxrat-01 @lumdays @twistedwonderlandshenanigans

@taruruchi @oya-oya-okay @kitwasnothere

[fictionfixations]

OH MY GOD GUYS I GOT THE ANAKT GARDEN SET AHHHHHHHHHH

warning for major alnst spoilers ofc

I KEEP TAKING PHOTOS THE WRONG WAY AROUND 😭😭😭😭

okay im gonna summarize information

you get these id cards the main peeps of them their birthday blood type number signature fingerprint who their guardian is (i cant tell the difference between them on the card it looks the same to me but idk maybe its alien language)

and it also says what dorm theyre from

mizi till ivan and sua are in buru flower rooms although different ones

(all in buru flower room. sua is in x, till is in c, mizi is a, ivan is d)

meanwhile luka and hyuna are in different rooms which makes me believe its by like year(s) and based on when they graduate from anakt garden or something like that? i forget

according to an interview (of sua and ivan) they're from the 50th anakt garden class

hyuna is chala flower room a, and shes also the only one without a signature

interestingly enough luka is the only one without a letter after the room which i think is because of how im pretty sure hes like a clone or something? like like made and there were many others of 'him' that were made until they found the perfect him to use? im like 70% sure his guardian has also implied it or something in one of the interviews? i think it mightve been regarding either the top three or before luka vs till

i use a translator app and go through it and then (usually) mainly share ones about ivan (as hes my favorite) and include other interesting stuff that doesnt have to relate to him

also there will be some things i just dont mention

well ive only done it once and for like the art book lmfao but yEAH

i keep forgetting which page i read it from so this time im gonna write this post while looking through it to make it easier for me haha

skimming through it though i do see some stuff i think they've posted on the twitter and patreon before though i DO remember there was this one that was blurry and i think i saw it in full here

be warned translations may not always be 100% accurate cause for some reason i take a CLEAR photo of the text and then i take another but zoomed in to more specific parts of the text and it changes the translation so im just sat here like what why does having more context make it worse sob

(future me here what do you mean i can only translate 50 images a day 😭 maybe its my bad for taking so many pictures of the same part but sometimes it translates differently when i zoom into specific parts that make more sense so on parts im confused on i do that a lot)

also in the previous post i tried rephrasing it a lot but at this point its really not gonna work with this

Mizi (1) Her guardian sent a 'lullaby tape' and 'deep sea mood lamp' to help her sleep. She called it 'Shine' or something? I can't be 100% sure but she whined to a teacher about missing it and thus that was sent over.

Mizi/Sua (2) Sua helps Mizi study, and sometimes reads to her, and everytime she does it, "I feel she creates an unknown world for me."

Sua/Mizi (1) Sua was shy and didn't laugh much when entering Anakt Garden, but after meeting Mizi, she laughed a lot.

Sua (2) Children in the Anakt Garden have become more interested in the opposite sex. There are rumors among the children that there is "a tree that can succeed if you confess". Sua seems to be popular with boys as she often goes under the tree.

Sua & Ivan (3) Sua was chosen as an Outstanding Child alongside Ivan in Anakt Garden, an honorable title given to a child who sets an example for others every year. The two will be interviewed and included in ALIEN STAGE MAGAZINE VOL.2.

Sua (4) Recently, Sua's been practicing hard enough to stop crying(?). When asked why, Sua said, "I have to practice more because it's my dream to be on stage with Mizi."

😭i cant tell if its a mistranslation or if its a 'i know the truth about alnst so i want to practice not crying while on stage with her' or something

Till & Ivan (1) Today, Till fought with a new kid named Ivan. He is an aggressive child, so he needs regular education at home. Fortunately, Ivan has generously forgiven him, but I will do my best to prevent this from happening next time.

Till & Ivan (2) Till's theoretical grades have improved a lot! Practical tests are always perfect, but theories have always been weak. In particular, his grades in Religion and Music, which were his most vulnerable, have risen markedly. Is it because some kid has provoked Till recently? He's very competitive, so when he has an opponent he wants to win, he burns!

It's not stated but y'know I'd think it'd be Ivan 💀.

Ivan (1) Ivan is significantly less talkative than other children. He may have a slower language development than other children because he's adapting to a sudden change in environment.

Ivan (2) For an art class on the theme of "The Most Memorable Moment of Life", Ivan painted a sky full of shooting stars on the paper. Each star was drawn carefully, and his concentration was so focused it was like he was being sucked into the paper.

For that I'll refer to the scene back in Round 3 and my post on the artbook where it explained more on Ivan's thoughts and how the shooting stars meant to him it was

(10) in the slums, when being held over like the edge due to the anger of a dealer, he faced the fear of death at such a young age that it stuck with him, that death was always near him. the shooting stars that then appeared stayed with him unconsciously (the translation it gives me is “the ecstasy faced with death took place intensely in Ivan’s deep unconsciousness.”)

Ivan (3) He often observes his facial expressions in the pond before going to school in the morning. I feel the one translated on the patreon (free) has better translations but it only shows a few not all and I remember reading this one as one of the ones included.

Ivan (4) Although Ivan is mature for his age, he is the most childlike when he is with Till. (they fight a lot)

Hyuna (1) Hyuna is a child with gentle charisma. She has a high sense of responsibility, so she takes the lead as class president and takes the initiative in all activities. She does not hesitate to do good deeds, such as actively approaching children who do not fit in well with the Anakt Garden activities, and she is a role model for all children.

Hyuna (2) Hyuna, who loves singing, always sings in front of the children during compulsory playtime. Yesterday, she stood at the base of a tree and sang "Anakt's Lullaby" in an impromptu arrangement, and Hyuna's changed lullaby was popular at "Anakt Garden" for a while.

I've heard people theorize that Wiege is that lullaby.

Hyuna & Luka (3) Luka was hiding in a tree and looking at Hyuna, as if he wanted to play hide and seek with her. Hyuna saw Luka and invited him to play with her.

I usually format it based on whose referred to first but I actually cut off a part of it and its about how Hyuna is popular and then it mentions Luka and then I have no idea what's being said I'm using two different translator apps and they both don't make sense. Perhaps the idea is something like, 'the lonely child Luka, who also excels at Anakt Garden, even memorized her name.'

The translations it gives me call him an only kid, the best in Anakt Garden, and then continues with ", Is Hyuna" or "memorized her name" so above is my best guess tbh 😭 Reasoning? Since idk what they meant by only kid, since it mentioned in the beginning how Hyuna was popular, then if I compare then he was probably lonely (there is also art of him by a tree alone staring at Hyuna who is surrounded by many others), he was also good at his studies and so was Hyuna, and I added even to emphasize that ah Luka didn't really interact with people but Hyuna ended up catching his attention (thus he was staring at her).

Luka (1) Luka always practices until late at night. If there's even a singular thing he can't solve he immediately asks the teacher a question.

Luka (2) Luka won first place in the Anakt Garden singing contest! The children were moved to tears when they heard Luka's crying. The crying sound is clear and sweet, and moves the hearts of those who listen to it. There is a jinx that if you win first place in the Anakt Garden singing contest, you will win Alien Stage, and our teachers are expecting that Luka will win Alien Stage. It is so exciting to imagine Luka growing up day by day.

if I recall Hyuna was second

ooh thats scary the art. dude i didnt even realize there was someone behind him.. its luka whose holding up like a paper and theres two large hands on his shoulders and theres a person in black behind him but theyre so big you cant even see them just their arms and torso wtf 😭

Luka (3)

Luka complained of persistent headaches and hyperventilation during the night.

Physical examination results show abnormal blood flow and lack of oxygen in the body. There is a high possibility of congenital heart disease.

Luka's voice change begins. Intensive care is required to prevent damage to his crying(?) voice. Tea and nutritional supplements that are good for voice will be included in his diet.

one translation is 'crying voice' and the other just translates voice as crying

😭😭😭😭😭

also i cant be 100% sure the translation is right calling it congenital heart disease idk korean and the apps can be inaccurate so take it with a grain of salt

Luka (4) The end-of-month evaluation grades have dropped by 10 points compared to the previous month. Although it is a small drop, in order to prevent this, we plan to select excellent teachers from the Anakt Garden and provide intensive management. We also request periodic discipline at home to prevent Luka from being distracted.

i kind of hate luka but dude this is really making me feel bad for him holy shit 😭 wtf

now its i think graduating from anakt garden and writing messages to people um its a lot of text so idk how im gonna tackle this

MIZI

(two attempts at writing 'Mizi' are crossed out) Hello Mizi, (crossed out) Hello Mizi! You sing really well! If there is an angel, wouldn't it be right here? (crossed out)

I prepared a song for you (crossed out)

Thank you for giving me a recorder when I was little.

It's my only treasure (crossed out)

It's really sad that you're already graduating from Anakt Garden.

Actually, we could have become friends at any time, but I just didn't have time. (crossed out)

How are you. Hi. -Till- ---

What kind of place is the ocean?! I want to go play later too~~! ー????? IDK WHO THIS IS google registers it as jp characters and i think thats wrong so..ー

---

My dream, to Mizi Mizi the jellyfish girl (??) The day we were lying in the Anakt Garden meadow and looking at the stars together You became my dream. Is that why? The time I spent with you felt so precious to me. I have a lot of things I want to say. I feel complicated. (crossed out) I don't know what kind of world will unfold if I leave Anakt Garden, but I hope you will always live as green and free as the sea of summer. I believe this is Sua as there's a part mentioned earlier where Sua and Mizi liked watching the stars together and would sometimes fall asleep there instead of going back to their dorms (i did not mention this earlier thats my bad)

---

Mizi! It seems like you are a child who really loves singing. I am glad I was able to enter Anakt Garden with you and listen to your songs! I hope you will be successful after you graduate! -????-

the characters of the name are not even registered google keeps thinking its the letter m

---

You're so cute because you're quirky and lively! -?????-

---

Thank you for always greeting me brightly every morning. Thanks to your bright energy, Anakt Garden life (?) I think it was fun. Good luck for the preliminary round, and see you on stage. -Ivan-

(at good luck he said 'cheer up' or '힘내' which has like a lot of meaning to it and can be like 'hang in there' and is something Till taught him to do and I think he also said it to Till in an interview I think before their round happened, i just used good luck cause its easier to understand and cheer up in english doesnt have as much impact without that context)

yeah here and there was also the comic by what i meant him like learning it from till

---

.....i have to do this three more times........... hahahahaha hang in there me ....today i learned if you hold the button that takes a picture it will suddenly take multiple pictures of the exact same thing. 💀

---

♥️ SUA ♥️ MIZI (there are multiple hearts drawn over the page and MIZI is written next to SUA with a heart)

(mizi says a lot and as its handwriting its hard for the translation apps to decipher it from the image so bare with me for any errors)

Hello Sua! How are you? Did you know I would say that?? I can't believe you're already graduating, from Anakt Garden. Now that I'm asked to write something like this, I don't know what to write… If I had known this would happen, I would have taken the writing class harder! Then I could tell you everything I wanted to say!! Craft (this is scribbled out) Well I'll put all my memories in this letter ♥️ A moment I was thankful for Sua ♥️

Thank you for secretly eating cherry tomatoes for me when I was a kid and hated vegetables. Thanks for taking my prank well!

Now that I think about it, I think I played a lot. Thank you for helping me with my homework every day. Thank you for always listening to my worries Thank you for handing me a handkerchief when I was crying Thank you for silently comforting me when I failed my test

Thank you for always singing with me Thank you for appearing in my life I'll stop talking here, because we're always together! My dream. Sua, I love you!! -Mizi who loves you so so much-

GUYS IM GONNA CRY

---

I actually still like you. Even though you rejected me, can you think about it one more time? -???? no idea who this is-

dude can you read the room her girlfriend literally took over more than half the page 😭😭😭😭

---

I don't usually say this, but your voice is nice. I hope you do well in Alien Stage. -Till-

---

As an Oustanding Child, alongside you, I'm glad I was able to put my name on the list. I'm sorry we didn't talk much. You've always been an excellent kid, even (maybe 'when you're at') at Alien Stage(?? I can't tell) You'll get a good result. -Ivan-

---

IVAN

Hi! Ivan! I'm Mizi! You're handsome like a prince, you sing well, you study well… Why are you so perfect?! And Sua too… Are there only perfect kids around me!? By the way, I saw your stage costumes were all black a while ago, but I think you look better in white than black! How about wearing white on stage? I'm looking forward to a great performance! -Mizi-

NOT HIM DYING IN WHITE THOUGH. you know what. i bet. i bet he thought huh maybe till will think i look good in white. and then he wore white. AND THEN HE DIED

---

I don't know what to write because I don't remember talking. Take care. Bye. -Sua-

DAMN. girl you know on his stats in the art book he sees you as like a sister right 😭😭 (who am i kidding ive seen your stats too)

---

By the way, when is your birthday? I've never seen you have a birthday party. -just expect me not to include names of anyone not from main cast because I won't be able to tell if it's a mistranslation-

I just envied you so much. That's why I wanted to get close to you. -???-

Actually, I liked you, but we never talked to each other. Take care, goodbye -???-

---

Were you the one who stole the pencil back then? -Till-

😭😭😭 i think theres a note somewhere i dont think i read it in this one but in a previous alnst post about ivan stealing tills things and then returning them because he wanted praise or something

i cant recall if the pencil thing is related to him or if it mightve been related to mizi since sometimes the translation app gets pronouns wrong but i think there was a mention of a stolen pencil and it being returned to someone in here i just dont remember what page. dammit.

---

You are so perfect that it's hard to approach you.

-???-

---

TILL

Hi! Till! You're so good at singing and composing The lyrics and composition are so (she crossed out a word that looks similar to something she then says but I can't tell what it is) I'm so, so jealous of you for doing so well!! I often think of the song you sang at the Anakt Garden Song Contest Come to think of it, you got your ears pierced not too long ago, it looks really good on you! The guitar looked unique on the stage Are you taking it with you? For this performance I'm really looking forward to seeing your performance~!! Way to go! -Mizi-

---

When we were young, we fought a lot without thinking, but now that I'm older, I think I can be a better friend than you think. It seems like separation comes too quickly. I knew it wasn't useful, but I felt a little more intense with you. (crossed out) I hope you remember me. -Ivan-

---

I still remember you getting dizzy and falling over while headbanging at the Anakt Garden singing contest. It was really funny… -???-

---

I'm sure you're talented

-Acorn-

WAIT ACORN??

wait you can see part of the graduation messages on the patreon OH YEAH that was where i read the part of sua's and there was just this whole part blurred out (mizi to sua)

you know what im gonna ignore messages from anyone not of the main cast at this point idk why i did it for so long 😭

wait shit i forgot what i havent translated now 😭

---

Take care. See you on stage. -Sua-

---

IM DONE

OKAY

NO MORE

😭

[skulcrusherlulu]

let’s chat about #1145!

We see Ulti, Page One, and Yamato in the page art. I haven’t really been keeping up with their little stories these past few chapters, but Ulti has always been one of my favorite antagonists, so it’s nice to see her again! Like I said though… I haven’t been following the Ogre Child Yamato series. Someone let me know what it’s about!!!

Looks like we start off with Zoro and Sanji teaming up to take down some foes! A dinosaur too? I feel like Oda rarely ever shows us real animals that we might be familiar with, it's always those hybrid creatures he's known for. I think the last time we saw dinosaurs in the show was Little Garden, right? Ironic, since we’re in Elbaf now.

I also love seeing Sanji and Zoro set aside their differences to team up. Matter of fact, I can’t even remember the last time they did this. Was it really only Long Ring Long Land? Man, when the end references the beginning, you know the final moments are coming. I feel like the bow around One Piece is getting tied tighter and tighter, and seeing these little callbacks makes it all the more real.

Y’all get what I mean??

Goldberg’s shield is a homie! Makes me think about how Big Mom is doing. Even though she fell into a pit of boiling lava, I hesitate to say she’s dead. Isn’t seeing this homie basically confirmation that she’s still alive? Do her homies stay alive even after she’s dead?

Personally, I don’t think that’s the last we’ll see of Big Mom, and I hope not, because I love her! She might be one of my favorite antagonists to date. I love her little singing and dancing numbers, I love her homies, and ugh, I just love Big Mom so much.

Call me Charlotte Lulu!

I gotta think… have the Holy Knights ever been mentioned in One Piece before?? Because I remember the Seven Warlords being mentioned within like the first 20–30 episodes. Jimbei, by name, was mentioned super early too. Elbaf, Big Mom, and all these big, impactful things were brought up early in the story, which I think really shows how much planning Oda put into this from the beginning.

But were the Holy Knights ever mentioned? I honestly can’t remember.

Also, we either just learned, or maybe we already knew and I wasn’t paying attention, that Loki was out roaming the seas causing chaos in his formative years. And honestly? I do believe he could have been king. Isn’t this guy supposed to be a super giant? Does he have conq Haki? Have we ever even seen a giant with Haki?

I really want Loki to have Conqueror’s Haki… man, that would be a sight to see.

I know this is something small, but I really liked seeing this joke page with Luffy and Loki. It makes me think he could end up being an ally in the future. Will the “Loki will become a Straw Hat” theories actually come true??? I can’t even imagine how that would work, like, how would his big ass even fit on the Sunny?

At first, I was thinking maybe the owl in the Elbaf library could shrink him or something?? But I think they said it only works on inorganic objects, so that’s a bust.

Still, you don’t usually see joke pages like that with true villains, so maybe the big guy’s actually a friendly ally? I think the atmosphere right now feels kinda tentative…

Woahhhh, Loki had a Shanks?? I think most people have already been spoiled on who the guy is, but man, he's been kept in the shadows for so long.

My personal theory? The dude is alive. He has to be. He might even end up being one of the final baddies we fight… okay, I might be reaching, lol.

What do y’all think? Is he alive? Or is he dead and gone for good? Has it ever actually been confirmed that he’s dead? I feel like if he was, Oda would’ve revealed him by now. Either or, remember what I said about Big Mom? They aren’t dead until it’s CONFIRMED.

I totally forgot about the kids marching toward their utter doom and destruction! Man, just when I think Oda can’t come up with another great Devil Fruit, he hits us with this Pied Piper-esque ability. I think it’s so cool!

Thankfully, the fire gets put out by the hero Jimbei a few pages later, which is a relief because I was lowkey getting anxiety over it, lol.

I just wish Usopp’s Pop Greens had worked. That could’ve been such a cool moment for him, in his own arc, too! Oda… 😒

Remember what I said about who Usopp’s biggest enemy is? Yeah. Right.

Not Jimbei trying to play it cool, lol. It’s working though!

But woah, this Gunko appearance is lethal. These top World Government dogs are not shying away from showing their faces lately. I mean, we had all five Elders touch down in Elbaf! It really makes me think back to what I said earlier… the end is near, isn’t it? 😔

But am I the only one who thinks Gunko looks like that one girl from the Revolutionary Army? Sabo’s girlfriend? I can’t remember her name right now, but doesn’t she also have the little cap and goggles too? Is there any relation? I could just be reaching, lol.

Still… damn, they’re really out here hunting these children down.

God, we only got a few panels of Loki and Luffy… 😔 And I think the manga’s going on break for another week or so, which means no official updates unless it comes from leaks.

But man….it is HEATING UP in Elbaf!

I wanna hear theories!

Who’s the shadowy figure in Loki’s memories?

Will he join the crew??

Is this Gunko girl the same girl from the Revolutionary Army??

Will Usopp ever get his time to shine???

We shall see… in the next chapter of One Piece!

[frodolover]

this is something i have seen surprisingly little about, but sea-longing is a fascinating concept to me and frodo is my favorite character so i want to examine it.

sea-longing aka the unquiet of ulmo is of course what is experienced by elves when they are being called back over the sea to valinor. legolas experiences this in lotr. and sea-longing is not so much about the sea itself than it is about what awaits across it: valinor.

this obviously affects elves because they're the only ones permitted in valinor. however as we know, frodo sails there at the end of lotr, though he's not an elf, but a mortal. however i think it's very clear that frodo experiences sea-longing despite this.

in valaquenta, it's stated that ulmo loves both elves and men (of which hobbits are a branch of) and that from his horns music plays and "those to whom that music comes hear it ever after in their hearts, and longing for the sea never leaves them again." additionally, these horns are "wrought of white shell," and in "the sea-bell/frodos dreme," it states: "i walked by the sea, and there came to me, / as a star-beam on the wet sand, / a white shell like a sea-bell; / trembling it lay in my wet hand". the connection between the white shells stands out to me, as these white shells are from where ulmo's music and source of sea-longing come from. (and whether or not frodo is the author of the poem, it's undeniably about him)

now here we come to the text in lotr. in book i, chapter v, frodo's journey has barely begun, but he has a dream about the sea, and a "great desire" to see it. it's also mentioned that the sound of the sea "often" troubles his dreams, so this likely started even before this.

the second time frodo dreams is when he is in the house of tom bombadil, in book i, chapter viii (first pic). while it doesn't directly mention the sea, we know the sea and valinor are connected. this is especially notable because the dream frodo has here is shown to have come true, almost word for word, at the very end of rotk when he sails to valinor (second pic, from book vi, chapter xi).

i don't have much to say about this one, but in book ii, chapter vii, frodo actually sees the sea, rather than hearing it, for the first time in galadriel's mirror:

much later, when frodo believes the ring is lost and the quest has failed, he says this (book vi, chapter i):

"only elves can escape. away, away out of middle-earth, far away over the sea"-- i love this line especially with the knowledge that frodo does get to "escape" over the sea, like the elves. and like the elves, he is experiencing this sea-longing, this call to the undying lands already.

i think this is all very, very interesting, because it seems that frodo's fate is sealed as someone who can't exist in middle-earth anymore rather early on in his journey. the idea that elves are the only ones permitted in valinor is also interesting because, while frodo is a mortal, he is described as having an "elvish beauty" and "elvish air," he is named an elf-friend, and he has a lifelong interest and love for elves, and knows a bit of elvish. also, arwen gives frodo the evenstar as this symbol of him being able to take her place on the ship to valinor that she forfeits. his connection to the elves, and therefore to valinor, is there from the beginning.

[capri-ramblings]

[ 'A little Mermaid' Retelling ] [Azul Ashengrotto] *male reader insert*

Under the deep blue sea, the merfolk lived idle, peaceful lives....or so the story goes.

Merfolk were forbidden to swim up the surface. The King had lost his beloved wife because of it, and not soon after, his youngest daughter as well.

Azul's father was almost hoisted up onto one of their big ships just last week, and the trauma of having nearly lost his life sent his family into a downward spiral. His usually carefree parents had turned into recluses and his poor father refused to come out for fear of being snatched away again.

Naturally, Azul understood the fear. Having been bullied and ridiculed at school for how he looked, he sympathized with his father's refusal to let people see how weak he was.

Azul had lost the weight his peers teased him for and he worked on his mer-folk magic to the point he could use it to gain favours from others in exchange for anything he wanted from them and his peers didn't bully him any more and yet he realized then, as he watched his father cower away in their grove everyday, that him and his people had a long way to go in terms of not being preyed on by the Humans.

Mer-folk were infused with magical energy, and often enough, they were also beautiful, and so it gave Humans a reason to hunt them for either one of their qualities, if not both. Mermaids were the common favorite and sirens were infamously known for being killed and mounted on ships for their villainy which humans had believed were because they were all keen on unwilling human partners when really, the sirens had grown particularly violent because their animal companions which were the whales were being brutally slaughtered.

Octo-Mer and Eel-folk weren't taken in for their beauty but they were killed by occasional pirates or seamen who thought their meat was extravagantly filling, and the Floaters (Jellyfish folk) were killed because their tendrils gave out electrifying magic which led to many shipwrecks.

Azul had a mind to want to educate these pesky humans about the civilizations which lived under the sea and to implement laws which would lessen their death rates, but he also didn't want to risk losing his own life.

"Azul, sweetheart, could you go over to the Anglers and see if they need anything from us?", the sweetly soft spoken voice of his mother had Azul looking up from the scroll he was reading as she gave his cavern entrance a slight knock.

The seashells in her hair were white today, and her primly short hair resembled his own just with a tad more curls. Azul had been told countless times that he took a lot more of her features than his father's and that was well enough in his book. She was a beautiful octo-lady and her wavy, long tentacles swept across the ocean space gracefully.

"The Anglers?" He repeated with a slight raise of his brows. "Weren't they the ones who lost a son recently?"

Solemnly,his mother nodded.

"Yes. And they've holed themselves up quite badly. No one has even seen them during feeding hours. They have another son, their youngest,I think, around your age, and I just wonder if they're doing alright."

Azul bet they weren't. But he didn't let it slip to his poor mother. The Angler folk weren't the prettiest if he was being frank. Their skins were known to be oily and dark, murky even, and their eyes were either bloodshot or completely black, and they had these protruding gills which not only looked sharp but actually capable of cutting through skin. It was the same for their webbed hands as well, and their tails were long and wide, almost as if they were meant to lash out at anything within close range to them. Of course there was also their signature light limb, a sort of orb-like antenna which only the females of their kind had.

Azul knew the younger son she mentioned. They were classmates and like Azul before he made his physical transformation, he was a favorite subject to poke fun at by their peers. But unlike Azul, the boy seemed unbothered by the ridiculing and harassment, almost detached. He thought it was probably because his entire species was the centre of oddity in their community.

"If they're all holed up like that, they probably don't want to see anyone,mother."

"Oh but Azul, we have to at least ask? We received so much sympathy because of your dear father and look how that eventually helped him, maybe the Anglers need that sort of support too?"

Well, in a way, he couldn't really deny his mother that fact. The ongoing visits and constant comfort gifts his father had received following the weeks after his near death experience had indeed bolstered his self confidence albeit slowly but Azul believed it was also due to the fact that his father was simply the type of male who needed support from his fellow circle and that his overall acceptance for help was what drove the full effect of it. He was doubtful the Anglers would be as open.

But again, he couldn't let his mother hear such thoughts. She was a sensitive soul, hearty at times, yes, but sensitive nonetheless.

"...What do you think we can even give to them?"

"That's what you're heading over for,dear!"

Azul doubted Anglers would want anything from a small family of Octo-Mers, even if they owned a dining business, the Anglers were picky eaters and were only ever spotted hunting in the deeper and darker regions of the sea. Jade, one of Azul's neighbors, often speculated that they probably ate the corpses of the things that die and drown in the ocean which explained their dirty appearance.

The water where they lived was always too cold for Azul, but with his mother in his thoughts, he swam on until he reached the cavern where the Anglers lived.

Their caves went downwards and were clustered together, every entrance looked the same. Now, how was he going to even guess which was theirs?

"...What are you doing here, Ashengrotto?"

Azul was taken aback by how the very Angler he was looking for had found him first, and slightly surprised by how different he seemed now that he was so close to Azul. Leaner and longer than most of his kind, with skin as dark as the volcanic rocks Jade often liked collecting and eyes resembling a literal abyss, the Octo-Mer found himself staring at the male a bit longer than necessary, and it took a while for him to reply.

"My mother sent me over here to see if there's anything you folk needed." He said all the while eyeing the sharp protruding gills and the greasy like gleam of the latter's skin.

Angler's tail was swishing side to side, not so rapid it indicated irritation and yet not too languid it meant he was comfortable.

"She did?" He asked, and his voice was slick and somehow gently guttural.

Azul nodded his head. "She heard about what happened to you and your family, and well,you have our condolences." Right, Azul was never really the comforting type but he didn't think beating around the corals would get him anywhere so he just hoped he didn't come off too casual.

Angler stared at him, unreadable and still. And then, he smiled, or at least Azul thought he was smiling but the expression was odd and somewhat misplaced. Similar to how Jade's twin, Floyd, looked whenever he was intrigued by something.

"Well, unless she can resurrect the dead, there isn't much you lot can offer us."

Azul wasn't expecting such a straight forward answer and the shock must have shown on his face, because Angler then let out a sort of low, chuckle.

"Sorry. I just thought it would be better if things were made clear from the start. It's not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but it's ultimately useless." The water around them rippled slightly, and Azul was sorely reminded that Anglers had very unpredictable magical capabilities. Some were normal enough, but there were a few that bordered on rather dangerous scales.

"I may have told her that already but she wanted me to go regardless." Azul wasn't sure why he was still talking. Any other merfolk would have bolted away from him. Angler seemed to have had the same thought because then, as soon as it happened, the rippling ceased, and he was staring at Azul quite oddly.

"Your mother is the one who wears the shells in her hair and works the counter at that eatery near the Seatadel, right?"

Azul nodded his head. Then because he felt like it said; "We've also been classmates since Clamshell years."

"I remember." Angler replied coolly, " They used to make you ink yourself and told the teachers it was the reason my skin was so greasy."

"....Right." Azul didn't like recalling his younger years and it agitated him easily that it was mentioned so callously and if his mood was noticed by Angler, it hadn't really showed on the male's expression.

"You've changed a lot." Angler said suddenly and Azul's tail twitched. If he mentioned how he looked this time, he was seriously going to swim away and tell his mother their sympathy was rejected.

"Must have taken a lot of hard work."

Now, that was unexpected.

Azul stared at the male, and by doing so, he realized how truly different they were to each other. Where Azul had to literally change how he looked in order to stop himself getting bullied, Angler dissuaded his harassers by simply growing into the abnormality of his kind since they often grew into very intimidating adults, their peers found it harder to poke fun at him as he matured.

"Well, I guess you can tell her it's appreciated. But no, we don't need anything."

And then, before he could say anything else, Angler swam past him and dove into his cave.